Toasty Roasty Kale

Healthy snacks are important to have and when they are easy to make it is even better.  Toasty Roasty Kale fits in perfectly.  The easy part comes later.  Let's talk about the healthy aspects of kale.  I know, I know.  You are thinking - "Isn't that what they put in salad bars to make them look pretty?"  And the answer is YES!!!

Kale contains substantial amounts of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of nutrition essentials.  In one cup alone you have:

• About 20% of fiber (diet and digestion)
• Over 1300% of vitamin K (anti-inflammatory)
• 10%of omega-3 fatty acids (anti-inflammatory)
• 192% vitamin A (antioxidant)
• 88% vitamin C (antioxidant, immunity)
• Plus so much more.  

Kale is consumed all over the world.  There are different varieties.  

• Curly leaved (Scots Kale)
• Plain leaved
• Rape Kale
• Leaf and spear (a cross between curly leaved and plain leaved Kale)
• Cavolo nero (also known as black cabbage, Tuscan Cabbage, Tuscan Kale, Lacinato and dinosaur Kale)*

Now, that you know the benefits of kale.  What the heck do you do with it?  KALE CHIPS! Unfortunately, Many of the kale chips you will find in the stores are very high in fat.  They use a lot of oil in the baking and/or frying.  There is absolutely no need for the fat.  In our Toasty Roasty Kale, there are just trace amounts of fat from the spray.  It keeps it very healthy and lower in fat than the store made ones.

Toasty Roasty Kale  

1 bunch of Kale, washed, ribs cut out, and in 1" pieces

Juice of half a lemon

Olive Oil sprayer

Salt 

Pepper 

Seasonings of choice

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place the kale on a sheet pan.  Squeeze the juice of half a lemon, spray with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper plus any other spices you may chose to use.  Toss right on the pan. Level out.  Put in oven for 8-10 minutes.  Check and cook to desired crispiness.  

Prep time: 5 minutes

Bake time: 10 minutes

Level of difficulty - easy

Toasty Roasty Kale Printable Recipe 

With the Toasty Roasty Kale you can add any variety of spices to it ~ salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder or salt, onion powder or salt, chili powder, cayenne, whatever floats your boat.  Remember, part of the fun of cooking is experimenting!!  And you can start enjoying them from start to finish in about 15 minutes. 

Watch the video, print the recipe, prepare any one of the dishes and you'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/9-health-benefits-of-kale.html
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kale
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2461/2

What IS a Macrobiotic Diet?

"Macrobiotics", translated from Greek, means great life and dates back to Hippocrates. Macrobiotics as we know it today was started by a George Ohsawa, a Japanese educator, who was battling a serious illness. This simple diet cured him.

The macrobiotic diet is a holistic approach to a lifestyle. It utilizes the idea of food containing yin and yang properties which help balance out the body, spirit, and energy.  Yin foods are cold and sweet while yang foods are hot, salty and bold. It can be a "flexitarian plan" in which occasional fish is okay, however most are vegetarian. It does require a fair bit of planning to be on the macrobiotic diet.

Some foods will over stimulate the body. The diet discourages processed foods, coffee, alcohol, high fat foods, extremely cold foods, dairy, eggs, and animal products. In limited quantities, it is okay to have seafood, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and nuts.

Food should be consumed in the most natural state or by preparing with baking, boiling, pressure cooking or steaming. Eating slowly and chewing your food thoroughly is an essential part of the program. The macrobiotic approach also means eating locally, what's in season, organically, and focus on whole grains. (Click on term to read previous blogs relating to these topics.)

The breakdown of a typical macrobiotic diet will vary from source to source. Here is an approximation based on various resources:

• Whole grains, especially brown rice: 50%-60%
• Vegetables: 25%-30%
• Beans and legumes: 5%-10%
• Sea vegetables: 5%
• Fish, nuts, seeds, fruits, miso soup: 5%-20%
• Soup (using ingredients above): 1-2 cups/day

Best bets: Brown rice, barley, whole wheat, fresh broccoli, cauliflower, butternut squash, chickpeas, tofu, sea vegetables like kombu and nori, and vegetable soups. A few servings of nuts and seafood per week are allowed. 1

That's Vegetarian has provided you with many recipes that are in accordance with a Macrobiotic Diet.  Here are a few.  Go back and check these out:

• Pear Crisp
• Spicy Hummus  
• Baked Falafel
• Pumpkin Flax Bread
• Mango Peach Stuffed Peppers
• Baked Stuffed Zucchini (omit cheese)

The macrobiotic approach has been shown to help in healing in prevention and cure in cancer, although it has not been scientifically proven.  The American Dietetic Association also approves the macrobiotic diet as a well balance approach to a vegan diet, if done correctly.

There is so much more information on the macrobiotic diet. Books upon books and websites upon websites. I have included links to some websites for more information on the basics of the diet, food lists, the lifestyle, and the history.

Visit That's Vegetarian's website, blog , and YouTube channel for more information, videos, and recipes!!  You'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"

To Be or Not to Be Organic. That is the Question.

There are so many articles out there that say "Buy this organic..." then another one says "No, buy this organic. Arrrggghhhh which is it? Then the environmental impact of pesticides.  What to do?

First and foremost, eating your fruits and veggies is most important. If you cannot afford organic, it's okay.  Clean your fruits and veggies with an appropriate scrub/rinse. You can buy the veggie wash from the store or you can make your own with common household items. Do you know which household ingredients go a long way in reducing the pesticide residue on your foods?  Click here for more.

Here is what you can do to get rid of the pesticides in a friendly way:

• Baking soda ~ Using, a clean sponge or cloth, sprinkle, scrub, and rinse!
• Make a spray bottle with 1t vinegar (white or cider) and fill the rest with water. Make a separate spray bottle with 1/2t hydrogen peroxide and water. DO NOT MIX TOGETHER IN ONE SPRAY BOTTLE TO SAVE A STEP!!! Creates a Peracetic acid which in no bueno to consume. Then rinse.
• Add 1/4-cup vinegar and 2 Tablespoons salt into a sink full of water and let sit for 15 minutes then rinse.
• Combine 2T vinegar, 1T lemon juice, and 1c cold tap water in a spray bottle, shake well, and apply to your produce. Rinse
• 4T salt and juice of half a lemon in a sink full of water, soak for 5-10 minutes, less for leafy greens and berries. Rinse. 

Why buy organic? Many people buy organic because of the amount of pesticides that are usually used on that particular crop that will absorb into the food and/or stick as a residue which will be passed onto the consumer, aka your body. I'm not going to get into the politics or more specifics, check out the links below for additional reading.

Here is a quick list that I gathered from multiple resources¹ that agreed on what to get organic:

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Stone fruits - peaches, apricots, cherries, nectarines
5. Leafy vegetables - spinach, kale, collard greens, lettuce
6. Grapes
7. Sweet bell peppers
8. Potatoes
9. Blueberries

What other foods are recommended organic and why?  

It is also suggested to find organic meats and dairy products because of the hormones that are used. Coffee because of the countries it comes from. Raisins and wine because they are made from grapes. There are also the ideas of eating foods in season so it doesn't have to be imported and travel long distances to get to you. Imported foods have different standards on pesticides used vs. domestic. Cantaloupe is one of the foods that is okay domestic but organic imported. The fruits and veggies with peels have less concern because the pesticides don't penetrate as much and they are peeled off. But with bananas there is a concern on proper harvesting and sustainable farming. Those are the issues that I will leave for you to decide.

Here is a list of what doesn't need to be organic because minimal pesticides are used for this particular crop and/or they don't absorb as much of the pesticides.

1. Onions                                                                                                                                           

EWG's Dirty Dozen Cheat Sheet              2

2. Corn

3. Pineapples

4. Avocado

5. Asparagus

6. Sweet peas

7. Mangoes

8. Eggplant

9. Kiwi

10. Mushrooms

11. Cabbage

12. Watermelon

13. Sweet potatoes

14. Grapefruit

Organic is great if you can fit it in time wise and financially. If not, use one of the helpful tips to eliminate the majority of the pesticides. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, organic or not, EAT YOUR FRUITS AND VEGGIES!!!!! Your body really does need the nutrients they provide that you can't get in such glorious form anywhere else.

Check out the other blogs for links to watch the video, print the recipe, prepare any one of the dishes and you'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"

1

TheDailyGreen.com 

Wikihow.com 

PlanetGreen.discovery.com 

Real Simple 

Environmental Working Group (EWG) 

Why Eat Organic 

Care2.com 

2  

http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/

Veggie Egg Bake - A Holiday Solution

It's holiday time when the house is filled with loved ones whom you want to keep happy and fed.  We don't like grouchies at the holidays, or any time for that matter.   

• The Veggie Egg Bake is super satisfying.  
• You can make it as easy or difficult as you like by what you choose to put in it.  
• Use leftover vegetables or saute up some fresh ones.   
• It's lower in fat and cholesterol by using all egg whites, tremendously satiating and bulky with the vegetables (since we do eat by volume most of the time), and leaving out the crust that you would find in a quiche.    
• Not to mention this is a great dish for leftovers.  They can help themselves whenever they are hungry.

Visit That's Vegetarian's website, blog , and YouTube channel for more information, videos, and recipes!!  You'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"   

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!

Veggie Egg Bake aka Crustless Quiche

 

1 c Onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

5 Mushrooms, sliced

10 Olives, chopped

1/2 Green peppers, diced

1/2 Red pepper, diced

2-3 stalks Broccoli, diced

10 Baby carrots, sliced

10 grape or cherry tomatoes sliced

Handful of spinach, chopped

Olive Oil

Parmesan cheese (opt)

16 oz carton Egg whites

1/4 t Celery salt

1/4 t Garlic powder

1/4 t Pepper

1/4 t Ground sage

1 t Tarragon

1/2 t Turmeric

1/4 t Paprika

3 T Fat free milk

5 Basil leaves, fresh chopped

2 oz Shredded cheese (opt)

1 Tomatoes, sliced

Preheat oven to 400F.  Spray the bottom of a pie dish with olive oil.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Toss to coat.

Sautee vegetables to get any extra liquid out, otherwise the egg bake can be a little runny.  Start with onions, and then garlic then the harder veggies ending with the spinach. Place sautéed vegetables in bottom of pan.  Put shredded cheese and fresh basil on top.

Add spices and milk to egg whites and shake to mix.  Pour over veggies and cheese. Place the slice tomatoes to make a pretty design.

Bake at 400F for 10 minutes then lower temp to 350F and bake for an additional 25 minutes. 

Printable Veggie Egg Bake Recipe

Eating What's In Season...

Eating what's in season is a way to help the environment and ensure you are getting fresher and riper produce.

Eating what's in season in your local area helps reduce the environmental impact of the shipping costs, pesticides, and large amounts of water used.  

Eating what's in season will fill your belly and satisfy your taste buds with fresher less processed food.

Eating what's in season means visiting your local farmers, farmers' markets, or having fresh, local produce delivered to your home or office.

Eating what's in season helps support your local economy and local farmers.

Eating what's in season gives you the opportunity to branch out try new food and recipes.

Eating what's in season means reading the labels and signs at your market to find out where the food comes from. The closer, the better, the fresher and more nutrients.

Eating what's in season means searching for local produce options. The Internet is a great resource and websites like Local Harvest can help as well as the rest listed at the end of this blog.

Eating what's in season differs from region to region but here is a sampling:(see links below)

Spring

Fresh growth, leafy veggies such as spinach, chard, parsley and basil plus asparagus and rhubarb.

Summer

Cooling fruits and veggies such as strawberries, plums, corn, summer squash, peppermint and cilantro

Fall

Warming foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, root vegetables, peppers, persimmons, eggplant, pears, tomatoes, onions and garlic, ginger, and peppercorn.

Winter

Keep the warming foods coming. Keep eating what's above for fall plus winter squash, turnips, cabbage, mushrooms, kale, cranberries, and pumpkin.

We at That's Vegetarian want our recipes to be more flavorful by using fresher, riper, more nutritious ingredients because we are eating what's in season!

These websites offer interactive maps for you to find out what is in season in your region and resources to help you find them.

Epicurious.com

FieldToPlate.com

SustaibableTable.org

EatwellGuide.org

The World's Healthies Foods

USDA.gov

Baked Stuffed Zucchini

End of the zucchini in your garden and time to start warming up the houses in parts of the US.  Here is a recipe that is light enough to satisfy the palate for the Indian Summer we are having in Southern California and warm the houses and bellies for those of you in Buffalo and across the northern part of the country. 

It is has over 25 grams of protein in each serving (1 whole zucchini) with 23.9g in 3.57 oz (100g) in the Cannelini Beans  and 2.25g in the 1/4c cooked quinoa alone.  If you are watching your waistline, although the dish contains healthy oils, the fat can be reduced by decreasing the amount of almonds and oil used.  The recipe contains fat from healthy sources and our body does needs fat to help with absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, brain development, energy, healthier skin and cells, making hormones, protective cushion for organs and pleasure - they taste oh so good.(1)

Prepare the Stuffed Baked Zucchini or any of the other wonderful recipes and and you'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"

Stuffed Baked Zucchini (Vegan Optional)

1/2 c Quinoa, rinsed

1 c Water, vegetable broth, or combination of both
4 Zucchini, medium halved lengthwise  

1 15-oz can Cannellini beans, rinsed
1 c Grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 c Almonds, chopped (about 2 oz)
2 Garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 c Parmesan (3 ounces), grated (Eliminate for Vegan)
4 t Olive oil

Heat oven to 400° F.

In a large saucepan, spray the bottom with olive oil, put in the quinoa and toast for a few minutes over a medium high heat. When they start to brown, add the water/broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Arrange in a large baking dish, cut-side up.

When the quinoa is cooked, fluff and fold in the beans, tomatoes, almonds, garlic, ½ cup of the Parmesan, and 3 teaspoons of the oil. Spoon the mixture into the zucchini. Top with the remaining teaspoon of oil and ¼ cup Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake until the zucchini is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Bake time: 15 minutes for quinoa, 30 minutes for zucchini

Serves 4

Level of difficulty - Intermediate.

10PP for a full zucchini. 5PP for half. Reduce to 9PP by using half the amount of almonds, and 8PP if you use only 1t olive oil and a little spray on the top.  
Printable Baked Stuffed Zucchini Recipe