Portuguese Spicy Kale Soup

As a true kale lover I've been looking for more ways to cook this perfect vegetable. So tried this recipe in my new cookbook a family friend gave me for my bridal shower. Vegan Fire & Spice. It's pretty good, I think it's missing a spice but I have yet to figure out what that is. But I like the kale potato mix.

Portuguese Spicy Kale Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound kale, trimmed and leaves torn into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
3 cups cooked or 30 ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot, cover, and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, potatoes, salt, and enough water to cover by 1-inch. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the kale and hot red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 minutes longer. Add the kidney beans and simmer 10 minutes. Taste to adjust seasonings before serving.

Serves 6.

Candle Cake's vegan vanilla cheesecake

It's always are good sign when I'm eating something vegan that's so delicious I have to re-read the ingredients list 5 times staring in disbelief that it is, in fact, vegan.

As I finished off my lunch at work today with a small cup of Candle Cafe's vegan vanilla cheesecake I did just that. Even though my mind knew that Candle Cafe was a vegan restaurant... even though it says vegan on the cover... I still had to re-check a few times while eating.With each delicious bite of perfect creamy texture and slight vanilla bean taste my brain grew confused. But it is truly vegan.

Oh joy of joys :) I love dessert. And like all great vegan desserts this cheesecake doesn't leave an uncomfortable heavy feeling in my stomach like its milk/egg filled counterpart.

Thank you Whole Foods for stocking your dessert section with these treats from Candle Cafe. I look forward to visiting the actual restaurant location at 1307 3rd Avenue (between 74th & 75th St.) New York, NY 10021.

Crystallized sugar covered pecans tart (Vegan Pecan Pie)

Sure the picture of my pie looks like pecan pie perfection. And yes what I cooked tastes hella good and extra sweet. However, my vegan pecan pie shouldn't really be called pecan pie.....it's more like crystallized sugar covered pecan tart. Granted it's probably be my fault, after purchasing arrowroot and some other more expensive items, I got cheap and tried to substitute sugar for maple syrup. The result is a soupy pie that tasted like sugar covered pecans. But at least it tastes great.... Maybe I just invented another sort of dessert ;)

The real recipe:
1 pre-baked pie crust
2 1/2 to 3 cups of lightly roasted pecans all chopped up (more or less depending on how you like the consistency)
1/3 to almost a 1/2 cup of rice syrup
3/4 to 1 cup of Maple syrup (more less depending on the amount of pecans)
1 tbsp to 1 1/2 tbsp of alcohol free vanilla extract (just prefer the flavor)
Grated ginger to taste 1 tbsp to 2 tbsp (I didn't add this)
salt couple of pinches or so
1 1/2 to not quite 2 tsp of Arrowroot
3 to 3 1/2 tbsp of flax seeds ground up as best you can
1/3 to 1/2 cup of soy milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the syrups, salt, extract, and ginger into a sauce pan and simmer for about five minutes. put on the counter and let it cool to room temp. mix the soy milk with the flax and arrowroot and then blend that mixture with the syrups in a blender or food processor. put those pecans into a big mixing bowl and mix it up with the liquid. pour the filling into the pie crust and put into the preheated oven. bake for about 30 to 45 minutes the filling should be thick and not very gelatinous. give it a little shake. Let cool for 30 minutes.

Thai Spring Rolls by Health is Wealth

If you haven't tried out anything from Health is Wealth, please proceed to your nearest Whole Foods (or other supermarket) and try out something vegan and delicious.

I was already a fan of their Chicken Free Nuggets. And now after eating 8 spring rolls for lunch today (yes I ate the whole box in one sitting, but I ran 5 miles this morning so I earned it ;) I am head over heels for their Thai Spring Rolls as well.

Happy Eating!

Iskiate!

I have a new nutritional drink of choice.....Iskiate, basically chia seeds and limonade/lemonade. Remember chia pets? Same seeds but without growing grass hair on figurines. The idea came from reading Born To Run just like my new interest in barefoot running.

"For centuries this tiny little seed was used as a staple food by the Indians of the south west and Mexico. Known as the running food, its use as a high energy endurance food has been recorded as far back as the ancient Aztecs. It was said the Aztec warriors subsisted on the Chia seed during the conquests. The Indians of the south west would eat as little as a teaspoon full when going on a 24hr. forced march. Indians running form the Colorado River to the California coast to trade turquoise for seashells would only bring the Chia seed for their nourishment."

Turns out chia seeds are like super powered flax seeds. They have slightly less Omega-3 and Omega-6 than flax seeds but the fatty acids are much easier for your body to absorb in chia seeds, no chewing necessary (Click here for a nutritional break down). They also are a good source of calcium and fiber....plus protein and antioxidants... ooo la la.
















FYI, Chia seeds will absorb 9 times it’s weight in water in less than 10 minutes creating a kind of jelly/slimey substance. All in all I give it * * * * * stars, I think I found my morning drink of choice.

Iskiate (serving size - 1 glass)
8 oz of water
2.0-2.5 teaspoons of Chia Seeds
1 lime to squeeze
2 teaspoons of sugar
Mix water, sugar, and juice from the lime until dissolved. Add Chia Seeds and shake or stir. Serve it chilled.

Vibram Five Fingers

I have known about the Vibram Five Fingers for almost a year now. One of my fellow Peace Corps friends runs barefoot all the time, including long distances like marathons. Plus there have been numerous articles about the benefits of barefoot running. However, it wasn't until I read "Born to Run" that I was convinced. I was inspired by the stories of people ditching the popular way of running and discovering their knee or other running based injuries ended. Even more so, I was motivated by the stories of tribes that have been running 100s of mile for years without any pain.

In the book they also discuss how The Human Body Is Built for Distance. The reason there are so many running related injuries is because of bad running form and overly cushioned shoes.

After doing further research, I decided if I want to reduce my knee pain and run a marathon one day, I need to go back to the basics. I need to stop running with my heels and utilize the balls of my feet. I am hoping Vibram Five Fingers helps to strength my feet and redirects more natural running gait. I've only worn them once, so no review yet. But I will be sure to write about it in a month or so.....

"Many experts believe the shoes we wear not only cast the foot in a protective form, but also weaken our foot and leg muscles, leaving them underdeveloped and more prone to injury. And while there are many occasions where traditional footwear is essential for protection, safety, and security, it is equally important to stimulate and exercise the foot in a more natural state on a regular basis........Motion studies demonstrate that when running barefoot, one naturally lands on the forefoot, directly below your center of gravity. This results in optimum balance, increased stability, less impact, and greater propulsion. According to Dr. Ivo Waerlop of the Vibram Biomechanics Advisory Board, “Running in FiveFingers improves agility, strength, and equilibrium, plus it delivers sensory feedback that allows runners to make immediate corrections in their form. This greatly improves running efficiency.”" Vibram Five Finger Website

"But for all the technological advances promoted by the industry — the roll bars, the computer chips and the memory foam — experts say the injury rate among runners is virtually unchanged since the 1970s, when the modern running shoe was introduced. Some ailments, like those involving the knee and Achilles’ tendon, have increased." Wiggling Their Toes at the Shoe Giants
By AMY CORTESE (NY Times)

July 2012 update - My knee pain is much better. I only use the shoes 1-2x a week and use my sneakers the other times. But I believe switching to running forefoot is the reason I was able to train and run my marathon in 2011 :)

Tofu Scramble

I made tofu scramble for the first time two weeks ago and have since made it 4 times. You can spice it anyway you want, I've tried cumin and curry style so far. Both made me happy and helped cure my tofu boredom. Just make sure you get some of the water out of the tofu first for the best taste.

I adapted Vegan with a Vengeance's recipe because I didn't have all the ingredients and I don't like nutritional yeast (which is sad because it's so nutritious ;)


Ingredients
1 lb. extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium chopped white onion (about a cup)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced

spice blend:
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon salt

Directions
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high. Saute onions 3 minutes, until softened. Add garlic, saute 2 minutes more. Add spice blend and mix it up for 15 seconds or so.

Crumble in tofu and mix well. Let cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat a bit if you find that it is sticking.