Kid Friendly Recipes: Avocado Pasta

Marley's Favorite Pasta Dish is not my recipe, it comes from Angela Liddon's  blog Oh She Glows. I have to say I have not found one recipe on there I don't like. 

15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

Creamy, thick, and rich with lots of garlic flavor and a hint of lemon. This is my newest favorite pasta dish. The avocado works wonderfully in this recipe to create a sauce so creamy and thick, you will think there is cream hiding in there.

Inspired by Oh She Glows 

Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized ripe Avocado, pitted
• 1/2 lemon, juiced + lemon zest to garnish
• 3-5 cloves roasted garlic , to taste (roast in oven, drizzled with Olive Oil, until soft, 300 degrees for 8-10 mins)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• ~1/4 cup Fresh Basil
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 servings/6 oz of your choice of pasta (I use Gluten Free Brown Rice Pasta)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add in your pasta, reduce heat to medium, and cook until Al Dente, about 8-10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, make the sauce by placing the roasted garlic cloves, lemon juice, and olive oil into a food processor. Process until smooth. Now add in the pitted avocado, basil, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy.

3. When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse in a strainer and place pasta into a large bowl. Pour on sauce and toss until fully combined. Garnish with lemon zest and black pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.

Please note: This dish does not reheat well due to the avocado in the sauce. Please serve immediately.

Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/31/15-minute-creamy-avocado-pasta/#ixzz2SGhhhdMo

Namaste and eat on,

Pam

Kid Friendly Recipes: Hummus

All of Marley's Favorites, then again she is kinda wei(r)d.


Marley's Favorite Hummus:

Chick Peas:
1 Lb of Dried Chickpeas sorted and rinsed
7 Cups of Water
1/4 tsp of Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt

Cook in a 2 1/2 quart slow cooker on Low to 8-10 hours or High for 4 hours. (Until they are ready to eat, soft but not mushy.)  If you only have a large family sized Crock Pot or Slow cooker that works as well.

For the Hummus,
1 lb cooked Chickpeas (from recipe above)
2-3 Cloves Garlic
1/3 cup of Tahini, stirred well (Natural Peanut butter works as well)
Juice of 1-2 Lemons (about 1/4-1/3 of a cup)
1/4 cup of water from Chickpeas or tap water
1 1/2 tsp of Sea Salt
upto 1/4 Cup of Olive Oil
2-5 dashes of Hot Sauce

In a food processor, process the garlic and Tahini until smooth, add chickpeas and water slowly and process until smooth and chickpeas are gone (or your food Processor is full, it requires a big one). Add in Lemon juice, salt, Hot Sauce and Olive Oil until you reach desired consistency.

*Note, the Hummus tends to tighten up in the fridge so don't make it too try or it will loose it's dip-ability  and really isn't that where all the fun it??

Also the Garlic and Hot Sauce are kid friendly, feel free to go wild, but remember raw garlic can have quite a bite!!

Her favorite way to eat it is out of the food processor with Carrots of Crackers, so have the dippers ready, the whole family will love it.

Namaste,
Pam

Getting kids to eat healthy too

People always say to me, so your daughter is Vegan and Gluten Free too and I feel guilty saying, well she eats yogurt. But, although I understand the process and he nasty stuff hat happens in the dairy industry, I haven't found it in me to deny my daughter her favorite food, plain Greek Yogurt, that along with eggs in spring and summer from a friend with chickens, she is without Animal Products. We are works on the gluten.

But what if I eat animal products? (Knock it off!!! Oh ok, you decide) To be totally honest I would rather feed my daughter organic animal products then some of the "Vegan" crap out there. Oreos, Pepsi, Fritos, potato chips, all Vegan but combines they don't have enough nutritional value to keep my health finger healthy. So keep in mind, Vegan, Gluten Free, Whole Grains, none of this automatically means healthy.

So why then do we allow our kids to eat fruit snacks, sugar laden cereals, sugar laden granola bars and Chips? Maybe you are saying, 'I don't feed my child that junk,'but are you compromising your standards on food because its not worth the fight, or just easier. Well then for real this time, CUT IT OUT!

I recently had a major issue with Marley's preschool/daycare. (Rainbowland in Bedford, NH, in case you were considering this place). I had known since she started there in the Fall of 2011 (at age 2 1/2) that they would often feed them things like Cookie Crisp and cheese balls for snacks. I had mentioned on several occasions that I was not happy about the snacks , as she had never been exposed to his type of food before. After many conversations I finally have up (my first mistake). I turned a blind eye until I began to notice behavioral issues with my once angelic 3 1/2 year old.

So I went to the daycare Director and owner about changing what they were feeding the children and was met with denial and a negative attitude towards me. I finally told the school I would provide her snack. In NH, licensed child care centers need to do what the Families want with food. Instead they attempted to feed my child behind my back and told my now 4 year old that she could not have her avocado, she had to have what her friends were having. After many e-mails and some extremely negative words (from them, not me), I had to get a doctors note to provide my daughter with her own healthy snacks.

So after all this (and it is not over), I have recommitted to providing Marley wholesome, healthy snacks and I will fight the school all the way on this. What I learned from this is you can reverse the bad eating habits. Marley went from crying over wanting Goldfish for breakfast to eating gluten free oatmeal, or fruit and coconut water smoothies. Our treats are now, coconut water, homemade granola bars, or avocado chocolate pudding.

I will post a few healthy recipes that kids (at least my 4 year old) loves.

Good luck with the schools and outside influences, and just remember the battle is worth it!!!

Namaste,
Pam

Happy and Healthy!

Tofu, it's what's for Dinner

Actually Tofu itself is not my favorite food.  But I have become quite the fan of Pad Thai with Tofu.  My husband has always been a huge fan of Pad Thai, and I have made it for him in the past for special occasions and have always bought the sauce, well being Gluten Free that has posed an issue as most Pad Thai sauces adn recipes contain Soy or Tamari, which often contain wheat.

After much searching and a little bit of playing around I found the perfect fit for us, sweet, but spicy. We love the heat!

This recipe has been adapted from The Gluten Free Vegan (Thanks Christa).  

As a side note, I always go for Organic so it is not typed in the recipes as it is just understood, when you can, opt for Organic.

1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 large Onion Chopped
6 Carrots Diced
2 cups of spinach chopped (or baby)
12 Oz extra firm Tofu Cubed
1/4 Cup GF Apple Cider Vinegar (Bragg's)
1/4 cup Braggs Aminos (or Wheat Free Tamari)
2 TBSP Agave nectar
1- 1 1/2 Tablespoons red curry paste (this is alot, and makes it pretty hot)
2 Tablespoons organic natural peanut butter
1 package washed and drained bean sprouts
10-12 ounces Rice noodles prepared according to directions
4 green onions, chopped
Juice of 1 lime

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and add onions and carrots. Saute until the onions become soft, about 4-5 minutes.  Add tofu and continue to cooks another 4-5 minutes.

 

Add vinegar, Aminos (tamari), agave nectar, red curry paste, peanut butter, spinach and sprouts to coat and heat through.

Pour tofu mixture over the noodles and garnish with green onions and lime juice.

And Enjoy!!!

Namaste,
Pam

Breakfast, my new favorite

In the winter I often make Oatmeal for my almost 4 year old almost every morning. It is a nutritious and wholesome breakfast that starts her day off right.  Growing up we didn't eat oatmeal, maybe its becasue we were too busy eating chocolate chip muffins from teh bakery at the food store or Sullivan's Donuts on Sunday morings to realizes it's deliciousness, but I didn't have oatmeal for the first time until college.

As a child I had huge texture issues with food and never would have eaten anything, that at the time I would have considered mush in a bowl.  The interesting thing is that now both of my parents eat oatmeal and actually enjoy it. (They came to this on their own I had nothing to do with it.)  Over the past year, being Gluten Free I have let go of Oatmeal as something I can't have anymore. Then about two months ago, a friend told me she was eating GF oatmeal that she bought at Trader Joe's and it was great.  I was skeptical.  The biggest barrier was that my oatmeal eating had all been done through Quaker and his sugar laden packets of oatmeal. 

Then about 3 weeks ago, I came home from teaching Yoga and was hungry and realized we had NO food in the house. I was in desperate need of going food shopping and we live 30 Minutes to the closest food store and it was snowing, not my idea of a good time. So I climbed into the pantry and began searching.  Now I make GF cupcakes and cookies and cook from scratch often so I have many kinds of flour and other essentials. I also happened to have gluten free Oatmeal, in mason jars in the pantry. I have no recollection what baking project I bought it for but it was there and it was ready for me.  So I decided to give it a try. 5 Minutes later, I had a warm bowl of deliciousness.

Gluten Free Banana Cinnamon Oatmeal
1/2 cup GF oatmeal
1 Cup water
1 banana
Cinnamon
A sweetener of sorts (maple syrup, organic brown sugar etc)
Nuts (optional)
Dried Fruit (optional)

Bring water to a boil, add oatmeal and stir often until cooked. Add sweetener, cinnamon and mash a banana into the pot, and mix. Let stand 1-2 minutes, top with nuts or whatever you like.

This is now my go to breakfast and I look forward to it everyday. So yummy. Enjoy!

Peace, love and Namaste.
Pam 

Gluten is the Devil...and so are Oreos

It pains me too that Oreo Cookies are so full of Chemical and Nasty stuff. Why oh why do they taste so good then?? Okay, so not good exactly, but like childhood. (Even though I'm pretty sure we never actually had them when I was a kid).

Last week my husband asked me to buy some Oreo's because he was having a craving. (And yes Oreo's are Vegan-ish.  i.e. There is no dairy, meat or egg, but the sugar could be processed with anything, but definitely not GF.)

So I gave in, Marley told me Oreo Cookies are her favorite and since I am not sure who told her about Oreo Cookies, since she has has maybe had them 2 times in her almost 4 years, I am guessing Jeffrey put her up to it.  Wouldn't you know they were on sale $2.50 a package. Kale is $2.99 a bunch, never on sale, so don't get me started.  I brought them home and Jeffrey and Marley began having a cookie or two after dinner 

On Thursday I decided, I wanted to have an Oreo, so I did, actually I have 3 or them.  That was all it took. I went to teach a class and about 20 Minutes into it (3 hours after eating the cookies) I was nauseous and thought I was going to puke.  Then the pain began, between my shoulder blades, up my spine, down to my low back and up into my head. Like someone had beat me or I had a major accident and had whiplash.

Oh the rare Occasion that I eat gluten, I can usually handle a little bit. A small piece of bread and few cracks, not the end of the world and in order for my back to be affected by the gluten consumption if usually takes a pretty good amount.

I was utterly shocked, 3 little, not so good, Oreo cookies and I have in so much pain I was considering a trick to the Chiropractor again. (which I don't usually need now that I'm GF).  SUgar and the crap in them also makes me cranky and I always feel run down and lethargic when I eat junk, especially cookies. After four days of yoga classes the discomfort has begun to ease, but I am still not back to normal. 

Good Lord, thanks but no thanks Nabisco, Oreos are Satan's Cookies and I will NOT be buying those again for anyone in my house. So I hope they enjoy them now.....

Stay Clear my friends, be healthy and Namaste. 

Nemo and....reboot: breakfast

Nemo came, hit the north east and left us with a few feet of snow and went on it's way.  Luckily for us in NH although we got 31" of snow dumped on us at my house, we didn't loose power, which is pretty much a miracle.  

After the snow started

Marley Jammed in the snow on the deck after some clearing had gone on.

Marley in the driveway once the snow stopped, she is 40" tall as a reference point. :)

We were able to go about our days and were totally back to normal by Sunday.  This was great, but it also means no more excuses. 

Since we returned from vacation my eating has been horrible, so here is the chain reaction.
Eating like crap, so no energy to do anything, no energy to cook and no energy to juice, just want to sleep. Not really but you get the picture.  Basically I went to the food store and bought Naked Juice because I was too lazy to juice myself, which means I am not getting what I need nutrient wise so I am tired. (really I don't feel like washing the juicer). Now by normal standards I am still in good shape, but by my usual diet not so much.

So here is the plan:
Back to juicing every morning and back to cooking.

Today's juice:

Carrot, Apple, Ginger

Spinach, Apple, Celery, Cucumber and Ginger

Other Breakfast options:

Gluten Free Oatmeal, cooked plain and add fruit, berries are especially yummy with it.

Fruit and Nuts

Eggs (if you eat them) and fruit/veggies

Plain Greek Yogurt (again Vegetarian not vegan) and fruit, especially good with frozen berries.

GF Toast with avocado and flax oil or natural Nut Butter. Sprouted grain bread, like Ezekiel bread is a good choice.

Smoothie, any kind you like and add some greens. I really like to add Coconut water to my smoothies, it gets me the hydration I need along with the magnesium and potassium and all the other yummy stuff.

Dinner, I like to mix it up sometimes and have beans and veggies for breakfast, or greens and legumes.  So if your feeling it have last nights left overs for breakfast.

Give it a try and see if a cleaner breakfast, free of added sugar will give you a new outlook on the day.

While your at it, try a little desk yoga, or just pop right out of your chair and rock a little down dog, or up dog, whatever your feeling. And watch out for some yoga videos soon to add to your practice.

Eat well, enjoy the day and Namaste.
XO Pam