lentils

Meatless Monday: Fast & Filling Red Lentils With Lemongrass Essential Oil

Food can be like words of encouragement, and eating seasonally is one of the most loving ways to communicate with your precious body. With the arrival of spring, we say goodbye to the cold, dry winter, and hello to wetter and increasingly warmer weather.

Cozy Cold Weather Kitchari Bowl (Yellow Dahl With Rice)

As fall progresses into winter and the earth cools, we increasingly crave warm, comforting foods. Seasoned with traditional Ayurvedic warming spices, this vegan kitchari has a depth of flavor that will keep you coming back again and again. With the holiday season ramping up, you’ll appreciate that it cooks quickly. Plus, it’s rich in plant-based nutrients that will give you the energy to dance through the holiday festivities with your health intact.

Slow Cooker Sensation: Golden Curry Stew

Although the peak winter months have passed, the wafting scent of warm soup from the slow cooker never goes out of style. The slow-cooking “Crock-Pot” (as it is often called for the original brand name) was invented in 1940, gained popularity in the 1970s, and has especially gained favoritism in the past two decades.

Know Your Minerals: Magnesium

Popeye may have believed that the main health benefit of spinach was its iron content, but he would not have been able to flex his muscles as well if spinach was not so high in magnesium. That’s right – Popeye knows best. Eat your greens!

Know Your Supplements: Folate

While you may have heard of “folate” and “folic acid,” you may or may not know what it is, what it is for, or if you should take it. Nowadays, there are so many health trends and supplements that it can be easy to forget some of the most basic and simple nutrients and minerals that are important to have in our diets, and possibly as a supplement when needed.

Here are some basics to get you started about Folate and Folic Acid.

DIY Organic Homemade Baby Food

Making a baby transition from milk bottles to his/her first solids can be quite a task. Here are some easy, time-proven ideas…

 

Plant-Based Sources of Protein

Every vegetarian and vegan has heard it before, and will undoubtedly hear it time and time again—“But where do you get your protein?” Just to set things straight, a lot of Americans are overweight because we actually eat too much protein than we need to due to many of us rarely exercising. For everyone who thinks people on plant-based diets are lacking protein, you’re sadly mistaken; most of us are definitely getting adequate amounts.

The Supermarket Gardener: Part 2

The price of food has become ridiculous these days. Buying organic, whole healthy foods strains our already squeezed pockets. The market is saturated with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), and with Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto, who knows what the future holds for our food supplies.  This merger could create a monopoly on the market, upping the price of food for both farmers and consumers.

Egyptian Street Food Inspired Quinoa Bowl

My first encounter with Egyptian street food was in the most unlikely of places: the Minnesota State Fair. Strange as it may sound, among the corndogs and cheese curds, there is a popular Middle Eastern food stand at the fair serving things like falafel, gyro meat, dolmas, and my favorite, koshari. As it happens, koshari (also spelled kushari, koshary, or kosheri) is the national dish of Egypt and a popular street food item. The dish consists of rice, lentils, macaroni, chickpeas, fried onions, and a delicious spicy red sauce.