Spring Update

Hi my followers!

You probably think I have fallen off the face of the earth it's been so long since I posted anything! I have just been adjusting to all the transitions that life entails, some planned and some surprises. I am settled back in Santa Barbara now in the middle of what seems like a million different projects.  The garden at Shoreline Community Church is thriving while I am finding that tending to it's needs are quite therapeutic. I am continuing to teach in the preschool classroom and unfortunately have made zero headway on my New Year's resolution of learning Spanish... Becky and I have begun a fermentation experiment in out pantry, we have three large jars of kombucha in the makings! I am in the process of beginning a new blog focused on holistic health traditions where I will be sharing everything I am learning as I progress in my studies at Bauman College. I am on the search for a job in the health arena but nothing has opened up yet so I continue to babysit as a means of self support, for now it's working out just fine.

Bianca is living in our home town, Santa Cruz waiting to take off overseas for YWAM in Australia! YWAM, Youth with a Mission is a missions organization that trains up disciples to go to unreach places and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. She is very excited and would love your prayers and support, she is raising funds as well if you feel led to bless her in that way. She has been getting involved at Vintage Faith Church and using her gift of music in the worship band. I was even able to see her play violin while I was staying up there, it was beautiful. She is working at Harbor Cafe, Linda's Sea Breeze Cafe and her stepdad's business BounzCity. She is quite the busy bee nowadays, so please no hard feelings for her lack of posts either.

But I am hear to say that I have posts to come so please keep an eye out! My new blog will be launched shortly as well and will be regularly updated! Hope all is well!

God Bless,
 <3 Dani

Stuffed Portobella

Now, I am very aware that this photo is not very appetizing. It was hard to capture this creation of mine on camera but it was really yummy so I wanted to share the idea. Besides the best way to cook is to rummage through ideas then experiment in the kitchen. Plus I was especially creative with making this because I used leftover bruschetta from another recipe.

Recipe
1/3 C quinoa
1/2 C bruschetta
1 portobella mushroom

Rub balsamic vinegar and a bit of olive oil on the portabella after washing it scrapping off the inside ribbing. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile cook the quinoa, 1/3 C quinoa to 2/3 C water, bring to a boil then let simmer on low until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. While steaming hot add the bruschetta to the quinoa and mix well. Stuff the portabella full and put back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes.

Wallah, a beautiful stuffed mushroom. This was obviously a night I was cooking for just me but make two or three and serve as appetizers or sides to a wonderful dinner!

Enjoy,
<3 Dani

Asian Sauteed Tempeh

Here is the tempeh recipe I had promised to share with you once I could upload the pictures. Looking at these pictures is making me very hungry and disappointed that I don't have any tempeh in my fridge! Hope you enjoy!

Recipe

Tempeh, small cubes

2 T tamari

1 clove of garlic minced

1'' cube of ginger, peeled and minced

half a lemon, squeezed

 

Cut tempeh in to small cubes. In a saucepan add tamrai, garlic, ginger and lemon. If you prefer them crispier you can add a bit of oil, preferably coconut or grapeseed as though can withstand the high heating. Saute for 5-7 minutes of until steaming hot. Toss on a salad!

Blessings,

<3 Dani

Sojourners and Wine Tasting

 The two sisters were shortly reunited just after I moved back to Santa Barbara. Bianca came to visit only a week later and we were determined to do something really fun. Having wanted to go wine tasting together for months now we figured that was a good place to start with ideas. We got online and found the Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail, a map of eleven wine tasting rooms downtown Santa Barbara. But we decided to make it especially adventurous and bike all the way there from Isla Vista, a whopping 13 mile ride! So we combined our efforts and called it the "Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail on bike"!

We hit up three different Wine Tasting Rooms, Kalyra Winery, Oreana Winery, and the Santa Barbara Winery, all of which we thoroughly enjoyed. All three had very different environments making each it's own unique experience. Each room cost $5-10 and served 6-10 tastings, we tried 25 different wines in all! Our favorite: a dessert wine from Oreana Winery called The Eliminator. I know, hilarious name.

 Before all the wine though, we filled up on a delicious lunch at Sojourners Cafe, a sort of health foods restaurant off of State Street. It's one of my favorite restaurants in Santa Barbara. I enjoyed a salad with hummus, pesto, tabbouleh, eggplant and bell peppers and Bianca had the Mediterranean nut burger. Delicious, if you haven't been here you must go soon! They serve a wide variety of desserts some gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free, egg-free, etc. The prices are very reasonable and I love the homey environment. As you can see with the wonderful weather we had we sat outside.

Now, we're both back in our separate locations missing each other but as our dear friend Annalisa reminded us, we both know we're where we're supposed to be.

Plenty of posts to come now that I am back in Santa Barbara and settled! I also will have tons to share as I am learning so much at Bauman College!

Blessings,
<3 Dani

Comforting Breakfast Quinoa

Today was sadly my last day at Bauman College in the classroom. I am moving back to Santa Barbara this weekend and will be officially enrolled in the Distance Learning Program, but it will great because I can move through the curriculum at my own pace! Today, I mulling over everything I have learned in the last few weeks and I realized one thing; there is always a need to be learning, always. In life of course, but specifically with nutrition. You'll never know it all and you'll never have it completely figured out. There is so much to know about our bodies and how to fuel them properly. Even more, there is such a need for every person to learn for themselves because of how individualized our bodies are. Plus trying to combat all the constant progression with the food industry and factory farming that's always in the wrong direction. All in all I am so excited to be back on the learn...and full speed ahead!

Today's cooking demo was done by Tracy Young and was absolutely delicious! I came home raving about it to my mom. This was by far the best quinoa breakfast I have ever had. Tracy was telling us she chose this breakfast bowl because she loves comfort foods, especially warm and cozy breakfasts. It was perfect for this rainy and gloomy day.

Recipe
1/2 C quinoa, rinsed and soaked overnight
1 C water
1/2 T coconut oil
1/2 C oats, rinsed and soaked overnight
1 T blackstrap molasses
1/4 C chopped walnuts
1/4 C raisins
1 t ground flax
Place the quinoa in a saucepan with the water and coconut oil, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed, probably about 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat and add the oats, molasses, and chopped nuts. Stir until light and fluffy. Serve steaming hot. Sprinkle raisins and ground flax seeds on top.

Soaking grains allows enzymes to break down and neutralizes phytic acid so the digestion process is sped up and the nutrients more readily absorbed. Difficult proteins are partially broken down into simple components that become available for the body. Now, soaking the grains is not necessary for the recipe for it is the healthiest option here. It will take a lot longer to cook and you will want to add the oats in with a little more water during the last few minutes of the cooking process if you don't soak. I haven't become organized enough to soak my grains all the time but I really am going to work on this!!

Enjoy,
<3 Dani

Mom's Harbor Bowls

My mom absolutely loves the Harbor Cafe, the restaurant where Bianca works here in Santa Cruz. Her favorite meal; the Harbor Bowl. A bowl of Spanish rice, black beans and cabbage. She loves it so much that she re-creates it at home for her and my dad and he loves it too! Of course, she puts her own touch to it. It's very easy to make and wonderfully healthy, try it!
Ingredients:
brown rice
salsa
black beans
green cabbage
avocado
diced red bell pepper
sliced cherry tomatoes
Morning Star Sausage Patties*

Step 1) Mix salsa with cooked warm brown rice to make a simple and quick Spanish rice. Place desired amount in bottom of a deep bowl.
Step 2) Next, add desired amount of black beans. If canned, be sure to rinse and drain thoroughly and heat on the stove top.
Step 3) Slice cabbage thinly, dice red bell pepper, and slice cherry tomatoes. Scoop out avocado and add to the bowl on top of the black beans and Spanish rice.
Step 4) Heat the patties in a frying pan, you may need to spray some olive oil to prevent sticking. Slice, or crumble and throw on top.

Enjoy!
<3 Dani

*I wouldn't recommend using soy products like these very often because their highly processed and normally made with GMO (genetically modified organisms). They do sell organic Morning Star products, these of course are definitely preferred.

Lemony Split Pea Dish

I really love split peas and I especially love the yellow variety though they are much harder to find. While I am visiting here in Santa Cruz I am doing all my shopping at New Leaf Markets and they just so happen to have them! And they were on sale, I bought a ton and wanted to do something new with them. I found this recipe with ginger and garlic and thought it sounded delightful. Split peas are certainly not everyone's favorite but if you like them try this dish cause it came out wonderful.

It was quite funny actually because my mom and dad both thought they it was corn! I could have fooled them...up until the first bite of course :)

Recipe
2 C yellow split pleas
4 C water or low-sodium vegetable broth
1-2 T grapeseed oil
3 cloves of garlic
2 T finely chopped ginger
juice from one lemon, freshly squeezed
cilantro
sea salt and black pepper

In a large pot on the stove, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic for a few minutes. Add the split peas, mix around a bit then add the water or broth. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for around 30 minutes. Half way through add the ginger and lemon. After a half hour, check the split peas they should be done but if they are too crunchy let them go ten more minutes. There may be extra liquid so drain once they are well cooked. Finely chop the cilantro and mix in, a handful is plenty. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Enjoy!

Split peas are a great way to get healthy lean protein as well as dietary fiber. In a one cup serving of split peas you will get 16g of fiber and 16g of protein! That's 65% of the daily recommended intake of fiber a day. That is outrageous and with vegetable proteins you bypass all the saturated fat and cholesterol of animal proteins. This dish is sounding really good now, huh? You should also check out my infamous Split Pea Soup!

Enjoy,
<3 Dani

Four Seed Granola: Food Cooking Demo!

Today at Bauman College it was my day to perform the cooking demo and boy did I enjoy myself! I made a home-made granola with four seeds, in honor of the founder of our school Ed Bauman who said that seeds are one of the healthiest foods on the planet because all life stems from a seed. I just love that!

As I was telling Bianca and our friend Marissa (who is Annalisa's sister for my Santa Barbara followers) all about after wards I realized it's basically like a cooking show! Which is just so cool, oh I love this school. Unfortunately, since I will be switching over to Distance Learning I won't get to do another cooking demo, but I certainly can cook for my friends down in Santa Barbara!

Recipe
5 cups oats
1¼ cups oat bran
¾ cup ground flaxseeds
¾ cup raw sunflower seeds
¾ cup raw pumpkin seeds
½ cup raw sesame seeds
½ cup juice-sweetened dried cranberries
1/3 cup apple juice, about 1 small apple freshly juiced
1/3 cup raw, unfiltered honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well using a wooden spoon or plastic baking spatula. In a small bowl mix apple juice and vanilla extract together. Slowly pour in honey while using a whisk to make sure it mixes in with the other liquids. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well to evenly coat the granola. Gently lay granola in a 9x13 glass baking dish. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. When cooled add in ½ cup juice-sweetened dried cranberries. Enjoy with any dairy free milk; almond, rice, oat, hemp, etc.

We had to present the nutrition information for the ingredients in our cooking demo so I figured I might as well pass them onto you guys. This is some healthy granola guys!

Oats: Old-fashioned oats are oats that have been steamed, then rolled and come out flatter than other varieties. They are a great source of soluble dietary fiber which helps lower cholesterol. Also, they are a very good sources of minerals manganese, selenium and phosphorus.

Oat Bran: The outer layer of the oat that resides underneath the hull. Oat bran is praised for it’s high quality of dietary fiber, specifically hemicelluloses, which can improve digestion.

Flaxseeds: They are an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Flaxseeds should be bought whole, raw and in bulk, stored in the refrigerator and ground fresh daily for use to prevent rancidity.

Sunflower Seeds: They are a wonderful source of protein, vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, vitamins B1, B5 and B6, phosphorus, copper, iron, folic acid and fiber.

Pumpkin Seeds: Also known as pepitas, pumpkin seeds supply minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc and copper. They are also great sources of vitamin A, vitamin B1, B3 and B3, protein, monounsaturated fats and phytosterols.

Sesame Seeds: They are a great source of protein, lignans, fiber, monounsaturated fats, vitamins B1 and B2, copper, magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium and phytic acid.

Cranberries: Great source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, manganese and copper. Dried cranberries are hard to find with out added sugar but special markets will carry juice-sweetened versions.

Enjoy,
<3 Dani

References: Michael Murray, Encyclopedia of healing Foods

Green Smoothie and Yoga

I went over to my dear friend Rita's this morning for some wonderful time with the Lord doing yoga. She has been learning about yoga for some time and is quite excelled by my standards, we so enjoyed each others company as we let our bodies extend and rest in such wonderful poses.

I was feeling extra enthused about my early morning, though I must admit it was not exactly early by most people's standards it was for me! I wanted to kick start my morning with something light but energy inducing so I made a GREEN SMOOTHIE! I've been wanting to make one of these for a long time, I actually tried on Wednesday a well but the blueberries overpowered the green powder and it was purple! I had success this morning though. My mom said what does it matter that it's green. I thought for a moment and all I came up with is that it really makes me feel like I'm being suuuper healthy, and who doesn't like that?

So here's my first GREEN SMOOTHIE recipe, enjoy! Oh and trust me, you won't taste anything yuckie, the fruits are so sweet it tastes like any other fruit smoothie.

In a blender add:
1 sliced banana, fresh or frozen
1-2 T freshly ground flaxseeds
1/2 blueberries, buy them frozen the defrost, you'll need all the liquid from the juices to blend the smoothie
Blend well, you may need more liquid, I just added a little water. Then add the green superfood to the blender.....
1 t spirulina
And blend again thoroughly mixing in the spirulina. Not green, add more!

Spirulina a microscopic blue-green algae in the shape of a spiral coil, living both in sea and fresh water. You can buy it in tablet, flake and powder form. I bought the powder in bulk at a health foods store. Spirulina contains and unusually high amount of protein, and it contains all nine of the essential amino acids making it a complete protein! Great for us who eat a diet without dairy or meat! It is also a great source of minerals, vitamins and essential fatty acids. Get in on this stuff guys, I can not believe I have been missing out on this.

Why spirulina over all the other micro-greens? I hate all the additives that come with packaged barley grass or wheat grass. I want the plain, whole deal and it's hard to find in the grocery store. I normally prefer Hallelujah Acres BarleyMax which is pure raw barley grass juice extract but you can only buy it online and I ran out. Spirulina certainly has my attention now though!

Blessings,
<3 Dani

Tempeh

There is a featured food, aka food of the day at every class at Bauman college. The class I sat in on last week before I began the program myself featured tempeh. Tempeh is a product that I have actually been very interested in learning more about. As the class began discussing the benefits and possible downsides to tempeh, I wondered if tempeh bypasses all the controversy of soy products because of the fermentation process it goes through. And yes, it does! Which is wonderful news. There really is so much controversy over soy products and personally I don't care for tofu or soymilk so I stay away. Tempeh is great though because of it's high protein and fiber content, plus certain brands contain whole grains or seeds like flax. Tempeh is excellent for vegans because it contains Vitamin B12, a vitamin that is readily found in animal products but lacking in the plant kingdom. If you are eating a vegan diet be sure that you are getting some B12 in your diet. Other sources besides tempeh include, Kombucha, nutritional yeast, miso and bee pollen. You could also take a vitamin B12 supplement, which I do from time to time.

Now, the only downside to tempeh is the blandness and sometimes odd texture that people can't handle. But with the right seasonings or a great recipe it's actually great! As I browsed old recipes I realized I've acutally cooked quite a bit with tempeh and really loved every recipe. So please check these out: Lasagna with Tempeh and Celeriac, Tempeh Tacos, Sweet Corn and Tempeh Soup.

Anyways, I was inspired by our discussion in class and went out straight away and bought some tempeh. When I went to make my typical salad for lunch I remembered I had bought the tempeh and decided to saute some and throw it on top. Unfortunately, this is where the story ends for you guys because I don't have my camera cord right now to upload the pictures. BUT, I would never leave you hanging like that so I have an old recipe to share with you and I promise to post about the salad as soon as I am back in Santa Barbara.
Lemon Pepper Tempeh

1 block of tempeh, cubed
1 large lemon, juiced
1 Tbsp (a drizzle to grease the pan) olive oil
5 Tbsp veggie broth
1 tsp agave syrup
1 tsp sea salt, optional-veggie broth adds salt
Mixture of fine black pepper and fresh ground black pepper, add A LOT of it!

Directions:
In a pan heat olive oil on high, add lemon juice and veggie broth to pan. When pan is sizzling, add in the cubed tempeh. Saute for a few minutes, uncovered. Add agave and a few dashes of fine black pepper. Continue sauteing and hen cover for a few minutes and toss the tempeh around in the steam. Apparantly it 'fluffs up' the tempeh. Add salt and a lot more pepper. The tempeh only needs to be heated so once it's browning and the liquids are pretty absorbed you're ready to go!

Quick Sweet Potato Mash

1 medium organic garnet yam
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
1 tsp garlic powder
1 dash cayenne

Directions:
Cook sweet potato in the oven. Do it early, they take around 45 min. at 400 degrees. Mash all ingredients together by hand using fork. For thinner potatoes add a bit of olive oil and/or veggie broth.

Bianca and I actually made this dinner together way back when we lived at the Jesus Burger House our junior year at UCSB. It's not exactly WAY back but we have come a long way since then. We served the tempeh over steamed kale and she made those delicious mashed sweet potatoes to go with, it was the perfect combination. Recipe courtesy of Happy Healthy Life, a food blog with extensive recipes into the latest on vegan trends. I love this blog!

Writing up this post is making me want to make this again it was so delicious!

Hope you enjoy,
<3 Dani

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

Hello everyone!

I have been very absent from the blog lately, and I am so sorry about that. I am back in Santa Cruz working and getting involved at Vintage Faith. I just joined the worship team playing violin and I am in an awesome Bible Study as well. God has been so good and it is amazing to have Dani with me right now :-) Last night, I made a great tortilla soup recipe that I would like to share with you all. And the best part...it is SUPER easy to make!

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 red/yellow bell peppers (chopped)
1 yellow onion (chopped)
64 oz. vegetable broth
1 can black beans
1 can corn or hominy (I love hominy in tortilla soup)
1 cup fresh salsa (you can buy great fresh salsas at your local grocery store)
2 avocados (cubed)
2 limes (sliced)
blue or yellow corn tortilla chips (crumbled)
sour cream (optional)
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:
1. Saute the bell peppers and onion in vegetable oil until lightly browned.
2. Pour vegetable broth into a large pot and add sauteed vegetables, black beans, corn/hominy and salsa. Cover and simmer on medium heat for one hour.
3. Ladle soup over avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream and cheese. Squeeze some lime to top it off and ENJOY! (serves 6)

Philly Cheesestake

You're probably thinking, 'what? Philly Cheesetake' has Danielle gone off her rocker? And I use my full name because it could be that serious. This is obviously one of those clever reinventions of our nasty American favorites. James and I actually made this meal for his parents way back when I first began my venture into holistic nutrition. You can tell it's summer by our tans, especially James'! This was such a fun evening sitting outside on the patio of their beautiful backyard. His parents were so blessed and I was just so happy to be able to cook like this for anyone! I still remember James taking his first bite and seeing his face just made laugh. He got a bite with a really strongly marinated mushroom. We all agreed the mushrooms were a little too strong so I would go lighter on the Bragg's, start out with only half of what the recipe says. For the 'cheese' you could halve the recipe because there was a lot left over, unless you think you'll end up using it, I'm just horrible with leftovers, I am getting better though :)
Recipe

Steak
In a bowl, add:
2 Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 C Bragg's, this is where you should start with only 1/4 C
2 t cumin
2 t coriander
Set aside and let marinade, only needs an hour at the most.

Vegetables
In a separate bowl, add:
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 C broccoli, chopped
1/2 C white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t sea salt
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
Set aside and let marinade.

Cheese
In a blender, add:
1 C pine nuts
1/2 C sunflower seeds
2-3 T raw apple cider vinegar
1/4 C onion
1 t sea salt
1/2 C water
Blend until creamy. You can also use a food processor.

To make the Philly Cheesesteak, start with a whole Swiss chard leaf. First spread a layer of the cheese, then the steak and top with the vegetables! Roll and eat!
Try this, try this, it was fun to make and really yummy!

Blessings,
<3 Dani

First Day of School!

Today was my first official day of school as a Nutrition Consultant student at Bauman College. And I had a great time! We got our books in this great canvas bag with all these handouts and PH strips, I felt like a little girl on her first day of kindergarten. Really? Lord, I get to go to this school? It still blows my mind how He pulled all this together in one week.

During every class we break half way for snack time and someone will perform a cooking demo. Since today was the first day our teacher presented the demo and provided the class with a great raw, vegan, and gluten-free kale salad. I was so excited when I saw the kale in a large bowl, and the best part: I got be her assistant and I massaged the kale! I learned a new trick to easily de-stem the kale. I will try to explain it to you in the best way I can with out showing you. Grab the stem with one hand, clasp around the stem with your pointer and thumb from your other hand and pull the leaves all the way down the stem.

Sweet and Tart Kale Salad

Salad
kale, with stems removed
apples, diced
cranberries
walnuts, crushed
red onions, diced
Chop kale and massage for awhile with a bit of sea salt. Throw in a large bowl with all other ingredients.

Dressing
1/4 C olive oil
1/8 C pomegranate vinegar
juice from half an orange
juice from half a lemon
1/4 t sweetener (date sugar, agave, rice syrup-if desired)
Whisk all ingredients together except the oil. Gradually add oil while whisking to fully emulsify. Pour over mixed salad.

Emulsifying is a process where you mix two ingredients together that normally won't combine on their own. Oils do not combine with other liquids so when you whisk slowly the dressing combines easier. You can also use a blender or a food processor to make dressings with oils. I learned about emulsifying today at school. Growing up and even throughout college my Papa would ask me every single time we talked, "what did you learn at school today?" And so I always think about him after school and recall the things I learned. I remembered him especially today and like to think that if he were still here he would be so proud of me for chasing after this dream of mine.

Now, normally the cooking-demo's are done by us students and since I will be coming back to Santa Barbara after the first module at Bauman and switching over to Distance Learning I made sure to sign up right away. So next Wednesday I will be bringing one of my recipes and sharing a snack with the class. I am so excited and will be mulling over ideas all week! Any suggestions?

Blessings,
<3 Dani

*Recipe courtesy of Susan Arther, NC of Bauman College, thanks!

Sweet Potato Quinoa Stuffed Bell Pepper

I was so proud of how this turned out! My dad was in the kitchen as I was preparing it and taking multiple pictures, he is so amused by me. It is an odd thing to watch someone take pictures of there food, I get looks of confusion all the time. But I love cooking and this blog means so much to me. I really believe God is going to use it, I mean He already is but in a bigger way in the future. It was with His leading that I started the blog and with His timing it will be something.

This stuffed bell pepper turned out so pretty and it was delicious as well, double whammy! The sweet potato quinoa was actually previously made, I was getting crafty with leftovers, so feel free to make beforehand and refrigerate.

Recipe
Sweet Potato Quinoa
1 C quinoa
1 sweet potato
1 T grapeseed oil
1/2 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
2 t paprika
Bake the sweet potato in the oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until soft all the way through. Cook the quinoa as usual, 1 C quinoa to 2 C water in a pot, bring to a boil then simmer on low for about 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Dice onion, mince garlic and saute in oil, add lemon juice and paprika. Once onions are browning they are finished. Combine sauteed onions in a large bowl with quinoa. Remove the sweet potato from the oven once it's fully cooked, the skin should peel off nicely and then you can slice up the flesh. Add to the quinoa and onions and mix well, mashing in the sweet potato.

To assemble into the bell peppers:
Cut around the stem of the bell pepper as shown in the picture below. Pop off top and scoop out all the seeds inside and on the stem.
Gently scoop the sweet potato quinoa into the bell pepper. Place the top back on and press down to make sure it settles. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for a half hour. Check the peppers at this point to see if the quinoa in the middle of the bell pepper is warm, if so and the bell peppers are starting to darken they're almost done. I turned my oven all the way up and broiled the peppers for 5 more minutes so they got crispy on the top!

Enjoy,
<3 Dani

Millet and Brown Rice Pancakes

Somewhat late last night I decided to make my favorite pancakes and then I realized I haven't even shared them on my blog yet! These are quite delicious and have numerous health benefits including gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and oh did I mention delicious! They just require a little preparation which is why last night around 11:30 I was rummaging through my kitchen to find the coffee grinder. The grains must be ground fine and then soaked overnight so be sure to plan ahead with these!

Recipe

2 C brown rice
1 C millet
2 C waterUsing a coffee grinder grind the grains very finely. The finer the better because you want it to be like flour. Mix well in a bowl before adding the water, then slowly mix thoroughly with the water, cover and let sit overnight.
In the morning add:
1 large apple, chopped
2 T flaxseed, soaked in 4 T water for a bit to become an egg-like substitute
2 t cinnamon
In a Cuisinart and process well.
Slowly add to the soaked grains and stir well. Add 1 T aluminum-free baking powder and stir through. Heat a skillet, lightly coat with grapeseed oil or coconut oil to prevent sticking and fry like you would any pancake. Top with fresh fruit and drizzle with agave or maple syrup!
It's quite a thing when you believe that God has given you dreams and then he takes them away. But it happens, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord," Job 1:21. But I know that God does not give us more than we can handle and that He really opens a new door when He closes another one. God made a promise to me about getting to follow my dream of nutrition last summer and I held tight not knowing how, what or when. I believed it was Bauman College and now to see it's unfolding right before me is overwhelming! I met with an academic adviser last Tuesday, sat in on a class Thursday, filled out my application on Friday, sent in my enrollment on Saturday and I start class on Wednesday! Really, it's only God who has the ability to do such a thing. The best part is that I never thought I would get to be in the classroom at all since I live in Santa Barbara, but I am going to start out in the classroom for the first section of the program and then switch over to Distance Learning and continue from Santa Barbara. I am just thrilled. Be prepared followers I am going to have so much to share with you!

Be showered with blessings,
<3 Dani

Bruschetta and Casserole

As I read an email this morning from a dear friend of mine I was struck by the love of God. Not only am I experiencing His love in a whole new way right now but His people are LOVING me so much. I am so well supported and literally feel like I am being held up by prayer right now. So thank you everyone! Especially, Jenna who's encouraged me with morning prayers, you are true sister in the Lord.

I began telling my mom about Jenna and her family, whom I babysit for regularly. I remembered that she had shared a great easy meal idea with me. And who loves easy more than me?! My mom thought it sounded delicious and wanted to make it for tonight. I prepared a fresh bruschetta, that is mixed with steaming hot brown rice and salmon.
Bruschetta is a traditional Italian appetizer served over thinly sliced bread and then baked. But it has become quite versatile and serves as a great flavoring for this casserole. It contains 6 ingredients and requires only blending in a food processor!

Bruschetta
5 roma tomatoes
10-12 big leaves of basil
1 clove of garlic
couple sliced of sweet onion
1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 t balsamic vinegar
Chop tomatoes and throw in a food processor with all other ingredients. Process well.

Casserole
1 can pink salmon*
2 C brown rice
1-1/2 C prepared bruschetta
If the rice is really steaming hot then you can simple add the salmon and the bruschetta and serve immediately. The heat from the rice will warm the whole dish. And the great thing about doing it this way is that the bruschetta is raw and you will maintain a good amount of the nutrients! If not, bake in the oven on 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Top with black pepper and a bit of salt.
*This recipe is also great with black beans so substitute with 1 15oz can black beans if you feel like eating vegan for the night!

I served this to my parents with asparagus tonight and they were well pleased! Now, to make it even healthier of course you could always use fresh salmon. We had the canned salmon so we used it up. You may notice that this is my first recipe with fish too! I know, I am embarking into new things but keeping it really healthy. My journey into holistic nutrition is really just beginning as I am about to become a student at Bauman College, a Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts School! I AM SO EXCITED! More on that to come.

Hope you enjoy,
<3 Dani

p.s. Recipe courtesy of Jenna Hayden, thanks!

Butternut Squash Lasagna

The sisters are back in action! Not exactly cooking or blogging together, but definitely being together. Being there for each other, loving, crying and laughing when necessary. One thing Bianca noted about our friendship today was that unlike other people when there's a time to laugh and a time to cry, there just isn't for us. We laugh when we should cry and cry when we should laugh, honestly it's soothing.

You all probably know how I am by now, when I find a recipe that I really really want to make but somehow it takes FOREVER for me to get around to it. Well this is one of those recipes. I literally have had this recipe bookmarked for months now. Something seemed to always get in the way, but not tonight! And with Bianca, James and a fabulous bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon we had a wonderful evening.

Recipe
1 box of brown rice lasagna noodles
1 jar of marinara sauce
1 butternut squash
1 sweet onion
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 lb of spinach

Peel, spoon out the seeds and cube the butternut squash. Dice the onion and toss with the squash, a drizzle of grapeseed oil and the red pepper flakes. Be careful not to give it too much spice! Roast in a baking dish at 425 degrees until the squash is tender about 30 minutes. Once tender puree in a food processor till creamy.
Boil the noodles until very al dente. Steam the spinach and drain. Layer in an 9x9 pan starting with sauce, then noddles, then butternut squash puree, then spinach, then sauce again. Add a second layer of noddles, butternut squash puree, spinach then sauce. One last layer of noodles then sauce.
Bake at 425 degrees covered with foil for about 20 minutes. Spoon out carefully with a spatula, lasagna can get messy!
Bianca, as usual, was very skeptical hovering over me wondering what spices I was using. But she and James both liked it! I was so proud of my accomplishment! My dad even had some, and he actually had seconds! Really, this recipe is simple for a lasagna so you should try it!

This is what the Lord is speaking to me today:

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonions 5:16-18

Paul is serious and so is God, give thanks in ALL circumstances, the worst included. This is the WILL OF GOD, what could I possibly want more as a woman living to please the Lord than to seek His will. So I am, I am being thankful in any and all of my circumstances. Know that even if you are in the darkest place, you can rejoice because God is madly in love with you and His love is everlasting.

"He's got your back," says the inspiring James Catalano.

In His love,
<3 Dani

Sushi Night

Tonight my mom and I had a total sushi night! Though my mom failed to actually try my sushi, she tends to get weary of my cooking, but I will say this sushi combination wasn't something I would highly recommend. I am more putting it on the blog for the idea of a sushi night and everything that goes along with it. I am really into themes with my cooking, it makes it so much more fun! I love exploring foods by cultures!

Not to change the topic or anything but one thing I am learning is that NOTHING can separate me from the love of God I have found in Jesus. And that I have in my mom. She is such a strong woman, who has carried me through so much. Her ability to let me cry when I need it but then to say to me, "Okay it's time to laugh" and make me laugh so easily is the best medicine! This is a relationship blessed by the Lord. We really enjoyed each other tonight. Dinner time at home here with my mom and Dad becomes such a laugh, especially when some of my weirder food choices are involved.

My mom offers her input towards dinner and tonight she made a delicious tea. Sticking with our Japanese theme she got creative and combined green tea with ginger tea. I bought that tea kettle and cup when I was in Japan on a missions trip a few years back. It was fun to bring it out tonight. Very nice touch to the meal mom :)

Always edamame with sushi guys, it's a Japanese favorite and is so easy when you buy a bag at Trador Joe's or Costco! Simple heat, or don't if you like it cold like we do and serve with an empty bowl for the pods! To make sushi, check out my previous post of sushi here. The roll I made tonight had steamed asparagus and baked sweet potato. I totally understand why anyone else would think it was wierd, I wouldn't make it again or anything but I ate it. I was craving sweet potato and sushi so I thought I'd try them together, lol. What's the fun of cooking if it never gets a little off course?!

A little more on course, sushi requires soy sauce. The healthiest choice would be Nama Shoyu which is raw unpasteurized soy sauce but it's pretty pricey. If you can tolerate wheat then Tamari, gluten-free soy sauce is great. I've been reading that there's some controversy over Bragg's Liquid Amino's, I still use it occasionally, there's controversy over everything, but I will say that I don't know enough to make a decision quite yet on exactly what I think about it. Whatever soy sauce you choose it is delicious to add freshly grated ginger! So that was a wrap up of our sushi dinner!

This whole sister in Christ thing is for real too guys. Bianca has covered me in love and held me together when things have gotten so rough. She may have slacked on the blog a bit guys, but she never slacks on me or our friendship. God has blessed me with amazing people in my life and for that I am so thankful. May I say too that my faithful follower James is an amazing friend who has been there for me through so much. THANK YOU!

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

In His Love,
<3 Dani

Community Garden Work Day

I get to be a part of one of the coolest projects!! At Shoreline Community Church where I work in Children's ministry we are starting a community garden in hopes of feeding the impoverished families living in the apartments around the church. I feel like God is making all of my dreams come true, I mean really? This garden is all set to go and there are 16 beds already built up. The church is funding everything and I get to have all the fun in the world planning and planting for a beautiful summer harvest! The beds haven't been kept up and the weeds have begun taking over. We are having a work day and need all the help we can get. All the info is below! Any questions feel free to ask!

When: Saturday, March 12^th, 2011 beginning at 9:00 and ending tentatively after lunch time, Breakfast and Lunch provided

Where: Shoreline Community Church, garden area, far left of the church office building

Tools Needed: shovels, rakes, gloves, trash bags, hose, trowels, fertilizer, compost

Goal: Clean up all the garden area and prepare for planting this upcoming season! Mostly weeding the beds and surrounded areas, clearing out old plants and improving the soil conditions.

Blessings,
<3 Dani

The Plant Cafe

It's funny how my blog has become a place where I advertise for restaurants but it is a great place to promote healthy eateries. And boy have I found a new great place! Though most of my readers are from Santa Barbara it's still fun to hear about great food. And now when you're in the bay area now you know where to eat! This place is at Pier 3 in San Francisco between Washington and Broadway. It's absolutely fabulous, on the water and very classy inside. The food was superb and they serve kombucha on tap! Which I am huge fan of currently however we order Pina Colada flavor and it was not my favorite.

Bianca, who always asks for a recommendation from the waiter took her advice. Ryan and her both ordered the plant burger and they agreed: excellent! The burger was home-made from lentils, mushrooms, beets, cashews, bulgur wheat and topped with roasted onion, lettuce, aioli, house made ketchup, and was served with a side of mixed greens and roasted potatoes.

I ordered a dish of corn meal crusted tempeh in a pomegranate reduction with sautéed brussel sprouts all served over quinoa with crispy shallots and olives. The flavors were delicious! I want to somehow try and make a version of this tempeh though it will be tricky.

James ordered the chili-lime marinated chicken breast panini with fresh mango and home-made aioli. I asked James, who is sitting here with me to act as a food critic. He said it was good, the chicken didn't have any lime taste though, the mango was a good touch but it needed avocado. We both realized that the sandwich was supposed to come with avocado but it didn't come on his!! So bummer to The Plant Cafe....but this sandwich could have been a hit if it was prepared right. Everyone makes mistakes, we all would go back again and overall it was really fun to eat here!

I love leaving healthy restaurants and feeling really good. Not overly full or heavy, or as Ryan says ready to take a nap. You feel like you should after you eat, like you fed your body what it needed and you're no longer hungry. Treat you're body like a holy temple and you'll feel the difference. Trust me, I understand it's not always an easy task choosing the healthy option. And unfortunately in our society the healthy option is always noted for being less tasty which I only agree with in part and actually most of the time refuse to agree with altogether. Either way the point is that healthy eating is a key piece to the puzzle of experiencing a wholesome life. My prayer is for people to become empowered to experience that life.

Notice that healthy eating is only a piece to the puzzle, though a very important piece nothing can replace the value of a life in Christ. Without it one can not even begin to experience life at all, in fact the Bible says we're dead in our trespasses before repentance and acceptance of the grace set apart for us at the cross.

"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved." Ephesians 2:4-5

It's free, accept His great love, salvation is waiting.

In His hand,
<3 Dani

New Herbs and Redemption

The other day I finally got around to planting new herbs in my pots! Same pots as last year's herb garden, only when I went home for the summer and left them with a friend they died...a kind of horrible death in fact. When I picked up the pots after those warm months they looked so sad and dried up.
Maybe I'm over spiritualizing it but I felt like as I tore up these old plants and replanted them with new, fresh and thriving herbs I couldn't help but think of God's redemption.

"If we are children of God, we have a tremendous treasure in Nature. In every wind that blows, in every night and day of the year, in every sign of the sky, in every blossoming and in every withering of the earth, there is a real coming of God to us if we will simply use our starved imagination to realize it." Oswald Chambers

God really met me out there while I was gardening, in His creation he demonstrated this truth of redemption to me. If I can't believe than I am completely new, that my old self is done away with how can I really even move forward? I refuse to live in regret. I feel like it would be a pity to what the cross has taken care of. My sinful nature. Completely done away with. It has to be.
The gift of redemption is one of the greatest gifts. That I get to walk in freedom not chained at all to any of the ways I have acted. Thank you God. No one cane give you this gift, except God and you can not work for it or earn it, for it is free and given to you by His never ending grace.

The choice is ours, mine, to choose to believe that I am filled with the Spirit and being led into life and away from sin. Will I fall short? Yes, continually, but the beauty is that I am ever being redeemed and further conformed into His image.

Believe His love for you covers everything.

In Him,
Dani

Valentine's and Mediterranean Saute

Ryan and I made a great dinner together last night for Valentine's day. I wouldn't say this was my best meal but I also didn't have all of the spices required. You should have seen me rummaging through Ryan's spice racks desperate for turmeric and allspice, but no luck. There was organic dill which was a plus, if you like dill I would try making this saute. I remember Bianca and I made it before and it came out deliciously dilly. I myself love dill and all Mediterranean flavors at that. The variety of vegetables in this dish is quite nice though. I myself would never have thrown green beans, cauliflower, red bell pepper and eggplant together but they seem to work perfectly with one another!

Recipe
1 cup chickpeas
1 cup chopped eggplant
1 red bell pepper, chopped
handful fresh green beans, cut into 1'' pieces
1-2 cups chopped cauliflower florets
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon dry dill (or small bunch of chopped fresh)
1 tablespoon dry oregano (or small bunch chopped fresh)
1 tablespoon dry mint (or small bunch chopped fresh)
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1 cup vegetable stock or water
Olive oil for sauteing
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat a little bit of oil and saute the garlic, onion and cauliflower for about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant, bell pepper and green beans. Continue sauteing on medium heat. Add the water or veggie broth, the spices and lemon. Add the tomato paste and let cook for about 15 minutes. Serve over long grain brown rice.

Don't skip out or go light on any of the spices, they are necessary and really make this saute what it is. My mistake tonight, but luckily it was still yummy. And here I am with my first set of beautiful RED ROSES from my love. He always makes me feel so special.

Happy Valentine's Day,
<3 Dani