Having a Cinco de Mayo party and just don’t know what to cook? I can help! Here are eleven delicious and healthy ways to celebrate.
Enjoy!
Vegan Seven Layer Bean Dip with Cashew Sour Cream and Mila
Apr 292013
Mar 172013
Vegan Taco Salad
Feisty Vegan Taco Salad
Do you love traveling? I have to say that I do enjoy some travel but leaving home weekly would be tough – my life is so crazy that I savor the quiet minutes at home. When the travel bug does happen to hit me, one of the very first things I do as a plant based foodie is check out unique restaurants located in my destination that offer some creative vegan options, or at least some great dishes that can be easily altered.
Feisty Vegan Taco Salad
The restaurant that stands out from a trip to San Francisco a few years ago was Peter Lowell’s in the little town of Sebestapol. I found it on a recommendation from a local woman and then logged on to my smart phone and checked it out. They offered tons of vegan, local and sustainable options! One of the first things that hit me when I walked in the front door was seeing industrial sized salad spinners in the back for cleaning all the greens they go through. Now THAT is the sign of a good restaurant! I ordered a macro bowl with lentils, greens, tempeh and some delicious sauces to-go. What an impression it made! It was so flavorful that I still remember sitting on a bluff overlooking the ocean as I savored every morsel.
Feisty Vegan Taco Salad
When I think of locations I haven’t been to in the US that I’d like to travel to, I think of Montana (anyone have any suggestions on great cities in Montana?), Lake Tahoe, South Padre Island, Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Vegas baby! My parents are going to be heading out there in September so my mom was asking about some places to eat – I searched around on line and found this a great list of celebrity chef restaurants in Vegas. I’d LOVE to try Bobby Flay’s restaurant. Though he doesn’t cater to a vegan diet, there is a LOT to work with there. Black beans, fresh salsas and sauces, and avocados. You just can’t go wrong with avocado!
Feisty Vegan Taco Salad
All the talk of avocado was making me hungry – and this salad was certainly gratifying. Crunchy chips, creamy avocado, fresh salsa and a hearty seasoned mixture of walnuts and barley with the kick of cayenne are perfect to satisfy any Tex-Mex craving.
I created a chipotle walnut lettuce wrap with mango salsa in the past, based on a recipe from the glorious blog My New Roots (Who ironically just posted about travel as well.), that was better than any greasy beef dish I’d ever had – so I used the basic idea of taco seasoning and walnuts but added in some chewy barley to enhance the “beefy” texture. The barley can be pre-cooked a few days beforehand but keep in mind that if you want a warmer temperature that you will have to heat the walnut barley mixture.
Tips: Not a spice fan? If you don’t like the heat, simply leave out the cayenne pepper.
Gluten allergy? Sub quinoa for the barley!
Feisty Vegan Taco Salad
Feisty Vegan Taco Salad
6 servings
Vegan
Printable Recipe
Ingredients
½ cup barley
1/2 cup raw walnuts
6 ribs romaine lettuce, chopped
1 bag organic blue corn chips
Flavor Punch!
1 Tbsp tamari, soy sauce or liquid aminos
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salsa
1 avocado
1/2 lime, juiced
¼ red onion
1 tomato
Dash of coarse sea salt
Directions
1. Rinse barley in a fine mesh strainer; soak barley in 2 cups water overnight; drain; add to a medium pot with 1 1/2 cups water or veggie broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. (**See below for cook times without pre-soak.) Reserve 1/2 cup cooked barley for recipe and save the rest for another use.
2. Place walnuts in a food processor or magic bullet; mix flavor punch! ingredients in a small bowl and add to walnuts; pulse until well combined; stir in cooked barley.
2. Mix salsa ingredients in a small bowl. Lay a few chips on each plate; top with 1 rib chopped romaine, crumble 2 Tbsp walnut barley mixture and 2 Tbsp salsa.
**Rinse barley; add to 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover; cook 45 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 194.3
Total Fat 14.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 6.8 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 213.4 mg
Potassium 309.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 14.6 g
Dietary Fiber 4.7 g
Sugars 0.5 g
Protein 3.6 g
Vitamin A 12.0 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 10.5 %
Vitamin C 14.7 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 5.2 %
Calcium 2.5 %
Copper 11.4 %
Folate 13.8 %
Iron 7.2 %
Magnesium 7.9 %
Manganese 24.7 %
Niacin 6.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 5.8 %
Phosphorus 7.2 %
Riboflavin 5.5 %
Selenium 2.9 %
Thiamin 6.3 %
Zinc 4.5 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Enjoy this Feisty Vegan Taco Salad!
Jan 142013
Gingery Kale and Quinoa Power Salad with Garlic Herb Cashews
This month my favorite natural food store, Native Sun Natural Foods Market, has quinoa on sale in the bulk bin – so I hope you are all ok with a few quinoa posts! Quinoa IS one of the trendy foods of 2013, so just think, we’ll be ahead of the curve.
Quinoa
This is one of those cleansing power salads that will just make you feel amazing! Not only is this delicious and filling salad high in protein, it has tons of fiber, zero cholesterol, lots of calcium and the ginger aids in digestion.
Gingery Kale and Quinoa Power Salad with Garlic Herb Cashews
Take a minute to scroll down and look at the vitamin and nutrient profile for this recipe…
So many vitamins and minerals are present in large quantities. Here are some, just to name a few.
Vitamin A 354.6 %
Potassium 485.6 mg
Vitamin A 354.6 %
Vitamin B-6 29.5 %
Vitamin C 97.6 %
Vitamin E 9.9 %
Calcium 12.7 %
Folate 18.8 %
Iron 22.8 %
Kale and quinoa are a one two punch when it comes to power foods. Kale can lower cholesterol, detoxify the body, reduce inflammation and is a powerful cancer fighter. As for the grain-like seed called quinoa, to quote Worlds Healthiest Foods, “Perhaps the most striking health benefit provided by quinoa is its overall nutrient richness.” Like kale, it also is high in anti-inflammatory phytonutrients and calcium as well.
This salad has lots of texture – crunchy nuts and soft kale – as well as many layers of flavor that shine through, a bit of tart lemon, sweet agave and nutty cashews. Enjoy!
Gingery Kale and Quinoa Power Salad with Garlic Herb Cashews
Gingery Kale and Quinoa Power Salad with Garlic Herb Cashews
Serves 6, about 1 cup per serving (will vary upon amount of kale)
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Ingredients on sale now at Native Sun, January 7 through Febrary 6, 2013
Ingredients
1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed well**
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth**
1 bunch curly kale, de-stemmed and chopped**
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt/Fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped Garlic Herb cashews (or regular roasted and salted)**
Dressing (or sub 1/4 cup Annie’s Sesame Ginger Dressing)
Juice 1/2 lemon
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp agave nectar**
2 tsp ground cumin
1 rounded Tbsp chopped fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
Directions
1. Combine rinsed quinoa and vegetable broth in a small sauce pan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover; cook 15 minutes; remove from heat (still covered) for an additional five minutes. Save 2 cups and reserve the rest for another use.
2. Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl; place kale in a large bowl and pour dressing ingredients over kale; massage dressing into kale for about 2 minutes – until the fibers in the kale break down a bit and soften. Season with salt and pepper; add chickpeas and quinoa, mix well; top with cashews and serve.
Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 296.0
Total Fat 11.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 6.8 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 500.7 mg
Potassium 485.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate 41.3 g
Dietary Fiber 7.4 g
Sugars 5.7 g
Protein 9.5 g
Vitamin A 354.6 %
Vitamin B-6 29.5 %
Vitamin C 97.6 %
Vitamin E 9.9 %
Calcium 12.7 %
Copper 23.9 %
Folate 18.8 %
Iron 22.8 %
Magnesium 15.9 %
Manganese 55.1 %
Niacin 4.4 %
Pantothenic Acid 3.8 %
Phosphorus 27.1 %
Riboflavin 36.1 %
Selenium 6.1%
Zinc 10.1 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Gingery Kale and Quinoa Power Salad with Garlic Herb Cashews
Oct 212012
Are you a Mila lover and need some recipes? This post is for you!
For those of you that are asking – what is Mila? I am 1000% passionate about this food and the company. Scroll down below this delicious gallery of recipes to find out….
Breakfast Oatmeal Cupcakes
Country Apples & Walnuts
Nutrient Packed Mila Cereal
Blueberry Pie Oatmeal with Mila
All Natural Zucchini Muffins with Mila
Mila Almond No-Blender Smoothie
Peanut Butter, Apple, Barley and Raisin Salad
Rustic Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup
Falafel-Stuffed Eggplant withTahini Sauce
Vegan Seven Layer Dip with Mila
Eggplant Leek Soup
Easy Mexican Tortilla Bake with Mila
Garlicky Bean Dip
Pear Apple Salad
Tropical Mila Crumble
There are two kinds of people in the world.
Those that want to treat their ailments with pills and pharmaceuticals that are ineffective or have serious side effects, and those that want to eat real, whole FOODS.
If you, a friend or family member is struggling with any of these issues, I have found something that may be able to help!
- sleep problems
- lack of energy
- constipation and digestion problems
- depression
- excess weight
- joint problems
- skin issues
- neurological disorders and a host of other ailments…
Even better, it’s not a mix of herbs, pill or potion, shake or powder. It’s simply a whole, raw food like apples, sweet potatoes or quinoa. It works with vegan, raw and gluten free diets.
[Tip: Go to google, type in the issue you are struggling with and Omega3's and Medical Studies - see what you can find!]
Please, please, please don’t be fooled by those folks that are representing supplements and calling them food. When have you ever pulled a leafy plant out of nutrient dense soil and seen a bunch of pills hanging off the roots?
Mila
How did I come across it? My mom has Multiple Sclerosis and it was her nurse practitioner, Megan, at her neurologist that sent me a sample – she loves to treat disease through whole foods instead of pills. After a few questions and some research, I became so impressed with the nutrition of this food that I agreed to try it out and fell in love. My mom is now eating Mila daily and the difference has been phenomenal. She can go for walks when she used to have to lay down and her energy lasts much longer throughout the day. This is the BIGGEST reason I’m now personally backing it and have even started a business that revolves around it. As for me – the first things I noticed were increased energy, even better digestion and, after three months, I was able to get off my antidepressants. Little did I know that the high dosages of these pharmaceuticals was causing my hair to fall out, so it is now growing back in crazy amounts.
Ok great, so what is Mila?
It’s a special blend of raw seeds that are cleaned and sliced to make them super easy for your body to suck up all the nutrients.
Gram per gram comparison.
- This seed blend has 2x the potassium of bananas
- 6x more calcium than milk
- More antioxidants then blueberries
- 2x the fiber of bran flakes
- 15x more magnesium than broccoli
- 4x more selenium than flax seed
- 6x more protein than kidney beans
- 9x more phosphorous than whole milk
- 8x more omega 3s than salmon
- 3x more iron than spinach
The FIBER in Mila is what helps with weight loss. AND, it absorbs tons of water to help you feel full and regulate blood sugar. As for the other ailments – it has 3000 mg of plant based Omega3′s and that is the key!
Talk about a PERFECT food to get tons of nutrition into our kids. Especially for busy moms like myself.
It is the best fuel for workouts. Do me a favor, next time you go to eat a protein bar, mix up a shake, eat something with a name like “goo”, read the ingredients. How many ingredients are there? Do you know what each ingredient is? No? Then why are you putting that in your body?!
Ask my fellow yogi, ultra-runner and friend Jen Vogel who just finished a 508 mile bike race a few weekends ago! No that is not a typo. Yes 508 miles. She rocks. You go Jen!
Mila is also amazing for pets!
According to Dr Guy Arad, Veterinarian “I am a passionate Veterinary Practitioner with special interest in orthopedic surgery, critical care and cardiology who nurtures the human-pet bond. I love using Mila in my patients, as I see a dramatic improvement in cases of arthritis, recovery from orthopedic surgery, weight loss, skin diseases, diabetes, GI diseases and more. Mila is the healthiest whole raw food and best vehicle of Omega 3s. It is easy to introduce to our companions’ diets, as it has no taste or odor.”
It’s got lots of backing from the medical world.
Dr. Bob Arnot, Dr. Gutierrez, Dr. Clement, Dr. Ford, Dr. Lamm are all behind this little seed.
In comparison to standard organic bulk bin chia, Mila wins out, hands down, every time. See this new research showing that this open blend is better than whole seed. I did a bunch of research to convince me of this but the reason I’m so confident is that I used myself as the guinea pig. In fact, I had been eating both flax and bulk bin chia daily and never noticed a difference until I began eating this seed blend.
Want to try some for yourself? Click here.
Supporting the small farmer is what it’s all about. REAL FOOD is what it’s all about. As you may already know, I’m all about promoting health and nutrition – hence all the CSA/farm share events I do. I volunteer to do that because I LOVE it and I want to make not only my family, but your family healthier too. This company gives back to the farmers that grow this seed along the equator. “The long-term World Vision consists of a program, called Farmer In A Box™, that will educate families and villages to sustain themselves by teaching them to grow the healthiest whole, raw food for themselves. Our access to this extraordinary seed gives us the opportunity to affect the well-being of those all around the world. Our goal is to not only change their health but also create an economical infrastructure for the benefit of their future generations.”
Find out even more reasons I have fallen in LOVE <3 with the company. Click here to watch a short movie.
I’ll admit, at first I was skeptical, but from what I’ve learned since I started this business in May, never have I met a more genuine and supportive leadership group and corporate support/customer service group. This movie was actually filmed to be part of another video and the emotional parts were to be edited out – but when the owners watched all the footage they changed their mind. The stories are what it’s all about, so they decided to bear their hearts and just let it all hang out.
My own experience. I have had to call in to customer service several times – once for an event I had WAY overpaid on accidentally. A real person answered the phone and they refunded my money on the spot – no questions asked. Why can’t all companies be like that?
For so many years I have wanted to start my own business so I can eventually work for myself. Should I open a food truck? Have a farmers market store front? You name it, I thought of it. When I found this food and the business behind it, I jumped at the chance. It may not be for you, but it could be huge. Do you want the next three years to look like the last three?
I am 1000% passionate about this food and the company. Questions? Contact me at chefdawn@hotmail.com
Oct 182012
Pear Apple Salad
You don’t eat meat or dairy? What DO you eat?
Even though it has now been about a year, I am still asked this question regularly. Folks still think that when animal food are cut out, that there is nothing to eat or whatever is left is cardboard!
Does this salad look like cardboard? Heck no!
Pear Apple Salad
This salad features crunchy apples, sweet pears, toasted sunflower seeds and a dressing that is out of this world – creamy, sweet and salty.
This dressing would also be great on a sort of ambrosia salad – it is VERY versatile and super easy to throw together!
Pear Apple Salad
Crisp Fruited Salad with Maple-Yogurt Dressing
Serves 4
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipes
**Items on sale at Native Sun Natural Foods Market Oct 7 through Nov 6, 2012
Ingredients
4 cups chopped romaine
2 fresh Bartlett pears, cored and chopped**
2 apples, cored and chopped**
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1 cup vanilla soy yogurt
2 Tbsp maple syrup (Tree of life)**
1/4 tsp coarse ground sea salt
Directions
1. Place 1 cup chopped romaine on each plate; add 1/4 of the pears and 1/4 of the apples to each. Top with 1 Tbsp each shredded coconut and sunflower seeds.
2. Mix yogurt, maple syrup and salt in a small bowl. Top each salad with 2 Tbsp dressing.
Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 339.0
Total Fat 18.3 g
Saturated Fat 8.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.6 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 157.9 mg
Potassium 466.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate 42.3 g
Dietary Fiber 8.7 g
Sugars 18.7 g
Protein 6.7 g
Vitamin A 30.0 %
Vitamin B-6 9.7 %
Vitamin C 32.5 %
Vitamin E 43.8 %
Calcium 15.0 %
Copper 21.1 %
Folate 30.1 %
Iron 11.0 %
Magnesium 8.1 %
Manganese 55.0 %
Niacin 7.6 %
Pantothenic Acid 13.1 %
Phosphorus 22.2 %
Riboflavin 7.7 %
Selenium 19.6 %
Thiamin 6.4 %
Zinc 10.0 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Sep 282012
You know when you come across something that is so good you just want to eat it all the time? For me it is still that salad I told you about a few posts ago- the simple purple cabbage and creamy avocado. But last night I was looking for a bit more protein, so I came up with this super satisfying salad that has all the great textures; the crunch of the cabbage, creaminess of avocado and light crisp cucumbers, but also has some heartiness from the falafel burger. This salad will really stick with ya.
Falafel Salad
If you are like me, your life is super busy; between my day job, running a business, writing recipes, working out, camping and having fun with my family and friends, there isn’t much time left for elaborate dinners – especially during the week – so I love to use time saving shortcuts like these Sunshine Burger pre-made falafel burgers. Not only are they DELICOUS, but you can actually pronounce each and every ingredient; such as, sunflower seeds, brown rice etc.
Falafel Salad
For the dressing, I used my favorite Annie’s dressing, totally vegan and another one of those amazing all natural products that you can feel good about eating. The goddess dressing has tahini, lemon, garlic and a bit of soy which makes for the perfect compliment to the falafel burger.
Falafel Salad
Crisp Cabbage and Creamy Avocado Salad with Falafel “Croutons” and Annie’s Goddess Dressing
Serves 1
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup sliced red cabbage
1 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 avocado, chopped
1 slice red onion, chopped
1 falafel burger, I used Sunshine Burger
1 Tbsp Annie’s Goddess Dressing
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional – 4 Slices Bell Pepper or Mild Pepper of Choice
Directions
1. Heat burger in toaster oven until just warmed through.
2. Layer cabbage, cucumber, avocado and onion in a large bowl; tear heated falafel burger gently and add to salad; top with Goddess dressing, salt and pepper, to taste and bell pepper if using.
Nutrition Facts
1 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 416.4
Total Fat 25.5 g
Saturated Fat 3.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0
Monounsaturated Fat 4.3 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 421.8 mg
Potassium 602.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 39.2 g
Dietary Fiber 15.0 g
Sugars 2.1 g
Protein 9.5 g
Vitamin A 58.1 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 13.2 %
Vitamin C 64.2 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 3.8 %
Calcium 8.4 %
Copper 6.7 %
Folate 23.0 %
Iron 8.0 %
Magnesium 9.6 %
Manganese 14.9 %
Niacin 6.7 %
Pantothenic Acid 9.5 %
Phosphorus 6.8 %
Riboflavin 7.2 %
Selenium 1.5 %
Thiamin 7.0 %
Zinc 4.5 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Sep 052012
I find cabbage to be a bit intimidating and I’m not sure why. Kohlrabi and daikon radish have had no problems making it to my plate, but that darn cabbage will reside in its refrigerator drawer, giving me a sneer every time I open the door.
Ha! You don’t know WHAT to do with me!
It’s time to take the bull by the horns and start simple.
It doesn’t get much more effortless than this salad. When mixed with romaine and avocado, that cabbage just doesn’t seem as menacing – in fact, it adds a nice hearty crunch that is really satisfying against the creamy avocado.
At first I wasn’t going to post this recipe because it is so simple, it almost seems like cheating. But then I thought, why not? When I’m looking for a recipe to use with a particular ingredient, I’m not necessarily looking for a 30 ingredient Emeril recipe. Why not stick to the fact that simple can also be delicious?
Purple Cabbage and Creamy Avocado Salad
Serves 4
Vegan, Gluten Free
Ingredients
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups shredded purple cabbage
1/4 red onion, sliced
1 avocado, seed removed and sliced
1/2 cup dressing of choice, I used a vegan, gluten free dressing I whipped up
Directions
1. Layer 1 cup romaine, 1/2 cup shredded cabbage, 1/4 avocado and 2 Tbsp dressing.
Nutrition Facts (BEFORE DRESSING)
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 96.5
Total Fat 6.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.3 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 20.2 mg
Potassium 500.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate 8.9 g
Dietary Fiber 5.0 g
Sugars 1.9 g
Protein 2.5 g
Vitamin A 40.3 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 12.6 %
Vitamin C 71.8 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 4.4 %
Calcium 4.7 %
Copper 5.3 %
Folate 31.0 %
Iron 6.9 %
Magnesium 5.9 %
Manganese 26.9 %
Niacin 6.5 %
Pantothenic Acid 8.0 %
Phosphorus 6.4 %
Riboflavin 8.8 %
Selenium 0.8 %
Thiamin 8.0 %
Zinc 3.6 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Jul 142012
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| Tropical Grilled Pineapple Salad with Creamy Mango Avocado Lime Dressing |
Oh my goodness I am one busy girl. Not only has work been crazy but I’m also taking care of a sick little one, sharing Mila, doing yoga, hitting the gym, writing a food blog and cooking (to name just a few).
And I have some exciting new to share with you! I was asked to do a presentation at Baptist Beaches Hospital this Wednesday for an MS group there, Native Sun is now carrying some of my recipes (check it out!) AND I was invited to an exclusive media dinner at the Casa Monica’s restaurant, 95 Cordova, to review their new summer menu on August 10th!
Things are really moving along and gaining momentum. In fact, last week on Tuesday I made the decision, after a particularly stressful day at work, to make peace with where I am in life and really have gratitude for what I have. So I started a “Gratitude Board” where I write something I’m grateful for every day and really try to think about WHY I’m grateful for it. Also, I began writing in a journal my goals and dreams in great detail as if they have already happened. This little trick sets your subconscious up to be looking for ways to achieve what, in writing, has already happened. I made a conscious decision to think of myself as a lucky person – and guess what. I was on Native Sun’s blog and entered a little contest by guessing a secret ingredient and actually won! The fact that it’s just a little (but VERY delicious) smoothie doesn’t matter….it’s the fact that when you get your mind right the universe responds to you.
Here are some of the things I wrote in my journal in a nutshell.
My first goals are to go back to school to the Institute of Integrative Nutrition to become a Certified Health Coach like my friend Michelle at Find Your Balance. To get there I will greatly grow my business with Mila so that I can share Mila with LOTS of people and change their health forever. I want to continue doing seminars and presentations on health and nutrition and continue being the volunteer coordinator and event planner for KYV farm.
I will make the world a better place than I left it. Ultimately, I strive to make a positive impact on people’s health and the environment.
How is that for a deep subject on a Saturday? So where does food and recipes fit into this you ask?
I’m not sure, but the universe must have been telling me to try Cara’s Spicy Tomato Coconut Sauce because I found something my husband and I both love. This was very surprising to me because I actually made this sauce for myself he isn’t a fan of tomatoes or coconut. I know, very selfish of me but I had been dying to try it. Cara – the universe is talking and it’s telling the world to make Spicy Tomato Coconut Sauce. It is perfect over some GF pasta.
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| Spicy Coconut Tomato Sauce |
And for the salad – mangoes were on sale at Fresh Market 10 for $10 so I bought some and then decided on a tropical salad so grilled pineapple fit the bill. I made this dressing for my friend Suzanne and her husband Dan who are oil free vegans that also eat Mila and lost a TON of weight. This dressing is sweet and creamy from the avocado and mango and the onion adds that hmmm factor and helps, along with the lime, to keep the avocado from oxidizing.
 |
| Tropical Grilled Pineapple Salad with Creamy Mango Avocado Lime Dressing |
I will definitely be grilling more pineapple in the future. I haven’t done it in ages and I’ve been missing out. It turns even sweeter and caramelized on the outside….you don’t need dessert after this salad!
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| Tropical Grilled Pineapple Salad with Creamy Mango Avocado Lime Dressing |
Tropical Grilled Pineapple Salad with
Mango, Avocado and Fresh Lime Dressing
Serves 4
Vegan, Gluten Free
Ingredients
4 slices pineapple, sprayed with organic cooking spray
Dressing
1 ripe mango, skin removed and chopped
1/4 avocado
1/4 red onion
Juice 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp sea salt
Salad
6 cups spinach blend
1/4 red onion, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced
Directions
1. Preheat grill to medium high. Add pineapple – grill 5 to 7 minutes per side or until nice grill marks form.
2. Meanwhile mix the dressing ingredients in a Magic Bullet or blender – set aside.
3. Mix the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Slice grilled pineapple into wedges. Serve 2 cups salad mixture, 1 sliced pineapple around and a few Tbsp dressing on each plate. The dressing can also be mixed in beforehand.
**You will most likely have dressing left over to reserve for another use.
Nutrition Facts Salad
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 59.6
Total Fat 0.6 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 37.1 mg
Potassium 399.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate 13.9 g
Dietary Fiber 2.4 g
Sugars 9.4 g
Protein 1.9 g
Vitamin A 86.3 %
Vitamin B-6 10.5 %
Vitamin C 65.2 %
Folate 25.5 %
Iron 9.2 %
Magnesium 12.7 %
Manganese 91.2 %
Nutrition Facts Dressing
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 54.0
Total Fat 1.8 g
Saturated Fat 0.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 147.4 mg
Potassium 145.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 10.3 g
Dietary Fiber 1.8 g
Sugars 7.7 g
Protein 0.5 g
Vitamin A 8.3 %
Vitamin C 27.1 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Jun 272012
One of the best things in life is meeting new people and experiencing new things. Last Saturday was one of the most fun and memorable. My friend Gregg, who has been supplying me the wines for the Wine Down Wednesday posts, and his wife Kerry (I hope that is the correct spelling!) had us over for dinner.
A dinner party turned Karaoke night around the piano.
Think Elton John. Rocket Man.
We wined and dined and had an amazing time. He showed us around his vintage home in Riverside – complete with wine memorabilia from Bono no less!
Also in attendance were my friends Alyson and her husband Chip, who brought a meteorite from their back yard as a dinner conversation piece, and Mark and Sheri – we all do yoga together so it was great to meet up off the mat. I can’t wait for us all to meet again.
To detox after a night of wine I got it into my head that I wanted to make a macro (macrobiotic) bowl with grains and veggies but when I looked at my acorn squash I just couldn’t remove the skin – it was too pretty – so I thought, why not turn the squash into the bowl?
Secondly, I’m always looking for new ways to eat my Mila. Because I write about Mila a lot, I created this little info blurb. That way any frequent visitors that already know the benefits can skip over that and head right to the recipe.
Mila is an organically grown, non-genetically modified blend of chia seed that is cold pressed and sliced to make it more bio-available.
It is RAW, GLUTEN FREE, AND VEGAN, perfect for cooking and baking.
It is super high in OMEGA 3s – equal to fish oil pills per serving.
A single serving also has FIVE GRAMS OF FIBER, more antioxidants than blueberries, more iron than spinach and many more benefits.
This little seed has anti-inflammatory properties, is excellent for brain function, energy, elimination, sleep and the best part? It’s a FOOD!
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| Acorn Squash from KYV Farm |
I got this unique acorn squash from Vivian at KYV Farm (CSA SIGNUPS ARE GOING ON NOW) I’ve never seen such a thing in the grocery store. I usually see the typical green acorn squash that has a tinge of orange but this one is the beauty queen of squashes.
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| Stuffed Acorn Squash |
Stuffing them with onions and garlic during cooking imparts a LOT of flavor. This technique is perfect at Thanksgiving. While everyone is stuffing their bird you can stuff your squash.
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| Macro Acorn Squash Bowl with Mila, Massaged Kale and Tahini Sauce |
Macro Acorn Squash Bowl with Mila, Massaged Kale and Tahini Sauce
Serves 4
Vegan, Gluten Free
Ingredients
Squash
2 acorn squash, cut in half and seeds removed
1 onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Olive oil spray
Sea salt
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup cooked black beans
4 Tbsp Mila (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste.
Massaged Kale
1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
2 Tbsp ume plum vinegar (or sub any vinegar you like)
2 tsp olive oil
Sea Salt
Tahini Sauce
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp miso
2 Tbsp fresh lemon
1 Tbsp raw agave
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375. Arrange squash, cut side up on baking dish, stuff with 1/4 onion and 1 clove garlic; spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with sea salt; bake 1 hour.
2. Mix kale ingredients together in medium bowl, massage kale until wilted, about a minute.
4. Mix tahini sauce in a small bowl.
3. Remove squash from oven. Remove onions and garlic; chopp and mix with rice, season to taste. Mix Mila with black beans if using. Stuff 1/4 cup black beans and 1/4 cup rice into each squash.
Serve each half squash with 1/4 kale and 1/4 tahini sauce.
(**Rosted potatos on the side optional – roast along with squash)
Nutrition Facts (includes Mila)
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 392.8
Total Fat 11.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.4 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 67.0 mg
Potassium 1,423.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 63.5 g
Dietary Fiber 16.8 g
Sugars 3.3 g
Protein 14.0 g
Vitamin A 369.1 %
Vitamin B-12 0.1 %
Vitamin B-6 31.7 %
Vitamin C 141.5 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 8.0 %
Calcium 30.4 %
Copper 30.8 %
Folate 33.4 %
Iron 31.9 %
Magnesium 34.4 %
Manganese 78.5 %
Niacin 14.7 %
Pantothenic Acid 11.7 %
Phosphorus 36.6 %
Riboflavin 11.9 %
Selenium 5.7 %
Thiamin 39.7 %
Zinc 11.5 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Jun 152012
The day I was reading through my VegNews magazine I happened to be relaxing on a sunny day, kicking back in a lawn chair, clad in bathing suit and floppy hat when I came across the recipe for tofu feta. It sounded so intriguing that I got up and made it right then. Little did I know, the tofu I had in my fridge happened to be the pre-cubed version – what a time savings!
I threw it together and have been eating it on a whole variety of dishes; anywhere you would put feta cheese. The extra firm tofu and salty brine are really satisfying when eaten along with Greek dishes. It’s not real feta, mind you, but it’s a great vegan sub if you have cut out cheese. In addition, there are tons of benefits to eating organic, non-GMO soy in moderation. They have lots of the 9 essential amino acids, lots of lean protein and calcium.
As for the salad, I mixed an oil free version for my friend Suzanne at work to try as well since she is an oil free vegan. The sun ripe tomatoes and cool cucumbers were perfect with just a squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper; I didn’t even miss the oil.
Enjoy!
Greek Salad with Herbed Tofu Feta
Inspired by Veg News Herbed Feta and Classic Greek Salad
Serves 4
Vegan, Gluten Free
Ingredients
Tofu Feta
1 16oz package organic, extra firm, cubed tofu (or you can buy the block and cut it into 1/2 inch cubes)
2 cups water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 Tbsp Italian seasoning blend (with basil and oregano)
Raw Tomato Salad
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 large cucumber, chopped
1/4 red onion, sliced
Handful parsley, chopped
Dressing
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp agave nectar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
(2 Tbsp olive oil optional)
Directions
1. Heat all ingredients for feta in a saucepan heated over low heat; simmer about 30 minutes. Cool and refrigerate overnight. The longer you keep it in the fridge marinating the better it gets!
2. Toss the salad mixture in a large bowl.
3. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
4. Drain the feta and add to salad bowl, pour dressing over evenly and toss mixture gently.
*Alternatively you can mix the salad and dressing and simply add the desired amount of feta on top.
Salad Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 37.9
Total Fat 0.4 g
Saturated Fat 0.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 302.7 mg
Potassium 342.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 8.4 g
Dietary Fiber 1.9 g
Sugars 1.3 g
Protein 1.5 g
Vitamin A 20.9 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 5.8 %
Vitamin C 30.9 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 2.4 %
Calcium 2.2 %
Copper 5.1 %
Folate 7.6 %
Iron 4.8 %
Magnesium 5.2 %
Manganese 8.4 %
Niacin 4.0 %
Pantothenic Acid 3.8 %
Phosphorus 4.1 %
Riboflavin 3.8 %
Selenium 0.6 %
Thiamin 5.2 %
Zinc 1.9 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Tofu Feta Nutrition Facts
4 Servings (Or you may get more depending on how much “feta” you want.)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 116.8
Total Fat 7.1 g
Saturated Fat 1.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.6 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 1,755.8 mg (sodium will actually be lower since you are draining the liquid but in creating the recipe in the builder I had to include the entire amount of salt)
Potassium 189.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 4.9 g
Dietary Fiber 0.6 g
Sugars 1.3 g
Protein 12.0 g
Vitamin A 0.3 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 3.2 %
Vitamin C 24.3 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 0.1 %
Calcium 12.0 %
Copper 10.9 %
Folate 8.4 %
Iron 10.9 %
Magnesium 20.7 %
Manganese 54.2 %
Niacin 2.1 %
Pantothenic Acid 1.0 %
Phosphorus 18.6 %
Riboflavin 3.0 %
Selenium 18.3 %
Thiamin 4.3 %
Zinc 8.6 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.