Macrofood Everyday: Potato

How to make Stuffing and Gravy!. Full Recipe here!

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Thanksgiving is coming up. To the be honest I don't have a big connection with this holiday and the meaning behind it.

But I do love Thanksgiving food!

I know Thanksgiving can be a difficult holiday for vegetarians and vegans.

So I wanted to share some ideas that you could make this Thursday great!

I want to share how I make Stuffing, which is my favorite dish on Thanksgiving. I cover it in gravy and just love it!

I also wanted to give an idea for a Side Roasted Veggie dish and a Baked Apple Dessert

The photos are from last years stuffing post.

This year I am sharing the recipe plus a gravy recipe.

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Stuffing Recipe

ingredients :

3 Big round rustic loaf of Sourdough Bread

Mushrooms crimini

4 Apples peeled

Walnuts/Pecans .1 bag

2 large Onions

1 Bell Pepper

Seitan

Sage

Oregano

Thyme

Salt and Pepper

Garlic

Olive Oil

Chop the Bread in small bite size pieces. and place in oven on low heat until the bread dries out.(you can do this the night before)

Chop up all your ingredients into small bite size pieces.

Saute Onions with the garlic and a pinch of salt, until they start to sweat then add celery. and a tiny bit of water.then cover.

Add chopped up Seitan and a splash of shoyu in with the onion mix after the onions are cooked and provide a good about of liquid.

When the Seitan has halfway cooked (about 4 minutes) add herbs to your liking.

Mix roasted nuts with chopped apples

Then mix all your ingredients together, apples, nuts and bread in with the sauce mixture, and let simmer until bread has rehydrated a bit. (do not let the bread cook too much)

Lay out the mixture out into a baking dish, cover and then put into the oven for a half of an hour (or until done) on medium heat (350 .F-160.C)

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Gravy Recipe

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Onions, 2 large ones

Mushrooms, handful

Olive Oil,

Salt,

Flour 1/2 of a cup

Caramelize onions with plenty of olive oil and a good size pinch of salt for a 20 minutes until soft and sweet. Then add sliced mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms are cooked. Add flour little by little and whisk so that no lumps form. After the flour has mixed in well with the onions and mushrooms, add 4 cups of water/vegetable stock little by little while constantly whisking. Let cook on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

For a side dish. I made Roasted Potatos, with Brussel Sprouts, Onions, and Carrots.

with Olive Oil, Salt, Black Pepper. I drizzled on some Balsamic Vinegar and some Cilantro right after it comes out of the oven.

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For Dessert:

Baked Apples with a Raisin, Nut, Maple Syrup Mixture. Served with homeade Coconut Ice Cream

The Mixture had Pecans, Rasins, Cashews, Rolled Oats, Tahini, Maple Syrup, Cinnamon, and Salt.

I hope this gives you some ideas for what you can make for yourself this holiday, or anytime you want some feastive food.

arugula

Talking about Protein

Monday, August 08, 2016

Being a vegan and vegetarian the question I get asked a lot is where does my protein come from? So here is attempt putting sharing some information about it.

It is an outdated myth that it is difficult to meet protein requirements from plant sources.

I don't believe there is one right way to eat by no means.

Always take into account your personal food preferences, health needs, activity level, cooking skills, schedule, and allow the experience of eating to be enjoyable as well.

With paying attention to how you feel after eating. this attention to the effect of the food and lifestyle you have is the practice of macrobiotics. Not what you eat. but the awareness and attention you have of the effects of what you eat, feel, and do.

And to tell you the truth. I didn't learn much about proteins until my father starting getting ill. I have always eaten the way I eat and just never worried about it.(wich isn't practicing a Macrobiotic mindset very well)

Protein is one of the most abundant substances in our cells after water and has almost endless functions in the body. They account for the tough fibrous nature of hair, nails, and ligaments, and for the structure of our muscles (including our heart). Protein functions to build and maintain body tissues and structures and is involved in the synthesis of enzymes and hormones.

The greatest amounts of protein are needed when the body is building new tissue (increasing muscle mass) and when loss of protein occurs from injuries, infections or other causes.

In addition, proteins are needed for forming antibodies that will protect the body from harmful infections.

You can consume adequate protein intake through consumption of a variety of foods such as beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and soy products.

Here is a little example of how much protein is in just a couple of different plant based foods

(if you are someone looking for numbers)

Plant-based Protein Foods

Legumes (beans, peas), ½ cup 7 grams

Tofu, 1 cup 20 grams

Edamame, ½ cup 8 grams

Tempeh, ½ cup 15 grams

Rice, ½ cup 2-3 grams

Quinoa, ½ cup 4 grams

Most nut butters, 2 TBSP 8 grams

Hemp seeds, 2 TBSP 7 grams

Most nuts, 2 TBSP 7 grams

Steel cut oats, ½ cup 4 grams

And just so you know, this blog isn’t about converting you to veganism or even vegetarianism. It’s about sharing how I feel secure in what I eat by how I feel. and knowing more about what I am choosing to eat. I hope this will help you make healthier, more conscious food choices. No judgment. Just knowledge and love.

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For Lunch

Brown Rice

(watch and learn how to make Brown Rice here)

with Toasted Sesame Seeds

(watch and learn how to make Toasted Sesame Seeds here)

Tempeh

that was pan fried then cooked down in a Shoyu, Mirin, and Giner Dashi untill cooked

(watch and learn how to make Tempeh here)

Creamy Tahini and Potato Salad

with Parsley and Dill Pickles

and a Sauce made out of Tahini, Mustard, Apple Cider Vinegar, Brown Rice Syrup, Salt, Pepper, Tumeric.