Okay, I am disclosing the recipe for my magical smoothies. I enjoy these bad boys most days of the week because 1. I am usually on the “run” moving from patient to patient, and/or shuffling my kids around to and from activities (activities I am usually involved in), 2. I need something to provide the most nutrition possible in a form that is acceptable to consume when in my office, and 3. I cannot afford to skip meals, or I will hit a wall and pass out. If you have trouble with bowel movements and don’t go after a day or 2 of these, then you need to seek out the help of a professional.
Ingredients
1 cup of unsweetened plant based milk such as unsweetened almond milk.
1 cup of water
2 tbsp or 14 grams of ground flax seeds
20 grams worth of plant based protein powder such as Garden of Like Sport (my favorite)
2.5-5gm of amla powder (2-3 times per week)
1 serving of any variety of frozen berries
1 serving of other frozen fruit (e.g. mango, pineapple, cherries or banana)
Directions
Place all ingredients in a decent grade blender (I am partial to my Blentec) and blend together on the smoothie setting. Enjoy!
Everyone loves brown sauce. Okay, maybe not everyone, but I bet many of you do. This is my go to recipe for a fast meal that (usually) has enough leftovers for 2-3 people the next day. Don't like tofu? Feel free to substitute any protein source you prefer or just add more broccoli. You can even add other vegetables such as carrots or mushrooms. Really no rules for this one. Measurements of the vegetables and protein sources do not need to be exact.
Ingredients
3 packages of firm tofu, sliced lengthwise into 4 long slices, then down the middle of the block, continuing to slice until you reach approximately 1/2 inch pieces
10 cups of frozen broccoli florets (1/2 large bag of organic broccoli from a warehouse store)
2 tbsp of any neutral flavored oil (e.g. avocado oil, but canola will do)
2 small onions, chopped (comes out to about 1 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped garlic (if you have a garlic press, even better)
2 tbsp grated ginger (peel can be included, just make sure to scrub well)
4 cups of vegetable broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey (rice syrup or sugar works too)
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp of arrowroot (or cornstarch) mixed in 2-3 tbsp of cold water
1 tbsp Siracha (optional, I leave this out and just add to my plate)
Prepared brown rice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare 2 baking sheets by smearing with a small amount of neutral flavored oil or cooking spray.
Spread the broccoli on 1 baking sheet and the tofu on each on the other.
Bake the broccoli for 20 minutes and the tofu for 30 minutes. Keep an eye on each tray every 10 minutes to make sure the broccoli doesn’t burn and the tofu doesn’t over crisp.
While the broccoli and tofu bake, heat the 2 tbsp of oil in a large, deep skillet for 2-3 minutes on medium.
Add the onions and sauté until wilted and translucent. This will take about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger, continuing to sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the broth, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
By now the broccoli and tofu should be done. Add to the pan that the broth mixture is simmering in and toss to combine.
Add the arrowroot (or cornstarch) and water combination, stir to combine and allow to simmer for another 2-3 minutes so the sauce thickens. Caution: do not over simmer at this point.
I am always trying new recipes, however unless I am baking I never follow a recipe to the letter. I made this stew from a recipe I found on the Vegetarian Times website (search “spicy tofu stew”). I substituted about 1 lb. of sliced white button mushrooms for the spinach (added some broth to sauté them in at the beginning), used 1 sliced red, 1 orange and 1 orange pepper (about 2 cups), and added (at the end) 1 tbsp sesame paste, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp sesame oil. One night I served it over pasta one night over roasted potatoes. For the carnivores out there, feel free to add any cooked protein of choice (however the tofu was lovely all by itself). Enjoy!
Nutrition Map 