Muy Delicioso Tortilla Soup

There is nothing like warming up with some delicious hearty soup. Soup is a great meal to make if you're a busy person needing to fix something quick and that will keep!

I threw this dish together one evening when I was wanting some comfort food. It definitely did the trick and the bold flavors and various textures were very satisfying!

What you will need: Serves 4-6 (Double if you are feeding a large family and/or want leftovers.)

-Two 32 fluid oz. containers of chicken broth. (I use Imagine's organic option because it has no MSG or sugar. This item is available at Whole Foods.)
-One 4 oz. can of green chiles. (I use La Preferid's organic option at Whole Foods and another local grocery.)
-2 large tomatillos. 1 1/2-2 cups, chopped.
-1 large yellow onion, chopped.
-1 can of black beans (another item to check the label for unnecessary ingredients, like sugar.)
-1/2 tablespoon chili powder
-1 tablespoon salt
-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-Splash of paprika and pepper
-6 sprigs of cilantro, chopped.
-1 large avocado, or 2 small.
-1 large lime, or 2 small.
-Blue corn chips (*Please read information about what kind at the bottom of this post. It's a little lengthy but important!)
-Two 10 oz. cans of organic chicken. If you can't find organic, use 2 full chicken breasts, chopped into small pieces and cook on your stove top or oven before following these steps.

Let's get started!

-Pour broth, spices, chicken, green chiles, half of the chopped onion, and 4 sprigs of chopped cilantro in a large pot, on medium heat.
-Place sliced tomatillo and other half of the chopped onion in a food processor (I used my Ninja food prep) and fully blend into a thick liquid.
-Add blended mixture into the pot.
-Stir soup occasionally for 20 minutes.
-To serve, place crushed tortilla chips and sliced avocado on top of each serving.
-Optional: Garnish with remaining cilantro and lime wedge.


*When you're on an anti-candida diet, you can have organic, non-GMO blue corn. Like all packaged foods, it is very important to read the ingredients. Companies know that sugar is addicting and they tend to hide it in as much as they can get away with because it really has similar effects to MSG. Sugar is addicting. "Sugar" has many disguises on labels. I won't go through all of the terms because, unfortunately, there is a scary long list. Google it!

I have narrowed down the best blue corn chip brands with no added nonsense and that also use the healthiest oils..and to me, taste the best:

-365 (Whole Foods' brand)- Lightly Salted Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
-Simply Sprouted- Way Better Snacks- Simply Unbeatable Blues Tortilla Chips
-Salba Chia Snacks- Organic Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

Vegan Pumpkin Custard

Yesterday I was feeling rather festive, which quickly resulted in my having a massive craving for pumpkin pie. If you saw my first food post, you can see that I do have an incredible gluten free, sugar free, soy free, dairy free, etc., etc. pumpkin pie that I will for sure eventually share BUT I was sort of wanting more immediate gratification!

So, I crossed my fingers and whipped up (literally) a fantastic raw, vegan, treat that more than sufficed for a quick pumpkin pie-like treat! Since almonds are used to make a delicious milk alternative, it makes a lot of sense that this would create a sweet, milky/ creamy flavor. Added bonus: it took 2 minutes to make! This treat does taste better after being chilled in the fridge.

What you will need:

- One 15 oz. can of pumpkin. (I use organic Farmer's Market brand because the can has a BPA free liner. Available at Whole Foods.)
-1/3 cup almonds, chopped.
-2 1/2-3 tablespoons brown Lakanto (or coconut sugar/ sweetener, if you don't have a candida issue).
-2 teaspoons pumpkin pie seasoning blend. (I love, love this pre-mixed spice of cinnamon, ginger, lemon peel, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, star anise, fennel, and black pepper. You can find this with the spices at almost any grocery. It also tastes wonderful in quinoa, paired with a natural sweetener.)
-1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract, preferably alcohol free.
-1 tablespoon water

What to do!

-Add almonds and water to a food processor (I used my Vitamix for this).
-After the almonds are in a powder form, add pumpkin, sweetener, vanilla, and seasoning.
-Blend until smooth.
-Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or almonds for garnish.

ENJOY!  I really enjoyed it with a hot cup of chai tea. Although, I love tea with almost everything.

My next attempt will be to add a little bit of crunch by making a simple crumble crust with butter, quinoa flour, and Lakanto. Baking it, letting it cool, and sprinkling on top for some added texture! Give it a try!

Good news: this is one of those sweet treats you can enjoy for breakfast and not feel the least bit guilty! This dish is packed with potassium, vitamins A and C, protein, and if you were as happy as I was after eating, it also has a mood boosting effect! *I actually just read that pumpkin boosts serotonin, which is said to give you a more positive outlook.

Chia Cinnamon Sandies

Yesterday, like many days, I was wanting something sweet to eat. Recently, I've read about dessert recipes that were made with beans. I was thinking the same thing you're probably thinking right now! Beans? Yes, beans! I am open to giving anything a shot because I have been pleasantly surprised time and time again so, after reading through various recipes, I decided to give it a shot, Body Ecology style! I had to try a few different varieties to see if my omits and replacements would work. The second batch was the winner and it was really very simple! This protein-packed treat is a great item to make as a grab and go breakfast, dessert, or snack!

Quick note: if you're unfamiliar with Lakanto- an all natural sweetener that I use in mostly all of my sweet recipes, definitely give it a shot! It is great for people who suffer from candida, diabetes, or weight problems because it has zero calories and zero glycemic index. It is comparable to stevia but is much easier to bake with because it converts equally with sugar when you're substituting ingredients. It comes in a brown and white form. The brown actually tastes similar to brown sugar, so I prefer it over the white for a lot of my baked goods.

What you will need:
(For optimized health, I suggest you try to make sure you use as much organic ingredients as possible!)

-1 1/2 cups chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained.
-3 heaping tablespoons of chopped almonds, or 3 tablespoons of sugar free almond butter, or nut butter.
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract, preferably alcohol free if you're suffering from candida.
-1/8 teaspoon baking soda
-1/8 teaspoon sea salt
-2/4 cup + 1-2 tablespoons Lakanto (or 3/4 cup of coconut sugar if you don't have a candida issues).
-1 tablespoon coconut oil
-1 tablespoon ground chia seeds, or if you prefer more texture, whole chia seeds.
-3 tablespoons non-denatured, GMO free, sugar- free protein powder, such as RenewPro or Whey Factors. (Non-denatured pretty much means there was no chemical process involved in making it.)
-3 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until mixture is smooth. Place batter into an 8" x 8" pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 30-32 minutes. For a thicker blondie, use a smaller pan and bake for an additional 2-5 minutes. Store in the fridge.

Voila! You can also add additional chopped nuts for extra, extra protein and texture.  My serving suggestion: enjoy this sweet treat with a warm cup of chai tea!

Kitchen Sink Scrambles

I am one of the few (or many) who love having leftovers! To save time, I typically try to make extra so the meal can be enjoyed the next day OR so that I can use the ingredients for another dish.

Two evenings ago, I made my delicious taco meat and made sure to make a little extra. Since then, I have been able to enjoy it with multiple meals, including my breakfast this morning! I also had a partial red bell pepper, chopped garlic, jalapenos, and vegan parmesan cheese left over from other previous meals.

The nice thing about eggs is that you can add them to almost anything, and you've got a fantastic scramble for breakfast! For probably 10 years, I have had the tendency of taking pictures of my food. Sometimes, I like to scroll for ideas and recently noticed how many simple scrambles I had shot. It left me wondering if I could even utilize them for this blog because they were just so simple! But, I do think it's useful to point out, they were all beautiful dishes that I thoroughly enjoyed and they were made by just grabbing what I had in the fridge and adding eggs!

* Please note: this meal was made with what I had from left over dishes, which you can easily recreate even if you don't have these items already prepared in your fridge. Any vegetable or ingredient can be replaced, added, or eliminated! But as is, this particular dish was delicious.

 

This morning, my scramble consisted of:

-1 handful of chopped fresh kale.
-1/2 red bell pepper, chopped.
-1/4 clove garlic, minced.
-1/4 onion, chopped.
-A little bit of fresh jalapeno, chopped.
-1 small spoonful of ghee
-Cooked ground grass-fed beef, that had been seasoned with my fajita seasoning, (ingredients available in Mexican spaghetti post). How much is your preference! I used approx. 1/4 cup.
-2 eggs

Instructions:
*If you don't have cooked ground beef or an alternative in your fridge, be sure to brown the meat in the pan first, before you add the vegetables.
-Add ghee to pan and let melt on medium heat.
-Add garlic and onion to pan, cook on medium-high heat for a minute or so.
-Add all vegetables and meat and cook for 4 minutes.
-Then, add eggs and scramble!
-I topped it with vegan parmesan cheese (recipe listed in my previous zucchini pasta post) but you can obviously simply season it with sea salt and pepper.

Here are other examples of dishes I made and the fabulous meal I got to enjoy the day after. Don't worry, I will be giving the recipes for the dishes shown below. (If there is a particular one your are interested in, please let me know and I will give it priority!)

 

Steamed shrimp and veggies with potatoes and avocado. The next morning for my scramble, I used the potatoes, avocado, and leftover veggies from the night before and added eggs and fresh spinach for a completely different and equally satisfying meal!

     

Sauteed zucchini and onion with smoked salmon on fresh spinach with cauliflower dill soup. The next morning, I added eggs to the sauteed veggies and smoked salmon for a delicious morning meal!

 

One evening I made fish and this steamed asparagus and onion were my side. So, the next morning I added the leftover veggies to eggs and ground beef and placed it on a bed of fresh spinach! 

Quick & Easy Recipe: Zucchini Pasta

I am all about easy eating. I definitely enjoy a challenge on occasion, like my previous post on Mexican Spaghetti, but when I don't have the time, meals can sometimes be a little difficult with this diet because you have to actually make something. This simple zucchini dish is a fabulous treat, full of flavor, and takes no time at all! It's a nice alternative to fettuccine alfredo.

What you will need: (Serves 2)

-3 large zucchini squash. If smaller, 6.

-3 tablespoons of ghee

-A splash (2 teaspoons) of lemon juice

-1 tablespoon sugar-free plain kefir (this adds a creamier texture and a nice flavor but the dish is fine without it!) 

-1 clove minced garlic

-3 teaspoons sea salt.

-3 teaspoons pepper

*With the seasonings, you can alter to your taste preference! 

-In a food processor or with a vegetable peeler, shave zucchini into noodle-like strips.

-Place 1 tablespoon of ghee in pan on medium-high heat and cook minced garlic until it turns clear. 

-Add zucchini, 2 tablespoons of ghee, salt, and pepper and saute on medium-high until zucchini is tender (approx. 8 minutes)- but try not to overcook to preserve nutrients.

-Take pan off heat and while stirring, add kefir.

-Squeeze lemon and voila!

If you have the time, it also tastes great with a little bit of vegan parmesan cheese on top! I make larger batches of this high-protein treat and store in the refrigerator for convenience to add to salads on other dishes. 

-1/3 cup raw cashews

-1/4 teaspoon mustard powder

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

Add all ingredients into a food processor (Cuisinart, Vitamix, or coffee grinder) until mixture becomes finely ground, similar to real sprinkle parmesan cheese.  

Mexican Spaghetti with Cheese, Please!

Because of my dietary restrictions, I have to get creative when I get a craving for pasta, dairy, and dessert. A lot of the time, I have to order non-produce items online because finding a packaged food item I can actually have (an item lacking the unnecessary nonsense most companies, even organic ones, just have to put in their foods) is nearly impossible in good ol' Oklahoma. So, when I went to LA recently, I was pleasantly surprised to see the wonderful variety of noodles at their Whole Foods. In the Body Ecology Diet, the four grains allowed are: quinoa, amaranth, millet, and buckwheat. Quinoa is fabulous but finding a quinoa noodle without traces of rice or some sort of flour is impossible. And although I use quinoa in replacement for noodles frequently, a lot of the time, texture plays a big role in successfully curing a craving!

After strolling the isle, I was lucky enough to find 100% buckwheat noodles (which I will touch on in another entry) and Organic Black Bean Spaghetti. I was pleasantly intrigued because after Stage 1 of  B.E.D. (Body Ecology Diet), you are able to re-introduce some beans back into your diet, slowly. I was excited to see that the ingredients only contain organic black beans and water! They also contain 25 grams of protein per serving and were a whopping $4 for a bag that serves four people. Score! Now, I just needed to see if they were actually edible! (Spoiler alert: they are!)

Because they were a black bean noodle, I decided to create a Mexican-style spaghetti meal for my family. It consists of: ground taco beef, sauteed onions and red bell pepper, and vegan cheese. If you don't have the noodles in your grocery store, you can replace them with brown rice noodles or, this recipe can be easily made into a taco salad by replacing the noodles with lettuce and maybe adding some blue corn chips to add some heartiness. *Please note: people suffering from candida should avoid all grains other than the four listed above but brown rice is the best alternative for others.

Vegan cheese is a relatively new adventure for me because I just graduated to Stage 2 of the B.E.D.  Meaning, I can also add new nuts to my diet since soaked almonds are the only nut allowed during Stage 1. But all I can say is vegan cheese is magical! I was really excited to be able to have an excuse to make this "cheese" because it is so very satisfying and flavorful. (It actually tastes extremely similar to the cheese from the kid's snack packs with cheese dip and cracker sticks. If that sounds questionable, don't let it mislead you. It's fabulous!)

What you will need! (This meal serves 4.)

Taco Meat:
-2-2.5 lbs Ground beef (grass-fed is best). You can also use turkey, if preferred.

Taco/ Fajita Seasoning:
-2 teaspoons chili powder
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon paprika
-1/2 teaspoon onion powder
-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-1/4 teaspoon cumin

Vegetable Saute: (Feel free to add more veggies! Zucchini would be a great addition. I just used what I had.)
-1 clove of garlic
-2 onions
-2 red peppers
-1 Tbsp ghee (A wonderfully tasting, healthy option that cooks better at a higher temperature than butter. Available at Whole Foods and many other grocery stores.)

-1 bag of Explore Asian- Organic Black Bean Spaghetti

"Nacho" Cheese:
-1 cup- raw cashews that have been soaked in water for 2-3 hours (this softens the nut to create a smooth consistency and also makes it easier to digest).
-1/4 cup- chopped red bell pepper
-2 tablespoons- extra-virgin or virgin olive oil (meaning, it hasn't been exposed to chemicals)
-2 tablespoons- water
-1 1/2 tablespoons- lemon juice
-1/2 teaspoon- sea salt
-1 teaspoon- onion powder
-1/2 teaspoon- turmeric

Let's get started!

First, start with browning your meat on medium-high with the mixed taco meat seasoning. Stir occasionally.

While your meat is browning, cut vegetables and garlic. Place a tablespoon of ghee and chopped garlic in pan on medium-high heat, until garlic turns almost transparent. Then, add vegetables. Later, lower the temperature to medium-low to avoid over-cooking the peppers. You want them to stay crisp for texture and preserving nutrients.

Place 5-8 cups of water in a pot and set on high heat for noodles. Once water is boiling, add noodles, and stir frequently for 8-10 minutes. Drain noodles and immediately run cool water over them. (This is what the instructions on the bag stated but I also went ahead and added a tablespoon of ghee to the pot before I put noodles back in to prevent sticking.)

While items are on stove, place drained, soaked cashews in a food processor (both Cuisinart and Vitamix work well), along with all of the other ingredients, and blend until it turns into a creamy texture.

After everything is cooked, top to your liking, and enjoy!

I can definitely assure you that this meal is absolutely fabulous!!! There is a ton of great nutrients, protein, texture, and amazing flavor and it is very satisfying and filling!

Sushi Bowls to the Rescue

One of my regular cravings is sushi. At a very young age, my siblings and I were introduced to this delicacy and after being spoiled in college and eating it almost every single day, I crave it on a weekly basis. It is definitely one of those foods for me that the more you eat it, the more you crave it! When I began eating clean years ago, I was sworn off of white rice. Luckily, I was living in LA at the time so it was relatively easy to request brown rice. (Geisha House in Hollywood always happily obliged.)

On the Body Ecology Diet/ anti-candida diet, rice in general is not allowed for the first few stages. This made eating sushi pretty impossible until one day, I was determined to satisfy my craving. I went to a local natural grocer and after getting assistance and researching via Google, I was able to purchase (fresh, antibiotic-free) fish from the butcher. My selection included shrimp, smoked salmon, and raw tuna. And although the helpful grocer assured me other raw fish options would be safe, I didn't feel comfortable after reading some negative reviews online about potential bacteria and side effects from eating some raw options and salmon that hadn't been treated in some shape or form.

Moving on, I also was sure to pick up other staple ingredients including avocado, cucumber, and nori (seaweed paper). Please note: some seaweed paper isn't pure so be sure to read the ingredients because some hide sugar, soy, and other unnecessary ingredients. Lastly, the key replacement ingredient: quinoa! To begin, start cooking the quinoa first. I suggest you cook it longer than the suggested time frame, to achieve a stickier consistency (and you may need to continue to add water so it doesn't get too dry). While the quinoa is cooking, prepare and cook the shrimp. Then, cut your vegetables and fish in bite-size portions but try keeping the fish intact to easily and cleanly place in bowl.

When the quinoa is at the desired consistency (similar to sticky rice), add sea salt. Then, arrange the chopped fish, vegetables, and avocado in a bowl over the quinoa and garnish with the nori. Voila! Super easy and delicious. If you're a huge soy sauce fan, I would suggest using Coconut Aminos. Many people think Bragg Liquid Aminos is a healthier, gluten free alternative to soy sauce but it also contains soy, which has been shown to be potentially dangerous. If you suffer from candida, opt for sea salt. It really does the trick.

When setting the table, add small bowls of cut cucumber, avocado, and other ingredients so your guests can top off their quinoa with additional helpings.

If you're feeling even more ambitious or have some extra time on your hands, you can try rolling the sushi. Compress the quinoa in a flat square, cover with nori paper, dampen the paper with small amounts of water so that it adheres to the quinoa. Add fish 1/4 of the way in and roll with sushi roll mat. Although it was a little messy and slightly tedious, I was able to make a few intact hand rolls. I may eventually try using the nori on the outside as well, to see if it stays together better. But, the bowls are just as satisfying and extremely simple! Also, a wonderful addition: it was surprisingly inexpensive compared to eating at a sushi restaurant, costing no more than $13 a person and we had plenty of leftovers.

Food and Fashion?

When I started this blog LONG ago, I was styling in Dallas and wanting to utilize this blog for inspiration and my passion for visual design. Although I am still focused on creating and sharing pretty things through my webstore (www.OldSoulLuxury.com), I am also extraordinarily passionate about creating clean recipes. Food is most definitely not a new passion but living a clean lifestyle is. I began feeling a little less than fabulous years ago, wondering what was causing these health changes.

After a long and bumpy road, I have found that I have a little something called candidiasis. First, you feel as though you've been plagued by a very disruptive and violating ailment and although I am not glorifying or belittling this serious auto-immune disorder, I am strangely thankful for it.

I am, and have always been, a proclaimed "foodie". Sweet and savory indulgences were my regular pathway to my happy place. I have also always been a very health-conscious person. My father, grandfather, great uncles, and brother-in-law were/are all Chiropractors so healthy alternatives have always been a way of life. So, it came as a bit of shock to me to realize I had accumulated this pesky condition, resulting in my intolerance for all of the foods I held dear to my heart! With every challenge this crazy world has thrown at me, my tenacity has thankfully not faltered. I took this "negative" diagnosis as a challenge that I would turn into a positive one. With determination and a love for good food, I have been lucky enough to magically create phenomenal dishes (and yes, I will toot my own horn)! And I use the word "magically" because before this journey, I would have looked at the foods from my candida guide (The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates) and think my life of eating delicious food was over. Now, I eat well and by "eat well", I mean the food I ingest is not only wonderful tasting but it contributes to the healing and nourishment of my body. With all of that said, I hope this can be a useful guide for those of you who may be struggling with candida or would like to make a healthy lifestyle change..or just a satisfying meal, at the least! I will be sharing personal recipes, tips, favorite products, and accommodating restaurants...Enjoy!