JoyFoodly

  • About
  • Blog

Joyful 12

enter here

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Yoga in The Kitchen

Oct 19 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

  Kajal Dhabalia_Chick Pea Flour & Rice Patties

Good cooking and nutrition should be a lifestyle- that’s the basic premise behind what we do here at Joyfoodly. Is it any surprise that Anna Yoga and Ayurveda share many goals in common. Here to share her thoughts on practicing yoga in the kitchen and to share a favorite recipe is Kajal Dhabalia of WholesomeSoul.com. Her chickpea flour and rice patties feature spinach and onions for a delicious vegetable kick, but can easily be adapted to any number of fresh in season vegetables year-round. -Chef Hollie

Have you ever finished a yoga class feeling grounded, quiet and joyful….and wishing you could feel like this all day long? As someone who spends a lot of time and effort on her yoga and meditation mat, I’ve learned that some of the best ways to continue my practice off the mat is through my diet and lifestyle.

Kajal Dhabalia_artwork1

The ancient yogi’s of India thought about everything in the context of how things influence our bodies, our minds and ultimately our consciousness. In fact, many people don’t know this, but there’s a whole branch of yoga called Anna Yoga– a science devoted to food for health and happiness. Combined with Ayurveda (the Indian Science of Healing), Anna Yoga and Ayurveda provide great resources for striving yogi’s who want to have a strong yoga and meditation practice…because food after all, is an amazing tool.

Food not only satisfies our hunger, but it replenishes our blood supply, helps us heal and influences the stability of our mind. Yogic cooking does not dissect food into vitamins, minerals, protein, but rather it shows that the true benefits of whole ingredients can be experienced only when they are NOT isolated and are kept true in their natural form as possible (i.e. preservatives, additives, processed foods). They explain that the most vital component to true health is to have a fresh and balanced diet so that all the faculties of digestion can work smoothly.

The core intentions of Anna Yoga + Ayurveda are:

  1. Every body has a different constitution; therefore, not all food is made for every body. To learn what your constitution is, click here: https://www.ayurveda.com/pdf/constitution.pdf
  2. All foods have various qualities of prana (energy) that stimulate the mind/body in different ways. To learn more about basic ayurvedic food guidelines, click here: http://www.ayurveda.com/pdf/food-guidelines.pdf
  3. Food should be easy for the body’s digestion to work smoothly—absorption, assimilation and elimination.
  4. Meals should consist mainly of fresh fruits & veggies and whole grains.
  5. And, developing the understanding and awareness that, we truly are what we eat; so to be conscious of what we put into our bodies.

Hand in hand with becoming more mindful of what we put in our bodies, is the importance of being conscious of the people, places and things we surround ourselves. Just as the food we eat affects us, what we fill our lives up with soaks into our subconscious. For example, good company can inspire us to live well, a meaningful piece of art can serve as a daily reminder of something positive and an uplifting book can put a spark of magic into your day. These little but big doses of inspiration can directly and indirectly shape our perspectives, nourish our faith and foster our own personal growth.

So, here’s to taking your yoga practice off the mat and into your daily life…one bite at a time ☺.

One of my favorite go-to recipes is my Chickpea Flour and Rice Patties. Basically, they turn out like mini, eggless, omelets; easy, delicious and very nourishing. ENJOY!

Chickpea Flour & Rice Patties
2015-10-13 17:47:58
Serves 4
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 4 cups cooked rice
  2. 1 cup garbanzo bean flour
  3. 1 cup yogurt
  4. 1-1 1/2 cups water
  5. 3 tablespoons olive oil
  6. 2 teaspoon ginger, finely grated
  7. 1 teaspoon jalapeño, finely grated
  8. 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  9. 3 cups spinach, finely chopped
  10. 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoon salt (salt to taste)
  11. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  12. 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
  13. 1/4 teaspoon asafetida or ½ cup finely diced onions
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, place garbanzo bean flour, yogurt and water and beat until smooth.
  2. Add turmeric, red chili powder, asafetida and salt to the batter and mix. Then, add ginger, jalapeño, spinach, cilantro and onions and combine again. Add then fold in cooked rice.
  3. Place a non-stick, medium size skillet on medium heat and place 1 teaspoon of oil on pan.
  4. When oil is heated, place 1/2 cup mixture on skillet, flatten out patty a little, if necessary.
  5. *BE PATIENT and allow to cook 4-5 minutes on each side. I like to wiggle the spatula underneath every so often just to ensure the patty isn't sticking, but make sure to be very gentle.
Notes
  1. *It is very important to keep the skillet well greased so that the patty does not stick.
  2. VEGAN NOTES | Just omit yogurt and add extra water in batter for pancake batter like consistency.
  3. GLUTEN FREE NOTES | Totally gluten free!
By Kajal Dhabalia
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/
Kajal Dhabalia_artwork2

BIO | Kajal Dhabalia

Kajal Dhabalia is a graphic designer by trade, and at heart a devout lover of yoga, food and art. Basically she loves all things creative and spiritual. When she’s not cooking or doing yoga herself, she runs an online creative design boutique called Wholesome Soul (www.wholesomesoul.com) where she offers an uplifting collection of original art pieces, prints, and other home related goodies, while also sharing a few of her favorite recipes in between.

Since she knows that most of us can’t stay on our yoga mats all day, her mission is to help people stay inspired—off the mat and into their daily lives.

Kajal_Dhabalia

Find Kajal at:

Website: www.wholesomesoul.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/kajaldhabalia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wholesome-Soul-by-Kajal-Dhabalia/272191999486604

Filed Under: Guest Post, Meatless Monday Tagged With: dinner, gluten free, spinach, vegetarian

Guest feature with the Vegetarian Momma–Sweet n Spicy Eggplant Pasta

Aug 17 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

eggplant easy 0

This week, I’m over the moon thrilled to have my Sweet n Spicy Eggplant Pasta recipe from the Joyful 12 featured by the Vegetarian Momma on her beautiful site. What I love most about Cindy’s site is that she’s dedicated to helping families feel confident that they can cook real foods that are allergen friendly (primarily gluten and nut free), vegetarian focused, and easy for busy families. Her approach is to have joy in the cooking process, and that’s how I know we’re kindred spirits!

eggplant easy 1

This recipe was created as a “throw-it-together” simple seasonal meal. It’s based in my love of Italian cooking and the beauty of convenience plus bright flavors. Head on over to Cindy’s site to get the recipe, and if you’d like to learn more about my Joyful 12 Online Kitchen Learning Lab where we explore cooking 48 vegetables and fruits through family friendly recipes and videos over the course of a year together (all gluten free!), start cooking now with this 50% off coupon code: joyfoodlyfriends

learning-lab-ad

Filed Under: Guest Post Tagged With: dinner, eggplant, gluten free, onion, summer, summer 2015, tomatoes, vegetarian

Whole Foods for the Whole Family

Aug 13 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

IMG_20140816_131008

I’m thrilled to feature guest blogger Anjali Shah, food writer, board certified health coach, and owner of The Picky Eater, a healthy food and lifestyle blog.  I asked Anjali to share one of her favorite ways to get kids in the kitchen and trying new veggies, and she wowed me with this Easy Being Green Smoothie:

One of my favorite ways to get the whole family in the kitchen is to cook together! I have found that introducing kids to whole foods when they’re really young and getting them curious and excited about fruits and veggies makes it so much easier to feed them those veggies later on. Food for kids (and the family) should be like the rainbow: vibrant and full of color. And once kids realize that veggies can taste good, they will no longer recoil at anything green.

An easy way to introduce kids and picky family members to green veggies and whole foods is by making smoothies together. This healthy green smoothie recipe tastes absolutely amazing but has a ton of fruits and veggies in it making it a whole food extravagnaza!

You can get the whole family involved by giving each family member one fruit or veggie to prep (either cutting, peeling, etc.) and then everyone dumps their special ingredient into the blender at the same time. It’s easy, fast, fun and delicious!

IMG_20140816_125232-MOTION

It’s Easy Being Green: Smoothie Recipe
2015-08-05 12:58:08
Serves 4
Nutritional Info Per Serving: 113.7 Calories, 0g Fat, 24mg Sodium, 27g Carbs, 4.5g Fiber, 16.4g Sugar, 2.2g Protein
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
10 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup red grapes
  2. 1 medium orange, peeled and halved
  3. 1/4 cup fresh pineapple chunks
  4. 1 medium banana, peeled
  5. 1 carrot, halved
  6. 3-4 cups fresh spinach, washed
  7. 1 fuji apple, quartered and seeded
  8. 1 cup of ice
Instructions
  1. Put all ingredients into your blender (or Vitamix if you have one) in the order listed and secure the lid.
  2. Turn your blender on to it's lowest speed setting, and slowly increase the speed to high. Blend for 1 minute or until all of the ingredients have been pureed and the smoothie is the consistency you want it to be (our ideal consistency: no clumps, no grainy texture, totally smooth).
By Anjali Shah
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/

Anjali+Shah

Anjali Shah is a food writer, board certified health coach, and owner of The Picky Eater, a healthy food and lifestyle blog. Her work has been featured on Oprah.com, Women’ s Health, Cooking Light, Reader’s Digest, CNN, Food Network, Glamour, Ladies’ Home Journal, Whole Foods, SHAPE, and at Kaiser Permanente. Anjali grew up a “whole wheat” girl, but married a “white bread” kind of guy. Hoping to prove that nutritious food could in fact be delicious and desirable, she taught herself how to cook and successfully transformed her husband’s eating habits from a diet of frozen pizzas and Taco Bell to her healthy, yet flavorful recipes made with simple, wholesome ingredients. Through her blog, The Picky Eater, Anjali shares her passion for tasty, healthy cooking.

Filed Under: Guest Post Tagged With: guest post, smoothie, summer, vegetarian

Four Essential Gadgets for the Modern Kitchen

Jul 9 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

2013-09-24 11.59.03

By: Gina Carlson of Modernize.com

I am thrilled to share this guest post by our friends at Modernize.com. As a chef, there are go-to tools I use almost every day that make my life easier in the kitchen—one of which is my Vitamix blender. Gina shares her four favorite gadgets that have saved her time and made eating healthier easy. We hope you find inspiration and kitchen ideas in these modern gadgets that can bring more fun, flavor, and zing to your weeknight meals. – Chef Hollie

There are plenty of gadgets that will do amazing things in the kitchen – avocado pitters, strawberry stem hullers, even banana slicers. While each of these gizmos were created to make cooking easier, many are what chef and TV personality Alton Brown calls a “unitasker” – something that will only complete one task in the kitchen and sits in storage when not in use. While these tools are fun, they aren’t the best use of your efforts, or your space. So I reviewed four kitchen gadgets that not only multi-task but make eating healthy food easier for your family.

  gadgets

A mandoline might take up some space, but the uses for it are endless! Ours was a wedding gift, and one of the tools we dig out frequently for slicing and dicing. Find a mandoline that fits your style – the simple ones are just a sharp blade to slice straight across; the advanced versions like mine will do everything from slicing thin or thick, julienne, and waffle cut. We use it for creating fries and hash browns, to uniformly cut slices of tomatoes, and even make favorites like cucumber salad. It is a perfect tool to cut down on your chopping time, and makes getting in an extra serving or creating a side dish that much easier.

gadgets2

I know you’re thinking, “Another grater?” Yes! It may just be a grater, but it will make you seem like a culinary professional, even if you’ve barely mastered mac and cheese. We use our microplane frequently for a variety of small tasks – grating hard cheeses, nuts, and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic, and even ginger. This handy little tool is also great for sneaking small amounts of veggie into larger dishes – like cauliflower into mashed potatoes. If you’re going for gourmet, you can also zest things like cinnamon onto your favorite hot drink, or add the zest from a lemon into a cool summer drink. The microplane will give you very fine flakes or a grated texture to the food – so it’s easy to give any dish added flavor.

gadgets3

Unbelievable as it sounds, my house no longer has a blender. We purchased an emulsifier after breaking our fourth blender, and realizing we could use it in a multitude of ways with much better results! A Cuisinart hand blender like ours came with a mini food processor, a whisk attachment, and the blender attachment. The blender portion gets the most use, and it creates everything from smoothies to sauces. It easily blends down diced fruits and veggies (fresh or frozen) to be added to soups, create salad dressings, mix up smoothies, and puree nearly anything! It’s a great tool to have on hand, especially if you have kids or reluctant eaters.

sprializer

This is one of those kitchen gadgets we’re excited about, but haven’t purchased quite yet. While useful, it’s not quite the multitasker in the kitchen that we need. However, the practical application that it completes is so helpful – especially if you’re trying to eat healthier – that even the space it uses may be worth the real estate. The spiralizer creates spaghetti-like noodles from any of your favorite veggies. Popular choices include squash, zucchini, and carrots. The only downside to this little machine is that your foods need to be pre-cut down to fit into the compartment – which is additional prep time. But even with the prep time, it’s a great way to use fresh veggies and eat fewer carbs!

No matter what kinds of gadgets you have in your kitchen, I have found that these four are the most useful to reduce your cooking and prep time, while adding healthy alternatives into your diet. Bon appétit!

For more home ideas and inspiration, head to Modernize.com.

About the Author:

Gina

Gina Carlson lives in Minnesota with her husband and four crazy pets, and is a DIY home improvement addict.

Spiralizer screenshot via getfitwithleyla

Filed Under: Guest Post Tagged With: gadgets, kitchen, techniques

The Rise of Gluten Free Romance

Jun 22 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

IMG_1905

Sadie is the founder of Bread SRSLY in San Francisco. She is also my friend and someone I look up to as a small business entrepreneur who is passionate about her product and her customers. I first met Sadie at a local chefs’ meet-up here in San Francisco, but I’ll never forget when I first heard of her amazing gluten free sourdough bread from three moms on twitter. They told me I HAD to buy some that day, and I did. And I’ve been buying her bread ever since. Don’t miss Sadie’s discount offer below just for our Joyfoodly community and share it out to your followers!

-Chef Hollie

IMG_2026

I’ve always worked with my hands. In college, I joined a team of students who were designing a massive Rube Goldberg machine – you know, the funny chain reactions that start with a cat pouncing on a mouse and end with a robot serving you toast. I was completely smitten with one of the project leaders, Jesse, who soon graduated and moved home to San Francisco. In fact, I was so smitten that in 2009, I followed Jesse to San Francisco. I was determined to win his heart!

IMG_1648-2

Unfortunately, the feeling was not mutual. But that didn’t stop me. If college had taught me anything, it was this: if you bake it, they will come. Jesse had just gone gluten-free, so I got to work experimenting with new ingredients: sorghum flour, sweet rice and buckwheat to name a few. Many of my attempts ended up in the compost, but when one came out well, I would ask Jesse to come try it. A few months later, I learned that I was pretty seriously gluten-intolerant myself!

I redoubled my efforts in the kitchen, focusing on making the perfect loaf of gluten-free bread. And after many, many recipes, in August 2011, I had my first bread day. Friends came over in the evening to pick up their purchases, and to sweeten the deal, I began to deliver loaves on my bicycle. A few months later I was biking late into the night delivering orders.

IMG_1713

What began as an effort to win Jesse’s heart quickly turned into something much, much more. Word spread. Friends told friends, who told colleagues, who told neighborhood groups, who told reporters, and on March 13th, 2012, a writeup in Daily Candy SF catapulted Bread SRSLY into a full-time business. With tons of help from some amazing friends, I began to send loaves out into the world week after week. And, all deliveries were made by ladies on bikes. Most weeks I biked 100 miles delivering my bread. And as for Jesse? Eventually my baking paid off, he helped me build my own cargo bike to cart my larger orders around town, and we’ve been together ever since.

croutons

We’re no longer in my Cole Valley kitchen, where I started in 2011. Now, we bake out of Ledbetter Bake Shop‘s kitchen in the Dogpatch’s American Industrial Center. Our bread has brought sandwiches, fancy toast creations, Thanksgiving stuffing and the tasty tang of sourdough back into the lives of gluten-free folks across the country, and we couldn’t be prouder. Our customers are the reason we love what we do.

One of the greatest things about our bread is that it can be used in all kinds of recipes! One of our favorite things to make with our bread are golden, toasty croutons. They’re perfect for any salad. Hope you enjoy this recipe! 

IMG_1722

Sadie Scheffer: Baker, cyclist and owner of the San Francisco-based gluten-free sourdough bread company, Bread SRSLY.

Bread SRSLY has kindly provided us with a promo code for 10% off orders for their gluten-free bread. If you’re in their shipping region (the continental US), use the promo code JOYFUL2015

One of the easiest ways you can get a yummy green on the dinner table each night is to make a simple salad with your kids. I’ve yet to meet a child that didn’t love a good basic lettuce salad. Sadie’s croutons are the perfect crunchy topping to make your summer salads even more delicious. And if you find that you tend to get into a salad rut, as I do, have fun exploring different greens and toppings in our guest post by Michelle on how to Build Your Own Salad that’s rockin’!

Filed Under: Guest Post Tagged With: gluten free, greens, summer

Growing Yard Art – A Gardening Primer

Jun 15 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

IMG_0639

I’ve yet to meet a child that didn’t love to dig in the dirt for fresh vegetables. It doesn’t take much to get started with a small home garden. This week, I’m thrilled to have a guest post by Susan Huff of The Soulful Seed With heartfelt love for home gardening and a career helping families and communities make this a reality, Susan brings a loving and easy approach to help you get your first home garden started this summer. Thank you, Susan!

When we eat food, we have the opportunity to begin a relationship with food, paying attention to what fuels our bodies and satisfies our soul. It can also provide an even deeper experience with the earth, the climate, the location and the space we live in. It all begins with a garden! Few things are more satisfying than growing food you can eat. Regardless of where you live, or even the space you have, there is always an opportunity to develop a deeper relationship with food and health when you start a home garden.

Gardening is popping up everywhere. Co-ops, community gardens, school plots, and even social media, like these fun suggestions for kid friendly gardening, provide ample examples of how easily YOU too can do it. Yet, many see the term “home garden” and feel it is a project only done with success by those with tons of experience or someone to teach them step by step in person. Gardening is an art form, and should be treated as such! The canvas the colors and the medium are all about your preferences and your enjoyment! Any art project can seem daunting if you feel it has to be perfect or it should be done a certain way.

The truth is that gardens are a direct reflection of you – a personal statement about what you love to eat, what you enjoy planting, and how much you want to develop that relationship with your diet and your connection with its process.

IMG_0513

There are thousands of plants we can choose from and hundreds of ways to practice the art of gardening. I want to share a few ideas on how to get started simply, easily and without stress. Your spot, plot , or plan should feel positive, should be fun, and most of all, it should help you bring about good lessons to help create more of what you want!

Fresh veggies are about the most favorite things in my life- be it a cherry tomato, a clipping of basil, or a handful of arugula -nothing brings me more joy than walking out the door at the end of the day and bringing in a part of my meal that’s fresh and homegrown by ME!! Let’s begin by picking a few things that grow well in most every part of the country(watch your temps to see what works best for you). These four are a great beginning for the home gardener:

  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Radishes
  • Greens (pick a variety you love!) and
  • At least two herbs–I love thyme and sage

Just be sure to use good soil – possibly a mix of gardening soil and peat – available at all garden stores – rather than potting soil or top soil which can make the process more difficult. Remember, a good rule of thumb is that less is more! Now, you are on your way to success.

IMG_0052

The road to beginner’s success is to use raised beds or container gardening. I have a few tips to get you started:

  • Start small: 4’x 6’ is way better than 40 x 60 I can promise you!
  • With just a few clay pots, you’re ready to begin. Add a few rocks in the bottom of the pots for good draining. I even love using wine corks–they are the bomb for this!
  • Most greens are best planted from starts you can get at most any garden center.
  • Radishes are always planted by seed and are the fastest to grow -yea they will be here in 28 days just in time to keep you from giving up!
  • Tomatoes can take the longest – so this is the time to learn about nature and her plan – patience and acceptance are the most promising lessons that come from gardening.
  • Another rule of thumb that will help is to plant the seed as deep as the seed is big and you will be fine – and don’t forget to water the soil well prior to planting anything!

IMG_0490

Make sure you put your home garden in a place you have to trip over to get into your car! This way you will keep an eye on it and remember it needs care just like YOU. Begin with plants you love to eat; why grow a ton of squash if you don’t really enjoy it? I try to grow what I love, what is hard to find in the organic section, and what is best cut fresh – like butter lettuce!!! Remember this is an act of love- make it your canvas, make it fun, make it your meditation on what fuels your body. Food is a gift and if we treat it as such we are satiated with much more than just taste or even flavor. This is love – from our garden to our heart! What better way to say “I love you” to your body, health, and planet than to have a home garden! Ready set – BEGIN! I can’t wait to hear about your first sprout and how big your smile was!

Be well, eat well,

-Susan Huff

biopic

Susan Huff is an organic gardener, a chef and a slow food follower. For thirty years, Susan has been gardening and educating communities to design and create their own gardens.

In addition to her gardening pursuits, Susan has created three cafes, appeared in multiple television spots, and published several articles in Florida Gardening Magazine.

Filed Under: Guest Post Tagged With: gardening, greens, radishes, summer, tomatoes, veggies

Baked Cod with Warm Tomato Salad and Green Beans

Jun 8 by Chef Hollie Greene 9 Comments

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

BakedCod for JoyFoodly

Hello everyone. My name is Patty Anderson and I am the owner of the blog Cooking On A Budget. The blog focuses on families who work on a tight food budget showing them that they can provide good, wholesome meals to their families without having to rely on sodium or chemically laden canned or boxed products.

When I was approached to do a guest post using my Baked Cod with Warm Salad for Chef Hollie Greene of Joyfoodly I was honored and thrilled and eager to do it. Why? Because the focus is on eating healthy and passing onto our children the importance of a good balance of fruits and vegetables in our diets.

What is fabulous about this dish is that it is a French inspired preparation of a beautiful loin of cod that makes you feel like you are dining out in a fine restaurant but without the restaurant price! But that’s not all – cod is incredibly healthy for you too. A four ounce portion of cod is loaded with vitamin B12. You need vitamin B12 in your diet to keep homo-cysteine levels low. Lowering those levels reduces your risk for heart attack or stroke and reduces the likelihood of osteoporosis. Overall it’s low calorie and a great source of protein. It has blood thinning properties due to the omega-3 fatty acids.

WarmTomatoSalad for Guest Post

When planning your evening meals you need to know that a four ounce portion of a protein is sufficient in addition to your vegetables and/or fruit. With the cod I chose to do a warm tomato salad that contains fresh herbs. It’s not hot tomatoes – just slightly warm and it complemented the sauce for the fish and the acidity in the tomatoes as well as the lemon, was perfect to balance that out.

GreenBeansonPlatter

Rice goes well with fish so I made my basic rice recipe and for the vegetable, green beans. I’ve been on such a green bean kick lately and can’t seem to get enough of them. It just so happens that green beans are a featured summer vegetable here on Joyfoodly and personally I could not have been any happier to hear that. Many times in my blog I strongly suggest to my readers that whether it’s a small piece of land available to them or using containers on a balcony, that they utilize the space for summer gardening of vegetables. You can save so much money by planting your own vegetables and even more if you learn to can and how to freeze them.

Green beans – fresh green beans are just delicious and low in calories. Plus green beans are packed with Vitamins C and K and lots of nutrients your body needs. If I am not roasting a vegetable and using the stove top, here is what I do:

Using an appropriate sized sauce pot, fill with enough water to cover the green beans (or what ever vegetable you are having) which means you fill the pot about half to three quarters of the way with the water.

Let the water come up to a rapid boil and then add in salt.

Drop in your vegetable and cooked until crisp tender. Everyone’s version of crisp tender varies so I preferred my beans cooked at 5 minutes, but husband likes his gone a little further. In the case of varying likes you could have a strainer ready over another pot and using a spider or slotted spoon remove the beans at 5 minutes for yourself and cook a few minutes longer for other family members.

Let’s move on to the recipe:

Purchase two large cod loins and split them in half for four portions. I am using cherry tomatoes as that is what I have. However if you wish, purchase some other kind of tomato to use in the tomato salad. Heirloom if you love them and can afford them or regular larger tomatoes will work just as well.

  • 2 large cod loins – cut in half for 4 portions
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 tbsp. butter
  • 1 – 2 tbsp. (gluten-free) bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 lemon – juiced
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes – halved
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh parsley – rough chopped
  • 1 good squeeze lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

This link will take you to my blog, Cooking On A Budget for the cooking instructions.

Filed Under: Guest Post, Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: cod, dinner, green beans, summer, tomato

Teach Your Kids To Make Camp Cauliflower’s Raviolis (so you don’t have to)!

Jun 1 by Elena Dennis 1 Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

10

Natalie scrunched her nose and shook her head in disgust; she had a serious dislike for tomatoes. I encouraged the students, “Everyone must try everything while we cook. You never know, you might like it!” This was my father’s mantra when my brother and I were growing up; nothing on our plate was left untasted. Throughout the week, I made sure Natalie didn’t avoid any part of the meal that had tomatoes. Slowly, I started to notice her opening up, however I still wasn’t convinced of any significant breakthrough.

2

A week after the camp, I was at the farmer’s market buying some fresh produce. I heard a high-pitched voice yell, “Mommy, we need these for the sauce!” Looking up, I saw Natalie at the same stand, smiling and holding three ruby red tomatoes. “Natalie! Are you buying tomatoes?” She looked up and nodded. “We’re making the tomato sauce that we made at Camp Cauliflower!”

6

Creating Camp Cauliflower, a nutritionally focused and nonprofit summer program, was the culmination of my love for healthy cooking, something I inherited from my father. I remember my first bite into my dad’s vegetarian taco; freshly made salsa and creamy guacamole tickled my taste buds with flavor, making me wonder how he made such a delicious meal from such basic ingredients. For as long as I can remember my father has prepared a wholesome and hearty meal every night for my family.

4

Our family has been labelled the “busiest bunch in Marin County;” however, we always make sure to sit down and eat dinner together every evening. Whether my brother is rushing to basketball practice or my mother is working with a client, we will always wait until everyone is home to start our meal. I remember watching my dad make pizza dough for the first time; seeing the bubbles rise to the top of the yeast, warm water and sugar mixture at the bottom of the bowl astounded me. With a little flour, this substance would eventually become a ball a dough, ready to go into the oven. The purity of these ingredients made me realize the importance of knowing what goes into our food.

3

My experimentation with flavors became second nature to me as I learned the secret behind altering a sauce’s sweetness, saltiness, or spiciness. I find that cooking lets me connect to my family through the conversation and activity that occurs in the kitchen; while my mom makes her famous kale salad, I’m helping my father assemble the homemade ravioli. My brother is known as the brave taster, making “sure that nothing is poisonous.” My most memorable moments are the ones spent in the kitchen with my whole family.

7

To make Camp Cauliflower a reality, I created an online fundraising campaign, connected with the head of the Food and Nutrition Program in Novato, organized my friends as volunteers in the kitchen, and asked local grocery stores for donations; I was determined to make this camp free to the children who wanted to attend and to give them the experience of cooking in a commercial kitchen. During the week, I led the five campers through hands-on cooking projects, making an organic and nutritious lunch every day. That very next week at the market, Natalie proved the camp’s mission successful.

8

Now it’s your turn to dive into one of our camp experiences! Try out this delicious recipe the Camp Cauliflower kids made last summer.

Whole-Wheat Ravioli with a Spinach-Ricotta Filling
2015-05-28 13:17:36
Serves 4
Culinary Note: Don’t be discouraged if the dough doesn’t come out perfect after the first mix. I’ve found that this recipe yields a pretty dry dough so make sure to have a cup of water next to you in case all the ingredients aren’t thoroughly incorporated.
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
40 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
55 min
Prep Time
40 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
55 min
For the Dough
  1. All Purpose Flour, 1 ¼ cup
  2. Whole Wheat Flour, 1 ¼ cup
  3. Eggs, 3
  4. Olive Oil, 1 TBSP
  5. Salt, pinch
For the Spinach-Ricotta Filling
  1. Part skim ricotta cheese, 1 cup
  2. Grated parmesan cheese, ¾ cup
  3. Fresh Italian parsley, 2 TBSP
  4. Sage, 1 TBSP
  5. Freshly grated nutmeg, 1/2 TSP
  6. Ground pepper, 1/2 TSP
  7. Salt, 1 TSP
  8. Fresh Spinach, 3/4 pound
For the Tomato Sauce
  1. Ripe Roma Tomatoes, 2 lbs
  2. Olive Oil, 3 TBSP
  3. Yellow Onion, 2/3 cup
  4. Cloves of garlic, 4
  5. Rosemary leaves, 2 TSP
  6. Fresh Oregano, 2 TSP
  7. Balsamic vinegar, 2 TBSP
  8. Salt and Pepper to taste
Prep
  1. Take 5 minutes to get out all your ingredients, measuring and cooking equipment needed, and place them on a cookie sheet within easy reach. Wash all ingredients.
  2. Mound flour and salt in a pile and make a large well in the center. Crack the egg into the the well, add oil, and carefully beat with a fork. Incorporate flour into the egg by continuing to whisk with the with fork. Once flour and egg are fairly well mixed, use a board scraper to cut and mix dough further. Scrape and roll the dough into a ball.
  3. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface by hand for five minutes to yield a smooth, not too wet or too dry, firmer than bread dough. Let dough rest under inverted bowl for 15 minutes.
  4. Measure out all ingredients for the Spinach-Ricotta filling and place in a mixing bowl.
  5. Mince parsley and sage. Add to bowl.
  6. Wilt and stir fresh spinach. Cool, drain well and press out all remaining water. Chop very fine and add to ricotta mix. Refrigerate mix until you need it.
Prep the tomato sauce
  1. Blanch and seed Roma tomatoes. Set aside.
  2. Chop onion.
  3. Mince garlic, rosemary leaves, and oregano.
Assembly/Cook
  1. Roll dough with rolling pin and cut into squares with pizza or pasta cutter. Place a teaspoon of filling in each square. Brush edges of ravioli with egg wash, put top on ravioli and press edges to seal. Place ravioli on flour dusted tray and let dry. Drop raviolis in boiling water for 4 minutes and then remove.
  2. For sauce, heat a sauce pan and add oil. Add onions and sauté for a few minutes until translucent. Turn off heat and add garlic, rosemary, and dried seasonings if using. Sauté on residual heat until soft and fragrant. Do not burn garlic.
  3. Add tomatoes and simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes until tomatoes have broken down. Add fresh herbs, vinegar and seasonings and stir over heat to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking!
Notes
  1. This recipe is not gluten-free
By Elena Dennis
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/

Filed Under: Guest Post, Meatless Monday, Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: dinner, summer, tomato, vegetarian

Ashley Koff’s Approved Spring Veggies

May 25 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

Spring is wrapping up now, and while I’m looking forward to sharing some fine summer recipes with you all, I will miss the spring lineup. We’ve spent plenty of time talking about the histories, both public and personal, behind our favorite spring vegetables, but hey- what about the nutrition?

Here then is a rundown of the nutritional benefits behind some perennial spring faves from Ashley Koff Approved, reprinted with her permission. Ashley Koff RD is an award-winning dietitian and creator of the Better Nutrition, Simplified program. You can read the original post and many others, here.

ASPARAGUS

asparagus-field

Asparagus is one of the most versatile spring vegetables with a long list of health benefits. Asparagus contains the antioxidant glutathione (GSH), which can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It also contains inulin, which is a carbohydrate that is not broken down by the human body. Inulin is considered a prebiotic, which becomes a food source for probiotics in the large intestine and supports digestive health. Asparagus is also a good source of Vitamins C, E, and K, folate, and zinc. Asparagus is great roasted, grilled, steamed, pureed into soups or baked into frittatas.

RADISHES

May 11 types of radish

This crunchy spring root vegetable varies in flavor from sweet to peppery can be eaten raw, pickled, or cooked. Radishes are a good source of vitamin C, which help detoxify your body and support a healthy immune system. Radishes are also a good source of potassium, which has been to shown to relax blood vessels and helps to reduce blood pressure. Radishes are a great way to add crunch and texture to your food for very few calories (25 calories/cup, sliced).

SUGAR SNAP PEAS

3-30 Inside of the three peas

Sugar snap peas are a cross between green peas and snow peas. Sugar snap peas are a great low-calorie snack option and are a good source of folic acid, which is required for DNA synthesis – and Vitamin K, which plays a key role in the blood clotting. We love snacking of sugar snap peas raw, with dips, and used in stir-fry recipes.

BROCCOLETTE

This hybrid vegetable of Chinese kale and broccoli is similar in flavor to asparagus. Like other members of the cruciferous vegetable family, broccolette is a good source of dietary fiber, which supports a healthy digestive system. It also contains glucosinolates, which are antioxidants that may have a role in reducing the risk of certain types of cancers. Broccolette can be enjoyed similar to broccoli – steamed or roasted as a side dish, tossed into your favorite pasta recipe, or even made into a pesto like this recipe courtesy of Earthbound Farm Organics.

RHUBARB

5-18 bowl of strawberrie and rhubarb stalks

Rhubarb is most popularly known for it’s role in baked goods like pies and often paired with sweeter fruits like strawberries to compliment its tartness. Though it is normally treated like a fruit, rhubarb is actually a vegetable. Rhubarb is high in fiber, and high in vitamin A, which is an important vitamin for eye health. Rhubarb when it is cooked is also one of the best plant sources of calcium. Rhubarb is a great addition to any baked pies or cakes or thickened to a sauce. Make sure to remove the leaves of the rhubarb plant, they contain a poisonous substance called oxalic acid.

MANGOS

“King of Fruits” – Mangos provide just 100 calories per cup and 100% of your daily value of vitamin C. Mangos are also high in vitamin B6, which is necessary in the production of the inhibitory transmitter in the brain, GABA. Mango can be added to sweet and savory dishes. We love adding mangos to our smoothies and making salsas with it to pair over fish. When choosing a ripe mango, the skin should be firm but give a little when pressed with your thumb.

HONEYDEW

There is nothing more refreshing than biting into a juicy piece of melon as the days become warmer. Honeydew is nature’s candy with many nutrient benefits. Honeydew is roughly 90% water, which makes it a filling snack at just 60 calories per cup. Paired with potassium, honeydew may have a role in regulating blood pressure levels. Like other melons, honeydew is also a good source of vitamin c, which helps produce collagen for healthier looking skin. Honeydew can be paired with protein-rich Greek yogurt or in a tomato salad with feta cheese.

These are just a few of our favorite flavors of spring. Take a stroll to your local farmers market and see what else spring has to offer. Eating seasonally and locally tastes better and is easier on the wallet, as farmers are usually willing to strike a deal – even on organic!

Filed Under: Guest Post Tagged With: asparagus, favorites, nutrition, peas, radish, rhubarb, spring

Chef Koochooloo Adds Culture Education to The Mix

May 20 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

Today we have the pleasure of featuring a guest article from Layla Sabourian of Chef Koochooloo, a neighbor and ally in the cause of better food education for everyone. With the success of her after-school program, Layla is running an Indiegogo campaign to fund the development of her new app. Head over to her campaign to show your support (Joyful 12 memberships are available as a reward), and learn more about her story right here.

Chef Koochoolo is a social enterprise focused on teaching kids math, science and geography through one hour long cooking sessions, while raising awareness about worldwide causes affecting kids.

IMG_9451

I began working on my idea one year ago, after surviving a life-threatening situation. Like any parent in my situation, my biggest regret was the fact that I would not be able to spend enough time with my husband, and daughter. Having lost my parents at an early age, I was especially worried about my four year old daughter, knowing the type of life she would have ahead, not feeling loved or appreciated as a person. I worried that she would grow up facing the same health, and emotional issues I had experienced.

Growing up, I had to go from one relative’s house to another, struggling to fit in with my cousins and catch little glimpses of love from relatives. Needless to say, my self-confidence was completely shattered and I developed all kinds of emotional issues that manifested themselves via an eating disorder.

It began with the fact that I could not eat meat any more after discovering that a few animals I had grown attached to had been slaughtered and made into traditional stews (that were fed to me.) I felt a special sympathy towards the animals, and felt guilty for making their babies orphans, so I just could not eat meat items any more.

My relatives could not understand my ‘vegetarianism’ and one uncle would try to solve this issue by tying me down with a rope and forcing the pieces of meat down my throat. Up to this day, I have nightmares about those sessions. After months of trying to convert me into a carnival, another aunt stepped in to solve the issue by threatening me to go and see a physiologist.

My mother had suffered from mental illness and so the relatives would refer to her as the Crazy woman, and my aunt’s threats were to scare me away from seeing a Physiologist, because that would mean that like my mother, I was destined to be CRAZY .

I made the much feared trip to the Psychologist at age 10, he was a kind man who asked me a few questions about why I refused to eat meat. After hearing me say, because I don’t want to kill animals, he said, “Well did you know that plants are living organisms too?”

The way the physiologist painted such a vivid picture of living plants in my mind, I could no longer eat vegetables or fruits either after my visit, and my real nightmares began then. Every bite of food I would have to take was like torture to me, convinced I am killing some baby plants. There were times I had to be rushed to the hospital and hooked to IV’s to survive.

That is when I began surviving on processed unnatural foods. Candies and chocolate bars, anything that did not look like food was more comforting to me.

My first healing experience with food began in Mexico at age 21, I was working on a community development project, helping the poverty stricken communities in Guadalajara learn new talents, and somehow I got assigned to teaching a cooking class. I began teaching the ladies attending class traditional Persian recipes, and soon my class was packed. Children and men began attending, and as some of the children became adventurous chefs, urging me to try their creations inspired by my teachings, I began looking at food in an enjoyable way again.

Since my time in Mexico, I ended up living in many different countries and experiencing delicious international cuisines. Lying there in pain in the hospital, not knowing whether I would make it or not, I decided to jot down some of my favorite recipes for my daughter and husband. I divided the duties between big chef and little chef duties, and added fun stories about where I had first cooked those dishes.

_MG_3405

After surviving, I began cooking together with my daughter more often, teaching her each recipe, involving her in the kitchen and also customizing each recipe to be dairy free for my husband’s dietary restrictions.

During cooking, I incorporated fun facts about the country we were cooking from, so that I could keep up my daughter’s interest, and I also talked about some of the challenges those kids faced. I would tell her about the Mexican kids that were my students, and their strength how they overcame the many challenges they had faced.

Copy of IMG_9567 copy

My daughter was fascinated by these stories and would tell her friends and teachers about it. Before long, our house was packed with neighbors and friends who wanted to participate in our cooking sessions, and soon a few local schools heard about it and asked whether we wanted to try teaching in their classroom.

With the help of teachers and educators, we developed our recipes into a rich curriculum that now includes math and science as part of the culinary journey. Will you join us?

Thank you!

-Layla

While Layla takes a different approach to food education, we’re thrilled to have her as part of the better food education community. Thanks for sharing your story with us Layla, and let’s help this social enterprise bring their curriculum to more neighborhoods!

Filed Under: Chef Interviews, Guest Post Tagged With: guest post

Hey, I’m Chef Hollie!

Here at JoyFoodly we help families joyfully eat more fruits and veggies each season. I am passionate about helping parents feel good about the food they feed their kids.

Learn more about JoyFoodly

Search Our Site

Explore The Joyful Blog

by Season

Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring

by Meal

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Appetizers, Dessert, Sides, Soups, Salads, Meatless Monday

Our Favorites

Videos

Follow Us!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Official Meatless Monday Blogger
HeartofMarin 2016 Nominee
  • Home
  • Joyful 12
  • About
  • Our People
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • Blog
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

The information on this website is designed for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use the information found on this website to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare providers (such as a pediatric dietitian) with any questions regarding a medical condition, nutritional issue or any eating/feeding problem.