Friday, December 28, 2012

Greens and More Greens

The discovery:
I can use greens in so many creative ways ...   They do not need to be in a salad.
I have added kale to my lentil soup, served it in my Ribollita, along with Savoy Cabbage. Sauteed Collard Greens with Mushrooms- they were a hit even with my husband who is "anti-green"...
Rapini with Edens Twisty Kamut pasta... With some imagination, it's easy include them.

New Year is not far away... I'm getting ready for new challenges.
Stay tuned:)

Monday, December 3, 2012

A New Recipe is Born

Macaroni and Cheese
My favourite food of childhood. The one that was responsible for the weight I carried.
Here I am some 40 years later - still love it.
I am a bit smarter now... at least, I hope. :)

My Macaroni is made out of red and white quinoa. It has protein, fiber.
The cheese: Gruyere. Not much: just a cup of grated cheese in  2% Evaporated Milk. (A bit of cornstarch added to thicken the sauce)
I need veggies... I was searching for broccoli in my freezer: no luck. I found some green peas.
Sure, why not?
Added a cup of green peas to my ingredients  list.
Looked for some suitable veggies in the fridge while I was already softening a chopped sweet onion with some chopped garlic scapes from the freezer, over some olive oil in a frying pan.
I found a bunch of rapini. Washed it well, chopped it, added it to my onion, sprinkled it with some red pepper flakes - and let wilt and reduce in volume.

I spread 1/3 of the cooked macaroni in my baking dish,
added the green peas, as they were, semi-frozen,
covered that with more macaroni,
added my onion/garlic scapes/rapini mix,
covered it with the remaining macaroni,
gave it a sprinkling of Black pepper,
poured the hot cheese sauce on,

and baked it in a preheated 375F oven for about 35 minutes.

A nice and filling lunch or dinner for 6  with a soup or a salad.


Thursday, November 29, 2012

A Funny Story - with a Moral

 I will tell you a funny story.
It's a true story and there is a moral, too...

I know that it's important to label anything we put in the freezer.
I do it, pretty religiously, listing the item, and the date I froze it.
A couple of things I don't always bother with as they go through quick rotation. My sliced bananas don't get labeled, my garlic and my ginger are not labeled. Anyone can tell them apart... and I use them within the week so there is no problem.

This morning, in a hurry, I grabbed my oatmeal, added the almond milk, carob and reached for the small pack of sliced bananas. I mixed everything, put it in the microwave. As I was closing the door, I smelled "cooking smell" - so I made a mental note to clean the microwave soon.
It beeped - I grabbed the flaxseed that I add after cooking so as not to heat it, mixed it once more and settled into a chair to eat. The first bite was shocking. The banana was hard. Bananas are NEVER hard - :oops: - wait a minute: this "banana" smelled... of garlic. Itwas garlic.
And thus my breakfast ended up in the garbage... :lol: 

Moral of the story:
Label. Everything.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

More and More

I've been playing with recipes, inventing others...

Tonight's quick creation:

Collard Greens and Cremini Mushrooms over Shallots and Garlic - Served with Soba Noodles.

I used Olive oil to saute the Shallots/Garlic/Greens and Mushrooms -
Seasoned it with Black Pepper, Tamari - added a bit of Sherry for good measure -
a good spray of Garlic Olive Oil. Simple and delicious.
Don't tell anyone: it's also nutritious:).

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

For the Love of ... Okra

A new one for me...
I tried okra for the first time this year. For some reason, Lentil and Okra sounded like a match.
I had a wonderful Lentil soup recipe - a lucky internet find - and I decided I'd play with it a bit to accommodate the okra.

Here it is  - because it's delicious and I'd hate to forget it.

Lentil Okra Soup.

Ingredients:
1 cup red lentils
2 cups water
1 tsp turmeric
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 - 2 tsp Caraway seeds
1 TBS veg. oil
1 cup diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped okra
4 cups veg. broth

1. cook the lentils in the water with the turmeric in a stockpot
2. heat the oil in a skillet, add the caraway , stir until it's fragrant,
3. add the onions, cook until softened
4.  add the bay leaf and the okra.
    Cook for a few minutes
5. Add the tomatoes, stir.
6. Once Lentils are done, blend, using an immersion blender or Food processor, then
 add the broth and the the contents of the skillet. ( Remove bay leaf before blending the soup)
Stir and serve.


A nice fall/winter salad:

Roasted vegetables and Chickpea salad

Heat oven to 425-450 F

Ingredients:
(this is a flexible list - other veggies could work equally well )

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 head of broccoli, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 red pepper
1 can chickpeas
Olive oil to coat the bottom of the roasting pan
2 TBS Balsamic or Sherry Vinegar
1 TBS  Tarragon Mustard (or a good Dijon)

Spread Olive oil on the roasting pan.
Add the veggies - and roast - check frequently.  Once it's done, mix together with the chickpeas. Mash the roasted garlic.
Add the vinegar - mustard dressing and toss well.
Enjoy!




Saturday, November 3, 2012

More Fun with Napa

You can't really go wrong with a salad.

This week's version of Napa Cabbage:

Sliced Napa
Jicama, peeled and chopped
Shallot, sliced thin
Handful of Curried Raw Sunflower seeds

Dressing:
Grape Seed Oil and Rice Vinegar  in 2:3 ratio.

Very pleasant, mild with a little hint of spice (in the seeds)

Sunday, October 21, 2012

The Soups of the Season

I've been cooking soups daily (and filling my freezer).
Currently, I have containers of Cauliflower Soup, Broccoli Soup, Lentil Soup, Mushroom Barley Soup,
Cream of Mushroom Soup, Black Eyed Pea Soup, Cannelini Soup.
They are great in the fall and winter seasons.
I find that as long as I have soup ready, making lunches, dinners becomes less of a chore.

Having a large salad and fruit salad also helps:)
It is no longer "what will I make for dinner". I just pull out a large bowl, gather my goodies from the veggie drawer, the pantry shelf and make a salad out of it.
If I have a good dressing - it is ALWAYS  well-received by family.

Speaking of dressings: I stopped buying them a while ago. If I don't have anything made up, it's a breeze to put together something with the help of  Olive Oil and Balsamic, Sherry, Rice, or Apple Cider vinegars.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

More Fun in the Kitchen

Napa Cabbage -
who would have thought?

In my quest to increase leafy greens in my diet, I picked up a head of Napa Cabbage. OK - it's a bit pale but it's good for variety.
Here is what I did with it:
(I don't want to forget, that is why I'm posting it:) )

I cut (most) of it into 3/4" strips,

chopped a couple of stalks of celery and a bunch of green onions into tiny pieces
added a good handful of sunflower seeds

mixed it, then:
created a dressing of  extra virgin olive oil and Rice vinegar.
Mixed it well - then let it sit in the fridge for a while.

Delicious: the seeds and the celery add a bit of crunch to it. The rice vinegar (no sugar/salt) - is mild and pleasant.

The remaining piece of cabbage gets chopped and will be added to a soup to keep that interesting:)

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

My First Tomato Soup

... I think...


a little olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 Hot red pepper, stem cut off, chopped, seeds and all (or a sweet pepper if you prefer)
1 carrot, grated (to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes)
1 can Eden Crushed Tomatoes
1 Imagine Vegetable broth


Heat olive oil,  add onion, stir, and cook until it softens. Add garlic, cook for a couple of minutes, then add hot pepper and grated carrot. Stir frequently. Let them soften.
Add the tomatoes, stir, then add the Broth and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to LOW, cover and cook for about 25-30 minutes. I use my immersion blender to blend it.
Fresh Basil would be a nice addition.



Sunday, September 23, 2012

Spinach Salad

Simple, fresh and wonderful:

4- 6 cups of fresh Baby Spinach
several  sliced radishes
a handful of raw sunflower seeds
a handful of raw pumpkin seeds
a good dose of Lemon Tahini Dressing

The combination of the seeds and the radishes provides a wonderful crunch.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Reading

Current reading: Eat to Live by Dr. Fuhrman.

I'm giving it a lot of thought.  My first response is to increase the leafy greens and fruits in my diet while I reduce my reliance on breads and pasta.
Is it hard?
Yes and no.
The hard part is to stay conscious of what I'm eating. (a good idea any time:) )
The easy part:
not much preparation required. A lot of it is just wash, chop, eat:)

Thursday, July 5, 2012

R & R

Ricotta -
for some strange reason, I've been craving Ricotta.  I buy the low fat version and give into the craving.
I make a couple of things with it:
Baked Ricotta and Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.
Baked Ricotta is the world's easiest way to enjoy the cheese:
you simply drain the Ricotta in a strainer suspended over a bowl.
Add whatever you wish to add to it - my latest had a couple of tablespoons of Black cherry jam that I needed to finish.  Mix well. Spread on a greased Pie Dish. Add any fruit topping you wish (mine had cherry halves.) Bake at 375 F for about 35 min.  Let it cool before you cut it.

Running-
I am back at it:)
well, as long as the weather cooperates. Currently, it's just too hot to run.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Modification

Clafoutis was a big hit...
Then, I had quite a bit of Asparagus from the market. So, I whipped up some pancake batter - clafoutis style - minus 1 egg and minus sugar, vanilla- roasted some asparagus, cut it into pieces, added a pinch of salt, poured the batter over them, baked them at 425F for 20 minutes and Voila!  - another lovely dish:)

Friday, June 22, 2012

Who Would Have Thought?

... that my next recipe link would come from the Joy of Baking?
But it is...

All the fresh fruits at the market made me want to bake with fruits. Clafoutis came to mind. I just had to try. So I did.
Here is the link.
It's easy, it's quick, it looks good and it uses up all those cherries:)

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Sunday "detox"

I've decided to commit my Sundays to a weekly "detox". It's really not the right term for it:
I restrict my meals by having only fruits/nuts/vegetables. No grains, dairy or processed foods.
No coffee.
During Detox sessions I have found an increase in energy level during fruit-nut-veggie days so I'm trying to accomplish that on a weekly basis.
It also helps me to remember to reach for Nature's Fast Foods instead of Cheese Sandwiches :)

Today: (so far)
Earl Grey with Soy
Raspberry-Banana-Hemp Smoothie
Blueberry-Banana- Flax Smoothie
Baked Sweet Potato
Cherries
Seaweed
Almonds
Carob Drink
Mint Tea

Thursday, May 24, 2012

A Dessert

Banana Ice Cream with a Twist

Most know the trick of freezing a banana then processing it either in a blender or a food processor for an ice cream-like treat.

My version:
add a teaspoon of instant espresso, plus a couple of spoonfuls of Almond milk to the frozen banana -
blenderize and enjoy!
A lovely cold treat.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Roasted Asparagus Soup or Simplicity in a Bowl

Ingredients:
EVOO
Asparagus
Leeks
Potato
Veg. Broth


Roast the Asparagus.
Saute the leeks - add potatoes - add asparagus pieces. Stir for a bit. Add Broth. Cook until tender.
Blenderize. Enjoy!
Make often- Asparagus season is really short:)

Friday, May 11, 2012

The Kitchen Sink

Well, almost.
Today's salad contained just about everything I had.
First, I found a container with leftover rice pasta.
I emptied it into a large bowl.
Then, I added a cup or so of frozen corn, I found some black Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds, Hemp Hearts - in they went.  Some fresh peas, cut up Nori sheets, a can of Chickpeas, some tomatoes were next.
Then I remembered the local Asparagus and Kale in my fridge. I roasted those. Added my favourite Lemon Tahini dressing,  tossed it.
The Asparagus and Kale gave it a little twist.  A very satisfying lunch it was...
(I was out of red and green onions... I kind of missed those:) )

I know - it's not a 3 or 5 ingredient dish but still simple. No recipe to follow, no shopping involved - it uses what you have.



Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Mushrooms - continued

Well those mushrooms came in handy.

I cooked some rice pasta.  I put half of it in a greased baking pan.
I made some sauce ( 1 and 1/3 cup of 1% milk with 3 TBS flour, with 3 TBS cream cheese added) and added half of that to the pasta. I layered my mushroom saute on top, covered it with the remaining pasta, grated a small amount of cheese on top and baked it for about 25 minutes. Delicious~

Monday, May 7, 2012

Versatile Mushrooms

Quick and delicious, good to have on hand:

Sauteed Mushrooms

No recipe - we don't need it. Wing it:
use onions if you wish, use leeks if that is what you have.
Olive Oil (or alternative) - a bit of thyme, salt and pepper, a touch of sherry or Marsala (either one is wonderful). Cremini Mushrooms or Oyster Mushrooms? Whatever you have.
Make enough so you can add them to your panini,  top some rice, quinoa, pizza or pasta with them, make an omelette or frittata using them... How much easier can it get?
(It will also keep in your fridge for a few days)

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Coco-coconut Oatmeal

1/2 cup of rolled oats
1 cup almond milk
1 heaped tsp raw cocoa
1 heaped  tsp coconut (unsweetened)
1 tsp maple syrup

Combine ingredients in bowl. Stir well. Microwave High for 80-90 seconds.
Delicious.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Simplicity

My new objective...
Actually, not so new - time constraints tend to lead to simpler meals, quick preparations.
Those are the times when we are tempted to reach for "convenience foods".
Well, my take on it  is that if you don't keep those in the house you'll be reaching for a pan or a pot and perhaps into your veggie drawers to whip up a quick dinner.

My intention for the next little while is to list those quick (and many times tasty) meals. Perhaps, even include a recipe or two...

Today's lunch was a good example. I was in no hurry but my mom was hungry so:
I grabbed this.
Brushed a little Olive oil on top. Roasted a few tomato slices with some red onion slices for it.
Grabbed a large handful of Arugula (washed of course) and added some Buffalo Mozzarella.
I put my little pizza in the oven @ 375 and in about 10 minutes we had a lovely, filling dish. :)
(Spelt pizza is quite filling.)

So technically, this WAS convenience food: I had the spelt pizzas in plastic wrap on hand, all it took was some good veggies and cheese to make it.
It would be good on something like One Bun, or a whole grain Pita, or even a tortilla, depending on what is on hand.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

What I Got Out of the Detox

There was no black toxin leaving my pores :) ... Not that I expected it.
I did not lose a significant amount of weight. (About 2 lbs). It was not my intention to - and I ate far too well for that. I needed to maintain my energy level.

I learned that my body can tolerate basically everything. However, I need to have some things in moderation.
Dairy, bread, grains  in general, fall into this category. Coffee is fine but I do better with tea.  However, one or two cups of coffee don't cause a problem.
My system is working well and I just need to remind myself from time to time to stay on track.


Thursday, March 22, 2012

And I'm Done!!!


This past week I could not stop thinking about coffee.
Tomorrow morning I'm celebrating the end of Detox with a run to Starbucks:)

Saturday, March 17, 2012

A Year Ago

A year ago at this time, I was running.  That was not to be this year owing to my ongoing problems with my ITB/knee...
However, walking is fine :)  and I am managing full sessions of Spinning at the gym. Sculpting, for the most part is OK. Yin Yoga has been good and I even took some Restorative Yoga classes.

However, there is a point to this comparison:
a year ago, as the photos show here, the temperature was -3C in the morning. We have not seen negative numbers for a while... in fact, a couple of days ago we had 20 C in the afternoon...

We took advantage of the mild weather and did our first walk in the park with my dog, Dutchie:



Not too colourful - but that will come:)

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Almost done!

I added a link for the African Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew. A wonderful recipe:) I'll be making this frequently.

The wonderful thing about these detoxes is that one learns many alternatives for meals, snacks. We also find out a great deal about our own system. Not a thing to which we'd normally pay attention. As long as we aren't sick we just keep going with the flow. We are ALL too busy, in a great deal of hurry...

So tomorrow I will get to the end of our 3 weeks. There is a bonus week -
I decided to move slowly in order to figure out how much of an issue dairy really is. I also had my reservations about breads and cakes - so I'll just observe what each addition means.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Off Topic

I am posting this link because it's important information for women (and men) :

http://toddlerplanet.wordpress.com/2007/07/23/inflammatory-breast-cancer/

Apparently, a lump is not necessary... one may have breast cancer  without a lump. Pay close attention.

COFFEE CRAVING





Sunday, March 11, 2012

SURPRISE

As I made a batch of  wonderful Mushroom Crepes out of Gluten Free flour mix, I certainly did not expect any problems. But, surprisingly enough the crepes proved to be an issue. (a bit of bloating/gas)
I tested my theory two days in a row - same result.  I looked up the individual flours :
Sorghum, Tapioca and Potato Starch.
Sorghum and Tapioca are (apparently) known to cause problems in some people...

Friday, March 9, 2012

Oatmeal Once More:)

If I missed something badly: it was Oatmeal.
It took me YEARS to establish a good breakfast habit - then, with the detox, it was out the window...
Smoothies kind of  replaced it, but did not give the same satisfaction or fullness.

Oatmeal is back on the menu:) I'm going enjoy myself once more.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Still Here

It's a bit of a challenge, not necessarily to stick with the plan,  but to have food ready when it's needed.
Since the rest of the family is not on board for the detox, often, I find myself searching for food when I'm hungry. I've eaten so much fruit and nuts for quick energy...:)

Mung Bean Pasta I need to keep in mind for the future. It's very pleasant and a good alternative to regular pasta....

I'll be quite ready for grains by Friday... Smoothies are great but they are not the oatmeal I enjoy usually in the mornings.:)

Monday, March 5, 2012

Weekend

I  am still sticking with the plan.
The weekend continued pretty well on the same note but with the added benefit of Black Eyed Peas,
Crispy Tofu Slices, Soy Yogurt  and the like.
I made a lovely dish with Sauteed Oyster Mushrooms and Wild Rice.  I must not forget to make it again.
The greens:
many baby greens: baby spinach, baby romaine, baby arugula.

My weight is pretty steady. Energy level is pretty good. This is pretty close to my normal diet - minus the grains (:() and the dairy.
I've got used to the absence of coffee - it's quite alright.  Tea is keeping me pretty even and happy. Yoga is the right exercise (or at least it feels right) during detox.



Friday, March 2, 2012

PROTEIN!

 I needed it:)
I was so happy with my Black Eyed Pea soup- I did not even miss my usual Pita...
Tonight, I added Tofu to the mix.
I fully anticipated some bloatedness and ummm.... how to put this delicately, more activity in the intestines - but there was minimal change.
My hope with this detox, is to find what exactly is the cause of it.

I don't think I lost any weight - or maybe a minimal amount. I'm eating too well for that:). It was not my objective in the first place.

My friend asked me what I missed the most. My answer: oatmeal. Seriously.
Today was the first day that I missed having chocolate and that passed very quickly... Odd.

DAY 7

I'M MOVING ON  TO WEEK 2 - YAY!

Black eyed peas are on my menu tomorrow:) - ummm, today...

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Day 6

Uh-oh...
I think I am just about ready for re-introducing protein foods...
It may have had to do something with my rearranging large (and heavy) furniture yesterday or it might just be  a normal response but today I felt that need.

What did I eat?
Well, I did not have time to prepare extra meals for me so it was odds and ends... which might be another possible explanation.

This morning I made a smoothie that turned into a wonderful pudding...
(Avocado, Banana, Almond Milk and Flaxseed)
Later, I had the last of the Red Pepper Soup, some trail mix,  a tiny bit of sauteed cabbage, a taste (literally) of wild rice, another smoothie with Papaya and Banana - equally delicious - a half sweet potato, some tiny roasted beets
a little trail mix, some roasted cabbage, a carob drink,  lots of herbal tea. At one point this afternoon, I was pretty shaky so I got myself a banana with almond butter.:)

I made Roasted beet and garlic Soup for tomorrow, and a Chickpea Salad. (NO, I did not taste the latter! although wanted to...)


Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Day 5

A good article.

It also makes me think of how much BETTER I feel while doing this detox. No need for naps.
Energy that lasts through most of the day - of course, with frequent snacks:)
My new favourite snack:

Take a banana, cut in half, slice in half length-wise and spread with Almond Butter.
The best:)

I don't miss sugar. But then again, how could I? I am eating SO much fruit. :)

Monday, February 27, 2012

Day 4 - Already?

It's going so smoothly, I barely noticed.
Amazingly enough, I don't miss bread! Without bread even the lack of cheese is not a problem.
Today:
Banana, Almond butter, Hemp Hearts Smoothie,
Mini Arugula - just by itself -b/c I love it.
Red Pepper /Cabbage Soup - so delicious
Sweet pot. mashed with almond milk, Chia and Cinnamon - cold.
Power balls:
(like Larabars)
Cashews, Dates, Tart Cherries, Hemp hears, Cocoa - processed and made into balls.
(They keep well in the fridge - although that was never put to test:) )
Dinner was Beet leaves with Wild rice. Very pleasant. For dessert I had a banana with almond butter.
For Late snack I had an orange, ok, so I took some power balls, too...



Sunday, February 26, 2012

Day 3

Pretty good.
I had a prolonged outing that I did not anticipate, had no snack, just a tea mug with me...
but it worked out OK in the end.
Foodwise:
Smoothie breakfast - banana, carob, chia, cocoa nibs, almond butter,
Leftover potato soup, Spinach Salad with Hemp Hearts, Lemon Tahini Dressing.
I have cooked a pot of Red pepper, Coconut, Cabbage Soup, baked a sweet potato, and cooked some wild rice.
I'm off to enjoy some:)


Saturday, February 25, 2012

I AM STILL HERE

and it's Day 2.

Today was a much better day.
More energy.  I felt slightly hungry all day. Somehow, that seems to work for me.
I also participated in a Yin Yoga class which was wonderful both for mind and body:)

Food-wise:
Smoothies are great.
They are not my usual breakfast food but they work well. Magic Bullet is easily rinsed and is ready for another round if needed.
This morning:
Avocado/Mango/ Flaxseed/ Banana/ Almond butter/ Coconut milk Smoothie.  Very pleasant.
(I thought I would not like avocado in there.  It works - gives it a good texture)
Lunch:
Potato and Leek Soup
Mixed greens salad with hemp hearts
I had Tea this morning- no time for morning snack.

After workshop:
my trailmix
Followed by herbal tea.
Smoothie: Banana/Carob
Dinner:
Mixed greens salad with black sesame and Lemon Tahini dressing.
A wonderful Leek/Spinach/Arugula/Sundried Tomato/Quinoa  Pilaf.

I suspect, I'll be having some more fruit.

P.S.
I did:
I had some banana slices with almond butter. It was delicious. Who said I needed to feel deprived?

Friday, February 24, 2012

Day 1

Today, my friend and I officially started the Whole Living Detox.

I wish I could say that it all went well, I feel like a "million dollars".... (I was always puzzled when I heard that expression -I never knew those had feelings)
But: I woke up with a headache which progressed to "near-migraine" level.
I drank lots, did not help. I followed the detox instructions, told myself that all the fresh stuff will make it go away. It did not. Finally, I took an Advil. Not my choice product for a detox:). I took a nap.
Woke up with the same pain. Made myself a cup of black tea. (!) It's  a bit better.
I decided that I will continue drinking tea. I know from the last detox that I can go without coffee as long as I have my tea.

On more positive note:
Breakfast was a smoothie  (Banana, Carob, Coconut milk, Almond butter)
Snack:
Vegan herb crackers
Lunch:
Mushroom saute with Quinoa (as quinoa is not a a grain, therefore permissible)
Mixed Greens Salad with Homemade Lemon Tahini Dressing and Hemp Hearts.
Snack: dates
(several)
another smoothie (avocado, lemon, mango, flaxseed, coconut milk)
Dinner:
Potato-Leek  Soup, Green Salad with Pumpkin Seeds, Sundried Tomatoes, and Lemon Tahini Dressing.
Orange

Lots of herbal tea...

Discovery:
I LOVE hemp hearts.  I must incorporate them into food more often.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Simplify

One of my objectives is to simplify our meals. It's always beneficial but more so as I try to deal with Detox and separate meals for the rest of the family.
Currently, I 'm searching for meals with few ingredients. I will post links as I find them.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

A New Dish

Supper in a hurry:)

I'm trying to use up my current supplies before grocery shopping, so dishes are created around what I have on hand, not the other way around.

Tonight's Chickpea dish :

2 TBS Sunflower oil
2 small onions, halved and sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
small amount of veg. broth (or water)
1 heaped tsp paprika
1 hot pepper chopped
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
1 large sweet potato, peeled, diced
1 potato, peeled, diced
Salt and Pepper

Heat oil, add onions, add a little salt, cook until  they soften.
Add garlic, stir.
When onions are golden, add a little broth as needed. Add sweet potato, potato, paprika, stir well, lower heat and cover dish. Cook until nearly done, then add chickpeas. Stir - heat until chickpeas are hot.
Season w. Salt and Pepper and enjoy.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Counting Down

My day to start will be February 24th. This way, all our birthday, anniversary, etc. celebrations are done and I can give Detox some focus.
The Whole Living Detox is the foundation for it. However, as much as I am willing to and interested in trying recipes, I still want to include my own TNT dishes as much as it is possible.
In order to make the detox successful
- I need a plan for the week (a menu plan)
- a shopping list for the same
- supplies

I need to make sure there is food on hand at all times so I don't go hungry. Getting hungry without appropriate supplies is the fastest way for getting off Detox.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Progress

Busy preparing for next week's Detox...

I am so much more aware of our need for dark green leafy veggies. I am so much more inclined to include them in my regular recipes. I no longer search for "spinach" or "kale" recipes but simply add some baby spinach to my white bean casserole dish or include some frozen ones.
Kale might go into my soup or I might make some kale chips. The latest discovery was, of course, that it is good in a salad, too.
This way, I think, the rest of my family is also more inclined to embrace those oh-so-beneficial greens.

I'd love to hear your ideas on the matter.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The Salad That Keeps On Giving

Well, my (huge) bowl of salad was a hit with my family. By tonight there was only a small amount left which was turned into a Pasta Salad with the addition of some lovely Amaranth Penne.

It reminded me of a beautifully illustrated children's book Something From Nothing :)

(What am I going to do without my grains on the Detox???)

Monday, February 13, 2012

A New Salad Recipe is Born

BI've been playing with recipes for a (near) future detox.
I was going to make the Kale Salad on the Whole Living Detox site (Ingredients below) - but I did not have red cabbage or carrots. I had a bag of Coleslaw - which proved to be perfect.
Dijon Mustard was MIA - I substituted with a fancy Tarragon Mustard which gave the salad a unique taste. I had to increase the dressing b/c I made a large amount.
We had a lot of it for lunch - leftovers were turned into a chickpea salad: I added a can of chickpeas:)


Kale Slaw with Red Cabbage and CarrotServes 4 
  • Kale, 1 bunch
  • Red cabbage, 1 small head
  • Carrot, 1
  • Fresh parsley, 1/4 cup leaves
  • Red onion, 1/4
  • Sunflower, pumpkin, and hemp seeds, 6 Tbsp 
  • Mixed Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp
  • Apple-cider vinegar, 1 tsp
  • Coarse salt and pepper





Friday, February 10, 2012

Soup Recipes

I've decided to list my soups I tend to make in rotation.
I will include links whenever appropriate.
If interested - check the sidebar.

I never cared for soups. While growing up, the only soups I'd eat were Chicken Noodle (minus chicken)-
Pea Soup and Romano Bean Soup.
Once married, I added Potato and Leek Soup to my repertoire.
In the past 4-5 years I have tried many and learned to appreciate a variety of them. If I have a pot of soup on the stove (or in the fridge, or freezer) - the thought of making dinner does not send my heart racing:).

Thursday, February 9, 2012

It's Time

It's time to start posting again...
It's time to focus on getting in shape again.
It's time to share new ideas, challenges...

So I'm here.

It is always tough at this time of the year. Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year are followed by two birthdays and a wedding anniversary... I can't even get serious until the end of February.
This year with the mild winter we've had, I can already see green branches on the Forsythia (!) and little buds on our Magnolia. Both remind me that spring is around the corner!

Normally, at this time, I get slightly antsy, anxious to start outdoor exercise. Well,  running is out for a while: I've been struggling with my ITB. (Spinning is impossible:( as are many yoga poses along with a number of exercises in my sculpting class) I'm not the happiest camper about this but...
I'm focusing on what I CAN do:
walking, sculpting classes (minus squats, lunges etc.) , self-directed yoga, ab exercises.

Food-wise we are still in "winter-mode". I've been experimenting a bit with some new recipes.
The latest is a cookie. Impressive. (just don't tell anyone you've made it out of beans:) )

Challenges:
I've been fairly low-key so far. This book has been my guide for weekly small changes. None of them have been drastic changes so far - just little tweaks.

I will try to post regularly - it keeps me on track.:)