Garlic

Black Bean Lentil Tacos

May 7, 2023/in Healthy Recipes

Black bean lentil tacos are a high-fiber meatless alternative to traditional tacos. They are also more economical and quicker to prepare than meat tacos.

I wanted to share my favorite brand of gluten-free wraps. They are Siete brand and found in the refrigerated section of your healthier grocery store. They also have chickpea and almond flour versions.

Or instead of using gluten-free wraps, I love this on a bed of greens, organic of course. It can always be served over organic rice or quinoa as a taco bowl. Speaking of, like always, use organic ingredients to lower your toxic load.

Being primarily dairy-free is important to me as well so I use many of the products from Follow Your Heart. We love their sour cream and cheeses. Pepper Jack is my favorite version but they have a variety of other dairy-free flavors including cheddar, mozzarella and gouda.

Ingredients

1 small onion diced, 1/3 cup

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups cooked green lentils (1 cup dry)

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup salsa

2/3 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

Gluten-free taco shells or wraps.

Optional toppings: tomato, lettuce, avocado, dairy-free sour cream, cilantro, olives

Directions

Heat half the broth over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add and saute the onions for 6-7 minutes.

Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Heat for 2-3 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and add lentils and black beans. Stir all to combine.

Add salsa and vegetable broth. Stir and heat for about 5 minutes. Add remaining broth if necessary to keep it creamy.

Spoon into a taco shell or on a bed of greens. Add toppings of your choice.

Makes 6-8 servings or tacos.

Note: Taco seasoning can be made up in advance. I purchase organic bulk herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs and save so much money.

Non Dairy Tomato Soup

April 13, 2023/in Healthy Recipes

I found a classic milk-based recipe and converted it to non dairy tomato soup. Tomato soup evolves such strong positive emotions from my childhood. Nothing says home more than grilled cheese and tomato soup. I’m pretty sure I lived on it growing up. Hmm, maybe that’s why I’m gluten and dairy intolerant?! However, we did throw in a few grilled peanut butter sandwiches along the way.

Do you have a favorite food or foods that bring back positive memories of home?

Not only did I convert to dairy-free but also gluten and oil-free. You never know when you healthily a recipe if it will convert as well. I was really happy with the flavor and would love to hear your feedback. Not only did I swap the flour for arrowroot but I omitted the sugar. As always, my ingredients and seasonings are all organic. My goal is to reduce inflammation and chemicals in our bodies. I love my family and myself that much.

Ingredients

1 T of organic butter or ghee

1 tsp chopped garlic or 1-2 cloves

2 T Arrowroot powder

1/2 tsp of Celtic or Pink Himalayan salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried minced onion

1/2 tsp oregano

1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes

2 cups cold milk such as coconut or Malk oil-free almond milk

Directions

Place the contents of the canned tomatoes into a Vitamix or food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside.

Saute the garlic and butter together for a few minutes.

Next, blend the arrowroot powder and seasoning.

Remove from heat and stir in the 2 cups of pureed tomatoes. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute.

Add 2 cups of cold plant-based milk.

Heat almost to boiling and serve.

I like to top it with Bragg’s Nutritional Yeast instead of grated cheese.

Serve with gluten-free crackers, Mary’s Gone Crackers is my favorite or gluten-free bread such as Simple Kneads. A side salad pairs well with organic vegetables, of course.

Immune Supporting Garlic Miso Soup

January 7, 2022/in Healthy Recipes

Immune Supporting Garlic Miso Soup! Whether you are starting to feel under the weather, wanting to support your immune system or just need something nourishing to feed your cells, this soup is it! If you don’t like mushrooms, you can easily omit them but we love them and it makes it a bit more nutritious and hearty. Garlic is one of the best natural healers and immune-supporting superfoods on the planet! It’s all because of the magic chemical called allicin. An enzyme called alliinase is activated when the garlic clove is chopped or crushed. This enzyme converts alliin into allicin. Here is a good article to learn all the many benefits of garlic. It truly is a secret weapon when it comes to your health and preventing disease and imbalance.

Garlic is a known antimicrobial that makes it therapeutic against bacteria and fungi with clinical research to back that up. Plus it is antiviral as well. Having two among many scientific studies is all we need to say besides, eat your garlic! I’ve been making it almost weekly.

Ingredients

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 quart of low-sodium organic vegetable or beef broth

2 tablespoons organic miso paste

1 package (3.5 ounces) shiitake mushrooms, sliced

Directions

Peel garlic and mince or use a garlic press. Set aside for at least 10 minutes to release the alicin.

Place the sliced mushroom in a pan with a small amount of organic butter or use some of the broth. Saute for about 10 minutes and add the garlic. Continue to saute for about 3-5 minutes on medium heat.

Add the broth until it starts to boil and then add the miso paste. Continue to stir until the miso is dissolved about 5-10 minutes. Serve and enjoy! Makes 4 one-cup servings.

Crockpot Pork Tortilla Soup

April 10, 2021/in Healthy Recipes

Crockpot pork tortilla soup is great way to use any leftover meats. You can add an extra can of beans or make it vegan. I had leftover pork roast so this worked really well!

*Remember when cooking with garlic, chop it first as you want it to rest for 10 minutes before cooking. This allows the beneficial allicin to form and will remain intact during cooking.

As always, use organic ingredients when possible, especially with animal products. We are fortunate to have a local farmer that provides chicken, eggs, and pork using non-GMO, organic farming methods.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 cloves minced garlic (chop 10 minutes prior to cooking)*

1 diced pepper (red, yellow or orange)

1 diced sweet potato

1 Tbsp no salt taco seasoning (see my homemade no sodium recipe)

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes (we like it spicy so added a bit more!)

1/2 tsp coriander

1/2-1 pound chopped roast pork (or substitute any leftover meat)

32 ounces of low sodium organic broth

1 – 28 oz can diced organic tomatoes

1 – 15 oz can organic black beans, rinsed

1 – 6oz can organic tomato paste

1 cup fresh or frozen organic corn

Organic corn chips

Chopped cilantro (optional)

1 avocado, chopped (optional)

Lime zest and juice (optional)

Directions

Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil (or 2 T broth) and the chopped pepper, onion, sweet potato, and garlic to a large soup pan, or use the Saute feature on your Instapot. Saute for 5-10 minutes. I chop my sweet potatoes into small pieces to help them cook faster. Add the seasonings (cumin, coriander, and chili pepper flakes) after the first 5 minutes.

Next, add all remaining ingredients. Slow cook or simmer for at least two hours.

Once plated, add 1/4-1/2 chopped avocado and the cilantro (about 1/2 tablespoon). You may also want to ask a bit of lime zest and a squeeze of lime juice.

The organic corn chips can be used as a scoop for your soup (you’ll still need a spoon) or crush into small pieces and sprinkle on top! Enjoy!!

Roasted Garlic Hummus

August 26, 2010/2 Comments/in Healthy Recipes

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Roasted Garlic Hummus is my absolute favorite recipe because it is easy and tastes great! If you are in a hurry, you can use raw garlic but roasting has a unique flavor.

When I tried hummus for the first time, I was hooked. I liked the different texture, the kick of all the flavors.. there wasn’t anything I didn’t like about it. Except for some of the processed add-ins like safflower oil. I knew there had to be a way I could keep enjoying this protein-packed spread but make it healthier.

It is great as a snack with veggies or spread on a whole-grain pita with veggies for a healthy wrap. I even add it to my turkey sandwiches.

Enjoy!

Roast Garlic:

1 large head of garlic

2 Tbls Butter or coconut oil

Remove outer peel from garlic and cut tops off of the garlic. Place garlic in a baking dish, dab with butter, or pour coconut oil over. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Ingredients

2 cups of cooked chickpeas or 1-14 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2-3 Tbls of Tahini (sesame paste)

Juice of 1 lemon

2-4 Tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Himalayan Pink natural sea salt to taste

¾ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp coriander

¼ c. warm water (more or less depending on consistency)

Let garlic cool and squeeze the soft garlic out into the food processor, add chickpeas and all other ingredients and blend until smooth.

Mix in blender or Vitamix and add 1-2 extra Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Eat within 2 days or freeze. Serve with whole-grain, gluten-free crackers or raw veggies.

If you are in a time crunch or want the benefits of raw garlic, you can make it with raw garlic. Finely chop 2-3 cloves of raw garlic.

We would love to hear how your homemade hummus turned out! Did you love it? What changes would you make for yourself and your family?

If you love garlic as much as I do and want to try another healthy recipe to support your immune system, check out this recipe for Garlic Miso Soup!

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

April 4, 2010/in Healthy Recipes

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

This sweet potato hash browns recipe is a superfood nutrient powerhouse. Sweet potatoes are root vegetables that are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They’re also high in antioxidants that protect your body from free radical damage and help prevent chronic disease.

Ingredients (use organic when possible)

2 sweet potatoes, shredded
1/4 teaspoon of pink Himalayan salt
2 to 3 large kale leaves, shredded
1/4-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Rinse the shredded potatoes and pat them dry. Mince the garlic. Coat the skillet with coconut oil or organic butter. Over medium-high heat, sauté the potatoes with salt until the potatoes are crisp. Once the potatoes are done add kale and garlic to the pan and continue sautéing for about 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Add pepper.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: makes 2 servings

calories: 450, fax: 1 g, saturated fat: 0 g, calories from fat: 2%, Cholesterol: 0 mg, protein: 10 g, carbohydrates: 102 g, sugar: 2 g, fiber: 7 g, Sodium: 366 mg, calcium: 0 mg, iron: 0 mg, vitamin C: 0 mg, beta-carotene: 0 mcg, vitamin E: 0 mg

Source: Recipe from 21 Day Weight Loss Kickstart by Neil Barnard, M.D; recipe by Jason Wyrick of the Vegan Culinary Experience.