Curried Cauliflower Soup

Great on a cold rainy day, or after a workout, turmeric acts as a powerful natural anti-inflammatory for sore and achy muscles.

1 large potato, washed and diced
1 small cauliflower, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil or coconut butter
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
4 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp cumin seeds or ground cumin
2 tsp mustard seeds
3 tsp ground coriander
4 cups vegetable stock
1-1/4 cup natural yogurt or kefir (optional)
3 tsp unrefined sea salt
Black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley or cilantro to garnish

•    Heat oil in large sauce pan, add potato, cauliflower and onion and 3 Tbsp water
•    Heat until hot and bubbly then turn heat down and continue to cook for 10 minutes
•    Add garlic, ginger, and spices. Stir well and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally
•    Add stock, salt and pepper and cover and simmer for 20 minute
•    Eat as is or blend lightly using a hand-held blender
•    Stir in yoghourt and garnish with cilantro or parsley

Sweet Potato Burritos

A delicious vegetarian lunch or dinner, these burritos are satisfying and healthy.  Sweet potatoes, Kale, onions and peppers help meet your daily vegetable, fiber and nutrient needs and supply beta carotene, magnesium and calcium.

1/2 cup canned or cooked black beans, rinsed very well
1/2 cup cooked brown rice (1:1.5 ratio)
1/2 sweet potato, cooked and mashed
1 tsp olive or coconut oil
1/2 pepper, chopped
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
3 leaves of kale, stems removed and chopped
1/2 avocado, sliced
1/2 tomato,diced
Mixed sprouts (optional)
Tortillas (look for organic sprouted corn tortillas in health food store-delicious!!)
1/4 cup cheddar or mozzarella cheese
1 tsp sea salt
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sweet paprika or chilli powder
1 tsp sea salt

•    Saute onions, peppers and spices in oil on a frying pan until soft and fragrant (about 5 minutes)
•    Add beans and rice to heat and stir
•    Mix in sweet potato and chopped kale and sea salt (add a touch of water or vegetable stock if the mixture is too dry)
•    Meanwhile melt cheese on tortillas in the oven for 3 minutes at 350˚F, once melted add bean and rice mixture, avocado, sprouts and tomatoes
•    Enjoy!

Salad Extraordinaire

You are all eating a big bowl of salad every day, right? Salad is one of the best ways to meet your daily nutritional fiber, vitamin, enzymes and mineral needs, and it is also one of the easiest ways to get creative in the kitchen.

Start with an assortment of greens (and mix it up each time)!
•    Spinach
•    Mixed Greens
•    Arugula
•    Kale
•    Boston Lettuce
•    Mizuna
•    Dandelion
Add your vegetables of choice or at hand (and mix it up each time)!
•    Broccoli
•    Cauliflower
•    Green Beans
•    Cabbage
•    Tomato
•    Cucumber
•    Peppers
•    Avocado
Add some toasted raw nuts and seeds for improved flavour, texture, and nutritional value (toasted separately and watched closely as you toast)!
•    Pumpkin
•    Sesame
•    Sunflower
•    Walnuts
•    Pecans
•    Hazelnuts
Add some grated vegetables for a moister salad that softens your lettuce and adds texture (and mix it up each time)!
•    Beets
•    Carrots
•    Turnips
•    Parsnips
•    Potatoes
Add cooked vegetables to make it even more of a meal (and mix it up each time)!
•    Potatoes
•    Peppers
•    Eggplant
•    Zucchini
•    Fennel
Add a protein
•    Eggs (poached or hard-boiled)
•    Leftover chicken or beef from last nights dinner
•    Left over lentils or beans
•    Tofu or tempeh
Add a cooked grain to make it even more of a kick $#^& meal (and mix it up each time)!
•    Left over brown rice and
•    Quinoa
•    Bulgur wheat
•    Millet

Add your homemade dressing to add high quality fats, pH balancing lemon or apple cider vinegar, and flavour enhancing spices and herbs.
Do you see?? The options are endless! (Now I’m hungry).

Quinoa Salad

2 cups          quinoa
1 large         carrot, grated
1Tbsp         organic lemon or lime zest
1/4 cup         red onion, minced
1/3 cup        red pepper, chopped
1/3 cup         parsley, chopped
1 bunch        asparagus (or other seasonal vegetable)

Dressing:
½ tsp         Dijon mustard
1 tsp         Honey
3 Tbsp         Extra Virgin Olive oil
3 Tbsp         lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

•    Rinse the quinoa well under cold water to remove bitterness
•    Place in saucepan and cover with 3 ½ cups filtered water. Bring to a boil, and let boil gently covered for approximately 10 minutes until the water dissipates.
•    Meanwhile, prepare remaining salad ingredients and place in a large bowl, and prepare dressing and whisk together in a separate bowl.
•    Once quinoa is cooked allow it to cool before combining it to the rest of the salad ingredients.
•    Stir in dressing and serve.
•    Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Quinoa is a high protein, hiugh iron gluten free grain that everyone is talking about these days! It is extremely versatile, so be flexible and creative with your vegetable and herb toppings. Try soaked sun dried tomatoes, peas, corn or baby spinach. Other options-pumpkin seeds, sesame or sunflower seeds, walnuts, roasted red peppers, sprouted chickpeas, olives, feta cheese, roasted kale, etc.

Black Bean Soup

2 cups         dried black beans (or 3 cans black beans, rinsed well)
6 cups         water
1 piece        kombu seaweed (optional, but mineralizes the water and reduces gas from beans)
2         whole bay leaves (or equivalent crushed bay leaves)
2 Tbsp        vegetable or organic chicken broth dried (or 4-5 cups liquid broth)
1          onion, finely chopped
4 cloves     minced garlic
3        celery stalks, with leaves, finely chopped (3 stalks)
2         carrots, diced
1/2 tsp         cumin seeds
1 teaspoon     dried basil
1/4 tsp         celery seed
1 dash         cayenne pepper
1/4 cup         fresh parsley, chopped
1 lemon        juiced
1 teaspoon     Celtic sea salt or Himalayan rock salt

•    Wash the beans. Combine with the water and soak 6 to 8 hours. (I throw away the soaking water and start cooking with a fresh 6 cups of water)
•    Cook beans in a 3-qt pot on medium heat, with the Kombu, covered, until soft (about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or 30 minutes in a pressure cooker).
•     Pour 2/3 of the beans into a blender and puree. Return to heat, add bay leaves, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally.
•    Heat the broth in a large non-stick skillet and sauté onion, garlic, celery, carrot, cumin, basil, celery seed, and cayenne until vegetables are tender (10 to 15 minutes). Add to the beans, along with the parsley, lemon juice, and salt.
•    Add 1 cup or more water to thin the soup to a desirable consistency. Cook another 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.
•    Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt if desired

Curried Carrot Soup

High in vitamin A and C, this warming soup is great for the health of your eyes and arteries and for boosting immunity. Alternatively, try this soup partly pureed and chunkier, or served over brown rice.

1 lb         carrots, trimmed scrubbed and chopped
1 Tbsp         olive or coconut oil
1 ½ oz        butter
1 onion        chopped
1 celery stalk    sliced
2-3         leafy celery tops, chopped
2 small        potatoes, chopped
4 cups        vegetable or organic chicken stock
2-3 tsp        ground coriander
1 Tbsp        ground cumin
1 Tbsp        chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

•    Heat oil and butter in large pot and fry onion over gentle heat for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened but not browned.
•    Add celery and potato to the pot, cook for a few more minutes and then add carrots. Fry over gentle heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently and then cover. Reduce heat even further and sweat for about 10 minutes. Shake the pan or stir occasionally so the vegetables do not stick to the base.
•    Add stock, bring to a boil, and partially cover and simmer for a further 8-10 minutes until carrots and potato are tender.
•    Stir in coriander, cumin, cumin, salt and pepper, chopped celery tops and fresh cilantro.
•    Process soup in a food processor or blender and pour into clean saucepan. Serve garnished with the reserved celery.

Mixed Bean Salad

2 cups cooked or canned mixed beans (chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans)
½ seeded and diced jalapeno
1 pepper, diced
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp red chilli flakes
1 Tbsp apple cider or wine vinegar
Juice of 1 fresh lemon or lime
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

•    Rinse beans very well numerous times under water, until all the bubbles subside, then rinse again!
•    Put beans in bowl, and add chopped vegetables, oil, vinegar and fresh lemon
•    Season with spices and enjoy!