Former Fat Guy Blog » Darlene

Recipe: Orange Vegetable and Lentil Stew

Darlene — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:00:48 +0000

This weeks hearty Orange Vegetable and Lentil winter stew is loaded with all things orange that are good for you! It is another magazine find, and yet again I’ve altered a few things to make it healthier.

Vegetables and fruits that are bright orange get their color from a high concentration of Beta-carotene. Why is that important for your health? Because Beta-carotene helps your body create Vitamin A and is a powerful antioxidant that helps boost your immune system. It also aids in good vision – didn’t your mother always tell you to eat your carrots?

So what comes to mind when I say “eat orange foods”? Carrots and oranges? Well – here’s a LOT more orange things you might not have thought of. Enjoy!

Orange Vegetable and Lentil Stew

2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 onion diced
2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (if a milder stew is desired, use 1/4 tsp)
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 Orange pepper, seeded and diced
2 cups carrots, diced
2 cups sweet potatoes, diced (skin off or on, your choice)
2 cups of an Orange squash (pumpkin, kobacha like I used, butternut) peeled, seeded and diced
1.5 cups dried red lentils
1.5 tsp celtic sea salt
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp grated orange rind
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (one orange)
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (above 1/2 a lemon squeezed)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a large pot heat oil and saute onion until it’s transparent. Stir in cumin, allspice, cayenne, turmeric and white pepper – saute another minute to blend spices. Add orange pepper, carrots, sweet potato, squash, lentils, salt, bay leaf, and orange rind. Cook – stirring often for about 10 minutes.

Add 6 cups of purified or filtered water (or home made veggie soup) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are softened and lentils are cooked – about 30 minutes. ***NOTE: red lentils are SUPPOSED to turn to mush, you have NOT done anything wrong!***

Remove bay leaf, stir in orange and lemon juices. Add cilantro right before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Optional variation: if you want to add some ground turkey or chicken, do that at the beginning and put it in with the onion.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Orange Vegetable and Lentil Stew Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash with Garlic

Darlene — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:00:17 +0000

We found this roasted squash and garlic recipe in a magazine and altered it to be more healthy – as we do!

All I have to say is “ah garlic!” We love it! We put it in almost everything we cook, in large quantities. We actually thought we used a lot of it until we went to Thailand and took some cooking classes there (yes we’ll share those recipes soon). Our teacher and host put about 12 cloves into one pot of soup. It was great!

Seriously – garlic has long been known for its healing qualities and was at one time thought to ward off not only vampires but the plague too. Cook this roasted squash in the afternoon and your house will smell so great when everyone gets home they won’t be able to keep their hands off it.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Garlic

Preheat the over to 400F

3 Tbsp coconut oil (melted or in liquid form – just put it near the oven as it’s heating up and it’ll melt)
12 cloves of garlic (or more if you love it like we do) peeled but not cut
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
3 cups peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash (1/2 inch cubes)
Celtic sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In a metal, 9×13 baking dish (or casserole dish) combine the oil, garlic and squash. Toss wel to coat the squash and season with the salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the squast is golden brown on the bottom.

Add the parsley and stir gently. Bake for 10 minutes longer or until tops are browning. Times may vary from oven to oven – check with a fork to see if the squash is soft. If it is still crunchy – give it a few more minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Meal suggestion: serve with Rob’s Kick Ass Mung Bean Dahl and a large fresh salad.

One thing I will mention is that if you have never tried buying organic garlic – I challenge you to buy some and see the difference in taste and just pure intensity of the flavor. Were you might usually put 4-6 cloves, put the same amount of organic garlic and see if it doesn’t blow you away with the taste sensation. Or better yet – take a whole bulb, cut the tops off, put it on some tin foil, drizzle with a little coconut oil (melted) and wrap it up and bake it for like an hour at 350 or so. When it’s done you just squeeze it out the cut ends and eat it. It’s amazing. But I digress . . .

See you again in two weeks.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Garlic Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Mint Pea Lime Soup with Spinach

Darlene — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:00:27 +0000

Greens, greens and more greens! It is not only a very festive Christmassy color, but most things you can eat that are green are super charged with nutrition. Dark leafy greens are on the top of the charge for nutrient density, and the more you can eat of them the better.

Many people think of “rabbit food” when you say “dark leafy green” but you can do so much more with them than just salad. This recipe uses green peas, spinach and fresh mint leaves which makes it not only good for you but really tasty. Anyone that knows Rob and I, know we like to taste our food so we look for recipes that are healthy AND taste great. No one wants to eat flavorless food. Add more lime, or add some chili peppers if you want it to have more zip.

Mint Pea Lime Soup with Spinach

2 Tbsp coconut oil
3 cups yellow onion diced
4 cloves of garlic pressed or diced
3 cups of green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 bunch of fresh spinach (enough that if you made a salad it would serve 4 as a side dish) washed and stems removed
1 Tbsp celtic sea salt
4 cups of filtered water or vegetable soup stock
10-12 sprigs of fresh mint, washed and stems removed
Juice of one lime, or use bottled if in a hurry – 2 Tbsp or to taste

Cook the onion and garlic in the coconut oil until onion is just starting to turn transparent. Add the peas (defrosted if using frozen), spinach and salt and cook for another minute or so. Add water or soup stock and cook at a simmer until the peas turn bright green and the spinach is wilted.

Place half of the soup and 1/2 of the mint leaves into the blender. Blend until creamy and smooth, or as desired if you like it more chunky (we left ours a bit chunky). Do the same thing with the second half of the soup and mint leaves. Combine them together and add the lime juice just before serving.

Serves 4.

This is how the soup looks as it is cooking, prior to blending. I just had to take a photo it was so bright green and pretty. Green is my favorite color and we LOVE to have that color on our dinner table too.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Mint Pea Lime Soup with Spinach Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Healthy Christmas Dinner Ideas and Variations

Darlene — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:00:47 +0000

How to stay healthy and not gain any weight during the holidays and at Christmas is the age old question, isn’t it? Well here are some ideas on how to take some of the old favorites and make them with a slightly new twist that takes out the bad (saturated fat, loads of salt, etc) and puts in the good (lots more nutrition, vitamins, fiber, etc). Pick and choose the ones that appeal to you and mix them together for a holiday menu sure to please the hungry masses and leave them not only wanting more, but asking for the recipes.

Healthy Christmas Dinner

Christmas dinner usually starts with a turkey, so I won’t spend much time on that other than to highly recommend getting an organic, grass fed one over the regular grocery store variety turkeys. I convinced my mom to do so about 3 years ago and we haven’t gone back since. Yes they cost more per pound but consider this – many of the commercially raised ones (apart from being full of hormones, steroids and other drugs to make the grow faster) are pumped full of water and oils before they are frozen. They claim to make them juicier that way – but in reality the turkey just weighs more frozen, and you get less meat.

We used to buy a 20 pounder but the first organic one we bought was only 15 lbs. After my mom cooked it, she said it had WAY more meat, and was certainly much juicier than the regular ones we usually got. And even though the organic one was more per pound, it cost less overall cause we got one 25% smaller and had more meat at the end of the day.

Support your local organic farmers – find a farmer’s market and order a turkey direct from the farmer. If there isn’t one in your area, look for a Hutterite or Mennenite Community – they usually sell poultry and produce.

And now, on to the rest of the meal. Some of my past recipes work well as side dishes for any meal and these two are particularly colorful and great for a holiday table.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Orange Sauce

One of our all time favorites, this recipe is SO super easy to make and no one will be the wiser that it’s good for them cause it tastes so yummy. You’ll love the way it makes your house smell as it cooks.

Edamame Beans, Chickpeas, Shiitake Mushrooms and Spinach

New last week but equally as colorful and flavorful. This can be served on the side and any leftovers can be blended and made into a tasty bean dip (thanks to my subscriber Maria for her comment on the original recipe – great idea Maria!).

Mushroom Gravy

1 Tbsp coconut oil
3 shallots, or 1/2 an onion minced finely
1 cup sliced mushrooms (white or brown button)
1.5 cups vegetable or mushroom stock
1 Tbsp Bragg’s
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch of sage and thyme
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder dissolved in 2 Tbsp of cold water (it is used to thicken sauces instead of cornstarch, but do not add it to hot water it will clump)

Cook shallots or onion in coconut oil until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, Bragg’s and season to taste. I like sage and thyme in my gravy – you can leave them out if you want or add other spices and herbs you like.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Whisk in the arrowroot powder and cook until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Serve hot.
Makes about 2 cups.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Rutabaga

2 large rutabagas, peeled and chopped
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
Celtic sea salt to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp almond milk
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 cup pecans (optional)
1/4 dried cranberries (optional)

Steam rutabagas and sweet potatoes, cook until soft. Mash vegetables in a large bowl and add the oil, almond milk, onion powder until the vegetables are completely broken down and smooth. Add salt to taste. Place mixture into a small ovensafe dish and top with pecans and cranberries if you choose. (I didn’t add either because I used put the mushroom gravy on instead) Place in a preheated oven and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes.

Serve warm, serves 6-8 as a side dish.

So there’s a few ideas to get you started on a healthy version of your Christmas or Hanukkah family dinner. If you want a few more ideas, you can check out last years Healthy Christmas Dinner. I was looking for a different twist on the traditional stuffing and I found a few, but didn’t have time to try them out in time. There’s lots of things you can do with wild rice, brown rice and quinoa – in place of the usual bread in stuffing. Try some and let me know if you find a good one.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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Healthy Christmas Dinner Ideas Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Edamame Beans, Chickpeas, Shiitake Mushrooms and Spinach

Darlene — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:00:37 +0000

High protein Edamame beans and nutrient dense spinach make make up the bulk of this high fiber nutritious hot salad. It’s been FAR too long since we shared a new recipe with everyone and we’re sure you missed us. This is the first of what I hope will be 2 new recipes each month as once a week was too much to keep up with in our busy lives. I’m sure you can all relate.

We love color in our foods and varied textures as well. This one caught my eye in Extra Vegan Za as I was flipping around looking for something new the other day. I fills both those criteria, and tasted great!

Edamame beans are green beans in large pods commonly known as Soy Beans. They are great eaten right out of the pod and you find them quite often as a starter in Japanese restaurants. You can also buy them frozen in the pod or shelled. For snacking I buy IN the pod, for recipes like this I buy the shelled ones. They are loaded with fiber – 1 cup along yield about 8 grams of fiber or almost one third the recommended daily amount. They are also great for folate, manganese, Vitamin C and K, and iron. (Source Nutritional Data)

Adding to that the fact that 1 cup of chickpeas has 12 grams of fiber – and this dish packs a punch most people are lacking these days. Fiber is much needed to help move food through the colon and keep us healthy.

Edamame Beans, Chickpeas, Shiitake Mushrooms and Spinach

3 Tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, diced
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 cup shelled edamame beans (thawed)
1 Tbsp dulse flakes (dulse is a red seaweed and can be found in most stores in dried flakes. It is very high, as all seaweeds are – in calcium and many other minerals. It adds a salty taste to foods and can be sprinkled on salads, in soups or stir fries, on broiled fish or sauces for an “ocean” taste)
1 Tbsp Braggs
14 oz. can of chick peas rinsed and drained – or aproximatel 1.5 cups cooked from dried ones (cooking info for dried beans)
3/4 cup purified or distilled water
1 Tbsp Arrowroot powder (healthier substitute
1 bunch fresh spinach, stems removed, washed and chopped
Juice of one lime

Saute the onion in the oil on medium heat until it starts to turn translucent. Add the salt, mushrooms, and ginger and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Stir in the edamame beans, dulse flakes, Braggs, and chickpeas.

In a separate bowl dissolve the arrowroot powder in some cold water, then pour the mixture into the pan with the beans. Stir in the spinach and cook until it has wilted. Remove from heat and add lime juice before serving, mix well.

Serve over a bed of brown rice or quinoa, or alongside some steamed vegetables. Serves 4-6.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Edamame Beans, Chickpeas, Shiitake Mushrooms and Spinach Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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How To Eat Healthy Traveling – Part Two, Dining Out

Darlene — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:19:24 +0000

Last week I shared some of my travel secrets on how I manage to eat healthy when traveling. This week I’m going to focus on eating away from home again – but this time more in the dining out arena. So this applies whether you are traveling as last week, or just going out for dinner in your own home town.

Restaurant Selection

The first and most important thing to me when dining out is restaurant selection. Whether or not you will be successful at eating healthy while out on the town is dependent on what restaurant you pick and the choices they offer.

Look Over The Menu Online

In this age of internet it is so easy and extremely helpful to go online and do some research before making any reservations. I look for reviews of local restaurants in local health conscious publications and on online restaurant databases. Even Facebook has a review application you can join and see what others recommend at home and abroad.

Look the Menu Over For Options

Okay, so you’ve found some local restaurant’s web sites – now what you say? Look through the menu at the options presented.

Look for vegetarian options or substitutions? Some places will offer tofu or seitan (wheat gluten made to look and taste like meat, sort of) options in place of meat.
Be cautious of things on the menu that is either deep fried, swimming in butter or cream sauce, or loaded up on simple carbs like pasta and bread. Stay away from ALL of the above!
Look for dishes that have loads of vegetables, salads with no cheese or meat, grilled fish or even sushi choices.

Ask About Substitutions

Once I’ve picked a few choices, I discuss with Rob and we make a reservation. If I’m still not sure about a place, I’ll ask if they allow me to make substitutions – things like, can I have more vegetables instead of the baked potato and sour cream. We personally like to patronize independently owned and operated restaurants rather than the big chains. We find them more quaint, and usually far more accommodating to dietary requests. Once we find a place we like – we usually go back often.

At the restaurant here are some things to avoid and to choose:

Things To Avoid

anything deep fried
anything with a cream sauce including white creamy soups. Even things like carrot soup or butternut squash soup often have things like heavy cream (heavy on the fat!) in them – if in doubt don’t be afraid to ask what’s in it. If you’re too embarassed tell them you have a dairy allergy. They’ll tell you for sure cause they don’t want your lips to puff up and sue them if they don’t tell you and you have a reaction. My cousin does it all the time with shrimp – she tells the staff she’s allergic, which can be pretty serious – in reality she just doesn’t like them.
dishes heavy on the meat content, low on the veggie content. Make sure if you do have meat you choose a lean chicken or fish dish – and the plate still have more veggies on it than meat. Not a 16 oz. steak and one little potato.
cheese anything, ask them to hold it if they put it on top
Sour cream or any dip that has it in it – ask if you think there might be. If you really want to eat it, just put it right on your hips and your arteries. Think again – your body will thank you!
pasta
bread and things heavy on the bread content like a giant sandwichy thing
coffee – but if you must have it, skip the cream and sugar
alcohol – but if you must, choose a glass of wine or limit to one drink with NO pop
dessert of any kind, even fruit (fruit is best eaten on an empty stomach, if eaten after a meal it can ferment and cause upset or other issues) If you think you might want dessert to finish – get an appetizer instead, or have a salad and a main or share both with your dining partner
POP!!!
Putting salt on anything – use pepper

Good choices

hummus and vegetables to dip in it, or pita bread
Asian restaurants – they often have lots of tofu or veggie dishes to choose from
Salad – hold the cheese and the croutons – ask for a vinaigrette and if they don’t have one, ask for 1/2 a lime and just squeeze that on and use it as dressing. Remember to skip the creamy dressings.
Stir fries are usually good choices, get brown rice on the side if it’s an option (or white rice if that’s the only choice)
Grilled fish or chicken breast
A Veggie burger – hold the cheese, mayo and bun. Ask for a nice mustard on it and lots of veggies like lettuce, onion, tomatoes, sprouts if they got ‘em, etc.
Bean dishes like curried chick peas, or a black bean chili – hold the cheese and sour cream (getting the idea here?!)
Lentil loaf
Vegetable soup
Sharing a large plate if you aren’t that hungry. Or share two appetizers and try more things.
Stuffed peppers

Getting some ideas?

Ask For What You Want

Like I said, don’t be afraid to ask what’s in things, or how they are prepared. You’re paying for it after all, why not get what you want, how you want it. I’m sure you’ve seen the scene in the movie “When Harry Met Sally” right? The one where she orders and asks for this on the side if this, but not if that, etc, etc. Harry thinks she’s being difficult and she just says “Well, I like it how I like it” and that was that. Go Sally, you rock girlfriend! Of course she did go on to act out the famous fake orgasm during dessert too. Gotta love it!

Just to give you all some ideas, here are the web sites of some of our favorite restaurants in Edmonton. We frequent all of these places and rotate between them depending on our mood. Find some in your area you like and stick with them. If friends ask you out to dinner – suggest they try a new place and come to one of your choices. Show them how good eatin’ is done!

Matahari Asian Fusion
Tropika Malaysian Restaurant
Padmanadi Vegetarian Restaurant
***Blue Plate Diner*** – our current fave! (104st just north of Jasper Ave)
4th and Vine Wine Bar and Bistro

Eating healthy while dining out can be as simple as doing some online research of the restaurant’s menu and making a good choice before you even leave the house. Then, make nice with the staff, ask about substitutions, and avoid non-nutritious foods. Healthy eating while dining out isn’t a chore – it’s simply a matter of perspective.

Until next time – be well and be happy!

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How To Eat Healthy Traveling – Part One

Darlene — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:34:04 +0000

Eating healthy while traveling can be a daunting task for anyone beginning a transition to a healthier diet. Some may decide to put good choices aside when they take a trip, fly, or go camping for a week. Because I have two trips in July where I’ll be traveling in a car for 2 days to attend a personal development course in BC, and then to New Zealand for work, I thought I would take the opportunity to share how I manage eating healthy while traveling and staying on track.

Travel Food

First thing I do is stock up on things I can take with me, non-perishables. Things like: trail mix, dried fruit (make sure to get non-sulphured, non-radiated brands), raw nuts, power bars (I eat only Sunrider ones), herbal teas (again Sunrider), etc. Be careful if going over the border – you have to make sure they are all in the original, sealed packages. If any are opened they could be confiscated. You can’t take fresh fruit and veggies over a border either – but you can take it with you to eat on the plane – just dump any in the trash before you hit customs.

Airplanes have very poor food choices, so it’s important to have healthy snacks like raw almonds better suited to support your health. Depending on the length of the flight, you might consider a nutritional shake as well.

Stocking Up After Arriving

Once I get where I’m going, depending on my accommodation situation, I usually hit the grocery store first – looking for an organic one nearby. If I’m in a hotel, I order a small fridge for my room and gladly pay the extra fee if they charge one for it. Last one I got was $20 a day – but is worth it to me for my health. If I’m at a “bread and breakfast” or Homestay situation, I make sure there are kitchen facilities before I book it. So my healthy travel eating starts when I am making my travel arrangements – way in advance of actually getting there. Planning ahead is key.

I also bring a good veggie rinse with me so I can wash my produce well, especially if I can’t get organic. Sunrider manufactures a fantastic fruit and vegetable rinse that I’ve used for years.

I usually make a list for groceries that looks like this:

organic granola or oatmeal
almond or soy milk (preferably almond)
fresh fruit, enough for the week or period I’m there. Things like bananas, apples, apricots, oranges that are easily eaten without a knife. I also get kiwi fruits, berries and ones that go well in smoothies.
fresh bunch of spinach
a bag of baby carrots and/or snap peas
hummus if I can find it
large jugs of bottled water, distilled preferably
a bottle of organic pure apple juice
salad stuffs or mixed greens
limes (for salads)
either a small bottle of olive oil or Braggs or both (depending on length of stay and kitchen facilities)
veggies I can easily cook if I have a kitchen (sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, chard, peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini (or in NZ as they call it there, a courgette), mushrooms)
avocados
hemp hearts if they have them
raw pumpkin seeds if they got those
raw nuts like almonds, brazil or walnuts
organic eggs if having cooking facilities
brown rice

A Sample Healthy Day While Traveling

Breakfast

Each morning I make my own breakfast which would consist of oatmeal and eggs if I can cook – fruit (eating the fruit 30 first, then digesting for 30 minutes before eating granola) and granola with almond milk. Herbal tea and water.

I then make a green smoothie of 2-3 fresh fruits, 1/3 an avocado, hemp hearts, handful of spinach, 1 cup almond milk, a few raw almonds – fill blender to top with purified water. I sweeten it with a few drops of Stevia if need be. I take a jug with me that holds 32 oz (900ml) and I fill that with smoothie and take with me for morning snack time, or sipping on during the day. I also take a power bar with me and some carrots.

Lunch

Lunch is usually on the go or out, so next week I’ll talk about eating out at restaurants and how to read menus and make good choices.

Dinner

If dinner is in and I have a kitchen, I’ll steam some veggies, make some rice and eat them with just Braggs on them. I snack on veggies or maybe some rye crackers and hummus in the evening and have more water and herbal tea.

So when asked the question “How to eat healthy when traveling”, I find the best answer is to plan ahead. Ask questions about where you are staying and make choices on the location based on the facilities available. Be willing to pay a little more to get a fridge or kitchenette so you can do some food storage and preparation – even if it’s only breakfast.

Worst case scenario – if you’ve got no kitchen or fridge – fill up the bathroom sink with ice every night, and again in the morning and put your food in there if it needs to be kept cold. Leave a note so the cleaning ladies don’t drain it. Tell them – sink drained = no tip! They’ll get the hint.

Next week, I’ll continue the series on how to eat healthy while traveling.

Until then – be well and be happy!

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Recipe: Steamed Dark Leafy Greens with Figs, Pine Nuts and Garlic

Darlene — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:00:08 +0000

We eat a lot of steamed and cooked dark leafy greens and are always looking for and coming up with new ways to dress them up with different flavors. I love figs and a little crunch adds texture – so this recipe works great. You can never have too much garlic, ever!

If you aren’t familiar with dark green vegetables make this your first try and you’ll be amazed how much energy and nutrition these leafy plants pack! For more info on them, read Rob’s article about the Top 10 Foods.

Dark Leafy Greens with Figs, Pine Nuts and Garlic

2 bunches of your favorite greens (collards, Swiss chard, kale, bok choy, gai lan) destemmed and chopped
2 Tbsp coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup cup coarsely chopped fresh or dried figs
1/4 pine nuts
Celtic sea salt and pepper

Steam the greens in a steamer or in a pan with a small amount of water. Drain well and set aside.

Heat oil in a pan to medium. Add garlic and cook for about a minute. Mmmmm, I love the smell of cooking garlic! Add the figs and pine nuts and cook until the nuts are lightly toasted. Stir continuously so they do not get burned on one side. Stir in the steamed greens and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat through or until all veggies are tender. Serves 4.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Dark Leafy Greens with Figs, Pine Nuts and Garlic Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Indian Spiced Lentil Burgers

Darlene — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 20:03:29 +0000

Rob loves lentil burgers! We’ve made several different varieties now, I had no idea there were so many options. This one caught my eye because we love Indian food and anything with curry in it. Lentils have so many benefits including: low-fat, high fiber, fill you up so you eat less, taste great! If you like Indian food and flavors try these lentil burgers and increase the spices to your own tastes.

Indian Spiced Lentil Burgers

3 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup mince onion
1 cup cooked brown or green lentils, well drained
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato (bake or steam it, boiling loses too many nutrients and makes it to moist)
1/2 cup finely chopped raw, unsalted cashews
2/3 cup spelt or kamut flakes, ground
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 tsp curry powder, or more to taste
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp turmeric

Optional for servinge: Indian flatbread or pitas, and a fruit chutney.

Optional – add more or less spice to taste; add one minced serano chili pepper; try fresh cilantro instead of parsley. If you come up with a great variation let us know!

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a frying pan, saute onion until softened and clear (about 5 minutes). Transfer to a food processor and add the lentils, sweet potato, cashews, spelt flakes, parsley, spices and salt. Process until well blended.

Shape mixture into small balls and flatten into patties. It should make about 8. Heat remaining oil in pan over medium heat. Cook patties until browned on both sides – about 5 minutes each side.

To serve, you can eat them just as the are with a little red pepper spread, hummus, or a fruit chutney of your choice. Or cut them into thin slices and roll up in a flatbread with some lettuce, tomatoe and avocado for a great wrap. Eat them hot when you make them, and take a wrap for lunch the next day – they taste great cold too and you don’t need to worry about keeping them cold at work like you do a meat sandwich. That is our version of a healthy sandwich for lunch.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Indian Spiced Lentil Burgers Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Chicken Dijon Marinade

Darlene — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:07:31 +0000

As promised, this chicken dijon marinade is our second week of recipes for the BBQ or grill. We put this one in the fridge overnight to marinate, along with last week’s Garlic Herb Marinated Vegetables. The dijon flavor totally permeated the chicken and the flavor was amazing, the chicken very tender and juicy.

We found this recipe in Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s “Eat Right America – Food Scoring Guide”. You can find it on the Eat Right America web site.

Chicken Dijon Marinade

4 boneless, skinless organic free range chicken breasts (2)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (or bottled if you don’t have limes) (4 Tbsp)
4 cloves garlice, minced (2)
1/4 cup vegan Worcestershire sauce (2 Tbsp)
3 Tbsp dijon mustard (4 tsp)

I have doubled this recipe cause 2 chicken breasts doesn’t go very far in our house. If it’s just you and you want to make a single, I’ve put the single portion amounts in brackets at the end of each line.

Mix all ingredients together, whisk to blend in mustard. Trim all visible fat from the chicken breasts. Set aside 1/2 the marinade for later and pour the rest over the chicken. Marinate for at least an hour – overnight was even better, but make sure it’s in the fridge. ALWAYS marinate your meat in the fridge! Doing this on the counter is dangerous as you can create salmonella which is deadly.

Broil on low or grill for about 7 minutes per side or until thoroughly cooked through and meat is no longer pink.

Serve with the reserved marinate on top as a sauce.

Note from Fuhrman: “this is not a high-nutrient recipe, but it is much better than fried chicken, and it is a step in a healthier direction”. If you are not familiar with high nutrient foods – you can start learning by reading Rob post on the Top 10 Super Foods.

Here’s both last week’s and this week’s recipes cooking together. Enjoy the summer!

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Chicken Dijon Marinade Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Garlic Herb Marinated Vegetables

Darlene — Fri, 30 May 2008 21:00:45 +0000

Well I figured it is almost summer here – knock on wood – so best time to have some BBQ or grilling type recipes, with a healthy twist. So here is the first of a couple, let’s start with marinated vegetables. You can eat them as a salad, or put them on skewers and grill them on the BBQ like we did. Either way – they were yummy!

Garlic Herb Marinated Vegetables

3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup Braggs seasoning
1/4 cup organic, extra virgin olive oil
1/4 Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar
1/8 tsp celtic sea salt
2 Tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, minced
2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh (fill in herb of your choice here) minced

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, whisk to blend. Add herbs and stir.

Refrigerate until ready to use, but make sure you use it the same day you make it so the herbs are still fresh. I had planned on soaking the veggies in it for about an hour while I was also marinating some chicken (come back next week for that recipe) but it turned out the chicken was still partly frozen so I left them both in the fridge overnight.

Well, I can tell you that was a happy accident cause the vegetables soaked up the sauce and were so tasty, I wouldn’t do it any other way now.

You can use just about any vegetables but some work better than others for grilling. I recommend: bell peppers (any color but red are so tasty and grill superbly), zucchini, mushrooms (button, crimini or portabello), onions (I had some little pearl onions and I put them on whole, or you can make big chunks of a regular one and use them), asparagus, eggplant, etc. I tried carrots but they took too long to cook compared to the others and we still a bit crunchy – I’d suggest either cutting them small or omitting the carrots.

This is how they looked on the grill.

Doesn’t that make you want to fire up the Barbie! So go on – off you go! Enjoy this weeks Garlic Herb Marinated Vegetables and we’ll be back on the grill next week.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Garlic Herb Marinated Vegetables Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Roasted Root Vegetables With Orange Spice Sauce

Darlene — Sun, 25 May 2008 02:00:03 +0000

We love roasted vegetables, especially in the winter and this recipe is great tasting with a zesty orange sauce. I’ve used three of our favorite root vegetables here but I’ll often mix it up and put in sweet potatoes, rutabaga, or even chopped up winter squash like butternut. Feel free to add onions if you’re so inclined also.

Roasted Root Vegetables With Orange Spice Sauce

Ingredients
4 cups golden beets, sliced (or use red ones if you can’t find golden ones)
2 cups parsnips, sliced
4 carrots, sliced

Orange Spice Sauce

2 1/2 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp paprika
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh gingeroot, grated
2 Tbsp Braggs seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all sauce ingredients together in a jar, shake well and set aside.

Wash all veggies well (leave the peals on as most of the nutrients in root vegetables are in the peals), slice them and put into a 13×9x2″ casserole or baking dish. Pour the sauce over the veggies and toss until they are coated. Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but not mushy.

Stir a few times while roasting to make sure they stay coated with the sauce. They will suck most of it up and taste delicious!

Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

Serve with Red Lentil Dahl and Marrakech couscous, as shown in the photo, or choose a big plate full of steamed greens and a lean chicken breast.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Orange Spice Sauce Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Featuring Black Bean Recipes

Darlene — Sat, 17 May 2008 22:29:18 +0000

This week’s whole food recipe will be a compilation of various bean recipes Darlene has done over the past year. These recipes include black beans, red beans and garbanzo beans. Darlene is away showing her art this weekend, so I (Rob) will be posting on her behalf.

Being low on the glycemic index, beans not only provide fiber to your diet, but also have very little, if any, impact on blood sugar.

Not All Protein Is Created Equal

Ounce for ounce, black beans provide the same amount of protein as ground beef, but have no saturated fat, no cholesterol and provide 9 grams of fiber. As well, 4 ounces of black beans are almost one third the calories as ground beef.

We love this delicious red bean cake recipe (aka burgers) that uses kidney beans. Darlene explained how the mayo clinic advises women eat 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day while men should be getting 30 to 38 grams daily. What’s staggering is that the average North American only gets 12 to 15 grams of fiber per day. Make this recipe and increase your fiber consumption. Your colon will love you for it!

Next is a black bean soup with carrots, celery and garlic. Yumm.

When it comes to three basic categories of nourishment – protein, fiber and anti-oxidant related substances – few foods have as solid a nutritional profile as black beans. Containing 15 grams of both protein and fiber per cup, omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants, this black bean soup recipe should become a staple in your meal planning.

We found an amazing cold bean salad featuring black beans and corn in the Vegan Planet Cookbook. Darlene made it with some modifications and brought it to my office for me to sample. I couldn’t stop eating it was so good!

Darlene explains that you can sprout the beans before cooking them to reduce the amount of farting. Soak the beans overnight, then spread them out on a damp cloth for another 12 hours. When they have the slightest little bit of sprout forming, all the available sugar has been used up and they’re ready to cook. Sprouting them should reduce the cook time as well.

The Gold and Black Bean salad recipe is truly wonderful and should be in your fridge all summer long.

Darlene found an African Peanut Stew recipe that knocked our socks off. This stew features the garbanzo bean (chic pea) in all it’s nutritional goodness. Garbanzo beans are a good source of protein and calcium as well as being high in iron.

We made this stew during the winter, but feel that it’s great at any time. Yes, that’s my hand in the photo.

Black Bean Sweet Potato Almond Butter Burgers round out today’s recipe selection. Based around the black bean, this burger contains nourishment from the starchy sweet potato and some good healthy yummyness from the almond butter. We’ve made this a few times and when we do, we double or triple the recipe and keep the burgers for a week in the fridge.

They’re great as the main portion of a healthy wrap (spelt wrap spread with a little hummus, the black bean burger, mixed greens, avocado and a spray of braggs), so they’re great to make if you know you’re going to be working away from home, traveling or camping. These are absolutely the best veggie burger I’ve eaten yet.

Thanks for letting me post this week’s recipe links while Darlene is away. She’ll be back next week with another fantastic whole food recipe for your collection.

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Recipe: Gold and Black Bean Salad

Darlene — Sat, 10 May 2008 16:14:56 +0000

This is another gem from one of my favorite recipe books Vegan Planet cookbook. This recipe sounded good and did not disappoint. I modified it slightly as I didn’t have any olive oil in the house, and I added tomatoes and we were happy with my version.

Beans are a great source of dietary fiber and have no fat or cholesterol – unless you add that to them. You can eat as much of them as you want. As you start adding more bean into your diet, you may have a flatulence issue but that will settle down as your body gets used to getting the much needed fiber you may be missing now. Be patient – or sprout them a bit before cooking – that will help with the gas issues. To do that – soak them overnight, spread them out on a damp cloth for another 12 hours. Once they have just the tiniest little sprout on them they are ready to cook. This step isn’t necessary but will help if gas is a concern.

Recipe: Gold and Black Bean Salad

3 cups cooked black beans, drained
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, cooked and cooled
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 package of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 shallots minced
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne (or more if you like it zippy like we do)
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp mince fresh cilantro

In a large bowl combine the beans, corn and peppers, set aside. In a small bowl combine the shallots, lime juice, spices, oil and vinegar. Whisk until blended.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preferences – I added more cayenne. Sprinkle cilantro over the top and serve.

Serves 4-6, I doubled it as I do most things and it turned out great.

The combination of flavors in the salad reminded us of a sort of salsa. Play with different kinds of beans, add in other peppers, try omitting the corn, etc. I can see us using this one a lot, enjoy – we did!

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Gold and Black Bean Salad Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Vegetable Chocolate Chili Mole

Darlene — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:58:34 +0000

Yes I said CHOCOLATE! This Vegetable Chocolate Chili Mole is amazing!

If you’ve ever eaten as a real authentic Mexican restaurant, you’ve probably seen something with “mole” sauce on the menu. I’ve got one book that says mole is a Spanish word meaning “mashed together” but I know it to mean (my own personal definition) – “very tasty, spicy Mexican sauce with dark chocolate in it!” How’s that for highly technical?!

I came across this recipe for chili mole in Extra Vegan Za and just about flipped. I LOVE mole sauce!!! This Vegetable Chocolate Chili Mole is one of the best chilis I’ve ever made. We spiced it up by adding a whole habanero pepper (one of the hottest you can get) because I can’t make anything too hot for Rob’s tastes. If you haven’t ever used one – handle with gloves, throw out the seeds, and use about 1/3 of the pepper to start. You can always add more later, but if you make it unbearably hot you won’t enjoy the subtleness of the mole – or have any feeling left in your mouth.

Vegetable Chocolate Chili Mole

3 Tbsp sesame oil
1 onion diced
6 cloves garlic, diced
2 bay leaves
1 tsp each thyme, ground cumin and basil
1/2 tsp each cinnamon and chili flakes (or more if you like hot)
1/8 tsp ground allspice
2 Tbsp chili powder (or to taste)
Several dashes of fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbsp course sea salt
1/2 cup vegan dark organic chocolate chips or chunks
1.5 cups each carrots and celery chopped
1 each green, red and yellow peppers – seeded and chopped
6 cups of cooked beans (use your favorites and mix them up: chickpeas, black beans, and pintos are what I used)
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes (or 4 cups of fresh chopped tomatoes)
1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

Heat oil in a large pot, add onions, garlic and sea salt. Cook until onions are translucent. Stir in the chocolate until it is melted. Add all vegetables (carrots, celery, peppers) and beans and saute for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and corn, reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Serve with a spelt pita or over brown rice. Serves 6-8 unless you double it like we did and eat it for a whole week!

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Vegetable Chocolate Chili Mole Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Miso Lemon Tahini Sauce

Darlene — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:11:53 +0000

We are always looking for healthy sauces and dips to make that are both tasty and multi-purpose, as well as being healthy. This Miso Lemon Tahini Sauce fits the bill perfectly. We both love miso and Japanese food in general, so this is a nice addition to our repertoire.

If you haven’t used or bought miso before, you can find it in your local grocery store in the Asian section. Once it is opened you need to refrigerate it, and never, NEVER boil it! Miso contains live enzymes because it is fermented soy beans or rice (depending on the variety you choose) and if you heat it to a boil you will kill all the enzymes and healthy “stuff” in it. I won’t get too technical, but miso has lots of health benefits including B12 and zinc. When you choose a miso, make sure it does not have MSG in it. Read Rob’s article on the Dangers of Hidden MSG to find out more on that.

Miso Lemon Tahini Sauce

1/3 cup tahini
1 Tbsp light miso
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Braggs
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup water (distilled if you have it)

This one is so easy you’ll fall over. Place all ingredients in a bowl. Stir with a spoon until smooth and creamy. Add more water if you want to use it as a sauce on vegetables like in the photo.

That’s it folks!

We’ve put this sauce on steamed vegetables as seen above and on salad. See what else you can come up with to put it on. Also seen in the recipe photo is our Red Lentil Dahl and Red Cabbage with Balsamic Vinegar.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Miso Lemon Tahini Sauce Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Black Bean Sweet Potato Almond Butter Burgers

Darlene — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 22:00:30 +0000

We are always on the lookout for a great bean or lentil burger that we can make a huge batch of and eat for days. We have come to really dislike the store bought ones for the lack of taste and large amount of salt and other preservatives and unhealthy things in them. These black bean, sweet potato and almond butter burgers fit the bill and are SO tasty!

This recipe if from Extra Vegan Za cookbook, another one of our favorites. Best part is – they were super easy to make. You just have to remember to soak your beans and cook them a day ahead or so. If you forget like I did – use the Quick Soak method, below.

8oz of black beans have as much protein or more protein than does an 8oz steak?

When I tell people I eat mostly vegetarian at home I often get asked “how do you get your protein?” Are you aware that 8oz of black beans have as much protein or more protein than does an 8oz steak? AND beans have NO fat or cholesterol and beans are full of fiber where the steak has none! Yes – you heard right – ALL MEAT has NO fiber. Zero, nada, zip. Fiber fills you up and you want to eat less – try eating two of these burgers one night and your steak the next and see which fills you up more and you have to stop eating. Think that will help control over eating? You betcha! Try it!

Black Bean Sweet Potato Almond Burgers

2 cups cooked black beans (or one 14oz can, drained and rinsed)
cooked black beans (1 2/3 cups)
Total beans: 3 and 2/3 cups
[note: first portion to be mashed, 2nd portion are whole beans - see instructions below]
1 cup sweet potato, grated
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup red onion, diced finely
1/4 cup Sicilian olives, diced
1/4 cup spelt or kamut flour
2 Tbsp Braggs
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, grated

Put first portion of black beans in a bowl and mash. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Scoop 1/3 cup of batter at a time for form patties. Place in a frying pan with a little coconut oil. Fry a few at a time for 7-10 minutes per side, or until the centers of the burgers are cooked through.

Serve alone, or in a spelt pita or whole wheat wrap (as in the photo above). Garnish with hot sauce or Avocado Wasabi Sauce as we did, and tomatoes, lettuce, etc. Get creative and think outside the box for new ideas for sauces and condiments and don’t be afraid to try things that sounds odd together – they might be great, who knows.

Beans have no fat, no cholesterol and fill you up with fiber – leaving you full on fewer calories

Soaking and cooking dried beans

Sort, rinse and soak

Sort beans by spreading them out on a clean kitchen towel or shallow baking pan. Discard any shriveled, discolored or broken beans along with stones or debris and rinse in cold water.

To soak beans, add 3 to 4 cups of water for every cup of beans or bring the water level in the pot to 2 or 3 inches above the beans. (In extremely warm weather, soak the beans in the refrigerator to avoid fermentation.) Then use one of these two methods:

Quick Soak Method

Quick soak them by bringing to a boil and boiling briskly for 2 to 3 minutes, then cover and set aside for 4 hours;

Long Soak Method

Long soak the beans at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight.

The quick soak method can remove up to 80% of the indigestible sugars that cause flatulence. The long soak method does not remove as much of the indigestible sugars but the beans retain their shape better. Do not add salt to the soaking water and always discard the soaking water before cooking.

Cook

Regardless of which soaking method you used, drain and discard the soaking water. Add fresh water or broth to a level about 2″ higher than the beans. Bring to a boil slowly, skimming off any foam that may appear on the surface. When the liquid is at full boil, reduce the heat, partially cover, and simmer until the beans are tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary. The beans are done when they can be easily mashed with a fork or easily pierced with the tip of a knife. Source: Whole Foods Market

Microwaves – Your Choice

Even though the whole foods website gives instructions for cooking them in the microwave, I do NOT suggest you use that option. I have not used my microwave in 2 years (except for timing things in the real oven). There is much controversy and discussion over whether they are safe or not, but I know one thing that has been proven – it kills virtually ALL or most of the valuable nutrients in food. Just as we know steaming is better than boiling for that same reason – we all ran out and got steamers way back when. So – the microwave leaves behind even less than if you boil your food and throw all the nutrients out in the water. The only time I boil things is when I’m making my own soup broth, and eating it!

I believe the microwave is an appliance of convenience and speed – not of high value nutritionally. You do as you will, but that’s my 2 cents worth – do your own research on it and decide yourself.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Black Bean Sweet Potato Almond Burger Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Avocado Wasabi Sauce

Darlene — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:00:48 +0000

I found this great sauce which is both healthy and tasty in the Vegan Planet cookbook, one of our favorites. You can use it as a spread, a dip or a sauce on just about anything. As you can see in the photo, we put it on lentil or bean burgers.

You need to either have soy mayonnaise or make your own (is easy, see below). Please do NOT use regular or even any of the no-fat regular mayonnaises available. In my opinion they are all crap and have so much preservatives, MSG (it is often hidden, so don’t be fooled) and salt that I wouldn’t eat it if you paid me.

Avocado Wasabi Sauce

1 large ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsely
1 green onion, minced
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp Braggs
2 tsp wasabi powder or to taste (I used double that cause I like it)
2/3 cup soy mayonnaise (see below) or use store bought Veggainaise

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Transfer to tightly covered container and refrigerate. Is best used within an hour or so of being made.

Soy Mayonnaise

6 oz. of firm tofu
1.5 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of natural sweetener like Stevia or Agave (optional)
3 Tbsp olive oil, sesame oil, flax oil or Udo’s oil – your choice base on flavor preference.

Place all ingredients except the oil in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the old in a thin stream through the feed tube until it is incorporated. Taste it and adjust seasonings to your preferences.

Store in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 4-5 days)

We found this avocado wasabi sauce great on bean burgers, or as a dip for raw carrots. The smooth texture of the avocado and the zip of the wasabi make an unsuspectingly great combination of flavors. We haven’t tried it on eggs yet – if you do, let us know what you think.

Enjoy. Bean burger recipe to follow shortly, stay tuned.

Avocado Wasabi Sauce Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Ultimate Green Lentil Vegetable Burger

Darlene — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:00:20 +0000

These lentil burgers with kale, walnuts and flax are a convenient food for us around our house. The flax seeds and kamut flour hold the burgers together without egg or other unhealthy options while kale is one of the 10 most nutritious foods you can eat. More often than not, we make a triple batch of these, cook them all and then store them to be re-heated later or used as the filler in a wrap along with avocado, fresh greens and Franks Red Hot sauce.

Each lentil burger is roughly 7.5 grams of fiber or more (depending on how much you use for each burger), so they are both filling and nutritious.

The Ultimate Green Lentil Vegetable Burger

1 Tbsp ground flax seeds
2 Tbsp Braggs
1/2 cup walnut pieces
3/4 cup cooked green lentils, well drained
1/4 cup grated onion
1/4 cup minced green kale
1/3 cup kamut flour
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large blender, combine the flax seeds and Braggs, blending until viscous and then set aside.

In a food processor, pulse the walnuts to a coarse mixture. Add the lentils, onion, kale, kamut flour, flax mixture and the salt and pepper. Process until well combined but with some texture remaining. Shape the mixture into patties and place on a platter. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Have a cup of green tea.

Heat a small portion of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the patties, cook until browned on both sides – about 4 minutes per side.

Serve hot, or if you make a large amount, store them in a container in the fridge to be reheated later or to be used as filler in a veggie wrap.

We found that no oil is required in these lentil burgers lowering their fat content even further. 1 cup of cooked lentils has less than 1 gram of fat in it so the only fat in this recipe comes from natural sources, the walnuts and flax seeds, both a good source of essential omega fats.

Serve with steamed Swiss chard and a salad, to add even more of the desired greens into your menu plan. Pictured here is Quinoa Salad from a few weeks ago.

Ultimate Green Lentil Vegetable Burger Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Green Smoothie

Darlene — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 02:23:12 +0000

Last week’s recipe was a St Patrick’s day green soup which is a favorite around our house. Continuing with our “green theme” for the month of March, in honor of St Patty, We’ve got Darlene’s favorite green smoothie recipe. Darlene is away in Vegas for a photographer trade show, so I’m posting for her (Rob). She likes fruit, and has no issues around mixing fruit and leafy greens in a blended drink, while I’m a bit more of a purist.

On a recent poll about what you choose as a liquid breakfast, only 11% of voters chose a green smoothie. I’d like to increase that number a bunch if I can. Smoothies allow for nutrients to be easily absorbed into the digestive system because we’ve taken the digestive load off the stomach. Your choices for fruits and vegetables are endless, so please don’t limit yourself to the items We describe here. Be creative.

I like big blended salad’s, but more so during the summer months when produce is fresh and available locally. Stay tuned for the blended drinks I come up with this summer.

Green Smoothie

The ingredient list is pretty straight forward. As you can see from the picture, Darlene’s green smoothie contains (from left to right), Organic Apple cider, Avocodo, a good handful or two or three of mixed greens, raw almonds, ground flax seeds, banana and kiwi fruit, herbal supplements and stevia of your choice (ours is Sunrider) ( and some distilled water – not shown)

Ingredient List

1 Banana
2 Kiwi
2 Cups organic apple cider
2 Cups distilled water
10 Raw almonds
2 Tbsp ground flax seeds
2 or 3 large hand fulls (grab a big bunch) of dark leafy greens
1/2 an Avocado
Stevia to taste (we use Sunrider brand stevia)
Herbal Supplements of your choice. Pictured are 2 Nuplus Pina Banana flavor, 5 caps Quinary, 5 caps of sport caps

Put everything in the blender and blend until smooth. It’s that easy. Consume on an empty stomach, for best digestion results and allow for your saliva to mix with the drink a few moments before swallowing. This allows for it to begin digesting before it enters your stomach.

The end result is this wonderful green smoothie and yes, that’s me holding it. (Yes we really make these recipes)

And again, this post was done by Rob because Darlene is in Vegas (without me) attending a photography trade show. [Love you baby!]

Green Smoothie Photo Credits: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Super Green St. Patricks Day Soup

Darlene — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 16:01:01 +0000

I am posting this recipe for Super Green St. Patrick’s Day Soup a week early so you can get the needed ingredients and be ready on the 17th. Rob and I created this recipe from a combination of a few different ones and just made it up as we went along. We wanted it to be Super Green, super healthy, and super tasty. I think we have achieved our goal if you can judge that by how fast it disappeared from our fridge. I hope you enjoy this “green” recipe for St Patty’s.

Super Green St. Patrick’s Day Soup

1 full stem of broccoli (not just florets)
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 a medium bok choy
1/2 bunch of asparagus, chopped into 2″ lengths
1 cup edamame beans (frozen and thawed)
2 leaves of Swiss Chard
2 leaves of kale (your favorite kind, but keep it green!)
1 leek, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
1 bay leaf
1 cup raw cashews
5 cups vegetable soup stock
1/2 Tbsp dried basil (or fresh if you can get it)
3 Tbsp Braggs seasoning
Celtic sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Wash and rinse all vegetables in a good veggie rinse to rid them of any dirt, pesticides (hopefully you’ve chosen organic to cut down on those), etc.

Cut the stem off the broccoli and peel off the outer layer with a knife or potato peeler. The inside part is much more tender and sweet. You’ll know when it’s peeled enough because you can see the outer layer looks stringier. Cut into 1/2″ length, put into a large soup pot with a small amount of the soup stock. Chop the florets into smaller pieces, set aside for now.

Chop stems from bok choy, add to pot with broccoli stems. Chop leaves into large pieces, set aside also. Do the same with the Swiss Chard – add chopped stems to pot – set aside leaves.

Also add to the pot: chopped leek, garlic, and celery. Cook over medium heat, stirring a few times, until the onions start to soften.

In the meantime de-stem the kale and chop the leaves into large chunks, set aside. Discard stems or save in a zip lock bag to make your own veggie soup stock later – add the broccoli peelings too. Do the same with the spinach.

When onions and veggies are softened, add the rest of the ingredients, except seasonings, to the pot: broccoli florets, edamame beans, chard leaves, kale leaves, spinach, asparagus, bok choy leaves, bay leaf, basil and remaining soup stock. This is how fabulous and GREEN this soup looks while it is cooking. I couldn’t resist taking an extra photo of it.

Bring to a boil, cover and turn down to simmer until all the vegetables are cooked, about 10 minutes. While it is cooking, put the cashews into a blender with 1 cup of distilled water. Blend until it is a creamy consistency. Add to soup pot, heat through.

To blend soup, either transfer to a blender in batches or use a hand blender (I use a high power one like a Bamix) right in the pot like I do. Add Braggs and salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy your Super Green St. Patrick’s Day Soup, and may the luck of the Irish be with you this March 17th.

Super Green St. Patrick’s Day Soup Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Red Swiss Chard with Onions and Raisins

Darlene — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:00:34 +0000

Green leafy vegetables are of the highest nutritional value, and the thing that many of eat the least of in our diets. Most people think “salad” or spinach when you say leafy greens, but have you ever tried and of the following: kale, Swiss chard, collards, dandelion greens, bok choy, or mustard greens? They are not only nutritious in the highest sense of the word, they are very tasty and versatile foods. Some can be a bit bitter to eat raw, but try steaming them with a bit of lime juice and apple cider vinegar for a great, easy meal – or try this Red Swiss Chard recipe as a great side dish.

Red Swiss Chard with Onions and Raisins

1 large bunch of Swiss Chard (5-6 big leaves)
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Medium onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup dried currants or raisins
3 Tbsp dried Goji berries (optional, if you have them)
1/4 tsp celtic sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

Wash Swiss chard thoroughly. Trim the tough ends of the chard and remove the leaves from the stems. Cut stems into 1/2″ pieces. Tear or cut leaves into large pieces.

In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat and add onion, garlic and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion softens, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and stir in 1/2 cup of water, chard stems, dried fruits, and 1/2 of the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat slightly and simmer, covered, until stems soften, about 10 minutes.

Add chard leaves, remaining salt and pepper to taste. Partially cover skillet, cook, stirring occasionally until chard is tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water if chard becomes too dry. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Red Swiss Chard with Onions and Raisins Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Marrakech Couscous

Darlene — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 19:00:57 +0000

Couscous is a little known grain, used often in North African dishes, especially those from Morocco. It can be prepared quickly on the counter by soaking it in boiling water, thus leaving the stovetop free to make the topping for it. In this Marrakech Couscous recipe we are not putting stuff on it, but rather in it. Can be eaten hot as a side dish or cold as a salad.

Rob likes this recipe because it’s sweet – using fresh squeezed lemon juice, orange juice and the stock from soaked fruits.

Marrakech Couscous

This recipe combines dried fruits, nuts and raw vegetables with blend of tasty spices. Serve it with steamed veggies and a piece of chicken or fish, or as a salad the next day. Or get creative and stuff it into some hollowed out peppers for a stunning dinner party presentation.

Serves 8

2 cups water
5 dried black mission figs, diced
5 dried apricots, diced
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 1/2 cups couscous
1 tsp turmeric
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1/2 cup yellow pepper, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/3 cup pistachio nuts, chopped (or your favorite raw nuts, I used walnuts)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (or 2 Tbsp dried if you don’t have fresh)

Dressing

Juice from 2 lemons
1/2 cup orange juice (squeezed fresh from whole oranges)
1/2 cup sesame oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground dried ginger
1 Tbsp agave nectar
salt and pepper to taste

Place 2 cups of water in pot along with all fruits and bring to a boil. While water is coming to a boil, place couscous in a bowl with the turmeric, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix the couscous until it is well coated with the olive oil. After the water has come to a boil, remove the fruits and set aside. Add the couscous to the water and cover with a tight lid. Allow to steam for 15 minutes.

While that is cooking, prepare the dressing by combining the lemon juice, orange juice, olive oil, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, honey, salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined.

Flake the couscous with a fork when it is done, until all the grains are fluffed and separated. Add the dried fruits, red and yellow peppers, onion, nuts and cilantro. Pour the dressing over the mixture, mix together until the ingredients and dressing are well combined.

Marrakech Couscous Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: High Fiber Triple Grain Pilaf

Darlene — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 16:00:09 +0000

Ready for a good fiber blast?! Try this high fiber triple grain pilaf instead of your usual rice dish. Adding more fiber into your diet will not only keep your digestion moving along, but eating more natural foods and less processed ones will give you more nutrients in your diet. Most on this after the recipe.

High Fiber Triple Grain Pilaf

6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup whole barley, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup millet, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups green onions, sliced
1 cup yellow onion, diced
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 bunch spinach, destemmed, and roughly chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 Tbsp Braggs seasoning
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

In a saucepan, place 3 cups vegetable stock and pearl barley, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45-50 minutes or until barley is tender. Remove from heat, drain off any excess liquid, and set aside. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, place the remaining vegetable stock, millet, quinoa, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the grains are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Drain off any excess water, leave the grains in the saucepan covered, and let sit for 5 minutes to allow the grains to steam.

In a large non-stick skillet, saute the green onions and yellow onion in coconut oil for 5 minutes to soften. Add the mushrooms and saute an additional 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sesame seeds, and saute an additional 2-3 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the sesame oil and all three cooked grains to the skillet, and saute for 3 minutes to heat through. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to saute until the spinach wilts. Taste and adjust the seasonings, as needed.

Serves 8-10

A Variety Of Whole Foods

What is the benefit of fiber and whole foods you might wonder? Our bodies are capable of amazing things like recovering and regenerating itself – but in order to do that it needs a wide variety of whole foods rich in vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants. The best way to get those much needed things is from natural, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and grains.

Whole Grains

Be sure to choose the whole grains, not ones that have been stripped of their outer husk (that has the most fiber and many of the nutrients – it’s like peeling your fruit) or have been pre-ground, heated, irradiated, or otherwise processed. If it doesn’t look exactly like it grew on the plant – it isn’t a whole grain.

Some common types of whole grains are:

wild rice
brown rice
whole wheat
oatmeal
whole oats
barley
whole rye
bulgar

Some less common ones include:
* amaranth
* millet
* quinoa
* sorghum
* triticale
* spelt
* kamut
*couscous

Here’s a good guide on how to cook grains. Buy organic when possible, it will be free of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and have a higher nutrient content.

Try a few of these and see which are your favorites. Mix it up in this recipe too, be adventurous. You might find you really like something you’ve never heard of until now.

See you next week when we look at Couscous!

High Fiber Triple Grain Pilaf Photo Credit: Her View Photography

Also seen in the photograph, red lentil dahl and roasted root vegetables.

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Recipe: Wheat-free Whole Grain Pancakes

Darlene — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 19:00:18 +0000

I found this whole grain pancake recipe in a little booklet when I bought some grain from a farmer’s market years ago. I’ve had it tucked away and recently pulled it out when I was asked what I eat for breakfast. While weekdays we mostly eat 8 grain cereal from Red Mills, on the weekends we sometimes like a treat but still want something healthy. This wheat free whole grain pancake recipe fits the bill as it creates the lightest, most delicious melt-in-your-mouth pancakes ever while staying wheat free for those with allergies.

Whole Grain Pancakes

Put one cup of almond milk in the blender, add 1 cup of your favorite grains (I used spelt and rye kernels). Blend for 4 minutes. While blending assemble and add:

2 organic free-range eggs
2 Tbsp Agave (or honey)
1.5 Tbsp Aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 (or less) of Celtic sea salt

Blend for a few seconds to mix. If the batter is too runny, add a bit of Kamut or Spelt flour until thickened. You want the batter to be a bit thick so it doesn’t run out, but not too thick as to be clumpy. If the batter is too thick, add a bit more almond milk.

Pour on a lightly oiled (we us coconut oil) pan or griddle on medium heat. Cook until most bubbles on the surface have popped, check that the bottom is browned. Flip and brown second side. Serve with real maple syrup, almond butter, or apple butter. Avoid putting margarine or butter on your pancakes to eliminate saturated fats. Or blend your favorite berries in the blender and make a berry sauce/syrup.

Whole Grain Pancakes Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Quinoa Salad

Darlene — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 16:00:44 +0000

February I will be featuring recipes using different types of grains. I find that many people don’t know how to cook grains or what to do with them. So I hope you try something different and add some grain into your diet. NOTE: none of my recipes have wheat in them for those of you that can’t eat wheat – and please note that these grains I’m using are NOT wheat.

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is the grain of the gods according to the Incas of Peru. On my recent trip there I found the people there ate a lot of this powerhouse grain. Not only is it tasty, but it is highly nutritious. If it’s good enough for the Incas – it’s good enough for me! Try it in this colorful and delicious Quinoa Salad.

Quinoa Salad

Cooked 1 cup of Quinoa in 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Rinse it before cooking, bring to a boil, simmer for 20-30 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the grain is tender. Set aside to cool completely.

1 cup edamame beans (shelled)
1 cup of your favorite beans, I used chick peas
1/2 cup black olives, sliced (optional, but add a nice taste)
1 yellow or orange pepper, seeded and chopped
3 tomatoes chopped
1 cucumber chopped
3 green onions chopped
1 bunch parsley minced
1 cup fresh basil finely chopped or herbs, as desired (or used some dried if you don’t have any fresh ones)

Put all chopped vegetable in large bowl with cooked and cooled quinoa.

Dressing
1/4 cup sesame or Udo’s oil
1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 garlic cloves minced or pressed
Salt and pepper, to taste

Mix dressing in a jar. Toss salad with dressing and serve.

This quinoa salad lasts well in the fridge for several days. If you want it to have more zip, add some balsamic vinegar in place of some of the Apple cider vinegar. You can also try using different vegetables or even a different grain like: Barley, mushrooms, asparagus and eggplant. Or spelt, corn, tomatoes, jalapenos and black beans for a Mexican touch. Don’t be afraid to play around with it and use what you have in the fridge or pantry. Sometimes you get a happy accident and make something really great.

Until next week.

Quinoa Salad Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Red Bean Cakes

Darlene — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 22:00:57 +0000

We eat beans a lot at our house because they are packed full of nutrients, high in fiber, and are very low in fat and calories. Basically they fill you up so you don’t want to eat a lot of other stuff that might not be as good for you. This Red Bean Cake recipe fits the bill perfectly!

Red Bean Cakes

1 Tbsp of water
1 small red onion
1 small red pepper chopped and seeded
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 large garlic clove minced (I use a garlic press)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste (we use double, we like it spicy)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 cans (12oz) of red beans (pinto, kidney or other red ones) drained and rinsed
1 cup cold cooked brown rice
2 Tbsp fresh minced parsley
1 egg white
1/2 cup spelt flakes (or ground oats if you don’t have spelt flakes)
Coconut oil

Heat the water in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery garlic, spices. Cook, stirring occassionally, until vegetables are softened. Season with the sea salt and pepper to taste – set aside to cool (VERY IMPORTANT – if you do not cool this mixture, it will make the batter to runny too form into cakes)

In a food processor combine the beans, rice parsley, cooked vegetable mixture, egg white and spelt flakes. Pulse to blend, leaving some texture in tact. If you find the mixture to runny, add more spelt flakes. If you find it too thick, add a bit of water. Shape into patties and set aside.

Melt a bit of coconut oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the bean cakes, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 7-10 minutes. Keep them warm in the oven on “low” while you prepare the rest of your meal, or you can choose to serve them with Creamy Almond Sauce.

Also seen in the photo: steamed kale with hemp hearts and a small mixed greens salad.

How much fiber do you need daily? Are you getting enough?

When you first start adding beans into your daily nutritional plan you may find your body takes a while to adjust to the added fiber. You will likely experience more gas than normal, and yes increased flatulence, or farting. NOTE: this is perfectly normal!!! Most people in North America eat very little fiber. The Mayo Clinic recommends women eat 21-25g a day and men should consume 30-38g of fiber daily. The average North American though only gets about 12-15g a day, less than half the recommend daily amounts. This is staggering.

When we eat at home, we eat a 90% vegetarian diet. I often get asked “where do you get your protein”? I can tell you that a bowl of black bean soup has the same amount of protein as an 8oz steak. BUT the beans have about 15g of fiber, are high in minerals like iron, calcium, and potassium and are also LOW in fat and have NO cholesterol. The steak on the other hand – while it does have protein and some iron – is HIGH in saturated fat, cholesterol and has ZERO fiber.

Are you aware that all meat has NO fiber? None, nada, zip, zero, zilch. Now while I’m not suggesting you eat vegetarian – I am suggesting that most of us could stand to eat more fiber on a daily basis. Beans are a great way to get heaps of fiber and they taste great.

Fiber is a necessary part of a healthy diet. It helps act like a broom by moving the food along in our intestines faster. Most people don’t like to talk about bowel movements, but you should have one per day at the minimum. Actually one for every meal you eat – food in = food out. So if you are not THAT regular, try these bean cakes and the other recipes this month and see if we can’t get you in the bathroom a bit more often.

To your good colon health!

Red Bean Cakes Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Creamy Almond Sauce

Darlene — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 19:00:09 +0000

This is a multi-purpose, great tasting and easy to make sauce. You can put it on lentil loaf, bean cakes, quinoa cakes, sweet potato pancakes or anything else that needs a sauce or gravy.

This creamy almond sauce recipe is simple, with shallots or onions, almond milk and raw almonds. That’s it. Pure nutrition without the calories, oil or saturated fat in traditional gravies.

Creamy Almond Sauce

1/4 cup raw almonds
1 Tbsp minced shallots
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

Place the almonds and shallots in a blender or food processor and grind into a paste. Add the almond milk, salt and pepper to taste and blend until smooth.

Transfer to a small saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring until just hot. If you want it a bit thicker just cook a little longer.

A great way to make a new choice that is both healthy AND great tasting, instead of a choosing a fat laden gravy.

Make a double batch and store it in an old pickle jar.

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Recipe: Lentil Loaf

Darlene — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 16:00:57 +0000

We use lentils in a number of recipes throughout the week. Red Lentil Dahl is a regular at our table, and we use lentils in one of our favorite soups, barley lentil soup. This Lentil Loaf recipe is very filling as it’s high in fiber and makes a nice meatless meal, even surprising the avid meat eater guest you may have over. We make a triple batch of this, eating one and freezing the other two, then use them as fillers in wraps along with hummus and a good portion of salad mix. I hope you enjoy.

Lentil Loaf

1 onion, diced
2 Tbsp water
2 cups cooked lentils, drained
1/2 cup walnuts, ground
1 cup rolled oats (ground, if desired)
1 cup barley, cooked
1/2 cup pureed tomatoes
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional)
1/2 tsp each garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, basil and sage
2 Tbsp Braggs or soy sauce

Braise onion in water for about 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Combine all ingredients, including cooked onions in a large bowl. Turn into an oiled loaf pan.

Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes. Serve hot with mushroom gravy.

Lentil Loaf Mushroom Gravy

1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup onions, diced
1 tsp olive or canola oil
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup cornstarch (dissolved in 1/2 cup water)
2 Tbsp miso
3 Tbsp Braggs or soy sauce
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp each sage and thyme
Pepper to taste

Sauté mushrooms and onions in oil for about 5 minutes. Combine cornstarch with ½ cup of water. Add all ingredients to mushroom, onion mixture. Stir constantly until gravy thickens. Serve hot over lentil loaf.

Also pictured in the photo as a side to the lentil loaf are sweet potato’s with lime and cilantro which will be posted on another day.

Lentil Loaf Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Red Lentil Dahl

Darlene — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:00:11 +0000

Red Lentils are a staple in our household as they’re nutritionally dense foods, a good source of iron and contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. We eat this Red Lentil Dahl a few times a day because it’s easily digestible and a great source of protein and other nutrients. We have a special note on this recipe to “make a double batch” just as a reminder.

Red Lentil Dahl

2 cups Red Lentils
5 cups Purified Water
3/4 tsp Turmeric
3” piece of Kombu

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the Kombu and cut finely. Return it to the puree. Lentils will turn to mush as they cook and become a beautiful golden yellow color. This is NORMAL you have not done it wrong if this happens. Many people think it is an error the first time they make dahl, but it is correct I assure you.

Add:
2 Tbsps Braggs
1 tsp dried Rosemary (pour it into your hand and crush it up before putting into the dahl)
4 Tbsps Chives or Scallions finely diced

Serve and enjoy.

Red Lentil Cooking Tips

Lentils do not need to be pre-soaked
Use 3 cups of water for each cup of Lentils
Before cooking lentils, spread them out and look for small rocks or other foreign matter

Red Lentil Dahl Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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