Functional Foodie: Autumnal Egg Hash with Maple Miso Dressing (GF + DF)

Inspired by the dynamic duo of Dr. Roizen and Chef Jim at the Cleveland Clinic, where I interned last summer, I’m embarking on a mission to introduce culinary medicine in an accessible way – through social media. Every Friday, I’ll be sharing a “Functional Foodie” recipe as part of my job as Patient Care Navigator at Princeton Integrative Health.

When I lived in Boston and my friends wanted to go to brunch, one of our favorite spots was Life Alive. This vegetarian restaurant chain has creative, soulful bowls that are so grounding. This Fall, I’m reminiscing on their Rainbow Harvest bowl, and thought: Why not make it myself?

Based on what I had in my kitchen, this meant using purple sweet potatoes, carrots, and eggs. But of course, to give it that Life Alive flair, I needed a dressing.

This delightful dish features a harmonious blend of sweet purple potatoes and tender carrots, perfectly complemented by the luscious addition of jammy eggs. The sweet potatoes and carrots, sauteed to caramelized perfection, provide a delightful contrast to the rich, runny yolk of the eggs. To elevate the flavors, a velvety miso maple sesame seed dressing drizzles over the vegetables and eggs, offering a balance of savory umami and sweet notes that dance on your palate. Completing this culinary harvest, dulse seaweed flakes are sprinkled on top, adding a delicate hint of saltiness and a touch of oceanic essence.

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Functional Foodie: Loaded Banana (GF + V)

Inspired by the dynamic duo of Dr. Roizen and Chef Jim at the Cleveland Clinic, where I interned last summer, I’m embarking on a mission to introduce culinary medicine in an accessible way – through social media. Every Friday, I’ll be sharing a “Functional Foodie” recipe as part of my job as Patient Care Navigator at Princeton Integrative Health.

Last week, one of my coworkers asked me to come up with an easy and flexible snack that can be enjoyed with pantry ingredients. Whether you’re fueling up before hitting the gym or satisfying a sweet craving, this loaded banana is a delightful and nutritious choice that keeps you both energized and satisfied. Personally, this has even been my breakfast go-to on light mornings … repeatedly.

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Functional Foodie: Golden Goddess Goodness (GF + V)

Inspired by the dynamic duo of Dr. Roizen and Chef Jim at the Cleveland Clinic, where I interned last summer, I’m embarking on a mission to introduce culinary medicine in an accessible way – through social media. Every Friday, I’ll be sharing a “Functional Foodie” recipe as part of my job as Patient Care Navigator at Princeton Integrative Health.

Last week, one of my dearest patients at the practice surprised me with something: spaghetti squash straight from her garden! I was so touched that within just two weeks of knowing them, they shared what they grew with me. It was a precious offering, so I knew I had to create and name a dish in their honor.

In the past couple days, I’ve been blessed with more of their garden-grown veg – but more on that in the coming weeks. For now, let’s discover what a golden goddess would eat for lunch.

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Functional Foodie: Tofu Breakfast Scramble (GF + V)

News: I started a job!

Which also means that with working a 9-5, I need a hearty breakfast. And personally, sometimes I need variation from the egg-based breakfast. Enter my tofu breakfast scramble.

Stepping into my role as a Patient Care Navigator at an integrative medicine practice, I’m thrilled to fuse my passion for healthcare with culinary arts. Inspired by the dynamic duo of Dr. Roizen and Chef Jim at the Cleveland Clinic, where I interned last summer, I’m embarking on a mission to introduce culinary medicine in an accessible way – through social media. Every Friday, I’ll be sharing “Functional Foodie Recipes,” simple yet purposeful recipes designed to easily culinary medicine, making the journey to well-being a flavorful one.

Make sure to check out @princetonintegrativehealth for the full video 🙂

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The Wonders of Congee (GF + V)

Chicken soup. Pastina. Noodles.

These have been my go-to dishes in times of sickness. When I was dealing with some intense allergies this week, I decided to turn to a new dish, inspired by my Qigong Instructor training: congee.

Qigong is an ancient Chinese energetic art based in the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). To support the body, the TCM way of eating is based on easy-to-digest food that are nutrient-dense, wholesome, and restorative. That’s where congee comes in.

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Gobi Ghee “Pongal” (GF + V option)

For those that know me well, they are aware of my love affair with the Indian restaurant chain A2B.  Since I’ve worked in Princeton over the summer, I have been a loyal weekly customer (shout out to my #1 waiter Azan!), sampling the menu from medu vada to gobi 65.  One of my favorite foods comes from the mini tiffin combo (pictured below).  

Ghee pongal – pictured on the bottom right side – is a traditional South Indian dish made with rice, split yellow mung dal, ghee, cumin, ginger, pepper and curry leaves.  It’s like a soothing porridge.  After having tried cauliflower rice recently, I decided to cream it and turn it into a ghee-pongal-ish dish.  So here we are: cauliflower ghee pongal, or gobi ghee pongal.

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My “Super Vegan” Green Smoothie

As you may notice, since the school year started up, I haven’t been making too many things for the blog. I finally feel like I’ve gotten the hang of online class schedules and studying, so be on the lookout for more posts!

Anyways, I’ve decided to reboot my culinary creations with this delicious smoothie. After all, what’s more refreshing and resetting than a glass of nutrients? I’ve been drinking this smoothie every day for breakfast over the past two weeks. That’s how much I love it.

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Around the World: Swiss Cuisine

Amidst coronavirus, I’m sticking to what I – and a lot of other people – love most: cooking and baking.  One challenge I’ve presented to myself is to make a dish (or dishes) of international cuisines every week, learn some words from the language, and e-visit some of the country’s landmarks.  Some of these dishes will be more complex than others, based on what ingredients I have available in the house.

Switzerland is known for being one of the most efficient, near-perfect countries in the world. After all, it’s home to the Swiss watch, the World Health Organization, and the Geneva Convention. I’ve always admired Switzerland (I even chose it as my main country for projects in my French class), but I didn’t know much about its cuisine. After trying out some dishes, I’m definitely not neutral – they’re delicious!

Allons-y! Andiamo! Lass uns gehen! Ir! Let’s go!

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Around the World: Trinidadian Cuisine

Amidst coronavirus, I’m sticking to what I – and a lot of other people – love most: cooking and baking.  One challenge I’ve presented to myself is to make a dish (or dishes) of international cuisines every week, learn some words from the language, and e-visit some of the country’s landmarks.  Some of these dishes will be more complex than others, based on what ingredients I have available in the house. 

After hitting some countries well known for their cuisine – Italy, France, Japan – I decided it was time to discover the perhaps lesser-known cuisine of another country: Trinidad and Tobago.

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Around the world: French cuisine

Admist coronavirus, I’m sticking to what I – and a lot of other people – love most: cooking and baking.  One challenge I’ve presented to myself is to make a dish (or dishes) of international cuisines every week, learn some words from the language, and e-visit some of the country’s landmarks.  Some of these dishes will be more complex than others, based on what ingredients I have available in the house. 

Oui, oui, il est le temps pour découvrir la cuisine française! French cuisine is reowned as one of the best cuisines in the world, and top chefs, from Julia Child to Yotam Ottolenghi, got their classical training from nowhere else but the famous Cordon Bleu.

I’m no Cordon Bleu chef, but, this week, I tried my hand at two simple, convenient french recipes: crêpes and baguette. Allons-y!

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