Sweet Potatoes go well in everything

Yesterday, while browsing around facebook, I realized that I had been nominated by The Portland Phoenix for best food blog!  I'm pretty honored.  What to make me smile?  Go over to the voting ballot, vote for Spiced Plate, click "submit vote" and then click "skip to finish."  Once you've done that, hit the big gray button under where it asks for your email (not necessary to vote, I don't think) and then you've successfully made my day!

After finding out this good news, I had to celebrate with some eating and cooking.  Logical, right? 
Even though I'm cleansing, I am eating some delicious food -- almonds galore, macaroons, sweet potato red lentil hummus, huge salads, and cream of broccoli soup filled my belly with happiness.

 The last surviving macaroon from yesterday's batch.  Looks like I'm going to have to make some more almond milk and meal soon!

Not much left of my Sweet Potato Red Lentil Hummus, either

Oh, was it delicious!  This hummus does take a little more time than opening up a can of garbanzo beans and blending it up, but it's worth it, I promise!

Sweet Potato Red Lentil Hummus

• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1 sweet potato, diced
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon garam masala

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a boil for about 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils are done.  Most of the water should be absorbed by the lentils at this point, too.  Carefully put everything into a blender, and let it do its job.  Taste, season some more, or add a bit of water.  Feel it out.

As a non-meat eater, I love lentils because not only are they full of protein (13 grams in a cooked half cup!), but also iron, fiber, B-vitamins (great for managing stress!), and their red color makes them an excellent anti-oxidant.  You know how I love those cancer-killing anti-oxidants!

I enjoyed this hummus on top of salads, and mixed into a green monster smoothie, and stirred into a "cream" of broccoli soup.

I love broccoli soup, regardless of it I'm cleansing or not.  It's so filling, soothing, and such a happy color of green.  Brocolli has a long list of goodies that should prompt you to add it into your next meal:  I mean, even CNN says that brocolli is the "mother lode" of nutrients.  You can't go wrong with a bit of protein, a huge amount of vitamin C, fiber, and cancer killers.

I make this soup creamy without any dairy or flour by adding in a earthy portobello mushroom and a charming sweet potato.

"Cream" of Broccoli Soup

• 1 head of broccoli, chopped, both florets and stem or one package frozen broccoli, whatever works for you
• 1 large portobello mushroom, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 tablespoon garam masala 
• 5 cups of water

It's super cinchy:  bring the water to a boil, add in your veggies and let heat work its magic for about 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.  Season, adding more or less to your liking.  In a super careful and cautious manner, add everything to your blender (which is getting a workout with all these green smoothies and dips!) and let things go until super smooth.  Pour into bowls, garnishing with hummus, a bit of flax oil, and/or almonds.  Even macaroons.

Today marks day number five of my cleanse.  I've been keeping up with my routine of lemon+cayenne water first thing in the morning with hot tea and a green smoothie, with veggie-ful lunches and dinners.  Almonds have been my saving grace, and main source of protein and fat, besides flax seed oil and lentils.  Things have been pretty great:  my side pain hasn't returned since day three!  This is exciting, and is making me re-evaluate my diet.  Was it the grains, even though I eat gluten free?  The dairy?  After a few days, I'm going to start adding things in one at a time and see what happens.  If the pain comes back, then I know it was on account of a certain food.  Hopefully things line up and start to make sense.  I don't like mysteries.