Vegetable Potato Curry

Using some of the traditional spices used for curry I created a delicious vegetable potato version.  I think you are going to love this one.  Curry dishes are richly satisfying with their intense spices, easy to make, healthy and very inexpensive. I have created several curry dishes that are available on my website:  Red Potato Curry Over Lemon-Basil Zucchini, Corn and Cashew Nut Curry with Perfect Brown Rice, and Tofu and Green Bean Red Curry.  I also have a raw version called Raw Curry in a Hurry, created by Tanya Alexseeva (Better Raw).  Try to include a lot of raw, organic foods in your diet.  Then supplement with a smaller percentage of healthy cooked foods.  You will find good health and enjoyment from this way of eating.

I recently tried Koshihikari brown rice. This new state-of-the-art technology allows milling of rice grains just 10%.  This lets Hokkura Brown Rice absorb water quicker and cook up fluffier, like white rice, without sacrificing the natural minerals and nutrients of brown rice. The best way to prepare Hukkura brown rice is exactly like you would white rice, only let the brown rice soak for 30 minutes in your rice cooker before turning it on to start the cooking process.  So normally if you put two cups of rice in your rice cooker, you would  then add water to the two mark.  In addition to this, let the rice soak for 30 minutes and then turn the cooker on. I found the flavor of Hukkura brown rice to be extra tasty, fresh and of the highest quality. You can order Hukkura brown rice on Amazon to give it a try, or possibly find it at your Asian supermarket. This particular premium rice doesn't state that is organic, so I now have a quest to find a similar one that is. Click on the picture below to find on Amazon. hope you will give this curry recipe a try and let me know what you think.  My family loved it! Also, check out my Perfect Organic Brown Rice made with regular organic brown rice.

Hukkura Brown Rice

Vegetable Potato Curry

Printable Recipe

Serves 4-6

5 medium russet potatoes, cut into 1/2 - 3/4" squares
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
2 heaping tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 1/2 cups vegetable broth with sea salt
1 lemon, juiced

SPICES:
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons sweetener of choice

1.  Prepare potatoes, celery, carrots, parsley and set aside.
2.  Add diced onion, 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, all seasonings, sweetener and add to larger soup type pan.  Simmer for 5 minutes.
3.  Add remaining vegetables and half of the remaining broth.  Bring to a boil and then simmer, stirring frequently until potatoes and carrots are soft.  Continue to add vegetable broth as needed until all broth is used.  Curry should be thick with some liquid present.  If it is too dry, add some additional water.
4.  Serve over brown rice and enjoy!

Spaghetti and "Meatballs" from Forks Over Knives

Everyone loves pasta, so I wanted to share a recipe from the book Forks Over Knives.  A lot of you have probably seen the video, but if you haven't you can buy it on Amazon along with the companion cookbook. 

THE CLASSIC ITALIAN-AMERICAN dish gets a healthy makeover with millet standing in for the meat.  Loved this yummy and inexpensive dish.  You can simplify this recipe by adding your own favorite pasta sauce. I also used brown rice noodles in this recipe.

What I love about this book is that the recipes are very simple with ingredients you are use to seeing and using already.  You will find you have a lot of the ingredients in your home right now and can easily make a lot of the recipes by picking up just a few things from the store or getting them from your garden.  This is a great book for home food storage as well.  If you stock up on the cooking basics (page 12, 13, 14 & 15), and keep items on your shelves that you rotate, like vegetable stock, brown rice, quinoa, millet, whole grain pasta, various packaged & canned beans & lentils, various kinds of canned tomatoes, frozen berries & fruits, raisins, etc., you can create a 3 month or more supply of food that you rotate for your family.  You will also need to store some water. The recommendation is to have 1 gallon of water per person to last 2 weeks and 3 months of food.  I highly recommend this book to help you set up an excellent working kitchen and food storage plan. 

Some hints that have helped me with preparing my meals is to freeze a few items to make meal preparation easier.  I keep a bag of garlic in my freezer and pull them out as needed.  They work well frozen with my mincer.  I also freeze leftover parsley, cilantro, herbs and spinach. I can easily add these frozen veggies during my meal preparation.

Spaghetti and "Meatballs"
Printable Recipe
Serves 4

2 cups Vegetable Stock (page 23), or low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup millet  (see below how to soak and prepare your millet before cooking)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced small
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup minced basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 pound whole-grain spaghetti, cooked according to package directions, drained, and kept warm
2 cups Tomato Sauce (page 25), heated  (I used my own favorite spaghetti sauce here)

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2.) Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the millet and salt and bring the mixture back to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the millet is tender.  Drain any excess water and keep warm.
3.)  Place the onion in a large saucepan and saute over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes.  Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onion from sticking to the pan.  Add the garlic, basil, and pepper and cook for another minute.  Add the tomato puree and 1/4 cup of water and cook until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.
4.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5.) Add the cooked millet and the arrowroot powder to the onion mixture and mix well.
Using an ice-cream scoop, shape the millet mixture into 2-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.
6.) To serve, divide the spaghetti among 4 individual plates.  Top with some of the "meatballs" and pour some of the tomato sauce over the prepared plates.

SOAKING MILLET
You must soak your millet the night before you plan on using it in your recipe. One cup of dried millet generally yields about 3 cups cooked. Measure out millet, place in a ceramic or glass bowl (never use plastic) and soak with purified water for 12-18 hours. For optimal soaking, add 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar.
Much like quinoa, millet is gluten-free and easy on the belly. It is also more alkalizing than other non-gluten grains. It is rich in B vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Millet has an impressive amino acid profile, including the essential amino acid methionine, making it an excellent source of protein.  
Preparing Basic Millet 101 - Yogitrition

 

Asparagus Basil & Rice Soup

I hope everyone is having a wonderful winter so far.  I know there are many lucky ones who enjoy summer weather all year long, but that is not the case here in Utah.  Up on our snowy mountain we have been lucky lately to hit 20 degree weather. So, between staying warm and healthy, this Asparagus Basil & Rice Soup does both and is as delicious as it gets!!  I started my recipe by soaking a cup of brown rice overnight in 3 cups of water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Drain and rinse rice before using in your soup.

 

Soaking your grains makes them healthier

Soaking rice is not as important as soaking other grains, but the texture that soaking produces is much nicer. The texture is more like white rice, and it becomes a more digestible grain.  The brown rice ‘flavor’ is a little less strong as well.  Research shows that, unlike white rice, brown rice still contains some of the germ or growth structure that actually resumes activity after soaking in water for 24 hours. This revitalization is helpful in normalizing metabolism when consumed. Soaking brown rice also provides more vitamins and minerals than unsoaked brown rice or white rice. And keep in mind that the fiber in brown rice, soaked or not, contributes to a healthy diet. The apple cider vinegar helps in the soaking process.

After draining and rinsing your rice, put in a large soup pot with 5 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 60 minutes with the lid on. This becomes rice porridge.

Now round up all your ingredients and prepare them. I hope you enjoy this delicious and healthful soup your entire family will love. Not only will it warm you up, but will strengthen and support your healthy body.

ASPARAGUS BASIL & RICE SOUP

Printable Recipe

Serves 8

Rice Porridge

5 cups water

1 cup soaked brown rice (soak overnight in 3 cups water & 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar)

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil with the brown rice that has been soaked overnight. Reduce temperature and simmer for 60 minutes with lid on. After 60 minutes you will have a rice porridge.

 

Vegetables  

1 lb. asparagus chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 (15 oz.) can cut baby corn drained (cut into smaller pieces as desired)

5-10 oz. cherry tomatoes cut in half

Vegetable broth 

4 cups vegetable broth

4 cups water

3 teaspoons sea salt 

Pesto 

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup olive oil

Place in mini food processor and process until smooth scraping sides as needed.

Creating the soup 

To the rice porridge add vegetable broth, water, sea salt and asparagus.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender. Add baby corn, cherry tomatoes and pesto.  Season as needed.  ENJOY!!

 

Tomatina Ratatouille & Review

I recently had the opportunity of reviewing a new product called Tomatina.  If you have ever tried V8 juice this juice is about 100 times better!!  The first thing I noticed when I received this product sample was how dark red it was.  This told me that it was loaded with lycopene at the highest level. My first taste was so flavorful and delicious. Tomatina was created by John Goldfuss. He is at the point with his new company that he needs some help getting his first production of juice going. Up to now, all of the money invested has been his own. Getting some momentum going is key to Tomatina’s launch and survival.  Please check out the links below to where you can help donate money so he can purchase bottles for his first run of product. Any amount will help him reach the goal of $10,000 by January 7.  It truly is a product beyond others I have tasted and deserves to be on the grocery shelves. 
Tomatina owes its name to a tomato festival in Spain.  In this celebration, the entire town of Buñol is filled with truckloads of tomatoes, and a huge tomato fight ensues. Afterward everyone washes up so the feasting, dancing, and partying festivities can begin. ¡Olé!

Tomatina's unique recipe went through 70+ variations to get to its current delicious state. The recipe includes tomatoes, beets, ginger, carrots, celery, cucumber and red bell pepper. 
The tomatoes support a happy heart by softening sticky cholesterol. It's generous antioxidants also reduce harmful oxidative bone stress. They are the most abundant source of lycopene. Studies that look at large groups of people (observational studies) in many countries have shown that the risk for some types of cancer is lower in people who have higher levels of lycopene in their blood. Studies suggest that diets rich in tomatoes may account for this reduction in risk. Evidence is strongest for lycopene's protective effect against cancer of the lung, stomach, and prostate. It may also help to protect against cancer of the cervix, breast, mouth, pancreas, esophagus, and colon and rectum. Beets anti-inflammatory compounds soothe and repair strained organs.  Ginger, with a magical, almost spiritual repute, is a medicinal root known for its stomach-soothing and anti-inflammatory effects. A carrot a day keeps the dermatologist away. Celery  is associated with reduced blood pressure. The anti-oxidants in cucumbers devour menacing free-radicals. Red bell peppers are dutiful stewards of good health with an abundant mix of nutrients and anti-oxidants.

Please help get this fabulous product to market.

The recipe I created using this delicious tomato juice was a YUMMY Ratatouille. Ratatouille originated in the area around present day Nice. It was originally a meal made by poor farmer's (in essence it started out life as a peasant dish), and was prepared in the summer with fresh summer vegetables. The original and simplest form of Ratatouille used only zucchini, tomatoes, green and red peppers (bell peppers), onions, and garlic. Today, eggplant  is usually added to the list of vegetables. You can choose to add eggplant or not, since the recipe is delicious with or without it. I spiced it up with some oregano & thyme. You can serve it over potatoes, rice or noodles.  Enjoy good health and check out Tomatina's website and facebook pages below. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Tomatina Ratatouille
Serves 4
                                                                                   

1 small onion, diced 
1 garlic clove, minced  
1 tsp. olive oil 
1 medium zucchini, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
5 Shitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup diced eggplant (OPTIONAL)  
1/4 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
sea salt & pepper to taste
1 cup Tomatina or your favorite tomato juice
(Potato, Rice or Noodles)

1.  Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. 

2.)  Add diced vegetables and seasonings. Continue to saute until vegetables are soft.  Salt & pepper to taste. 

3.)  Add 1 cup of Tomatina. Simmer for 5 minutes.

4.)  Serve over sliced potato, rice or noodles.  

Check out the links below and follow TOMATINA.

TOMATINA  

• Follow Tomatina

 

Introducing Tomatina: Video

Barn-Burner Chili from VEGAN FOR THE HOLIDAYS & Book Review

 

The Holiday season is a special time for gathering with family & friends, and don't forget all the yummy comfort foods. The wonderful traditions that we grew up with and now share with our own families make our lives more beautiful and enjoyable. Food is always a great way to bring everyone together. I love creating and trying new recipes, and the Holidays are a good time to do this. Vegan cooking expert Zel Allen demonstrates in her book, Vegan for the Holidays, that plant-based foods are as delicious, innovative and elegant as their hallowed meat-based counterparts.  You all know I am a big supporter of whole, plant-based foods and my biggest goal is to make it taste delicious and familiar as the memories you grew up with.  I have enjoyed making a lot of the recipes in Zel's book.  They are simple, pure,  and healthful!  I love the quote by Zel from page 3:

"As I sit down to plan my own family holiday dinners, I feel grateful for the rich bounty sown and harvested by our American farmers, who have enabled us to celebrate with an abundance of fresh foods.  And it gives me deep pleasure to invite you to join me in the kitchen throughout the season, as together we participate in fun celebrations and conclude each event with a darned good meal.  And now, let's bring on the holiday feasts."
You can find Zel at either of her websites:
Vegetarians in Paradise or Zel's Vegan NutGourmet.

The recipe I decided to share with you all came from Chapter 5:  Happy New Year Soup and Chili Bash
I made the fabulous Barn-Burner Chili.  You will absolutely love this yummy chili. It is so packed with flavor, I didn't need to add anything to it. It is hot, hearty, and full of spices that will warm you up during the cold months ahead.
Check out Little House of Veggie's with another wonderful recipe from Zel's book - Sweet Potato Soup.

Printable Recipe 

Serves 6-8
2 onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 large crown broccoli, coarsely chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 3/4 cups water
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari
3 cups bite-sized chunks scrubbed white or red potatoes
3 1/2 cups cooked dried kidney beans, or 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, undrained
1 1/2 cups cooked dried pinto beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained
1 1/2 cups cooked dried black beans, drained, or 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
2 (6-ounce) cans unsalted tomato paste
1 large tomato, chopped
2-4 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (I used Apple Cider Vinegar)
2 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke (I didn't have this, so I left it out)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 to 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 dashes hot sauce (optional)

Toppings

1 (15-ounce) can corn kernels, drained (I used frozen)
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 (8-ounce) can black olives, drained and choped
2 cups shredded vegan cheddar cheese (I didn't use any cheese)

1.) Combine the onions, bell peppers, broccoli, carrot, garlic, and 1/2 cup of the water in a large, deep skillet.  Cook and stir the vegetables over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and all the water has evaporated. Add 1 or more tablespoons of water as needed to prevent burning.

2.)Add the balsamic vinegar and tamari, stir well, and transfer the vegetables to a slow cooker.

3.)  Put the potatoes and enough water to cover in a 2-quart sauce pan.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Decrease the heat to medium-high or medium and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the potatoes are just fork tender.

4.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to the slow cooker and add the remaining  2 1/4 cups water, all of the beans, tomato paste, tomato, maple syrup, chili powder cumin, vinegar, liquid smoke, salt, lemon juice, cayenne, pepper, and optional hot sauce.  Mix well to distribute the ingredients evenly.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

5.)  Adjust the seasonings, and spoon the chili into serving bowls.  Serve the toppings in separate bowls on the table or near the slow cooker and make the meal a self-serve chili-and-toppings bar.