Grape Leaf Tacos

Get ready to eat with your hands and get messy! These aren't your ordinary Mexican tacos, and much more exotic tasting. I made this recipe specifically to be able to eat Grape Leaf, which is full of nutrition (please see hyperlink). I particularly appreciate the grape leaf's anti-inflammatory properties, not to mention other great healing properties of this precious plant. Native Americans and Greeks have been eating and using this plant for medicinal reasons for thousands of years. Thank you Mother Earth for giving us this plant full of healing.  

Ingredients

1/2 cup of cooked rice

1 pound of grass-fed lean ground beef 

1/2 onion chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

1/3 cup parsley chopped

1/2 orange pepper chopped

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 jar of grape leaves 

Spices

1/2 Teaspoon of Garam Masala

1/2 Teaspoon of cumin

1/2 Teaspoon of ground black pepper

1/2 Teaspoon of sea salt 

First, cook the rice in a separate pan. Next, on medium heat sauté onions in the olive oil until translucent. I like to use my iron skillet because it always adds flavor. Add the ground beef with a splash of water to get it cooking while mixing it with the onions. Once the meat is cooked, lower the heat to low, adding the spices, garlic, parsley and orange bell pepper. Continue cooking on low for 5-8 more minutes tossing all ingredients together.  

Turn off heat and add cooked rice to the mixture in the pan. More salt might be need for taste. 

Next take the grape leaves out of jar, and rinse them, as they usually are preserved in brine water. Pat dry the grape leaves and place them on the plate. Finally serve a spoonful onto each leaf. This can all be done at the table with a communal dish in the middle of the table. 

This dish is not likely to be served at a dinner party, but to be eaten with family, so you can laugh and enjoy these exotic beauties without feeling embarrassed to eat with your hands! 

Dish serves 4 people with 9 small tacos each. 

Good Health to you! 

Power Energy Balls

            Balls with Spirulina and Rolled in Coconut Flakes
Halved the recipe, balls less than 1 inch

Single Serving of Spirulina Ball

Balls with Protein Powder and rolled in Hawaiian Sea Salt
Full recipe Balls rolled into 1 1/2  inches 

Plants have undeniable life-force for living creatures to ingest. We eat every day to survive, but do we eat to thrive? Thriving in my mind means eating plants that are full of the sun's energy, planet's minerals, and helps us live our lives' true potential. I eat these delicious bite size powerballs before a hike, a novel writing session, or when I need quick pick-me-up under a stressful situation. Life can be stressful, but we don't have to give into it. Instead we can take charge of our nutrition.

The energy balls presented in the picture above are easy to make and can be adapted to whatever plant energy you need. I used almond butter, but you can also use peanut butter, or cashew butter. I used Protein superfood, which has green vegetables, but you can also use spirulina, which can give the balls a pretty green hue and mega nutrition. I used flax seed meal with high health benefits like high Omega-3, protein, and fiber to name a few. You can use hemp or chia seed ground meals. I used Cacao powder and Maca because of the incredible health benefits (see underlined links for more details). My ingredients can be intermixed in any manner, as I stated above. Just follow the general guidelines and get creative. 

Ingredients

6 Tablespoons of Almond Butter

4 Tablespoons of Flax Seed Meal

3 Tablespoons of Maca Powder (optional)

2 Tablespoons of Cacao Powder

4 Tablespoons of Protein Superfood or Spirulina

4 Tablespoons of Maple Syrup

1 Teaspoon of Coconut Sugar (or flakes)

1 Teaspoon of Hawaiian Sea Salt or Himalayan Salt (optional) 

First set up a cookie tray with parchment paper to set the balls on. 

In a large bowl, measure out the almond butter. Next add flax seed, maca, protein powder or spirulina, cacao powder, and maple syrup. Stir ingredients until all are well blended. Now that you have a nice paste, using your hands roll into small balls. 

Next, take the coconut sugar with sea salt (optional, specially if your almond butter is salty) and sprinkle evenly on a plate. Use the plate to roll the balls until covered and return to the cookie tray. 

I store the energy balls in a glass container with lid in the refrigerator. They last more than a week or two in the refrigerator. 

Enjoy Your Good Health!

~Tarabud

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