A Delicious, Nutritious Day!

It's a little slow at work today, so I have a moment to create a post!  

I think about food a lot, not constantly, but quite often, when I'm not eating and when I am!   Sometimes, even while in the middle of a delicious, satisfying meal, I start contemplating the next one!  I'm not proud of that, but it's the truth.  :)

So as you may have guessed, I'm thinking about food right now.  :)  I am hungry.  (The organic grapefruit I had at 7 a.m. is long gone now!)  But I'm also looking forward to certain edible plans I made for the rest of the day...  Marcy and I are going out to eat for lunch!  Yay!  I love spending time with my sister.  But a Cutler's veggie sandwich is also a treat in it's own right!

classic Cutler's goodness...

Later, for dinner, I think I'll whip up Fantastic brand's falafel mix and a large kale salad.  I've been craving leafy greens lately, and for this I am grateful.  It's rather refreshing!  But this will be my first time trying falafel.  I'm excited!
 

I just peeled an organic banana and am now typing one-handed so I can hold it with the other and munch...  mmmm...  nom-nom...  This makes for extremely inefficient blogging, but it's a setback I'm willing to take!  :)

(These apricots look like a sunset!)

I also brought along some local, hand-picked-by-me, apricots and plums.  The apricots are from my generous neighbors, Blake and Nancy.  The plums, a gift from my dear childhood friend, Marinda, and her husband, Jamey.  (Thank you!  Thank you!)  I'll make a dent in these morsels when I get done with my banana.  Even though my breakfast is sort-of spread out, it is filling nonetheless.

Straight from the tree...

...a polished plum...

...is now a bitten plum!  :D

Looks like it's turning out to be a delicious, even nutritious, day, if I may say so myself, and I can't help but feel giddy about it!   

Yum-YUM!  :D

Strawberries!

I recently bought these organic strawberries at the Super Target just down the street from me.  I rinsed them well and then enjoyed them, all on their own, fresh, for breakfast.  Oh rapture!  I have to admit, I had nearly as much fun taking sunny, window-sill pictures of them as I did eating them!  Is that wrong?  I suppose a valid aspect of the joy of fruit is simply their beauty of color, shape, and variety.  They feed the soul, as well as the body! 

Strawberries are packed with nutrition, especially Vitamin C and the mineral manganese.  They're also low in calories and high in water content.  They even supply dietary fiber.  Cool! 

Of course, if you can purchase organic, do so.  Doctor Oz reports that pesticides stick to strawberries more so than to other fruits and veggies, and we certainly don't want any pesticides in our tummies, no sir.  Better to support organic farming operations anyway--better for the field workers, better for Mother Earth, and better for us!  It's good karma!

The only thing that could have possibly enhanced my fruit meal further was if the strawberries were in-season, local, and ripe-from-the-garden!  But Summer will be here soon...  Oh, I can hardly wait! 


Well, what are you waiting for?  Go on!  Go get some organic strawberries and enjoy them!  :)

General Conference Pancakes!

Today is the first half of The 180th L.D.S. World General Conference Broadcast!  Woo-Hoo!  I love Conference weekend... figuratively sitting at the foot of my prophet leaders, listening to their words of wisdom, warning, and counsel.  It is a fond time of great spiritual feasting!  And add to it the Easter holiday tomorrow as well?!  It's almost more joy than I can handle!  It feels good to truly make Christ the center of my celebrations this Saturday and Sunday.


So what do flapjacks have to do with Jesus?  Well, nothing really.  But I always find it a fun tradition to partake of pancakes when Conference comes around.  So I fell back on my favorite breakfast standby in How It All Vegan! by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer: "Classic Pancakes" on page 44.  My Jordan and I have adapted the recipe slightly to our liking, nicknaming it "Padawan Pancakes".  But mostly, we stay close to the original.  This time I did use a little quinoa flour, also some almond milk instead of soy milk; unusual changes.  But the end result still tasted delicious!  I generously coated them with Earth Balance Spread and Pure Maple Syrup.  Yumm!


Well, I'm off to enjoy me some more televised Conference!  The weekend's talks are broken into four two-hour sessions and the second session is about to start.  Sadly, it feels like the entire program is nearly half over and really, it's only just begun.  But I always have the next broadcast in October to look forward to.  Rest assured, I won't wait until then to feast on another round of pancakes!  :)

Raspberries!

Raw food is an important part of my vegan diet.  So, last week at the local Super Target, I splurged and bought a teensy container of organic raspberries.  They were $3.50 of pure berry goodness!  A real treat: low in calories, and high in vitamin C, fiber, and flavor! 

Over a couple of day's time, these raspberries were my breakfast.  I rinsed them off and then simply popped them in my mouth!  Heavenly!  Typically, I don't combine sweet fruits into recipes, unless it's an all raw, all fruit one.  I have learned that fruit digests and is assimilated by the body best when eaten alone, on an empty stomach.  For some, this might seem like too limiting a "rule" to follow.  But for me, it fits just right.  I always feel so uncomfortable when I eat foods of every kind all in one meal.  Simple is better for me.  My body concurs. 

You can learn more about the principles of proper food combining and Natural Hygiene by reading these classics, Fit For Life or Fit For Life II, both by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond.  They are fun, funny, and so informative!  They changed my life!  (Even the authors in the popular book, Skinny Bitch, gave 'Fit For Life' a brief shout-out!)  Or, you can check out this website: RawFoodExplained.com.  The delivery is a little more utilitarian and textbook-ish, but still very accurate. 

Until then, just buy (or better yet, grow your own) organic raspberries!  They are healthy and delicious... all by themselves! 

Dr. Oz' Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Who doesn't love the good doctor, Mehmet Oz, M.D., and his self-titled television show?  Yes, I know that he spouts food industry mumbo-jumbo over the airwaves a lot.  But other times, he's right on the money.  And you can't deny it--he has great wit and charm!  I mean, have you seen the female guests on his set?  Why, they practically worship the man!  :)

Well, while I was cruising around the official DoctorOz.com web site, I happened upon this delightful recipe!  Is it a breakfast food?  Is it a dessert?  I don't know.  But I do know from personal experience that it certainly is a taste treat!  I altered it slightly, completely eliminating the eggs to make it vegan.  I swapped the oil ingredient for applesauce. I also added an extra fourth cup of sugar because I thought the muffins could stand to be a little sweeter, but you could cut it back if you like.  This recipe is moist, chocolaty goodness, wrapped in a pleated paper cup!  Makes 12 servings.

Dr. Oz' Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Organic Ingredients:
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup plain soymilk
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup zucchini, grated
1/2 cup distilled water, boiling
1/2 cup chocolate chips


Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tin with 12 paper liners.  Or you can do like me and use none; just be sure to apply a generous coat of cooking spray to the tin, and they'll come out beautifully!  In a large bowl, use a mixer machine or a hand whisk to combine flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.  In another bowl, combine soymilk, lemon juice, applesauce, and vanilla; mix well.  Pour wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients.  Mix until everything is well incorporated.  Stir in the zucchini, followed by the boiling water.  The final mixture will be thin.  Fill each of the tin's cups 3/4 of the way up and sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Bake uncovered for 13-17 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, and the tops spring back when lightly touched.  Enjoy!

The Simple Citrus Juicer

As a health-conscious vegan, one of my favorite pieces of kitchen equipment is...

The Simple Citrus Juicer!  

It's a cinch to assemble, quick to use, and easy to clean!  The collection cup even has measurements printed on the side so you know exactly how much juice you've got, which really comes in handy with some recipes.  And as far as tools or accessories are concerned, it is probably the most inexpensive investment in your well being that you could possibly make.  I mean, mine only cost me ten dollars, new, at Target!  If that's still too pricey, I'll bet you could find one at your local thrift store for a couple of bucks.  Of course, with the model pictured above, you have to wring out the juice manually.  But there are electric models if you wish to eliminate the labor.  Shop around.  But do seriously consider purchasing a citrus juicer to have on hand at home.  After a tall morning glass of unpasteurized, raw, living, freshly-squeezed orange or grapefruit juice, you won't have to ask why!  :)

my typical breakfast

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away"  

I take this old mantra to heart every morning.  Thus, a very typical breakfast for me consists of a raw apple, pure and simple.  I always choose organic, so I feel safe about eating the fiber-dense skin.  Sometimes I bite right into my selection.  But usually, I opt to cut it into thin slices, just for ease of eating.  On the rare, but joyful occasion, I might even make fresh apple juice!  But my budget doesn't always allow for this kind of fun, except when my neighbors share their seasonal harvest with me in Autumn.

The variety pictured here is Fuji.  I like Fuji.  But I enjoy Gala and Golden Delicious, as well.  And I'd pick a sweet apple over a sour apple any day.  That's just me.  But no matter which type you choose, all apples appear to be good sources of Vitamin C, fiber, low calories, and lots of pure water content.

I like starting out my day with an apple.  I feel full for hours and well nourished.  And for those of you who are also interested in proper food combining, it's nice to know that the fruit is digested cleanly, on an empty stomach.  The apple is my regular breakfast choice, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Pomegranates

I adore pomegranates! 

But I don't get to buy these delicious delicacies as often as I'd like because they are a little pricier than other more common fruits.  Yet when I do, I thoroughly enjoy it!  Pomegranates have a round red exterior and an interior completely packed with individual juicy, nutty, ruby seeds, called arils.  It is a fun food to eat and it's good for you!  Many people like to mix the seeds into recipes, but I haven't done that.  I usually eat mine as a stand-alone breakfast.  It fills me up quite nicely with its rich and refreshing flavor and texture!  I hope you come to love this exotic fruit as much as I do! 

Pomegranates are a little tricky to prepare, but with some good tips, it's no problem at all.  Here's what I like to do:

First, make sure you wear an apron.  Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, those little seeds will squirt you with dark red juice.  We don't want any shirt stains, people, so clad thyself with thine apron armor!  :) 

Next, I take a serrated knife and slice a shallow X into the top of the fruit.  The cut should be about an inch down, but you can go deeper if you want.  Now use those scored edges to begin breaking into the pomegranate.  Simply use your hands to break the fruit into smaller pieces, exposing the tasty seeds, held in place by brittle, white, sponge-like walls.

The best tools to use to dislodge the arils are your very own fingers; any other implement will just leave you unnecessarily squirted with juice.  Using the pads of your fingers, spend a few minutes and gently rub the seeds out of their cubbies.  Some people like to do this step in a shallow bowl of water because the seeds sink to the bottom while the inedible pomegranate walls float to the top for easy discarding.  I don't think the bowl of water is necessary, but everyone is a little different about their preferences.  So if it helps you, go ahead and utilize it!  In the end, throw out the white stuff and save only the seeds.

Finally, rinse the arils in a small colander.  That's it!  Be prepared for a taste-treat--the juicy little seeds are ready to munch!  Enjoy!

Bo Urr! Corn Pancakes

“Oi dearly do luv pancakers wi brekkist!”

--Grumm the mole, from Brian Jacques’ novel of Redwall, Martin the Warrior, page 310.  

Jordan and I agree that many a Redwaller may have enjoyed such a "brekkist". We “dearly do luv pancakers” too, Mr. Moler!  Although, it must be said that we usually eat them at dinnertime.  Serve with organic vegan butter and organic pure maple syrup or any favorite jam. Makes 16 small cakes.

Bo Urr! Corn Pancakes

Organic Ingredients:
1 16oz. can of corn, drained
1 1/4 cups white flour
1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups of plain soymilk

Instructions:
Pour corn into a food processor and blend until kernels are well pulverized. Set aside. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Then add soymilk and mashed corn to the dry ingredients. Stir carefully until “just mixed” (if you mix too vigorously, the pancakes won’t get fluffy!). Set stove top to medium heat. Portion out 1/4 cup of batter onto a lightly greased, non-stick pan/griddle. When the pancake center starts to congeal and bubble, flip it over and cook the other side until golden brown. Each side takes approximately 3 minutes. Repeat steps until batter is all used up. Keep cakes warm in a covered pot until ready to eat.

Padawan Pancakes

I am Jordan’s pancake apprentice; add to that a healthy dash of our Star Wars obsession, and a very appropriate title is born! This is a no-fail, fast, fantastic breakfast recipe! It also makes great waffles!  Be sure to use the wheat flour for the ultimate flavor experience. Serve with organic raw peanut butter and organic pure maple syrup. Makes 20 small cakes.

Padawan Pancakes

Recipe adapted from How it all Vegan!, page 44,
By Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer, 1999.

Organic Ingredients:
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup white flour (or another cup of wheat flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
2 1/2 cups plain soymilk
dash of sea salt

Instructions:
In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and baking powder together. Add the soymilk and mix together carefully until “just mixed” (if you mix too vigorously, the pancakes won’t get fluffy!). Portion out about 1/4 cup of batter onto a lightly greased, medium-heat, non-stick pan/griddle. When the pancake center starts to congeal and bubble, flip it over and cook the other side until golden brown. Repeat steps until batter is all used up. Keep cakes warm in a covered pot until ready to serve.