Chickpea Wraps

In keeping with the theme of easy and inexpensive, this recipe is a winner. Yummy enough to eat on its own, wrapped up in a lavish wrap, nori wrapper, or inside lettuce cups. And, it tastes a lot like potato salad so it's also a great transitional snack as we move closer to summer-like weather (at least in Los Angeles).

 

(Adapted from the recipes for 'The Ananda Burrito' by Kimberly Snyder and 'Chickpea Wraps' by Heidi Swanson)

 

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of organic garbanzo beans or close to 3 cups
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 2 -3 tablespoons mustard
• salt
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast

Optional Ingredients:

• lavish flatbread
• pit bread
• untoasted nori wrappers
• lettuce cups
• micro greens (to add to wraps)
• 1 ripe avocado in cut into large chunks (to add to mixture or spread across wraps)
• lemon zest (add to mixture for extra zing)
• hard boiled egg chopped (for more of a potato salad feel) 

 

Tips: 

• If you're serving right away, I recommend adding the avocado into the mixture. 

Instructions:

step one.  Pulse two-thirds of the chickpeas in a food processor until spreadable. Transfer them to a large mixing bowl along with the remaining chickpeas. Stir in the onion, celery and dill.

step two. Mix together the mustard, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the mixture and blend together until dressing is equally distributed.

step three. (Optional) Fold in avocado pieced to the mixture or use thin slices to line your wrap of choice. For added texture also add lettuce or micro-greens to your wrap.


how easy is that?

Who's The Boss?

       In January, I started a new job. A dream job. And it's been wonderful. For two months I've just been reveling in the newness of it all; Constantly captivated by the intensity and passion of my colleagues, and continuously in amazement that I was lucky enough to earn a spot among them. But my new schedule has brought with it some new challenges. It's been a test of time-management just to fit in the lifestyle habits I am used to enjoying. Not to mention the much tighter budget I must now adhere to.

     To manage it all I've moved my yoga sessions to 6am, I make sure I spend quality time with my friends on the weekends, and on Sundays, I cook. I work in Beverly Hills, and to stay on track financially, it's essential that I pack my lunches, or else I'll get caught up buying a $13 salad at the closest cafe.

     At first it felt a little overwhelming to have to come up with a week's worth of meals on one grocery run, but I've turned this weekly chore into quite the recipe exploration. I pick two new recipes on Saturday, usually large, one pan-type meals, and then on Sunday, I go to work. Most nights I can also fit in my laundry while something is baking or simmering and it makes me feel something like a wonder-woman.

     So for the next few entries, I'll be posting large, well-rounded, filling meals to influence your weekend meal planning and maybe even help you stay on budget. 

Brussel Sprouts & Organic Sprouted Tofu

(Adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi)

 

Yotam Ottolenghi never disappoints. This recipe comes from his book, Plenty, a collection of meat-less recipes from a chef who takes his vegetables just as serious as his meats. Ottolenghi calls this dish "utterly addictive." I myself was so impressed by the explosion of flavors, I was practically howling in my kitchen. I guarantee you will love this or something is seriously wrong with your taste buds.

Ingredients:

• 2tbsp sweet chile sauce (or paste)
• 1 1/2  tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
• 3tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1tsp rice vinegar
• 1tbsp maple syrup
• 5oz firm organic tofu (optional for sprouted)
• 1lb brussel sprouts
• about 3/4 cup sunflower or grapeseed oil
• salt
• 1 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 small fresh red chile, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms, halve, quartered, or diced
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 1tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)  

Tips: 

Most of these ingredients I had in my pantry because I love Asian flavors. I didn't have a fresh chile so I used a canned chipotle pepper that I had bought for another recipe. And I used a Thai chili paste that I had in my fridge instead of chile sauce. To spread your dollar even further, serve over steamed rice or make into lettuce cups. 

Instructions:

step one.Whisk together in a bowl the chile and soy sauces, 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil, the vinegar and maple syrup. Cut the tofu block into 3/8-inch slices and then into squarish pieces. Gently stir into the marinade and set aside. 

step two. Trim the bases off the sprouts and cut each from top to bottom into three thick slices. Take a large nonstick pan, add 4 tablespoons of oil and heat up well. Throw in half the sprouts with a little salt and cook on high heat for about 2 minutes or more. Don't stir too much. You want the sprouts to almost burn in a few places and cook through but remain crunchy. Remove to a bowl. Repeat with more oil, salt, and the rest of the sprouts. Remove all the sprouts from the pan. 

step three. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pan, heat up and saute the green onions, chile and mushrooms for a few minutes until the mushrooms are golden (I like mine really crispy). Transfer to the sprouts bowl. 

step four. Leave the pan on high heat. Use tongs to lift half of the tofu pieces from the marinade and gently lay them in the pan (be cautious of spitting oil). Space them apart in one layer. Reduce the flame to medium and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until they get a nice caramelized color. Transfer to the sprout bowl and repeat with the rest of the tofu. 

step five. Once all the tofu is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and return all the cooked ingredients to it. Add the remaining marinade and half the cilantro leaves. Toss everything together and allow to cool down slightly in the pan. Taste and add salt if needed. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil and garnish with sesame seeds and the rest of the cilantro. 

** sorry for so few pictures, I was just having so much fun tasting every step along the way that I forgot. 

fifty-nine

59

Fifty-nine is the age my parents turned last week. And as a reminder that the're only that much closer to the big six-oh, they came to me seeking healthful guidance. Of course I told them to exercise; take small walks around the neighborhood, and stretch while watching TV. I even bought my mom a cute little set of bright pink 3lb hand weights. But their diet needed an overhaul and that was clear. Here are some pictures I took of their fridge and cabinets. 

If you want to drop some lbs after 50, the refined sugar in sodas, juices, and sugary cereals, are not going to help. Neither are sweet "weight loss" drinks or pre-packaged smoothies. I formulated some small changes for my parents to start transitioning away from these processed foods, and try to intake more whole, natural, and even raw foods as a part of their daily diet. 

A complete overhaul of their fridge was done. I moved everything I didn't want readily available to them, out to the fridge they have in their garage. This way, if they want to cheat, they have to hunt down that bad food first. Then I replaced the majority of their everyday foods with healthier options. Here's a look at my purchase from Whole Foods. 

I focused on less processed, dairy-free, & gluten free items like: dressings, bread, butter, fresh almond butter, beer, and hummus. And of course RAW VEGETABLES. But I know my parents also like convenience, so I even got some frozen pizzas, mac and cheese, and a few vegan desserts I like. But I didn't want to leave them with a bunch of pieces to assemble and no instruction booklet, like an IKEA nightmare. So I drafted a plan, discussed taking small steps towards a healthier diet, and said I'd be checking in regularly (5 days in and they're not annoyed yet). I also made them a set of my vegan burgers, a huge batch of coconut lemongrass soup, and THIS recipe for Curried Quinoa & Vegetables.

This dish reminds me so much of my favorite Thai fried rice. I'm thinking about adding raisins and pineapple to my next batch. Kimberly puts cayenne pepper in her recipe. It's great to make a big batch and eat throughout the week.

Curried Quinoa & Vegetables

(Modified from The Beauty Detox Solution by Kimberly Snyder)

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Tbs. coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cups broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• High quality sea salt (adjust to personal taste)
• 1 Tbs. curry
• ½ tsp. turmeric
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup coconut milk 
• ¾ cup dry quinoa

Optional Prep: soak the quinoa in water for a few hours, or overnight.

Instructions:

Step One. In a saucepan place 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the quinoa to the hot water, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the grains become translucent soft (about 10-15 minutes). Pour through a fine strainer and set to the side in a bowl.

Step Two.Heat the coconut oil in a skillet pan. Add the diced onions, and lightly sauté for a few minutes, adding the Celtic sea salt, curry, turmeric, and black pepper. I also like to add some minced garlic here. 

Step Three.Add the other vegetables and lightly sauté for 5-6 minutes, until they become softened (but not overcooked).Add the cooked quinoa, and the coconut milk and stir everything together. Adjust flavoring as needed.

Vegan Burgers

This entry is dedicated to my lovely mother, & my two beautiful sisters.

Two weeks ago, my mother went to the hospital to find out why she was having persistent abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with gallstones and scheduled for surgery. 10 days, 2 surgeries, an MRI, and a case of pancreatitis later, she got to go home. I immediately googled gallstones and found that they are mostly contracted by women, with a family history. Then I learned that my grandmother and great-grandmother had also had their gallbladders removed. So of course, I went to researching ways to prevent myself from becoming the next female in my family to contract this condition. 

One way to pamper your gallbladder is to speed intestinal transit. How do we do this? 

1. Insoluble Fiber

Insoluble fibers are considered gut-healthy fiber because they have a laxative effect and add bulk to the diet, helping prevent constipation. These fibers do not dissolve in water, so they pass through the gastrointestinal tract relatively intact, and speed up the passage of food and waste through your gut. Insoluble fibers are mainly found in whole grains and vegetables (Source:WebMD).

2.  Reduce foods that slow digestion, ie. Animal Protein.

Animal protein, out of all the food groups, takes the longest to travel through the intestines, sometimes up to 24 hours. So if you are not vegan, I would encourage you to eat foods like eggs, yogurt, cheese, meats, fish, and poultry, only once a day (or less!). I have also been talking to my mom about saving her main sources of protein, for the evening, (and switching to fish). Eating these foods at dinner time gives your body an 8-10 hour head start on digesting them before your next meal (breakfast).

3. Eat your (raw) vegetables. 

Raw veggies are the best for a happy digestion. And having a healthy gallbladder starts with a healthy digestive system. Try having a small salad before your two largest meals, and see if you feel better (and eat less too).

4. Take a probiotic.

I've started taking a probiotic and a digestive enzyme before lunch and dinner and  I feel incredible! This way, even if you are not eating foods that are absolutely the best for your tummy, you are at least throwing in some happy helpers to keep things moving. And that's what we want, right? 

All of these new habits can be attributed to the fact that I'm obsessed with Kimberly Snyder's book, The Beauty Detox Solution. The following recipe is from her book. 

Vegan Burgers

(from Kimberly Snyder's, The Beauty Detox Solution)

Have you been on the look-out for a vegan, gluten free, soy free veggie burger? Look no further, friends.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup dry millet
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 
• 2 tablspoons raw cocont oil or grapeseed oil
• 1 large onion finely minced
• 3 cups spinach, inely chopped
• 2 stalks of celery finely minced
• 2 mall carrots, peeled and minced
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbs cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup amaranth flour

Prep: soak millet in water overnight (recommended)

Tools: A cheese grater or a food processor wouldn't hurt

Tips: I added cumin seeds in with the onions step 2), toasting them brings out their hard to miss flavor. I also added turmeric in Step 3.

Step 1.
In a saucepan over high heat, ring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the millet, and simmer until it reaches a softer texture (life fluffy rice), around 15-20 minutes. Pour through a strainer and set aside to cool.

Step 2.
Saute the garlic in enough coconut oil until gently cooked, then add the onions and stir until the onions become translucent.

Step 3.
Add the spinach,celery and carrots, and cook for a few minutes. Add sea salt and other seasonings and stir in.

Step 4.
Add the cooked millet and stir until everything it well mixed. Last chance to adjust your seasoning.

Step 5.
Turn off the heat and add the amaranth flour to the mixture. Stir until it starts to bind together and the mixture cools.

Step 6.
Form the cooled mixture into patties, about 3-4 inches in diameter (I made 7 and kept them in the fridge all week until I was ready to fry 'em up).

Step 7.
When you're ready to eat, heat a large pan to a fairly high temperature an coat with coconut or grapeseed oil. Saute eah pattie on both sides until firm and browned.

Serving suggestion: 
Enjoy on a salad, with steamed veggies, or on your favorite bun! I recommend a slice of avocado and a pinch of sprouts on top.

Why this recipe? 

Millet, more commonly known as birdseed, is a grain high in insoluble fiber. It also carries good *percentages of our daily recommended value for Manganese, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Tryptopan (one of the 10 essential amino acids). These nutrients have been linked to aiding head and muscle aches, lowering blood pressure, and assisting in stress reduction and restful sleep. Millet won'e just be for the birds after you try these burgers.

*1 cup Millet contains a daily value of 23.5% manganese, 21.8% tryptophan, 19.1% magnesium, and 17.4% phosphorus (Source)

Here's a relaxing, post-burger pose to try

What it does: Boost circulation and mood. Relaxes the belly. Prepares you for sleep. 

Viparita Karani

Legs up the wall pose

Other Sources of insoluble fiber: whole wheat, whole grains, wheat bran, corn bran, seeds, nuts, barley, couscous, brown rice, bulgur, zucchini, celery, broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, grapes, fruit, and root vegetable skins. (WebMD)

America Loves Corn

 

 
     When I think of the 4th of July, too many memories come to mind. For me, this is just as much of a family holiday as Christmas.  The 4th of July's of my youth were either speant sittin' on the porch at my grandparent's house, with homemade ice cream and fresh picked boysenberries; Or at our cousins' property in Oyster Bay, New York, for extravagant soirees and dockside fireworks. In high school, I attended my first annual MacNaughton's 3rd of July party. My friend's family lived on a golf course that had a private fireworks show on the 3rd. We'd drink tequila 'til our clothes came off, literally, because we'd always end up in the jacuzzi or passed out in a bikini somewhere. Sadly that era has ended, but maybe it's better for the heath of us all. July 4, 2010, I was in Avignon, France, and I was alone. I celebrated by watching 2 hours of the show Kendra, dubbed over in French on France's E! channel. I like to think, that no matter where I am, I'm celebrating where I live, and where I come from.

     There's really no recipe that can blend all these stories together. I just feel that corn is such a quintessential summer food, that I decided to make some. My family loves preparing side dishes like grilled corn on the cob, creamed corn, and corn bread; but corn does not an entree make. Unless we're talkin' grits! Grits are American, right? Grits are made from ground cornmeal. The Italians call this "polenta," but both are made by boiling ground corn meal into a paste. I don't like that pasty texture, which is why I love this recipe. Adding fresh corn and cheese, gives much needed flavor and creaminess to this typically uninspired dish. Top with roasted vegetables or butterflied vegan sausage.

Fresh Corn & Cheesy Grits 

(Adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow's 'polenta with fresh corn' )

 

 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup polenta or corn grits (Bob's Red Mill is a good call)
• salt
• kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 cup grated cheese
• chopped fresh chives, for serving

step 1.
     Bring the water to a boil in a large saute or saucepan. Slowly whisk in the polenta and a dash of salt. Turn the heat as low as it can go, and cover. Depending on your stove, and how creamy or grainy you like your grits, you may want to leave the lid lightly ajar to let some steam escape.Cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 5-10.

Step 2.
    Cute the kernels off two ears of corn. Add the kernels, milk, and cream, and cook on low-medium heat for 5 minutes.

step 3.
     Remove from heat, and stir in your cheese. Season with salt and pepper, and serve sprinkled with chives. You can sprinkle some more cheese on each serving as well.

Grits with sheeps milk cheese, chives, and roasted artichoke

   I served mine with some baby artichokes from the Farmer's Market that I steamed, halved, and roasted. But I ate my leftovers with butterflied vegan sausage. Field Roast makes Apple & Sage Sausage Links, and they're by far my favorite meatless replacement for sausage and hot dogs. You should find them at whole Foods near the tofu.

____________________________________________________________

"But you know what? The more cheese to me, the better." - Paula Deen

Featured Local

If you haven't figured it out yet, I love going to the Farmer's Market! Sometimes I just show up there with $20 and let the vendors tell me what I should be making for dinner. This week, I met a new vendor, and he calls himself The Milk Man.

His name is Chris, and he made me sample butter. That's right, a slice of butter. But thankfully, I also got to sample cheese. I can be pretty picky about cheese since that one semester that I worked at a cheese counter in Chicago. And I consider myself to know an above-average amount about cheese.  Chris sent me home with a delicious sheeps-milk cheese that I used in my grits. I love cheese, and I'm excited to visit Chris next week and try some new cuts. Here's what I got from the milk man this week:

MilkmanLA

Love where you live.

Happy 4th, friends.

Milk & Cookies

I spent the last two weeks or so experimenting with Gluten-Free recipes. I love wheat, but I thought it'd be fun to give a few other whole grains a try. First I made pizza dough, which I will admit went pretty well, but it's not quite ready for the blog. And then, quite unexpectedly, I found myself making Gluten-Free cookies. Here's how it happened:

I was at the farmer's market, buying my favorite honey-roasted almond butter. I had $5 left and I decided to buy a couple scoops of raw almonds. And then I remembered that I'd been meaning to try making almond milk, so I asked the kid (literally pre-teen) who was manning the tent until his parents returned, "Do you know how to make almond milk?" He quickly replied, "One cup almonds, two cups water, blend until milky and strain." Done. I just had to pick up some cheese cloth at whole foods, and I also grabbed a few dried dates and figs, and then I was on my way home to make milk.

Almond Milk:
4 cups raw almonds (soaked in water overnight)
8 cups water
4-5 pitted dates or  dried black mission figs ( I went half and half)
1-2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Equipment:
Blender/Food processor
Cheese Cloth
Hand Held Strainer
Pitcher 
1 Cheese cloth

Soak almonds in water overnight and then strain. Add 1 cup of almonds, 2 cups of water, 1 date or fig, 1/2 tsp of vanilla, and a few dashes of cinnamon to a blender or food processor. Blend until finely pureed and milky. Place a hand-held strainer over a bowl or pitcher and line with cheese cloth.

Pour almond mixture over the cheese cloth and when most of the liquid has drained, rinse and twist the cloth with your hands to extract as much liquid as possible.*Save the sweet almond paste that is left over and place in the refrigerator. Repeat until all the almonds have been milked and your pitcher is full. Add more cinnamon or vanilla to taste.

This was surprisingly easy and it's extremely rewarding. I felt sooo good about pouring that milk over my cereal in the morning. And for this reason, I have decided to pair this recipe with a poem about bliss, the feeling I got when I poured this bowl of cereal (Poem featured at end of entry).

 And so, suddenly blessed with a large quantity of fresh almond meal, i began looking for a recipes. I found a good one in Gwyneth Paltrow's 'my father's daughter'. It's actually her mother, Blythe Danner's, recipe (and I love Blythe so it was settled). Coincidentally, my best friend Hayley had also just sent me her recipe for gluten-free thumbprint cookies.

The two recipes are quite similar, so based on my tastes, and what I had in the kitchen, I came up with the following recipe, to me it is the best of both worlds.:

4 cups quinoa flour
3 cups fresh almond meal
1 cup melted coconut oil
3/4 cup maple syrup
zest of one lemon
1 tsp salt
tiny pinch of baking soda
1 jar of jam/preserves (I used Quince Jam)

Combine ingredients (except for the jam) until a dough is formed. Form into tablespoonful balls and space evenly on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Using your thumb or index finger, make an indent in each cookie and fill with a small spoonful of jam. (At this point if you put the cookies in the fridge for about 30 min. they will hold their shape better). Bake for 20 minutes or until slightly golden.

I could not get my hands off these guys; And i didn't feel one shred of guilt. Also, I brought a batch to the yogi potluck to celebrate the completion of teacher training (more bliss). When I shared this recipe with my sister, she commented that I could survive the apocalypse.


Et, voila!  Milk and cookies from one $5 scoop of almonds!

 Song of The Soul - from 'Light on Yoga,' by B.K.S. Iyengar

I am neither ego nor reason, I am neither mind nor thought,
I cannot be hard nor cast into words, nor by smell nor sight ever caught:
In light and wind I am not found, nor yet in earth and sky -
Consciousness and joy incarnate, Bliss of the Blissful am I.

I have no name, I have no life, I breathe no vital air,
No elements have moulded me, no bodily sheath is my lair:
I have no speech, no hands and feet, nor means of evolution -
Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss in dissolution.

I cast aside hatred and passion, I conquered delusion and greed;
No touch of pride caressed me, so envy never did breed:
Beyond all faiths, past reach of wealth, past freedom, past desire,
Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss is my attire.

Virtue and vice, or pleasure and pain are not my heritage,
Nor sacred texts, nor offerings, nor prayer, nor pilgrimage:
I am neither food, nor eating, nor yet the eater am I -
Consciousness and joy incarnate, Bliss of the Blissful am I.

I have no misgiving of death, no chasms of race divide me,
No parent ever called me child, no bond of birth ever tied me:
I am neither disciple nor master, I have no kin, no friend -
Consciousness and joy am I, and merging in Bliss is my end.

Neither knowable, knowledge, nor knower am I, formless is my form,
I dwell within the senses but they are not my home:
Ever serenely balanced, I am neither free nor bound -
Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss is where I am found.