Food

Recipe – Caesar Salad Dressing

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Salad Dressings

Adding more salads to your regular meal rotation is a great way to get more vegetables and healthy nutrients into your diet. But did you know that the salad dressing you put on your salad could turn a healthy meal into an unhealthy one? Most store-bought bottled dressings are brimming with harmful ingredients that are unsuitable for human consumption and can actually damage your health.

Often made with loads of sodium, saturated fats, artificial ingredients, preservatives, and added sugars, too much can harm your heart health, spike your blood sugar, contribute to weight gain, and much more.

Salad dressings might not seem like a product containing sugar, but they are a common source of high amounts of hidden sugars added to your diet on that healthy piece of lettuce. And don’t be fooled by low-fat or fat-free labels. When food manufacturers remove fat, they tend to make up for it by adding sugar to their products to make them taste better, but this comes at a cost to your health. Studies show that low-fat versions of food products like salad dressings contain higher amounts of added sugars than their regular counterparts.

Making simple dressing recipes at home can help you avoid unnecessary added sugars and other unhealthy ingredients. Knowing every ingredient that goes into your dressing allows you to choose carefully what you are putting into your body to nourish it.

Source: www.lark.com/resources/choosing-a-healthy-salad-dressing-beware-the-hidden-sugars

Recipe – Caesar Salad Dressing

Ingredients

 1/2-2/3 cup water

2 dates, or 1-2 tsp. sweetener of choice

1/4 cup cashews, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained

1/8 cup sesame seeds, or pine nuts, or 2 Tbs. tahini

1/8-1/4 cup sunflower seeds, depending on preferred thickness

3-4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1-2 medium garlic cloves, chopped

1½ tsp. Coconut Aminos

1/4 tsp. kelp or other seasoning, optional

1/2 tsp. dried dill

Process

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Drizzle over your favorite green salad.

Recipe – Flax Muffins

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Flaxseed

Flaxseed, or linseed as it is sometimes called, is quite simply one of the most nutritionally-beneficial whole foods a person can consume.

It’s no surprise flax is thought of as a “superfood.” There’s a list of benefits to eating these tiny, nutty seeds that is longer than your arm, and consequently it has been growing in reputation and popularity year after year.

Because flaxseed contains around 27% fiber, making it one of the finest plant sources of fiber, it aids in digestion. It also helps with weight loss and regulating blood sugar levels. Thus it is considered a low-glycemic food.

There are around 18 grams of protein in every 100-gram serving of flaxseed, which is even higher than the protein content of chia seeds.

Flaxseed is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains around 75-800 times more lignans than cereal grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Lignans have a chemical structure much like steroids, and have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, menopausal symptoms, and osteoporosis. A recent study showed that lignans in flaxseed played a part in reducing the risk of breast cancer.

Flaxseed is an invaluable tool for the vegan baker as it makes a superb egg substitute. Grinding the seeds and mixing with a little water creates a gel which can then be used to replace an egg in muffins, breads, and cookies. You might also want to sprinkle them on a salad, use them in dressings, cereal, and smoothies.

Source: healthysupplies.com.uk/blog/article/ten-amazing-facts-about-flaxseed

Health Benefits of Flaxseed
• Loaded with nutrients
• High in omega-3 fatty acids
• May help protect against cancer
• Rich in fiber
• May lower cholesterol levels
• May reduce blood pressure
• May stabilize blood sugar levels
• May help with weight management
• Versatile and easy to use
www.healthline.com/nutrition/
benefits-of-flaxseeds

Recipe – Flax Muffins

Ingredients

2/3 cup flaxseed, ground into a meal

1/2 cup smooth almond butter, or any creamy nut or seed butter

1/2 cup plain nondairy milk

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 tsp. vanilla bean powder

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup dried fruit, chopped, and/or carob chips

Process

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. In a bowl, stir together the flaxseed meal, almond butter, milk, maple syrup, vanilla bean powder, and sea salt until blended and smooth. Add the dried fruit and/or carob chips. Divide the batter evenly among 12 muffin cups. Bake at 325°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until the edges are browned and the centers are just set. Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove them from the pan to the rack to cool completely.

 

Recipe – Coconut Macaroons

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Coconut

Botanically speaking, a coconut is a fibrous one-seeded drupe, also known as a dry drupe. However, when using loose definitions, the coconut can be a fruit, a nut, and a seed.

Did you know?

  • The name coconut is actually a combination of nut, and the Portuguese word coco, meaning head or skull.
  • Just like mangoes, cashews, and cherries, the coconut is actually a drupe and not a nut. The drupe is an item that has a fleshy outer part around a pit.
  • The coconut tree, botanically named Cocus Nucifera, can grow up to 82 feet high and produce up to 180 coconuts during a single harvest season.
  • Coconut water contains 94% water, on average, with approximately 46 calories in a cup.
  • Coconut oils contain MCTs—medium-chain triglycerides—which are easy to digest. The oil is a source of energy and has an accelerating effect on metabolism. Coconut oils are very healthy and good for the heart.
  • On average, three and a half cups of coconut equate to one tablespoon of fiber, the recommended daily amount of fiber for an adult.
  • Coconuts, in different forms, are anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-parasitical.
  • During World War II in the Pacific theater, coconut water was used to give emergency plasma transfusions to wounded soldiers.
  • The husk of a coconut can actually be burnt to act as a natural mosquito repellent, a process used in many countries around the world.
  • 5% of injuries in Papua New Guinea’s Provincial Hospital were reportedly caused by falling coconuts.

Coconut in its many forms—chips, butter, oil, or as a refreshing beverage—is used all around the world.

Source: unicomtea.com/20-fun-facts-about-coconuts

Recipe – Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients

¼ cup full fat coconut milk

3 Tbs. maple syrup

3 Tbs. chickpea flour

½ tsp. vanilla bean powder

¼ tsp. salt

finely grated citrus zest, optional

2 cups packed unsweetened shredded coconut, roughly chopped

Process

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk the coconut milk, maple syrup, chickpea flour, vanilla bean powder, salt, and citrus zest, if using, until smooth. Add coconut, stirring until blended. Scoop tablespoons of dough with a small cookie scoop into compact rounds onto baking sheet, two inches apart. Bake at 325°F for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

Note: The chickpea flour acts as an egg replacement with no chickpea taste.

Recipe – Pow Wow Potatoes

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Potato – Oh, We Love It

The potato. Oh, how we love it. Season it with herbs, fry it, bake it, roast it, or mash it. Make it into fries, hash browns, tater tots, or potato chips. I can’t imagine any other food item that is more versatile. The potato is a starchy root vegetable of the nightshade family, native to the Americas. The English word potato comes from the Spanish word patata, which is used in Spain.

The origin of the potato has been traced back to the region of modern-day Peru and northwest Bolivia, with the earliest archaeological evidence dating back to 2,500 BC. The potato made its way to Europe on the ships of returning Spaniards after the conquest of the Inca Empire. After 1750 it became an important food staple and field crop, and played a major role in Europe’s 19th century population boom.

Then, there were not as many varieties of potato as there are today, leaving the potato vulnerable to disease. From 1845–1852, the Great Irish Famine was caused by a plant disease known as late or potato blight, spreading rapidly throughout western Ireland and parts of the Scottish Highlands. Crops were devastated and resulted in starvation and disease. Roughly one million people died and, ultimately, 2.1 million people left Ireland.

Today there are 5,000 cultivated potato varieties around the world—3,000 are found in the Andes, mainly in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, and Colombia—and 200 wild species and subspecies. Whichever is your favorite, the potato certainly holds a top spot on the dining room table.

Source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato; Wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland)

Recipe – Pow Wow Potatoes

Ingredients

5 or 6 potatoes

1-2 Tbs. olive oil

Garlic & herbal seasoning

Nutritional yeast

Braggs Liquid Aminos

Process

Cut the potatoes into large French fries, or a desired size, leaving the skin on. Place in a mixing bowl, mix lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic & herbal seasoning to taste. Then sprinkle with a light coating of nutritional yeast flakes.

Stir to coat evenly. Dribble sparingly with Braggs Liquid Aminos. Do not salt the mix. Spread the potatoes evenly over parchment paper or on a non-stick baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 400°F, and bake for about 20 minutes—a little longer if the potatoes were cut into larger pieces. Remove from oven when golden, light brown.

Recipe – Potato Patties

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Gluten – No Grain, No Pain

Gluten is a naturally-occurring protein found in wheat and certain other cereal grains (barley, rye, and triticale). This protein gives grain-based foods their soft, chewy texture. There is nothing inherently unhealthy about gluten. In bread, for example, this protein forms an elastic network that allows the dough to stretch and trap gas, which then allows the bread to rise and retain moisture. Because of these properties, gluten is often added to processed grain-based foods (pasta, cookies, meat substitutes, soy sauce, salad dressings, gravies thickened with flour, and bouillon).

Protease is a digestive enzyme in the human body that breaks down the food we consume. However, it can’t completely break down gluten. The undigested gluten makes its way into the small intestines, and for most people, that’s no problem. But there is a small percentage (less than 1%) of people in whom this undigested gluten triggers a severe autoimmune response or other unpleasant symptoms.

Some people who do not have celiac disease but may have a sensitive gut, after eating foods containing gluten, may experience bloating, diarrhea, headaches, and skin rashes. This could actually be a reaction to poorly digested carbohydrates, not just gluten.

Celiac disease is a long-term autoimmune disorder caused by an immune reaction to eating gluten. The disease damages the lining of the small intestine, causing diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating, and anemia, if gluten is not removed from the diet. This prevents the small intestine from absorbing nutrients (malabsorption), negatively impacting the growth and development in children.

The best way to control celiac disease is to follow a strict gluten-free diet, but there are also other treatments available that can help manage the condition.

Sources: healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-gluten#gluten-free-labeling; hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/what-is-gluten-and-what-does-it-do; mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/celiac-disease/symptoms-causes

Recipe – Potato Patties

Ingredients

1 c. brown rice, cooked

½ c. onion, diced

½ c. celery, minced

2 c. raw potato, shredded

½ c. Brazil nuts, chopped

2 Tbs. ground flax seeds

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 Tbs. yeast flakes

2 Tbs. Braggs aminos

1 Tbs. onion powder

1 Tbs. McKay’s beef flavor

Process

Cook rice according to directions. Sauté onion and celery until tender. Combine with rest of ingredients; shape into patties. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, flip and bake for additional 10 minutes.

Recipe – Vegan Rice Pudding

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Cardamom

Cardamom is a member of the ginger family, and is the third most expensive spice in the world after saffron and vanilla. Commonly used in Indian cuisine, it has earned the nickname “The Queen of Spices.” Because of its complex flavor profile, it is used in both sweet and savory dishes. There are two types of cardamom—green and black.

Green cardamom has a warm, herbal, citrusy—with a touch of spiciness, and a hint of mint—flavor. Bleach green cardamom and you have white cardamom, which is a favorite in the Scandinavian countries and much of northern Europe.

Black cardamom has a smokier flavor, and is used more often in savory dishes, such as soup.

Cardamom also has a number of health benefits. It contains high levels of antioxidants that may help lower blood pressure. Cardamom powder increases the activity of certain enzymes that help fight cancer and enhances the ability of natural killer cells to attack tumors.

It is often used as a breath freshener, and has been shown to have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that disrupt the bacteria in the mouth that cause gum disease and other periodontal infections, and it can help relieve digestive problems, including ulcers.

Compounds in cardamom may help to increase airflow to the lungs, improving breathing by relaxing the airways. This is particularly helpful for treating asthma. Cardamom can decrease elevated liver enzymes, reduce anxiety, and is generally safe for most people.

Sources: allrecipes.com/article/what-is-cardamom; healthline.com/nutrition/cardamom-benefits; sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1075996419301490

Recipe – Vegan Rice Pudding

Ingredients

1 cup arborio rice

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

3 1/2 cups almond milk

2 Tbs. maple syrup

4 Tbs. jam of choice

Process

  1. In medium saucepan stir together the rice, nutmeg, and cardamom. (This will stop the spices from clumping). Add the almond milk and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat.
  2. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and cook the rice, stirring often for 20-25 minutes, or until soft and pleasantly chewy. (Add splashes more almond milk as needed during cooking, if consistency is getting too thick for your liking). Once cooked, drizzle in the maple syrup to sweeten and stir to combine.
  3. Divide into 4 bowls and top each with 1 tablespoon of jam. Drizzle with more maple syrup to sweeten to taste.

Rice pudding will keep in fridge for up to 5 days, and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Source: twospoons.ca/the-creamiest-vegan-rice-pudding

Recipe – Roasted Vegetable Dip/Spread

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Ready for Hot? Here It Comes.

The jalapeño, one of the most favored varieties of warm peppers, has been used for centuries as a key ingredient to flavor a spectrum of culinary delights. It is a member of the nightshade family Solanaceae, and closely related to paprika, bell peppers, and cayenne peppers. The name “jalapeño” is derived from the Spanish word Xalapa, a provincial capital in the city of Veracruz, Mexico, where early settlers cultivated the crop. Later, it was introduced to the rest of the world through Spanish explorers, and today, these hot peppers are widely grown across the globe.

Jalapeños are commonly consumed when green, but occasionally, they are allowed to completely ripen until turning red, yellow, or orange. These small, fiery peppers provide more than a zest of flavor to chili, tacos, pizza, hummus, salads, breads, and many more delicacies. They also are teeming with health benefits.

Low in calories, the jalapeño abounds with nutrients including vitamins A, C, and B6, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.

Sources: netmeds.com/health-library/post/jalapeno-health-benefits-nutrition-recipes-and-side-effects; Top 5 Health Benefits of Jalapeño

Top five Benefits of Jalapeños
Contains capsicum, which is effective in killing over 40 types of cancer without harming normal cells.
Regulates blood pressure and lowers the risk of heart attack.
Prevents strep throat through its strong antibacterial activities.
Aids in weight loss.
Soothes migraine headaches and provides incredible pain relief.

Recipe – Roasted Vegetable Dip/Spread

Ingredients

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped

1 large eggplant, peeled, cut into chunks

1 medium tomato, chopped, or 14 cherry tomatoes

7-8 cloves garlic, peel intact

1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded, chopped

1 ¼ tsp. sea salt, divided

3 Tbs. avocado oil, or less

3 Tbs. tahini

1 Tbs. lemon juice, or to taste

½ tsp. ground cumin

¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

Process

Place all vegetables into a bowl. Add 1 tsp. salt and oil; mix well. Transfer to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake at 375-400°F for about 40 minutes or until vegetables are roasted. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove garlic peel and transfer all to a food processor. Add tahini, lemon juice, cumin, and ¼ tsp. salt; process to preferred consistency. Spoon into a bowl, add parsley and mix. Chill for 1-2 hours. Serve as a delicious dip with carrot and celery sticks, and pita bread, or use as a sandwich spread.

Recipe – Cannellini Bean and Spinach Soup

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Cannellini Beans

Cannellini beans are white kidney beans with a mild, nutty flavor and smooth, tender texture. Also known as Italian white kidney beans they resemble kidney beans in size and shape, but are creamy off-white in color. Popular all over the world, cannellini beans are integral to the classic Mediterranean dishes, particularly Italian cuisine. It’s not surprising as few foods can compare in nutritional properties and the benefits that they can deliver to health.

The nutritional and healthful qualities of cannellini beans, as well as those of many other legumes, have been thoroughly investigated. Researchers have come to the conclusion that their rich insoluble fiber, protein, minerals, amino acids, and vitamins makes them a real “superfood.”

3.5 oz. of dry cannellini Contains
(% of daily value)
calcium 24% phosphorus 43%
iron 130% zinc 33%
manganese 78% potassium 38%

These beans are a very good source of several B-complex vitamins like folates, pyridoxine, thiamin (vitamin B1), pantothenic acid, riboflavin, and niacin. Most of these vitamins work as cofactors for the enzymes in carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism. Dry cannellini beans hold 388 μg (mcg) of folates (97% of daily value). Folate, along with vitamin B12, is one of the essential cofactors for DNA synthesis and cell division.

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating about 3 cups of legumes per week. To meet the weekly Dietary Guidelines for legumes, eat half a cup of beans every day. Round out the meal by incorporating cannellini beans in salads, pasta dishes, spreads, and soups.

Sources: foodtolive.com/healthy-blog/cannellini-beans-challenge-dangerous-illnesses; nutrition-and-you.com/cannellini beans

Recipe – Cozy Cannellini Bean and Spinach Soup

Ingredients

2 Tbs. olive oil, or water

½ medium red onion, finely chopped

1 large carrot, cut in small chunks

¾ tsp. salt

2 Tbs. flour of choice

1 cup unsweetened oat milk

3 cups vegetable broth

2 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning

1 ¼ tsp. garlic granules or powder

½ tsp. dried tarragon

2-15 oz. cans of cannellini beans, drained, rinsed

3 Tbs. nutritional yeast (optional)

1 packed cup baby spinach

Process

In a large pot add olive oil or water, and onion. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often. Add carrot and salt, and stir. Cover pot and cook for 4-6 minutes. Stir flour into vegetables until coated. Gradually pour in milk while stirring. Add broth, seasonings, beans, and nutritional yeast. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and stir in spinach to wilt. Serve soup with crackers, sourdough bread, pita bread, or flat bread.

Recipe – Panna Cotta with Mixed Berries

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Berries

Berries are usually juicy, round, brightly-colored, sweet, sour, or tart, and do not have a stone, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, red currants, black currants, huckleberries, bilberries, and bearberries.

A true berry is a fruit which grows from one flower with one ovary. Cranberries and blueberries are considered true berries since they grow from flowers containing one ovary. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, and boysenberries are considered aggregate fruits since the flowers they grow from have more than one ovary, so the fruit is actually dozens of tiny fruits growing together. These tiny fruits, or bumps, are called drupelets. The number of drupelets that make up the berry is directly connected to the number of times a bee has landed on the berry flower to pollinate it.

The tiny hairs on raspberries and blackberries are called “styles,” which serve to protect the berry from damage. The silver color on the exterior of the blueberry is called “bloom,” which acts as a natural barrier to seal in moisture.

Berries are bursting with nutrition. They average nearly 10 times more antioxidants than other fruits or vegetables, are high in flavonoids and vitamins, and provide an excellent source of fiber.

Berries are simple to add to your diet. Toss them in smoothies, sprinkle on cereals, incorporate into desserts, or simply enjoy them fresh from the vine.

Sources: minnesotamonthly.com/sponsored/10-fun-facts-about-berries; justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-berries

Recipe – Panna Cotta with Mixed Berries

Ingredients

1 14 oz. can full fat coconut milk

¼ cup maple syrup, amber-colored, or brown rice syrup

1 tsp. non-alcoholic vanilla flavoring

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. agar agar powder or 1 Tbs. agar agar flakes

3 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries)

Process

To a saucepan, add coconut milk, maple or brown rice syrup, vanilla flavoring, and salt. Whisk to combine. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, sprinkle in agar agar powder or flakes and immediately whisk well. Let simmer 2 minutes, whisking frequently. Divide mixture evenly between serving jars, place in refrigerator to set—at least 25-35 minutes—until bouncy. For fresh berries, warm in saucepan until tender. Add a little maple syrup for sweetness, if desired. For frozen berries, allow to thaw until no longer cold. Top panna cotta with thawed and warmed mixed berries and mint leaves.

Recipe – Polenta Pizza

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Corn

Corn is the third-most cultivated crop in the world, following wheat and rice. Originating in the Americas—but grown on every continent except Antarctica—over 440 million tons of corn are harvested yearly throughout the world. In 2019, US farmers planted 91.7 million acres of corn—the equivalent of 69 million football fields.

There are six main varieties of corn that come in different shades and combinations of white, yellow, red, blue, purple/black, and green. An ear of corn has about 800 kernels in 16 rows, always an even number with one silk strand for every kernel. A good ear of corn is juicy and sweet on its own, but can also be used in soups, chili, salsas, salads, breads, and crusts.

DID YOU KNOW? One variety of corn grown in Peru has kernels so large that they are eaten individually.

Eighteen nations of the world consume corn as their primary food source—twelve in Latin America and six in Africa. In the United States, corn is used in the production of so many foods that the number of products without at least a trace amount of corn is smaller than the number of those that contain corn.

Sources: factretriever.com/corn-facts; mydadssweetcorn.com/blog/corn-facts

Recipe – Polenta Pizza

Crust

2½ cups water

½ cup almond milk

1 cup cornmeal

1 tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. dried thyme, or to taste

¼ tsp. dried oregano, or to taste

¼ tsp. dried basil, or to taste

1 Tbs. olive oil

Tomato Sauce

2 cups tomatoes, chopped

6-8 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp. lemon juice, or to taste

½ tsp. salt

Olive oil

Topping suggestions: sliced cherry tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, olives

Process

Bring water and almond milk to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat to low. Add cornmeal and whisk until clumps are reduced and mixture thickens. Add salt and herbs. Continue to whisk for another 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Brush a baking sheet with oil and pour half the corn mixture on one side forming a ½-inch thick circle. Pour the remaining mixture on the other side of the sheet, making two pizzas. Cover the sheet and refrigerate until mixture thickens, about 30 minutes. Combine tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil in a blender; blend to combine. Adjust seasonings. Remove crusts from refrigerator, top with tomato sauce and toppings of choice. Pop pizzas in the oven; bake at 375°F for 15 minutes or until crust is crispy.