Cilantro-Ginger Baked Tilapia By Josh
May 25, 2012 by The Dove
(adapted from thekitchn.com)
1lb tilapia fillets
3 garlic cloves, mashed + 2 cloves reserved
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger + ½ Tbsp reserved
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup white grape juice + ½ tsp apple cider/rice wine vinegar OR ¼ cup chicken/vegetable broth
2 Tbsp Bragg’s Aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp coconut nectar, raw agave, or raw honey
Optional: 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
sea salt and black pepper
Additional scallions and cilantro for garnish
I’ve been eating a lot of tofu and tempeh and such lately, and I figured it was about time for animal protein. I absolutely love fish (sushi is a comfort food for me), and I’m always looking for new healthy, delicious, and creative ways to cook it. I usually have tilapia breaded, so I was excited to try something new.
Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
Pat fish filets dry with paper towel. Season with a healthy dash of sea salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and set in a baking dish. Combine all ingredients (including jalapeno, if desired) in a food prep or blender. Pour marinade over fish, massaging a little. Garnish fish with reserved garlic and ginger, and allow it to marinate for 20 minutes. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Be sure not to overcook—it will become dry and bland. Err on the 8 minutes side. Serve with a garnish of chopped cilantro and scallions. Enjoy.
Veriditas Botanicals Therapeutic Essential Oils
May 25, 2012 by The Dove
Melissa Farris attended the California School of Herbal Studies in Sonoma County, California over a decade ago, and has never looked back with her medicine making ever since! She now owns www.VeriditasBotanicals.com which is an entirely organic line of therapeutic blends of essential oils. They smell amazing! Plus they actually work.
Essential oils are very precious remedies for our bodies and spirits. The sense of smell is evocative, supportive, and cleansing for the emotions as well. Synthetic scents, although initially pleasurable, are generally neurotoxic. Her natural combos are wisely constructed to work on common health challenges like eczema, sinus congestion, and menstrual cramps. The Mayo Clinic is currently doing case studies on three of the Veriditas Wellness Formulas.
Out of a concern for the earth all herbs used to make the oils are grown without pesticides, and the oils are free of adulterants. This is important as well because what we put on our skin gets absorbed into our bodies. Melissa says, “We believe that when we support small organic farms we are taking a revolutionary stand to promote healing of our bodies, the earth, and local economies.”
The oils are reasonably priced, considering the quality and effectiveness, and available online or at select
health food stores!
Wilted Kale Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing By Josh
May 24, 2012 by The Dove
(Adapted from Russell James)
Salad:
1 head of dino (black) kale
¼ tsp sea salt
½ cup cherry tomatoes
¼ raw sunflower (or hemp) seeds
A few grinds of black pepper
Dressing:
1 small avocado or ½ a medium avocado
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cumin
½ Tbsp Bragg’s Aminos (or tamari, or low-sodium soy sauce)
½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp tahini
1-2 tsp coconut nectar (or raw agave, or raw honey)
Last night I developed a craving for raw kale salad, but I wanted something different and more interesting than the typical tahini-lemon-soy dressing that I usually default to. I took raw chef Russell James’ recipe as inspiration and changed up the dressing.
First, wash the kale. De-stem it, and chop into smaller strips. Place in a bowl, and add the sea salt. Massage kale thoroughly until it wilts, and looks tender. Add in tomatoes and seeds.
Place all dressing ingredients into a blender (or use a whisk), and mix well.
Spoon dressing into salad, grinds in pepper, and mix everything together thoroughly. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes or so before eating.
Easy Raw Pumpkin Pie Pudding By Josh
May 23, 2012 by The Dove
(adapted from pure2raw.com)
Makes 2 servings
Pudding:
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 – 2 large Medjool dates, pitted (to taste)
¼ – ½ cup Irish moss paste
¼ unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or water—add 1 tsp vanilla)
1/8 – ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/8 – ¼ tsp cinnamon
Crumble Topping:
¼ almond meal (bought, or grind almonds in blender yourself)
1 large Medjool date, pitted
½ Tbsp golden flax seed
This is something quick and easy that I whipped up over the weekend, based on a recipe by the Pure2Raw.com twins (check out their site; they have some really fantastic and creative raw/vegan dessert recipes). I’m a huge fan of anything pumpkin, especially pumpkin pie. This is a great little way to satisfy that holiday craving…
The more Irish moss paste you use, the thicker it will be—feel free to experiment with different amounts. Be careful, though—too much can dull the flavor of the pudding.
Also, use less almond milk/water if you want a thicker pudding.
To prepare the crumble topping, pulse ingredients in blender only until chopped. You want the consistency to be a crumble, not a paste.
Divide pudding into two ramekins, and sprinkle crumble over the top.
Chill in fridge for an hour, and enjoy.
“Real Food Daily” Review By Josh
May 14, 2012 by The Dove
Sea Cake
The Club Wrap
Sea Cake Benedict
Rating (out of 4 stars): ***
Food: ***
Value: ***
Ambience: ***
This was actually the second time I’d eaten at Real Food Daily; I just forgot to take pictures the first time around. So, this will be kind of a composite review.
The first time, I went with a good friend. It was a Saturday night, though the wait was surprisingly short—about 10 minutes. The atmosphere instantly hit me as cozy and welcoming, with warm colors and genuinely friendly staff. We were seated, and our server immediately greeted us with suggestions and his personal favorites (which is something I often like to ask servers about). We ordered the “sea cake” as an appetizer (Butternut squash, yam and sea vegetable croquette, pesto, sweet chili aioli), and I ordered the “club wrap” (Seitan, tempeh bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, vegenaise, spinach tortilla). The appetizer came promptly. It was absolutely delicious. It actually reminded me of something my mom might have made for me growing up—so, I was instantly won over. It was perfectly sweet and savory, and starchy in the best way possible, crusted with a combination of herbs.
The Club Wrap was even better than I had expected. I’m pretty young to the world of vegan food, and this was my first brush with both seitan and tempeh. I was far from disappointed. The seitan was incredibly flavorful, with a pleasant texture. The tempeh bacon actually tasted like real bacon! It was very filling, and I saved my second half for a high-protein post-workout snack.
The second time I went, it was for brunch, and I ordered the “Sea Cake Benedict.” Basically just two delicious sea cakes over tofu, tempeh bacon, and spinach, with a corn hollandaise. It was the best breakfast I have had in a while. I would definitely love to return for brunch, and spend some quality time with their almond-flour waffles or pancakes. Yum.
Breakdown :
Food: Fantastic. Delicious, creative, fresh, and nutritious vegan dishes. Plentiful portions. Menu has a great selection of vegan adaptations of non-vegan meals. A vegan joint for foodies.
Value: Very reasonable, but not “cheap”… but totally worth the price.
Ambience: Cozy and colorful, homey. Not too loud.
Verdict: This a new go-to place for me—I can’t wait to go back.
