Day #2 Engine 2 Challenge

Okay, this morning I was running late to work, so got my breakfast from Whole Foods Market Kahala's salad bar.  They are offering an Rip's Big Bowl Breakfast cereal for $2.99/half pint and $4.99/pint with a choice of fruits and non-dairy milk (soy, rice or almond).  I tell you it's cheaper than the breakfast bar.  I bought the pint size because I needed it.  I topped it with pineapple and also bought a banana in the produce department.  I have to say that it filled me up and it tastes better with fresh fruit.

The cereal mix contains oats, Ezekiel Nuts, shredded wheat, other whole grains, flax seed meal, walnuts and lots of raisins.

Breakfast was so substantial, I did not have lunch until 1:30pm.  I purchased a burrito at Whole Foods Market's burrito bar, because they have an Engine 2 approved burrito.  It's the Vegan burrito with guacamole and salsa on a whole wheat tortilla.  OMG, it was so good.  I felt like I was cheating.

So for dinner I wanted to cook something that followed all of the approved foods, so I made a Thai inspired recipe that I got from my friend Vanessa.

Whole Grain pasta with an almond/peanut sauce tossed with fresh broccoli, carrots, onions and fresh basil.  It was filling and delicious. 

Here is the recipe of the almond/peanut sauce:
1 container of silken soft tofu (drained)
1 tablespoon peanut butter (no oil added)
1 tablespoon almond butter (no oil added)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
1 tablespoon braggs
1-4 tablespoons vegetable broth (low sodium) - this is to control the consistency of the sauce

Put all of the ingredients listed above in a blender and blend until smooth and the right consistency to coat your pasta noodles.  I would use the Quinoa/corn spagetti pasta for best results.

In a medium hot skillet, add about 1 cup vegetable broth, then add 1/2 cup of chopped onions.  Saute onions in broth until translucent, then add chopped broccoli and carrots.  Add almond/peanut sauce to mixture, add more broth if needed for consistency.  Cook for about 1 minute, add salt and pepper to taste.  Then add 1/2 cup of shredded fresh basil or Italian parsley.  Toss cooked pasta right before serving.

For dessert, my friend Bob made the E2 Basics Chocolate Mousse.  It was so good and he says so easy to make.  We added fresh strawberries on top.  My grandson was over and he loved it too!
1 package Silken Lite tofu
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup maple syrup or agave nectar

Blend all ingredients until smooth.  Refrigerate until chilled.

Observations - I am eating more on this diet, than any other diet I've ever been on.  I feel like I am cheating!

Day #3 - I say "bring it on!"

Day #1 of the Engine 2 Diet

Yesterday, I started a "plant strong" diet called the "Engine 2 Diet".  This diet is able to change your cholesterol levels and weight drastically.

I already have a very vegetable focused lifestyle, but this diet eliminates all fats - animal and plant.  Except for the ones in vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts.  So that means no meat, dairy, fish, poultry and all oils.

This will be the first time I will be going "meat free" and "oil free".  The meat free part will be hard, but not that hard, but the oil part will be CRAZY!

Whole Foods Market Kahala is having a storewide (team members & customers) 28-Day challenge that started with a meeting introducing the diet and a weekly meeting to help and support you to stay on track.

For breakfast I had a coffee with hemp milk.  For lunch I had a kale salad with guacamole and an oil-free fig balsamic dressing and tomatoes, beans and cabbage.  For a snack a Wasa light rye cracker with guacamole.

For dinner I had a garden vegetable soup with brown rice and a kale and tomato salad with fig balsamic dressing.  Dessert was a Wasa light rye cracker with oil-free & sugar-free peanut butter and bananas.

Observations - Was not hungry and feeling that I can do it!

Join me on this 28-Day Challenge and see what happens....

Torta Cereza de Cayena (Surinam Cherry Tart)

Today, I was pleasantly surprised to find a Surinam Cherry Hedge on our side yard.  Being sick for a couple of days and bored out of my mind, I needed to cook something.  Surinam Cherry Jam was what came to mind.

Decided to use a cranberry sauce recipe, because of the similarity of tartness in the fruit.  I added crystallized ginger, cinnamon and ground cardamon....yum!  So the recipe is about 2 cups of pitted Surinam Cherries, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon crystallized ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon.  Boil all ingredients for about 20 minutes, cool and store in a glass container in the refrigerator.

I wanted to incorporate my Surinam Cherry Jam in a tart, so I experimented with a Surinam Strawberry Tart or in Spanish "Torta Cereza de Cayena".

Make a tart crust, I like using whole wheat flour because of the nuttiness of the whole wheat and of course it is better for you.  So the crust recipe is:

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
3-6 tablespoons of ice water

Using a pastry knife, cut ice cold butter into the flour & salt mixture until the consistency of course meal.  Slowly add the ice water until you can form a dough ball with the mixture.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.  This recipe should make one large tart shell or two small tart shells.

Butter a large tart shell and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll out chilled crust dough and form into tart pan.  Spread a thin layer of Surinam Cherry Jam on the bottom of the tart crust, then place sliced fresh strawberries over jam and pieces of fresh Surinam Cherries and spread another thin layer of Surinam Cherry Jam over strawberries & cherries.  Place tart pan on a cookie sheet and then in the center of the oven.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Cool tart for 30 minutes before slicing.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream.  Enjoy!

It Looks Like SPRING! Or is it just Beautiful Hawaii?

When the Blue Jade vines start blooming it means it's Springtime in Hawaii.  I think it is a little early this year.

My second bloom this week.

These little flowers remind me of an East Indian feast.

Our ground cover is going OFF.

New collard greens and kale!  Need to harvest for dinner tonight!

Another view of the garden.

New herbs in the herb tub - garlic chives, more thyme and Hawaiian chili peppers.

The path to my front door.

Kohlrabi?

Yes....kohlrabi.....what is that?

Here is the Wikipedia definition of kohlrabi - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohlrabi

The first time I had kohlrabi, I thought it was thinly sliced pieces of broccoli stems, because that's exactly how they taste.  Kohlrabi comes in two colors light green and purple.  The bulbest part of the kohlrabi is what is chopped, sliced, diced, cooked or eaten raw.  One might think it is the actual root of the plant, but it is part of the stem.

Do not throw the beautiful leaves away, because it makes a delicious and nutritious sauteed greens - just saute with fresh garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.  It is a cross between sauteed kale and collard greens - yummy!

For the bulbs, you can slice them really thin and toss in a citrus vinagrette, it's so delightful.  Or you could cook them like you would a radish, turnip and carrot in butter or all together - delightful.  It has a wonderful earthiness and sweetness to it's taste.   Give it a try as one of your Thanksgiving side dishes.

The Brooklyn Bridge

This past September, I was able to check-off, one of the items on my "bucket list" and it is walking across the Brooklyn Bridge.  I've seen it in newspaper articles, television shows, movies, like "Sex and the City #1" when Miranda and Steve meet halfway....ahhhhhh, so romantic.  So since I was already at the Brooklyn Museum, I thought I would do the whole shabang - so we did!

Here are some interesting facts of the Brooklyn Bridge from Wikipedia -
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River. With a main span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m), it was the longest suspension bridge in the world from its opening until 1903, and the first steel-wire suspension bridge.
Originally referred to as the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, it was dubbed the Brooklyn Bridge in a January 25, 1867 letter to the editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle,^[5] and formally so named by the city government in 1915. Since its opening, it has become an iconic part of the New York skyline. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964^[4][6][7] and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1972.<sup>[8]

Please enjoy my pictures from my iPhone:</sup>

This is the beginning of the walkway to the bridge - don't turn around & head back, because there will be a time when you'll say to yourself or your companion, "where the hell is the bridge and will those f--kin' bikers just slow down!".

The bridge is under repair, but it is still a wonderful experience and all worth it!

My niece who has lived in New York City for over 10 years, never walked over the Brooklyn Bridge and this was her first time too.

The Statue of Liberty in the distance.

Unbelievable!

East Downtown

One of those BIKERS - oh wait, this one is kinda cute!

My Container Garden Update

Watching my garden grow!

My morning harvest from the garden - manoa lettuce, rumex raspberry dressing, arugula, mesclun greens, and tuscan kale.

tuscan kale

my garden

mesclun greens

rumex raspberry dressing

baby arugula

This month is "Eat Local Challenge" month, a challenge from Kanu Hawaii.

Kanu Hawaii is challenging the community to buy and to most importantly EAT Locally.

How more local than to eat what you grow!  I've been able to harvest most of the greens I eat from my container garden.  So I challenge you to do the same.  Let's make a promise that same time next year, we will be eating most of our salads from our home gardens!

EAT LOCAL!