Nourishing New Year Dishes

In the mood for New Year’s dishes that’ll make you feel good? Audrey Barron, Owner, Ezra’s Enlightened Cafe, shares her take on how to lose weight, get healthier and make positive changes and choices! Audrey says:

We’re officially into the New Year and the expectations that go along with it. I DO think it’s an awesome time to look at your life and decide how you want this next year to look.  Then decide how to make that into a reality.

I’m here to help you with that.  Everything we want to accomplish can be better served when we are healthy!  When we’re unhealthy and not feeling well, it’s so much harder to reach our goals.  When we’re feeling good, we can accomplish just about anything we put our mind to!

So, the best place to start is your plate.  What you are eating for each meal will either tip your scale more toward health or more toward disease.  It’s really that simple.

The two dishes I’m sharing today are deeply nourishing and especially strengthening to the immune system and the adrenals.  Both of which help us stay strong, fight sickness and feel our best.  And when we feel our best, we can live our best lives.

Would you like to take a class with me?  Check out our class lineup and more about Ezra’s Café at www.ezrasenlightenedcafe.com

Want to follow me (Chef Audrey) to see what I’m up to at home, behind the scenes at the café and at our farm?  Find me at @GaiaChef or www.gaiachef.com

Chef Audrey’s Supreme Flatbread

Yields approximately 6 flatbreads This is my version of the gluten-free flatbreads that have become popular.  This is so easy to make, quick and full of immune and body-boosting nutrients

• 1 cup garbanzo bean powder
• ½ tablespoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 1 leaf fresh kale, finely shredded
• 1 cup filtered water

1. Before starting anything else, get out your pan (I prefer cast iron) and start warming it up on low heat
2. Mix all ingredient except your sesame seeds and kale, until you have a pancake-like batter
3. Add in your sesame seeds and kale and mix again
4. Oil your pan very lightly with your coconut oil and turn up to medium high heat. If using cast iron, you will need very little, which is awesome.
5. For each flatbread, put 3 tablespoons per piece in the pan, help flatten a bit with your spoon and then wait for it to cook. Once you start to see little bubbles coming up around the edges, it’s ready to flip.  So, flip and allow to cook for another 60 seconds or so.
6. Repeat until all are finished. You will have approximately 6 flatbreads.
7. I love to serve with a side of olive oil and sea salt to dip into. Enjoy!

Chef Audrey’s Family Curry

Serves 4This dish is something I probably make at least once a week for our family.  It comes together so quick, our whole family enjoys it and it’s one of my tricks to boosting our immune system through our every day meals.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup diced yellow onion
• 1/3 cup finely diced turmeric root
• ¼ cup finely diced ginger root
• ¼ cup finely diced garlic
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• ½ tablespoon wheat free tamari
• ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 3 red potatoes, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 large sweet potato, diced
• 1 cup split peas
• 2 cups water or veggie stock
• 1 can organic coconut milk (or make your own at home!)
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro

1. To make your curry, add olive oil to your pan and turn up heat to medium. Add in your onion, garlic, ginger and turmeric and allow to sautee for about 2 minutes
2. Add in your tamari, sesame oil, thyme and oregano and allow to cook for another minute
3. Add in your potato, sweet potato and carrot and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes to start to soften.
4. Add in your split peas and stir. Add in your veggie stock and turn up the heat to a little higher than medium.  Allow curry to start to simmer with lid on.
5. Now add your coconut milk, stir and put lid back on to cook for another 10-15 minutes for veggies to soften and peas to completely cook.

To learn more, visit www.ezrasenlightenedcafe.com.