This past weekend, the Olive family rented a house overlooking Grandfather Mountain. I turned off my phone for 2.5 days! Great to unplug! (So great to see all your comments/likes on Facebook when I turned on my phone! Thanks for the support!)
Bentley and I love to try new restaurants when we travel, but honestly our kids just wanted to stay at the rental property and play. So, we compromised! On Friday night we tried Hob Nob Cafe in Boone, NC. http://www.hobnobfarmcafe.com/ So many yummy local PLANT based ingredients.
My man with his curry veg meal and my bowl of quinoa goodness. (with seitan on top)
We made a stop at Earth Fare to pick up a few groceries before heading up the mountain. We ate 4 meals in our cabin and saved money and time by doing so. Plus we were able to pack in fruits & veggies. We brought along our air popper and popped popcorn for movie night too!
Among my favorite find at Earth Fare was a little granola bar packed full of yummy goodness - Macrobar! http://www.gomacro.com/ The granola with coconut was yummy!
Unfortunately Whole Foods in Cary did not have them when I checked today, but I'll keep you posted if I find them at a store. In the meantime, Amazon Macrobars always pulls through. Just placed an order!
Hope your weekends were filled with good times and good food!
Forks Over Knives is a 2011 documentary film that explores the claim that replacing a diet high in animal protein (meat, dairy, etc) and processed foods (which happens to be the standard American diet these days), with a diet high in plant foods, can prevent, and in many cases reverse the effects of many of the diseases that plague our society.
My journey with food was already over a year in the works when I watched this movie. I was in the middle of a 30 day Unprocessed eating challenge. If I had to name the top three influences in my drastic change in diet, this would be on the list! It is a must see. I think I sat half of the movie with my eyes wide and my mouth open, as I witnessed the healing power of plant foods, and conversely, the dangers (cancer, obesity, diabetes, etc) associated with diets high in animal protein and processed foods.
At the time that I watched this, I had really increased my daily intake of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and nuts. I was not eating any refined sugar. And I was eating lean protein (chicken breast, shrimp, salmon, etc.). However, the funniest thing happened. As I had increased my intake of produce, I started losing my taste for meat. I didn't see that coming in a million years! It still makes me laugh, because I did not choose it. Meatless chose me! And trust me, I used to love a juicy piece of grilled chicken, just like the next person. The timing of me losing my taste for meat, coincided with watching Forks Over Knives. I don't know if it was that my heart and mind were in a place that was ready to see what this documentary had to say, or that it would have changed my life anyway. But it did. It changed my life, my perspective on dairy and meat, and it changed how I feed my family.
I am so fortunate in that I have a husband that has never complained once, in the 13 years we've been married, about what I have served (or not served, back in the day when I hated cooking!) to eat. I have been feeding him less and less meat and in recent weeks almost none. He either doesn't notice, doesn't complain, or secretly likes it. I think it is the latter. But I know, that many of our husbands are of the "meat & potatoes" mindset. I get that! My dad is one of those. For those of you in that category, Meatless Monday is a great place to start! Another great place to start is by choosing to aggressively serve more fruits and vegetables at each meal. Decreasing your animal protein intake doesn't have to be complicated.
As I have plunged heavy into the plant world for food, my eyes have been opened wide at a whole new world of food! The produce world is filled with an abundance of delicacies. Did you know, for example, that you can make a delectable Shepherd's Pie, a classic meat based dish, out of vegetables? And Lasagna, another fairly standard meat dish, well, there are a million delicious vegetable based varieties! The more produce you eat, the more you will want to eat. Meatless does not have to mean boring! Just think, this is how our diets began in the Garden of Eden, when the world was perfect and sinless. God gave the plant food world to Adam and Eve, to nourish and sustain them. And he called them 'good'!
So run, don't walk, and rent the movie! You can rent it on Amazon for 7 days for $3.99. I know Forks Over Knives was a life changer for LeAnne also, even before it was for me, and I am sure she will share her perspective on it at another time. You can also soon look forward to her & I sharing our food journeys and how we arrived here. I think you will see that the journey isn't the same for everyone!
8 garlic cloves, minced 1 small yellow onion, chopped 4 cups chopped raw kale 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (or broth) 2 (15oz.) cans cannellini beans, undrained 4 roma tomatoes, chopped 2 t. dried italian seasoning Sea salt & ground pepper to taste
In large pot, heat several Tbsp. water or veggie broth. Saute garlic & onion in water (or broth) until soft. Add kale & saute, stirring until wilted. Add 3 cups stock, 2 cups beans and all tomato, herbs, salt, and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. In food processor, mix the remaining beans and broth until smooth. Stir into soup. Simmer 15 minutes.
So, we'll admit it, we've turned into kitchen nerds in the last year or so. We love to cook, experiment, and try out new recipes. But, while we do love it, not everyone does, nor can many of us sacrifice large amounts of time in the kitchen night after night. We're here to save you from the misconstrued thought that eating unprocessed has to mean you are a slave to your kitchen! Take, for example, our dinner tonight. After spending several nights on more involved meals this week, I was ready for a break, and more time to spend with my kids and family.
Our menu tonight was:
Baked Apples (see recipe below)
Cooked Carrots (low sodium, from a can)
Steamed lemon garlic green beans (see recipe below)
Brown Rice Couscous (box)
All Whole Foods. All easy peasy. The Brown Rice Couscous is processed (came from a box), but the ingredient list was short and were all recognizeable.
Baked Apples were a staple in my house growing up. My mom's version contained white (refined) sugar and brown sugar, neither of which are necessary for this to be simply delicious! When I went "unprocessed" last year, my taste buds changed a lot. Now I simply enjoy the sweet "syrup" the apples make all on their own!
Dawn's Baked Apples
Apples (my favorite are golden delicious)
Cinnamon
Splash of water
See, that's easy already, right! The hardest part of the entire dish is peeling and slicing the apples. Though, I imagine you could leave the skin on, which would be more nutritious, I have always made them without the peel. Peel and slice apples. I cut mine fairly thin, but not so thin that they will fall apart after baking, as my kids really eat them better if they can stick them with a fork and not have them fall apart. Experiment with what size slices you like. Super thin slices will create almost an applesauce texture. I plan for 2 apples per person (my family loves these). However, if I want leftovers, which are also delicious chilled, I would plan for more. Fill a baking dish with a thin layer of water, just enough to cover the bottom. This helps the apples "steam" without drying out. Pile the apples in, sprinkle some cinnamon, stir. Cover with plastic wrap. Bake in microwave for 6 minutes. Remove & stir. Re-cover and return to microwave for 6 more minutes. Experiment with the length of time, to get the texture you want. We like them soft, but not mushy.
Lemon Garlic Green Beans
Fresh green beans OR bag of frozen steamable green beans
2 T. pure lemon juice (or juice of 1 lemon)
Garlic powder
Sea salt
Steam green beans. Squeeze (or pour) fresh lemon juice over beans. Season with garlic powder and sea salt to taste. Stir & serve.
Pepita Sun Seed Butter, made by Naturally Nutty, was one of my favorite food finds in 2011. I purchase ours at our local Great Harvest Bread Company. It is made from Pepita (Pumpkin) Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Flax and Hemp, and some spices. Flax Seed and Hemp Seed are nutritional powerhouses, so you can't beat that! One of my favorite breakfasts is Pepita Sun Seed Butter on a lightly toasted Ezekiel 4:9 English Muffin, drizzled with local honey, and served with a grapefruit.
Preheat oven to 400.Spray casserole dish. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Place mixture in dish.Bake uncovered 45 minutes, or until top lightly browned.
2 small zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise, then cut into half moons
28 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes (I use Muir Glen brand)
4 c. low sodium vegetable stock 1 c. fresh chopped spinach or kale (optional)
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper
Heat a deep pot with several Tablespoons of water (or veggie stock) over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, potatoes & zucchini. Cook until softened 8-10 minutes, adding a splash of water as necessary to continue sauteeing. Add tomatoes & stock, season with salt & pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook for 10-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Taste & reseason. Throw in 1 cup fresh chopped spinach or kale, if you like, for last 5 minutes to add super nutrients. The fire roasted tomatoes really make this soup!
Heat oven to 350. Line 15x10x1/2" pan with foil (let foil extend 2" at each end).
Whisk “flax eggs” and let mixture rest for 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk remaining ingredients except flour. Add “flax eggs” and then whisk in flour just until blended.
Gently stir in ¼ cup chocolate chips. Spread batter in pan. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips on top.
Bake 15-20 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack. Holding foil by ends, lift onto cutting board and cut into squares. Remove foil.
“Flax Eggs” – Whisk 2 tablespoons of ground flax meal with 6 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
1 can black beans drained 1 can pinto beans drained 1 can kidney beans drained 1 medium onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (I make my own – see below) 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 2 small zucchini or summer squash, cut into small cubes 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 cup frozen corn kernels 1 cup medium salsa
Welcome to Grab Your Greens, our newest adventure in the journey of food!
We are two southern gals who are passionate about aggressively inserting WHOLE foods into every meal! Our hope is for this to be a place to share recipes, resources, and encouragement for others who are hungry for a healthier life.
Your feedback is valued, so please let us know what you are interested in reading!
