Beans n Greens n Grains

This dish is another family favorite! Yes, even my 13 yo son likes it. It provides good protein and fiber, is inexpensive and easy to make. Also, if you plan ahead by preparing the rice and shredding the lettuce at an earlier time, this is basically fast-food. It makes great left-overs, too.

Estimated protein for dish: 58 grams
Could easily serve 4: about 15 g protein per serving

Ingredients
About 1 1/2 cups dry brown rice (or another whole grain) plus water per cooking intructions
2 Cans of beans (we like black and pinto for this recipe)
Jar of salsa (green chili salsa is good if you don't like tomatoes ;)
1-2 heads of lettuce (variety)

Directions
-Prepare the rice (brown rice usually takes about an hour)
-Wash and chop lettuce
-Drain the beans and put in medium sauce pan
-Add salsa to the beans. Start with half then add more to your desired consistency.
-Heat through
-Layer: lettuce, rice, beans. Or throw it all into a bowl and stir. Whatever. It's all goooood.

Options: add avocado/guacamole for healthy-fat content. If you really, really have to have cheese, there are many non-dairy options usually found in "health" food stores, but they are slowly being found in regular grocery stores. Roll into a tortilla. Scoop onto corn chips. Add green onions, peppers, tomatoes, tomatillos...

(plus a can of pinto beans)

(I was a little creative during
the winter holiday season)

Kitchen Snippets
"Smidgen, Pinch, Dash"
(I don't remember where I got them)

Something else I didn't know: Once our digestive system is free from animal products and adapts to beans, beans won't cause the bloating and flatulence for which they are blamed. Much of the bad rap for beans grew out of short-term studies in the 60s that didn't account for our body's ability to adapt. Dairy products are actually the leading cause of flatulence.
The good news: Our body adapting to beans is the good news because beans are so good for us! They are a great source of protein, fiber, and other nutrients. We can survive and thrive on a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet. More good news: tastebuds CAN change. I never liked beans (except jellybeans). Now I love them!

MOCK TUNA FISH SALAD

This is a family-favorite, and my 13 year-old son often requests it. It's so easy to make. The nori sheet can be annoying, though. It's probably easiest to rip it all up into tiny pieces, but I like to pulverize the pieces into flakes. The Bullet blender I use creates so much static electricity that when I go to pour the flakes into the bowl, they "jump" out and away from the bowl and onto the counter (and me!). I am extra careful and use a spatula to slowly and gently scoop the flakes into the bowl.

Estimated protein for dish: 24 g
Estimated fiber: 23 g

Recipe

(conversions not verified by my kitchen scale, yet)

1 can (15.5 oz) (439g) Garbanzo Beans

1 T (15 ml) Tahini

1 T (15 ml) Lemon Juice

1/2 Nori Sheet ripped up or pulverized

1/4 tsp (1.42 g) Salt

1.5 T (21 g) sweet pickle relish

Put all ingredients into a bowl and mash them together. 

{You can substitute the tahini and lemon juice with a vegan mayo such as Veganaise. It's good but not as nutritious... but way better than animal-based mayo, for sure!}

Image credit: Pumpernickel Press

Something else I didn't know: Fish feel pain. The hook they are tricked into eating hurts. While trying to breathe, they suffer and drown in our atmosphere like we would suffer and drown in their environment. And sadly, they are often alive when cut open and gutted. Their brain and nerves feel that pain.

Good news: We don't need to eat them to survive (unless you live in a region where fish are the only source of food). Plant protein is much healthier and provides fiber. With all of the contaminants fish muscle absorbs, we definitely don't want to be consuming them anyway. And if you are concerned about getting your omegas, get them from where the fish get them: PLANTS!

By ceasing to eat fish, the marine life thanks you and the exploited* oceans thank you.

*The news today reports that fish may be extinct by 2048 

Chopping Greens Technique

Keep base intact, and cut lengthwise from
base. Make several lengthwise cuts while
rotating head of greens so you have strips
of greens.

Now cut crosswise. Hold the bunch together
with other hand (keep fingers out of the way
of the blade, tuck in fingers, use knuckles).

Toss base and any yellow pieces (bitter)

Walter and his weird obsession
with the salad spinner

Once as I was carrying the spinner,
Walter attacked it and completely
knocked it up and out of my hands.
Lettuce went flying in the air and
onto the floor.
Me: "Tossed salad anyone?"
Marie: "Here, letttuce help you clean it up."

Something else I didn't know: Remember the E.Coli scares that resulted in recalling spinach and Romaine lettuce? The contamination came from animal agriculture. Animal waste from the thousands of tightly packed livestock contaminated the water supply. Some farms spray waste water into the air.

Good news: Reducing consumer demand for animal meat will reduce the amount of animals the ranchers artificially reproduce. Less animals, less contamination, better water, better air.

Psycho Salads- Yummy Yummy

This mash-up video cracks me up!

Here I will include pictures of different salads I make (or see) to help inspire me and my family ("Remember when we made that? Oh, yeah! That was good; let's do that again) and will be updated. Dr. Joel Fuhrman encourages us to make large salads (mixture of raw veggies) the main course and not as a small side.

🌱 For chopping greens technique, click here.

🌱 For reviving wilted greens, click here 

I recommend this recipe book for healthy dips
and dressings: raw, vegan, oil-free, gluten-free.
You can order a hard copy on Amazon HERE,
or an electronic copy on her website,
RawFoodRomance

Greens, cucumber, bell pepper, carrots, and
baked tofu (teriyaki) with creamy mustard
dressing

Haven't made, yet, but looks good!

Greens, quinoa, roasted corn, bell pepper,
carrots, radish, roasted red pepper dressing

Greens, roasted cauliflower, chili beans, quinoa, roasted red
pepper dressing

Greens, baked tofu -teriyaki, avocado, hemp seeds,
orange bell pepper, raisins, pecans, probably a sesame
ginger dressing

Haven't tried but looks good: broccoli, lentils, yams,
tomatoes

From Marie's garden

Marie's garden: Do you see the tiny snail in the center? 💚

Everyone's is different, but basically: yams w/pineapple/
pecans/hemp seeds, shredded raw beets,
roasted cauliflower, jicama, greens w/ tomatoes

Greens, radish, tomatoes, roasted cauliflower, yams w/
pineapple and pecans

Greens, green beans, carrots, quinoa, roasted corn,
mango (I think, or crushed pineapple...hm)

This is also a good dressing in-a-pinch. It does have
sugar and sodium. I like that it's fat-free