Refresh by Ruth Tal

Ruth Tal, living advertisement for healthy eating

Refresh (by Ruth Tal and Jennifer Houston) is a vegan cookbook that doesn't suck. (Link to purchase).
This is a book to gift to people one cares about, along with a juicer and a lifetime pre-paid gift card for all the organic food ever [I WISH].

This isn't exactly a proper review...more of a nutshell review.

Refresh makes for an introduction to delicious and healthful dining.
The recipes come straight from Toronto's popular FRESH restaurant, and give you a wide variety of dishes, from energizing espresso drinks, to veggie burgers that don't suck.

Obviously, results might be too tangy or mild, depending on how addled one's tastebuds may be from boiling hot coffee over the years.
Therefore, we turn to...discretion or the spice rack! Duh. Deutsche mark. For example, her Thai peanut sauce for her Buddha Rice Bowl, was too overpowering for us, as written. So je toned down the lime juice next time.
(I theenk zat in general, these recipes err on the side of tangy zestfulness, so balancing out the smaller quantities, with 'earthy' herbs/spices works for me).

Her recipes for juices and smoothies are wonderful--there is something for every need and taste. You know... energy, illness/general weakness, lollipop-cravers, PMS.
[That she manages to make wheatgrass not-so-nayyystay is something I have to take her word for, as I just haven't made the effort to find frozen wheatgrass. Once someone gifted it to me, and that was enough to turn me off POUR LA VIE.]

I've accumulated about 4 weeks worth of meals, from this cookbook, and they've registered as big hits in my household. Not just with yours turly, but EVEN avec...ze Others (z'uzzers).
 That it passed the Picky Eater test, 2 people with opposing taste (baby who LIVES for fruit and veggies, his dad doesn't), is testament that it's not all in my head, this really is a superb resource.

Occasionally I did change her recipes around once I got the hang of them.

Modifications were necessary to:

1. Up the calorie ante (for baby's benefit).
2. Bulk it up for the habitually carnivorous man. (avocado/meat/mushroom-it up)
3. Stretch em out for several meals.

I really recommend this as a tantalizing peek into the healthful way of life. After this, our family became addicted and so I sought out a couple of other health-conscious curkburks, reviews of which may or may not be coming up.

Ramadan Smoothie (Saudi Nut Milk)

In Saudi Arabia, this was a regular staple that was served at iftar gatherings and parties, and perhaps even sehri (my family wasn't too into it so I can't attest to that).

Nut milks are pretty traditional among ze Arabs. In medieval times, nut milks were highly promoted (via skywriting) by those wily Arab physicians--who, lest we forget, helped set the precedent for modern medicine.

Okay that was a terrible intro. Summary: I LOVE it and now that the Willsome Two (baba and baby) have given it their seal of approval, I am sharing it here. EVERYONE will likey, except those who won't. There's a solid guarantee for you.

Recipe (for 2 adults, and a Wonderment Cute)

• 1 cup of almonds soaked and peeled (peeling is unnecessary, it only makes for a 'smoother' texture) 
• -Powder this in a blender with a bit of water. Then either toast it slightly first, with a bit of coconut oil, or just add to...

• 4 cups waterboiled/simmered for 10 min, with 1 inch ginger, and a pinch of salt
• Add 1 cup of organic milk. Let simmer on low for 10-15 more minutes.
• Now strain if you prefer it be smooth (I don't, and the kind in Saudi are purposely kept on the 'textured' side). If you're not straining, remove the ginger piece and blend the resulting drink some more. 
• In blender, pulverize 2 medjool dates, a small amount of unpeeled almonds (5 or so), with a pinch or two of cardamom seeds. OPTIONAL: Blend 1/3 banana too (baby likey).
•  Top the drink with this and a shake of powdered ginger *FLAVOUR SAVER.*  Let rest and steep (covered) for 10 minutes.

Optional: Add 2 tspns of sugar (gasp!) if you're fed up of health and fasting and just want some damn good taste.
Option 2: Vanilla bean pods instead of cardamom
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BEAUTY-RELATED SIDE NOTE: 
The fine almond meal, after straining, actually works perfectly as a face exfoliant.

Peeled almond skins, are what my grandmother uses to make powder kohl (she burns it with a drop of almond oil, then grinds the resulting ashes with a mortar/pestle, and stores in a silver kohl jar). Apparently this is what they all used to do in my family, preferring it commercial kohl.
I'm not recommending this, as I tried it, and it HURT.
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Benefits (the breakdown):

Tis the perfect beverage after a fast.

Almonds, especially when whole, have a potent combo of essential minerals (Ca, Mg, K),  fiber, Vitamin E, and B vitamins to keep your nervous system un-jerky-loike (technical term). The best part is, especially with the skin on, it'll keep your blood sugar from spiking/crashing as can happen at iftaar if you go overboard. The fats aren't gonna suffocate your heart, either.

Note that your ALMONDS HAVE TO BE RAW AND ORGANIC. Here is an article from Dr. Mercola briefly stating why.


Dates? Well it's the Sunnah to break your fast with them, and for good reason. Quality dates, with the Vitamin K, iron and potassium, are great for your blood/heart. Then there's the calcium... Dates also have tons of minerals (K, Se, Mg, Zn, Mn...) which have various benefits for your hormones, muscles, immunity, etc. Lastly, fibre, as with the almonds!

Ginger combats inflammation and soothes the digestive organs (intestinal spasmolytic). Every major healing tradition has utilized ginger for its protective and immunity-boosting powerz. Its minerals keep the circulation going, it lowers cholesterol (like almonds), etc.

Ramadan-related benefit? Helps you feel satiated faster, so you don't guzzle down too much food and end up with un grand tummy-ache. Besides, we have to remember what Rasulullah (s.a.w) said about 1/3rd food, 1/3rd water, and 1/3rd air.

My dad regularly has ginger tea for his asthma and acidity. As my son also suffers from acid reflux, I try to use a bit of ginger in most meals.
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More info
http://www.health-alternatives.com/fruit-nutrition-chart.html
http://foodfacts.mercola.com/ginger.html
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/ (to check profiles of minerals/vitamins)
http://diabetes.about.com/od/nutrition/a/The-Health-Benefits-Of-Almonds.htm
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Bam! I quite enjoyed writing this.

 If I have any kind of misinformation or wrong-itude going on in this post, please to comment and correct me. 

Healthy Fodder for Baby & Baba

I've been meaning to post this for a while, but I just don't think I can do the topic justice. Hopefully this is a start, and I'll follow up with proper tried-and-tested recipes.
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Subversive broccoli florets

Now that Lustrous-eyed Little is not quite so little, the food that he eats need not be entirely juvenile..simplistic...dull.

It took a while of him glancing enviously towards our meals for me to understand. Reaching...snatching...toppling over plates.
So I started mashing up our meals for him.

However, given that Littlest's father harbours a strong aversion towards nutritious food, I was at un petit conundrum.

 Things need to be greasy, spicy, and entirely devoid of vegetables, in this house.
'Tis not exactly my cuppa, but I've...adjusted. As Julia Sugarbaker remarked, "If everyone stops talking, you can actually hear their arteries clogging."

So how does Wonder Mum make yummy meals which:
1. won't harm baby (as spices can),
2. won't hinder his growth and development (as less than optimal nutrition will), and
3. will keep his daddykins pleased?

Blender. Smoothie maker. The magic bullet. OR good old mortar/pestle.
The idea is to pick a meat-based dish (that Yon Carnivore will approve of) and then...carefully...tinker with it. If it calls for butter, use coconut oil or olive oil, and less of it. If it calls for X amounts of chili pepper, use fresh herbs and ginger/garlic for the flavour. Instead of cream to thicken up the gravy, pureed avocado or coconut milk.

 ETC.

A blender comes in SUPER handy.

One can pick out leafy greens, etc., and chop and blend them to a fine puree, adding it to the dish at whichever stage of cooking is most suitable.
Those irksome carrot slices need not openly present themselves to the picky eater. They remain hidden, and add to the depth of flavour. You can even make burger patties with this stuff.

The best part is, after the Healthy-Without-Knowing-It picky eater remarks upon the excellent meal...well, you can pull out the carpet from under his feet.

 Pop the bubble. Rattle off the extensive list of veggies he has just consumed, as he flinches with each fresh revelation. Flabbergasted, he will stammer: "B-But...but..I didn't SEE any celery! How did you do it?"
"Sorcery, my dear. Black magic that would make even the most jaded of goats shudder with the depravity of it all." (Aim for Bette Davis-esque delivery).

Or...if you have more mercy than I...don't betray his trust.
Don't gloat openly. Simply watch, as his health steadily improves, along with baby's.

"Man I feel so ENERGETIC these days. Wonder why."

Ze BEST reward, n'est-ce pas?