Happy Chanukah! Healthy Treats

Happy Chanukah Friends!

This year, I have created some fun and easy recipes to help kids and adults celebrate the festival of lights. Of course, the traditional latkes and sufganiot are delicious, but this year, let's make our menus a bit more exciting!

I am doing a very special hands-on kids cooking class at a Chanukah party this year and am excited to be making some new things. Check out the recipes below.

 

I am making:

- Grilled Homemade Nutella and Banana Dreidel Sandwiches

- Mini Star of David Fruit Skewers with Vanilla Cashew Cream

 

Grilled Homemade Nutella and Banana Dreidel Sandwiches

I adapted this delicious recipe from the blog: http://thedaintypig.com/blog/2014/1/31/macrotreat-fridays-macro-ish-nutella
 

Homemade Nutella

• 1 3/4 cups whole hazelnuts
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3 - 4 pinches of  sea salt
• 2 Tbsp sunflower or safflower oil of choice
• 5 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup almond milk

1. Set the oven to 400F.
2. Place hazelnuts on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. Shake the pan after about 4 minutes or so, to rotate them. Once roasted, remove the pan from the oven. Let the hazelnuts cool for about 5 minutes.
3. Place the hazelnuts inside a kitchen towel, making a pouch, and then rub the hazelnuts inside the towel to take off the skins.
4. Place the nuts into a food processor or high-speed blender. Add the oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Blend slowly, starting on a low setting then moving higher.
5. Add cocoa powder and salt. Blend again for a few minutes.
6. Add the almond milk slowly, staring with 1/3 cup. Blend. Add more if you desire.

Sandwiches

• 1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 4 pieces of whole wheat bread
• 2 Tbsps sunflower oil
• 3 inch dreidel cookie cutter

1. Cut dreidel shapes out of the bread. If you are careful, you can probably get 2 dreidels per piece of bread.
2. Spread each dreidel bread with Nutella.
3. Place banana slices on top of Nutella on one piece of dreidel bread. Then top with other piece of dreidel bread with the Nutella side down - on top of the bananas.
4. Heat sunflower oil is a skillet on medium heat and place dreidel sandwiches into the pan. lightly press sandwiches down and flip once they are golden brown and a bit crispy - just like a grilled cheese sandwich. Serve hot.

 

Mini Star of David Fruit Skewers with Vanilla Cashew Cream

Cashew Cream

• 1 cup raw cashews, rinsed and then soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of sea salt

1. Discard soaking water from cashews and place cashews in a high speed blender or food processor. Add enough water to almost cover the cashews. Blend until creamy.
2. Add remaining ingredients and blend until full incorporated and creamy. Spoon into a serving bowl.

Fruit Skewers

• fresh fruit (such as apples, pears, grapes, berries)
• 1/2 lemon
• 6 inch wooden skewers
• mini Star of David cookie cutter

1. Wash and cut fruit into bite sized pieces and use mini Star of David cookie cutter to cut shapes into apples and pears. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 a lemon onto apples and pears so it does not brown.
2. Skewer fruit onto wooden skewers and place onto a serving platter. Serve with cashew cream.

 

Here are a couple of other great ideas to make this Chanukah delicious! I hope you enjoy!!!

 

 

Homemade Facial Oil for All Skin Types

I am newly excited about making my own all-natural body care products. Some of the benefits of making my own products are that they are simple and easy to make, I select the ingredients that I know are good for my well-being, and they are much less expensive than natural products in the store or mail order products. Also, they last so much longer!

In the past, I have tested many facial moisturizers. After trying products for years, I finally found a great company that sources all organic ingredients, makes their products in small batches and is excellent quality. I would spend about $40 for a 2 ounce bottle of moisturizer, plus pay for shipping. I would usually go through about 2 bottles per year. That ends up costing about $90 for facial moisturizer for the year. Last year, I made my own facial oil for about $14. The oil I made was so potent, it literally lasted me an entire year! Here is the one I made last year:
http://elliesecocollective.blogspot.com/2013/12/homemade-facial-moisturizer-for-oily.html

Now that I have run out of oil, I decided to try a new recipe. I just ordered some new, very potent therapeutic grade essential oils that I want to test out and I want to use effective ingredients, but don't want to spend a lot of money.

Here is information on the ingredients I decided to use this time:

Apricot Kernel Oil

• Affordable
• Non-greasy
• Anti-inflammatory properties that can be used to soothe minor skin conditions
• High in Gamma Linoleic Acid (GLA), which enables your skin to maintain its moisture balance. Also helps tone and firm up your skin
• Vitamin A and Vitamin E, which slow down the signs of ageing
• Light, gentle, mild and non-irritating, it can also be used for children and babies
• Great for all skin types, especially prematurely aged, sensitive, inflamed or dry skin
• Shelf life of about 1 year, and 2 years if it is refrigerated

Rosehip Seed Oil

• Anti-inflammatory
• Full of vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids which can correct dark spots and hydrate dry, itchy skin, while reducing scars and fine lines
• Vitamin C and lycopene, which works to repair the skin's surface, restoring elasticity and protecting against sun and pollution stressors that can lead to wrinkles
• Promotes wound healing by stimulating tissue regeneration

Lavender Essential Oil

• Anti-inflammatory and stimulating for the circulatory system
• Anti-fungal and antiseptic. Reduces scarring and speeds healing
• Beneficial for treating acne, inhibits bacteria that causes the initial infection
• Calming and stress relieving properties

 

Frankincense Essential Oil

• Anti-inflammatory and antiseptic
• Astringent quality that reduces the appearance of wrinkles
• Helps scars and after marks of boils, acne and pox on the skin fade at a much faster rate.
• Helps eliminate sun spots and generally tones and tightens skin
• Induces a feelings of peace, relaxation, satisfaction and spirituality. It lowers anxiety, anger and stress.

 

 

Here is a recipe for an all natural facial oil I just made for myself. The essential oils I am using are very potent, so I am not using a lot.

You need:

• 2 ounce Dark glass bottle with a pump or a dropper
• 1 3/4 ounce Apricot kernel oil
• 1/4 ounce Rosehip seed oil
• 4 drops Lavender essential oil
• 3 drops Frankincense essential oil

1. Pour the apricot kernel oil into a clean dark glass bottle about 3/4 of the way full.
2. Pour the rosehip seed oil into the bottle, until almost full.
3. Add the lavender and frankincense oil.
4. Close the bottle and shake. Enjoy!

Homemade All Natural Deodorant...That Really Works!

 

Hi Friends,

Life can get busy for many people, and as you can see from my last blog post - which was exactly a year ago, my life is no exception.

As I left off from my last post in 2013, I am once again, getting into essential oils and how seriously powerful they can be in assisting with natural health and well being.

After doing some research, I have decided to start experimenting with creating my own all natural homemade deodorant. This summer I spent 4 months abroad and I ran out of my own natural herbal deodorant. I tried buying something new from the local health food store, and it turned out that it made my tiny bit of body odor even worse!

Now that I am back in America and am making plans to again, be out of the country, I don't want to be dependent on bringing enough deodorant with me. It's time to be simple and make my own. I realized in doing this, that the skin under my arms is very sensitive. Lymph nodes, which are part of the lymphatic system, are located in your armpits. They are part of your immune system and help your body fight off infections and disease. For me, it makes sense to only put pure, all natural deodorant in such a sensitive place, especially when what you put on your skin gets absorbed into the bloodstream.

Through experimenting, I found out that making my own deodorant is really easy!

Right now I am using a mix of organic coconut oil with geranium essential oil mixed in. I use a tiny bit under each arm and I smell like fresh geraniums all day.

I made the following recipe from WellnessMama.com and it also smells great, but my shea butter and coconut oil separated, so I might have to mix it while it cools. But otherwise, it also works well for me.

One of the recipes I made is from this blog here:
http://wellnessmama.com/1523/natural-deodorant/

Here is another very simple recipe for homemade deodorant, with great photos and a very simple but beautiful way to store natural homemade cosmetics.
http://notrashproject.com/tag/homemade-deodorant/

Thanksgivukkah 2013!

As you've all heard, Thanksgiving coincides with the first day of Hanukkah this year. Very exciting news for the Jews who celebrate both!

Check out my Pinterest board for some great ideas for menu planning, recipes, festive decor and more.
Thanksgivukkah 2013 Ideas

We are going all out this year at our Thanksgivukkah. Check out our final menu.

Soupe au Pistou
Free Range Turkey
Pan Fried Flounder with Homemade Tartar Sauce
Herbed Stuffing
Quinoa Stuffed Delicata Squash
Garlic and Chive Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy
Mini Potato Latkes with Cranberry Apple Sauce
Whipped Yams
Green Bean Casserole
Garlic Collard Greens
Green Salad
Cranberry Pear Sauce

Pumpkin Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
Sweet Potato Pie
Chocolate Molasses Spice Cookies
Sufganiyot
Homemade Sparkling Apple Cider

Have A GREAT Life

My reading of this book was long overdue and I am happy to say, I recently finished it and gained a renewed sense of inspiration and enjoyment for my personal macrobiotic practice.

Practicing macrobiotics has the potential to be a big challenge. I often hear people say, "I don't have time to do all that cooking." I used to feel that way at times. But it seems, once I get things going, make a plan and get into a rhythm, my practice becomes something interesting, inspiring, fun and spiritual. It is more than just food, it is an attitude, a way of living.

The Great Life Diet is written in a short and simple way. It's only 124 pages and includes a few recipes in the back as well as dietary guidelines for healing. This book is great for anyone who wants to improve their health, improve their macrobiotic practice or just refresh their knowledge. It inspired me to get back to the basics and really listen to my body as well as give it what it needs. Macrobiotics can be a gentle, mindful and peaceful way of eating and living that will help you cultivate more gentleness and peace with yourself and others. All you have to do is listen, sit, chew, have gratitude and recognize how beautiful this life is.

Gratitude is the way to be happy.

Check out this book. You will most likely learn something that will improve your life if you put it into practice. Happy reading!
http://www.amazon.com/Great-Life-Diet-Practical-Fulfillment/dp/1933648260/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380546001&sr=1-2&keywords=the+great+life+cookbook

Kosher for Passover: Roasted Butternut Squash & Quinoa Salad

I've been doing some research and have tried to find some delicious looking healthy, vegan and kosher for Passover recipes. What a challenge! Not just vegan, not just kosher for Passover, but also healthy and delicious... I also wanted to come up with easy recipes that anyone can make that would have easily accessible ingredients. You can get everything at your local kosher grocery store.

Here is one that I came up with recently. I will definitely be making it this year!

Roasted Butternut Squash & Quinoa Salad

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2  tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 cups quinoa

• fresh parsley, finely chopped
• sliced toasted almonds

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel the butternut squash and slice into 1 inch cubes.
3. Place the squash on a lined baking sheet and toss with oil, salt and garlic powder.
4. Roast the squash in the oven for 40 minutes or until very soft. Roasting until very soft will make it creamy, buttery and sweeter.
5. While the squash is roasting, rinse the quinoa and then place it into a large pot with 3 ⅓ cup water.
6. Bring the pot to a boil, add a pinch of salt and then simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on.
7. After 20 minutes, set the quinoa aside to cool.
8. Once the squash is roasted, toss it with the quinoa and parsley in a large bowl. Garnish it with almonds just before serving.

Making Healthy Food FUN for Kids (and Adults)!

If you have kids, then you probably know how challenging it can be to get them to eat healthy foods. Kids often have access to sugary sodas, candy, chips and other processed snacks during their school day. This can be a real hindrance if you are wanting your kids to grow up healthy, strong and developing good habits for when they become older.

I have been recently working with a family and their two children who are 6 and 8 years old. These kids LOVE candy. And ice cream. And sugary drinks. All they care about is treats when they get home. Getting these kids to eat a piece of fruit daily is like a miracle! Yesterday I made them their usual dinner - something frozen that you pop into the oven for a few minutes. I also made them a whole bunch of delicious raw fruit and vegetables, cut into bite sized pieces. I arranged the fruit and veggies in a fun way on a platter in the center of the table, and I let each child pick what they wanted. And you know what? They actually ate it! Seriously. I have never seen these kids eat so much healthy food at dinner.

Here are some easy tips for getting YOUR kids to eat healthier:

SHAPE
One big thing that makes healthy food more appealing is the way it is cut. If you give a kid a giant carrot out of the bag, they probably won't eat it. But if you cut up a bunch of fruits and veggies in fun shapes and bite sized pieces arranged nicely on a plate, ready and waiting for them, they are WAY more likely to eat it. Having fun with this doesn't have to be complicated. Use a small cookie cutter to make hearts, stars and other cute shapes.

You can even do a fun project with your kids to cut fruits, veggies, bread or tortillas into cool shapes with small and medium sized cookie cutters. You can make easy sandwiches with the bread and quesadillas or wraps with the tortillas. Adults will even love it. I know that when I make a fun soup with star shaped carrots or heart shaped radishes, it makes eating more enjoyable.

COLOR
When thinking in terms of color, here is an easy way to make things more exciting. Rainbows! Kids love rainbows. Rainbows make people feel happy. Try arranging your foods in rainbow order. Talk about the different colors on the plate with your kids. Talk about flavors and textures and take the time to help them experience why eating well is important. Talk about antioxidants. Kids really listen and will appreciate the time you spend with them in this way.

TASTE
Eating foods that taste good is important to kids and adults! If you try to give people things they don't like, they will just rebel. So start with the things they do like. I found out the other day that the kids I work with like oatmeal. They only like to eat it with sugar on top. So, I let them have sugar on their oatmeal because at least it is getting them to eat oatmeal! Baby steps.

TOGETHER
When your kids see you eating something healthy, they will want to copy you. When the kids I work with see me eating blueberries or salad, sometimes they will come over and ask if they can taste it. They often times like it. When you take care of your self by eating well, your kids will see it and also want to.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when preparing snacks and dinner for your kids:

• Are the vegetables or fruits cut in an interesting or artful way?
• Did you use a variety of ingredients, flavors, and colors?
• Are the colors of the dish you prepared vibrant and lively?
• Is the food arranged in a fun way on the plate?
• Are you using a colorful plate that makes eating more exciting?

Wishing you success in raising a healthy and happy family, and future generations.

Leftover Cranberries? Cranberry Walnut Muffins!

If you are like me and buy fresh cranberries for Thanksgiving, then you probably have some leftovers sitting in your refrigerator as we speak. Well, fear no more, I have a tasty solution for you to use up those extra little guys. This recipe is easy and delicious, and is an absolutely beautiful addition to an Autumn breakfast or as a snack. They can also be wrapped individually and given as little edible party favors at your next event.

Cranberry Walnut Muffins
These muffins come out slightly sweet, with a bit of tang from the cranberries. Delish!

• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 cup unbleached white flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a muffin tin and set aside. Whisk the oil, syrup, almond milk, vinegar and vanilla in a bowl. In a separate larger bowl, mix the coconut sugar, flours, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and salt. with a rubber spatula, mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Do not over mix the batter. Fold in the 1/2 cup walnuts and cranberries. Using a medium sized ice cream scoop, put one scoop of batter into section of the muffin tin. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup walnuts and place into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the pan half way for even baking. Bake 5 minutes more and until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes and remove muffins from the tin.

Thanksgiving Inspirations

Every year my whole family looks forward to Thanksgiving - the one holiday where we get together to eat, relax and have fun! This year will be the best one yet - since we will be coming from all over the US to gather together for great food AND great company. This year I am doing it vegan-style for my family and am excited to share colorful and flavorful, healthy dishes that will leave everyone feeling satiated, happy and healthy.

In anticipation of this Thanksgiving, I have already created my menu for this year's awesomeness:

1. Steamed Southern Style Cornbread Muffins
2. Pecan Crusted Seitan Cutlets
3. Seitan Herb Stuffing
4. Herbed Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy
5. Whipped Maple Sweet Potatoes
6. Creamy Root Vegetable Gratin
7. Garlicky Green Beans
8. Cranberry Citrus Sauce
9. Fresh Green Salad
10. Warm Pumpkin Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
11. Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

I hope this menu of scrumptious goodies will inspire you to make some healthy, vegan dishes to add to your holiday table. Happy festivities!

Cooking With Love

Putting love into the food you prepare for yourself and others can make all the difference between a regular meal and something spectacular.

A meal prepared with love and care has the power to transform a person's mood, outlook on life and feelings about oneself and the world. A wonderfully prepared meal has the ability to relax, strengthen or help a person heal. A meal made with care can make the difference between creating more love, peace and joy in this world or creating disharmony, lethargy and dis-ease.

Isn't that powerful?

These thoughts are something that have been on my mind a lot. If someone is in a negative mood, saying hurtful, rude or negative things to others while they are cooking, how does it effect the food and the person who consumes it? Just think of the movie, Like Water For Chocolate. Remember that wedding cake scene?

When a person prays while they are cooking, speaks kind and gentle words, and feels love and joy to be cooking for others, how does that effect the food?

Our thoughts, feelings and actions are all energy. Energy we are putting into the food and energy we are putting out into the world.

That's pretty powerful.

We have the ability to create or destroy. We have the ability to lift people up or drag them down ~ all with our thoughts, words, actions and intentions.

Try an experiment. Make one dish. Give yourself enough time and space to put gentle and loving energy into the food you are making. Think of the people who will benefit from the food you are preparing so lovingly.

How do you want those people to feel after they have eaten your food?
What kind of energy do you want your food to give to them?

Treat the food kindly the entire time you are cooking. Pray while you cook and infuse the food with holiness, love and healing energy. Talk to your food and tell it beautiful things.

At the end of cooking, serve the food on a beautiful plate. Taste it.

Awesome, right?

Packing Your Lunch? Check Out the Bento Box Rules

Get ready to be a lot more excited about packing your lunch for work or school!! American lunches often consist of the usual travel-friendly foods such as sandwiches, chips, crackers, cookies, apples, baby carrots, juice boxes and the like. Those foods can be nice, but sometimes you just need to mix things up and have something deliciously awesome to look forward to all morning.

One of my favorite things about Japanese culture is the bento box. Not only is a bento box filled with home made fresh vegetables, rice and protein - very healthy - but it is also most often beautifully presented and packed, as well as totally delicious!

Check out this cute book I just stumbled upon, The Just Bento Cookbook: Everyday Lunches To Go. This book has excellent and practical ideas for packing visually appealing and delicious lunches. It is sure to inspire you to try some new things and help you feel great about eating well and enjoying it.

I need to buy this - even just for the pictures and inspiring ideas!

I also found the Just Bento Blog, (even better since it's free!) with Maki's Top Ten Bento Rules - a must read for getting ideas about lunches that travel well. Enjoy your new outlook on lunch and get ready to chow down with adorable Japanese style.

How to Store Fruits and Vegetables

I just found this awesome article about 'How to Store Fruits and Vegetables to Keep Them From Rotting.' EXACTLY what I have been dealing with in my current job. Being responsible for feeding fruit and vegetables on a daily basis to over 700 campers and staff has been a pretty great learning experience. There are so many things I now need to consider that I never had to worry about when I only did private cooking.

Most recently, I have been ordering a large amount of fruits from our distributor so that we can prep snacks daily. We get cases of bananas, peaches, plums, oranges, grapes and pears - and they all need to be stored correctly, washed, and served, but only when they are just ripe. A day too early and no one will touch them, and a day too late and we will have brown and mushy over-ripe fruits.

What a challenge!

This blog posted lists of vegetables and fruits and exactly what to do with them. Worry no more - just consult the list.

Happy reading and fruit eating.

http://www.mythirtyspot.com/2011/09/how-to-store-fruits-and-vegetables-so.html

Cooking With the Hip Chick...

Many women I meet who are interested in learning more about healthy diet and lifestyle often tell me they feel overwhelmed with all of the information out there. One magazine says to eat this, one diet says to eat that - there are so many philosophies and ways of living that claim to the be "RIGHT" way.

To these women, I have recommended one book. One book to start them on a healing journey - to open their minds and give them a basic understanding about healthy food and lifestyle - and to do it all with humor, wit and intelligence. This book that I recommend is written BY an exceptional woman, FOR exceptional women. Once I got my hands on a copy, I really couldn't put it down. It is not only fascinating, but so well explained that it allows the readers to easily grasp the concepts and apply them to their own lives.

This book is The Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics. It is always my go-to book for women just starting out and wanting to learn the in's and out's of macrobiotics.

Get a copy - even if you already have a deep understanding of healing through natural diet and lifestyle and the energetics of food, this book is a valuable resource to add to your own collection of cookbooks. It features over 80 delectable recipes that are good for you AND taste good!

Also, if you ever have the opportunity to learn from the Hip Chick herself, Jessica Porter, grab it! She has a wealth of knowledge about food, health and life and her classes are sure to be educational as well as entertaining.

For more information about Jessica Porter and The Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics, check her website and blog:

www.hipchicksmacrobiotics.com

www.hipchicksmacrobiotics.com/blog/

Extra! Extra! Read All About Cooking for Summer.

For fun and fresh Summer cooking ideas, check out the latest issue of Bitayavon Magazine. This beautifully photographed magazine is all about delicious, kosher gourmet food. The pictures in this mag are so fantastic - be careful not to drool while flipping through its pages...


The Summer issue features articles and tips for Summer picnics, healthy smoothies, sizzling summer desserts, and out-of-the-box grilling ideas. It also features an article and three recipes on scrumptious summer salads and health tips throughout the magazine, all written by yours truly! I am so glad to have my article featured in this magazine and get my message of eating well and enjoying it to a larger audience.


The recipes I featured are perfect for cooling down, relaxing and energizing your body during the hot summer months. I also introduce "exotic" ingredients like ume plum vinegar and dried daikon radish, as well as one of my favorite salad recipes, Southwestern Salsa & Black Bean Salad with "Sour Cream" Dressing. Oh yeah.


To get your copy, check your local kosher supermarket, judaica store, some Shoprites or Barnes and Nobles. To order a copy online, go here: http://bitayavon.com/

For more info and kosher, gourmet inspirations, find Bitayavon Magazine on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/bitayavonmagazine

Also, stay tuned for the upcoming Fall Issue of Bitayavon... I will be writing more healthy tidbits, plus tips on how to have an easy fast - perfect for the upcoming High Holiday of Yom Kippur, this September 26, 2012. Looking forward to sharing more info with you soon!

Summer Treats: Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas

I recently took on the exciting job of Kitchen Coordinator for a summer camp. One of the things I love about this kind of work is that I get to do a lot of problem solving. For some reason, I find it thrilling and fun to work under time constraints and stress. Something about having to deal with difficultly staring me in the face, makes me rise to the occasion and somehow accomplish what I did not think was possible. I also love learning and figuring out how to be creative to accomplish the tasks at hand.

One of the most recent challenges that came up was bananas! Literally. We had a HUGE amount of leftover bananas and they were very, very ripe. One more day and they would have been a mushy mess. A few people mentioned that we should make banana bread/cake. Something with chocolate swirled into it and sprinkles baked into the batter. This SOUNDS fun, but in reality, I was not fond of the idea of making a large amount of bread using non-organic, conventional ingredients; white sugar, flour eggs, etc. And I also did not want to spend so much time with a hot oven in the summer. Those of you who know me know how I feel about baked flour products...

So we came up with another idea...

Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas on a Stick.

Now we're talkin'!!! What a great idea. So I had the staff peel and cut in half, like, a million bananas. By the end, they never wanted to see another banana again, but, we saved the bananas and took care of our snack prep for a day. We are feeding over 700 people each day in camp, so that's a whole lot of chocolate covered bananas.

Here is the recipe. Of course, you can make yours at home, for friends and family to enjoy. If you get organic bananas and vegan chocolate, you will be in pretty good shape! I like to use really ripe bananas, because they taste sweeter and creamier when frozen. You can dip the bananas (once covered in chocolate) in anything you like - crushed roasted peanuts, granola, shredded coconut or any other kind of fun topping you can think of.

Happy Summer!

Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas on a Stick
4 bananas
2 bars vegan chocolate - I used this:
http://chocolatebar.com/products.php?product=3oz.-All%252dNatural-Supreme-Dark-Chocolate
2 Tablespoons sunflower oil
a pinch of salt
popsicle sticks

1. Peel the bananas and cut them in half.
2. Stick a popsicle stick into the cut side of each half and place the bananas onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. 
3. Put the bananas into the freezer for 30 minutes.
4. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Mix in the sunflower oil and salt.
5. Take the bananas out of the freezer and dip them in the chocolate to cover them completely. If you want to make it easy to coat the banana, transfer the chocolate into a cup and then dip the banana into the chocolate for an even coating.
6. Sprinkle the chocolate covered banana in whatever topping you like.
7. Place the bananas back on the parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze them until the chocolate sets and the bananas are fully frozen, about 3 hours.

Pickles from Your Bubby

I love this graphic. I am sure a happy marriage needs a few more ingredients than at least one good cook, but it is a good start!

Even if your marriage does not have at least one good cook, or if you are single, you can still enjoy the health benefits and great taste of delicious sauerkraut. Bubbies brand of sauerkraut and other various pickles are  fantastic.

The ingredients are wholesome and simple and the taste is crunchy, salty-sour and just plain good.

You can find them in the refrigerated section at your natural food store. It is important to either make your own pickles or to buy pickles from the refrigerated section of the store, as opposed to the canned variety or pickles in jars on the shelf.

Buying refrigerated pickles is great because the refrigeration ensures that the live bacteria that was created during the fermentation process is still alive and kickin'. This makes all the difference because it will help the flora in your intestinal tract flourish, which means your digestion will be stronger. When your digestion works well, you can absorb the nutrients from your food better and you feel energetic, not bloated and have regular bowel movements. Yup, I just said that - it's true!

Try eating a little bit of sauerkraut, pickle or fermented food each day and see how you feel! If it is too salty, rinse the pickle in cool water before eating.

Happy digestion!

http://www.bubbies.com/

Quick and Satisfying: Soba Noodles in Shiitake Broth

I love this dish because it is fast, easy to make, delicious and a complete meal in one bowl! When I come home from a long day, the last thing I want to do is cook a big meal. This dish is simple and fun and does not take much time to prepare.

Ingredients:
1 package organic soba noodles
1 stamp sized piece kombu
2 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked for 1/2 hour (reserve soaking water)
1/2 block firm tofu
soy sauce
sweet potato
scallion
optional: any other vegetables you like

1. Boil the soba noodles in a pot until they are cooked. Drain and set aside.
2. Boil 2-4 cups of water in a pot (depending on how much soup you want to make).
3. Rinse off the piece of kombu and drop it into the boiling water. Add shiitake soaking water.
4. Trim stems off of shiitake mushrooms and discard. Slice mushrooms and add to the boiling water.
5. Dice sweet potato and any other vegetables you would like to add to the soup. Add to the boiling water.
6. Turn the water to low and let all ingredients simmer.
7. Cut the tofu in small cubes and add to the simmering pot.
8. Once the vegetables are cooked, add generous amounts of soy sauce to flavor the soup.
9. Place some noodles in a bowl and ladle the soup and vegetables on top.
10. Garnish with sliced scallion. Enjoy!

Put Some 'Spring' In Your Step With Seasonal Fruits and Veggies

Lots of Veggies in Springtime 

Spring is here and so is an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. Spring means that it's time for us to eat foods that are lighter and more refreshing. We can incorporate more raw foods into our meals, salads and pressed salads, light soups, quick stir fries and emphasize vegetables in our meals. Leafy greens, sprouts, parsley and scallions are excellent for this season. Sour and bitter flavors like lemon, lime, and bitter dandelion greens help support the liver and gallbladder in detoxification. Mildly sweet foods help us feel happy and relaxed Cooking with less oil and shorter cooking times are recommended.

Recently, I have been trying to make milder sweet dishes that satisfy my cravings but don't leave me feeling the sugar rush of super sweet baked goods and other desserts. Here are some great alternatives to heavier and more intense sweets from Winter.

Instead of grabbing a cookie, muffin, cupcake or chocolate, try...

• Sweet fresh corn on the cob. Buy organic, steam for 3 minutes and then smear with umeboshi paste. It is DELICIOUS!!! You will never eat corn on the cob another way again.
• Cooked squash - there are so many to choose from and they are all sweet and satisfying.
• Roasted Japanese sweet potato or yams. Clean the yam/sweet potato, take out any eyes, and put in a Pyrex dish in the oven on 425 degrees. Let it cook for about 45 minutes and poke with a fork to see if it's done. When the fork goes in easily, it is ready! Slice and peel the skin. Enjoy the creamy sweetness.
• Whole grains. When I want a sweet snack I take some left over well cooked brown rice and drizzle brown rice syrup over it. So easy and so good.
• Carrot juice - refreshing and sweet. I like it best mixed with green apple juice, so it's sweet and sour 'Carrot Green Apple Juice.' Yummm.
• Fruit compote - if I am craving something fruity, I toss some sliced fruit into a pot with a pinch of sea salt and simmer it for 10-15 minutes. I like to mix it up and use fresh, frozen and dried fruit. Fruit compote can be simple (made from one fruit) or more complex. I like to use apples, dried apricots, frozen blueberries, frozen cherries, peaches, raspberries, strawberries... the combinations are endless. The compote can be eaten plain, served on top of oatmeal for breakfast, or spooned over frozen dessert (see below).

Vanilla Soy Ice Cream with Fresh Strawberry Peach Compote and Toasted Almonds

Recipes for Vegan Hors D'oeuvres at Green Festival

Cucumber Cups with Avocado Cilantro White Bean Dip

Here are the two recipes from my Vegan Hors D'oeuvres Class on the Good Food Stage at the NYC Green Festival. I am so excited to share them with you!


I created these two recipes because they are perfect for Spring, featuring ingredients and cooking styles that are in harmony with the season. The raw cucumbers are crisp and refreshing, the sour flavors of lemon and lime help to cleanse your liver and gall bladder, and the steaming and quick saute cooking methods are perfect to keep you feeling light and relaxed.


If you couldn't make it out to this year's festival, there are more coming up, so keep your eyes on the Green festival website, http://www.greenfestivals.org/  I hope you enjoy the recipes.

Cucumber Cups with Avocado Cilantro White Bean Dip
1 cup Great Northern Beans
3-4 cups water
1 stamp sized piece kombu seaweed
1 teaspoon sea salt


1/2 large avocado
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon umeboshi vinegar
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch sea salt
6 stalks finely shredded fresh cilantro leaves


1 small red bell pepper
1 Tablespoon umeboshi vinegar


2 hothouse cucumbers


Beans:

1. Sort through the Great Northern beans to take out any dirt or pebbles. Rinse the beans in cool water 2 times. Then soak overnight or for 8 hours in a bowl with fresh water.
2. Drain the soaked beans and transfer them to a pot. Add fresh cool water (approx. 3-4 cups) to the beans and cover them with about 1 inch of water. (You can measure by sticking your thumb into the pot. Let your thumb touch the top of the beans and make sure the water goes up to you thumb knuckle.)
3. Bring the beans to a boil. Skim the beans if any foam arises. Rinse off the piece of kombu in cool water and add it to the boiling beans. Then turn the beans to low and let simmer for about 1 hour.
4. Taste the beans after 1 hour, if they are pretty much done, then add 1 teaspoon of sea salt. If not, let the beans cook longer until they are done and then add the salt. Let cook for 10 more minutes.
5. Take the beans off of the stove and let cool.

Bean Dip:

1. Once the beans have cooled, drain them. Then transfer them to a bowl and mash them by hand with a  potato masher or with the back of a fork. Mash until almost all beans are mashed. I like to keep some in whole form to give the dip a little more texture.
2. Add the avocado, fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon umeboshi vinegar, garlic powder, and sea salt into the beans and mix. Then fold in the cilantro. Feel free to add more seasoning if you like.

Garnish:

1. Slice the red bell pepper into 1/2 inch strips. Then thinly slice the strips.
2. Heat a saute pan on medium heat. Add the strips of pepper and then add 1 Tablespoon of umeboshi vinegar. Saute for 3-4 minutes.

Assembly:

1. Slice the cucumber lengthwise down the center. Then slice each half into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Take the small end of a melon baller and scoop out the center of a cucumber slice. Repeat this until you have many cucumber sliced with hollowed out centers. Place the scooped out cucumber pieces into a bowl and set them aside. (You can use them in making a salad later. I used mine in a spinach salad with leftover red bell pepper garnish and shredded carrot, tossed with olive oil, salt and a little balsamic vinegar).
3. Take a teaspoon and spoon in the white bean dip into the center of each cucumber cup. Garnish with red pepper slices. Serve and enjoy!

Sweet 'N Tangy Lime Seitan Skewers

Sweet 'N Tangy Lime Seitan Skewers

8 ounces seitan

zest 2 limes

juice 1 lime

1/2 cup brown rice syrup

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 large cloves fresh garlic, pushed through garlic press

1 stalk broccoli

1 yellow zucchini squash

6 inch bamboo skewers

Seitan and Marinade:

1. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the pieces of seitan. Then cut into approximately 1 1/2 inch chunks.
2. For the marinade, whisk together in a mixing bowl the lime zest, lime juice, brown rice syrup, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and garlic.
3. Put the pieces of seitan into the marinade and mix together so that each piece of seitan is coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Transfer the seitan and marinade into a glass Pyrex baking dish and cover with a piece of tin foil.
5. Cook the seitan for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Then turn each piece of seitan over, so the opposite side is in the marinade. Cook for another 10 minutes. Then remove from the oven and let cool.

Vegetables:

1. Slice the broccoli into medium sized florets. Cut the yellow zucchini squash lengthwise and then lengthwise again. Then slice into 1 inch pieces. (Try to make the size of the florets and zucchini squash a similar size as the seitan pieces.)
2. Put a steamer basket in a pot with about 1 inch of water in the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, put the zucchini into the pot and cover. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. Remove cooked zucchini from the pot and set on a plate to cool.
4. Put the broccoli into the pot and steam it, covered, for 3-4 minutes.

Assembly:

1. Take a piece of yellow zucchini squash and put on the skewer. Next, put a piece of broccoli (piercing through the stem of the broccoli). Last, put a piece of seitan.
2. Take the leftover marinade from cooking the seitan and dilute it with a little water. Mix together and pour into a dipping cup and serve on the side. (Optional: To season the steamed vegetables and serve without a sauce, brush the diluted marinade directly onto the vegetables on the skewer.) Enjoy!

Green Festival NYC for Fantastic Food and Fun

Hey All! It's time for the COOLEST, most exciting eco-event to make its way to the Big Apple - Get ready for the NYC Green Festival!!!

This year's festival will be on Earth Day weekend, and it is the first time Green Festival will be held in New York City, so it is sure to be an amazing event.

There will be some really fantastic speakers, an eco-fashion show, an organic beer and wine garden, tons of free samples and giveaways on all the latest and greatest eco-gear, and plenty of opportunities to meet some of the most inspiring change-makers and activists in the area, as well as find out how you can get more involved in the things that you are passionate about.

Along with all of this awesomeness, there will be a jam-packed schedule of speakers and 7 stages to choose from - to learn about everything from fair trade and green business to good food.

This year I will be presenting a 30 minute demo on the Good Food Stage. Come check it out on Sunday, April 22 at 2pm. I will be teaching a class how to make delicious and fun Vegan Hors D'oeuvres.

Hope to see you there!

Check the website: http://www.greenfestivals.org/nyc/updates/

Here is the Program Guide: http://read.uberflip.com/i/58249