Miso Eggplant

Holy moly this dish is DELICIOUS and so comforting and beyond flavorful. I am typically not the biggest eggplant fan, but this dish is my favorite way to eat this vegetable. This is a great dish to make on it’s own served with rice/quinoa and or a great side dish to serve with salmon or any other protein.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole large eggplant

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (for cooking the eggplant)

  Miso Paste:

• 1.5 tablespoons of miso paste (I typically use white or brown)

• 1.5 teaspoons sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

• 2 green onions stalks finely chopped (optional)

• Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine all of the miso paste ingredients and stir evenly. Chop the green onion and mix the white and light green part of the stems into the paste. Notice the smells and textures. Let this paste sit and “marinate” to the side while you prep the eggplant.

2. Wash the eggplant and feel the texture of the skin. Notice your relationship to this vegetable (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral).

3. Slice the eggplant down the middle vertically. Score each half of the eggplant by using a sharp knife and slicing vertical lines in one direction and then the other direction so that you are creating diamond shaped sizes. Notice the texture of the eggplant under the knife. Notice your thoughts. Are they judging the way you are cutting? Are they present and curious? Are they concerned with doing this “right”? The purpose of these cuts is to help cook the eggplant evenly and absorb the sauce later on.

4. Place the over on 400F and allow it to heat up.

5. While the oven heats, in a large cast iron or non stick frying pan, place on medium to high heat. Once hot, add the 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Place the eggplants face down and sear for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Notice the sounds and smells that arise. How does your body respond?

6. Flip the eggplant so the skin faces down now and turn the heat to medium. Place a lid on tip for 3-5 minutes so that the eggplant lightly steams. You want the eggplant to feel tender.

7. On a baking sheet, place parchment paper down and place the two eggplant halves facing up (scored side up). Gently brush the miso paste all over the eggplant—letting it soak into the cuts you created. Notice the smells and colors as they unfold. Place this in the oven for 15 minutes. Notice the smells from the oven filling your home.

8. After 15 minutes, put your oven on broil for 5 minutes, watching closely so that the eggplant doesn’t burn. You will see the miso paste caramelize and get a little bubbly.

9. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining darker green onion slices. If you’d like, sprinkle with sesame seeds for more texture. Serve warm and mindfully enjoy each bite as it melts in your mouth.

Chocolate Green Smoothie

I personally go through phases with smoothies where my body craves them and other times my body wants to eat solid food. However, when I do crave smoothies, this recipe is satisfying because I feel I am drinking a healthy indulgent dessert. Remember, this recipe is a guideline and starting point for you to tap into your own body’s wisdom to think about what tastes/textures and ingredients sound good to you in this moment. Share what you added to your smoothie in the comments below.

Ingredients:

• 3 dates (with out the pits)

• 4 kale stalks (with the stalks removed) or 2 handfuls of spinach or other leafy greens (kale will have a stronger “green” flavor so if you don’t like that use spinach

• 1 banana

• 6 oz dairy free milk (you can also use water, but it won’t taste as creamy)

• 3 tablespoons cacao powder (adjust to make this more or less chocolatey)

• 2 tablespoons chia seeds

• 1 tablespoon of chlorophyll greens or green superfoods

• 1 tablespoon collagen protein (this is my favorite brand)

• Handful of ice cubes

• Optional: 1/4 cup coffee

• Optional: 1 tablespoon peanut butter (for flavoring. Sometimes I add more if I want nut butter to be. the main source of protein).

Directions:

1. Place all of the ingredients (except for the collagen protein and super-greens) in a blender. Blend on high until everything is evenly combined.

2. Then add the collagen and super-greens and gentle blend/mix at the end.

3. Pour into a glass and mindfully enjoy. Notice how the ingredients feel in your body. Can you feel your cells absorbing the nutrients? How does you body digest the liquid love? How does the smoothie dance on your tongue?

Green Goddess Soup

I love this soup so much! I make this when I feel I want a reset or a dose of greens to lift me up with nourishing nutrients.

Ingredients:

• Two big heads of broccoli and most of the stems

• 1 yellow or white onion

• Garlic powder, Salt & Pepper

• Hand full of kale (without the stems)

• 16 oz organic vegetable broth

• Olive Oil

• Optional: Nutritional Yeast, avocado

Directions:

1. Wash the green vegetables and chop in 1 to 2 inch pieces. Slice onions

2. In a big pot, saute onion until it is translucent and lightly caramelized (~5-10 minutes)

3. Add broccoli and saute for a few minutes

4. Add all of the vegetable broth and bring everything to a boil and cook until the broccoli is soft (~15 minutes)

5. Add a big handful of kale and cook for another 5-minutes

6. Flavor with garlic powder, salt & pepper

7. Place the broth and vegetables in a blender (Vitamix makes this so smooth and creamy). You can do this in batches if your blender isn’t big enough

8. Serve the soup in a bowl/cup—optional to mix in nutritional yeast and top with a few slices of avocado

9. Save the leftovers in the fridge or freezer for easy meals for the week

Loaded (Overnight) Chia Pudding

This recipe will be your new go-to 2 minute breakfast!

Ingredients: (serving size 1-2). If you want to make a bigger batch of chia seed pudding to last for the week, double or triple the amount of milk and chia seeds.

• 2 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 cup almond milk (or favorite non-dairy milk)

• 1/4 cup favorite granola

• 2 handfuls of your favorite berries

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• Drizzle of maple syrup

• 4 mint leaves, torn or roughly chopped

Directions:

1. The night before you want to eat your pudding, whisk together the chia seeds and almond milk. Notice how the sensation of mixing feels in your hands. What thoughts go through your mind as you whisk? Let it sit for 5 minutes and then whisk it again. Cover and store in the fridge overnight. Notice if impatience shows up. What does it feel like to be with that?

   (Note: before you put the pudding in the fridge, the chia seeds should be floating freely in the milk. Make sure they have not all sunk to the bottom. You may need to let it sit for another 5 minutes and whisk again before putting it in the fridge.)

2. In the morning, remove your pudding from the fridge, give it a stir, and top with granola, berries, cinnamon, mint and a drizzle of maple syrup. Or any other combination your heart desires.

Roasted Veggies with Homemade Tahini

Roasted veggies, no matter the season, always help me feel grounded and nourished. I never get sick of this recipe because you can always play around with different vegetables, which changes the taste, texture and color of the meal. Roasting veggies is a simple way to batch cook your vegetables and have them on hand. When selecting, which veggies to roast, I pause to think about:

1. What are 3 different types of veggies I have access to in my fridge or at the store?

2. Can I select variety of veggies with different colors/textures/fiber?
   

Ingredients:

• 1 whole cauliflower head

• 1/2 red cabbage

• 4 big carrots (or 2 medium sized sweet potatoes)

• 1 yellow onion

• 1 Tbsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp turmeric

• Salt & Peppeer to taste

• Chickpeas

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup Tahini paste  (I love this brand)

• 2 tablespoon soy sauce or Braggs Amino Acid 

• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 

• 2 garlic cloves minced

• 3 tablespoons water (add more for thinner sauce consistency) 

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F 

2. Wash and chop the veggies into 1-2inch. What do the veggies feell like as I rinse them under water? Notice how it feels to chop. Where is your attention?

3. Dry the vegetables and place in a bowl

4. Lightly drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables and coat evenly

5. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, turmeric. What do these smells remind you of?

6. Evenly place vegetables on a cooking sheet and notice the variety of colors and textures. What comes alive inside of you as you look at the colors?

7. Roast for about 30-40 minutes. Take vegetables out when they are browned with a slight crunch.

8. Meanwhile, on a separate pan, place cooked chick peas and roast until they have a crunchy flavor and start to dry out. This should take around ~15 minutes. 

9. In a small blender, combined the ingredients for the tahini sauce and adjust the flavoring to your desire. What do you notice about the smells of the sauce as you blend?

10. When the roasted vegetables and chick peas are done, place everything into a bowl and pour in the tahini sauce to coast everything evenly. Add additional salt and pepper to fit your flavor profile.

You can follow this same recipe with different vegetables and protein. For instance, try a different legume or use a chicken breast. I also love doing this recipe with butternut-squash, onions, beets and Brussels sprouts.

You can use this chart as inspiration to select a veggie from different categories. This supports the body getting a variety of nutrients.