Green Pea and Avocado Guacamole

Green Pea and Avocado Guacamole

This recipe reduces calories and tastes just as good!

Use equal parts Frozen Green Peas (run under water in strainer to defrost) and Avocado

Green Onion

Lime juice

Jalepeno or Red Pepper Flakes, optional

Blend together leaving a little bit chunky

Lentils, Black Beans and chopped Veggies with Creamy Chipotle sauce

Lentils, Black Beans and chopped Veggies with Creamy Chipotle sauce

Lentils, (I used French Green, you could also use brown)

Black Beans

Red Pepper, chopped

Green Pepper, chopped

Cucumber, chopped

Tomato, chopped

Corn, cut from cob and roasted in hot pan until browned (you could also use frozen)

Red Onion, chopped- would also be good, I didn’t have any this time

Mix together with Lentils and Beans in large bowl.

For sauce blend together:

Cashews, soaked

Silken Tofu

Chipotle pepper and sauce from can (amount is based on your taste, they are spicy!)

Shallot or onion

Lime juice or Rice Vinegar

Add to Lentil/ Veggies and mix well. 

Serve with Tempeh (browned and chopped), Guacamole* and Cilantro

*(See Green Pea and Avocado Guacamole post)

Brown Rice and chopped Veggies with Creamy Lemon- Miso sauce

Brown Rice and chopped Veggies with Creamy Lemon- Miso sauce

Brown Rice, cooked and cooled

Tomatoes, diced

Red Pepper, diced

Green Pepper, diced

Cucumber, diced

For sauce blend together and combine with rice and veggies:

Cashews, soaked

Lemon, I used juice from ½ of a large Myer Lemon (they’re a little sweetier)

Tofu, silken

Rice Vinegar

Bragg’s Aminos

Shallot, small

Garnish with chopped Cilantro 

Green Beans, Onions & Creamy Orange- Cashew sauce with Toasted Pecans

Green Beans and Onions with Creamy Orange- Cashew sauce & Toasted Pecans

For sauce- blend together:

Cashews, soaked in water for a few hours or in hot water if you don’t have time.

Orange, cut in sections then cut peel off (you could also use canned Mandarin Oranges in fruit juice)

Bragg’s Aminos

Rice Vinegar

Sauté Onions in hot pan, stirring until starting to brown, reduce to med- high heat, add Green Beans and continue stirring.  Add a little water and Bragg’s Aminos to pan and cook until Green Beans are still a little crunchy.

Top with sauce and toasted Pecans

* You could also add cooked Tempeh to this to make it more filling

Chili

Chili

Onion, chopped

Green Pepper, chopped

Yam or Sweet Potato, chopped (I used a local purple sweet potato)

Zucchini, chopped

Sauté in hot pan, continue stirring until browned.  Add broth or water, reduce heat until softened.

Add:

Tempeh, cooked and chopped (I used leftover that I had browned in the broiler)

Canned or fresh chopped tomatoes

Kidney Beans

Quinoa and Black Beans (these were leftovers that I had)

Cumin

Chili Powder

Red Pepper flakes

Cinnamon- a little bit

Cilantro trick

Keep Cilantro fresh in the fridge for up to 2 weeks (or any herb can be done this way)

Just cut off the bottoms of stems and place in glass of water just like cut flowers.  Cover with the plastic produce bag and keep in fridge.  Pull off the leaves as needed. 

I love this stuff, so I always have it on hand!

Quinoa, Black Beans and Roasted Corn Salsa

Quinoa, Black Beans with Roasted Corn Salsa

Make this ahead of time and serve cold or at room temperature.

Cook Quinoa in pan or Rice Cooker with Cumin and Chili Powder in water

Let cool and add Black Beans

Roasted Corn Salsa:

Cut fresh corn from cob, add to hot pan, continue stirring until a little browned

Tomatoes,   chopped

Red Onions, finely chopped

Jalapeno, chopped (I roasted them in the broiler until blackened, then peeled the skin- you could also use the kind in a jar)

Cilantro, chopped

Lime juice

Mix together, serve over Quinoa and Beans with diced Avocados

A visit to the Tropical Plantation (on the bikes)- Coconuts, Coffee and Pineapples

 Another long bike ride today with a stop at the Tropical Plantation.  Lots of fun to see and learn how alot of the local crops are grown.  We had a demonstration on coconuts. The green ones have the juice inside that you can poke a hole and drink with a straw (FYI- full of minerals, especially Potassium, excellent natural electrolyte- I've been drinking coconut water in cans for a long time)  The brown ones are mature and have the solid meat inside, pretty difficult to open and remove the meat.  I learned that once you get it open, if you put it in the freezer overnight, then take it out for about 6 hours, the meat will seperate from the shell.

It was the first time I had seen coffee plants.  They pick the fruit when it is bright red.  I bit into one of them, not alot of taste but is amazingly high in antioxidants, although there is not much flesh on each fruit. Inside is the bean in 2 halves, they are white.  They are then dried out and roasted.  Amazing how someone figured out how to do this.

We also saw how pineapples are grown, they are on a small plant, low on the ground.  We also saw Mango, Avocado, Guava and Macadamia nut trees.  Awesome!

 

Marinated Tempeh with Brown Rice, Edamame and Green Onions

Marinated Tempeh with Brown Rice, Edamame and Green Onions

Blend together:

Bragg’s Aminos

Ginger

Garlic

Apricot Preserves (you could use any other sweetener like fruit juice, soaked dates or honey)

Red Pepper flakes

Add chopped Tempeh and marinate 30 minutes or longer

In a hot pan add Tempeh with marinate juice, once juices reduce, reduce heat and add water.  Add Edamame and chopped Green Onions, cook until heated.

Spoon over Brown Rice.  I put the Bragg’s Aminos on the table to season as needed.

Lunch at the Hippie Van

This was a really cool place for lunch.  The food was really tasty.  We shared the Quinoa combo plate that had Quinoa, sauted Kale, Tempeh, Vegan scrambled eggz and potatoes with a curry hummus and spicy mango chutney and sprouted grain toast.  Wow!  Even though it was Vegan, I wouldn't say it was necessarily healthy, but it's ok to indulge every once in a while. 

Great Experience, cool atmosphere and the employees were fun to talk to.

Crock pot in the window

<<<Fair warning!

Avocado hunting and Coconut Water....

I thought I had hit the jackpot, as we came around this corner I looked up and saw this tree loaded with avocados on the side of the road.  You can't see them but they're in the big tree above me.

I couldn't reach any, the bank was too steep and overgrown to climb down so I thought I could find some on the ground.  Nope!

So close yet so far away!

Coconut water...yummy and full of minerals, natures perfect electrolyte!  I took it home, cracked it open and got some meat out of it too.

Grandma's Coffee House

 This was a cool place in Kula, which is considered "Upcountry" in Maui.  It's at a higher elevation with more rain and a cooler climate so it's where most of the agriculture comes from. 

Grandma's was opened back in the 1940's.  They grow their own organic coffee beans, hand pick and roast them.  The coffee was excellent and the atmosphere is pretty cool.

The best gym ever

Frozen Berry Sherbet

Frozen Berry Sherbet

This may sound like a weird combination but I promise it’s really good and refreshing, we have it every night.

(I do this in my Vita-mix with my plunger, if you have a regular blender you will probably need a spatula to scrape the sides down as you go)

Blend together:

Frozen peas

Frozen berries- I use mixed berries from Costco, blueberries are also good

Milk Alternative (Soy, Almond, Rice or Coconut Milk)- starting with a small amount and adding if needed, you want this to be thick like Ice Cream

Vanilla Protein Powder- optional

Spirulina- optional (This is my favorite “Super Food”) Spirulina is a "Superfood." It is the most nutritious, concentrated whole food known to humankind. One 3 gram serving of Hawaiian Spirulina provides more antioxidant activity than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables

** I also add some of our Energy bar to add additional nutrients, it gives it more texture and is more filling.

Bok Choy, Tempeh and Black Rice with Creamy Orange- Cashew sauce

Bok Choy, Tempeh and Black Rice with Creamy Orange- Cashew sauce

Sauce: Soak cashews in water a few hours before or overnight, drain water.  Blend together Cashews, Braggs Aminos, red pepper flakes and canned mandarin oranges with a little of the juice (make sure to get the kind that are in natural fruit juice, not sugar)

Cook Rice-  I used Black Rice that I found in the bulk bins at a local Health Food store, Whole foods also has it, you could also use Brown Rice (I highly recommend using a rice cooker, you can get an inexpensive small one.)

Brown Tempeh in hot pan, reduce heat, add a little water and Bragg’s Aminos once brown and cook until liquid evaporates.  Remove from pan.

Saute chopped Bok Choy in large pan with some water and a little Bragg’s Aminos for flavor.  I put the white stalk part in the pan first then added the green part after about 5 mins., cook until greens are wilted and whites are soft but still firm.

Combine Rice, Tempeh, Bok Choy and Sauce

Spring Rolls with Thai Peanut Sauce

Spring Rolls with Thai Peanut Sauce

For the filling I use:

Chopped Cabbage (this time I had purple and Napa)

Avocado

Sprouts (I used Alfalfa but you could use any kind, or even Bean Sprouts would work)

Cilantro

Sauce:

Mix Peanut Butter with some hot water *, Bragg’s Aminos and Red Pepper Flakes.

* I used coconut milk that I blended from coconut meat I had with water, it made it a little creamier.  You could use canned coconut milk also or just water.

Rice Paper Rolls, found in Asian section.  Put about ½ inch water in the bottom of large fry pan and heat until water is warm but not hot.  Dip Rice Paper individually, when softened carefully remove from water and lay on plate, use paper towel to blot up some water. 

Layer filling and carefully fold sides in and ends up.  It’s easiest to use a spoon to put sauce on rather than dipping, it will fall apart.

Collar Green Wraps

Collard Green Wraps with Mushroom, Zucchini, Onion, Tempeh and Brown rice in Curry sauce filling

Collard Greens- remove stem, cut in half and soften in large pan of boiling water, drain in colander

Saute Tempeh, Mushrooms, Zucchini and Onion in hot pan, reduce heat and cook until soft.

In blender mix Canned Coconut milk, Curry powder, fresh Ginger and Red Pepper flakes. (Or use powdered ginger and mix in bowl with wisk)  Add to pan with Brown Rice, heat until hot and sauce thickened.

Layout Collard leaf on cutting board, add large scoop of filling to center and roll up.

This would also be good to add the wraps back to pan with Coconut Curry sauce and heat until sauce thickened and serve with sauce over wrap.

Spaghetti with Tempeh, Egglant and Spinach



This one was really quick, easy and yummy!



Spaghetti with Tempeh, Eggplant and Spinach

Spaghetti Noodles- I used “Pasta Slim” that are made from Tofu and only have 20

 calories per serving (found them at Whole Foods here)

1 package Tempeh cut in small chunks

Eggplant cut in chunks (you could also use Zucchini)

Add both to med-hot pan with some broth or water, Italian seasoning and garlic.  Cook until Eggplant is soft.

Add Pasta Sauce, once hot add chopped Spinach until just wilted, only a few minutes

Pour over noodles

Sprinkle with Nutritional Yeast if you have it

Energy Bar/ Post Workout recovery meal

This is my second try at making these bars, I had to make some changes, this time it worked.  The green color is from the Spirulina but you can't taste it.  If you bought these in the store they would be between $2.00 to $3.00, I made for under .50 cents and they were easy and loaded with amazing nutrition!

Energy Bars

(Modified from Thrive Nutrition by Brendan Brazier)

½ C Almonds, soaked overnight, drained and chopped coarsely (I pulsed in Vita-Mix)

¼ C Sprouted Buckwheat

¼ C Sprouted Amaranth (Could also use Sprouted Quinoa)

2 C Rolled Oats 

½ C Dates, soaked 15 minutes, strain water and save

¼ C Hemp seed

¼ C Ground Flax seed

1 t Dulse

1 T Spirulina

1 Apple

1 heaping T Cinnamon

Chop Apple in sections and blend in mixer with dates, 1 T date juice, Spirulina and Cinnamon.  Mix all other ingredients in large bowl, add apple mixture, stir well.  Spread on baking sheet with wax paper.  Place in 200 * oven for 10 min, turn over for another 10 min.  Let cool.  I wrap individually in saran wrap and keep in fridge to grab for after workout recovery.

Quinoa Salad with Broccoli, Cabbage and Carrot- Ginger dressing

Quinoa Salad with Broccoli, Cabbage and Carrot- Ginger dressing

Quinoa

Broccoli

Cabbage- shredded (I used purple and Napa)

Dressing:

Carrots

Ginger (I used fresh, you could use dry powder)

Miso

Rice Vinegar

Bragg’s Aminos

Cook Quinoa, let cool

Saute chopped Broccoli in pan with broth or water until crisp, not too soft.  Drain in colander and rinse with cold water

In a separate pan cook carrots in water or broth, let cool and place in blender with juices, fresh ginger, miso, rice vinegar and Bragg’s Aminos.  Blend

Mix everything in large bowl.

I sprinkled sesame seeds on top and Tempeh I had marinated in Bragg’s Aminos and browned in pan.

Even better if it’s made ahead of time and left in the fridge!

Items I keep on hand

Here is a list of items I keep on hand for cooking and use frequently:
(I will get into a list of Super Foods I use in another post)

• Bragg's Liquid Aminos (Use as you would Soy Sauce, lower in sodium and natural)
• Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar (There is a whole book written about the benefits of this, good for digestion)
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Mustard, either Dijon or Brown
• Rice Vinegar
• Canned beans, variety (for convenience, although I like to cook my own in a crock pot with a little seaweed to make digestion easier)
• Canned tomatoes
• Dulse- I use this instead of salt to season with.  It comes in a shaker and is granulated (excellent source of iodine)
• Cholula sauce
• Sri Racha sauce (I like spicy)
• Horseradish (fresh ground, not creamy)
• Worschester sauce
• Spices- cumin, chili powder, curry, turmeric, garan masala, cinnamon, italian seasoning, red pepper flakes (I love to get these in the bulk section at Health Food stores so I can get smaller amounts)
• Peanut Butter- all natural, no added salt, oil or sugar
• Chopped dates- I use these for a natural sweetener.  They can be soaked and blended into recipes. (found in the bulk section at Health Food stores)
• Lentils, dried
• Quinoa
• Split green peas, green and yellow
• Brown rice
• Beans, dried
• Nutritional Yeast powder (high in B vitamins, can be used in place of parmesan cheese, some people sprinkle on top of popcorn)
• Frozen Blueberries and mixed berries
• Nuts in the freezer (cashews can be soaked and blended into a cream sauce)

That's the basics, the rest is fresh produce, lot's of it!

Tempeh Tacos



 Tempeh Tacos

1 package Tempeh chopped in small pieces.  Brown in hot pan with sliced onions using broth or water to keep from sticking.  Add Black beans and season with  cumin and chili powder, cook until onions are soft.

Serve on corn tortillas with shredded cabbage (I used purple), tomatoes avocado, cilantro, lime and your favorite salsa (I used peach mango salsa from Costco). 

Also good in a bowl with no tortilla.  Or you could add greens to make it a Taco Salad!

Lahaina, Coffee tasting, Blow Hole...Gunnar is a great tour guide!

 Banyan Tree Park in Lahaina.  This is all one tree that covers the whole park and is over 100 years old.  Awesome!

Coffee Sampling at a local roaster in Lahaina.  The plantation is just outside of town.  Yummy!

Lunch at Whalers Village on the beach.  I had a great salad.

 Pathway to the beach at Honolua Bay

Blow Hole....Beautiful!

BBQ Tempeh and Big Salad

 BBQ Tempeh and Big Salad

1 package Tempeh cut into bite sized pieces, marinate with Worschester sauce for 10 mins.

1 med yellow onion sliced into half moons

Saute on high heat until browned, add veg broth or water if needed, lower heat and cook until onions tender.

In separate bowl mix Organic Ketchup (no HFCS), brown or spicy mustard, pineapple juice, garlic, worschester sauce and horseradish (your best guess on measurements).  Add to pan with Tempeh and onions on med-high heat until thickened

I make my salads based on what I have on hand but I usually always have Organic mixed baby greens, frozen peas (put in strainer and run under warm water for a minute), sprouted mung beans (so easy to make yourself and keep in the fridge), raw sunflower seeds that I keep in the freezer.  I also love coleslaw mix that you can buy in a big bag as Sam's Club, the cabbage gives good crunch.

My favorite salad dressing is equal parts Balsamic Vinegar and Dijon mustard, easy, cheap and healthy!!

Tempeh Curry with Yams, Garbanzo Beans and Peas

I almost didn't take a picture of this, I used a local purple sweet potato instead of the yam and it turned out very purple, doesn't look like Curry but tasted awesome!

1 package Tempeh, cut in bite sized pieces and browned in hot pan, then lower to medium add broth or water, curry and cumin, garlic, fresh grated ginger (or powdered) and red pepper flakes or chopped jalapeno (whatever you have).

Cube yams and add to pan, add enough broth or water to cover, place lid on pan and simmer until yams done but not mushy, remove lid toward end and let some liquid evaporate.  Add Garbanzos, frozen peas and either coconut milk or any milk alternative until heated.

Lentil Salad

Lentil Salad:

1 C dried Lentils (I used brown and cooked them in a rice cooker with spike seasoning)

let cool to room temp.

Zucchini

Onion

Carrot

Saute: Heat pan to high, add veggies and stir as they start to brown, reduce heat to med., cook until firm but not mushy.  Transfer to large bowl, let cool and add Lentils.

1 package Tempeh

Cut into bite sized pieces.  In a small bowl, mix equal parts Bragg’s Amino Acids (or Soy Sauce), Worchester sauce, Balsamic Vinegar and a little garlic (I use the kind in the jar), add Tempeh and let sit at least 15 mins.  Use same pan as veggies with same method to cook for about 5 mins.  Let cool and add to Lentils and veggies.  Mix in a separate bowl equal parts Balsamic Vinegar and Dijon or your favorite mustard and mix into salad.  Eat at room temp or refrigerate, great as leftovers.