Tag Archives: healthy eating

Latest News From Charmaine: October 2020

Greetings all,
Well…as usual at about this time of the year, practice members are saying they can’t believe it’s October already! And in this year of Covid, photo3-300x198it’s completely understandable. As days and weeks and months have blurred into each other with no “mile-markers” to distinguish them from any other day/week/or month- there is a new day terminology emerging…..it’s Blursday.

Being out of routine, it becomes difficult to remember just what day of the week it is. We might want to think back to Spring when we were convinced that Summer would never come and to Summer when we were all a little crispy around the edge, looking forward to Fall.

Fall, this year, has been the most totally glorious and vibrant I have seen for years (maybe a little drought helps?)  This is my favorite season for lots of reasons, like food, color, crisp air to mention a few.

As we weather this weather and the season, be careful as you put your gardens to rest and go easy on the decadent foods that start becoming available. Remember to eat lots of fruits and veggies to keep your acid/alkali balance and help prevent you from falling prey to the krud.

I SAW A POST A WEEK OR TWO AGO THAT APPLIES:
T-MINUS 9 WEEKS TILL PEOPLE START SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON HOLIDAY GIFTS BUT WILL COMPLAIN EATING HEALTHY IS TOO EXPENSIVE!!!!!

Call to make an appointment:  517.627.4547

 

Curried Lentil Soup

Makes 10 1-cup servingscurried lentil soup

Serve this soup with a green salad and whole-grain bread or chapatis. 

  • 1 cup dry lentils, rinsed                                
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced                                    
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin                         
  • 8 cups water or Vegetable Broth
  • 1/2 cup dry couscous                                     
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder                        
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 

Combine lentils, onion, celery, garlic, cumin, and water or broth in a large pot. Bring to a simmer, then cover loosely and cook until lentils are tender (about 50 minutes.)


Stir in couscous, tomatoes, curry powder, and black pepper. Continue cooking until couscous is tender, about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.

From Dr C..this combines my love of soup, curry, and lentils into one wonderful dish!

 

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Makes about 2 cups (8 1/4-cup servings)roasted red pepper hummus

  • 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, or 1 1/2 cups of cooked garbanzo beans
  • 1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed butter)                    
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, packed in water 

If using canned garbanzo beans, drain them, reserving liquid, and rinse beans. Place beans, tahini, lemon juice, green onions, garlic, cumin, black pepper, and roasted peppers in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add reserved bean liquid, or if using cooked beans, water, or vegetable broth, as needed for a smoother consistency.

Veggie bounty summer pasta

Click the link for the original recipe: Veggie bounty summer pasta      artichokes-1246858_1920

serves 2

Ingredients

  • 200 g / 7 oz rigatoni or penne pasta
  • 20 ml / 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 7 ozs zucchini (1 medium), cut into chunks
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • a good pinch of sugar (optional)
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • a good pinch of chili flakes
  • 4 charred artichoke heart halves, chopped
  • 8 Kalamata olives, de-stoned and chopped
  • chopped fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)

Directions

  1. Cook the pasta just short of al dente (the pasta I used takes 12 min to cook al dente, I cooked it for 11 min) following the instructions on the packet, saving about 60 ml / ¼ cup of cooking water just before you drain your pasta.
  2. Heat up 2 tsp oil in a non-stick pan (I like to use a stainless steel one for this dish). Once hot, add zucchini and fry it on a gentle heat until caramelised, stirring from time to time.
  3. Once zucchini is almost done, add the garlic and allow it to fry in amongst the zucchini, stirring frequently. Do not let it brown as it will make it taste bitter.
  4. Season with salt and pepper and transfer out of the pan. Set aside.
  5. Add chopped tomatoes and a good splash of water (or vegan wine if you’d like) into the same pan.
  6. Allow the tomatoes to break down and thicken a little. Add a splash more liquid if the pan is getting dry.
  7. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar (if using), balsamic vinegar and a pinch of chili flakes if using. Stir well. Add cherry tomato halves to the pan, allow the cherry tomatoes to soften in the sauce.
  8. Add drained pasta to the sauce and a bit of pasta cooking water if needed. Coat the pasta in the tomato sauce. Mix well and adjust the seasoning if needed – remember that olives will add saltiness. At this point you may want to add a touch more olive oil for a more luxurious finish.
  9. Finally return fried zucchini and add chopped artichoke hearts and olives to the pan.
  10. Divide between two bowls and sprinkle with fresh parsley

Farro, Cannellini Bean, Parsley Pesto Salad

Farro is one of my favourite grains, chewy, nutty and packed with goodness (Dr. C.)

Parsley Pestopesto-2228269_1920

  • 1 bunch of parsley (roughly 2 cups once stems are picked)
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup brazil nuts (or almonds/walnuts/pine nuts)
  • 1 tsp coarse salt
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced

Salad

  • 2 cups, farro, rinsed and drained well (found in the rice section @Meijers)
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 cups /good handfuls baby spinach
  • 1 can white kidney/cannellini beans
  • 1/3 cup parsley pesto
  • Pepper and salt to taste
  • 1/2 lemon juiced

Directions: 

  1. To make the parsley pesto, in a food processor, combine parsley, olive oil, nuts, salt, garlic, nutritional yeast and lemon juice and process until uniform in texture and the parsley has been completely chopped into small bits.
  2. Cook farro in 6 cups of water over medium heat. Cover and stir occasionally to check texture. Once cooked through (the ends will have
    popped a bit and they'll be tender and chewy), add the spinach and cook until wilted. Drain and rinse with cold water and drain.
  3. To make the salad, toss farro, spinach, beans, and parsley pesto until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle lemon juice on top to serve!

Chipotle Lime Dressing

Makes about 12 servings

Spicy and creamy, perfect for a Mexican-inspired salad or even stirred into some rice for a burrito.

  • 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise (such as Vegenaise /Just Mayo)
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce , finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon agave nectar
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Add everything to a clean jar, screw on the lid, and shake like crazy until mixed well

salad-1330609_1920

Creamy Chipotle Lime Bean Salad

This flavor-packed dish takes just 15 minutes to make and can be made ahead of time. Perfect for potlucks and parties!

Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn’t Taste Like Chickenlime-2133091_1920

  • 1 19oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 19oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 19oz can white kidney or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 big handful cilantro (about 1/2 cup) or parsley (Dr C)
  • 1/4 red onion (about 1/2 cup), chopped
  • 1 – 1 1/2 batch of chipotle lime dressing (see below)

Instructions:

  1. Add everything to a very large bowl, adding the chipotle lime dressing to taste.
  2. 1 batch of dressing will lightly dress the salad, whereas 1 1/2 will have more punch.
  3. Toss well to combine.
  4. If making ahead of time, cover and store in the fridge for 1 – 2 days, and toss well before serving as the dressing will settle to the bottom.

Quinoa Chipotle Bowl Recipe from SHANE AND SIMPLE

This Quinoa Chipotle Bowl recipe is from SHANE AND SIMPLE quinoa-2220490_1280

Makes one serving as a main dish.

FOR THE QUINOA CHIPOTLE BOWL 

  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1/2 cup sweet or roasted corn (I just threw some frozen corn into a hot skillet and cooked it until it basically started to burn)
  • 1/2 cup fat-free refried beans
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium or no-salt added black beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce   
  • 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
  • 1/4 cup guacamole                         
  • 1/4 cup salsa
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions

FOR THE SOUTHWEST TAHINI SAUCE

  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar (or you can use lemon juice if you prefer)
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp.each onion powder and  garlic powder
  • salt to taste

FOR THE QUINOA CHIPOTLE BOWL

  1. Place all ingredients into a bowl, assembling or layering however you choose.

FOR THE SOUTHWEST TAHINI SAUCE

  1. Combine all ingredients into a small mixing bowl or dish and whisk.

ENJOY!

 

SPICY BUTTER BEANS ON TOAST

A great (and nutritious) comfort food! beans on toast

  •  olive oil                                                    
  • 1 garlic clove crushed
  • 400 g can of butter beans drained and rinsed
  • 400 g tinned tomatoes                              
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 pinches chilli flakes                                
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp tamari                                             
  • handful spinach
  • pinch salt and pepper                                
  • bread for toasting

Directions

  1. To a pot add a glug of olive oil, 1 crushed garlic clove and the drained and rinsed butter beans and stir.    
  2. Now add the tinned tomatoes, 2 tsp paprika, 2 pinches chilli flakes, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp tamari and stir. 
  3. Cook on a high heat for about 7-8 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
  4. Take off the heat, add the spinach and stir though until it wilts. 
  5. Scoop on toast and enjoy.

 

ONE-POT VEGAN WHITE BEAN SHAKSHUKA

ONE-POT VEGAN WHITE BEAN SHAKSHUKA

Serves 4SHAKSHUKA

 Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 head kale, destemmed and chopped
  • 28 oz diced or crushed tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper
  • pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
  • 15 oz can cannellini beans
  • Vegan/regular cream cheese and handful of chopped fresh parsley for topping

Directions

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until transparent. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes, until fragrant. Then add the kale, cover and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, until wilted down.

To the skillet, add the tomatoes and their juices. Add the smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt & pepper, and red pepper flakes (optional). Stir to combine and allow the sauce to come to a simmer. Add the white beans and cook until heated through. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Top with dollops of  vegan) cream cheese then sprinkle with pepper and chopped parsley.

Serve warm with toasted bread and enjoy!

Note: I substitute baby spinach or kale for the head of kale (5-8 ozs works!)