Coming Up,

I've been trying lots of new recipes, many of them from the Green Smoothie Girl's 12 Steps to Whole Foods book. I'll be posting the really good ones we've tried here. I don't want to discourage you from buying it though, if you are interested. I get nothing for saying this, but it is great info that has really blessed our family. Plus, it is really large, and I'll only be posting a few.

Other recipes I'll share more freely. Come and see what's been cooking (and sometimes not cooking--i.e. raw foods) in my kitchen!

Black Beans

I got this from Anitra at SimplyLivingSmart.com:

Black beans...full of nutrition

Who knew that there was so much good in a little black bean? Well here are some facts that may surprise you...

Black Beans are a wonderful source of dietary fiber which has been shown to naturally help lower cholesterol. In addition, the high fiber content in Black Beans helps keep blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making them a wise choice for people with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia.

When Black Beans are prepared with whole grains such as barley or wild rice, the Black Beans provide a virtually fat-free, high quality source of protein. But that's not all. Recent research also shows that Black Beans are rich in antioxidants as well. Antioxidants destroy free radicals, and when eaten regularly, have been shown to offer protection against heart disease, cancer and aging.

Did you know that Black beans have more antioxidant activity, gram for gram, than other bean? And do you realize that a
100 gm serving size of black beans has about 10 times the amount of overall antioxidants in an equivalent serving size of oranges and similar to the amount found in an equivalent serving size of grapes, apples and cranberries?

And this is the recipe she put along with it. I'll add my modifications and thoughts, of course.

Southwestern layered salad...

This tasty recipe is straight out of my "Celebrate Dinner" book and it's one of my favorite black bean recipes. Give it a try!

Southwestern Layered Salad

8 cups shredded romaine
8 hard-cooked eggs, sliced 1 can black beans, rinsed & drained 2 cans whole kernel corn
1 can red beans, rinsed and drained 2 ripe avocados, diced ½ cup thinly sliced green onions 1/4 cup shredded cheese 1/4 cup green peas (optional) 3 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered 1 tbsp. lime juice

Layer the salad starting with the lettuce and topping off with the green onions. Arrange egg slices around the sides of the bowl as shown.

Dressing: Combine 1 ½ cup mayonnaise, 2/3 cups salsa, 2 tbs lime juice, ½ tsp. cumin, ½ tsp. chili powder, 1 ¼ cups fresh minced cilantro. Top with shredded cheese and sliced ripe olives.

I almost always leave cilantro out of recipes because we don't like it. Also, this is great as a side (or on top of) Mexican dishes like chicken enchiladas and the like, minus the eggs for such dishes if you please. This would be a great salad to bring to a potluck.

Eat up!

Valentine Treat Ideas

Wardeh from GNOWFGLINS has a great post up right now for healthier dessert options for your valentines. They look so good. Check 'em out!

Click Here

and begin drooling.

Good news for us!

My mom sent this to me today. My boys LOVE mushrooms however I serve them.

"In the Geometric Signature pattern of the Thyroid, Mushrooms have the highest concentration of Iodine. The edible mushrooms are used as food but also as pharmacology.

The nutrient content of mushrooms are remarkable: 30-40% of their dry weight is protein...they also contain virtually all of the minerals required by the human body as well as Vitamins A, B1, B2, C and D.

Serving Tip: Throw them raw in salads, cook them into soups or saute them in olive oil with a little sea salt - fantastic!"

Sauteing white mushrooms with some butter and onions is so great on top of baked potatoes, rice, and other grains.
I rarely use a recipe with these, but if I can replicate the mushroom saute that we put over rice the other night, I'll post it. What are your favorites?

The Great Health Debate

There have been so many PROVEN diets for people's best health. This is a kindof neat idea: Let's get together all of the experts from these professed "best" diets and have them tell their experience and debate. I never thought I'd hear some of the raw vegans say that 40% of people don't thrive on such a diet, and how and what to add for people's needs. Pretty cool.

They are doing it right now.

Check out this link to listen for free for a short time.

http://www.thegreathealthdebate.com/blog/

My Favorite Starter Smoothie

For green smoothie beginners, I have a special blend I use that is a crowd pleaser for all ages and kinds. I had so many request my "recipe" from the last classes I taught that I thought I'd post it here.

Try this:
a couple handfuls of red grapes
some fresh pineapple (and core if your blender can hack it)
A couple large handfuls of spinach
A large leaf of kale (add more as you develop a taste for it)
Some frozen banana chunks
Water to desired consistency

Aloo Gobi

Indian food done right is a wonderful thing. It is a fantastic option when you are trying to downsize your meat intake because there are lots of vegetarian options and lots of flavor that leaves you feeling like you really had something. I got (and modified) this recipe from my local co-op's newspaper. We really enjoyed it and will be eating it regularly now. It is not too spicy (but you could up the spice ratio if you like by adding more cayenne pepper, or do without it if you want none at all. I just did a bit and we thought it was just right).
One thing I will say is that, for us, this was definitely not enough as an entire meal or even main dish. I will make more next time and/or think of it more as a side dish. But we're big eaters, and I like to have leftovers for lunches. See how it goes for your family.

Aloo Gobi

Ingredients:

5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 large cauliflower, cut
1 1/4 lb potatoes washed and cut in half-inch cubes (no need to peel. the peels are good to eat)
1 tsp cumin, divided
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1 finely chopped onion
2 fine-chopped garlic cloves
1/2-1 inch fresh ginger(depending on your taste), diced
2 tsp chopped jalapeno
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander seeds, ground
1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Mix 3 tbsp. of your oil, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp salt, all of your cauliflower and potatoes together in a bowl (or directly in the roasting pan to save a dish), spread in baking pan and roast for 20 minutes or until your potatoes are tender.
2. As the vegetables roast, grab a heavy skillet. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil on medium-high heat. Add in onions, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno. Stir frequently until soft (8-10 minutes; the onions should start to turn clear and golden). Add remaining spices (1/2 tsp salt, cayenne, turmeric, coriander, and cumin) and cook for an additional two minutes.
3. Add in water and roasted veggies. Cover and cook on lower heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Consume!

As a side note, a great side dish for many things is what we do with carrots. I don't peel them anymore because we buy organic and don't mind them, but you can if the peels bother you.
Chop up carrots however you like, boil them until they are just firm, then drain and add butter, salt, and dill to taste. Yum!