Real Food for Life

Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category

This is my favorite soup which I developed over a year a few years ago.  Every time I make it for friends they just love it and so do I!

KABOCHA SQUASH SOUP

Ingredients:
1 medium Kabocha squash
1 large onion or two small onions
2 large leaves of Kale
4 to 6 cups water
2 inch piece of fresh ginger
½ tsp Cinnamon, cardamom, coriander,
1 tsp turmeric
5 drops of Sunny Dew (light Stevia)
Vege salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1.    Cut squash in half then scoop out the seeds, then cut the squash into eight pieces.
2.    Chop onion and ginger
3.    Put squash, onions and ginger into a steamer and cook till squash is soft, remove it and let cool.
4.    Steam chopped Kale till tender, a few minutes.
5.    Sauté spices in sesame oil or coconut oil for a couple of minutes.
6.    Separate the squash flesh from the skin. Put the cooked squash in a large bowl or pot.
7.    Add 3 cups water from water used to steam the squash, stir in onion and ginger.
8.    Run the squash and onion mixture through a blender, portion by portion, until you've blended it all or use a hand blender and blend it right in the soup pot which is what I do but do be careful as it can splatter ever where.
9.    Put the blended mixture into a soup pot, adding the broth created from the steamer to make the consistency you like.
10.    Add cooked kale, spices, salt and pepper to taste.
11.    Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream which can be a vegan one which is what I use.

Note!  We did not have a personal picture of this soup so used a stock photo. Imagine that the bread is healthy rice bread!

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What I usually find with date squares is that they are too sweet. So I have made my own version which are less sweet and taste even better. Find it hard to stop at only one.

DATE SQUARES Wheat-Free

Ingredients:
1 large apple finely chopped
2 cups dates, chopped
1 cup water
Juice of ½ lemon
½ cup vegetable fat or butter
1/3 cup rice syrup
1 tsp. salt
1 ¾ cups rolled oats
¼ cup potato flour
¾ cup Brown Rice flour

Directions:
1.   Simmer apple water till soft.
2.   Add dates and simmer till soft.
3.   Mash well.
4.   Add lemon juice and set aside.
5.   In a separate bowl, mix vegetable fat, rice syrup and salt.
6.   First add flour; mix in.
7.   Then add oats, mix well.
8.   Pat 2/3 of the mixture into an 8 X 8 pan.
9.   Spread the date mixture on top of the oat mixture.
10.  Then sprinkle the other 1/3 of oat mixture on top of the dates.
11.  Lightly press down.
12.  Bake in preheated oven at 400º F. for 25 to 35 minutes.

• Oats have lots of manganese, are a very good source of selenium, vitamin B1, dietary fiber, magnesium, protein & phosphorus.
• 1 bowl of oatmeal a day (3 grams of soluble oat fiber) typically lowers total cholesterol by 8-23%.

As I had promised to share this recipe right away I am posting it before I normally would. These have a dryer texture then the ones with wheat in them and I will be fine tuning this recipe. We will post below this one the Wheat Hermits soon.  Both cookies are not overly sweet which is why we like them.
 

Ingredients:
¾ vegetable fat
4 tbsp sucanat
1 tbsp molasses
¼ tsp stevia
4 tbsp soy flour
1 cup water
1 cup white rice flour
¾ cup brown rice flour
¼ cup potato flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
¾ cup walnuts
¾ cup sultanas

Directions:
1.    Preheat oven to 400 F.
2.    Combine butter, sucanat, stevia, and molasses until creamy.
3.    Stir in soy flour and water
4.    Then mix in other flours, baking powder, salt, and spices.
5.    Mix in fruit and nuts.
6.    Roll into 1 inch balls and flatten with a fork on a greased baking sheet.
7.    Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Cinnamon is one of the oldest known spices. The darker the cinnamon the better it is.

Benefits of Cinnamon:
•    In traditional Chinese medicine, cinnamon is used for colds, nausea, diarrhea, and painful menstrual periods.
•    It can improve energy, vitality, and circulation.
•    Recent studies have shown that cinnamon maybe have a beneficial effect on blood sugar.

This special occassion vegetarian dinner is easy to prepare and a balanced meal in terms of acid/alkaline and food combining.  The most time consuming is the nut loaf but it is so delicious that it is worth it and does not take as much time as cooking a turkey.  Also, it is full of protein from all of the nuts and seeds…even my non-vegetarian friends and family like it.

NUT LOAF

Ingredients:
½ cup cashews
½ cup almonds
10 almonds for decoration
2/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup walnuts (chopped)
1 cup short grain brown rice
1/3 cup soya flour
4-6 tbsp soya sauce
1 onion
2 pieces of celery
¼ cup water
2 tsp basil
2 tsp. marjoram
2 tbsp flax meal

Directions:
1.    Lightly roast cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in the oven.
2.    Chop and sauté onion and celery.
3.    Chop all the nuts and seeds.
4.    Mix all the ingredients together and moistening with water.
5.    Pat mixture into a well-oiled bread tin.
6.    Decorate top with 10 almonds and line bottom of tin with grease proof paper.
7.    Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes.
Serve with mushroom or onion gravy.
   
Usually the problem with cranberry sauce is that it is full of sugar. Here is my version of the popular Cranberry Sauce without any sugar which is no easy thing when is comes to cranberries as they are so tart
Cranberry Sauce (sugar free)

Ingredients:
1 Package whole, organic cranberries (fresh, not frozen)
1 Organic Apple, cored and chopped
1 Cup Apple juice
1/4 Cup Organic, Brown Rice Syrup
1 tsp Stevia (Sunny Dew is best)
Pinch of salt

Directions:
1.    Put all ingredients into a sauce pan and let simmer for a few moments.
2.    Remove and let cool.
3.    Taste and add more Stevia or Brown Rice Syrup if you like it sweeter.

Nutritional Tips: Cranberries are high in vitamin C, and have antioxidant and antibacterial effects in the body.
In clinical studies cranberries have been shown to help maintain a healthy urinary tract and be especially beneficial to the eyes (significantly improve symptoms of cataracts, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy)

ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON JUICE

Ingredients:
1 pound asparagus, washed, trimmed, and cut diagonally into 2 inch lengths
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon juiced
Dash of Spike seasoning

Directions:
1.    In a large frying pan over low heat, heat the olive oil
2.    Add Asparagus and cover and cook for 5 minutes.
3.    Add Spike and stir cook an additional 1 minute.
4.    Add lemon juice stir well and serve.

Nutritional Tips: Asparagus is full of nutrients!  It is a very good source of vitamin K, the B vitamin folate, vitamin C, vitamin A and also numerous B vitamins (B1, B2, B3 and B6) as well manganese, copper, phosphorus, potassium and protein.

Here is a simple dish to make and have in the oven at the same time as your nut loaf.
BAKED SQUASH WITH VEGETABLES

Ingredients:
1 medium squash
2 sweet potatoes
2 medium carrots
2 parsnips
10 very small onions
3 – 7 cloves garlic, sliced (optional)
1 tsp rosemary
3 tbsp. vegetable oil or butter
Salt to taste

Directions:
1.    Cut carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes and squash into 2 inch pieces.
2.    Remove skins from onions and leave whole.
3.    Place all vegetables into a glass casserole dish.
4.    Mix in sliced garlic, rosemary, vegetable oil, and sprinkle with salt.
5.    Bake in 450º F. oven for 35 to 45 minutes till tender.
6.    Stir occasionally while baking.

So many of the dips that I find at parties are full of unhealthy ingredients.  These two are full of healthy ingredients, chemical free, sugar free, dairy free, gluten free….and very delicious,

What I like about this raw avocado dip is that it is full of vegetables; adding the celery makes it crunchy and not so rich…healthier.

 

AVOCADO VEGETABLE DIP

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado, peeled & pitted
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
1 – 2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tomato, chopped
Spike Salt to taste

Directions:
1.    Mash avocado.
2.    Add celery and lemon juice and mix in well.
3.    Gently mix in chopped tomato.
4.    Season with Spike salt to taste.
5.    Place in serving bowl on a plate surround with cucumber rounds, slices of radishes and corn chips.

This is a creamy dip that is also dairy free.

BUTTER BEAN DIP

Ingredients:
1 cup Butter beans (cooked)
1 Tbsp Olive oil
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
1-2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
Salt to taste
A few sprigs of fresh Parsley chopped
Olives & Watercress or Parsley for garnish

Directions:
1.    Mash butter beans until smooth and creamy.*
2.    Add rest of ingredients.
3.    Mix together until well blended.
4.    Adjust seasoning to taste (salt, Lemon juice, olive oil, garlic)
5.    Put into a decorative bowl and garnish with olives & watercress.
6.    Serve with corn chips or whole meal crackers.
* you could use a blender, when I developed this recipe I did not have one by choice!

Copyright © Diana Herrington  You are welcome to share this article with anyone who you think may benefit from this information as long as you give credit to Real Food for Life by including the link to the home page www.RealFoodforLife.com  or the direct link to this post.

Would you rather take something healthy to the party?  Here are a few recipes that taste great and are fast to prepare.

HOT MULLED CIDER

Ingredients:
2 liters of apple juice
3 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice of one lemon
Grated peel of 1 lemon
Pinch of nutmeg

Directions:
1.    Put all ingredients in a big pot, preferably stainless steel or pyrex.  Simmer for 15 minutes. 
2.    Do not let it boil or get very hot.
3.    Serve hot. 

CREAMY SUNRIDER CHAI

Ingredients:
4 cups hot water
4 cups almond milk or soya milk or rice milk, warmed
1 bag Calli Cinnamon
1 Fortune Delight – Cinnamon
1 squirt Liqud Stevia* (or to desired sweetness)
Fresh ginger, grated (optional)
¼ tsp ground cardamom or even better cardamom seed crushed.
Pinch of cloves

Directions:
1.    Place Calli bag into hot water and remove bag after steeping approximately 10 minutes.
2.    Add Fortune Delight and Suncare Plus to Calli
3.    Add milk and keep hot.

Great on those cold winter days.

* Suncare from Sunrider is best

Copyright © Diana Herrington  You are welcome to share this article with anyone who you think may benefit from this information as long as you give credit to Real Food for Life by including the link to the home page www.RealFoodforLife.com  or the direct link to this post.

This brown rice pudding, and the creamy sauce that goes with it,  is sugar free, dairy free, and egg free…..and tastes great!  It is a favorite desert of mine that has gone through many changes through the years. I often do not even bake it. I just cook it on top of the stove in a pot till it is the consistency I like.

Ingredients:
1 cup short grain brown rice, cooked
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cups rice, almond or soya milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. coconut oil or butter
1 tsp. – 2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sultana raisins
½ cup dates, chopped
½ cup unsweetened coconut
½ cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:
•    Cook rice.
•    Mix cooked rice in a glass baking dish with remaining ingredients except for cinnamon.
•    Sprinkle cinnamon on top.
•    Bake at 400º for 40 – 50 minutes.
•    Serve with “Cream Sauce” on top.

CREAM SAUCE

Ingredients:
1¼ cup rice, almond or soya milk
¾ cup apple juice
3 tbsp. arrowroot
2 tbsp. coconut oil or butter
1 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:
•    Mix the first 3 ingredients together.
•    Add the remaining ingredients
•    Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened.
•    Add lemon juice and coconut oil

Serve on top of Brown Rice Pudding.

If you try this recipe out please comment below and let others know how it worked out!

Or…..do you have a favorite healthy recipe that you would like to share?  Please do so below.  We may even use it in our coming recipe book and give you recognition!

Copyright © Diana Herrington  You are welcome to share this article with anyone who you think may benefit from this information as long as you give credit to Real Food for Life by including the link to the home page www.RealFoodforLife.com  or the direct link to this post.

I love to eat salads. It is the salad dressing that makes it healthy or unhealthy. 

 A healthy salad is often ruined by drenching  it with a highly processed salad  dressing from the super market which is not healthy as it is filled with artificial flavorings, colourings, preservatives, sugar, and white distilled vinegar (which is hard on the digestive system).

I always make my own salad dressings. This is a simple base recipe that you can make up different each time with a variety of herbs or types of salty flavours. This is the first of many recipes to be posted here.  

OLIVE OIL/LEMON JUICE SALAD DRESSING 

1. Blend all above ingredients in a Blender.
2. Taste and add more of any of the ingredients to your taste.

OIL & Balsamic Vinegar SALAD DRESSING

Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
3Tbs Lemon Juice
¼ tsp. salt
1 – 3 tsp. basil
½ – 1 tsp. marjoram
¼ tsp. rosemary
1/8 tsp stevia

Directions:
1.  Put all ingredients into the blender.
2.  Blend together

I love sweets!   I know that many others do too, as I am frequently hearing about it.

To help with those sugar cravings in a healthy way, we need to prepare nutritious sweets.  I have created lots of sugar free recipes and here is a first one to start a whole series of sugar-free yummies.

Of course it is more nutritious to eat the fruit raw but sometimes we are looking for that comfort food that is sweet and hot. This is a good fruit sauce that does not have any added sugar and it tastes good too. 

APPLE OR PEAR SAUCE with sultanas

Ingredients:
2 cups apples or pears, sliced
½ cup water
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
½ cup sultanas
 
Directions: 

   1. Core and slice apples or pears.
   2. Place all ingredients in a pot.
   3. Bring to a boil.
   4. Simmer until fruit is soft.

Serve as is or with yogurt on top.

 

Apple Facts: 

I have always loved eating apples; just found out that I am eating a lot of air…25 percent of their volume is air! Did you know that there are more than 7,000 varieties of apples; when I lived in England I tasted some different and delicious ones.

Apples are filled with soluble fibre, that has been shown to reduce intestinal disorders, including diverticulosis, hemorrhoids and possibly some types of cancer. The fibre also helps control insulin levels by releasing sugar slowly into the bloodstream. Apple pectin helps reduce cholesterol levels by lowering insulin secretion.

In two recent studies they found that eating five apples a week lowered the risk for respiratory diseases like asthma.

A raw medium apple has 5 grams of fiber, is a great source of potassium which may promote heart health, help maintain healthy blood pressure. Apples contains calcium, phosphorus, iron, and Vitamin C and A. It is composed of 80-85 percent water, 5 percent protein, 10-15 percent carbohydrates and has only 80 calories. Apples have no fat or sodium!

So there you have it lots of good reasons to Eat an Apple a day.

"Any fool can count the seeds in an apple. Only God can count all the apples in one seed." Robert Schuller, Evangelist

Copyright © Diana Herrington  You are welcome to share this article with anyone who you think may benefit from this information as long as you give credit to Real Food for Life by including the link to the home page www.RealFoodforLife.com  or the direct link to this post

I love nuts and seeds and think I must have been a bird in a past life. :)  This is a post that will continually be added to.

Nuts & Seeds Nutrition

We are going to start with a couple of my favorites Almonds and Pumpkin Seeds.

Almonds

Most mornings I add about 12 almonds to my breakfast and enjoy them so much. Almonds are thought to have originated in western Asia and North Africa; they have been written about in many historical texts, including the Bible.

9 Benefits of Almonds: 

• nutrient-dense food
• packed with protein; almonds are 13 percent protein
• lots of minerals such as magnesium, copper
• B vitamins
• full of potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron
• cholesterol free.
• one-ounce serving of almonds contains about the same amount of antioxidants as a serving of broccoli
• one of the best food sources of vitamin E, with about one third of the daily value per ounce
• heart-healthy with monounsaturated fat; one-quarter cup of almonds contains about 18 grams of fat, 11 grams is heart-healthy monounsaturated fats

According to research at the University of Toronto, eating heart-healthy foods, including almonds, can help reduce LDL, or the "bad" cholesterol levels, as much as a first-line "statin" drug.

Research at Tufts University found the flavonoids in almond skins work in synergy with the vitamin E in to protect artery walls from damage reducing the risk of heart disease.

Pumpkin Seeds

I love Pumpkin seeds which I add to my meals. Pumpkins, and their seeds, were an important Native American Indian food used for their dietary and medicinal properties.

9 Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds:

• have lots of minerals: phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron & copper.
• are a good source of protein and vitamin K.
• contain phytosterols, compounds that that have been shown to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol.
• are good for Prostate Health! The oil in them alleviates difficult urination that happens with an enlarged prostate.
• according to studies, they prevent calcium oxalate kidney stone formation.
• contains L-tryptophan, which helps with good sleep and lowering depression
• as they are high in zinc, they are a natural protector against osteoporosis. Low intake of zinc is linked to higher rates of osteoporosis.
• reduce inflammation for arthritis without the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs
• used in many cultures as a natural treatment for tapeworms and other parasites 

In a study of almost 400 men (age from 45-92) published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition they found a correlation between low dietary intake of zinc, low blood levels of the trace mineral, and osteoporosis at the hip and spine. 

SPROUTING NUTS & SEEDS

Raw nuts or seeds can have a bitter taste; this is due to enzyme inhibitors. Soaking or roasting the nuts and seeds remove the enzyme inhibitors which then brings out the natural sweet flavor of the nuts and seeds.

These inhibitors can affect the digestion of the nuts and seeds.  Soaking removes the inhibitors by washing them away, and begins the digestion of the proteins and carbohydrates.  Also the soaking removes 30% of the oil content making nuts and seeds easier on the liver and digestion. 

Directions: 

1. Look over nuts and seeds; remove stones and broken seeds.

2. Rinse nuts or seeds.

3. Put each type of seed or nut in individual jars then cover with purified water, leave the lid off and soak for right amount of time; see below.

4. Drain and put lid on and store in the fridge. Use them up in two to three days.

5. When ready, rinse nuts or seeds. Store in refrigerator, in sprouting environment or in other suitable container until ready to use. If not used within 12 hours, seeds should be serviced (rinsed) every 24 hours in refrigerator. Best to eat as soon as possible, as freshness is what makes sprouts special!

Almonds: Soak 8-12 hours. Use only unblanched almonds. If refrigerated will last up to 4 days or sprouts may turn rancid. These are my favorite! Note: All US almonds have been heated so make sure the ones you buy are from Europe.

Pumpkin Seeds:  Soak 6-8 hours. Eat within 2 days. Use hulled pumpkin seeds.

Sunflower Seeds: Soak 6-9 hours. Use hulled sunflower. Skim off seed skins when rinsing as they will make your sprouts spoil quickly. Best to eat them the same day or within 2 days.