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.

Hibiscus Tea

Tea made from hibiscus leaves is high in antioxidants, containing even more than green tea.  I like Republic of Tea Hibiscus Tea, but Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger is also good.  I add 8 bags to a gallon of filtered water, plus the juice of 1-2 lemons, plus some stevia.  Let it brew for a day or overnight in the fridge.  It's very refreshing.  I put it in a couple of water bottles and take it with me for the day.

Colors of Health

One of my favorite things to do is decide how to put together extra vegetables that are just sitting in the fridge.  The greatest thing about vegetables is that they are quick and easy (except for the chopping and prep, but I find it relaxing), and you can mix them together in so many appealing ways.  This is simply spinach sauteed with onions, garlic, red pepper and fresh corn.  Season to taste.  This dish is simply beautiful to look at, and does beautiful things for your health!

Hearty Bean Soup & No Fat Vegan Cornbread

The bean soup is:  every kind of bean imaginable, sorted, rinsed, and brought to a rapid boil with 2 quarts of water.  Reduce heat, boil covered for 1 hour.  Add chopped onions, celery, carrots, other vegetables if desired, 1 or 2 cans of diced tomatoes (with peppers, if desired), creole seasoning.  Simmer another 40 minutes or more until beans are tender and vegetables are tender but hold together.  Garnish with cilantro and serve with cornbread.  The cornbread is from The Everyday Happy Herbivore cookbook.  Good flavor.  It might need a bit more salt than I used, and I want to add something to make it more moist, but crumbled into the bean soup, it was southern comfort food!  I added corn kernels and diced jalapeno to the cornbread recipe.

Visualize World Peas

Seriously.  If everyone the world over could sit down to a delicious meal together (one that made no other living things' lives miserable, including humans), we would have some world peas.  Recipe:  fresh or fresh frozen local Texas green peas.  Vegetable broth.  Green Onions.  Mushrooms.  Fresh herbs - basil, oregano, parsley.  Sea salt (I used pink Himalayan.)  Fresh ground black pepper.  Love.

Sweet Potato Lasagne

This is the sweet potato lasagne I made from The Engine 2 Diet book by Rip Esselstyn.  It was a bit of trouble to make, but I usually double recipes to create leftovers.  I had enough for a large family gathering plus a whole casserole to put in the fridge and bring out for another family meal.

No Fat Tacos

Nothing satisfies like any form of Tex-Mex, especially if you're from Texas.  I cooked anasazi beans with spicy creole seasoning, then divided them into single serving containers (enough for 2 tacos) and froze them.  How easy to heat corn tortillas, fill with beans, dark leafy greens, tomatoes, and a spicy salsa verde.  An easy treat for breakfast or lunch!

True Words