Brussel Sprout Leaf Veggie Rolls

The farmer's market had Brussel sprout leaves.  I had never seen them before, so I had to get them.  I blanched the leaves for a few minutes in boiling water; they turned bright green and became pliable.  I dried them thoroughly.  For the filling, I used carrots, cabbage, zucchini, and a colorful variety of peppers, as well as grated ginger, and chopped garlic, basil and parsely.  I put it all in the food processor (veggies first, spices and herbs last).  The veggies make their own liquid but you can add vegetable broth if it seems dry.  I added tamari, and a dash of cayenne pepper.  You could add any favorite seasonings, such as curry or garam masala.  I refrigerated the leaves and mixture to let the flavors mix and because I made the mixture early for ease of assembly later, but you could assemble them right away also.  The leaves are very large, so I filled, rolled, and cut them in half.  I served them with a variety of commercial sauces such as sriracha sauce, wasabi, plum sauce, and Chinese mustard.  You could also make your own sauces.  Delicious, nutritious and fun to eat!  Eating raw veggies assures that nutrients are not lost in the cooking process, so it's a healthful idea to include them in your weekly menus.

The Challenge of Traveling and Eathing Healthy

I've traveled a bit this summer.  I attended a technology conference in Galveston, Texas in June.  Galveston is a historic beach town with it's own charm and lots of great seafood restaurants.  It was very difficult, however, to find vegan-friendly restaurants.  I ordered spinach enchiladas without cheese and they put cheese in them anyway.  I finally went to the grocery store and bought food that I could prepare in my hotel room.  It was actually easier than I expected to eat well on the Alaskan cruise my family enjoyed at the end of June.  There were plenty of fresh fruits available, and although the vegetables were difficult to get without oil, there were at least vegetables.  They provided soy milk, and were very solicitous each evening at dinner by showing me the menu for the next day so that I could make choices and ask for modifications.  The sorbets I had for dessert were so delicious, that I got a sorbet machine and am making them at home.  I will post some recipes when I have experimented more and found ways to cut down on the sugar.  Fruit is such a wonderful dessert all by itself, however, and being on the ship with the abundance of fruit was a treat.

Fresh Tomato Sauce and Pasta

We had an over-abundance of very ripe tomatoes.  So...fresh, no-oil pasta sauce:  Chop about 2/3 of your tomatoes (may core and seed if you wish, but the seeds don't bother me).  Cut the rest of the tomatoes in half and grate over the large holes of a grater.  Discard the skins.  Make a paste of sea salt and garlic.  Mix the paste with the tomatoes, lots of chopped fresh basil, and freshly grated black pepper.  Let stand for at least 15 minutes.  Serve on whole-grain, thin spaghetti.  This dish was wonderful with roasted asparagus and mushrooms (no oil needed to roast vegetables if you use parchment paper - just vegetable broth, balsamic vinegar, and herbs/seasonings of your choice).

Slow Down Yoga

Went to a slow version of Hatha yoga today.  It is very hard for me to slow down and clear my mind, so it was a good thing.  I love running, but I realize that I think the whole time I'm running - sorting things out as I run.  I have a busy mind; it doesn't like to be still.  So...I ran 3 miles, then went to yoga and was able to meditate with a blank mind for a few seconds at a time.  Baby steps!

Rainbow Chard with Balsamic Vinegar

Couldn't be simpler.  Rinse chard, pat dry, and cut stems and leaves into horizontal strips.  Saute some garlic in vegetable broth, then add the chard by handfuls, continuing to saute, and adding good quality balsamic vinegar.  You don't need much.  When chard is wilted, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Best after it sits and soaks up the flavors.  Delicious with vegan cornbread!

Salad with Hummus Vinaigrette

Here's a picture of salad with the no-oil hummus vinaigrette.  Delicious, and no oil calories.

Oil-Free Hummus

I am a girl who needs to snack both mid-morning and mid-afternoon.  Hummus is great on veggies or crackers, but the oil calories from the tahini or olive oil can add up.  I make my own:
Dump all in food processor:
2 cans garbanzo (or other) beans, drained and rinsed
As much garlic as you like
Lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
Seasonings (cumin, cayenne pepper, sea salt, herbs)
(I like to add roasted or raw jalapeno pepper, and tons of cilantro)
Process until smooth, adding water as needed.

Bonus:  Mix some hummus with balsamic vinegar and a little water (or use other condiments like a quality mustard), and make an oil-free vinaigrette for your salads.