Scrumptious Moroccan Sautée

July 12th, 2017 by

This warm, spicy, with a touch of sweet, concoction was inspired by a special at the Five Seeds Restaurant. Sautéed cauliflower, onion, garbanzos, almonds, raisins and dates spiced with harissa, cinnamon and cumin seeds. So good for you and so tasty. Serve over whole grain basmati or quinoa, with toasted whole grain pita, or on its own.

Protein-Powered Raspberry Smoothie

July 2nd, 2017 by

The black beans and quinoa actually blend nicely into this tangy raspberry smoothie! It is refreshing and satisfying.  Be bold. Give it a try!

Hot and Sour Soup with Collard Greens and Tofu

February 4th, 2017 by

Collard greens! Interested in nutrients that support the body’s detox system, antioxidant system, and inflammatory/anti-inflammatory system? Not sure how to prepare them? I wasn’t. We were out of greens and I had just a few minutes to stop at a small local store.  The only greens available were collard greens, so I snatched them up.  When I got home, I stood there looking at them wondering what in the world to do with them. As I tried to imagine how I might most enjoy them, I decided to make a tasty broth of vegetable bouillon, aminos, rice vinegar, hot sauce, with a touch of peanut butter. I stirred in diced tofu and topped with crushed peanuts and chili flakes. It turned out to be a super fast and delicious way to enjoy these powerful greens. Go get some collard greens and give them a try!

 

 

Rainbow Chard Smoothie

January 19th, 2017 by

Swiss chard leaves contain at least 13 different polyphenol antioxidants, including syringic acid which offers blood sugar regulating properties. Mangoes boast over 20 vitamins and minerals, being especially high in vitamins C and A. Lemons contain unique flavonoid compounds that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. Ginger helps with gastrointestinal relief and has anti-inflammatory properties. Of course, these are just a few highlights. There are so many other benefits as well! Enjoy!

 

Vitamin-B-Boost Navy Bean Soup

November 30th, 2016 by

If you are in a super big hurry, this is a nutritious way to make a fast food dish that is warm and flavorful.

Five ingredients warmed in a pan on the stove: Navy beans, bouillon, herbs de Provence, nutritional yeast and water. Throw in a few diced carrots too,  if you want.

Nutritional Yeast gives you an awesome B-Vitamin boost, along with other essential nutrients. Experiment adding nutritional yeast to your favorite dishes!

 

Elizabeth’s Quinoa Special

June 27th, 2016 by

This sweet and simple dish is made with little ones in mind. If you have kids, they’ll probably love it, just like my daughter. She loved it so much that she served it on a silver platter. An easy vegetarian alternative to chicken noodle soup, this dish is made from four ingredients: protein-packed quinoa, flavonoid-rich onion, bouillon, and water. You could also throw in diced carrots and celery, if you have them on hand.

Peanut Stir Fry Sauce

June 21st, 2016 by

This peanut stir fry sauce can be mild or pack a little kick by adding red chili pepper flakes, which we really love. Throw any fresh chopped veggies in a wok or pan on the stove and add this dressing for a quick and flavorful stir fry. You can even find pre-chopped fresh veggies at many grocery stores.  The veggies we used this night happen to be the Trader Joe’s asian blend found in the refrigerated section. Serve over brown rice or cooked quinoa–which also can be found pre-cooked, if desired. Store extra sauce in fridge for additional dishes over the next few days.

Creamy Sweet Spice Quinoa

May 10th, 2016 by

This creamy vegetable quinoa dish is a combination of my Sweet Spice Soup recipe and cooked quinoa. I simply combined the leftovers of each and topped with cracked pepper and parmesan cheese for a new dish.

Quinoa is remarkably nutrient-rich and easy to prepare.  It boasts of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, flavanoids, protein, fiber, and is a great source of manganese, copper, phosphorus, magnesium, folate, and zinc.

Quinoa can be enjoyed as a grain and even ground into flour, as in my Quinoa Crepes recipe.

Quinoa is very easy to cook–even quicker than rice–boil 1 part rinsed quinoa to 2 parts water, simmer 15-20 minutes until soft and translucent, thenfluff with a fork.

You can’t beat the satisfaction of this comfort dish with the powerful nutrients, protein and fiber of the veggies and quinoa combined.

Sweet and Sour Sweet Potatoes with Mung Beans

March 22nd, 2016 by

This warm potato dish has a kick to it with the lemon, balsamic, Chinese five spice, and red chili flakes. The small, soft mung beans–one of the healthiest you’ll find–add a fantastic boost of phenol, protein, fiber and other nutrients which help defend against chronic age-related diseases including diabetes, cancer, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Serve this dish with brown rice, if desired. Enjoy!

No-Sugar Cranberry Sauce

November 21st, 2015 by

I love my cranberries tart and wanted to find a way to add just a little sweetness without adding any sugar. I used just a little stevia and added freshly cut mango, yielding a delightful blend of tart cranberries and sweet mango. Enjoy!

Creamy Butternut Sweet Potato Soup

November 9th, 2015 by

I’d been craving butternut squash soup since we enjoyed it at our friend’s art show last week.  I blended some onion, sweet potato and butternut squash together and like this version even better! It’s rich and sweet, easy to make and perfect for the season. Enjoy!

Vegetable Barley Soup

September 28th, 2015 by

This soup was a random concoction of the vegetables we earned for helping at the community garden.  The shapes and sizes of the veggies were also random, as the kids all helped chop.  Use whatever you have on hand or follow this recipe, as works for you. Use organic or local when possible. It will turn out to be a nourishing and delicious soup.

Red Lentil Curry Soup

May 18th, 2015 by

This red lentil curry soup with onion, celery, tomato and a special blend of madras curry spices is satisfying and nourishing. Madras curry is a blend of many healthy spices that includes coriander, chilies, cumin, turmeric, fenugreek leaves, salt, black pepper, ginger, mustard, bay leaf, pulse, cloves, nutmeg, caraway, cinnamon, cardamom seeds, mace, and asafoetida.  Enjoy!

Healthy Pad Thai

April 17th, 2015 by

This Pad Thai is loaded with vegetables and drenched in a delicious and healthy peanut sauce. Enjoy!

Hot and Sour Soup

March 26th, 2015 by

This nutritious and bold soup is quick to make and very satisfying.  Just boil water, amino acids, rice vinegar, hot sauce, garlic and a little sesame oil to make the broth. Throw in organic green onions, diced carrots, shredded cabbage, mushrooms, cubed tofu, and soba buckwheat noodles (if desired). In 3-4 minutes, you have a hot, delicious soup.  Alternatively, you can pull the veggies and tofu from the broth and heap them over brown rice for a complete meal. Enjoy!

Navy Bean and Vegetable Soup with Quinoa

February 11th, 2015 by

This vegetable soup is light yet satisfying with the beans and quinoa.  It is also versatile; you can throw in a handful of whatever vegetables you have on hand.  In this recipe, we used onion, celery, cauliflower, carrot and broccoli. It is easy to make on the stove or in a crockpot.

Enjoy!

Jane’s Real Whole Grain Bread

February 2nd, 2015 by

This bread is crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside.  It is by far the fastest (when you plan ahead) and most delightful bread I’ve ever made, and it is really the only one I make these days.  It resembles the loaves you buy at the farmers market or bakery for $5 or more and costs little to make.

The first time through, as you are familiarizing yourself with the process,  it will take longer to make. But it now takes me 10 minutes total prep time. I can throw the ingredients together in a bowl right before bed, let it sit over night, then throw it in a pre-heated ceramic pot in the oven at dinner time the next day.

If you don’t already own a grinder or a heavy cast iron or ceramic pot, it also requires some investment in equipment. We have found the investment in both of these items to be very worthwhile to us.

Grinding your own flour greatly enhances the taste, texture, and nutritional content of the bread.  It gives you control over which grains, beans, and legumes you’d like to include.  By using the coarse (instead of fine) setting, you can reduce the glycemic index and enhance the health benefits.

I like to freshly grind up a mixture of any of the following organic grains roughly in order of most to least: wheat, kamut, barley, amaranth, millet, spelt, oat groats, quinoa (make sure it is rinsed and dried, Costco and other stores offer this), just a dash of garbanzos, white beans, lentils, etc.. I then add up to 1 cup pre-ground almond flour which makes for a moist and lower glycemic bread than the traditional breads.

 

 

 

Cherry Lime Smoothie

January 18th, 2015 by

Cherries, peaches and lime–a healthy and refreshing treat.

This smoothie is easy to make in the winter with frozen cherries and peaches.

Cherries are high in fiber, vitamin C and flavanoids. Anthocyanins give them their dark-red color. and can help protect our bodies against damage from environmental toxins and free radicals that can speed up the aging process and cause cell death and damage. Anthocyanins are shown to have anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties. Cherries may also help prevent diseases, control obesity, and help in treating diabetes.

Peaches are rich in phytochemicals called phenols that act as antioxidants and which can help prevent cancer.  Peaches are also an excellent source of Vitamin C which is shown to improve skin texture, and reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Limes contain specific flavonoid compounds that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. They also contain Vitamin C, which, among its other benefits, helps boost the immune system.

My 12 year old son reports that this is his favorite smoothie ever.

Enjoy!

 

Garlic Lemon Hummus

November 28th, 2014 by

Hummus is so easy to make and so healthy when you use fresh, real ingredients.

Cumin lends a truly Mediterranean flavor to this garlic lemon hummus.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash with Alfredo and Parmesan

November 19th, 2014 by

Never in my life have I cooked a spaghetti squash until this week.

Now, thanks to my friend, Lindsey’s simple instructions, I’ve cooked two.

During a meeting she started talking about spaghetti squash and I turned to her and said, “That sounds delicious! How do you make them?”

Those of you who read my article on Seven Strategies for Fast Healthy Food will remember that I feel pretty inadequate in the kitchen and terrified of cooking for others.

Thankfully, I am pushing through this fear and discovering new horizons.

I can’t believe how easy and delicious and nutritious this dish is!

I mixed the noodles with my white sauce and sprinkled a tiny bit of freshly grated parmesan cheese on top.

I hope this helps you enjoy it more as well!