Brisk fall air might have made its way to Cincinnati this week, but there are still loads of the versatile summer staple – cucumbers – at the Farmer’s Market to remind me that the seasons haven’t turned just yet. But we’re getting close. I can almost smell fall in the air. I can’t wait for apples, pumpkins and all the sweet goodness that comes with fall.

But back to summer -

I added cucumber to the blender this week while making hummus and was very pleasantly surprised by the cool refreshing flavor it added. Just a hint of cucumber – not too overpowering at all.

Here’s a fun-filled fact I just learned about cucumbers – they are part of the same botanical family as watermelon, cantaloupe and all squashes. I guess I sort of see the resemblance with watermelon, but the other members of the family were a bit… unexpected.

Anyway, adding cucumber to hummus is an easy way to kick the nutrient-density of this dip up a few notches, cram in extra phytonutrients and maximize antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, which is always a good thing. This comes in handy, especially if you’re dipping chips into the hummus, which don’t really big a lot of nutrient-punch. Ok, they don’t bring any.

This is a great dip that I will definitely make for company, or just to have at home, again and again.

Ingredients:

1/2 large cucumber, peeled

2 cloves garlic

15 ounces cooked chickpeas

3 tablespoons tahini

juice from 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 – 2 tablespoons of water

Directions:

Put everything into blender or food processor and blend until thoroughly combined and smooth.

Use spatula to pour hummus into bowl.

Place bowl in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to chill. Hummus will thicken slightly.

Serve with fresh vegetables, crackers, chips or add a scoop to your salad or whatever else you’re eating!

Despite the fact that beans are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber, I think we can all agree that these guys don’t exactly have the best reputation. We all know the songs…”Beans, beans, they’re good for the heart…” or “Beans, beans, the musical fruit…” – but indigestion and gas don’t have to be the unavoidable side effects of eating beans. Since beans seem to be a little misunderstood I thought I’d drop a little knowledge this morning and hopefully clear up some of the myths and confusion.

Lets start with a few health benefits. Beans are high in fiber and protein. They don’t have any cholesterol. Beans don’t have a big effect on our blood sugar levels and they don’t contain a lot of fat. They are a great source for preventing heart disease and cancer. The varieties are plentiful so there are endless options to choose from so you should never feel bored.

So why the musical encore after you eat beans? There are three factors that affect the digestibility of beans – their chemistry, preparation and freshness. Beans contain complex sugars, which our digestive system can not digest. So when we eat them, these undigested sugars pass through our digestive tract and when they reach the lower intestinal area they are fermented and broken down, which produces large amounts of hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane – the components of flatulence or what some may refer to as “farts”. Yes, I just said farts in my blog. Lets move on.

Soaking whole beans before cooking them can significantly reduce or eliminate the musical side effects. Not only does soaking beans significantly reduce their cooking time, but it also significantly enhances their digestibility. Adding kombu (seaweed) to the beans while they cook also helps break down the complex sugars. Seaweed helps with digestion and provides lots of nutrients and antioxidants. Win – win.

To get your beans from the grocery store to your plate, lets start at the beginning.

1. Your beans will expand when you soak them so if you need 2 cups of beans, start with soaking 1 cup of dried beans. Pour your beans into a container and cover with 4 inches of water. Soak beans for a minimum of 8 hours. For my super sensitive digestive system, I like to soak beans for 24 hours. Change the soaking water at least twice. You’ll see some foam start to collect – that’s a good thing. The sugars are breaking down. This is what it looks like.

2. Rinse beans with fresh water and remove any stones or loose skins. Discard the soaking water.

3. Place the beans in a large pot and add enough water to cover the beans by 3 or 4 inches.

4. Bring to a full boil and skim off any foam that has collected.

5. Add kombu, bay leaves or garlic cloves for flavor and digestibility.

6. Cover pot and lower the temperature to simmer. Cook beans 20-90 minutes until beans are soft in the middle and easy to squeeze. Beans should be soft, but not falling apart.

Here are a few other tips to increase digestibility.

1. Chew thoroughly before swallowing.

2. Smaller beans are easier to digest than larger beans (and also require less soaking and cooking time). Adzuki, lentils and mung beans are good small beans to start with.

3. Adding fennel or cumin near the end of cooking can also help prevent gas.

4. Adding apple cider or white wine vinegar towards the end of cooking helps soften the beans and increase digestibility.

Store your dry beans in a cool, dark place. Beans that are more than a year old will be less nutrient-dense and harder to digest.

So now you have all the tools you need to whip up some beans any time without the uncomfortable musical side effects. Beans are inexpensive, nutrient dense and a far better option than antibiotic-filled meat so I hope that you give ‘em a shot.

Here are a few of my favorite bean recipes.

Dahl

Black Bean Burgers

Moroccan Lentil Salad

One thing that I love about being in school is that I am constantly learning. Every day. It’s pretty cool. Take for example, glutamine. It’s the most abundant free amino acid in the body and plays a huge role in maintaining intestinal structure and keeping the intestinal tract healthy. For someone with UC this is incredibly useful information. The intestines thrive on glutamine for metabolic fuel and for upkeep of the colon lining. Our first line of defense against disease-causing microorganisms is in the gastrointestinal tract, so I think it’s safe to say that glutamine is essential to preserving general well-being. It’s also an extremely powerful antioxidant and plays a role in maintaining a healthy acid-base balance in the body, which is crucial to being disease-free.

Cabbage is an excellent source of glutamine. I think this is quickly going to become one of my most frequently consumed foods. I loved the way this dish came out and I hope you do too.

Ingredients:

1/2 – 3/4 small head green cabbage, coarsely chopped

1 Fuji or Gala apple, coarsely chopped

1/2 – 3/4 small red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

dash of pepper

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

juice from half a lemon

Directions:

Drop garlic and a small dribble of grapeseed oil in large pan and apply medium heat. Saute for a 2 or 3 minutes and add red onion. Saute for another 5 minutes. Add tablespoon of grapeseed oil.

Add apple. Add cabbage. Coat cabbage and apple in oil and sauté. Once cabbage has wilted slightly add spices and lemon juice. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes and serve warm. Cabbage should still have some crunch. Apple will be soft and the sweetness will disperse.

Over the weekend Ryan and I attended a mac & cheese and wine pairing event at our friends’ home. So, in case you haven’t already figured it out, each guest was asked to bring a homemade macaroni and cheese dish and pair it with a bottle of wine. Sounds like a fun party theme to me! And it was! Everyone got really into it and came up with some very creative dishes.

I brought 2 different dishes – not because I was trying to show off – but I know my body and that it does not like dairy, so I brought a dairy dish and a dairy-free (and gluten free) dish. Both got good reviews. I haven’t had this childhood classic in years so I was happy to come up with a dish that I could eat without suffering and still be able to participate. This just goes to show you that no matter what your dietary restrictions might be, you are really only limited if you let yourself be. As you’ll see in the vegan recipe below -

Despite how different these two dishes are, they have one thing in common. Both are made with whole foods and high quality ingredients. The quality of the ingredient is very important, especially if it’s coming from an animal. Yes, it’s might be expensive, but that’s just another reason not to eat a lot of animal protein (that means anything that comes from an animal – cheese, milk, meat). And when you do, balance it out with some dark leafy greens. Think of animal protein as a side dish, not the main course.

Nutritional yeast is great if you don’t eat a lot of meat. It’s a great source of B-vitamins, which are essential nutrients that you can only really get from animal proteins. I love it for this reason as well as it’s flavor and the texture it gives to food – like its role in making “cheese”. I wouldn’t recommend the soy cheeses out there. Use real ingredients instead. Those “fake cheeses” are just food-like-substances filled with artificial ingredients.

Spicy Mac and Cheese (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:
4 cups Whole Grain or Whole Wheat pasta
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup red pepper, finely chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
6½ tablespoons. organic butter
4 tablespoons almond flour
2½ cups organic milk
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon. ground black pepper
8 ounces organic colby jack cheese, shredded
4 ounces organic pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 ounces organic sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounces whole wheat bread shredded

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.

Melt ½ tablespoon of organic butter in a small skillet and add onion, red pepper and jalapeno. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of organic butter. Whisk in almond flour. Add milk until well blended. Whisk and stir frequently until the mixture bubbles and thickens, about 5 minutes. Reduce to low heat and add the spices. Mix well. Add cheese and mix well. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease casserole dish.

Pour drained pasta into large pot. Add cooked vegetables and cheese sauce. Mix well.

Pour pasta mixture into casserole dish.

Use food processor to pulse bread into coarse crumbs. Transfer crumbs to small sauce pan. Melt remaining butter and mix with bread crumbs. Sprinkle mixture over the pasta in the casserole dish.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until bread crumbs are beginning to turn brown.

Vegan Mac & Cheese (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:

16 ounces brown rice pasta

Cheese Sauce:

¾ cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup nutritional yeast

½ cup organic canola oil

½ cup tamari

12 ounce firm tofu

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon paprika

2 tablespoons mustard

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to directions on package.

Add cheese sauce ingredients to blender and process until smooth.

Mix the pasta and sauce in large pot and pour into casserole dish.

Bake until the top of the pasta looks slightly brown and crispy – approximately 15 minutes.

Have I mentioned how much I heart lentils? Sure there’s the obvious reason – they’re healthy (more on that in a minute), but what I really love is how low maintenance they are. Lentils do not need to be soaked before cooking, making them a quick and easy way to pack in the nutrients. Rich in fiber, folate and phytonutrients, these antioxidants protect against oxidative damage caused by free radicals.

Cumin is not only great for flavor, but it’s a good source of iron and is great for your digestive and immune systems. Turmeric fights inflammation so it’s a great spice to incorporate into your daily diet, because we all benefit from anti-inflammatory foods.

So just when it was starting to feel like spring Mother Nature decided to remind us that it’s only the beginning of March and threw in a few cold and dreary days. At least it wasn’t snow! A bowl of stew felt like the perfect remedy to offset the dampness. I ate this nutrient-packed stew with extra kale and brown rice and it definitely warmed me up!

Ingredients:

1 cup dried red lentils

¾ cup dried chickpeas

1 large onion, chopped

3 cups vegetable broth, low sodium

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium red pepper, chopped

3 large carrots, cut into ½ inch pieces

5 stalks kale

Juice from 3 limes

2 teaspoons ginger

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon turmeric

½ teaspoon ground pepper

optional: ½ cup chopped unsalted peanuts

Directions:

Soak chickpeas for at least 6 hours or overnight

Combine chickpeas, carrots, onion, lentils, broth, spices and red pepper in slow cooker.

Cook until chickpeas are tender, approximately 6 hours.

Stir in lime juice and kale. Sprinkle with peanuts.

Or…

If you are short on time, you can use canned chickpeas. If you do this, substitute a large pot on the stove for the slow cooker. Put broth, lentils, spices, onion, peppers and carrots into the pot and bring to a boil.

Reduce to simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Add lime juice. Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas. Stir them in and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in kale until it is wilted, about 2 minutes. Add peanuts and serve. Great with brown rice or quinoa!

Asheville got a lot of snow this week so I have spent my fair share of time bundled up with a cup of tea. I like to keep warm from the inside out so I was happy when I came up with this gumbo recipe to help me do just that. I used some of the chicken stock that I made from the bones of my whole chicken. This was actually the first time I ever made chicken stock; another thing that always seemed daunting and pretentious to me, and really isn’t. Why do simple things sometimes feel intimidating?

“They” say chicken soup is the Jewish penicillin. At least it was in my house, and I don’t think I’m alone here. Turns out, there actually is a rational explanation for this nickname. Poultry fat contains palmitoleic acid, a monousaturated fatty acid believed to boost our immune system.

So why don’t we eat poultry fat for every meal? Eating meat, including chicken (yes folks, chicken is meat), used to be a luxury – something consumed on special occasions. Today, modern breeding methods have made meat cheap to produce and the quality is not the same. I could go on and on about the importance of the quality of animal protein, but I think I will save the “meat or no meat” debate for another time. In the meantime, stay warm and enjoy this gumbo!

Chicken Stock: (for vegetable broth, just leave out the bones)

Ingredients:

Leftover bones from whole chicken

10 cups water

2 carrots

1 onion, peeled and halved

2 or 3 celery stalk

3 or 4 garlic cloves, halved

1 whole leek, split in half and rinsed

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (helps extract calcium from bones)

A few black peppercorns

A few sprigs of parsley

1 or 2 bay leaves

3 stalks of kale

Directions:

Put chicken in a large pot and add the water.

Bring water to a boil and turn the heat down so the broth is barely simmering.

To keep the broth clear, do not let it boil again. The fat and liquid may emulsify, which will turn the stock cloudy and greasy.

Add vegetables and herbs and simmer for 3 to 4 hours.

Turn off the heat and let the stock cool before straining.

The stock will keep covered in the refrigerator for 1 week or several months in the freezer.

Gumbo:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 large onion, thickly chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 green pepper, thickly chopped

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash

1 cup chopped canned tomatoes with juice

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 can black beans, strained and rinsed

5 or 6 kale stalks, chopped

1 pound fresh sausage rolled into 1-inch balls (optional) I used local andouille chicken sausage for a little kick.

10 medium shrimp, tails removed and chopped into ½ inch chunks (optional)

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1 cup brown rice pasta, cooked (optional)

Directions:

In large pot, drizzle grape seed oil and add onions, garlic, and green pepper.

Sauté until wilted, but not browned on medium heat. Add spices, broth and diced tomatoes.

Lower heat and cook for 30 minutes.

While the broth is cooking, use separate pan to cook meatball sausages. You can transfer them once they are cooked or add them separately to individual bowls.

Add the shrimp to the broth. Cover and allow to cook for about 10 minutes.

Add kale. Cook for 10 or until kale is soft and wilted.

Remove from heat and use ladle to serve.

Don’t forget to add a few spoonfuls of brown rice pasta.

Have you entered to win my first-ever FREE giveaway? Contest is open until Dec. 31st so get your entries in!**

I’d like to introduce you (if you don’t know them already) to 2 new ingredients that I have become rather fond of recently. I’ve known about them for a long time, but only now started cooking and baking with them. It’s all part of my conscious effort to step outside of my comfort-zone, and not just in the kitchen, as I’ve mentioned here and here.

First up is teff. While very popular in Ethiopia and India, it is not as commonly used here, although I assure you easy enough to find if you are looking. It is the smallest grain in the world and mostly consists of bran and germ. Remember, what makes a whole grain “whole” is that its bran and germ has not been lost in the refining process. This is where the nutrients are found in whole grains. Teff is very high in calcium and is also a great source of phosphorus, iron, copper, aluminum, barium and thiamin. It is high in protein, carbohydrates and fiber. Teff is gluten free, which is an added bonus if you are sensitive or intolerant to gluten, and has a sweet nutty flavor. Store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator.

Moving onto grapeseed oil. I think the thing I love most is its very high smoke point (420 degrees), which makes it ideal for baking and cooking at high temperatures. Compare this to the smoke point of unrefined extra virgin olive oil, which is only 320 degrees.

Side note: It is important to know the smoke point of the oils you are cooking with because at that specific temperature the oil begins to break down and form free radicals. Free radicals can lead to disease.

An excellent source of vitamin E, it is not surprising that grapeseed oil is a popular ingredient in cosmetics from hair conditioners to lotions and anti-aging products. Make sure your grapeseed oil is “expeller pressed”, which means that a chemical-free mechanical method of oil extraction was used.

These two high quality products contribute to some very tasty muffins. High quality ingredients create high quality food. Enjoy!

Ingredients: (makes 12 muffins)

1 cup teff flour

1 cup Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix

¼ cup grapeseed oil

¾ cup Maple Syrup (I used organ Grade A Dark Amber. It’s a little sweeter than the light syrups so you don’t need as much)

15 oz pumpkin

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (I like the Chatfield’s brand)

Dried cranberries (optional)

Dark Chocolate – 70% or higher (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease muffin tins or line with paper muffin cups.

Combine all ingredients except dried cranberries and dark chocolate in mixing bowl.

Use electric hand mixer to blend ingredients thoroughly.

I made 3 muffins with dried cranberries added and 3 muffins with chopped dark chocolate added. 3 squares of chocolate for each muffin is a good estimate or ½ cup of dried cranberries for each 3 muffins.

Fold in your toppings and fill each muffin container all the way.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until muffins are golden brown on edges.

**Before I forget, have you entered to win my first-ever giveaway? Contest is open until Dec. 31st so get your entries in!**

Lately it has been unusually freezing in Asheville. How about for you?

I prefer to warm up from the inside out instead of cranking up the thermostat, and this chili definitely did the trick. I ate it over a bed of quinoa and steamed green veggies (broccoli, Swiss chard and Brussels sprouts).

If eggplant were a person, it would be the equivalent of Brad Pitt or Eva Longoria (both considered attractive by both sexes, right?) Eggplant has sexy curves and the purple skin is one of a kind, not to mention a beautiful shade. The purple is more than just pretty; the color pigment is called nasunin, a phytonutrient and antioxidant that prevents oxidative damage to our body cells.

Ingredients:

1 cup pinto beans

1 cup black beans

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 small or medium eggplant, chopped

3 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

3 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons turmeric

Directions:

Beans should not be cooked or canned. It’s less expensive if you get them in the bulk section of your grocery store.

Add all ingredients into your slow cooker and turn on the heat. Cook until beans are tender – approximately 6 hours.

Serve over quinoa or other whole grain.

So it turns out these white beans got their name because they were a staple food in the US Navy in the early 20^th century. There’s a fun trivia fact for you! These little guys are a great source of fiber, folate, manganese, protein, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, iron and vitamin B1.

I threw this together from what I had in the refrigerator and have to say it came out pretty darn tasty. I ate it on top of a bed of steamed kale and mushrooms. I think next time I make this I will slice the red onions instead of finely chopping them. Oh and I’ll add sliced avocado on top. Mmmm.

Ingredients: (serves 6-8)

2 ½ cups (or 2 cans) navy beans

1 large eggplant, chopped into ½ inch cubes

1 large red onion, chopped or sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup low sodium vegetable stock

Extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons paprika

½ teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash

3 whole chilies, chopped with seeds (optional)

Directions:

Lightly steam eggplant so that is just cooked a little bit – about 8 minutes. You don’t want it to get mushy.

In large skillet, sauté onions, garlic and chilies in extra virgin olive oil or water until onions are soft.

Add carrots, eggplant and vegetable stock.

Turn heat up until stock is boiling. Reduce heat and simmer.

Add beans.

Stir and cook until vegetable stock has thickened. Add spices.

Serve warm or room temperature.

The other day my new next door neighbors left a basket of tomatoes on my back porch. They had too many in their garden and they didn’t want any to go to waste. Lucky for me that I live next door. Now I had to decide what to do with them – the pressure was on!

I left the cherry tomatoes for snacking, but I wanted to try something new with the larger ones. I came up with a light sauce, perfect for summer to go with my basic meal formula. Seasonal and delicious, you can use this antioxidant-rich dressing as a substitute for salad dressing or as a light sauce for white fish.

Even though most grocery stores sell tomatoes year-round, they are staple at the Farmer’s Markers in the summer. They are known for their lycopene content, a carotenoid notorious for its antioxidant qualities. To maximize lycopene in your produce, buy organic.

The picture above starts with a bed of steamed Swiss chard. Then I piled on a mix of steamed and sautéed vegetables including zucchini, broccoli, and mushrooms. I topped it off with white beans, a sprinkle of quinoa and my tomato dressing.

Ingredients:

2 cups tomatoes

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

½ teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon MatoZest

1 clove garlic

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tablespoons water

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor and blend completely