Aerogarden

So for Christmas my parents got me two things that are great for my loving of cooking. The first was a new digital camera. I hate putting up crappy pictures for everyone. The second was on back order and just came in: an Aerogarden. This little three pod garden gives me the ability to grow herbs and veggies all year round with no dirt, no mess and very little effort.



My first project that my mother got me with it was the Salad Package which contains Red Lettuce, Green Lettuce and Butter head Lettuce. It has been three days and I already have little lettuce shoots up and growing. I would recommend it so far but will keep up updated!

On that note I also have strawberries, artichoke, roma tomato,carrots, Bok Choi, basil, cilantro, chives, parsley, oregano, and radish growing conventionally. I would really recommend growing your own veggies and herbs to everyone. I live in an apartment and have been using container gardening so there really is no excuse not to. It is satisfying eating what you grow and gives you a deep respect for not only the food that you are growing but also respect to the farmers and people who grow all of the other food that you eat.

Home Made Guacamole

Nothing is better then home made guacamole. Store bought just has nothing on it! And it is so easy to make!

Not to mention that I am trying to increase the amount of raw food I eat. For those of you that are not familiar with Raw food and the positive effects it can have on your body, raw food is processed much easier and with its maximum amount of nutrients. I would highly recommend watching "Food Matters" for information on both raw food and the way that nutrients can increase health and decrease or elimination chronic disease.

2 large Hass Avocado
4th of red onion (Diced)
Half a jalapeño (Diced)
1 chopped Roma Tomato
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
Lemon juice
salt
pepper

Puree most of the Alvacodos until smooth in your food processor. Set the rest aside. Add the rest of the ingredients into the processor and blend. Take out the guac and fold in the chucks of avocado and the tomato.

Bam! Home made yummy Guacamole!

Bikram Yoga

I had heard so much about this "Heat Yoga" from friends and have been wanting to try it for a long time. Sadly the only studio for a while had been all the way across town and took nearly an hour to drive to most times of the day.

Lucky for me (And for Will)one finally opened with in walking distance of our apartment! I know! The luck! So for the first time yesterday we went in and signed up for our ten day unlimited trial. It was only 20 dollars for 10 days and the drop in class was 15 dollars. It just made sense. We went again today to ease our muscles and continue the practice.

I happen to like it a lot. Mind you not as I like vinyasa yoga. Still it literally gets you soaking in sweat within several minutes. It seems to be wonderful for rapid weight loss and injury. It is certainly challenging. I just don't seem to have the same emotional connection that I do with Flow style. Perhaps because it is more for pure fitness then it is for the ease of the soul and mind body connection, or maybe I have just not been practicing it as long.

On that note I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to try it or get physically fit. It is challenging and fun at the same time. You can feel your body releasing its toxins instantly. It has practitioners of all shapes and sizes, all levels and all ages. It was also recommended in the top ten Bikram Yoga Studios in America by 'Details'.


On a personal note, I think that this is one of the best places that could have expanded their franchises in our city. Like it or note San Antonio is not the healthiest place to live. Still places like this, resources like the newly launched Fitness portal, supplies by the Mayors Fitness Council and a variety of free activities have the potential to help San Antonio healthy and happy!

Spicy Cauliflower and Onion Coucous

Spicy Cauliflower
Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower
Creole Spice
Red pepper flakes
onion flakes
Olive Oil

Slice the cauliflower thin, removing the steams and greens. Mix up the ingredients in a large bowl and sit at room temp for a half an hour to am hour.

Heat up pan at medium to high heat and pour mixture into the pan. Sautee this until the cauliflower is soft. Serve.

Coucous

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of veggie broth or water
1/2 an onion Chopped
1 cup of whole wheat couscous

Boil Liquid. Once it is at a rolling boil. Pour in couscous and remove from heat. Cover. Heat onion in a pan and sautee until clear. If it sticks add a touch of oil. Stir in onion. Serve.

Sesame and Ginger Tofu and Black/Brown Rice

3/4 cups of Black and brown rice
1 bunch of Spinach
3/4 tbsp veggie oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp ginger, chopped
3 scallions, White and green parts separated
1 pack firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 tbsp sesame oil
Lime wedges for serving

Steam Rice according to directions. Fluff and set aside.

Steam the spinach in the veggie oil over medium heat for 2 minutes and set aside. I like to drain any excess oil out...because I hate that oily taste.

Sautee the garlic, ginger and the white parts on the scallions in the remaining oil until it smells...amazing! About 1 minute. Add the slices of tofu into the mixture along with the sesame oil and cook until tofu is golden on both sides.

Remove the tofu and toss the rice that you had set to the side into the pan, cooking it until crisp.

Serve with the spinach and tofu on top. Garnish with lime wedges and the green parts of the scallions.

Spinach Salad with Pomegranate and Avocado

Ingredients
*1 pomegranate
* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 2 bunches flat leaf spinach, stems trimmed, well washed and dried
* 2 tablespoons roasted, hulled sunflower seeds
* 1 Hass avocado


1. Halve pomegranate lengthwise and seed. Working in a bowl of cold water, use your hands to separate seeds from membrane. Membrane will float to the top; discard. Scoop out pomegranate seeds and pat dry.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons lemon juice, mustard, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Toss spinach, sunflower seeds, and pomegranate seeds with dressing in bowl. Transfer to a serving platter.
3. Halve avocado and remove pit. Scoop out flesh and thinly slice lengthwise; drizzle with remaining lemon juice. Transfer to plate and arrange salad on top. Serve immediately.

Fruit Bowl with Apple Tahini Sauce

Oh. My. God. I love international food. Which is a plus because international food tends to love me right back.

Tahini. That is the word of the day. Familiarizing yourself with it. Become part of it. Eat it. Tahini is a sesame paste that is ground from either shucked or un-shucked seeds (depending on what culture you are getting it from). It is high in proteins and complex carbs. It has a nice nutty taste and when combine with the ingredients in this sauce has the perfect satisfying nutty after taste that can throw a sauce right over the edge of good into greatness.

Sauce (4 servings):
1/4 cup of Tahini
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 tbsp agave
2 tbsp water

Combine all of these into a food processor and blend well.

Dish:
4 cups of assorted fruit. (I used oranges, banana, pears and green grapes)
1/4 cup of toasted, unsweetened coconut flakes.

Arrange fruit in serving bowls. Drizzle with Tahini sauce and top it off with the toasted coconut.