SPICED APPLE CIDER MARINATED MUSHROOM TACOS!

Fall is such an awesome season, the smell of cinnamon, the cozy hot coco by the fire, pumpkin spice everything.

And I really want to embrace the season but I kid you not, it was 90f degrees in LA yesterday so I went to the beach!

Not complaining at all- the weather is reason #1 why I live here.

But it has meant that I've been craving summer-ish foods with the desire for fall flavors.

So when I saw the Spice Apple Cider at Trader Joe's I knew I wanted to use it in a marinade for tacos (which I am ALWAYS in the mood for) and then this recipe was born.

It's actually really freaking good!

The Spice Apple Cider adds sweetness as well as complexity in flavor that really shines through. I'm pretty sure you are going to love it.

xo C

TACO THINGS

6 portobello mushroom caps, sliced in half

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup spiced apple cider (can substitute OJ but dude, the cider is #worthit)

1 (4-oz) can diced fired roasted green chiles

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne

2 green onions, sliced

salt and pepper

1 tbsp coconut oil

corn tortillas

SALSA THINGS

1 ripe mango, cubed

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp diced jalapeno

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

salt

AVOCADO THINGS

2 large ripe California avocados

1/4 cup lime juice

salt

HINTS

In a wide bowl or plastic bag, add the mushroom caps, olive oil, lime juice, spiced apple cider, diced green chilies, garlic, paprika, cayenne, green onions, salt and pepper. Mix well and let marinate for 15 minutes. Then slice into thick strips before cooking.

Meanwhile, make the salsa, combine the mango, lime juice, jalapeno, cilantro and salt in a bowl. mix well.

Then make the smashed avo by adding the avocado, lime juice and salt in another bowl. Using a fork mash it up.

Then in large cast iron, melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Once hot add in half the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Then remove and add in the remaining half and repeat. If desired, heat up the tortillas over an open flame on the stove if you have gas burners.

To build the tacos, layer on the avocado, mushrooms and salsa.

And then do not forget the most important step: FACEPLANT (as @avokween would say)

Recipe inspired and adapted by Half Baked Harvest

ALSO, if you have been loving my recipes then you I am so excited to share that my first ever cookbook Vegan Buddha Bowls is now available for pre-order.

Amazon

B arnes & Noble

Indiebound

Books-a-Million

Book Depository:

HOW TO GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Something that I understand yet have been puzzled by is when people let their fear of discomfort keep them in a place where they don’t want to be.

The personal development world calls this our Comfort Zone and says that everything we want is just outside of it, and to get there we must get uncomfortable.

But I would argue that our comfort zones are not actually that comfortable, rather they are familiar and things we are familiar with can feel comfortable simply because we know what to expect. It’s like we’re used to it.

Let’s take having a disordered relationship with food for example.

Micromanaging every bite, obsessing over the calories or carbs, desperately trying to control ourselves and our body literally sucks. It gets in the way of so many areas of our life.

And yet, so many of us stay in it instead of working towards food freedom and recovery.

Surely, it's not because it's actually comfortable, in reality, its horrifically uncomfortable.

So, why would someone choose discomfort in an area where they don’t want to be, when they could choose discomfort in an area where they do want to be?

It’s because the brain likes familiarity. It sees familiarity as safe, even though we all could argue that having an eating disorder is not actually safe (hello, ED's have the highest death rate of all mental illnesses).

It’s not so much that we don’t want to get uncomfortable, it’s that our brain doesn’t like what it doesn’t know. The fear of the unknown is really at play here, not the fear of discomfort. I am pretty clear, disordered eating isn’t a cushy, comfy way to go through life.

So how do you get past the fear of the unknown if you want food freedom?

It’s actually very simple…,

A willingness to try something new even if you’re afraid and faith that it will bring you what you want.

Either way, you likely experience discomfort.

xo C

LEMONGRASS COCONUT VEGETABLE NOODLE SOUP WITH CRISPY TOFU PERFECTION

It's soup season and lets just say I AM HERE FOR IT! Even though I'd say 75f sunny isn't exactly soup weather but whatever California, I am here for you, too!

This is a lemongrass-y, coconut-y, lime-y extravaganza. It has crunchy veggies, comforting noodles and crispy tofu to end all crispy tofu's.

And if it wasn't already amazing its topped off with green onion, jalapeno, cilantro and hot sauce.

I mean....

You will most likely rate it an 11 out of 10.

Its that good.

LEMONGRASS COCONUT VEGETABLE NOODLE SOUP WITH CRISPY TOFU PERFECTION

INGREDIENTS:

BROTH

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• Salt and black pepper

• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2-1 tsp fresh grated ginger

• 5-7 lemongrass sticks, cut in half

• 2 green onions, white parts remove and cut in half horizontally

• 2 (13.5oz) cans of coconut cream

• 6 1/2 cups vegetable broth

• 1-2 limes zested and juiced

VEGGIES

• 6 medium carrots cut into thin coins

• 2 cup sugar snap peas

• 2-3 cups cremini mushrooms cut in half

NOODLES

• 1 lbs whole wheat pasta noodles

CRISPY TOFU

• 1 block extra firm organic tofu, rinsed, drained and pressed

• 1/4 - 1/3 cup coconut oil

• salt and pepper to taste

GARNISH:

• cilantro

• jalapeno

• green onion

• hot sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F

Start by making the broth. In a large soup pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Once hot add in the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Then add in the garlic and ginger. Stir for 30 seconds and then season again with salt and pepper. Add in the lemon grass sticks, green onions, coconut cream and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, cover and then lower to a simmer. Let simmer for 1.5 hours (or longer) until the flavors have developed. Add in the lime zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste adjusting any of the other seasonings as desired.

While the broth is simmering, bring an additional pot of water to a boil. And make an ice bath by adding ice cubes and water to a bowl. Set aside. Then in batches blanch the carrots, sugar snap peas and mushrooms. Add them to the boiling water for 1-2 minutes each, then transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking. Set aside.

Bring the water back up to a boil and then cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, rinse, drain and toss with a little oil so the noodles don't stick together.

Make the tofu by rinsing and draining the tofu. Then wrap it in a dish towel and apply pressure to remove as much moisture as possible. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes. Pat dry again. Then melt the oil of medium-high heat in a large cast iron skillet. Once hot add the tofu cubes and season with salt and pepper. The oil should sizzle so be careful not to burn yourself. Let cook for 3-5 minutes, before flipping and letting cook on another side for another 3-5 minutes. Repeat this process until at least half of the sides have been fried. Season again with salt and pepper. Then carefully transfer the cast iron skillet into the oven and let the tofu bake for 5-10 minutes until toasted and brown.

To assemble the soup, add the veggies, noodle and tofu to the broth. Mix well and then ladle into bowls. Top with garnishes and slurp to your hearts desire.

ALSO, if you have been loving my recipes then you I am so excited to share that my first ever cookbook Vegan Buddha Bowls is now available for pre-order.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Indiebound

Books-a-Million

Book Depository: