dairy-free – Page 18 – GUTSy Performance Nutrition

Autumn, Journal, Spring, Summertime, Winter

go-to coconut curry

November 10, 2018December 18, 2023by RebeccaLeave a Comment

For the past month or more, I’ve been collecting a few snippets of news I’ve read or articles meant to be shared, but rather than actually share, I’ve stashed them away in a folder and time has marched on.

Looking back, so much of what I had accumulated was news that was frustrating, negative, and political, in congruence with the season, even as it was about the state of our food system and climate. Those are indeed important things and I think we should all be informed about what we are eating and the nature and consequences of its production.

But for whatever reason I was reminded recently of my high school riding instructor/coach, who always encouraged me to remember and focus on what’s going well, and to forget about the rest. I more often get in the mindset that if I only look through the world with rosy-hued lenses, then nothing gets done, and no real change to the status quo can occur.

But that’s not actually true. We grow better when we are happier, when we are living in joy, when our systems are not stressed with what-ifs and fear.

I encouraged a nutrition client recently to start small, taking one day at a time, and to focus on only one thing each day that helps her to take care of herself. Taking a dose of my own advice, it’s early morning as I write this, and I’m unexpectedly home at my mom’s farmhouse kitchen table, sitting in what I deem the sunroom, given for it’s dusty lemon hues and big windows letting in the new day. My week has been fraught with grief, many tears, and saying one last goodbye to a truly dear grandfather, and related to that and my own internal fears and anxieties, my thoughts have been incredibly bent toward the negative of late.

Today I’ve decided to focus on the good, and to look for what is going well.

Today it’s that I did make it home to see Papa in his last hours, and it was almost as if he waited for me, the last and furthest grandchild to visit, and for his room to fill with family as he spoke his last words and slipped quietly from us.

Too, the country is quiet, and I get to spend my day (and yesterday) looking out any window onto wide open pastures and birds singing and dancing their dance.

What this has to do with curry, I don’t for sure know, other than a simple and easily adaptable curry such as this has been my long time go-to for comfort, for taste, for turning whatever I have into something special and pleasing to everyone. It’s the food version of eternally positive, and a dish no matter the vegetable or bean adaptations, seems one can never mess up.

Go-To Coconut Curry, serves 4-5
Recipe Updated: December 2023
– I used cooked mung beans, broccoli, white “spring” turnips, and frozen peas in this version, and I encourage you to use whatever you have, is in season, or are particularly enjoying just now.
– In another version, I used carrots, shiitake mushrooms, cabbage, and frozen peas, as well as tofu. For the tofu, I pressed it and then baked it for 30 minutes with just a dry rub method of curry powder.

1 Tbs. coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 cups / 500-600 gr chopped seasonal vegetables
1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne powder (adjust according to taste)
3/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
3/4 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, finely grated
1 can full fat coconut milk
2-4 cups water, as needed to thin
2 cups cooked beans or 14-16 oz. pressed and baked tofu
2 cups / 200-300 gr leafy greens, chopped
2 Tbs. lemon or lime juice
fresh cilantro, to serve
cooked brown or white basmati rice, to serve

In a large deep pan over medium heat, warm oil, moving around the pan to coat the bottom evenly. Toss in the chopped onions and garlic. Stir and let cook for about 8-10 minutes, until the onion and pepper are soft.
Then stir in the spices and other vegetables and cook until they are tender. You may need to add a few splashes of water.
Add the coconut milk, water, tofu or beans and greens. If you’re adding frozen peas, add them now as well. Stir everything together and let the flavors meld for 5-10 minutes more.
Stir in the lemon or lime juice, adjust seasonings to taste, and enjoy with rice and cilantro.

Autumn, Herbal Medicine, Nutrition + Health, Running, Winter

pumpkin ginger oat muffins

October 21, 2018February 18, 2024by Rebecca4 Comments

I’ve just made it past the halfway point of my last fall term in nutrition grad school. I’ve been working with clients in clinic these past few weeks, experiencing all that I’ve learned in the last couple years come together in practice, and enjoying it so incredibly much. Getting to the clinical work has reinforced why I’ve spent so much of my energy on this career shift endeavor when I get to sit with someone and offer even a little bit of individualized support.

In addition to nutritional recommendations, I also give interventions that address balance from a whole systems perspective which is in line with the integrative and holistic approach to my program. This often means I try to emphasize stress reduction and relaxation practices. On the closer to home front, I’ve been trying to take some of my own advice and incorporate downtime each day for relaxing my system, an intention I constantly struggle with. Inevitably I often forego the rest I need and end up in the kitchen instead. My only excuse is it’s pumpkin season– and I find baking quite restorative!

Since it is pumpkin and winter squash season, The Recipe Redux theme this month is Fresh from the Pumpkin Patch. We’ve had a string of mostly gorgeous days so far but once this fall season finally and truly sunk in, I began cooking lots of very autumn appropriate Ayurvedic recipes from Kate O’Donnell’s Everyday Ayurveda Cooking for a Calm, Clear Mind. Nutritionally, the recipes are helping rebalance my system after a rough end-of-summer transition. The first portion of the book is all about the Sattvic lifestyle in Ayurveda–a way of life I’ve been gleaning more from as time goes on and I notice how I fare better with less stimulating foods, practices, and experiences.

These muffins are a deviation from a recipe in the cookbook. If you’re a runner and a fan of the Run Fast Eat Slow superhero muffins, they’re also quite similar, but I’ve upped the emphasis on using walnuts and flax since they both are rich in omega 3’s which are an essential fatty acid that most of us need more of.

Pumpkin Ginger Oatmeal Muffins, makes 4 large muffins or 6 regular size
recipe updated: 2/18/2024
Even though I adapted these fairly dramatically, they do stay true to their ayurvedic roots. They are delicious as is but there are also many variations depending on what you’ve got on hand:
1) instead of ground walnuts, use almond flour 2) instead of pumpkin, use 1/2 cup applesauce and 1 medium chopped apple or other fruit and flavor combos. 3) instead of coconut sugar use pure maple syrup 4) instead of spices, add 1/2 Tbs. pumpkin pie spice and 1/4 tsp. turmeric

1 1/2 Tbs. ground flax seeds
4 1/2 Tbs. water
3/4 cup / 60 g raw walnuts, ground
1/2 cup + 2 Tbs. / 75 gr oat flour (can be made from oatmeal)
1/2 cup / 50 gr oatmeal
1/4 cup / 50 gr organic cane sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of cloves
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch of ground black pepper
2 Tbs. / 25 gr coconut oil, melted
1 cup / 220 gr pumpkin, pureed or mashed
1 Tbs. / 3 g minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup / 35 gr raisins
1/4-1/2 cup water or nut milk, as needed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with baking cups or oil and flour them.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the ground chia seeds and water. Let this stand for 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix the ground walnuts, oat bran and oats, salt, turmeric, baking soda, and baking powder.
Add the coconut sugar, pumpkin puree, and coconut oil to the chia seed mixture and stir until well combined. Stir in the ginger and the raisins.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until it just comes together. If the batter seems a touch dry, add water or nut milk just until it becomes a touch looser, but only add up to 1/2 cup, as they won’t need much. This step largely depends on how much moisture content your pumpkin puree has in it.
Divide into the muffin cups and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are golden brown and a toothpick in the middle comes out clean.

Autumn, Nutrition + Health

Gluten-Free + Vegan Animal Crackers for Kids of All Ages

September 22, 2018by Rebecca1 Comment

I have vague but delicious memories of animal crackers as a child, a rare and special treat to be given a box of Barnum’s Animals all to myself, to open the package and to pick out each animal one by one, savoring it before reaching in for another.

Later in my teen years, I discovered the pink and white frosting and sprinkle version of animal crackers and they too became their own ritual, a big bag to share on a school road trip, or otherwise special occasion.

Until last spring I’d forgotten about animal crackers and then one quick weekend getaway, walking the aisles of the local co-op, I saw the “natural” brand versions of these childhood treats and unexpectedly found that a little handful of those delicious crackers would be just the sweet I needed. Unfortunately, even within the allergen-free and natural brands, animal crackers that I can actually enjoy safely are pretty difficult to track down, so I set out to make my own.

What began as a whim and a craving became a tiny lovely treat that both William and I love to snack on after dinner, and taking this childhood favorite into our adult years, we found they pair particularly well with a Sicilian Rosé we tend to favor. ;)

This recipe is part of my monthly contribution to The Recipe Redux, a recipe challenge founded by registered dietitians and focused on taking delicious dishes, keeping them delicious, but making them better for you. The theme this month is Kids That Cook and we’re recreating some of our childhood favorites or what we’re cooking with kids now. While I never made animal crackers as a child, I did bake a lot of cookies, make playdough, and loved to watch my mom make a special occasion gooey cinnamon swirl bread which somehow was even better because it was our neighbor’s recipe.

What were your favorite childhood foods, homemade or otherwise?

Animal Crackers {GF + Vegan}, makes about 100
Roll these to your desired thickness. I prefer them extra thin, William enjoys a little more cookie width. Also make sure to give a good pinch of nutmeg (make sure it’s fresh), as it really makes the difference.

1 1/3 cups Gluten-Free Flour Blend
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
generous pinch of nutmeg and a little pinch of cinnamon
1/4 cup cashew butter
3 Tbs. unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup organic cane sugar
1 Tbs. ground flax + 2 Tbs. warm water – thickened for 5 minutes
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.
In a larger bowl, whip the cashew butter with a fork until creamy and then add the applesauce and sugar and mix until thoroughly combined. Then add the flax and water mixture and vanilla and blend it all together.
Add the dry ingredients slowly into the wet mixture and stir until the mixture comes together into a cookie dough ball.
Cover the bowl of dough well and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat a flat surface with a little flour and roll about 1/3 of the dough to 1/4″ thickness. Using mini animal cookie cutters, cut out the cookies. If you’d like to make them a little more realistic, simply use a toothpick to create an eye for each animal.
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, just until the edges begin to lightly brown.
Continue to roll out and bake the remaining cookies.