Tag Archives: vegan

Jan30

No Whine, Only Cheese

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Sometimes I can’t help it but make a little fun out of things :) . Especially if the obvious controversy is literary staring you in a face.

Last week I was sharing breakfast with a doctor, and as there are never-ending topics to discuss for those working in a hospital, the conversation was easily flowing with lots of laughs sprinkled throughout the interaction. I was chuckling inside for an entirely different matter.

As one of my friends says “I’m the best guest ever because I come with my own food” :) , the lemon pound cake made for the previous post had its appearance during this breakfast, and the presence was surely glorious as its buttery goodness had no competition next to the sad-looking ”healthy breakfast” Dunkin Donuts sandwich that was limply hanging in the doctor’s hand waiting to be put out of its deflated misery (I mean, into the garbage can, not the doctor’s mouth, but it didn’t happen unfortunately).

Naturally the conversation touched upon my “dietary restrictions” of no gluten, dairy and soy (sans the occasional organic butter or Tamari soy sauce for sushi), and, by the way, I hope to ever see the day when junk will finally be separated and restricted from the actual food.

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“I’d never be able to do it”, said the doctor gingerly stuffing a mouthful of “enriched white flour”, corn syrup and modified food starch (modified into what? and why do you need to “glue” together foods like eggs, cheese and bread that are supposed to hold shape on their own? unless of course they are in fact just modified food starch) and washing it all down with gulps of sucralose-ladden beverage. Mmmmm, good stuff, Doc, if we need a refresher in a periodic table of the chemical elements! :)

“Need to keep the calories down”, surely he knows, he is a doctor first of all.  “Of course”, I answered, putting another piece of a real caloric ”heavyweight” champion “restricted” from enriched white flour and hormone injected milk, bursting with organic eggs, natural gluten free fours, unsweetened almond milk, pasture butter, fresh blueberries and lemon.

“It’s good!”, said the mouth free from inhaling chemical vapors and finally tasting the actual food.

“Sure, Doc!”, let your body enjoy some nourishment so much needed after a long night shift at the hospital.

Even more so, take the rest of this “restricted” cake with you too! :)

What’s Cooking This Week

People usually ask me how does it feel to live without baked goods, cheese, ice cream and such. I generally say “I have no idea, I’d not be able to do it either!” :) (Cue in a mandatory blank stare here.)

The fact is, I don’t know how it’d feel to not eat bread and cheese, and why should I?! With brands like Udi’s and daiya, my taste buds are not missing anything. So definitely no whine here, just lots of cheese! :)

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

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1 medium spaghetti squash

1 medium onion

1+1 Tbspoon of oil spread (or butter), I used Earth Balance coconut spread

1/2 cup of Mimic Cream, unsweetened (or regular cream)

1 cup of shredded daiya, cheddar style (or regular cheese)

1 tspoon marjoram

1/2 tspoon of dry ginger

1/2 tspoon of garlic powder

salt, pepper, chopped fresh herbs

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Cut the squash in half, clean the seeds out and place each half “face down” in a baking dish with a little water on the bottom. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the knife easily runs through, then let it cool off a bit.

While the squash is baking, chop the onion, melt 1 Tbspoon of oil spread and saute the onions until lightly golden.

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Once the squash has cooled off, scoop it out into a baking dish, mix in 1 Tbspoon of oil spread, salt/pepper, spices, onions, Mimic Cream and half the shredded cheese. Top with the remaining shredded cheese. Even if you don’t have to be dairy free, I encourage you to try something new like daiya plant cheese and Mimic Cream made from cashews, you’d be surprised how similar it tastes to the “real thing”, and bursting with healthy nutrients, you won’t have any guilty feelings indulging in an extra helping.

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Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Garnish with any chopped herbs. Have as many portions of this “restricted” and chemicals-free goodness as you wish! :)

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Enjoy!

Jan5

Treading Lightly

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While you tread lightly my heart pulls away

Barriers built for years to protect

Only broken with regret

Feet itching to bolt, head making me stay

Breathe the small voice says

Shudders ripple down my skin

Take a deep breath, and let it begin

The Qi begins to smooth the way

The wires spark, the signal transcends

A jolt to the heart, disperses away the sin

Whispering winds wash it all away

Darkness burning into light

Electricity turning into love so bright

The warm inviting yellow light behind her head

Draws you to her arms as she leads you to bed

                                                                                                                                         Gidyean

As I was standing on a train platform by Columbus Circle, tired but quite satisfied with how the evening went clutching my shopping bags full of shiny new purchases, a delicate scene was unfolding right in front of my eyes but being completely ignored by oblivious no-nonsense New Yorkers. 

 A couple was standing waiting for a train too yet you could tell they wished that the train would never come.  The guy was pacing back and forth ever so slightly, his gaze is darting to the girl’s face for a second and back down to his feet, eyes full of desire and hesitation drawn into a struggle and a balancing act all mixed in one. The girl held his gaze composed and sure as if the chosen path has already replayed in her mind and felt so right, as it had happened already. But dare I say, she had her own battles deep inside her, yet she continued whispering in his ear some soft words that ignited him even more, and he lifted his eyes to look into hers and just say “yes”.

You can guess that perhaps they just met and led by their instant passion got lost in a circle of doubt and want, but one of them had to find a way to get them both out and on a road to possibly share something wonderful.  And as the girl continued to smile and stepping closer and closer towards him, the guy seemed to be resolved to silence his doubts at least for a second and concede to his desire as he also stepped forward so they can share a brief but passionate kiss.

When my train came,  leaving them back at the platform, I dropped on my seat, the whole scene is still replaying in my mind, and wishing that those two would figure it all out before their train comes too. But if you ask me, I think the girl will lead him to bed… :)

What’s Cooking This Week

Sometimes you look at certain foods and combining them together is not the first thing that automatically comes to your mind. Or maybe you have presented them together and are now tired of the same old ways. Perhaps those two on a train platform were not meant to be together as a conventional couple, but who is to say that following their passion and not their common sense will produce a less meaningful or even less important in their lives relationship?! Sometimes you simply have to follow where your heart takes you. And combine old things in a new way to create interesting flavors. Just make sure you tread lightly. :)

Cranberry Rice Stuffed Delicata Squash

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2 delicata squash

1 cup of uncooked rice

1/2 cup of dried cranberries (I used dried whole berries)

1 Tbspoon of oil spread or butter (I used Earth Balance Coconut Oil spread)

1 Tbspoon of fresh lemon juice

1/2 tspoon of nutmeg

salt, pepper, lemon seasoning

mint leaves for garnish

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Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop the seeds out, lightly rub the insides with salt, pepper and lemon seasoning, wrap each half in foil and roast at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or untill the knife easily runs through.

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In a mean while, cook the rice according to directions in salted water, then stir in oil spread/butter, nutmeg and dried cranberries.

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When both the squash and rice are ready, let them cool off a bit and then stuff the rice inside each squash half. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with chopped mint leaves.

A wonderful healthy meal that could serve as either satisfying lunch or a dinner side dish.

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Enjoy!

Nov8
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This is me. Born into a new world, feeling small, scared and sometimes a little cranky (or maybe a lot cranky on certain occasions).

Just like a new baby.

Because after working at the hospital for 10 years, I’ve yet again become a “brand new employee”. Well, not technically, but this is what it feels like. Due to a very extensive damage that the hospital building sustained from to the hurricane Sandy, it will take about a year until everything is repaired and running again. To say that it’s extremely sad, scary and disrupting to all of the hospital workers is an understatement, but then comparing to how many people lost their homes, jobs or even lives, it becomes minor, so I’ll just have to deal with it and stop being a crybaby. That’s the perk of having a federal job, they are stuck with us, but during such times, still having a job is definitely a blessing. Not that we’re all just sitting blowing smoke up the ceiling, we’re very busy, the need for medical, mental health and social services triples during the times of disasters, so the work load has increased significantly, but then again, I can be a crybaby about it, or I can take a diaper off and learn how to deal with this new situation (and also hope that there will be an end, even if long, to this tunnel).

And the road will surely be quite “interesting”. The hospital in Brooklyn where most of the Manhattan workers were relocated is smaller and now over-packed with patients and staff, there is a shortage of everything, patient beds, staff offices and sometimes patience and understanding. Let’s just say that this crisis work situation did not enhance certain Brooklyn staff’s personal and professional qualities, they are not always gracious hosts and make the adjustment of both Manhattan and Brooklyn employees more difficult. Even though we belong to the same system, a lot, if not most, of the processes of how the Brooklyn hospital is run and how most of medical and other services are delivered is different, so we’re all “fresh Manhattan meat” now open to criticism, not always deserved, especially in this “war-zone like” hospital atmosphere.

But again, time for me to take the diaper off and the pacifier out and leave the babyhood behind!

What’s Cooking This Week

The new work environment now presents a new challenge that is only unique for me. The hospital is in a very isolated place, next to an army base from one side and a golf course from the other one, there are no stores, restaurants, or really anything else, within a walking distance. Hospital cafeteria is always out of the question (either in Brooklyn or Manhattan) as all food is commercially packed/prepared and surely full of gluten, dairy, soy and a million of chemicals that I simply don’t ingest. Back in the city, I had 3 food places within blocks from the hospital where I can get safe and nutritious lunches, plus an office stuffed with gluten free snacks in case I’m too busy to get outside. My plan has always been to make home lunches for 2-3 days and get outside food the rest of the times, just to mix things up and not having to make extra meals if I’m done late after my private practice. Now I need to make a new plan as I have to bring breakfast, lunch and snacks with me every day, no matter what.  Stopping here to be a crybaby for a minute :( .

This is my new reality for the next year or however long it takes for us to go back. I’m not a huge fan of frozen meals, but I’ll have to rely on them now during the days when I’m short on time to make lunch ahead. From now on, when I’m cooking something that would freeze well, 1 or 2 servings will go in the freezer. This dish was delicious fresh out of the oven and would still taste good when defrosted for one of your busy days.

Roasted Brussels, Butternut and Carrots

2 cups of cut butternut squash

1 container/bag of Brussel sprouts

1/2 bag of baby carrots

1 tspoon each: basil, oregano, paprika

salt, pepper, olive oil

Remove outer leaves from brussels, cut the stems and then cut them in half lengthwise. Cut baby carrots lengthwise too and butternut into smaller pieces.

In a roasting pan, combine everything with salt and spices and drizzle with olive oil. Roast at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until the knife can run through the brussels.

Use as a side dish for meat or poultry dishes, or for a hearty vegetarian lunch, serve over herbed rice.

Enjoy!

Oct19
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Do you sometimes get the munchies! The ones where no amount of chips, dips and cookies seem enough?

I’ve had a few of those over the past couple of weeks. Yes, bring on everything salty, crunchy, sweet and chocolaty!  I want it all!

I’ve been trying to snack on some healthier things, but the truth is, I’ve been cranky and stressed and not feeling great, so carrots and apples did not always work. Sometimes a girl just needs her chips and chocolate!

And speaking of munchies of some other kind, when I was undergoing chemo treatments, munching, or just eating period, was not always a pleasant experience, nothing tasted good and looked appetizing. Except on certain occasions. Medical marijuana is still a highly debatable issue, but working in a medical field, I’ve witnessed quite wonderful improvement of symptoms such as pain, nausea and anorexia in patients with advance diseases such as cancer or AIDS. Of course, those patients obtained the marijuana illegally, but sometimes even doctors have to turn away and agree that patients have a right to alleviate their suffering by any means possible. And if you ask my personal opinion, I’m all for legalizing and thus over-seeing and controlling medical marijuana just like any other narcotic medicines. It’ll bring more good than harm I think. Plus pharmacology and produced side effects of some psychiatric and other brain-affecting drugs are no better, and in some instances, worse than marijuana. Yet, they are all on a market.

And while several states are debating if medical marijuana could be legalized, Marinol, which is a synthetic cannabinoid in a pill form is widely available (though insanely expensive and not always covered by medical insurance). Marinol was my savior during the most intense post-chemo days, I couldn’t take a lot of it (a bit too strong for a chemo-weakened body:) ), besides the point that I had to pay over $100 for every few pills, but it was enough to survive the most-horrible post-chemo days. 

Oh, and I did have the munchies! :) They were doctor-prescribed!

What’s Cooking This Week

Dealing with snacking is never easy, you often succumb to the munchies and then feel guilty for not exercising more restrain or at least choosing some healthier options. This recipe I think is a perfect compromise between “what the soul desires” and “what the body needs”. So snack away!

Pink Series; Recipe #6

Roasted Vegetables Cashew Dip

1 cup of raw unsalted cashews

1 small beet

1 medium carrot

2 Tbspoons of mayo

1 tspoon of garlic powder

1 tspoon of seasoning (I used Herbamare)

The night before, soak cashews in water for at least 8-10 hours (make sure all are completely submerged in water). Wash but not peel a beet and a carrot, wrap them individually in foil and roast at 425 degrees until the knife runs through (the carrot will probably be ready in about 15 minutes, while the beet may take 25-30 minutes, depending on a size). Take them out of the oven, let them cool off and then peel both.

After that, drain the cashews, add together with mayo and blend or process in a food processor until the mixture is smooth. Cut the beet and carrot and add the pieces to the cashew mixture, process again until everything is blended, then add the seasoning and mix again (adjust the amount and seasonings as desired).

The dip is creamy and smooth yet completely healthy and tastes great with just about anything, corn chips, baby carrots, or whatever else you like. And the best thing, you won’t feel guilty having an extra serving.

Enjoy!

Sep24
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This summer something wonderful moved in our neighborhood. The green market! Every Sunday from June to November we get to enjoy some produce and occasionally sweets and breads  straight from the local farmers. And even though it’s tiny comparing to let’s say The Union Square Market, it’s still great, plus you can’t beat the location of mere four blocks from my house.

This particular Sunday, a lot of veggies looked especially appetizing. :)

When I saw these delicious looking striped and Indian eggplants, I immediately knew what will be cooking this Sunday! I was craving some comfort food, something that reminded me of my childhood and many family gatherings that we all had, the thoughts about those times and some people who are no longer on Earth brought me to this recipe that’s a great transition into the Fall season.

What’s Cooking This Week

My great-aunt Maria was a wonderful hostess and an amazing cook. From salads to meats to cakes and pies, anything that she made tasted great and was “heavily sprinkled” with love for her family. This recipe was her favorite that we all got to enjoy during many holiday and birthday gatherings. I know this Sunday I was not alone in my kitchen. I felt her spirit guiding and encouraging me every step during the cooking, and then she sat at the table with us to enjoy her signature dish once again. Hope you like it too!

Ratatouille (Russian Style)

2 medium eggplants (or the combination I used)

1 onion

2 red peppers

2-3 carrots

2 tomatoes

2-3 garlic cloves

2 Tbspoons of tomato past

flour for coating (I used Better Batter gluten free mix)

3 Tbspoons of cream (I used dairy free Mimic Cream)

1 tspoon each, dried oregano, thyme, marjoram

olive oil

salt, pepper

Slice the eggplant making thin rounds, sprinkle everything with salt and let it sit in a big bowl for about 15-20 minutes or until the slices release some of the moisture. Then rinse the slices under cold water and pat them dry. Heat up some olive oil, flour each eggplant slice and start frying them about 1 minute on each side (or until they look slightly golden). Do it in batches if you have to.

While the eggplant is cooking, thinly slice the onion and garlic and lightly saute them for a couple of minutes, cut the carrots and peppers into thin slices/pieces and add to the onions and garlic, saute till half way done. Then add cooked eggplant slices and saute everything together till just about done, season at the end.

Stir in tomato paste and cream, finish cooking for another 1-2 minutes. The dish is good either warm as a side dish or cold as an appetizer or a dip. Here I’m enjoying it with a grilled pork chop and corn.

Enjoy it too!

Sep5
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I’m definitely not a happy camper. Sick with a bad flu (or whatever the nasty thing is), feverish, cranky and sounding like a tuba with laryngitis. All curled up on a couch with a box of tissues and lemon tea, my head is too stuffed to come up with any clever intro, so you talk among themselves for a few days. And make the recipe of course. :)

What’s Cooking This Week

I guess if I can still cook, I’m not exactly dying. Soup always comes to mind any time you find yourself overrun by flu or cold symptoms. I wasn’t exactly in a mood for chicken soup, so this recipe looked like a great one to continue with our Italian series. Plus garlic and onion are known antioxidants and immune system boosters, so you get the best of both worlds.

Recipe # 8

Minestra di Asparagi e Risi

(Asparagus and Rice Soup)

1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into smaller pieces

1 stalk of leeks (white and green parts), cut

2 large garlic cloves, thinly cut

32 oz of veggie stock/broth

1 container of mushrooms (I used sliced cremini)

1 cup of rice

4 Tbspoons of olive oil

1 tspoon each dried basil and oregano

salt, pepper

optional – 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used daiya)

In a large soup pot combine veggie stock and water and slowly start bringing it to a boil.

In a frying pan heat up the olive oil and saute together cut leeks, garlic and asparagus for a few minutes.

Once the water with stock is boiling, season it with herbs and salt/pepper, then add the mushrooms and the sautéed veggie mixture. Lower the heat, cover and slowly bring it to a boil and cook until the broth is reduced and veggies are just about done.

While the soup is cooking, make the rice according to directions (you can cook it right in a soup pot, but I like to make it separate as the rice starch can make the soup cloudy looking). Once it’s done and the veggies are almost done, add the rice and bring the whole soup to a slow boil.

For an extra feeling of comfort food, stir in some shredded cheddar cheese (I used daiya). The soup was so hearty and satisfying that it made me almost forget I was sick. Almost… :)

Enjoy!

Aug13
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Do you actually speak Italian?

Neither do I. Yet.

But I do hope come the end of September I’ll be able to.

If not molto bene but at least some Italian should be spoken. Again, hopefully!

When the summer just started, I was looking for some things to “spice up” my weekly routine, crossing one of the things on my “bucket list” looked like a great idea. I always loved Italian, its melodic simplicity combined with a grammar complexity, a great challenge that could be both trickery and rewarding.

So, when a Living Social deal email arrived into my mailbox, to take a class at the Rennert Language Institute www.rennert.com, I was immediately sold, Beginner Italian here I come!

And who knows, maybe in the future I’ll continue my studies and improve my Italian. Wouldn’t it be nice to say I speak three languages?!  All from different linguistic groups too. :)

So, for the next six weeks as I master some Italian grammar and pronunciation, I’ll honor this rich culture and magnificent cuisine by making a series of Italian recipes. They are all based on the recipes and cooking style of Lidia Bastianich www.lidiasitaly.com/recipes . I love Lidia for her authenticity and “simplicity” bringing together style, taste, vision and family traditions. I’ve eaten at several of her restaurants, and the food has always been great. Back in a day when I was still eating gluten, my favorite pre-theater dinner would be a “trio” of daily pasta samplings at Becco.

So, join me on my Italian journey for the next six weeks! I’ll be making a series of twelve recipes, some ingredients will be adjusted to my gluten/dairy specifications, or simply to my liking. You, of course, can use regular wheat and dairy version.

OK, let’s Parla Italiano. Oh, and mangia, of course!

What’s Cooking This Week

I felt that we should start with something very traditional, like tomato sauce, but with a tiny twist, just to make things a little more interesting. This small addition, brings up a fresh summer taste into a family favorite dish.

Recipe # 1

Spaghetti Con Salsa Di Pomodori e Mele

(Spaghetti/Linguine In Tomato Apple Sauce)

1 can, 28 oz, crushed or diced tomatoes

3 fresh tomatoes

2 tart apples like Granny Smith

1 medium onion

1 garlic clove

2 tspoons each dried oregano and basil

1/4 cup of white wine

1 lb of gluten free (or regular) spaghetti (I used linguine as I like them more)

salt, pepper to taste

olive oil

1 Tbspoon raw sugar (optional if you like a sweeter sauce)

shredded daiya (or regular mozzarella) to top the pasta

Chop the onion and garlic into small pieces and saute in olive oil until soft but not brown. In a mean while, empty the tomato can into a blender, chop tomatoes and add them there too. Blend it all together.

Add tomato blend to the onions and garlic, slowly bring to a boil, season, cover and let it simmer. Peel, core and shred the apples (rub with some lemon beforehand to prevent the shreds from turning brown). Add wine and shredded apples to the sauce, cover and simmer on a low flame for 20-25 minutes or until the apples are soft. Taste and season more if needed, stir in some sugar. A combination of fresh tomatoes and apples brings up that ”straight-from-the-garden” sweet and tart taste.

Boil pasta according to directions (rinse under cold water if using gluten free one), add pasta to the sauce and toss it around on a low flame. Serve with fresh ground pepper, herbs and daiya (mozzarella) shreds for a healthy yet completely satisfying meal.

Godere! Enjoy!

Aug9
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Do you love gifts? Who wouldn’t right?! Especially the unexpected ones. They are just a tad sweeter to receive as the person was clearly thinking of you and thought you were so awesome that you deserved a gift :) .

At the last girls-night-in dinner I hosted, my friend Anna showed up with a beautiful gift. No, not the flower gift.

But it was definitely purple. And beautiful.

Yep, a gorgeous purple cabbage, straight from her husband’s Michigan farm. Firm and fragrant, smelling of the earth and country rain, having traveled that far to adorn my kitchen and satisfy my palate.

Am I special or what?! :)

The cabbage may’ve looked like a “strange” gift, but not to me. Receiving something like a power tool or even garden gloves (as apparently my fingers are skilled at cooking but not growing or fixing anything else) would surely look strange and totally unuseful to me. But you can’t beat a precious gift of food or anything related to cooking. That’s where I come out to play.

And you just can’t have too many shovels and buckets when you get out to play in the sandbox.

 

 

 

What’s Cooking This Week

Beautiful purple cabbage of course. As the gift hand-off was accompanied by a “let’s see what you can do with it” remark. A challenge? :) Love that! My self-imposed challenge bonus was to only use ingredients already in the house, plus to keep it vegan. But if I wasn’t I’d totally mix in some bacon pieces with it. Yum, with or without!

Apple Ginger Cabbage Ragu

1/2 of medium cabbage head

1 onion

1 carrot

1 red pepper

4 medium potatoes

1 apple (sweet or tart, as per your taste)

8 oz of apple sauce (I used organic unsweetened)

4 Tbspoons of apple cider vinegar

2 Tbspoons of fresh grated ginger

1 tspoon each of dried marjoram and oregano

1 Tbspoon of brown or raw sugar (optional)

salt, pepper to taste

olive oil

Shred the cabbage, dice and cut the rest of the veggies. Pour some oil in a big pan and saute ginger and onions till golden brown. Add the cabbage and cook for a couple of minutes, then add potatoes and the veggies and cook till about half done.

Pour apple cider vinegar in and season the ragu, let it cook a little more. Cut the apple in small cubes and add in along with apple sauce and sugar (if you prefer it  a bit sweeter). Cook until everything is done but take care so the veggies won’t become overly soft, you need just a tad of crunch in the cabbage.

Serve along with garlic bread slices for a perfect lunch.

Enjoy!

Thank you Anna! :)

Aug6
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Maybe our girlfriends are our soul mates, and guys are just people to have fun with.

– Sex and the City

As the week drew to a close, nine fabulous New York girls gathered together to escape from heat and weekday responsibilities for a girls night in. The conversations were going, and the liquor was flowing, and everybody had a great time.

According to Carrie Bradshaw, in New York, you’re always looking for an apartment, a job, or a boyfriend. And if you have two out of three, you consider yourself successful. I think she also meant to add that if you don’t have your girls behind your back, none of those three are going to matter much.

The most important thing in life is your family. There are days you love them, and others you don’t, but in the end they are the people you always come home to. Sometimes it’s the family you’re born into, and sometimes it’s the one you make for yourself.

– Sex and the City

No topic was left untouched that Saturday evening, and no bottle was left unopened. From kids to men, from recipes to fashion, from gossip to childhood memories, along with splashes of wine and bourbon (and a whole lot of food), the good, the bad,  the ugly blessings in disguise and the heartbreaks turned into triumphs.

Maybe mistakes are what makes our fate…without them what would shape our lives? Maybe if we had never veered off course, we wouldn’t fall in love, have babies, or be who we are. After all, things change, so do cities, people come into your life and they go. But it’s comforting to know that the ones you love are always in your heart…

– Sex and the City

And no matter what each of us has gone through in life, we’re still juicy, sassy, full of colors, dreams and ideas. None of us are from Georgia, but we’re definitely peachy :) So the night was hot, hot, hot, and it wasn’t because of the weather!

What’s Cooking This Week

What else is juicy, sassy, full of color and taste? Summer peaches of course. Drunken peaches that is. Especially topped with whipped cream and chocolate. If your peaches feel kind of bored and unmotivated to become anything but a quick fruit snack, give them a bath in bourbon and whip up a fabulous “dress” for them. And if you eat dairy free like me, use this amazing vegan whipped cream Healthy Top by Mimiccream for a nice mix of healthy nuts protein and coconut oil.

Bourbon Peaches With Vegan Whipped Cream

6 peaches

4 Tbspoons brown or raw sugar

6 Tbspoons of water

6 Tbspoons of bourbon

4 Tbspoons of chopped roasted pecans

dash of cinnamon

1 carton of Healthy Top by Mimiccream

1 oz of dark chocolate for shavings

As per Healthy Top directions, place a carton along with mixer blades and a bowl (preferably metal one) in a fridge for 30 minutes.

Cut the peaches in quarters, combine with water, sugar and bourbon and cook until they are soft.

Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon and lay out the peach slices in a pie dish, pour over the remaining sauce and add chopped pecans on top.

Set them aside to cool off. Meanwhile make a whipped topping. Take the carton, bowl and mixer blades out of the fridge, pour Healthy Top in a bowl (it will be thick) and whip on high power for 2-4 minutes. It tastes just like a regular whipped cream with a wonderful hint of almonds and vanilla. With only 50 calories and 3 grams of fat (and healthy one) per 1 Tbspoon, it’s a great alternative to a dairy cream or chemicals-ladden whipped toppings. Put the cream on top of peaches and top with chocolate shavings.

Goes splendidly with the leftovers of bourbon :) . Even sophisticated “New York Peaches” were impressed.

They say nothing lasts forever, dreams change, trends come and go, but friendships never go out of style.

– Sex and the City

Enjoy!

Aug3
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Do you have some favorite foods that you can eat over and over again every day and never get tired?

I bet you know what I’m talking about.

Well, one for me is chocolate, never missed a day to have some in one form or another :)

I do have some healthy obsessions too though, kale is definitely one of them. Crunchy and full of flavor and vibrant colors, plus a superfood of all the vitamins you can imagine. I can eat kale every day and still want more. Actually a couple of weeks ago, I had a kale salad every day for 9 days, then took a little break, and now I’m back on a “kale express” again.

I’ve tried many different salad combinations along with kale, and all worked great, you simply can’t go wrong with anything you choose to top these greens with. I felt like I was a kid playing with Lego, building my salad, then savoring every single bite and imagining all the tasty things I can still add to it tomorrow.

Next time you want a salad, just skip lettuce and baby spinach, try kale instead.

Oh, and definitely play with your food! Be a kid again!

What’s Cooking This Week

The texture of kale is firmer (and a bit rougher) than some other greens, but think of all the iron, fiber and powerful antioxidants you also introduce into your body. Since it’s not that delicate, it’s perfect to bring as your weekday lunch, it won’t get soggy and will stay fresh on sandwiches and in wraps. Any possible ingredients will taste great with kale, this is the salad that came out of my “Lego building” experiments. I think it’s very versatile, could be served as a complete lunch, dinner side dish or even at breakfast along with some eggs and hash browns.

Fruit And Kale Salad

1 cup of kale

1/2 orange

1/2 cup of grapes

1 “round” of fresh pineapple

6 pearl red onions

1 Tbspoon of orange juice

1 Tbspoon of pineapple juice

2 Tbspoons of balsamic vinegar

sea salt to taste

bacon bits  or 1 hard-boiled egg (skip for a vegan version)

Chop the kale into bite-size pieces, slice the onions and cut the fruits.

Mix everything together, use fresh pineapple juice and juice from the leftover orange. Top with bacon bits. Would go well with chopped hard-boiled egg too.

Enjoy your “summer on a plate”!