Easy Salad with Black Beans

I prefer to make salads as a full-meal - LOVE those BIG salads!  Here's one simple idea for doing so!

Ingredients:

assorted salad greens of your choice
sweet red bell pepper
red onion
grape tomatoes (optional)
black beans and assorted seasonings (I used salt, garlic powder, olive oil and Italian seasoning)
oil and vinegar of your choice (I used raw coconut vinegar and olive oil)

Amount of each ingredient is not listed, because it depends on what you prefer and have available.


Directions:

If you are using canned black beans, be sure to rinse them in a strainer under running water and allow the water to drain out fully.  You can also make the beans yourself.  Either way, place the desired amount of black beans in a small skillet along with some olive oil for heating up.  Add seasonings of choice to flavor the beans: I used salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning).  Stir together and let the flavors combine on low heat while preparing the vegetables.  Add your salad greens of choice to a large bowl.  Add thinly sliced red onion and red pepper.  Grape tomatoes (or other tomatoes) also go well with this salad, if you'd like to add them.  Now, don't forget to add those tasty black beans!  Finally, add any sort of dressing you like, but I typically use oil (such as macadamia or olive oil) and vinegar (such as balsamic, raw apple cider vinegar or raw coconut vinegar).


Munch - Crunch - Feel Divine!

Roasted Red Beet and Garlic Hummus

Several years ago I made a beetroot hummus from a recipe I found in a vegetarian cookbook.  I made it around Christmas time and the color was so beautiful and festive.  This year I finally got to making it again, but this time I made some changes and, oh my, it is yummy!  The roasting of the beet and garlic adds to the flavor, but if you wanted to save some time you could steam the beet and use raw garlic (if using raw garlic, be sure to decrease the amount you use or it will be too strong, garlic-wise).

Ingredients:

1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 large beetroot (or 1 small)
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed butter)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 bulb roasted garlic
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin (or if you used a high speed blender like me you can add the seeds whole before blending)
pinch of salt (I use sea salt or Himalayan)



Directions:

Begin by roasting the beetroot and garlic.  Preheat oven between 350-400 degrees.  Wash the beetroot, do NOT peel, rub with olive oil, then wrap in a piece of tin foil.  Next, take the bulb of garlic and cut the cloves off across the top, just exposing the inside.  Place bulb on a piece of tin foil, then drizzle with olive oil.  Wrap the bulb up in the foil.   Now, place the garlic and beetroot on an oven proof pan and bake until roasted.  You will know the garlic is done when it begins to look caramelized (a bit browned but NOT burned!) and the beet is done when you can stick a fork through to the middle.  I think it took me about 45 minutes to roast the garlic and about 1 hour for the beetroot.  I started the timer at about 30 minutes and kept checking them periodically.

While the beetroot and garlic are roasting begin preparing the other ingredients.  Rinse the garbanzo beans (you can definitely substitute canned beans with freshly soaked and cooked ones!) in a strainer and allow the water to drain off for several minutes.

Combine the garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, cumin and salt in a food processor or blender.  Once the garlic has been roasted take it out of the oven, open the tin foil, and allow it to cool enough to handle safely with your hands.  It should look something like this:

Once cooled, squeeze the cloves out of their skins and add to the other ingredients.  Alternatively, if you chose to use raw garlic, just add 2 peeled cloves of raw garlic instead.  Raw garlic is much stronger, that is why I suggest using a much smaller amount.  Once the beet(s) have been roasted, use a fork to "hold" on to the beet(s) and remove the skin by scraping it off with a butter knife.

After the skin has been removed cut the beet into smaller pieces to help it continue to cool.  Allow to cool for a few minutes then add to the other ingredients.

Now, you are ready to blend it up!  Blend up the ingredients until smooth.  Serve immediately or store in the fridge and use within several days.  This hummus is delicious with raw veggies, corn chips, salad or sandwich topper, and the list goes on!  Also, a GREAT addition to the appetizer spread for your holiday potluck or party--- Enjoy!

Check out this link for more feel divine recipes at this week's Wellness Weekend!

Cranberry, Pumpkin, and Mung Energy Custard Bars

After making protein bars with protein powder in them I wanted to figure out a different sort of "protein bar" that doesn't have the same highly refined protein powder in them.  So, I came up with the idea to sprout mung beans and use them in baking.  They are so very easy (and inexpensive) to sprout at home.

You can use canned pumpkin or you can roast it yourself.  I have some saved in the freezer in containers like this to take out when needed:

The combination of subtle pumpkin spice, cranberry and crunchy walnuts makes for a delicious snack food (or, a healthy dessert!).  I just love how the cranberries pop open during baking to spread their flavor.  If you blend the mung sprouts very smooth you cannot tell they are in the batter.  Though these are not vegan, perhaps you might be able to use egg replacer.  Let me know if you try it!


Ingredients:

4 eggs
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
3 1/2 cups sprouted mung beans
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbs oil (sesame, olive, coconut, or almond)
3/4 cup almond milk
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 tbs cinnamon
1/2 tbs nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2-1 tbs chopped fresh ginger (or less dry)
stevia powder, to taste preference
1/2-1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped


Directions:

Blend all the ingredients, except the cranberries and walnuts, in a food processor or blender.

Pour batter in a greased 9x9 baking pan and sprinkle the walnuts and cranberries evenly across the top.  Press walnuts and cranberries lightly into batter using a spatula.

Place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees and bake approximately 40 minutes.  You can test to see if it's done by carefully sticking a knife into the middle; if it comes out clean it's done.

Allow to cool and cut into bars.  These are delicious still warm or cool from the fridge.  You can store in the fridge for several days or place in a freezer-safe container and keep there to take out a bar when you need an energy boost during the day.

Cacao Nib Blondies (Delicious and Nutritious!)

Ingredients:

⅓ sesame oil
1 can navy beans
stevia powder, amount varies depending upon what type/brand you use and your preferred taste.  I used approximately ½-1 tsp Kal stevia powder.
2 eggs
1 cup cooked quinoa
¼ cup ground almonds and 1/2 cup maca powder (or 1/2 cup ground almonds)
2-3 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp baking powder
⅓ cup cacao nibs
½ cup nuts of choice (I used walnuts)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil an 8x8 inch pan.

Put all ingredients, besides cacao nibs and nuts, in a food processor and process until smooth.

Stop processor, then add cacao nibs and mix in with a spoon.  Pour into pan and smooth out with a spatula.  Evenly distribute nuts (I broke the walnuts into smaller pieces first) evenly across top and press into batter.  

Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Allow to cool, cut to desired size and enjoy!

 

This recipe was inspired by this recipe:  http://recipes.steviva.com/recipe/gluten-free-brownies-no-added-sugar-low-glycemic
...