How to Cook Plant-Based Meals for Meat Eaters (and a taco recipe)

I have received a few emails from readers asking for my best tips on making vegetarian and plant-based (or vegan) meals for meat-eaters. After posing the question to our Facebook community, it definitely sounds like this is an area many of you are interested in learning more about. And, since I’m in a “mixed eating” relationship myself, I’m always curious about how other couples manage different eating preferences. So, here goes!

First, let’s start with a little background on this: I’ve been with my partner, Ashley for seven years. Ashley was/is a meat eater and when we first met, was a huge skeptic of anything known as a vegetable. When we began dating, I was also a meat eater, but was working my way towards a healthier diet without processed foods. 

A year into the relationship, I began cutting meat and animal products out of my life as well as processed foods and refined sugars. I started eating a greater variety of vegetables, more whole grains, and a variety of legumes. shley was completely supportive of my decision to change my diet and we soon began to find new places to eat out together that could accommodate both of our eating styles. We both discovered that we preferred veggie burgers to the real thing and that there were a variety of plant-based meals that were able to satisfy us both. Even though Ashley was supportive of my dietary changes, she clearly told me that she had no intentions of changing her diet. I strongly believe that the food we chose to eat is a personal choice so although I wished Ashley ate a little healthier, I tried my hardest to respect her food choices.

Let’s flash forward to the present. In our house, I do all the cooking. This works out well for the both of us because I love doing it and Ashley doesn’t. (And I’m pretty sure that if I wasn’t around Ashley would live off of peanut butter pretzels. No joke.)

How meatless meals work for us:


All of the meals I make are completely plant-based. By the time I started learning how to cook, I was already eating this way so I honestly don't have a clue on how to cook meat! Over time I’ve found a variety of meals that we both love and enjoy on a regular basis. We’re big on Mexican food so anything that can be wrapped up in a tortilla is always a hit in our house. 

When I was first learning how to cook, meals weren’t as complex or creative as what you see here on the blog today. I used faux meats several times a week because I was still learning how to create hearty dishes without them. Over time, I transitioned away from processed meat-alternatives and began to rely on legumes to add bulk to our meals.

One thing that I occasionally use (at Ashley’s request) is Field Roast, a local faux meat product made from wheat gluten here in Seattle. I love their company and trust their ingredients so I don’t mind including it in recipes. I also appreciate how it adds a certain texture to meals that I couldn’t achieve otherwise.

What about the veggies?


The funny thing is that the issue in our house isn’t the lack of meat in meals; it’s the addition of vegetables! Ashley is the classic “picky-eater.” I work with young children and do recipe development and menu planning for kids so I will often test out recipes on Ashley because she is pickier than any of the kids I work with! I’ve learned that if she likes a recipe, then the children will love it.

When I began transitioning to a plant-based diet, it was my first time experimenting with vegetables like kale, beets, parsnips, radicchio, collard greens, fennel, bok choy, mushrooms, parsnips, and a variety of others. As I began to incorporate “new” vegetables into our diet, this was a huge challenge with Ashley. Meal planning for us became even more challenging as I pushed my diet further into living seasonally and sourcing locally.

I have learned to treat meals in our house the way that I do when I am working with children: Ashley is expected to try a bite of each dish, but she isn’t pressured to love it or eat the entire thing. I think this is really important because as adults we can be especially closed-minded about trying new things and sometimes our tastebuds surprise us!  Ashley absolutely refuses to eat mushrooms, bok choy, eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes so I reserve those veggies exclusively for my meals to help keep the peace.

Now that I’ve been eating this way for many years (and bringing Ashley along for the ride), it has actually had a huge impact on her taste buds. Even though she was adamant (and still is) that she “would never change her diet,” she now eats a huge variety of vegetables and legumes, in addition to drastically reducing her dairy intake. 

Ashley still eats lots of sweet things and some processed foods, but the overall quality of her food and food choices has increased significantly. I’m also always impressed to hear about the food choices she makes even when I am not around. She recently returned home from a trip visiting some relatives to tell me that she missed my cooking. There is no way she would have said that five years ago!

My point in sharing all of this is that these changes have happened slowly over time without either of us forcing it. As I have cleaned up my diet and prepared better food for the both of us, this has changed the way we both think about food choices and meals, even though it was never her intention to change her eating habits. If you are in a “mixed eating” relationship, I believe that one of the most important things you can do is respect the other person’s way of eating and not force them to change. 

My tips for cooking plant-based meals for meat eaters:

Focus on incorporating hearty, plant based proteins like lentils, beans, tofu or tempeh. Some of my favorites include tempeh tacos (pictured above), lentil loaf, tempeh of the sea, teriyaki tempeh, lentil and greens casserole, spicy tofu with spelt berries, and field roast tacos (see recipe below). Hearty, meatless breakfast options may include banana and seed granola bars, sprouted buckwheat granola, breakfast quinoa, cinnamon oatmeal porridge, or a green smoothie.

When cooking plant-based/vegetarian/vegan meals for someone who doesn’t usually eat that way, as silly as this may sound, I think it’s really important to make good food! Meat-eaters sometimes think that plant-based dishes are bland, boring, and unsatisfying. However, I think it’s important to realize that any dish – plant-based or animal-based - can be bland, boring, and unsatisfying if made incorrectly or not seasoned well.

I always make it a point to make our food delicious and flavorful, as well as use garnishes. People eat first with their eyes so focus on serving meals using attractive plates, plating the food nicely, and adding a variety of colors to dishes. If you are the one doing the cooking, pretend like you are making food at an upscale, hip, vegetarian/vegan restaurant. This may seem like a small detail, but I promise it makes a big difference!

If you are a vegetarian/vegan eater cooking for meat-loving folks, it’s also helpful to cook foods that are already known for being vegetarian/vegan so they don’t feel like the “meat is missing.” I found that Thai and Indian dishes like Simple Lentil Dal, Chana Masala, Coconut Lentil Curry, or Tom Kha Soup, tend to go over well. 

The last tip that I will say here is to relax and have a sense of humor about it all. No, it’s not fun when Ashley tells me that my green smoothie tastes like “liquid barnyard” or the time when she ditched my bok choy stir-fry for a PBJ, but just like all things in a relationship, eating together is about having good communication, mutual respect, and a little compromise.  

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic please leave me a comment telling me about what meals are like in your household. If you are vegetarian/vegan, I’d love to hear what your best tips are for cooking for the meat-eaters in your family. And if you are a meat-eater, what tips do you have for enjoying vegetarian/vegan/plant-based cuisine? 

And now onto the tacos...

This recipe is a great way to satisfy folks of different eating preferences at the same meal. I also think this recipe is helpful for anyone trying to transition away from faux meats or who doesn't like beans. When I was first becoming vegetarian, I honestly didn't like the taste or texture of beans so creating dishes mixed with another veggie protein source (like Field Roast or tempeh) was especially helpful for me. If you are gluten-free or prefer not to use the Field Roast, this recipe is fabulous with just the beans. Be sure to serve the tacos with a variety of toppings like grilled onions, tomatoes, or avocado slices.

Pinto Bean and Field Roast Tacos

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups cooked pinto beans
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 Mexican-Chipotle Field Roast Links, sliced
Freshly-ground sea salt and black pepper to taste
12 corn tortillas, warmed
Toppings of choice

Add olive oil to a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for five minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic cloves and saute for an additional minute, until fragrant. Add the pinto beans, stock, cumin, paprika, chili powder, and Field Roast. Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes and add salt and pepper to taste, if desired. 

Spoon bean mixture into tortillas and serve with toppings of choice. 

Don't Fear The Fat

One of the things that interests me the most about nutrition is how people tend to categorize foods as either "good" or "bad." For many years, fat has been seen as the food enemy and is often labeled as "bad," even though it is an essential part of our diet! As a health coach, I often get questions about what the perfect diet looks like or the best ways to lose weight. So, today I thought I would talk a little bit more about fat and why we should be eating it instead of avoiding it. 

Healthy fats steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair, and nails, as well as provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly.  Healthy fats are especially important during cold months to help insulate our bodies from the cold as well as provide energy. 

Many people think that they key to losing weight is to eat a low-fat diet. Although it is important to include the right kinds of fat in our diet, often times a low-fat diet can make us gain weight. 

Have you ever bought something at the grocery store that was labeled low-fat? If you check out the nutrition label, you'll usually see that it is loaded with sugar! Fat adds flavor to foods so when companies remove the fat from products (e.g. low-fat granola, fat-free cookies, etc), they add in extra sugar to make it taste better. Excess sugar is one of the keys to gaining weight so what we really need to be watching is the sugar content in our diets, especially if we eat the Standard American Diet with lots of packaged food. 

And, eating good fats is one of the keys to healthy weight loss because healthy fats help us feel satiated after a meal, which actually prevents over-eating.  

However, not all fats are created equal. Heavily processed, hydrogenated, and "trans" fats used in packaged foods can be extremely damaging to the body so please remove these from your diet and avoid them as much as possible. 

Some of my favorite fat sources include:

• Whole nuts and seeds, as well as their butters like almond butter and tahini. 

• Whole foods such as avocados, olives, and coconuts. (I prefer to use whole-food sources of fat, as opposed to oils, as much as possible because they still contain the nutrients in the food.)

• Oils like flaxseed, sesame, olive, walnut and pumpkin seed. These are best used raw for salad dressings.

• Coconut oil, especially for medium to high-heat cooking, as it does not break down when used at higher temperatures. 

When selecting oils, good words to look for on the label are: organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed, extra-virgin and unrefined. Words to avoid are: expeller-pressed, refined and solvent extracted. 

One of my favorite ways to include healthy sources of fat in my diet is by using a variety of nuts and seeds, adding avocado to tacos, or roasting veggies in coconut oil (this oil is my favorite). 

What are your favorite ways to include healthy fats in your diet?

Vanilla Rooibus Tea with Cacao & Mint

Since I'm hosting the savory tea giveaway from Numi this week, I thought it would be fun to talk a little bit more about tea. 

If you ever come to Seattle, one of the places that you absolutely have to visit is Remedy Teas on Capitol Hill. I am obsessed with this tea house. They carry over 150 organic loose leaf teas in the cafe, including white, green, oolong, black, rooibus, yerba, and a variety of herbal teas. If you are a tea drinker, this place is pure heaven. 

One of my favorite combinations was a seasonal holiday tea they featured several years ago that tasted like chocolate peppermint candy. Let me tell you, I bought out the store. Literally. And over the next eleven months I drank it all. 

Then the following Christmas I anxiously awaited for this seasonal tea to return, but they never brought it back. Several months ago I found myself craving this tea again and I finally decided it was time to just make my own combination. So I did.  

Rooibus is a sweet, caffeine-free tea from South Africa. I love drinking it as an afternoon treat and this combination is perfect with a little almond milk and stevia.  

I was pleasantly surprised by how cost effective it is to make my own loose leaf blend by purchasing the ingredients separately and then mixing them together. A small tin of this blend can usually run around $15, but I found that purchasing the ingredients in bulk and making this myself cut the cost to a little less than 1/3 of the price. I found the ingredients at my local health foods store, but I also provided links below to order online if your store does not have a bulk section or does not carry these items. Since vanilla beans are quite pricey, I kept mine whole and added it to the tea blend to help infuse the tea with vanilla flavor. Storing the tea in a tea tin kept the vanilla bean fresh enough that it still has plenty of flavor to reuse in future batches of tea. 

Vanilla Rooibus Tea with Cacao & Mint

Makes about 15 cups of tea

Ingredients:

1/3 cup rooibus tea

2 tablespoons cacao nibs

2 tablespoons peppermint tea

1 vanilla bean

Instructions:

Assemble the ingredients and store in a tea tin.

The general rule of thumb when brewing loose leaf tea is 1 teaspoon of tea per cup of water, but I tend to like stronger tea so I usually add 2 - 3 teaspoons per cup of water. I am by no means a tea expert, but here are some other helpful tips I typically use for brewing rooibus tea:

• Always use fresh, cold, and preferably filtered water for boiling. (This will help your tea to taste the best.)
• The recommended temperature for making rooibus tea is 205°F, which means you can usually bring the water to a rolling boil and then steep the tea right away. (Some teas are better at a lower temperature so you have to wait a few minutes after boiling.)
• For steeping the tea, I usually opt for my trusty Bodum teapot or tea filters if I am using a travel mug on-the-go. Lately I've been using a tea infuser, which allows me to steep the tea directly in my mug. For some reason this has felt easier than using a teapot, but it's all personal preference. 
• Rooibus tea should steep for 3 - 5 minutes, and then the leaves should be removed.  It's also recommended that the cup is covered during steeping, but if you use the teapot or tea infuser, this usually has a lid of its own. 
• Finally, enjoy your tea! Add some milk of your choice and your favorite sweetener (if desired) and serve hot!

Recipe shared at Wellness Weekend

A Plant-Based Easter Menu

Maybe you are vegetarian or vegan and need some inspiration for your menu.

Maybe you need some delicious options for a vegetarian or plant-based family member.

Or, perhaps you are struggling with what to serve for for someone with food allergies?

Whatever your situation is, I've got you covered. All of my recipes are free of meat, dairy, eggs, and there are plenty of gluten-free, grain-free, and soy-free options!

And, if brunch is your style, be sure to scroll to the bottom for some delicious brunch ideas!

Let's start things out with some color! How about some Creamy Carrot Soup with Fresh Basil? This sweet and mellow soup is a wonderful way to use the new carrots of spring. Not only does it come together quickly, but it reheats easily so if you're making a batch for dinner, why not make some extra and save your leftovers for lunch?

It wouldn't be spring without a fresh green salad! I like a simple mix of organic baby greens, green onions, radishes, and this simple Green Goddess Dressing. This dressing is one of my favorites because it uses avocado for its creamy base instead of heavy mayo.  I love the fresh herb taste and its bright green color!

I like the idea of keeping this menu light and simple so let's skip the complicated rolls and whip up some cornbread instead. This cornbread is absolutely delicious, but what I love even more than the taste is that I've made it over a dozen times and it's always turned out perfectly. I love having a recipe that I can count on!

And onto the main course! This Spicy Tofu and Spelt Berries is beautiful and hearty-- no carving required! Since this can be served as a cold dish it also travels well and is perfect for taking to a family dinner. The only challenge will be sharing with others!

And now for my brunch enthusiasts! I usually like to create a mix of sweet and savory options for a brunch so I love starting things off with these Zucchini and Ginger Spelt Muffins. They are sweet, but nicely balanced with the zucchini, ginger, and spelt flour. 

And continuing on the sweet theme, how about some breakfast quinoa? I love the idea of setting up a "toppings bar" for guests and letting them add their own milk, dried or fresh fruit, nuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg. What toppings would you choose?

I tend to be more of a savory breakfast person myself so I always make sure there is a hearty option in the mix. Enter this Yam and White Bean Hash. This hash starts with a base of crispy yams and potatoes, sautéed greens, white beans, and lots of flavor from onions, garlic, and a variety of spices.  It's loaded with fiber and packs a whopping 26 grams of protein per serving! Now there's a way to start your day!

Let's not forget the beverages! Skip the mimosas and opt for this Blood Orange Spritzer. This sweet, fizzy spritzer tastes spectacular and helps to ease stress, PMS symptoms, bloating, constipation, headaches, insomnia, and fatigue. That's one powerful drink!

What are your favorite vegetarian, vegan, and plant-based dishes for Easter?

Top 7 Healthy Traveling Tips

Last week I traveled to Washington DC for work and I thought it would be fun to share some of my best tips for traveling healthfully. Eating healthy and feeling energized while traveling can be particularly challenging, especially if you have special dietary needs or preferences. Since I was traveling for business, I wasn't able to have as much flexibility and control over my schedule as if I were traveling on vacation, so I definitely picked up some techniques along the way that made it easier to eat healthy and feel my best on-the-go.

Tip #1: Do your research before you go
The internet is your friend and it will help you to explore the city you are visiting before you embark on your trip. I always find this especially important if you eat a plant-based diet like I do because it helps you to know how veg-friendly the city is and you can prepare by packing extra snacks if needed. I always look for:

• The closest natural foods or health foods store. (In a pinch, a regular grocery store will also do!)
• A nearby juice bar (if possible)
• Nearby Asian, Thai, Indian, and (healthy) Mexican restaurants. (These restaurants are usually my best bet for finding plant-based protein sources and fresh veggies in an unfamiliar city. Plus, they are also a great option if you are traveling with others that eat meat as they will have options available too.)

If you know that you are traveling to a city that isn't veg-friendly or doesn't have any options for dining healthfully, the next few steps are really important because they will help you to be prepared and make the best choices on the trip.

Tip #2: Pack your snacks

Nothing is worse than traveling hungry. I always make sure I have a variety of healthy snack options with me to prevent blood sugar crashes. Some of my favorites include:

• Nuts (preferably unsalted) or seeds
• Crackers 
• Nut butters (I really love these individual Justin's almond butter packets because they don't have to be refrigerated for traveling and are easy to use on-the-go.)
• Dried fruit
• Larabars (Cashew Cookie is my favorite!)
• Herbal (or decaf) teas

Other items to pack:

• A small bottle of extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar (helpful for salad bars with limited dressing options)
• A can-opener (helpful if you plan to purchase canned beans, see below)

Some snack options from my recent trip: crackers & celery w/ dip, a fresh green juice from a juice bar, and getting a side of beans from Chipotle.

Tip #3: Pick-up some fresh snacks and basic ingredients when you arrive

One of the reasons why I research a health foods or grocery store before I go is because then it's easy to pick-up some fresh snacks when I arrive. Even if you don't have a refrigerator in your room, you can easily make an ice bath in your sink to keep these items cold overnight or for a few days (just replenish the ice as needed.) Some of my favorites include:

• Whole carrots, cucumbers, celery sticks
• Fresh guacamole or an avocado
• Hummus
• Fresh fruit
• Mixed greens
• Canned beans 

I love these options because they can easily double as meals if I need them too. I will often pair my flax crackers with hummus and veggies to make a light lunch or combine mixed greens with veggies, canned beans and the olive oil and vinegar that I packed to make a large salad for dinner. If you are planning to dine out or have lots of restaurant options, you might not need to be this resourceful.

Tip #4: Drink water and stay hydrated

One of the worst things about traveling is how dehydrated I feel during and after a flight. Carrying a water bottle and drinking lots of water ensures that I will stay hydrated and energized throughout my day. I also try to drink at least a cup of water for every hour that I am flying, as well as increasing water intake on the days before and after flying.

Some salad variations from my recent trip: a Mediterranean salad at a food court with a side of beans, a fancy quinoa salad at a bar, a house salad at Chile's, and the salad bar at Whole Foods. 

Tip #5: Eat smart when dining out
From small airports to big cities, I have experienced a variety of challenges during my travels over the last few years since going plant-based. Dining out is always easier if you are going to a restaurant that is veg-friendly or at the least has lots of healthy options, however, when that's not possible here is what usually works for me:

• Start with a large salad. Every restaurant should have some type of salad and you can usually get it without cheese, croutons, and mayo-based dressing. This is helpful if you don't have a lot of options for fresh food wherever you are dining. 
• Pair together a variety of sides to create a meal. Restaurants are usually able to give you a side of black beans (double check they are vegetarian), steamed broccoli, and rice. In a pinch, this can be a lifesaver. I also like to order a side of beans and put them on top of a salad to bulk it up a bit. 
• Ask what accommodations they can make. Some restaurants are more flexible than others, but often times they can remove cheese on items or make dishes vegetarian/vegan if you need them to be. A polite request can go a long way. 

Tip #6: Supplement as needed

This last trip I used a few supplements that were immensely helpful for traveling and I will definitely be using these on future trips. My favorites were:

• Natural Calm Anti-Stress Drink packets. I've talked about the importance of magnesium supplements in another post and I found these individual packets were great for traveling and helping to reduce stress and fatigue during the trip. 
• Airborne Immune Support on-the-go packets. Traveling can be stressful at times and I hate arriving home with a cold. I've had great results using Airborne while traveling in the past and I loved these packets because they were convient to mix with water during the flight.
• JetZone Jet Lag Prevention. This trip was my first time trying this supplement and I was a little skeptical of it as first, but I decided to try it because of the time difference between the East and West coast. I was already immensely sleep deprived leading up to the trip so I wasn't sure if it helped that much on the way there, but I definitely noticed it on the way back. My trip back included thirteen hours of a subway ride, a train ride, working, a layover, and two long flights. By the end of it I was exhausted, but I had a wonderful night of sleep when I returned and woke up incredibly refreshed the next morning. I know there is no way I would have felt this good without this. If you are traveling between time zones, I would definitely recommend trying it. 

Tip #7: Respect your body
Traveling is physically and mentally exhausting and it's important to take care of your body. This includes:

• Getting extra sleep as needed.
• Moving your body. This might be walking around the city, using a hotel gym, or doing some yoga poses in your room. I always pack my resistance bands so I can do some basic resistance exercises (e.g. arm curls, side leg lifts, etc) in a small space if I don't have other options for exercise during the trip. This really helps with jetlag, overall fatigue, and feeling energized during the trip. 
• Avoiding salt, sugar, and caffeine as much as possible. Even though I work to avoid these things in general, I have found that minimizing salt, sugar, and caffeine while traveling is especially helpful for keeping my energy level up and preventing mood swings. 

What are your best tips for traveling healthfully? Leave me a comment below and let me know!

9 Green Drinks for St. Patrick's Day!

I know that St. Patrick's Day isn't typically associated with green smoothies and juices, but I think maybe it's time we changed the tradition. If you are one of those people heading out to a weekend celebration with corned beef, Irish bread, cabbage, potatoes, or beer, I hope that you'll down one of these green drinks before embarking on the festivities. I promise your body will thank you later!

1. Mojito Juice
A juice packed with fresh enzymes that resembles a fancy cocktail? I'm in! This combination of cucumber, celery, mint, kale, and lemon will leave your tastebuds begging for more!

2. Green Smoothie 101
Green smoothie newbie? Perfect, you've come to the right place! This video tutorial will get you blending up smoothies correctly so your drink ends up healthy and enjoyable!

3. Green Lemonade
This fresh juice combo resembles my favorite childhood drink and is loaded with nutrients! The lemons help cut the "green" taste so this drink is perfect for those new to juicing.

4. Energizing Green Smoothie
If you are trying to replace your morning cup of joe with something healthier or just need a quick, filling breakfast on-the-go, this smoothie is your new best friend. It's perfect for boosting energy, detoxing, and helping you recover from a workout.

5. Bok Choy Green Juice
This juice is simple and refreshing. I love that it only contains two ingredients and makes me feel amazing anytime I drink it.

6. Kale Smoothie For Kids
No green smoothie round-up would be complete without this one! This smoothie is perfect for transforming "picky-eaters" -- adults included.

7. Kale Smoothie For Ladies
This green smoothie naturally boosts energy (without caffeine!), balances hormones, alleviates cramps, helps stabilize blood sugar, and tastes like chocolate. Enough said.

8. Kale Smoothie With Pear and Herbs
This smoothie is one of my favorites in fall when fresh pears are first available at the market, but I love its refreshing quality in spring. The herbs add a beautiful zest that makes me feel like winter is finally over!

9. Mean Green Juice
Don't be intimidated by its name - this juice is incredibly friendly! This post also has a great video to help you get started with the basics of juicing. Drink up!

I hope you enjoyed this green drink round-up! Have a healthy weekend!

Cheers,
Sonnet


Psst, if you enjoyed this, be sure to share it with your friends!

Black-Eyed Pea & Collard Greens Soup

This month For The Love of Food had its third-year anniversary. Three years ago I sat in my dark kitchen photographing roasted vegetables under a stove light (with a point-and-shoot!) for a grad school project. Thankfully things have changed a lot over the years.

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how grateful I am to this incredible blog community created by each and every one of YOU. Thank you for your encouragement, your wisdom, and for learning together these past three years.

Thank you for putting up with way too many cat stories. Thank you for laughing at my jokes and listening to my constant ramblings about how delicious vegetables are. Seriously... 'cause everyone else in my life is sick of it by now.

And for my gratitude, I give you a simple black-eyed pea and collard greens soup.

This soup is fabulous for late winter and early spring because it feels warming and satisfying without being a heavy winter stew. I love it served with a simple green salad (preferably topped with green goddess salad dressing) to round out the meal.

Black-Eyed Pea and Collard Greens Soup
Adapted from Clean Food by Terry Walters
Serves 6

Ingredients: 
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, cut into rounds
3 red potatoes, chopped
1 yam, chopped
1 bunch collard greens, stems removed
3 cups cooked black-eyed peas
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Directions:
Add the olive oil to a pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about five minutes.  Add the carrots, potatoes, yam, collards, black-eyed peas, basil, oregano, and vegetable stock.  Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat and simmer 20 - 25 minutes.

Stir in the apple cider vinegar and and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat and serve.

Recipe shared at Wellness Weekend

Kale Smoothie for Ladies

I'm not going to lie... sometimes it's hard to be a lady. Sometimes there are days when mood swings get the best of you and you become an emotional mess. An emotional mess for absolutely no reason except that, well, you're a lady.

On days like this it's best to stay away from your kitchen. On days like this don't attempt to create a new veggie burger recipe; chances are very high that the recipe that worked so well in your mind won't work out in reality. And then it's just awkward when your male roommate walks in on you crying on the kitchen floor. Not that this has happened to me or anything...

If you do decide to venture into your kitchen, I advise you keep it simple. Throw some frozen bananas into a blender and blend it up with some kale. Toss in some maca powder to correct those hormonal imbalances and add some raw cacao powder for good measure -- unless, you don't like chocolate? And then be sure to enjoy this soothing, fiber-filled smoothie curled up in a snuggie while watching your favorite romantic comedy.

This smoothie starts with kale for a boost of nutrients and fiber to help keep blood sugar stable. Next, we'll add some almonds for healthy fats that make this smoothie filling so it can be used for breakfast or a hearty snack.

Maca powder comes from the maca root, which has been used by the Peruvian population for centuries.  It is one of my favorite supplements because it helps support the body's endocrine system to naturally balance hormones. Maca provides a nice energy boost (without caffeine) and can help with chronic fatigue and low libido. It's a wonderful supplement to use at any time, but I find it especially helpful as a natural PMS remedy. Maca is the perfect addition to this smoothie because it adds a sweet, malty taste without any added sugars!

Ginger is fabulous for aiding the digestive system as well as providing relief from nausea and cramps (which most of us ladies are pretty familiar with). Fresh ginger can easily overpower the smoothie so I recommend starting with a small piece (about 1/2-inch) if you are not used to the taste of ginger.

And, of course, we can't make a kale smoothie for ladies without chocolate! Raw cacao powder gives our smoothie a delicious chocolate kick while also adding important antioxidants and minerals (like magnesium and iron) that are especially beneficial for women's health. You won't believe a smoothie that's good for you tastes this good!

Kale Smoothie for Ladies
Serves 1

Ingredients:
3 large kale leaves
2 tablespoons almonds
1 cup almond milk
1 frozen banana
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder

2 teaspoons maca powder

1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger (optional)

stevia or alternative sweetener to taste

Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth!

Note: if you do not have a high-powered blender (I use a Vitamix 5200), I recommend blending the kale, almonds, and almond milk until smooth and then adding the fruit and supplements.

For more green smoothie tips, be sure to check out my Green Smoothie 101 video.

Spicy Kimchi Soup

I like to make myself promises when I move. Promises like: Hey Sonnet, if you take this box of beads with you, you'd better make some earrings soon. Or, if you pack this book, you better promise to read it. Truth be told, that book is still unread and that box of beads is still taped shut from my last move, but I'm taking it with me anyways. 

But, I made myself a big promise when I moved a few months ago. I had a giant jar of homemade kimchi in my fridge and I told myself that I would eat it all before my next move - or else! Since my next move came up a little sooner than expected and I hadn't quite worked through that jar of kimchi yet I found myself in a panic this week. What could I possibly do with three pounds of kimchi? 

The solution... make soup of course! Making this soup was an experiment and I knew it could go one of two ways: it would either be a great success or a total failure. Lucky for both of us it turned out to be a success and is now one of my favorite soups of all time.

Kimchi is an incredible fermented food that is filled with healthy, gut-loving bacteria (you can read more about the benefits in my homemade kimchi post). Heat kills the healthy probiotics so it's important not to cook the kimchi directly. Instead, add the kimchi to the soup just prior to serving.
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Since kimchi flavors and spices vary depending the recipe, I had a hard time writing a specific amount into this recipe. I recommend starting with a small amount of kimchi and adding more as desired. Since I was trying to use up my kimchi, I actually added 4 cups to my batch of soup, but I think most people would find 1 - 2 cups of kimchi to be flavorful enough.

If you are storing the soup for leftovers, add the kimchi to the individual bowls prior to serving instead of to the entire pot (to prevent the probiotics from being killed during the reheating process). Depending on the spiciness and flavor of your kimchi, this will alter the taste of the final soup so be sure to wait until the kimchi has been added before adding any gochugaru, or red pepper flakes.

Spicy Kimchi Soup
Serves 6 - 8

8 cups vegetable stock
1 med yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
3 medium carrots, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 cup broccoli florets, chopped
1 block organic extra-firm tofu, cubed
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1 - 2 cups kimchi (or more if desired)
gochugaru or red pepper flakes to taste, if desired (see note above)
sliced green onions or fresh herbs for garnish

Add vegetable stock to a large pot along with onions, garlic, ginger, carrots and celery. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, until carrots are slightly tender, then add the broccoli, tofu, mushrooms, and bell pepper, and continue simmering about 5 - 10 minutes, until all vegetables are tender.

Remove from heat and stir in kimchi. If additional spiciness is desired, add gochugaru or red pepper flakes to taste. Garnish with green onions or fresh herbs and serve.

Recipe shared over at Wellness Weekend

Roasted Vegetables with Lentils

If we were sitting down for lunch together I’d tell you about how I’m a little stressed out this week. I’d confess that by 9 am I already had two cups of green tea when I probably should have had chamomile. At least I started my day with a green juice, right?

If we were sitting down for lunch together I’d tell you about how I’m in the middle of moving… again.  Even though we just moved a few months ago, we got this great opportunity to take over my partner’s brother’s house because he and his wife are moving out of the country. So, in the last two and a half weeks, we broke the news to our landlord and found someone to take over our apartment lease.  The only catch is that the person taking over our lease needed to move in right away so that means we are moving this week. Moving into a house where myself, my partner, her brother, and his wife will be living together for the next month and a half until they move out of the country. Let’s hope they like green smoothies and cats.

If we were sitting down for lunch together I’d take a deep breath, tell you how good it is to see you, and then serve you some roasted vegetables with lentils. After all, it's always good to see you. And I'm really excited for lunch. 

This is such a simple and easy dish to prepare that you can even make it during the week you're moving. (No joke!) Just grab any leftover produce from the fridge, chop it up, and roast it off on a sheet pan while you boil some lentils. No stress and lots of tasty nutrition!

My favorite part of this is the roasted red onions. Roasting them brings out their intense sweetness, which is a winning combination with the acorn squash. Since the skin of acorn squash is really tough, I recommend roasting the squash with the skin on, but scooping out the flesh when eating. And if you wanted to make this a heartier meal, this can be served over a bed of quinoa or made into a hearty salad over a bed of greens.

Roasted Vegetables with Lentils
Adapted from Whole Living
Serves 4

1 tablespoons coconut oil
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
1 small acorn squash, halved, seeds removed, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup dried French green lentils, rinsed
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly-ground black pepper and sea salt to taste
Fresh herbs, if desired

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss vegetables with coconut oil and arrange on baking sheet in single layer. Roast, turning once, until vegetables are caramelized and tender, about 25 - 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place lentils and vegetable stock in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, about 25 minutes.

Combine olive oil, vinegar, and mustard. Toss lentils with vinaigrette and serve over roasted vegetables. Season with freshly-ground black pepper and sea salt and garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

Love Your Liver Juice & SPUD Juicing Program

I'm really excited to share something fun with you today.  I was recently contacted by SPUD (Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery) and asked if I would be willing to try out their new juicing produce boxes and share them with you. An excuse to juice more fresh, local produce? Of course I was up for the challenge!

I've seen SPUD's delivery trucks around Seattle, but didn't know too much about their company until recently. The more I learn about them, the more I love their mission. SPUD was founded in 1997 as a sustainable way to directly connect local farmers with customers. 100% of their produce is either certified organic or locally and sustainable produced and over 50% of their products are sourced locally.

One of the things I love most about SPUD is that it's incredibly convenient to order produce online and since the deliveries are consolidated into specific routes, one of their vans leaves with their warehouse with over 100 orders, reducing both pollution and traffic. Pretty cool, huh? SPUD currently serves 6 urban areas in North America: Seattle and the Eastern Puget Sound, the San Francisco Bay area, Los Angeles and Orange County, Vancouver, Victoria and Vancouver Island to Nanaimo, and Calgary (see their full delivery map here).

SPUD recently started a new Juicing at Home program and now offers Organic Juicing Boxes for people who are looking to boost their health by juicing and want a convenient way to save time and money. They have five different produce boxes to choose from and, if you need a juicer, you can even purchase one through their weekly payment program and start using it right away. (I love this idea!)

I was really excited to try out SPUD because it's hard to get local produce here in Seattle during the winter and a lot of produce in the grocery store just isn't as fresh as I'd like it to be. I couldn't wait to check out my box when it arrived! (Although Inspector Kitty beat me to it!)

I opted to try out the Organic Dynamic Beauty Juicing Box, which includes apples, beets, carrots, celery, chard, cilantro, cucumber, ginger, kale, lemons, green bell peppers, and spearmint. I honestly haven't seen local chard and mint this beautiful since summer! All of the produce arrived colorful, crisp, and fresh. I couldn't wait to get juicing!

SPUD even let me test out the Hurom Slow Juicer, which is one of the juicers they offer in their juicing program. I've always heard such wonderful things about this slow juicer so I was really excited to try it out for myself!

I have to say that one of the things I loved most about SPUD's organic juicing boxes is that is is so convenient compared to grocery shopping! I work downtown so I usually end up shopping at the Whole Foods nearby my office and then carting home groceries on the bus. This isn't always easy since juicing tends to use up a lot of produce! I love that this box of beautiful, fresh local produce was delivered right to me - and all I had to do was complete a simple online order!

Having all this beautiful produce already at home has also made it incredibly easy to indulge myself in daily juices and I feel great knowing that I'm taking the time to do something really important for my health on a daily basis. 

SPUD also has two juicing promotions going on for the month of January so if you've been looking for an affordable way to start juicing, this is your chance!

1. If you sign up to buy a juicer (with weekly installment payments) and 6 months of juicing boxes, you'll receive a $140 SPUD gift certificate! (This is a great option if you're looking to do a long-term juicing program for yourself.)
2. Or, if you do a one-time payment on a juicer, you'll get 4 weeks of organic produce free ($140 value)!

The first juice I made was a liver detoxification juice, based on a recipe included in my produce box. This juice promotes the flow of bile and fat to and from the liver. The liver is the most important organ for metabolism and detoxification so if you are looking to lose weight and clean up your system, this juice is for you!

Love Your Liver Juice
Makes one 8 - 12 oz juice

2 medium beets
1-inch piece fresh ginger
1 lemon, peeled
small handful cilantro
1 chard leaf
1/2 red apple (optional)

Recipe shared over at Wellness Weekend, Healthy Vegan Fridays Gluten Free Fridays, and Whole Food Fridays