October 23, 2023

Hearty White Bean Soup

White Bean Soup This hearty vegetarian soup makes a great appetizer or light lunch. I use my Homemade Vegetable Stock as a base, but you can also use store-bought vegetable broth. You can use white cannellini or navy beans instead of white kidney beans. Beans are loaded with protein and detoxifying fiber, which makes them a great ally if you’re trying to manage your weight. Fiber can also help regulate cholesterol and reduce your risk of certain cancers. Swiss chard has cancer-inhibiting carotenoids and vitamin C. Chard is an excellent source of vitamin K, which helps build strong bones. Both […]
September 24, 2023

Cauliflower Steaks Are Great Main OR Side

Cauliflower Steaks with Goat Cheese These cauliflower steaks can serve as a vegetarian main course or sit beautifully alongside grass-fed, grilled rib-eye or Porterhouse steaks. Piment d’Espelette is the French version of paprika. It’s mild and full-flavored. You can use paprika or red pepper flakes (1 tsp.) instead. A member of the nutrition-packed, cruciferous cabbage family along with Brussels sprouts and broccoli, cauliflower is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich, and may boost both heart and brain health. Eating cauliflower provides impressive amounts of vitamin C, vitamin K, beta-carotene, and much more while supporting healthy digestion and detoxification. Cauliflower has indoles (sulfur compounds) […]
February 26, 2023

7 Essential Steps to a Gluten-Free Meat-Free Diet

Studies show that people who eat vegetarian diets have lower rates of cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, kidney stones, and lower blood pressure than people who eat meat. If you take the steps to make sure you’re eating a healthy, vitamin and nutrient rich diet, eating vegetarian can be incredibly healthy. That said, combining gluten-free eating with a vegetarian diet can be hard, especially because vegetarian meals heavily rely on grains. However, with gluten-free living easier than ever before, this option is much more manageable if you follow a few simple guidelines. Read on for some handy tips […]
March 15, 2022

Plant-Based Meals Are Growing on the Table

Here in Los Angeles, with our access to plentiful produce and a pervasive interest in healthy eating, we have a long history of plant-based cuisine. In 1885, a newspaper called The Daily Alta California reported on a popular vegetarian brunch item, “Quartered alligator pears with the pulp spread on slices of grilled bread and seasoned with salt and pepper.” Today we know this delicacy as avocado toast! When Upton Sinclair published The Jungle in 1906, it highlighted the exploitation of workers and unsanitary conditions in the meat packing industry in Chicago. The novel inspired a minor craze for vegetarian restaurants […]
March 6, 2022

The Lowdown on Plant-Based Meat Substitutes

One of the hottest topics to come out of the world of food and nutrition was the broad introduction of plant-based meats, specifically patties that mimic beef burgers. Two companies, Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, are at the forefront of providing meat substitutes that really taste like ground beef. The question from a FoodTrients standpoint is: are these products more healthful than beef patties? Do they have what it takes to benefit your well-being? Who’s the Target Audience? First thing to know about these plant-based meat substitutes is that veggie burgers have been around for decades. Remember Boca® Burger and […]
January 26, 2022

Maple Herb Roasted Tofu

If you think tofu always lacks flavor, you have to give this sweet, savory, and herbaceous soy-based holiday entree a try. A simple blend of oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and tamari or soy sauce combine to create a flavorful entree that’s wholly worthy of a coveted spot on your holiday table. The added aroma from fresh, wintry herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage is just a bonus. Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike will love this comforting and festive main dish! The tofu provides plant-based protein for strength while the vinegar and tamari promote gut health. Rosemary boosts brain power. […]
February 15, 2021

Potato Kale Soup

This Balkan-inspired recipe has clean, bright flavors that go well together. Kale is an excellent source of vitamins A and C. It’s also part of the cabbage family, so it has cancer-fighting compounds. If you can’t find caraway powder, grind caraway seeds in a mortar and pestle, an electric spice grinder, or even a coffee grinder. For a milder version of this soup, omit the caraway and marjoram and season with sea salt and ground pepper. SERVES 4 Ingredients 1 peeled and cubed Idaho potato or 2 rose potatoes ½ tsp. kosher salt dissolved in 4 cups water ½ tsp. […]
February 2, 2021

Chocolate Goji Berry Smoothie Bowl

This decadently rich chocolate smoothie bowl tastes like an indulgence, but it’s actually a rich source of energy-promoting carbohydrates, plant-based protein, and healthy fats. Cacao powder is similar to cocoa powder, but has no sugar, milk, or cocoa butter in it. It is simply ground cacao pods or beans, not treated with alkali powder. Cacao nibs are a larger grind of the pod. Serve these smoothie bowls for breakfast or dessert and feel free to use your own favorite toppings! Goji berries are packed with beneficial antioxidants and anthocyanins that help protect our cells from damage, inhibit the growth of […]
January 20, 2021

Flaxseed and Squash Tortillas

  These tortillas are soft enough to wrap around fish but durable enough to hold fajitas. I spent weeks perfecting them! Everyone who tries them loves them. This recipe makes reddish-colored tortillas using red bell peppers, but for tortillas with green flecks use green bell peppers. I use golden flaxseeds because I prefer their color. Flaxseed contains fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease, and vitamin E, which protects the heart and the skin from the sun’s aging effects. The carotenoids in squash and peppers are precursors to vitamin A, which […]