Here are the 7 top maca root health benefits. An ancient Peruvian root crop, maca is gaining popularity as a supplement and superfood. Maca root belongs to the radish family, and is most commonly available in powder form.
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Many of you have already heard that raw, organic, and unfiltered apple cider vinegar can assist in weight loss and overall well-being. The apple cider vinegar diet is probiotic, and has many additional health benefits. Here we explore how the apple cider vinegar diet as part of a healthy lifestyle can help you lose weight while at the same time, acting as a tonic for the body.
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Parties and celebrations help keep the winter blues at bay, whether for New Year’s eve or day, Super Bowl (aka the big game), Oscar-watching. Or any impromptu gathering for whatever reason helps to allay the post-holiday let-down. For your next gathering, whether hosting or attending, it’s handy to have a list of healthy, yummy snack ideas that can be made at the last minute.
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Colorful vegetables blend well with barley. This comforting soup will warm you from head to toe during the fall and winter. Save Print Thai Barley Soup Serves: 6 Ingredients 4 teaspoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 carrot, diced 1 celery stalk, diced 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated 1½ teaspoons red curry paste ½ cup pearl barley 1 teaspoon salt 7 cups vegetable broth 1 tablespoon lime juice Instructions In a large saucepan, heat half of the oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes or until onion has softened. Add garlic, ginger, and curry paste; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add barley, salt, pepper, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 40 minutes or until barley is tender. Add lime juice and mix. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then serve. 3.3.3077
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The chestnut vendor offering hot, charcoal-roasted chestnuts on the streets of many cities symbolizes the coming of winter. This seasonal treat can be enjoyed by a cozy fire at home as well. Chestnuts can be roasted in a popcorn basket over an open fire, in a shallow baking dish inside the oven, or in a skillet on top of the range. Recipe contributed by Nikki and David Goldbeck, from American Wholefoods Cuisine.* The first method is preferred, for the charred, crunchy portions that result from the uneven cooking are really part of the appeal. Serves: 4 to 8 1 pound chestnuts in shells To cook chestnuts, the shell must be slit first to prevent bursting. Using a small, sharp paring knife, cut a cross on the flat side of the nut, piercing the shell completely. For fireplace cookery, place nuts in a long-handled basket or popcorn popper without crowding and hold it just above the flame. Shake occasionally so that all sides are exposed to the heat. Be patient and do not put the basket directly in the flame or the outside will char before the inside becomes tender. Chestnuts should cook through in about 15 minutes. When the shells have […]
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You will find an exotic blend of flavors in this iconic dish of Indian cuisine. Coral lentils make a gourmet and unctuous dish with a variety of colorful vegetables and spices, softened by coconut milk. Served with rice, this is a complete, balanced, and tasty dish. Save Print Lentil Curry Serves: 2 Ingredients 1 cup Coral lentils 1 onion 1 sweet potato 1 cup cauliflower florets 1 can diced tomato 1 can coconut milk 1 teaspoon curry 1 teaspoon "Indian" spice mix 2 cloves of garlic 1 pinch of cinnamon A little olive oil Salt and pepper Instructions Finely chop the onion. Peel the sweet potato and cut into cubes. Cook the chopped onion and garlic cloves in oil for about 5 minutes. Add sweet potato and cauliflower florets. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add the lentils, tomato, coconut milk, and the spices. Cook 30 minutes. At the end of cooking, add the salt and pepper. Serve immediately with rice. 3.3.3077
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This delicious and very pretty cake was contributed by Dynise Balcavage from The Urban Vegan: 250 Simple, Sumptuous Recipes from Street Cart Favorites to Haute Cuisine.* It’s a lovely dessert to serve at for winter holiday meals, but you need not wait for a special occasion to make and enjoy it. Serves: 8 1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine, softened, divided 3/4 cup vegan brown sugar 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries 1 1/2 cups flour (I use half whole wheat pastry flour, half white spelt) 1 cup vegan sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 tablespoon soy flour 1 cup soy milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon lemon oil or 1 tablespoon lemon zest, chopped very fine Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt together 1⁄4 cup of the Earth Balance and all the brown sugar. Pour into oiled cake pan and arrange cranberries evenly on top. In a large bowl, mix flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and soy flour. In a medium bowl, mix milk, vanilla, lemon oil or zest, and remaining 1⁄4 cup Earth Balance). Using a mixer, blend the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Spoon the cake […]
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This soup is delicious and very easy to make. Its ingredients may vary, depending on the contents of your fridge! Save Print Miso Soup Serves: 4 Ingredients 4 cups vegetable broth 3 tbsp. miso 5 mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 carrot, grated ½ cup edamame 1 chopped coriander packet 1 tbsp. soy sauce 1 tsp. lime juice cilantro Instructions Mix miso and broth. Add the other ingredients, ending with the cilantro bouquet. Simmer for a few minutes. 3.3.3077
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An Eastern European standard, tzimmes is a roasted vegetable dish that is made a number of ways, depending on the occasion. For the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, the appropriate ingredients include carrots and sweet potatoes, with the added sweetness of fresh and dried fruits. Recipe adapted from Vegan Holiday Kitchen. Photos by Susan Voisin. Save Print Sweet Potato Tzimmes Author: Nava Recipe type: Jewish holiday Cuisine: Vegan / Jewish New Year / Healthy Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour 15 mins Serves: 8 Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup chopped onions 3 large carrots, sliced 3 large sweet potatoes, cooked, baked, or microwaved in their skins, then peeled and sliced 1 large apple or pear, cored and sliced ½ cup chopped prunes ¼ cup chopped dried apricots ½ cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed 1½ teaspoons cinnamon ½ teaspoon each: ground ginger and salt ⅓ to ½ cup chopped walnuts, optional Instructions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onions over medium heat until translucent. Add the carrots and continue to sauté until onions and carrots are golden. In a mixing bowl, combine the onion-carrot mixture with all the […]
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Hummus is traditionally prepared with chickpeas, however this hummus is prepared with edamame beans. Serve hummus with grilled pitas, tortilla chips, or raw vegetables. Save Print Edamame Hummus with Coriander Serves: 2 cups Ingredients 1 bag (375 g) shelled edamame beans 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup tahini ½ cup water ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro ¼ cup lemon juice 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp sesame seed Instructions Place the edamame beans in a saucepan with enough salted water to cover them. Boil over medium-low heat and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Purée garlic with food processor. Add cooked beans, tahini, water, coriander, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt until the texture is smooth. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. 3.3.3077
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Remarkably delicious, this pie is fun and easy to make. For a light-colored piecrust use ivory teff flour; for a chocolate-brown piecrust use brown teff flour. Both are equally scrumptious and both are available at natural foods stores to make great gluten-free pie crust and other baked goods. Contributed by Leslie Cerier, from Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook. Photo by Stephanie Ferrate of Gluten-Free West. Delicious served over nondairy ice cream, as shown. Serves: 6 to 8 Crust: 2 cups teff flour 1/2 cup melted extra-virgin coconut oil 1/2 cup maple syrup 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Filling: 5 ripe peaches, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon maple sugar or date sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9-inch pie pan. To make the crust, combine the teff flour, oil, syrup, vanilla, and salt in a medium-size bowl and stir until well combined. Reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture to use as a crumb topping. Transfer the dough to the prepared pie pan and use your fingers to press it out in an even layer over the bottom and sides of the pan. Poke a few holes in the dough with a fork. […]
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There are no rules for this recipe. Use vegetables you have on hand, according to the season: legumes, green beans, turnips, chard, tomatoes, etc. Vary the spices according to your preference: nutmeg, ginger, caraway, cinnamon, cloves, saffron, red pepper, etc. If you do not have a traditional “tajine” dish, a pot or wok will work very well too. Save Print Vegetables Tajine Serves: 3-4 Ingredients 2 potatoes 2 carrots 2 zucchini 1 cup celery 1 can chickpeas 1 onion 1 clove of garlic 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp coriander 1 tsp turmeric Salt Pepper 2 cups vegetable broth Instructions Heat the oil in a pot. Peel the garlic and onion, slice, and pour into the pot. Add the spices (paprika, coriander, and turmeric), salt, and pepper. Mix. Brown for a few minutes until the onion is tender. If necessary, fill the bottom of the pot with water. Wash, peel, and slice vegetables. Pour the carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and celery into the pot and mix with the spices. Add broth and bring to boil under cover. The broth should cover the vegetables for good cooking. When the broth boils, remove the lid and lower the heat. Simmer […]
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This hummus and quinoa wrap, embellished with fresh and dried tomatoes and leafy greens is chock-full of flavor and protein. Once you have your quinoa cooked (actually, this is a good use for leftover quinoa), this comes together in minutes for an easy dinner or to take along to school or work for lunch. Serve with any sort of soup, a potato dish, salsa and chips, fresh corn — wraps go with most anything! Makes 2 wraps; doubles easily Two good-quality 10-inch wraps 1/2 to 3/4 cup hummus, homemade or store-bought, or as needed 2 tablespoons hemp seeds, optional 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced 1/2 cup or so cooked quinoa 1/4 cup or so moist but not oil-cured sun-dried tomato strips Mixed baby greens, shredded lettuce, baby arugula, baby spinach, or a combination Place a wrap on a plate. Spread with about 1/4 cup hummus, and sprinkle with hemp seeds, if you’d like. Arrange half of the quinoa down the center of the wrap. Put a big handful of leafy greens next to it on one side, and sliced tomato on the other. Sprinkle strips of the dried tomatoes here and there. Fold two sides the wrap over the ends of the row […]
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These zucchini fritters are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Healthy and easy to make, these are a great way to make your kids eat plenty of vegetables. They’re perfect for a quick meal or to take away in your lunch box. You can also serve these fritters with cashew cream cheese—the combination is so delicious! Save Print Zucchini Fritters Serves: 8-10 Ingredients 2 zucchinis 1 clove of garlic 2 flax eggs* 1 cup flour 3 tbsp. herbs Pepper Salt 4 tbsp. olive oil Instructions Peel and grate zucchini. Put them in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and let them sit for 1 hour. Rinse well and dry in a towel—squeeze very hard! In a bowl, add flour, flax eggs, herbs, minced garlic, pepper, and salt to the zucchini. Mix well. If the consistency is very liquid, add a little flour. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. When the pan is hot, arrange a tablespoon of the zucchini preparation. Brown for 3 minutes then turn regularly until the patties are golden brown. Add a few spoons of water to the pan if needed. Serve hot. Notes Flax Egg:Ingredients1 tsp. ground flaxseed2 tbsp. waterInstructionsMix and allow […]
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I’m officially in love with anything pumpkin flavored, though I admit I’ve only recently started cooking with pumpkin … and I’ve been missing out. Luckily, that dry spell is over. This recipe is great for the waffle maker. Most vegan pancakes tend to be dense and the waffle maker gives it a bit more of a fluffy texture. I left out baking powder on purpose from the recipe because you can make them taste great without it. Add any fruit or maple syrup that you have on hand as a topping. Recipe and photo by Sophia Dubrovsky from Plant Based Made Easy. Makes: 6 to 8 waffles 2 flax eggs (see note) 1 1/2 cup whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour 3 tablespoons turbinado or other cane sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, optional (this gives a fluffier texture) 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 cup pumpkin puree 1 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk Combine flour, salt, sugar and spices in a bowl. Mix well. Add flax eggs, pumpkin puree and non-dairy milk. Mix well. Cook in small batches in waffle maker. Note: To make flax “egg” mix 2 tablespoons flaxseed with 6 tablespoons water. […]
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What I like about this kind of recipe is that it is extremely flexible. You can keep the base and make meatballs, burgers, or stuff it into vegetables. Here, I cooked it in a muffin mold, but you can opt for a lentil loaf cooked in a bigger mold. Just don’t forget to increase the cooking time! Save Print Lentil and sunflower seed "meatloaf" Serves: 4-6 Ingredients 2 tbsp. of olive oil 1½ cups of onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed ⅔ cup carrots, grated 1 packet (227g) mushrooms, finely chopped 1 cup of lentils, cooked, rinsed and drained 1½ cup sunflower seeds 2 slices of whole grain bread, shredded into small pieces ¼ cup ground flaxseed ½ cup of oatmeal 2 tbsp. of tamari 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar ¼ cup of vegetable broth 1 tbsp. oregano ½ tsp. thyme ½ tsp. dry mustard Salt and pepper, to taste ¼ cup of ketchup ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp. tablespoon maple syrup Instructions In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and mushrooms. Cook until the onion has begun to turn a little golden, about 10 minutes. Add the […]
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This simple and pretty combination of winter fruits — pears, apples, oranges, and pineapple, spiced with crystallized ginger — is a refreshing finish to any meal. It’s pretty enough to serve as a Christmas dinner dessert, accompanied by your favorite cookies. Recipe adapted from Vegan Holiday Kitchen. Photos by Susan Voisin. 5.0 from 1 reviews Save Print Gingered Winter Fruit Medley Author: Nava Recipe type: Winter dessert / Christmas Cuisine: Healthy Prep time: 20 mins Total time: 20 mins Serves: 8 This simple and pretty combination of winter fruits is a refreshing finish to any meal, and pretty enough to serve as a Christmas dinner dessert, accompanied by your favorite cookies. Ingredients 2 pears, any variety, or two different types, including Asian pears, cored, seeded and diced 2 Granny Smith apples, cored, seeded, and diced 2 small oranges, such as clementines, peeled and sectioned or 2 small blood oranges, peeled and diced One 20-ounce can unsweetened pineapple rings or chunks, drained ½ cup dried cranberries ¼ cup sliced crystallized ginger, or more or less to taste Two 6-ounce containers piña colada or vanilla nondairy yogurt (soy or coconut) Ground cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg Instructions Combine all the ingredients except the yogurt in a serving bowl […]
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Have you ever tried vegetable cheese? It’s delicious and easy to prepare. It’s also healthy and nutritious! The cheese can be eaten right away, but its taste is refined over time. I suggest letting it rest for at least 8 hours. Save Print Vegan Cream Cheese Serves: 1 cup Ingredients 1 cup raw cashews (unsalted) 2 tbsp. pressed lemon 2 tbsp. apple vinegar 3 tbsp. water ½ tsp. garlic powder ½ tsp. white pepper ½ tsp. salt Instructions Soak cashews in a bowl of water for at least 12 hours. The more they soak, the creamier the cheese will be. The next day, drain well. Pour all the ingredients into the blender and blend for a few minutes until you obtain a homogeneous, creamy preparation. Transfer the resulting preparation into a ramekin or a small glass bowl. Keep cheese in the fridge for about 8 hours before serving, so the flavor will develop. Like all cheeses, it is better at room temperature. Take cheese out of the fridge a little before eating. 3.3.3077
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A fast breakfast for a busy morning—we have to admit, it’s the ideal smoothie! The texture of avocado is the secret to smooth, creamy smoothies, and avocado combines perfectly with chocolate. In addition to its digestive properties, the avocado has another quality: the fatty acids it contains quickly gives the satiety signal to the brain of the person who eats it! Save Print Avocado and Chocolate Smoothie Serves: 2 Ingredients 1-2 mature avocados ½ cup spinach 2 cups vegetable milk of your choice 3 tablespoons of good quality cocoa 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey Instructions Mix all these ingredients together in the blender. That's it! 3.3.3077
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A veganized version of huevos (eggs) rancheros, this dish of tofu prepared with Southwestern flavors and nestled on corn tortillas, makes a nice brunch or light dinner dish. Serve with a simple potato or bean dish (shown here with Beer-Stewed Pinto Beans) and a platter of sliced avocado and oranges for a complete meal. Serves: 4 14- to 16-ounce tub firm or extra-firm tofu 3 tablespoons fine cornmeal 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil Salt 1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into short, narrow strips 1 small fresh chili pepper, seeds removed, minced, optional 16-ounce jar prepared salsa, any favorite variety 2 medium tomatoes, diced 1 to 2 small fresh hot chile peppers (such as jalapeño) or one 4-ounce jar diced mild chiles 2 teaspoons ground cumin 8 good-quality corn tortillas, at room temperature or warmed 1 1/2 cups grated vegan cheddar or nacho cheese, optional 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and sliced Cut the tofu into 6 slabs crosswise. Blot well on paper towels or clean tea towels, then cut into small dice. Combine the tofu with the cornmeal in a plastic food storage bag. Shake gently until the tofu is evenly coated. Heat 1 1/2 […]
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This colorful main dish salad featuring sweet potato, quinoa, and corn is simple to prepare, yet has a festive “company’s coming” look. It makes a bountiful accompaniment to vegan quesadillas. If you can cook the sweet potatoes and quinoa ahead of time, this will come together in a flash when you want to serve it. Photos by Evan Atlas. Serves: 6 2 medium-large sweet potatoes 2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa (use red, tan, or tricolor quinoa; start with 3/4 cup uncooked) 2 cups cooked fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels 2 scallions, thinly sliced 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, or more, to taste Several fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried Natural bottled vinaigrette, or homemade Basic Vinaigrette, as needed Juice of 1/2 to 1 lime (2 to 4 tablespoons), to taste Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Baby arugula or mixed baby greens, as needed 1/2 cup black olives, preferably cured and pitted 1 cup red or yellow cherry tomatoes, halved Scrub or peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 3/4-inch chunks. Place in a large saucepan with about an inch of water. Cover and steam over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until done but still firm, about 8 to […]
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