By Jennifer Reilly RD LD on October 17, 2011
Healthy food fast is easy if you have the right ingredients in your arsenal and don’t let stress or time gum up your nutrition as a top priority. Here are 10 essential ingredients that will maximize your chances of success in today’s busy world. Having the right quick ingredients on hand will help you continue cloud surfing your way through health euphoria even on extra rushed and wild days. Always have on hand:
1. Organic Salad Greens. Salad doesn’t have to take hours of prep or your life savings to enjoy. Get a bunch of tasty, dark, salad greens, and enjoy them daily with nothing but low-fat dressing, or a tad of brown rice vinegar, olive oil, and sea salt. The greens can be pre-washed, but know that they often spoil faster.
2. Low-Fat Salad Dressing, or Olive Oil + Brown Rice Vinegar in a 2:1 ratio. Even the cutest of tushes need salad dressing on their greens. One of my favorite bottled dressings is Trader Joe’s Light Champagne Vinaigrette. But when it’s out of stock in my fridge, the olive oil/brown rice vinegar/sea salt combo or the following tahini dressing are perfect for dolling up the lettuce mountain.
Tahini Dressing for Veggies
Makes 1 cup (16 Tablespoons)
Prep time 3 minutes
1/3 cup tahini?(sesame seed butter)
1/3 cup water
¼ cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
3/4 tsp salt
1 Blend ingredients together until smooth. Add additional water, 1 Tbsp at a time, for a thinner dressing.
2 Store dressing in the fridge for up to 5 days. Stir or re-blend if dressing separates.
NUTRITION SNAPSHOT
Per Tbsp: 35 calories, 3 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 115.5 mg sodium, 1.5 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 1 g protein, 0% vitamin A, 3% vitamin C, 2.5% calcium, 3% iron
Note: Alternatively, use unsalted almond butter in place of tahini for an equally delicious dressing.
Recipe from: Cooking with Trader Joe’s Cookbook: Skinny Dish! by Jennifer K. Reilly, RD.
3. Dried Beans or Lentils: On a slow Sunday, cook up a heap of dried beans (pinto and black are favorites) or lentils (which only take about 20 minutes) and then freeze them in 1-cup portions for quick access anytime. Just drain and toss them on a salad, into a stir-fry, burrito, or stirred into soup. Or blend cooked beans or lentils with 1 cup salsa for a fast bean dip or sandwich spread. To do a “quick soak” for beans, cover them with water in a large cooking pot and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for an hour. Drain water. Add new water. Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 1 more hour.
4. Quinoa: (“keen-wah”). When you’re rushed for dinner, brown rice–or even white rice for that matter–takes way too long to cook. Quinoa is not only a great rice substitute rich in fiber and protein (and a gluten-free food), but it only takes 15 minutes to cook. Get pre-rinsed quinoa if you can, or rinse the seeds vigorously in water before cooking to remove the saponins. Quinoa is a seed that’s eaten like a whole grain, and can even be mixed with fruit, nuts, cinnamon, and non-dairy milk for a fast breakfast the next morning.
5. Berries: Fresh or frozen. Raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are so full of life-extending compounds while also being rich in fiber and low in calories, that you’re better off opting FOR these sweet little miracle makers at meal or snack time. Toss them into breakfast cereals or smoothies, atop salads, or eat them by the handful. Sure feels better than the sugar crash of a vending machine candy bar!
6. Non-Dairy Milk: Fortified almond, coconut, hemp, oat, or soy milk have all the calcium and vitamin D of dairy milk, less sugar, better taste, fewer calories, and don’t cause mucous production, inflammation, and weight gain the way dairy milk does. Enjoy unsweetened almond milk with 45 calories & 0 grams of sugar per cup or original coconut milk beverage–include it in smoothies, pour it onto a bowl of high-fiber breakfast cereal, or add it to tea. Mmm!
7. Broccoli: The florets are so full of antioxidants, cancer-fighters, and hormone regulators, and they’re not a particular threat to pests. So, conventionally grown broccoli isn’t riddled with pesticides, which means it’s OK if you can’t buy organic. Steam, roast, stir-fry, or curry it (cook with curry powder and light coconut milk, see below), or dip the florets in bean dip for a satisfying snack.
8. Canned Coconut Milk: Canned light or full-fat coconut milk (1/2 cup or more) and curry powder (2 tsp) can turn any veggie or veggie combo into a gourmet curry dish. Add beans for protein and serve over quinoa.
9. Kale: Rich in blood pressure busting chlorophyll, immune-boosting antioxidants, and calcium that is absorbed twice as well as dairy calcium, kale is a true powerhouse. Juice it, toss it into smoothies, stir-fries, or bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes with a touch of olive oil and salt (stir after 15 minutes and return to the oven) for a crunchy veggie side dish even kids will crave.
10: Dark Chocolate: A few squares will powerfully satisfy your sweet tooth and are loaded with antioxidants. Work from a large bar—a small piece at a time—so you aren’t tempted by other sweet foods in the office or at home.
For more quick and easy plant-powered recipes including a whole host of 8-minute meals, check out Cooking with Trader Joe’s Cookbook: Skinny Dish! by Jennifer K. Reilly, R.D., with foreword by Kris Carr which launches today!
Photo credit: Ula Nice
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By Kris Carr on October 27, 2010
Calling all armchair chefs!
I could fill a dang library with the number of raw and cooked recipe books I’ve picked up over the years, and there are certainly some chefs who have knocked my socks off more than others. It’s not easy to choose only five in each category, but here are some of the most accessible (and delicious) books I use on a regular basis. And remember, get crazy sexy free and gutsy in the kitchen, don’t feel chained to the ingredient list or instructions. Add your own jazz to the recipes. Your taste buds are uniquely yours. Listen to them. When you do, creating healthy meals will be fun and nourishing for your body and soul. Oh and, let us know about your favorite raw and cooked recipe books in the comments!
Raw
1. I Am Grateful: Recipes and Lifestyle of Cafe Gratitude by Terces Engelhart
Terces and Matthew Engelhart have created six righteous raw food restaurants in California. As an extension of their Café Gratitude restaurants, the Engleharts started the Be Love Farm, where they live in community and practice a sustainable lifestyle while growing food using the biodynamic method. This rockin’ philosophy on life and food has been infused into Terces’ amazing raw food book, which is packed with easy-to-follow recipes that have names like “I Am Luscious” raw chocolate smoothie and “I Am Bountiful” bruschetta!
2. RAWvolution: Gourmet Living Cuisine by Matt Amsden
Matt Amsden switched to a raw food lifestyle overnight after hearing an interview with David Wolfe. Since then, he has opened Euphoria loves RAWvolution, a groovy live food café, which also features lots of raw food and raw living goodies. Matt’s book, RAWvolution, caters to all levels of experience and gives readers an inside look at his own raw food transition. His tips will get you on your way to success in the kitchen even if you don’t have fancy tools!
3. Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen: Easy, Delectable Living Foods Recipes by Ani Phyo
Ani Phyo puts mama earth first with her raw food lifestyle. Her dedication to healthy whole foods started early while growing up on an organic farm. Today, Ani is sharing her mouth-watering recipes through her numerous books and live raw demos across the country. She’s even developed living food vegan menus for Carnival Cruise Lines, Adidas headquarters, STOMP and Whole Foods Markets!
4. Living Raw Food: Get the Glow with More Recipes from Pure Food and Wine by Sarma Melngailis
Over the course of her career, Sarma Melngailis jumped from the world of finance to French cuisine to raw food. Currently, she is the owner of raw food mecca, Pure Food and Wine in NYC. In “Living Raw Food,” Sarma takes us inside the Pure kitchen and gives us the key to everything from their smoothies to elegant raw entrees.
5. Living on Live Food by Alissa Cohen
Time and time again, I return to Alissa’s book. It’s my raw recipe bible! She’s been eating raw and teaching others about live food goodness since 1986. Alissa took her raw food passion a step further by opening Grezzo restaurant in Boston and creating the Living on Live Food Program for aspiring chefs and educators. Alissa’s new book,”Raw Food for Everyone,” will be on shelves October 28!
Cooked
1. The Candle Cafe Cookbook: More Than 150 Enlightened Recipes from New York’s Renowned Vegan Restaurant by Joy Pierson, Bart Potenza, Barbara Scott-Goodman
After winning the lottery, my dear friends Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza started Candle Café and later, Candle 79. These vegan NYC gems will delight your palate whether you’re a veggie lover or a steak and potatoes kind of gal. The founders of Candle have loaded their cookbook with to-die-for recipes that will make your kitchen (and belly) sing with delight.
2. The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat by Tal Ronnen
You may know Tal Ronnen best from preparing the menu for Oprah Winfrey’s 21-day vegan cleanse, catering Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s vegan wedding, or making the first vegan dinner at the U.S. Senate. The amazing meals that brought his work to these prestigious tables are at your fingertips in Tal’s cookbook. Find out what the fuss is about by bringing Tal’s recipes to life in your home.
3. The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Colleen founded Compassionate Cooks to debunk myths about vegan/vegetarianism and empower individuals to make informed decisions about the food they eat. Compassionate Cooks provides veggie education through workshops, cooking DVDs, lectures and podcasts. Perhaps one of the most delicious ways Colleen raises awareness is through her cookbooks! The Vegan Table offers recipes perfect for everything from a kid’s party to a holiday feast. Her new book, “Color Me Vegan,” comes out in December 2010!
4. Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Isa Chandra Moskowitz created the Post Punk Kitchen show with her pal Terry Hope Romero in Isa’s tiny Brooklyn apartment in 2003. These vegan how-to cooking webisodes caught on like wild fire and led to their kick ass cookbook, “Veganomicon.” There are over 250 recipes inside this treasure including some soy-free, gluten-free, and low-fat options.
5. The Gluten-Free Vegan: 150 Delicious Gluten-Free, Animal-Free Recipes by Susan O’Brien
Look no further if you are facing celiac disease, fibromyalgia or food allergies. Allergy sufferer and gourmet chef, Susan O’Brien, wrote this cookbook to provide tasty alternatives for those facing health challenges or just seeking a healthier lifestyle. Easy breezy recipes that’ll meet your dietary needs and personal tastes are only a book away!
Peace & bon appétit!
Kris Carr
P.S. An oldie but goodie honorable mention is The Angelica Home Kitchen: Recipes and Rabble Rousings from an Organic Vegan Restaurant by Leslie Mceachern.
Photo Credits: Yvestown
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By Joy Pierson on August 26, 2010
I love farmers markets more than any other market or store. I love carrots more than karats! Knowing the people who grow my food is important to me. I love weekly visits with the farmers from our area. Seeing the farmers’ pride and joy for a job well done caring for the land and their crops enhances the flavor and nourishment of what I buy from them. I love tasting the delicious fruits of their labor that were just picked and grown under their care to support their families. I buy as much of the best produce as I can! I come home with the best and freshest fruits, vegetables, herbs and even organic local mushrooms. I am so excited about how I am going to prepare these gems.
My current use for all this produce is the work I’m doing for “The Candle 79 Cookbook.” This cookbook is going to be extraordinary thanks to talented chefs Angel Ramos and Jorge Pineda, and the entire Candle 79 Team led by Benay Vynerib and Francesca MacAaron with the support of Mark Doskow. It really does take a village to do what we do, especially to meet our lofty goal of changing the world. We need to support each other, so we can support good people doing good things, and the efforts of those good people can grow that much greater. By the people in my local community supporting growers and their sustainable practices, I’ve recently seen my local health food store decide to carry only organic produce. It’s so exciting to see the commitment of a community come to fruition. As Bart and I always say, and firmly believe, “When you commit, providence will provide.”
Do you know the story of how Bart and I have experienced this in our own lives? I tell this story all the time, so skip over it if you’ve heard it already. On Friday, Aug. 13, 1993, Bart and I won the New York State Lottery. We didn’t win millions, but we won what we needed: $53,000. That was the seed money that allowed us to open what is now Candle Café. It must have been meant to be that Candle Café was to be born and become a vehicle to feed millions wholesome, plant-based foods.
Home from the market and from the health food store with an incredible array of fresh and delicious food, I’m getting hungry. It’s time to whip up something good to eat. I love to create magic from the farmers market. First I prep the greens – gorgeous greens. I am so excited by dark leafy greens. I want to make them lemony and garlicky. Then I cut some onions and leeks to do a stir-fry with them as my base. What next? I think I’ll add the mushrooms and this beautiful red and green cabbage I have. I also will add toasted sesame seeds and raw hemp seeds before finishing it off with fresh herbs and a cayenne kick at the end. It’s so exciting to create a meal you love for yourself and loved ones. I can feel sad or be in a funk, and when I start to cook it makes me feel better. I think it is because I am actively creating a healing meal that nourishes my body, mind and spirit.
Over 26 years ago Candle Café was one of the first restaurants to use the expression “food fresh from farm to table.” That has been our day-to-day mantra ever since. No “virtual” farms, just incredibly hard-working men and women growing and picking the crops that have appeared on our daily menus ever since. I find it so inspiring that we can share this commitment with our now fourth-generation client base that have shown by their loyalty that they too love and respect our mission of serving fresh organic vegan food every day. Live, love, laugh and cook.
Photo Credit: M. Gibion
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