Simple Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
2 T ghee
4 cloves garlic
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 small cinnamon stick
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon cardamom
2 star anise
a few whole cloves
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 orange, rind and juice
1 cup canned light coconut milk
2 large tomatoes, chopped, or 2 cups canned diced tomatoes
1 large eggplant, diced
1 pound yellow potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
sea salt to taste
1/2 pound green peas or green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Method:

In a blender, combine onion, peppers, garlic and broth and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Place a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and add ghee, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, anise, cloves, orange and coriander; stir constantly until fragrant and then add broth mixture. Simmer for 1 minute and then stir in coconut milk and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and stir in eggplant, potatoes and salt. Lower heat, cover the skillet and simmer until potatoes and eggplant are tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in green peas, cover, and cook until beans are tender, about 10 more minutes. Remove and discard cinnamon stick and star anise. Serve garnished with cilantro. Namaste

July 31, 2015 0

My Love for Truffles

Cinthia Worsey

Growing up in a tropical country where bananas, pineapples and mangos are part of our daily diet, I never came across anything like Truffles…. “The Diamond of the Kitchen,” as the French Gastronome Brillat Savarin called it. I remember the first time I smelled and tasted one. It was in my introduction to French Culinary Education with Chef Laundry at Le Cordon Bleu. It was a black truffle. He show the truffle to everybody and was making a huge fuss about it! It was this weird black looking fungi that almost looked like a black potato! I fell in Love with the smell and the taste. Instantly, I became a Truffle Lover!

I’ve been very fortunate to have worked for amazing French restaurants, where truffles were common place on the menus. I remember Chef Ludovic Lefevre and his amazing white truffle sauce, poured over a leg of chicken and potatoes…

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July 30, 2015 0

Mindful Eating : Using Your Senses

Cinthia Worsey

Have you ever caught yourself really starving tired by the end of the day? You just might want to shovel anything you can find on your way home, like a fast food restaurant or make it home just in time to microwave frozen store bought food to satisfy your hunger. Only to later make you feel full and unhealthy. Do you want to change your eating habits but you just don’t know how?

I use my senses when it comes to cooking food. Seeing, a combination of colors such as red, yellow, green, purple and dark browns. This can offer you a beautifully crafted dish that makes you salivate when you see it! Having pile of food thrown together on a plate, can be overwhelming and certainly unhealthy.

The soundsthat food makes when your cooking it is amazing, that sizzle! The steaming and bubbling of a stew, the sound of hearing bread…

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July 30, 2015 0

CHERRY SALSA!

Ingredients:

2 cups cherries, pitted and roughly chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Method:

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

July 29, 2015 0

DIY Refrigerator Pickles

July 28, 2015 0

NON-DAIRY ICE CREAM

Super tasty creamy ice cream without dairy? yes! it is possible… cashes are so versatile and it will give you the creaminess and texture that ice cream has. Try it out with different kinds of fruit. Enjoy!

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

12 oz. cashew butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 frozen bananas / sliced thin
10 oz. frozen raspberries or mango or cherries
1 T vanilla powder

Method:

Purée fruit and cashews butter in a food processor until smooth, Add bananas, honey, vanilla and purée again, scraping down the sides often, until very smooth. Transfer to a tightly sealed freezer-safe container and freeze until just solid, about 4 to 5 hours or overnight.

July 28, 2015 0

What is spirituality? This is what it is to me…

What is Spirituality?
Spirituality is not outside myself but within, being in spirit, being present in every day life, ordinary, simple … no concepts , no practices, nothing to be followed. Being spiritual is not something out there … another realm or place or that you are something special or something superhuman you have to accomplish… It’s ALL spiritual is not separated from daily existence, it’s your well being, your state of consciousness. The more “in spirit” you are the more ordinary and non-special you are then there that sense of appreciation, of abundance I look around and I see so much to be grateful for. There are many teachings , pointers to the truth but that’s all they are pointers telling you that what your are searching for is already within you …you just have discover it. The best spiritual reminder I can give you … is constantly ask yourself. What is my state of being this moment? what kind of emotions I have? what is my relationship with my being? is it align with my purpose? which is this present moment … always here. LOVE

July 25, 2015 0

MANGO CASHEW CREAM PARFAIT

Serves 6

Delicious creamy parfait to delight your palate without the guilt!

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh mango, chopped
2 cups cashew butter
2 tablespoons honey or apricot paste
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Pinch fine sea salt
1 cup blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Method:

Place fresh mangoes in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the cashew butter, honey, lemon zest and salt and purée until smooth. To assemble, layer fresh mango, cashew cream, raspberries and blueberries in parfait glasses. Top with almonds and additional zest if desired.

July 24, 2015 0

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower

1 1/2 plain yogurt

1 lemon, zested and juiced

2 T olive oil

1 T turmeric

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. cumin

1 T garlic powder

2 tsp. paprika

3 tsp. salt

chili pepper flakes to taste

Method:

preheat oven to 375 degrees. Trim the base of the cauliflower to remove any green leaves and the woody stem. In a large bowl combine the yogurt, lemon juice and zest, turmeric, cayenne, cumin, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper. Immerse the cauliflower into the bowl and use your hands to smear the marinade evenly its surface. Place the cauliflower in a prepared baking dish and roast until the surface its lightly brown about 3- to 45 minutes. Let the cauliflower cool before cutting into wedges.

July 22, 2015 0

CHIA PLUM JAM

Makes about 2 1/4 cups

This super-easy jam gets all its thickness from chia seeds, not from a ton of sugar.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds plums, diced (about 4 cups)
1 stick of cinnamon
Juice of one orange and zest
3 tablespoons chia seeds
Honey to taste (optional)

Method:

Combine plums, orange juice, zest and cinnamon. Add 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat, cover and cook, stirring frequently, until fruit is very soft, about 25 minutes. Stir in chia seeds and let cool slightly. Spoon into 1 large or several smaller glass jars, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to allow the jam to thicken. Taste the jam; if you would like it sweeter, stir in honey 1 teaspoon at a time. The jam will keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.