Tag: vegan eats

Yogi’s Pad Thai

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Detoxifying Red Lentil Dahl

Whoa baby, this heat just decided to come out of no where and say heeeeey.

And starting tomorrow I’m getting back on my cool food consumption. This fiery weather really is pushing me towards that simple, clean, light eating but of course, something that still tastes good. Okay I have other factors motivating me as well (running a 7 day cleanse and um…my wedding).

The last few months have flown right on by and our wedding is just about 3 months away at this point. My dress has finally arrived and bestabelieve I tried that thang on. It fits like a glove. But like every bride I’m sure, eating light and making sure everything stays right and tight is top priority.

That’s where this raw salad comes from.

This “pad thai” is not really a pad thai. The sauce is really the main thing that makes me think of pad thai without the added heaviness of noodles. It’s zesty, tangy and filling without leaving you bloated, uncomfortable and dissatisfied. I’m all about that satisfaction.

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Bananas for Banana Bread

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Over the last few weeks or so I have found myself really drawn to self-care and self-love. I wake up slowly, move slowly, don’t force myself to adhere too strict of deadlines to keep me less anxious. I’m also treating myself to really grounding, calming foods. Yeah, that is totally a treat to me. As weird as that may sound to some, taking the conscious effort and making the time to create something is absolutely an act of self-love and self-care.

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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