Vegetarian Black Bean Soup With Super Immunity Herbs and Spices

Let's dish up a bowl of delicious, Vegetarian Black Bean Soup, garnished with diced red peppers and a bit of chopped cilantro. Along with it we'll serve a winter salad made of chopped red cabbage, organic tomatoes, a squeeze of lime juice, a nice sprinkle of fresh dill weed, a few drops of virgin olive oil and a tiny bit of hot sauce or chili pepper.

Now, let's review how we made this Vegetarian Black Bean Soup.

Start out with 3-4 quarts water in a large (6 quart) sauce pan. Add 2-3 1" chunks fresh ginger root. Ginger has a tremendous effect on the hormonal systems of the body? It is called an adaptogen, and helps the body make hormones.

Next add several large cloves of garlic. You can actually leave the peeling on as it is highest in vitamin C and will cook into the soup.

Garlic contains allicin, which is very similar to penicillin, and helps fight bacteria and viruses. Elephant garlic is a wonderful choice, because it's so big and full of garlic goodness.

Dice and add one whole onion, whatever you have - red, white, purple, and add it to the soup pot to contribute to the yummy broth.

Add a heaping teaspoon of curry powder, a great Indian spice blend that has great protective effects on the body.

Cumin gives the broth a hearty flavor, and in Mexico where it is used daily there is little to no cancer. Add 1/2 teaspoon.

Add a heaping tablespoon of oregano. It may seem like a lot, but studies have shown oregano to be effective against viruses such as herpes. It's an amazing herb and just the aroma in your home will add protection agains illness. Find it in bulk at your natural food store.

Nest let's add 1-2 teaspoons green chili powder or red chili powder. In the Southwest U.S. chilis are a native protective food, added to almost everything, and a very traditional seasoning for black beans! Be sure to add according to your family's taste as to how much spicy flavor they enjoy. A small amount can disappear into this soup without notice and add protective qualities.

The quick easy way to make this soup is to add 2 large (30 oz.) cans black beans and simmer with the other ingredients for 30 minutes.

NOTE: Alternately soak dry black beans for 12-24 hours (which actually begins the sprouting process) and then simmer them for 6 hours.

Just before serving blend 1-2 cups of the broth and beans in blender (hold cover on with towel - caution) and add back to soup pot for a creamier broth.

At this point burner should be off. Throw in a handful of chopped fresh cilantro (which helps detoxify metals from the body) and is a great seasoning for beans. Garnish with diced red peppers. And there you have it, Vegetarian Black Bean Soup. Get out your bowl. Yummy!

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Green And Red Salsa Is Not Just For Christmas

Spaghetti sauce comes in different flavors and colors. There is the traditional red sauce, upon which marinara, Bolognese and Putanesca are based. There are the different variations on Alfredo sauce, but they are all based upon the basics of cream and cheese. Then there is pesto, basil, oil, and spices. Sauces are said to be the backbone of Italian cooking.

In Mexican cuisine, the equivalent to these sauces are the salsas. Salsas also come in different varieties. Fresh salsa is a perennial favorite, although many restaurants only served cooked varieties.

To construct the perfect fresh salsa, you will need:

What You Need:

6 Roma tomatoes, chopped4 minced cloves of garlic2 seeded and finely minced fresh jalape?os1 red bell pepper, finely diced1 half red onion, finely dicedthe juice of one limecilantro to tastesalt and pepper to taste

How to Make It:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, cover, and store in the refrigerator for several hours to allow the flavors to meld. If you prefer a spicier salsa, you can add more jalape?os.

For something a little different, eliminate the red pepper, and substitute a small can of diced pineapple, drained. Or add a half can each of drained black beans and corn. If you do the latter, double the amount of lime juice.

Or you can get away from tomato salsa all together, and opt for Salsa Verde. The green color comes from the tomatillos. For the uninitiated, a tomatillo is that little green ball that seems to come wrapped in green paper. The paper is the husk, so you will have to remove them before cooking.

Salsa Verde, green salsa, contains:

What You Need:

24 ounces fresh tomatillos, husks removed1 serrano chili1 clove of garlic1 tsp salt1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves [not the stems. They taste soapy]1 cup chopped white onion.

How to Make It:

Rinse the tomatillos, and then place in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring them to a boil and simmer uncovered until the color has changed and they become soft, about 10 minutes. Do not cook too long though, lest they fall apart.

Drain the tomatillos and place in a blender, along with the chili, garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth. Stir in the cilantro and onion.

There are many variations on these salsas. There is no right or wrong. Just do what tastes good.

Another favorite, that goes well with either salsa, it guacamole.

Rather than use the Haas avocado, the little green ones, try a Homestead variety. They are much bigger than the Haas, and they have a wonderful, buttery flavor that compliments almost anything.

Many people make guacamole by just mashing up avocados and adding lime juice. It can be much more interesting.

What You Need:

One ripe Homestead avocado, peeled and choppedjuice of three limestwo Roma tomatoes, choppedone Serrano pepper, finely choppedone fresh jalape?o, finely choppedfresh cilantro

How to Make It:

Squeeze the lime juice and place in a bowl. Chop the avocado and toss in the lime juice. Mix in the tomatoes and peppers. Cover tightly and refrigerate for about an hour to let the flavors mingle. Take it out and taste it. Add a little salt to taste if necessary. Mix in just a few finely chopped cilantro leaves.

All of these may be served with tortilla chips, or with fresh tortillas.

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Romantic Vegetarian Meals - Cooking To Impress A Beautiful Woman

Online dating enables you to meet beautiful women, but what you do in real life determines how they will feel about you. Cooking for a woman is a great way to connect with her, appealing to all her senses, and a great way to demonstrate your independence and generosity. Since it probably happens in your place it is a great excuse to invite her to an environment where you are at your most relaxed and able to act with confidence and humour. The way to a woman's heart may well be though her mouth, and cooking a meal for her is a great place to start. This article looks at a challenging meal that I once had to prepare.

The Challenge

Agnes G is an exceptionally beautiful woman that belongs in a James Bond movie, and two months previously had sent me the "let's be friends" text and drove her sports car into the sunset, never to be heard of again - at least until a few days prior to this article, when I got in touch with her again about something else and she seemed happy to meet up: although clearly not with any romantic potential. Nevertheless, and for reasons that reason knows nothing of, I found myself wanting to make a great impression on her. With food.

Initially, I resolved to make her favourite desert but this quickly escalated into making her a full meal. What makes this more of a challenge was that she has dated a series of millionaire alpha males, and is familiar with some of the best restaurants in Europe. And as a professional dietitian, she has a black belt in nutrition. More than I can chew? Perhaps.

But a man stands up to face his challenges. I would be cooking in my own house, so I would have a home advantage.

The Meal

This would be a vegetarian affair. That way no one except the most ardent carnivore would be unhappy. She didn't seem to exhibit any similarities with Ted Nugent, so I should be safe enough.

If you choose your recipes online then choose well. Look for a website that has had plenty of traffic and plenty of positive feedback - particularly for the recipe you are making. If a busy website has a dozen people who got the recipe to work taking the trouble to write in and leave comments, then chances are it will work for you too.

Starter

I decided on a Carrot and Coriander soup, finding the recipe in an old book called The Soup Bible. This was surprisingly easy to make, wholesome and tasty. When she took the first spoonful she purred approvingly "....mmmm, coriander!" and I knew I had got off the starting grid successfully. Now it was up to the main course to keep up the momentum.

Main Course

I made a Quinoa Veggie Burger in a Focaccia bun, with Red Hummus, Mushroom Pate, Pepper and Olive Salsa on a bed of Rocket Leaves and Shredded Beetroot. This was an adaptation of a recipe from the flexitarian goddess Camilla Saulsbury and her Enlightened Cooking website.

This has all the major food groups covered - low fat, mainly unsaturated, complex carbohydrate, protein with all the essential amino acids, and plenty of fibre, vitamins and minerals. More importantly, there was a great variety of colours, aromas, flavours and textures and the crunchy focaccia meant that all five senses were engaged in this meal.

Desert

My secret weapon: Coconut Panna Cotta with a Mango Lime Sauce.

I knew that she liked panna cotta from a particularly delightful meal we had enjoyed the first time we met and my research led me to Camilla Saulsbury again for a great vegetarian version. Classically panna cotta is a firm cream desert and would have been made with gelatine to help make it firm up. Since gelatine is made from collagen derived from skins, bones and connective tissue of various animals, many non-vegetarians aren't too keen on eating it either.

This scored exceptionally well. Not too sweet, great consistency. The secret here was to make a trial version at least two days before to confirm the recipe works, and make the desert 24 hours in advance so it can just be pulled from the fridge and smothered in mango sauce -and there was almost a full portion of your 5-a-day fruit and veg target in the mango and lime sauce, so nutrition points too.

Coffee

Get proper coffee, not instant. The whole ritual of preparing the grind and heating the cafe tierre plunger with the associated aroma and visual effect is far too good to miss out on. The same for tea - I use a glass tea pot where you can see the leaves tumble in the amber Assam goodness.

I served this with a fresh sticky ginger cake with fresh lemon icing that had been made the day before with a recipe from the BBC. It was monumentally good. An ideal catalyst for "after dinner speaking".

Top tip: Have some good quality chocolate handy too.

Post-Match Analysis

On the whole, I thought things went rather well.

While some people believe "The Chase is better than the Catch" and enjoy the ups and downs in beginning relationships, many would rather get to the point and meet people that actually want the kind of relationship that they do. Despite this, many online daters have no idea how to get the maximum benefit from a dating website and deny themselves the dates they aspire to simply due to lack of attention to simple details, or inability to seek advice. Many that progress to a date in real life ruin their prospects for further dates for a different set of reasons. It is almost as if they want to make all the same mistakes that thousands have made before them in order to deny them dating success - which is why they should check out http://www.singleguydatingadvice.com/ for further dating advice and tips, the website that gives single guys the edge in dating, romance, and life in general.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Prospero

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Vegan Store Ups And Downs

Sometimes the hardest part of being vegan can be just trying to find a vegan store that actually carries vegan products. Unfortunately, there just are not enough vegans yet to create a high demand so that big companies will take notice. What does that leave us vegans with? The internet of course! The internet can be a very helpful place for vegans who just can't find what they need in their area. It can also save you time and money.

Where Are the Vegan Stores?

A vegan store can be very hard to come by, I have never personally seen or even heard of one, so this makes it a little challenging to get certain items. The reason there isn't more stores like this is simply because there isn't high enough of a demand, but I hope, and I'm sure some of you hope, there will be once more and more people realize the benefits of going green. What can we do without a vegan store? Well you can go to a normal grocery market and perfect your label reading skills, or turn to the handy dandy internet.

Handy Dandy Internet

The internet can be a very helpful place when shopping vegan. While there may not be high enough demand for a vegan store in your neighborhood, there is certainly a high enough demand on the internet. There are many places to shop vegan online and at Vegan Purity I've come up with the most reliable recommendations to get you started. With the internet you can save yourself some guess work, time, and money.

Save Money

As a vegan you already save money by not having to worry about the rising cost of meat, eggs, and diary. Veggies, the bases of a vegan diet, are very affordable so that can help your budget and you can use the money you saved to get those special vegan items you're craving. When using the internet to shop for vegan items, it makes it easy to compare prices of different companies which helps you get the most out of your money.

Even though there isn't much of a demand for a vegan store in many towns, the internet can be a helpful tool to get you the things you want and need to have a healthy vegan diet. It is possible to get a affordable vegan items thanks to an online vegan store, and in most cases you can get your items no matter where you live.

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Best Hamburger Recipe Ideas: Mushroom Tofu Burgers

Whether you are planning a nice quite evening at home eating a healthy and nutritional meal with your family or you are already dreaming about all that outdoor grilling you will soon be doing, you want to find and use the best hamburger recipe ideas you can find. You might enjoy eating burgers and homemade hamburger buns that are simple to make and are so filling as well. For instance, you might like to learn how to make mushroom tofu burgers recipe.

This is an easy recipe that you can use to make anywhere from 15 to 18 medium size mushroom tofu burgers for you and your family or for any guests you might invite to a BBQ. Having these types of burgers on hand for any occasion such as when you are grilling outside will make life easier and much more delicious for anyone who may prefer not to include meats in their daily diets. These burgers go well with any of the healthy recipes you make for homemade burger buns.

For instance, imagine eating these delicious mushroom tofu burgers on whole wheat burger buns, garlic buns or even some homemade onion burger buns. Preparing these burgers is easy. After making them, you can simply garnish them with the different types of toppings you might enjoy such as tomatoes, pickles, and lettuce. Serving these burgers with grilled vegetables, a mouthwatering side salad of fresh vegetables and a delicious dessert should satisfy the cravings for a good burger meal.

Recipe for Mushroom Tofu Burgers

What You Need

2 chopped onions? pounds chopped mushrooms3 crushed garlic cloves2 pounds firm tofu3 cups rolled oats1 package frozen spinach 10 ounce2 Tablespoons soy sauce4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce? teaspoon pepper1 teaspoon paprika1 teaspoon lemon juice

How to Make It

Allow the frozen spinach to thaw and then drain it and then press all the fluid out of the spinach. Set aside until needed.

Using a large size saucepan or skillet add a small amount of water and then the chopped onions, chopped mushrooms and crushed garlic cloves. Saute until the vegetables are softened and the liquid is absorbed.

Using a large mixing bowl mash the tofu and then add the rolled oats and mix well. Add the spinach, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper, paprika, and lemon juice. Mix all ingredients until they are well combined.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Stir this mixture into the mushroom and onion mixture. Combine well to blend and then divide the dough into equal pieces of about 15 to 18 pieces. Shape these individuals pieces into burger patties and then place them on non-stick baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

Place in the preheated oven to bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn the tofu burgers over onto the other side. Return burgers to the hot oven and bake for about 10 minutes more as the burgers turn a light golden brown.

You might enjoy this and other types of the best hamburger recipe you can find. For instance, you might be interested in learning how to make grilled burgers to serve to your family. We have many to share with you. Be sure to visit our website today to find them.

The Best Burger Recipes the Net Has to Offer - BestHamburgerRecipes.org

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Autumn Harvest Vegan Stuffing - Make Your Own Chef's Choice Recipe

Stuffing has earned a deserved place at the holiday celebration table, and vegetables harvested in the fall make perfect ingredients for your own personal recipe. Compassionate cooks who keep turkeys off the menu may adapt stuffing to a variety of vegetarian main courses, such as filled eggplant, zucchini, squash, sweet peppers or portobello mushroom caps. Alternately, stuffing (also called "dressing") bakes well on its own or layered with phyllo pastry in a terrine or casserole dish. Bread, broth, aromatics and herbs make up the basic ingredients of any stuffing recipe. Other additions may include seasonal fruits and vegetables or meatless protein selections.

Step-by-Step Stuffing Ingredients

Toasted Bread Cubes: Start with 7 to 8 cups of cubed bread, such as whole-grain, French, cornbread or sourdough. Toast the bread cubes in the oven at low heat until crunchy (similar to croutons). If your stuffing starts with breadcrumbs or soft bread cubes, it may turn out too mushy. If you wish, you can drizzle the bread cubes with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper before toasting. Bake at 400 degrees F on the middle rack for about 15 minutes.Broth or Stock: Moisten the toasted bread cubes with about 4 cups of vegetable stock or other liquid of your choice. Imagine-brand foods makes a 32-oz. packaged "No Chicken Broth" that is organic, fat-free and handy for making a batch of stuffing.Sauteed Aromatics: Saute about 1-1/2 cups of finely diced vegetables to flavor the stuffing base. A mirepoix (pronounced "mihr-PWAH") is a traditional French mixture of diced carrots, celery and onions (red, yellow or white). Other aromatics include garlic, leeks, shallots, scallions (green or "spring" onions) and chives. A healthful vegan version of this staple uses only a small amount (about 1 Tablespoon) of extra-virgin olive oil, canola oil or non-hydrogenated melted soy margarine. Saute uncovered in a large, shallow pan, stirring often with a spatula, over medium-high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, adding herbs and other seasonings toward the end of the cooking time.Herbs and Spices: Add about 2 to 3 Tablespoons of fresh herbs (or 2 to 3 teaspoons of dried) The French Herbes de Provence makes a flavorful seasoning for stuffing, and it is available dried in pre-mixed jars. The mixture includes sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, marjoram, fennel and lavender. Other suitable herbs include parsley, chervil (with a hint of licorice), lovage (with a hint of celery) and lemon balm (which is tart and lemony)Other Additions: Mix in up to 1-1/2 cups (12 oz.) of other ingredients to make the stuffing recipe your own. Some vegan versions based on traditional stuffing varieties include wild rice, oyster mushroom, and maple-hickory soy sausage with apple. Try Native American-influenced "three sisters" stuffing with sweet corn, lima beans and Anasazi, pinto or black beans. Fall or winter harvest vegetables such as pumpkin, butternut or acorn squash; nuts such as walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts (or filberts) pine nuts or chestnuts; and dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, collards or mustard greens also make great additions.

Serving Suggestions and Menu Ideas

Autumn side dishes made from fall harvest vegetables include cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli or Brussels sprouts. Other root and tuberous veggies include sweet potato, yam, celeriac, parsnip, turnip, potato, kohlrabi and rutabaga.Autumn salad options include peppery watercress, chicory Swiss chard, endive, arugula, mesclun (pronounced "mes kloon") baby greens or radicchio (Italian chicory). Toss greens with fall and winter veggies such as tomatoes, cucumber, beets, sweet peppers, wild mushrooms, radishes, zucchini, fennel and runner beans. Throw in some raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, plums, pears or blackberries. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds (or pepitas), black walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts or pine nuts (or pignolis).Autumn fresh fruits make a flavorful holiday appetizer choice, with grapes, pears and fresh figs. Also try serving fresh fruit with vegan hard brick cheese. Vegan Gourmet from Follow Your Heart, Teese from Chicago Soy Dairy and cheese alternatives from Galaxy Foods are available in natural food stores, food co-ops and even conventional supermarkets. However, the largest variety of flavors comes from Scotland's Bute Island Foods, available by mail order in different "styles" perfect for a vegan cheese board: Blue, Cheshire, Edam, Gouda, Mozzarella and Cheddar (medium, strong, smoked and with chives).This article has been viewed 15 time(s).
Article Submitted On: February 21, 2011

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Best Hamburger Recipe Ideas: How To Make Cauliflower Patties

Searching for a different type of taste and texture to serve while you are in the mood for grilling or having a BBQ? If you are, you might want to consider some of the best hamburger recipe ideas for making burgers that are not meat burgers. For instance, you can learn how to make cauliflower patties to serve to your family and friends. Cauliflower is a great choice when you want to make some veggie burgers.

Cauliflower is a beautiful plant and it actually comes in a variety of color depending on where it is grown. For instance, cauliflower can be white, orange, green, and purple. We eat the flower part of the plant most often, but the leaves of the plant surrounding the flower may be useful for making broths and stocks for soups and stews.

It is a vegetable food source that is low in fat, which makes it an obvious choice for those who wish to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. It is also high in vitamin C, water, dietary fiber, and folate. It is a healthy food source that is very good for you and it is delicious to eat. It belongs to the same family of plants as the cabbage and broccoli.

If you are steaming the cauliflower to make this recipe, you will only steam the vegetable for about 8 minutes. If you are boiling the cauliflower to make this dish, you will only boil it for about 5 minutes. Much more cooking will cause the cooked cauliflower to become mushy in texture rather than keeping some of its firmness.

Recipe for Cauliflower Patties

What You Need

1 large cauliflower head2 eggs1 cup seasoned bread crumbs? cup grated parmesan cheeseSalt and pepper to taste? teaspoon garlic powderOlive oil

How to Make It

Using a large pot of hot water you will boil the cauliflower until it becomes tender. Remove the cauliflower from the water and drain off all the liquid. Place the boiled cauliflower in a large mixing bowl and mash it up by using a potato masher or you might want to process it in the food processor long enough to mash up all the cooked cauliflower.

Add the eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly after each. Stir in the seasoned bread crumbs, grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste and garlic powder. Mix to combine well.

Divide this mixture into even portions and then shape those portions into small patties. Set aside while heating the oil for cooking the cauliflower patties.

Using a heavy skillet over a medium high heat, add the olive oil to heat. After heating the oil, add the patties and cook on both sides until they are lightly browned. You can serve these cauliflower patties on toast, homemade mini burger buns. You can serve these patties as a vegetable dish or even serve them as a cold or hot appetizer.

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Delicious Kale Chips - Learn One of My Favorite Recipes For Kale That Everyone Will Love

Kale chips is one of our favorite snacks. They are very easy to make, and extremely addicting. Which is great because they're good for you!

My Favorite way to eat Kale is either by making Kale Chips, or taking it in powder form in conjunction with other healing herbs. You can simply mix the powder into fresh juice or smoothies for a much more enjoyable flavor.

Here's What You'll Need:

? Organic Kale
? Organic Olive Oil
? Organic Balsamic Vinegar
? Bragg Liquid Aminos
? Organic No-Salt Seasoning of choice (This one is our favorite)
? Sea Salt
? Italian Seasoning
? Garlic Powder
? Cayenne Pepper
? Black Pepper

Directions:

? You can make these in the oven, or in a dehydrator (recommended). The oven cooks them faster, but the dehydrator is healthier, tastes better, and you can't burn them. Both taste great, so if you don't own a dehydrator the oven is fine.

? If using an oven, pre-heat to 325

? Get a cookie sheet, and put a sheet of aluminum foil over it.

? In a bowl, mix desired amount of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Bragg Aminos. Usually 1/4 - 1/3 cup of each or so.

? Add in desired amount of seasonings and mix well.

? Tear Kale into chip size pieces, throw stems away, and spread chips onto cookie sheet.

? Drizzle kale with mixture. Not too much, or they will be soggy, and toss until evenly coated.

? Put into oven and set timer for 6 minutes.

? Take out of oven and flip over chips. Then cook them for another 6-8 minutes. Chips will be light and crispy when done.

? If using a dehydrator, fill up all the trays and dehydrate away. They usually take 3-4 hours or longer, but well worth the wait.

You can save the extra mixture to make these again, use for pita bread pizza, or use as a salad dressing.

Enjoy!

Bonus Tip!

The best way to take, and receive, the awesome benefits of Kale is in powder form in conjunction with other healing herbs. You can find high amounts in a quality, green super food powder to detox and heal the body.

Sean Burrows loves to learn and discover new ways to improve the quality of peoples lives. He studies personal development and health rigorously, and shares his life's lessons, creative ideas, and healthy recipes through his Personal Growth Blog at http://www.what-is-personal-growth.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_N_Burrows

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Top 5 Healthiest Vegetables

Not all vegetables are created equally. Each have their own strengths and merits, and eating a wide variety of vegetables daily is a good way to ensure you're getting you're body all the vitamins and minerals it needs. Some vegetables, though, are simply standout for their nutritional feats of heroism. Working more of these into your diet will certainly yield noticeable effects on your overall health and energy levels.

Kale

Greens, in general, are incredibly nutritious, but Kale tops the heap as the healthiest. 1 cup of boiled kale has over 1000% DV of vitamin K, 192% DV vitamin A, and 88% DV vitamin C, not to mention the high levels of manganese, dietary fiber, and copper. Vitamin K is an anti-inflammatory, which helps the cardiovascular system fight off heart disease. Vitamin A and C, as well as manganese, are anti-oxidants, which are proven cancer fighters of all kinds. Incorporating 2-3 cups of kale into your diet a week, you'll be able to experience the benefits associated with this miracle vegetable.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a delicious vegetable that can be enjoyed raw, steamed, boiled, baked, or saut?ed. The head of broccoli is, in fact, thousands of small flowers that have yet to emerge when the broccoli plant goes to seed. Plants naturally put as much energy as possible into their seeds, which is why broccoli is so nutritious. It has high levels of dietary fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin A. Try to eat 2-3 cups of broccoli a week to receive all its health benefits.

Carrots

The etymology of the word carrot finds similar heritage with the nutrient beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is responsible for the orange and red hues found in carrots, denoting its high nutritional value. When ingested, beta-carotene is turned into vitamin A inside the body. A one cup serving of carrots packs in %680DV of vitamin A in just a few calories. Vitamin A is great for the eyes, helping to improve and maintain eye sight. It also functions as an anti-oxidant, making it a supreme cancer fighter. Who needs an overpriced vitamin A supplement when you can just eat a carrot a day?

Sweet Potato

The sweet potato is an unsung hero of nutrition. This easy to grow, incredibly hearty vegetable can grow in a variety of climates, and has provided the world with nutrients for centuries. An average sweet potato has 262% DV of vitamin A, as well as high levels of vitamin C and manganese. Try replacing the typical French fries in your life with sweet potato fries. Not only is it healthier, it's tastier, too!

Bell Peppers

Beautifully colored, bell peppers are sure to brighten up any plate. With brilliant yellow, green, red, orange, and even purple varieties, there are plenty to choose from. They have high levels of vitamin C, vitamin B6, and vitamin A, which make them a supremely nutritious summer treat. They are easy to incorporate into almost any meal - eat them raw or toss them in the stir fry!

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Veganism Vs Vegetarianism

You hear the terms veganism and vegetarianism a lot, and may not think that there is much of a distinction, but there is. For example, at some soup places you might see a sign saying "vegan vegetable soup" and wonder what the heck they mean by that. Although veganism is a subset of vegetarianism, it is quite a different animal, pardon the pun.

Technically, veganism is a subset of vegetarianism, so let's be clear about what it means to be a vegetarian. Simply put, a vegetarian does not eat meat, poultry, fish or seafood. Of course, this definition applies to vegans as well, but veganism is a bit stricter, as we will see. In the aforementioned vegan vegetable soup scenario, for example, the restaurant is alerting customers to the fact that their veggie soup contains no meat products at all, not even chicken or beef stock, which is often used a base for vegetable soup. To the unaware, when they see a sign saying vegetable soup, they generally think it is made wholly without meat or poultry products of any kind and some not-so-strict vegetarians may not even mind a bit of chicken broth. To a vegan, however, soup containing any animal derived ingredients is quite unacceptable.

In deciding what to eat in order to keep your diet vegan or vegetarian, you must be fully informed about all the ingredients in each dish. Now that both veganism and vegetarianism are more widely practiced and accepted, this job is much easier than in years past, as many restaurants list all the ingredients of their dishes. And nowadays, waiters will not be surprised when asked if the soup contains beef or chicken broth or for any other clarification on the ingredients.

Indeed, I remember clearly the uproar several years ago when vegans discovered that McDonald's French fries were cooked in a combination of seven percent cottonseed oil and ninety three percent beef tallow. This was quite a shock for many people and it just goes to show how easy it is to let yourself be tricked into eating meat products. Now, fortunately, McDonald's uses 100 percent vegetable oil, consisting mostly of corn, canola and soybean oils, so you can enjoy their fries no matter how strict your vegan diet.

In choosing the right vegan or vegetarian diet, it is useful to know just how much stricter veganism is than vegetarianism. Well, let's just say that veganism has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to eating animals or animal by products, including eggs and dairy products. Some vegetarians will consume eggs and dairy and as such they are known as ovo-lacto-vegetarians. Other vegetarians will only eat eggs, but no dairy. These are known as ovo-vegetarians.

But in order be a vegan, you must not eat any animals or animal by products, and the rules are quite strict. Which is why being a vegan takes a lot of dedication. Indeed, many vegans won't even eat honey. And for some very strict vegans, their lifestyle goes beyond dietary concerns into ethical ones. It is not uncommon for vegans to refuse to wear clothing made from animal products.

Do you think the vegan diet is right for you? It certainly has it benefits, both dietary and ethically, but it does require much discipline. Do you think you've got what it takes? Give it a try and see!

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Easy Party Appetizers Recipe: How To Make Fancy Cucumber Sandwiches

It will not be much longer that people will be more than willing to get out of the house and start mingling around with family and friends rather than being cooped up inside a house because it is too cold outside. As the weather becomes warmer, more and more people will be getting out and doing something, visiting others and mingling with one another.

This makes it the best time to learn how to make easy party appetizers such as fancy cucumber sandwiches. They are easy to make an only use just a few ingredients. However, they pack quite an impressive punch when it comes to entertaining others with a quick snack.

When you make them you will add some decorative scrapping along the sides of the cucumbers before slicing them into pieces to add to the fancy cut breads you use. Just make sure to choose the smaller loafs of fancy breads for making these delicate and charming sandwiches.

You can make the whipped cream cheese spread the night before if you like and then wait until you are nearly ready to serve to slice the cucumbers and then arrange the slices on the sandwiches. This way you do not have to worry that the bread is drying out or becoming stale and the cucumbers will not wilt before you can serve them to your guests.

Recipe for Fancy Cucumber Sandwiches

What You Need

2 medium cucumbers1 container whipped cream cheese spread2 packets of dry Italian dressing mixDill weed1 loaf fancy cut rye bread

How to Make It

Rinse the cucumbers well using cold water and then drain the vegetables. After drying use a fork to scrap down the sides of the cucumbers lengthwise to create stripes all the way around the cucumbers. Cut cucumbers into slices of about ? inch in thickness or even thinner. Set aside until needed.

Using a small bowl you will add the whipped cream cheese spread and the packets of dry Italian dressing mix. Blend well to combine.

Spread this mixture thinly yet evenly onto the individual slices of fancy cut rye bread or any other small fancy bread you might like to use instead. Concentrate on adding just enough onto the center of the bread to help hold the cucumber slices on the bread for serving.

Place one cucumber slice on top of the middle of the bread onto of the cream cheese spread. Sprinkle a very small amount of dill weed on top of the cucumber slice. Arrange on a decorative serving platter and then cover the platter tightly with clear plastic food wrap. Alternately you may have a serving tray with a lid. Cover the sandwiches to prevent the bread from drying out as well as reduce the odds of the cucumbers becoming soft rather than crisp and tasty. Serve as open face sandwich appetizers to family, friends, or party guests.

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How to Make Vegetarian Soup

Vegetarian soup is a liquid food that is made by boiling vegetables in water and then seasoning and occasionally thickening the liquid that is created. It is normally served as the first course of a dinner, and it is also frequently served as a light meal, such as luncheon, on its own.

Soup is an easily created, economical and when properly prepared from fresh, nutritious vegetables, very nourishing food.

Care should be taken to produce this food attractive enough to appeal to the appetite, so it should not be greasy nor insipid in flavour, neither should it be served in large quantities nor without the correct accompaniment.

A small quantity of well-seasoned, attractively presented vegetarian soup cannot fail to obtain approval when it is served as the first course of the meal. The purpose of this piece is to acquaint you with the details of cooking appetizing and nutritious vegetarian soup that is both nutritious and healthy.

The three main sorts of soup that can be cooked from wholly vegetarian (yet not necessarily vegan) ingredients are: broths, cream soups (contains dairy produce) and purees. The basis of these three kinds can be a vegetable stock made from either dried or fresh vegetables or both.

BROTHS have as their foundation a clear vegetarian stock. They are sometimes a thin soup, yet other times they are made fairly thick with vegetables, rice or barley when they are served as a substantial part of a meal.

CREAM SOUPS are extremely nutritious and there are lots of varieties. They have for their foundation a thin cream sauce, and to this are always added vegetables or grains.

PUREES are soups made thick partly or completely by the addition of some foodstuff obtained by boiling an article of food and then straining it to make a pulp.

If vegetables containing starch such as beans, peas, lentils or potatoes are used for this purpose, it is not necessary to thicken the soup with any additional starch, yet if watery vegetables are used, other thickening is required. To be right, a puree should be nearly as smooth as thick cream and of the same texture.

When making vegetarian soup always use soft water and be careful to proportion the quantity of water to that of the vegetables. Somewhat less than two pints of water to a pound of vegetables is a good rule for ordinary soups. Rich soups, meant for company, might have a smaller amount of water.

Here is a puree type recipe for carrot soup:

CARROT SOUP

4 decent-sized carrots, 1 small head of celery, 1 fair-sized onion, 1 turnip, 3 oz. of breadcrumbs, 1-1/2 oz. of butter or margarine, 1 blade of mace, pepper and salt to taste.

Scrape and clean the vegetables; cut them up small; place them in a pan with 3 pints of water, the butter or margarine, breadcrumbs, and mace. Boil until the vegetables are fairly tender; rub everything through a sieve and return the mixture to the saucepan.

Reheat; season with salt and pepper. If it is too thick add water. The soup should be as thick as cream; boil and serve with crusty bread.

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The Use Of Potatoes In Mexican Food Recipes

Although a lot of expats in Mexico complain about the potatoes not having the right texture for non-Mexican dishes, they seem to suit Mexican food recipes with potatoes quite well. One of the most famous authentic Mexican food recipes available as street food is "molotes" and these are made by rolling fresh corn dough over a filling and then frying it.

As well as potato molotes, you can get ones stuffed with chorizo, chilies, squash blossoms, mushrooms, or Oaxaca cheese. You can get the potato variety with or without chorizo and, whether you purchase the big, half-moon shaped ones in Puebla or the torpedo-like ones in Oaxaca, you are sure to find this traditional Mexican food very tasty.

The humble spud is often served with chorizo, chilies, or onions in tacos. They might be served plain, in corn or flour tortillas, or wrapped tightly and fried until crispy. Sour cream, salsa, and shredded lettuce make a popular garnish.

Tortitas de papa are also worth sampling and these golden patties are made with potatoes and seasoned with cheese and onion. They are similar to croquettes. Papas en escabeche is often served as a tapa in bars and this dish features chilled, pickled potatoes with jalapenos and carrots.

Papitas del ajillo are baby potatoes with cumin and garlic. Try them with a grilled steak. You can get both red and white varieties of these at Mexican markets, although the thin-skinned alpha variety with its yellow flesh used to be the most common type by far.

Potato Cultivation In Mexico

Twenty two states grow this vegetable and more than fifty percent comes from Sonora and Sinaloa in the west. The Chihuahua, Guanajuato, and Veracruz regions are other important producers and this vegetable is often used to make atole, which is a thick beverage. Outside Veracruz it is usually made with corn.

This crop was not grown much in the country until the mid-1800s and it was not major until the 1950s. Consumption of potatoes grew by sixty five percent between 1994 and 2004 and the yearly consumption of potatoes per person in Mexico is almost thirty eight pounds. Most are sold as fresh produce and only fourteen percent is used for making chips.

This food was first grown in the Peruvian Andes eight thousand years ago but the cultivated varieties were introduced to South America by the Spanish explorers.

How To Buy Them

If you want to buy your own Mexican spuds, look out for smooth skins and reject any flaky ones. Bright red potatoes might have been dyed but reddish ones should be natural. Spuds with sprouts, blemishes, an over-soft texture, or a greenish hue should be avoided.

Store them away from light in a plastic bag with holes in or in a paper bag with the top left open. Keep them away from onions since they cause them to sprout more quickly.

Do not store your spuds in the refrigerator either, or the low temperatures will turn the starch to sugar and the moisture will make them sprout. Scrub them with a vegetable brush before you cook them and take out any green parts or sprouts. You do not need to peel them unless you want to.

This food is high in iron, antioxidants, magnesium, potassium and vitamin C and low in fat. Potatoes are high in carbohydrates but they are not fattening, like many people assume; instead you can blame the usual accompaniments (sour cream, butter, gravy, or cooking oil) for bumping up the calorie count.

Potatoes can be used to make flavorful Mexican recipes and, if you check Mexican food history, you will find that this tuber has been enjoyed in Mexico since ancient times. Why not use potatoes and other fresh vegetables to make some nutritious Mexican food for dinner tonight?

MexicanFoodRecipes.org When it has to be Real Authentic Mexican Food

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=KC_Kudra

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Can Green Smoothie Recipes Actually Help You Lose Weight?

Many people wonder if green smoothie recipes can actually help them lose weight. Smoothies are a kind of vegetarian diet that is made of fruits and vegetables. They have very little in carbohydrates and contain less fat.

There are many types of green smoothie recipes as there are people who want to enjoy a healthy living lifestyle. Due to the nature of green smoothies everyone can create their own recipe. It is only a question of combining various fruits and vegetables and blending them together.

You can get ready made smoothies to buy from the shop but it is very easy to make your own at home. All you need is a blender and a selection of your favourite fruits and vegetables. To make your smoothie taste better, select the fruits and vegetables that you like best and include some sweet fruits as well.

There are many suggestions of green smoothie recipes on the Internet today. This is because there are many different kinds of combinations of fruits and vegetables that you can turn into a smoothie.

One advantage of going on a smoothie diet is that you do not need to starve yourself.

Because vegetables are low in fat and carbohydrates you can eat as much as you like without having to worry about putting on weight. In order not to get tired of or get bored with the types of smoothies you eat, you will need to have a good selection of fruits and vegetables from which you can prepare different types of smoothies.

This will also ensure that you continue with your weight-loss program without giving up. Like any weight-loss program, you will need to combine your smoothie diets with an effective exercise plan.

Yes green smoothie recipes can help you lose weight because of its very nature. It can be filling and nutritious and you can have as much as you like at various times of the day. This means you do not need to starve yourself to lose weight.

Where to find more information on other vegetarian diet meals. For more information on how to prepare green smoothie recipes and other vegetarians diet meals that can help you lose weight click on the banner of Easy Veggie Meal Plans and you will find many suggestions about different kinds of vegetarian meals that can help you lose weight. Alternatively go to http://www.rawfooddietdiets.com/ where you will find information on how to prepare vegetarian diet meals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_A_Murphy

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How to Enjoy Zucchini With Quick and Easy Recipes

Zucchini is a great vegetable and so versatile it can be used in many different ways. This vegetable is quick, easy, and healthy. As we approach summer and zucchini season, here are some different ways to enjoy this wonderful vegetable. Fried Zucchini Cakes go together easily and cook completely in about 5 minutes. This is a good way to get the children or others who do not think they like this vegetable to eat it. The Fritters use a combination of zucchini, carrot, and onion together for a delicious taste. Again, this is an easy recipe that is table ready in minutes. The Beef and Zucchini Skillet Meal is great for a main course. So grab some zucchini and make your family some delicious and healthy meals today.

FRIED ZUCCHINI CAKES
1/3 cup biscuit/baking mix, preferably low-fat
1/4 cup American or Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups grated zucchini
2 tbsp butter

In a medium mixing bowl combine the biscuit mix, cheese, salt and pepper until blended. Add the beaten eggs to the mixture then the zucchini. When mixed well, shape into 8 to 10 patties.

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet and add the patties. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side or until done to your liking. NOTE: If you are cutting back on butter and fats in your diet, use a nonstick skillet and spray it with a generous coating of nonstick butter-flavored cooking spray.

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS
2 medium zucchini, grated
1 tsp salt
1 carrot, grated
2 tbsp minced onion
2 tbsp minced parsley
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
dash of fresh ground black pepper
canola or olive oil for frying

Mix the zucchini with the salt; place in a colander and allow to drain for 15 minutes. Mix the well drained zucchini--you should have about 1 cup--with the carrot, onion, parsley, flour, and pepper. Mix together well. In a heavy skillet heat 1/2-inch of oil until hot. Drop the zucchini mixture by tablespoonfuls into the hot oil. Fry until browned on both sides. Drain on paper toweling.

Note: Add a little extra health benefit to this recipe by substituting whole-wheat flour for the all-purpose. Or go half and half; 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour and 1/4 cup all-purpose. Small changes like this can make a big difference in the healthy quality of a recipe!

BEEF AND ZUCCHINI SKILLET
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 small hot peppers, seeded and chopped*
1 large cubed zucchini, peeled and diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
2 carrots, sliced
1 small can V-8 Juice

In a large skillet cook the ground beef, onion and peppers until the meat is no longer pink and the peppers are soft. Pour the mixture into a colander to drain. Using a paper towel wipe the skillet. Return the meat mixture to the skillet. Add the carrots and juice. Bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer. When the carrots start to get tender, add the zucchini and tomatoes. Simmer until the vegetables are tender.

*If you don't like hot peppers, substitute about half of a green bell pepper, diced.

Enjoy!

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Vegetarian Squash or Pumpkin Soup

This Vegetarian Squash or Pumpkin soup contains ingredients that help us be healthier during winter. It's tasty, hearty and nutritious for a healthy diet.This soup base is delicious without any meat broth, but instead aromas of herbs and spices will fill your kitchen.

People often ask, "How do you make good soup without some kind of meat stock or soup bone?" You'll be amazed at what a rich broth a blend of herbs and spices can make. Also traditionally what we unconsciously crave in soup is the bit of meat fat. We need some fat during colder months so you'll find the olive oil in this recipe rounds out flavors, and fills our need for healthy fats in the diet.

First of all, bake the squash. It's great if you can get organic squash in your local natural food store. Bake it for about 45 minutes to an hour until tender when poked with fork. Remove the seeds (they can be toasted in oven with a little earth salt and olive oil for garnish). Scrape squash out of shell, and add to large pot with 2 quarts water.

Add the following to the pot as you bring it to a simmer:

? Several 1" chunks of raw ginger root (you can remove these later)
? Add several large cloves of garlic (contains allicin, similar to penicillin)
? 1 large, diced onion (also contains allicin, similar to penicillin)
? 1 Tablespoon oregano (anti-viral properties)
? 1 teaspoon Curry powder to help fight viruses and bacteria
? 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
? 1/2 teaspoon Corriander
? 1/2 teaspoon Green or Red Chili Powder

Cumin is a really nice spice from India, that gives a well rounded flavor. Coriander is the seed from cilantro, which a Japanese dentist discovered, helps detoxify metals from the body (including mercury from old silver fillings). Once the soup has simmered for 45 minutes or so, and ingredients are melded and smelling wonderful, blend it in the blender 2 cups at a time, to get a creamy consistency (remove the chunks of ginger before blending). Also wrap a small towel around the blender and hold lid on so hot ingredients are contained.

For additional flavor, sweetness and nutrient value, add 1-2 cups hazelnut milk, rice milk or any alternative to cow's milk. This makes a vegan/vegetarian soup, that is incredibly nutritious and delicious.

This didn't take long at all. Dish up some bowls and enjoy with wholesome crackers or crusty multi grain bread! This wonderful, tasty soup offsets holiday meals, or can be enjoyed as a simple, everyday hearty, nutritious winter meal.

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Best Hamburger Recipe Ideas: Herbed Tofu Burgers

Eating healthy is essential for everyone. Sometimes you just want a good burger but you do not want to include some of the ingredients that you might prefer not to include in your daily diet. For instance, many people choose not to include various types of meat in their diet. Others may be restricted from eating different things because of food allergies. Regardless of the reason, they still have to eat and when they eat, they want something that is delicious, filling, and healthy.

This is why tofu is one of the best types of foods you can substitute when you are preparing dishes that might include meat. Adding various herbs to tofu can help you create the type of flavors you most prefer. Other ingredients may add the various types of minerals, protein, and vitamins you need when you do not include meats in your diet. Dressing up any type of burger is what helps to create an enjoyable eating experience.

You can serve these delicious herbed tofu burgers on various types of nutritional and healthy buns. You can even learn how to make your own burger buns that are wholesome and can complement the flavors of your burger. Top your tofu burgers with various types of other healthy foods like tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, grated carrots, onions, pickles, and various bean sprouts such as alfalfa sprouts. Smear on a little mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup or even sandwich spread and serve.

Try something new and different, something that is healthy, wholesome and good for your while preparing the best hamburgers recipes. Whether you are eating at home alone with the family or you plan on firing up the grill to feed and entertain your friends and neighbors.

Recipe for Herbed Tofu Burgers

What You Need

1 pound mashed firm tofu1 cup quick rolled oats? cup wheat germ1 minced onion2 Tablespoons onion powder2 Tablespoons soy sauce? teaspoon salt? teaspoon basil? teaspoon oregano? teaspoon garlic powder1/8 teaspoon pepper1 Tablespoon dried parsley

How to Make It

Using a large mixing bowl you will mash the tofu and then add the quick rolled oats, wheat germ, minced onion, onion powder, soy sauce, salt, basil, oregano, garlic powder, pepper, and dried parsley. Knead the ingredients to blend well and then divide the mixture into six equal portions. Form those six portions into burger patties.

You can prepare the herbed tofu burgers by frying them in a lightly oiled saucepan or skillet until they are done. Alternately you can also bake these delicious veggie burgers in the oven. Follow these directions if you plan to bake the burgers in the oven rather than prepare them on top of the stove.

Preheat the oven for 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

After shaping the tofu burger dough into six burger patties, place them on baking sheet you have lightly coated with cooking spray. Place the burgers in the preheated oven to bake for about 25 minutes or until done.

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The Incredible Effects of a Healthy Vegetarian Diet

I often heard the saying: "You are what you eat". In the past years, I kept thinking that it was just a saying and that people were acting in a freak way when it came to choose what to eat and how to eat. Yet my idea completely changed in the past few months. I now believe that most of the health diseases our society knows nowadays could be easily passed to history if people ate better. Now the big question is: HOW to eat better?

I have been reading tens of books on nutrition in the past years, but most importantly, I have experienced positive changes in my health by wisely choosing my food. What I found is this: humans have forgotten how to eat to be healthy. Wild animals don't have diabetes, cancer or asthma. The only two kinds of animals who do have those kinds of diseases are humans and their pets, or the animals whose diet is controlled and altered by humans. Our bodies didn't change that much in the past 30,000 years, while our diet has drastically changed in the past hundreds of years, too quickly for our bodies to adapt.

How exactly did humanity in general eat a few millenniums ago? We don't know exactly the proportions and amounts, the food combinations, etc, but there are a few things that we know for sure. For instance, people did not eat any transformed foods. No MSG, no transgenic foods, no white sugar, aspartame, white "enriched" flour, no pesticides, etc. And if they ate meat and dairy products, which are very hard to digest, they hunted it, so they very probably didn't eat as much as we do today, as sedentary people lazily going to the market. And they still ate a lot of plant products to compensate.

In fact, our digestive system doesn't seem to assimilate meat and animal products as easily as plant untransformed products. More and more studies confirm this simple fact. Vegetarians or even vegans with a well balanced diet live longer and have a better health than the average meat eaters.

The main reason being that animal proteins are very hard to digest. They acidify the organism and leave a lot of waste and toxins inside the body, bringing it to be less effective, accumulating fats and leaving less oxygen to our cells which then develop a lot of diseases like asthma, cancer, and artery problems. Another reason is that we often associate meat with unhealthy foods such as French fries, oils, pasta and starchy foods, which just don't go along well in our poor stomach.

And the probably most important reason is that we always cook meat, killing some precious enzymes which are only present in raw foods and are the key to a healthy body.

For all those reasons and many more, becoming vegetarian or vegan, and eating less transformed and more raw foods is probably the best move one can make to feel more energized and healthy.

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Vegetarian Clay Baker Recipe - Mixed Vegetables With Shrimps And Coconut Milk

Isn't it great to cook meals without additional oil, fats or water and just allowing hot air and moisture to take their toll? This can surely result into a tastier, healthier and a delicious dish ever. A dish to come out this way should be cooked in a Terracotta earthenware that is unglazed and porous, the Clay baker. It only needs to be soaked both on top and bottom for at least 10 to 15 minutes, then place all ingredients and put inside an oven, set the temperature and time and a perfectly healthy dish is well on its way to the dinner table. Most recipes can be cooked in a clay baker dish by adding 100 degrees to the usual temperature and decreasing the cooking time by 30 minutes. Follow the instructions and you'll surely come out with a healthy meal that can satisfy you or any member of your family. Use a clay baker dish that suits your need. It is widely available in the market, both on the internet and malls.

Most of us are health conscious nowadays. What with almost all kinds of illnesses and more that are being discovered. There's not much that we can do except to make sure that our body food intake should be nutritious and healthy. Using clay baker in cooking is one healthy way in preparing foods. In the olden times, clay pot cooking were already popular among the old folks, our great grand folks. Almost all the foods that they prepared were cooked in it. I even experienced them myself. They all tasted so flavorful. Even the rice tasted perfect. Now, the clay baker is equally perfect with clay pot cooking. The following vegetable recipe is one that can be best cooked in this manner.

Mixed Vegetables With Shrimps and Coconut Milk

Ingredients:

2 cups bamboo shoots, juice squeezed out4 pieces Lady's fingers, cut into 2? cup jute leaves? cup shrimps1 thumb size ginger root, sliced into strips4 cloves garlic, minced1 medium size onions, chopped1? cup coconut milksalt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash all vegetables. Squeeze out juice of bamboo shoots. Place all the ingredients in a pre-soaked clay baker dish. Place inside a cool oven and set temperature at 225?C (450?F, gas mark 7) and cook for about 50 minutes. Time varies with the amount of vegetables used.

Makes 4 servings.

Serve with rice for a healthy and complete meal.

There are still lots of recipes that can be cooked in a clay baker. Simple and easy but sure to be packed with nutrients and flavorful, done the right way. Try them and adapt them and your health will be fine.

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Healthy Options: Green Beans a'La Thai

Green beans are one of the key ingredients in any healthy eating plan. They're high in vitamins and fiber, and are an outstanding source of many key minerals and antioxidants. Best of all, they're easy to prepare in a variety of delicious ways.

Green beans are known to be an excellent source of antioxidant flavinoids like quercetin and kaempferol. Flavinoids are present many fruits, vegetables and flowers, and often lend them bright colors. Green beans, although rich in flavinoids, are so laden with chloryphyll pigment that they always appear green in color. All the same, they supply large amounts of these antioxidants, which research has indicated may help prevent breast, prostate, ovarian, colon, and lung cancers. Some reports have also linked these flavinoids with improvements in LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels, rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, and even respiratory conditions like asthma, hay fever, and allergies. Green beans are also a great source of lutein and beta-carotene, known to have a positive impact on occular health.

Green beans are also high in minerals, particular a little-known but particularly useful mineral, silicon. Silicon gets less press than its mineral counterparts calcium and magnesium, but plays a vital role in bone health and the formation of healthy, strong connective tissues like blood vessels, cartilage, and tendons. Silicon often appears in products intended to promote hair, skin, and nail strength. It's known to influence elasticity of the skin, and may play a role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, making it an effective anti-aging nutrient.

To preserve nutrients as much as possible when cooking green beans, it's a good idea to avoid over-cooking them. Steaming or light frying are usually the preferred methods. This recipe for Thai-style green beans preserves nutrients and enhances their natural flavor.

Green Beans a'la Thai

1/2 pound fresh green beans
Vegetable cooking spray
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, cliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
3 green onions, cut into bite-sized chunks
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
3 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

Wash the beans, trim away the ends and remove any strings. Cut the beans in half and set aside.

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Add the oil and place over high heat. When the skillet's hot, add the mushrooms and garlic and saute for about a minute. Reduce the heat to medium, add the beans, and cook them for about three minutes or until tender.

Combine the water and corn starch, stirring well to combine. Add the corn starch mixture, green onions, soy sauce, peanut butter and pepper to the beans and cook for two or three minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly.

Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro. Serve immediately.

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Vegetarian Breakfast Recipes and Menu Ideas

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. On a nice lazy Saturday, or Sunday, I like to get up and cook a nice brunch for everybody. Since I have become a vegan/ vegetarian due to food allergies, I have had to rearrange my menus, and redo my favorite recipes. These recipes are so fast and easy, and they are all very tasty.

Here is a typical items you can include for your vegetarian/ vegan breakfast menu:
Hash browns
chocolate pancakes
very berry oatmeal
various fresh fruits
altered biscuit recipe
juice
soy or almond milk

Don't forget, you can make several kinds of baked breakfast items by substituting milk for soy or almond milk. I do this often when I make biscuit.

When I make hash brown, I do not peel my potatoes. I have a little scrub brush that I use just for food, and I thoroughly wash the potatoes with that. Then, I shred them. I mix in a little olive oil, salt and pepper and that's it. I have made an herbal version before with some rosemary and oregano added. It was quite tasty. Then, you heat up some vegetable oil in a pan and place a few heaps of potato shreds in a circle. You can see the sides of the bottoms start to brown, then you take spatula and flip them over.

For the chocolate pancakes here's my recipe:

1 C all purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 C soy or almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 TBS margarine
2 oz 100% cocoa

1. In one bowl I mix the first three ingredients.
2. In another small bowl I put the margarine and chocolate pieces. Melt the margarine and cocoa together, then stir till smooth.
3. Add the milk, margarine mixture, oil, and vanilla extract and stir till it is all incorporated but still slightly lumpy.
4. Then I cook them on a lightly greased, or buttered pan.

Oatmeal is such an easy breakfast. I buy a huge tub of instant 1 minute quick cook oatmeal. I don't ever measure anything out, I just add whatever I want to my hearts content. I pour some oatmeal in my bowl, add a little salt, a little sweetener of my choice, top it off with frozen or fresh fruit, and some cinnamon. Then I pour in some soy or almond milk until the grains are covered. I then microwave the bowl for about 2 minutes. I take it out, stir it, and I have a delicious nutritious meal, in about 3 minutes from start to finish!

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Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes Make You An Animal Lover!

This year, those who have resolved to become vegetarian should try vegetarian slow cooker recipes. It makes your effort to love animals easier! The exotic taste and aroma of food cooked in a slow cooker not only increases your appetite for healthy eating but also soothes your senses. When you eat with a happy mind, the food works better in your body.

Becoming Vegetarian With Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

A vegetarian diet is basically a plant-based diet. But, vegetarians are of different kinds. The word vegetarian comes with a lot of flexibility. For example, a pure vegan is the one who strictly eats plant-based food, like fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, grains, and sprouts. They completely avoid animal flesh and by-products, even honey. Sometimes, they may eat wild greens or sea veggies.

A large number of vegetarian slow cooker recipes make use of fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts to create lip-smacking dishes. These recipes prove that it is possible to eat tasty meals with incredible variety without using animal-based food. You can easily prepare stews and soups from vegetables and lentils. Combine them with rice or bread. A daily diet of slow cooker recipes will eventually help you forget the taste of animal flesh.

Raw vegans are interesting people. They do not cook food at more than 105 degrees. Some may take honey too. They believe in eating food in the most natural form. For them too, crock pots are a boon. Slow cooking allows the food to retain its natural form as much as possible. The food hardly gets overcooked. There is no deep frying. Many vegetarian slow cooker recipes involve putting together all the spices and cut veggies in the pot and letting them cook. Baking or roasting is common in crock pots.

These wonder pots provide savory dessert recipes for fruitarians, who eat only fruits, nuts, and seeds. They avoid vegetables and grains besides animal-based food. There are a slew of vegetarian crock pot recipes that use fruit and nuts to create heavenly sweet, as well as spicy, dishes.

More Vegetarian Types

You might know people who avoid meat but eat eggs, diary products, and cheese. Well, they are lacto-ovo vegetarians. They do not strictly follow a complete plant-based diet.

There are people who avoid meat and eggs both, but eat cheese and dairy products. They are lacto vegetarians. Are there people who relish eggs, but avoid meat and diary? Yes, they are ovo vegetarians!

The beauty of vegetarian slow cooker recipes is that you can use your own creativity to develop exquisite dishes reflecting your own culinary style and, of course, your vegetarian type! So, those who love cheese can cook up a savory cheesy side dish or dribble their fresh salad with melted cheese to serve with their main vegetarian recipe.

The pesco vegetarians, who eat fish and seafood but no animals, and semivegetarians, who avoid only red meat and eat everything else, can also put together a wonderful meal in a slow cooker.

So, if you're serious about your New Year's resolution, start slow cooking. The enormous variety in vegetarian slow cooker recipes will help you become a pure vegan from semivegan or nonvegetarian slowly but successfully.

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