Tag: wellness

Meyer Lemon and Almond Risotto

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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!

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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: 

  1. 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.
  2. 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)
  3. 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.
  4. Toss in peas and tomatoes. Stir to combine. Slowly stir in the final tablespoon of butter for creaminess. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Once peas are fully cooked, add the juice and zest of both lemons, almonds and parsley. Add more salt if needed.
  6. 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

Beyond Sushi, Beyond Amazing

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The Mighty Mushroom and Green Machine

I’m a huge fan of sushi and I mean the veggie rolls that are simple, healthy and don’t make you feel bad after eating almost 10. Serve me up a good avocado or cucumber roll with a side of edamame and I’m a happy camper. Though veggie rolls are great, they lack real flavor. Aside from the soy sauce on the side with the wasabi, there is no real depth to the flavor of these rolls (not that there is anything wrong with that). Today for lunch I ate at a remarkable vegan sushi joint, Beyond Sushi. You may be skeptical initially, but I promise this is perfectly filling and the genius behind this place has really done his work jazzing up the plainest of vegetables and making them exquisite. Let us leave your preconceived notions on sushi behind and open up your mind to the possibility that vegan sushi could be your new favorite thing.

La Fiesta Roll

Let me start off by saying the location I visited was pretty much a hole in the wall but it was cozy, perfect for wintertime lunches with friends. I instantly felt at home. It radiated sustainable eating, animal kindness and fine dining all at the same time. Who wants to eat at a vegan restaurant that doesn’t have ambiance and doesn’t convince you to eat there over and over again? I walked in, got cozy and started salivating at the many options available to me. This was heaven for a vegan foodie! The menu is impeccable. From the Mighty Mushroom (my favorite)–rolled with  six grain rice (their own unique blend-how fab is that?), enoki, shiitake, tofu and micro arugula and carefully topped with a sensationally sweet  yet savory shiitake teriyaki sauce which perfectly coats the palate, sending your tastebuds on a wild ride–to their delicate mango, tofu or seaweed individual rolls, this is truly a godsend for us sushi loving vegans.

Miso Soup

Miso Soup

Say sayonara to boring cucumber rolls and say hello to rolls worthy of vegan high priestesses (if those even exist). All I know is, I wanted to practically lick my plate clean and was sad once the meal was over- for me, this is a rare occasion.

Head on over to Beyond Sushi for lunch or your next dinner date with your favorite vegan, I promise you will not be disappointed.

Check out Beyond Sushi at these awesome locations:

Beyond Sushi:  229 East 14th St. New York, NY 10003                    

The Green Roll: 75 Ninth Avenue  New York, NY 10011 

Peace, love and NO Beef! 

Guramrit

Vegan Corn Chowda’

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If you can’t tell, I’m in a soup mood. After a long day at work, running errands or anything else that takes over the day, putting on a pot of soup is really the ultimate comfort. One thing I have missed about eating dairy is the creaminess cheeses, heavy cream and milk give to soups, mac and cheese and lasagna. I am lucky enough to have figured out a way to get the same creamy goodness of a non-vegan corn chowder and made it vegan! Say sayonara to the dairy version and say HELLO to this tasty soup that is sure to please your loved ones.

What You Need: 

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 5 small red potatoes, diced
  • 1/2 cup celery, chopped
  • 1/2 cup carrot, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
  • 3 cups of vegetable stock
  • 3 cups of sweet corn (either fresh or frozen-whatever is available)
  • 1 4 oz. can of finely diced jalapeños
  • 1/2 cup of dairy free creamer (coconut creamer is THE best if you can find it)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

How To Make it: 

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot and add onions, garlic, celery and carrot. Sauté until golden. Add potatoes and stir to coat. Let cook over medium high heat for a few minutes.

2. Add stock and mix well. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat and cover until potatoes are tender.

3. Add can of jalapeños, corn, dairy free creamer to the mixture. Stir and continue to cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.

4. Add salt and pepper to soup. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately with some sprouted grain toast or your favorite crackers!

Bon Appetit (oh and don’t forget no beef here)

 

Vegan Tortilla Soup

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Happy New Year everyone! I am excited for a whole new year of blogging, eating, dancing, yoga-ing and more! I am thrilled to share that for Christmas my very thoughtful (and smart) boyfriend bought me a Vitamix. As a result, I will be in the kitchen even more than before experimenting with nut milks, smoothies, soups, nut butters, sorbets and more. I cannot wait to share these incredible recipes with you. Here’s to a healthier, happier and more delicious year! 

Let’s get 2014 started with a very simple yet comforting soup. Upgrade your taco night with a soup even the meat eater in your life will love! 

What You Need: 

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large white onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 2 ears fresh corn
  • 1/2 cup green onion, chopped 
  • 3 tbsp ground cumin
  • One 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 jalapeño, chopped 
  • 3 cups vegetable broth/stock
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds (this helps thicken the broth)
  • 1-2 cans black beans (or beans of choice)
  • salt & pepper & crushed red chili pepper, to taste
  • Bag of your favorite tortilla chips (I’m a fan of blue corn tortilla chips)

How to Make it: 

1. In a large pot over medium to low heat, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes (or until translucent). 

2. Chop the peppers, zucchini, green onion, and remove corn from cob (use a knife and slice off the cob down the four corners). Add the veggies to the pot and sauté for an additional 5-10 minutes.

3. Add crushed tomatoes, cumin, broth, beans and chia seeds. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Simmer on low-medium heat for 25-30 minutes. 

4. After the soup simmers, ladle into bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips and your favorite toppings (avocado, vegan cheese, more green onions). Serve immediately and enjoy! 

Peace, love and no beef y’all! 

Guramrit 

Vegan Broccoli Cheeze Soup

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As I continue to heal and recover from my concussion, I am really fond of making soups. I have little to no energy to create extravagant meals and soups are the best. One of the things I miss about pre-veganism are creamy soups so I decided to take on a vegan version of one of my favorites: Broccoli Cheese. This vegan take is sure to have you convinced that this is JUST as good as the dairy version and just a tad better for your health!

Here is my adapted version of a recipe I found on my favorite Vegan blog, Oh She Glows. Check it out!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 2 large heads of broccoli,  chopped (or 2 bags of precut broccoli from Trader Joes)
  • 2 large peeled & chopped potatoes
  • 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 cup water
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast 
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or crushed red pepper flakes)
  • Vegan cheeze sauce, divided (see below for recipe)
  • Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste
  • Daiya cheese, to garnish
  • Smoked Paprika, to garnish

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil, onion, and garlic over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Cook for about 5-6 mins.

2. Add in the celery, broccoli, and potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes. Now, add the broth, nutritional yeast, and cayenne pepper and simmer for another 15 mins or so until the potatoes are just fork tender.

3. Meanwhile, prepare your cheeze sauce (see below) while the soup simmers.

4. Carefully transfer the soup (in two batches) into a blender. Blend until almost smooth and place back into the pot. Stir in the cheeze sauce. **PLEASE BE CAREFUL AS SOUP WILL BE HOT**

5. Top the soup with Daiya cheese and serve immediately!

Cheeze Sauce (yields just about 1 2/3 cup of sauce):

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cup unsweetened, unflavoured coconut milk
  • 3/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp cashew cheese (optional, not needed)
  • 1/4 cup Daiya cheddar cheese
  • 1 tbsp Earth Balance or other non-dairy buttery spread
  • 2 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1. In a skillet or pot, melt the Earth Balance over medium heat.

2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour and 1/4 cup milk until all clumps are gone.

3. Whisk in the remaining milk (1.25 cups) as well as the milk and flour mixture into the pot. Now whisk in the nutritional yeast, cashew cheese and Daiya cheese. Reduce heat to low-medium.

4. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste and whisk frequently over low heat until the sauce thickens up, for 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to burn it. Remove from heat once thick.

I made a few adaptations to this cheeze sauce recipe since I’m not a huge fan of mustard and I really, really love the flavor and creaminess of cashew cheese. I’m sure this will be a hit at dinner tonight!

I hope you all enjoy this fabulous and delicious recipe. I enjoyed it twice, for dinner and lunch! Yum!

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Peace, love and NO BEEF!

GK