This past year was easily my most memorable on record. It started with finding out we were expecting early in January, then it was a move and a several month house renovation (I do not recommend this while pregnant, hah), my first cookbook released in March, September brought the birth of our baby girl, and in November the launch of a new business – most of these things were going on at the same time throughout 2014, including nurturing and growing this recipe blog and a new baby blog. I know I’m forgetting some things. My head is spinning just thinking about everything that happened. It was a complete whirlwind with many unexpected highs and inevitable lows, but I leave the year feeling extremely grateful with many lessons in hand and a heart filled to the brim.

The greatest blessing of my life happened this year – the birth of our daughter – and in the blink of an eye my entire life was changed for the better. I don’t know how I ever lived without this smiley, charming, squirmy baby girl. During late winter and early spring, in my first trimester, I had major anxiety about how I would handle my role as a parent. Had I made the right decision? How would I balance being a parent and my career? It kept me up at night with worry. I was never the girl who just knew I’d be a mother some day. All my friends would talk about their baby fever and I couldn’t relate at all so I started to think that I just wasn’t cut out for it. Maternal instincts seemed foreign and babies scared the bejesus out of me. For real! I felt so awkward around them. But over the years, gradually, we decided it was something we both wanted and that fear was the only thing holding us back. I guess the uncertainty was to be expected though. There were many low days during my first trimester (many of which were likely hormone driven) – including Sketchie’s heartbreaking diagnosis and subsequent treatment – but thankfully my doubts faded as the pregnancy went on. The moment Adriana was placed into my arms, I knew everything was how it was always meant to be. I just knew we’d figure it out. I’ve struggled with the desire to control things in my life for so long and finally, I learned how liberating it can feel to just take things as they come. You hear people say it all the time, but I honestly never knew my heart could love someone so much. That kind of intense love is an extremely powerful motivator – there’s no more questioning, you just do what needs to be done and that’s that.

The New Year is shaping up to be a busy one once again, but my growing baby is a refreshing reminder that the smaller moments in life are the best. They are what make me truly happy. I’m trying to embrace the little (yet powerful) things more and let other things slide when they need to. It’s not easy. I’m hoping 2015 brings more inner peace, balance, and calmness, but I will have to do the work to make that happen because as we all know, it just doesn’t magically fall into place; whatever it is that we want only comes with a lot of hard work and perseverance. Oh, and laughter. You need that ingredient for success. Not to mention, realizing that nothing will ever be just right all at the same time…and that’s ok.

Thank you wonderful people for coming here each week and making this work that I do so very rewarding. For caring about my stories, embracing new recipes, and sharing a glimpse into your own life. I am constantly amazed by the beauty of your words and the stories you share with me. I wish you all the best that 2015 has to offer, including healthy, veggie-filled meals that renew your excitement whenever you sit down for a meal.

In the spirit of a fresh start, let’s cue the token salad recipe to kick off another year of healthy, feel-good recipes! I’m going to skip the whole “oh I’ve been eating too many sweets and need to eat more veggies” spiel (totally true though) and just get to the recipe because its a good one!

I’ve never been one to think that a salad should be a punishment food. A good hearty salad is a cause for celebration. Call me crazy, but I tend to get as excited about a good salad as I would a rich dessert or sheet of cookies. Or a pan of roasted brussels sprouts, for that matter. It’s the small things, it really is.

Superfood Crunch Salad with Homemade Balsamic Apple Vinaigrette

Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, no bake/raw, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

By Angela Liddon

Shredded Lacinato kale is tossed in a tangy balsamic, apple cider, maple, and garlic dressing and then topped with sliced pear, pomegranate arils, pepita, hemp, and black sesame seeds, and large flaked coconut. Whenever the dull winter weather has you feeling blah, whip up this vibrant dose of nutrients and you'll be feeling better in no time.

Yield
3-4 small bowls

Prep Time
30 Minutes

Cook time
0 Minutes

Total Time
30 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

• 8-10 cups destemmed and shredded Lacinato (dino) kale (2 bunches)
• 1 pear, thinly sliced and chopped
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/4 cup pepita seeds
• 3-4 tbsp large flake coconut
• 1-2 tbsp hemp hearts
• 1-2 teaspoons black sesame seeds (optional)
• sprinkle of cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Adjust to taste if desired.
2. Remove all of the stems from the kale leaves and compost the stems (or if you are hard core you can save them for smoothies). Finely chop the kale leaves into tiny "shredded" pieces. The smaller the more tender the leaves will feel. Wash and spin dry. Place kale into a large salad bowl. You should have about 8-10 cups of kale for this salad.
3. Toss the kale in all of the dressing until everything is coated nicely. The kale will reduce in volume substantially.
4. Add the toppings (as much as you want - I recommend lots!), sprinkle with cinnamon, and serve immediately. Or let the dressing marinate the kale for a half hour or so. This salad is best served fresh, but it will keep chilled in the fridge for a day. if you don't think you will eat that quickly, I recommend making a half batch at a time or simply store the kale and dressing separately until ready to mix and consume.

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Gluten Free Sweet Potato Pumpkin Soup

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This steaming soup is fat free and packed with nutrients! It makes a perfect dinner especially during winters.

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Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 to 2 sweet potatoes
600 gms pumpkin
2 carrot
3 tsp masoor dal (split red lentil) or moong (whole green gram) dal
3 garlic (lehsun) cloves , sliced
1/4 cup chopped onions
salt and freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch) to taste
chopped almonds (badam) for garnishing (optional)
flaxseeds for garnishing (optional)

Method

1. Soak the dal in warm water and set aside.
2. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes, carrots and pumpkin and chope them into small pieces.
3. Put them in a pressure cooker along with water, onions and soaked dal.
4. Add the slit garlic and pressure cook for 5-6 whistles.
5. Blend the mashed ingredients using a blender till smooth.
6. Pour the soup in a thick bottomed vessel and heat on a slow flame while adding salt and pepper to taste.
7. Sprinkle finely sliced almonds and roasted flax seeds and serve.

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10 foods that cleanse the liver

In the past, I talked about my favorite food cleaning. This list is a bit more specific and mainly focuses on foods that can help cleanse the liver. Besides taking a supplement liver cleansing and applying at least two year clean liver and gallbladder, eat the following foods is the best way to keep your liver healthy and work the way you need. I encourage you to incorporate these foods into your weekly diet liver cleansing.

1. Garlic

Only a small amount of this pungent bulb has the ability to activate liver enzymes that help your body eliminate toxins. Garlic also contains large amounts of allicin and selenium, two natural compounds that help cleanse the liver.

2. Grapefruit

Both the top and the antioxidants vitamin C, grapefruit increases the natural processes of cleansing the liver. A freshly squeezed grapefruit juice will help stimulate the production of liver detoxification enzymes that help eliminate carcinogens and other toxins.

3. Beets and carrots

 

Both are extremely rich in flavonoids and plant-beta-carotene; eat beets and carrots can help stimulate and improve liver function in general.

4. Green Tea

This magnet is filled liver plant antioxidants known as catechins beverage, a compound known to help liver function. Green tea is not only delicious, it's also a great way to improve your overall diet. Learn more about the benefits of green tea.

5. Leafy vegetables

One of our strongest allies cleansing the liver, leafy greens can be eaten raw, cooked or juiced. Extremely rich in chlorophyll in plants, green vacuum environmental toxins from the bloodstream. With its distinctive ability to neutralize heavy metals, pesticides and chemicals, cleaning these foods provide a powerful mechanism to protect the liver.

Try to include green leafy vegetables like bitter gourd, arugula, dandelion leaves, spinach, mustard, chicory and your diet. This will help increase the creation and flow of bile, a substance that eliminates waste of organs and blood.

6. Lawyers

This super rich in nutrients helps the body produce glutathione, a compound that is necessary for the liver to purify harmful toxins.

7. Apples

Rich in pectin, apple keep the chemicals necessary for the body to cleanse and release toxins from the digestive system. This in turn facilitates the liver to treat toxic load during the cleaning process.

8. Olive oil

Cold pressed organic oils such as olive oil seeds, hemp and flax are perfect for the liver when used in moderation. They help the body lipid core can suck toxins in the body. Thus, some of liver burden is accurate in terms of toxic overload many of us suffer.

9. Alternative grains

Not only do you have alternative grains like quinoa, corn, wheat and their diet is that if you have wheat, wheat flour or other whole grains in your diet, it's time to make changes. The liver is the filter body of toxins, and cereals containing gluten are full of them. A study last year found that people who suffered gluten sensitivity test also had abnormal liver enzymes, and this is just one of many.

10. Lemons and Limes

These citrus fruits contain high amounts of vitamin C, which helps the body to synthesize toxic substances into substances that can be absorbed by the water. Drink freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice in the morning helps stimulate the liver.

 

How to Sleep like a Baby

It’s 3:00 a.m. where are you? Most people would probably be asleep. However, for a large majority of people, it is near impossible for them to get a good nights rest. Without it, they are unable to focus well, they have low energy, and let’s face it, they are usually in a not so good mood. Is there anything that the sleep deprived can do in order to help give their body the much needed sleep it needs? Aside from counting sheep, which rarely works, try some of the suggestions below.

First, start out by examining your bedroom for sleep distractions. Sleep distractions would be such things as clutter, the color of the paint, the noise level, etc. If your room is painted in bright, electrifying colors, you may want to consider painting it a soothing cool color. A pale green or a soothing blue would be good choices. You can’t expect to be able to sleep if the paint in your bedroom is so bright that it looks like an airport runway.

If your room is cluttered, consider scheduling a spring cleaning day and get rid of all those unwanted sleep thieves. If a room is cluttered, it gives our mind more things to focus on and think about during the night instead of sleep. Your bedroom is supposed to be your sanctuary, and let’s face it, who wants piles of bills or junk mail in their sanctuary? Not too many people.

As far as the noise level goes, this is different for each person. Some people enjoy some form of noise while they sleep and may even purchase a noise machine, while others have to have quiet. If you fall into the latter category, try purchasing some heavy drapes to see if they block out any of the unwanted noise. While the drapes probably won’t get rid of every unwanted noise, you will notice a big difference.

Next, try not to exercise before going to bed. I’m not saying don’t exercise at all, because exercise is good for us, but we all know that exercise releases endorphins which amp us up. You can’t expect to be able to go to sleep if you feel like you could run a marathon. Try to keep exercise to either early in the mornings or to around four hours before bedtime. This will give your body time to calm down and will help you to drift off to sleep much easier.

Another suggestion to help you get a good nights sleep would be to take a nice warm bath just before you are ready to go to bed. The warm bath will not only help you to relax physically, but it will also give your brain some time to unwind as well. It doesn’t have to be a long bath, just 10 or 15 minutes should do the trick. As you are letting the water out of the tub, picture your troubles and cares being washed down the drain. A mind that is not burdened with troubles is a mind that can easily drift off to sleep.

Lighting is another issue that effects sleep. If your bedroom window lets the light of a nearby street light into your bedroom, you might want to try some of those room darkening curtains to eliminate that problem. If you can’t find any or can’t afford them, try putting a quilt up instead. If your curtain rods are sturdy, they will usually hold up the extra weight of the quilt. Either of these two things will help darken your bedroom and help you drift off to what could be the best nights sleep you’ve had in a while.

Of course, don’t forget to flip your mattress every so often to keep it from getting worn. However, if your mattress is not in good shape and you can’t afford to buy a new one (because we know they don’t come cheap), consider buying a mattress topper. This will give you the sense of a new mattress, but will cost you a fraction of the price. Toppers come in a variety of styles, and it is up to you to find the one that suits your needs.

The last tip, try and keep the temperature in your bedroom at a comfortable level. You don’t want the temperature too hot or too cold. You want it just right. Again, it is up to you, as an individual, to decide what your perfect temperature is. Try these few tips out and see if they help you get the peaceful nights slumber your body has been missing. Pleasant dreams sleep deprived.

Winter Vegetable Soup ( Soups and Salads Recipe )

There’s nothing better than a piping hot bowl of soup to help you get past harsh winters. Add an assortment of vegetables to the soup, and you have a meal that is nutritious and delicious. Tomato gives this soup a slight tanginess while celery and bayleaves add a pleasant flavour. Include any vegetable that is in season and serve bubbling hot with parsley and grated cheese. Toasted croutons or caraway seed toast make a nice accompaniment.

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Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 28 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 bayleaves
1/4 cup chopped french beans
1/4 cup carrot cubes
1/4 cup potato cubes
1/4 cup cauliflower florets
3/4 cup shredded cabbage
1/4 cup deseeded tomato cubes
1 vegetarian seasoning cube , powdered
salt and freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch) to taste

For The Garnish
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
2 tbsp grated processed cheese

Method

1. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the onions and bayleaves and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
2. Add the french beans, carrots, potatoes and cauliflower and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add 4 cups of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 20 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
4. Add the cabbage, tomatoes, seasoning powder, salt and pepper, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
5. Serve hot garnished with parsley and cheese.

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Love Christmas

Christmas is the gentlest, loveliest festival of the revolving year – and yet, 4 all that, when it speaks, its voice has strong authority.

Christmas is the one time of year when people of all religions come together to worship Jesus Christ.

At Christmas play and make good cheer, For Christmas comes but once a year.

Bells are ringing and everyone is singing, It’s Christmas! It’s Christmas! Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Bells ring and the birds sing, May you get all the happiness that Christmas brings! Wishing you and your family a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Bless us Lord, this Christmas, with quietness of mind; Teach us to be patient and always to be kind.

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.

Christmas Quotes

A wish for peace and happiness at Christmas and throughout the New Year.

The gift of love. The gift of peace. The gift of happiness. May all these be yours at Christmas.

 May the good times and treasures of the present become the golden memories of tomorrow. Wishing you lots of love, joy and happiness. Merry Christmas!

May the Christmas season fill your home with joy, your heart with love and your life with laughter.

May this Christmas end the present year on a cheerful note and make way for a fresh and bright New Year. Here's wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

May this Christmas end the present year on a cheerful note and make way for a fresh and bright New Year.

Here's wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

May the good times and treasures of the present become the golden memories of tomorrow.

 Wishing you lots of love, joy and happiness. Merry Christmas!

May your Christmas sparkle with moments of love, laughter and goodwill, and may the year ahead be full of contentment and joy. Have a Merry Christmas.

As you relish the goodies, decorate every nook and corner of your home and enjoy the get-togethers... may the joy and festivities continue to radiate in your lives, long after Christmas is gone.  Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!

With all Good Wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

Let Me Entertain You

 

When it's your turn to entertain, use it to your advantage calories. Just prepare meals and how low-fat snacks and stay with the same healthy eating rules that you follow for the rest of the year. And keep in mind that not only your waistline that benefit - your friends and family will also be thanking you come New Year!

Know your nibbles

1 Very often are the snacks between meals festive accumulate in pounds instead of meals are available. Gaining a pound of fat is as easy as eating about 70 chocolates in a check box - which may seem a lot, but a couple of handfuls every day grows fast. If you do not want to pile on the pounds, then follow these simple tips.

2 Do not be tempted to store many festive foods before Christmas - just starting before eating and then buy more. There is also the possibility of staying with a lot of things - and you know you'll only find a way to get rid of them!

3 Make your own dives fat cream using low-fat, low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese fat free. Add a variety of condiments such as lemon juice, black pepper, fresh herbs and spices. Meanwhile, they serve with vegetable crudités or breadsticks instead of chips or fries.

4 It may be tempting to nibble while you're preparing meals for family and friends. But it is very easy to work your way through nearly as many calories as the food itself. Avoid the temptation to keep your mouth busy with a piece of sugarless gum.

5 Buy low-fat versions of favorite snacks like chips and dips. Nobody will ever know the difference - remember to hide the packaging!

Have a go at making their own pies using phyllo dough instead of broken, puff or flaky. Is lower in calories and fat than other varieties - most are used less. Check out the table below.

 

Pastry per 100g (uncooked)	Calories	Fat g
Filo	304	2.7
Puff	401	25.6
Flaky	424	30.7
Shortcrust	453	29.1

 

6 If you do not like to experiment with phyllo, simply chop bake cakes instead. Leaving aside the top of the dough save about 40 calories and fat 3G.

7 Cut the fat content of ready-made minced, mixed with a little apple baked before use to fill pastry boxes. It tastes good, too.

8 Locate low-fat versions of your favorite foods such as Christmas pudding, Christmas pudding and pies. Alternatively, simply reducing the size. Many supermarkets now sell the mini pies that contain only 100-150 calories each, instead of the usual 200-250 calories each. Okay, they're gone in just a few bits, but at least not lost.

9 Do not use leftovers to create, fatty foods high in calories, like bubble and squeak and turkey coronation. Instead, make delicious low-calorie foods like turkey soup, turkey curry with brown rice or simply served with a jacket potato and salad.

10 Where is the famous turkey sandwich, it healthier by using whole wheat bread feast with a little fat cranberry sauce instead of butter, choosing breast instead of dark meat and pile on the salad.

Sweets per 100g	Calories	Fat g
Fruit gums	172	0
Fruit pastilles	253	0
Real Turkish delight	295	0
Marshmallows	327	0
Boiled sweets	327	0
Jelly beans	365	0.2
Peppermints	392	0.7
Toffees	430	17.2
Assorted filled chocolates	460	18.8

 

Baby's First Christmas - Celebrity Edition

The year of 2014 brought big changes in the lives of some of our favorite celebrities. New records, new releases, and new awards are always exciting, but nothing can measure up to the beauty and amazement of the birth of a baby. Meet all the new mini-celebrities that will be celebrating their very first Christmas this year.

Baby Schuyler
Parents: Rodger Berman and Rachel Zoe
Rodger Berman and Rachel Zoe (celebrity stylist) welcomed their very first baby this year, Schuyler Harris. Judging from his custom made shoes and his Missoni stroller, I think it's very safe to make the assumption that Schuyler's first Christmas will be filled with Gucci, Prada and Chanel.

Baby Flynn
Parents: Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr
Actor Orlando Bloom (Pirates of the Caribbean, Lord of the Rings) and model Miranda Kerr may have given birth to the cutest baby alive. With brown hair and big blue eyes, he has been making headlines since day one. This is an extra exciting time of year for Baby Flynn; he will be celebrating his first birthday on January 6th.

Baby Haven
Parents: Cash Warren and Jessica Alba
Producer Cash Warren and actress Jessica Alba (Fantastic Four, Sin City) welcomed their second daughter, baby Haven Garner in August, much to the delight of big sister Honor Marie. Jessica recently took both three year old Honor and four month old Haven to meet Santa Claus in their local mall. How sweet is that!

Baby Morocco and Baby Monroe
Parents: Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey
Nick Cannon (America's Got Talent) and singer/actress Mariah Carey welcomed their twins on April 30th of this year. This adorable duo made one of their first public appearances last Christmas when Mariah was visibly showing during her Christmas Special. Morocco was named after the Moroccan inspired room in which Nick proposed to Mariah, and Monroe was named after one of Mariah's longtime role models, Marilyn Monroe.

Baby Harper
Parents: David & Victoria Beckham
World renowned power couple David (English soccer star) & Victoria Beckham (designer) welcomed their very first daughter this year. Baby Harper Seven joined older brothers Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz.

Baby Bingham
Parents: Matt Bellamy and Kate Hudson
Matt Bellamy (front-man of Muse) and actress Kate Hudson (Bride Wars, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) welcomed their first baby, Bingham Hawn in August. Baby Bingham joins Kate's older son Ryder, who affectionately calls him Bing.

Baby Arabella
Parents: Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump
Jared Kushner and entrepreneur and daughter of Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump, married in October 2009, welcomed their very first baby, Arabella Rose on July 17th of this year.

Baby Aleph
Parents: Benjamin Millepied and Natalie Portman
Producer Benjamin Millepied and actress Natalie Portman (V for Vendetta, Black Swan) welcomed their first baby, Aleph this year. Aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, a sweet tribute to the Hebrew background of the couple.

And there, my friends, are the newest celebrities of 2011. Merry Christmas to all the baby celebs and their parents! I can't help but wonder which celebrities will make this list next year...

Spinach and Mint Soup

Soup, with a lovely taste and consistency. This soup is brimful of the goodness of spinach and spring onion greens, not to forget a dash of coriander and mint. The nutmeg and black pepper not only spike up the flavour, they also bring in their healing properties—making this a true herbal delight.

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Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 7 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups finely chopped spinach (palak)
12 mint leaves (phudina)
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
1/2 cup finely chopped spring onion greens
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp plain flour (maida)
2 pinches nutmeg (jaiphal) powder
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch)
1/4 cup fresh cream
salt to taste

Method

1. Combine the spinach, mint leaves, coriander, spring onion greens and 4 cups of water in a deep non-stick pan and cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Refresh using cold water, drain and keep aside to cool completely. .
3. Once cooled, blend in a mixer to a smooth thick purée and keep aside.
4. Heat the butter in a deep non-stick pan, add the plain flour and cook on a slow flame until froth appears, while stirring continuously.
5. Add the prepared purée, ¾ cup of water, nutmeg powder, pepper powder, fresh cream and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring continuously.
6. Serve hot.

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Roasted Cauliflower (gobi) Soup

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Cauliflower is in season and the weather is chilling. So, a warm cauliflower soup made in a healthy way makes for a wonderful winter recipe.

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Preparation Time: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 medium cauliflower , cut into florets
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
2 tsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch)
salt to taste
1/2 tsp dry red chilli flakes (paprika) , optional
1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs , optional
1 tbsp oil
bread croutons for garnishing

To Be Soaked In Water For 30 Minutes
5 almonds (badam)
5 pistachios

Method

1. Blend the soaked almonds and pista in a mixer into a smooth paste. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add the garlic and onions and saute till onion turns translucent.
3. Add the cauliflower pieces and a pinch of salt and saute till it is cooked completely.
4. This gives the soup a roasted taste. Let it cool.
5. Blend the roasted cauliflower along with 1 cup water into a smooth paste.
6. Heat oil in the same pan used previously and add the chilli flakes, mixed herbs and cumin seeds powder and saute for a few seconds.
7. Add the blended cauliflower paste, almond-pista paste and enough salt, mix well and add more water depending on the soup consistency you need.
8. Let it come to a boil and then remove from heat, serve onto soup bowls and top with rusk or croutons and some pepper powder.
9. Serve hot.

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Mincemeat: It's what's for (Christmas) Dinner

 

 

As fruit pies, mince pie is a culinary holiday tradition that inspires more skepticism than enthusiasm among most Americans today. This traditional dish of meat (usually beef or game), tallow (animal fat from the back of meatloaf), cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, fruit, sugar and brandy or rum over all cooked together in a shell mass, has a history almost as tasty as their long list of ingredients.

Although there is no definitive explanation of how mince pie has become a holiday tradition, it seems more likely that its association with Christmas is linked to the trinity spices: cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Minced meat origin in the 13th century when the Crusaders returning to Europe brought these three exotic ingredients including spices, with them in the Holy Land. Due to insufficient cooling at the time, spices were a welcome families for conservation combined with fruit and meat for their protein last longer. Geographical origins of the Holy Land, spices lent a religious connotation, but when the church began to teach the three spices in a dish popular gifts also meant the Magi Magi to the infant Jesus, mince pies seem to be an imperative tradition Christmas.

English settlers brought the American pie recipe thin, but because resentment Puritan decadent dessert, it took a while for clothing trend. In the mid-17th century, Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas in England, because of their extravagant parties and presumed greedy. Puritan settlers in the New World held the opposition to them, but as puritanical ideologies declined, the popularity of ground meat dish as each year has increased in American homes. As the market revolution took hold, home treatment transition pies for a rare commodity in commercial bakeries 19th century A writer for The New York Times described an encounter with a Cartwright cake on Christmas Eve 1871 in which truck filled with hundreds of cakes, requires two horses to drive, because it gave delight to customers.

While this may seem a loved one, harmless dessert, pastry actually caused a surprising amount of controversy. At that time, many people have expressed concern about indigestion and its effect on the mental states of individuals; Tartlets with its rich mix of meat, sugar and spices, were a common cause. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were a series of crimes attributed to, of all things, meat pies. In 1907, a Chicago resident allegedly shot his wife in the head after sleeping in a sink full stomach and wake of a violent dream. Another case in Indiana in 1918, was a prison guard, who was fired in prison after eating a hamburger meal pie.

Indigestion caused was not the only concern people had on pies and their effects on human behavior. The temperance movement supporters also expressed dissatisfaction with the amount of alcohol in meat pies, preached against their consumption. Ground meat would have their day in court, however. With the amendment to ban 18 on alcohol, many people believed that there should be exceptions for the good of the culinary arts. In October 1922, the Old Distillery victory in Chicago brought this appeal to the court, asking if alcohol to cook, taking advantage of the upcoming holidays, highlighting some festive joy in his argument: pies. They won.

And what happened over a century which made short work of a frequent presence in our Christmas dinner tables? Prohibit due to its popularity decline? People fear that their digestive dangerous consequences? A likely argument is that, as the production of cakes moved to the house of the local bakery in the factory, ground beef disappearance is a "mystery" questionable food, which makes people have the same scruples eat. Charles Dickens even joked in The Pickwick Papers in a baker who makes pies with kittens.

President William Howard Taft, however, was a fan of pies. Thanksgiving in 1909, bakers of New York President Taft presented with a mince pie weighs a staggering £ 50 Taft had ordered its military aid, Captain Archibald Butt offices assist in the cake consumption; Captain Butt led reinforcements and ordered his team to help eat healthy food.

Meet my favourite holiday cookie of 2014 – the vegan and gluten-free Snickerdoodle! I’ve been testing all kinds of Christmas cookies this year and I decided to pick the best of the bunch and share that recipe with you before the holidays. The humble-looking Snickerdoodle doesn’t get enough respect in my opinion; it’s often overshadowed by spicy gingerbread, decorated sugar cookies, and fancy flavoured shortbread, but I think that needs to end today! My favourite kind of Snickerdoodle is chewy with a crisp edge, craggy/textured/crinkly, and of course, rolled in cinnamon sugar. Oh yea. I can’t get enough of the doughy, cinnamon-y simplicity.

It’s been a goal of mine to make my vegan Snickerdoodle recipe gluten-free. I actually found that I prefer this version over the one with wheat flour that I posted on the blog 4 years ago; there’s just something so flavourful about the nutty, sweet, and buttery combo of oat flour and almond flour that I adore! Whenever you want your cookies to have a lovely chewiness to them (and light buttery flavour), add a bit of almond flour into the mix. A little bit goes a long way though. I made the mistake of making a shortbread cookie entirely out of almond flour and it was way too chewy/tacky (and stuck to the teeth!) – lesson learned. I’ll nail that shortbread recipe some day, but for now…snickerdoodles!

Other exciting things about this recipe:

1) Prep time = 15 minutes, Bake time = 10 minutes

Yes, that means you can be eating these bad boys in under a half hour!! Isn’t that what it’s all about?

2) Snickerdoodles make your house smell amazing. This is the perfect recipe to pop into the oven before guests arrive.

3) For the fat component, I used virgin coconut oil instead of vegan butter. I’m happy to say it worked great and meshed with the flavours so well! Thumbs up for healthier fat swaps.

One last thing. I experimented baking the dough as balls (image left, below) and also flattening with a fork (image right). When I flattened with a fork, the cookies came out quite flat and spread out (as you’ll see in most of the photos), but when I left the dough as balls they had a bit more thickness and lift to them and weren’t as spread out. I think I prefer not flattening them out – plus it saves an extra step too. Just an FYI. You can always try some rolled and some pressed with a fork and see which you prefer!

Snickerdoodles (vegan + gluten-free)

Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free

By Angela Liddon

Classic Snickerdoodles made vegan and gluten-free! These cookies are crispy around the edge, chewy in the middle, and coated in a cinnamon sugar. I KNOW.

Yield
10-12 cookies

Prep Time
15 Minutes

Cook time
10 Minutes

Total Time
25 Minutes

Ingredients:

Wet ingredients:

• 1/2 tablespoon ground flax seed + 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 1/3 cup cane sugar
• 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tablespoon almond milk (optional, see directions)

Dry ingredients:

• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon gluten-free oat flour*
• 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons almond flour (not almond meal)
• 1/4 cup sorghum flour
• 2 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• Pinch of cinnamon

Cinnamon sugar topping:

• 1 tablespoon cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl or mug, mix the flax and water to make the flax egg. Set aside.
2.  In a medium sized bowl stir together the sugar, melted coconut oil, and vanilla until incorporated. Add in the flax egg and stir until combined.
3. In another bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together (oat flour, almond flour, sorghum flour, arrowroot powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and pinch of cinnamon). Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir well. The dough will be very dry at first, but it will come together if you get in there with your hands and knead it a few times. Add the optional almond milk if your dough is too dry. You need to be able to form balls of the dough without it cracking, but you don't want it super wet either (or it will spread out too much when baking).
4. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Take about 1.5 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Roll in cinnamon sugar and place on baking sheet at least a couple inches apart. Repeat for the rest.
5. Bake for 10-11 minutes. (I baked for 10 minutes and the edges were slightly crispy after cooling.) For a soft cookie, bake less time. For a crispy cookie bake longer. Cool for about 3 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack until completely cool.

Tip: If you don't have store-bought oat flour you can make it at home. Simply add rolled oats into a high speed blender and blend on the highest speed until a fine flour forms.

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PS – See all my cookie and square recipes here!

Contest Winner:

Congrats to Elicia K. for winning the big OSG Holiday Giveaway!! We have sent you an email to collect your info. Thank you for everyone who participated and gave us all kind of awesome flavour ideas for our tea! I would like one of each please.

We are gearing up for Adriana’s first Christmas and I can’t wait to experience it as a family of 3! I’m looking forward to a bit of downtime over the holidays too. While it’s been a great year, it hasn’t left me with much free time and I’m hoping to wind down and chill out with friends and family as much as possible to close out the year. And hockey, LOTS of hockey!!! hah. I’m not sure when I will be posting a recipe next, but if you’d like to see what we’re up to you can follow my weekly posts on the Baby blog until then (you can also follow @theglowspot and @ohsheglows on Instagram). And of course, take a peek at my recipe archives – there are about 500 vegan recipes to chose from.

Anyway, I’m really excited for 2015 and have some fun news coming your way in the New Year! I’m so thankful for your support this year, and every year. It’s definitely been a year I will never forget. I hope you all have an amazing holiday surrounded by family, friends, great food, and good cheer!

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Foods help you clear lungs

 

Pistachios

Pistachios not provide the same benefits directly lung cleaning how herbs are. But they are still important for anyone interested in improving their lung health. Studies suggest that pistachios may help prevent lung cancer. They contain a particular type ofvitamin E, known as gamma-tocopherol name may possibly provide protection against some forms of lung cancer. More research to demonstrate conclusively is necessary, but anyway, these delicious nuts also provide a number of advantages .. pistachios are also believed to help lower cholesterol. Raw pistachios are the best option and creates a large, regular snack. It is easy to snack on raw nuts and satisfying experience without empty calories or weight gain that comes with them.

 

Banana leaf

Bananas are another food that can help clear your lungs. Banana leaf, which is a wrapper popular food in Cuba and other Latin American countries, is not in the mainstream in North America. However, you can find, and I recommend using a banana leaf is like a tasty wrap around a number of foods. A quick search online for "banana leaf recipes" make dishes. As always, avoid recipes that call for sugar or flour treated with locally grown organic vegetables, or hormone-free foods as ingredients.

 

Cayenne pepper

Eaten as food and used as a spice, these popular peppers can contribute up to 17 health benefits and well-being for the body. They have been known to help suppress the annoying cough and sore throat and help with the management of colds and flu. Cayenne pepper helps break down and move the congested mucus, so it is recommended for those suffering from chest congestion or food respiratory diseases.