Instant Pot Sweet And Sour Red CabbageCome See My Valentine's Day Tree!

Red cabbage in 3 minutes in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.

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I'm Back
In case you missed me, I've been traveling in South America. I'll be telling you all about my travels to Buenos Aires, Uruguay, and Brazil in the next few weeks once I've sorted out all my pictures. The local food, wine and dancing made this a very memorable trip.

Happy Valentine's Day
OK, I admit that cabbage isn't the most romantic food I can think of for Valentine's day but it's red and it's good for the heart (it helps lower cholesterol) so I'm going with it! 

I really enjoyed my new Christmas tree this year. It's artificial (I'm allergic to the real ones) and it came with lots of pre hung LED lights . I just didn't want to take it down. So I renamed it a "celebration tree", decorated it with "heart ornaments" so that we could enjoy it for Valentines Day. Not sure how long my celebration tree will stay around. Could there be bunnies soon?

Christmas tree turned Valentines tree

Closeup of heart ornaments

Today's recipe is very similar to one of my favorite recipes, Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage and Apples, which is in my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen. This simplified version omits the apples, making this a very low calorie dish (57 calories per serving) and prepares it in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. Once the pot gets up to pressure it only takes 3 minutes to prepare. More importantly, it cooks it to perfection every time without the hassle of stirring and cooking down the liquids.

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Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage
Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free
[makes 8 servings]

Requires an Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker or similar appliance.

Ingredients
1 large head red cabbage
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons water

Directions
Cut the red cabbage in quarters vertically. Slice off the center core from each quarter and thinly slice.

Place the cabbage and all other ingredients into the Instant Pot. Don't worry that it fills more of the pot than is recommended. The cabbage will shrink when cooked.

Make sure the top vent is closed. Hit the manual button and set for 3 minutes.

After the pot comes up to high pressure and cooks for 3 minutes, hit the off button and do a quick release of the pressure. 

Carefully remove the lid, tilting it so that the steam escapes in the back. Stir the cabbage, adjust the salt and pepper if needed and serve. 

Nutrition
Per Serving: 57 calories, 0.2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 64 mg omega-3 and 49 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 2 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, and 185 mg sodium. 

Vegan Recipe For Spicy, Sugar-Free, Three Bean Salad Made With Stevia And Dragon's Tongue Beans

Enjoy this spicy three bean salad without all the sugar!

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Beans Rock!
What is there not to like about beans? OK, there's that. But nutritionally, they rock. They are a great source of protein (without the saturated fat and cholesterol) and very high in fiber. Plus, they are inexpensive! 
Because of their fiber, they make you feel full so they can really help control your appetite. Their fiber also helps lower cholesterol and stabilizes your blood sugar. All around, they are great for your diet. And about that gas issue, draining and rinsing the canned beans will help. 


Dragon Tongue Beans
It's fun to have a vegetable garden. You get to plant unusual veggies that you don't normally find in the grocery store. This year I planted Dragon Tongue bush beans. They grew quickly and they are really beautiful. I'm using them in today's recipe but of course, you can use any fresh green bean. 

Dragon Tongue Beans

Three Bean Salad
I love three bean salad. It's so colorful and I enjoy the contrast of the sugar and vinegar. But who needs all that sugar? So I thought I'd try making it with stevia. To provide even more contrast, I threw in a fresh jalapeno to spice it up!
I get feedback occasionally from some of you who don't like stevia. For me, it's the only calorie and fructose free sweetener that I feel is safe. If you use it sparingly, it doesn't give you the bitter after taste that some complain about. For example, A typical three bean salad recipe calls for 1/3 cup of sugar or more. It only took 1/2 teaspoon of Sweetleaf stevia extract (which is equivalent to only 4 teaspoons of sugar) to give me the sweetness I liked in this recipe. If I had dumped in the equivalent of 1/3 cup of sugar before tasting it, I would have been very disappointed. So go very lightly with stevia and you will find that it's a very good sugar substitute.

Dragon tongue beans before and after steaming. Unfortunately, they lose their unusual markings but thankfully, not their wonderful flavor!

Not all Jalapenos are Created Equal!
If you decide to spice up this recipe with a jalapeno, please remember that not all jalapenos have the same amount of heat. Yesterday, I made this recipe with a huge pepper and I removed the seeds. It wasn't very spicy at all. Other times, I have just added a few slices and it burned my mouth off! So be careful and try to gauge the heat of your jalapeno. Generally the smaller the pepper, the hotter it can be. And adding the seeds, of course, adds significantly to the heat too.

The "heat" of jalapenos can vary widely!

Sugar Free Three Bean Salad
Vegan, Gluten Free
Makes 6 - 8 servings
1/2 cup raw, unfiltered, apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sweetleaf powdered stevia (equivalent to 4 teaspoons sugar)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
3/4 cups red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 fresh jalapeno, finely minced (with or without seeds depending on heat desired - also optional)
2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
15 ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

In a large bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, olive oil, stevia, salt and pepper. 

Stir in the red onion. Set aside for 15 minutes to partially marinate the onion.

Steam the green beans until fork tender - don't overcook. Drain and rinse in cold water.

Add jalapeno, green beans, kidney beans and garbanzo beans to the bowl and gently mix with the vinegar dressing.

Refrigerate for several hours, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to blend together. You can even make it the night before.

Per serving (6): 224.6 calories, 10.6 g fat, 1.3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 7.2 g protein, 28.5 g carbohydrates and 8.0 g dietary fiber. 

Per serving (8): 168.4 calories, 7.9 g fat, 1.0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5.4 g protein, 21.3 g carbohydrates and 6.0 g dietary fiber.

These nutrient calculations include all of the dressing. As you know, some of it stays on the bottom of the bowl, especially if you serve it with a slotted spoon. So you are probably consuming less calories than stated here.

Karina's Garlic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing - Kid Friendly, Gluten Free And Delicious!

My daughter-in-law, Karina, cutting lettuce for our salad.
Thanks Karina for sharing your wonderful recipe with me and the Foods For Long Life followers!

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Recipes from the Visit
My kids and grandkids were here for the past week for our annual get together. Most parents feel overwhelmed when there are that many mouths to feed but luckily, all my kids are amazing cooks! During the week I not only got to cook them my favorite recipes but they cooked some wonderful dishes for me too! So this week, I'll be featuring their recipes.


How she get Kids to Love Salad
My daughter-in-law, Karina, is a fabulous gardener. Much of the food she feeds her family comes from her raised bed garden. Living in Portland, Oregon, she's able to successfully grow many types of lettuce both at home and at her children's school where she is active in their vegetable garden program. My grandchildren (ages 5 and 8), and apparently all the kids at school, love her salad and beg for more! (You would not believe how these little guys attack a bowl of salad!) I attribute this to her wonderful salad dressing. I have often asked her how she makes it and, like many cooks, she responded, "I add a little of this and a little of that.....". This time I wouldn't let her off the hook! I took a pad and pen and had her instruct me how to make it. She didn't know the exact measurements at first so it took a while to measure, taste, and adjust, but eventually we got a recipe for me to share with you! Here it is:

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Infused with crushed garlic, this dressing uses 2 types of vinegar.

My grandchildren adore soy sauce, but in this dressing they all prefer the taste of Bragg liquid aminos which is similar to soy sauce. Although it's gluten free, it does have more sodium than Ohsawa Nama Shoyu raw soy sauce (960 mg vs. 720 mg per tablespoon).

Karina's Salad Dressing
[makes 1 cup or 16 tablespoons]
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Bragg liquid aminos 
1 teaspoon raw honey *
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
* For vegans who avoid honey, substitute your favorite sweetener (agave, raw sugar, etc.).


It's important to really smash the garlic (I use the side of a big knife and my fist) and then finely mince it. This will allow its flavor to infuse into the dressing.
Combine all ingredients in a small jar with a lid. Tighten the lid and shake vigorously for one entire minute.
Let sit for at least an hour. In fact, the longer it sits, the better. It will last in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Toss desired amount with salad greens and serve.


Per tablespoon: 64.8 calories, 7.0 g fat, 1.0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0.1 g protein, 1.3 g carbohydrates and 0 g dietary fiber. 

Raw Vegan Beet And Radish Salad With Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Raw Beets are Wonderful!
Most people are familiar with roasted beets but if you've never tried eating them raw, you're in for a real treat. My husband won't touch a cooked beet with a ten foot pole but he absolutely loves them raw. Since radishes are one of his favorite foods, I thought I'd delight him by combining them with raw beets and a lovely vinaigrette made with Meyer lemons. I've got a garden full of beets right now and someone gave me some Meyer lemons from their tree the other day so this is a great way to use up these wonderful, fresh ingredients!
Health Benefits
The health benefits of beets are numerous. Their high content of carotenoids and flavonoids give them powerful antioxidant properties allowing them to help prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease. They have been long known as blood purifiers, for having anti-inflammatory properties and for helping gastrointestinal disorders.
Beets are high in dietary fiber and are a very good source of folate making them a great food to eat if you are pregnant! They also contain a good amount of potassium and manganese. One think to watch for, however, is their oxalate content. Mostly found in their edible greens, oxalate could interfere with your calcium intake so if you are taking calcium supplements, take them between meals.

Hold beets by stem and wear plastic gloves when peeling.

Cut beets into small matchstick sized pieces

Low Calorie Salad
Here's a good recipe to use on your Weight Loss Program. 


Raw Beet and Radish Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

[makes 2 servings]

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice

1 tablespoon raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 medium sized beets, peeled and sliced into matchstick sized pieces, (1 1/2 cups)
6 radishes, cut into matchstick sized pieces, (3/4 cups)
2 pieces butter or red leaf lettuce, cleaned and dried

To make the vinaigrette, mix the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Place the sliced beets and radishes in a bowl and toss together with the vinaigrette.
Place the lettuce on two small plates.
Spoon the beets and radishes over each lettuce leaf.
Serve immediately or if you want to make ahead, mix the beets and radishes with the vinaigrette, cover and refrigerate.


Per serving: 122.2 calories, 7.0 g fat, 1.0 g saturated fat. 0 mg cholesterol, 2.3 g protein, 13.4 g carbohydrates and 4.5 g dietary fiber.


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Raw Fruit and Greens With Papaya Seed Dressing. The Health Benefits Of Papaya.

Papaya seeds look and taste like black pepper.

Papaya seed salad dressing.

One of our Favorite Fruits

My husband and I absolutely love papaya. Whenever we travel to a warm place like Hawaii or Mexico, the first thing we look for are papayas. Their sweet, buttery taste is unique and although we would love to restrict our shopping to local produce, this is a case where it's worth making an exception. Hawaii papayas are pear shaped, about 7 inches long, have orange flesh and weigh about a pound. Mexican papayas can be much larger and can weigh up to ten pounds or more. Because of the size, the flavor of the Mexican papaya is a bit less intense than the papayas from Hawaii but I think both of them are wonderful!

Ten Interesting Things to Know About Papaya

1. Papaya contains the digestive enzymes, papain and chymopapain that aid in the digestion of protein.

2. Because of its high antioxidant content (vitamin C, E and beta-carotene) and its enzymes, papaya helps reduce inflammation, lower the risk of heart disease and and may help reduce symptoms of arthritis.

3. Papaya seeds are edible and look and taste like black peppercorns.

4. Rich in lycopene, papaya consumption may help lower the risk of prostate cancer.

5. Papayas is associated with latex-fruit allergy syndrome so if you have an allergy to latex, you may be allergic to papaya. (Ditto for avocado and banana).

6. Ripe papaya has been used as a topical remedy against ringworm.

7. Unripe papaya can cause uterine contractions and should not be eaten in early pregnancy. Green papaya has been used as a folk remedy to prevent pregnancy.

8. Papaya seeds are said to reduce male fertility and are used as a folk remedy as birth control (don't count on it!).

9. Some papayas can grow as long as 20 inches!

10. Christoper Columbus called papaya "the fruit of the angels".

The Black Peppery Seeds

Pop one in your mouth and notice the peppery taste of the seeds. When blended in a VitaMix, the seeds look like specks of black pepper! Adding the papaya and strawberries, the dressing has the look and consistency of a thousand islands dressing. If you want larger "chunks" of black pepper, add the seeds at the end with the olive oil.

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Fruit and Greens with Papaya Seed Dressing

[serves 4]

For the salad dressing:

1/4 cup raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon papaya seeds (or to taste)

1 tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)

1 clove garlic, chopped

6 to 8 drops stevia (or 1 tablespoon agave or honey)

1/2 cup papaya, cubed

1/2 cup strawberries, sliced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salad:

1 head butter lettuce, cleaned and torn

4 large strawberries, sliced

1 avocado, sliced

1 cup papaya, sliced

16 raspberries

Clean and prepare all salad ingredients and place them in a salad bowl and set aside.

Place all salad dressing ingredients except the oil, in a high speed blender. Blend until smooth. Add olive oil and blend briefly until combined. This makes one cup of dressing. Toss desired amount into salad and serve.

Per serving of salad: 85.8 calories, 5.3 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1.6 g protein, 9.8 g carbohydrates and 4.9 g of fiber.

Per tablespoon of dressing: 34.1 calories, 3.4 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0.1 g protein, 0.8 g carbohydrates and 0.2 g of fiber.

Pear and Blueberry Salad with Raw Goat Feta, Hemp Seeds and Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Eat Lots of Colors

You only have to look at your dinner plate to see the how nutrition your meal is. Phytochemicals, or beneficial plant chemicals, come in all different colors. This colorful salad is bursting with color and nutrition. You should opt for eating as many colors as you can each day and no, multi-colored MM's don't count.

Hemp Seeds

I'm a big fan of hemp seeds and hemp seed products. They are high in omega 3 fatty acid and they are also a great source of high quality protein. Add them to your salads, over your morning bowl of fruit or hot cereal or anywhere you would use healthy seeds. I like the Nutiva brand. They are non-GMO certified and offer raw, organic product. To learn more about hemp read, "Hemp Horizons: The Comeback of the World's Most Promising Plant".

Rich in Essential Fatty Acids

The salad gets its high content of omega 3 from both the hemp seeds and the flaxseed oil. Each serving provides over 2 grams each of omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acid. Although omega 6 deficiency is rare, omega 3 deficiency is common. Omega 3 is needed for proper functioning of ALL body tissues and is especially needed when pregnant for proper fetal development. This important fatty acid also reduces inflammation and is important for a healthy heart and brain. Omega 3 deficiency symptoms include heart disease, poor immunity, fatigue, brittle hair and nails, joint pain, lack of concentration and depression.

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Pear and Blueberry Salad [serves 4]

For the Salad

1 head of organic red leaf lettuce, cleaned

1 large pear, cored and thinly sliced

3 thin slices of red onion, separated

1/4 cup organic blueberries (fresh or frozen, thawed)

1 ounce shaved raw goat feta cheese (optional)

2 tablespoons raw, organic hemp seeds

For the Dressing

2 tablespoons raw, unfiltered, apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon cold pressed flaxseed oil

1 tablespoon agave syrup

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Tear the head of lettuce into a large salad bowl. Add pear, onion and blueberries. Prepare the salad dressing by combining apple cider vinegar, olive and flaxseed oils, agave syrup, salt and pepper. Toss the salad with some or all of the dressing and divide into 4 salad bowls. Top each bowl with hemp seeds and shaved raw goat feta. For a vegan salad, omit the goat cheese.

Per serving: 194.7 calories, 14.5 g fat, 2.4 g saturated fat, 6.3 mg cholesterol, 4.1 g protein, 15.4 g carbohydrates, 2.7 g fiber, 2.4 g omega 3 and 2.4 g omega 6 essential fatty acids.

Vegan Coleslaw With Creamy Cashew Dressing—Hold The Mayo!

Coleslaw is an American favorite side dish but unfortunately it is usually covered in high cholesterol mayonnaise making it less healthy than it could be and not an option for vegan consumption. Cabbage, the center piece of coleslaw, is a powerful cancer fighting cruciferous vegetable. Dressed in a delicious mixture of raw cashews, honey and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, it makes a good raw vegan lunch dish. And of course, it’s also a wonderful side dish when eating grilled veggies, chicken or fish.

If you are not already familiar with apple cider vinegar, this recipe will introduce you to an ingredient with many health benefits. For centuries, apple cider vinegar has been used to cure a long list of ailments including arthritis, acid reflux, high cholesterol – and the list goes on and on. Some claim that it breaks down fat and is used to lose weight. My personal experience with it was when I was suffering from severe reflux and I used it as part of a holistic regimen to get that under complete control. The one thing you must be sure of is that you buy “unpasteurized” apple cider vinegar. It looks cloudy and maybe even a bit brown. If it is clear, it’s the wrong stuff. You can use apple cider vinegar in any recipe that calls for vinegar as a much healthier alternative. Many people drink a few teaspoons a day mixed with a little honey.

This coleslaw recipe provides 234% of your daily requirement of Vitamin A, 39% of Vitamin C, 62% of Vitamin K and 12% of Folate. It has zero grams of cholesterol and is very low in saturated fat.

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Vegan Coleslaw With Creamy Cashew Dressing [serves 6]
1/2 small green cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 small red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1 medium apple, cored and shredded
2 tablespoons of minced red onion
1/4 cup raisins
2/3 cup raw cashew pieces, soaked for 1 hour
2 tablespoons raw local honey
1/4 cup raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon (more or less to taste) sea salt
Black pepper to taste
1/4 cup water

In a large bowl, combine the green and red cabbage, carrot, apple, onion and raisins. In a Vita Mix or other high speed blender, blend cashew pieces, water, apple cider vinegar and honey until smooth. Mix the dressing well with the cabbage mixture. Salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate for several hours. Mix again before serving. Garnish with additional cashews and raisins if you desire.

Per serving: 154 calories, 5.3 g fat, .9 g saturated fat, zero cholesterol, 3.7 g protein,
26.3 g carbohydrates, and 4.1 g of fiber.