Recipes

Sangria Saturdays

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POM Wonderful sent me a sample of their new POM Cranberry Juice and I have been enjoying it with seltzer, however since it is a beautiful sunny Saturday and the Hubz and I are relaxing I decided to make POM Cranberry Sangria.

Yields 2 large serving

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1oz shot of Cognac
  • 1oz shot of Triple Sec
  • 1/2 cup POM Cranberry
  • 1 apple diced
  • 1/4 cup frozen wild blueberries
  • 1 small lemon thinly sliced
  • Seltzer

In two large glasses half of the apple, half the blueberries and half the lemon in each. Mix the red wine, cognac, triple sec and POM cranberry together and pour half into each glass.  Top the red wine mixture with seltzer to fill the glass. Sit back, sip and enjoy!

Candle Cafe Inspired: BBQ Sweet Potato & Black Bean Sandwich

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One of my favorite things to do is take restaurant menus and use them for inspiration to create recipes at home.  It allows us to enjoy a restaurant meal in our own home at a fraction of the cost and allows us to experience restaurants we aren’t able to visit on a regular basis.  So today when I received the Candle Cafe Newsletter with their Spring 2011 menu I was inspired by one of their sandwiches:

Instead of making a BBQ Tempeh & Sweet Potato Sandwich I made a BBQ Sweet Potato and Black Bean Sandwich.  I baked the sweet potato and glazed it with BBQ sauce. I grilled the kale and red onion on our little George Forman Grill and I whipped up a variation of my smoked paprika aioli, I added roasted garlic and roasted shallot to the aioli- YUM!.  I then layered up the sandwiches and grilled them on the George Forman Grill to make them nice and toasty and served a green salad along side.

Q: Where do you find recipe inspiration?

Updates!

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The Hubz and I have been spending the weekend enjoying the sun and each others company.  I have also made a few updates to the blog that I want to let you know about.

1. Check out the new tab: Reviews– this tab will feature product reviews currently I have just added two, Kaia Foods (check out the giveaway) and Galaxy Nutritional Foods Vegan Cream Cheese

2. Newsletter Updates: I know that many of you signed up for the newsletter months ago and If you can remember how it was:

Then

Check out how it looks now:

Now

HUGE improvement! I really appreciate the positive feedback from those who received the most recent newsletters. I also would like to put it out there that if you are interested in any specific topics or have questions that you would like to see featured on the blog or in the newsletter please email me (Lindsay@cookingforaveganlover.com).

3. Special Health Counseling Rates for CVL Readers This also went out in the newsletter but since some of you have not signed up yet I will give you the chance to see it here. However to receive additional special CVL only rates, news and additional promotions/specials please sign up for my newsletter (you can do so on the side bar.)

Food Focus: Beans

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Food Focus: Beans

Beans, or legumes, including peas and lentils, are an excellent source of plant-based protein. Beans are found in most traditional cultures as a staple food, offering grounding and strengthening properties that enhance endurance. They offer a highly usable, highly absorbable source of calcium for the body. A very inexpensive source of high nutrition, beans can be rich, delicious and satisfying.

(Source)

Lack of sexual energy is often due to overtaxed adrenal glands and kidneys. Beans are known for strengthening these organs (ever noticed the shape of a bean?) and can help restore vital energy as well as sexual energy.

Beans have a reputation for causing digestive distress, but this is usually because they have been undercooked or improperly prepared. To help reduce gas-forming properties, soak beans overnight prior to cooking, increase cooking time, add spices like bay leaf, oregano or cumin, or add kombu (a sea vegetable) when cooking.

 

Recipe of the Month: Easy Beans and Greens

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cooking time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 can black beans (or pinto, red, kidney—your choice)
  • 1 bunch collard greens (or kale, spinach—your choice)
  • your favorite toppings, such as salsa, avocado or guacamole

Directions:

  1. In a medium saucepan, heat drained beans. Add your favorite seasonings, if desired.
  2. Fill a separate medium saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and bring to a boil.
  3. Wash and chop greens (you can use the stems, too) and add to boiling water.
  4. Cook for 2-3 minutes until greens are bright green and tender. Drain off water.
  5. On a plate, arrange a portion of the greens, top with a portion of the beans and finish with toppings of your choice.
© 2010 Integrative Nutrition 5/10

Check out my posts on Beans, Beans The Magical Fruit… for more information on tips on how to prepare beans.

Here are some of my favorite bean recipes:

 

Soul Food

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Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love.

-Rumi

(Check out my Baked Pumpkin Mac and Cheeze)

 

Think for a moment of a food from your past, one that makes you feel great after you eat it for no specific reason. Maybe it is macaroni and cheese, slow-simmered tomato sauce, ice cream cones or potato pancakes. Eating comfort foods (every now and then) can be incredibly healing, even though your rational brain might not consider it highly nutritious.

Food has the power to impact us on a level deeper than just our physical well-being. What we eat can reconnect us to precious memories, like childhood playtimes, first dates, holidays, our grandmother’s cooking or our country of ancestry. Our bodies remember foods from the past on an emotional and cellular level. Eating this food connects us to our roots and has youthening and nurturing effects that go far beyond the food’s biochemical make-up.

Acknowledging what different foods mean to us is an important part of cultivating a good relationship with food. This month when we celebrate lovers and relationships, it’s important to notice that we each have a relationship with food—and that this relationship is often far from loving. Many of us restrict food, attempting to control our weight. We often abuse food, substituting it for emotional well-being. Others ignore food, swallowing it whole before we’ve even tasted it.

What would your life be like if you treated food and your body as you would treat your beloved – with gentleness, playfulness, communication, honesty, respect and love? The next time you eat your soul food, do so with awareness and without guilt, and enjoy all the healing and nourishment it brings you.

© 2010 Integrative Nutrition 5/10

 

Food Focus: Quinoa

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Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), is a nutritional powerhouse with ancient origins. It was originally cultivated by the Incas more than 5,000 years ago; they referred to it as the “mother of all grains.” It contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a great source of protein for vegetarians. Quinoa is also high in magnesium, fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese, riboflavin and zinc.

(source)

While quinoa is widely considered a grain, it’s actually the seed of a plant called Chenopodium or Goosefoot, related to chard and spinach. Quinoa is a gluten-free grain and has a similar effect as other whole grains in helping to stabilize blood sugar.

It has a waxy protective coating called saponin which can leave a bitter taste. For best results, rinse quinoa before you cook it or even soak it for a few hours or overnight. When cooked, it has a fluffy, slightly crunchy texture. Try it in soups, salads, as a breakfast porridge or as its own side dish.

For quinoa, and whole grains in general, the majority of digestion occurs in the mouth through chewing and exposure to saliva. For optimal nutrition and assimilation, it is vital to chew your grains well and with awareness. A great meditation is to find a calm place, without distractions, to sit down for your meal. Make it a habit to chew each bite 20 times or more. See how this simple practice can help your digestion and overall focus for the rest of your day.

 

Recipe of the Month: Quinoa Pilaf

  • Prep Time: 3 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 1/4 cups water or stock
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup walnut pieces
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • pinch of salt

Directions:

  1. Rinse quinoa in fine mesh strainer until water runs clear.
  2. Boil the water and add quinoa and salt, cover and reduce heat.
  3. After 15 minutes add cranberries and walnuts to top; do not stir.
  4. Cook 5 minutes more, until all the liquid is absorbed.
  5. Remove from heat, add parsley and fluff with fork, cover and let sit for 3-5 minutes and serve.
© 2010 Integrative Nutrition 5/10

Here are a few of my quinoa recipes for you to try as well:

Food Focus: Sea Vegetables

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(Source)

Food Focus: Sea Vegetables

In traditional Chinese healing, sea vegetables correspond to the winter season and to the kidneys, adrenal glands, bladder and reproductive organs. The strengthening, balancing and cleansing properties of sea vegetables are known to help these organs as well as the hair, skin and nails. Sea vegetables (or seaweeds) provide a variety of minerals and vitamins, including calcium, iron and iodine, and can help balance hormone and thyroid levels in the body. Eating too many processed foods or foods grown in mineral-depleted soil can result in a lack of minerals in the body, leading to cravings for salty or sugary foods. Adding sea vegetables to your diet can help balance your energy levels and alleviate cravings.

Recipe of the Month: Mighty Miso Soup

  • Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes
  • Yield: 4-5 servings

Ingredients:

  • 4-5 cups spring water
  • 1-2 inch strip of wakame, rinsed and soaked 5 minutes
  • in 1 cup of water until softened
  • 1-2 cups thinly sliced vegetables of your choice (see notes)
  • 2-3 teaspoons barley miso
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions:

  1. Chop soaked wakame.
  2. Discard soaking water or use on houseplants for a boost of minerals.
  3. Place water and wakame in a soup pot and bring to a boil.
  4. Add root vegetables first and simmer gently for 5 minutes or until tender.
  5. Add leafy vegetables and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
  6. Remove about 1/2 cup of liquid from pot and dissolve miso into it. Return it to the pot.
  7. Reduce heat to very low; do not boil or simmer miso broth.
  8. Allow soup to cook 2-3 minutes.
  9. Garnish with scallions and serve.

Note:

Any combination of vegetables can be used in miso soup. Here are some classic combinations:

  • onion-daikon: cleansing
  • onion-carrot-shiitake mushroom-kale: mildly sweet
  • onion-winter squash-cabbage: great in wintertime
  • leek-corn-broccoli: great in summertime

Variations:

  • Add cooked grains at the start of making the soup. They will become nice and soft.
  • Add a tablespoon of uncooked quinoa or millet at the beginning and let it cook with vegetables for 20 minutes.
  • Add cubed tofu toward the end.
  • Add bean sprouts toward the end.
  • Season with 1/2 teaspoon ginger juice for an interesting twist.
  • If using dry shiitake mushrooms, let them soak for 20 minutes, slice and add at the beginning.

© 2010 Integrative Nutrition 5/10