Honey Laundering - Unbelievable

I'm telling you, if it doesn't look like something you recognize that could be growing out of the ground--don't eat it.

So it turns out that even HONEY and OLIVE OIL are processed foods. (Think about it.) They are not health foods. Now they are selling Corn Oil but making you pay Olive Oil prices for them...and corn syrup with antibiotics and heavy metals thrown in for Honey. Nice.

Ew...gross

I want this blog to be a pleasant place for all of us. But I just saw this and I think it's important to remind ourselves of the disturbing nature and filthiness of some of these practices.

The Truth About Ground Meats

She looks sooo much better like this:

Fat Free Steam-Sauteed Swiss Chard

Chard wins the beauty contest in the produce department. And it's easy to cook. Red Swiss Chard and Rainbow Chard will remind you of how miraculous and beautiful life is. I simply steam sauté this beautiful vegetable. I find it a tiny bland, so I dress it with either Wasabi Mustard or a Flavored Balsamic Vinegar (do yourself a favor and check these out). It keeps well and makes a great, fast, green snack. The delicious toppings turn it in to a solid cha-cha. Nutritional value of chard.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of chard, cleaned and chopped (with stems for us lazies)

2 to 3 cloves of Garlic, minced

2 cups of Vegetable Broth

Seasonings: preferred mustard or flavored balsamic vinegar to taste

Directions:

1. Steam Saute the garlic in about 1/2 cup of broth for 1 to 2 minutes (I use a wok, worth buying)

2. Add the chard and the rest of the broth. Stir fry for 5 to 7 minutes until soft

3. Serve with mustard or flavored vinegar, keeps well

Leek and Potato Soup

I started cooking when I was 11. Even then I was attracted to the "weird" stuff in the vegetable department. At that time, Leeks were weird. It was around that time that I made my first Vichyssoise and it was a staple in my repertoire until I started to developed Carbophobia like everybody else. Now that I am no longer afraid of carbs (thank you, Dr. McDougall) and now that potatoes are once again an option (Thank you, Chris Voigt), I decided to revive the recipe. I had a Potato Leek soup at the excellent Cafe Gratitude the other day.) My version came out kind of blah. So I added Mochi Curry powder to season and it went from no cha-chas to three cha-chas in a couple of shakes of the seasoning bottle. Benefits of leeks.

Ingredients:

3 large potatoes, chopped, (I used Yukon Gold)

3 leaks, cleaned, sliced (like a celery stalk), I did not use the dark green parts

3 to 4 cloves of Garlic (For fun, I used the Garlic with the green stalk, beautiful)

1 carton (about three cups) of vegetable broth

1 cup of soy or nut milk (optional)

Seasonings: Dill, Mochi curry, Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Boil the diced potatoes for about 15 minutes until soft (you can do this in the broth if you want)

2. Mash the potatoes with a Masher

3. Saute the garlic and leaks in about 1/2 to 2/3 cups of broth until soft (about 5 to 7 minutes)

4. Turn down the heat to medium and add the potato mixture

5. Add the rest of the broth and then use an immersion blender (worth buying) to smooth

6. Add seasonings to taste, and put on low for 10 to 15 minutes

7. Optional - you can add about 1 cup of soy or nut milk for creaminess

Fennel Salad

This is what you can do FAST with fennel. And it's tasty.



Ingredients:

1/2 fennel head, thinly sliced

1/2 lemon (squeezed for juice)

2 tablespoons red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup to 1 cup Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained

1 Tablespoon of fresh Italian Parsley, chopped


Directions:

1. Drain the beans and add fennel

2. add red onion (optional, the flavor is very "big" in this salad)

3. add a squeeze of lemon and parsley. Mix.

4. Serve on a pretty plate

Fennel and Fingerlings

This is a rip off of the Fingerling Potato and Fennel Recipe on the great site Fat Free Vegan. The woman who runs that site can do no wrong, as far as I am concerned. My version is a rip-off because I am both less well stocked and less of a cook than she is. 

Unlike the previous recipe for White Bean and Fennel Stew, I am using red onion with the fennel. It brings a totally different taste. Both are great. I did not use any oil and I think it would be completely irresistible with a dash of olive oil. It's still good. You could probably use some corn or potato starch to add some thickness to the sauce. I used Red Onion - the most nutritious of the onions, but it may be too sweet for some. 


Ingredients:

1 cup of washed fingerling potatoes

1/2 to 1  bulb of fennel, cleaned, chopped (discard stem, I still don't know what to do with that)

2 or 3 tablespoons of fennel greens, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/2 to 1 Mushroom or vegetable broth


Directions:

1. Boil fingerlings about 15 minutes - then drain.

2. Saute the onion and fennel in 1/2 cup broth for about five minutes, until soft

3. Add drained potatoes, cover and reduce the heat for about 10 minutes.

4. Serve with the Fennel greens thrown on top, salt to taste.

Fennel and White Bean Stew

Fennel!

I like the veggies that look like this. It's a bit exotic looking, and I've always liked the taste of anise (licorice). 

But what the heck to do with this? Turns out you can do some fun and fast things and is great for the variety I think is necessary to have success on a low fat vegan diet. 

The first I am going to post is a "stew". Very simple. This is a low calorie way to add an exotic taste. 

Fennel has anti-inflammatory properties. It also acts as a digestive aid quelling diarrhea, constipation and gas. Fennel tea reportedly is helpful for respiratory tract infections, as well.

Ingredients:

1 Can Great Northern Beans, rinsed

1/2 to 1 head of Fennel, cleaned, diced (remove the stems)

2 Tablespoons of Fennel Greens, cleaned and chopped

1/2 to 1 cup sliced button mushrooms

1 to 2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups of Low Sodium Vegetable Broth

1 teaspoon each of dried Oregano and Rosemary seasoning


Directions:

1. Saute the garlic and fennel in a small amount of broth, 1 teaspoon each of Oregano and Rosemary

2. Once soft (about five minutes), add in the mushrooms and Beans and the rest of the broth. Turn the heat down to low heat and cover. Cook about 20 minutes. Add additional water if necessary (if you don't want it too thick.)

3. Serve topped with chopped Fennel Greens and salt to taste

The taste is very unusual combination of flavors. Hearty in taste, yet light on the stomach. I'll give it two cha-cha's. It was even better the next day. Up to three cha-cha's.

Celery Root - in any soup, in this case it's Borscht

In my effort to work my way thru the vegetable section of the Whole Foods, I seem to have gotten stuck in the root section. Indeed they are intriguing in their diversity of colors and shapes. The celery root is down right ugly. And, truly I'm not really impressed Witt the breadth of cooking options. The food people on the web say its good in soups. Sounds boring. But it's not! It adds that extra "Je ne se quoi" that makes it seem like you know something about cooking! Throw it in your veggie soups or your bean concoctions...and as below, it turns Borscht into something to write home about: without the meat or the sour cream.


Ingredients

3 beets, peeled and diced

1/3 to 1/2 of a celery root, peeled and diced

3 stalks of celery

1/2 red cabbage, shredded

1 white onion, diced

1 garlic, minced

1 carton of vegetable broth

1 can of beans (I like Kidney, but I doubt it makes a difference)



Directions

1. Add 1 cup of broth to a soup pot

2. Throw in the onion and garlic and water sautée for five minutes or so

3. Add the celery root and stalk, the beets and cabbage and the rest of the broth, bay leaf optional

4. Heat for 20 to 30 minutes on medium heat

5. Add in the beans and heat another five to ten minutes

Optional: many recipes add lemon or rice  vinegar to serve.  I usually love this. But I swear the addition of the celery root makes this unnecessary. It keeps well and makes about ten servings.

Steamed Golden Beets

I tried roasting these beets--and this seemed to increase the dirt flavor that beets tend to suffer from. I tried caramelizing them-but they started tasting like aluminum. The steaming worked to bring out their sweetness without enhancing the negatives. Delicious. Add the right vinegar and you will be dancing. I give it two cha-cha's.


Ingredients

1 or 2 Golden Beets, peeled and diced

White-Balsamic Fig Infused Vinegar (I know, I know. But it's widely available in Whole Foods and its worth investigating these fruit vinegars)


Directions

1. Steam the beets until soft (20 or 30 minutes)

2. Allow to cool.

3. Serve doused with the Fig Infused Vinegar.

Delicious!

Golden Beet Ceviche - Fat Free

I was trying to add a handful of recipes every weekend, but the Golden Beets stymied me. Turns out I was trying too hard! They are so simple,light sweet, a great addition to salads--or the basis of a salad. This ceviche was going to be based on this fabulous Golden Beet dish that contains oil. With the oil, the favors weren't working. It was amad scramble of taste pairings, many delicious until I stumbled upon basil leaf. I said, this can't possible be right, this can't taste this good. You can add other neutral veggies like asparagus, sprouts, or even some bitter ones like broccoli sprouts or arugula. Have fun!

Ingredients

1 or 2 Golden Beets, peeled and halved

5 to 10 Basil Leaves, minced

Asparagus or Green Beans

Balsamic or Fig Vinegar (optional)


Directions

1. Steam the Beets (20 -  30 minutes) until soft; steam the asparagus (5 minutes)

2. Let cool and then slice thinly

3. Arrange on a plate, prettily with basil in the center (see pic)

4. Dash some vinegar on top to serve...however the basil and beet combo is delicious without any addition. I just added the extra veggies to boost nutrient value.

Kale-Avocado Fire Engine 2 Salad

This is adapted from the very cool site Sensible Vegan. She in turn got it from Rip Esselstyn documentary Engine 2. Before finding out that oil is both pro-inflammatory and cancer-promoting, I made this identical recipe with olive oil and way too much salt - imagining that it was "healthy." Ha! This is excellent although I am concerned about the quantity of Avocado for those of us who have weight to lose or for those who follow Dr. McDougall. I will continue to search for lower fat options. In the meanwhile, enjoy! Benefits of kale....


Ingredients:

1 Bunch of Kale

1 Avocado (you can use 1/2)

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder (or Penzey's Dried Minced Garlic)

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

A sprinkle of Salt


Directions:

1. Clean and strip the spines from the Kale

2. Throw together the Kale, Avocado (you probably can get away with half an avocado), Garlic powder, Lemon Juice (I use less than the referenced article) and one shake of salt from a salt grinder

3. Knead together until the kale softens (about five minutes)

4. Toss with Balsamic Vinegar. Serve or Preserve. It keeps well in the fridge for several days

Cinnamon Yams (or Sweet Potatoes) - Fat Free

I should love them--after all they are potatoes, yet sweet and good for me?? Yet....yuck. But the other day, I was offered a taste of a yam - lightly sweetened, soft, and very much like a bite of pumpkin pie. There is a little bit of sugar in this dish, for which you can substitute Maple Syrup, or a couple of chopped up dates - or skip altogether.   I have tried this with Japanese Yams, Garnet Yams and Hannah White Sweet Potatoes. It's best with the Yams. The Sweet Potatoes tended to fall apart and get a bit mushy. Definitely worth a try. Take it from a yam-hater. I dig these. 


Ingredients:

2 or 3 Yams (or Sweet Potatoes), peeled and diced

Cinnamon Sticks

2 or 3 chopped up Dates

Filtered Water



Directions:

1. Peel and Dice the Yams

2. Throw the yams in a pot with the cinnamon stick and the dates

3. Add enough water to almost cover the yams

4. Boil for about 30 minutes; it should be ready when the water is almost gone. If the water runs out before 30 minutes, you may need to add more water. Remove the Yams and leave the Dates behind. Keeps very well - throw on a Kale salad, eat with a flavored vinegar, or enjoy plain.

Italian Green Lentils - Fat Free

This is a no-added fat version of Italian Lentils. This is will produce a completely authentic Italian taste. Olive Oil has been replaced with Vegetable Broth. The Italian Sausage which is part of the traditional dish can be replaced with Italian Flavored Soy Sausage. I have made it both ways. Personally, I don't think it's necessary, but it can add some "kick" to the lentils.  On the other hand, there are issues with concentrated Soy Protein, and if you are concerned about hormone issues or GMOs, it's best to avoid. If, however, you are trying to convince a reluctant meat eater that you can make a hearty offering, it can make a nice show. 



Ingredients:

1. 2/3 cup of Green Lentils

1/2 Red Onion, chopped

1 to 2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 to 2 Bay Leaves

1 to 3 cups of Vegetable Broth

2 to 3 large Tomatoes, diced

2 Stalks of Celery, chopped


Directions:

1. Throw Garlic, Onion and about 1/2 cup of Vegetable broth in Soup Pot and Saute on Medium High Heat for about 5 minutes until Onion wilts

2. Keep moist with additional Broth if needed, don't let it burn

3. AddTomatoes and mash lightly with a wooden spoon, using the heat to help them soften

4. When soft, add the Celery and the Bay leaf (continue adding broth to cover), continue to heat about five minutes

5. Add the Lentils and stir.

6. Add about 4 cups of water - or broth depending on your taste. Cover and boil on Medium Heat for 30 to 45 minutes until soft.

7. Salt and Pepper to taste. Delicious!

Mango, Jicama, Mushroom, Onion Anti-Inflammatory Salad

Whole Foods and Trader Joe's carry fruits and vegetables already chopped up, which makes it convenient to combine a lot of great tastes and various nutrients. Onions and Mushrooms are now known to have powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, so why not throw them in when you can? Here they make a powerful taste complement to the Mango and the Jicama gives a nice watery crunch. Enjoy! 

Serves One or two


Ingredients:

1/2 Ripe Mango, or Mango pieces already prepared

3 or 4 slices of Red Onion

4 Sliced Button Mushrooms

1/2 cup of Jicama, Chopped



Directions:

1. Slice the Mango, Onion, Mushrooms, Jicama and mix together in a bowl

2. May dress with fat free dressing or Balsamic Vinegar

Raw Red Beet and Bean Ceviche - Fat Free

This has been adapted from an Armenian Beet Salad. There are many variations - some with honey and mustard and oil and raisins. But in keeping with my simplicity rule, I have weaned it down to the most nutritious and have removed unnecessary sugars and oils. I never was a beet person growing up, and my family hates them. So I have to be committed when I roll up my sleeves to get involved with beets. But the health benefits appear to be numerous: including "brain health," athletic performance, and anti-cancer benefits, to name a few. Check them out. It's easy to get hooked on this root. (A word of caution: the red color may show up in the toilet bowl.)


Ingredients:

1/2 to 1 Red Beet, Shredded (I use a cute little shredder with a container, which is well worth obtaining since beets are so messy. Look for something like this shredder.)

Juice of 2 limes

1/2 cup of Red Wine Vinegar

1 can of Organic Beans (Sometimes I like to use Kidney beans, sometimes I like the color contrast of Black or Great Northern Beans), rinsed

1/2 of a Red Onion, sliced or chopped

1/4 cup each of chopped Italian Parsley and/or Cilantro

1 teaspoon of Ground Cumin


Directions:

1. Shred the beet. Even half a beet will yield a lot of shreds. I usually get tired after 1/2 a beet.

2. Squeeze the limes and add with the Vinegar to the Shredded Beets.

3. Add Cumin and Stir.

4. Add Beans, Red Onion, Parsley, Cilantro and continue to mix.

It's ready. It can be eaten immediately, but it's better if you can marinade for 2 hours. It last a long time in the fridge. After a couple of days, it's nice to freshen it up with freshly chopped onion, parsley or cilantro.

Roasted Butternut Seeds

Butternut Squash seeds may have antidepressant effects. There remains a lot of controversy about seeds and nuts - whether they cause weight gain, etc. But it appears that they may actually boost your mood. And we can all use that every once in a while. This simple method works for me, but I saw this cool site, and although a bit more complicated, her method might be worth trying. 


Directions:

Rinse your Butternut Squash Seeds, remove Squash threads

Salt very lightly if you like

Roast at 400 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until golden brown

Stir occasionally

Forget the oil and butter!

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Bisque - Fat Free

This recipe was adapted from multiple excellent Squash Soup recipes available on the Internet. Many will add apples or what I consider to be unnecessary complications. Some people do not like very sweet main dishes, so I left the fruit out. Many will add cream, which I am against and will leave to Dr. McDougall to explain. But, due to the richness of the squash, I don't think it even needs soy or nut milk. The subtle harvest flavors and the thickness of the soup, makes this a hearty offering for any season. 

Makes two to three servings.


Ingredients:

1/2 of a Butternut Squash

2 to 3 cups Vegetable Broth

1/2 White Onion, chopped

1 Clove Garlic, Minced

Sprig of Fresh Thyme

Pinch of Cinnamon, Nutmeg or All Spice

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Green Onion, finely chopped


Directions:

1. Saute the Onions and garlic and thyme in about 2/3 cup of broth over medium heat for a couple of minutes until the Onion wilts.

2. Throw in the Squash and add the rest of the broth. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until Squash is soft.

3. Remove the Thyme.

4. Puree the Squash mixture.

5. Return to the Soup pot. Add additional broth to desired thickness.

6. Add salt and pepper; Add a pinch of Cinnamon or Nutmeg or All Spice, to taste. Heat for a few minutes.

7. Add Green Onion on top if you like.

Roasted Butternut Squash - Fat Free

Adapted from the The Barefoot Contessa, this fat-free version of Butternut Squash was my first experience with vegetable. I exchanged the oil with broth and added garlic. Delicious! It had me dancing! I was making it for a patient but I ate it all.  Be careful with the amount of tossing and the amount of broth. It can come out gooey. Also, if buying the pre-cut pieces, look for the darker orange pieces, otherwise they are tougher, take longer to cook and can be a bit tasteless. 

Ingredients:

2 cups of Butternut Squash, peeled and diced or purchase the prepared pieces sold in Whole Foods

About 1 cup of Vegetable Broth

Garlic, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste


Directions:

1. Peel the squash with a carrot peeler. It's a pain in the neck. So watch a good movie while you do it - or buy the pieces already prepared. My experience is that the whole squash yields a better result. But you don't always have the time. Dice into 1/2 to 3/4 inch chunks.

2. Mince the garlic.

3.   Lightly salt and pepper the squash and then toss it with the garlic in a mixing bowl with maybe 1/4 cup of Vegetable broth. Mix thoroughly.

4. Place in one layer in an oven-proof glass dish with Vegetable Broth about 1 cm deep.

5. Roast at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Toss once or twice.  Keep your eye on it and add broth to keep it from burning. Serve now or later. It keeps well.

Creamed Turnip Soup - Fat Free

This recipe was adapated from Susan Voisin's excellent blog, Fat Free Vegan Kitchen. The sole differences lie in the number of turnips and method of blending. The original recipes call for four Turnips and only two are used in this recipe. This version results in a very thick puree using a standard Blender. She uses a hand blender and appears to get a much thinner soup with even more Turnips. 

This will make about two large bowls of soup with a rich but subtle flavor. 

Ingredients:

2 Large Turnips, peeled and diced

3/4 to 1 cup, Plain, Fat Free Soy milk

2 Bay Leaves

2 Whole Cloves

2 Black Peppercorns

1 Tablespoon Cornstarch

Ground Black Pepper and Salt to taste


Directions:

1. Steam or Boil he Turnips until soft (about 30 minutes).

2. Heat the Soymilk with the Bay Leaf, Cloves and Peppercorns in a small saucepan for a minute or so then set aside.

3. When the Turnips are soft, let them cool until you can handle them.

4. Remove the Bay Leaf, Peppercorns and Cloves from the Soymilk.

5. Suspend Cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of cold water. Then add this to the soy milk, stir and heat gently until thick.

6. Puree (or mash) the Turnips. Add the Soymilk and mix until desired consistency.

Fat Free Creamy Turnips

Turnips could be described as something between a potato and a squash - both in consistency and sweetness - with a little woodiness thrown in. Great for something a little different. This recipe was adapted from www.allrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-homestyle-turnips/detail.aspx. 


Ingredients:

Makes 2 to 3 servings

1 Large Turnips - peeled and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 to 2 cups of Vegetable Broth

1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano

1 to 2 teaspoons chopped Italian Parsley (or Parsley Flakes)

1 green onion, finely sliced

ground pepper to taste

1/3 to 1/2 cup Fat Free Organic Unsweetened Soy Milk


Directions: 

1. In large saucepan, throw in a small amount of Broth and quickly  "saute" the garlic

2. Throw in the Turnips - add enough broth to cover - turn heat to medium.

3. Stir intermittently and continue to add broth to keep moist if necessary for 25 minutes - until turnips are soft.

4. Add Oregano, Parsley, Onions and Black pepper. Heat 1 to 2 more minutes.

5. At last minute, throw in the Soy milk. Stir. Remove from heat before the milk separates. Serve immediately.