Category Archives: Veggies

The Making Life Good weekly shopping list

Posted on February 29, 2016 | Leave a comment

I recently realized that for all that I have gone on about eating vegetables and fruit, I have yet to share what is involved on a weekly basis to build and maintain this habit. I actually have an unspoken commitment to myself to buy a variety of vegetables and fruit every week. When I travel, this is one of my first tasks upon arriving at my destination if I have a refrigerator at my accommodation and it is a must do as soon as I return home.

What do I typically buy? My good friend Emily taught me years ago that I ought to purchase in season local produce whenever possible (farmers markets are a good way to go). However, if you know me, I do have a predilection for strawberries, especially with some chilled champagne or clotted cream all year round. Most important is getting into the habit of buying and being sure to consume the fresh produce you bring home. Stocking your kitchen with fruits and veggies you enjoy is sure to improve your health by having healthy choices readily available.

Here is a rough list of what I buy on a weekly basis:

Organic lemons

Organic romaine lettuce

organic black kale

watercress

cucumber

grape tomatoes

green onion

avocados

parsley, cilantro

honey crisp apples, blueberries, pomegranate, oranges (winter fruits)

fresh fruits and veggies of the week

fresh fruits and veggies of the week

 

 

 

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Posted in Healthy food, Making Life Good Recommends, Veggies

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Recipe: Party Hummus by the Naked Label

Posted on September 17, 2014 | Leave a comment

Hummus is a snack I like to enjoy occasionally. There are many opinions on what needs to go into hummus to make it great. I posted a highly purist version without tahini a couple years ago. It took me a while to get to this recipe, as I have tested and absorbed so many hummus recipes over the years. I met the creator of this amazing hummus recipe, Briana Santoro by chance in Antigua early this year. She is a nutrition expert who has compiled a great cookbook Get Naked in The Kitchen with nutrition education, healthy recipes  and most importantly the book has my endorsement for great taste! Briana’s video here and others on her site are fun and highly educational:

http://thenakedlabel.com/blog/2014/03/24/best-hummus-recipe/

I watched this video a while ago and finally got around to making the hummus from memory today. It is so delicious I had to write this up right away and call it party hummus! Briana shares some secret ingredients in the video above. This is my version, hopefully I recalled her secret ingredients correctly (watch her video to know for sure) and I’ll add my chickpea and hummus strategies .

I stock only dry beans in my kitchen, as canned beans seem to give me digestive issues, and beans you cook yourself have better taste and texture. Chickpeas can be a bit tricky sometimes to get the right tenderness without losing the skins. Soaking overnight with baking soda really improves the cooking time and texture of chickpeas. In addition, the technique of blending the tahini with lemon juice first makes an extra smooth hummus in my experience.

Party Hummus from theNakedLabel.com

Soak 1 cup of dry chickpeas in a large bowl of water and 1 tsp of baking soda overnight or for 8 hours plus.

Rinse chickpeas, place in a large pot, and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook chickpeas until tender, 20-60 minutes or more, depending on your chickpeas. Rinse chickpeas, set aside.

3 tablespoons tahini

juice of one lemon

juice of one orange

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 cups cooked chickpeas

1 tablespoon olive oil

1-2 tablespoons tamari

cumin and paprika to taste

salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor, blend together tahini with orange and lemon juice. Add garlic, chickpeas, olive oil and tamari process until smooth. Season with cumin, paprika, salt and pepper, process until combined. Adjust seasoning to your taste, enjoy the hummus with crackers, veggies, or anything else you like for yourself or a party!

 

 

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Posted in gluten free, healthy treat, Making Life Good Recommends, plant food, Vegan, Veggies

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Greens at breakfast, lunch and dinner

Posted on February 28, 2014 | Leave a comment
Eating greens at breakfast, lunch and dinner is dietary advice I recently discussed at an all inclusive resort in Jamaica.  I believe that having the intent to put greens on your plate at breakfast, lunch and dinner helps to create the lifelong healthy habit of eating greens daily. I will admit that having greens for breakfast is not a daily habit I have, however, I have eggs and greens whenever I can. Callaloo and eggs are one of my favourites.

Eggs and callaloo with plaintain

Eggs and callaloo with plaintain

I have noticed that lots  of people do not like greens, and my suggestion is to keep trying until you find some green vegetables you like to eat. There are so many green vegetables to choose from that there must be some that you will like. Try to see eating greens as a culinary adventure-Making Life Good recommends to try a green vegetable you have not eaten in the past week, every week.

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Posted in Greens, Healthy food, Making Life Good Recommends, plant food, Veggies, Vivian Law

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Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Posted on January 29, 2014 | Leave a comment

Brussels sprouts were not on my list of regular veggies for a long time. My mom served them boiled a few times during my upbringing, no one liked them and I stayed away for a long time. Even delicious versions of brussels sprouts at Campagnolo and Momofuku Daisho did not motivate me to cook them. We had roasted brussels sprouts with Christmas dinner and I discovered they were tasty!!

Brussels sprouts are of the cruciferous family of vegetables with sinigrin and sulforaphane as antioxidant, detoxifying nutrients in addition to vitamin A, C, E and lutein. Roasting (caramelization improves the flavour) and sauteing are the best ways to go with cooking brussels sprouts. Lemon juice, vinegar, and nuts are good accompaniments. Here is a super simple recipe:

1 pound brussels sprouts, washed, and cut into halves or quarters for even size pieces

1 tablespoon olive or grapeseed oil

1/4 cup dried cherries (optional)

salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss brussels sprouts in shallow baking dish with oil, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with dried cherries if using. Roast for 10-15 minutes until desired doneness. Season further with salt, pepper and lemon juice as desired. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Roasted brussels sprouts with dried cherries

Roasted brussels sprouts with dried cherries

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Posted in antioxidant, gluten free, Greens, Healthy food, healthy recipe, Making Life Good Recommends, plant food, Recipe, Vegan, Veggies, Vivian Law

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Recipe: Cabbage Soup

Posted on September 30, 2013 | Leave a comment

While I was in Italy this summer enjoying quantities of parmesan cheese with my dear friend JK, he mentioned that his family makes a great soup with parmesan rinds. I had veggie stock in need to a soup recipe last week and came across a cabbage soup with parmesan in the cookbook Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. Here is the recipe inspired by Plenty. I must say this cabbage soup was a delicious surprise. Omit the chili if you prefer no spice, however, I believe it adds a special complexity to the flavour of the soup.

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 red chili pepper, finely chopped seeds removed

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 medium napa cabbage, cut finely or shredded

1 medium potato, peeled and diced finely

4-5 cups vegetable stock

1-2 parmesan rinds

salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon to taste

In a large pot, over medium heat, saute onion, garlic and chili until soft. Add diced potato and cabbage, saute for a minute or so. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add parmesan rinds reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow the soup to sit covered until it comes close to room temperature. Remove and discard the parmesan rinds. Using an immersion blender or a food processor, pulse until soup is fairly smooth. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste-enjoy!

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Posted in gluten free, Greens, Healthy food, healthy recipe, Recipe, Veggies, Vivian Law

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Recipe: Sauteed Kale with Apple

Posted on March 18, 2013 | Leave a comment

Here is a recipe that I have used for a few years inspired by Eating Well magazine and Feeding the Whole Family cookbook. I generally like organic black kale best for the milder flavour and texture. The mix of butter, brown sugar, dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar brings the flavours of kale and apple together very nicely. This is a veggie side dish that is finished up quickly!

1 bunch organic black kale

1-2 royal gala apples, cored and sliced thin

1 tablespoon of salted butter

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat, saute apple slices and sprinkle with brown sugar for 2-3 minutes. Add kale and saute until kale is bright green and desired tenderness, 2-3 minutes. Stir in dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar.  Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Sauteed Kale with Apple

Sauteed Kale with Apple

 

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Posted in antioxidant, gluten free, Greens, Healthy food, healthy recipe, plant food, Recipe, Veggies, Vivian Law

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Recipe: Fennel, Blood Orange and Avocado Salad

Posted on March 4, 2013 | 1 comment

This recipe is adapted from Bi Rite Market’s Eat Good Food. The combination of crunchy fennel, sweet and tart blood orange is offset by the creaminess of the avocado. If you have access to dungeness crab, this salad reaches another level of delicious topped with crab.

1 medium fennel, sliced thinly (fronds removed and reserved for soup)

2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced crosswise

1 small shallot finely minced

fresh juice from 1/2 a lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together shallot, lemon juice, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss sliced fennel with dressing. Add avocado on top and salt lightly. Top with blood orange slices. Enjoy at room temperature.

 

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Posted in gluten free, Healthy food, plant food, Recipe, Veggies

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Veggie Inspiration: Choi Sum

Posted on February 12, 2013 | Leave a comment

It seems highly appropriate to introduce Choi Sum, a Chinese green vegetable during  Chinese New Year. Choi sum is mild in flavour, somewhat similar to bok choy. It is part of the mustard family of greens and is a source of vitamin C, soluble fibre, calcium and phytonutrients such as indole 3-carbinol, which helps cells repair their DNA.

Baby Choi Sum

Baby Choi Sum

Choi sum came to my attention in Hawaii while I sampled the incredibly diverse and blended Asian food on Oahu. I found choi sum as a tasty cold salad at a Korean place in the food court at Ala Moana Mall. I believe the choi sum was steamed and seasoned with sesame oil and soy sauce among other unidentified seasonings to create the ‘salad’. I also enjoyed and ordered extra portions of choi sum in tan tan ramen (a spicy sesame infused broth for ramen and a new favourite food!).

With these sources of inspiration, I procured some tender baby choi sum with a little help. It’s an interesting leafy green vegetable to have, which works well for healthy eating and fat loss. Look for baby choi sum, or choi sum that is bright green at your local Asian grocer. Try it stir fried, lightly steamed and enjoyed hot or cold dressed as a ‘salad’, or in a noodle soup.

 

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Posted in antioxidant, fat loss, Greens, Healthy food, plant food, Recommendation, Vegan, Veggies, Vivian Law

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Healthy Yorkville Lunch: Mela Cafe

Posted on October 25, 2012 | Leave a comment

I am 8 years late in my discovery of Mela Cafe, Italian Vegetarian Magic at 7 Yorkville Avenue 416 916 0619. Perhaps its location where Wanda’s Pie in the Sky once was kept me from coming too close, as I missed Wanda’s very much. I came across Mela Cafe last week after buying DLish cupcakes and looked around the corner for some lunch. Yes, I got dessert before choosing a spot for lunch.

The chalkboard menu and glass display cases at Mela Cafe were very enticing. I tasted a certain magic in the food with the mixed veggie salad and sweet potato mash with rapini topped with homemade tomato sauce I had. I enjoyed my lunch so much that I went back the next day for beet risotto with greens, which was delicious. As was their signature eggplant sandwich, which I enjoyed another time.

Mela Cafe is a great little spot to have some lunch or get takeout for dinner. Their food is prepared with great care to a point where the chefs Roberto and Kim grow their own vegetables. They are real innovators here. The quality shows through in the delightful taste of the food. I highly recommend Mela Cafe for a healthy, delicious meal that inspires us to eat more veggies by showing us how tasty veggies can be. What an amazing accomplishment for Mela Cafe!

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Posted in Healthy food, Recommendation, Restaurant review, Review, Toronto, Vegan, Veggies

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Recipe: Spicy Noodle Salad

Posted on September 14, 2012 | 1 comment


After perfecting the spicy mango lime dressing this summer, I worked on a gluten free noodle salad that would include lots of veggies to create more of a meal with the salad. Napa cabbage delivers a light crunch with a milder flavour and the sugar snap peas add a touch of sweetness with their crunchy texture. I quite enjoyed the blend of flavours and textures, and so did my testers.

1 250g package buckwheat and sweet potato noodles (or 250g rice noodles)

8-10 leaves of napa cabbage, chopped finely

1 cup sugar snap peas, cut thinly crosswise

2 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves chopped

1/4 cup-1/2 chopped cilantro

1/2 fresh mango, cut into thin match sticks

Spicy Mango Lime Dressing –  http://www.vivianlaw.ca/recipe-spicy-mango-lime-dressing/

Cook noodles according to package instructions, drain and rinse with cold water.

In a large bowl, toss together noodles, cabbage, sugar snap peas with the dressing, mix well. Top with mint, cilantro, and mango, mix again gently. Serve and enjoy at room temperature.

Make this salad a meal by topping it with some lean protein of your choice. Try tofu cubes, shrimp, fish, grilled chicken or pork.

 

 

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Posted in gluten free, healthy recipe, Recipe, Veggies

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