What's for Dinner?

Just because you cut out dairy, meat, wheat, sugar, fruit and wine doesn't mean you have to sacrifice flavor!

  Here are two recipes I cooked up this week.  

They are vegan and gluten free but oh so tasty!

Pasta Caprese 

Ingredients:

 2 tbsp. grape seed oil

1 small onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

5 tomatoes diced or 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes

½ tsp. dried basil

1 bunch fresh basil rough chopped

1 package of brown rice pasta (or pasta of your choice)

*1 brick of firm tofu or 8 ounces of cubed mozzarella

salt

Directions

Warm the olive oil in a pan, add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add in the tomatoes and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Crumble the tofu and add to the pan and stir.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes.  Remove from heat and add basil, cooked pasta, and stir.  Salt to taste.  If your mixture is too dry, drizzle some olive oil and incorporate.

*If you allow dairy in your diet, you can replace the tofu with cubed mozzarella.  If you use the mozzarella, be sure to add to pasta mixture after it has slightly cooled to prevent your mozzarella from melting.

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Curried beans with rice

Adapted from Mels

 Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Grape seed oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp tumeric

1 tsp yellow curry
pinch cayenne, or to taste
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 cup vegetable stock 
1 can black-eyed peas, lightly drained (I used lentils and black beans since that's what I hand)
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 brick of tofu (firm) cubed 

Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; saute 5 minutes or until translucent and slightly browned. Stir in garlic stir constantly for 30 seconds. Add tomato; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in turmeric, curry, cayenne, salt, paprika, and garam masala; stir constantly for 30 seconds. Add stock, tofu, and beans. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro. Serve immediately with brown rice

 Click here to view original Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe 

Desperately Seeking Solutions

Over the last year and a half I have had 2 surgeries, 2 colonoscopies, countless doctors’ appointments and every blood test known to man with no answers or relief.  In this time period, the doctors have not been able to pinpoint the root problem with my intestinal tract.  Countless wasted hours and thousands of dollars on western medicine left me looking for an alternative solution.  I was desperate.  What started as an ulcer on my colon, ended with a 25lb weight gain, inability to eat without crippling stomach pain, severe lower back aches, outrageous irritability, abnormal woman issues, joint pain, acne, and depression.  Many days I barely made it out of my bed and if I did I was tired, irritable, and uncomfortable due to the pain.  My quality of life was poor, to say the least.    After a really shitty week (sorry there is no other word for it) filled with exhaustion, arguments and pain, I realized I had to make a change immediately.

I sought out and received some great advice from friends which led me to pursue the alkaline diet.  For those of you unfamiliar with the concept here is a brief synopsis:

“An alkaline diet, also called an acid alkaline balance diet, is a diet which is approximately 80% alkaline producing and 20% acid producing. The theory behind this pH diet is that the pH produced by the food we eat should reflect the pH level of our bloodstream, which is approximately 7.36, and that if it does not, the pH of our bloodstream may be disrupted. Dr. Robert O. Young claims that health depends primarily on proper balance between an alkaline and acid environment - as when our bodies become too acidic, our bodies will take whatever action necessary to regulate the pH and the acid-alkaline balance of the blood. In this environment our bodies will begin to break down and show signs of disease including cancer, obesity, flu, skin disorders, osteoporosis, yeast overgrowth etc.”

(source:Balance-Ph-Diet)

For those of you who know me, you know I LOVE to cook and eat (mostly eat).  I’m a master at French Sauces and make the best Dutch Apple pie in the world! (Seriously)  To say this was going to be a challenge would be an understatement; No dairy, no meat, no sugar, no yeast, no fruit and no WINE (gasp). Thank God for desperation.  It can be extremely motivating!

I cleaned out my fridge and pantry, stocked up on vegetables and spices and dove in head first.   After only 11 days I feel AMAZING!  I have been pain and symptom free.  I have lost 14 pounds, my skin has cleared up, I’m energetic, happy and I have clarity of mind and spirit!

I’m sure to many of you this may seem like nonsense.  For me it made sense.  Our bodies are incredible machines.  These machines were designed to work efficiently to keep us nourished, energized, and fight off disease.  But much like a car, when you feed the engine with poor quality fuel time after time, it begins to breakdown.  It becomes sluggish; its lines are clogged with deposits and cannot perform to its full capacity.  Fast food, sugar, preservatives, unhealthy fats and GMO’s can take their toll on our delicate machines.  It made sense to move towards restoring my body to its healthy unaltered state.

I know it’s still early in the process and I have a lot to more to learn but I am soooo glad I gave it a shot.  I feel better than I have in over a year and I am looking forward to the possibilities.

Since this is now a HUGE part of my life I am going to be sharing bits and pieces of my journey. 

So if you are curious, keep your eyes peeled for educational articles, recipes and my recommendations/observations.

Click here to read more about the Alkaline Diet

Forever 29

This past weekend we celebrated Matt’s 29^th birthday.   

Saturday was filled with great food, family and fun! 

A mellow weekend in comparison to his other birthdays but a rite of passage in some respects,as this was the first year Matt spent his birthday as member of our family rather than a single bachelor.  To be honest, I was worried slightly concerned that this birthday would not live up to his “norm”.  Those of us with children know, once you become a parent, those days of wild parties are few and far between.    I've had my fair share of dull birthdays over

 the past 10 years and I wanted to ensure that Matt’s first family birthday celebration was as special as he is.

When I was younger, birthdays were the most exciting thing.  As the years creep up I find myself wanting to ignore the day all together.  I seem to have forgotten how much I *used* to  love my birthday.  So out of sheer love for my man, I harkened back to my childhood and remembered all the special things my mom did on my big day.  Great breakfast, any dinner I wanted, and of course singing the Beatles “Birthday ” to me on my birth minute (7:35am).  

She made it all about “me”. 

Using that recipe, I made the day all about him.  We had a great breakfast (Eggs Benedict), special birthday surprises, and a fabulous dinner with family.

  Oh and the Brooks family southern style Red Velvet Cake!

Best part – at the end of the evening he said – "This is the first time I’ve had a birthday where I got everything I wanted!"  Success!

Sometimes amazing days don't hit you over the head with a 2x4, they creep in quietly and stay in your memory forever.

Thanks to my Pinterest obsession I found this great idea!
  A picture for every year attached to a balloon

What's a party without a balloon fight?

Brooks Family Red Velvet Cake with Bananas

Blue Cheese Coleslaw - so goood!

Steak and Herbs de Provence.  Best Combo!  If you haven't tried it - DO IT!

Birthday boy enjoying his first bite :)

Make a wish!

What’s for dinner: leftover edition

What’s for dinner: leftover edition        

   

I pride myself on creating delicious meals on a limited budget. When I plan my dinner menus I secretly play a game with myself. To win the game, I must make a meal for all four of us for under $10.  Nine times out of ten I am successful.  I only lose the game when I am feeling self-indulgent and really want to get fancy and splurge on salmon or filet mignon.  Yes, I’m a lame-o!  Doesn’t take much to get me excited!

Last week I scored some great deals at the local independent markets (10lbs. of onions for $1, 2 lbs. of jalapeños for $1, 6 boneless chicken breasts for $5 and some great inexpensive Indian spices) so I decided to use all of those goodies to try a new recipe: Tandoori Chicken.

Apparently my eyes were bigger than my tummy! I coated all 6 chicken breasts with the lovely spice rub. Not surprisingly, we had leftovers (duh!).  I packed up my chicken and went to bed wondering what I could do with the leftovers the next evening.

This morning, the light bulb above my head switched on and I decided to use the leftovers to make a tandoori chicken quesadilla with cilantro rice. 

The combination was wonderful!  I have successfully added a new menu item to my repertoire! 2 meals for under $10 – I win!

If you ever get a hankering for some spicy Indian chicken two nights in a row, give these a whirl!

Dinner 1: Tandoori chicken:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped brown onion

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno pepper,

1 tablespoon paprika

11/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a blender/food processor, combine the oil, onion, garlic, ginger, pepper, and process on high speed to a paste. Add the paprika, salt, cumin, coriander, garam masala, and cayenne, and process till blended. Add the yogurt and lemon juice until all ingredients are fully incorporated.

Cut long slits into the chicken (to allow marinade to absorb) and place chicken in a baking dish or bowl and pour the marinade over.  Allow at least 4 hours to fully absorb – turn chicken repeatedly.

Cook chicken on indoor grill or bbq 8-10 minutes each side.  Baste as needed. 

Alternatively – you can bake the chicken at 425 for approximately 30-35 minutes.

Dinner 2: Tandoori Chicken Quesadillas 

Tandoori chicken cut into strips (2 breasts)

6 Flour tortillas

2 cups grated cheese combo (jack and mozzarella)

1 brown onion sliced and caramelized

Cilantro/jalapeño sauce

            1/2 cup sour cream

            1 jalapeño diced

            1/2 bunch cilantro

Place cilantro and jalapeño in the food processor and blend.  Add ½ cup sour cream and blend until all ingredients are incorporated.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Warm griddle or pan while assembling the quesadillas.

Spread each inner side of the tortillas with the cilantro mixture.  Add grated cheese, chicken and caramelized onions and top with second tortilla.  Place tortilla on griddle and warm to a golden brown.  Flip and warm on the second side.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream.  Makes 3 Quesadillas.

Maintenance for your soul

Do you ever feel guilty for wanting more?  I’ll admit, I do!  Don’t get me wrong, I love and appreciate all that I have and I recognize I am blessed with so much abundance but often times I feel that there is something askew.

The nineteen year old me would kick my thirty something ass.  Granted, what does a nineteen year old really know? At an age where you can afford to be idealistic and grandiose about the world, your dreams, and your life, you have no practical sense of reality; a mortgage, child birth, civic responsibility, parenting and TAXES!  Life at that age is almost a fantasy.  The world is, in a very real sense, a blank canvas.  You are the artist and your experiences, dreams, and passions are the paint.

Somewhere along the road I forgot how to paint.  My canvas has become bland and boring.  I forgot how to LIVE!

My modus operandi, for years, has been to survive, hoping that one day I would find the (time/money/energy /Insert excuse here) to follow my dreams.  One of these days!  Sadly, that day never comes and for many, they die with a lifetime of regret.  They mourn the “life” they could have had instead of loving the life they lived.

In high school, my art teacher would always tell me “Amanda, there is no creativity in fear”.   After twenty years I finally understand.  With my new found self-awareness I am dusting off my paintbrushes, breaking out my paints, and taking a bold swipe at the blank canvas.   

I can no longer be defined by my titles: Mother, daughter, employee, partner.  I will no longer be afraid to create life.  I am more and have more to offer the world; the world has more to offer me.  The bounds of my creativity are endless and all I have to do is try. ^{DO  (“Do or do not, there is no try” Yoda)}

I have no way of knowing what the future holds but nothing will come to me if I am stagnant.  To get out of my rut I must move forward, one step at a time (baby steps count).  Life is always moving forward.  It is an inner drive we all possess.  Reach deep inside and connect with your soul.  Push the fear away and let it carry you forward.

A toddler doesn’t go from crawling to running in one fell swoop.  Bored with their current state of being they say  “I’m tired of sitting in one place, I want to explore!”  They muster all that is in them to stand.  Sometimes they have to use a table or someone’s hand to pull them upright.  Then they leave that comfort zone and take a small step towards the unknown.  Sure, they fall down.  They may even bash their head open on the coffee table a time or two but they ALWAYS get back up and try again.  One step becomes three, three steps become ten and in no time they are off and running  pulling books off  the shelves, grabbing at pots on the stove and wreaking havoc all over the place!

Once you learn how to walk you find all sorts of wonderful methods of transport: bikes, skateboards, cars and planes! Just think; if you never learn how to walk, you will never learn how to fly.

This is me "doing"  Combining my passion for
motherhood and creativity in my daily life.  Baby steps.

We have all experienced the sting of the burn.  Our hearts have been blistered by the pain of failure.  Wounds heal.  Reach for the pot.  You never know, it just might be your first step to becoming the next iron chef!

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