Vegetarian / Vegan « feedyourroots

Vegetarian / Vegan

My Sunday Evening Routine

Sunday, July 24th, 2011

I have grown quite fond of Sundays over the years. May be it started when I was living in the south because there wasn’t much open in the neighborhood before 1pm so I was forced to relax and have some down-time. May be it was before my move south of the Mason-Dixon line. I’m not sure.

For me, Sunday is the time to prepare for the week ahead – specifically in the kitchen.

The weeks are busy and sometimes at the end of the day the last thing I feel like doing is whipping up a meal from scratch. Ordering take-out is rarely an option – for several reasons, but a big one is that it’s just not in our “food budget”. So it’s up to us to have homemade goodies at home that can last a few days – to save time and energy on the nights that I need to study or just want to put my feet up. Hey, I’m human.

Preparation is key.

In my continuing effort to try new foods, I loaded up on mung beans in the bulk section of my grocery store a few days ago. They are a great source of protein, fiber, thiamin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and folate. Since they are smaller in size, they are easier to digest and cook more quickly then some larger beans.

This recipe came from my mung beans experiment. It makes a huge quantity. And it was super inexpensive to make. Now I will have plenty of good, healthy and homemade food to get me through the next couple of days.

Ingredients:

1 cup dry mung beans

1 cup quinoa or brown rice

1 large zucchini, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 head Swiss Chard, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon ginger

grapeseed oil

Directions:

Soak beans overnight. Drain and rinse. Cook well.

In medium pot, add quinoa and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Continue to cook until water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked.

In large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of grapesed oil. Add onions and sautee for 5 minutes. Continue to add oil or small quantities of water to prevent ingredients from burning in skillet.

Add zucchini and carrots.

Once zucchini and carrots are tender, add cooked quinoa and beans. Mix well. Add soy sauce and ginger and mix.

Add Swiss Chard and mix until greens have wilted.

Serve warm.

I hear from so many clients that they don’t have enough time to prepare healthy meals for themselves and their family. I know that if I don’t get a head start in the kitchen Sunday evenings that my week is going to be more difficult than it needs to be.

How do you make the time to make more meals at home? For me, it’s creating a routine – this is what I do every Sunday.

Posted in Digestion, Frugal Living, Health Coaching, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian / Vegan | No Comments »

Emptying Out the Refrigerator

Tuesday, July 5th, 2011

Growing up, my parents taught me that food was precious and wasting it was not an option. Leftovers were standard – unless the food was growing mold, it was someone’s meal. I was lucky that I always had a meal on the table three times a day – so many children are not as fortunate.

Now that I’m an adult and living under my own roof I have never forgotten what my parents taught me – even if it’s just a few bites – any leftovers from a meal goes into a Pyrex container and back in the refrigerator to be reheated and eaten another time – not into the garbage or down the disposal. Sure, meals get a little eclectic when I add bits and pieces from different meals, but who cares? Leftovers are environment and wallet friendly.

I’m going to be out of town this weekend and I don’t want to leave anything in the kitchen that might spoil. This was dinner tonight and there are plenty of leftovers to feed us until we head to the airport. While the black bean cakes were in the oven I made a stir-fry with other vegetables that I had in the refrigerator and steamed a head of kale.

Ingredients:

1 cup black beans

5 garlic cloves, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 can organic diced tomatoes

2 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup red pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

Directions:

Cook beans with chopped onions and garlic until beans are tender but not falling apart – about 7 or 8 hours. For more instruction on how to cook beans click here.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Drain any extra liquid and pour cooked beans into medium mixing bowl.

Add red pepper and diced tomatoes.

Mix well spoon and add grapeseed oil. Mix again.

Add rolled oats and mix well.

Pour bean mixture into large baking pan – This is the one I use. I love this pan and highly recommend it.

Place pan in oven and bake until cooked – approximately 30 minutes.

Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

Posted in Baking, Frugal Living, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Vegetarian / Vegan | 1 Comment »

Back to the Basics: Breakfast

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Eating breakfast is without question, a key part of a healthy and well-balanced life. And yet, so many of us either skip it altogether or fill our bellies with artificial ingredients, sugary cereals and muffins made with refined grains.

To learn more about why cereal, including the ones that appear to be the healthiest of the healthiest, might not be the best option for you, check out this post I wrote awhile back.

Breakfast means breaking the fast. We need a wholesome meal to start the day on a good note, filled with energy and clear thinking. The sugar and the super-sized dose of caffeine might give you a burst of energy but it’s only short-lived, and before you know it, you’re either falling asleep at your desk or going back for more. That doesn’t sound like a long-term solution to me.

This is my new breakfast of choice these days. It’s easy to make and keeps me full and energized for hours.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup steel cut oats

1 banana or fruit of choice

1-2 tablespoons real peanut butter, cashew butter or nut butter of choice

a couple shakes of cinnamon

Directions:

Soak grains over night. Drain water and rinse.

Bring 2/3 cup of water to a boil.

Add steel cut oats. Reduce flame to simmer and put lid on pot.

Cook until grains are soft and water has been absorbed – depending on the kind of oats this can be between 10 and 20 minutes.

Pour steel cut oats into bowl. Add nut butter and cinnamon and mix well. Add sliced banana or fruit of choice on top.

What is your favorite breakfast? How does it make you feel?

Posted in Breakfast, Cooking Basics, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Rice, Vegetarian / Vegan | No Comments »

Summer Three Bean Salad

Monday, June 27th, 2011

I love to read for leisure, but to honest I have had limited “free time” lately to curl up with a book that isn’t a textbook. But really, who hasn’t been busy lately? I was grateful that when I emailed a handful of ladies in my new community asking if they would be interested in starting a book club, they were totally into it. We are all busy gals so we gave ourselves plenty of time to finish the first book (Bossypants by Tina Fey in case you were curious – hysterical and I highly recommend.) and our first meeting is tomorrow evening.

There are so many times that I finish a book and just want to talk about it with someone! I think it will be great to have this group to read books with – not only is it fun to gab after we’ve finished, but our differences will definitely introduce me to new books that I might not have opened on my own. The meetings are my deadlines – I have to finish the book before the scheduled meeting. Of course this isn’t exactly the same kind of deadline as a journalist at a newspaper, this book club is for fun after all, but being held accountable to the group is an effective way for me to stay on track and make sure that I am taking time for myself on a regular basis in order to finish the book according to our meeting schedule.

Accountability is essential in order to reach any goal – whether it’s finishing a book on time, losing weight, cooking more meals at home, or saving up for that big vacation. Just saying you’re going to do something in your mind makes it easy for your big plans to stay just like that – just as plans. They never materialize into action and results. When you are held accountable then you stay motivated and your plans turn into actions. This is exactly why I love health coaching – it’s effective! My clients are successful because I help them stay motivated and on track to reach their goals. When I started this post I wasn’t expecting to make a connection between book club and health coaching – I just wanted to share a recipe!

So back to book club – the other awesome thing is that everyone pitches in and brings something to eat or drink. I’m bringing a summer three bean salad. I can’t wait to see how the ladies like it!

Ingredients:

1.5 cups pinto beans, cooked or canned

1.5 cups chickpeas, cooked or canned

1.5 cups black beans, cooked or canned

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 large leaves kale, chopped

juice from 1 lemon

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1.5 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon mint, chopped

Directions:

Combine beans and onion in medium bowl.

Steam kale. This should only take a few minutes. The kale is done as soon as it begins to wilt.

Combine lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey and mint in small bowl and mix well.

Add kale to beans and onions.

Pour sauce over beans and onions and mix well.

Serve chilled or at room temperature. OR if you have extra time, you can put the bowl in the refrigerator for a few hours to let the flavors marinade, drain any extra fluid and serve. I made this dish a day in advance, let it sit in the refrigerator over night. Just before book club I pulled it out, drained the extra fluid and put it in a serving bowl. I think it tasted even better then the day I made it.

Posted in Cincinnati, Community, Entertaining, Health Coaching, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | No Comments »

Back to the Basics: Beans

Thursday, June 23rd, 2011

Despite the fact that beans are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber, I think we can all agree that these guys don’t exactly have the best reputation. We all know the songs…”Beans, beans, they’re good for the heart…” or “Beans, beans, the musical fruit…” – but indigestion and gas don’t have to be the unavoidable side effects of eating beans. Since beans seem to be a little misunderstood I thought I’d drop a little knowledge this morning and hopefully clear up some of the myths and confusion.

Lets start with a few health benefits. Beans are high in fiber and protein. They don’t have any cholesterol. Beans don’t have a big effect on our blood sugar levels and they don’t contain a lot of fat. They are a great source for preventing heart disease and cancer. The varieties are plentiful so there are endless options to choose from so you should never feel bored.

So why the musical encore after you eat beans? There are three factors that affect the digestibility of beans – their chemistry, preparation and freshness. Beans contain complex sugars, which our digestive system can not digest. So when we eat them, these undigested sugars pass through our digestive tract and when they reach the lower intestinal area they are fermented and broken down, which produces large amounts of hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane – the components of flatulence or what some may refer to as “farts”. Yes, I just said farts in my blog. Lets move on.

Soaking whole beans before cooking them can significantly reduce or eliminate the musical side effects. Not only does soaking beans significantly reduce their cooking time, but it also significantly enhances their digestibility. Adding kombu (seaweed) to the beans while they cook also helps break down the complex sugars. Seaweed helps with digestion and provides lots of nutrients and antioxidants. Win – win.

To get your beans from the grocery store to your plate, lets start at the beginning.

1. Your beans will expand when you soak them so if you need 2 cups of beans, start with soaking 1 cup of dried beans. Pour your beans into a container and cover with 4 inches of water. Soak beans for a minimum of 8 hours. For my super sensitive digestive system, I like to soak beans for 24 hours. Change the soaking water at least twice. You’ll see some foam start to collect – that’s a good thing. The sugars are breaking down. This is what it looks like.

2. Rinse beans with fresh water and remove any stones or loose skins. Discard the soaking water.

3. Place the beans in a large pot and add enough water to cover the beans by 3 or 4 inches.

4. Bring to a full boil and skim off any foam that has collected.

5. Add kombu, bay leaves or garlic cloves for flavor and digestibility.

6. Cover pot and lower the temperature to simmer. Cook beans 20-90 minutes until beans are soft in the middle and easy to squeeze. Beans should be soft, but not falling apart.

Here are a few other tips to increase digestibility.

1. Chew thoroughly before swallowing.

2. Smaller beans are easier to digest than larger beans (and also require less soaking and cooking time). Adzuki, lentils and mung beans are good small beans to start with.

3. Adding fennel or cumin near the end of cooking can also help prevent gas.

4. Adding apple cider or white wine vinegar towards the end of cooking helps soften the beans and increase digestibility.

Store your dry beans in a cool, dark place. Beans that are more than a year old will be less nutrient-dense and harder to digest.

So now you have all the tools you need to whip up some beans any time without the uncomfortable musical side effects. Beans are inexpensive, nutrient dense and a far better option than antibiotic-filled meat so I hope that you give ‘em a shot.

Here are a few of my favorite bean recipes.

Dahl

Black Bean Burgers

Moroccan Lentil Salad

Posted in Cooking Basics, Digestion, Nutrients, Organic, Vegetarian / Vegan | 1 Comment »

Baking first thing in the morning? Sure, why not.

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

Life has been busy, especially since I moved to Cincinnati in March, but the last few weeks have felt really cranked up. I’m definitely not complaining – these are all exceptionally happy circumstances. I am almost done with the semester – my very last semester before my certification exams and the completion of my Master’s degree in Nutrition (wahoo!). But that means projects, papers, studying and finals. My mom was in town for a few days to help me with some projects in the new home and to go wedding dress shopping (happy to say that I finally found a dress!). So you get the idea. Busy. Busy.

I picked up a few zucchinis at the farmer’s market with the intention of making zucchini bread, but by the end of each day it never managed to happen. On top of all my other responsibilities sometimes the “nice to do’s” like zucchini bread easily get tossed onto the to-do list for the next day, then the next day… Am I alone here?

Well I finally had enough, plus I was getting worried that the zucchini was going to go bad soon, so this morning as soon as I woke up I headed to the kitchen and took care of business. It only took 15 minutes to prepare and then it was in the oven. Yes, working from home has its advantages, but even if I was heading out to an office I could have showered and put myself together in the amount of time the zucchini needed to bake and pop it out of the oven on my way out.

Baking in the morning may seem a little unconventional, but hey, now I have some yummy bread made with real ingredients to enjoy and I didn’t waste any food.

Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour

3 cups rolled oats, processed in blender to create flour consistency

1 large zucchini, grated with skin intact

1 cup honey

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon arrowroot powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease bread pan

Combine dry ingredients in bowl and mix well

Add honey and mix with spoon until ingredients are completely blended

Pour batter into bread pan

Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until top is golden brown and inside is fully cooked (stick a toothpick to test)

Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving

Posted in Baking, Cincinnati, Eating Local, Spring, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | No Comments »

Cheesy Broccoli (vegan)

Monday, May 9th, 2011

Growing up my teachers and counselors always denied having a favorite student or camper. At the time I probably believed them, but looking back now I think they were lying through their teeth. It’s a normal human reaction to have a preference when it comes to just about anything. It’s not that they didn’t have favorites, but that it wasn’t politically correct to say so out loud. At least not in public. Well folks, I am publicly announcing that broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables! [Insert gasp here]

The trouble with having a favorite food is that it tastes so good by itself that I hardly ever feel the need to experiment with it. That’s the thing about clean eating – your taste buds become so sensitive that you don’t need the extra sugar or salt. In fact, sugar or salt actually makes the food tastes worse. I know that sounds crazy unless you’re eating clean, whole, real food too, but it’s the truth.

I decided to experiment with broccoli and I’m sure glad I did. And so is my fiancé. He gobbled this right up and even had seconds. Plain steamed broccoli is always delicious in my book, but this is a little more exciting to bring to a potluck dinner or on a holiday, or for a little something special on an average Monday night. Proof that you can eat well and still feel like an Average Joe.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of broccoli (about 4 heads) cut into florets

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon maple syrup

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

4 cloves garlic, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine grapeseed oil, soy sauce, maple syrup and garlic in medium bowl.

Add broccoli florets and toss so sauce evenly coats broccoli.

Lay broccoli in baking dish and back for about 15 minutes – until broccoli is slightly tender on the outside, but still crunchy on the inside (We want the nutritional benefits, afterall).

Remove broccoli from oven and sprinkle nutritional yeast on top and serve.

Posted in Entertaining, Holidays, Quick & Easy, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | No Comments »

Spring Time Pasta

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

I’m thrilled that the end of my Master’s program is finally in sight, but since I’m taking more classes this semester than I have since I was an undergrad, my plate is fully loaded and time management is more important than ever. Leftovers are key. This pasta dish will take care of us for a few meals. The light garlic-based sauce and green veggies make it perfect for spring.

Ingredients:

8 ounces whole grain, whole wheat, brown rice or quinoa pasta – I used Ancient Quinoa Harvest spaghetti style pasta

2 heads garlic cloves, peeled (about 25-30 cloves)

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 head broccoli, chopped

½ cup fresh peas

3 kale leaves, finely chopped

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

Grapeseed oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place garlic cloves on tinfoil and drizzle with grapeseed oil. Enclose the garlic in the foil and roast until tender – about 25 minutes.

Fill a medium-size pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook broccoli, cherry tomatoes and peas for about 90 seconds and strain. Rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Before you strain the pasta, add chopped kale and cook for remaining 1 or 2 minutes. Strain pasta and kale.

Use a blender to puree the roasted garlic, vinegar, lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.

In medium pot, add strained pasta, broccoli, peas, cherry tomatoes and kale. Pour sauce and coat evenly. Serve warm.

Posted in Quick & Easy, Spring, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | No Comments »

Naturally Sweet Green Cabbage

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

One thing that I love about being in school is that I am constantly learning. Every day. It’s pretty cool. Take for example, glutamine. It’s the most abundant free amino acid in the body and plays a huge role in maintaining intestinal structure and keeping the intestinal tract healthy. For someone with UC this is incredibly useful information. The intestines thrive on glutamine for metabolic fuel and for upkeep of the colon lining. Our first line of defense against disease-causing microorganisms is in the gastrointestinal tract, so I think it’s safe to say that glutamine is essential to preserving general well-being. It’s also an extremely powerful antioxidant and plays a role in maintaining a healthy acid-base balance in the body, which is crucial to being disease-free.

Cabbage is an excellent source of glutamine. I think this is quickly going to become one of my most frequently consumed foods. I loved the way this dish came out and I hope you do too.

Ingredients:

1/2 – 3/4 small head green cabbage, coarsely chopped

1 Fuji or Gala apple, coarsely chopped

1/2 – 3/4 small red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

dash of pepper

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

juice from half a lemon

Directions:

Drop garlic and a small dribble of grapeseed oil in large pan and apply medium heat. Saute for a 2 or 3 minutes and add red onion. Saute for another 5 minutes. Add tablespoon of grapeseed oil.

Add apple. Add cabbage. Coat cabbage and apple in oil and sauté. Once cabbage has wilted slightly add spices and lemon juice. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes and serve warm. Cabbage should still have some crunch. Apple will be soft and the sweetness will disperse.

Posted in Digestion, Nutrients, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 2 Comments »

A Childhood Classic: Good ol’ Mac & Cheese

Sunday, April 10th, 2011

Over the weekend Ryan and I attended a mac & cheese and wine pairing event at our friends’ home. So, in case you haven’t already figured it out, each guest was asked to bring a homemade macaroni and cheese dish and pair it with a bottle of wine. Sounds like a fun party theme to me! And it was! Everyone got really into it and came up with some very creative dishes.

I brought 2 different dishes – not because I was trying to show off – but I know my body and that it does not like dairy, so I brought a dairy dish and a dairy-free (and gluten free) dish. Both got good reviews. I haven’t had this childhood classic in years so I was happy to come up with a dish that I could eat without suffering and still be able to participate. This just goes to show you that no matter what your dietary restrictions might be, you are really only limited if you let yourself be. As you’ll see in the vegan recipe below -

Despite how different these two dishes are, they have one thing in common. Both are made with whole foods and high quality ingredients. The quality of the ingredient is very important, especially if it’s coming from an animal. Yes, it’s might be expensive, but that’s just another reason not to eat a lot of animal protein (that means anything that comes from an animal – cheese, milk, meat). And when you do, balance it out with some dark leafy greens. Think of animal protein as a side dish, not the main course.

Nutritional yeast is great if you don’t eat a lot of meat. It’s a great source of B-vitamins, which are essential nutrients that you can only really get from animal proteins. I love it for this reason as well as it’s flavor and the texture it gives to food – like its role in making “cheese”. I wouldn’t recommend the soy cheeses out there. Use real ingredients instead. Those “fake cheeses” are just food-like-substances filled with artificial ingredients.

Spicy Mac and Cheese (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:
4 cups Whole Grain or Whole Wheat pasta
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup red pepper, finely chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
6½ tablespoons. organic butter
4 tablespoons almond flour
2½ cups organic milk
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon. ground black pepper
8 ounces organic colby jack cheese, shredded
4 ounces organic pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 ounces organic sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounces whole wheat bread shredded

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.

Melt ½ tablespoon of organic butter in a small skillet and add onion, red pepper and jalapeno. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of organic butter. Whisk in almond flour. Add milk until well blended. Whisk and stir frequently until the mixture bubbles and thickens, about 5 minutes. Reduce to low heat and add the spices. Mix well. Add cheese and mix well. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease casserole dish.

Pour drained pasta into large pot. Add cooked vegetables and cheese sauce. Mix well.

Pour pasta mixture into casserole dish.

Use food processor to pulse bread into coarse crumbs. Transfer crumbs to small sauce pan. Melt remaining butter and mix with bread crumbs. Sprinkle mixture over the pasta in the casserole dish.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until bread crumbs are beginning to turn brown.

Vegan Mac & Cheese (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:

16 ounces brown rice pasta

Cheese Sauce:

¾ cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup nutritional yeast

½ cup organic canola oil

½ cup tamari

12 ounce firm tofu

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon paprika

2 tablespoons mustard

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to directions on package.

Add cheese sauce ingredients to blender and process until smooth.

Mix the pasta and sauce in large pot and pour into casserole dish.

Bake until the top of the pasta looks slightly brown and crispy – approximately 15 minutes.

Posted in Baking, Cincinnati, Meat, Nutrients, Rice, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 4 Comments »