Peach & Cilantro Tempeh Salad :: Vanilla Fig Coconut Ice Cream

Summer is officially in full-effect! It's not only sweaty hot around here but the beaches are full of people, stores and parks are crowded, traffic is crazy and well, my taste buds are all over the place. 

Instead of craving comfort food, I crave fresh produce, sweet coffee {really weird}, green drinks, watermelon, crunchy veggies, white wine and yes, ICE CREAM and popsicles.

Today I have decided to share a really flavorful, Summery but light dish followed by FRESH in-season banana fig ice cream for dessert. No dairy and not a lot of cooking.

Tempeh is one of my favorite vegetarian proteins because it comes from WHOLE fremented soy beans, not flour or soy milk. It's got a lot of protein and vitamins. It also has a really hearty taste. I like to cook it the same way I would cook salmon had I been cooking salmon or stir fry meat in a wok {which I don't eat}. By the way, did I mention, it's meat-eater approved?

Makes a great lunch or light dinner. 

ORANGE TEMPEH & PEACH CILANTRO SALAD
serves 2 dinners, 3 lunches/snacks

1 package tempeh, chopped into chunks
1 peach, thinly sliced
1 large handful chopped cilantro
4 TBLS tamari
1/2 TBLS oil of choice
1 orange
1 avocado

In a small bowl combine tempeh, tamari and oil. Cut the orange in half. Set aside half the orange. Squeeze the juice over the tempeh mixture and using a grater or shaver, grate the orange peel into the mixture as well. Let sit for 10 minutes. Stirring a few times. 

Meanwhile, in another larger bowl combine sliced peaches and cilantro. Using the other half of the orange, squeeze orange juice into the bowl. 

Heat your stove to low/medium heat. In a frying pan, add the entire tempeh mixture. Let cook on one side until the moisture/liquid starts to harden and turn dark color {aka reduce the sauce}. After about 5 minutes of cooking on that side, using a metal spatula, scrape the pan and toss it again, coating the rest of the tempeh in reduction sauce. The tempeh should be pretty brown from the tamari, about 5 more minutes. 

One a plate slice the avocado into long pieces. Arrange on plate. Top with the peach salad. Then top the salad with warm browned tempeh. 

Enjoy! 

Dessert is especially fresh and healthy. With only honey and bananas as a sweetener it's a perfect way to end the day or maybe even START the day. I love having cold ice cream for breakfast on a hot Summer day, especially one with in-season fruit, coconut and honey. 

FIG NON-DAIRY ICE CREAM RECIPE
About 6-8 servings

4-5 fresh figs, sliced in half, skin on
1.5 frozen bananas
1 can organic coconut milk {creamy & full-fat}
1-2 heaping TBLS raw local honey {add more or less honey to taste}
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom, powder
1/2 vanilla bean
5 mint leaves, choopped

Chop 4 figs and break the frozen bananas in half. Add to a high speed blender. Open can of coconut milk and add that to blender as well. Mix on high until totally smooth and no chunks {you can keep chunks if you'd like}. Add honey and spices. Using a knife, cut open the vanilla bean. Scrape out the seeds in the inside. Use the sticky black seeds, and discard the shell.

Blend again on high until thoroughly mixed.

Add to your ice cream maker and follow directions. Should only take you 30-40 minutes of freeze time.

note: because we don't use dairy, the ice cream tends to take a bit longer to freeze in the ice cream maker. Be patient. If it doesn't completely get hard like traditional ice cream, you can put in freezer for another 10-20 minutes before scooping out. 

Top each bowl with a mixture of fresh figs, finely chopped and fresh chopped mint.

Easy Snack #2 :: Mango Sorbet

This recipe has been perfected over the past few weeks. It was a random combination that I thought up one day and I was pretty happily surprised at the outcome. Even better is that my kids wolfed it down as well. It's refreshing, tangy and great for the entire family. 

It is so easy to make and I liked it as an afternoon snack. Healthy and hits the spot. Enjoy...

MANGO SORBET RECIPE

4 small African mangos, sliced into chunks
2 oranges, juiced {squeeze with hands}
1 lime, juiced {squeeze with hands}
1/2 vanilla bean, insides scraped out, discard the shell
1/2 - 1 Tbls honey {optional}
7 drops stevia {optional}

Chill ice cream bowl in freezer overnight. Mix all of the above ingredients in a Vitamix and blend until smooth and there are no chunks. Remove ice cream bowl and pour mixture in bowl. Start ice cream maker and in about 30 minutes it should be ready. 

note: Sweeteners are optional and not necessary but the small mangos tend to be very tangy/tart. This recipe does very well with the stevia honey combo. But you can use whichever you like best. Or agave nectar or sugar.  

Spinach Pasta with Organic Summer Veggies

It's Summer time and I couldn't be more excited. I have been extremely busy building our new house but have so many recipe ideas up my sleeve...all I need is a little more time in the day, sans kiddos {that won't be happening now that it's Summer, big sigh}. But this dinner came out so wonderful the other night and I just had to share it with everybody. It's the perfect recipe for my household because of its versatility. It can be made vegan or just vegetarian or even raw vegan. It fits everybody's diet needs and tastebuds. 

The base is a brown rice spinach pasta and vegan pesto. The "sauce", which is more of a big summer salad, is a raw dairy-free Summer veggie salad. You can add parmesan for a nutty cheesy flavor or leave it off for a dairy-free version which still tastes fantastic. 

The pasta fills up the hungry people. But leave it out if you're not as hungry and just eat the veggies as a salad. My kids at the pasta only. {of course}.

Pasta Recipe

4oz 1/2 box spinach brown rice pasta noodles, cooked
3 Tbls vegan pesto {cheeseless}
3 Tbls shredded parmesan cheese, optional

After the noodles are boiled and soft, add pesto and parmesan. If you don't eat dairy, leave the cheese off. It's still very very tasty. 

Summer Salad "Sauce" Recipe

1c chopped cherry tomatoes {quartered or chopped in half}
1 large or 2 small zucchini squash, thinly sliced using a peeler
1 ear corn, kernals cut off using a knife
1c sugar snap peas, cut lengthwise or in half
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls seasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 pinches sea salt
pepper, to taste
1 heaping teaspoon vegan pesto sauce, optional

Combine all of the chopped veggies in a bowl. Add the vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and pesto. Mix again and let sit an hour or so before eating. You don't have to let it sit but the flavor combine better as they sit. 

Pour the salad/sauce over the pesto pasta for a delicious dinner.

Top with fresh basil and/or parmesan cheese for added flavor. 

Enjoy!

note: I buy vegan pesto at the local health food store. If you don't have vegan pesto, substitute traditional, cheesy pesto. You can also make your own fresh pesto at home and store in fridge for weeks at a time. 

The Big Question: Smoothie or Juice? {Meredith Speaks}

One of the most common question we get from readers is Buy a Juicer? Or buy a Vitamix? Which is better, juice your veggies? Or blend your veggies? 

So, Meredith Baird has created a smoothie recipe, Beyond Beautiful Berry Protein Smoothie, as well as her explanation:

My answer is that they are completely different, she says.

Juice is a supplement. The nutrients absorb easily because there is no fiber to slow them down.Because they absorb so quickly I prefer (and recommend) juices that are very low in fruit and sugar. Generally juices aren't that filling. 

Smoothies are a meal. They are full of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber.  Smoothies are a great way to combine fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and proteins for a completely nutrient dense experience.There is no right way to make a smoothie. Throw ingredients in that make you happy! This is my most frequent (and favorite) combination. You can't go wrong with the combination of berries and spinach- so nutritious! 

Plus, Summer is on its way- and so are amazing smoothies! I don't know about you, but winter makes it really hard for me to get into smoothie mode. It might be because I live in Maine and frozen fruit seems counter intuitive in the winter (as it should!), or perhaps it is nice just to change it up a bit- either way, smoothies are an amazing way to really pack in the nutrition. 

Here is my concoction, try it, and then experiment with your own. 

Fruits and Veg
Serves 2 Large Smoothies 

2-3 Cups Frozen (or fresh) Berries - I always make sure that some blueberries make there way in! 
1 Young Coconut- Meat and Water 
1 Cup Brazil Nut Milk (or Nut Milk of your choice) 
2 Cups Spinach 

Supplements

• Beaming Protein Powder - This is a proprietary blend of vegan protein made by or friends and colleagues at the Be Beaming cleanse squad in San Diego. I am LOVING it. 
• 1 Scoop Green Vibrance 
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Butter
• Bee Pollen- *I like Bee Pollen on mine 

*If you like it sweeter, add a date or a few drops of stevia. 

Throw all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth! (It helps if you put the spinach and liquid in first!) 

Sip, Relax and Enjoy!

A Week Of Serious Hydration

I have decided to take a week to focus on hydration. I feel like I worry more about my food choices and less about my water intake. I have noticed more unnecessary wrinkles and just overall dry skin {and I know why, I've been so busy moving and not focusing enough attention on juicing}. So, I'm hoping to see some improvement in my skin, among other things, this week. 

Join Me!?

You might be thinking I drink lots of water, I don't need to do this! Well, you might want to think again. It's not just about how much water you drink, it's also about the food you eat, your environment, and how much you sweat. Do you travel a lot? Is it hot outside today? Are you on a medication or involved in exercise and sports? Are you stressed {hello? me me me}? 

Integrative health care specialist & PureMamas contributor, Christine Dionese, says:

"Look to your urine color! If it's dark yellow, brick colored or orange, your body wants more water. If it's lighter yellow or pale yellow, then you're likely getting enough!"

Now are you feeling a bit more motivated to join me? 

If not, you might want to hear what else Christine has to say:

"Staying hydrated improves concentration, memory, energy, reduction of headaches, sore aching joints and muscles, improved metabolism and weight loss, improved skin and more. 

"A quick tip - many people confuse hunger and thirst. If you're having a difficult time differentiating between the two, go for the more water-bearing foods like Juli suggests - no salt, less cooked/dehdyrated foods and high water fruits such as cucumbers, oranges, tomatoes and so on."

Dehydration can be and is often the main contributor to unwanted small wrinkles on your face. Beauty experts have told us this for a long time now.

Drinking clean pure water with lots of lemons is also great for detoxing your kidneys and liver, which in turn helps your skin glow and keep your mind clear. In fact, as much as I dislike talking about celeb gossip on my blog, I wanted to point out that Beyonce drinks a ton of lemon water all day long and DAMN, look at her skin!

But it is NOT just about drinking water. You also must avoid some seroiusly dehydrating activities, foods and beverages. You need proper electrolyte balance as well. 

Here is my quick list of things to consume LESS of this week and things to consume MORE of this week! So far today, I woke up to green juice, lemon water and an avocado. I'm going to eat a lunch without adding sea salt {sniff} and season it all with fresh ingredients like lemon and olive oil. 

I'm going to avoid {or at least minimize} caffeine and alcohol intake, dairy, processed or boxed foods and dehydrated foods.

And not only am I going to drink more water, I'm going to UP my intake of green juices and smoothies while minimizing my intake of cooked foods. Cooking foods and dehydrating removes water from foods. Oh and did I mention my man, Wes, is going meatless all week as well. Meat is dehydrating. SORRY everbody, but it is the truth! 

If I exercise, which I am planning on doing, I will up my liquids as well.

My other main goal this week is to simply get BETTER at always drinking more hydrating liquids {and less of the more exciting ones like coffee and wine}. I'm hoping that my conscious effort this week will result in better habits. I often forget to drink water and that's my main problem with feeling dehydrated. Not to mention, I have an addiction to sea salt {wine and coffee}. 

In case you are actually wondering -- what is proper intake of water? According to Christine:

"The common recommendation of eight, eight-ounce glasses of water is a standard based on a 120 pound person. Shooting for half of your body weight in ounces a day is the easiest and most reliable way to figure out about how much you should be drinking." 

GOOD LUCK!

And stay tuned for tomorrow's blog post :: Meredith's Crazy Hydrating Secrets! {and by the way, this girl GLOWS and has no wrinkles, I know this because we just hung out last week - ha}.

*Behind The Scenes* :: Meredith's New Book

BOOK SHOOT BUSY

Last week was a big week for me. I had the photo shoot for my first (official) book – although I am not a novice to the book shooting process, it is always a rather intense process. We are always trying to push the envelope for the next best thing- constantly and consistently making each book better than the last. Conceptually that can be easy, but when you start taking the photos and immortalizing your ideas – well… its tricky and kind of scary. Fortunately I have been lucky in having always working with an AMAZING team.  I was lucky enough to work again for the fourth time with photographer Adrian Mueller - who’s photography is totally a work of art and always better than I could imagine. Maybe fourth time is a charm? We totally got in to the flow. The results are stunning. When you first work with someone you don’t know their style and they don’t know yours – it really helps to have mutual respect and understanding when it comes to the creative process. Good communication helps- it makes things much easier! (duh) On the past three books our team has consisted of my good friend Jessica Acs (we missed you!), but this time it was one of my other most dear friends, Simone Powers. (I actually met both of them at Living Light Culinary Arts)  I feel pinch me fortunate to have good friends who will donate a week of their time to work their asses off. A week of shooting isn’t exactly a vacation. Last but not least of course my co-author and partner Matthew Kenney was always around for words of wisdom and guidance. He is an expert. The good thing about this team is that we are all friends so at the end of the day, we get to eat, drink and be merry!

So, I thought that I would share with you what a day of shooting a book looks like.

Pre-Game.

At the point of the shoot most of the recipes have been tested. If they haven’t been tested, I have a clear understanding of how they will turn out. Weeks (months) before we shoot I go over the outline multiple times and imagine what each dish will look like, and how it could be styled. Because we don’t shoot every recipe in the book it is important to be picky and choose the best looking dishes, what colors will fit well together etc. We also have to have the same number of photos for each chapter so it important to divided it all up so that it visually makes sense. If you have commitment issues, this can be a challenge ;-)

Props.

Props are huge. If you think that you have a lot of them, you probably don’t. Each year I am getting better and better at making sure that we have a variety of props and surfaces. We focus on a clean, modern look. Although I might be drawn to a gilded goblet to put on my table at home, I have to curb my enthusiasm. You have to make sure you can see the food, and that it looks attractive. Adrian and I always co-piolet the styling, and Jessica and Simone are always been hugely helpful in helping realize the vision.

The Day.

Each day before I plot out what dishes we will shoot. This involves coordinating ingredients, garnishes and trying not to waste ingredients. If we are doing a beet juice, we will probably do other beet dishes that day. The schedule also depends on the weather and lighting. Typically we try to shoot dishes consistently with the time of day they would be eaten. A smoothie in the evening light doesn’t have the same feeling as a smoothie in the natural lighting of the morning. (And of course we eat the leftovers so it’s nice to have things for breakfast and lunch!) All of these aspects are very important. 

So…. We wake up. Adrian brings the coffee, and we get started with the first dish by 10am at the latest. I will tell Adrian what I’m thinking and he will set up the shot while we make the food. Each shot takes about 45 min on average. Adjusting the lighting, tweeking the plating- it is all very precise. The reason that the food you make never looks like it does in a book is because you probably aren’t putting your mushrooms in your miso with tweezers. Not that the food is ever inedible or hyper styled, but you can’t make smudges, splashes or any mess. Blobs and globs of food look terrible behind the lens even if they taste good. Once the shot is set up, the surface is virgin territory and you can’t violate it. At this rate we aim for 6-8 shots a day. Some shots are easier than others.

In the midst of all of this is keeping the kitchen (and yourself) clean and organized. Super important.  

About 4-5 shots before a lunch break. We eat the goodies. After lunch we will get 2-3 shots in, but the lighting starts to fade and everyone’s eyes get tired.

Seeing the shots is the MOST fun. Gathering around the computer screen to see the days work is hugely satisfying. It actually makes me squeal with delight. HELLO. You are making food porn. How fun is that? Good times.

End of the Day

After we are done with the days shots it is back to planning for me. I go through the outline every night to make sure we are staying on target for the number of shots and how they will be represented in each chapter. We usually need extra ingredients and a few props, so this is when I’ll do my shopping. I have to stay organized. If we do 6 shots and I realize they are all from the same part of the book it is a total screw up. I’ve just wasted a lot of time and $.

Good food and wine is always on the menu after each day. We hang out, relax, look over the days work, and get inspired for the next day. It helps having 3 chefs in the house and great restaurants nearby. We usually eat dinner super late so that everyone has had a chance to unwind. 

Generally speaking it is a lot of work, and a lot of fun. Seeing published results is pretty incredible. I actually don’t look at the books much after they come out, because it is like looking at pictures of yourself, you see what you can do better. I guess that is the nature of achievement and improvement.

The calm after the storm of the book shoot is finishing all of the book writing which is a much different task- and needs be happening as we speak!

The book is titled Design Your Detox. It is about eating healthy foods as it suits your lifestyle. All of the recipes are easy and clean. I am super passionate about everything that this book is about. I promise that its not a book full of colon cleanses and starvation! I really can’t wait to share the message with everyone. It will be out Spring 2013.

{the lovely chevron rug print above courtesty of pinterest photo}