looks awful, tastes awesome

This smoothie is amazingly good, but green hemp powder + yellow mango = unappetizing, sludgy color. So serve this one in an opaque glass.

In a blender, combine:

3 tablespoons organic hemp protein powder
1 tablespoon wheat grass powder
3/4 cup frozen mango chunks
1/4 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup rice milk (add more for a thinner smoothie, less for a thicker one)
squeeze of agave or honey

Hemp contains complete protein (all eight amino acids are present and accounted for), plus zinc, magnesium, fiber, and lots of other nutrients. It's also an environmentally friendly choice, since hemp is easily grown without pesticides. I made this smoothie for breakfast earlier in the week, and it powered me through a very long day. Good stuff.

not your grandmother's tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a traditional Middle Eastern salad made with bulgur*. Other ingredients typically include onion, tomato, and mint, but this recipe, from Epicurious.com, uses beets, apples, and basil. You'll need:

1 cup bulgur
1 1/3 cups boiling-hot water
2 small red beets
1 Granny Smith apple
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

The original instructions are here. I didn't peel the apple or beets and my tabbouleh came out just fine. It's tangy and sweet and would be great at a BBQ.


*For the unfamiliar (like me, prior to today), bulgur is wheat that has been parboiled and has had the bran removed. So it's not a whole food, but it still has a lot of protein and fiber (6 grams and 8 grams per cooked cup, respectively). Bulgur cooks quickly -- just add 1 1/3 cups of very hot water for every cup of bulgur, stir, cover, and let sit for 20-30 minutes until the water is absorbed.

pink tahini stew

This recipe is inspired by the vegan stew at the Otherside Cafe in Boston. The pink color comes from the beets, and the tahini adds a unique, comfort-food flavor. I rarely advocate cooking the crap out of vegetables, but in this case you're going for a soft, almost mooshy texture, so plan on a longer simmer time.

You'll need:

1 15oz can of chickpeas
1 large red beet (or 2 smaller)
2 medium carrots
1 bunch kale
1 small yellow onion
1 tablespoon unfiltered extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
sea salt to taste

Cube carrots and beets and put in a large pot with enough water to just cover the pieces. Simmer, covered, over medium heat while you prepare the other ingredients. De-vein kale and chop or tear into bite-sized pieces, adding kale to the pot as you go. Drain the chickpeas and add those to the pot.

Finely chop the onion, then saute with the olive oil in a small pan for 5 minutes. Stir the onion into the large pot, then add tahini and mix thoroughly. Cook, covered, until the cubed vegetables are soft and the kale is completely wilted, adding a little water as needed. Salt to taste.

Serves 3-4.

steel cut oats

Like I've said, I'm a big fan of oats for breakfast. You get all the benefits advertised in Cheerios commercials (lots of fiber, lower cholesterol) without any of the sugar or preservatives.

For those seeking something other than typical rolled oats, there's the heartier steel cut variety. Essentially the same as rolled oats, steel cut oats are made by chopping up whole oat groats, rather than rolling them flat. Steel cut oats cook quickly on the stove top in a 2:1 ratio of water to oats, and reheat in the microwave just as well as rolled oats. I like to cook mine with one teaspoon of vanilla extract for every cup of oats to bring out the grain's natural sweetness.

figs stuffed with honey and...

If I could claim to have a signature dish, it would be figs stuffed with goat cheese and honey. I make these whenever I host any sort of event and they always go over well.

When I cut dairy out of my diet, I assumed that was the end of stuffed figs. But then my friend Michelle blogged about nutritional yeast the other day, mentioning that it tastes a little like cheese. Which got me thinking...

Figs stuffed with honey and nutritional yeast? Sounded weird, but worth a shot.

I found nutritional yeast in the wonder that is the bulk aisle at Whole Foods. I couldn't find my usual calimyrna figs, so I got black mission figs instead. You could use either. The recipe is simple:

Mix honey and nutritional yeast to form a paste. Cut stems off dried figs, then make a small vertical cut where the stem was. Spoon honey and yeast mixture into fig, and serve.


Ok, this version is not as good as the original -- you really can't beat the creamy texture of goat cheese. But these weren't bad, either. The yeast added a sharp cheesy flavor, and the honey kept it from tasting too funky. I might try feeding these to friends at my next party to see what they think.

In the mean time, nutritional yeast is wonderful on pasta or steamed veggies.

muffins for everyone

My mom came to visit this weekend, and brought with her the easiest pumpkin muffin recipe you ever did see. I love it, because it can be made to accommodate different food sensitivities and tastes with minimal effort. And bonus for those on a diet - there's little to no fat.

You need:

1 box cake mix (any kind)
1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin puree
1 cup water


We used gluten-free spiced cake mix, because it was the only spice cake mix available and we were in the mood for spice, but literally any mix will work. Instead of a plain muffin tin, we used a mini bundt cake mold. Whatever you bake in, the instructions are the same:

Mix ingredients until smooth. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Turn out of tin and cool.


So next time you have a mixed veggie/omnivore/gluten-sensitive/lactose intolerant/whathaveyou crowd coming over, try these. You can make a few batches with different mixes and everyone will be happy.

smoothies

My boyfriend and I received as a gift one of those Magic Bullet blenders that you see advertised during late-night infomercials. I was excited to make salsa and pudding and do all those other nifty tricks with it, but it turns out that (surprise!) the thing doesn't work very well. Except when it comes to smoothies.

So, I now have a dedicated smoothie machine, which has led me to create a few smoothie recipes. This one is my Super Ridiculous Healthy Smoothie That Actually Tastes Good:

1 package Sambazon acai puree (unsweetened)
1 tablespoon wheat grass powder
1/3 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup rice milk (soy would be fine too)
1 squeeze agave nectar (honey would also work)

Blend and drink! Serves one.


Acai (ah-sigh-ee) puree is a new thing for me. Made from the berries of the acai palm, it's a great source of fiber and omega 6 fatty acids. A bunch of other nutritional benefits have been attributed to acai berries, including antioxidant properties and phytonutrient content. Basically, it's good for you. I found the Sambazon brand in the freezer section at Whole Foods.

Wheat grass powder is a good source of iron, which is why I eat it. It doesn't taste very good on it's own, but you can't detect it in this smoothie. The powder comes in big containers, or in single serving packets, which are a great way to try it out. You can find it in the supplement aisle at any health food store.