A Healthy Mac and Cheese Recipe with 2 Servings of Veggies and 9 Grams of Fiber

Butternut squash.

Cheese sauce from blended cheese and cooked butternut squash.

A Favorite Among America Children (And Their Parents Too!)

I would venture to guess most kids in America eat lots of mac and cheese. I know mine did when they were young. It's one of the greatest comfort foods of all times. Unfortunately it doesn't provide the fiber and nutrients that we all need nor does it contribute to the 5 required servings of vegetables per day. I am extremely excited about this recipe because after much experimentation, I figured out a way to make a delicious mac and cheese that provides lots of fiber, protein, vitamin A, calcium AND 2 servings of veggies that your kids will happily eat!

Making a Healthy Mac and Cheese- Step 1

Regular macaroni and cheese is basically pasta made from white processed wheat covered with lots of high fat cheese, butter and cream. It's extremely high in fat and has almost no fiber content or beneficial plant chemicals. The first thing you can do to make it healthier is to use whole grain pasta. Today, there are more and more whole grain brands and shapes to choose from on the market. For this dish, I use whole grain Fusilli but you can use the traditional elbow, shells or whatever whole grain product appeals to you or your children. A serving of whole grain pasta typically provides 5 grams of fiber.

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Veggies and Not Know It - Step 2

The next thing you can do to make mac and cheese healthier is to reduce the cheese while still maintaining a creamy, cheesy sauce. This can be achieved by blending a single ounce of a good quality, full fat, sharp cheddar with some low fat cottage cheese and 2 cups of cooked butternut squash. Adding the squash provides 2 full servings of veggies and 3 times the daily requirement of vitamin A per serving. Its bright orange color, an indication of its high carotenoid content, blends well with the color of the cheddar making it a great way to “slip” this important veggie into your kids’ favorite dish!

You Can Go One Step Further

If you are really trying to restrict your fat intake, you can lower the fat content even more by using fat reduced cheddar and 1% low fat cottage cheese. This only reduces the calorie content by 4% but it decreases the total fat an additional 22%, saturated fat by 39% and cholesterol by 33%. But even if you use full fat cheddar and 2% cottage cheese, the recipe still only has a total of 3.8 g of saturated fat and only 20 mg of cholesterol. A small price to pay and it tastes like “the real thing”.

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Healthy Mac and Cheese [2 large servings]

4 oz. dry whole wheat Fusilli or other shaped pasta

1/2 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)

2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

1/4 cup reserved cooking water from butternut squash

1 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

1/2 cup low fat 2% organic cottage cheese

1/2 teaspoon sea salt plus salt for pasta water

fresh ground black pepper to taste (optional)

If you are going to bake the final dish before serving, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cover the butternut squash with an inch and a half of water and gently boil it, covered, until soft - about 10 minutes. While the squash is cooking, prepare the pasta according to directions. In a small pan, sauté the onion in olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain the squash reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Put the drained squash and reserved cooking water in a blender with the cheddar cheese, cottage cheese and salt and blend until smooth. In a large bowl, combine the drained pasta, the cheese sauce and the cooked onions and gently mix until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. If warm enough, you may serve it now. Or, you can put it in a lightly greased casserole dish and warm it in the oven for 15 minutes. Serve with freshly ground black pepper if desired.

Per serving using whole fat cheddar cheese and 2% low fat cottage cheese: 404 calories, 9.3 g fat, 3.8 g saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 18.5 g protein, 63.8 g carbohydrates, 8.8 g of fiber and 250 mg of calcium.

Per serving using reduced fat cheddar cheese and 1% low fat cottage cheese: 387 calories, 7.3 g fat, 2.3 g saturated fat, 13.5 mg cholesterol, 19 g of protein, 64.3 g carbohydrates, 8.8 g fiber and 258 mg of calcium.

Raw Vegan Waldorf Salad with Apple Chia Dressing

An Easy, Delicious Salad with Fall Flavors and Lots of Nutritional Benefits

This very easy salad looks and tastes like fall with apples and cranberries. It is also packed with healthful ingredients. Since all the ingredients are "raw", you are getting the maximum benefits from the vitamins, especially vitamin C that is easily destroyed in the cooking process, as well as the live enzymes. Besides being high in vitamin C, apples are rich in fiber known to protect the heart, control blood sugar and protect against cancer. Cranberries have been shown to protect against urinary tract infections. Raw walnuts and chia seeds are high in omega 3 fatty acid whose anti-inflammatory properties help protect the heart and cognitive function, and prevent arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Each serving of this recipe provides 1.1 g of omega 3 and 3.0 g of omega 6. It also provides nearly 4 grams of fiber.

No Mayo

I've always wondered why Waldorf salad, full of delicate, fresh ingredients, was commonly made with a heavy, oily mayonnaise dressing. To lighten it up, I use a tangy fruit juice dressing with lemon and apple juice, sweetened with a little raw agave syrup and thickened with hydrated chia seeds.

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Raw Vegan Waldorf Salad with Apple Chia Dressing [4 servings]

1/4 cup filtered water, room temperature

2 teaspoons dried chia seeds

1 tablespoon raw agave syrup (or raw honey*)

1 tablespoon fresh apple juice

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cups diced apple, with skin

1 cup celery, diced

1/3 cup dried, sweetened cranberries

1/4 cup raw English walnuts, chopped

4 leaves butter lettuce (optional)

* honey not considered vegan

Early in the day, mix dried chia seeds into filtered water. Let sit for several hours until it forms a gel. In a small bowl, combine agave syrup, apple juice and lemon juice with the chia gel. Set aside. Combine apple, celery, cranberries and English walnuts. Add the apple chia dressing and mix together. Spoon each serving onto a small leaf of butter lettuce.

Per serving: 139.2 calories, 5.7 g fat, 0.6 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 1.7 g protein, 21.4 g carbohydrates, 3.9 g fiber, 1.1 g omega 3 and 3.0 g omega 6 fatty acid.

This recipe was revised on January 25, 2010. I increased the amounts of chia seeds, agave syrup, apple and lemon juice and diced apple. I changed the number of servings from 2 to 4.

Vegan Split Pea Soup with Carrots

The Weather is Changing

We had a terrible storm this week here in northern California. It certainly wasn't as bad as some of the snow storms I've seen on TV in the mid-west. But no matter where you are at this time of year, the change of weather makes you think of hot soup. Split pea soup is one of my favorites. You can find my recipe for Raw Vegan Split Pea Soup on my May 12th, 2009 post. But when the cold weather hits, I eat more cooked food so I offer you a healthy recipe for this popular winter soup - one without a fatty ham hock!

Split Peas - Why They Are Good For You

Split peas are green peas that were picked at the peak of their goodness and dried. Rich in fiber, split peas can help reduce cholesterol and balance your blood sugar. This makes them an excellent food for those with diabetes or hypoglycemia. Only 1½ cups of cooked split peas provides 100% of your daily fiber requirements. Besides fiber, they are an excellent source of molybdenum, needed by the body to produce sulfite oxidase, an enzyme that detoxifies sulfites. If you have a bad reaction to sulfites, you may be deficient in molybdenum. Split peas are also rich in manganese, folate, vitamin B1 (thiamin), potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. A one pound bag of split peas cost a little over $1 so this recipe is not only very nutritious, but you can feed your whole family this healthy, filling soup for just a few dollars.

One cup of cooked split peas contain:

Calories - 231.3

Fiber - 16.3 g, (65% DV*)

Protein - 16.3 g, (33% DV)

Fat - 1 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat and 0 g cholesterol

Carbohydrates - 41 g, (14% DV)

Thiamin - 0.4 mg, (25% DV)

Folate - 127 mcg, (32% DV)

Pantothenic acid - 1.2 mg, (12% DV)

Iron - 2.5 mg, (14% DV)

Magnesium - 70.6 mg, (18% DV)

Molybdenum - 147 mcg, (196% DV)

Phosphorus - 194 mg, (19% DV)

Potassium - 710 mg, (20% DV)

Zinc - 2.0 mg, (13% DV)

Copper - 0.4 mg, (18% DV)

Manganese - 0.8 mg, (39%)

*Daily Values, DV, based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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Vegan Split Pea Soup with Carrots [serves 6]

1 pound split peas

2 cups onions, chopped

1 1/2 cups celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

8 cups filtered water or more if needed

1 bay leaf

1 cup new potatoes with skins, diced small

4 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

fresh ground pepper for topping

Sort though peas and remove small stones and clumps of dirt. Rinse well. In a 5 1/2 quart Dutch oven or soup pot, combine split peas, onions, celery, garlic, salt, cumin, coriander, black pepper, water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes or until peas are soft, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes and cook another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft, stirring more frequently. Add more water any time during cooking if needed. Remove the bay leaf and put soup in a blender and process until smooth. This may take 2 batches depending on the size of your blender. Make sure the top of the blender is firmly in place and the speed setting in initially on low (unless you want green peas on your ceiling). Return soup to the pot, add carrots and simmer, partially covered, until the carrots are soft, around 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust salt if needed, serve and top with freshly ground pepper if desired.

Per serving: 321.8 calories, 0.8 g fat, 0.2 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 20.8 g protein, 60.8 g carbohydrates and 22.8 g of fiber.

Shrimp and Mango Stir Fry with Garden Green Beans and Red Peppers

It's Harvest Time for Green Beans and Red Peppers

My second crop of green beans are coming in and the bell peppers are turning red. It's time for a stir fry! I have a non-stick electric wok which makes it quick and easy to prepare a low calorie dinner with my garden veggies and some fresh shrimp. Stir fries can be served on top of brown rice.

Shrimp

Although shrimp are high in cholesterol (166 mg in a 3 oz serving), they are very low in saturated fat. A three ounce serving has only 84 calories and less than a gram of fat. Although many avoid shrimp because they fear a negative impact on their blood cholesterol levels, research investigating blood cholesterol levels and shrimp consumption does not justify this. Shrimp are a good source of niacin (2.2mg per 3 oz serving), iron (2.6 mg), phosphorus (116 mg) and zinc (1.3mg). They are a very good source of protein (17.8 g per 3 oz serving), vitamin B12 (1.3 mg), vitamin D (121.8 IU) and selenium (33.7 mcg). They are very low in mercury and contain 295 mg of omega 3 fatty acid, 268 mg of which are the beneficial EPA and DHA.

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Shrimp and Mango Stir Fry [serves 4]

For the shrimp

1 lb medium shrimp in shells, cleaned and deveined

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 teaspoons soy sauce

dash cayenne

For the stir fry

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1 small onion, thinly sliced

24 young, tender green beans*

1 large red bell pepper, cut in thin strips

4 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons Nama Shoyu soy sauce

1 1/2 cups mango, diced

Black pepper to taste

Serve on brown rice

2 cups cooked brown rice

* If the green beans are not young and tender, steam for 5 minutes before adding to stir fry.

Prepare brown rice according to directions. This will take around an hour in a sauce pan and almost 2 hours in some rice cookers so start this well in advance of making the stir fry.

Place the cleaned shrimp in a small bowl with 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and cayenne pepper to taste. Set aside and marinate briefly while you are preparing the vegetables and the mango. About 15 minutes before the rice is cooked, heat the wok and stir fry the shrimp and their marinade until they begin to turn pink, around 2 minutes. Remove shrimp from the wok and set aside. Heat the rest of the olive oil in the wok and briefly stir fry the onions, garlic and ginger (about 30 seconds or until fragrant). Add the green beans, bell pepper,cabbage and the soy sauce and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes until the veggies are crisp tender, stirring often. Add the mango and cook until heated. Return shrimp to the wok to heat, mixing thoroughly. Season with black pepper to taste and serve over brown rice.

Per serving (without rice): 224.8 calories, 5.8 g fat, .8 g saturated fat, 166 mg cholesterol, 21.2 g protein, 23.2 g carbohydrates, 5.3 g fiber, 376 mg omega 3 and 516 mg omega 6 fatty acids.

Per serving (with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice): 332.8 calories, 6.8 g fat, .8 g saturated fat, 166 mg cholesterol, 23.7 g protein, 45.7 g carbohydrates, 7.3 g fiber, 390 mg omega 3 and 818 mg omega 6 fatty acids.

Vegan Whole Grain Pumpkin Walnut Bread

Cooked pumpkin pulp scraped from baked pumpkin halves.

ENER G egg replacer. 1 1/2 t in 2 T water = 1 egg.

Pumpkin walnut bread cooling on a rack.

More Pumpkin Recipes

Judging by the large number of hits on my August 30^th post, When to Harvest and How to Cure Pumpkins and Winter Squash, I know there are many gardeners out their with pumpkins waiting for healthy recipes. I’ve already posted two: Vegan Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin with Quinoa, Pecans, Cranberries and Apples and Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Soup with Curried Gravenstein Apples. Today I will add a pumpkin bread recipe, made with whole grain goodness, omega 3 rich walnuts and to save calories and cholesterol and for the benefit of those who avoid eggs, this is made with EnerG egg replacer. Each slice has over 2 grams of fiber, has zero cholesterol and 484 mg of omega 3 fatty acid.

ENER G Egg Replacer

Although I love to eat fresh organic, cage free, omega 3 eggs, I try not to eat too many. When I was tested for food allergies, the only things I was allergic to were egg whites and egg yolks. I could have guessed that since almost every time I eat poached eggs, I immediately get a headache, a little dizzy and sometimes nausea. My husband warns me of this, to no avail, every time I start to eat this breakfast treat. When I bake, it’s easy to avoid eggs because of this egg replacer product. I was certainly skeptical at first, knowing how nicely cakes and breads rise with real eggs, but so far, every time I’ve tried using it in baking recipes that call for eggs, this product has worked like a charm. I didn’t like it in lemon pie filling, however, since it doesn’t produce a nice yellow, lemony color.

To use it, you just mix 1½ teaspoons of egg replacer with 2 tablespoons of warm water thoroughly before adding it to the recipe. It’s made mostly from potato starch, tapioca flour and leavening. Each ENER G egg equivalent only has 15 calories and no cholesterol. To compare, one large egg has around 70 calories and 211 mg of cholesterol. Of course you can’t use this product to make scrambled or poached eggs. But it works perfectly in our Vegan Whole Grain Pumpkin Walnut Bread recipe. One note of caution; use the egg substitute immediately after mixing with water and put the bread in the oven to bake quickly. If the mixture sits around, it may not rise properly.

If you do want to use eggs, just replace the EnerG egg replacer and the 1/4 cup of water with 2 slightly beaten eggs.

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Vegan Whole Grain Pumpkin Walnut Bread [makes 12 servings]

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup cooked pumpkin pulp*

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup Sucanat or organic cane sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup apple sauce

1 tablespoon ENER G egg replacer

1/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup English walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup seedless raisins

* To make pumpkin pulp from fresh pumpkin, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds and strings and place hollow side down in the roasting pan. Bake for 1 hour or until soft. Cool a bit and scrape the pulp out with a large spoon. Reserve 1 cup for this recipe and freeze the rest in 1 cup servings.

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together pumpkin pulp, vanilla, Sucanat, olive oil and apple sauce. Mix ENER G in warm water thoroughly and add to the pumpkin mixture (or add 2 slightly beaten eggs instead for a non-vegan version of this recipe). Add pumpkin mixture to large bowl with dry ingredients and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Fold in walnuts and raisins. Pour into a well greased 8.5"x4.5" loaf pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let sit in the pan for 15 minutes on a metal rack. Remove from pan and let loaf cool on the rack for another 15 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.

Per serving: 174.9 calories, 8.1 g fat, 1.0 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 3 g protein, 23.5 g carbohydrates, 2.3 g fiber, 484 mg omega 3 and 2409 mg omega 6 fatty acids.

Growing Garlic in your Home Garden - It's Time to Plant!

Separate your harvest and save the largest bulbs for planting.

Plant with the cloves pointed up.

Garlic in the spring.

Hardneck scapes. Some gardeners clip them off for bigger bulbs.

Why Grow Garlic?

Growing garlic in a home garden is actually pretty easy. Watered by the winter rains and eschewed by most bugs, it practically takes care of itself. Doug and I have been growing it for years and have planted many different types that you could never find in grocery stores. If cured properly, it will keep for many months (see my post on Harvesting and Curing Garlic). Once you’ve eaten home grown garlic, you will want to grow your own forever. Your friends and neighbors will also enjoy receiving these little exotic jewels from your garden.

Garlic is also a nutritional power food. It has been associated with cancer prevention, lowering cholesterol, bolstering immunity, cleansing blood and having antibiotic, antiviral, anti-parasitic and anti-fungal properties. Its powerful phytochemicals include saponins, quercetin and organosulfurs like allicin. Their disease fighting qualities are enhanced when the garlic is chopped and set aside for 15 minutes before being heated. It's even more powerful if eaten raw.

When to Plant

The best time to plant is in the fall. The goal is to plant when the weather is still warm enough that the cloves will germinate before it gets too cold. Plant 4 to 6 weeks before you experience ground freezing. Here in Northern California, I usually plant sometime in October. In warmer climates, like Texas, mid to late October is recommended. In mild climates like these, we've actually planted even later in the fall with successful results but, then again, it rarely freezes here. In a few weeks after planting, you'll see green shoots sprouting up.

What Garlic Likes

Garlic likes sunshine, so pick a sunny spot in the garden. It does best in a sandy-clay-loam soil with a pH around 6.5 and good drainage. If the soil doesn’t drain well, the growing bulbs will rot. Soil should be cultivated with plenty of organic matter, like well composted manure, down at least 6 to 12 inches. Garlic roots will grow nice and deep if the soil is well prepared.

What to Plant

There are so many interesting varieties of garlic available. If the local nursery has a good selection, that’s great. But please, resist the urge of picking up a packet of shriveled old bulbs in the local hardware store. Check out some of the interesting organic garlic stores online that offer a better selection. Last year I planted 4 different softnecks (Early Red Italian, Kettle River Giant, Susanville and Siciliano) and one hardneck (Killarney Red). One year I really got carried away and planted over a dozen varieties and nearly 400 plants. Make sure you save the biggest bulbs from your harvest for the next years planting. To buy new garlic stock, I go to The Garlic Store in Colorado. My friend John has had good success with a Texas company, Gourmet Garlic Gardens . They offer helpful information about their stock and what may grow best in your area. They also sell “sampler packs” so you can try different varieties. But hurry, I’ve noticed that stock is selling out quickly.

How to Plant

After you’ve prepared your garden, separate the garlic bulbs into individual cloves. Do not do this more than 1 to 2 days before planting or they will dry out. The biggest cloves are said to produce the biggest plants so plant the big cloves and eat the smaller ones.

Plant the cloves with the pointy side up and the flat root side down. If the ground is soft, push the cloves in with your finger. I usually use a dowel or a broom handle to poke holes in the dirt and drop the cloves in the holes and cover them with an inch of soil. The bottom of the clove should be about 2 inches below the surface. The recommended spacing is 4 to 6 inches apart. I like to pack them in to discourage the weeds so I also plant the rows 6 inches apart. Every 6 rows I leave a 2 feet space so I have room to walk through and weed. To cut down on weeds and to keep the little plants warm, I use mulch.

If you are planting more than one type of garlic, keep a log and a little map of the quantity and location of each variety. Keep them separated when harvesting, curing and storing. This is necessary in order to identify the stock for the following year’s planting.

Watering

We water regularly after planting and during germination but since we are in a climate where it rains all winter, we don’t water again until spring. If you are in a drier climate, you should water during the winter and the spring. You should stop watering during the last 4 weeks of growth, around mid to late June. This allows the wrappers to dry out.

Fertilizing and Weeding

Besides the manure that is worked into the soil before planting, we fertilize twice with seaweed fertilizer, once after the shoots appear and once again in the spring. The Garlic store warns not to fertilize after late May or it can actually cause smaller bulb size. Liquid fish fertilizer can also be used but it smells a lot worse than seaweed. Garlic plants hate weeds so don’t let them take over.

For harvesting information, see my post on Harvesting and Curing Garlic. Although you won’t need this for many months, it’s fun to see what you have to look forward to!

Vegan Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin with Quinoa, Pecans, Cranberries and Apples - Happy World Vegetarian Day!

Pre-bake hollow sugar pumpkin before stuffing.

Red, standard color and black quinoa.

Rinse quinoa very well to remove bitter taste.

Quinoa is cooked when liquid is absorbed - around 15 minutes.

Cut the stuffed pumpkin in half for a single serving.

Celebrate World Vegetarian Day with this Meat-free Recipe

October 1st is World Vegetarian Day - the annual kickoff of vegetarian awareness month. Eating meatless meals can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer and prevent exposure to food-borne pathogens. It provides a viable solution to world hunger through more efficient use of grains. To learn more about the benefits of vegetarian eating and to receive a free 16 page booklet, visit the North American Vegetarian Society website.

Quinoa (Pronounced, "keen-wah")

Native to South America, it was considered a sacred staple of the Incas because of its exceptional nutritional value. Quinoa is used as a grain (even though it’s not actually a grain) and is more commonly found in vegetarian cooking because of its excellent balance of all nine essential amino acids. It is also a very good source of manganese and a good source of magnesium and phosphorus. One half cup of cooked quinoa contains 111 calories, 2 grams of unsaturated fat, no cholesterol, 19.5 g of carbohydrates, 2.5 g of dietary fiber and 4 grams of protein.

Quinoa can be sprouted and used in raw vegan cuisine or it can be cooked in only 15 minutes to get a delicate, light dish resembling couscous. It’s very important to rinse quinoa thoroughly or it may taste bitter. Standard quinoa has a cream color but I also found some in red and black. For fun I mixed all three colors to make this pumpkin stuffing but of course, you don’t need to do that.

A Great Vegetarian Entree at Thanksgiving or Holiday Dinners

If you are hosting a traditional Thanksgiving or holiday dinner this year and you find that one or more of your guests are vegan or vegetarian, delight them with this entree. Quite often at meat eating dinner parties, vegetarians must make their meal from "side dishes" always wondering if there's chicken broth in the stuffing. A festive, vegan stuffed pumpkin would make them feel very special. Of course if you are hosting a vegetarian Thanksgiving or holiday party, make lots of these for all of your guests!

As beautiful and festive as this dish is, it's also packed with nutrients and phytochemicals, low in saturated fat, high in fiber and fairly low in calories (for such a filling entree). You can also use this quinoa filling to stuff acorn or other winter squash.

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Vegan Stuffed Sugar Pumpkins [serves 4]

2 sugar pumpkins (around 2 to 2 1/2 pounds each)

2 cups water or broth

1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus some for salting pumpkin

1 cup quinoa

1 cup apples, peeled and diced

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons non-transfat vegan margarine plus some for greasing pumpkin

1/2 cup dried, sweetened cranberries

1/2 cup raw organic pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Carefully remove the tops of the sugar pumpkins. Remove seeds and strings. LIghtly grease and salt the insides of the pumpkins, replace the tops and bake until the inside flesh is soft enough to be pierced by a fork (about 1 hour). Rinse the quinoa in a fine strainer THOROUGHLY or it may have a bitter taste. Bring water and salt to a boil. Stir in quinoa and simmer covered until all the water is absorbed (about 15 minutes). Add the apples, cinnamon, ginger and margarine to the hot quinoa and stir together. Mix in the cranberries and pecans.

Remove cooked pumpkins from the oven and fill with quinoa mixture. Cover each pumpkin with foil and bake an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove foil, slice each pumpkin in half and serve.

Per serving: 373 calories, 14.1 g fat, 1.6 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 9.3 g protein, 57.1 g carbohydrates and 8.3 g of fiber.

Raw Apple, Pear and Fig "Green" Smoothie - A High Fiber Breakfast or Snack

Fiber - Why it's Important

I recently had a discussion with a woman who was complaining of severe and chronic constipation. She asked me what to do. When discussing her diet, she admitted that bread, pasta and desserts, all made with processed white flour, are her weakness. Now I know that this isn’t an appetizing topic, especially when you probably came here around mealtime looking for a delicious recipe, but the fact is most Americans eat far less than the recommended 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day. Fiber is extremely important in preventing constipation. It’s no wonder that this is an extremely common condition.

Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds can give you the fiber you need. Eating a diet high in meat and processed grains will leave you falling way short. Meat has zero fiber since fiber only comes from plants. A slice of white bread only has 1 gram because processing the grain removes the fiber-rich bran. A raw pear, on the other hand, provides 5 grams of fiber. Just one serving of this delicious smoothie made from fiber rich pears, apples, figs and chard, delivers a whopping 11 grams!

Fiber also has been shown to reduce cholesterol and help prevent hardening of the arteries and cardiovascular disease. It also helps keep blood sugar levels under control which is very important for people with diabetes and hypoglycemia. Fiber can also help prevent colon cancer because it quickens the removal of toxins from the large intestine.

Are YOU getting enough fiber? If not, consider adding more to your diet but remember to add it gradually to prevent any GI distress and remember to drink lots of water.

Start Your Morning with a Fiber Rich Smoothie

Doug and I start almost every morning with a smoothie made from raw fruits and vegetables.Today's recipe is a good one to try right now since apples, pears and figs are at their peak flavor and availability. If you are lucky like we are, you may have some generous neighbors offering you these freshly picked ingredients from their trees. Besides the fiber rich fruit, I always like to add some greens to my morning smoothie. Chard is a super star. Besides being high in fiber, it is an excellent source of vitamin A, C, E, K, iron, magnesium, potassium and manganese and a very good source of vitamin B2 (riboflavin), B6, calcium, phosphorus and copper.

I've added both flaxseed oil and hemp milk to this recipe to give you significant amounts of essential fatty acids. One serving provides nearly 3.0 grams of omega 3 and 2.6 grams of omega 6. Feel free to replace the hemp milk with soymilk, rice milk or almond milk. For a totally “raw” smoothie, replace it with your favorite raw nut milk. For a “live” experience, use probiotic-rich goat Kiefer or yogurt.

Apple, Pear and Fig Smoothie with Chard [serves 2]

2 small apples with skin, cored and quartered

2 small pears with skin, cored and quartered

2 medium figs, cut in half

1 cup Living Harvest vanilla hemp milk

2 teaspoons flaxseed oil

2 chard leaves, stems removed

1 cup cold filtered water

A few ice cubes (optional)

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 303.3 calories, 7.6 g fat, 0.6 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 3.0 g protein, 66 g carbohydrates, 11 g fiber, 2.9 g omega 3 and 2.6 g omega 6 fatty acids.

Organic Apple Pear Bundt Cake with White Whole Wheat Flour

Organic white whole wheat flour.

Fill well greased bundt pan with apple pear batter.

Remove bundt pan from oven after 50 minutes, when golden.

This recipe could also be used to fill two 8.5" x 4.5" loaf pans.

Celebration Cake

How better to celebrate my 100th post than with this healthy, organic, whole grain cake filled with fresh apples and pears. Thanks to all of you around the world who have been following my blog and have committed to living a healthier life style. I hope I've showed you that you can fuel your body with healthy and nutritious food without having to sacrifice taste, visual appeal or satisfaction. Your visits to my site inspire me to continue my work creating recipes and writing articles on healthy eating.

White Whole Wheat Flour

Now you can have your cake and eat it too - literally. For those in your family who dislike the taste and texture of whole wheat, you can now use a flour with all of the nutrition and fiber of whole wheat and still enjoy the taste and delicate texture of white flour. King Arthur brand offers both organic or non-organic white whole wheat. If your store doesn't carry it, you can buy it on their website. This whole grain wheat is made from a combination of hard white winter and spring wheats. You can use it to replace white flour in any recipe. If you cannot find white whole wheat flour, you can make this recipe using 1/2 white flour and 1/2 regular whole wheat flour.

Eggs

This recipe has 4 eggs. If you are worried about cholesterol, you can replace some or all of them with egg whites (2 egg whites for each egg) but it's a big cake with 20 servings so each serving only has about 40 mg of cholesterol. If you use eggs, please make sure they are organic, cage free, omega 3 eggs. The freshest eggs usually come from your local farmers. Actually, the best eggs come from your very own chicken, as many of you know.

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Organic Apple Pear Bundt Cake [makes 20 servings]

2 1/2 cups organic white whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup organic olive oil

4 organic, cage free, omega 3 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cups organic, unsweetened apple sauce

1 teaspoon organic vanilla

3/4 cups Sucanat or organic cane sugar

3 1/2 cups peeled and cored organic apples, thinly sliced

3 cups peeled and cored organic pears, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons Fruit Fresh produce protector

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the apples and pears in Fruit Fresh produce protector and set aside. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine, eggs, olive oil, apple sauce, vanilla and sugar and mix thoroughly. Pour the egg mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and blend well with a hand mixer. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the apples and pears. Pour into a well greased bundt pan or 2 well greased 8.5" x 4.5" glass loaf pans. Cook until golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. The bundt cake will take about 50 minutes and the loaf pans will take about an hour (or less if you use metal pans instead of glass). Remove from oven and place on a rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pans. Let cool at least another 15 minutes before cutting.

Per serving: 161.4 calories, 6.8 g fat, 1.1 g saturated fat, 42 mg cholesterol, 3.4 g protein, 22.2 g carbohydrates and 2.5 g fiber.

Make a Healthier Hot Dog - Raw Sauerkraut and Other Ideas

Low fat, vegan, non-GMO tofu hot dogs with zero cholesterol.

Uncured chicken hot dogs without nitrites.

High fiber, organic, sprouted hot dog buns.

Raw, unpasteurized, probiotic-rich sauerkraut.

Muir Glen organic ketchup without high fructose corn syrup.

Is "Healthy Hot Dog" an Oxymoron?

It doesn’t have to be. Just because you prefer healthy food or became a vegan or vegetarian, doesn’t mean you don’t enjoy eating a healthy version of one of America’s favorite foods. Don’t get me wrong, hot dogs can be very unhealthy. Often filled with “mystery meat”, they are generally full of nitrites, salt and fat and placed on a white bun with zero fiber and little or no nutritional content.

Here are 10 Ways to Make a Healthier Hot Dog

First, the Dog:

#1 Avoid hot dogs containing nitrites. Used as preservatives, sodium nitrite (or nitrate) can be converted into the carcinogenic chemicals called nitrosamines. These have been associated with various cancers. The healthier hot dogs will specifically say, “UNCURED, NO NITRITES”.

#2 Avoid red meat. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends limiting the consumption of red meat to 18 ounces per week. Today there is a wide selection of tasty hot dogs made from non-GMO tofu, chicken and turkey.

# 3 Watch the sodium content. The RDA for sodium is 2,400 mg per day and people at risk for high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes, should limit their consumption to 1,500 mg per day, according to the CDC.

#4 Select one low in fat, especially saturated fat. Just because a hot dog is made from chicken or turkey, don’t assume it’s low in fat. Some of them are just as high in fat as their beef and pork counterparts so it’s best to read the label. Try to select one with 2 or less grams of saturated fat. Some tofu hot dogs are extremely low in fat and contain zero cholesterol.

Then, the Bun:

#5 Choose whole grains over processed white bread. The fiber content is key. Although some tout “whole grain”, they are mostly made from white flour. Try to find one that has at least 2 to 3 grams of fiber per bun. Sprouted wheat is the best choice as it is made from “germinated” wheat.

#6 Avoid high fructose corn syrup. Although the amount of HFCS in a bun wouldn’t cause much harm, I personally do not support an industry that has contributed so greatly to the obesity epidemic in this country.

#7 Avoid trans fats. Most baking companies have removed trans fats from their products but you should check the ingredients for partially hydrogenated oils. Trans fats have been associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.

Finally, the topping:

#8 Try raw sauerkraut, rich in probiotics. I’m very happy to see “unpasteurized, raw sauerkraut” in the refrigerated section of Whole Foods and other health food stores. Get all the benefits of cabbage (a cruciferous vegetable that is known to protect us from various cancers), while obtaining healthful probiotics (beneficial bacterium found in our intestinal tracts). Look for brands with lower sodium content. You could even try making your own with a simple sauerkraut maker .

#9 Opt for mustard or organic ketchup over high fat, high cholesterol mayonnaise. Beware, some ketchups are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup.

#10 Or top the hot dog with low fat, vegetarian bean chili. This heart healthy topping is known to help control blood sugar and lower cholesterol due to its high content of soluble fiber.

So go enjoy a nice tofu or low-fat, uncured chicken hot dog on an organic sprouted wheat bun with raw sauerkraut and spicy mustard or vegetarian chili WITHOUT the guilt! Just don't ask for one like this at a baseball game - you will surely be escorted out.