Tag: B-vitamins

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Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right

In frigid February, I had the great pleasure of spending some quality R&R time down in Florida with one of my favorite people and his family. Somewhere between the 80-degree weather, sunny skies and bathing suit/sandals wardrobe I was inspired to make one of my mom’s go-to summer salads in the dead of winter.

Now that it’s National Nutrition Month, my Black Bean and Corn Salad with Jalapeno-Mint Dressing seems to be an even more fitting recipe to share. This tasty side salad is Candida Diet-approved, gluten-free, vegan and so healthy it hurts. If you want to make it a full meal, serve it up over a cup of cooked quinoa or black rice.

When I’m trying to “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right,” I turn to nutritional superstar black beans. Beans in general should be a staple in everyone’s pantry–especially for all my vegans and vegetarians out there–and certainly are in mine. All varieties are an excellent source of plant-based protein and have a lot of the B-vitamins and trace minerals that meat-abstainers often miss in their diet. A one-cup serving of black beans has only 227 calories, 15g of dietary fiber, 15g of protein, and 20% of the recommended daily intake for iron. This high soluble fiber content helps lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar levels. If you’re not into black beans, try red or white kidney beans, chickpeas, or lentils instead. Once you find the bean that’s right for you you’ll love the clean energy and healthy digestion they provide–promise!

Black Bean and Corn Salad with Jalapeno-Mint Dressing

Black Bean and Corn Salad

What You’ll Need: (For the Salad)

  • 1 14-oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 14-oz can of corn (low sodium), rinsed and drained
  • 1 large orange, red or yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 2 cups of baby spinach, finely chopped

(For the Dressing)

  • Juice of two lemons
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 Tbs Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbs honey or agave (optional)
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp coriander
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, minced

How to Make It:

  1. Combine all ingredients for your dressing in a food processor or blender and mix until well blended. (Note: if you don’t have the equipment–and I didn’t down in Florida–then just mince up all the ingredients as indicated and whisk with all you got in a medium bowl to combine.)
  2. In a large bowl, mix all your salad ingredients together, prepped as indicated in the list. Pour your dressing over the mixture and toss until all veggies are evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving (and up to 24 hours). If you don’t plan to eat this within a few hours after making it, hold off on adding the avocado until you’re ready to serve to avoid a mushy and browning meal.

And as always, I’d love to hear what you think in the reply section below!

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Potato Leek Soup w/ Watercress for your Meatless Monday

If you’re looking to join the Meatless Monday movement, or simply cut back on your weekly meat intake, my vegetarian and gluten-free Potato Leek Soup is a tasty way to go. It’s heartiness is also sure to warm you up after that polar vortex that nearly sucked us all into a cold abyss last week. I love this recipe because it’s straightforward, filling, inexpensive and uses seasonal ingredients. I made a similar version (Tri-Color Potato Leek Soup) a year ago and have modified this one with a couple of my favorite super foods: ghee and nutritional yeast.

Ghee is clarified butter originating from India, which has a long shelf life when stored in an airtight container. It’s definitely a process to make, but if you do it with a friend (what’s up, C$!) it can be really fun. Not only is ghee a real food (aka none of that margarine junk), but it’s loaded with health benefits. First of all, it contains Vitamins A (good for the eyes), D (good for the bones), E (good for the skin) and K (good for the heart). These all just so happen to be fat-soluble vitamins and since they’re embedded in this dietary fat your body can readily absorb them. Secondly, ghee provides a cancer-fighting antioxidant named conjugated lineolic acid (CLA), which has been linked to preventing cancer. Lastly, ghee is great for cooking because it doesn’t break down in high heat like many cooking oils (e.g. canola and safflower). When cooking oils break down in high heat they produce free radicals, which damage our cells and DNA leading to mutations that can cause certain diseases. Ghee’s smoking point is between 325°F and 375°F, which is much higher than the smoke point of canola or safflower oil so you’re less likely to run that risk while simply sautéing your onions.

Vegetarians and vegans, if you don’t know about nutritional yeast, you ought to. Why? Well for starters, it is an excellent source of non-animal protein. Drilling down into the details, MindBodyGreen boasts that just two tablespoons of this bizarre but tasty substance (“hippie dust”) contain 9 grams of protein, beating out a glass of whole milk, an egg or an ounce of beef. It’s also a great source of Vitamin B-12, a vital nutrient for your body’s nerve and blood cell health. Most sources of Vitamin B-12 are found in animals, making nutritional yeast an important component of a healthy vegan or vegetarian diet. One tablespoon contains a full day’s supply of  this critical B vitamin.

Before you hit the grocery store to gather the fresh produce you’ll need, support your community by checking the stocks of your local farmers market (if it’s still up and running). Or if you live in the DMV, give Relay Foods a try. I worked with the Relay team on my first MOARfit Nutrition for Athletes Clinic last summer and completely jumped on the bandwagon. Their online grocery store brings the basics, specialty foods and local produce together in one place–i.e. you get convenience and quality, sustainable ingredients. Ok, enough plugging for now. Let’s get on to that recipe….

Potato Leek Soup w/ Watercress 

Potato Leek Soup

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 Tbs coconut oil (or olive oil)
  • 1 Tbs ghee (or unsalted butter)
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 2 stalks of celery, diced
  • 3 leeks, cleaned and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • Sea salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 Tbs sherry vinegar
  • 5 medium potatoes (about 5 cups chopped)
  • 6 cups reduced-sodium vegetable stock
  • 1 /4 cup fresh parsley, minced
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast*
  • 4-oz fresh watercress (about 3-4 loosely packed cups)

*If you prefer, used a 1/4 cup or Parmesan or Romano cheese instead of nutritional yeast.

How to Make It:

  1. Heat oil and ghee in a large (5-6 qt), heavy pot (I adore using my Cuisinart  Dutch Oven for all soups) over medium heat. Add onions, celery and leeks, sautéing 5-7 min or until tender and translucent.
  2. Add garlic, cayenne and salt and pepper, cooking for another 2-3 min then add your vinegar to deglaze the bottom of the pan.
  3. Add potatoes, making sure to coat them in the spices and onion/shallot/leek mixture.
  4. Add vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 15 min. The potatoes should be easy to pierce and pick up with a fork.
  5. Finally, add in your parsley and nutritional yeast. Using an immersion blender (if you have one), purée the mixture in your pot until smooth.
  6. Adjust your seasoning for spice and saltiness.
  7. Serve with a few tablespoons of chopped watercress and enjoy!

If you want to amp up the Yum Factor (and subsequently deviate from Meatless Monday), add 2 oz of pancetta to the mix after the onion and celery but before the leeks. This will of course remove that vegan and/or vegetarian stamp from the recipe but it does add some depth and richness to the flavor of the soup.

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Cherry-Goji Overnight Oats

With all the buzz overnight oats have been getting these days, I felt obliged to give them a whirl. I also wanted to use this as an opportunity to test out how my gut would react to a little Greek yogurt. It’s been nearly two years since I’ve had any dairy but the health benefits of Greek yogurt in particular have left me constantly lusting for its low-cal, high-protein, calcium-and-B Vitamins-packed goodness. I’m happy to report that it did not upset my stomach in the least–must be all those gut-friendly probiotics in there, which not only help regulate digestion but also strengthen your immune system.

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While Greek yogurt was the most exciting ingredient for me, the real spotlight ought to be shined on the oats. According to the FDA, all that soluble fiber found in oats lowers LDL cholesterol (aka the bad kind). The antioxidants found in the goji berries, dried cherries and oats themselves have anti-inflammatory properties, making them an excellent choice for athletic, active folks like you and me. Muscle soreness, see ya later! 

When you add nutritional rockstar chia seeds into the mix you’re getting a higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids than salmon. Omega-3s have been linked to health benefits related to conditions including cancer, IBS, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. One tablespoon contains 18% of your RDA for calcium, tons of fiber and potassium and 4 g of protein. What can I say? Good things come in small packages.

Finally, I can’t let you get to the recipe without a quick reminder of how great maca powder is. If you haven’t hopped on the bandwagon yet, it’s time. Maca is rich in B-vitamins and minerals like calcium, zinc and iron, all of which are essential to proper muscle and energy metabolism function. Ladies suffering from PMS or menopause, this should be your go-to for holistic health. And let’s not leave out the men. Maca powder is said to increase testosterone, boosting your libido and endurance…The list of benefits goes on and on. For more ways to incorporate this Peruvian delight, check out my Top Five Greenies post for some go-to smoothies that’ll jumpstart your morning.

Cherry-Goji Overnight Oats

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
  • 6 oz nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 8 oz unsweetened vanilla hemp milk
  • 2 tbs raw honey
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 tsp maca powder
  • 3 tbs chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup goji berries
  • 1/4 cup tart dried cherries (unsulphured)

How to Make Them:

  1. Mix all ingredients together in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Enjoy with your tea or coffee the next morning!

Makes 4 servings and will keep in the fridge for up to a week.