Skinny Veggie Curry. Canada.

After a week of filling up on as many veggies as possible to justify the creamy Custard the State of Wisconsin proudly serves; I was called on a job in Toronto, Canada. For those of you who don't know already, i'm Canadian. Regardless of calling Canada my 'homeland', i rarely visit and as consequence rarely indulge in the delicacies 'my country' has to offer. I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into some of Tim Hortons, 'Tim-Bits' and Carrot Muffin. (Tim Hortons is sort of like 'Starbucks' meets 'Dunkin Donuts', except for 100 times better)

I woke up at 5:30 a.m. and made my way down to the motor home which would be our ride to the location 2 hours away. I subtly hinted that i would really appreciate it if we could stop and get some coffee at say... oh... a Tim Hortons? I don't even drink coffee but knowing every one else does... this was sure to get me there. It did. I reframe to admit that i ate an entire muffin and six 'Tim-Bits'. sigh. so. worth. it.

sneak peak for SIREN Campaign.

location in Urilia, Canada

Once the shoot ended i took a cab to Unionville, Ontario where my grandmother lives. She is so sweet... she had a feast of my favorite foods waiting for me. 

Homemade Yogurt with Indian Mango and Strawberries

& Indian Mixed Dal, Rice, and Chipatis. Dessert: Gulab Jaman (more donuts... i yi yi)

Now, i'm home and left with a craving for my own Indian Dal. Just one problem, I don't know how to make it... therefore Veggie Curry will have to do.

This recipe is SKINNY. You can eat till you're full considering it's all veggies and no starch. I serve it with chapatis for dinner but it's warm and comforting enough alone.

Skinny Veggie Curry

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves, chopped fine

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tsp. cumin seeds

2 tbsp Curry powder (or Garam Masala if you have it)

1 green chile, chopped fine  (cut most seeds out if you don’t want a lot of heat)
2 tsp fresh minced ginger

1 head of cauliflower

3 carrots, chopped

1 medium sweet potato

1 small yukon gold potato

1 bag green beans, stems removed, cut in half

1 carton vegetable stock

4 roma tomatoes

1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup lima beans

1 cup peas

1 bag baby spinach, chopped

2 tbsp shredded coconut, chopped fine

16 oz. 1% fage yogurt

1 head of cilantro

salt & pepper

Method

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil, swirl to coat entire pan. Add your chopped onions and cook until soft and clear, add garlic and spices. Toast the spices for a minute and add the chopped Chile. Cook for 2 minutes. Add all  of the chopped veggies and allow to cook until al dente. Season with salt to help them cook. Once al dente add the broth, tomatoes, and salt. Continue to cook over medium heat until the veggies are cooked through but not mushy. Be careful when stirring the curry as to not break the cauliflower into little bits. Add the Lima beans, peas, coconut, yogurt and cilantro. Stir and reduce to thicken.

Curried Cauliflower. The Best Vegetable.

I was a well fed child with well fed friends.  All thanks to my beautiful, smart, and kind mother.  That woman sure knows how to serve a meal. If you were to come to our house, the first words out of her mouth would probably be, 'Are you hungry?' or 'What can i make you?' (Since I started modeling she also asks me, IF i'm still eating, Thanks mom.)

My mother, Neeta, making Chicken Curry and Chipatis for dinner. Oh, i love her. She's going to hate me for posting this picture. 

My mother is Indian, which makes me half Indian (my father is Canadian). For some reason, I seem to have received very little of my mother's Indian-looking genes. Whatever. I have my mother’s Indian taste buds and I enjoy my garlic, spices, and curry. Nom nom nom! 

our 'GAP' inspired family pictures. Styling: Maya and I. Photos: Chelsi Clarke Photography 

Anyway, just outside my agency in Beverly Hills, CA there is a small cafe serving coffee, mouth watering baked goods, and lunch. I had a long drive ahead of me down to OC and decided to pick up some grub. Just as i walked in i saw a steaming plate of, 'something' walk through the kitchen door. I didn't care what it was, it looked good, i wanted it. The man at the counter told me it was 'Curried Cauliflower' and filled my entire to-go container with it. I walked out to my car and took a bite, it was mind numbingly good, my entire Indian childhood in a box. Shoot, i don't have enough of this; I had to make my own soon, so soon. 

Here is my own tasty rendition of 'Curried Cauliflower.' Put it on salads, serve it with fish/chicken/shrimp. This is the BEST way to eat a vegetable. 

Take out all of your ingredients + Balsamic and Red Wine Vinegar (i so forgetfully-forgot).

Chop up the Cauliflower into small pieces. 

slice an onion in half and slice into half moons. 

Combine, oil, vinegars, spices, and tomato paste in a bowl and whisk. 

Pour over the onions and cauliflower. 

Pour onto a pan and coat the veggies with the dressing and place into a 400 degree oven for 45 Minutes. 

Take out your cilantro

Cut off the stems and chop. 

Remove the Cauliflower from the oven. 

Add the chopped Cilantro and stir.

Spoon into a bowl and serve. Make sure you get all the little black bits from the pan... thats what makes this dish nom nom nom, good. 

Curried Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower

1 yellow onion

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (i used pomegranate infused but it doesn't matter) 

2 tsp tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 heaping teaspoons curry powder (Garam Masala if you have it)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup cilantro leaves (more or less depending how much you love the stuff)

Preheat oven to 400' F. 

Place Cauliflower florets and onion in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, vinegars, tomato paste, curry powder, red pepper flakes, and salt. Pour dressing over vegetables, toss to coat. (If your bowl isn't big enough just pour onto baking sheet and toss there). Spread veggies into a single layer on a sheet pan. 

Roast veggies until tender. Stir occasionally. About 45 minutes. 

Mix in cilantro and Serve. 

Serves 4 (heaping servings) Calories: 178 

Banana Oatmeal Yogurt Smoothie. T Swift.

I'm such a girl.  Taylor Swifts,  'Love Story' has 610 plays in my iTunes. Too much of a good thing? Not quite yet. I don't mind putting things on repeat... hence, this Banana Yogurt Smoothie.  I don't know what it is but it tells me to workout... it tells me to have a productive day... repeatedly. Oh, this smoothie is GOOD. Nom nom nom. Breakfast.

To start, cook 1/4 cup oatmeal and 1/2 cup of water in a bowl and microwave. If you don't cook the oatmeal the smoothie will have a dusty feeling (yuck). 

Place all the ingredients in a blender

 Blend!!

 Pour into a glass

 Enjoy! Nom nom nom!

BananaOatmealSmoothie

1/4 cup cooked oatmeal
1/3 cup greek yogurt
1 banana
5 ice cubes
8 almonds

Microwave the oatmeal with 1/2 cup of water for 1.5 minutes. Place all ingredients in a blender and process till smooth. For an antioxidant boost sprinkle with cinnamon. 

now go work out!

Fat Burning. Quinoa Crunch.

When i entered the bizarre world of modeling 4 years ago I had no idea what I was doing. Who really does? For me, It was all about 'pretending' you knew, doing whatever you did that originally got you there, and listening to everything you'd heard on ANTM (so so realiable). Eventually I figured out that this wasn't the best way to go about a 'career' and that my 'older' model counterparts probably knew a thing or two more about this life than television. Sometimes you've just got to ask for help. So, help me Jillian. 

(shot from my first modeling job. ever. Pregnancy Catalog, complete with a fake belly and push up bra) Thanks Paolo @elitemiami)

This is a recipe from Jillian Michaels Fat Burning Cookbook (oh fat burning, she really thought that name through). It's a protein packed take on a parfait which is delicious but sometimes loaded with sugar. This one uses raw quinoa and flax seeds and is ready in as long as it takes for you to pour your cereal. 


Start by rinsing the quinoa in a mesh strainer and rinse under cold water till it runs clear. Then in a bowl combine quinoa, flax, olive oil, and honey (or maple syrup).
Spread the quinoa mixture over a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Spread the mixture as thin as you can get it to really get a crunch and to speed up cooking time.

When the mixture cools break into little bits and place in a container for future use. Add two TBSP over 1/2 cup of nonfat plain Greek yogurt and top off with 1/2 cup of your favorite berries (i used frozen and let them thaw) finish with 1/2 tsp of honey.

Greek Yogurt Cup with Quinoa Crunch and Berries

For the Quinoa Crunch

1 cup quinoa

1/4 c flaxseed

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp olive oil

For the Greek Yogurt Cup

(1 Serving)
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek Yogurt
(optional, pinch of cinnamon)
2 Tbsp Quinoa Crunch
1/2 cup fresh blueberries, raspberries, blackberries (or mix)
1/2 tsp honey


Preheat oven to 300'.

Place the quinoa in a mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear; easier if you place a bowl underneath. Drain well.

Transfer the quinor to a medium mixing bowl. Add the flaxseed, honey, and olive oil. Use a spoon to mix until well combined. Spread the mixture in a thin layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, 10-15 min, stirring once. Transfer the crunch to a large plate to cool and store in a container for up to a week.

Place the yogurt in a small serving bowl. Top with the Quinoa Crunch and berries. Drizzle honey and serve.
Calories: 216.9 Protein: 11.8 g Carbs 33.1 g 

Greek Yogurt Snack Pack

In every one of my travels i try to order something 'so Greece', 'so Turkey', 'so Paris', you get the idea... but occasionally i discover something thats great for traveling... Story time. When my family took a vacation to Europe in 2006 we went to this little, hole in the wall, Greek Restaurant. This restaurant was no joke, it was to the T - Greek. None of this 'Americanized Greek' ish that we seem to get locally. They had folk dancers, wine in wooden flasks, baked brie with fresh raspberries and yogurt with sliced apples, almonds, grapes, and a drizzle of honey. That. was. dessert. Healthy? Yes, and oh so satisfying.



Alas, my new favorite 'on the go' snack/treat was established and i take this stuff everywhere. Do you realize it has protein, 'staying power' aka almonds, fiber, and all natural sweetness? This goes everywhere.

Greek Yogurt Snack

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt (i use Fage 0% or 2%)

1/2 apple (chopped)

5 almonds (chopped)

6 grapes (halved)

1 teaspoon Honey

Place Greek Yogurt on the bottom and top with remaining ingredients. Don't stir until you're ready to eat or everything will be soggy and missing that delicious crunch!

CALORIES: 179 PROTEIN: 10.9 GRAMS FIBER: 3 GRAMS

nom nom nom...