Vindaloo Veggies with Wild Rice - Jon and Julieanna in the kitchen

Easy, delicious, fast!

Recipe:

Bag frozen organic veggie mix
Basu's Homestyle Vegan Vindaloo Sauce

Saute in a pan together for a few minutes...

Add about 2 cups cooked rice (we used a mix of wild and brown rice)

By the way..did you know that wild rice is not rice? It is a grass! And SOOO delicious! My favorite whole grain!

Let simmer for a few more minutes...

Voila! Presto! Dinner is served...could it be any easier???

Enjoy! Cheers!

Grilled Veggie Wrap and Oil! Jon and Julieanna In the Kitchen

Time to delineate the controversy that surrounds the consumption of oil. Oil is a processed food and consists of 100% pure fat, with no nutrients that we need. It is grossly overused in cooking today, particularly at restaurants. The good news is that it is just as easy to cook without using oil and you lose absolutely none of the flavor.

Much research suggests that people with diagnosed heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity fare better when they eliminate the consumption of oil and other high fat food products (including nuts, seeds, olives and avocados for those following a whole food, plant-based diet, which is the optimal diet for disease prevention and reversal). Proponents of a low-fat, plant-based diet including Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Neal Barnard, and Dr. Dean Ornish have had great success treating their patients and ameliorating their life-threatening chronic diseases.

Jon and I discuss in this video the fact that for the healthy and physically active population, using tiny amounts of oil once in a while is safe. Hence, as we create Jon's Grilled Veggie Wrap recipe, he uses about a teaspoon of oil to grill the vegetables. This minute quantity spread through all 4 servings is approved by me for people not at risk for or already diagnosed with any of the aforementioned chronic diseases. However, with these conditions, grilling the vegetables without the oil will taste just as great but will pose absolutely no health risk whatsoever nor will it alter the cooking process adversely. Another aternative is use raw veggies in this wrap in order to preserve more of the nutrients n the vegetables, add more crunch, and eliminate the need for oil or even a grill! In fact, I do recommend the use of raw vegetables as the majority of a healthy diet.

Jon's Grilled Veggie Wrap is truly delicious and is simple to make. Just add hummus, sliced carrot peels, sliced avocado, grilled vegetables (yellow squash, red pepper, and zucchini, and Jon's dipping sauce (tamari, rice vinegar, spicy mustard, chili paste) to a tortilla. We used brown rice tortillas. Here you have a rainbow of colors and nutrients in a quick and delicious meal! Enjoy!

Nori Edamame Salad with Miso Sauce

I wanted to call this salad a "Sushi Salad", but Jon insisted that sushi implied fish and he didn't want to mislead our viewers to think we were veganizing a recipe. Our goal together is to bring healthy meal ideas to everyone and to not discriminate against omnivores. I completely concur...my goal as a Plant-Based Dietitian is to help everyone get healthy, no matter where they are on the omnivore to vegan spectrum. Thus, after playing with ideas for names including "Un-Sushi Salad", "Sumo Salad" and "Sayonara Salad, we decided to go with the obvious and to just name the unique ingredients...hence the title. Regardless, this is my new favorite salad and I cannot wait to eat it again.

It was a crazy experiement that ended up successful. I simply combined nori (seaweed sheets used to wrap sushi in that is FILLED with hard-to-find minerals like calcium, iron and iodine), salad mix (bagged for convenience with lettuce, carrots and red cabbage), shelled edamame, matchstick cucumbers, avocado and pickled ginger. I topped it off my tossing the mix in a store-bought miso dressing. YUM! I cannot recommend this salad enough. I guarantee you will love it and so will your body!

Domo arigato and sayonara!!!

Yams

Yams are not only filled with flavor but they are also nutrient-dense sources of energy.They are very low in fat but yield lots of energy and fiber with vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, calcium, phosphorus, and choline.

Jon succeeded in developing the simplest and sweetest way to make yams and they were a huge hit in the kitchen! We washed and sliced the yams into discs. Then we shook some cinnamon (excellent for controlling optimal blood glucose levels) on them, coated them with orange juice (vitamin C, folate and B vitamins) and topped it off with slices of fresh pineapple (vitamin C, folate, bromelin).

Simple, delicious and full of nutrition! Cheers!

Super Simple Snack Series Part 3-Guacamole!!! Jon and Julieanna in the Kitchen

Who doesn't love guacamole?!?! Well, it tastes so good when you make it fresh and it really is simple!

My guac recipe is as follows:

2 ripe avocados, mashed

juice of 1 lemon (SORELY forgotten in this cooking demo, and truly missed)

1/4 cup tomatoes, chopped

1-2 pinches of sea salt

1 Tbsp chile powder

Serve with chips, lentil curly chips, veggies, on salad, sandwiches or with a spoon...

Muy delicioso!

Super Simple Snack Series Part 2 Marinara Corn Cake Snack Jon and Julieanna in the Kitchen

This is my old college fave since it takes only a few minutes to throw together and fills you up. All you need to do is spread some fat-free marinara sauce on a corn thin (or rice cake or cracker). Sprinkle some chopped, fresh basil on top and complete with a thin slice or two of tofu. And, who knew? Jon actually really liked it! Tofu and all! Of course, we topped it off with some red vino and voila! Lovely and simple snack! Cheers!

Super Simple Snack Series Part 1: Whole Wheat Pita Snacks Jon and Julieanna in the Kitchen

This is the first part of the Super Simple Snack Series, developed to show just how quickly recipes can be made that are simultaneously filled with nutrients. There are only 4 ingredients and you basically just put them together: whole wheat pita, (oil-free) hummus, sliced (Persian) cucumbers, and sliced tomatoes. To enhance the nutrient profile even more, please see the Super Superbowl Hummus Recipe, where we show you how to make your own homemade version. Stay tuned for more simple snacks!

Jon's Rainbow Salad

This Rainbow Salad comes from Jon Ham, who makes this divine concoction on a regular basis. In fact, this is a simple, yet delectable dish that I will now be regularly creating in my kitchen. Not only does this tout ease and tantalizing tastes, but it is chock-full of nutrients. Jon's Rainbow Salad includes high quantities of lutein, lycopene, vitamins C, A, B6, K, B2, B3, E, and folate; potassium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, chromium; fiber; protein; tryptophan; and thousands of phytochemicals that work synergistically to protect us from disease. All of that with minimal calories, fat and zero antibiotics, and hormones. Talk about nutrient density! This is maximal nutrition for a minimal buck!

We literally threw in the following ingredients:

1 red pepper, chopped

1 orange pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

3 Persian Cucumbers, chopped

1 cup grape tomatoes

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed

2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

balsamic vinegar (amount to taste)

Toss together and enjoy.

Truly an easy meal and I loved the textures (crunchy and chewy) and flavors (acidic, sweet, basil-y). Good recipe, Jon!

To learn more about the hows and whys of plant-based nutrition, please see my website.

Bean, Baby Bean Chili! Jon and Julieanna in the Kitchen

This is one of the simplest, heartiest meals that can be whipped up very easily, with minimal work. Plus, it is loaded with antioxidants (tons of various carotenoids which are great for heart and eye health and cancer protection), fiber, vitamins and minerals. Another benefit is that it lasts for days in the refrigerator which means tasty and quick leftovers. Jon Ham was able to learn about the beautiful rainbows of color found in nature and he was (fortunately) pleasantly surprised!

The chili can be eaten alone or with a chunk of cornbread, whole grain rolls, or on brown rice.

Recipe:
~1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 large onion, chopped
2 (red) bell peppers, chopped
1 bunch of (rainbow-colored) carrots, sliced

Let this simmer for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Then add:
1 can pinto beans
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans black beans
1 can garbanzo beans
~1.5 cups frozen (or canned) corn
~1 Tbsp Chili Powder
~1 Tbsp smoked chipotle powder (optional)
1.5 cups mushrooms, chopped
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 small can green chillies
1 28 oz. can chopped tomatoes
~2 more cups vegetable broth

Let simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Enjoy!

Chocolate Almond Green Smoothie

Here is perfect dessert smoothie or one to make when you are in the mood for a treat that won't wreak havoc on your health, but is actually health-promoting. It is a sweet smoothie that can be made more or less sweet by adjusting the ingredients. Play with it until you find your favorite ratios. Here is my favorite way to make the Chocolate Almond Green Smoothie:

Blend the following ingredients together:

2-4 cups spinach, washed

1/2 cup natural almond butter (no added ingredients besides almonds ideally)

1 cup frozen chunks of banana (this is the key to success with green smoothies...Take bananas at their perfect state of ripeness that you prefer, peel them, divide them into pieces and freeze them in a freezer bag. They increase the sweetness, remove any bitterness from the greens, and enhance the frosty and creamy texture.)

2 Tbsp raw cacao nibs (optional)

2 cups ice

4 cups chocolate almond milk

This will serve 2-4 people, depending on their appetite.

Cheers!

Quirky Quinoa

I love quinoa. It is a supergrain that is versatile, delicious, and easy to use. Quinoa is an ancient grain that was once considered gold by the Incas because of its superior nutrient value. It is a complete protein (rare in the plant world for a single food) and, specifically, it is high in lysine, an amino acid that is less common in grains. Quinoa is also high in minerals such as manganese, magnesium, iron and phosphorus as well as fiber. Truly one of nature's superfood.

Jon and Cari Ham had come up with this recipe and I was eager to try it. Overall the recipe is low in calories, but very high in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. In other words, it meets my criteria for a perfect meal, where there is a lot of nutritional buck!

Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup rinsed quinoa

1 can chopped tomatoes with sauce

1-2 serrano peppers, chopped

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed

Add this to 1.5 cups boiling water. Let simmer for 10-12 minutes. Then add the following:

1 cup pre-cooked rice

tsp minced garlic

1 green and 1 red bell peppers (or 2 of one color), chopped

1 cup chopped broccoli

Let simmer for another 10 minutes, before the vegetables get soft. Add hot sauce if you desire some extra heat.

Plate it and enjoy. Serves 2 hungry or 4 not-so hungry. Enjoy!

Super Superbowl Hummus

Here is a perfect snack for Superbowl Sunday. Not only is it decadently delicious, but it is healthy and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. This healthy hummus has only a few ingredients and, after blending or food processing it together, can be served with raw veggies, mini pita bread pockets, or any type of chips. I use it as a snack or even a meal throughout the week as it is rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Here is the recipe:

1 can garbanzo beans

1/2 cup cashews

juice of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic

1-2 Tbsp tahini (sesame butter)

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup water

Place all the ingredients into the blender or food processor and blend until smooth. We added some paprika for color and decoration (plus it smokes up the flavor a bit too). Serve with raw veggies (carrots, broccoli, cucumber, celery, bell peppers, jicama, etc.), whole-wheat pita pockets, corn chips, or anything else you like to dip. It can also be served on bread as a sandwich spread with sliced cucumbers and tomatoes. Yum! Enjoy!

Vegan Mattar "Paneer" Masala

This was our third recipe using Basu's Homestyle Vegan Indian Sauces. This particular sauce was a Masala sauce and was incredibly well-spiced. I wanted to make a veganized Mattar "Paneer" dish.

We pressed the tofu beforehand by drying the extra-firm block really well and squeezing it between two paper towels with our hands. Then we cut it into paneer-like mini-rectangles and sauteed them in a wok with vegetable broth until they browned slightly. Then we added a can of chopped tomatoes and a bag of organic frozen peas. We let that simmer for a few minutes. Finally, we added the Basu Masala Sauce and let it heat up for a minute. And, voila! We had an incredibly flavorful, savory meal in less than 10 minutes. The pressed tofu really tasted like paneer and I am thrilled to be able to eat one of my all-time favorite Indian dishes again, but veganized and health-ified!!!

My First Cooking Demo with Jon Ham...Vindaloo Veggie Stirfry

My all-time favorite type of cuisine is Indian. My husband and I have very close friends who make us delicious, homestyle, vegan Indian recipes. The problem is that every time I try to make the dishes myself or try recipes, they taste nothing like the authentic dishes. The reason for this is the complex, diverse and vast amount of spices and herbs that create the magic. I often wish I was born in India just so I could have a natural understanding of how to use these spices to create the delectable flavors and fragrances that I have come to adore.

When Jon Ham of Fitness on the Run told me he has a client named Basu who makes homestyle Indian sauces and sells them at Whole Foods, I got so excited...I had to try them all!

And we did. This is the first one we tried...a vindaloo sauce. I decided to make a veggie stirfry served on a bed of brown rice. We used scallions, red pepper, broccoli, mushrooms and a bit of vegetable broth to saute the veggies in. So easy and the sauce makes it incredibly delicious! Plus, it is filled with phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber! Cheers!

Jon Ham interview with Me!