So... Warp Drive?

Ummm... where the bleep-blop-bloop has 2013 gone? 

Seriously, who hit the fast-forward button, and why won't they let off it already! This year has been in warp speed! My bad on going AWOL there, but hey, who of you out there have had to shift your to-do list around to combat this manic speed the world seems hell bent at spinning at? I know I am not alone.

I am fairly certain I look like this dude at Yahoo half the time. Time is going WAY too fast! (Image on Creative Commons of Flickr by Yahoo)

So here's a few things that have happened in my world since I wrote to you last....(Just so you feel in the loop)

• Catering has taken off! Yay work!
• Manfriend was in a horrible motorcycle accident that left him with not one, but TWO broken arms. <-Yes this was a true test of love, and I'm fairly certain I passed. (Ps, he is healed up and rockin' physical therapy like a champion. which is reason #34,990,081 I love him.)
• The dogs and the cat are still the cutest black fur balls you've ever laid eyes on.
• We moved to Downtown LA. Yeah, we're kinda trendy.
• I am a master of IKEA assembly. 
• I have decided to start running again. Perhaps I will train for a half marathon, who knows. 

Whew, there was a quick look at this insane 2013, now, let's talk foodie. 

The other day on Facebook I promised folks a healthy, yummy, filling breakfast recipe idea. Well I have stolen the most wonderful breakfast idea from my mom, and I can't stop eating it. And now I think it's only fair that everyone knows the joy that I feel every morning. Now, the below pictures are from my iPhone, apologies but I cannot find my nice camera in the clutter of us trying to literally reorganize every last area of this loft we now live in. Deal with it. Also, I do not have a complete picture as it is night, and breakfast is in the morning. I will require you to use your imagination and then tomorrow I will post a complete pic on Facebook (so make sure you follow me!). 

Mom's Healthy Delight Breakfast Bowl

Serves 2 and is vegan, gluten-free and perfect 

Ingredients:

2 cups almond milk

2 bananas

1 tbsp molasses

Ingredients for each bowl:

3 tbsp buckwheat groat (don't be fooled by the name, it's legit GF)

2 tbsp chia seed

2 tbsp gluten free rolled oats (don't be fooled, they MUST be labeled GF on the packaging)

Topping Ideas: walnuts, blueberries, strawberries, more banana, pecans, your fave fruit

All right, the night before you would like to eat a Mom's Healthy Delight Breakfast Bowl you will need to take 10 minutes to throw the bananas, almond milk, and molasses into your blender. Blend it up till it makes a night think liquid. Then pour into 2 bowls (for you and your lucky friend). Then in each bowl add the buckwheat groats, chia seeds, and gluten free rolled oats. 

Stir this all together, then cover with plastic wrap, and then place in the fridge over night. In the morning, wake up, top your bowl with anything healthy and yummy you desire (ideas listed above). Then devour! 

You will be SO surprised how well this bowl curbs hunger cravings. I find that I don't get hungry till 2pm in the afternoon! I'm not saying skip lunch, I'm just saying how awesome is this healthy delicious breakfast!

Women, take note of your calcium! 

As we age calcium is slowly leeching from our bones (sad but true), and it is our job to make sure we are always getting enough each day to combat osteoporosis. This bowl packs a MIGHTY calcium punch. Molasses is one of the best sources of calcium out there. Almond milk has way more calcium than regular milk. And the other ingredients give you a massive boost of nutrients. Think healthy, and eat wonderfully! 

Ps... Whole Foods calls Buckwheat one of the healthiest foods in the world!! Click here to learn more. 

March Weekend Reboot!

Well February is like a rude house guest that has come and gone and didn't even have the courtesy to leave a thank you note! I can't believe it is March! Actually, I can, and the only reason I believe it is because I had to pay rent today... bye-bye money, hello roof over my head, lol! So much happened in these 28 days I can't even keep up! Here's the quick highlights:


  - Worked more catering gigs this month that last 2 combined
  - One of my closest friends had one of the sweetest baby showers I    have ever attended
  - Moved officially into the new kitchen, and almost have it organized - Met a slew of wonderful new people
- Took a quick relax trip to Del Mar to play with the man friend and the dogs on the beach!

There's a quick little snap shot into the land of vacation :) notice there's no pictures of food... well that is because I ate like a moron on vacation and strayed so far from my regular healthy ways my body is actively trying to murder from the inside out. Oh man... it's like a vicious tiny demon is in my stomach with an ax trying to the prove the point that junk food is from the devil. I feel like the only thing I can possibly do at this point is a reboot, and pray to the belly god for forgiveness! So this post is for all you folks out there who maybe ate too may chocolates over Valentines Day, or have been struggling to eat better after all the holidays, or went for a mini vaycay and ate like a fool (that last one is me). Here's a quick healthy reboot menu for this weekend coming up, load up on produce at your favorite health food market, and let's do this!!

Saturday: 

Breakfast: 

The Ultimate Green Machine Smoothie (Grande Size) remember this recipe, its the BEST start to the morning: http://delishdishchronicles.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-smoothie-series.html

Lunch: 

Vitamin Rich Juice: 1 cucumber, 4 carrots, handful of spinach, 3 tomatoes, 2 celery ribs, and 2 sprigs of parsley

Raw Veggies to snack on with Hummus: 1 can garbanzo beans, 1/3 cup tahini, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 pressed garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons water (if needed), and S&P for taste.

Dinner:
Keep in simple with a serving of quinoa topped with your choice of lightly steamed veggies (I'm opting for Kale, carrots, zucchini, and broccoli) *If you feel like you need a little extra flavor drizzle some Braggs Liquid Amino over your dish

Dessert:
Ha, no way. Have a handful of grapes or a couple strawberries ;)

Love this pic I saw on this website: http://bequjuice.com/blog/2012/03/13/benefits-of-raw-cold-pressed-juice/

Sunday:

Breakfast: 

The Ultimate Green Machine Smoothie (Grande Size): http://delishdishchronicles.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-smoothie-series.html

Lunch: 

Vitamin Rich Juice: 4 carrots, handful of spinach, 4 large kale leaves, 1/4 head of green cabbage, 1 medium beet, 1 apple

Raw Veggies to snack on with Hummus: 1 can garbonzo beans, 1/3 cup tahini, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 pressed garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons water (if needed), and S&P for taste.

Dinner:
Keep in simple again with a serving of quinoa topped with your choice of lightly steamed veggies. *Braggs is there again to help if you need a little more flavor

Dessert:
Again, nice try. Eat a mango.

It is aways easier to do this with a friend, so be my friend and let's do this together! I'm headed out now to my most favorite health food store, and I'm loading up on the essentials  If you feel like you have a better juice recipe then switch it in there. Let's reboot and start March super healthy!!

Eat green, eat right, and watch your mind & body flourish!
Here's to a healthy reboot this weekend! Xoxo

Shout-Out to the Facebook Homies

Cheesy Title, yes. Cheesy recipe, no.

Today on Facebook I shamelessly asked people to like a photo with a bribe that I would then share a recipe. Thank you social media for making me an extortionist.... But on a different note, thanks for liking the photo! Maybe share it with your friends... tell them about the blog... you know... if you want...

Here's the photo of a delish line up of fantastic lentil meatball subs!

So without any lolly gagging or story telling or distraction tactics or slight of hand or any thing else of that nature here is the recipe for Lentil Meatballs, may you make sandwiches, spaghetti, or meatballs over veggies :)

Lentil Meatballs

serves 8-10

gluten-free

(adapted from recipes.com)

Ingredients:

Veggie broth (see recipe below)

2 cups red lentils

3/4 cup yellow onion (finely chopped)

4 cloves garlic

8-10oz crimini mushrooms (chopped finely)

1-2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon thyme

1 cup nutritional yeast

1 cup ground flax

salt and pepper to taste

Broth Ingredients:

3 cups water

1broccoli stalk 

1 carrot

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

  
To start, place all the broth ingredients into a large stock pot and cook on high heat until boiling. Allow to boil for 5 minutes and then simmer for 30 minutes. Once complete fish out the broccoli stalk and carrot. (Or... you can cheat and get low sodium veggie broth from the store.)

Once the broth is ready place the lentils in the pot and cook on high heat until boiling again. Then bring to a simmer for 20 minutes.

While the lentils are cooking place your onion, garlic, mushrooms, oil and seasoning in a large pan. Stirring often, cook the veggies on med-high heat until the mushrooms are very soft the onion translucent.

Once the lentils are finished cooking and the veggie mixture is finished place half the lentils and all the veggie mixture into a food processor or blender. Process until the mixture is completely smooth. In a large bowl place the remaining lentils and the new mixture. Add in you nutritional yeast, flaxseed, and salt & pepper. Stir everything together until combined. Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper. At this point roll up your sleeves and wash your hands, you are going in.

With your hands continue to mash the mixture together. Once everything feels like it is completely combined begin forming small (think diameter of a quarter) balls and place them on the baking sheet. Keep going until all the mixture is gone. This will probably take more than one baking sheet.

At this point preheat your oven to 375 degrees and place the baking sheets in the fridge for 20 minutes. Once the meatballs have chilled place in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. Once out of the oven they are all yours. Cook them with marinara sauce and place them in a sandwich, or over noodles! They are al yours to eat up!

Broken Resolutions, Wiki, Quinoa, and an Easy Dinner Recipe

Argh!!! Look what has happened to me! I started this year all, "blah, blah I made resolutions, I am the bee's knees, blah." And now look, I have to come crawling back to this blog in sadder shape than before I even made those stupid resolutions. Yes it is true, it is only the 21st day of the year 2013 and I have kept not one resolution. Who invented these stupid things anyway? Why do they want to make people feel bad about themselves?? Well, people who can't keep the grandiose resolutions they make anyway... (in case curiosity wins you over like it always does to me, here's what wiki has to say about resolutions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year's_resolution)

And here is what google image search has to say about curiosity...

Anywho, my apologies for epically failing at keeping up with recipes. I really had so much hope to stay on top of the game, but alas with catering picking up it's crazy over here folks! I thought I'd jump back in here and pretend that you guys didn't notice that I went MIA in the blog world, and talk about quinoa. Oh yeah, I said it quinoa. If you don't have this in your pantry at all times you need to rethink your shopping skillz. Yup I went there. I went from Casey-pity-party-of-one to quinoa-pusher-enforcer-number-one. Cause that my friends is how I roll in the year 2013. Bipolar personality here I come. 

Quinoa is freaking amazing. It is one of the very few sources of complete protein you get from the plant world. That means the essential 9 amino acids are present in quinoa and each amino acid has the correct amount necessary for human digestion. If you are a vegan this is like the mecca of all meccas. Protein is such a hot button for the non-vegans, which has always been confusing to me as protein deficiency isn't really a thing..., but quinoa is a lovely example to give these folks when they get up in your grill about it. (Protein info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complete_protein)

found: http://rebelgrain.com/why-i-eat-quinoa/

I just love quinoa so much, and I know I've talked about it before but I just really love it so. It also is so versatile you can eat it at any time of day breakfast, lunch, dinner, or in between snack. And kids actually enjoy quinoa! I am not lying, get this superfood power house on to your kids plates. Here's a few more reasons why quinoa should be in that pantry at all times: 8 reasons quinoa is good for you - http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-health-benefits-of-quinoa.html

And lastly, quinoa is awesome because at the end of a long day (like I had today) you can come home and create a mini masterpiece in less than 20 minutes. Here's a fun quick little recipe for you to use when the day is long, and all you want to do is order in pizza. This recipe takes less time than the delivery boy, and will fill your body with healthy nutrients!

Quick and Easy Quinoa for 1 or 2

serves 1 to 2 people

gluten-free

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa 

2 cups water

2 large handfuls chopped kale

1 chopped banana1/2 cup slivered raw almonds1-2 tablespons Braggs liquid aminosdash of Sriracha (depending on how spicy you like it)salt'n'pepper to taste

Place both the quinoa and the water in a large pot. Cook your quinoa without a lid at high heat until it starts to boil. Turn the heat down to simmer, and when it looks like it is almost done throw in the kale to wilt. Stir the two together and let sit for 2-3 minutes. After that mix in your Salt'n'Pepper, Braggs and Sriracha.

Plate, and decorate with the banana and almonds, and EAT! Health never tasted so good! Seriously, easiest recipe in all the land! 

Snacking Smarter in the New Year

Hello hello hello! Happy 2013 to all you folks! We made it past the Mayan calendar, and scarier still we made it through another holiday season! How are you holding up? Are we all sufficiently stuffed with holiday treats, stocking stuffers, and all the food our parents/in-laws/extended family could shove into our faces? I know I am, and my poor belly needs a break. Enter the infamous New Years Resolutions. One of the many updates to this 2013 I want is to get a healthy recipe out once a week, and this one is perfect for everyone (but especially moms, teachers, babysitters, or anyone that likes animal crackers!)

Those are horses and elephants :)

Yes indeed today in my kitchen I made Apple Cinnamon Animal 'Crackers' with Salted Date Caramel topping. These tasty treats could not be a more fantastic healthy after school snack if they tried. Or if you're like me and don't have little bambinos running around they make for a perfect in between meal snack to keep you away from store bought processed junk.

You can make them as animal 'crackers' or you can just make straight up apple chips if that is easier, or if locating smaller animal cookie cutters isn't on the agenda. The reason I like these so much isn't just because they taste like delicious heaven; it's because they are full of health benefits and thats my favorite thing. Let's take a look at the main ingredients here shall we....

Apples: http://www.besthealthmag.ca/eat-well/nutrition/15-health-benefits-of-eating-apples
Dates: http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-dates.html
Cinnamon: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=68
Coconut Oil: http://www.naturalnews.com/036156_Coconut_oil_superfood_healing.html   

Here they are as full apple crackers.... YUM

I dare you to find a snack from the cracker aisle at your local supermarket that has the health punch that these apple 'crackers' do. I mean you have apples that decrease the risk of diabetes, dates that are natures helper for intestinal disorders, cinnamon helping with blood sugar control, and coconut oil just being its awesome self and doing everything great for your body! Seriously check out those links. This stuff is good for you!

So do yourself a favor and remember that old saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" and make these and eat them all! :)

Apple Cinnamon Animal Crackers

feeds 3-4 as a snack

gluten-free

Ingredients:

3-4 large apples (if Honeycrisp apples are still around use them!)

1-2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

Salted Date Caramel:

12 pitted dates soaked for 3-4 hours

1/3 cup maple syrup

4 1/2 tablespoons water (use the water that was soaking the dates)

4 tablespoons melted coconut oil

pinch of salt

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. 

Slice your apples into nice large circles (do not core). Make sure they are thin, and as you go you can pop out the seeds. Next get out your mini animal cookie cutters and start cutting out apple animals. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place your apple animals on it as you go. If you aren't making animals then sweet, you just cut out a step, put your apple circles on the cookie sheet. 

You want your apple slices to like like so

In a small bowl melt your 1-2 tablespoons or coconut oil. Dip a pastry brush in the oil and lightly brush the oil on both sides of your 'crackers.' One that is complete lightly dust your 'crackers' with the cinnamon. Place the cookie sheet into the oven and bake for 45 minutes. 

While the apples are baking get your caramel ready. Place all the ingredients into your blender and blend away! Make sure everything is really combined well so you have a good blended date caramel mixture. Yum! Set to the side, and wait for your apples to bake. 

After 45 minutes take out your cookie sheet and then drizzle your caramel over your 'crackers' and then put them back in the oven. If you are making animal crackers leave the apples in for 30 more minutes. If you are making full sized apples 'crackers' then leave them in the oven for 45 minutes. Once they are done remove from the oven and let them cool. Then serve your healthy treat to you and your loved ones. *Side note, I also baked the apple scraps from the animal crackers, and while they aren't pretty they are just as tasty so bake everything and eat up!

This was an elephant, lol!