Cleansing and Mending

April 1, 2013 By LivToEat Leave a Comment

I won’t go into the reasons why I haven’t posted in awhile, but they are good ones, I promise. I blame school and it is doing a nice job of filling up my time, which leaves little to no time to write blog posts! On a happy note,my hard work has paid off and I have been accepted into Virginia Tech for this coming fall! I am so stoked and equally scared at the same time. It’s a bummer to have to move and leave all the things I have come to love in Charlottesville, but Blacksburg, Va here I come.

On a completely separate topic, I have been thinking about doing another 3-day juice cleanse mainly because I have been feeling bloated and have put on some weight. I’m going to wait until after finals to do it since I like to pair it with lots of yoga and meditation, and well school is the complete opposite.

Although I eat healthy and exercise about 3 times a week, the injury to my left shin is still bothering me, even after 4 months. After countless doctor appointments, x-rays,and MRIs, I am finally doing physical therapy and hopefully it will do the trick. So since I have been injured for over 4 months now, that means 4+months of no running/ any kind activity that involves repetitive pounding of my feet. I have to say it has been an extremely humbling experience. I used to think that if I missed one day of working out I’d be doomed forever. Rest is good, and now I am ready to get back to it, especially since it’s hiking season!!!

On Saturday I was feeling snacky (real word? Probably not but I’m using it anyway ) so instead of eating an entire bag of tortilla chips (I have been craving these recently), I made a green juice. This is not a “normal” green juice recipe since I was trying to use the last of my veggies. Let me know what you think!

Don’t mind the A&P flashcards and dirty desk in the background

The Greenest of Green Juices

A great juice to make when you need a boost of caffeine-free energy. Also a great way to use up those veggies in your fridge!

Makes: 4 cups

3 Large collard green leaves, stalks and all

2 Broccoli stems, cut into 1″ rounds

1 Head of celery

1 Large unpeeled cucumber, cut into about 4 pieces

1 Large apple, cut into 4 pieces (do not remove core or seeds)

1 Inch piece of ginger

1 Large orange, peel removed

Instructions:

Prepare all ingredients and run through juicer. At the end squeeze bag full of juice pulp to make sure all the juice has been extracted. I use a mesh paint strainer bag that I bought at the hardware store for under $1 and it works great!

Until next time…

Filed Under: Breakfast, Dinner, Gluten Freedom, Meat-free, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: cleanse, Gluten Free, Green Juice, juicing, Snack

Balancing Act

February 9, 2013 By LivToEat Leave a Comment

As you can probably tell, I have not been posting very often lately. I won’t go into all of the details, but working two jobs and going to school full-time might have a little something to do with it Today, I decided to leave one of my jobs so that I can focus more on my studying and my sanity! I would also MUCH rather be experimenting with recipes, writing blog posts, or finding gluten free dishes to try at local restaurants. Believe me. That will happen in the future and in the meantime I will post as frequently as possible. I read many blogs per day and I am in awe of the bloggers who not only have a full-time job, they also have a family AND they write a blog post every day. Impressive!

Onto the food. I am totally, absolutely obsessed with all things basil. I just can’t get enough, so when I saw the large container of organic basil at Trader Joe’s today, I knew I needed to make something with it, not knowing exactly what until I got home. Pestooooo! Turns out there was no parmesan in the fridge and no pine nuts in the pantry (too expensive!), so I got creative. This recipe will most likely be added to my weekly rotation of meals.

{Vegan} Cashew Pesto

Cashew Pesto

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Olivia

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 4

Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Yeast-free, Corn-free, Grain-free, Egg-Free deliciousness. Serve on toast, over pasta, or on a sandwich for a flavorful addition to any meal!

Ingredients

1½ cups fresh basil leaves
1½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
4 cloves garlic
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil (Or less for thicker pesto)
¾ cup raw, unsalted cashews

Instructions

Add basil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic cloves, salt, and cashews to a food processor or high-speed blender.
Process until chopped.
With blade running, add olive oil until desired consistency.

Feel free to replace the cashews for other nuts or to add parmesan cheese for a more traditional pesto.

Time for a nap!

Filed Under: Dinner, Gluten Freedom, Meat-free, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: basil, cashews, Gluten Free, italian, no-cook, pesto, Vegan

Snow (Rainy) Day Carrot Ginger Soup

January 17, 2013 By LivToEat Leave a Comment

After hearing the word “snow” on the news, I immediately started doing an imaginary little jig. I have been the most snow-deprived this year than I have ever been, so after hearing the weatherman calling for 6-8″ of snow, thoughts of hot chocolate, soup, and movies took over. This may be due to the fact that I purchased my first pair of skis and boots, or that I just got back from skiing at Snowshoe Resort in West Virginia, however I’m itching to get back out on a mountain.

Snow has always brought about feelings of comfort, some of my best memories coming from snow storms and rigorous days of sledding. Since this is a blog about food I will share a recipe that will warm anyone up from the frigid temperatures outside (please get colder outside so this rain can turn into snow!!)

Anyone remember that Campbell’s soup commercial that ran during the winter months when a snowman melted into a child after eating chicken noodle soup? Loved that one. Ok here’s the recipe:

Easy Carrot Ginger Soup

8 large carrots cut in thirds and then in half (or however you like in order to steam evenly)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups veggie or chicken broth or more, if needed
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt
pepper

Directions

Cut carrots and steam for 5-7 mins, or until tender. In a separate pan heat coconut oil, add onions and garlic. Cook until slighly brown and translucent. Measure broth in high speed blender (I used a Vita-mix, but food processors and other blenders will work), add carrots and onion mixture. Start off at a slow speed and gradually increase. Add spices and ginger, run until smooth. I served this with a dollop of greek yogurt, which was divine!

Ok, back to filling out college transfer applications and studying!

Filed Under: Dinner, Gluten Freedom, Soup Tagged With: carrot, ginger, Gluten Free, Soup

Tuscan Bean and Kale Soup

October 30, 2012 By LivToEat Leave a Comment

Well since it seems as if we completely skipped Fall and went straight into winter here in Virginia, I deemed it necessary to make a big ol’ pot of warm-you-from-the-inside-out soup. I knew it had to include kale because of this MASSIVE bunch I found at our local farmer’s market.

It takes up half of my fridge.

Ok, now for the recipe. I had to improvise a little since I only had 1 can of chickpeas and 1 can of cannellini beans, yet it turned out delicious! (My apologies for the horrific photo…it was a very dreary day so natural light photography was out of the question)

Tuscan Bean and Kale Soup

4-6 servings

5 Garlic cloves, minced

1 Whole medium onion, chopped,

2 Cans of cannellini beans (I used one can cannellini + 1 can of chickpeas since that’s all I had)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 Cup tomato sauce

1 Large 28oz. can diced tomatoes

6 Cups low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock for a vegetarian version

1 Bunch of kale

Handful of fresh sage, basil, oregano, and parsley (or 1 tsp of dried, each)

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add onions and garlic, cook for 3-4 minutes. Add tomato sauce and chili flakes and cook for an additional minute.

Add canned tomatoes and herbs. Drain and rinse beans and add to the pot. Pour in chicken stock. Stir and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste

Rinse kale and tear into bite-size pieces. Add to the pot and allow to simmer and additional 5 minutes. Add any additional seasonings.

Enjoy!

I hope everyone is safe after Hurricane Sandy. The wind is still a blowin’ here in central Virginia, but nothing in comparison to up north. Warm (soup) thoughts to everyone.

Filed Under: Dinner, Gluten Freedom, Soup, Vegetarian Tagged With: beans, Gluten Free, Kale, Soup

Pumpkin Chai Spiced Granola

October 9, 2012 By LivToEat Leave a Comment

Whenever I have the excuse to use pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, etc. I do. It may be one of the main reasons why I love Fall. The leaves changing colors and the crisp, cool air isn’t so bad either

I went to the grocery store and promptly bought 6 cans of pumpkin. If you are a fellow pumpkin lover, then you remember a couple of winters ago when there was a pumpkin SHORTAGE! I don’t want to take any chances. I am also a Chai lover and If you knew me in high school, then you know I had an addiction to Starbucks’ Chai Tea Lattes. That’s how this recipe came to be.

So, instead of tending to some important homework, I made this:

Pumpkin Chai Spiced Granola

1/3 cup (canned) pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling

2 tbsp melted coconut oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

3 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats

1/3 cup unsalted sunflower seeds

1/3 cups raisins

1/3 cup sliced almonds

pinch of salt

1 tbsp or more of chai spice* see recipe below

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300°F, making sure rack is positioned in the middle
Combine pumpkin, maple syrup, coconut oil, chai spice, and salt
Combine oats, sunflower seeds, and almonds
Mix together wet and dry ingredients
Spread mixture in a single layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 40-45 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes **Watch it towards the end to make sure it doesn’t burn!
Once the granola is cool, add raisins
Store in an airtight container

Homemade Chai Spice

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1tbsp ground cloves

1tbsp ground cardamom

1/2 tbsp ground coriander

1/2 tbsp ground ginger

1 tsp groung white pepper

pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients and shake! Store in an airtight container. Use in any recipe that calls for fall flavor.

All this talk of Chai brings me back to the short couple of years I spent at Hebrew school. Whenever I read ‘Chai’ on a package, I laugh a little. It’s sort of fitting, really. Chai in Hebrew means life and my life wouldn’t be complete with Chai!

I think pistachio chai muffins will be my next chai adventure…

Filed Under: Breakfast, Gluten Freedom Tagged With: Chai, Gluten Free, Granola

My Monthly Dose of Free Food

October 1, 2012 By LivToEat 1 Comment

Reasons to dislike the end of the month: rent and bills are due. Reasons to love the end of the month: foodie pen pals packages arrive! Here’s what I received this month…

Sami from New York sent me this wonderful package surprisingly filled with many GF products I have never tried! Love when I get to try new ones. Right after I snapped this picture I opened the bag of popped corn chips. They taste like popcorn in the shape of a chip.

I can’t wait to melt some cheese on these or go the sweet route and sprinkle some cinnamon-sugar on them. This is the best part:

Look at those stats! Compared to other chips, these are low in calories and fat, which means I can eat more of them! Also, take a look at the ingredient list. 3 ingredients. Can’t beat that.

I’ll let you know how the other products are once I taste them. I have been super busy lately! Ever since the new semester started I have hardly found time to cook and blog as much as I would like to I may not be posting as much, but I think once I get used to my new schedule I will figure out a nice balance.

So on Saturday my friend wanted to make a new drink and after looking online for a little, we settled on Moscow Mules. Although we were without the chilled copper cups, they still tasted mighty fine in big ol’ mason jars.

These are super easy to make.

Moscow Mule

1/2 oz. lime juice
2 oz. Vodka
4 to 6 oz. Ginger Beer

Mix all ingredients together and throw a piece of lime in there. If I planned well, I would have chilled the ginger beer and the vodka, but I didn’t, so I added some ice cubes.

These may have gone down a little too easy…

Happy October! If you would like to be a part of Foodie Penpals, click the button below!

Filed Under: Gluten Freedom Tagged With: Fall, Foodie Penpals, Gluten Free, Vodka

(Happy) Celiac Awareness Day

September 13, 2012 By LivToEat Leave a Comment

I don’t know if ‘happy’ is the right word, or if celiac disease should be celebrated, but what should be celebrated is the greater awareness this disease has gained over the past few years. I meet less and less people who have no idea what this issue is and this makes it easier to eat out. September 13 has been chosen for this day to honor Dr.Gee, who was the first doctor to identify the link between celiac disease and diet. Many people have better lives because of this man, including myself.

It just so happened the other night I headed into the Charlottesville, Va Whole Foods to pick up a few things and I stumbled across a few new additions to their gluten-free beer and cider inventory!

Here’s the new Crispin Cider! I am a huge fan of this stuff, mostly because I dislike sweet ciders and this one is super dry! Can you tell I get excited when I can add more variety to my food/drink options? Here’s how their website explains this cider, “A lightly sparking, crisply effervescent cider made with traditional English bittersweet cider apples sourced in the Malvern Hills of Worcestershire. Dark straw in appearance with a semi-brilliant richness. The slight brettanomyces aroma lends to an almost traditional farmhouse cider bouquet. Soft, subtle natural apple sweetness up front, brett & tannins mid-palate move in to a slightly woody dry lingering finish.”

Here’s an old favorite. If you haven’t tried Estrella Damm Duara yet, treat yourself to one tonight. **There is a very small amount (we are talking parts per billion here) of gluten, so some people who are SUPER sensitive cannot tolerate this option.

I was probably most sad about giving up beer and good quality IPAs when I found out I needed to stop eating gluten. Dogfish Head was one of my favorite breweries and here is a gluten-free option as one of their seasonal beers! It was pretty tasty, but would have liked it if there was a more hoppy flavor to it.

This will be the next GF beer I try. I hear good things, now to just wait until the weekend…

Have you tried any awesome gluten-free beers or ciders? Which do you prefer?

Filed Under: Gluten Freedom, The Ville Tagged With: beer, Gluten Free

Patience to Chew

August 31, 2012 By LivToEat Leave a Comment

If you’ve read my blog before, then you know that I get really excited when I receive my monthly Food Penpals shipment. Each month I get paired with a foodie somewhere in the U.S., and after a little communication they send me a package full of things they believe I will enjoy.

This month was a little different because the day I received the package, also happened to be DAY 2 of my juice cleanse. Just the thought of food made me salivate like one of Pavlov’s dogs. I of course could not wait to open it until after the juice cleanse, so I made a promise to myself that I WOULD wait to eat any of the goodies until after the cleanse was absolutely, positively complete. I was successfull, but I can’t say it was easy.

Heres what Maggie from Georgia sent me:

Maggie and I sent a few emails back and forth, finding out that she studied what I am studying right now, which is nutrition. She was so sweet to send a few pointers my way and I will definitely keep them in mind throughout my journey in school! (Thanks Maggie ) Ok, so back to the food.

Raw Revolution Bar- Loved how this bar is packed with greens, yet tastes like a tropical smoothie.

Lucy’s Gluten Free Cinnamon Thing Cookies- These cookies are crisp and buttery…mmm

Quick Gravy- It is so hard to find ready to make Gluten Free Gravy. I am looking forward to giving this a try, it might become a staple in my pantry if all goes well…

Fruit and Nut Delight KIND Bar- I live off these things. Perfect for an afternoon snack or throw it in your day pack for a hike.

Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix- Oh my god. I have been meaning to try this mix for years now! It is sooooo good! I will be buying a big bag of this stuff soon.

Jennie’s Macaroons- I adore coconut, so I am sure i’ll enjoy this.

Fruit Snacks from Starbucks- Why don’t all fruit snacks taste and have the texture of these? If you are in a Starbucks, make sure to pick up a bag.

Two Moms in the Raw Gojiberry Granola- This was my favorite item Maggie sent me. As you can tell from the picture I couldn’t wait to eat it before taking a picture. This was the first solid food I ate after my cleanse. I felt it was a good introduction to solid food for my body since it was sprouted and raw. It just so happened that it was also DELICIOUS. I am now determined to make my own version of this baby.

Although, I was not able to crack open all these goodies right when I received my package, the wait was definitely worth it.

Want to be a Foodie Penpal? Here are the guidelines:

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.

Click the button below!

Filed Under: Gluten Freedom Tagged With: breakfast, cleanse, Foodie Penpals, Gluten Free

The Longest Three Days of My Life

August 21, 2012 By LivToEat Leave a Comment

Cucumber, spinach, parsley,and apple

Last week I did a 3 day juice cleanse. I purchased over $60 worth of fruit and vegetables, then ran them through my juicer to create 5 different concoctions. For three days I drank 16 oz. of fresh juice, every 2 hours.

Day One

I wasn’t hungry, which totally surprised me. I think it had to do with the fact that my body was not used to drinking that many fluid ounces in one day.
I REALLY missed the act of chewing. Drinking my calories felt so foreign to me.
I was unable to partake in the mindless eating/snacking I ordinarily do, and this made me present to just how much of that I do.

Day Two

When I woke up I was hungry and the thought of drinking a juice mad me a little upset
I turned on a yoga Dvd instead of heading to the gym, since my energy level was low.
I had not slept well at all due to my skin feeling like it had bugs crawling all over. I later found out this was my body detoxing from my skin.

Day Three

This was by far the hardest day. All I wanted to do was simply eat a salad. It wasn’t like I was craving a cheeseburger or some pizza. I just wanted to chew!
There were at least 5 times throughout the day when I contemplated quitting. Instead, I called a couple of friends and they talked me out of it.
By 5 pm I was pretty out of it. I felt tired, angry, sad, happy… It was weird. So I ate a salad along with having the last juice of the day

The Verdict

This cleanse was something I had been meaning to do for probably three years now. I am very glad I did it, and do not regret it at all. One of my main reasons for doing this cleanse was to see if I could get rid of some yeast/ my complexion . Little white bumps started popping up above my eyebrows, on my cheeks, and on my chin. After the three days there was definitely a noticeable difference!

I lost 5 pounds. My intentions for this cleanse had nothing to do with losing weight, but I have to admit losing the 5 pounds I gained on my trip to Maine this summer felt great. I have gained back 2 pounds since the cleanse, but that is expected.

My digestion system was super happy to have a break. I feel like I pressed the reset switch. I’ve tried countless probiotics, drank slippery elm bark, Metamucil, grown my own kefir grains, ate bunches of kale at a time… and this has worked the best. Finally.

I plan on incorporating fresh juice into the first half of the day, so a juice with breakfast and lunch.

In all, if you have been contemplating doing a cleanse or you think you may benefit from one, please do it! I have no idea why it took me this long to go through with it. The juicing is time consuming and it takes some planning to travel throughout your day with juice. If this sounds like too much, I have a solution. A good friend of mine owns Catalyst Cleanse, a company that will ship you juices, all you have to do is open one up every two hours and drink!

Happy (Gluten-Free) Juicing! Feel free to comment below with any questions

Filed Under: Gluten Freedom, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: cleanse, juicing

Summa Summa Summa Summa-time

August 14, 2012 By LivToEat Leave a Comment

Sometimes I don’t feel like cooking, and that’s not really a good way to feel when you have a cooking blog. So, the other night I decided to try to make one of my favorite Thai appetizers. Fresh Spring Rolls. I loved these things before I started eating a gluten-free diet, but now I love them even more because I CAN eat them. Simple, fresh ingredients+peanut butter+ soy sauce+ fresh herbs= don’t make too many or you will eat them all.

Fresh Thai Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

These rolls are made with just a few simple ingredients and make a perfect dinner/appetizer on a summer night when it’s just too hot to turn the oven on. Prep time: 15-20 mins Cook time: 0 mins Serves: 2

Ingredients:

6 rice paper wrappers (I bought for like 2 dollars at my local asian market)
3 carrots, julienned or just do your best to cut into thin pieces
1 cucumber seeded, skinned, and cut into matchstick pieces
1 mango sliced thinly
1 avocado sliced into thin, long pieces
2 romaine pieces, only use the tops
Handful of basil and mint leaves

Sauce:
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp Gluten-Free Soy Sauce, I like to use this one
2 tbsp PB2
1 tbsp Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Rice Vinegar
1 tsp Maple Syrup

Instructions:

1. Cut carrots, cucumber, avocado, mango, and lettuce into pieces and set aside

2. Fill a skillet or a plate that has sides with warm water. Place one wrapper into warm water for about 30 seconds, or until soft.

3. On a clean cutting board place soft rice wrapper down. Layer 4-5 carrot matchsticks, then cucumber, mango, avocado, mint, basil, and lettuce.

4. Begin to roll up like a burrito or sushi, making sure it is pretty tight. Fold sides in along the way.

5. Continue same process with remaining ingredients. Cut rolls in half 6. To prepare the sauce: Grate ginger and squeeze juice into a small bowl. Add GF soy sauce, PB2, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and maple syrup. Whisk until incorporated. Serve on the side.

*I made this entire recipe and saved half for lunch the next day. They were still delicious and refreshing.

*Feel free to use other vegetables for a different combination of flavors, or add vermicelli rice noodles for a more traditional fresh spring roll. Like I said, these make a delicious lunch. Recognize the book? It is one of my favorite childhood books, so it was the perfect gift for the 9 year old I nanny for. Hopefully she finds the time travel and the alternate view of the universe intriguing like I did!

A Me Update: Last week was my birthday, which turned out to be such a wonderful week. Not only did my friends and I go out to celebrate on Wednesday, we also went out on Saturday. I’m still recovering. When I arrived to work on Wednesday, I walked into Hannah (11) and Shelby (9) playing The Beatles’ “Birthday” song on the laptop while a line of homemade GLUTEN FREE cupcakes were aglow with candles. Their hand-drawn birthday cards actually made me cry, they were more than sweet.

In addition to being one year older and definitely a little wiser, I recently have and will be doing a lot of new things …keeps things interesting!

I ate deer (vension) for the first time ever. Was actually pretty good!

Made mojitos from scratch and fresh mint with my friend Jerad!

I CANNOT wait to see The Lumineers and Old Crow Medicine Show this Sunday, so much so that I wish every person I love was going to be there too because then, my life would be complete.

Damn straight.

Next Post: I have decided to take a break from eating and do a 3-Day juice cleanse. Not really good for a food blooger, I know, but I will explain why and how in a couple of days…Wish me luck

Filed Under: Gluten Freedom, Meat-free, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: appetizer, Gluten Free, no-cook, peanut, spring rolls, summer, thai

Cleansing and Mending

The Greenest of Green Juices

Balancing Act

{Vegan} Cashew Pesto

Snow (Rainy) Day Carrot Ginger Soup