Breakfast Outside the Box with Janel Ovrut Funk

My friend, colleague, and vegetarian food blogger Janel Ovrut Funk has an AWESOME idea to share for breakfast. She knows how much I value healthy fats in the diet and deplore the fat-free craze of the 90's that seems to be hanging around in our cultural consciousness. So thank you Janel for this post for today! To read more of Janel's fabulous blog, check her out here. In fact, I should also note that this original post is located here.

Lately the majority of my breakfasts have been this cranberry-oat amazingness that I whip up once a week in my slow cooker, or this new high fiber, high protein cereal from Attune. But every so often I crave something savory and have been getting my fill of healthy fats from avocados. I originally didn’t think this “recipe” was worthy of posting, but whenever I put a picture of it up on my Instagram feed, my followers are intrigued, and many have told me they were inspired to make it too. Always looking to inspire others to eat well and get creative with food, I decided to share here as well.

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado

Lemon juice

Sea salt

Frank’s hot sauce (essential!)

Whole wheat bread

Directions:

Fork-mash avocado into a small bowl. Mix in a tablespoon or two of fresh or bottled lemon juice. Add in a pinch of sea salt to taste.

Spread on your favorite whole wheat toast, bagel, bread, pita, or whatever vehicle you want to get the avocado mash into your mouth.

Drizzle with Frank’s hot sauce. It must be Frank’s! I bought Frank’s for the first time this year and GAME CHANGER. I really do put that $*^# on everything. No other hot sauce compares. And for all you spice-phobes, it’s not terribly spicy if you buy the Buffalo wing variety.

The most recent time I had this, I spread my avocado mash on homemade whole wheat bread. I unearthed a package of Bob’s Red Mill 100% Whole Wheat Bread Mix from the back of my kitchen cabinet, dumped all the contents into my bread machine, crossed my fingers, and turned it on. A few hours later I had a perfect loaf of whole wheat bread. I’m always shocked when I successfully make a loaf! Thick and crusty, it made the perfect hearty base for this breakfast. Occasionally I’ll pair this with a hardboiled egg for protein and a juicy Clementine for a touch of sweet. Typically if I don’t have this for breakfast, I’ll enjoy it later in the day for lunch.

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Summer Salad Recipe with Couscous and Veggies

Ok, I use the term "recipe" very loosely because I don't really measure ingredients. But this salad came out so scrumptiously and made such wonderful leftovers, I made it two weeks in a row. 

Summer Couscous Salad

Ingredients

1-2 cups whole wheat couscous

1-2 medium zucchinis. sliced and quartered

1 bunch of asparagus, sliced

1/4 cup feta (I bought the Mediterranean flavor)

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (heat in pan for 3-4 minutes, careful not to burn)

(I really did make up those measurements so just go for a ratio of ingredients that feels right to you.)

Dressing (made from salad dressing on this recipe)

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and start boiling the water for the couscous

Line a baking sheet with foil and cooking spray. Place zucchini and asparagus on the cooking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, black pepper, sea salt, and crushed red pepper.

Add veggies to the oven and roast for 10-15 min. While the veggies cook add the couscous to the water, whip up your salad dressing, and toast your pine nuts.

Mix up all the ingredient in a big bowl and enjoy!!!

Do you have any favorite summer recipes? Please share while we still have long, warm days left!!!

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Recipe: Toaster Cakes

This recipe comes from a student in my Nutrition Counseling course at Plymouth State University's Eating Disorder Institute. I haven't made the recipe yet but it sounds like a fun breakfast option for the morning of 4th of July! It's a perfect time of year to incorporate berries. The anti-oxidant richness of the vibrant berries are an awesome addition at breakfast any time. If you want to learn more about the anti-oxidant benefits of berries, check out this article by Web MD.

This is my favorite, most frequently made recipe. I love it because it's easy, versitile, freezable and portable.It is also endlessly adaptable and full of protein. Enjoy!

Toaster Cakes

1 large carton of liquid egg product (15 egg equivelency)
3 cups old fashioned style oatmeal
cinnamon and sweetener to taste.
Optional: blueberries, cubed bosc pears or canned pumpkin (add 4-6 oz. per serving into the batter before baking).
Optional: 1/2 cup powdered milk.

Combine all ingredients and pour into a greased 9x13in. pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 375.

Cool and cut into six equal servings. When the cakes are cooled, they can be cut through the middle to make them toaster-sized. The fruit free squares hold together best while being toasted.

They are delicious toasted and served with jam, butter or my favorite, Lebany yogurt spread.

**This is an adaptation of Kay Sheppard's recipe for Breakfast loaf (www.kaysheppard.com).

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Recipe: Grilled Balsamic Strawberries by Elizabeth

I'm often drooling at the posts and pictures of food that Elizabeth shares. And these strawberries are no exception. Talk about a fantastic summer treat! Perfect for pairing with your favorite grilled entree. And the beauty is that it is so ridiculously simple.

Grilled Balsamic Strawberries

Soak strawberries in balsamic vinegar for 15 min. 

Rub in brown sugar. 

Skewer + put on grill.

Can you imagine these paired with some coconut ice cream or sorbet? Heeeeaven!

Do you have any favorite summer recipes? Please share!

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Product Showcase: Frozen Edamame

 I absolutely love edamame. It's inexpensive and stays well frozen for weeks at a time. It's full of protein and healthy fats. Edamame in the pod can be thrown in boiling water for a couple of minutes or zapped in the microwave for a quick and yummy snack. Or you can buy the shelled kind and toss it in just about any recipe- salads, soups, stir-fries, etc. Just type the word "edamame" in the search box of this blog and you'll get a handful of tasty recipes. But just for good measure, I have a delightful new dip to share with you. And just in time for warmer weather. Enjoy!

Edamame Ginger Dip

Ingredients

8 ounces frozen shelled edamame
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon tahini
1 clove garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt
Hot pepper sauce to taste

Directions

1. Cook edamame according to package directions.
2. Puree the cooked edamame, water, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, tahini, garlic, salt and hot sauce in a food processor until smooth. Chill for 1 hour before serving.
 *This dip may be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.

*You may want to be conservative with some of the stronger ingredients like ginger, tahini, and garlic. It's much easier to add more than the other way around!

Recipe & Picture Source: Eating Well

Do you have any hummus or dip recipes that you love? Please share!

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Considering Kitniyot

Oh, Pesach. So many food rules, so many opportunities for obsessive thinking. Now, I love the holiday's theme of liberation and take seriously the idea of "freeing myself from my own personal Egypt." However, I do think there's an element of irony involved: this holiday, which focuses so much on freedom, also plays right into the food restrictions and regulations that enslave so many people with eating disorders.

For me, nowhere is this struggle more pronounced than around the question of kitniyot. Every year I revisit the same question: Do I eat them, or not? Here are the particulars: I am Ashkenazi; I'm a vegetarian; I'm also fiercely protective of my recovery from almost a decade of anorexia. Each time Pesach rolls around, I have to decide which takes precedence: an ancestral custom that is hundreds of years old, or my internal wisdom that the severely limited diet of a kitniyot-free Pesach might inadvertently reawaken the food-restrictive mentality that I've worked so hard to put to bed.

Aside from the very real halachic issues involved, this dilemma also cuts to the heart of my perfectionist tendencies. If I were to eat kitniyot, would I be doing a "good enough" job of keeping Pesach? Would people find reason to look down on my lenience and criticize my choice? I believe the answer to both questions is yes. Undoubtedly, the norm among observant Ashkenazi Jews is to avoid eating kitniyot on Pesach. The decision to break with this custom would likely meet with some resistance from many members of the observant community. However, there is also the case to be made that where health is involved, the ban on kitniyot is not as stringent as the ban on chametz, and so people are permitted to eat kitniyot if their health requires it. Furthermore, there are Orthodox rabbis who have ruled that Ashkenazi Jews within the land of Israel are allowed to eat kitniyot because the custom of eliminating those foods was unique to Europe and therefore is not binding in the Middle East. Conservative Rabbi David Golinkin takes it a step further in his respons, which clearly argues that all Jews may consume kitniyot during Pesach "without fear of transgressing any prohibition." Again, I fully recognize that these opinions run counter to the prevailing custom among the observant Ashkenazi community. However, their arguments seem valid, especially when recovery is at stake. I would encourage Ashkenazi Jews who are trying to recover from any type of eating disorder to consider giving themselves permission to eat kitniyot on Pesach. I would also suggest that if a person DOES choose to eat kitniyot as a means of safeguarding his/her recovery during Pesach, that family members attempt to view this decision not as a rebellion or transgression, but rather as a way to protect that which is most precious: health and life.

If you do plan to incorporate kitniyot into your Pesach food repertoire, here are some recipes to get you started! It's possible to find KP versions of all the needed ingredients. Both feature quinoa...because, as a vegetarian, I am always looking for new ways to use quinoa on Pesach! The first comes courtesy of fabulous nutritionist Marci Anderson; the second, from Mark Bittman, author of one of my favorite cookbooks (How To Cook Everything Vegetarian...in case you were wondering.)

Bean Salad with Quinoa

Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad (when I make this, I add a 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans for a little added protein)
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Recipe: Spiced Balsamic-Beet Compote

Ingredient List
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 large beets, peeled and finely diced (3 cups)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. garam masala or curry powder
2 shallots, halved and thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
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Recipe: Butternut Squash Stew

This blog post is brought to you buy Lauren Fowler, dietetic student. Enjoy!

Over the past few weeks, I thought spring had come early because of the lack of snow and cold temperatures. I woke up to a surprise snowstorm last week, and this soup was the perfect recipe to warm me up after walking home from campus in the snow. It’s hearty from the squash, chickpeas, and lentils, and the garam masala and jalapeno both add a little kick to it. To spice it up even more, I used fire roasted canned tomatoes rather than plain diced canned tomatoes.

The original recipe is from the blog, Eat Live Run, but I made a few adjustments to make it without the crockpot.

Ingredients:

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large carrot, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

2-3 tsp garam masala

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (fire roasted is great!)

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 cup red lentils

2 15 oz cans chickpeas

1 tsp salt

Roast the chopped butternut squash for 35 minutes at 375 F. While the squash is roasting, chop the rest of the ingredients. Heat the oil over medium high heat, then sauté the carrot, onion, and jalapeno for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and garam masala and sauté for 30 more seconds, making sure to stir the spice continuously. Add the water and vegetable broth and red lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low-medium, and add the chickpeas, squash, and diced tomatoes. Let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes, then enjoy!

I had plenty of leftovers, which were perfect heated up and topped with a dollop of greek yogurt.

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Recipe: Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas

My friend Kate shared her fabulous Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas recipe and it tasted so good I wanted to share it with all of you. It's packed full of smoky flavor and I love the contrast of the sweetness from the potatoes and creaminess from the beans. Mmmm! It's also packed with natural sources of fiber and plant-based antioxidants. Pair it with some roasted veggies for a delicious winter meal. Plus it makes great leftovers. Enjoy!

Kate’s Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Enchilada Filling

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Recipe: Eggs Poached in Marinara Sauce

Another reader passed along this tasty and super easy recipe and I had to share. Talk about a great week night speed meal. Plus the eggs are a stellar source of very affordable protein and the fat-soluble vitamins are a plus. Please don't fret about the cholesterol in eggs. Even the American Heart Association gives a thumbs up for 5 eggs a week, even if you have high cholesterol! So dish up and enjoy and warm, comforting, tasty, nutritious meal you can whip up in minutes.

Picture and  Recipe Source: New York Times

Eggs Poached in Marinara Sauce

1/2 cup marinara sauce, made with fresh or canned tomatoes

Pinch of cayenne (optional)

A couple of leaves of basil, slivered

1 to 2 eggs

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons freshly grated Parmesan

1 or 2 slices country bread, preferably whole-grain, toasted and rubbed with a cut clove of garlic

1. Bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a small saucepan or an 8-inch omelet pan and turn the heat to low. Add the cayenne, if desired, and the slivered basil.

2. Break the egg or eggs into a teacup, and carefully tip them into the tomato sauce. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tops of the whites are set but the yellow yolk shows through. It’s important that the yolk be runny. Turn off the heat. Season the eggs with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle on the Parmesan.

3. Serve in a wide soup bowl, on top of the garlic toast or with the toast on the side.

Yield: 1 serving.

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