Ingredients:

1 onion, finely chopped

½ mushrooms, sliced

1 – 3 cloves garlic

1 tsp. cumin

½  tsp. coriander

1 tsp. oregano

¼ – 1 tsp cayenne pepper*

1 tsp paprika

3 carrots, thinly sliced

3 cups cooked kidney beans and water (cook according to recipe: http://realfoodforlife.com/cooking-beans/)

4 tbsp. soya sauce

1 green pepper, sliced

3 tomatoes, chopped

.

Directions:

1. Sauté onion, mushrooms, garlic, cumin, coriander and oregano.
2. Add carrots, cooked kidney beans with 1 cup of the bean water, soya sauce and green pepper.
3. Cook till vegetables are tender.
4. Add tomatoes, cayenne pepper, and paprika.
5. Cook on medium heat until thick like consistency of gravy, adding more water if necessary.

* Cayenne is easier on the digestive system then chili and there is lots of literature saying it is very good for one’s health. But you could use Chili powder or fresh chopped chilies. I actually make this without any pepper as that is my preference but when I put the recipe together I new that the people I was making it for would have been very disappointed had there been no heat in the Chili!

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.

Cooking Beans & Lentils

Ingredients:
Dried beans or lentils
Water

Directions:
  1.  Wash beans in cold water and soak overnight in three times the volume of water.
 2.  Next day, pour off the water.
 3.  Place beans in a pot and cover with water 1 inch above the level of the beans.
 4.  Bring to a boil.
 5.  Let simmer with lid ajar.
 6.  Skim off the foam.
 7.  Add more water if necessary, as the beans should always be covered with water while cooking.
 8.  Cooking time will vary according to the type, size, and age of the bean.
 9.  Most beans will need approximately 2 hours cooking time.
10.  Beans should be soft.  This is the stage that you can salt and other seasonings.  Do not add salt while cooking as above.

Adzuki Vegetable Bean Stew

Ingredients:
1 onion, finely chopped
3 sticks of celery, sliced
1 zucchini, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 – 5 garlic cloves, minced
1- 2 inches of fresh ginger, chopped
1 1/2 cups adzuki beans 
3 pieces of Wakame Seaweed, rinsed and broken into pieces
2 – 6 tbsp. Tamari
Few drops of stevia (optional)

Directions:
1.    Cook adzuki beans for 1 – 2 hours (time is dependant on the age of the beans) according to recipe titled ‘How to COOK BEANS’ above.
2.    When beans are soft, add Wakame and cook for another few minutes.
3.    Then add onions, celery, zucchini, carrots, ginger and garlic.
4.    Simmer for ½ hour or till vegetables are tender.
5.    Add Tamari to taste and a few drops of stevia.
6.    Serve with a whole grain. 

Check out the Nutrition Facts on a Serving Size 1/4 cup (48g) of Adzuki beans!

Calories 160                  Protein 11g
Total Fat 0.5g               Potassium 600mg
Dietary Fiber 6g            Sugars 0g
Total Carbohydrate 29g

For Vegan Chili recipe:  http://realfoodforlife.com/veganchili/

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.

Everyone in the Health Tribe has their own story. You probably do too! Here are some amazing stories from experts.   

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Lentil soup has all the benefits of lentils (see article) plus much more.  And by the way, it tastes great.

Ingredients:
1 large Onion, chopped
3-6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 pieces celery, chopped
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 cup green whole lentils, cooked with water cooked in.
1 piece Kombu*
2 carrots, diced
2 cups fresh (or tinned tomatoes but fresh is best)**
3-5 tsp salt
1 tsp each of thyme and basil
3 tsp marjoram
Fresh parsley

Directions:
1.    Sauté onion, garlic and celery in oil.
2.    Add remaining ingredients.
3.    Simmer for one hour, adding more water if necessary.
4.    Remove Kombu and chop; return to soup.
5.    Serve in bowls garnished sprigs of fresh parsley.

* Kombu makes beans more digestable but you could easily leave it out.

** Uusally I do not make this soup with tomatoes any more which makes it into a stew.

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.

The lentil was selected by Health Magazine as one of the top 5 healthiest foods on the planet! They are good in sooo many ways! 

Beans are generally considered a low cost, healthy alternative to most other protein sources like meat, dairy and most grains.  If  beans are good for you, then lentils, the smallest of the beans, are great! In general the smaller the bean the more nutrition is packed into each seed. Smaller beans are also often easier to digest and cook and have been a mainstay of many cultures for centuries.

Lentils are low in fat and sodium and are one of most alkaline protein sources. You can sprout them if you want more raw food.

Growing lentils is even healthy for the soil, as they increase nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil, take very little moisture,  and stop erosion.  By eating lentils you are helping the earth and the environment!

 
Benefits

A single cup of cooked lentils provides well over one third the protein daily requirement for a 150 lb adult while adding practically NO FAT! They have a third highest level of protein by weight of any plant based food.  Cost for that cup is just 20 – 40  cents!

Some lentils like brown lentils grown in N. America are so tasty that all you have to do to boil and add a bit of salt. Other lentils are more bland so a bit a spice is needed. This is the ‘dal’ of many eastern countries.  Either way if you are interested in healthy cooking and ever considered reducing meat consumption, it definitely worth it to find a few good lentil dishes you like.

 
Another big benefit of lentils is the high levels of cholesterol lowering fiber (both soluble and insoluble). Numerous studies have shown high levels of fiber associated with decreased degenerative diseases.   In one study that examined food intake patterns of 16,000 middle-aged men – in relation  to the risk of death from coronary heart disease, researchers found that legumes were associated with a whopping 82% reduction in risk!!

 
History

 The lentil plant (Lens Culinaris) belongs to the family Leguminosae (legume)  and is a cousin to peas. The lentil is one of the oldest cultivated legume, dating back at least 8000 years. Although the scientific name relates to the lens of the eye it is interesting that it is one of the foods used in the Christian Lent period, a time when one level of fasting is to abstain from any kind of meat. 

Nutrients

Power Nutrients in Lentils: iron, protein, phosphorus, copper, Vitamin B1, potassium
Power Plus Nutrients: Fiber, tryptophan, manganese,
Extreme Power Nutrients:  Folate, Molybdenum

Caution:  Because lentils are high in so many nutrients, they are high in natural substances called purines. If you have a physical condition which requires you to be on a low purine diet this is to be considered. Recent research though, indicates that the purines from vegetable sources does not have the same negative effect as the purines from meat and fish.

Recipes:

Lentils are SO good for you so we will be adding many different recipes, but here is a link for one very simple use:  Lentil Soup   http://realfoodforlife.com/lentil-soup/

Enjoy 

Mmmmm I love the sweet vegetables in this meal. So very yummy and so many Powerfoods in one meal. Another great thing I like about this meal is that it is so simple to prepare and in only one dish which means there are few dishes to wash.

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.

There are 2 Categories of Squash:

Summer Squash, which have bush vines, tender skin and are eaten when small and immature.

Winter Squash which are hard skinned and good for storage.  Summer squash is a tasty offering savoured by people from around the world. Its nutty flavour and moist texture enrich a vast array of dishes, ranging from dumplings to salads.

Summer squash

Summer squash has an abundance of manganese and vitamin C, and also magnesium, vitamin A, fibre, potassium, folate, copper, riboflavin, and phosphorus. It also has omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, calcium, zinc, niacin, and protein. So you see it is a very healthy food.

Zucchini: still dominates as the best known summer squash.  It has thin skin that is usually green but can be yellow or striped or speckled. Being tender it cooks fast and it has edible flowers are often used cooking.

Other Summer squashes are:
Crookneck and Straightneck Squash:  usually have a yellow skin and sometimes a green skin. Crookneck squash is partially straight with a swan-like neck. It was genetically altered to produce its straightneck cousin that is shaped as its name implies.

Pattypan Squash: a small saucer shaped squash with skin of either pale green or golden yellow. Its flesh is more dense and a little sweeter than the zucchini.

Winter Squash

Winter squash has a high amount of Vitamin A (beta-carotene), with vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and manganese. It also has folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, copper, vitamin B6, niacin-vitamin B3 and pantothenic acid.

Butternut squash: Tan colour with small seed cavity. This squash stores well and has a good flavour. Fairly dense golden flesh, makes an excellent puree.

Pumpkin: Good in sweet and savoury recipes. 

Acorn squash:  A deep black-green colour with a rich orange thick flesh – Delicious! Good for baking in the skin.

Spaghetti squash: Has a fibrous flesh which looks like spaghetti when cooked.

Doody or white pumpkin: Has pale greenish-white flesh and a delicate flavour.

Buttercup:  Dark green colour with a deep orange flesh. This extra dry squash has a sweet flavour.

Delicatta:  A creamy colour with green stripes. This squash is like a Sweet potato squash.

Spaghetti: Creamy colour with an oblong shape. The Flesh resembles spaghetti when cooked. Top with your favourite sauce!

Small Wonder: Light orange colour vegetable spaghetti looks like a soft ball in shape. It has more flavour than spaghetti squash. Great with salt, pepper, and butter.

White Acorn: A creamy white on the outside, pale yellow on the inside. It has a delicate nutty flavour.

Kabocha:  A pumpkin shaped winter squash. It has a rich, sweet flavour and when cooked its texture resembles that of a tender potato. Kabocha squash weighs an average of three pounds and has spotted or blotchy dark green skin. It can be baked, steamed, stuffed or pureed. Works well as a substitution in recipes that call for pumpkin or sweet potatoes. Kabocha is generally available all year round. (this is obvioiusly my favourite!)

When selecting a winter squash, do not select those that are soft or show pitting. Also, check that the stem is intact and looks fresh. Store up 1 – 3 months in a cool dry location that has good air circulation.

Here are a few squash recipies:

KABOCHA SQUASH SOUP

BAKED SQUASH  

In upcoming posts we will be posting more RECIPES of squash!  Don't miss it by opting into our newsletter

Feel free to share this information with others.  Twitter and other links below.

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.

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%.

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.

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.

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.

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.