My favorite Chinese food take-out item has always been and probably always will be fried rice. It is so simple but so satisfying. You can basically add any meat or vegetables to it but I kept it basic this time. The number one trick in making this is to use rice that has been cooled completely and refrigerated, using freshly cooked rice changes the texture completely because it is lighter, stickier and fluffier. Continue Reading →
Cacao Mountain Granola Bars
Sometimes I just want to put chocolate on everything. These bars contain four different chocolatey elements, without imposters like white chocolate or diluted milk chocolate (no offense to them). There is raw cacao, roasted cacao, cacao nibs and raw carob. Dark chocolate has been making its way onto several healthy food lists because of the antioxidants and nutrients naturally present in cacao like magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc. Continue Reading →
Ayurvedic Khichari
Ayurveda is translated as the science of life and originated in India several thousand years ago, making it the oldest form of healthcare we know of. Ayurvedic medicine takes a very holistic view and classifies people, body and mind, according to the three doshas (or energies). The patient is prescribed different foods and spices customized according to their dosha constitution. The idea is to heal any imbalances and cure or prevent ailments that people are particularly susceptible to. Continue Reading →
Southern Granola
I have never been to the American south but I imagine lots of sun drenched porches scattered with people drinking sweet tea, old pickup trucks racing down dirt roads and ladies slaving away in country kitchens to make endless amounts of hearty soul food. Maybe I have been watching too many country music videos but I love the flavors and ingredients from this region and they provided my inspiration for this granola. Continue Reading →
Californian Lettuce Wraps
This is a simple and delicious one dish meal with lots of fresh vegetables. It is easy to substitute the ingredients for any leftover grains, seafood and meat you have around. Keeping with a California theme I used shrimp and lots of avocado. Tamari provides the main flavoring, it is very similar to soy sauce except that it is thicker and richer in taste, especially the gluten free option which has no wheat and a greater concentration of fermented soy beans. Continue Reading →
Oatmeal Bar
This is by no means a complicated breakfast, and that is the beauty of it. If you want to have a warm, relaxing breakfast on your own or if you have several picky eaters to feed, this is a great way to start the day. A couple months ago, I went to a retreat on Denman Island and we had this every day at 7:30 am. Normally I am not a morning person. Not at all. I never liked eating breakfast, especially so early, but by the third day I started to wake up excited for my daily oatmeal creation. Continue Reading →
Spiced Berry Grain Muffins
I generally am not that into baking, it’s much more precise than cooking so I feel a bit stifled creatively. Plus it usually revolves around processsed sugar and white flour, items that I like to avoid. Although I do love making ugly rustic loaves and muffins from chopped nuts and left over whole grains, especially quinoa and millet. Continue Reading →
Tabbouleh en Beige
Tabbouleh is a traditional Middle Eastern salad, usually very green with much more parsley. This version is predominantly beige from the millet with little specs of green, but I promise it is not lacking in taste. I like to use millet instead of the more traditional bulgur since it is gluten free and very rich in several important nutrients including iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Continue Reading →
Crunchy Apple Almond Fruit Boat
I generally prefer finger food, especially in the summer, so I like to make food that is socially acceptable to eat with my fingers. Fruit boats just don’t work any other way. This one makes a nice and quick, lazy option for a healthy dessert or small breakfast. Continue Reading →
Cinnamon Bun Granola
My mom loves cinnamon so I made this especially for her. She likes to eat it sprinkled over greek yogurt but it could also be nice with some fresh berries or used to jazz up some plain oatmeal. Don’t get too excited but it kind of tastes like a healthy cinnamon bun… in granola form. Once you have all the ingredients this is easy to make time and again. In the long run it is also more cost effective than buying fancy packaged granolas, many of which contain preservatives, cheap fillers, unhealthy sweeteners and GMOs.
Continue Reading →