Friday, May 2, 2014

Spring Renovation

Spring has finally arrived!

Mother Nature artfully showcases this grand period of renewal and rebirth, through vibrant floral colors, intoxicating natural perfumes, and delicious culinary delights.  Her beauty excites my senses and enlivens my spirit, while the anticipation of spring foods such as asparagus, dandelion greens, artichokes, fiddleheads, and scapes gets my creative juices flowing. 

Personally spring has brought positive changes and a sort of rebirth within my life as well.  I have taken the leap of faith to delve 100% into my passion for whole foods, whole health and vibrant living.  Thus during this period I will be renovating the look and feel of my blog so that my readers will hopefully experience the passion, the beauty, and the joy I feel from talking about food, learning about food, and creating food.   And in turn I hope to get your creative juices flowing!

So stay tuned for my new and improved blog.  In the meantime get dirty in the garden, wild in the kitchen and create your vibrant life.

Happy Spring!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

Now this is a totally unique recipe for a delicious gluten free chocolate cake that will have your diners stumped about the main ingredient...whole garbanzo beans.  Who knew beans would be good in dessert as well!

2 1/4 cups garbanzo beans (cooked and drained if canned)
4 organic eggs
1 cup organic sugar or 1 1/4 cup honey
1 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease an 8" round baking pan
  • Blend beans in a food processor.  Add eggs and blend.  Add sweetener and blend. 
  • Whisk together dry and add to food processor and blend.
  • Pour in to greased pan, smooth top and bake about 40 min. or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 15 min then flip out onto cooling rack.
Eat as is or make a chocolate ganache to pour over it or raspberry whipped cream or caramel or....ok I am getting way too excited here.  But you get the point.  Enjoy it with whatever makes you smile!

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Morning Glory Muffins

Here is a recipe I created that will make your morning more glorious...

If you want to sub spelt flour for the all purpose flour, go for it!  Or maybe sub coconut oil for the vegetable oil.  You could also experiment with lessening the white sugar and subbing with a bit of maple syrup or honey.  As usual, I encourage you to play with your food, be creative and have fun!

And of course make every morning, glorious!

Stacey's Morning Glory Muffins

2/3 cup raisins
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups organic sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
2 organic eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed (or add more more egg instead of water/flax mix)
1 - 15oz can of crushed pineapple, drained.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the juice

  • Preheat over to 375 degrees and lightly grease or line 24 muffin cups.
  • Put raisins in a small bowl, cover with water and soak.
  • In large bowl mix flours, sugar, spices, soda and salt.  Add nuts, seeds and apple.
  • In separate large bowl combine eggs, oil and vanilla.  In a cup, whisk together water and flaxseed then add to large bowl.  Add pineapple and reserved juice
  • Drain raisins and add to wet mix.  Add wet mix to dry mix and blend just until combined.
  • Divide batter evenly among cups and bake about 15 min. or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes then remove muffins and place on cooling rack.


Friday, April 4, 2014

Gluten Free Banana Bread

For all you fans of banana bread who either want to cut down on the amount of wheat you are consuming or who are gluten intolerant, here is a DELICIOUS recipe I created for you:

2 cups Gluten Free flour blend (I used Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 organic eggs (try substituting 6 T water plus 2 T ground flax meal to make vegan)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil (try coconut oil also)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 mashed bananas (if you are able to find apple bananas try 4 of these!)

  • Pre-heat over to 350 degrees and lightly grease loaf pan. 
  • Whisk together dry ingredients in one bowl.  Whisk together wet ingredients in another bowl.  Add mashed banana to wet ingredients.  Form a well in the dry, pour in the wet and blend just until evenly mixed.
  • Pour into loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes.  Oven times may vary so make sure to insert a toothpick into center to test doneness.  Let cool for 15 minutes in pan, then insert onto cooling rack.  
I hope you enjoy this. I know me and my household of gluten free peeps sure did!

If you want more recipes on gluten free baking, check out my past blogpost that contains mexican chocolate chip cookies and sundried tomato basil muffins.  Bye Bye wheat, hello yum!

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Buenos Dias Breakfast

This month I learned that breakfast is definitely the easiest meal to enjoy without using processed foods. Although, if you are a die-hard cereal fan you may disagree. Cereal is a processed food, but there are some exceptions such as Wheetabix, Shredded Wheat, or Bran Flakes. For the most part, though, packaged cereals are highly processed and contain added sugars, colorings and preservatives. So, bad news to the captains of Captain Crunch Berry, but good news for the captains of eating healthy and easy to prepare breakfast meals.

Delicious, easy meals to start your day off right:
  • Fruit salad - Combine your favorite seasonal fruits such as apples, pears, oranges, bananas, pineapple, or kiwi, and eat as is or topped with fresh squeezed lime juice, sunflower seeds, or plain yogurt.
  • Smoothies - Throw all the ingredients in the blender the night before, blend in the AM, pour into a Nalgene bottle or reuse a plastic cup, and enjoy. Be creative. You can use a base of water, juice, coconut milk, homemade almond milk, organic milk, or plain yogurt, then add fresh or frozen fruit, wheat germ/ground flax/chia seeds, nut butters or nuts, seeds, spirulina and a sweetener such as dates, raw honey or maple syrup. Or try one of my creations which in just one serving has 13 g Fiber, 14 g Protein, over 1,000 mg Potassium, 45% Calcium, 25% Vitamin D, 17% Vitamin C, 16% Iron, as well as many other vitamins and minerals. FUNKY MONKEY SMOOTHIE: 1/4 cup chopped dates, 1 banana, 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter, 1/8 cup ground flax seed, 1/2 cup plain organic yogurt, 1/4 cup water. Place all in blender and puree.
  • Oatmeal - Again this can be prepped at night by placing water in a saucepan on the stove and setting out the measured cup of oatmeal with some raisins or dates added to it. In the morning bring water to a boil, place oatmeal and dried fruit in the pan and let simmer while you are doing something else. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or cloves, along with chopped nuts and seeds for added nutrients. Sweeten or add a liquid of choice.
  • Yogurt and Muesli/Granola - Bob's Red Mill makes a pure delicious muesli or you can try making your own. The night before or first thing in the morning combine muesli with yogurt and let soak. You can add chopped fruit or use organic milk instead of the yogurt. For granola, just add yogurt, milk or try with orange juice, the way I sometimes like it.
  • Eggs - Any way you like them...hard boiled, soft boiled, scrambled, poached or make an omelet or frittata using fresh herbs, sundried tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, and/or a locally made goat cheese. Back when I was in college I lived in Spain and ate Tortilla de Patatas (like a frittata made with potatoes) almost all the time and any time of the day. Yesterday I decided to try my hand at making one and it turned out pretty good. You can find a recipe for it online and then check out this quick video on how to make it (it is in Spanish though).
  • French Toast, Pancakes, Waffles - Try making your own whole grain bread and use leftovers for french toast. Or make your own wholegrain pancake/waffle base to have on hand. Combine dry ingredients and place in an airtight container in the freezer. Just add wet ingredients when you are ready to make them. A new hearty Pancake/Waffle Recipe I developed this month, which serves about 3 and has 10 g Fiber and 10 g Protein per serving, consists of:  1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup ground flax, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 egg, 3/4 cup coconut milk, 1/2 cup applesauce, 1/4 cup water, 1 Tbsp safflower oil, 1/4 -1/2 tsp almond extract, and frozen raspberries.  I mixed all the dry in one bowl, the wet in another, and then blended the two until just combined. Pour in a waffle maker or make pancakes and press raspberries into the batter before flipping sides. Top with applesauce, yogurt, or real maple syrup, toasted nuts and seeds, or fresh fruit.
So as you can see there are many delicious, nutritious, unprocessed foods to get your day started right. Whether it is a quick bowl of oatmeal and fruit salad or a weekend Spanish brunch, your taste buds and your body will equally enjoy the fruits of your labor. Buenos dias!

Thursday, March 20, 2014

First Few Weeks of Unprocessed Meals

My first few weeks of eating unprocessed whole foods has been fun and delicious. I have spent a bit of time in the kitchen, but not an unreasonable amount. Also, most meals that I have made were reheated for leftovers.

For one breakfast I created a whole-grain pancake/waffle batter made with King Arthur whole wheat flour, ground flax seed, rolled oats, coconut milk, applesauce, and almond extract. I tried the batter as a pancake and added frozen raspberries, then tried the batter plain in a waffle maker. Both were equally yummy and hearty especially after topping them with plain yogurt, applesauce, and sunflower seeds.  Another breakfast was a Tropical Kale Smoothie (recipe below) that included baby kale, blueberries, pineapple, coconut water and chia seeds.  It had an earthy, yet sweet and lovely flavor.

For a light lunch I made a cashew pate which is a raw food made from blended cashews, red pepper, green onions, and fresh herbs. I spread the pate on puffed kamut cakes and topped it with avocado and sea salt.  Other lunch options were big, beautiful salads and homemade soups.

Dinner one night consisted of Shepard's Pie made from a layer of cooked lentils and vegetables, sweet peas, and mashed potatoes. I actually prepared the meal during the day, when I had time, and when I came home in the evening I just had to pop it in the oven for 20 minutes. Dinner another night consisted of brown rice, black beans with cumin added, sauteed onions/mushrooms/peppers, homemade pico de gallo and avocado. Yum! The pico de gallo is so easy to make that it seems silly to even consider buying it or salsa pre-made ever again. I just mixed together finely diced tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, green onions, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, sea salt and lime juice and Voila!

With the leftover rice I poured in coconut milk, a dollop of butter, a beaten egg, soaked raisins and dates with a little of the soak water, raw honey, sea salt, nutmeg, cloves, and a cinnamon stick and let it simmer for about 3o minutes.

Every meal so far I have made from scratch (except for the puffed kamut cakes) and loved it. It feels good to eat things that I prepared with my bare hands and not from a box. And to cut down on wheat, dairy, and sugars makes my body very happy. So far, so good.

TROPICAL KALE SMOOTHIE
3 cups baby kale
1 cup frozen blueberries
3/4 cup pineapple
1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon chia seeds

Place all ingredients in blender and blend till smooth.  Add more water or juice to thin to a consistency that you like.  Pour in your favorite glass  and enjoy!

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Natural Foods Pantry

Before embarking on the journey of this month long unprocessed food challenge, I had to fill up my pantry with lots of healthy, natural and tasty foods. Here is a list of the basics needed to cook up delicious and nutritious meals:

GRAINS: Brown rice, wild rice, rolled oats, quinoa, cornmeal, spelt or whole wheat flour; moderate use of whole-grain pasta, soba noodles, rice noodles, couscous, bulgur.

LEGUMES: Dried, low-sodium preservative free canned, frozen or fresh - black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, white/navy beans, adzuki beans, green beans, wax beans, lima beans, lentils, split peas, sweet peas, sugar snap peas, snow peas, edamame.

NUTS AND SEEDS: Unsalted and raw nuts - walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, peanuts, pecans, pistachios. Unsalted and raw seeds - sunflower, pumpkin, flax, sesame.

SPECIALTY FOODS: Preservative free coconut milk, pure peanut or almond butter (no hydrogenated oils, sugar, or preservatives added), capers, olives, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, unsulphured dried fruits - apricots, figs, raisins, dates, prunes.

OILS, CONDIMENTS, AND SEASONINGS: Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling or dressings, olive oil for cooking, sesame oil, flax oil, safflower oil, coconut oil, vinegars - balsamic/white wine/red wine/rice/apple cider/white, nama shoyu/tamari, tahini, raw honey/maple syrup/agave nectar, nutritional yeast, dijon mustard.

HERBS AND SPICES: Sea salt, black pepper, cumin, cayenne, crushed red pepper flakes, paprika, ground coriander, curry powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, dry and fresh ginger root, cardamom, dill, rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, garlic, onion.

FRUIT: Seasonal fresh or frozen fruits to your liking - apples, pears, bananas, oranges, mandarins, grapefruit, berries, peaches, plums, kiwi, pineapple, mango, melon, grapes, etc. Keep a fresh supply for quick snacks. Also, good to have on hand are lemons and limes for cooking with their juices. Unusual fruits to have on hand - avocados, persimmons, pomegranate.

VEGETABLES: Items used often- onions - red/sweet/white, green onions, potatoes - red/yukon/russet/sweet, bell peppers, carrots, celery, tomatoes, greens - mixed lettuce/arugula/chard/kale/spinach, fresh herbs - parsley/basil/mint/cilantro/rosemary. Keep a fresh supply of local, seasonal vegetables for your meals. Mix it up and try to get a good variety in your diet - broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, squash, mushrooms, seaweeds. cucumber, eggplant, brussel sprouts, radishes, beets, asparagus, leeks.

OTHERS: If you choose you may want to add organic cage free eggs, organic milk, organic butter, organic plain regular or greek yogurt, organic locally made preservative free cheese, organic/natural/grass fed meats and quality fish.

Hope this helps you prepare your grocery list to stock up on healthy, natural, minimally processed quality foods. Most grocery stores and even super Target and Wal-Mart are carrying organic and high quality foods now. Some items such as raw nuts and seeds, quinoa, and condiments may need to be purchased at your local health food store. Happy shopping!

Thursday, March 6, 2014

My Month of Unprocessed Food

Happy March!  Spring is on its way and is a perfect time to cleanse and renew one's eating habits.  In honor of this time of year I am devoting the month of March to a month of unprocessed, healthy foods. In this month I will list basic ingredients to get your unprocessed, healthy kitchen pantry prepared, recipe ideas, thoughts and challenges, and whatever else arises during this fun little project.

Already this project has presented me with questions as I prepared my grocery list wondering what is considered processed food. Some processed foods are still considered healthy, so how was I going to navigate through this? Well, I decided to use my judgment on what I feel are unhealthy processed foods and stay clear of those. Easy examples of processed foods are: almost anything that is already made for me such as cereal, crackers, granola bars, breads, etc; bleached all purpose flour; pasta made with bleached AP flour; refined sugar and anything that contains it; frozen pizzas, entrees, breakfast foods, etc.; flavored yogurt, processed cheeses, ice cream; fake meats and other tofu products because tofu is processed; white rice and any grain stripped or bleached; and basically anything that is in the entire middle of the grocery store. Obvious foods that I will include are: fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables; dried unsulphured, preservative free fruits; raw, unsalted nuts and seeds; all legumes, including canned ones that are preservative free because I am terrible at cooking dried beans; rolled oats, brown rice, ground flax seed, quinoa, millet, amaranth; eggs; olive oil, spices, seasonings and fresh herbs; and sea veggies. Other foods that I had to question but decided to include are: plain organic yogurt and occasionally organic milk, butter, or local high quality unprocessed cheese; sesame oil, safflower/sunflower oil, tahini, nama shoyu/tamari; occasional pasta made with unbleached and whole grain flours; and potentially seitan or tempeh though I am not sure how processed these are. I am sure some days I will slip because again, some processed foods are still healthy. So, feel free to send me your thoughts on what you think processed foods are. It is a tricky question, because in today’s world it seems like everything is processed even if it is a seemingly healthy item. For the sake of convenience and time in our fast paced society, most foods are already made for us for example: salsa, hummus, spaghetti sauce, pasta, condiments, dressings, bread/tortillas, granola/bars, and the list goes on. We don’t really have to cook much any more except maybe to warm things up. So this challenge is really making me look at food, where we get it, how it’s made, and what exactly is healthy for us. In this fast paced world how can we not eat processed or pre-made foods, especially since they are making them seemingly healthier for us? And do we really have the time to shop, clean, prepare, and cook whole foods anymore? Or is it about striking a balance between cooking and using high quality prepared/processed foods, and making educated decisions to maintain a healthy lifestyle with convenience and ease. Hmmm, well join in on the journey and we'll see!

Thursday, February 27, 2014

5 Ways to Supercharge your Breakfast


We have all heard the common quote that “breakfast is the most important part of the day.” So why do we still skip it, rush through it, or eat morning meals that are basically sugar laden desserts?  Eating breakfast wakes up your system, jump starts your metabolism, and prepares your body for the day ahead.  Therefore why not choose foods that will fuel you with the energy you need to make it a rockin’ day!  
 
Here are 5 ways to supercharge your breakfast:

  1. Eat the orange, not the juice.  If your morning won’t start until you drink a glass of OJ, then try switching it out with an actual orange or tangerine.  Tangerines, for example, are super juicy and delish, and eating the whole fruit will provide your body with the proper balance of fiber to sugar.  Simply drinking the juice creates a sugar shock to your system, but the whole fruit will give your body a much happier morning boost. 
  2. Power punch your cereal.  Steer clear of the sugar laden cereals that claim they are made with whole grains and are healthy for you.  Choose a protein packed cereal, such as Kashi’s Cinnamon Crumble, which contains 10 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber per serving.  Plus the added cinnamon will help balance blood sugar levels.  Look for cereals that contain less than 10 grams of sugar per serving and have at least 5 grams each of protein and fiber per serving. 
  3. Love oatmeal (quinoa and millet too!).  Oatmeal is an incredibly cheap and easy breakfast that you can customize to your liking.  You can add almond or rice milk, spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup or even molasses, chopped nuts, dried fruits, crystallized ginger, protein powder, maca powder, chia or flax seeds, and the list goes on!  Switch oatmeal out with a quinoa or millet porridge and add the same fixings above.  Both of these are packed with protein and essential amino acids that will make you ready for the day. 
  4.  Spice up your eggs.  Adding a pinch of cayenne or a drizzle of Tabasco or Sriracha to your eggs may help your body digest and assimilate them better, thus allowing you to utilize the energy of this protein packed food much quicker.  Cayenne has also been reported to reduce inflammation in the body, speed up metabolism, improve immunity and clear congestion.
  5. Add fun flours.  Try replacing parts of white or even whole wheat flour with buckwheat flour, spelt flour, brown rice flour, etc.  These flours will not only add different textures, colors, and tastes but also added nutrients, fiber and proteins.  Many also are able to digest these non-wheat flours better, which is another reason to try them!

Remember that you want a good balance of fiber, protein and carbohydrates to supercharge your morning meal and thus supercharge your day.  Make the time to fuel your body well and your body will thank you.  Now go rock your day!

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Delicious Daal

After a nice early evening yoga class I came home eagerly anticipating cooking dinner. I reveled in the fact that I was going to prepare, with my bare hands, a home cooked, healthy and delicious meal. My choice for the evening in honor of yoga's Indian roots, a green split pea daal. This was the first time I have cooked daal, and I basically just went on intuition and winged it. The result...YUUUMMM! So easy, so healthy, and so darn tasty. I will be making this alot and trying it with yellow split peas and lentils as well.

Green Split Pea Daal - about 3 servings

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic
1 celery stalk, diced
1 carrot stick, diced
cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste
1 cup green split peas
3 cups vegetable broth or water

In a medium size saucepan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until soft. Add celery, carrots, and spices and stir evenly to coat. Saute for a couple minutes then add liquid and peas. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 20 minutes or until water is absorbed and peas are soft. Should be a thick consistency. Serve over rice, sprinkle with nutritional yeast for added nutrients, and enjoy.

One of my favorite kitchen gadgets is a rice cooker. I first learned of rice cookers while I was living in Hawaii, as it is a staple in every one's home there. You can put in any type of rice, quinoa, or other grain with the required amount of liquid, press the cook button and it does all the work. It is a great way to always have warm grains on hand. Tonight the first thing I did was pour the liquid and rice into the cooker then turned it on. So while I was preparing the daal, rice was being prepared for me. Awesome.

My goal is to help you find your magic in the kitchen and look forward to cooking. Cooking allows for many feelings or outlets such as creativity, relaxation, satisfaction, and sheer enjoyment. Knowing that you are treating your body as well as your taste buds by cooking your own healthy meals is a magical feeling all on its own. Allow your health and your spirit to say Namaste to your efforts.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Introducing the hot, the spicy...Ginger!

It is winter in Florida and my lovely grandmother, who calls the sunshine state her home, has been struggling with the cooler than usual weather this year. She constantly complains of being cold and has in turn been racking up the heating bills to try and stay warm. So I, being the health nut that I am, suggested that she try drinking some ginger tea which is known to increase circulation and warmth within the body. Surprisingly, she listened to me, and went out and bought some! She was a little shocked by the piquancy of it, but noticed that it did help. This is what led me to today’s blog about ginger.

Ginger is an amazing root that is used in myriad ways such as for culinary, aromatic, and medicinal purposes. It is an odd looking herb, pale yellow in color with a torso like shape and lots of little nubs poking off into various directions. The part of the tropical plant, known as Zingibar Officinale, used is its starchy, pungent, aromatic rhizome. Ginger is a tropical, hot spice with flavors of citrus, and floral, woodsy undertones. In the culinary world it can be added to a dish to provide substance and thickness as well as for added aroma. I hear that back in the day the English taverns set out ginger powder on the tables along with salt and pepper for people to sprinkle on their drinks, thus forming ginger beer and ginger ale. Today ginger is still used to make ginger ales and is even added to Yemen coffee.

Ginger can be used in its dried or fresh state, and is available as the whole fresh root, dried root, powdered, preserved, crystallized (excellent in gingersnaps), and pickled. India, China and Jamaica are major producers of dried ginger, while the beautiful US state of Hawaii produces much of the fresh ginger. Some say that Indian ginger has strong aromas of citrus, Chinese ginger is most pungent, and Jamaican ginger is the finest with a delicate and sweet presence. I am not a connoisseur of ginger though so what ever looks the best at the market is what I purchase, but I think I may have to do a little taste test to see if I would concur. Fresh ginger root can be found in the produce section and should be stored in the fridge unpeeled. It should look firm, smooth, and healthy, with no spots or mildew. The skin may be removed with a paring knife and then the root sliced, diced or julienned. Add it to your cooking (beans, soups, stir fry), in the juicer (great with carrot and apple) or in tea. **Fresh Ginger Tea – put a couple of thick slices of fresh ginger root in a cup of hot tea and steep.** Dried or crystallized ginger is a wonderful addition to baked goods, and you can even buy ginger candies to chew on which also may help with nausea.

Medicinally, ginger is a wonderful healing spice and is extremely prevalent in Chinese medicine. Ginger tea, which is what I explained to my grandmother, is a diaphoretic (fancy term for “makes you sweat”). It warms you up and promotes perspiration which is good to alleviate colds, for cold weather, and to detoxify your body. Overall, ginger promotes warmth and circulation in the body, increases metabolic rate, helps the body detoxify from acidic foods, cleanses and rebuilds the cardiovascular system, alleviates symptoms of gastrointestinal stress, prevents motion sickness and nausea associated with pregnancy, aids in digestion, and reduces flatulence (hallelujah!). It is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antispasmodic, and the list goes on. Basically, it’s really darn good for you…who knew this little hot number had all that and more! Ginger is such a versatile spice that you may want to get to know well and have fun experimenting with in your cooking and baking. It will add to your culinary repertoire as well as your health, and at the least may keep You hot and spicy!

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

RAWvolution

The day I discovered raw foods cuisine, my entire body filled up with passion and excitement. The beauty and creativity of utilizing Mother Nature's gifts to create elegant, gourmet, unique dishes left me utterly fascinated. Seeing, smelling, and tasting these culinary masterpieces consumed me with total sensory ecstasy. Now, I am not a raw food fanatic regarding it as a lifestyle, but am rather viewing raw foods cuisine as an artist would, using fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds as her medium. The vibrant colors of oddly shaped heirloom tomatoes, fresh figs, rainbow chard, or dazzling limes are nature's palette designed for me to create exquisite, delicious works of art. Gently chopping a handful of garden fresh herbs allows their aromas to be released filling my lungs with their potent and intense smells. Parsley, tarragon, basil, rosemary and thyme, oh my! The culmination of this sensory explosion ends in my taste buds screaming for joy at the pleasure of this live food artistic creation. Vegetarian food + creativity = my heaven!!!!

A couple books in particular inspired me in this area of cuisine, and you may want to check them out for some great tips on what to incorporate in your raw foods kitchen, beautiful photos, and unique recipes. They are from the restaurant in NYC known as Pure Food and Wine. The first book is called "Raw Food, Real World" written by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis, and the second is called "Living Raw Food" written by Sarma Melngailis. I have not been to this restaurant yet, but hope to one day soon as it seems to be a culinary feast for vegetarians and meat eaters alike.

My first experimentation with raw foods cuisine was to make a nut cheese. I was inspired to do this for two reasons...one just for my inquisitive mind to know what a cheese made out of nuts would taste like, and two because I know many people who are lactose intolerant and would love to indulge in a cheese like food. So I went to the store, bought some almonds and cheesecloth and decided to experiment. Now, I have recently learned that many of the specialty vegan cheeses are made with a fermented product know as rejuvalac, but my cheese was not. I went the easy route and was quite pleased with the outcome. But, if you do want to get fancy, try checking out recipes using rejuvalac and you will be amazed at what types of vegan cheeses you can create. Cows can now rejoice!

My first try with nut cheese involved a three day process. The first day I let the nuts soak overnight. The second day I drained the nuts then placed them in a blender with oil and spices. The result was a pureed nut blend which I wrapped up tightly in cheesecloth and let sit in a bowl overnight to drain. The next day the cheese was edible and dryer, but I wanted to dry it out even more so I baked it (not technically raw anymore!). It was delish!!! My taste testers and I ate it like you would a goat cheese with crackers, but also tried it as a baked topping on stuffed tomatoes. Holy cow, were we all pleased! It tasted amazing and eerily like cheese! But, of course this way is not raw and took a long time so I tried it again with out baking it, used less liquid and was still pleased. So basically this recipe and technique is pretty flexible, and you can be creative with it. Here is my recipe, but as I always say... experiment, have fun, and don't worry about messing it up because this is meant to be an enjoyable and delicious experience. You can add more or less herbs to taste.



Italian Spreadable Nut Cheese

1 cup whole blanched (skins removed) almonds

3 Tablespoons cold pressed olive oil

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 small clove of peeled garlic

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh oregano

1 teaspoon fresh basil

1.5 teaspoons fresh thyme

2 teaspoons fresh parsley



1.) Place almonds in bowl, cover fully with water, and let soak overnight. Drain, rinse, and drain again.

2.) Place almonds, oil, lemon juice, garlic, and spices in blender and puree until a smooth creamy paste forms. About 5 minutes.

3.) You can eat this as is by shaping it into a round or rolling it into a log. You may drizzle more oil and herbs over it, or use it in raw foods creations such as rawsagana or rawvioli's. Or you can forget the raw thing and bake it alone or in dishes. Or if you want to get more liquid out of it to make it dryer without baking then place mixture into a triple layer of cheesecloth. Tie up into a ball and place over a bowl. Let it sit in the refrigerator over night to drain. The next day discard remaining liquid, remove from cheesecloth and place on a serving platter either in a round or roll up in wax paper to make it resemble a goat cheese log.


Add different herbs, or no herbs at all if you want. You may also add water to the first stage of blending but then you will definitely have to place the puree in a cheesecloth to drain overnight. Experiment to see what consistency you would like and what flavors you enjoy the most. Have fun with this amazing culinary art of creating dishes with raw foods. Experience the RAWvolution and enjoy!!!

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

The Nutritious and Delicious Sweet Potato!

Beautiful, voluptuous sweet potato, oh how I love thee! How your color dazzles my eyes and your taste tantalizes my tongue with sweet bliss... OK I am getting a bit carried away huh? Seriously though, I have always loved the sweet potato but never incorporated it into my diet. I seem to only eat it during the holidays when I save it for last, or on the rare occasion when a restaurant may serve it as an appetizer. Crazy to think how much I enjoy this root and how little I actually eat it. Well, that is going to change as of now! I was reunited with the sweet potato during a nutrition and cooking class that I volunteered for to educate teens on healthy cooking and eating habits. The kids made Cajun spiced sweet potato and russet potato "fries" which were dipped in a garlic yogurt sauce. Oh, yea baby! The kids did such a great job and it tasted so yummy that I went home and made them myself. But, I used only sweet potatoes for the "fries" and I made a few changes to the dip and they came out as equally delish! Check out the recipe below and also my first ever cooking video on how to make this beautiful, sassy recipe.

A little background on the sweet potato: it is a member of the Morning Glory family and not the potato family; and the orange sweet potatoes here in the U.S. are sometimes called yams, but are actually not true yams. Sweet potatoes come in a variety of lovely colors such as orange, yellow, red, white and even a vibrant purple. They have antioxidant capacities and are an excellent source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, B6, iron, manganese, copper, potassium and fiber. Other nutrients found in good amounts are B1, B2, B3, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, pantothenic acid, folate, and amino acids. I also read that they may actually help stabilize blood sugar levels and improve the body's response to the hormone insulin. Not bad for a cheap, scrumptious, sweet, and easy to prepare food.

When shopping for sweet potatoes look for ones that are firm and have little bruising or discoloration. The darker the orange the higher the beta-carotene content, but the purple ones are known to have higher antioxidants. Store these roots in a cool, dark, well ventilated place for up to 10 days, but do NOT refrigerate or buy ones that have been refrigerated. To prepare simply rinse, peel if desired, and bake, boil, fry, broil, microwave, can or freeze them. There are tons of recipes available online for sweet potatoes used in desserts, baked goods, stir-fries, casseroles, etc. Use your imagination and try to incorporate the nutritious and delicious sweet potato into your standard diet for health and happiness. Now let's start cooking!

Cajun Spiced Sweet Potato Fries - makes about 2-3 servings
*you can alter the spice amounts to your tastes*
2 medium peeled sweet potatoes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the peeled sweet potatoes into thick strips. Place strips in a bowl and coat with olive oil. Mix the seasonings together and sprinkle on the strips to coat evenly. Do not touch your eyes, as the cayenne is hot! Place them on a baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes turning them half way through baking. They are done when tender and lightly browned. Prepare dip while potatoes are baking.

Garlic & Herb Yogurt Dip - serves about 3
*again you can alter the seasonings to your taste and likes*
1 large clove of garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh green onions
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup thick Middle Eastern Lebneh or Greek style plain yogurt.

Finely mince the garlic. Sprinkle the salt over the garlic and mash with the flat end of chef's knife to form a paste. Add garlic salt paste, parsley, green onions, and lemon juice to yogurt and blend well. Taste and adjust seasonings to your likes. Serve with Cajun Spiced Sweet Potato Fries and enjoy.

Please watch the premier of the Fascinated By Food cooking show on www.youtube.com to see how easy this recipe is to make.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TAiBOq8V4Q

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

The Joy of Eating

Today's blog is different from the others as this is something I wrote while I was recovering from major oral surgery a few years ago. I was on a diet of pureed foods for almost 3 weeks and had plenty of time to be quiet and contemplate. This is one of my journal entries from that week of introspective and suffering...

"I sit here full of pain and silence. Contemplating the intricacies of life and the complexities of humanity. Silence gives you introspective time. Talk is cheap and can at times fill the air with such negative energy. Silence is priceless and allows you to feel the positive energies constantly around you, letting you be still, letting you hear all that happens around you every moment that usually is cluttered with talk. Look at the bright side of this painful and uncomfortable week of swollen mouth. Rest, relax, be gentle, walk slowly, breath, feel, listen, and watch.
Watching life has been interesting to me these past few days. Watching life when you have very little of it makes you really appreciate it. Combine that with not being able to eat solid foods and you really begin to see and feel things differently. The beauty of a grilled, plump veggie burger loaded to the brim with toppings, being bit into and enjoyed is amazing. It is hard to describe my moments of watching and yearning for the everyday tastes of ordinary foods. I watch the burger being quickly devoured, I listen to the crunch of the toasted bread and notice the lost pieces of lettuce that fall to the sides before making their way into the mouth. The strength of the human jaw and teeth to tear apart this structure and digest it into a form of energy makes me awestruck! The sheer joy of eating is one that we all too quickly ignore.
Oh how I miss biting into a warm slice of gooey jelly coated toast or a creamy yet sharp piece of cheese or feeling the crunch of cereal crackle amongst my teeth. The feel of salty peanut butter stuck to the roof of my mouth while I try fervently to remove it with my undulating tongue. The sweet juice of a fresh strawberry that bursts out upon my bite into it and the residue that taints my front teeth a pale pink. The crispness of an apple while my teeth barrel through its initial tough exterior only to reveal a surge of sour delight.
Sweet teeth, how I love you so madly. I truly appreciate your strength and fortitude and helping me in this human form enjoy the beautiful art of eating. The tastes, the textures, the smells, the lusciousness of it all. Oh how I miss you right now and pray for your rapid recovery. No longer will I take advantage of you hard working little teeth and I will constantly thank you dearly for your efforts!"

Just a simple reminder to be thankful everyday for your amazing body and for being with health, and to appreciate the art and joy of eating.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Orange You Glad!

The first week of the new year started with me getting a little winter cold. But, luckily, one particular family came to my rescue and helped me get healthy quick...the Citrus family. Mr. & Mrs. Orange, Auntie Clementine and Little Tangelo were all eager to provide me with ample amounts of Vitamin C, antioxidants, minerals, B vitamins and fiber. How nice of them! In honor of this wonderful family of fruits I decided to do some research and share what I found with you all. I focused my research on the orange and mandarin groups since that is what I have been indulging in the past few days. (Sorry lemons and grapefruits, you'll have your chance to shine another time!)

First of all there are three main types of oranges: bitter oranges, sweet oranges, and mandarins. Bitter oranges are used mainly to make jams, jellies, marinades, or in liqueurs. Sweet oranges include Navels, Valencia, and blood oranges. Naval oranges are the common easy to spot orange that is large, thick skinned, bright true orange in color and looks like it has a bellybutton on it, hence the term naval. Valencia oranges have a yellower tone, are smaller, have a thin skin that is difficult to peel and are perfect for making freshly squeezed o.j. Blood oranges are the smallest, have an orangy red skin, no seeds, and are sweeter and less acidic than other oranges. The unique thing about these natural beauties is that the flesh is either orange with red veins or a blood red color. When orange flavor is needed, yet you want to dazzle your guests, blood oranges are perfect to add to your culinary repertoire. Last, but not least, mandarins include a wide variety of fruits such as the tangerine, tangelo (cross between a grapefruit and a tangerine), and clementine. This group has a smaller fruit and a thin skin that comes off quite easy.

Currently in Florida, the ambersweet orange, naval orange, pineapple orange, orlando tangelo, sunburst tangerine, dancy tangerine, and minneola tangerine are all in season. When you purchase an orange look for ones that have healthy, vibrant, glossy looking skins and feel heavy for their size. The heavier they are the juicier they are. (Those of you with dirty minds, can chuckle over that sentence.) Store at room temperature for juicer fruits that will be eaten soon. If not eating soon, store mandarins in the fridge unwrapped up to 1 week and oranges up to 2 weeks. So now that you know a little bit more about these nutritional, aromatic, and vibrant delicacies, let's discuss how you can enjoy them.

Oranges are really versatile, and aside from the tasty, quick snack or morning beverage, can be used in many dishes. Try these salad variations by combining the following ingredients with a citrus vinaigrette:
Greens-watercress, arugula or spinach
Red onions - thinly sliced
Dried cranberries or fresh pomegranate seeds
Blue cheese or goat cheese
Toasted walnuts, almonds or pecans
Make a roasted red and golden beet salad, with sectioned oranges, fresh herbs, arugula, spinach, goat cheese, and balsamic reduction. Also, try a fresh fruit salad with a citrus honey glaze, toasted coconut shreds, dates, and grated cinnamon. Or how about a Moroccan carrot salad made of shredded carrots, plump raisins, toasted pumpkin seeds, and an orange vinaigrette.
In Morocco, they use oranges in a lot of their recipes and also use orange blossom water which is made from orange blossoms. Try an orange almond shake made of blanched, peeled almonds blended with milk, sugar to taste and orange blossom water. If you want to cook an exotic meal try using the traditional Moroccan flavors of oranges, dates, almonds, cinnamon and honey in some recipe. Or go more Asian and create a variation of udon noodles in peanut sauce by adding orange juice to the sauce. Try marinating tofu in a marinade of orange juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, fresh ginger, grated zest, and cayenne, and then pan searing it. Serve a top of jasmine rice or soba noodles with sauteed snow peas and carrots.
The ideas are limitless with this versatile, delicious, and nutritious family which will treat your taste buds and your body to lots of love. When your feeling under the weather, or just want to transport your mouth to paradise, experiment with oranges and see how you feel. Orange you glad that you did!

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Blender Mania

"Oh my goodness, this is awesome! Let's go make something!" were the exuberant words that jumped from my mouth after opening the gift of a Ninja Blender this Christmas. Pretty much everyone who knows me knows that I have been jonesing for a Vita-mix for a while now. But, as those cost upwards of $500, the next best thing is a Ninja. And I am now a proud owner of one, Yahoo! (Sorry, but I still can not contain my joy!)

As soon as I opened the box, my friend and I ran into her kitchen to see what we could make. Eggnog was the first thing we saw, so we looked at each other with devilish grins and said "What the heck, it's Christmas!" We decided to brew a quick batch of coffee which was poured into the blender along with eggnog, rum, and ice. We turned it on (and oh it was like a Ferrari engine purring), watched it shoot out the top because we overfilled it in our excitement, cleaned up the mess while laughing, poured the concoction into fancy glasses, and then tasted heaven. I would say it was a successful launch to a lifetime of happy blending. But, for those of you who have also contracted blender mania, I would like to comment that coffee, eggnog, rum shakes should not be drunk on a daily basis. Remember friends, its all about balance!

So on that note, a good blender can create delicious and nutritious smoothies that can be consumed every day in addition to a well balanced whole foods diet. It is quite easy to find smoothie recipes on the web or even on the back of frozen fruit bags and yogurt containers, so I am not going to discuss that here. But I will list the plethora of fun nutritional supplements that can be added to your smoothies to make it a power meal (all can be found at a grocery store, health food store, and surprisingly at discount stores like Job Lots, Christmas Tree Shops and Homegoods):

Blackstrap Molasses - excellent healthy sweetener; loaded with iron and calcium; use sparingly
Chia Seeds - excellent source of fiber and essential fatty acid Omega-3; high in protein; thickening
Coconut Oil - quick source of energy; contains antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-fungal properties; boosts brain function; may help in reducing cholesterol and aid in weight loss; tastes like the tropics!
Coconut Sugar - healthy form of sugar that contains fiber and some minerals, but use sparingly
Dates - best healthy sweetener; loaded with fiber; source of iron, potassium and minerals
Flax Seed or Flax Seed Oil -
excellent source of fiber and essential fatty acid Omega-3
Hemp Seeds -
extremely high in easily digestible protein and essential fatty acids (mostly Omega-6); contains all essential amino acids
Maca Powder -
umm, aphrodisiac, enough said, LOL!; also contains protein, B vitamins, and many minerals; balances hormones and increases energy/stamina
Nutritional Yeast -
high in B vitamins; good source of protein, fiber and minerals; strong cheese like rich flavor so use in moderation as to not overwhelm the flavor of your smoothie
Nuts (including coconut) or seeds -
added protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and flavor depth
Protein Powder -
my naturopathic doctor recommends whey protein powder; buy pure form
Spirulina -
amazing source of protein, minerals, antioxidants, color pigments, vitamins, and Omega's; Caution - it tastes like the ocean, makes your drink look like a sea creature may be lost in there, and can clean your bowels out, so start with only a 1/2 tsp per blend and work your way into this supplement.  It is frickin awesome for you though, so learn to love it!
Raw Cacao -
high in iron, fiber, antioxidants, and protein; source of calcium, potassium and zinc
Wheat Germ -
loaded with the antioxidant Vitamin E; adds toasty, nutty flavor

I hope this inspires you to make yummy Power Smoothies a part of your diet and keep the uber rich, dairy/sugar/caffeine/alcohol laden ones an occasional delicacy.   Now start blending!!!  

Friday, January 3, 2014

Kale


The beautiful, hearty, dark leafy green known as kale is an amazing vegetable that some people have not formed a culinary relationship with. This relationship desperately needs to be cultivated as this member of the cabbage family is a highly nutritious, versatile, lovely, and delicious vegetable. Kale can be found in the vegetable section usually near other greens. You may see a few different varieties of kale such as curly kale (ruffled, deep green leaves), dinosaur kale (dark blue-green embossed leaves), or ornamental kale (green, purple, or white leaves). Each has a different taste and texture so experiment with all the varieties to see which one you like best. Kale is available year round although its main growing season is fall, winter and early spring. It is also easy to grow if you feel inclined to plant some in your garden (eat really local!!).

Kale is chock full of nutrients such as vitamin A, B, C, E, K, iron, potassium, manganese, magnesium, folic acid, and copper. It is also a great source of fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, chlorophyll, and phytonutrients. Kale is known for its anti-cancer properties and for its excellent calcium supply.

When purchasing kale look for fresh looking leaves that have no signs of insect damage, yellowing or wilting. Store in the crisper section of your refrigerator, unwashed, in a perforated plastic bag or a damp towel. It will keep for several days if stored properly. When ready to consume, rinse off any dirt or buggies, dry, then chop as desired. You can eat the stems, but I prefer to cut them off by taking a knife and slicing the whole center stem off from top to bottom.

Kale can be enjoyed in a variety of ways such as raw in salads, cooked in soups, added to pasta or other dishes, sauteed, steamed, or even baked. Allrecipes.com has a lot of nice recipes including this one for Baked Kale Chips. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Kale-Chips/Detail.aspx. Yes, it sounds odd so of course I had to try it out. You slice up the kale and drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper on it, then place the "chips" on a cookie sheet and bake. Amazingly they tasted yummy! They sort of melted in my mouth, but also had the crunchiness and saltiness of a potato chip. Kind of a fun side dish or snack.

Once again, I can not emphasize enough how amazingly nutritious this vegetable is, so I highly recommend adding it to your culinary repertoire. It really is beautiful and delicious too, and is super easy to cook. Most times I just lightly saute it with garlic, olive oil, red chili pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and sesame seeds, and toss it with some brown rice or quinoa. Makes me feel healthy and happy! Enjoy!

Please note: research has suggested to avoid raw kale if one has thyroid or kidney stones, so you may want to talk to your doctor about that.