Category Archives: vegetarian

Black Bean Casserole

by Miraflexitarian, herbs and spices, legumes, recipes, vegetarian

black beans | photo: Paul Goyette

Unfortunately this got eaten before a picture was taken so no casserole picture. [note to self: learn to take more photographs of food]

Over on my Facebook Fan Page I posted a Meatless Monday menu of black bean casserole, roasted asparagus, spring onions, cauliflower and cauliflower greens. It was a delicious dinner. I received a request for the recipe and decided to post it over here at the blog.

I love oven roasting veggies, it's such a simple way to put them together and really makes fabulous leftovers. And black beans are a great flexitarian choice; they're tasty, easy to prepare, and go well with so many different types of dishes.

Adding beans to your diet, if you don't already eat them, is such a healthy thing to do because not only are you getting protein, you're getting lots of fiber. One cup of black beans provides 15 g. of fiber and 15 g. of protein. A pretty good deal in my book. Even better you're also getting a lot of B vitamins, primarily thiamin and folate, plus iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese.

This black bean casserole is one of my favorites because with the addition of the corn tortillas it makes a complete protein. The original recipe that I developed calls for a generous sprinkling of shredded cheese on top however due to my new dietary restrictions I am avoiding cheese. I've discovered that the rice cheeses and other “fake” cheeses are just too unpleasant for my palate, both in taste and texture so I've been feeding what I bought to the dogs (who are thrilled) and just leave out the cheese altogether. But if you're a cheese fan and can eat it, use about 3/4 C.

Being where we are in the growing season at the moment with tomatoes so very expensive (and my garden burned to a crisp due to drought) I've turned to my favorite Pomi Chopped Tomatoes which come in a box rather than a can so there is no BPA. When tomatoes are in season and not hideously expensive I definitely prefer them and use about four in this recipe.

Black Bean Casserole

2 T. olive oil
1 large red onion chopped small
2 cloves garlic minced (more if you like lots of garlic)
2 ribs celery chopped small
1/2 of a 26 oz box of chopped tomatoes
2 cups cooked black beans
1 t. cumin
6 medium size corn tortillas cut or ripped in half
2 T. minced cilantro
1 T. lime juice
2 spring onions chopped
sea salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F
Lightly grease a medium round pie dish
In a pan heat olive oil, saute onion until wilted
Add celery and garlic and saute until celery is wilted
Add black beans, tomatoes, and cumin, cook until heated through
Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste

In pie pan layer 4 corn tortilla halves with 1/3 black bean mixture
(the top layer is where the cheese goes if you're using it)
Repeat layers ending with bean mixture
Cover and bake 30 minutes
Remove from oven, sprinkle with spring onions, cilantro and lime juice

Note: when tomatoes are in season and I use fresh I often top this with some chopped tomato

Continuing To Learn

by Mirahealth, transition, vegetarian

As I move forward with my new nutritional plan I am struck by the realization that it's not easy to make one meal that satisfies everyone in my household. With one vegetarian, one emerging flexitarian, and one committed omnivore meals are a little more challenging.

Because my choices are limited by my rotation diet I am having to think and plan ahead more so that I can make multi-stage meals that can be finished off or enhanced for the other members of the family who do not need to avoid dairy, etc. Quite honestly I haven't really gotten the hang of it yet and it's definitely an eye-opener.

I hadn't thought that it would be so difficult. After all over the years I have managed various different dietary needs folded into what was once a household of five. Low fat, low cholesterol, low carb, various different dietary plans all rotated through our house before I became a Nutrition Educator and learned more about whole foods and eating according to the needs of your body rather than a one-size-fits-all dietary plan. Obviously through my training and work I have come to see clearly how we are all bio-individual and one-size does not fit all. I'm feeling a little humbled as I learn to juggle this new nutritional state of affairs.

On the other hand I'm feeling fairly good about the dietary change. I did try a few bites of chicken, and the next day my stomach wasn't too happy, I am taking it slowly and plan to start introducing some broths into my diet as well. And I'm reasonably content with what I am eating the rest of the time. It turns out (at least a few days in) that I don't miss dairy as much as I thought I would. The biggest challenge at the moment is to remember what day of the rotation I am on and to plan meals. For example, today is corn for my grain and black beans for my protein. So we're having taco bar. That's easy I can set everything out buffet style and folks can help themselves. But I do need to think ahead if anything, like beans, needs to be soaked or otherwise prepared.

It's a learning adventure and one that I realize will help me have a deeper understanding of what I suggest for some clients. As I mentioned in my last post, I've written a lot of Rotation Plans, but I've never followed one myself. It's one thing to comprehend it and entirely something else to understand it.

Walking The Walk

by Miraflexitarian, transition, vegetarian

I love what I do, how I am able to help people learn to eat well so they can be well. I also work hard to take care of my own health through nutrition and other means. I feel like I am in good shape and know that I have come so very far since the health care crisis of 2003 that lead me to this career.

Part of my changes, way back when, was the adoption of a vegetarian diet. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis after more than ten years of misdiagnosis as IBS. The Nutritionist suggested that I consider eating a vegetarian diet for three months to allow my gut to heal. I felt so good on the vegetarian diet that I didn't look back. I was able to eat a balanced diet and to learn how to stay healthy with this eating pattern. This is something that many many people do. According to a 2008 study by Vegetarian Times over 7 million Americans follow a vegetarian diet. More than half of them do so for health reasons.

I know that some people try vegetarian diets but ultimately wind up becoming carbotarians instead. Thinking that because they are not eating meat that means they should eat lots of pasta and other simple carbohydrates. Being a vegetarian isn't difficult but it does require thinking about your protein and fats and, oh yeah, you do need to eat vegetables. Many, if not most, carbotarians eventually wind up going back to eating meat because they get so sick by not supporting the needs of their body.

I'm confident in my knowledge as a Nutrition Educator, I've helped lots of people feel better with learning to eat the right way for their body. And no, that does not mean I make everyone become a vegetarian. We work together to help you find what works best for your bio-individual body and then we go from there to build a nutritional plan. I have always said that I was a vegetarian because it best met my body needs and my focus is to eat in harmony with my body. I've also been fond of pointing out that our dietary needs change throughout different cycles of our life, otherwise we would all still be drinking breast milk.

So imagine my shock when I received the results of a recent food sensitivity test (which I have never taken before) which indicated that I had some very serious food sensitivities going on. I feel good, I look fine, I struggle a bit time-to-time but I put that down to the UC which I manage without medication. The results of the test appear to indicate that I have a fair amount of inflammation going on in my gut and what I had been attributing to one thing was actually something quite different altogether. I now need to make some significant changes to my diet.

The bottom line is that I am highly sensitive to dairy products (cow and goat) and eggs. Darn. That's a significant source of protein for me. Considering my options I feel that it would be best for me to add lean meats back into my diet, a big change after all these years. I've also had to write a rotation diet for myself. I've created a number of them for clients but never imagined that I would wind up doing this for myself. I hadn't realized how comfortable I'd become with my vegetarian diet, my inclination when reaching for breakfast is eggs, my idea of a great snack is a yogurt parfait with fresh fruit. Because I am committed to my health and my body I know that for at least the next three to six months those are no longer part of my diet. I am hopeful that by avoiding them and doing an intestinal repair and recolonizing program I will be able to at least add them back in on a rotation basis when this is all done.

In the meantime I am reminded on so many different levels how the only thing that is constant is change.

Serendipity

by Mirareviews, vacation, vegetarian

For those of you who don't know, I”m a vegetarian. I became one back in 2005 due to health reasons. I felt so much better that I've never looked back. It does however, at times, become a bit of a problem. Finding vegetarian choices in the United States is not so much of a problem but when traveling it can be more of a challenge.

Currently my husband and I are on a ten day tour of Northern France, enjoying the sights, sounds, and history of the Picardy and Normandy regions. Sadly I've discovered that many times there is not much of an option for vegetarians. I've eaten a lot of salad crudite, pain et fromage, and green salad. All, I must confess, quite delicious, but sometimes it gets boring to eat the same thing over and over. When asking at a restaurant if they serve vegetarian meals and having the hostess start with poisson — fish — is not a hopeful beginning. I did have one bad aftermath from a meal of vegetables that apparently were cooked in a meat broth, I paid for that the next day with abdominal distress.

So tonight was an absolute delight. We stopped at Restaurant de la Halles in Lyon de Foret looking for dinner of some kind. Our server inquired of the chef if he could accomodate a vegetarian. His proposed menu was a dish of asparagus and green beans accompanied with a leek and potato creme fraiche gratin. Delicious? This meal was wonderful and one of the most satisfying I've had on the entire trip. I ate every bit and seriously wanted to lick the dish that those potatoes were cooked in. My husband had a fish dish that he said was very delicious. Thank you sir for a delicious meal and for being so thoughtful. Thank you also for the amazing Poire belle Helene that I shared with my husband for dessert.

I don't limit my travel due to my dietary restrictions, however I am always pleased when I find a restaurant that is willing to be so accommodating (and creates such good food).

Swiss Chard

by Mirasummer, vegetables, vegetarian

Swiss chard | Jonathunder

I love Swiss chard. Of course I love all of the dark leafy green but Swiss chard is one of my favorites. Colorful, delicious and easy to use in so many different ways it's really a fabulous green to add to your food plan. I just finished planting some in my garden and am eagerly awaiting it's growth so that we can enjoy it.

Apparently originally from Sicily one of the great things about Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris) is that you can eat the leaves when they are young and quite tender but they are still tasty when they are larger and more mature. The ruby and rainbow varieties are more colorful and I confess a preference that is totally related to that color as I enjoy seeing their beautiful stems and leaves in the garden or in my dishes. For productivity however, the plain green variety does seem to produce more heavily. On the other hand, like beets, the red and rainbow varieties are higher in betacyanins, which are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and believed to support detoxification.

Nutritionally, like all the dark leafy greens, Swiss chard is a powerhouse food to add to your diet. One cup of the cooked greens provides more than the RDV for vitamin K and vitamin A and around 50% of the RDV for vitamin C. It also delivers a substantial amount of minerals like magnesium, manganese, potassium, and iron.

Recently I came across these two recipes for Swiss chard from Martha Rose Schulman in her New York Times column and they look so delicious they will definitely be included in how we eat this fabulous green this summer.

Stir Fried Swiss Chard and Red Peppers

Swiss Chard and Chickpea Minestrone

What's your favorite way to eat this wonderful leafy vegetable? I'd love it if you'd share a recipe or two.

Eat White Food

by Miraimmune system, legumes, pantry, protein, vegetables, vegetarian

I frequently spend a lot of time asking people to eat the colors of the rainbow. There are so many tasty colorful foods that I am at a loss to understand how the Standard American Diet came to be mostly beige. On my Facebook Fan Page I often push colorful foods. For the most part this means fruits and vegetables that are higher in nutrients, tasty and easy to incorporate into the diet in their whole food form.

Today however I'm here to advocate for white foods; at least some of them. I'll still be one of the first to tell you that white rice, white pasta, white bread, white potatoes and that ilk are primarily simple carbs and not a great choice. But there are some other white foods that are fabulous and should definitely be part of your nutritionally dense, healthy eating plan.

Cauliflower ] photo: Liftarn

Cauliflower – A cruciferous vegetable that is loaded with vitamin C, cauliflower also provides vitamin K, and some folate. It's also got a type of phytonutrient called glucosinolates which are a good choice for detoxification activity within our bodies. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties make cauliflower high on the list for cancer prevention and heart health while it's high levels of fiber make it a great choice for supporting healthy digestion. You can eat it raw, steamed, baked, roasted, and cooked. Don't forget about the greens, these are also edible and make a great addition to a stir fry or curried greens.

Parsnip | photo: A.Cahalan

Parsnips – A root vegetable that is loaded with fiber, parsnips also provide vitamin C, vitamin K and folate. They have a wonderful mineral content that includes calcium (yes folks, 1 C. of parsnips gives you 5% of your RDV for calcium), magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese. I've read that before people knew that potatoes were edible, parsnips were one of the prized root vegetable for their mild, delicious flavor. They can be eaten raw, cooked, mashed, steamed, and make a wonderful addition to a root vegetable medley or a carrot, sweet potato, parsnip latke.

Garlic | photo: geocachernemesis

Garlic – Another wonderful root vegetable garlic is a fabulous antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, cancer fighting, immune system boosting food that needs to be a part of your diet. If chopped and let to sit for a few minutes oxidization boosts the powerful antioxidant allicins. Many people, myself included, when feeling a little under the weather, will chop a clove or two of garlic and swallow it down raw (do not do this on an empty stomach as it may cause digestive upset). Delicious, healthy, easy to use in a vast array of dishes, it's one white vegetable that belongs in your pantry. As tasty as it is, it's no wonder that there's a recipe for chicken with 40 cloves of garlic.

White Onion | photo: multadroit

Onions – there are all different types of onions so it seems a bit odd to single out the white ones since I tend to use them all. The white ones include sweets, cipollinis, shallots, pearl onions and more. Try them all, they're delicious and so good for you. High in chromium, which is great for your blood sugar, onions also have a high level of sulfur compounds which makes them a great choice as a heart healthy, immune boost, cancer fighting, anti-inflammatory vegetable. They also provide copper which is important for bone health.

Mushrooms | photo: Chris 73

Mushrooms – everyone is going crazy for shitake, oyster, portobello, maitake and other mushrooms these days. But that doesn't mean that you should discount those tasty white mushrooms. They pack a nutritious punch with lots of fiber, vitamin B12 (especially important for vegetarians and vegans), potassium, copper, and selenium. 1/2 cup of mushrooms provides a whole lot of flavor yet only 7 calories. Another easy, versatile vegetable they can be used in many different ways in a wide variety of cuisines.

White Beans | photo: Rasbak

White Beans – This color covers a number of different kinds of beans, navy, great northern, cannellini, pea beans, and more. A great source of protein, white beans also offer a great source of iron and fiber. They are good for stabilizing blood sugar, good for your heart, your digestion and can be eaten so many different ways. They pair well with an almost endless combination of vegetables, herbs, and spices. One of my favorite ways to eat them is cold (after cooking) in a salad drizzled with a pesto dressing.

Celeriac | photo: AlbertCahalan

Celeriac – Sometimes referred to as celery root this tastes like a cross between celery and parsley. It's great in combination with other root vegetables, goes great into a slaw, cooks up well in a casserole, and is another great choice to add to your diet. Low in calories but high in vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese it's considered a detoxifying vegetable. It may also help with blood pressure health and support bone health.

So eat a rainbow of food, whole foods that is, but don't forget white is all the colors of the rainbow and needs to be part of your plate too.

Energy Bars

by Miracrockpot, grains, recipes, snacks, vegetarian

Energy bars are a great snack to have in your pantry. They are handy and healthy for after school, wonderful if you need a little something in the afternoon to tide you over until dinner, great for after a workout, and easily portable for on the road. Unfortunately many of the commercial bars are loaded with chemicals and preservatives (which should be avoided as much as possible).

You can bypass the chemicals and preservatives in commercial energy bars if you make them yourself. My favorite way to do this is to start with a batch of my own Great Granola. It's easy to make in your slow cooker, delicious, healthy, and very reasonably priced. The overall cost of these homemade energy bars is typically less than purchasing them in the store.

To boost the nutrition of my energy bars I add sesame seeds, which are high in copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. They also add fiber and a great nutty flavor. Another addition is almond butter. Almonds are an alkalizing nut with heart healthy monounsaturated fat. Studies have shown they can limit the rise in blood sugar which normally happens after you eat; they also provide antioxidants. Almond butter can be purchased in a number of grocery stores from the grind-your-own machine, you can make it very easily in a food processor, or you can purchase commercial varieties. If you purchase commercial almond butter look for one with no added oil, sugar, or preservatives.

After making the bars I wrap them individually in wax paper and store them in an airtight container. They keep well although given their popularity I have yet to figure out exactly how long they will last.

Great Granola Energy Bars
makes 16

3 C. granola
3/4 C. sesame seeds
1 C. almond butter
1/2 C. raw honey

Toast sesame seeds lightly in a pan until golden
In a double boiler combine almond butter and honey
Stir together as it begins to soften and melt
When very warm and liquid add in sesame seeds
In a large bowl thoroughly combine granola and honey, almond butter, sesame seeds
Oil a baking pan (I use either grapeseed or walnut oil)
Pour mixture onto pan
Lightly oil your hands and press mixture onto the pan
Allow mixture to cool completely before cutting into bars

Shitake Pinto Bean Burgers

by Miralegumes, recipes, vegetables, vegetarianbeans, burger, shitake, vegan

My friend Alexandra shared this fabulous recipe with me and is letting me share it with all of you.

I love bean burgers but confess that sometimes I get tired of the same recipe over and over again. I also usually make lentil or black bean burgers. This recipe sparked my interest because it was a different kind of bean and the addition of shitake mushrooms.

Mushrooms can be a very wonderful food to add to your diet. Asian cultures promote the use of mushrooms for the medicinal values, they do have healthy properties, and they are very tasty. Shitake mushrooms in particular have something called lentian in them, a substance that helps to boost the immune system, and studies indicate that it has anti-cancer properties. Shitake mushrooms are also a good source of iron, vitamin C, and fiber as well as providing some protein.

Here's Alexandra's recipe, let us know what you paired it with.

Shitake Pinto Bean Burgers

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Ingredients

3 1/2 cups or 1 can of pinto beans
1 cup rough chop shitake mushrooms
1 small red onion diced
1/2 cup green onions diced
3-4 cloves of crushed garlic
1/2 tsp each of cumin and corriander
Sprinkle of chipotle chili powder

Instructions

Saute garlic and onions for 2-3 minutes
Add mushrooms, green onions, cumin and corriander
Cook for 2-3 minutes
While veggies are cooking, mash beans
Add veggies, chipotle chili powder, salt & pepper to beans, mix well
Shape into patties
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
Spread a bit of coconut oil on paper (helps with browning)
Place patties on cookie sheet and bake in 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes, flipping after 15 minutes
These are great topped with avocado and a side of greens. Enjoy

Banana Oat Pancakes

by Mirabaking, breakfast, gluten free, oats, pancake, recipes, vegetarian

Do you love pancakes?

We love pancakes in our house. They are a great, easy to make, healthy, whole-grain breakfast. Throw in some fresh fruit and maybe a little homemade Greek yogurt and it's the perfect meal to start your day…filling, nutritious, blood-sugar balancing, and, most importantly, delicious. Of course, pancakes are also delicious at any time [breakfast for dinner anyone?].

Using whole grains

I love it when I find a recipe that is so perfect it doesn't need anything else. This recipe is one of them. From my King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking book, it's a recipe that is a consistent favorite. I love the fact that it's made from whole grains. Although I make my own oat flour by grinding oat groats you can easily make it at home by placing old fashioned oats in the food processor or blender and blending it until it reaches a fine consistency. If that's more than you are willing to do you can also just buy it, both Arrowhead Mills and Bob's Red Mill sell oat flour or you can get certified gluten-free oat flour from Legacy Valley or Cream Hill Estates.

As a quick side note, because oats tend to be grown near, stored with or transported with other glutinous grains, most specifically wheat, if you're following a gluten-free diet you'll need to make sure you're getting certified gluten-free oats. Certified producers grow and process only oats, guaranteeing that there is no cross-contamination.

This recipe is simple and delicious. One of the things that my family likes so much about it is that the pancakes are very fluffy. You don't realize that these are whole grain oat pancakes they are that light and airy. The bananas combined with the cinnamon and nutmeg make it a delicious way to start your day. I also like having another great recipe that allows me to use up any almost over-ripe bananas.

King Arthur Flour's Banana-Oat Pancakes

2020-02-24 16:50:29

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Ingredients

3 small bananas mashed
2 T. unsalted butter melted (use organic)
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. sugar (I reduce this to 1 t. as the bananas when they are this ripe have a lot of natural sugars)
2 eggs
1 C. oat flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg

Instructions

Stir together the mashed bananas, butter, lemon juice and sugar in a medium bowl.
Beat in the eggs.
Whisk together the oat flour, baking soda, salt and spices in a small bowl.
Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients.
Stir the batter just until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened.
Check to be sure the batter is thin enough for your pancakes; you may need to add a touch of milk or water (I never do)
Let the batter sit 10 minutes before using.
Heat a nonstick griddle or heavy skillet.
If your surface is not non-stick brush it lightly with vegetable oil.
When the surface is ready spoon batter 1/4 C. at a time into the pan.
Let the pancakes cook on the first side until bubbles begin to for around the edges, 3-4 minutes.
When the pancakes are just beginning to set flip then and let them cook on the second side, about 1 1/2 minutes more.
You can sprinkle toasted walnuts over the batter just before cooking as an extra treat.

By King Arthur Flour

The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/

Curried Carrot Sprout Salad

by Miralegumes, recipes, vegetables, vegetarian

In the tastes-better-than-the-picture category we have today's lunch offering. A conversation earlier in the day with my friend Blujay about ways to use sprouts brought up the idea of putting them into a curried carrot salad.

Salads are so wonderful in the warmer months, keeping a couple on hand in the fridge means you always have something for lunch or dinner. I love the idea of assembling a bunch of different salads for a composed plate as a refreshing way to make a meal. If you don't happen to have fresh sprouts on hand you many grocery stores now carry them although they're certainly easy to make and I think it's better to get them fresh, it's certainly easy to do.

Curried Carrot Sprout Salad

6 large carrots, topped and shredded
1 C. fresh bean sprouts
1/4 C. dried currants
1/4 C. raw sunflower seeds
1/4 C. chopped walnuts
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1 t. curry powder
salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together
Let sit in fridge for at least two hours to chill and for flavor to settle

Bean sprouts are very healthy. The act of sprouting forces the bean to convert some of it's starches, this makes it more easily digestible. Many of the nutrients are increased by sprouting as well, especially vitamin A, vitamin C and some of the B vitamins. They can be made year round using very simple equipment, just a pot, a sieve and an insulated space.

I use mine in salads, green smoothies, blended into soups and sometimes just as a snack. They are delicious

Homemade Bean Sprouts

1/2 C. assorted dried beans (I like adzuki, mung, lentil and black beans)
Sort through beans and rinse
Put in a metal pot, cover with water and set in the oven overnight (oven is off)
In the morning drain and rinse the beans well
Return to the oven
Repeat until beans have 1/2″ long tails

Rinse and eat
May be stored in the fridge but make sure they are fully dry before you do that to avoid spoilage

Note: when making your sprouts it is helpful to put a note stating “sprouts” on the oven door so that people don't preheat the oven without looking and accidentally cook your sprouts. Just saying…