“Burger” in a bowl
September 20, 2009 by Marni
Filed under Delicious Recipes, Your Health!
A burger doesn’t always need to go in a bun. A burger can be eaten on a salad, on a pile of grains or just alongside some steam veggies. When I refer to “burger” here, I am talking about an all natural veggie burger made from whole food ingredients. See Recipe Below!
If I were to put my burger on bread, it would be bread made from either spelt, kamut or sprouted grains. Companies such as ShaSha, Little Stream and Grainsfields make excellent breads that are easy to digest, high in protein, fiber and taste delicious!
But in this particular case, I have deiced to put my “burger” in a bowl. Not just in a bare bowl all on its own, but a bowl filled with quinoa, steamed green veggies (broccoli and snow peas from my garden), steamed sweet potatoes and then topped with tahini and tamari toasted almonds. Wow what a bowl! It was a random occurrence of ingredients, but that is the best way to make a meal – especially a vegan one. You can get as creative as you want and just throw a whole bunch of things together and you have yourself a whole foods, balanced meal. Not only is this meal colourful and full of texture but there is also an amazing amount of calcium, protein, fiber, beta carotene, b vitamins, minerals etc… all jammed packed into one little bowl.
Making a homemade veggies burger is also a great way to get in some healthy nutrition and fulfill that urge to eat something that is burger like and has a “meaty” or rich texture. By meaty, I mean (hearty/grainy) so in this case you can use grains, beans, root veggies, nuts and seeds and not even have to go the length of using a faux meat or soy based substitute to get that “patti or juicy burger” option. There are much more naturals options!
So the next time you want to get a little creative and make a burger and throw it in a bowl – make sure to fill both the burger and the bowl up full tasty and nutritious ingredients!
If you have a veggie burger recipe that you would like to share…please leave a comment!
Black Bean Veggie Burger
1 cup black beans, soaked overnight or use 1 can or Eden organic black beans
1 cup sweet potatoes, shredded
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup red onion
1/4 cup spelt flour
2 tablespoons tamari
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon cumin
Procedure:
- Rinse soaked beans, place in a pot with water (cover by 1-2inches). Bring water and beans to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1-11/2 hours. Remove from water and drain. Or rinse and drain can of organic black beans.
- Place beans in a bowl and mash. Stir in remaining ingredients.
- Scoop 1/3 cup of batter at a time to form burger patties.
- Place burgers on a baking sheet (you may need two)
- Bake in oven on 350 F for approx 45 minutes.
- Serve with sprouted buns, a salad or and enjoy!
Nothing like warming up to some Hot Apple Pie!
January 17, 2009 by Marni
Filed under Delicious Recipes
Choosing the right warming foods to eat during these below freezing cold days is key nourishing you body and soul. It’s not enough to just take a hot shower and have a bowl of soup. There are in fact some particular foods and spices that warm up your body up from the inside out. The body naturally craves, starchy, heavy and sweet foods during the winter season. So instead of going for the processed stuff like donuts, Alfredo sauces, cakes and pies or other rich and dense foods which leave you feeling lethargic and draggy – not to mention the calories they pack in. Why not try making your own satisfying creations in the kitchen! You can still fulfill your cravings by choosing the right ingredients. Not only will you be satisfied with just one serving but you can also feel great knowing that you made it from scratch!
Choosing warming foods like cooked grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain pasta’s or baked yams and even a variety of soups and stews are sure to keep you warm during these frigidly cold days. You can even satisfy those sweet cravings with some home baked goodies like muffins and pies made with whole grain flours and natural sweeteners. If you are on the go, get yourself a reusable stainless steel mug and fill them up with warm herbal teas to sip throughout the day. When you are at home, brew yourself your own loose leaf teas or try making your own chai latte’s or dark pure cocoa hot chocolate!
I encourage you to use a variety of warming spices in different ways. Try using cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, cumin, turmeric and cloves. Your body and your taste buds will thank you for their warmth and delicious essence.
Since apples are so widely available during the winter months and there is nothing better then a little cinnamon and nutmeg to warm you up, I decided to make apple pie for my family dinner last night. I have to admit, I love to bake – but pie making isn’t my specialty. So I promise that this recipe is simple enough that anyone can do it… I promise!
I even went the length of making my own ice cream…I know what you are thinking. Ice cream is cold and it’s not healthy! Well not true if you make your own with the right ingredients and warming spices. I now have this amazing ice cream maker which means that I can use anything as the base! So I chose organic pure coconut milk (to read more on the health benefits of coconut milk check out my posting CooCoo for Coconut). I blended that up with some maple syrup, cinnamon and agar for a creamy consistency. Then the whole thing churns and makes delicious “ice cream” that I can put on top of my warm apple pie!
Hot Apple-Cinnamon Pie…”A La Mode”!
Ingredients:
Pie Crust:
1 1/4 cups light spelt flour
1 cup spelt flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoons maple sugar
Pinch of sea salt
2/3 cup cold coconut butter
1/3 cup ice water
Filling:
4 cups tart apples, such as granny smiths, jonathan or spy, peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon arrowroot flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Procedure:
1. Sift the flours, cinnamon and salt into a medium bowl. Add the oil and mix well.
2. Add the ice water gradually to the mixture while continuing to mix the dough. Continue to mix until dough is firm but not flaky. Roll up the dough, put into a bowl, and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Form the dough into 2 balls. Roll one out into a circle with ½ inch thickness. Press into an 8-inch pie pan and trim, leaving ½ in all around.
4. Preheat oven to 350 F
5. In a large bowl, combine the apples, maple syrup and lemon juice. In a small bowl, mix together the arrowroot, cinnamon and nutmeg, then toss with the apple mixture. Add the filling into the pie shell.
6. Roll out the second ball of dough into a circle large enough to cover the pie. Top the pie with the dough, then trim any excess dough and crimp the edges. Cut 3 slits in the top crust.
7. Bake for 1 ½ hours, or until the piecrust is golden.
Serve with vanilla rice or soy ice cream or make your own!
Whole Grain Goodness
November 10, 2008 by Marni
Filed under Delicious Recipes, Nourishing Resources, Your Health!
There are so many to choose from! Different tastes, textures, colours and even shapes. But on a whole, all of them are composed of an amazing source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, b vitamins, trace proteins, minerals and even heart healthy fats that make you feel energized and nourished.
What needs to be recognized and understood by many, is that grains can be an essential part of everyone’s daily diet unless candida or carbohydrate metabolism is a problem. But when grains are left intact and prepared properly in their whole form – one requires much less of a portion to be satisfied. These grains are very different from eating a bowl of white pasta, white bread or white rice where you may need a few servings to fill that “hunger” void.
The natural fiber content whole grains also don’t spike your blood sugar levels nearly as much and thus also contribute to feeling satiated for a longer period of time.
So the trick is to start simply. Select the grains that are most familiar and then go from there. Most people are accustomed to cooking rice, couscous and maybe even barley. With rice you want to find an organic brown rice. This can be either short grain, long grain or basmati (for simplicity sake). Couscous also exists in wheat counterparts, Spelt and Kamut (these are ancient forms of wheat that are left in their whole form and easier to digest). Also speaking of spelt and kamut, both of which can be cooked in their whole grain form as well…spelt is also known as Farro which comes from Italy. It is a wonderful addition or substitution for a grain in any classic rice dish recipe!
As for barley, there are a few different types – but to start out I would go with a “pearled” form as it is easier to cook. Once you get hooked on grains and they become more familiar, get the whole barley which requires soaking and longer cooking and also has more fiber and nutrients intact.
Then comes the next level of grains which includes many gluten free options for those with digestive disturbances such as celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, crohns and something known as “leaky gut”. These grains (almost seed-like) includes Quinoa, Amaranth, Teff, Millet and Wild Rice to name a few. Recipes for these divine gems can range from loafs, to pilafs, croquettes, soups, salads, cookies and pancakes. Many a cookbook exists on how to venture into the world of grains, including how to soak them, cook them, prepare them using a wide variety of ingredients. “The Splendid Grain” by Rebecca Wood is one in particular that makes cooking and learning about grains really easy and rather fascinating.
My overall advice, is to make sure you have some healthy whole grains on hand, stored properly (in a glass jar) in your cupboards, so that the next time you want a warming and nourishing bowl, side dish or breakfast of delicious goodness they are there and ready to go!
Warm Farro Foutash Salad
Ingredients:
1 cup pearled farro (if the whole form then soak overnight)
1 cup vegetable stock
½ butternut squash, cubed
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup portabello mushrooms, chopped
1 cup rainbow chard, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sea salt
Dash of herb de provence
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup toasted walnuts
1/3 cup cranberries or currents
Crumbled goat cheese (optional)
Procedure:
Rinse and place farro into a pot with vegetable stock and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 hours.
Set aside farro.
Place cubed butternut squash on a baking tray with 1 tablespoons of olive oil and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil with garlic over medium heat and add mushroom and sauté until softened.
Add spinach, sea salt, dry herbs and balsamic vinegar. Let sit to let the flavours combine for a few minutes.
Place cooked faro into a large bowl, add olive oil, and butternuts squash and onion, mushroom, spinach mixtures and stir everything in.Add pinenuts and crumbled goat cheese
The Humid Effect on Baking
July 20, 2008 by Marni
Filed under Delicious Recipes, Nourishing Resources
