Lettuce Spring Rolls

Use lettuce in place of rice paper, and fill with your choice of sliced: carrot, burdock root, red bell pepper, or cucumber. You can also add sliced green onion or sprouts.

Roll up, dip in sauce, and you’re done!

Mango Chili Sauce

2 large mangoes

1 large red bell pepper

1 teaspoon or Tablespoon red chili flakes/chili powder

1/4 cup soaked dates

1/4 cup soaked apricots

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 Tablespoons tamari soy sauce

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Blend in a blender and use as a dipping sauce.

Coconut Peanut Sauce

1 can of coconut milk (usually 13-14 ounces)

3/4 cup organic peanut butter

4+ cloves of garlic, finely chopped

5 Tablespoons tamari soy sauce

5 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Blend all ingredients in a blender, and adjust the seasonings to suit your taste.

When I traveled through India several years ago, I got a huge dose of spice with every meal that our cook prepared for us. It was quite intense at first, and as my taste buds began to adapt, I opened up to the world of spicy food. I made a lot of other health mistakes in India, like living off of Cadbury chocolate and pizza (this was long before I put some important habits in place), but the spicy food remained a steady ally on my trip.

Spice assists the body in many ways. When your face turns a little red, and you sweat, you cleanse toxins through the skin. When your nose runs, you are clearing out your sinuses. Spicy food may also urge you to the bathroom. Do be sure to go slowly as you bring more spice into meals. Some body types don’t tolerate a lot of hot, so it’s important that you pay attention to the reactions that you have and go slow.

If you’re interested in bringing even more spiciness into your meals, I suggest spending some time in a local spice shop. Mingle through the aisles, peak into the containers, taste the salt from around the world, and notice the subtle differences in dried chili.

Spicy Rice Noodle Soup

Ingredients for a single serving:

1 and a 1/2 cups of water

½ cup of thin rice noodles

1 teaspoon miso paste or a 1/2 cube of vegetable bouillon

1 teaspoon of red chili sauce (I like the Sambal variety)

Chopped green onion

4-5 Mushrooms, can be sliced

Tamari or soy sauce

Bring the water to a boil on the stovetop. Add rice noodles to the water and cook until limp. Toss in the mushrooms at the same time as the noodles. After the noodles have cooked, turn down the heat and add the vegetable bouillon or miso paste. A dash of soy sauce can also be great for the flavor. Turn off the heat, pour the soup into a bowl, and top with chopped green onion.

You can make this soup in a large batch at home and bring some of it to work. If you’d like to make it on the spot, it takes about 10 minutes when you use quick-cooking rice noodles. If you are without a stovetop or burner to boil water, you can still dissolve the bouillon in hot or warm water, exclude the noodles, and then add the vegetables in their raw form. Veggies like celery, kale, or sliced fennel bulb will still wilt and cook in the hot water.

If you stock all of the ingredients at your home, the meals I’m showcasing today will come together in under 10 minutes. These dishes are quick to prepare, and I hope that you’ll take the leftover time to sit down and enjoy each one of them as fully as possible.

The Bagel Sandwich  

I used to eat these all the time when I was younger. Since then, I’ve switched to a gluten-free bagel, which I toast in the oven and then decorate with toppings. Add a side salad, and you’ve got a quick meal!

Topping idea 1:  

~ Goat chevre or cream cheese (Local organic dairy is best, especially when toxic chemicals are found in most large-scale dairy products produced in the United States.)

~ Sliced onion (The sulfur in onions helps to strengthen connective tissue and cleanse the liver. Learn more in this book.)

~ Sprouts or lettuce (Be sure that your sprouts are fresh, and always keep them refrigerated between using.)

~ Avocado

~ Tomato

Topping idea 2:  

~ Basil pesto (Just like raw chocolate, basil contains a healthy dose of magnesium, which improves blood flow.)

~ Artichoke hearts (Buy them in a glass jar so they do not soak up chemicals and the metal flavor of aluminum cans.)

~ Sliced black olives

~ Fresh organic spinach

Tostada 

Ingredients:

~ Organic corn tortillas

~ Small amount of butter, oil or coconut oil

~ Black beans

~ Black olives

~ Melted goat gouda

~ Sprouts

~ An egg (optional)

On the side, serve with:

~ Sriracha chili sauce

~ Sliced avocado

~ Tahini Goddess dressing.

Heat up a stovetop pan, add a small amount of butter or coconut oil to the pan, and lay the tortillas flat in the pan. Lay slices of cheese on one tortilla so the cheese melts. On the other tortilla, lay down the beans. When the beans are warm, add sprouts and sliced olives, then place the cheesy tortilla on top. A fried egg over this adds extra nourishment, and will keep you full longer.

A 3-Part Plate

Try this combination of 3 foods for a satisfying meal:

~ Salad (Add toppings to organic lettuce, like bell pepper, green onion, cucumber, raisins etc.)

~ Hard boiled egg with sea salt (It’s easiest to make a batch of these at the beginning of the week so you can have them on hand.)

~ Steamed Broccoli (Lightly sprinkle with tamari and sesame seeds.)