So how are those New Year's healthy eating resolutions going now that we are a few weeks in? Ok, we get it. This is about that time that you may be getting sick of it and ready to ditch all those well meaning goals for 2017. And that's where we come in. This post is just for those of you ready to fall off the healthy eating bandwagon. We promise, you CAN do it! Though healthy eating as a sustainable change does take extra planning and preparation. This recipe is your fresh start - with simple food preparation one day out of the week you have many healthy meals that reheat well. So let's get going!

We find that healthy eating is much more doable when you aren't shopping and cooking fresh meals every day of the week. It is important to have some meals that can be stored and still taste well when reheated later in the week when you just need a day off from meal preparation. This saag protein bowl is just that. First, saag is an Indian dish of cooked spinach and spices. It will make you feel super healthy when eating it because you'll remember just how much spinach went into the recipe (a whole pound to be exact!). Since spinach cooks down to a much smaller portion size, it is easy to eat a large portion of this super green when it's cooked. The ingredients for this dish may look like a lot but are all pretty standard food items that you may already have around the house, other than some spices that you may need to add to your collection for Indian dishes. This recipe takes under an hour to prepare and makes a large quantity, so plenty for meals during the week. As mentioned, it reheats very well without creating any "off" flavors as meat based dishes can when re-warmed. In the interest of time (that can be spent food prepping), on to the recipe.

Saag Protein Bowls
PREP TIME: 45 mins
TOTOAL TIME: 50 mins
Servings: 6 bowls

Ingredients
Saag
1 lb organic spinach
2 small or 1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 Tbsp coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp ginger juice or 1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
3/4 can full fat coconut milk
2 tsp coriander powder  
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp curry powder (we used masala curry)
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Rice
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coconut oil
1/4 tsp sea salt

Cauliflower
1 head organic cauliflower
1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted 
2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp sea salt  

Tempeh
8 oz organic tempeh
2 Tbsp ginger juice or 1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
2 Tbsp garlic chili paste

Chickpeas
1 can organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp sea salt

Toppings
1/2 cup toasted pepita seeds
1 -1.5 cups plain Greek yogurt (optional if not making bowls vegan)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium pan combine 1 cup rice, 2 cups water, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coconut oil, and 1/4 tsp sea salt. Bring to a boil, then reduced to a simmer and cover pan with a lid. Continue cooking until rice is soft and the water has been absorbed, about 30-45 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, wash and chop cauliflower into bite sized pieces then place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Add melted coconut oil, paprika, and sea salt then use your hands to evenly coat the cauliflower pieces. Place in preheated oven and roast for 25-30 minutes or until tender. 

To make the saag, add coconut oil and chopped onion to a saute pan on medium heat. Cook onions until translucent and golden on the edges, about 7 minutes. Add chopped garlic, ginger juice, and spice mixture to onion and continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, place spiced onions in a food processor or blender and blend or pulse until mixture comes together and is roughly chopped. You do not want to over blend the mixture and should still be able to see full pieces of onions. In the same saute pan you cooked the onions, wilt the spinach working in batches until a full pound of spinach has been cooked down, Add cooked spinach to the food processor or blender that contains the onion spice mixture and blend or pulse until spinach is roughly chopped but not liquefied. Place blender contents back into the saute pan, add coconut milk, stir to combine, then simmer for 15 minutes.

While the saag is simmering, cube tempeh into bites sized pieces then add to a pan along with chili garlic paste and ginger juice. Cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes stirring often, until tempeh has warmed and absorbed the chili and ginger. Drain and rinse the chickpeas then place in a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt. 

To assemble a bowl, add ~1/6 of the prepared rice, roasted cauliflower, tempeh, chickpeas, and sagg. Top bowls with pumpkin seeds and plain yogurt (if desired). Divide the rest of the ingredients among 5 more bowls fitting with air tight lids and place in the fridge for quick, healthy, flavorful, high protein meals all week long! We recommend keeping the yogurt separate and adding once you have re-warmed your saag bowls on the stove-top or in the oven at 350 degrees. If choosing to keep this bowl vegan, skip the yogurt and add a touch of full fat coconut milk to the top of your bowls. 

How right were we? You can absolutely do it! With a little extra thought and preparation, healthy eating can be a sustainable change for you this year. Remember that the extra time spent preparing will pay off when you feel great and achieve your personal goals. We hope you enjoy the kick of spices, variety of vegan proteins, and hearty dose of daily greens that this protein bowl provides. We've been full and satisfied with this recipe so far this week.

Enjoy,
Jess and Cecelia

Do you ever get so sick of your same lunch and dinner meals that you just think, oh crap, what am I going to eat!? Excuse our language but in this instance we want you to instead think, oh crepe! Though typically thought of as a decadent and overly sweet breakfast indulgence, crepe dough itself is a healthy homemade choice and is versatile enough to be transformed into a lunch or dinner meal. This protein packed, Mediterranean style crepe recipe will be your answer the next time you don't know what to eat. We were even able to pull this crepe recipe off without eggs, making it vegan friendly, but still gave you both recipe options. But before we get to the crepes, more on another cooking method we just love.

If you're in the market for new ways to prepare vegetarian protein options (as we always are), than the dry fry tofu method is for you! It is as simple as the name sounds, a frying method that does not require oil. The tofu is cut into thin slices and fried in a grease-less non-stick pan over medium-low heat with a watchful eye to make sure that the tofu doesn't burn or stick. Flipping the tofu pieces every 2 minutes is a good way to monitor the cooking progress and make sure the pieces aren't sticking. Some tricks for preventing the tofu from sticking without oil include choosing the right tofu product, we think extra firm works best, and draining some of the tofu water before cooking. You can gently squeeze the block of tofu after removing from the packaging liquid and then wrap in a dish towel and let the block sit, weighted with a plate or book on top of the towel, for about 15-30 minutes to allow the towel to absorb some of the water. Your frying pan is also important and should be non-stick, though we recommend alternatives to the usual non-stick varieties as these are typically made using a chemical coating (Teflon is popular) that can potentially leach into food. We suggest spending the time and money to invest in a well seasoned cast iron, ceramic, or enameled cast-iron frying pan. These options can work as "non-stick" without oil and don't come with the potential for chemical exposure. Towards the end of cooking the tofu can be seasoned with herbs/spices of your choice (as we did) but be careful not to burn them. The final product is wonderfully crispy on the outside and still soft on the inside and absorbs sauce nicely in a finished dish. Basically, you haven't really tried tofu until you've had it dry-fry. And don't worry if you do have some sticking to the pan on your first try, just peel the pieces up with a fork and maybe try a different pan, lower heat, or firmer tofu your next go around. You'll get it!

Mediterranean Dry-Fry Tofu Crepes
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 crepes

Ingredients
Crepe batter  
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup organic unsweetened plain soy milk (or 1/2 cup organic cow or goat milk if not making vegan)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp ground flax seeds + 4 Tbsp water (or 2 organic eggs if not making vegan)
1 Tbsp coconut oil or butter to grease the bottom of the pan

Filling
8 oz organic firm tofu
6 oz organic raw spinach
4 oz feta cheese (We used Bulgarian sheep milk feta. If making vegan we suggest 4 Tbsp roasted and salted chopped cashews instead.)
4 Tbsp olives, chopped (we used a combination of black and green olives) 
2 tsp green za'atar or spice mix of your choice
4 tsp unbleached sesame seeds
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp cracked black pepper

Yogurt sauce
2 Tbsp plain yogurt
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp olive brine juice

To make the crepe batter, combine the 2 Tbsp ground flax seeds with 4 Tbsp water, whisk with a fork, then allow to sit until thickened. Add the remaining water, milk, flours, salt, and flax seed/water mixture to a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds or until all ingredients come together. Set aside while you prepare the filling.

Drain tofu from water, slice into thin 1/4" slices and sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, and za'atar seasoning. Using a non-stick or seasoned cast iron skillet, bring heat up to medium and add the seasoned tofu to the hot pan. Dry fry tofu for 3-5 minutes per side or until tofu is a light golden color then set aside. Using the same pan you used to cook the tofu, lightly wilt the spinach then set aside.

To make the yogurt sauce, combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and olive brine juice and whisk until combined.

To make the crepes, grease a 9" non-stick pan with coconut oil and place over medium heat. Pour 1/4 of the batter in the pan and holding the pan at an angle above the burner quickly swirl the pan to allow the batter to cover the bottom of the pan as close to the edge of the pan as possible. Continue to cook the crepe until it starts to form bubbles and the batter appears set. This batter cooks quickly. Using a flat wooden or metal spatula, check the bottom of the crepe after ~1-2 minutes of cooking. Once the crepe is golden and set all the way though, carefully flip the crepe and continue cooking on the other side for an additional ~1-2 minutes. After flipping and while the second side is cooking, add the filling ingredients towards the bottom of the crepe starting with the tofu, spinach, olives, feta cheese, and then the sesame seeds. Fold the crepe in half, and make another fold forming a triangle shape. Continue this process until all 4 crepes have been made. Serve crepes warm topped with yogurt sauce. Note that if you do not plan to serve all crepes at the same meal, the crepe batter can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Allow the batter to come to room temperature and whisk to combine before cooking crepes according to instructions above.

Crepe dough is just too good and so much easier to make at home than most people believe. The spongy dough is the perfect wrap for the mix of salty goodness inside this recipe. And the pack of protein from the feta cheese and dry-fry tofu will keep you full and satisfied until your next, oh no, what's for lunch/dinner moment. A crepe, that's what.

Enjoy,
Jess and Cecelia

Well hello again TGBK friends! We hope you've had a lovely start to 2017. In the spirit of the New Year we chose a topic this week that may inspire some new healthy choices and food habits. Because let's face it, we are the same people (though slightly older) as we were on December 30, 2016 but may now have the renewed commitment to healthier habits. Cecelia, for example, is wholeheartedly committed to taking the stairs more at work (goodbye elevators!). And Jess wants to make more food from scrach (as if that's even possible!). If your resolution has anything to do with gut health and improved digestion then read on for one way to try to make that happen this year.

Yes friends, apple cider vinegar is the trick to good digestion. You may have seen apple cider based drinks sold in health food stores and wondered what the hype was about. Well wonder no more! First, apple cider vinegar is a fermented food and contains healthy probiotic bacteria that we just love for gut and overall immune health. Though not all apple cider vinegar is created equal. To get the benefit of this fermented food look for a product that is raw (unheated and unpasteurized) to maintain the living bacteria. Organic, unfiltered, and "with the mother" (or the starer culture that began the fermentation process) are also key words to look for to make sure you a purchasing a superior product. But a healthy daily dose of probiotics is not all apple cider vinegar has to offer. Apple cider vinegar can be used as a remedy for digestive ailments, like reflux and indigestion, though the mechanism for why this works in not completely clear. Some believe that reflux and indigestion are caused by too little, instead of too much, stomach acid which can be improved by a daily intake of apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar has an acidic pH similar to stomach acid and therefore may be able to re-balance a stomach pH that is out of ideal range. There has also been some research into the benefit apple cider vinegar may provide in certain metabolic disorders, though the evidence is limited to support apple cider vinegar as treatment. For conclusive, scientific answers more clinical research is needed. But in the meantime you can experiment with your own body since this whole food product won't cause any harm. If you're dealing with indigestion/reflux or just want to improve your digestion and gut health, give apple cider vinegar a try. There is no better proof than seeing something work (or not work) in your own body, because every body is different! For therapeutic effect apple cider vinegar should be taken daily, consistently - we recommend one tablespoon. It can be taken plain, mixed with water, as salad dressing, or added to a juice as we did this week. However you decide to take your apple cider vinegar, take it every day! Within several weeks you should know if this is something you want to commit to as a new healthy habit or not. Finally, for you apple cider converts and shoppers, a favorite brand of ours is Bragg, website here.

Pear-Pomegranate-Ginger Apple Cider Vinegar Juice 
PREP TIME: 10 minutes 
TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes 
Serving: 10 oz juice 

Ingredients
5-6 oz organic pomegranate seeds (seeds from ~2 pomegranates) or store bought organic pomegranate juice (~3 oz juice) 
2 organic pears (~5 oz juice) 
​2 Tbsp fresh ginger juice -recipe here
​1 Tbsp organic raw apple cider vinegar 
​1 tsp organic raw honey (we used clover) 

Using a slow juicer, juice pomegranate seeds. A 5-6 oz serving of seeds should yield ~3 oz of juice. If you don't have a slow juicer use 100% pomegranate juice as a high speed juicer will not yield much juice from the seeds. Next, juice the pears until you have ~5 oz of juice. Add pomegranate juice to pear juice and stir in ginger juice, apple cider vinegar, and honey until dissolved. Serve immediately at room temperature or over ice. Enjoy!

This drink is a perfect starter for those interested in adding apple cider vinegar to their daily routine. The fruit juice and honey provide sweetness to balance the tartness of the cider. The ginger adds a spicy kick to distract from the fact that you are actually drinking vinegar, definitely not a norm for most! Though will daily intake (either in a blend or plain) you will start to adapt to the apple cider vinegar taste and even start to look forward to your daily dose. If that never happens for you, keep finding ways to make it taste delicious (like this recipe!).

Stay healthy,
Jess and Cecelia