Groovy Vegan Chilli & Yummy Garlic Bread

This is a totally groovy recipe for vegan chilli! Chunky and funky. Simple spices. Keep adding chilli powder to taste.....until it tastes like chilli! Such a satisfying, grounding meal. Great for winter time warmth and nutrients! Add a few drops of oregano oil for immunity, especially if you are under the weather. This will make a pretty large portion, great for sharing and leftovers. Making chilli is usually a great way to stock up on a variety of nutrients, including veggie vitamins and bean protein. Filling and fulfilling dish. Bon Appetit!

GROOVY VEGAN CHILLI

INGREDIENTS
1 can/1-2 cups cooked
organic white beans, red pinto beans (black beans, chick peas, quinoa, lentils, etc optional)
1 can/1 cup stewed tomatoes
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 can/1 cup cooked corn
1/2 cooking onion, chopped
2-3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
3-4 medium red potatoes, chopped
1 large broccoli (head & stock), chopped

SPICES
salt, cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric, crushed white and black pepper,
oregano oil
parsley (dry if not fresh)

Cook on stovetop until ready or in slow cooker 5-8 hrs.

YUMMY GARLIC BREAD

INGREDIENTS
bread, buns, pita, anything you got!
cheese (vegan or dairy)
tomatoes
parsley
garlic powder or spread

Broil in the oven on a baking sheet until cheese is melted and buns have crisped.

Herbalicious Salads: Tomato/Basil/Lentil & Potato/Beet/Herbs

Food is medicine! Food is sacred gift. That is how much I am enjoying lunch from these recipes right now - make it yourself and enjoy to the maximum health and flavour. Plus, the nutrients and taste of fresh herbs really add a freshness and yumminess. Fresh herbs are a special treat for many but can hopefully become a staple. Excellent in the warm months, but great in the cold months to serve as a reminder of the plant life force in its green vitality and richness. Source, buy and cook with organic ingredients whenever possible! You WILL notice a difference :) Experiment, put on some music and enjoy! Nice balance of vitamins, protein, and vegetable carbohydrates. Ideal for vegan/gluten free.

Tomato Basil Lentils

ingredients:
1 to 2 cups dried lentils
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced and chopped
large handful of fresh basil, chopped
oil (sesame oil is nice for this dish)
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
garlic cloves (as many as you like!)
salt & pepper
water

method:
pre-wash lentils in a bowl with your hands.
drop them into boiling water on the stovetop.
cook for 1/2 hr to 50 minutes (depending on amount).
when lentils have absorbed most of the water, put whole garlic cloves into the pot.
prepare a bowl of tomatoes and basil.
place cooked lentils and garlic cloves into the bowl.
Add balsamic vinegar,sesame oil, salt & pepper to taste.

Potato Beet Salad
adapted from this recipe.

ingredients:
2 or 3 medium potatoes, chopped
1 large beet, skinned and chopped
fresh dill, chopped (small handful)
fresh rosemary, chopped (5 to 10 sprigs)
fresh parsley, chopped (small handful)
1 large pickle, chopped
1/3 red onion, chopped
2 tsp dijon mustard, to taste
1 tbsp. mayonnaise or veganaise
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove
olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste

method:
roast potatoes, beet and garlic clove in the oven with a little olive oil.
bake until soft at around 330 degrees.
prepare a bowl with fresh herbs, pickle and onion.
add cooked potatoes, beet and garlic clove to the bowl.
then season with Dijon, mayo, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper.

Fall Favourite!

Re-working a fall favourite! Its a pleasure to look back at old recipes and enjoy them as-is, or make changes and improvements based on your current ingredient supply. Chutney can be kept basic - less is more. BUT sometimes more is more! Open your spice cabinet and get some inspiration to start there. The world of chutneys is practically limitless - coriander, tamarind, coconut, apple, peach, mint, beet, tomato, peanut. Sweet or savoury, with fruits, vegetables and/or herbs, the list goes on. Explore the varieties and even in invent new combinations and possibilities! Chutney is usually a great gift, especially to neighbours in the harvest season as the signs of winter begin to appear.

 

Apple Chutney

5 organic apples, quartered and chopped
1 organic pear, chopped

2 tsps veg oil OR coconut oil, OR ghee OR vegetable ghee

2 tsps mustard powder OR mustard seeds

1 medium red onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2  pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium green or red chilli, sliced

1 tsp ground ginger OR ginger root, chopped

1 tsp masala or garam masala spice

3-4 prunes, chopped AND/OR raisins

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp agave nectar
*or instead of above sweeteners, add 1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp vinegar

1 cup water

1/2 lemon juice

5 cloves

1 handful fresh coriander, chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
dash of curry powder
1/3 cup water

 

On the stove top, begin to cook onions and garlic in oil or ghee. Add mustard seeds and ginger root. Then add a little water and add the apples. Continue to combine ingredients while simmering contents on low. Stir consistently, bring to a boil on high and then on medium to low heat until thoroughly cooked. Taste test as you go along to observe how the taste is developing.

 

My favourite way to eat chutney is with an Indian dish and traditional bread on the side. However chutney on toast with thin cheese slices is AMAZING! Such a treat with so many things. Enjoy the spices of life!

Maximum Vitality Greens So Yummy!

WOW these greens are so yummy and give so much vitality! So much fresh prana (essence of life force)! Feel very lucky to enjoy a partly vegan and local organic lunch. Perhaps you can try this recipe and notice how it makes you feel. Eating slow and thoughtfully allows you to appreciate the quality of ingredients and the energetic nutrients they give.

Chioggia Beets from Eat Green Organics in London, ON from Sunnivue Farms

VITALITY SALAD

handful of spinach greens, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, cut into bite sized pieces
2 small beets, chopped
1 tbsp. sunflower seeds
1 tsp hemp seeds
drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil
lemon pepper & Himalayan sea salt to taste
squeeze of lemon juice

Vegetarian Sandwich Plate:

Grilled cheese on whole wheat bread

use olive oil to spread instead of butter/margarine

add 2 slices of tomato

 

Side: olive oil fried kale, flavoured with nutritional yeast, salt & pepper

 

Thank you to Eat Green Organics in London, Ontario located on 1010 Dundas St. E. They deliver orders of organic goods to your doorstep. They also have a large selection of items at the in-store location when a lunch menu including ice cream can be enjoyed. Glad to find this fresh grocery outlet in London's East Village neighbourhood. They helped make this delicious and healthy lunch possible for me today! Locally farmed sourced sustainable yumminess.

In my organic shopping bag:
1 bunch spinach greens
(not baby spinach...real adult spinach that actually looks more like dandelion greens to me!)
1 bunch kale
1 pound tomatoes
1 pound beets (many varieties/colours!)

Papaya Summer Salad from Goa

          Summer salad created from fruit stands in Goa! This was once of our only culinary creations when backpacking in India. All of the ingredients did not require washing since they all had skins and peels. Every time I make this salad at home now, it is pure delicious nostalgia! Actually, these would be excellent smoothie ingredients as well. In general, this recipe provides fiber, protein, natural sugars and a refreshing, cleansing sensation on the body and mind! We learned from our experience that it is grateful and fulfilling to bless your food in any way you can think of. One way includes placing your hands above your meal and chanting the sacred sound of OM.

Papaya

Cucumber

Avocado

Banana

Lime Juice

Cilantro

Additional Options: orange, hemp seeds, granola, yoghurt

OM

Kale Chips All Ways

Munchy Munchy Yum Time! Kale Chips are the best all year around. I feel so lucky that we have access and availability to such a nutrient rich and tasty leafy green! There are so many benefits to kale, and many varieties aswell! Invest in organic if possible. Here are a few standard kale chip recipes that I always come back to. Simply spread out on a baking sheet and put it in the oven at around 300 degrees for approx. 15 mins or until crispy. More satisfying than store bought chips for our palate and body. Easy to grow in various outdoor temperatures, this hearty vegetable is great in salads, stirfrys and smoothies. Enjoy and give thanks to the simplicity and complexity of nature's bounty!

Wash, chop and drizzle kale pieces with your oil of choice.

Some favourable spice combinations are as follows. Experiment with your spice rack. Add chilli powder to taste for a spicy kick!

+salt & pepper, paprika, cumin, nutritional yeast

+salt & pepper, cumin, curry powder, turmeric

+salt & pepper, garlic, onion

+salt & pepper

Sprouting!

There are a lot of spring queens out there but this lady has just gotten started. Thanks to a friend, I was given basic directions and some seeds to begin growing my own sprouts! This really is as easy you've heard it was! Rinse them a few times a day and very soon you will be enjoying the health benefits and fresh taste of sprouts. There are so many types of seeds and beans that you can sprout. Do your research and add some alkaline healing to your diet! Here is an incredible resource called "Seeds of Sustainability". What can't you do with a mason jar and nature's magic!?

supplies

organic alfalfa seeds (2 tsp)

organic mung beans (2 tbsp)

mason jar

cheese cloth/netting/steel mesh/cutting of pantyhose/anything that will allow drainage!

*or you can use a tray

method:

soak overnight or for 8 - 12 hours

drain and spread out in a tray or in the mason jar (on its side)

rinse with water 3x daily

Ready to eat in 4 - 6 days. Provide exposure to sunlight only a for a few hours during growth process. Keep in minimal exposure to sunlight most of the time. You will know when they are ready by how they look! Best eaten fresh or alternatively, keep in refrigerator after the seeds have sprouted.

Raw Vegan Brownies!

Iranian Dates

 

RAW VEGAN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES!

20 dates, pitted
4 tbsps. cocoa powder
5 tbsps. crushed mixed nuts
1 tsp vanilla extract

Shredded coconut topping

Blend in food processor. These ingredients need to be simply mixed together to enjoy! It should become a fluffy, malleable consistency. Spread mixture into a deep dish container and sprinkle with coconut flakes/shredded coconut. Let sit in the fridge for approx. 1/2 hour before digging in! What an authentic brownie flavour, so great for a chocolate craving! So ridiculously simple to make. Could easily be handmixed if food processor or big blender is not available. Enjoy chocolate monsters!

Bean Dip & Roasted Veggie Open-Faced Sandwiches

Bean Dip & Roasted Veggie Open-Faced Sandwiches

 

Italian Bean Dip
1 can fava/broad beans
1 tsp parsley
1 bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1/3 red onion
3 garlic cloves
juice of 1 lemon
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsps. olive oil

Market Fresh Sourdough Bread
-slice thick and bake for 5 minutes with drizzled oil and balsamic vinegar

Roasted Veggies: roast on 350 degrees for approx. 25 minutes

-1 beet, sliced > sprinkled with thyme and salt
2 large carrots, quartered > covered in pepper, balsamic vinegar and chopped ginger
2 red peppers, sliced > with a chopped garlic cloves, oregano and basil
1 head of kale, chopped > sprinkled with smoked paprika, cumin, curry powder and nutritional yeast

Baba Ganoush

2 large eggplants, halved
8 cloves garlic, halved
1 cup tahini
1 lemon, juiced
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp zaatar (if available)
2 tsp cumin
salt to taste

Bake eggplants in the oven at 350 degrees. Insert halved garlic cloves directly into the open faced eggplant halves. Bake for approx. 15 to 20 minutes or until soft. Let them cool until they are able to be handled. Scrape the garlic eggplant away from the skin and place in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients to taste and blend until soft, smooth and fluffy. Adjust the garlic, salt, lemon juice and tahini amounts to your liking. Serve with pita or toasted bread and fresh veggies to dip!

Spicy Squash Soup

 

Spicy Squash Emulsification!

 

1 small acorn squash
1 cup lentils
2 tbsps. ginger
4 cups water
1 jalapeño
1/3 red onion
salt & pepper
spices

Quarter an acorn squash and roast in the oven at 350 degrees. Chop 1/3 red onion and begin to fry in saucepan. Add 2 tbsps. freshly grated ginger and 1 chopped and seeded green jalapeño to the pot. Sauté until soft and then add 4 cups of water and 2 tbsps. powdered vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and add 1 cup of pre-rinsed red lentils. Salt and pepper generously. When lentils are finished, the squash should be baked nicely. Add the soft squash pieces to the soup, excluding the skin. Stir the soup and if possible, use an emulsifier to puree into a smooth consistency. Add other spices of choice such as dried chillies, cumin, coriander seeds, etc.!