Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Warm Kale and Beet Salad

Warm Kale and Beet Salad

I'm feeling very virtuous today.  After my morning workout, I tried to think of the healthiest possible lunch with the ingredients on hand.  With a pot of cooked beets waiting to be peeled on the stove and a slightly wilted bunch of kale in the fridge, I decided to combine the two into a delicious warm salad.  

Warm Kale and Beet Salad

1/2 bunch of kale (approximately 6-8 cups chopped)
2 cooked beets
4 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon agave nectar (or sweetener of your choice)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
toasted sesame seeds

Remove the tough stems from the kale and chop into fairly thin strips.  Steam the kale lightly for approximately 2 minutes.  Slice the cooked beets and then cut into matchsticks.  In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, agave nectar and sesame oil.  Toss the kale and beets with the dressing and garnish with sesame seeds.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Spiced Roasted Cauliflower

Spiced Roasted Cauliflower


For the last three weeks, I've been playing around with a few of my old favourites in order to reduce the fat content.  I used to be extremely sloppy and generous with the amount of oil I would slosh into the fry pan when stir-frying, but not anymore.  I'm unofficially following the weight watchers points plus system using a little pocket handbook a friend gave me.

In order to motivate myself and to encourage healthier eating habits, I went through the guide and wrote out every zero point food in the back of my journal.  This list includes just about every vegetable and fruit except potatoes and sweet potatoes (I think).  For those of you who know nothing about weight watchers, you can eat as many or as much of the zero point foods in a day as you want, which is pretty awesome if you like fruits and vegetables.  The zero point foods are all nutrient rich and full of fibre rich which makes sense.

Anyways, it's been really interesting planning my meals with the focus on eating as many zero point foods as possible in one day instead of thinking about what I can't eat.  I've noticed a definite increase in my vegetable intake and to satisfy my occasional sweet cravings and replace the refined sugar I've cut from my diet, I now eat a big, juicy, pink grapefruit every day which is so delicious and satisfying.  Yes, really!  It's kind of funny because I consider myself a pure comfort eater and things like cake, pasta, and other refined carbs were always my trigger foods.  I would stuff myself with huge portions and wonder why I wasn't losing weight even though the rest of my diet was fairly healthy and completely plant based.

This is a slightly revamped version of the roasted cauliflower poppers I made last year.  I cut the amount of oil in half and upped the spice quotient.  If you use the vinegar instead of lemon juice, the cauliflower comes out tasting a little bit like dill pickles for some reason.  Quite yummy in different way.  I can easily eat an entire pan of this cauliflower in one sitting and have done so twice in the last two weeks.  I jealously guarded the pan when my husband walked into the kitchen the other day.  I actually hoarded cauliflower!

Spiced Roasted Cauliflower

1 small or 1/2 large head of cauliflower 1
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste)
1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
Juice from half a lemon or 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
3 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Whisk together all ingredients (except cauliflower) in a medium sized bowl.  Chop or break the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces.  Toss or mix the cauliflower with the marinade until evenly coated.  Spread the cauliflower onto a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes.

You could probably stir it once half way through but I usually don't bother and it turns out just fine.  I just set the timer and forget about it while I cook the rest of the meal.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Oatmeal with Shredded Apple and Maple Syrup

Oatmeal with Shredded Apple and Maple Syrup

I've been quiet lately.  My meals have been focused and healthy.  I've been playing around with some of my favourite recipes by cutting out excess oil and sugar.   This morning I had a craving for oatmeal but the way I usually eat it, drowning in maple syrup and soy milk, was not going to cut it.  In Canada at this time of year there's not a lot of fresh, seasonal fruit.  Apples are plentiful though!   I decided to grate an entire apple and add it to the oatmeal to satisfy my sweet-tooth.  I couldn't resist a touch of maple syrup and then sprinkled some cinnamon on top.  I'm really happy with my little experiment.  The sweet crunch of the apple added a nice contrast in texture to the oatmeal.

1/2 cup rolled oats
1 to 1 1/4 cups water
1 apple grated
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
soymilk or other non-dairy milk to taste

In a small sauce pan, cook the oatmeal in water for about 3 to 5 minutes.   Remove from the heat, stir in the grated apple and top with cinnamon, maple syrup and soymilk if using.   Enjoy your hearty, healthy breakfast!