Mushroom Sage Lentils

Bowl of yum!

Before adding the lentils

Played around with some ingredients I had and it came out delicious!!  This dish is packed with many of the "power foods" you "should" be eating for health and preventing chronic disease such as cancer.  I'm posting quickly so I don't forget the "recipe" but I really should elaborate on that later.....
Since I don't measure when I cook, here's the general idea.

Ingredients
1 small yellow/sweet onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint crimini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
~2 cups chopped kale (or spinach)
1/2-1 cup tomato sauce (recommend Trader Joes or Muir Glen Organic for BPA free cans or jarred)
1/2-1 tsp turmeric
2 leaves sage, chopped (I wanted to say chiffonaded but that doesn't sound right...)
fresh ground sea salt to taste
~2 cups lentils, cooked (any kind, I used brown)

Saute onion and garlic in some extra virgin olive oil until golden and soft.  Add sliced mushrooms and kale and cook until vegetables are tender.  Add tomato sauce, turmeric, sage, salt and allow to simmer for a few minutes for the flavors to mix.  Add lentils and again simmer/heat to allow flavors to meld.

Tuscan Ribollita

Tuscan Ribollita

Recipe found on Shutterbean & slightly adapted

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 - 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
3 - 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained
1 1/2 cups chicken or  vegetable broth
1 sprig fresh rosemary (if you have, I actually didn't have this & sprinkled in some dried Italian herbs instead)

salt & pepper to taste
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped  (I had a really HUGE bunch of kale so just used about 2 cups tightly packed)

1 cup toasted bread crumbs
grated Parmesan 

Directions:
1. In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the garlic, onion, carrot, & celery ingredients in the olive oil for 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and their juices, along with the beans, broth & rosemary.  Salt and pepper a little.  Simmer, covered until the beans break apart, about an hour. (I did a pretty hard simmer to help the beans break apart)
3. Add the kale and cook for 5 to 7 mins more. Stir in the bread crumbs and serve sprinkled with cheese.

*I found the crucial thing about this recipe is the breakdown of some of the beans therefore making this not a soup.  My beans didn't fall apart very easily so I made sure to stir a lot and had to break up some beans & my whole tomatoes on my own.  I had a can of tomatoes larger than the recipe called for so I decreased the broth.  In the end my version had a little more liquid than the pictures on her blog so I added more breadcrumbs.  All in all it thickened up a little & although it didn't look quite like her pics it was still not a soup and was super filling, hearty, and flavorful.

*Lets talk health and flavor a little....I knew this recipe was right up my alley but might bore some others.  I was worried it might be a little bland since I left out the pancetta but I was amazing and excited and how super flavorful it was!!  I think I'd like to give an extra big thanks to my onions for breaking apart as well to make this dish scrumptious!  And talk about nutrition!!!  Vitamin, mineral, antioxidant, phytochemical, and fiber packed!!!  

Lentil Walnut Burgers

Here is the recipe that inspired me, from Whole Foods (found here). Of course I couldn't follow it. I followed lots of it but I typically use recipes to guide me and do things I like or use ingredients I have. What I did & how I liked it will follow the recipe...

Lentil Walnut Burgers

Serves 6

Walnuts add a little crunch and brown rice takes the place of bread crumbs making these savory vegetarian burgers a great gluten-free meal. Serve with a green salad or cooked greens.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small carrot, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped button mushrooms

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

2 cups cooked brown rice, divided

1 1/2 cups cooked lentils, or 1 (15-ounce) can lentils, rinsed and drained

1 egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons high heat sunflower oil or expeller-pressed canola oil, divided

Method

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, mushrooms, walnuts, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and cayenne and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to a large bowl. In a food processor, purée 1 cup rice, lentils and egg until smooth. Transfer to bowl with vegetables, add remaining 1 cup rice and stir to combine. Form lentil mixture into 10 to 12 patties, using about 1/4 cup of the mixture to make each one. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Arrange half of the patties in skillet and cook, flipping once, until golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat process with remaining sunflower oil and patties. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 5oz/156g-wt.): 240 calories (100 from fat), 11g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 35mg cholesterol, 220mg sodium, 27g total carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 2g sugar), 9g protein

-I also used diced onion, didn't have walnuts or parsley, and used some other seasonings. The ENTIRE flavor of this dish came from the veggies that go in the burgers so make sure your veggie mix is flavorful! I cooked mine longer than 5 min too so all the veggies were soft.

-I used ground flaxseed in place of egg (mix 2 1/2 tbsp with 3 tbsp water)

-Instead of pureeing, I did a good smash. So there were still some whole lentils too.

-At first the burgers were much too soft because the ingredients were still pretty warm, so I ended up coating the burgers in panko bread crumbs. I used less than 1 tbsp of oil but the breadcrumbs soaked it all up and the oil taste was too strong. The second time around was after the mix was refrigerated so they held together better. I still coated with breadcrumbs and only used enough oil so they wouldn't burn. Success! I liked them a lot the 2nd time around. I also think with a little less mash this would be good on its own, it wouldn't need to be in burger form.

Red Beans & Rice

I grew up with a family recipe that we called sausage rice casserole. It's even in the extended family cookbook. I believe it's probably officially a Lipton soup recipe. (I'll include the original recipe below) I was craving the flavor of this dish (it's on my list of comfort foods) but didn't want to use sausage. I'm not a huge sausage fan plus I wanted a healthier option so I thought of substituting beans for the sausage. I thought about what beans I wanted to use and decided on red beans...which led me to think that I should add some Cajun seasoning as well and make a type of red beans & rice. I know this isn't a traditional red beans & rice but what else should I name it...."Heather's non-sausage rice casserole"...?? This is a very easy recipe to make and very budget friendly too! Sorry vegetarian friends, Lipton Noodle Soup is made with chicken broth so this isn't vegetarian friendly.

Red Beans & Rice [or Heather's Non-Sausage Rice Casserole] :)

1 package Lipton Noodle Soup

1-2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning (to taste for desired spiciness)

2 1/4 cup hot water

1 cup uncooked white rice

1 cup celery, diced small

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced small

1/2 can red beans, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix Lipton Noodle Soup, Cajun seasoning, and hot water together in 13x9 casserole dish. Add rice, onion, celery and stir to disperse evenly. Sprinkle in beans. Bake for ~1 hour or until rice is cook (watch because sometimes it will be done earlier)

*****

Original Recipe: Sausage Rice Casserole

1 pound sausage, browned

1/2 cup celery, diced

1 package Lipton Noodle Soup

1 cup uncooked rice

1/2 cup onion

2 cups hot water

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until rice is cooked

*****

"The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what you want most for what you want now"

-Zig Ziglar

Chickpea and Lentil Stew

This is a recipe I got from Whole Foods. If you like Indian flavorings/spices, in specific garam masala, this is an easy & delicious dish to try. And as with many Indian dishes you can adjust the level of spicy to fit what you like! Or take out the chile pepper & sub with bell pepper if you want no spice at all. -- [side note: this recipe is for a crock pot but I just boiled/simmered on the stove until the lentils were cooked and it was good]

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 chile pepper, such as serrano or jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and chopped, more to taste
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons garam masala
1/4 cup sesame seeds [didn't use]
2 (15-ounce) cans garbanzo beans (chick peas) [recipe said to drain, I put the liquid in my stew]
1/2 cup dried red lentils [used green lentils, came out fine]
1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree [tomato sauce is fine]
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup pitted black olives
1/2 cup yogurt

Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the onions. Add peppers, garlic, garam masala and sesame seeds and cook until peppers begin to soften. Combine everything except the yogurt in the slow cooker and cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Add yogurt about 15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition - Per serving: 250 calories (90 from fat), 10g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 680mg sodium, 33g total carbohydrate (8g dietary fiber, 9g sugar), 11g protein

Lentil Chili

8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 teaspoons salt-free chili powder

1 (16-ounce) package brown lentils (about 2 1/4 cups lentils)

2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Bring 3/4 cup broth to a simmer in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook about 8 minutes or until onion is translucent and pepper is tender. Stir in chili powder and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add lentils, tomatoes and remaining 7 1/4 cups broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, 30 minutes or until lentils are almost tender. Uncover and cook 10 minutes longer. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Per serving : 120 calories (5 from fat), 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 180mg sodium, 21g total carbohydrate (7g dietary fiber, 6g sugar), 6g protein

Recipe from: Whole Foods

**********

Yum, yum!! Love this recipe and I've been eating it all week! Not sick of it at all yet. I used green lentils and they worked just fine. Major note - it took MUCH longer than the recipe states to cook. Probably ~1 hr. I also used one of those 28oz cans of tomatoes and next time I make it I'll double the red pepper.

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans

Here's another recipe from my friend Cissy. I didn't tell you before but she's a fellow Registered Dietitian and she's also recently became a vegetarian so she shares some yummy vegetarian recipes (like this post thanks to her)! When she shared she said "made this the other day and it was REALLY good!"

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/skillet_gnocchi_with_chard_white_beans.html
From EatingWell: January/February 2009

In this one-skillet supper, we toss dark leafy greens, diced tomatoes and white beans with gnocchi and top it all with gooey mozzarella. Serve with a mixed green salad with vinaigrette.

6 servings Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 16-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi, (see Tip)
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
6 cups chopped chard leaves, (about 1 small bunch) or spinach
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chard (or spinach) and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Nutrition
Per serving : 325 Calories; 7 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 8 mg Cholesterol; 55 g Carbohydrates; 14 g Protein; 6 g Fiber; 616 mg Sodium; 360 mg Potassium

Tip: Look for shelf-stable gnocchi near other pasta in the Italian section of most supermarkets.

Smoky Corn & Black Bean Pizza on homemade Whole Wheat Crust and salad w/ Creamy Lime-Chile Dressing

My friend Cissy "tweeted" the other day about her delicious dinner & I instantly started drooling!! She shared the recipes with me (which are all from Eating Well). I haven't tried them yet but can't wait to! She served the dressing on salad greens w/ some extra corn-black bean mixture and avocado. She also said even though the recipe called to grill the pizza, she baked hers in the oven & it came out good. Recipe's are as follows:

Creamy Lime-Chile Dressing
About 1/2 cup

Ingredients
6 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeno, or serrano pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Nutrition
Per tablespoon: 20 calories; 1 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 4 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 81 mg sodium; 29 mg potassium.

Smoky Corn & Black Bean Pizza
6 servings

Ingredients
1 plum tomato, diced
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
1 cup fresh corn kernels, (about 2 ears)
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 pound prepared whole-wheat pizza dough
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella, preferably smoked mozzarella

Preparation
Preheat grill to medium.
Combine tomato, beans and corn in a medium bowl. Sprinkle cornmeal onto a large baking sheet. Stretch the dough into about a 12-inch circle and lay it on top of the cornmeal, coating the entire underside of the dough.
Transfer the crust from the baking sheet to the grill. Close the lid and cook until the crust is puffed and lightly browned on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes.
Using a large spatula, flip the crust. Spread barbecue sauce on it and quickly sprinkle with the tomato mixture and cheese. Close the lid; grill until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the crust is browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

Nutrition
Per serving: 316 calories; 6 g fat (3 g sat, 0 g mono); 13 mg cholesterol; 48 g carbohydrates; 3 g added sugars; 14 g protein; 4 g fiber; 530 mg sodium; 94 mg potassium.

Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough
Makes 1-12 ounce or 1 pound dough

Ingredients
To make 12 ounces dough:
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 package quick-rising yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoons), such as Fleischmann's RapidRise
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2-2/3 cup hot water, (120-130°F)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

To make 1 pound dough:
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 package quick-rising yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoons), such as
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup hot water, (120-130°F)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation
Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. With the motor running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. The dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed-side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling.
Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the lowest oven rack; preheat oven to 500°F or highest setting. Roll and top the pizza as desired (we suggest a 13-inch circle) and bake the pizza until the bottom is crisp and golden, 10 to 14 minutes. Serve immediately.

Nutrition
Per 12-ounce serving: 766 calories; 12 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 142 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein; 16 g fiber; 1882 mg sodium; 542 mg potassium.

Spinach Salad recipe & Pomegranate info

I love when pomegranates are in season (which is now!) and I had some spinach & pine nuts left over from making the salmon Florentine & quinoa so this is the "round two recipe" I made.


Spinach Salad
baby spinach leaves
pomegranate seeds
toasted pine nuts
cut up bits of ripe pear
thin slices of red onion
(I didn't have any feta but if we did I would have added that too)
Ken's Light Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette (or any other light or citrusy vinaigrette would be good too! Find a couple more dressing ideas here)


For those of you not too familiar with pomegranates or have used pomegranates only to get the [horribly staining] juice everywhere I thought I'd share a trick I've learned for getting the seeds out with ease! 1st - cut the pomegranate in half on a paper towel, the towel will absorb the juice that comes out. 2nd - fill a medium sized bowl with water. 3rd - put the pomegranate completely underwater and begin to break about the seeds from the membrane. That way all the excess juice stays in the water instead of spraying on your clothes/kitchen/dog/etc and it also makes it easier to get the seeds away from the membrane. Another good thing is that any stray bits of membrane that come off will float to the top of the water making it easy to strain from the water before you drain the pomegranate seeds.

Superfruits: A Look at the Facts

www.rd411.com

The term “superfruit” refers to a category of natural plants that are believed to provide great health benefits because of their nutrient and antioxidant levels. The six superfruits are açaí, goji, mangosteen, noni, pomegranate, and seaberry. Blueberries, cranberries, and red grapes are seen as more common “superfruits.”

The more exotic superfruits are mainly available in juice form. Many are available at your local grocery store, and literally hundreds of Web sites sell these fruits in either juice or supplement form.

The main thing to keep in mind is that these fruits do not have scientific validation, sufficient clinical trial evidence, or regulatory approval for their health claim statements. However, they are recognized as exceptional antioxidant sources, and current research is looking at possible antidisease properties. Information specific to each of these fruits follows.

Açaí
This fruit is an exceptional source of polyunsaturated fats and dietary fiber. Açaí also contains high levels of vitamin E, calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium, and niacin, when compared to other plant foods. Studies have looked at açaí for its vasodilator effect in animals. Açaí probably has the least scientific evidence of all of the superfruits. However, a study from the University of Florida found that compounds in açaí berries could reduce the growth of certain leukemia cells in the lab. This is not yet confirmed through human studies.

Goji
This fruit offers high amounts of protein, vitamin C, riboflavin, potassium, iron, magnesium, copper, and zinc. Goji also provides high levels of many antioxidants, but especially beta-carotene and zeaxanthin. Research has looked at goji for a wide range of purported health benefits, including immune function, metabolic syndrome, and neurological disorders. In rabbits, goji berry has lowered blood glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, in addition to improving insulin resistance in diabetic rats. However, none of this research is validated through expert-reviewed clinical trials, and all research was completed on either laboratory animals or in vitro work.

Goji is related to the tomato, potato, and eggplant, and offers many of the same antioxidants. If you take warfarin, talk to your doctor before consuming any products containing goji, because this may cause an interaction.

Mangosteen
This white fruit does not provide an exceptional amount of nutrients. Medical research on mangosteen is lacking and has included antioxidant properties in vitro, anti-inflammatory effects in vitro, and numerous chemical identity studies. Early animal studies showed a possible reduction in plasma lipid levels.

The American Cancer Society’s Web site states that mangosteen is a source of antioxidants, but that no reliable evidence exists on its use as a cancer treatment. The US Food and Drug Administration has sent warning letters to manufacturers who state that mangosteen is usable to treat illness.

Noni
This very pale-colored fruit does not provide many antioxidants and is also low in most vitamins and minerals, with the exception of moderate amounts of vitamin C and potassium. Noni has reports of vague health properties via either animal or in vitro research.

Noni fruits have shown antitumor properties in rats and mice, but clinical evidence is lacking. However, studies of heavy smokers who drank noni juice have shown a reduction in free radicals in the blood, lower levels of total cholesterol, and reduced triglycerides. Other animal studies have shown that noni may combat fatigue and offer some liver protection.

Seaberry
Seaberry is probably one of the plant world’s most nutritious foods. Seaberry contains one of the highest contents of vitamin C and E, compared to other plants. It also contains many healthful fatty acids, carotenoids, and phenolics. Seaberry is the second most studied superfruit, after pomegranate. However, no expert-reviewed clinical trials are published.

Pomegranate
Surprisingly, pomegranate has a relatively low nutrient content. However, it provides a moderate amount of antioxidants. Pomegranate is by far the most studied superfruit, with clinical trials and scientific reports completed on several types of cancer, blood cholesterol, infection, obesity, and inflammation, as well as several other topics of research. Several peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated that the antioxidants in pomegranate juice reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation in mice and blood pressure in hypertensive humans.

A 2004 study, which appear in Clinical Nutrition, demonstrated that daily consumption of pomegranate juice for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduced the thickening of their arteries. Talk to your doctor if you take any drugs on a regular basis, as pomegranate juice seems to interfere with the metabolism of many medications.

The bottom line
Many other forms of produce not classified as superfruits also contain exceptional levels of antioxidants and nutrients. Most of the studies on superfruits are small and short-term, are conducted on animals, lack adequate control groups, or are funded by industry. These products also are usually very expensive when compared to other fruits, with some juices costing nearly $100 a bottle.

It is important to remember that many of these manufacturers pay a doctor to attest to the fruits’ beneficial properties, claims that are usually not credible. You should also ignore testimonials by “everyday” people who claim that a juice or supplement has cured them of a disease or changed their life. The journal Clinical Cancer Research released the following statement: “Don’t count on açaí or goji berry juice to boost your health, and research on pomegranate and blueberries is still preliminary.”

Many manufacturers claim that these superfruits provide more antioxidants than other fruits, but this often refers to the whole fruit, rather than the juice that is extracted from the fruit. In fact, one study showed that you would need to drink 150 milliliters (mL) of a popular noni juice to match the antioxidant content of a navel orange, 90 mL of a popular mangosteen juice to match the antioxidant content of 1 cup of strawberries, and 300 mL of a well-known goji juice to match the antioxidant content of a Red Delicious apple.

Different labs performing tests to calculate the antioxidant content of the same fruit can garner highly variable results, depending on how much water the fruit contains, how it is harvested and handled, and how much time has passed since harvest. Furthermore, even if fruit A has more antioxidants than fruit B in a test tube, the antioxidants in fruit B sometimes are more easily absorbed in the human body.

References and recommended readings
ACAI Health and Nutrition Resource Center. Pomegranate & cardiovascular. Available at: http://www.best-acai.org/pomegranate-cardiovascular.php. Accessed April 20, 2009.

Australia.TO. Superfruit juices. Available at: http://www.australia.to/afoodguide/0,25197,23040467-202,00,00.html. Accessed April 20, 2009.

Mitchell S. Superfruits: are they worth the money? Available at: http://www.susanmitchell.org/articles/super-fruits.htm. Accessed April 20, 2009.

Searby L. The high-flying fruit. Available at: http://www.functionalingredientsmag.com/fimag/articleDisplay.asp?strArticleId=748&strSite=FFNSite. Accessed April 20, 2009.

Sohn E. Superfruits, super powers? Available at: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-hew-superfruit,0,2602519,print.story. Accessed April 20, 2009.

Whole Grains and Beans 101

So a reader pointed out that she wasn't familiar with some of the whole grains I was using and had no idea where to buy whole grains or some beans.  Hopefully this will help some!  Some of the common whole grains and beans, such as pearled barley or kidney beans, can be bought in your average grocery store.  But other varieties can be find in any store that has bulk bins or more specialized foods such as Whole Foods or other "farmers markets" or "health food" stores.  Look in the beans or grains section or look for the bulk bins.  Whole grains and beans are some of the cheapest and healthiest things to cook with!

WHOLE GRAINS 101

Grain	Description	Taste	Cooking Details	Nutritional Facts
Amaranth	Tiny kernels, usually pale yellow. Porridge-like when simmered, making it useful as a food thickener. Can bake or steam, as well. Available as cereal and flour.	Earthy and sweet. Compared to beets.	Many people add a strongly flavored liquid to this grain when cooking it—broth and tomato juice are good choices. Good when mixed with other grains and mixed with vegetables as a stir-fry. Can toast similar to popcorn and use as a breading.	½ cup (C) amaranth flakes: 67 calories 3 grams (g) protein 1 g fat 14 g carbohydrate 2 g fiber 3 milligrams (mg) calcium 0 mg iron
Barley	Most of the barley in the US is used in beer production. Barley is chewier than rice. Barley flakes are served as a hot cereal. Grits are toasted and broken into small pieces.	Earthy flavor.	Generally simmered or used as an ingredient in casseroles or soups. Cooking time varies from a negligible amount of time for the preparation of grits to about 1¾ hours for hulled barley. Barley and fruit make a pleasing breakfast dish. Substitute barley for rice or pasta in almost any dish.	½ C cooked barley: 99 calories 2 g protein 0 g fat 23 g carbohydrate 3 g fiber 9 mg calcium 1 mg iron
Buckwheat	Kasha consists of buckwheat kernels that are roasted and hulled, and then cracked into granules. Buckwheat grits are finely ground groats.  Buckwheat flour is available in most markets.	Strong, nutty flavor.	Pairs well with beef, root vegetables, cabbage, winter squash, and eggplant. Buckwheat flour is commonly used in pancake preparation. Buckwheat is used as an alternative to rice as a side dish or ingredient. Buckwheat grits are served as a hot cereal. Kasha is good as a filling for meat, poultry, or vegetables.  Kasha is also excellent for cold salads. Simmer or bake kasha, whole buckwheat, and buckwheat grits. Cooking buckwheat kernels with a beaten egg prevents the kernels from sticking together.	½ C cooked buckwheat groats: 77 calories 3 g protein 1 g fat 17 g carbohydrate 2 g fiber 6 mg calcium 1 mg iron
Bulgur	Steamed, dried, and cracked-wheat berries.	Earthy, nutty, and tender.	Cooks like brown rice. Substitute for rice in all dishes. Use the finely ground variety to prepare a hot breakfast cereal.	½ C cooked bulgur: 56 calories 2 g protein 0 g fat 12 g carbohydrate 3 g fiber 7 mg calcium 1 mg iron
Millet	Extremely small, pale yellow or reddish-orange grain. Usually purchased in pearl form.	Bland.  Absorbs the flavor of any food that it is cooked with it.  Some people say that millet tastes like corn.	Simmer like rice. To achieve a creamy consistency, stir frequently, adding extra liquid during cooking. Steam cracked millet to make couscous. Cook as a hot cereal and add fruit, yogurt, and spices. Use in a casserole with strong-flavored vegetables. Add millet to stew, chili, and bean dishes. Add to any ground-beef mixtures without adding much flavor. Use millet in baked goods that would benefit from added texture. A good choice for grain when making flatbread.	½ C cooked millet: 101 calories 3 g protein 1 g fat 21 g carbohydrate 1 g fiber 3 mg calcium 1 mg iron
Oats	Oat bran is created from the outer layer of oat groats and is usually sold as a hot cereal. Oat groats are whole-oat kernels, which are cooked like rice. Rolled oats are heated and pressed flat. Steel-cut oats are groats that are vertically sliced and have a chewy texture when cooked. Oats are the main ingredient of granola and muesli.	Mild flavored.	Oat groats and steel-cut oats take a longer time than most grains to prepare. Old-fashioned oats take about 5 minutes to cook, while quick-cooking oats take only about 1 minute. All forms of oats are good eaten as breakfast cereal. Prepare groats into a pilaf and serve as a side dish. Add steel-cut oats to soups and stews. Use rolled oats as a filling for poultry and vegetables. Add toasted oats to salads, use as a breading for poultry, or add to baked goods. Use rolled oats in place of 20% of the wheat flour in yeast breads, and one part to every two parts of wheat flour in most other baked goods.	½ C cooked quick oats: 71 calories 2 g protein 1 g fat 13 g carbohydrate 2 g fiber 13 mg calcium 1 mg iron
Quinoa	Quinoa grains are flat, pointed ovals. Quinoa comes in a variety of colors (pale yellow, red, and black). When cooked, the external germ spirals out, creating a “tail.”	Delicate and light flavor.	Rinse prior to cooking. Brown in a skillet for 5 minutes prior to simmering or baking. Good when served as a pilaf, in a baked casserole, in vegetable soup, or as a cold salad. Especially good when combined with buckwheat. Add quinoa to puddings.	½ C cooked quinoa: 111 calories 4 g protein 2 g fat 20 g carbohydrate 5 g fiber 16 mg calcium 1 mg iron
Rye	A bluish-gray grain, similar in appearance to wheat, excerpt for the color. Rye flakes are similar to rolled oats. Whole rye berries, groats, and kernels resemble wheat berries. Cracked rye is the quickest-cooking variety.	Robust flavor.	Simmer rye berries with milder-tasting grains, such as brown rice or wheat berries. Combine cracked rye with cracked wheat. Combine rye flakes with oatmeal. Rye berries are good when cooked in broth with chopped nuts and raisins. Use cooked rye berries as an ingredient in poultry stuffing. Cracked rye is good when cooked in fruit juice with dried fruit. Add rye flakes to ground-beef mixtures.	½ C cooked cream of rye cereal: 54 calories 1 g protein 0 g fat 12 g carbohydrate 2 g fiber 6 mg calcium 0 mg iron
Spelt	A type of wheat.	Mild flavored.	Excellent for making risottos and pilafs. Easily added to hearty soups, stews, and chili. Best with tomato-based dishes.	½ C cooked spelt: 123 calories 6 g protein 2 g fat 25 g carbohydrate 4 g fiber 9 mg calcium 1 mg iron
Triticale	Crossbred from wheat and rye. Cracked triticale, triticale berries, and triticale flakes are comparable to their wheat or rye counterparts. Most often used as flour in breads.	Rich, nutty, flavor.	Brown with a little oil and then simmer. Substitute for either wheat berries or bulgur in any recipe. Use in cold salads, pilafs, stuffing, soups, or as a ground-beef stretcher.	1 ounce triticale: 94 calories 4 g protein 1 g fat 20 g carbohydrate 0 g fiber 5 mg calcium 0 mg iron

Couscous

This pre-cooked whole-grain or milled wheat is light, flavorful and a cinch to prepare. Serve it with spicy vegetables or stews.

Cracked wheat

This one is just as it sounds; it refers to wheat berries that have been cracked into small pieces.

Farro

Farro belongs to the wheat family and for good reason. It’s rich in fiber, magnesium, and vitamins A, B, C and E

Kamut®

This ancient Egyptian wheat was recently rediscovered. It’s rich and buttery with a great, chewy texture. Look for Kamut® flakes, too, which you can use like oatmeal.

Popcorn

This is basically corn that has a hard protein outer layer covering its inner starch layers, and we’re betting you probably already know how to eat this one.

Steel cut oats

These are steamed and cut whole oat groats (a.k.a. hulled grains). They’re chewy and make for a particularly rustic and delicious hot cereal.

Teff

This ancient grain has a sweet and malty flavor; it’s a rich source of calcium, magnesium, boron, copper, phosphorus and zinc, too. Contains twice as much iron as wheat and barley!

Whole Grains: Cooking Tips

1. Rinse: Just prior to cooking, rinse whole grains thoroughly in cold water until the water runs clear then strain them to remove any dirt or debris.
2. Cook: As a general rule, you can cook whole grains by simply boiling the water, then adding the grain, return water to a boil, then simmer, covered, until tender. Cooking hint: Use broth instead of water for even more flavor.
3. Test: Just like pasta, always test whole grains for doneness before taking them off of the heat; most whole grains should be slightly chewy when cooked.
4. Fluff: When grains are done cooking, remove them from the heat and gently fluff them with a fork. Then cover them and set aside to let sit for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.

DICTIONARY OF BEANS, PEAS AND LENTILS

So there you are. You've brought home those lovely dried legumes and pulses and they're staring you down on the kitchen counter. Where do you go from here? Here's a dictionary of our favorite varieties and how to make them do all the work:

Adzuki Beans

These little dark red beans are sweet and easy to digest. Splash them with tamari and barley malt or mix them with brown rice, scallions, mushrooms and celery for dynamite, protein-rich rice patties. 

Anasazi Beans

This burgundy and white heirloom variety is popular in Southwestern recipes — especially soups. It's no surprise since they make an excellent substitute for pinto beans. Make refried beans with these little treasures and you'll never look back.

Black Turtle Beans

Combine these little lovelies with cumin, garlic and orange juice or toss them with olive oil, cilantro and chopped veggies for two incomparable salads.

Black-Eyed Peas

On the search for soft, quick-cooking beans? Look no further. These creamy white, oval-shaped beans are ubiquitous in southeastern US states where they're a traditional New Year's dish. Toss them with yogurt vinaigrette, tomatoes and fresh parsley. 

Cannellini Beans

These smooth-textured beans are packed with nutty flavor. Add them to tomato-based soups like minestrone or toss with olive oil and black pepper for a satisfying side dish.

Garbanzo Beans (a.k.a. Chickpeas)

This prominent ingredient in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and East Indian dishes — think hummus and falafel — has a mild but hearty flavor. Garbanzos are a good foil for strong spices like curry powder, cumin and cayenne pepper, so add them to salads, soups and pasta dishes.

Flageolet Beans

First things first; pronounce these beans "flah-JOH-lay." This creamy heirloom bean is used in French country cuisine as a side dish for lamb and poultry. Their delicate flavor is enhanced by aromatic onions, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. They're delicious in tomato sauces, too.

Great Northern Beans

Think of these guys as big teddy bears; they're the largest commonly available white bean, but they're all soft and mild on the inside. Great Northerns make for delicious baked beans or add them to soups and stews with longer cooking times.

Green Lentils (a.k.a. French Lentils)

Ooh la la! These lentils hold their shape well and have deep, rich flavor. They're an excellent addition to salads, spicy Indian dal or simple lentils and rice.

Green Split Peas

Give peas a chance! Split peas shine in soups where they're cooked until creamy to bring out their full, sweet flavor. Serve them with a dollop of minted yogurt for an Indian touch.

Kidney Beans

These large, red beans are popular in chili, salads, soups and baked beans. Make sure to cook them until completely tender and cooked through to eliminate the gastric distress-causing toxin Phytohaemagglutinin (Kidney Bean Lectin) that's present in raw and undercooked kidney beans.

Lima Beans

Thankfully, succulent lima beans are shedding their bad rap as the food to force-feed kids. Add them to minestrone and other soups or combine them with corn and green beans for succotash. Who knows? You might even forgive your parents.

Lupini Beans

At Italian fairs and Spanish beer halls these beans are a popular snack. Technically a member of the pea family, these flat, coin-shaped, dull yellow seeds are second only to soybeans in plant protein content. Allow for a long soaking period and extended cooking time to reduce their potential for bitterness.

Mung Beans

You probably know mung beans for their sprouts, but the beans themselves are revered as a healing food. Mung beans range in color from greenish-brown to yellow to black and have delicate, sweet flavor. They need no pre-soaking, cook quickly and are easy to digest; you can't go wrong.

Pinto Beans

A favorite in Southwest and Mexican dishes — "pinto" means "painted" in Spanish — these earthy beans have a delicious, creamy texture ideal for refrying. Combine with onions, chili powder, garlic and tomatoes as a filling for enchiladas or sauté cooked beans with olive oil, garlic and tamari.

Red Beans

These small, dark red beans are subtly sweet and hold their shape when cooked. They make a great choice for soups and chili and as a companion to rice.

Red Lentils

Don't be fooled by the name; this variety of lentil isn't really red. In fact, their soft pink color turns golden when cooked. Note that red lentils cook quickly and don't hold their shape so they're best in soups or purées or cooked until creamy with Italian seasonings.

Split Peas

While green peas are picked while immature and eaten fresh, dried peas are harvested when mature, stripped of their husks, split and dried. Split peas don't require presoaking and their mild flavor and creamy texture make good companions to garlic, onions, dill, curry and ginger.

BEAN COOKIN' 101

We know, we know. Cooking dried beans takes more time than opening a can, but you'll be richly rewarded with superior flavor and texture. They're a superb value too! Here's how:

1. Sort: Arrange dried beans on a sheet pan or clean kitchen towel and sort through them to pick out any shriveled or broken beans, stones or debris. (Take our word for it; running your fingers through the beans in the bag doesn't work the same.)
2. Rinse: Rinse the sorted beans well in cold, running water.
3. Soak: Soaking beans before cooking helps to remove some of those indigestible sugars that cause flatulence. There are two simple ways to get the job done:
   • Regular soak: Put beans into a large bowl and cover with 2 to 3 inches of cool, clean water. Set aside at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight; drain well. (If it's really warm in your kitchen, soak the beans in the refrigerator instead to avoid fermentation.)
   • Quick soak: Put beans into a large pot and cover with 2 to 3 inches of cool, clean water. Bring to a boil then boil briskly for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and set aside off of the heat for 1 hour; drain well.
4. Cook: Put beans into a large pot and cover with 2 inches of water or stock. (Don't add salt at this point since that slows the beans' softening.) Slowly bring to a boil, skimming off any foam on the surface. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if necessary, until beans are tender when mashed or pierced with a fork. Cooking times vary with the variety, age and size of beans; generally you're looking at about 1 to 2 hours.

PEA AND LENTIL COOKIN' 101

Sort and rinse dried peas and lentils as you would dried beans (see above). Then simply bring 1½ cups water or stock to a boil for each cup of dried lentils or peas. Once the liquid is boiling add the lentils or peas, return to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

Cooking Tip: Uncooked dried peas and lentils can be added directly to soups and stews, too. Just be sure there's enough liquid in the pot (about 1½ cups of liquid for every 1 cup of lentils or peas).

Info from: www.wholefoodsmarket.com and www.rd411.com

Sicilian Lentil Soup

I apologize for the long dry spell!  December I was busy visiting my family and letting my Dad cook for me!  And I'm not getting as many posts from others which puts a little more pressure to make sure there are enough recipes  :)

Here's a recipe I tried from the Williams-Sonoma website.

Sicilian Lentil Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 garlic glove, minced

1 tsp minced fresh rosemary

1 eggplant, cut into small cubes

3 cups cooked green lentils

1 oz of small or short pasta of choice

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbsp of olive oil.  Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes,  Add the remaining 1 Tbsp of oil, garlic, rosemary, and eggplant.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the eggplant is translucent and starts to soften.

Add sauteed vegetables, lentils, pasta, cinnamon, and 6 cups water to a pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered until the eggplant is tender and the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

My trick for amazing sauteed onions is to saute them in garlic infused oil.  In this recipe I used garlic oil and didn't have to put in the mince garlic clove (you can substitute or use both depending on preference and strength of oil).  I also like to use shallots because I love the natural sweetness.

For this recipe I cooked my pasta first, I used mini bow ties.  Then I put all the ingredients in my crock pot on high until the soup was done.  I'll be honest I didn't put the cinnamon in the soup because I didn't think I'd like that flavor.  The broth was a little bland so I put in a couple Tbsp of chicken bouillon.  After that the soup turned out delicious.  For some reason I didn't like the eggplant because of the texture and lack of flavor, even though I normally like eggplant.  I think I would make this again but add some squash instead. 

White Bean Chicken Chili - Posted by Valerie B.

So I have on my Google Reader this food storage website's blog. And this was a recipe I found on it. I've attached a picture. I haven't tried it, but it looks really good!! And you can use your food storage stuff!

White Bean Chicken Chili
6 cans of white navy beans (or about 1 lb. dried white beans--soak them overnight or boil for 1 hour or until tender)
1 jar of salsa
1 can green chilies
2-4 chicken breasts
1/2 onion, diced (or you can use dried)
1 c. shredded colby or cheddar cheese
1-2 cloves garlic (or you can use powdered)
1 T. cumin (or more, I like a lot of cumin)
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 T. McCormick Chicken Base (or you can use chicken bouillon)
Cayenne Pepper if you like more of a spicy soup
Garnish with fresh cilantro, sour cream, diced avocados, fresh lime squeezed & more shredded cheese.
Put all of the above ingredients into a large pot. Simmer until beans and chicken are tender and cooked through (I just throw my chicken breasts in raw and let them cook in the water. When they are cooked I take them out and chop them up. They give the broth more of a chicken flavor). Garnish with the above ingredients. Yum!!

Lucas Beans

These are rediculously simple but I love them. I made these one day as a snack and now I do it weekly to get my legumes in! I seriously eat them as a snack all the time or put them on my taco salad. I decided to call them Lucas beans because the taste kind of reminded me how much I love Lucas! So here's a recipe for those of you who grew up in El Paso (or elsewhere) and ate way too much Lucas!

Lucas Beans

1 can dark red kidney beans, drained

Juice from 2-3 limes

Sprinkle with a seasoned salt that contains paprika or chili powder - I use Great American Land & Cattle Company Steak Seasoning that is actually from the good ole west Texas town of El Paso

(I think they're best after refrigerated)

Pumpkin Seeds

I realize this is not a "healthy" recipe but I got a request for this recipe and just couldn't resist. It's Halloween time again and that means time for homemade pumpkin seeds! Yum! Don't throw away all that junk inside your carved pumpkin, instead clean off the seeds and make these to snack on instead of some candy :)

Pumpkin Seeds

1/4 stick butter, melted
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt

Stir together. Add in seeds from 1 medium pumpkin.
Bake at 220 F for 2 hours

Happy Halloween!

Falafel and Cucumber Sauce - Posted by Valerie Barber (and Michelle Davis)

I was able to rope my little sister Michelle into helping me attempt to make falafel. I had first tried falafel when I was studying abroad in Europe and I really enjoyed it. So I hoped to recreate that at home and have others try it too. First, here's the recipe:

Ingredients - Cucumber Sauce
1 (6 oz) container plain yogurt
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp. dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs. mayonnaise

Directions - Cucumber Sauce
1. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, salt, pepper, and mayonnaise. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Ingredients - Falafel
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 onion, chopped
1/2 C. fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 egg
2 tsps. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. salt
1 dash pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 C. dry bread crumbsoil for frying

Directions - Falafel
1. In a large bowl, mash chickpeas until thick and pasty. Don't use a blender as the consistency will be too thin. In a blender, process onion, parsley, and garlic until smooth. Stir into mashed chickpeas.
2. In a small bowl, combine egg, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon juice and baking powder. Stir into chickpea mixture along with olive oil. Slowly add bread crumbs until mixture is not sticky but will hold together. Add more or less bread crumbs as needed. Form 8 balls and then flatten into patties.
3. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-hight heat. Fry patties in hot oil until brown on both sides.


Now here is my response to it! About the preparation and cooking...I made the cucumber sauce first so it could be chilling while I made the falafel. With the falafel, the chickpeas were hard to mash! If I had something that mashed them really well, it would have helped a lot with the time and effort involved. Next, it called for one onion, but I only put in half. I felt I had a really big onion and to have put it all in would have been overwhelming. Perhaps you could try to whole onion and let me know. Next, I don't think you need nearly that much parsley. It turned the whole thing a vivid green and that didn't help with making it very appetizing. However, once browned, you couldn't tell as much. The onion gave me a hard time - I was crying from the get-go! Even mixing the onion/parsley/garlic mixture into the chickpeas made me cry! Which is another reason I think a whole onion would have been too much :) My sister accidentally put in a whole tsp of pepper and tried to fix it so our seasoning may have been a little off. It's ok Michelle :) Now when I ate falafel in Europe, I had them in balls so I did not make mine into patties. That may have altered our cooking experience a bit. When we tried to cook them, they fell apart! We ended up adding another 2 cups of bread crumbs to the mixture we had not started cooking. That batch ended up turning out all right. I attempted to save the first batch by taking them out of the oil (they were pretty soaked by then), adding more bread crumbs, and then frying them on a bare skillet, no oil (considering they were already oil-logged!). Those fell apart a little still but I blame it on having too much oil in them. In the end, we had about 10 really well formed falafel balls, a couple iffy ones, and a bit of mash that we just put into a bowl! However, they were a pretty good hit considering my 11 year old little brother ate a whole sandwich and he is extremely picky!! And my one year old son ate a bunch too. I just put some on his high chair and he snatched it right up. We served them in a pita with the cucumber sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, olives and mozzarella cheese. They tasted pretty darn close to what I had in Europe. These won't be something I make once a week, but it was fun to have something new and something unique to try to give variety to my menu. It is also pretty healthy! I welcome your comments both on preparation, ingredients, anything I could do differently, etc. Thanks!