Dinner

Zucchini Noodles With Rose Sauce + Happy Mother's Day

May 12, 2013Salad, Dinner, LunchLina LiwagComment

Happy Mother’s Day! I send love to all mothers out there...I hope you felt special and fab today. I know one day is not enough for your recognition but take it all in and celebrate your day!

I’ve been absent from this blog for three weeks now. It’s been quite busy for me. Part of this was a trip to New York City. The Institute for Integrative Nutrition where I'm training to become a holistic health coach held a Live Conference last week and I'm so thankful that I was able to attend. I will be sharing about the conference on next week's post.

In the meantime, I am very excited to talk about my favourite season - spring. If you live in Toronto like me, it’s been a long time coming. This week the spring blooms are finally out, the trees are no longer just branches and skeletons... their leaves are back. How exciting to see the cycle of life moving on!

Part of spring is a different way of eating as with the new season come different harvest of foods: leafy greens, sprouts or microgreens and berries. For me personally, my body crave for salads and green smoothies...no longer the soups and stews of winter.

Here is a favourite salad that we enjoy a lot at our home: zucchini pasta or noodles...UNCOOKED. Yes you can definitely eat it raw and those days when you crave some starchy pasta, this baby is an awesome sub. If you're familiar with raw food restaurants, this is one of their most popular dishes. You can definitely make it at home without having to pay $14/order. It will be just as good! The zucchini can be spiralized by the use of this machine. However, for budget conscious people like me, you can use this simple gadget called julienne peeler and it will do the job just the same. Please make sure that you pick out organic zucchinis since it is now on the list of produce with high pesticide residue (please check this list).

The dressing is my version of “Rose Sauce.” No cream necessary. The simple creaminess here comes from hemp hearts mixed with organic sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, basil microgreens, lemon and a bit of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. Hemp hearts are shelled hemp seeds, bursting with proteins (10 g/3 T.), essential fats, vitamins and minerals (please check out this link). What’s really great is that Canada is a big producer of hemp hearts...check this out.

Zucchini Noodles With Rose Sauce

Ingredients: (Preferably Organic)

For the salad:
4-5 pieces zucchini, washed, peeled and spiralized or julienned
microgreens for toppings ( I used radish)

For the dressing:
1/3 c. hemp hearts
3 Tbsp. sliced sun-dried tomatoes, soaked for 20 mins. in 1/4 c. of filtered water
1/4 c. basil microgreens or 6 leaves of regular basil
1 clove of garlic, pressed and chopped
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
1/2 - 3/4 c. filtered water

Method:

1. Wash, peel (very lightly) and spiralize or julienne the zucchinis. Set aside.
2. Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender including the soaking water from the sun-dried tomato. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust the taste accordingly...you may want the mixture more tart or a bit thinner so you can just add more lemon or water as you like it. Salt or oil is not necessary as the mixture is perfect as is. There will be some leftover of this dressing and it can be stored in a jar at the fridge. It should be good for 2-3 days and can be used as a dressing for other kinds of salads (I love it on romaine salad) or even as dipping sauce for veggies.
3. Before serving, mix some sauce with the zucchini pasta and top with your own choice of microgreens.

Note: It is preferable to add the sauce just before serving as you do not want the zucchini to become watery. Please feel free to add any toppings of your choice. Enjoy!

I really hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day celebration. My family went out for dinner with my mother-in-law yesterday and we also enjoyed the beautiful flowers of spring in Toronto. My mom passed away 11 years ago in the Philippines and I do miss her on this special occasion. She was an avid gardener and her orchids are still around to this day being enjoyed by everyone. The pretty blooms remind me of her. She was a very special mother to all of her 7 children and as a wife to my 89-year old father. I miss you Mamang!

Warmly,

Lina

Fennel and Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Arugula and Avocado

March 24, 2013Salad, Lunch, DinnerLina LiwagComment

It's now officially spring but if you live in Toronto like me it doesn't really feel like spring at all...yet. We had snow everyday last week but thankfully, it was mixed with some sun and some blue skies every now and then. We tend to have the tendency to complain and be impatient...we seem to forget that there were previous years with more snowy days. I keep on wishing that next week will be a bit warmer and I think it will be. I'm looking forward to the pretty blooms of the season. So while waiting for that ideal spring weather and hopefully crank up the blender and the juicer, this semi-warm salad is perfect for now...comfort food for me and my family.

Fennel is one of my favourite veggies and I've been buying them weekly for different varieties of salads. This mixture happens to be a hearty one...great for the last snowy days of the year. Fennel is so delicious and nutritious...it's a good source of Vitamin C, folate, potassium and fiber. It also contains a powerful phytonutrient called anethole which has anti-inflammatory properties. This salad is a great mix of yummy goodies and big enough for some packed lunch for the next day.

Fennel and Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Arugula and Avocado
Ingredients (Preferably organic)

2 c. thinly sliced fennel (about 3/4 of a large fennel bulb)
1 c. dry quinoa
2 c. water
5 oz. pack of wild arugula ( read item #4 on Method)
1 1/2 c. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in cubes
1 avocado cut in cubes
1/3 c. sulphite-free dried cherries (or cranberries)
1/3 c. green onions, chopped
1/4 c. lightly toasted sliced almonds
1/2 t. coconut oil, melted

Dressing:
2 Tbsp. cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
2 Tbsp. sulphite-free balsamic vinegar
1/4 t. (or to taste) Himalayan Crystal salt
pinch of black pepper

Method:
1. Rinse the quinoa under cold water by using a wire sieve and then drain. Put the rinsed quinoa into a sauce pan and add the 2 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil and as soon as it starts boiling, turn the heat down to simmer. Open the lid to prevent from boiling over. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the water is absorbed then the lid can be put back on. The quinoa turns a little transparent with spiral sprout when cooked. Fluff and let it cool down.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, add the coconut oil to the sweet potatoes and roast them at at 350F (I used the toaster oven) for about 20-25 mins.
3. Wash the fennel, cut off the green tops and stalks close to the bulb and also about 1/4" off the root end. You can reserve the stalks for vegetable broth or soups. You can peel off the tough outer layer but if the bulb is tender, no need to do that. Cut the bulb in half and clean out the hard core in the middle then slice thinly.
4. You can use regular arugula leaves. Cut the leaves into 2 segments (maybe 3 for longer leaves) so that they are not too long and stringy and easier to manage when the salad is being eaten. Prep the avocado, green onions and lightly toast the almonds.
5. Place all the ingredients of the dressing in a jar including 1/2 of the green onions and with the lid on and tightly closed, shake until well combined.
6. Assemble the salad in a big bowl by mixing the quinoa, greens, fennel, sweet potatoes and 1/2 of the dried cherries. Add the dressing then top with avocado, almonds, the rest of the dried cherries and the rest of the green onions. Enjoy!

Suggestions:
1. Feel free to use another type of greens (baby spinach, mixed greens or baby kale)
if you happen not to be a fan of arugula.
2. Dried golden berries can also be substituted for the the dried cherries.

I hope your first week of spring was awesome! And for the rest of us who are still waiting for that perfect weather of the season, I know it's just around the corner now and pretty soon we will be enjoying the beautiful flowers and trees all around us.

Warmly,

Lina

Blood Orange and "Spring Slaw" with Lemongrass Dressing

March 10, 2013Salad, Lunch, DinnerLina LiwagComment

This weekend has been sunny and quite warmer than most of the weather that we have been seeing for the last month or two. I went for a walk on Saturday morning and noticed that the some of of the trees are starting to come back to life again with their leaves beginning to sprout. I am so excited for Spring! I can't wait to pack my winter coat and boots. I am also excited for a new set of seasonal foods coming our way...soups and stews will be replaced shortly with salads, juices and smoothies.

And talking about salad, here is one that I just made yesterday using blood orange which is currently in season. These oranges look so beautiful with their crimson flesh. They are thought to have higher levels of anthocyanin and Vitamin C than the conventional varieties. They are also smaller in size and the rind has a bright red blush. Distinctly sweet with hints of raspberry...so perfect for salads or even for snacks. This salad just has that refreshing flavour especially with the lemongrass dressing and this makes me want to just rush for Spring to come!

Blood Orange and "Spring Slaw" with Lemongrass Dressing
Ingredients: (Preferably Organic)
3 blood oranges, peeled and cut into pinwheels or in half moons
4 c. purple cabbage, thinly sliced
3 carrots, peeled and julienned
3 c. jicama, julienned
1/3 c. coriander leaves, finely chopped
1/4 c. sliced almonds, lightly roasted

Dressing:
2 Tbsp. cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. roasted sesame seed oil
juice of 2 limes
1 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 Tbsp. Bragg liquid aminos
2 stalks lemongrass, inner portion only, finely diced
pinch of black pepper

Method:
1. Remove the outer and hard portions of the lemongrass. You can slightly pound it before dicing in order for its flavour to be released. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a jar and with the lid tightly closed, shake a few times until well combined.
2. Wash and prep all the vegetables and set aside. Dry roast the almonds.
3. Cut both ends of the oranges then stand the fruit on one of its cut ends. Cut away a section of the peel and the pith from top to the bottom and continue around the fruit until it's completely peeled. Slice the oranges thinly in pinwheels or in sections depending on your choice. Mind you I wasn't too perfect in removing all the pith and in slicing them thinly. Not too worry, they will still look pretty. Set them aside until you are ready to assemble the salad.
4. Mix all the veggies with half of the coriander and half of the almonds. Add the dressing. Before serving, arrange the blood orange slices on top of the veggies then garnish with the rest of the coriander and top with the rest of the almonds. Enjoy that burst of wonderful spring colours!

How awesome looking is this!

It's March break for our kids this week. I sincerely hope that we can all have a wonderful time with them! And by the way, bring home some flowers too and enjoy their fragrance!

Warmly,

Lina

Soba Salad - "A Prelude To Spring"

February 27, 2013Lunch, Asian, DinnerLina Liwag2 Comments

I was originally thinking of posting another soup recipe this week since our “soup season” here in the Great White North has been greatly extended this year. However, I changed my mind at the last minute and opted for this Soba Salad instead...something I call “a prelude to spring”. It’s my way of being more positive with the tail end of our long Canadian winter. I love to say the line “I dream of spring” and most Torontians will probably agree with me. As I write this post, it snowed heavily overnight and then it turned wet and very slushy all day. My beautiful niece Mailelani from Dallas would actually love to come and play with all our snow. If I had the power, I would make our families switch places now...even for just a week. That would be an awesome break except for my Canadian teenager who loves winter so much! Although it's not possible for her now, I really hope that one day Mailelani will be able to experience a small part of our winter.

Soba: this is the Japanese name for buckwheat and is also synonymous with the noodle made from buckwheat flour. Some fun facts about this noodle or buckwheat:
-buckwheat is not really related to wheat at all; not a grain but considered a fruit seed related to the rhubarb family
- soba is gluten free according to the Celiac Association of Canada as long as it's 100% made of buckwheat flour as some others maybe mixed with wheat
- they are a good source of manganese and thiamin

Soba is considered the king of noodles in Japan because of its versatility: chilled with dipping sauce in the summer or hot noodle soup in the colder days. We may be familiar with the popular "zaru soba" which is basically cold soba served in a bamboo basket and eaten with a dipping sauce. My sister-in-law Asako who is from Northern Japan usually makes 'bukkake soba" a cold version (non-vegan) with toppings of okra, daikon radish, mushrooms, sometimes with natto (fermented soya beans), a Japanese yam called yamato-imo and then dashi broth (made of fish stock, kelp, dried shitake mushrooms and others) is poured over the dish. You can check her page (photos by Dex) here.

Here's my own version of soba...my quick go-to dish when I'm in a hurry or having some late nights during the week. I like to make the noodles with vegetables in order to add fibre, more nutrients and some crunch. This is great with miso soup or any other soup this time of year. With my own family's own issues of food sensitivities, this is a perfect dish that we can all enjoy and hoping that you will enjoy it too.

Soba Salad
Ingredients: (Preferably Organic)

1 pack of 250 g. organic buckwheat noodle ( I used this brand)
2 c. purple cabbage, thinly sliced
1 carrot, julienned
8 green beans blanched for 2-3 minutes and sliced diagonally
3 green onions, sliced diagonally in thin pieces, about 1/4"
3 Tbsp. unhulled sesame seeds, dry roasted

Dressing:

3 Tbsp. Bragg liquid aminos
1 1/2 Tbsp. organic roasted sesame seed oil
4 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. coconut nectar or maple syrup
1/4 tsp. grated ginger

Method:

1. Wash and prep all the veggies. You can blanch the green beans in
the same boiling water that you are going to cook the noodles in to simplify the steps.
2. Dry roast the sesame seeds in a skillet or in the toaster oven.
3. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small jar and with the lid tight, shake a few times to incorporate.
4. If you want your cabbage a little softer and not too crunchy, you have the option of adding 2 Tbsp. of the dressing to the cabbage and set aside while waiting for everything to be ready. However, its not advisable to leave the dressing too long on the green beans as they will discolour.
5. Boil about 6 cups of water in a pot and briefly blanch the greens beans for about 2-3 minutes. Do not discard the water.
6. In that same pot and water, add the noodles and cook them according to package instructions and stir several times so the noodles do not stick to each other. Also, test the noodles for doneness a few times making sure they end up being al dente and not too mushy ( 6 minutes is perfect for this brand) . While the noodles are cooking, cut up the greens beans. You will notice that the cooking water turns starchy....not to worry as this is perfectly normal.
7. When noodles are ready, rinse them in cold water to drain the extra starch and to stop them from cooking any further. If you are not yet ready to assemble the salad, you can soak them in water.
8. Before serving, combine the noodles, veggies and dressing. Garnish with green onions and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Suggestions:
1. Snap peas or snow peas can be used in place of green beans.
2. Feel free to add more sesame seeds as they really give the dish a nice crunch and flavour.
3. Lemon can also be substituted for lime.
4. In Toronto, liquid aminos is sold as Bragg All Purpose Seasoning. Please feel free to substitute this with regular soya sauce although you may need to use less considering the salt content. For other people, nama shoyu which is unpasteurized soy sauce could also be an alternative although an expensive one.

I'm looking forward to spring and I sincerely hope you are too!

Warm wishes,

Lina

"Indian-inspired Meals" - Red Lentil Curry + Potato With Kale and Mehti Leaves Curry

February 16, 2013Indian, Soup, Dinner, LunchLina Liwag5 Comments

I've been making a lot of soups and stews lately...we need all these warming foods to get us through the winter. As I write this post, we're enjoying some snow on a Saturday. Since my family is a big fan of Indian spices (yes, even our 15-year old is), curried lentils, beans and vegetables are a regular fare in our kitchen. They are great as leftovers and therefore one of my favourite packed lunches.

Since eating out is a big challenge for me due to my food sensitivities, I decided a few years ago to learn how to cook Indian food. I have several Indian friends and I happen to work closely with a few of them. I ask them a lot of questions and they offer me tons of suggestions...sometimes I even get free spices! These ladies grew up making these wonderful and delicious recipes without following exact measurements...so I don't really get complete recipes from them, just a list of ingredients. It works for me as I learn better by doing and experimenting on my own. My good friend Raminder is actually my tester...I get to bring the food to work and she usually gives me the thumbs up or offers more input on how to do it better.

On this post, I made two dishes: Red Lentil Curry + Potato With Kale and Mehti Leaves Curry. Some interesting facts about red lentil - they are high in fibre, folate, protein, iron, manganese, phosphorous, copper, Vitamin B1 and potassium. It's actually high in a nutrient called molybdenum (something I just learned recently) and is supposed to be helpful in regulating some of the important enzymes of the body and in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and iron. I love making lentil dishes as they cook in under 30 minutes which, to a working mom like me, is just a gem especially during weekdays. Mehti or fenugreek leaves look like watercress (see photo above). They are slightly bitter but delicious. Rich in iron as well as significant levels of potassium, fibre, calcium and Vitamin K, they are believed to be equally as nutritious as the spinach. Fresh mehti leaves are usually found in Indian and Middle Eastern stores. I first started cooking with this herb last summer and since we live in a predominantly South Asian community, I don't have a problem finding them at my regular grocery store.

Red Lentil Curry
Ingredients (preferably organic)
1 1/2 cups red lentil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp. coconut oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. grated ginger
1 1/4 t. (or to taste) Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt
1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 t. turmeric
2 t. cumin powder
1 Tbsp. coriander powder
5 green cardamom, lightly smashed (optional)
half of jalapeno, deseeded and finely chopped
6 cups unsalted vegetable broth or filtered water
juice of 1/2 lime (or more)
1/3 cup chopped coriander leaves

Method:
In a stock pot, saute the onions, garlic and ginger for about 3 minutes then add coriander powder, cumin, turmeric, jalapeno, cardamom and salt. Stir the mixture and wait until the spices become fragrant then add the tomatoes and cook for about 3 minutes until they turn soft. Add the lentils and water. Boil then turn down the heat to simmer for 25 minutes until the lentils are tender and the mixture becomes thick. You can add more water if you prefer a thinner consistency. Add the lime juice and half of the coriander leaves. Adjust the taste. Serve and garnish with the rest of the coriander leaves. Enjoy!

Suggestions:
You can definitely adjust the spices to suit your taste. This is a little mild considering that my 15-year old son cannot tolerate a more spicy blend. You can also add greens to the lentil like spinach or kale if you are not planning to cook a vegetable side dish. This dish tastes better the next day... so definitely a good option for leftovers.

Potato With Kale and Mehti Leaves Curry
Ingredients (preferably organic)
2 small red potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 1/2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 bunch black kale, washed and chopped into bite size pieces
1 bunch fresh mehti leaves, washed and chopped (see suggestions)
1 cup chopped tomatoes (about 1 tomato)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. grated ginger
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 t. (or to taste) Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt
1 Tbsp. coriander powder
1/4 t. cumin seeds
1 1/2 t. cumin powder
2 t. turmeric powder
1/4- 1/2 t. cayenne
1 1/4 c. water

Method:
In a pan, saute the onions, garlic and ginger for about 5 minutes then add coriander powder, cumin seeds and powder, turmeric, cayenne and salt. Stir the mixture and wait until the spices become fragrant then add the tomatoes and cook for about 3 minutes until they turn soft. Add the potatoes and water and cook until they become tender but not mushy, approximately 20 minutes or so. Combine the kale and mehti leaves and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice. Adjust the taste then serve. Enjoy!

Suggestions:
If you can't find mehti leaves, increase the black kale to 2 bunches. If you prefer spinach, that works fine as well. Another option is mixing 1 bunch of black kale and 1 bunch of spinach.

This is the view from our window as it was snowing today. it's our "Family Day" weekend here in Toronto which is a fairly new holiday for us, being just on its second year. It's a welcome break and hoping to enjoy it with family and friends. I hope you are all enjoying your weekend:)

Much wishes,

Lina

Zucchini Noodles With Rose Sauce + Happy Mother's Day

Fennel and Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Arugula and Avocado

Blood Orange and "Spring Slaw" with Lemongrass Dressing

Soba Salad - "A Prelude To Spring"

"Indian-inspired Meals" - Red Lentil Curry + Potato With Kale and Mehti Leaves Curry

Lina Liwag, CHHP
Certified Raw/Plant-based Chef and Health Coach

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