Recipe: Spinach-Mint Smoothie

So I have been experimenting with Smoothies for breakfast. The first few times, I choose poorly, and I got gassy. Since I follow the "blood type" diet, I decided to use only stuff from the list. Result- no gas. However my body burns through calories now since I run and do weights, it's often not enough, and I need small snacks throughout the day. Looking for yummy snacks.

Till then here's the recipe for my Spinach-Mint smoothie:

1- Apple
1- Banana
1- long Carrot (not those babies carrots)
5- table spoons boiled/ baked black beans
3- stems of mint leaves
15 - 20 leaves of baby spinach
1 table spoon raw/ local honey
1 table spoon grade B maple syrup
2 cups almond milk

Blend!

Enjoy.

(if you add ice, take the almond milk down to 1 cup).

Vegan Chickpea Curry

Recently I've developed a plethora of food allergies/ intolerances. The doc doesn't know... anyway, this has driven me to be vegan, and gluten free, caffeine free and alcohol free (although I could have wine). I occasionally give into dairy and bread, but I pay for it sorely within hours. So really I never thought I would be on the vegan-gluten free band wagon, but here I am.

My choice to be a vegetarian was mien of course, but all this other stuff, no. I miss bread, and I miss yogurt.

My eating habits have changed, and it's been tough going out to eat. Everything, especially major chain restaurants only has meat, with cheese, and bread. After so many meals out does one want to order a bed of lettuce again with a few tomatoes.

Cooking has been awesome. It's interesting, and exercises the mind and heart. Also since I've been working out A LOT, I crave protein, however I need my balanced meals. In the past I'd go to chipotle and order carnitas with rice and what not. Now I have the joy of enjoying the veggie bowl (no fajita veggies- green pepper allergy). So a quick meal is usually brown rice, both beans, mild sauce, lettuce and guacamole. I was making this amazing garbanzo bean salad, but that got tedious and so I began eating plain chickpeas out of a can. 

However, eating out in general can get expensive, salads get old, and eating chickpeas out of a can, can get bland. Plus the art of cooking is so romantic in a way. So I came up with a recipe... or is it the inert Indian cooking genes in me?

Chickpea Curry Recipe

Ingredients:

1 can garbanzo beans (un-drained)

1 yellow/ sweet onion

1 - 2  cloves garlic (to taste)

1-2 vine tomatoes (or just any frikkin tomato)

1-2 teaspoons cumin seed

1/4th teaspoon turmeric powder

0.5 inch of grates ginger OR 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

1/4th teaspoon chili powder/ paprika/ cayenne pepper (to taste)

1-2 dried chili peppers

1-2 tablespoons oil (vegetable/ olive)

1/3 cup water

10-15 minutes. Serves 2.

Directions:

1- dice the onion, tomato and garlic, and keep separately

2- heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat/ flame

3- add onions, garlic cumin to hot oil. wait till little golden

4. add tomatoes (beware the splatter)

5- let the tomatoes get a little mushy

6- add all other spices let heat a little longer 5-6 minutes

7- add garbanzo beans with water and let cook covered for a little bit.

8- add salt to your own taste. and a pinch of sugar!

Voila!

drape over some brown rice, or with naan, roti/tortilla, and enjoy.

Samosa Pie

It was my friend Mun's Annual Piefest. It's always in October, although my birthday would be perfect for Pies! Pies on pi day! I had to think of a pie to bring. I always like to make and bake my pie from scratch and try a new pie every time. Last year I took my delectable Beetroot Chocolate Cake Pie! Ok it's a cake but i called it a pie! This year I wanted to make an ethnic pie, its always a sweet European type pie or a baked dish or Chicken pot pie. Are there no pies in the Indian-Asian culture? What could be a pie? Naan pie? Samosa... Pie! Yes!

Ok so I googled and lo-behold there are a number of women who had addressed the "Samosa Pie" in the past. I mish-mashed recipes and I followed my inherent "Indian woman cooking instincts" and voila!

Samosa Pie:
What you will need:

• 3 -4 tbsp olive oil (healthier) or butter or ghee
• 1 onion, finely chopped (if you want, I leave it out cause Ryan doesn't do onions)
• 1 chili, finely chopped (if you like)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb ground chicken (or turkey)/ roast chicken breast hand chopped and shredded / eliminate for veggie
• Approx 1 tbsp garam masala (or curry powder
• ½ tsp turmeric (Approx)
• salt, to your taste only
• 1½ lbs potato (about 2 medium russets), diced (instinct!)
• 1 - 2 cups water to boil the potatoes in
• 1 cup green peas, frozen or fresh
• minced cilantro Approx 3-4 tablespoons (this little plant is so powerful mmm)
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed (1/2 a 17-oz package) OR homemade single pie crust recipe (Pillsbury has pre-made baking crusts) 1 for top or 2 for base and then top. Will post the home made crust recipe in a different blog! :-P
• Tomatoes (drained of excess water).

What to do

Heat oil or butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, chillies, garlic, tomato (without the watery part) and sprinkle a bit of the other spices and cook until golden and caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Stir in ground chicken (if cooking chicken). If not then add garam masala, turmeric, little cumin, paprika, and salt (remember you will be adding salt to the potatoes as well, so split it a bit).

Boil the potatoes in water with little salt; stirring occasionally, about 20-25 minutes until potatoes are tender. Drain excess water. Add potatoes and peas into the chicken/ spice mixture. Wait 5 to ten minutes, check consistency. Taste, and adjust seasoning.

Place the dough as base if you wish. (the pie hold marvelously without the base too! (Just saying). Transfer filling part to a 8-9 inch baking pan. Sprinkle the cilantro on top before rolling out dough on the top. Cut a few steam vents.

Bake at 400 degrees until crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Ryan loves it! For the future I've thought of layering it with cheddar cheese, to mix it up!

My silly Vine video on it here!

YUMM!!!!!

Breathe!

ॐ Master Cleanse - Day 10

I did it, to the best of my ability.
I drank lemonade for 10 days, and detoxing with a triple leaf Chinese, detox tea.
I also munched an apple. Due to the onset of feminine problems (yes, the monthly kind) I have had to eat apples, and a little protein and iron so that I just didn't lose it all. It was unforeseen, and shouldn't have started, oh well, it is nature's way of purging.

The ten days have been insightful, intense, and eye opening. Balance, awareness, and mindfulness come into mind when I look back on what I have learned. I meditated on bringing more balance to my life. Also I learned, that hunger like all other problems can be overcome through determination and persistence one can reach their goal.

There are people there who are hungry not by choice, but due to famine, drought, poverty... Every time I had a hunger pang, I thought of them. I had the choice to go eat whenever I wanted, but had I been in their position, I would receive no option, but starvation. So I did not eat. I had headaches a few times, but they became increasingly less, as I DID have the juice. I had dizziness at times, but I focused on breathing to abate it. I was aware of the connection I had through hunger to other hungry people. Today I break that connection. At some points during the fast, the thought of just a crumb would satiate my hunger. I begged for even a crumb of bread, a drop of other liquids, but I held strong to my promise of fasting, and remembered there were those with out that choice. I was aware. I saw and felt, and suffered. I overcame, and worked on.

I had odd cravings, and thought about what it would feel like to put it into my body. Do I want to? I was mindful about whether I wanted that in my body, and questioned it's nourishing potential. I desired nourishing foods such as fresh fruit, vegetable, ethnic dishes made fresh. I made the decision to not ingest artificial, processed, hormone and preservative laden food any more. To focus on in-taking as much as I can natural spices, nuts, live foods such as vegetables, and if and when consuming meat, be conscious of how, where, and when (what they were fed, treated, lived, and always getting it fresh). Being aware and mindful of what I put in my body became so important to me. Also having balanced meals to keep everything within me balanced.

Living a balanced, mindful life is important, for there are so many things going on, and there is an ease in which I for one can slip into extremes - extremes of working, extremes of watching television, extremes of gym-ing , extremes of drinking alcohol, extremes of eating, the list goes on. Everything should be moderated. At times it may be difficult, however we can strive for the balance in every aspect of our lives, by being mindful, and aware.

Fasting/ Master cleanse is not for everyone. There are other ways one can learn to meditate better, live better, or whatever other goal you are trying to achieve. So follow your own path, and remember to do it right, and stick to it. Every one's body is different, (as well as thought processes, emotions etc.), so your experience maybe different. Everybody learns something different from an experience that maybe similar. Be open, accepting, and ready to experience new things (I mean it in all the good things one can do).

Breathe!

Ginger Pork

Last night I was lonely, and bored, so I cooked Ginger Pork, although I couldn't eat it because I am still on the master cleanse. But it turned out great I shall feast on it tomorrow.

Ingredients:
2 inches fresh ginger (grated)
2 clove garlic (grated)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sake
1 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound thinly sliced pork (or beef, etc)
1 green onion (chopped)
2 tomatoes (chopped)
1 tablespoon Cumin (because Ryan loves cumin and can not get enough of it, also optional)
sesame seeds to taste (optional)

Directions:
1. Mix the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sake in a bowl.
2. Marinate the pork in the mixture for 20 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a pan.
4. Put the onions, tomatoes, and Cumin in for about 10 minutes while the pork is still marinating.
5. Add the pork and the marinade and saute until the pork is cooked and the marinade has reduced to a sauce.

Ready! Now pair with rice or naan! :-P

Master Cleanse - Day 3

Last night was the hardest night. I wanted a nice big juicy burger so bad. I resisted.
Now I begin day 3!
Also I am proud to say I didn't check facebook for two days! I feel free.

I never knew fasting was sooooooooooo amazing. Infact I wish I had done it more. I feel my head is clearer,  and I am more connected with my body. Going into meditation is easier, I don't know how, but it is easier to relax and empty oneself. How is this possible? I think it's because one of the biggest things that drive us - Hunger, is what we are training to ignore, so it is easier to ignore everything else, as a result. That's just my theory.

I feel more connected with humanity and less attached to material things. In example I know what hunger means, and just struggling and wishing I could eat, but not food (I cleared out my house of most junk foods). Hunger is maybe the first sensation babies feel... its what makes us human, makes us want to survive. I think that's what makes me feel so connected. Yet the ability to say no I don't need it, I will meditate, makes me realize if I can do without food everyday (and live off just water and the air we breathe), then do we really need all the other stuff we want and want and want in life?

I realized that this culture of abundance, plentiful and large portions has trained us to feel hungry more often, want foods we do not need. Also it creates tremendous waste, waste which only a few see. If the waste was placed in front of our eyes day after day, we would do something about it. Right? But we often just through our trash in a can, flush the toilet and never see the accumulation of our waste. It's a lot. Then there are people everywhere, all over the world, hungry, thirsty, homeless... and WHAT will you whine about today?

Do I need that big juicy burger? Right now a crumb would satiate me, or even a leaf of lettuce.
But really the water washes my hunger and stress away. It cleanses me internally, mentally, emotionally.

Breathe!

The Master Cleanse - Day 1

For more information go here.

This was something that I decided to do last week, and I said to myself it was now or never.
So I had an all lentil diet all weekend, some cereal, the last super consisted of salmon, lentil soup, and hot chocolate. Next day I began with green tea, vegetable puree, and then I had to start the cleanse lemonade at night or else I was gonna crack.
Being hungry can put you in quite the feisty mood.
More aware and awakened within my own body. Rest was more restful and awake is more alive.
I did some yoga, and my muscles feel it. I did sit ups too, and its all very different from when ON food.

Things to do before the cleanse:

1- Research fasting, the cleanse, talk to a doctor if you have serious medical conditions.
2- Find the right time to begin, for example don't begin before thanksgiving or other such times when eating is required.
3- Remember to start drinking the lemonade early in the morning and about 8 or more cups a day
4- Make the lemonade fresh every time
5- Make sure you poop everyday
6- Don't listen to negative people who say fasting is bad. Do your own research, otherwise you will end up giving into the psycho-social and emotional pressures
7- Remember you need 10 days!
8- Remember to make enough lemonade if you go out.
9- Remember to ease in to it 3-4 days and ease out of it 3-4 days
10- Meditation and Yoga, supportive friends help so much!


Most of all do it for you. Do it right.

Recipe for Master Cleanse Lemonade
 (Makes ONE, 32 oz Nalgene Bottle)

2 Lemons
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
30 oz Purified Water
3 oz  grade B maple syrup

Fill the Nalgene bottle up to the 30 oz mark. Squeeze the lemons to make 6 tablespoons of lemonade (3 oz). I have learnt to squeeze well, and squeeze the most out of the lemons. Great arm exercise. Add the lemon juice in. Then measure and add the 3 oz (6 tbs) grade B maple syrup. Add the Cayenne pepper in, as much or as little as you like. Close the bottle and shake shake shake! Shake shake shake! Shake your bottle! Shake your bottle. Now drink and enjoy fasting!  

Breathe

My drinks for the day!

Fitness Goals - Week 4

Doing Yoga on every weekday now! And I feel like my body is more sculpted, toned, but definitely more aware, and flexible. Also been eating lentils daily, wish really flushes me out (if you know what I mean!). It is great to be in tune with my body again. However I did sign up for a 'Yoga for Climbers' class which focuses on muscles, stretching, healing and building. It is a mixture of a flow, balancing, and relaxation.

We start off slow, and then go into Surya Namaskar (sun salutation). Then we do variations of warriors, twists and some of the balancing poses. Of course my favorite pose is Savasana, the lights go dim, soothing music playing in the background, and pass out! However this gives me the kick to get on with my weekly workouts. I want to see improvements in ME!

The weekly visits to the Chiropractor have been awesome, along with the yoga. Also I may soon be able to climb again! I am still on the elliptical however, but pushing the heart rate a little above 150. I also took a chance and began running on the treadmill for 5 minutes only, however my chiropractor advised me against it. :-P

Yoga is definitely great, and so is eating healthy. As apple a day, lentil soup, avoiding carbs and starch, and focusing on proteins. :-)

Breathe!

check out my blog on how to make healthy lentil soup.

Warrior poses in stick figures!

Warrior 1

Kale! : Your New Best Friend

 

 

Crispy Kale Chips Recipe

What you need:

• 1 bunch of Kale (but from this you only need 2-3 leaves. This lasts for a good week- Chips everyday!)
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil ( I like to use Kalamata olive oil)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon-ish pepper (freshly ground if possible)
• 1 lemon or lime (they taste the same to me - delicious!)
 

What you gotta do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet (the holey kind) with aluminum foil. I use my holey pizza pan! :-P
2. Wash and thoroughly dry kale. Then with your hands (or with a knife) tear the kale into bite size pieces. Sprinkle the olive oil onto the Kale, then distribute sparsely the salt and then the pepper. Drip a little bit of lemon juice onto all the pieces. Mmm!
3. Bake up to 10 to 15 minutes. It should not look burnt.
4. Ready to eat! 

What you gotta know about amazing Kale:

Truth about Kale

Cooked Kale - Nutrition

Raw Kale Nutrition

Kale and you!

Kale cooked, raw, broiled - nutrition

Kale Vs. Spinach (I'd still eat spinach though!)

Best Smoothie Ever

So I came up with this after a lot of trial and error, and I personally like this consistency. I used my own measuring system since well I was experimenting!

Pree's Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie
(serves 2 large glasses ($30 Wal-mart)
you will need a blender.

Ingredients:

2 1/2   tablespoon Yogurt (fat-free yogurt)

2         cups almond milk (I used almond dream) or Soy milk (plain)
4-5     cubes of ice
4-5     strawberries
2        bananas
1/2     cup of blueberries (I did two of my palm's full)

Wash the fruits thoroughly, remove any fauna and flora still on them. Won't be very tasty if you add the banana with the peel, so toss it. Load everything into the blender, ice on the bottom, and liquids last. For an extra boost of energy you might add a 1/2 a teaspoon of local bee pollen.

Blend for 2 minutes (off and on) and remember to put the cover on so it does not splatter everywhere.

Serve chilled into two cups. It does not stay and turns color, so serve immediately!

hmm. Enjoy!


Breathe.

Berries so high in antioxidants!

This is it!

Beet-Chocolate Cake for my Boss' Birthday

What you will need:

1 large beet
1/2 Cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
water
and 2-3 pieces of dark chocolate (unsweetened) if desired.
Please wear an apron because the beets can bleed a lot. Peel and dice one large beet. Place the pieces in a saucepan with water to cover and boil until soft. Allow the beets to cool, and then drain them. Put the drained beets into the food processor with 1/4 cup (clear) water, and process until pureed.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Oil or spray your cooking pan(s).
Put the pureed beets into a 2-cup measure. Add enough apple sauce to reach the 2-cup line. Add the 2 tablespoons water, vanilla extract, and apple cider to the beets and mix well. Mix the dry ingredients together; then add the beet mixture and stir until well-combined. Bake for 35-60 minutes, depending on the size of pan you use. Test by inserting a toothpick into the center; it’s done when the toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely before cutting and serving.
Ice it with your choice of chocolate or other recipes.