Tag Archives: Beans

21 Day Cleanse – Living La Vida Vegan

by Jamie Ginsberg on 07. Jan, 2010 in Jamie Ginsberg

On Monday I started my first Cleanse of the year. Yes, I need this one after a week of excessive tequila and eating in Mexico combined with holiday treats that included cheese everywhere I went (especially in my own house). What is special about this Cleanse? First of all I am doing it with a crew of at least 67 people at Cleveland Yoga, this is a fantastic way to do a Cleanse (the group is very motivating). Second, I am not eating Gluten, Animal, Alcohol, Caffeine or Sugar. A Vegan diet without alcohol and sugar? Have I removed all of my joy in eating? Can I still qualify myself as a Foodie? With these panicky questions in my head I started the Cleanse on Monday, this is what I have learned.

I Love Eating. It is really that simple. Vegan Shmegan. There is nothing like a challenge to inspire you to cook better. Day 1, I cooked the best Black Beans and Brown Basmati I have ever made. It may be the sea salt I added to the beans and water while they were soaking, or it could be the seasoning was just right. Either way, Arroz con Frijoles Negros is delicious, a complete protein (whatever) and easy to eat hot or cold. I added in a little hot sauce (after triple checking the label to make sure they did not sneak any sugar in it) and it was like a brand new dish 3 days later.

I am back on fruit smoothies hardcore. A handful of grapes, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, half a banana and even some flax seed (hellllllooooo). Rinsed the bowl of fruit, thrown into the Vita-Mix with some ice and BLAM you have a delicious smoothie in 3 minutes or less. I have had 4 this week and do not miss coffee at all! This is truly the breakfast of kings!If you do not have a serious mixer, you are missing out on a lot of fun!

I have a few exciting greens in my fridge (Kale, Chard, Lettuce, Avocado) begging to be made into something delicious. I have a pea soup in the crock pot right now and I am looking forward to making a few more. Am I starving on this cleanse? Noooooooooo! I am eating all of the time and still truly enjoying it. Would I like  glass of wine tonight? Sure, but I’d also like to be healthy and live for a long time. This is the start of something…

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Pasta Pasta Pasta!!!

by Jamie Ginsberg on 12. Nov, 2008 in Jamie Ginsberg

It is Pasta night at the Ginsbergs and in honor of my cousin…I started with an Apertif of Deep Green Kombucha. This is officially the drink of my Yoga program and being one who loves to experiment on myself, I have been trying every single flavor!!! This stuff is expensiveeeeeee, starting at $3.19 a bottle I was not surprised the company suggests drinking a bottle per day. Green is actually a bargin, after drinking the bottle you have strange green powder all over the glass, refilling the glass with plain carbonated water and you have a second drink for free! How does it taste? I would describe it as Soylent Green. I am not sure if that is good or bad, but I have always liked the sound of it. Note: Gingerade is by far my favorite flavor.

Craving Protein, I started sauteing Onion, Garlic, Black Pepper and Crushed Red Pepper in Olive Oil. I rinsed a can of chick peas and added it to the onions. The beans must be lightly browned, after about 30 minutes I add a little Paprika to give the beans I nice roasted color and flavor. The sides should be lightly brown, but not burnt, the chick peas above are about half-way cooked.

I have made this with every kind of noodle, but tonight was Ziti noodles. Stir frequently, so there  is no sticking. Whatever you do, avoid over cooking the noodles. I watch the noodles and taste as I am cooking. When the noodles are ready, I strain them in a collander and give them a quick rinse to clean off the starchy film. These were a little thicker than I expected. My dad used to make this all of the time when I was a kid. I am not sure how Italian this meal is, but it is a great Vegetarian Pasta dinner. I have made this with Angel Hair Pasta and it is even better, Ideally I would suggest a short round noodle. The kind that would fit a chick pea in the middle.

While the pasta is in the pot, I start on the “secret sauce.” This is a simple mix of Olive Oil, Granulated Garlic Powder, Crushed Red Pepper, Oregano and Soy Sauce. I remember my parents putting in a drop of Soy Sauce, but as you can see above, I have a heavy hand on the Soy Sauce. If you are dieting, you can substitute half of the Olive Oil with Rice Wine Vinegar. This is a great dish to hit with a generous helping of Oregano,

Add fresh grated Parmesan or some Romano and serve it up in a bowl! If you can resist eating all of it, this makes a great lunch the next day. This is a quick and simple meal that balances Carbs and Protein, is reasonably low fat and 100% delicious.

I needed a quick side dish, so I sliced up a tomato, slipped some goat cheese between the layers and drizzled Balsamic Vinegar (Costco Brand), Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Costco Brand) and a few slices of Avocado on the plate with a few sprinkles of Goat Cheese. This is a contemporary caprese salad with a little richness that Mozarella does not afford.

I can make this any night of the week and vary it creatively with the end result still being delicious. Short on time, leave the beans out. Meat eater? Grill up a Rib Eye! This Pasta dish is flexible enough to be the main course or a great side.  This is a great recession proof dish, feed the whole family for less than $5.

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