Quick Snack Ideas

I've been so stuck on what to eat on this diet I don't really cook and have been eating out all week--which even at Portland's finest vegan restaurants is a chore to find something suited to the anti-inflammatory diet.  I can't fill myself with seaweed I just keep eating and eating it hoping to subside my hunger knowing it's a futile task--regardless Roasted Seaweed Snacks from Trader Joe's are pretty good; I like the wasabi flavor.  I've gotta clean the kitchen so it's actually functional until then it's snackin' it up.  Maybe by the end of the day...

Here's a couple of yummy snack recipes the (P) is to recognize a protein source.

YUMMY CURRY CUMIN POPCORN:

Something I have forgot to mention about this diet thus far is that it heavily restricts the use of microwaves.  Microwaves according to my doctor rob your food of 70% of the nutrients (I may be remembering that wrong).  Also microwave popcorn is full of chemicals and harmful ingredients.  I am still unsure whether I can have nutritional yeast, which I often eat on popcorn so I came up with this as an alternative and it was honestly more delicious.  Here is a delicious microwave free snack.

Ingredients:
Organic Popcorn Kernels (I bought mine at Trader Joe's in a bag for a buck and change)
Coconut Oil (best oil for cooking at high temperatures)
Olive Oil
Curry Powder
Cumin Powder
Spike

Dishes Needed: Pot w/ Lid, Your Favorite Popcorn Bowl

1. In whatever size pot you like spoon in enough coconut oil to coat the entire bottom of the pot well enough so the popcorn kernels will not stick to the bottom. (Use High Heat Setting)

2. Add enough popcorn kernels to the pot to cover the bottom of the pot in a single layer.

3. Cover and gentle shake the pot continually in a forward and back motion over the burner to prevent kernels from burning to the pan.

4. Popcorn will begin to pop rapidly. Continue shaking as the popcorn pops.  Once the pot is full remove from heat and gently lift lid just enough to allow the final kernels to pop.

5. Put popcorn into your favorite popcorn bowl.  Drizzle just enough olive oil over the corn to coat and then sprinkle spike, cumin and curry over the top to taste. My proportion for a medium size bowl is about a half teaspoon spike, teaspoon cumin and a dash of curry powder.

CHIPS AND MANGO-CURRY-BLACK BEAN SALSA

Life without tomatoes and peppers equates to life without salsa which to me is a life not worth living.  Here is an alternate type of salsa that contains no nightshades.  You could also add a can of organic corn to make it a little more hearty--although you might want to scrap the corn chips if you do.

Ingredients:
Avocado (P)
Mango
Canned Black Beans (read the ingredients I got beans with bacon in them once) (P)
Cilantro
Curry Powder
Cumin Powder
Organic Corn Chips

Dishes: Knife, Cutting Board, Can Opener, Medium to Large Size Mixing Bowl.

1. Cut avocado and mango into small cubes and place into bowl.
2. Open black beans, strain and rinse thoroughly and add to salsa.
3. Add curry and cumin powder to taste (how spicy you want it)
4. Destem cilantro leaves and add liberally. I recommend one cup cilantro leaves for every 2 cups salsa minimum.  But I love cilantro so I would probably use twice that.

Serve with Organic Corn Chips and enjoy!  This would also be delicious with rice chips or bean chips.  I found both these varieties of chips at Barbur World Foods on Barbur Blvd. in Portland.  I think Trader Joe's also has rice chips for much lower cost.

FRUIT AND AVOCADO SUSHI

Really you can put anything in sushi once you know how to make it.  I have loved Mango Avocado Sushi ever since the Sushi Chef at my local Stop N Shop in Somerville, Mass made it on a fluke that I happened to find.  Since it was a one time thing, and isn't commonly found in most sushi restaurants I learned to make it my own and it was not hard to swap out the brown rice to make it fit the anti-inflammatory diet.  Thinking about the different fruits you can use I think everything tastes good with avocado so try anything in season: apples, strawberries, pears, mangos.  The only ones I don't recommend are bananas (because it doesn't sound good) or small berries like blackberries, raspberries or blueberries (because they are impossible to cut into long strips, although if you could figure out how to make it work it would be delicious!)

Ingredients:
Brown Rice (cooked thoroughly)
Rice Vinegar
Brown Rice Syrup
Fruit of your choice
Avocado (P)
Wasabi (if you like it)
Nori Wraps

Dishes: Rice Cooker or Pot to cook the rice (unless you already have it cooked).  Small pot or sauce pan.  Mixing bowl (large).  Sharp knife and cutting board.  Bamboo Sushi Mat.

1. Cook the Brown Rice Fully.
2. While the rice is cooking heat about 1/3 cup rice vinegar and 3 Tbsp. Brown Rice Syrup in a small pot until the rice syrup melts and blends into a thin sauce.
3. Slice avocado and fruit into long thin strips.
4. Mix sauce and rice in a large mixing bowl until seasoned throughout (now you have "sushi rice")--I had a delicious seaweed based seasoning on my food the other day that would add a lovely something as well if you can find it and it will be like sprinkling protein into your food.
5.  Lay one piece of Nori across sushi mat and spread sushi rice in a thin-medium layer across 2/3 of the Nori paper.
6. Line fruit and avocado across the rice towards the end that has rice on it.
7. Use Sushi Mat to Roll into rolls and repeat.
8. Using a very sharp knife slice rolls into sushi pieces.
9. Serve with Wasabi and Pickeled Ginger if desired to make it just like a restaurant.

This would be great with Miso Soup!

SIMPLE ALMOND BUTTER SNACKS

Ingredients: 
  Almond Butter (P)
  Rice Cake, Apple Slices, Bananas or whatever else sounds good.

Dishes: (maybe a butter knife?)

 Directions: Spread and serve.

I also used cashew butter when my hubby accidentally bought a brand of almond butter containing cane sugar and I was surprisingly full and satisfied.  Cashews really are an under appreciated nutritious and delicious food.