Terrific Tempeh

by jen.finger, April 4, 2012 | Permalink

By Lisa, Edina Whole Body Team Leader

Tempeh is one of my favorite plant based proteins.  It has a wonderful nutty taste and chewy firm texture which make it appealing and adaptable to many dishes, including stir fry and adding “meatiness” to chili or stew.  It also is great crumbled and mixed with taco seasoning for a quick tempeh taco night.

What exactly is tempeh?  Tempeh (pronounced TEM-pay) is a traditional food made from fermenting soy and is often blended with rice or other grains.  Fermenting soy can convert minerals into a more absorbable form so the body gets more nutrients, possibly resulting in an even healthier overall product.  An additional benefit of fermented soy (other forms include miso, soy sauce and natto) is that it can be easier to digest which can be especially helpful for people with any digestive issues or difficulty absorbing protein.

Tempeh comes in the shape of a rectangular or square cake.  Note that you may see black spots on your tempeh.  These are nothing to worry about, as that is just a natural part of the fermentation.  You can find tempeh in our stores near the refrigerated tofu and other plant based proteins like seitan.

Another thing to know is that because of the fermentation process tempeh can be slightly bitter, although I haven’t always found that to be the case.  You can steam it for 10 minutes before doing other things with it to ensure getting rid of the bitter edge (however, when I’m in a hurry I’ll often sauté it in a little vegetable broth and it tastes just fine.)

I have recently been experimenting with marinating tempeh, which has produced delicious results!  I often keep the finished product in a covered container in the fridge to add to salads and other dishes during the week.  Here are two easy preparations to get you started.

Easy Tomato Basil Tempeh 

• 8 oz package organic tempeh
• 1/2 – 3/4 bottle of Health Starts Here Tomato Basil Dressing

Cut tempeh cake into cubes.   Steam for 10 minutes.  Place tempeh in dish, cover with Tomato Basil dressing and toss gently.  Marinate in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.  After marinating, saute in pan with a little bit of vegetable broth (only to prevent sticking) for 10-15 minutes, turning frequently.  Serve immediately over salad greens, or in a whole wheat wrap with other fresh veggies as desired (avocado is delicious), or store in the fridge to use as desired.

Serves 2.

BBQ Tempeh

• 8 oz package organic tempeh
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup of BBQ Sauce (choose a brand free of refined sugar and low in sodium)

Cut tempeh cake into cubes.  Steam for 10 minutes.  Place tempeh in dish, along with onion and red bell pepper.  Cover with BBQ sauce and toss gently.  Marinate in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.  Grill in a vegetable pan over medium heat until heated through, or bake in a covered dish at 350 for 30 minutes.  I particularly enjoy this with a generous serving of steamed collard greens or chard.

Serves 2-3.

E2: Finding Flavor Without Salt or Oil

by jen.finger, April 2, 2012 | Permalink

By Jason Doyle.  Jason works on the Prepared Foods Team at our Minnetonka store

Hello friends!

First off, I want to thank you for checking out this blog. Clearly in some way, shape, or form you are interested in making your body feel better. Whether you participating in our current 28 day challenge or not, the Whole Foods Market website and stores have an abundance of healthy eating education that is there for YOU, so definitely take advantage of it!

We recently held a meetup on the topic of oils, fats, oils, herbs, and more oils. I believe attempting to avoid oils is the toughest aspect of this challenge. Oils seem to be in everything and everywhere! Bread, pizza dough, tortillas, pasta dishes, dressings, you name it and it probably contains oil. Next thing you know our cars will depend on oil to function! (Oh, wait… I feel silly, I got a little excited in that last sentence, but on that note, I better check my car oil) Here is the beautiful light to cast upon our shadowy oil dilemma: Nature. Good ol’ Mother Nature. She gives us so many ways to flavor up our foods naturally that it’s almost overwhelming to choose between all of her delicious creations. Here are a few ways we kicked up the flavor and nutritional profile of a simple quinoa dish (sans the oil) at our most recent 28 day challenge class. It’s a quick, easy, and fun activity to do, so make sure to involve the whole family when experimenting with new food adventures!

Deliciousness required:

• Organic quinoa (buy in bulk)
• Organic veggies (carrots, broccoli, red kale)
• Fresh organic avocado
• Dates (buy in bulk, deglet noor is pitted, medjool need pits removed at home)
• Organic coconut milk (365 canned brand tastes great)
• Braggs Liquid Aminos (small spray bottle is convenient)
• Organic dried herbs (any kind will do based on your taste preference. I used curry, parsley and onion flakes)

FYI: I bought all these ingredients (moderate amounts and almost all organic) at Whole Foods for just over $20, so not only is this activity healthy, it’s a great value!

Step 1: Cook quinoa (I steam because it’s easy and I don’t have to stir and watch over it, which allows me time to prepare other ingredients while the quinoa cooks.)

Use 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa.

Step 2: Prepare your pastes.

• Avocado paste: Cut in half, remove seed, and spoon insides into small mixing bowl. Stir to create a paste-like texture. Add fresh lime juice to brighten flavor. [bonus tip: if you aren’t serving or using all of your paste right away, leave the pit in the bowl with the paste to slow the browning process]
• Date paste: Put dates in blender. Fill water to slightly cover dates. Blend well.
• Coconut milk: Open can and mix in the fat that has settled at the top.

Step 3: Prepare your veggies.

Cut up and steam carrots and broccoli. (Use any veggies, it just gives this simple dish some texture and an extra boost of goodness from additional minerals and vitamins.)

Remove kale leaves from stem. Dice up into small pieces. (Again, it gives the dish extra phytochemicals, plus it looks oh so pretty!)

Step 4: Create your masterpieces! AKA Play with your food!

Put quinoa in several small bowls to use as base for each different tasting. Put pastes, veggies, and herbs in small serving bowls.

Now start playing! Mix and match different flavor combinations with the different pastes, veggies and herbs you have prepared. Place on top of your quinoa and mix thoroughly. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Quinoa with avocado paste, onion flakes, parsley, lime juice, carrots, broccoli, and kale makes for a savory tasting green dish.
• Quinoa with liquid aminos, curry, carrots, and onion flakes creates a dish that satisfies if looking for a salty, Indian flavored dish.
• Quinoa with date paste. Try it by itself, it’s sensationally sweet!
• Quinoa with coconut milk, carrots, broccoli, kale, and parsley for garnish. The fat gives the dish a hearty, tropical flavor (add exotic mango pieces for the real deal!).

Step 5: Repeat, repeat, repeat

• Not only have you now experienced some new flavor combinations, you’ve also discovered the secret to quick meals on the fly using what are hopefully staple pantry items for you now.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Coconut milk is full of fat, should I use it?

It’s true that coconut milk is 94% saturated fat, but it’s made of short and medium chain fatty acids, unlike animal meat, which primarily consists of long chain fatty acids. The difference is that your body will not plan on storing saturated fat from coconut because it can use it for energy far more efficiently than a long chain fatty acid from meat sources. Plus, you are getting vitamin C, calcium, iron, and fiber when using coconut in a more natural, whole form. Lastly, coconuts are rich in lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid that has antimicrobial properties and increases your HDL’s (the ‘good’ cholesterol).  All that being said, we encourage you to use it sparingly, especially if weight loss is one of your goals.

What’s the big deal about using avocados? I heard they were really fatty.

Again, true, but avocados contain monounsaturated fat. This means there is a break in the hydrogen and carbon atom chain, thus not ‘saturating’ the fatty acid chain, making it easier for the body to use as energy.

Picture two small tree branches, one that is sturdy and straight with no breaks or bends and one that is broken in the middle, yet still hanging intact on the tree. If you need a stick for, let’s say, roasting carrots at a bonfire (I could have said marshmallows, but come on… let’s think healthy!) you go to the tree where both branches previously mentioned are hanging. To get the straighter, unbroken stick off the tree, you’ll have to twist it, bend it, snap it, and probably use quite a bit of effort to get it down because it was so intact. On the other hand, to get the already broken branch down, just a slight pull should do, and it will require much less effort and very little energy. This is the essence of saturated versus unsaturated fats in your body.  It takes far more energy to break down saturated, unbroken fatty acids. Yet like a stick with a bend or break in it, unsaturated fatty acids require much less energy for your body to break down and use. In the end, your body doesn’t need to work as hard and you can go spend the excess energy you have on everything else you do in a day!

Plus, avocados are loaded with delicious awesomeness like vitamins B, C, E, K, folate, potassium, magnesium, and lutein. Trust me, that’s a great thing!

Are oils bad for you? You make them seem like the root of all evil.

In a short answer, not necessarily, but here’s a further explanation. To extract oil and make it available for consumers, first the seeds or nuts are cleaned, ground (and in some cases, heated), pressed, and then the oil is extracted.  Many oils are then distilled, bleached, deodorized, heated and distilled again to further refine the oil. These processes destroy many beneficial minerals and vitamins along the way, leaving you with just the fats in the end! Sometimes such high heat is used that the molecular structure of the fats will be changed, creating trans fats and unrecognizable chemicals within your body.

This is just a quick overview to familiarize you with the general refinement process. Some oils (like those available at Whole Foods Market) are cold pressed which doesn’t destroy as many vitamins and minerals.  However, there are still 9 calories per 1 gram of fat, so consuming oil is a very easy way to consume large amounts of calories in little servings. I just look at the big picture – we obtain many more micronutrients and phytochemicals when consuming whole foods ultimately giving our body the opportunity to balance and heal itself.

In conclusion, we don’t need oils to flavor up our dishes and keep veggies from sticking to our pans while sautéing (vegetable broth or water works wonders). If I can flavor up my foods with whole, unprocessed, plant strong sources that are nutrient dense, I’m all in (thank you Whole Foods for Health Starts Here items!). Our bodies have trillions of cells and are constantly trying to repair themselves. If we simply give our body a chance to heal itself, we will be happier, more focused, and more productive. That’s not just a prediction – it’s a beautiful fact of life!

So until next time, enjoy becoming an artist of your plate, paint it with as many different colored foods as possible and use natural sources to kick up the flavor even more!

Have a wonderful day and happy eating!

Salt and Oil-Free Seasoning

by jen.finger, March 20, 2012 | Permalink

This week’s meetup topic is Cooking without Oil and Salt, which naturally leads to a discussion of how to add seasoning and flavor to food when your old go-to flavors are no longer allowed.

Here are just a few of the tips we discussed this week:

• Practice your water sautéing (steam frying) techniques for optimum flavor. Here’s a collection of great how-to video that will walk you thru the process: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/healthstartshere/cookingmethods.php
• If you only use plain water to sauté your food, you are missing out on a flavor opportunity. Try coconut water, wine, beer, veggie stock, fruit juice, veggie juice (carrot or tomato) or pretty much whatever you may be sipping on yourself while cooking.
• Roasting and Toasting can do wonders for flavor. If using seeds, nuts or grains in a recipe, dry toasting them in a sauté pan can bring out a different flavor profile. Just remember to keep your food moving to avoid burning. Likewise, oven roasting veggies – either on their own or tossed in balsamic vinegar, fruit juice, wine, HSH salad dressing, or some other flavorful liquid – can add lots of flavor.  And since grilling season seems to have arrived early, don’t forget to toss your veggies on the grill when it’s fired up and use in recipes all week long.
• Opt for fresh herbs over dried whenever you have the chance.
• Visit our bulk herb section to try new seasoning options, or to keep a fresh supply of your favorites. And they are much less expensive than the stuff in jars.

Earlier this year, we had the fortune of welcoming Chef Chad Sarno from our global office to our stores for customer classes and team member training. Chad is one of our Health Starts Here experts and develops many of the recipes we use in the store. While here, he shared with us a few sure-fire seasoning ideas that are perfect for your Engine 2 plan.  More recipes from Chad are included in a previous blog post if you want to find more ideas.

Enjoy!

Wicked Good Spice and Seed Blend

• ½ c sesame seeds, dry toasted
• ½ c sunflower seeds, dry toasted
• ½ c golden flax meal
• ½ c nutritional yeast
• 2 Tbs onion granules
• ½ Tbs chipotle spice
• 1 Tbs garlic granules
• Black Pepper

Toss all and put in a shaker to store

Roasted Garlic and/or shallots (use to make Garlic and Shallot Buttah, below)

• 1 cup of peeled garlic cloves
• 2 cups water, or 1 c low sodium veggie stock and 1 cup water (make sure the liquid just covers the garlic)

Preheat oven to 376 degrees. In a small shallow pan, place garlic and make sure there is enough liquid to just cover the garlic. Allow to roast for 12 – 15 minutes. Make sure you are watching these closely, and when most liquid is dissolved and garlic is a nice golden color, they are done. Remove from oven and use for future recipes.

This method can also be used for shallots and cippolini onions. Onions will take a bit longer than garlic, 18-20 minutes. If you really want to caramelize the onions, follow above instructions with roasting, once liquid is evaporated, stir well in pan, and add the same amount of water to almost cover and roast for a second time. This will sweeten the onions the longer they roast. Make sure that you do not over roast the onions or garlic and that they are removed when liquid is evaporated to avoid crispy bitter pieces.

Garlic and Shallot Buttah

• 6 cups shallots, roasted (see instruction above)
• 3 cups garlic, roasted (see instructions above)
• ¼ tsp course black pepper

Once garlic and onions are roasted, add to a small food processor with pepper and blend until smooth. This is a great condiment to have on hand to flavor any soup or sauce last minute.

Health Starts Here Class with Chad Sarno

by jen.finger, February 14, 2012 | Permalink

If you weren’t able to make it to Chad’s class during our recent Engine 2 Healthy Eating Challenge, fear not. Yyou don’t have to miss out on some terrific go-to recipes that he shared with the group.  Here they are:

Wicked Good Spice and Seed Blend

• ½ c sesame seeds, dry toasted
• ½ c sunflower seeds, dry toasted
• ½ c golden flax meal
• ½ c nutritional yeast
• 2 T onion granules
• ½ T chipotle spice
• 1 T garlic granules
• Black pepper

Toss all and put in shaker to store

Almond or Oat Milk

• 1 c almonds soaked overnight filtered water and then strained / or 1 c oats already cooked or soaked overnight
• 4 cups filtered water
• 1 T date paste
• ½ vanilla bean

In high speed blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.

Continue by pouring milk mixture into cheesecloth. Squeeze out liquid. Dehydrate ‘pulp’ for 4‐6 hours and store for future use for nut/oat flour. Serve milk with diced fruit and your favorite whole grain cereal.

Roasted Garlic (cloves)

• 1 cup of garlic cloves-peeled
• 2 cups of water, or half low sodium vegetable stock / half water (make sure the liquid just covers the garlic)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In small shallow pan, place in garlic and make sure there is enough liquid to just cover the garlic. Allow to roast for 12-15 minutes. Make sure you are watching these closely, and when most liquid is dissolved and garlic is a nice golden color they are done. Remove from oven and use for future recipe.

*Note – this method can also be used for shallots, and cippolini onions. Onions will take a bit longer than garlic, 18-20 minutes. If you really want to caramelize the onions, follow above instructions with roasting, once liquid is evaporated, stir well in pan, and add the same amount of water to almost cover and roast for a second time. This will sweeten the onions the longer they roast. Make sure that you do not over roast the onions or garlic and they are removed when liquid is evaporated to avoid crispy bitter pieces.

Garlic and Shallot Buttah

• 6 cups shallots roasted (see roasted garlic instructions above)
• 3 cups garlic roasted (see roasted garlic instructions above)
• ¼ t course black pepper

Once garlic and onions are roasted, add to a small food processor with pepper and blend until smooth. This is a great condiment to have on hand to flavor any soup or sauce last minute.

Kale Avocado Salad

• 1 head kale, any variety is great shredded
• 1 large tomato diced, or red bell pepper
• 1 ½ avocado chopped
• 2 T red onion, green onion, or leek fine diced
• 1 lemon juiced
• pinch of cayenne

In mixing bowl toss all ingredients together, squeezing as you mix to ‘wilt’ the kale and creaming the avocado. Serve immediately. This dish is also great to substitute the kale for chard or spinach. Serve on top of salads, tacos, hot dishes, you name it.  Give it a try!

Basic White Sauce

• 1 c raw cashews, soaked (or tofu)
• 1 ½ Onion diced & steam fried in veg stock
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 C unsweetened non dairy milk
• 1 ½  C vegetable stock (low salt) keep more on hand to change thickness/consistency
• 3 T Nutritional Yeast
• Pepper to taste

Sauté onions and garlic with stock and steam fry until onions are translucent.  Add to blender with soaked cashews, soy/nut milk and rest of ingredients and blend, adjusting thickness to desired consistency, add fresh herbs to finish.  This sauce will reduce and will continue to thicken on its own with time. Use this as a creamy substitute in pasta dishes, Au Gratins, over rice, etc.  Add flavor to the sauce by blending in a roasted red pepper, sauteed mushrooms, green peas, additional spices etc!

Almond Chile Sauce

• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped pitted dates
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari
• 1/2 small serrano pepper, finely chopped (optional)
• 1/3 cup coconut water

In a blender or food processor, purée almond butter, lemon juice, dates, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper and water until smooth. Transfer dressing to a large bowl, add steamed broccoli and cilantro and toss well. Serve over rice or with soba noodles.

Egg-cellent Egg Replacers

by jen.finger, February 12, 2012 | Permalink

-          By Ani from Whole Foods Market, Lake Calhoun

I will admit, when I started doing the Engine 2 Challenge, the thing I thought I was going to miss the most was eggs. Before I began, I would easily go through a carton of eggs by myself every week. It isn’t officially a Sunday in my house until we’re eating nice eggy crepes or pancakes . Lunch isn’t looking hearty enough? Put a poached egg on it. Feeling hungry after a run? There was always a hard-boiled egg waiting for me in the fridge to silence my stomach. But the thing I thought I was going to miss the most was baking. Eggs are included in so many of my favorite sweets to allow them to rise, brown, keep them moist or make them tender, and I was not entirely convinced that I was going to make it a month without baking a loaf of challah or whipping up a batch of macaroons. Then I discovered just how many things can replace eggs in baked goods, and are even easier to keep around than a perishable carton of eggs.

What you are trying to replace varies by recipe. In most cases, it is going to be binding and moisture. Any of the following things can be used to replace eggs in basic baking recipes, and if a recipe just calls for one egg, go ahead and leave it out, no substitution needed.

Egg Alternatives

• 1 egg= 3 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon ground chia seed
• 1 egg= 3 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
• 1 egg= 3 tablespoons water, 2 teaspoons egg replacer powder*
• 1 egg= ¼ cup pureed banana (this will alter the flavor of your recipe)
• 1 egg= ¼ cup blended silken tofu**
• 1 egg= ¼ cup soy yogurt**

**These substitutes will keep things moist like an egg, but will not bind like an egg.

*If you want to make your own egg replacer powder, combine:

• 10 tablespoons tapioca starch
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum

To make ¾ cup of egg replacer. Keep in the pantry for up to six months.

There are also many ways to replace dairy.

Dairy Alternatives

• Milk=An equal amount of non-dairy milk. Soy and nut milks work best because they have some natural fat in them, as dairy milk does. Unsweetened almond milk is my favorite.
• Buttermilk=Add a teaspoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to one cup of non-dairy milk, let sit for five minutes, then stir.
• 1 cup cream=1 cup coconut cream (from the top of a can of coconut milk)
• 1 cup cream=1 cup whipped silken tofu

You can take my word for it that these substitutions work and are delicious, but I think you’ll be truly convinced when you give this recipe for Chocolate Mousse a whirl:

Raspberry Chocolate Mousse

• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup 100% fruit seedless raspberry jam (replacing refined sugar)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (replacing cream)
• 12 ounces extra firm silken tofu (replacing more cream and egg yolks)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions: Blend all ingredients until smooth. Chill 1-2 hours before serving. Serves 4.

Wants and Needs Salad

by jen.finger, February 6, 2012 | Permalink

-by Ani L from Whole Foods Market, Lake Calhoun

When it comes to food, we all have wants and needs. We’re hardwired, biologically, and then by marketing and advertising to seek out salty, fatty and sugary foods. Animals, including hunter-and-gatherer humans of past generations, taste plants to discover whether they were sweet (food) or bitter (poison). To them, sweet flavors indicated health and safety. This is very useful, if you’re in daily risk of ingesting deadly nightshade while hunting and gathering, but not when deciding between kale and cotton candy. Fatty foods like meat were sought out by hunters because meat had the highest caloric density of the foods available to them. And hey, if you’re going to spend all day running after a lion, you probably need the type of calories that lion meat can provide. But if you’re merely taking the occasional run from your cubicle to the water cooler, that caloric density isn’t necessary.

So naturally, as obtaining food becomes much more simple (no plant taste testing needed) and our lives generally much less physically taxing, our diet would change just as drastically as the rest of our lives have, right? Not so much. We’re hooked. We want that calorie dense food. Want- not need. The things that we do need to maintain a relatively low calorie expending lifestyle are not things we necessarily crave. I can’t think of the last time I became fixated on getting some B12 or really craved some flavonoids for dinner. So how do you get more things that you need without feeling deprived? Start wanting the foods that have them.

This means steering away from calorically dense foods and loading up on nutrient dense ones and finding different and interesting ways to enjoy them. Now since most nutrient dense foods do not come out of a box, bag or carton, this means that getting those nutrients can require investing a little bit of time in planning, grocery shopping and cooking. This is not something I have every day and I work at the grocery store! To make sure that I eat well, enjoy my meals and can sustain this all throughout the busy week, I keep a roster of meals in mind that can provide serious nutrition with a trivial amount of time investment. This brings us to wants and needs salad.

Salad is the poster child of healthy eating, but for me, traditional salad has one big downfall- no leftovers. One of the keys to healthy eating in my house is big batch cooking. We make soup, we eat one meal of soup, then we each have soup to take to work the next day that is nutritious, delicious and most importantly, ready in zero time. The same can be done with beans, grains, hot dish, and etc, but salad is just too delicate to hold up in the fridge for a couple days. Well, most salads anyway.

Meet Wants and Needs Salad. It is nutrient dense, plant strong, has some healthy fats and can sit, dressed, in the fridge for up to three days, saving time, waste, energy and money. It employs some of the best fruits and veggies of the season with some of my favorite year rounds flavors (which I want) and provides calcium, protein, Omega-3 healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants (which I need). And now I need a fork, because I want to eat more of this salad.

Wants and Needs Salad

• 1 head dinosaur kale, washed and dried, stems removed, finely shredded
• 1 fennel bulb, sliced as thin as possible
• 1 carrot, peeled and shredded
• 2 shallots, peeled and minced
• A handful of chopped parsley
• 1 Pink Lady or other firm apple, finely chopped
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard

Directions: Mix together lemon juice, vinegar and mustard with a fork in a large sealable container. Add all other ingredients and toss to coat. Before enjoying a serving, add:

• ¼ of an avocado, sliced
• 2 tablespoons roasted unsalted cashews
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• Just a few grains of a crunchy salt such as Fleur de Sel or Sel Gris

Toss and enjoy. Makes four servings.

Engine 2 Challenge: What’s For Dinner? Meals in a Flash

by jen.finger, February 6, 2012 | Permalink

-by Lisa C from Whole Foods Market, Lake Calhoun

A common challenge when changing to eating the whole foods, plant strong way is finding time to cook.  After all, most vegetables aren’t always ready in their whole state – they need rinsing, chopping, dicing and slicing.  All that before they hit the salad bowl or the stove top.

Throughout my life, one of the biggest determining factors in any success has been a good planning process.  My current weekly planning process for healthy eating takes about 4 hours, and it includes:

• 1 hour for planning meals.

o   This involves mapping out breakfast, lunch and dinner on a simple grid for all days of the week.  I reference my schedule and social engagements and consider those with the planning process.  I check the pantry and create a grocery list.

• 1 hour for grocery shopping.

o   I put everything in the order of the grocery aisles, starting with produce first.

• 1-2 hours for advance food prep .

o   I usually make one or two main dishes to package and freeze in individual servings.  Last week I made sweet potato lasagna and raspberry lemon tofu cream for parfaits.

o   Rinse and chop vegetables to put into covered containers for snacking and adding to salads and other dishes.

o   Wash and dry salad greens.

o   Steam leafy greens.

o   Make a salad dressing.

This process, along with a well stocked pantry, really seems to work well.  We always have something to eat when I don’t have the time or energy to figure something out.

Sometime, however, the reality is that there isn’t an extra four hours in my week to plan. So, on those weeks I rely on healthy convenience foods from my pantry and freezer to get me through. One of my favorite healthy convenience foods that make it on my menus frequently is our 365 Everyday Value Frozen Brown Rice.  Ready in less than two minutes, it beats waiting the typical forty minutes for brown rice to cook.  I often use it to create healthy brown rice bowls during the week that are ready in less than ten minutes.

Here are a couple of my favorites:

Lisa’s Brown Rice Bowls in Minutes

Asian Style

• 2 cups 365 frozen brown rice, cooked
• Peanut sauce (recipe below)
• 2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli, steamed or cooked
• 2 carrots, shredded
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• 2-3 portions of Teriyaki tofu, chopped (optional)
• 2 scallions, chopped
• ¼ cup almonds, roughly chopped (optional)

Cook brown rice according to package directions.  Make peanut sauce.  Mix rice & sauce together.

Mix broccoli, carrots, bell pepper & tofu into rice mixture.  Divide into serving bowls.  Top with chopped scallions and almonds.  Serves 2.

E2 Peanut Sauce

• 4 T. creamy peanut butter
• 2 T. apple cider vinegar
• 1 T. water
• 3 T. agave nectar or maple syrup

Mexican Style

• 2 cups brown rice, cooked
• 1 tsp. dried cumin
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• ½ bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 can black beans, rinsed/drained
• ½-1 cup chopped red pepper
• 1 cup corn, fresh or frozen (thawed)
• 1 tomato, chopped
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ½-1 cup salsa
• ½ avocado, chopped

Cook brown rice according to package directions.  Stir in cumin, oregano and fresh cilantro.  Divide rice between two bowls.  Layer ingredients in order listed,  Serves 2. Ole!

Here’s a little help to inspire you to make your own “mighty bowls”, using whole grains, plant proteins and vegetables.

Mighty Bowls of Goodness

Create a colorful, nutritious and delicious one-dish meal.

Here’s an easy—and filling—way to mix and match the bounty of the season into a big bowl of mighty goodness. Choose your favorite bean and grain, and then add in veggies, greens and spices.

Quick Tip: Start your week by pre-cooking your favorite grain and bean varieties and prepare a selection of veggies. With those bases covered you can assemble these mighty bowls in a flash.

For more time saving inspiration, please see this blog entry by Jen from Whole Foods Market, St.Paul, on how to stock and freeze your way to quick nutrient dense meals.

Stock and Freeze Your Way to Quick Nutrient-Dense Meals

by jen.finger, January 26, 2012 | Permalink

-by Jen F. from Whole Foods Market, St.Paul

As I shared in a previous post, I’m a wife, mother, and I work full time outside the home. My time is precious, and as you may be discovering, the greatest challenge to our healthy eating resolution is often time, not willpower.  Here are a few tips I’ve found helpful with being ready to make healthy meals in a flash.

Stock your pantry –

• Check out our suggested pantry starter kit that comes in right around $50. http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Pantry-Stock-Up-Shopping-List-2012.pdf Keeping these items on hand will help you be ready to prep meals on the fly, including the suggested recipes on the back.
• Add to that a variety of frozen fruits and veggies. I especially like the kale & collard green options we offer, plus our Health Starts Here blends for quick side dishes, or full meals with paired with whole grains and beans. Frozen squash and pineapple are also favorites as they save all that peeling and gutting time involved with the fresh varieties of those items.
• Frozen rice blends are great to keep on hand, too, or make your own (read on for tips on how)
• I usually keep a few varieties of low or no sodium soups on hand as well. When using them, try pouring them over a handful of fresh greens before eating. The steam from the soup will steam and soften the greens and add a boost of nutrition.
• Whole grain tortillas and oil free hummus (the Whole Foods Market brand is E2 approved) can be a base for whatever veggies, grains and greens you have on hand to make into a hot or cold wrap in a flash.

Time saving options in the store –

• Our Health Starts Here dressings are great when you don’t have time to make your own
• We carry an amazing variety of fresh pre-washed greens and blends like spinach, arugula, even kale and collard greens ready to be tossed with dressing or a salad, or thrown in a pan for sautéing.
• Check out our broccoli slaw for a quick and unique salad option

• Grab cut veggies from our salad bar when you need a small amount of something for a recipe
• When you don’t have time to cook, stop by our bakery for delicious HSH treats like Life by Chocolate tart, or our Prepared Foods department for HSH options on the salad bar, soup bar, in the chef’s case, and even in fresh pack to take home and reheat.

Cook ahead –

• Anytime you make a meal, make a double batch and freeze the extras
• Take advantage of the time you DO have to make a few recipes at once. Last Sunday morning, I made & froze 2 batches of soup, cooked & froze several packages of quinoa, made a batch of fruit and nut energy bars and prepped my greens for the week all in the matter of about 2 hours (not counting a little extra simmer time for the soups). If you are going to make a mess in the kitchen, you might was well multi-task while you are at it!
• Take a few moments each Sunday to look ahead at your week and figure out what nights you’ll be able to cook and what nights you’ll need to have a shortcut in mind so you can plan accordingly.

Cook and freeze staples –

• You know those bags of frozen rice that are so convenient to keep on hand? You can make them yourself at a fraction of the cost! Quinoa, brown rice, amaranth and barley are just a few of the whole grains you can cook and freeze.
• And don’t forget the beans: if you are going to take the time to soak and cook dried beans, make more than you need and freeze the excess.
• Freeze in 1 cup portions to make it easy to pull out and use the amount your recipe calls for.
• Nutrient dense smoothies are a great way to start the day, and you can save time by putting all your ingredients together the night before and keep your blender carafe in the fridge overnight for quick mixing in the morning. Or make “smoothie packs” that you keep in your freezer  – for example, a peeled banana, handful of strawberries & some ground flax. When ready for a smoothie, toss the bag into a blender with some almond milk or water, blend and go.

How to freeze:

• Most E2 recipes like grain dishes, soups, even veggie lasagnas all freeze well and are great for quick meals and lunches on the go.
• I prefer to use Ziploc Freezer bags with the write-on label. Fill bag with 1 serving portions, lay flat and squeeze out the air as you seal it. Lay bags flat on a cookie sheet and place in freezer. Once they have frozen you can store them upright in your freezer making them easy to find and taking up a minimum amount of space.
• If space is tight in your freezer, take advantage of our MN winters and set your cookie sheet on a porch, in a garage or outside for the initial freezing, then put in your regular freezer for compact storage.
• Once you start getting used to freezing ahead, you may find you need more space. Consider purchasing a chest freezer you can keep in a basement or garage. You can pick one up for right around $200 at places like Costco, Home Depot or Sears.

To reheat:

• If you are reheating straight from the freezer: While the food is still frozen, simply cut the Ziploc bag away, place in a microwave safe container or a stovetop pan and reheat (if using stovetop, use low temperature for even heating)
• If you are reheating later (packing your lunch for work): Take food out of freezer the night before you plan to eat it. Let thaw in fridge overnight to break it up enough to place in a microwave safe reusable lunch container.

As I learned when I took up canning this past harvest season, the first time you do this, it might make you a little nervous. But once you get that first batch of frozen goodness in the freezer, you’ll be well on your way!

Hidden Treasures: Flavorful Herbs and Spices

by jen.finger, January 26, 2012 | Permalink

-By Ani L. from Whole Foods Market, Lake Calhoun

Think about a pot of chili. If you are currently following our Engine 2 Healthy Eating Challenge, your pot contains beans, tomatoes and lots and lots of vegetables. Delicious, yes, but without the chili powder, cumin and coriander, your chili is……stew. It is the spices that give the pot the familiar flavor of chili. Spices and herbs are the key to making the foods we eat every day new and exciting in a low fat, low calorie, affordable way.

Spices and herbs are the dried and often ground edible portions of plants, such as bark, leaves and berries. They get their flavor from aromatic oils present in the plant, which is dried and ground before being packaged. Most spices and herbs have a short shelf life, and generally, when they stop being aromatic, they stop tasting good. Any finely ground powder is particular susceptible to this flavor fade, so buy in small quantities, buy whole whenever possible (grind your own in a coffee) and buy often!

When eating more healthfully, you may naturally find yourself cutting down on salt and fat- two very strong flavors. The answer to flavorful, healthier food without the fat and salt? Replace those strong flavors with the strong flavors of herbs and spices for a nutritious, delicious alternative. Instead of salt, try an acidic spice, lemon juice or vinegar to make your food more interesting, nice and tangy. Instead of fat, try adding an exotic spice such as cinnamon, ginger or garlic for a little extra oomph. You can also use dried herbs in place of out-of-season fresh herbs. My rule of thumb is to use 1/3 of the amount of fresh herb called for if I am using a dried herb in its place. For example, a tablespoon of chopped fresh basil going into minestrone soup would be replaced with a teaspoon of dried basil.

Take your average bowl of brown rice, often a staple in a whole foods eating plan. Add a little nutmeg, a pinch of oregano, basil and parsley with a few red pepper flakes and you are in Italy. Add smoked paprika and a bit of saffron to go to Spain. Add ground ginger, chili powder, dried lemongrass and garlic powder and suddenly, Thailand opens its doors. Feeling a bit bored with winter? Add curry, coriander and a pinch of cloves to take a trip to India.

Luckily, you don’t need a plane trip to get where you want to go with your dinner- you just need to check out the bulk herb and spice section in our Whole Body department. Not only is there a great selection of spices and herbs, but you can also find teas and ingredients for at home kitchen projects as well, all priced by the ounce. By buying in bulk, you can buy just as much as you need without having a shelf full of mostly full, stale spices six months later.

Here’s a handy breakdown of spices and pairings-

Enhance Healthy Dishes with Herbs and Spices

Simple blends for around-the-world flavor.

A world of flavor is at your fingertips when you add just the right combination of herbs and spices. Our handy chart makes it easy for you to spin the globe and turn everyday dishes into a healthy journey across the Seven Seas. Start with a starchy vegetable, bean or grain of your choice and then choose exotic spices and produce to suit your ethnic food cravings.

Take your taste buds around the world with these inspired combinations.

Need inspiration? Here are some simple combinations that work well together.

Serves 2

Italian:

Start with: Russet potatoes cut in ½ inch pieces (1 ½ cup)

Toss with: red bell pepper (1/2 c) + garlic (2 cloves) + red onion (1/4 c) + thyme (1 T) + rosemary (1 T)

Roast @ 400°: until browned on all sides ~35 minutes

Finish with parsley (2 T) = roasted herbed potatoes (yields 2 cups)

Thai:

Start with: Cooked brown rice (2 cups)

Steam Sauté shallot (3 T) + ginger (1 T) + chilies (1 t) + lemongrass (1 T) + peas (1/2 c) + carrots (1/2 c)

Finish with: basil (2 T) + cilantro (2 T) = Thai steam fried rice (yields 3 cups)

Moroccan:

Start with: Cooked chickpeas (2 cups)

Steam sauté: garlic (2 cloves) + chilies (1 t) + ginger (2 T) + cumin seeds (1 T) + cinnamon (1 t) + saffron (1 t) + eggplant (1/2 c) + tomato (1/2 c) + lemon zest (2 T) and juice (1 T)

Finish with: cilantro (1/4 cup)  = Chickpea tagine (serve with whole grain of choice) (yields 3 cups)

For more cooking tips and delicious recipes visit wholefoodsmarket.com