Kale Rice Bowl

This is a simple any-time meal courtesy of 101cookbooks.com that is quick and versatile. 

I especially like it for its skin enhancing properties:  Vitamin A in the kale and egg, B vitamins in the brown rice, vitamin E in the olive oil.  You can substitute spinach or chard for the kale.  Za'atar is a blend of herbs, sesame seeds and salt.  If you are unfamiliar with Za'atar, you can substitute any of your favourite herbs or spices.

Joanne Levesque, RHN, Pure Med Office Manager

olive oil or clarified butter

1 bunch of kale, de-stemmed, chopped/shredded

3 cups cooked brown rice

capers, rinsed, dried, and pan-fried until blistered in butter

a poached egg

a dollop of salted Greek yogurt

a big drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil

lot's of za'atar

toasted sesame seeds

In a large skillet or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the kale and a couple pinches of salt. Sauté until the kale softens a bit and brightens, just a minute or so. Stir in the rice, and cook until the rice is hot. If your rice is on the dry side, you might have to add a small splash of water.

Serve the kale rice topped with all of the following: capers, poached egg, yogurt drizzled with olive oil, and plenty of za'atar and toasted sesame seeds.

Fresh Herb Omelet with Greek Yogurt

I have so many herbs in my back yard garden.  Tarragon, Oregano, Basil, Lemon Thyme, Parsley and the list goes on...

Rather than my usual breakfast shake, I challenged my husband to make an egg dish with our fresh herbs for breakfast.  His creation -- a fresh herb omelet filled with Greek yogurt and garnished with our garden fresh tomatoes and parsley.

Having a backyard (or front yard) garden rocks!

Joanne Levesque 

Registered Holistic Nutritionist

Serves 2

1/3 cup fresh herbs (any combination of oregano, basil, tarragon, lemon thyme, chives etc.), finely chopped

5 pastured eggs (from your local farmers market), my favourite are from Funny Duck Farms

Sea salt and white pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

cherry tomatoes and more herbs for garnish

Beat eggs with salt, pepper, and chopped herbs.  Melt butter in a small non stick pan over medium heat.  Add eggs and cook and gently stir with a spatula until almost done.  Add Greek yogurt on top and gently fold the omelet in half.  Heat for about 30 to 60 seconds and remove from heat.  Split between two plates and garnish. Serve with toasted whole grain or gluten free toast.

Enjoy a garden inspired breakfast.

Spinach Strawberry Salad with Red Onions

Local strawberries are in season generally from mid June to early July.  These gems are bursting with flavour and flavonoids.  Pick them fresh from your local berry farm, or buy them from a roadside stand.

Incorporate antioxidant rich local strawberries into every meal from breakfast, lunch and supper to dessert.

This salad is simple and makes your taste buds tingle!

Salad

- 3 cups chopped spinach
- 1/2 cup sliced strawberries

- sliced red onion to taste

Balsamic Vinaigrette
Makes 1 cup
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp grainy mustard
- 1/4 tsp sea salt

Place salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Dress with a few tablespoons of balsamic vinaigrette and toss.

Peppered Strawberries

My son calls this dessert "Fire Strawberries" because it is flambéd at the end.

Serves 4

- 2 cups strawberries, sliced

- 3 tablespoon butter

- 1 tablespoon cane sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

- 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (optional)

In a pan, melt butter, add sugar and spices and stir on medium until mixture is golden and bubbly.  Add strawberries and quickly stir to cover strawberries with hot syrup. Top with freshly ground black pepper.  Add optional Grand Marnier and flambé (touch the the Grand Marnier in the pan with a flame from a BBQ lighter.) The flames will evapourate in about 5 seconds.

Serve over vanilla ice cream.

Strawberries with Yogurt, Granola and Flax

This makes an amazing breakfast or snack.

Scoop plain unsweetened yogurt in a bowl, top with granola, strawberries and ground flax.

Cilantro Pesto

Cilantro is a detoxifier of toxic metals. Consuming fresh cilantro daily for 3 weeks helps remove mercury, lead and aluminium.

A flavourful topping for grilled fish, chicken or vegetables, cilantro pesto is also good as a dip, over pasta or grains and on sandwiches. This pesto keeps in the refrigerator for several days. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays and then transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. For optimum flavour, bring it to room temperature before serving.

2 cups packed cilantro leaves  

2-4 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive oil

1/2 cup flax oil 

1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup of sunflower seeds

1/4 cup Brazil nuts

1/4-1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Juice of 1/2 lemon  

Combine all ingredients into a food processor and process until it is a uniform consistency.   

Serve on fish, chicken, vegetables, or use in sandwiches or as a vegetable dip.  It is amazing on cooked cauliflower!

Keeps well in a jar in the fridge for about one week.  Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays then transfer the pesto cubes to a freezer bag.

Homemade Hummus

Hummus contains protein and fibre rich chickpeas, calcium from tahini, antioxidants from the garlic and lemon, and good fats from olive oil.

Most kids enjoy hummus as a vegetable dip.  Different variations can easily be made by adding sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, basil, sweet potato or chipotle sauce.

Basic Hummus Recipe
2 cups cooked chickpeas
3 tablespoons tahini
3 cloves garlic, chopped
juice of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste.  Serve with vegetables.

Favourite Variation
Add 2 to 3 tablespoons pureed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  It will give the hummus a pleasing orange colour and some spice!!

Guacamole

Guacamole is so easy to make that I delegated the task of making it to my son when he was eight or nine. 

Guacamole is based on avocado - a nutritional powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, good fats and phytonutrients.

I usually serve it with organic corn chips or add it to homemade tacos or fajitas.

Basic Guacamole Recipe
1 ripe avocado
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Cut avocado lengthwise along the pit and twist it open.  Remove the pit and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.

Mash avocado with a fork, add lemon juice and sea salt.  Done.

You can always add onion, tomato, cilantro, and garlic to it, but the basic recipe is fabulous as is.

How to Cook Dried Beans

Glorious Beans!


Most Canadians do not eat enough foods that have fiber. Besides reducing your chances for certain types of cancer and heart disease, high fiber foods keep your body regular. And since they are very filling, fiber-rich foods may help you to keep your weight down, too. 


Canned beans are convenient, yet expensive and usually contain chemical preservatives. I also find they are more likely to cause gas.


Dried beans are best because they are economical and store well.  Many people do not know how to properly cook dried beans. Proper preparation and cooking of dried beans will increase flavour and greatly reduce the "gas effect".


Following is the best way I have found to prepare and cook dried beans such as chickpea, white kidney beans (cannellini beans), red kidney beans, navy beans, and lima beans.

1. Soak beans in water for 24 hours. Yes this requires planning.
2. Drain and rinse the beans after their soak.  
3. Place them in a large pot and cover beans with one inch of water.  
4. Bring to a boil, and boil for 3 minutes. 
5. Drain and rinse the beans and wash the pot.  
6. Return the rinsed partially cooked beans to the clean pot and cover with two inches of water.  
7. Bring to a boil again and simmer for about 20 to 90 minutes depending on the bean.
   Chickpeas - 60 to 90 minutes
   Kidney Beans - 30 to 40 minutes
   Navy Beans - 30 to 40 minutes
   Lima Beans - 40 to 50 minutes
8. When the beans are cooked through and tender.  Remove from heat and salt the beans and water with about a tablespoon of sea salt. Let the beans sit for five to 10 minutes before straining.  
9. Strain but keep some of the cooking water to store with the beans in the fridge or to use in a recipe (for example, keep some chickpea cooking water to add to your hummus recipe).

Try cooking beans every weekend.  They keep well in the fridge for about one week.  Use the beans in pasta dishes, salads, dips and stir-fry’s.

Steamed Vegetable Salad

Salads can get sort of boring in the winter as other than onions, there is not anything seasonal to put on them.  They are also too cold for a chilly night.  So how is one to enjoy leafy greens on a cold winter night?  Solution - make it warm!

For years, my chef husband and I have topped our winter salads with steamed broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and butternut squash.  Our favourite dressing is a simple dressing made of fresh squeezed lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, dijon mustard and a little Braggs All Liquid seasoning.  Top that with cayenne pepper and you have yourself a warm delicious salad as a prelude to your main meal. 

You can also make this salad your main meal if you top in with a protein source such as salmon, chicken, eggs or even giant lima beans or cannellini beans.

                                                                                                                                 Joanne Levesque, Registered Holistic Nutritionist

 Pure Med Office Manager

 Serves 1

Salad 2 to 3 cups of mixed salad greens (spinach, arugula, romaine etc.) 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped red onion (optional) 1/2 avocado cut in chunks Place ingredients in a large bowl. Vegetables 1/2 cup broccoli flowerettes and peeled stems 1/2 cup cauliflower, cut in bite sized pieces 1/2 cup chopped cabbage 1/2 cup cubed butternut squash Steam vegetables until just done.  Dressing 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

  3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  1 teaspoon Bragg All Purpose Seasoning (find in health food stores and in Loblaws Natural Value section)

  Shake ingredients together in a jar.

Assembly

Top salad greens with steamed vegetables.  Drizzle dressing over vegetables and salad.  Season with cayenne pepper, sea salt and fresh ground pepper.  Optional:  top with fish, chicken, soft boiled eggs or beans for a complete meal.

Simple Dahl

When it comes to food in January, the theme is comfort food.  Simple comfort food is the best.  Something that does not take too long to make, and also produces leftovers.

Some dahls, a dish or preparation of lentils can be complicated using many spices.  This dahl is simple.  It is a verbal recipe passed down from a friend of a friend who happens to run an Indian restaurant in the Toronto area.  It is a simple version of a complicated dish and it is delicious and very comforting.  I have made adjustments to it by adding butternut squash and kale to make it a one pot dish.  It contains lots of anti-inflammatory turneric.

Feel free to adjust seasonings to your liking.  Increase or decrease the cayenne pepper.

Joanne Levesque, RHN, Pure Med Office Manager

photo sourced from  http://herbivoracious.com

Makes about 5 cups 3 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil 1 yellow onion chopped 3 garlic cloves minced and 2 tablespoons minced ginger or 3 tablespoons garlic ginger paste 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoon ground garam masala 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 cup red lentils 3 cups water 1 cup butternut squash cut in 1/2 inch cubes 1/2 bunch of kale, washed, de-stemmed and chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste) Heat oil in a heavy 3-quart pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook stirring for 5 to 7 minutes until slightly golden.  Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 3 minutes.  Add the turmeric, garam masala and cayenne and cook for another 3 minutes.   Add more oil if needed.  Deglaze the pot with a little water and add the red lentils.  Add 1 cup of water.  Stir well and bring to a boil.  Add butternut squash and another cup of water and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Add another cup of water and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Red lentils should be tender and falling apart.  Add kale and simmer for a few minutes.  Season with sea salt*.  *Do not salt the dahl until the end.  Salt doubles the cooking time for lentils.  Serve in bowls and eat as is or with a piece of naan bread or over basmati rice.

Winter Salad Meal

This is my go to meal when I am alone for dinner.  It is simple and easy to make with ingredients that I always have on hand.

I grow my own greens in my garden from April to November.  Spinach, arugula, mustard greens, and cress do very well in the fall.  As long as there is no snow, I can harvest my greens through to the end of November, even after frosts.  This recipe is best made with the autumn greens.

                                                   Joanne Levesque, RHN, Pure Med OfficeManager

Salad

3 to 4 cups of organic mixed autumn greens such as arugula, mustard greens, cress and spinach

1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped red onion

4 to 6 sundried tomatoes, soaked in water to soften, chopped

4 black kalamata olives, chopped

1/4 cup shredded organic medium cheddar

3 organic free-range eggs, soft or hard boiled

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing

Juice of one lemon (about 1/4 cup)

3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Bragg All Purpose Seasoning (find it in a health food store or Loblaws natural foods section)

Cut greens into bite size pieces.  Top with red onion, tomatoes, olives and cheese. 

Place eggs in a pot of cold water.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes for soft boil (runny yolk) or 5 minutes for hard boil (solid yolk).  Drain water and soak in cold water to make them easy to handle.  Remove shell, chop the eggs and add to salad.

While the eggs are cooking make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a jar and shaking until combined and smooth.

Drizzle dressing over salad and season with sea salt and pepper.

Herb Cream Cheese Scrambled Eggs

This recipe is not for everyone.  If you are not sensitive to eggs and dairy, then this recipe is quick, delicious and nutritious.

It starts with organic, pastured eggs that you pick up at the organic farmers market.  Eggs are a marvelous food.  A large egg contains 70 calories and is full of iron, vitamins A, D, E, B12, folate, protein, selenium, lutein, zeazanthin, and choline.  They are inexpensive (even the organic, pastured eggs) and are quick to cook.

The following recipe comes from 101cookbooks.com.  I found it when I was looking for recipes that contained lots of fresh herbs, since my garden is abundant with fresh herbs and I am determined to use as much as I can before the frost and snow claim them.

I used Organic Meadows Cream Cheese (found at Farm Boy and Loblaws/Superstore) which is organic and very spreadable.  Play around with the herbs.  Keep in mind that you wants tons of herbs and green onions in the cream cheese

.Joanne Levesque RHN, Pure Med Office Manager and Holistic Nutritionist

Serves 2

125 grams cream cheese at room temperature

4 tablespoons chopped herbs – equal parts thyme, tarragon, oregano

6 green onion, with greens, chopped

1/3 cup chopped chives

Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon butter

5 to 6 eggs, well whisked

Your favourite crusty bread or whole grain (or gluten free) toast

Place the cream cheese in a medium bowl, add the herbs and mash with a fork until the herbs are evenly distributed.  Add the green onions, most of the chives, a pinch of salt, and mash until those are incorporated as well.  Set aside.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-heat.  Add the eggs and let them set a bit.  Use a spatula to fold them over themselves, let them set a bit again, and repeat until they are nearly cooked to your liking.  Remove from heat, add 2 dollops of the cream cheese (roughly a tablespoon each) to the skillet, count to ten, then stir a bit more to work the cream cheese into the eggs.  Serve sprinkled with the remaining chives, salt and pepper to taste, and toast on the side.  You can also add a side of steamed broccoli or Brussels sprouts to make a balanced meal.

Prep time: 5 min - Cook time: 5 min

Leafy Greens with Beet and Goat Cheese

Organic leafy greens and beets are abundant from your local farmers market this time of year.  Goat’s cheese is less allergenic than cow’s cheese, so it is a good choice when you desire the creamy taste of cheese.  This is a simple kid and adult tested summer salad.  It is flavourful and colourful. 

Joanne Levesque RHN, Pure Med Office Manager and Holistic Nutritionist

Serves 4 8 to 10 cups of washed organic leafy salad greens 2 to 3 medium beets, cooked and chopped into ½ inch cubes ¼ cup to ½ cup of chevre (creamy goat cheese), cut in chunks   1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil sea salt and pepper to taste Cut or tear leafy salad greens into large bite size pieces and place in a large salad bowl.  Add beets, chevre, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Season with sea salt and pepper and toss. Makes a great first course.  This salad is full of zing!

Beet Green Saute

Pure Med's Office Manager Joanne Levesque put together this recipe from inspiration from her garden. It's also a wonderfully healthy recipe since Joanne is also a Registered Holistic Nutritionist.  Almost my entire back yard is a vegetable garden.  Actually, I do have an interlocking patio deck as well.  I have 5 vegetable beds with flagstone paths in between the beds.  It is my inspiration for many recipes, but it also helps that my husband is a chef and he turns my inspirations into delicious healthy meals. Beet seeds are actually seed pods.  When you plant one seed, you may get two or three seedlings growing out of the pod, which means that you need to thin out the seedlings to make room for the beet root to grow.  I usually wait until the beet greens are about eight inches high before I thin them.  This way I end up with enough thinnings for a few meals.  Usually served as a side dish, I wanted to create a main meal (a macro-nutrient balanced meal) out of them. Adding white kidney beans and walnuts into the mix provides protein and fat to the complex carbohydrate beets greens. Very yummy.  Hope you enjoy. - Joanne Ingredients

A salad spinner full of fresh chopped beet greens
2 or 3 garlic scapes, chopped in ½ inch pieces
¼ to ½ teaspoon of crushed chilies
¼ teaspoon of sea salt
1 ½ to 2 cups of cooked white kidney beans
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 to 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

Add olive oil to a hot stir fry pan.  Add garlic scapes, chilies and salt and sauté for about 3 minutes.  Add the beet greens and stir until they are cooked, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the white kidney beans, walnuts and balsamic vinegar.  Heat until beans are hot.

Plate and drizzle with olive oil and top with optional parmesan cheese.

Lively Lentil Soup

From 101 Cookbooks.com’s Heidi Swanson: “This wonderful winter soup is hearty yet healthy. It is filling, tasty, adaptable, and also delivers plenty of good stuff to my body. I can get much of what I need from a meal nutritionally from just one bowl. It gives me energy without weighing me down, and delivers layer after layer of flavor. The tang of the tomatoes plays off the earthiness of the lentils, and the fragrant bolt of saffron yogurt brightens each bowl. Delicious.”

2 c black beluga lentils (or green French lentils), rinsed
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 c water 
3 c leafy greens (kale, spinach, chard, etc) rinsed, finely chopped with stems removed

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add the lentils, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat, then add the onion and salt and sauté until tender, a couple minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, lentils, and water and continue cooking for a few more minutes, letting the soup come back up to a simmer. Stir in the chopped greens, and wait another minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning if need be. Ladle into bowls, and serve with a dollop of the saffron yogurt. Serves 6 to 8.

Variations on this recipe might include adding cubes of butternut squash or sweet potatoes, adding quinoa or millet, or topped with a poached egg. Try making a thicker version by using less water and then spoon it over an omelette in the morning. You can also finish the soup by adding your favorite spices or spice blends. Smoked paprika, crushed chiles, toasted cumin, would all work nicely.

Saffron Yogurt
a pinch of saffron (30-40 threads)
1 tbs boiling water
two pinches of salt
½ c 2% Greek Yogurt or
plain, unsweetened yogurt

Combine the saffron threads with boiling water and let steep for a few minutes. Stir the saffron mixture into the yogurt. Mix in the salt and serve on the lentil soup. Those eating dairy-free can skip the yogurt entirely and finish the soup with a generous drizzle of good olive oil instead.

Discover Winter Greens

This is a quick, garlicky kale, chard, or spinach recipe - your choice. Greens are great if cooked for just a couple minutes, so they retain a hint of structure and plenty of color and vibrancy. Serve as a side dish or any dozens of ways: Purée the sautéed greens and you can whisk or blend them into hummus, mashed potatoes, and dips. Or pile pureed greens on top of baked sweet potatoes. Chop the greens a bit finer (pre or post sauté), and add them to all sorts of soups and curries - you get color, flavor, and a nutritious boost. Stir a few beaten eggs into a skillet of sautéed kale, and you're on your way to a delicious omelette or frittata. Add white beans and tomatoes to sautéed greens for a warm salad or serve on top of rice, pasta, or quinoa.

1 large bunch of kale, chard or spinach
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
5 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and/or almonds or pine nuts
crushed red pepper flakes

De-stem each leaf of chard or kale by grabbing the main stalk in one hand and strip the leaf from the stem all the way up with the other. Tear or cut the big leaves into bite-sized pieces. Rinse well.

Hold off cooking the greens until just before eating. Then, in a large skillet heat the olive oil. Add a couple pinches of salt, a big pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and garlic. Wait until the garlic browns, then add the greens. They should hiss and spit a bit when they hit the pan. Stir continuously until their colour gets bright green, and they just barely start to collapse - two, three, maybe four minutes, depending on how hot your pan is and how much structure your greens have. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the Parmesan. For dairy-free, add toasted almonds or pine nuts instead. Add a bit of salt to taste if needed. Serve immediately if not sooner. Serves 2- 3.

Thai-spiced Pumpkin Soup & Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

This delicious seasonal soup from 101Cookbooks.com is simple but unique. You can buy Thai curry paste at any Asian specialty store. Keep in mind that Thai curry pastes have differing strengths. Start with a teaspoon and then build from there until the soup has a level of spiciness and flavor that works for your palette. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds.

1 medium pumpkin or 2 small pumpkins 

3 tablespoons butter, coconut or olive oil
fine grain sea salt

1 14-ounce can coconut milk
1 teaspoon (or more) red Thai curry paste
water

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the oven racks in the middle. Carefully cut each pumpkin or squash into halves or quarters leaving the skin on. Scrape the stringy pulp and seeds from the middle of the pumpkin. Slather the remaining flesh of the pumpkin or squash with oil, sprinkle generously with salt, place on a baking sheet skin sides down, and place in the oven. Roast for about an hour or until it is tender throughout.

When the pumpkin or squash is cool enough to handle scrap the flesh off the skin and scoop into a large pot over medium high heat. Add the coconut milk and curry paste and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and puree with a hand blender, you should have a very thick base at this point. Now add water a cup at a time pureeing between additions until the soup is the consistency you prefer - a low sodium vegetable stock would work instead of water as well. Bring up to a simmer again, and add more curry paste if you like.

Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine grained sea salt
1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse pulp off pumpkin seeds. In a medium-sized bowl mix together the pumpkin seeds, salt, and cayenne and toss well. Place seeds in a single layer across a baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until seeds are golden. Sprinkle with a bit more cayenne pepper.