Warm Winter Salad

I was just thinking I wanted something warm, nutritious, and satisfying for lunch, and this beautiful warm winter salad practically came together on its own. I just brought home a bunch of beets with their beautiful (and nutritious) greens still attached and very fresh. So i threw the beets in some foil with some water (so they will steam), along with 2 sweet potatoes from my pantry, into the oven. About 350 for maybe 45 minutes or so. I chopped and washed the beet greens to have them ready to go for salads for the week. Decided some quinoa would be good so got that cooking on the stovetop too. It just so happens that I had some garbanzo beans boiling away on the stove to make hummus tomorrow. When everything was almost done I decided I would make a seasonal winter salad with all of these goodies. About 3/4 Cup warm, cooked quinoa goes down into the bottom of a big bowl. Top with raw, chopped beet greens, warm chopped sweet potato, and peeled chopped beets. I threw in about 1/2 cup of freshly cooked garbanzo beans. The vinaigrette is what pulled it all together: Tahini-Miso-Lemon: DELISH! drizzle that over the top and crack some black peppa and you've got yourself a most delicious, nutritious, mid-day meal! YUM-O!

Salad Components:

3/4 cup quinoa, cooked

2 beets, steamed and roughly chopped (Trader Joe's carries beets already steamed)

1 sweet potato, roasted and roughly chopped

1 cup beet greens, rinsed and chopped

1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans

Dressing:

1 T. tahini

1 T. miso paste

1 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. nama shoyu (or soy sauce)

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

a little water to make your desired consistency (this helps to break down the tahini)

whisk all together and drizzle 1/2 over salad, and look forward to the rest tomorrow!

Not only was this salad so tasty and satisfying, it was very balanced, full of vitamins to keep me healthy, and completely plant-based. More and more health information is available today, advocating the health benefits of eating mostly plant foods. And, you can also get ample amounts of high quality protein from several grains, quinoa setting the best example.

Quinoa is as versatile as rice, and, much better for us. Not only is it high in protein, but a complete protein as well, supplying all nine amino acids essential for metabolism, and are the building blocks for our muscles, tendons, organs, glands, nails, and hair. Growth, repair, and maintenance of all our cells are dependent on them. Quinoa is one of the few plant-based foods that is high in the amino acid lysine, and is therefore considered a "superfood" in the veggie world. You can utilize this super grain in salads, soups, breakfast (think oatmeal re-defined), in stuffings, ground into flour.... countless possibilities.

Beets are also a major nutrition star. They are an excellent liver tonic and purify the blood. And their red color comes form betacyanin, a potent cancer fighter. Beets reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia by reducing levels of homocysteine through the synergistic work of the two nutrients betaine and folate. Also contributing to heart health, beets contain super high levels of potassium. And don't forget about those greens attached to those beets!

These greens are delicious and can be prepared like swiss chard or spinach. Sauteed, steamed, or served raw, they are incredibly rich in nutrients and are concentrated with vitamins and minerals.

Garbanzo Beans belong to the class of food called legumes, which also includes other beans, lentils, and peas. Eating more legumes has been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease, due to their high fiber content. The high fiber lowers blood cholesterol levels, slows absorption of sugar, aids in weight loss, and cleans your colon. They also contain high levels of calcium, magnesium, folate, potassium, selenium, and protein. Garbanzo beans are super creamy and are the base for the popular and healthy snack, hummus, which I'm sure I will write about soon.

Sweet potatoes are one of the loves of my life. You've already heard me profess this love in previous blogs. Anything that grows out of the ground so vibrantly orange has to make you happy! A warm salad is just the perfect place for this powerful tuber, and it soaks up the delectable vinaigrette.

Miso is a soybean paste, and is fermented, which produces natural antibiotic agents that are believed to increase the body's resistance to infections. It's a little salty and super tasty in dressings and marinades.

Tahini is sesame seed butter. It contains compounds proven to enhance Vitamin E's absorption and availability, help normalize blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, and is a rich source of minerals, fiber, and protein. It's also a classic ingredient in traditional hummus, but can be used in salad dressings, marinades, dips, and simply spread on toast, like other nut-butters. It's delicious!

This recipe makes enough for two lunches.... a delish lunch date with a friend, break from the office with your loved one, or save the other half for a lunch you can be excited about tomorrow! From my California kitchen to yours... I wish you happy and healthy eating! Namaste~nicole

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

I've been soup crazy this winter. Every week it seems I'm whipping up a big pot of something warming, delicious, healing and nutritious. The best part of making a stockpot full of soup is that you have dinner one night, and a lunch you can look forward to all week. This week I made a Curried Butternut Squash Soup with apples and ginger. It's a little spicy, a little sweet, super creamy and SO satisfying. The soup is also low fat, vegan, and packed with nutrition.

A little squash information: squash comes in two different categories:winter and summer. Butternut squash is of the winter variety and is in season November-March. It has a hard shell that protects the orange meat inside, so you have to peel it and remove the inner seeds and membrane before cooking. Butternut squash is high in vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), a very good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and a good source of folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, copper, vitamin B6, niacin-vitamin B3 and pantothenic acid. Butternut squash is a Vitamin A giant, weighing in at 22,868 IUs per cup. This form of Vitamin A has very powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The anti-oxidants help prevent cholesterol buildup, lower risk for heart disease and diabetes, and reduce the risk of colon and lung cancers. The anti-inflammatory effects may help to reduce the severity of conditions like asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, which all involve inflammation. Plenty of reasons to enjoy a bowl (or two, or three!) of this tasty soup.

The recipe:

Ingredients:

4-5 cups cubed butternut squash (about 2)

1 onion, chopped

1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. curry powder (or more if you like it spicy)

1 t. ground ginger

1 can light coconut milk

4 cups vegetable stock

EVOO

S&P to taste

1. Heat a large stockpot or dutch oven over med-high heat. Coat the bottom with EVOO. Add onion, apple and squash and saute, about 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently. When the vegetables have started to brown and caramelize, add the curry powder, ginger and garlic, and saute another 2 minutes. Don't let the garlic burn!

2. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat,

simmer 30 minutes or until squash is tender and can be mashed with a fork.

3. Add the coconut milk and warm through.

4. Blend the soup using a hand-held immersion blender, or in batches in regular blender. Blend to your desired consistency, smooth or chunky. Return to heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and naan bread.

The soup gets even better the next few days as the flavors continue to blend. I like to add some brown rice to it at lunch, to get some whole grain fiber action, and serve with a big green salad.

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I did. I think I'm going to warm up a bowl right now...

From my California kitchen to yours... see you next time with more adventures in food. enjoy your day! namaste~nicole

Sweet Potato Madness

This week I've been obsessed with sweet potatoes. As a Personal Chef I get to experiment with new flavors and recipes constantly. This week I was in San Diego cooking for a client and came up with some great recipes that highlight this orange beauty of a vegetable. They turned out so good that I came home and made them for myself! First I made a Sweet Potato, Turkey Sausage and Kale Frittata. Loaded with vitamins and protein, this dish is a brunch star, or works just as well for a casual dinner. Next was Sweet Potato and Split Pea soup, with a little smoky bacon... mmmm it made the house smell so good and was super comforting on a cold winter night. Although usually reserved for the classic dish at Thanksgiving, topped with marshmallows, it's time to give this power packed tuber a second chance.

First, a little history and nutrition info. Did you know that sweet potatoes are not actually related to the potato? They are a member of the morning glory family and make beautiful vines that you can use in your garden in the summertime... and end up with a sweet potato in the fall. They are one of the oldest vegetables known to man, having been around since prehistoric times. The bright orange color of the sweet potato makes it a member of the carotenoid family, and is a rich source of antioxidants, especially beta-carotene. Loaded with soluble fiber (mostly in the skin, which is delicious to eat too), vitamin A, potassium, and the phytochemical quercetin (a powerful anti-inflammatory). And a medium sweet potato has only 103 calories. For a simple meal I like to bake a sweet potato (350 degrees for 45 minutes or so) and top it with sauteed chopped kale and garlic. Talk about a healthy, delicious, satisfying, lunch!

Just a side note... I eat vegetarian 75% of the time. When I choose to eat meat, I use it as an accompaniment to my vegetables. A little goes a long way. I also choose to be conscious of where my meat comes from, and how the animals are raised and treated. If you think about it, you are getting a concentrated amount of what the animal you are eating ate itself. Be sure to look for organic, humanely raised meats, without growth hormones or antibiotics, and grass-fed where available. This kind of meat not only tastes more pure and delicious, but is also better for you.

The Recipes:

Sweet Potato, Turkey Sausage and Kale Frittata. (Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine)

INGREDIENTS

1. 10 large eggs
2. 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
5. 3 Organic, sweet Italian basil turkey sausages (1/2 pound), meat removed from the casings (can also use regular sausage or veggie sausage or omit completely)
6. 1 small onion, finely chopped
7. 1 pound Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2-3 medium potatoes)
8. 10 large kale leaves, stems and inner ribs discarded, leaves coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the broiler and position the rack 8 inches from the heat. Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan, season generously with salt and pepper and beat the eggs until blended.
2. In a large nonstick ovenproof skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Add the sausage meat and onion and cook over moderately high heat, breaking the sausage up into small pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the skillet and heat until shimmering. Add the potatoes and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the kale, season with salt and cook, tossing, until softened, about 2 minutes longer.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and tilt the skillet to swirl the oil around the sides. Scatter the sausage and onion in the skillet. Stir the eggs and add them to the skillet. Cook over moderate heat for 1 minute. Gently lift the edge of the frittata and tilt the pan, allowing some of the uncooked egg to seep underneath. Cook until the bottom and sides are barely set, about 3 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan on top and broil until the eggs are set and the top of the frittata is lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Slide the frittata onto a large plate, cut into wedges and serve hot or warm.

Next: Smokey Sweet Potato and Split Pea Stew

this soup is thicker than normal. if you'd like a more broth-y soup, add more vegetable stock or filtered water. The soup is also delicious without the bacon, making it vegan. To serve, I take a finishing tip from my mom and add a splash of dry sherry to enhance flavors of the dish. You can also add a dollop of sour cream if you'd like. enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 cup green split peas
2. 2 T EVOO
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 1 tsp. smoked paprika
5. 3 cups sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 2-3 potatoes)
6. 1 onion, chopped
7. 4 ribs celery, chopped
8. 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
9. 4 cloves garlic, minced
10. 4 cups vegetable stock
11. 3 slices smoked bacon, organic and nitrite free, diced
12. 
    
13. DIRECTIONS

1. Heat large dutch oven over med-high heat. Add diced bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and reserve for later.
2. Add sweet potato, onion, carrot and celery. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Cook for 10 minutes or so, until onions are soft and translucent, and potatoes begin to brown. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes.
3. Add split peas and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low, simmer 1-2 hours, until split peas are tender.
4. To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Top with a splash of dry sherry and reserved bacon.
5. ENJOY!

I get a lot of my nutrition facts from one of my favorite books, "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth" by Jonny Bowden.

Till my next adventure in the kitchen, on the yoga mat, off the trail or into the world...

namaste~nicole

Making Dahl

My friend Kim gave me her recipe for Indian Dahl. She has spent some time in India and has incredible stories. Lots of them have to do with the amazing food. I have been experimenting with Indian food lately. I love the tangy spices and strong aromas that fill my kitchen. I love using naan bread to soak up all of the delicious sauces. Garlic naan from Trader Joe's is my favorite. Who knew you could get perfectly baked naan in 1 minute? YUM. I used that naan in this recipe for dahl to lop up all the goodness. Kim suggested it's even good on toast in the morning. Perfect breakfast if you ask me.

A little dahl history: Dahl is a lentil stew. There are many variations depending on what part of India your recipe comes from. It's usually eaten with brown rice, making it a complete protein, which means it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies need to function. Lentils are a great source of protein, fiber, folate, vitamin B1 and iron. In 2006, Health Magazine included lentils on their "5 Healthiest Foods" list. This recipe also includes a heaping teaspoon of turmeric, which contributes a slew of health benefits. Turmeric is the spice that gives curry powder its beautiful yellow color. Turmeric contains anti-inflammatory compounds that help with arthritis, Alzheimer's, cancer, skin conditions, and digestive issues.

OK. So Making Dahl.

Start with 2 1/2 cups red dahl. Rinse/soak them while you are gathering your

spices.

You will need:

1 1/2 t. salt

2 t. chili powder

1 t. turmeric
3/4 t. cumin
3/4 t. cinnamon

1 t. black pepper

1/4 t. cardamom

1/8 t. ground cloves

1 1/2 t. coriander

1/2 t. cayenne

Combine spices in

small bowl. They look so pretty!

Heat 2-3 tablespoons

of vegetable or olive oil in large

dutch oven.

Add the spices and toast or "cook" the spices for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add your liquid. I use 4 C vegetable broth/stock and 4 C filtered water.

Stir well to combine.

After the liquid and spices are combined, add the rinsed, drained lentils. Combine well, bring to a boil, and then simmer with the lid partially on for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. They can anywhere from 45 minutes to a couple of hours, depending on how much time you have.

I ate my final dish with a side of sauteed kale, naan bread and some cooling cucumber raita.

It was raining all last week in Southern California and I ate spicy dahl all week to keep me warm from the inside.

Till my next adventure in the kitchen, on the yoga mat, off the trail or into the world...

namaste~nicole