Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Let In Some New Light ✨

Letting in light in your life is a bright way to your future (and to let go of the holding back past).

Someone needed that.

…I know I did.

On my life journey, letting go was not a natural skill of mine.

Even through my 30s, I let my mind embellish on the past.

For better or worse.

Better is good past and happy memories that are meant to be kept and linger on. Because happy thoughts make a happy day.

And good is good, so don’t mess with good.

…But some days, I would let my ego run circles around me, ruminating in sour thoughts.

That’s what most of us do unknowingly, until we catch on and decide to exercise our healthy mind’s power.

When struck, rumination sometimes used to take up hours if I was lucky, possibly a whole day, or rob my entire weekend while I kinda did something else.

These days, I snap out and decide to change thoughts much faster, sometimes within nanoseconds with mind self-awareness.

That btw I was never taught. And most likely, you were never taught.

But one day (where I can’t pinpoint the exact day or year), it happened.

It was a gradual light bulb that turned on in me.💡

It started with self-reflection and self-awareness.

And that’s where any of us can begin.

But realize there are different kinds of self-awareness.

The most common type that made its pin drop on the map (and hopefully is part of you and your practices 📍🗺️), is the self-awareness kind where you know how you come across to others in work, personal relationships, and encounters with strangers.

It’s when you’re not just doing or saying whatever is on your mind.

…A very important skill to have in better relationships.

Because being thoughtful and thinking-before-acting in safe environments breeds kindness, humility, and all the good qualities that people want to be around, and especially for employers seeking new employees that customer face.

It separates us from animals that act on instincts in any surrounding.

And self-awareness is one quality described in the hospitality quotient (soft skills) that Shake Shack’s owner Danny Meyer came up with for businesses looking for their next employees.

One that I can personally relate to having managed hundreds of events in several DC restaurants.

And maybe you waited tables or worked in customer service which I think is one of the best training grounds for prioritizing demands quick on your feet.

So that’s one type of common self-awareness.

Then there’s another kind, the (deeper) thought-mind self-awareness, that helps you out the most. And helps others secondarily.

It’s a must-have skill for those who want to improve personal and life development.

This is where you catch all your thoughts.

And kinda like when you’re reading a nonfiction book and you’re aware of your thoughts about what you think of what you’re reading. You know if you’re being judgmental or if what you’re reading is helpful to you.

You’re forming thoughts about new thoughts coming in.

And similarly when you’re not reading, thoughts like this enter throughout your day, invited in or not.

Most thoughts are either loving or fear-based and unloving.

…Positive or negative themes.

…Helpful or not helpful.

And your thought-mind self-awareness (quotient) I’m describing here is determined by whether you can quickly label the thought as black-or-white (and not leave as gray-fuzzy), as an Observer with a capital O for an important role in life.

Like when you set filters in your inbox to decide if certain emails are worth ruminating or elaborating on.

Negative and unloving past thoughts (like junk messages) are usually not worth your time because they are time hogs and reel you down emotionally… unless they help you noodle something out to your next growth step.

Worry is another thought category. It’s another way to ruminate especially if it’s a go-to habit. But incessant worry is unhelpful and unnecessary.

Instead getting to the root of worry thoughts help you problem solve and come up with better answers.

And after you’re aware why you’re worrying and have come up with a few ideas on how to handle the situation (you’re worrying about or that could arise), you’re best to let it go, pray it off, and change your thoughts.

This is one way to exercise your power of healthy mind self-awareness… and so that you can get to the higher thoughts that lead to bigger dreams you want to manifest in YOUR life.

…And also so that you can be healthy, whole, and thriving,

And as you learn to better let go of unproductive thoughts that don’t serve you today and bad parts of the past that the younger brain recorded, REWRITE your ruminating thought endings as they enter.

Give those fuzzy past situations a happy and successful ending.

That lightens your load.

Like, you got an “A” and not a “D” on the project, or you turned your knots in the stomach into challenging yourself into an experience that made you into a better you today.

Let in the light to replace what you’re letting go. This allows fresh, new, and healthy ideas to birth… and old, tired ways to die.

But hold on, it’s not so easy… your ego doesn’t want those sad thoughts to die, so it will keep finding ways to drudge up past thoughts and make it stick to you like wet plastic wrap.

Be aware of your ego, and l’ego!

You have to be super intentional and aware to peel off ego’s thought and ways and disassociate, or else the same wrap just comes clinging again.

So when that negative thought situation arises, write down what you did to change your thought (because the ego doesn’t want you to remember that you already crossed that small win finish-line before).

Unaware, a similar thought will show up again in a different situation and sour your day… unless you consciously are aware to stop it again.

Connect the dots in wonderment. Don’t leave it as an open puzzle.

That’s the way to wholeness and getting a light waterfall of a-ha answers.

If you can get to the place of changing your subconscious ego thoughts (and head in a quicker-than-before direction 📈) to a new replacement thought despite the stubborn thought trying to edge back in at every curve, then you know you’ve got this!

You get this.

And if you’re being humble like me here, you can practice on all the other dissimilar thoughts that try to derail your life.

Like thoughts that try to make you more busy (and important that ego loves)…

One way to test yourself is how you interact with strangers.

I meet a lot of interesting people on my journey these days.

And where my younger self would’ve kept on going and stayed busy on my task list, I now (wisely better) stop and converse.

I can spend untimed minutes talking with new people, when edging in 20 minutes used to be impossible.

The metro city culture where I came from, local people just don’t do that.

They’re self-absorbed and quick in every turn and way. They run circles around people and they’re also movers and shakers helping our world move in other ways.

If you slow them down, they think you’re retired or from the South.

The value isn’t placed in slowing down. It’s encouraged to walk away and get ahead.

It’s rude, but accepted.

But that’s not a good way to get the most out of this life.

In a slower living, mind-aware way, that’s how you learn to let light in and grow.

That’s where the healthy good is in life.

Because if you gain wisdom and listen to people who have slowed down, they take time to give good words to you.

And if you let in the new information, that helps you grow.

Good people strangers speak wisdom, share valuable tips, and sometimes even help you see sides of yourself that’s eye-opening.

They don’t know you, but they can say profound things to you that make an impact on your future if you think about it from your past encounters.

In-person, you can make no mistake that face-to-face, from being-to-being, the message is for you.

Their words somehow swirl their way in your mind later in the day as the way the Universe can speak visually and audibly to you. Through people’s faces that will later fade in memory.

Soothsayers birth new ideas in and for you. And you probably do the same for others without knowing it.

And unlike people you know, in these good chance encounters, there is no motive from the stranger as it’s as surprising of a meeting for you as it is for them.

Most likely you’ll never see this person or people again.

Here they are and poof! there they go. And there you go.

Out into your rest of the day and life.

Where today and daily you choose to purposefully listen to specific outside people in our world, media, or from podcasts.

…When well-paid speakers often share stories about lessons they learned from strangers they met on the plane or out and about everyday life.

The kind I just described to you.

Most of us are looking to learn and be influenced…

To be more knowledgeable, grow as a person, and be better in how each of us define.

And with those intentions, thought-mind awareness can be part of that self-improvement and personal self-development process.

If you fully adopt a thought awareness mindset, you won’t just drift into your busy world and wonder years later where your life went.

Because shifts are happening daily all around us without our consent. The tectonic plates are even shifting under our feet now and likely wherever you are, as I wisely learned from a traveler I met and stopped to exchange ideas with.

So maybe for an intentionally better year this year, challenge yourself with a mindset shift and a determination to be thought-mind self-aware, to let go and let in some new light. ✨

I’m rooting for you! 🎉

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Ceviche – Healthy Shrimp Protein Appetizer

Ceviche is a great shrimp and protein appetizer (or shrimp salad). It’s a healthy snack (or meal) that also brightens a table.

Decorating food tables with food is something I know about having planned hundreds of parties at Mediterranean cuisine restaurants.

And my humble start began creating catered events in American hotels, so making food at home brings it all full circle.

I have history with ceviche that was a hip trend in my catering days that went along with tapas (small plates).

I remember the Spanish restaurant I was at had a menu as big as Cheesecake Factory’s menu (without all the ad pages 😊).

And while I didn’t see ceviche on the menu often, Rosa Mexicano at National Harbor in the DC area was my go-to.

They crushed ripe avocados at your table to make fresh guacamole.

And what’s more exciting than fresh foods… that you can make yourself at home for very little cost! Tasty fresh guac is only a few fresh ingredients.

Avocados are the star and waiting for them to ripen faster is the hardest part if there is any. You can leave at warmer room temperatures on those efforts.

And also place next to other ripe fruit and/or a closed brown paper bag to speed up.

The beauty is perfectly fresh soft/ripe avocado has a short shelf-life of a day or two. A lot like cilantro.

For guacamole with a bite and for your ceviche, you want to use fresh cilantro. If you don’t like cilantro as some don’t, you can use fresh dill or parsley.

And for an unforgettable ceviche, you can lean on the trifecta ingredient effect of: red onions, cilantro (or fresh culinary herb), and lime juice.

If you finely chop the onions, they will be a delight in the melange.

Then you can add supporting healthy food ingredients and enhanced flavors. Like radishes, oranges, and tarragon herb spice added.

This is not a wimpy ceviche.

It’s for foodie tastes, and Chipotle healthy food sensibilities.

And saving the best for last: the protein seafood item.

Seafood is healthy lean protein with zinc that impacts immunity and metabolism, and Omega 3s for optimizing the health of vital organs (heart, brain, and eye health).

It’s an anti-inflammatory category of foods.

You can store seafood (and fish) in the freezer until you’re ready to use.

Shrimp can be one of those staple freezer bags.

One you can bring out anytime and cook up to enjoy with homemade shrimp cocktail sauce (no ketchup). Squid and Old Bay scallops are also a favorite you can pair with your ceviche.

I’m biased about the Old Bay seafood spice blend because I’m from that Delmarva area that douses Old Bay (that’s not an Old Spice deodorant) on everything savory. It’s in the water’s air. And I even douse on my ceviche.

To reel in the ocean-y ceviche appetizer to green land, I added asparagus spears and cilantro stalks. It’s now a salad.

And I made additional ceviche salad with oranges so it’s a tropical salad. Notice the salt rim that’s just too martini glass good.

Ready to make this?

Ceviche with shrimp served in a martini glass.

Ceviche - Shrimp Healthy Protein Meal

This is a healthy light protein filled appetizer, meal, or snack you can enjoy year round with your favorite ingredients. You can share this or enjoy this for yourself!

Course Appetizer

Servings 1 person

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1 dozen shrimp (or seafood of choice)
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
10-12 leaves cilantro, finely chopped
2 tsp lime juice (add more as desired)
1 tsp orange juice from a whole orange
1 wedge small orange wedges
2 tsp sweet bell pepper or pimento pepper
2-3 radishes, minced (optional)
1 avocado, small pieces (zhugh on top)
tarragon herb spice (zhugh on shrimp)
salt (for glass rim)

Instructions

Cook the shrimp (or seafoods of choice).
In a bowl, toss onions, cilantros, peppers, radishes, and oranges like a salad with the juices. Let the juice marinade in the salad for a few minutes..
Then add salad to a martini or other presentation glass/bowl/vessel. Add salt to the rim (optional)
Using a spoon, add small avocado pieces on top. Add shrimp. Sprinkle tarragon on top. Share and enjoy!

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Pear Strawberry Smoothie + Healthy New Year 🎉

Pear strawberry pair for a delicious and healthy smoothie. And I’m always looking for a new smoothie taste… you too?

This pear-straw amuse bouche is a great easy way to kick off healthy, brightening intentions for a blessed new year… after a holiday partridge in a pear tree.

Strawberry or strawberry lemonade is a great summer drink, but in the cool months, I found a strawberry pear-pair is a great sweet one.

The tastes seasonally complement. And you don’t need to add any more sweetness.

Because the juicy pear does the trick. 🍐 Not a prickly pear (cactus) but a regular sweet pear like a Bartlett pear. Anjou and Bosc are also common pears.

…And there’s just a ‘lil prep work that’s worth waiting for.

Like a few weeks after you buy (or pick) your pears.

As the pears ripen to a softness at room temps, you can squeeze the pear juice out. You can speed things up by putting pears near other ripe fruit (like a banana or apple), and even better put in a closed brown paper bag.

A soft pear looks the same on the outside, but inside it’s so soft that you don’t need a knife to pierce in.

You can push into the pear flesh and make pear sauce (like applesauce) if you wanted to.

And it’ll look like (and have the consistency) of juicy mashed potatoes.

That’s when it’s ripely good for a pear strawberry smoothie.🧉

Where you decide to add frozen (or fresh) strawberries.

Strawberry is the new banana in this smoothie.

Like the one here zhughed with shredded coconut… oui?

For the smoothie consistency, if you don’t have bananas around, are tired of them, or just never liked the taste of bananas, then the soft textures from frozen strawberries brought to room temps will do the trick.

Pull them out a day or two beforehand, so they can cold thaw in the fridge into useable mushy smoothie strawberries.

Then fire up your Magic Bullet, blending up your smoothie nice and smooth… and bottoms up!

So refreshing and sweet.

Spices also can enhance the pear tastes, and help remind you and I of the season we’re in… like winter, and if you’re feeling Kapha, ginger anti-inflammatory spice add a punchy but mild flavor.

And pinches of cinnamon for any Vata anxiety.

As someone who lives anti-inflammatory year-round, pears are full of fiber and are a low glycemic index food.

And strawberry is a superfood that has more Vitamin C than oranges!

So you’re doing a world of good by having a pear strawberry smoothie in your day.

Fruit, as in seeing what yields, is what keeps us going and growing and a smoothie can be the metaphor.

With a new year, we can use juicy winter fruit as a healthy symbol for what’s ahead.

I like seeing fruit in trees as a visual.

Bright berries are especially inspiring because you can find them out in nature even in the winter. Nature is not all dormant.

And fruit is abundant… and seasonal.

Fruit is a good metaphor for abundance. And what we all want is not just enough, or enough in the new year.

We want more than enough.

Because in overflow, we can give more to the world.

And by leaning into nature’s fruits, we can bring a little abundance into our daily smoothie drink.

For dominant Vatas (who love variety), seasons pose a garden backdrop of sweet fruits that help define what’s available and fresh to eat.

They show up in your kitchen and smoothie up!

And when you’re out and about…

Instead of reaching for a beverage, you can use a juicy apple (or in-season pears) to quench your thirst.

Apples and carrots are winter in-season healthy foods, and with the abundance, you can amp up in a apple-carrot smoothie with coconut tastes.

Or eat them raw if you don’t want to stop for restroom breaks.

Fruit also act as a mouth-teeth cleaner.So bringing a fruit snack with you in your travels make healthy sense all around.

And if you’re a hiker like me, they weigh little on the back.

They make for a happy and healthy snack break.

And if eating healthy today (with a healthy weight) and less sweets is your new year intention… and you have a natural daily sweet tooth craving, you can pair this pear-straw smoothie with a low-sugar berry shortbread cookie (no-bake), no-bake matcha cookie, low-sugar fruit pastry tart, gingerbread cookie, or low-sugar cinnamon donut and other low-sugar recipes.

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Sheep’s Cheesecake (Basque-Style) – Protein Healthy and Low-Sugar

Sheep’s cheesecake can be made into a protein-filled dessert that tastes like your favorite cheesecake desserts. I know because that’s what’s in this recipe. And the sheep’s cheese cake is lower fat and sugar, for a healthier cheesecake. It’s easy to find in stores (see below tips).

This sheep’s cheese cake plate has cranberries that are also mixed into the cake batter. Cranberries are high in Vitamin C and are good for an anti-inflammatory diet during the holidays (and year-round).

Cranberries are uniquely good for preventing UTIs and seasonally they add a red pop of festive color – that ranges from the bright fire engine red to burgundy shades.🚒 ♥️

You can buy whole cranberries and freeze them for when you want to use them. So the shiny and red fruit berry jewels are hard to turn down.

As is this protein cheese cake.

What makes this cheese cake protein-rich are the ingredients that include sheep’s cheese.

You can expect to easily find 5 grams of protein per sheep’s cheese ounce. At many stores, you can find packaged grocery sheep’s cheese logs, that come in smaller 4 oz size packaging these days. And that will make this regular size 8″ shareable cheesecake.

Or you can use 2 ounces per individual 4″ cheesecake. Doing the math, that’s 10 grams of protein for an individual cake (or 20 grams per 8″ cake).

If you compare the protein in regular cream cheese (commonly used in cheesecake recipes), sheep’s cheese is more than double the protein.

Regular cream cheese has about 1.7 grams per ounce. That’s about 1/3 of the protein as ordinary sheep’s cheese in national grocery store chains.

I found pre-packaged sheep’s cheese in the cheese section at national grocery store chains like Aldi’s and Trader Joe’s.

So that’s a good start (in case you didn’t think it was easy to source).

…And of course, sheep’s cheese comes in all shapes, sizes, pasteurization types, etc.

We’re not talking Blue Zones’ (100 years) healthy living sheep cheese here… which is where this all began for me when I studied up, researched, and wrote about the superfood cheese.

Since then, the idea has wildly grown in popularity and you can find all kinds with the label. Sheep’s cheese is easy to find like pre-packaged Brie or buffalo mozzarella cheeses in stores.

Because otherwise you’d have to pay a pretty penny (or accepted currency) to source sheep’s milk cheese, and/or fly to rural areas like the Sardinian regions to find high-quality, grass-fed sheep’s pecorino cheese.

But the kind you bring home, you can pair with Greek yogurt to get probiotics added back. And even more protein added.

The healthy idea that works in a sheep’s cheese cheesecake like this, is to find a thicker Greek yogurt that has no additional sugar. You can also find a lower fat content yogurt.

And then when you bake the sheep’s milk cheese and yogurt into your desserts like this holiday cheesecake, this helps support a happy and healthy lifestyle.

In an hour, you can have a nice Greek yogurt healthier cake ready.

Since this cheesecake has no crust (like a graham crust on a New York-style cheesecake) and has no flour baked in, you can get baked Basque-style sides that are more decadently burnished-brown without using high baking temps.

This happens when you use a metal spring form cake pan where you can release the sides after the baked cheesecake is cooled.

If you cover the sides entirely with parchment paper (that you may have learned to do with Basque cheesecakes), the cake will be more easy to pull out, but it won’t be connected directly to the cake pan heat. So you compromise the end result bake.

The better way I suggest is to brush neutral/light olive oil (or butter) on the sides. And after baked, don’t release the cake from the spring form until it’s completely cooled when the cake is more stable, and will more easily stay together in one piece, as it firms up.

For interest (I have a catering background), I also added softened ripe pears to the bottom of the cake pan for additional sweet flavors and textures. It helped release the cake and gave a burnished look to the bottom (similar to poached pears 🍐). But that part is optional, as you’ll get the Basque-inspired cheesecake style either way.

But surprisingly by using regular 350°F/180°C temperatures and not the higher Basque cheesecake temperatures, to save energy (but also low and slow is easier to not burn in the oven).

But if you leave it in these lower oven temps for 55 minutes, I think you’ll be happy with your bake’s doneness.

Your cheesecake will have an Old World charm look.

And when you bite into the sweet and tart cheesecake (made even tart-er with cranberries), it’ll be a delight. With a rustic crumbly feel on the tongue as a satisfying texture that’s distinctly baked (no half-bake here 😊).

But if you prefer a more creamy cheesecake with less small cheese-yogurt chunks, then add more milk (liquid) to your batter, or use a less thick sheep’s cheese and/or yogurt.

You have so many options to make your (maybe?) NEW favorite cheesecake 😋

But no matter what you choose as actual ingredients and final texture intent for your high-protein cheesecake, this is a daily cheesecake you’ll have no regrets making. Ready to try?

If you like this, you may also like a cranberry pumpkin trifle, blueberry-peach cheesecake smoothie, and other low-sugar dessert bites.

Basque-Style (No Crust) Cheesecake - High Protein and Low-Sugar

This is an individual-size 4" protein cheesecake made with healthier cheese and lower fat. To make a shareable 8" cake, double the ingredient amounts.

Course Dessert

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Equipment

spring form cake pan

Ingredients

2 oz sheep's cheese
2 oz Greek yogurt (no-fat and no-sugar added)
1 Tbsp milk of choice
1 Tbsp raw honey
1/4 cup seasonal fruit (or jam) of choice or cranberries
cranberry sauce or fruit jam as spread on top (optional)

Instructions

Brush neutral olive oil or baking spray on bottom and sides of (spring form) cake pan.
Combine ingredients in one bowl. Reserve some fruit for the top, so they don't all fall to the bottom of the cake pan. Option: add softened pears to the bottom of the pan.
Bake at 350°F/180°C for about 55 minutes. This will give a Basque-cheesecake feel as the sides turn a darkened brown (pleasantly burnt-ish) color.

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Chili – Plant-Based Protein Cabbage Wrap

Chili made with plant-based food ingredients is a good way to add more fiber and vitamin nutrients in your diet. And it’s filled with anti-inflammatory spices that add to longevity healthy points, if that’s one of your intentional desires.

Plus it’s super easy to blend a bowl of chili together using your Magic Bullet or blender. And in this case, for cabbage wraps.

Tofu is the plant-based protein behind these chili cabbage wraps.

I grew up eating tofu regularly so I’m used to the unique texture and odd taste, but some people are not.

…And if that’s you (or who you’re preparing meals or Game Day for), a chili dish is a good way to mask tofu. Kinda like hiding veggies in kids’ dinner plates.

And chili is a great way to add in veggies like nutritious cabbage.

Besides light and good for weight loss, green cabbage is a very economical add to meals.

There are many cabbage kinds (over 400 around the world), and green cabbage is a common one, that’s easy to find in grocery stores.

It’s often confused with Iceberg lettuce that’s lighter (in weight and color). You’ll notice the difference as green cabbage gets thicker as you peel back the layers and get closer to the middle core. The ribs are more pronounced.

Also, lettuce’s season is spring and summer. Cabbage takes over in fall and winter. So you can make wraps year-round.

Both veggies are healthy, but green cabbage has more Vitamin C and fiber. It also has special antioxidants (sulforaphane). It’s in the same food family as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.

And wrapped around as a hearty veggie, a chili cabbage wrap makes for good comfort food during cooler months. Lett-uce celebrate that!

Next time you’re out shopping for tortilla, you might reconsider. With cabbage, you also save grocery money making wraps as a head of cabbage can be under $2, and chili cans (or pinto beans) are pennies per ounce.

Yeah cabbage! 🥬 And tofu that’s easy to find can be pennies per ounce. It’s usually found in the refrigerated food sections near deli meat or dairy, or where you would find fresh hummus (that’s another great easy Game Day or Magic Bullet recipe you can make).

You can make this an entire meal for two (or a small family) for under $5!

So to make this plant-based chili wrap, cut up the tofu with a non-sharp or silicone spatula, or wooden kitchen tools. Whether you get the softer, firm, or extra firm tofu, it will be easy to break up even with your hands.

It will look like a little like white scrambled eggs. Drain and cook the tofu scramble. Usually around 15 minutes on medium stove heat. Tofu in the common containers has a watery substance (that actually can be whipped into dessert meringues like aquafaba in garbanzo bean cans).

So the tofu will be wet, and you won’t need to add much liquid in your cooking skillet if any. And no (olive) oil needed to prevent skillet sticking, unless you want to add for taste.

After the tofu is cooked, add and heat up the tomato sauce.

Add some of the tofu mixture to your blender with all the spices, other wet, and dry ingredients.

Then add the chili or beans. This is where a quick blender comes in handy. Blend in chili beans (pinto beans).

Pulse the blender a few times or just enough for the beans to blend. The tofu mixture will look grainy.

To save time: you can prepare your cabbage leaves while the tofu is cooking, and you can cook the cabbage leaves when you’re blending the tofu and chili.

For spicy flavors: you can add hot spices like cayenne or your favorite hot sauce. But if you want to keep it mild and then let the heat preference be per wrap, then add sweet or mild pimento peppers. They’re bright red and easy to find (on market shelves).

The best chili has all the tastes: spicy heat (cayenne, chili, onions, garlic, or other peppers), savory (cumin), sweet (cinnamon, tomato sauce), salty (salt), umami (soy), bitter (cocoa), astringent (turmeric), and sour tastes (vinegar, tamarind).

You can add or omit any ingredient, and if you go with a spice blend make sure it has cumin and peppers are a must if you want chili tastes.

I used cayenne pepper (hot), red chili flakes (mild) , and pimento peppers (sweet) to give a balanced heat. But even black pepper will work (and help activate the healthy turmeric and cinnamon if added).

Chili is so versatile to your preferences and what you have on hand.. so you do you! You can’t go wrong.

And if you like this healthy plant-based recipe idea, you may like other Magic Bullet recipes and anti-inflammatory plant-based soups, like low-sodium vegetable soup or beet red cabbage soup. 🥣

Tofu Scramble Chil Cabbage Wrap - Plant Based

This is a protein-rich plant-based meal. You can make at least 3 cups or 6 full wraps with this recipe.

Servings 3 cups

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp vinegar (white or apple cider)
1 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garlic flakes
1 tsp pimento peppers
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp tamarind (optional)
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt (for chili)
1 tsp chopped red onions
14 oz tofu container
15.5 oz can of chili or pinto beans
8 oz tomato sauce
1 green cabbage head
1/2 tsp salt (for cooking cabbage)

Instructions

On stove, cook chopped up (scrambled) tofu in a skillet (medium heat for about 15 minutes). Add water, if needed.
While tofu is cooking, prepare cabbage wraps. Pull apart cabbage and wash.
When tofu is about cooked ready, add/heat up tomato sauce and spices, and bring to a light boil. Take the tofu skillet off the stove and let cool.
On stove, cook cabbage wraps in a separate pot (or pour tofu mixture in a big bowl and rinse out skillet to add cabbage wraps). Cook cabbage in water and about 1 tsp of salt until soft. Place cover or lid over skillet or pot. Tip: You can use the entire or part of the cabbage core to weigh down the cabbage leaves in a cooking pot as they tend to float up. After cooked, to dry the cabbage, place them on paper towels that you can re-use.
In the blender, add about half-full warm tofu mixture and the remaining spices, wet, and dry ingredients. Add all the chili beans/can or until the blender is full.
Quick-pulse blend a few times. Add a little more of the tofu (chili) and shake the blender by hand or pulse blend a few times on the base, depending on the final tofu texture you want. If you shake by hand, you'll get a more crumbly tofu vs. pureed tofu from machine action.
Add blended tofu chili to individual cabbage leaves to make wraps. You can add the remaining tofu and any remaining chili to the blender. This should make 3+ cups of tofu chili that can fill at least 6 full cabbage wraps. You can save the additional cabbage for a soup or freeze for another time.

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