Banana Bread with a Monk Crunch

 I am a FAN of snacking on nuts. 

Select Harvest just came out with Monk Crunch Almond Snacks and I am enjoying them! 

 

I like them alone or in a mix with some dried fruit and seeds. 

I like them so much, I decided to find ways to incorporate them into a family favorite, banana bread.

I decided to use some of the Vanilla Monk Crunch in my Gluten Free Vegan Banana Bread Recipe. I diced a cup of Vanilla Monk Crunch Almonds and added them to the batter. 

 

The result ... a flavorful CRUNCH in the middle of my bread.

 

 The added texture and flavor added to the bread. I toasted my bread and enjoyed it with some fruit and a cup of coffee for breakfast. 

 

Hoe do you enjoy Monk Crunch?

Rice Ramen and Me

Stores are filled with many products. When you read product labels to make a decision about which product is best for you, you may be faced with a choice. If you have the opportunity to purchase a product from a company that is B Certified, please do consider making the choice. 

 

Why purchase from a B Corporation?

Certified B Corporations balance profit and purpose. Leaders of B Corporations drive a global movement of business being a force for going good. 

Why Purchase from Lotus Foods?

Lotus Foods is committed to organic and regenerative practices in generating more rice from less land while working to preserve genetic biodiversity. Lotus Foods also saves hundreds of millions of water annually, promotes long-term soil health, and works to remove greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere.

 

How Do I Enjoy Lotus Foods?

I enjoy Rice Ramen from the package ... and enjoy adding to the package. The image you see here is sauteed veggies and pan fried tofu added to the prepared package. My formula for adding to Rice Ramen Noodle Soup is listed below. Enjoy Rice Ramen as packaged, or use the package as your blank canvas and customize the meal based on your flavor profile and appetite when you make it!

2 cups veggies + 1 cup protein + 1 package prepared Rice Ramen Noodle Soup

 

Lotus Foods Rice Ramen and More

Stores are filled with many products. When you read product labels to make a decision about which product is best for you, you may be faced with a choice. If you have the opportunity to purchase a product from a company that is B Certified, please do consider making the choice. 

Why purchase from a B Corporation?

Certified B Corporations balance profit and purpose. Leaders of B Corporations drive a global movement of business being a force for going good. 

 

Why Purchase from Lotus Foods?

Lotus Foods not only creates superior products, but the company also has a mission to change how rice is grown around the world. This California based company partners with small scale farmers who are committed to using less water to produce more rice. Lotus Foods promotes organic agriculture, biodiversity, and supports its producers. 

 

Why I love Lotus Foods

Lotus foods has superior products. I have to eat a gluten free diet and, as a result, do consume quite a bit of rice and rice products. I feel confident eating rice cultivated by a company that I trust. 

 

Lotus Foods Rice Ramen

Rice Ramen is a product that I can eat. I love the product straight from the package, but I prefer to add to the package to add additional nutrients, textures, and flavors. I took the Millet & Brown Rice Ramen and added a mixture of vegetables that I sauteed (1/2 red bell pepper, 1/4 cup onion, and 1/2 medium zucchini) and tofu that I drained and pan fried.The meal was tasty and satisfying. 

 

 

I enjoy a broth based soup that is filled with veggies and noodles. The meal is a comfort food for me as it reminds me on my childhood. Customize the Rice Ramen if you wish to "add more" and make it your nostalgic comfort food. Perhaps add some chicken instead of tofu or different vegetables.

Kidney Bean Curry

I hydrated a batch of kidney beans and sought out several recipes to use to make each recipe tasty and distinct.

I read several curry recipes and combined portions of each into this recipe. Each time I make it, I probably will interchange a few veggies.

This recipe can be done in 20-30 minutes. A tip for speed... start boiling water for your rice as you start cutting the vegetables. 

Ingredients:

Olive Oil ... just enough to saute the aromatics
1/2 white onion (diced)
4 cloves of garlic (crushed and diced)
1 inch of fresh ginger root (diced)
1 TBSP garam masala (or make you own mix 1 part cumin + 1/4 part allspice)
2 cups kidney beans
1 can coconut milk
crushed red pepper at serving if you wish to add heat

Variations:

• Add 2 cups of vegetables...I added red pepper and broccoli for color.
• Use chickpeas or tofu instead of kidney beans 

Instructions:

• Sautee onion, garlic, and ginger in olive oil
• Add vegetables after a few minutes
• Once onions are translucent, add the spices and stir
• Add the kidney beans and coconut milk
• Let boil
• Stir, reduce heat, and cover
•  Let flavors combine and liquid reduce a bit. 

Serve over a bed of rice
Add in as much or as little sauce as you like in each bowl ... make it your own!

Red Kidney Beans and Rice

I have lots of kidney beans ... I searched for recipes and found inspiration for ...

Red Kidney Beans and Rice

The first thing I did was hydrate some dried kidney beans that I had on hand at home. I made plenty to use in a few recipes.

Prepare the rice of your choice. I usually serve beans to rice in a 2:1 ratio.

Ingredients:

4 cups kidney beans
1 cup vegetable broth
1 zucchini - diced small
1/2 onion diced
6 cloves of garlic smashed and diced
olive oil ... just enough to saute
1 tbsp cajun seasoning
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp sriracha
1 tsp cayenne

Instructions:

• Saute onion and garlic in olive oil
• When translucent, add zucchini and spices
• Saute for a few minutes to heat the spices
• Add beans and broth and stir to combine 
• When most of the liquid is absorbed the dish is done

Serve with rice of your choice

Variations:

Include fried tofu, vegan sausage, or regular sausage ... make this meal your own based on the level of spice you prefer and the diet you need to follow.

A Twist on Vegetable Jowar Umpa

I was searching through recipes that incorporate sorghum into them and happened upon a recipe for Vegetable Jowar Upma. I modified the recipe a bit based on the ingredients I had on hand.The recipe was a hit. My husband and I will try it again ... with some variations.

I enjoy using sorghum in recipes as it is high in protein, iron, and fiber. In recipes where I used to use barley, I tend to substitute sorghum once I had to start eating a gluten free diet. 

This dish comes together much faster if you have the sorghum ready ahead of time. I usually make a large batch of sorghum and use it for a few recipes. 

The cooking ratio is 1 cup sorghum : 2 cups liquid.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 -1.5 inch piece of ginger root ... peeled and diced 
• NOTE: I take peels of ginger and boil in water to make ginger tea.
• 2 cups sorghum
• 4 cups liquid ( I used half water and half vegetable broth)
• 1/2 to 1 cup vegetable broth to prepare vegetables
• 1 onion - diced
• 3 large cloves of garlic - crushed and diced 
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp turmeric
• just enough olive oil to sautee vegetables
• 4 tbsp peanuts
• 2 green chilies ( I substituted crushed red pepper flakes - 2 tbsp)
• 1 carrot - diced 
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1/2 cup peas 
• Optional: Drizzle with lemon juice at serving
• NOTE: I did not have the corn or peas. I WOULD add next time along with one red bell pepper to add more color to the dish.
• NOTE: I would add  diced potatoes

TIP: I would add fried tofu or chickpeas (perhaps roasted) at serving for a more substantial dish. You could add chicken if you wish to make this a meal with meat.  

Instructions:

• Prepare sorghum in a pot.
• In a pan add the olive oil, pepper, chilies or crushed red pepper, peanuts, and turmeric
• After the spices heat for a minute or two, add the vegetables and sautee in the oil and spice blend. 
• Add 1/2 cup of vegetable broth at a time to the mixture. Prepare vegetables so they are el dente
• Add the sorghum and stir to combine
• When all the liquid is absorbed it is ready to plate. 
• Optional: Drizzle with lemon juice at serving

Yogurt ... So Simple ... So Powerful

I enjoy yogurt as part of my breakfast. When you walk into the store, there are many yogurt options available for you to choose. You may become overwhelmed when you see all of the options: dairy, non-dairy, Greek, Icelandic, plain, flavored, non-fat, low-fat, or full-fat.

You need to pick the product that is best for you. When you settle on the one you prefer, there are so many things you can do with it!

Greek Yogurt

Greek Yogurt is thicker than traditional yogurt and has more protein because more of the liquid is strained out of it.

Icelandic Yogurt 

Icelandic Yogurt is similar to Greek Yogurt but it is made with skim milk. The result is a milder taste and higher levels of protein and pure milk

Cashew Milk Yogurt

Cashew Milk Yogurt is lower in sugar than dairy based yogurts.  There are many other vegan yogurts available. Cashew Milk Yogurts are more frequently available in most stores.

How do you enjoy Yogurt?

I like to use a plain variety as my blank canvas and add to it. Additions include:

• dried fruits/nuts/seeds
• fresh or frozen fruit
• cinnamon
• supplements like SuperBeets and  Collagen Maximizer +