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Fajitas…Veggie style!

tofufajitas

School has started and so have the after school activities! I had a full week taking the kids to and from school, working, catering to house guests, keeping the house clean, and putting food on the table. I had been looking forward to the beginning of the school year thinking I was going to have all this time for myself, but in reality it is almost the last day of the week and I ask myself “where has the week gone?”

Tonight is one of those nights when the kids and I got home at 7:30 from their activities, a bit late for our family’s schedule. After rushing back home, I had not even thought about what to make for dinner. I rushed the kids to shower and had the full intent to have them in bed by 830, just 30 minutes over their usual bed time. Earlier in the week I had already exhausted ‘ol reliable,…spaghetti! We needed a fresh diverse, EASY, quick meal.  Looking in my pantry I had the inspiration to make fajitas!

Meat used to be a staple in our home, but it has been almost a year since I have bought any variety. Thus, my inspiration was for a vegetable version! With only about 15 minutes, I had no time to cook rice or beans, so tofu seemed to be the protein of choice. Tofu is a product that I highly recommend to have in hand. You can season it and have it cooked in minutes. I like to substitute eggs with tofu and make a breakfast taco that is somewhat similar to this recipe. We’ll save that for another day!

Onions and peppers were the source of phytonutrients, plant chemical health enhancing substances that are very important for the well being and proper functions of our body. The specific nutrients in bell peppers have been linked to the prevention of cell damage. One of the reasons fajitas are popular is because you can create your own combination of rich flavors to each individual fajita.  Cheese, grilled onions, pico de gallo, salsa are just a few of the traditional options.  Living in Texas for over 10 years, no fajita is complete without a dollop of Guacamole!  Using fresh avocados, the guacamole provides a dose of the best tasting healthy fats on earth. Overall a very balanced, healthy, and nutrient rich dinner that was on the table in 15 minutes!

Let’s check it out!

tofufajita3

Ingredients:

1 Tbs of coconut oil (1 colher de sopa de óleo de coco)

1 large onion cut in long strips (1 cebola grande cortada em fatias longas)

2 cloves of garlic diced (2 cabeças de alho picadas)

1 green bell pepper cut in long strips (1 pimentão verde cortado em fatias longas)

2 red bell pepper cut in long strips (2 pimentões vermelhos cortado em fatias longas)

1 16oz container of firm tofu cut in strips (1 bloco de tofu)

1 Tbs of cumin ( 1 colher de sopa de cominho)

Salt and black pepper to taste (sal e pimenta do reino a gosto)

1 small jalapeno diced and seeds removed  (optional) (1 pimenta jalapeno se sementes picada – opcional)

2 Tbs of cilantro (2 colheres de coentro picado)

Tortillas – warmed ( I like the flax seed kind) 

Guacamole

2 avocados (2 abacates)

1/4 of onion small diced (1/4 de cebola picada)

1 small tomato diced (1 tomate cortado em cubos pequenos)

1 lime – juice (1 limão – suco)

Salt and black pepper to taste (sal e pimenta do reino a gosto)

Preparation

Melt the coconut oil in a large skillet, then add the vegetables in the order of Ingredients. Toss all the ingredients with the spices until you can see charred marks on the bell peppers. When you are about to remove from the heat toss in the jalapeno and cilantro. To make the guacamole scoop the avocado into a bowl, toss in the onion, lime juice, tomato, salt, and pepper. Slowly mix the ingredients together with a spoon breaking up the avocado as you mix (this will give you a chunky guacamole). Top the tortillas with the tofu mixture, avocado, and salsa of your choice. Serve with your choice of tortilla chips ( I love Late July’ tortilla chips).

Em uma frigideira grande esquente o óleo. Adicione as verduras uma de cada vez na ordem de ingredientes. Deixe cozinhar ate os pimentões terem marcas (tipo churrasco). Adicione o coentro e jalapeno no ultimo minuto antes de retirar do fogo. Para fazer a guacamole, coloque o abacate em um recipiente e junte o resto dos ingredientes. Com uma colher amasse todos os ingredientes juntos deixando pedaços de abacate (não e um purê). Sirva com tortillas e salsa de sua escolha.

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Health and Nutrition

Veggie Gyros

BlissBalanceHealth_LogoToday is the last day of school for my kids. I can now see the days of sun, pool, and the beach. Anytime I spend the day lounging around , the last thing I want to do is spend hours making dinner. Over the years I have found a few shortcuts, one of them being the “pita or naan” bread.

I use naan for last minute pizzas, wraps, open face sandwiches, and gyros as I did in today’s recipe. I like to serve it with sweet potatoes fries, but you can serve it with a side salad, soup, regular fries, or any other side that you would prefer.

If one of these nights you find that you only have 15 minutes to get dinner on the table, this recipe is exactly what you need.

At blissbalancehealth.com we teach Ayurveda Lifestyle. This is a lighter dinner, cooked with fresh beautiful and colorful vegetables, keeping in line with the teachings of Ayurveda. Ayurveda suggests that we eat our heaviest meal at lunch time when our metabolism is at its highest peak. Ayurveda also suggests that we eat fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season, preferably organic when possible.

A phased approach to Ayurveda and vegetarianism…

Vegetarianism is not a requirement in Ayurveda, although most of my recipes are vegetarian or vegan. It is simply suggested that we reduce our intake of meat, especially red meat. My suggestion would be to try one to two vegetarian meals a week to see how you feel.

 Veggie Gyros

Ingredients:

1 Tbs of coconut oil ( 1 colher de sopa de oleo de coco)

1 small onion cut into strips ( 1 cebola)

1 cup of carrots cut into strips ( 1 copo de cenoura)

1 zucchini cut into thin strips ( 1 abobrinha)

1 green peppers cut into strips ( 1 pimentao verde)

1 yellow pepper cut into strips ( 1 pimentao amarelo)

1 can of chickpeas ( 1 copo de grao de bico cozido)

1 cup of Cherry tomatoes cut in half ( 2 tomates em cubos)

1/4 of cashews ( 1/4 copo de castanha)

1 cup of spinach ( 1 copo de espinafre)

1 Tbs of liquid aminos or low sodium soy sauce ( 1 colher de sopa de molho de soja)

1/2 tsp of black pepper ( 1/2 colher de cha de pimenta do reino)

1 tsp of oregano ( 1 colher de cha de oregano)

1 tsp of fresh thyme ( 1 colher de cha de tomilho)

1 tsp of fresh rosemary ( 1 colher de cha de alecrim)

Juice of half a lemon ( suco de meio limao)

6 pita or naan breads ( 6 paes gregos)

Directions:

Saute the onion, peppers, carrots, and zucchini until tender. Add the chickpeas and all the spices. Saute for another 2-3 minutes, add the tomato and cashew. Place the spinach on top of the warmed naan bread, top it with the vegetable mixture. Top it with tzatziki sauce if you would like. Roll them up ( foil helps them stay together) and enjoy!

Cozinhe a cebola, pimentao, cenoura, e abobrinha. Depois adicione o grao de bico e as hervas. Cozinhe por mais uns 2-3 minutos, e adicione o tomate e a castanha. Coloque o espinafre no pao e cubra com a verdura cozida e sirva!

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Health and Nutrition

Rainbow Quinoa Salad

Last week I posted this family favorite recipe on the website. I am now re-posting the same recipe here because I have decided to keep all my recipes on the blog. Soon I will remove it from http://www.blissbalancehealth.com. I will update the Facebook page letting everyone know when I have posted a new recipe here, or you can just follow the blog to receive updates.

This salad is a staple in our family. I make it at least once a week, sometimes as the star of the meal and sometimes as a side. It is made in Ayurveda style, keeping in mind the six tastes, so it is a really flavorful dish.

When I am creating a dish, I always like to think about what are the ingredients bringing to the table? So let’s take a look at the recipe from an Ayurveda perspective!

Quinoa -it  is the sweet and also the astringent taste. This is where you will find your carbohydrates and protein; a healing and compacting quality. This grain has been called a super-food for its protein content and it’s long history use by the Inca warriors.

Onion, garlic, peppers, cilantro, and spices– bring in the pungent taste. This is where you will find those qualities that will enhance your digestion and detoxify your system.

Zucchini, squash, spinach – this where you will find the bitter taste. The bitter tastes also has detoxifying qualities, helps with gas and bloating , and aids weight loss.

Tomato – represents the sour taste, aiding in digestion and promoting the appetite.

Salt – the salty tastes stimulates digestive juices and makes the other tastes more delicious.

In Ayurveda we want to make our meals balanced with the six tastes, but keeping in mind those tastes that are more beneficial to your mind-body type. So let’s get to the recipe!

Rainbow Quinoa Salad

Rainbow Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

1 c of quinoa

2 c of vegetable broth

1 Tbs coconut oil

1 onion diced

2 garlic heads chopped

½ of each color of bell peppers (red, yellow, and orange) diced

1 zucchini diced

1 yellow squash diced

2 c of baby spinach

1 Tb of cilantro finely chopped

1 tomato small diced

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp oregano

Red pepper flakes to taste

Directions:

In a small saucepan bring the broth to a boil, add the quinoa and let it simmer in a low temperature for about 15 minutes. Melt the oil in a large pan, add the vegetables in order, one at the time, and sauté in medium heat. Add the spices and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes; add the cooked quinoa to the vegetable mixture. Serve it hot or cold as a side salad. Enjoy!

If you would like to learn more about Ayurveda Lifestyle contact me at armenia@blissbalancehealth.com

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