Wednesday, November 7, 2012

kelp noodles post- 15 min lunch to take to work/school

Kelp noodles are from the seaweed kelp! I make lunches with these and eat them cold since they are good raw! Here is my example... but add whatever vegetables you desire.

They are found in the refrigeration section of the grocery store. I would recommend chopping them up if you are eating them raw, because they stick together really well.

Ingredients (yields 3)
1 package of kelp noodles
1/4 head of radicchio (red lettuce)
2 bok choy
handful of raw cashews
1 tsp of ginger
10 shitaki mushrooms
1 tsp nama shoyu/ soy sauce
1 tbsp tahini or 1.5 tbsp hummus

Directions- I layer it into a glass tupperware  (takes 15 min)
1. Cut up radicchio and smother with tahini or hummus
2. Cut up bok choy (into bite size) to put as second layer
3. Chop up ginger into really small pieces
4. sautee ginger in a little bit of water for 3 min with mushrooms
5. add nama shoyu/soy sauce and cashews to sautee for 1 min
6. while that is sauteeing, cut up kelp noodles and put on boy choy and radicchio
7. sprinkle on mushroom, ginger and cashew

Chopped ginger 
Radicchio and bok choy 
Brand is sea tangle


Sauteed shitaki mushrooms
cut up kelp noodles




Tuesday, October 30, 2012

parsnip fries- thanksgiving surprise!

Hi! 
This recipe is delicious. So easy too. I got it from ohsheglows.com but modified it to have coconut oil, and I cooked it for less time. This would be a great thanksgiving addition. Can you imagine?! Toppling on cranberry sauce? YUM.

Here goes....

ingredients (I just made up how much should be in there...)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 parsnip
1 tbsp almond butter (mine was crunchy!)

directions
preheat oven to 400
1. melt coconut oil
2. pour in bowl with almond butter, mix
3. cut up parsnips into sweet potato fry size
4. cover the parsnips with the almond butter/coconut oil mix (with your hands)
5. place on cookie sheet
5. lick your fingers!
6. place in oven for 25 min or until brown





Saturday, October 13, 2012

Winter comfort food (quinoa, coconut, squash....)

Hi! I am finishing up my second week of my 4th quarter of nursing school. I already feel my neck/upper back getting tight from the stress! I need to start yoga again.... tomorrow is my goal! After just a handful of poses tonight I already feel better.

My neighbor from Minnesota told me about this recipe, and I have had it four times this week because it makes such big batches and is delicious! And it is getting cold...

This is just the coconut milk and squash

Ingredients: Yields 4 servings
2 cups of cubed butternut squash (I baked the squash for 45 min)
1 can of black beans (or cooked yourself)
1 cup quinoa
3/4 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)
1/4 onion (any kind, I chose red onion)
1 lime
herb of your choice (thyme, parsley) *preferably fresh instead of dried

Directions:
*have beans already made
1) cook quinoa in water
2) start sautéing onion for 5 min (in small amount of water instead of oil)
3) add coconut milk, squash, beans, and herb (cook at a medium temp until hot)
Avoid having the coconut milk bubble
4) Squirt on lime juice
5) Pour over quinoa

Feel free to add greens if you'd like. Some ideas: collard, kale, spinach

Will keep for 4 days.


Tuesday, October 2, 2012

meals for the week


simple anti-inflammatory soup

                   

ingredients     serves 3
                                                         10 crimini mushrooms
5 leaves bok choy
juice from 2 lemons
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 green onions
1 tbsp sesame oil
pepper
1/2 clove garlic
1/2 cup of kelp noodles/rice noodles
3 cups water
1/2 tsp nama shoyu/soy sauce

optional: 1 tbsp dired wakame seaweed
sesame sticks to sprinkle on top

directions:
1. start heating up water in pot
2. add garlic and sesame oil for 3 min
3. add bok choy, mushrooms and coconut milk, cook for 5 min
4. add green onions, kelp noodles and nama shoyu, cok for 3 min
5. add lemon juice and pepper
6. DONE!
(If using wakame, pour soup over wakame to rehydrate)





Friday, September 28, 2012

Thai Madness! (my favorite dinner of all time)

This dish is my favorite!! Almond coconut sauce. You can make it much more simple by just making rice noodles, sauce and whatever vegetables you have. This recipe is the most complex, because I made it completely raw, and went to the Asian store, so I went nuts on the vegetable availability.

Yields 2 servings
Ingredients
noodles: (or you can have rice noodles and put these ingredients as toppings)
one julienned red pepper
meat from coconut julienned
thinly sliced red onion (marinated in 3 tbsp nama shoyu and olive oil for 20 min) (or sautee if not raw)
herbs:
10 basil leaves thinly sliced
cilantro
5 mint leaves
2 thai red chilies (seeded and chopped)
sauce:
2 tbsp minced ginger
juice of 2 limes
3 tbsp pitted dates or honey
2 lime leaves/basil
1 1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup coconut milk
toppings:
handful sliced almonds
2 shredded carrot
1 cup sliced pea pods
2 scallions
marinated mushrooms (with onion in nama shoyu and olive oil) 
 
Directions
1) Marinate mushrooms and onion for 20 min
2) Slice other vegetables
3) Prepare garnish onto one plate
4) Blend sauce together
5) Cook noodles if eating noodles! 
*Other vegetable options: bok choy, snap peas, bean sprouts, cucumber

Filling sweet potato breakfast

*modified from Happy Herbivore
*Sorry my pictures don't do this meal justice.
I recently discovered this breakfast, and it is extremely filling and satisfying. I still have my green smoothie in the morning, but to make sure I do proper food combining (best for my belly) I drink the green smoothie at least 30 min before the sweet potato, or leave out the banana from the GS.

Ingredients: to yield 1
1 medium sweet potato
3 tbsp raw almond butter
3 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce (no sugar added)
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
handful of raisins (no added sugar)
 *The measurements are just a guideline.... feel free to add as much as your heart desires
Directions: Pre-heat oven to 350
1)Wash sweet potato (no need to peel)
2) Place sweet potato in casserole dish for 45 min or until fork punctures through easily
3) Meanwhile, mix together almond butter, apple sauce and cinnamon
4)When sweet potato is cooked, slice in fourths
5) Pour mixture over sweet potato and sprinkle on raisins

YUM!!!!!!!! I just had two sweet potatoes because they were so good haha. I think I ate too much.


Saturday, September 22, 2012

Trying the extreme


Ever since I left Minnesota in early July, I have been eating 80% raw, 100% vegan. That means on my days off I was dehydrating for our backpacking trips, spending lots of money on food and doing lots of research through blogs, documentaries and books. I found myself constantly thinking about food. What my next meal would be, what my patients were eating and what my boyfriend was eating.
I even gave my boyfriend a hard time for not eating enough greens during the week, but the way I approached it was way too defensive and he obviously didn't respond to my request, or demand rather. We got in a fight because I felt like he wasn't supporting me enough, and he thought I was being too extreme. I told him I would mellow out soon, I just needed to be extreme to figure out a balance, if that makes any sense!
My sister's quote: It's about progress, not perfection.

How I felt physically: I looked and felt great. People that I didn't see everyday were telling me how great I looked, and one even asked me if I was losing too much weight. My running was improving, my back pain was significantly better, and was sleeping great.
How I felt mentally: My anger outbursts were to a minimum, I was happy with who I was, but I struggled with the balance between my beliefs in what goes in your mouth to your health and lifestyle. This extended to how I looked at my patients, and the people important in my life. The only support I had was my mom, and the blogs I read.

Two weeks ago, I went on a road trip to visit some friends in Montana. I let go a little bit. I knew I wouldn't have the same control that I had in my own kitchen. Overall, I ate healthy, but I did eat white noodles, minimal cheese and beans. I hadn't eaten cooked beans in a while, unless they were sprouted.

How I felt physically: My stomach hurt so bad one morning because I had fruit with sugary cereal and soy milk. I never eat soy, rarely eat cereal, and never combine fruit with anything but my green smoothies! I felt bloated some days, which just makes you feel fat even if you don't look it! I don't obsess about my weight  (never have) but when you know how great it is to feel your natural weight, you don't want ever to go back.
How I felt mentally: I let go and was okay with it. But since I let go, I also indulged a little too much, and I wasn't happy with that. (Nachos one day for dinner left me satisfied for 2 minutes until I craved ice cream! Totally not me, and proof that I fall into the addictive food pattern as well.) There needed to be a balance.
Then I went back home to Minnesota for a week, and while I was with my mother (co-creator of this blog), I ate 80% raw again. My sister hadn't seen me in 8 months, and thought I looked great. (Which its always nice to get your sister's approval.)
The extreme..... My mom had this book on the 80/10/10 diet. 80% carbs 10% protein 10% fat
We started reading the book, some of it making sense but none of it "clicking" in our brains. I read blogs to see how athletes do it.... but it all seemed to undoable.
My sister and I got a huge laugh out of this diet, starting with the blogs that said, "Some days, I eat 30 bananas a day!" We just laughed and laughed. Every blog would up the amount of bananas they ate. Ha!
So my mom and I wanted to try it for a day, to see if it was possible for our lifestyle and bodies.
We went to the store after our morning run and  got our insane amount of fruits and veggies for the day.
Breakfast:
1.5 cantaloupes each

HAHAHA! Not only did it take forever to cut these up, it took for ever to eat. We were running errands, so while driving we were eating cantaloupe.
How I felt: Felt great... wasn't hungry until like 20 min after finishing the cantaloupe. Cantaloupe should be eaten alone, so the digestion wasn't a problem, didn't feel any bloating. I did get really thirsty at one point...

Lunch:
7 bananas
15 strawberries    blended together
HA!!!! The bananas just kept going in. It was hilarious. We were getting an ab workout just from laughing.
How I felt: Satisfied for about 3 hours.... it was really sweet though so I was getting sick of having only sweet things. The 7 bananas (haha) made it really creamy, which was yummy. I had so much energy at about 5 P.M. I had to go on another run... mainly because my family was getting annoyed with my laugh attacks!

Dinner:  
1st course: 2 oranges, 3 kiwis
2nd course: blended together into a soup: 2 red bell peppers, 1.5 oranges, 6 stalks celery
3rd course: 1 lb romaine lettuce dressing: 1/2 orange, 1/2 red bell pepper, 10 brazil nuts

My mom gave up at this point, haha! She couldn't imagine putting in MORE sweet fruit. She still ate a healthy salad for dinner.
How I felt: Holy crap. More fruit going into my mouth?! It was soo sweet! I really wanted to see how I felt though! I literally had to shove the food down. I didn't want anything that was in front of me. The salad was soooo much. Who eats a pound of lettuce in addition to soup!?
The dressing was terrible. But I wanted that fat from the brazil nuts... so I kept eating. I wasn't even hungry and I was eating way beyond everyone else... for like an hour and a half.


How I felt overall: The next day, my stomach thanked me for the simple foods in digested the day before. But I was also tired the next day. Who knows if it was because of additional stresses, or the extra run I went on, but I had to take a nap.

In conclusion:
This diet is not sustainable for my lifestyle or my palate, and I am sure the humor would eventually die out.
But I did realize some things:
1) Eating should be simple (80/10/10 was so simple and when school starts, I know I won't have time for my raw extravaganzas)
2) I am eating a very high fat diet (which over time is not sustainable)
3) I have found a balance now that I have done the extremes!

My outlook from now on:
1) I want to eat a plant-based diet (minimal processed foods* + vegan + minimal gluten) and fuel my high energy, busy and active life that I live!
2)I am not going to worry about eating mainly raw, so that I can spend less time in the kitchen and more time in the books during nursing school. AND so my boyfriend and I can share more meals together.
3) I am going to be more relaxed in social settings where food is out of my control. For example, we are going to a dinner party tonight and they are making homemade pasta. I will eat the gluten-rich, egg containing pasta because it is one night that won't kill me, and it was made with love, and I am sure it will be delicious.
4) Revisit the "high raw" diet next summer when I have more time, and when produce is more abundant.

* A good rule of thumb for processed foods is if the ingredients list on the back of the package has more than 5 foods, find an alternative.
:) Bananas.... hahahhaha

Thursday, August 9, 2012

flaxseed meal pancakes (with coconut oil) (from "Ani's raw food kitchen")


I just had my Dad over for breakfast, and he tries to follow the fit for life way of eating (eating fruit without any other foods) but I thought that this meal would digest properly as well seeing that it is just fruit, nuts and seeds! This recipe came from Ani's Raw Food Kitchen, an amazing raw food cookbook that I've been playing around with. These pancakes were really sweet, and filling, especially since we had a green smoothie on the side. My dad said he could have eaten 4 by himself! I was full after one.

Ingredients: To yield 4 pancakes
2 cups flax meal (we used golden flax)
2 tbsp liquid coconut oil
1/2 cup agave or maple syrup (we did a combo)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup filtered water



Mix the flax meal, water, coconut oil and salt in a bowl with your hands. Form 4 balls, then flatten into the pancake shape.
We served them with sliced bananas, blueberries, grapes, mango, walnuts chopped almonds and minimal syrup.
The batter will keep for 3 days in the fridge.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Lentil cashew sweet potato (high in protein)

So I've been doing a lot of exercising the past couple of days... summited my first alpine climb, two 45 minute runs followed by 90 minutes of yoga, bike commuting to work 8 miles each way... etc. I think today it caught up on me. I had my normal green smoothie, but with two bananas instead of just one. But I still feel hungry. I've been sipping on that all morning while studying, and so it's time to make something filling for lunch.
I've been trying to eat about 90% raw, but I don't have any grains sprouted, so I am going to cook lentils, sweet potatoes, and cashew sauce for a protein rich, filling meal. If I don't feel that this is enough, I have an avocado to add.
Broth 

The lentils are cooked in my own vegetable broth.... I just took celery, carrot, chard leaf stem, onion, garlic and spices (oregano, bay leaf, rosemary, pepper) and cooked that for about 15 min in simmering water.
Then I cooked the lentils in this water. The vegetables can be used for future broths, or put right on the meal.
The sweet potatoes are cut up really thin, and put in boiling water.
The cashews are soaking.... I'm going to put them in the food processor to make "sour cream." Add lemon juice, nutritional yeast, olive oil and water.
Here is the cashew sauce:

And then I put it all on a collard leaf... but get creative... have it plain, put it in a whole wheat tortilla, cook some brown rice with it.... 




Tuesday, July 24, 2012

vegan lemon rice greek soup (Avgolemono Soupa)

Ingredients: Yields 2
A) For homemade vegetable broth:
1 medium carrot
2 celery stalks
2 cloves garlic
1/4 onion
2 cups water
spices- whatever you feel like (rosemary, oregano, basil, pepper, thyme)

B) For soup:
1 cup rice or orzo
1 tbsp miso (any color)
1 tbsp tahini
2 lemons (juice)

C) For soup bowl
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
handful of kale

Directions:
Put all broth ingredients in a pot, simmer for 20 min. Drain broth into other pot, keep veggies for either soup or broth for another dish.

Then add rice, bring broth to a boil, then let simmer. You may need to add more water. You want the rice to be cooked, but still have water remaining because it's a soup!

In a small bowl, stir together the miso, tahini and lemons.

Add the small bowl ingredients into soup during the last 5 min of cooking.

Fill your soup bowl with a handful of kale and sprinkle on nutritional yeast.
Pour the soup over.

Enjoy!!!!




Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Tacos with Super Veggie Lentil Taco "Meat" adapted from www.ordinaryvegetarian.com


I used to make tacos at least once a week. Two ingredients I had cut out of my eating are ground turkey and cheese. So what do I put inside my tacos? Hmmmm. Look online for vegan taco meat and you get many hits. But the one recipe that most people went to was the "Super Veggie Lentil Taco "Meat" by www.ordinaryvegetarian.com. I followed the recipe to a "T". But, I think I left a little too much liquid in the lentil mix. But.... my husband didn't gag, and he actually had a second helping. YAY!!!!!
Along with the lentil meat I added corn, chopped cilantro, homemade salsa, and black olives.
Hope you like it!




Super Veggie Lentil Taco "Meat (makes about 3 cups)


1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 large bell pepper, chopped (any color)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (any kind)
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
2 ribs of celery, sliced
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
dash cayenne
1/2-1 cup vegetable broth 
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp lime juice


 1.Cook lentils and set aside. (Bring 2 cups of water and 1 cup lentils to a boil, bring down to simmer for 20 min or until water is gone). 
2. Saute onion for 3 minutes in large saute pan. Add 1/2 cup vegetable broth in skillet. Stir in the garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes. Add in the carrots, celery, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, bay leaf, and cayenne stirring constantly. Stir in the lentils. Keep the heat at medium low and cover for 10 minutes.


3. Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf and stir in tomato paste and lime juice. Transfer to food processor or blender and pulse a few times, until a crumbly texture is achieved--do not puree. Serve hot.


Makes six 1/2 cup servings, which could be used to make 12 tacos, 6 burritos, 6 taco salads, or 6 nacho platters.

Spring Rolls

Ingredients: Makes 4
Rice wraps (1 per roll)
rice noodles (1/4 package)
shredded carrots (1 medium)
sliced cucumber (1/4 cucumber)
raw sesame seeds/sunflower seeds
sliced green onion (1 stalk)
cooked mushrooms (I used enokitake mushrooms)

Sauce:
soy sauce/tamari (1 tsp)
honey (1tsp)
tahini (1 tsp)
sesame oil(1 tbsp)
red pepper flakes (optional)

sidenote: Both the ingredients and sauce can be changed to your palate, or whatever you have in the house.

Directions:
1) Cook rice noodles, set aside to cool
2) Meanwhile, prepare your vegetables. Cook mushrooms if needed.
3) Soak Rice wraps one at a time in water for 2 minutes or until soft.
4) Place ingredients in the middle of the rice wrap circle.
5) Fold up and there you are!
6) Mix sauce items together.

If you can't tell, this is on the clear spring roll wrapper





Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Spiralized Zucchini & Carrots with Cashew/Avocado Sauce, Yum!!! (RAW)

I have been getting in a slump, eating all the same foods day in and day out. So I looked in my cupboard and saw my spiralizer just sitting there waiting to be used. So, instead of exercising this morning (I know..., I was bad), I decided to take the time to figure out a sauce to put on the veggies. I know a lot of raw foodists will concoct sauces made with cashews for a type of alfredo, and this is what I wanted to do. I've tried it in the past and it came out bland, and I wanted to have more zing! So, I had some Umami Japanese plums in my fridge which I usually put these chopped up pieces in my veggie roll ups for salty type taste. Lemon always adds flavor, then I thought of Cayenne for bite! If I say so myself, this came out pretty darn tasty! I only made enough for one, for my lunch today so the following recipe needs to be doubled/tripled for more servings. Hope you enjoy!!!

Ingredients:

1/2 Zucchini, raw, spiralized
1/2 Carrot, raw, spiralized
1/4 Cup Edamame beans
1/4 Cup Snap Peas, cut in 1/2" pieces
1/2 Cup Daikon Radish sprouts (if not available, regular sprouts would work. Daikon sprouts have a definite kick)
Sauce Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Cashews, raw, soaked for 2 hours
1/2 Avocado
1/2 Umami Japanese Plum
1/2 Fresh squeezed lemon (or to taste)
Pinch Cayenne Pepper (or to taste)







Here is the Spiralizer I use. It's OK and works fine.

Simply put veggie on prongs and turn the crank. This model comes with 3 different blades for different widths, but I wish it had an angel hair blade for finer "noodles".






So I put the sauce on the veggies and mixed in.
I added some black pepper at the end. As you can see this is definitely a plateful, but after eating the whole meal, I was satisfied, not overly full. Perfect lunch meal.




Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Arame quinoa (a type of seaweed) 30 min

I went to a nutritionist this week, to discuss foods that are anti-inflammation for my menstrual cramps, my current upper back situation, and Raynaud's. It's all related... can you imagine?!
So a big change will be doubling up on my daily dose of fish oil and tumeric during my period, and then she gave me some food ideas (ginger and cayenne are great). Here is one that I altered to my taste... I have eaten it twice this week and its AMAZING!
Ingredients for 4 servings:
1 cup quinoa
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 ounce arame sea vegetable (1/2 package)
and whatever veggies you want.... they should be hardy (broccoli, jicama, carrots, radishes, red pepper, etc)
I included: red pepper, broccoli, carrots, radish. Make sure the pieces are all chopped small.
3/4 cup green onions (I've been obsessed with these lately!!)
3 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp tamari (I used liquid amino)
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds




 1. Put dry quinoa in pot on low heat for 5 min to toast the quinoa, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
2. Add double water, bring to boil
3. Simmer until water is gone
 4. While quinoa is cooking, prepare vegetables and ginger
 5. Soak Arame in cold water for 10 min


6. Put stove on low heat, toast sunflower seeds until you can smell the nutty yummy smell
7. Drain seaweed, get as much water out as possible


8. Smell the seaweed... pretend you are on the beach!

 

 9. When quinoa is done, turn off fire and add red pepper and ginger, mix up.
10. Add your liquids: sesame oil, liquid aminos, rice vinegar11. mix in veggies and seaweed! 
You eat it cold... but its good warm too! 
Original recipe from: http:www.epicurious.com:80/recipes/food/views/Arame-flecked-Asian-Couscous-353975#ixzzltBbAaz6Z


Thursday, April 12, 2012

Vegan Fruit smoothie (made with homemade almond milk)

Now that it's warmer, there's more fruit available at the grocery stores. The strawberries are amazing! And the mangoes, and blueberries....
I've been making these smoothies everyday for the past couple of weeks. I bought frozen strawberries, rasberries and blueberries (whole foods and trader joe's both sell them organic for like $3-4 dollars each!) But today I made it with all fresh ingredients. I am a cold person (all the time) so I didn't add ice, but if you don't have frozen fruits in there, most people prefer the cold temp---- so add ice.
 To make 1 glass: 1 banana, 2 strawberries, half a mango, one cup almond milk (refer to how to make almond milk post), 5-10 raw walnuts, 1 tbsp cinnamon (optional), 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds
Or add any fruits you have: handful of blueberries, rasberries, 1/2 apple, 1 kiwi etc.....
I added 2 bananas b/c I went for a long run and was really hungry. 

Luckily I was able to get all organic ingredients without breaking the bank. Even the nuts were organic.
1) So I made the almond milk first.... set that aside, and rinsed out the blender.
 2) Then put the banana, strawberry and mango in there.
 3) Threw in the walnuts...
 4) I took my cinnamon sticks (more nutritional value by using the whole stick instead of the pre-ground stuff) and ground them up in my coffee grinder.
*Cinnamon is a warming agent that my acupuncturist told me to add to my day for my Raynaud's disease. Watch out, it can make you really warm!
 5) 1 tbsp of flax seeds (I keep them in my fridge)
*Flax seeds cannot be broken by our bodies, so we have to help out by grinding them. It is best to grind them the day you eat them, to get the most nutritional value.
 5) Blend it all up!! And sit down, drink it slowly, and taste all the flavors!
*If you want it with less calories, go ahead and add water instead of almond milk. If you want it sweeter, add a date, honey, or agave.