Asian-style Salad with Tofu

A small strike of inspiration hit me i.e. I had no idea what to make for dinner one night and thus threw everything I could find into a huge salad bowl and called it a night. And it turned out to be one really flipping good salad. Like, really good. It was really simple and quick to make with little to no effort involved, which is basically how I like to cook anyway, so it worked out well. 

Asian-style Salad with Tofu

Carrot

Celery

Red capsicum

Kale

Broccolini

Red onion

Cherry tomatoes

Cucumber

Firm tofu

Oil, to fry (I used garlic olive oil)

Cracked pepper

Tamari 

Minced garlic, chilli, and ginger (I used 1/2 - 1 tsp of each)

Sesame seeds

Finely slice all of the veggies, keeping them raw and fresh, and slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Chop the veggies as fine/thin as you can, but it's not a big deal if they aren't perfect! Place all the chopped veggies in a bowl and give them a quick toss with some tongs. For the tofu, press between paper towels to remove much of the excess moisture, and then cube (as big as you want, really). Heat a drizzle of oil in a fry pan and once hot enough place in the tofu and crack over some pepper. Cook until the tofu is browned, and it'll go a little crispy too which is good. Tip: don't toss the tofu around in the oil too much as it can soak up a bit of the oil if you do, try just to turn it once. Also, make sure the oil is hot enough. Once the tofu is good and crispy, add it to the veggie bowl. Drizzle everything with a good splash of tamari, add the garlic, chilli, and ginger, and sprinkle over some sesame seeds. Give one final toss to mix everything together, and serve. Enjoy!   

Roasted Carrot and Lentil Salad

Oh, wow. It has seriously been a while since I've posted a new recipe. I have been in the biggest cooking/baking slump ever, and it has been the worst. Most meals lately have been pre-cooked quinoa/bean/lentil salads with whatever veggies are in the fridge; super quick, super lazy, no thought or inspiration whatsoever. I don't know what's been wrong with me, I've just had no cares at all about putting any effort into my food - the less I have to do, the better it is (which why I cook one big batch of quinoa to last a good few days, for example. That shit is a staple. And also I don't have to wait for it to cook when I want it, which is basically everyday. Oh, my life. So lazy.) 

Anyway, I have a thing for vegetables roasted in coconut oil. It's like kind of buttery, coconuty goodness. Roasted carrots are one of my favourite things to eat, so this salad is kind of inspired by that. By the way, it is also ridiculously easy and will take hardly any effort. You can thank me later.

Roasted Carrot and Lentil Salad

Ingredients

Dutch baby carrots, maybe 3 - 4 per person depending on their size

Coconut oil, melted

Your favourite spices - I used cumin, ground coriander, and turmeric

Salt and pepper, to taste

Mixed baby greens

A can of lentils, or cook your own (I'm working with convenience here, remember)

Red capsicum

Flaked almonds, pepitas, and sunflower seeds

Balsamic vinegar

All you have to do is heat your oven to about 160 degrees C. Lightly peel the carrots, then place on a lined baking tray and drizzle with enough coconut oil to cover, and then sprinkle over some spices + a little salt and pepper. Pop them in the oven for around 20 minutes or so - my carrots were a little crunchy which is good, but cook them a little longer if you'd prefer them otherwise. On a big serving platter (or individual plates, depending on how many people you're serving) place a few big handfuls of the mixed greens. Thinly slice the capsicum and sprinkle that over the greens, followed by the lentils. Place the carrots over top of your salad, and sprinkle with some almonds and the seeds. Drizzle over a little balsamic, and that's it! 

Note: This salad is also good with quinoa or brown rice, so if you want it a little more substantial, add one (or both?) of those! 

Bean and Lentil Stew, for one

I've been a little slack with recipes of late. My mind has been a little all-over-the-place, a little scattered, and I just haven't been feeling it - it being creative. Also, last week I was back in Queensland with my parents which, to be honest, I was a little weary about. My brother and my best friend both weren't able to come, so I was anxious that I'd get there and would be kind of bored and lonely. I had a wonderful week though. It was nice to be back there; it felt so great to be away from home, away from all the stress and anxiety that I'm usually all encompassed by, and to have some space, and fresh ocean air, and sunshine (and Starbucks). I let myself go a little, in that I stopped caring about certain things, things that may otherwise have caused me to have a terribly restricting week. I ate acai bowls, I drank obnoxiously over-sized coffee/iced tea, I read, I wrote, I practiced yoga in the sun on our balcony, I ate incredible vegan food at a vegetarian/vegan restaurant (The Cardamon Pod at Broadbeach), and I felt different, in such a good way. The sun shone every day bar one, and although there was still that cool autumn breeze, it was refreshing and sort of comforting. 

I was sad to leave. I feel so at home there, and I've never felt like that on any other holiday than when I'm in Queensland. Blue skies were replaced the grey clouds and a cold house - not so nice. I've always enjoyed winter, I just really don't like being cold. But the thing is, I'm kind of always cold, my body just can't seem to soak up warmth. However, there is nothing I love more than hot food when I feel like my bones have turned into ice blocks. Soups are a no-brainer, and stews are a close second in terms of favourite winter meals. I love stews to be really hearty and nourishing, that's part of what makes winter food so appealing - you can pack so many nutrients into one big pot, so it's not only going to be really good for you, but it'll help keep you healthy and flu-free through the colder months that we are coming into (what, when did autumn happen? Didn't it just start??). 

Bean and Lentil Stew, for one

Coconut oil

1/4 red onion, finely sliced

1 garlic clove, minced/roughly chopped

A chuck of sweet potato, roughly between 50 - 100g, roughly diced

About 1/4 head or so broccoli, florets + stem 

1/2 - 1 small zucchini, diced

1 roma tomato, diced

1/4 small red capsicum, diced

Mexican chilli powder, to taste (or any other spices in place of that)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Salt-reduced vegetable stock

1/4 cup mixed beans (I used a four bean mix)

1/4 cup canned lentils (or cook or own, either or)

Start by heating a scoop of coconut oil in a medium-sized pot over a low-medium heat. Throw in the red onion and capsicum and saute for a couple of minutes until it starts to soften; add garlic and saute for another minute or so. Add in all the remaining vegetables, as well as the chilli powder, and continue to saute for another minute or two. Add enough vegetable stock so that it's just shy of covering the vegetables, turn the heat up, put a lid on the pot, and let simmer/boil away for roughly 15 minutes, maybe a little longer. You want to cook it until the sweet potato is soft, and most of the liquid has been adsorbed. Finally, stir in the beans and lentils before serving, and add salt and pepper to taste. I served this with sliced avocado, cooked quinoa, and kale chips (to make kale chips, simply tear up a handful or two of kale, drizzle with a little oil - I used chilli-infused oil - salt, and pepper, and bake at 150 degrees C for about 10 minutes until crisp, but not burnt. These are so flipping good, I definitely recommend you make them!). Enjoy!

Smoothies + Quinoa Granola

Every now and again I find myself on a smoothie kick. Smoothies are a great way to pack a huge amount of vitamins into one meal, and when you blitz up your kale and spirulina and maca with bananas, berries, or nut butters, you get this delicious, super healthy drink, and you don't even notice that all that healthy stuff is in there. How good is that! 

I have two smoothie recipes to share with you, both quite simple, both super delicious. I'm also going to share with you a simple recipe for quinoa granola, which I have been topping my smoothies with - so good! 

Simple Green Smoothie

1 - 2 frozen bananas (make sure you peel and chop them up before freezing them!)

A big handful or two of kale

Water

Place the banana and kale in a blender, along with about 1/2 a cup of cold water. Turn on your blender, and blitz until smooth - you will probably have to add more water to reach your desired consistency, so just play that by ear. 

Banana-Berry Smoothie

1 - 2 frozen bananas

A big handful or two of kale or baby spinach

1 heaped tsp acai powder

Mixed frozen berries, about 75g

Water

Place the banana, greens, acai powder, and berries into a blender with 1/2 - 1 cup of cold water. Turn on your blender and blitz until smooth. Again, you may need to add more water to help your blender along, and to reach your desired consistency. 

Notes: You could use these same recipes to make ice cream! Use a food processor instead of a blender, and don't any any water (unless it really needs it). You'll have a super quick, creamy ice cream in a few minutes, tops. 

Feel free to add in whatever else you desire: chia or flax seeds, nut butter, other greens, etc.

Quinoa Granola

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1/2 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped if desired

1/4 cup shredded coconut

2 tbsp chia seeds

Handful of raisins

1 - 2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

1/8 - 1/4 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the coconut oil and maple syrup and mix well. Spread the mixture out onto a baking tray and bake for 15 - 20 minutes until lightly golden and toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool - the granola will harden up a lot once it's cooled! 

Breakfast Quinoa

Breakfast. My favourite meal of the day. There is something so comforting about a hot cup of coffee in the morning, followed by a delicious creation usually including peanut butter. I really just have a thing for breakfast, and I don't know how or why, but I look forward to immensely. There are just so many possibilities! Sweet or savoury, hot or cold; cake-like rounds of goodness drizzled with maple syrup, or fresh grainy toast topped with avocado and tomato. Always a big cup of coffee. Always delicious. 

The only problem that I have with breakfast is that I've been in a bit of a rut - I've been terribly uninspired, and I've found myself having the same things every day. Boring. For my favourite meal of the day, I'm not really doing it much justice (although, I could pretty much live off of peanut butter and banana on toast, so I guess I can't complain). Sometimes I just feel like something different, though when I think different, I think green smoothie, and I don't always feel like a green smoothie because, let's be real, although they're full of all the healthy, nutritious superfood stuff, and they do taste good, I generally like to be able to chew my food, not just drink it down i.e it needs a little substance. (Which is confusing considering the love I have for soup... )

One of my favourite things to make for breakfast is oatmeal, but again, I'm stuck in an uninspiring rut of topping it with the same old things. So, to quinoa I go. If I had quinoa flakes, I probably would have gone half an half (e.g half quinoa flakes + half quinoa = thicker quinoa porridge). However, I stuck to just plain quinoa, and it turned out rather well. For something a little different from regular oatmeal, it still manages to tick all the right boxes. 

Breakfast Quinoa

Serves 1

1/4 cup dry quinoa (any colour - I just had red quinoa on hand) + 3/4 cup water

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Banana slices

Slivered almonds

Sultanas or chopped dates

Pepitas and/or sunflower seeds

Maple syrup

Oat milk, or other non-dairy milk

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the quinoa, cinnamon, and water to a boil. Simmer until the quinoa has doubled in size and the water has been soaked up. If the water has evaporated before the quinoa has finished cooking, add a little more water). Once cooked, place the quinoa into a serving bowl. Pour over some milk (as much as desired), and top with the remaining ingredients. 

Green Soup + some realisations

This week has brought a few break-through's. I've sorted through the good and the bad and what's left is a clearer, more rational view of, well, everything. After being stuck for so long, I'm finally willing and ready to go for it - it being recovery, it being a brighter future, it being happiness and light and love. And that's exciting! It's such a positive, endearing step for me, one I am sure to keep up with. I am looking forward to making the most of everything; staying positive when my mind was crumbling has always been difficult for me - it is for anyone. I believe that healing takes time, and if it takes 3+ years to figure out that I don't really want to spend my time hiding away and sheltering myself from opportunities, and being completely miserable, then so be it. I've learnt so much. And in a way I am thankful, because I think that when anyone goes through something really sucky, you always come out the other side stronger, tougher, more resilient, and, I think, overall, a better person. Your attitude changes. Your life changes - and that's not always a bad thing. And although change, when it first enters your life, is often daunting and scary, and kind of makes you want to drop everything and crawl into bed and never see the light of day again...it forces you to re-evaluate your current situation. Maybe something has been off, and this is the universe trying to get you back on the right path. Maybe that sounds like absolute crap, but that's how I'm going to look at it. If I hadn't have experienced these mental illnesses, what would I be like now? I think I would be less aware of almost everything, I would be more dependent, I would be less educated. I have really narrowed down what's actually important to me and what's not, and that has been one of the biggest, most rewarding steps in my life - at least since three and a half years ago. I've narrowed down what I want out of my life - I know I probably sound naive, but I believe I now have the strength to tackle anything that comes my way. I am not so afraid anymore. And of course, this doesn't mean that I have 'cured' myself, not within a week or two, it just means, to me, that I am finally doing something to truly help myself, to help my future. And that makes me feel all warm inside. 

I wouldn't say that I am so much a 'positive' person as I am realistic, but I'm pushing the negativity out of my system - something that has been embedded within me for a while now. I think that realism solves problems. Realism offers you advice and comfort, but at the same time keeps your head from floating up into the clouds. That's what I need - stability, no messing about, just give me what I need and I will do something with it, I will try my hardest to turn it into something wonderful. 

I am taking more time out for myself, being sure to nourish my body, my mind, and my soul, with things like nutritious food, plenty of yoga, and bits of pieces of things that make me feel good, be it yoga, reading, watching my favourite movies, getting some fresh air, letting the sun kiss my skin, or spending time alone, or with people who truly brighten my spirits. It's refreshing.

I am getting on the right track. I've been swaying all over the place for far too long; it's wonderful to think that I'm not so scared of re-adjustment, if you'd like, and not so cautious of what's ahead of me. Let it happen. Let it fall into your world, but don't let it defeat you. Allow yourself time, allow yourself nourishment, and most importantly, allow yourself happiness. 

Green Soup

Ingredients

Oil of choice (I used extra virgin coconut)

Leek

Broccoli

Zucchini

Kale

Sweet potato, skin on

Garlic

Vegetable stock, salt reduced

Pink salt and pepper, to taste

Optional add-in's: other veggies (baby spinach, avocado, peas, watercress - whatever you like), chilli, a squeeze of lemon juice, etc.

Chop all the veggies into a dice. Heat the oil in a pot over a low-medium heat; saute the leek until soft, but not overly coloured. Add in the garlic and cook off for a few minutes (be careful not to have the heat too high - you don't want burnt garlic!). Throw in the rest of the veggies and saute for about five minutes. Add the vegetable stock until it is just covering the veggies; season to taste. Turn the heat up slightly and let the veggies simmer until the sweet potato has cooked - this won't take very long at all. Turn off the heat, pour the mixture into a blender (or alternatively, use a stick blender) and blitz until fairly smooth. I like this soup with a little texture, but blitz as much as you desire. Serve hot or chilled with a chuck of warm sourdough - so good. Enjoy!

Kale and Quinoa Salad

Last Sunday, Easter Sunday, we had a bunch of family over for dinner. That was the beginning of my downward spiral of unhealthy eating for the week. To be honest, it wasn't that bad, but I've felt bad. I mean, I'm not even that big on chocolate, so for Easter I got a bag of carrots - I have a love for raw carrots that I cannot deny, it's getting out of control. My mum was also so kind as to buy me some vegan milk chocolate that doesn't taste like arse. Thanks mum. But as for my unhealthy eating... I generally stick to eating healthily because it works best for me. It makes me feel energised and fresh, and I love preparing a nutritious meal to sit down to and really enjoy, and feel good knowing that I'm fueling my body with food that will nourish it. Sometimes I slip up though, and I try not to deprive myself, but I also don't really crave things like chocolate or chips, mostly because after I eat those things I feel super gross. So it's not big issue. When I do get off track for a couple of days, I get to a point where I'm sick of moping. I try new recipes and be as creative as I can, and it pays off, because doing that is both enjoyable, and I feel a hell of a lot better for eating broccoli instead of tortilla chips. 

This has been my go-to salad all week. I've eaten it most days for either lunch or dinner. I made a variation of this on Easter Sunday for the family, and since then I haven't been able to get enough of it. I feel like a lot of people, when they think vegan, think lettuce and tofu, or boring salads with little-to-no substance. But I couldn't live like that! Salads are one of my favourite things to eat because you can throw a whole heap of different things in there, be it greens, veggies, a protein such as lentils or beans, a grain like quinoa or brown rice, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices - anything - and it always turns out wonderfully. 

As for this salad in particular, you can use whatever you have on hand if you desire, but give this one a go! I like to have pre-cooked quinoa or brown rice in the fridge so it's ready to go for the week, and I use canned lentils and beans for convenience, so that makes this salad quick to prepare. I promise you, your insides will love you for this!

P.s. I won't add quantities for the ingredients only because it's pretty simple to make for either one person, or multiple people - just increase or decrease the ingredient. Also, this way you can play around with different veggies, grains etc. 

Kale and Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

Kale, torn into bite sized pieces

Carrot - try purple carrots!

Cherry tomatoes

Red onion

Avocado

Celery

Quinoa, pre-cooked and cooled

Lentils

EEVO

Minced garlic

Slivered almonds

Pink salt and pepper, to taste

In a bowl combine the kale, olive oil (just a drizzle), and garlic - massage with your hands for a couple of minutes until the kale has softened. Chop the veggies however you want and add to the kale. Add the quinoa, lentils, and almonds, and toss gently to combine. Season to taste, and serve!