just a pinch.

Homemade Coconut Milk

Until recently I would have never thought that I could easily make coconut milk, thankfully my thoughts were proven to be very wrong. This weekend when I was looking for some healthy inspiration, I started to browse through my Cafe Gratitude cook book and came across a recipe for coconut milk and it seemed so simple that I just had to give it a whirl. What’s even better is that this only took me all of about 10 minutes to throw together! The young coconut I used was from Whole Foods here in NYC (China town has them as well) and was MAYBE 3 dollars. There are no preservatives and it did NOT come out of an aluminum can, which can contain a chemical known as Bisphenol A, linked to negative health affects in the brain and in children. Not only are coconuts rich in lauric acid (known for being antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal AND boosts the immune system) but is a great way to boost your energy and rejuvenate your skin and prevent wrinkles. Who doesn’t desire that for under $5? With that said, I absolutely recommend taking the extra 5 steps (listed below for your viewing pleasure) to enhance your recipes, health, beauty and taste buds!

1. Purchase a young coconut

2. Open the young coconut (watch those fingers!!)

3. Empty the electrolyte filled water into a blender

4. Scoop out the meat with a spoon and make sure to cut off any of the “shell” from the meat and add the meat to the blender

5. Blend up until smooth!

Substitute this effortless homemade coconut milk for any store bought variety in your favorite recipes! Say for instance, my take on Vegan Sambal Goreng Printil. Happy cooking! :)

Vegan Sambal Goreng Printil

Before you decide to skip over this recipe because it sounds like too much work…STOP! Don’t let the name scare you away. This is a delicious Indonesian dish that pairs perfectly with rice and takes all of 15 minutes to make (maybe even quicker because there is no meat to cook!) and it is full of so many mouthwatering flavors! Now typically instead of snow peas (which i prefer because of their breathtaking vibrant color) this dish includes “petai” which is a bean that sort of resembles that of a fava bean. Since I fancied up the recipe a bit to make it vegan, I also removed the shrimp paste. Annnnnnd being how it was impossible for me to find salam leaves, I substituted with bay leaves. So though this is not a traditional dish per se, but it is definitely one for the recipe books. Lets not forget that presenting this colorful dish with have many thinking you spent hours in the kitchen, and by all means, it’s definitely okay to let them think you did.

Ingredients

1/4 cup shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 red chili, seeded and thinly sliced

2 bay leaves (do NOT forget to remove these before serving)

1/2 cup coconut milk (the real stuff people!)

1-2tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 cups snow peas, washed and trimmed

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (heirloom variety adds even more color)

coconut oil

Add a tablespoon or two of the coconut oil to a pre-heated pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, garlic and chilies until softened. Add the bay leaves, coconut milk and lemon juice. Cook for about five minutes stirring to coat everything in the coconut milk. Add the snow peas and tomatoes. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring constantly just until the snow peas are cooked. Season to taste with Himalayan sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately on it’s only or over rice, and watch as everyone’s mouth will drop!

*Side note: I topped mine off with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds…for a more dramatic look.

Avocado & ‘Pickled’ Radish Sandwich

I LOOOOOVE radishes! …and of course lemon and avocado. So why not put them all together on a delicious gluten free english muffin for a light, tasty and healthy lunch?! It baffles me how unhealthy so many people today eat. It doesn’t help much that I work part time at a cafe that serves some of the finest french pastries in town (which I may add, I have not had in a few months now) so not only do I witness it about 4 days out of the week, I serve them to my customers (cringe)!! It’s so easy to eat healthy, and cheaper to bring a lunch to work, too!

I know so many of you out there don’t care for radishes (hopefully a lot of your are gasping at that comment), but you don’t have to have them plane jane just picked from the garden! Dress those red beauties up a bit like I did here with some celtic sea salt, fresh lemon juice and freshly cracked black pepper. In case you didn’t know, radishes are a fantastic source of vitamin C, potassium, and calcium. They are also known as a “cooling” food and help cool our bodies down. Being that they are in season, you should be able to get them right at your farmers market and help support your local farmers.

As far as avocados go, I eat at least one a day. If I am putting them on a sandwich I like to just mash up one avocado with a little salt and lemon, and a touch of paprika or cayenne for some added spice. Sometimes I eat 2 but that is quite rare, and a bit much in the fat content area, though it is good fat. They are so delicious and full of vitamins E & B, folate, and dietary fiber. They are also high in beta-sitosterol, a compound that has been shown to lower cholesterol levels.They are even an excellent source of glutathione, which is an important antioxidant that researchers say is important in preventing aging, cancer, and heart disease. They also have as much potassium as 3 medium-sized bananas.

With all this useful information about radishes and avocados, I’m sure you won’t be forgetting them on your next trip to the store or better yet, your local farmers market! Pair this open face sandwich (or wrap it up in your favorite wrap) with a refreshing, unsweetened, iced peppermint tea. It’s a perfect refreshment and a great way to help alkaline your body and cool off in this hot and humid NYC weather.

Coconut H2O

I never understood the craze about coconut water how people could gulp it down, I thought it was hoooooorrible! I tried different brands like Vita Coco, Zico, One and so on and I just couldn’t adjust my tastebuds to like it. So I started purchasing young coconuts from whole foods and cracking them open to drink their delicious juice and saving their meat for smoothies. I just wasn’t using the meat of the coconuts fast enough and ended up with lots of coconut meat in the freezer. Then, out of the blue, there was Harmless Harvest coconut water. I am seriously OBSESSED!! They bottle up 100% raw AND organic coconut water! So now I’m sure you’re wondering, “okay what about all the bacteria being in a ‘raw’ state.” Well of course they have that covered. They apply thousands of pounds of pressure to their products to eliminate potentially harmful bacteria without the use of high temperatures that destroy nutrients and taste, unlike all the other coco H2O companies out there.

Raw coconut water is extremely good for you. Not only does it have the same mineral nutrient balance as plasma, it contains a plethora of essential electrolytes, including magnesium, potassium and calcium. As their bottle clearly states: “It’s Nature’s perfect creation for rapid, restoring, rehydration.”

Cheers to healthy living!

I needed to share this photo right before I roasted these beautiful, vibrant and colorful carrots! So sweet and delicious as a perfect side dish or a salad tossed with a red wine vinaigrette, chopped pistachios and fresh cilantro. Just in case you need a healthy reminder, carrots are chock full of beta carotene (keeping those eyes bright and healthy to see the world), vitamin A, fiber, antioxidants and minerals. Mmmmmhmmmm…such a veggie lover!

Vegan Asparagus Caesar Salad

One thing that I always have a craving for is caesar salad. Now we alllllll know how unhealthy it is for us, but what if I told you I know a vegan version that is just as delicious if not BETTER than the eggy version? Yes, I know I should have told you to sit down first, hopefully you already were seeing how you are most likely reading this on your computer on a desk/lap of choice. To put another little spin on the famous salad (said to be created by Italian Chef Caesar Cardini in Mexico) I decided to use fresh, bright green asparagus as the main focus. Though I opted for black sesame seeds to garnish (more for color than taste here) I think dark green toasted pepitas would be another perfect choice for this salad.

Ingredients…

1lb asparagus

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours

5tbsp Lemon juice fresh squeezed

3/4 of a nori sheet

2 evoo

2tbsp tahini

1 garlic clove

1tsp dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

1/4-1/2 cup filtered water

1-2tsp coconut oil or evoo

Directions…

Rinse soaked cashews and wash the asparagus and cut the woody ends off.

With a vegetable peeler, carefully peel the stalks into as many ribbons as possible. The unpeeled portions you can chop up and set aside.

In a blender combine the cashews, lemon juice, oil, tahini, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper and 1/4 up of water and blend until sooth.

Chop or crumple 2/3 of the nori sheet and blend again until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Can be store for up to 1 week.

In a pan over medium heat, add 1-2 tsp of oil. Add chopped left over pieces first and toss with the tongs for 2-3 minutes. Then add the peeled ribbons and toss constantly with tongs for 1-2 minutes until vibrant green and slightly softened. Toss with desired amount of dressing and serve. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds or black sesame seeds and a good crack of black pepper.

Raw Cauliflower “Mashed Potatoes”

I’m just going to start off by saying this is not mashed potatoes, hence the fact that mashed potatoes is in quotes. And may I add that if you are mashed potato aficionado that you might as well skip over this recipe and go on to my next. For those of you, like myself, who consider yourself to be a health nut in dire need of something to replace those not SO good for you mashed potatoes then you should definitely give this recipe a try. Oh, and you must love cauliflower! This recipe is from Kimberly Snyder’s website, who is a true inspiration to me and is actually the reason I am going back to school to be a Health Coach, but lets net get off subject here. I thought this was DELICIOUS! Especially with a good dash of hot sauce, paprika or chili flakes. I love adding a kick of spice to just about anything I eat. Top it off with a course crack of fresh black pepper and I’m telling you, you’ll be adding this to your recipe book!

Ingredients…

3 cups chopped cauliflower florets

1/4cup raw pine nuts

1 tbsp cold pressed olive oil

1 tbsp cold filtered water

3/4 tsp celtic sea salt

1/2 clove garlic, chopped

black pepper, to top

paprika, cayenne, chili flakes and or hot sauce optional

directions…

Blend all the ingredients until the mixture becomes smooth and fluffy, like real mashed potatoes. Be sure the garlic is mixed well throughout, no one really wants to bite on a chunk of garlic. Top off with a course grind of black pepper and feel free to add any spicy seasoning to kick it up a notch!

Raw Kale & Quinoa Bowl

Though this is a new post for me this is definitely not a new recipe. I’ve made this a handful of times before and I knew I had to post it for all of you to try. My good friend (Chef) Neil told me about this very nutritious meal, it’s actually one his wife Katie has perfected as well! Kale, especially in it’s raw state, is one of the most nutritious greens you can eat and we all know how good quinoa is for us by now. Adding the warm quinoa on top of the kale wilts it a bit so it’s not so hard for those who are new to raw kale to try it out. The raw salsa and avocado add the perfect amount of acidity, flavor and fat to make it a well rounded, delicious dinner. No need for me to post a recipe for this beauty! All you need is….

-organic kale (washed and chopped)

-organic quinoa (soaked over night, rinsed and cooked according to directions)

-homemade salsa or organic salsa

-organic ripe avocado (diced)

Pile everything in a bowl in that order and wah-lah!, the easiest (and probably the healthiest) dinner you’ve prepared in weeks!

Drunken Black Bean Soup

Now that the cold weather is back, I think we are all in need of a little warming up. There is nothing more comforting than having a nice big bowl of hot soup, sitting next to your honey on the couch and watching a movie on a damp, cold, and rainy evening. I LOVE black bean soup because it’s so hearty and filling! As far as toppings go you really can’t go wrong, just think of anything that you’d pile up on your tacos…avocado, salsa, jalapeno, raw red onions, fresh cilantro, and the list goes on. I’m sure we all know the only reason this would be called drunken is because it calls for your favorite bottle of beer to be poured in to “hop” it up with a little flavor. There are some really delicious Gluten Free beers out there so you can definitely make it a gluten free dish or by all means grab a bottle of your favorite brew and start cooking!

Ingredients:

Olive oil (or grapeseed oil)

1 large poblano pepper, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large red onion, chopped (1/3 cup reserved for garnish, optional)

1-2 tsp ground cumin

2 15oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed (I always like to cook my own beans, if you do the same just use the equivalent)

1 12oz bottle lager beer (here is where you can mix it up a bit with your favorite kind)

2 jalapenos, seeded, chopped (save a tablespoon or so for garnish, optional)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves (plus more for garnish, optional)

2 tbsp fresh lime juice (plus lime wedges for garnish, optional)

Directions…

Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat (I used my dutch oven). Add the poblano, jalapeno, garlic, salt and pepper and all except the 1/3 cup of the chopped red onion you may have reserved for garnish. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes; stir in the cumin.

Add beans, beer  and 1/2 cup water to the saucepan. Mash some of the beans with a potato masher and bring the soup to a boil . Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes or so.

Meanwhile get all your fixings ready to pile on top of the soup. This is also great to serve with tortilla chips for scooping up the soup like a spoon!

Ladle the soup into bowls, top off with your favorite toppings, cozy up on the couch and enjoy. Cheers!