Jicama “Rice”

Jicama “Rice”

by | Jan 29, 2019 | Health, Home, Recipes

A few months back, I drifted off my usual plant-filled bandwagon.  I traded salads for nachos and big grain bowls—which isn’t a bad thing—but I started to notice I wasn’t feeling as vibrant.  There is no doubt in my mind that plants are magical and, thus, consuming them radiates their magical properties into us 🙂

So, when I realized I was lacking in the plants department, I decided I wanted to introduce some new ones.  I had been enjoying eating “noodle” dishes with zucchini, beets, carrots, and cabbage (not necessarily all at once) but I wondered how else vegetables could make up the base of my dish.  Then, with a little inspiration from inspiralized, I dabbled in veggie “rice”. 

We all know cauliflower rice is a thing but what about other vegetables?  Let’s not get into a vegetable rut when there are so many great options to choose from.  Admittedly, many times vegetables have their own distinct flavor.  Part of our sensationalization of cauliflower rice comes from how neutral in color and flavor it is.  Therefore, I sought out a vegetable similarly neutral.

All it took was a stroll down the supermarket aisle and a little sale sign next to some giant round root vegetables for me to pick up a jicama.  Yes, jicama!  In Mexican culture, jicama is often paired with chili spices and fruit, like cucumber and oranges, to make a fresh, spicy snack.  It kind of tastes like a slightly sweet water chestnut.  That might be a weird description but, for me, jicama now makes the most crisp and addictive rice!

jicama rice

Jicama can be eaten raw or cooked.  Either way, it maintains a watery-crisp crunch without being soggy.  Oh, and there isn’t really a risk of over-cooking it so, if you’re new to using jicama, have no fear—it will come out tasty regardless!

I offer some suggestions for how to use the rice down below but I’m curious to know how you would use it.  Comment below or tag me on Instagram if you give it a try! 

jicama rice

Jicama “Rice”
Recipe Type: Side Dish
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1-2 servings
A fresh and flavorful veggie to mimic rice in any meal! It tastes great as a main in salads and sushi or serve it as a cooked side dish to complement a warm sauté or buddha bowl.
Ingredients
  • 1 ½ cups chopped jicama
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
  • 1 large clove of garlic, pressed or minced (optional)
  • ½ inch knob of fresh ginger, grated (optional)
  • ¼ tsp salt + more to taste (optional)
Instructions
  1. Prepare the jicama: I prefer to chop it into matchsticks and then finely dice it by hand. This way, I can control the rice chunks (see photo above in the post). Alternatively, you can chop jicama and throw it into a food processor and “rice” it that way.
  2. The jicama is ready to eat raw if you want to eat it with some other fresh ingredients OR you can cook it with the optional ingredients listed above.
  3. Cook the jicama: In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Then, add the garlic and ginger and salt to the pan. It’s important to salt these because they are your flavor-boosters! Give them about 30 seconds to cook before adding the jicama and stirring.
  4. Let the jicama cook (no stirring) for 3 minutes before stirring it. Then, leave it to cook for another 2-3 minutes. The jicama should be warm and slightly caramelized. Add additional salt to taste.
  5. Serve the rice as a side dish for two or as the base of an entrée for one.
jicama rice as a side dish

A refrigerator clean out meal utilizing one recipe for jicama rice. I served it with chopped and sautéed beet stems, black beans, kale, cilantro, and pesto.

I’ve tried jicama rice with sautéed vegetables like collard greens, radishes, cabbage and whatever beans I have on hand.  It can also be enjoyed as a fresh salad with romaine, cucumber, tomatoes, and chickpeas.  It also tastes great “fried rice” style.

The possibilities are endless so be sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see what you come up with!   #melmakesithappen

xoxo,

Melanie

 

Friday Five 9-21-2018

Friday Five 9-21-2018

by | Sep 21, 2018 | Favorites, Home, Life, Personal Development

Hey friends!  Who else is struggling to find consistency in their life when everything feels so up in the air?  Is it just me?  I’d like to blame it on the changing seasons.  Each year, when fall comes around, I feel a sense of refresh and rebirth hit me.  Something about the season has always caused that.  Maybe it has something to do with my birthday being in the fall?  Who knows? 🙂

Now, onto some favorites from this week!

Pacifica eyeliner

Just like mascara, quality eyeliner is difficult to find.  I use so many Pacifica products already so I knew I could trust them for sustainable, cruelty-free ingredients.  To my surprise, the eyeliner is very smooth, but not oily or soft, and has great wear-time.  It applies with ease and just a bit of powder around the area keeps the liner from transferring.  You can find Pacifica makeup in select stores but I buy mine from iHerb! (Code: MUS0884 for 5% off!)

friday five pacifica eyeliner

Lauren Gleisberg Fall Challenge

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I’m trying to kick my butt into shape.  I started Laruen Gleisberg’s Fall Challenge this week and boy, oh boy, does she mean business.  My arms hate me as I write this.  They’re so sore–in a good way!  Though, the reason I like her workouts is because her workout plans target every muscle.  Most workout programs will boast that same hook but Lauren splits up workouts by muscle group so every day you’re targeting a new spot.  I personally find this to be extremely helpful for arm workouts in particular.  You can work “arms” on back-to-back days as long as you’re targeting different muscles!  Anyway, I’m following her free challenge and loving it so far!

Spiralized and “riced” vegetables

In addition to hitting my workouts harder, I am trying to ease off of the carbalicious life I’ve been living all summer.  When I was having all sorts of stomach issues, soaked and soft-cooked grains were one of the foods I leaned on.  Thankfully, I’m better able to digest the vegetables that I couldn’t at the time.  So now, I’m trying to make meals with vegetables playing main stage.  I’m looking to non-starchy veggies, breaking out my inspiralizer, and getting creative.  Here is a dish I made myself earlier in the week:

friday five filling up on all the veggies

A bed of mixed greens, topped with sauteed zoodles and onions, a beet and carrot “rice”, hummus, and fresh cilantro.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Back in high school, I was able to read many classic literature novels thanks to my Honors English classes.  I’d say those classes really opened up my eyes to some interesting and impactful works of fiction.  I’ve always been a fan of reading but usually YA fiction.  Somehow, I haven’t really kept up with classic lit into adulthood but I’m glad I picked this one up. 

The novel is downright eerie.  It follows a young girl named Esther Greenwood as she has a sort of quarter life crisis.  She feels she should be appreciative of her accomplishments but she just isn’t happy.  She is frustrated with her job and the company she keeps.  Her passion for writing is dwindling and her interest in life overall.  The melancholic story was almost hard to read at times because, as a reader, I felt I could put myself in her shoes.  I cringed at the sinister thoughts that crossed her mind but I understand them.  It isn’t a feel-good read but, nonetheless, I think it is an important book to read because it portrays a very real and personal idea of what depression is like.

Daniel Caesar’s music

My taste in music is rapidly expanding this year!  I never used to listen to soulful, bluesy, or rap music but look at me now!  All of Daniel Caesar’s music is so, so good—check him out on Spotify!  My favorite songs are Japanese Denim and basically everything from his album Freudian.  I’ll include a video of a song from that album called “Hold Me Down”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX8_Tau-LRs

Thank you for being here and for reading!  Enjoy your last day of summer!  I’m counting down the minutes until it’s officially fall! 😀

xoxo,

Melanie

Hidden Veg: Zucchini Smoothie Bowl

Hidden Veg: Zucchini Smoothie Bowl

by | Mar 20, 2017 | Health, Home, Recipes

When I was younger, I was not a fan of vegetables.  Like, at all.  Occasionally I would eat salad out of necessity to add color to my plate.  Though, I was definitely disappointed to learn that my favorite tomatoes and potatoes were not really even actual vegetables!

I’ve come a long way since then.

Heck, I’m all about the plant-based lifestyle these days.

Zucchini Smoothie Bowl

I am a big fan of fruit and always have been.  Though, I know I can go a little overboard on it sometimes so I’m making efforts to incorporate more vegetables into my meals.  Lunch and dinner are easier but breakfast is not usually the place this sweets-lover thinks of eating a vegetable.

A handful of greens can usually sneak by in a smoothie but there’s no disguising the taste.  Zucchini, on the other hand, is basically water.  When frozen, the zucchini adds some frosty thickness to any smoothie or, my fave, a smoothie bowl.

It’s the perfect bowl for getting in some vegetables and keeping sugar intake low.

Many times smoothie bowls can pack a sugar punch but not this one.  You may want to opt for some sweet toppings or peanut butter 😜 because the bowl itself isn’t very sweet.  Let me know what you think if you try it out!

Zucchini Smoothie Bowl

Zucchini Smoothie Bowl
Recipe Type: Breakfast
Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1 smoothie bowl
A great smoothie bowl for getting in some veggies, greens, berries, and fruit all in one. Yet, it is lower in sugar than traditional fruit-only smoothies. Many times smoothie bowls can pack a sugar punch but not this one. Opt for a few sweet toppings on top, instead.
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup water, beet juice, or milk of choice
  • 1 small handful of baby kale (1/2 cup)
  • 1 serving of protein powder (I used Nativas Naturals Vanilla)
  • ½ medium frozen zucchini (chopped into 3-4 pieces to make it easier on your blender)
  • 1 medium frozen banana, ripe is best
  • ¼-1/3 cup blackberries, fresh or frozen
  • Topping ideas: kiwi, granola, ground flax, or peanut butter
Instructions
  1. Add the liquid (I used beet juice) and kale to the blender first. Blitz until the leaves are broken down.
  2. Then, add in the protein powder, slices of zucchini, banana, and blackberries. Blend thoroughly. (My blender isn’t the strongest but it was able to process the ingredients without added liquid. Feel free to add a tablespoon or two of water if your blender needs some help.)
  3. Pour the smoothie into a bowl and top with some of your favorite goods and eat!
Notes
Prep time does not include freezing time for the banana or zucchini