Tempeh (or chicken) in red sweet pepper sauce

Start with a good tempeh. Check out Barry's Tempeh - "the only fresh tempeh in New York" that is "unpasteurized, fresh and alive with an abundance of probiotics and enzymes"!

This recipe is based on my Indian food guru, Madhur Jeffrey's chicken in red sweet pepper sauce. Over the years I've made this so many times I can practically throw it together with my eyes closed.  This recipe is so perfectly balanced in flavors you don't want to make any substitutions - except for the protein part, it works just as well with tempeh, or half chicken and half tempeh (for those of you who want to increase your intake of plant-based protein but are intimidated by tempeh!)

The most tedious part of the cooking process is assembling all the ingredients and spices together for blending.  Once the sauce is made, you can kick back and relax while it cooks.

Ingredients for blending:

• 1 onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 inch cube of ginger
• 1 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 big handful (1 oz) slivered almonds
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground tumeric
• a little cayenne (depends on your comfort level)
• 2 tsp of salt

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender, pushing them down with a spatula whenever you need to, until you get a paste like this. ( Most of the work is done!)

Decide on your protein. I like to use about 8 oz. of tempeh and 1 1/2 lb. of chicken. Double the amount of either protein if you decide to go for only one of them.

Put 5 tbsp of oil ( I use olive oil)  in a pot set over medium heat. When hot, add the blended paste, stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Put in your protein. Add 4-6 oz. of water, 2 tbsp of lemon juice and black pepper. Stir, bring it to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer gently for about 40 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Stir a few times.

It is absolutely delicious. Leftovers taste even more amazing the next day!

My new kitchen toy

Sometimes a fun kitchen utensil changes the way you cook. I've always preferred to eat my vegetables raw, baked or lightly sauteed. But ever since I bought this bamboo steamer, I've been steaming everything from kale to broccoli, carrots to green beans.

Here is how you do it - fill up a saucepan with about two inches of water. When it is boiling, put the bamboo steamer on top of it.  Cover the lid of the steamer. Turn down the heat to low/medium.

Create a double decker for steaming 2 or 3 kinds of vegetables at the same time. I usually put hardier root vegetables at the bottom tier and leaves at the top. It takes 3-5 minutes.

When the veggies are done, add your favorite salt, oils, seeds or dressings. Olive oil, sesame oil, walnut oil, sesame seeds, hemp seeds are a few of my go to choices.

Avocado and tofu salad

This is my latest obsession.

It does not require any cooking or extensive washing and chopping.

Here are the easy steps -

1. Dry your tofu really well. I recommend using soft, non-GMO tofu, wrapped in a paper or kitchen towel for a few minutes to soak up all the water.
2. Cut up an avocado.
3. Sprinkle sesame seeds.
4. Add cilantro / scallion.
5. Pinch of salt.
6. Dress it with sesame oil and tamari.
7. (Optional) I add a little shiso dressing from Momo dressing to make it even more irresistable. Be creative!

How to assemble a healthy lunch in 5 minutes

Step 1: Pre-packaged greens - kale, spinach, arugula, spring mix.....

Step 2: Pre-cut veggies - carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes....

Step 3: Protein options - smoked fish, sardines, tofu, eggs, tempeh......

Step 4: Nuts and seeds - almonds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, pistachios....

Step 5: Olives, pickles, sauerkraut....

Step 6: Whole grains with a twist  ( like quinoa and my favorite Za'atar and sumac oil)

Step 7: Upgrade your oils and dressings.

Massage your kale and it will love you back

Step 1: Take the stems off the kale leaves. Wash and dry your kale really well. Add a pinch of salt, a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

Now roll up your sleeves and get ready for work. Massage the leaves like you are giving a back rub to someone you love. Secret ingredient here - LOVE!

Massaged kale can keep in the fridge for a few days. When you are ready to eat it, add your favorite toppings.

Mine are cooked quinoa, grapes, toasted pinenuts, red onions and dried cranberries.

With a touch of my favorite O&Co. cherry balsamic vinegar, I can eat this everyday.

Hands down, best green smoothie ever

Don't be intimidated by the multitude of ingredients I use in this healthy morning smoothie. If you pre-wash the greens in bulk, have all the seeds lined up in mason jars at the right place, you can create a liquid breakfast that contains a microcosm of nutrients in less than 5 minutes.

• 4 green veggies -  kale (3 stalks), spinach (a handful), cucumber (1/3), celery (1 stalk).
• Avocado (1/3) and banana (1/2) - two essential ingredients that iron out the fibrous texture of the greens and make the smoothie "smooth".
• 4 super add-ons - chia seeds, ground flax seeds, raw pumpkin seeds, maca powder.
• Unsweetened coconut water (or water).
• Small spoonful of honey for sweetness.

If you start your day with a bright note, everything else falls into place. (Well...more or less!)

How to get your kids to eat kale

This Baked Kale Chips recipe will convince the most resistant child and skeptical husband to try and fall in love with kale.

• Wash and dry kale thoroughly.
• Spread kale out on a baking sheet (single layer only).
• Drizzle with olive oil.
• Sprinkle salt and parmesan.
• Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes (check on it to avoid burning).

Dress down your veggies

Too busy? No time to make your own dressings and marinades? You can still "dress up" your vegetables by dressing them down with good, clean ingredients.

I was at the McGolrick Park's Farmers Market in Greenpoint yesterday and found these wonderful dips, oils and dressings. They are all delicious, made from fresh, real ingredients, crafted with love right here in Brooklyn.

Apple miso and shiso dressing from Momo Dressing

Za'atar and sumac in olive oil from Sohha

Powerhouse Lunch

A yummy, nutrient-packed salad that calms inflammation, stabilizes your blood sugar and gives you sustained energy throughout the day!

Sardines, walnut, avocado (healthy fats), quinoa (protein), cucumber, red pepper, baby kale (vitamin A, C, K and just about everything else).

Why 22 teaspoons of sugar per day is risky

Check out this NPR story - "Sweet tooth gone bad : why 22 teaspoons of sugar per day is deadly"

Maximum recommended daily intake of sugar for women - 6 teaspoons

Maximum recommended daily intake of sugar for men - 9 teaspoons

Cereal bar + granola + yogurt = 10 teaspoons ( 4 grams to 1 teaspoon)

Daily consumption of an average American - 22 teaspoons

If you want to discourage anyone (including yourself) from eating sugar, sugarstacks.com is a must!