This is a blue print of a well-rounded plant based meal that can give full nutritional support to vegans and vegetarians as well as major benefits to omnivores, especially those that do not regularly have vegetarian meals. Making big batches of millet (or brown rice or quinoa) and having cans of beans or lentils on hand can make this easy to throw together over a few consecutive days with some fresh vegetables. Continue Reading →
Portobello mushrooms are hearty and dense enough to create a good base for mini pizzas and their rich earthy taste pairs well with lots of different stuffings. They are matured crimini (a.k.a. button) mushrooms, and they contain a range of vitamins and minerals (especially selenium, copper, potassium and phosphorus) and are very supportive for the health of white blood cells, and consequently a healthy immune system. Merguez is a long and thin lamb sausage, used in Moroccan and other Northern African cuisines, and is usually flavored with smokey cumin and spicy harissa. Continue Reading →
This is something that I like to have available as much as possible, in some variation. My brothers are uncharacteristically more inclined to go more for fruit than chips when such an easy option with no work required is available. Basically any fruit works together but melon does tend to be digested faster so it is more ideal to eat it on its own. Continue Reading →
Tacos are a great option for a meal with people who have different tastes and appetite levels because everyone can serve themselves. To make them healthier, I like to add in extra vegetables through lettuce shells and a couple different types of salsa, as well as add in a layer of refried beans at the base. Continue Reading →
A meal like this provides a wide range of fruits and vegetables which guarantees a vast range of vitamins and minerals, plus lots of good carbohydrates for energy and fiber to keep things moving. The egg white glaze on the roasted yams along with the chicken both provide the essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) that our bodies need to rebuild and maintain a healthy immune system. The avocado and olive oil provide a good but balanced level of healthy fats that are important for lustrous skin, hair and nails, as well as brain health and clear, efficient thinking. Continue Reading →
Bison is similar in taste and texture to beef. The way the animals are raised and fed leads to variances in their nutritional content but generally bison has less calories and saturated fat than beef, while being higher in iron and vitamin B-12, important nutrients for maintaining high energy levels. Bison cooks very fast, making it a good option for throwing a meal together quickly and easily. Continue Reading →
This is a meal that even non-cooks can throw together easily. My brother will be going to Europe next year for a semester abroad so he wants to learn how to cook, especially some Canadian inspired meals. This is one of his favorite salmon dishes and now one of his specialties. Continue Reading →
This is the kind of dish I like to make when I am out of town and don’t have full access to my regular arsenal of flavorings and spices. Because there are so few ingredients the quality of the sausage makes a huge difference. I recommend getting one from a local butcher, they tend to be much higher in quality, way fresher and with lots of interesting combinations, minus all the cheap fillers like soy, MSG and hydrogenated oils. Continue Reading →
Frozen bananas have become a pretty well known (in healthy food circles) ice cream substitute, known as “nice cream” but they are also a great base for popsicles. From there the coating can be any kind of chocolate and the final topping can be any kind of nuts or seeds (although my brother is watching me type this and he says that seeds are only appealing to squirrels [he’s wrong]). Dark chocolate is ideal nutritionally because it has a higher concentration of cacao and usually less sugar. Continue Reading →
Potatoes are a particularly great source of potassium, I’m not sure if their names start the same way for that reason or if it is just a coincidence. Potassium is an electrolyte and it is crucial for maintaining hydration and a proper pH, or acid alkaline balance in the blood and other tissues. It is also integral for nervous and cardiovascular systems, and increasing it can be potentially as effective as lowering sodium for people with high blood pressure. Continue Reading →