My heart is smiling!

     My dear friend, Kara, came to visit me from Indy for the weekend!! We had such a beautiful time together! We volunteered at an organic, vegan, macrobiotic restaurant, Casa de Luz, and enjoyed a lovely meal after our hard work as chefs. :-) We also shopped at the amazing Whole Foods (the global headquarters - right here in Austin!!), attended a phenomenal Indian dinner hosted by one of my culinary instructors, and simply relaxed at what Kara called "Katie's Oasis." She commented on how relaxed and peaceful she felt the last few days...my heart is full of smiles! :-) It may appear that all we did was eat this weekend...well, maybe we did...that's what cooking buddies do though!

...so blessed...

Watermelon Wonder! Our favorite treat! ;-)



Sun-Brewed Tea!
Simply put a few tea bags in a jar of water and
let the natural light & energy of the sun brew your tea!
Delightfully refreshing!



Our Sensational Sunday Brunch for the Soul Sistas! - Macrobiotic Style! Blanched greens seasoned with ume vinegar & avocado; Sweet Potato Hash;
Oat & Buckwheat Pancakes (flourless!); and Terrific Tempeh Patties (recipes below)



"Chocolate Pudding Paradise Parfait"  
delightfully eaten with a Celery Spoon!
(the celery helps to balance the sugar from the pudding
as celery has naturally occurring sodium)

 

Treated like a Queen & loving it!



     I feel so blessed - a part of home came to visit! :-)

     Please try making these pancakes & patties - they are delicious!!

Enjoy your Memorial Day!

Oat & Buckwheat Pancakes (flour-free!)

2/3 cup oat groats (the whole-grain!)
1/3 cup buckwheat groats (the whole grain!)
1 1/2 cups non-dairy "milk"
1 Tbsp brown rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp flax seeds
1/4 tsp unrefined sea salt
2 Tbsp brown rice syrup (or other natural sweetener)
1 Tbsp safflower or coconut oil
1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine the oat groats, buckwheat groats, and "milk" in a blender container (do not blend). Let soak in the refrigerator overnight, covered. After soaking, blend until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients & blend well.

Heat a griddle & brush lightly with oil. Drop the batter by 1/4 cups and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Serve warm with fresh fruit or a drizzle of natural sweetener.

Terrific Tempeh Patties

8 oz organic tempeh
1/2 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp flour (I used 1 Tbsp chickpea flour & 1 Tbsp quinoa flour)
2 Tbsp shoyu (unpasteurized soy sauce)
1 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
2 Tbsp filtered water
2 Tbsp sesame oil

Cut tempeh in quarters and steam for 20 minutes (improves digestibility). Once steamed, mash tempeh with a fork and place in a separate bowl. Saute the garlic and onion in 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil until translucent. Add the onion/garlic mixture, flour, herbs, and spices to the tempeh. Stir until well-combined.

Add enough water to form patties (about 1/8 cup for each patty). Heat the rest of the sesame oil in a heavy skillet. Saute the patties and brown on both sides (about 3 minutes each).

**Serve in place of sausage or store-bought veggies patties. You'll be glad you did!