Tag Archives: cooking

08

Jul. ’15

Beet-rich quinoa (vegan)

 

Quinoa and beets

Tasty, nutritious side dishes add color and variety to a meal. The combination of quinoa and beets in this yumtritious recipe nourishes the body and entertains the senses.

Makes 8-ish cups

Ingredients

3 Tbsp cold-pressed sunflower oil (or other mild tasting oil)

2 cups white quinoa, rinsed

2 medium size beets, peeled and chopped small

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4  tsp ginger powder

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped small

4 cups water

1 tsp coarse salt

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Steps

  1. In a medium-large pot, heat the oil then add the quinoa and chopped beets. Cook, stirring at regular intervals until the beets are blended in with the quinoa so that the quinoa is a uniform shade of pink (8-10 minutes).
  2. Add the oregano and stir for 1 minute.
  3. Add the ginger powder and stir for 1 minute.
  4. Add the chopped, fresh ginger and stir for 1 minute.
  5. Add the water. As soon as the water boils, lower the heat and cover. Cook for 28-30 minutes. The water should be complete absorbed and the quinoa should be somewhat stuck to the bottom of the pot, without burning. Remove the pot from the heat.
  6. Stir in the salt and toasted slivered almonds.
  7. Wait 5 minutes and then stir in the chopped parsley.

Variations

When I originally made the recipe, I used 1/3 cup slivered almonds. The addition of the crunch to the dish is nice so I upped the amount to 1/2. If you prefer less almonds, reduce the amount to 1/3.

If you like fresh cilantro, use 1/2 cup parsley and 1/2 cup cilantro.

Beet-rich quinoa

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17

Jun. ’15

Peanut-Peanut Butter Sauce (vegan)

Peanut butter sauce

This sauce is smooth and crunchy. The smoothness comes from the peanut butter dressing. The crunchiness comes from the peanuts and fresh vegetables that combine with the dressing to complete the sauce.

Makes about 5 cups sauce, enough to coat 1 pound/500 gr pasta

Ingredients

Peanut butter dressing

1 cup natural, unsalted, unsweetened peanut butter

1 1/2 cups water

1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, chopped coarsely

1 tsp lecithin granules

1 tsp flax seeds, ground

2 Tbsp lemon juice

3/4 tsp coarse salt

2 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or other spicy ground pepper

1 Tbsp Tamari sauce

————

Peanut-veggie mix

1/3 cup peanuts, roasted

3 Tbsp sesame seeds, roasted

3/4 cup green cabbage, shredded

1/2 cup carrots, sliced thinly

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

1 Tbsp sesame oil

Steps

  1. Put all the peanut butter dressing ingredients in a a food processor or blender and process until very smooth.
    Peanut butter dressing
  2. Put all the peanut-veggie mix ingredients into a large bowl and mix well.
    Peanut sauce
  3. Pour the dressing onto the peanut mix and stir well to coat.
    Peanut sauce 2
  4. Serve on your favorite nutritious noodles.
    Peanut butter sauce

Notes

  • Tofu chunks sauted in olive oil and tamari sauce would be a nice addition.
  • The sauce is unheated so it’s especially nice to eat during the warmer months.

 

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27

May. ’15

Zucchini-Horseradish Mishmash

Zucchini and Horseradish Mishmash

Fried zucchini is often dipped in a horseradish sauce, but that combination is not so nutritious. In the recipe presented here, they are paired to create a nutritious and tasty side dish. The horseradish is not a typical ingredient in a zucchini dish, hence the name “mishmash”.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 Tbsp horseradish root, peeled and chopped small

2 large zucchini, chopped (6 cups). Peel if you suspect chemical residues.

3/4 tsp coarse salt

1/2 tsp caraway seeds

Steps

  1. In a medium sized skillet or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Saute the chopped onion until softening.
  2. Add the chopped horseradish and saute until the onions are browning.
    Onions and horseradish
  3. Mix in the zucchini two cups at a time. Then add the salt and caraway seeds.
    Zucchini and Horseradish Mishmash 2
  4. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to evenly brown.
  5. When the zucchini is the right texture for you, remove from heat. (I like the zucchini soft, but not mushy.)

Zucchini and Horseradish Mishmash 3

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25

May. ’15

Creamy Crunchy Pesto (dairy-free)

Creamy Crunchy Pesto

This version of pesto is creamy from the addition of lecithin and water. It is crunchy from the toasted slivered almonds and sesame seeds. This pesto recipe is easy to make and is yumtritious!

Makes 1 3/4 cups pesto

Ingredients

1/3 cup slivered almonds

3 Tbsp whole sesame seeds

————

3 Tbsp lemon juice (not from a plastic lemon or bottled lemon juice)

3/4 tsp coarse salt

1 tsp lecithin granules

3 medium cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

6 cups basil leaves, washed

3 Tbsp water

1/3 cup olive oil

Steps

  1. In a small pan, dry toast the slivered almonds, stirring regularly, until they are beginning to color and then add the sesame seeds. Toast and stir about a minute more until the sesame seeds start to pop. Remove from heat.
  2. The order of the ingredients is important. Into a food processor, add all the ingredients–except the toasted almonds and sesame seeds–in the order in which they are presented in the list. By adding them in this order, the pesto will process easily.
  3. Process the pesto on high speed until the pesto looks creamy. You will probably need to stop midway to push down the pesto on the sides of the food processor, using a spatula.
  4. When the pesto looks creamy, lower the speed to the lowest setting and add the toasted slivered almonds and sesame seeds. Process for a few seconds just to mix them in.

The pesto is ready to use or store in the refrigerator.

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29

Apr. ’15

The health benefits of food from scratch

Green beans

(Republished from the Energy Guidance Complete blog:
http://energy-guidance-complete.com/2014/10/30/the-health-benefits-of-food-from-scratch/ )

This post is not about the vitamins and minerals in unprocessed foods. It is about the health benefits that occur when the food is prepared. We’ll use the snapping of green beans as our example.

Green beans can be purchased in cans and in bags, ready for cooking, or even already cooked. They do provide nutritional value, but the benefits of preparing them from scratch are lost.

Here’s what happens when a person sorts and snaps fresh green beans:

  1. The muscles in the hands and arms are exercised.
  2. The muscles of the hands and eyes are coordinated (as in an exercise for fine motor skills).
  3. The muscles in the neck are lengthened.
  4. The muscles in the abdomen are tightened, especially if the work is performed while standing.
  5. The muscles supporting the spine are exercised.
  6. The muscles in the shoulder blade area and chest are coordinated.
  7. The muscles that are used during breathing are relaxed because the action of snapping beans (if the person is not rushed) causes a slowing of the breathing.
  8. The muscles of the oblique groups of abdominal muscles and the re-absorption of water in the kidneys synchronize to optimize urine production.
  9. Muscles of the upper and lower torso move syncopatedly, which strengthens and stretches them.
  10. Muscles in the face rejuvenate when movements are focused on the work. (Talking on a phone while preparing the food cancels this benefit. Singing while preparing the food does not cancel this benefit.).
  11. Many other muscles and body parts are strengthened and stretched as well.

The list above presents physical benefits from sorting and snapping fresh green beans. Here are benefits to the other components of health:

  1. Emotional balancing occurs when the work is done with a generous intention.
  2. Spiritual balancing occurs through connection with whole foods.
  3. If the work is done with another family member, opportunities can arise for heartfelt conversations.
  4. The food that will be eaten is personalized; in other words, its role as nutrition provider is elevated.
  5. The color, texture, and shapes of the green beans at the various stages of preparation affect the senses in favorable ways.

The more a person is involved in creating the meal he or she eats, the more uplifting and balancing the experience of eating.

(This post is dedicated to my friends and family who hadn’t realized the benefits that come from taking the time to prepare meals from scratch. ♥)

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