So you like tomatillo salsa? How about taking tangy tomatillos and loading them with powerful and tasty vegetables and the wonderful texture of hominy and chickpeas?  Tomatillos with a few ingredients, make an excellent stew.

Tomatillo Stew with Hominy and Chickpeas

Comment: Jalapeño pepper may be subbed for Serrano’s.

Recipe grams: 2990.90g/105.5oz

Serves 6

498.48g/17.6oz per serving

Protein: 16%

Carbohydrates: 58%

Fat: 26%

Ingredients

1/2 cup pumpkin & squash seed, dried, kernels

1 lb tomatillo, raw

4 clove garlic, raw

2 pepper Serrano pepper, raw

4 cup garden vegetable broth

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tsp oregano, dried

1 lb collards, raw

1 cup mushroom, portabella, raw, diced

2 cup chickpeas, boiled, no added salt (garbanzo)

2 cup hominy, white

1 fruit lemon, raw, no peel, sections (2-3/8” dia)

1/4 cup coriander, raw (cilantro, chinese parsley)

Directions

Place peeled washed tomatillos in a microwaveable bowl. Cover and microwave on high for 8 minutes. Allow to sit for 2 minutes covered.

Meanwhile, place pumpkin seeds in dry skillet and toast over medium high for 3 minutes until lightly browned shaking the pan occasionally.

Place pumpkin seeds with cooked tomatillos into blender with garlic cloves and peppers. Blend til smooth. Add to large soup pot with vegetable broth, onion powder, oregano, chopped collards, mushrooms, drained chickpeas and hominy. Bring to a boil then

lower to simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes (until collards are tender). Sqeeze juice of 1 lemon into soup.

Top with cilantro, chopped onion, avocado, jalepenos, hot sauce, tomatoes, lettuce, etc.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 serving (498.5g)

Servings: 1

Calories 280 Calories from Fat 80

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9g 13%

Saturated Fat 1.5g 7%

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 770mg 32%

Total Carbohydrate 43g 14%

Dietary Fiber 12g 49%

Sugars 10g

Protein 12g

Vitamin A 110% Vitamin C 80%

Calcium 15% Iron 25%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

You can see the Food Genie video and vote here.

Thanks for checking it out!

The American Academy of Pediatrics have decided that the shape of hot dogs are not the best hot dogs for kids because they pose a choking hazard. If these doctors are interested in recommending the best hot dogs for kids, they might first start with advising against most hot dogs due to their ingredients.  Sure the choking hazard is an issue (and would be concern if healthier ingredients were used), but let’s not miss the mountain for a mole hill. Processed meat products like hot dogs won’t be any better for kids no matter what shape they are in.

I found this news clip concerning the best hot dogs for kids in an interview I did last year. The quality is horrible, but hopefully the message is clear:

And fight cancer and keep your blood pressure down and repair cellular damage…. My four year old just understands the smart benefit.

A very simple recipe.

Blueberry “Make You Smart” Ice cream cone

(Makes about 2 good sized cones)

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 1/2 large, frozen, very ripe, bananas

1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk

2 wafer ice cream cones (those that are 20 calories or less)

Optional toppings: Nuts/seeds/coconut/chopped dried fruit, chocolate chips

Blend all blueberries with banana adding a little soymilk to get it moving. Only blend enough to get a thick, creamy soft serve ice cream consistency. Scoop into ice cream cones. Dip in toppings. Saige had ground flaxseed and almond slivers on hers.

Nutrition Facts (without toppings)

Calories: 183, Fat 2 g, Saturated fat: 0.2 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate: 43g, Fiber: 6 g, Protein: 3 g

20% Daily Value for Vitamin C, 26% for Vitamin K, 23% for Vitamin B6, 13% for Potassium, 10% for Magnesium and loads of anthocyanin and ellagic acid.

Chinese broccoli will rock your broccoli-loving world! I have never made Chinese broccoli or Kai-Lan. I have had it in Chinese restaurants covered in salt and oil. I never knew it was so delicious! This vegetable is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Broaden your broccoli-tastes. Try this recipe:
Chinese Broccoli (healthier than the Chinese restaurant)
1/2 pound Chinese broccoli, chopped (include all the stems and leaves)
1/2 tbl ground sun-dried tomatoes (can be ground in coffee mill or blender)
1/2 tbl ground toasted sesame seeds
seasoned rice vinegar (to taste – but go easy this has added sugar and salt)
1 small garlic clove, minced

More sesame seeds or a smidge of toasted sesame oil (optional)

Steam Chinese broccoli in steamer basket for 10 minutes. The stems should be tender crisp. Transfer to serving bowl. Mix ground sun-dried tomatoes with ground sesame seeds. Sprinkle on greens. Toss greens with with minced garlic. Sprinkle on some rice vinegar and more sesame seeds.

Sweet, chocolaty goodness from….beans??!!  Brownies that fight aging, lower cholesterol, and love you back? What could be better for Valentine’s Day? 

Could you really make something good out of beans, fruit, nuts and a little flour? I saw this recipe and had to try my own version. I liked how they are sweetened with dates, which add fiber, minerals and antioxidants (to name a few benefits).

But how does it taste?? I decided to make a version of this and add an icing. My daughter needs all sweet things in pink or purple. I added a cherry almond nut butter icing (which turned out purple). Dense, rich, sweet and chocolately. We love these and need to keep more on hand (besides for just Valentine’s Day).

Black Bean Brownies with Cherry Almond Icing

(makes 12 servings)

½ cup dark cocoa powder

2 t. vanilla

1 t. baking soda

1 (15 oz.) can of salt-free black beans (drain liquid)

1/2 cup light coconut milk

1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk

2 small, very ripe bananas

1 1/2 – 2 cups pitted dates (I used about 18 medjool dates)

¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Icing

1/3 cup light coconut milk

1/3 cup chopped raw cashews

1/2 cup dates (about 5)

1 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add two ingredients at a time except walnuts to a food processor or blender. Turn it on and then gradually add each additional ingredient (except walnuts) until blended. Turn off the machine, remove the blade, and stir in the nuts. Spread into a 13” x 9” pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool.

For icing:

Blend all ingredients to get thick icing consistency. Pour over cool brownies. Refrigerate to thicken icing (using less liquid would also help). We sprinkled on some sliced almonds.  Saige loved this lip cookie cutter so we had lip shaped brownies.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 209

Fat: 8 g

Omega 3 fatty acids: 1 g

Cholesterol: 0 g

Saturated fat: 2 g

Carbohydrate: 31 g

Fiber: 7 g

Protein: 6 g

Thanks to the nuts and beans, these brownie lips are a great source of minerals, B vitamins, phytochemicals, antioxidants, fiber and protein.

Authors: Berkow, Susan E.; Barnard, Neal D.; Saxe, Gordon A.; Ankerberg-Nobis, Trulie

Source: Nutrition Reviews, Volume 65, Number 9, September 2007 , pp. 391-403(13)

Ask the Doctor: Achieving a Healthy Diet

What small changes to my diet can I make today, and how do I build on those changes to achieve a healthy diet?

There’s little doubt that the maintenance of a healthy body weight is important in reducing the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, says Trulie Ankerberg-Nobis, M.S., R.D., L.D. Research also indicates that the more weight a woman carries, the more likely breast cancer will recur, be more aggressive, and carry a worse prognosis.

“If you’re already at a healthy weight, that’s a great step in the right direction,” says Ankerberg-Nobis, “but it’s not just about the scale. It’s also about how you eat. Paying attention to the fat content of your diet is critical, as research has shown that women with metastatic breast cancer actually increase their risk of dying from that disease by 40 percent for every 1,000 grams of fat consumed in a month.”¹ This does not mean that a woman’s risk of dying is 40 percent. It means that the risk is 40 percent higher than it would otherwise have been, assuming the individual is comparable to those studied.

One thousand grams of fat might sound like a lot, but if you consider that there are five grams of fat in 1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter or one teaspoon of vegetable oil, it is easy to see how the grams add up quickly in the typical American diet. For people who eat meat, the news is even worse; according to Ankerberg-Nobis, the leanest beef is around 29 percent fat and even chicken is around 23 percent. In contrast, broccoli is 8 percent fat, and fruits and whole grains are approximately 4 percent fat. In addition, fruits and vegetables contain cancerfighting chemicals that are not present in animal products, such as beta-carotene and antioxidants.

This creates the goal of weight maintenance through a low-fat diet, cutting down on the amount of animalbased foods consumed and increasing the amount of plant-based foods. “In my experience, many people who find they have a serious illness are ready to commit to a whole new way of eating,” says Ankerberg-Nobis. “But if you’re not ready to do that, there are meaningful steps that can be taken toward the ultimate goal of letting go of the fat you’re used to consuming.”

For example, if you’re already in the habit of cooking your meals, you can use pan spray or add a little broth to your dishes for flavor without a lot of added fat. If you enjoy eating salad, use light or fat-free dressing that doesn’t contain a lot of sugar. And if you have chicken for dinner, try cutting a 3-ounce portion in half and supplement your meal with more fruits and vegetables.

For people heavily dependent on convenience foods, Ankerberg-Nobis suggests purchasing pre-cut fresh fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. They are portable and ready to eat when you’re hungry, giving you one less excuse to reach for a bag of chips.

Ankerberg-Nobis, who has taught cooking classes for The Cancer Project, also suggests that people who are working their way into a predominantly plant-based diet turn to soups and chilis when they are craving a hearty meal. The legumes that go into these dishes provide plenty of fiber, which will help cleanse the body of excess estrogen that can fuel breast cancer. Healthy cooking tips and delicious recipes are available online at
Ankerberg-Nobis’ Web site, www.atlantanutrition.com
and at the Cancer Project, www.cancerproject.org.

Importantly, alcohol consumption is an additional dietary risk factor for breast cancer. “Women who do not drink shouldn’t start, especially if they have a history of breast cancer in the family or if they are overweight,” Ankerberg-Nobis cautions. “Alcohol impairs the liver, where lots of hormones are metabolized. This creates a problem with regard to cancers that are estrogen fed.” For people who do drink alcoholic beverages, Ankerberg- Nobis suggests limiting alcohol intake to once a month or only on very special occasions.

For men who have had breast cancer, the same dietary rules and recommendations apply. “Recruit your family as a support system when you decide to make positive dietary changes, because that will be important for your success,” encourages Ankerberg-Nobis. “But remember that these changes are healthy not just for breast cancer patients, but for everyone. Your entire
family could benefit if they decide to change their eating
habits, too.”

SOURCES:
1. www.cancerproject.org/survival/cancer_facts/breast.php
• Trulie Ankerberg-Nobis, M.S., R.D., L.D. Registered and Licensed Dietician
www.atlantanutrition.com
About Trulie: Ankerberg-Nobis has worked for The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C., and as clinical research coordinator for Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes. Trulie has also taught cooking and nutrition classes for The Cancer Project, which has links to a wide variety of recipes.
• www.med.umich.edu/1libr/aha/aha_exchlisa_crs.htm
• www.cancer.org

This article was first printed in the spring 2008 issue of Lifeline.

Soup!! Nothing beats soup as a filling, delicious meal that is also cooked so that very little nutrients are lost in the cooking process. Here I made a family favorite in a way that preserves even more nutrients than the traditional soup pot: a pressure cooker. A pressure cooker not only locks in all the nutrients in its sealing top but also cooks bean soups much quicker than ordinary soup pots. So dinner is faster, easier, more nutritious and tastes like it was cooking all day on the stove since the cooker locks in flavors.

Here I made a lentil soup since the beans do not have to be pre-soaked and the soup is done in about 10 minutes. Lentils give off a wonderful flavor that makes lentil soup a favorite for many. This first picture shows how easy it is in a pressure cooker. I put in lots of veggies: carrots, mushrooms, kale, onions, celery,water, lentils and spices. Lock the lid in place and 10-12 minutes later, beautiful soup! Eating plant protein-based soups (like beans) provides loads of detoxifying fiber, slimming plant protein and high amounts of nutrients and phytochemicals especially when also adding lots of vegetables. No need to load high sodium, flavorless canned soups to your grocery list for a quick night meal. Nothing beats pressure-cooking for fast and nutritious tasty meals. Be sure to add soup to your weekly menu. The more the better!