Tag Archive for: Vegetarian

I love using Quinoa. I know tons of recipes for it but sometimes it’s finding that perfect little add in that gives it all you need. So, I played and played and finally found what I think are the perfect combination of flavors making this an easy, tasty, healthy dish that you will cook once, then eat a few more times through your busy week.

Quinoa Cakes

Quinoa Cakes

Yield: 4

(Adapted from Barefoot Kitchen and Whole Foods Market recipes)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh spinach, washed patted dry and thinly chopped
  • ½ tsp. garlic, inner stem removed, then minced
  • 1 cup cooked red or golden quinoa (rinsed)
  • 1 tsp. freshly minced curly parsley
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
  • Zest of 1 large lemon
  • 2 tsp My Sage Gourmet Aglio Olio E Peperoncino]
  • 1 tsp.freshly ground pepper (or to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3 ounces crumbled goat cheese
  • Grape seed oil
  • TOPPING:
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
  • 1 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl mix together spinach, garlic, quinoa and red onion, lemon zest, Add salt and pepper (adjust salt as needed. Add Panko, beaten egg and goat cheese- mix well.
  2. Make Quinoa patties about 2″ across and a 1/2 inch thick.
  3. In a large skillet, over medium heat, add just enough grape seed oil to cover the skillet bottom.
  4. Test oil by dropping a tiny piece of quinoa into the oil, It should sizzle but not pop. Adjust heat as needed.
  5. Place patties in skillet, careful to leave a bit of space around all sides of each patty, allows even cooking.
  6. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip gently to hold shape and cook on the second side 3 minutes.
  7. Place finished patties on a cookie sheet covered with a layer of paper towels to bloat off excess oil.
  8. Stir together dill, yogurt and lemon juice in small bowl, then spoon over warm quinoa cakes.

(OPTIONAL)

CAN BE BAKED if you make the following adjustments:.

  1. Increases cooking time,reduces oil usage, great flavor all the same!
  2. Preheat oven to 400°F.

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS to use when baking:

  1. 1/3 cup grated carrots
  2. 1/3 cup seeded and grated yellow squash
  3. 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  4. teaspoon baking powder
  5. NOTE: ELIMINATE THE PANKO BREADCRUMBS!!! The flour replaces it as a binder when baked!!

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a large bowl mix together the spinach, garlic, Quinoa and red onion, lemon zest, carrots, squash, flour, beaten egg and baking powder, omitting panko.
  2. Form mixture into eight (4- to 5-inch) patties and arrange on an oiled baking sheet.
  3. Bake, flipping halfway through, until lightly browned and just crisp, about 25 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 267Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 241mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 3gSugar: 10gProtein: 15g

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Sweet Earth Natural Foods

Sweet Earth Natural Foods

I Love to eat! I mean I Love to eat! My favorite meal of the day is breakfast, hands down. When I take the time to sit down and fully enjoy a good breakfast, I know I have started my day off well-nourished in both body and mind. A healthy breakfast kicks my brain into high gear, propelling me through the ever-changing landscape that is my day. The problem I seem to have with breakfast on a day when I am super busy, is resisting the urge to plow through one more project before I stop to eat-Not good! When I do that, I can expect the same result each and every time- I am starving by the time I eat and I am grabbing at anything within reach-not exactly the best plan for my productivity or my well-being.

Lighten Up Functional Breakfast BurritoThank goodness I have found a deliciously do-able solution in Sweet Earth Natural Foods. Not only are their Functional Breakfast Burritos a scrumptious solution for my demanding schedule, but they help me keep my promise to myself to eat well and nurture my body. I met the crew from Sweet Earth at the Natural Products Expo this year. Lucky me, they recently sent me a package of four of their off the charts delicious “Functional Breakfast Burritos”. Those of you who know me, know that I am all about eating as close to the earth as possible whenever possible. If you come to my house looking for frozen foods, good luck, not much to choose from. That being said, from here on out you would find a tasty selection of Sweet Earth’s functional breakfast burritos, if you can beat me to them that is. The flavor combinations in all four flavors I tried, including, Protein Lovers, Get Cultured!, Get Focused! And Lighten Up!, Functional Breakfast Burritos were unlike anything I have ever tried. Each one is completely unique, powerfully healthy and equally enjoyable. It will be tough to choose one, my suggestion just buy a bunch at a time. My very top favorites are the Protein Lover and the Power Burritos. In fact, I am eating a protein lovers right now :>).

Everything about Sweet Earth Natural Foods calls to my beliefs including eating a bounty of greens, plentiful plant based proteins, grains and of course healthy fresh herbs and spices. For those of you who thrive on a plant based diet or wish to incorporate more deliciousness into your lifestyle, you will find a most supportive partner in this company. As they say at Sweet Earth Natural Foods, “We use enlightened food traditions and farm friendly ingredients to hand craft delicious and nutritious foods” I could not agree more! Whole Foods is carrying a few types now and more are on the way. Use the store locator on Sweet Earth’s site to find a store near you. Protein Lover's Functional Breakfast Burrito Keep an eye out on my FB page for a Giveaway very soon! You could win a Sweet Earth Swag Bag with samples of Functional Breakfast Burritos!

To your health and wellness, Carol Takakura

Visit me at My Sage Gourmet, where Wellness is Always in Season!
Carol Takakura
CHHC, E-RYT, AADP
Food and Fitness Blogger

Check out my latest blog post for Yummy recipes, great food tips and more
818.312.3125

About Carol
Everything about My Sage Gourmet is intended to nurture and support you to thrive in every sense of the word. From the Kitchen Coaching, and my artisan kitchen blends to Nutrition Consulting, and the Tone and Sculpt Yoga and weight loss programs, My Sage Gourmet is here to support you!

I am a Certified Nutrition Coach, Food and Fitness Blogger, Well Kitchen Coach, Cooking Instructor & Yoga Instructor. I partner with clients in reaching their wellness goals both in and out of the kitchen. I have developed a kitchen line of Herbed Salts that is from my garden to your table. Each of my five varieties is grown, picked, hand blended and made to order in small batches to guarantee the freshest, best tasting blends! You will taste the quality in every beautifully organic bite!

I provide wellness lectures, cooking demos and hands on cooking classes. I test products, create recipes around product lines I believe you will enjoy both in print and via u-tube video.
I am known for my Kitchen Coaching, where I provide in-home classes to clean up and re- stock pantries to create do-able, quick and healthy options for everyday use and special occasions.

healthy life
Let’s talk about the Magic Bullet, you know the one I mean, it’s that solution you have been looking for. The Magic Bullet that will fix among other things, issues such as feeling tired all the time and your digestion. The magic bullet that will reduce your pooch, lower your blood pressure and give you back your vitality.

Boy do I have some Great news and some not so great news… Which one do you want to hear first?

“Let food be thy medicine, let medicine be thy food”-Hippocrates
First, Please indulge me for a moment or two while I reacquaint you to an old friend and Greek Physician from 460 BC-Hippocrates. It was his fervent belief that what we put into our bodies has the ability to heal us of many maladies, including a generous amount of diseases that we struggle with today. Diseases that are much more prevalent today due in large part to our dietary choices and our lack of knowledge about what is in the food we are eating, diseases such as heart and liver disease, cancer and diabetes.
When you consider that the average lifespan on an adult male in 460 BC was 45 years, and that Hippocrates lived until between the age of 83-90, some say till over 100, that man must have been on to something with this whole Food be Thy Medicine concept. . I would say that this extraordinary man who truly practiced what he preached.

When I see clients, almost every single one at some point says the same thing to me, I am tired of not feeling well. I don’t know why I feel this way. Or I don’t know what is right for me.
I don’t want to be reliant on meds. Basically they are sick and tired of being sick and tired.

So, I ask you what if anything is the MAGIC BULLET?
Much of what these clients and what you may be experiencing can be reduced, if not cured by adopting some simple food solutions.
You have heard me say it before but it bears repeating. What works for your body, will not work for other folks, just as what works for them may not work for you.
How do you find out what is serving your body, and what is not. How do you know what your needs are?
Your belief system or previous mindset may dictate that Meat is a no go for you. Or that meat is only way you can get your protein.
You might not be able to imagine yourself without a plethora of choices in the cheese department. Or simply cannot do without that sweet treat after your meal.
Here’s the thing, if you are experiencing health problems and you are not dissecting you diet, then you are actively deciding not to address your health issues. Perhaps, for you the Magic Bullet is more palatable than a shift in your kitchen and lifestyle
I am not telling you not to eat cheese, or meat or dairy or grains… At least not for good. What I am suggesting is that you take 10
Let’s try an experiment. I call it Take 10
By Laying off of just 10 foods and drinks in your regimen for just 10 days.
At the end of the 10 days, you can slowly add items back in one at a time. The great news about this experiment is that you also get to add 10 foods. So, in essence you are eating more good foods, gaining new habits and letting your body re-assess your needs.

Take 10 out- 10 foods to remove for just 10 days
1-Dairy-Milk, Ice Cream, Butter and cheese
2-Eggs
3-Night shades (goji berries, huckleberries and gooseberries), potatoes (potato starch, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers
4-Gluten-wheat, rye, oats and barley
5-Alcohol
6-Fruit Juice
7-Processed meats cold cuts, bacon, hot dogs, canned meat, sausage and shellfish and pork.
8-Coffee/Caffeine
9-Sugar-no added sugar at all and no artificial sweeteners
10-Condiments-Salad Dressing, mayo, ketchup, tartar sauce

Add 10- Foods to Add

1. Raw nuts and seeds-Walnuts, Almonds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds
2. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (tablespoon every day in water)
3. Small amounts of good fats found in olive, grape, sesame and avocado oil
4. Fish Oils- capsules and in fresh, wild caught fish-Salmon- — a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to a reduced risk of depression, heart disease, and cancer.
— A 3-ounce serving contains almost 50 percent of your daily dose of niacin, which may protect against Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss.
5. Fermented foods-Sauerkraut, kombucha, miso (fermented soy beans)
6. Beans and Legumes
7. Greens and lots of them every day! Spinach, kale, Red leaf lettuce, arugula
8. Fresh dark fruit-Especially red or purple grapes, pomegranates and berries
9. Avocados- Rich in healthy, satisfying fats proven in one study to lower cholesterol by about 22 percent.
— One has more than half the fiber and 40 percent of the folate you need daily, which may reduce your risk of heart disease.
10. Vitamin C- in the form of citrus-Just one lemon has 100% of the daily recommended amount, which may help increase “good” HDL cholesterol levels and strengthen bones. — Citrus flavonoids found in lemons may help inhibit the growth of cancer cells and act as an anti-inflammatory.
After your “Take 10” experiment, slowly add foods you are still interested in eating back into your diet slowly. That was you will be more likely to be able to tell if something isn’t agreeing with your system. Listen to your body’s clues about how you are feeling.
Enjoy the journey!

Other suggestions for success:

Keep a pad of paper near your kitchen table/ and/or night stand- on the pad, making note of your Mood, Sleep Patterns, Digestion, Skin Clarity, Hairs texture, eye clarity and Elimination.
Cook at least once a day, preferably more
Share your adventure with friends and family and invite them to join you
Move a minimum of 30 minutes every single day-No exceptions

Will this Take 10 experiment be Your Magic Bullet? I think you will find, there is no need for a Magic Bullet when you are cued into your body’s needs and conscious about what you put into your body!
I will look forward to hearing about your experience soon!

Do you want to take this a healthy step further? Ask me about my Spring 10 Detox program. Free coaching, recipes and gifts are included! Find out more