What else can I do with Avocado?

If you have spent the night at my house as a guest or been invited for brunch, you have probably had this recipe before. One morning I was inspired to make this when I was craving eggs and needed to satisfy a brunch time appetite. I have removed most animal products from my diet, but every now and then I allow myself to have an egg.

Lifestyle choices should be easy, relaxed and not one of guilt. Living Ayurveda allows me to make choices that are nourishing for me. I make choices based on what I need to balance in my life at that moment in time. In their simplest form, the choices are typically eating more or less of something, never forbidding me from any specific food item. I made the decision to be a vegetarian because I enjoy the natural “lightness” my body feels when avoiding meat. I avoid other animal products on a regular basis, but every once in a while allow myself to have what my body craves. Remember, Ayurveda is a lifestyle, NOT a set of rules that can’t be broken..

. Today my body craved an egg, so I paired it with items that were going to be nourishing for me. Looking to balance the VATA (Ayurvedic mind-body type) in my body, I needed items that were going to reduce my “dry and airy” nature. Avocado provides the healthy fat and oiliness that are perfect to reduce dryness. Topping off the dish, tomatoes are wonderful for cardiovascular health and also balancing to the VATA Dosha.

Let’s take a look into the benefits of adding eggs into your diet. Most people would agree that eggs are an excellent source of protein. The protein source is found mostly in the egg white portion of the egg. Amino acids found in eggs are easily digested and absorbed by the human body. The yolk portion of the egg has gotten a bad reputation for being high in cholesterol, however that are many benefits to enjoying the yolk. The egg yolk is loaded with B complex vitamin choline, which is associated with neurological functions and reduces inflammation. Choline is also associated with fetal brain development, excellent for expectant mothers. Egg yolk is also loaded with sulfur, an essential nutrient that helps with the absorption of vitamin B and liver function. A small recommendation, look for eggs that come from “happy” free range chickens.

So how do we integrate eggs, avocado and tomatoes?
.

What do you need?

1 tsp coconut oil (1 colher de chá de óleo de coco)

Salt and black pepper (sal e pimenta do reino)

Half of an avocado (meio abacate)

5-6 cherry tomatoes or 1 tomato cubed ( 1 tomate em cubos ou 5-6 tomates cereja)

5-6 torn fresh basil leaves ( 5-6 folhas de manjericão fresco rasgadas)

1/2 lime (1/2 limão)

In a small egg pan melt the coconut oil. Saute both sides of the avocado sprinkled with salt and pepper. Remove and put it on a plate. Cook the egg sunny side up (small pinch of salt and pepper if desired), place the egg on top of the avocado. Now saute the tomatoes quickly, just enough to warm them up. Place the tomatoes on the plate with the avocado/egg. Also sprinkle it with some lime juice and tear the basil leaves on top. Enjoy!

Em uma frigideira pequena acrescente o óleo de coco. Adicione o abacate com um pouco de sal em pimenta e doure os dois lados. Retire o abacate e coloque em um prato. Frite o ovo com um pouco de sal e pimenta. Coloque o ovo em cima do abacate. Doure o tomate ligeiramente e depois acrescente ao prato com o ovo/abacate. Rasgue umas folhas de manjericão em cima mistura. Para o toque final o suco de meio limão! Aproveite!

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Health and Nutrition

Sloppy Joes…Veggie Style!

It’s BBQ time! The summer is a time for cookouts and friends getting together to share a nice meal. If your diet is a plant based diet it can be even more challenging! It is hard to find something to eat in the middle of all the hamburgers, hot dogs, and meat cuts. Sometimes the good old veggie burger is just not as appealing.

I created this recipe one evening when my youngest was begging for a hamburger! It was one of those days that I just didn’t have time or all the ingredients to make a veggie burger, so I decided to make my veggie meatball patties into a “hamburger”. In the middle of cooking the lentils I decided to transform the “patty” into Sloppy Joes. The new recipe was a great success and it has now become a staple in our house.

I chose lentils in this recipe because not only do they look like ground beef, but they have a hearty flavor. Lentils are also very high in protein and are a great addition to any plant based diet. About 30% of the calories from lentils are attributed to its protein content. Lentils are also rich in soluble fibers that are beneficial in lowering cholesterol and heart health.

If you are looking for a healthier version of this childhood favorite, I believe you found it. This recipe is not only delicious and very close in taste to its original counterpart, it is easy and quick to make! It was my go to recipe today after a day at the pool.

Ingredients:

1 cup of green lentils (1 copo de lentilha)

3-4 cups of water to cook the lentils (3-4 copos de agua para cozir a lentilha)

1 cup of marinara sauce (1 copo de molho de tomate)

1 Tbs of tomato paste (1 colher de sopa de pasta de tomate)

1 Tbs of apple vinegar (1 colher de sopa de vinagre de cidra)

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

1 Tbs of molasses (1 colher de sopa de melaco)

1 tsp of cumin ( 1 colher de cha de cominho)

1 tsp of dry mustard (1 colher de cha de mostarda em po)

1/2 tsp of garlic powder (1/2 colher de cha de alho em po)

1 tsp of salt (1 colher se cha de sal)

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

1 pinch of cayenne or more if you prefer spicy ( pimenta vermelha a gosto)

Cook the Lentils in medium heat for about 30 minutes. The lentils should absorb most of the water, but if it looks too watery after they are cooked, remove some of the water. Lower the heat and add all the remaining ingredients. Let it simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Serve it on a bun with your favorite toppings! I suggest pickles, coleslaw, and sweet potato fries.

Cozinhe a lentilha em fogo medio por 30 minutos. Se ainda restar muita agua, retire um pouco da agua antes de adicionar os ingredientes restantes. Adicione o resto dos ingredientes e deixe cozinhar em fogo baixo por 15-20 minutos. Sirva com um pao de hamburger. Sugestao de servir com pickles, e salada de repolho, e batata doce frita.

Do you want to discover what an Ayurveda diet is all about?

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Health and Nutrition

Avocado Sandwich

Looking to mix up your summer or pool side meals? The avocado sandwich is an easy and nutritious sandwich that can be prepared in minutes! This sandwich also travels very well, so you can enjoy it at a picnic or a day at the pool. The smooth cooling quality of the avocado is very refreshing on a hot day. We have also taken this sandwich in one of our very long car rides, not messy at all! I try to incorporate avocado in our diet on a daily basis, so this is a great change from the usual guacamole or smoothie. I really love avocados! Growing up in Brazil avocado was a fruit that was always enjoyed sweet. It also had a bad reputation for being fatty and something that should be avoided. Moving to the states opened up my eyes for a whole new way of looking at avocados. I now love avocados not only in my smoothies, but also in all kinds of savory dishes. I top it on salads, soups, make wraps, with eggs, and this lovely sandwich! So why do I love avocados so much? Avocado’s bad reputation stems from its high amount of fat, however the fats found in this awesome superfood are healthy fats that are actually beneficial for you. The good fats found in avocado help lower the risk of heart disease, and have super anti-inflammatory properties. Avocados also help with the absorption of carotenoid antioxidants, help regulate blood sugar, has anti cancer properties, and aids in cardiovascular health. Here is how you make it: 2 slices of your favorite whole grain bread (2 fatias de pao integral) 1 avocado (1 abacate) Juice of 1 lemon (suco de 1 limao) 1 can of chickpeas ( 1 copo de grao de bico cozido) 2 Tbs of hemp seeds (2 colheres de sopa de sementes de cachamo) Optional Spinach (espinafre) Salt and pepper (sal e pimenta a gosto) Toast the bread. Meanwhile, smash the chickpeas with a fork. Add the avocado, lemon juice, hemp seeds, salt and pepper and mix. Spoon it into the bread, top with spinach, and serve. Quick and easy! Toste o pão. Enquanto isso, a esmagar o grão de bico com um garfo. Adicione o abacate, suco de limão, sementes , sal e pimenta e misture. Coloque a mistura no pao , cubra com espinafre e sirva. Rápido e fácil!

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Health and Nutrition

Veggie Gyros

Today 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.

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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Tag Archives: quick meal

What else can I do with Avocado?

Sloppy Joes…Veggie Style!

Avocado Sandwich

Veggie Gyros