Thai Coconut Lentil Soup

/0 Comments/in /by

Thailand is a food lovers paradise. Loving the seasoning of the country, I set out to reinvent non traditional Thai dishes to hold the warm aroma and unmistakable seasoning of the country. This Thai Coconut Lentil Soup is nutrient dense and will keep you feeling full for hours.

Thai Coconut Lentil Soup

What You’ll Need:
1 white onion
1 – 2 inch” piece ginger (2 tbsp minced)
1/2 red serrano pepper, or to taste
*1 tbsp coriander seed
*4 tsp whole cumin seeds
*1 1/2 cups red lentils
4 cups vegetable stock
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Thai Coconut Lentil Soup

What You’ll Do:
To cook the soup, heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Toast the coriander and cumin for approximately 1-2 minutes, or until they just start to smoke and release their aroma.

Next, add the oil, followed by the onions and serrano pepper. Cook for approximately 5 to 7 minutes or until the onions are soft, translucent and starting to brown.

*Note: If desired, omit the oil and dry-sauté the onions with a bit of vegetable stock or water.

Thai Coconut Lentil Soup

Next, add the ginger, lentils, stock, coconut milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat to low, cover and let cook for 40 minutes or until the lentils are totally soft and broken down. Stir occasionally to ensure the lentils are not sticking to the bottom of the pot. If needed, add more water or stock until you reach your desired consistency.

Meanwhile, zest and juice the lemons. Chop the cilantro and set aside. To finish the soup, add the lemon juice, lemon zest and cilantro. Serve into warmed bowls and top with diced avocado and more cilantro and/or chili flakes, if desired.

IMG_0621

 

Lentils are beneficial to the heart, circulation and stimulates the adrenal system. Lentils are a nutrient dense food. One cup of cooked lentils can provide us with the following nutrients daily.Thai Coconut Lentil Soup

Tuna-less Tuna Salad

/in /by

Tuna-less Tuna Salad is a quick and easy meal that will leave you satisfied. This recipe is not only for vegetarians, carnivores like my husband also love it. Make a double batch of Tuna-less Tuna Salad and have lunch for a couple of days in a row. Try this recipe and in the comments below let us know what you think of our Tuna-less Tuna Salad.

Tuna-less Tuna Salad

Tuna-less Tuna Salad

What You’ll Need:
1-28 oz can cooked chickpeas
2 to 3 tbsp red onion, diced
2 to 3 celery stalks, diced
2 to 3 pickles, diced
2 tbsp nori seaweed flakes*
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise or Cashew Sour Cream

Tuna-less Tuna Salad

What You’ll Do:
In a large bowl, smash the chickpeas with a potato masher until they are broken up. Mix in all other ingredients. Serve on crackers or bread.

Bulletproof Coffee

/0 Comments/in , /by

A year ago, a friend told me about Bulletproof coffee, so I tried it. I had been to many countries where a dollop of butter was added to tea or coffee, so the concept of adding fat to my morning drink was not a foreign idea.

Before drinking bulletproof coffee, I was more in love with the idea of coffee than actually drinking it. The smell was comforting, I loved going to coffee shops to work and the social aspect of going out for a coffee with friends. What I didn’t like was the crash and jitters I experienced after drinking coffee. Bulletproof coffee seemed to be the answer. I noticed I could enjoy a glass of bulletproof coffee without stomach upset, a crash or jitters. I felt full all morning, I noticed my mind was clear and I was focused on the tasks before me.

There are 3 key ingredients in Bulletproof coffee which are coffee, butter and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT).

Choosing a quality coffee is important to reduce your exposure to mycotoxins, herbicides and pesticides in your morning brew. Mycotoxins are a fungus that adheres to coffee beans and can adversely impact our health. To learn more about this topic and how to choose a better coffee, check out this article.

Butter from grass-fed animals is used because the omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids are healthier then conventionally raised livestock. Never use margarine. Learn the differences between butter and margarine here.

Medium-chain triglycerides are fats that require less energy and enzymes to be digested when compared to long-chain triglycerides.

When I decide to have a cup of joe, this basic recipe is my starting point.

Bulletproof Coffee

8 ounces of brewed high quality organic coffee
1-2 Tbsp. butter from grass-fed animals (I like the Kerrygold brand)
1-2 Tbsp coconut oil

Combine the ingredients in a blender and let them meld together for about 30 seconds. Blend for a couple seconds to produce a frothy, delicious drink to enjoy.

*Some people add 1/2 tsp. of vanilla or Stevia to the mix to sweeten the coffee. I enjoy the natural frothy coconut flavor of the drink.

Dave Asprey is the founder and CEO of Bulletproof coffee. In this video, he explains the background and preparation of Bulletproof coffee.

 

Braised Chickpea Curry

/0 Comments/in /by

Do you get tired of thinking “What should we have for dinner?”

You have enough to think about without the hassle of coming up with something new for dinner each night. We have got you covered. This Braised Chickpea Curry recipe can feed a bunch of people, it’s quick and it’s super flavorful.

What we love about this dish is you can double the batch and freeze the leftovers for a future meal. It is so good you will probably want to eat it a couple of nights in a row…so it might not make it to the freezer.

Braised Chickpea Curry is nutrient dense so you won’t get that hungry feeling an hour after eating. If you have picky eaters in your family, invite them to help you make this meal. It is easy to prepare, making it the perfect dish for kids to help with. They will be more inclined to eat foods they help prepare!

My family thought the Braised Chickpea Curry was so good it was gone before I could take a picture of the final dish. Enjoy!

Braised Chickpea Curry

What You;ll Need:
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp fresh ginger
1 whole lemon
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained
2 cups cooked chickpeas (1 – 15 oz can)
1/2 tsp chili flakes (or to taste)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 lb fresh spinach
1 – 14 oz can coconut milk
1 tsp ground ginger
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 bunch cilantro (to garnish)

Braised Chickpea Curry

What You’ll Do:
Heat a large Dutch oven or deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil, followed by the onions and salt. Let the onions sweat for about 10 minutes or until translucent. Once soft, add the garlic and ginger and let cook for another minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest and chili flakes.

Next, add the chickpeas and stir to coat in the tomato mixture. At this point, turn up the heat slightly braising the chickpeas. Once the chickpeas are heated through, turn the heat down slightly and start to add the spinach, a handful at a time. Once the first bunch of spinach has started to wilt, add in the next handful. Continue until all of the spinach has been added.

Braised Chickpea Curry

To finish the dish, add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Stir to combine and then add the ground ginger and a bit of the reserved lemon juice. Taste for seasoning. Add more lemon juice, salt and/or pepper as needed.

Once everything has heated through, serve immediately. Serve it with brown rice or any grain of your choice.

Braised Chickpea Curry

Here is a trick to easily peel ginger. Be sure to check out all of our cooking hacks here.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This recipe is compliments to ROUXBE Cooking School

Cooking Hacks That Make Meal Time Easy

/0 Comments/in , /by

The art of cooking has taken a back seat to grabbing fast, easy meals on the go. A common statement I hear is “I don’t have time to cook”. Well friends, here are some cooking hacks that make meal time easy. These tips may just change your life.

20 Cooking Hacks

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #1 Use a spoon to peel ginger.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #2 Halve a handful of cherry tomatoes quickly.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #3 Save fresh herbs for later use by freezing them in oil.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #4 Keep lettuce fresher, longer.

Cooking Hacks

Cooking Hacks #5 Easily retrieve a cracked egg shell without getting frustrated.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #6 Save the sauce.

Cooking Hacks

Cooking Hacks #7 Turn any cup into a to-go cup!

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #8 Shred Chicken quickly in your mixer.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #9 Use parchment paper instead of baking cups.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #10 Peel an entire head of garlic in 10 seconds.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #11 Prevent pots from boiling over with a wooden spoon.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #12 Chop peppers like a pro.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #13 Keep wine chilled with frozen grapes.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #14 Rubber bands make opening jars a snap.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #15 Get more lemon juice from your lemons by rolling them first.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #16 Keep your cutting board in place by placing a damp paper towel under it.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #17 Peel citrus like a genius. Kids love this.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #18 Keep the grill clean and meat moist by cooking meat on a bed of fresh lemons.

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #19 Use dental floss to cut cakes and soft cheese.

 

Cooking Hacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Hacks #20 Place boiling water in ice cube trays for clear ice cubes. This creates pretty ice cubes when you freeze fruit in ice for parties.

Homemade Pho Recipe

/0 Comments/in , , /by

With this homemade Pho recipe you can enjoy a Vietnamese favorite in the comfort of your own home.  Pho is a delicious, quick and easy meal to prepare. Our homemade Pho recipe will fill you up.

Homemade Pho Recipe

What You’ll Need:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced (divided)
8 cups veggie broth
1 piece (3 1/2 inches) fresh ginger root, peeled, thinly sliced
4 whole cloves
5 star anise
1 piece (3 inches) cinnamon stick
1 cup water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 package (7 ounces) dried rice sticks (often called banh pho)

Pick your Pho style:
Mixed veggies of your choice or
1 pound sirloin steak, cut across grain into thin slices

Optional Garnishes:
Sliced green onions
Fresh Thai basil leaves
Sliced jalapeno peppers
Bean sprouts
Lime wedges
Sriracha

Homemade Pho Recipe

What You’ll Do:
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add one of the sliced onions and cook 7 to 8 minutes until onions are softened and browned, stirring frequently. Add broth, ginger, cloves, star anise and cinnamon stick to pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes to concentrate flavors. Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer into a 4-quart Dutch oven; discard solids.

Add water, fish sauce and remaining sliced onion. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Add sliced steak or mixed veggies; simmer, uncovered, 5 to 6 minutes or until the beef is no longer pink and the veggies are tender.

Meanwhile, cook and drain noodles as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain. Divide noodles among serving bowls; ladle soup mixture over noodles. Top with desired fresh garnishes and condiments. Enjoy!

Baked Honey Ginger Shrimp and Raw Asian Salad

/0 Comments/in /by

Eating healthy can be delicious and this recipe will make you a believer.  Enjoying spicy ethnic food with friends is one of life’s joys and this dish has a nice kick.  Eating whole foods, free of chemicals is important to living a healthy vibrant life.  When we cook at home, we know exactly what is going into our meals and that our food is promoting our well-being.

The ingredients in this tasty meal are full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Cabbage and ginger aid the body in the digestive process while the lime promotes weight loss, cleanses the blood and improves the absorption of minerals.  This recipe gives you a healthy dose of garlic to help rid the body of toxins.  Shrimp is full of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, zinc and copper which supports a healthy body.  The ginger is an anti-inflammatory food that soothes the gastrointestinal system and gives the dish zest.

Baked Honey Ginger Shrimp and Raw Asian Salad

Serves 4
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Baked Panko Shrimp
16 ounces medium sized wild caught shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 eggs
2 cups Panko*
salt & pepper

Honey Ginger Glaze
1/2 cup raw honey
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Braggs Liquid Aminos
2 tablespoons Sriracha
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Baked Honey Ginger Shrimp and Raw Asian Salad

Raw Asian Salad

1/2 a small head of purple cabbage, grated
1 small bunch of kale, chopped
2 medium carrots, julienned
2 cups broccoli florets
1 red pepper, thinly sliced

Ginger Acocado Dressing
1/2 cup avocado oil
2 limes, juiced
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and grated
2 teaspoons ground mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced

Garnish: 3 tablespoon sesame seeds

Baked Honey Ginger Shrimp and Raw Asian SaladMethod:

Preheat the oven to 400 ºF

Season room temperature shrimp with salt and pepper.   In a small bowl beat the eggs.  In a second small bowl place 2 cups of Panko. Dip shrimp into the eggs and then into Panko. Coat the shrimp by pressing the Panko onto the shrimp.  Place shrimp on a baking sheet.  Cook for 20 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.

While the shrimp bakes, combine salad ingredients together in a large bowl.  Whisk together dressing ingredients.  Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss to combine.  Garnish with sesame seeds.  Set aside.

In a small sauce pan, combine the glaze ingredients and warm on low heat.  When the shrimp are done baking, toss them in a large bowl with the glaze until evenly coated.  Garnish with sesame seeds.  Serve immediately.

Baked Honey Ginger Shrimp and Raw Asian Salad

*Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumbs.  They can be found at the grocery store in the ethnic food isle.  Panko comes in gluten-free varies for those that are gluten intolerant.

**Always use organic ingredients when possible.  Choose wild caught fish over farm raised varieties.

 

3 Cheese Grilled Avocado Pesto Melt

/0 Comments/in /by

A light and delicious sandwich that will have the whole family asking for seconds. Great for meat lovers or leave off the turkey for the vegetarians in your life.

What You’ll Need:

Avocado Pesto
1 avocado
1 bunch fresh basil
1/3 cup Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Sandwich
whole grain bread
sliced turkey (optional)
spinach
avocado
crumbled goat cheese
Swiss cheese slices
butter

 

What You’ll Do:

In a food processor or blender combine all avocado pesto ingredients. Pulse until smooth. Set aside.

3 Cheese Grilled Avocado Pesto Melt  3 Cheese Grilled Avocado Pesto Melt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Butter one side of a slice of bread. On the other side of the bread spread a generous amount of the creamy avocado pesto. Place one slice of Swiss cheese on top of the pesto. Add the goat cheese crumble. Layer on the sliced turkey and avocado. Place another slice of Swiss cheese on top and a bed of spinach. On the top piece of bread butter one side and spread the avocado pesto on the other side.

3 Cheese Grilled Avocado Pesto Melt

3 Cheese Grilled Avocado Pesto Melt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grill over medium-high heat until golden brown. Serve and enjoy!

Stephanie Weeks

Eating Healthy On a Budget

/0 Comments/in , /by

Eating healthy on a budget can at times seem daunting.  We may have the idea that it is easy and cheap to eat on the go at fast food restaurants.  It’s not.  It is less expensive to invest in healthy, nutritious food. Chemical laden foods found in fast food restaurants and the highly refined food like substances that take up the entire midsection of the grocery store are poisonous to our bodies.  If we eat like crap, one day we will pay the price for such decisions; in the long run, this makes eating unhealthy more expensive.  We are here to help guide you to items that are both nutritious and wallet friendly.

One of the best things we can do to make sure we are eating healthy on a budget is to shop in the perimeter of the grocery store.  In the perimeter of the store, you will find all the produce, meats and dairy—the real food.  The center isles are typically filled with all the processed crap that is void of any real nutritional value.

Eating healthy on a budget means you will begin eating more home cooked meals.  When we prepare our food, we know exactly what is or is not going into our food.  Numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Consumer Expenditure Survey shows that Americans spend about half of their food dollars away from home. Eat at home and you’ll save a bundle.

Eating Healthy On a Budget

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eating Healthy On a Budget

  1. Eat more vegetarian meals – Meat can be expensive.  There are many options to attaining protein daily that do not require you to eat meat.  Lentils, beans, quinoa, hemp and chia seeds are great sources of protein that leave you feeling full.  Eating more vegetarian meals lightens your bill.
  2. Stock up when there are sales – When organic products go on sale, be sure to stock up. When we buy items on sale, we instantly cut down on the grocery store bill.  Eating healthy on a budget means we look for and take advantage of the sales that happen weekly. Many items can be stored in the freezer for later use. Think frozen fruits and veggies as well as boxed items like quinoa and beans.
  3. Buy in bulk or direct from companies online – The cost per serving goes down when we buy in bulk.  When we buy directly from the company, we get the best deal as we cut out the middle man.
  4. Make bigger batches – Since we are buying in bulk, we can make a double batch of our favorite meal and store the extra as a freezer meal for later.  This always makes serving healthy food easy when we are crunched for time.  We do not have to stress about what is for dinner; simply pull out the freezer meal and reheat it.
  5. Start a small garden – A small garden can produce a large amount of food, saving us money and providing healthy food for our family.  If you do not have a yard for a garden, consider growing a tomato plant near a kitchen window or plant a herb garden that will flourish in the windowsill.
  6. Shop locally at farmers markets – Farmers markets have great prices on produce and you will get the freshest, local food available to you.  It is important to know where our food comes from. Farmers markets allow us the opportunity to talk to the people growing our food so we know exactly what we are getting.
  7. Don’t shop when you are hungry – When we are hungry and go shopping, we often buy items we otherwise would not choose.  Everything looks good so everything ends up in the cart, which can be costly.
  8. Recreate left overs – Instead of tossing out leftovers, recreate the food into another meal and reduce food waste.  If you make a big batch of quinoa and veggies as a side dish one evening, think about making stuffed peppers the next night using the quinoa and veggies.  If you have left over roasted chicken, make soup with the left overs.  There are endless ideas to making leftovers more exciting.

Eating healthy on a budget is an attainable goal with these 8 tips.  We would love for you to share your tips for eating healthy on a budget in the comments below.

Immune-Boosting Chopped Salad

/0 Comments/in /by

Eating healthy can be delicious and this Immune-Boosting Chopped Salad recipe will make a believer of anyone.  This salad gives our immune system a boost and is packed full of phytonutrients that nourish the body on a cellular level.  Eating a diet rich in raw fruits and veggies decreases inflammation and promotes alkalinity in the body.  When our body is in an alkaline state, we thrive. When we are in an acidic state, we are susceptible to dis-ease.

Let’s look at the potential benefits of eating this salad.  Lettuce is a source of silicon which allows the body to metabolize and absorb calcium effectively.  Broccoli is a rich source of calcium so combining the two veggies together in this salad creates synergy.  Adding lemon or lime to your salad helps break down the walls of the plants so the body can better absorb the nutrients in the digestive process.  Lime also promotes weight loss and can cleanse the blood.  Garlic and cilantro help rid the body of toxins.  Almonds are an alkalizing protein.  Pomegranates are said to be the most powerful anti-oxidant in the fruit family and they are a heart healthy food.  A tip to get the pomegranates arils out of its shell is to cut the pomegranate in half.  Over a bowl slap the outer flesh with a wooden spoon and the arils will fall out.

Immune-Boosting Chopped Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Salad
6 cups mixed greens (Endive, Butter Lettuce, Radicchio)
1 large red apple, diced
1 cup raw almonds
12 dates, chopped
1/2 cup clover sprouts
1/2 cup sliced green olives
1/2 cup pomegranate arils
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 limes, juiced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp mustard
2 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
½ tsp Himalayan salt
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Method:
Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.  Plate your salad and serve the dressing on the side.  Enjoy.

L1070661

 

*Use organic local produce when possible.