Pineapple Date Balls

I couldn’t decide what to call these and I’m not sure what category of “treat” they would fall under. But they are really easy to make, you don’t have to bake them, and they’re delicious. They’re also vegan, raw, gluten free, dairy free, with no added sugar and made with whole foods. Did I mention it’ll only take you about ten minutes to make? And while if you eat five servings of these the calories will add up, they are a healthy alternative to cookies, candy and granola bars. They do travel well, so if you‘re packing lunch or snacks to go these are easy to bring along. And I promise they taste better than they look!

Now, I have been known to try new healthy recipes to replace “normal” not so healthy things, and sometimes they turn out great (like these) and sometimes they don’t. At all. And sometimes I like them and nobody else does. So I need to test my creations on people who eat “normal” food. My husband is a really good sport about tasting what I make and will give me an honest, but nice, review. He says these are “addicting” so I’ll take that as a compliment. I also brought some to a friend who also has a 3 year old (they eat “normal” food). They both really liked them and she’s been bugging me for the recipe. So, add this to the fact that Joy and I were eating them as we were making them, I think I found a winner.

Pineapple Date Balls

Ingredients:
1 ¾ cups almonds
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups dried pineapple, chopped
2 cups pitted dates
1/3 cup and ¼ cup shredded coconut (you can buy unsweetened coconut at health food stores if you can't find it at your local grocery store)

Directions:
In a food processor, blend almonds and salt until it’s a fine powder. Slowly add the chopped pineapple and dates and blend until it's really well processed. It will start to get sticky as you process it.

Place it in a large bowl and mix in the vanilla and 1/3 cup of the coconut. Use a spoon and roll the “dough” into balls. Then roll in ¼ cup coconut. Place on parchment paper.

They’ll last over a week in the fridge (although they were so good they only lasted about a day and a half in our fridge!).

For 24 servings, Per serving: 131 calories, 6g protein, 21g carbohydrates, 5g fat, 15g sugar, and 11% of your dietary fiber

This recipe is from Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen by Ani Phyo. In it, the recipe is called “Dreaming About Donut Holes” but they don’t taste like donuts to me, so I went with Pineapple Date Balls. Not sure if it’s appetizing, but I felt it’s more accurate!

Apple Nachos

Last night was the Super bowl. Many football fans were ordering takeout pizza, making nachos and drinking a lot of beer…or some variation of this. And then we all sat on the couch all afternoon and evening. Not great for those New Year’s resolutions we made a month ago. So instead of making traditional nachos, I made apple nachos. I’m thinking this could be a great snack for playdates or kids birthday parties. I used Honeycrisp apples sliced really thin. You can be really creative with what toppings you add to your “nachos” or even have a make-your-own station so kids can add what they like. I added just a small handful of chocolate chips so that Joy thought it was a treat, but she really only had about three total. Here’s what I did, but use what you have on hand and try something new.

2 Honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
¼ cup organic smooth peanut butter
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts
1 Tbsp finely ground coconut
1 Tbsp chocolate chips

Directions:

Melt the peanut butter so that it is very soft and runny. Spread half the apple slices on a plate and drizzle with peanut butter. You might be able to just use a spoon, but I put it into a little plastic bag and cut the corner so I didn’t just glob it all over.

Use half the nuts and coconut and spread over the apples and peanut butter. Then do a second layer, with the remaining apple, peanut butter, nuts and coconut. Then top with a few chocolate chips. You can serve immediately or chill in the fridge for an hour (or longer) so the peanut butter isn’t so messy.

Now, as much fun as this can be for the little ones, I will admit that I enjoyed it as much as anyone. I can honestly say that I will be making this again and again.

This is apparently a pretty common idea, but I originally found the recipe at http://www.manifestvegan.com/2011/10/apple-nachos/?utm_source=feedburner.

Lentil Artichoke Stew

Recently, I’ve been looking for dishes with lentils and beans, since that is one area I tend to lack in. This is a great stew to warm up from the cold weather we’ve been having. I also baked some Irish Soda Bread (Bob’s Red Mill) and cut up some fresh vegetables. This is one we’ll be making again!

Makes 6 servings

1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup dry (uncooked) red lentils (3 cups cooked)
1 bay leaf
2 cups water
juice of 1 lemon
2 24-ounce cans chopped tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted), undrained, or 6 cups freshly chopped tomatoes plus 1 cup tomato juice
1 1/2 cups quartered artichoke hearts (1 9-ounce frozen package or 1 15-ounce can)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Heat broth in a large saucepan. Add onion and sauté on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until golden. Add garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add dried lentils, bay leaf, and water to pan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and add lemon juice, tomatoes and their liquid, artichokes, and crushed red pepper (if using). Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Add salt and black pepper, or to taste.
Nutrition Information

Per serving (1/6 of recipe): 176 calories, 1 g fat, 0.1 g saturated fat , 4.9% calories from fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 11.7 g protein, 34.3 g, carbohydrate 7.5 g sugar, 10 g fiber, 560 mg sodium, 123 mg calcium, 6.3 mg iron, 28.6 mg vitamin C, 238 mcg beta-carotene, 1.8 mg vitamin E

This recipe is a preview from the upcoming NEW EDITION of The Survivor's Handbook: Eating Right for Cancer Survival. I found it in the meal planner for the 21 Day Vegan Kickstart from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). Here are the links
http://www.pcrm.org/kickstartHome/
http://support.cancerproject.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=3121.0

Thanksgiving Superfoods

We all know that the holiday season is not the time to try to lose weight or make healthy changes to our diets. But I don’t think we need to give up all our favorite traditional foods, we just need to pay attention to what we’re eating and more importantly how much we’re eating. Thanksgiving and Christmas are all about getting together with family and good friends, watching football and talking and laughing over good food and drink. So enjoy it! But in order to enjoy it all without the guilty feelings and avoiding the scale for two months, try to get a little more exercise than normal and try to get a few healthy, low calorie meals in when it’s not “the” meal of the holiday. So go for a quick run, eat a light breakfast that morning, drink plenty of water throughout the day and avoid snacking all day long before the big meal. And know that it’ll taste just as good whether you eat one serving or three.

Turkey (Skinless Breast) – Superfood

Turkey is one of leanest sources of animal protein and possibly the leanest. It has less saturated fat than other meats. To compare:
3 ounces of fresh ham - 5.5 grams of saturated fat
3 ounces of flank steak - 4.5 grams of saturated fat and
3 ounces of skinless turkey breast - 0.2 grams of saturated fat

You might think that chicken is the best lean protein source, but skinless white meat chicken has 0.85 grams of saturated fat per 3 ounce serving. And both turkey and chicken have 26 grams of protein per serving. Turkey also has less cholesterol than an egg yolk (turkey has 71 mg. of cholesterol while an egg yolk has about 213 mg.). But, you still need to be mindful of portion sizes. Again, 3 ounces is a serving. If you eat three times that, you’ll be getting close to your daily limit of 300 mg of cholesterol.

One serving of turkey will give you 26 grams of protein. Adult women need 46 grams of protein per day and adult men need 56 grams of protein daily. Turkey is a good source of niacin and vitamins B6 and B12. Turkey is rich in zinc which can really boost your immune system. It is also a good source of selenium which is a trace mineral that is critical to human health. It aids in thyroid hormone metabolism, antioxidant defense systems and immune function. According to Dr. Steve Pratt, “there is a strong inverse relationship between selenium intake and the risk for cancer…due to selenium’s role in DNA repair.”

Make sure when you’re buying turkey that there are no added oils or fats. Ground turkey breast should be at least 99% fat free, otherwise they probably ground it with the skin and/or dark meat. As always, look at the label and watch portion sizes. And of course, if possible, buy organic. Turkey can be used in place of red meat and chicken in many recipes for a much healthier meal.

Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are a great alternative to regular white potatoes, and, in my opinion, taste so much better. They are an excellent source of vitamin A (600% of your recommended daily value), and a good source of vitamin C, manganese, vitamin B6, potassium and fiber. And this recipe is so quick you can make it in a pinch.

Ingredients:
1 lb sweet potatoes, diced (if organic, do not peel)
2 cloves chopped or press garlic
Sea salt and pepper to taste
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 TBS ground pumpkin seeds
2 TB fresh chopped rosemary

Optional:
1/2 onion slice (cook with the sweet potatoes)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Directions:
1. Fill bottom of steamer with 2 inches of water.
2. While steam is building up press or chop garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out more of its health-promoting properties.
3. Cut potatoes in half and cut into 1/2" slices. You do not neet to peel if they are organic.
4. Steam sweet potaotes for no more than 7 minutes.
5. Transfer to a bowl. For more flavor, toss sweet potatoes with the remaining ingredients and any of the optional ingredients you desire while they are still hot.

Serves 2
Recipe from whfoods.org.

Cranberry Orange Relish

1 12-ounce bag cranberries
1 medium orange, quartered
3/4 cup sugar

Place half the cranberries and half the orange quarters in food processor. Pulse until evenly chopped. Transfer to bowl and repeat with the other half of orange and cranberries. Stir in sugar to taste and store in refrigerator or freezer.
(I got this recipe from Matt's Aunt Katheryn)

Some other suggestions for Thanksgiving meals:
Spinach salad with dried cranberries, walnuts and a balsamic vinaigrette.
Fresh green beans, lightly steamed with salt and pepper.
I like to put out a vegetable tray before the meal so if people want to snack we aren’t filling up on calorie dense foods.

And of course, eat a slice of pumpkin pie!

Steven Pratt, MD., Superfoods RX
whfoods.org

Simple Dinner

I love meals that incorporate many food groups into one dish. And the ones with just a few simple ingredients are my favorite. I made this pasta dish tonight and the whole thing was on the table in about 20 minutes. It tasted good and was healthy, that's about all I can ask for some days! So keep it simple, and use whatever vegetables you have in your fridge at the moment. Here's what I did.

1 package whole wheat penne pasta
about 2 cups baby spinach, chopped up
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
3 Tablespoons olive oil (I didn't measure, you might need more)
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan for sprinkling

Cook the pasta according to the directions and prep the veggies you'll be adding. Chop up the fresh garlic and add it, along with some salt and pepper, to the olive oil. When the pasta is done, drain. Add the olive oil mixture until well coated, then add your fresh veggies. Add salt, pepper and Parmesan after serving.
I cut up a cucumber as a side dish, along with a loaf of whole wheat artisan bread. Keep it simple and enjoy!

Minestrone Soup

I love soup. There are so many different soups that I love so much, I could eat soup every day. But I have a hard time finding a variety of soup in a can that meets all my nutritional guidelines. For starters, many soups have a chicken or beef broth base, and being vegetarian, it's a no go. Then I have to filter out anything with MSG (monosodium glutamate), corn syrups and hydrogenated oils. Not to mention trying to find something that is nutrient dense and tastes good. So my solution is to make my own soup. I like to make large batches and freeze it in single portions for convenience. Most of us don't have the extra time each day to spend hours in the kitchen, so having a quick, easy, nutritious meal in the freezer leaves no excuse for you to even be tempted by the drive-thru.
Here is a recipe for the minestrone soup I made today. The original recipe is from The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook (which I got at Borders for around $6!), but as usual, I didn't follow it exactly. So here is what I did.

Minestrone
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: about 1 hour

1 can kidney beans
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tomatoes, peeled* and chopped
3 Tablespoons chopped parsley
9 cups vegetable stock
1 cup carrot, chopped
1 turnip, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup sliced green beans (I used frozen)
1 cup macaroni elbows
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese, for serving

1. Heat oil in a pan, add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring, until onion is soft.
2. Add the tomatoes, parsley, beans and stock. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 30 minutes. (The original recipe said to simmer for 2 hours, but I didn't have that much time!)
3. Add the carrot, turnip, potatoes, celery and tomato paste. Simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes.
4. Add zucchini, green beans and macaroni elbows. Simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables and pasta are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with shavings of Parmesan cheese.

*To peel tomatoes: Cut a cross in the bottom; put into boiling water for 2 minutes. Plunge into cold water, remove and peel.

Helpful Tip: When I find a recipe that sounds good, I will make a little shopping list of all the ingredients I need. That way, when I decide to try it, I am ready to grab it and hit the store. If you have little ones, you know that when it's time for grocery shopping, it's a get in, get out event. You don't want to waste time looking up recipes or racking your brain to figure out what you need.

Pita Bread

Here's a recipe for my whole wheat pita bread. We love dipping it in hummus, but there are so many things you can use it for. You can spread peanut butter and jelly on it too. My mom gave me this recipe; she uses it for pizza and breadsticks. I just substituted whole wheat flour for white flour and evaporated cane juice for white sugar. It's so easy to make, and I can let it rise as long as I need to, so I will mix it up when I have 20 minutes and then I'll usually bake it at night after Joy is sleeping. I double the batch and freeze half (after baking and slicing). I use a pizza stone to bake it on so it's done evenly and the bottom doesn't get too crispy.

1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 tablespoons organic sugar - evaporated cane juice
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons organic olive oil
3 cups whole wheat flour

Combine yeast, water and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes. The yeast will bubble, that means it is still good. Add remainder of sugar, salt, oil and slowly add the flour. Knead well. Cover and let rise for at least 20 minutes. Divide the dough into 2 parts and roll out about 1/2 inch thick and let it rise for another 20 minutes. I will usually spray olive oil on it and sprinkle with garlic and a little salt. Then bake for 10 minutes or until done. It might have air bubbles, so I try to cut it as soon as it comes out of the oven. This keeps it from crumbling too much later.

Note for picky eaters:
You can do 1 cup whole wheat flour and 2 cups white flour or half and half. White flour gives it a little fluffier and smoother texture, so for the picky little ones (or big ones) try mixing the white and whole wheat flours.