I have been cooking since a very young age. I recall watching Saturday cartoons one morning, and seeing a commercial for a deli style sandwich on a gourmet baguette. I remember thinking, I can do that! Surely I can make my own bread look like that. I spent the next 9 hours in the kitchen making sure that bread was soft in the middle and toasty on the outside. I let it rise, kneaded it, and flicked it with temperate water every 30 minutes on a low heat setting. (I felt like it was a new pet that I had brought home.) From the early afternoon that I saw the TV commercial to late in the evening when I had finally perfected my first gourmet meal, I was captured by the cuisine world. It was chemistry, culture, an art, a science. And people loved it when you cooked for them! I liked to see what other people were making too. My family and friends joke that I only go to restaurants to steal their ideas. For fun I used to roam around coops and food markets and play my own game of Iron Chef. I would pick out the most obscure fruit or vegetable and try to make it taste delicious. pizzas with homemade marinara, feta and roasted vegetables. I grew up in a family that appreciates good food as much as we love spending time outdoors. It was essential to have a few recipes up our sleeves that we could make easily and quickly after a long hike. I love cooking with little, and using everything I have left in the fridge, knowing that I am creating a healthy meal that is fueling my day and my family s. I made this cookbook as a tribute to the Confederated Tribes of Siletz, to all of those that I have had the privilege of working with, and for my family and friends whom I adore. I hope to cook for you all sometime soon! Keep on glowing, Greta When I tried jicama, I would shred itpickle it, then put it on toasted baguette with egg and a homemade sesame dressing. I d take a zucchini I had purchased on the corner of my street, and chop it into small discs and create mini zucchini
Oatmeal Canvas This is my little ode to oatmeal. The canvas you begin with that is a great start to your day. Personalize your oatmeal to suit your taste buds. fresh mango and coconut cinnamon and apple slices peanut butter and fresh banana peaches and a tablespoon of toasted almonds Start by combining rolled oats, water, and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Slice a banana into VERY thin pieces. Walk away for a few minutes while the oatmeal heats. Once it begins to steam or bubble, stir vigorously to whip the banana into the oats. The oats will take about 5 minutes on medium heat from start to finish to fully absorb the liquid. They re done when they reach your desired consistency raspberry and chai spice shredded coconut and fresh pineapple 1/3 cup old fashioned oats 1/3 cup 1% or skim or soy milk 2/3 cup water 1/2 a banana, sliced
Homemade Healthy Chai Mix The perfect blend of sweet, spicy and savory. This chai recipe is great for camping. Just like drinking pumpkin pie! Blend all dry ingredients and spices together, play with the spices and sweetener to best suit your liking. Add all ingredients to a food processor and grind to a fine powder. Add 1 ½ T for every 8 oz. of hot water. 1 cup soymilk powder (found in the bulk section of natural food stores) or non-fat powdered milk ¾ cup instant unsweetened tea powder 2 T SweetLeaf Stevia sweetener (or the equivalence of 1 cup of sugar with your favorite sweetener) 2 T powdered coffee creamer *Optional* The Spice Mix 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ginger ½ tsp cardamom ½ tsp clove A pinch of ground black pepper
Quinoa Salad This is my go-to lunch recipe. All of the ingredients can be purchased at the bulk bins and you have endless options for creating healthy dishes. Try it with cinnamon and a pinch of your favorite sweetener (instead of dressing or hummus) for a sweet warm breakfast cereal. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in cranberries and your seasoning. 1 cup quinoa (rinsed and drained) 2 cups water ½ cup dried cranberries 1 T your favorite reduced fat dressing salt pepper (optional) ¼ cup toasted pecans (optional) 2 T hummus
Jack s Banana Pancakes Named for Jack Johnson s summer tune-these pancakes are super simple and quick to make with only 3 base ingredients and spices! Flour free, dairy free and absolutely delicious! 1 cup oats 1 banana 2 eggs What You Do: Blend oats in a food processor or small blender on the grate setting until a smooth flour. Mash 1 banana in a bowl. Add eggs, salt, stevia, & cinnamon to the the banana mash. Stir in oat flour. Add a little bit of water if you like a more liquid consistency for pancakes. Fry in pan on medium heat with an olive oil spray. Serve with greek or almond milk yogurt and fresh fruit! Pinch of salt Pinch of stevia Cinnamon -olive oil spray for pan
Breaded Zucchini Fries Ok say they re not really fries, but these zucchini cutlets are sure to be a hit at your next barbeque. Zucchini grows great here in the Northwest. You can pick up ones at the farmers market that are big enough to serve the whole family! 1 medium zucchini (approximately 2-2½ in diameter) ¼ cup cornmeal ½ teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon garlic salt 1½ cups water 1-3 Tablespoons vegetable oil for pan Preheat oven to 350º F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside. In a small wide bowl, mix together cornmeal, chili powder and garlic salt; Set aside. Slice zucchini into sticks. Dip each stick in water and shake off excess moisture. Rolls sticks in cornmeal mixture, ensuring that each is thoroughly coated. Place 1-inch apart on prepared cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Galloping Horses Salad This is a wonderful dish passed down from my mother. A traditional meal of Thailand, Galloping Horses Salad can be made in a snap. Pair it for dinner with grilled chicken breast or cooked garbonzo beans for veggie protein power! 4 cups baby spinach (chopped) ¼ cup of sweet onions chopped in slivers Toss prepared spinach, onions and orange slices in a large salad bowl. Mix olive oil, orange juice and soy sauce in a small bowl. Drizzle over salad and add toasted sesame seeds or almonds if desired. BENEFITS: Spinach salad is an excellent way to get extra iron, whole foods and veggies into the diet. The vitamin C in the orange assists with iron absorption. 1 orange (peeled and sliced into bite size slices) Optional- toasted sliced almonds or sesame seeds Dressing 2 T extra virgin olive oil The juice of 1 orange 1 T low sodium soy sauce or tamari
Cold Quinoa pasta salad A staple quick supper that is sure to impress at your next barbeque. Quinoa is a great high protein and high fiber grain that makes a wonderful addition to this dish. Dress it up with fresh cherry tomatoes for a colorful and tasty addition. 1 box of quinoa pasta Bring 3-4 cups water to boil. Add pasta and boil for 6-9 minutes on Medium/High until noodles are soft. Rinse with cold water until water runs clear. Add olive oil and toss noodles in clean pan. Add pesto and toss. Finally add pepper and cherry tomatoes to the noodles and refrigerate 2 hours. Serve with fresh basil 1-2T olive oil (truffle oil for flavor) 1T dairy-free pesto 1 tsp balsamic vinegar Pepper to taste Optional 1-2 cups cherry tomatoes & 3 leaves of fresh basil chopped
Mock Mashed Potatoes This fun and healthy alternative to traditional mashed potatoes is low carb, low sugar, sodium free, gluten free and vegan. 3 cups steamed cauliflower (reserve some of the water) 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1/3 cup chopped parsley Juice of one lemon Garlic powder, to taste Ground black pepper, to taste 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (found in the bulk section of Fred Meyers) What You Do: 1. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend to a mash, adding reserved water as needed to make creamy.
Ice Dream No, it s not really ice cream but it has a wonderful flavor that is packed full of nutrients, fiber and taste! As a barista, my staff members and I stumbled upon this mixture to create the perfect texture for an ice cream-like-treat. Blend all ingredients until thick and smooth, add more soy milk to reach the perfect consistency. Top with a sprinkle of cocoa powder and fresh cherries if you want to make it fancy! Being allergic to dairy this is the perfect alternative for a nice sweet dessert. 1 frozen banana ½ cup soy milk (unsweetened) 1 T almond butter Pinch of cinnamon