healthy eats

January 8, 2022January 11, 2022

Trinidadian Street Food “Doubles”

Trinidadian street food “Doubles” are a must try!

During the “2022 All About You” health and wellness expo I focus on easy street foods to make.

This great recipe is native to Trinidad. In the USA we will call it a “curry chickpea sandwich” but the name is called “Doubles”.

Try it and let me know what you think.

Trinidadian Doubles

Ingredients:

For the bara (flatbread):

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp active yeast

1/3 cup warm water

2 tsp brown sugar

1 cup Canola oil (for frying)

For the curried chickpea (channa) filling:

1 Tbsp canola oil

3 ea cloves garlic, minced

1 ea medium onion, minced

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced

2 Tbsp curry powder

1 14-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

¼ cup tomato sauce

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp Scotch bonnet or Habanero pepper sauce

Instructions:

For the bara (flatbread):

In a large bowl, combine the flour, turmeric, cumin, and yeast. Add warm water. Pour slowly until dough is combined. Dough should be slightly firm dough.
Cover with a damp cloth and place in a warm place to rise until doubled in volume, about 60 to 90 minutes.
After the dough has risen, punch down and then allow to rest for 10 minutes. Then dampen hands with water or oil and pull off tablespoon sized pieces of dough and roll into 4 1/2 inch rounds. Repeat until you have used up all the dough and have an even number of rounds.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium high heat (should be about 3 inches deep). When oil is ready, fry the baras until puffed and golden, about 15 to 30 seconds on each side. Drain on paper towels or a wire rack.

For the curried chickpea (channa) filling:

Warm a large frying pan or skillet, add oil, and warm until shimmery.
Add garlic, onion, and the curry seasoning and sauté for a few minutes.
Add the drained chickpeas and stir to coat with the spice mixture and cook for another five minutes.
Add cumin, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and 1 cup of water + chick-n bouillon (or stock) and stir. Then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes, covered, until the chickpeas are very soft. There should still be sauce. If not, reconstitute with enough water to form a medium-thick sauce. Add pepper sauce and stir.
Finally, assemble your doubles by placing one bara on a plate, spooning one tablespoon of the chickpea filling on it, topping with additional condiments as desired.

August 10, 2021August 10, 2021

Vegan Fast Food Is Coming

In today’s world, we are all working longer hours than before, whether that’s on our school degree or longer office hours. Our 24-hour timeframe now consists of more than 16 hours of working on your degree or job or business, 2-4 hours of travel, and 4-6 hours of sleep. With a schedule like that, who has time to think, let alone cook three meals a day, including shopping for the meal. This is why convenience foods are becoming so popular. As of 2020, Americans spend over $239 billion annually on the quick-service restaurant. Yes, at the height of the pandemic, fast food restaurants were still winning!

It takes less than 10 minutes to pull up to a drive-through window and get a complete meal to go. Talking about convenience! Over 20% of American meals are eaten in cars , a concept that didn’t exist before fast food. Most of us, when taking a lunch break, get a least 30 minutes to break such convenience is our best option. You need your food prepared fast so you can eat it quickly. I get it!

Nutrition goes out the window for most of us when it comes to convenience meals. Not because we don’t want to eat a more nourishing meal on the go but because we just don’t have those options available to us like a McDonald’s or Chick-fil-a. Right now, McDonald’s is the largest fast-food restaurant that has locations worldwide. Therefore, when we are traveling or working long hours, we are unsuccessful in making healthier choices because of the lack of healthy convenience options available on the go.

Now imagine a world where you are able to get that quick service along with a great price point, great taste, and it’s better for your body! Which option would you choose?

VegBox allows you to get the same convenience as Chick-fil-a with the added benefits of eating healthy meals. Yes, it is possible to have a healthy, convenient food joint.

So just know you no longer have to sacrifice your diet for convenience. The convenient food space is changing, and you will not have to wait too much longer.

Talk to you soon!
Roberta Lowe
Restauranteur, Author, and Coach

Ready to start your transition to plant-based eating but can’t afford my personal coach service. If that is you don’t let that stop you. My online 30 day program is for you. Try it for 3 days FREE!

https://www.statista.com/topics/863/fast-food/
https://www.thebarbecuelab.com/fast-food/

July 12, 2021July 12, 2021

Plant-based to Help Fertility

Speaking to a door dasher today that came in to pick up an order for a customer. We talked about many things, but one topic had me thinking long after she was gone. That was infertility.

Now I am no fertility expert; but I informed her that switching to a plant-based diet has been known to work in many women based upon research and study I have done. I also told her to keep in mind that other life choices need to improve to help heal the body.

Just like switching to a plant-based diet helps lower cancer rates, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. According to a recent Harvard study, eating more fruit and vegetables in place of meat increases fertility!

Let’s talk about what’s on your plate!

For thousands of years, we have practice what we heard about the importance of meat and fish three times a week, an egg a day and a glass of milk. I will let you know those food items contain protein, vitamin D, iron, B12, calcium, and lots of other nutrients., But they also have other unhealthy fats and hormones that are not good for the human body.

Here are some simple tips to keep in mind when switching to a vegan diet o help aid in your fertility journey.

*Increase Protein Combinations

One type of vegetable is not enough. Combining grains with nuts and seeds or legumes makes up a complete protein. You need to ensure that every day you consume some legumes, grains, nuts and seeds.

*Eat Iron-Rich Foods

Since you can get the most iron in red meat, going vegan may make you iron-deficient. The good news is that vegans and vegetarians with a well-planned and balanced diet have no higher incidence of iron deficiency and anemia than meat-eaters. Because iron is also available in plant sources, you can load up on iron-rich foods like avocados, prunes, apricots, lentils, black beans, almonds, chickpeas, and wheat germ.

*Make Sure You Get Some Sun.

As no vegetable source contains it, vitamin D is essential to get. You don’t have to take a pill for it either. The best source of vitamin D is the sun! As little as ten minutes of sun on your skin a day will give you all the vitamin D you need. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to get your vitamin D dose without getting burned.

*Eat Organic!

If you are going to exclude animal products which are the richest source of pesticides in our diet, you don’t want to reintroduce them by eating sprayed fruit and vegetables. When you stop eating meat, you should have a surplus of cash, and you can now afford to eat organic fruit, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

*Reduce Intake of Fertility-Harming Foods

Not all non-meat sources are ideal for fertility, so you have to reduce your intake of (or eliminate) alcohol, refined foods, caffeine, sugar, and flour in your diet. Sugar and flour, for instance, predispose you to insulin resistance and hormonal imbalance, which make it more difficult for you to conceive.

*Look out for essential Nutrients

Nutrients like omega 3 and zinc, which are necessary for maintaining egg and sperm health, are in certain plants but in low levels. Therefore you must add more other foods to your diet that has a rich amount of these nutrients—foods such as seeds, nuts, and oils. So eating more chia seeds, hemp seeds, algal oil, Brussel sprouts will help maintain your omega levels. Make sure these food are often eating to ensure you are getting the proper amounts.

*Eating the Rainbow

When you decide to do a vegan diet to improve fertility, include as many different fruits and vegetables as you can to ensure you’re getting most of the nutrients you need from what you eat. A good way to make sure of this is to eat a rainbow — include different colored fruits and veggies each meal. This is the proper way to ensure your body is getting all the nutrients required daily.

*Consult a Natural Fertility Doctor

When trying to conceive, it is essential to seek personalized professional help from a natural fertility doctor in your fertility journey.

The body is wonderfully made. Therefore, we must ensure we are doing all in our power to make sure it operates at its full potential.

Be healthy,

Chef Roberta Lowe

Grab my book here

June 30, 2021July 1, 2021

My Passion For the Youth

I started a tradition that’s so fulfilling. That tradition is to teach high school students, staff, and parent the joy of cooking plant-based. Many students and adults from these schools have grown up thinking plant-based dishes are nasty, costly, and don’t fill you up. So, imagine their surprise when I educate them on the most cost-effective ways and how to create tasty fulfilling dishes.

I will share the most important tip with you on cutting costs when you are looking to transition to a plant-based diet. When you hear it, a lightbulb will go off! Ready?

The best way to cut your plant-based food cost is….. buying whole foods! Yup, that’s it. If you stick with purchasing whole plant foods in their original form, you will cut your food cost by more than half.

So what does that mean exactly, you ask? It’s simple. Think of it this way. One organic cauliflower will cost you around five dollars, but you can get 2-3 serving out of it. If you buy buffalo cauliflower already made, then you will pay six dollars or more for one serving. So instead of feeding more people or having the meal multiple times, you only can have one portion. Now which sounds better to you? Ready-made buffalo cauliflower or making your own from the whole plant.

I will tell you another benefit to buying the whole plant in its original form. Yes, I’m sure you guessed it! The nutritional benefits. When you buy whole plants, your body gets all the benefits that plant food has to offer you. You also control the flavor and sodium, which is an added benefit to your health.

So know, the produce section is where you should get most of your ingredients. If you want buffalo cauliflower bits, go to the produce section and buy a whole cauliflower to cut, season, and cook vs. going to the frozen aisle to pay more than five dollars for a less product.

That’s a little about my passion for educating the youth or any person looking to learn more about how plant-based can work in real-time for them. Until next time, eat to live!

Looking for help to transition to plant-based? Get my book now @ https://bit.ly/3dL1XO4

Join our email list. Get amazing coupon deals, 100 vegan recipes for better brain health, and much more right to your inbox. Join now @ www.vegboxmd.com

June 18, 2021July 1, 2021

The Ultimate Salad

Do you love eating salads? If the answer is no, then you might be making them wrong! Yup, you CAN make a salad wrong. I know, strange to think a salad that is supposed to be easy actually needs some thought behind it. Ha

Salads offer many benefits for your body, from the leafy green base to colorful veggies placed on top and, of course, the big finisher, which is dressing. Most people don’t think of salad as a complete meal, but it can be when put together right.

We all know that leafy greens in the salad give our body vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants, fiber, folate, vitamin K, magnesium, calcium, iron, and potassium. But I’m sure you don’t want to eat just lettuce because that’s boring.

After your lettuce choice, add all your colorful veggies like red pepper, purple cabbage, cucumbers, white onions, carrots, etc. The more color you add, the broader range of nutrition your body gets.

Now, let’s add some plant-based protein! You can keep it simple, like using tofu, legumes, or grains are a great source of plant-based protein. They all taste amazing when added to your salad.

Wait! We are not done yet!

Let’s spice it up a bit by adding a handful of walnuts to boost the flavor, texture, and nutrition. Walnuts are the only nut with an excellent source of plant-based omega-3 ALA ~2.5g/oz. Yummy!

Now that we build this fantastic salad, it’s time to dress it. The dressing is just as important as the veggies. You want the dressing to help the body absorb all the nutrients in the salad. To do that, you want to pick a dressing without a ton of ingredients—also, one with no artificial sugars or loaded with preservatives. I suggest staying simple by making your dressing using lemon juice, healthy oil, natural sweetener, and cayenne pepper.

Now that’s how you build a bomb salad! Make sure you change it up with different veggies each time but always remember salads are not only healthy, but they taste delicious and fulfilling when done right.

Check out some amazing salad recipe.

Vegan Cobb Salad by Simple Veganista

Vegan Summer Salad by Lazy Cat Kitchen