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recipes

The kitchen is the heart of our dwelling spaces and our yoga practices can take root in the very preparation of a meal. The following offerings of recipes are from my heart to yours and I hope you enjoy them in the best of health.

It has been my aim to create recipes inspired by seasonal foods with omission of dairy, meat, eggs and refined sweeteners. This is not based on a judgement of those ingredients, but simply a reflection of my personal interests and abilities.

Cooking has always been a part of my life and was my first exposure to the heart of yoga. The kitchen was a gathering place and a space to be nourished. My Italian mother and grandparents extensively gardened and delighted in the process of taking something from it’s purist form and shifting it to bring out it’s best qualities was a daily ritual.

I offer my deepest gratitude to my family for exposing me to the passion and integrity of whole foods cooking in this collection of recipes. As my Mom would say, Mangia!

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November 21, 2018

Cast Iron Brussel Sprouts

Got 5 minutes to devote to healthy greens in your life? Try this super quick and sumptuous brussel sprouts. I was inspired by a recipe in Cook's Illustrated that tossed them with romano cheese and lemon. Here it's just olive oil, salt and a fraction of the time it takes to roast in the oven. You get tender sprouts with a crisp edge glistening in their green jackets.

cast iron brussel sprouts
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August 31, 2018

Vegan Brown Rice Sushi (Yasai Maki Sushi)

Sushi is not a health food with all the sugar, simple carbs and traditional western additions like cream cheese and sweet spicy mayo. Swapping brown rice for white rice takes some finesse but it can be done easily at home. Here I've used vegetables you would find in a Japanese maki that we have available at local American groceries. Additional ingredients like pickled daikon, umeboshi paste are excellent additions that can be found at Mitsua or H Mart (Chicagoland) or your favorite Asian grocery.

vegan sushi nori maki umeboshi vinegar
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July 26, 2018

Herb Summer Slaw

It's not clear to me what makes a slaw a slaw other than summertime, shredded cabbage and vinegar. This simple salad is a fresh take on picnic food that is influenced by my recent taste of tabbouleh. Crunchy cabbage takes the place of grain in a traditional tabbouleh. Call it what you want but it's simply delicious.

parsley slaw cabbage mint leaves
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Yamuna's Spinach, Chickpeas and Roasted Tomato One-Pot Meal

Adapted from Yamuna Devi's Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking, I take on a recipe with only the ingredients in my pantry and surprise myself with a fantastic new dish. It might not look like much but it's flavorful and satisfying on a 22 degree night. I leave out the eggplant, replace raw tomatoes for roasted, omit the spicy chilies and cayenne of the original to make it more kid friendly.

vegan Indian food brown basmati spinach garam masala turmeric
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October 16, 2017

Orange Cinnamon Granola

After leading a 3 day retreat in Michigan and spoiled with the delicious foods prepared for us, I came home craving some granola just like we had there. Turns out, I had a very limited pantry and got out my thinking hat to make due with what was around. Much like the retreat taught us, good things come when we open up to being present.

flax almond meal granola orange zest chia
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September 27, 2017

Mermaid Food

It's exhausting trying to get nutrition into my kids that are out in the world, exposed to snacks from big box stores they've never seen now that full-day kindergarten is in session. All it took was a simple name game to get back into a rhythm of asking for homemade snacks. They might not come in a bright package but the name "mermaid food" got them hooked. Better for you and the environment, here's a snack with energy and flavor!

hemp green-powder sesame seeds
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August 30, 2017

Roasted Tomato Chunky Marinara

Finally a year of gardening to put in the books! My tomato harvest has not let up since July and this is one way I have made good use of them. This was born from the necessity for low impact cooking- I did not want to deal with splatters, the time it normally takes to cook tomatoes down before even making your sauce, or standing and stirring often. Here you pretty much toss ingredients on a sheet pan and then into a blender. Use this marinara for your favorite pasta, spread on a pizza or use to swirl your chickpeas in.

roasted tomatoes
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December 7, 2016

Ripe Persimmon and Cranberry Loaf

My food photography needs help but this bread was too delicious to pass up posting. It's NOT vegan but neither am I so you may be in the wrong place. However, it is made with unconventional "flour" and sweeteners. Seriously, let those Fuyu persimmons ripen so much that their skin begins to wrinkle and then chop them up and bake them in this bread. Perfect for late autumn and early winter snacking or light lunch.

persimmon cranberry almond meal garbanzo bean flour
Medium persimmon loaf
August 27, 2014

Peach Cucumber Relish

What's the difference between a salsa, a relish or a sauce? Let's not get to technical. This recipe could apply in a lot of different circumstances on the plate. Basically I had an abundance of cucumbers, kale and peaches (because how can you NOT at this stage of summer) and needed to do something quick!

kale peaches cucumber lime salt
Medium peach relish cover
May 8, 2014

Sesame Kale Macrobiotic Bowl

Here's a Native Foods knock-off for all you fast food lovers who also love easy and at home. The cafe sounds so great: vegan, healthy, and to your table in 8 minutes. But is it actually healthy?

kale tempeh gomashio
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April 8, 2014

Packin' It PB Bar

Grab for on the go, enjoy as an afternoon fuel-up, or share with a toddler. This bar is easy and chock-full of awesome.

puffed millet
Medium packin it peanut butter bar
March 11, 2014

Tempeh Ragu

Kale makes it's way into most things in my kitchen. Currently Whole Foods is claiming collards are the new kale but I am a loyal cooked kale fan so here's yet another easy 1-2-3 recipe to get it in your rotation. To be technical, a ragu is a meat based dish served over pasta. This is a vegetarian spin on a family favorite.

kale tempeh fire roasted tomatoes
Medium tempeh ragu 2
January 8, 2014

Luckiest Hoppin' John

If Hoppin' John is supposed to bring you good luck if you eat it on New Years Day, what kinda luck comes from eating it all month long? Seriously easy dinners that are incredibly scrumptious are in order for a growing family and this vegan Hoppin' John fits the bill.

black-eyed peas miso
Medium luckiest hoppin john3 2
December 16, 2013

Chocolate Bundt

Vegan cake is hard to get right. This cake is deceivingly delicious. Happy Birthday to my Dad and Todd, who are some serious chocolate cake eating people!

vegan frosting chocolate
Medium chocolate cake reprise
November 2013

Fig and Sweet Potato Stuffing

The month of November is one huge taste test for the Thanksgiving holiday. This stuffing recipe is a product of me trying to find ways to insert healthy into glutton fest. It's neither stuffed into a bird nor made of bread crumbs that came out of a box but is full of warm, earthy notes that are satisfying.

figs sweet potatoes holiday cooking
Medium early fall stuffing
October 2013

Pumpkin Puffed Millet Granola

Homemade granola is a cinch to make. Highlighted here is a superfood blend of hemp seeds, raw pepitas and flax seeds with extra cinnamon pumpkin spice. Enjoy by the handful, over Greek yogurt or your favorite vegan version, add some crunch to your coconut ice cream or even over chopped bananas. It's a hit in our home with our toddler. Since some of the chunks are big depending on the size of your layering when you bake them, you might get some nugget sized ones perfect for little hands.

vegan flax pepitas hemp maple syrup
Medium pumpkin puffed millet granola
September 2013

Sunsugar Tomato and Kale Barely Salad

After months of popping the sweetest little tomatoes off the vine we are amazed to still have such an abundance. This vegan grain salad is a reflection of my earnest attempts to get these tomatoes eaten in another creative way. Truly, we've been popping them like grapes but it was time to dress them up rather than cook them down in a frittata. Take advantage of the last remaining weeks of fresh tomatoes and basil coupled with the heartiness of a cooler crop like lacinato kale. Sunsugar are an heirloom variety well suited for urban gardening. Don't fret if you can't find them, just swap it with another fave.

vegan heirloom tomato miso pesto kale umeboshi
Medium sunsugar and barley with miso pesto
August 2013

Peach Pistachio Crumble

August is stone fruit season in the Midwest and we've been finding ways to enjoy our Michigan peaches. Of course, any crumble goes well with a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream/coconut cream so feel free to smatter your crumble with extra goodies.

vegan peaches maple sugar pistachio crumble
Medium peach pistachio crumble
March 2013

Matcha Cake with Azuki Frosting

Matcha is a mellow flavor that is very distinct. In contrast to it's palate pleasing taste it will amp you up if you are sensitive to caffeine. This is a lovely dessert to round out the evening with a warm cup of tea.

matcha okara
Medium greentea cake with azuki frosting
October 2011

Hijiki with Japanese Sweet Potatoes

"O-ishi" is how you say delicious in Japanese. Having lived there for 2 years and deeply studied the science of macrobiotic cooking while there, oishi came out a lot! This recipe highlights one of the most delicious root vegetables I ate there and was delightfully surprised to see these at the Green City Market in Chicago (grown by Nichols Farm and Orchard) and seasonally at Whole Foods. This recipe is a great segway in to cooking Japanese food without cane sugar and moving into more nutritious varieties of seaweed.

satsumaimo japanese sweet potato hijiki
Medium hijki 2
August 2011

Forbidden Rice and Shiitake Burgers

Mana Food Bar across from Yogaview on Division Street is by far one of my most favorite vegetarian restaurants. They emphasis vegetables in their dishes rather than meat-friendly copycats, which I find delightful. Their sliders could easily be the most delectable recipe of my collection of faux-Mana recipes.

burgers forbidden rice mushrooms
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March 2011

Kabocha, Cauliflower and Green Pea Curry

Kabocha squash is a hard squash that I had the delight of enjoying in Japan, as it is a Japanese squash. Luckily they are grown in Wisconsin and end up in the Whole Foods' squash bins. This squash is enormously different than an acorn squash and is an exquisite addition to your cold weather cooking.

vegan curry kabocha squash
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July 2010

Summer Arame Salad

Sea vegetables are high in iron and a great addition to a salad where the dressing compliments their inherent coastal flavor. Try arame in this summer salad and you might not even know you are eating seaweed but you still get to absorb all their healthful benefits.

kale arame shiso
Medium arame summer salad

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