G-BOMBS Stew (gluten free, vegan)

G-BOMBS Stew

Ever hear of the G-BOMBS diet? Dr Joel Fuhrman recommends eating certain micronutrient-rich "superfoods" every day. Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries and Seeds. For the last couple of weeks, ever since seeing his show during a public television fundraiser, we have been trying to include these foods in our usual "Five a Day" fruits and vegetable goals. How could it hurt?

For fun, I put them all together. This stew could be called "G-BOMBS Plus" because it includes servings of carrots, celery, and cabbage, too, all enveloped in a rich sweet and sour broth. Garbanzos and a sprinkle of raw kale just before serving give it a bit of crunch.

For four generous servings or eight appetizers:

2 cups carrots, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
1 medium red onion, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup cabbage, chopped
1 cup kale, stem removed, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cups cooked chickpeas, frozen or canned and rinsed
2 tbsp parsley flakes
1 tsp coriander
1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup sesame seeds
salt (1 tsp, adjust to taste just before serving
6 cups water

1/2 cup kale, stem removed, chopped

Stir the carrots, celery, onions, and olive oil together in a soup pot. Gently sauté until the carrots are softened, about ten minutes. Layer the cabbage, kale, and mushrooms on top. If the garbanzos are frozen, just dump them out of their container and let them thaw as the other ingredients cook. If you use canned, rinse them well and place them on top. Put the lid on the pot and allow all of the ingredients to cook for another ten minutes. Stir in the parsley, coriander, raspberries, lemon juice, sesame seeds and six cups of water. Stir in half of the salt. Place the lid back on the pot and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Add the other half-teaspoon of salt to taste.

Prior to serving, garnish each bowl with a small handful of the chopped, raw kale and a couple of raw berries.

For more natural recipes visit the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop,  Fat Tuesday,  Healthy 2Day Wednesdays,  Real Food Wednesday,  HomeAcre Hop,  Simple Lives Thursday and Empty Your Archives.

www.stealthymom.com

Meatball Soup (gluten free)

Meatball Soup

Inspired by a traditional Italian soup, a bowl of Meatball Soup can be a meal in itself. Big bites of vegetables and beans and tiny little meatballs in a rich vegetable broth are simple yet satisfying, warming you up on a chilly day.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped green onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped yellow carrots
8 cups water
1 tbsp parsley
1 cup cooked pinto beans

1 pound local ground pork or turkey*
1 tbsp parsley
1/4 tsp black pepper

salt to taste

Veggie "Runza"/Bierock (vegan)

Veggie "Runza"

A Runza, trademarked by the Runza fast food chain, is also known as bierock or a pirozhki. To make a long description short, it is a bun with a filling baked right in. My mom's pirozhki were smaller and filled with potatoes and cheese; the fast food chain's version are sandwich-sized and stuffed with beef and cabbage. This one's stuffed with seasoned black beans, purple and green cabbage and shredded carrots. The boys loved them, and any trick to get them to eat more veggies and legumes is a good one, right?

I'll start this recipe filling-first to be truthful. You see, I was baking bread anyway and simply took a portion of dough out to make our Runzas. Any bread dough will do.

For eight generous sandwich pockets:


Black Bean and Cabbage Filling

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups black beans, pre-cooked or canned and well rinsed.
(If the beans are unsalted, add 1/2 tsp salt.)
1/4 cup chopped green onions1/2-1 tsp coriander, to taste
1-2 tsp chili powder, to taste ,
4 cups diced cabbage, purple, green, or a combination
1 cup grated carrots
1/4 tsp salt

In a lidded saucepan, gently warm the olive oil and onions. Add the beans and seasonings then stir until hot. Stir in the cabbage and carrots and the quarter teaspoon of salt. Put the lid on the pan and turn the heat off. The cabbage will soften as the mixture cools down enough to work with.

Take enough bread dough to make about a dozen rolls and divide it into eight portions. (If you don't have bread on the go, a recipe follows.) Roll the dough into balls and allow to rest for ten minutes.

Flour your board or counter top. Roll each ball into a round about ten inches in diameter. Flip each dough circle over so it does not stick to the board when you fill it.

Place an equal portion of filling onto each dough circle, keeping it on one half. At this point, you can either fold the circle over to make a moon-shaped pocket, or roll it up like a tootsie roll and tuck in the ends. Either way will work as long as you pinch all edges together well to make a seal.

Spray a little olive oil onto a cookie sheet. Place the Runzas/bierocks onto the sheet and make small steam vents on the top of each with a knife.

Allow the dough to rest for half an hour, then bake for about 18 minutes @365F.

Serve hot!

Warm Winter Salad (gluten free, vegan)

A colourful pick-me-up for mid-winter. This warm salad combines sweet purple cabbage and nutty garbanzos over a bed of mixed greens. Cheery and sweet, this salad can give you a boost:

Purple cabbage is chock full of vitamin C, which we need so badly this time of year, and cooking it minimally retains as much as possible while still sweetening up the dish. Cabbage is rich in anti-inflammatory compounds, while the anthocyanins (which make it purple) may fight certain cancer cells. More points for cabbage come from fibre, potassium, and vitamins A and K.

Garbanzo beans also contain dietary fibre and protein, potassium and thiamin (B1.) What is interesting about garbanzos is that a serving contains as much iron, if not more, than a serving of lean beef. Tossing the the cabbage and garbanzos in olive oil provides another anti-inflammatory agent, and the mesclun mix adds a host of trace minerals and vitamins.

For two meals, or four sides:

1/4 head purple cabbage
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp chopped green onion or leek
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans, precooked or canned and drained
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt or lite salt
1/4-1/2 tsp coriander powder
2 tbsp parsley
mesclun salad mix

Chop the cabbage and toss it with the olive oil and green onion in a pan. Gently heat until the cabbage is softened, then add the beans, lemon juice, salt, coriander and parsley. Toss with tongs or a spatula until the ingredients are hot. Turn off the heat.

Place mesclun mix on serving dishes, and top with the cabbage and beans mixture. Serve.




I shared this recipe with the Hearth and Soul Hop, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Healthy 2Day Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday,  Simple Lives Thursday,  Gluten Free Friday,  Fight Back Friday and Fat Tuesday.

www.stealthymom.com

Hummus Enchiladas (gluten free, vegan)

Hummus Enchiladas (gluten free, vegan)

Creamy hummus and tangy kale stuffed into fresh corn tortillas, smothered with seasoned tomato sauce, and baked together. Hummus? Kale? Enchiladas? Blasphemy! (but yummy all the same.)

To save on time, the components- tortillas, sauce, and hummus- could be purchased. To reduce salt and food additives you can make them yourselves. That's how we roll. It will take at least an hour to get everything made and ready to bake. Thankfully, you can make most of it ahead and assemble the enchiladas as the oven is preheating.

Groovy Garden Sandwich (vegan)

 Groovy Garden Sandwich (vegan)

Sweet crunchy apples, salted almonds sautéed in olive oil, a hint of green onions, kale, and warm hummus all folded into a fresh flour tortilla. That's good. Really good, and I am hooked.

For four servings, or a serious meal for two:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp chopped green onion
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4-1/2 tsp salt of your choice
2 crisp apples, cored and sliced (peeling is optional)
2 large or 4 medium kale leaves of kale
hummus (recipe follows)
Vegan flour tortillas or gluten free tortillas

Gently heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the green onion and almonds slices, stirring. As soon as the almonds brown, turn off the heat. Sprinkle with salt.Toss in the apple slices and kale to warm and coat with the oil.

Spread hummus onto four medium-sized, soft tortillas. Add a quarter of the mixture from the pan. Fold over and enjoy.

For fresh hummus, blend or mash these together:

2 cups cooked garbanzos/chick peas
1/2 cup tahini (or unsweetened peanut butter)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt (omit if you used canned garbanzos)
1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves peeled, fresh garlic



I shared this post with the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop.

www.stealthymom.com

Rainbow Beans (vegan, gluten free)

Rainbow Beans with Gluten Free Cornbread

"Beans, beans are good for the heart..." Why, yes they are because they are full of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber may reduce LDL ("bad") cholesterol because it absorbs it during digestion.  Regulating the speed of digestion can help stabilize blood sugar spikes and reduce metabolic syndrome, too. (For more on soluble fiber, see this article at Livestrong.)

"Beans, beans the economical fruit..." A pound of mixed beans will cost about $2, and even less if you buy in bulk. I confess that I like canned baked beans. I like them a lot, but they contain an awful lot of sugar and salt and most have that dreadful porkish thingie at the top. Making them yourself provides a healthy, inexpensive meal that can be as low in salt or sugar as you want it to be.

Rainbow Beans is what G-man calls the mixed soup beans. You have colourful lentils and beans in various shades and sizes. The result is a pot of beans with varied textures and a broader mix of amino acids.

For the basics:

1 lb mixed soup beans
6 cups cold water
8 oz unsalted tomato sauce
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
1 tsp onion powder (or 1/4 cup chopped, sauteed onion)
1/2 tsp garlic
salt to taste

[optional: 1/2 cup brown sugar or honey. We can get away with leaving this out, then drizzling a bit of honey over the kids' plates.]

Look the beans over for impurities such as bits of gravel. Rinse the beans by covering them with water, giving them a gentle stir and pouring the water off.

Put the beans, water, molasses, and seasonings into the pot. Cook on "Low" for about 12 hours. Salt to taste, adding about a teaspoon at a time.

Notice that I did not soak them first? With the crock pot, cooking and soaking can be a combined step. You can leave for the day and come home to the aroma of fresh baked beans. 

I shared this post with Fight Back! Friday. 

www.stealthymom.com

Grilled Falafel (vegan, gluten free)

Grilled Falafel  in a Grilled Pita with Easy Coleslaw

Falafel could be the original "veggie burgers." A tradition from Middle Eastern cuisine, falafel are generally deep fried to give them a crispness outside while staying tender inside. You can achieve that on the grill, too, making this a fun burger for cook-outs. I adapted this falafel recipe to make it gluten and egg-free.

Our boys really enjoyed these. The Cadet helped mix the seasonings and blended chickpeas together. G-man, who often claims to dislike chickpeas, dug into the final product with enthusiasm. When the older brother exclaimed that he liked these "burgers," the little brother declared that he liked them too. Thumbs up!

Fiesta Hummus (gluten free, vegan)

Fiesta Hummus

It all started with the limes. Fresh, ripe, organic limes were hiding in our fridge, waiting for a purpose. We did not have any tequila... Somewhere along a long train of thought, the limes picked up garbanzos, olive oil, tahini, and chili peppers. Garlic, paprika, and coriander joined the party. It was Fiesta Hummus!

2 cups cooked garbanzos (chick peas)
1/2 cup tahini
2 limes, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp cilantro
1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp salt (omit if you used canned garbanzos)
1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves peeled, fresh garlic
1 tsp paprika
4oz can green chilies (or two cans, to taste)

Blend the ingredients together. Serve with warm tortillas or grilled pitas.



I shared this post with Slightly Indulgent Tuesday,  Real Food Wednesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays and Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways.


www.stealthymom.com

Bacon, Beans and Taters Bake (reduced sodium, gluten free)

Bacon.* Beans. Taters. Simple, solid food. If your family likes bacon, this one-dish wonder will be a hit!  Everything is layered into a casserole dish so that the flavours percolate downward.

 Bacon, Beans and Taters Bake

Chicken Garbanzo Bake (gluten free, low sodium)

Chicken Garbanzo Bake

G-man helped make lunch today: Chicken Garbanzo Bake. He stirred up the sauce, tasting how tart tomatoes with a touch of sweet molasses combine perfectly. I held my breath as he sampled the plain garbanzos.

[I had made the mistake a few months ago of calling them "chick peas," and he had decided he did not like peas any more. Chick peas are peas, right? They taste more like a peanut. Technically, they are legumes like peas, but so are peanuts. He was not convinced. We looked at one up close. See how they are round, yellow, and have tiny little beaks? They look like chicks. They aren't really peas... Peas are green. Our three year-old just stared as I tried to win him over with logic.]

Precooking and Freezing Beans

Last week, I read an article by Jane Mountain at Grist.com describing five packaged foods you never need to buy again.  The list includes canned soup, stock/bouillon and beans; hummus and boxed cereal. I don't think we can let go of our Cheerios. Otherwise, the list is quite doeable. We already cook our own soup, stock, and hummus.

Pineapple Hummus (gluten free, vegan)

Pineapple Hummus

We love hummus. Warm, it's a great dip for tortilla triangles and veggies. Straight from the fridge it's a sandwich spread or burrito filling. Traditionally, hummus made with cooked garbanzos, tahini (sesame paste) olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice.

We were out of lemon juice.  I had the garbanzos, olive oil and tahini in the blender and made that grim discovery. No lemon juice... But we had a fresh pineapple. Why not? Once the pineapple was blended in,  we separated the mix into different bowls to try out seasoning combinations. Would you believe that pineapple overpowers coriander? Bummer. The best combination was ginger and garlic. A little heat would have been nice, but our kids are in a no-heat phase. Perhaps some crushed red chilies?