Posts filed under cooking

Using Lifestyle Engineering to Buy Healthier Food

Most people think that building better choices, creating healthy habits or changing your actions is all about willpower or motivation. But from all my years of helping folks organize their spaces and their bodies, AND all my years of studying yoga, human mind and anatomy, I believe that the number one driver of behavior change (or at least the easiest to access) is our physical world.

Our environment has an incredible ability to shape our actions and choices. Nowhere is this more true than with food. What we eat on a daily basis is often a result of what we see.  If you are anything like me, you will buy or eat whatever is closer to you, whether it’s wholesome food or not.  So to eat healthy food a good reverse-engineering is to surround yourself or hang out with healthy food.

When I go to my local grocery store (which I must say it’s a gigantic emporium of Portuguese & South American food), I walk around the outer periphery of the market.  This is true to every supermarket around the world I have ever been, the outer periphery is where the healthy food usually lives: fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, lean meats.  Basically all items that are usually not processed and healthier for you.  So shopping on the outer periphery is what I am “choosing” to eat, because it is what I see.    

Architecture determines where things go, since electric outlets for massive refrigeration are usually on a wall and so are the building´s drains.  That means that the middle aisles are where all of the caned,  boxed and adulterated stuff is placed -they, more likely don´t need refrigeration.  If you don’t want to eat or you want to cut back in processed-food consumption, don’t go down those middle aisles and you won’t buy those foods. If you don’t buy those foods, they won’t end up around for you to eat. Try this the next time you go to the store and do your best to not make exceptions.  When I do this not only I spend way less money in my groceries, but I find myself cooking and eating healthier = feeling great in my body and mind.

Sure, there will be the occasional time that you’ll need to go down an aisle to pick up your oils, spices or honey but that will be rare and not often. It could be weeks before I go into those middle aisles ( but when I do I always pick more than what I intended to buy, which confirms that knowing of something isn’t as effective as doing something- smile )

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under cooking, buy, design, inspiration, wellness and tagged reverse-engineering wellness eating healthier food lifestyle.

Sweet Potato Wedges, the new fountain of youth?

Sweet potatoes are a great source of beta-carotene (their bright orange color is a dead giveaway). Your body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A, a nutrient that helps to continually generate new, healthy skin cells as per the National Library of Medicine.   I enjoy them in many forms, but there is something about cold weather and a hot ovens that makes this recipe one of my favorite.

Ingredients: 4 small sweet potatoes peeled and cut into wedges, 5 springs of fresh oregano, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds, 1 Tbsp lemon juice 

  1. Heat oven to 450 F.  On a Baking sheet combine sweet potatoes, oregano, salt and half oil.
  2. Roast for 40 minutes.  FLIPPING at 20 min (or they'll burn).
  3. Roast pumpkin seeds in a large frying pan on your stove top, add lemon juice and reminding oil.  Medium Heat. Stir well till aromas tell you it's time.
  4. Add the sweet potatoes wedges to your pan and toss well.

Enjoy!

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under Ayurveda, cooking, inspiration and tagged roasted sweet potatoes young skin sweet potatoes recipes vitamin A ayurveda.

Twofer: Roasted Beets and Sautéed Beet Greens

With autumn upon us, I can't think of a more grounding meal than beets.  These earth-tasting beauties grow way into the cooler months so they'll be available all winter and, let’s face it, their red color is a welcome break from all the orange and yellow foods I tend to eat around this time of the year.   

Buying a bunch of beets in the market isn't only trés chic, but it also offers you the opportunity to get a twofer!  Beets and their greens offer not only two great dishes for the table, but two sets of nutritional attributes as well.   Beets, easily enjoyed roasted, boiled or shaved,  are high in immune-boosting vitamin C, fiber, and essential minerals like potassium and manganese (great pooping aids- yes, I said pooping).  Then in the greens, vitamins A and K, especially, offer a plethora of benefits for the whole body, from your brain to your blood to your eyes. In the kitchen, beet greens can be enjoyed sautéed, as a salad or in your green smoothie.

Use every part of your fresh beets and get two delicious side dishes.

Here is a favorite of mine: Roasted Beets and Sautéed Beet Greens:


Ingredients:

One bunch of beets with greens¼ cup olive oil2 Tbsp. chopped onionsSea salt and pepper to tasteOptional: 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar and/or ghee

 

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 370 degrees Fahrenheit.Wash beets thoroughly, leaving skins on. (It’s easier to peel the beets once they’ve been roasted.) Remove the greens and rinse, removing any large stems and set aside.Place beets in a small baking dish or roasting pan, toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cover and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, mixing them half way or as needed. Check for tenderness. Serve with balsamic vinegar or butter and salt and pepper.For the greens: heat remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook for three minute. Till you hear the onion whisper to you, you know. Tear the beet greens into 2 to 3 inch pieces, and add to skillet, stirring until wilted and tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under Ayurveda, cooking, inspiration, wellness and tagged beets roasted beets recipe beet green recipe roasted vegetables autumn recipe.

Roasted Vegetables - Celebration of Earth

I have been cooking variations on this basic recipe for over twenty years.  And after all these years, I still get excited just thinking about it, which tells me it's a keeper.  I call it Celebration of Earth but you can call it Roasted Root Vegetables if you want, I guess.

I find it to be a perfect recipe for Autumn transition months like September and October when your body asks to be grounded.  This is so easy and delicious though that I keep using seasonal root vegetables all the way through Winter and Spring. Your gastrointestinal track will be very grateful with you too!

Pre-heat oven to 400 F.  Serves 10

4 small turnips, peeled, halves, sliced

4 medium parsnips, peeled, sliced

2 lbs of Brussels sprouts, brown ends cut off

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered, sliced

2 medium red beets, peeled, quartered, sliced

1/2 cup of olive oil + 1/2 Table spoon of lemon juice + salt to taste

1 handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

1- In a large bowl, combine vegetables, oils, salt and lemon juice.

2- Spread evenly onto two backing sheets (I cover min with parchment paper)

3- Roast till brown.  It takes about 45 to 50 minutes *stirring every 15 minutes or you'll end up with burn vegetables*

4- Let it cool and sprinkle with cilantro leaves.  I suppose you can transfer to a bowl for a nice presentation, but I bring the trays directly onto the table (oven to table style!)

    

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under Ayurveda, cooking, inspiration and tagged autumn recipe ayurveda roasted vegetables vegetarian recipe.

Panama Blend (traveling green smoothie)

One of my favorite things about green smoothies is that they are the easiest way to diversity your intake of nutrients for breakfast.  This is even more relevant when traveling, when your body's wisdom craves the surrounding flora.  If there is a blender available, I don't waste the opportunity to visit the local markets (and yards) and feast on the regional chlorophyll. 

I was recently traveling through my homeland of Panama, where the local cuisine isn't rich in greens so I took it as challenge to find ingredients for what turned out to be a fabulous green smoothie.  So hoping that it will inspire you in your next "green" travelings, here is the recipe:

Ingredients (2 servings)

  • 4 cups of spinach (not a lot of local greens available in the market, but watercress and spinach grow easily in most tropical regions)
  • 1 banana (tons of fruits available, but I opted to keep it simple)
  • a handful of local spearmint + wild cilantro (these I found in my mom's backyard...wild herbs taste so WILD, you can taste the Prana or life force on these local beauties)
  • 1/2 an avocado (this is a gingo luxury! but I deserve it)
  • 1/2 tsp of minced ginger
  • 1/2 tsp of turmeric (no local turmeric roots available but I was craving some astringent flavors, local stores carry tons of spices so if fresh ingredients aren't available, improvise)
  • 1/2 tsp of sea salt (local sea salt made this a fun ingredient to add)
  • 1 Tbs of local eucalyptus honey (yummm!!!)
  • 1/2 cup of water 
  1.  Add all ingredients to a blender.  Blend!  I don't like cold smoothies but you can add either a frozen banana or ice instead of water.  Enjoy.
Posted on July 11, 2016 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under Ayurveda, cooking, inspiration, wellness, travel and tagged green smoothie panama local food Ayurveda yoga wisdom wellness.

Red Lentil Soup with Caramelized Onions

I know Summer isn't a traditional season to be thinking about hot soup, but I happen to work in an office that is kept at sub-zero temperatures for the same reason that offices across American suffer from the same Tundra conditions: insanity!  Soups are a low sugar/high fiber way to satisfy hunger and keep you warm.  One of my all-year-round go-to soups is lentil soup.

Lentils are high in protein and high in fibers.  According to an article in Medical News Today, "many studies have suggested that increasing consumption of foods like lentils decreases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart diseases and overall mortality while promoting a healthy complexion and hair, increased energy and overall lower weight."  Lentils can be found in red, brown and green varieties.   I love them all, but I find that split red lentils are quick and easy to prepare when compared to other beans so this soup recipe is non only  accessible, fast, inexpensive and a high -quality protein source, but it's also warming, satisfying and easy to freeze - a huge time saver for those of us with busy schedules and lack of cooking inspiration.  

Serves 4-6

  • 1 tablespoons of coconut oil (I use Olive Oil in colder month, but an Ayurveda trick is to use coconut oil for cooling)

  • 1 small yellow onion, diced

  • 1 celery stick, diced

  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced

  • 1 small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder

  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder

  • 2 yellow beets, peeled and diced

  • 6 cups of water or store-bought low-sodium vegetable broth (MSG-free, gluten-free) version

  • 1¼ cups split red lentils which you have soaked overnight, drained and rinse thoroughly.

  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

  • ¼ teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste

  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

  • 1 Tablespoon of olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme - optional

 

  1. Important- The night before (or at least two hours before if using split lentils),  soak the lentils at room temperature.  Then drain and thoroughly rinse them.  This will remove gas causing enzymes from lentils -yes even the split ones.  There is science to back this up but trust the Ayurveda wisdom on this one.

  2.  Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. When it dances, add the diced yellow onion, carrot, celery, turmeric, cumin, ginger and coriander powder.

  3. Cook until the onion soften and the mixture becomes aromatic, ~3 to 5 minutes. Sofrito style for those Caribbean brothers and sisters.

  4. Add water or vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the red lentils and reduce the heat to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking at a simmer for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and the vegetables are tender.  Stir and monitor every five minutes so lentils don’t stick to the bottom of your pan.

  5. Prepare the caramelized onions while the soup cooks. If using thyme, remove the leaves from stems till you accumulate enough thyme leaves.

  6. Heat a medium-sized skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and heat until the oil dances. Add the onion, cook for 3 minutes and reduce to low temperature.  Add thyme..

  7.  Keep the heat low so the onions begin to brown, stirring often so onion won’t stick.

  8.  If the onions start sticking to the pan, add a bit of water. Continue cooking for 15 minutes or until the onions are caramelized and golden brown. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

  9. Fill bowls with soup and top with a tablespoon of onions and serve, or simply stir the onions into the soup.

Posted on June 29, 2016 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under cooking, Ayurveda and tagged lentil soup red lentil soup soups caramelized onion red lentil soup with caramelized onions legume.

Fruits on the Bottom Chia Seed Pudding

I have been up-ing my game in my Ayurveda understanding and its applications.  Simplified, Ayurveda is a science of life and wellness.  One of the Ayurvedic wellness habits is to eat a healthy and easy to digest breakfast –though this isn’t exclusive to Ayurveda. 

My preferred breakfast is a green smoothie, but it is always good to have a few options in the week.  Recently I was re-introduced to chia puddings and realized how convenient it can be on those mornings I know I won’t have time to prepared a smoothie.

Very healthy, chia seed pudding is packed with protein, Omega-3, antioxidants and calcium.  You can get more benefits of this mighty seed by visiting this nice post by Marry Spencer via Health & Fitness Shops.  

It can be made under 5 minutes. I basically prepared it the night before so it is ready to eat or to go the next morning.

 This is my Fruit in the Bottom Chia Seed Pudding recipe:

 Ingredients - for one or two servings

·        1 cup almond milk

·        1/4 cup Chia Seeds

·        1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

·       1/4 cup (or less) honey or stevia syrop (I should add that I don't like the taste of stevia at all but it's sweet)

·        1/3 cup of fruits (I prefer mangoes or strawberries)

 

Instructions

1.     For Blended/Smooth Version: Place all ingredients in blender minus fruits and blend on high for 1-2 minutes until completely smooth.

or

1.     For Whole Chia Seed Version: Blend all ingredients except chia seeds & fruits in a blender until smooth (including any added flavors, fruits or chocolate). Whisk in chia seeds.

2.      Place fruits at the bottom of a jar or glass container, then pour chia mixture and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight to let it gel.

 

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under Ayurveda, cooking, inspiration, wellness and tagged Chia Seed Pudding Chia Seed Ayurveda Recipes.

Turmeric Tea: healthy and delicious

Turmeric is an ancient root used for its healing properties for centuries. Turmeric comes from the root of the Curcuma Longa plant. To manufacture it, the roots of the plant are boiled, dried and then ground into a powder. Traditionally used in Chinese and Indian medicine (from killing fungus to curing cancer), the powerful anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities of turmeric have made it a precious commodity for ages! 

I also happen to love it's flavor.  Bitter, warm and sweet, Turmeric evokes oranges and ginger on a Galician landscape.  I have been using it in all my cooking for some time, but this tea inspired by Ayurvedic traditions is a great evening companion of late.

 

Turmeric tea

1 cup of Almond milk

1 tablespoon of turmeric

1 tablespoon of raw honey

1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil

Pour almond milk into a saucepan and warm for 2 minutes, add coconut oil, raw honey and turmeric powder. Continue to warm for another 2 minutes.  Stir well and pour into cup or glass. 


Posted on March 2, 2016 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under cooking, Yoga, wellness, yoga mat, Ayurveda and tagged Ayurveda turmeric turmeric tea herbs.

Looking for Recipes That Use Food You Already Have?

After all the holiday cooking, I usually end up with a variety of left  over ingredients that don't necessarily go together in my staple of recipes.  When it's time to use these rainbow of ingredients I typically mix them all together to create what my dear friend Joanna calls "Army Food."  However if you are looking for new recipes to use either left over ingredients or your old staples ones, I found a new app called Su Chef.

The app works by creating filters for recipes based on various ingredients; you can put in navy beans as your main ingredient, for example. Su Chef has other filters like type of cuisine, cook-time, which meal, dietary preferences, etc. LifeHacker says it’s like an “advanced search” for recipes.

I imagine Su Chef won't find recipes for all your needs, but what it will likely do is give new ways to creatively configure your staple ingredients, or show you how to make an all new standard dishes with the addition of an ingredient or two. And Su Chef will surely provide some clever uses for your Holiday leftovers. Get Su Chef for $2 on iTunes. 

via Lifehacker

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under cooking, inspiration, Organization, Recycle and tagged recipe food leftover.

You say Tomato, I say Tomato Salad!

Dutchess County is one of my favorite geographical spots. Aside from the Hudson River Valley's beautiful landscape, another thing makes Dutchess so good is the farmers' stands.  The kindness of farmers and the vegetables are a blessing.  To me August is the perfect month to get loss in Dutchess and pick perfect tomatoes from the farmer stands. 

I can just eat these red jewels with a little salt and pepper, but if I have guest, I like serving a tomato salad either as a starter dish, or a complement to a main dish. This is my favorite tomato salad recipe.

Ingredients for 2 servings

  • 1 palmful of crumbled feta cheese

  • 1 small basket of ripe grape (or cherry) tomatoes, sliced lengthwise

  • 1 ripe heirloom tomato, cored and sliced into wedges

  • 1 Table spoon of scallions (or mint, or basil or your favorite tomato-mate herb)

For Dressing

  • 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar

  • 1/4 tablesoon of raw local honey

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil

  • salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Mix the dressing ingredients minus oil, and then whisk in the oil till the emulsification takes place (i.e., it looks like a salad dressing).  Mix the salad ingredients and and dressing.  Sometimes I like adding caper to the mix, but I'll leave that to you.  Please enjoy and let me know of any variation you find irresistible

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under cooking and tagged tomatoes salad tomato salad recipe.

Tea Time

Perhaps it's the chilly winter days that are approaching or perhaps it's the impending beginning of a new season of Downton Abbey ; the truth is that tea season is upon us.  The bitterness and sweetness, perhaps it is its resemblance to the essence of life that make tea such a pleasurable experience.   So here is some basic information I found helpful in my own tea journey.

What is Tea anyway?

All “true” tea comes from the same plant, called the Camellia sinensis. Any leaf, root, fruit or flower that comes from a different plant is considered an herbal tea. For example, chamomile flowers and peppermint leaves are considered herbal teas because they do not come from the traditional tea plant. It is important to distinguish between real tea and herbal tea since the flavor, health benefits and nutritional characteristics vary from plant to plant.

THOUSANDS OF TEAS, DIVIDED INTO 4 CATEGORIES There are thousands of different kinds of teas, each with their own individual appearance, taste and aroma. To make sense of all the variations, “true teas” (those made from the tea plant, or Camellia sinensis, versus herbal teas which come from other plants) can be categorized into 4 major categories: white, green, oolong and black. Generally, these categories refer to how much a tea is oxidized. The more oxidized the blacker the tea. See table below.

tea-oxidation-chart

How to brew the perfect cup of tea?

Once you know the basics, brewing the perfect cup of tea is easy! If you can boil water, you can make tea. Fine tuning the flavor is essentially a game of manuvering and adjusting 3 elements: water temperature, steep time and amount of tea used.

With just a little practice, preparing a great tasting cup of tea is easy and will quickly become second nature. The right brewing equipment can also further simplify the process.

BASIC DIRECTIONS:

  1. Bring fresh, cold water to a rolling boil. Always start with the freshest, purest source of water available as this will heavily impact tea's flavor ... it is the main ingredient, after all!

  2. Add tealeaves to a teapot, fill-your-own teabag or infuser basket. Use 1 teaspoon – 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) per cup (8 oz) of water depending upon desired strength. Adjust to taste.

  3. Pour boiling water directly over black, oolong and herbal tea. Allow water to cool slightly before brewing green tea, white tea or yerba maté. Cover.

  4. Infuse (steep) leaves for 2-5 minutes; 3.5 minutes is a good standard steep time that works well for most teas. Do not oversteep or tea may become bitter. If you prefer strong tea, do not over steep; simply use more leaves.

  5. Remove tea sachet, bag or infuser from water or strain leaves.

How to Clean Your Tea Kettle?

To remove mineral deposits, boil equal parts white vinegar and water inside kettle. Remove from heat. Let sit several hours; rinse. Hand wash the pot's exterior with a gentle pot-scrubber sponge. Let tap water run for a few moments before adding it to the pot.

Now brew yourself a delicious cup of tea.  Enjoy!

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under cleaning, cooking, Living spaces, Pop Culture, Uncategorized and tagged brewing tea cleaning kettle tea type of tea.

Small Bites: Almond Butter

Getting ready for the cooking season - aka Holiday Season- makes me a serious snacker.    The anticipation of tasting a new recipe or eating my favorite ones makes me real hungry.   I know I will be eating a big meal, so I try not to eat too much before a dinner party.  This can result in either feeling frustrated (celery sticks are not exciting, I don't care what Dr. Oz says) or feeling guilty (once a bag of chip is open, it will be eaten; Oprah is right!).   So I'm always trying to improve the quality of my snacks so they are pack with nutrition and are exciting to eat and, easy and fun to prepare.  So I am presenting one of my favorite snack. Almond butter is high in protein and easy to make. I know you can buy almond butter already made, but preparing it while cooking a dish, somehow makes me feel more satisfy (it's about the labor, not the fruit of it).   Serving it with fruits, veggies or rice crackers proves to be a delicious and satisfying.

This is what you need...

1 cup of almonds, a pinch of salt and a food processor.

This is what you do...

Place almonds and pinch of salt in a food processor and turn on low.  Almonds will turn from solid, to course meal; be patient and keep processing until the oils break down and almonds transform into a smooth, creamy butter.  You will end up with about 3/4 cup.
Posted on October 19, 2012 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under cooking and tagged Almond almond butter appetizer breakfast food healthy snacks quick bites small bites vegetarian.