NIRAAMAYA STRENGTH

This is such a tasty, easy meal that can vary according to the veggies you have in your fridge. 

First put your pot of brown rice on to cook.

While your rice is cooking, saute cubed pieces of tofu in coconut oil until browned. In the last minute of cooking, pour over a mixture of Braags or Tamari soya sauce, nutritional yeast, powdered dulse & a pinch of cayenne pepper. Cook until fully absorbed. Set aside.

In a large skillet saute 1-2 cloves of garlic & a pinch of chili flakes in coconut oil. Add small diced up veggies of your choice. I like : celery, carrot, zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, red/yellow/orange peppers, & I ALWAYS use purple cabbage & kale 🙂 Stir fry until tender. When rice is cooked fold into veggie mixture followed by the seasoned tofu. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds.

Drizzle with **roasted sesame oil ***& braags or soya sauce to taste …Enjoy!

I’m always looking for new ways to add nutrition & variety to my diet.  Amaranth is considered an ancient grain (although technically it’s a seed), cultivated for over 8000 years in Central & South America. Amaranth seeds come from a leafy plant (which is also edible), & are the size of poppy seeds. Amaranth is one of the most nutritious ‘grains’, containing more fiber & protein than most other grains, & is also high in calcium, magnesium & iron.  One cup of cooked amaranth has 5 grams of dietary fiber & 9 grams of protein. Amaranth has 30% more protein than oats & is gluten free.  Pre-Columbian Aztecs regarded amaranth as having supernatural powers & used it in their religious ceremonies.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup amaranth seeds

1 Tbsp chia seeds

fresh or dried fruit of your choice (I used raisins & goji berries)

2 cups of water

pumpkin, sunflower & ground flax seeds, & shredded coconut

pure organic maple syrup or raw honey, cinnamon & hemp, almond or light coconut milk

Directions:

Combine amaranth & chia seeds, dried fruit & water in saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat than lower to a simmer & cook, stirring until creamy, about 20-25 min. Be sure to stir constantly the last 5 min. of cooking (porridge will splutter). If porridge seems thick add more water. Serve by sprinkling with seeds, coconut & cinnamon. Drizzle with maple syrup or honey & milk of choice.

Kale , celery, purple cabbage, red pepper , avocado , red onion, fresh garlic & sesame seeds drizzled with the fresh lemon juice & olive oil .

I am always interested in using natural ‘Green’ products whenever I can. I was fortunate to recently come in contact with a wonderful, family owned business, launching a sustainable natural detergent & fabric softener called ‘Soap Nuts’. Soap nuts are a natural, biodegradable and petroleum-free laundry soap alternative. They grow on trees in Nepal and India, but they’re not nuts; they’re actually a fruit.  The flesh of the berry is harvested & sun dried. When they dry in the sun they become quite hard & therefore resemble a nut. The tree itself is from the genus Sapindus. Soap nuts contain large amounts of saponins in their shells, which are a natural surfactant. Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension of a liquid penetrating the fibres of your clothing, lifting stains from the fabric & leaving dirt suspended in the water that is rinsed away and so can be used as detergents or foaming agents. Soap Nuts are effective & economical, hypoallergenic, antibacterial, antifungal…and completely natural! 

DO something different & actually try these out…think of how many laundry detergent bottles you throw out per year. 

Check out GAIA NATURAL PRODUCTS to order their Soap Nuts. You can visit their website http://www.gaianaturalproducts.com to shop online or contact them at info@gaianaturalproducts.com to find out if they are at a local retail store.  

These nutrient dense raw balls have so many good ingredients they are perfect for pre or post workout as well as a perfect snack to keep ya goin! As a new Momma on the go, these REALLY help sustain my energy & hunger.

Below are some information on the health benefits of the awesome ingredients:

Maca is a root vegetable related to the turnip and grown in mineral-rich volcanic soil of the Peruvian highlands, maca is another superfood. Maca curtails the effects of stress by helping the adrenal glands regenerate as well as to restore the negative effect that stress has on hormonal health.

Maca possesses the precursors for serotonin. The body will often try to self-medicate when it’s feeling overwhelmed by stress-induced chemical reactions in the brain. This is when the sugar cravings kick in, they are the brain’s attempt to raise serotonin levels. A diet that includes a daily dose of maca will supply the body with what it needs to ward off stress and construct serotonin, thereby reducing or altogether eliminating sugar cravings.

Sterols are steroid-like compound found in both plants and animals that promote quick regeneration of fatigued muscle tissue. Maca is a rich source of sterols. Strength is important for any athlete, even an endurance athlete, as it improves the efficiency of muscle contractions.

When choosing maca, get the gelatinized form. The process of gelatinization removes the hard-to-digest starchy component of the maca root, leaving an easily digestible, quickly assimilated, and more concentrated form of maca.

Oats are a very good source of manganese and selenium. In addition, oats are a good source of, dietary fiber, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus.

Flax seeds are a plant source of omega-3.  These essential fatty acids (“essential” meaning they must be consumed because our bodies don’t make them) play an important role in the anti-inflammatory system of our body. Flax is also a great source of fiber as well contains lignans which reduce the risk of breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.

Pumpkin seeds are high in iron, a nutrient some people have trouble getting enough of, especially if you don’t eat red meat. Anemia, a shortage of red blood cells in the body, is commonly caused by low dietary iron or strenuous exercise.  Iron is lost as a result of crushed red blood cells due to intense muscle contractions.  The more active the person, the more dietary iron is needed.  

Goji berries are packed with essential amino acids, rich in vitamin A and C. Goji berries also possess over 20 trace minerals and vitamins including zinc, iron, phosphorus, B2, vitamin E as well as carotenoids, including beta-carotene.

Cinnamon is known for it’s anti-clotting, anti-microbial and blood sugar control.

Raw cacao is very high in antioxidant flavanoids, sulfur and magnesium.

The health benefits of almonds are extensive, and they are frequently used as a healthy solution for relief from constipation, respiratory disorders, coughs, heart disorders, anemia, impotency, and diabetes. It also helps in maintenance of healthy hair, skin care (psoriasis), and dental care.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups quick oats

1/4 cup ground flax seeds & unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup goji berries

2 tsp. cinnamon

3 Tbsp. Maca

2 Tbsp. raw cacao

1 cup almond butter

1/2 cup maple syrup or honey

1 tsp. vanilla

unsweetened shredded coconut for rolling (optional)

Directions:

Combine dry ingredients in food processor, mix until finely ground. Add wet ingredients, process together. Moisten hands & roll into balls. They will set further once refrigerated.

I recently visited my cousin on Vancouver Island & was inspired to make my own nut butter after tasting hers. Making your own ‘ butters’ saves money & tastes so much better!

Grind 2 cups of crunchy nuts ( I used roasted almonds) with 1 tsp of sea salt in a blender until it becomes a fine powder.
Add 3/4 cup coconut oil & 2 Tbsp of raw honey. Blend until smooth.
I like to add a bit of cinnamon to mine which is delicious on toast 🙂

This is my first year having my own garden, I’m in love with it ! Growing your own food is next level in conscious eating. The love & devotion that goes into tending your garden gets transferred into the vibration of the food when you eat it.
I had some beautiful zucchinis ready to harvest & was inspired by them to make these nutrient dense muffins 😉

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups kamut or whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chia seeds
1 cup sucanat ( unrefined cane sugar)
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (from 1 large zucchini)
1/3 cup mashed ripe banana (from 1 large banana or 2 small ones)
1 cup hemp or almond milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 12 standard muffin cups with coconut oil . In a large bowl, whisk together flour, chia seeds, sucanat, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a small bowl, mix together almond milk, and vanilla, zucchini and banana. Add the wet mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined (do not overmix).

Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let muffins cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.

I just had a beautiful baby boy & my dear friend, Laura Hall, brought over this delicious & nutritious lentil dish. I had it first with quinoa then the following day with the corn chips… So good!!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup green lentils
1.5 cups water
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup raisins
1 teaspoon unsalted butter (okay, sometimes I use 2)
1 tsp. Himalayan rock salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Rinse the lentils thoroughly.
Combine lentils and ½ cup of water in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the carrots and another ½ cup of water and simmer on high for another 5 minutes.
Stir in the rest of the ingredients and ½ a cup of water, cover, cook 5 more minutes and test the carrots for tenderness, add a splash of water and cook longer if need be. Adjust seasoning and serve alone, with brown rice or grains, or chill and pair with corn tortillas chips as a yummy dip.

This is an easy, vegan frittata to make. So tasty & full of veggies!

Ingredients:

1 (14-16-ounce) pkg silken tofu
1/2 cup canned light coconut milk
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
4 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp tahini
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
Ground black pepper, to taste
1-2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 cup chopped leeks
1/2 (14-ounce) block firm tofu, drained & crumbled
1/2 cup asparagus tips
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted & chopped
1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut parchment paper round to fit into a 10- inch ovenproof nonstick skillet or cast-iron skillet. Set aside.

In a blender or food processor, purée silken tofu, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, flour, tahini, turmeric & black pepper. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with coconut oil. Sauté leeks for about 5 minutes. Add crumbled tofu, asparagus, red peppers & olives; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a large bowl, combine tofu & vegetable mixture with puréed tofu mixture & basil. Pour mixture into prepared pan, bake 40 minutes, until golden & firm. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy with some roasted potatoes & a green salad 🙂