Mmmm comfort food at its finest. I love using chickpea pasta and other bean pastas. They’re super high in protein, fiber, iron, and resistant starch to really help feed your good gut bacteria- helping not only your digestion and blood sugar levels, but also your immunity and mood! Lots of nerves in the gut- feed it well!
Serves about 8:
1 cauliflower, rough chop into large florets
1 yellow onion, discard outer layer and chop into quarters
1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper
1/3 avocado
1 boiled sweet potato (skin removed)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1-2 garlic cloves
Juice of 1/4 – 1/2 lemon
16 oz dry elbow macaroni pasta (I like using banza chickpea pasta)
1 cup frozen peas
Steam onion and cauliflower until soft and translucent (about 15 minutes)
Combine steamed vegetables with salt, pepper, avocado, potato, and nutritional yeast in a food processor S blade or high speed blender and blend until smooth
Boil macaroni according to manufacture’s instructions and mix with peas. Pour sauce over macaroni and peas and mix well. Transfer to casserole dish for serving
Who doesn’tLove pasta? Yes, love with a capital “L”. For these recipes I used banza pasta made from chickpeas. Bean pasta is awesome! It is super high in nutrients like iron and beneficial fiber. Plus it is loaded with protein. It’s gluten free and only takes 7-8 minutes to cook. Obsessed. I particularly like the Banza brand because it looks just like regular pasta and has a really nice consistency. Some bean pastas that I have tried are a little mealy and chalky, this brand is nice and noodle-y. I don’t know how else to describe it 😛 Hope you enjoy these recipes! xo
Mmmm when I had this recipe the first time I could have sworn it had peanut butter and sugar in it with its gingery garlic creamy deliciousness. Its just sesame seeds and dates!? What!? So simple and I can assure you this recipe will not disappoint!
Adapted from Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Quick and Easy Chilled Sesame Noodles
Serves 6
Ingredients:
8 ounces bean pasta, cooked according to package directions, rinsed under cold water, and drained
1 pound fresh or frozen broccoli florets, steamed
1 pound mushrooms, chopped + steamed (or use another pound of broccoli or any other vegetable you love!)
1 large red bell pepper
6 scallions thinly sliced
For the Sauce
1/4 cup unhulled sesame seeds, lightly pan toasted
1 cup water
2-3 tablespoons raw almonds or cashews (preferably soaked / sprouted)
3 tablespoons lime juice (or rice vinegar / apple cider vinegar)
Steps
In a high speed blender, puree all the sauce ingredients until smooth
In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta, bell pepper, scallion, steamed broccoli, and veggies with the sauce until thoroughly coated.
Divide among 6 plates and serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
Prescription Pesto
Yaaas pesto :-P. This recipe has got all the medicine in it, and TBH: there is nothing I crave more. This pesto is BOMB. Don’t be fooled by the word, “medicine.” Back in the day when you used to plug your nose to get the stuff down. This powerful pesto has got the most potent DNA protecting and disease reversing foods like greens, turmeric, beans, walnuts, and garlic. And this medicine, baby. Just can’t get enoughhh yuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These pancakes are out of this worrrlldd!! Inspired by Deliciously Ella:
Makes about 9 pancakes:
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup plant milk
1 1/4 cup brown rice flour (or ground oats / any GF flour)
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips (optional)
Use non-stick pan preferably or use light coconut or avocado oil for greasing
Mix together wet ingredients and cinnamon
Gently stir flour until well combined
Fold in chocolate chips
On medium heat, place about 1/3 cup of batter for a pancake and spread into pancake shape with a spoon
So you wanna be a superhero? Me too. Let’s start with endurance. I’ve got the research, now all you have to do is put in the effort. Here’s my 11 tips:
1. Train
Think you have to keel over to improve your endurance? Think again. According to the ACE Personal Trainer Manual 5th edition, studies have shown that endurance improvement favored those who had performed more zone 1 training.
80% of training should be done at intensities where speech is comfortable (zone 1) and only about 10% of training should be performed at intensities above VT2 (zone 3, where blood lactate increases significantly).
It would make sense that this 80% zone 1 training should, for the most part, be performed relatively high in zone 1. So, if you are just getting into endurance activities like running, just getting started will improve your endurance. However, to really get your speed up and improve, get a little uncomfortable with the “talk test.” Can you sing comfortably while you are running? If you can, then you can definitely try to go a little faster. Get on those hills, and laugh fearlessly at your struggles!
2. Hydrate
Did you know that muscles are 70-75% water? That’s right! According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic’s Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, muscle is only 15-20% protein, 5-7% fat, glycogen, and minerals.
Why is hydration important?
Temperature regulation
Blood volume + blood pressure
Keep organs, kidneys, cells, working optimally
Prevent dehydration
Things to consider:
Weather
Clothing
Your personal sweaty-ness
According to the American Counsel on Exercise (ACE):
~4 hours before the event, drink 3-4 cups of water + weigh yourself
> during the event: definitely varies, but drink about ½ cup water every 20 minute
after event drink about 2 cups of water for every pound that you lost during the event
IMPORTANT: Prevent depletion in electrolytes like sodium and potassium as those are necessary for muscle contraction and blood pressure regulation which, if low can cause cramping, twitching and even heart issues. These electrolytes may be excreted with sweat
In general, water alone should be fine to rehydrate, but if it is extra humid or you lose 3% or more body weight during the event I recommend a natural electrolyte beverage like coconut water and / or datorade.
Dateorade:
2 cups water
½ lime or lemon, juiced
2-3 dates
maybe a pinch of Himalayan salt or dulse flakes
Blend for about 1 minute. This provides natural sources of electrolytes, antioxidants and nutrients without the added colors, flavors, or refined sugars and is a great go-to beverage before, during, and after an event.
3. Carb Load Correctly
FACT: Activity that lasts longer than several hours depletes glycogen stores. Carbohydrates consumed during exercise helps endurance athletes maintain a fast pace; fat is used more efficiently for fuel as exercise continues. Protein is a very minor fuel source during endurance exercise.
PROTEIN: it is important for repairing tissues, making enzymes + hormones, transporting nutrients, making muscles contract, regulating water balance. However, if you don’t consume enough carbs for your high energy demands, the body will use protein for energy instead which is EXTREMELY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO YOUR PHYSICAL GOALS! Although protein may supply energy, extra amounts are not your best fuel. While carbs are stored in the muscle and liver as glycogen to be used for quick energy, excess protein is stored as fat, and not used for energy if you already consume enough calories. In general, protein should supply 10-35% of overall calorie intake which is met easily without powders or supplements in a balanced whole foods plant based diet. Since athletes usually eat more with a good appetite, they easily get the protein and nutrients they need. Protein requires more fluid in order to be metabolized because we need to excrete the toxic nitrogenous waste as urea so can lead to kidney issues, dehydration, cramping, and fatigue.
Energy need for endurance sports depends on body size, duration of activity, and overall effort. An elite athlete may need 4000-6000 calories daily, chosen from a high carbohydrate diet. Don’t worry about calculating your protein because if you are eating a balanced diet of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits, and are eating enough calories, the protein in these foods will add up to be enough protein.
7 days before the event:
Days 1-3 Moderate-CHO diet of around 55% of calories, in general, recommendations are 45-65% of calories should come from carbohydrates
Days 4-6 Increase to high carbohydrate diet of about 80% of calories
Dinner before the event: >80% calories from carbohydrates
4. Four Hours Out:
Simple balanced meal should be fine. Try to keep it around 500 calories and under to prevent fatigue and slow gastric emptying. If you are nervous it is ok to eat less and eat more simple carbs like fruit or fruit juice 1-2 hours before the event
5. Pre Workout
While what you eat pre-workout is very important, it is essential that the previous workout was properly recovered from and that we eat a healthy balanced diet with adequate calories and nutrients on a daily basis.
Day of the event: If in the morning, I recommend staying light with datorade or fruit juice beverage. Within 1-2 hours of event, The food eaten should be around 200-300 calories, high in carbohydrate to maximize blood glucose availability, and low in fat and fiber to minimize GI distress and facilitate gastric emptying, it should be moderate to low in protein, and known to be well tolerated by you. A go to for before, during, and after workouts.
6. During Event
During extended training sessions, lasting longer than 1 hour, and especially in extreme heat, cold or high altitude, exercisers should consume 30-60g CHO / hr of training to maintain blood glucose levels.
30-60 grams of carbs looks like:
1 large ripe banana
¼ cup raisins
5-6 dates.
7. Post Workout
Eat in abundance! It is counterproductive for endurance athletes to restrict. The best meals post workout include an abundance of carbohydrates accompanied by some protein. ACE recommends about 2.2 grams of carbs for each pound of body weight to be eaten within the first 30 minutes after exercise and then every 2 hours for 4-6 hours. A diet of whole plant foods consisting of vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fruit that is sufficient in calories should provide adequate post-workout carbohydrates and protein.
8. Prevent Pain
Prevent oxidative stress and reduce cell damage and muscle pain with: Antioxidants
Antioxidant power aka the power to protect our cells from damage was significantly increased with banana beverage versus plain carbohydrate beverage
Cherry juice was shown to decrease perceived pain significantly in runners versus placebo cherry flavored drink
There are lots of studies out there on various plant foods, when choosing fuel to prevent pain, recover quickly I recommend whole plant foods
9. Improve Oxygen Utilization
Yes, Nitrates are components in plant foods like beets, spinach, celery, and arugula that can cause athletes to perform intensely with less oxygen needed. Crazy!
In a study with cyclists, beet juice compared to current juice improved oxygen utilization by a whopping 20% which is quite significant. Drinking beet juice is so powerful that it can bring someones high blood pressure down within 3 hours. Also, pharmaceutical companies use this concept for patients with chest pain to help with blood flow. These drugs are called nitroglycerines. You know another nitrate drug? It’s called Viagra and it certainly improves blood flow but you might as well just eat your vegetables.
How do nitrates work? Bacteria in our saliva convert it to nitric oxide. HOWEVER be sure to not use antibacterial mouth wash because this has been shown to deplete healthy mouth bacteria and therefore inhibit the conversion of nitrate to nitric oxide to allow us to oxygenate our blood.
10. Build Blood
Think you don’t need to eat your greens? Ever been to a smoothie joint that sold wheatgrass shots? One thing that wheatgrass juice is dense in is that dark green pigment called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll has been shown to increase hemoglobin in anemic rabbits. Hemoglobin is the component of blood that carries oxygen and as you can see is very similar to chlorophyll in dark leafy green vegetables. I recommend eating about 5 cups of leafy greens daily.
11. Adequate REST
Symptoms can be both physiological and emotional and are highly individualized.
Signs/ symptoms of overtraining:
decline in performance with continued training
sleep disturbances
weight loss
multiple colds / frequent sickness
irritability, restlessness, anxiousness
loss of motivation / vigor
lack of mental concentration / focus
lack of appreciation for things that are normally enjoyable
Best way to prevent overtraining is with periodization: alternate easy, moderate, and hard periods of training. Generally, one or two days of intense training should be followed by an equal number of easy training days. A week or two of hard training should be followed by a week or two of easier effort.
Today you learned
about hydration, the talk test, carbohydrate loading, what to eat pre, during, and post workout, how to prevent muscle soreness, how to increase oxygen utilization and how to build blood and prevent overtraining. Get out there and awaken your inner athlete! Give this video a thumbs up, leave your comments below, and remember. Deep down, you truly are a morning person. Wake up and live, Reines and shine!
Cherry Juice Study: G. Howatson, M. P. McHugh, J. A. Hill, J. Brouner, A. P. Jewell, K. A. van Someren, R. E. Shave, S. A. Howatson. Influence of tart cherry juice on indices of recovery following marathon running. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2010 20(6):843 – 852.
Beet Juice Study: Bailey SJ, Winyard P, Vanhatalo A, et al. Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology. August 6, 2009. 107: 1144-1155.
Antibacterial Mouthwash and Nitric Oxide: Goconi M, Janasson E, Weitzberg E, et al. The increase in plasma nitrite after a dietary nitrate load is markedly attenuated by an antibacterial mouthwash. Elsevier. 2008. 2: 171-177.
Anemic Rabbits Study: Hughes JH, Latner AL. Chlorophyll and Hemoglobin Regeneration after Hemorrhage. Journal of Physiology. 1936. 612 (119) :338-395
Chlorophyll and Hemoglobin: Hughes JH, Latner AL. Chlorophyll and Hemoglobin Regeneration after Hemorrhage. Journal of Physiology. 1936. 612 (119) :338-395
RL Duyff. American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2006. Print.
Pasta. What a delectable vehicle for vegetables! Add your favorite beans, steamed veggies, and tomato sauce and BOOM! An impressive gourmet dinner. While intact grains are the gold standard (grains in their whole form), whole grains, yes including their bran, germ, and endosperm, are milled into a fine flour to make whole grain pastas, breakfast cereals, and other “whole grain” products. A few examples of legit whole intact grains would be steel cut oats, brown rice, quinoa, and millet.
How to tell if the product is WHOLE GRAIN?
Whole grain stamp is on the package
“100%” or “Whole” are used to describe it
The first ingredient listed is a whole grain
Refined grains are not only grains milled into a flour, but their grain was stripped of the nutrient and fiber containing bran and germ! Murder! Refined grains are white / light in color and examples include white bread, cookies, cakes, pretzels, white rice, regular pasta, and anything made with white flour. Darn!
Don’t fret too much! The recommendation is:
Make at least 1/2 of your grains whole grains.
Grains are an important part of a healthy balanced diet for fiber, iron, magnesium, selenium, b vitamins, and lasting energy! Be sure to include them on your plate.
The Taste Test
Well before #1, my personal favorite is ZUCCHINILINI OF COURSE! Which is simply zucchini or summer squash, spirilized to look and feel like spaghetti. I like to mix it with pasta dishes to add bulk, flavor, color, and more veg of course!
#1 Nature’s Promise Whole Wheat Spaghetti: #1 in taste, texture, and nutritional profile. Contains gluten.
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#2. Bionaturae Gluten Free Corn and Soy Spaghetti: Fabulous texture and taste and with 5g protein and 6% iron, this product is ok. Low in fiber
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#3. Jovial Gluten Free Brown Rice Spaghetti: Quite sticky texture, but great flavor and elasticity. Would go great with a sauce. However, low in fiber although whole grain. Brown rice is naturally low in fiber.
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#4. Ancient Harvest Gluten Free Corn and Quinoa Spaghetti: Texture dry and kinda crunchy, but a good source of fiber at 16% daily value and 10% iron!
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#5. Andean Dream Quinoa Gluten Free Spaghetti: Texture was definitely a little sandy. But I must say with 6% calcium, 12% iron, and just barely a good source of fiber at 10% daily value, not bad.
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The Consensus:
The quinoa based gluten free products have a better nutritional profile, but are not as delicious as the lower fiber rice based ones.
Why I personally still avoid Gluten?
Do I go out of my way to avoid gluten?
No. I still enjoy it in moderation. My mom makes homemade bread and pizza with gluten which I eat occasionally. My diet is whole foods based, so I rarely purchase packaged products that might contain gluten.
Do I eat gluten every day?
No. Maybe I eat a gluten containing meal or snack 3-4 times a week. I am generally healthy and do not currently feel any reason to put more effort into seriously avoiding wheat, barley, rye, and foods containing gluten 100% of the time.
Why I make this personal choice:
My sister has ulcerative colitis, which is similar to celiacs in that they are both autoimmune inflammatory intestinal disorders. With a genetic risk factor in my family, I try to not over load the gluten as a personal preventative measure.
Studies linking gluten and autism spectrum disorders autism-and-nutrition-1. The GFCF (gluten free casein free) diet has been shown to help people with ADHD and autism, what else could it be linked to? I am ever curious and after reading such articles have trouble stomaching gluten (and of course would never recommend drinking milk).
Naturopaths recommend avoiding gluten initially when trying to avoid inflammation with an “elimination diet,” along with dairy and other common inflammatory trigger foods. With this in mind, many people have success reversing adverse symptoms like rashes, IBS, fatigue, etc (SO MANY), once they remove gluten from their diet. I grew up with canker sores, weird rashes, and eczema so, avoiding inflammation (and gluten) is in my best interest.
Close friends with celiac disease so it is easier for everybody to find a gluten free delicious option!
While as you could see from the video, a gluten free diet is not recommended for the general public because it tends to have less nutrients. Be a savvy shopper and let me know if you have any questions! Enjoy those intact whole grains and plant yums! xx
Last week I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Washington DC for a plant based dietitian job interview at the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine. They had me stay at their guest house, The Baker House, with interns who are occupants there for the summer. If you haven’t already heard of the PCRM, it is an organization whose mission is ultimately to provide evidence based expertise to save the world. You can imagine how nervous/excited this wanna-be superhero was for this interview!!!
Back to the ziti- The ladies residing at The Baker House, Sofie and Catherine, are two brilliant, friendly, open minded vegans that became my close friends insanely quickly. Catherine has made this dish a bunch of times and raved how it is always a win. Girl- you got that right! Pool money to make dinner and eat it together!? Of course!!! Which lead me to enjoy the dish that I am sure will get anyone to give more vegan meals a try. Thank you ladies!
1 24oz jar marinara sauce (we used an organic fat-free option plus some that was already open in the fridge)
1 1/2 cups vegan mozzarella shreds (we used 1 bag of daiya shredded mozzarella)
1 lb firm tofu, drained
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast or vegan grated parmesan
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese (we used 1/2 of a container of tofutti)
Steps
Boil water and cook ziti to manufacturer’s instructions and preheat oven to 425*F
For ‘ricotta’: crumble tofu in a large bowl and add in nutritional yeast (or parmesan), salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and cream cheese. Mix fully with a fork or large spoon.
Mix the cooked pasta, most of the marinara sauce, and ricotta in a large bowl
In a large baking pan, add some marinara to line the bottom, transfer the mixture in, and spread it out evenly.
Top with the rest of the marinara and finally the layer of mozzarella shreds
Cover the dish with foil and bake ~20 minutes, uncover, and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
Eat with a side of greens and those people who actually get you and still like you! 😉 xo
Catherine, Sofie, and I eating takeout from ‘Hip City Veg’ on the Smithsonian Steps
Hope you had a lovely fourth! Unfortunately, after the stress of the RD (registered dietitian) exam (yes! I passed! 😀), I have not given myself a break and managed to get a pretty nasty cold. My 4th consisted of a couch, good books, and the most hydrating foods I could get my hands on. I drank lots of boxed coconut water, ate an entire watermelon, and had a few oranges, cherries, and fresh picked raspberries here and there; that is all that sounded good to me.
This is what I made myself for breakfast today:
Thai coconut curry veg amazingness.
Was going to make a green smoothie bowl of some sort, but was craving something hot and savory. Holy **** it hit the spot. It would be a disservice not to blog about it.
Thai Coconut Curry Soup
Serves ~6 people. 2 ladles per serving.
Ingredients:
Keep in mind I did not measure anything. I am amazed at myself- this is truly a special moment. Perseverance and practice make progress. ! Feel it out, use what you’ve got in the fridge, and at first tread lightly with the spices and continue to add until you’ve got the mastermind punch of spice that you desire. 🙂 Throw some fun in too. Makes it taste better.
2/3 box of low sodium vegetable broth
half of a 1lb bag of baby carrots
2 cloves of garlic (used the tiny holes on the cheese grater to finely mince)
1 large marble sized chunk of fresh ginger, peeled (used the tiny holes on the cheese grater to finely mince)
1 can of coconut milk
~1/2 tsp cayenne (you can always add more if needed)
~2/3 tsp turmeric
~2/3 tsp chili powder
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
1 large stalk of celery, roughly chopped
1 boiled potato, peeled and cubed (I always have boiled potatoes in the fridge, yum!)
1/4 head cauliflower, rough chop
1/4 can of Eden’s black soy beans (mom meant to get black beans, w.e)
4 handfuls of baby kale, roughly chopped (I am so lazy I just ripped it up with my hands)
fresh mint and lime to top / garnish
The products I used
Steps: this is how I made it, I am sure there are better ways…
Pour the veg broth in a med/large pot and bring to a boil with the carrots. (If you decide to substitute winter squash or sweet potato for carrot, I still recommend putting these in first to boil, as well as maybe your cubed potato if it is not pre-boiled already). This allows the carrots to cook and get soft and sweet, as well as add some flavor to the broth.
While waiting for the boil, with the smallest setting on a cheese grater (or just mince), grate the garlic and ginger into the pot. Add in onions, coconut milk, and spices. Allow to boil for about 5 minutes, and turn down heat to simmer.
Add in the celery, boiled potato, cauliflower, and black beans. Let simmer about 2-5 minutes.
I actually put the chopped kale in my serving dish and ladled the soup on top of the kale. I don’t want my kale to lose its beautiful green color or nutrients. Definitely add that in last, after you turn off the heat.
Enjoy with fresh mint and a generous squeeze of lime! Yum!
Make it your own!
I did not plan on making soup today, I simply used the random veggies I had in the fridge and things I happen to find in the cupboard. Play with different vegetables that you might have like bell peppers, zucchini, basil, idk, mm brown rice? Go crazy with it! Nom nom! xoxo much love and good health to you and to me!!
The thought of grilling gatherings used to give me the heebie jeebies! As a vegetarian / vegan / high raw / w.e., I try to stay away from the classic American foods. These recipes are absolutely perfect for meat heads and vegan, gluten-free, even nut-free health nuts alike 😉 . Last year I made my favorite Watermelon Mint Salad. Check out the recipe video honoring my Grampa here.
1. BBQ Black Bean Burger
This is my favorite black bean burger that I have made so far – adapted from Minimalist Baker’s Easy Grillable Veggie Burgers. My adapted version of the recipe is here. I love it served with cucumber and avocado because the burger has so much flavor! The cooling veggies help to balance it out perfectly. These babies are:
Easy
Cheap
Quick
Healthy*
Ingredients:
1 cup cooked brown rice (I have learned in my nutrition classes that vitamins are lost when cooked in excess water or when water is drained off. Thiamin, (aka vitamin B1) is lost as temperature or pH rises but it is more heat stable in acid, so it would be a good idea to cook rice with some lemon or lime juice, adding acidity to help retain nutrient content. Cook in amount of water that will be absorbed during cooking : 1 cup rice, use 2 cups of water.)
1 cup walnuts
1/2 Tbsp unrefined coconut oil or olive oil
1/2 white onion, finely diced
1/3 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp each: chili powder, cumin, and paprika
1/2 tsp each: salt and black pepper
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, well rinsed, and drained
1/3 cup ground rolled oats (throw some oatmeal in the blender)
3-4 Tbsp vegan BBQ sauce*(Look for a BBQ sauce that is free of high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, >300mg sodium / serving. I used Annie’s Organic Original BBQ Sauce. I also really liked Sprout’s brand Pumpkin BBQ sauce that I got in the fall. Check out http://www.fooducate.com to compare BBQ sauce products to find a healthier option.)
Steps:
Preheat oven to 350*F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (These also work well cooked on skillet or grill)
Heat a skillet over medium with 1/2 Tbsp oil, onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Saute for 3-4 minutes, until onions are translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.
To a high speed blender or food processor, add walnuts, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and blend until smooth, but not butter.
Either mash black beans with fork/mashed potato masher in a large mixing bowl or pulse them in blender or food processor. It is nice to leave some whole beans for good texture
Add cooked rice, spice-walnut mixture, sauteed onion mushroom garlic mix, maple syrup, ground oats, BBQ sauce, and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until moldable dough forms. If too dry, add a tad more BBQ sauce, if too moist, add more ground oats. Taste and adjust seasoning as you’d like.
For larger burgers, divide into 5 patties (~1/2 cup in size) or form 10 smaller burgers (~1/4 cup in size). To help form the patties, line your 1/2 or 1/4 measuing cup with plastic wrap and pack with burger mix. Press down to pack firmly, then lift out by the plastic wrap’s edge, and use hands to flatten slightly on the parchment paper, forming a 3/4 inch thick patty.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes on each side for a total of 30-40 minutes cooking time.
Serve over a toasted bun with all the fixin’s like thin cucumber, avocado, tomato, and red onion 😛
2. Creamy Macaroni and Peas
This is adapted from the star item special at my home base Organic Garden Cafe ❤ It is unbelievable. My sister, (the cheese hound who without shame scrolls through #macncheese on IG on the reg), asked me to make this for her the very day I got back from my 10 day road trip from grad school in Texas. Yup it’s that good. And it happens to be gluten free, nut free, low fat, high fiber, cheap, and effortless!
Serves about 6:
1 cauliflower, roughly chop into large florets
1 yellow onion, discard outer layer and chop into quarters
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1-2 garlic cloves
Juice of 1/4 lemon
12 oz dry elbow macaroni pasta (I like using brown rice pasta!)
2/3 cup frozen peas
Steam onion and cauliflower until super tender (about 30 minutes) and boil elbow macaroni to manufacturer’s instructions
Combine steamed vegetables with salt, pepper, olive oil, and nutritional yeast, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor S blade or high speed blender and blend until creamy creamy baby
Pour sauce over macaroni and peas and mix well. Transfer to casserole dish for serving.
Garnish with paprika, parsley, and serve to the cheese lovers in your life!
In the photo above, I used 12oz bag bionaturae brand elbows for the gluten free pasta, I thought it was pretty good! I always try new brands, what is your favorite??
3. Blueberry Corn Bread
My mother adapted this recipe from the Post Punk Kitchen’s Sunny Corn Muffins and she usually serves it with chili as in the recipe here. My mom puts in less sugar and apple sauce instead of yogurt.
Yield: 24 mini muffins
1 C gluten free all purpose flour (I used a brown rice GF mix)
1 C corn flour
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C oil
3/4 C non-dairy milk
2 Tbls apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 C blueberries
fine grated lemon zest of 1 lemon
Preheat oven to 400*F and grease 2 mini muffin tins with coconut oil
Combine dry ingredients (except blueberries) and wet ingredients in separate bowls and whisk separately. Fold into dry and halfway through mixing, add in blueberries and distribute well.
Pour in 8 inch pan and sprinkle a little sugar on top.
Bake for ~18-20 minutes. Mmm sweet cornbread perfection
4. Sweet Potato Fries
The image above is one sweet potato and one purple potato.
Cut into fries.
Thrown in a bowl
Tossed with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil and a few dashes of cinnamon
Baked on parchment paper at 410* F for mm 30-40 mins? Nope, didn’t even time it. Just make sure they’re soft to perfection.
It is that easy. I LOVE cinnamon on my sweet potatoes but you can certainly get creative and use paprika, or herbs.. spice it up to match your flavah. Ginger powder would have been bomb too.
5. Grilled Vegetables
I have never and will never operate an actual giant grill. These were made in the panini press at 375*F. (Thank you college life #necessity=invention). Just greased the press lightly with coconut oil, and threw on some sliced mushroom, eggplant, and peeled asparagus, and BOOM! Nope, didn’t put any spices. Feel free to show me up and let me know what you did! If you are capable of operating an actual grill, my favorite veggies on a skewer are onions, red bell pepper, and zucchini. Yumm. !
Well, there you have it! Let me know how your memorial day weekend festivities go. Feel free to comment below, follow me @reinesandshine on instagram / twitter, and contact me anytime at reinesandshine@gmail.com. Cheers to life in good health! Enjoy!
The research I am doing for my graduate program is on plant foods and cancer- I am on cloud 8374378457 with all the EUREKA WHATT research that is out there!! Sulforaphane in broccoli, sweet potato protein, flavanols in cacao, cranberries, blueberries, tomatoes, the plant kingdom cures cancer!! Amazing! The best is to get organic and picked ripe because plants produce natural components called salvestrols to protect themselves from harm similarly to how the plant foods protect us. It. Is. Unbelievable. Potent cancer killers without harming the body, truly healing it. Mind, body, spirit, immunity, vitality, sustainability ❤ Eat the rainbow, reap the success, love, beauty, and happiness *starstruck*
Rainbow Citrus Zoodles
The Noodles:
4 small zucchini, spiralized
2-3 medium carrots, spiralized
1 small red bell pepper, sliced thin
2 purple cabbage leaves, sliced thin
The Sauce:
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
1/3 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup fresh scallion
a quarter sized chunk of ginger
1 1/2 Tbsp. tahini
Combine noodles in a large bowl
Blend sauce ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth
Drizzle over noodles, mix and devour with some people you love!
In a city of McDonalds, Whataburger, Wal-Mart, obesity and diabetes, a world saving beacon of health and sustainability opens; fully equipped with the highest quality produce/products, demonstration kitchen, vitamins/herbs/supplements, beauty products, books, and, it’s love!
Natural Grocers 100% Organic Grocery Opens March 15, 2016
Today, I had the opportunity to get a tour of the store with the Corpus Christi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics group lead by the wonderful dietitian there, Kelsey. I was extremely impressed by this tour. A grocery store tour to dietitians? Please, as if they could learn anything more, but we all did! Like how Kelsey pointed out that the hemp seeds, walnuts, and other unstable fats are kept in the refrigerated section (polyunsaturated fats become rancid very easily, creating free radicals, so they must be kept cool). I have learned this previously but I have never seen a grocery store actually put their nuts and seeds in the refrigerator!
The sign above us says, “100% organic produce,” yes, I am the obnoxious intern that made everybody get in front of the produce section and asked the cashier to take our picture 🙂
The Tour~
Kristen gave us all a LONG list of things that Natural Grocers will NOT carry. Including ingredients that I am quite familiar with like GMOs (genetically modified organisms), hydrogenated oils (trans fats), bleached flours, parabens (mimic estrogen and cause reproductive disorders), dairy products from cows given rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone), artificial sweeteners (all of them), and artificial colors and flavors, as well as so many that I have seen before but even I (a nutrition nerd grad student studying nutrition) have seen but no clue what they are!
Ingredients like DBP (dibutyl phthalate) which is a fragrance ingredient, plasticizer, and solvent that is a reproductive and developmental toxin, endocrine disruptor, and a known human respiratory toxin. Also, BHA and BHT (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) and (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) are preservatives that have been shown to be carcinogenic and cause allergic reactions in humans. I could go on..This place doesn’t even carry chemical based sunscreens or antibacterial soaps! Amen!
A few more reasons why I’m in love with this place:
No bags, you have to bring your own! (or they use a cardboard box)
GF (gluten free) items are all marked clearly next to price on shelf
Local is emphasized and marked clearly with a Texas flag on shelf
Lots of cheap “Health Hotline” sale items
Bulk specialty items from mulberries and goji berries to raw buckwheat groats
WIDE variety of vegan items
Reverse osmosis water filter, only $0.25 to refill a gallon
Nutrition experts- these people know their stuff!
To reduce waste and cut cost of items: no deli/freshly prepared items (ever wonder where all the fresh baked goods from Whole Foods goes at the end of the day? Yup, in the trash #wasteful. !
No self serve bulk bins but still has large packages of items in bulk – reduces contamination and food waste
Huge wall of shelves with high quality nutritional reference and cookbooks
They even have cool events like this Saturday they have a gluten free tasting expo and health fair! Aw chocolate avocado pie food demo, and “How to live an alkaline lifestyle” is on Monday April 11th. Check out their website for more info on events.
A little bit about my internship…
I can’t believe it, I completed my food service and community rotations last semester and am now half way through my clinical rotation! Eeek! As a snob from the Boston area who works at a raw vegan cafe called “Organic Garden Cafe” back home, I was nervous that I wouldn’t get to learn new innovations of nutrition while working as an intern in a program that emphasizes the low income communities of South Texas.
I could not be more pleasantly surprised and excited about my feelings towards this internship right now. It brings me such joy and power to have worked with the people of this community. Diabetics who do not know what a carbohydrate is, teen mom’s going out for a cigarette, and people who are truly afraid to lose weight because they have (and their family and friends) have always been big, so if they lost weight, what would they think!? Many of these people do not want to change, and even if they did, where to even start? As my sister, the writer, put it, “You need to learn the script before you can re-write a new one.”
My clinical preceptor now, Shannon Aguilar, has helped me to not only be a much more confident clinical dietitian, but to take it a step further, too. It is one thing to study nutrition, it is quite another to actually care enough to reflect on our own lives and practice what we preach. My preceptor, Mrs. Aguilar, is more than a dietitian, she is also a health coach, and helped me to see how important it is to learn who our audience is before we try to help.
Seeing a grocery store like this open in Boston or Vermont would have been a, yawn. Another natural grocery? But, HERE! I get to see history in the making. These people having access to this kind of world saving expertise is dream come true for me.
There is something really cool about the idea of helping people who really need itANDwant it. I could talk coconut oil and kale to the organic junkies back home all day every day, but that doesn’t reverse our obesity epidemic now does it? I may have thought that my second round match was a mistake, but actually, it was the best eye-opening and invigorating experience. To be able to explain what a carbohydrate is to someone who has no clue? Check. Next: to reverse their disease through diet and lifestyle! No matter where I end up, I hope to make a positive impact and continue to be pleasantly surprised by all that I learn from the experience.
magnesium, selenium, b vitamins, and lasting energy! Be sure to include them on your plate.
VITAMIN KATIE 