Best Of Health

A gorgeous, satisfying vegetarian main course that's easy to make. Quinoa requires no pre-soaking, so it's simple to make and tasty too.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pinch of saffron

1 cup water

1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 cups 1-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (from 1 1/2-pound squash)

2 cups 3/4-inch cubes peeled carrots

Quinoa

1 cup quinoa*

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrot

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 cups water

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint, divided

For stew:

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Mix in paprika and next 8 ingredients. Add 1 cup water, tomatoes, and lemon juice. Bring to boil. Add squash and carrots. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

For quinoa:

Rinse quinoa; drain. Melt butter with oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot. Cover; cook until vegetables begin to brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, salt, and turmeric; sauté 1 minute. Add quinoa; stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.

Rewarm stew. Stir in half of cilantro and half of mint. Spoon quinoa onto platter, forming well in center. Spoon stew into well. Sprinkle remaining herbs over. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

source: Bon Appétit, Photo: Pornchai Mittongtare Bruce Aidells and Nancy Oakes

Looking for a quick and easy sandwich that gives you flavour and good health? Try this yummy variation.                                               

                                                    NUTTY CUCUMBER SANDWICH

Ingredients:

½ cup snow pea pods, trimmed

2 thin slices whole grain sprouted bread

3 to 4 ounces soft goat cheese, mozzarella or vegan cheese

1/3 cup seasoned roasted soy nuts or walnuts

½ medium cucumber peeled and sliced

1 medium tomato thinly sliced

Salt (optional)

Spread one side each bread slice with cheese.

Sprinkle 1 of the bread slices with nuts, pressing gently into cheese.

Top with cucumber, tomato and pea pods.

Sprinkle lightly with salt if desired.

Top with remaining bread slice.

Enjoy!

I found this very tasty recipe on the world's healthiest foods site. It's worth a try. And the site is worth a visit.

Not Meatloaf
This alternative to the usual meatloaf makes a hearty meal that is so tasty no one will miss the meat. Serve with steamed vegetables and a green salad.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup dry brown lentils
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (fresh works, too)
2 eggs
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 teaspoons vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup + more for top (if desired)
1 tablespoon Tamari (or Bragg's)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Directions:
Cook the lentils and the brown rice (separately) according to the package instructions.*

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mash the lentils. Add the remaining ingredients plus salt and pepper and combine well. Pour into a loaf pan coated in veg. spray (or an 8x8 baking dish, in a pinch). Spread more ketchup on top if you like it that way.

Black Bean Chili

This is a meat free recipe that can be adapted to ground beef. As is, it is one of the tastiest recipes for chili I have tried. It is an excellent source of molybdenum, fiber, vitamin c, and folate.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion chopped

1 medium green pepper diced into ¼ inch pieces

1 TBS + 1/2 cup vegetable broth

3 medium cloves garlic chopped

2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, (do not drain)

2 TBS ground cumin

2 TBS red chili powder

1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

¼ cup cilantro chopped

salt & black pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium size pot. Saute onion and bell pepper in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic, cumin, and red chili powder and continue to sauté for another minute.

Add ½ cups broth and rest of ingredients, except cilantro and corn. Add more broth if necessary to get the desired consistency. Simmer for another 20 minutes uncovered. Add corn and cook for another 2 minutes. Add chopped cilantro and season with salt & pepper to taste. Serves 4 Serving Suggestions

Serve with toasted Ezekiel bread and a fresh salad

This simple squash dish is one of our favourites and I serve it often but I just noticed that I have never taken a picture. Still it is the time of year when squash is plentiful and warm oven cooked meals are a welcome change so I will post a pic when we have it for dinner again.

This recipe lends itself well to experimentation. The bland sweetness of  the squash  accepts a dash of nutmeg or any variation of vegetables and herbs you may like. I have also sneaked in a clove of crushed garlic with good results.

This is the first year I got into some serious gardening. When we moved into this house two and a half years ago we inherited some beautifully manicured gardens filled with clematis, honeysuckle and ivy from the previous owner. I added a few tomato plants and lettuce in tubs and left at that.

This year I decided to rethink the whole yard and filled every blank space with peas, green beans, cucumbers, squash and so on. We dug up some of the lawn to make way for the new plantings. I must say the floral beauty was compromised somewhat. Two of the  hostas are completely hidden but the jungle like greenery was incredible. And so were the amazing fresh vegetables we enjoyed all summer. The taste of green bean and peas picked, steamed and taken straight to the table has no comparison. While tomatoes have a sweetness beyond compare. Raw tomato soup (in recipe archives as "Easy Raw Soup") made from fresh picked tomatoes and cucumbers was a favourite served with lightly grilled zucchini and onion.

Needless to say I am already planning next year's garden which will involve much less grass and many more beds. I am even thinking a few stocks of corn in the far back corner..........

So no blade of grass will be safe, no inedible portion of lawn will survive, except of course the beautiful patch of dandelion I have cultivated for salad greens over by the rose bushes. And yes, the flowers will be encouraged for they are food for the soul

Recently my good friend Caroline achieved her certificate in Morphologic Hematology. We had a wonderful dinner to celebrate her success. I happily did the cooking and drew from my fabulous collection of vegetarian recipes. Some of them already appear in this blog but some are new to me and, I must admit, turned out very well. If you should decide to prepare a multi-dish menu for your friends you might want to try this.

3 tablespoons (45 gr) of butter

2 leeks or onions, chopped

4 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped

2 cups (500 ml) of diced celery

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

6 cups (1.5 L) of chicken stock

1 pinch of ground nutmeg

In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.

Add the leeks or onions. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the chopped apples and celery. Cook for 5 minutes while stirring.

Mix in the potatoes, chicken stock and nutmeg. Add salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on. Liquidize in an electric blender.

1 medium onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced (optional)
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 packages ground beef alternative
1/4 cup oatmeal, dry
2 slices bread, crumbled
3 Tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. pepper

Coating ingredients:
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

? Sauté the onion and green pepper in the oil over medium heat until soft. Combine in a bowl with the ground beef alternative, oatmeal, bread, ketchup, garlic salt, and pepper. Thoroughly mix with a spoon or your hands.
? Press the mixture into an oiled loaf pan. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.
? Meanwhile, mix together the ingredients for the coating and set aside.
? Remove the loaf from the oven and turn it out onto a baking sheet. Spread the coating over the entire loaf. Cook, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.

This is a delightfully tasty treat. Watch closely toward the end the broccoli florettes can over crisp quickly.

1 bunch broccoli cut into florets, stems peeled and sliced or diced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Toss broccoli florettes with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Spread out on baking sheet and roast for about 12 to 15 minutes with out stirring or turning. Edges of broccoli should be crispy and the stems crispy and tender. Serve warm.

It was served with a chardonnay and for dessert we had very light gluten free, non dairy cookies. The whole meal was easy on the palate and the digestion.