...Happy New Year! =)
The great thing about another year is a new start. As I think about goals, I am reminded of the blessings I've received from the Lord - blessings of new friendships, new challenges, meaningful family time...the list could go on...
What are you going to do in 2012 that will make a difference in someone's life? Do you have a legacy to leave when your time on earth is done? Maybe I'm the only one who considers this at the beginning of each year. But it does make me think about my future...and my children's future.
There's a saying that sounds like this, "If you have no goals, you'll hit them every time." Hmmm. Something to think about isn't it?
There's a song I like to sing that goes like this:
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
His mercies never come to an end,
They are new every morning, new every morning,
Great is thy faithfulness, Oh, Lord,
Great is thy faithfulness."
It reminds me that we have a fresh day every single day! The mornings are new. We don't have to wait for January 1st every year to start over, reboot, refresh, or make new goals. We can do it every day. And what a true blessing that is. To know that we can make changes and start right where we are. We don't have to wait for the timing to be right, or be at the right place in life, or have the right resources/friends/car/house/you-name-it...We can do it anytime. And the great thing about that is, you can do it anywhere, anytime, with whatever you have/don't have, right now.
You, my friend, are irreplaceable and I can't wait to see what the Lord can do in your life! May this year be your best year ever. May tomorrow be better than today.
Blessings to you today. ~ Loretta
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
2011 Resolutions???
Where has the time gone? I was talking to my son today and we realized that people still have time to finish their 2011 New Year's resolutions. Not too much time, mind you, but consider it a head start for January.
I'm not one to put too much stock in resolutions, but it does get one thinking about good habits replacing old bad habits. Or getting one more thing done on your "life" list.
Two years ago, I wrote this post about broken resolutions. I hope that you take some time to think about being positive and maybe using this chance to be kind to another.
On another note: One of my hopes this year was to gain the chance to be slim (part one & part two). I have happy news...I not only had the chance, I took the opportunity to be responsible for my own health. The results so far have been good, but it will be saved for another post. Suffice it to say, I am happy that I've made a turn for the better.
I realize that support to get to goals is a must. No one can really, truly, do things alone. With God's help, my husband, children and others supportive of my goal, I am slowly able to believe that such a thing is possible.
Oh, and I didn't start in January with the idea to do anything spectacular this year. But I have a feeling that this year will be the best one yet! Stay tuned for a post soon to come! =)
I'm not one to put too much stock in resolutions, but it does get one thinking about good habits replacing old bad habits. Or getting one more thing done on your "life" list.
Two years ago, I wrote this post about broken resolutions. I hope that you take some time to think about being positive and maybe using this chance to be kind to another.
On another note: One of my hopes this year was to gain the chance to be slim (part one & part two). I have happy news...I not only had the chance, I took the opportunity to be responsible for my own health. The results so far have been good, but it will be saved for another post. Suffice it to say, I am happy that I've made a turn for the better.
I realize that support to get to goals is a must. No one can really, truly, do things alone. With God's help, my husband, children and others supportive of my goal, I am slowly able to believe that such a thing is possible.
Oh, and I didn't start in January with the idea to do anything spectacular this year. But I have a feeling that this year will be the best one yet! Stay tuned for a post soon to come! =)
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Raw "Peanut" Sauce
I've been loving the recipes in Ani Phyo's book, "Ani's Raw Food Essentials". I think this book is a must for those of us who want to incorporate more raw foods into our diet. I'm not 100% raw, but you can't go wrong with more raw food in your diet.
Here's a great savory recipe to try. And even if you put it on a base of something cooked, it's still got to be better than other dairy laden sauces out there. Definitely more interesting than tomato based sauces too. Add a little spice with this almond version of peanut sauce. I tweaked this recipe a little to include more almonds and less coconut oil than her original recipe. My version follows.
Please feel free to change the amount of hot pepper to your liking. Remember the fat content of this recipe will definitely tone down most of the spiciness. So don't be afraid to put some in, taste and add more to get some zing. You might be surprised to find how much you can put in. I actually used a bit of dried cayenne pepper, since I didn't have any fresh jalapenos on hand.
Raw "Peanut" Sauce
1/2 cup raw almond butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 Tablespoons (or less) Nama Shoyu (soy sauce)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon seeded, chopped jalapeno (or to taste)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 water
Blend everything together in a blender until smooth.
Use this sauce for anything you would use peanut sauce with. Be creative. This is a nice, but rich sauce, so think of low calorie veggies for topping with this sauce. Suggestions: shredded cabbage, kelp noodles, sliced cucumbers, zucchini shreds. Thinned down with a bit of water, you can even use it as a salad dressing.
When I made this, I actually doubled it, since I wanted leftovers for a couple of meals. My family loved it.
Here's a great savory recipe to try. And even if you put it on a base of something cooked, it's still got to be better than other dairy laden sauces out there. Definitely more interesting than tomato based sauces too. Add a little spice with this almond version of peanut sauce. I tweaked this recipe a little to include more almonds and less coconut oil than her original recipe. My version follows.
Please feel free to change the amount of hot pepper to your liking. Remember the fat content of this recipe will definitely tone down most of the spiciness. So don't be afraid to put some in, taste and add more to get some zing. You might be surprised to find how much you can put in. I actually used a bit of dried cayenne pepper, since I didn't have any fresh jalapenos on hand.
Raw "Peanut" Sauce
1/2 cup raw almond butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 Tablespoons (or less) Nama Shoyu (soy sauce)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon seeded, chopped jalapeno (or to taste)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 water
Blend everything together in a blender until smooth.
Use this sauce for anything you would use peanut sauce with. Be creative. This is a nice, but rich sauce, so think of low calorie veggies for topping with this sauce. Suggestions: shredded cabbage, kelp noodles, sliced cucumbers, zucchini shreds. Thinned down with a bit of water, you can even use it as a salad dressing.
When I made this, I actually doubled it, since I wanted leftovers for a couple of meals. My family loved it.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Homemade Almond Butter
We enjoy almond butter instead of peanut butter these days. I like using raw nuts and seeds to make nut/seed butter. No roasting required. Good raw food.
I want to note here that it is harder to find true raw almonds. As many of you know, almonds are now routinely pasteurized in the US. This means that raw almonds are heated before they go to market and therefore are not truly raw. You may wish to seek out a health food store (or source online) that carries raw (versus pasteurized) almonds. They will cost more per pound, but they have all the life still in them.
Making this recipe will generate some heat. If you prefer to make it on the cool side, thereby preserving all the enzymes and keeping it totally raw, then you'll need to be patient. Just process until you feel some warmth, but not too much. Stop the food processor and let it cool. After cooling, continue and repeat until smooth. This may take a few hours. You can do this over the course of the day, while doing other things.
To make 1 cup of almond butter:
Homemade Almond Butter
2 cups raw almonds
salt, to taste (optional)
Using a food processor with the "S" metal blade in, process the almonds for a few minutes until smooth. Every few minutes, you'll need to stop processing and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and continue. (A food processor works best, but a good blender can work in a pinch. A food processor is easier to clean, in my opinion, after making a nut butter.)
As a variation, you could add a (preferably raw) sweetener after the nut butter is smooth as a mix in. This will limit its use to sweet preparations though.
Look for a raw "peanut" sauce recipe coming soon that uses the (unsalted) basic recipe for almond butter.
I want to note here that it is harder to find true raw almonds. As many of you know, almonds are now routinely pasteurized in the US. This means that raw almonds are heated before they go to market and therefore are not truly raw. You may wish to seek out a health food store (or source online) that carries raw (versus pasteurized) almonds. They will cost more per pound, but they have all the life still in them.
Making this recipe will generate some heat. If you prefer to make it on the cool side, thereby preserving all the enzymes and keeping it totally raw, then you'll need to be patient. Just process until you feel some warmth, but not too much. Stop the food processor and let it cool. After cooling, continue and repeat until smooth. This may take a few hours. You can do this over the course of the day, while doing other things.
To make 1 cup of almond butter:
Homemade Almond Butter
2 cups raw almonds
salt, to taste (optional)
Using a food processor with the "S" metal blade in, process the almonds for a few minutes until smooth. Every few minutes, you'll need to stop processing and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and continue. (A food processor works best, but a good blender can work in a pinch. A food processor is easier to clean, in my opinion, after making a nut butter.)
As a variation, you could add a (preferably raw) sweetener after the nut butter is smooth as a mix in. This will limit its use to sweet preparations though.
Look for a raw "peanut" sauce recipe coming soon that uses the (unsalted) basic recipe for almond butter.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Wild Rice Stuffing
I thought I would try a gluten free recipe for stuffing this year. It's been so long since I've had wild rice and this sounded so good. It was delicious when I made it today. Even got compliments on it tonight at a church dinner. If you've ever had wild rice, you've experienced that wonderful chewy texture. It'll all come back to you, when you have some of this stuffing.
You can substitute other dried fruit and nuts instead of apricots and pecans. If you don't want a sweet element to it, just leave out the dried fruit altogether. Allergic to nuts? Leave out the pecans. This is made like bread stuffing, but uses brown rice and wild rice instead. You could also use this to stuff peppers, winter squash and maybe even mushrooms. Tell me how you use it.
Wild Rice Stuffing
1 Tablespoon grapeseed/coconut oil
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup uncooked wild rice
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage (or 3/4 Tablespoons dried)
1 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped pecans
salt, to taste
In a large pot, on medium-high heat, saute celery, onion, wild rice, and garlic in oil for about 3 minutes. Stir in broth and sage. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and cover, then simmer for 25 minutes. Stir in brown rice and bring to boil again. Cover, reduce heat, and cook for 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, let stand, covered for 10 minutes. Stir in apricots and pecans and taste for seasoning.
You can substitute other dried fruit and nuts instead of apricots and pecans. If you don't want a sweet element to it, just leave out the dried fruit altogether. Allergic to nuts? Leave out the pecans. This is made like bread stuffing, but uses brown rice and wild rice instead. You could also use this to stuff peppers, winter squash and maybe even mushrooms. Tell me how you use it.
Wild Rice Stuffing
1 Tablespoon grapeseed/coconut oil
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup uncooked wild rice
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage (or 3/4 Tablespoons dried)
1 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped pecans
salt, to taste
In a large pot, on medium-high heat, saute celery, onion, wild rice, and garlic in oil for about 3 minutes. Stir in broth and sage. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and cover, then simmer for 25 minutes. Stir in brown rice and bring to boil again. Cover, reduce heat, and cook for 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, let stand, covered for 10 minutes. Stir in apricots and pecans and taste for seasoning.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Black Bean Chipotle Chili
A recent chili "cook-off" got me thinking about posting a chili recipe. I made some changes to one at Fatfree Vegan Kitchen. It has a rich, deep, dark color that looks and tastes wonderful. To make prep quick, use canned versions of the tomatoes, tomato sauce and beans.
This large recipe makes almost 4 quarts. Great for freezing ahead. As is, this recipe is mild enough while still giving a spicy heat. Instead of chili powder to give this soup its classic flavor, it relies on the real deal, a smoky chipotle pepper. If you want to cook in even more spicy heat, add another chipotle pepper to the recipe and enjoy.
Black Bean Chipotle Chili
1 dried chipotle pepper, soaked with 3/4 cup water, pureed in blender
2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil/coconut oil
2 medium onions, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow (or red or orange) bell pepper, chopped
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with chiles
2 cups tomato sauce
6 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons paprika (or smoked paprika)
4 teaspoons carob powder, mixed with 1/2 cup hot water
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup raisins, soaked & pureed with 1 cup water
1/2 c. cornmeal, mixed with 1/4 cup water (optional thickener)
During the making of this chili, I was using my blender for a bit of the prep. You'll notice that the dried chipotle pepper and the raisins will need pureed (separately). Keep your blender (or personal blender handy for these two steps. A bowl and whisk will be helpful for the carob powder and optional cornmeal (also mixed separately). Because of these steps, I added water during cooking time (rinsing the blender and other containers, etc), so there is an option to add in a little cornmeal toward the end if you so desire. If you like a little more liquid in your chili, feel free to leave the cornmeal out.
Remove the stem (if still attached) from the dried pepper before soaking and proceed to soak and prep the pepper as stated, then set aside. Prepare the raisins as well at this time.
In a large pot, saute the onion in oil. When softened, add the garlic and bell pepper, then cook a few more minutes. Add the chili pepper puree, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, corn, and spices (except the carob, salt and raisins). Bring to a simmer.
In a small bowl, prepare the carob powder. Add it to the chili. Taste for seasonings and add salt to taste. Add raisin puree. You may add the optional cornmeal at this time, stirring the soup as you add it. Cook for another 30 minutes or more at a low simmer, stirring occasionally.
This large recipe makes almost 4 quarts. Great for freezing ahead. As is, this recipe is mild enough while still giving a spicy heat. Instead of chili powder to give this soup its classic flavor, it relies on the real deal, a smoky chipotle pepper. If you want to cook in even more spicy heat, add another chipotle pepper to the recipe and enjoy.
Black Bean Chipotle Chili
1 dried chipotle pepper, soaked with 3/4 cup water, pureed in blender
2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil/coconut oil
2 medium onions, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow (or red or orange) bell pepper, chopped
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with chiles
2 cups tomato sauce
6 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons paprika (or smoked paprika)
4 teaspoons carob powder, mixed with 1/2 cup hot water
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup raisins, soaked & pureed with 1 cup water
1/2 c. cornmeal, mixed with 1/4 cup water (optional thickener)
During the making of this chili, I was using my blender for a bit of the prep. You'll notice that the dried chipotle pepper and the raisins will need pureed (separately). Keep your blender (or personal blender handy for these two steps. A bowl and whisk will be helpful for the carob powder and optional cornmeal (also mixed separately). Because of these steps, I added water during cooking time (rinsing the blender and other containers, etc), so there is an option to add in a little cornmeal toward the end if you so desire. If you like a little more liquid in your chili, feel free to leave the cornmeal out.
Remove the stem (if still attached) from the dried pepper before soaking and proceed to soak and prep the pepper as stated, then set aside. Prepare the raisins as well at this time.
In a large pot, saute the onion in oil. When softened, add the garlic and bell pepper, then cook a few more minutes. Add the chili pepper puree, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, corn, and spices (except the carob, salt and raisins). Bring to a simmer.
In a small bowl, prepare the carob powder. Add it to the chili. Taste for seasonings and add salt to taste. Add raisin puree. You may add the optional cornmeal at this time, stirring the soup as you add it. Cook for another 30 minutes or more at a low simmer, stirring occasionally.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Curried Nutmeat
This is from a book that I borrowed awhile back and never tried until now. The book, "Delights of The Garden" by Imar Hutchins has raw recipes that look different than you would expect, but it's a book to check out!
This recipe is a replacement for a raw curry flavored "meat" made with pecans. And yes, there seems to be a lot of spices, quantity wise. No mistake. Now I know why I've never achieved the true curry flavor that I've experienced in Indian restaurants.... Not enough herbs and spices! Really. The only major flavor difference will be your type of curry powder and how much pepper you add. A little of this goes a long way. Curry lovers, prepare to be amazed.
Curried Nutmeat
1 pound raw pecans
1 large onion, very finely chopped
1 /2 cup curry powder
1/2 cup scallions (green onions), chopped
1/4 cup thyme
1/4 cup parsley1 tablespoon sage
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 Tablespoons black pepper*
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper**
Grind pecans to a fine texture in a dry food processor using the S blade. Add finely chopped onion to the processor and process until a dough-like texture is achieved. Add curry powder, scallions and all other seasonings, then blend again. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Spoon out in balls and serve with your favorite dish or use it to make sandwich. (We used it alongside boiled potatoes, and whatever dish we were having, over the course of a couple days.)
*I am still getting used to using black pepper in my cooking. I only used about 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. I will use more each time I make this to see were my preferred amount is.
**The day I made this we were beyond dangerously low on cayenne...we were out! So I actually did not use this at all. My 5 year old daughter (and the rest of us) loved this recipe as is. Next time I will put some cayenne pepper in the recipe, but probably not the full amount. My 13 year old son would be happy for more spice though. I may just keep out a portion for my daughter, then add the cayenne into the rest. Easy enough and everyone will be happy.
This recipe is a replacement for a raw curry flavored "meat" made with pecans. And yes, there seems to be a lot of spices, quantity wise. No mistake. Now I know why I've never achieved the true curry flavor that I've experienced in Indian restaurants.... Not enough herbs and spices! Really. The only major flavor difference will be your type of curry powder and how much pepper you add. A little of this goes a long way. Curry lovers, prepare to be amazed.
Curried Nutmeat
1 pound raw pecans
1 large onion, very finely chopped
1 /2 cup curry powder
1/2 cup scallions (green onions), chopped
1/4 cup thyme
1/4 cup parsley1 tablespoon sage
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 Tablespoons black pepper*
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper**
Grind pecans to a fine texture in a dry food processor using the S blade. Add finely chopped onion to the processor and process until a dough-like texture is achieved. Add curry powder, scallions and all other seasonings, then blend again. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Spoon out in balls and serve with your favorite dish or use it to make sandwich. (We used it alongside boiled potatoes, and whatever dish we were having, over the course of a couple days.)
*I am still getting used to using black pepper in my cooking. I only used about 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. I will use more each time I make this to see were my preferred amount is.
**The day I made this we were beyond dangerously low on cayenne...we were out! So I actually did not use this at all. My 5 year old daughter (and the rest of us) loved this recipe as is. Next time I will put some cayenne pepper in the recipe, but probably not the full amount. My 13 year old son would be happy for more spice though. I may just keep out a portion for my daughter, then add the cayenne into the rest. Easy enough and everyone will be happy.
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