Salad Fit for a Quinoa

Queen-oh-ah…Queen-wee-wah…Kan-oh-a.

How in the grain do you pronounce this ingredient, you say?  Yes, we’ve heard you speak all of these iterations and we’ve used them all ourselves at one time or another.  So, we wanted to give you once and for all the most common pronunciation.  (We are not ones to say ‘the correct’ pronunciation, because we don’t really care how you pronounce it ~ we just want you to experience this delicious, nutritious grain-like seed.)

We know that some of our ingredients are awkward to say, and adopting a new way of eating can feel like learning a new language.   For me, this was reminiscent of marrying into the Army life.  The phonetic alphabet is actually pretty cool, but all those acronyms left me confused and on edge.  We’d leave a party and I’d ask Brian if I was privy to classified information about 9/11 or was I being invited to go grocery shopping on post? 

Keen-wah

So there it is.  Quinoa.  A grain-like seed that might as well have its own crown and action figure.  Per heaping handful, it offers 14 g of protein with a balanced set of essential amino acids (making it a complete protein) and is also high in fiber, magnesium, and iron.  Food fit for a Queen. 

We thought you might enjoy as we begin this early summer.  Fresh mint.  Lime juice.  Why, it’s practically a mojito in a bowl.

Ingredients:

1 c dry quinoa

1/4 c organic extra virgin olive oil

Juice from 2 limes

2-3 fresh mint sprigs, leaves removed and chopped

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 chopped scallions

1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced

1-2 cloves minced garlic

Step 1:  Cook the dry quinoa according to instructions (typically 2 - 2 1/2 cups of water per 1 cup quinoa).  We used our rice cooker.

Step 2:  Combine all ingredients with cooked quinoa in a bowl and toss lightly.

Step 3:  Cover and chill.

The Sharing of Food...

I don't know about your family, but with my large, Catholic, Italian family food is always the centerpiece of any family get together.  Whenever something has happened in the family either celebration or other (or anything for that matter), we always get together at someone's home for a meal.  Since my immediate family and I have gone down this journey of eating a plant based diet, it has made these get togethers a bit more intricate, but still wholesome and nourishing nonetheless.  I suppose I have been very blessed in my life, but I very much enjoy and look forward to family get togethers.  My family has always been very accepting and understanding.  There is just something about 'breaking bread' to celebrate or soothe with one another that is good for the soul.

Perhaps I am a bit of a romantic, but I think these get togethers are critical for the family unit as they allow people to establish and reinvigorate loving relationships.  Is the food just a by product of these meetings - I mean we all have to eat so the gathering is usually around meal time - OR - is the food and the sharing of food central to the get together itself?  I tend to think that the sharing of food with others is akin to sharing a part of us, especially when we have lovingly prepared or even purchased the food.  What could we share with each other that is closer than something that gets put into our bodies?  I tend to think that my wife and I are both outgoing and gregarious people.  The sharing of food with others is our excuse to visit with and really get to know someone else.  I find most people to be simply fascinating....

The other night my wife and I were out to dinner and thoroughly enjoying ourselves.  After having a wonderful meal, it came time for dessert.  Now since my wife and I don't get out much (having a two daughters ages 4 and 2 at home keeps us pretty busy, plus we like to spend time with them), we will usually imbibe in dessert.  If you have been following us at all then you know that I am a BIG fan of chocolate.  I mean I really like chocolate.  Not just any chocolate mind you, but the pure dark chocolate, in fact, the darker the better.  The lovely bittersweet taste that just melts, anyway I digress.  SO, this particular restaurant had a flourless chocolate cake.  Now normally, I would jump at this dessert as this is pure decadence for me.  However, I was feeling different that night so we opted for a berry and apple dessert.  It just so happened that the two ladies sitting next to us had ordered the flourless chocolate cake.  Now, we had not spoken to them all night as my wife and I were very engaged in our own conversation.  However, as I stared over at her chocolate cake, we made eye contact.  I immediately said, "I'm sorry, I was just staring at your chocolate cake as I almost got that myself."  What happened next simply blew me away.  She cut her cake in half and offered it to my wife and I, saying, "Here have a bite."  I sat there and stared for a second and then immediately told her that absolutely not I couldn't take your cake away from you.  She insisted, but we refused just as adamantly.  We both went back to eating, but I continued to be astounded at this woman next to us.  A few minutes later as we were leaving, I went over to her and her friend and said, "You have made my night.  I would have never offered part of my cake to anyone else, let alone a perfect stranger.  Thank you sincerely."  She just smiled and said your welcome.

I left the restaurant both invigorated and yet full of questions.  With my faith in the human race restored, I began to examine my own life.  The sharing of food is really powerful and moving.  Perhaps we are at our highest and best when we are sharing?  While I am still not sure I can bring myself to share my chocolate cake, I know there are others out there who will and that makes me smile.  Thanks for reading.  Peace.

Bodacious Banana Bread Recipe

This recipe is the result of many mistakes in the kitchen so hopefully it will save you some time (and $).  I won't post pictures, but suffice to say that banana bread is not a flat bread nor a gelatin dessert...As with everything we do, eating healthy, whole foods is our primary concern.  This recipe is made using the smallest amount of sweetener possible and still have excellent taste.  As with all baked, flour dishes this banana bread should be consumed in small to moderate amounts (i.e. don't eat the entire loaf in one sitting).  The body tends to more easily convert flours into sugar in the body since they are already broken down.  In our household, this loaf may last two to three weeks.  We do this by freezing the bread after letting it air out for a day or so.  Simply cut up the banana bread in slices, put in a freezer bag or container and put in the freezer.  Pull out a slice and heat up in a toaster oven or your regular oven at 350 degs for about 5 minutes and Viola you've got a tasty snack/treat.  This particular recipe is made with very dense flours so a slice is typically very filling.

Cooking

Make sure you are watching this bread after the 45 minute mark in the oven.  Ovens do vary widely in temperature and cooking.  We recommend you put the pan in the middle of the oven.  We always end up covering the bread pan with aluminum foil at the 45 minute mark to keep the top from crusting over too much.  The type of pan you use is also very important.  We like glass bread pans (in fact we only have glass and cast iron at our house).  Not only does glass cook a good bread, but it doesn't leach chemicals or metals into your food.  Thus we do NOT recommend aluminum whatsoever, you can use a stainless steel pan if that's what you've got no problem.  Cast iron works as well and it does leach, but it is leaching iron which is a needed nutrient (its what is in our bloodstream).  

Ingredients

If you want the most outstanding, healthy, and tasty banana bread from this recipe, you should grind your own flours right before making this bread.  This way, you'll get the most nutrition and taste from freshly ground flour.  Many flours that you purchase from the store have been sitting in a bin or a package for several days or weeks and will nutritional degrade from air exposure.  You can do this by purchasing an inexpensive coffee grinder from a local store (Target, etc) and just grind the amount you need right there.  Its actually very easy to do and not time consuming at all.  The almond meal may be a little hard to grind yourself so you can purchase some and just keep it in the freezer.  All flours you purchase at the store should be kept in the freezer or the refrigerator in an airtight container to extend their shelf life and keep them as nutritious as possible.  FYI - If you have a VitaMix or other high speed blender (Blendtec, etc), then grinding Almonds into Almond Meal becomes much easier.    

On the bananas - use the most beyond ripe bananas that you have on hand.  They should be brown/black and mushy to the touch.  This way they will mush easily in the bowl and be nice and sweet.  If you have pre-ripe bananas, you can come over to our house and let our kiddos play with them for a couple of hours and you'll have nice, black, ripe bananas in no time!

You can get raw, organic coconut nectar at Whole Foods and other natural food stores.  It is made by a company called Coconut Secret and we have really grown to love this sweetener.  It is more expensive than sugar or agave nectar, but the nutritional profile of Coconut Secret makes it worth it.  You can find more information about the company and this product by clicking here.

We use Bob's Red Mill for most of our flours simply because they are one of the few companies that conducts ELISA testing on all their batches.  This testing ensures that any gluten present is at such low levels (parts per million) that even true celiac sprue persons can tolerate it.  They are also one of the few companies that has dedicated plants and/or areas for gluten free flour production to avoid cross contamination.

We like Napa Valley Naturals for organic extra virgin olive oil.  For the money, they've got a great product.  For the coconut oil, go with the Nutiva brand.  Again, a great buy for the money.  Most importantly, neither company uses any chemicals in their processing and they cold press their oils to ensure they retain their nutritional value.

3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

1/4 - 1/3 cup organic extra virgin olive oil or organic extra virgin coconut oil (Olive Oil - Napa Valley Naturals, Coconut Oil - Nutiva)

1/2 cup raw, organic Coconut Nectar (from Coconut Secret company, see above)

2 teaspoons pure bourbon vanilla extract (please don't use imitation vanilla)

1 cup organic buckwheat flour
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup organic coconut flour (we use Bob's Red Mill, pretty much can't grind yourself)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (make sure it is organic and/or non-gmo, and gluten free)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt (we use Real Salt)

1 tablespoon tapioca starch (Bob's Red Mill)

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (Bob's Red Mill)

1 rounded teaspoon cinnamon (we like ceylon cinnamon, this can be freshly ground as well)
1/4 teaspoon organic ground cloves (you can ground fresh cloves just the flours also)

1/3 cup organic vegan chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or chopped walnuts work well)

Instructions:

Combine the bananas, vanilla, oil and coconut nectar in a mixing bowl (wet ingredients).  Make sure the bananas are mashed really well.  It creates a surprisingly wet mixture.

Add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and stir until smooth. If the batter looks too thin and wet, add more flour (we like to add a bit more almond flour if needed), a tablespoon at a time, to thicken.

Now add in the chocolate chips and nuts and stir with a spatula to fold in.  

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Oil the bread pan with the coconut oil (or olive oil).  We like coconut oil because it spreads evenly on the pan and doesn't collect on the bottom like olive oil does.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the center of a preheated oven for an hour, until the loaf is firm, a bit crusty, and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean.

We like to let the bread cool overnight covered.  Then we slice and freeze the leftover (see above for discussion).  

Cook time: 1 hour

Yield: 8-10 slices

This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, nut-free, and corn-free (if you check the source of your xanthan gum and baking powder).

Vegan, Vegetarian, Omnivore, Carnivore...How about Human Being???

So what are you anyway?  Are you a omnivore, flexitarian, vegetarian, vegan, healthier eater?  Even better are you a Republican or Democrat (since this is an election year)?  Do you identify yourself at all with these words or labels?  How about Human Being...

One of the things I have found most interesting on this journey of life is the penchant of people to categorize or label.  There are sound psychological reasons for this of course as it enables humans to make sense of the very complex reality that each individual human being really is.  The interesting part of this labeling is that we all do it, including me.  When it comes to food and healthy living, we have created all sorts of labels to describe or "group" people who do one thing or another.  What I find regrettable about labels is that many times they also come with stereotypes and judgements.  What do you immediately think of when I say vegan (or ovo-vegetarian, Republican, Democrat...)?

Are you a lacto-vegetarian, or better yet an ovo-vegetarian or both?  Maybe you're a straight up vegan or maybe a true omnivore?  What if you follow a strict vegan diet most of the time, but have visit your grandma's house and have a cookie that she made with eggs in it?  What if you are a vegan that eats Honey?  What does that make you then?  I submit that you are a human being, AND I would say that is more than enough.

Since we began Conveniently Natural, very interesting things have happened in our lives.  Some people who have been friends of ours for years have fallen away and new ones have sprung up from the most unlikely places.  Was this only because we started an organic, vegan delivery service?  Perhaps not the only reason, but a major one for sure.  I find that people who have know us for years now feel like they should apologize if they eat meat in front of us or (and this is even more interesting) they want to debate the vegan or vegetarian versus meat eating thing.  I typically point people in the direction of the immense amount of information out there about all kinds of diet and hope the person makes up there own mind.  That is, in my mind, our greatest gift - to be able to choose our way and what makes us truly amazing.

I recently had a great dinner with several friends, most of whom are not vegan or vegetarian.  There was light hearted banter, tasty food, and amazing fellowship.  I left feeling energized physically, mentally, and spiritually.  It didn't bother me that they ate meat, nor do I believe that it bothered them that I didn't.  We were gathered because we wanted to be there with each other and that is a very good reason to get together I think.  I submit that we are at our best when we do as Rumi said, "Out beyond the ideas of right doing and wrongdoing there is a field, and I will meet you there".  Let us all strive to meet in this field, free of judgment, and live our best (and eat our best too!).  Thanks for reading.

Peace -
Brian

Some Healthy Superbowl Snack Alternatives (or for any occasion)

In the past, the Superbowl has often been an excuse to indulge in copious amounts of fat, sugar, and alcohol for us.  Most of the time it didn't even matter who was playing, it was really about having a good time with great food (and watching the commercials, seriously is the football game even important anymore?).  So while we don't want to change the fellowship and fun that Superbowl parties can foster, we would like to offer some improved food alternatives.  This way you and your body can enjoy together!

Here's some recipes for some great tasting and healthy snacks that we like (and will be present for us this weekend, so we can snack while we are cooking):

1. Socca Pizza - This is an easy, Gluten Free and Soy Free pizza recipe that tastes awesome.  Our two and four year old chow down on this one.

1 cup garbanzo bean flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper (I like white pepper, but black works too)
1 cup water
5 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh basil (or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil)
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Sift flour into bowl. Stir in salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in water to create a smooth batter. Stir in two tablespoons olive oil. Let batter rest for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450. Place 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet in oven to heat up approximately 10 minutes before ready to bake socca. You don't want the pan to be scorching hot. This will require some timing...

Add basil, rosemary, and thyme to batter; whisk until smooth. Remove skillet from oven (carefully). Add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil to skillet; swirl to coat the skillet evenly. Immediately pour in batter.

Bake socca approximately 12 minutes. Make sure you check on the socca as it is cooking. It is just right when the edges pull away from the sides of the skillet and the center is firm. Remove skillet.

Add tomate sauce, Daiya vegan cheese and vegetables. Place skillet back in oven and bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes until vegan cheese is melted or until vegetables and toppings are warm.

2. Sweet Potato Fries - Again a super easy, Gluten Free, Soy Free snack (kid friendly as well).

One or more Large Sweet Potatoes

Sea Salt (to taste)

Black Pepper

Paprika or Tumeric

Cayenne Pepper (to spice it up, can be omitted)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or Coconut Oil to change it up)

Set Oven at 450.  Cut up Sweet Potatoes into wedges.  We like to leave the skin on, but you can peel them if you like.  

Place the wedges on a cookie or baking sheet and sprinkle with Sea Salt, Pepper and other spices.  We don't usually measure this, it is simply to your liking.  You could also use a good Chili Pepper seasoning as well.

Now drizzle the wedges with oil.  Place the wedges in the oven and leave for 15 minutes.

The wedges should be browning.  Flip the wedges with some tongs and cook for 8 to 10 more minutes.  Voila!

3.  Fresh Veggies and Guacamole 

Super easy and super tasty!

We like the following veggies to dip with, but you can substitute others:

Red, Green Bell Peppers
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Zucchini
Yellow Squash

For the Guacamole Dip:

2 Ripe Avocado
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 Lemon
1/2 cup Favorite Salsa (we like organic medium spicy types)

Slice up the vegetables to according to you dipping preference.  We like to cut the Bell Peppers so the pieces are long and skinny.  The Zucchini and Yellow Squash work best when they are cut into discs about 1/4 inch wide.

Cut open Avocados and remove the pit.  Spoon out the flesh into a bowl and add the lemon juice and salsa.  Stir together until mixed thoroughly.  Serve and enjoy with veggies!

4. Quinoa Nachos

We can't take credit for this one.  We found it on the internet and so will direct you to VegNews for the recipe.  We can vouch for its awesomeness though so we highly recommend it.  Here's the link for the recipe: http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=4141&catId=11.






5. Gardien Buffalo Style Wings

If you want something easy, natural, and as close to eating meat as you can get then check out the Gardien company and what they have to offer.  We don't normally recommend much stuff that has been processed, but they do a good job with natural ingredients to create a great snack that tastes like real chicken wings, but it isn't.  Here's a link to their website with more information: http://www.gardein.com/products.php?t=frozen&p=1.

You can find their products in most speciality grocery stores and Whole Foods.





Well that should get you going.  Let us know what you think of these.  Here's to having a great SuperBowl party! 

Is There Such a Thing as a Healthy Alcoholic Drink?

DISCLAIMER: I must tell you that I am NOT a doctor or trained healthcare practitioner.  The advice I give below is simply based on my personal experience and should not be taken as expert medical advice.  As with all questions concerning health, I recommend you seek out a qualified healthcare professional to get specific answers.

Since it is Holiday time and, let's be honest, many of us will consume alcoholic beverages sometime over the next two to three weeks, I thought it would be good to discuss alcohol.  While the reality is that alcohol messes with insulin and hormone levels in any amount, there are some ways to mitigate the worst of alcohol's effects.  (In case you didn't know, the calories in alcohol are empty and don't do much of anything for the body):

If you drink beer, I recommend Guinness.  It is surprisingly low calorie and some studies have suggested it has some passable antioxidant properties.  That being said, if you are a vegetarian or vegan, you may be interested to know that Guinness is made with insinglass or fish air bladders so you might want to avoid it.  If you are going to drink beer, then I recommend drinking 8 oz of water after every beer or ever other beer.  If you are going to drink copious amounts of beer, then I would recommend taking a whole food B vitamin supplement before going to bed.  I am speaking from experience as a former US Army Captain who drank his and five other people's fair share of beer.  The whole food B Vitamin supplement works wonders.  If you are lucky enough to have a doctor in the family, then getting an IV either that night or the morning after works awesome also (again speaking from experience, my Army roommate was a Physicians Assistant...).

Avoid the colored spirits.  If you are a whiskey, scotch, cognac drinker try switching to vodka.  Many of the commercially available colored spirits have actually had artificial flavorings or carmel color added to them.  I recommend mixing vodka with coconut milk or cream.  The brand, So Delicious, has a great vegan, organic egg nog available during the holiday season (click here to get more info).  This one is a little high in sugar.  If you really want to go all out, get the unsweetened, organic coconut cream and add nutmeg, cinnamon, and stevia to it (and of course vodka).  Bloody Marys and some Martinis are also good choices.  These are naturally lower in calories and they may contain some antioxidants depending on what you make them with.  Avoid adding fruit juices or store purchased drink mixes to alcohol (Margaritas are one of the highest in sugar and calories in this group).  These contain copious amounts of sugars, artificial ingredients, and syrups.  Again, I would recommend drinking water in between drinks or adding water to your mixed drink.  Also, a good raw, organic multivitamin with B complex in it will also help with avoiding a hangover if you drink one too many.

I drink alcohol only on rare occasions now.  However, I do believe that alcohol can be enjoyed with a bit of conscious choice and forethought.  Most of the times alcohol has gotten me in trouble were when I was not conscious of what or how much I was drinking.  I believe if you set the intention of having an enjoyable time with family and friends then have a drink or two.  Most importantly, don't place judgement on yourself (or anyone else) for drinking or not drinking.  You are great either way.

I hope you and your loved ones have a blessed Holiday season and best wishes for a great New Year!

What type of cookware do you use?

Before you go spend a good amount of money on cookware, you might want to take a few minutes to research the different types out there and the health affects of each.  You may (or may not) have read about the suggested dangers of cooking with different types of cookware.  Just so we are straight, there a few basic types of cookware:

1. Aluminum (there are several that are aluminum alloys or that have different types of Aluminum, Calphlon has anodized aluminum, but its still aluminum)
2. Cast Iron (some companies now sell enameled cast iron, such as Le Crueset).
3. Stainless Steel

Bottom line is that all types of cookware that have a Non-stick coating may pose a danger to both animals and humans.  There are several studies that suggest a link between consumption of food prepared in non-stick cookware and illness.  The problem is that the non-stick coating leaches into the food when heated.  This introduces nasty chemicals into the food (and our bodies!).  These chemicals called perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) are present in almost all people in the United States at some level!  PFOA are labeled as "persistent organic pollutants" because they remain in your body for years before breaking down and passing.  They are believed to cause all sorts of issues from flu like symptoms, sleep issues, and arthritis.  Oh by the way, PFOAs are found in many public drinking water systems across the USA!  Thus, before you go and drop some hard earned cash on a nice set of non-stick cookware think again...


Another bottom line up front: All cookware will "leach" when heated.  For some kinds of cookware this isn't a problem.  For this reason though, we do not recommend the use of aluminum cookware.  High levels of Aluminum is linked to illnesses such as Alzheimers and is believed to negatively impact the nervous system.  Also, aluminum is another one of those persistent compounds that doesn't readily breakdown or pass through the body.  For those of you who didn't know, you might also want to check out your deodorant.  If you are using a commercially bought deodorant or anti-perspirant, then good chance the main ingredient is aluminum, yeah its great for plugging up your sweat glands too...


What do we recommend?  We use enameled cast iron cookware at our house.  It is easy to clean and can withstand super high temperatures.  Iron is leached into the food, but iron is a needed mineral in the body (its one of the main ingredients in our blood) and is readily assimilated into the body.  In the kitchen we use commercial grade stainless steel.  This type of stainless steel does not contain aluminum and is a collection of basically inert metals and minerals.  The other great thing about stainless steel is that it doesn't react with food like aluminum and/or non-stick cookware does so you are getting more of a "truer" taste of your food.  


Here are some links you might want to check out for further reading:


http://www.naturalnews.com/cookware.html
http://www.ewg.org/featured/228


In the future, you'll see recommendations for cookware and other household items on this and our main website.  Feel free to call or email us with questions, and thanks for reading...