Soy chorizo hash

I've been craving spicy chorizo for a while so I made this hash with a lot of vegetables, mango and soy chorizo which adds up to many different flavors. It's perfect as brunch, lunch or dinner.

1/2 cup rutabaga, diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

1/2 cup potato, diced

1 tbs canola oil oil

1 cup soy chorizo, cut into coins

2/3 cup water

1 cup spinach, chopped

1/2 cup mango, diced

2 tsp smoked paprika

Salt & pepper to taste

• Heat oil in a pot and fry onion and chorizo for 1 minute.
• Add rutabaga, carrot, potato, paprika, salt and pepper and fry for another 3 minutes.
• Add water and simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are soft, adding more water if needed.
• Remove from heat and add spinach and mango and blend. Done!!!

Chocolate pudding

I continue on the chocolate theme with this vegan chocolate pudding with an orange flavor. It's perfectly creamy and sweet.

1 tbs almond milk

1 tbs + 1 1/2 tsp tapioca flour or corn starch

1/2 cup cream ( I used mimic)

1/4 cup almond milk

2 tbs sugar

1 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

3 tbs semi-sweet chocolate chips

Grated peel from 1/2 orange

Mix 1 tbs almond milk with tapioca or corn starch and make a paste. In a sauce pan blend the paste, cream, milk, sugar cocoa powder and vanilla bean + seeds. Bring to a boil stirring constantly until it thickens. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and orange peel and blend until chips have melted. Place in serving dishes and let them cook before serving.

Chocolate cake

If I say you can serve a super moist and rich chocolate cake AND a vegetable at the same time what do you think? No way right? Well it's true and boy is this a success cake. I've promised Danielle who helps me pick up Bella from school and other things in the afternoon a chocolate cake today and I think she will be be happy with it. I'm happy with the result because not only is it yummy but also contains apple sauce and yam. I know sounds strange but believe trust me and try it.

11 ounce yam, cooked

2 ounces unsweetened apple sauce

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips ( I used Enjoy life's vegan chips)

1 cup sugar

2 cups spelt flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

7 ounces margarine, melted ( I used Earth balance)

Unsweetened cocoa powder to dust the spring pan with

• Preheat oven to F400
• Grease a spring pan and dust it with the cocoa powder.
• Mix warm and cooked yam with chocolate chips and mash until smooth.
• Set aside to cool off.
• Place the cool yam/chocolate cream in a mixing bowl and add sugar and mix.
• Add flour mixed with baking powder and salt, blend well.
• Add melted margarine, a little at the time until completely incorporated. Pour batter into spring pan.
• Bake for about 25 minutes.
• Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Sunny saffron pasta sauce

Lunch these days are not planned and I usually just start adding vegetables and spices after I decided on my protein. This pasta sauce is of those creation and it worked really well with quinoa pasta. The color from the saffron is an added bonus which made me feel very happy both eating it and looking at it.

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 tomatoes, seeds removed and diced

1/2 fennel bulb, diced

1 tbs canola oil

1/2 tsp saffron

1 tsp yellow curry powder

1/2 cup vegetable stock

1/2 cup sour cream ( I used tofutti)

Salt to taste

1 tbs fresh dill, chopped

• Heat oil in a pot and fry onion and fennel for about 1 minute on medium heat.
• Add tomatoes, saffron, curry, wine and stock and simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add sour cream, dill and salt and mix well.

Cauliflower puree

I received two beautiful cauliflowers from Sea Breezed and I knew exactly what to make out them. This is one of the dishes, a cauliflower puree with a wonderful creamy and buttery consistency. It matches perfectly with BBQ by the way and it's a great and healthier substitute to mashed potatoes. Cauliflowers is an excellent source offolic acid, vitamin C and potassium. It's also the the most digestible of all the cabbage family.

1 head of cauliflower, greens discarded and head cut into smaller pieces

1/2 cup swiss chard, center stem removed and chopped

1 tbs butter

3 tbs sour cream

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Steam cauliflower until soft. Place in a food processor or blender. Add remaining ingredients and puree.

Pumpkin seed crackers

Me and Bella had so much fun making these crackers because you have to get down and dirty and use your hands, mmmmm gooey! They are very easy to make and taste wonderful like they are or with some sliced cheese on.

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 raw sesame seeds

2 tbs honey

Preheat oven to F350

Mix everything well with your hands. Wet hands will prevent sticking. Spread batter out on a parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Let it completely cool before cutting or breaking into smaller crackers.

Walnut pate sandwich with pear and arugula

This sandwich has my favorite flavor combinations of sweet, salty and spicy. The pate is made with walnuts which are one of the protein rich plant source. It's also rich in omega 3 fatty acids which is a good fat.

My 2 week old baby is sensitive to me eating beans specially canned beans so I'm trying to go easy on them and sticking to lentils and other sources of protein and nut, specially walnuts are the ones I favor. I love arugula which leafy plant in related to the mustard family with it's spicy taste. I personally love the baby arugula and I eat them both raw and cooked. Growing arugula is easy since it can tolerate cold climate.

For the sandwich I toasted two slices of bread, spread the pate on one slice, added sliced pear and arugula leafs between.

Pate:

1/3 cup celery stalk, chopped

1/3 cup red onion, peeled and diced

1 tbs olive oil

Bragg's liquid amino's to taste

1 tsp no egg replacement mixed with 1 tbs water

1 tbs cream ( I used mimic cream)

Black pepper to taste

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup raw walnuts

• Preheat oven to F400
• Oil a mini loaf pan.
• Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. fry seller and onion for 1 minutes.
• Place in a food processor along with pine nuts, Bragg's pepper, no egg replacement mix and cream.
• Process until you have a smooth paste.
• Add walnuts and process until it's a wet dough.
• Place into loaf pan a bake in oven for 15 minutes.
• Let it cool before cutting into it.

Caramel sauce

Last night I promised Bella ice cream which in this house means Coconut Bliss ice cream. I bought a pineapple flavor this time and made this wonderful caramel sauce with salted nuts as a topping. I love the salty with sweet:)

1 cup cream

1 cup maple syrup

1 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean scraped out

2/3 cup salted and roasted cashews, chopped

Place cream, maple syrup, sugar and vanilla bean in a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add cashews before serving.

Barley soup

Barley is a super grain and good source of protein. It has a nutty flavor so paired with mushroom and lots of vegetables you get a hearty and a very filling soup.

1 cup shiitake mushroom

1 tbs canola oil

1/2 cup barley

1/2 cup green onions

1 tbs or bouillon powder 1/2 a cube

3 cups water

2 carrots, peeled and cubed carrot

1/2 cup zucchini, cut into smaller pieces

1 cup spinach, chopped

Salt & black pepper to taste

• Heat oil in soup pot and fry mushrooms until browned.
• Add onions and fry for another 30 seconds.
• Add barley, bouillon, water and carrots and simmer for about 1o minutes and add zucchini. Simmer until until barley and vegetables are done are done.
• Remove from heat and add spinach and blend well before serving.

Stroganoff

Our routines have very much changed since the birth of Noah and I'm trying to create new ones. I now plan dinners ahead of time and when he sleeps and Bella still in school I prepare dinner so we can spend more family quality time without the stress in the evening.

Tonight we had stroganoff my version of it anyway which is tomato based with kidney beans. I had planned to served it with pasta but found we're out so we ended up eating it with rice instead but it can also be served with other whole grains too.

1 yellow onion, diced

2 tbs canola oil

1 cup white mushrooms, sliced thin

1 can diced tomatoes

2 tbs Dijon mustard

3 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup sour cream ( I used tofutti)

1 cup kidney beans, cooked or canned

Salt & pepper to taste

• Heat oil in frying pan on medium heat.
• Fry onions for 1 minute
• Add mushroom and fry until slightly browned
• Add tomatoes, mustard and ketchup.
• Simmer for a few minutes
• Add sour cream, beans, salt and pepper
• Reheat the stroganoff

Shepard's pie with indian flavors

Someone asked me where I get my inspiration for my blog. I think I live and breath cooking and food and when I go out to a restaurant or read recipes I like to figure out how to make dishes vegetarian and with my spin on things.

Tonight's dinner was inspired from an episode of Top Chef. I have to admit I never had Shepard's pie and I even lived in London for 2 years but my husband has and loved it so I thought I give it a try. My husband said it was one the best dishes ever and I got thumbs up from Bella. Now if it tasted anything like a Shepard's pie I will never know but it probably a healthier version of it with mashed rutabaga instead mashed potatoes and added vegetables such as broccoli and carrots. The indian flavor comes from Garam masala spice which can be found at Whole Foods.

Rutabaga mash:

3 cups rutabaga, peeled and cubed

3 tbs butter

1/4 cup cream ( I used mimic)

Place rutabaga in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until rutabaga is soft. Drain and place in a food processor with butter, cream, salt and pepper. Process until fluffy.

Gravy:

2 small yellow onion, diced

2 tbs canola oil

2 cup cream ( I used mimic)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat and fry onions for 1 minute. Add cream, salt and pepper and simmer for 3 minutes.

For the pie:

2 carrots, peeled and cut into coins, steamed

2 cups broccoli crowns, cut into smaller pieces, steamed

2 cup minced Quorn

2 tbs canola oil

2 tsp Garam Masala spice

1 tbs Bragg's liquid amino's or use Tamari

Preheat oven to F400

Heat oil in frying pan on medium heat add garam masala and let it sizzle for 1 seconds. Add quorn and cook for a few minutes. Add Bragg's and mix well.

How to assemble pie:

Place quorn in bottom of a baking dish. Place vegetables in an even layer on top. Pour gravy all over. Finish by spreading rutabaga mash in an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes middle of oven. Top should be slightly golden.

Gluten free baked apples with crumble

My poor little baby is sensitive to me eating gluten and wheat so I have limited that in my diet for now. This can sometimes happens when breast feeding. For dessert tonight Bella requested a pie but I didn't have the time so I made this baked apples instead with gluten free ingredients and served it with raw pistachio ice cream. Yum,yum!

4 ounces margarine, in smaller pieces

3/4 cup creamy buckwheat cereal

3/4 cup gluten free all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 raisins

a couple of pinches cinnamon

2 medium apples, peeled and sliced

Preheat oven to F400

• Place butter, flour sugar, buckwheat and cinnamon in a food processor and process until it's a wheat crumble.
• Add raisins and pulse a couple of times just to mix them in.
• Place apple slices in a baking dish and place crumble on top.
• Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until it's slightly browned.

Shiitake mushroom & coconut sauce

I'm starting to cook a little but it's hard to do with two kids at home. My husband is home for another week so I take the chance when I can and tonight I made this sauce to be eaten with rice and vegetables.

Shiitake mushrooms are considered medicinal since studies shows they stimulates the immune system and posses antiviral properties. Since it's flu season and we have a whopping cough epidemic here in San Diego eating food that will strengthen our immune systems is important since Noah is so little.

1 tbs canola oil

1 tsp grounded ginger powder

1 lemon grass stalk, smashed and cut into smaller pieces

1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 tbs Bragg's liquid amino's or tamari

1 cup light coconut milk

Black pepper to taste

1 cup spinach, chopped

• Heat oil in a wok or pot and add ginger and lemon grass and let them sizzle for 10 seconds.
• Add mushrooms and fry for 30 seconds while stirring.
• Add braggs and coconut milk and stir
• Simmer for 1 minute
• Remove from heat
• Add spinach and pepper and let spinach wilt for a minute.

Milk, milk & more milk + friends who saves the dinner

My life is mostly about changing diapers, feeding and off course loving this new miracle. We're so lucky to have friends who cooks for us so lunch and dinners has pretty much been taken care of. I love how they cook food we normally eat so one night we had quinoa with all kinds of spices, vegetables and coconut, yesterday we ate a yummy chili and today it will be a barley and bean soup.

I'm amazed how good I feel considering I have a 4 year old who is still adjusting to the new routines and 4 day old who wants to be up all night. I do believe it's thanks to eating healthy and regularly that keeps me going. It's easy to forget and then eat something that will not nourish the body and for a new mom who is still healing and breast feeding it's so important to eat a nutrient packed and warming meal.

The hardest time to eat right now is middle of the night. I make up warm almond milk with cinnamon, cardamon and sweetened it with maple syrup which I keep in a thermos by the bed. This way I have something warm and also will help increase the milk supply to get me through the night. I learned this from my doula Aparna who helped me out after the birth of Bella. She no longer lives in my area but I still use her recipes. Almonds contains magnesium and calcium which is recommended for nursing moms.

Mom's almond milk

2 cup almond milk

2 tbs maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp cardamon powder

• Heat milk in a stove pot.
• Mix milk with spices and syrup
• Pour into thermos

Another Satisfied Customer at Sunny Yoga Kitchen

On Sunday at 6:54 pm, our baby boy arrived. He weighed 7 lbs, 4 oz (3275 grams) and was 19.5 inches long (49.5 cm).

We induced at 39.5 weeks and with the help of our friend (and acupuncturist) Jackie, it was an easy delivery. Noah is really healthy and came home tonight. Mom is doing great, feeling strong and really happy.

I am blessed with good friends that have brought yummy healthy food over to help nourish me and my family.

New years dinner

We had a very nice evening last night however I did not make it to midnight, the joy of pregnancy I guess. I made focaccia bread from this recipe for appetiser which we dipped in olive oil with some salt and pepper and one olive oil with balsamic vinegar. It's a very simple appetiser but fun and good and the can easily be made into a bruschetta or serve with a fiery tomato dipping sauce instead.

I also made a traditional Swedish dessert that contains a mix of vanilla ice cream (I used coconut ice cream), meringues, sliced bananas and chocolate sauce. The meringues I made from a Angel food's meringue cookie mix which I purchase at vegan essentials. This dessert is a guarantee kids favorite, large and small. The sauce I made my self and below is the recipe. When ready to serve this dessert just place vanilla ice cream in a large bowel and add meringues, sliced bananas and whipped cream if so desire and pour the sauce all over. Needless to say this dessert melt quickly so serve immediately.

Chocolate sauce

1/2 cup cream (I used unsweetened mimic cream)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tbs maple syrup

• Place everything in a sauce pot and melt chocolate while stirring on medium heat.
• The sauce is done when it's smooth, creamy and shiny.