Breakfast in Bed: Nutty for You Rice Porridge

Ingredients:
½ cup long-grain brown rice
1 cup almond milk
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
½ Fuji apple, chopped (Fuji apples are best for their texture and sweet taste, but you may use any type)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Directions:
Place rice, milk and nutmeg in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cover pan and reduce heat to low. Simmer for approximately 45 minutes. Top with chopped nuts, ground flaxseed, and apple. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve hot.
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Light & Easy Late Lunch: Grilled Salmon Salad with Be-My-Honey Lime Dressing

Ingredients:
4 wild salmon fillets (4 to 6 ounces each)
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 cup radicchio
2 cups endive or romaine lettuce
1 cup fresh pineapple slices
1 cup fresh mango slices
½ cup red onion, sliced
2 leek bulbs, sliced (peel off and discard outer leaves; wash leeks thoroughly)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Cooking spray
Dressing Ingredients:
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. honey
1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Preheat grill to high heat. Make a tray out of heavy-duty foil large enough for the salmon fillet. Spray entire inside of foil tray liberally with cooking spray. Drizzle fillet with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place salmon on hot grill and cook (covered) for 10 minutes per 1 inch thickness (turning is not necessary). Salmon is done when it turns a light pink color throughout and feels firm when pressed gently with the back of a fork. Remove salmon from grill and cover to keep warm. Clean grill.
Place vegetables and fruit on grill (or you may use a sauté pan). Heat on both sides for about 2 minutes, just so they are slightly limp. Place all ingredients on a platter or in individual bowls, drizzle with dressing (directions follow) and top with grilled salmon.
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Be-My-Honey Lime Dressing
Combine lime juice, honey, mint, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add olive oil in a slow stream, whisking until blended. Store in a glass container in the refrigerator with a tight-fitting lid for up to 1 week.
Indulgent Dessert: It Takes Two to Mango Sorbet

Ingredients:
¼ cup natural sweetener (SweetLIFE™)
¾ cup water
2 ripe mangoes (about ½ pound each)
Juice of 1 lime
Directions:
Combine sweetener and water in a small saucepan and place on stove over low heat. Stir until sweetener dissolves completely and syrup is clear. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Peel mangoes and cut away from pit. Combine mangoes, lime juice and syrup in a blender or food processor; blend until completely smooth (about 30 seconds). Cover and refrigerate until cold or overnight. Remove from refrigerator; stir chilled mixture and freeze in an ice cream freezer. (Follow manufacturer’s instructions.) Serve and enjoy.

Ghee

Making Ghee

What you will need:
Heavy bottomed stainless steel pot
Strainer and flour sack kitchen towel (or a piece of cheesecloth)
Clear glass container with tight-fitting lid
1 pound organic unsalted butter

Place your butter in the pot. Bring the butter to a boil, then reduce the heat to a slow, steady simmer. The butter will begin to produce foam. Don’t remove this foam; it will begin to be absorbed into the butter and you will hear the crackling sound of moisture and liquid being evaporated.

Let the butter simmer for up to one hour. Keep an eye on it and keep the flame on your stove as low as possible. The ghee is done when you see browned butterfat caramelized on the bottom of the pan and the top portion of the ghee is clear.

Cool down slightly and strain the ghee through a piece of cheesecloth or a kitchen towel to remove all the caramelized and browned butterfat. You can also use the same recipe to make ghee in a crock-pot or slow cooker without having to worry about it burning – it works very well and takes 6 hours on low heat.

Place the ghee in jars and store. Ghee can be stored at room temperature for about one month, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Enjoy!

Vata-Soothing Ginger Cookies

Vata-Soothing Ginger Cookies

As the weather grows cooler and we enter Vata season in the Northern Hemisphere, it is particular important to keep this primary dosha in balance with warm, grounding foods. These sweet and spicy cookies are flavored with the ginger, cinnamon, and molasses – all Vata-pacifying ingredients. Enjoy them with your favorite herbal tea or other warm beverage.

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Makes 36 cookies

½ cup ghee
1 egg
½ cup molasses
1 cup turbinado sugar (set aside ¼ cup for topping)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F). In a large bowl, combine the ghee with ¾ cup of sugar and mix with a wooden spoon. Add the egg and molasses. In another small bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients, using a wire whisk to sift. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well. The dough will be soft. Dust lightly with flour, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Scoop out 1-oz portions (about 1 heaping tablespoon) and shape into balls. Place an inch apart on an oiled or greased cookie sheet, pressing flat with two fingers. Sprinkle with the ¼ cup of reserved sugar. Bake for about 10 minutes or just until cracks appear on surface. The cookies should be browned on the bottom only. Cool on a wire rack.

The Very Best Tofu Burgers

The Very Best Tofu Burgers

Makes 8 Burgers

Ingredients

2–3 slices of dried bread
1 teaspoon ghee* or olive oil
1 cup chopped leeks or onions
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
16 ounces fresh, low-fat tofu, firm or extra firm, drained and crumbled
1/4 cup mixed nuts/seeds (sunflower, walnut, pine nut, almonds, or others)
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup grated carrot
1 teaspoon basil, dried
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1 teaspoon thyme, dried
1 teaspoon tarragon, dried
1 teaspoon minced garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos or tamari

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Place the bread in a food processor and pulse into bread crumbs, then set aside. Heat the oil in a small sauté pan; add the leeks and pepper. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes over high heat. Remove from the heat and cool. Place the tofu, mixed nuts and seeds, grated vegetables, and sautéed leeks in the food processor. Pulse a few times, then add the herbs, garlic, and aminos. Continue to pulse to a smooth consistency. The mixture should be thick, yet firm.

Scoop out the mixture with a 1/2-cup measuring cup and form into balls. Flatten the balls into burgers and coat each side with the breadcrumbs. Heat the ghee or oil in a pan and sauté briefly until the patties are golden brown. Place on an oiled sheet pan and bake for 10–15 minutes or until firm. Serve on a bun or as an entrée with a sauce of your choice.

Gorgeously Green

If you can't buy organic produce, you need to make sure you wash it thoroughly. Use this spray to make sure your fruit and vegetables are squeaky clean.

Produce Spray

- 1 cup water
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 20 drops grapefruit seed extract

Combine all ingredients in a large container. Then transfer to a spray bottle with a pump. Spray produce, and rinse thoroughly after 5 to 10 minutes.

Grapefruit extract is available at your local health food store.

Gorgeoulsy Green

Sophie Uliano author of Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an earth friendly life, doesn't use conventional all-purpose cleaning sprays - she makes her own cleaner with nontoxic ingredients. Her cleaner cuts grease, germs and grime and saves her money too! Sophie says you can use this spray on just about everything, including refrigerators, counter tops, walls, doorknobs, toilet seats and sinks.

Gorgeously Green All-Purpose Spray

- 32 ounce plastic spray bottle
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure castile soap (peppermint is a favorite)
- 3/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
- 20 drops tea tree oil
- 20 drops lavender or lemongrass essential oil

Simply fill the spray bottle with the water. Add the vinegar, castile soap, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil and lavender or lemon grass essential oil. Lavender is lovely for the bathroom spray and lemongrass for the kitchen, so make two separate bottles at the same time. In the hot summer months, add about 10 drops of citronella essential oil to the spray, as it is an excellent insect repellent.

This spray is suitable for acrylic, ceramic tile, wood, marble and granite.

Veggi Burgers

Veggie Burgers

1 cup dry lentils, well rinsed

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. soy sauce

3/4 cup rolled oats, finely ground

3/4 cup bread crumbs (for the cleanse use a gluten free cracker)

Place lentils, water, salt in saucepan, bring to boil, lower heat, cover, simmer for 45 min, until water is nearly gone and lentils are very soft, with splitting skin.

Saute the onions, pepper, and carrot in oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Mix all ingredients together, while still warm, form the lentil mixture into paddies, which can now be frozen, or put in fridge for up to 5 days.

Frying pan, heat some oil, place a burger on top, fry until brown 1-2 minutes on both sides.

OR

Bake @ 400 degree oven on a greased baking sheet until light and brown, about 15 minutes.

These are really good!

Really you can add whatever you like to make up the burgers, I like garlic so I diced up a few cloves.

Bean Burritos (vegan)

1 cup brown or white rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 jalapeno chile (chopped, remove ribs and seeds)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cans pinto beans (rinsed)
1 box or can of corn kernels
6 scallions, thinly sliced
10 burrito-size (10-inches) get gluten free at health food store
salsa (I use Newman's own salsa)

1) cook rice

2) heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add onions, garlic, jalapeno, and cumin; season with salt and pepper, cook stirring occasionally until golden, 10 to 12 minutes, add tomato paste and cook stirring for 1 minute

3) add beans and 1 1/2 cups water, bring to boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer stirring occasionally until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes, add corn cook to heat through, 2 to 3 minutes, remove from heat; stir in scallions

4) heat tortillas according to package instructions; fill with rice, bean mixture, serve immediatly with salsa or wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months

heating instructions; place in microwave on high for 3 minutes, transfer to baking sheet and bake at 450 until crispy, about 10 minutes or simply put in 450 oven and bake for 40 minutes until crispy

Note: I like to add my salsa in with the bean mixture

Delicious!!!
enjoy!!!