Curried Zucchini Soup

It's finally getting warmer in Vancouver, which means the farmers markets are showing a much larger variety of produce. The huge zucchini I found at the Trout Lake Market last Saturday inspired this recipe. Now, you may be thinking it's too warm for soup, but luckily you can serve this chilled as well. I chose to top this soup with leftover dressing as well as the zucchini skins. The dressing was a combination of tahini, garlic, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, water, and olive oil. Benefits:

• Zucchini has antioxidant properties? You bet! You may not normally think of this summer squash to share any similarities with berries, green tea, and garlic, but they too are a wonderful source of vitamin C and other phytonutrients that help to repair cellular damage and protect the body from disease. Summer squash and garlic are also outstanding sources of manganese, which aids in the digestion and synthesis of proteins and carbohydrates among other functions within the body. 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 tablespoons yellow curry paste (red chilli, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, cumin, coriander seed, cinnamon)

5 large zucchini, trimmed

1/2 yam, diced

4 cups water

sea salt

Melt the coconut oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add onions, garlic, and curry paste. Cook until onions become translucent (approx. 5 minutes).

Peel one zucchini and julienne the skin. Sprinkle with salt and set aside in a sieve. Coarsely chop all of the zucchini and add to the pot. Season with salt, add diced yam and water, and bring to a boil before reducing heat to a simmer. Cook for 20-30 minutes. While vegetables are cooking, gently massage zucchini skins with salt until wilted and rinse with water. Set aside to dry.

When the zucchini and yams are fork-tender, remove the pot from heat and cautiously blend with an immersion blender or in batches in a high-speed blender. Add sea salt to taste. Serve with zucchini skins.

Makes 6 Servings

References

• Mateljan, G. (2007). The world’s healthiest foods. Seattle: George Mateljan Foundation.

Maple Coconut Granola

I first made this granola as gifts for friends and family at Christmas. The year before I made a cinnamon apple variety, which was good, but this was definitely better. It's a crunchy fusion of nuts and seeds that is sweet from the coconut and maple syrup, but kept in check by the bitterness of the cacao nibs. Though the nibs make for a more expensive addition, I recommend including them to keep the granola balanced, nutrient dense, and not overly sweet.

Benefits:

• Cacao refers to the raw, unrefined bean of the cacao tree. The nibs are flakes and pieces of the beans, which are most commonly processed and used to make chocolate. Cacao nibs have not been sweetened, but it is important to think of them as an indulgence and not an everyday food. Cacao is high in minerals like magnesium, zinc, and copper, but is also quite stimulating so may want to be avoided before bedtime. Some eat cacao for its spiritual properties too. It's said to open the heart chakra and enlighten the individuals who consume it. 
• Zinc is one of those 'hard to find' minerals since it is one of the nutrients (as well chromium, sodium, cobalt, and manganese) that is most affected by refining. 50% of the zinc content of legumes is lost during cooking and 75% of the original mineral is lost during the processing of wheat. Oral contraceptives, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption also deplete zinc stores within the body. So where can you find zinc? Pumpkin seeds! They are an incredible source, which helps with tissue repair, balancing blood sugar, and male fertility. Pumpkin seeds have also shown to help reduce prostate cell production therefore helping to prevent prostate enlargement. A teacher once told us to consume, "zinc for the dink" to help us remember the many benefits this mineral has on male health and I, like you now, have not forgotten since. Pumpkin seeds are also an excellent source of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, tryptophan, and iron. Be sure to buy the raw ones and keep them refrigerated to protect their nutrients and increase their shelf-life.

Ingredients:

2 cups oats

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup almonds or hazelnuts, chopped

1/2 cup cacao nibs

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

2-3 teaspoons cinnamon

sprinkle of sea salt

Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Spread evenly on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes until slightly golden. Stir once halfway through. Allow to cool before consuming or storing.

References

• Mateljan, G. (2007). The world’s healthiest foods. Seattle: George Mateljan Foundation.

Chia Pudding

Ch-ch-ch-chiaaa comes from the Aztec word "chian" meaning oily, which helps describe its gelatinous texture. Chia seeds are packed full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids including alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is an essential fatty acid, which means the body cannot produce it and it must be consumed in our diet. Omega-3 fats help reduce inflammation in our bodies and maintain blood and cell membrane fluidity. Therefore, our bodies can deliver nutrients, remove waste, and communicate more efficiently. It is incredibly important that we include quality fats in our diet so our nervous system can function properly too. Messages from the brain to the rest of our body are completely dependent upon the myelin sheath, which is made up primarily of fat. Be sure to include foods like avocado, raw nuts, coconut oil, and chia seeds in your diet to keep your cells young and your brain wise.  

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons chia seeds

4 cups water

Soak chia seeds in water at room temperature overnight. Add a couple of your favourite toppings (cranberries, walnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, shredded coconut, cacao nibs, pecans, almond milk, cinnamon, figs, apricots, hemp seeds, cashews, apples, banana, berries, etc.) and enjoy with those you love.

Serves 4

References

• Mateljan, G. (2007). The world’s healthiest foods. Seattle: George Mateljan Foundation.
• The Livestrong Foundation. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com.

Lentil Wild Rice Cabbage Rolls

I decided to give cabbage rolls a try when a few friends came over for dinner a couple weeks ago. I did this vegan variation with lentils and wild rice to provide a good kick of protein and flavour. This was a recipe I made earlier in the day and then popped in the oven after work before they arrived. I would suggest serving them with extra tomato sauce and big green salad to make the meal complete. Benefits:

• Like other legumes, lentils are great source of molybdenum and folate. Molybdenum is a trace mineral and is required as a cofactor for many enzymatic reactions in the body. Folate (vitamin B9) helps prevent anemia by supporting red blood cell production. Red blood cells are responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body. Folate is often used interchangeably with folic acid, which is the synthetic form found in fortified foods and some supplements. Folate is best known as the ‘pregnancy vitamin’ for its well studied successes with preventing birth defects. However, it is important for women who are not pregnant and men to also receive adequate amounts of folate from their food. Lentils are rich in fibre, which works to regulate blood sugar levels and cholesterol by providing bulk to the diet and promoting bowel regularity.
• Wild Rice is often mistaken for a grain. However, unlike other varieties of rice, wild rice is actually the seed of a grass. It requires more water to cook (3 cups for every 1 cup of wild rice), but it's nutritional profile is fairly similar. It is a better source of fibre, iron, and copper. Yet, it contains less less fat, zinc, manganese, and calcium compared to brown rice. Amazingly, it is a complete protein, which means it contains all the essential amino acids and no other rice can say that!
• Mushrooms are thought to have many healing powers. Crimini mushrooms are high in phytonutrients, which help protect against oxidative damage and reduce stress within the body. They are an excellent source of so many nutrients including selenium, riboflavin, copper, niacin, tryptophan, pantothenic acid, potassium and phosphorus too. Selenium, riboflavin, and copper all work to protect your tissues against damage and reduce inflammation. Selenium and copper promote regular thyroid function. Niacin (vitamin B3) helps to stabilize blood sugar and cholesterol, metabolize fats, and like all B vitamins (pantothenic acid included), it is key for energy production. Tryptophan also helps with energy production by deepening sleep so upon waking you feel more rested and revitalized. Overall, crimini mushrooms are a powerhouse full of so many nutrients your body needs to heal and flourish.

Ingredients:

1 head of green cabbage

1 1/2 cup green lentils, cooked (approx. 1 cup dry)

3 cups wild rice, cooked (approx. 1 cup dry)

2 teaspoons coconut oil

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

10 crimini mushrooms, quartered

1 carrot, grated

1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

sea salt & pepper to taste

tomato sauce (see below)

Cook lentils and rice ahead of time.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Remove the core of the cabbage with a sharp knife and submerge the head in the boiling pot of water. Cover for 6 minutes until leaves begin to fall off. Remove and place in cold water. Peel off outer leaves and place back in the boiling water for another 3 minutes when leaves become hard to remove. Repeat until you have removed all the leaves. Pare off coarse veins and set leaves aside to dry on clean dishcloths while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a saucepan, melt coconut oil over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Cook until onions become translucent and their purple flesh softens. Add mushrooms, carrots, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for another 7 minutes. Remove the pan from heat. 7 minutes allows to mushrooms to be cooked just long enough to soften the cellulose fibre; making their nutrients more available for assimilation. Combine mixture with cooked lentils.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a loaf pan with broken/extra cabbage leaves so the rolls do not stick to the sides. Spoon 3 tablespoons of rice and 3 tablespoons of lentil mushroom mix into each leaf. Fold in the sides and roll up; place each roll opening side down so they do not come apart. Top with favourite tomato sauce. I included the recipe I used below. Cover with leftover leaves so the rolls maintain their moisture and bake for 45 minutes. Discard top leaves before serving.

Tomato Sauce:

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

10 roma tomatoes, seeded & chopped

2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped

sea salt & pepper to tastte

Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes so the onions become translucent. Add tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper to the saucepan and stir occasionally until tomatoes soften. Blend with an immersion blender (or in a high-speed blender if mixture has cooled).

Makes 8 Rolls 

References

• Mateljan, G. (2007). The world’s healthiest foods. Seattle: George Mateljan Foundation
• The Livestrong Foundation. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com

Power Salad - Take Two

As I discussed in Power Salad, this is not your average salad. For this variation, I brought back some of my favourite elements, but introduced a few new ingredients too. Feel free to use what you have and what you love. After all, you want to be enjoying every bite of your meal. Eat to feed your soul, not just your body! Benefits:

• You may never have guessed it, but buckwheat is full of powerful antioxidants called flavonoids that help to protect the body and repair damage caused by free radicals. Buckwheat is also a good source of manganese, which is used by the bodies energy production organelles, the mitochondria, to protect themselves against damage. In other words, stay protected with buckwheat!
• Raw tahini is made from unroasted and unhulled sesame seeds. A traditional Middle Eastern staple, tahini has slowly made its way into my kitchen. I use it mostly for hummus and dressings because its flavour is one-of-a-kind. It adds a creaminess that is often hard to obtain in a dairy-free diet and I find its flavour softens when combined with a cold pressed olive oil. Sesame seeds are also a great source of manganese, but perhaps more impressive is its calcium content. Two tablespoons of tahini will give you almost 35% of your daily recommended calcium-- amazing!

Ingredients:

1 bunch of kale, cut bite-sized & steamed

2 cup buckwheat, cooked (approx. 2/3 cups uncooked)*

1 cup chickpeas, cooked (approx. 1/2 cup dried)

1 yam, diced & steamed

1/2 head of cauliflower, roughly chopped

1 beet, grated (I used an heirloom chiogga beet)

Assemble the salad in the order listed above. Top with Garlic Tahini Dressing (see below).

*To cook buckwheat (or quinoa), soak grain over night and rinse well before adding clean cooking water (1.5 cups water for every 1 cup dry grain). You can skip this step if pinched for time, but soaking allows for quicker cooking time and also removes enzyme inhibitors making the grain's nutrients more available to the body and easier to digest. If you skip this step, use 2 cups of water for every cup of grain. Also expect to double your cooking time. Once you have added clean water and a pinch of sea salt, bring pot to boil before turning to low heat until all the liquid is fully absorbed. Remember to leave a lid on and restrain from stirring to avoid mushy buckwheat. Approx. 20-25 minutes if using a soaked grain.

Garlic Tahini Dressing:

4 tablespoons tahini

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon cilantro, fresh

Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Or you can also use a mason jar, but mince the garlic and cilantro before combining all ingredients and shaking to combine. You may need to use a fork to break up the tahini. Shake until all ingredients are emulsified.

References

• Mateljan, G. (2007). The world’s healthiest foods. Seattle: George Mateljan Foundation.

Power Salad

I like to call this combination of ingredients the power salad because it has everything to fuel your body for a successful day. It is not a wimpy side dish, nor is it a heavy spread. It is jam-packed to give you what you deserve, and for me that is a pretty powerful meal. It always contains a grain (quinoa, basmati rice, buckwheat, millet, or soba noodles), a steamed starch (yams, nugget potatoes, squash, or sweet potatoes), a legume (chickpeas, beans, lentils, or split peas), raw veggies (carrots, beets, cauliflower, arugula, cabbage, spinach, peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, celery, etc.), and a creamy vegan dressing (usually tahini or cashew-based). This was tonight's variation.  

IMG_0796edit

Ingredients:

2 cup quinoa, cooked (approx. 2/3 cups uncooked)*

1 yam, diced & steamed

1/3 red cabbage, grated

2 carrots, grated

1 beet, grated

1 cup chickpeas, cooked (approx. 1/2 cup dried)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted

sea salt to taste

I chose to crisp up the chickpeas, but you can skip this step and leave them as is if preferred. Preheat oven to 400˚C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss chickpeas with cumin, oil, and sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes or until crisp. While the chickpeas are baking you can prepare the dressing.

Lemon Cashew Dressing:

1/4 cup cashews

juice of 1/2 a lemon

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon curry spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, mustard seed, cayenne pepper blend)

sea salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.

Assemble the salad in the order listed above. Top with dressing and hemp seeds.

Serves 4

*To cook quinoa, soak grain over night and rinse well before adding clean cooking water (1.5 cups water for every 1 cup dry grain). You can skip this step if pinched for time, but soaking allows for quicker cooking time and also removes enzyme inhibitors making the grain's nutrients more available to the body and easier to digest. If you skip this step, use 2 cups of water for every cup of grain. Also expect to double your cooking time. Once you have added clean water and a pinch of sea salt, bring pot to boil before turning to low heat until all the liquid is fully absorbed. Remember to leave a lid on and restrain from stirring to avoid mushy quinoa. Approx. 20-25 minutes if using a soaked grain.