Food for therapy
Linda has made a dramatic shift in her diet, eating foods that are rich in vitamins like fresh fruits and vegetables, and eating several vegan meals a week. The following recipes are among her family’s favorite healthy foods.
Walnut Pate
This recipe is from the Raw Food Cook Book by Jennifer Cornbleet. Walnuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which may improve blood lipids and other cardiovascular disease risk factors. Studies have shown that eating them may benefit bone health, positively impact individuals with diabetes, improve cognitive function and motor function, and help fight certain types of cancer.
- 1 cup walnuts, soaked for 8-12 hours (in water to cover)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Tamari or soy sauce
- 1/8 tsp minced garlic or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- dash salt
- 1 Tablespoon parsley, minced, fresh
- 1 Tablespoon onion, minced
Place the walnuts through salt into a food processor and process into a paste. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Transfer to a small mixing bowl. Stir in the onion and parsley and mix well. Store in a sealed container in the fridge,. It will keep for up to 5 days. Serve with sesame crackers. You can double this recipe (you'll need to. Yum!)
Vegan Stroganoff (serves 4)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 lbs portabella mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 1 tablespoon vegetable butter
- 2 cups coarsely grated onions
- 1 cup sliced mushroom
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 (13 3/4 ounce) cans vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons cognac
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons vegan sour cream
- salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- cooked noodles (for serving) or cooked rice (for serving)
In a large, heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the portabella mushrooms and sauté, stirring frequently, 4-6 minutes until just cooked. Remove the mushrooms and drain on paper towels. Next, melt the veggie butter in the same sauté pan. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour over the onion-mushroom mixture. Stir well and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the vegetable broth, and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the mustard, sour cream, cognac, and paprika. Return the portabella mushrooms to the pan. Mix and serve over cooked noodles or rice.
Pan-Roasted Broccoli
I had never pan-roasted broccoli before (only steamed it) and WOW what a delicious, easy way to cook broccoli! The pan was empty in no time at all...
- 3 Tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon Nolan Ryan's Steak Rub (salt and pepper can be substituted)
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 lbs broccoli, sliced, separated into stems and florets
Stir the water and steak rub (or salt and pepper) together in a small bowl.In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high, then add stems in a single layer. Don't stir for 2 minutes until they turn light brown. Add florets and toss to combine. Don't stir for another 2 minutes until they begin to brown. Add water and pepper mix, cover pan with lid, and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover and cook until desired doneness.
Deleon Coleslaw
This yummy recipe is our favorite coleslaw recipe.
Empty a big bag of coleslaw mix into a large bowl. Add ice water to cover and let it sit for an hour. Drain coleslaw and add the following dressing, which have been mixed together in a jar:
- 1 cup of oil
- 1 cup of vinegar
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon celery seed
Vegan Cornbread
These are addictive and delicious! I eat them with Earth Balance butter right after cooking them.
- 1/2 cup Organic yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup plain soy yogurt (vanilla yogurt also works)
- 1/3 cup plain almond, soy, or rice milk
- 1/4 cup egg substitute (equivalent to one egg)
- One 4 ounce can chopped green chilies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
In a mixing bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, mix yogurt, milk, egg, and chilies. Make a well in the dry ingredients, add the yogurt mixture, and stir until just blended. Divide the batter among the muffin cups.
Bake 15-20 minutes until tops springs back when lightly pressed or toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then loosen edges, turn out onto wire rack, and cool.