Healthy Cooking on Vacation- Cabin Cooking



While I love to experience local foods and new restaurants, cooking at a Rustic Mountain Cabin Kitchen can be fun and easy. Keep dinner simple with a sautéed vegetarian entree, a few simple salads/fruits and root vegetables grilled over charcoal.  If you don’t have access to a local garden/farm close to your cabin, simply buy fresh ingredients ahead of time and pack the perishables in an insulated cooler with extra ice packs.

Here are some of the dishes I made at my recent mountain cabin retreat.

High Protein Teriyaki Tofu Stir-Fry

Mixed Green Salad with Grilled Corn and Roasted Root Veggies

Strawberry Blue Cheese Salad with Homemade Croutons

Sesame Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry

 

 

Sesame Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry

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Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Shrimp, cleaned
  • 1 bunch Asparagus, trimmed and chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger, grated
  • 1 Tbsp of Sesame Seeds
  • 2 Tbsp low sodium Tamari  (or reduced sodium soy sauce)
  • 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

Directions:

  1. Heat skillet over medium high heat. Spray with a thin layer of coconut oil.
  2. Cook Ginger and Shrimp for 1 minute. Add Asparagus and cook for another 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Add Tamari and Balsamic Vinegar to mixture and cook for another minute. Top it with Sesame Seeds, Red Pepper Flakes, and serve immediately.

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High Protein Teriyaki Tofu Stir-Fry

 

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Ingredients:

8 oz Nagoya Organic Teriyaki TofuBaked (32g Protein, Non-GMO)
2 oz Gimme Lean Meatless Sausage
1/2 large Yellow Bell Pepper
1 large Orange Bell Pepper
6 oz Baby Bella Mushroom
8 spears of Asparagus

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Directions:

  1. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat skillet with a light spray of coconut oil. Form meatless sausage into two bite-size patties. Cook Tofu and Patties for 2 minutes on each side.  Remove from pan.
  2. In same pan, heat 1/4 cup of water or a spray of coconut oil over medium heat. Cook veggies until softened (3-5 minutes), stirring often.
  3. Serve immediately.

Mixed Greens Salad with Grilled Corn and Roasted Root Veggies

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Ingredients: 

Mixed Greens Salad

  • 4 cups Mixed Greens
  • 1 head of Romaine Lettuce
  • 1/2 large Yellow Bell Pepper
  • 4 oz Baby Bella Mushroom
  • 1 tablespoon of pine nuts/silvered almonds
  • 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Grilled Veggies (Leftover)

  • 4 ears corn
  • 5 small red potatoes, sliced
  • 1 large sweet onion, sliced
  • 1 large sweet potato, chopped
  • fresh chopped basil
  • 1 teaspoon of olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper

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Directions:

  1. Mix sliced potatoes and onion with basil, olive oil, and black pepper in a bowl.
  2. Wrap mixture with foil and grill over charcoal for 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
  3. Meanwhile, grill foil-wrapped corn for 30 minutes and sweet potato for 1 hour.
  4. Top grilled corn with Mixed Greens salad and toss it with balsamic vinegar and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

 

Strawberry Blue Cheese Salad with Whole Grain Croutons

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Ingredients:

  • 2 Slices of Ezekiel Sprouted-Grain Bread, cubed
  • 1 teaspoon of coconut oil
  • 1 sprig of fresh chopped rosemary
  • 1 cup strawberries, sliced
  • 2 oz blue cheese, crumbled
  • 4 cups mixed salad greens
  • 1/2 large yellow bell peppers
  • 1 tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon of raw honey (optional)

Directions:

  1. Toss cubed bread, coconut oil, and rosemary in a bowl.
  2. Place cubed bread onto skewers and grilled for a few minutes until crispy.
  3. Toss croutons with strawberries and veggies. Drizzle with raw apple cider vinegar and a dash of raw honey.

Spring Asparagus with Green Onion

Simple and delicious
Simple and delicious

Ingredients:

1 bunch Organic Asparagus Spears, chopped

A sprig of Green Onion/ Scallion, diced

1 dash of Balsamic Vinegar

Hot Pepper Flakes and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

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Directions:

1. Steam chopped asparagus over boiling water for 5 minutes.

2. Add diced green onion to steamer for an additional 1 minute.

3. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with hot pepper flakes to taste.

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Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder: Epic Protein

Epic Protein

Do you need protein supplement?

Generally speaking, you are likely getting enough protein if you fuel your body with balanced, real, whole foods on a daily basis. It is unnecessary and can be harmful to strain on your kidneys and waistline with excess amounts of protein intake (especially animal protein). While I advocate nourishing your body through whole foods whenever possible, a high-quality protein powder can be a convenient choice under certain circumstances (ex.midnight cravings, pre-workout boosting, quick workout recovery, vegan bodybuilding). However, I’m pretty picky in choosing a high quality plant protein powder. I stay away from artificial sweeteners or coloring, and I favor products with 100% organic, high quality amino acid profile, and added super foods (ex. Probiotics, Digestive enzymes, Goji berries) that are delicious, easy to dissolve and swallow.

I’m really Happy with Epic Protein. This superfood-enriched protein powder has the cleanest ingredients I have seen. It’s nutritious, non-chalky, and delicious. The primary protein sources in Epic are Sprouted Brown Rice, Yellow Pea, and Sacha Inchi. Together, This high quality powder is an excellent choice for muscle growth, energy and endurance boost.

Product Highlights

  • 100% plant-based, organic, non-gmo, raw, gluten free and hypoallergenic
  • high protein content (19-26g per serving)
  • Great source of iron
  • Rich in antioxidants
  • O grams of fat, sugar, sodium
  • No additives, “natural” flavoring
  • Complete amino acid profile with a balanced ratio of BCAAs for optimal protein synthesis
  • Creamy and Delicious
  • Sweetened with Stevia leaf

Protein Source:

 Sprouted Brown Rice-The sprouting and fermenting process activate the enzyme activity between the amino acid bonds (similar to protein hydrolysates), which may increase protein content and aid better absorption, excellent for muscle repair.

Yellow Pea– Hypoallergenic and easy to digest, which is not likely to cause bloating or gas. It is high in BCAAs (branched chain amino acid), great for muscle building.

Sacha Inchi- AKA SaviSeeds- provides 8 grams of complete protein per ounce. This superfood is rich in vitamin E and ALA omega-3 fatty acids, which may promote abdominal fat loss, reduce cholesterol levels, and prevent heart disease.

While EPIC powder is fine enough to dissolve in water and have a full-bodied sweetness flavor by itself, I like to mix it with organic no sugar added coconut water or homemade soy milk. Each flavor supplies all of the essential amino acids and an exotic blend of nutritious superfoods. My favorites are the Original, Green Kingdom, and Chocolate Mocha.

Original:

  • 26 grams of protein per serving
  • Rich in phytochemicals and prebiotics from Jerusalem Artichoke
  • Contain antioxidant rich Cranberry Seeds that help fight free radicals

Green Kingdom:

  • 20 grams of protein per serving
  • Creamy texture, rich real flavor and full-bodied sweetness with no ‘fake’ aftertaste
  • Exotic blend of land and sea greens including kale, indian moringa and spirulina
    • Spirulina, an antioxidant-rich algae with protein, B-vitamins, calcium, and iron. Packed with Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA), which may regulate blood sugar and prevent cravings.

Chocolate Maca:

  • 19 grams of protein per serving
  • Creamy texture, rich sweetness with no ‘fake’ aftertaste.
  • Packed with antioxidant-rich cacao and adaptogenic maca root.
  • Raw cacao contains living enzymes, rich in magnesium, calcium, and iron
  • Contain Ceylon Cinnamon- a natural sweetener and powerful antioxidants that may help regulate blood sugar levels

Epic Protein is the current plant-based protein powder I recommend to my clients and friends. If you would like to learn more their products and give it a try, please visit www.sproutliving.com

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