Bean Chili with Walnuts & Chocolate

September 14, 2012 by cookingupthecure

I was counting again… one of my nephews had another girl a couple of weeks ago… so how many were they now? Let’s see, I have 19 nephews and nieces, and new baby girl makes 15 grand nephews and nieces! How blessed can a girl be? Now if they weren’t all spread out on 3 different continents… imagine the fun (or is it noise?).

Photo: Now that's a face to brighten any moment.. sweet Dahlia (Sister Aida's granddaughter)

Dahlia welcomes her new baby sister.

I am having some of the clan and a few friends over for a Lebanese Fest the first week of October, and we’ll celebrate my son’s 17th birthday as well. A mere 20 – 22 people. I plan to make a typical mezza table, to hopefully include Tabbouleh, Hummus, Baba Ghannouj, Kibbe, Kafta, Stuffed squash and Grape leaves, and Falafel as well as the requisite plates of fresh veggies, labneh, pickles and olives.

Mezza dishes

Photo: My personal favorite Lebanese dish : Kebbeh bel Sayniyeh !!!!

Kibbe, courtesy Stephen Masry

It will take Prep work over a 3 day period (I actually made the Kibbe today, and will freeze it before baking the day of the party). Since I will be in DC the week before, I have to make what I can ahead of time. Will post process and photos in progress as I can remember!

In the meantime, I visited one of my fave blogs today, Green Kitchen Stories, and saw this amazing recipe. I tweaked the ingredients as usual, to fit our Anti-Cancer diet, and I think this could be a winner.

Let me know what you think!

Courtesy of Green Kitchen Stories

Bean Chili with Walnuts & Chocolate

Serves 4-6

2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves organic garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 fresh organic chili pepper, minced (more if you like it spicy)
1 tsp. ground paprika
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 organic bell peppers, red & yellow, finely chopped
1 organic carrot, finely chopped
2 large stalks organic celery with tops, finely chopped
1 c. raw walnuts, very finely chopped
16 oz. cooked mixed beans (adzuki, kidney, black eye, barlotti, garbanzo)
1 15 oz. can whole plum tomatoes
1 c. water
2 tsp salt
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. decaf or barley coffee (optional)
2.5 oz. 80% dark chocolate, broken in pieces

For serving

1 bunch organic cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. plain soy yogurt
1 lime, quartered
4 corn tortillas, toasted

Wash and chop veggies.

Heat oil in a large thick-bottomed saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat for 1 minute.

Add onion, garlic, cumin, chili, paprika and oregano, and let fry for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, until the spices smells fragrant. Be careful so they don’t burn.

Add bell pepper, carrot, parsnip and celery, let cook for another couple of minutes. Add walnuts, beans, tomatoes, water and salt and let cook for 30-35 minutes on medium low, stirring occasionally.

Add vinegar, coffee and chocolate, stir carefully and let cook for 5 more minutes. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Serve in bowls with a dollop of yogurt, fresh cilantro, lime and toasted corn tortilla.

~ Sahtein! ♥

Lentils and Mung Beans – the Whole Story

July 3, 2012 by cookingupthecure

There are some days when I get an awfully strong craving for Indian spices. I either want to have a curried dish, or a lentil dish… those are the two competitors for my attention.

My favorite dish when I was a girl, is called Mjaddara, a ‘peasant’ type winter dish popular in the villages of Lebanon. It’s basically a lentil/rice/onion mash that is sooo tasty, sooo comforting and sooo healthy! That’s THREE Soooo’s!! Mom was an expert Mjaddara maker, like her father.

According to Choosemyplate.gov…

Health Properties

“Aside from their slight differences in calorie, carb and protein values, red and French lentils have very similar health benefits. Both are protein-rich, plant-based foods, which gives them a unique set of positive nutritional properties. According to ChooseMyPlate.gov, for example, low-fat proteins such as lentils are essential for growing, building, repairing and maintaining tissues in blood, skin, bone and muscle cells. Protein is also a particularly satiating nutrient and may be able to keep you full for longer than carb- or fat-rich foods, which can be important if you’re watching your weight. Both red and French lentils are high in dietary fiber, which means they can improve digestive health and potentially lower levels of blood cholesterol and blood sugar.”

Mung beans are low in Saturated Fat and Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Folate, Copper and Manganese.

1 cup of cooked Mung beans has 2 grams of Fiber vs. 6 grams of Carbs. That’s 20 to 6! A very good ratio.

1 cup of Lentils have 16 grams of Fiber vs. 40 grams of Carb…160 to 40! An Excellent ratio.

And of course we know that a diet high in fiber can help prevent colon and breast cancer. So eat your beans!

I adapted this recipe to include both lentils and mung beans.

Sprouted Lentils and Mung Beans Indian Style

2 c. sprouted organic brown Lentils
1/2 c. organic Mung Beans (soaked overnight)
2 tsp. extra virgin Olive Oil
3/4 c. organic Onion, chopped
1 green organic Chili Pepper (I use Serrano)
A 1-inch piece of organic Ginger
1 Tbs. organic Cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp. dried Coriander powder
3/4 tsp. Cumin
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
Sea Salt to taste
1-1-1/2 c. hot water

Heat a medium stainless steel pot over medium heat for 1 minute. Add oil and wait another 1 minute.

Add onion and chili pepper and saute for 2 minutes. Add ginger and cilantro, stirring for 1 minute.

Add beans and spices and 1 cup hot water, stir, cover and simmer over medium-low for 15 minutes.

Test beans for doneness, and add the last 1/2 c. of hot water if too dry.

Adjust seasoning, and serve hot or at room temperature.

~ Cheers! ♥

Kale to the Chief? .and How to Plan Your Meals

May 21, 2012 by cookingupthecure

He’d be a lot healthier!

If you told me 6 years ago, that I would grow to love this vegetable with a head of curls that vies my own, I would have fallen over into the clover, laughing like crazy Maizy (whoever she is)!

But the seemingly impossible has once occurred. It happened with Eggplant about 22 years ago.

1/2 cup of cooked Kale has an ORAC (Oxygen radical absorbent capacity) of 1150. A minimum of 6500 is the recommended daily intake. Add just 1/4 tsp. of Cinnamon and you’ve upped the dish by another 2675 to give you over half the daily goal in a 1/2 c serving of food!

If you have a cup of blueberries for breakfast or dessert (ORAC 3250), you’ve met your daily minimum of health supporting anti-oxidants. Easy when you use the ORAC Chart.

I am always experimenting with Kale, since it lends itself to flavor exploration. Below is recipe that includes Shiitake Mushrooms which are known for their anti-fungal, anti-tumor and anti-viral properties. Lentinan, an active compound found in shiitake mushrooms, helps boost the immune system, enhancing your ability to fight infection and disease.

Kale with Shiitake and Garlic

2 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 med. organic White Onion, diced
1 head of organic Kale, washed, and chopped
7-8 Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced or diced
2 c. hot Water
4 cloves organic Garlic, chopped
1 Tbs. freshly squeezed organic Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Sea Salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. Black pepper
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

Place a large pot over medium heat for 1 minute. Add oil and wait 2 minutes. Add onion and turn to medium low. Saute, stirring, until onion is translucent.

Add kale and cook stirring until kale is bright green. Add mushrooms and stir to mix. Add hot water, return heat to medium, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Add garlic, lemon and spices, stir to mix. Cover and simmer on low for another 10-15 minutes or until Kale is cooked through.

Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve with lemon wedge alongside brown rice and chicken or fish.

~ Sahtein (double health)! ♥

The Kitchen Sink – a Competition!

May 14, 2012 by cookingupthecure

I have often wondered what kind of savory dish could be called ‘The Kitchen Sink‘.

Well…

I challenge you to send me your photo or recipe of the Healthy Dish you would consider fit to hold that Title! (No sugary desserts or fast food allowed!)

My contender is made from 4 dishes that my daughter and I cooked yesterday, with a bowl of each left over. Hers was a 1) Red Cabbage, Celery and Carrot medley, and my three were 2) Swiss Chard with Tomato Paste, Onions, Garlic and a bit of lemon and sumac, and 3) Carrot, Green Bean, Red Pepper, Onion with Red Vinegar and Olive Oil, and 4) Pearl Barley Pilaf.

So I mixed the lot and heated them up. The colors were lovely, and I realized that in this concoction were some of the Super Foods that boost our antioxidants and a wonderful array of vitamins. Low fat, high fiber, and delicious!

I tend to do this when I have 3 – 4 small bowls of leftovers and I am rushed for time. Most every time the results have been quite pleasing… most of the time that is… yeah mostly.

I’m calling this the Rainbow Kitchen Sink.

Waiting to see how creative you can get…

Send ‘em in… tic, tic, tic…

Here is the Award!

~Get cookin’ ♥

Quick n Easy Chicken Cacciatore

May 7, 2012 by cookingupthecure

Sundays are a challenge for dinner planning. Especially if the day involves kid activities; taking them to friends’, having friends over or catching a movie.

Yesterday afternoon and late this morning, I worked for 2 hours at a Clothing Giveaway my children’s old private elementary school puts on twice a year. I staffed the refreshments table for the first hour, and helped sort through new donations made that morning, deciding if they went in the ‘Needs washing’, ‘For Goodwill’, or ‘Iron and Tag’ pile.

When I got home around 1:45p my 16-year-old, who had two friends left over from last night, asked if I could drive him to his girl friend’s for a swim, and the 2 guys to their respective homes. We left at 2:30p after they ate the remaining Beef Stroganoff, so I didn’t get back home until 3:00p.

My boyfriend was boxing up many of his books to store, (he read my “Everybody Says…” post in the midst of his activity and said, “I’m listening, I heard you about ‘things’. I told him I knew and appreciated that… but had to use him as my guinea-piggy example!)

Here he is, boxing books that have lived behind our sofa…keeping only those needed for his dissertation. Sweet.

By the time I tidied up the kitchen and wrote my Everyone Says post it was 4:00p. So my plan to cook dinner in a Crock-pot didn’t materialize. Instead I decided to make my Easy Chicken Cacciatore on the stove.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Prep + Cooking time = 45 minutes

2 tsp. virgin Olive Oil
10-12 organic Chicken thighs / breasts
1 large organic Orange Bell Pepper, chopped into bite size pieces
1 organic Onion, chopped or sliced
3 Tbs. dry Sherry, or organic Chicken broth
16 oz. homemade or store-bought organic Marinara Sauce
1 tsp. each dried Mint and Oregano
1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

Put oil in a deep pot over med-high. After 1 minute add chicken pieces and cook, rotating, until most of the pink color has disappeared, about 10 minutes.

Add veggies, sherry, sauce, and spices. Stir to mix.

Cover, turn heat down to med-low and cook for 10 minutes. Simmer on low for an additional 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

Serve over brown rice, whole wheat bulgur, or brown rice pasta. Add a tossed green salad, and steamed asparagus with a squeeze of lemon, and you’ve got a wonderful meal.

Buon Apetito! ♥

Lentil n Rice Mash aka Mjaddara

April 30, 2012 by cookingupthecure

Mjaddara – Background

I make this dish when I want to travel back to my youth, to the days when someone else took care of me and cooked my favorite dishes, to a time when summers were spent at cousin’s houses…walking downtown among colorful shops and busy streets… with multi-flavor ice cream cones in hand, and a string of relatives in tow.

Mjaddara tops my list of comfort foods. The warm, creamy texture and goodness of the lentils are incomparable. In Lebanon this is considered a poor man’s protein dish…I think it is King among lentil dishes.

Recipe

1/2 c. organic Brown Rice
2 c. organic Brown Lentils
1/4 c. virgin Olive Oil
2 large organic Yellow Onions, finely chopped
2 tsp. Salt (or a little more to taste)
2 c. hot water

Rinse rice and soak in water for 1 hour.

Pick through lentils, rinse and boil in a pot until done.

In a wide saucepan, saute onions in oil over medium heat until just golden. Do not burn.

Immediately add the 2 c. hot water and boil 5 minutes over low heat. Add to lentils along with the rice and salt. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent bottom from sticking.

Turn to low, cover and continue cooking for 30 minutes, or until rice is done and consistency is like pudding. Stir occasionally.

Remove from heat. Wait 10 minutes then put 2 cups of the lentils in food processor and pulse 4 -5 times until mostly blended. Return to pot and stir into remaining lentils. (If you like your lentils whole, you may skip this step.)

Scoop Mjaddara into large bowl, or several smaller bowls. May be served hot (on cold days) or cold, accompanied by a green salad, pickles, radishes and fresh sweet onions.

Note: Traditionally this dish is eaten with small pieces of pita bread folded into cones as a scoop. You may top with a slice of onion, tomato or pickle!

~ To Your Health! ♥

Savoy Cabbage Comfort Food

April 29, 2012 by cookingupthecure

The creamy texture of steamed/boiled cabbage is very comforting to me. The subtle flavor that is melts into your mouth is an invitation to experiment with fillings, spices and herbs.

Mom used to make the best stuffed cabbage and cabbage stew recipes ever! No, I’m not biased…after all she published a 500-page cookbook at the behest of friends for a reason.

She created a ‘whole stuffed cabbage’ dish that made us swoon, and that I will share here at a later date. The following recipe is based on one of hers too, with a little tweak to lower the fat content. (She used clarified butter in much of her creations.)

If you venture to try this, please let me know how you liked it!

Minted Cabbage with Garbanzo Beans

1 Tbs. Coconut Oil or Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Savoy cabbage, chopped into bite size chunks
1/4 c. organic Onion, chopped
3 med. cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 c. organic fresh Mint, minced
1 c. hot Water
2 tsp. Lemon juice
1/4 tsp. Allspice
1 tsp. Sea Salt (to taste)
1/2 c. organic Garbanzo beans

Combine garlic and mint in a bowl and press down with back of wooden spoon to blend together.

Place a deep pot over medium heat. Wait 1 minute and add coconut oil. Wait another minute and toss in garlic/mint. After 2 minutes, add cabbage chunks. Stir occasionally until cabbage starts to wilt.

Pour the hot water over the cabbage, cover and let simmer over med-low heat for 15 minutes.

Add lemon, allspice, salt and garbanzo beans, stir and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve over brown Basmati and wild rice, or whole wheat Bulgur Pilaf. Can add more fresh mint as garnish.

~ Bon Apetit! ♥

Bulgur Wheat Pilaf

April 19, 2012 by cookingupthecure

‘Bulgur’ is the Westernized pronunciation of the word Burghul (spoken with a guttural ‘g’) . . . an Arabic word meaning ‘made of tiny chunks’.

Bulgur is commonly used as a cradle for stews, as a side dish with chicken or grilled meats. It is added to some salads, like Tabbouleh, and in ground meat dishes like Kibbeh.

Whole wheat bulgur has enough fiber to be on our healthy diet. You still want to limit your intake to about a 1/2 c. per meal.

Bulgur wheat pilaf is a tasty substitute for rice, and much healthier. Only gaba sprouted rice comes close in nutrition. If you have a wheat allergy, then gaba rice can be used instead. I buy the latter in bulk from Amazon.

This dish is sometimes cooked with a handful of garbanzo beans. The two compliment each other.

Bulgur Wheat Pilaf

1 Tbs. virgin olive or expeller pressed Coconut oil
1 1/2 c. coarse grind, whole wheat Bulgur, rinsed
1 small organic white Onion, finely chopped
1 Tbs. organic Tomato paste
2 c. Boiling water or hot Green Tea
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1/4 tsp. Allspice
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

Place medium size pot over medium heat for 1 minute. Add oil and wait 2 minutes. Add onions and stir until they are translucent. Onions should not sizzle very much. If they do, turn heat to med-low.

Add bulgur wheat and stir for 1 minute. Mix tomato paste with 1/2 c of the boiling water, and add to pot. Add the rest of the water and the salt and spices.

Stir once, cover, turn heat to low and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 12 – 15 minutes.

Good served with stews or alongside a healthy chicken or fish dish.

~ Sahtein! ♥

Fasoulia (Lima Bean Stew)

April 18, 2012 by cookingupthecure

This is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods!

Mom made Fasoulia practically every other week, because we loved it. It’s the Lebanese equivalent of Chili, except we serve it over rice. I often omit the meat for a tasty vegetarian version. Traditionally either Lima or Pinto beans are used, but my family ask for Kidney beans.

This recipe is high in fiber and protein, and is rich in lycopene…a cancer fighter, especially for prostate cancer.

Fasoulia or Lebanese Lima Bean Stew

1 Tbs. extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium white organic Onion, chopped
6 oz. grass-fed Beef or Lamb, cut into 1/2″ cubes (omit for Vegan version)
1 1/2 c. boiling Water or hot Green Tea
4 cups organic Lima, Kidney or Pinto beans (boiled or canned)
2 Tbs. organic Tomato Paste
1 tsp. Allspice
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Black pepper
1 – 1-1/2 tsp. Sea Salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (optional)

Place medium size pot over medium heat for 1 minute. Add olive oil to pot and wait 2 minutes. Add the onion and gently saute, stirring, until they turn translucent. (Remember to turn heat down a little if the onions start to really sizzle, we don’t want to burn the oil.)

Add the cubed meat, and stir until meat is no longer pink on the outside. Add boiling water, cover and simmer on low heat for 25 -30 minutes, until meat is tender.

Add the beans, tomato paste and spices. Return heat to medium.

If needed add another 1/2 c. of water to keep liquid level with beans. Stir well. Once stew begins to bubble, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes.
Taste and adjust salt.

Serve over Brown and Wild Rice or Whole Wheat Bulgur Pilaf.

~ Sahtein (double health)! ♥

Moqueca – Brazilian Spicy Fish Stew

April 15, 2012 by cookingupthecure

I modified the recipe to meet the breast cancer diet recommendations.

You can turn down the ‘heat’ by using half the amount of chili peppers in the recipe. Remember that we don’t want to saute in HOT oil. Overheating oil turns it into a carcinogen. Only use medium heat and add ingredients to the oil before it is hot or reaches its burn point. The food should not ‘sizzle’ when you add it.

Although this method won’t cause the usual browning, recipes are still tasty and so much better for you.

Tip: Whenever a recipe calls for cooking oil I use a 50-50 combo of olive and coconut oil…this boosts the burn point of the olive oil.

Moqueca

6-8 servings

2 lbs. Wild Cod, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 c. roughly chopped organic Onion, plus 1/2 cup julienned Onion
2 c. roughly chopped organic Tomatoes, and 2 Tomatoes cut into 1/4″ rounds
2 cloves Garlic, and 1 Tbs. minced Garlic
5 Tbs. chopped fresh organic Cilantro
2 tsp. Sea Salt
3 Tbs. fresh-squeezed Lime juice
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or coconut oil, or blend 50-50)
1/4 c. Piri Piri, recipe follows
1 (14.5-ounce) can Coconut milk

Place the fish in a large glass or plastic mixing bowl. In a blender, combine chopped onion, chopped tomato, the 2 cloves of garlic, 1 Tbs. of the cilantro, 1 tsp. of the salt, and lime juice. Blend until smooth, then pour directly over the fish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the oil. Wait 1 minute (do not allow to reach sizzle point). Add the julienned onions to the pan and sauté, stirring, about 4 minutes.

Add the minced garlic to the pan and sauté for an additional 30 seconds. Pour the fish and the marinade into the pan and add the remaining tsp. of salt, the Piri Piri, and the coconut milk. Stir to combine.

Cover pan until the liquid comes to a slow boil. Place the sliced tomatoes on top and cover again.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the flesh starts to flake, about 10 minutes.

Remove the cover from the pan and sprinkle the remaining 4 tablespoons of cilantro over the fish. Serve accompanied by cooked barley or whole wheat Bulgar.

Piri Piri:

1 Tbs. plus 1/2 c. extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 cloves Garlic, crushed with 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
3 Cayenne Chile peppers, chopped; stems, ribs and seeds removed (or substitute hot red peppers)
1/4 cup fresh squeezed Lemon juice

Place a small pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan. Wait 1 minute and add the garlic and peppers.

Sauté, stirring often, until the edges of the garlic are barely golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the lemon juice to the pan, and remove from the heat.

Place the contents of the pan in a blender and add the salt. Puree until mostly smooth. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil through the feed tube of the blender, processing as you do. Let cool before using. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.

Yield: 3/4 cup

~ In good health! ♥

Cooking Up the Cure

healing disease with food

Tag Archives: stew