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Healthy Recipes

 

Open-Face Hummus Red Clover Sandwich — Serves 1-2

Here's a delicious open-face sandwich that takes only a few moments to make. For decades, this has been a favorite with my friends and clients, too. It's just as easy to make 10 of these as it is to make one or two. You can make this a raw-foods meal if you use a raw cracker/toast and raw hummus. I make raw crackers, bread, and toast-like bread from sprouted grains in my food dehydrator, and I can also purchase them easily from my local health food stores when I'm out and need them quickly.

  • 2 slices of whole grain bread or toast — you can also use a large-size cracker
  • Hummus
  • Red clover sprouts — it's always best to make them fresh (see the book titled Kitchen Gardening)
  • Tomato — sliced
  • Red onion — sliced


Spread the hummus on the toast or cracker, add onion, tomato, and Red Clover sprouts. The order doesn't really matter except to spread on the hummus first. You can even drizzle it with some dressing, if you like. For a variation, I sometimes add some shredded carrot, strips of sweet bell peppers, or put all of the ingredients in a pocket of whole grain pita bread. Any way you build this sandwich, it will please your taste buds.

I recommend that you grow your own sprouts at home. Red Clover sprouts are so delicious and nutritious.

    

Basil Brown Rice Salad — Serves 2-4

Here's a simple high-fiber salad that I eat weekly. I usually triple the batch so I will have enough for quick mid-morning or mid-afternoon snacks. Everyone loves this salad.

Season to taste

  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 1 cup loosely packed basil — chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes — cut in half
  • Arugula and red clover sprouts
  • Season to taste
  • Dressing is optional — The dressing I like to use is my Lemon~Balsamic~Garlic Vinaigrette


Mix the first three ingredients and dress (if you're using a dressing). Serve on a bed of fresh arugula (the rocket plant) and red clover sprouts. I refer to red clover sprouts — their nutritional value and how to grow them — in my book titled Kitchen Gardening.

    

Premium Moist & Chewy Chocolate Brownies

You won’t miss the butter, sugar, eggs or other animal fat in these moist and luscious vegan brownies. Here are two versions that are equally delicious and will garner you rave reviews. You can make them in a glass or metal pan or you also can make them in a muffin tin. I like using a mini-muffin tin for smaller treats, as well as a heart-shaped muffin tin. Serves 12

  • 1 cup oat flour (you can make this fresh, as I do, using a mill)
  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp. arrowroot
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp. sea salt
  • ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp. agave nectar (all natural food stores and many supermarkets carry this natural sweetener)
  • 1/3 cup pitted, chopped dates
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350° F. Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine remaining wet ingredients and add to the dry mixture stirring thoroughly. Spoon batter into an 8 x 8” glass or metal baking pan coated with nonstick spray. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Bake for 10-12 minutes if making mini muffins. Bake for 12-15 minutes if making regular-size muffins. Test with a toothpick for doneness.

FYI: Each of the 12 bars has 90 calories, 15 grams of carbohydrate, and 5 grams of fiber.

      

Double Chocolate Omega Brownies

With either of these two brownie recipes, I usually quadruple the ingredients and make lots of extra mini muffin brownies. They freeze well. And when you have the desire for just a touch of delicious chocolate, that’s good for you to boot, these mini muffins hit the spot. In fact, they are delicious right out of the freezer and popped into your mouth. Serves 12

  • 1 cup oat flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp. arrowroot
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/3 cup pitted, chopped dates
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • 1/3 cup agave nectar
  • ¼ cup chocolate hemp milk (I recommend Living Harvest Hemp Milk, rich in Omega 3’s)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract


Preheat over to 350° F. Mix together the first six dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine the remaining wet ingredients and add to the dry mixture, stirring thoroughly. Pour into an 8 x 8” glass or metal baking pan, or a muffin tin that is coated with a nonstick spray. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes for the 8 x 8” pan, 10 to 12 minutes for a mini muffin pan, and 12 to 15 minutes for a regular size muffin pan. Test for doneness with a toothpick.

FYI: Each brownie square or muffin has 90 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrate, and 5 grams of fiber.

    

Mango-Butternut-Squash Soup

The delightful combination of mangos and butternut squash gives this soup an especially rich and beautiful color and packs it with vitamin A. Serves 3-5.

  • 3 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped (lightly steamed until just tender)
  • 1 large ripe mango, seeded and cubed
  • 3 1/4 cups fresh orange juice (or from a carton)
  • 3/4 cup fresh apple juice (or from a bottle)
  • 1/3 cup (about 3-4) pitted dates
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 2 tsp. curry powder * 
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • Sprigs of mint, diced mango, chives, or other garnish


Blend all ingredients in a powerful blender or a food processor until creamy smooth. Garnish and serve hot, warm, or chilled.

FYI: Mangos

One of my favorite tropical fruits, juicy mangos are perhaps best eaten in the shower—either alone or with someone special—because they can be quite messy. They contain more than a full day's supply of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, as well as lots of vitamin C. Their fat content is barely detectable, and there are only 130 calories per 7-oz. serving. The versatile mango makes a great snack and a delicious breakfast when combined with papaya and kiwi; it can also be added to smoothies.

* All the fresh and flavorful spices I use are from the Nature's Wonderland line of Premium Spices. You can order online at: PennHerb.com. Or you can simply call in your order: 800-523-9971 (US & Canada) or 215-423-6100 (Intl), both ET, 8:30 - 5, M - F.