Yogi Bhajan’s Pasta e Fagioli

January 29, 2014Leave a comment

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:

In a large pan, sauté carrots, leek and garlic until translucent. Lightly salt and pepper and continue to stir. Toss in beans and stir.
Toss in the rest of the ingredients except pasta. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes.
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.
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

January 22, 2014January 25, 20141 Comment

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:

Natural energy booster to keep a little pep in your step in the morning (and during those afternoon slumps).
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).
Stay healthy all-year-long. Simple way to boost your immune system when you’re feeling under the weather.
Packed with disease-fighting antioxidants. The phytonutrients in leafy greens boost your body’s immune system and keep it functioning properly.
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):

Maca: 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 added perk? It spices things up in the bedroom. Read more about the benefits of maca here.
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.
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 deliver 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!
Raw Cacao Powder: I am a chocoholic. Anything with chocolate in it, I am all over it. I only recently started adding this tomy 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).
Green 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:

(**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

January 17, 2014January 17, 2014Leave a comment

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:

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

Benefits:

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.
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!
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

Meyer Lemon and Almond Risotto

January 14, 20142 Comments

In 2011 after graduating from college, I went on a little Euro-trip with my best friend, Xiomara. As a food connoisseur (foodie for short), I was in heaven the moment we landed in Italy. One of my favorite dishes is risotto. The creaminess, the heartiness as well as the love and soul that goes into a great bowl of risotto makes my taste buds and heart sing. I have to admit, it is a tedious and exhausting process. Traditionally risotto calls for wine but we didn’t have any on hand so we just added a little more veggie stock. If you can get the wine, bring it! It adds another dimension of flavor. Get ready for a delicious meal and arm workout!

What You Need:

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
1-2 tablespoons of butter (Vegan Butter, Earth Balance Soy Free Spread is Fab)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of finely chopped shallots
1 cup of arborio rice (or short grain brown rice, which I opted for in this recipe)
3-4 cups of vegetable stock (there’s more flavor in stock), warmed and set to the side
1 cup of white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio- only use wine you actually would drink)
1 cup of frozen peas
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup of chopped slivered almonds (you can toast them if you would like for added flavor)
2 Meyer Lemons, juice and zest
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley (opt for flat parsley, not curly)
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

How You Make It:

Heat oil in a heavy pot. Add one tablespoon of butter to the oil. Toss in shallots and garlic. Cook over medium low heat for about 5 minutes.
Turn up the heat and toss in rice. Mix thoroughly until completely coated with the oil mixture. Add the glass of wine (if you’re not using wine, add a ladle full of stock) and scrape the pot to deglaze (AKA removing the crusty bits at the bottom of the pan)
Stirring frequently, slowly add a ladle full of stock at a time. Once the previous ladle full has been absorbed, add another ladle full. Continue this process until you have used up to 3 cups of the stock. Test the rice. If the rice is tender, do not add the last cup of stock. If there is still a bite to the rice, add the final cup and continue to cook until the stock is absorbed.
Toss in peas and tomatoes. Stir to combine. Slowly stir in the final tablespoon of butter for creaminess. Season with salt and pepper.
Once peas are fully cooked, add the juice and zest of both lemons, almonds and parsley. Add more salt if needed.
Serve immediately.

My favorite part about risotto has to be eating it with loved ones and seeing their smiles. You can serve this with some fresh sautéed veggies on the side or with some bruschetta if you’re having an Italian themed dinner. The best part about this recipe is it doesn’t contain any cheese or actual butter to make it overly heavy. You can enjoy the comfort of this classic Italian dish without overindulging.

Buon Appetito!

Peace, love and NO beef!

Guramrit

Guiltless Fettuccine Alfredo

January 11, 2014January 10, 20142 Comments

I’ve been on the search for a vegan version of an Alfredo sauce since…forever. I loved making Fettuccine Alfredo when I ate dairy but even then it would not play nice with my stomach. I went on a search yesterday to satisfy this craving and found a fool proof recipe for Alfredo sauce. When I say this recipe was simple, I mean simple. I popped the ingredients in my Vitamix and within a minute this sauce was ready. The longest part of this recipe was cooking the pasta, but trust me the wait is worth it!

Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

What You Need:

1 can of unsweetened coconut milk

1/2 cup Nutritional Yeast Flakes

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 tablespoon of dried basil (you can use fresh as well)

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and black pepper

1/4 cup of Daiya Mozzarella Vegan Cheese Shreds (optional)

How You Make It:

1. Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender. Blend. Pour over your favorite pasta. Enjoy!

Suggestions:

Serve with brown rice fettuccine pasta and broccoli or peas. Serve with a delicious glass of white wine and bask in the glory of not feeling bloated or guilty!

Benefits:

1. Nutritional Yeast is jam packed with: Vitamin B-12 (us vegans need this as it is only really present in meat and dairy products for the most part), it is high in protein (2 tablespoons = 9 grams of protein!), high in fiber, it’s gluten free and is a great source of folic acid.

2. Coconut Milk has good fats to help you feel full which keeps you from overeating and helps you burn fat. How awesome is that? The creamy goodness of coconut milk is also great for your hair and skin while also boosting your immunity.

Peace, love and NO beef (more Alfredo sauce, please)

Guramrit