Tag Archives: food

Oct9

Mung Bean Sprouts

Posted on October 9, 2013 by lstrachtman

The first time I sprouted beans was more than a year ago. I was invited to a raw food potluck by my friend Eileen. I didn’t know a thing about raw food, but being the curious foodie yoga girl that I am, I started doing some reading and playing in the kitchen. Since that time, I’ve had a lot of fun discovering raw food techniques and recipes.

So I dabble in raw food…eating it mostly for breakfast and lunch and having cooked food for dinner. This works for me. Raw food consists of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds that have not been cooked at a temperature higher than 115-118 degrees. It is nutrient dense food that tends to be more bioavailable, that is, more easily absorbed, into our system.

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Oct3

Roasted Pumpkin Wild Rice + Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Posted on October 3, 2013 by lstrachtman

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Hello jeans! Hello crisp air! Hello October! I have a fondness for the Fall. Although the leaves don’t actually change colors here in Houston until closer to December, we still have a change of seasons. And for me that means one important thing: comfort food.

I’m a complete sucker for the pumpkin displays at the grocery store. So the other day I picked up a little pie pumpkin and decided to roast it and serve it with simple wild rice pilaf. I came up with the pesto idea when I was cleaning up the seeds. It’s really nice to use the entire vegetable.

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Sep30

Casa De Luz Sun Cheese

Posted on September 30, 2013 by lstrachtman

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Just got back from a week-long Ashtanga training in Austin, Texas. Got to study with David Swenson and his wife Shelley Washington. David wrote the book on Ashtanga yoga that we used in my 200-hour training. It was an honor and privilege to spend time with him. David brings an amazing depth of knowledge and a delightful sense of humor to his teaching.

There were nearly 50 students in our class. I walked in not knowing a single person and left with several special friends. Yoga has a funny way of doing that. One night a group of us went to Casa De Luz for dinner. It’s a macrobiotic, vegan, gluten-free, seasonal, locally-sourced, organic restaurant. I’ve never been anywhere like it. Not far from downtown Austin, but it feels like it’s a world away.

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Sep18

Lots of Veggies Sushi Rolls

Posted on September 18, 2013 by lstrachtman

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When I was in yoga teacher training, veggie sushi saved my life. I would come home late, tired and hungry after a long day of practicing yoga. Although I was super hungry, really the only thing I wanted was vegetable sushi rolls…a little seaweed salad was okay too. I’m not sure I can explain this, looking back. Maybe it was the salty taste from the nori and soy sauce. Maybe it was the fact that sushi rolls can be light and filling at the same time. For me, it was a craving that could not be denied.

On these evenings, I usually had rolls from my favorite asian restaurant or really I was not that picky, grocery store sushi was fine too. But now that I have a little more time, I really like making my own rolls. And what’s fun is that I get to come up with weird combinations that I wish I could find on a menu but I never can, like mango/cucumber.

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Sep15

Black-Eyed Pea Stew + GF Vegan Biscuits

Posted on September 15, 2013 by lstrachtman

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I almost never eat black-eyed peas (except for good luck on New Year’s day) and now I am wondering why. Because they are SO flipping awesome. Like other beans, there are a great source of protein for a vegan or vegetarian diet. And they have a mild almost sweet flavor.

The inspiration for this recipe came from Chloe’s Kitchen, one of my all time favorite vegan cookbooks. Her recipe is called Southern Skillet Black-Eyed Peas with Quick Buttery Biscuits. It’s a winner of a recipe. I played with it a bit. Changed some of the veggies and spices. Added butternut squash, carrots and turnips. The result is the perfect fall stew with a little twist.

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Sep4

Fresh Fig + Rosemary Focaccia (gluten-free)

Posted on September 4, 2013 by lstrachtman

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When we moved to Houston three years ago, we planted a fig tree in the backyard. Planting a tree is such a hopeful act. Will it take root? Is it in the right spot? Will it flourish and grow?

Well our little tree has tripled in size since we planted it. However, for the first two years the figs it produced tasted terrible. Really awful. Like nobody wants to eat these things. I tried roasting them and tossing them with honey, which helped a little but not much.

Something special happened this season. Bam! The figs are awesome. They are so sweet and taste wonderful. I love going out into the backyard and finding the ripe ones and twisting them off the branches.

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Aug30

Cactus Tostadas + Prickly Pear Salsa

Posted on August 30, 2013 by lstrachtman

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Okay, this one is a little out there. I get it. But it’s so fun and different that I had to share. So I mentioned recently that I took a little field trip to my local hispanic market, Mi Tienda, which is owned by the supermarket chain, HEB.

So for my Houston friends, if you haven’t been here, think about checking it out. There is fun music the minute you walk through the entrance and an agua fresca/horchata bar and fresh tortillas and a huge bakery area and a cactus kiosk. Yes, a whole section of the store devoted to Nopal cactus!

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Aug22

Broccoli Pasta + Vegan Béchamel Sauce

Posted on August 22, 2013 by lstrachtman

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Learning how to make sauces was one of my favorite things about going to culinary school. It’s sort of art and science in action. You take all these ingredients, combine them in a specific and careful way and the result is something kind of incredible.

Of course, most of the sauces I learned had heavy cream, butter and/or eggs. All things that I don’t eat anymore. But now I just apply the techniques and make healthier versions of the same thing.

Béchamel is one of the five mother sauces. It’s basically a white sauce and you can flavor it anyway you like. For my version, I used Earth Balance and olive oil instead of butter; gluten-free flour in place of white flour; and almond milk for cow’s milk. Sounds like some major substitutions, I know, but it works.

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Aug19

Zucchini Cashew Burgers + Lemon Aioli

Posted on August 19, 2013 by lstrachtman

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Love to make veggie burgers. Love to eat veggie burgers. So happy when I come up with a new way to make veggie burger night just a little different. And think it’s super fun to get my hands mushy by shaping patties.

Sounds like I have a crush on veggie burgers. Well maybe I do. They are awesome, you know. But finding a good recipe isn’t always easy. I’ve definitely met some duds. That’s for sure.

Wouldn’t normally think about lemon in a veggie burger, but it’s a nice addition that makes this version really kind of perfect for a summertime meal on the patio. You can throw this together in no time. Just whiz everything in the food processor, shape and saute. Easy breezy.

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Jul17

Spaghetti Squash Pancakes + Fresh Tomato Sauce

Posted on July 17, 2013 by lstrachtman

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Ever just crave spaghetti squash? I do. It’s not something I eat all the time, but when I’m in the mood, it’s the best. Usually I steam it and serve it with a marinara sauce loaded with vegetables. That’s exactly what I did this week. But I had quite a bit of squash leftover, so I decided to make pancakes the second night.

I made a fresh tomato sauce to go on top. I love making this in the summer with yummy fresh tomatoes and basil. I made it first so the tomatoes could marinate while I made the squash pancakes. I sauteed some fresh spinach and made a balsamic reduction also. Sounds like a lot of steps, but it really was easy.

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