Eat Your Vegetables

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Hearty Recipes With Super Nutrients That Promote Immune System Health



Salsa Verde

1+1/2 lbs tomatillos, husked & washed
6 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 T olive oil 
1 large bunch cilantro leaves (about 2 cups, loosely packed)
4 medium jalapeño peppers, with seeds, stemmed and coarsely chopped
2 T fresh oregano leaves (optional)
additional chile peppers, as desired 



Preheat broiler. Pile the tomatillos, whole, onto a roasting pan or large baking sheet. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves and drizzle with olive oil and toss to lightly coat. Broil, with the top rack close to the broiler, for about 10 minutes, or until the tomatillo skins have started to blacken and are fragrant. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.



Peel the roasted garlic cloves. Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times, until the mixture is finely chopped but not quite puréed (do this in batches if you are increasing the recipe; transfer each batch to a large bowl and mix thoroughly before transferring to containers to freeze).  Local Kitchen






Tomatillo Dressing

3/4 lb tomatillos
1/2 small white onion
1 jalapeño, seeds removed
1/4 c cilantro
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c lime juice
1/2 t sea salt
2+1/2 T honey


Blend or process all of the ingredients. This dressing would be a tasty addition as a garnish for soups, grilled food, and stews, and as a salad dressing. 







Prawn Ceviche Verde

1/2 lb cooked and peeled prawns, thawed, tails removed and cut into chunks
1 cucumber, finely diced
1 c salsa verde
1+1/2 T lime juice plus zest for garnish
1 jalapeno (or more for spicy)
1/3 c minced green onions
1/2 t sugar
1/2 t naturally harvested salt
1 T olive oil

Mix all of the ingredients together. Taste for salt. Taste for lime.  Feasting At Home












Sweet Almond Paté

2 c fresh basil
3/4 c raw almonds, soaked over night, drained and rinsed
3/4 c fresh parsley
1 garlic clove
3 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T raw apple cider vinegar
1 T lemon juice
2 t raw honey or agave nectar
1/4 t sea salt

Place all ingredients in the bowl of your processor and pulse with the S blade just until chunky. You can either continue processing for a smoother spread; similar to pesto, or stop while there’s still chunks of almonds. I like it a bit chunky.The spread is thick, still relatively chunky, and served best with crackers, a slice of fresh bread, or combined with a simple warm bowl of quinoa and fresh herbs. Healthful Pursuit






Roasted Pumpkin Seed Hummus

1+1/2 c raw pepitas
4 cloves garlic
1 T olive oil
1 t smoked paprika, divided
1 t chili powder, divided
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1+1/2 c cooked cannellini/great northern beans (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
1/2 c olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper, to taste



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheet or line with aluminum foil.

Right on the pan add the the pumpkin seeds (pepitas), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, salt and pepper. Toss well with you hands. Add the garlic cloves to one side of the pan (leave them in their skin). Roast for about 15-25 minutes or until seeds are cooked and begin to lightly brown. Remove the pan every 10 minutes to stir the seeds and check for doneness. Remove from the oven, let cool 5 minutes and then peel the skin away from the garlic. If the the garlic is not tender and fragrant when the seeds are done roasting, wrap them in foil and continue to roast until soft and roasted.

Add the pumpkin seeds to a food processor and process until a smooth paste forms, scrap down the sides as needed. This took about 5 minutes. Once the pumpkin seeds form a paste, add the beans and garlic. Pulse and blend until combined and the beans begin to puree, about 2-3 minutes. With the processor still going, stream in olive oil, blending continuously for a few minutes (and scraping down the sides if needed) until as smooth as desired. Add the remaining, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder and smoked paprika. Blend until combined add some salt + pepper and taste, adding more if desired. Add hummus to a bowl and drizzle with extra olive oil.





Onion Bacon Dip

1 large leek
6 bacon slices 
1 large sweet onion, minced
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened 
1 c sour cream 
1/2 t salt
1 (2-lb) acorn squash
Garnish: chopped fresh chives



Remove and discard root ends and dark green tops of the leeks. Cut in half lengthwise, and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove grit and sand; thinly slice leek.
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon.

Sauté onion and leeks in hot drippings for 15 minutes or until tender and golden.

Stir together onion mixture, bacon, cream cheese, sour cream, and salt. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Cut about 1/2 to 1 inch from top of squash; remove and discard seeds.

Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Place squash, cut side down, in skillet, and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until cut side is golden brown and caramelized. Serve dip in squash with cheesy cauliflower tater tots. Garnish, if desired.
   Southern Living





Cheesy Cauliflower Tater Tots

1 medium head of cauliflower
2 T heavy cream
2 T butter
1/3 c shredded sharp cheddar
4 egg whites
salt & pepper to taste
oil for frying



Clean and trim the cauliflower, adding the florets to a microwave safe bowl. Add the cream and butter to the bowl. Microwave for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cheese to a magic bullet or food processor and blend until still chunky – kind of like a cooked oatmeal consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Chill for at least half an hour. 


Whip the egg whites to a stiff peak. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the cauliflower mixture to lighten it up. Then fold the cauliflower mixture into the rest of the egg whites and gently mix until combined. 

For best results, chill for another half hour or they won’t hold their shape as well. Fit a pastry bag with a round or star tube with about a 3/4 inch opening. Spray the inside of the bag with nonstick spray. Gently squeeze out 1 inch sections onto a greased cookie sheet, cutting with a butter knife as you go. 

When finished, bake in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes (or longer if you’re skipping the frying) until puffed and slightly browned. Remove from the oven and serve – or heat 1/4 inch of oil in a saute pan and when it’s very hot add the tots. It doesn’t need long, a minute per side to turn them golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately.
  I Breathe - I'm Hungry

Note
These are still tasty after they cool but they start to lose their crunch only minutes after they come out of the oil so if crunch is what you’re after, eat them right away!













Lentil-Stuffed Jack-o-Lantern Peppers

1 c dry lentils
7-8 large bell peppers (you can choose any color you like)
1 t unrefined coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, diced small
1 c fresh corn kernels (you can use frozen)
1 medium tomato, seeds removed and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t fennel seed, roughly chopped
1 T fresh sage, chopped fine
1 t paprika
1/4 t red pepper flakes (feel free to add more to taste if you like more heat, or leave it out if the kiddos aren’t a fan)
2 t fine ground sea salt, or more to taste
1 t fresh ground black pepper


Soak dry lentils in a bowl filled with pure water overnight. Rinse lentils and prepare them according to the instructions here

While they cook, wash and dry your peppers. Set aside 1 pepper for dicing/filling—remove seeds and ribs from this pepper. Using X-Acto blade, slice off the top of the first pepper. Twist and lift off the top. Using blade, or paring knife, carefully remove the seeds and ribs from top and bottom sections of pepper. Now you can carve some eyes and a mouth. 
Remove corn from cob with Chef’s knife—for extra deliciousness, try to get the milk from the cob, too. Dice one pepper, onion, zucchini and tomato. Prepare your herbs and garlic. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place coconut oil in skillet, and sauté onion and pepper for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and cook for another 4 minutes. Add tomato and corn and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients, including cooked lentils. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Spoon filling into peppers—to the top. Place lids back on peppers and place them into a glass baking dish lined with unbleached parchment paper. Bake for for 25 minutes.
   Yum Universe





Veg Manchurian

veg manchurian balls:

1 c grated carrot
1 c finely chopped cabbage
½ c finely chopped bell pepper
¼ c finely chopped spring onion/scallion greens
½ t freshly crushed black pepper or black pepper powder or white pepper powder
2 T all purpose flour
2 T cornflour
salt to taste


sauce:
2 T onion or spring onion/scallion whites chopped
1 T finely chopped celery (optional)
1 T ginger
1 T garlic
1 or 2 green chilies
1 T corn flour dissolved in 2 T water
½ T soya sauce
½ T vinegar – I used balsamic vinegar
1+1/2 c vegetable stock
½ t freshly crushed black pepper or black pepper powder or white pepper powder
salt to taste


Veg Balls: 
Mix all of the veg ball ingredients well and keep aside for 15-20 minutes. During this time the veggies will release their juices which will be of help in making the balls. You don’t need to any water. 


Form the mixture into balls and fry them neatly in a moderately hot oil till they are golden brown in color and crispness.

Sauce: Heat oil in a wok and add the spring onions, ginger, garlic, celery and chilies. Add vegetable stock, crushed black pepper and soy sauce. Mix well and the let the sauce cook for 1-2 minutes. Now add the corn flour paste slowly. Stir well and make sure no lumps are formed. The sauce will begin to thicken. Add vinegar, salt, sugar and the veg balls to the sauce and gently stir. simmer for a minute.    Veg Recipes of India






Chickpea Cobb Salad Cups

1 Radicchio, rinsed
2 c chickpeas (from dried or from one can – drain and rinse )
1 T flour
1 T olive oil
2 eggs
1 large tomato or 6 cherry tomatoes, diced
1/2 Avocado, diced
Arugula
Blue cheese, crumbled
Coconut Bacon, optional (find a recipe for it here)


Dressing:
1 T whole grain mustard
2 T olive oil
2 t honey
2 t vegetarian worcestershire sauce
2 t rice vinegar
Salt / Pepper


First, hard boil the eggs. Place the eggs in a small saucepan and fill with water until eggs are emerged. Bring water to a boil, let boil for one minute, and then remove from heat. Cover and let the eggs sit in the water for 12 minutes. Drain and let cool. Peel and chop.

Toss chickpeas with the flour. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chickpeas and cook until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel to remove excess oil. Set aside.

Whisk all dressing ingredients together until incorporated. Set aside.

Chop the bottom of the radicchio and peel back each layer to create little cup like pieces. Fill the cups with arugula, hardboiled eggs, chickpeas, avocado, tomatoes, blue cheese, and coconut bacon (if using). Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.
   Vegetarian Ventures











Scalloped Tomatoes

Good olive oil 
2 c (½-inch diced) bread from a French boule, crusts removed 
16 plum tomatoes, cut ½-inch dice (about 2+½ pounds) 
1 T minced garlic (3 cloves) 
2 T sugar 
2 t kosher salt 
1 t freshly ground black pepper 
½ c julienned basil leaves, lightly packed 
1 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12 inch) sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly browned. 

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are done, add the tomato mixture and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil. 

Pour the tomato mixture into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm.
  Barefoot Contessa





Eggplant Pizzas

1 globe eggplant, about 8 ounces and 9-10 inches long
1 T salt, for drawing water out of eggplant
2 T olive oil, for brushing eggplant before roasting
2 t dried Italian seasoning, to sprinkling on eggplant before roasting
10 large basil leaves, cut in chiffonade strips (optional)
1/3 c freshly grated Parmesan
1/3 c finely grated low-fat mozzarella blend 
hot red pepper flakes for sprinkling finished pizza (optional)


Sauce
2-3 t extra-virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, very finely chopped 
1 can (14.5 oz.) good quality petite diced tomatoes with liquid (or use 2 cups peeled and diced fresh tomatoes)
1/2 t dried Italian seasoning blend
1/4 t dried oregano


Cut off both ends of the eggplant; then cut it into 3/4 inch thick slices Put the eggplant pieces on a double layer of paper towels and sprinkle both sides generously with salt. Let the eggplant sit with the salt on it for about 30 minutes to draw out the liquid. After the eggplant sits for 15 minutes, turn on the oven to 375 F.

While the eggplant sits, make the sauce. Heat 2-3 tsp. olive oil and sauté the finely chopped garlic just until it becomes fragrant - don't let it brown. Add the petite diced tomatoes, dried Italian seasoning, and dried oregano and let the sauce cook at a low simmer until it's thickened, breaking up the tomatoes with a fork as it cooks. Add water as needed, a few tablespoons at a time as the sauce cooks, keeping it hot by simmering at very low heat until it's needed for the eggplant slices.

After 30 minutes, wipe the eggplant dry with paper towels. Spray a roasting sheet with olive oil or non-stick spray, lay eggplant slices on, brush the tops of the eggplant with olive oil, and sprinkle with dried Italian seasoning. Roast the eggplant about 25 minutes - must still have firmness. 

While the eggplant roasts, thinly slice the fresh basil leaves and combined freshly grated Parmesan and low-fat mozzarella blend. After 25 minutes or when eggplant pieces are done, remove eggplant from the oven and turn oven setting to broil. Spread a few tablespoons of sauce on the top of each eggplant slice, sprinkle with thin basil slices and top with a generous amount of cheese. Put pizzas under the broiler until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. This took 6-7 minutes for me, but I was using a toaster oven and in a more powerful broiler it would probably only take a few minutes.
   Kalyn's Kitchen




The Super Nutrients That Promote Immune System Health


Antioxidants are anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging phytochemicals in plant foods that give fruits and vegetables their brilliant variety of colours. Antioxidants protect all cells against oxygen free radicals that can cause DNA damage and inflammatory disease. Beans and legumes are rich in disease-fighting antioxidants. 

Glutathione for cancer prevention, cancer treatment, immune system health, anti-aging, heart health, eye health, auto immune disease, cognitive function and psychological disorders.

Foods to boost master-antioxident glutathione levels: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Avocados, Peaches, Watermelon, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Turmeric, Tomatoes, Peas, Garlic, Onions, Red peppers. Another way to naturally increase your glutathione levels is to be physically active. Physical activity is really the key to natural detoxification by a health-promoting increase of circulation, sweating and deep breathing. Physical activity increases glutathione.


Lycopene is a carotenoid antioxidant that gives watermelon and tomatoes their red colour; the lycopene is more potent when the tomatoes are cooked.


Lutein is found in vegetables and fruit, egg yolks and dark leafy greens and herbs.


Zeaxanthin is a carotenoid which gives vegetables and fruits their yellow and orange colour such as carrots, peppers and squash.


Astaxanthin is the superstar of the carotenoids pigments that give flamingoes their brilliant colour as a result of eating shrimp and krill. This disease preventative antioxidant multiplies the benefits of Vitamin C and E, lowers LDL cholesterol, and is a powerful scavenger of oxygen free radicals that are created by ultra violet radiation (UVB). Astaxathin is derived from chlorella and spirulina algaes, krill, shrimp and wild salmon. Synthetic astaxathin is given to farm fish and is made from petrochemicals.


Beta Carotene converts to Vitamin A and is available in leafy greens, sweet potatoes, herbs, and carrots.


Selenium is a trace mineral that increases the potency of Vitamins C and E and is found in high amounts in brazil nut. RDA 55 micrograms.


Polyphenols are botanical antioxidants found in black and green tea, herbs, leafy greens, cocoa, dark chocolate and wine.


Vitamin C is an antioxidant and boosts the immune system, aids collagen production and health (protein structure of skin) and is found in vegetables especially broccoli and brussel sprouts, citrus fruits, papaya and strawberries.




Vitamin E promotes immune system and heart health, protects against oxygen free radicals, helps to heal the skin, and is anti-inflammatory. It is found in cold-pressed oils especially wheat germ oil, seeds, nuts and oily fish.


Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids are essential nutrients that must be obtained from our food and are anti-inflammatory. They inhibit the development of cancer including melanoma, protect the cardiovascular system and the brain, elevate mood, and protect against oxygen free radicals. They are found in cold water, fatty fish, fish oils, chia and flax seeds and algae. Recommended supplements: Barlean's Omega Swirl and Rainbow Light Omega with Astaxanthin.







Photo: Tomatillos - Michael, Verses From My Kitchen


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