Wednesday 28 September 2011

Easy Dinner :)

Rice Paper Wraps
Probably the easiest thing you can make!
Buy some rice paper at any Asian store or even at the Asian aisle at your local grocery store. It looks like this:

You are going to need a bowl of water to dip the rice paper before rolling it. It doesn't take long to get moist enough to wrap.

I used grated carrots, beets and guacamole for my wraps:

Carrots

Beets

The final product
Guacamole is very easy to make too: 

1 avocado (mashed)
lemon juice
1/2 onion (finely chopped)
2 tomatoes (chopped)
one splash of hot sauce (cause I like spicy food)

Very easy and very delicious!!!

Raw Aura!


If you live near Mississauga, I recommend you try this restaurant. The food is delicious and you can just relax and enjoy the flavours, because they use all organic, gluten-free, sugar-free ingredients. All raw, which is my favorite cuisine by far.

Some of the things I ate and love:
Collard Green Falafel

Lasagna

Big Kale Salad with live bread

Sweet and Sour Noodles

Burrito
Chocolate Banana Cake

Totally in love with their food! Raw Aura is definitely AWESOME!

Lentils

If you don't have a lot of time, but still want to eat something nutritious, then you should consider making some lentils. After you give them a good rinse, you put them in a big pot, cover them with water, let it boil and then simmer for 20 minutes more or less. When they are ready, chop one onion and lots of garlic. On a separate pot, add some olive oil and fry the onions and add the garlic. Add a ladle of lentils and some seasoning like onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, whatever you like in your food. I like hot chilly powder and sometimes a bit of Indian spices. Stir everything together and pour on the pot where the lentils are. So easy and so good!
You're probably going to end up eating everything, but if you don't, here's something delicious for you to do with the leftovers:

Lentil Hummus

Leftover lentils (just the lentils, not the saucey part) - I used about 3 cups
2 Tbsp tahini
4 cloves garlic
lemon juice
1 Tbsp Tamari

Put everything in a food processor or a blender and EAT! Soooo good you won't believe it!

Monday 19 September 2011

Rice Rice Rice!


I have to admit I was never a huuuge fan of rice. Until I discovered black rice. It's really easy to make and it's ready in 30 minutes. You can find it at the bulk store and cook it like regular rice. 2 cups of water or vegetable stock for 1 cup of rinsed rice. I usually just boil the rice with no added oil. Then when it's ready I can create something delicious.


dZ's happy rice

4 cups of cooked black rice
1 handful of sesame seeds
1 handful of sunflower seeds
1 handful of cashews
1 sweet potato (roasted)
1/2 cup of goji berries
1/2 cup of raisins
1 avocado, diced
1 tsp sesame oil

Mix and EAT!
This is super nutritious and guaranteed to make you HAPPY!

Quinoa

Even before I became vegan, I remember asking my dad to get me some quinoa at St. Lawrence Market. I love the nutty flavour and you can eat it on its own or mix it with veggies, seeds, goji berries and a touch of sesame seed oil. DELICIOUS!

Quinoa - pronounced keen-wah was once called "the gold of the Incas," who recognized its value in increasing the stamina of their warriors. Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Not only is quinoa's amino acid profile well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, but quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, this "grain" may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis.

You cook quinoa the same way to cook rice. First you have to rinse well. Then for each measure of quinoa, you double the water. Boil and 20 minutes later it's ready. You can use vegetable stock instead of water for some more flavour if you want.
I love quinoa salad! And one of my favorite salads is tabouleh, so instead of using bulgur wheat, I used quinoa instead. And it's awesome:

bunch of italian parsley, nice and clean, chopped
1 big sweet onion, chopped
a handful of mint, chopped (I have lots in my garden!)
1 cucumber, chopped
2 cups of cooked quinoa
juice of 2 lemons
olive oil (2tbsp)
himalayan salt
pepper

yummmmmmers!!!! 
I can eat this everyday in the summer! It's refreshing and makes the house smell really good! 




Sunday 18 September 2011

A little about me

I love animals. They are kind and respond to kindness. I also love sports. I cycle and play tennis. And I think that being healthy is the best thing you can do for yourself. So it wasn't difficult to give up meat, dairy and eggs. My decision was final after I watched Forks Over Knives. If you haven't seen this movie, you are missing on some vital info that could totally change your life. It changed mine. I was a different person after I left the movie theatre and from that day on, I never looked back. Becoming vegan was super easy and I looked up some recipes (OMG so many amazing vegan sites, so there is lots of support everywhere) and our meals became way more exciting than they used to be. So, I want to share my new passion with you. Food is part of what you are. By taking you along my food journey, you will get to know more about me.