Power Pancakes 2.0, Gratitude, Super Dal

     Along with all the baking I did this weekend, I also whipped up and froze my 2nd time batch of protein pancakes, and without protein powder!  I switched them to the fridge the night before I wanted them. 

Coconut Power Pancakes

The nutrition is off the hook with a solid amount of fiber and protein, yet still super tasty (click nutrition-without seeds/fruit added in).  #1 The key is garbanzo, coconut flour, and egg whites.  They were a bit dry so maybe coconut milk, and less garbanzo flour and baking powder. The pancakes alone were actually quite tasty, fluffy and light, flavorful and a little sweet!

• 6T Garbanzo Flour
• 2T Coconut Flour
• 2t Baking Powder
• 2t Cinnamon
• 2 Egg Whites
• 5 Drops Stevia
• Vanilla
• Fair amount of unsweetened almond milk (until good consistency)
• Add in pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, raspberries, blueberries, dried fruit, cacao nibs...

 Seeds were the best addition to during cooking and although I ate on the go, sauces/toppings would help  the moisture factor. More fresh fruit cooked in would benefit as well! This breakfast kept me full for a while so I would maybe make 2/3 of the recipe for one person (the above changes would probably do the trick). Just mix ingredients and pour 3-5" pancakes on a griddle, flipping after bubbling for a while (if you roll non-greased like me!).

Some more Gratitude:

I Am Whole

 Probably now my go to grain bowl at Cafe Gratitude. I love it.  The Kim Chee is just a bit spicy and not too acidic, and the Teriyaki Almonds sweetness and nice crunch balance out the Garlic Tahini Dressing!

 Sea vegetables and kale, steamed quinoa or local brown rice, house-made kim chee, carrots, and sprouts with tahini-garlic sauce and teriyaki almonds.

 I made Channa Dal pretty well for the 2nd time as well!

 Channa Dal Houtzager 

It ended up perfectly sweet, spicy and creamy oozing with flavors and went with the salad and dressing perfectly. 

• Cardamom, Garam Masala, Basil, Turmeric, Ginger Powder, Ginger Juice, Olive Oil, Agave Nectar
• Garlic, Fennel, Onion, Dal, Butternut Squash
• Almonds, Fennel to Garnish
• Chicken broth and Coconut milk
• Spinach Avo Salad w/ Ginger-Lemon-Olive oil Dressing

 #2 I did the dressing quickly without thinking and it is so good for how simple it is to throw together (when you have home-bottled ginger and lemon juice in the fridge!). Just saute the vegetables and garlic with the spice combo and then add in steamed butternut squash, rice-cooker made Dal, and extra Chicken Broth and Coconut Milk to make it your desired consistency.  Top with the yummy garnishing and enjoy! #3 The agave nectar is key to sweeten it up just a bit.

Overnight Rice Pudding Breakfast and Mega Dialed Fishies

Special Oven Salmon Filet

 I got so full from this meal! A combo of Indian+Persian cuisines, influenced by my Rumi experience. #1 Oven baked a Salmon Filet with Saffron and Zereshk berries (which are like more bitter dried cranberries super tart and awesome) w/ a hint of Garam Masala.  The flavor was perfect. I also used ginger juice mixed in the olive oil but the effect was subtle. The berries were tasty in the rice too, and a 'basic' salad all went together nicely! The Dolma I got from the Mediterranean market next to Rumi and is up there with the best for sure. 3 for $1!

• Salmon Filet Oven Baked 15-20min at 400º 
• Saffron Strands, Zereshk Berries, Garam Masala, Olive Oil, Ginger Juice
• Short Grain Brown Rice w/ Zereshk Berries
• Spring Mix Salad w/ Basil, Cucumber, Tomato, Cucumber, Green Onion
• Balsamic, Cider Vinegar, Olive Oil
• A Mediterranean Market Dolma

     This fish was your classic Lemon-Garlic-Thyme combo with Parsley, also sauteed with the zucchini.  You can't go wrong! I was especially pleased with the butternut squash, since previously steaming it was not that amazing tasting, but this was all time.  #2 It was sweet yet garlic-y, clean tasting and mushy with more flavor from additional herbs and sea salt/olive oil! All the aspects worked harmoniously together.  I obviously enjoy successfully preparing food in continuously healthier yet still tasty manners (steaming vs roasting/sauteing squash but keeping it just as good).  Then another 'basic' salad which is always too good for how easy and simple it is. And some quality steamed mushrooms, no need for any topping. They are a bit more expensive than other vegetables but 100% worth it. I also love valuable things that are actually worth it.

• Steamed Butternut Squash w/ Garlic, Lemon, Rosemary, Parsley, Sea Salt, olive oil
• Tilapia Sauté w/ Thyme Parsley Garlic and Zucchini Squash (top w/ S & P, Lemon)
• Steamed Brown Clamshell Mushrooms
• Spring mix salad w/ Avocado, Basil
• Balsamic, Rice Wine vinegar, Olive Oil

Easy Leftover Cinnamon Rice Pudding
  I wanted to try out buckwheat overnight oats, but also really wanted to finally incorporate leftover brown rice into breakfast, and ended up getting the best of both worlds! #3 Stoked to be able to use brown rice leftovers for breakfast, and simaltaneously enjoy a yummy rice pudding for breakfast.  And more soy-free yet still protein heavy enough thanks to super seedy deliciousness.  It basically turned out just like a yummy cinnamon rice pudding with lots of creaminess (nut milk+chia seeds) and seediness. A little fruity tang and sweetness from fresh berries.  I didn't mix in the chia seeds well and they formed delicious creamy clumps! Overall a mushy seedy creation with a nice thick and doughy yet crunchy texture!

The buckwheat is crunchy and nutty! Mix the night before and enjoy...

• 200g Unsweetened Almond Milk
• 1/2c Cooked Leftover Brown Rice
• 2 t Buckwheat
• 2t Chia seeds
• 1t Sunflower seeds
• 1t Pumpkin seeds
• Cinnamon and Stevia to taste!
• Fresh Berries

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

Curry Chickpea Delight, Review Bungalow Munch Granola

Curried Chickpeas and So Much More

Curry and Cumin all around! Inspired by this recipe, I was thoroughly pleased with the flavoring of this meal.  I stir fried some onion/garlic/fennel with 'the epic spice mixture' and then added some chickpeas and tomato with some more of the spice mixture just to heat up/mix in.  Accompanied by even more similarly spiced vegetables, chicken, and an Avocado-Cumin Vinaigrette Salad. #1 Chicken went well with the avocado and salad and the chickpea stir fry went well with the carrot and sweet potato! A delicious combination for sure. Spices all around! And Orange Blossom Iced Tea.

-Cumin/Turmeric Baked Sweet Potato

-Curry Powder/Turmeric Steamed Carrots

-Chickpea Stir Fry (Fennel, Red Onion, Garlic)

    -Cumin, Curry, Ginger, Turmeric, Parsley, Coriander)

-Leftover Chicken

-Cumin Avocado Vinaigrette Salad (Spring Mix, Green Onion, Avocado)

    -Avocado Dressing + Cumin


 I met Jeri from Bungalow Munch through the cycling world, and could not be more glad! She's totally awesome on top of being an amazing athlete and granola-creator.  Since i'm not cashew-friendly she made me some nut-free to try.  There's so many great things about Bungalow Munch! From the reusable aesthetically pleasing containers option to the quality short list of ingredients. It's got amazing flavor and isn't dry like many granolas. Don't let the nutrition label fool you either, the fat content is a result of healthy fats and the sugar from natural sources, so although other granolas tute their low fat low sugar mantras, this has only real ingredients and is much better for you. There's just no need to add your own healthy sources of fat.

Review: Bungalow Munch

     The benefits to this granola are far from few! The 1st wave of awesome comes with the initial flavor from sunflower seeds and coconut. 2nd the Vermont Maple Syrup with a hint of maple, and making the granola just sweet enough and not chalky.  Sugar content low enough so there's no need to sweeten but is still nutritionally sound.  Finally you realize the pleasant compliments of the baking/roasting process and canola oil, finishing off the flavor.  The texture is not dry like many brands.
    It masters all proper granola aspects, but what really makes it stand out is the ingredients, or lack thereof.  While someone who has tasted few granolas might think safeway generics could taste the same (not even close!), the majority of other granolas have 2x the ingredients, especially the low fat chemically altered versions.  #2 Although the nutrition facts may not impress as far as granolas go, with slightly more fat, the key is the sources are all good for you. No evaporated cane juice (sorry galaxy granola) or other less beneficial sweeteners here. Sunflower seeds, cashews, and coconut provide healthy sources of fat that you need, and you conveniently don't need to add fat sources.
    This time I let the granola get soggy with soymilk and so the flavor was the highlight, but I also enjoyed with Coconut Kefir immediately, maintaining the crunch and it was even better.  Haven't even tried it with traditional yogurt!

-1/2c nut free Bungalow Munch

-Blueberries and 4oz Soymilk

Entering a Cycle, Garlic Dal, Ginger Sesame Sweet Potato and Tempeh

Check it out! Featured in the Sunday paper!  Great article, and made the blog get more than 100 views in less than 24 hours. Stoked. The more views = the more I try to make it worth while!

Now that racing season is upon us, I've learned my eating trends (thank you food blog). On weeks that I have a race I eat super clean and healthy to get race ready, mentally and physically, and on off weeks I 'splurge'. Basically more sugar, fruit, wheat, diary (just yogurt), and sodium. More Japanese and less Mediterranean. Add in Fro Yo and Cookies. Now onto the clean cycle: (Vegans get ready!)

Sesame Ginger Tempeh and Sweet Potato Salad

   Main motivation for this meal was use Ginger, Sweet Potato, and the Spring Mix Greens from the fridge. I tried sort of my own variation of the Orange Tempeh Glaze and it was partially super successful! Lesson 1: don't make a sauce that has tahini in it and then put it on a medium-high heat pan, it just gets stuck and isn't liquidy enough. #1 The good: Browning/toasting tempeh in a non stick pan first makes it extra good, ESPECIALLY with Sweet Potato, which also officially goes great with Sesame! I cut up the potato and mixed it into the salad and it was all a Sesame crunchy and slightly creamy but attitude packed (ginger/wasabi) dish! Still tasty and no meat/wheat/oil/dairy here (just vegetables/seeds)!

-Tempeh browned, then simmered in Ginger Glaze (use for dressing as well)

   -Lemon, Tahini, Ginger Juice, Minced Ginger, Wasabi

-Spring Mix, Purple Carrot, Tomato

-Green Onion and Toasted Sesame Seeds to top

-Baked Sweet Potato

Garlic Toor Dal Plate

It's kind of fun for a second when there's a lot in the fridge and I have to figure out what's going bad the soonest and makes sense to use. Thus, for today's clean lunch, I went with the leftover Dal, and chose some vegetables to cook with.  #2 Dal is a little bland/dry on it's own, but with a little bit of spices and sweetener or healthy fat added it's becomes delicious.  Today mine was like mashed potatoes except 300x tastier and healthier. Remixed everything together with plenty of Garlic, Parsley, Olives, and Sesame for a tasty bowl of only vegetables (yet still calorically and nutritionally sound)!
-Toor Dal Leftovers (w/ Garlic Tahini Sauce, Olives, Parsley, Garam Masala)
-Rainbow Chard Saute (usual Garlic, Thyme, Pepper)
-Tomato, Olives, Parsley
-Tahini Sauce (leftover Sol Food Garlic Lemon Dressing, Tahini)

Pomegranate Double Time, Indian Channa Dal

 
Chana Dal!
Stoked on my second time using Dal, this time with intention of following the recipe I originally got it for! I sort of followed it, but mostly went with a bit of this and a bit of that as usual. It was a bit spicy, and all the wonderful spice aromas filled my kitchen. It had plenty of crunchiness in it between the sauteed vegetables and toasted almonds, and went perfectly in a wrap. Next time i'm going to make mass amounts and then eat leftover wraps for days...mmmm

-Dal (Split Pigeon Peas or Lentils) with a tiny bit of Agave Nectar 

-Spice Combo: Garam Masala, Curry Powder, Turmeric, Cardamom Powder, Mustard Seed, Togarashi (for chili flakes), Pepper and Sea Salt

-Garlic, Ginger, Onion, and Fennel Sauté

-Toasted Almonds, Green Onion

-Steamed Broccoli and a Tortilla

The Most Epic Pomegranate Beet Salad

This salad was mega. The picture does not come close to doing it justice. Combine your standard beet salad complete with Basil, Avocado, Green Onion, and Rice Wine Vinegar, and then mix it all together with an epic Pomegranate Ginger Chicken Salad, complete with Dried Cranberries and Star Anise.  All due to having the right leftovers! Each bite had a different delicious highlight. So bomb.
-Spring Mix, Tomato, Green Onion Leftovers
-Ginger Chicken Breast Leftovers
-Avocado
-Pomegranite Dressing (Pomegranite Juice, Olive Oil, Basil, Star Anise, Ginger Juice, Rice Wine Vinegar)
-Dried Cranberries and Beets
-Sea Salt n' Peppa

Pomegranate Overnight Oats

Definitely stoked my mom got a small container of Pomegranate juice from the Farmer's Market! So far I had some straight, used some for Pomegranate Kombucha, and now some for Overnight Oats.  It made for a delicious purple hued bowl of oats and goodies.
-60g oats, 150g soymilk, 5g Pomegranate Juice
-6 Brazil Nuts, chopped, Dried Cranberries
-Blueberries and Strawberries

New Containers!

And I made my overnight oats using my new containers from CSN stores. These glass jars by Bodum are light, hold a ton of any grain, bean, or dried food, look nice, and the tops come off and on like your lifting up a cloud, except they are still totally air tight. Win-Win.

Indian Win, Mint Choco Extreme, Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

Dal Part II

I had just enough Dal leftover to have it again for dinner.  Gone all crazy mixed with Pumpkin for a new life! I'm stepping into new new bounds with the Pumpkin, never really used canned pumpkin for anything except baking or breakfast treats like smoothies and cereals.  I chose some complimentary spices and herbs for Dal and Pumpkin, and then it all worked nicely with salad, pita, and hummus again. #1 The agave nectar was crucial to sweeten the pumpkin, and adding in the creaminess of the Hummus really brought it to life. I need to knockout some ingredients to dial this dish in for sure. 

-1c Dal, 3/4c Pumpkin, Thyme, Garlic, Pepper, Turmeric, Cardamom, Cloves, Agave Nectar 

-Roasted Almonds, Olives

-Same Salad as Lunch w/ Curry Ginger Dressing (Cider Vinegar, Olive Oil, Curry, Thyme, Ginger Juice, Garlic, Sea Salt)

-Wheat Pita and Garlic Hummus

Toor Dal

Dal is officially in my cooking repertoire. This recipe inspired me, but I didn't have onion or fennel so I just made some stuff up. And this recipe inspired my Cumin Tahini Dressing. I've had Dal before in Indian cuisine, but never made it. After a trip to the Indian market (Malabar) on 4th street, I got my Dal in dried form and was ready to go.  #1 I had no idea how to make it in my rice maker, so I went with 1/2c dry to 2c water and hit the go button. It worked! On it's own it's less chalky/cementy than other beans, and gives a little hint of roasted corn flavor? Whatever it is, it's tasty, especially with Dill, Olives, Hummus, Pita, and all the other spices and ingredients I used. Score 1 for first time random Indian Combo Attempt. Everything ended up mixing together in an awesome combo as usual!
-Dal with Olives, Toasted Almonds, Dill Weed
-Spinach, Carrot, Cucumber, and Purple Cabbage Salad
  -Curry Cumin Tahini Dressing (2t Cider Vinegar, 1t Tahini, Cumin, Curry, 1 Clove Garlic, Sea Salt, Water)
-Garlic Hummus on a Wheat Pita

B-Berry Muffin Morphed into a Cookie

I am continuing the quest to make oatmeal cookies as delicious as Mogul's Coffee in Whistler. Today I tried brown sugar, sea salt, cranberries, only olive oil, blueberries, and 400º at 16 minutes as my tweaks to the recipe (I might post it once it's perfected, but until then contact me and I'll pass it on). I had half of one for lunch's dessert. #2 Blueberries are nearly as good as raspberries on top (which are really really good so that's an accomplishment). I am partially pretty pleased with this b/c I used frozen ones but they still tasted legit. Flavor is spot on but it really comes down to the texture. They are epic cookies as usual but I want them to be less light and fluffy, more chewy and more crunchy. I've got a couple of things to try on the next batch (more oats, higher heat, little less oil, less baking powder).

Mint Choco 3.0

Took my Green Tea Mint Chocolate Chip Oatmeal to the next level in a few ways this morning. I added Vanilla and Egg White to the mix, and for the Mint and Vanilla flavoring I gave it everything I got. Extract and Dried/Whole for both Vanilla and Mint. The sweetness came from Stevia Extract and the Vanilla Almond Milk, which was plenty. All the usual toppings and it was so enjoyable. Sweet Vanilla Mint Green Tea Chocolate? Sounds pretty innovative to me...
-1/2c oats, 1c water, drops Vanilla Extract, drops Spearmint Extract, drops Stevia Extract, Dried Spearmint, 1" Ground Vanilla Bean
-Blueberries, Pecans, Cacao Nibs, Cranberries
-Vanilla Almond Milk