Clear Out Your Cupboards Chili!

Simple Pantry Chili!

As we all continue to hibernate (or many of us anyway), I thought it might be nice to post a standard chili recipe (there is a great butternut squash/kale recipe in a recent previous post) that you can make without leaving your home AND that's packed with IRON, FIBER, PROTEIN, CALCIUM and tons of other vitamins and minerals.  It's also made in one pot, with about 5 minutes of prep and little babysitting! I was able to fold the laundry while this cooked.  And if you still needed another reason to make this-it tastes even better then next day! 

Ingredients (and remember use what's in your pantry-substitute where necessary)

1 onion, diced
2 small sweet peppers, diced
1 can unsalted kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can unsalted black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can unsalted navy beans (drained and rinsed)
1 14 oz can of organic crushed tomatoes (i used fire roasted)
1 lb ground organic beef (can be left out-i just had some on hand)
2 Tbsp chili powder
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of cumin
pinch of garlic powder

Method

Heat a little olive oil in a large saucepan (like a tsp) and add the onions, peppers and spices.  Saute for a few minutes until translucent, then add beef.  Saute on medium until browned.  Add beans and can of tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 mins covered. DONE!

I added hand-grated cheddar cheese because my son loves it, but feel free to leave out both the meat and cheese for a vegan delight! You can add avocado instead! 

Hope you enjoy this great weeknight meal!

Use the leftovers to make fantastic breakfast burritos or as a topper for nachos at snack time!

Surprisingly Awesome Cauliflower Salad

I got a HUGE head of cauliflower in my CSA (community supported agriculture) this week and was getting sick of just adding it to mashed potatoes.  So I looked for a new way to incorporate this cancer-fighting cruciferous vegetable into my daily diet!  Below is the inexpensive, easy way to do so.  I know many are afraid of raw cauliflower, but it really is an amazing, balanced salad! Give it a try!

Recipe source: epicurious.com

Ingredients

1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
2 Tbsp FRESH lemon juice
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 1/2 tsp lemon zest
salt and pepper
1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets
1 (15 oz) can of unsalted navy beans, drained and rinsed
2 heads of Belgian endive, trimmed, halved lengthwise and then thinly sliced crosswise
1 Tbsp FRESH chives, chopped
2 tsp FRESH parsley, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (3 oz)

Directions

Infuse the olive oil with the rosemary by stirring it over medium heat for about a minute or until fragrant. Set aside and let cool.

Whisk lemon juice and zest, vinegar and salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside.

Combine cauliflower, beans, endive, chives, parsley, and rosemary oil in a bowl and toss.  Then mix in the cheese and toss again.  Then add the lemon mixture and toss one last time. Serve.

Cauliflower Stats! (sourced from whfoods.com, one of my fav sites)

Ignoring the amazing nutrition of the other ingredients in this salad, ie protein from beans and vitamins from endive, cauliflower (especially raw) has a ton to offer you besides fiber to keep you regular.  Here's a look:

vitamin C 85% of your daily value!

vitamin K 20%

folate 15%

choline 11%

vitamin b6 10%

potassium 9%

And for very few calories! Cauliflower in and of itself only has 26 calories!! Wow! Enjoy!

Build a Better Breakfast!

I'm constantly being told by a wide variety of folks that there isn't enough time to make a healthy, wholesome breakfast.  Sometimes that can be the case; most times I would disagree. Here's how to make a quick, healthy breakfast for you and your family that's tastier than anything packaged and will cost you a fraction of what you'd pay at the store.  

My go-to simple breakfast is oatmeal!  I'll give you the recipe in a second, but first I want to show you why getting those microwavable oatmeal pouches isn't the best option. They are pricey, and have some yuckiness inside.  See below.

Here's a look at the product I'm referencing. I used to eat something like this as a kid.   

Focus here not on the nutrition label, but on the ingredients. THAT is the secret to picking healthier processed foods. By looking at the product's ingredients I see that it has salt, artificial stuff and little nutritional value other than the oats themselves.

So in the grand scheme of things this product isn't horrible.  It is cholesterol free, fast-cooking (like 60 seconds in microwave) and a whole grain. BUT it costs $3 for one pouch!!! Woah. I don't know about you but feeding a family can be pretty costly and I can't afford to spend $9 for just oatmeal for my three family members.  Instead, I'll offer you my nutritious, inexpensive fix for this issue!

Totally not my pic, I forgot to take one this morning so thank you google for sharing this with me. You guys get the idea.

Recipe:

Ingredients

1 cup Uncle Bob's Rolled Oats

2 cups water 

1 box (or if you have these in your pantry-a scoop) raisins

cinnamon

fruit

1 tbsp ground flax

1 scoop walnuts

Optional add-ons include: chopped dates, coconut, carob chips, almond milk, etc. etc.

Directions

Add oats and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add everything else. 

Then lower to simmer, stirring frequently, for about 5-10 minutes.

Serve. 

Super easy and bulk oats cost about $.89/lb. YUP, per POUND! So if you're like me and have the rest of the stuff in the pantry, you can use local/seasonal fruit and this dish will cost you at most $1, while providing you a nutritious breakfast.

More specifically:

~Oats provide long-lasting energy and stable blood sugar for hours!

~This is a cholesterol-free, dairy-free meal which means it contains only the good fats, and has very little sodium.

~By using fruit, unlike the packaged kind, you add flavor and sweetness that enhances taste and packs a nutritious punch.

~Using flax and walnuts provide the necessary omega-3 fatty acids needed to maintain balance and to fight inflammation in our system. 

This recipe is really just a base for you to use your imagination! Have fun and let your kids help. You'll be surprised and how awesome this simple grain can taste!

Soups at Home Save on SODIUM and on Your Wallet

This soup looks familiar right? Amy's Organic soups can be found in Whole Foods Market, Wegmans (in the Nature's Market section) and all across the country in health food stores.

So why should you care about Amy's soups?

Because if you want to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle you need to keep your sodium intake to 1500mg or less a day, as regulated by the USDA. (I would suggest keeping it to even less) And considering

ONE TEASPOON OF SALT=2200mg of sodium

you might want to watch how much sodium is in your food.

And please don't say to me "Well, I'm good-I NEVER add salt to any of my foods." PLEASE. Even if you don't, you're not off the hook. So please, please, please read on to see how you can make simple changes that can have dramatic effects on your health.

Also, I also want to clear up confusion about Sea Salt, Himalayan Salt and other types of salts that are supposedly healthy. Salt is salt folks. If you are getting too much sodium in your diet, using a salt that has nutrients in it won't make a difference. Instead, get your low amounts of daily sodium from nuts, seeds and other plant sources that will offer you way more nutrients with each bite.

Ok so processed foods are jam-packed with sodium. After all, salt is what was first used to cure meats and preserve them for a while back in the day right? What do you think is happening now? Salt, chemicals and other things are being used as preservatives and we are feeling the effects. But the reality is, we are all busy and often need to have certain processed items in our pantry. Let's now check out one that is presumably healthy.

1. First, take a look at the nutrition label on this can of Amy's Fat Free Chunky Vegetable Soup. Check out the "servings per container," there are 2!!! That means if you eat that whole can (which most of us would) you need to double all of the information on the label. Sneaky...

2. Second, let's check out the sodium. It is 680mg for only ONE SERVING. If you were to only eat half the can of soup, you would be ingesting HALF of your daily allotment of sodium. Better hope you don't eat much else that day. But who wants to starve for half a can of soup? Ew. Now imagine if you eat the whole can of soup, 1360mg of sodium in only one can. That is all you can have ALL DAY. Bummer. Or make a better choice. Do the math and limit your sodium intake to 500mg per meal per day OR just eat lots of fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, beans and grains and you won't have to worry.

3. Third, check nutrition labels on all processed foods. You'll be surprised what's hiding. Today we focused on sodium, in the future we will go over other things!

Right now you may be asking-what's the big deal about eating salt or taking in too much sodium anyway?!

Well, if you don't think hypertension (high blood pressure), weight gain, obesity, increased risk of heart disease and stroke, among other things, are a big deal, then you don't have to worry. Otherwise, just be conscious of what's going in your belly.

To help get your soup fix and save on both salt and money, try making soups at home, then freezing them! Here's a recipe that I love from Whole Foods Market with only 190mg per serving and lots of flavor!

Ingredients

1 ounce (about 1 cup) dried porcini mushrooms or other dried wild mushrooms

3/4 cup unsalted cashews

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided

3 rutabagas, peeled and finely chopped (or just use potatoes)

1 onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

zest and juice of 1 lemon, divided

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Method

Put mushrooms in a bowl, cover with 1/2 cup boiling water and set aside to let soak 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a blender, combine cashews and 2 cups of broth and blend until very smooth, about 1 minute. Pour cashew mixture into a large saucepan and add rutabagas (or potatoes), onion and remaining 4 cups broth. Remove mushrooms from the bowl with a slotted spoon, cut them into bite-size pieces and add them to the pot; carefully pour in the liquid the mushrooms soaked in, being sure to leave behind any grit that has settled in the bottom of the bowl.

Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, lower heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Add bell pepper and lemon juice and simmer 3 minutes longer. Serve garnished with chives and lemon zest. Enjoy!

How About Some Vegan Stuffed Shells?

This recipes comes from my need for comfort food! Especially on a day like today in Upstate New York where it's snowy and gray-you really want to feel the warmth in your home, belly and heart. So why should you have to sacrifice your health and waistline?!

I came up with this Vegan Stuffed Shell recipe to satisfy that particular issue. Hope you enjoy and would love to hear what you think!

Ingredients

For the shells:
1 box of large whole wheat pasta shells or whole wheat lasagna noodles if you can't find the shells or brown rice lasagna noodles if you are gluten-free
2 cups macedemia nuts
2 cups cashews
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (you can find this in the bulk section of your grocery store and it is just yeast but looks and tastes like cheese when added to things!)
1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and diced
dried basil
dried oregano
black pepper

For the sauce (OR buy a low-sodium sauce instead):
2 or 3 cans of no-salt-added diced tomatoes
red wine-something you like
onions, diced
garlic, minced
red pepper flakes
dried basil

Directions

**Do ahead**
Put macademia nuts in a bowl filled with water about an inch above the top of the nuts and let soak overnight (before you go to bed) or for 8 hours (while you are at work).

Put cashews in a separate bowl filled with water about an inch above the top of the nuts and let soak overnight or for 8 hours.

**At Supper Time**
After the nuts have been soaked, drain them and blend them in a high powered blender separately. The macademia nuts should resemble a ricotta cheese when blended. Add water or lemon juice to keep your blender from overheating and to get the right consistency. Then once complete, throw in a bowl. Do the same for the cashews and throw in the same bowl.

Now add the basil, oregano, pepper, yeast and artichokes until well mixed. I didn't put amounts for the spices because you should taste it to see what you like. Add small amounts at first, mix, then taste. If it doesn't taste flavorful yet, add more spice because it certain won't change while baking!!

Then cook the shells or noodles in a pot of water until al dente, about 4 to 6 minutes. Drain, separate and lay flat to cool. Stuff with the "cheese" mixture and set aside. (If you are using lasagna noodles just dollup a little "cheese" in the middle of the noodle and roll it up!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the sauce, heat your onions in a hot stainless steel skilled. You don't need oil if the pan is hot enough because the onions will release their own juices! Saute for about 2 minutes, then add the garlic, red pepper flakes, basil and other spices you might like! Saute for 1 minute and add a bit of red wine to deglaze the pan. Then add the tomatoes and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and reduces.

Spread a little of the sauce to coat the bottom of a cassorole dish. Then add the stuffed shells (or the rolls) to the dish. Then coat with another layer of sauce, making sure each shell is covered. Throw in the oven for about 40 minutes and serve. YUM!