This recipe is packed with plant-based protein and flavor! It’s sweet, savory, super filling and it’s made in a slow cooker, making it a great choice for busy days. Lentils are an underutilized food in the American diet. They are inexpensive compared to other protein options; they are high in fiber, folate and B vitamins, along with being a good source of minerals such as copper, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. They add a great hearty texture to soups and stews, combine with ground meats well, and can be used in a variety of ways such loaves or patties in addition to stews and soups.
Tag: healthy recipe
Carrot Cake Muffin
Contrary to what you might think, carrots are not a starchy vegetable. They may taste sweet, but 100g of carrots have a little over 9g of carbohydrates and almost 3g of fiber when compared to 100g of potatoes, which have over 20g of carb and just under 2g of fiber.
The naturally sweet taste makes carrot an excellent addition to treats such as these carrot cake muffins. These muffins are additionally sweetened with applesauce and raisins. These make an excellent breakfast addition and freeze well, too.
Savory French Toast
French toast is an excellent way to use up some old stale bread; in fact, it works better if your bread is a little dry and chewy. The dryness of the bread absorbs the milk and egg mixture without falling apart and getting too soggy. Using a whole grain bread is another way to help your French toast keep its shape. The fiber and protein in the whole grain bread will prevent the liquid from dissolving your slice, whereas white bread will dissolve and quickly get mushy. Try a little experiment at home and compare a slice of white bread against whole grain when making French toast. This is a good visual to show how whole grain bread sits in your stomach longer, keeping you fuller and feeling satisfied longer.
Yachaejeon: Korean Veggie Pancake
What to do with leftover veggies? How about a veggie pancake?
Yachaejeon is an easy to make popular dish made from whatever veggies you have left lying around your fridge, though in my opinion the flavor of scallions and onion are essential. You can follow this recipe, but try it with other veggies too, simply cut them into matchstick size, you need about 2 ½ cups of veggies total. This is a great way to use up an old pepper, or some broccoli or cauliflower stalks.
As a part of National Nutrition Month, the aim is to make food choices that not only provide healthy and nutritious fuel for our bodies, but also choices that benefit the health of our environment, fuel for the future. Finding ways to use leftovers and reduce food waste is one way you can participate. Read more here!
One Pan Pomegranate Chicken and Squash
Pomegranate is a beautiful and delicious fruit packed with nutrients. One serving, or half a fruit, had almost 6g fiber, 2g protein, 26g carbohydrates and tons of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including the powerful antioxidant, anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are chemicals that are responsible for red, blue and purple colors in many fruits and vegetables. This chemical has been getting a lot of attention as more and more research comes out on its health benefits. Anthocyanins, along with other antioxidant chemicals found in plant foods, help reduce chronic inflammation, which is thought to be an underlying condition of many chronic diseases such cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cancers. This recipe features both pomegranate juice as the seeds (also called arils) and it’s easy to make, using a single sheet pan.
Sesame Tofu Vegetable Dumplings
The Lunar New year is coming soon, and what better way to celebrate than the age-old tradition of making dumplings! Dumplings filled with pork and cabbage have long been eaten as a tradition for the Lunar New Year in many East Asian cultures. These tasty little pouches are served as a representation of financial wealth. Some say this is because they look like an ancient Chinese coin, others say dumplings look like little bags of money. Really it depends on how you fold your dumplings. The more dumplings you eat, the more wealth for the upcoming year. This recipe is a vegetable version, made with a classic plant-based filling of tofu, carrots, cabbage and shiitake mushrooms rather than pork. If you want to spice things up and get some probiotics in your meal, swap out the cabbage for kimchi. These would pair well with a salad topped with ginger dressing and a tuna steak.
Sauerkraut Soup
This recipe has a secret ingredient you likely have never used before: juniper berry. Junipers are a common spice used throughout Scandinavia all the way down to Hungary. Junipers are currently being studied for their wide array of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Some research has even suggested that juniper may help raise HDL, the good cholesterol, and may assist in better regulating blood sugar. A word of warning though: not every juniper is safe for consumption, so please buy your junipers rather than collecting ones you may have in your yard.
Tomato Stewed Trout
Trout doesn’t always come to mind when we are looking for a healthy fish. Typically, we think of salmon when considering foods high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, but other cold-water fish are great sources too, including trout, halibut, sardines and anchovies. These omega-3 fatty acids help balance your cholesterol levels, lowering the risk of developing heart disease. You can try any mild fish in this recipe; check out this chart to see what other seafood options are high in omega-3s.
Avocado Buffalo Chickpea Salad Wraps
This wrap filled with plant-based protein will be a huge hit with the family!
Chicken Taco Salad
This taco salad really is delicious and full of protein and veggies!