One of my favorite snacks are almonds but not just any almonds, I love tamari almonds. As much as I enjoy them I don’t purchase them often because they are pretty expensive per pound so I usually just get regular almonds. Finally I decided that instead of spending $4 more per pound I’d make my own.
Wasabi Shoyu (Tamari) Almonds
2 cups raw almonds
1/4 cup shoyu or tamari
1/2 teaspoon wasabi powder
Pre-heat oven to 250F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl mix the shoyu with the wasabi powder; toss with the almonds and spread in one layer on the baking sheet.
Bake for 25-30 minutes; tossing half way through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet. Once cooled store in an air tight container.
Juicing is a wonderful way to supplement vitamins, minerals and enzymes. The fiber is removed from the fruits and vegetables which helps aid in the digestion process and helps the body to heal. Juicing is a great way to jump start healthy eating and give your organs a break. However juicing can be a very strategic activity. You need to plan to juice when you have the time and are able to drink it immediately due to oxidization. If you are unable to do so you may consider investing in a higher tech juicer so you are able to store juice.
Types of Juicers:
Centrifugal: This juicer has a fast spinning grater and a strainer where the juice goes through and then out the spout. This juicer is a fast juicer with a larger mouth which allows for less prep and easier clean up. However your juice oxidizes quickly which breaks down the enzymes and the juice starts to loose nutrients. When using this type of juicer juice should be consumed quickly, within 15-20 minutes of juicing. If you are unable to drink your juice immediately you can put in an airtight mason jar and store in the fridge. However if the juice turns dark brown it means it has oxidized and no nutrients are left, this is when you should toss it.
Masticating: This juicer has a slow turning screw that squeezes the juice through a stainless steel screen.
Twin Gear: This is the lowest speed; it presses the fruits/vegetables between two gears until the pump is nearly dry.
Both the masticating and twin gear types of juicers take more time to clean up and to juice and both of these types of juicers are more expensive. The benefit to both of these juicers is that they incorporate less air into the juice which allows them to last longer. The masticating can be stored in the fridge up to one day and the twin gear lasts up to 72 hours.
I would love to invest in a masticating or twin gear but after months of research I bought a Breville Compact Juice Fountain two years ago. I haven’t been using it as often as I used to but I dusted it off the other day and got right back into things. I have a drawer full of items to be juiced and I am looking forward to having a nice big juice for breakfast. My Favorite Green Juice
1 bunch green kale
6 small carrots (or 2 large)
1 small apple
3 celery stalks
squeeze of lemon juice
Today I’m juicing and I’ll blog about that later but first head over to the Health & Wellness with Lindsay Blog and check out a few new things.
New Things:
Warm Wishes: I would like to give you the opportunity to send a friend a little fall treat (warm mulling spices) and a warm wishes message from YOU. Read more here.
Pumpkin Cookie Recipes: Yes you read that correctly- TWO pumpkin chip recipes for you. Which one do you like more? Get the recipes here.
Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat; add the carrots and onion and saute for 5-6 minutes until soft and lightly browning. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the vegetable broth and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the roasted tomatoes.
Pour the contents of the pot into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Return to the pot, season with salt and pepper and heat until desired temperature.
Ladle into two bowls and top with a sprinkle of parsley.
Last night I had a real hankering for oven roasted tomatoes. I eventually found myself at the natural foods store picking up a big bag of plum tomatoes and then home slicing them and preparing them to roast. I decided to also roast some fennel from our CSA and a few bulbs of delicious local organic garlic.
How I Roast Tomatoes, Fennel and Garlic:
Pre-heat oven to 350F.
Line two baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper.
Cut tomatoes in half and place on the baking sheet flesh side up.
Slice the fennel bulbs into 1/4 inch slices and place in one layer on the baking sheet.
Dress the tomatoes and fennel with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
For the garlic: I remove about 1/2 inch from the top of each bulb, saving the little bits of garlic that come off to use in another dish.
I then drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and wrap in aluminum foil.
Enjoy your roasted tomatoes, fennel and garlic in sauces, soups, pasta dishes and dressings.
Or in these recipes to come.
{Sneak Peak}
Trust me the zombie I live with loved these dishes.
*Hubz is slowly getting better and his bruises have gone from dark purple to yellowing. He’s a tough guy.*
Good Morning! It’s been a bit of a messy morning over here but all is well and cleaned up now. I picked up pumpkin yesterday to make pumpkin pie oats for breakfast today and everything was going so well until I went to get the flaxmeal out of the freezer. I bumped my elbow and it was crash, bang, flaxmeal and glass all over the kitchen floor.
After a big sweep of the kitchen, which needed it anyways, everything was cleaned up and it was time for Pumpkin Pie Oats!
Pumpkin Pie Oats for two
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 3/4 cup water
1/2 cup pumpkin pie puree
1/4 cup unsweetened hemp milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp coconut sugar
2 tbsp flax meal (that I saved)
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp almond butter
4 tbsp raisins
Combine the oats and water in a small pot over high heat; bring to a boil then turn down to low and cook for 3-5 minutes. Once the oats are cooked stir in the pumpkin pie puree, hemp milk, cinnamon, coconut sugar, flax, and chia seeds. Divide into two bowls and top each with half of the almond butter and half of the raisins.
With my oats I swapped out my normal cup of coffee for a mug of Awake tea. I love this tea since I have been working on reducing my coffee intake to 1-3 cups per week. Past weekend trip photos
When I was uploading the photos of breakfast I found photos from when we went to Northampton for the night back on the last weekend of August. Check out the these ones from breakfast at Cafe Esselon.
I have actually been doing a lot of cooking lately however I have failed at making much that I deem “blog worthy”. Last week was a lot of quinoa and veggie bowls with salad, Saturday morning we had tofu scramble with homefries and yesterday for lunch I made a mac and cheese with gluten free pasta that turned out too dry. I did find last nights dinner to be successful and I took the time to actually grab a photo of what I made.
Since we get our CSA on Wednesday’s Sunday until Tuesday usually ends up being unplanned meals because we never know how much of things we are going to receive. Last night I decided to use up the remaining potatoes, bright lights chard, dill and a cayenne pepper. I also found one carrot, one beet and half an onion that all needed to be used, and so they were.
Garlicky Chard, Creamy White Beans and a Dilly Root Veg Mash
Garlicky Chard
Makes 2-4 servings
1 bunch bright lights chard (or any kind of swiss chard you like)
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the chard and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Serve!
Creamy White Beans
Serves 4-6
Two 15oz cans of cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons white wine, vegetable broth or water
1 cayenne chili, minced (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
3 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
salt and pepper
In a medium pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in the beans and white wine, cook until liquid is gone. Add in the chili, dill, cream cheese and salt and pepper, stir until combined. Serve!
Dilly Root Veg Mash
Serves 2-4
3-4 medium sized new potatoes, washed and quartered
1 large red beet, peeled, washed and quartered
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons vegan margarine
2 heaping tablespoons chopped dill
salt and pepper to taste
Place the potatoes, beet and carrot in a pot and fill with water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until fork tender. Drain and return to the pot; add the remaining ingredients mash together to combine. Serve!
Wasabi Shoyu (Tamari) Almonds
*Hubz is slowly getting better and his bruises have gone from dark purple to yellowing. He’s a tough guy.*
