In a 2012 study, 52% of Americans ( polled numbers) said doing their taxes was easier than figuring out how to eat healthy. USA, is one of 10 most educated countries in the world and we do not know how to eat well. You walk into any super market, you have fresh produce, locally grown, organic, imported ... you name it. Where is the issue, is it time? is it lack of education ?? What is making an abundant nation unhealthy ?? I don't have an answer to this question but I do think cooking is not rocket science, a bit of planning, some simple recipes and some good music while cooking ...is the secret to a good home cooked meal.
I am sharing three simple recipes for week nights. I am not a nutritionist, so I do not have much knowledge about carbs, protein, fat ....but I do know from my gut feel that a good meal incorporates raw foods and colors. As much color as you can get. I can it the color diet... you just cannot go wrong with veggies. Just make sure you go through the dirty dozen list - aka the most pesticide laden fruits and veggies. One way is to avoid the dirty dozen or just buy organic. Make sure you also go through the clean fifteen list - that way you are not forced to buy organic.
I make three kinds of pesto and I rotate between them ... I usually make all three and have it in my refrigerator. Add lime to all of them and it stays good for at least one week in the refrigerator.
First I will share the recipe of the pesto - that is the main punch of flavor to these almost raw meals.
Pesto
Mint pesto
- Small bunch of mint leaves
- 3 tbsp walnuts
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 jalapeno
- salt to taste
Basil Pesto
- Small bunch of fresh basil leaves
- 3 tbsp cashewnuts
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 jalapeno
- salt to taste
Lime Basil-Cilantro Pesto
- Small bunch of fresh basil and cilantro leaves
- 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp walnuts
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 jalapeno
- salt to taste
Blend into smooth thick paste and store in airtight container
Sauce
- Add 1 tsp garam masala to 1/4 cup of ketchup.
- Add 1 tsp sriracha to 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- Add 1 tbsp roasted sesame, 1 tbsp crushed pepper to soy sauce
Stuffed Pita Bread
Ingradients
Ingradients
- 6 pita pockets
- 1 cup lettuce of choice
- cherry tomatoes
- cucumbers
- 3/4 cup boiled chick peas
- garlic buds
Directions
- Toss the chickpeas in 1 tbsp pesto
- Warm the pockets
- Grill the garlic buds
- Stuff in pita pockets
- Add 1-2 tbsp pesto on top
- Serve immediately
Pesto Zoodles
Ingradients
- 2 -3 zucchini
- cherry tomatoes
- 5-6 tbsp pesto of choice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt to tatse
- freshly ground pepper
Directions
- Specialize the zucchini with skin
- Slice cherry tomatoes
- Add olive oil, pesto of choice and toss the noodles
- Add salt, pepper serve fresh
Note : serve as soon as you toss the zoodles, as it tends to get watery if kept for too long.
Lettuce Wrap
Use the above ingredients and use the pesto as the base sauce.
Ingredients
- 1-2 zucchini - spiralized
- 1-2 carrots - spiralized
- 1 beet - spiralized
- 1/2 cup sweet peppers- chopped
- 1/2 cup peaches - chopped
- 1/2 cup purple cabbage - finely chopped
- 4 tbsp walnuts
- 1/4 cup green sprouts
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/2 lime
- himalayan salt
- freshly ground pepper
- Toss spiralized veggies with choice of pesto
- Toss purple cabbage with soy sauce mix and 1 tbsp honey
- Mix sweet peppers, peaches, sprouts and toss with salt, pepper and lime
