We don't know about you but we sure are happy to be celebrating spring. And what better way to celebrate than with a party favorite, tacos! Now sometimes when we say fiesta we mean spending all day in the kitchen cooking but we understand if you don't share this enthusiasm. That's why this recipe is an "easy eats" because we all need those quick but healthy favorites. Though we do want to warn you about what might be hiding in those processed tortillas first, okay we know - party foul, but you'll be thanking us later promise! So you may have heard the term genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, as it has been a hot nutrition topic for quite a while. The debate around GMOs can be somewhat confusing so we want to provide you a brief guide as to why we are not fans. GMOs are organisms who's DNA has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally with the purpose of creating a crop that can withstand high levels of herbicides/pesticides to reduce the likelihood of crop loss due to disease, infestation etc. This essentially means that more herbicide/pesticide residue will end up in genetically modified (GM) crops; and I don't know about you but we definitely don't want more of these chemicals in our bodies. Not to mention that we are not the only ones affected; the environment and wildlife, specifically insects, can be harmed by certain herbicides/pesticides while they are pollinating crops. Also during pollination insects may travel between GM and non-GM crops possibly contaminating the natural crops (say what!). If you want to avoid extra chemicals in your food and not support this type of farming practice look for foods which contain the non-GMO project verified label seal (pictured here) and/or certified organic as these cannot contain GMO. This is most important for the top 5 GM crops in the U.S. because >88% of these foods produced in the country are GMO; soy, canola, corn, cotton (used for cottonseed oil), and sugar beets (used for processed sugar). These GM crops end up in many packaged/processed foods because of the low cost and large supply and are often found in the form of oil, corn syrup, sugar, flavor enhancers and thickeners. To top it off, it is estimated that >70% of packaged foods in the U.S. contain GMOs! So back to those corn tortillas....are you thinking you might want to but organic? Great! We found our at Whole Foods, the 365 brand organic corn tortillas for only 0.99 cents a package! You can shop your local market looking for brands with the seal and/or organic or use this handy database of non-GMO foods to get you started. Now let's get back to the party! Sunshine Fiesta Tacos PREP TIME: 25 mins TOTAL TIME: 35 mins Servings: makes 6 tacos Ingredients Tacos 1 can organic black beans 1 medium yellow onion 2 Tbsp water 1 Tbsp coconut oil 6 organic corn tortilla shells* 1 ripe mango, sliced into thin segments sprinkle of chili powder/flakes Crunchy Cabbage Slaw 1 cup red cabbage, shredded 2 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar 1 Tbsp honey 1/4 tsp sea salt Cilantro Lime Sauce 3/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves 1 lime, juiced 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp raw pepitas 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup 1 small clove garlic sprinkle of sea salt to taste Rinse black beans in a colander until water runs clear. Add coconut oil to a saute pan over medium high heat. Chop yellow onion and add to the hot pan. Cook onion until translucent, about 5 minutes, add the rinsed black beans and 2 Tbsp water and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and mash onion/bean mixture with a large fork, allowing the flat bottom portion of the fork to do most of the work. Please note, some full beans left in mixture are okay and provide added texture. Cover with a lid and set aside. Begin the cabbage. Whisk vinegar, honey and salt in a medium bowl. Shred cabbage using a mandolin or large knife (pre-shredded is fine too), add to bowl and mix well until cabbage is coated in dressing. Set aside and begin the sauce. Add cilantro, juice of 1 lime, olive oil, pepitas, maple syrup, garlic and salt to a food processor or blender and blend ingredients into a smooth sauce. Now it's time to assemble these festive tacos! Warm tortilla shells in saute pan over medium heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from pan and cover shells with a tea towel to keep warm while you assemble each taco. Add the following to each tortilla shell; 2 Tbsp black bean/onion mixture, 1/8 cup crunchy cabbage slaw, 1-2 segments of mango sprinkled with chili powder, and a drizzle of cilantro lime sauce. *Organic tortilla shells-ingredient list should contain organic corn, water, lime, and maybe salt. Nothing more! We hope these flavors put you in the mood for warmer weather and maybe an impromptu dance party in your kitchen. That may or may not have happened during this making of this post! But really this taco won't disappoint you or your guests and now you can impress everyone with your GMO knowledge - you'll be the life of the party, well our party anyways.
Party on, Jess and Cecelia
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So whats the deal with "super foods" you ask? We think that's a great question! With so many foods or food products being marketed as the newest, best super food it can definitely be confusing. Now we are not saying that all food claims and marketing can be believed (consumer always beware!) but there are some foods that have been shown to have added benefits to the body beyond the calories or flavor provided. Turmeric is definitely one of these "super foods" and this recipe will give you a delicious way to boost this fabulous spice in your diet. Turmeric is beautifully colored (as you can see!) and is used widely as a culinary spice and coloring, especially in Indian curry. It has a warm, peppery flavor that lends itself to savory foods but can also provide a kick to sweeter dishes. Besides it's striking taste and color, what makes turmeric super? The active "super-powered" substance in turmeric is curcumin, a powerful antioxidant that has been studied extensively and found to have various health benefits. Antioxidants are essentially "super-heroes" in our bodies because they scavenge, fight, and neutralize free radicals. Free radical is a term for a damaged molecule in the body but you can think of free radicals as "evil villains" because they can damage or even kill healthy cells in our bodies, which unstopped may eventually cause disease. Antioxidants work to counteract the effects of free radicals (yay!) essentially preventing or even reducing some of the damage they cause. Curcumin research has shown benefits for multiple diseases and specifically inflammatory conditions, but it's important to note that curcumin is typically studied in higher doses than would be found in turmeric used in foods. But we still believe that the addition of turmeric can benefit the body through its anti-inflammatory and free radical fighting properties. The Super Golden Curry Bowl PREP TIME: 45 mins TOTAL TIME: 90 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp vegetable stock (we make our own from leftover vegetable scraps, store bought is also good) 1 can full fat coconut milk 1 cup dry ivory white lentils, or lentil of your choice 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice 1 cup cauliflower 1 cup purple snow peas (you could also use green) 1 bell pepper, color of your choice 1 small zucchini 2 small, or 1 medium yellow onion 1 heaping Tbsp red curry paste (our favorite is Thai Kitchen) 1 stalk lemongrass 1 inch fresh turmeric root, peeled and diced 1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled diced 2 Tbsp coconut oil sea salt to taste Toppings 1-2 limes, cut into wedges A few sprigs cilantro Rinse lentils under running water until water runs clear. Combine 1 cup rinsed lentils with 4 cups water in a deep pan over medium to high heat. Bring lentils to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 25-30 minutes. Once lentils are fully cooked, drain remaining water and set lentils aside. Begin the rice. Rinse rice well. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a pan. Add 1/2 cup rice. Return to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and allow to cook for 35-40 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove lid and let sit. Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil to a deep sauté pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Dice onion and add to sauté pan with sprinkle of sea salt. Cook onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low and add curry paste, diced turmeric and ginger to pan, continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add 1 can coconut milk and 1 cup vegetable stock to the pan. Slice lemongrass in half lengthwise and add to pan. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Begin preparing your vegetables. Cut zucchini into half circles, roughly chop cauliflower, and slice bell pepper into long strips. Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil to a large wok or sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the chopped cauliflower and sprinkle of sea salt and cook for 5 minutes stirring often. Next add peppers and snow peas to the hot pan and continue cooking for 12-15 minutes stirring every few minutes. Last add zucchini and cook for an additional 5 minutes until all vegetables are soft with golden edges. Turn heat off and set pan aside. Now it's time to assemble your bowls! Add 1/4 cup brown rice, 1/2 cup lentils, and 1/4 of the cooked vegetables to each bowl (recipe serves 4) and carefully ladle 3/4 cup golden coconut curry broth over the top. Add a few springs of cilantro and the juice of a fresh squeezed lime wedge. Grab a spoon, sit back, and enjoy the beautiful and oh-so-flavorful masterpiece you have just created!! With this inviting bowl we hope that you will enjoy the warmth, flavor, and "super-powers" of turmeric as much as we do. Not to mention the color; should something this beautiful really be eaten? Definitely. Yes.
Stay super, Jess and Cecelia As the month comes to a close, we want to remind you that February is/was national sweet potato month! It's so perfect because honestly what could be better than a steaming hot, colorful, starchy and oh so delicious spud on a dark winter night? If you haven't had a sweet potato in the last month or don't sound as excited about them as we do right now this recipe might just change your mind. Created with a delicate and unique mix of flavors (and colors!) this meal may be just the inspiration you need to help you make it to spring. Not to overshadow this fabulous spud but we want to teach you a little about all the healthy fats you'll get from this meal before delving into the recipe. First, the beautiful pistachio nuts contain a healthy ratio of ~2:1 monounsaturated to polyunsaturated fats and the avocado has an even higher percentage of monounsaturated with a ratio of ~7:1. This is good because monounsaturated fats are considered anti-inflammatory and have been shown to reduce LDL "bad cholesterol" and triglycerides (fat in the blood) while increasing HDL "good cholesterol". Next, on to the olive oil which already has a great reputation as a healthy fat, but why? One of our favorite things about olive oil is that, unlike many other oils, it requires minimal processing to extract the oil from the olives, specifically from extra-virgin (first pressed) batches. And typically in the food industry, the less processing the better. One of the best ways to use olive oil is in cold recipes (such as pesto) because it is considered a delicate oil and can degrade under high heat conditions. But that's not all for this meal; there is a beneficial fat found in goat cheese known as medium chain triglyceride or MCT. MCT is unique in the way of it's absorption in the body because it's absorbed directly into the blood stream providing on the spot energy. This is very unlike other fats which go through a long digestion process before they can be used for energy and are actually more likely to be stored as fat cells. So let's celebrate sweet potato month and load a spud full with all these wonderful fats, shall we? The Overloaded Spud PREP TIME: 30 mins TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 10 mins (including baking) Servings: 4 Ingredients 4 medium sweet potatoes Spud Filling 1 cup dried beluga lentils 2 ounces goat cheese 1 avocado, split into fourths and cubed Pistachio Pesto 2 cups packed fresh basil 2 cloves garlic 1/4 cup raw pistachios, shelled 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Make sure to poke a few holes (6-8) in each sweet potato to allow steam to release while cooking. Placed washed and scrubbed sweet potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet and cook for 60 minutes or until soft to the touch. While the spuds are baking, begin the beluga lentils and prepare pesto. Rinse lentils until running water until water runs clear. Combine 1 cup rinsed lentils with 4 cups water in a deep pan over medium to high heat. Bring lentils to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 30 minutes. Once lentils are fully cooked, drain remaining water and set lentils aside. To prepare pesto, first toast pistachios on a baking sheet in the 350 degree oven for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant, watch closely to avoid burning. Allow pistachios to cool for several minutes then combine with basil and garlic in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup olive oil slowly while food processor is running on low until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Once the spuds are done and cooled slightly, make a cut down the center to create a "pocket" and add to each ~1/2 cup cooked lentils, 1/4 avocado, and 1/2 oz goat cheese. Top with 1-2 Tbsp pistachio pesto and crumbled whole pistachios if desired. This perfectly simple, overloaded spud is just as good as your traditional "comfort food". It's beautiful on the eyes, exciting on the taste buds and warming on the stomach. This high (but healthy!) fat meal will nourish your body and keep you comfy as we all patiently wait for spring.
So go on and get your spud on, Jess & Cecelia This soup is everything we ever wanted all in one beautiful bowl to help keep us warm during the long Chicago winters. And unlike our previous post, this soul warming soup can be ready start to finish in 15 minutes; a simple way to end a hectic day or perfect as a packed lunch (just add hot water when you're ready!). Also different from our last post, we are featuring a favorite food product, because lets face it, life these days is not always conducive to 100% homemade. We want to show you that the use of the right food products with quality ingredients can fit into a healthy, whole foods based diet for foodies on the go, and at times even boost the nutritional benefit of your meals. For this recipe we are featuring South River's organic chickpea miso. New to miso? That's okay! Briefly, it's a paste made from cooked beans (traditionally soy beans) mixed with salt and a cultured or fermented grain called a koji (typically made from rice or barley). This mixture is fermented in wooden vats for weeks to years and should remain unpasteurized to retain the most health benefits. Unpasteurized miso is a fermented food (similar to yogurt) that contains probiotic microorganisms (also known as "good bacteria") that aid our digestive enzymes in their never ending task of digesting the food we eat. We describe it's taste as strong, salty, sour and slightly sweet. In the kitchen miso can be used as a multipurpose flavoring for soups, dressings, vegetable and grain dishes, sauces, spreads and more! But remember, to avoid killing those all important good bacteria miso should not be boiled or overheated. This is the reason why we poured hot water over the soup in this recipe instead of boiling the ingredients in one pot. This wonderful product can be purchased from the company website where you can also find endless information about miso. Though you might get lucky and find it or a comparable product (look for organic and unpasteurized) at your local health food store, we found ours at Whole Foods Market. Also a note about our tofu which is organic and sprouted; we will discuss tofu more at another time but for now know that finding an organic product is important and sprouted is preferable for ease of digestion. So who's ready for some soup.... Soul Warming Miso Soup PREP TIME: 15 mins TOTAL TIME: 15 mins Servings: 1 hearty bowl Ingredients 1/4 cup dry quinoa 1 cup raw kale 4 oz sprouted, organic, firm tofu 1 heaping Tbsp chickpea miso 1 scallion 1/2 lemon A few sprigs of cilantro A pinch of red pepper flakes (or a splash of your favorite hot sauce) Rinse 1/4 cup dry quinoa under running water until water runs clear. Add 1/4 cup dry quinoa to a pan with 1/2 cup water. Bring quinoa and water to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover pan and continue cooking for 12-15 mins or until the liquid has absorbed. While the quinoa is cooking, start preparing the kale. Wash and finely chop raw kale, removing all stems. Add kale to a sauté pan with a pinch of salt and dry cook over medium heat until kale wilts and becomes a deep beautiful shade of green. Remove from sauté pan and let sit while you gather the remaining ingredients. Cube raw tofu into 1/2" blocks and set aside. Finley slice the bottom (white portion) of the scallion. Find the most beautiful bowl you own and a large "slurping spoon" and begin adding your ingredients - miso, quinoa, sauteed kale, cubed tofu, sliced scallion, cilantro, and red pepper flakes. Slowly pour ~10 oz of hot water (we used a tea kettle) over the ingredients, stirring well to make sure the miso is fully dissolved. Garnish with squeezed juice from 1/2 lemon. We hope that this soup helps you make it through the rest of this cold winter, and if you live somewhere warm (jealous!) save this one for a rainy night. Make a big bowl, turn on your favorite music, light a candle, and nestle into your couch with this delicious, soul warming, nutritious miso soup!
Stay warm, Jess & Cecelia |
AuthorsJess and Cecelia welcome you to our kitchen. We are fun-loving and passionate foodies working to make the world a healthier, happier place one plant based recipe at a time. Categories
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