The Ultimate Autumn Dish: Kale Lentil Quinoa Salad with Persimmon, Pecan, Pomegranate and Sweet Ginger Dressing

The Ultimate Autumn Dish

I love being the health fairy. Everyone appreciates that one dish that is actually delish AND in alignment with everyones health goals. Hope you get inspired by this to have fun in the kitchen with what you’ve got and make something colorful, healthy, and delish

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup lentils, soaked + rinsed
• Combine + Boil in 4 cups water + let cool
• 1-2 bags or bunches of kale
• 1-2 pomegranates
• 1-2 cups chopped pecans
• 4-6 persimmons, the smaller kind, chopped

Dressing:

• 5-8 dates, pitted
• 3 Tbsp hemp seed
• 1-2 chunks fresh ginger
• 3 Tbsp cashews or tahini
• 3 Tbsp raw almond butter
• 3/4-1 cup water
  Blend smooth and creamy

1. Massage dressing into kale
2. Add the quinoa, lentils, and rest of ingredients and mix well
3. SHARE WITH EVERYONE!

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The Hero Pot | Lentil Vegetable Healing Soup

Split red lentils cook in just 10 minutes and are an awesome source of iron, protein, fiber, and disease fighting properties. And to me, they almost take like cheese! Ugh so GOOD!  I make a different version of this soup at least every week lately.  Broccoli and onions one day.  Zucchini and mushrooms another.  The ginger, turmeric though.  So divine.  Give this a try!

The Hero Pot

• A large pot
• 1 red onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 small chunk of ginger
• 1 tbsp ground or fresh turmeric
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 cup red lentils
• ~6 cups filtered water
• ~1/2 cup broccoli
• ~1/2 cup celery
• ~1/2 cup mushrooms
• ~1/2 cup peas
• Lime and avocado to garnish

1. Prep ingredients: chop vegetables, mince garlic + ginger
2. Sautee onions and garlic in pot in 1/3 cup of water (keep a jug of water nearby to add as needed)
3. Add turmeric, lentils, sweet potato, and 5 cups of water and bring to boil for about 10 minutes
4. Turn down heat to simmer and add in rest of ingredients to simmer for about 15 minutes
5. Take your superhero medicine 😛 enjoy

 

Orange Glazed Tempeh | Fat Free, Gluten Free, Vegan

Orange Glazed Tempeh

What even is “tempeh”???  It is made by cooking and fermenting soybeans and forming them into a condensed patty type thing.  I prefer its texture to its similar tofu brother, however, this is my first time actually experimenting with a soy product, so we’ll see!  I love how it has a meaty texture and picks of flavors really well.  It has a slight bite of chewiness and is full of protein, calcium, and iron.  I used the WESTSOY Five Grain tempeh (which has gluten), but I’m sure any kind would be superb. Just be sure the version you get is GF if you have a sensitivity.

Serves one. About 230 calories and 14g protein per serving.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 block of organic “west soy” tempeh
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• juice of 1 key lime or about 1/2 regular lime
• 1/2 – 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• juice of 1 orange or about 1/3 cup orange juice

Steps:

1. Using a knife and a cutting board, cut off 1/3 of the block of tempeh.  Turn this on its side and slice it in half so that you have 2 skinnier third pieces. Cut these two third pieces into triangles.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the orange juice, lime juice, maple syrup, and ginger, and mix with a spatula to combine
3. Put the tempeh triangles in the pan and allow them to sizzle on one side, moving around while sizzling.
4. Flip the tempeh when ready, and allow it to sizzle on the other side. Be sure to keep it moving so it doesn’t burn and add a little more oj (or whatever you’d like to add to make it even better!) if needed.
5. When the tempeh has soaked it up, time to eat! I had a little orange glaze left over in the pan so I stir fried some rice in there, delish! Serve with kale, rice, scallion, avocado, sunflower seeds – whatever you got! 🙂 xx

Green Tea Nice Cream

After my first lick of this ice cream I said out loud…

“I AM A GENIUS.”

Impeccable amount of ginger, sweetness, and green tea.  The absolute palate cleansing dessert or, indulge, like me, in this for a post workout lunch!

I love green tea and have been reading more and more benefits about it.

Green Tea (matcha):

• is the least oxidized and fermented non-herbal tea, so it contains the most antioxidants
• contains a nice amount of caffeine (less than coffee or black tea, more than herbal tea)
• is used traditionally in Chinese medicine to help with immune function, brain cell protection, blood sugar regulation, metabolism, aging, blood pressure, and many other health issues

Ginger is so warm, aromatic, enlightening, and soothing.  The health benefits to ginger are also endless as well.

Ginger:

• is a powerful digestive aid: In herbal medicine, ginger is regarded as an excellent carminative (a substance which promotes the elimination of intestinal gas) and intestinal spasmolytic (a substance which relaxes and soothes the intestinal tract), also helps with nausea (hence the ginger ale mom and dad gave you when you had an upset tummy)
• I sent my sister (who has Ulcerative Colitis) this interesting study with ginger and inflammation of the colon:
  

  Inflammation of the colon

  A study carried out at the University of Michigan Medical School found that Ginger Root Supplement administered to volunteer participants reduced inflammation markers in the colonwithin a month.

  The study was published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

  Experts say that inflammation of the colon is a precursor to colon cancer. Co-researcher Suzanna M. Zick, N.D., M.P.H., explained that by reducing inflammation in the colon a person reduces their risk of developing colon cancer.

  Zick said “We need to apply the same rigor to the sorts of questions about the effect of ginger root that we apply to other clinical trial research. Interest in this is only going to increase as people look for ways to prevent cancer that are nontoxic, and improve their quality of life in a cost-effective way.”

• helps too sooth migraines
• warms from the inside out
• boosts the immune system
• clears the sinuses (great to make tea out of if you have a stuffy nose!
• too many benefits- I don’t have all day!!!

Hemp Seeds:

• incredible vegan source of biologically available and easily digested protein, hemp seeds contain all 10 essential amino acids
• incredible vegan source of essential omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids
• rich in plant based phytonutrients and antioxidants, such as vitamin E
• contain an array of minerals like zinc, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, and iron

The Mastermind Mix:

• 1 heaping Tbs fresh roughly chopped peeled ginger
• 1-2 Tbs hulled hemp seeds
• 1 serving packet of matcha green tea powder (like $1.00 each packet at Sunspot)
• 3 ripe peeled and frozen bananas (freeze for at least 6 hours)
• 1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
• water as needed to not break your blender or food processor

1. Using a food processor S blade, or high power blender, put in the ginger, hemp seeds, and mango chunks
2. Sprinkle in the green tea powder I like to put this in the middle so it doesn’t get stuck to the bottom of the container, but no biggie
3. Break up bananas into fourths and throw in container
4. Blend until smooth
5. Take a lick and you are a genius!