Curry Ginger Quinoa

I was enjoying this so much that I almost finished it before taking a picture! This yummy recipe is super simple and totally satisfying.

• 2 cups quinoa (rinsed!!!!!!!)
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon of each: salt, turmeric, curry powder, garam masala, cumin

Bring to a boil and let boil for a minute or two. Turn heat to low/med-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, cover with paper towel, place lid on top and set aside for about 5-10min.

With cooked quinoa....toss with....

• 3 tablespoons of sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons of evoo
• Juice of one juicy lime
• *Microplane or Zester: two cloves of garlic and one chunk of fresh ginger
• Hit with several shakes of red crushed pepper (I like it spicy....)
• A few tablespoons of Coconut Aminos (or Braggs or Soy Sauce)
• Diced scallions
• Chopped cilantro
• Adjust salt to taste.

Yum.

Garam Masala

garam masala in soup....

garam masala in tea....

GARAM MASALA.

Go buy it right now. You can find a big 200g bag in the "ethnic" aisle at any supermarket for about $3. It's the missing piece of the puzzle!!

Since I've arrived home I have been steady recreating the dishes I ate in Southeast Asia. All of my curries were good but they were missing *something. Duh, garam masala. It's the spice mixture that gives Indian food and curries their DEPTH. Mmmmmmmm so good. Go figure, I make this discovery one week before I head back to the Motherland.

Curry Vegetable Masala Soup:
1. Toss a bunch of chopped veggies into a soup pot and sauté (with coconut oil) for a few minutes [I used celery, carrot, zucchini, onion and garlic]
2. Season with salt, curry powder and GARAM MASALA
3. Cover veggies with vegetable broth and let simmer for about 20minutes
4. Top with chopped cilantro

SO DELICIOUS. SO SATISFYING. SO SIMPLE. SO HEALTHY.

Another "Duh": My beloved "Masala Chai"....is tea (called Chai in India) with masala spice!! Putting a half teaspoon of garam masala in your tea or coffee will certainly elevate it! This morning I made a proper chai latte with hemp seed milk, xylitol, and garam masala.

The typical Indian version of garam masala contains:

Black and white peppercorns
Cloves
Cinnamon
Black and white cumin seeds
Black, brown + green cardamom pods

Coconut Kefir

Coconut water with kefir starter....

Cover em up with a towel and let them sit...

Coconut water kefir. It is a super important part of your diet if you are suffering from Candida, but even if you aren't - it is an amazing addition to your health regime. Instead of buying the very expensive coconut water kefirs you can find online, I decided to make it myself (thanks to Lorie Rice for the inspiration!). I bought 9 thai coconuts from the asian supermarket for $17, sterilized some mason jars, and busted out my cleaver. All in all, it was a pretty simple process.

Coconut Water Kefir

Ingredients:

• 1 quart Coconut Water
• 3 tablespoons Water Kefir Grains or 1 packet of kefir starter (this is what I used)

Place the Water Kefir Grains in the coconut water.  Cover the jar loosely and allow the Kefir Grains to culture the coconut water for 24-48 hours.  Once the culturing process is complete, remove the Kefir Grains (or if you used kefir starter then this is not necessary). 


Here is an easy peezy way to open your thai coconuts (trust me, its really that easy...)
 

Why coconut water kefir?
 Coconut Water Kefir is a whole food probiotic, rich in vitamins, minerals and natural electrolytes.

This product is brisling with Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, which creates awesome intestinal flora, digestion and production of B-6, B12, K, niacin and folic acid. This is a fermented beverage that hydrates, and gently cleanses the intestinal tract, and liver. Throughout time and place, living culture foods have been a sacred key to unlocking the secret of abundant health and longevity.

Cultured Coconut Pudding

Tools

• Blender
• Glass or ceramic container with lid

Ingredients

• Meat from 3-4 young coconuts 
• 1/2 kefir packet (I used yogourmet kefir starter)
• Purified water
• cinnamon or cardamom

Directions

1. Open the young coconuts and conserve most of the the water for Coconut Water Kefir (recipe above). The meat should be white. If it is pink or gray, it should be discarded.
2. Scoop the meat out with a strong spoon or spatula.
3. Rinse any brown skin off the meat.
4. Put the coconut meat in a blender and purée with just enough water to create a pudding-like consistency.
5. Add half a packet of kefir starter culture or a teaspoon of kefir grains. Pulse to incorporate.
6. Transfer the pudding to a glass or ceramic container, making sure there are a few inches of room on the top for the pudding to expand.
7. Cover the container and let it ferment on your countertop or on top of your fridge at about 72-75 degrees for 7-10 hours.
8. After fermentation, add cardamom or cinnamon and nutmeg and stir in.
9. Refrigerate. It will last about 3 days.

In Sanskrit the coconut palm is referred to as “kalpa vriksha” meaning “the tree that supplies all that is needed to live”.

Candida Kale Caesar Salad

This is so easy and delicious. It is Paleo, Candida, and Vegan friendly!! There are a few variations that can take this salad different places, so here are your options:

Kale Caesar Salad (for 4)

• 1 Head of Kale, de-stemmed, washed, and cut
• 3 tablespoons Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar (or Lemon Juice...if you are on the Candida or Body Ecology Diet though the ACV is better because it has live cultures)
• 1 clove of garlic, pushed through a press or run over the grater
• *good quality* organic unrefined oil, drizzled generously overtop
• Shake, Shake, Shake and Shake some more of Braggs Nutritional Yeast (this is fine for people on Candida or B.E.D. because it is not live active yeast) *the more cheese that you want on your salad, the more nutritional yeast that you'd want...
• Hard boiled egg (optional): to take this salad to the next level you can dice up a hard boiled egg on top. Make sure you do so before you massage it with your hands, so that the cooked egg yolk can act as a thickener for the 'dressing'. 

Massage it with your hands for about 5 minutes, softening up the tough kale and integrating all of the flavors together. Warning: this salad is freaking delicious. And crazy insane healthy. 

Crazy for Kale.

I was cruising on InstaGram yesterday and found this under #kale tags. I couldnt help but to crack up. Dream man, with Dream "flowers".

I have been crazy for kale lately! I've always loved it, but recently I've gotten very creative with it as I've had to get creative to cater to all of the limitations on this candida diet. This morning I had a smoothie for breakfast...

• Kefir
• Water
• Small handful blueberries
• A few almonds (soaked and peeled!)
• Cinnamon
• Small sprinkle of stevia
• And a huge handful of kale!

It was full power and delicious fuel to get me through the two classes I had.

Then for lunch I'd prepared some sautéed kale that I simply did in a skillet with some toasted sesame oil, uemboshi plum paste (a little goes a LONG way), a touch of salt and a sprinkle of some sesame seeds. SO GOOD SO GOOD SO GOOD...and so good for you!

Full Power Lunch Hour.

Boom. Full power lunch. I made a simple salad that was sooooo delicious, probably the best salad I've ever made (and I make good salads). It's tasty, quick and easy to make, it'll fill you up and power you up- and it'll leave a smile on your face.

1. Clean and slice green kale (splurge on organic, it just tastes so much better)

2. Quarter 2 hard boiled eggs

3. Slice half an avocado

4. Sprinkle some raw pepita seeds on top

5. Drizzle with EVOO and lemon juice. Dust with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

AMMMMMAZING.

Vermont! Vermont!

Sweet Vermont! Ah! It's amazing. I didn't think that I'd need a vacation so quickly after getting back from my winter abroad, but I have been a bit overwhelmed with my schedule, the teacher training, and the emotions of being home. So- yay vacation! Yay for me! I headed up with my yogis Bryna, Jaime and Ari. Jaime drove, Bryna was shot gun, and ari and I sat in the back ironing out the final details for our upcoming teacher training. It was great to have some uninterrupted time to really get shit done. We made it up here in record time, from margate to Stratton in less than 6 hours! Ari found us the most amazing, luxurious condo right at the base of the mountain- and yay for us, there is a huge amazing kitchen. We grabbed some provisions and then I threw together a vegan, vegetarian, Paleo, candida friendly and totally delicious soup.

1 large head caulifower
1 green apple
1 red onion (medium)
1 box vegetable broth
Garlic powder
Curry powder
Cilantro
Salt
Drizzle with some EVOO

Bring it to a boil in a pot and then purée in a vitamix or food processor. Enjoy.

(Candida) Coconut Cream of Broccoli

This soup is freaking delicious...but it didn't start out like that, that's for sure! I love soup, and I've been experimenting with some candida friendly recipes. I'm trying to figure out Almond/Coconut milk, and thought that a broccoli combo could be good. In retrospect I think it would work best with cauliflower but this soup is bowl-licking good, so I'm happy. I served it to my friends tonight and they agree...so give it a go! 

Steam broccoli 

Drain

Add one bunch of scallions 

Salt and pepper (lots of cracked black pepper)

1 cup chicken stock (I used some of my homemade stock!! Yay! So easy and totally delicious!)

1 cup almond/coconut milk

Bring to a boil then simmer

Purée

Season with:

One handful cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons crushed cumin seeds

Juice of one small lemon

*cayenne and salt to taste 

Garnish with sliced scallions

This soup is Vegan, Vegetarian, Candida and Paleo friendly!

**THIS SOUP TASTES BEST WHEN EATEN THE DAY AFTER ITS MADE! 

Cailin Callahan

www.cailincallahan.blogspot.com

Feasts with Friends and Food Restrictions

I have been sticking to my candida cleanse and have been super strict. I'm really proud of myself and despite the discomfort I'm in now (major detoxing going on...it gets worse before you get better), I am super excited for feeling 100% down the line. Ultimately every year that you've lived with Candida you'll need a month on the cleanse. So I'm looking at two years of this, which I'm okay with. I know my way around the kitchen so I can still keep it fun, interesting and tasty. Unfortunately my desire to stay vegetarian was proving near impossible considering the dietary restrictions of the cleanse combined with my superduper active lifestyle. Last night after yoga Ro and I cooked up a feast, Thai lettuce wraps and Thai summer squash soup. Both candida friendly and outstandingly delicious. 

Thai Lettuce Wraps

-Shredded carrot (leave out if on candida...but let your friends enjoy it)

-Sliced scallions
-Diced cucumber

-Peanuts (again, not for candida, but for everyone else at the dinner table)

Sautéed ground meat (turkey or venison) in a skillet, seasoning with freshly ground ginger (2" piece) and garlic (1 clove). Salt and pepper, zest of one lime, some lime juice and a red chili pepper diced. 

Wash your lettuce.

Wrap it all up in the lettuce and enjoy!! For non-Candida-cleansers you can use soy sauce, sriracha and whatever else youd like for an added kick!

Thai Summer Squash Soup

- 4 squash (2 green zucchini and 2 summer yellow zucchini), thinly diced
- 4 shallots, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, diced
Sautee it all in a soup pot with coconut oil until its cooked about half way through. Then...

Add one can of (Thai Kitchen) Unsweetened Coconut Milk. Add one box of chicken stock (or vegetable stock if you want this to be vegan). Add three large spoonfuls of thai red curry paste (Thai Kitchen makes the best one and for people with Candida, it's the only one that's candida friendly). To the pot add a pinch of salt, a few generous shakes of ground cinnamon and a few shakes of curry powder. Bring to a boil and then let simmer. Right before serving add the juice of two limes. HOLY SHIT, best soup ever.

Spent the night at Ro's and woke up to this....love their house!

Cailin Callahan

www.cailincallahan.blogspot.com

Summer Salad Deliciousness

EDAMAME SALAD

mmm dinner.

jenny and her man

I freestyled a salad for tonight's dinner and it was ammmmazing. Mom and I cooked for my awesome cousin Jenny and her kickass boyfriend. We made scallops and moms fresh-caught flounder (which she pulled from the sea just a few hours earlier!). The salad was...

1 bag steamed and shelled edamame
1 red bell pepper diced
1 small zucchini diced
*toss in coconut oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic and roast in oven for 15minutes on 350

In a bowl mix...
1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes (halved)
Small handful basil
Fresh chives
1 clove garlic, grated
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

When the edamame mixture is done roasting, toss it with the tomatoes and herbs. It might need to be finished off with a touch of EVOO. This salad was not only easy but it was also delicious. Boom.

Ella Spice Garden

Ella Spice Garden is a one man show. Chanty is a young Sri Lankan who hosts cooking lessons out of his families kitchen, teaching us foreigners how to make a proper Rice and Curry feast (his mothers recipes of course!). As soon as we arrived we took over the kitchen, put on some music, joked and laughed, and challenged each other to world domination garlic peeling. It was mayhem, and it was *delightful*. The food we cooked up was outstanding, and luckily for Luther (who keeps forgetting and using his "poop hand" aka left hand, to eat) we had silverware. And the highlight of the evening? CHAMPAGNE!!! Luther and Adena must love me because in duty free they grabbed a bottle of bubbles for us to enjoy. Such a great night. If anyone is ever passing through Ella, I highly recommend Chanty! 

Ellaspicegarden@gmail.com

+94 75 2363636

*Rice:

3 cups of rice for 3 people

*polished* rice (sambar rice). Short grain. Good for soaking up flavor. Wash rice until water becomes clear. 

12 curry leaves

Piece of cinnamon

Pandan

3 cardamom pods, pound in mortar, crushing inside seeds

*PANDAN (spice), looks like a long palm frond. Will be available at Asian supermarket

Using rice cooker...water: add one centimeter above the rice 

*Potato curry:

Boil potatoes (3) cube

1/2 red onion thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic thinly sliced

1 green chile, cut down middle into 2 halves 

12 curry leaves

Pandan

Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon roasted fenugreek seeds

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon unroasted curry powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

Add 2 cups of 2nd coconut milk (the thinner coconut milk)

Cover it, bring to boil. 

Once comes to boil add half cup of 1st coconut milk. Continually stir as it comes back to a boil.

*Dal curry:

1 1/2 cups of lentils, rinsed 

2 cloves of garlic sliced

1/2 red onion thinly sliced

1 green chili cut lengthwise 

Pandan

8 curry leaves 

1 tablespoon Unroasted curry

Teaspoon red chili powder

1 tablespoon salt 

1 teaspoon turmeric 

2 cups 2nd coconut milk (thin)

Bring to boil for a few minutes. 

When no liquid on top, add 1/2 cup 1st coconut milk. Heat until top layer of liquid disappears. 

Temper the dal:

In a sauce pan fry 

1/2 red onion thinly sliced

8 curry leaves

Pandan

2 cloves garlic, crushed

*Garlic curry:

60 cloves of garlic (large only)

Cut both tips off, then slice in half down the middle (length wise)

Teaspoon turmeric powder

Teaspoon salt

1/2 red onion thinly sliced 

1 green chile thinly sliced 

Pandan 

10 curry leaves 

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in skillet. Add garlic and spices. 2 teaspoons roasted curry powder. Then one and a half cups 2nd coconut milk. Bring to a boil (cover). Cook until thick. 

*Coconut Sambal

1/2 red onion diced

1 green chile sliced 

1/4 tomato, diced

Mortar and pestle, smash 

Tablespoon salt

Teaspoon red chili powder

Juice of 1/2 lime

Mix with hands. 

Cailin Callahan

www.cailincallahan.blogspot.com

Rice + Curry : Dal

Rice + Curry : Dal

I'm not sure how to spell dal...I have seen it spelled dal, dhal, and Dahl. Who knows. Anywho, it's damn delicious and is by far my favorite Sri Lankan dish. I have it for breakfast with coconut roti, and it's always a part of our rice and curry dinner. So good so good. 

First of all you need Split Red Lentils. About 2 cups of them is enough for 2-4people. Soak the lentils, washing them of any impurities. 

Drizzle a bit of vegetable oil (or coconut oil) to a pot. Add your (rinsed and drained) lentils to the pot, adding curry leaves, diced red onion, 1 tsp mustard cream, 1 tablespoon turmeric, 2 tablespoons curry powder. 

NOW: you're adding 2-3 cups of "2nd" coconut milk. There are 3 stages to the coconut milk, one being the thickest, 3 being the most watered down version. To simplify this recipe your "2nd coconut milk" will just be some watered down coconut milk...2 parts of the milk, 1 part water. 

Bring the pot to a boil, allowing it to boil for a few minutes before adding in one cup of "1st coconut milk" (so just the pure coconut milk). Allow it to come to a boil again and then simmer for about 30minutes. 

Right before serving the dal you hear up a large skillet, or another pot, and drizzle in oil. Add diced garlic, diced red onion, curry leaves, salt and cinnamon. Cook it for a few minutes like this, allowing all of the flavors to come together. Add crushed chili peppers to your liking and then add your lentils (dal). Again, simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavors to come together. 

Just some info about dal:

Dal has an exceptional nutritional profile. It provides an excellent source of protein for the Indian subcontinent, particularly for those adopting vegetarian diets or diets which do not contain much meat. Dal is typically around 25% protein by weight, giving it a comparable protein content to meats. Dal is also high in carbohydrates whilst being virtually fat-free. Dal is also rich in the B vitamins thiamine and folic acid, as well as several minerals, notably iron and zinc.

Cailin Callahan

www.cailincallahan.blogspot.com

Rice + Curry : String Beans

Rice and Curry : String Beans

First rinse and then Slice string beans on a slight diagonal. Set aside. Add vegetable oil (or coconut oil) to a skillet. To the skillet add diced garlic, and once that's cooked a bit add diced red onion and let these both cook down for a few minutes. Add curry leaves, Ceylon cinnamon, 2 cardamom pods, tablespoon of turmeric powder, tablespoon of curry powder, tablespoon of mustard cream, and a bit of salt. The curry powder that Ama uses is a dark brown, and mustard cream is a British thing that is used all over the place here in Sri Lanka. It's just a mixture of spicy brown mustard and margarine, something that you could easily substitute at home. 

Now toss the string beans into the skillet with this mixture of herbs and spices. Dice one tomato and throw into the skillet, along with half a cup (up to a full cup if you'd like) of coconut milk. Put a lid on top and let the string beans cook until tender. 

Cailin Callahan

www.cailincallahan.blogspot.com

Rice + Curry : Potatoes

Rice + Curry : Potatoes

This is enough for 4 people. 

-3 pounds of potatoes (Yukon gold), peeled and diced so they are bite sized. Boil til cooked in salt water. 

- 4 cloves diced garlic

- one small diced red onion

- a few sticks of CEYLON cinnamon

- small handful of curry leaves

- 2 cardamom pods (broken open)

- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder

- 1tsp to 1tbsp of crushed chili

- salt 

Start with a hot skillet, drizzle a generous bit of vegetable oil or coconut oil, and then add all of the seasonings. Ama INSISTS that you always begin with the garlic, let it fry for a bit...add the onion, let it fry for a bit...and THEN add everything else. When all of the ingredients have married then add the potatoes, toss, let them cook a bit and then voila, done. 

Cailin Callahan

www.cailincallahan.blogspot.com

Coconut Roti

Coconut Roti

This recipe is enough for 4 rotis (so 2 people)....

Ingredients:

-One coconut, shredded (2 cups)

-Flour (2 cups)

-Salt (1 tablespoon)

-About 1/2 cup water

-3 or so tablespoons of vegetable oil

(*to make a healthier version of this you could use less flour and sub more shredded coconut, along with possibly using a healthier flour alternative like almond flour. Also, sub coconut oil instead of the vegetable oil)

Mix the shredded coconut, flour and salt in a bowl. Begin to add water, bit by bit...add some water, mix, add some water, mix, etc. Once you have a dough ball you're going to start to work in your oil, again- bit by bit. Ama was very specific about not using your fingertips to knead the dough when you're adding the oil, she insisted upon using the palm of your hand.   On a slightly greased hard surface break your dough ball into four equal bits, rolling each one out and flattening them as you go into little coconut roti "discs". These rotis are super dense so you want to be sure that you're not making them too thick. Throw into a hot cast iron skillet or tortilla pan and cook on each side so that it's golden and a bit charred (you don't really need to add oil to the skillet considering that there's already oil in the roti). 

These coconut rotis are meant to be enjoyed with dal, or with some spicy Sambal. Enjoy. 

Cailin Callahan
www.cailincallahan.blogspot.com

Ama's Kitchen.

Mama made dinner for 22 people last night, using just her four burner stovetop and her little oven. I had the pleasure of following her around in her kitchen all afternoon, taking notes and learning how to make a few things. She begins her prep, with help from her older sister "Acka", and full on cooking begins by 4pm for our 7:30 dinnertime. It's a lot of hard work and love that goes into our meals, and you can certainly taste that!