Whatever you reason is, we’ve got some really good news for foods you can eat instead.  Besides nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, fruits and vegetables, there are a few foods that you thought were grains but are actually seeds.  These seeds are often used as grains and will certainly help provide satiation, make great substitutes in recipes and ultimately lead to great eating satisfaction when you are planning you meals. 

Wild rice, amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa are all seeds and make great replacements for many traditional dishes that call for grains.  In addition there are also a whole new host of pasta products now available.  These include pastas made from black beans, sweet potatoes and buckwheat as well as buckwheat ramen.

Stop by to see Healthy Eating Specialist Kristine Nicholson for more information on eating grain free, finding gluten free products and taking advantage of the grain free classes she is offering in June.  Contact Kristine here on this blog or at Kristine.Nicholson@wholefoods.com

INGREDIENTS:

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons pureed apricot (soaked first)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons apple cider

1/4 cup finely chopped chives

For the pasta and kale base:

1 5 oz. package Organic Mixed Baby Kales

2 medium organic apples – 1 Fuji and 1 golden delicious grated

1 package Organic Black bean pasta cooked as per instructions

A handful of organic grape tomatoes for garnish

Method:

Place the cider, pureed apricot, mustard, poppy seeds, and sea salt in a large, nonreactive bowl, season with pepper, and whisk to combine. While whisking constantly, slowly add the cider until all of it is incorporated. Add the chives, stir to combine, and set aside.

Add Kale to the bowl with the dressing. Wash and core the apples, grate and add to  bowl. Gently mix to combine. Let the dish sit about 15 minutes or make ahead and refrigerate up to one day allowing the flavors to soak in. Gently mix again before serving.    Garnish with cherry tomatoes and serve.

Recipe by: Kristine Nicholson, Healthy Eating Specialist

Green Berry Smoothie

3 cups of organic baby kale

1 handful hemp seeds  

1 10 oz. bag frozen blueberries

1 10 oz. bag frozen mango

1Tablespoon and 2 teaspoons of vanilla

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

Water as needed

Directions:

Add kale, hemp seeds and about ¼ cup of water to a high speed blender. 

Blend until smooth.

Add blueberries (and water if needed) and blend till smooth

Add mango (and water if needed) and blend till smooth.

Add vanilla and cinnamon and blend well.

This will make enough for  4 – 8 oz smoothies.

Recipe by Kristine Nicholson, Healthy Eating Specialist

 1 – 9 oz. container of raw organic cashews soaked in very hot (not boiling) water at least 1 hour and drained

4 ozs. organic dried mango slices soaked in very hot (not boiling) water at least 1 hour and drained

1 – 10 oz. packages frozen organic strawberries

3 champagne mangoes peeled and sliced – discard seed  

2 to 3 cups of ice

Spring water as needed.

 Directions:

Add cashews to high speed blender and blend until smooth – add small amount of spring water if needed.

When cashews are very creamy, add rehydrated mangos and puree till smooth

Add strawberries and puree till smooth.

Add fresh mangoes and puree till smooth.

Add ice and spring water as needed.

Mixture should be thick, creamy and luscious.

Pour and savor.

 Can also be frozen into pops. 

Recipe by: Kristine Nicholson, Healthy Eating Specialist

Kristine Nicholson, Healthy Eating Specialist

Today’s recipe comes from our Whole Foods Market website (see the link at the end of the recipe).  This dish is suggested for rounding out your Passover or Easter meal.  All adjustments will appear in a slightly larger font, an in  parentheses just below the original ingredient.   This one is particularly easy to “HEALTHIFY!!”   Enjoy!

Bulgur with Peas and Mint – Serves 4  

This fresh-flavored side dish makes a flavorful complement to simple pan-seared lamb chops.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked bulgur wheat
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
2 cups lightly packed mint leaves (from about 1 bunch), chopped
1 cup lightly packed parsley leaves, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen and thawed peas
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

(Simply eliminate olive oil.  You can add a bit of low salt vegetable broth if you need moisture.) 
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Method

In a large bowl, combine bulgur and water, cover and set aside until water is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Add garlic, parsley, peas, zest, juice, oil and salt and toss until combined. Serve cold or at room temperature. This recipe is vegan and is adapted to be oil free.

Gluten, Dairy and Sugar-free

Ingredients:

1/3 cup amaranth flour

1/3 cup brown rice flour

2 Tablespoons Arrowroot

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

Egg substitute equivalent of one egg

1/3 cup hemp or flax milk

2 Tablespoons coconut cream

Mineral water as needed

Directions:

Prepare the egg substitute and let sit a few minutes. Add the flax milk and a tablespoon of coconut cream.  In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients, then add to the egg substitute mixture.  Preheat a large frying pan, and coat ever so lightly with a small amount of coconut cream.   When pan is super hot, spoon in the batter.  After a few minutes, when bubbles form on the surface, flip the pancakes to brown the other side.  If pancake batter is too thick, thin with mineral water.  Drizzle with fruit and serve.

Berry Fruit Topping

• 1 10oz package frozen raspberries and/or strawberries
• ½ cup fruit sweetened strawberry jam
• Juice of one lemon

Put all in high speed blender.   Add mineral water if needed. Puree and use to top pancakes.

Recipe by:

Kristine Nicholson, Healthy Eating Specialist

Artichokes are this month’s peak produce pick.  Besides being wonderful stuffed

artichokes are absolutely yummy when steamed (about 40 minutes)and paired with

 a tasty dip or two or three.  A single large artichoke contains only only 25 calories,

is fat free and packed with potassium, vitamin C, folate, magnesium and dietary fiber.

Not only are artichokes healthier than chips, they’re just as satisfying and tons more fun.

Here are some super easy and healthy recipes for you to make.  Now you too can

experience the culinary pleasures of this tasty, nutrient rich vegetable.

Macadamia Nut Hummus                                              

Ingredients:

½ cup roasted macadamia nuts

2 cups garbanzo beans , drained

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

3 Tablespoons water

1 teaspoon minced garlic

10 medium basil leaves

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.  Serve as a dip for steamed artichokes

Curry Cashew Dip

Ingredients:

2 cups cashews soaked overnight and drained

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon curry powder

¼ cup plain coconut yogurt

1 teaspoon chopped chives

1 quarter cup chopped fresh cilantro 

 Sea salt and pepper , to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Serve as a dip for vegetables.

White Bean and Sweet Red Pepper Walnut Dip – Muhamara

1 cup of white beans drained and rinsed

½ cup roasted red peppers
½ cup walnuts
6 cloves of roasted garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
2 Tablespoon pomegranate fruit sweetened jelly

Sea salt to taste

Directions:

Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  Serve with artichokes or other vegetables as a dip

All recipes are created by:

Kristine Nicholson

Healthy Eating Specialist

Some of the nutritional information in this post came from: http://www.artichokes.org/health.html

EZ SUNDAY SALAD

In the tradition of Rip’s Big Bowl, this salad combines a wide variety of flavors, textures and tastes to make a hearty, filling, colorful and super nutritious salad you can serve as a meal.

 Salad Ingredients:

1 box of Arugula

1 can artichokes chopped

1 can organic black olives (rinsed and soaked for about an hour to remove extra salt)

1 can organic kidney beans rinsed and drained

1 can organic chickpeas rinsed and drained

1 large organic red pepper sliced into very thin rings

½ cup grated carrots

½ cup grated purple cabbage

1 to 2 Tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves depending on your preference  

2 Tablespoons fresh chopped chives

2 Tablespoons hemp seeds

Put all ingredients in a very large salad bowl.

Feel free to get creative and add your own additional ingredients as to your taste

Dressing

1 Tablespoon macadamia nut butter

1 large organic orange cut in half   

Slice the orange in half. 

Cut one half of the orange into small pieces and put into the salad bowl with other ingredients.  

Juice the second half of the orange. 

Stir the juice into the macadamia nut butter and blend until smooth. 

If it is too creamy to toss add enough spring water to make it thinner.

Pour dressing on salad.

Toss and eat!

Kristine Nicholson, Healthy Eating Specialist

Black Bean Guacamole

Great in wraps or on top of veggie chili or burgers.

 Ingredients:

• 5 avocados, diced
• 1 bunch of scallions chopped
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 17 ounce can organic black beans, drained and rinsed

Preparation:

• Place avocados, scallions and lime juice into a large bowl. Mash avocados to a coarse puree.            
• Stir in tomatoes, parsley and beans.    
• Serve immediately as a dip with toasted sprouted grain pitas or sprouted grain chips.

Guacamole Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut water

2 cups fresh organic pineapple

1 ripe avocado peeled and seeded

Juice of one small lime

1 to 2 Tablespoons of orange juice (to taste)

A pinch of sea salt

Directions : Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Serve as a cold soup or smoothie.

See you in the store.

Kristine Nicholson, Healthy Eating Specialist

Brain Power Smoothie

2 cups of ice

1 pint organic blueberries

1 cup organic strawberries

1 to 3 pieces of rehydrated dried mango (soak dried mango for 1 hour in warm water & drain)

3 Tablespoons hemp seeds.

3 handfuls of baby organic kale

Water as needed

In high speed blender:

Blend first three ingredients adding water as needed.

Add and blend mango, hemp and kale again adding water as needed.

Blend until smooth and enjoy.

 Cherry Berry Green Smoothie  

1 bag Organic Frozen Cherries

½ bag organic frozen blueberries

1 ripe peach pitted and cut into quarters (do not need to skin if it is organic)

3 handfuls of organic spinach

½ container of Tempt unsweetened hemp milk

About 1 cup of ice cubes

Directions:

Into a high speed blender  add ice and pour in ½ container of hemp milk

Add all other ingredients.

Pulse the blender on low for about 10 seconds and then on

high for another 10 to 15 seconds.

Serve and Sip

Enjoy!

Kristine Nicholson, Healthy Eating Specialist