Sushi Sushi Sushi

My daughter was thoughtful enough to get me a sushi making kit for Christmas. Well, what an adventure! Lots to learn, lot of work, lot of mess, but well worth it.

Sauteed Greens and Butter Beans with Lemon Quinoa

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch of Kale, stems removed
• 1 15-ounce can butter [Gigante] beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• Optional: 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Lemon Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

In a small saucepan, add quinoa, 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover for 16-18 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork. Add olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cover to keep warm; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until it’s fragrant, about 1 minute. Add greens and stir until they begin to wilt – use tongs to coat with oil. Add butter beans and cook until they get a little crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add kalamata olives, season with salt and pepper.

When ready to serve, dish quinoa and top with the greens and bean mixture. Sprinkle crushed red pepper if you prefer some spice.

Enjoy!

Serves 4-6

Courtesy of Withstyleandgrace.com

Garlicky Kale and Bean Stew

Greens good for you, nuff said.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
Knob of coconut oil or ghee
2 medium onions
6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional, but really delicious)
5 bay leaves
Pinch chili flakes
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
2- 2 ½ cups cooked white beans (lima, butter, navy, cannelini…)
2 cups packed shredded kale leaves
2 cups vegetable broth
1 can (14 oz.) organic whole tomatoes
Cold-pressed olive oil to garnish

Directions:
1. Heat a knob of oil in a large stockpot. Slice onions and add to the pot with a couple pinches sea salt, chili, bay leaves and paprika. Cook for a few minutes until the onions have softened, then add sliced garlic. If the post becomes dry, add a little juice from the tinned tomatoes.
2. Add all other ingredients, bring to a boil, season to taste, and serve with a drizzle of olive oil (since everything is cooked, you don’t need to heat it long). If you are going to let it simmer for a while, add the kale about 5-10 minutes before serving so that it retains more of its nutritional value.

Sarah Britton is a holistic nutritionist, vegetarian chef, and the creator of the award-winning blog My New Roots. Sarah is currently a chef at three organic restaurants in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she has earned praise for her creative and adventurous recipes. A Certified Nutritional Practitioner, she is also the founder of New Roots Holistic Nutrition, where she educates others to be an active participant in their own health and healing.

Crispy Kale Salad with Lime Dressing

Angie made this salad tonight and it was LEGIT.  Try it out people

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons (packed) palm sugar or light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 red Thai chile or 1/4 red jalapeño, seeded, thinly sliced
• 24 small Tuscan kale leaves (about 5 inches) or 5-inch-long pieces torn from large stemmed leaves
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups (loosely packed) mixed tender herbs (such as cilantro, mint, and basil)
• 3 cups mixed shaved vegetables (such as carrots, beets, and radishes)
• 2 cups pea tendrils, watercress, or baby arugula
• 2 cups thinly sliced stemmed Tuscan kale leaves (from 1 bunch)
• 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber

• Ingredient Info:

  Fish sauce is available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets. Find Tuscan kale, also called black kale, Lacinato kale, or cavolo nero, at farmers' markets and some supermarkets.

Preparation

• Microwave sugar and 2 Tbsp. water on high in a medium microwave-safe bowl until sugar is dissolved, about 30 seconds. Let cool. Whisk in next 4 ingredients for dressing. Set aside.
• Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 250°. Brush tops of kale leaves with oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on 2 large baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets top to bottom halfway through, until kale is crisp, about 30 minutes. Transfer leaves from baking sheets to a wire rack; let cool.
• Mix herbs and remaining 4 ingredients with 6 Tbsp. dressing in a large bowl. Divide salad among plates; top with crispy kale leaves and drizzle remaining dressing over.

Kudos to Bon Appetit for the recipe

Self Reflection :My annual New Year's Day Hike.

Despite the negative feedback from my sister ( and health coach in making), I need to embrace all that is JWE.
Recipes, changes, revelations, and more to follow. Get ready, I may even be ready to listen to my sibling and her husband, Buddy Lee.

In the mean time, 2012 has taught me that kale, roasted brussel sprouts, and hand-soaked garbanzo beans are all you need (or at least represent a good start).

Kashi Cereal Stirs Anger - Exposed by Small Rhode Island Grocer

Story at-a-glance


A note on a Rhode Island grocer’s shelf has gone viral, informing consumers everywhere that the popular “natural” cereal brand Kashi actually contains genetically engineered grains

As a result of consumer outrage, the Kashi brand, which is owned by Kellogg Company, has now pledged to use at least 70 percent certified organic ingredients by 2015—a move that may be too little, too late for many health conscious consumers. The pledge came just days after initially trying to further mislead consumers by denying the test results, which had found Kashi GoLean cereal contained 100 percent genetically engineered soy

Currently, the ONLY label that can protect you against genetically engineered ingredients, synthetic pesticides, and other harmful additives is the USDA 100% Organic label

Full story at dr. Mercola's site:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/05/19/kellogs-kashi-brand-with-ge-soy.aspx?e_cid=20120519_DNL_art_1

The Three Day Challenge

So far Bill & Chris (can you believe it?) are In! Who else is in??? Ann and I start Sunday

See the whole article at wholeliving.com:

http://www.wholeliving.com/176862/three-day-action-plan-reboot/@center/152870/2012-whole-living-action-plan#/176290

"....The best part of this mini detox? We’ve prepared a streamlined menu of “big batch” meals so that you can frontload all of the work. Yes, you’ll be having the same breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the cleanse (you can change it up with our six fun snacks), but three days of clean eating “will help your body focus on detoxing, rather than on breaking down complex foods,” .....

These dishes give your digestive system a rest from processed foods and allergens like dairy and gluten. Loading up on the season’s fibrous fruits and vegetables helps remove toxins; they’re eliminated by binding to fiber. Skip your morning coffee and evening glass of wine (both overwork the liver, the organ we’re aiming to support); opt for water and herbal tea instead.......

Breakfast

Strawberry-Grapefruit Smoothie

Lunch
Beet, Avocado, and Arugula Salad with Sunflower Seeds

Dinner
Carrot-Spinach Soup with Dill

Snacks: Snacking is allowed! Choose two of these smart combos each day.
Avocado Rolls
Coconut "Gorp"
Apple with Tahini
Banana "Ice Cream"
Radishes with Olive Oil
Collard Chips

Go here to get the recipes:

http://www.wholeliving.com/176862/three-day-action-plan-reboot/@center/152870/2012-whole-living-action-plan#/177143

Mission Asparagus

Your Mission:
Get some locally grown asparagus. It's in season now in Western Massachusetts.

Joel, Is this OK to eat???

It's got both lettuce AND tomatoes, must be good???

Courtney Stodden promotes Veggies!

Is she for real??
Click below to watch the video:
http://cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/offbeat/2012/04/18/ac-ridiculist-sexy-veggies.cnn.html

Tomato-Peanut Soup

Adapted from Food Network

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped, plus leaves for topping

• 3 clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon Madras-style curry powder

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt
• 1 15-ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar

• 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Fresh cilantro and chopped peanuts, for topping

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery; cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, curry powder, paprika, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, 2 more minutes.

Add the tomatoes, broth, brown sugar and 1 cup water to the pot, then whisk in the peanut butter until incorporated. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly, about 30 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a regular blender in batches. Season with salt and black pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls; top with celery leaves, cilantro and peanuts. Drizzle with olive oil.

Joel Inspired

Lemony Minted Asparagus with Saffron Rice

Makes 6 servings

This recipe is based on one from Vegetarian Times magazine.

1 1/2 cups white rice

3 cups low-salt vegetable broth

Pinch of saffron threads 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
9 green onions, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 to 2 small fresh red chilies, sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch lengths

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/4 cup sliced mint leaves

Salt and pepper

2 lemons, cut into wedges for garnish

Combine rice and broth in a large saucepan. Crumble in saffron threads. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Lest stand, covered, 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a work or heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil, swirl to coat pan, then add green onions, chilies and garlic. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes. Add asparagus and stir-fry 2 minutes or until asparagus is bright green and tender. Remove from heat. Stir in almonds and mint. Season with salt and pepper.

Fluff rice. Spoon onto a serving plate. Top with asparagus mixture. Garnish with lemon wedges.

Get Movin'

Good Stuff

The Hidden Food in Your Yard - You May Walk by It Every Day... Dr. Mercola

Posted on http://www.mercola.com/

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/08/the-five-healthiest-backyard-weeds.aspx?e_cid=20120408_SNL_Art_1

Happy Easter Chris Gwynn!

Still on the prowl...

Tofu Easter Ham???

Maybe somebody braver than me can try this and tell me what you think???

Maple Glazed Holiday Roast

1 Vegan Holiday Roast (completely defrosted - we recommend using a Tofurky)

20-25 Whole Cloves
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup White Wine or Apple Juice
1 Tablespoon Applesauce
2-3 Dashes of Liquid Smoke
1/4 teaspoon Ground Mustard Seed
1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
Pinch of Crushed Pink Himalayan Salt
Pinch of Crushed Black Peppercorns

Heat oven to 350.

Once your Holiday Roast is completely defrosted, use a large knife that doesn't have a serrated blade and gently press a very shallow crisscross pattern across the top of your Holiday Roast. You can probably tell from our pictures that I made my cuts too deep in this roast. It didn't make it look as polished but I did like having the flavorful glaze baking into the the Roast that deep. So it is up to you how deep you want to cut your pattern.

Take a bamboo skewer and gently poke a hole in the center of each diamond created on the Holiday Roast by the pattern. Cloves can be a little brittle so this will help you insert them into the Holiday Roast without crumbling. Very gently press your cloves into the holes in your Holiday Roast until the stem in completely inserted and just the little bud is showing. Place your Holiday Roast in a glass baking dish.

In your favorite mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except any leftover cloves and 2 tablespoons of the Maple Syrup until the Brown Sugar dissolves. Then brush a layer of Glaze over your entire Holiday Roast. You want to make sure you get the ends and in the all the crack. Even lift your Holiday Roast in the dish so that any Glaze that has collected in the dish can cover the bottom. Then put your Holiday Roast in the oven to bake for 10 minutes.

Then pull your Holiday Roast out and brush another layer of Glaze over the top and bake it for another 10 minutes. Then brush yet another layer of Glaze over the top and bake it for another 10 minutes. Let your Holiday Roast cool for 5-8 minutes and then drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Maple Syrup over the top.

Now you're ready to Easter! (Or something)

I will give you a serving tip though - use a fork to pull the cloves out of your Holiday Roast before slicing it to serve. It not only makes it easier to slice but have you ever eaten a whole cloves? I'm pretty sure mankind wasn't meant to. You'll keep the spice flavor of the clove in the Holiday Roast even without the actual clove - so don't worry about it.

Unbelievable!!!

Source: Vegatarian Times

Saffron Cauliflower
Serves 4

1 1/2 Tsp.  saffron threads
1                 head cauliflower divided into medium florets
1                 large red onion sliced
2/3 cup     golden raisins
1/2 cup     good quality green olives, pitted and halved
4 Tbs.       olive oil
2-3            bay leaves
4 Tbs.      chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place saffron in small bowlwith 1/3 cup boiling water and steep
for one minute. Pour into large bowl. add cauliflower,onion, raisins, olives, oil, and bay leaves. Mix well.

 Transfer mixture to a large baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring halfway through. Cool 5 minutes and add parsley and season with salt & pepper if desired.

BE PREPARED -Write your own caption.

Last week's caption caption utterly failed. bevertheless, when I encountered this in a hotel room recently, it made me think. Share your thoughts with a caption. Again, the winner gets an autographed photo and a sample Bag of Zack Woods Rejuvenation Tea!!!