Former Fat Guy Blog » Recipes

Your 5-Minute Fat Loss Shake

Rob — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:33:02 +0000

[ Note: This article was written by fitness and nutrition author Jon Benson. I have his permission to share it with you. Jon is the author of the Seven Minute Muscle Workout]

Protein shakes are a dime a dozen. However a high-quality protein drink that is both homemade and nutritious is a rare find. Most protein drinks today have traveled the path of least resistance — cheap and potentially dangerous sweeteners, sugar alcohols (in order to bring down the supposed “carb count”), and protein sources that are often dubious…and accompanied with more outrageous claims than grams of the good stuff.

I use a simple, homemade, economic and super-healthy protein drink at least five times a week during my normal nutrition cycle and several times a day during peak training cycles where I need to be in top shape. My strategy for building this drink was simple:

Go hormone-free and organic with everything possible;
Go with plenty of healthy fats rather than cheap sugar substitutes to help control insulin and provide more satiety;
Think ‘raw’;
Make it delicious!

Below you will find this recipe, complete the the exact ingredients used. It takes less than five minutes to make and keeps me full for 2-3 hours. It is less than 1/3 the cost of an out-of-the-box MRP (Meal Replacement Product) and contains 1/10th the number of ingredients — and that’s a good thing. If you cannot pronounce it, it’s probably bad for you. And it tastes fantastic!

Mix the following into a high-quality blender:

1. One heaping scoop of Jay Robb’s Egg White Protein You will need to adjust this amount to your body weight. I use up to 1.5 grams times my body weight (max) and as low as 1 gram times my body weight when doing two shakes a day. For me this is between 20 and 35 grams of powder. Jay uses the best sources available, including hormone-free cattle and Stevia, a herbal sweetener, to make his excellent protein. There are no additional carbs to speak of and only the bare essentials ingredient-wise. Jay also makes a high-quality whey. I will often combine the whey and the egg white powders, using a bit over half a scoop each.

2. One raw egg (cage-free) Do not worry about cholesterol or getting food poisoning. These claims are mostly media hype. You need the high-quality protein and fats found in the egg. Most people try to go low-fat when making a protein shake. This is a mistake, as fats are crucial to the digestion of protein. As for contamination: Roll the egg on the counter. If it wobbles, you are safe to consume it. I’ve used this technique for ten years and I’ve yet to have one case of food poisoning consuming raw eggs. Oh, and it makes the protein drink taste better (believe it or not.)

3. Five grams of L-Glutamine Powdered L-Glutamine (I use Jarrow’s brand) is one of the healthiest things you can supplement your diet with. L-Glutamine has been shown to be one of the most powerful nutrients for both recovery and immunity enhancement. Bodybuilders will take up to 25 grams per day of L-Glutamine during hard training cycles; I do as well. It makes a tremendous difference in both performance and wellness. It is tasteless, too.

4. Five grams of Creatine Monohydrate If you want more strength and muscle fullness, good old creatine monohydrate (the non-fancy stuff; just monohydrate for me) works like you would not believe. Five grams per day is all you need. Like L-Glutamine, it is tasteless. I use Jarrow Brand.

5. Raw almonds I cannot say enough good stuff about almonds. Besides tasting great, they are loaded with essential fats and healthy fiber. Here is how I measure how much to use. This comes right out of my book “The Every Other Day Diet”.

Get it here:

The Every Other Day Diet The “Cheat To Beat” Diet Plan

You can find 15 other shake recipes and over 40 pages of recipes in my book that fit the bill of being tasty and fantastic fat-burning meals. Here is the trick: Divide your body weight by 10. That’s it. If you weigh 200 pounds as I do, that means 20 almonds. Simple, right? I created an entire measuring system for Every Other Day Diet’s SNAPP! System of eating that is this simple for everything: Calories (none to count), carbohydrates, fats, protein intake… even water!

6. Frozen berries (raspberries mixed with blueberries) Yes, fresh is better than frozen… but frozen makes the shake more frothy. Plus I buy organic berries and freeze them in containers. There is practically nothing lost in the process. How much? Simple: Divide your body weight by 5! In my case this is 40 berries, or about a handful. Once you count them out once or twice you never have to again.

7. Pumpkin seeds This was a great find: A super-healthy and tasty addition to my protein recipe, plus a nice bump in the fiber content. Measuring something as fine a seeds is a bit more challenging using my numeric system, so we keep it simple: Use your palm. Just pour the seeds into your palm. Make sure they are not forming a pyramid or overflowing. That’s the ideal amount.

8. 1 to 1.5 cups of pure water I use only 1 cup of water as I like my shake thick.

9. 1 cup of ice Adjust to taste and texture preference.

10. Stevia (to taste) I love Stevia. It is an herbal sweetener that does not cause an insulin spike like sugar or even sugar alcohols can, and does not have the health hazards of artificial sweeteners. I use a few packets as I like my shake nice and sweet.

There you have it: A mostly raw, protein-rich, health-fat, carb-friendly protein drink that will fill you up for hours, tastes great, and contains more raw nutrition than most people get in a week.

P.S. There’s an eye-opening weight loss video you need to see.

Watch it here: Weight Loss Video Watch

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Recipe: 3 Dairy Free Coleslaw Dressings

Rob — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:15:29 +0000

Coleslaw is one of my favorite side dishes so for variety sake, we had to come up with some dairy free coleslaw dressings. Cabbage is part of the cruciferous vegetable family and is excellent for colon health. If you’re a guy, colon health and specifically cruciferous vegetables play a big role in prostate health and increasing testosterone. We make our own coleslaw around our house, grating fresh red and yellow cabbage ourselves. I like to make different sorts of dairy free coleslaw dressings, some with a little kick.

I used to think that coleslaw dressings were always white and creamy because that’s how it was when my mom made it. It’s also how you’ll find the fast food variety of coleslaw, like KFC or otherwise. We like mustard and lime and spices such as cayenne, so they’re included in our dressings.

Growing up, coleslaw dressings typically included dairy and or mayonnaise, but for health and weight loss reasons, dairy should be completely avoided.

Honey Mustard Coleslaw Dressing

½ cup olive oil
½ cup Udo’s Oil
3 Tbsp organic Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp Honey or Agave (unpasteurized honey if possible)
Celtic sea salt or Real Salt brand sea salt to taste

Place all ingredients in a jar or blender. I like the magic bullet blender for this purpose. Bullet blenders are so versatile. Shake or blend until combined.

Honey Lime Coleslaw Dressing

3 Tbsp Lime Juice – fresh squeezed or bottled organic
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup – Darker syrups have more minerals
1 tsp Turmeric
½ cup Almond Milk
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp to ¼ tsp Celtic sea salt or Real Salt brand sea salt

Place all ingredients in a jar or blender and shake or blend until combined. Change the amounts of almond milk and maple syrup to vary the thickness. Ie: use less almond milk, or a little more maple syrup.

This dairy free coleslaw dressing can also be used on a salad.

Rob’s Spicy Fat Burning Coleslaw Dressing

½ cup Udo’s Oil
¼ cup Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar
3 Tbsp Honey or Agave Syrup
2 tsp Celtic sea salt or Real Salt brand sea salt
¼ tsp or more of Cayenne pepper
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp mustard seeds (optional)
½ tsp celery seeds (optional)

If blending, mix all items into blender and blend until mixed. Then add the seeds. If using a jar, place all items into jar and shake.

Because of the healthy fats from Udo’s Oil, the cayenne pepper and black pepper and the apple cider vinegar, I call this my Fat Burning Coleslaw Dressing.

Dairy Free

We replace cows milk with Almond Milk. You can either make your own almond milk or purchase it. Completely skip any mayo as there’s no nutritional advantage to it. Dairy free is the way to go as far as I’m concerned, in your coleslaw and in your life.

Don’t Avoid the Salt

Table salt should be thrown out and replace with sea salt. Salt should have color, not be white. The minerals in sea salt is what gives it the various colors and does the body good. Salt is not a bad thing, but has to be balanced with a larger amount of potassium (Cave man ate roughly a 10:1 potassium to sodium ratio). Dark leafy greens, apples, apple cider vinegar and other vegetables are sources of potassium. Too much salt is not necessarily the problem, but rather too little potassium. For step by step information on including more potassium in your diet, in a natural and tasty way, have a look at my Fat Loss Fundamentals – 12 weeks to better eating course.

Other Replacements

Non nutritional oils are replaced with Udo’s Oil for it’s health and fat burning properties and any white distilled vinegar is replaced with unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar (I use Bragg brand).

Note: because of the variety of sizes of the coleslaw dressings, you’ll have to play with the amount of cabbage you use. If you like your slaw creamier and richer, use less cabbage. If you like the taste a little milder, use more cabbage. I’m sure you get the idea.

For best results, make ahead of time, stir dressings into the shredded cabbage and allow for flavors to mix for a few hours. Make lots, keep in a covered container in the fridge and have as a side for a few days.

Coming soon: Wasabi coleslaw dressing and Horseradish coleslaw dressing

Because coleslaw is an excellent way to improve colon health, and because I just like cabbage so much, I eat it on a fairly regular (no pun intended) basis and suggest you do too. These dairy free coleslaw dressings are simply one way to add variety to your meals.

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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!

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.

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 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: 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 13x9x2″ 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: 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: 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: 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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Invest In Yourself With High Quality Food

Christina — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:00:39 +0000

At what cost are you denying yourself the nutrients, vitamins or nutrition your body needs? Is gourmet coffee or those lottery tickets keeping you from eating more nutritious foods?

Ever gone to the grocery store and substituted for something you wanted because of the price or because it wasn’t on sale? Then, you go out of your way to indulge in the $5.00 cup of coffee. C’mon, raise your hand.

Spending money on essentials such as food is something our bodies need us to do and if you make healthy choices, you can do it guilt free!

Does Cheap Food Mean Lower Quality Of Life?

Eating on the “cheap” can save you money but it can also cost you thousands of dollars on prescription drugs, time away from work, valued time with your family not to mention a lesser quality of life. How do you want to live your life?

Everyone wants to maximize their dollar and groceries are no exception especially if you have a family or are self supportive. It’s no surprise that obesity is on the rise with how easy it is to buy high calorie, processed foods, manufactured foods at low cost to the consumers. Take a look at the flyers that are delivered daily to our homes and it’s easy to fall into buying because it’s a great deal! For example, 2 for $x or 3 for $x and don’t forget the dollar specials that are now common yearly specials for the major supermarket chains.

Time to Take Stock. Not Stock Up!

I’m not pleading innocent and I will admit I have in the past succumbed to the stockpiling purchasing. At one time I had 22 Lipton’s Sidekicks in my pantry and numerous tinned soups. While unloading the groceries, I took quick stock and realized that I kept buying more because they were on sale. I hadn’t even used up what I had. I wondered about the shelf life of these items so as I read the packaging to look for expiry date because I didn’t want them to go bad, it was then I read the Nutritional Facts. The entire package prepared to their specifications would be 850 Calories, one quarter of daily Sodium intake, as well as preservative and chemicals I can’t pronounce all in the serving of 2 Cups. This package wasn’t meant for the entire meal, this was a side dish. Add meat and veggies to this calorie carb packed dish and you’re sure to consume well over half of your daily calories in one meal alone not to mention becoming a lethargic couch potato all night long.

You Are In Control

As a society, food is marketed for value, convenience and improved taste. It wasn’t until I read that label on that package in my pantry that I owed it to educate myself to know what nutrition I was or was not consuming. I went online and investigated the Weight Wise program by Capital Health which is region wide health system that services over 2.6 Million people across Alberta, Canada. The workshop that appealed to me was a 2 Day Adult workshop, In It for the Long Haul. It was there that I learnt about reading labels in the grocery store, nutrition, food planning, preparing food, etc. Is this isn’t available to you, contact your local grocery store to take advantage of a free tour with a nutritionist to point you in the right direction.

Whole Foods – A Natural Choice

If you are looking for a healthier way to live, whole foods are a great place start. Simply put, whole foods are foods that have all their vitamins, minerals, and nutrients intact without being processed or tampered. Consider the potato to the potato chip or the beloved French fry. This also includes grains that are stripped throughout the refining process and the result is to enrich the flour to replace the nutrients lost. Enriched does not necessarily mean that it now contains all nutrients it originally possessed nor is it as nutritious as it once was. Quite often fiber is lost throughout this process.

Some of the benefits of eating whole food are they contain fiber, minerals and vitamins which will reduce the risks of diseases such as Diabetes, Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease. Not to mention antioxidants which protect cells against damage.

All these are important benefits of consuming whole foods are important to me but for me personally, it is also taste and quality. I simply take pleasure in using the freshest ingredients possible, trying new recipes and tasting new foods. Some of my favorite veggies are Kale, Arugula and Broccoli. This isn’t always the easiest to do in the dead of winter so my recommendation is to eat foods in season and readily available which can cut down your grocery bill. The price in the supermarket quite often reflects this and is your clue to savings.

One thing I realized while redesigning my pantry and fridge was that many times I had good intentions on eating my fruits and veggies but once again I fell into the buy more, save more trap.

I would buy fresh produce and use it for a few meals. Before you know it, it has developed mold in the crisper of the refrigerator and then into the garbage. Not only were well needed nutrients being lost but I was throwing money away. It was a wasteful way to shop. Today I buy food in smaller, manageable portions that I know I will use. If I have over purchased, I make excess vegetables into delicious and hearty soups or dips.

Another cost saving tip is to buy dried beans and grains in bulk which are inexpensive and can be stored in jars. Beans can be used to create healthy dips, salad dressings or toppings for stews, salads or into a dish such as Dahl. You will be amazed at how much tastier and beneficial hummus made from dried beans tastes compared to the processed tubs sitting in the deli of your local supermarket. Just like any recipe you make, you can adjust and create to your own liking! Not to mention, it can be quite a bit cheaper and save you the bill the restaurant. Make a double batch for those times when you don’t want to stand in front of the stove. “Planned Over’s” can save the day.

Non Essential Elimination Challenge

Take my challenge: Eliminate one non essential item(s) per week from your purchases and put the money you would have spent towards a healthier grocery list! It’s all about choice.

Some items that you might consider eliminating:

A dinner out
a movie rental
lottery tickets
expensive coffees
clothing
magazines

Invest in yourself. You are worth it.

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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: 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: Amazing Hummus

Darlene — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 22:00:34 +0000

Hummus is a staple food in our house-hold. It has amazing taste and nutritional value thanks to the chick peas in it. Is great when you’re in a hurry and need something filling, that’s also good for you. Use it as a dip for rye crackers, carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes or zucchini – try your favorite vegetables. Or take it on the road as a spread, in a spelt wrap with some salad mix and veggies. It is an ideal part of a healthy food plan, it is rich and creamy and full of calcium, protein and iron.

Hummus

1 1/2 cups chick peas (canned or cooked – see Moroccan Chicken recipe for details on how to cook dried chick peas) drained
1/4 cup tahini (ground sesame paste)
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3-5 cloves garlic to taste (we love it so we use lots!)
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley or 2 tsp dried
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. If it is a little dry you may have to add some water, about 1/4 cup should do it. Add more water if you want it a bit thinner to use as a dip.

Makes about 2 cups – can easily be doubled and I suggest you do so because it will go fast!

I can’t say enough about the valuable little chick pea. I use tonnes of them. I recommend cooking 3 cups of dried and just keeping them in a sealed bowl in the fridge, handy for when you need them. I put chick peas into stir fries or curries, add them to salads, make dips like this one, or just grab a handful and eat them. They are fabulous!

Hummus Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Moroccan Chicken

Darlene — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 16:00:24 +0000

Moroccan cuisine has long been considered as one of the most diversified cuisines in the world. The reason is because of the interaction of Morocco with the outside world for centuries. The cuisine of Morocco is a mix of Arab, Berber, Moorish, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean African, Iberian, and Jewish influences. The cooks in the royal kitchens of Fez, Meknes, Marrakech, Rabat and Tetouan refined Moroccan cuisine over the centuries and created the basis for what is known as Moroccan cuisine today. Source: Wikipedia

Moroccan Chicken

This recipe is taken from the recipe book called Easy Beans, and I’ve made a few substitutions to suit us. I used dried chick peas not canned, I’ve given measurements for both. If you choose to use dried beans (benefit is a lot more nutrients, richer taste, crisper texture, and you get to control the salt content) you do have to plan ahead a day or two before you want to make this recipe.

Sort, rinse and soak

Sort beans by spreading them out on a clean kitchen towel or shallow baking pan. Discard any shriveled 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 them by bringing to a boil and boiling briskly for 2 to 3 minutes, then cover and set aside for 4 hours; or, 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

For chick peas that is about 1 hour 20 minutes approximately.

2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 boneless, skinless organic or free-range chicken breasts, cut in 1/2
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (14 oz/398 mL) chopped tomatoes
OR 2 large fresh tomatoes chopped and 1/2 small can tomato paste
1 medium zucchini sliced and chopped (I didn’t have one so I used green pepper instead)
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin (more if desired)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Bragg’s liquid aminos to taste
1 cup canned or dried/cooked chick peas (if using canned, drain and rinse them first)
2 Tbsp raisins (optional)
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice or couscous

In a skillet heat oil and brown chicken on both sides. Remove from pan. Add onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes. Return chicken to pan and simmer, covered in tomato mixture until chicken is no longer pink in the middle (20-30 minutes). Stir in zucchini or whatever vegetable you are using, add oregano and spices. Cover and simmer for 5 more minutes or until veggies are tender. Add chick peas and raisins, heat through. Serve over rice or couscous.

Optional: if you like it spicier, feel free to add your favorite hot sauce to the pot or your own bowl.

Chick peas – nutritional value

Chickpeas are a helpful source of zinc, folate and protein.[5][6] They are also very high in dietary fiber and hence a healthy food, especially as a source of carbohydrates for persons with insulin sensitivity or diabetes. Chickpeas are low in fat and most of it is polyunsaturated.

One hundred grams of mature boiled chickpeas contains 164 calories, 2.6 grams of fat (of which only 0.27 grams is saturated), 7.6 grams of dietary fiber and 8.9 grams of protein.

Chickpeas are also a good source of calcium (49-53 mg/100 g). Some sources cite the garbonzo as equal to yogurt and close to milk. Source: Wikipedia

Moroccan Chicken Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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My Homework – Mung Bean Nutritional Information

Rob — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 03:03:36 +0000

I started a Winter Weight Loss and Fitness Challenge on my forum for the sole reason of busting a belief about “not being able to stick to a fitness program over the holidays”. To fully bust it, I decided to start a fitness program over the holidays and get a bunch of friends from the forum to join me. My part of this homework assignment, which you’ll see below was my Mung Bean Dahl Recipe.

We started on December 1st, 2007 and this first session will last a full 3 months.

At the beginning of each month, we set our goals and then take weekly steps towards them. We check in each Sunday night or Monday morning with our results for the week as well as set new goals for the upcoming week.

Bearly Joe posted any possible challenges he knew were coming up in the week as well as listing what he can do to be proactive about it. He prepares in advance for things that might take him off course. I thought it was a great idea and have incorporated it into the challenge.

I decided to create some homework in the 3rd week.

Winter Weight Loss and Fitness Challenge

The idea of homework was again, to be proactive about health and nutrition. To assign homework that would educate the members on whole foods, their nutritional value and to create a recipe that included the food they were studying. For this first homework assignment, I asked everyone to research a vegetable that they’ve never eaten before and then turn in their results within 2 weeks. (it was the Christmas holidays, so I wanted to give ample room).

Bearly Joe, from Madison Wisconsin joined the forum in July, but wasn’t active until I sent out the notice about this weight loss challenge. He’s since asked us to play “Stump The Vegan Know-It-All” having been vegetarian / vegan for a great many years. He’s since become a wealth of knowledge on all things green.

3rd Week Homework

Here’s what I posted in the forum for the homework assignment:

Find a new vegetable that you’ve not eaten before and :
Research the vegetable – what are the nutritional benefits, amounts of fiber, is it a starch or not and do a small report about it, then :
Create a recipe using the new vegetable. Or work the vegetable into a recipe that you already make and then :
Post your report and your recipe here in the Challenge Homework Topic

Joe picked Collard Greens stating

Since I have tried every vegetable available, I will offer information on a group of vegetables few people eat enough of — dark, leafy greens. These vegetables pack a nutritional punch to which no other food can compare.

He left us with Collard Greens full nutritional profile including what parts to cook, trimming, washing and cooking and then his favorite recipe

Sautéed Collard Greens

a recipe by Bearly Joe

6 cups chopped, washed, fresh, organic collards
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup diced shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes (or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes)
1 teaspoon lightly toasted sesame seeds
scant drizzle (about 1/4 teaspoon) dark roasted sesame oil

In a cold, large, deep frying pan, add the oil and warm to medium heat. Add the shallots and saute for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the shallots are translucent. Add the garlic and saute an additional minute. Add the pepper, and saute for an additional 30 seconds, scraping the bottom of the pan constantly and even distributing the pepper through the oil and other ingredients.

Place the greens in the pan, mixing thoroughly with the other ingredients. Cover for one minute, then uncover and again thoroughly mix. Repeat until greens are done, about five minutes. Immediately remove from heat. Drizzle a scant amount of dark roasted sesame oil over the greens and mix. Plate, and garnish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

2 large servings, each about 225 kcal. Delicious with red beans and rice.

Joe says that this recipe can be used for any organic greens such as Collards, Chard or Kale so feel free to modify.

Since Darlene and I were doing research for bean and legume recipes for her January recipes here on the blog, I chose Mung Beans.

Here is my official homework assignment from the winter weight loss and fitness challenge 2007:

Mung Beans Nutritional Information

Mung beans are small, oval and green in color. They’re native of India where they are a staple but are also used in China, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Southeast Asia. Mung beans can be eaten whole, with or without their skins, or sprouted and thrown into salads for a nutritional boost.

Mung beans do not require pre-soaking, so are perfect for a last minute bean recipe.

In Ayurveda, Mung beans are cherished because they are tridoshic – meaning they can be eaten to balance all three dosha’s, Vata, Pita and Kapha.

Mung beans are very nourishing and easy to digest

Mung Bean Nutritional Information

Finding mung bean nutritional information was a bit of a challenge. I found lots of references to canned mung beans and tables showing various bean nutritional information but not from reliable sources (my opinion), but finally found this:

In 3.5 oz or 100g

Calories: 350
Total Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 63g
Fiber: 16g (that’s a shit load, by the way)
Sugars: 7g
Protein: 24g (nice healthy amount)

But with all the information on the internet and not knowing the sources, I still didn’t trust even this bit of info. I mean, they’re Mung beans, and to have 63g of carbohydrates?

So for the final word on mung bean nutritional information, I had to turn to the book I first bought when I became vegetarian back in 1993, the Corinne T Netzer Encyclopedia of Food Values.

Just as I thought

The Real Mung Bean Nutritional Information

In ½ cup of cooked mung beans

Calories: 95
Total Fat: .5g
Carbohydrates: 16.5g
Fiber: 1.2g
Protein: 6.8g

Source (Corinne T Netzer’s Enclycopedia of Food Values, p 392)

So here it is, what I’ve been dying to share with you and my homework for this week, my Mung Bean Dahl recipe!

Rob’s Kick Ass Mung Bean Dahl Recipe

4 cups purified water or vegetable stock
1 cup Mung Beans
1 Onion diced fine
2 Carrots, cut in cubes
2 Celery, thinly sliced
2 Cloves Garlic (large cloves), cut, sliced or through a Garlic press
1 Tbl. Fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 Chili Pepper (red or green), seeded and minced
1 Tbl. Cumin Seed
1 tsp. Cumin powder
1 tsp. Curry Powder
¼ tsp Black Pepper, Ground
Pinch Cayenne pepper
½ cup Bragg’s Liquid Amino’s

Rince beans and place in pot with 4 cups water or stock on medium high heat. Add veggies, including ginger, garlic and chili pepper, cook until beans are soft, approx 45 mins. Stir occasionally.

Add Bragg’s and remaining ingredients. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to let spices mix, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and enjoy.

This Mung Bean Dahl recipe is an excellent side dish or main dish and I eat it enough that I make a double portion in a larger pot and store it in the fridge, reheating it for my meals. This is a personal favorite which I make once or twice in a month along with our Red Lentil Dahl.

This recipe makes use of Red Chili Peppers. I love chili peppers because I love anything that adds a kick to my food and because “Mild” is not in my vocabulary. I’m a hot sauce aficionado as well as loving Ginger and garlic. I’ve been known to steep my Sunrider Calli tea in the winter mornings with a few pieces of organic ginger for a Ginger Calli Tea.

In my Dahl recipe, I use 1 or 2 Red Chili Peppers with the seeds and all. For extra credit on my homework, I’ll tell you a little bit about their nutritional information.

Chili Peppers Nutritional Information

Chili peppers contain Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium and a little iron, but it’s in the health benefits that this little rocket comes alive.

Contains capsaicin which fights inflammation
Has been shown to reduce cholesterol
Capsaicin not only reduces pain but helps clear mucus
Boosts Immunity
Helps stop the spread of prostate cancer
Weight Loss – The heat from chili peppers significantly increases thermogenesis and oxygen consumption for more than 20 minutes after they are eaten
Lowers risk of type 2 diabetes (source)

Chili Peppers rank “very good” on the Worlds Healthiest Foods Rating

So that’s my homework for the 3rd week of the Winter Weight Loss and Fitness Challenge 2007. Next week I’m going to assign homework having to do with beans and legumes seeing as how it’s bean and legume month here on the blog.

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Recipe: Mulligatawny Soup

Darlene — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 16:00:11 +0000

Mulligatawny is a classic Anglo-Indian dish. Mulligatawny is a spicy soup based on chicken or mutton/lamb stock. According to Madhur Jaffrey, the original mulligatawny soup can be traced back to the early days of the East India Company in Madras, and was more like a curry. The word is based on the Tamil name for ‘pepper water’, ‘milligu-thannir’, also called ‘rasam’.

Recipes for mulligatawny soup abound; some use apples or other fruits, some use nuts, some even use oatmeal, along with meat and vegetables. The common denominator is spiciness and ‘curry’ flavours from curry powder or a mixture of dried spices. Source: BBC Food Glossary

Mulligatawny Soup

1 cup dried split peas (I used 1/2 cup each of green and yellow) rinsed
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 Tbsp curry powder (more if you like it hot)
1 bay leaf
6 cups veggie stock
1/2 cup cooked rice (or barley, or any grain you have cooked)
1 apple, peeled and grated
1/4 tsp organic non-irradiated dried thyme
1 Tbsp Bragg’s liquid aminos
1 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh squeezed from an organic lemon preferably)
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Method:

In a soup pot saute onion, garlic, carrot, and celery in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Mix in curry powder and saute for 3 minutes more, stirring frequently. Add the bay leaf, soup stock and split peas. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes

Add rice, apple, and thyme. Simmer for 15 minutes more. Remove bay leaf. Add lemon juice, Braggs and pepper. Stir and enjoy! Rob LOVED this soup! Very flavorful and great on a cold winter night to keep you warm.

If you want a thicker, even heartier soup, you can add more rice. We did in this photo, but it is great either way!

Split Peas info: Dried peas, also known as field peas or gray peas, are a secondary variety of the ordinary garden pea. While garden peas, sometimes called green peas, are picked while immature and eaten fresh, dried peas are harvested when mature, stripped of their husks, split in two, dried, and often polished by friction. Split peas contain more starch than garden peas and have been a common ingredient in soups for centuries.

In India — where they are known as dal and are available in dozens of varieties — dried peas are a culinary and cultural mainstay, often replacing meat as a protein source. In the U.S. and Europe, the green and yellow varieties are the most common. The yellow variety has an earthier flavor than the green and is popular in Scandinavia for use in soups and in Great Britain as the main ingredient in pease pudding. The green variety is best known as the star in split pea soup, believed to have originated in the Netherlands and since claimed by many U.S. communities as exclusively their own. Source: Whole Foods Market

Mulligatawny Soup Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Borscht Beet Soup

Darlene — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 16:00:00 +0000

The original base for this bright red Polish and Russian soup was the cow parsnip. The Russian word ‘borshch’ means cow parsnip. Today, borscht is a beetroot soup, made with meat stock, cabbage, and frequently potatoes and other root vegetables. Source: Food Facts and Trivia

This recipe is taken from The Looney Spoons cookbook and altered to taste and to be more health conscious. Hope you enjoy it.

Borscht – beet soup

5 cups vegetable broth (low sodium, or make your own)

2 cups peeled, and cut beets (you can cube them in 1.5″ pieces, or julienne them or even grate them if you want – each will give a different texture to the soup, see how you like it – I like my chunky so I do cubes)

2 cups shredded cabbage (I use the purple stuff)

2 cups peeled and cubed parsnip or rutabaga (traditional recipes use white potatoes, we have substituted here, use what you like best or just leave them out and put in more beets and other veggies)

2 carrots, chopped

1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion

2 TBSP apple cider vinegar or Umeboshi (Ume) vinegar (made from plums)

2 TBSP tomato based chili sauce (or less if using hotter sauce, don’t overdue it)

1 TBSP organic Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

2 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 tsp dried marjoram (organic and non-irradiated preferably)

1/4 fresh ground black pepper

1/2 bunch of fresh dill, chopped and destemmed

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Optional: almond milk, plain goat yogurt or soft tofu

Method: combine all ingredients except dill, parsely and optional ones in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and gently boil for 15-20 minutes or until beets and vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally.

Add dill and parsley, cook 2-3 more minutes to combine flavors.

To serve, spoon into bowls and you can add a dash of almond milk or yogurt (if using tofu, mash it and make it smooth before adding a dollop to your bowl) to make it creamier if you wish. Traditionally it is served with sour cream – this is the non-dairy version.

About Beets

The humble beet deserves more respect. Even their unfortunate Latin name, Beta vulgaris, suggests that they shouldn’t be allowed in the house. While they may not be as attractive as those glossy bell peppers or as popular as the potato, beets possess an impressive amount of nutrients, fiber and antioxidants. Not only that, but beneath that uninviting exterior lies a tasty and versatile flesh that can be prepared in myriad ways and served warm or cold. Give this hardworking vegetable a chance to show its stuff in your kitchen.

Star of the root vegetable world, beets are an excellent source of folates and a good source of potassium and vitamin C. They are sweeter than carrots or sweet corn and their mild, earthy flavor pairs well with vinegar, citrus, cheese and nuts. And the leaves are delicious in salads. In fact, the chard we know today was the forerunner to the modern beet. Borscht, a beet soup, is common in eastern Europe and Russia and was routinely taken into space by cosmonauts. In Australia, beet slices are commonly served on hamburgers, just like cucumber pickles are in the U.S. Source: Whole Foods Market

Borscht Soup Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Healthy Salad Dressings

Darlene — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 16:00:56 +0000

Most commercial salad dressings are full of saturated fats, hydrogenated oils and preservatives. It is quick and easy to make up several batches of your own healthy salad dressings to keep handy. I even use a miniature bottle to keep some in my purse if I want to eat salad out and don’t like the choices for dressing the restaurant offers.

Save your old jam jars or small pickle jars and store your dressings in them. They are perfect to give the dressing a quick shake, then serve over favorite greens.

Healthy Salad Dressings

Miso Lime Dressing

Ingredients
2 Tbsp light miso
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup organic extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil
1/4 cup coconut or light coconut milk
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp agave syrup (available from health food or organic stores)
Hot sauce to taste

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until creamy. Refrigerate until using.

Source: Brenda Davis RD

Lime and Cilantro Dressing

Ingredients
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 cup organic extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil or Udo’s oil
Fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1 tomato
2 small shallots
1 Tbsp Bragg’s liquid aminos

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until creamy. Refrigerate until using.

Source: Christina Blanchard, a FormerFatGuy subscriber and Weight Loss Forum member

Super Sesame-Ginger Dressing

Ingredients
1/2 cup organic extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil
1/4 cup organic sesame oil
2 tsp Bragg’s seasoning
2 tsp Apple cider vinegar
Juice of one small orange (about 1/8 cup)
1 1/2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp chili paste (optional if you like it hot)

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until creamy. Refrigerate until using.

Salad Stuffs

Now that you have all these great dressings ready to go – now we just need to discuss what to put in your salad. Select an organic mixed greens, or spring salad mix or get loose bunch spinach. Make sure you have lots of fresh organic green leafy things (they are the highest nutritionally of any foods, next to sea vegetables and freshly grown sprouts) then add any or all of the following vegetables:

peppers
mushrooms
green onions
radishes thinly sliced
grated carrots
tomatoes or cherry tomatoes halved
avocado slices
cauliflower
broccoli
asparagus
cucumber
sprouts

Seeds and Nuts

Seeds and nuts you can also add for some essential fats

raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
raw unsalted sunflower seeds
sesame seeds
flax seeds
hemp hearts
sliced raw unsalted unpasteurized almonds
walnuts
cashews
pine nuts
filberts

Earlier this week on the blog there was a poll that asked us “Do you eat salad?” So now you are armed with lots of ways to do that, so feel free to go vote a strong “Yes”

Healthy Salad Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Recipe: Barley Lentil Soup

Darlene — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 16:00:14 +0000

Lentils are a delicious and nutritious food — high in protein, minerals, and fiber — that can be easily used as a substitute for other staples such as meat, pasta, or potatoes in soups and stews. Unlike dried beans, they require no soaking and cook relatively quickly.

Barley Lentil Soup

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Soak time: 60 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes

1/2 Cup whole barley
3 cups filtered water

Place barley in a glass bowl, cover with 3 cups filtered water and soak for at least an hour, or overnight. Drain and rinse, set barley aside.

2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 medium onion
5 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup green or brown lentils, rinse
1 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup fresh parsely, chopped
2 Tbsp Braggs amino flavouring
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp each: basil, oregano, thyme and sea salt
1/2 tsp dill
Several dashes of cayenne pepper

In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, saute until translucent. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add soaked barley, reduce heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add lentils and simmer covered for an additional 20 minutes. Once barley and lentils are tender add vegetables, herbs and spices and simmer covered for another 10 minutes or until vegetables are desires tenderness. Add more water is needed to thin soup.

We also added some hot sauce at the table to our bowls, you can do that if you want a bit more zip.

Makes 4-6 servings – I made a double and we have eaten it for lunch for 4 days!

Barley Lentil Soup Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Happy Halloween 2007

Rob — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:36:19 +0000

It’s Halloween night again here in North America. Naturally this holiday brings up thoughts of costumes and candy, but what about the environmental impact? The writers of this blog have been hard at work providing environmentally friendly tips, Halloween pumpkin recipes, Naughty costumes and a way to remove any fears that originated with your first scary experience many years ago.

Scott Bird, from Australia is passionate about the environment and posts something environmental related each Sunday. His Halloween contribution is about 10 Environmentally Friendly Halloween Tips. Scott also writes about food and cooking and his newest project is on worm farms. He’s hard at work, writing a book about building a worm farm from start to finish. Expect that soon

With all the Halloween pumpkins available for carving, Darlene and I thought, “why not come up with some recipes and cook them?”. So we did just that.

Halloween Recipes

This is Darlene’s Pumpkin Apple Curry

Darlene and I release a new whole food recipe each Saturday and we’ve still got two more recipes yet to post, one of which we made just this morning, a pumpkin pancake recipe and the other a pumpkin and butternut squash soup. The soup is yummy.

I first asked Michele if it was possibly pets that she was passionate about, but she told me in no uncertain terms that it was in fact relationships.

Michele has been contributing some great articles on the subject including a Naughty Halloween Costume article to spice up your bedroom. Great any time of the year.

My buddy Scott Tousignant, author of The Fit Bastard and The Fit Chic e-books contributed a Halloween Workout video that makes use of the Halloween decorations you might have around your house. Proof that you can make use of anything handy to get in a workout.

Halloween Fear

Yes, it’s real. I remember as a kid seeing some pretty scary shit out there on the streets and at such a young age, can wreak havoc on our little, impressionable brains.

What if scary experiences from our childhood Halloween nights have now caused us fear of other things? And more importantly, how can we get rid of the fear?

Dawn Murray is a friend of mine who I turned to for help with my own emotional shit. Dawn is a Emotional Freedom Technique practitioner and does work by phone or in person. She recently contributed her Fear of Halloween Night article.

Emotional Freedom Technique is a major contributing factor in weight gain and weight retention as far as I’m concerned. That fear and negative emotion is also toxic and can be stored as acidic waste in our bodies. Any sort of work you can do to remove these fears will take your body to a new level of health and peace. I highly suggest you have a look at it. Talk to Dawn for more information.

Please be safe this Halloween everyone. Kids may have a hard time seeing you in your car through their Halloween masks. Their attention is elsewhere, so please be extra careful when driving. If you don’t have to drive tonight, don’t.

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Recipe: Smokin’ Pumpkin and Corn Chowder

Darlene — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 16:00:06 +0000

Halloween means pumpkins and pumpkins mean carving, but it also means good eating too. Please don’t overlook the fact that a pumpkin is a member of the squash family and provides great nutrition for you and your family. This weeks’ recipe is Smokin’ Pumpkin Corn Chowder.

After making it, we got thinking about chowder as well and had a little discussion about “what makes a chowder?” Rob and I both had different thoughts on the subject. I believe a chowder to be a “thick chunky soup” and Rob believes that a chowder means it has to have “potato’s and milk”. Neither of us came to a conclusion about it, so we’re now wondering if we should even call this a chowder or not. Regardless, this pumpkin recipe is great at Halloween or any other time of year, so when buying your pumpkin for carving, make sure to get an extra for eating.

Smokin’ Pumpkin and Corn Chowder

2 cups onion, diced
2 cups green pepper, destemmed, deseeded, and diced
2 cups red or orange pepper, destemmed, deseeded, and diced
1/3 cup jalapeno pepper, destemmed, deseeded, and diced
2 Tbsp sesame oil
4 cups pumpkin (or butternut squash), peeled, deseeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
4 cups water or vegetable stock
2 cups cut corn (fresh or frozen)
1/3 cup Chili sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup soy milk, rice milk, or other non-dairy milk of choice
1/3 cup freshly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley

In a large pot, saute the onion and all of the peppers in the sesame oil for 5 minutes to soften. Add the pumpkin and garlic and saute for an additional 5 minutes stirring often. Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the pumpkin is just tender. In a food processor or blender, place 3/4 cups of the cut corn, add 1 cup of the cooking liquid from the pot, and process to form a chunky puree. Add the pureed mixture, the remaining corn, Chili Sauce, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper to the pot, and simmer the soup an additional 5 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Yield: 2 1/2 Quarts

What Makes A Chowder?

Just what is the definition of a chowder anyway? What makes a chowder a chowder?

Wikipedia hasn’t really settled on one way to describe it but rather has various meanings for it depending on location. In 1958 the Edwards County, Illinois County Commissioners proclaimed Edwards County, Illinois as “Chowder Capital of the World”, and Newport, Rhode Island’s Great Chowder Cook-Off, held each year since 1981, is the world’s largest and oldest chowder competition. Seafood chowder is a popular dish in Ireland which leads me to believe that it’s “maritime” in nature. Wikipedia says

The word “chowder” is a New England word that came from Newfoundland, where Breton fishermen — who would throw portions of the day’s catch and other available foods into a large pot

So it seems Canada, Ireland, New England and Illinois all lay some sort of claim to the term and the dishes.

What’s your perspective of Chowder? What does “chowder” mean to you?

Pumpkin Corn Chowder Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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10 Ways To Make Your Halloween Environmentally-Friendly

Scott Bird — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 02:33:10 +0000

Halloween (aka All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve) can be a great occasion. Of course, as with any major event there’s a bit of cleaning up involved the following morning.

Here are just a few of the ways (10, to be exact) you can make your Halloween more environmentally friendly, and spend more of that clean-up time in bed. Perfect.

When trick-or-treating

Walk from house to house : Leave the car at home. It’s really that simple.
Make your own trick-or-treat candy : There are plenty of Halloween recipes available both online and in books. Experiment, have fun and save money in the process.
Take canvas bags or pillow cases : Sure, there are plastic bags available for doing this; but why not keep things simple? Grab a few canvas bags or pillow cases from around the house, and just throw ‘em in the wash afterwards.
Make your own latex rubber masks : This is not only a great project for the kids, it’s a cost-effective way to go about things. What’s more, it can be a whole lotta fun.
Make a costume from old clothes : When combined with the ‘make your own latex mask‘ project above, this one turns recycling into an art form. Besides, do you really want to look the same as everyone who buys a disposable one from a local store?

For Halloween parties

Send invitations via email : Rather than making up (or purchasing) paper invitations for your Halloween party, invite people electronically. Send out emails, text messages, build a website – whatever seems appropriate for those involved. Or just go out and talk to them personally.
Reinvigorate old party games : Try bobbing for apples, or pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey. Not only will you save money, you’ll save preparation time and people will have just as much fun.
Use re-usable cutlery and crockery : No matter where your party is, why not add a touch of class by using ‘proper’ cutlery and crockery instead of disposables. Much cheaper, and easy enough to clean. There’ll also be considerably less garbage to put out the following day.
Put leftover food scraps in a worm farm : As pointed out earlier, worms will eat just about anything. Including pumpkin.
Re-use Halloween decorations : many of the Halloween decorations around the house can be easily kept and reused next year (a few small changes will make sure they actually look quite different). Think of it as recycling.

Final thoughts on having an environmentally-friendly Halloween

As you can see, having a ‘green‘ Halloween isn’t exactly hard work. Go out and have fun.

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