Spaghetti and Lentil "Meatballs"

Spaghetti and meatballs often gets a bad rap...

"Don't eat that pasta...its full of evil carbs"

But lets face it - spaghetti and meatballs is comforting, cozy, Sunday night happy food...

So how can we enjoy it without seeing those meatballs on our hips in the morning? Or feeling like that pasta is still sitting in our belly?...

We "Picky Diet" it up! With quinoa or brown rice pasta, fresh homemade (quick) sauce and "meatballs" made with lentils, quinoa and mushrooms.

Let's see how they compare:

Traditional Meatballs (made with ground beef)
-high in protein
-high in cholesterol
-contains trans fat
-some iron, B vitamins
-may contain hormones
-may contain antibiotics

Picky Diet Lentil "Meatballs"
-high in protein
-cholesterol free
-contains heart healthy fats
-super high in iron and B vitamins
-high in antioxidants
-high in fibre
-high in magnesium
-contains vitamin D

Not sure there is much more to say there so let's start cooking!

This recipe takes a bit longer than my usual ones and is a bit more labour intensive. It makes 12 "meatballs" but you can easily double the recipe and freeze the extras so you do all the work once and enjoy them for many dinners to come.

Spaghetti and Lentil "Meatballs"

Ingredients

serves 4 and makes 12 lentil "meatballs"

Lentil "Meatballs"

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup cooked lentils ( 1/2 cup uncooked)

2 cups cooked quinoa ( 3/4 cup uncooked)

8 crimini mushrooms (cut in quarters)

1/2 cup oats

1 cup walnuts

3 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried rosemary

Fresh Tomato Sauce

1 medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp olive oil

8 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 28oz can or jar of crushed tomatoes

1 tsp dried oregano

10 fresh basil leaves, cut into strips

fresh ground pepper and sea salt to taste

1 lb of cooked brown rice or quinoa pasta

Instructions

Lentil "Meatballs"

Cook the lentils and quinoa separately according to package directions.

Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium low heat and sauté the garlic and onions until soft. While the onions are cooking, put the mushrooms in a food processor or blender and pulse to mince them. Once minced, add them to the onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. 

Add the cooked quinoa and lentils to the pot and mix well. Add in tomato paste, nutritional yeast, vinegar and herbs. Pulse the oats and walnuts lightly in a food processor or blender until they are ground, but not a powder and add them to the mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes until all ingredients are warm and well mixed. 

Form the mixture into 2" balls (like the size of a golf ball) and place them on the baking sheets and bake for about 30 minutes until they are browned. Serve with pasta and fresh tomato sauce or on their own dipped in tomato sauce. 

Fresh Tomato Sauce

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium low heat for 5 - 7 minutes until the onions are very tender. Add in the fresh tomatoes and oregano and stir to coat with the oil. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes begin to reduce to a sauce. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and basil and cook for another 15 - 20 minutes. Top the cooked pasta with the sauce, add a few "meatballs" and enjoy!

Sending you sunshine, happiness and lentil meatball love,
Kim

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Meatless Monday: Wild Rice Risotto

Happy Thanksgiving week to our friends in the US.

No matter where you live, taking time to be grateful for what you have is important.

Being thankful and grateful is healthy for your mind, body and soul.

"Paul Mills, a professor of family medicine and public health at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine did a study. He recruited [people] who already had some damage to their heart, either through years of sustained high blood pressure or as a result of heart attack or even an infection of the heart itself. They each filled out a standard questionnaire to rate how grateful they felt for the people, places or things in their lives. It turned out the more grateful people were, the healthier they were. 'They had less depressed mood, slept better and had more energy,' says Mills. And when Mills did blood tests to measure inflammation, the body's natural response to injury, or plaque buildup in the arteries, he found lower levels among those who were grateful — an indication of better heart health"

~adapted from NPR.org

As this study shows, its not only the food you put in your body that keeps you healthy and your heart strong, practicing gratitude and being thankful for all that you have also contributes to your health.

What are you grateful for today?

It can be something as small as a warm cup of tea in your hands, your favourite song playing on the radio or the beautiful shining sun...whatever it is for you, take a minute and truly be grateful - its comfort food for your soul.

Speaking of comfort food - today's recipe is a Wild Rice Risotto with mushrooms and kale. It is hearty, healthy and can be a perfect dish for your Thanksgiving meal...

Before you start cooking, take a deep breath and be grateful for the fresh, healthy food you are about to make.

Enjoy...

Wild Rice Risotto

serves 4 - 6 as a side dish

Ingredients

6 cups vegetable broth, divided

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced

8 kale leaves, torn

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 white onion

1 1/2 cups wild rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1 Tbsp Earth Balance

Fresh ground sea salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.

In a large saucepan, sauté the mushrooms and kale with 2 Tbsp of olive oil and garlic powder over medium heat until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

In a large pot, cook the onion in 1 Tbsp of olive oil on medium heat until onion begins to soften. Add rice and stir to coat with oil for about 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and stir constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Begin adding 1/2 cup of the warm broth to the rice and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding the broth, 1/2 cup at a time and stirring until all the broth is absorbed - about 20 minutes.  

Turn the heat to low and add in the cooked mushrooms and kale, nutritional yeast and Earth Balance. Stir to mix everything together and season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. 

Thank you for reading...
Sending you sunshine, happiness and wild rice risotto love,
Kim

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Blissful Butternut Squash Soup

Here we are at Monday again...

How are you? How do you feel today?

Take a few moments for yourself, take in some deep breaths and enjoy the moment.

Monday has a way of taking control over us - so much to do...places to be...traffic...work...

It can all add up and when it does the best thing you can do is take a few deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth and bring yourself into the present moment.

When you breathe deeply you are creating a relaxation response. When this happens it is impossible for the stress response to occur so your body has no choice but to rid itself of stress for this time, giving your hormones a chance to readjust and your immune and nervous systems a much needed rest and reset.

Today's recipe is a classic. A cozy, fall soup that will also help relieve your stress. Soup is a food that is meant to be eaten slowly and savored. It is easy to digest the amazing amounts of Vitamin A (antioxidant extraordinaire for your skin and immune system) and vitamin C (ditto) that come from the butternut squash used in this dish.

How about tonight you change up Monday - light some candles, play some music, be grateful and savour this healthy, delicious soup...enjoy.

Blissful Butternut Squash Soup

serves 4

Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp ginger powder or grated fresh ginger
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced
4 cups vegetable broth (1 box container)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (optional)
fresh ground sea salt and pepper

Instructions
In a large soup pot, sauté the onion in the olive oil over medium low heat for five minutes. Add garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sea salt and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the squash and cook for additional 10 minutes. Stir in the vegetable broth, bring the soup to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes or until the squash is tender and can be pierced easily with a fork.

Turn the heat off the soup and puree with an immersion blender. If you do not have an immersion blender you can let the soup cool a bit and blend it in small batches in a blender then return it to the stove to heat.

Serve garnished with the pumpkin seeds.

Sending you sunshine, happiness and blissful butternut squash love,
Kim

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Meatless Monday - Picky Protein Bowl

So the old joke goes that no one really cares about your protein intake until you tell them you are a vegan...yep, so true.

I've come across countless people who ask where I get my protein after I tell them I eat a vegan diet.

The truth is, a healthy vegan diet is filled with protein: Beans, Seeds, Grains, Lentils, Nuts, Tofu...even veggies! These foods all pack a ton of clean protein - you get the protein, iron plus fibre, vitamins, antioxidants and healthy fats.

Animal proteins such as beef, chicken and dairy do provide protein although they also provide cholesterol, unhealthy fats, hormones and antibiotics (yes even the organic and free range ones) and not a whole lot of fibre or vitamins.

This is why it is a good idea to try getting more of your protein from vegan sources and less from animal sources - so you can be your best, healthiest, happiest you.

Today's Meatless Monday recipe does just that...

Enjoy.

Picky Protein Bowl

This recipe includes ingredients and instructions for making homemade hummus for the dish. If you are strapped for time - you can use store bought - although I have to say its really good hummus - so definitely try it when you have a little more time. The hummus will last up to 5 days in an air tight container in the fridge.

serves  4 

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1" cubes
3 medium beets, peeled and cut in 1" cubes
4 crimini mushrooms, sliced thick
8 large kale leaves, torn
1 15oz can organic black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
3 tsp garlic powder, divided
fresh ground sea salt and pepper to taste

Homemade Hummus Ingredients
2 15oz cans organic garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
juice from one large lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp tahini
3 Tbsp water
fresh ground sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Heat the oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl toss the beets with 1 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp of garlic powder and some salt and pepper. In a separate mixing bowl toss the sweet potatoes with 1 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp of garlic powder and some salt and pepper. Spread the beets out on half of the parchment paper and put the beets in the over to roast for about 40 minutes. The sweet potatoes only take about 25 so place them on the other half of the baking sheet 15 minutes after you have put the beets in.

Cook the quinoa according to package directions in a medium sauce pot. Once the quinoa is cooked add the black beans and stir - continue to cook on low heat for 5 minutes to warm up the beans.

If you are making your own hummus make it now (see instructions below) - if not skip to the next step.

While the quinoa is cooking and the veggies are roasting, sauté the kale and mushrooms in a medium pan with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp garlic powder and salt and pepper on medium low heat for 5 - 7 minutes.

Arrange your bowl with the quinoa and bean mixture and all of the veggies around the edges, place a dollop of hummus in the middle and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Yum!

Homemade Hummus Instructions
Place all the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
That's it!
If it needs to be more creamy slowly add a bit more water.

Sending you sunshine, happiness and picky protein love,
Kim

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