Healthy Latkes

Here is a great recipe for simple, healthy latkes.  You can fry them in oil if desired, but I think they are great cooked in a well seasoned cast iron.

Healthy Latkes
1 medium potato ( preferably russet )
1 medium zucchini
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
1 t psyllium husk
¼ t black salt
Lots of pepper
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch cumin
½ t smoked paprika
3 T nutritional yeast
¼ c chickpea flour
2 t apple cider vinegar
1 T soy sauce
2 large apples
Pinch stevia
Pinch cinnamon
Method

1. Chop apples, cover and microwave for 5 minutes
2. Shred potato, zucchini and onion in a food processor. 
3. Place veggie mixture in a bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients. 
4. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium lo ( between 3-4 on an electric stove ) and spray with cooking spray
5. Drop by spoonfuls into the skillet, Flatten down 
6. Cook for 6 minutes or so per side 
7. Serve with applesauce and vegan sour cream

  

Whole Food Sugar Free Barley Ginger Breakfast Bread

I've been making various versions of breakfast breads for years now and lately, this has been one of my roomies favorites, so I make a batch every couple of days.  My breakfast breads are not very sweet, so feel free to add more sweetener or some sugar. I use Kal Stevia Powder in all of my sugar free baking.

I like to make these a whole meal with the addition of lentils and zucchini.  You could use another bean and yellow squash in place of zucchini.

Sugar Free Gingerbread

• 1 lb dry barley ground into flour (around 3 ½ cups)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon each nutmeg, cloves and cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 scant teaspoon Kal Stevia Powder
• 2 cups cooked lentils
• 5 small, 3 medium or 2 large zucchinis
• 1 ½ cups water
• ½ cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons vinegar

1. Pre-heat oven to 375
2. Grind the flour, place in large bowl with the dry ingredients
3. In a large blender, add the rest of the ingredients and blend until totally smooth
4. Make a well and pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
5. Mix very well
6. Grease a 9 by 13 pan and bake for 1 hour, rotating pan halfway through

It is VERY important to let these cool completely before eating so the stevia flavor has a chance to settle down and mingle with the spices and moisture from the veggies/beans. The taste changes completely! 

I've been thinking of playing around with spinach .. it has a nice viscosity when it's cooked that reminds me a bit of oil.. so we'll see.  I get SUCH cheap spinach at Haymarket so it would be nice to see how it works. 

You could definite replace the vinegar with juice of half a lemon and add some lemon zest to this recipe, plus the addition of walnuts or other nuts would be delightful. 

Trying to find balance.

I tend to come and go from this blog.. and lately it has been hard for me to motivate myself to write and post recipes.

Since I am actively (finally) losing weight, I find it is easier to focus much less on food than I used to, and therefore, I am eating really simple things over and over.  Like the salad you see to the left with my chipolte hummus.

.. but there is so much I want to say.. about food, life and everything...

Food in Boston is amazing!  I love living so close to Trader Joes... it's about a 10 minute walk to get there...  and they really do have the BEST tofu ever.

Haymarket has fabulous deals.  Yesterday I got a huge bag of spinach (3 lbs maybe) and a huge head of cabbage for $3, plus it's just so much fun to shop outside and be in the buzz of the city.

Seriously... THIS is where I went grocery shopping last night...

I LOVE it here!  There is something about living in the city that makes me feel calm, centered and serene.

My roommate is a wonderful woman.  She teaches me new, exciting things every day... and for that I am sooo grateful. Seriously.

I am pinching myself because I can't believe this is my life....  so as I take it all in and settle down more, I will be able to start posting more new recipes... but for now I am eating the same things over and over and over..

Lentils with habanero sauce, and veggies

Salads with Roasted Tofu

Spicy Lentils and Veggies

Gingered Tofu and Zukes

Last week, I scored 15 lbs of Zucchini for $8 at Haymarket.  My roomie and I split it...  how awesome is that?  We've been eating tons of Zucchini ...   it is sooo easy to stick to my budget here.

So.. a question for you all. 

How do you find balance in your life?