Thursday 23 May 2013

Vegetable Potato Curry























Using some of the traditional spices used for curry I created a delicious vegetable potato version.  I think you are going to love this one.  Curry dishes are richly satisfying with their intense spices, easy to make, healthy and very inexpensive. I have created several curry dishes that are available on my website:  Red Potato Curry Over Lemon-Basil Zucchini, Corn and Cashew Nut Curry with Perfect Brown Rice, and Tofu and Green Bean Red Curry.  I also have a raw version called Raw Curry in a Hurry, created by Tanya Alexseeva (Better Raw).  Try to include a lot of raw, organic foods in your diet.  Then supplement with a smaller percentage of healthy cooked foods.  You will find good health and enjoyment from this way of eating.

I recently tried Koshihikari brown rice. This new state-of-the-art technology allows milling of rice grains just 10%.  This lets Hokkura Brown Rice absorb water quicker and cook up fluffier, like white rice, without sacrificing the natural minerals and nutrients of brown rice. The best way to prepare Hukkura brown rice is exactly like you would white rice, only let the brown rice soak for 30 minutes in your rice cooker before turning it on to start the cooking process.  So normally if you put two cups of rice in your rice cooker, you would  then add water to the two mark.  In addition to this, let the rice soak for 30 minutes and then turn the cooker on. I found the flavor of Hukkura brown rice to be extra tasty, fresh and of the highest quality. You can order Hukkura brown rice on Amazon to give it a try, or possibly find it at your Asian supermarket. This particular premium rice doesn't state that is organic, so I now have a quest to find a similar one that is. Click on the picture below to find on Amazon. hope you will give this curry recipe a try and let me know what you think.  My family loved it! Also, check out my Perfect Organic Brown Rice made with regular organic brown rice.
Hukkura Brown Rice
Vegetable Potato Curry
Serves 4-6

5 medium russet potatoes, cut into 1/2 - 3/4" squares
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
2 heaping tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 1/2 cups vegetable broth with sea salt
1 lemon, juiced

SPICES:
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons sweetener of choice

1.  Prepare potatoes, celery, carrots, parsley and set aside.
2.  Add diced onion, 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, all seasonings, sweetener and add to larger soup type pan.  Simmer for 5 minutes.
3.  Add remaining vegetables and half of the remaining broth.  Bring to a boil and then simmer, stirring frequently until potatoes and carrots are soft.  Continue to add vegetable broth as needed until all broth is used.  Curry should be thick with some liquid present.  If it is too dry, add some additional water.
4.  Serve over brown rice and enjoy!

Wednesday 15 May 2013

Spaghetti and "Meatballs" from Forks Over Knives

Everyone loves pasta, so I wanted to share a recipe from the book Forks Over Knives.  A lot of you have probably seen the video, but if you haven't you can buy it on Amazon along with the companion cookbook. 
THE CLASSIC ITALIAN-AMERICAN dish gets a healthy makeover with millet standing in for the meat.  Loved this yummy and inexpensive dish.  You can simplify this recipe by adding your own favorite pasta sauce. I also used brown rice noodles in this recipe.

What I love about this book is that the recipes are very simple with ingredients you are use to seeing and using already.  You will find you have a lot of the ingredients in your home right now and can easily make a lot of the recipes by picking up just a few things from the store or getting them from your garden.  This is a great book for home food storage as well.  If you stock up on the cooking basics (page 12, 13, 14 & 15), and keep items on your shelves that you rotate, like vegetable stock, brown rice, quinoa, millet, whole grain pasta, various packaged & canned beans & lentils, various kinds of canned tomatoes, frozen berries & fruits, raisins, etc., you can create a 3 month or more supply of food that you rotate for your family.  You will also need to store some water. The recommendation is to have 1 gallon of water per person to last 2 weeks and 3 months of food.  I highly recommend this book to help you set up an excellent working kitchen and food storage plan. 

Some hints that have helped me with preparing my meals is to freeze a few items to make meal preparation easier.  I keep a bag of garlic in my freezer and pull them out as needed.  They work well frozen with my mincer.  I also freeze leftover parsley, cilantro, herbs and spinach. I can easily add these frozen veggies during my meal preparation.

Spaghetti and "Meatballs"
Printable Recipe
Serves 4

2 cups Vegetable Stock (page 23), or low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup millet  (see below how to soak and prepare your millet before cooking)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced small
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup minced basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 pound whole-grain spaghetti, cooked according to package directions, drained, and kept warm
2 cups Tomato Sauce (page 25), heated  (I used my own favorite spaghetti sauce here)

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2.) Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the millet and salt and bring the mixture back to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the millet is tender.  Drain any excess water and keep warm.
3.)  Place the onion in a large saucepan and saute over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes.  Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onion from sticking to the pan.  Add the garlic, basil, and pepper and cook for another minute.  Add the tomato puree and 1/4 cup of water and cook until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.
4.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5.) Add the cooked millet and the arrowroot powder to the onion mixture and mix well.
Using an ice-cream scoop, shape the millet mixture into 2-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.
6.) To serve, divide the spaghetti among 4 individual plates.  Top with some of the "meatballs" and pour some of the tomato sauce over the prepared plates.

SOAKING MILLET
You must soak your millet the night before you plan on using it in your recipe. One cup of dried millet generally yields about 3 cups cooked. Measure out millet, place in a ceramic or glass bowl (never use plastic) and soak with purified water for 12-18 hours. For optimal soaking, add 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar.
Much like quinoa, millet is gluten-free and easy on the belly. It is also more alkalizing than other non-gluten grains. It is rich in B vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Millet has an impressive amino acid profile, including the essential amino acid methionine, making it an excellent source of protein.  
Preparing Basic Millet 101 - Yogitrition

 

Friday 10 May 2013

Women & Heart Disease: Know Your Risk, Protect Your Heart

Heart disease is often thought of as a health problem for men, but more women die of heart disease each year, killing approximately one woman every three minutes. An estimated 42 million American women live with heart disease, but many are unaware of the danger they face.

Heart or cardiovascular disease is any disorder that affects the heart's ability to function normally. Types of heart disease are coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and valvular disease.

It is important for women to know the warning signs of heart disease because these symptoms are likely to be different from those experienced by men. Women may experience common symptoms of chest pain and shortness of breath, but also have less obvious symptoms including:
  • Discomfort in the back, shoulders, arms, stomach, jaw, neck or throat 
  • Generalized pressure in the chest 
  • Indigestion 
  • Lightheaded
  • Nausea and vomiting 
  • Palpitations 
  • Unexplained fatigue 
Once heart disease develops, it’s a lifelong condition that will gradually worsen unless lifestyle changes are made. Fortunately, women may be able to lower heart disease risk by more than 80 percent by making healthy lifestyle choices. These include:
  • Exercising and maintaining a healthy weight.
  • Following a healthy diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and includes a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. 
  • Finding ways to cope with stress.
  • Managing high blood pressure.
  • Knowing your family history and getting tested for diabetes.
  • Lowering total cholesterol to less than 200 mg/dL.
  • Not smoking and limiting alcohol.
Penn's Preventive Cardiovascular Program was designed specifically prevent the onset, recurrence and progression of heart and vascular disease. To learn more or schedule an appointment, please call 800.789.PENN (7366).