PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Roast sweet potatoes in oven for 30 minutes.
While potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil at medium-high in a large frying pan. Add onions to pan, sautéing until near brown (about 15 minutes).
Add diced beets and cook on medium heat while potatoes finish in oven.
Add roasted sweet potatoes and diced cooked protein (if desired) to frying pan. Mix, season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Reduce heat to low, drizzle with olive oil, and lay sprig of rosemary on top. Cover and keep warm for 10 minutes.
In a large pot, braise asparagus and garlic: Add a tablespoon of olive oil to pot and warm over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and garlic, and cook until the asparagus flesh begins in blister in spots. Add nondairy milk, agave, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the asparagus and garlic soften, about 10 –12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Add more milk as needed to reach desired consistency (a smooth, creamy, silklike texture).
Add mint and cook off excess liquid. There should be slightly more asparagus than milk.
Blend into a smooth sauce. Add more nondairy milk for desired sauce consistency.
Remove rosemary from hash, serve in bowls, and top with sauce.
Oatmeal
Serves 1, Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten-Free
INGREDIENTS
1 cup oats, either quick cooking or old-fashioned rolled (can be pre-soaked overnight)
2 cups water, or substitute coconut, soy, almond, rice, or whole milk
1 tablespoon almond butter (or any nut or seed butter)
1/2 cup blueberries
2 tablespoons walnuts or pumpkin seeds, crushed or chopped
1 tablespoon flaxseeds, ground
1 tablespoon fresh coconut, shredded
1/2 banana, not too ripe, sliced
Optional: 1 tablespoon golden berries
PREPARATION
Prepare oats with wet ingredients or according to package directions.
Top with blueberries, walnuts (or pumpkin seeds), flaxseeds, coconut, banana, and optional golden berries—and enjoy!
“Oatmeal—that’s my go-to meal right there. It has protein and everything else in it you need. My wife Orly’s oatmeal guarantees you will start your day feeling nice and strong.”
Frittata
Serves 1 to 2, Vegetarian/Gluten-Free
INGREDIENTS
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup onions, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil, or Ziggy Marley’s Coco’Mon Coconut Oil, or coconut oil of your choosing
1/2 cup freshly chopped tomato
3/4 cup fresh spinach, torn into large pieces
3 whole eggs, plus 2 egg whites (or egg substitute of your choosing)
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped basil leaves
1/2 cup feta cheese
APPLE CIDER DRESSING
Apple cider vinegar, like Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: add minced garlic and shallots
or SIMPLE LEMON DRESSING
1 lemon, juiced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4–5 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a cast-iron skillet, sauté garlic and onions in olive oil or coconut oil until onion is soft.
Add tomatoes and spinach, allowing spinach to wilt.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, egg whites, milk, salt, and pepper together.
After whisking, add egg mixture and chopped basil to the pan.
Sprinkle with feta cheese.
When edges of frittata start to firm against pan, remove from stovetop and place in oven until fully cooked, about 10 minutes.
Serve with side salad and apple cider vinaigrette or simple lemon dressing.
For apple cider and simple lemon salad dressings, mix all ingredients and whisk until combined. For cider dressing, desired yield is 1 part vinegar to 2 parts olive oil.
Optional: you can also make individual servings in ramekins.
I like to drink juices and smoothies, something I can have at any time of day. My body is very sensitive to what goes inside of it, which might be one of the reasons I’m drawn to food that nourishes. The Almond Coconut Smoothie is something that can help carry me through the day, and it also reminds me of my father, who used to drink lots of juices. It reminds me of when he would take me to soccer games at National Stadium. (He was a Boys’ Town fan because he was from Trench Town, but we left Trench Town when I was very young, so my team ended up being Harbour View. National Stadium is also where my dad played the One Love Peace Concert in 1978, but that’s a whole other story.)
Another favorite all-day drink for me is the Date and Kale Smoothie. At home we grow kale in our small garden, and food you grow yourself just tastes better. Even as a kid, I was conscious of my parents’ relationship with food. In Rasta culture eating fresh is natural, with a lot of vegetables, a lot of food that can be picked right outside your door. So, many of the recipes in this section are vegetable-heavy, and almost all the ingredients can be grown in a small garden.
Turmeric Cooler
Serves 1, Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten-Free
INGREDIENTS
2 chunks fresh turmeric
1 bunch greens (kale, lettuce, or spinach)
3 whole carrots
1 cucumber
1/2 or 1 lemon, your preference
1/2 inch fresh ginger
1 medium Granny Smith apple
1/4 pineapple, diced
PREPARATION
Wash