sesame slaw

Sorry it's been so long! Life has really piled itself on these last few months. I spent the summer studying for my Sports Nutrition Certification through the ISSN (International Society of Sports Nutrition), which I passed right before going to the mainland for two weeks! Woo hoo! The mainland was a blast; tons of hiking in Utah and Idaho, swimming in the lake,  and spending time with old friends.

Since I've been back though it's been pretty hectic. Work, school, internship, and trying to make time for yoga and surf. It hasn't been easy, I actually feel like I'm being pulled in a million directions and stretching myself thin. But still holding it all together... for now.

As for the blog, I have really missed posting but that doesn't mean I'm not cooking! Don't worry, I have several recipes banked up for when life allows me to publish them. Like now! Here is one of my favorite coleslaws; crunchy, tangy, and while it's cooling down in the rest of the country, still a refreshing dish for hot-as-always Honolulu.

sesame slaw

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp Bragg's amino acids
• 1/2 head cabbage
• 3-4 green onions
• 1 cup fresh sugar snap peas
• 1 handful fresh cilantro
• 2 cuties (clementine or mandarin oranges)
• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

To prepare the dressing mix together the sesame oil, vinegar, honey, and Bragg's in a small jar. Peel the garlic and finely chop or press through a garlic press. Add to the jar, cover and shake until honey has dissolved. Set aside.

Trim and shred the cabbage, chop the green onions, peas, and cilantro. Toss together in a large salad bowl. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan on the stove top until golden brown and aromatic. Toss the salad with the dressing and top with sesame seeds and cut up cuties!

This salad is a great side dish but can be a whole meal when served with brown rice or topped with marinated tofu! Be creative and eat your veggies!

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sesame slaw

by almost vegan September-22-2017

fresh, crisp, and cooling

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp Bragg's amimo acids
• 1/2 head green cabbage
• 3-4 green onions
• 1 cup sugar snap peas
• 1 handful cilantro
• 2 cuties
• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Mix together the sesame oil, vinegar, honey, and Bragg's in a small jar.Peel the garlic and finely chop or press through a garlic press.Add garlic to the jar, cover and shake until honey has dissolved, set aside.Trim and shred the cabbage, chop the green onions, peas, and cilantro.Toss together in a large salad bowl.Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan on the stove top until golden brown and aromatic.Toss the salad with the dressing and top with sesame seeds and cut up cuties.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 2 mins Total time: 17 mins Yield: 4 servings

spelt berry breakfast bowl

Spelt is one of those whole grains that doesn't get much attention. Sure, it may take a little time to cook, but once you have made a big batch for the week, the possibilities are endless! Because it is a variety of wheat, spelt does contain gluten, but as a whole grain it also contains a significant amount of fiber and protein, two things very important in your diet.

Spelt berries are great for throwing into salads and soups or making a hearty side dish with some fresh herbs and vegetables, but my favorite is eating them for breakfast! Once they are cooked you can have them cold or hot with a little almond milk, cinnamon, and loads of fresh fruit.

Breakfast should be your biggest and most nutritious meal of the day. It has become unfortunately common to either skip breakfast or have something fast and sugary to start your day. This won't fuel you for long though and leads to overeating later in the day, when you aren't going to do anything but watch Netflix and go to bed. Although it is important to refuel yourself at the end of the day to ensure proper recovery, be aware that you aren't going to be burning many calories between Game of Thrones and catching up on sleep and that overdoing it at dinner can lead to storing extra body fat.

I suggest a breakfast that will ensure you are fueled up and properly nourished so you can take on your day with full force. A combination of whole grains and fresh fruits gives you lasting energy with a good dose of fiber and plenty of micronutrients. Just one cup of dry spelt will make enough for at least three days of breakfast!

spelt berry breakfast bowls

• 1 cup dry spelt
• 3 cups water
• pinch of salt
• fresh fruit of your choice
• almond milk 
• cinnamon
• maple syrup if you need a little sweetener
• sprinkle of nuts or seeds

Soaking the spelt berries overnight will cut down the cooking time but is not necessary. If you do soak them, drain and rinse before cooking. Add the 3 cups water and cook in a saucepan over medium heat for 40 minutes (may take up to 60 if not soaked). Drain excess water and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To construct bowls mix together spelt berries, cinnamon, and almond milk. Top with fresh fruit, nuts and seeds.

How do you eat your spelt berries? Let me know!! 

roasted potato salad

Dieting doesn't mean starving or depriving yourself, in fact, its the opposite. A diet is the composition of foods that you consume throughout your day, the foods that nourish and fuel your body on its many adventures. And a plant based diet is no exception. It's not about the foods that you "can't" have or that aren't "allowed", its about the abundance of foods that you can and should eat to achieve maximum health benefits! 

I am always caught off guard when people ask me what I eat if I don't eat animal products. Well, I eat everything else! In fact, animal products are the only foods that I don't eat (and even then I make some exceptions). While some people may think I am depriving myself on a plant based diet, I actually have to eat a lot of food to fuel my active lifestyle and I don't feel deprived or hungry at all. (Unless I have done 4 Orangetheory Fitness classes in a week, then I am constantly hungry because my body won't stop burning calories!)

So how do I fill up? Potatoes are a great way to fill up on a plant based diet. Baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, potato curry, potato salad.... starting to sound a lot like Bubba here. What I'm getting at is they are versatile, nutritious, and seriously fill you up. By pairing roasted potatoes with a variety of roasted veggies and fresh herbs you can have an irresistible potato salad that can be served as a side or a main at any meal. 

roasted potato salad

• baby potatoes (I got the baby creamer potatoes from Costco, they're the perfect size!)
• 2-4 cloves garlic
• olive oil
• 1 Tbsp seedy mustard
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 red onion
• 3 ears of corn
• handful of fresh herbs- basil and parsley

Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces. For these baby creamer potatoes I only had to cut them in half, for others you may have to quarter them. Peel and roughly chop the garlic cloves, add to potatoes and toss in olive oil, just enough to coat.  Add mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.

Spread potatoes out on a lined baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees F. After about 20 minutes add the ears of corn and thinly sliced red onion. 

Roast for another 15 minutes, turning the corn once. The potatoes should be fully cooked and browning on the outside and the corn should turn bright yellow. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the potatoes and onions into a large mixing bowl. Cut the corn from the cob and roughly chop the parsley and basil and add them to the bowl. Toss everything together and serve. This salad is good warm or chilled!