Stamina Tea 😘

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon grated turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
• 1/4 cup coconut milk or almond milk

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a boil in a small pot.
2. Once water is boiling, add the ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and black pepper.
3. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let it steep for another 5-10 minutes.
5. Strain the tea into a mug
6. Add honey or maple syrup, if desired
7. Stir in the coconut milk or almond milk.
8. Enjoy!

Brown Stew Cauliflower

Ingredients:

* 1 medium cauliflower about 1 1/2 lbs* 2 tbsp grape seed oil

* 1 tsp sea salt

* 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

* 1/2 tsp ground pimento berries/seeds allspice

* 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

* 1/4 cup onion diced

* 1/4 cup chopped carrots 

* 2 tbsp green bell pepper diced

* 1 clove garlic finely minced

* 1/2 tsp scotch bonnet 

* 1 tbsp chopped thyme

* 1 1/2 tsp Browning or may use brown sugar 

Instruction:

1. Cut cauliflower into flat steaks. Drizzle with grape seed oil. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, pimento seeds, and smoked paprika. Gently toss to distribute.

2. Add onion, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, scotch bonnet and thyme. Again, gently toss to distribute.

3. Drizzle Browning to mixture, and with wet fingers, combine until cauliflower is darkened. 

4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably over-night.

Brown cauliflower:

1. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Then add grape seed  oil. Allow oil to heat for 30 seconds.

 (You may add your brown sugar here if you don’t have bottled browning ) 

2. Separate the cauliflower for the rest of the ingredients. Add cauliflower steaks to hot pan in single layer, making sure to not overcrowd the pan, so that the cauliflower will properly brown. You may have to do it in multiple batches depending on the size of your pan. Allow the cauliflower to brown on one side before turning (3 – 5 minutes). Turn, and repeat on the other side. You may also have to stand the pieces on their heads to ensure the florets also brown.

3. Remove cauliflower from pan and transfer to a clean plate.

Sauté Seasoning and Stewing:

Ingredient:

* 2 tbsp grape seed oil

* 1 tbsp tomato paste

* 1/4 cup dry red wine

* Vegetable stock or water

* 2 tbsp ketchup

* 1 bay leaf

* 2 tsp non-dairy butter I use Earth Balance

1. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining seasonings (onions, pepper, thyme, etc) to pan. Sauté, stirring often until onions are soft (4-5 minutes). Season with pinch of salt and black pepper.

2. Add tomato paste. Stir to combine and allow to cook for 1 minute. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

3. Deglaze pan by adding red wine to hot pan and scraping the pan around to release all bits stuck to the pan. (This stuck bits are called suc.) Cook for another minute.

4. Raise heat to medium-high, then add the cauliflower back to the pan. Add ketchup and bay leaf.

5. Add enough vegetable stock or water to come up to the sides of the cauliflower without completely covering (1 – 2 cups). Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

6. Cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes until cauliflower is fork-tender. 

Finishing Up:

1. By now the liquid should have been reduced to a thick sauce. If not, raise heat and allow to reduce for another 3-5 minutes until thickened. Turn off heat, but allow pan to remain on the hot surface. Add butter and allow to dissolve. Gently stir to combine.  Here I have it with some “provisions and flour” as they would say in Jamaica. 

Spicey Vegan Jambalaya

Ingredients:

*3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

*1 large yellow onion, diced

*3 cloves garlic, chopped

*4 large stalks celery, diced

*1 heaping Tablespoon diced jalapeño (use more or less depending on how spicy you like things – 1 Tbsp. gives it a nice kick)

*4 cups diced fresh tomatoes (you could also use whole cherry tomatoes or one large can of crushed tomatoes)

*2 cups uncooked brown rice

*4.5 cups vegetable stock

*2 teaspoons vegan worcestershire sauce (you can find some good vegan varieties online or, if you don’t have any of the vegan stuff handy, just leave it out!)

*3 bay leaves

*1 teaspoon smoked paprika

*2 teaspoons hot sauce (I use Sriracha)

*salt and pepper to taste

*1.5 cups chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish

Instruction:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet or saucepan (use one that has a tight-fitting lid)

2. Add onion, garlic, celery, and jalapeño to oil and sauté until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes and cook an additional minute or two to soften them up.

4. Add rice, vegetable stock, worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, paprika, hot sauce, salt, and pepper to pan and stir to combine. Cover and bring mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for 20-40 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and cooked through.

5. Stir in fresh cilantro and serve immediately. Garnish with extra cilantro.

I added roasted broccoli and a slice of avocado to top mine. I am greedy. 

Coconut Curry Lentil Leek soup

I used Leek but you could use Kale/Spinach 

Ingredients:

* 1 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)

* 1 large onion, chopped

* 2 cloves garlic, minced

* 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

* 2 tbsp tomato paste (or ketchup)

* 2 tbsp curry powder

* ½ tsp hot red pepper flakes

* 4 cups vegetable broth

* 1  can coconut milk

* 1 can diced tomatoes

* 1.5 cups dry red lentils

*1/2 bunch of leeks cleaned and chopped (or 2-3 handfuls of chopped Kale 

* salt and pepper, to taste

* Garnish: chopped cilantro (fresh coriander) and/or vegan sour cream
Instruction:
1. In a stockpot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat and stir-fry the onion, garlic and ginger until the onion is translucent, a couple minutes.

2. Add the tomato paste (or ketchup), curry powder, and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute.

3. Add the vegetable broth, coconut milk, diced tomatoes and lentils. Cover and bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 20mins add the leek and let simmer for 15 more minutes, until the lentils are very tender. Season with salt and pepper.
4. {Make-Ahead: May be cooled, frozen in air-tight containers, and re-heated over medium-low heat.}

5. Before serving, stir in the kale/spinach and garnish with cilantro and/or vegan sour cream.

* Replacing the coconut milk with 1 cup of broth will result in a bright red soup with and a more pronounced tomato flavor

* Replacing the diced tomatoes with 1 cup of broth will result in a creamier soup with a stronger coconut flavor

* Replacing BOTH the coconut milk AND diced tomatoes with 2 cups of broth will result in a soup soup with a lighter consistency but more pronounced spices, because it won’t have the coconut milk or tomatoes to temper them.

It’s an imitation McGriddle

It’s just two vegan pancakes and a black bean burger. 

Vegan extra sweet pancakes:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons coconut sugar

1 1/2 cup flour (I used 1 cup rice + 1/2 cup wheat flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup almond milk

1 tablespoon vanilla 

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup 

Instruction:

Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk the water and oil together in a small bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet. Stir just until blended; mixture will be lumpy.

Heat a lightly greased griddle (I use earth balance soy free butter) over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, (I used a hamburger mold to get a perfect circle and a thick cake) and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

Black Bean Burger recipe:

Ingredients:

* 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

* 
1/3 cup chopped sweet onion

* 
1 tablespoon minced garlic

* 
3 baby carrots, grated (optional)

* 
1/4 cup minced green bell pepper (optional)

* 
1 tablespoon cornstarch/ arrow root

* 
1 tablespoon warm water

* 
3 tablespoons chile-garlic sauce or Sriracha

* 
1 teaspoon chili powder

* 
1 teaspoon ground cumin

* 
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning Old Bay

* 
1/4 teaspoon salt

* 
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

* 
2 slices whole-wheat bread, torn into small crumbs

* 
3/4 cup unbleached flour, or as needed

Instruction:

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). I use a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. You could just grease the baking sheet instead. 

* Put the black beans, onion, garlic, carrots, and green bell pepper in the food prosesser (I used one with an S shape on low) you could however just smush all of this in a bowl. 

* Whisk cornstarch, water, chile-garlic sauce, chili powder, cumin, old bay seasoning, pink salt,  and black pepper together in a separate small bowl. Stir cornstarch ( I used arrow root)  mixture into black bean mixture.

* Mix whole-wheat bread into bean mixture. Stir flour, 1/4 cup at a time, into bean mixture until a sticky batter forms.

* Spoon ‘burger-sized’ mounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheet, about a 3/4-inch thickness per mound. Shape into burgers.

* Bake in the preheated oven until cooked in the center and crisp in the outside, about 10 minutes on each side.

Natural remedies for HIVES

Ginger 

* Boil one-quarter cup of brown sugar and one tablespoon of fresh ginger in three-quarters cup of vinegar for several minutes. Mix a little of this solution with warm water and dab on the affected skin several times a day.

* Alternatively, peel the skin off a small piece of fresh ginger root and gently dab the ginger onto the inflamed skin. Do this two or three times daily. You can chill the ginger root in the refrigerator first for an added cooling effect.

* You can also drink ginger tea or chew on fresh ginger pieces a few times daily.

Turmeric 

* Mix one teaspoon of turmeric powder in a glass of hot water or warm rice milk Drink it twice daily.

* You can also use turmeric in your cooking. 

Basil

* Put one tablespoon of dried basil leaves in a jar and add hot water to it. Cover the jar and allow it to cool. Apply this mixture on the affected area using a cotton cloth.

* Crush some fresh basil leaves with your hand. Gently apply them on the hives. Allow them to dry and then rinse off your skin with lukewarm water.

Oatmeal 

* Combine one cup of baking soda and two cups of ground oatmeal. Add this mixture to a bathtub filled with warm water. Stir it well and soak in this water for at least 15 minutes. Enjoy this soothing bath twice daily until your condition improves.

* Alternatively, mix together two cups of oatmeal, two tablespoons of cornstarch and enough water to form a paste. Apply the paste on the affected skin for 15 to 20 minutes. Wash it off with lukewarm water. Follow this remedy once daily.

Apple cider vinegar 

* Add two cups of apple cider vinegar to a bathtub filled with warm water. Soak in it for 15 to 20 minutes once daily.

* Alternatively, dilute apple cider vinegar with an equal amount of water and use it to wash the affected skin two or three times a day.

* You can also mix one to two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. Add a little lemon juice and natural sweetener to improve the taste. Drink this three times daily. Or apple cider shots once a day. 

Spicy Fried Cauliflower

* 1 cup all purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch

* ½ teaspoon salt

* ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

* ½ teaspoon white pepper

* ½ teaspoon onion powder

* ½ teaspoon garlic powder

* ½ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika

* ¼ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

* 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

* ⅓ cup hot sauce (I used  chili garlic sauce mixed with matoucks Caribbean hot pepper sauce) 

* ¼ cup unsweetened plain rice milk or other non-dairy milk

* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

* 5 cups safflower oil, or other frying oil

* 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into large florets

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine the flour, arrowroot powder, salt, cayenne pepper, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, Old Bay, and nutritional yeast.

2. In another bowl combine the hot sauce, rice milk, and Dijon mustard and whisk until creamy.

3. Heat the frying oil in a large dutch pot or fryer. It should be around 350°.

4. Use one hand to carefully dip a cauliflower floret into the wet mixture, then drop it into the flour mixture. Use your other hand (it should be dry) to coat it completely. Dip it back into the hot sauce mixture, and again into the dry mixture, keeping one hand devoted to wet and one to dry.

5. Carefully lower the twice coated cauliflower into the hot oil. Repeat with remaining cauliflower until you can’t fit any more into the pot. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, until the pieces are golden.

6. Transfer fried cauliflower to a large plate covered with two sheets of paper towel to absorb excess oil.

7. Continue to cook the remaining cauliflower.

8. Serve hot.

When life gives you lemons…

Clarifying moisturizer: Mix a few drops of coconut water with a few drops of lemon juice. The coconut will hydrate your skin, and lemon will clear and brighten it.
Elbow and knee bleacher: If your elbows and knees appear dark, simply rub them with half of a lemon, It’s like magic!
Blackhead treatment: It may sound too good to be true, but because lemons are antibacterial, they can help treat acne. Just slice a lemon, and squeeze the juice on your face. Your blackheads will start to fade before you know it.
Cleansing wipes: I like to mix a couple drops of lemon and tea tree essential oil in about 6 ounces of distilled water. I recommend it as a toner or for use with cotton pads as a cleansing wipe for problematic skin.
Teeth whitener: Mix baking soda and lemon juice, and apply it to your teeth with a clean Q-tip. Then, use your toothbrush to scrub your teeth and rinse. It’s way cheaper than going to your dentist’s office.
Canker sore treatment: Use a few drops of the lemon essential oil on your canker sores to help them heal faster.
Skin brightener: Lemons are rich in vitamin C and citric acid, so they can help brighten and lighten your skin when used over time. Vitamin C is a great antioxidant for neutralizing free radicals and boosting collagen production. That means it can help lighten age spots, dark spots, and scars. 
Shine eliminator: Lemon is great for reducing excess oil.
Lip exfoliator: Put a little lemon juice on your lips before bedtime, and wash it off in the morning to help remove dead skin cells and dried skin. One caveat: Obviously, if you already have severely chapped lips that have any cuts, do not try this. 😩
Nail strengthener: Have you been getting too many gel manicures? Make a mixture of your favorite cooking oil (try olive oil) with lemon juice, and soak your nails. This is a good practice if your nails are dry and brittle, but it’s also a great way to help fix nails that have yellowed.
Hair Lightener: Score dye-free DIY highlights with lemon juice. Apply it before you expose your hair to sunlight to score a sun-kissed color. The lemon juice can also help treat a dry scalp and dandruff, so apply it liberally.
Giving new meaning to the phrase. “When life gives you lemons!” 😏