Seeking Quality Ingredients Shouldn't Be a Chore

Seeking Quality Ingredients Shouldn't Be a Chore

Rule number one when preparing food to eat: always start with the best ingredients you can get. It's up to you to find and decide upon (or me to steer you to) what 'raw' ingredients to purchase for the desired outcome. After all, like your mother told you, if it's worth doing, do it right.
Learn what defines best ingredient. Learn about what qualities organic food have and the impact of GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms). Become an informed consumer. If you are going to decide what meal to prepare, you will have to decide upon what ingredients to buy as well as what constitutes as optimal ingredients.
It shouldn't be a challenge to seek answers to your food queries or to buy your choice ingredients, either. However, increasingly, it has become a chore, if non-geneteically modified food  is what you want. That's true whether you're buying for yourself or for a large food manufacturer. Why?
Because American consumers are catching on, pressuring food manufactures to use and grow non-GMO food.  This is reversing the trend, created by food giant Monsanto, and it has made going back difficult and more expensive. The responsibility belongs to the ones doing the engineering, not the other way around. When did 'wrong' become 'right', anyway.

Read what the business section of the New York Times says about the increasing demand for non-GMO

GoodBars

Ingredients (makes 6 satisfying good bars)

• 1 1/4 cup pitted dates (about 10 -11 dates)
• 1 cup combined almonds and peanuts
• 3 T hemp seeds
• 3 T unsweetened coconut flakes
• a pinch of sea salt

Instructions

• In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, blend the almonds and peanuts until they are  chopped. Add the coconut and process again. Nuts should be finely chopped. Pour the nut mixture into a small bowl. Add hemp seeds and salt and set aside.
• Add the dates to the food processor and process until they start to smooth out and form a paste. Add the chopped nut mixture and and continue blending until evenly combined. It should look similar to a fresh batch of cookie dough.
• To form the bars, take a large sheet of plastic wrap (or parchment paper) and lay it flat on the counter. Pour the dough mixture out onto the plastic wrap, form it into a ball using your hands, then fold the sides of the cling wrap over the dough so it is covered.
• Begin to flatten it out using your hands or a rolling pin, shaping the edges to form a rectangle or square about 1/2" inch thick. Then slice into bars.
• Wrap and refrigerate to keep them their freshest.

(Gratefully adapted from Jennifer at http://www.ediblesoundbites.com/home/?currentPage=2)

Thai Quinoa Salad

My, how I love a good quinoa recipe. Not only is it healthy and a much better alternative to rice or pasta, I think it’s absolutely delicious. And when combined with fresh, crunchy vegetables then dressed in a sweet and tangy ginger peanut dressing for just 4 Points + per serving, well, it’s downright FABULOUS. I came across the original version of this recipe at Ambitious Kitchen, and knew I had to try it. But I made some alterations in order to make it more Weight Watchers friendly and to enhance the flavor a bit. My version uses a fantastic, low calorie peanut butter substitute called Better’n Peanut Butter. If you haven’t tried it yet, so yourself a favor and get some! It’s a LOT lower in fat than regular peanut better and the taste is pretty close. If you don’t have the Better’n Peanut Butter, or don’t want to use it, you can absolutely use regular peanut butter, though it will probably tack on an extra Point or two. Regardless, this Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad is a must try.

Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad

This delicious Thai flavored quinoa salad is full of savory tastes and textures. The ginger peanut dressing is absolutely decadent and adds the perfect amount of zest to the quinoa and vegetables. Serve as a side or a main course.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, prepared according to package directions
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 cup shelled edamame
• 1 cup green onions, diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1/4 cup Better’n Peanut Butter
• 1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice from 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place cooked quinoa in a large bowl and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together Better’n Peanut Butter, sesame oil, lime juice, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and salt and pepper.
3. Once quinoa has come to room temperature, add all the vegetables. Pour dressing over top and toss to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Preparation time: 20 minute(s)

Cooking time: 15 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 8

Serving size is ¾ cup

PER SERVING: 177 calories; 4.5g fat; 24g carbohydrates; 8g protein; 4g protein

Read more: http://www.laaloosh.com/2013/05/16/crunchy-thai-quinoa-recipe/#ixzz2UXx9WeDZ

Vietnamese Summer Roll Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:
1 T high-heat organic Canola or Safflower Oil
1 T minced garlic
5 T Hoisin Sauce
5 T white distilled vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1/2 C fish broth or water

Directions:
1) Heat oil in pan. Saute garlic quickly. Add vinegar, hoisin sauce and brown sugar. Stir in broth.

2) Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Garnish with sliced scallions.

Chocolate avocado mousse

Ingredients:

2 large avocado
2 T coconut milk
1 oz 70% cocoa chocolate (melted)
2 T cocoa
3 T date puree or maple syrup
1 t vanilla
1/4 t cinnamon
pinch of salt

1) Place everything into the food processor or Blendtec.
2) Process until smooth and creamy.
3) Refrigerate in an airtight container for 30 minutes.

Source: Afternoon Tea, Suzanne Perazzini

Single Tasking

How good are you at the skill of single-tasking?

What is single-tasking, you ask? Good question!..

Back in the day, they used to cite studies saying: "Juggling career and family, women are better multi-taskers than men!" Well nowadays I think it is safe to say that everyone is a skilled multi-tasker. We juggletweets, Apps, emails, TV, news, music, texts, blog posts, articles, photographs, recipes, videos, (videos of cats your friend tweeted you), dinner plans, Facebook statuses, online banking, calenders and work duties all over the course of one. simple. day.

The number of virtual and in-person connections you can (easily) make in one day is staggering. This interaction can be energizing and inspiring, but on the other end of the spectrum, information burnout is bound to happen. So instead of working on our now-perfected skill of multi-tasking, lets step back and develop the skill of single-tasking.

Single-tasking: Do one thing with pure and quiet focus, flexed concentration. All while shaking away any anxious, busy or nervous thoughts that jump into your mind. Noise: off. Energy-robbers like worry and anxiety: mute them.

Not so easy, right?

Try this: Five minutes of meditation. Nothing stressful or anxious should be tumbling through your thoughts. Only happy, quiet calm. This blank space is not time wasted, it has great value in keeping your head clear and sharp. Computers need to sleep. Brains need to meditate.

Single-tasking is a skill I think we can all gain from having. And medtation is just one way to single-task! Other activities I like for the single-activity quiet and calm they induce..

* Kitchen time, cooking my favorite dishes.
* Long walks at dusk when the neighborhood begins to grow quiet and the sky turns powder navy blue. Cell phone stays home.
* Nature time. The beach, in a park, mountains, lakes, wherever I can get lost in nature, quiet mode easy to find.
* Exercise. Yoga and dancing and my favorites. Deep breathing always helps lighten the weight in your mind and helps release anxiety and nervousness that clings to you in noisy spaces.
* Travel. Old fashioned vacation, escaping from the familiar and routine inspires reflection.
* Art. Painting and drawing has always opened a door to quiet and reflection for me.
* Being Brave. Resist the desire to shrink away from challenges. Embrace the new, the unknown. This keeps your mind focused and on its tippy-toes.

What do you do to single-task? To keep your mind feeling focused, less-than-frazzled, quiet, renewed and sharp? Ponder THAT as you enjoy an energizing one-plate-wonderful stir-fry...Ginger-Peanut_coconut Stir Fry
http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2013/05/ginger-peanut-coconut-veggie-tofu-stir.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+KathysBlogHealthyHappyLife+%28Kathy%27s+Blog%3A+Healthy.+Happy.+Life.%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail&safe=strict&safeui=on&surl=1

Ginger Peanut Coconut Stir Fry

Ginger-Peanut-Coconut-Citrus Sauce:
2 heaping Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1/2 cup coconut milk (I used light coconut milk, but full fat works too)
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp candied ginger, chopped (optional)
1 Tbsp brown rice syrup or agave syrup
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp cayenne or red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp orange zest
s&p to taste if desired

Tweak it! Other flavor accents to experiment with in the sauce: lime juice and zest, lemongrass, dried chilies, basil, miso.

Veggies:
4 cups Asian veggies (broccoli florets, snow peas, water chestnuts, carrots, mushrooms, edamame - any variety you'd like - fresh or frozen)
1 tsp safflower oil
optional: splash of sake to finish

also:
1/3 cup slivered almonds or chopped peanuts

Miso Ginger Tofu:
1 1/2 cups large tofu cubes, firm
1 tsp white miso paste
2-3 tsp agave, maple or brown rice syrup
1 Tbsp fresh orange juice + pinch of zest
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp safflower oil
s&p to taste

Rice:
1 cup white rice, rinsed
1 1/2 cups mushroom or vegetable broth <- flavor built in! garnish: fresh basil, orange slices, freshly grated ginger on top

Directions:

1. First, prepare the rice by rinsing it well and then adding 1 1/2 cups of broth to a large pot. Turn heat to high, when boiling add the rice. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer until the rice is fluffy and tender. This usually takes 30 minutes or so. You can also use a rice cooker. Fluff rice with a fork and set aside, cover to stay warm.

2. Add peanut butter, tamari, ginger, sweetener, sesame oil, spices and coconut oil to a small bowl and combine until a thick sauce forms. You can also toss in a Vitamix and blend to make silky smooth in a flash.Add this mixture to a small sauce pot over medium heat, simmer until mixture thickens and smooths. Simmer for about three minutes and remove from heat. Tip: If you want an even thicker sauce you can add 1 tsp arrowroot powder to the mixture before heating. Set sauce aside.

3. In saute pan or Wok, add the safflower oil and turn burner to high. When oil is hot, add your veggies and saute until tender. You can decide if you want to have crisp al dente veggies to serve with sauce poured over top right before serving - or if you want to saute the veggies right in the sauce to soften them up and marinate the flavors a bit. I just sauteed the veggies right in the sauce. If you are doing the same, you can add the sauce to your veggie saute and let sizzle on high for a good 2-3 minutes for the flavors to absorb. Optional: finish the veggie saute off by adding a tiny splash of sake.

4. Add rice to your serving dish and top with your sauce and veggies.

5. Lastly, you will do a very quick saute with your tofu. Stir together the 'sauce' in a small bowl (miso, OJ, sweetener, ginger) set aside. Slice tofu into large cubes and press dry with paper towels on all sides of cubes. Add oil to saute pan and when the oil is hot, add the dry tofu. Do not move the cubes too much, this will interrupt the nice sear on the bottom of the tofu. Flip after about 1-2 minutes and saute on all sides. When the tofu is nicely seared, drizzle the sauce over top and allow to saute another minute or until the sauce has been absorbed by the tofu.

6. Add the freshly sauteed cubes on top of your veggies and serve. Orange slices, fresh grated ginger and fresh basil to garnish. Sides of rice on the side. Serve with hot sake if you'd like!



source: http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2013/05/ginger-peanut-coconut-veggie-tofu-stir.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+KathysBlogHealthyHappyLife+%28Kathy%27s+Blog%3A+Healthy.+Happy.+Life.%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail&safe=strict&safeui=on&surl=1

No Bake Lentil Patties

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Red Lentils
• 1 Cup Fine Bulgur
• A Half Bunch of Parsley
• A Half Bunch of Scallion
• 2 Soupspoons Tomato Paste
• 1 Onion
• Salt
• 2 Dessertspoons Cumin
• 2 Dessertspoons Chili Pepper

Preparation:

Rinse and pick through lentils. Cook with  3 cups of water. 

Reduce heat and add bulgur. Cook until soft.

Chop the onion. Cook in small saute pan with tomato paste until they turn golden brown. Remove from heat. 

Mix the salt, cumin and chili pepper and add to cooked lentils. Knead the mixture and knead thoroughly. 

Add the finely chopped scallion and parsley, and knead some more. Shape them into small logs or patties shape and serve on a serving plate with lettuce.

http://www.foodndrinkrecipes.com/no-bake-lentil-patties/

Fresh, SImple Ricotta Cheese

Always looking to make things fresher, more delicious, and of course, nutritious, I decided to make my own ricotta cheese. Upon researching cheese-making, Ricotta seemed to be the  logical starting point. See for yourself, then go out and get milk and heavy cream - the vinegar and salt are probably in your pantry.

To make your own ricotta cheese you will need:

• 2 quarts whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 Tbs white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt

Combine milk and cream in heavy sauce pan. Heat over medium high to 185 F. Remove from heat and add vinegar. Stir gently for 30 seconds, add salt, stir for 30 seconds more. Cover with clean towel and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.

Line a large colander with several layers of cheesecloth and set colander into a large bowl. Transfer curds to colander with a slotted spoon and allow to drain 30 minutes. Press to remove more liquid. This cheese should last 4 to 10 days in the refrigerator.

Tortillas, wholesome, homemade

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups water
• 6 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in water and oil. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 12-15 times, adding a little flour or water if needed to achieve a smooth dough. Let rest for 10-15 minutes.
• Divide dough into sixteen portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 7-in. circle.
• In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook tortillas over medium heat for 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Keep warm.

http://www.foodndrinkrecipes.com/homemade-tortillas/