The Health Seekers Kitchen

Vegan Under Pressure (Perfect Vegan Meals Made Quick and Easy in Your Pressure Cooker)

2016-03-08T13:48:00.001-07:00

I am very excited to be part of the Vegan Under Pressure Blog Tour by reviewing Vegan Under Pressure, by Jill Nussinow, MS, RDN. I created her Tapioca Berry Parfait and it was fabulous! See recipe below.

Jill Nussinow, known as The Veggie Queen, became a Registered Dietitian because she always cared about her food, what it tasted like and that it was healthy. She has followed a vegetarian diet, and then a vegan diet, since she was a teenager. About twenty years ago she rediscovered the age-old method of pressure cooking. She found it saved so much time when cooking whole grains and dried beans, as well as so many other foods. The pressure cooker changed her cooking life and her health. She could finally cook flavorful beans, vegetables, soups, stews, fillings, sauces and so much more in an hour or less.

I also love using my pressure cooker. The foods taste amazing and I am always surprised at how quickly they cook and how fresh they taste. Many foods cooked in a pressure cooker retain the nutrient-rich cooking liquid, so you are not throwing away any nutrients. I am all about preserving and making sure we get the nutrients from our foods. You can saute right in the pressure cooker without adding any oils, which I love! For those of you concerned about BPA lining canned food, the ability to cook dried beans in just 12 minutes or less in the pressure cooker means avoiding this potential health hazard by not buying the cans. If you don't already have a pressure cooker, I would recommend it as an essential kitchen tool! It will save you an enormous amount of time in the kitchen preparing healthy, fresh foods.

Vegan Under Pressure is divided up into twelve chapters.

Chapter One: Introduction to Pressure Cooking.
Chapter Two: Pressure Cooking Basics
Chapter Three: Spice Blends and Other Seasonings
Chapter Four: Grains
Chapter Five: Beans
Chapter Six: Vegetables
Chapter Seven: Soups
Chapter Eight: Main Courses
Chapter Nine: Burgers, Patties, and Savory Cakes
Chapter Ten: Toppers: Sauces, Fillings, and More
Chapter Eleven: Appetizers
Chapter Twelve: Desserts


Tapioca Berry Parfait, pg. 302 (Photo © Lauren Volo)

Tapioca Berry Parfait
Serves 4
PRINTABLE RECIPE

Making dessert doesn't get much easier than this. Be sure to use a 6-quart (or larger) cooker as this gets very foamy, which can clog the vent or cause spewing liquid in a smaller pot. Make a double batch if you have enough room; it's that good.

½ cup small pearl (not instant) tapioca
2 cups almond or any nondairy milk
Pinch of salt, optional
¼ cup organic sugar or blonde coconut palm sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups fresh berries of your choice, sliced as needed
Fresh mint, for garnish

1. Place the tapioca pearls in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under running water for 30 seconds.

2. Add the milk to a pressure cooker. Add the tapioca and salt, if using, and stir. Lock the lid. Bring to a high pressure; cook for 4 minutes. Let the pressure come down naturally. Quick release any remaining pressure after 20 minutes. Open the lid carefully, tilting it away from you.

3. Stir in the sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest.

4. Spoon 2 tablespoons berries into the bottom of 4 pretty bowls or parfait glasses. Add about 1/4 cup tapioca, then 3 tablespoons berries. Add another 1/4 cup tapioca and top with berries. Garnish with mint.

Variation: If stone fruits are in season, substitute chopped stone fruit for the berries.

Love the lemon zest in this recipe!

Learn more about Jill Nussinow, get more recipes, and watch videos on her website below:
The Veggie Queen

Vegan-Ease (An Easy Guide to Enjoying a Plant-Based Diet) Book Review and Giveaway

2015-10-14T13:45:00.000-06:00

I am very excited to be part of the Vegan-Ease blog tour by reviewing Vegan-Ease (An Easy Guide to Enjoying a Plant-Based Diet), by Laura Theodore. I will also be giving away an autographed copy of this book & a Pascha Vegan Chocolate Bar - YUMMY!! (see bottom of page for instructions to win). I created her maple-raisin date truffles and they were excellent! (See pictures and recipe below).

Laura's book has a beautiful hardcover with color pictures on almost every page. This book is a great resource for anyone wanting to eat healthy and save money. There is a section (Page 21-24) by Julieanna Hever called, Plant Based Nutrition 101. You will love this on nutrient know-how. She explains and answers the most common questions, "Where do you get your nutrients such as protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D or calcium?" Veggies (especially leafy greens) and fruits are the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, she explains.

There is a section on stocking your pantry and an easy eco-clean way to cleaning your kitchen using baking soda. I love all the helpful information on getting organized.

The first page of her book starts out with a quote from Thomas A. Edison " The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."

Vegan-Ease has 3 parts-
Part I: What do I eat and why? Why a plant-based diet? Making vegan easy, and ease-y essential guides.

Part II: The Recipes -
Fast appetizers and fun beverages
Good morning eye openers
Muffins, quick breads and baked delights
Simple Soups
Speedy salads, dressings and sandwiches
Pasta and pizzas, pronto!
The main dish made ease-y
Sunny sides
Easiest. Desserts. Ever.
Fancy finishes
Stress-free holiday recipes

Part III: The menu, please!
Menu planning basics
Menus for every occasion


Maples-Raisin Date Truffles (made by the Health Seeker's Kitchen) Super easy to make!!

Maple-Raisin-Date Truffles

Makes 10 to 12 Truffles / Ease Factor 1
Printable Recipe

These tasty truffles are pretty too, making an excellent healthy dessert or snack to satisfy your sweet tooth. Bonus: Impressive to serve for a dinner party too!

9 large Medjool dates, pitted

1⁄3 cup raisins

¼ cup raw unsweetened shredded dried coconut

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Line a small baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.

Put the dates, raisins, coconut and maple syrup in a high-performance blending appliance and process to the consistency of soft dough. Transfer the date mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Using a cookie scoop, spoon out a heaping tablespoon of the date mixture, and roll it into a ball. Continue in this manner to form 10 to 12 truffle balls.

Put the cocoa powder in a small bowl. Roll the truffles in the cocoa powder until coated and place on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate 1 hour. Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, truffles will keep up to 3 days.

Watch Laura Theodore make this recipe at vegan-ease.com

Amount per serving, based on 12 servings/truffles: 100 Calories; 3g Fat; 3g Saturated fat; 1g Protein; 3mg Sodium; 20g Total Carbohydrate; 16g Sugars; 3g Fiber

__________________________________________________________________________

Autographed Copy of Vegan-Ease and Chocolate Bar Giveaway

Enter for your chance to win Laura Theodore's Cookbook, Vegan-Ease, by leaving a comment below with the answer to the following question:

“What are you doing to improve your health and well-being over the holidays?”
US residents only.

The drawing will take place on Wednesday, October 21st and the winner will be announced that day.

Best of luck!! I can't wait to read all of your comments. We can all learn and be motivated by each other. Thank you for sharing:)
__________________________________________________________________________

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

Congratulations Lois, you are the winner of Laura Theodore's cookbook, Vegan-Ease. I hope you enjoy the new book and the Pascha Vegan Chocolate Bar. Good luck with all your healthy endeavors.

Thank you to everyone that added a comment. I loved reading your remarks and I know they not only inspired me, but many who read them. Best of health!!

Love Fed (Purely Decadent, Simply Raw, Plant-Based Desserts) Book Review & Recipe

2015-03-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

I am very excited to be a part of the Love Fed Blog Tour by reviewing, Love Fed (Purely Decadent, Simply Raw, Plant-Based Desserts) by Christina Ross and published by BenBella Books. Check out the links above for more exciting reviews and recipes during this awesome tour.

Love Fed is a beautifully illustrated book that can help you achieve better health. Christina has eliminated harmful sugars and refined ingredients to all her recipes. I love that they are also raw and full of flavor. Raw food is more "alive" and retains its enzymes, hormones, vitamins and minerals, that otherwise might be lost. Many dessert books claim to be healthy, but what you are really getting is high fat, sugar loaded dessert bombs. Not so with Love Fed! Christina's book has 80 delicious, easy recipes, without a touch of gluten, dairy, or refined sweeteners. Very little sweetener is added to her recipes. At first you may even think they need more sugar, but they don't. It is just your taste buds that are use to very sweet treats. Sugar is an addiction that contributes to a huge collection of health problems. These health conditions are easily eliminated by just reducing or eliminating most of your sugar intake. A great goal to add to your New Years resolutions (2015) is to eliminate these harmful sugars. Clean out your pantry and start today!! A book like Love Fed can help all of us still enjoy treats, but achieve this goal.

The recipe I decided to share with all of you is on page 117, Red Velvet Chia Parfait. Doesn't that just sound scrumptious? It was very light, delicious, satisfying and turned out beautiful (See my photo below)

Red Velvet Chia Parfait

Yield: 4 parfaits

Prep time: 15 minutes

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Parfaits provide a lot of payoff for very little effort—in 15 minutes you can have a beautiful, deliciously creamy dessert. This parfait is notable for the raw vegan cream cheese frosting on top. It’s wonderful spread on cakes and cupcakes, too. If you like a sweeter frosting, feel free to add 2 tbsp. of your favorite sweetener.

PARFAIT BASE

¼ c. chia seeds (black or white or a mix of the two)

1 tbsp. cacao powder

2 c. almond milk

2 tsp. beet juice or natural red food coloring

1 ½ tsp. coconut nectar

¼ tsp. vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract

“CREAM CHEESE” FROSTING

4 tbsp. melted coconut oil (see page 28)

2 c. chilled coconut cream

1 tbsp. Meyer lemon juice (regular lemon juice works, too)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Chocolate curls or cacao powder, for garnish

To make the parfait base: Combine the chia seeds, cacao powder, almond milk, beet juice, coconut nectar, and vanilla bean powder in a medium bowl and whisk until well incorporated. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to thicken. Make the frosting.

To make the frosting: Place the melted coconut oil, coconut cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer or a large bowl. Beat on medium speed or whisk by hand until the mixture is whipped and well incorporated. Don’t overmix or the frosting will be runny.

To assemble: Divide the chia mixture among 4 parfait glasses or bowls.

Place a frosting bag (or plastic bag) inside a glass, allowing the top of the bag to fold over the outside of the glass. This will allow you to scoop frosting into the bag without the risk of it leaking. Fill the bag with the frosting, then squeeze a dollop into each parfait glass on top of the chia mixture. Add the garnish and serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

The China Study All-Star Collection Cookbook Review & Sweet Potato Chili with Kale

2014-09-10T16:38:00.001-06:00

Following her bestselling The China Study Cookbook, Leanne Campbell brings together top names in the Plant-based community to share their favorite and most delicious recipes in this awesome THE CHINA STUDY All-Star Collection. LeAnne Campbell, PhD, lives in Durham, North Carolina and has been preparing meals based on a whole foods, plant-based diet for almost twenty years and for her two sons - Steven and Nelson, who are now twenty and nineteen. As a working mother, she found ways to prepare quick and easy meals without using animal products or adding fat.

More and more doctors are recommending a plant-based diet as the foundation of your healthy eating plan. When you have a strong foundation, your body can resist disease and illness. A good diet is the most powerful weapon we have in the fight for real health. Pioneering chefs (like myself), and those contributing to this book continue to demonstrate the ease and pleasure of using a plant-based diet. Their are so many possibilities and a lot of recipes are just simple with a few ingredients.

The cookbook author contributors include: Chef AJ, Ani Phyo, Christina Ross, Christy Morgan, Del Sroufe, Dreena Burton, Heather Crosby, John and Mary McDougall, Laura Theodore, Lindsay S. Nixon and Tracy Russell. You should definitely add this beautiful book to your collection. You won't be disappointed!!

The recipe I choose to share with you is Chef AJ's Sweet Potato Chili with Kale. Since cold weather is right around the corner, I am starting to think about what kind of healthy, warm soups I will make and this chili caught my attention. I love this recipe for many reasons. First, it is bursting with so much flavor having not one grain of salt or any fat added. AMAZING!!! Second, I love that it is bursting with nutrition, and far beyond. Third, it is a gorgeous, hearty and satisfying soup. I hope you will give this recipe a try and let me know how you liked it.

SWEET POTATO CHILI WITH KALE

MAKES 12 CUPS RECIPE BY CHEF AJ

PRINTABLE RECIPE

There is no dish that can’t be improved by the addition of kale!

1 large red onion, finely chopped

2 red bell peppers, seeded and finely diced

3 cups orange juice, divided

2 pounds sweet potatoes, diced (no need to peel if organic)

2 15-ounce cans sodium-free kidney beans

2 14.5-ounce cans sodium-free fire-roasted tomatoes (I prefer Muir Glen)

1 tablespoon sodium-free chili powder

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder or more to taste

8 ounces Lacinato kale, finely shredded

1. In large pot, sauté onion and bell pepper in half of the orange juice for 8–10 minutes until onion is soft and translucent.

2. Add all remaining ingredients except for the kale. Bring to a boil and then decrease heat to let simmer for 25–30 minutes until the sweet potatoes are soft but not mushy.

3. Turn off heat and stir in kale so it wilts, then serve.

4. To make in an electric pressure cooker, place all ingredients except for the kale in the cooker and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Stir kale in before serving.

TIP

This dish is great with a piece of corn bread on top!

Adorable Bubble 'n' Bee Skirts & Kids Can Cook (Vegetarian Recipes) Cookbook Review

2014-08-29T00:54:00.001-06:00

Isn't this skirt by Bubble 'n' Bee Boutique absolutely adorable with the hippos, zebras, frogs, birds & elephants. Lola, my granddaughter, was so excited to model for me in my backyard. The skirt is a Michael Miller designer fabric, which is why you can see and feel the quality. And, your little girl will be so comfortable in it. Bubble 'n' Bee Boutique has been in business since 2010, so you will find a huge selection of skirts that include holiday designs and all are created with lots of love♥. You can also check out her website Bubble 'n' Bee.

Dorothy Bates is the author of this fun 'Kids Can Cook' recipe book. It has delicious vegetarian foods that kids like to eat and cook themselves. A growing number of today's young people are interested in becoming vegetarians or having a diet that consists of mostly plant-based foods. This book has easy recipes for beginners and are kid-tested, kid-approved. Dorothy has written or collaborated on eleven vegetarian cookbooks and has spent many years teaching young people how to cook their favorite vegetarian dishes in her home in Summertown, Tenn.

Vegetarian and plant-based diets that contain adequate calories and a variety of foods can meet all of the nutritional needs of kids and teens and are associated with health advantages. Even so, when it comes to designing a vegetarian diet, a few key nutrients deserve special attention. On page 4-5 Dorothy explains what these key nutrients are and how to easily get them. Page 10- 11 shows useful tools for the young cook and secrets of successful cooks. Kids Can Cook is perfect for kids who want to try their hand at creating their own tasty meatless dishes and for parents who want recipes that are nutritious and easy to prepare. Below is a recipe from the book. It was a hit with my hubby and other family members. Notice the yummy homemade salsa on the side.

Quesadillas

Makes 8 Servings

Printable Recipe

1. Have ready:
8 gluten-free brown rice tortillas
1 pound fresh organic baby spinach
1 cup grated pepper jack rice cheese

2. Steam baby spinach until slightly soft.

3. Heat a skillet or griddle, and cook the tortillas one at a time. 30 seconds on a side.
Spread a little spinach and about 2 tablespoons of grated cheese on half the tortilla,and fold the other half over. Continue until all the tortillas are filled.

4. Cook about 1 minute on each side, until the cheese melts.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts with Herbs

2014-04-08T02:40:00.000-06:00

In this beautiful dish of sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts, two herbs were teamed together to bring out a delightful experience your taste buds will love! Rosemary and fresh basil are always favorites for many of my dishes and I especially love it in this one. The natural sweetness of the potatoes blends nicely with the brussels sprouts.

Did you know sweet potatoes are very good for keeping your skin clear, smooth and young looking? The orange color in the potatoes comes from beta-carotene, an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A in your body and switches on DNA that is responsible for producing new skin cells and getting rid of old ones. That is an idea I love and we can all use smooth and clear skin. Brussels sprouts, believe it or not, have unique health benefits when it comes to your DNA as well. A recent study showed improved stability of DNA inside our white blood cells after daily consumption of brussels sprouts. The repair and protection of our DNA plays a critical role in preventing cancer and slowing aging. Also, our bodies detox system needs ample amounts of sulfur to work effectively and brussels sprouts are rich in sulfur containing nutrients. Eating these two foods 3-4 times or more weekly helps to improve your immune function, provide you with an abundance of rich nutrients, protects your DNA and helps your body to detox more effectively.

I hope you love sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts as much as I do and will choose to add them to your diet, if you don't already. There are a few different ways to make this dish. You can steam the vegetables slightly and then mix with some olive oil, herbs, sea salt and pepper. Then bake for a short time at 350 degrees. The other method is to peel and chop the sweet potatoes, mix with brussels sprouts, olive oil, herbs, sea salt and pepper and bake for 1 hour at 350. Both methods work great.

Many diseases and health problems start with nutritional deficiencies. To avoid these deficiencies, fill up on foods rich in vitamins and minerals (like sweet potatoes & brussels sprouts) every day and limit or eliminate foods that have no benefit to your health.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts with Herbs
Printable Recipe
Serves 4

2 Sweet Potatoes (peeled and chopped)
1 pound fresh or frozen brussels sprouts
1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh basil (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Peel sweet potatoes and chop into cubes. Mix with brussels sprouts, basil, rosemary, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Place in 350 degree oven for approximately 1 hour. Do not overcook. As soon as the sweet potatoes are tender, remove from oven. ENJOY good health!!

Tasty Vegan Meatloaf

2014-03-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

This is a ridiculously good plant-based meatloaf that is so super easy, inexpensive and full of fiber. You can put this loaf together in about 10 minutes, which makes it a good choice when you don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen, but are desiring some good comfort food. Walnuts can be a huge boost to your health for many reasons. Recent studies show that eating one ounce of walnuts each day for a period of 2-3 months reduced several problems associated with metabolic syndrome and inflammation within the body. Walnuts high omega 3 content, including the (ALC) Alpha-linolenic acid present, has repeatedly been shown to improve a wide variety of cardiovascular functions.

This nut loaf is delicious, has tons of health benefits, easy on the budget and super fast! You can serve it with a huge salad and steamed vegetables.

Tasty Vegan Meatloaf
Printable Recipe
Serves 4

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped in processor
1/2 cup onion, chopped finely
1/8 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime, squeezed
1 1/4 cups brown rice (about 1/2 cup uncooked)
2 Tbsp. oat bran
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp. spaghetti sauce (or tomato sauce)
1 flax egg (made with 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed & 3 Tbsp. water)
salt & pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. ketchup (for top of loaf)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1.) Make a flax egg by mixing one tablespoon ground flax seed with 3 tablespoons water and let it sit until it becomes egg like. Set aside.

2.) Mix walnuts, onion, cilantro, lime, brown rice, oat bran, nutritional yeast, spaghetti or tomato sauce in bowl while flax egg is sitting. Add flax egg when it appears to be egg like. Mix well.

3.) Use coconut oil to grease loaf pan. Pack ingredients into pan and spread ketchup on top as desired. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Better Than Vegan Cookbook Giveaway Plus Author Question & Answer

2014-01-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

Many of you know Chef Del Stroufe because he is also the author of the cookbook Forks Over Knives. Forks Over Knives was a New York Times bestseller and every recipe in the book is easy and delicious. I am very excited that I have the opportunity to review Chef Del's new book, Better Than Vegan, and provide you with a question & answer from him, a giveaway and share one of his fabulous recipes. Today many bloggers are taking part in a Vegan Book Blog Tour. During this tour we will all be talking about Chef Del’s Better than Vegan cookbook....... pretty exciting and fun.....as well as getting some of his fabulous recipes and trying them.

Eating healthy just got a lot easier with this beautiful cookbook coauthored with Glen Merzer. You will not find a drop of oil in any of the recipes in this book. They are all low-fat, whole-food vegan recipes. The reason for the low-fat recipes is Chef Del gained more than 200 pounds on a vegan diet swimming in oil, and he lost more than 200 pounds on a vegan diet without any oil. Developing an understanding of what foods to eat and how to prepare them is important for many health goals. When we include the right kind of foods, they feed our cells, protect us from disease and keep our weight in check. When eating the wrong kinds of foods, our cells are deprived and can't perform their functions as well. Nutrients are lost, minerals leached from our bones, arteries become clogged, our brains foggy and we become fat and unhealthy.

Why are the simple lessons of life sometimes so hard to follow? The simple answer is addiction to the nutritionally vacant substances in our foods. When we learn how to remove these empty calorie foods and replace them with healthy alternatives, we can free ourselves from them forever. This is what Chef Del's book is all about. He states on page 25, "If you had to sum up in a couple of words what's most wrong with the American diet, what lies behind the epidemics of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer -EXCESSIVE FAT- would probably be the best answer."

Below you will find the Q&A with Chef Del, his Artichoke & Basil Hummus recipe and giveaway.

Q&A with Chef Del Sroufe

The Health Seeker's Kitchen: Please describe your cookbook to us and what readers should expect?

Chef Del Stroufe: The first chapter of the book tells my story with a little humor thrown in, I tell how I ended up on my first diet at age eight, spent many decades on yoyo diets, and how I got to weigh 475 pounds on a vegan diet several decades later. In chapter 2 I describe in detail the low fat, plant based diet that helped me lose the weight, and how I changed the word diet from a verb to a noun, meaning that I went from being on a diet, to adopting the right diet that I would live on for the rest of my life, not just until I lost the weight. I also discuss 10 dietary mistakes--avoiding the excess consumption of fat, saturated fat, protein, processed foods, and hunger. In chapter 3 I discuss the kitchen tools, ingredients and techniques I use daily to cook with plant foods and maintain the healthy diet that sustains me. Finally the last section of the book has 101 recipes, including sauces and salad dressings, breakfast foods, soups, pizza, and even a few desserts.

The Health Seeker's Kitchen: You are such an inspiration to all people battling weight loss. Can you tell us about your own battle with weight and how you gained 200 and then lost 200 pounds on a Vegan Diet?
Chef Del Stroufe: My unhealthy vegan diet included a lot of high fat processed foods like potato chips, beer, pastries made with margarine, white flour, and sugar, vegetables fried in oil, coconut curry, peanut butter sandwiches, donuts, and vegan ice cream. These foods can indeed be vegan, but are not health promoting and, when eaten in excess, can promote weight gain. The healthy diet I eat now is low in fat, protein, and processed foods like sugar, margarine, or oil. I avoid high fat plant foods like avocados, and peanut butter, and I rarely drink alcohol. I eat tofu on special occasions and while I occasionally eat pizza, it is made with whole grain flour and has no or very little added fat. My new four food groups include beans, whole grains, vegetables and fruits.

The Health Seeker's Kitchen: What are the dietary mistakes we all need to watch out for?
Chef Del Stroufe: There are 10 dietary mistakes I list in the book, the first seven are sins of excess, and the last three are sins of deficiency. Each is described in detail in the book:

1. Excess fat of any sort

2. Excess saturated fat

3. Excess protein, especially animal protein

4. Cholesterol

5. Excess flours

6. Overly processed foods

7. Concentrated sugars

8. Insufficient fiber

9. Insufficient water intake

10. Insufficient phytochemical intake

Artichoke and Basil Hummus
Printable Recipe
Serves 6 to 8
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained, and warmed
1/2 cup fresh basil
4 cloves garlic, minced
zest and juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt to taste
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts (about 2 cups), drained

Combine the garbanzo beans, basil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, and salt in a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy. Add the artichoke hearts and pulse to chop well, leaving the artichoke hearts chunky.
From Better Than Vegan by Del Sroufe. Used by permission from BenBella Books, Inc.

Better Than Vegan Cookbook Giveaway

Enter for your chance to win Del Sroufe’s Vegan Cookbook by leaving a comment below with the answer to the following question:

“What will you do in 2014 to better yourself?”
US and Canada residents only, please.

The drawing will take place on Tuesday, January 21st and the winner will be announced that day.

Best of luck!! I can't wait to read all your 2014 goals:)

________________________________________

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

Congratulations Lyz, you are the winner of Chef Del's Better Than Vegan Cookbook. Please contact me with your email so I can get your address:) Your goal to exercise more and eat less sugar will definitely bring you better health in 2014. Good Luck! I hope you enjoy the new book and that it helps you toward your goals.

Thank you to everyone that added a comment. I loved reading your goals and I know they not only inspired me, but many who read them. Best wishes for a healthy and happy 2014 to all of you!!!

Jazzy Vegetarian Classics Book Review, Recipe & Giveaway

2013-12-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to be reviewing Laura Theodore's new book, Jazzy Vegetarian Classics and giving one away. You may know Laura from her PBS cooking show Jazzy Vegetarian, which is now in its third season and can currently be seen on the Create Channel on Tuesdays and Thursdays (See video at bottom of page). For eighteen years, Laura has helped people all over the world to understand the relationship between diet and health and that eating a well-structured plant-based diet can prevent, stop, and even reverse some degenerate diseases.

On her television show and in her book, she entices people, regardless of their current eating habits to want to explore new foods and dishes. Her book has a beautiful hardcover, high quality pages and was published September 3, 2013 by BenBella Books. The book is 312 pages and features gorgeous photos throughout. In her introduction she quotes Albert Einstein, "Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as a much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."

It is written for everyone - from seasoned vegans looking for innovative new dishes, to casual home cooks interested in adding one or two plant-based meals a week to their repertoire. Jazzy Vegetarian Classics includes guides to the basics of vegan cooking coupled with a glossary of common ingredients. I love that she included 10 full menus, besides all of her awesome recipes. For example, All-American Burger and fries (Menu 5) includes: Mushroom-Nut Burgers, Confetti Oven Fries, Pretty Purple Coleslaw, Banana Milk-less Shake and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. Festive Family Meal (Menu 8) includes: Apple, Walnut, and Cinnamon Salad, Sweet and Sour Stuffed Cabbage, Mashed Potatoes with roasted Garlic, Steamed Green Beans & Carrots with Orange Sauce , and Coconut Vegaroons. All of these menus make it very easy to plan for a special day.

If you are wondering why Laura is called the Jazzy Vegetarian, it is because she is also a good jazz singer. The bottom of her books pages even include faint piano notes. Her book is of the highest quality to give away at Christmas or any time.

I decided to make Laura's Sweet and Sour Stuffed Cabbage, which turned out absolutely fabulous and delicious. The recipe was based on her mother-in-laws traditional family recipe. This is a fabulous holiday or Sunday night meal which I highly recommend! I used leftover brown rice and instead of the canned tomatoes you can use vine ripened tomatoes that have been chopped in quarters and smashed a bit to equal 3 1/2 cups. I received permission to share this yummy recipe with all of you. I hope you enjoy it. Don't forget to enter for the Giveaway. Instructions are at the bottom of the page.

Sweet and Sour Stuffed Cabbage

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Based on my mother-in-law’s traditional family recipe, this dish is totally tasty! The freshly squeezed lemon juice balances beautifully with the brown sugar, making a truly sweet and sour sauce for these hearty, savory stuffed cabbage rolls. A fabulous holiday dish or satisfying weeknight meal!

SAUCE

1 cup diced onion

1 cup vegetable broth

1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning

½ teaspoon reduced-sodium tamari

1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid, lightly mashed

⅓ cup brown sugar or maple sugar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cloves minced garlic

ROLLS

Large head of green cabbage

2 cups cooked brown rice (long grain or basmati)

¾ cup walnuts

1 slice whole-grain bread

1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 cups mushrooms, chopped

1 cup onion, diced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

To make the sauce, put diced onion, ⅓ cup vegetable broth, all-purpose seasoning, and

tamari in a medium sauce pan. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Add the remaining ⅔ cup broth, tomatoes, sugar, lemon juice, and garlic. Cover and

simmer for 15 minutes while preparing the cabbage rolls.

Fill a large soup pot two-thirds full with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, remove the core from the cabbage. Gently separate 12 whole leaves from the

cabbage (it’s fine if they tear a bit). Reserve

remaining cabbage for another use.

Remove the pot of simmering water from the heat. Carefully place each cabbage leaf in the pot of water until they are all submerged. Cover and let stand for 4 to 5 minutes to allow the cabbage leaves to soften. Remove the leaves and place them in a large colander to drain and cool.

To make the filling, put the brown rice in a large bowl. Put the walnuts in a blender and pulse to process into coarse crumbs. Add the walnuts to the brown rice. Put the bread, all-purpose seasoning, and salt in a blender and process until coarsely ground. Add the bread mixture to the brown rice.

Put the mushrooms and 1 cup diced onion in a blender and process into a chunky purée. Add the mushroom mixture to the brown rice. Stir gently to combine all of the filling ingredients. Spread ¾ cup of the tomato sauce evenly in the bottom of a 9 x 12 inch casserole dish. Lay a cabbage leaf flat on a large dinner plate. If the leaf still has some of the thick stem attached, carefully cut around it with a small paring knife to remove. This will make the leaves easier to roll up around the filling.

Mound ¼ cup of the filling in the center of the leaf. Fold the sides inward and roll the cabbage leaf firmly around the filling. Place the cabbage roll seam-side down in the prepared casserole. Repeat with the remaining leaves. Pour the remaining sauce over the rolls and cover tightly. Bake for 70 to 90 minutes, or until the cabbage is soft. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Giveaway!

It is VERY easy to enter - just leave a comment after this post and check back in one week to see if you have won. You can also leave a link or your email with your comment where to contact you. Deadline for entering giveaway is December 18th. Drawing will be held on December 19th. Good luck!!

________________________________________

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

Congratulations Jenny!

Thank you to everyone that added a comment. I wish I could send each one of you a book. Look for the next Giveaway book on January 14th, 2014.

New Year's Chili Bash - Vegetarians in Paradise

2013-12-09T11:20:00.002-07:00

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season and trying to get in some extra quality time with your loved ones. One of my favorite warm foods is chili. I was asked to join December's issue of Vegetarians in Paradise with my favorite recipe. This issue features a New Year's Chili Bash with recipes from a Bakers Dozen of Inspired Chefs. I was honored to be included, so I decided to get inspired and come up with a delicious, nutritious and beautiful chili. Most of you know that I am all about packing in the nutrients, so I created a chili using a whole head of cauliflower. The health benefits of cauliflower are huge and you will find it virtually undetectable and delicious! The secret is to cook your cauliflower in a separate pan with onions, garlic and all the seasonings, then add it to the chili. The fitting name I decided on was Cauli-Bean Chili. When feeding your family and loved ones, you need to pack in as much nutrition as possible to insure a healthy immune system. The health benefits of cauliflower are huge and accomplish this support. Your family will love this recipe, along with those created by all the other creative chefs. Check out Zel and Reuben Allen's Vegetarians in Paradise - A Los Angeles Vegan Web Magazine. You will love all the wonderful work they are doing to help people live healthier lives.

Also check out my Cauli-Bean Tacos and all the health benefits of cauliflower.

Hearty Anasazi Bean Soup

2013-11-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

This is a hearty and simple soup I created using Anasazi beans and lots of vegetables. You won't find these beans in a can, so you will need to buy them in the bulk bean section at a health food store, at your local grocery store or online. If you have never tried them, you are in for a real treat. The ancient Pueblo (Anasazi) were Indians who lived in the four corners area (now Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico) dating back to 130 A.D. The beans were found in the ruins by settlers in the early 1900's.

The ancient Pueblo (Anasazi) are best identified with their substantial architectural achievements known today as "cliff dwellings". Mesa Verde National Park, Hovenweep, Canyon de Chelly and many other dwellings that dot the arid countryside, represent these structures. "Anasazi" is a Navajo word perhaps best translated as "the ancient ones".

Anasazi Beans were one of the few crops cultivated by the Ancient Pueblo. This ancient heirloom bean has dramatic red and white markings and a soft creamy texture.The ancient Pueblo (Anasazi) were able to grow corn, squash, beans, and cotton.

Presently the beans are grown at 7,000 ft. elevation on the same land the Anasazi inhabited.

Beans provide a lot of bang for the buck. They are among the cheapest powerhouse foods, chock full of fiber, complex carbohydrates, antioxidants and protein. Beans also contain a variety of vitamins and minerals and are a key component in lowering your risk of diseases including heart attack, diabetes, stroke and cancer. 1/4 cup of dry beans has 9 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein.

The beans cook much more quickly than regular beans. When selecting Anasazi beans, cooks should look for plump, glossy specimens without signs of withering or disease. They should store them in a cool dry place until they are ready for use. The beans should be washed before being soaked for approximately eight hours or overnight. After soaking, the beans can be cooked in an assortment of recipes including soup,chili and burritos. Their slightly sweet flavor makes them excellent for spicy Latin American food. In any recipe which calls for pinto beans, Anasazi beans can be used as a replacement. They can also be used as refried beans or combined with other beans for rich bean soups and stews. You can also cook them in your pressure cooker.
Cooked beans will store one week in your refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.

Hearty Anasazi Bean Soup

PRINTABLE RECIPE
4 Servings

1 cup cooked brown rice
3 cups cooked Anasazi beans (1 cup uncooked)
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups zucchini and carrots diced (or any other vegetables you have)
1 Tablespoon Herbes De Provence (or use your favorite dried herbs -basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, etc.)
1 Tablespoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1 cup chipotle salsa
1 Tablespoon vegetable soup base
2 cups water

Cook brown rice by placing one cup dry rice in cooker with 1 3/4 cup water. Let soak for 20 minutes and then cook as usual. Or you can make my Perfect Brown Rice. Reserve 1 cup rice for soup and save the rest in your refrigerator.

Quick Soak method for beans: Put 1 cup dry Anasazi beans in a saucepan and cover with 4 cups or more water. Bring to a boil and simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat and cover with lid. Let sit for two hours. Rinse and drain beans well.

Pressure Cooker: Place beans in pressure cooker with 1 tablespoon olive oil and cover with water until completely submerged. Bring pressure cooker to full pressure and cook only one minute. Remove from heat and let pressure cooker release its pressure gradually. After removing lid, keep both the beans and liquid in the pan. You will be adding the remainder of the soup ingredients into this pan.
Regular Stove Top: Add drained and rinsed beans to a pan with 4 cups water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 45-60 minutes. When finished cooking, you should have about 2 cups liquid left. Reserve this liquid. If you do not have 2 cups left, add enough to make 2 cups.

While beans are cooking: Put onion in small frying pan and saute in 1 teaspoon olive oil until soft. Add the 2 cups vegetables and cook until tender. Add 2 cups water, vegetable base, salsa, herbs and Bragg's. Simmer for a few minutes and then add to pressure cooker finished beans or stove top beans along with the rice. There should be about 2 cups liquid left in with beans (if not make sure you add water to equal 2 cups). Between the liquid in the beans and the water added to the vegetables - you will have 4 cups liquid.

Bring soup to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Health Begins in the Kitchen: Book Review and Two Fabulous Recipes!

2013-08-28T00:27:00.000-06:00

Health Begins in the Kitchen, by Joanne Williams, is a beautifully done eBook. I have been following Joanne for years and love her Plant-Based recipes, her gorgeous pictures, and the fact that she has a strong science and nutritional background. Joanne is driven and inspired by the belief that people can prevent and fight most diseases by the simple and joyful process of eating. She has a PH.D. in holistic nutrition and left a successful corporate career to challenge all her creativity, culinary passion, and scientific knowledge into developing healthy and delicious recipes. It is hard to believe she just had her 65th birthday, because she looks like she is at least 20 years or more younger than that!! (see picture at bottom of post) She weighs the same as she did in college, enjoys excellent health, and doesn't need any of the medications prescribed for most people her age. Joanne lives with her husband on their organic vineyard in California where they grow Russian River Pinot Noir grapes.

Joanne's Ph.D. research topic was the "nutritional adequacy of a raw food vegan diet." The data continues to roll in about how eating ample amounts of fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and good fats can help prevent and heal many of the serious health conditions plaguing our country today. She dedicates her blog, Foods for Long Life, and her new book to healthy raw and cooked vegan recipes. Her section of the book that provides a Raw Food Cleanse is probably one of the best I have seen. Health Begins in the Kitchen is very informative and perfect for those trying to learn how to adopt a Plant-Based Diet, as well those of us who have been eating this way for a long time. I hope you will try her recipes and consider adding this book to your collection. I know you will love it like I do.

With permission from Joanne, I am sharing a couple of her recipes. The first one is Grilled Rosemary Portobello Mushrooms and the second a Raw Peach - Blueberry Crisp. These two recipes are so delicious. I tested them out on my family and they absolutely loved them. We used the Grilled Portobello Mushrooms for our burgers just the other night. The marinade with fresh rosemary was amazing!!! If you can't find Medjool dates for the crisp, use 1 1/2 - 2 regular dates for every Medjool date the recipe calls for. Medjool dates are larger, generally softer and sweeter than a regular date.

Grilled Rosemary Portobello Mushrooms

Printable Recipe

Serves: 4

REQUIREMENTS:

Indoor or outdoor barbecue grill

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine (I used rice vinegar)

2 tablespoons low-sodium, gluten-free soy sauce

1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey (not vegan)

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic

4 (5-inch) portobello mushrooms

DIRECTIONS:

Make a marinade by mixing the olive oil, red wine or vinegar, soy sauce, agave, rosemary, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl or cup.

Carefully remove the stems from the mushrooms and set aside. Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel and place them in a large casserole dish. Brush the marinade on both sides of each mushroom. Pour the remaining marinade over the mushroom tops and marinate for 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Heat the barbecue grill to medium hot. Place the mushrooms on the grill, gills up, brushing them with the remaining marinade. Cook until tender, turning several times, 10 to 12 minutes. Alternately, you can broil them in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Serve on a bed of her Creamy Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes drizzled with Mushroom Gravy made with the stems of the portobellos or on top of her Creamy Polenta.

You may also serve these on a burger, on a toasted whole-grain or gluten-free bun with all of your favorite toppings.

Peach and Blueberry Crisp

Printable Recipe

Serves: 9

REQUIREMENTS

Food Processor (such as a Cuisinart)

8-inch Square Baking Pan

INGREDIENTS

For the topping:

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup raw walnuts

4 large Medjool dates, pitted and chopped

1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

For the filling:

4 cups thinly sliced peeled fresh peaches

1 cup fresh blueberries

2 teaspoons Fruit Fresh produce protector or 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup chopped peeled fresh peaches

4 large Medjool dates, pitted and soaked 1 hour and drained

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

Make the topping: Place the almonds in a food processor fitted with an S blade and process until coarse. Add the walnuts, dates, coconut, cinnamon, and salt and process until the mixture begins to stick together. Place in a small bowl and set aside. Wash and dry the food processor.

Make the filling: Place the sliced peaches and blueberries in a large bowl and toss together with produce protector or lemon juice.

Place the chopped peaches, soaked and drained dates, and nutmeg in the food processor and process until smooth, scraping the sides down when necessary. Add to the bowl of sliced peaches and blueberries and toss gently.

To make the crisp, spread one-third of the topping on the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan. Cover with the filling. Sprinkle the remaining topping evenly over the filling. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Joanne L. Mumola Williams, PhD

Follow Foods for Long Life on FACEBOOK

Follow Joanne's Blog FOODS FOR LONG LIFE

Health Begins in the Kitchen

Now Available for only $14.99

But it Now on iTunes!

But it Now on Amazon!

WHOLE - Breaking the Science of Nutrition by T. Colin Campbell with Howard Jacobson: Review & Giveaway

2013-08-05T17:57:00.000-06:00

Most of you have heard of or read The China Study, written by T. Colin Campbell and his son Thomas M. Campbell. It was a book full of evidence and well-documented analysis implicating a Whole Foods, Plant Based Diet to prevent heart disease, cancer and other Western diseases. In the book WHOLE: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition, Dr. Campbell explains modern nutrition's focus on single parts, pulling them out of the Whole (reductionist paradigm) and giving people the false idea that the sum of the parts is as great as the Whole. For example, apples have hundreds if not thousands of chemicals, each of which may affect thousands of reactions and metabolic systems. The reductionist mind wants to extract some chemical from the apple and figure out how much of that chemical we need on a daily basis. If it is profitable, extract it, advertise and sell it to the public. With money being so often the motivation, it is hard to know who to believe, or what to buy when it comes to our health and welfare. Even though millions of people have read The China Study, most people still don't know that the key to their health is as easy as eating a whole foods, plant-based diet. This is why Dr. Campbell felt a new book was necessary. WHOLE focuses on why it's been so hard to bring that evidence to light and what still needs to happen for a real change to take place. He includes many examples of just how much money there is to be made by suppressing wholistic nutrition in favor of reductionist health solutions, and just how far industry will go in pursuit of a larger share of that profit.

WHOLE has IV Parts and under each part several chapters. I am listing this information below to give you an idea of what this book is about.

PART I:      ENSLAVED BY THE SYSTEM
Chapter 1    The Modern Health-Care Myth
Chapter 2    The Whole Truth
Chapter 3    My Heretical Path

PART II:     PARADIGM AS A PRISON
Chapter 1    The Triumph of Reductionism
Chapter 5    Reductionism Invades Nutrition
Chapter 6    Reductionist Research
Chapter 7    Reductionist Biology
Chapter 8    Genetics versus Nutrition, Part One
Chapter 9    Genetics versus Nutrition, Part Two
Chapter 10   Reductionist Medicine
Chapter 11   Reductionist Social Policy

PART III:    SUBTLE POWER AND ITS WIELDERS
Chapter 13 Understanding the System
Chapter 14 Industry Exploitation and Control
Chapter 15 Research and Profit
Chapter 16 Media Matters
Chapter 17   Government Misinformation
Chapter 18 Blinded by the Light Bringers

PART IV: FINAL THOUGHTS
Chapter 19 Making Ourselves Whole

GIVEAWAY INSTRUCTIONS

(You can do both of the items below to be entered into the drawing two times. Make sure to create a new comment for each item you do.
DEADLINE: Giveaway will end Monday, August 12, 2013 at midnight, eastern standard time. The winner will be drawn using a random number generator and will be announced at the bottom of this post shortly after. Good luck!!
TO ENTER:
#1) Leave a comment in the section below this post.
#2) Subscribe to The China Study Community Page

TWITTER

The winner of this book will be available at the bottom of this post next Tuesday, August 12, 2013. Thank you to BenBella books for providing this giveaway.

____________________________________________________

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

Congratulations Morgan!

thehealthseekerskitchen@gmail.com

Thank you to everyone that added a comment. I wish I could send each one of you a book.

The China Study Cookbook by Leanne Campbell: Review, Recipes & Giveaway

2013-07-22T19:54:00.001-06:00

The China Study Cookbook is a recipe book you can get excited about! It is filled with quick, flavorful meals based on a whole food, plant-based diet. I have absolutely loved reading this book and trying out many of the recipes. Below you will find several I created and the photos I took. For the Giveaway information see bottom of page. The winner of this fabulous book will be available at the bottom of this post next Monday, July 29th. Thank you to BenBella books for providing this giveaway.

Leanne Campbell is the daughter of T. Colin Campbell who wrote the book The China Study and his newest book Whole. Watch for my review, post and giveaway next week on the book Whole (Rethinking the Science of Nutrition). Leanne Campbell, PhD, lives in Durham, North Carolina. She has been preparing meals based on a whole-food, plant-based diet for almost 20 years. She has raised two sons—Steven and Nelson, now 18 and 17—on this diet.

One of the really nice features of The China Study Cookbook is that the recipes contain no added fat and little or no added salt. There is also minimal use of sweetening agents. Scientific evidence shows that we should try to avoid adding additional fat, salt and sugar to our recipes. FAT: Keeping fat intake low is important, because fat adds a lot of extra calories making healthy weight maintenance more difficult. Also, high fat intake, especially from animal-based foods, increases your risk of high blood cholesterol, heart disease, some types of cancer, and-when it contributes to excess weight-diabetes and hypertension. SUGAR: Reducing our intake of sugar helps us to have more room for the foods that are good for us, full of life giving properties, instead of being life depleting. SALT: Our bodies only need about a half teaspoon of salt daily. For everyone, increased salt intake means an increased need for water to clean it out, an increased risk of bloating from water retention, and an increased risk of stomach and esophageal cancer.

In the introduction, Leanne talks about the mountain of empirical research supporting a whole food, plant-based diet. She states we can obtain images of the arteries in the heart, and then show conclusively, as Drs. Dean Ornish and Caldwell Esselstyn Jr. have done, that a whole food, plant-based diet reverses heart disease.

The Introduction has several sections that I think you will find interesting: Leanne's Journey Toward a Plant-Based Diet, Raising Children to Consume a Plant-Based Diet, The Garden Approach (Choosing a Wide Variety of Plant Foods, Harvesting the Garden (Preparing Delicious Meals), Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet, and Start Your Own Journey.

The recipes start on page 51 and the sections include: Breads & Muffins, Breakfast Dishes, Appetizers & Salads, Soups, Sandwiches, Entrees, Side Dishes and Desserts.
Below are recipes for Nutty Noodles with Vegetables and No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars. Both were fabulous and simple! I also added a picture of the the delicious Vegan Chocolate Cake I made and shared with family from out of town. They loved it! I hope you will give these recipes a try and let me know how you liked them. Also, don't forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the page. Good luck!

Nutty Noodles with Vegetables (Page 196)

Makes 4 Servings (25 minutes preparation time, 15 minutes cooking time)
PRINTABLE RECIPE
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti or other pasta, cooked
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 large carrot, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup light tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar, unseasoned
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons agave
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup crushed peanuts
Sea salt to taste

1) Cook 1 pound pasta and set aside.
2) In a large skilled, add 1/4 cup vegetable broth, onions, peppers, broccoli, and carrot. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are slightly cooked.
3) Stir in pasta, basil, and sesame seeds. Set aside.
4) In separate saucepan, add peanut butter, tamari or soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and agave. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Pour over noodles.
5) Garnish with green onions and peanuts. Season with salt.

TIPS: Snow peas and cauliflower are both great substitutes for broccoli. To make beautiful and easy julienne strips of carrot, use a vegetable peeler or julienne peeler.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars (Page 265)

Makes 9 Servings (15 minutes preparation, 1 hour chilling)
PRINTABLE RECIPE
1 cup low-fat graham crackers, crushed
1/4 cup crushed walnuts
1/2 cup reduced-fat, unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup nondairy milk
1 cup nondairy chocolate chips
5 tablespoons rice or almond milk

1) Crush graham crackers in food processor. In separate bowl, add walnuts, coconut, and peanut butter. Stir in crushed crackers.
2) Slowly add milk and mix. If mixture does not hold together, continue adding additional milk until all ingredients stick together. However, don't make it too soft, and, if necessary, use your hands.
3) Spread mixture evenly into a 9 x 9 nonstick baking dish.
4) In a saucepan, melt chocolate chips together with rice or almond milk over medium heat. Stir until smooth.
5) Spread chocolate mixture on top of peanut butter mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until hardened. Cut into squares and enjoy!

TIP: These make a great holiday treat and should be used sparingly.

Vegan Chocolate Cake (Page 268)

GIVEAWAY INSTRUCTIONS:
(You can do all 3 of the items below to be entered into the drawing three times. Make sure to create a new comment for each item you do.)
DEADLINE: Giveaway will end Monday, July 29 at midnight, eastern standard time. The winner will be drawn using a random number generator and will be announced at the bottom of this post shortly after. Good luck!!
TO ENTER:
#1) Leave a comment in section below this post.
#2) Subscribe to The China Study Community Page

#3) Share this post on Pinterest. You can share one of the pictures and mention the giveaway.

_________________________________________________________________________

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

Congratulations Holly!

(Please contact me so I know where to send your copy of The China Study Cookbook)

thehealthseekerskitchen@gmail.com

Thank you to everyone that added a comment. I wish I could send each one of you a book. Please watch for my next giveaway - WHOLE and try again to win:)

The information source for the whole food, plant-based diet movement

- See more at: http://www.thechinastudy.com/#sthash.YALUApf6.dpuf

The China Study Community

The information source for the whole food, plant-based diet movement

- See more at: http://www.thechinastudy.com/#sthash.YALUApf6.dpuf

Vegetable Potato Curry

2013-05-23T23:38:00.000-06:00

Using some of the traditional spices used for curry I created a delicious vegetable potato version. I think you are going to love this one. Curry dishes are richly satisfying with their intense spices, easy to make, healthy and very inexpensive. I have created several curry dishes that are available on my website: Red Potato Curry Over Lemon-Basil Zucchini, Corn and Cashew Nut Curry with Perfect Brown Rice, and Tofu and Green Bean Red Curry. I also have a raw version called Raw Curry in a Hurry, created by Tanya Alexseeva (Better Raw). Try to include a lot of raw, organic foods in your diet. Then supplement with a smaller percentage of healthy cooked foods. You will find good health and enjoyment from this way of eating.

I recently tried Koshihikari brown rice. This new state-of-the-art technology allows milling of rice grains just 10%. This lets Hokkura Brown Rice absorb water quicker and cook up fluffier, like white rice, without sacrificing the natural minerals and nutrients of brown rice. The best way to prepare Hukkura brown rice is exactly like you would white rice, only let the brown rice soak for 30 minutes in your rice cooker before turning it on to start the cooking process. So normally if you put two cups of rice in your rice cooker, you would then add water to the two mark. In addition to this, let the rice soak for 30 minutes and then turn the cooker on. I found the flavor of Hukkura brown rice to be extra tasty, fresh and of the highest quality. You can order Hukkura brown rice on Amazon to give it a try, or possibly find it at your Asian supermarket. This particular premium rice doesn't state that is organic, so I now have a quest to find a similar one that is. Click on the picture below to find on Amazon. hope you will give this curry recipe a try and let me know what you think. My family loved it! Also, check out my Perfect Organic Brown Rice made with regular organic brown rice.

Hukkura Brown Rice

Vegetable Potato Curry

Printable Recipe

Serves 4-6

5 medium russet potatoes, cut into 1/2 - 3/4" squares
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
2 heaping tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 1/2 cups vegetable broth with sea salt
1 lemon, juiced

SPICES:
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons sweetener of choice

1. Prepare potatoes, celery, carrots, parsley and set aside.
2. Add diced onion, 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, all seasonings, sweetener and add to larger soup type pan. Simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Add remaining vegetables and half of the remaining broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer, stirring frequently until potatoes and carrots are soft. Continue to add vegetable broth as needed until all broth is used. Curry should be thick with some liquid present. If it is too dry, add some additional water.
4. Serve over brown rice and enjoy!

Forks Over Knives Book Review and a Recipe: Spaghetti and "Meatballs"

2013-05-15T22:41:00.002-06:00

Everyone loves pasta, so I wanted to share a recipe from the book Forks Over Knives. A lot of you have probably seen the video, but if you haven't you can buy it on Amazon along with the companion cookbook.

THE CLASSIC ITALIAN-AMERICAN dish gets a healthy makeover with millet standing in for the meat. Loved this yummy and inexpensive dish. You can simplify this recipe by adding your own favorite pasta sauce. I also used brown rice noodles in this recipe.

What I love about this book is that the recipes are very simple with ingredients you are use to seeing and using already. You will find you have a lot of the ingredients in your home right now and can easily make a lot of the recipes by picking up just a few things from the store or getting them from your garden. This is a great book for home food storage as well. If you stock up on the cooking basics (page 12, 13, 14 & 15), and keep items on your shelves that you rotate, like vegetable stock, brown rice, quinoa, millet, whole grain pasta, various packaged & canned beans & lentils, various kinds of canned tomatoes, frozen berries & fruits, raisins, etc., you can create a 3 month or more supply of food that you rotate for your family. You will also need to store some water. The recommendation is to have 1 gallon of water per person to last 2 weeks and 3 months of food. I highly recommend this book to help you set up an excellent working kitchen and food storage plan.

Some hints that have helped me with preparing my meals is to freeze a few items to make meal preparation easier. I keep a bag of garlic in my freezer and pull them out as needed. They work well frozen with my mincer. I also freeze leftover parsley, cilantro, herbs and spinach. I can easily add these frozen veggies during my meal preparation.

Spaghetti and "Meatballs"
Printable Recipe
Serves 4

2 cups Vegetable Stock (page 23), or low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup millet (see below how to soak and prepare your millet before cooking)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced small
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup minced basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 pound whole-grain spaghetti, cooked according to package directions, drained, and kept warm
2 cups Tomato Sauce (page 25), heated (I used my own favorite spaghetti sauce here)

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2.) Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the millet and salt and bring the mixture back to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the millet is tender. Drain any excess water and keep warm.
3.) Place the onion in a large saucepan and saute over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onion from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic, basil, and pepper and cook for another minute. Add the tomato puree and 1/4 cup of water and cook until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.
4.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5.) Add the cooked millet and the arrowroot powder to the onion mixture and mix well.
Using an ice-cream scoop, shape the millet mixture into 2-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
6.) To serve, divide the spaghetti among 4 individual plates. Top with some of the "meatballs" and pour some of the tomato sauce over the prepared plates.

SOAKING MILLET
You must soak your millet the night before you plan on using it in your recipe. One cup of dried millet generally yields about 3 cups cooked. Measure out millet, place in a ceramic or glass bowl (never use plastic) and soak with purified water for 12-18 hours. For optimal soaking, add 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar.
Much like quinoa, millet is gluten-free and easy on the belly. It is also more alkalizing than other non-gluten grains. It is rich in B vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Millet has an impressive amino acid profile, including the essential amino acid methionine, making it an excellent source of protein.
Preparing Basic Millet 101 - Yogitrition

Asparagus Basil & Rice Soup

2013-01-16T20:15:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone is having a wonderful winter so far. I know there are many lucky ones who enjoy summer weather all year long, but that is not the case here in Utah. Up on our snowy mountain we have been lucky lately to hit 20 degree weather. So, between staying warm and healthy, this Asparagus Basil & Rice Soup does both and is as delicious as it gets!! I started my recipe by soaking a cup of brown rice overnight in 3 cups of water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Drain and rinse rice before using in your soup.

Soaking your grains makes them healthier

Soaking rice is not as important as soaking other grains, but the texture that soaking produces is much nicer. The texture is more like white rice, and it becomes a more digestible grain. The brown rice ‘flavor’ is a little less strong as well. Research shows that, unlike white rice, brown rice still contains some of the germ or growth structure that actually resumes activity after soaking in water for 24 hours. This revitalization is helpful in normalizing metabolism when consumed. Soaking brown rice also provides more vitamins and minerals than unsoaked brown rice or white rice. And keep in mind that the fiber in brown rice, soaked or not, contributes to a healthy diet. The apple cider vinegar helps in the soaking process.

After draining and rinsing your rice, put in a large soup pot with 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 60 minutes with the lid on. This becomes rice porridge.

Now round up all your ingredients and prepare them. I hope you enjoy this delicious and healthful soup your entire family will love. Not only will it warm you up, but will strengthen and support your healthy body.

ASPARAGUS BASIL & RICE SOUP

Printable Recipe

Serves 8

Rice Porridge

5 cups water

1 cup soaked brown rice (soak overnight in 3 cups water & 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar)

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil with the brown rice that has been soaked overnight. Reduce temperature and simmer for 60 minutes with lid on. After 60 minutes you will have a rice porridge.

Vegetables

1 lb. asparagus chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 (15 oz.) can cut baby corn drained (cut into smaller pieces as desired)

5-10 oz. cherry tomatoes cut in half

Vegetable broth

4 cups vegetable broth

4 cups water

3 teaspoons sea salt

Pesto

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup olive oil

Place in mini food processor and process until smooth scraping sides as needed.

Creating the soup

To the rice porridge add vegetable broth, water, sea salt and asparagus. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender. Add baby corn, cherry tomatoes and pesto. Season as needed. ENJOY!!

Tomatina Ratatouille & Review

2012-12-10T15:21:00.003-07:00

I recently had the opportunity of reviewing a new product called Tomatina. If you have ever tried V8 juice this juice is about 100 times better!! The first thing I noticed when I received this product sample was how dark red it was. This told me that it was loaded with lycopene at the highest level. My first taste was so flavorful and delicious. Tomatina was created by John Goldfuss. He is at the point with his new company that he needs some help getting his first production of juice going. Up to now, all of the money invested has been his own. Getting some momentum going is key to Tomatina’s launch and survival. Please check out the links below to where you can help donate money so he can purchase bottles for his first run of product. Any amount will help him reach the goal of $10,000 by January 7. It truly is a product beyond others I have tasted and deserves to be on the grocery shelves.
Tomatina owes its name to a tomato festival in Spain. In this celebration, the entire town of Buñol is filled with truckloads of tomatoes, and a huge tomato fight ensues. Afterward everyone washes up so the feasting, dancing, and partying festivities can begin. ¡Olé!

Tomatina's unique recipe went through 70+ variations to get to its current delicious state. The recipe includes tomatoes, beets, ginger, carrots, celery, cucumber and red bell pepper.
The tomatoes support a happy heart by softening sticky cholesterol. It's generous antioxidants also reduce harmful oxidative bone stress. They are the most abundant source of lycopene. Studies that look at large groups of people (observational studies) in many countries have shown that the risk for some types of cancer is lower in people who have higher levels of lycopene in their blood. Studies suggest that diets rich in tomatoes may account for this reduction in risk. Evidence is strongest for lycopene's protective effect against cancer of the lung, stomach, and prostate. It may also help to protect against cancer of the cervix, breast, mouth, pancreas, esophagus, and colon and rectum. Beets anti-inflammatory compounds soothe and repair strained organs. Ginger, with a magical, almost spiritual repute, is a medicinal root known for its stomach-soothing and anti-inflammatory effects. A carrot a day keeps the dermatologist away. Celery is associated with reduced blood pressure. The anti-oxidants in cucumbers devour menacing free-radicals. Red bell peppers are dutiful stewards of good health with an abundant mix of nutrients and anti-oxidants.

Please help get this fabulous product to market.

The recipe I created using this delicious tomato juice was a YUMMY Ratatouille. Ratatouille originated in the area around present day Nice. It was originally a meal made by poor farmer's (in essence it started out life as a peasant dish), and was prepared in the summer with fresh summer vegetables. The original and simplest form of Ratatouille used only zucchini, tomatoes, green and red peppers (bell peppers), onions, and garlic. Today, eggplant is usually added to the list of vegetables. You can choose to add eggplant or not, since the recipe is delicious with or without it. I spiced it up with some oregano & thyme. You can serve it over potatoes, rice or noodles. Enjoy good health and check out Tomatina's website and facebook pages below.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Tomatina Ratatouille
Serves 4


1 small onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 medium zucchini, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
5 Shitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup diced eggplant (OPTIONAL)
1/4 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
sea salt & pepper to taste
1 cup Tomatina or your favorite tomato juice
(Potato, Rice or Noodles)

1.  Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.

2.) Add diced vegetables and seasonings. Continue to saute until vegetables are soft. Salt & pepper to taste.

3.) Add 1 cup of Tomatina. Simmer for 5 minutes.

4.) Serve over sliced potato, rice or noodles.

Check out the links below and follow TOMATINA.

TOMATINA

Barn-Burner Chili from VEGAN FOR THE HOLIDAYS & Book Review

2012-09-25T13:13:00.000-06:00

The Holiday season is a special time for gathering with family & friends, and don't forget all the yummy comfort foods. The wonderful traditions that we grew up with and now share with our own families make our lives more beautiful and enjoyable. Food is always a great way to bring everyone together. I love creating and trying new recipes, and the Holidays are a good time to do this. Vegan cooking expert Zel Allen demonstrates in her book, Vegan for the Holidays, that plant-based foods are as delicious, innovative and elegant as their hallowed meat-based counterparts. You all know I am a big supporter of whole, plant-based foods and my biggest goal is to make it taste delicious and familiar as the memories you grew up with. I have enjoyed making a lot of the recipes in Zel's book. They are simple, pure, and healthful! I love the quote by Zel from page 3:

"As I sit down to plan my own family holiday dinners, I feel grateful for the rich bounty sown and harvested by our American farmers, who have enabled us to celebrate with an abundance of fresh foods. And it gives me deep pleasure to invite you to join me in the kitchen throughout the season, as together we participate in fun celebrations and conclude each event with a darned good meal. And now, let's bring on the holiday feasts."
You can find Zel at either of her websites:
Vegetarians in Paradise or Zel's Vegan NutGourmet.

The recipe I decided to share with you all came from Chapter 5: Happy New Year Soup and Chili Bash
I made the fabulous Barn-Burner Chili. You will absolutely love this yummy chili. It is so packed with flavor, I didn't need to add anything to it. It is hot, hearty, and full of spices that will warm you up during the cold months ahead.
Check out Little House of Veggie's with another wonderful recipe from Zel's book - Sweet Potato Soup.

Printable Recipe

Serves 6-8
2 onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 large crown broccoli, coarsely chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 3/4 cups water
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari
3 cups bite-sized chunks scrubbed white or red potatoes
3 1/2 cups cooked dried kidney beans, or 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, undrained
1 1/2 cups cooked dried pinto beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained
1 1/2 cups cooked dried black beans, drained, or 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
2 (6-ounce) cans unsalted tomato paste
1 large tomato, chopped
2-4 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (I used Apple Cider Vinegar)
2 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke (I didn't have this, so I left it out)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 to 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 dashes hot sauce (optional)

Toppings

1 (15-ounce) can corn kernels, drained (I used frozen)
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 (8-ounce) can black olives, drained and choped
2 cups shredded vegan cheddar cheese (I didn't use any cheese)

1.) Combine the onions, bell peppers, broccoli, carrot, garlic, and 1/2 cup of the water in a large, deep skillet. Cook and stir the vegetables over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and all the water has evaporated. Add 1 or more tablespoons of water as needed to prevent burning.

2.)Add the balsamic vinegar and tamari, stir well, and transfer the vegetables to a slow cooker.

3.) Put the potatoes and enough water to cover in a 2-quart sauce pan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-high or medium and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the potatoes are just fork tender.

4.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to the slow cooker and add the remaining 2 1/4 cups water, all of the beans, tomato paste, tomato, maple syrup, chili powder cumin, vinegar, liquid smoke, salt, lemon juice, cayenne, pepper, and optional hot sauce. Mix well to distribute the ingredients evenly. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

5.) Adjust the seasonings, and spoon the chili into serving bowls. Serve the toppings in separate bowls on the table or near the slow cooker and make the meal a self-serve chili-and-toppings bar.

Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Bread

2012-08-24T00:48:00.007-06:00

This is an absolutely delicious, healthier version of a holiday bread I created several years ago. It is a great bread for gift giving and for holiday parties. Cranberries are harvested in September and October and available fresh up until Christmas. Keep this recipe in mind as the Fall months approach, and stock up on some extra cranberries in your freezer.

Printable Recipe

2 cups white whole wheat flour

2 tsp. non-aluminum baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. sea salt

1 Tbsp. grated orange zest

2 cups fresh whole cranberries

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 cup raw sugar

1/4 cup Earth Balance butter

1 flax egg (1 Tbsp. ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp. water)

3/4 cup orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

3. Stir in orange zest, cranberries, and walnuts. Set aside.

4. In a sauce pan , cream together butter, sugar, and flax egg until smooth. Stir in Orange juice.

Heat on medium until raw sugar has been absorbed.

5. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry and pour into prepared pan.

6. Bake for 1 hour in preheated oven, or until the bread springs back when lightly touched.

7. Let stand 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Raw Soft Taco with Fresh Tomato Salsa

2012-07-09T18:45:00.008-06:00

For all of you wanting that "Summer Glow"- now is the time to get it! I am not talking about the Summer Glow fake self tanner, but the real glow that comes from the inside out. The radiance that comes from eating right, exercising, getting plenty of rest, and enjoying the sun for a light/real tan. Eating more "Living Foods" help us to have clear eyes, clear skin, shiny hair and a healthy immune system. The flavor of these raw foods is so fresh and alive because they are as nature intended, full of living water and life force", states Matt Amsden. In Matt Amsden's book RAWvolution, he talks about a well-balanced diet of raw plant foods containing the full complement of vitamins and minerals, necessary for good nutrition, while cooking destroys over 80 percent of a food's nutritive value. Cooking also destroys the vital enzymes in food. In the book Enzyme Nutrition, Dr. Howard Howell explains, "As our enzyme pool diminishes with age, our ability to perform the tasks that keep the body healthy also diminishes. Aging happens when enzymes decrease in concentration in the body." Dr. Howell believes that enzyme preservation is a secret to longevity and getting that glow. By eating living plant foods, we keep and even build up our enzyme reserves. Eating more raw foods also enables you to effortlessly shed excess weight. So, stock up on your live foods this summer and try to keep your raw foods to cooked ratio at 80% raw and 20% cooked. Saving your cooked meal for dinner is a great way to stay on track. Help children by keeping their ratio at 50% raw and 50% cooked.

Below are a few recipes I love from the book RAWvolution. They are both so full of flavor and super easy. The first recipe has ground walnut meat seasoned with Mexican spices, encased in a collard green wrap and served with Fresh Tomato Salsa. The second recipe was inspired by Matt's Fresh Tomato Salsa, but I switched up the recipe to reflect what I like. I hope you will give them both a try and check out Matt's book.

Collard greens are similar to kale in many ways. Like kale, they too contain the phytonutrient sulforaphane which has been shown to stop breast cancer cells from growing in a study published in Drug Discovery Today. Collard greens are also a very good source of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E and together, these antioxidants disarm free-radicals which may prevent significant damage to life-sustaining molecules such as enzymes, membranes, mitochondria and DNA. Include collard greens in your green smoothie for an excellent source of calcium, which helps to maintain the strength and density of bones and may also help prevent osteoporosis. Buy your collard greens organic, because they tend to have a lot of pesticides.

Soft Taco with Fresh Tomato Salsa

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Serves 3-4

1 1/2 cups raw walnuts, ground in a food processor

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons Nama Shoyu

3 to 4 small or medium collard green leaves

1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

1 recipe Fresh Tomato Salsa (below)

In a small mixing bowl, combine the walnuts, cumin, and coriander, and mix well. (I added all to my Ninja and pulsed until small pieces were formed) Add the Nama Shoyu and mix well. Spread approximately 1/3 cup of the walnut mixture along the center stem of each collard green leaf, then add a layer of shredded lettuce. Top with approximately 1/3 cup of the salsa just before serving and add sliced avocado. You can roll like a burrito and slice in half, or just eat like a taco.

The Ninja processor is great for little jobs like making the nut meat

Fresh Tomato Salsa

Serves 12

12 medium Roma tomatoes

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro

1 1/2 cup chopped scallions (add some of the green)

6 Tablespoons lime juice

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium jalapeno (remove seeds)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

3 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 tsp. of sweetener of choice (optional)

Combine all ingredients, except tomatoes into a food processor and process for a few seconds. Add tomatoes and continue to pulse until you have the consistency you like in salsa.

Herbed Cashew Cheese

2012-05-17T15:23:00.009-06:00

This is an absolutely fabulous cheesy spread to put on your wild yeast (unleavened) bread. Just dip in and spread several tablespoons on your bread and enjoy pure satisfaction. Or, you can add some vegetables on top and make into a sandwich. I discovered this Herbed Cashew Cheese from my daughter at Little House of Veggies. She makes some fabulous creations in her kitchen and they are kid tested too!! I just taught a class on unleavened bread last night and we sampled the Herbed Cashew Cheese, a Paprika (Cashew) Cheese Ball and an Artichoke Dip on our fresh baked No-Knead Sourdough Bread, San Francisco Style Sourdough & a Sandwich Soft Sourdough Bread. Look for my post in a few weeks with instructions on how to make your own wild yeast & how to make these fabulous healthy breads. You will find the health information very interesting and see how beautiful and delicious these loaves turn out.

Herbed Cashew Cheese

Printable Recipe

3 cups raw unsalted cashews

1 cup water or less (start with ½ cup and add more as needed)

About 1 tsp probiotic powder (5 capsules, broken open)

Soak the cashews for at least 2 hours and rinse well. Place cashews in a food processor or blender with the water and the probiotic powder. Mix until very smooth. Do not add more water than you need to make smooth. Place the cheese in bowl with lid and allow to ferment overnight on counter . In the morning add the following:

Juice of 1 lemon

2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped

Large handful (about ¾ cup) chopped parsley

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 TBS nutritional yeast flakes

½ tsp sea salt

Cracked black pepper

Mix everything well and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. Use within 5-7 days.

Kimchi Fried Rice

2012-05-09T14:32:00.001-06:00

Many of you have purchased a Perfect Pickler and created your own easy Kimchi in just 4 days. Below is a delicious Kimchi Fried Rice recipe that I think you are going to absolutely love! With sesame oil, onions, brown rice, sea salt & Kimchi, it is so delicious! For those of you who haven't discovered the Perfect Pickler yet, click here to see my post and how to make Kimchi. I hope you will give it a try and let me know how it turns out. This is a great recipe to use your kimchi and enjoy a traditional korean dish. With two Korean brothers, I will definitely be making this for them.

Kimchi Fried Rice – Kimchi Bokumbap)

Serves 4

Printable Recipe

1 - 2 TBS toasted sesame oil

1 ½ cups finely chopped onion

Pinch of coarse salt

2 cups kimchi (the older the better), coarsely chopped

¼ cup kimchi brine

4 cups day-old cooked rice at room temperature.

Garnish with sliced scallion or chives & sesame seeds

Directions:

Sauté the onion with salt in the oil for a few minutes to soften. Add the kimchi and juice and cook another minute. Add the rice and mix well, cook about 5 minutes. Serve garnished with sliced scallions & sesame seeds.

ByJean-Georges Vongerichten, the Kimchi Chronicles

Perfect Brown Rice

Printable Recipe

1 cup uncooked brown rice

1 tsp olive oil or coconut oil

2 cups filtered water

Fix brown rice by cooking in olive oil or coconut oil until lightly browned. Quickly pour 2 cups water all at once and put on lid. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for about 40 minutes until all water is absorbed.

Cauli-Bean Chili

2012-05-05T12:02:00.000-06:00

Most of you know that I am all about packing in the nutrients, so I created a chili using a whole head of cauliflower. The health benefits of cauliflower are huge and you will find it virtually undetectable and delicious! The secret is to cook your cauliflower in a separate pan with onions, garlic and all the seasonings, then add it to the chili. The fitting name I decided on was Cauli-Bean Chili. When feeding your family and loved ones, you need to pack in as much nutrition as possible to insure a healthy immune system. The health benefits of cauliflower are huge and accomplish this support. I hope you will give it a try and enjoy a bowl full of power packed nutrition.

CAULI-BEAN CHILI
PRINTABLE RECIPE
Serves 8

Cauliflower Mixture:

Onion/Bean Mixture:

Directions:

Wash and remove center of cauliflower. Break up remaining cauliflower and place in food processor. Process lightly into little pieces. Place in pan with 1 tablespoon heated olive oil. Cook for several minutes. Add seasonings and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook on medium heat until cauliflower is soft and flavorful.
In large soup pot combine onion, garlic, green pepper and Anaheim chili. Cook until soft. Add 2 cups (480 ml) of chopped fresh tomatoes and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, beans, lime zest, lime juice and cauliflower. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. ENJOY!

Also check out my Cauli-Bean Tacos and all the health benefits of cauliflower.

Sauerkraut, Kimchi & Tropical Fruit - OH MY!!

2012-04-26T08:38:00.008-06:00

I taught a super fun class tonight at the Bosch Kitchen Center. It was a hands-on class where everyone made their very own Kimchi with the Perfect Pickler. Everyone learned how to make Kimchi , Sauerkraut, Fermented Tropical Fruit, Herbed Cashew Cheese, Paprika Cheese Ball, Almond Yogurt and Almond Milk. Everyone also learned how to make Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokumbap) YUMMY!! I will post pictures & recipes for all of these in the next couple of weeks. Below are recipes for Sauerkraut, Kimchi & the Tropical Fruit Mix. The Perfect Pickler is an amazing tool that makes fermenting vegetables and fruits fail proof. To read more on the benefits of cultured/fermented vegetables, fruits and nuts, CLICK HERE.

Everyday Kimchi- Makes 2 quarts

Printable Recipe

3/4 pounds Napa cabbage (buy a pound, save a couple outer leaves) Cut into 1” pieces.

1/2 pound Daikon radish ( or mix of daikon and carrot) peeled, julienne slices or shredded)

3 large scallions, trimmed and cut into thin, slanted slices

Fresh garlic, 2 TBS minced

Fresh ginger, 2 TBS peeled and minced

Korean chile flakes, 1 to 3 TBS to taste. (You can adjust after fermenting)

Brine:

2 cups water to 1 rounded TBS. sea salt

Cut cabbage into 1” squares. Add remaining ingredients and pack into jar. Leave 3” space at at top of jar. Add whole cabbage leaves on top of Kimchi mixture. Place brine overflow cup on top of mixture and carefully add brine until you just cover the top of the mixture by quarter inch or so. You now have extra air space for expansion.

Recipe by Bill Hettig (Creator of the Perfect Pickler)

Savory Sauerkraut – 1 qt.

Printable Recipe

2 - 1/4 lbs cabbage (finely shredded)

Save several round pieces of cabbage cut from top as well as a 1” square chunk to place on top of kraut.
1 TBS (scant) fine sea salt

1 tsp caraway seeds

Cut round pieces out of top of cabbage to use on top of kraut mixture. Shred cabbage and add salt. Work cabbage with hands until you start creating a nice brine. Use a wooden kraut masher to break up cell walls of cabbage and help to form brine. Mix cabbage with caraway seeds. Pack tightly into qt. jar until several inches from top. Place cabbage rounds on top of kraut mixture and then place 1” square cabbage chunk (cut from center of cabbage) on top of cabbage rounds. Place brine cup on top of cabbage chunk and seal lid.
Recipe by Bill Hettig (Creator of the Perfect Pickler)

The Health Seekers Kitchen

Vegan Under Pressure (Perfect Vegan Meals Made Quick and Easy in Your Pressure Cooker)

Vegan-Ease (An Easy Guide to Enjoying a Plant-Based Diet) Book Review and Giveaway

Enter for your chance to win Laura Theodore's Cookbook, Vegan-Ease, by leaving a comment below with the answer to the following question:

Love Fed (Purely Decadent, Simply Raw, Plant-Based Desserts) Book Review & Recipe

The China Study All-Star Collection Cookbook Review & Sweet Potato Chili with Kale

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts with Herbs

Tasty Vegan Meatloaf

Better Than Vegan Cookbook Giveaway Plus Author Question & Answer

Better Than Vegan Cookbook Giveaway

Enter for your chance to win Del Sroufe’s Vegan Cookbook by leaving a comment below with the answer to the following question:

________________________________________

Jazzy Vegetarian Classics Book Review, Recipe & Giveaway

Giveaway!

It is VERY easy to enter - just leave a comment after this post and check back in one week to see if you have won. You can also leave a link or your email with your comment where to contact you. Deadline for entering giveaway is December 18th. Drawing will be held on December 19th. Good luck!!

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New Year's Chili Bash - Vegetarians in Paradise

Hearty Anasazi Bean Soup

Health Begins in the Kitchen: Book Review and Two Fabulous Recipes!

Health Begins in the Kitchen

Now Available for only $14.99

WHOLE - Breaking the Science of Nutrition by T. Colin Campbell with Howard Jacobson: Review & Giveaway

The China Study Cookbook by Leanne Campbell: Review, Recipes & Giveaway

The information source for the whole food, plant-based diet movement

The China Study Community

The information source for the whole food, plant-based diet movement

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Forks Over Knives Book Review and a Recipe: Spaghetti and "Meatballs"

Asparagus Basil & Rice Soup

Soaking your grains makes them healthier

Tomatina Ratatouille & Review

Follow Tomatina

Barn-Burner Chili from VEGAN FOR THE HOLIDAYS & Book Review

Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Bread

Raw Soft Taco with Fresh Tomato Salsa

Herbed Cashew Cheese

Kimchi Fried Rice

Cauli-Bean Chili

Sauerkraut, Kimchi & Tropical Fruit - OH MY!!