Seseame Sriracha Grilled Tofu

 A yummy, Asian-influenced way to make tofu on the grill. Would be great with some soba noodles & steamed bok choy!

Gather:

1 container of extra firm tofu

1/2 cup Sriracha or “rooster” sauce*

1-2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

1 Tablespoon white miso paste

3 chopped green onions

2 garlic cloves

Make:
Cut tofu into 1” blocks. Drain on paper towels while you prep the marinade.

Blend the Sriracha, sesame seeds, miso paste and garlic with about 1/4 cup water. Marinade the tofu in this mixture overnight.

When you’re ready to eat, heat your grill to about 375 degrees. Grill the tofu for about 15 minutes, turning a few times. Sprinkle with green onions.

*It was quite spicy with a half cup of Sriracha. If you are not into hot & spicy, use less!

Homemade Vegan Tamales

Tamales are not hard to make at all - but they are time consuming. Get friends or family together and make some! Even the meat eaters in my family loved these vegan tamales.

First, make your fillings...

Black Bean Filling:

2 dried hot chili’s

2 cups cooked black beans

2 Tablespoons chili powder

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

Seal salt to taste

Soak the chili’s in hot water. Puree in a food processor, stir with rest of ingrediants.

Roasted Veggie Filling:

1 sliced onion

2 peeled and sliced carrots

2 sliced zucchinis

2 bell peppers, diced

2 Tablespoons olive or coconut oil

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss all of the ingredients and spread on a baking sheet. Bake until they brown, about 30 minutes. Cool and chop into smaller pieces.

Now, for the Tamale assembly...

Tamales:

Corn husks (about 15)

2 cups water

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups masa harina

*this make about 15-20 tamales*

Soak the corn husks.

Bring the water, salt and olive oil to a boil. Slowly add to the masa harina, stirring as you do so, it will make a pasty dough.

Assemble your tamales - flatten a husk. Make a “golf ball” of the dough. Smoosh onto upper right section of the husk. Add your filling - start with small amounts. Vertically fold your husk in half to “seal” the tamale. Then unfold. Fold in the bottom section, fold in the left section, then tie the bundle with a piece of husk. Check out the photos below for reference.

Cook the tamales in a steamer for 15 minutes, until the masa is soft and heated through. Serve with pico de gallo or salsa. Yummy! Have a tamale party!

Winter Power Smoothie

This smoothie is awesome for breakfast and/or post workout. So filling and energizing!

Blend:

1 frozen banana

Handful frozen blueberries

2/3 cup (approx) organic canned pumpkin

2 hug handfuls of spinach

Small handful raw almonds

Maca powder - about a tsp

1 TBSP ground flaxseed

Cinnamon and ginger to taste (I like a lot of cinnamon in this!)

Travel Essentials

These essentials make air travel so much more comfortable for me!

Neti Pot - Airplanes really make my nose stuff up, and using the neti pot really helps. I have a plastic one just for travel that won’t break and is lightweight.

Tea - Drinking your own herbal or green  tea on flights and in hotel rooms is nice. And, its so easy to pack.

Snacks - As someone on a plant-based diet that also try’s to avoid gluten and eat organic, finding food at the airport is just not gonna happen. Plus, its  so expensive! I bring carrot sticks, apples, oranges, dates, dried fruit, nuts, granola bars, dark chocolate & almond butter sandwiches. If you are flying out of Reno, NV there is even a Whole Foods very close to the airport where you can stock up.

Water bottle - Bring a water bottle and fill it up at the water fountain. Or, better yet, some airports now have filtered water stations.

Entertainment - Big headphones, iPad, magazines, books, knitting, ipod or phone loaded with music and podcasts.

Thieves Essential Oil Spray - This is a great product. It’s antibacterial - so great to use after using the restrooms - and it smells amazing. If there is a stale smell in the airplane I’ll spray a little in my hands and take a whiff. You can get this on Amazon.

Lip Balm & sample-sized hand lotion - To stay hydrated! I love Hurraw lip balm and currently have a great sample of Rose-scented Weleda lotion.

Patience- Yes, air travel has become not the most fun experience in the world. And other travelers can be very annoying. But take a deep breath and just relax. Sometimes your flight is delayed or you miss a connections. You will be fine. Breathe. You are very fortunate to even have the means to travel. You will get to your destination. Smile and be courteous and kind to your fellow travelers.

Bonus Travel Tip- Meditation app for your iphone! Put your earphones on and bliss out without anyone else knowing. You will feel so much more relaxed and refreshed. Calm is my favorite.

Hot Toddy for a Cold Winter Night

It's cold and snowy outside, and I have a bit of a cold. Time to make a hot toddy! This will make your throat fell better and help you get to sleep. 

Gather:

Lemon wedge (or Meyer lemon or Orange)

A few cardamom pods

A few cloves

One cinnamon stick

A little bit of raw honey* to taste

One shot of whiskey (I like Knob Creek)

Add all of the ingredients but the whiskey to a mug and add hot water. Cover and steep for 10-15 minutes. Add the whiskey and enjoy!

*Many vegans do not eat honey. I eat raw, local honey made by local beekeepers. You can substitute vegan honey or agave if you avoid honey or leave it out.

Quitting my daily cup of coffee

A few weeks ago I gave up my daily cup of coffee first thing in the morning. Now, I don’t think it is a big deal to drink coffee in moderation, especially if you are using fair-trade, organic and shade-grown. But for me, I did not like how much I was addicted to it. Anything that causes your body withdrawal symptoms  if you don’t have is not a good thing.

Instead of weaning myself off of coffee, I went cold turkey. I did have (and continue to have on occasion) a cup of green tea or chai tea in the morning after drinking a large glass of water with lemon. The first day I felt a little off, but it was really days 2 and 3 that were the worst with fatigue and a horrible headache. I did take a magnesium supplement and made myself lots of fresh juices which did help.

I’m over my coffee addiction now... but, one side effect is that I am really craving sugar! So now I am working on figuring out those cravings. I’ve been eating more fresh fruit and sweet vegetables like sweet potatoes and squash to keep those cravings under control. I think my body is wanting the stimulation caffeine used to provide.

I’m happy to be over this addiction. I still love the smell and taste of coffee. But now it will be a treat rather than something I have to drink everyday.

Winter Minestrone Soup for Cold Winter Days (Vegan and Gluten Free)

Gather up:

1 can crushed or pureed tomatoes

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, chopped

1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

5 fingerling potatoes, chopped (or one large regular tomato)

1/2-1 cup of red lentils

1 can of pinto beans or approx 1-2 cups of cooked cranberry beans like I used here

3 leaves of kale, chopped

1/2 cup of quinoa pasta shells

Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste

Now, lets make it!

Saute the onions in garlic in a bit of water or use EVOO. When soft, add the potatoes, sweet pots, carrots, red lentils, beans. Cook for a few minutes, stirring and adding water if needed. Then add the tomatoes and a good amount of water. Simmer for 45 minutes. Then add the pasta and kale. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes (until pasta is done). Season to taste with Italian seasoning blend, salt and pepper.