Rice Noodle Salad Formula

Use this formula to make an asian inspired rice noodle salad....

Prep:
Boil 4 - 6 cups of water

Sauce:
Prepare a noodle sauce. Here's my basic sauce recipe:

• 3 Tb. soy sauce
• 2 Tb. rice wine vinegar
• Dash of sweet - drizzle of honey or pinch of sugar

Noodles:
Once water boils, take the water off the heat and add the rice noodles to soak and soften
Let stand for 6 - 8 minutes until noodles are soft but firm
Drain and set aside

Veggies:
While the water boils and the noodles soak prep some veggies for stir-fry. I always have carrots in the fridge which I julienne. I also had some broccoli slaw at the ready. Use your favorites.

Stir Fry:
Drizzle some oil in your wok or large fry pan. Saute your veggies until tender crisp. Add drained noodles and your sauce. Stir to combine until noodles are warm again.

Top:
Nuts are always a delicious and nutritious garnish. In the summer I like a small diced crisp cucumber on top.

Enjoy!

Re- Boot

Sometimes when life gets chaotic a reboot is called for. Just like with our computers, information can start to become so jumbled that a power-down is essential to reset the internal structure so that the info can flow clearly again. I needed one of those power-downs over the last several months. Now that the sunshine, warm weather, and fresh air are once again abundant I've got more energy to keep up here.

As well as needing a little down time from tracking all the family meals, my diet needed a little revamp. This year was a tough one for me health wise. I felt more sick and injured this year than I have in a long time. The truth is it was a pretty stressful year and unfortunately my optimal health habits feel a little short. In my reboot time, I need a nutritional analysis of my diet and was shocked at how little protein I was feeding myself. I also saw a few other deficiencies. So for the next little while, I'll be pumping up the veggie protein in the least processed way possible. It's energizing for me to have a measurable goal and I look forward to documenting and sharing my progress.

By the way, I'm also focusing on getting more omega oils in my diet (mostly by way of walnuts with a bit of chocolate for motivation;-) and am committed to taking my B's, C, and calcium in supplement form because I was way short on those guys too.

Feel free to share your protein power-ups as I'm always looking for inspiration.

Live well, be well ~ and when you get off track find a way to reboot! Peace, Kate

5 Minute Breakfast Rice

Not being a big "breakfast person," my first meal (or really rather a snack, I suppose) has to be quick, easy, and light. This little bowl is packed full of energy and goes down easily. I usually make a batch of rice once a week to toss into quick little meals for myself: "porridges" for breakfast, pilafs, rice salads, and stir-frys for lunch. That way eating healthy is always easy. This is the base recipe with this mornings  toppings of choice. Feel free to fill your breakfast rice with anything that sets your sails alight. 

• Warm a skillet over medium heat.
• Add a portion of left-over rice.
• Splash on a little milk of your choice ~ soy for me today
• Add a few dashes of spice ~ I'm using a sprinkling of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger which are my winter "sweet" staples
• Stir in a handful of fixin's ~ today it's a handful or organic raspberries and a few chopped raw almonds

That's it. Now go ahead and make it a great day.

Guilt-Free and Delicious ~ Peanut Butter, Banana, and Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Earlier this week I made up my own vegan muffin recipe and I am going to roll with this concept. Nut butter and mashed fruit form the base for these guilt-free muffins! This recipe is made especially for my little man!

~ Oven to 350°
~ Prepare muffin tins by coating with oil or cooking spray.
(You could also make this in a 4x9 loaf tin. Just cook it a little longer. Or use mini-muffin tins and bake only about 8 minutes.)

Prepare the wet mix in a wide mixing bowl. Combine:

• mash 1 medium size banana
• 1/2 nut butter (peanut butter today**)
• 1 cup "milk" of choice (it's soy here)

Prepare your dry ingredients in a separate medium/large mixing bowl.
Combine:

• 2 cups of flour of choice 
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks (if you are cooking for a strict vegan make sure to get vegan chocolate chips!)

Make a well in the center of the dry mix, pour in the wet mix, and stir just until combined. Scoop your mixture evenly in to your tins and bake at 350 for about 8 - 10 minutes. Put a fork in it. When it comes out clean, they are ready.


Believe it! no eggs, no dairy, no gluten (if you used a gluten-free mix), very low sugar, and no sacrificing taste! Enjoy with your kids.


**Peanut butter is one of those foods that is probably worth paying for the organic version. Most peanuts (except organic) are genetically modified. If that word doesn't scare you, I don't know what will. 

Food to Welcome the New Year of the Dragon

The moon begins it's new year cycle today which is also how China marks it's new year. This year is a dragon year which brings transformation. I learned recently that Chinese dragons, unlike ferocious western dragons, are happy and playful.  I think we are all up for some fun this year, aren't we? I just found this website for some inspiration for dinner tonight. The menu is in the works. I'm thinking broccoli, cauliflower, and maybe shrimp or fish with long noodles. The menu is symbolic of happiness blossoming, wishes coming true, abundance, and a long, healthy life.  I'll update later... but for now find your own inspiration here http://steamykitchen.com/7297-what-to-eat-for-chinese-new-year-recipes.html

I made stir-fry with this basic sauce:
3 Tb. tamari (soy sauce)
2 Tb. rice wine vinegar
1 T. umeboshi plum wine vinegar (you can just use rice wine vinegar)
1 Tb. sugar
1 Tb. corn starch
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 clove chopped garlic or shallot

Zippy Vegan Sunrise Muffins (Only good stuff in these babies!)

Breakfast today. January 20th. Happy birthday sis! Wish I was with you to celebrate.

~ Oven to 350°
~ Prepare muffin tins by coating with oil or cooking spray.
~ (You could also make this in a 4x9 loaf tin. Just cook it a little longer.)

Prepare your dry ingredients in a medium/large mixing bowl.
Combine:

• 2 cups of flour of choice (I'm using a gluten-free mix today)
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• zest of one orange (juice the orange juice and set aside for your wet mix)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom (opt. - I just love this flavor but it's potent - my kids aren't as crazy for it)

Prepare your optional mix-ins

This batter will hold about a cup of whatever you might want to add.

Today I'm using:

• 1 very small apple, peeled because it was nasty waxy, and diced
• 1 large handful of walnuts, chopped
• 2 handfuls of fresh cranberries, cut in half (in summer I might use cherries)

Drop your mix-ins into your dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Prepare the wet mix:

• juice of one orange
• 1/4 nut butter (I'm using almond butter)
• 1/4 cup applesauce (mashed banana will also work)
• 1 cup "milk" of choice (it's soy for me today)

Make a well in the center of the dry mix, pour in the wet mix, and stir just until combined. Scoop your mixture evenly in to your tins and bake at 350 for about 8 - 10 minutes. Put a fork in it. When it comes out clean, they are ready.

Hope you have a great day today!

Wheat-Free Orange Oatmeal Drop Biscuits

Prep. Work:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line a cookie sheet with a non-stick Silpat pad or parchment paper.
Zest and juice 1 orange - set aside in separate containers.
In a small container, add 1/4 orange juice to 1/2 cup "milk" of choice (I'm using soy milk) - set aside.


Prepare your dry mixture:
In a mixing bowl, combine:
3/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour or potato starch*
2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
zest of one orange
ginger optional (1/4 cup crystallized ginger chopped fine, 1/2 inch piece of grated fresh ginger, or use 1 tsp. dried ginger)


Make sure dry mix is combined well and then add:
1/2 cup oats*


"Cut" butter into your dry mixture. 
If you are cooking vegan, you can use Earth Balance or some other veggie butter replacement. 

Cut 4 Tb. of cold butter medium sized chunks. Add the chunks of butter to your dry mixture. Use a pastry cutter or 2 knives to chop your butter up into tiny pieces that combine with your flour mix.

Visit my pastry cutting entry for a little more info if you need it (to come - for now you can google it;-) This process is what helps make pastry more flaky.

Add 1/2 cup of your milk/oj mix. 
Don't be surprised! The milk is curdled and it's good to go.

• Mix the 1/2 cup milk mix and dry ingredients. If the mixture is not sticking together yet, add a bit more milk mix. You may not use all the milk mix.

Drop the dough onto your prepared pan.

I use an ice-cream scoop to drop the biscuits onto the pan. The lever helps release the dough from the scoop. You could use a large table spoon though too.

Bake biscuits for about 8 minutes in 350° oven. They will be golden on the bottom and still light on top. Stick a fork in it. If it comes out clean, they are done. You'll need a plate for these biscuits. They are on the crumbly side but quite delish with all the health benefits of a bowl of morning oatmeal.

*It's the gluten in wheat (and a few other grains) that helps the dough stick. Tapioca Flour and Potato Starch replace the gluten. If you don't want to use the flour replacers and your not worried about gluten just 1 cup of regular all-purpose flour. Keep in mind that if gluten is an issue, you need to be careful of the oats and oat flour. If you look you can find gluten-free oats and then use another gluten-free flour.

I have to admit these biscuits need a little work. The taste is great but the texture is a little gummy. This is the challenge of gluten-free. Maybe a little less potato starch next time?