Chick’n Noodle Soup

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Howdy my amazing friends! I apologize for the hiatus. I was recovering from the stomach flu and have had quite the interesting few weeks. NYC really does NOT know how to function with even the tiniest bit of snow. We are all grumpy, cold and pale (yikes). Thankfully I am heading to California for a short 5 day trip to visit my grandma in 2 weeks. I could really use some warm sunshine.

When I wasn’t lifelessly lying on my bed begging for the agony in my stomach to end, I actually got up to make some soup. I have heard about the healing properties and comfort of a good bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup. Though I have never tried chicken or chicken noodle soup, making my own version was just what the doctor ordered. My vegan and gluten free “chicken” noodle soup along with a ginger kombucha really aided in my healing process. Talk about a home remedy! Well, I hope that you make this yummy soup even when you’re not sick. From what I have heard (from my meat eating brother), it almost tastes like the real thing.

What You Need:

  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed and minced finely
  • 4 medium carrots (skin peeled), sliced
  • 4 celery ribs (or more, if you like celery like I do), sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 package of vegan chicken-less, chicken strips (try LightLife Chik’n Style Smart Strips), chopped
  • 1 32 fl oz box of No-Chicken Chicken Broth (try Imagine-if you cannot find, opt for vegetable broth)
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 tbs Italian herb seasoning
  • 2 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 box of gluten free (and egg free) noodles (try Lundberg’s Rotini Brown Rice)
  • Sea salt, black pepper to taste
  • Fresh flat leaf parsley, optional

How You Make It: 

  1. Heat oil in a large soup pot (any big pot with enough room to hold liquid works). Toss in onions, garlic, celery and carrots. Season generously with sea salt and pepper.
  2. Toss in vegan chicken strips and sauté. Add in thyme and bay leaves. Continue to stir until fragrant.
  3. Add in stock and water. Scrape whatever has stuck to the bottom of the pan to get all of the flavor.
  4. Bring to a boil.
  5. While waiting for the soup to boil, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Cook until slightly al dente (so that the pasta continues to cook when you add to the soup). NOTE: Please be sure to rinse the pasta before adding to the soup.
  6. Once soup comes to a boil, add in pasta and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add in Italian seasoning or more thyme if you like.
  7. Serve soup immediately and garnish with fresh parsley.

What are some of your favorite soups when you are feeling under the weather? I’d love to know!

Peace, love and NO beef!

Guramrit

Vegan Kale & Potato Gratin

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Cold weather equals comfort food. I’m all about the comfort when it’s easy to make and tastes delicious. Though it’s great to put in a great deal of effort, I’d rather save the effort for the eating and serving up yummy dishes.  This meal is great as a side or even as a main event, trust me you will want seconds. I even was able to get my carnivorous boyfriend and brother on board. I was inspired by a recipe on TheKitchn.com but you know me, I love to make it vegan! Well, here you go my foodies!

What You Need: 

  • 1 1/2 pounds of red potatoes
  • 1 bag of Tuscan kale (Trader Joe’s has a great bag of Tuscan kale, super cheap, super tasty-great in smoothies too!)
  • 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons of sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1 cup of coconut or soy milk creamer (unsweetened)
  • 1/4 cup of cashew cheese
  • 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbs of vegan butter (soy free)
  • 2 tbs of gluten free flour (or wheat flour, your choice)
  • Breadcrumbs (optional)

How You Make It: 

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Slice potatoes into disks , 1/4-inch thick (skin on) and toss into salted boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.
  3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add flour, stirring constantly. After a minute or so, add in the coconut/soy milk creamer. Continue to stir until it thickens. Once thick, add in nutritional yeast and cashew cheese (think cheese sauce for mac ‘n cheese, yum). Remove from the heat and set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss  the potatoes and kale in the olive oil mixture. Add to a casserole baking dish, layering the kale and potatoes and adding the “cheese” sauce to each layer and sprinkling with bread crumbs, if you like.
  5. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the top is crispy. Feel free to add more breadcrumbs to the top layer for added crunch (suggestion: mix breadcrumbs with vegan butter to make the top extra golden).

Serving Suggestion: Serve with a mixed greens salad or with your favorite sautéed veggies. I love making roasted brussels sprouts with Grade B Maple Syrup, dried cranberries and slivered almonds. Perfection. Sweet and savory all in one dish, talk about a food-gasm (yes, that is a word).

I hope you get inspired to make something delicious for dinner tonight or any of these cold nights during the Polar Vortex.

Peace, love and NO beef!

Guramrit

Yogi Bhajan’s Pasta e Fagioli

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When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore! When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fazool…that’s amore! 

When I think about Pasta e Fagioli, I instantly think of that song. Then again, I start singing it when I crave pizza, pasta or anything Italian. I came across an old cookbook from my childhood, “The Golden Temple Vegetarian Cookbook” by Yogi Bhajan. I have a strong attachment to Yogi Bhajan partly because he named me. Talk about an awesome conversation starter, right? Well, long story short my mom studied Kundalini yoga with Yogi Bhajan back in the 80s and called him when I was born to give me a name. I’m really glad she did because if I wasn’t named Guramrit, I would have been a Bhupinder (sorry dad, being called Boopy for short is not cute). So back to this cookbook. My mom and I were on a hunt for a few of her yoga books since I am getting mentally prepped for Yoga Teacher Training. She came across this cookbook which really brought me back to being a kid. My mom would make some of my favorites from this cookbook (more recipes with a twist coming soon). I was searching for some inspiration and the page I happened to open up was this particular recipe for Pasta e Fagioli. Of course I always tweak, dabble, taste, sprinkle to tailor to my tastebuds. I hope you enjoy this hearty and delicious stew for lunch and dinner. I’m actually still eating this 2-3 days later. It gets better with age!

What You Need: 

  • 1 35 oz can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 15 oz can kidney beans
  • 1 15 oz can navy or white beans
  • 1 tablespoon parsley
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 leek, diced
  • 1/2 cup of chopped carrots
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup of baby spinach (I have to add spinach to EVERYTHING)
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 8 oz gluten free (brown rice) pasta (macaroni elbows, ziti- whatever you like)

How You Make It: 

  1. In a large pan, sauté carrots, leek and garlic until translucent. Lightly salt and pepper and continue to stir. Toss in beans and stir.
  2. Toss in the rest of the ingredients except pasta. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. In a separate pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Salt generously and cook pasta according to package instructions (ideally, al dente). Drain and rinse pasta. Set aside.
  4. Remove bay leaves. Serve with beans with pasta and enjoy!

Note: By keeping the pasta and bean mixture separate, it keeps the pasta from absorbing all the liquid. Then you won’t have soggy pasta! 

Keep warm my dear friends and make yourself something comforting for dinner tonight.

Peace, love and no beef!

Guramrit

Super Green Smoothies

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I am a smoothie lover. I really enjoy making smoothies, seeing how much I can cram into the blender and trying out different flavor combinations (even though I have my goto’s). I began my smoothie journey back in 2012 when I bought a Ninja blender and vowed to make a smoothie every single day ( even in every season, winter too). It just so happened that a 30 Day Green Smoothie Challenge with Simple Green Smoothies was starting up at around the same time I began my new-found obsession. I never really thought of putting greens in smoothies (when you have a crummy blender, you understand why–think chunks). 2012 really marked the beginning of my journey to a healthier me so this was really perfect timing. The challenge asked us to replace at least one meal a day with a smoothie. My first thought, “Um, I am going to starve. Are you crazy?” Mind you this was before I did a juice cleanse so I was extremely attached to the idea of chewing and eating (boy do I love eating). The moment the mood swings, purging and attachment to chewing disappeared, I fell in love. I am super serious. I fell in love with green smoothies.

My friends over at Simple Green Smoothies offer 5 great reasons to LOVE green smoothies:

  1. Natural energy booster to keep a little pep in your step in the morning (and during those afternoon slumps).
  2. Natural weight loss can he a happy side effect of gulping these in place of a typical breakfast (just make sure to include healthy fats and protein to make it a more complete meal).
  3. Stay healthy all-year-long. Simple way to boost your immune system when you’re feeling under the weather.
  4. Packed with disease-fighting antioxidants. The phytonutrients in leafy greens boost your body’s immune system and keep it functioning properly.
  5. Hands down— The best fast food. It takes less than 5 minutes to make a green smoothie (and clean up!) and they’re super easy to take on the go– especially when you prep ahead.

I have started to crave green smoothies. If I’m not in the mood to cook, I just whip out my greens, fruit and choice of liquid and create something delicious and nutritious. After acquiring my brand new blender of the Gods, the Vitamix, making smoothies is more fun than ever.  To give my smoothies an extra boost, I include superfoods. But G, what is a superfood? Well, according to Oxford Dictionary a superfood is: a nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being. Here are a few of my go-to superfoods that are a must in all of my smoothies (or at least most of them- depending on the flavor):

  1. Screen Shot 2014-01-22 at 1.48.32 PMMaca: an ancient Peruvian tuber is a great natural source of energy. This adaptogen helps improve and attain balance in the body. It especially balances out the hormones helping tame PMS (you know those awful mood swings), increases fertility and helps boost mood as well as immunity. How can you go wrong with a little bit of maca? For maca newbies, start off with just a tablespoon in your smoothie and slowly increase to two tablespoons. An adScreen Shot 2014-01-22 at 1.48.54 PMded perk? It spices things up in the bedroom. Read more about the benefits of maca here.
  2. Camu Camu: this superfood has a sweet and sour flavor, which I really enjoy. It is an amazing source of vitamin C 
    containing 60 times more vitamin C than an orange! Camu is also a great anti-inflammatory, less inflammation equals less sickness.
  3. Flaxseed Oil (or Udo’s Omega Oil) is a great source of Omega 3’s. Not only do your Omega 3’s keep your heart healthy and Screen Shot 2014-01-22 at 1.49.23 PMdeliver a healthy dose of good fats to your system (more good fats help burn the bad ones), it boosts your mood. Ladies, that time of the month has us all over the place and we need all the help we can get. Aside from that, your skin becomes more radiant and supple. Winning!
  4. Raw Cacao Powder: I am a chocoholic. Anything with chocolate in it, I am all over it. I only recently started adding this tomScreen Shot 2014-01-22 at 1.49.38 PMy smoothies (obviously not the ones with orange juice or tart cherry juice as a base- mostly coconut water or unsweetened nut milk). We all know that chocolate is loaded with flavonoids and increases endorphins in the body giving you a feeling of etherial bliss, right? But in its raw form you are getting much more! It is high in magnesium, zinc, protein, calcium, fiber and more. Raw cacao can also improve digestion, promote cardiovascular function & health while also lowering blood pressure. I know I have more of a reason to LOVE chocolate (raw, of course).
  5. GreeScreen Shot 2014-01-22 at 1.48.13 PMn Powder: I love my smoothies extra green. Even though in most of my smoothies I put at least 2 cups of greens, I love to add an extra scoop or two of green powder to give it more of a boost. I can instantly feel the energy and power (unlimited power said in Darth Sidious’ voice). Right now I have two favorites: Amazing Grass Green Superfood Powder and Philosophie’s Green Dream. I’m starting to favor the Green Dream powder more since it comes with hemp protein and I don’t have to add something extra to my smoothie (not that I really mind!). Green powders give you an extra boost of energy and liveliness. Say goodbye to caffeine (okay, maybe not goodbye) and hello to a rejuvenated version of you!

If you need a little help getting started with your green smoothies the infographic below really helps you put one together or you can sign up for free smoothie recipes at Simple Green Smoothies:

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(**NOTE: OMIT THE SWEETENERS YOU DO NOT NEED IT. Chopped Medjool Dates are a great alternative to sweeteners) 

I hope you start to enjoy some green smoothies and experiment. Make it your own! Add superfoods and be merry!

Peace, love and NO beef!

Guramrit

And that’s me enjoying a super delicious green smoothie after some yoga!

Mama’s Green Soup for the Soul

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Working, running errands and actually having a life is really a lot of work and boy is it exhausting. Who in the world has time to whip up a full blown meal at the end of one of those “is this day ever going to end” days? Not I! This soup is probably the EASIEST and most nourishing soup you can possibly make (thank you mom). It takes no more than 10 minutes to prepare including blending time. Without further ado, here is the recipe!

What You Need:

  • 2 zucchini, quartered
  • 1 cup of parsley
  • 5 stalks of celery (or more depending on your like/dislike of celery), chopped
  • Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, to taste
  • Garlic Powder, to taste

How You Make It: 

  1. In a deep pan bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Toss in veggies and cook until celery and zucchini are tender.
  2. Remove most of the water, still reserving at least 1/4 cup. Let veggies cool for about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Toss into a blender (please be careful, this will be hot). Blend until desired consistency is achieved.
  4. Mix in garlic powder and Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (soy sauce or tamari works wonders as well). Serve immediately.

Benefits:

  1. Zucchini is loaded with Vitamin C- say hello to sexy skin, healthy immune system, overall wellbeing and farewell to free radicals ; it keeps your eyes healthy and strong (thanks to its phytonutrients); great source of Manganese, which is a great source of collagen, keeping your skin nice and supple, giving it that much needed bounce.
  2. Parsley helps detoxify our livers, helps cut down on the development of bad bacteria (the kind that makes your breath stink), protects your blood vessels, helps fight illness and more. Bring on the parsley! We love you!
  3. Celery is a great friend to those detoxing and for fans of Ants on a Log (think nut butter and raisins on top of a celery stick, yum). Celery reduces inflammation, keeps you calm, your body alkaline (too much acid = sickness), aids digestion and is said to give your sex life a boost.

Your mind, body and soul will appreciate this simple (and super healthy) soup.  Cozy on up on the couch and slurp up this green goodness. Who knew the simplest meal could taste so good?

Peace, love and NO beef.

Guramrit