A Late Winter's Meal in a Bowl: Indian Spiced Red Lentil Soup with Arugula and Basmati Rice

Since we've had a child, I've become a HUGE fan of the "meal in a bowl."  The simpler, the better!  This recipe is richly spiced, totally warming, and delish' - adapted from a recipe in Feeding the Whole Family :  Cooking with Whole Foods  by Cynthia Lair.  If you have a cold or congestion of any kind, the spices in this soup can help to gently clear your head!

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

2 T. ghee or coconut oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 T. minced garlic
2 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 c. dried red lentils, washed and drained
4 c. spring water
1 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. mustard seeds
a few handfuls of fresh arugula


 Instructions:
1.  Place all ingredients in a VitaClay or Slow Cooker.   On a VitaClay, use the "soup" setting.  On a slow cooker, follow the manufacturer's instructions.  Cook until the beans are soft and the flavors are "ripe" and well incorporated.
2.  Place a handful of fresh arugula in the bottom of each serving bowl.  Ladle the steaming hot soup on top.  The heat of the soup will gently cook/wilt the arugula.
3.  Serve with a heap of basmati or jasmine rice, plus avocado. 

Rainbow Salad and Quinoa Pasta with Roasted Mushrooms and Eggplant

Rainbow Salad

Quinoa Pasta with Roasted Portabello Mushrooms, Eggplant, and Pumpkin Seeds

Vegetarian diets in general have a more cooling effect on the body.  However, using an oven to cook your meals can add a more of a warming quality to your food than steaming or simmering.  It also enhances sweet flavors.  Concentrated proteins, such as the goat cheese in this dish, are deeply nourishing and also add more heat to the body, building resistance to the cold- even in January! 

This meal features quinoa, sacred grain of the Incas.  It was believed to have been brought from heaven by a bird.   According to the Baby Boomer Diet by Donna Gates:

     

"During the European conquest of South America, quinoa was scorned by the Spanish colonists as   "food for Indians" and even actively suppressed.  Because it imparted so much energy and strength, growing it was forbidden, on pain of death.  Instead, the Spaniards introduced rice, wheat, and barley.  Fortunately, quinoa still grew wild in the higher altitudes, where it could be hidden from the Spaniards, and small amounts were consumed in secret.  But its ban had an irrevocable impact on the Incan culture.  The grain fell into obscurity for centuries." 

Salad Tip:  For wonderful salads all week, make a few cups of shredded carrots and beets in your food processor and then store in an airtight container to use any time! 

Rainbow Salad: 
Mesculin Salad Greens
shredded carrot/beet mix
thinly sliced red or white onions
dried cranberries
raw goat feta cheese
a sprinkle of dill and black pepper


Dressing: 
Cold pressed sesame oil mixed with Balsamic Vinegar to taste with a little honey if desired

Instructions:  Toss the salad.  Add the dressing.  You're done!


Quinoa Pasta:
one box of quinoa spaghetti
your favorite spaghetti sauce
2 portabello mushrooms
1/2 of a medium sized eggplant
1 leek
pumpkin seeds


Step 1:  Follow the instructions on the box to make the quinoa pasta.  Place in a serving bowl and add a dash of olive oil to prevent it from sticking. 

Step 2:  Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Slice the portobello mushrooms about 1" thick.  Slice and quarter the eggplant into 1/2" thick slices.  Slice the leek into 1/2" slices.  Then, mix all the vegetables together in a roasting pan.  Lightly coat with melted ghee, coconut oil, or palm oil.  Place in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes (but keep an eye on 'em!), stirring once during the process.  

Step 3:  Layer the pasta, tomato sauce, and roasted veggies.  Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and fresh, chopped parsley.  

Step 4:  Enjoy your beautiful meal.  

Corn Chowder Even Your Baby Will Love

Corn Chowder

I made this corn chowder for my husband, my 7 month old, and myself the other night, and it went over very well with everyone...  Its warmth was a great contrast to the chilly January evening we were having here in Western Massachusetts.  Plus, I love serving potato based dishes for dinner because the minerals and starches they contain naturally relax the body, making sleep come more easily.


Ingredients:

3 cups ORGANIC corn kernels (conventionally grown corn is mostly Genetically modified these days)
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
3-4 yellow potato, such as Yukon Gold, cubed (leave the skins on for more nutrients/fiber)
4 c. vegetable stock (I like Pacific brand)
1 c. almond milk (blend 1/4 c. almonds with 1 c. water to make your own!)
sea salt and black pepper to taste

3 T. fresh chopped basil, for garnish
Organic Butter or Flax Oil

Instructions:

Toss the first 6 ingredients into your slow cooker.  When the potatoes are soft, the soup is done.  You can serve this corn chowder as-is- Or, blend it with a handy dandy hand blender to create a creamier consistency. 

Garnish with fresh basil and Flax Oil (for a vegan meal) or Organic Butter (for a Vegetarian one).  To round out the meal, a massaged kale salad would be lovely- or even some steamed broccoli sprinkled with oregano!  Enjoy :)

Resolve to Succeed in 2012! Reframing your health resolution can help you succeed long-term

Do you have a health-related New Year's resolution?  How you frame your resolution can make the difference between failure to stick with them and long-term success that ripples into positive changes in your life.  Here are a few tips for reframing your resolutions for success!

Tip #1:  Pick up a slimming habit.  Instead of resolving to lose weight this year, choose a specific "slimming" habit to adopt instead.  For example, you could resolve to eat all of your meals/snacks before 8 p.m., squeeze a walk in every day, try interval training, enroll in a yoga class, or make the switch to eating organic foods.

Tip #2:  Never say never.  It is a part of human nature that, when we're told we can't have something, we want it even more. Instead of dropping a less than healthy habit, a smarter approach would be to upgrade it.  For example, if you love chocolate ice cream, find a healthier alternative to it (such as organic Coconut Bliss chocolate ice cream), rather than resolving to never eat it again!

Tip #3:  Get specific.  A resolution to "eat better," is too vague.  A resolution to try one new, healthy recipe per week will garner better long term success in changing your eating habits.

Tip #4:  Take Baby Steps.  Did you know that breaking larger tasks into smaller ones can help you succeed?  According to Steven Covey's book, 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, the habit of chunking- or breaking larger tasks into smaller ones- is a habit of highly successful people!  By focusing on achieving one small step at a time, one can achieve a larger goal much more easily.  If you'd like to shrink from a size 12 to a size 4, resolve instead to slim down to a size 10 first.  The feeling of success you'll have from reaching your initial goal will give you the fuel to continue moving towards achieving your larger one.

Tip #5:  Cultivate self-love first.  At the core of anyone's ability to follow through with a health resolution is an inner feeling of self-love that inspires them to live as fully, long, and healthfully as possible.  

RICE: The Astonishing Health Benefits of a Woldwide Staple

RICE provides 20% of the world's dietary energy supply:  And, it's a great source of complex carbohydrates, nutrients, and health-protective compounds.  

Rice growing in Bali

Whole, Brown Rice:

• reduces bad cholesterol
•  provides instant energy
• stabilizes blood sugar
• promotes the growth of healthy bacteria in the digestive system
• promotes regular, healthy bowel movements
• protects against high blood pressure 
• contains all the amino acids essential for building and maintaining muscle tissue, making antibodies, enzymes, and hormones
• has a calming effect on the body
• is a rich source of the B-complex vitamins which provide energy and nourish the skin and blood vessels
• is easy to digest and assimilate and is recommended for digestive disorders such as diarrhea, dysentery, morning sickness, colitis, and jaundice
• contains high levels of neurotransmitter nutrients known to aid in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease
• is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals like niacin, vitamin D, calcium, fibre, iron, thiamine and riboflavin
• consumption is associated with a lower, healthy body weight
• is rich in insoluble fiber that protect the body from cancerous cells
• is beneficial for the health of the nervous system
• aids the production of hormones
• lowers the risk of type two diabetes
• contains phytochemicals that help prevent colon cancer
• is high in magnesium, a nutrient known to reduce asthma severity and migraine symptoms
• prevents gallstone formation
• reduces the risk of breast cancer
• reduces the risk of heart disease

References: 
"The Health Benefits of Rice," www.vegrecipes4u.com
"Health Benefits of Rice," www.organicfacts.net
"Brown Rice," www.whfoods.org

Homemade Caramel Corn

Caramel Corn is one of my mother's favorite treats, and this mother's day, I decided to make her some and send it.  Of course, I wanted to make her really tasty AND nutritious caramel corn, skipping the refined sugars and corn syrup.  To do so, I found a recipe on-line and then adapted it using only whole food, organic ingredients. 


To my delight (and my husband's!), the caramel corn turned out fantastic and had a rich, deep, authentic caramel flavor.  Luckily, I made a large batch, so even though I "tested" it several times during the process, some still made it into the package to be shipped to my mom!

Homemade Caramel Corn

Ingredients:
7 quarts organic plain popped corn (buying this in bulk at the health food store and then air popping it is the best/easiest way to go!)
2 cups Rapunzel Organic Whole Cane Sugar
1/2 c. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. sea salt
1 c. organic butter
1/2 tsp. aluminum-free baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
1.  Place the popped popcorn into two shallow greased baking pans.  Set aside. 
2.  Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.  Combine the sugar, maple syrup, butter and salt in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring enough to blend.  Once the mixture begins to boil, boil for 5 minutes while stirring constantly.
3.  Remove from the heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla.  The mixture will be light and foamy.  Immediately pour over the popcorn in the pans, and stir to coat. 
4.  Bake for 1 hour, removing the pans, and giving them each a good stir every 15 minutes.  Line the counter top with waxed paper.  Dump the corn out onto the waxed paper and separate the pieces.  Allow to cool completely, then store in airtight containers or resealable bags. 

(Adapted from "My Amish Friend's Caramel Corn" by ANITALOUISE from allrecipes.com)

Corn is now commonly genetically modified, so be sure to obtain organic popcorn for this recipe...
(Dr. Mercola has compiled helpful research about the health consequences of eating genetically modified foods.)

Raw Chocolate Chia Energy Balls: A Recipe for Women in Labor to Boost Oxytocin Levels

Raw Chocolate Chia Energy Balls
Makes about 12 servings

    * 1 1/2 cups pitted dates
    * 1/3 cup raw unsweetened cocoa powder
    * 1/3 cup whole chia seeds
    * 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
    * 1 cup raw almonds
    * Coconut flour or flakes for coating, optional

1. Place dates in bowl of food processor; purée until thick paste forms. Add cocoa powder, chia seeds, and vanilla and almond extracts, if using. Pulse until all ingredients are combined. Add almonds; pulse until nuts are finely chopped and well distributed through date mixture.

2. Spread a large sheet of wax paper on work surface, and dust with coconut flour or flakes, if using.

3. Pinch off small pieces of the date/nut "dough" and roll them into balls.  Serve as is or roll them in coconut flour or flakes to coat and prevent sticking. 

4.  Chill to solidify and store in the refrigerator until serving.

The Benefits of Raw Consuming Chocolate in Labor:
A steady flow of the important hormone, oxytocin, is critical for having a healthy labor that progresses at a normal rate.   Most women are familiar with the role of oxytocin in labor and are already aware that massage, aromatherapy and other comfort measures increase oxytocin levels.  But did you know that there is also a food that naturally increases oxytocin levels?  That food is raw (meaning unroasted) CHOCOLATE!

Raw chocolate enhances serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin hormones.  It also contains significant quantities of tryptophan, a powerful mood-enhancing nutrient.  Aside from its oxytocin and mood-enhancing properties, raw chocoloate has a uniquely high mineral content that benefits laboring women.  Raw chocolate happens to be the richest food source of magnesium:  Magnesium improves the flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients throuughout the body, increasing energy levels.  It also has a general relaxant effect on all muscles in the body, which is generally considered to be beneficial during labor.

The Magic of Chia Seeds:

The chia is a flowering plant with botanical name, Salvia hispanica.  In the pre-Columbian times, chia plant was cultivated by the Aztecs of this region.  The Aztecs called it, "the running seed" because it was traditionally eaten to prepare people for running long distances.   The "running seeds'" or chia seeds' unique properties have now been well-studied and confirmed by modern nutritional science.  In fact, currently, chia seeds are being used by athletes to improve their stamina, endurance, and energy levels.  They are also known to sharpen focus, reduce inflammation, and increase nerve and muscle reactions.  The seed acts like a sponge when added to water and soak up 7 to 9 times their weight, allowing those who consume them to remain hydrated for longer periods of time.  As labor and childbirth require endurance, high energy, and hydration levels comparable to that of an athletic event, the properties of chia seed translate into a perfect labor food as well!

Raw chocolate and chia seeds eaten in combination create a powerful, mood and energy-elevating food that couldn't be more ideal for the physically and emotionally demanding process of childbirth.  The following recipe is delicious and contains both.



Resources:

Superfoods:  The Food and Medicine of the Future, David     Wolfe
The Magic of Chia:  The Revival of an Ancient Wonderfood, James F. Sheer
The Vegetarian Times, www.vegetariantimes.com