Heart Healthy Lentil Vegetable Soup

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I've got to be quick about this as I'm late for the roundup at Heart of the Matter. Brought to us by Joanna, Ilva, and Michelle, this great blog offers up healthy, low fat, good-for-you recipes from bloggers around the world. Our mission for HotM 11 was to come up with a heart healthy soup. Joanna will have the roundup posted in the next few days so be sure to visit. I know there will be some fantastic recipes there that you'll want to try for yourselves.

Lentils, one of the world's healthiest foods, celeriac, sunchokes, carrots, celery, rutabagas, onions, garlic and Meyer lemon juice for some pizazz. Fabulously healthy ingredients all gently cooked together in a vegetable stock. What more could you want on a cold winter's day? A hint of olive oil is used to sauté the onions and garlic, otherwise there is no added fat. The combined tastes of all the vegetables is so good that I didn't even add herbs - just a touch of kosher salt.

As you can see in this photo, I added some local canned albacore, a slice of whole wheat walnut bread, and topped the dish with grated parmesan but these can easily be left out without sacrificing taste. In fact if you left out the tuna and the cheese, this would be perfect for vegan friends and family.

So let's get to it. This recipe is easy as pie: You count the ingredients in the photo above and use that much for a very large pot of soup. Cut the amount in half and you will still have enough for two plus leftovers for your workday lunch.

Heart Healthy Lentil Vegetable Soup

Christine's original recipe
Ingredients:
6 Celery stalks with some leaves, sliced thin
4 Rutabagas, peeled and cut into chunks
4-6 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large celeriac, peeled and cut into chunks
5 or so sunchokes, peeled and sliced
1 onion, peeled and chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
1-2 teaspoons olive oil for the pan
3 quarts good, organic vegetable stock
1 heaping cup lentils, washed and picked through for debris
1 can gourmet canned albacore tuna (optional)
juice from 2 Meyer lemons
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
shavings of parmesan cheese (optional)
Preparation:
Have a heavy skillet and a large soup pot on the stove.
Put the soup pot on a back burner, put in the vegetable stock and bring it to a simmer, covered.
Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions until they are soft. Add the garlic and sauté a few minutes more until the aromas come up and they are softly cooked then add them to
the vegetable stock.
Add the lentils to the stock and cook for about 15 minutes until beginning to soften.
Add the rest of the prepared vegetables to the stock and bring to a simmer. Allow to everything to cook gently until all the vegetables are tender and the lentils are done.
Add the Meyer lemon juice then the kosher salt and pepper to taste

To your good health!

Copyright © 2005-2008, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Vegan Chocolate Banana Brownies for HotM 8

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Hmmm. . .

Bake something sweet but not fat . . .

Something satisfyingly gooey but good for you . . .

Something heart healthy, with no eggs or butter.

This is what Ilva and Joanna are asking for in this month's HotM theme: Baking.
Heart of the Matter, Ilva's and Joanna's brainchild, is the blog devoted to the development of heart healthy recipes from food bloggers around the world. I love this monthly event because it makes me think and it gets me into a healthier cooking frame of mind.

This recipe was truly an experiment. The only guideline I had was from my daughter-in-law, Amy, who told me that 1 banana may be substituted for 1 egg in most baked vegan recipes. Well, not using eggs and butter is one of the parameters of this event, so I went with the bananas. Then I thought of chocolate - one of the world's highest anti-oxidant foods. Now there's a theme - chocolate and bananas. What's not to like?

According to the web site World's Healthiest Foods, "bananas are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Since the average banana contains a whopping 467 mg of potassium and only 1 mg of sodium, a banana a day may help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis."

Chocolate, the darker the better, is not only packed with anti-oxidants that help fight free radicals, it has been proven to lower blood pressure in a number of studies.

Because I was heading in a vegan kind of direction with the ingredients I'd settled on, I decided to use agave instead of honey for the liquid needed here. This turned out to be a very sweet idea. Walnuts add fiber and the benefits of linolenic acids.

So, here we go - brownies with very low fat, no eggs, no cholesterol, plus they're vegan!

Vegan Chocolate Banana Brownies
Christine's Original Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 ounces very dark, bitter sweet chocolate
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
4-6 tablespoons agave syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped toasted nuts, I used walnuts

Preparation:

Spray an 8"x 8" or 9"x 7" pan with a Pam-like spray.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center of the oven.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan.

In a medium bowl, mash the bananas then add the agave syrup, vanilla and melted chocolate and stir well.

Stir the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture, followed by the chopped nuts.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly to the edges and bake in the oven for about 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out crumb free. If using the 8-inch square pan, you may have to bake them several minutes longer.

The sides of the brownie batter may pull away from the edge of the pan when done; be sure that the edges don't burn.

Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool in the pan on a rack.

Cut into 1-inch squares and serve with afternoon tea.

Cook's Notes:

Although these were good right out of the pan, they are better the day after baking for some strange reason.

If I were to make these again I might substitute whole wheat flour for one half of the flour measurement.

Be sure to check out the HotM roundup at the end of this month. Want to join in the fun? Send your post link to Joanna at joannacary AT ukonline DOT co DOT uk before October 23rd.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Peach Blackberry Crumble - At The Heart Of The Matter

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Joanna and Ilva at Heart of the Matter are focusing on fruits and berries this month and do I have a dish for them.

Berries, peaches, pecans, almonds, white whole wheat flour , a touch of sugar (or, in my case, Splenda), cinnamon, and Earth Balance instead of butter - all organic, all so good for you, all combined in one glorious little crumble.

Have it for breakfast with Greek yogurt. Have it for dessert with... Greek yogurt. Or have it with afternoon tea just as it is. It's delicious, it's healthy, and it's soooo satisfying.

Peach Blackberry Crumble

Christine's Original Recipe

Ingredients:

For the fruit filling,

3 organic yellow peaches, cut into chunks

3 to 4 cup blackberries - organic and wild-picked, if you can get them

1/4 cup Splenda (or sugar, if you prefer)

2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon lemon juice, if the fruit is overly sweet

For the topping,

2/3 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped

2/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

3 tablespoons white whole wheat flour (optional)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup Splenda-Brown Sugar Blend (or regular brown sugar if you prefer)

small pinch kosher salt

1/3 cup (or less) Earth Balance Buttery Stick (EB), cut into small pieces (see Cook's Notes)

Preparation:

Spray a 6"x9" ceramic dish with Pam or other cooking spray. Set aside.

Have your oven at 350 degrees.

For the fruit filling, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Prepare the fruit and combine in a large bowl, adding the lemon juice if desired.

Sprinkle the flour-sugar mixture over the fruit and gently toss to combine. Set aside.

For the topping, chop the nuts then add the rest of the dry ingredients and blend well.

Add the EB pieces to the crumble mixture. Using your fingers and working quickly, blend the EB into the dry mixture by pinching between your fingers until the EB is fully incorporated into the crumble and about the size of small peas.

Pour the fruit into the prepared dish then sprinkle the topping over the fruit, covering it entirely.

Bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until the fruit bubbles to the top.

When done, remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Cook's Notes:

I'm a lucky cook in that there are two kinds of blackberries that grow wild on our property (a mixed blessing to be sure) and they're all coming ripe as I write this. According to the web site World's Healthiest Foods, Blackberries are highest in phytonutrients and antioxidants that promote heart health.

Earth Balance Buttery Sticks are a trans-fat free, non-GMO, cholesterol-free butter substitute that uses expeller-pressed oils and no hydrogenation. A healthier choice than butter, I will often use this product, judiciously because it's still fat, especially in baked goods.

As I've been writing this I've received several phone calls, one of which was from a friend from long ago who is in our area and will be coming for dinner tomorrow. Excitedly talking to Mr CC (also on the phone) about tomorrow's surprise visitor and possible dinner offerings, I began idly leafing through the September issue of Food and Wine, turned a page and saw an almost identical recipe for blackberry and apple crumble with nut topping. Mr CC said, "See, you're cutting edge." Well, maybe. I think it's the season.

Be sure to visit The Heart of the Matter after Sept. 23rd to see the fruit and berry roundup of delicious dishes from food bloggers 'round the globe.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Marinated, Grilled Pacific Salmon at the...

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Ready for HOTM #5? Joanna and Ilva have been building a heart-healthy databank of recipes from food bloggers around the globe. I love this growing collection of recipes for the inspiration it gives me and for the reminder that adapting heart healthy eating habits is, indeed, a diet for life. Now in its fifth month, the theme is Waterlife and it's not just about fish, but anything that swims. Go to their blog, The Heart of the Matter, and read all about it. If you'd like to join in, send your post to them by July 23rd.

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of heart-healthy seafood is salmon. Pink-fleshed, moist, firm, delicious wild-caught Pacific salmon. Marinated and grilled in summer or poached in an herb-y white wine stock in winter, it's one of my favorite foods.

Salmon is packed with healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, known to reduce inflamation, reduce blood clots, lower bad cholesterol and strengthen the immune system.

What I offer here today is not just any salmon, but salmon out of our local, cold Pacific waters. Straight from our neighbor's boat and into my freezer this past May, we shared the last of it recently when Mr CC's family came to the wilds of northern California to camp and spend a week visiting with us.

Asian-Style Marinated, Grilled Salmon

Christine's original recipe

Ingredients (approximate, as I don't measure):

1 large shallot, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1/4 cup peanut oil

1/4 cup lightly seasoned rice wine vinegar

juice from 1 lemon, 1 lime and 1 orange

1/3 cup (packed) cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons organic, wheat-free soy sauce

6 salmon filets (about 2 pounds), skin left on

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients except the salmon, whisking well. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. I sometimes add a touch of kosher salt and a few grinds of black peppercorns. If the citrus is sour, I might add a pinch of sugar.

Lay the salmon filets in an oblong glass baking dish and pour the marinade over to cover.

Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes, no longer than 45 minutes as you don't want to "cook" the flesh, turning the filets over halfway through the process.

As we use a gas grill, the following instructions are for that beast only.

Remove the fish from the marinade.

Spray a fish holder (I know it has a name, but I'm forgetting it at the moment) with olive oil and lay the marinated salmon filets in side by side, fitting them snugly. We had to use several of these for 6 filets.

With the grill set at about 425 degrees, lay the salmon skin side down and close the grill lid for about 4 minutes. If flareups occur you can lower the heat but not below 375.

Open the lid and check the salmon. You want the flesh to yield a bit when pressed with a finger.

Flip the fish and place sunny-side down on the grill for 3-4 more minutes, depending on the thickness of the filets. You want those great grill marks but you don't want to overcook the fish. The flesh should be very moist and just cooked through.

Remove from the grill and allow to sit for just a few moments, where it will continue to cook until perfect.

Cook's Notes:

My notes from this dinner tell me that we served the salmon with a bulgar pilaf made with sauteed, chopped portobello mushrooms, red bell peppers, zucchini and sweet onion, a green salad with garden-fresh (ok, farmers market-fresh)tomatoes and cucumbers, and corn on the cob. For dessert we had homemade, low fat, sugar-free Tahitian vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries swimming in raspberry wine, which will be the subject of another post.

People said, "Yum!"

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Heart Smart Summer Squashes: Two Ways

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With organic produce sparkling fresh from the farmers market, the more simply prepared the better is my approach. Let those sun-drenched flavors shine.

I've dished these up for Joanna and Ilva's HOTM4, a blog event devoted to heart-healthy recipes. Vegetables are the star of this month's event which will be posted on The Heart of the Matter after June 22nd.

I love vegetables. I love them roasted, grilled, sauteed, steamed and raw. The only way I don't like them is boiled. Both of these dishes were sauteed in heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil. No butter, no cheese. Blah, you say? No way! Fresh oregano and marjoram from my garden, some cloves of the coveted, local Claudia's garlic , and you've got a tasty and delicious feast fit for even the most finicky of dinner guests. All that, and your heart will go pitter-patter, in a good way.

Zucchini and Sunburst Squash Sauteed with Garlic and Herbs

Christine's original recipe

Ingredients:

6 or so summer squashes (depending on size), mixed varieties such as zucchini, sunburst or pattypan, cut into bite-sized pieces

4 cloves fresh, organic garlic, minced

2 heaping tablespoons minced fresh oregano and marjoram

kosher salt and freshly ground peppercorn medley to taste

extra virgin olive oil for the pan

Preparation:

Heat 2-3 teaspoons olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat.

Add the cut up squashes and saute until beginning to soften.

Add the minced garlic, stirring so they don't stick to the bottom of the pan, and cook until the squash is just soft to the bite.

Add the fresh minced herbs and give a quick stir, allowing them to heat briefly, about 45 seconds.

Remove from the heat and season with the kosher salt and generous grindings of peppercorn medley. Serve immediately.

MMMMM. More veggies. Here I've used the last of the summer squashes from my trip to the farmers market last Saturday along with more of Claudia's garlic, which I simply cannot get enough of. Crisp white corn, red bells and protein-rich edamame from our local Co-op all helped to make this a heart- healthy and very satisfying platter of goodness.

A Medley of Squash, Red Bell Peppers, Corn, Edamame, Garlic and Herbs

Christine's original recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 to 1/3 cup chopped sweet onion

3 large cloves very fresh garlic, minced

3 ears fresh white corn, shucked and cut from the cob

6 small summer squash, such as sunburst, round zucchini, and pattypan

1 cup fresh or frozen edamame (green soy beans)

1 large red bell pepper, stem and veins removed, cut into 1-inch dice

2 tablespoon minced fresh oregano

kosher salt

freshly ground black peppercorns

extra virgin olive oil for the pan

Preparation:

Begin with the onions in a heavy skillet laced with about 2 teaspoons of olive oil and set over medium-low heat. Let the onions soften without burning, 4- 6 minutes.

Add the red bell pepper and give a stir. Saute about 2 minutes or until softened.

Add the edamame and stir to blend.

Add the minced garlic and a bit more olive oil if needed to keep things from sticking to the pan.

Cook gently until the edamame has softened. You can cover the pan if you wish and you can add a splash of white wine also, but not too much. (I didn't add the wine although I think it would be just fine to do so.)

Add the squash, stir and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add the corn kernels and the oregano and stir to heat through.

When it all looks done to your liking, remove from the heat and season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

I'm looking forward to Joanna and Ilva's next Heart of the Matter challenge for July. Take a peek at the recipes that have been submitted to date.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved