Butternut Squash - Super fuel, Fun meal

Recently made a great Butternut Squash Soup. roasted 3 small/medium fruits for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

As that was finishing I made the mirepoix with carrots/celery/ onions and leeks. These I sauteed in the pot with a few tablespoons or water/veggie stock and white wine vinegar.

As they finished I added the remaining vegetable stock and 2 fresh bay leaves and a 1/4 cup fresh, chopped tarragon,oregano and some rosemary- Picked fresh off the back patio.

Then scooped the roasted squash into the pot and cooked for 10 minutes and then turned down Low and simmered for 90 minutes. Removed the bay leaves and served over rice and with good seed-filled bread.

Sprouted Lentil Tabbouleh- SuperPower Fuel

I love the taste of Tabbouleh / Tabouli / ??? and have tried it many ways and with varied recipes but wanted to crank up the nutritional impact by replacing the grain with less empty calories. A delicious legume would do that perfectly. Lentils are a delicious bean that fits the basic size/bite for tabbouleh and is a nutritional powerhouse especially when sprouted. After sprouting the lentils will provide 6-10 g protein, 20+% daily Vitamin C and 12-15% iron. The beans will also provide good fat and other nutritional basics. Lentils are of similar size and bite to most bulgur and couscous and much tastier. Adding the parsley, onion, garlic, tomato, mint , lemon juice and sea salt will make this tabbouleh a truly health food. Ingredients : 2 cups sprouted red lentils 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped(1 loose cup chopped) 2 medium red onions- diced(or 6 green onions or mix) 4 tomatoes, finely diced 1/2 to ¾ cup chopped mint sea salt- to taste Fresh ground black pepper 3 tbsp olive oil (optional) 2 lemons, juiced 1/2 tsp cinnamon 4-6 cloves garlic- chopped fine 1. SPROUTING LENTILS- soak 1-2 cups red lentils in clean water for 8-12 hours. Drain and let sprouts grow for 2-3 days(rinsing 2x day) When ¼ tails are out- put sprouts in the fridge until ready to use. 2. Combine Onions. Garlic, tomatoes, parsley, mint, cinnamon, Salt / pepper and lemon juice in a bowl. Toss and let sit for 10 minutes 3. Add lentils and toss and place in Fridge for 30 minutes or more until eating to allow flavors to blend. SERVING SUGGESTIONS: A] Serve as a salad or side dish B] Scoop into lettuce, cabbage or other “green” wrap to make a fun handheld food C] Scoop up with a toasted pita or other chip

Sore throat and Cough tonic

Tonic for sore throat and cough 1 lb Organic Raw honey 2 small lemons – cleaned/sliced 3 Tbs crystallized or fresh ginger slices *** *** 1)wash and slice lemons 2) slice ginger into small pieces 3) Place in jar of honey 4) seal with wax paper and lid 5) store in fridge and turn jar over every weeks for 4 weeks 6) use by spoonful in mouth , in tea or in warm water Useful for sore throat, cough. Combine with good healthy tea, soup or broth and feel better soon.

A jar aging in the fridge.

Smoothies- Great for Summer Workouts and Recovery

I harvested a collection of tasty greens and made a great Green Smoothie to fuel up after a Hot, sweaty summer workout. Love the feeling of all that great vegetable energy entering my body and filling me up. 2 quarts of Dark green drink contain a couple hundred calories But are loaded with protein, Omega oils, vitamins and minerals. Unlike tablets or capsules the vitamins are all complete and loaded with the micronutrients /phytonutrients so popular in the health press. The greens are a collection or beet, collards,kale ,mustard and radish.

Basil makes great Endurnace and Recovery Food

Last night we ate some frozen pesto from last years garden.

Was made with:
-Globe basil
-Nutritional Yeast
-Raw almonds
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Fresh Black pepper

Pump up a serving a pasta with a nice scoop of this and feel great tomorrow

This is the frozen pesto- defrosted as the whole wheat penne cooked.

200 calories
19 g of good fat and 14-15 grams of protein
Plus plenty of Vtamin A, C and iron.

ZOSUI- tasty Rice, Miso, Edamame and Butternut Squash soup

Butternut Squash & Edamame Zosui

Zosui
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• 2 leeks, light green and white parts thinly sliced (11/4 cups)
• 1 12-oz. pkg. diced butternut squash
• 2 cups or 1 10.5-oz. pkg. cooked brown rice
• 1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth + 2 ¼ cups water
• 1 4-inch piece kombu
• 3 Tbs. white miso

Relish


• 1 Tbs. grapeseed oil
• 3 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
• 6 green onions, finely chopped (1 cup)
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper


1. To make Zosui: Heat sesame oil in pot over medium heat. Add leeks, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Stir in squash, rice, edamame, broth, kombu, and 21/4 cups water.

2. Close pressure cooker, and bring up to high pressure. Cook 6 minutes.

3. Release pressure with quick-release button, or transfer pressure cooker to sink, and run cool water over rim to release pressure.

4. Remove kombu from pot. Thinly slice kombu strip; stir into soup. Ladle 
1 cup soup into bowl, stir in miso, then stir miso mixture into soup pan.

5. Relish: Heat small saucepan over medium-high heat, and add grapeseed oil., ginger and green

Serve soup in bowls with scoop of relish on top. In Japan the Zosui is a tasty way to use leftover rice.

Per serving (1 cup soup and 1 Tbs. relish): Calories: 205, Protein: 7g, Total fat: 7g, Saturated fat: <1g Sodium: 222mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugars: 3

Pudding - healthy and not from a Box

I have always liked pudding and ice cream and yogurt.

When I discovered chia seeds for use in smoothies I also had them in cereal and realized the opportunity as the seeds gel when soaked.

I blend some good flavors( usually fruits and juice and add the soaked and gelled chia seeds.

The fruits and juices are already in the blender by the time the seeds have gelled.

This most recent pudding included a couple cup of frozen blueberries -

The pudding was blended and set in fridge for about 2 hours and set up nicely and was delicious.

Avocado Fuel - dip, fuel, Energy

I made a great Guacamole last night

3 avocados
1 yellow onion- diced
6 cherry tomatoes chopped
3 Tbs Lime juice ( half a lime)
1 Tbs Rice vinegar

Put in bowl and mash.

great on veggies and chips- spread it on toast this morning

80 calories a serving,
1-1.5 g protein
6 g fiber
6-7 g fat ( mostly good fat)

Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium and iron

Heart-y Onion Soup ( vegan)

Made a great onion soup tonight:
-4 cups chopped yellow onion
2 shallots chopped
1 leek chopped
-2 Tbs Coconut oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar(with 2 tbs water)
4 cups Vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Parsley
-1/2 Tamari
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbs Vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp arrowroot powder

onions chopped and ready-

Onions carmelized and ready for soup.

Autumn Farmers Market Soup

I love making hearty and chunky soups. I did it with meat and veggies now I add more veggies to fill the pot and belly. After a recent trip to the City Market in Charlottesville I had a bag filled with:
-butternut sqaush
-small sweet potato
-small turnips
-broccoli
-onions
-zucchini and Yellow squash ( baby)
-Asian eggplant
At home I made a broth with Miso paste and water.

As the broth was warming I diced the Butternut squash, sweet potato and Turnips(tossed with Olive oil, sea salt and pepper) 375 for 20 minutes

I diced the Broccoli, onions, zucchini/squash, and eggplant and added it to the Crockpot with the warm Miso Broth.

When the tray of roasted veggies is done , let them cool for a few minutes before adding them to the pot.

Let the veggies mix and cook for an hour. Now add the rinsed lentils ,stir and taste. This is the time to add herbs and seasonings, I added dried oregano, thyme and cracked black pepper- with a few pinches of Seas salt w/ seaweed.
Ingredients:
2 cups diced butternut squash
2 cups diced Sweet potato
1 cup diced turnip
1 cup diced Asian eggplant
1 cup each diced zucchini /yellow squash
1 cup diced broccoli
1 large red onion
1 cup green lentils(washed/rinsed)
3-5 Tbs White MISO paste (to taste)
10-14 cups of water
olive oil
misc herbs

Stuffed Peppers- Delicious and loaded with Fuel

With farmers markets going strong I got these great peppers on Saturday and made this on Sunday.

Stuffed peppers (High protein / Low fat)

4 Large Bell peppers
1.5 cups brown rice blend ( long grain/short grain…)
1 cup dry red lentils
Approx. 6 cups water
4-5 small roma tomatoes chopped
24 oz Tomato sauce ( organic pref)
2-3 sprigs Spicy Bush basil
Sea salt and fresh black pepper

1) Place rice and beans in Rice cooker with 5.5-6 cups water, tsp Sea Salt, teaspoon Fresh ground pepper and 2 4 inch sprigs basil- cook until machine cuts off
2) Open and core peppers Tops can be chopped into small dice
3) Warm tomato sauce
4) Put some basil leaves in bottom of each pepper and mix the rest in the rice /bean mixture
5) Stuff each pepper about ½ with rice/bean blend, bits of chopped pepper and tomato, add 1 TBS tomato sauce and fill pepper with rice/bean blend
6) Place in covered roasting pan- top with chopped tomato and rest or tomato sauce and cook for 40 minutes in 375 oven.
7) Remove and let sit 5- 10 minute with cover off and serve with veggies or salad.

Playing with fire - Vegan Grilling fun

I recently cooked at a picnic. There was the standard non-veg fare and I was able to cook tofu( marinated) and pineapple and peaches.

The grilled fruit was mixed with fresh blueberries, green onions and balsamic vinegar/orange juice.


Planning on quartering some red and green cabbage and sprinkling with vinegar and putting on hot grill for a few minutes each side and serving with a creamy ( soy yogurt base) basil-garlic dressing.

Early Summer Pesto

One of the joys of summer is grabbing bunches of fresh basil and combining with Olive oil and nuts or seeds and some nutritional yeast to make pesto and serve it on pasta, bread, potatoes and anything else I can think of.
In june the basil is just setting up and growing but broccoli is coming in strong- most pesto is made raw with frsh picked leaves and broccoli pesto can be done raw ( with a little added added water- reserved from soaking the florets after washing)
OR- the broccoli can be steamed for 90 seconds- 2 minutes
Broccoli Pesto
4 cups chopped fresh broccoli ( washed, rinsed and then soaked)
¼ cup nutritional yeast ( can use vegan parm-cheese or non vegan can use parmesan cheese
4-6 tbs EVOO
2-4 tbs soak water
¼ cup raw walnuts ( or other nut/ seed)
1 cup (loosely packed) selected green herbs (I like basil, oregano, parsley- whatever is flourishing in garden)

1. Add broccoli pieces slowly to chop completely( may need to remove to bowl and add more)
2. Drizzle olive oil and/or water into processor to help smooth the blend
3. Add nuts slowly to chop smoothly
4. Add Nutritional yeast or cheese and rest of oil mix until smooth

Serve on cooked pasta, spread on bread or spread on bread to make bruschetta
Use all that you like and freeze the rest.

I Love Cold Noodle Salads for Warm Weather Fuel

As a runner walker, hiker I have eaten tons of pasta over the years ( along with potatoes and breads. In the summer I love to eat a meal of cold salad and especially a salad loaded with good carbs as well as vitamins and minerals.
A newly popular salad at many places is sesame noodle salad(durum wheat noodles) and Soba noodle salad. SOBA noodles are made from buckwheat so they may be ok for folks with gluten problems. I have experimented and found this to b a good recipe. The dressing is key and the salad can be adjusted for taste and available ingredients.

Cold SOBA Noodle Salad
SALAD
-1# SOBA noodles
-Bundle green onions – chopped (save 1 or 2 to put on top when serving)
-Bundle of cilantro or parsley( chopped fine) [save some for serving]
-2 tbs Sesame seeds
-3 carrots – shredded or chopped
-1 large cucumber – diced
-1 each red, green yellow pepper- diced
-2 stalks celery- diced
-1 granny smith apple- diced

Dressing (good dressing can make a hat taste great)
-1-3 tsp fresh Grated ginger
-¼ cup tahini
-1 tbs Agave nectar or Rice syrup
-1 tbs rice vinegar
-Juice from 1 lime
-½ tbs zest from lime
-1 tbs Sesame oil ( plus some for boiling water)
-1 tbs Tamari
-3 tbs Sesame seeds
-1 tsp Celery seeds
-1 tbs fresh ground black pepper
-Hot sauce and/or hot pepper flakes to taste

1) Prepare noodles in water flavored with sesame oil and drain / cool( sprinkle with sesame oil after draining
2) Combine dressing ingredients in blender and blend / pulse until emulsified
3) Chopped and combine all salad ingredient in bowl with noodles, mix completely
4) Add dressing and mix until until coated
5) Cover and put in fridge for 3 hours or more for flavors to mix
6) Serve topped with reserved onions and cilantro

Mothers Day and Thoughts of Mom's great meals

This morning i made a great Cole Slaw and put it in Fridge to marinate.
I am now thinking of the great Slaw and Potato salad and macaroni salads my mom made when we were kids- Poor woman had to make it like she was the Cook in Chow hall at boot camp with all of us.

What other good items can I work with and make a few small changes to be Vegan and enjoy.

Todays SLAW

1/3 head red cabbage- chopped
1/3 head Green cabbage- chopped
2 raw red turnips diced small
2 Kohlrabi diced
2 granny smith apples- diced
DRESSING
celery seed
mustartd seed
Raw apple cider vinegar
olive oil
tamari

Dressing poured over the combined veggies and put in fridge to season/marinate.

All Hail... KALE

I am now starting to grow kale and I have been eating kale for a few years now. Mostly in power-packed green smoothies. But also in soups and sauteed with other veggies and tofu.

Why kale?
* low fat, no cholesterol and powerful anti-oxidant properties along with a large collection of vitamins and minerals
* Like other members of the brassica family ( cabbage, broccoli etc) it contains an abundance of healthy phytochemicals, sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol that appear to protect against prostate and colon cancers.
* Rich in vitamin A, 100 g of leaves provide more than 500% RDA.
* Filled with many B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, vit.B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid as well as minerals like copper, calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus.

In addition to a great ingredient for Green smoothies ( enjoying one as I type)
Try this salad: { enough for 2 people with leftovers}

KALE SALAD ( slaw)
2 Bunches of kale - chopped fine
4-5 Tbs chia seeds, hemp seeds or sunflowere seeds
Dressing- Blend well
1.5 Tbs raw tahini
3 Tbs Raw apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs raw honey (or agave if vegan)
Pour dressing on salad and put in fridge for an hour then try not to eat it all.

Tempeh "chik'n" wings for Sper Bowl

Looking to make Standard Super Bowl fare for game today.

Bought a couple of Packages of TEMPEH and will be making some tried and true finger food( not Chicken wings but similar Bite)

1)Cut Tempeh into 3/4" wide by 1 1/2 long recetangles
2) soak in marinade ( hot sauce, garlic, pepper)
3) Dredge in soy milk and corn meal
4) fry in pan - brown all sides
5) hold in warm oven until all pieces are cooked
6) Spirnkle with marinade or staright hot sauce and serve

Pudding or Fun fruit Topping

I had a container of Coconut milk ice cream. and wanted some fruit to put on top.

I had fresh blackberries and blueberries in the fridge. took half a cup of each and mashed them with a tablespoon of fresh OJ. It looked a little runny so I added some ground flax-seed and stirred it in with a little agave .

After 5-7 minutes the flax had started to gel and thicken the mix. As it became like pudding I spooned it over the frozen coconut like ( coconut flavor).

made a great dessert and pretty healthy ( without the ice cream...) Will try some more blends as puddings.

Apple Pie w/o the Oven

I have been reading a lot about raw food and a lot of Raw Food books. Saw some pie recipes and was intrigued. Since it is Fall and apples are in season I decided to try a Raw apple pie. And I was happily surprised. I will share this on Thanksgiving.

Apple Pie ( raw)
Crust
2 cups raw almonds
pinch of sea salt
1-3 tsp EVOO
2-3 dates
Filling
3-5 apples
4-5 dates
Pinch of sea salt
2-3 tsp Flax or Hemp Oil
1. Grind almonds in processor into a powder
2. Add salt, dates, and oil and blend until smooth and clumping
3. Spread almond crust on bottom of pie plate (spread a drop of EVOO first)
4. Put pie crust in freezer to set up.
*5. Process apples until smooth
6. add salt and dates and process
7. Slowly add oil until "creamy"
8. Pour into crust and cover with plastic and place in fridge

9. Dig in and SHARE with others.....


Random thoughts-
*******Is a Raw Food Cookbook a "cookbook" *****

Green Smoothies for Great Summer Dining

I am at work now and drinking the final sips of the first litre of a great smmothie I made this morning.

Started with Mint from th back decl planters( nice added taste)

1/4 Cup Mint ( pepper,spear,chocolate mint)
1/4 lb Dandelion greens
1/4 lb Kale
1 lemon
1 Orange
1 Cucumber
2+ cups clean water
2 Tbs Organic Flax seed oil
2 Tbs Chia seeds

Blended until smooth and poured in 2 - 1 litre bottles to drink at work

Very filling, delicious and perfect for ht sweaty days. Also drinking 50oz of clean water.