Vegetarian Asian Tacos

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Trader Joes Coconut Cashews
1/2 cup black beans, drained and cleaned
1/2 brown rice
Kale, whole leaves, washed
1/2 cup carrots, chopped fine
1/2 cup onion, chopped fine
1 cup frozen broccoli
Ginger
4-6 cloves garlic
Parsley
1/4 cup Tamari
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
cucumber to garnish 

Directions:

1. Prepare the marinade (tamari, sesame oil, red wine vinegar) for the cashews (5-15 minutes)
2. Sautee garlic, ginger, onion & carrot in small amount of sesame oil
3. Smash frozen broccoli until fine and add to sautee pan 
4. Blend marinated cashews 
5. Add 1/2 can black beans & blend until chunky but smooth, (kind of like the consistency of ground meat)

6. Boil Kale for 3-4 minutes until bright green
7. Season Kale with S&P & lay flat
8. Add bean & cashew mixture to vegetables
9. Lemon juice, salt & pepper to taste
10 Fill Kale with mixture and roll up like a taco
11. Garnish with parsley & cucumber
Enjoy! 

The perfect meatless Monday meal

Fruit & Nut Flapjacks (Granola Bars)

I subscribe to a monthly snack box called Graze. Almost every month one of the six snacks that arrive in my box is called the a flapjack, which is like a chewy granola bar. They are so simply delicious that I decided to try and make them myself. This recipe is low cal as it includes no butter and very little sugar.




                                        the inspiration...


Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1 tbsp of melted coconut oil
1/4 cup crushed walnuts
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 banana mashed
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup dried cranberries (or any dried fruit of your choice)
1/4 cup of honey (or brown sugar)
pinch of salt
Cinnamon
Orange zest


Directions: 
Mix all the above ingredients well in a mixing bowl
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spray Non stick spray on square baking dish
Spread mix evenly in dish
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top
Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting
Enjoy!

The result!

These were truly so easy and came out really delicious! I am confident that no store-brought granola bars are in my future 

Chia-Lime Bars

Ingredients
juice of 2-3 limes
1 stick of butter, melted
1/3 cup of GF coconut flour
1/8 cup of chia seeds
2 1/4 cups of sugar-separated
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp of baking powder
2 eggs
Lime Zest, Powdered Sugar & fresh basil for garnish, all optional
1/4 cup of strawberries sliced thin

Directions
1-preheat oven to 350 degrees
2-mix flour, butter & sugar until crumbly 
3-pat into a greased pyrex-bake until golden brown :20 minutes:
4-mix lime juice, sugar, zest, baking powder, salt & eggs
5-pour over crust-bake for another 25 minutes
6-let cool 
7-dust w/ powdered sugar, lime zest & chopped fresh basil
8-top with fresh sliced strawberries 

Ta-Da!

Is gluten free right for me?

I often come across articles that talk shit: 'why you shouldn't go GF' or 'gluten free is the new South Beach.' 

Should you go gluten free to lose weight? Not necessarily. If you are interested in making a lifestyle change in order to have more energy, less bloat, & have a little encouragement to make better choices, then you may want to take a GF diet out for a spin.

I am Gluten Free. I have been for almost two years now! Do I slip every once in a while? Yes. Is there the possibility that there is gluten in somethings that I maybe am unaware of? Probably. Because I am not 'allergic' to gluten aka Celiacs, I don't have to worry about a slip-up putting me in the hospital, but I do try to avoid it on the majority.

The Truth about Gluten-Free Diets

1. Grains that are gluten free: rice, potatoes, quinoa, corn, amaranth, buckwheat & some will argue- spelt.
2. Gluten hides in sneaky places-did you know that most veggie burgers, store-made tunas and restaurant pesto are often not GF? Check the label-or ask your waiter
3. Gluten on the go-When ordering & eating out, your best bet is to go Mediterranean, Mexican, & Asian. I find that these cuisines have the most variety without me feeling sad because I had to order the salad.
4. Going Gluten free doesn't necessarily mean you are going to lose weight-or gain it either. Many people go Gluten Free & go to the grocery store & go crazy buying GF substitutes-cookies, pizza, muffins, bread, etc. Those aren't necessarily healthy choices whether you are eating GF or not. Your best bet? Stick to the outer edges of the grocery store to find the best choices  (ie: veggie, fruit, butcher & fish counters, & dairy/egg sections)
5. There is no reliable test for a gluten sensitivity. A blood-test will only show/not show whether or not you are Celiac-not gluten sensitive.
6. Read the label!-Just because something is GF doesn't necessarily mean it is healthier. The less ingredients on the label-the better.


Thinking about going GF? Try an elimination diet for at least 2 weeks and see how you feel! 

Guilt-Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Do you love the cheesy, fatty goodness that is Broccoli-Cheddar Soup? Do you want to have your cake and eat it too? Well now you can with this low-cal version of the real thing.

Ingredients:
3 heads of broccoli, trimmed & steamed
1 cup of 1% milk
1 can of cannellini beans or 1/2 block extra firm tofu, whatever you have on hand
S&P
Garlic Powder
1/2 block sharp cheddar cubed
sprinkle of cumin



Directions:
1. blend all ingredients in an extra strong blender until smooth
(my Vitamix took me about 10 minutes until smooth)
top with fresh broccoli & parm. & serve~!

Grandma's Famous Brisket

As the end of March nears... my mind is focused on one thing and one thing only. What's that you say? The smell of fresh flowers? No....The smell of my Grandma Selma's brisket bubbling in the oven. Every family has their own  Jewish Brisket recipe under lock & key usually only willing to spare a few details.. ketchup, French Onion Dip mix... 

My Grandma & I :)

Check out my Grandma's Famous Brisket recipe below.. your taste buds may never be the same

BRISKET RECIPE

4 lb. brisket (remove fat) 

2 cans Manischewitz Tomato w/ mushroom sauce in the can

1 small can button mushrooms or fresh

1 lg. onion

3 carrots peeled and sliced 

2 cloves crushed garlic

1/2 cup dark and heavy kosher wine

1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar to taste

slice onion and layer on bottom of foil or glass rectangular baking dish

salt and pepper brisket

place on top of onions, fat side up

mix rest of ingredients together and pour over brisket

place button mushrooms arounds the meat

cover w/ foil and seal tightly

roast for 3 1/2 hours or so

remove meat from sauce 

cool then thinly slice meat

if hard, slice meat back in and cook until soft

cover again and add more sauce if it dries up (make sure meat is in gravy or it will dry up)

(Better to cook a day or two before-and reheat the day of)

cook until meat is fall apart tender 

**you can add water or another can of tomato sauce if you want it more soupy

Can you tell my grandma wrote this recipe? A little bit of this-a little bit of that. 

Tofu-Alfredo Sauce

who doesn't love alfredo sauce? are you with me people? I re-created this heavy, butter & fat laden sauce with lighter ingredients. Serve over your favorite pasta or protein!


Ingredients
1 package of Na-Soya Extra Firm Tofu-diced 
1 cup of Milk (regular or soy -unsweetened)
1/2 onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, sliced 
2 tbsp Lemon Juice 

1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 tsp onion powder 

Olive Oil
Fresh Parsley & Basil (if you don't have dried will work here too)
Lots of S&P

This is my creation! Seared Scallops + Cod
 over Gluten Free Spaghetti topped with Tofu-Alfredo Sauce

Directions
1-Sautee onions & garlic in a pan until translucent
2- Blend all ingredients together in a high-powered blender (I used my Vitamix)
3-Blend for about 5 minutes until sauce is smooth
4-Heat on stove + serve!



Richie Rating: 2 exuberant thumbs (he wishes he had more thumbs)