Category: Essential Fats

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Basil-Cilantro Pesto

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Robert and I agree that this basil-cilantro pesto is the best pesto we’ve ever tasted. It’s lemony and bright, and because it uses almonds in place of cheese, the texture is has just the right amount of creaminess. We enjoyed it with cannellini beans, but it would also be great on pasta, baguettes, or anything else you enjoy eating with pesto. This recipe makes about 1 cup.

Ingredients:
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
1/3 cup almonds
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water (if necessary)

Instructions:
1. Place the basil, cilantro, almonds, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor. Blend till pasty, scraping down the sides occasionally.
2. Add the water if necessary and blend till smooth. Yum!

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Robert’s Power Breakfast! (And, Why You Don’t Need Cow’s Milk for … Anything!)

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Did you know that humans are the only species on that planet that 1) drink the breast milk of another species, and 2) continue to consume milk far past weaning age?      

I certainly didn’t think about it like that until recently, but once I did, I got the heebie jeebies all over.

The practice of consuming the milk of other animals is actually a fairly recent phenomenon in human history, and our bodies aren’t built to handle it very well. After the first few years of life, we stop producing the enzyme lactase and lose our ability to digest lactose. It’s no wonder so many people have trouble digesting milk (let alone the milk of another kind of animal) past weaning age. What is often called “lactose intolerance” (the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose after weaning age) shouldn’t be thought of a disease. It’s the normal “condition” for most human adults–a whopping 75% worldwide–because adults aren’t babies, obviously, and no longer need to be able to digest milk

Like most people, I thought humans consumed cow’s milk to meet our calcium needs, but it’s believed that the amounts of calcium consumed by humans in the late Paleolithic era were more than double the intakes of today–with no cow’s milk at all. Humans evolved in a calcium-rich, salt-poor dietary environment, and our basic metabolism has changed little from that of our Stone Age ancestors.

Where did their calcium come from? Plants! That’s right, calcium-rich plant food! Calcium-rich foods that are widely available today include kale, collard greens, broccoli, mushrooms, green beans, seaweed, romaine lettuce, (the list goes on!) as well as beans, nuts, and seeds. There’s even some calcium in whole grains and fruits, which are already loaded with health benefits in their own right.

There are lots of plant-based milks and yogurts out there (I eat plain soy yogurt every morning for breakfast). Robert has started drinking almond milk, which he uses in his daily breakfast smoothie. Almond milk is delicious and nutritious. It’s free of cholesterol and saturated fat but contains omega fatty acids (that’s the good stuff). It’s rich in vitamins D, E, and A. It has high levels of magnesium, potassium, selenium and 30% of daily calcium needs in each cup. Robert absolutely LOVES this smoothie. He comes home from work every night and says something about how good his breakfast was.

Ingredients (top photo, from left to right):
Almond Milk
Walnuts
Peanut Butter
Blueberries
Almonds
Ground Flax Seeds
Banana
Agave Nectar
Sources: 
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Brussels Sprouts + Apples + Pecans

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Brussels Sprouts are so cute! They are also really nutritious, boasting high amounts of vitamins C and K, and containing an abundance of disease-fighting phytochemicals, including sulforaphane, which helps rid the body of carcinogenic substances.
This dish was inspired by a recipe in “Color Me Vegan” by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. I absolutely LOVE this cookbook and I think the author is awesome. Her podcast Vegetarian Food for Thought (which you can listen to for free) is so inspiring and informative. Not only is she well-versed in nutrition–which is why I started listening to her in the first place–but she also has helped me see that our food choices can be, and should be, an extension of who we are and what we value in life. It’s such an empowering outlook. Her words have really broadened my perspective.

Ingredients:
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, washed and shredded (cut into strips)
2 tablespoons vegetable broth
1 large tart apple, unpeeled and cubed
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon pomegranate syrup (if you can’t find that, use maple syrup)
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:
1. In a large saute pan, heat broth over medium heat. Add the shredded Brussels sprouts and a touch of salt and saute for 7-10 minutes until the sprouts begin to brighten.
2. Add the apple cubes, garlic, and syrup, and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the apples are heated through but not too soft.
3. At the end of the cooking time, add the pecans, and salt and pepper to taste.

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Kale Quinoa Salad

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We love this meal so much we probably have it twice a week, at least! It’s what I make when I’m short on time or don’t feel like putting too much thought into dinner. A “lazy lady’s dinner,” if you will.
This salad is rugged. Yeah, that’s right. I used “rugged” and “salad” in the same sentence. There is something about raw lacinato kale that is so strong and hearty and, well, rugged! Plus, kale is part of the cruciferous vegetable family, making it a true nutritional powerhouse. In fact, The World’s Healthiest Foods Foundation describes kale as “one of the healthiest vegetables around.” It has risk-lowering benefits for at least five types of cancers (bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate) and has a cholesterol-lowering ability comparable to the prescription drug cholestyramine (a medication that is taken for the purpose of lowering cholesterol). That’s a whole lot of nutrition in a meal that takes only 20 minutes at most!
Tip: I keep a constant supply of Goldhouse Gold Dressing in my fridge. I always double or triple the recipe and store it in a HUGE Manischewitz bottle. (Don’t ask… My husband loves Manischewitz.)  That way it’s ready whenever I need it, which is pretty much all the time because it’s SO good and it tastes delicious on practically everything.

(Serves 2 hearty eaters)

Ingredients:
1.5 cups dry quinoa
3 cups water
1 bunch of kale
1/4 cup shelled pistachios or walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries, raisins, or dried currants
Goldhouse Gold Dressing

Instructions:
1. Place quinoa in a dry medium saucepan and toast over medium-high flame for 3 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and cover for 18-20 minutes until each quinoa has a curly little tail. It should be very fluffy like cooked couscous, not wet or porridge-y.
2. Meanwhile, finely chop the kale and place into a large salad bowl. Add the nuts and dried fruit of choice.
3. When the quinoa is done add it to the kale mix. Drizzle with Goldhouse Gold Dressing and fresh pepper to taste. De-lish!

Sources: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38

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Spicy Edamame Salad

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Ingredients:
12 oz shelled, cooked and cooled edamame
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 large garlic clove, sliced
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon brown miso
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon red chili paste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. Place the onion, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, miso, salt, chili paste and pepper into a large bowl and whisk.
2. Add the boiled edamame and stir.
3. Mash with a fork to desired level of mushiness or chunkiness. Serve as is or with whole wheat pita.
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Cucumber + Wakame Seaweed Salad

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Ingredients:
2 Persian cucumbers
1 cup Wakame seaweed
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions:
1. Soak dried seaweed in cold water for about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, slice the cucumbers into thin rounds. Spread slices over a paper towel and lightly sprinkle them with salt. Cover slices with another papertowel and let sit.
3. Mix rice vinegar, soy sauce, and chili pepper flakes in a bowl.
4. Drain the seaweed. Cut into 2-inch-long pieces, discarding any hard spines.
5. Press down the papertowel covering the cucumber slices to remove excess water.
6. Place wakame and cucumber slices in a bowl. Pour in the dressing and mix well, adding sesame seeds if you like.

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Peanut-Ginger Tofu with Mushrooms + Spinach

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     This is one of my favorite dishes to serve to non-vegan guests, especially those who might assume vegan eating is bland or not hearty enough. The ginger peanut sauce is so flavorful and the combination of mushrooms and tofu make for a great chewy mouthfeel that meat-eaters are used to. Plus, this dish is loaded with tons of protein, not to mention fiber, iron, vitamin D, folate, zinc, calcium, vitamin C, and countless more antioxidants. If you are looking to inspire non-vegans, this dish will impress, without fail. 
 
(Serves 4)
 
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked brown rice
Sauce:

Note: People REALLY love this sauce, so don’t be afraid to double it. It won’t go to waste!
5 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons chunky natural peanut butter
2 tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
1-2 tablespoons agave
1-2 tablespoons minced ginger (more if you like ginger)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Tofu + Vegetables:
14 oz. extra-firm tofu
2 teaspoons vegetable broth or water
4 cups baby spinach, (6 ounces)
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms, (4 ounces)
4 scallions, sliced

Instructions:
1. To prepare sauce: Whisk water, peanut butter, rice vinegar (or white vinegar), soy sauce, agave, ginger and garlic in a small bowl.
2. To prepare tofu: Drain and rinse tofu; pat dry. Slice the block crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick slabs. Coarsely crumble each slice into smaller, uneven pieces.
3. Heat vegetable broth or water in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add tofu and cook in a single layer, without stirring, until the pieces begin to turn golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Then gently stir and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all sides are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes more.
4. Add spinach, mushrooms, scallions and the peanut sauce and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are just cooked, 1 to 2 minutes more.
5. Serve over brown rice. Enjoy!

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Raw Beet + Fennel Salad

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Ingredients:
1/2 pound beets, preferably Golden or Lutz Green Leaf
1/2 pound fennel
2 large shallots or 2 bunches green onion
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon sherry vinegar or other good strong vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
* note: When we eat this salad as a main course, I add a can of garbanzos. That gives the meal lots of protein and makes it very filling.
Instructions:
1. Peel the beets and shallots. Grate the beets and mince the shallots (or put them in a food processor and pulse till shredded). Scrape into a large bowl.
2. To prepare fennel: Trim the hard, hollow stalks from the top of the bulb and cut off the hard bottom. Shave the fennel very thinly and add to bowl.
3. Throw in the parsley. If including garbanzos, add them to the bowl.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice and vinegar.  Pour over the salad and toss. Do a quick taste test, and serve!
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Tofu Stir-Fry w/ Seaweed, Carrots, and Edamame

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Ingredients:
1  cup  dried arame or other shredded seaweed (1 ounce)
1  pound  firm or extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes
1 tsp sesame oil
1 1/2  cups  julienne-cut carrot (1 pound)
2  green onions, thinly sliced
2  tablespoons  minced peeled fresh ginger
2  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce
1 bag frozen edamame, dethawed

Instructions:
1. Cover arame with water; let stand 15 minutes then drain. Prepare edamame according to package instructions, if including.
2. Heat 1 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add tofu, and cook until liquid from tofu is evaporated (3 minutes.
3. Add carrots, green onions, and ginger; cook 4-5 minutes or until carrot is golden brown, stirring frequently. Stir in arame and salt; cook 3 minutes or until arame is tender. Stir in soy sauce and edamame. Cook for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.