Embracing a whole food plant-based diet and natural health.
Lentils are high fibre, high protein legumes and red lentils in particular have the additional attribute of being one of the quickest varieties to cook. They do not require pre-soaking and generally only take about 15-20 mins cooking time. Combined with potatoes and carrots in this recipe , they make a quick tasty fritter.
The French inspired “Ratatouille” is basically a rich vegetable stew served traditionally as a side dish but by adding some tofu (preferably organic and non GMO) to the mixture you can create a main course which is healthy as well as quick and easy to prepare.
Potatoes often get a bad wrap largely because of the way they are prepared (fried and salted or mashed with butter and served with gravy etc) but the humble potato contains decent amounts of many nutrients. For example many people may not know that a medium sized potato with its skin on contains nearly half your daily quota of Vitamin C. This recipe features potatoes combined with several other vegetables and wrapped in a wholemeal pastry to make a nutritious main or side dish. You can also make an alternative version using sweet potatoes as the base vegetable.
Kidney beans are an excellent source of protein, fibre, folate, magnesium, potassium and anti-oxidant flavonoids (due to their rich red colour!) They hold their shape well when cooked and can be used in a range of recipes including soups, casseroles, dips and patties. These burgers could be served on wholemeal buns with all the salad trimmings that generally go with the traditional hamburger.
This recipe features blueberries, well known for their high anti-oxidant levels. A number of years ago I remember my dad coming home from a visit to his GP and stating that the doctor recommended that he should eat 1/2 cup of blueberries a day. The doctor had just been to a recent medical conference where he learned about the nutritional value of blueberries I was pleasantly surprised at the time to hear a mainstream doctor prescribing fruit for one of his patients. This recipe was adapted from a random cookbook I borrowed from the local library called Hungry, Healthy, Happy by Danni Martin. This recipe could be served for breakfast or as a regular dessert with a dollop of cashew cream.
Even when I was a vegetarian I was never a real fan of the traditional pizza with its doughy base, tomato sauce and melted cheese but I like the concept of this healthier vegan version using a sweet potato crust. Nutritionists at the Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) ranked sweet potato the most nutritious of all vegetables so that’s a good incentive to include more of this vegetable in our diet. It’s high in dietary fibre, has naturally occurring sugars and is an excellent source of beta-carotene as well as many other nutrients. As this pizza involves a few elements I would personally make it more for a special occasion rather than for every day eating.
I regularly eat this rustic, seedy type of bread. I say “type” of bread because if you’re used to the fluffy, commercial style of bread, this bread wont seem like bread at all! But rest assured it’s very tasty and definitely nutrient dense, studded with grains and seeds making it high in fibre and protein. It’s dairy free and I have used quinoa flakes and besan flour to make it gluten free as well. The addition of fresh rosemary is more than a flavour booster. Rosemary is well known for stimulating the immune system, increasing circulation and aiding digestion. It is very easy to grow and flourishes in most conditions so with little effort you can have your own fresh supply of this valuable herb.This recipe has been adapted from the life-changing loaf of bread recipe first created on the website My New Roots.
This recipe has been adapted from The Revive Cookbook 4 See Revive Café The original recipe uses fresh coriander which tastes great but does not grow well in the Australian summer so I have substituted mint as I have plenty growing at present and the flavour works well with the sweet potatoes. By the way, sweet potatoes are extremely high in Vitamin A and have loads of fibre and potassium and the addition of chickpea flour gives a boost of protein to these vegetable balls.
This slice is packed full of good things! such as……avocado which contains the beneficial mono-saturated fats, chia seeds and walnuts in the base for some added omega-3 power, a goodly dose of fresh mint leaves which contain antioxidants helpful in the area of digestion, carob which is naturally sweet and high in vitamins and minerals such as calcium, not to mention coconut and cashews which I somehow wanted to squeeze into the title but then it would have been ridiculously long! Hope you enjoy this all raw, nutrient-dense slice!
The two main ingredients in these crackers, wholemeal spelt flour and wholemeal rolled oats, contain soluble fibre which is more easily digested in the body as well as other essential vitamins and minerals. These crackers make a healthy alternative to the processed crackers and crispbreads in the supermarket. They are very versatile in that they can be served with sweet or savoury toppings and their size can be tailor-made to suit your needs!