What’s for breakfast?

1 Aug posted by

Last month we talked about food and faith and I never got the chance to share one of my favorite sources for information about nutrition and food, Nutritionfacts.org. In this house we are a little obsessed with this website.  Run by Dr. Michael Greger it features a video of the day that discusses food and how it affects our bodies.  He’s always suggesting ways we can optimize our health through our diet.

I think Dr. Greger’s biggest fan may be my husband because of the hours Dr. Greger spends reading the latest nutritional research and breaking it down for people. Alvin has said repeatedly that he wishes everyone would watch it. I love the site as well because each day he gives a piece of information that one can use to help maintain and enhance one’s health.  I often find myself wondering how I can incorporate certain spices/foods that he recommends into our diet and that keeps things interesting in the kitchen.

Our everyday breakfast came about as a result of nutritionfacts.org. Apparently Amla powder is loaded with antioxidants, fights diabetes and lowers cholesterol.  While we don’t these problems Alvin wanted to try it so I had to find a way to use the powder.  The amla powder along other spices like cinnamon & cloves, helps makes our morning oatmeal delicious!   We were able to raise the nutritional profile and boost the flavor.  Definitely a successful venture!

If you’re looking for a healthier way to start the day this is a great option.  We top the oatmeal with a drizzle of maple syrup and some ground flax or chia seeds to finish it off.  We absolutely love it!

Packed Oats:

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 c large flake oats
  • 3 c water
  • 1 tbsp amla Powder
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp of ground cloves
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • a pinch of salt
Instructions:
  • Combine the ingredients in a pot.
  • Bring to a boil on the stove.
  • Once it’s boiled turn the heat down to medium.
  • Stir occasionally through the cooking process.
  • Once the liquid is absorbed to your liking remove from heat and serve.
Extra Information:
  • A light drizzle of maple syrup makes this dish delicious.  Don’t use too much!  You want to taste the spices.
  • I also put a little soy milk on mine.  I cannot have oatmeal without some milk.  It’s just something I’ve always done.
  • I would say this serves 2-3 people.  I give my husband a hearty portion so it serves the two of us.

 

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Food, Healthy Living, Plant Based Diet, Recipe, Vegan

More isn’t always better.

16 Jul posted by

How’d you do this week?  What were some of your successes and where could you make improvements?  We’re half way through the month and I thank you for joining me!

This week was fairly good on my part.  I am still reminding myself that an apple is available should I feel the need for a snack and did focus on eating whole plant foods over the last week.  I did eat a few things that weren’t whole plant foods {I’m looking at you smores & persians} but overall I had a successful week.  Our goal is a healthy lifestyle that is attainable, right?  This gives us a touch of wiggle room.

Before we begin I would suggest reading Matthew 6.
____________________________________________________________________________________________

This week during my regular reading I happened to hit the passage in the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus is giving express commands on how to live.  Jesus reminds us that a good life is one where the focus is on others, not ourselves.  A life where material things can be enjoyed but are not be worshipped.  Food can be delicious but shouldn’t be our focus.  Our focus instead should rest in God and on living a God-centered life.

Our world today makes these instructions so much harder to live by.  Jesus did not have to face a world determined to consume as much as possible.  There were no 0.99 cent Big Gulps or shows about Extreme Couponing. Our world is one that thinks that more is better, we can never have enough. Jesus reminds us that this isn’t true.  More is not better, more is just more.  More fills up the space in our lives and prevents us from seeing the needs of the world around us.  Perhaps it’s time to clear out some clutter.

This week our challenge is to clean out our cupboard clutter.  If you’re anything like the me you’ve probably lost track in some way of what’s actually in your cupboard.  This week we are going to organize our cupboards and see what’s really there.  We’ll purge the things we shouldn’t be eating or that we have too much of {our local food banks will be very happy!} and we’ll plan meals around what is left. Jesus reminds us that hoarding our treasures is not a solid way to live.  When we hoard and collect we forget how blessed we are.  Our focus shifts from one of gratitude to one of consumption. This is not healthy for us and doesn’t jive with our new approach of living healthier.

Faith and Food Challenge:

Jesus reminds us that we are not to worry about what we shall eat or drink.  Life is not about what we’re eating, it’s about what we’re doing and who we’re doing it with. Our goal this week is to honor the gift of food and sit down when we are eating.  Michael Pollan reminds us that families traditionally ate together around a table.  He says “It’s a good tradition. Enjoy meals with the people you love.”   Seek out friends and family to eat with at least 3-4 times this week.  Make an effort to enjoy the company of those you love.  Food is about connection and community, not just physical nourishment.

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Filed Under: 28 Days of Faith and Food, Bible, Christianity, Faith, Food, Healthy Living

Spicy Tofu Scramble

11 Jul posted by

Last night I wanted a quick, easy dinner as it was a beautiful day and I didn’t want to spend hours in the kitchen prepping.  Enter the Spicy Tofu Scramble.  We are breakfast for dinner people so I’m not ashamed to admit that we often serve this traditional breakfast food at night.  I dress it up and mix up the flavors so it never gets boring and this version is our current favorite.

If you’ve never tried Tofu before and are a little frightened this is the recipe you should start with.  It’s essentially fool proof as there’s no pressing or marinating and you’re family will think you’re a genius!

Spicy Tofu Scramble

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of tofu {drained and rinsed}
  • 3 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp tumeric
  • 1/2 c nutritional yeast
  • 1 c salsa
  • 1/4 c dried parsley

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 425
  • In a large bowl crumble your tofu into small pieces.
  • Add the dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, tumeric and nutritional yeast.  Stir until combined.
  • Add the salsa and dried parsley.  Mix well.
  • Pour the mixture into the baking pan.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once.
  • Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Extra Information:

  • We love to use the scramble as a filling for toasted english muffin sandwiches.
  • You can adjust the heat to your liking by choosing the spiciness of the salsa.
  • Depending on the tofu sometimes the mixture can be a bit dry.  In this instance I would add a little more salsa to makes sure it stays moist in the oven.
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Filed Under: 28 Days of Faith and Food, Food, Plant Based Diet, Recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian

Daniel: Prophet, Lion Tamer and Health Guru?

9 Jul posted by

Before we begin with this week I have to ask how last week went.  Was it okay?  Did you run into any challenges?

For me I found that thinking about whether I was hungry enough for an apple went a long way towards getting me to think about food in general and what I was consuming.  As the mother of a two year old who is home during the day I found I was mindlessly snacking on whatever lay around instead of being intentional with my food.  I’m glad I took on the challenge and look forward to a new week.

Before we begin this week I recommend reading Daniel 1.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

You’re heard about the prophet Daniel, right?  The guy who survived the lion’s den and have incredible visions.  He had a pretty amazing life.  One of the things that is kept fairly quiet about Daniel is that he was a very healthy guy.  While he was young and in training to enter into the service of the King he made a choice to avoid the assigned rations that the King offered and instead eat a vegetarian diet as a way to ensure he kept his body running pure.

Imagine sitting in a room with twenty other people all eating rich delicious dishes and indulging in all that is available to them.  It would have been difficult to choose a separate path.  The courage required to refuse the King’s offering and stand separate from those he worked with is incredibly when you think about it.  Daniel did not bow to outside pressure.  He refused to conform and instead stood firm knowing that the diet he chose would be best for his body.

I think we can all understand a little of what Daniel is going through at this point.  In our fast moving world where things have to be accomplished yesterday and food is something that we often buy prepackaged and prepared for us it can be hard to know what we are consuming, it can be hard to keep things pure.  When Daniel makes the decision to eat vegetables and water, he’s making a decision to control what goes into his body.  He’s making the decision to consume only the food that will benefit him and honor God.

We need to make that decision ourselves.  Each item of food that we consume which is prepackaged and prepared for us contains ingredients we cannot see and may not choose to eat if we knew what they were.   These foods can make our bodies feel tired and run down.  They can prevent us from running at their optimal levels.  The food we eat should {like Daniel’s} be whole foods found in nature made to fuel our bodies and keep them running clean.   We should be searching for the foods that help us feel our best.

This week our challenge is to avoid as much packaged food as possible and return to food at it’s most pure source.  We should be eating whole grains {like oatmeal and brown rice}, beans, vegetables, fruit and minimally processed soy products {if your into that kind of thing}.  If you eat meat, you should be eating meat pieces instead of nuggets and fish instead of fish sticks.  Let’s strive to run clean and pure like Daniel did.

Food and Faith Challenge: 

Michael Pollan says  ”Eat food, not too much, mostly plants“.  Daniel stuck to eating plants.  More and more studies are showing the health benefits of eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and grains. This week try to cut back on your meat consumption and consume more plant based foods.  If you eat meat 3 times a day scale it back a little.  If you can try to throw in a couple of vegetarian meals throughout the week to see how your body reacts to more phytonutrients and fiber {two of the greatest things plants can give you}.  Each bite that goes into our mouth is one that fuels our body and helps to keep things running and we all want to feel great, right?

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Filed Under: 28 Days of Faith and Food, Bible, Christianity, Food

Pasta Salad

3 Jul posted by

Pasta salad is notoriously unhealthy.  Loaded with mayonnaise and some other questionable ingredients it’s not something we really should be eating as it’s not the best thing for our bodies.  It is however something I adore and with the oppressive heat we’ve been living with for the last few days, I had a bit of a craving for it.  It’s one of those summer meals you eat at a picnic or on your back deck.  It’s something I knew I needed to make healthier if I was going to be able to indulge in it.

Yesterday after lunch I began the experiment and at dinner we sat down and feasted on the results.  My husband loved it, my son enjoyed it as well and I was able to satisfy my craving.  It was the perfect meal on a hot summer day.  If you have cookouts or BBQs ahead, give this a whirl.  I’ll be making it many times this summer as it was perfection and quite healthy too.  I hope you enjoy it as I did!


Pasta Salad:

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

  • 1 pkg mori nu silken tofu (soft)
  • 1 tbsp granulated garlic
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1/8 of a tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp pickle juice {from a jar of dill pickles}

For the salad:

  • 1 jar of sliced olives {or 2 heaping handfuls}
  • 2 15 oz can of chickpeas
  • 1 jar of roasted red peppers {6 in total}
  • 1/3 c sun-dried tomato pieces
  • 1 box of whole wheat macaroni cooked and drained
  • the prepared dressing
Instructions:

  • In a food processor combine all of the ingredients for the dressing and process until smooth.
  • In a large bowl, combine the olives, chickpeas, red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and macaroni.
  • Add about 1/2 of the dressing and stir.  Assess the coverage and add more as needed.
  • Cover the salad and chill in the fridge until cool.
  • Enjoy!

Extra Information:

  • If you like red onions, they would go perfectly with this dish.  Dice one up and throw it in.  Raw onions and I are not friends so they are not included in my recipe.
  • You should have some dressing left over.  Put it in the fridge and use it on sandwiches or any other way you’d use mayo.  It should be good for a couple of days.
  • Feel free to mix things up and throw in whatever ingredients you would like to make it yours!

Hearth & Soul Hop

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Filed Under: 28 Days of Faith and Food, Dinner, Food, Healthy Living, Plant Based Diet, Recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian

Going back to the garden.

2 Jul posted by

What is 28 days of faith and food?  This month we pledge to seek a more balanced approach to food as enjoyment and fuel.  Together we will discover delicious recipes, healthy tips and find a little food for thought as we dive into the Bible to discover a little more of what God says regarding food.
_______________________________________________________ Before we begin I suggest reading Genesis 3 to get a little background on the topic we’ll be discussing.
_______________________________________________________

The scene is set.  A beautiful garden, a lovely young girl.  Wandering through the garden seemingly aimless, uncertain of what to do next she is met by a friend or so she thinks.  This friend convinces her to try something that she knows is forbidden, he convinces her it will do no harm.

This moment filled with temptation, seduction and pressure.  We’ve all had a moment like this.  A day when we’ve been trying to eat right and a friend hands us a donut saying it can’t hurt, it’s only one day.  A moment when a magazine ad caught our eye and those Oreos with rainbow frosting suddenly became irresistible.   We know the rules.  We know to avoid processed food.  We know to limit our portions.  Yet when we enter society there is so much around us, so much to tempt us and seduce us.  How can we possibly resist?

When we look at the story of Eve and this forbidden fruit we see that ultimately she makes a choice.  She chooses to take that bite, chooses to give in to the pressure that surrounds her.  We also have to make that choice.  Temptations today may not come in the form of an apple or a pomegranate, they might come in a bag of kettle chips or a slice of pound cake, but they are real.  The choices might not have the eternal consequences that Eve faces but they do come with consequences.  Each morsel of food has the potential to provide our bodies with antioxidants, nutrients and healthy calories it needs to keep going.  Our choices affect how we feel and function in this world.

In a way it’s rather humbling to realize how little things have changed over time. To realize that temptation is still such a force in our modern lives when things are supposed to be easier and experts have all the answers.   We are told what to eat, what not to eat and how much of everything.  In all of the rigidity, in all of the rules it would seem that we’ve forgotten something very important.  God has given us food to eat and enjoy.  In the story of Adam and Eve there is only one tree that’s off limits, we’ve got the whole world to explore and enjoy.

There is so much available to us in the world.   So many fruits and vegetables, beans and lentils and so much more.  God has given us a world of food to explore and discover.   Unfortunately we’ve lost sight of how appealing this food is, we’ve discovered ways to change and manipulate God’s gift to us to create some pretty unhealthy things.  It’s time to take our food back.

This week as we make our food choices we need to listen for our serpents, for the voices in our heads that attempt to sway us and drag us in directions we don’t wish to go.  We want to make healthy choices from foods that are given to us by God.  This week the goal is to discover the rest of the food in the garden, to find the things Eve overlooked when she was seduced by the forbidden fruit.

As you head out this week to do your shopping pick up a fruit or vegetable you’ve never had before, grab some beans if you’ve never used them and experiment with the gifts in God’s garden.  If the ingredient list is a mile long or you don’t know what an ingredient is, put it back.  This week we embrace the food that God has given us.  This week we’re going back to the garden.  As we go through the week I’m will post some recipes as I experiment myself and if you have any great culinary success let me know and I’ll post a link here.  We’re all in this together!

Faith and Food Challenge:

Every week I thought I would add in an extra challenge for those who are interested.  This week’s Faith and Food Challenge comes from Michael Pollan who says “If you’re not hungry enough to eat an apple, you’re probably not hungry.”  This week every time we’re about to mindlessly munch or grab a few crackers we should ask ourselves if we want an apple.  If I’m not hungry enough for an apple, I’m probably not hungry.

 

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Filed Under: 28 Days of Faith and Food, Bible, Christianity, Food, Healthy Living

It all begins with an apple…

29 Jun posted by

This July I thought I’d do something a little different.  Last year I did a mid-summer project that involved families and God.  It was great!  We loved it and I am glad we did it.  This year I thought we would spend the month of July dealing with food and faith.  A sort of quick glance at what the Bible has to say about the food we eat and how in today’s world we process it all.

Why faith and food?  Ultimately we all need to eat.  It’s an important function of survival but in today’s day and age when processed cheese has replaced the small batch cheese from years of old and cookies are bought instead of made it can be difficult to figure out how to relate to the gift of food that God has given us.  We are made to enjoy food {as we have all these wonderful senses} but perhaps we have taken things to the extreme with our extra large slurpies and low-carb diets.

This month I pledge to seek a more balanced approach to food as enjoyment and fuel.  I will endeavor to provide delicious recipes, healthy tips that I’ve found from reputable sources and food for thought as I dive into the Bible to discover a little more of what God says regarding food.

Every Monday throughout the month of July I’ll be writing about this and I’d love for you to join me.  This week our journey begins with Adam, Eve and Temptation.  After all it all began with an apple, didn’t it?

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Filed Under: Food

Banana Muffins: Just like Grandma used to make.

26 Jun posted by

Well almost.  They are almost like Grandma used to make.  I’ve replaced a few things, changed the recipe slightly and added some chocolate but let me tell you, Grandma’s essence is the heart of these addictive beauties.  I am absolutely delighted with the outcome of these muffins.

I started with my grandma’s recipe and tweaked some of the ingredients.  The result is a slightly healthier albeit equally delicious rendition of her recipe.  It’s so good.  If you have bananas that are soft, make these tonight!  Your breakfast tomorrow will be the best part of your day.

If you’ve noted the Thomas the Tank Engine wrappers please understand that I live with a two year old who is obsessed with trains and cars.  Imagine the devastation when he realizes we need to remove them in order to eat the muffins. 

Banana Muffins
just like Grandma made 

Ingredients:

  • 2 C whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • 1/2 c soy milk
  • 3/4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 c white sugar
  • 2/3 c brown sugar
  • 1 scant c unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  •  4 extremely ripe bananas
  • Optional: 1 c chocolate chips
Instructions:
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Line 2 muffin tins with liners.  Lightly spray each liner with cooking spray.
  • Cream bananas, sugars, applesauce, and vanilla.  Set aside. 
  • Combine soy milk with the apple cider vinegar to create sour milk.  Stir and set aside. 
  • Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and corn starch. 
  • Alternating dry ingredients with the sour milk, add to the banana mixture and stir until just combined. 
  • If using the chocolate chips stir them in. 
  • Bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. 
  • Enjoy! 
Extra Information:

  • This makes 24 good size muffins.
  • There are many add ins that would work with these.  I think walnuts would be delicious.  Some coconut or chopped dried fruit might be nice.  Anything your heart desires {and believes would go with banana} is a welcome addition.  Create your own masterpiece!  
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Filed Under: Baking, Plant Based Diet, Recipe, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian

Tomato Cucumber Basil Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing

14 Jun posted by

That name’s a mouthful, isn’t it?  This salad was thrown together tonight in a moment of desperation when I realized I was too late to begin my planned meal. The tomatoes were ripe on the counter, cucumbers fresh from the store and the honey from my farmer’s market was just crying out to be used.  It was delicious.

When the tomatoes are fresh and plentiful I tend to make use of them and this is one of my favorite ways.  Fresh tomato salad is refreshing, easy and quite attractive {if I do say so myself}.  Enjoy!

Tomato Cucumber Basil Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 5-6 medium tomatoes
  • 2 english cucumbers
  • a small bunch of fresh basil
  • 1/2 c balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey
Instructions:
  • Chop your tomatoes into bite size pieces
  • Quarter your english cucumbers and chop into bite size pieces
  • Chiffonade your basil
  • Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers and basil in a large bowl. 
  • In a small sauce pan bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil. 
  • Once it has reached a boil reduce heat and simmer.  
  • Add honey to the mixture and continue to cook until the sauce thickens. 
  • When the dressing is at the desired consistency remove from heat. 
  • Drizzle the dressing over the salad and mixed until it’s coated. 
  • Enjoy!  

 Extra Information: 

  • This is a great side at a BBQ or an excellent quick dinner.  I often whip up a small salad just for lunch.  It’s so good!
  • If you don’t eat honey I’m sure agave nectar would work quite well.   I haven’t personally tried it but I’d be interested to know how it works. If you try it, let me know!
  • Just in case you don’t know what a chiffonade cut is, it’s essentially cutting your basil in ribbons.  I’m sure everyone knows that but I just wanted to clarify in case someone didn’t.  To make my life easier I stack all the basil, roll it tightly and then shave off tiny ribbons.  It’s much easier than chopping and looks quite pretty in salads and pastas.
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Filed Under: Dinner, Eat Clean, Food, Healthy Living, Plant Based Diet, Recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian

Eating Clean!

7 Jun posted by

I have some exciting news.  I’m being featured today on Tosca Reno’s blog about my plant based diet.  I’m thrilled to be part of the journey as she launches her new book, The Eat Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook.  I own every single copy of the the Eat Clean Series and I can honestly say her approach to food and eating has made a huge difference in my life {and I’m not paid to say that!}.

The blog I’ve written for her site talks a little bit about my weight loss journey, what we eat and how I got to where I am today.  I’m not quite finished my journey yet but am getting there as I continue to Eat Clean and try to be active.

Our house is a healthy one filled with diverse foods.  My son is a vegetarian, not a vegan so he does indulge in yogurt, milk and cheese.  My husband and I have chosen to be fully plant based but don’t feel bad for us as we don’t lack for diversity at all.  Our food is healthy, tasty and best of all packed with energy.

People often ask me what I eat because I don’t eat meat anymore and I’m always tempted to say ‘anything but meat!’.  There’s so much to choose from. With lentil soup, bean salad, tempeh tacos, homemade tofu nuggets and rice bowls in our repertoire I can honestly say that food is never boring in our home!

If you’d like to read more about my journey, join me here!

Here are a few of our favorite recipes if you’re looking for some inspiration:

  1. Kale Chips
  2. Healthy Whole Grain Pancakes
  3. Warm Spicy Carrot Soup
  4. Fat Free {almost} Chocolate Chip Cookies
  5. Homemade Trail Mix

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Filed Under: Eat Clean, Food, Plant Based Diet, Vegan, Vegetarian
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