#Time for our LEMON&DILL CASHEW CHEESE

[fitnesstale]

Mediterranean Diet: Meal Plan & Beginner’s Guide

The Mediterranean diet is a renowned diet that can protect you from heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. This diet promotes eating more vegetables, fruits, pulses, whole grains, and olive oil (healthy fat), some fish, and less meat. Research reveals that the Mediterranean diet is abundant in antioxidants and flavonoids, which are associated with longevity.

How The Mediterranean Diet Works

Our lifestyles have played a significant role in the rise of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and other lifestyle-related diseases. Researchers have found that the Mediterranean diet can support long-term weight loss, help control blood pressure, and reduce blood lipid levels.

This Mediterranean diet encourages you to eat more natural and wholesome foods. Fruits, veggies, and whole grains are rich sources of dietary fiber and help regulate blood glucose levels, lower LDL cholesterol, and improve digestion. You will eat lean protein and a minimum amount of red meat, which makes this diet greatly heart-friendly. Yogurt and cheese are good sources of calcium, good gut bacteria, and protein. Legumes are high in protein and dietary fiber. Nuts are packed with protein and healthy fats that prevent inflammation-induced weight gain.

You will need to drop all kinds of processed and artificial foods that are high in sodium, sugar, and trans fats. And most importantly, this diet highlights the importance of having lunch or dinner with family or friends, as they do in Mediterranean culture, which helps reduce stress and depression. Here’s the image of the Mediterranean diet pyramid that shows what and how much you are assumed to eat.

Mediterranean Diet Basic Guidelines

Eat plant-based food like vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and whole grains.

Eat fish and poultry twice every week.

Eat red meat 2-3 times a month.

Use herbs and spices to make your food flavorful and tasty.

Use olive oil instead of vegetable oil, butter, lard, margarine, etc.

Avoid consuming processed food.

Consume limited salt and sugar.

Indulge in a sweet treat once a week.

Drink wine in moderation.

Enjoy your meal with family or friends.

Drink adequate amount of water (3-4 liters) per day.

Exercise regularly.

Mediterranean Diet Plan

Mediterranean Diet Foods To Eat

Veggies – Tomato,broccoli, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, spinach, swiss chard,asparagus, zucchini, bell pepper, bok choy, green chili, pumpkin, bottle gourd, snake gourd, bitter gourd, okra, eggplant, radish, turnip, beetroot, carrot, sweet potato, potato with peel, radish greens, rocket spinach, collard greens, and green beans. Fruits – Papaya, apple, grapes, grapefruit, lime, lemon, orange, plum, pear, peach, pluot, figs, blueberry, strawberry, starfruit, green apple, watermelon, and muskmelon. Fats & Oils – Olive oil, rice bran oil, and ghee (clarified butter). Seeds & Nuts – Macadamia nuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and hazelnuts. Beverages – Coconut water, freshly pressed fruit juice and vegetable juice, buttermilk, green tea, herbal tea, and black coffee. Herbs & Spices – Cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, nutmeg, black pepper, star anise, cayenne pepper, cumin powder, coriander powder, cilantro, oregano, dill, fenugreek seeds, rosemary, thyme, clove, saffron, fennel seeds, and fenugreek seeds.

Mediterranean Diet Foods To Avoid

Veggies – Potato without the peel. Fruits – Mango and jackfruit. Fats & Oils – Animal fat, butter, mayonnaise, ranch, canola oil, and vegetable oil. Seeds & Nuts – Cashew nuts. Junk Food – Deep fried chicken, wafers, crisps, doughnut, nachos, salami, sausage, pepperoni, fries, pizza, burger, etc. Beverages – Aerated drinks, artificially sweetened drinks, packaged fruit juices, and alcohol.

Mediterranean Diet Exercise Routine

When it comes to being healthy, nutrition plays a significant role, and so does exercising. You need to exercise constantly to keep your muscles and cells active, strengthen your body, keep your metabolism going, build resistance to diseases, and to become fit. Here’s a sample workout plan.

Head tilt – 1 set of 10 reps

Neck rotations – 1 set of 10 reps

Shoulder rotations – 1 set of 10 reps

Arm circles – 1 set of 10 reps

Wrist rotations – 1 set of 10 reps

Waist rotations – 1 set of 10 reps

Ankle rotation – 1 set of 10 reps

Spot jogging – 3-5 minutes

Jumping jacks – 2 sets of 20 reps

Side Lunges – 1 set of 15 reps

Russian twist – 2 sets of 20 reps

Tricep dips – 2 sets of 5 reps

Bicep curls (5 lb weights) – 2 sets of 10 reps

Crunches- 2 sets of 10 reps

Lying leg circles – 1 set of 10 reps

Horizontal kicks – 1 set of 10 reps

Push-ups – 2 sets of 10 reps

Forward elbow plank – 20-second hold

Side plank – 20-second hold

Stretch

Mediterranean Diet Benefits

Following the Mediterranean diet can help prevent and protect from coronary heart disease.

This diet aids weight loss.

Reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s.

This diet may help fight cancer.

Following the Mediterranean diet helps reduce inflammation and protects from metabolic syndrome.

Helps improve cognitive function.

Helps to stay relaxed and stress-free.

Helps protect against low-grade inflammatory diseases.

Following the Mediterranean diet can help increase your lifespan.

Mediterranean Diet Side Effects

Though there are no severe side effects of this diet, if you are not used to eating much plant-based food, you might find this diet a bit difficult initially. However, once you get used to it, it will become a part of your lifestyle and it will not bother you anymore.

Bottomline

The Mediterranean diet is surely the best diet to follow if you want to enhance your health and lead a disease-free life. This diet is not a fad diet, and you have the freedom to eat anything as long as it is nutritious and unprocessed. So, discuss with your dietician today and try the Mediterranean diet to see yourself transform! Take care.

[bunlai]

Here’s our newest menu that goes live tomorrow!

This menu is a culmination of decades of hard work—that I couldn’t have done without your support—that are real and tasty solutions to the problems that have come to define our times.

The menu ordering platform won’t be done for ten days so text me on my cell and I’ll make it happen. Text me with any of your questions too: 310 720 0709

This is my love letter to you, my friends, and all the other people and living things we share the planet with. Thank you!

MIYA’S SUMMER 2020 MENU

WELCOME TO MIYA’S!

Today, in a world where our cruelty

to our fellow human and to other living things has given rise to a pandemic, living and eating in a way that helps heal our suffering planet is the most important thing we can do with our lives; and, it just so happens that doing it all a better way—which takes hard work, sacrifice, commitment, and openness to change—makes life so much more fulfilling and delicious! I’m confident you’ll taste the difference in everything we create for you in our humble little kitchen

In the year 2150, people will be eating in a way that is healthier not only for their bodies but also for our whole planet. People will be eating fewer animals, since they will have learned that a plant-based diet is the healthiest way to eat; and they will hunt and farm animals in a way that is more humane. At Miya's, you will experience a kinder and more caring future, where sushi has evolved to become a way of eating that honors and celebrates all life on Earth

Chef Bun

SUMMER HOURS 2020

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday

4 to 9pm

If you know someone who is hungry, lonely, or sad that could use a nourishing meal to cheer them up, let me know, and it will be on the house

Chef Bun

OUTDOOR SEATING

In the interest of protecting public health, our outdoor dining is available by reservation only, with orders placed a day in advance. Each table is intended for people who live together. For people who want to get together—but don’t live together—we can arrange tables in a socially-distanced but still fun and engaging kind of way. Food and beverages will be served in compostable take-out containers—picnic-style. Tables will be positioned 6 feet apart. During rainy days, we will have seats available beneath our awning, which are our orchestra-level seats

Please make reservations through our ordering platform at miyassushi.com; and feel free to text me if you have any questions: 310 - 720 - 0709

MIYA’S SUMMER 2020 MENU

Please help us keep our food waste and operational costs lower by ordering a day in advance. If you forget to, we won’t hold it against ya

GREENS, BEANS, WEEDS & BUGS

EDAMAME

Steamed organic soybeans

4.5

SALAD DAYS

Organic leafy greens and watercress in a wild ramp ginger sesame carrot dressing

Small 5

Large 8

BUZZIN’ BACON

Like a cross between bacon bits and roasted nuts. Made from super-nutritious black soldier fly larvae raised on Miya’s leftovers.

Add to your soup, salad, or sashimi

3

CHIRPIN’ CHICHARRÓN

Wild grasshoppers, roasted and seasoned with spices and citrus.

Add to your soup, salad, or sashimi

3

MOM’S POTATO SALAD

The best in the world

8

CHILLED TOFU SALAD

Organic tofu (made locally at The Bridge) with a ginger and green onion soy dressing

8

CANNONBALL SALAD

Georgia cannonball jellyfish seasoned with a sesame vinaigrette

8

Due to climate change and ocean oxygenation, jellyfish—a low calorie, protein and collagen-rich food—are poised to take over; so we should learn to enjoy this food that used to be the food of royalty in China for millennia. Jellyfish has one of the most incredible textures of any food

SEAWEED SALAD

Roasted sesame-seasoned wakame and ogonori. Served with quick-pickled cucumbers

10

This ain’t the highly processed, sugary, day glow-green seaweed they fed ya. Only real seaweed, a treasure trove of micronutrients, flavors, and textures

FROM THE STOVE

RICE

Multigrain

1.75

AGEDASHI

Organic tofu (made locally at The Bridge) in a kelp shiitake broth

8

TOKYO FRO

Crispy potato curls with a spicy tomato aioli sauce

10

KARMA VIRTUE CHICKENOTS

A box of chicken-less Southern fried chicken—made from spore-bearing wild toadstools/farmed oyster mushrooms

Small 8

Large 14

UDON

Plump wheat udon noodles with kelp shiitake broth

Just noodles and broth 8

With tempura veggies 12

RAMEN

Wheat noodles in our spicy home-grown Szechuan pepper miso broth

Just noodles and broth 8

With sautéed veggies 12

THE HEALTHIEST NOODLES EVER

High-fiber, zero-calorie, slippery and jiggly konyaku noodles in our spicy homegrown Szechuan pepper miso broth

Just noodles and broth 8

With sautéed veggies 12

SUMMER SOBA

A big bowl of chilled buckwheat noodles topped with shredded cucumber, carrots, daikon, red cabbage kraut, green onions, avocado, seaweed salad, and tofu. Your choice of roasted sesame sauce or chilled ginger broth

14

FROM THE SUSHI BAR

PLANT-BASED SUSHI

Health-optimized recipes for herbivores featuring seasonal vegetables, edible weeds, nuts, and whole grains

UMEBOSHI ONIGIRI

Ancient Japanese recipe of pickle plum stuffed rice ball

3.25

KISS THE SMILING PIG

Sweet potato, mango chutney, sunflower seeds

8

CHINESE SUPERHERO

Broccoli and salt-cured Chinese jumping beans

8

KILLER SQUID

Rhode Island-style spicy calamari-fried-udon-noodles

Tastes just like fried squid!

10

HOT-HEADED COWGIRL

Coconut, cashew cheese, apricots, and Japanese pickles

13

SUSHI SALAAM

Roasted eggplant—a native species—combined with invasive butterbur and a medley of vegetables

13

Through arts, literature, science, and religion, the cultures of the Middle East have been profoundly influential worldwide. Rumi, the 13th-Century Persian poet, who no doubt dined on Ghormeh Sabze, wrote some of the greatest love poems of all time. Our recipe, Sushi Salaam, incorporates tastes and aromas that would have colored Rumi’s world over 700 years ago.

As-salāmu alaykum translates to “peace be upon you” in Farsi and Arabic. This recipe was created in the hope that one day we will live in a world without violence and retribution

GINGER EGGPLANT TERIYAKI MAKI

Eggplant and a medley of vegetables with ginger teriyaki sauce

13

HOWE STREET BLOCK PARTY

Baked invasive garlic mustard falafel, eggplant, and miso tahini

13

SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD SUSHI ROLLS

ASHKENAZI ONIGIRI

Ancient Lost Tribe of Japan’s recipe of Great Lakes smoked whitefish stuffed into a rice ball

3.25

CATCH OF THE DAY

A surprise of something fishy!

8

BAD-TEMPERED GEISHA BOY

Fried New Zealand green-lipped mussels

8

SILVER CARP

Kentucky invasive Asian carp seasoned with Thai pepper, sesame, and flying fish caviar

10

KRAKEN

Fried Rhode Island squid

10

THE BEST SCALLOP ROLL EVER

Massachusetts deep-sea scallops, flying fish roe, avocado, Korean chili

15

BAGELS & LOX

Bristol bay sockeye salmon, plant-based cream cheese, green onions

15

CHESAPEAKE SOFT-SHELLED CRAB

One whole fried Maryland soft-shelled crab, Old Bay seasoned and served with a side of tartar sauce

18

THE BEST LOBSTER ROLL EVER

A grain-free roll of steamed Maine lobster, cucumber, fresh dill, wrapped in fresh daikon radish

30

PLANT-BASED SUSHI MEDLEY

Health-optimized recipes for herbivores featuring seasonal vegetables, edible weeds, nuts, and whole grains

Light meal: 12 pieces, 3 varieties 12

Big: 20 pieces, 6 varieties 20

SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD SUSHI MEDLEY

Ocean-friendly, health-optimized recipes featuring Kentucky invasive carp, Massachusetts scallop, Rhode Island squid, Maine lobster, New Zealand mussels, and the catch of the day.

Light meal: 12 pieces, 3 varieties 15

Big: 20 pieces, 6 varieties 25

SASHIMI

HAPPY FISH SASHIMINOT

Fish-free, vegan and organic soybean sashimi

8

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO CARP

Kentucky silver carp served with a spicy citrus and wild onion soy sauce

14

DESSERTS

DREAMCATCHER MOCHI

Mugwort mochi stuffed with sweet azuki bean

2.25 each

GOOD SPIRTS

FLAMING COCK

Set the patriarchy ablaze with Chef Bun’s Flaming Cock, a spicy sake-based elixir made from a proprietary combination of ingredients grown and foraged on Miya’s Farm. Every sip of Flaming Cock ignites your inner desire to make the world a better place and sponsors the work of people who fight for social and ecological justice. Pour some Flaming Cock out onto the ashes of the old world, and raise a glass to those building it anew!

Bottle 17.5

FARMHOUSE RED or WHITE WINE

An organic Sonoma Valley wine that goes perfectly with our sushi

Bottle 18.5

GINGA NINJA BEER

Black Hog Brewery’s gingery IPA that goes fabulously with our cuisine

Can 2.25

BEVERAGES

PINK KNOTWEED LEMONADE

Invasive knotweed, fresh lemons, and stevia

Pint 5

SASSAFRAS

Wild sassafras root, soda water, and stevia

Pint 5

[hellyear86-blog]

Fancy as F&*( at Mary's Pizzeria, Chippendale

The Mary's burgers crew have turned their hand to pizza at the Landsdowne Hotel in Chippendale. It's a profanity laden pizza menu featuring Detroit and regular pizzas with names like "Spicy f^%$er" and "Smokey F^%$er" and people can also book a "Fancy As F^%$" table in the intimate graffitied and oddly romantic dining room. Have you ever tried a Detroit style square pizza? It's F'ing delicious!

I knew exactly who I'd be bringing to Mary's Pizzeria. My fellow pizza and swearing enthusiast friends Ivy and Ryan and of course Mr NQN. The deal is here you can just rock up and eat from the pizza menu at The Landsdowne pub.

But you can also book a table in the tiny dining room that seats around 16 people. The advantage is that you can then order some extra dishes like pastas and sides along with your pizzas.

The dining room has flowers on the tables and candles as well as a wall of pictures of peaches, Jesus with the word "Vaffanculo" spray painted over it. That's Italian for "F^%$ you" or if translated literally a more graphic description of a sex act (Urban Dictionary can sort you out). It's a lucky thing that conservative guy Ryan has eschewed his familiar white collared shirt to wear a black t-shirt because the poor guy may not have felt at home here.

Yuzushu Spritz $20

Service from our waiter Mitch is super friendly and he gets the service just right. They offer complimentary sparkling or still water which is a nice surprise and we start with wine, beer and a Yuzushu spritz for me which is pretty damn perfect way to start a Saturday night.

A complimentary plate of pizza crusts and spicy cashew cream hits the table. If this is a sign of things to come then I'm very happy. The pizza crusts are chewy and light while the smoked tomato cashew cream is resoundingly spicy and so creamy that it tastes that you shouldn't be able to find it in the health food section of a health food store.

Diavola de Cavallo $4 each

We had to start with these little morsels that come out piping hot and glistening. "Just give them 30 seconds and then pop them into your mouth," they tell us. These bites start with a crunchy almond nestled inside a prune soaked in Montenegro Amaro and then wrapped in Mary's trash can bacon with Montenegro and tea glaze. They're amazingly good-all sorts of flavours and textures in one bite from the bacon to the sweet prune to the crunchy almond in the centre.

Heart and tongue carne crudo with warm Doritos $19

The heart and tongue crudo reminds me of a steak tartare served atop a layer of mascarpone. There are freshly fried warm corn chips to the side to scoop up the creamy, well seasoned heart and tongue meat.

Crab Pasta $17

The pastas are all hand cut and this is a pasta special with blue swimmer crab and a macadamia, cauliflower and lemon dill sauce. It's a very light pasta almost like a noodle rather than a linguine and it's good although I would have liked a little touch of chilli to this too.

Then comes time for the pizzas. There are two pizza style-the traditional round pizza as well as a Detroit style pizza. Let's talk Detroit style pizzas. For starters they're rectangular or square rather than round with a thicker crust and a noticeably crispy base. The history of Detroit pizza has been going since 1946 at Buddy's Rendezvous a pizza place where Gus Guerra used his wife's Sicilian pizza dough recipe. Legend has it that the reason why they're rectangular has to do with the pan and Detroit's past at a Motor City - Gus is said to have baked the pizzas in a thick rectangular blue steel industrial parts tray from a factory.

The wonderful thing about these is the texture and the cheese and toppings that goes right to the edges-there's no crust to leave behind. There is a Detroit pizza chain in Sydney and I had tried a piece which reminded me of a Pizza Hut deep pan pizza crust which honestly didn't thrill me much. But since we liked the sound of the Detroit pizza toppings and since none of us had really tried many Detroit style pizzas we decided to try two Detroit style pizzas and one round.

Spicy F^%$er $19

One might suggest that we ordered pizzas based on the names. That's only partially true-they did catch our eye with their names but all four of us adore spicy pizza and the Spicy F^%$er with 'roni cups (pepperoni y'all), fennel sausage, fresh jalapeno, red sauce and "cheezus christ" is a winner for all of us. The pizzas are a good size-as Ivy describes them they're like a "personal pizza size". The part I love is the crust-there's just enough crust to hold all that luscious filling in and it's appealingly crispy edged. I don't get much spiciness although this apparently is a roulette wheel because two pieces have spicy jalapeno slices whilst mine doesn't but the pizzas come with extra chilli oil and parmesan cheese.

Pepperoni $19

Described as a "shitload of 'roni cups", red sauce and triple cheese the simplicity of the classic pepperoni pizza appeals to me and I think this might be a strong contender for my favourite along with the spicy f^%$er. I know I keep going on about the crust but really it's just the right level of crust to filling proportions that we're talking and Ivy points out that the Detroit pizzas are more generous with toppings than the regular ones but they're not laden with filling like say a Chicago style pizza.

Cacio e Pepe pizza $20

We did order one round pizza made with a 72 hour fermented dough. Surprisingly it ends up being the spiciest of all of them. I love cacio e pepe pasta and this pizza is made with tellicherry peppers, pink, green and Sichuan peppercorns and Sicilian reggiano. It's really breaking the rules of Cacio e pepe with its simple black pepper and pecorino cheese but it's a solid pizza with an appealingly spicy bite to it.

Mushroom F^%$er $18

Although we had eaten a lot I wanted more Detroit pizza. Ryan leans in and says, "You know you can always take it away," which is a green light for me to order another pizza although nobody else wants more except for me. And that's how we ended up with the mushroom pizza with button, flat enoki and king as well as "cheese, cheese and cheese". This is another fantastic pizza that just needs a bit of a sprinkling of the parmesan cheese to raise it to perfection. And before we know it the whole damn pizza is gone and we're now looking around wondering if there's dessert.

Zuccotto

There's one dessert on the menu. It's a zuccotto or a bombe Alaska made with madeira cake filled with vanilla, coffee and chocolate ice cream and then smothered in meringue and torched.

Ryan was a bit sad that it wasn't torched at the table (he was hoping for that) but it's a nice desert that Ivy in particular likes a lot. As for me, I'm busy scanning the menu thinking of which other pizza I want to try.

So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever tried Detroit style pizza? Do you leave the crusts behind or do you eat them? And do you swear and what is your favourite swear word?

This meal was independently paid for.

2 – 6 City Rd, Chippendale NSW 2008 Open 7 days from 6pm. Fancy as F^%$ dining available from Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm (bookings recommended) thelansdownepub.com.au/food/

Source: https://www.notquitenigella.com/2019/03/18/marys-pizzeria-the-landsdowne-hotel/

[aanchallall]

12 Veg Dinner Recipes To Cook Under 60 minutes

Your daily to-do list is the length of your arm, the children despite everything aren’t sleeping and you truly can’t be bothered to spend the following hour in the kitchen. Fortunately, there’s no need! You don’t have to chase around for an energizing, simple recipe that will make the taste buds happy and still be prepared in the blink of an eye. The best vegetarian supper ideas are here, ready for your perusal. This is a list of our preferred fast, effortlessly made and vegan dinner recipes. These veg dinner recipes are warm, comforting, and extremely healthy!1. Vegan Coconut Curry -:Prep Time: 10 minutesCooking Time: 15 minutesServes: 4Ingredients:1 ½ tbsp Orient Asian Indonesian Curry Paste1 tbsp olive oil1 cup broccoli/ green beans1 spring onions1 sweet potato2 carrot½ zucchini2 sticks lemongrass1 can coconut milk1 can chickpeas1 tbsp maple syrup½ tsp salt1 lemonMethod:Grate the sweet potato and the carrots.Dice the spring onion, broccoli, and zucchini.Put the olive oil to a big skillet and fry all the veggies on a medium flame. This needs around 5-7 minutes.Next, include the Orient Asian Indonesian Curry Paste and the beaten (hit it with a substantial spoon a couple of times to let out the flavour) lemongrass.Drain and rinse the chickpeas.Mix and fry for another couple of minutes at that point include the coconut milk, chickpeas, lemon juice, maple syrup and salt. Let it stew for an additional 5 minutes.Okay, that is it. Take out the lemongrass. Present with rice and top with roasted cashews or peanuts.This is one fo those veg dinner recipes that are tasty as well as super-healthy.2. Broccoli and Cheese Baked Potato Casserole:Prep Time: 5 minutesCooking Time: 55 minutesServes: 4Ingredients:2 tbsp Orient Asian Malaysian Curry Paste5 potatoes2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oilsea salt and pepper2 ½ cups broccoli1 red bell pepper, diced1 teaspoon dried thyme2 tablespoons butter, cut in slices2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheesefresh parsley for garnishMethod:Preheat the oven to 375°F.In a casserole dish, include diced potatoes. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and hurl to cover with spoon or hands.Include broccoli and chopped red pepper, add Orient Asian Malaysian Curry Paste and sprinkle with thyme. Top with slices of butter.Bake at 375°F. for 45-55 minutes, or until potatoes are fork delicate. Tenderly mix potatoes and afterwards top with grated cheddar. Put the dish back in the oven and heat for an extra 10 minutes or until cheddar is softened.Top with fresh parsley, as desired. Serve warm!3. Vegetarian Fajita Pasta:Prep Time: 5 minutesCooking Time: 10 minutesServes: 2Ingredients:2 ½ tsp Orient Asian Mexican Sauce8 cups of Paste4 cups of Enchilada Sauce12 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped2 cup black beans, cooked2 heaping cup chopped bell pepperssalt pepper to tasteMethod:Start with frying the garlic with your preferred oil. On the off chance that you need to go for sans oil cooking, basically utilize vegetable stock. It will take 4 minutes until everything is somewhat brown and golden coloured.Next and last include the various ingredients (Enchilada sauce, Orient Asian Mexican Sauce, bell pepper) to that pot. Following 5 minutes include the cooked pasta and cook for 4 minutes more. Divide into bowls or plates, and present with avocado slices on top.This is one fo those easy vegan dinner recipes that you can cook within no time4. Spicy Black Bean Soup:Prep Time: 7 minutesCooking Time: 20 minutesServes: 2Ingredients:¼ tsp Orient Asian Red Chilli Paste1 tbsp olive oil½ onion2 cloves garlic1 bell pepper, red1 can black beans250 ml vegetable broth⅕ cup coriander, fresh1.5 tsp cumin1 tbsp balsamic vinegar½ avocadoMethod:Get a pot and include one tbsp of olive oil.Finely dice up the onion and mince the garlic. Toss both in the pot and let it stew on low flame.Meanwhile cut the bell pepper into little pieces and add them to the pot.Wash and drain the can of dark beans.Squash a couple of them with a fork or your hands to give the soup a smooth touch, at that point toss them into the pot.Add the vegetable stock to the blend.Dice the coriander and add it to the soup (reserving some for later for garnishing).Presently pimp it up with the cumin, Orient Asian Red Chilli Paste and balsamic vinegar.Let the soup stew for around 10 minutes.Meanwhile set up some avocado slices and warm up the tortillas.This is one fo those veg dinner recipes which is preferred by both adult and kids alike.5. Butternut Squash Curry:Prep Time: 10 minutesCooking Time: 40 minutesServes: 4Ingredients:2 tbsp Orient Asian Sri Lankan Curry Paste200g brown basmati rice1 tbsp olive oil1 butternut squash, chopped1 red onion, chopped300ml vegetable stock4 large tomatoes, roughly diced400g can chickpeas3 tbsp yoghurtsmall handful coriander, dicedMethod:Cook the rice in boiling salted water, according to pack directions. In the interim, heat the oil in an enormous skillet and cook the butternut squash for 2-3 mins until gently seared. Include the onion and the and fry for 3-4 mins more.Pour over the stock, at that point cover and cook for 15-20 mins, or until the squash is delicate. Include the tomatoes and chickpeas, at that point delicately cook for 3-4 mins, until the tomatoes somewhat soften.Remove from the flame and mix through the yoghurt and coriander. Present with the rice and some wholemeal chapattis if you like.This is one fo those veg dinner recipes that you’ll enjoy with comfort after a hard day at work.6. Cauliflower, Paneer and Pea Curry:Prep Time: 10 minutesCooking Time: 45 minutesServes: 4Ingredients:2 tbsp Orient Asian Indonesian Curry Paste2 tbsp sunflower oil225g pack paneer, diced1 head of cauliflower cut into small florets2 onions thickly sliced2 garlic cloves, crushed500g carton passata200g frozen peassmall pack coriander, roughly dicedMethod:Heat oil in an enormous non-stick griddle, include the paneer and fry delicately until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep it aside. Include the rest of the oil , Indonesian curry paste, and the cauliflower to the dish, and cook for 10 mins until seared. Include the onions, and somewhat more oil if necessary, and cook for a further 5 mins until mollified. Mix in the garlic and, at that point pour in the passata and 250ml water, and season. Bring to a boil, at that point cover and cook for 18-20 mins or until the cauliflower is simply delicate.Include the frozen peas and fresh paneer to the dish and cook for a further 5 mins. Mix through most of the coriander and garnish with the rest. Present with basmati rice or naan bread, raita or your preferred chutney.7. Bean and Dill Pilaf with Garlicky Yoghurt:Prep Time: 5 minutesCooking Time: 20 minutesServes: 2Ingredients:2 tsp Orient Asian Red Chilli Paste2 onions halved and thinly diced25g butter175g basmati rice20g pack dill500ml vegetable stock300g frozen mixed vegetable, broad beans, peas and green beans100g yoghurt1 tbsp milk1⁄2 garlic clove, squashedMethod:Fry the onions in the butter until golden. Include the rice and dill stalks; mix around the skillet.Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to the bubble, at that point cover and stew for 5 mins. Include the beans and a large portion of the dill. Cook 5 mins more until the fluid has been assimilated into the rice. In the interim, mix the yoghurt, milk and garlic along with the seasoning and Orient Asian Red Chilli Paste. Spoon yoghurt on the rice, at that point sprinkle with residual dill.8. Peas Pulao:Prep Time: 5 minutesCooking Time: 10 minutesServes: 4Ingredients:1 tbsp Orient Asian Red Chilli Paste200g basmati rice100g peas50g toasted flaked almondsMethod:Cook the rice according to the instructions on the pack.Drain the rice and return to the skillet, mix in the Orient Asian Red Chilli Paste and cook for 1 min over a low flame. Mix in the peas, chopped almonds and seasoning. Cook for 2-3 mins continuously and then serve.This is one fo those veg dinner recipes that you can within 15 minutes.9. Sweet Potato Curry:Prep Time: 15 minutesCooking Time: 30 minutesServes: 4Ingredients:2 tbsp Orient Asian Sri Lankan Curry Paste1 tsp cooking oil2 red onions, halved and dicedthumb-sized piece ginger, finely diced1 tsp allspice400g can chopped tomatoes200g sachet coconut milk1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves1 tbsp gluten-free vegetable bouillon3 sweet potatoes, diced325g white cabbage, roughly diced2 red peppers, diced125g brown basmati1 red onion, chopped2 garlic cloves, chopped1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves400g can black-eyed beansMethod:Heat the oil in an enormous nonstick skillet, include the onions and ginger and cook for 5 mins. Include the Orient Asian Sri Lankan Curry Paste and allspice, at that point pour in the tomatoes in addition to a container of water, the coconut milk, thyme and bouillon.Include the sweet potatoes, cabbage and peppers cover the dish and stew for 20-25 mins or until all the vegetables are delicate however with a little crunch, top up with a little water if looking dry.Then, tip the rice into a container with the onion, garlic, thyme. Pour in 600ml water, cover and cook for 25 mins or until the fluid has been consumed and the rice is delicate – check towards the ending to ensure it isn’t catching. Mix in the beans and heat through.This is one fo those veg dinner recipes which is preferred by not-so spicy food lovers.10. Spiced Vegetable Biryani:Prep Time: 10 minutesCooking Time: 50 minutesServes: 6Ingredients:3 tbsp Orient Asian Sri Lankan Curry Paste2 tbsp vegetable oil1 small cauliflower cut into small florets2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced1 large onion, diced1l hot vegetable stock1 red chilli, seeded and finely dicedlarge pinch of saffron strands2 tsp mustard seed500g basmati rice140g trimmed green bean, diced2 lemons, juice onlya handful of fresh coriander leaves50g packet salted roasted cashew nutsMethod:Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C. Empty the oil into an enormous cooking tin or ovenproof dish and put in the oven for two or three minutes to heat through. Add all the vegetables to the tin, with the exception of the beans, blending to cover them in the hot oil. Season with salt and pepper and put t back in the oven for 15 minutes until starting to brown.While the vegetables are cooking, mix together the stock, Orient Asian Sri Lankan Curry Paste, chilli, saffron and mustard seeds.Blend the rice and green beans in with the vegetables in the tin, at that point pour over the stock blend. Lower the oven to 190C/gas 5/fan 190C. Cover the dish firmly with foil and bake for 30 minutes until the rice is delicate and the fluid has been retained. Mix in the lemon juice and check the flavouring, at that point scatter over the coriander and cashew nuts.This is one of those easy and veg dinner recipes that you can cook for a quick family dinner party.11. Spicy Vegetable Chapati Wraps:Prep Time: 10 minutesCooking Time: 20 minutesServes: 2Ingredients:1 tbsp Orient Asian Malaysian Curry Paste150g sweet potato, peeled and roughly diced200g peeled tomatoes200g can chickpeas, drained½ tsp dried chilli flakes50g baby spinach leaves1 tbsp diced, fresh coriander2 plain chapatis2 tbsp yoghurtMethods:Cook the sweet potatoes in a skillet of boiling water for 10-12 minutes until delicate. In the interim, put the tomatoes, chickpeas, chilli flakes and Orient Asian Malaysian Curry Paste in another skillet and stew gently for around 5 minutes.Preheat the grill. Drain the sweet potatoes and add to the tomato blend. Mix in the spinach and cook for a moment until simply beginning to wither. Mix in the coriander, season to taste and keep warm.Sprinkle the chapatis with a little water and grill for 20-30 seconds each side. Spoon on the filling, top with yoghurt and fold down the middle to serve.This is one fo those veg dinner recipes which is preferred by both adult and kids alike.12. Hot Yellow Curry with Vegetables:Prep Time: 10 minutesCooking Time: 25 minutesServes: 4Ingredients:3 tbsp Orient Asian Indonesian Curry Paste¼ cup of water1/2 cup string beans (diced)1/2 cup broccoli florets, medium1/2 cup carrots, sliced1/2 cup eggplant (cubed)1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped2 tbsp oilMethod:Heat oil in a skillet and add the Orient Asian Indonesian Curry Paste and the water.Saute vegetables with some oil and garlic in another skillet.Include the pinch of salt and let it saute for a few minutes.Presently add the curry paste and bring to boil. Cover it and let it stew for 7-8 minutes till the vegetables cook.That brings us to the end of the list of comforting veg dinner recipes that can be made easily after a long day of work. These easy vegan dinner recipes are nutritious as they contain a lot of veggies and delicious. Not only we various recipes on our recipe page but also have different blogs related to recipes like Momos recipe with chutney, easy breakfast recipe to start your day with, curry recipes for lunch, evening snacks recipe, paneer curry recipes for panner lovers etc. Happy Cooking! They will definitely put a smile on your face and spring in your step after a long day of work. Happy Cooking!

[wellpersonsblog]

5 Oil-Free Dressings That Will Transform Any Salad

On a scale of 1 to Super Vegan, I’d say my love for salad falls somewhere in the middle. I like them, sure, but I’m not the kind of person who craves a salad for lunch every day.

And based on the feedback we hear from community members, chances are you feel the same way.

But what I’ve come to discover since going vegan is that most of my resentment towards salads stems from the fact that I grew up doing them all wrong. You know…

Tasteless iceberg lettuce,

Shaved carrots,

Unripened diced tomatoes,

And soggy croutons.

Then I’d drown it in Ranch dressing just to make it edible. (And not the good kind of Ranch we highlight below, but the uber-processed, non-vegan, high-calorie kind.)

Maybe I would have been better off without a salad at all.

But — newsflash — as it turns out, salads don’t have to look like that! I know, novel idea.

Salads can feature a variety of leafy greens, raw, roasted, or grilled veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, and just about anything else.

That is the beauty of the salad. It’s a blank canvas for just about any food you have in the refrigerator.

And when you toss it with an easy homemade vegan dressing, (like one of the recipes five below) you’re in business.

Why it Starts with the Dressing

A few years ago I wrote a post about my family’s Sauce System — how we often start with whatever sauce sounds the most appealing, and build our meals around that.

Today, I want to share a similar technique for building salads, only with healthy, homemade dressings instead of sauces.

The technique goes, if you learn a few simple dressing recipes, then you can shape nearly anything in your kitchen into a delicious salad of your choosing.

But before we get to the recipes, let’s talk about why I’m going oil free with these five staple recipes.

Oil-Free Doesn’t Mean Taste Free

Not that long ago, I would have said that all dressings either need oil or cream. A quick Google search, however, shows that’s clearly not the case.

But while I love a good vegan oil-free blog, many of them do the world a disservice by simply sharing classic vinaigrette recipes with the oil omitted. Those are probably not going to do it for you.

Instead, the five oil-free recipes below incorporate fat from nuts and seeds to give the same fatty, oily texture only in a whole-food way. This is the good kind of fat we always talk about.

And it’s nuts (not dairy products) that can make creamy recipes just as creamy and delicious as ones with animal products, only a heck of a lot more healthy.

5 Oil-Free Salad Dressing Recipes

Below you’ll find my five go-to dressing recipes, each filling a different need. Based on how my family is feeling in the moment, and what food we have available, we’ll whip up one of these, throw a salad together, and call it a meal.

But keep in mind, salads don’t always have to look like a plate of lettuce and toppings. You can combine a bunch of grated vegetables, have it focus on pasta, or simply use these dressings as dipping sauces. It’s not too far of a stretch to call that a salad.

Let’s get to the recipes!

Sid and Lisa’s Creamy Balsamic

Probably the most common salad dressing out there, and typically vegan, the balsamic is a go-to of mine at restaurants. But what if you could make a healthier (and tastier) version at home?

Health Made Simple co-creator Sid Garza-Hillman and his wife Lisa created their own oil-free version, replacing the oil with cashews to keep the fats up and add an extra creaminess.

How to Use It:

This goes well with just about any standard salad, but really pops with your traditional Italian flavors. But really, you can’t go wrong to have it on hand for whatever ends up on your salad plate.

The Recipe:

1 cup cashews (or sunflower seeds or slivered almonds)

1 1/2 cup water

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 – 3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Blend all ingredients until creamy. Add additional salt/pepper to taste.

“I Can’t Believe It’s Cashew” Ranch Dressing

Just when you thought you’d never get to enjoy ranch dressing without a bunch of a processed substitutes!

Another Sid and Lisa creation, this one will even impress your omnivore friends and leave them shaking their heads, saying, “I can’t believe it’s cashew.” Hence the clever name.

How to Use It:

I think everyone knows how to use a Ranch dressing, but I love to throw this on big salads with roasted veggies, chickpeas, and tomatoes, and toss in some pumpkin seeds for crunch.

We also use it as a dipping sauce for veggies.

The Recipe:

1 1/4 cups cashews (Optional: Pre-soak cashews for a creamier dressing

1 cup filtered water

1-2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried dill

1 tsp sea salt or, to taste

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper or, to taste

Optional: 1 tsp hot sauce

Blend all ingredients till creamy and smooth. Make sure not to blend so long that it gets hot. If too thick, add more water.

This dressing thickens in fridge, so add a little water as needed to thin before using.

Garlic Tahini

The inspiration from this one came from a trip Matt Frazier took to the Whole Foods salad bar. It was so good he had to learn how to make it at home.

Tahini has a sharp, almost bitter flavor, and is something of an acquired taste, but it’s one that many people start craving once they have it a few times. If you find the tahini flavor too strong in this dressing, you can tone it down with more water, using nutritional yeast to thicken it again.

How to Use It:

This sauce goes great with Asian-inspired ingredients, or with a super simple greens salad along side a stir-fry or Asian noodle dish.

The Recipe:

2 cloves garlic, or more to taste

1/2 cup tahini

1/4 cup water, more to thin

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp reduced-sodium tamari

Optional first step: Toss the whole garlic cloves (peeled, of course) around in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until they just barely start to color and blister. This retains the garlic flavor but tones down the intensity a little bit.

Add the garlic to a food processor blender and pulse a few times to mince. Then add the rest of the ingredients and combine until smooth. Add water until you reach a relatively thin consistency, but not so thin that it won’t stick to your salad leaves. (It’ll thicken in the fridge, but you can always add more water before you use it.)

Creamy Avocado-Lime Dressing

Avocado makes everything better, right? This dressing from the No Meat Athlete Cookbook sure thinks so.

The fats from the fruit has a creamy richness that more than makes up for missing oil. Thanks to the avocado, this dressing is creamy and rich without any added oil.

How to Use It:

We often use this recipe Mexican-inspired salads, with dark greens, corn, tomatoes, black beans, and grilled fajita veggies.

It’s also a great dressing in a massaged kale salad.

The Recipe:

1 avocado, diced

1/4 cup fresh lime or lemon juice (about 2 limes or lemons)

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup water, plus more as needed

Process all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Adjust the seasoning and add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, plus more as needed to achieve the desired consistency (up to an additional 1/4 cup). Use within 1 day.

Blueberry-Walnut Vinaigrette

Contrary to how it sounds, this dressing isn’t overly sweet. The natural bitterness of the walnuts balances well with the sweetness of the berries. It’s slightly chunky and complements bitter greens well.

How to Use It:

Add this to your bitter greens like arugula. Throw on some roasted root veggies, more walnuts, and tofu or tempeh, and crumbled some soft nut-based vegan cheese, and you have yourself a full meal.

The Recipe:

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup blueberries

1/4 cup walnut pieces

1 or 2 Tbsp water, optional

1 Tbsp minced shallot or red onion

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp sugar or maple syrup

Salt and black pepper

Puree the vinegar, blueberries, and half of the walnuts in blender until smooth, thinning it with 1 or 2 tablespoons of water if desired.

Finely chop the rest of the walnuts. Transfer to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and add the shallot, thyme, and sugar. Shake to combine and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least a few hours and up to 3 days to allow the flavors to meld.

The last two recipes are from The No Meat Athlete Cookbook: Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipes to Fuel Your Workouts—and the Rest of Your Life© Matt Frazier and Stepfanie Romine, 2017. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. experimentpublishing.com

Does the Dressing Make the Salad?

There’s a lot more to a salad than just the dressing, but for me, it’s the perfect place to start. The right dressing can spruce up just about any plant-based food in a healthy, flavorful way.

Call on these five staple recipes as a starting point for the next time you’re in a pinch, and build off the dressing to create a meal even the healthiest among us will enjoy.

The post 5 Oil-Free Dressings That Will Transform Any Salad appeared first on No Meat Athlete.

First found here: 5 Oil-Free Dressings That Will Transform Any Salad

[benjamingarden]

Why I Won't Be Meal Planning This Summer (A Simplified Alternative To Meal Planning)

I've been meal planning for years.  As I've noted before, this is the technique that allowed us to pay off all of our non-essential debt (to clarify, not our mortgage - all credit card & auto debt).  So why in the world would I throw caution to the wind this summer? Because I've figured out how to simplify meal time.  Why summer specifically?  Because that's when our garden is in abundance and I think it will be easier to give this a try. Let me explain. We eat pretty simply and rotate through the same 28 meal plans in the fall/winter and 25 meal plans in the spring/summer.  Every year I've simplified our meals just a tad bit more.  My goal is to spend less time cooking but still eat healthy.

Some of the changes I've made are:

Meal prep - make ahead or in some other way prep what I can.  

Use the same two grains throughout the week (cook once, eat all week).  

Soups can be made at the end of the week with leftover grain, veggie & protein leftovers 

Keep greens growing in the garden for quick salads (lunch or dinner options)

Veggies are roasted, steamed, grilled, or served raw rather than making "veggie dishes" that require recipes.  I prefer to eat veggies without anything else on them (sometimes a cilantro crema or a pesto sauce drizzled on top) and J has learned to appreciate them in this way as well (he prefers butter on his - butter on everything!).  

Breakfasts are typically oats (me), toast (me) or eggs & potatoes (J).

Lunches are typically salad (me), soup, quesadillas, leftovers, or homemade flatbread pizza.

We don't really snack other than sometimes fruit after lunch or popcorn or popsicles after dinner occasionally. 

I make bread weekly (if we want bread that week).  Usually one loaf - we don't eat much bread anymore.

So, how does this lead to not meal planning? Veggies are the main portion of our lunches and dinners now.  It was recommended by one of my husband's specialists that he begin eating plant-based.  He immediately told me that will never happen, so instead we've compromised by him eating a larger portion of veggies and a smaller portion of meat and grains/potatoes. If you grow your own veggies or eat seasonally with veggies purchased from a local farmer or farmer's market, you know that they are just not all available every week.  This makes planning that portion of your meals a little more difficult.  So, why plan any of it?

My non-meal plan is this: 

Oats + nuts/seeds + whatever fruit is in season = My Breakfast     (or toast with nut butter + fruit, or a smoothie with frozen fruit & veg)

Eggs (which we have available all of the time) + Potatoes = J's Breakfast (or a toasted bagel)

Greens + Other Veggies As Available + Leftover Meat = Lunch (salad, quesadillas, tacos, rice bowls, or flatbread pizza)  (or leftovers)

Large amount of whatever veggies are ready + small amount of protein (meat, fish, eggs, or beans) + small amount of grains/carb (bread, pasta, rice, tortilla or potatoes) = Dinner

I'll prepare whichever veggies are ready that day in the manner we want them at that time. I'll purchase enough protein each week to allow us 7 days worth (beans are easy to keep on hand and J usually eats chicken, pork chops, pork tenderloin, burger, or flank steak in the summer). Because we typically purchase our meat from local farmers, I'll purchase what they have available each Sunday and not worry about stocking up.  J prefers marinated meat on the grill, which makes it super easy to throw together a plan the day before.�� I usually freeze the meat in the marinade on Sundays so I don't have to make marinades throughout the week. I always keep rice, pasta, tortilla shells, dried beans, & potatoes on hand so we'll already have what we need to complete each meal. If we want something different (pot sticker wrappers to make pot stickers, fresh pasta, or pierogies) then I'll buy or make it that week.

What About Grocery Shopping? My new grocery lists are comprised mostly of any staples that we run out of more than anything else.  Our staples are listed below. My pantry staples:

Sugar/Sweetener (honey, maple syrup, dates, & a small amount of white sugar)

Dry Beans (Black, White & Pinto)

Brown Basmati Rice (our preferred brown rice)

Pasta (2 kinds)

Veggie Broth

Chicken Broth

Tortilla Shells

Nut Butter (peanut and a walnut-cashew blend)

Canned Tomatoes

Oats

Popcorn Kernels

Avocado Oil

Olive Oil

Sesame Oil

Vinegars (Apple Cider, Vinegar, Pomegranate, Balsamic)

Extracts (Vanilla, Lemon, Almond)

Coffee

Tea

My refrigerator staples:

Mustard (Dijon & Spicy Brown)

Mayo

Coconut Aminos

Sriracha

Worcestershire Sauce

Flax Seeds

Milk

1/2 & 1/2

Non-Dairy Creamer

Eggs (from the coop)

Butter

Cheese (Mozzarella & Cheddar)

Non-Dairy "Cheese" (Follow My Heart Pepperjack & Trader Joe's Shredded Mozzarella Blend)

My freezer staples:

Raw Walnuts & Cashews

Flours (White Bread, Almond & Einkorn)

Frozen Pizzas (our just-in-case go-to) (*side note: if you are looking for a good vegan/non-dairy pizza, Amy's Vegan Pizza is the best I've found.*)

Bananas (to add to smoothies)

Avocados (to add to smoothies or to make guacamole or veggie sushi with)

In The Garden:

Greens

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Cabbage

Tomatoes

Beans

Sugar Snaps

Peppers

Eggplant

Zucchini

Winter Squash

Asparagus

Cucumbers

Carrots

Herbs (cilantro, parsley, basil, tarragon, rosemary, dill, oregano, sage, mint & chives)

Blueberries

Blackberries

Apples

Pears

All-in-all, my hope is that we'll be able to take full advantage of the goodies in the garden and center our eating around that.  It will (hopefully) also cut out any pre-planning or thoughts regarding meals, less time at the grocery store (I can stock up on staples once a month and the remainder comes from our garden and coop or from the farmer's market), and since the meals are simple, less time preparing them.

What about you?  Have you tried a simplified way of eating rather than meal planning?

Why I Won't Be Meal Planning This Summer (A Simplified Alternative To Meal Planning) was originally posted by My Favorite Chicken Blogs(benjamingardening)

[dailyhealthstudy-blog]

21 Ways to Cook

So a Lot of Us eat carrots mainly Raw likely turned right to a bowlful of ranch dip sticks or crunched on to chips along with our sandwiches. Carrots, on the other hand, are relegated to playing with roles in stir-fries and stews, in which the more daring ingredients overshadowed them. Daily Health Study

But there is something Concerning the caramelized crispness of a roasted lettuce, the tender sting of a ribboned lettuce"noodle," or the glossy sweetness of a pureéd carrot soup. Additionally, studies show that its nourishment are retained by the origin veggie longer in form.

It is time to find the magic Carrots are effective at using these 21 carrot recipes that are breakfast-to-dinner.

Breakfast

1. Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Carrot Cake Oatmeal Recipe

Photo: Adventure Blooms

This bowl carries the goodness of this Timeless carrot cake--the spices, the nuts, along with the carrots, of course--while still leaving out the sugar and butter leaving you with a super-healthy breakfast which nonetheless manages to taste like dessert. Who said ?! has been dull

2. Healthy Carrot Muffins

Healthy Carrot Muffins Recipe

Photo: Kate and Cookie

Carrot muffins involve projecting the Type into the batter, but this recipe requires roasting the carrots. The procedure provides them a natural, caramelized sweetness which provides a layer of warmth and depth into the batch, while traces of orange juice and zest lift up it.

3. Harissa Roasted Carrot Toast

Harissa Roasted Carrot Toast Recipe

Photo: Obviously Ella

Tossed in harissa and united with crumbled This sweet, feta, lemon, and pineapple, hot, and tasty carrot mix provides a run for the money to avocado guarantee. By including a poached egg on high take it; the yolk pops over veggies and the bread is walnut paradise.

4. Shredded Carrot Breakfast Hash

Shredded Carrot Breakfast Hash Recipe

Photo: Fit and Fed

If You like the Notion of a breakfast decoration Are a fan of their count, swap potatoes for carrots rather. This one does exactly that but is still currently filling thanks. The lime and cilantro juice go the excess mile to keep the dish.

5. Spiced Carrot Congee

Spiced Carrot Congee Recipe

Photo: Greatest Model Vegan

Variations of rice porridge, or congee, We are imagining a number of these include, although are popular breakfasts around Asia. Before jasmine rice has been added to the mixture, here, a cup of this vegetable is stewed with coconut milk, raisins, cloves, and cinnamon.

The end result is a and Delicious union of oatmeal and rice pudding that is guaranteed to become your favourite breakfast.

6. Chilean Carrot Frittata

Chilean Carrot Frittata Recipe

Photo: En Mi Cocina Hoy

With emphasis on the veggies than the This take to a breakfast staple, eggs is a wonderful way to begin off onto a note. Then skillet-cooked make browned and crispy, which makes without the carbs that were additional.

Appetizers, Soups, and Sides

7. Vegan Roasted Carrot Soup

Vegan Roasted Carrot Soup Recipe

Photo: Curry Route

Cream and thought butter could produce rich And velvety? Try roasting, a pile of onions and carrots, and you will be amazed by the outcomes are without a fall of milk. Even in the event that you exit the optional (but recommended!) Coconut cream swirl, it is going to feel as though you're ladling up than it is a dish that is a lot more indulgent.

8. Carrot Fritters

Carrot Fritters Recipe

Photo: A Dash of all Megnut

Pan-cooked in a tbsp of oil These carrot fritters would be appetizer or the light, ideal and crispy side. Garlic seasoning and the cumin provides them a earthy flavor, although them cool down.

9. Immediate Pot Honey Soy Carrots

Immediate Pot Honey Soy Carrots Recipe

Photo: Immediate Pot Eats

To get Been cooking for way more than 10 minutes, these Immediate Pot carrots are you covered. The honey and soy mixture forms a glaze that coats the veggies along with a scatter of scallions on top makes for the picture end that is ideal.

10. Baked Shoestring Carrot Fries With Za'atar

Baked Shoestring Carrot Fries With Za'atar Recipe

Photo: A Clean Bake

Spiced with all the Middle Eastern (and simple to Locate ) za'atar spice, coated in olive oil, and roasted until these carrot chips are tasty in their own, but the sauce may be what takes them. Having earthy notes of parsley, a tahini foundation, along with a squeeze of lemon, it.

11. Savory Carrot Tarte Tatin

Savory Carrot Tarte Tatin Recipe

Photo: Wanderings in My Kitchen

The words"tarte tatin" might sound fancy, however From puff pastry Due to some help, you do not have to roll a dough to create this version of the traditional pie out. It is a dish, Together with the coriander and carrots sitting beneath the crust. And nobody needed to understand it was to collect.

12. Moroccan Carrot Salad

Moroccan Carrot Salad Recipe

Photo: A Thought for Food

In the currants along with the carrots Into the dill vinaigrette coat the peas along with the onions, this isn't your salad. Pair this up with a protein or like it on its own.

13. Carrot, Ginger Soup, and Coconut

Carrot, Coconut, and Ginger Soup Recipe

Photo: She Can Not Eat Everything?!

Together with parsnips adding sweetness that is alongside The carrots, a chunk of ginger for only twist, this soup, and also a few milk for freshness strikes all kinds of taste notes at the same time. Additionally, it is low-FODMAP vegan, also gluten free!

Main Dishes

14. Creamy Carrot Noodles With Cashew Alfredo

Creamy Carrot Noodles With Cashew Alfredo Recipe

Photo: Paleo Gluten Free

Zucchini noodles are excellent but may be rather Delicate. Elect for carrots If you will need a more sturdy option to pasta which could hold up to a sauce. The orange ribbons remain"al dente" when tossed into a wealthy but heart-healthy cashew and coconut Alfredo, which makes you feel as though you're digging into real spaghetti.

15. Easy Savory Carrot Balls

Easy Savory Carrot Balls Recipe

Photo: Green Evi

The answer these vegan, to meatballs Bites include a oat and carrot base that is bound with a carrot egg and bread crumbs. Whereas the choice keeps them sharp and grease-free at precisely the exact same moment, curry powder, paprika, and chili powder include a great deal of spice.

16. Carrot Noodle Bowl With Ginger Peanut Sauce

Carrot Noodle Bowl With Ginger Peanut Sauce Recipe

Photo: Veggie Jam

Carrots Can Frequently Be found at a peanut Dish, however, in this circumstance, they play with the function, taking the place of soba or the lo mein. Whereas the peanut butter, soy, and ginger sauce is a healthier alternative to the sugary restaurant variations, tofu adds some vegan protein.

17. Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Gnocchi

Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Gnocchi Recipe

Photo: Blissful Basil

Packed with flour and potato gnocchi Can be somewhat heavy. This recipe utilizes oat flour and almond milk rev up the fiber to decrease the count, and also make for normally healthy gnocchi and swaps out that the spuds for carrots. They therefore are beautiful from pesto and're amazingly easy to create at home.

18. Carrot Farro Risotto

Carrot Farro Risotto Recipe

Photo: Quinoa and Coffee

With both grated and pureéd carrot from the mixture And protein and farro this riff on risotto, rather than white arborio rice fits the bill as an impressive meal that is both nutritious and fairly. For an excess something fennel and the cumin in here go with the mildness of their carrots.

19. Carrot Hot Dogs

Carrot Hot Dogs Recipe

Photo: Nutritionist Meets Chef

Their similarity to the actual bargain is uncanny, But rest assured these are really. Peeled and cut to match the buns, poached until tender, and topped with an easy yet sexy parsley and mustard dressing, the carrot"puppies" are fitter than pork sausages, less processed than imitation meat types, and ridiculously easy to create. You are going to be wondering why you did not try them.

20. Roasted Carrot Sandwich With Sunflower Cream

Roasted Carrot Sandwich With Sunflower Cream Recipe

Photo: Obviously Ella

It isn't usually made by carrots in to Sandwiches as lotions, but this recipe is putting out to change that--and it makes a case that is powerful . The vegetables are roasted till tender and sweet tucked between pieces of whole grain bread with avocado spread and a creamy sunflower seed. We are sold--and we've got a feeling you'll be.

21. Vegan Carrot Chorizo Tacos

Vegan Carrot Chorizo Tacos Recipe

Photo: My Sweet Potato Life

If carrot sandwiches and carrot dogs may Exist carrot tacos are a. The roots are roasted with cumin, chili powder, coriander, and paprika to mimic the flavor of chorizo sausage. Twist them to soft tortillas, include cheese dip and a few avocado, and then devour.

[derrickappleus]

Our 23 Favorite Keto Recipes to Help You Lose Weight

It’s time to re-evaluate your health goals. If you’ve been eyeing the keto diet, then there’s no time like the present to check out some of the most delicious meals that this plan has to offer! You may be surprised by the sheer number of recipes that are available. You’ll be able to create your own list of favorite ketogenic meals in no time!

For those of you who may not know, the keto diet is a very popular option for people who are looking to revamp their eating habits. Basically, keto is a high-fat, low-carb diet that makes the body burn fat instead of carbs. Once the body is metabolizing fat at a higher-than-usual rate, it’s in a state called ketosis and you’ll begin to lose weight quickly. Yes, quickly!

Check out this keto diet shopping list to learn more about the diet, and to download the list, it’s FREE!

1. Egg Sausage Breakfast Muffin 

Start your day off the right way with this amazing breakfast muffin. It tastes great, fills you up, and it’s low-carb. In just 30 minutes, you can have these on your breakfast table. The recipe yields sixteen muffins, so you could easily make a batch ahead of time for the entire week!

2. Garlic Butter Shrimp and Zoodles

One thing you’ll catch on quickly to in the world of keto is the way that you avoid traditional pasta at all costs. Not to worry, though. As this recipe shows, there are so many ways around that! Zoodles (zucchini cut into noodle-like pieces) make a great pasta substitute.

3. Zucchini Pizza Boats

You might assume that going on the keto diet means that you’ll have to live without the deliciousness that is pizza. However, all you have to do is make a few minor adjustments and you can still sink your teeth into a tasty pizza boat when the craving strikes! Zucchini works as the “crust” to hold your favorite pizza toppings. This recipe is definitely one of our favorite keto meals!

4. Stuffed Bell Pepper Pizzas 

This colorful dish is full of protein and amazing flavor. You’ll love how easy it is to make and the fact that you can easily enjoy it for lunch or dinner. You will have all the yummy flavors of your favorite pizza without that carb-infused crust. Instead, fresh bell peppers hold it all in place and give everything an extra pop of flavor.

5. Broccoli Pizza Crust

With a little creativity, any meal can become a keto-friendly option. Broccoli crust works to eliminate most of those unnecessary carbs while still creating a delicious taste and consistent texture. Pile on your favorite toppings and you’re in business!

6. Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Ragout 

Everybody needs a delicious comfort food on hand! Check out this creamy goodness that happens to be low carb, but full of flavor. Plus, you’ll get plenty of protein in each and every bite. There’s plenty of nutrition to go around!

7. Buffalo Chicken Tenders

There’s a whole lot of tastiness in this recipe! The crispy, tender chicken may taste like it’s against the rules, but we promise that it’s keto-friendly. Not only that, but you won’t believe that this meal can be ready in under 30 minutes!

8. Simply Sautéed Lemon Tilapia 

If you really want to cut out the carbs, then check out this recipe! There is a ton of protein and zero carbs with this simple, yet delicious meal. This recipe just proves that you can keep it keto without too much effort.

9. Cashew Chicken

Tempted to order in? Instead, turn to this keto-friendly dish. You won’t believe the incredible flavors you can whip up in your very own kitchen. This recipe is so delicious, it’ll definitely curb those take-out cravings that weasel their way into your mind.

10.  Grilled Salmon Kabobs

Who doesn’t love a good kabob? This grilled salmon recipe is so flavorful you’ll wonder why you don’t cook it up more often. Serve something that with satisfy your taste buds without sacrificing your diet. You are going to love this!

11. Mini Cauliflower Pizzas

These things are absolutely adorable, but that’s not the only reason you’ll love them! You can still enjoy a good pizza without any of the guilt when you serve up this keto-friendly option. It’s also an excellent game-day food for those of us who have a hard time sticking to a diet while tailgating!

12. Mini Cucumber Smoked Salmon Appetizer Bites with Lemon Dill Cream Cheese 

It’s important to understand that the keto diet isn’t about limitations. There are keto options for every single meal of the day, including snacks and appetizers! Take a look at this delicious bite-size recipe. It’s not only an incredible blend of flavors, but fits the bill when it comes to the keto requirements. Plus, this dish looks beautiful, so it’s also an excellent option for guests.

13. Low Carb Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Delicious chunks of veggies and chicken are exactly what you need to cure your hunger. You can either cook this meal on a stovetop or toss all the ingredients into a slow cooker. Either way, the results are worth it. This is the type of meal that fills you up quickly and is perfect for the cooler weather.

14. Grilled Pork Chops with Asparagus and Pesto 

When it comes to the keto diet, one of the hardest things is making sure your condiments don’t blow it. Pesto is an excellent option because it only requires a handful of keto-friendly ingredients. This particular recipe has plenty of protein, delicious flavor, and few carbs.

15. Spanish Cauliflower Rice

Going keto means giving up rice, which is difficult for most people. However, this recipe proves that you can definitely still have it. Get your fill of Spanish ‘rice’ by turning to this low-carb option. You’ll appreciate the same flavors you know and love, but with a keto twist to keep you on your healthy path.

16. Skinny Cheeseburger Boats

Thought you had to live without cheeseburgers? No way! This keto-friendly option simply removes the bun. The delicious bell pepper works as the carb-less foundation, so you can still get that cheeseburger flavor without the guilt.

17. Thai Coconut Cauliflower

Talk about delicious! This recipe proves that cauliflower really can do it all. This recipe is so easy to make, you won’t believe you haven’t tried it sooner. It definitely deserves its spot on the list of healthy keto meals.

18. Cauliflower Hash Browns

While following the keto diet, you’ll quickly learn that cauliflower can do it all. Check out this rendition of hash browns, all made possible by the incredible cauliflower. The consistency is on point and the flavor is undeniable.

19. Pesto Stuffed Roasted Tomatoes 

There’s a whole lot of yum in this keto-friendly meal! Just when you thought this keto thing wouldn’t be so great, a recipe like this comes along to prove you wrong! Check out all of that deliciousness packed into each and every bite!

20. Crock Pot 3-Ingredient Balsamic Chicken

You can’t go wrong when your recipe only has three ingredients! You’ll get a burst of flavor without all the unnecessary carbs in this delicious keto meal. There’s a ton of protein packed into this particular dish so you are sure to be able to restock your body after a grueling workout, too!

21. Baked Denver Omelet

Keeping things simple is one of the best parts of the keto diet, like this amazing this baked Denver omelet recipe. You can easily find every single ingredient at a regular grocery store. This is the perfect kind of breakfast because it cooks up fast and is loaded with valuable nutrients that keep your body energized.

22. 3-Minute Paleo Vegan Chocolate Fudge (Keto, Sugar-Free) 

This recipe covers a lot of ground as far as dietary restrictions go! It’s always a bonus to find yummy treats that coincide with your health goals. This one is sure to become an addition to one of your favorite keto meals. There’s nothing like rounding out a meal with a delicious treat.

23. Roasted Cauliflower Hummus

Cauliflower saves the day once again in this delicious hummus recipe! Keto diets may have some guidelines, but you’ll never have to skimp on flavor. Enjoy your snacks and appetizers by following recipes just like this. It’s the perfect blend of ingredients to create an irresistible snack.

Now you’re ready to give these recipes a try! Which ones will you officially add to your favorite keto meals? For more ideas, follow us on Instagram or like us on Facebook.

The post Our 23 Favorite Keto Recipes to Help You Lose Weight appeared first on Skinny Ms..

source https://skinnyms.com/our-23-favorite-keto-recipes-to-help-you-lose-weight/ source https://skinnymscom.blogspot.com/2019/01/our-23-favorite-keto-recipes-to-help.html

[gethealthy18-blog]

Comprehensive Ketogenic Diet Food List

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/healthy-diets/ketogenic-diet/comprehensive-ketogenic-diet-food-list/

Comprehensive Ketogenic Diet Food List

Comprehensive ketogenic diet food list Kaito protein sources meat fish and eggs Grass-fed organic beef try to avoid grain-fed and hormone injected etc Chicken free-range organic if you can Pork in moderation a lot of people refer to this as a bacon diet Yes You can have bacon but the nitrites and other Preservatives are not healthy Try to find uncured bacon or purchase local from a butcher and avoid the cheap factory farmed garbage in the supermarket's Pork is also higher in inflammatory Omega-6 and often contains starches fish in moderation fish is good wild-caught Avoid factory farmed fish as it tends to have high mercury content which can cause toxicity acceptable varieties include tuna mackerel halibut salmon Cod catfish trout Shellfish again pay attention to where it is sourced and eat in moderation oysters clams crab mussels lobster shrimp lamb turkey wild game eggs chicken and duck Cato dairy foods Dairy is allowed on the Cato diet You should only use full fat products and avoid skin Partially skin as those products will have more sugar and higher carb counts whole milk organic Only most milk is loaded with hormones Heavy cream cream cheese full fat whole milk Mozzarella Aged cheese's like swiss grass-fed butter full fat cottage cheese full fat plain Greek yogurt Most commercial brands are loaded with sugars and are not acceptable consider home made sour cream full fat ghee half-and-half in moderation check labels dairy alternatives coconut milk almond milk hazelnut milk cashew milk Friendly vegetables carbs from vegetables are counted NAT You subtract the fiber content from the total carb count to get your actual carbs Vegetables are good for you

So don't fear veggie carbs That being said you need to avoid starchy vegetables that are high on the glycemic index Potatoes carrots peas and stick to those on this list all leafy greens spinach Lettuce cabbage, etc Kale Brussels sprouts asparagus green beans kohlrabi radishes celery cucumber zucchini courgette eggplant avocado onions moderation peppers moderation mushrooms bok choy snow peas cauliflower broccoli daikon Olives Cato friendly fruits fruits are loaded with sugar Yes, they contain many nutrients They are nature's candy after all but you can get all the same Nutrients from vegetables and should only use the fruits on this list very sparingly Some fruits that have an immense glycemic load like bananas for example need to be eliminated altogether It is highly recommended to not use fruit at all until you are fully fat adapted Usually a month or more into the Cato way of eating enjoy fresh only and in moderation blackberries blueberries strawberries raspberries cherries lemon the juice squeezed in water lime cantaloupe Beaches nuts and seeds nuts and seeds are very Cato friendly But some are better than others when it comes to carb count and glycemic load They are calorie dense high in fat and can be used to provide satiety But should be used in moderation if you are trying to lose weight It can be very easy to overdo a good thing with nuts and seeds almonds macadamia nuts pecans walnuts flaxseeds hazelnuts pine nuts hemp seeds Sunflower seeds peanuts plain not honey roasted, etc Cashews extreme moderation These are the highest in carbs Chia seeds sesame seeds pistachios Sweeteners and substitutes, as you know, sugar and grains are a huge no on the Cato way of eating grains and sugars lead to insulin resistance And a host of other problems that keep people fat carb addicted and struggling with weight loss eliminating these foods can seem daunting at first Although ideally you want to get away from the taste for sweet at first you are looking for progress not perfection That being said there is a great deal of debate over the use of sweeteners Many of which are chemical Laden and not good for you others like molto dextran Despite having zero calories create a higher insulin response in the body than regular sugar You definitely don't want that So be sure that any sweeteners you choose to use are not blended with it many products Stevia in the raw For example blend this nasty molteau dextran with the stevia for cheap filler Stick to the following Cato approved sweeteners and flour substitutes and use in moderation For more information on the glycemic response of sweeteners Stick to those that are zero for best results

Check out this comprehensive guide Flowers and baking goods Are you a bread addict? I was I Understand the struggle There are some ways to make Cato breads and desserts and they are great in moderation The goal is to rid oneself of addictive behaviors and not to simply replace old habits That being said I do enjoy making Cato biscuits and breads at times and it's a great way to scratch that It's without breaking protocol avoid gluten-free flour blends They are loaded with carbs almond flour meal a staple with great texture Coconut flour absorbs a lot of moisture as a cornbread Of texture when baked ground flax can also be used as an egg substitute Psyllium husk powder oat fiber not to be confused with oat bran Completely insoluble fiber adds good texture and flavor and is high in fiber unsweetened cocoa powder or unsweetened baker's chocolate Be very careful with these products as they can be easy to overdo condiments and extras Condiments and extras can really jazz up any dish It is very important to learn to read labels so that you can avoid added sugars corn syrup at cetera Look for a zero carb and look for high quality ingredients or learn to make your own That being said there are many extras You can pick up and enjoy from the store Olives pickles dill not sweet or bread and butter etc Read labels Mayonnaise homemade is best without the low quality oils of most commercial brands mustard apple cider vinegar olive oil coconut MCT oil avocado oil Most cream based dressings ranch Caesar, etc

Check labels hot sauce salsa without sugar added sugar-free ketchup in moderation read labels non with corn syrup or sugar sugar free barbecue sauce This is my current staple list and will likely change and grow over time because I'm sure there are a few things I've forgotten with this variety of good foods it's possible to create amazing meals that everyone will love I avoid mentioning that I'm Kato to people who I don't really Want to have a debate with and they still love my food and recipes I hope if you found that nothing else works for you that you'll give low carb or kado a try It is a healing way of eating for many people progress photo The first picture is my son and I at our heaviest he was on homecoming court his junior year I Started Cato on May 24th at about this weight My son joined me in June to drop some pounds for senior year and to feel better The middle picture is his birthday on July 31st The third picture is us on September 2nd And we're still going he lost over 30 pounds from June to September and I lost 22 pounds in my first 100 days My Kato journey here is a bit about my experience so far with the Kato diet Initially, I started doing intermittent fasting in March 2017 Barrowman oops, some health issues and stress caused me to pack on 50 extra pounds over the past few years I was depressed feeling hopeless and constantly feeling ill and tired I read about intermittent fasting Helping to ease conditions like insulin resistance and started initially just doing that I ate for eight hours out of the day Fasting for 16 this started the healing process I noticed that my hiatal hernia wasn't causing me pain Reflux was greatly reduced and I was less dependent on caffeine to get through the day But the weight was resistant and I still dealt with strong mood swings hot flashes high blood pressure and other issues I only lost seven pounds while counting calories and obsessing over food I began to feel overwhelmed again And so I decided to challenge myself to overcome my carb addiction once and for all from March to May I lost seven pounds which is respectable But I was still feeling bad and thinking about having another 50 to go made me feel Overwhelmed feeling overwhelmed when you are a carb addict and stress eater is a recipe for disaster So I decided to challenge myself to overcome my carb addiction and get my butt in gear once and for all I've suspected for many years that gluten and sugar were problematic for me I'd cut them for a bit feel good, but gradually they'd worm their way back into my daily life Setting me back up for the binge stress eating This never-ending cycle resulted in spikes and crashes an insulin which created insulin resistance Pre-diabetes and the myriad of other health problems on my rise to obesity On May 24th of this year 2017 I added a 100 day Kato challenge to my already established intermittent fasting if Protocol the results have been nothing short of miraculous My life has changed in so many ways that I struggle to find words for it all the obsessing Counting running and other stuff I hated never gave me the health benefits and weight loss results I am gaining while on Cato never in my wildest dreams Did I think my body could heal this quickly? I recently finished this challenge and I am now dedicated to low-carb for life here is what has happened in only 100 days my blood pressure is consistently normal and often lower than when I was a runner no more hot flashes I am no longer on medication for GERD hernia issues I am no longer insulin resistant My IBS C is under control, no meds

No pain, no bloating No discomfort I have all day energy without constant caffeine My anxiety has dropped from an 8 out of 10 to a 2 or less every day my son's too He's a new person confident No attention problems, etc I feel ambitious Energetic and adventurous no more sad sack couch potato here I get things done every day now and feel accomplished My brain is fog free I don't walk into rooms constantly and forget why I am able to get focused and maintain it My asthma has improved by 80% I haven't taken an allergy pill in 45 days the pleasant side effect I have lost 22 pounds in 100 days as a paramedical woman and 7 inches off of my belly 6 inches off my hips and I no longer have a double chin No joint pain or other aches and pains due to chronic inflammation No more migraines headaches

I have not taken an OTC painkiller in 50 days And I used to eat them daily for my assorted aches and pains I feel more energetic and frisky than I did in my 20s and 30s, even when I was thin and thought I was healthy before

[healthy-ghost]

The bush outside our apartment is blooming.

For a late breakfast/lunch I toasted two mini bagels and topped them with sliced tomatoes, avocado, and some leftover chickpea salad I made a few days ago:

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In the chickpea salad I mashed a can of chickpeas and added some diced red onion, carrots, hummus, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, nutritional yeast, dill, thyme, and a splash of lemon juice.

For a snack before dinner we ate some carrots with hummus and half a grilled cheese.

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We went grocery shopping earlier and bought So Delicious’ new shredded cheese since it was the first time we saw it at Sprouts. We like it A LOT more than the Daiya shreds and we highly recommend trying them out (I also dipped my half in the leftover hummus).

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For dinner we made homemade mac and cheese with carrots and potatoes. We don’t have a recipe for this one just yet, but we will soon! We threw a bunch of ingredients in our blender to make this, including onions, cashew milk, soaked cashews, a bit of mustard, lime juice, nutritional yeast, and tons of spices (and of course boiled potatoes and carrots). For spices we used black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, turmeric, and paprika. We tossed the cream sauce in gluten-free pasta and beyond meat grilled chick’n strips.

That’s all I ate today. I haven’t eaten out all month and have only been eating a whole food plant-based diet (almost no vegan junk food!) and I have been feeling a lot better, with very few flare-ups the past two weeks. I hope this gave you some ideas and inspiration for some easy vegan meals.

what I eat in a day // quick and easy vegan meals The bush outside our apartment is blooming. For a late breakfast/lunch I toasted two mini bagels and topped them with sliced tomatoes, avocado, and some leftover chickpea salad I made a few days ago:

[thedesignair]

Flight: UL506 Aircraft Type: A330-300 Class: Business Class Route: LHR-CMB Date: February 2018

www.srilankan.com

SriLankan Airlines recently added two daytime flights per week from London to Colombo, flying on Saturdays and Sundays, providing better connections and more convenient departure times. This now makes the airline even more attractive to passengers looking for one-stop carriers between London and the Maldives, Sri Lanka and beyond.

On the Ground

Heathrow Terminal 3 has recently seen a wave of improvements for oneworld airlines, including new Cathay Pacific and Qantas lounges. Instead of opting for the British Airways lounge, that Sri Lankan recommend passengers to use, we recommend opting for one of the newer lounges. With the addition of this daytime flight, the perfect spot to grab some breakfast is the Qantas Lounge.

On arrival in to the Qantas lounge, our tip is to enjoy the downstairs table service breakfast. Although there is a limited menu, you can always go a little off-piste, and we had some amazing eggs benedict and a perfect glass of champagne to wash it down.

While the Qantas lounge is an excellent addition to Heathrow, the lounge can become quite busy, potentially due to it being a new lounge, but also due to the fact the Qantas A380 operates to and from Heathrow still, with a large proportion of business class passengers awaiting their flight at the same time as multiple other oneworld flights at that time of day.

The upstairs is certainly beautiful, with a wonderful horseshoe bar acting as a focal point. However, it was difficult to find a seat at this time of day, so we opted instead to head next door to Cathay Pacific’s larger and brighter lounge.

As you can see from our Cathay Pacific Lounge report, the space is elegant, refined, and allows a much better view of Heathrow’s runways, along with fantastic cocktails and a better selection of wines and champagne.

That said, a breakfast at the Qantas Lounge, followed by a quick relaxing stint in Cathay’s lounge is the perfect way to start the trip.

The Cabin

SriLankan only flies their flagship A330-300 aircraft on the London route, which means Business Class passengers are treated to an all-aisle access herringbone product, meaning that there is ample space and a feeling of openness in the cabin.

On entry, you are greeted by a sea of aquamarine, royal blues and creams, which adds a flavour of the exotic, and certainly doesn’t make for a boring cabin environment. Adorning the rear bulkhead of the aircraft is an ornate peacock motif, which is the symbol of the carrier.

The cabin was tidy, and although the aircraft had a quick turnaround due to the inbound aircraft, everything was immaculate on arrival, with a variety of amenities already at the seat, including headphones, slippers and blanket.

Our coat was taken instantly, champagne, juice or water offered, and the airline offers gate to gate entertainment, meaning it was easy to start dipping into a fairly respectable selection of movies and TV shows.

The cabin also offers mood lighting, which ranged through sunset and blue hues throughout the flight. The best element however was the starry sky ceiling panels, which twinkled throughout the flight, creating a sense of a much higher ceiling.

The Seat

The seat is the standard Zodiac Aerospace Cirrus business class seat, which is a sturdy and comfortable product. While the foot well isn’t the largest when the seat turns into a bed, it’s a totally acceptable business class product, used by multiple airlines around the world.

The SriLankan version is well equipped with a USB port, in seat power, a secondary video handset, reading light and bi-fold dining table.

The seat itself is very comfortable, the cobalt blue leather is also a nice touch, although it is starting to get the familiar creases that leather gets from extended use. For those travelling together, the middle pair is perfect, and for those travelling alone, the window seats offer great privacy. Due to the slightly staggered nature of the middle pairs and the window pairs, all the seats offer great privacy, and we didn’t have direct eye contact with any other passenger during the flight.

The seat also features a small footrest, which sadly doesn’t allow for storage underneath, but considering the low density of the business class cabin, virtually every seat can help themselves to an overhead bin, allowing for plenty of storage above. If you are wanting to store a laptop, aim for row 7, as these seats offer a small shelf above and behind, which is perfect for storing your computer during dinner service.

The seat controls are very easy to use, and perfectly positioned, however the controls are quite bright overnight, so thank goodness for the amenity kits which offer eye masks.

The Food and Service

Even on the shortest of hops (such as Colombo to Male, Maldives) SriLankan offers a proper dining service with printed menus and a drinks service. It’s impressive to see a carrier still investing in this level of passenger experience, and a great point of differentiation in the market.

On boarding the flight, which unfortunately suffered a 3 hour delay due to a late arrival of the inbound aircraft, we were offered Champagne, juice or water, and opted for a glass of the Piper Heidsieck.

Printed menus were handed out, which were keepsakes due to a printed recipe in the rear of the menu to encourage passengers to try SriLankan cuisine in the comfort of their own homes. A lovely touch, and a clever marketing tool.

The First Food Service Menu

Appetizer

Peppered Scottish smoked mackerel presented with hot smoked salmon roulade, chillia and coriander marinated king prawns with grilled peppers, salad, lemon and mango salsa Or Hoisin duck and Thai beef salad served with spinach leaves and hoisin sauce Or Marinated grilled assorted vegetables presented with grilled halloumi cheese and paprika hummus

Main Course

Chicken Coriander Curry Served with brinjal moju, mixed vegetable curry with cashew and saffron rice Or Seafood Paella With Scallop, clams and octopus presented with grilled mixed peppers Or Slow Cooked Lamb Shank Presented with ratatouille, champagne potatoes Irish style with rosemary and thyme jus Or Vegetarian Choice Split lentil tempered served with mixed vegetable curry, steamed rice and mini samosa

Bread Basket

Cheese Board

Fruit

Dessert A combination of mango mousse and panna cotta served on a bed of mango coulis

After take-off, drinks were served, and we opted to stay with the Cuvée Brut champagne, although there other options such as Katnook Founder’s Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 or Galway Vintage Shiraz 2015 both from Australia, and for white, a Domaine de la Croix Bouquie 2016 and a Macon Lugny Saint-Pierre Bouchard 2015 both from France.

The airline also promotes its Sky Bar, which offers a range of spirits including Colombo Gin and SriLankan’s very own cocktails such as Classic Colombo Fizz a coconut Twister and a Botanical Burst.

For those wanting to try out the world famous Ceylon Teas, there are no less than eight blends available.

Shortly before take-off, our orders were taken, and no more than 30 minutes in the air our tables were being laid for a late lunch. The service on-board our outbound flight was impeccable, and incredibly warm, something that SriLankan prides themselves on, and quite rightly so. There’s something quite magical about cabin crew dressed in Osariya uniforms ornately designed with a peacock motif.

Being a big fan of Hoisin Duck, we opted for the duck and Thai beef salad. It was incredibly tasty, even though the presentation wasn’t the best. The one thing we feel would be a small but noticeable upgrade to the passenger experience here would be new table and glassware. The heavily branded plates don’t give a premium feel to the food service, and a more refined look would certainly give the carrier an elevated food service.

For the main course, we went for the Chicken Curry, which was one of the most delicious dishes we’ve had in many flights, with the brinjal moju offering a welcome kick of heat to spice up a flavoursome dish.

The dessert was enjoyable, and fruit was fresh. Interestingly, the food, although only for 27 business class seats (one of the 28 is used as a crew rest), is still served by a trolley, while most other international carriers are now offering ‘restaurant-style’ service, where the trolley isn’t used.

After dessert, a liqueur and coffee/tea service passed through the cabin, and we had to try a green tea blend to send us to sleep.

Shortly after the service we set up the bed to sleep. While the turbulence was fairly rough at certain times during the flight, we had to call a cabin crew member to clear away our glasses and tea cup in case of any spillage.

Approximately 2.5 hours before landing, we were woken by the gradual change of cabin lights, from night time to a sunset colour scheme. Interestingly, even though we were meant to land at 4.30am (and in reality 7.30am) the airline had opted for a dinner service rather than a breakfast service.

The Second Food Service Menu

Salad

With

Main Course

Supreme of Chicken Presented with orange marmalade, sautéed courgettes, glazed parsnip and carrot batons Or Pan Seared Salmon Fillet Served with dill mornay sauce, roasted balsamic vegetables and parseley potatoes Or Herb Crusted Lamb Cutlet Accompanied with mixed vegetables, potatoes and mint jus reduction Or Vegetarian Choice Tagliatelle tossed with vegetables, pesto and olive oil served with steamed broccoli and baby carrots

Bread Basket

Fresh Fruit

The second service, delivered pre-served on a cloth-lined tray was a quicker service than the main lunchtime service, as most airlines offer on flights. It was, however as equally delicious cuisine, and the herb crusted lamb cutlet was literally perfectly cooked, slightly pink and still tender, with a beautifully crisp and flavoursome crust.

Served with a salad and followed by a fresh fruit salad, it was the perfect pick me up before landing in the morning. Knowing that most passengers were connecting onwards, the airline opted for a dinner service as their following flight was going to offer a breakfast service, or they could enjoy a breakfast in SriLankan’s lounge in Colombo.

Throughout the flight there was an option for other light dishes, and we have to say the chocolate service after the main lunch was great to see, and instead of just offering one, they came back to offer a second chocolate until they were all gone.

The Entertainment

SriLankan offers a good entertainment option, it’s quite limited compared to some carriers who offer a really wide range of movies and TV series, but there is certainly enough to keep us entertained of the flight. Interestingly, even though our return flight was on the 4th of the following month, the programming hadn’t been changed, which was a shame as we were expecting different movies on the return flight.

The TV however, is huge, and of a good resolution. Flipping out from the seat, SriLankan allows passengers to watch their TV, Movies or even 3DMaps and live aircraft cameras from gate to gate. While other carriers ask for the TV to be stowed, it seems like we were able to rumble down the runway with TVs still in their viewing position.

The headphones are good, and are of a mid-range quality. They were certainly noise cancelling, but the connections were a little intermittent, meaning we had to jiggle the wire to find a good connection. This is commonplace in aircraft, and just a usual sign of wear and tear as the headphone port gets the most interaction of any part of the seat.

The airline also offers WiFi and USB charging, so if you wanted to enjoy your own personal devices, you can. While we can’t comment on the speed as we didn’t use it on this flight, it’s good to point out, that WiFi can’t be used over India, so if your flight crosses the country, have a think about the data plan you want to purchase.

The airline also offers Serendib magazine, which is of an OK quality, we found it interesting to see their route map had put the likes of London where Newcastle is, and Paris near the sea. While small details, it did make us laugh a little at the tectonic shift the airline was anticipating for our return.

The Extras

SriLankan offers a wealth of amenities. From slippers, a large colourful patterned pillow and aquamarine patterned blanket when you board, through to an Aigner amenity kit, featuring a body lotion and a lip balm as well as the usual amenity options.

Throughout the service, we were offered hot towels, our drinks were always topped up and little passenger surprises like the chocolates were welcome thoughtful and warm touches. The business class cabin enjoys three toilets, all of which were well looked after, and fairly large.

In Conclusion

Considering the price point of SriLankan and being part of oneworld the airline offers a fantastic product, benefiting from oneworld lounges including Qantas, British Airways and Cathay Pacific lounges in Heathrow. It was great to see that the warmth of the service, the hard product and the dining options were still at a high standard, and that even though the airline suffered a delay, they ensured that all passengers made their connections the following day.

These new day flights on the weekend are a huge benefit to the carrier, making for quicker connections in Colombo, and with the return flights arriving back at Heathrow at 8.30am, they are perfectly poised for a morning start in London. If you haven’t read our recent interview with Saminda Perera at SriLankan, take a look here.

The Big Picture

THEDESIGNAIR.NET TRAVELLED AS GUESTS OF SRILANKAN, HOWEVER THE VIEWS EXPRESSED HERE ARE OUR OWN

  Trip Report: SriLankan A330-300 Business Class February 2018 Flight: UL506 Aircraft Type: A330-300 Class: Business Class Route: LHR-CMB Date: February 2018 www.srilankan.com SriLankan Airlines…

[dipfoods-blog]

Kitchen Detox - How to rid your kitchen of unhealthy food! - DIP baked masala sticks, Baked Chips, Wheat Rusk & canapés

Kitchen Detox – How to rid your kitchen of unhealthy food!

Do you dream of getting fit, workout to stay in shape but still find something missing? Have you stopped exercising because no matter how hard you push, the weighing scale just won’t budge? It’s time for a detox, just not for you. 😉

We’ve found the answer to your troubles! A major part of fitness is your diet, and no – we don’t follow a stringent diet plan but adopt what is known as a clean eating. Clean eating is essentially cutting out processed foods and sticking to natural counterparts. And the best way to adopt this lifestyle is to give your kitchen a makeover!

Here’s a list of tips on how to make your kitchen super healthy:

Ditch the sugary drinks

No matter how many times you skip that extra slice of cheese or count your calories, it’s all pointless if you drink the same amount in the form of Colas, juices and sodas. Switch it up by stocking iced green tea and lemon infused water to sip on. You could even add fruits to your infusion, and enjoy a healthy drink anytime, anywhere.

More cheese!

Ditch the low fat variety, and choose nutrient rich cheeses like feta. The calcium content present in cheese is good for your bones, and the fat content actually helps to keep your belly pooch away.  Or choose vegan alternatives like cashew cheese, to give you a dairy free boost of calcium and essential nutrients.

Grow your own herbs

Herbs are a special addition to any dish. Snip some from your pots and add it to your dishes in order to add taste without doubling up on the sodium. You can choose to grow your own herbs like rosemary, cilantro, dill and lemongrass. Add some dill to hung curd and make a delicious dip to eat with DIP Wheat Rusk.

Smaller plates, smaller meals

Science says using smaller plates helps you keep your portions in check, while making you fuller, faster! Take some time out to plate your food, which gives you a break before you eat, and utilizes your energy, while making your meal look even more sumptuous.

Healthy Snacking

Choose healthy snack items like DIP baked masala sticks, DIP baked chips or DIP baked canapés, and make sure to keep them handy. By keeping healthier snacking alternatives near you, you cut down the risk of snacking on oil soaked chips and other items that are loaded with fat.

Fruit it up

Stash cut up apples and pears in your fridge, or keep oranges and bananas handy as mini snacks. These little blessings from nature will keep you fuller and fitter. You could cut up fruits and make a salad to store in your fridge for quick snacking.

Use your shelves

Keep the calorie dense snacks hidden on the top shelf, so you have to take extra effort to reach for them when you’re hungry. Likewise, store chocolates, ice cream at the back of the fridge, or in nooks that will require effort for you to reach to.

Try these easy tips and you’ll be able to change your unhealthy lifestyle in a jiffy! We can tell you that it wont be the easiest change but once you’ve begun it’s a short journey to good health.

Take a look at more such tips and tricks on our health and fitness blog today! Hurry…

[consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis]

27 Secretly Healthy Snack Recipes to Fuel an Epic 2018

New blog post! The New Year is officially in full swing, and that means it's time to get back to work, back to school and back into your busy everyday routine. Whether you're a grad student and teaching assistant like me or a multi-tasking mother of four, our busy Januarys all have one thing in common: this month can feel a whole lot less stressful when there are plenty of healthy snacks on hand! That's why I decided to kick off 2018 with a round-up of some of my favorite secretly healthy snacks from around the blogosphere. As always, these healthy snack recipes are all gluten free. However, many of these gluten free snacks are also allergy friendly, vegan, paleo and/or packed with veggies. The best part? These gluten free snacks taste so good, you won't even remember that they're healthy!

So whether you need healthy school snack ideas, healthy snack ideas for adults or healthy snack ideas for work, this gluten free snack roundup has the perfect healthy snack recipe for you. Now, you just have to keep scrolling and see which of these 27 secretly healthy snack recipes you want to whip up first...

1. Taste the Rainbow Bliss Balls (Paleo, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free) - Casey the College Celiac 

If you're looking for healthy snacks that your kids will love, why not tempt them with this rainbow of healthy energy balls? These vegan energy balls are dyed naturally with fruits and superfood powders, plus you can easily personalize the ingredients to your family's preferences or dietary needs. And if you end up eating all of these healthy bliss balls instead...well, just make sure you double the recipe next time!

2. Kombucha Lemon Gummies (Paleo, Refined Sugar Free) - Raia's Recipes

These kombucha lemon gummies are the perfect gluten free snack if you're trying to sneak some extra nutrition into your diet. This healthy snack is not only full of kombucha (AKA, a probiotic powerhouse!) but also local honey and fresh ginger.

3. Homemade Granola with Quinoa Flakes (Vegan, Refined Sugar Free) - Gluten Free with Emily

You know that I'm a big fan of quinoa flakes, so how could I not include this gluten free granola recipe from Emily? This vegan granola uses quinoa flakes instead of oats, and it's loaded with other sweet treats like cocoa butter and fresh ginger.

4. Always Perfect Stovetop Popcorn (Vegan) - Happy Kitchen. Rocks

There might not be any more classic healthy snack than popcorn, especially when you pop your own on the stovetop and can ditch the butter for healthier alternatives like a little coconut oil. Whether you want a healthy sweet snack (like popcorn with maple and pecans) or a savory snack (like popcorn dusted with garlic and herbs), this easy popcorn recipe has you covered.

Like this post? Then tweet me some love by clicking here: "Want to eat a #healthier diet in 2018? Start with these 27 secretly #healthy snacks! All #glutenfree and delicious - plus many #vegan, #paleo, #lowcarb and #sugarfree options. Bring on the snack attacks! http://bit.ly/2lnj5Of"

5. Healthy Coconut Date Truffles (Raw, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free) - Melanie Cooks

Only four ingredients separate you from these healthy energy balls! If your favorite candy is a Mounds bar, you'll love this combination of dates, cacao powder and shredded coconut!

6. BBQ Roasted Chickpeas (Vegan) - Running In a Skirt 

If healthy sweet snacks aren't your thang, then you'll love this savory snack: BBQ roasted chickpeas! As a bonus, all you need for this gluten free recipe are chickpeas, coconut sugar, olive oil and various spices.

7. Fruity No Bake Energy Bars (Vegan) - Happy Foods Tube

Dried apricots, shredded coconut flakes and coconut oil give these homemade energy bars a tropical twist. As usual, be sure to use gluten free oats to make this a celiac-safe gluten free snack!

8. Antipasto Kebobs (Low Carb) - Peace, Love and Low Carb

These kabobs are easy to personalize and are packed with flavor thanks to a hearty mix of veggies (like tomatoes and olives), meats and cheese.

9. Super Clumpy Summer Squash Granola (Vegan, Refined Sugar Free) - Casey the College Celiac 

Craving a healthy sweet snack? Then look no further than my veggie-packed homemade granola recipe! This gluten free granola is super easy to make and even easier to eat. As long as you don't tell anyone about the "secret ingredient," your friends and family may not even realize that there is grated summer squash in this crunchy, chewy treat.

10. Homemade Gluten Free Gold Fish (Grain Free, Vegan, Allergy Friendly) - Strength and Sunshine 

I've shared Rebecca's allergy-friendly goldfish recipe here before, but it was impossible to not include this as a healthy school snack idea! Now, kids with food allergies or celiac disease can enjoy goldfish for an after-school snack just like everyone else.

11. Airfryer Yuca Fries with Creamy Curry Mustard Sauce - This Old Gal

I'll admit that yuca has yet to win me over, but these yuca fries look like the perfect healthy upgrade to french fries. As usual, if you make the creamy curry mustard sauce for dipping, make sure you use gluten free mustard, mayonnaise and spices.

12. Chocolate Date Bites (Vegan) - Food, Pleasure and Health 

If you want a healthy sweet snack with a big hit of chocolate, then these chocolate date energy balls are exactly what your taste buds need. Made with simple ingredients like dates, cocoa powder, almond flour and oats, these chocolate date bites can be whipped up as soon as a chocolate craving strikes.

13. Garlic Dill Baked Cucumber Chips (Vegan, Paleo) - Peace, Love and Low Carb

If you can't keep yourself from finishing a whole bag of garlic chips every Friday night, then these cucumber chips are your snacking soul mate.

14. Kid-Favorite Gluten Free Healthy Breakfast Donuts (Dairy Free) - Fearless Dining

Donuts as a healthy snack? Trust me - it's not as crazy as it sounds! These gluten free donuts are packed with healthy ingredients like almond flour, oats, shredded coconut, flax and chia seeds, and applesauce. Plus, they're baked. All of your donut dreams have finally come true!

Like this post? Then tweet me some love by clicking here: "Want to eat a #healthier diet in 2018? Start with these 27 secretly #healthy snacks! All #glutenfree and delicious - plus many #vegan, #paleo, #lowcarb and #sugarfree options. Bring on the snack attacks! http://bit.ly/2lnj5Of"

15. Healthy Chewy No Bake Granola Bars (Dairy Free) - Happy Kitchen. Rocks

If these gluten free snack bars taste even half as good as they look, addiction is nearly guaranteed...

16. Baked BBQ Zucchini Chips (Vegan) - A Few Shortcuts

Who knew that you could transform zucchini into a BBQ-flavored healthy snack with only a few spices and an oven?!?

17. Keto Low Carb Peanut Butter Protein Balls (Sugar Free) - Wholesome Yum

Love peanut butter? Need a homemade protein bar recipe or an easy protein rich snack? Then use your favorite gluten free protein powder to whip up these peanut butter protein balls.

  18. Airfryer Chocolate Banana Bread (Paleo) - Recipe This

If an airfryer was one of your Christmas gifts, then this paleo chocolate banana bread recipe needs to land on your to-do list ASAP!

19. Seed Stuffed Pesto (Paleo, Vegan) - Casey the College Celiac

Dip some raw zucchini, squash, or carrots into this nut-free pesto, and you'll be amazed at how good veggies can really taste. This vegan pesto recipe is an easy healthy snack idea for work when packed with crackers or sliced vegetables, and you can use the leftover pesto on sandwiches or pizza.

20. The Best Paleo and Vegan Cookies Ever - Mollie Mason 

I can't confirm if these are indeed the best paleo and vegan cookies ever...but they do make one heck of a tasty snack. These gluten free chocolate chip cookies are also made a bit healthier than the traditional dessert by using almond and coconut flour, cashew butter, coconut oil and maple syrup.

21. Cilantro and Sweet Corn Mini Peppers (Dairy Free) - The Creative Bite

If you need a savory snack that's worthy of being a dinner party appetizer, these stuffed mini peppers are calling your name. To make this a celiac-safe gluten free snack, make sure to use real crab meat or a gluten free imitation crab option (since many imitation crab brands include wheat).

22. Crunchy Caramel Apple Energy Balls (Vegan) - Casey the College Celiac

Not ready to let go of fall flavors just yet? Then why not snack on some of these crunchy caramel apple energy balls? These vegan snacks are super easy to make, only call for a handful of simple ingredients and can be made ahead of time and kept in the freezer until you're ready to dig in.

Like this post? Then tweet me some love by clicking here: "Want to eat a #healthier diet in 2018? Start with these 27 secretly #healthy snacks! All #glutenfree and delicious - plus many #vegan, #paleo, #lowcarb and #sugarfree options. Bring on the snack attacks! http://bit.ly/2lnj5Of"

23. Dairy Free Paleo Inspired Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread - Recipe This 

Serve this paleo cream cheese spread with some gluten free crackers or raw veggies, and you have all the makings of one delicious healthy snack.

24. Out of This World Midnight Snack (Vegan Option) - Green Healthy Cooking

Need a healthy sweet snack that will meet your chocolate craving? Then add this dark chocolate treat to your meal plan for the week. The popped amaranth is my favorite part - gotta love that bit of crunch!

25. Healthy Oven Baked Zucchini Chips (Vegan, Paleo) - Wholesome Yum

You know that this gluten free college celiac is allll about zucchini, so these zucchini chips have to be one of the best healthy snacks out there!

26. 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Pie Dip (Vegan, High Protein) - Healthy Helper 

You'll never guess the secret ingredient that makes this vegan snack so high in protein! (Hint: it starts with "t"...).

27. Secretly Healthy Sweet N' Salty Trail Mix (Vegan, Nut Free) - Casey the College Celiac

If you love crunchy healthy snacks as much as I do, my nut free trail mix recipe will become your 2018 addiction! This gluten free trail mix includes turmeric for an antioxidant boost and popcorn for an extra hit of salty, crunchy goodness!

For this college celiac, January marks the start of another semester of grad school and of teaching English 101. For you, January might mean going back to work, getting back into the practice of taking your kids from one extracurricular activity to the next, or maybe just sticking to your New Year's resolution of eating healthier in 2018.

Like this post? Then tweet me some love by clicking here: "Want to eat a #healthier diet in 2018? Start with these 27 secretly #healthy snacks! All #glutenfree and delicious - plus many #vegan, #paleo, #lowcarb and #sugarfree options. Bring on the snack attacks! http://bit.ly/2lnj5Of"

No matter what this month has in store for you, these healthy snack ideas can help fuel you through your best year yet! Now you just have to decide which healthy snack - from gluten free snack bars to vegan energy balls - you want to try first...

What's your favorite healthy snack? Tell me in the comments! via Blogger http://caseythecollegeceliac.blogspot.com/2018/01/secretly-healthy-snacks-gluten-free-snacks-new-year-2018.html

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Charcuterie Board With Cheese

We’re heading fast into holiday entertaining time and whether you’re planning a big dinner or just inviting friends over for a drink, choosing and making hors d’oeuvres can be a confounding part of the cooking and hosting.

So here’s a list of appetizers that are not very complex and most are very easy to make. I’ve tried to avoid expensive ingredients. No foie gras in sight, but there is a little prosciutto and some smoked salmon, as well as popcorn and bacon (although not together). I’ve included some buy-it-take-out options, which can make a cocktail party really simple to produce. Add a case of wine or prosecco or set up a serve-yourself bar, and everyone will be happy.

Remember it’s the guests who count. And the food!

Mix crabmeat with tiny diced celery and shallots and a little mayo (I find regular lump or backfin work better in this than the more expensive jumbo lump) and serve on crackers or individual endive leaves.

Place a dab of fresh goat cheese on a slice of seedless English cucumber or cracker. Sprinkle with a little freshly ground black pepper or paprika.

Bruschetta. Small slices of baguette or good country bread. Lightly toast the bread, rub it with a piece of cut garlic, drizzle with a little olive oil (don’t soak it!), and top with halved cherry tomatoes or room temperature cooked spinach or broccoli rabe that have been tossed with a little olive oil and rough chopped so that it’s easier to eat. Most bruschetta end up being a two-bite hors d’oeuvre.

Wrap pitted dates that have been stuffed with a shard of Parmesan and wrapped with a half slice of bacon. Skewer with toothpicks and broil, turning once, until the bacon is cooked.

Arrange a charcuterie platter, with slices of salami, prosciutto, soppressata or chorizo.  You can add a cheese selection, some grapes, and also some accompaniments like honey to drizzle on the cheese, fig jam, or slices of fresh pears.

Cook a pork tenderloin by first pan searing it until brown on all surfaces and then oven-roasting at 400° F until it’s medium-rare, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes and then slice into 1-inch slices and cut again in half so that the pieces are bite-sized, and top with a thin piece of cheddar or manchego and a small slice or cube of membrillo (quince paste). If they don’t hold together, secure them with a toothpick.

A dish of good olives and another dish for the pits. Do not serve pitted olives because there’s always an errant pit and no one will be expecting it if they think they’re all pitted. I know this from experience.

A big, generous bowl of the best pistachios you can find, plus a little dish for the shells.

Baby caprese on a little skewer: a little mozzarella bocconcini, plus a cherry tomato, and a basil leaf. Drizzle with a little olive oil and a tiny pinch of salt and pepper.

You can do the same thing with the popular flavor combo of prosciutto and melon by stacking a cube of cantaloupe with a piece of prosciutto folded small enough to sit on top and then placing a basil leaf on each end.

Most people love shrimp cocktail. You can buy shrimp already cooked and peeled (or do it yourself) and serve with a dish of cocktail sauce (1/2 c. chili sauce, 1/2 c. ketchup, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a heaping teaspoon of horseradish, plus a few shots of Tabasco) or buy prepared pesto. Or you can turn the shrimp into canapés by placing a shrimp and a dab of the cocktail sauce or pesto on shrimp-sized slices of baguette.

Generous bite-sized pieces of candied bacon, like Julia Reed’s recipe that we have. See our link.

Buy slices of paté at a good specialty market like Zabar’s or its equivalent (not that there is an equivalent to Zabar’s). Include a salmon or vegetable paté for those who don’t eat meat and serve with slices of baguette, some coarse mustard, and a dish of cornichons.

Good pizza made by your favorite pizza joint, gently re-warmed and cut into two-bite pieces. Keep the pizza thin and simple because it will re-heat more successfully than ones with complex toppings, plus simple ones are less messy to eat. A plain white pizza or margherita are good choices. If you’re anywhere near Sullivan Street Bakery in Chelsea, their potato pizza is ideal and re-heats beautifully, but if that’s inconvenient, investigate choices near you.

Also made by someone else — a selection of sushi rolls, combining vegetable ones with those with fish. Just be sure to get them as close as possible to the time of your event because they do not refrigerate well (they dry out). Remember to provide a little dish of soy sauce and wasabi for dipping.

Meatballs. Easy to make in advance and then re-warm in a little tomato sauce. Make them one-bite-sized and serve with toothpicks. Or buy them already made, but only if they’re not too big because that can be a mess to eat without a knife and fork.

Smoked salmon is luxurious and popular. Cut slices into squares and place on small pieces of pumpernickel or 1/4-inch slices of seedless English cucumbers.  Make pretty with a little piece of fresh dill.

Another deluxe hors d’oeuvre is small slices of filet of beef roasted to medium rare and served in generous 3/4-inch slices, on thin pieces of baguette with a dab of horseradish sauce. You can buy the sauce already made at many delis (Boars Head makes a rather nice one) so all you have to do is roast the beef. Medium rare is usually best.

Another way to serve the filet of beef is to slice it thin and serve it on equally thin slices of rye bread with a little mustard.

Wrap steamed asparagus in a slice of prosciutto.

Wrap scallions in a slice of pancetta and broil it until the pancetta is cooked, about 5 minutes on one side and 2 on the other. Drain briefly on a paper towel and serve warm.

Crudités. Bite-sized raw vegetables are always popular, even if there are more glamorous options nearby. Arrange a large platter of them, using some less common vegetables like raw fennel. You can also serve a dip like one made with feta (see our recipe) or store-bought hummus, which almost everyone loves.

Hummus needn’t be just a sideshow to raw veggies. It’s also nice with small wedges of fresh pita or fingers of toasted good bread.

Popcorn can become fancy by serving it in a big bowl and while it’s still warm, toss it with melted butter and grated Parmesan, or a drizzle of truffle oil.

Cheese board. Choose a variety of cheeses — good cheddar, gouda, and other firm cheeses do well here, plus include a chevre and a blue cheese like Stilton — and either pre-cut them into small pieces or let your guests cut their own.  Arrange the cheeses on a cutting board, perhaps alongside your crudités, some jam or fresh fruit, and slices of dry salami. Have toothpicks handy so that folks don’t have to pick up the cheese with their fingers.

Make a cream cheese dip by adding minced fresh chives, minced red peppers and a tiny dice of red onion and mix with some cream to loosen it until it’s soft (or else buy a flavored cream cheese at your deli and whip this one, too, with a little cream or half-and-half until it’s softened into a dip instead of still being a spread) and serve with bagel chips.

A bowl of mixed nuts or the luxury of good toasted pecans halves or cashews, warmed and tossed with melted butter, a pinch of cayenne, and tiny mince of rosemary.

Potato chips. Who doesn’t love them? (I consider them one of the world’s most perfect foods.) Serve the best quality you can find — or make your own by baking them with olive oil (see our recipe).

Cheese sticks are quick to make by using store-bought puff pastry. Defrost it, roll it out a bit, cut into strips and twist, dust with grated cheese and bake. Here’s a recipe from TheKitchn.com.

My favorite dips are from Ina Garten who makes a luscious one with salmon caviar, another with sun-dried tomatoes, and a third with pan-fried onions that is reminiscent — but so much better! — than the one we used to make with Lipton Soup mix. Her dips are worth a web search or the price of one of her terrific books.  

A few tips on serving appetizers:

Try to keep each item or each piece a single or double bite. Beyond that and people will want a plate and fork and it sort of becomes dinner.

Make the presentation attractive by putting each type of hors d’oeurve on its own serving platter.

Use a cutting board to present things that need to be cut, as with your cheeses and charcuterie, even if you’ve already cut them.

Have lots of napkins since most hors d’oeuvres are eaten with our fingers.

If anything is remotely messy, offer small plates in addition to napkins.

If you have a big selection of appetizers, give each its own serving tools.

Cheese tastes best at room temperature so if you’re doing a cheese board, remove the cheese from the refrigerator about a half-hour before your guests arrive.

As folks mingle and eat, make sure you or someone periodically makes a sweep to clean up dirty napkins, bowls of olive pits, and any other debris that may be collecting. You want to keep things neat and, well, appetizing.

Save a couple of bites for yourself, stashed in the kitchen. Otherwise the cook will lose out!

Happy entertaining!

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Charcuterie Board With Cheese

We’re heading fast into holiday entertaining time and whether you’re planning a big dinner or just inviting friends over for a drink, choosing and making hors d’oeuvres can be a confounding part of the cooking and hosting.

So here’s a list of appetizers that are not very complex and most are very easy to make. I’ve tried to avoid expensive ingredients. No foie gras in sight, but there is a little prosciutto and some smoked salmon, as well as popcorn and bacon (although not together). I’ve included some buy-it-take-out options, which can make a cocktail party really simple to produce. Add a case of wine or prosecco or set up a serve-yourself bar, and everyone will be happy.

Remember it’s the guests who count. And the food!

Mix crabmeat with tiny diced celery and shallots and a little mayo (I find regular lump or backfin work better in this than the more expensive jumbo lump) and serve on crackers or individual endive leaves.

Place a dab of fresh goat cheese on a slice of seedless English cucumber or cracker. Sprinkle with a little freshly ground black pepper or paprika.

Bruschetta. Small slices of baguette or good country bread. Lightly toast the bread, rub it with a piece of cut garlic, drizzle with a little olive oil (don’t soak it!), and top with halved cherry tomatoes or room temperature cooked spinach or broccoli rabe that have been tossed with a little olive oil and rough chopped so that it’s easier to eat. Most bruschetta end up being a two-bite hors d’oeuvre.

Wrap pitted dates that have been stuffed with a shard of Parmesan and wrapped with a half slice of bacon. Skewer with toothpicks and broil, turning once, until the bacon is cooked.

Arrange a charcuterie platter, with slices of salami, prosciutto, soppressata or chorizo.  You can add a cheese selection, some grapes, and also some accompaniments like honey to drizzle on the cheese, fig jam, or slices of fresh pears.

Cook a pork tenderloin by first pan searing it until brown on all surfaces and then oven-roasting at 400° F until it’s medium-rare, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes and then slice into 1-inch slices and cut again in half so that the pieces are bite-sized, and top with a thin piece of cheddar or manchego and a small slice or cube of membrillo (quince paste). If they don’t hold together, secure them with a toothpick.

A dish of good olives and another dish for the pits. Do not serve pitted olives because there’s always an errant pit and no one will be expecting it if they think they’re all pitted. I know this from experience.

A big, generous bowl of the best pistachios you can find, plus a little dish for the shells.

Baby caprese on a little skewer: a little mozzarella bocconcini, plus a cherry tomato, and a basil leaf. Drizzle with a little olive oil and a tiny pinch of salt and pepper.

You can do the same thing with the popular flavor combo of prosciutto and melon by stacking a cube of cantaloupe with a piece of prosciutto folded small enough to sit on top and then placing a basil leaf on each end.

Most people love shrimp cocktail. You can buy shrimp already cooked and peeled (or do it yourself) and serve with a dish of cocktail sauce (1/2 c. chili sauce, 1/2 c. ketchup, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a heaping teaspoon of horseradish, plus a few shots of Tabasco) or buy prepared pesto. Or you can turn the shrimp into canapés by placing a shrimp and a dab of the cocktail sauce or pesto on shrimp-sized slices of baguette.

Generous bite-sized pieces of candied bacon, like Julia Reed’s recipe that we have. See our link.

Buy slices of paté at a good specialty market like Zabar’s or its equivalent (not that there is an equivalent to Zabar’s). Include a salmon or vegetable paté for those who don’t eat meat and serve with slices of baguette, some coarse mustard, and a dish of cornichons.

Good pizza made by your favorite pizza joint, gently re-warmed and cut into two-bite pieces. Keep the pizza thin and simple because it will re-heat more successfully than ones with complex toppings, plus simple ones are less messy to eat. A plain white pizza or margherita are good choices. If you’re anywhere near Sullivan Street Bakery in Chelsea, their potato pizza is ideal and re-heats beautifully, but if that’s inconvenient, investigate choices near you.

Also made by someone else — a selection of sushi rolls, combining vegetable ones with those with fish. Just be sure to get them as close as possible to the time of your event because they do not refrigerate well (they dry out). Remember to provide a little dish of soy sauce and wasabi for dipping.

Meatballs. Easy to make in advance and then re-warm in a little tomato sauce. Make them one-bite-sized and serve with toothpicks. Or buy them already made, but only if they’re not too big because that can be a mess to eat without a knife and fork.

Smoked salmon is luxurious and popular. Cut slices into squares and place on small pieces of pumpernickel or 1/4-inch slices of seedless English cucumbers.  Make pretty with a little piece of fresh dill.

Another deluxe hors d’oeuvre is small slices of filet of beef roasted to medium rare and served in generous 3/4-inch slices, on thin pieces of baguette with a dab of horseradish sauce. You can buy the sauce already made at many delis (Boars Head makes a rather nice one) so all you have to do is roast the beef. Medium rare is usually best.

Another way to serve the filet of beef is to slice it thin and serve it on equally thin slices of rye bread with a little mustard.

Wrap steamed asparagus in a slice of prosciutto.

Wrap scallions in a slice of pancetta and broil it until the pancetta is cooked, about 5 minutes on one side and 2 on the other. Drain briefly on a paper towel and serve warm.

Crudités. Bite-sized raw vegetables are always popular, even if there are more glamorous options nearby. Arrange a large platter of them, using some less common vegetables like raw fennel. You can also serve a dip like one made with feta (see our recipe) or store-bought hummus, which almost everyone loves.

Hummus needn’t be just a sideshow to raw veggies. It’s also nice with small wedges of fresh pita or fingers of toasted good bread.

Popcorn can become fancy by serving it in a big bowl and while it’s still warm, toss it with melted butter and grated Parmesan, or a drizzle of truffle oil.

Cheese board. Choose a variety of cheeses — good cheddar, gouda, and other firm cheeses do well here, plus include a chevre and a blue cheese like Stilton — and either pre-cut them into small pieces or let your guests cut their own.  Arrange the cheeses on a cutting board, perhaps alongside your crudités, some jam or fresh fruit, and slices of dry salami. Have toothpicks handy so that folks don’t have to pick up the cheese with their fingers.

Make a cream cheese dip by adding minced fresh chives, minced red peppers and a tiny dice of red onion and mix with some cream to loosen it until it’s soft (or else buy a flavored cream cheese at your deli and whip this one, too, with a little cream or half-and-half until it’s softened into a dip instead of still being a spread) and serve with bagel chips.

A bowl of mixed nuts or the luxury of good toasted pecans halves or cashews, warmed and tossed with melted butter, a pinch of cayenne, and tiny mince of rosemary.

Potato chips. Who doesn’t love them? (I consider them one of the world’s most perfect foods.) Serve the best quality you can find — or make your own by baking them with olive oil (see our recipe).

Cheese sticks are quick to make by using store-bought puff pastry. Defrost it, roll it out a bit, cut into strips and twist, dust with grated cheese and bake. Here’s a recipe from TheKitchn.com.

My favorite dips are from Ina Garten who makes a luscious one with salmon caviar, another with sun-dried tomatoes, and a third with pan-fried onions that is reminiscent — but so much better! — than the one we used to make with Lipton Soup mix. Her dips are worth a web search or the price of one of her terrific books.  

A few tips on serving appetizers:

Try to keep each item or each piece a single or double bite. Beyond that and people will want a plate and fork and it sort of becomes dinner.

Make the presentation attractive by putting each type of hors d’oeurve on its own serving platter.

Use a cutting board to present things that need to be cut, as with your cheeses and charcuterie, even if you’ve already cut them.

Have lots of napkins since most hors d’oeuvres are eaten with our fingers.

If anything is remotely messy, offer small plates in addition to napkins.

If you have a big selection of appetizers, give each its own serving tools.

Cheese tastes best at room temperature so if you’re doing a cheese board, remove the cheese from the refrigerator about a half-hour before your guests arrive.

As folks mingle and eat, make sure you or someone periodically makes a sweep to clean up dirty napkins, bowls of olive pits, and any other debris that may be collecting. You want to keep things neat and, well, appetizing.

Save a couple of bites for yourself, stashed in the kitchen. Otherwise the cook will lose out!

Happy entertaining!

Copyright © 2017 The City Cook, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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[benjamingarden]

Why I Won't Be Meal Planning This Summer (A Simplified Alternative To Meal Planning)

I've been meal planning for years.  As I've noted before, this is the technique that allowed us to pay off all of our non-essential debt (to clarify, not our mortgage - all credit card & auto debt).  So why in the world would I throw caution to the wind this summer? Because I've figured out how to simplify meal time.  Why summer specifically?  Because that's when our garden is in abundance and I think it will be easier to give this a try. Let me explain. We eat pretty simply and rotate through the same 28 meal plans in the fall/winter and 25 meal plans in the spring/summer.  Every year I've simplified our meals just a tad bit more.  My goal is to spend less time cooking but still eat healthy.

Some of the changes I've made are:

Meal prep - make ahead or in some other way prep what I can.  

Use the same two grains throughout the week (cook once, eat all week).  

Soups can be made at the end of the week with leftover grain, veggie & protein leftovers 

Keep greens growing in the garden for quick salads (lunch or dinner options)

Veggies are roasted, steamed, grilled, or served raw rather than making "veggie dishes" that require recipes.  I prefer to eat veggies without anything else on them (sometimes a cilantro crema or a pesto sauce drizzled on top) and J has learned to appreciate them in this way as well (he prefers butter on his - butter on everything!).  

Breakfasts are typically oats (me), toast (me) or eggs & potatoes (J).

Lunches are typically salad (me), soup, quesadillas, leftovers, or homemade flatbread pizza.

We don't really snack other than sometimes fruit after lunch or popcorn or popsicles after dinner occasionally. 

I make bread weekly (if we want bread that week).  Usually one loaf - we don't eat much bread anymore.

So, how does this lead to not meal planning? Veggies are the main portion of our lunches and dinners now.  It was recommended by one of my husband's specialists that he begin eating plant-based.  He immediately told me that will never happen, so instead we've compromised by him eating a larger portion of veggies and a smaller portion of meat and grains/potatoes. If you grow your own veggies or eat seasonally with veggies purchased from a local farmer or farmer's market, you know that they are just not all available every week.  This makes planning that portion of your meals a little more difficult.  So, why plan any of it?

My non-meal plan is this: 

Oats + nuts/seeds + whatever fruit is in season = My Breakfast     (or toast with nut butter + fruit, or a smoothie with frozen fruit & veg)

Eggs (which we have available all of the time) + Potatoes = J's Breakfast (or a toasted bagel)

Greens + Other Veggies As Available + Leftover Meat = Lunch (salad, quesadillas, tacos, rice bowls, or flatbread pizza)  (or leftovers)

Large amount of whatever veggies are ready + small amount of protein (meat, fish, eggs, or beans) + small amount of grains/carb (bread, pasta, rice, tortilla or potatoes) = Dinner

I'll prepare whichever veggies are ready that day in the manner we want them at that time. I'll purchase enough protein each week to allow us 7 days worth (beans are easy to keep on hand and J usually eats chicken, pork chops, pork tenderloin, burger, or flank steak in the summer). Because we typically purchase our meat from local farmers, I'll purchase what they have available each Sunday and not worry about stocking up.  J prefers marinated meat on the grill, which makes it super easy to throw together a plan the day before.  I usually freeze the meat in the marinade on Sundays so I don't have to make marinades throughout the week. I always keep rice, pasta, tortilla shells, dried beans, & potatoes on hand so we'll already have what we need to complete each meal. If we want something different (pot sticker wrappers to make pot stickers, fresh pasta, or pierogies) then I'll buy or make it that week.

What About Grocery Shopping? My new grocery lists are comprised mostly of any staples that we run out of more than anything else.  Our staples are listed below. My pantry staples:

Sugar/Sweetener (honey, maple syrup, dates, & a small amount of white sugar)

Dry Beans (Black, White & Pinto)

Brown Basmati Rice (our preferred brown rice)

Pasta (2 kinds)

Veggie Broth

Chicken Broth

Tortilla Shells

Nut Butter (peanut and a walnut-cashew blend)

Canned Tomatoes

Oats

Popcorn Kernels

Avocado Oil

Olive Oil

Sesame Oil

Vinegars (Apple Cider, Vinegar, Pomegranate, Balsamic)

Extracts (Vanilla, Lemon, Almond)

Coffee

Tea

My refrigerator staples:

Mustard (Dijon & Spicy Brown)

Mayo

Coconut Aminos

Sriracha

Worcestershire Sauce

Flax Seeds

Milk

1/2 & 1/2

Non-Dairy Creamer

Eggs (from the coop)

Butter

Cheese (Mozzarella & Cheddar)

Non-Dairy "Cheese" (Follow My Heart Pepperjack & Trader Joe's Shredded Mozzarella Blend)

My freezer staples:

Raw Walnuts & Cashews

Flours (White Bread, Almond & Einkorn)

Frozen Pizzas (our just-in-case go-to) (*side note: if you are looking for a good vegan/non-dairy pizza, Amy's Vegan Pizza is the best I've found.*)

Bananas (to add to smoothies)

Avocados (to add to smoothies or to make guacamole or veggie sushi with)

In The Garden:

Greens

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Cabbage

Tomatoes

Beans

Sugar Snaps

Peppers

Eggplant

Zucchini

Winter Squash

Asparagus

Cucumbers

Carrots

Herbs (cilantro, parsley, basil, tarragon, rosemary, dill, oregano, sage, mint & chives)

Blueberries

Blackberries

Apples

Pears

All-in-all, my hope is that we'll be able to take full advantage of the goodies in the garden and center our eating around that.  It will (hopefully) also cut out any pre-planning or thoughts regarding meals, less time at the grocery store (I can stock up on staples once a month and the remainder comes from our garden and coop or from the farmer's market), and since the meals are simple, less time preparing them.

What about you?  Have you tried a simplified way of eating rather than meal planning?

Why I Won't Be Meal Planning This Summer (A Simplified Alternative To Meal Planning) was originally posted by My Favorite Chicken Blogs(benjamingardening)