Julie Green and Keen: recipes

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Tuesday, August 05, 2014

One Juice, Two Juice, Red Juice, Green Juice

Julie Green and Keen 8/05/2014 0

It’s an unfortunate week when your juicer and blender both decide to croak when you really want to use them. Last week I had such an itch to make a smoothie then when I went to turn the blender on, but it was broken, so I had to settle for some water. Then yesterday I decided to use my juicer. Well, It was dead too! What? After all the nonsense I was on a mission to have a smoothie, so I ran out and picked up a new blender and juicer. And let me tell you, when I got home, that smoothie tasted incredible.

Going along with my last post about buying seasonal, farmers markets are also a wonderful place to get seasonal fruits and veggies for smoothies and juices. I have always been a fan of smoothies and juicing fresh fruits and vegetables. Since I got my new blender and juicer yesterday, I have an urge to blend and juice everything in the house. I guess it’s not a bad thing.

I know the concept of juice cleanses and juice diets are a bit of a “taboo” topic right now. So I’m just clarifying, I am not a nutritionist or an expert juicer I just find the juices delicious. I don’t juice to lose weight, I make them to help maintain my healthy lifestyle and help me get all the nutrients my vegetarian body needs. Juicing provides the body with the most optimum and easy to ingest nutrients with minimal waste from the fruit or vegetable. And they taste really good!

I love a good green smoothie or juice in the morning to prepare me for the day or a yummy fruit smoothie for an afternoon snack. I think it is important to understand that juicing can be fun and it doesn’t have to be a diet. Juicing is a great way that I use to help satisfy hunger and have a yummy snack during the day.

Here are a few of my favorite juices and smoothies. I will probably be making all of these really soon! J

Morning Green Smoothie

Total time: 10 mins Serves 2

Ingredients

· 2 ripe medium bananas

· 1 ripe apple or pear

· 2 cups of chopped kale leaves

· ½ cup organic orange juice

· 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed

· A handful of ice cubes

Place bananas, apple (or pear), kale, orange juice, flaxseeds, and ice cubes in blender. Pulse a few times, then puree until smooth. Enjoy!

Power Carrot Orange Juice

Total time: 15 mins Serves 2

Ingredients

· 1 medium orange, peeled and wedged

· 1 medium apple, wedged

· 1 medium yellow tomato, wedged

· 4 large carrots, peeled

First process the tomato, then orange, then apple, and finally the carrots through the juicer. Pour over ice if desired, serve immediately.

Avo-Berry Smoothie

Total time: 5 mins Serves 2

Ingredients

· 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced

· ¾ cup organic orange juice

· ¾ cup strawberries

· ½ cup raspberries

· A handful of ice cubes

Blend the avocado, organic orange juice, strawberries, raspberries, and ice cubes until smooth. Enjoy!

I hope you liked the recipes and decide to give them a try! Using seasonal goods from the farmers market to make juices and smoothies is a great way to get your fruit and vegetable servings if you aren’t a vegetarian. If you are, they taste delicious and absorb very useful nutrients into body faster than just eating the fruit or vegetable.

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

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Friday, August 01, 2014

Seasons Change, So Should Your Food

Julie Green and Keen 8/01/2014 0

I love shopping at the farmers market for fresh fruits and vegetables. It is the perfect place to buy seasonal fresh foods. The seasons changing set a natural backdrop for what we should be eating. With fall approaching…well kind of, it’s just my favorite season, I thought I would share how I try to eat seasonally and a few of my fall favorites. Who is ready for some apple cider and scarfs?

Fall is one of my favorite seasons, the rich trending colors and the unexplainable feeling of warmth makes it my favorite season. Although San Francisco doesn't have that much of a change from summer to fall, you can still find seasonal foods and cook with the fresh harvests of the season.

It is hard know what foods are in season if you go to a grocery store. Pesticides, chemicals, and means of transportation allow you to find any fruit or vegetable available the throughout the year. To truly know what is seasonal I go to the local farmers market. It is great, you can see what the farmers are growing and harvesting. CUESA.org is a great website to see what fruits, vegetables, and herbs are in season in the San Francisco area. CUESA (Center of Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture) is a great organization that works to cultivate sustainable food systems through the operation of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and its educational programs.
When I go to the farmers market, whether it is for the restaurant or for my personal consumption, I take pride in knowing where my food came from and how it was grown. I like to ask the farmer questions about the food and how they grow it. It’s nice getting to know them a little bit before you purchase. I find it rewarding when I understand the relationship that the food has beyond just filling our stomachs. When I know where my ingredients came from, I can embrace the passion that went into growing them and express that passion when cooking them.

Fall makes me want to cook warm delicious food nonstop. When I think of fall I immediately think about apples, pumpkins, and warm spices; coincidentally they are in season too. One of my favorite desert snacks for fall are Ginger Baked apples. It is so good, seasonal, and the whole family loves them. I found the recipe last fall at herbazest.com . I’m pretty sure I made them at least once a week. Fall cooking is one of my favorites, check out my Pinterest board for all my favorite recipes. I promise they are so good; they won’t disappoint you!

What makes eating healthy even more enjoyable is participating in seasonal harvests. You can appreciate your food and knowing where it came from. Going to a farmers market isn’t like going to a grocery store, it is an experience like no other. Check out your local farmers market and share what seasonal fruits and vegetables you find!
Happy almost fall,

Go Green and Staying Keen,

Julie

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Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Eat like a vegetarian

Julie Green and Keen 4/15/2014 0

When I comes to food, vegetarians know how to eat! It is definitely not all about salads. I have so many favorite dishes but I have three favorites. Here are some of my favorite recipes that are tried and true in my household. They prove that we really do eat like kings.

DISCLAMER: I don’t like to spend that much time in the kitchen preparing my favorite recipes so, these are delicious, easy, and don’t take that long. I tried so many new ingredients when I first became a vegetarian, I like to think I have cooking time down to a science. :)

I hope you are as excited as I am to share my favorite recipes with you!

One of my all-time favorite foods are burritos. I have tried over and over again to find the perfect balance between sweet and savory. My Black Bean and Guacamole Burritos are, in my opinion, perfect for any occasion.

Black Bean and Guacamole Burritos

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 10 mins Serves 2

Easy Guacamole Ingredients

2 avocados
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of red onion, minced
1 small totato, diced
1/2 lime
1/2 lemon
salt, to taste.
pepper, to taste

Burrito Ingredients

1 large flour tortillas
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 can of black beans
1 bag of chopped lettuce
1 onion
1 tomato
1/4 cup of pepper jack cheese
1/4 cup of monterey jack cheese

Instructions

Remove the avocado from the skin and place into a bowl.
Add garlic, red onion and tomato. Mash the avocado with the garlic, red onion, and tomato until desired consistency.
Add lime and lemon and stir. Add salt and pepper until desired taste.
Spread guacamole in the center of the flour tortilla.
Put the rice, beans, cheese, onion, tomato, and lettuce in the center of each tortilla and roll into a burrito pocket.
Use an indoor grill, panini press, or stove top to heat the burrito until the tortilla is browned on each side.
Serve with remaining guacamole or salsa.

*Photo and primary recipe courtesy of NaturallyElla

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I love sandwiches, and I’m not talking about a lettuce and tomato sandwich you probably assume I eat. Some days you just crave a good, juicy, delicious sandwich. I’m talking about something so savory your mouth waters profusely all day just at the thought of it. My eggplant parmesan hero is my sandwich fix. It is perfect on those days you just need to indulge a little bit. I love using eggplant as a main ingredient; it is filling, delicious, and healthy for you!

Eggplant Parmesan Hero

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 15 mins Serves 4

Eggplant Parmesan Hero Ingredients

1 medium eggplant (about 1 lbs)
1 cup of marinara sauce
1 cup seasoned croutons, crushed
1/3 cup of shredded parmesan cheese
4 hero or hoagie buns

Optional Ingredients

Oregano
Basil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Cut eggplant into ¼ inch thick slices. (If preferred, peal eggplant)
Put marinara sauce into a small bowl. Place crushed croutons and half the cheese into another dish.
Dip eggplant into marinara sauce, then into the crouton and cheese mixture. Place coated eggplant on the prepared cooking sheet.
Bake for 15 mins or until the breading is browned and the eggplant is tender.
Heat the remaining marinara sauce.
OPTIONAL- On another baking sheet toast buns for 2 mins until lightly toasted.
Place eggplant on bun, top with warm marinara, and remaining cheese

Optional- Sprinkle with oregano and/or basil.

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Since becoming a vegetarian, quinoa has become my best friend. It works well in so many recipes and is high in protein, which is a major plus! I love making Greek style quinoa and avocados for dinner when I don’t have that much time. It is easy to make, quick, and yummy.

Greek Quinoa and Avocados

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 15 mins Serves 4

Greek Quinoa and Avocado Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 cup water
2 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
A few spinach leaves
2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced.
1/3 cup of crumbled feta cheese.

Photo and primary recipe courtesy of bhg.com

Recipes like these go to show that vegetarians know how to cook and eat well. These three are just a few of my favorites I make at home. I love trying new recipes and exploring different ingredients. I hope you will try some and suggest more yummy dishes to make!

Vegetarians unite!! :)

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

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