Beluga Lentils with Fresh Garden Vegetables

Hmm, what to do with all this goodness?  Let's create something.

Some of the first vegetables to come out of the summer garden are squash, bell pepper, and new red onions.  Adding in some cauliflower and cabbage that needs to be used up, let's make a salad!

Lentils are a great base for all things added to it.  They provide an excellent source of fiber as well as trace minerals, protein, and B vitamins.  Add in the nutrition from the vegetables and you have a nutrition-packed side dish.

Serves: 8
Cook and prep time:  about 40 minutes

2 cups dried Beluga or black lentils, picked through and rinsed
Olive oil, 2-3 tablespoons
Fresh garlic, 1-2 cloves, minced
Your choice of vegetables.  We used the above combination of cabbage, orange cauliflower, crookneck squash, green pepper, and new red onion.  Cut them into a uniform size.

Cook the lentils according to package directions.

While the lentils are cooking, prep the vegetables.  Thinly slice the cabbage, cut the cauliflower into small florets, dice the crookneck squash and green pepper, and thinly slice the red onion.

I love the colors.

In a suitable pan, heat a couple tablespoons olive oil with garlic for 30 seconds. Add prepped veggies to pan and cook until wilted and fragrant.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

These are ready to be added to the lentils.

When the lentils are just tender, drain them and add in the cooked vegetables.

This dish was really easy to prepare.  Left-overs are delicious.

Nutritional analysis for 1/8 of the recipe:  about 300 calories, 12 g fiber, almost 9 g protein, 16 g fat with the majority being monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (only 6% saturated), 32 g carbohydrates, over half your daily allowance for iron, almost half your requirements for vitamin C, plus lots of other vitamins and minerals.

- Kim Fielding

Buddha Bowl

This one dish meal hits all nutritional punch points: vegetables,
grains, and protein.  (I am so sorry for the dreary colors!  This
dish was exciting with it's rainbow of fresh foods.)

 "Buddha Bowl" seems to be the token name these days for "throw together" vegan meals with delicious flavors.  Some call it the fast-food of healthful eating.  My family is not vegan, but I do go through common phases where all I crave are vegan meals.  My meat-eater men have to suck it up and go along with what is presented at the dinner table.  And, luckily, they don't seem to mind.  We call it a cleansing meal or week.  No one feels guilty or bloated after these meals.  (Well okay, sometimes I get a whiner who wants meat.  I will cook something small for them on the side.)

The Buddha Bowl mix above is suggested by a favorite blog "Oh She Glows", written by Angela Liddon.  I swapped a few ingredients from the original but that is what is great about these recipes.  Use what is in season or what you have in the pantry.  This wonderful medley of farro, roasted broccoli and cauliflower, roasted garbanzo beans, and tofu, was dressed with a cashew nut sauce.  It made my family happy,  If you need to limit gluten, swap out the farro for quinoa, rice, or other grain or seed.  Just remember to keep it balanced.

We will revisit Buddha Bowls because I think they are the next generation of "pull-together" dinners for families on the go.  The idea that one can pull a can of beans out, line a bowl with lettuce, add different vegetable toppings, and whether it is vegetable only meal or animal protein included, this is a really healthy family meal concept.  My family really likes a lemony tahini salad dressing, but a basic vinaigrette works as well.

serves:  5
prep time:  30 minutes

Mixed lettuces
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and dried on a towel
1 block firm tofu, about 14  ounces, cubed*
2 Tblsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Cooked Farro, 5 servings worth

Cashew Sauce

1/2 C. raw cashews, soaked overnight, drained
2 Tblsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tblsp tahini
1 large garlic clove
1/4 C. nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
6 Tblsp water, or as needed to thin out

*You can either serve the tofu raw, or roasted.  For roasted, place on a pan and toss with a little Tamari and oil.  Roast as you would the garbanzos.  They can even cook on the same pan.  They become chewy and my boys eat them as snack food.

After the cashews have been soaked, add all ingredients to a blender and whir on high speed until smooth.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place garbanzo beans on a baking sheet.  Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Stir garbanzos, then cook for another 15 minutes until golden and slightly crisp.

Start by roasting the garbanzo beans.

Roast broccoli and cauliflower the same way as the garbanzos.  Place on baking sheet, toss with olive oil, and season lightly.  Bake 15 minutes, turn veggies, and bake another 15 minutes or until they are roasted to your satisfaction.

In the same 400 degree oven, roast the cauliflower and broccoli.

Build your Buddha Bowl by lining a serving bowl with lettuces.  Then top with your choice of vegetables, in this case roasted broccoli and cauliflower.  Add a quarter cup of farro and a quarter cup of garbanzos.  Add a half cup of cubed tofu (this may be roasted or served fresh), then top with cashew nut dressing.

This is a simple side salad of avocado and tomato.  You may add this to the bowl,
or not.

  

Another side salad, this one fresh fruit.

For information on Oh She Glows Buddha Bowls, here is a link.... http://ohsheglows.com/2013/03/05/roasted-buddha-bowl

- Kim Fielding

Cauliflower Soup

 

Golden cauliflower

Cauliflower is a blank palette for me.  With its mild flavor and pretty colors, it can be used in a variety of ways.  It is delicious roasted with garlic, olive oil and herbs, or mashed and mixed in with potatoes for a light gratin.  Last evening featured a quick and easy-to-make soup using cauliflower in the refrigerator that needed to be used up. 


The key with mild vegetable soups are the toppings.  In this case I added sautéed shallots for a vegan version, and sautéed bacon for those with heartier appetites.



Servings:  4
Prep and cook time:  25 minutes



3 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup vegetable broth
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 slices bacon, cut into small squares and cooked (for the non-vegans), optional
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the florets and stems into even-sized pieces.  Simply cut out and discard any
dark spots on the cauliflower.

Boil the cauliflower in a large pot until tender.  Drain.

While the cauliflower is cooking, saute the shallots in the olive oil and cook the bacon if using.

Place drained cauliflower in a blender and add half the broth.  Blend and add more broth as needed until you reach a creamy consistency.  You need not add all the broth.  Note that because this is a broth-based soup, as opposed to cream, it will be thinner.  Season to taste.  Pour into small bowls or mugs and add the toppings.


Stir the shallots into the soup so that each yummy bite captures their flavor.

Each bite of soup with shallots and bacon is divine.

Each serving of soup offers approximately 100 calories and about 75% of the daily requirement of vitamin C.

- Kim Fielding

Roasted Brocollette, Cauliflower, and Onion

Slow roasting carmelizes and sweetens these veggies.  We like them crunchy roasted,

but it is your choice how long you cook them.

We all lead busy lives.  Period.  And we often struggle to get food on the table in a timely fashion.  

Of course we want our meals to be healthy and tasty but think we don't have time for that.  In the Alpha Plan, or for anyone's eating plan for that matter, there is a quick way to think about your meals. Divide your dining plate into quarters: one quarter for salad, one quarter for vegetable (as shown here), one quarter for starch, and one quarter for protein.

One quarter starch is 1/2 cup rice, potato, or noodles; one quarter protein is 3-4 ounces meat or tofu; the other half is vegetable to include a salad and vegetables separate from a salad.  Vegetable portions are generally not limited.

For working parents or for anyone with young children who have "no time", crockpots work wonders.  Place your veggies and protein into the slow-cooker and off you go.  Much later, make a quick green salad to accompany your crockpot meal.  If needed, pick up a baguette and slice it to accompany the meal.  Think about this... your starch (baguette). protein and veggies in the crockpot, and a salad on the side.  Perfect.

Our family is on the move constantly and I am so thankful for the pre-packaged salad mixes on our grocery shelves these days.

Three vegetables for this roasted side dish.  Prepare the veggies for roasting and toss
with oil.  Season with salt, pepper, and whatever else you like and toss again.
Bake at 325 until tender.

When I prepare meals, I think about what would take the most time to cook and start with that.  If we are preparing a quick saute or poached protein that takes minutes to cook, I will start cooking the longer cook-time grain or starch first.   This  may be rice or potatoes, or whatever starch you choose and may take 30-45 minutes to cook.  Next, roast your veggies or prepare them for steaming.  Prep your salad and set on the table with the dressing on the side. 

Ready to cook.  These cruciferous vegetables are abundant in winter.
 Each offers their own unique health benefits, one being fiber.

On a baking sheet, toss your cleaned and cut vegetables into even-sized pieces.  Drizzle olive oil, a little salt and pepper over, and toss with your hands.  Place in a 325 degree oven and cook for about 15 minutes.  Pull the sheet of veggies out and toss them.  Put back in the oven and cook another 15 or so minutes until the veggies are cooked/soft.

Each one cup serving of roasted broccolette, cauliflower, and onion offers less than 160 calories, a full daily compliment of vitamin C, and 6 grams fiber(!).

- Kim Fielding

Red Rice Salad with Pistachios

Red rice, cauliflower, pistachios, currants and spices provide
an exotic blend for this entertaining-worthy dish.

The New Whole Grains Cookbook, by Robin Asbell, has been around since 2007.  However, it never ceases to amaze me how we don't tire of her recipes.  As more of us seek ways to bring whole grains into our lives and push white processed grains and non-nutritious foods out, this beautiful and informative book offers a plethora of ways to do just that.

Red rice salad may be served hot or cold.  We find that it is a little sweet, a little tangy, and delicious prepared in advance making this a bonus for the cook (and the leftovers are great).  Red rice is available at Trader Joes and other grocers.

serves:  6-8                    prep time:  5 minutes
                                     total cook time:  50 minutes

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

2 cups water
1 cup red rice
1 medium carrot, sliced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups cauliflower florets
1/2 cup dried currants
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 scallions, sliced
1/2 cup pistachios
 

In a 2-quart pot, heat the oil and add the ginger and mustard seeds.  When you can smell the ginger and the mustard seeds start to pop, add the turmeric and chili powder and cook a few seconds more.  Add the water, rice, carrot slices, brown sugar, and salt, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for 35 minutes.  When the timer goes off, quickly put the cauliflower florets and currants on top of the rice, replace the lid, and cook for another 10 minutes.  Remove from the hot burner and let stand, covered, for another 5 or so minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice and place in a serving bowl.  Top with the scallions and pistachios to serve.

Considering 8 servings per batch, this recipe offers 165 calories, about 3 g fiber, and almost 4 g protein.  Additionally, there is abundant manganese and a huge serving of other minerals and vitamins.  Manganese is important for brain and neural functions and helps to fight free radicals which can damage cell membranes and DNA.  Manganese is present in whole grains, nuts, and seeds so those who eat these foods should not be deficient.  However, as much as 37% of our population may be deficient in this mineral because they don't eat enough of these foods.

- Kim Fielding

Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable and a member of the same family of plants that includes cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, collard greens, and most closely to broccoli. Although it used to be considered a winter vegetable, it is available in California year round. Recently I was at the grocer and was thrilled to see several beautiful colors of cauliflower on the shelves. China and India are the top producers of cauliflower and broccoli with China producing about half of all the cauliflower in the world.

Cauliflower packs a nutritional punch. A one-cup serving of steamed or boiled cauliflower is high in dietary fiber providing about 3-1/2 grams and has less than 30 calories! It is an excellent source of vitamins C, K and folate and is a very good source of other B vitamins, tryptophan and omega 3 fatty acids. Cauliflower, and other cruciferous vegetables, contain phytonutrients in compounds called crucifers that have been proven to reduce the risk of prostate and breast cancers and are extremely important for colorectal health. In addition, it is being researched for its ability to help the liver detoxify cancer-causing substances.

Cauliflower can be cooked many ways including boiling and steaming, roasting, pickled, sautéed or eaten raw. If you are trying to cut down on potatoes, boiling and mashing cauliflower makes a light alternative to them. They can be buttery with a minimum of added fat but are watery by themselves so if you are mashing them, don’t add fluids until you need to. They have a slightly sweet and nutty flavor and can be adapted to almost any meal or cuisine. Indian cuisine usually pairs cauliflower with turmeric which has its own health preventative qualities when used in that combination. Many different cultures use cauliflower with varying spices so be free to try herbs and spices that you are fond of with this treat.

Roasted cauliflower

serves:  4-6

I like to roast several vegetables in the oven at once to have on hand for leftovers. This simple method also works for carrots, green beans, asparagus, broccoli and broccolini (broccoli rabe), and onions to name a few.  For those people who don't really like cauliflower, this recipe may convert you!

Break up a head of cauliflower into florets and place in a roasting pan. (It is okay to use a knife to cut up the bigger bunches).  For four cups of vegetable, toss with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher or sea salt and a light sprinkling of pepper. You may also use garlic infused olive oil which makes your kitchen smell heavenly!  Toss all together with your hands to evenly distribute the oil and seasoning.  Cook at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until crisp tender. Stir the cauliflower once while in the oven to make the pieces roast evenly. The time will vary depending on how big the pieces are. When they start to brown, watch them closely so they don’t burn.

85 calories for a one-cup serving

Suggested Menu

1 cup roasted cauliflower
½ cup fresh grape or pear tomatoes (try the sweet yellow ones)
½ cup mushrooms sautéed in 1 teaspoon olive oil and with a pinch of salt and pepper, broth added if needed
3 oz. grilled beef (the sautéed mushrooms are a great topping for the beef)

350 calories

P.S. If you really need a starch, add about 120 calories for a small whole-grain roll or ½ cup of brown rice. Also, if you love onions, sauté some of them in with the mushrooms to spoon over the beef – Yum!

- Kim Fielding