Showing posts with label lower carb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lower carb. Show all posts

Warm-Up and Beat the Chill With Vata Chai {Paleo, Vegan, Low-Carb}


Autumn. My favorite time of the year. Leaves turning, an invigorating briskness in the air.  I find myself gravitating towards steamy drinks of the most spicy kind. Enter Vegan Vata Chai. This is my standard wake-up drink pretty much every morning now. Trish, a dear friend, can attest to the wonderfully rich aroma that fills these early mornings. Not only is chai a lovely way to start the day, but it is chock full of health benefits. It's the ultimate grounding beverage with a little kick, minus the jitters of coffee. Think delightful without sugared or caffeinated guilt. 




During the times I have spent in India, chai was a staple and each region had their own signature style of the tea. I found my favorite to be leaning heavily towards the sweet spice of cinnamon and cardamom. Unfortunately, all chai in India is made with whole milk and heaps of sugar. After several months of drinking the decadent concoction, I didn't feel the most vibrant or healthy. So the quest for a convincing (and delicious) alternative began.

Vata is the wind element in Ayurveda. It tends to become unbalanced in our fast-paced, rush around lives. This element is quick, light, and cool. When vata becomes aggravated, we become worrisome, scattered, forgetful, and ungrounded. Our vata nature is nurtured into balance by warm, sweet, and earthy flavors.

For this recipe, ginger helps with circulation and warms the system. Ditto for the cloves and cinnamon. The licorice root adds a nice little kick by increasing energy and balancing blood sugar levels. If you have high-blood pressure, skip this herb. I use rooibos tea which has a rich, earthy quality. As an added bonus, rooibos is caffeine free and rich in antioxidants. 

Wishing all an abundant, spicy, and heart-centered autumn!





Vegan Vata Chai

Yield: 8 cups/four generous servings

*As always, organic ingredients are best for flavor, nutrition, and the environment.

I like to make a big pot and have it on a gentle simmer throughout the day. As the ultimate comfort beverage, Vegan Vata Chai keeps me going during these brisk, busy days. 

1 1/2 quarts of filtered water
4 tablespoons loose rooibos tea
2 tablespoons licorice root, shredded or chopped
1 tablespoon cardamom seed
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
3 whole star anise 
1 stick of cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon whole cloves
2 cups unsweetened almond, hemp, or coconut milk
Stevia to taste

Simmer rooibos, licorice, cardamon, ginger, anise, cinnamon, and cloves in water for 15-20 minutes. Strain and return tea to pot. Add non-dairy milk of choice plus stevia to sweeten. Share joyfully with friends, family and those you love.

"May you always have walls for the winds, a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you and all your heart might desire." -Irish Blessing





Sprightly Summer Spritzer with Raspberry and Lemon


Here is another lightening quick recipe for the dog days of summer – a refreshing spritzer with just a hint of sweetness and a touch of tanginess. I normally do not recommend cold beverages as they tend to suppress digestion, but I couldn't resist with this one. Just make sure you enjoy the spritzer on its own and straight up. Fresh raspberries and lemons, a dash of stevia, squeeze of juice along with sparking mineral water like San Pellegrino and you will never be tempted by artificial vitamin waters again. Wishing all an outrageously festive, healthy and playful season.

Autumn Yam, Collard, and Tofu Sauté with Ginger-Cilantro Pesto

The weather has turned crisp in this neck of the woods, hinting autumn is on its way. A little shocking, actually, as just last week the temperatures hit close to 100ºF. Instead of cooking up a dish of simple collards with a bit of olive oil as I had intended, the sweet potatoes, tofu, and cilantro in the refrigerator caught my eye. Before I knew it, I was involved in a full-fledged cooking session. This recipe has overtones of Thai flavor, but with a twist of Western sensibility. 

The highlight here is the ginger-cilantro pesto. Ginger for a bit of warming kick and cilantro for its healthful qualities. Cilantro is abundant in antioxidants, a wonderful heavy metal detoxifier, and a plentiful source of cleansing chlorophyl. Also, super-nutritious sunflower seeds are used instead of the traditional pine nuts. Sunflower seeds are a great source of vitamins E, B1, B5, and folate as well as minerals such as copper, manganese, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, selenium, calcium and zinc. These mighty seeds are also a fantastic source of dietary fiber, linoleic acid, and cholesterol-lowering phytosterols.

The orange brightness of the yams against the more subdued green collards is embellished nicely with the tofu. Personally, I like the colors of cooking to accent one another so the pesto is tossed lightly with the greens; the yams and tofu are used as a crowning touch. 


Ginger-Cilantro Pesto
1  clove garlic, crushed
2  tablespoons chopped ginger
1  teaspoon sea salt 
1/4  cup raw sunflower seeds
1  cups chopped cilantro, loosely packed
1/4  cup coconut oil, melted

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the garlic, ginger, salt and sunflower seeds six times. Add cilantro and pulse about nine times until mixture forms a coarse paste. Transfer to a medium bowl and combine with coconut oil. 


Yam, Collard, and Tofu Sauté
2  medium yams, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
2  tablespoons coconut oil
1/2  cup water
1  14-oz package of extra-firm tofu, sliced into 1-inch cubes
4   tablespoons lime juice
1  teaspoon sea salt
1  tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6  collard leaves, sliced in 1-inch wide ribbons
3  green onions, thin slice
1/4  cup coconut milk
1  tablespoon red pepper flakes

In a large covered skillet over medium heat, sauté yams with water and 1 tablespoon coconut oil for 8 minutes or until just tender. Remove from heat and transfer to a small mixing bowl. Next, sauté tofu over medium heat with remaining coconut oil for 3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Add to yams and toss lightly with lime juice and salt. Sauté collards with olive oil and green onions for 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro pesto and coconut milk. Remove from heat and place collards on serving plate. Top with yams, tofu, and red pepper flakes. Bon appétit.