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Thursday, December 30, 2021

Rice, Tomato, and Avocado Salad- Vegan, Gluten-Free, Oil-free


A healthy plant-based delicious dinner without a lot of effort? 
Yay! I love combining healthy ingredients to a make a quick and easy delicious plant-based dinner.

Rice, Top, Cook, Having Lunch, Rice

Eliminating or reducing eating animal protein is not difficult. 
After all, many foreign countries eat much less animal protein than we do in the United States and their cultures have some mighty tasty recipes using beans, vegetables, and grains. 
Tomato, Food, Foodporn, Foodie, Tomatoes

The recipe is a quick and simple go-to recipe of mine. It is made using a bed of cooked rice (white, brown, or basmati), topped with chopped tomatoes and chopped avocado, seasoned with freshly squeezed lime, salt, pepper, sesame seeds and cumin seeds, and a can of drained chickpeas ( or 2 cups of cooked chickpeas) for protein.

Don't like rice? Substitute quinoa


My husband likes white rice, so I made white rice (this time) because this meal was for him. Perhaps a healthier version would be to make the identical recipe using brown rice. 

I make my rice in the Instant Pot . It needs about 10 minutes to pre-heat before cooking and then 12 minutes to cook. The rice comes out just the way we like every time and clean up is minimal and I don't have to ever watch the pot since it will turn off itself when done and keep warm till I'm ready to eat it. 



Guacamole, Raw Food, A Healthy Diet

Tomato and Avocado Salad Topping

2 large vine ripe tomatoes, chopped 
or 1 container of cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, chopped (Florida style or Haas avocado) 
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 small lime
1/4 cup of chopped parsley or cilantro
1 teaspoon of whole cumin seeds
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste  

2 cups of raw rice washed and cooked  (white, brown, or basmati)

I can of drained chickpeas

Directions: 
After cooking the rice or using leftover cooked rice, layer the cooked rice, chickpeas, and tomato avocado salad mixture in a bowl starting with rice on the bottom. Add the seasonings and dig in. 
If you want more vegetables eat with steamed broccoli. 

This quick meal is not only plant-based vegan, it is also gluten-free, and oil-free. 

What's all the hoo-ha with oil-free? 
Oil-free does not meal fat-free. Oil is a HIGHLY concentrated HIGHLY caloric condiment that contains zero fiber AND according to many cardiologists and doctors should not be part of a heart healthy diet. It took years to convince us that sugar is not our friend. Now if you start to read about "oil " (olive, canola, sunflower, etc.), you will start to understand why "oil" is not your heart's friend.

 Quote From Naked Food Magazine

"All vegetable-based oils, which pretty much follow the same model as processed sugar, are pressed from plants. All the nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water, have been stripped away. Oil is nothing but fat. Oil has more calories per gram than any other food. A tablespoon contains about 14 grams of fat." (source)

I stopped using "oil" (but did not stop eating avocado, olives, and nuts and seeds) about 10 months ago. I find that I got used to it quickly and have lots of good alternatives and have lost and kept off 15 pounds just eliminating oil. The hardest part has been giving up salad dressing with oil- but now I don't even miss it.  

More Sources: 

The Ultimate Guide to cooking and baking without oil

Dr. Gregor- Nutrition Facts (excellent)

Dr. McDougal

Dr. Essylton

My Notes and Shortcuts:
1. The rice can be made the day before and just assembled
2. Rice can be made in advance and frozen in packets. . How I freeze my own rice packets (link). Remove from freezer as needed for cooked rice
3. You can make your own chickpeas in the Instant Pot (link)instead of using a can of chickpeas. 
4. Big Shortcut: 
You can take out a container of cooked white or brown rice in most Chinese restaurants. Just bring it home and assemble for this quick and easy delicious meal.


 

Sunday, December 26, 2021

Buckwheat in the Instant Pot (Kasha)


buckwheat, gluten-free sides, kasha I love my Instant Pot for making grains such as buckwheat. It uses only one pot, it cooks rather quickly, and the end product is a light fluffy delicious grain that can be enjoyed as a side dish. 

Saturday, December 25, 2021

Is It A Cold, The Flu, or Covid?


 Sniff, Cold, Healthy, Immune

There is nothing more frightening than getting sick right now. 
We all fear it might be Covid. 

Despite being double vaccinated, boosted, wearing a mask, and not eating inside of restaurants, I did indeed contact Covid.

MY PCR Covid Test #1 was negative (Friday)

I went to get a professional Covid PCR test on Friday morning  (not because I had any symptoms but I was going to visit someone who had cancer and wanted to make sure I was ok). The test came back negative for me (and my husband) thankfully we thought.

My PCR Covid Test #2 was Positive- (Monday)

Saturday, December 18, 2021

Asian Vegan Lettuce Wraps

Have you ever made lettuce wraps? 
Skip the bread and bring out the romaine in this simple appetizer.

Monday, December 13, 2021

It's Beginning To Look A lot Like Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
Decorations are popping up all over this Miami beach Florida community, and the main roads are looking beautiful. I live in an area on the beach with lots of high-rise condos that are privately decorated for the season. 

Did you know that poinsettias are a sub tropical plant that originally came from Mexico? Although they are popular in cold climates during Christmas, they are actually tropical and love heat.

Christmas tree

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Asian Style Healing Broth



Asian style soup


Do you love soup? 
This Asian style healing broth is just what the doctored ordered. I like to warm up with a bowl of Asian style broth, especially when I'm feeling a little under the weather with a cold or the sniffles.

Sunday, December 5, 2021

Perfect Spaghetti In The Instant Pot

Noodles, Pasta, Spaghetti, Meal, Italian, Having Lunch

You will love making spaghetti in the Instant Pot. It's so easy and no draining necessary.

Friday, December 3, 2021

In My Kitchen- December


I'm joining Sherry's IMK (In My Kitchen) "blog share" for the month of December. IMK, as the name implies, is an opportunity for bloggers to give readers a peek into what's going on in their kitchens. 


This is the second time I am participating in IMK, but my kitchen has significantly changed since last month. 
I am a snowbird and spend 6 months in Florida. 
Last month you took a peek into my kitchen in my home in Pennsylvania. This month you will be taking a peek into my Florida condo kitchen and its contents.