Collard and Quinoa Wraps

If you’re like me, always looking for ways to sneak greens into your diet, here a great way to do it that at the same time helps to reduce the amount of bread/starch/gluten you may be eating.  It substitutes large collard leaves as wraps for just about anything you would put into a wrap.  Think grilled vegetables and hummus, egg salad or chicken with avocado and tomatoes, beans and rice with salsa or any combination you can come up with. 

The other day, after making a red quinoa with onions and beets, I decided to try it as a filling for collard wraps.  To make it more “sticky” so that it wouldn’t spill out while eating it, I combined it with roasted, mashed butternut squash and avocado.  The combination was unexpectedly great and the best part was that I was able to prepare a few the night before a trip and they made a great late breakfast the next morning.  I simply wrapped them in wax paper, put them in a sealable bag and packed them in my backpack.

This wrap combines a complete source of protein, fiber, a nice variety of carotenoids from the colorful vegetables, and a healthy source of fat.   To give them a bit of a kick, add some Tabasco, a splash of chili sauce.  Give them a try. 

Collard and Quinoa Wraps

Several Collard Leaves

Red Quinoa

Roasted butternut squash

Mashed or sliced avocado

Tabasco or Chili sauce (optional)

Wash and briefly steam the collard leaves.  Tip:  To save time and having to wash an extra pan, if you’re preparing a grain or bean mixture in a large frying pan/Dutch oven, place the leaves on top and cover the pan for a few minutes.  Any leftover steamed leaves can be placed in an airtight container in the fridge for filling later. 

Allow the leaves to cool and remove the tough bottom stems.  Working with one at a time, place the leaf down sideways on a working surface.  Place a small serving of squash on the center of the leaf, leaving plenty of room around all the edges.  

Spoon a tablespoon of quinoa on top of the squash, pressing it down a bit.  

Add a slice of avocado onto the mixture and a splash of the sauce if desired. 

Fold the top and bottom of the leaves in toward the center, then fold up one side and roll towards the free end to seal the wrap.  Enjoy immediately, or if packing for lunch, wrap a few tightly in wax paper and place in a ziploc bag, or place in a sealable container.  Refrigerate until ready to eat.  

"Red" Quinoa

Over the last several years, quinoa has become one of the few grains that I eat.  Maybe because I like the way it fills me up without making me feel like I’m “full”, like I feel sometimes after eating a plate of pasta.  I love the simplicity of this dish and the combination of the bright green and  deep red from the beets.  And it incorporates some Autumn vegetables while still maintaining a light, citrusy taste from Summer.   

If you make a large batch of plain quinoa ahead of time, it’s much easier to whip up a few different dishes throughout the week relatively quickly.  I made this one in under 20 minutes.  Because quinoa is a complete protein, this can easily be served as a satisfying lunch or dinner.  I also used it as a delicious filling to wraps, the recipe for which I’ll be posting next…

1 T grapeseed oil

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 medium beet, peeled and chopped

2 c cooked quinoa

2 c chopped kale

sea salt and black pepper to taste

juice of ½ lemon

Add the oil to a heated Dutch oven then add the onion and beet and sautee for several minutes, until the onion is tender. 

Add the salt and pepper and kale.  Then add the quinoa and and a few tablespoons of water and cover the pan to let the quinoa heat through and the kale wilt.  Squeeze the lemon juice over the mixture and stir well.  Serve warm or cold.

Kale, Apple, and Beet Salad

Autumn is on its way.  The mornings and evenings are cooler, the leaves are already turning colors, and the pumpkins are everywhere!  I love the colors of this season and the foods.  We’ll see how many dishes I’ll be making this year with pumpkin : )  

The cooler weather doesn’t mean that I’m giving up salads for a while, though.  On the contrary, there are so many great seasonal ingredients that will make a delicious salad until Spring. 

The other day, I combined kale with apples and beets for a hearty salad full of color and flavor.  I loved it so much that I’ve already made it twice and I know I’ll be making this a lot in the coming months.   

If you’ve avoided eating kale raw because of its tough texture, this can be remedied by massaging it with spices or liquids, which helps to tenderize it.  In this salad, I massage some Himalayan salt and olive oil into the kale, and the result is fantastic.

Kale, Apple, and Beet Salad

1 bunch kale, washed, destemmed, dried, and cut or ripped into small pieces

Himalayan or sea salt

olive oil

1 - 2 apples, washed, cored, and cut into small chunks

juice from ½ -1 lime

1 small red onion, chopped small

1 medium raw beet, peeled and shredded

a handful of seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, etc., optional)

pepper

maple syrup

balsamic vinegar

avocado chunks (optional)

To begin, place the kale in a large bowl.  Sprinkle it with ~1/2 - 1 tsp of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.  With your clean hands, work the oil into the kale by massaging it for a couple of minutes.  

Sprinkle the apple pieces with the lime juice and add them to the bowl, then add the onion, shredded beet, seeds if using, and pepper.   Toss the salad, then drizzle with a bit more olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup.  Toss again until the dressing is well distributed.  Chill if desired and serve with avocado chunks.

This went perfect with a quick warm black bean salad pictured.

A Quick Red Lentil Soup

A few weeks ago, we had an unseasonably cool day or two and I could immediately feel my body wanting a warming, hearty soup.  Luckily I had some red lentils on hand that I used to make the quick recipe below.   By soaking them for a few hours in the morning, it helped to begin the digestive process, neutralize toxins, and boost the number of nutrients.  Not to mention, soaking them cuts down on the cooking time, and these tend to cook quickly!

Although this soup didn’t need it, I used strips of raw zucchini chopped into small pieces as a thickener.  I put them in at the very end of the cooking and they were tender in no time. 

Lentils are a great source of protein and fiber and according to Dr. Susan Brown and Larry Trivieri, Jr., The Acid Alkaline Food Guide, are actually one of the more alkaline-forming foods in the beans/legumes category, which is unusual with high-protein foods.  If you’d like to see what else you’re feeding your body with lentils, you can check here.

Red Lentil Soup

1 cup red lentils, soaked for several hours and rinsed

1 T grapeseed oil

1 medium onion, chopped small

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced thin

1 stalk celery, trimmed and sliced thin

½ cup dried mushrooms (any combination), rinsed and soaked in hot water

vegetable broth (low salt, heated)

dried thyme, oregano, basil, and black pepper to taste

sea salt to taste (if using low salt broth)

1 medium zucchini, peeled and shaved to make thin strips

Heat a medium saucepan on medium and add the grapeseed oil.  Add the onions and celery and sauté for a few minutes, then add the carrots and cook an additional 3 minutes. 

Drain the lentils and add them to the pan, then add in enough vegetable broth to cover the lentils by about two inches.  Chop the mushrooms and add them to the pot along with the soaking liquid.

Add the seasonings and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover lightly until the lentils are cooked, ~10 minutes.  Add the zucchini and cook 2 minutes more, or until tender.  Serve hot.

Sprouted Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds

A while back, I tried some of Kaia’s sprouted, seasoned pumpkin seeds and fell in love with them. They were so tasty and because I also like to sprout seeds, I knew that they were a nutritious snack. “Why bother “sprouting” pumpkin or sunflower seeds?” you might ask. Why not simply eat them raw or roasted? There are a few really good reasons:

• Soaking begins the digestion process, which makes the seeds easier for your body to digest
• The sprouting process neutralizes toxic compounds and enzyme inhibitors that were originally produced by the seed to protect it during dormancy.
• Sprouting initiates a cascade of enzyme and nutrient production within the seed so that it can develop into a full-grown plant. Sprouts actually have a much more concentrated level of some of these nutrients than their full-grown counterparts, which is why I love to sprout broccoli and radish seeds as well as mung beans and lentils. It makes something that’s already good for you even better for you.

Soaked or sprouted pumpkin and/or sunflower seeds are simple to prepare and can be used a number of ways. They can be eaten as a snack, added to salads or grain dishes, or as a garnish for soups. Here’s a quick and easy to prepare them (the actual hands-on time is quick, that is)…

½ c raw sunflower seeds

½ c raw pumpkin seeds

clean, filtered water

1 - 2 T apple cider vinegar

1/2 t Himalayan or sea salt or to taste

Combine the seeds in a large jar and add enough filtered water to cover them completely. Seal the jar and allow the seeds to soak overnight or for 12 hours. Replace the water once if you can.

For soaking, drain the seeds and rinse them in a wire mesh basket, then dry then with a towel. Place them in a bowl, add the vinegar and salt and mix well.

For sprouting, place the seeds back in the jar and cover it with a nylon screen or cheesecloth. Invert the jar into a bowl and allow it to sit at room temperature away from direct sun or heat. Then rinse, drain, dry, and season as above.

Spread the seeds in a single layer in a baking dish and place in a warm oven*. Ideally, it should be no hotter than 115°F to preserve the enzymes. Allow the seeds to dry completely. It took ~2 hours in a warm oven. Cool and store in an airtight container.

You can see a demonstration of sprouting in my video below:

*If you have a dehydrator, great, then it’s perfect for these.

You can also add whatever spices and seasonings you'd like, such as:

• sea salt and garlic,
• curry spices,
• herbs like thyme, basil, and oregano with sea salt,
• or even a sweet version with cocoa powder, cinnamon, and honey or maple syrup

Black Bean Brownies

I came across this recipe in the cookbook of some friends, Andy and Hannah, who are very talented musicians. Andy also happens to be a great cook and I originally met him at one of my talks on food and energy. He and Hannah practice yoga at the same studio where I practice, which is how I stumbled upon the cookbook. Their CD HannaH’s Field, Music, Magic, Medicine actually comes with a cookbook inside the cover. How cool is that? In it, there are fourteen delicious sounding recipes, including the one below for black bean brownies.

I am such a fan of brownies, more so for the texture I think than anything (besides the chocolate-y flavor of course!). So with the original recipe, I made a slight modification by cutting the sugar in half. I didn’t miss the extra sugar at all, maybe you would. Next go around, I’ll cut the fat down as well. That, however, may make a big difference with the texture, which is what I love the most about them…

But being able to eat a chewy, chocolate-y brownie knowing that it’s full of protein, fiber and vitamins and minerals makes eating them less of a guilty pleasure and more of a guiltless pleasure.

Black Bean Brownies

½ c semi sweet chocolate chips or cocoa powder

1 c butter (or grapeseed oil)

2 cups black beans, cooked, drained, and rinsed

1 c walnuts

1 T vanilla

½ c brewed coffee (don’t like coffee, try Teeccino!)

½ c sugar (this is half the original amount - I used organic natural cane sugar)

¼ t salt

¼ cup flax seeds ground

½ c gluten free flour (original recipe called for oat flour; I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free flour)

¼ t xanthan gum (optional)

Melt the butter with the chocolate chips and let cool slightly. In a food processor, puree the black beans and walnuts. Add the melted butter and chips, vanilla, brewed coffee, and sugar and pulse until mixed. Combine the flour, flax seeds, salt (and xanthan gum if using) and add to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Pour the batter into a greased 13 x 9 baking pan. Bake at 350°F, 25-30 minutes or until the top feels firm to the touch. Cool before cutting.

These were delicious and I’ve made them with either butter or oil. I’ve also made them with ½ c of cocoa powder instead of the chips. They were perfect for me, but for you, they may need additional sugar.

Grilled Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad

The other day, I found this simple recipe online on a blog that I can’t find so I began searching and realized that there are variations of this recipe everywhere! The most similar recipe I found to the one I made below is from Paula Deen. It’s the first recipe I’ve ever seen of hers that didn’t call for butter. Seriously, I love her bubbly personality and her recipe sounds delicious!! She adds oil and the lime zest, which I didn’t do. The zest would taste great and I don’t think the oil is necessary because the avocado gets creamy and serves as a fat. But a little olive oil wouldn’t hurt. And since it’s summer, I also took advantage of fresh corn that I grilled and removed from the cobs. This is so simple and so tasty as a side dish, or for lunch. I would even eat it as a snack.

Grilled Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

4-5 ears of corn, grilled and removed from the cobs (*see instructions below)

~20 cherry tomatoes cut in half lengthwise, or 2 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks

½ medium red onion, diced

handful of fresh cilantro, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped

juice of 1 lime

sea salt to taste

1 avocado

In a medium bowl, mix the corn, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, lime, and sea salt and mix well. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Just before serving, chop the flesh of the avocado into small pieces and add to the salad. Stir well so that the avocado gets a little creamy. Serve immediately.

*To grill corn, pull back the husk and remove the corn silk. Replace the husk, then soak the ears in cold water for a few minutes. On a grill set to medium heat, place the husks directly on the bottom rack, or wrap each ear in foil first then place them on the grill. They will have to be checked often and turned. Alternatively, place the ears in a baking pan, cover with foil, and place on the grill. Check after 15 minutes. They should be tender and plump. Remove from the heat and let cool before cutting kernels off the cob.