'Curl up with a Book' Dairy Free Hot Chocolate

Yes, there are treats we can have on this diet!  Just gotta stay in the guidelines... :o) If you want a sweeter version you may add 2 tsp. Xylitol or a packet of Stevia.

  • 1 can unsweetened Coconut or Almond Milk
  • 1-1/4 oz. finely chopped Dark Chocolate (75% cocoa+)

Heat milk in small pot until hot - not boiling.  Add chocolate and stir until it is completely melted.  Sprinkle with Cinnamon. (opt.)

~ Yum! ♥

Knockout Cannellini Bean Soup with Kale

Very yummy, filling and worth adding to your Recipe files!  This can be made with Organic Free-Range Chicken Broth if desired.

Cannellini Bean Soup with Kale

Serves 6.

  • 1 Tbs. extra virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 1/2 c.  organic Onion, diced
  • 1 c. Celery, diced
  • 1 c. organic Carrot, diced (1 cup)
  • 1 tsp. fresh Rosemary, finely chopped (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
  • 1 tsp. fresh organic Basil (1/2 tsp. dry)
  • 1 Tbs. of chopped Garlic (about 3 cloves)
  • One 14.5 oz can organic diced Tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp. Cumin
  • 4 c. organic Vegetable Broth
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 4 packed cups organic Kale, cleaned and sliced
  • Two 15 oz cans Cannellini beans
  • 1 Tbs. fresh Lemon Juice
  • 3 Tbs. of grated Rice or Almond Cheese

Pour olive oil in stock pot over medium heat and wait 1 minute. Add the onion, celery, carrots, rosemary and basil, and sauté over low to medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook another minute.

Add tomatoes, cumin, vegetable broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Wash the kale well. Remove and discard the lower half of stalk, then slice. Add kale and beans to the pot, bring back to a low boil and simmer, covered, until kale is tender (about 5 to 10 minutes).

Turn off the heat, remove bay leaf, add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Top each bowl of soup with 1/2 tablespoon rice or almond cheese if desired. Serve with a nice whole wheat loaf of crusty, whole grain bread. (I like Trader Joe's Tuscan Whole Wheat Tuscan Pane - 4g fiber to 23 carb). Click here for 'good carb' formula.

~ à votre santé! ♥

Bulgur Wheat Pilaf

'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)

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)! ♥

Boost Your Immnue System with Mushroom Soup

This homemade soup captures some of the anti-cancer features of more expensive immune-enhancing soups.  Unlike Sun Soup, it is inexpensive and tasty. Medicinal mushrooms have been shown to improve specific immune markers and contribute significantly to healing processes by stimulating the body’s immune system. They contain high concentration of fiber and act as prebiotic, antioxidant, and antibiotics. They hold anti-hyperlipidemic, hypotensive, and hypoglycemic ability in addition to helping many health conditions such as asthma, ulcers, and kidney inflammation.

Read more about the health benefits of mushrooms here.

Mega Power Mushroom-Lentil Soup

  • 1/4 lb. shiitake mushrooms
  • 1/4 lb. maitake mushrooms
  • 1/4 lb. oyster mushrooms
  • 1 1/2 c. dried mung beans (pre-soak)
  • 1 1/2 c. dried French lentils (pre-soak)
  • I/4 head green cabbage, sliced in strips
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 leeks, chopped
  • 5 cloves of garlic, crushed and peeled
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 4 c. purified or spring water
  • Sea salt or Tamari to taste

NOTE: If you cannot find fresh mushrooms, dried mushrooms are widely available, in the market or over from the Internet. Pre-soak until they are soft, then sliced. Also pre-soak the mung beans and lentils.

Peel the garlic cloves, crush them with flat side of knife.  Wait 10 minutes, and then mince them.

Add the garlic and all the remaining ingredients and cook at a slight boil for two hours, stirring occasionally. Season with reduced-sodium tamari (soy sauce). Try pureeing in a blender. Refrigerate surplus after eating.

Consume one cup of this soup per day, 3-4 times per week.  You may add any other fresh, organic vegetables.

~ Bon Apetit! ♥

Healthy Stir-fried Veggies

The important thing about sauteing any foods is to keep the oil below burn point. Foods added to the oil should not 'sizzle' much.  You want to aim for 7 cups of vegetables a day (4c. cooked).  This recipe will yield 2-3 servings, more if you have a salad with your meal.

Hoda's Healthy Stir-fried Veggies

  • 1 inch piece of Ginger, chopped
  • 4 c. organic Broccoli, cut up
  • 4 stalks organic Celery, cut up
  • 1/2 White Onion, sliced thin
  • 6 organic Green Onions, cut in 1 inch pieces with green tops
  • 4 organic Carrots, cut up
  • 1 organic Baby Bok Choy, sliced
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 3 tsp. Sesame oil mixed with 2 tsp. organic Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbs. Tamari or Soy sauce (gluten-free)
  • 2 tsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp. Stevia or 1 tsp. Xylitol
  • 2 tsp. Cornstarch mixed in 1/3 c. Water or Green Tea

Place a large saute pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Pour in the oil mixture. Wait another minute then add the ginger, stirring.

When it starts to wilt add all the veggies except the Bok Choy and garlic.  Stir for a 3 -4 minutes, then cover, turn heat to low, and cook for 5 more minutes.

Add Bok Choy and stir to mix.  Cover again for 2 minutes.  Add garlic and stir.

Mix wet ingredients and add to pan, mixing with veggies for 2 minutes until they are all coated and sauce has thickened.

~ Enjoy. ♥

Tasty Black Bean Dip

Recent research has shown that black beans provide special support for digestive tract health, and particularly our colon. The indigestible fraction (IF) in black beans has recently been shown to be larger than the IF in either lentils or chickpeas.

While some of the total carbohydrate content in black beans is lost along with the discarding of the soaking water, the amount of resistant starch remained unchanged. (Resistant starch is a type of carb that will typically make its way all the way down to the large intestine without being digested. Once it arrives in the large intestine, it can help support the growth of desirable bacteria in that area of the digestive tract.)

The seed coat of the black bean (the outermost part that we recognize as the bean's surface) is an outstanding source of three anthocyanin flavonoids: delphinidin, petunidin, and malvidin, as well as the super anti0xidant Quercetin.

Read more here.

Black Beans, cooked

Black Beans, cooked

Serve Dip toasted whole wheat pita bread triangles (toast them yourself in a toaster oven), or high fiber crackers. Also good with carrots and celery.

Tasty Black Bean Dip

  • 2 c. cooked drained organic Black beans

  • 4 tsp. organic Tomato paste

  • 3 Tbs. Water or Green tea

  • 2 cloves organic Garlic, minced

  • 2 tsp. organic Lime juice

  • 1/2 tsp. ground Cumin

  • 1/2 - 1 tsp. Sea Salt (or to taste)

  • 1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper (to taste)

  • 2 organic Green Onions, chopped

  • 2 Tbs. organic mild Green chilies, chopped

  • Olive oil (optional)

Process all ingredients except green onions and chiles in a blender or food processor until smooth. nd Place in a serving bowl and garnish with the green onions and chiles (or stir them in).

I like to drizzle a little olive oil on top. 

Makes 2 cups

~ Buen provecho! ♥

A Delicious Fruit Salsa

I was looking for a tasty but out of the ordinary appetizer to serve at a function and stumbled on this recipe.  It was a big hit and fit with my diet beautifully so I want to share it with you. If you are not partial to spicy foods, omit the jalapeno.

This makes about 4 cups, and since it doesn't store very well, you may halve the recipe.

Spicy Strawberry Kiwi Peach Salsa

  • 2-1/2 ripe organic Peach - peeled, pitted, and diced
  • 2-1/2 organic Kiwi, peeled and diced
  • 10 fresh organic Strawberries, diced
  • 1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
  • 2 Tbs. and 1-1/2 tsp. Lime juice
  • 2-3 organic Green onions, chopped
  • 1/4 c. and 1 Tbs. chopped fresh organic Cilantro
  • 2-1/2 pinches Sea Salt

Combine the peach, kiwi, strawberries, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, green onion, cilantro, and salt in a bowl; gently stir to combine.

Very tasty on whole grain crackers or as a salsa with a mild fish, or roasted chicken.

~ Enjoy! ♥