Not Your Ordinary Soup!

Hello lovelies! It's that chilly time of year when I reminisce about and crave soup. 

Sorry, not the canned type variety, but the hearty, Caribbean deliciousness that I grew up with. I was missing home #1 (NY) and home #2 (Trinidad) last weekend, so I decided to make a huge pot of comfort that would take me back to the happy parts of my childhood. Both my birth parents are Trinidadian, and I lived in there for 2 years while I was a toddler. My stepmother is from Jamaica, so this type of food is pretty much a part of my soul!  Many requested the recipe after I posted pics. Ask and ye shall receive.

Before you attempt this soup (if it's your first experience with West Indian cooking), please know that we don't like bland food. Spicy, flavorful, colorful celebrations is what we do with our nosh. Feel free to pull back, or omit some of the peppers that this recipe calls for, according to your taste. 

Also note that you can pretty much add whatever veggies you like to this soup. I added a few of mine to the "traditional" recipe out of either lack of having it on hand, or personal preference (my stepmother's yummy recipe calls for dumplings, chicken and/or beef added...but we be vegan round here!). Do what you like!

Nikki's Trini Lentil & Veggie Soup 💋

You'll need:

1 cup dried lentils (I used a combo of red and green)

4-5 cups of water to boil the lentils

2 medium to large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (you can soften in the microwave for a few minutes, or bake for 15 minutes)

2 large organic carrots, peeled and sliced at an angle

2 large potatoes, peeled (eddoes are traditionally used, but I didn't have any. They are kind of like white potatoes, but a bit sweeter tasting. FYI)

1 large sweet onion, diced or sliced

3 pimiento peppers, chopped

1/2 scotch bonnet pepper, chopped (WASH HANDS WITH SOAP AFTER HANDLING!)

1 leek stalk, chopped and washed thoroughly

2 cups baby portabella mushrooms, sliced

1.5 cups kale leaves, chopped (I used this in combo with cilantro in place of traditional chadon beni leaves, which I didn't have on hand. Chadon (or shado) beni is a strong herb used Trini cooking. Another name is culantro, not to be confused with cilantro or coriander. They do smell very similar, though!)

2 large celery stalks, chopped

2 plantains or green bananas, sliced

1 Tbsp thyme, stemmed

2 Tbsp "green seasoning", or to taste (see below)

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2-3 Tbsp unsalted vegan butter

Sea salt, to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

6 cups water

Green seasoning~>used in the Caribbean to marinate and flavor dishes.  Again, chadon beni and Spanish thyme are the two main ingredients. There are many variations, but this is mine using cilantro and regular thyme, and it came out terrific! 

You'll need:

1-2 cups cilantro (or chadon beni, if you have)

1 celery stalk including leaves

1 whole head of garlic, skinned

1/2 bunch fresh basil

1/2 bunch fresh chives

1/2 bunch fresh thyme 

1/2 bunch Spanish thyme (if you have)

2 Tbsp pimiento peppers

1/2 scotch bonnet pepper, or milder pepper if desired

1/2 large white onion

Place in blender/food processor (I use my NutriBullet®)

Add just enough water to blend ingredients 

Place in glass jar in fridge (lasts up to a month), or freeze in ice cube trays until ready to use.

My Trini green seasoning 👍

Make your soup!

1. Cook lentils in water for about 30 minutes until soft

2. Chop veggies while lentils are cooking

*Here's where I stray off the beaten path. You can now add all the following veggies to pot and skip to step 3, or:

*add 2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil to a large pan and brown onions and leeks for 5 minutes over medium heat, with dash of salt and pepper. Set aside in large bowl. Add sweet potatoes to pan, along with carrots and plantains. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes until browned. Add to bowl. Sauté mushrooms for 2-3 minutes; add to bowl. Place all browned veggies in pot with lentils and add 6 cups more water. Add remaining ingredients as instructed below.

✔️This extra step gives the soup a more robust flavor, in my opinion!

3. Add kale, white potatoes, 1/2 chopped scotch bonnet pepper, pimiento, celery, thyme, tomato paste, green seasoning, vegan butter, salt and pepper to pot. Stir, reduce heat to low, and cover.

4. Continue to cook for about 30-40 minutes, or until soup thickens.

Enjoy!

Lentils are a great vegan source of protein, and are pretty inexpensive. I use them in some of my "meat"loaf recipes and rice dishes. Love them.

My 15 year old had never had soup before (long story; he has a thing with hot liquids), but I made him some dinner rolls with this soup and he loved it! 

Put some music on and get in the kitchen! Tell me what you think if you try this recipe from my island.

Until next time.

Love & Happiness,

❤️ Nikki

Nikki Thomas, RN, CPN, CHHC, AADP is a lover of life, health, and truth. I strive to help you find your balance and sanity in this occasionally insane world. I am a registered nurse, a board certified holistic health practitioner, life and health coach. Let's talk about health & wellness, fashion, beauty, and food! 

Find me at www.getthisglow.com

www.facebook.com/getthisglow

Instagram: @veganfashionista

Been There, Stop That!

Hello my lovelies! How many of you have been on the grapefruit diet? Cabbage soup diet? How about the "drink this for 48 hours and lose 10 pounds diet"? No? Not you? Well, surely you've tried water fasting for 7 days, only to give up after a day and have a burger and fries?

Hmmm.

I thought so. What's going on here? Why do we do this to ourselves? I mean, I know it's obvious that the ultimate goal is weight loss. However, by what means? What are the deeper reasons...and more importantly, the deeper consequences?

I saw this post today, and laughed at the author's candid reactions to certain foods that she vowed never to try again (some healthy, and some not so much). After the humor, I applauded her for deciding not to subject herself over and over to things that don't work for her!

When it comes to "dieting", why can't we do the same? Let's go...

1. We forget. Truly. We go on all of these crazy, short term, sometimes non-nutritive diets, and forget how irritable, anxious, bitchy, and HUNGRY we were while on them. But! Our high school reunion is coming up, and we have just got to show that one person we were secretly jealous of how much thinner than her we are now! Right? You gained the weight back the next week. Sigh.

2. We think one size fits all. In diets, and clothes sizes, we tend to believe the hype and think everything is for everybody. Come on, really? We all have unique fingerprints! The same perfume that I wear can smell completely different on you. Why wouldn't that qualify us to have some bioindividuality in what makes each of us function at our best? When I was in nutrition school, I learned that there are over 100 dietary theories out there. Whoa! Atkins, Paleo, The Blood Type Diet, Vegan, Vegetarian, Mediterranean, The South Beach Diet, Low Carb, High Carb...arrrrgh! If you're new healthy living, it can be very confusing. What to do? Marketing gurus convince us that this diet is better than that diet. Look! She lost 100 pounds in 2 weeks while doing this, you can too! Ok, a bit of a stretch, but you get my point.

3. We're lost. There is a part of us that is neglecting the essence of who we are and what we truly need to be happy. When you continually put yourself through discomfort and mental trauma (intentional or not) for temporary external results, what does this tell your subconscious? One: that short term quick fixes are the only solution to issues in your life. Two: that you're not really worthy of finding out the deeper truths and lasting answers to whatever it is you're needing. 

Issue arises~>binge on something nice and fattening~>feel guilty~>go on a quick diet~>lose some weight~>feel deprived during the process~>binge afterwards~>repeat. 

Bummer.

So, you want to get off this ride, huh? I did too. I decided to let go of all the madness, lies I'd been told (and told myself), embrace and love my body and self at that moment, and not wait until I lost x pounds. I asked my body what it wanted and needed to function optimally. I went to a biofeedback session here in Atlanta to find out what I needed to further remove from my diet and environment for an even healthier lifestyle. Even though I was already vegan, I would still feel sluggish and bloated. I found out I had allergies to gluten, malt, citrus (boo! I love lemons and grapefruit), so I reduced those items or cut them out completely.  

Bottom line...find out what works for you. Stop dieting! If you eat something and it makes you feel bad (bloated, headaches, itchy, rash, moody), cut it out. If you are constantly craving a certain food or foods, you may be deficient in specific nutrients. It does not mean you just get to eat that whole tub of ice cream! Check out this post from my newsletter on the cravings issue. 

What's The Alternative?

Remember to incorporate lots of  fresh, whole foods in your diet (organic when possible)...yet still watch for sensitivities. Adjust as necessary until you find a way of eating that leaves you feeling energetic and makes you glow!

Treat yourself occasionally. No deprivation. Get exercise of some sort daily. Do something good for yourself and others. Smile. Surround yourself with love, and lovely people. Have some cabbage soup if you want to...you just won't need it 3 times a day for 10 days ever again!

Until next time,

Love & Happiness!

Nikki

Nikki Thomas, RN, CPN, CHHC, AADP is a lover of life, health, and truth. I strive to help you find your balance and sanity in this occasionally insane world. I am a registered nurse, a board certified holistic health practitioner, life and health coach. Let's talk about health & wellness, fashion, beauty, and food! 

Find me at www.getthisglow.com

www.facebook.com/getthisglow

Instagram: @veganfashionista

Spicy Pineapple Coconut Curry Tofu! Whew!

Hello again, my lovelies! Hope you're all doing well and ready for your summer. The title of this post is definitely a mouthful. It was a delicious mouthful, though...I promise. I made it last night for dinner and thought I'd share with you.

Normally, I wouldn't make such a hot dish in 80+ degree weather, but you already know how it goes when I have a curry craving! It's the daggone Trini in me!  

So...a little backstory. This dish was inspired by a lunch date that I had with the hubbs about a month ago. We went to a vegan restaurant in Atlanta called Loving Hut, and he had some kind of veggie-coconutty-curry sauce dish thingy that he was having some kind of love affair with. It smelled amazing, and I made a mental note to make something similar at home. I gathered what I thought might make a similar dish and went into the lab! 

If you're new to tofu, it's made from soybeans. It has no taste/flavor, and basically takes on the flavors of whatever you season it with. You can scramble it, bake it, fry it, grill it, put it in smoothies and desserts...do whatcha like! I don't eat soy frequently anymore because of its high estrogen content, and the fact that most soy in this country is a GMO (genetically modified organism). However, when I do, I make sure it's non-GMO and organic. Got it? Cool. 

Everything was going perfectly...until I broke my own cardinal rule. More on that later. Here's how to make it.

Nikki's Pineapple Coconut Curry Tofu

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

14 oz firm or extra firm organic tofu, drained 

2 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1/4 cup organic coconut cream or milk (not the carton stuff!) I use Native Forest brand

1/4 cup water

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

2 Tbsp curry powder (or to taste)

1 tsp ground cumin

2 Tbsp tamari sauce, divided in half

1 habanero pepper, chopped (or milder pepper if preferred)

4 Tbsp pineapple juice

4 Tbsp crushed pineapple

3 stalks green onion, chopped (including white part)

Himalayan or sea salt to taste

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

How to make it

*Heat oils in frying pan

*Press tofu between paper towels to remove extra moisture

*Cut tofu into 1 inch cubes

*Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper into frying pan, and sauté garlic until lightly browned.

*Remove garlic and place in bowl

*Place tofu in large frying pan and brown on both sides, about 5-7 minutes each side over medium heat

*While tofu is cooking, combine coconut milk, water, curry powder, cumin, pineapple and juice, habanero pepper, and 1 Tbsp tamari sauce in bowl. Whisk together.

*Transfer cooked tofu to bowl with garlic. Add chopped green onions and remaining tamari sauce. Combine well.

*Return tofu to pan and add sauce. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 10 minutes to combine flavors. 

Serve with cooked brown rice, quinoa, couscous, potatoes...or in this case, I made rice noodles for the teenager. He was quite happy.

I have to admit...it came out pretty freaking good. I was feeling myself. Literally...I felt an eyelash or something go into my eye, and went to remove it. The burn that ensued was indescribable. I was pretty sure I had washed my hands after chopping the habanero pepper. After all, this wasn't my first hot pepper rodeo. I always tell my clients and my friends to wash their hands with soap after handling hot peppers. Thoroughly. None of that mattered at that moment because my right eye was on fire.  A quick spray of water later from my retractable kitchen faucet, and all was well again. The joys of being a chef =)

Until next time,

Love and Happiness,

Nikki

Delicious Quinoa!

Hello, my lovelies! Spring is finally here in my part of the world, and it was sorely missed! It's been a rough winter, and I can't wait to engage in warmer weather activities and lighter foods. Last week though, I was in the mood for something heavier and comforting. I decided on a roasted veggie dish that incorporated sweet potatoes and quinoa. I can't begin to tell you how good this dish was!!

First off, let's talk about quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah"). I'm a big brown and black rice fan for my whole grain fix, but quinoa is a nutrient powerhouse! It's actually a seed (not a grain) of a vegetable that's similar to to spinach, and when cooked, it "pops" open and its appearance changes to little spiral grain-looking beady things. Like my description?  It is one of the few plant-based sources of complete proteins, which means it provides all of the essential amino acids the body needs to function. Chia seeds, amaranth, and soybeans are also some others. It also provides antioxidants by way of flavonoids, and fiber, iron, B vitamins, and essential minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Sounding good so far? It should! These all help with controlling your blood pressure & blood sugar, weight loss, and providing anti-aging and anti-cancer benefits! Read more and get additional recipe ideas here.

Quinoa is commonly available in white, red, or black varieties. Of note, when cooking, make sure you rinse the seeds under cold water and rub to remove a natural chemical called saponins. This chemical helps to protect the seed, but leaves a bitter taste if not removed by rinsing. You need to be especially mindful of this if you buy quinoa in bulk. I love how much it expands during cooking, so you don't really need a lot.

So here's the recipe for the fabulous, award winning-dish I made. Ok, maybe not so much award-winning, but it should have been. I'm just saying. I think the veggie combo I chose and the marinade flavors take it over the top. Plus it's so easy!

Nikki's Almost Spring Roasted Veggies & Quinoa

Ingredients:

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks (about 1")

1 medium onion, sliced and halved

3 large cloves garlic, crushed and chopped into medium pieces

4 oz baby portabella mushrooms, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

9 Brussels sprouts, quartered (cut ends off)

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 large finger hot pepper (optional!)

1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa, any variety (rinse, and cook according to package directions) ~> rule of thumb 2:1 ratio of liquid to quinoa, cook covered about 15 minutes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking pan with aluminum foil.

Marinade:

3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

3 Tbsp tamari sauce (or soy sauce if you're ok with gluten)

1/4 cup of mandarin orange segments w/juice

3 green onions (light green and white parts)

2 Tbsp fresh grated ginger

2 Tbsp unrefined coconut oil (melted or softened for easy mixing)

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, snipped (or 1 tsp dried) if you don't have fresh on hand)

1 Tbsp fresh basil leaves (or 1 tsp dried)

How:

1. Place prepared veggies in a large bowl and toss evenly with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour into foil lined pan and put on middle rack in oven. Roast for about 20 minutes, making sure to check on them every 5-7 minutes and stir.

2. Meanwhile, prepare marinade .in same bowl used for veggies. Mix all ingredients together with a fork or whisk and place in refrigerator until quinoa and veggies are ready.

 Prepared veggies 

Voila! Roasted and looking oh so yummy!

3. Once quinoa is cooked and veggies are ready, remove marinade from refrigerator. Transfer both to marinade bowl and toss gently but evenly. You can add extra sea salt and/or pepper if needed.

4. Serve immediately. Get ready to enjoy some serious grub!

Quinoa with Roasted Veggies

I want you guys to all go make this TOMORROW! I'm doing a 30 day spring body cleanse that involves juicing my fruits and veggies, so I won't be able to devour this dish for a while. Do it for me? Please? Thanks! I'll share my spring cleanse with you all in a few days!

Until next time,

Love and Happiness,

Nikki

What The Heck Is Kombucha?

Hello again, lovelies! Hope you're staying safe and warm in this insane weather we're having across the U.S.

I wanted to confess share a love I've had for the past year or so. Kombucha. Just writing it has my taste buds jumping. For those of you who are in the know, you understand. The rest of you may thank me after this. I only say may because I know everything is not for everyone. Let's get on with it.

Kombucha is a raw, fermented tea that is naturally carbonated and loaded with probiotics (good for the gut) and B vitamins, liver detoxifying properties, antioxidants (destroys cancer causing free radicals), energy boosting properties, blood pressure reducing properties, metabolism revving properties, and more. Go here for more info. It's believed to have originated in a China, but sometimes Germany gets props also. Either way...thanks! I was hooked on first taste. This is where it may get tricky for some. It does have a kind of tangy, almost diluted vinegar-y taste, but in a good way.

  

 

GT's Kombucha Tea, 16 oz bottle $3.99-$4.99, depending on store

Which brings me to how it's made. Basically, you ferment the tea (black, green, any kind) with sugar and yeast. No worries though, the sugar is used to feed the yeast and the end product has only trace amounts of sugar in it. The yeast is provided by way of a SCOBY, which stands for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast. The mixture ferments from 7-31 days or so, which causes a small amount of alcohol production, usually between .5 and 3% depending on length of fermentation...so parents please take note. It costs about $4-5 for a 16 oz bottle, which prompted me to ask myself how hard can this be to make on my own? I did some research...not hard at all. It just requires some patience during the fermentation time. So I went and purchased my own SCOBY and will be making my first batch. I'll let you know how it goes!

In the end, Kombucha is not a cure-all, but it does give your body what it needs to help heal itself. I say try it. You may like it or leave it. Either way, now you know about it!


Love & Happiness,


Nikki

No More Lies!

Happy New Year, my lovelies! We had an amazing Christmas and New Year, and hope you did also. I've got a feeling that 2014 is going to whip by even faster than 2013 did. I'll try my best to be prepared and make use of every single moment that I'm blessed with. I'm amped!

If you saw my latest YouTube vid, I talked a bit about my holistic health coaching business. I launched Get This Glow! Health & Wellness and I couldn't be more in love with what I'm doing. Living a happy and healthy life is everything to me. There is nothing like seeing a positive change in a client's physical, emotional, and spiritual state. Yet, so many people choose to live in an unhealthy way. Why? Because...

It's Easier

Let's face it. Change is hard. Yet so is being depressed, overweight, anxious, and resentful! At some point, we have to use our adult decision making capabilities and get out of the unhealthy rut. I found an article about the following study on about.com:

A study performed in 2005 by an epidemiologist at Michigan State University found that most Americans don't do everything they can to lead healthy lifestyles.
The study published in journal Archives of Internal Medicine, looked at four basic characteristics that are part of a healthy lifestyle:

• Being a non-smoker.
• Exercising 30 minutes or more five days per week.
• Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
• Maintaining a healthy weight with a BMI under 25.

The lead researcher was quite surprised with his findings: of 153,000 adults, only three percent followed all four steps for a healthy lifestyle.

Come on, America! Thankfully, we can change these findings by incorporating small edits to our routine daily. Drink more water. Go for a walk. Add one more fruit or veggie to your meals each day. Socialize, or get together with friends or family to help elevate your mood! Try cutting out fast food, processed foods, and excess sugar for 30 days and see how much better you feel.

 

Szechuan tofu w/broccoli and rice noodles. Cook it at home so you control the ingredients. Healthier and more delicious than any fast food meal out there!

I Can't Afford It

Yes you can! If you're spending $5-7 per day on lunch at a not-so-healthy restaurant, you've got up to $35 per week that you could be spending on healthier choices. Buy fruits and veggies that are in season so that they are less expensive. Check out your local farmer's market. You support your local economy and get fresher produce in the process. Or, start your own garden. You just need a small area in your backyard, or a medium sized planter to get started. Nothing beats eating food that you grew yourself!
Cut out soda and sugary drinks. Install a simple water filter on your kitchen faucet to save on bottled water and plastic waste, or invest like we do in a water dispenser unit. We refill our 5 gallon jugs at our local grocery store for $1.86 each. You read that right.
Cook more of your meals at home and take leftovers to work with you. If cooking is not your thing, then take a fun cooking class or invest in yourself by purchasing (or borrowing from the library) a few simple cookbooks. Start a healthy potluck day at work and swap recipes. Make sure you use brown rice and other good grains such as quinoa and wild rice, as well as pasta, potatoes, beans, and lentils in your cooking rotation. Not only are they good for you, but reasonably priced as well.
See? You can afford to eat healthy...and enjoy it!

source:yummly.com  recipe: Martha Stewart

For the quick and easy roast veggie and arugula with pasta recipe shown above, go here.


I hope this post shed some insight on any blocks someone might have had to kick starting a healthy lifestyle. I feel a part two of this post coming on possibly in my near future =) In the meantime, check out my new site Get This Glow! Health & Wellness and tell me what you think!
Be well, lovelies.


Until next time,

Love and Happiness,

Nikki