Blissful Bites (34 page)

Try to have meals at regular or scheduled times each day. Sit down with no distractions and chew your food well. We get most of our nutrients through the breakdown that happens in our mouth. That means if you don't chew your food, you aren't getting the vitamins and minerals you need from it. Slow down and enjoy the process of nourishing your body. And do not overstuff yourself! It's uncomfortable, and it taxes your digestive organs. If you can try to stay at 80 percent full, your body will feel light and full of energy. If you give your body too much food to process, energy needed elsewhere is diverted to aid in digestion.

Cook more meals at home. It costs less than going out to eat, creates less waste, and you'll know where your food is coming from and how it has been treated. By cooking your own food, you put your own qi or life force into it, making it alive with energy. Plus, most restaurants serve food prepared with poor quality oil, too much salt, and tons of sugar. Does that sound blissful to you?

• Makes 6 to 8 servings

My two favorite grains are paired to make a grain dish with a touch of Asian flair that's good any time of the year. Roasting the grains first brings out their naturally sweet flavor.

1 cup millet, washed

¹
⁄
₂
cup quinoa, washed

Filtered water

Pinch sea salt

2 cups zucchini, cut in quarter-moons

1 cup shelled edamame

1 cup fresh corn, off the cob

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon tamari

1 tablespoon brown rice or red wine vinegar

¹
⁄
₄
cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

Handful cilantro leaves

Sea salt, to taste

Roast millet and quinoa in a large saucepan over medium-high flame, stirring continuously, until all the water is gone and grains get golden brown. Add 3
¹
⁄
₃
cups water and salt and bring to a boil. Cover with lid and reduce to a low flame. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, in
¹
⁄
₄
cup filtered water, water sauté the zucchini, edamame, and corn in a separate pan with ginger, mirin, tamari, and brown rice vinegar until the veggies are tender but still crisp, about four minutes. Fold veggies into the millet-quinoa mixture and toss with pumpkin seeds and cilantro. Season with sea salt as needed.

• Makes 5 to 7 servings

This recipe turns millet into a creamy mashed potato-like dish, without the refined carbs of potatoes. Give this version a try and you'll be surprised how much it tastes and feels like real mashed potatoes!

1 cup millet, washed

4 cups water or broth

2 cups cauliflower, in small florets

Pinch sea salt

1 tablespoon tahini

Black pepper and sea salt, to taste

Parsley, for garnish

Place all ingredients in a saucepan except parsley, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low and simmer 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from flame and mash with potato masher. Season to taste.

Makes about 4 cups

You are going to flip about how yummy, rich, and savory this gravy is; yet, it's the healthiest version ever. My recipe tester thought it was so amazing that it could be bottled as a Christmas gift!

2 tablespoons safflower oil

¹
⁄
₂
onion, diced (optional)

8 mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch sea salt

4 cups vegetable stock

2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

¹
⁄
₂
cup nutritional yeast

¹
⁄
₂
cup barley flour (or other whole-grain flour), plus additional flour as needed

2 tablespoons white miso, dissolved in
¹
⁄
₂
cup stock

Parsley, for garnish

Heat oil in large pot. Sauté onion, if using, with a pinch of sea salt until translucent, about two minutes. Stir in mushrooms. Add spices and sauté another two minutes. Add 3
¹
⁄
₂
cups of the stock, tamari, and vinegar. Slowly add in nutritional yeast and flour, stirring continuously with a whisk to prevent lumping. Add the remaining stock and miso while whisking. Simmer until gravy thickens, about 15 minutes.

Taste and adjust sea salt and spices as needed. Add more flour gradually to get the thickness you prefer.

To serve, spoon a mound of millet on plate, top with gravy and garnish with parsley.

• Makes 6 to 8 servings •
Fan Fave

This is a healthier take on traditional mac ‘n' cheese, made with wholesome ingredients— no fake cheese or heavy oil. You'll be surprised at how similar it tastes while it leaves you feeling light and happy. My recipe tester loved this so much she wrote a song about it!

4 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed

1 teaspoon tamari

2 boxes (8 ounces each) quinoa pasta shells

1 package Mori Nu silken tofu

2 tablespoons white miso

2 tablespoons tahini

1 small lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons tamari

¹
⁄
₄
cup nutritional yeast

Dash black pepper

Paprika, for garnish

Steam squash until tender, splashing tamari on before covering with lid. Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to instructions on the box. When squash is tender, blend with the rest of ingredients, except pasta and paprika, in a food processor until smooth. Be sure to scrape down the edges of the bowl to incorporate all the ingredients. Toss sauce with pasta and bake in a casserole dish at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with paprika for garnish. Serve immediately.

macro “mac and cheeze”