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World Tour: Navitas Naturals Blueberry Hemp Superfood Power Snack

April 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Blueberry Hemp Navitas Power Snacks ©JohnnaKnowsGoodFood

Traveling often brings great inspiration for new food to try. However, cheap flights and airline tickets weren’t involved in my latest exploration with a new food. I was recently given the opportunity to try Navitas Naturals‘ newly-launched bite-sized goodies – Blueberry Hemp Superfood Power Snacks, and boy was I in for a nutritional treat.

I’m not exactly what you would call a healthy eater. I love my veggies and I do believe in moderation for sweets and fried food, but when I consider all of the pescatarians, vegetarians, and vegans out there, I think that the meals I partake that I enjoy don’t exactly make the healthy meter explode – and I’m okay with that! :-) I say this to highlight how surprised I was with my enjoyment of the Blueberry Hemp Snacks. At first glance, for an individual who has not dived into the completely natural/organic, super healthy-eating lifestyle, these cubed snacks can look unattractively foreign. However, when I bit into the first one, I found myself pleasantly surprised. The texture is different and took me a minute to get used to; however, the taste was very pleasing. I found it to be just the right amount of sweet and just the right amount of nutty and it reminded me a lot of my childhood favorites – raisins.

Not only was I pleased with the taste, but I was amazed at all of the benefits – from nutritional value to being diet-friendly for many! Certified organic, high in fiber and vitamin C, good source of omega fatty acids and antioxidants, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, no refined sugars AND no artificial colors or flavors. Talk about a superfood! I enjoyed the power snacks and was actually bit disappointed when I got to the bottom of my bag.

 

 

Filed Under: Food.Fun.Stuff., health concious, Product Review, vegetarian, World Tour Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Guest Post: Eating Vegan and Enjoying It

January 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

©JohnnaKnowsGoodFood

If you’ve thought about going vegan but thought you can’t do it, you probably haven’t eaten really good vegan food before. The benefits of a vegan diet are widely touted—weight loss, better skin, more energy—but you have to do your research to discover truly good vegan restaurants and recipes.

Start By Dining At A Vegan Restaurant

To get a taste of the possibilities of life as a vegan, find a local vegan restaurant that has good ratings. Depending on where you live, this may be easy or difficult (and in some parts of the country, impossible). Check into a local coop to see if you can find some vegans there, and ask for recommendations on places to eat.

For example, check out the menu at Millennium in San Francisco where you’ll discover gourmet entrees such as cauliflower and lemongrass coconut risotto, molasses and thyme glazed smoked tempeh, and roasted winter squash and quince bastilla. Or, for a more playful twist on amazingly tasty vegan food, check out a Café Gratitude in California, where you can try something like I AM HAPPY live almond hummus with buckwheat and flax crackers or I AM GROUNDED roasted potatoes drowning in spicy cashew nacho “cheese” sauce.

Learn How To Cook With An Experienced Vegan Chef

Once you’ve tasted a few delectable vegan goodies at excellent restaurants, you’ll want to enroll in cooking classes so you can learn how make tasty dishes using new and unusual cooking methods (without the meat, eggs, or dairy). For example, you need to learn how to properly drain and prepare tofu so you won’t have a bad experience, and you’ll really want to learn how to make tempeh from an expert. This way you’ll learn the tricks of the trade before you attempt to go vegan on your own.

Gather Good Recipes

Finally, you’ll want to stock your pantry with essential vegan foodstuffs and stock your bookshelves with a couple good vegan recipe books. Try Skinny Bitch In The Kitchen by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin and the I Am Grateful Recipe Book for starters.  Give yourself some time to try recipes and identify which menu items work best for your palate.

If you take the time to ease into a vegan lifestyle, arming yourself with some good facts, recipes, and restaurants, you’ll be more likely to stick with it. Explore your options, but most importantly, enjoy the process! Bon appétit!

Dibs on the author: Amanda Tradwick is a grant researcher and writer for CollegeGrants.org. She has a Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Delaware, and has recently finished research on grants for black women and illinois grants for college

Filed Under: Announcements, Food.Fun.Stuff., vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,

Recipe of the Week: Quinoa for Breakfast

June 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

 

©JohnnaKnowsGoodFood

1 cup quinoa (*cook according to package directions)

½ cup green peas (*Frozen)

½ cup red onions (diced)

Salt & Pepper (*to taste)

2 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

1 egg

Olive Oil

Hollandaise Sauce (*for garnish) (*Packet can be found at your local grocery store or you can make from scratch using this recipe here)

Cook quinoa according to package directions. In a small skillet, add in about 1 tbsp. olive oil and sauté red onions over medium heat until softened; remove from heat. Heat green peas according to package directions. Cook hollandaise sauce according to package directions or use recipe here. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, peas, onions, salt, pepper and red wine vinegar; combine by folding ingredients into bowl. In a small skillet, add about 1 tbsp. olive oil and add in egg; cook on both sides for 1-2 minutes (*to make overhard). Spoon about 3-4 tbsp. of quinoa mixture on plate; top with egg and hollandaise and serve.

*Johnna’s tip: I have a new obsession with quinoa. With that being said, it’s no surprise that I am trying to come up with every way to jazz up the grainy substance. On this particular day, I had a craving for breakfast and quinoa. My fave breakfast food is eggs florentine so I thought I would marry the two and here we have egg topped quinoa with hollandaise. Not totally outside the box, but it hit the spot and took 10 minutes.

Filed Under: breakfast, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,

Curried Chickpeas

May 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

*It’s rare that I meet someone that cooks and I do not request a recipe.  Anupy Singla is no exception.  I was able to snag this Curried Chickpeas recipe from the best selling cookbook author which is not only simple to make but filled with tons of flavor.

Rasa walla Kabuli Chana | Slow cooker size: 5-quart • Cooking time: 14 hours on high • Yield : 13 cups (3.08 L)

Like rajmah, this dish is a staple in virtually every North Indian home—and for a good reason. It’s delicious and filling. It’s also a great non-meat protein alternative for many Indians—vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The key to making this dish authentic is to include a hint of tartness. The spice blend, chana masala, is critical because in addition to the basic spices, it also incorporates mango and pomegranate powders for a slightly sour taste. This slightly soupy dish is a perfect comfort food after a long day at work.

3 cups (603 g) dried chickpeas, cleaned and washed thoroughly

1 medium yellow or red onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 medium tomato, diced

1 (2-inch [5 cm]) piece ginger, peeled and chopped or grated

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped, minced, or grated

4–6 green Thai, serrano, or cayenne chilies, stems removed, chopped

1 tablespoon (15 mL) cumin seeds

1 tablespoon (15 mL) ground coriander

1 tablespoon (15 mL) garam masala

1 tablespoon (15 mL) chana masala

1 tablespoon (15 mL) red chili powder

2 tablespoons (30 mL) salt

1 teaspoon (5 mL) turmeric powder

12 cups (2.84 L ) water

2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh cilantro, chopped

Thinly sliced red onion, for garnish

Lime wedges, for garnish

1. Put the chickpeas, onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, green chilies, cumin, coriander, garam masala, chana masala, red chili powder, salt, turmeric, and water in the slow cooker.

2. Cook on high for 14 hours. Toward the end of cooking time, use the back of a large spoon to mash some of the beans against the walls of the slow cooker or pulse 2 or 3 times with an immersion blender. Add the cilantro.

3. To serve, sprinkle sliced onions on top and eat with a lime wedge on the side accompanied by roti or naan, or in a bowl over basmati or brown rice.

Try This! Toast a hamburger bun. Place a slice of cheese (any kind) on each half of the bun and heap on a spoonful of chana and fresh, diced onions. It’s a fast and healthy veggie alternative to the open-faced sandwich. My kids love this as a snack. For them, I like to use mini whole-wheat dinner rolls.

To make this dish in a 3½-quart slow cooker, halve all the ingredients and proceed with the recipe. A half recipe makes 6 cups (1.42L).

Filed Under: Crock Pot, health concious, Various Cooking Styles, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,

One Food, Five Ways

March 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

©JohnnaKnowsGoodFood "Guacamole from Minibar"

The Avocado has long been regarded as an incredible source of health and vitality. Its widespread use in the cuisine of tropical cultures is attributed to essential nutrients that it provides. The avocado has served as a substitute for meats and other high fat content foods throughout history. Particularly in regions and cultures where where fatty fish and red meat are scarce due to climate, or geography.

Today the avocado remains a great source of Monounsaturated oleic acid which can help lower your cholesterol and raise levels of High Density Lipoproteins (HDL aka ‘good cholesterol’). The average avocado contains around 9.8 grams of unsaturated fat, approximately 14% of the recommend 67 grams in 2000 calorie diet.

The avocado also contains about 28% of your recommended B5 (pantothenic acid) intake, a nutrient necessary to maintain the health of the nervous system and creation of cholesterol, but also has other uses in healing wounds, and fighting acne. Which is why avocado is a prevalent ingredient in many beauty and cosmetic products.

As healthy eating has taken root in the form of vegetarian cuisine, many chefs have rediscovered, and recreated the use of the avocado as a healthy alternative to meat and fish. Also popular are drinks and ice creams from South Asia that make use of the avocados great flavor, texture and nutritional properties. Here are a few ways to enjoy the avocado

Guacamole

Whats not to like here. This classic Mexican dish which gets its name from the its roots in Aztec cuisine. It can be served in a variety of ways but usually as a side to grilled meets, or as a dip. It involves a a few simple ingredients; tomatoes garlic, onions, salt and pepper, lemon juice and of course avocados. Great on a really hot summer day, or the dead of winter when you need a pick me up. Guacamole is perfect match for an ice cold Negra Modela, or spicy Mexican inspired cuisine or any combination of the four.

Mexican Quiche

Though quiche is a classic northern french dish with an etymology stemming from high German; the Mexican quiche combines old world sophistication and complexity, with the simple and accessible flavors of Latin America. Simply lay the avocados on the bottom of the baking pan, and pour the egg and cheese mix over the top. Bake for about 45 minutes and and add a spoonful of chopped scallions, avocado and tomatoes drizzled with a bit of lime juice on top. If you really want to splurge add a bit of sour cream on top prior to serving.

Avocado salad

Or Salad with avocado, either way its great. Take your lettuce, or whatever your preferred pre-washed mix of greens is add tomatoes, sliced red onions, cranberries, walnuts and a whole avocado. Sparingly add salt, pepper and garlic and the dressing of your choice. I personally like to use a time tested blend of Grey Poupon, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a minced garlic clove. There are also endless avocado salad creations ike grilled shrimp, and chicken salads made primarily with the ultra healthy alligator pear.

Avocado Omelet

this is the breakfast of champions and its really simple! Saute scallions, mushrooms chives and tomatoes and then add two well beaten eggs into the pan. Sprinkle your choice of cheese on top (grated Monterrey Jack never fails) and enjoy.

Avocado on the side of everything and anything

If you haven’t noticed, I love avocados. They have been a staple in my house every since I was a kid. As long as there is a ripe avocado to be pealed it will end up on the side of my plate for lunch or dinner. That means everything from chicken, red snapper, to any combination of rice, meat, and beans. I even order my hamburger from my favorite burger joint with an avocado on top. It might be overkill, but it is my way of giving props to one of the most under appreciated vegetables available.

*A. Jasper is currently enrolled in online nursing classes and enjoys discussing the pros and cons of a biblical counseling degree.

Filed Under: health concious, vegetarian Tagged With: ,
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