charred corn, black bean and toasted barley salad.

spring is trying its hardest to come our way:

- once a week the sun comes out to play for a few hours

- cherry blossoms are starting to bloom

- mangoes went on sale at the grocery store

this salad reminds me of summer. cool, grainy salads full of fresh veggies bursting with flavor.

I decided to make this salad on a day when the sun was shining.

I pretended that I bbq'd corn on the cob rather than toasting the kernels on the stovetop.

I pretended that I picked the tomatoes straight from the vine on my parents' porch.

the sunshine only lasted for one afternoon. 

thankfully, the leftovers lasted longer, and I could play make believe as I enjoyed it during my lunch break on they grey, gloomy days to follow.

spring into summer a little early with this delicious salad!

charred corn, black bean and toasted barley salad

source: spilling the beans

the goodies:
- 1/2 c. pearl or pot barley, uncooked
- 1.5 c. chicken or vegetable broth or water
- 1 tsp. canola oil
- 1 c. fresh, frozen or canned corn kernels
- 1 c. black beans
- 1/2 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 small tomato, diced
- 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
- 1/4 purple onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 to 1/2 c. chopped parsley or cilantro (optional)


dressing:
- 1/3 c. canola oil
- 1/4 c. fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 garlic clove, minced


the fun part:
1. in a medium saucepan, toast the dry barley over medium-high heat for a few minutes, or until golden and toasty-smelling. pour the the stock or water, bring to a boil, turn the heat down, cover and cook for 40 minutes, until tender.  transfer to a bowl to cool completely.
2. in a heavy skillet, heat the 1 tsp of canola oil over medium-high heat.  saute the kernels of corn for 5 minutes, or until starting to turn golden. set aside to cool.
3. in a small bowl or jar, combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk or shape to combine.
4. in a large bowl, toss together the cooled barley, corn, beans, pepper, tomato, mango, onion and parsley (if using). drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.
5. serve immediately or refrigerate for up to a few hours before serving.


what your body will like:
per serving: 351 calories - 38 g carbs - 20 g fat - 9 g protein - 6 g fiber

squash curry stew.

how many of you made new year's resolutions to:

a.) eat healthier

b.) stop buying lunch

c.) be more organized

d.) all of the above

for those of you who circled 'd', I have the one dish wonder that will keep your resolutions going strong... well beyond january.  

this is my go-to sunday stew, which I prep and portion out into tupperware at the beginning of the week.
when time is tight, these pre-portioned goodies go straight from the freezer into my bag and are thawed by lunch.  

it's delicious.  it's healthy. 

it's convenient.  it will save you money.  

WIN!

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squash curry stew

servings: 4
source: slightly adapted from oh she glows


the goodies:
- medium kabocha squash (japanese pumpkin squash) ~ 500 g
- 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. curry powder
- 1/2 tbsp. cayenne pepper *optional
- 1/2 tbsp. chili powder *optional
- 1 c. red lentils
- 1 carton low sodium broth
- 2 cups of greens, chopped (I use kale, de-stemmed)
- freshly grated ginger, to taste
- salt and pepper, to taste

the fun part:
1.) preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  cut the squash into 1 inch pieces, arrange on foil lined baking sheet and bake until tender, and browned slightly.  approximately 30 minutes.
2.) meanwhile, in a large pot, heat extra virgin olive oil.  add chopped onion and minced garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes over low-medium heat.
3.) stir in curry powder, cayenne and chili powder and continue to stir to prevent burning.  after a couple of minutes, add lentils and broth and bring to a boil.  reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes.
4.) stir in cooked squash and greens. cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes.  season with salt, pepper and freshly grated ginger.


what your body will like:
1 serving = 1.5 cups
per serving: 340 calories - 49 g carbs - 3 g fat - 23 g protein - 18 g fiber

for a vegetarian dish, this is PACKED with PROTEIN! as we've discussed before, it is the winning combination of protein and fiber that will keep you fill you up and keep you satisfied for longer.

chilly outside. chili inside.

thanksgiving leftovers = depleted.

fridge stock up = necessary.

soup season is upon us.

1 batch = 8 servings?

yes please!

I've portioned mine out into tupperware containers and tossed them in the freezer, and now I have a hearty meal when I need to pack a lunch but am in a hurry.

pre-portioned chili + overnight oats = sleep in.  

I've also mixed in some cooked quinoa for some extra sustenance when I have the time to enjoy it at home.
per usual, the options are endless.  pick your favorite veggies and... go!

I might take this opportunity to mention that self proclaimed carnivores gave this one the stamp of approval.  yippee!

spicy vegetarian chili

recipe: whole foods
serves: 6-8


the goodies:
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1-3 tbsp. pureed chipotles in adobo sauce (I used 3)
- 1 tbsp. dried oregano
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 2 cans of beans (I used black beans, and a fava bean/chickpea mix)

the fun part:
#1.) heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.  add onions, carrots, celery, peppers and cook for 10 minutes.  add garlic and cook for another two minutes.  you want your vegetables to be softened, but not browned.
#2.) add chipotles, oregano, cumin, chili powder and salt.  stir gently to blend.
#3.) add tomatoes and 4 cups of water.
#4.) gently simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
#5.) add beans and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.


what your body will like:
1 serving = 1.5 cup:
200 calories - 30 g carb - 5 g fat - 10 g protein

spice up your life.

{easy-peasy cauliflower and potato curry}

guess what? I keep promises.

remember the time I told you I'd keep you posted with my attempts to recreate indian meals?  taaaa-daaa!

we all know I love lentils, but for those you not so keen on legumes, I've got just the dish for you.

{lentil-less indian}

if you're intimidated by ethnic cuisine, fear not:

1.) this is very quick and easy to prepare.  

once you have the spices on hand... BAM.

2.) spice up your life?  

check out the 'what your body will like section' to find out how giving your taste buds a jolt will keep you fit and fab.  

this is another versatile meal that you can:

1.) have in a big bowl for lunch or dinner

2.) serve as a side dish as part of an indian feast

3.) enjoy on a bed of spinach for a tasty salad

4.) add some crunch by sprinkling with your favorite roasted chickpeas

indian potatoes and cauliflower.

adapted from: epicurious
serves: 4


the goodies:
- 1 tbsp. canola oil
- 1 lb of potatoes, diced
- 1/2 medium sized onion, diced
- 1 clove of garlic, diced
- 1 tbsp. ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp. tumeric powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 - 1 tsp. cayenne
- 1/2 c. water
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 1/2 c. peas

the fun part:
#1.) heat olive oil in a large, non stick skillet.  add the onion and garlic and sautee for about 2 minutes.
#2.) add the potatoes and ginger and sautee for around 3 minutes, or until slightly browned.  add the spices and cook for another minute.
#3.) add the cauliflower and water, stir and then cover and let simmer for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
#4.) stir in peas and cook for another 2 minutes.
#5.) serve individually seasoned with salt and pepper, or as a side dish to a delicious indian feast.

what your body will like:
a.) metabolism: I have a fun nutrition lesson for you today.  as some of you know, energy balance is one of the keys to weight maintenance.  energy in (calories from food) = energy out (calories burned).

the three factors leading to energy expenditure, or calories burned, are:
1.) physical activity: the energy required for activity.  this can be anything from daily chores to purposeful exercise.
2.) basal metabolic rate: the energy required to maintain all your internal physiological functions when you're at complete rest.
3.) thermic effect: the energy required to eat, digest and metabolize the food you eat.

spicy foods affect the thermic effect. to put it simply, the spicier your foods, the more calories your body will burn on its own to digest them!  so be brave and burn some bonus calories!


b.) resistant starch: leftovers are delicious served cold over a bed of spinach.  cold potatoes = resistant starch. click here if you need a friendly reminder of all the health benefits!

spaghetti [squash].

this last week I had a conversation regarding my blog with a friend.

k: "wait a minute.  you mean to tell me that your blog isn't for school...?"

h: "no.  it's a hobby."

k [dumbfounded]: "this changes everything."

 it's true.  my blog is for fun, and something I love.  

but the truth of the matter is, at this point, if it weren't for my sweet friends I'd be have no picnics, a full pantry and zero followers.

so this one is for all my friends and their dietary idiosyncrasies:

gluten free + dairy free + vegan 

{and all of you who just love delicious food}

I think I managed to find a meal that all of you can eat.

so now go ahead, make this delicious meal and shamelessly promote my blog to everyone you know.   

spaghetti [squash].

adapted from: eat clean
serves: 2

the goodies:
- 1/2 spaghetti squash (I cooked the whole thing and saved the rest for later)
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/3 c. veggie broth
- 1/4. tsp. sea salt
- 2 tsp. crushed red pepper
- 1 bunch of kale
- 1/4 c. almond slices
- s & p

the fun part:
#1.) preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
#2.) spray or foil a deep baking sheet and place squash face down, put in the oven and set your timer for 30 minutes.
#3.) when your timer goes off, your squash won't be done, but it's time to rotate it in the oven, and set your timer for another 20 minutes.  this also gives you the perfect amount of time to finish the rest of your "pasta sauce".
#4.) on low, heat the 1/2 tbsp. of the oil while you get your kale ready: this involves cutting the leaves off and discarding the stems.
#5.) now that everything is ready to go, add the chopped garlic to the oil and sautee for 1 minute.  next add your broth to the skillet along with the crushed red pepper.  toss in the kale, give it a stir, and then cover it with a lid to let the steam soften it up.
#6.) play switcheroo and take your squash out of the oven, and put the almonds in to toast them slightly while you get the rest ready.
#7.) using a large spoon, scoop the cooked squash out of its shell.   use a fork to separate the strands, and mix in the remaining 1/2 tbsp. of oil.  transfer to your bowls or plates, top with your delicious garlic-y kale, and then sprinkle your newly toasted almonds on top to garnish. mmmm.

what your body will like:
#1.) kale: this delicious leafy green is chalked full of nutrients that your body will love.  vitamins a, d and k, along with with the mighty micronutrient calcium!  fun fact: kale contains 7 times the amount of betacarotene than broccoli, and 10 the amount of lutein - both of which help maintain good vision.  now you can see why I love kale so much.
#2.) spaghetti squash: when you compare the glycemic index (GI) of spaghetti noodles to spaghetti squash, you'll see a big difference.  the pasta variety measures in at around 59, while the squash alternative is <20.  the lower the GI, the longer it takes for your body to break down carbohydrates and absorb them.  what does this mean?  it means, lower GI foods result in: increased satiety, prolonged physical endurance, improved sensitivity to insulin and improved diabetes control.  win!