Tag Archives: healthy eating

VEGAN GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

A Thanksgiving Favorite. Now you can bring the vegetarian version! vegan green bean casserole

  • 1 pound green beans (rinsed, trimmed and cut in half)
  • Sea salt and black pepper                         
  • 2 Tbsp vegan butter or olive oil
  • 1 medium shallot (minced)                       
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms (button, baby bella, or cremini)
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour                            
  • 3/4 cup vegetable broth 
  • 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk        
  • 1 1/2 cups crispy fried onions (divided )

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C). Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt well – it will help season the green beans. Add green beans and cook for 5 minutes, then drain and place in an ice water bath to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.

In the meantime, start preparing sauce. In a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat, add vegan butter or olive oil and shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add mushrooms and season with a bit more salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes more or until lightly browned.

Sprinkle in flour and whisk to stir and coat the veggies. Cook for 1 minute, then slowly add in veggie stock, whisking to incorporate.

Add almond milk next and whisk to stir again. Season with a touch more salt and pepper and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low to thicken. Cook for 5-7 minutes more, or until thick and bubbly. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Remove from heat and add 1/3 of the fried onions (1/2 cup as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and all of the cooked green beans. Toss to coat well, and top with remaining fried onions. Bake for 15 minutes, or until warmed through and bubbly and slightly browned on top. Serve immediately (handle pan carefully).

 

Crispy Hasselback Potatoes Recipe

A BIG FAVE

Ingredients

  • Yukon gold potatoes, about 6 ounces eachHasselback Potatoes
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted              
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
  • Flaky sea salt, to taste

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

2 Slice the potatoes: Set a potato on a cutting board and place a chopstick on either side of the potato. With a sharp, thin knife, make deep vertical cuts 1/8-inch apart, but without cutting all the way through the potato. The chopsticks should keep you from accidentally cutting too deeply or going all the way through.

Place the potatoes with the cut side up in the baking dish, spaced a little apart so each one has some room. Fan the potatoes open slightly.

3 Season the potatoes: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, oil, and parsley. Drizzle this over the potatoes and then use a pastry brush to spread the butter and oil mixture evenly and in between the slices of each potato. Sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until golden and crispy. The potatoes will fan out more during cooking and take on their accordion-like appearance. Serve hot.

MUSHROOM AND SPINACH STRUDEL

 by Rachael Ray 

serves 4

This rich and decadent strudel is inspired by a recipe from the original Moosewood cookbook by Mollie Katzen, only this recipe uses spinach and feta cheese as well as her mushroom strudel mixture.  It’s like Spanakopita meets Mushroom strudel. 

Ingredients

  • 12 small sheets filo dough, defrostedmushrooms-1309246_1280
  • EVOO or EVOO spray  (extra virgin olive oil)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 pound fresh baby spinach
  • 1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 12 ounce package cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs, plain
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta
  • 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350º F. 

Saute onions and garlic in EVOO in a large saute pan over medium heat.  When onions and garlic start to cook, after about 5 minutes, add spinach and mushrooms.  Allow mixture to cook thoroughly.  Add salt and pepper to taste and put mixture into a large mixing bowl.

While mixture is still warm, add cream cheese, feta cheese, bread crumbs and dill.  Mix thoroughly.  Mixture should not be loose-if it is, add more bread crumbs.

Take one sheet of filo dough and either spray EVOO evenly over it or brush about a teaspoon with a pastry brush.  Add another layer of dough and repeat with more EVOO until you have four sheets.  Add 1/4 of the filling to the dough 2 inches from one end and  spread it out so it is 1 inch from each width end. 

Fold the width ends over the filling and then start rolling the dough from the end closest to the filling until it is completely rolled up and the end is tucked under the bottom of the roll so it looks like a burrito. 

Repeat with the other filo leaves and place your strudels on a cookie sheetBake for 1/2 hour.  Allow strudels to cool slightly before serving.  

Nourishing Traditions – The Good and the Bad

All traditional cultures consume lacto-fermented foods. 

These foods supply enzymes that help digestion and beneficial bacteria that support good intestinal health and immune function. With that knowledge in mind, here’s another study showing the benefits of eating fermented food.

The Good – fermented dairy products may help prevent heart disease

Researchers in Finland found that fermented dairy products such as:yogurt

  • cheese
  • yogurt
  • quark
  • kefir
  • sour milk 

may lower the risk of incident coronary heart disease in men. Conversely, the researchers warn that a very high consumption rate of non-fermented dairy products, like milk, could have the opposite effect and increase a man’s risk for heart disease. (1)

The Bad – fried foods 

Consumption of fried chicken, fried fish or fried shellfish at least once a week (as compared with no consumption) is associated with a significant 12%-13% increase in cardiovascular mortality.

The type of oil used may be a factor. Cooking with olive oil, animal fats and coconut oil is preferred over corn, vegetable, soybean, safflower and canola oils. (2)

fried foods

 

 

 

 

 

 


  1. https://www.studyfinds.org/study-fermented-dairy-products-may-help-prevent-heart-disease/
  2. Sun Y et al. Association if fried food consumption with all cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality: prospective cohort study. British Medical Journal. 2019;364-k5420.

HEARTY AWESOME VEGETARIAN CHILI

NOTE FROM DR C:  I LOVE, LOVE CHILI and is has so many incarnations. We enjoy our second round of chili over baked sweet/regular potatoes with whatever fixings  you like. It is also wonderful over a great toasted bun/bread and I often bring it to the office as my lunch on days when I have a lunchtime workout.

Author: Kelly Egan – A Side of Sweet        Yield: 8 servings  vegetarian chili

 

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 4 onions, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 celery stalks, cut 1/4 inches crosswise
  • 4 red, yellow or orange bell peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 1 (15.5 ounces) cans black beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 (16 ounces) can cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 (16 ounces) can pinto beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 (16 ounces) can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 (14.5 ounces) can of diced tomatoes
  • 4–6 tablespoons chili powder, depending on your preference
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce

Directions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic saute until they soften, but don’t brown, for about five minutes.
  • Add the peppers and celery and saute until lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes. ( I sometimes skip this step no harm- no foul)
  • Set your slow cooker to low. Add the beans, vegetables, diced tomatoes, spices, vinegar, and hot sauce. Stir to combine and cover. Cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours.

 

 

 

Tomato Salad with Feta and Pistachios

4 servings

Serve this salad as soon as it is assembled so all of the tomato juices and flavor stay where they belong.

  • Kosher salt
  • freshly ground pepper                              tomatoes-3574426_1280
    ¼ cup Basic Lemon Vinaigrette
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley, plus leaves for serving            
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta
  • 3 Tbs pistachios     
  • 1 pound mixed baby tomatoes-some sliced some diced some whole

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Toast pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Let cool, then chop.
  • Arrange tomatoes on a plate; season lightly with salt and pepper. Mix vinaigrette, ¼ cup parsley, and two-thirds of pistachios in a small bowl. Drizzle over tomatoes. Top with feta, parsley leaves, and remaining pistachios.

Basic Lemon Vinaigrette   

Pour into sealable jar and shake well 

  • ⅔ cup olive oil
  • ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Coffee Is Good for You

Up to 25 Cups of Coffee a Day Is Safe for Heart, Says New Study

A British Heart Foundation funded study found that drinking five cups of coffee a day, and even up to 25, was no worse for your arteries than drinking less than one cup a day. Further, coffee won’t increase stroke or heart attack risk. (11) 

Drinking Coffee Could Lead to A Longer Life, Scientist Says

Whether it’s caffeinated or decaffeinated, coffee is associated with lower mortality, which suggests the association is not tied to caffeine. 

Drinking coffee was associated with lower risk of death due to heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and kidney disease. People who consumed a cup of coffee a day were 12 percent less likely to die compared to those who didn’t drink coffee. This association was even stronger for those who drank two to three cups a day – 18 percent reduced chance of death. 

coffee


Gunter M et al. Coffee drinking and mortality in 10 European countries: a multinational cohort study. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2017;167(4):236-247. doi: 10.7326/M16-2945

Grilled corn and farro salad

Serves 6grilled corn

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked farro ( Find it in the rice aisle at Meijer)

3 ears corn, shucked                               

1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided 

1 cup chopped tomatoes                         

1/3 cup chopped pistachios

1/2 cup halved kalamata olives               

1/4 cup chopped basil leaves 

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice              

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced                             

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 

Directions

Bring 5 cups of water and a large pinch of salt to a boil. Add the farro and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until farro is al dente about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside

.While the farro is cooking, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat (or, preheat a grill to medium-high.) Rub the corn kernels with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning with tongs, until charred, about 10 minutes. Cut off the kernels and add to the farro bowl. 

Add the chopped tomatoes, olives, pistachios and basil to the corn and farro bowl. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, finely minced garlic clove, paprika and lemon juice until garlic is dissolved.. Slowly whisk in the remaining olive oil along with a pinch of salt and pepper. 

Add the dressing to the farro bowl and toss well; season to taste, if needed and serve.

ENJOY YOUR GARDEN PRODUCE/FARMERS MARKET GOODIES…THIS IS THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR FOR STUFF STRAIGHT OUT OF THE GARDEN/FARM

GREEN GODDESS PASTA SALAD

serves 6-8GREEN GODDESS PASTA SALAD

  • 1 lb gemelli cooked according to package instructions, drained
  • 6.35 ounce  Pesto Basil Pesto
  • 1/2 cup vegan Mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas cooked according to package instructions
  • 2 cups steamed asparagus chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups chickpeas drained
  • 3/4 cup pine nuts
  1. While pasta is cooking, stir together the pesto and mayo until smooth.
  2. Combine hot pasta, pesto, salt, peas, asparagus, chickpeas, and pine nuts in a large bowl and stir to toss.
  3. Sprinkle with chives and serve!

Taco Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps

Note from Dr. C   I made this with brown rice instead and it was awesome!  Sitting outside in our gazebo eating theses on a yummy spring evening was AMAZING!

Taco vegetarian lettuce wraps with quinoa and black beans put a tasty spin on tacos that will actually keep you full with 16 grams of protein per serving!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 3 ears of corn, shucked (or 1 cup frozen)
  • 1 15 oz. can black beans
  • 1/2 Tbsp. coconut oil
  • 2 bell peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1/2 lb. mushrooms, washed and sliced
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, split in half
  • 3/4 cup salsa
  • 1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese ( I have used feta too!)
  • 1 head of lettuce (I like butter leaf), washed and leaves separated
  • 1 avocado, diced

Instructions

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. 
  2. Rinse quinoa and add to pot. After quinoa has boiled for about 5 minutes, add corn cobs. Continue boiling for another 10 minutes until both quinoa and corn are fully cooked (if using frozen corn just hold off and add it with the peppers).
  3. Remove from heat and pull out corn cobs. Drain quinoa and set aside. Use a sharp knife to scrape the corn kernels off of the corn cobs.
  4. While quinoa and corn cook, melt coconut oil over high heat. Add onions and bell pepper and sauté until peppers start to brown.
  5. Add garlic and mushrooms and continue cooking until veggies are cooked and lightly browned.
  6. Stir in salt, chili powder, paprika, cumin, half of the chopped cilantro, and 1/4 cup salsa. Add quinoa and black beans. Stir and remove from heat.
  7. Serve veggie filling, grated cheese, additional salsa, cilantro, and avocado to lettuce wraps.