Foodie Favorites: Voted 'Most Loved' Dishes

       A Brekky Miscellany: Vegetable Egg White Scramble / Feed your mind, health, and soul with this scrumptious breakfast/brunch meal. This meal is best enjoyed around blissful people, which should be all around you if you fix them this! Indulge in the rainbow. {Click HERE to view}

       A Family Recipe: Winter Vegetable Soup / I have fond memories associated with this vegetable soup. My mother would always make this in the wintertime, flooding the house with its beautiful aura; I remember waking up to the smell of simmering vegetables and my mother's happy humming. Never hesitate to begin healthy traditions; it all begins in the produce section. {Click HERE to view}

       'Bottoms Up' to Health: Earth-Infused Water  / Are you craving a delicious way to detox, become hydrated, and be trendy? Then infused water is just for you! With thousands of combinations out there, the flavorful options are endless. {Click HERE to view}

       Warm up Winter: Red Bell Pepper & Tomato Bisque /  What's better than warm soup in the winter? Just when you think the traditional tomato soup couldn't be more brilliant, this soup comes along. Make this your next afternoon meal and your body will thank you! {Click HERE to view}

       Raw Veg(an) Wraps /  Do you have five minutes and a party to plan? This grain-free, gluten-free, vegan/vegetarian appetizer is a definite must for any sort of gathering. These veggie rolls are a clever twist on sushi rolls - and they're just as beautiful! {Click HERE to view}

       Brighten Your Brunch: Festive Egg Whites / We can all scramble some eggs and call it a 'brunch,' but can we separate the yolks, throw in some earth, and make our food look, smell, and taste like the holidays? Give the earth & your body the appreciation it deserves with this nutrient-dense, quick & easy brunch. Pair it with some coffee or hot tea, and you've got yourself a beautiful start to the day! {Click HERE to view}

Matcha on Mondays

       Chado, or way of tea, is a practice of serenity to me. Matcha, a powdered green tea that chado is affiliated with, was first introduced to me through a Japanese Art of Tea class I took during my last semester of college. My class consisted of about fifteen students and we gathered weekly for hours at a time in the basement of the campus chapel to learn the art of tea and memorize its flawlessly precise ceremony. My teacher, Jan, dedicated her entire life to the art of tea; even with being in her 80's, I am still convinced she is often times younger at heart than me. 

       Above our make-shift classroom, the orchestra class frequently practiced as well. The notes of soft progression and simplicity mixed with frothy matcha and Japanese sweet never failed to sweep me away into daydreams each class. By the conclusion of each gathering, I felt more clear-headed and centered than ever. And I owe it all to matcha.

       Matcha is notorious for being the drink that clears the clouds from the mind. Not only that, but it is loaded with antioxidants and cancer-fighting properties, detoxifies the body, has calming properties, and boosts the metabolism. The most meaningful quality that it contains, however, is that it gets people to slow down. When used in Japanese Tea Ceremonies, it is a means to an end - an end to stress, anxiety, and toxic thoughts. So when you plan to fix your next, or first, bowl of matcha, take your time. Plan to not plan and think about not thinking. Simply enjoy the sound of the chasen [chaa-sin; whisk) as it sweeps across the matcha froth and grips your specially-chosen chawan [chaa-won; bowl]. Embrace the warmth of the chasen in your palms as you slowly raise it to your mouth. Then, sip as if you were in slow motion with no where to be. If you succeed in what I am talking about, believe me. You will never stop drinking matcha again.

On a Bed of Rice

       What's filling, satisfying, and good to the last bit? A rice bowl, is what! No matter the occasion, rice bowls can be dressed up for a fancy dinner date at home or quickly prepped for an on-the-go meal. And the best part? You can cater it to exactly what your taste buds crave. Simply place steamed rice at the base of your bowl, then top it off with stir fried or sauteed vegetables (peppers, zucchini, etc.), toasted nuts (almonds, cashews, etc.), seeds (flax, sesame, sunflower, etc.), bean sprouts, 'shrooms, and/or herb seasonings and spices. Currently, I'm obsessed with anything concerning sauteed onions, bell peppers, pinto beans, and a dash of salt and pepper. Give my combinations a try or go out on a limb and make it your own! I dare you to experiment with something that no one you know has ever tried before. 

Delicious Rice Combinations:

Photo 1: green beans, pinto beans, sauteed onions atop steamed white rice

Photos 2 & 3: sauteed onions, scrambled egg, & a pinch of salt and pepper atop steamed white rice

Brekky in a Cran-Oat Cookie

       Ever crave a perfectly sweet, delectably crunchy-soft, "mm-mm good" little something for breakfast? Well, look no further! Because these vegan cranberry-oatmeal cookies are dairy, oil, flour, and added sugar-free, you can have as many as you desire! You'll take your last bite of these goodies feeling antioxidant-rich and satisfied, instead of experiencing leftover pains of a stomach ache or the well-known 'dessert guilt.' The ingredients here are Earth's raw gifts, and they're just for you!

       Bananas are loaded with potassium, which has the health benefits of relieving blood pressure, anxiety, and stress as well as enhancing muscle strength, metabolism, and nervous system functions. Apples are high in vitamin C, which helps strengthen one's immune system to prevent from common colds. Cranberries, like other superfruits, help fight off cancerous happenings within the body as well as relieve infections. And cinnamon - as simple of an ingredient as it is - is one of the most delicious and beneficial spices on the planet; it lowers blood sugar, has anti-inflammatory agents, fights heart disease, and more. If you wish to increase the nutritional benefits of these cookies even more, add some nuts, other dried superfruits, and/or whatever else your heart desires! 

       I dare you to use this recipe as a base and cater these delicious breakfast cookies to your personal taste buds! You can't go wrong with these flavorful beauties. Begin your healthy-eating trend with a dessert -- It's as delicious as that!

Ingredients: (makes about 18 cookies)

2 cups rolled oats (steel cut, thick)

2 ripe bananas

1 cup unsweet applesauce

4 tbsp. cinnamon

4 tbsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened, dried cranberries (and/or any other desired dried fruit)

1/3 cup chopped almonds *optional

1/3 cup unsweetened dark chocolate chips *optional

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, making sure the bananas are fully mashed.

3. Line a cookie sheet with wax baking paper.

4. Dollop large spoonfuls of the cookie dough onto the cookie sheet and flatten them into even, round shapes. *tip: try to make each cookie the same size as to bake each evenly.

5. Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes, checking them periodically.

6. Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooking rack. Store in a cool, dry place.

Stir Fry in No Time

       Stir fried vegetable combinations are an incredibly efficient way to get a number of your daily nutritional requirements in one fair swoop. Simply toss into a pan which parts of the earth you are craving and in about seven minutes you will have your delicious edible rainbow! See below for dish instructions and enjoy!

Second Photo How-To:

Ingredients

Corn, (canned)

Pinto and/or black beans (canned)

Carrots, chopped

Green beans (canned)

Peas (canned)

Quinoa 

White rice 

Bragg liquid amino acids or soy sauce

Salt

Directions

1. Dump 1/4 cup quinoa, 1/4 cup rice, 1 cup water, and 1 tbs. salt in a deep stovetop pan on low heat for about 15 minutes with the lid on. *Tip: Do not remove the lid frequently; only check the rice and quinoa after about 13 minutes of cooking to see if it is fully cooked.

2. While the rice and quinoa are cooking, place your desired amount of each vegetable/bean into a stovetop frying pan with about 1/2 cup Bragg liquid amino acids on medium heat. Stir until heated.

3. When the rice, quinoa, and vegetable combination are ready, place everything into a bowl, stir until evenly distributed, and dig in! Your taste buds will thank you.

Yolks for Autumn, Tea for Winter

       This Autumn was all about having enough energy to adventure in the leaves, study until sunrise, and spontaneously paroose Portland streets on a whim. Therefore, protein-packed eggs took to be the main ingredient to many of my meals. The yellow-rich yolks are loaded with nutritious vitamins (including B12), folate (contributes to DNA synthesis/repair), and omega-3 fats (fight against brain disorders and promote cardiovascular health). Additionally, the whites consist of beneficial vitamins (increase immunities and fight diseases) and minerals (keep bones strong, regulate bodily functions, and lower blood pressure). When you think about it, an egg contains the necessary constituents to grow a baby chick. Therefore, those beneficial ingredients benefit us similarly in helping our bodies and minds grow too! In other words, an egg is a one-stop-shop for a dabble of good health.
       Simply add a seedy bread, colorful array of vegetables, pinch of salt, and cup of antioxidant-rich tea. Before you know it, you'll have yourself a brilliant dish! Below are a few of my seven-minute brekky creations that I quickly photo documented before indulging in and pursuing my day's hectic schedule. Enjoy, and long sustenance and edible bliss.

  "Bragg" About It

       Ever since I've begun my love for cooking I've gravitated towards Bragg Liquid Amino Acids. They're bliss in a bottle, and my veggies would agree.

Ingredients:
Any veggies you prefer. *In-season is recommended for the best flavor.

Directions: (serves 1; prep time: 5 min; cooking time: 5 min)
       To begin, toss any sort of chopped vegetable combination you crave into a frying pan, pour in a bit of Bragg Liquid Aminos, and you're well on your way to a delicious afternoon. (As shown above, I usually stir fry with yellow onion, zucchini, sweet potato, spinach, and/or scrambled egg whites). You stir while they "sizzle," then after about five minutes or so on medium heat, you've got yourself a brilliant rainbow of a meal at your fingertips. Note: For extra cheezy-tasting pizzazz, sprinkle some Nutritional Yeast on top; not only will this add more flavor to your dish, but it'll brighten up the aesthetic even more with a florescent yellow touch. 
     
       So! I dare you. Close your eyes, inhale the salty/savory aromas, and taste the goodness. For five minutes of cooking you now have the rest of your day for savoring. Like bees to honey, you'll be.