Baked Chickpea Ratatouille

Unfortunately I am not a big fan of eggplant, so I haven't found a ratatouille recipe that I really like yet. I came across this one from one of my favorite food websites, www.vegkitchen.com. I love chickpeas so I gave the recipe a try. Not only was it delicious but we had it for leftovers wrapped in a tortilla for lunch the next day. The mustard seeds and ginger in combination with the rest of the spices brought a delicious, aromatic dinner.

Notes:
Instead of the agave syrup as a sweetener, I used raw honey.
I used Eden Organics canned chickpeas
I served over quinoa, but I am sure it would be delicious with brown or wild rice as well

Recipe:
http://www.vegkitchen.com/recipes/bountiful-beans/bean-main-dishes/baked-chickpea-ratatouille/

Enjoy!

Health & Happiness,

Julie

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili

I made this chili Saturday evening and it was super yummy. It had a unique flavor that mixes up the "usual" chili taste and it was delicious. Instead of unsweetened cocoa powder I used raw cacao nibs, an excellent source of antioxidants and dietary fiber, by blending them in a coffee grinder.  Enjoy!

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili

• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped, or 1 heaping tablespoon of minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less, depending on how spicy you like your chili)
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ground sea salt and black pepper
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, including the liquid
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can vegetable broth
• garnish with sour cream, green onions, fresh cilantro or whatever you like

Instructions: In a 4 to 6 quart Dutch oven or stockpot, sautée the chopped vegetables in one to two tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high heat. You’ll need to stir the ingredients every few minutes so they can cook evenly. Once the onions start turning translucent, turn the heat down to medium-low. Add all of the spices and canned ingredients, and stir. Cover for about two hours, stirring occasionally. By the time your chili is done, the sweet potatoes should be nice and soft and the liquid should have reduced a bit, producing the hearty chili consistency that we all know and love.

Adapted from Real Simple

Wild Rice Stuffed Squash

Wild Rice Stuffed Squash

Serves 6

3 small acorn squash, cut in half crosswise

½ cup wild rice

½ cup long grain brown rice

2 cups water

Pinch of sea salt

1 T olive oil

1 leek, chopped

3 cloved garlic, crushed

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 t dried sage

1 t dried thyme

½ t Herbamare

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

½ cup dried cranberries (fruit juice sweetened)

¾ cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scoop out seeds and pith from squash and place them flesh side down in a glass baking dish filled with ¼ inch of water. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until squash is fork tender.

Prepare rice while squash is cooking. Add water, rice and sea salt to pot. Bring to boil then reduce to low and simmer for 45 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove pot from heat and let stand while preparing other ingredients.

Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and leeks. Saute about 3 minutes. Add crushed garlic, chopped celery, dried herbs and sea salt. Saute for 5 or 6 minutes. Place leek-celery mixture into a bowl. Add parsley, dried cranberries, pecans and cooked rice. Mix well. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

Evenly distribute mixture in the center of each half of squash. Place stuffed squash back into the pan and into the oven for 10 to 20 minutes, or until heated all the way through.

This Life That I Live

This past year has been an amazing journey of discovery, education, soul searching and life changing experiences. When I first enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), just over one year ago, I had no idea how much I would change and grow as an individual. I just wanted to educate myself as a Health Coach to guide and inspire others to improve their health and their lives by changing the way they were eating, just as I had. I discovered in myself a passion for cooking with fresh, whole food ingredients that coincided with incredible changes in my overall physical and mental health. It didn't take long after I discovered IIN to realize this was the career and the direction I had been searching for. Finally at the age of 31 I discovered what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

I expected to receive intense training in nutrition, coaching clients and  building a business. What I didn't expect was the change in myself that happened as the year unfolded. I was forced to deeply examine my life and finally deal with many things I had gotten really good at avoiding and setting aside. When I finally began to make significant changes over 2 years ago to improve my health, I thought I had it all figured out. I cleaned up my diet, lost 30 lbs, began exercising regularly and felt the happiest most energetic I had ever felt. My stubborn, passionate, fighter attitude pulled me through the many struggles I had dealt with for years.

The change first began when I gave birth to my son almost 5 years ago. Suddenly, everything I did affected a little person who was completely dependent on me. I decided to fight because I wanted to be there for my son. I jumped full force into treating the Lyme Disease that had  been discovered as being the reason I had suffered so many health issues since a young child. I fought through 18 months of intense treatment and at the end when I felt better, I realized I had been given a second chance at life. My physical health was amazing, I took up running, which I never thought I would be able to do, and the rest is history. I was inspired to empower others to take control of their health, just as I had done.

However, I began to discover that life happens and I still didn't have the tools to deal with the draining, emotional disappointments that happen in life. The past few years have been filled with joy, great accomplishments and success but also deep tragedy, loss, family illness, confusion and self doubt. I began to examine my life at a deeper level, discovering my authentic self so I could become an effective, compassionate health coach for my clients. I realized that my training at IIN was to not only help others, but to help myself. I have learned it is okay to ask for help, not to expect myself to be perfect and to take everything in stride. I recently told someone that I believe everything happens for a reason and I took it as a sign for the direction my life was taking me. They responded by telling me that no matter what happens or is thrown your way, it still comes down to a choice. I think about this everyday. It has helped me to let go and move on from things that are beyond my control. I have the choice to be happy and accepting of my life. I have the choice to let go and not carry everyone else's hardships or burdens. I have the choice to accept my life for what it is. At the end of the day I choose health and happiness. What do you choose?

Tofu: Should I eat it?

Soy products are now being highly criticized as being unhealthy for you when just a short time ago soy milk, soy formula and almost any soy product was touted as being a healthy option. Now it is bad for you. So confusing, right? So what is the deal? Do I eat soy products? I do, but in moderation. I eat tofu about once a week, miso, tempeh, and tamari soy sauce. The biggest issue with soy is that over 90% of soy is GM (genetically modified) and is heavily sprayed with pesticides. When I buy tofu, I choose organic and one that has been labeled as not containing any GMO ingredients. Miso, tempeh and soy sauce are all fermented soy products, which is very different from the processed products that contain TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) or soy lecithin. The products you want to avoid are: soybean oil, soy milk, soy cheese, soy "meat", soy protein, edamame and soy infant formula. You can read more information at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/09/18/soy-can-damage-your-health.aspx


Here is my new favorite tofu salad. The dressing is zesty and delicious and I love the spicy arugula with the avocado, probably one of my favorite foods on the planet! Enjoy.

Tofu Avocado Salad

2 T Brown Rice Syrup or Honey

1 T soy sauce

14 oz. extra firm tofu

1 t seeded jalapeno

Zest of one lemon

1 T lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

2 T olive oil

1 t red wine vinegar

¼ t salt

½ t ground pepper

½ cup  parsley

2 cups baby Arugula

 1 avocado

½ cup sunflower seeds

Combine brown rice syrup and soy sauce in a small bowl. Whisk well to combine. Lay the tofu cubes in a single layer in a casserole dish. Pour soy mixture over tofu, cover and marinate in fridge for 30 minutes. Flip cubes over with spatula and marinate for 30 minutes.

Combine jalapeno, lemon zest and juice, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper in medium bowl. Whisk together well to combine and set aside so flavors combine well.

After tofu is done marinating, remove from fridge and drain off any liquid. Toss together arugula and parsley. Place arugula on plates and drizzle with dressing. Top with tofu, avocado and sunflower seeds. 

The Act of Sabotage

Yes, that's right. I just used the s word. We all deal with it from time to time, many of us on a daily basis. We wake up with the best intentions to stick to the diet, be productive, go exercise and then something happens. Something inside our brain shifts and we lose track, make excuses and give in to that little voice even when we start out with success as the only option. We hear that little voice saying, "I will just eat healthy tomorrow. I just need to relax now and then I will get organized later. I think I will just start my exercise program tomorrow." Why does this happen? Why are we continually tested with the choices we make? 

The important thing to remember is that change for many of us is not easy and is inherently uncomfortable. Stepping outside our comfort zone is scary and we end up telling ourselves it just isn't worth the trouble. When we focus too much on the outcome or how hard we have to work to reach our goal we become overwhelmed and shut down. We start to doubt ourselves and feel like we just can't do it. Am I right? 

We must keep in mind that change and bettering ourselves is a true sign of growth. The path is always winding and we need to learn to expect the unexpected. Don Miguel Ruiz in his book, “The Four Agreements” refers to change as the parasite. He states that patterns don’t want to die; they are like a parasite that attacks the idea of new behavior. Just before you are about to have a breakthrough and new behavior is your new pattern, wham, the parasite kicks in full force. It will fight with all its might to not be eliminated, we then feel as though we are not capable of making this change." Although the outcome might not be what we expect we learn to accept what happens and see it as a part of the journey. The path to joy and enlightenment within us is rarely a straight path. Try to keep in mind that you are on a journey and that you really can't fail.

On those days when you question what you are doing, and say to yourself, "What is this all for anyway?",  know that something is ready to take place. Let yourself remain open, stay on your path, be able to sit with pain, and keep the end in sight. One day you will realize that the parasite is gone and the battle is no more. Protect your health, be present, and practice forgiveness, especially forgiving yourself. In the end, the act of forgiveness and true self love is what will bring you peace and happiness.