Meatless Monday: Sunrise Citrus and Tofu Breakfast Salad

Happy Monday!

Did you know that if the global population shifts to a low meat diet (70g of beef and 325g of chicken/eggs per week), around 15 million square kilometers of farmland would be freed? Help reduce your meat intake by choosing alternative meals like this breakfast salad at least once a week.

Sunrise Citrus and Tofu Breakfast Salad

Ingredients:

2+ cubes Citrus Seared Tofu Cubes - recipe here
2 cups spring mix, organic
1 Tbsp dried cranberries, organic
1/2 white grapefruit, peeled/sliced/deseeded
1/3 cup mandarin orange slices
fine black pepper
dressing: macadamia nut oil/apple cider vinegar/agave/pepper
1 cup brown rice, short-grained
1/3 cup avocado cubes tossed in lime juice
1 Tbsp pistachios

Directions:

The Greens: Either something chilled and crunchy like a flavorful slaw or something super light like a spring mix or spicy arugula. Romaine hearts are nice too. You could also do something heartier like kale or even broccoli – but start out light and build to suite your taste buds. And of course you can add other “veggies” like shredded carrots, radishes, beets, sprouts and more. “Greens” really means veggies. However, leafy greens are the base.

The Grains: Add a scoop of whole grains, like brown rice or quinoa. For ease, grab one of those microwavable brown rice packs and scoop about 3/4 cup of grains over top of the greens. The grains really give the salad more weight and the slight warmth of the grains is a nice accent to the cool veggies. You could try: wild rice, white or brown rice, millet, barley, quinoa..

The Fruit: Add an accent of fruit, Citrus is especially good. Freshly cut grapefruit segments, mandarin oranges, or tangerines are lovely. Also try berries, apples, grapes or tropical fruits like banana and papaya. Dried fruit is also a nice touch. Fruit gives the salad some zing, adds hydration and adds a subtle amount of that ‘sweet’ you may be used to.

Recipe originally posted on Healthy Happy Life 

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Peace Grl Out!

The Story of Stuff

Check out Annie Leonard’s the Story of Stuff where she explains the world’s production system and our consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world.

Annie Leonard’s organization, the Story of Stuff project, has produced several videos following the original Story of Stuff video to provide more easily shareable resources to promote environmental awareness. For more information, visit their website.

Change the way you look at your stuff.

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Monday: Flatbread Stuffed with Curried Potatoes, Spinach, and Chickpeas

Happy Monday!

According to Planet Forward, producing 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of beef emits more carbon dioxide than going for a three-hour drive while leaving all the lights on at home. Cut out some meat from your diet this Monday and enjoy this recipe while being eco-friendly.

Flatbread Stuffed with Curried Potatoes, Spinach, and Chickpeas

Ingredients:

For the Flatbread:
2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons yeast
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt

For the Curry:
1 onion, diced small
1 pound red potatoes (4-5 egg sized potatoes), diced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced or grated on a microplane
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons garam masala
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
2 to 3 teaspoons salt
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
10 ounces baby spinach

Directions:

Prepare the Flatbread Dough:
In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in 4 1/2 cups of the flour along with the salt to form a shaggy dough. Turn this dough out onto a work surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until a smooth, tacky ball of dough is formed. If the dough is very sticky, add a little flour at a time to keep it from sticking.

Clean your bowl and film it with a little olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover, and let the dough rise for about 2 hours. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days. (The dough is actually easier to work with when cool. No need to warm before shaping the flatbreads.)

Prepare the Curry:
Warm a tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions with a half teaspoon of salt until they begin to brown. If they pick up some charred edges, even better. Add the potatoes with another pinch of salt and continue cooking until the potatoes are almost cooked through but still hard in the very middle. Clear a little space in the middle of the pan and add the spices with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and then stir the spices into the onions and potatoes.

Add the tomatoes and their juices and bring the curry to a simmer. Stir occasionally. Cook until the potatoes are completely soft and the sauce has reduced and thickened. Stir in the chickpeas, then stir in the spinach in two batches. Taste and add more salt or other seasonings as desired. If the curry looks soupy, let it simmer until thickened.

Remove from heat. Curry can be made up to three days in advance.

Assemble and Bake Flatbreads

Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface and turn the dough out on top. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the dough into a circle roughly 7-8 inches in diameter and 1/4″ thick. Place a few spoonfuls of curry on the lower half of the dough, smoothing it into a single layer with a half-inch border around the edge. Fold the top of the flatbread over and pinch the edges closed.

Transfer the flatbread to a baking sheet and repeat until all the dough as been used. Leave the prepared flatbreads uncovered so the top dries out a little.

Prepare the grill while the flatbreads rest and let it preheat for at least 20 minutes. The grill is ready when you can hold your hand a few inches above the grill for two seconds. Lower the heat to medium and brush the surface of the grill with oil.

Use a fork or paring knife to poke holes in the top of the flatbreads and transfer them to the grill, spacing the breads a few inches a part. You may need to bake in two or more batches. Replace the lid and cook for 2-3 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown and show grill marks. Flip and bake for another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Allow to cool for a few minutes before eating.

Baked flatbreads will keep refrigerated for several days and are best eaten cold or reheated in a warm oven. (Microwaving is also fine, but tends to make the dough tough.)

Alternate Instructions for Oven-Baking:

Prepare the flatbreads as described and arrange them a few inches apart on a baking sheet. Pre-heat the oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Just before baking, poke holes in the tops of the breads and brush them with olive oil. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown (do not flip). Allow to cool slightly and serve.

This recipe was originally posted on the Kitchn.

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Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Monday: Sweet Potato Avocado Veggie Burger

Happy Monday!

Start off the week with this healthy vegetarian recipe. Did you know that cutting back on beefburgers and bacon could wipe $20 trillion off the cost of fighting climate change? Find out more from this New Scientist article.

Sweat Potato Avocado Veggie Burger

Ingredients:
Makes 7-8 large patties

2 cans cannellini white beans, drained
1 large sweet potato, baked/peeled/mashed (about 2 cups)
2 Tbsp tahini
2 tsp maple or agave syrup
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning OR Cajun seasoning (or another fave spice!)
1/4 cup wheat flour
optional: additional seasoning (whatever you have on hand – I used a few dashes cayenne, black pepper and a scoop of nutritional yeast)
salt to taste if needed

plentiful Panko crumbs
safflower oil for pan
burgers: avocado, Dijon mustard, grain buns, romaine, onion, olive oil, pepper

Directions:
1. Bake sweet potato. Peel, place in large mixing bowl.
2. Add drained beans to mixing bowl. Mash beans and potato together.
3. Mash in seasoning, flour and any additional seasoning. Your mixture will be quite soft and moist. But you should be able to form a patty. Add more flour or a scoop of breadcrumbs – or dry rice to thicken the mixture if needed.
4. Heat 1 Tbsp safflower oil in a pan over high heat.
5. Form a patty from mixture and coat in Panko crumbs. Thick coating. Then drop the patty in the pan. Repeat until the pan is filled. Cook until browned on both sides. You could also bake. If baking, use less Panko.
6. Transfer cooked patties to paper towel. Cool for a few minutes.
7. Serve on toasted bun with lotsa toppings.

Note: yes this patty does fall kind of apart as you eat it. But that is OK because it tastes yummy.

Recipe originally posted on Healthy Happy Life

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Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Monday: Avocado Mac and Cheese

Happy Monday! Start off the week with a healthy choice for you and environment with this recipe!

Meat intake doesn’t just affect out bodies; there are environmental consequences. According to Youth and Environment Europe, tropical forests are cleared in order to expand acreage for livestock use. “The burning of the forests contributes 20% of all greenhouse gases, which is more than from transportation. Roughly 1,000 species a year become extinct because of the destruction of the rainforests.

Avocado Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

10 ounces dry elbow macaroni
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh avocado chunks, for garnish, if desired

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Salt the water and add in macaroni. Stir and cook until Al Dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. While the pasta is cooking, make the avocado sauce by placing the garlic, avocados, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper into a food processor or blender. Process until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

3. To make the cheese sauce, place butter in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. When butter is melted, whisk in flour to create a paste. Whisk in milk until smooth. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sauce starts to thicken. Add in Pepper Jack cheese and stir until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy.

4. Place macaroni in a large bowl. Pour the avocado sauce over the macaroni and stir until well coated. Add the cheese sauce and stir until macaroni is coated and creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm. Garnish with fresh avocado chunks, if desired.

Note-the lime juice keeps the avocado from browning. The mac and cheese is best eaten the first day, but it is still good the second day. The pasta may turn slightly brown, but not bad. If you want a milder flavor, you can use Monterey Jack or White Cheddar Cheese.

Recipe originally posted on two peas and their pod

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Peace Grl Out! 

Orange County Museum of Art: Junior Chef

Our latest Junior Chef class with the Orange County Museum of Art was a success! Junior chefs put together a healthy meal with fresh produce from the Irvine Farmer’s Market under the direction of Chef Jeff. They learned how to select the best fruits and vegetables and why it’s important to support local food.

Junior chefs at the Farmer’s Market

When they returned from their shopping trip, they began to prepare their food starting with some sour dough bread. Their menu also included cold fruit soup, salad, sourdough pancakes, sourdough banana bread, and sourdough pizza.

Chef Jeff demonstrates how to knead dough

The kids prepared their food, covering their hands in sticky dough, and mixing Chef Jeff’s super secret salad dressing. After a morning of cooking like gourmet chefs they sat down to enjoy their feast.

Junior chefs enjoying their meal

The next Junior Chef will take place August 8th from 10:00am to 12:00pm and is redeemable for our Build-Your-Own Summer Camp class package. The package allows you to mix and match classes from   our Smiling Monkey Yoga, Orange County Museum of Art, and The Ecology Center classes.

For more information, visit the event page on our website.

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Monday: Spiced Lentil Tacos

Livestrong lists several health benefits of a vegetarian diet including, lower rates of kidney disease as well as slower progression when it already exists. This could be because vegetarians tend to have lower cholesterol levels and appear to consume less protein. In addition plant-derived proteins may stress the kidneys less than animal-derived.

Start off the week healthy with this recipe!

Spiced Lentil Tacos

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
• 1 package (2.25 ounce) taco seasoning
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped (use half for less heat)
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• 8 taco shells
• 1 1/4 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat (2 percent) cheddar

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic and salt until onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add lentils and taco seasoning.
2. Cook until spices are fragrant and lentils are dry, about 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil.
3.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Mix sour cream, chile and adobo sauce in a bowl. Uncover lentils and cook until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash with a rubber spatula. Spoon 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with 2 heaping teaspoons sour cream mixture, lettuce, tomato and cheese.

Recipe originally posted on epicurious.

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Mondays: Arugula, Mozzarella, Tomato on Focaccia

It’s Monday once again – we hope you enjoy our new meatless recipe! It will be sure to start your week off on a healthy and happy note.

Take a look at International Justice Mission’s campaign for slave-free tomatoes, Recipe for Change. Think about purchasing your tomatoes for this recipe from supermarkets that have joined the Fair Food program to provide only slave-free tomatoes, such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, or shop at your local farmer’s market! You can also join the campaign to bring slave-free tomatoes to your local supermarket. This simple contribution can help to fight human right’s abuses around the world. Learn more from Recipe for Change’s resources.

Arugula, Mozzarella, Tomato on Focaccia

Ingredients:

• 3 large, vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 red onion, sliced thin
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups packed trimmed arugula, rinsed, spun dry, chopped coarse
• Focaccia bread, halved horizontally (enough for four sandwiches)
• 1/2 pound mozzarella, sliced thin (fresh is best)
• 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl or baking dish, combine tomatoes, onion and vinegar and season with pepper and salt. Marinate 30 minutes.
2. Layer tomatoes, mozzarella, onions and arugula on the Focaccia half. Spread some mayonnaise on the top half of the Focaccia if desired. Press top half over the bottom, hold together with a couple of tooth picks.
3. Enjoy!

Recipe originally posted on Simply Recipes.

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Mondays: Baked Vegetable Lasagna

Happy Monday! As promised, here is your weekly meatless recipe – enjoy!

Baked Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 (14-ounce) package water-packed firm tofu, drained
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 3 cups finely chopped red bell pepper (about 2 medium)
• 2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• Cooking spray
• 12 cooked lasagna noodles
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375°.
2.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add white onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute or until golden. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, sugar, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, crushed red pepper, and tomatoes. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in basil and oregano. Cool.
3.  Combine ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, tofu, egg, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor; process for 10 seconds or until blended. Stir in green onions. Set aside.
4.  Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, zucchini, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to pan; sauté 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and liquid evaporates. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
5. Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture in the bottom of a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with 3 noodles. Spread 3/4 cup tomato mixture over noodles; top with 1 cup tofu mixture and 1 cup zucchini mixture. Repeat layers twice, ending with noodles. Spread remaining 3/4 cup tomato mixture over top. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until bubbly; top with mozzarella cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes.

Recipe originally posted on Cooking Light.

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Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Monday: Grilled Mushroom Cobb Salad

Happy Monday! We hope you enjoy this new and refreshing meatless recipe!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch slices
• 4 portabella mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
• 1/4 cup of your favorite vinaigrette
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
• 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese

Directions

1. Pre-heat the grill to medium-high heat. Whisk the oil, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Brush the red pepper and mushroom slices with the oil mixture. Place the red pepper pieces on a skewer.
2. Place the kabobs on the grill and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the kabobs and cook 5 minutes more.
3. Toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette and transfer on a small serving platter. Arrange the mushrooms, roasted peppers, eggs and blue cheese across the bed of lettuce and enjoy!

Recipe originally posted on Meatless Monday.

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!