Flowfit

People often assume that we as a family don’t eat any junk.  They think my kids are deprived and that I have the willpower of a saint.

False.

All of it.

The past few weeks in particular have been what I call junky.  Some days have been markedly worse than others – some downright shamefull.  Yesterday was one of those days.  We had fried eggs on toast for breakfast, tuna and cheese in a tortilla for lunch with a side of kettle cooked salt and vinegar potato chips.  A few hours later, at the movie theatre it was popcorn (with REAL butter) and peanut m&m’s washed down with iced tea (fruitopia for the kids  gasp!).

When dinnertime rolled around, my body just wanted something clean….this stew is what came of that…

Pressure Cooker Vegetable Stew:

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 head of cabbage, chopped
• 3 large carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into chunky pieces
• 1/2 container of kale pesto (see below)
• 1 bunch kale, washed and finely chopped
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 and 1/2 cartons vegetable stock
• 1 tsp Tom Yum Soup mix (or seasoning of choice)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• fresh cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste (I didn’t need it with the soy)

First, have everything chopped and ready at hand.  Preheat pressure cooker and saute onions in the coconut oil and sesame oil.  Add cabbage, rice, carrots, Tom Yum and broth and bring to a boil.  Cover.  Once pressure is reached, time 5 minutes.  Release pressure and add kale, cauliflower, pesto and soy sauce.  Return lid, bring back up to pressure and time another 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and release pressure immediately.  Serve as is in a bowl.

YUM!

After thoughts – this would have also been great with the addition of lentils or barley as a substitute for the rice.  No rules here… just use what you have and remember to cook the harder vegetables first so the softer ones don’t turn to mush…. no one likes mushy vegetables (unless you’re under 2 or over 90).

We all gobbled this up.  Some of us even had seconds… ;o)

Kale and Oregano Pesto from Sunflower Kitchen -

http://www.sunflowerkitchen.com/

Sunflower Kitchen produces an incredibly delicious line of vegan dips, spreads and hummus.  I’ve tried them all and they are all incredible.  I am inspired by their clean big flavours and will have many recipes come from their delicious products.  What they don’t contain is equally as important as what the do…. you will not find:

• Preservatives or additives
• nitrates
• nuts (they use sesame and sunflower seeds)
• gluten
• GMO ingredients
• Transfats
• Colours/dies
• Dairy

What you will find are nutritious ingredients with lots of flavour.  Simple but simply delicious! They also have a selection of ready made soups.  I have yet to try them, but am sure they are delicious!

Today is the start of week six of the renovation.

We would be in and using our kitchen, however, we ran into a little snag with the marble… ah the marble… the inspiration for the entire kitchen.  Let’s just say it was WAY more of an investment than originally planned and it took us a week (with all else on hold) to decide or digest the new number.  So, my island sits, marbleless waiting to wear it’s hat.  In a few days our new doors will be installed, leaving the final piece… the marble.  Soon… soon…. soon…. I await you my lovely.

Thankfully, the beverage (ah-hem – beer) fridge has not had any snags and sits happily watching and waiting for the rest to be done.   A little trim and mouldings, some new plate covers, the counters and back splash are all that remain.

Do people mourn the completion of their rennovation and the loss of the people in and out of their house?

HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Guess not!

Everyone knows chicken soup soothes the soul, but it also soothes what ails you.  Well, thanks to Alicia Silverstone, I’ve discovered that you don’t need chicken fat to create an equally delicious, nutritious and literally healing soup.  This soup was inspired by Alicia’s “Magical Healing Soup” from her book, The Kind Diet.  For me, this soup is never the same thing twice – if I have broccoli I add that, bok choy – awesome!  Just take a look and add whatever veggies you have on hand, keeping some colours in mind as you go.  Remember, each wonderful colour of vegetable has a different variety of minerals and nutrients!

Healing Soup:

• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 potatoes, chopped (I like to leave the peels on for extra texture)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped cauliflower
• 1 cup chopped cabbage
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 2 cartons vegetable broth (or 6-8 cups broth of choice)
• 1 good sized piece of ginger (about 1 inch by 2 inches, cut into 3 pieces)
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 clove garlic
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Heat oils in heavy bottomed soup pot.  Add onions, celery and carrots and saute on medium heat for approximately 5 minutes.  Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.  Add remainder of vegetables (except spinach) and enough broth to completely cover vegetables.  Stir and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium low, add parsley, cilantro and ginger.  Simmer uncovered for 30 – 45 minutes.  I like my vegetables to still have a good firmness to them, but if you prefer them softer, cook a little longer.

Remove from heat, toss in spinach and lemon juice, stir, cover and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Time to go fishing!!

Remove parsley and cilantro with tongs.  Fish out ginger – biting into that wouldn’t be too nice.

Serve up steaming hot.  It’ll do ya good.

And it’ll also cure a hangover ;o)  Honest…

YUM!

Who doesn’t like egg rolls?  There is something so intoxicating about the crunchy bubbly outer shell that leads to the savory steamy filling.  I have to be completely honest here and tell you these are easy.  Super easy.  Anybody can do it easy.  Promise.  These took me about 20 minutes start to finish.  I made them on the busiest night of the week… you know the one… two sports in one night right from school kind of night… we all have those.  And what a treat these are on such a rushed night!  I served them with brown rice and snow peas.  Perfect!  And if you absolutely need to…. these are great to go!

Vegetable Egg Rolls:

makes 8-10 rolls

• 2 carrots, grated
• 1/2 head napa cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• handful fresh chopped cilantro
• handful fresh sprouts
• 4 crimini mushrooms, finely chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tsp dark sesame oil
• 1 tbsp shoyu
• 1 package egg roll wrapers

To heated med/high to high skillet add peanut oil, sesame oil, garlic and ginger.  Stir fry quickly for 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Add all other vegetables.  Saute for 2 minutes, add shoyu and cook until liquid is absorbed.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Wipe pan out with paper towel and add remaining oil.  Slowly heat to medium.

To make rolls:

• Lay wrapper on clean counter in a diamond shape with the point facing you.
• Place a heaping table spoon of mixture into centre of wrapper
• Take bottom corner and fold over mixture, tucking corner under the filling and gently pulling it toward you to grab the mixture
• Fold in the right and left sides, making an “envelope” shape
• Roll the form away from you, “sealing” your envelope by putting a little water with your finger on the final corner.  Roll up and press the corner down gently to seal.

Once your oil is hot, gently place eggrolls into pan seam side down.  Ensure they are not touching, don’t over crowd them or they will steam and not get nice and crunchy.  Fry the eggrolls for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side, turning a quarter turn each time to ensure all sides brown evenly.  Once all sides are done (they should be golden and bubbly), place on paper towel to drain.

YUM!