I admit I don't eat enough vegetables and/or fruit. I just don't have time between work and life in general to sit down and eat 2 salad bowls of greens.
Here's my solution. Make green smoothies. I could drink 3-6 of these a day if I had the time.
1/2 cup frozen spinach
1 ripe banana
1/2 to 1 cup of almond milk (depends if you like it thick or watery)
Blend blend blend and drink.
Ingredients:
1 & 1/2 cup milk of choice (soy, rice, almond, hemp etc)
1/8 cup chia seeds
1 cup frozen fruit
Agave nectar or honey for sweetener ( I don't use it, but those who like it sweet can use it)
Mix 1/2 cup milk and chia seeds together. Stir well and let it sit for 20 minutes till it has thickened. This is a great use for leftover cereals like oatmeal or quinoa.
Pour chia mixture into blender, followed by frozen fruit and 1 cup of milk.
Blend blend blend and voila.
Hope you enjoy this quick breakfast.
Ingredients:
4-6 medium sized harvest veggies chopped into 1" sized pieces
(This week I used; turnip, carrot, potato, celery, cherry tomatoes)
8 cups broth
2 cups water
3 bay leaflets
1/4 cup lentils
1/4 cup brown rice
2 tbsps olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large soup pot on medium high heat sautee vegetables with olive oil for 2 minutes and add bay leaflets, rice and lentils. Sautee for another 3 minutes. Stirring frequently.
Add broth and water. Bring to a rolling boil then turn heat down to low. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the rice and lentils doneness. The rice should have blossomed and appear fluffy. Lentils should be soft and the texture of cooked chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with garlic toast.
What's your choice of meat? You can make tempeh or firm tofu souvlaki as well. No matter what it is. The trick is to marinate for 6 hours or more.
For the marinate you will need a blend of olive oil, fresh minced garlic, oregano, lemon juice, salt and pepper. And for those who love more tangy-ness add the zest of a lemon.
Cut your meat, tofu or tempeh into bite size pieces.
Whisk all the marinate ingredients together.
Place meat, tofu or tempeh in a large ziplock bag. Pour the marinate in and seal it shut, pressing all the air out. Massage the meat or swish the tofu/tempeh around to evenly coat it. Repeat every other hour. Just to make sure the flavours are evenly distributed.
Soak your bamboo skewers in cold water for at least an hour before use. Skewer the meat/tofu/tempeh using veggies as dividers or you can just have all meat.
Grill until meat is cooked or when the center is warm. Serve with rice, pita, tzatziki sauce and greek salad.
This is a well-known Filipino recipe for chicken. It is a nice balance of sweet, savoury, bitter and spice.
6 skinless bone-in chicken thighs
1/2 cup GF Tamari
1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pickled pearl onions
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced potato
2 tbsps ginger powder
2 bay leaves
Place all the vegetables in the bottom of your slow cooker followed by th ginger powder and bay leaves. Place chicken thighs over the vegetables and pour liquids over top. Cook on high for 2-3 hours then on medium for 1-2 hour. Serve with steamed rice and salad.
This is my rendition of Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon sans gluten (gluten free version).
6 oz slab bacon, rind removed, cut into 1/4 x 1 1/2" pieces, 1 tbsps olive oil, 3 lbs stewing beef, such as lean rump pot roast, cut into 2" cubes, patted dry. 1 carrot, thinly sliced, 1 medium onion, sliced, coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. 2 tbsps gluten free flour blend,
3 cups red wine, such as Chianti, Shiraz, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. 3.5 cups beef stock or canned low-sodium beef stock, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 3/4 tsp dried thyme, 1.5 dried bay leaf, crumbled, 4 sprigs fresh parsley, plus more for garnish. 3 1/2 tbsps unsalted butter, 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 24 pearl onions, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, and peeled,
1 lb white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered.
After shopping for half a day to buy all the ingredients, you yhen spend the remainder of the day cooking. 😆
Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with oven racks set in the middle and lower half. In a small saucepan, bring 6 cups water to a simmer; add bacon and rind, simmering for 10 minutes. Drain; dry bacon and pot. Reserve rind.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch-oven over medium heat. Add bacon; cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon; set aside.
Increase heat to medium-high; oil should be just below smoking point.
Add beef in small batches and cook until well-browned on all sides. Remove meat, and set aside with bacon.
Add carrots and sliced onions; cook until browned.
Return beef and bacon to pot; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle in flour, tossing to coat.
Transfer pot, uncovered, to middle of oven; bake for 4 minutes. Toss meat and vegetables; bake for 4 minutes more.
Transfer pot to stove. Reduce heat to 325 degrees.
Over medium-low heat, stir in wine and enough stock to barely cover meat. Add tomato paste, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1 crumbled bay leaf, and bacon rind; bring to a simmer. Cover pot, and transfer to oven.
Bake, regulating heat so stew simmers, until meat is fork tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Meanwhile, make a Bouquet Garni (herb sachet). In an 8 x 8" piece of cheesecloth, combine 4 sprigs parsley, 1/2 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp thyme, and tie using kitchen twine. Set aside.
In a medium skillet, combine 1 1/2 tbsps butter and 1 1/2 tbsps oil over medium-high heat. When butter is bubbling, add whole onions; sautée until browned, about 10 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup stock to pan; season with salt and pepper, and add the bouquet garni. Simmer, covered, until onions are tender and liquid has evaporated, 40 - 50 minutes. Remove herb sachet, and discard. Set aside.
Wipe out skillet; place over high heat. Add 2 tbsps butter and 1 tbsp oil; butter will begin to foam. As foaming subsides, add mushrooms; sautée stirring often, until lightly browned. Remove from heat; set aside.
Pour stew into a sieve set over a large saucepan. Rinse out Dutch-oven. Return beef and bacon to pot; add cooked mushrooms and onions.
Skim fat from sauce. Over medium-low heat, bring sauce to a simmer, skimming off additional fat, 1 to 2 minutes. Sauce should be thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. If too thin, bring to a boil and reduce to correct consistency.
If too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over meat and vegetables.
Bring pot to a simmer, covered, over medium heat, basting meat and vegetables with sauce, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with parsley; serve immediately.
