THE IMPORTANCE OF VITAMIN-P & A RECIPE FOR BUFFALO JACKFRUIT CHIK'N PIZZA FEATURING DAIYA FO

(This post is sponsored by Daiya* all thoughts and opinions are my own)

Food is Fuel BUT it's so much more

When we are caught up in Diet/Wellness Culture or struggling with our relationship with food, we often have a sense of shame around eating foods simply because they taste good. We can easily fall into the limited thought pattern of "food is fuel." Which is why we feel shame or guilt for eating foods that aren't nutrient dense or "healthy." Or for eating when we're not hungry.

And yes, food is fuel, it's a biological necessity, but if it was just for fuel why would our biology be designed to make food pleasurable, too? It tastes good and feels good to eat.

It's a rewarding experience.

VITAMIN-P

We release dopamine and feel-good chemicals when we eat so it's designed to be something to bring us joy and enrich our lives. It's why we turn to food when we feel sad or stressed - our biology literally feels better on a chemical level when we eat.

So allowing ourselves to enjoy food, for nourishment but also just because, is essential to a healthy relationship with food. It's what I refer to as Vitamin-P (or pleasure) and it is an essential component or "nutrient" to thriving and enjoying life.

You might be wondering why nature would do this, why would our creator make humans enjoy food and eating so much? What is the biological necessity for that?

If we look at it from an Evolutionary Biological standpoint it actually makes a load of sense.

Think back to early humans.

Think back to what life would have been like before industrial farming and our modern food system. Getting enough food to survive was a laborious task. Farming, pilling, planting, harvesting- all of it. We used to have to chase our food down with spears, or go out in the freezing winter to ice fish.

It was hard, challenging and anything but easy.

We didn't have pre-cut veggies or Grub-Hub.

So how did nature guarantee we'd go through the incredible work and danger to make sure we would keep eating to stay alive?

It made it enjoyable, it made it pleasurable, it made it taste good and feel good. Duh.

Research even shows that when we enjoy our food our nutrient absorption is better. I mean could nature be more brilliant?!? It's meant to be pleasurable, and eating for pleasure and enjoying our food is good for our health and well-being.

It's the same reason why sex feels good. It's designed to, so we reproduce and keep our species alive.

Plus, delicious food provides emotional nourishment, like cake on birthdays or champagne at a wedding- that is not physical nourishment, it's emotional. And its important because that food is a part of celebration, community and love- things that are important for us humans.

So I get that some people might look at this pizza recipe, with the white flour crust, oil based vegan butter and the processed vegan cheese and think it's unhealthy because it's not a plate of veggies, or real whole foods, but I would disagree- because it is SO HIGH IN VITAMIN-P.

Eating this pizza brings me joy. It taste so so good. Literally it makes me happy, and happiness is part of a healthy long life.

This pizza is good for my longevity!

Take that Clean Eating!!!

And since dairy cheese upsets my stomach I choose Daiya because it is the best vegan cheese alternative I have ever had. It melts and it stretches and it taste good!

PLUS it is DIVINE on this pizza. The spicy buffalo jackfruit with the melty cheese, creamy ranch dressing crunchy celery, and the bright green onion and cilantro ties it together. Seriously I am not kidding it is so so good.

Make it, eat it, enjoy it.

IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH!

Serves 2-4

Prep/Cook Time 45 minutes

Jackfruit Chicken

1 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1-20oz can of jackfruit in brine, rinsed and drained, then cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion salt

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup vegetable broth

Buffalo Sauce

1/2 cup hot sauce of choice

1/2 cup melted butter of choice

Remaining Ingredients

2-10 inch pizza crust, store-bought

Diaya Mozzarella cheese shreds

1/4 cup sliced red onion

4 tbsp Diaya ranch dressing

1/4 cup diced celery

1/4 cup sliced green onion

1/4 chopped cilantro

Pre-heat the over to 425f

In an oven safe skillet, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Once hot add in the onions and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the jackfruit, garlic powder, onion salt and garlic cloves. Mix to combine well and season generously with pink salt and pepper. Then add the vegetable broth. Cover with a lid and turn up to high and bring to a boil. Then lower to a high simmer for 12-15 minutes. There should still be some liquid left. Remove the lid and stir constantly until all the broth as evaporated. Then transfer the skillet to the oven for another 10 minutes or so while you prep the remaining ingredients.

Start by melting the butter of choice in a sauce pan on the stove or in the microwave. Then remove, let cool for about a minute and then add in the hot sauce. Using a whisk, combine the butter and hot sauce to form the buffalo sauce.

Pull out the jackfruit from the oven and coat it with 1/3 of the sauce.

Then prepare the pizza crust as directed by the package. Change the oven temp if you need to.

Then divide up the buffalo sauce and cover it on the two pizza crusts, leaving a little left over to drizzle on top once cooked. Add generous handfuls of Daiya shredded cheese on top, the red onion and then the jackfruit. Cook according to the package instructions.

Before serving top with the celery, green onions, cilantro and ranch dressing. top with whatever is left of the buffalo sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy every bite! YUMMM

xo C

Binge Eating Recovery Resources

• To learn more about the non-diet approach to healing your relationship with food, check out my free video training series HERE.

• You can also check out my podcast, Love Your Bod Pod, on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

• Lastly, you can also check out my books, or online course.

SPICY GOCHUJANG CHICKEN & NOODLES WITH CUCUMBER SALAD

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Have you tried those Thai Wheat Noodles from Trader Joe's yet? I seriously can not get enough of them. You could use any pre-cooked noodle here if you don't have access to a TJ's or even an uncooked noodle that you prepare. You just need some noods! Also this is the first chicken recipe I have ever shared to my blog. You can listen to this episode on my podcast, Love Your Bod Pod to hear more about coming out as no longer being vegan.

Moving on to the food. Gochujang is a Korean chili paste made from chili peppers, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. It is a popular condiment in Korean cuisine and is often used to add depth and complexity to dishes. Gochujang has a sweet and spicy flavor with a slightly tangy and savory undertone. It can be used in a variety of ways, such as a marinade, dipping sauce, or as a flavoring in stews, soups, and stir-fries. Gochujang is also a key ingredient in many Korean dishes, including bibimbap, tteokbokki, and bulgogi. Due to its complex flavor and versatility, gochujang has gained popularity outside of Korea and is now widely available in many grocery stores and specialty food shops around the world.

Trader Joe's started selling Gochujang and since then I have been using it a lot. You can buy it online or hopefully find it in the Asian section of your grocery store.

This dish takes about 5 minutes to prep and 12 minutes to cook, not including the passive 30 minutes to marinate the chicken. It's a super quick, easy weeknight meal. It might look like a lot of ingredients but it's mostly just the sauce and dressing so don't let it intimidate you.

I used chicken thighs because dark meat is just more forgiving then white meat and since I am not very experienced in cooking chicken, thighs make sure the chicken is moist and not dry. Feel free to use whatever cut of chicken you want though.

And the cucumber salad make it a balanced meal and add some necessary freshness, in my opinion to the dish.

INGREDIENTS:

Marinade and sauce

• 1/4 cup grape seed oil (or other neutral oil vegetable oil)

• 3 tbsp gochujang Korean red pepper paste

• 2 tsp chili powder or gochugaru

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

• 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari

• 3 tbsp coconut sugar (omit or decrease if you like a spicier sauce, but this tames the spice)

• 1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced

• 5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

• 1 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch bite-sized pieces
  

Cucumber salad

• 2 tbsp coconut aminos

• 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar

• 2 tbsp grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil like vegetable oil)

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds

• 3-4 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

to finish

• 1 lbs cooked noodles (I used Trader Joe’s Thai Wheat Noodles)** SEE NOTE

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• Green onion

• Sesame seeds

• Basil or cilantro

DIRECTIONS

For the marinade, add all ingredients to a bowl, and mix well. Then add half of it to a gallon-sized freezer bag with the chicken pieces and let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. Reserve the other half for the noodles.

Meanwhile, add all the cucumber salad ingredients to a bowl, mix well, and let marinate.

Then in a large cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and the marinade, and sear on all sides for about 1-2 minutes a side. Low the heat to medium, and cook another 2-4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through or reached an internal temp of 165f. Add in the pre-cooked noodles and the remaining sauce that you reserved. Toss well to coat evenly.

Divide up amongst bowls, and serve up with the cucumber salad.

Garnish with green onion, sesame seeds, and fresh herbs. Enjoy!

***NOTE - to prep the pre-cooked noodles, I will add them to a separate skillet or cast iron pan with a tbsp oil and a splash or two of water. Then cook over medium-low heat until the noodles start to break apart and then I add them to the skillet with the chicken & sauce. If you cannot access the Trader Joes Thai Wheat Noodles, cook 1/2 lbs of whatever noodles you like or use any other pre-cooked noodles. Pad Thai, Rice noodles, ramen, or spaghetti would all work here.

25-MIN SHEET PAN SPRING VEGETABLE TAHINI BOWL

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So, I have been desperately, not patiently, lol, awaiting the arrival of Spring, not just for the vegetables, but for THE WEATHER. The last three months in Los Angeles have seen more rain than what feels like the last three years. Just so many cloudy, windy, rainy days. I imagine that's what it's like in the PNW, and I don't know how people do it. My mental health was seriously suffering. But today, as I write this, IT'S SUNNY. And I could not be happier.

Also, yesterday when I went to the farmers market to get these ingredients, it was also sunny. So it was a whole thing, and I loved it. I am as basic and predictable as it gets for us LA girls. I like the sun and farmer's markets. Anyways, this bowl takes 20 minutes from start to finish, not including the pre-heat time, and it is so damn good. I whipped this up for lunch after an awesome hot yoga class (as I said, I am a basic LA bitch), and I just had to share it with you all. I hope you love it.

This bowl really celebrates Spring vegetables that are in season during the spring months, typically from March to May in the northern hemisphere. Some common examples of spring vegetables include:

Asparagus, Artichokes, Peas, Fava beans, Radishes, Spinach, Arugula, Broccoli, Carrots, Rhubarb, Sugar Snap Peas, and more. Spring vegetables are often celebrated for their freshness, bright colors, and unique flavors. They are also often used in light and refreshing dishes, such as salads, soups, and stir-fries. And today's recipe is exactly that. This is light, refreshing, yet filling. It is full of healthy, nutrient-rich veggies and seeds (from the tahini and Za'tar). I really think you are going to love it. If you want to make this vegan just substitute vegan butter and feta cheese!

25-MIN SHEET PAN SPRING VEGETABLE TAHINI BOWL

Serves 2

VEGETABLES

• Olive oil

• 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed

• 5 oz sugar snap peas

• 5oz fresh English peas

• 1 shallot, thinly sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, grated

• S&P

TOAST

• 2 pieces of lovely bread (If you're in LA, I love Nonna Mercato, I get it at the Westwood Farmers Market)

• 1-2 tbsp butter (reg or vegan)
  

TO FINISH

• Lemon tahini or hummus (I used @fun_sesames)

• Radish, julienned

• Pickled red onion or sourkruat

• Avocado, sliced

• Fresh dill

• Feta (reg or vegan)

• Lemon juice & zest

• Olive oil

• S&P

• Za’tar

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 350f

Oil a sheet pan, and add the asparagus, sugar snap peas, English peas, shallot, and garlic. Drizzle with more olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Roast for 10-12 minutes. You want the veggies to be crunchy and vibrant green still!

In a cast iron over medium heat, melt butter, then toast the bread on both sides until golden brown. About 2 mins a side.

Meanwhile, prep the other veggies. Then in two bowls, layer each one with tahini or hummus, and the asparagus, snap peas, English peas mixture. Garnish with avocado slices, pickled red onion, radish, dill, feta, za’tar, lemon zest & juice, olive oil, and a pinch of S&P. Add the toast, and enjoy!