Low-Carbing It

Although I’m lucky to never worry about carbs for the sake of dieting, I have gone off refined sugar a few times, which is always advisable if you have the willpower. Since Rich and I are doing a cleanse, it seemed like a low-carb diet might enhance its effectiveness. It’s been an interesting challenge in the kitchen and I’ve discovered new dishes, both veg and non, a few of which will even become classic favorites, I’m sure!

Breakfasts:

Miso Soup with extra veggies

can easily make for lunch or dinner, too!

Breakfast Casserole

very portable, so easily doubles as a work lunch or snack

            

Savory Pancakes with carrot juicing pulp

Another incarnation of these oat bran pancakes

Fried egg with greens and grilled tomatoes

Green Tea-Avocado Smoothie

• Chia-Flax-CoconutPorridge

Lunches:

Leftovers!! - the cooking's already done

Grilled mackerel, Baba Ganouj and stir-fried greens

Chickpea Pancake

Based on this and that recipe, served with DIY coconut yogurt

• Veg and Tofu from a veggie buffet: the easy and cheap option here in Taipei

Dinners:

Grilled Salmon with Roasted Tomatoes and Stir-Fried Veg

our kick-off gourmet dinner

Slow-Cooked Tofu & Veg Curry

  loosely based on this recipe

Slow-Cooked Balsamic Chicken

Sooo easy and really good. Def a new fave. 
I didn’t even have to touch the meat, just dump it into a bowl to marinate overnight, then slide into the slow cooker! ;)

This Balsamic Chicken came from The Mediterranean Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone, which is a great cookbook. The recipe goes like this:

1. Oil insert of large slow cooker.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 large finely chopped garlic cloves,1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, 2 Tbsp chopped drained capers, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Dip 4 lb of bone-in breasts, thighs and legs chicken pieces into mixture, turning to coat on all sides. Place chicken in cooker and pour on any remaining coating.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until chicken is very tender and coming away from the bone. Serve hot.

Veg Stir-Fry with Edamame and Tofu 

Snacks:

• Nuts (soaked for easier digestion)
• Broth
• Cheese Cubes
• Raw or Stewed Fruit (no added sugar)
• Smoked salmon, goat cheese and cucumber, wrapped in lettuce leaves
• Savory Coconut Flour Zucchini Bread
• Yogurt, dairy or non, with nuts or ground flax
• Lassis

• Fresh Green Juices

we’ve splurged on a cold press juicer and are even growing wheatgrass

Parsley: makes a Green Monster better!!

Whether adding parsley for flavor, or letting it supply the entire "green" part of the green monster, it's a delicious, original addition and also happens to be one of the top detoxifying foods!

vegan

Kinda like an actual recipe!
a mug of black tea and 3 dried apricots, soaking in it overnight
large handful parsley, infused in hot water
1-2 T ground flax
3 scoops fresh papaya
3 large slices apple, chopped

Blend. Enjoy.

That's one Smooth Papaya!

vegan

This can easily double as a dessert!

4 ingredients:
- fresh papaya
- fresh coconut
- ground flax seeds
- Turkish apple tea

ok, I tossed in a slice of lemon just for kicks, but I'm ok with the special bitterness of the rind

Avocado-Flax "Nutty" Green Monster

vegan

I must say, although it's easy to grind my own flax seeds even in my aging blender, having bought the ready-to-go package of ground flax makes life one step easier and the evenly ground flax kernels have such a delicious nutty smell and taste, I can practically eat them with a spoon!


So, here this nutty flavor then hypes up the avocado's nuttiness. A short ingredient list and the result? Thick, creamy deliciousness!

Blend together:
Coconut water, pure water, mustard greens and kale (steamed), chopped avocado, ground flax seeds, Amazing Grass Green Superfood

Very Green Pretty Tasty!

Vegan

As I mentioned, since I try to err on the side of healthy, many of my green monsters can be disasters flavor-wise. This one's worth noting down. A variation on the Back On Track

In order of admittance:
1. Grind flax seeds
2. Add Turkish apple tea, then steamed greens. Blend.
3. Add diced Asian pear (also lightly cooked, since I avoid raw. I find it caramelized its flavor, too!), a tablespoon coconut oil, a few slices fresh ginger, scoop of Green Superfood or similar.
4. With the blender going, toss in a dash of cinnamon.

Voila!

Refreshing Green Smoothie

Vegan

I've just discovered romaine lettuce as a very neutral-flavored thirst-quenching base for green monsters.

This is (quick-steamed) romaine, fresh papaya, tahini, teaspoon green tea powder, flax seeds, fresh mint leaves and a herbal tea for the liquid: ginger-infused Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger.

The overall flavor is pleasant but fairly mild.

Green Smoothie Pile-Up: Squash and Fresh Coconut

Vegan

I'll be honest with you, not all green smoothies I've been making have been of the "Mmmm... delicious" variety. Sometimes the flavors really didn't gel that well. Here's a thick, creamy,

delicious winner. It was so thick in fact, that it stood up above the glass rim. : )

Mustard greens add a zippy peppery taste.

Cooked squash, fresh coconut meat, mustard greens, peanut butter*, green tea powder*, Amazing Grass Green Superfood*, water

*can really overpower, less is more

My first Green Monster!

Vegan

Inspired by the Green Monster Movement, among other green smoothie challenges out there - curious if a steady daily diet of these will really make me feel fab inside and out?

I don't do much raw or cold, due to lax digestive ability (hopefully aided by these creations!), so...
- cooked celery, some kind of Chinese green leafy veg, Asian pear
- flax seeds, warmed oat milk, scoop of Amazing Grass Green Superfood

Yum!

Blender Mornings

I have a recent guideline for eating breakfast, which is to have it by 9am. Beyond that, especially after 10am, it's getting much too close to lunch and will overload the body's natural digestive rhythms. (which are primarily focused on:

elimination 4am-12noon ** digestion 12noon - 8pm ** absorption 8pm - 4am,

which is why it's good to have your biggest meal at midday and taper off heavy eating by late evening)

So especially when it's getting later in the morning, or just to have a light, quickly absorbed and easily digested meal, I whip up a smoothie. Some recent creations have involved:

- warm Banana Oat Milk (from Fresh At Home cookbook)

- Papaya smoothies with non-dairy milk and mixed-grains powders (sold here in Taiwan as "hot cereals" to be mixed with boiling water for a super-quick snack or light meal, eg this kind of thing:)

the Chinglish description at the bottom makes it even more enjoyable!

- and today's creation, Banana Mango Smoothie with oat milk, soy protein and greens powder

It was going to be banana-blueberry, but I found the mango looking quite forlorn with black spots on one of its sides, so it was a rescue mission, and a tasty one at that, albeit it ended up being quite sweet, probably the whole-foods equivalent of a sugary breakfast cereal or muffin, so I don't recommend this combo for daily use or for anyone worried about diabetes. I munched some nuts along with it to offset spiking my blood sugar levels.

Then... I blended the rest of the very ripe sweet little bananas and very ripe mango with vanilla ice cream and plopped that into my popsicle molds. Taste test to come.

Strawberry Banana Flax Smoothie

Lacto-veg (added yogurt)

It's strawberry season in Taiwan! These little gems are so amazing fresh!

DIY Ingredient: GROUND FLAX SEEDS
I made this "discovery" the other day - if you want ground flax seeds in your smoothie, just start them off in an empty blender and after 30 seconds - minute of awfully loud blending, voila! Fresh as can be. Since flax seeds oils are fragile and will go rancid very quickly after being ground, this is the ultimate way to go, I think! If you appreciate grinding your coffee and/or spices fresh, don't skimp on the flax!

Warm Ginger Papaya Smoothie

Vegan

Wanted something soothing and light to start the day after doing this Motivation-Activation Flow Practice video from Yoga Journal.

Inspired by the food-replacing liquid fast combo of guava-papaya-apple, I left out the apple this time and used warm ginger tea for the liquid.

I scoop out the guava seeds for smoothies, but then eat that bit with great relish, since I think the creamy flesh around the seeds is the best thing guava's got going.












Smoothies with a watery liquid (eg herbal tea) are kind of a nice lighter alternative to the creamy soy milk etc - based ones I often make. And you taste the actual fruit more. Witness this intensely colored blueberry-banana number from yesterday (left), compared to a creamy one (right):

Blueberry Smoothie

Chinese NY Eve
Inspired by the Ultra Simple Diet breakfast shake with alternatives 
Vegan