I came across this recipe in March 2010 Food and Wine magazine.

Chef Mehmet Gurs has created a nice twist on traditional chick pea hummus.

I went crazy with the cilantro and added avocado, also, I substituted vegetable stock for the chicken stock to make this a vegan treat.

I used a whole wheat tortilla to create a balanced hot meal for Meatless Monday!

INGREDIENTS

3 Cups water of vegetable stock
1 cup green lentils (about 6 ounces)
1 bay leaf
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt
Cayenne pepper
Sweet paprika, for sprinkling
Pita chips, sliced fennel and red bell pepper strips, for serving

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan, combine the water/ stock, green lentils and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover and boil the lentils over high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and let the lentils cool slightly.
Transfer the cooked lentils to a food processor. Add the chopped garlic, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice and puree until smooth. Scrape the hummus into a bowl, stir in the cumin and 2 tablespoons of the chopped cilantro and season with salt and cayenne. Garnish the hummus with paprika and the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Serve the lentil hummus warm or at room temperature with pita chips and vegetable crudités.

MAKE AHEAD
The lentil hummus can be refrigerated overnight. Let return to room temperature before serving.

This dish is easy, inexpensive and full of vegetable protein and nutrients.

This was filling and truly delicious. It is definitely something to keep in the fridge for a snack or meal.

A leisurely afternoon spent with friends, eating good food and sipping champagne is the best way that I know to spend my time!

The asparagus were delicious.

I sautéed them in olive oil, 3 cloves of crushed garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and a handful of pine nuts.

We sipped on Mimosas and soaked in the gentle sunlight listening to music and chatting about old times.

I woke to a cold and snowy day and considered the possibilities.

I had thoughts of stew, like when I was a child. The kind that came from a big pot on the stove which mom made in the morning anticipating children who would be stuck in the house all day; a snow day.

Well, since becoming a vegan it is dishes like these that I miss the most; the kind which come from big pots and are swimming in gravy.

Then I considered, “what was my favorite part of those meals?” The pearl onions!

I loved those sweet slippery gems. For that matter I loved all the veggies and remember pushing dark beef bits to the side.

The gravy would be the tough part. I’ve kind of avoided this kind of thing as I am not a big fan of “substituting” processed fake meat products for meat.

This was really easy, just a bit labor intense.

I started by boiling the pearl onions; skin and all, in water for about 3 minutes.

Remove them and run cold water over them then cut off the root end. Gently squeeze and the “pearl” pops out.

Set those aside and prepare the mashed potatoes and keep them warm until you’re ready to serve.

Ingredients:

½ cup olive oil
6-7 carrots chopped
2-4 cloves of garlic sliced
4-5 cups of baby bella mushrooms halved
3-4 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp vegetarian stock / bouillon
5-6 cups of water depending on your desired thickness
1 cup of peas
1-2 cups pearl onions (depending on your preference)
Pinch or so of dried Tarragon

Method:

Put the oil in the pan and start adding garlic and carrots

Allow them to sauté, add the tarragon

Add the mushrooms and the pearl onions and allow to continue cooking

Mix the water and the cornstarch and add to the pan

Add the vegetarian bouillon

Add more water if necessary

Allow to cook until everything is tender and serve over mashed potatoes.

This meal is more than just rice and beans.

For my daughters I will turn these into big fat burritos with cheese and serve the salsa on the side with chips.

I enjoyed the vegan version of just rice and beans with a dollop of the salsa on top.

What I like the most was the cold crunchy salsa on top of the creamy hot beans and rice.

The girls are going to love this tonight. It’s nutritious and festive.

Rice and Beans

I boiled 1 cup of brown jasmine rice in 2 cups of water

I used 2 cans of pinto beans and cooked them in a frying pan with 4 big cloves of garlic

That’s it for that part.

Salsa

This also works as a salad;

2 avocados

3 medium sized tomatoes

The juice of 2 limes

A nice handful of fresh cilantro

½ of a medium sized onion

½ a cup of yellow corn

I wished that I had some olives on hand but I didn’t. I thought that would really make this pop.

For the burritos I use whole wheat flour tortilla and shredded Monterey Jack, or Manchego cheese.

I roll the beans, rice and cheese together and bake in the oven for a bit then garnish with the salsa.

Of course, salt to taste

Enjoy!

I love kale and have become obsessed with it since discovering Dr. Alejandro Junger’s book, CLEAN.

Dr. Junger refers to green foods as the royal family of nutrition and kale is the king.

This dish includes all of my favorites; kale , asparagus, broccoli, garlic, spinach, basil, and a tablespoon of toasted pine nuts and half an avocado for garnish.

I steamed everything and topped it with a spinach, basil, and oilve oil pesto.

What I like about the pesto is that it incorporates spinach and garlic which are raw, thereby adding important enzymes to this meal.

These foods are great for the cleansing program, to be sure, however, I like to include these super foods into my everyday meals.

Making healthy highly nutritious foods a part of your daily diet ensures that you are are getting high quality, nutrient rich food and that you are functioning at optimal levels.

I am attemping to make these dishes easy for everyone to enjoy with recipes that don’t compromise quality and which satisfy the palate and the senses.

It all started with cake and a snow storm and the gorgeous organic produce in my refrigerator.

Sometimes when I’m shopping I don’t have any particular recipe in mind. I simply pick up things that catch my eye, are in season, especially ripe, smell good or are just pretty.

So that is how I ended up with a coconut, that gorgeous ginger root and a million organic carrots!

What to do with carrots on a cold snowy day in the middle of winter? Soup, of course!

But to begin my day, baking a cake seemed to be the most natural thing in the world to do to get things rolling. Chocolate, raspberry and fresh whipped cream was beckoning.

Cake would be a nice treat at the end of a long day.

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs (1/3 to 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate (cool)

Method

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour baking pan, 13×9x2 inches, or two 9-inch or three 8-inch round layer pans.

Measure all ingredients into large mixer bowl. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly.

Beat 3 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.

Pour into pan(s). Bake oblong 40 to 45 minutes, layers 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool.

Coconut Carrot Ginger Soup

Ingredients

About 20-30 carrots
5-6 cloves of garlic
A nice sized piece of fresh ginger root 5-6 inches long
2 tsp ginger powder
1 can organic coconut milk
One whole coconut ( use the water and flesh)
2-3 cups vegetarian stock
2-3 Tbsp coconut oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro, for garnish
Avocado, for garnish

Method

Peel and chop the carrots then sauté with garlic and coconut oil.

Start grating the ginger and add to sautéing carrots.

Add the ginger powder.

Let things start to lightly caramelize then add the stock.

Allow to cool then transfer the mixture to the food processor and puree.

Add the coconut milk to the mixture and continue to puree.

Transfer to a soup pot and add the coconut water and flesh.

Add ginger powder if necessary.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm with fresh cilantro and avocado garnish.

Enjoy!

I added curry powder to the dough

Kale, yellow waxy potatoes, garlic, coconut oil, coconut milk, red curry paste, curry powder

Courtesy of Laylita’s Recipes

Making empanada dough is not as hard as it sounds, especially if you have a food processor, and even if you don’t it is still pretty easy because the dough should not be overworked and requires minimal kneading. Also, these days it is very easy to find the empanada discs already made (frozen) in Latin grocery store, and even though I was skeptical at first they are actually quite good, but it also always fun to have them homemade and you can also customize the dough by adding spices, herbs, etc that will complement or contrast with the fillings.

Ingredients for 15 medium size or 25 small empanada discs:

3 cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
6 oz unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), cold and cut into 12 pieces
1 egg
4-5 tbs water
Mix the flour and salt in a food processor.
Add the butter, egg and water until a clumpy dough forms.
Form a ball and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round disc shapes for empanadas (use round molds or a small plate).
Use immediately or store in the refrigerator or freezer to use later.

…And don’t believe the “ it’s bitter” complaint often levied against this healthy nutrient packed green.

So many of the kale recipes I find utilize this green in soups and rightfully so, it stands up to lots of heat and long cooking times.

But one of the things that I like best about kale is the fresh “greenness” of its taste and the robustness of its texture.

This green stands up to some intense flavors like garlic and tomato which are the ingredients I used today.

This would make a great side dish with beans or on a bed of polenta for an entrée.

It would also be great with pasta.

I enjoyed mine au naturel!

Ingredients:

1 bunch of kale
5 cloves of garlic
1 fresh tomato
2 tbsp olive oil
Splash of balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp tomato sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Add olive oil, thinly sliced garlic, and chopped tomato to a warm skillet and sauté.

Add roughly chopped kale and let simmer and reduce over medium heat 10-15 minutes.

Add the splash of balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Winter lentils are full of vegetables, spices and flavor.

This protein packed legume is loaded with nutrients and fiber.

I like to make this thick, however, you can always add liquid to make it more soupy if you wish.
The white wine adds richness and depth of flavor.

Ingredients:

2 cups green lentils
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot
4-6 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
1 red pepper
5-6 carrots
5-6 stalks celery
2 tsps ground sage
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup raisins
3 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup white wine (optional)

Method

Chop and sautee the vegetables in the olive oil.

Add nuts and raisins and sage and white wine.

Add the lentils and vegetable stock and allow to simmer on low until the liquid is absorbed and the lentils and vegetables are tender.

Level: Medium
Serves: 2

Ingredients
4 cups spinach fettucini, boiled
10-12 medium baby bella mushrooms
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, bottled in olive oil and italian herbs
1 garlic bulb, baked
1 tsp agave nectar
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoon panko crust
1/4 tsp substitute salt
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
1/2 fresh fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
2 tsp olive/canola oil
1 tsp dried oregano

Method
Pre-soak mushrooms in a plastic bowl with water and Worchestershire sauce for 30 min.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut off top of garlic bulb and drizzle agave nectar over garlic.

Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Set aside.

In a plastic bowl mix 1tsp. oil, parsley, garlic, capers, oregano, capers, salt and pepper.

Wash and twist off mushroom stems evenly.

Brush or rub 1 tsp oil on mushrooms and stuff with mixture.

In a medium sauce pan bring water to a boil and add pasta until tender.

Sprinkle oregano herbs and serve.

A little bit about Carmen…

Carmen Garcia is an internationally recognized fitness celebrity, proactive in all levels of nutrition, health, wellness, and yoga principles.

An all around athlete with a competitive nature and a zest for healthy living, Carmen’s philosophy: spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental well being are the inseparable ingredients to a healthy life.

Carmen has worked hard to become one of America’s most popular fitness models, appearing in numerous publications, commercials, seminars and workshops. As a world class chef and entrepreneur, Ms. Garcia continues to re-invent herself via new challenges and accomplishments.

Carmen is a proud member and spokesperson for PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals), a fitness instructor and nutritional consultant certified by the Professional Personal Trainer’s Association (USPTA); and a member of IDEAfit, having studied with the International Sports and Science Association.

Leaving the old paradigms behind of stressing the body with strenuous workouts and hardcore weight training trends, moderation is the key for this femme-fit guru. Not only does she speak four languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and English), her company, Fitbody Star offers live and online education to an ever-growing international audience.

A world traveler and true “foodie” at heart, Carmen’s mantra is to achieve balance through proper nutrition from plant (protein) sources, supplementation, and variations on classic exercise techniques, to achieve homeostasis and improve overall quality of life through a sound mind, body, and spirit.

Promoting her unique style of vegan cooking as the “Turista Chef”, she writes with signature joie de vivre about a hidden world of exotic destinations and cultures through the lens of the traditional and not so traditional regional cuisine.

Fitbody Star offers instruction in: nutrition, indoor/outdoor activity, yoga movement and stretching, dance form, body and weight strengthening, interval training, outdoor circuit training, boot camp, kickboxing techniques, plyometrics, meditation, core training and overall functional training for better sports & daily task performance.

Learn more about Carmen Garcia, and visit her at:
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Color vibrancy, rich and nutritious flavors is what makes this dish so deLIGHTfully tasty. Inspired by roots of Jamaica, I’ve prepared this easy vegan dish with an array of spices that burst into tropical flavors.

Recipe courtesy of Carmen Garcia

Jamaican Jerk Portabello

Serves 2
1 cup brown basmati rice, steamed
2 large portabello mushrooms, sliced
1 small banana squash, steamed/seeded and chopped into medium size cubes.
1 small red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 small green bell pepper, sliced into strips
2 cups of organic black beans, drained (canned for quick and easy)

Jerk Pineapple Marinade

1 small red onion, chopped
1 small serrano green chili, minced (seeds removed)
1 cup pineapple, cubed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small lime juice
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp Pompeian olive/canola oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp sea salt or substitute salt

Steam rice in a slow cooker or rice cooker before you begin to prep and cook the Portabello mushrooms and marinade.

Mix all marinade ingredients and set aside in a plastic or glass bowl. Slice Portabello mushrooms and mix into marinade bowl.

Store in fridge over night or for a minimum of 1-2 hours before cooking. When ready to cook, pre-heat large wok on high/med by lubricating the wok with the canola/olive oil.

Stir in all of the ingredients of the marinade and mushrooms only.

Lower heat and cover allowing steam to soften the mushrooms for about 5-8 minutes depending on how tender you wish as they tend to shrink with prolonged heat.

In a separate medium sized pan, steam banana squash for 12 minutes or until tender. Toss in the bell peppers during the last 4- 5 minutes.

If they lose their color vibrancy, you have over cooked them. In another small sauce pan heat black beans on low.

Find a beautiful plate and pack the rice into a small bowl and onto the center of the plate.

Carefully arrange and assort all of the ingredients as you wish and top with sprinkled coconut shreds and slivered raw almonds.

Almonds, beans and Portabello mushrooms are loaded with protein, fiber and nutrients. The steamy fragrant rice and fibrous vegetables are delicious as a low GI (glycemic index) food topped with an unforgettable pineapple chutney sauce and a spicy jerk marinade. This dish is low in fat and moderate in carbohydrates. High in protein, fiber and nutrients.