This tasty curry features red kuri, a beautiful winter squash. Photo by Frédérique Voisin-Demery (CC BY 2.0) If red kuri is not available in your area, feel free to substitute a winter squash of your choice. Red kuri is a naturally sweet, versatile squash that is great for baking and stuffing, in addition to stir-frys and curries. Kuri, like all winter squash, is high in vitamins A, C, riboflavin and thiamin, as well as the minerals calcium, potassium and iron and an excellent source of fiber. Winter squash have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and blood sugar benefits. Enjoy this beautiful dish on a crisp autumn’s day.
Prep
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat, 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Cut squash in half; spread 1 tablespoon coconut oil on cut sides. Place in a baking dish cut sides down and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until tender. While squash is baking, prep other ingredients. Peel and dice onion. Peel and press or mince garlic. Grate ginger. Chop cauliflower and kale. Juice lime. Following package instructions, make enough quinoa for 4 servings. Curry
Sauté onion, garlic and ginger in 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. When onion is translucent, add cauliflower, spices and chicken broth. Simmer 20 minutes, or until cauliflower is al dente. When squash is cooked, scoop out flesh and add to cauliflower. Stir in kale, coconut milk and lime juice. Simmer until kale is bright green and tender, stirring occasionally. Serve Ladle over quinoa and sprinkle toasted coconut on top. Preparation: 30 minutes active, plus 45 minutes to bake Serves: 4
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Quinoa is a versatile grain and easy to prepare.  Photo by nerissa's ring (CC BY 2.0) Recently rediscovered, this ancient cereal is thought to have been the “gold of the Incas”, and is one of the least allergenic of all grains. Quinoa is high in protein, includes all the essential amino acids, is an excellent source of fiber, and a very good source of iron and magnesium. Quinoa is excellent for cognitive support, as it is high in vitamin B-12, which supports brain cells, and manganese, which is an antioxidant. This quinoa pilaf can be a side or a main dish. You can add chicken to this recipe, and/or substitute for the zucchini a variety of different vegetables, such as spinach, chard, artichokes, or carrots.
Prep
Preheat oven to 350° F.In fine sieve, rinse quinoa under cold running water 1–2 minutes to remove this grain’s coating of saponin, a bitter, resin-like glucoside, set aside. On ungreased baking sheet, arrange pumpkin seeds in single layer. Bake for 3–5 minutes, or until slightly darkened in color. Set aside. Peel and chop shallot. Chop zucchini. Pilaf
Add quinoa and broth or water to saucepan, bring to boil, and then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until quinoa is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed (20–25 minutes). Meanwhile, in saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallot and ginger and sauté, stirring often, until softened (3–5 minutes). Add zucchini and stir until tender (5–7 minutes). When quinoa is cooked, add shallot and zucchini mixture and mix in goat cheese. Stir to fluff, add salt to taste. Serve Serve hot, topped with toasted pumpkin seeds. Preparation: 30 minutes Serves: 4 My poached egg bowl makes a warm and gently nutritious meal.  Flickr user Rob Galloway (CC BY 2.0) Not just for breakfast, my poached egg bowl also makes a great lunch or light dinner. Feel free to add any leftover veggies you may have in the fridge. Quinoa and spinach are both members of the chenopod family, known for their unique carotenoids that are especially beneficial to nervous system health. Spinach is also rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant flavonoids. Spinach is thought to have originated in ancient Persia, brought to China by the 7th century and Europe in the 11th century.
Prep
Cook quinoa according to package directions, enough to make four servings. Peel and finely chop garlic and shallot. Chop spinach. Shred carrots. Grate ginger. Stovetop
Heat one inch of water along with vinegar in a shallow pan over high heat. When the water begins to simmer, lower heat to medium and gently crack eggs into water, add salt and pepper. Continue to simmer until whites are opaque. Sauté shallot, garlic and spices in coconut oil; add quinoa and spinach. Continue cooking until spinach is just wilted; keep warm until ready to serve. Serve Divide quinoa and spinach mixture into bowls, serve with an egg. Preparation: 20 minutes Serves: 4 This dish is visually appealing and very nourishing.  Flickr user cookbookman17 (CC BY 2.0) In addition to antioxidants, each cup of black beans provides 15 grams of protein and fiber. Black beans also contain small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids about 3 times as much as other beans. The cilantro not only adds depth to the flavor, but also has been shown to aid digestion and sooth inflammation. The cumin enhances the taste of the salad while promoting the assimilation of other foods. You can also substitute or add a variety of other ingredients such as dark green leafy vegetables and scallions.
Prep
Rinse and drain quinoa and beans. In a saucepan, bring broth to a boil, add quinoa, cover and simmer on low heat until all the water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 10 – 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Peel and chop avocado. Grate carrots. Chop dates and cilantro. Juice limes. Dressing
In a small bowl, combine lime juice, vinegar, cumin, oil, and salt; whisk. Salad
In a large bowl, mix cooked quinoa, beans, avocado, carrots, dates and cilantro. Pour dressing over quinoa mixture, sprinkle in crumbled goat cheese, toss gently. Serve Dish onto plates, enjoy! Preparation: 30 minutes Serves: 4 This is a pretty, warm dish, perfect for entertaining or enjoying at home on a cold day Flickr user Michaela Weingartova (CC BY 2.0) The sweet potatoes pair beautifully with the mushrooms and the rich coconut milk sauce. This dish is comprised of healing ingredients that will delight your entire family and impress your guests. You will get plenty of essential amino acids from the quinoa. Chicken and cremini mushrooms provide B-vitamins, particularly B3 (Niacin), which is a powerful antioxidant. Spinach provides vitamins K and A, in addition to calcium, magnesium and zinc. This combination promotes tissue repair and helps to alleviate the damage associated with the aging process.
Prep
Preheat oven to 350°. Cook quinoa according to package directions, enough to make 6 servings. Slice chicken into strips. Slice mushrooms. Peel and slice shallot. Dice sweet potato. Stovetop
In a frying pan, brown chicken in coconut oil on both sides. Add broth, mushroom and shallot, and continue to cook a few minutes longer, stirring frequently. Bake
In a small bowl, whisk coconut milk and another cup of broth. Place sweet potato in baking dish, add chicken mixture, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour coconut milk and broth over. Cover and bake 20 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft. Serve 1 tablespoon capers 2 cups baby spinach Just before serving, stir baby spinach into warm chicken and sweet potato mixture. Spoon over quinoa and sprinkle with capers. Preparation: 45 minutes Serves: 6 Have you ever eaten a cooked radish?  Flickr user Kari Sullivan (CC BY 2.0) They are a surprising addition to this stir-fry, which also uses the often-overlooked radish greens. As members of the cruciferous vegetable family, radishes protect against cancer by providing phytonutrients, fiber, vitamins and minerals. The sweetness of the onion is a nice balance to the peppery radishes. Stir-frys are great, because they are unendingly versatile and cook up rather quickly. Chopping the veggies can take some time, but if you plan ahead you can chop extra veggies for another meal and keep them in the fridge ready for stir-fry any time!
Prep
Cook rice or quinoa according to package directions. Cut radishes into quarters or eights if they are large. Save greens, rinse well and set aside. Peel and thinly slice ginger and garlic. Finely chop onion. Thinly slice sirloin. In a medium bowl, mix curry powder, salt, pepper and turmeric. Toss with sirloin, mix well to coat evenly. Stir-fry
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sirloin in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, until browned on bottom, about 1 minute. Flip and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add another tablespoon butter to skillet, reduce heat to low and cook ginger, garlic, onion and radishes, stirring frequently, until onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon honey and increase heat to medium; cook until radishes are glazed, about 2 minutes. Add tamari and balsamic vinegar and simmer until thickened, about two minutes. Add radish greens, snow peas and ¼ teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until greens are wilted. Toss in beef to rewarm. Serve Serve over a bed of sprouted rice or quinoa. Preparation: 30 minutes Serves: 4  Flickr user Lauren Tucker (CC BY-ND 2.0) Marinating is a great way to add interest to chicken.
If you are a fan of dark meat, go ahead and substitute for the chicken breasts. The molasses marinade gives the chicken a lovely, rich sweetness and a beautiful color. This dish pairs well with cooked grains and mixed greens. Blackstrap molasses is rich in vitamins and minerals, particularly iron, manganese, copper, calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and selenium. Ginger contains powerful anti-inflammatory compounds. Clinical studies have shown that people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis experience reduced pain levels and improvements in their mobility when they consume ginger regularly. Growing evidence demonstrates the antioxidant properties of miso. Marinade
Combine miso, rice wine, turmeric and water; stir in to molasses mixture. Allow to cool. Set ½ of the marinade aside. Refrigerate chicken in remaining marinade, 2 hours. Remove chicken from marinade and discard used marinade. Preheat oven to 350°. Prep
Prepare grains according to package directions, enough to make four servings of cooked grains. Chicken Bake chicken, covered, in an oiled baking dish, 45 minutes or until cooked through. Serve
Garnish with green onions and cilantro. Preparation: 20 minutes active, 2 hours to marinate and 45 minutes to bake Serves: 4  Flickr user liz west (CC BY 2.0) These muffins are delicious and nutritious.
They make a nourishing and energy-sustaining snack food. The soluble fiber of the dates helps regulate blood sugar levels while providing a rich source of B vitamins, potassium and magnesium. The walnuts are an excellent source of antioxidants and help reduce inflammation. Walnuts are one of the highest vegetarian food sources of Omega 3 fatty acids. Additionally, the cinnamon not only boosts the flavor of the muffins but also has been shown to have a blood sugar lowering effect. A half-teaspoon a day of this common spice has also been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. Due to the natural sweetness of the dates, the maple syrup is listed as an optional ingredient. For those who are gluten-free, try experimenting with gluten-free flours such as coconut flour. While I don’t often recommend spelt flour, once in awhile, you can incorporate a good quality spelt flour, particularly when paired with so many nutritional ingredients. |
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