Thanksgiving Stuff Yourself with Vegetable Recipes
Thanksgiving Stuff Yourself with Vegetable Recipes – Part one
People stuff themselves at Thanksgiving. So go ahead and stuff yourself, but this year stuff yourself with good organic vegetables served in a variety of different ways and tastes. Roast them, steam them, grill them, however you like. It is hard to eat too many vegetables.
Doing a variety of vegetables dishes covers food for people on paleo diets, vegans, vegetarians, Mediterranian diet, Southbeach diet, zone diet. Any diet someone is on, vegetables are always okay to eat.
This year, along with turkey and lobster, the ubiquitous mashed potatoes and gravy and gluten free stuffing with lots of chopped vegetables, mushrooms, pecans, cranberries, and, we are having:
• Asparagus soup made with a chicken or vegetable broth,
• Brussels sprouts in balsamic vinegar with apricot, raisin, and pecan garnish,
• Green beans with lemon and basil,
• Roasted thyme with Curried carrots, parsnips, turnips, and sweet potatoes,
• A multi-lettuce/spinach/arugula salad with tomatoes, avocado, sliced peppers and roasted goat cheese with a homemade wine vinagrette dressing.
• Always pumpkin pie for desert. It is one of the healthiest deserts you can eat!
At our house, we all cook. Each person picks the dish they want to make and puts their own spices and special touch and love into it. Having 10 people in the kitchen at one time breeds comradery in our kitchen. It is fun to watch how family and friends react and work together, sometimes setting up’ factory lines’ for diced onions, or chopped nuts. It is an ultra fun way to eat a fabulous healthy dinner filled with love. And the best part is you can stuff yourself and not feel awful, but will feel really good, well nourished with lots of energy.
Always, make sure your food is all organic and well washed. Organic foods contain up to 50% more nutrients than non-organic food. Why eat calories without nutrients? It doesn’t make sense. If you don’t like to take supplements, make sure the food you eat is nutritious!
Always eat different foods at least every 3rd day. This will help you avoid food allergies. Most of us get into routines of eating the same thing everyday because it is easy and we like it. When we do this we are depriving ourselves of essential vitamin and minerals. So make sure your vegetables at Thanksgiving dinner are all different kinds and colors.
When cooking this Thanksgiving dinner and always, use lots and lots of different kinds of herbs and spices. All herbs and spices are healing and have their own healing properties. The more spices and herbs we eat, the healthier we are.
I grow fresh herbs in my kitchen. They are alive, have good energy and good aroma. They make me feel good knowing they contain medicines we need to be well. To me smelling fresh herbs and using them is divine luxury. I love fresh! My basil plant is now 4 feet high! It is king of the herbs in my kitchen!
Thanksgiving Stuff Yourself with Vegetable Recipes – Part two
ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH LEMON AND PARMESAN
Servings 4-6
Asparagus has been used for its medicinal properties for approximately 2000 years. Ayruvedic medicine uses it in relationship to digestive problems. Asparagus is known to have been used in Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures as early as 3000 BC.
Nutritionally, asparagus contains a fair amount of Vitamin K, selenium, Beta carotene, Vitamin E, Vitamin B1, Vitamin C, zinc, and manganese. It also contains the antioxidant glutathione important to help us in our detoxification pathways.
When I first started studying the medicinal property of foods, asparagus was touted as a must eat for anyone with cancer. However, most studies on the anti-cancer benefits of asparagus have only been on rats and mice, or in vitro on specific cancer cells. Through the animal/cell studies, it does seem asparagus and asparagus extracts may change metabolic activity of cells because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Hence eating asparagus or asparagus extracts may allow for a healthier body. The healing nature of vegetables is well known. We tend to forget to use our foods to help us heal.
Today, China is the world’s largest producer and exporter of asparagus, followed by Peru, US, and Mexico.
Ingredients
2 bunches of asparagus
6 tablespoon of unsalted grass fed butter, Kerrygold is good
2 chopped medium onions
4 cloves of crushed garlic
6 cups of chicken broth or vegetable broth
½ plain yogurt
Salt and black pepper to taste
Juice of ½ lemon or to taste
½ cup Parmigano-Reggiano
Garnish with any fresh herbs you like, dill or basil, a little rosemary and thyme are good choices
Instructions
• Use a large pot to cook the onions, garlic, salt, pepper and a pinch of the herbs in the butter.
• While this is cooking:
• Cut the tips off the asparagus and save.
• Cut the ends off the asparagus and throw away.
• Chop the rest of the asparagus into 1 inch segments and put them in the pot with the onion mix.
• Add the broth to the pot and bring the soup to a boil.
• Simmer for 20 min
• Put the tips of the asparagus in a collander or strainer and cook them al dente in the hot broth. Around 5-10 minutes
• Puree the soup
• Add lemon juice and ¼ cup parmesan cheese, and more herbs if you like
• Serve in soup bowls with aspargus tips floating on top
• Sprinkle with remaining parmesan
• Add fresh ground black pepper (optional)
• Add a dollop of plain yogurt (optional)
Thanksgiving Stuff Yourself with Vegetable Recipes
Part three
ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS with BALSAMIC VINEGAR & HONEY
Servings 6
Brussel sprouts like asparagus and many vegetables have anti-oxidant effects and anti-inflammatory effects that are beneficial to maintain a healthy body. Vegetables usually retain the most nutrients when they are steamed al dente, so if you would rather steam the brussel sprouts in this recipe go right ahead. Vegetables are said to often times have more nutrients when steamed than when raw.
When Brussels sprouts are streamed it can help lower cholesterol more than when they are eaten raw as the sprouts bind more easily to the bile acids during this method of cooking. The outcome of this is lowered cholesterol. For any medicinal benefits you will have to eat an average of 1 ¼ cups a day!
Brussels sprouts are said to stabilize our DNA against toxic damage. There are over 100 studies on PubMed and at least half are looking at Brussels sprouts in relationship to cancer. Eating Brussels sprouts have been implicated in the prevention of: bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer.
Brussels sprouts are said to help increased detoxification, have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects in the body. The sulfur smell of Brussels sprouts is because of its support of our sulfur detoxification pathway.
Nutritionally they contain high amounts of Vitamin C, K, and folate, calcium, potassium, choline, phosphorus, and magnesium. They also contain omega-3 fatty acids. One and ½ cups have approximately 500 mg of ALA an omega 3 fatty acid. That is approximately1/2 the amount of omega-3 fatty acid in 1 tsp of flaxseed.
The first mention of Brussels sprouts has been traced to the late 16th century and were named after their native habitat of Brussels Belgium. They remained local to Brussels until their use spread across Europe during World War I. Currently, Brussels sprouts are grown throughout Europe, and only in California in the United States.
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts cleaned and halved or quartered
6 tablespoons olive oil, grapeseed, or macademia nut oil
6 tablespoons aged balsalmic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 cup chopped apricots
1/3 cup large raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
• Butter and oil a baking sheet preferably with sides
• Mix everything together in a bowl and spread on a baking sheet
• Bake 20 min at 425 degrees.
Thanksgiving Stuff Yourself with Vegetable Recipes
Part four
GREEN BEANS ALMONDINE
Servings 6
Green beans like Brussels sprouts and asparagus contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, being high in Vitamin K, manganese, vitamn C, vitamin B’s, and thiamine.
Green beans have a greater antioxidant capacity than pea and bean families. Their antioxidant support is important in protecting us from the ravages of high cholesterol and other fats. The outside of the green bean gives us more cardiovascular protection than the inner beans found inside.
There is no excuse for not preparing green beans. The healthiest way to cook green beans and most vegetables to bring out the most nutrients, is to steam them for 5 minutes only. You can have a nutritious meal of green beans prepared in no time. Green beans should never be overcooked or soggy. Three aspects come into play when steaming beans: minimal duration of cooking, amount of heat used, extent of food surface contact with hot liquids during cooking. Put 2 inches of water in a steamer pot. Boil the water. Prior to cooking, the beans should be washed with the very tips cut off.
The amount of Omega-3 fatty acid ALA (alpha linolenic acid) per number of calories is almost the same as walnuts. There is 1 mg ALA per 4 calories of beans vs 1.4 mg ALA per 4 calories of walnuts. A good reason to snack on cold slightly steamed green beans.
The very good fiber content and the strong anti-inflammatory effects of green beans, as with other vegetables, may help prevent type 2 diabetes. If your sugar and HbA1C is rising, eat more vegetables, especially green beans.
Green beans and all beans are thought to originate from one common ‘bean’ ancestor found in Peru. Beans were spread to South and Central America, and Europe by Spanish and Portuguese traders.
Today the largest producers of green beans are Argentina, China, Egypt, France Indonesia, India, Iraq, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, and United States.
Ingredients
1 pound fresh trimmed green beans
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup of hot water
1/3 cup of slivered almonds
2 tsp of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
• Lightly toast almonds in a large skillet
• Add butter, lemon juice, salt, pepper and stir well
• In a separate pot bring water to a boil
• Steam green beans 5 min or until slightly tender
• Toss everything together and serve
Optional Ingredients 1-2 tablespoons added
• Goat cheese
• 4-5 drops of soy sauce
• Dried tomatoes chopped
• Roasted red bell peppers
• Chopped basil
• Chopped dill
Thanksgiving Stuff Yourself with Vegetable Recipes
Part five
CURRIED THYME SWEET POTATOES, CARROTS, PARSNIPS
Servings 8
There are good nutrients to be had in all these vegetables so eat as many as you like. Beware, they will fill you up fast. The highest amount of Vitamin A is found in sweet potatoes with carrots coming in second. Combine these vegetables with thyme, cinnamon, and curry for a hint of sweet but savory flavor. Serve hot on cold winters days or cold in the heat of the summer.
Parsnips are a root vegetable and they look like giant carrots. There is an ‘old wives tale’ that eating parsnips could relieve a toothache or tired feet. Besides helping you to maintain a normal cholesterol and avoid type II diabetes, parsnips are said to prevent depression and birth defects in infants! It has a high amount of potassium good for the heart and vasculature and is said to reduce homocysteine levels in the blood because of its nutritional value.
Parsnips were used as a substitute for sugar before cane sugar came to Europe. It has the most sugar content just after ripening. ‘Neeps and tatties’ (parsnips and potatoes) is one of the most common dishes in Scotland and throughout Europe.
Parsnips originate in ancient times in Europe and Asia hence being such a common dish today. Eat them cold like a carrot for a snack instead of potato chips or junk food.
Sweet potatoes and carrots have the highest amount of beta-carotene than any other vegetables. To significantly increase the uptake of vitamins from sweet potatoes, always add a good fat to it when cooking!
Sweet potatoes can be orange or purple inside.
Ingredients
1 pound sweet potatoes, carrots (multicolored if you can find them), parsnips, and turnips
1/3 cup thyme and 6 sprigs of thyme for garnish
6 tbls coconut oil
2 tsp Urban Accent Curry Row
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp herbs de provence
4 large cloves of garlic minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Turnips (optional)
Instructions
• Heat oven to 450 degrees
• Cut all vegetables into 1 ½ inch cubes
• Put all ingredients into a large bowl and toss until coated
• Spread contents on a greased baking sheet
• Place on top rack of oven until browned about 40 min
• Serve warm or room temperature
• Garnish with thyme