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Every year for Christmas dinner we have our "Traditional Non-Tranditional" meal. In the past we have had lasagna, crepes, tacos, or raviolis. This year our gathering will be small but cozy. I'm planning a Mexican theme and this tortilla soup was a great warm-up.

This spicy soup is the perfect meal for a cold winter night and, while you're making it, your kitchen will smell amazing! I love the fragrant peppers and sizzling onions and garlic. The recipe, as written, is somewhat light on veggies. Feel free to add corn or any of your favorites to make this even more hearty!

Recommendation: Serve over brown rice or another grain for a complete meal in one bowl.

Vegan Tortilla Soup
Serves about 6

3 large dried New Mexico chiles
1 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
1 large sprig or 1 1/2 tsp dried epazote (optional)
2 cups cooked black beans
4 cups chopped greens (chard, spinach, or kale)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt

Garnish:
1 avocado, chopped
Chopped cilantro
1 large lime, cut into 6 wedges

  1. Holding the chiles one at a time with metal tongs, quickly toast them by turning them an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds until the aroma fills the kitchen. (Alternatively, toast chiles in a dry pan over medium heat, pressing them flat for a few seconds then flipping them over and pressing again.) When cool enough to handle, stem and seed the chiles, break them into pieces and put them in a blender along with tomatoes and their juice. (A food processor will work, though it won’t completely puree the chiles.)
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden. Add the onion and garlic to the blender with the tomato mixture. Process until smooth.
  3. Return the pot to medium heat. Add the puree and stir continuously until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes. Add broth, water and epazote. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add the beans and simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Add the greens and season with salt to taste. Cook until the greens are wilted, about 2 minutes, depending on the type of greens.
  5. Serve garnished with cilantro, avocado, and a squeeze of lime.
(Inspired by Eating Well.)
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I occasionally get burned out on my regular snacks and, with Christmas on its way, I'm craving spicy flavors and warm baked things. With visions of gingerbread dancing in my head, I created this granola bar recipe. These wholesome bars are rich in iron, protein, and fiber and can easily be made gluten-free by using gluten-free oats.

Gingerbread Granola Bars
Makes about 9

1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oat flour (process 1/3 cup oats till finely ground in a food processor or blender)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
2 to 3 cups dried fruits and nuts or seeds (I used 1/3 cup dried cranberries, 1/3 cup raisins, 2 Tbsp hemp seeds, 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, 1/3 cup chopped walnuts)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp melted Earth Balance margarine
1/3 cup almond butter
2 Tbsp chia seeds (optional, you can omit or sub ground flax seeds)
3 Tbsp applesauce or canned pumpkin
3 Tbsp blackstrap molasses
3 Tbsp real maple syrup
1 tablespoon water
A little more brown sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8″ x 8″ pan with parchment paper. Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts (except chia seeds).
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, melted Earth Balance, chia (or flax) seeds, almond butter, applesauce (or pumpkin), molasses, maple syrup, and water. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until well combined.
  3. Spread mixture evenly into the prepared pan and sprinkle brown sugar lightly over the top (optional). Bake for about 35 minutes, until brown around the edges. Cool in the pan for a few minutes then use the edges of parchment to lift them from the pan and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cool, cut the bars into squares. If they seem crumbly, you can refrigerate them for 30 minutes or so before cutting them.

(Recipe inspired by Smitten Kitchen)
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Yesterday I posted a few photos of the romanesco that I received in my last CSA box. I think it is the coolest looking veggie that I've ever seen! I'm a bit obsessed with it, really. The second that I found it in my box, I immediately started taking photos of it...even before I finished unpacking the rest of the fruits and veggies.

Bloggers are weird, right?

You can use romanesco as you would broccoli or cauliflower. That is, if you can bring yourself to cut into it- that's hard because it is so darn pretty! I chopped and cooked this one in a Thai curry sauce and served it with tofu over brown rice.

Here's a recipe from 101 Cookbooks to give you some inspiration: Cilantro Noodle Bowl
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With parties and gatherings stacking up on our calendar this weekend, my four year old spiked a 102+ degree fever on Friday. Deep breaths. Cancel. Reschedule. Tylenol. Apple juice. Sleep...

We seem to be just about back on track today and my boy is feeling better, thankfully.

I have been, in the in-between moments, working on my goals for 2011. For 2010, I had WAY TOO MANY goals. Way. Too. Many. I wasn't able to keep track of the list but, honestly, I think the most important things were summed up by my word for the year: CULTIVATE.

GetNatured was born at the end of 2009 and has been growing and evolving organically into something that feels really good. I completed my second and third triathlons in the summer of 2010 and have built new friendships with some amazing women through my moms' group and tri training.

I haven't chosen a word for 2011 yet, but my general themes include having more adventures and more barefoot time (downtime). I want to write more and "to do list" less. I want to have more reasons to take pictures and fewer reasons to stay indoors.

What are your goals from 2011? Did you choose a word for the year?

Aside from creating goals, I know many people are party hopping this time of year and dips, chips, cheese, and desserts abound. Here are three of my favorite recipes that can be eaten with crackers, pita bread, baguette, or veggies or as a salad topper or sandwich filling:

  • Roasted red pepper dip (recipe)
  • Chickpea salad (recipe) - try adding a little cayenne for an extra kick
  • Spicy edamame dip (recipe)
Speaking of veggies, we received this romanesco in our last CSA box. I LOVE the way that it looks!
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This time of year can be a mixed bag of emotions for many people. The holidays apply pressure to be jolly. To bake and shop. To wrap and invite. To consume. The cloudy skies and early setting of the sun can keep us inside and away from the things that feed our souls (like friends and exercise) and drive us to the things that feed our bodies (although not well), like snack foods and eggnog lattes.

I have experienced bouts of this too.

The dance of maintaining balance seems to have an increasingly complex choreography. Over the years, I’ve become pretty adept at self-renewal. I find inspiration in many places and I’ve developed a list of things that I have come to depend on for shaking loose the clingy fingers of the blahs. I call my list my "bag of tricks to stay buoyant". When I notice the cloud cover settling over me, I go through this list in my mind to figure out where I'm out of balance.

With the help of excerpts from a blog that I wrote from 2005-2009 allibrew), here is my list:

  1. Get some sleep. A minimum of seven hours a night (preferably eight).
  2. Move. I need to run, bike, swim, or otherwise get my heart rate up at least three times a week (preferably outside) to keep sane.
  3. Be social. Bond. Spending time in good conversations and laughing with friends and family is hugely energizing for me.
  4. Eat healthy food and drink water. When I eat well, I feel well (physically and mentally). Minimizing sugar keeps my immune system strong and my moods and appetite even-keel.
  5. Sunlight. I need to go outside and breath. To get fresh air and feel sunlight on my skin. To "commune with nature". Sometimes my backyard will do. Other times I must (MUST!) drive to the coast and watch the ocean for a little while. (One of my favorite blog posts from the past: "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood...")
  6. Write. Wax poetic or make lists on a napkin- whatever you need. This is an outlet for me. As I put it in a blog post almost six years ago: there are tiny seeds of contemplation dwelling in my soul. Holding onto these thoughts creates a quiet fear of losing them. It is as though they become something valuable and necessary as soon as they arise. Writing them down alleviates my subtle urgency to free them.
  7. Yoga. My yoga mat is more thorough than a doctor visit for a check up. I can so clearly gauge my heath and happiness from that vantage. When my balance is good in tree pose, it is a sign that life isn't overwhelming me at the moment. When I can breath freely while holding strong in a triangle, my anxiety is low. When my crocodile is smooth and slow, I feel strong and confident off the mat. When forward folds feel really good, I am happy and content. When I can hold and enjoy pigeon and crow, I am on top of the world.
This "bag of tricks" works really well for me but life still throws me curveballs on occasion. When things get overwhelming or I feel like I'm stuck in a rut, I take a timeout. 

When I yearn for days punctuated by pink and purple sunsets instead of the exhaustion of another routine completed, I schedule a spa day or maybe even get in the car (or a plane) and head for the beach.

Another excerpt from my past: When I’m on vacation, my brain shifts to a different frequency. It goes on brain vacation. I start to tune out the noise of the world and tune into my head space. I pause to ponder simple things in great detail. Like, do I really want waffles for breakfast or would an omelet taste better? Do I want to swim first or start the day by cracking open the first item on my summer reading list? Are gardenias more fragrant in the afternoon than in the morning? I don’t have to have brilliant ideas. I don’t have to ask thought-provoking questions. I don’t have to hurry.

How do you nurture yourself through the blahs?
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Maybe it is our broken heater or maybe it is Thanksgiving leftover burnout, but our meals have taken a spicy turn this week. We've had Thai spicy green beans with tofu and curried red lentils. I received my CSA box this morning and I fully expect to be creating a meal or two that involves chiles and other belly-warming things.

These curried lentils are super healthy and make a hearty one-pot lunch or dinner. Feel free to cut back on the jalapeno if you prefer a little less heat and add as many veggies as you can (carrots and red bell peppers would be great). This dish (inspired by Eating Well Magazine) is loaded with protein, iron, and fiber!

Curried Red Lentils with Bulgar and Spinach
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 1/2 tablespoons garam masala
1 teaspoons amchoor (or amchur or green mango) powder (*optional, see note)
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed and picked over
1/4 cup bulgar wheat
8 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
3-4 cups fresh spinach leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Water as needed to thin

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, jalapeno, garam masala, amchoor powder, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes longer.
  2. Stir in lentils, broth, and bulgar and bring to a boil. If you are using additional vegetables other than greens (e.g. carrots, bell peppers, etc.), add them now too. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for about 45 minutes. Add water, if necessary, if lentils get too thick- you can serve this thinner as a soup or thicker like chili.
  3. Discard bay leaves. Stir in cilantro, lemon juice, and spinach. Season with salt and pepper.

*Note: Amchoor (amchur) or green mango powder can be difficult to find and is optional here. I found it at Whole Foods Market. It may also be found at Indian grocers or online.
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Our heater is on the fritz again and when I woke up this morning it was 59 degrees in our master bedroom. I know that some people like to switch their heaters off at night so they can sleep in a cold room. I am not one of those people. Even our cat wouldn't lay anywhere but in front of the fire!

Since I knew it would be hours before the repair guy would arrive, I lit a fire in the fireplace and decided to bake a cake for breakfast. I had a couple of persimmons and some Granny Smith apples from my CSA box that I needed to use up, so I invented this moist breakfast cake. I loved the pecan and brown sugar topping- it was almost like a pecan pie but with much less sugar. Yum!

Persimmon Apple Breakfast Cake (vegan)
  • 3/4 cup pureed persimmon (peel and chop ~2 fuyu persimmons and puree in a blender or food processor)
  • 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp rolled oats
  • 2 tbsp hemp seeds (for protein and omega 3s)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp each: cinnamon, cardamom, fresh grated nutmeg
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • Topping: 1/4 cup chopped pecans, 1 tbsp melted margarine (Earth Balance), 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp flour
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Combine the persimmon puree, non-dairy milk, vanilla, and oil in a small bowl.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (all remaining ingredients except the apples and topping). Add the wet ingredients and the apples to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Pour the batter evenly into a cake pan lined with parchment paper.
  3. Melt the margarine in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add the rest of the topping ingredients and combine well. Sprinkle the topping over the batter. Bake for about 50 minutes or until browned on top and edges look done. Cool before slicing.
This cake tasted delicious and even my "chunk"-avoiding kids liked it. I think next time I'll try reducing the oil to 2 tbsp and possibly cutting the sugar a little more too (I don't like things very sweet). If you don't have persimmons, I'm sure that applesauce or another pureed fruit would work just fine!
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I'm finally thawing out after a cold but fun Thanksgiving weekend. We went with family to Lake Tahoe and holed up in a little cabin for a few days.


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I looked around online for a Turkey Trot in the area for Thanksgiving morning but I wasn't able to find a race close enough. I am, however, thankful for that in retrospect! Thanksgiving morning was COLD!!

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Instead of braving the sub-zero morning, I decided to wait until the sun warmed things up to a balmy 24 degrees to head outside to play with my kids.

We bundled up. A lot.

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Then we hit the "slopes" for some driveway sledding!

For the big "feast" (as my 4 year old calls it), I ordered a vegan meal from Whole Foods Market and made a few appetizers (vegan sun-dried tomato and pesto torta), side dishes (sweet potatoes, green beans, and vegan stuffing), and dessert (pumpkin gingerbread with spiced buttercream) to share with everyone. Everything was delicious- especially the sweet potatoes! I used a recipe from OSG and these were the best sweet potatoes I've ever had! Seriously awesome!

Since there were eight of us in a tiny cabin, you can imagine how crowded things were. I didn't take photos of our dinner but I did capture one of the appetizer dip that I invented for the occasion: Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato and Pesto Torta.

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Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato and Pesto Torta
1 prepared recipe of cashew cheese (use 2 cups of cashews and as little water as possible)
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts

  1. Divide cashew cheese into 3 equal parts. Line your container/mold with plastic wrap, letting it hang over the sides of the bowl. Place one part cashew cheese in the container and smooth over.
  2. Place second part of cashew cheese and sun-dried tomatoes (drained) in a food processor and process until smooth and well-blended. Add this mixture to the bowl on top of the plain cashew cheese and smooth over the top.
  3. Place third part of cashew cheese, basil leaves, and pine nuts in the food processor (washed after SD tomato layer), and process until smooth and well-blended. Add this pesto layer to the top of the bowl/mold and smooth over. Gently fold the excess plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
  4. To serve, uncover the torta and place a serving plate on top of the bowl. Flip the bowl over and carefully remove the plastic. Garnish with pine nuts and a basil sprig (if you're fancy!) and serve with sliced baguette.
Did you know?... Cashews provide heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, protein, copper, magnesium, iron, manganese, and immune-boosting zinc. The nutritional yeast in the cashew cheese adds B vitamins (including B12) and more protein to this healthy appetizer!

Heading home was a little sketchy. We left a day early, hoping to beat the crowds. The roads were frozen and it was snowing sideways!

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Thanks to 4-wheel drive and window defrosters we made it home safely!
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You guys know how I feel about muffins, right? I'm just about burned out on all things pumpkin (well, maybe just one pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving...), so I have officially entered my "cranberry orange/tangerine" phase of the year. This seems to happen every November, which is fine with me- the combination is delicious!

I love these muffins and so do my muffin-loving kids. Enjoy!

Cranberry Tangerine Muffins
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • Juice from 2-4 tangerines (or oranges)
  • 2 Tbsp tangerine (or orange) zest (preferably organic or tangerines not coated with wax or another coating)
  • 1⁄3 cup flax meal (ground flaxseeds)
  • 1 cup whole-wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (or more whole wheat)
  • 1/4 cup protein powder (optional, replace with flour if not using)
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄3 cup sugar
  • 1⁄4 cup canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Coat a muffin pan with cooking spray.
  2. Pulse cranberries in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
  3. Pour zest and tangerine juice into a measuring cup for a total of 3⁄4 cup. Pour into a small bowl and add the flax meal, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Combine well.
  4. In a large bowl, combine flours, protein powder (optional), baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the wet mixture and mix with a rubber spatula just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan.
  5. Bake until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-23 minutes.
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This dish has recently become one of my favorites. The vegetables take on a natural sweetness when they are roasted in the oven and all of the flavors come together so well. It is like autumn on a plate!

Roasted Fall Vegetables with Tempeh and Farro
  • Several cups of chopped autumn veggies (carrots, sweet potatoes/yams, parsnips, rutabagas, turnips, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, etc.)
  • 5 or so garlic cloves
  • Olive oil
  • Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning (or fresh herbs like thyme and oregano), to taste
  • Several shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 package of tempeh*, chopped into 1/4 inch squares (*you can substitute another protein, such as chicken or white beans, if you wish)
  • 1/3 cup lightly toasted pecans, chopped
  • 1 bunch of hearty greens (such as rapini (broccoli rabe), kale, or turnip greens)
  • Cooked farro
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a large baking dish with parchment paper (for easy clean up). Toss the chopped veggies lightly with olive oil then season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. If using fresh herbs, wait until about half way through the cook time to add them. Tip: I don't peel or chop the garlic cloves. I roast them in their skins and then squeeze them out when they are fully cooked to keep them from getting too brown.
  2. Pour the veggies into the prepared pan and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until soft and lightly browned in places, stirring occasionally.
  3. While the veggies are roasting, saute the mushrooms in olive oil or margarine until well browned and set aside. Lightly brown the tempeh in olive oil then add the greens and saute until they are bright green in color. Combine the mushrooms, greens and tempeh, pecans, and roasted veggies and serve over farro or another grain.
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It was really cold in my house this morning. Our heater stopped working yesterday and, even though I live in Northern California and not North Dakota, it still gets cold enough at night to cool the house down a few degrees. I lingered in bed for a few extra minutes before the thought of hot coffee lured me to the kitchen. Despite my love for green smoothies, today was a hot food kind of day.

After fixing "the usual" (oatmeal with applesauce and raisins) for my four year old and handing my toddler a muffin and a banana, I went about fixing some oats for myself. Don't let cooking oatmeal scare you away! It really doesn't take that long. In fact, you can cook rolled oats in about 1 1/2 minutes. Fast, right?

I call my oats "kitchen sink oatmeal" because I love to add all kinds of things to them. They are a fantastic vehicle for added protein, iron, fiber, and so much more. I use at least one kind of fruit and one kind of nut and/or seed.

Here are some of my favorite combos:
  • Bananas, peanut butter, chia seeds and/or ground flaxseeds
  • Apples, walnuts, raisins, hemp seeds, and cinnamon
  • Peaches and/or fresh berries and raw almonds
  • Pears, almonds, nutmeg, and cardamom
This morning I mixed up rolled oats, pears, whole raw almonds, fresh grated nutmeg, cardamom, brown sugar, and a splash of vanilla soymilk. This bowl of steamy goodness and a perfect cup of French-pressed coffee started my cold day off right!

To make rolled oats quickly, combine 1/2 cup oats and 1 cup of water or milk and microwave for 90 seconds or until it reaches your desired thickness. Watch it closely to make sure that it doesn't boil over (especially if you use milk)!

Confused about what kind of oats to buy (steel cut, rolled, quick, etc.)? Check out this post for more info.
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I'm back! I didn't actually go anywhere but I've had a bit of a busy week, technically speaking. First, my website was hacked. This was not awesome. It didn't take my site down, but it did cause some issues and gave me a major case of the hebegebees. Hackers are so creepy. After I cleaned up much of the hacker mess, my site host had a server outage and that DID take my site down. For almost 24 hours. I had to re-do some hacker cleanup after my site was restored. Sooooooo, it has been a long week in terms of all things GetNatured.com.

I planned several meals for the next week or so. I'm not really all that organized about this process. My main goals were to use up some things in my pantry and to get through my CSA produce before it went bad. After listing out all of my "must use" ingredients, I came up with this list of meals for the next several days:

  • Pot of pinto beans with brown rice and avocado
  • Vegetable soup with "Harvest Grains Blend" (grain and bean combo from Trader Joe's)
  • Whole wheat pasta tossed with chard, sundried tomatoes, white beans, and a creamy pesto sauce (cashew-based)
  • Pita pizzas with cashew ricotta (there it is again- love it!) and steamed green beans
  • Veggie burgers and chipotle sweet potato oven fries
  • Stir fried bok choy and turnip greens with tofu, wild rice, shiitake mushrooms, and toasted pecans
  • Roasted turnips, carrots, and sweet potatoes with farro, tempeh, pecans, and shiitake mushrooms (this is a repeat- it was SO GOOD last week)
  • Potato leek soup with white beans added for protein
  • Breakfast dishes: Apple cinnamon crockpot oats and persimmon apple breakfast crisp
*A tip: Portion out leftover dinner meals into single-serving reheat containers and refrigerate or freeze for easy grab-and-go lunches.

I love these containers: link

I will share a few recipes from this list as I cook these meals. Today, I'll share a super fast split pea soup recipe that I made last week.

Did you know...? Split peas area fantastic food- they don't require pre-soaking and they are loaded with iron, fiber, and protein!

Simple Split Pea Soup
1 1/2 cups split peas (green, yellow, or a mix), sorted and rinsed
6-8 cups of water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1-3 tsp liquid smoke (to taste, optional)
Sea salt (about 1 Tbsp) and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

  1. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot and add the onions and carrots. Saute until the onions are lightly browned.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer, partially covered, for about an hour. Serve the soup topped with homemade croutons.
To make croutons, I chopped up the heals of a few loaves of bread that were lingering in my fridge for just such an occasion. I tossed them with olive oil, salt, fresh chopped parsley, and minced garlic and baked them at 300 degrees until they were crunchy (about 25 minutes, turning once or twice).
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Now that it is November and the evenings are cooler, I have shifted my dinner plans to warmer foods. This week I am planning:

  • Split pea soup with added veggies and warm bread
  • Baked penne with cashew ricotta and sauteed green beans
  • Butternut squash and leek gratin (also with cashew ricotta...I'm hooked!)
  • Roasted root veggies with tempeh and farro
Farro is a hearty grain that lends itself well to combining with all kinds of foods. It will make a great vehicle for my roasted veggies this week and leftovers reheat well for a healthy and filling breakfast (just add a little milk of choice and top with fruit, nuts, seeds, etc.). One serving of farro contains 5 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and 10% of the RDA for iron.

To cook: soak the farro in cool water for at least an hour. Bring fresh water to a boil and add farro (1 cup of water for every 1/2 cup of farro) and simmer, partially covered, for 25-30 minutes (or until all liquid is absorbed).

What are some of your favorite fall meals?
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Because of their high antioxidant levels, pomegranates frequently appear on "super foods" lists and they are touted to have benefits for a variety of ailments. I have read that they may slow the growth of prostate cancer, combat heart disease, reduce the risk of breast cancer, prevent lung cancer, provide relief from arthritis, cure diarrhea, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Wow. That is a lot from one fruit! I'm not sure of the depth of the studies that support those claims but, that aside, pomegranates are indeed high in fiber and vitamin C and they taste great in salads or smoothies or on their own.

How to open a pomegranate
Step 1: Score the pomegranate into four sections. Be sure to cut through the skin.
Step 2: Pull the pomegranate apart into four sections.
Step 3. Hold the sections, one at a time, upside down in hand over a large bowl. Hit the pomegranate section with the back of a wooden spoon (pretty firmly) to knock the arils (seeds or pips) out. A word of advice: this can be messy so be prepared with a dish towel and don't wear your favorite white sweater!

For a little extra help, Martha Stewart demonstrates this technique here.
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Wow. This is one of my favorite desserts ever. I had a batch of cashew ricotta in my fridge and thought to myself, "this sure looks like it would make a good cheesecake..." That is how this recipe was born.

These cheesecake bites are not low fat or low calorie, but they are vegan and a truly a decadent treat! There are quite a few steps here, but each of these layers comes together pretty quickly.

Vegan Chocolate Dipped Pumpkin Butterscotch Cheesecake Bites

Crust
1 cup pecans
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon coconut (or brown) sugar

  1. Line a bread pan (or other small pan) with plastic wrap, letting it drape over the side (you will use the plastic to lift the cheesecake out of the pan later).
  2. Process all ingredients in a food processor until they start to stick together and form clumps. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Butterscotch
2 tablespoons Earth Balance margarine, melted
3 tablespoons brown rice syrup
3 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 teaspoon rum or butterscotch extract

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, mixing well.
  2. Pour into a skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring continuously, until it starts to thicken.
  3. Pour butterscotch over prepared crust.
Pumpkin cheesecake
1 1/2 cups cashew ricotta
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3 tablespoons coconut oil or coconut butter
3 tablespoons real maple syrup
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned is fine)

  1. Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Pour over the butterscotch layer in the prepared pan. Place in freezer for several hours or overnight.
  2. Remove frozen cheesecake from the freezer and lift it out of the pan using the plastic wrap. Cut the cake into ~1 inch squares and return to the freezer until the chocolate coating is ready. You may want to leave the squares in the freezer and take out only a few at a time as you're dipping them.
Chocolate coating
12 ounces of vegan chocolate, chopped (chips work too)
1 tablespoon non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening

  1. Place chocolate and shortening in a glass bowl. Melt on a low power setting in the microwave (stirring every 15 seconds) or in a double boiler.
  2. Dip each cheesecake square in the chocolate using a toothpick or tongs. Place the dipped squares on a wax or parchment lined baking sheet and use a spoon to pour a little more chocolate over the top.
Store the finished cheesecake bites in the fridge. These have a little condensation on them because they are still cold. They taste good at any temp!

Happy (early) weekend! I'm off to Lake Tahoe for a training weekend with my triathlon training group. Think warm thoughts for me, it is supposed to be COOOOLD!
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I have a new favorite thing- cashew cheese! I was looking for a way to create a creamy topping for a dessert pizza when I stumbled on this recipe for cashew cheese. She is right when she said that "instant gratification it is not" (I actually soaked my cashews for two days and then let the "cheese" sit overnight at room temp). This yummy and very versatile recipe is, however, totally worth the wait! It does freeze well too, so you can make a batch and freeze what you won't be using right away.

I'll first share this super fast pizza recipe with you. I know that I just wrote about pizza, but this cashew cheese is 1000 times better than any vegan cheese out there.

Super Fast Pizza with Cashew Ricotta "Cheese"
Serves 2

2 whole grain pitas
~1/2 cup (or more) jarred pasta or pizza sauce
~1/2 cup (or more) cashew ricotta
1 clove of garlic, pressed
Veggies of choice

  1. Top the pitas with sauce, cashew ricotta, garlic, and veggies or other toppings. Place in oven and turn heat to 425°F (218°C). Bake until toppings are cooked, ricotta is golden, and bread is toasted.
I drizzled my cooked pizza with olive oil then sprinkled fresh-cracked pepper and chopped basil on top. YUM!

Pizza is basic, but I have something really special coming up next. Think dessert. Think fall flavors. Think A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I'm going to make you wait until tomorrow for that one, though! Seriously, you're going to love it!

G'night.
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A month or so ago I made up a vegan waffle recipe that turned out to be my new favorite. Contrary to my usual way, I actually wrote down the recipe instead of thinking I'd remember it later. I'm so glad that I did because, with a couple of small tweaks, it was exactly what I needed this morning. We have some serious crockpot weather today (cold/rainy), so I needed to start the day with something cozy. It had to be pumpkin waffles. Had. To. Be.

Vegan Pumpkin Maple Waffles
2 tablespoons flax meal (ground flaxseeds)
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup margarine, melted (I prefer Earth Balance)
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose or bread flour
1/2-1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
4 teaspoons baking powder

  1. Combine the flax meal and water in a small bowl and set aside. Plug in your waffle iron to preheat.
  2. Combine flours, pumpkin pie spice, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
  3. Add milk, pumpkin, melted margarine, maple extract, and maple syrup to the flax mixture and mix well.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine (don't over-mix).
Let the batter sit for a couple of minutes before you begin cooking the waffles. It should be pretty light and fluffy.

You can top these waffles with margarine and maple syrup, powdered sugar, nut butter, whatever makes you happy!

Don't forget the hot tea or freshly ground coffee!

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Thank you so much to everyone who voted for and supported me through the Foodbuzz Project Food Blog contest. I was not selected to advance to the fifth challenge, however I am honored to have made it to the top 100 bloggers! Please consider checking out the remaining contestants and supporting them through to the end- I can't wait to see who will be the next "food blog star"!
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The Foodbuzz Project Food Blog challenge #4 is off and running and I'd again love to have your vote! Voting closes at 6pm PDT on October 14th (this Thursday), so please vote for GetNatured soon!

Thank you! <3
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One of my all-time favorite meals is grilled pizza. If you've never grilled pizza at home, you're in for a treat! I do not have any special pizza-making equipment, so this pizza can be made on a gas (or charcoal) grill without a pizza stone.

This recipe is vegan if you omit the cheese or use a vegan cheese alternative (I used Follow Your Heart vegan mozzarella).


Grilled Pizza Recipe

Assemble the ingredients:

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour*
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup cool water

*A note about flour: Using "00" flour (if you can find it), makes the most authentic Italian thin-crust pizza. If you substitute whole wheat for some or all of the flour, you will get a thicker and more bread-like crust.

Proof the yeast:
Dissolve the yeast in the warm (not hot!) water then add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Set aside to "proof" for 10 minutes. It should foam up if the yeast is active. If it does not, your yeast may not be active or the water may have been too hot.

Combine:
Combine the olive oil, cool water, 1 tbsp sugar, and salt.

Mix:
Put the flour in the bowl of a mixer or food processor. With the mixer/processor running, add the oil mixture then the yeast mixture.

Knead:
When the dough forms a ball, remove from the mixer/processor and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth.

Let rise:
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let rise for about 1 hour.

Separate and roll:
For 4 medium to large pizzas, separate the dough into 4 smaller balls (or more balls for smaller pizzas). Roll each ball to about 1/4 inch thick and place them on baking sheets. 

Tip: to minimize sticking, sprinkle the baking sheets with cornmeal.

Preheat grill and assemble and chop the toppings:
Preheat your barbecue grill on high and assemble and chop the toppings of your choice. 

Tip: Slice toppings as thin as possible because the pizza will cook quickly on the grill!

Grill the crust:
Reduce the barbecue heat to low and place the dough directly on the grill. Cook on ONE SIDE ONLY until nicely browned. Remove and place on a baking sheet, cooked side up. 

The crust will smell amazing when it is cooked- like fresh-baked bread!

Add the toppings:
Top the crust with your favorite sauce(s), veggies, cheeses, etc. Don't be afraid to top every pizza differently! For vegans: this pizza was made using Follow Your Heart Mozzarella.

Grill:
Make sure that the grill is on low heat and place the pizza on an oiled piece of aluminum foil and close the lid. The bottom of the pizza will brown very quickly (in 5 or so minutes), so watch it closely! Remove the pizza from the grill when it has reached your desired level of doneness.

Slice and enjoy!
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Thank you so much to everyone who voted for GetNatured in the Foodbuzz Project Food Blog contest for challenge #3 and for all of your comments on my post! I have advanced to challenge #4 and will be posting on that very soon. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Some of you asked about recipes and the pattern of my China, so here you go. For recipes that are not online already, I'll provide the source rather than the full recipe.

China pattern: I don't know the name of the specific pattern. It was purchased in 1928 and is a Noritake brand set.

Recipes:

  • Mushroom and walnut pate recipe (from Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero)
  • Butternut squash and sage soup is from Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen (love this book!)
  • Roasted asparagus crepes recipe (from the Vegan Yum Yum blog)
  • Tea poached pears as shared by another blogger, here (originally from Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero).
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We're on to challenge number three in the Foodbuzz Project Food Blog challenge and I'd again love, love, love to have your vote! Voting closes at 6pm PDT on October 7th (this Thursday), so please vote for GetNatured soon!

Thank you! <3
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I was really excited about this third challenge! Not just because I got to cook and eat delicious food, but because I also get to share a little bit of something that is important to me, with you. My "luxury dinner party" meal was entirely vegan (free of all animal products) and what I want to show you is the abundance of delicious foods that make up this meal. When people ask me, "what do vegans eat?" with a look of skepticism and concern in their eyes, I wish that I could share a meal like this with them to show them that being vegan isn't about restriction and limitations- it is about plentitude and thriving (and chocolate too)!

The menu:

Pear and Pomegranate Salad

A fresh green salad of baby lettuces, red pears, pomegranate arils, and pine nuts tossed in a light pear vinaigrette.


Herbed Mushroom and Walnut Pate

Herbed mushroom and walnut pate served with warm bread on a bed of micro greens.


Butternut Squash and Sage Soup

Creamy butternut squash soup topped with crispy sage leaves.


Roasted Asparagus Crepes

Delicate crepes wrapped gently around oven-roasted asparagus that has been topped with a creamy vegan hollandaise sauce.


Tea Poached Pears

Bosc pears poached in black tea, orange zest and vanilla. Served in velvety smooth chocolate sauce and topped with vanilla non-dairy ice cream.


For our luxury dinner, I set the table with my grandmother's China. This China has been in my family since my grandmother purchased it for her mother in the 1920s. It is a soft shade of yellow with a delicate flower pattern and gold trim:


Sharing a meal with friends and family is about more than just eating. It is about connection and sharing and bonding. My grandmother passed away at age 97 in 2006. Whenever I use this China, I almost feel like I've invited her to the table. I love that!

Some words on planning: When I was creating my menu for this dinner, I wanted to include seasonal produce but I also wanted to create some unique flavors that went well together.

My tips for pulling this off:
  • Choose produce that is in season for the best flavor. Also, shop locally if possible. The closer the produce was grown to your table, the better it will taste!
  • When creating your menu, select dishes that include similar ingredients. For example, my pate and soup both contain thyme; my salad and dessert are both centered around pears; etc.
  • A well-planned menu should draw its variety from multiple ingredients that go well together. Varying textures (crunchy, creamy, chewy, etc.) are okay, but the foods should have similar flavor profiles. No one course on the menu should drown out the others with over-powering flavor.

On wine: With our meal, I served a light white wine (Elva from Jodar Winery which was, coincidentally, named after the vintner's grandmother). For those who prefer a sweeter flavor, an orange muscat would be great (especially with this dessert).

Cheers!

Let's get started!

Pear and Pomegranate Salad

A fresh green salad of baby lettuces, red pears, pomegranate arils, and pine nuts tossed in a light pear vinaigrette.

We began our meal with a baby greens salad with red pears, pomegranate arils, and pine nuts. I tossed the greens in a light pear vinaigrette of my invention and the result was colorful and delicious!

For the pear vinaigrette: In a blender, combine 1 ripe pear (peeled and cored), 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Blend until very smooth. The dressing was a pretty pale yellow that looked so much like the yellow of my China!

Allow me to pause here to talk about feeding children. My kids are two and four and they are not yet into eating so luxuriously. Planning to feed them isn't tough, though.

Here are two tips to consider when you have little people to feed:
  • Younger kids prefer foods that are disassembled or in pieces. For example, instead of serving my boys a salad, I gave them a plate with pears, pomegranate arils, nuts, etc. that they could enjoy one thing at a time.
  • Serve sauces on the side in a dish that facilitates dipping. Kids are sometimes suspicious of sauce, but they love to dip!
Back to our meal!

Herbed Mushroom and Walnut Pate

Herbed mushroom and walnut pate served with warm bread on a bed of micro greens.

Along side the salad, I served a walnut mushroom pate. This pate was out of this world! It tasted great on the warm bread and would also make an excellent sandwich spread.

Butternut Squash and Sage Soup

Creamy butternut squash soup topped with crispy sage leaves.

For our next course, we enjoyed a rich and velvety smooth butternut squash soup with crispy sage leaves. The fresh thyme in the soup went well with the thyme in the pate and the smell of the onions and sage cooking together for the soup was heavenly. It is one of my favorite things this time of year!

Fresh thyme in my garden.
<photo removed>

The deliciously fragrant onions and soup.
<photo removed>

To make pureeing the soup really fast and easy, I used a stick blender. This is million times easier than trying to gradually add hot soup to a blender to puree. If you don't have a stick blender, I recommend picking one up; it is one of my favorite kitchen tools!

The finished soup:
<photo removed>


Roasted Asparagus Crepes

Delicate crepes wrapped gently around oven-roasted asparagus that has been topped with a creamy vegan hollandaise sauce.

For our main entree we enjoyed roasted asparagus crepes with vegan hollandaise sauce:
<photos removed>

Tea Poached Pears

Bosc pears poached in black tea, orange zest and vanilla. Served in velvety smooth chocolate sauce and topped with vanilla non-dairy ice cream.

To complete our luxurious fall feast, we had Bosc pears that were poached in black tea, orange zest, and vanilla and served in a pool of chocolate tea sauce and topped with non-dairy ice cream. Delectable!

A final word: I feel extremely thankful for all that went into this meal. From the wonderful vegan foods to the loving company of my family, I am so lucky.
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First, I want to say THANK YOU once again for your votes in the Foodbuzz Project Food Blog contest! I made it to challenge number three (more on that soon) and I am so grateful for your support. Thank you, thank you! <3

Now, I want to have a heart-to-heart with you about the holidays. Specifically, about creating a plan to nurture ourselves through this hectic season. It is officially the beginning of October and before we know it the holiday hubbub will be upon us. I have already seen sparkly Santas in a store or two and that has me thinking about how easy it is to set aside our own needs when we go about our shopping, shuttling, and merry-making for our friends and families. Last year I wrote a post entitled 10 ways to nurture yourself through the season of turkeys and trees. I think that it is really important to consider what you need in your own life, not only to manage stress, but to truly thrive even when things are hectic.

“Peace, it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, no trouble, or no hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” ~Unknown

Know what feeds you

I am a part of a triathlon training group and we train from January to August. I love the seasonal nature of triathlon training. I love that we start a fresh season at the beginning of the year and slowly ramp our training through the spring. We take a break in the fall and then start all over in January.

This year was my second season with the group and something interesting happened shortly after we wrapped up our season. Up to that point, I'd honestly been feeling a bit burned out on training and I welcomed the end of August with open arms. The first couple of weeks were fine. I changed my exercise routine to be more weight-training focused and cut back on my swim/bike/running. I was still getting the exercise that I needed to keep my spirits up but something was missing. I started to feel stressed and grumpy and a bit depressed. At first I couldn't figure out what was going on with me but, after some reflection, I figured it out: I was having tri training withdrawals! I missed my tri training friends and the support and friendship that I get from this group that is unique to that area of my life.

I have so many wonderful people in my life whose friendships feed me in a zillion different ways. This was a great lesson that reminded me that, despite my somewhat introverted ways, I still have a social side that is energized, fed, and nurtured by the company of others.

Winter survival plan

I don't want to wait until the dark days of winter and the craziness of the holidays kick me in the backside to think about how I'm going to stay centered. It is really important for me to approach this season with a plan. Not a shopping, cooking, party plan. But, a plan for nurturing my whole self; physically and mentally. I'll share my list of reminders to myself for this year. When I get to January, I hope to have gained some wonderful new memories and to have enjoyed the winter holiday season moment by moment. I hope that you will stop to consider what you need as well.

My list:
  1. Social: Spend time with friends and family doing things that are fun instead of stressful. Make time for gathering just for fun.
  2. Fitness: Keep up with my running plan. Consider entering a turkey trot and a snowshoe race! Go full moon snowshoeing or cross-country skiing.
  3. Health and immunity: Get lots of sleep. Get a flu shot. Drink lots of water and eat whole foods. Get my omega 3s. Stay away from high-sugar foods. Get some sunlight as often as possible. Play outside!
  4. Soul: Take hot baths with pretty smelling things followed by my favorite lotion. Sit in the spa. Do one thing at a time and finish one thing before starting another. Read books and magazines. Light candles. Listen to music. Work in some yoga and meditation. Write.
  5. Family: Spend more time on "want to" than "have to". Laugh together every day. Take day trips to build a snowman or to the beach. Read stories by the fireplace. Have date nights with my hubby. Have a nighttime stargazing picnic with hot drinks and fuzzy blankets.

What is in your plan this winter?
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Foodbuzz Project Food Blog challenge number two is underway and I'd love, love, love to have your vote! Voting closes at 6pm PDT on September 30th (this Thursday), so please vote for GetNatured soon!

Thank you! <3
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Challenge number two for the Foodbuzz Project Food Blog contest is "The Classics". For this challenge, I was asked to create a classic dish from another culture that is outside of my comfort zone. I decided on Ethiopian cuisine. I have had Ethiopian food several times at restaurants but have never attempted to cook any of these delicious foods at home.

So why Ethiopian? Aside from being delicious, Ethiopian food is unique and tends to be less available in restaurants than foods from other regions of the world so fewer people have experienced these flavors. Also, it can be very vegetarian and vegan friendly. I would like to share a few of these things with you!

First, Ethiopian foods are typically served atop injera bread. The injera is a sourdough (fermented dough) bread is made from teff flour that is used in place of eating utensils. Small pieces of the bread are torn off and used to pick up bites of food, traditionally with the right hand.

Did you know...? Teff is the world's smallest grain but it packs a big nutritional punch. It is an excellent source of iron, protein, and fiber. Just one serving (1/4 cup dry) contains 20% of the RDA for iron, 6gm protein, and 6gm fiber (8% calcium too). The lentils and split peas used in many Ethiopian dishes are also excellent sources of protein, iron, and fiber.


Here is what I served for my classic Ethiopian meal:

Injera bread:
I didn't have teff flour, so I processed a small amount of teff grain in my VitaMix to make flour (1/2 cup teff made about 3/4 cup flour).

Recipe:

3 cups self-rising flour (or 3 cups all-purpose flour plus 4 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1 1/2 tsp salt)
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup teff flour
1 Tbsp dry active yeast
3 1/2 cups warm water

  1. Combine all of the ingredients except for the water and mix well. Add the water and mix until well combined. Cover and let sit for 3-6 hours (for traditional sourdough, the dough is let rest for 3 days).
  2. After the rest period, stir the dough again to incorporate any liquid that may have separated. Add the dough to a blender 2 cups at a time along with about 1/4 - 1/2 cup water and blend to mix for a few seconds. The dough should be very thin- thicker than crepe batter but thinner than pancakes.
  3. In a non-stick skillet heated over medium heat (no oil), pour the batter 1/2 cup at a time. Move the pan in a circular motion to spread out the batter so that it is no more than 1/8 inch thick. Cover the pan and let the injera cook until it is cooked through (don't flip). Remove from the pan and stack the breads as they are made. They will initially be a little crispy on the bottom but will soften up.

On top of the bread, I served a few different foods:

Misir wat (wat or wot is a stew and misir wat is a common lentil stew that is seasoned with traditional berbere spices).

I made my own berbere using:

¼ tsp cloves
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
¼ tsp allspice
1 tsp fenugreek
1/2 tsp cardamom
½ tsp coriander
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp cayenne
¼ tsp nutmeg
3 tbsp paprika
1 tsp salt

Squash tibs (tibs are sauteed veggies or meats).

Kik wat (a stew made from yellow split peas).

Sauteed greens (I used turnip).

Put on some Ladysmith Black Mambazo, get out your copy of The Ladies #1 Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, pour the African red bush (rooibos) tea, and dig in...with your hands, of course!

I really love the ceremonious nature of traditional dining in other cultures. I am also fascinated by traditions such as the Japanese tea ceremony. In Ethiopia, one very simple such ritual is goorsha, which is an act of friendship. During a meal, a person might roll a piece of injera bread in sauce and place it in a friend's mouth. The larger the goorsha, the stronger the friendship. Amesege'nallo' (thank you)!

If you have the chance, I encourage you to expand your horizons and give Ethiopian or other new-to-you foods a try. After all, life is too short for frozen pizza!  
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Thank you very much to everyone who voted for GetNatured in the Foodbuzz Project Food Blog contest! With your help I have been selected to advance to the second challenge! I will be writing more on that in the next few days. Thank you again!

Speaking of challenges, I have recently become completely hooked on Larabars- the new Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor. They are so, so, SO delicious and they have only a few ingredients. The only thing that deters me from buying them by the case is their price- they are a little on the high side (understandably so considering the ingredients, I think). So, I decided to follow the lead of some other bloggers out there and make my own.

These were easy to make using a food processor and they tasted perfect!

I started with this recipe from Oh She Glows and it worked really well. I used the same ingredients and measurements.

Here are the steps that I followed:
  1. Place the chopped dates in the food processor and process until they start to stick together and ball up. Remove them from the food processor and place them in a bowl. Set aside.
  2. Place the cashews, chocolate chips, cinnamon, and vanilla in the food processor and process until the nuts are finely chopped.
  3. Add the nut mixture to the dates and mix together as best you can.
  4. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and pour/plop the mixture onto the plastic. Fold the plastic over the mixture to keep it from sticking to your hands and knead it until it all sticks together and you can form it into bars. Divide the mixture into two or three pieces and form into bars (using the plastic wrap to shape them to keep them from sticking to your hands). Wrap the bars in plastic and refrigerate.
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Voting is officially open for the Foodbuzz Project Food Blog contest. I would be honored to have your vote!

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I am entering the Foodbuzz Project Food Blog contest and I am writing this post to share my philosophy on food and blogging. As I say on my About page, I started GetNatured.com to inspire others to live nurtured lives. To me, that is about more than just diet and exercise. It is about fueling our bodies with whole foods, exercising to build strength and vitality, nurturing our creativity, and finding community in the world around us. That is what GetNatured is about.

My approach to eating is balanced. I believe that eating a whole foods plant-based diet is the healthiest way to fuel our bodies. I also believe in chocolate. One of my mantras for daily living is, “something is always better than nothing.” GetNatured isn't about perfection. It is about the simple pursuit of health and happiness. Sometimes that means watching the sunrise on a morning run. Sometimes it means forgoing my “to do” list in favor of sharing freshly baked chocolate chip cookies with my favorite person. Health and happiness are both physical and mental. I believe in feeding both.

I love new flavors and combinations of foods and my desire for those continually inspires and challenges me to learn new things. I have gained countless new ideas and have been so immensely inspired by reading blogs. Though the world of food blogging is huge, there is a feeling of solidarity that runs through this virtual community. My family may not understand my excitement over finding "00" flour for pizza crust, but I know that my fellow bloggers do!

My family and I are vegetarians and, while I truly believe with all that I am that is the healthiest way to eat, I do not want my readers to ever feel like they're getting the cold shoulder for enjoying animal-based foods. I know that everyone has their own favorite foods and traditions and that is their personal journey. I share recipes and my food successes because I believe passionately that healthy food can be simple and delicious- even to kids! My hope is that others will be inspired to integrate more whole foods into lives as well.
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You have, no doubt, heard that getting enough fiber in your diet is important, but do you know why? Do you know how much you need? Advertisements for fiber supplements would have you believe that it is nearly impossible to get enough fiber without continuously eating throughout the entire day. So is it really that difficult? In a word, no.

Why do we need fiber?
In addition to normalizing bowel movements and aiding in digestive health, dietary fiber also helps to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and to prevent diseases such cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Soluble vs insoluble - what's the difference?
Soluble fiber dissolves in water while insoluble does not. Soluble fiber helps with disease prevention and insoluble fiber acts as a broom for our digestive system. From the Mayo Clinic:

  • Insoluble fiber. This type of fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation or irregular stools. Whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and many vegetables are good sources of insoluble fiber.
  • Soluble fiber. This type of fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Soluble fiber is found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium.
How much fiber do we need?
First, how much fiber do you need each day? The USDA recommends 14 grams for every 1000 calories consumed or approximately these amounts <table removed>

Where does fiber come from?
Fiber comes from plant-based foods such as fruits, veggies, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. Foods that have been highly processed (e.g. white flour, canned fruits and veggies, juices) have less fiber than minimally processed foods. Fiber supplements are available, however what you gain in fiber from those products, you lose in the important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that come from fresh and whole foods. Foods that contain the most fiber include:
  • Lentils
  • Black, pinto, small white, and lima beans
  • Whole grain cereals such as bran flakes or shredded wheat
  • Acorn squash
  • Potatoes with the skin on
  • Broccoli
  • Apples (skin on)
  • Pears (skin on)
  • Berries (especially blackberries and raspberries)
  • Spinach
Here is a great example from the American Institute of Cancer Research of a menu for one day that provides plenty of dietary fiber:

Breakfast: 1⁄2 cup blueberries (2 grams) 1 cup shredded wheat (6g)
Snack: medium banana (3g)
Lunch: 1 – 2 slices whole-wheat bread (2 – 4g) 1 cup lentil soup (6g)
Snack: 1⁄4 cup hummus (4g) 6 whole-grain crackers (3g)
Dinner: 1 cup broccoli (5g) 1⁄2 – 1 cup brown rice (2 – 4g) small tossed salad (1g)
Total Fiber: 34 – 38 g

Tips from the Mayo Clinic for getting more fiber:

  • Jump-start your day. For breakfast choose a high-fiber breakfast cereal — 5 or more grams of fiber a serving. Opt for cereals with "bran" or "fiber" in the name. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.
  • Switch to whole grains. Look for breads that list whole wheat, whole-wheat flour or another whole grain as the first ingredient on the label. Look for a brand with at least 2 grams of dietary fiber a serving. Experiment with brown rice, wild rice, barley, whole-wheat pasta and bulgur.
  • Bulk up your baked goods. Substitute whole-grain flour for half or all of the white flour when baking. Whole-grain flour is heavier than white flour. In yeast breads, use a bit more yeast or let the dough rise longer. When using baking powder, increase it by 1 teaspoon for every 3 cups of whole-grain flour. Try adding crushed bran cereal or unprocessed wheat bran to muffins, cakes and cookies.
  • Mix it up. Add pre-cut fresh or frozen vegetables to soups and sauces. For example, mix chopped frozen broccoli into prepared spaghetti sauce or toss fresh baby carrots into stews.
  • Get a leg up with legumes. Eat more beans, peas and lentils. Add kidney beans to canned soup or a green salad. Or make nachos with refried black beans, lots of fresh veggies, whole-wheat tortilla chips and salsa.
  • Eat fruit at every meal. Apples, bananas, oranges, pears and berries are good sources of fiber.
  • Make snacks count. Fresh and dried fruit, raw vegetables, and low-fat popcorn and whole-grain crackers are all good choices. An occasional handful of nuts is also a healthy, high-fiber snack.
Note: It is important to increase the amount of fiber in your diet gradually:

High-fiber foods are good for your health. But adding too much fiber too quickly can promote intestinal gas, abdominal bloating and cramping. Increase fiber in your diet gradually over a period of a few weeks. This allows the natural bacteria in your digestive system to adjust to the change. Also, drink plenty of water. Fiber works best when it absorbs water, making your stool soft and bulky.
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I recently discovered the Healthy Living Blogs website and want to share it with you! The site contains blogger interviews, information, and links to a ton of different and great healthy living blogs from all over the world. What a great way to help connect us like-minded health nut types!

Healthy Living Blogs

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Every year about this time I have a small panic attack. When I realize that another summer has passed and that fall is just about to kick off, I start obsessing about all of the "summery" things that I still haven't done. Instead of driving myself nuts as usual, I decided to fully embrace the change of the seasons this year. We had a couple of cooler days this week so yesterday was a great day for pumpkin muffins!

These muffins are not super sweet but they are really healthy- they contain lots of iron and protein too! I wasn't sure if they'd pass the "kid test", but...

Success!

Big smiles:


Big bites:

Even though he can talk, he is also using his baby sign for "more" just to make sure that I understand that he needs another muffin ASAP!

Thumbs up:



Number 1!
Kid-Tested Pumpkin Muffins
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 cup non-dairy milk
1 tablespoon chia seeds, ground flaxseeds, or 1 egg
1/3 cup packed brown sugar (*see note)
3 tablespoons oil (whatever kind you prefer to use)
1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup protein powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk together the pumpkin, non-dairy milk, chia or flaxseeds (or egg), brown sugar, oil, and molasses and set aside.
  2. Combine the flours, baking powder, protein powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl. 
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine (don't over-mix).
  4. Pour batter into a lightly oiled or paper-lined muffin pan. Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.
*A note about sugar: These muffins are not super sweet. If you prefer a sweeter tasting muffin, I recommend using 1/2 to 2/3 cup of packed brown sugar.

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Last night I had a serious craving for comfort food. It has been really hot this week where I live (I think it was close to 100 degrees yesterday and even hotter the day before) so soups and casseroles are not sounding good just yet. It had to be a different kind of comfort food!

I had some packaged whole wheat gnocchi and some fresh basil, so I decided to throw together a cashew-based pesto cream sauce. I also sauteed some shiitake mushrooms to top it off and the result was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! So, so good!

I typically avoid packaged foods, but I do have a few things in my pantry for occasionally throwing together dinner when I want something different. I found egg-free whole wheat gnocchi at Trader Joe's.

Gnocchi is an excellent "vehicle" for the pesto cream sauce. The textures are perfect together. The shiitake mushrooms add an extra dimension of flavor, texture, and richness- I love them! I also sauteed some kale to go on the side and the meal couldn't have been better!

Gnocchi: Cook according to package directions. This typically means boiling for about 2-3 minutes.

Mushrooms: Slice and saute in Earth Balance margarine (or olive oil) until browned and the smaller ones are beginning to get a little crunchy.

Kale: Saute 2 minced garlic cloves in a bit of olive oil until beginning to brown. Add kale (washed and chopped) and saute until it is bright green and the thicker stems are somewhat tender. I season mine with red pepper flakes, a squeeze of lemon juice, and gomasio (lightly toasted sesame seeds processed in the blender with sea salt until it is a course powder like ground parmesan cheese).

Pesto cream sauce
Serves about 3 to 4 people

1 cup water or unsweetened non-dairy milk
1/3 cup raw cashews
~1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp gomasio (or 1/4 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp tahini)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1-2 cloves garlic
Dash of fresh cracked pepper

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Taste and add more sea salt, if necessary. To serve, place the hot gnocchi on a plate and top with the cream sauce then add the mushrooms over the top.
My husband and I enjoyed this delicious comfort food with a very smooth glass of zinfandel from Parducci Winery. Ahhh, the perfect way to kick off a long weekend!
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Earlier this week I had a few veggies left over from our camping trip but not much else in the fridge. I decided to throw together some quick homemade veggie burgers for dinner (I used mostly carrots, peppers, and broccoli and loosely followed this recipe). The leftover burgers make for great lunches! Instead of a bun, I smash avocado on top of the patties and make oven fries or chips to go along with them- double YUM!

For oven chips: Leave the peels on the potatoes for extra iron and fiber (try to find organic potatoes- they are one of the "dirty dozen"!) and thinly slice. Toss them with olive oil and salt, spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper (or lightly oiled) and bake at 400 degrees until browned.
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My name is Allison. I am a writer, boy mom, and a nature lover in Northern California. Read more here.

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