Posts Tagged ‘healthy cooking’
Sugarless Date Squares
Special Vegetarian Dinner
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.
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.
Luxurious Brown Rice Pudding
This brown rice pudding and the creamy sauce that goes with it, is sugar-free, dairy-free, and egg-free and it 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; just cook it on top of the stove in a pot until it is the consistency I like.
Ingredients:
1 cup short grain brown rice, cooked
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups rice, almond or soy milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. coconut oil or butter
1 tsp. – 2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sultana raisins
1/2 cup dates, chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 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 to 50 minutes.
- Serve with “Cream Sauce” on top.
Serves 4 big servings or 8 small ones.
CREAM SAUCE
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup rice, almond or soy milk
3/4 cup apple juice
3 tbsp. arrowroot
2 tbsp. coconut oil or butter
1 tsp. lemon juice
Directions:
- Mix the first 3 ingredients together.
- 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, 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 HerringtonYou 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.
FREE Teleconference Class this Thursday
Learn the Skills and Principles for Achieving Long Term Health and Natural Slenderness.
Do you ever wonder if your diet is making a difference in your life; whether it is good enough or balanced enough? We hear all the time about a balanced diet but much of that information is contradictory and confusing.
Are you sure if you are eating the right foods, are getting enough or too much protein, are eating enough fruits and vegetables?
Who else wants to learn the secrets to eating properly… that will strengthen and energize your body effortlessly?
(Even if you don’t know the first thing about nutrition or health right now.)
In this step-by-step complete course you will learn exactly how to evaluate and change your eating habits (completely from scratch) from
two health experts who have helped thousands….
Discover your Real Food Factor…..and Then Increase It!
Determine how you are doing right now and then apply simple time tested principles…..for Healing, Energy & Weight Loss
Join our new improved Five Week Teleconference Course
- We have updated our last course with some ‘must have’ modules. (see below)
- Included as part of the classes is a one on one half hour Nutrition session with Diana
- We are limiting the number of participants to 20 which means that every week there will be time for you to ask your questions and for us to respond.
Overall Benefits:
1. Be part of a supportive interactive group committed to improving their health together over 5 weeks.
2. Take control of your health progress by knowing exactly where you are and what you have to do each day in a simple and easy way.
3. Reach your full potential … by learning some simple things to do to create a vibrant you.
During our 5 week Course You Will Discover and Implement:
- How to simplify your orientation to nutrition so you can worry less and enjoy more.
- The 3 key elements you need to put in every meal to make them work like magic.
- When you can save money by not buying organic; when you can’t afford not to.
- The secret to keeping up with an exercise routine. (You know you should)
- How to deal with craving in a gentle yet powerful manner.
……and much, much more!
We just added these bonus modules!
1. Food combining for better digestion, more energy, healing and weight loss.
2. Figuring out your Real Food Factor. Know your daily score!
Examples:
Zero = would not be reading this (dead)
Three = you probably got the flu that’s going around
Seven = Feeling GOOD
Ten = WOW! You really need to be helping others. Come help teach this course.
3. Talking with Plants (yes this does sound unusual but the basis to this is AND to getting very healthy is in listening to your body in specific ways that you will learn)
4. Balanced Daily Routine for a balanced life.
First Call is FREE:
Date: Thursday, Oct 29
Time: 7:00 p.m. MST
To get the Dial In Number: We will mail out the phone number and code, to everyone on our mailing list.
If you are not on the mailing list fill in your name and email below for our free newsletter. The opt in box also in the upper right of this site.
Registration to the course will be open to the first 20 who apply that day. Don’t delay.
BERRY CRUMBLE
Blueberries have more antioxidants than any other popular fruit and help prevent cancer, diabetes, age-related memory loss and are anti-inflammatory. They are also rich in potassium, fibre and vitamins A & C.
“Inflammation is a key driver of all chronic diseases, so blueberries have a host of benefits,” says Ann Kulze, MD, of Charleston, S.C.
Interesting Fact: The paint the Shakers used for the woodwork on their houses was made from sage blossoms, indigo, blueberry skins & mixed in milk.
BERRY BASE
Ingredients:
1 – 2 apples
2 cups berries (blue berries, blackberries, Saskatoons, currants or strawberries)
Stevia – light liquid (Sunny Dew is best)
Directions:
1. Core and slice apples.
2. Simmer apples with a few spoons of water in a covered pot.
3. Mix in berries and simmer a few minutes.
4. Sweeten to taste with stevia.
5. Place berry/apple mixture in a baking dish
CRUMBLE TOPPING
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups brown rice flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice syrup
1/4 tsp Stevia – light liquid (Sunny Dew is best)
Directions:
1. Mix dry ingredients together
2. Mix oil, stevia and rice syrup and add to dry ingredients.
3. Mix thoroughly.
4. Sprinkle on top of fruit
5. Bake at 350º F. in oven for approximately 40 minutes.
Randy Turns into Master Chef with New Nutrition/Recipe Book
I feel like a master chef!
I've created more new dishes from my kitchen in the last few days than in the last few years. I'm the 'test cooker' for Diana's new recipe book filled with Powerfoods. That means I get an advance copy and see if I can easily follow all the directions and come up with great tasting meals.
The key words here are easy and practical. I've done my own cooking for a long time but I don't tend to use cookbooks because they are so fussy and particular. I find that I can go to all kinds of work getting the ingredients for just a single recipe and not use it a lot, therefore wasting the ingredients and my time. Because of this, I end up eating a limited set of meals I know I can make well and fast. It HAS to be simple, easy and useful.
It's great therefore to learn new possibilities and master new skills – and that is what this book was intended to do. It gives a new person starting into a healthy way of eating the basic knowledge and skills to get on a healthy diet. One that was easy to prepare.
Diana has carefully planned out every possible meal for more than two weeks. It includes a shopping list of easily available food items that will be used several times thought the program, special getting ready sessions that allow a person to prepare several aspects of the weekly routine ahead of time, and then the actual recipes themselves with plenty of nutritional and cooking tips included.
The reason I like this book and think it would be great for others is:
-
Gives a new person an easy simple start to eating and cooking healthfully – so they don't get discouraged or overcome.
-
Shopping lists filled with Powerfoods can be bought almost exclusively at the local grocery store so that a person is not spending a lot of time buying unknown (read weird) stuff that they are not sure of.
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Many of the meals are simple meals that a person has already experienced or heard about. They are included because they are already in a healthy category or they have been slightly adjusted to make them more healthy
-
Carefully planned out the meals for maximum efficiency have been created by Diana. For example she plans you to make extra rice for your evening meal because she has a menu that uses that rice for the next day's salad or a dessert. This kind of efficiently saves both TIME and MONEY.
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Book is filled with nutrition tips and preparation tips.
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The meals taste great. Do I need to say more?
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Once a person has mastered these meals – there will be more advanced planners to keep it all interesting and more refining in terms of balancing the body.
Using this cookbook has even made my daughter more polite! My just-past-teenage daughter Asha usually kind of ignores or avoids my cooking whenever she can.
Just last night for example I had asked her if she wanted to eat with me but she said she was in too much of a hurry and was going to eat with her friends. As soon as she tasted the peanut sauce I had just prepared from the book though, suddenly she had lots of time to hang around the stove and dip steamed vegetables into the sauce with her fingers … and eat up a large portion of my meal! This kind of thing has happened several times since I started on the book. I'm sure she was just being polite. The only other explanation would be that these meals actually TASTE better than my own regular fantastic meals …..but that is impossible of course. Yes it's most certain that her personality has changed. It's amazing
The only problem with being the 'test cooker' is that I am no longer the 'test taster' for these meals which I used to be. Diana would cook the meals herself and I got to feast with the only requirement that I give her feedback. That was one of the better jobs in my life! Oh Well…..I look forward to the next book – the one with the more advanced recipes – with a little more gourmet quality integrated in – and more tasting! I'm also looking forward to the rest of THIS book – since Diana only gave me the first week.
This nutrition/recipe book is not yet available. We are working on it and will let you know.
P.S. Those of you who know me (Randy) know that the picture is a joke. I'm not that scary!
The Simple Approach To
Great Health
