Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Brussels spouts? Oh-yes please! You may have turned your nose up at these cute little cabbages, but try them again, especially roasted.  Roasting brings out the natural sugars in vegetables, making them sweeter tasting, without adding on the calories.  You will amaze even the kiddos (yes, they will try them, maybe even ask for seconds).
Brussels sprouts are in the cabbage/cruciferous family, which has been linked to many health benefits such as decreased cancer risk, heart health, and detoxifying. The following is a super easy and enjoyable way to eat these little powerhouses!

Serves: 8 sides 
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of Brussels sprouts
• 1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• freshly ground pepper
• 1-2 tbsp of balsamic (our favorite is an espresso flavored balsamic, but regular is fine)

Instructions:

1. Cut sprouts in half length wise
2. Place onto a cooking sheet (our favorite is a stoneware sheet, but regular cookie sheet with a rim is fine)
3. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper
4. Roast at 375 for 15-20 minutes until slightly browned, flipping half way through to cook evenly. Be sure not to overcook, or you'll decrease the nutritional value, as well as run the risk of making them bitter.
5. Drizzle with balsamic and enjoy!
   

Nutritional Benefits:

• High in Vitamin K: 194% in 1 cup (about 3 oz)
• Jam packed with Vitamin C (yes, it's in more than oranges!) 120% of daily value in just 1 cup/3 oz.; an amazing anti-oxidant that helps with immune function
• Anti-oxidant
• Anti-inflammatory
• Reduces risk of heart disease, improves circulation, decrease cholesterol
• Zero Fat raw, in this recipe low in Fat: 14g of fat in entire recipe, due to oil
• Good source of  Fiber: 3 g per 3 oz serving

Thai Salad

Wanting a light dinner which will make a great lunch the next day? This salad was inspired by a craving from a stand at the Ithaca Farmer's Market.  There is an awesome noodle stand there, and well, we felt like eating that tonight but couldn't drive the 3 hours it would take to get it! This whole dish (including if you were to make the grilled shrimp) will take no more than 30 minutes to make and assemble.
Cabbage is a member of the cruciferous family and is jam packed with Vitamin K and C.  It has amazing properties for healing. It's properties aide in digestive health, decreases cholesterol, is an anti-oxidant & anti-inflammatory, and has been shown to prevent forms of cancer.
Source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=19 .

Makes 6 servings        Prep Time: 15 minutes       Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
Salad:

• 6 cups of chopped or shredded Nappa cabbage (Bok Choy or other cabbages would work well too-this is about 3/4 of a head)
  
• 2 cups of shredded carrots
• 1 cup minced celery
• 1/2 cup of chopped scallions
• *2/3 package of buckwheat noodles (2 bundles) cooked and rinsed with cold water
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• Bean sprouts
  
  

*Note: If needing gluten free, make sure buckwheat noodles are 100% buckwheat. Often buckwheat noodles have wheat flour in them as well.  If you can't find them-use brown rice noodles)

Dressing (keeps for weeks, and you'll have a bunch left over):

• 6 tbsp organic peanut butter (we used crunchy)
• 3/4 c boiling water
• 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar (if you don't have this, cider vinegar would be fine but not balsamic)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 tbsp fresh chopped ginger
• 1 lime-about 2-3 tbsp juice
• *optional-for added spice: add in 1-2 tsp Siracha/Asian chili sauce

Instructions:

1. Cook noodles and drain, toss with sesame oil and let cool
2. Mix rest of salad ingredients in a bowl (don't add noodles)
3. Place peanut butter into a bowl, add in boiling water, stir until combined
4. Add remaining dressing ingredients
5. Pour desired amount of dressing onto the noodles and toss, reserving the majority for salad

Assembly:

1. Place lettuce in bowls, and mix in desired amount of noodles
2. Pour desired amount of dressing on and toss (we didn't use much)
   
3. Top with bean sprouts, protein of your choice (we used grilled shrimp, tofu would be good too!), and more Siracha (for the heat lovers)
   
   
   
   

Nutritional Benefits:

• High in Protein (if using shrimp)
• Low in Fat (entire dressing has 48g-making it no more than 5 g per serving-that's assuming you use a lot of dressing)
• Vitamin A: carrots; bone, tooth, and eye health
• Vitamin K: cabbage 66.5% of daily needs in 1 cup: needed for bone & tooth health, aides in proper clotting of blood, prevents cardiovascular disease & diabetes
• Garlic: anti-inflammatory (reduced inflammation), heart health (lowers cholesterol/blood pressure/triglycerides), anti-microbial, anti-oxidant
• Ginger: anti-inflammatory, aides in digestion, anti-tumor growth, anti-oxidant
• Vitamin C (immune health): from cabbage (43% in of daily needs in 1 cup) and limes
• *Vegan & gluten free (if not topping with shrimp and using gf noodles)

Indian Cauliflower Rice Bowl

OMG! I have been experimenting with cauliflower in shredded form, and it's amazingly versatile.  I served this to our daughter and told her it was cauliflower.  I wish I hadn't, because she told me, "Oh I thought it was rice! I like it." My son said, "it's ok" (which translates to, had I not know it was cauliflower I would have loved it).  Both of these may not sound like compliments, but trust me, they are.  The recipe below can really be adjusted to have the flavoring of any rice dish you'd be interested in making.  The base tastes like a rice pilaf, and feel free to stop there, because it was awesome as a pilaf (even top it with some slivered almonds and you'll fool everyone!). The recipe makes enough for 6 servings as a side dish or 2-3 large main dish portions.

Cauliflower Rice Pilaf Base:

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup of red onions-about 1 large (could use regular onions too)
• 2 1/2 cups (or more) of mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups of cubed eggplant (could omit if you don't have any)
• 6 cups of shredded cauliflower (this is half of a head of cauliflower-left over from making cauliflower pizza crust)
• 1-2 cups of water or broth 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• fresh pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Shred the cauliflower in a food processor using the shredding attachment
   
2. Saute onions until translucent, then add eggplant and mushrooms
   
3. Add in cauliflower
   
4. Saute until cauliflower softens, adding in broth/water as needed to prevent sticking
5. Add salt/pepper to taste
6. *top with slivered almonds or toasted pinenuts

Indian Cauliflower Rice Bowl

Do you love 1 dish dinners? We do! Snap to eat, take to kids games, and less dishes! Who doesn't love less dishes?

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower rice base (above)
• 1 cup of beans (we used a mix of chick peas and black beans-use whatever you have on hand)
• 2 cups of greens (again it can be any kind, we used kale and collard greens)
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 garlic cloves-minced
• 1/4 tsp cayenne

Instructions

1. After making the cauliflower rice pilaf, add in remaining ingredients listed above
   
   
   
2. Saute until greens are wilted (adding more water/broth if needed)
   
3. Serve and top with slivered almonds, pumpkins seeds (what we used), or toasted pine nuts
   

Enjoy!

Nutritional Benefits:

• Low in carbs! Great for those on a gluten free, or low carb diet
• Low in fat-only 17 g in entire dish (could even be omitted if you wish to saute onions in a little water)
• High in anti-oxidants (vitmain C)
• Heart Healthy
• Diabetic Friendly!
• High in Fiber
• High in Calcium
• High In Vitamin C

Nutritional Information for 1 cup of raw cauliflower:
Vitamin C-86% of your daily needs (DN)
Vitamin K-21% (an anti-inflammatory vitamin)
Folate-15% (linked to brain and neurological function and formation for developing brains)
Fiber-2g
Protein: 2g
Calories: 27
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=13

Chick Peas:

Serving Size 1 cup (240 g)

Per Serving% Daily Value*

Calories 286

Calories from Fat 25

Total Fat 2.7g4%

Saturated Fat 0.3g1%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.2g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.6g

Cholesterol 0mg0%

Carbohydrates 54.3g18%

Dietary Fiber 10.6g42%

Sugars 0.0g

Protein 11.9g

Vitamin A 1% · Vitamin C 15%

Calcium 8% · Iron 18%

Read more: Calories in Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans, Bengal Gram), Mature Seeds, Canned | Nutrition and Health Facts http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-chickpeas-garbanzo-beans-bengal-gram-i16058#ixzz2i2LbcePx

Roasted Indian Spiced Cauliflower

It's officially fall-cauliflower is coming into farmer's markets and grocery stores.  Cauliflower is a vitamin packed food which is great for healing! It's a cruciferous vegetable.  Other veggies in this group are: cabbage, broccoli, kale, and collard greens. This group of vegetables are linked to cancer fighting compounds and are suggested to be consumed 4-5 times a week. The anti-oxidants in cauliflower help aid in fighting all kinds of infection, while it's anti-inflammatory properties help to reduce inflammation in the digestive tract and cardiovascular system.  Eating anti-inflammatory foods are great for those with periodontal disease or other infections.

Nutritional Information for 1 cup of raw cauliflower:
Vitamin C-86% of your daily needs (DN)
Vitamin K-21% (an anti-inflammatory vitamin)
Folate-15% (linked to brain and nerologic function and formation for developing brains)
Fiber-2g
Protein: 2g
Calories: 27
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=13

Roasted Indian Spiced Cauliflower

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp tumeric

1/4 tsp cayenne

2 pinches of salt (about 1/4-1/2 tsp)

1 tbsp of oil (canola, olive, or coconut)\

Raw with spices

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Wash and cut cauliflower into florets
3. Mix above together in a large bowl
4. Place on a roasting pan or cookie sheet
5. Roast for about 15 minutes, stirring/flipping once 1/2 way through (once you begin to smell it, it's probably finished)
6. Enjoy!

   

   Roasted Indian Spiced Cauliflower

**You can also saute this on the stove if you'd like to not cook as long (increased health benefits by less cooking)

Additional Health Benefits of this recipe:
Tumeric: Highly anti-inflammatory-used to decrease swelling topically or internally
Cayenne: Increases blood circulation and stimulates digestion

Baked Spaghetti Squah

Love pasta but want to replace those heavy carbs? Try spaghetti squash!

This squash can be cooked quickly in a microwave and is a great swap for pasta.

To Prepare:

1) slice squash in half and remove seeds without taking out flesh

2) place half flesh side down in a pan with a little water, cover, and place in microwave for 15 minutes

3) remove from micorwave (be careful jot to get burned by steam) and use a fork to scrape out flesh.  It'll come out in strands

4) Top with your favorite sauce and enjoy!

Additional Suggestion: 

We made a vegetarian "pasta" bake that's kid approved!

-mix sauce into squash, and top with fresh herbs like basil and low-fat cheese, such as Parmesan or part-skim mozzarella.
-Bake in oven at 375 until cheese has browned.
*For additional protein, you can add organic veggie burgers or beans, as was done in the picture below.

Benefits of Spaghetti Squash:
Nutrients: Spaghetti squash supplies modest amounts of carotenoids, plant substances that the body turns into Vitamin A and that may help protect against some diseases.  While not as nutrient dense as other squash, spaghetti squash provides 3 percent of the Daily Value for calcium, 5 percent of the DV for Vitamin A, 9 percent of the DV for Vitamin C and 8 percent of the DV for dietary fiber.

If you top with sauce, you will gain the added benefits of tomatoes, a nutrient-packed food with many 

cancer fighting properties.

Pasta Comparison

One cup of cooked enriched spaghetti yields 221 calories, 1.3 g of fat, 43 g of carbohydrate and 2.5 g of fiber. Pasta does provide more B vitamins. If you have diabetes or are watching your weight and carbohydrates, you can save 179 calories and 33 g of carbohydrate by eating a cup of spaghetti squash instead of a cup of pasta.

Calorie Content:Per 1 cup of cooked spaghetti squash provides 42 calories, 0.4 gram of fat, 1 g of protein, 10 g of carbohydrate (4 g as sugar) and 2.2 g of fiber

*If prepared as above, you will increase your protein amounts depending on the veggie burger/bean of your choice, increased fiber, and added calcium from the cheese. Your fat content will increase as well, depending on the cheese of your choice (go low-fat!).

Beets-how to enjoy them

Can’t Beat It!  Looking for a way to enjoy these amazing beauties in season right now?

Here is an easy way to do it!

How to prepare the greens:

1. Cut off greens right after you pick them or purchase them.  The greens loose a lot of water through them, and are best used right away-or washed and kept in a storage container. DO NOT WASTE THESE! 
2. Methods of preparation for greens:

• chop and saute with a little water and add fresh herbs like basil or dill towards the end of cooking.  After the greens wilt, you can season with a little salt and pepper.  Greens also are great with a little acidity added at the end.  Great choices are: fresh lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or a white balsamic vinegar
• Throw into a smoothie-raw
• Chop and mix in with other greens to make a salad, or eat on their own in place of lettuce

How to prepare the beets:

1. Roasting: chop off tops and roots and wash.  Place into foil, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar (or water if you don’t like vinegar).  Roast at 375 or 400 until a knife inserted goes in easy-you will smell them when they’re ready.  Let cool and rub skins off.  They will peal right off when complete.  You might want to wear gloves (I have looked like a murderer after peeling before!).
2. Shredding raw: grate beets and carrots for a great salad.  Add some sunflower seeds for a added crunch and protein.  Drizzle with a little vinegar and add a little freshly ground pepper.
3. Stovetop: peel beets and place into a pan.  Cover with balsamic vinegar and boil on stove until fork tender

Nutritional Information on Beets: High in calcium and iron-beets can be found locally almost year round (they’re super easy to grow also!). Calcium is needed for healing and building strong bones and teeth.  Iron aids in oxygen binding, and therefore helps with proper circulation which helps in healing. www.altmandental.com

Grilled Broccoli

Broccoli-fresh from the garden. Amazing on the grill! Lightly drizzle w/evoo, sprinkle w/salt and fresh pepper. Place directly on grill until just slightly cooked (don’t over cook or you cook out nutritional benefits). Amazing! 
Health benefits of broccoli: high in vitamin A and K, broccoli can aid in absorption of vitamin D, and is anti-inflammatory.
www.altmandental.com