Category Archives: Recipes

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Pickled Veggie Salad (Curtido)

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When I was a little girl, I used to help my Grandma Rosie make pickles.  She pickled cucumbers, green tomatoes, and even garlic, which sometimes turned an interesting blue color as it soaked in the pickling juice. We loved her homemade pickles, and we still do in the years when I make them in the fall.
 
Curtido is popular in Latin American cuisine, and is great paired with stuffed tortillas. I never saw my grandmother make anything remotely like this, but I have a sneaking suspicion she would have adored it. It makes a festival of flavors on your tongue, and my Grandma Rosie was all about flavor. Here’s a great recipe for curtido, which is a little bit like sauerkraut but only lightly fermented, and with a whole lot of attitude.
If imagining how good this is going to taste isn’t enough for you, then you may be interested in the fact that fermented foods are especially good for our bellies. It turns out that fermented foods are rich in probiotics, the way nature intended. This recipe is basically a nutritional powerhouse.
 
  • 1 small cabbage, cored and outer leaves removed
  • 3 large carrots, peeled
  • 1 small-medium onion
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
  • 1-2 handfuls of kale, center ribs removed
  • 1 green apple, peeled and cored
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 /2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cups raw apple cider
  • 1 1/2 cups water (more as needed)
Shred the vegetables, ginger and apple in a food processor, or chop finely with sharp knife. Place in large bowl and mix in the oregano and red pepper.
Spoon the vegetables into 2 quart-size jars and press down hard with your fist or the back of large wooden spoon until they are packed down as tightly as possible. Leave a 1-inch space between the top of the cabbage and top of the jar.
Mix together the salt, vinegar and water, and then pour equal amounts into both jars. Add a little more water if needed so the liquid is rises just slightly higher than the cabbage mixture.
Cover tightly and leave to ferment at room temperature for 3 days. Then enjoy your curtido, and transfer any leftovers to the refrigerator.

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Absolutely Vegan Vegetable Soup

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Once again, my friend Toby comes through with a delicious soup made with a creative combination of veggies and flavors. This soup is like gazpacho, raw and vegan; the creaminess comes from the cashews.
It’s great at room temperature, or stored in the refrigerator and eaten cold. You could take it to work for lunch, serve it with a green salad for a light supper, present it as the first course for a special dinner, or even turn it into a wonderful veggie dip, dressing, or sauce by using less water.
  • 2 red peppers, cored
  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • 1 cup celery, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup cashews, raw or toasted
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1 Tbsp miso
  • 1 /4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2+ cups water
Blend together the first nine ingredients, and then add water to desired consistency.  If you feel inspired, you can garnish the soup with corn or chunks of avocado.

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Cabbage-a-Go-Go Salad

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Cabbage has a tendency to seem kind of boring, but I think it’s just the name that’s so blah. The truth is that it is a fabulous and nutritious vegetable with strong and complex flavors. You can develop those flavors by braising it in a hot frying pan with a little olive oil, for example, the simplest possible way to bring out its complex sweetness and deliciousness.

 

But you can dress it up, too. Cabbage is wonderful with the strong flavors of toasted nuts and sesame oil, the acid of rice vinegar and lime, and the excitement of cilantro. Here they are, all together, in this recipe:

  • 1 small-medium cabbage, shredded finely (remove core and outer leaves)
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and shredded coarsely
  • 1 cup cilantro, finely chopped (use parsley if you prefer)
  • 1 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix together all the liquids in a small bowl. Then mix the shredded cabbage, carrots, salt, and half the almonds in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture, mix well, and sprinkle the top with the remaining almonds. This is a great salad to take to a potluck, by the way. And it might not seem like it, but it’s great for leftovers.

Taking it On the Road

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Most people say that a lack of time is the main obstacle to preparing something whole and nutritious to eat. This gets even more complicated when you are at work or on the road. We’re always trying to whittle down the amount of time we need to make meals, while at the same time keeping it real. So if you regularly find yourself in an office or a lunch room or a hotel room that has a microwave oven, I’ve come up with a few unusual and creative meal ideas for when you are away from home. Transportation security will not stop you for traveling with quinoa or sweet potatoes or a spork.

Each of these recipes takes just one minute to gather the ingredients, but read the instructions carefully, because preparation and cooking times vary greatly. Actual cooking times range from 30 seconds to 20 minutes. All these recipes are designed to serve just one.

Idea #1:  Sweet potatoes and peanut butter. 10 minutes from start to finish.

  • Ingredient gathering: Rinse a small-medium sweet potato and wrap it in a paper towel. Pack it up along with a jar of peanut butter (unless you already keep one at your office like I do), or spoon some peanut butter into a small container suitable for travel.
  • Preparation/Cooking:  Dampen the paper towel in which your sweet potato is wrapped, and place it in the microwave oven. Cook at 100% power for 5-6 minutes, and go check your messages. Once the potato is soft, remove it from the oven, slice it open, and spoon into it 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter. If the potato is hot enough, sometimes the peanut butter melts a little and gives it an extra layer of added flavor.

Idea #2:  Red quinoa with raisins and almonds. 25-30 minutes from start to finish.

  • Ingredient gathering: Measure 1 /2 cup quinoa into a microwave-friendly (e.g., glass) jar with at least a 2-cup capacity, along with 1 tablespoon each raisins and almonds. Close tightly, and pack it up to take on the road.
  • Preparation/Cooking:  Fill the jar with approx. 1 cup water. Do not replace the jar lid. Cover with a paper towel, and cook in a microwave oven at 100% power for 5 minutes. Now the quinoa must rest for 15 minutes to absorb the water. If you are staying at a hotel, this is the time to brush your teeth, practice a few yoga positions, and shower. Then check your meal. Except for the very top layer, which will remain dark, almost all the grains will have turned translucent with a visible white ring. If they have not, cook it for 3 more minutes, let it sit for 5 more minutes, and get dressed in the meantime. Now you can enjoy your quinoa. Just one word of warning: If you use white quinoa, be prepared for it to cook a lot faster.

Idea #3:  Oatmeal (steel-cut). 8 hours (all day or all night) from start to finish, but with the least prep/cook time.

  • Ingredient gathering: Measure 1 /2 cup steel cut oats into a microwave-friendly (e.g., glass) jar. Add any of these, as you like: 1 tablespoon of dried apples or apricots, 1 teaspoon of chia or flax seed, one shake of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon peanuts. Pack it up to take on the road. Take along a restaurant packet of white or cider vinegar, or measure a very small amount into a very small travel-friendly container. You must REMEMBER TO TAKE the vinegar.
  • Preparation/Cooking: If you would like to eat your oatmeal for breakfast, then do this next part the previous evening, before you go to bed. If you plan to have it for dinner, then do it in the morning before you leave your hotel room. Add 1 cup water to the jar, along with approximately 1 /4 teaspoon of vinegar. Let it sit uncovered at room temperature all night (or all day) long. The acid in the vinegar will cook the oats without any need for heat. The sugars in the dried fruit will slowly seep into and sweeten the oats. When you are ready to eat, heat up your oatmeal in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, and enjoy. You can add more sweetener if you like.

If you have other ideas, please share them below!

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Incredibly Delicious Almond Butter-Ginger Sauce

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It is my pleasure to share this incredibly delicious sauce adapted from fellow Cleveland blogger, Healthy Girls Kitchen. You know, you can make a nice brown rice bowl with steamed vegetables and cubes of tofu or chicken, and then sprinkled with a little sea salt.  Or you can turn it from great to unforgettable with this unbelievable sauce. The sauce is also great on salad. Or straight from a spoon if you’re desperate.

  • 1/3 cup pitted dates
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 1/2″ piece of raw ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 Tbsp tamari
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup water

Put the dates in a shallow bowl, cover them with warm water, and allow to soak for 10-30 minutes. Then put all the ingredients, including the date liquid, into a blender or food processor and liquefy. If necessary, add more water by the teaspoonful to thin the sauce to the desired consistency.

This sauce is just incredible. It’s sweet, it’s salty, it’s sour, it’s spicy, it’s umami, it’s everything.

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Shelli’s Avocado Soup

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This soup is an inspiration. It was invented by a co-worker who was generous enough to share it with YHIOYP.  It is most unusual, and we are very lucky to have the recipe.
 
  • 2 medium-large avocados (peeled) 
  • 2 cups almond milk
  • juice of one-half lemon
Using a high-speed blender, blend together the avocados, almond milk, and lemon juice until smooth.  Pour into a large soup pot and set aside. 
  • 1 cup chopped rainbow carrots
  • 1/4 cup onion, chopped
  • 1-3/4 cup water
In a separate, medium-sized saucepan, boil the chopped carrots and onion for approx 10 min in the water. 
  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • 1 handful fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon each salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Now add the tomatoes, parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the saucepan and continue cooking approx 10 more min. When the carrots are just beginning to soften, transfer the contents of the medium-sized pan into the large soup pot and stir well. 
You could eat this soup right away, while it is still warm. It will be good. But if you can wait, then chill it overnight and serve it cold the next day. As a cold soup, this is really spectacular.

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Peanut Butter & Jelly Smoothie

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I found an amazingly unusual recipe on the Blendtec website last week.  I would never have thought of a peanut butter and jelly smoothie.  It would make a great snack, a great breakfast, a great treat, and even a great dessert.

Add to your blender in the following order:

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 /2 a frozen banana
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon strawberry preserves
  • 3 strawberries

Add a few ice cubes for more freeze if you choose.

Tell me this isn’t awesome!

Magical Mung Beans

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A couple of years ago, while standing on line in a grocery store, I saw the man in front of me place a huge sack of dried mung beans on the belt. The thick, white bean sprouts seen on salads in restaurants, salad bars, and so on are grown from mung beans.

I had never before seen so many mung beans in one place. You can make a big jarful with 2 tablespoons. “What are you going to do with all those mung beans?” I asked. He said he had seven kids. Oh.

The cost of nutritious food is an ongoing concern, and here is a great solution. You can cook little green mung beans like any other bean, in a pot of hot water or in a crockpot all day long with vegetables. You can mash them up a bit and pour them over grains, including brown rice, or roasted vegetables, like spaghetti squash. Or you can sprout them.

There are a few significant misconceptions about sprouting, and I’m about to dispel them. First, you don’t need a special expensive jar with a special, equally expensive lid. A few days ago I poured a couple of tablespoons of dry mung beans into a clear, medium-large glass jar. A recycled spaghetti sauce jar is perfect. You just want the jar to be clear so you can see the sprouting progress. Kids love this, by the way.

I filled the jar with water, and left it to sit on the kitchen counter all day (or all night if you prefer).

At the end of the day (or the next morning), I drained out the water through my fingers, filled it with fresh water and emptied it out again a few times. Then I turned the jar on its side with the damp, swollen beans spread out along the bottom of the jar. I returned it to its spot on the kitchen counter. The primary consideration is to place it where it won’t roll off the counter. You could use a kitchen towel for this, but there are plenty of other options.

Also, you don’t need to sprout beans in the dark. They don’t know if it’s dark or not. The plant won’t care about light until it sprouts its first leaves, which will not happen before it sprouts. Over the years, before I had this realization, I found many jars of moldy sprouts in the cabinet days to weeks after I had carefully placed them there. No more. I never forget now, because the jars are right in front of me, on the kitchen counter.

Next step: Twice a day, morning and evening, I rinse the beans, drain them through my fingers, and replace them on the counter. If you forget one time, or even two, don’t worry. Just fill the beans with water again for a few hours to rehydrate them, and then keep going.

Within 2 days, I see tiny white tails beginning to emerge from some of the beans. You can eat them raw now if you’d like, while they are still mostly bean. Within 3 days, the tails are really growing, and in 4 days, they are a couple of inches long. Now they are mostly sprout, and the jar is filling quickly. You can eat them at any of these stages.

I like to sprinkle bean sprouts on salads of course, but I also like to consider the sprouts the main part of the salad and add a few other simple salad veggies, like tomatoes or cucumbers. A sprinkle of salt and a splash of olive oil, and you’re good to go.

By the way, you can make the salad right inside the glass jar you used to sprout your mung beans, wrap it up, and take it to work for lunch. The sprouts won’t wilt like lettuce does. Cheap, delicious, nutritious, and filling. What more can you ask?

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Mushroom Pâté

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Simple, yet elegant.  

  • 4 hard boiled eggs
  • 2 large onions, chopped 
  • 1 cup walnuts, toasted
  • 8-12 oz mushrooms 
  • 1 /2 tsp salt 
  • 1 /4 tsp ground pepper

Saute the onions in 2 Tbsp. olive oil until very, very soft and turning caramel in color. Rinse the mushrooms well, and add all ingredients to a food processor.

 

Pulse the mixture in the food processor several times until very well mixed but not pulverized. Serve on individual salad plates as follows: Scoop a couple of heaping tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto a large green lettuce leaf with a few whole-grain crackers on the side. And maybe a grape tomato or two, if you have. Looks fancy, tastes scrumptious.