Naraya Cooking Health Recipe

Banana

just the bare fruit tarts

3:45 PM

basil

basil + peanut butter cookies with coconut + chili ice cream

9:17 PM

arugula

Zucchini Pasta + Creamy Avocado-Cucumber Sauce

10:58 AM

food

potato salad with cilantro, dill, tomatoes + raw mayo

5:29 PM

guest post: wholesome vs. processed foods by valerie johnston

1:35 PM

wholesome versus processed foods

People today are extremely concerned with making sure they are always doing everything they can to keep their bodies healthy and clear of any unnecessary toxins or byproducts. This is especially true when it comes to eating well. If you are one of these individuals and you want to make sure you are eating the best foods for your body, you should know the difference between foods that have been processed and foods that are organic, as well as the benefits and downfalls of each.

dangers of chemicals

You can usually tell when a food item has been highly processed. If an item comes in a can, chances are it is not natural. If it does not say “organic” it has likely been through several treatment processes before hitting the shelves in the store. If you are very careful about what you buy, it can be pretty easy to avoid these foods. However, if you are not observant you may be buying all kinds of processed foods without even recognizing it. The dangers of these foods are something that a lot of people are absolutely unaware of.

Processed foods normally undergo a long system of treatments in a factory. These processes often entail a lot of different chemicals and even some toxic ingredients that are sprayed onto the foods. This really applies to vegetables specifically. Sometimes, these vegetables are sprayed with certain chemicals while they are still in the fields and then again when they are harvested and shipped off to the store. These chemicals have been linked to all sorts of things, including types of cancer, infections, and even other diseases or sicknesses. If you are not careful to look at the ingredients and whether the foods you are buying have been processed, you could be putting yourself and your family in a lot of danger.

benefits of organic foods

Organic {whole} foods, on the other hand, do not pose any danger to your health. In fact, these kinds of foods are often much better for you than anything else you could eat. They do not contain unnatural chemicals and have most of the time not been handled extensively. There is usually no middleman or any kind of process that could compromise the healthiness of these foods. They are simply good and good for you.

One main reason you might be afraid to try to go organic is that it sounds like it could be very expensive. Many people are under the misconception that all-natural foods have to cost a lot of money or are ridiculously unaffordable. This is actually not true. While there are some things that may average a little higher on the price range than processed foods, organic options can be found all over the place for some pretty reasonable prices. If you know where to look, you can find all the same foods you love in their organic versions, and for a similar price to the processed versions.

Eating healthy and staying well is definitely possible, but you need the right tools to succeed. You have to know what kinds of food to buy and why you should buy them. Organic options are always the best way to go when you have the chance. If you are not sure how to get started on buying wholesome options, do some research and find the nearest health foods store. You won’t regret it.

Valerie Johnston is a health and fitness writer located in East Texas. With ambitions of one day running a marathon, writing for Healthline.comensures she keeps up-to-date on all of the latest health and fitness news.

bell pepper

Blackened Roasted Cauliflower “Steaks”

9:15 AM

There was a time when I actually didn't like cauliflower and was missing out on some of the best stuff on earth. It comes right next to my favorite dark chocolate bar dipped in raw almond butter. Yes, cauliflower, especially roasted cauliflower, is that good and these blackened steaks are proof!

The cauliflower is the center of attention here. Most of the flavor is in the blackened seasoning so I paired this with a simple, yet delightful, combination of roasted grape tomatoes and bell peppers along with some quinoa as my grain of choice. Quinoa with everything around here, I just love it! Now back to point.... The tomatoes and bell peppers have enough flavor on their own that I just simply added a smidge of himalayan salt and that was that. The entire dish came together very easy without anything complicated creating a simple and casual meal...my favorite kind. And don't forget your steak knife...it will come in handy for your cauliflower steaks!

I roasted my bell peppers in the broiler while the cauliflower and tomatoes were roasting. Be sure to check on them every ten minutes to turn. My disclaimer: I've never heard of anyone roasting in the broiler while cooking in the oven but it worked here saving a whole extra step. Have you ever done this? Depending on what stage you put your food in you may get slightly different results. The ones shown above were done after I put in the cauliflower so the flame was going on and off to keep the oven warm but they still charred and roasted nicely. This morning I tested another batch while the oven was heating and the result was much more evenly charred with the flame on full time heating up the oven. Both were cooked for the same amount of time, about 25 minutes. Either way you will have nicely roasted bell peppers. They were soft, flavorful and delicious! For timing purposes I have suggested starting to roast your bell peppers while the oven is heating in this recipe so they have time to cool and be prepared.

As for the 'steak' seasoning, feel free to use an already prepared seasoning. There are many good ones in the spice isle these days all bottled up and ready to use. I would suggest looking for salt free ones if possible and adding your own salt to taste. Look for creole, cajun, blackening types of seasonings. It is also very easy to make your own so I have included a homemade version for those who prefer to prepare their own spice blends. Something for everyone, that's a win, win!

Blackened Roasted Cauliflower “Steaks”

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower
blackened, creole or cajun seasoning of choice (recipe for homemade below)
couple tablespoons olive oil
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
2 medium bell peppers
couple tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
himalayan salt and cracked pepper, to taste
grain of choice...quinoa, brown rice, farro, etc.
lemon wedges to garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For the bell peppers, start roasting them in the broiler while the oven is heating (as mentioned above). Place your bell peppers in the broiler and be sure to turn them every 10 minutes or so until charred and tender, about 25 minutes. Once done, let cool a few minutes, remove stem, cut in half, remove remaining seeds and gently peel and remove the charred skin. Julienne the bell peppers by slicing lengthwise and chop further for smaller pieces if you like. Keep warm by the oven until the cauliflower is ready. You may want to wrap them in foil to keep warm.

Next, start preparing the cauliflower. Place the cauliflower stem side down, and using a sharp knife cut into the top center slicing the cauliflower in half. You want to create as many cauliflower steaks as you can from the center cut out that will be at least 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. The remaining sides and pieces can be cut into florets and roasted alongside the steaks or on a separate baking sheet. I feel it's best to use two baking sheets to prepare this meal. Using two will give you plenty of room for the steak slices to be turned over without too much crowding.

Grease your baking sheet/s and carefully place your cauliflower steaks along with the broken florets, or place the florets on a separate baking sheet. Using an oil brush, gently brush the steaks and florets with oil. Sprinkle as much seasoning as you wish to coat on steaks and florets (you may like a heavy coat or a light coat). Add your tomatoes to the baking sheet, you can coat these with oil too if you like and add a sprinkle of sea salt.

Place your baking sheet into the oven, or if using two, place sheets on separate racks or side by side depending on the size. Bake for 15 minutes, flip steaks and stir florets, season again and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve immediately with roasted tomatoes, bell peppers, grain of choice, sprinkle of chopped parsley and lemon wedges.

• • • • •

Making your own seasoning is so easy. If you have all the ingredients already hand, I especially recommend you make your own using an old spice jar or small container of choice.

Blackened Seasoning

Ingredients