The Ultimate Creamy Vegan Mac 'n Cheese

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 oz. gluten-free pasta (I used brown rice pasta)
  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for a few hours (you can also pour boiling water over them and let them sit for ~45 minutes if you're time-crunched)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 Tbsp. full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 Tbsp onions, chopped
  • 2 tsp smoked sea salt, or more to taste  

DIRECTIONS

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. 
  2. While pasta is cooking, drain the cashews and discard the water. In a high-speed blender, blend together the cashews, water, garlic, coconut milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, paprika, onions, and smoked sea salt until it becomes a creamy consistency.
  3. Pour over pasta and mix until pasta is fully coated.
  4. Add roasted vegetables (optional, but encouraged!) and enjoy!

 

This vegan mac 'n cheese dish fits into that sweet spot between foods that taste delicious and foods that are good for you. 

The Sun.

“Have you ever seen
anything
in your life
more wonderful

than the way the sun,
every evening,
relaxed and easy,
floats toward the horizon

and into the clouds or the hills,
or the rumpled sea,
and is gone—
and how it slides again

out of the blackness,
every morning,
on the other side of the world,
like a red flower

streaming upward on its heavenly oils,
say, on a morning in early summer,
at its perfect imperial distance—
and have you ever felt for anything
such wild love—
do you think there is anywhere, in any language,
a word billowing enough
for the pleasure

that fills you,
as the sun
reaches out,
as it warms you

as you stand there,
empty-handed—
or have you too
turned from this world—

or have you too
gone crazy
for power,
for things?”
— Mary Oliver, The Sun

Miso-Glazed Roasted Brussel Sprouts

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp white miso
  • 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 lb brussel sprouts, ends trimmed and halved
  • fresh-cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1) Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
2) In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, miso and vinegar until smooth.
3) In a larger bowl, add the Brussel sprouts, along with the miso mixture. Toss until evenly coated.
4) Spread the Brussel sprouts evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes. Remove halfway through to stir.
5) Sprinkle with ground black pepper and enjoy! 

Surround yourself with people who raise your energy, lift your spirit, and encourage you to reach higher levels. #the100dayproject #100daysofTheKanzakiMethodfood #bettertogether #flyhigher #Day47/100 #upupup

How To Improve Energy, Performance, Stress and Sleep... With Mushrooms!

My first introduction to the medicinal properties and health benefits of mushrooms was through Ultraman and plant-based athlete Rich Roll. He'd add cordyceps to his morning smoothie and as a result, he'd recover faster and breeze through his ridiculous double-day workouts. And then there was Tim Ferriss, who swore by Four Sigmatic's Mushroom Coffee with chaga and lion's mane to increase alertness, productivity, and focus. He stood by this coffee so much that he'd offer a cup to all of his podcast guests prior to recording.

So I HAD to try it for myself.

And I loved it. 

Mushrooms are one of the world's most well-studied superfoods, and there are many reasons why you should also try them:

 
CHAGA - ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES:
Chaga mushroom can help support immune functions. It is called the king of mushrooms. You'll
find growing naturally in the wild and it has antioxidant properties.


LION'S MANE - BRAIN & NERVOUS SYSTEM
Lion's Mane is an all-natural cognitive enhancer. It has been shown to support memory and
concentration.


REISHI - STRESS & SLEEP
If you have occasional stress and difficulty sleeping, Reishi mushroom can help you relax and
get a good night sleep.


CORDYCEPS - ENERGY & PERFORMANCE
Cordyceps is an adaptogen, not a stimulant, so it helps you produce and maintain steady
energy levels. Coffee can give you an energy spike, followed by a crash; cordyceps, on the
other hand, helps your body produce its own energy.


Plus, mushrooms don’t just benefit our bodies’ internal environment. They can also improve the
health of the ecosystems on which our very survival relies.

Four Sigmatic's coffee is less acidic than regular coffee, extremely high quality, jitter-free, boosts your brain and productivity, and  energy and performance. If you're avoiding caffeine, they also have caffeine-free versions of their elixirs, which are also delicious and offer similar benefits to their mushroom coffee.


Use the discount code: THEKANZAKIMETHOD to get 10% off your Four Sigmatic order, and start enjoying the benefits of mushrooms today!

Matcha-chocolate Chip Cookies!

Green split lentils were the matcha-chocolate chip cookie inspiration for today's #the100dayproject. #day28of100 #100daysofTheKanzakiMethodFood

As a registered dietitian, I'm not "matcha" fan of processed and refined sweets, so these Matcha-chocolate chip cookies from Candice Kumai's new book "Kintsugi Wellness" definitely caught my eye as a healthy treat! Not only are these cookies moist and delicious, but they contain matcha green tea, which is filled with more antioxidants and L-theanine (promotes relaxation and focus at the same time) than any other tea.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3/4 cup gluten-free flour
  • 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 3 Tbsp unrefined coconut oil, melted
  • 1 Tbsp organic vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup organic sugar (I used coconut sugar)
  • 1.5 Tbsp water (used in place of an egg for this recipe)
  • 1 1/2 ripe medium bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup organic rolled oats
  • 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (Enjoy Life is a good vegan chocolate chip brand)
  • 1 Tbsp matcha powder, sifted 

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, vanilla, and sugar to combine. Add the water and whisk well to incorporate. Mix in the mashed banana and stir well.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and sitr until combined.
  5. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the oats and chocolate chips. Sprinkle in the sifted matcha powder and fold in gently.
  6. Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  7. Using a tablespoon, scoop out 1 1/2 inch balls and place them about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until lightly golden on top.
  8. Cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Enjoy!

Patience.

#the100dayproject #100daysofthekanzakimethodfood #day25of100

"Bean" patient is a virtue. Everything hatches at the right moment. So remember to be gentle with yourself during any journey- whether it's learning how to eat healthy, losing weight, gaining muscle, or even in the grieving process. No big success or breakthrough or recovery happens overnight. But with the right support and protection and warmth, you will hatch out of your shell.

Momentum Is Better Than Perfection.

Today is Day 21 of #the100dayproject. In our weekly collective call last week, we talked about some of the things that have been coming up for us: What if you miss a day? How do you hop back in to the project without giving up altogether? How do you handle comparing your project to others that you see? How do you continue to create when you're not entirely proud of your art for that day?

There are certain days when I don't have the energy or time to produce a piece of work that I feel completely proud of. Even 21 days in, I've come face-to-face with the pressure to make a more creative and artistic piece than the previous day. After the first week it didn't feel fun anymore. So I allowed myself to iterate and shift gears, to play and include food into the illustration. This transformed my project and I began to look forward to creating again. 

Pumpkin seeds are a good source of iron, and just 1/4 cup contains 9g of protein! #100daysofthekanzakimethodfood #Day11of100

Lettuce be aware of our thoughts and environment. Are you swimming in feelings of self-doubt, anxiety or fear? Or are you swimming in acceptance, self-love, and growth? Sometimes it comes down to a simple reframe. Use your fins wisely and swim to the environment that best supports you. #100daysofthekanzakimethodfood #Day16of100

The elephant inspiration hit me as I was slicing mushrooms. This project is training my eye to recognize the magic in the ordinary- which I'm certain is a skill that can transfer to other areas of work and writing and projects.... #100daysofthekanzakimethodfood #Day15of100

One of the artists shared something that completely resonated with me. She said, "Momentum is better than perfection."

Creating something and showing up that day is more important than skipping it altogether. This concept applies with changing your habits around food and body image as well. Daily momentum, whether that's eating a balanced and healthy meal, practicing gratitude, and moving your body consistently is more important than seeing that "perfect number" on the scale. (Spoiler alert: There IS no perfect number!) It's all about gaining momentum, putting in the effort each day, and ultimately these long-term healthy habits transform our mindset, our energy levels, and our outlook on life.

Inhale deeply. Exhale deeply. Fill your lungs and heart with gratitude. Nuts like walnuts contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids which reduce cardiovascular heart disease and contribute to improved brain function and mood. #100daysofthekanzakimethodfood #Day14of100

And just like #the100dayproject, we all have a body of work that reflects these daily decisions. These daily actions contribute to healthy momentum.

One brush stroke. One step. One healthy meal.

And then two brush strokes. Two steps. Two healthy meals.

Momentum is better than perfection.

Happy Earth Day!

Forest bathing in The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park.

New sounds. New sights. New smells. Nature immersion and forest bathing (shinrinyoku) is a restorative and grounding practice that heals us from the inside out. Walking along the forest floor, noticing new redwood shoots sprouting from fallen trees, seeing tiny mushrooms and banana slugs hiding behind pockets of leaves, and hearing the gushing sound of waterfalls awakens the senses. Without the noise of traffic, without screens, and without phone reception in these parts of the forest allows us to reconnect to deeper parts of ourselves. There is nothing to distract us from the beauty that surrounds us. Forest bathing directs us back to the present moment- helping us to become more mindful and connected.

Maple Falls, The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park.

We only have one planet Earth. And with today being Earth Day, it's important to understand that your individual food choices largely impact our environment. By choosing to eat plant-based (even if it's just one or two meals a week to start), this helps save the environment from thousands of tons of carbon emissions and reduces water use used for animal agriculture. 

There's so 'matcha' difference that your food choices can have on planet Earth. Eat more plants, save our planet. #the100dayproject #100daysofthekanzakimethodfood #Day20of100

If everyone in the world consumed a predominantly whole food, plant-based diet, we would have the equivalent of nearly 5 billion football fields worth of arable land that could be returned to forestable land that can be used to grow food to feed more of the world's population. It starts with you and me. And it starts with food. 

Happy Earth Day!

REVITALIZE 5-course Plant-Based Gourmet Dinner Event!

Delight and surprise your taste buds at our next REVITALIZE 5-course plant-based gourmet dinner on Saturday, May 26th starting at 6:30pm. Enjoy the unique flavor and texture combinations of whole food, plant-based dishes and expand your knowledge of nutrition and health, all in one magical evening.

You'll end the night with a personalized goody bag filled with plant-based treats and recipes for you to replicate at home.

These dinners first began as a simple idea with Chef Praveena Kumar two years ago, and it's been a joy to meet and connect people together through delicious food. 

We had the pleasure of hosting a private REVITALIZE dinner for our registered dietitian friends that we've worked with over the past decade. It was a special night!  (PHOTO: Micki Keh)

We'd love to have you join us on Saturday, May 26th from 6:30-8:30pm!

PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS HERE. 

Green Smoothies!

Now with spring here, I've been craving more refreshing smoothies in the morning and for mid-day snacks. When making green smoothies, try to include higher amounts of leafy green vegetables than fruit, and be sure to include some healthy fat (nut butter, avocado, chia seeds, hemp hearts) to help with satiety and turn off the hunger hormone ghrelin. You can also freeze cauliflower and zucchini chunks and add them into your green smoothies for extra nutrition. It's a sneaky way to easily add more vegetables into your day. Here's one of my favorite green smoothie recipes...the combo of mango and lime is one of my absolute favorites.