Curry makes healthy food delicious

Look no further than the sumptuous flavors of Indian curry powder to make healthy ingredients into delicious eating. Here is a simple recipe that comes together extremely quickly especially with the help of a pressure cooker.

Curried Split Pea Soup with Squash, Greens and Apples

1 large onion

2 tbl freshly grated ginger

4 ribs of celery hearts, sliced

1 ½ pounds winter squash (like butternut, butternut, kabocha) peeled and chopped

2 cups split peas, yellow or green or red lentils

6 cups low sodium vegetable broth

4 cups shredded dark leafy greens (collard, kale, chard, spinach)

1 ½ tbl mild curry powder

1 tsp fennel seed

¾ tsp cinnamon

1 bay leaf

1 chopped jalapeño (optional)

1 apple, peeled and chopped

Saute ginger and onion in a little water for a few minutes in large soup pot. Add remaining ingredients except apple. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer, covered, until peas are soft about 30 minutes. Stir in apple. Or put all in a pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for about 13 minutes.

You never knew healthy food could be so delicious!

Fennel and figs together in a salad

Fennel might be an intimidating vegetable since the shape is strange. Most people see fennel on high-end restaurant menus but fail to use it themselves. Here is an easy and tasty way to enjoy fennel with in-season figs in a summery salad. With just a few high flavor additions of basil and kalamata olives, this delicious dish is high on nutrients but still low on calories making it a healthful meal. Serve it over a dark leafy green like spinach for a great nutrient boost.

These dense spicy burgers were adapted from Bryanna Clark Grogan’s sausage burger recipe. Black beans are anantioxidant powerhouse of nutrition. This recipe makes a dense ‘meaty’ burger without the cholesterol and saturated fat of meat. This recipe is also much lower in sodium than typical bean/vegetable burger recipes.

Spicy Black Bean Burger Recipe

Serves 8    •    1/8 of recipe
209.51 Calories per serving.    •    PCF Ratio: 42-48-10
Protein  per serving: 21.84 g    •    Carbohydrate per serving: 24.71 g    •    Fat per serving: 2.28 g

Ingredients:
2 cups – Textured Vegetable Protein, granules
1.25 cups – WATER, MUNICIPAL
.25 cup – BALSAMIC VINEGAR, Organic
2 tbsp – CATSUP/KETCHUP, Organic
4 tbsp – SALSA, CHIPOTLE, Organic
1 1/4 cup – BLACK BEAN, Organic, canned, low sodium
4 cloves – GARLIC, RAW, minced
1 tsp – CUMIN, GROUND
1 tbsp – No Salt SEASONING BLEND, MRS. DASH, all flavors
2 tbsp – SESAME BUTTER, TAHINI, from raw & stone ground kernels
1 large – EGG WHITE, CHICKEN, RAW, fresh
1 tsp – RED PEPPER flakes
1 tsp – PEPPER, GROUND, coarse grind ‘Mr. Pepper’
3/4 cup – FLOUR, GLUTEN
2 tbsp – Nutritional yeast flakes

Recipe Directions:
Boil water and pour over textured vegetable protein (tvp) with vinegar, catsup, and salsa. Mix and let sit for 5 minutes. Coarsely mash black beans and add to tvp with remaining ingredients except for gluten flour. Mix well. Let cool completely in fridge. Mix in gluten flour with hands. Form into 8 patties and place in greased steamer basket. Steam for 20 minutes over boiling water. Remove and chill overnight in refridgerator. Pan fry or grill on greased skillet or grill until lightly browned. Serve on bun with toppings (grilled onions, tomato, lettuce, grilled mushrooms, salsa, guacamole, hot sauce, mustard, etc).

Nutrient Analysis:

Copyright © 2010, by Your Food Genie. All rights Reserved.

Do you puruse health food aisles and notice various whole grains that you don’t have a clue how to prepare? Do you look at the directions (cook in simmering water for 1 hour) and think, I will never do that!

Would you be willing to try some new whole grains if you had a fast and easy whole grain recipe? Are you also looking to get away from boxed, packaged, processed breakfast foods (if you aren’t, you should)?

Would you make a whole grain recipe for breakfast if it was:

• fast and easy
• could be thrown together quickly in the morning (much like commercial breakfast cereals)
• tastes good

Fast and easy whole grain

Here is a recipe that incorporates a mixture of 2 whole grains.  If you prefer to just use one, go ahead. If you want to use different grains, go ahead. If you want to really shoot for the moon and do a crazy mixture of many whole grains, fine with me but I can’t vouch for the success/taste of your recipe!

Fast and easy whole grain bulgur and barley recipe

The result is a pleasantly chewy texture that slows down your eating pace and allows you to feel fuller on less food.

1/2 cup bulgur, dry

1/2 cup pearled barley, dry

2 cups water

If you can remember to brush your teeth at night you can remember this: Combine these 3 ingredients in a bowl before you go to bed. In the morning, drain in mesh strainer. Remove 1/4 of the soaked grains for 1 serving. Add fruit, milk, nuts, spices, etc. Serve. Makes about 4 1 cup servings

This fast and easy whole grain bulgur and barley recipe delivers big nutrition especially as the leftovers sit in the fridge for the next day. Unlike, processed cereals, the grains are “alive” and may sprout after a few days improving the nutrient absorption. Not a bad deal for a few dimes worth of wholesome cereal, eh?

Nutrition for 1/4 of recipe (a little less than a cup after soaking)

Calories 148

Protein 5 g

Carbs 33 g

Fat 0.5 g

Fiber 7 g (do any of your processed cereals compare to these stats??)

Magnesium 49 mg (12% of Daily Value)

Selenium 10 mcg (14% of Daily Value)

I need a sweet healthy salad dressing for my arugula salad! Sweet would be a nice compliment to spicy arugula. Healthy? Yes! It can’t have:

• preservatives
• added sugars or syrups
• added salt
• processed oil (all oil is processed so basically, zilch on the oil)
• too many calories (ideally under 100 calories for a 1/2 cup)

A healthy dressing for arugula salad also needs to have:

• high amounts of antioxidants
• high amounts of phytochemicals
• high amounts of vitamins and minerals
• delicious flavor!!

Jeesh. Here’s a recipe that accomplishes all those things:

Healthy salad dressing recipe for arugula salad

4 dried figs (preferably organic)

1/2 cup unhulled sesame seeds (optionally pretoasted)

1/2 medium apple (organic)

1 cup unsweetened soymilk

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1 cup water

Toast the sesame seeds first for added flavor. Blend all ingredients together in blender until smooth.

I will freeze half of it for later use. I suspect it will need to be reblended after defrosting. Hint: this makes a delicious healthy salad dressing for arugula and spinach salad when topped with fresh blueberries, raisins, celery, red pepper, carrots, you get the idea.

Makes about 3 cups.

Nutrition per 1/2 cup serving (that’s a lot of dressing but not if your salad includes 5-6 cups of greens, 2 tbl portions never do it for me):

Calories 99

Protein 3 g

Carbs 10 g

Fat 6 g

Sodium 32 mg

Fiber 3 g

Looking for a cool and creamy treat? How about a creamy mango raspberry sundae? This recipe incorporates dried mango, frozen bananas and topped with raspberries.  The nutrient boost from the fruit makes this delicious for your taste buds and good to your body.

Mango Raspberry Sundae

1 1/2 medium bananas, frozen

2 oz dried mango, unsweetened and unsulfured

1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk

2 ice cubes or 1/4 cup water (use ice cubes if wanting to freeze faster)

1/2 cup frozen organic raspberries, thawed (can be microwaved for 1 minute at 30% power)

Blend dried mango with soymilk and water until smooth and creamy. Freeze in ice cube tray for 3 hours. After frozen combine with frozen bananas in high powered blender or food processor and process until creamy but still frozen.  Divide into 2 servings and top with raspberries.  Serve your mango raspberry sundae.

Nutrition:

Calories: 206

Protein: 3 g

Carbohydrate: 49 g

Fat: <1 g

Broccoli Salad with Creamy Basil Dressing (Kid Approved!)

2 cups chopped raw broccoli florets

1 medium tomato chopped

1 green onion, sliced

Dressing

1 tbl mild vinegar (I used raw coconut)

1/4 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup unsweetened soymik

1/2 cup water

1 tbl granulated onion

1 tbl nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp granulated garlic

2 tbl ground sun dried tomatoes

2 tbl chopped fresh basil

few dashes tabasco

fresh ground pepper

Combine broccoli, tomatoes, and green onion in bowl. Add dressing ingredients to blender (except basil) and blend until smooth. Pour dressing over vegetables. Divide into 2 servings and serve over fresh greens.

NOTE: I briefly heated this for my daughter in the microwave. Also, she had some low fat seitan sausage and raw fresh corn mixed into hers.

Nutrition:

Calories: 180

Fat: 8 g

Protein: 10 g

Carbohydrate: 22 g

Fiber: 4 g

Lutein and zeaxanthin: 174 mcg

Folate: 72 mcg

Vitamin C: 79 mg

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
6 baby carrots, grated
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint’

1 green onion, sliced

raisins, 1 tbl

Dressing

1 cup cubed watermelon

1 tbl white balsamic vinegar

1 tbl hemp seed (plus additional half to sprinkle on top)

6 cups baby spinach

Blend dressing ingredients in high powered blender. Combine fennel, carrots, mint and raisins in bowl. Pour dressing over vegetables. Divide spinach into 2 serving bowls. Top each serving with half of vegetable and dressing mixture. Sprinkle with additional hemp seed.

Serves 2

Calories 169

Fat 4 g

Protein 6 g

Carbohydrate 33 g

Fiber 11 g

Vitamin A 195% of Daily Value

Calcium 28% of Daily Value

If you do not have a pressure cooker, the chili can be brought to a boil, then heat lowered to simmer. Cover and cook 25-30 minutes until collards are tender.

Recipe:

Quick Tofu Chili

Recipe by Your Food Genie, Trulie Ankerberg MS, RD
Serves 4    •    1/4 of recipe
255.61 Calories per serving.    •    PCF Ratio: 30-35-35
Protein  per serving: 21.42 g g    •    Carbohydrate per serving: 24.90 g g    •    Fat per serving: 10.86 g g

Ingredients:
1 lb – TOFU, FIRM, frozen, defrosted and shredded
1 cup – ONION, RAW, chopped
1 cup – RED PEPPER, SWEET, RAW, chopped
1 cup – CELERY, RAW
1 cup – CARROT, JUNIOR
3 tbsp – TOMATO PASTE, CANNED, NO SALT, can
1 cup – VEGETABLE BROTH, NONFAT, Organic
3 cups – WATER, MUNICIPAL
1 tbsp – CHILI POWDER
1/4 tsp – CINNAMON, GROUND
1/2 tsp – CORIANDER SEED, toasted and ground
1 tsp – PEPPER, BLACK, GROUND
1/8 tsp – PEPPER, RED OR CAYENNE
2 tbsp – BALSAMIC VINEGAR
6 cups – COLLARDS or Kale, RAW, chopped
1 tsp – HOT PEPPER SAUCE, ORIGINAL
1 tbsp – SEASONING BLEND, MRS. DASH, all flavors

Recipe Directions:
Combine all ingredients in pressure cooker. Bring to high pressure, lower heat to maintain pressure and cook for 5 minutes. Release pressure by running cold water over lid. Serve.

Nutrient Analysis:

Copyright © 2010, by Your Food Genie. All rights Reserved.

Spiced cocoa sorbet with superfood collard greens

Tons of antioxidants in this chai-inspired dessert or breakfast or anytime snack really! In the video I use a ice cubes made of frozen chia seed slurry  and there is a great how to here. If you don’t get have them on hand, you can sub ground flaxseed and ice cubes. The fat in the seeds will help absorb all the green stuff in the collards. Blending the green stuff will also help. You need it all!

This recipe calls for frozen  cantaloupe, frozen bananas and ice cubes instead of water. Blending the non-frozen ingredients until smooth first will prevent from overheating the frozen ingredients.

Spiced Cocoa Sorbet Recipe

2 dates

1 tbl ground flaxseed

1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk (do not use dairy milk as this will inhibit the absorption of cocoa antioxidants)

2 ice cubes

1 cup collard greens, chopped

1 cup frozen cantaloupe cubes

2 medium frozen bananas

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cardamom

2 tbls unsweetened cocoa powder

Blend first 5 ingredients until smooth in high powered blender or food processor. Add remaining ingredients and blend until thick and creamy. Makes about 4 1/2-cup servings

Nutrition

Calories 130

Protein 3 g

Carbs 29 g

Fat 1 g

Fiber 5 g

Phytosterols 10 mg