It's the end of day two...and I'm back at home in the kitchen with J right now making some VERY seriously tasty (I mean, serious) Fettuccine Alfredo. Gluten-free. Dairy-free. We'll get to that recipe soon, I promise. [*note: I just ate it and it was totally an I-can't-believe-it's-vegan moment. Let alone gluten-free...]
Day two was great. G gave me a ride and I showed up with his vegan, gluten-free banana nut muffins and amaranth bars. A little sweetness was an okay treat for L, because I showed up for day two ready to have a conversation about aspartame, and with a hope to leave day two with a commitment from L to trash the diet soda for good. Forever -style. And I'm happy to report my last act before departing on day two was, after V had arrived home for work and been dually enrolled in the aspartame revolution, pouring the remaining two cans of diet coke in the fridge down the drain while singing the amen chorus.
After a little fruit/muffin/amaranth bar spread, L and I continued to talk about the diet industry and the conversation moved to the illusion of choice and the corruption of the food industry at large. I brought up the documentary Food, Inc. and suggested we eventually watch it together. [note: if you are reading this and haven't seen this film, stop now and stream it instantly on Netflix. If you don't have a Netflix account, hack your ex-boyfriend's. That's what I do.] I made a daiya cheese quesadilla with a side of fresh chopped tomatoes and cilantro that we shared for lunch, and she was surprised by the cheesiness and really liked the gluten-free brown rice tortillas. I don't want to be preparing processed foods too much, but again - in the beginning especially, immediately introducing some tasty alternatives is important as we move into a more whole-foods direction.
Having a gorgeous piano to play at anytime is such an amazing blessing I'm grateful for. It's fun to just sit and noodle around in the afternoon. L comes nearby if she is in a different room when I start and I can tell she loves having live music in the house.
Since there ended up being a muffin and daiya on the menu earlier in the day, I wanted to make sure dinner was nutritious and I wanted to be bold and introduce L and V to tempeh. They gave positive feedback when it was all said and done (it's so fun to watch people you care about consume food you prepared with loving and healing energy), and there was plenty of leftovers for V to take to work the next day. I bring you the tried and true green + grain + protein meal =
J’s Brussel Sprouts______________________________________________________
(I don't even like brussel sprouts...and then I had these. Apple juice and dijon mustard, people.)
· Wash, prepare, and half the brussel sprouts.
· In a large lidded pan, melt 2 tablespoons earth balance (vegan margarine), and place the brussel sprouts in facedown and cook until slightly brown on the underneath (5-7 minutes).
· Pour in just enough apple juice to cover them, then cover and simmer with the apple juice until you can poke them with a fork and they’re just tender. Take care to not overcook.
· Drain and return to pan in a small amount of earth balance and add in some fresh or dried thyme, sauté all together, then add a ½ tablespoon of Dijon mustard (small amount/couple squirts) and a sprinkle of sugar (or agave or maple syrup - I used a baby dab of maple syrup today), and salt and pepper to taste.
Fried Tempeh____________________________________________________________
If fried in coconut oil, the tempeh won't splash, and it gives the outside a nice taste. Cut the tempeh into approximately 1" x 1" x 3" pieces (or as desired) and fry until light golden (barely) brownish in color. Today, I scanned the fridge and found an organic low-sodium teriyaki sauce and added it and some fresh finely chopped garlic at the end for a finishing saute before serving.
I served the brussel sprouts and tempeh with a side of quinoa cooked in vegetable stock, not water (veggie stock is clarifying and adds more flavor - it also promotes a cooling response and L's has "burning" symptoms, in the Chinese tradition), and L asked for a green onion garnish on her quinoa. I need to start taking pictures, don't I? As for the healing potential of this meal, it represents a good balance of soluble/insoluble fiber. Tempeh is high in protein, contains omega-3's, and due to the fermentation process particular to tempeh, contains a (healthy) mold that produces an antibiotic reaction in the body (free of any chemical toxins). Brussel sprouts are higher in protein per ounce than even broccoli and kale. And they make you smile when they're on your plate because they're so darn cute. Quinoa is higher in calcium per serving than milk. Milk is not a good source of calcium. Let's collectively dispel that myth once and for all. But back to quinoa...here's a quinoa fact for the day: quinoa is not actually a true grain, botanically. But because of its strength, we use it as one. An ancient staple food of the Incas, it was called "the mother grain" (thank you, Paul Pitchford).
Here's a few links for things referenced in this post:
http://www.foodincmovie.com/
http://www.daiyafoods.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Whole-Foods-Traditions-Nutrition/dp/1556434308
http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&biw=1366&bih=667&tbs=isch:1&sa=1&q=brussel+sprouts+are+cute&aq=f&aqi=&aql=f&oq=&gs_rfai=
So blessed and grateful,
JRW
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