Sunday, January 4, 2009

TODAY'S MENU

One of my friends wanted to know what I eat in a typical day - I take one day and one meal at a time, but I do plan these out daily.

Today -

Breakfast
1 piece of French Toast ( recipe here )
1/4 c. yogurt
1/4 banana
Dollop of Agave

Lunch
4 oz fish dredged in ground, but grainy sorgum, salt and pepper to taste
Non stick pan fry fish in 1 Tablespoon olive oil with diced garlic
2 cu mixed and raw vegetable salad
( I put the fish on top of my salad and I don't need any dressing )

Dinner
1 c. Cauliflower soup
2 c. mixed vegetable salad
4 oz grilled pork
2 tablespoons oil/vinegar salad dressing





FRENCH TOAST

My husband made me French toast today that was truly yummy!
http://ayankeeinasouthernkitchen.com/2008/08/11/french-toast-casserole/

Ingredients:
1 egg mixed with 1 heaping tablespoon yogurt and a pinch salt

1 piece of Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread

Soak the bread in the egg mixture.  Using a non-stick pan grill on both sides until done.
Use any of the following on top:
Sugar free syrups
1/2 portion of fresh fruits
1/4 c yogurt





CAULIFLOWER AND CHARD SOUP WITH TEMPE

http://theveggievoice.blogspot.com/2007/03/macro-mush-and-other-mealtime-failures.html

Winter finds me craving soups, especially for lunch.  I like hearty soups.

Ingredients:

1 med. sweet potato or white potato - peeled and chunked
3 cloves garlic - diced
Pinch of Cardamon
1 Jalapeno 
1 large cauliflower - chunked
1 onion - sliced
1 carrot - sliced
Sea salt
Pepper
1/2 bunch chard - diced even the stem
8-12 oz Tempe broken into pieces
1 quart chicken broth or vege broth

In a large sauce pan, combine broth with cauliflower, potato, garlic, onion, carrot, jalapeno, cardamon, salt and pepper. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer ( uncovered ) until cauliflower and potato are very tender.  Remove mixture from heat and put in a blender.  Blend to mix everything into liquid form.  Return to sauce pan and to simmer.

Now add the Chard and the Tempe.  Cook until Chard is tender or longer as we want to reduce the liquid to a rich soupy mixture.

I'm making this today!

HARVEST GRAINS SALAD

http://foodcite.blogspot.com/2007/08/final-product-harvest-grains-salad.html  I usually don't tout a pre-packaged mixture, but Trader Joe's offers a bagged Harvest Grains that is great!  Use by itself or in this Salad....

Ingredients:

1 c. dried beans - any
2 c. Harvest Grains
1/2 onion - diced
1 cucumber - diced
1 tomato - diced
1 green or red pepper - diced
1 bunch Italian Parsley - diced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
Red Wine and Rice Vinegar to Taste
1/2 cu. Lemon Juice

Read the backside of the Harvest grains package for cooking directions - this only takes a max of 10 minutes so you must first cook the dried beans.  Measure the liquid and use a mixture of vegetable broth and water ( or just water ).  Salt and Pepper the water.  Bring to boil and reduce to simmer.  Cook the beans until just tender - NOT MUSHY.  While still simmering, add the Harvest Grain mixture, cover and cook not more than 10 minutes - test at 8 minutes.  You want this firm not MUSHY.  Remove from heat and drain.  Wash with cool water. Drain.

In a large bowl, mix all the diced vegetables. Salt and pepper to taste.  Add oil and Lemon Juice.  Add very little Red Wine and Rice Vinegar.  Mix.  Add the grains and beans, mix.  Eat warm or refrigerate.



RAW GRANOLA

I've been making my own granola - don't ask me why... in any event, I like RAW and seeds in my diet.  For me, it lightens the load ( so to speak - lol ).
http://www.chappaquacrunchgranola.com/Pages/about.html    http://ashwinearl.blogspot.com/2005/12/prq-4-salem-mazzawy.html     http://everythingpumpkin.wordpress.com/2008/09/13/what-are-pepitas/http://www.vanillajoy.com/more-about-flax-seed.htmlhttp://www.germes-online.com/catalog/2/134/86753/sell_sunflower_seed_kernels.html
Ingredients: ( all RAW )

2 lbs Large Raw Oats
1 c. flax seed
1 c. pepitas
1 c. sunflower seeds
Just mix these in a plastic bag and use by measuring your portion.

Optional:
Dried Raisins, Cranberries, Cherries, and blackberried

What I do is take my yogurt or skim milk and 1/2 c of my raw granola mixture.  Use 1 Tablespoon of Agave or Stevia to sweeten, then sprinkle my dried fruit on top.

For those that was to experiment further....

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Measure out 2 cups of the granola and add 1/3rd cu dried fruit. Spray a cookie sheet with Pam.  Mix 1/4 c agave with 1/2 c water.  Pour this over the ingredients.  Bake, turning often, to toast the cereal and to absorb the water.

It's really good.