Bittermelon, Mango, Carrot and Sweet Pepper Spaghetti Squash Pasta with Almond Thai Basil Pesto.

Bitter melon has been used in Asian, specially Indian cooking since a long time. The fruits have great nutritional value. It contains nearly all the essential nutrients required by human beings. It contains iron, calcium, potassium, beta-carotene, vitamin B1, B2, B3 and also vitamin C. It is effective in treating skin diseases or skin infections, eczema, and even skin sores.
It has anti-viral properties and can be used for treating herpes virus. It is also used for indigestion. It is widely used for its anti-inflammatory properties.
It is most effective for its detoxifying and cleansing properties. It helps in lowering blood pressure, blood sugar and also body temperature. It is even believed that the extract can be used against cancer, as it helps in improving cell function of people suffering from cancer.

Serves two

For the pasta:
1 med spaghetti squash, sliced in half, seeds removed and baked at 400 in a baking pan with an inch of water for 30-40 mins until tender.

For the Sauce: 
1 small bitter mellon, seeds removed and chopped small
2 big pieces of dried mango or chilli rubbed dried mango, chopped small
1 sweet pepper chopped small
3-4 small carrots chopped small
1/4 tsp chopped fresh/powdered ginger
2 Green onion chopped small
2 tsp Tamari
2 tsp dk brown sugar or hoisin or organic ketchup, even honey (use less) (you want something sweet)
2 tsp lime juice or 1 tsp organic raw vinegar (I use raw coconut vingar) 
Chopped Thai Green Chillies


Pesto:
One bunch of basil, about 1 cup of leaves
1/2 cup almonds (soaked in water for a hour before)
Juice of 2 limes 
Garlic 
salt pepper
Coconut milk and Coconut oil

Make pesto in a food processor or blender.. add first four ingredients, blend on low to med while adding enough coconut milk/oil until it runs smooth.

Sauté all the veggies for the sauce in coconut oil, salt and pepper on med heat until tender, about 10 mins. Turn to low and add the cooked squash (shredded like pasta). Add all the liquid ingredients for the sauce. Stir and warm together until well combined and serve with a dollop of Thai Basil Pesto.

Chicken Lemongrass Soup

I love making a huge pot of soup and eating it for a few days and also freezing some. This weekend I made organic chicken and lemongrass soup filled with veggies. It's nutritious, filling, easy and great for summer to stay trim. 

I took one organic chicken and put it in a big pot, filled it up with purified (I have a filter on my tap) water until the chicken was just covered in water, I remove a bunch of the skin because I don't like it fatty. I added salt(I just put a heaping teaspoon because you can always add more later) and pepper, 3 cloves of garlic, three stalks of lemongrass, outer leaves removed and chopped up. Brought that to a boil and simmered it for about 15-20 mins until the chicken was just cooked through. Then take out the chicken and leave the lemon grass and keep the soup simmering on low to get that lemon grass flavor for another 15 mins. Let the chicken cool and debone the chicken. I like to cut off the legs and wings and leave those on the bone, then I just pull apart the breast meat. I throw away any small bones but I keep some big ones to add back to the soup while the lemon grass is simmering because thats where all the flavor is. Take your pieces of meat, wings, and legs put them in the fridge. Now your soup has been simmering for a while and its time to get rid of those inedible pieces of bone and lemongrass. I just remove it with a slotted spoon. Also skim any foam or excess fat on the top.

At this point I did not have to add more water but if you've lost too much water from boiling just add another cup of water or so. Try the broth and see how strong it is.. it should be to your liking. Add more salt and pepper as you go along. I don't use much salt myself and always use sea salt. Bring it to a simmer and add one chopped large onion, three carrots, more minced garlic if you'd like, orange and purple yams, 6 large chopped okras, 1 minced jalepeno(optional), one bunch (one whole bunch, it shrinks) of chopped chinese broccoli and dried herbs of your choice (I used Italian seasoning mix, bay leaves, thyme, basil, parsley, rosemary). I simmered the veggies for another 15 mins until they were soft and then add back the chicken meat and voila! Let some cool and freeze... and enjoy the rest over a few days. Invite some friends over!

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Easy 1 Pot Summer GF Pasta W/ Salmon, Broccoli, Pumpkin

Two people

GF Pasta, one heaping bowl

1 1/2 cup chopped veggies, I used pumpkin and broccoli

one small leek

Chopped Parsley 

1/4 cup yogurt 

olive oil
Italian seasoning

lemon (optional)

Pasta doubles in size so to measure how much I need for two people I fill up one heaping serving bowl of dry pasta and that will make two. Bring pasta water to a boil. While your waiting, chop your veggies into small bite size pieces and as uniform as you can so they cook evenly. I used pumpkin and broccoli. When the water is boiling add salt and the pasta, time it as it says on the package (remember to start timing after its come back up to boil), in the last 4-5 mins of the cooking time add the broccoli and pumpkin. While this is finishing up I finely chopped up my leek, parsley and wild salmon (bite size pieces). When pasta in done drain in colander with veggies. Use the same pot, add a bit of oilve oil and add salmon, herb, leek mixture, salt and pepper, dried italian seasoning and stir fry that on med heat for five mins, until everything is cooked through. Add back the pasta and season more, I used the Trader Joes 21 salut seasoning mix. Incorporate everything on heat to get it nicely mixed up. Take the pot off heat and add a couple big spoonfuls of plain yogurt, mix and let it stand for a five mins covered for all the flavors to melt together. Then lemon juice, olive oil or parmesan cheese to taste. 

The Live Grain Difference and Tacos

I like to use sprouted grain corn tortillas when I'm having my favorite summer lunch, tacos! It's fun to make a bunch of fillings and chop them up into separate bowls and make your own creation. I like to warm my tortillas in the oven, wrap them up to keep them hot, and bring everything outside and have tacos in the sun. The most common brand for tortillas I find in stores is Food For Life and it's great. Sprouted grain is better for your health because it contains no meal or flour. Sprouting unlocks dormant food energy, maximises nutrition and flavor, and its easier to digest. It's more fresh and more alive!

I've also taken a strong liking to chilli rubbed dried mango. I cut them up into tiny pieces and it adds a flare of sugar and spice the taco toppings. I steamed some artichokes and cut them up they gave a wonderful crunch and flavor and also look like cactus, which is a regular traditional taco filling. I usually use grilled fish or organic meat, grilled tofu, sautéed or steamed veggies, avocado, cilantro, lettuce, tomatoes  cucumber, home made salsa, soft white cheese, and hot sauce. I'm getting really creative with what I put in my tacos and so can you!

STEAMED ARTICHOKE AND CHILLI MANGO COD FISH TACOS

I found some big artichokes on sale for a dollar, bought a couple, steamed them and put them in the fridge. I'm loving adding them to recipes. The texture is a nice change from the usual veggie, they tase great and are so good for you! They are high in antioxidants, good for digestion, high in fiber and good for your liver. I added artichoke to my tacos in this picture here. I chopped the stem and added it like a substitute for cactus. If you've never cooked artichokes they can look big, prickly and laborious. I urge you to try it!! After you do it once you'll see how easy it is and be happy you did.

EASY TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE PASTA SALAD WITH BEETS, GREENS, EGGS, TOMATOES, OLIVES AND ITALIAN DRESSING

Serves 1-2

1 cup brown rice pasta

2 yellow beets, peeled and cubed into bite size pieces

3-4 eggs

3 cups of greens, I used beets tops, dino kale and green kale

2 tomatoes, chopped small

1/2 cup antipasto (olives, bocconcini cheese, roasted red pepper)

1 shot glass of raw sunflower seeds

2 tablespoon lemon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra Virgin olive oil

1 large clove garlic or 2 small chopped small

Italian herb seasoning, salt, pepper

Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Salt the water and add pasta. Bring water back up to a boil and time the pasta. When the pasta is three minutes from being done add the beets and cook for three minutes. Take off the heat and use a slotted spoon to remove pasta and beets into a colander and keep the water. Let pasta and beets cool and return water to medium heat. Add eggs and bring back up to a boil. When water starts to boil again remove from heat, add greens, cover and let it sit, time 7-8 minutes. While the eggs are cooking put pasta and beet mixture in to a big bowl and put in the fridge to cool. After the time is up strain green and eggs into the colander. Run cold water over the eggs. Let cool for a few minutes. Remove the eggs, peel them, chop them and put them into the pasta salad. Now pick up the greens and give them a squeeze to remove excess water. Add the greens to pasta bowl with antipasto, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. Add fresh italian herbs or a couple big piches of dried seasoning, salt and fresh cracked pepper. I ate half and put the rest in the fridge for lunch tomorrow.

** I like my eggs boiled medium so that the yolk is still a bit soft and makes a nice and light creamy egg yolk sauce over the pasta. Add eggs, bring water to a boil, remove from heat and cover. Do not boil the eggs, this will over cook them and cause them to be rubbery. For large eggs let sit in hot water for 7-8 minutes, that will get them medium. For a firm center leave them in for 10 mins. Always run cool water over them to stop the cooking.

• Garden beet is very low in calories (provide only 45 kcal/100 g), and contain zero cholesterol and small amount of fat. Its nutrition benefits come particularly from fiber, vitamins, minerals, and unique plant derived anti-oxidants.

• The root is rich source of phytochemical compound, glycine betaine. Betaine has the property of lowering homocysteine levels within the blood. Homocysteine, one of highly toxic metabolite, promotes platelet clot as well as atherosclerotic-plaque formation, which, otherwise, can be harmful to blood vessels. High levels of homocysteine in the blood result in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and peripheral vascular diseases.
• Raw beets are an excellent source of folates. It contains about 109 µg/100 g of this vitamin(Provides 27% of RDA). However, extensive cooking may significantly deplete its level in food. Folates are necessary for DNA synthesis within the cells. 
• Fresh tubers contain small amounts of vitamin-C; however, its top greens are rather excellent sources of this vitamin. 100 g of beet greens provide 30 mg or 50% of RDA. Vitamin C is one of the powerful natural antioxidants, which helps the human body scavenge deleterious free radicals one of the reasons for cancer development.
• Additionally, the top greens are an excellent source of carotenoids, flavonoid anti-oxidants, and vitamin A; contain these compounds several times more than that of in the roots. Vitamin A is required maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is essential for vision. Consumption of natural vegetables rich in flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• The root is also rich source of B-complex vitamins such as niacin (B-3), pantothenic acid (B-5), pyridoxine (B-6) and minerals such as iron, manganese, copper, and magnesium.
• Further, the root indeed has very good levels of potassium. 100 g fresh root has 325 mg of potassium or 7% of daily requirements. Potassium lowers heart rate and regulates metabolism inside the cells by countering detrimental effects of sodium.

CHIA SEED PUDDING TOPPED WITH GINGER GRANOLA, SLICED PEAR, BLOOD ORANGE AND FRESH MINT

1 cups milk (I used almond milk)
1/4 cup chia seed
2 tablespoons agave or honey

Mix everything up in one big bowl.  Stir well and stick in the fridge to set for at least a few hours or overnight. Super easy. Top with your favorite fruit, nuts, seeds and mint. I used lemon juice, ginger granola, pears, blood orange and mint.

One single serving of chia seeds contains 42% of your daily need for fiber and it packs more omega 3 fatty acids than a piece of salmon.  Chia seeds will absorb up to 12 times their own weight, making you feel full longer.