Carrot Cake Oats/Date Time, Signature Rice Dish, India TakeOut

We got take out Indian food for my whole visiting family (12 people total), and ordered a ton of dishes online! So easy and so tasty. You can eat an Indian feast and keep it healthy, here's how it's done:

India Takeout Experience: Taj of Marin

It's been a long time since I've eaten Indian food out, mainly because the only memories I have are eating mass quantities of Naan, Raita (Yogurt Sauce), Chicken Tikka Masala, and other heavy creamy meaty dishes (good but not nearly in my current diet/desirable at all). So when it was decided to have a massive family Indian feast I first planned on cooking my own meal, but then remembered that there is Indian food in my diet! RHS Cooking Club Indian day was the healthiest of all our meetings, and I've been making Daal quite a bit.  #1 Just stay away from any butter/cream sauce dishes and lots of red meats. I chose a few classic vegetarian (and vegan!) options, as well as Tandoori Chicken, which I've been itching to make recently anyways! These dishes may seem liquidy and rich but they really are just a vegetable/legume cooked, mashed, and mixed with vegetable oil, water, and a ton of delicious spices. Nothing to be concerned about, and all the herbs and spices are really good for you.

-Channa Masala (Garbanzo Beans and Spices) was probably my favorite, the flavor is top notch, a little spicy, but mainly the chickpeas actually give it some good texture/substance

-Yellow Dal (Yellow lentil simmered and tempered with ginger, garlic and herbs, a bit liquidy, but tasty nonetheless)

-Bengan Bhartha (Eggplant clay oven baked w/ onion, ginger, garlic and spices)

-Tandoori Chicken (Chicken marinated in yogurt, blend of colorful Indian herbs and spices, cooked in a clay oven, everyone knows it's good, and super clean yet full of flavor)

-Brown Rice and Cucumber from Home (really helpful to balance out all the spice w/out Naan, Basmati Rice, and Raita)

-A sample of Rosemary Garlic Naan and Raita (I couldn't skip out on this classic completely due to the dairy/wheat, it's too good)

-I also tasted the Coconut Shrimp Masala (the flavor was Masala just w/ Coconut, which made it similar to a delicious Thai Curry, this was definitely the best flavored dish)

Signature B-Sprout Tofu Rice Dish?

For lunch I went with my classic grilled yet moist and tender B-Sprouts, but paired with more ginger, Herb Grilled Tofu, and some leftover Sweet Roasted Garlic Rosemary Purple Carrots. These Brussel Sprouts and Tahini Dressing just might be my own go to signature creation, and they went perfectly in this rice dish.  #2 The creamy slightly sweet ginger tahini dressing makes everything mold together perfectly, and could have been even better with a bit of avocado for some added creaminess. The tofu actually has a taste, its flavored from the herb/spice yet still tastes clean and balances out the exploding flavor and gingery kick from everything else. The brown rice is nutty yet tames everything down as well. Delightful!

-Grilled B-Sprouts (Mustard Seed, Ginger Powder, Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper)

-Grilled Herb Tofu (Firm Tofu, Cilantro, Mustard Seed, Ginger Powder)

-Left over Roasted Garlic Rosemary Purple Carrots (Oven at 400º, Garlic Powder, Salt, Pepper, Rosemary)

-Leftover Steamed Bok Choy

-Creamy Sweet Bite Tahini Dressing (Ginger Powder/Juice, Citrus-Lemon or Orange, Rice Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, Tahini)

-Brown Rice and Tomato

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

I just searched for a while on my blog and surprisingly haven't posted any Carrot Cake Overnight Oats before! So simple and good, the only reason I felt the need to include it this time is because it got super-fied with dates and a ton of carrot juice. I tend to have fresh in the fridge but you could easily make this with store bought carrot juice really conveniently!  Kind of super tasty like the Date Spice Granola I enjoyed and loved for so long (the best of Kaia).  #3 Dates are definitely one of the best (and healthiest) breakfast/dessert sweeteners, I'm stoked I reintroduced them to my pantry. They got banned for a long time because I would literally just eat way too many all the time whenever I walked by, but now have enough self control to save it for delicious meals like this. Just one is all you need for a tasty breakfast bowl! This one was full of carrot flavor, sweetness, and the proper carrot cake spice! And nice texture variations with the mushy oats, soft blueberries, crunchy almonds, and chewy date pieces!

-65g oats, 200g carrot juice

-Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves

-Almonds, Blueberries, a Date

My All Time Best Overnight Oats-Coconut Infused, Rainy Day Soup, Garlic Herb Rice Dish Dinner

 Garlic Herb Tofu-Chard Rice Dish (mixed up)

I was going for a Cafe Del Sol inspired rice dish, and it came out quite nicely. Had some Rainbow Chard that needed to go, and then went with all the best herb related ingredients to mix in. Browned the tofu in herbs and olive oil and then added chard and some chicken broth to simmer until wilted. So many delicious flavors and ingredients! #1 Olives and Sun Dried Tomatoes are the best, especially paired with thyme, garlic, and hummus.

-Garlic Herb Tofu-Chard (Thyme, Tarragon, Parsley, Pepper, Garlic)

-SooFoo Brown Rice Mix (lentils and such)

-Steamed Rosemary Carrots

-Heirloom Tomato, Almonds, Olives, Cilantro, Green Onion

-Spinach Artichoke Hummus, Sundried Tomato

Unmixed!

Rainy Soup and Salad

 #2 Have to have soup on such a rainy day! It was raining so hard on my way home I picked up some Vegan Celery Soup w/ Parsley from Table Cafe, which didn't sound that amazing but I knew it would be good since everything they do is delicious.  I threw together a salad with some leftovers and Sweet Tahini Dressing and it all mixed up quite nicely (of course I tried everything in and out of the soup). The beans went the best. I love tahini dressings!
-Table Cafe Celery Soup w/ Parsley
-Brown Rice and Black Bean/Chicken Leftovers
-Salad w/ Heirloom Tomato, Plantain, Cilantro, Green Onion, Tahini Dressing
   -Tahini, Home Juiced Green Apple Juice

 Coconut Infused Oatmeal!!!

  Remember when I hinted at some Coconut-Infused Oatmeal? I'm SO GLAD I wasn't kidding! Probably the best overnight oats yet! No additional honey/maple/agave/stevia sweetener necessary, just the perfect amount of natural sugar from all the Delicious Coconut Kefir, fresh and dried fruit.  A crazy blend of coconut flavor, moist nuggets of dried fruit, crunchy nutty brazil nuts, mushy oats, and a mix of other sweet complimentary flavors from the different fruits. 

    This easily makes making Coconut Kefir worth doing a million more times. I could tell even just the coconut kefir and oats combo complimented each other amazingly.  The sweetness and combination of all the flavors left me experiencing a bomb lychee flavor too. 

  #3 I accompanied this epic bowl with some Indian Tulsi Rose Tea w/ 1/2 scoop of Vanilla Plant Protein to get an extra 10 grams. I'm definitely going to repeat this as well as it turns tea into a nice Latté without milk and with some protein. Oh yeah, and that second "kombucha" bottle isn't extra tea (the other one is the protein tea), it's my own Kombucha Brew, labeled "P" for pomegranate! My first taste today and I am almost as stoked on it as I am on these oats. I didn't brew it too strong, so it tastes like delicious Black Tea Pomegranate Soda! With a hint of Kombucha.

-65g oats, 200g Coconut Kefir (or 1/4" above the oats initially)

-5 Brazil Nuts, Chopped

-Shredded Coconut, Dried Mango, Dried Pineapple

-Strawberry/Blueberries

Holy Orange! Ginger and Pumpkin and Chai Oh My....

Sesame Orange Ginger Glazed Tofu Butternut Squash Salad

Ok, this may not be the most photogenic rendition compared to what the real recipe came up with, but it sure was tasty! I pretty much followed the recipe using tofu, sesame, and then Butternut Squash and Kale of course.  Combining the ideas of the Orange Tempeh Glaze with Butternut Squash Salad, and then adding plenty of good old Sesame.  Some solid tweaks and additions if I don't say so myself.  This is definitely a sweet dish, so if your trying to cut down on the sugar (if your eating like the rest of my meals which have little to none), this isn't the best option. But it tastes damn good! I cooked the Kale with Garbanzo's separately from the Squash/Tofu, but there isn't much of a need. I started with them separate on my plate as well but it looked like a half green-half orange frisbee so I mixed it all up. See the recipe for qty's. I think I might need less sweetness in the sauce next time to account for my taste and the fact that the squash is already sweet! #1 One of my excellent tricks for this meal was taking the sauce after cooking and mixing in Tahini to turn it into a Orange Ginger Tahini Dressing to put on top! It's just under everything in the photo... The only thing else I can say is Sweet Sesame Ginger with Savory hints (Olive/Thyme) for the win!

-Tofu and Butternut Squash, browned and then simmered with the Sauce Mix

   -Ginger, Fresh OJ, Mirin, Temari, Maple Syrup, Ground Coriander, Garlic, Tahini

-Kale and Garbanzos with Pepper, Thyme, Toasted Ground Sesame, Gomasio, Veggie Broth

-Some Olives! (to go with the slightly savory flavors and bite of the Sake in the Mirin)

Bam! Pumpkin Success

Had to use the rest of the can of pumpkin that I opened up for this meal, but wasn't sure how. Decided to do a similar but better version.  It was so good I could of eaten it for days! #2 Canned pumpkin is gross alone but even just sweetening it with a bit of Agave Nectar makes it amazing (could eat just that for a snack), and adding even more complimentary flavors and it's above and beyond tasty. I went with a Sweet but Savory combination of flavors, accompanied by a wheat tortilla-gone toasted pita chips and some steamed vegetables.  Absolutely delicious. Sort of a Mediterranean meets Western extravaganza.

-2/3c can Pumpkin, 1/2c Garbanzo Beans,  2 tsp Agave Nectar, Thyme, 4 Garlic Cloves, Sea Salt and Pepper

-Wheat Pita Chips (tortilla in a pan toasted), Hummus, and Olives

-Steamed Broccoli and Carrots

Pumpkin Chai Spice Overnight Oats

This was actually quite similar to any Pumpkin Spice Oats I've had before, only with more Spicyness.  #3 I got this Indian Masala Spice Blend from my visit to the Malabar Indian Store on 4th, and wanted to try it for some exotic oatmeal, plus had my open can of pumpkin. Turned out to be awesome Chai Spiced Pumpkin goodness! Main similarities with my normal breakfast combinations would be the cardamom and nutmeg flavors, but with more spice to it (probably the addition of peppercorns). Next time I might add more than 1/2 tsp of the Masala blend for a bit stronger flavor. My Indian Tulsi Rose Tea accompanied this bowl perfectly, I think a real Chai would just be an overload.

-60g oats, 170g soymilk, Agave Nectar, 1/2 tsp Masala Blend, 2t Pumpkin

-Blueberries, 5 sliced almonds, 1t Chia Seeds

-5 Dried Cherries

Garlic Roasted Salmon-Butternut Squash Salad, Green Curry Chicken

Butternut Squash Salmon Salad

I know that worrying about blogging a meal means it was damn good. That's how I felt devouring this epic salad. So good with so many flavors and aromas going on I knew there'd be no way for my limited writing skills to do it justice.  I combined the ideas of a Spinach/Chickpea Butternut Squash Salad, Garlic Roasted Butternut Squash, and Lemon Garlic Salmon into one super dish.  The roasted squash, Salmon, garlic, and pine nuts were all browned to deliciousness. The butternut squash was tender and sweet, yet wore the flavor of garlic and lemon well.  That's all I got, you'll have to try making it to get the full experience (totally worth it). #1 I started with olive oil, garlic, squash with the spices and roasted on medium high heat about 4 minutes, then added some more of the spices, olive oil, and lemon with the Salmon for 2 minutes each side to brown, and then another 5 minutes in about 1/2c veggie broth to simmer and cook through. I hit all the healthy fats possible in this one with olive oil, nuts, avocado, and tahini, and it made it tasty! I also ended up adding olives which really gave a nice final touch.

-Butternut Squash and Salmon in Olive Oil, Garlic, Pine Nuts, Garlic Powder, Lemon Pepper, Lemon, Sea Salt, Veggie Broth

-Mixed Greens, Tomato, Cucumber, Olives, Avocado, Olives

   -Lemon, Tahini, Olive Oil, Water (forgot a clove of garlic and it was still amazing!)

Easy Tofu-Brown Rice Salad

Threw together these ingredients from the fridge for a clean and easy yet delightful and tasty lunch.

-Spring Mix Greens, Cucumber, Olives

-Salsa and Avocado Salad Dressing

-Short Grain Brown Rice with Tofu and Chia Seeds mixed in

Green Thai-Indian Curry Chicken

This was a solid creation! Kind of in between Chile Verde (like the tacos) and Indian Curry, but definitely leaned way more towards the Indian side. The good thing is now I know how to make both (if I want Chile Verde i'll just go with the same Green Curry Paste and Chicken broth but onion, garlic, and Mexican spices instead)! I didn't go for a Basil Coconut style Thai Curry, so used 1c Chicken Broth, 1t Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste, and then my favorite Indian Curry Spices. #2 Cooked in the chicken, carrots, and onions until soft and tender, served over short grain brown rice, and topped with Sliced Almonds and Olives.  I then used the sauce to dress my salad, which had plenty of Avocado, which officially goes and looks great with Cumin. It all mixed together and the spinach really absorbed the spices and it was definitely a delicious curry party. Next time i'll throw some lemon on the salad as well and add some cloves/cinnamon to  the chicken for some real pop.

-Chicken Breast, Carrots, and Onion in Chicken Broth, Thai Green Curry Paste, Turmeric, Cumin, Curry Powder, Garam Masala, Fennel Seed Powder

-Salad with liberal Avocado 

-Brown rice and Olives/Almonds to top

Clean Up Eats: Grill Life, Cinnamon Berry Explosion/Lucky Charms

Today I enjoyed lunch in the Redwood Bark (newspaper) Room; definitely a nice work environment, although they need some quality computer desks for home! After eating a lot on the weekend including my own weight in Froyo, and then so many V-Day splurges, I tried to keep it a little cleaner recently. I was quite pleased as each meal was quite delicious while being really light and healthy.

 Sesame Mustard Tofu Kale Sesh

Is it weird that I like vegetables so much? I decided that tofu is totally legit made the right way eaten at the right time. #1 I thought I was over it and moved on to tempeh, but realized it's so much easier to digest b/c has no fiber, so if your eating a meal with plenty of hearty veggies already, tofu is a perfect addition. It's also dialed when turned crispy and golden brown around the edges with spices! BSprouts were awesome again with ground mustard seed, except lemon also, and mixed in with some of Stonewall Kitchen Wasabi Mustard. Buddha's Hand Zest and Tahini is good over everything! This meal packed a powerful bite with mustard/wasabi, lemon, and sesame! I've also been super down with purple cabbage, it tastes a little bit like Dijon Mustard on it's own and is SO crunchy.
-Tofu and Kale Saute (Gomasio, Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, Garlic, Lemon, Veggie Broth)
-Grilled B-Sprouts (Mustard Seed, Lemon, Sesame Oil, Olive Oil, Pepper, Sea Salt, Gomasio)
-Brown Rice, Purple Cabbage, Avocado, Tahini, Wasabi Mustard

Grilled Salmon and Vegetables

I might be entering a grilled food phase? Less liquidy food but just as much flavor! Like salad with the flavor of the dressing but a hot smokey crunchy clean sensation instead of soggy one.  This grilled salmon and vegetable combo again reminded me of my childhood family dinners at Benihana. It had a little bit of Mexican theme to it since it was a little spicy and enjoyed witha avo and salsa. The outside gained a nice crust from being cooked on high heat.  Kind of like a gourmet fish stick.  Brussel sprouts were epic, not only b/c I realized that they are really good no matter what, especially grilled, but also b/c I used ground mustard seed which adds a wasabi like flavor bite! So good I could eat a mountain of them! I mean I sort of did... #2 I started b. sprouts in the grill pan with garlic, olive oil, pepper, and mustard seed, then added the onions a little later, then the salmon and spices, and finally the mushrooms so that everything cooked together and finished around the same time. Some medium high heat at first to get the nice grilled flavor but then low heat and covered to make everything cooked through.
-Grilled Brussel Sprouts with Mustard Seed, Olive Oil, Pepper, Sea Salt
-Grilled Portobello Mushroom, Red Onion
-Grilled Salmon with Turmeric, Garlic and Onion Powder, and Chili Powder, on top of a bed of crunchy Purple Cabbage
-Brown Rice, Avocado, Salsa

Leftovers+Sesame Salt

Lunch was pretty sweet and delicious, basically just snagged some leftovers from dinner, and added a bit of brown rice, spice, and dressing. Sweet carrot lentil soup, brown rice balsamic salad and a little bit of grilled chicken all mixed up nicely into a good combo of salty yet sweet and creamy.
-Balsamic and Olive Oil, Sesame Salt
-Spring Mix and Grilled Chicken
-Brown Rice and Lentil Soup

Cinnamon Berry Explosion

No dedicated sweetener, much fats, or dried fruit, and not too much real fruit, but it was so good anyways!  A cinnamon and spice berry explosion! Think ginger bread. #3 Thank you spices and stevia extract! Prepared overnight style.
-55g oats, 180g soymilk, 4 drops stevia
-Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries
-Hazelnuts
-Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves

Cereal Discovery: Lucky Charms!!!

Bam! Another discovery. Once again without a dedicated sweetener like honey/agave/maple syrup/jam/dried fruit. Went to sleep at 8 last night, and figured I'd auto-wake up early enough to make breakfast but still woke up at the usual 7... That meant act fast! Quick look at the nutrition on some plain cheerios and some non sweet vanilla galaxy granola and found the cheerios a hair better, pretty much dead equal though. It ended up tasting just like Lucky Charms! It was probably the sweetness from the kiwi, wheat cereal aspect of cheerios, #4 and liqorice-esk spice/extract. So pleased! Lucky charms are the best. All I have to do is add some crazy food coloring and it will nearly be the same.
-50g Plain Cheerios
-180g Soymilk
-1/2 Kiwi, Mixed Berries
-2 Ground Star Anise Petals, 1 cap-full Anise Extract