Melted Tomatoes & Greens with Sprouted Lentils – The Manuscript is Done! Yay!

So it goes like this.  Girl has herniated disc. Heals it with an alkaline lifestyle.  Starts a blog.  Wants to write a cook book.  Switches careers.  Studies holistic nutrition. Lands thee book deal.  Writes, creates, cooks, styles, and photographs like a madd woman.  Submits manuscript.  Celebrates like nobody’s business! Yee haa!

It’s been a long journey and yet, it’s hardly just begun. But that’s a good thing because I am even more fired up about sharing this lifestyle than ever before.  Thru this journey thus far I have come to realize that everything that I have done in my life has lead me here.  Here… where my purpose lies: to inspire an alkaline lifestyle and share the information, tools and delicious food that will encourage others to adopt this way of living in order to prevent, heal and avoid disease.

My mind is constantly racing in so many directions, searching for new ideas to share.  I continue to explore new research and brainstorm where my energy is best spent and where my passion continues to burn.  But I always find that it lead me back here.  Right where I started, with this blog, chatting away with you.  It’s my happy place.  It’s where I am comfortable sharing my knowledge and experience which is ever expanding that I can’t seem to contain, nor do I really want to.

Hardly a day goes by where I am not enveloped by a conversation, exploring a food label or an article, reading a chapter, or playing with healthy food.  I am living, breathing and fully  immersing myself in this new found career.  My hope is that you will make the most of my message and share it with those that are willing to hear it in hopes that they too will spread the alkaline word.  We have a lot of people to reach that could truly benefit from this alkaline lifestyle with restored health.

So here I remain, writing to you more frequently, now that the book is in the hands of those that shall bring it to you.  However, I’ve been told that the hard part has yet to begin.  I’m not quite sure exactly what that means but I’m sure I’ll find out soon.  Lets hope it permits me to be more consistent here with inspiring dishes to keep you on track.  For now, lets take it one day at a time.  And FYI, my book will not be available until Spring 2015.  I know… I know… patience is not my highest virtue either.

So here’s my yummy lunch today.

Jack Frost arrived today, sparkling and crisp.  I needed something warm in my belly to make me feel cozy.  After an escape to the desert last week with my family the chill this morning was so sudden and nipped at my nose.  Lentils, hmmmm.  Just what I needed.  But oops I hadn’t soaked any.  Check the pantry and bingo!  I found the pre-sprouted lentils that I had bought before we flew south.  Yay!  Spontaneity is my middle name!

In case you aren’t familiar soaking and/or sprouting  your legumes and grains is a beneficial habit to adopt that increases the nutrient value by at least three times.  It wakes up the living enzymes within to allow for maximum nutrient assimilation that is much easier to digest as the nutrients are more bio-available meaning the nutrients have been unlocked.  Sprouted legumes and grains also boost your immunity with antioxidants that that protect our cells from free radicals and slow the aging process. By choosing not to pre-soak and/or sprout your legumes you are missing out on all this. Yes it takes fore thought and planning to have your legumes or grains prepared but it is most certainly worth while and will serve your body well. On the other hand, if you are new to this just know that merely choosing legumes over processed foods or animal products some days is a huge step in the right direction and eventually you will warm up to the idea of preparing your dried goods with a few simple steps.  In the mean time, I highly suggest taking digestive enzymes if you are not in the habit of soaking your dried goods as this will support your digestion, improve your nutrient uptake and will minimize some of the negative effects such as flatulence that many people claim reason for not eating legumes and grains very often.  I use Enzymedica enzymes with my meal when it seems appropriate.

But on good days like today when a wonderful product like Shasha sprouted lentils awaits in my pantry I am thrilled that there are companies like this that are helping to make honestly healthy eating easier to achieve.  Of course these products carry a price especially when you compare the cost of un-sprouted dry goods but convenience does come at a price.  And some of us are willing to pay for it, at least once in a while.

Soaking/Sprouting your Legumes  If you are keen to soak your legumes it’s dead easy.  Just measure your dried goods, pick over for any possible pebbles or broken pieces, rinse well, place in a good sized bowl and cover with fresh filtered water 2″ above the legumes.  Soak overnight or for 24 hours. Rinse and cook or place in a colander and cover with a tea towel and place in a warmish dark corner and allow to sprout for 12 hrs, rinse again and repeat until 1/4-1/2″ sprouts appear.  Then cook (they will take less time and absorb less water) or refrigerate until ready to cook or use in salads for up to 3 days, rinsing daily.  If you think about your next days lunch or dinner while you are cooking todays’ and quickly put legumes out to soak they will be ready for tomorrows’ meal. This is an easy way to plan ahead.

Today I quickly tossed this yummy combination together as I recalled the  flavourful mixture my good friend Kathleen whipped up as she helped me read thru my manuscript before submitting it- I was ever so grateful for her support. Thank you Kathleen:) She effortlessly tossed together ingredients that we had on hand and we thoroughly enjoyed it on that sunny day up at the cottage as we discussed a myriad of subjects on alkalizing ones lifestyle.  I just added the sprouted lentils to her tasty idea and threw in some lovely baby kale and here you have it.  Juicy, melted goodness.  Don’t be shy with the greens, I could have added even more had I had them handy. The more the better!  And don’t skip the few sun dried tomatoes, they totally make it! Mmmm, can’t wait to eat the leftovers!  You can easily double this for a crowd and serve as a side or with a big salad.

Melted Tomatoes & Greens with Sprouted Lentils

Yield: 2 lunch sized servings
1/2 cup sprouted lentils * see note
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth *see note
1/3 cup minced shallot or white onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
1 cup diced tomato
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
4 sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, finely diced
2-4 tbsp filtered water
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
2 cups baby kale, chopped
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Himalayan salt
fresh ground pepper

Method
• Start with cooking the sprouted lentils in the vegetable broth.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for up to 20 mins, watching near the 15 mark. When the water is nearly all absorbed turn off heat and leave covered until ready to use.
• In a saute pan add onions and garlic and saute over medium low heat until onions are translucent.
• Add tomatoes, fresh and sun dried, 2 tbsp water heating just until bubbling and then reduce to low and simmer melting the tomatoes.
• Now add the grated ginger and stir well.
• Toss in the fresh chopped greens, 2 more tbsp of water and melt the greens into the mix stirring heating thru for about 1-2 mins.
• Now add the cooked lentils and stir to combine.
• Spoon onto serving plates, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Serve with a small salad.

Now dig right in to this juicy tomatoey lentil goodness.

*note: for my sprouted lentils I managed to find pre-sprouted organic ones that are dried. These are awesome for when you don’t have time to soak and sprout your own. Shasha Co. is what I used.
*note: for my veggie broth I used an organic veggie broth cube.  I sometimes rely upon this but I choose the best, yeast free option I can find with out additives – Harvest Sun is what’s available at my grocer (it does have cornstarch though-not ideal).  My plan B is to make my own veggie broth cubes by mincing up veggies and herbs & sea salt and freezing them in ice cube trays. My plan C is to juice onion, celery, garlic and carrot and add that to the water to make a broth.  Plan D is to use a tetra pak or organic veggie broth but I resist this as it is my least favourite flavour.  I think I originally over dosed on this processed veggie broth years ago and I am no longer fond of the flavour.

I guess I agree, considering all this frost and chilly chilly weather, that winter is officially here in our neck of the woods even though the calendar marks it’s arrival as Dec 21st.  My hydrangeas are no longer periwinkle blue but have progressed to a lovely chartreuse and plum colour with just a hint of blue left.  Tho everything else is finished in the garden save for a wee bush of heather, I am always grateful for my huge mop head hydrangea in the front garden that greets me as I come and go each day providing such beauty for me from June thru November.  It’s the simple things that can bring such good feelings of well being if we are present and focused to take them in.  I used to race by it when I was all consumed in my busy hectic life, running round and round on the gerbil wheel.  I find that as I grow older I am able to find far greater focus and more meaning in my life and I tend to do things a little slower.  But I wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t experienced what I have til now.  This journey is good and I wouldn’t change a thing.  I’m curious…how’s your journey panning out?  What do you have to be grateful for?  What has made you stronger or has completely redirected  your path?  What do you notice now that you overlooked in the past?

I am happy to be back here and can’t wait to chat again next time.  Please say hello and let me know how your alkaline journey is going and what improvements you have noticed that you are willing to share.

Have a wonderful week.

Julie

ps. You may have heard the news but if you haven’t my nutritionist/blogger friend Sarah B. of My New Roots just had her precious baby boy on November 9th. Finn is his name-so friggin’ cute!  I’m so delighted she is able to experience the wonder and joy of motherhood that is the most precious part of life.  Sending You BIG hugs, Sarah!

pss. Almost forgot to mention….if you are experiencing symptoms of disease and wish to jump start the healing process before Christmas or just give your body a thorough cleanse I highly recommend this 14 day alkaline cleanse that I just did in September.  The learning curve is awesome.  You’ll discover tons of new information about your own body on twice daily calls that will motivate you to make the best possible choices thereafter the cleanse.  The first call is complementary and the cleanse starts next week!  I’m only sharing because it was a great fall cleanse for me:) Now is always a good time to get healthier.