Broccoli and Hemp seed Soup

A couple of months back I went to a vegan fair at Enoggera for World Vegan day and got a couple of free sample packets of Organic Hulled Hemp Seeds. I have never tried hemp before, but I was very curious to see what it is like. I have read that is very healthy.

Hemp seeds contain 33% protein,  all the 10 Essential Amino Acids, Omega 3, 6, 9, and GLA  (Gamma-linolenic acid). It is easier to digest then soy & whey and is a good source of Chlorophyll, which helps keep breath free and cleans the blood. They are also vegan, gluten free and raw. They sounds fanatic!

I have only really heard using hemp seeds on American health sites and books. I have also never seen it for sale here. I just found out this is because Hemp products are illegal in Australia and New Zealand for human consumption. I didn’t realize till just now that the flyer on the sample said  ‘Best Food Grade, Not for Human Consumption in AU/NZ only’ . Opps!

Australia and New Zealand are the only countries in the world that eating Hemp is illegal. There was a application passed by the Food Standards Australian and New Zealand (FSANZ) in 2002, which would make hemp foods available here. However, our ignorant former Prime Minister John Howard, had the ministerial council reject the application, as he thought he might send the wrong message about Hemp. That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. I won’t rant about all the reasons I can’t stand this man, but if Australian health isn’t bad enough, he had to stop something positive, based on his old stuffy conservative believes. Other misinformed or ignorant ministers have had similar beliefs. But Government Representative Cynthia Thielen does not. She stated that “Industrial hemp is not a drug and don’t try to porn it off as a drug and try to claim that we’re misleading the youth. The youth know better. It is you guys that don’t“.

Currently hemp seeds, hemp oil and hemp protein are legal for selling here for other uses, other then human consumption, such as rubbing on your skin, feeding your soil or your pets. The last update on this issue is that FSANZ has again approved a draft to allow hemp to be consumed as a food on the 31st October 2012. However,  we won’t find out until 60 days after that date whether it has been rejected, accepted or amended. So hopefully by new years we will know. If you are in Australian want to sign the petition, click the link below.

Hemp has a long tradition in human history. It has been used for over 10,000 years. It has been eaten in China for 8000 years and also has a long tradition as a food in both India and Europe. There is evidence that hemp was also used by the ancient Mesopotamian,  since before 8000 BC. Hemp was also used from the 5th century up until the 1800’s to make ropes and sails for ships. In fact hemp came with the First Fleet to Australia for this purpose. So hopefully we will stop living in the dark ages soon and join the rest of the world.

Anyway enough ranting. I decided to use it to make a soup. The hemp seeds by themselves have a mild taste, which is slightly nutty and it is very soft to chew. Cooked, they gave the soup a nice nutty flavor and it was incredibly delicious. Unfortunately its quite expensive, so don’t think I’ll be buying it soon, unless the law brings down the price. 1 kg of Hemp Seeds is nearly $60 and as far as I know has to be ordered online. Are hemp products it expensive in your country?

Broccoli and Hemp seed Soup (vegan, gluten free, soy free, nut free)

Ingredients:

1/2 small onion

1 garlic clove

1 small head of broccoli

1 tablespoon olive oil

1-2 teaspoons ground cumin

1.5 cups vegetable liquid stock

1/4 cup hemp seeds

Method:

1. Dice the onion and garlic. Roughly cut the broccoli, including the stem and any leaves.

2. Heat a small pot with olive oil then add the onion and garlic. Saute for 2 mins.

3. Add the cumin and broccoli and saute for another 2-3 mins.

4. Add the liquid stock and bring to the boil.

5. Add the hemp seeds and place on a simmer and cover. Cook for 15-20 mins.

6. Take off the heat, blend till smooth and then serve.

* 1 large serve or two small serves.

To sign a Petitition Click >>> http://www.surveymonkey.com/Home_Landing.aspx?sm=oIxdS73n%2bOdG923DV5Up0PJ%2fqKvRswtIWT0OoYCA9So%3d

Cynthia Thielen, ‘Does hemp seed give a mixed message to the public?’ <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DatJgJvD6gY>

Green Pages, ‘Hemp Foods Legal in Australia’, <http://www.thegreenpages.com.au/projects/hemp-foods-legal-in-australia/>

Hemp Foods, ‘Hemp Legislation’ <http://www.hempfoods.com.au/legislation/>

Hemp Seeds Australia, <http://www.hempseedsaustralia.com.au>

Ashley Hall, ‘Hemp could get nutritional nod’, <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-08/hemp-seeds-cannabis-food-standards/3719846>

Kiwi Slice

This was last nights dessert that I came up with, so I could use all the kiwi fruit in my fridge. Initially I was going to make jam. Only thing is Marco doesn’t like kiwi and I doubt he would eat the jam. So I decided to make a slice since he loved the Stone Fruit and Berry Slice I made a few days ago. He really liked the base of it. I changed the ingredients a bit. I really wanted to see how it would turn out with flax seed mead and wholemeal flour. The base was a lot firmer and the kiwi was really nice baked. It wasn’t too tangy and it was just sweet enough.

Kiwi fruit are really, really healthy for us. They have more vitamin C then an orange and a good source of fiber and potassium [1].  Some of the health benefits include: prevents Asthma; prevents wheezing and coughing, especially in children; protects our DNA from mutations; provides a healthy amount of antioxidants and vitamins; helps prevent colon cancer thanks to a high fiber content [2]. Another great study recently revealed the possitive effects of this fruit for people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. According to Michael Greger M.D, “Researchers found that eating 2 kiwifruit a day for a month significantly “shortens colon transit time, increases defecation frequency, and improves bowel function” in those with constipation-type.” [3].

Although we often associate them with New Zealand, they acually originate from southern China and still remain an national fruit. They didn’t appear in New Zealand until the 20th century, when a missionary,  Isabel Frasier, brought them from China. They began being cultavated in the USA in the 1970s and in more recent times are also cultivated in Italy, Chile, France, Greece, Japan and Australia [4].

Kiwi Slice (vegan, gluten free option, soy free, nut free)

Ingredients:

8 kiwi fruit

1-2 tablespoons agave or maple syrup

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1.5 cups wholemeal flour (use gluten free flour if you prefer)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup raw sugar

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup ground flax seeds

1 cup ground rolled oats

1/2 tablespoon vanilla essence

9 egg whites replacer (OrgraN No Egg: 6 teaspoons egg replacer + 3 tablespoons water)

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup plant milk (coconut, rice or oat; almond or soy if you can tolerate)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven 180 degrees.

2. First make kiwi jam. Place the kiwi in a small pot with 1 tbsp of agave. Bring to the boil and add another tbsp of agave if it is too tangy. Add chia seeds and cook on simmer for 15 mins. Leave to cool. 

3. Take a large mixing bowl. Add flour, baking powder, sugar, desiccated coconut, flax seed flour, oat flour and stir through.

4. Then add vanilla essence, egg replacer, canola oil and soy milk. Use hands to make a dough.

5. Take in baking tray (23cmx23cm square) and add the dough. Press down with a flip so that it is all even.

6. Top with the kiwi jam and bake for 40-45 mins. Serve warm or cold.

*Serves 9-18

[1] WHFoods: Kiwi Fruit, <http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=41>

[2] Health Benefits of Kiwi Fruit, <http://kiwi-fruit.info/kiwi-fruit/Health+Benefits+of+Kiwi+Fruit>

[3] Kiwi Fruit for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, <http://nutritionfacts.org/2012/10/18/kiwi-fruit-for-irritable-bowel-syndrome/?utm_source=NutritionFacts.org&utm_campaign=cbd2f54acb-RSS_BLOG_DAILY&utm_medium=email>

[4] History of Kiwi Fruit, <http://kiwi-fruit.info/kiwi-fruit/History+of+Kiwi+Fruit>

Roasted Cauliflower & Garlic Soup and Spinach & Mushroom Galette

Last nights dinner was inspired by what was left in the fridge. I had vegetable stock, coconut ceam,  cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms, and heaps of kiwi fruit. I went a bit over board with dinner, but now I can relax for a couple of days.

Since I had time, I  decided to roast the cauliflower and garlic before making the soup. It payed off, as the soup had the flavors from the roasting. Marco wasn’t a big fan of the soup last night, as he doesn’t like cauliflower. But today he said it tasted better. I think he just needed to get use to the taste of cauliflower. I have heard you need to try something at least 10 times till you develop a taste for it. After forcing mushrooms, spinach and avocado on him for last 5 years he has finally came around. I really like the soup. I don’t usually like cauliflower at all. My mum use to only make it steamed with a bechemel and cheese, which I hated. But lately I have been exploring more ways to cook it and have found that it is quite a tasty vegetable. It is also extremely healthy. It is a good source of vitamin C, manganese, vitamin K, and is high in fiber.  It also has a broad spectrum of antioxidant, which ‘helps lower the risk of oxidative stress in our cells’. It is a cruciferous vegetable from the same family as broccoli  kale and cabbage. It originates from the Asia Minor as a wild cabbage and later evolved and became a important vegetable in both Turkey and Italy in ancient times [1].

The garlic tasted really, really good roasted  I often dice it and add to roasted vegetables, but I don’t often roast it on its own. I bought heaps of Spanish garlic from Aldi the other day. I prefer it over Chinese garlic. China exports about 75 % of the world’s supply of garlic and accounts for about 90% of garlic in Australia. Chinese garlic is very white and and very cheap. The problem with this garlic is that it doesn’t meet the food safety protocols in Australia. According to Henry Bell (Australian Garlic Industry Association), Chinese garlic  is drenched in chemicals in order to stop sprouting, to whiten it, and to kill insects and plant matter. He even states that it is often grown in untreated sewage [2]. If you can find local garlic that is probably the best option. I also prefer garlic that have a purple color, as they have a strong flavor the the whiter ones.

I recently bought wholemeal spelt flour, as I have been eating too many things made of regular flour and I needed more variety in my diet. Spelt is an ancient grain that was used Europe and the Middle East and is still used today. It is very special, because ” unlike wheat, where vital nutritional nutritional bran and germ are usually removed during milling, the vital substances of spelt are found in the inner kernel of the grain”. “Spelt also has high water solubility, the grain’s vital substances can be absorbed quickly into the body. The nutrients are made available to the entire organism with a minimum of digestive work. The body cells are then nourished, strengthened, and prepared for their optimal performance while the body is flooded with vitamins and other nutritional substances. Spelt contains more protein, fats and crude fiber than wheat and also has large amounts of Vitamin B17 (anti-carcinoma). It also contains special carbohydrates which play a decisive role in blood clotting and stimulate the body’s immune system so as to increase its resistance to infection.”

Another great reason for you to eat spelt is, if like me, you have had or have a gluten intolerance you should be able to tolerated spelt. This is due to the “larger quantities of available protein found in spelt are soluble and, therefore, can be easily assimilated by the body with the minimum of digestive work” and therefore can be tolerated by people with gluten intolerance [3]. In many cases you can use it to substitute wholemeal flour, but I always like to check online before substituting for everything. When making pizza dough with the spelt it stuck to my tray. So sometimes its better to mix it with other flours.

Anyway, when I was looking online for some ideas to use my wholemeal spelt flour, I came across this recipe, Spinach Galette with Wild Mushrooms, on Yummy Supper. So I adapted it with the ingredients I had on hand. I used spelt flour instead of plain flour for the crust. Since I couldn’t use Parmesan in the crust,  I made a paste with water and nutritional yeast. Also to make the filling more creamy and cheesing I used Tofutti cream cheese, mixed with nutritional yeast and soy milk. It turned out really well. It was also good cold today. This is definitely something I want to recreate with some different ingredients.

As for all the kiwi fruit, you can see my dessert on the next post.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup (vegan, gluten fre, soy free, nut free)

Ingredients:

olive oil

1 head of cauliflower, chopped

1 head of spanish garlic, unpeeled (about 18 cloves)

rosemary leaves from 5 sprigs of rosemary, minced

1 yellow or white onion, diced

4 small potatoes. peeled & diced

3.5 cups vegetable liquid stock

sea salt & black pepper to taste

3/4 cup coconut cream (about 1/2 can)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Take a baking tray and add cauliflower, garlic and 2 tbsp of oil. Cook for 15-20 mins or until cauliflower is tender. Once cooked peel the garlic cloves.

2. Take a large pot and add 1 tbsp oil. Add onion and rosemary and cook for 3mins or until garlic is browned.

3. Add potato and cook for another 3 mins. (add a little bit of  water if it begins to stick.

4. Add cauliflower, garlic and vegetable stock, salt & pepper.  Cover and bring to the boil, then let it simmer for 30 mins or until vegetables are soft.

5. Blend the soup so that it is smooth and silky.

6. Add coconut cream to the soup and heat through, then serve.

*Serves 5

Spinach & Mushroom Galette (vegan, nut free)

Ingredients for Crust:

1.5 cup wholemeal spelt  flour

pinch of sea salt

5 tablespoons cold nutlex (vegan butter)

6 tablespoons ice water

Ingredients for Filling:

olive oil

1 medium red onion

160 g baby spinach

100g sliced mushroom

3 tablespoons nutrtional yeast

1 tablespoon water

5 tablespoons toffutti cream cheese

2 tablespoons soy milk, sea salt to taste

Method:

1. First you need to make the crust. Take a large mixing bowl and add flour and salt. Stir through. 

2. Then add vegan butter and use your hands to mix it all through.

3. Add water and make it into a dough. Roll into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

4. Preheat the oven 180 degrees.

3. Take a pan and heat 1 tbsp oil, then add onion. Cook for 3 mins, then add baby spinach. Cook for 1-2 mins (till soft) Place in a strainer, to strain out the water.

4. In same pan heat 1 tbsp oil, then add mushrooms. Cook for 3 mins then add to strainer.

5. Take large chopping board and place parchment paper with sprinkle of flour and roll out dough on top. Roll into a large circle. Trim edges and add to the centre and roll into dough.

6. Take two small bowls. In one bowl place 2 tbsp nutritional yeast and 1 tbsp of water and make into a paste. In the other bowl add 5 tbsp tofutti cream cheese, 2 tbsp soy milk and 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast and stir with a fork.

7. Place the paste around the outside of the dough, leaving a little bit of room around the edges. This will be in the crust of the galette.

8. Take the pan and add the vegetables and cream cheese. Stir through and adjust seasoning.

9. Place the mixture in the centre of the dough and then fold the edges up to form a crust.

10. Cook in the oven for 35-40mins. Serve warm or cold.

*Serves 4-8, depending on the serving size.

[1] WHFoods, Cauliflower,  <www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=13>

[2] The Age, Fresher and smellier, <http://www.theage.com.au/news/epicure/fresher-and-smellier/2005/07/18/1121538895265.html>

[3] Bio-Distributors, Spelt grain, <http://www.biodistributors.com.au/ProdInfFiles/spelt.php>

Linguine con Salsa di Spinaci

Today’s lunch is just a simple dish I prepared for myself. For the past couple of days, while I’ve been procrastinating finishing my last couple of assignments, I’ve been reading through some of my mother’s old Italian cook books. What I noticed with a lot of the traditional recipes is that the sauces are very simple, especially the vegetarian ones. They usually based on olive oil, tomato or cream (fresh or bechemal) and use cheeses (parmesan, mozzarella or pecorino cheese) which are usually added at the end. As I’ve said before, I love creamy pastas and since I can’t get the vegan version eating out, I love to make them at home. It’s also a lot less fatty, so it doesn’t have to be an special occasion sauce.

This recipe is adapted from the traditional Pasta con Salsa di Spinaci. It was very quick and easy to make and the only fresh ingredient you need is spinach, if your running low on supplies. It can be made gluten free and can be served as a entree for a more heartier meal.

Spinach is a great source of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, folate, iron, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium,beta-carotene, manganese, antioxidant zinc, antioxidant selenium and much more. It has anti-inflammatory and  anti-cancer qualities from the phytonutrients and is really good for your bone health [1]. I try to eat spinach most days, or at least a variety of other healthy green leafy vegetables. They are so important to our health and can be cooked in a variety of ways, such as salads, stir-fries, sauces or on there own. I believe they are essential to everyone’s diet, whether they are vegan, vegetarian or carnivorian.

Linguine con Salsa di Spinaci (vegan, gluten free option, soy free, nut free)

Ingredients:

500g linguine (use gluten free pasta if you prefer)

1 bunch english spinach or baby spinach

4 tablespoons vegan butter

1/4 cup plain flour (or use gluten free or tapioca flour if you prefer)

500 ml oat milk (or use soy milk if you can tolerate)

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

6-8 tablespoons nutritional yeast

salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Cook pasta according to instructions

2. Take saucepan add water and spinach. Cover with lid and cook for 5 mins. After remove spinach and cut finely. Keep the water and put to side.

3. Take large pan on medium heat and melt butter, then add flour and oat milk.

4. Once sauce begins to thicken, add spinach water to dilute it.

5. Add nutmeg, spinach, nutritional yeast, salt & pepper.

6. Heat pasta through and serve

Smoothies

While I was away on exchange I really missed fresh home-made smoothies and juicers. Unfortunately my juicer and blender are at my place, since I’ve been spending the semester at my boyfriends, so I bought myself a cheap bar mix for smoothies. Smoothies are a great way to get fruit into my diet since I usually don’t eat it them otherwise. I haven’t been exercising enough, so I just don’t find I need to eat more then 3 meals a day.  

I usually blend fresh fruits with some juice or almond/rice milk and chia seeds. I noticed since I’ve been making it an everyday meal that I feel heaps better and don’t need coffee first thing in the morning.  I also discovered some other ingredients that change up the flavours. Pears give a fresh, crisp, mild taste. Nut butters and dates are also really good for a rich decadent taste as well. Soy yoghurt also give that sweet bubblegum flavour. I like Soy Life, which is available at Coles, Woolworths and now Aldi.

I’ve also been trying to incorporate more berries into my smoothies, since they are the healthiest fruits. Compared to grapes, bananas, apples and mango, berries have way more antioxidants. In particular,  raspberries and blackberries, since they have way more antioxidants then strawberries and blueberries [1]. When in season strawberries are between $1 to $4 and blueberries are about $4. Unfortunately a small punnet raspberries are $8. Black berries are about the same, but I rarely see them available. Another problem is that they are they usually start growing moss within a day. They must have a long way to travel. So I have opting to buy these berries frozen. Creative Gourmet has also brought out some organic frozen berries, since the pesticides used for berries are quite high compared to other fruits.

Best Berries- Nutritional Facts Video

Another new discovery is Smoothie cubes. They are now available at Aldi and as well as Coles and Woolworths and all seem to be on sale at the moment. Most of which are 100% fruit and fruit juice or fruit with natural ingredients. They all appear vegan too. The only ingredient I don’t agree with is in the Breakfast flavour, which has Polydextrose, which is a synthetic fiber.  Marco is addicted to smoothie cubes.  He has bought one of each flavour. At least he is making his own smoothies every morning and I’m not having to make him drink them anymore. I only used them as an accompaniment to the fruit, instead of the only fruit in my smoothie.

Here are a couple of my favorite smoothie recipes. What are yours???

Btw I found this great Vegan Cheat Sheet for products you can buy Australia

Berry and Kiwi Smoothie– Handful of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, 1 kiwi, 2 tbsp soy vanilla yoghurt, 1 tbsp chia seeds.

Raspberry, Pear & Blueberries Smoothie– handful of blueberries, 3 tbsp frozen raspberries, 1 pear (not skin), 1/2 glass almond/rice milk, 1 berry smoothie cube (optional), 1 tbsp chia seeds.

Banana Nut Smoothie– 1 banana, 1 tbsp nut butter (brazil, cashew & almond), 1 /2 glass almond/rice milk, 1 tbsp ground flax seeds, 1 banana & mango smoothie cube (optional)

Banana Date Smoothie – 5 dried dates chopped (put boiled water on them for a few minutes to soften), 1 banana, 1/2 glass almond/rice milk, 2 tbsp nut butter (brazil, cashew & almond), 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Five Fruit Juice– 1 orange juiced, 5 strawberries, handful of blueberries, 1 banana, 1 kiwi

Banana Chocolate Smoothie– 1/2 banana, 2 scoops Soy Good Soy Chocolate Ice cream, 1/2 glass soy/almond/rice (the kids favorite smoothie)

Blueberry & Oat Smoothie– handful of blueberries, 2-3 tbsp rolled oats, 3 tbsp soy vanilla yogurt, 1/2 glass almond/rice milk, 1 smoothie cube (optional) (Marcos favorite)

Raspberry Pear & Blueberries Smoothie

Banana Nut Smoothie

[1] Best Berries-  http://nutritionfacts.org/video/best-berries/

Quinoa Porridge with Mixed Nuts, Seeds and Sultanas

Ever since I discovered Quinoa I feel in love. This little South American grain is so delicious, versatile and healthy! Quinoa (keen-wah) is extremely high in protein, in fact it has just as much as 4 eggs. It has less carbohydrates and higher mineral content then the rest of the grains. It also contains all the essential amino acids that we need. Only one cup has over your daily requirements for manganese, magnesium and iron. However the best thing about this grain is that its packed full of fiber, three times then the other grains [1].

Its also gluten free, which is how I discovered quinoa a few years ago. I had leaky gut syndrome and needed to find alternatives to wheat and other sources of gluten. I also had a mild intolerance to rice, so for me quinoa filled the spot perfectly. It’s really quick to cook and can substitute pretty much anything you can make with rice, including stir-fry, casseroles, stews and sweets.

So why isn’t this ancient grain more popular then rice? Well when the Spanish came to South America they didn’t respect the Inca’s super grain. They thought it was peasant food and decided that rice, corn and potato’s was better.

In Australia its becoming more mainstream, as it begins to creep into the major supermarkets in the health food section. Even some Australian nutritionists, celebrity fitness trainers and chefs are starting to promote it, but not enough that the average person knows what it is. If your in Australia, you can buy organic white/red/black quinoa in Woolworths, Coles and Healthfood shops. The colour doesn’t change the taste or the nutritional property’s,  so its up to you what you choose. A few years back I decided to stuff our Christmas turkey with black quinoa and walnuts. Probably not the best colour, as it turned my family off the stuffing. According to my chef brother, I ‘ruined Christmas’.

When ever I cook quinoa I always make some extra to keep in the fridge, to add to salads and porridge. Last night I made the Stuffed Eggplant Rolls with Quinoa, but this morning I’m making my favourite breakfast treat.

Quinoa Porridge with Mixed Nuts, Seeds and Sultanas (vegan, gluten free, soy free)

Ingredients:

4-5 tablespoons of cooked quinoa

2-3 tablespoons mixed nuts & seeds

1/2 cup plant milk (coconut, rice or oat; almond or soy if you can tolerate)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

maple syrup or other natural sweetner

1/2 tbsp sultanas

Method:

Dry roasting nuts & seeds

1. Take a small pan and dry roast the nuts and seeds on the stove. Once they are a little brown and have an aroma take off the heat.

2. Take a small pot and add quinoa and enough milk to cover it and turn on medium heat.

3. Add cinnamon and sweetner and take off the heat once it comes to a lite boil.

4. Serve in  a bowl and top with nuts & seeds and sultanas.

*Serves 1

[1] Lieberman, D. & O’Connor, A. 2010, The 10 Things you Need to Eat: And More Than 100 Easy and Delicious Ways to Prepare Them.

Eat more Nuts!

We all know that nuts contain lots of fat and calories. However, studies show that people that consumed one to two handful of nuts consistently for years (vary in each study), lost weight, did not gain weight or if they did gain weight it was not enough to be statistically significant, which means it could have been due to other factors. This had researchers asking what happened to the 10,000 missing calories? These studies included peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios and macadamias. In one study researches gave people the same amount of  calories in candies as there would be in nuts and of course they gained weight. The reason being is that nuts boost the fat burning in the body.

Nuts are very nutritious and contain fiber, potassium, plant sterols, arginine, antioxidants and a host of vitamins and minerals.

So great news if you love nuts! No need to fill guilty any more for indulging. Since I will be living on this computer chair until this uni semester is finished, I think I better start eating some fat burning nuts.

For more info check out these Nutritional Facts videos: Nuts and Obesity: The Weight of Evidence & Fat Burning Via Arginine

Mexican style Navy beans with Mushrooms

Last night I finally to used the dry Navy beans that were at the back of the pantry for the last 10 months. They are a small white bean that were popular in the US in the early c.20th and are great for making baked beans. They go great with rice for a ‘fat-free high quality protein’. They are rich in cholesterol-lowing dietary fiber, which helps to stop your blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after you eat. Therefore they are great for people with insulin resistance or hypoglycaemia. They are also an excellent source of folate, manganese, protein, vitamin B1, minerals phosphorus, copper, and iron.

In Australia I don’t think you can buy Navy beans in the can and its always better to cook them from dry, to cut down the possible bpa and excess sodium intake. Usually when I have some spare time at home I like to cook the beans that I have pre soaked and then just put them in the fridge for when I need them.

As I had some left over Mujadara from a couple of nights ago, I just added some more steamed rice and then reheated it in the pan with a bit of olive oil. As I said after I made the Mujadara, I think it needs more rice then the recipe suggests. Last night I also served it with guacamole, which went really well, with the heat from the sauce.

Mexican style Navy beans with Mushrooms (vegan, gluten free, soy free, nut free)

Ingredients:

1.5 cups navy beans (soaked over night)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, diced

1 onion, diced

2 tablespoons ground cumin

3/4 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon paprika

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons diced coriander stems

200g mushrooms, sliced

1 tin diced tomato

1.5 cups vegetable stock

2 pinches of raw sugar

2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Take a large sauce pin,  fill it with 5 cups of water and add navy beans. Bring to the boil, then simmer for up to 30-40 mins or till beans are tender.

2. In a large pan heat  on medium olive oil and then add garlic and onion, cook till brown. (add water if it sticks)

3. Add cumin, cayenne, curry powder, garlic powder, paprika, tomato paste,  coriander stems and mushrooms Cook for 3-4 mins, till fragrant and the mushrooms have browned.

4. Then add diced tomato,vegetable stock, salt, pepper and sugar. Bring to the boil then put on a simmer.

5. Add beans and cook for 30 mins or until the beans are tender. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Diet or Exercise…what is better for killing cancer?

Recent studies show that people with vegan plant-base diet have better blood for killing cancer cells, then people that work out ever day and eat a normal diet. So if you prefer not to do strenuous exercise and eat plants this is good news for you.

I don’t understand why the link between animal products aiding the growth of cancer is not talked about or even acknowledged. There is no coincident that many cancer patients are told to have a vegan diet by their doctors to help kill the cancer cells in their bodies. I think why not protect yourself now instead of waiting to get cancer later? It’s never to late to change your life!

Here is a graph from the video showing whose blood is most protected against cancer. If you want to watch this study check out the Nutritional Facts video.

Barley Casserole and Quick & Easy Hummus

Tonight I decided to make a Barley Casserole from Alicia Silverstone’s ‘The Kind Diet‘. This is the first vegan recipe book I bought and it is really inspirational. At first I was confused with some of the ingredients that she mentioned in the book. However, since I’ve been trying out different recipes I have grown more accustom to them. Things like miso paste , brown rice syrup, garlic powder and sea vegetables, usually didn’t enter my kitchen. Since I’ve been trying new stuff I realise how versatile these ingredients are. Many vegan recipes use these kinds of ingredients, so I don’t find that they stay at the back of my cupboard for long. I really recommend this book, not just for vegetarians, but for anyone looking to broaden their horizons to cook healthier meals.

Anyway, this is only the second time I’ve cooked with barley. I think the last time was over a year ago and it wasn’t very successful. I think I must of undercooked it, because I remember it being a bit hard. However, I saw it again at the supermarket, on sale in the organic section and I thought I would give it another try. I’m so happy I did, its a really great grain, with lots of flavour and I found it very easy to digest. According to WHFoods barley is “very good source of fiber and selenium, and a good source of phosphorus, copper and manganese…In addition to providing bulk and decreasing the transit time of fecal matter, thus decreasing the risk of colon cancer and hemorrhoids, barley’s dietary fiber also provides food for the “friendly” bacteria in the large intestine.” So I think barley will become a regular grain in my kitchen.

This recipe was very easy to make and my family loved it. Only thing is that I miss read how to make the tahini dressing. I didn’t blend it or add water. I kind of mixed it and just put blobs of it on. I was wondering why it was so thick and could not be poured on. Nevertheless it still turned out fine. Also I used pearl barley instead of hulled. I could not find hulled, so I guess the pearl took less time to cook. Hulled is more nutritious  so I will be on a mission to find it. Although I only cooked 2 cups of barley, this is enough for a family for at least 2 nights. I accompanied it with some steamed sweet corn cobs, sautéed english spinach and some home-made hummus. The hummus actually went really good with the casserole.  After that meal I feel really great. Don’t feel that heavy sluggish feeling I usually do after dinner. Looking forward tomorrow for hummus on toast for breakfast and barley as a easy side dish for dinner.

Barley Casserole, Sautéed English Spinach, Steamed Corn Cob and Hummus

Barley Casserole (from The Kind Diet) (nf)

Ingredients: 2 cups pearl barley, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 large sliced onion, 3 cloves  of sliced garlic , 2 grated carrots , 2 stalks of diced celery, 5 tbsp shoyu/soy sauce, 1/4 tsp sea salt/herbamare, 1/4 tsp dried basil, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Tahini Dressing: 1/2 cup tahini, 1/4 small sliced onion, 1 tbsp shoyu/soy sauce, pinch of garlic powder, pinch of paprika, 1/8 tsp dried basil, pinch of oregano

1. Take a large saucepan and boil 3 cups of water, then add 2 cups of barley. Cook for about 30mins or till barley is soft. (You may need to add more water during cooking it). Strain excess water once cooked.

2. Pre heat over to 180 degrees. Heat olive oil and large fry pan, then add onion and garlic. Cook for 5 mins. Add bit of water if onion browns to much

3. Stir through carrot, celery, shoyu, salt, basil, oregano, and garlic powder and cook for 5 mins.

4. Add barley and stir through for further 3 mins on medium heat.

5. Prepare tahini dressing. Take small fry pan and cook onion with 2 tbsp of water. Cook for 4 mins till soft.

6. Take blender, add onion, 1/2 cup of water and rest of the ingredients. Blend till creamy.

7. Take large casserole dish and add 1/2 of the barley and then layer with 1/2 of tahini dressing. Add rest of barley then top with the rest of tahini dressing.

8. Cook for 35 mins in the oven, then serve.

Barley Casserole before I cooked it in the oven

Barley Casserole, cooked and ready to serve

Quick & Easy Hummus (gf, sf, nf)

Ingredients: Can of Organic Chickpeas,  1 large clove garlic (finely sliced), 1 tbsp tahini, 3 tbsp cold press extra virgin olive oil, juice of 1 small lemon, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1tsp herbamare sea salt, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Either use a blender or just a hand held mixer. Blend chickpeas, garlic, olive oil and tahini

2. Then add lemon juice, garlic powder, cumin, sea salt and cayenne pepper. (Either blend or stir through)

*I usually go by taste, so add more of the spices, lemon or salt depending on your taste.