Health Cafe Journey

I served this dish to my brother and sister-in-law who had just moved into the same new-home community we did a few weeks earlier. Moving is no fun and having a good home-cooked meal can make all the difference in getting back into the move with renewed energy. Running out for a quick meal you may regret eating or trying your luck by buying a quesadilla or pulled pork sandwich from the food truck that shows up each day at 11:30 could halt your progress. I thought this recipe I found in the Costco Connection magazine would be a hearty meal. Trying new recipes on dinner guests is a gamble, but I was game to try it. It did not disappoint. Try it out and see what you think. Cauliflower & Tomato Quiche Recipe from  Costco Connection Magazine yield  8 servings category  Main Dish cuisine  Vegetarian ingredients 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets 4 Tbsp olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, minced 8 organic eggs 1/2 C fresh chopped basil 1 C flour or gluten-free alternative...

What are your plans for the Thanksgiving table? Are you doing traditional Turkey and all the accompanying starchy foods? Or do you plan to make some changes in your meal choices because you've been adjusting your lifestyle to be healthier? There are great options for yummy food–perfect for fall. I made this delicious recipe and it was all we had for dinner. Mmmmm! The fresh herbs make it really sing and it's so easy to prepare. The recipe calls for red D'Anjou pear, but you can use any variety of pear. I used a Bartlett pear and it  was mmmm good. I think you could experiment with using other fruit. How does fuyu persimmon sound?  I must try that one. Persimmons are my favorite fall fruit—maybe my all time fav actually. Pear & Pistachio Stuffed Acorn Squash from Costco Connection yield 4-8 servings category Main Course cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian ingredients 2 Acorn Squash 2 tsp olive oil 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper 1 C chopped pistachios 2 Tb...

This is a dessert that is guilt-free, healthy, full of protein and includes the superfood cacao . Plus I used 100% organic ingredients to make it even better for you, provided you do the same. I saw this recipe on the Food Matters weekly newsletter email and thought, "Gotta make this!" To begin making this awesome dessert, pull out all the ingredients so you don't miss anything. I'm usually doing a few things at the same time when I cook, so forgetting to add something happens from time to time. Does that happen to you?  The original recipe showed a few ingredients measured in weight, so I needed to translate it into cups. You're welcome! I weighed out the cacao, ground it, then put it into a measuring cup to determine how many cups to use instead of weight. This process took extra time and because I had not put out all the ingredients ahead of time, I forgot the vanilla. Waa! The vanilla extract I just posted about making: DIY Make Your Own Vanilla Extract . The...

I love Thai food. It's very vegan-friendly with the use of coconut milk instead of dairy. I had a craving for coconut milk and vegetable soup recently and experimented with putting something together. Here's what I came up with. Thai Coconut Soup from Chris Pedersen yield 6-8 servings category Soup cuisine Thai, Vegan, Vegetarian ingredients 1 13.5 oz  can Coconut Milk 2 cans filtered water (use coconut milk can) 2 carrots, chopped 2 C chopped potatoes 1 C green beans cut in 1-inch pieces 1/2 yellow onion, chopped 3 oz shitake mushrooms, sliced 1/8 C lemon grass cut in 1/4-inch pieces 1 tsp sea salt 1 shallot, diced 2 tsp tamari 1/2 inch ginger, minced 1/2 inch turmeric root, minced 2 Tbsp lime juice 1/8 tsp Sambal Oelek 1/2 tsp curry Seafood (optional—shrimp, white fish, etc) directions 1. Add coconut milk and water to medium-size sauce pan on medium heat. 2. Add carrots, potatoes, green beans and onions then heat for 15 - 20 minutes. 3. Add remaining ingredients and cook ...

Tip: "Living the Veg Life" on Health Perch

Whatever it takes to eat more veggies, whether that's eating vegan (no dairy or processed foods), cutting out meat (vegetarian), adding another serving of veggies each day or like me (vegan, but eat wild fish, organic eggs and occasionally goat cheese), eat like your life depends on it. Because it does! Your mind will clear, the scales will dip, your skin will look amazing, you'll sleep better and you can say good-bye to those pesky colds and flues. Graphic Source: Fix.com