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Wild Rice with Kabocha Squash & Sage Butter

Julie Morris — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:00:02 +0000

I promised I had a special recipe to share on the way, and at last, the hungry wait is over!

Well, almost over … first, I can’t help but briefly gush about what a true pleasure it’s been reading all the comments on the Thrive Foods Giveaway so far. What does positive environmental change look like? Apparently, it looks like us: from the person who is looking to incorporate a few more meatless meals each week, to the person who avoids using disposable plasic, to the person who chooses a car-less daily work commute, to the person who epitimizes local food by having a vegetable garden. One of these actions is awesome enough, and when you read all of these actions collectively, it’s downright inspiring. Have you entered the giveaway yet? There’s still time to enter here now.

As I mentioned in the last post, this week’s special recipe is one that I developed for Brendan Braziers’ fascinating new book, Thrive Foods. One look at the photo above, and I think you’ll agree, this entree is begging to be the subject of your next recipe adventure. With a new crop of winter squash just now coming into season, this dish features my favorite squash of all: Kabocha (aka The Japanese Pumpkin). Kabocha is naturally so immensly flavorful, that it asks for very little from us in the seasoning department, offering decadant, impressive tasting results just on its own. But. Mix kabocha in with some comforting wild rice, toss in a sage-infused “butter” (made from coconut oil and simple, fresh flavors), and you’ve got the makings of a masterpiece. In fact, Brendan names this recipe as one of his top 5 favorite dishes ever. (I’ll let you in on a secret: when he first taste-tested it, I went to go get a little more sage from the garden, and when I came back the recipe was GONE. It’s one of those dishes.)

To make this a truly well-rounded meal, I like to serve this with a generous salad, made with mixed baby greens, shredded carrots, chopped walnuts and a simple vinaigrette.

And that’s how we do Thrive Foods.

Wild Rice with Kabocha Squash & Sage Butter
Serves 4

To save time, make the rice and butter while the squash is cooking. Yams may also be used in place of the kabocha.

½ cup wild rice
½ cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 pound kabocha squash (about ½ medium squash)
3 Tbsp melted coconut oil plus 1 Tbsp (divided)
½ Tbsp chopped fresh sage, packed
1 Tbsp minced shallots
½ tsp sea salt

To make the squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the squash in half, then scoop out and discard the seeds. Use 1 Tbsp coconut oil to lightly brush the cut areas of the squash, and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until soft when pierced with a fork. When cool enough to handle, cut into large 1-inch chunks (skin may be left on for extra flavor and nutrition or disposed of). Keep warm.

To make the rice: In a medium pot over high heat, combine both varieties of rice with the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until rice is tender and cooked through (about 25-30 minutes; time varies slightly upon exact type of rice used). Keep warm.

To make the sage butter: In a food processor, blend 3 Tbsp coconut oil, sage, shallots and sea salt until smooth.

To serve: In a large pan, heat the sage butter mixture over medium-low heat for one minute. Add the cooked rice and toss to combine, then cook for one minute longer while stirring constantly. Remove from heat and carefully fold in the squash. Serve warm.

Feasting with Thrive Foods (and a Giveaway!)

Julie Morris — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 03:53:31 +0000

Not a day went by last summer that I wasn’t at a farmer’s market. Or grocery store. Or both. No exaggeration. Every sunny day was an effulgent food-oriented adventure, filled with heaps of fresh seasonal vegetables, mounds of fragrant ripe fruits, bulk scoops of legumes and grains, and all the varieties of nuts and seeds I could get my hands on. Add to that some specialty superfoods, last-minute spices and accoutrements, (perhaps a little chocolate [but I really have no idea how that slipped into the basket]), and it was an arm workout just lugging around the bountiful shopping bags. My refrigerator was bursting at the seams, all kitchen cabinets appeared stocked for the next 20 years, the compost grew from a polite pile to Mount Everest, and by the time it was dark each day, I had inevitably used every bowl, dish, pot and pan I own at least twice. But these are just the labors of love when you have 90+ new recipes to create for Brendan Brazier’s newest book, Thrive Foods.

For many years now, best-selling author, professional triathlete, and health activist Brendan Brazier has been on a convincing crusade promoting a plant-based diet and its relationship to both long-term health and performance. Perhaps you’re already familiar with his award-winning line of health products called Vega, or his two previous books, Thrive and Thrive Fitness. His philosophies about upholding a nutrient-dense plant-based diet for optimum health are 100% synonymous with the cornerstone concepts behind the energy-giving superfood recipes I create, such as the ones in Superfood Cuisine. So, needless to say, when Brendan asked me to develop a chunk of recipes for his new third book, Thrive Foods, I couldn’t wait to get my hands, uh, covered in food.

I was especially excited to work on this project for two reasons. First, Thrive Foods is so much more than “just” a cookbook. Rather, it’s an innovative and compelling examination of the environmental resources used to produce food, explained through Brendan’s “nutrient to resource ratio.” I have to say, as a food lover with an environmental conscience myself, I found it fascinating to look at the environmental cost of the food choices that we make in such a well-researched manner. And, selfishly, it made me feel even better about my plant-based natural foods and superfood choices (hint: there’s more to environmental eating than JUST eating local food).

Second, half of the book’s 200 recipes are contributed from some of the top chefs in North America, including some of my personal favorites like Matthew Kenney, Tal Ronnen, Angel Ramos (Candle 79), and SO many more. You know that question people sometimes ask “if you could have a dinner party and invite 10 people, who would they be?” Well, I’d invite the chefs from this cookbook. And then I’d officially change the dinner party to a potluck.

As for my own recipes in Thrive Foods, I have to say they turned out beautifully – it was such a fun project to work on. You’ll likely recognize a few items directly from my blog here, like the Asian Carrot Avocado Salad or Parsnip Oven Fries amongst a few others, and the remainder of the 90+ recipes are all brand new! In the next post I’ll share one of my recipes from Thrive Foods with you that’s perfect for autumn and also happens to be one of Brendan’s favorites. In the meantime, I have another exciting announcement: I’m giving away a copy of Thrive Foods, signed by Brendan Brazier!

To enter the Thrive Foods giveaway,* simply do one of the following activities and then COMMENT on this page what you’ve done. You can earn more entries (up to a total of 5 entries), by doing more activities and reporting each one in a SEPARATE comment. (Each comment counts as a separate entry.) So the more activities you do and comment on, the greater your chance to win.

1) Like Superfood Cuisine by Julie Morris on Facebook
2) Send a tweet: Environmentalism meets 200 great recipes in new book, Thrive Foods. Win a signed copy via @greenjules here: http://tinyurl.com/3nyhcel
3) Follow @brendanbrazier on twitter
4) Like Brendan Brazier on Facebook
5) Leave a comment below about one thing you do, big or small, that is an eco-friendly part of your lifestyle! Food-oriented or not…

Already like/follow some of the above? (Thanks!) You can still earn entries for these with a comment. The giveaway closes September 30th! Good luck!

*Giveaway open to North American residents only.

Quinoa with Secret Pesto & Sun-dried Tomatoes

Julie Morris — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:16:44 +0000

It’s high-time we feature a delicious recipe from Superfood Cuisine here, don’t you agree? Doing so, on my end at least, has not been a particularly easy process. Indeed, like picking a favorite child, I’ve been utterly at loss while deciding which of the 100+ superfood recipes to share. Seriously! I love them all (obviously), and each is worthy of the extremely fancy spotlight of a blog post. Which oh which recipe to choose?

Attempting to summon my recipe decision-making mojo earlier today, I took a walk outside. Ironically, it was there I found my answer staring me in the face, right inside my little herb garden. If you have a garden or have visited the produce section at the market lately, you’re likely aware that this time of year has a way of making some herbs, like basil, a little, well, “overly ambitious.” My homegrown basil is certainly no different, and though I love its flavor, I couldn’t help but pass a little judgment upon the plant today as I observed it unabashedly hogging up almost the entire pot it’s supposed to share with other green savories. Calm down there, basil; clearly it’s time we put you to use. And by “use,” I of course mean it’s an ideal time to make my “Secret Pesto” recipe from the cookbook.

I call this recipe a secret not because I’m not going to tell you how to make it (I’ve never understood recipe secrets – I mean, it’s FOOD, not the blueprints to a rocketship). Rather, this pesto is “secret” because it includes a profoundly nutrient-rich superfood within the sauce that you would NEVER guess was there: wheatgrass. Wheatgrass? You bet I’m serious. While most people easily embrace “everyday” superfoods like spinach or quinoa, if you have family or friends who are skeptical of including more niche superfoods like wheatgrass, this is the perfect way to show them just how easy it is to boost a meal’s nutrition with superfoods without compromising flavor. I like to sneak in the “secret,” serve this awesome meal up, and then share the extra good news after the bowls have been licked clean.

Like all the recipes in Superfood Cuisine, the food is designed not only to be aesthetically attractive and full of fabulous flavor, but also packed with health-giving purpose. From this recipe, here are just a few of the things you can look forward to…per each fabulous serving:

8 grams of protein from grain-like quinoa
5 grams protein + iron and minerals from hemp seeds
Anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fats from EFA Oil
Around 50% RDA Vitamin A from basil and spinach leaves
Over 70 vitamins & minerals from wheatgrass powder

Amazing, yeah? I think so too. Some secrets are too good not to share.

Quinoa with Secret Pesto & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Makes 4-6 hearty servings

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (packed) sun-dried tomatoes
2 cups (packed) chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/3 cup EFA oil
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon freeze-dried wheatgrass powder
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 cups cooked quinoa
2 cups (packed) baby spinach, cut into chiffonade (aka extra thin)

DIRECTIONS:

Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in some hot water for 30 minutes or until soft. Slice thinly.

Use a food processor to blend the basil, hemp seeds, both oils, wheatgrass powder, nutritional yeast, sea salt and garlic into a pesto sauce. In a large bowl, toss some of the pesto (use as much as desired) with the quinoa, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Serve cold or gently heat.

- Recipe and photo from Superfood Cuisine: Cooking with Nature’s Most Amazing Foods

Just Released! Superfood Cuisine: Cooking with Nature’s Most Amazing Foods

Julie Morris — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:29:16 +0000

Ironically, for a person who just wrote a book, I’m so overjoyed right now that I’m genuinely at a loss for words. I’ve written and re-written this first paragraph half a dozen times already, but I’d rather just nix the fancy prose altogether and express what I’m really thinking:

YAY!!!!!!!!!

That’s all, just yay. (Actually there was a little dance that went along with the yay, but luckily it doesn’t translate through writing).

I have good (great!) news and some mildly-bad-but-not-really-so-bad news.

Good news: I am unbelievably proud and thrilled to announce that my first book, Superfood Cuisine: Cooking with Nature’s Most Amazing Foods is now available. I just got my first small shipment of books today and holy WOW, what a feeling that is. Good news indeed. YAY.

Mildly-bad-but-not-really-so-bad news: Due to the amazing response from the pre-orders (thank you!), this first shipment is already (!) SOLD OUT. The next book shipment will get in next week (it will be much larger). If you already had your order in prior to today, it will ship out asap. If you haven’t ordered a signed copy from here on my site yet but do it now, it will be shipped next week. Amazon orders (that have been already been placed, or that you place now) will ship to the Amazon warehouse next week, where they will then go out to all of you who ordered (thank you again!). And even more thanks, overall, for your patience, for your support, for your readership, and for your interest in cooking with superfoods! ENJOY!

-Signed copies will be available for a limited time on this website through the link on the right.
-Feel free to be in touch with any questions about ordering: info[at]juliemorris[dot]net
-Watch the Superfood Cuisine book trailer

Refueling the body: one superfood smoothie at a time

Julie Morris — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:52:24 +0000

Life is too short for blandness and blahness (which is, indeed, a philosophy I live by for food and beyond). But flavor aside, a food’s function is also a top priority … what benefits can it offer? It’s always my mantra to marry the taste/function combo in any recipe I make.

Currently, with the warmer weather getting started, I’m SO ready to rev up my running schedule, which has been on a lighter “maintenance” mode while I was finishing up my new book. I have all the running motivation I need: a new pair of *amazing* athletic crop pants (I may never take them off), the nag of a new yellow bikini (no polka dots, sorry), and a brand new post-workout smoothie recipe that’s 100% bland/blah-free while FULL of function.

Post-workout nutrition is of premium importance: not just because you’re hungry after being active, but because any kind of activity essentially breaks down the body, so that it can rebuild itself even stronger. It makes sense that if we eat properly after a workout, we’re giving the body the tools it needs to construct the strongest and healthiest machine possible. While a slice of pizza may not make this “eat properly” cut, a delicious superfood smoothie certainly does. Hydrating, filling, and easily assimilated, these smoothies are among the most efficient ways to stockpile nutrients after a workout – be it a bike ride, a hike, a yoga session, or in my case, a run. I’ll admit, I often rely upon a “lazy” smoothie, using premade formulas like Vega Sport which provides everything I need in one trustworthy fell swoop. But sometimes I like to make my own blends too, as I enjoy being conscious of each and every good ingredient I’m putting into my body.

So while sharing my newest post-workout superfood smoothie recipe below, in addition to the “how” of the recipe, I also wanted to shed some light on the “why” – aka the function. There’s no scientific proof that being keyed into the nutrition of food actually makes it any more beneficial, but I like to think that self-satisfaction is a virtuous nutrient in its own right.

Strawberry-Banana Post-Workout Smoothie

This smoothie refuels the body with over 20 grams of protein, immune-boosting vitamins, lubricating healthy fats, and stress-reducing superfoods.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp hemp protein powder (A concentrated and easily-digestible protein – essential for building/repairing muscle tissue.)
2 Tbsp hemp seeds (Packed with essential fatty acids – lubricates joints and decreases inflammation; another protein source as well.)
2 Tbsp cashews (Full of minerals like copper and magnesium – supports collagen production and muscle relaxation.)
1 tsp maca powder (A potent adaptogenic herb – supports the adrenal glands [which get heavily taxed during exercise], responsible for regulating stress and hormones.)
1 banana (Easily digestible carbohydrates – needed for re-energizing.)
2 cups frozen strawberries (Concentrated source of antioxidants and vitamin C – essential for supporting the immune system.)
1½ cups coconut water or regular water (To rehydrate and replace electrolytes.)
stevia, to taste (To sweeten without adding unnecessary post-workout refined sugar.)

DIRECTIONS:

Use a blender to mix all the ingredients together (except for the stevia) until smooth. Stir in stevia to taste to adjust sweetness, if desired. Serves one-ish.

Note: Length of activity, exertion level, and body size will dictate the amount of smoothie/calories/nutrients needed after a workout; this smoothie is intended as a guideline.

Hemp History Week is here!

Julie Morris — Tue, 03 May 2011 18:22:00 +0000

via HempHistoryWeek.com

Personally, I don’t need a “national chocolate day” to find an excuse to celebrate my love for the sweet stuff; nor do I need an “earth day” to remind me that I should turn off the lights when leaving a room. But Hemp History Week – which is this week – is different. Here’s why…

At one time, not so terribly long ago, hemp was essential to the very fabric of our society. Literally. With over 25,000 uses, the tremendous versatility of industrial hemp includes the production of cloth, paper, building materials and fuel; as well as a plethora of food items made from the hemp seeds themselves. Hemp was so fundamentally useful that in the 1700′s, it was a mandatory, subsidized crop in some of the first American colonies before the United States was even a country. In 1942, the US government issued a short film, Hemp For Victory, to encourage farmers to grow more hemp during World War II to stimulate the economy (hemp is a very profitable crop).

George Washington grew hemp, the American Constitution was first drafted on hemp, and the first Ford prototype ran on hemp fuel, and the amazing list of hemp history goes on.

Today however, hemp is illegal, by federal law, to grow in the United States. We can buy it, but we can’t grow it. Due to a series of strategic moves by competing industries, hemp was marketed and eventually classified as a restricted drug (hemp is not the same thing as marijuana and will not show up on a drug test). I’ll leave the conspiracies around this unfortunate de-legalization at the door, and focus on what’s really important: getting this crop back.

Canada (where the US gets most of its hemp from) grows hemp. Much of Europe grows hemp. In fact, countries all around the world grow this cash crop for food and resources. Except … the US. As a result, Americans have to pay more for imported hemp products, while instead expending homeland agricultural resources on B-rate crops like corn, canola, wheat, and soy.

From a food standpoint, hemp is a real-deal superfood with exceptional benefits. It’s an excellent source of easily digested complete protein, and also one of the richest vegetable sources of the Omega 3 & 6 Essential Fatty Acids (in an ideal ratio to support human health). Hemp seed is also a plentiful source of fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, iron, zinc, and potassium. Unlike many other nuts and seeds, the hemp seed is not known to be a food allergen. I love its versatility in products: it can be made into premium protein powders, beautifying culinary oils, blended into creamy milks, and the shelled whole hemp seeds are deliciously versatile in recipes and just by the handful. This Hemp Hummus recipe is a staple in my house … it comes with a magic trick of quickly disappearing.

Which brings us back to Hemp History Week. Hemp is not a crop to be forgotten, and until it’s legal to grow again in the US, we do need the reminder of its history and value. As you see health food stores across the nation celebrating this healthy and sustainable message, I hope you’ll consider treating yourself to a hemp product – try something new that’s made with hemp, or just pick up some classic hemp seeds to jazz up everything from cereal to salads to ice cream. Hemp is healthy, sustainable, and the larger the demand becomes for industrial hemp products, the stronger the US re-legalization cause.

Please join me in signing this legalization petition and take action at Vote Hemp. Here’s to home-grown hemp!