Power Packed Adzuki Burgers

I have become obsessed with adzuki beans. I bought some for the first time a year ago, and am always looking for ways to incorporate them into meals. Adzuki beans keep their texture when cooked, and have a nutty, sweet tasting flavor. They are very popular in Asian cuisine and are used for medicinal properties, dating back 4000 years ago.

The adzuki bean is thought to have originated in East Asia around 1046 BC (Source). In Asian cuisine, the bean is often boiled in sugar to make a sweet paste, is used as filling in dim sum, and also ground to flour for use in sweet breads.

Benefits of Adzuki Beans:

• Strengthen Kidneys
• Lower Cholesterol
• Promote Bowel Movements
• Treat Urinary or Bladder Ailments
• Possibly combat breast cancer
• High in Iron, Folic Acid, Manganese, Potassium, Magnesium, and Zinc
• Low in calories with high Protein and Fiber content

These little beans pack a lot of nutrition and are a great source to add to your diet. For little ones, feed them whole and unseasoned. They were one of the first foods (after fruit and veggies) that Nya began eating, and make a great "clean" snack for on the go. They can also be used in a variety of recipes ranging from Asian to Mexican dishes.

Along with some other ingredients, these adzuki beans created an unbelievable "meaty" burger that was extremely filling, held its own (no crumble or falling apart), and was enjoyed by the entire family (vegan and omni alike!). This recipe is extremely simple to make, and like the Qunioa Cake Stackers and Chickpea Quinoa, can be reused to create more than one meal; a real time saver!

Tomato, Spinach, and avocado with this power packed adzuki burger on a homemade bun

Other Meal Ideas:

• No meat meat balls for "meatball" sandwiches or pasta

• No meat crumble for pasta dishes (use it in this clean eating lasagna)

• Top it as a crumble on salads

• Add taco seasoning and use for Mexican dishes

• Add a can of tomatoes and serve on a baked potato with avocado

What you need:

1/2 cup Adzuki Beans, uncooked

*1/2 cup red lentils, uncooked

*1/4 cup yellow split peas, uncooked

*1/4 cup green split peas, uncooked

2 cups fresh spinach

1/4 cup black rice (can use brown)

8 cloves pressed garlic

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground mustard

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked

4 cups Veggie Stock (water will work)

Juice of 1 lemon

Sea salt and pepper to taste

* Interchangeable. For most nutritional benefits, use the recipe as listed, but if you are out of one or two of these, sub what you have to equal 1 cup total. 

What you do:

1. Combine everything except the lemon juice, salt and pepper, and quinoa into a pressure cooker and cook on high for 20 minutes. (You can also use a slow cooker).

2. Add the uncooked quinoa into the pot once it has finished cooking, and allow the heat to cook the quinoa (about 30 minutes until most liquid is absorbed).

3. Transfer to a bowl and add lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and allow to cool slightly. Form patties and cook on the grill until crispy on each side (about 3 - 4 minutes each side), or bake in the oven at 375 for roughly 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Makes 10 thick burgers.

Important Notes:

You want to form and cook these patties fairly quickly once they are cool enough to handle. The longer the mixture sits out, the more dry it becomes and it will break apart and crumble. If this is the case, add a bit of veggie stock to help moisten them.

If you don't have the time for step 2, add the quinoa in step one. You may need to add a bit more liquid when it has finished cooking. The final mixture should resemble a mold-able patty that is not overly sticky.

They do freeze well so feel free to double the recipe to get more out of it!

Click here for the homemade bun Recipe!

Enjoy!

Served with Baked Potato "Fries" and spicy grilled corn on the cob

To connect with others in this crazy journey called life, discover new parenting ideas and fun DIY projects, learn about holistic remedies, and find whole food plant based recipes, please visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.

One Pot Spicy Lentil Ragu

I just tried this out for the first time a few weeks ago, and my husband has requested it twice since then. I was a little skeptical about it, but I too, along with Jamie and our daughter, fell in love with this simple and healthy one pot dish.

Aside from the pasta, this spicy lentil ragu dish only cost $5 to make. So not only is it easy, delicious, and good for you, it's good for your wallet too!

This spicy lentil ragu recipe makes a lot, which you can either freeze, mix in with other meals, or simply cut in half. 

Ideas for other meals include:

• Add it to a tortilla with avocado and potato for a yummy breakfast burrito

• Mash it, add a flax egg and flour (almond, oat, etc.) and create no lentil balls or lentil patties

• Top over rice or quinoa

• Mix with other beans (black is our favorite here) and enjoy a lentil/bean salad

• Stuff in a bell pepper and bake

• Use in a collard or lettuce wrap

What you need:

1/4 cup water or veggie broth

1 large onion, finely chopped

10 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed

4 medium carrots, finely chopped

4 cans or fire roasted tomatoes (or 6 large fresh tomatoes, chopped)

2 Tbsp Dried Oregano

1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Sea Salt to taste

3 cups Water

2 cups brown or green lentils, rinsed and uncooked

Nutritional Yeast (optional)

16 ounces pasta of choice

What you do:

1. In a large pot, heat the 1/4 cup water or veggie broth, and add onion, garlic, and carrots. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft, about 25 minutes.

2. Add lentils, water, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes, and cook an additional 35 minutes, until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Cook pasta according to instructions. Reserve half of the lentil ragu for other meals, or freeze immediately. Add remaining lentil ragu to the pasta and top with nutritional yeast.

* You can mix all together, or, scoop individually servings so everyone enjoys the amount of ragu on their pasta that they wish!

Enjoy!

To connect with others in this crazy journey called life, discover new parenting ideas and fun DIY projects, learn about holistic remedies, and find whole food plant based recipes, please visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.

Dear Mom - Happy Mother's Day!

Dear Mom,

For everything I am, I owe to you.

You have provided me with common sense, an open mind, a compassionate heart, and relentless determination. Your gentle approach to being "mom", has given me immense strength and courage, because you allowed me to find my own path in this world, instead of forcing me to follow yours. Your example has guided me to hone in on my own inner strength and tune in to my gut instincts, allowing me to determine right from wrong, regardless of what society deems "acceptable".

You've always provided me with unconditional love, tremendous patience, and unwavering trust. You've never disregarded my feelings, no matter how irrational or over the top. My ideas, thoughts, and feelings were all valid and important. You trusted me to make my own decisions and in turn, develop confidence and trust within myself. The impact of these small acts have shaped the person I am today and the mother that I have become, and I couldn't have asked for a better teacher in this life.

You never pushed your values or beliefs onto me. 

You didn't tell me what to do or be; you allowed my own creativity to shine through.

You didn't force me to believe the same religion as you; you allowed me to explore all and develop my own beliefs.

You didn't tell me which political party to follow because it was your "party affiliate"; you allowed me to find my own voice.

You didn't force me to eat meat at 4 because the entire family did; you allowed me to be vegetarian and honored my love for all living beings.

You didn't yell at me when I made mistakes; you allowed me to fix, learn, and grow from them.

You didn't solve my problems; you allowed me to work through them myself.

You didn't teach me to play the game because it's "easier"; you taught me how to stand up on my own two feet and be strong in times of difficulty.

I will forever remember the life lessons you have taught me, and the memories you have built along the way. You are my hero, and I couldn't be more thankful to have you as my mother. 

My wedding day...October 2009. Always by my side!

To connect with others in this crazy journey called life, discover new parenting ideas and fun DIY projects, learn about holistic remedies, and find whole food plant based recipes, please visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.

Clean Eating Lasanga

This may be my favorite meal...ever. Pasta dishes, especially lasagna, have been shoved in the category of "foods to stay away from", "bad carbs", "Avoid if you want to lose weight", "inflammatory", and "unhealthy". 

This is the farthest thing from the truth. You can enjoy all of your favorite foods, and they do not need to be "indulgences". The trick is learning how to recreate meals using whole food ingredients that have not been chemically altered (or full of pesticides!). 

I have created countless lasagna recipes over the years, constantly tweaking them to develop a healthier version that doesn't sacrifice taste. 

After giving up dairy over two years ago, I was sure my lasagna days were over. How on earth could you possibly recreate the creamy, cheesy goodness of lasagna without the cheese? And there was no way I was about to use the fake stuff. It just didn't seem possible.

Until I actually gave it a try....

When Nya was 5 months old, I decided to play around with my cashew cheese sauces and see what I could come up with. The very first attempt was an amazing success. I had done it! I actually made lasagna without any dairy, and it tasted exactly like the real thing...only better!

I make this Clean Eating Lasagna a little different each time, based on the ingredients I have on hand. You can always skip the kale in the "ricotta cheese" or use spinach instead. Also, don't be afraid to mix up your veggies and add in your family's favorites (or those that seem to be lacking in the diet). 

What you need:

1 large or two small zucchini, thinly sliced rounds (a mandolin comes in handy here!) 

1 medium eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

About 35 ounces (1.5 jars) marinara sauce (I use this one)

1 package organic no boil lasagna noodles (important if using wheat to get noodles that are organic and/or non-GMO)

"Ricotta Cheese"

1.5 packages (about 20 ounces) organic, non-GMO tofu

1 cup raw cashews

1 cup kale leaves, loosely packed (sub spinach, combination of both, or skip entirely)

15 cloves garlic (yes, you need them!)

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (ok to skip)

1/2 cup Fresh Basil (ok to skip)

1 tsp Sea Salt

1.5 - 2 cups Water 

Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender until smooth. Use enough water so that it has the consistency of uncooked cake batter.

What you do:

1. In a 13x9 pan, add just enough sauce to cover a thin layer on the bottom of the pan (1 - 2 Tbsp). 

2. Layer your lasagna noodles to cover the bottom. Cover with 1/2 of the ricotta mixture. Layer sliced eggplant over ricotta. Layer zucchini to cover the eggplant. Layer 1 cup of the chopped spinach over the zucchini. Top with 1/3 of the marinara sauce.

3. Repeat step 2, making sure to reserve 1/4 cup (does not need to be exact) of ricotta mixture.

4. Layer lasagna noodles and completely cover with remaining sauce. Next add the remaining ricotta cheese. 

5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 325 for 1.5 hours.

Enjoy!

My husband and daughter both love this and it is a regular on the menu in our house. This is one of those meals you will want to make when you are in the mood for comfort food. But be prepared, it won't leave you feeling sluggish, bloated, and ready for a nap. It's actually good for you!

To connect with others in this crazy journey called life, discover new parenting ideas and fun DIY projects, learn about holistic remedies, and find whole food plant based recipes, please visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.

Birth Plans - What, Why, and How

In my previous blog, Decisions to Consider When Preparing for Hospital Births, I discussed all of the many decisions that will be made for you unless you voice otherwise. Educate yourself as much as possible so you are prepared to have the birth that you wish for. It's your birth, your body, and your baby, and the decisions you make will set the stage for your recovery, as well as the start of your baby's new life into this world.

What is a Birth Plan?

A birth plan is a written document that expresses your preferences for labor and delivery to your medical team. It helps refresh your provider's memory during labor, and informs any new medical staff of your wishes. 

Labor changes for everyone, and the unexpected often arises, but having a plan outlined is a great way for your needs to be expressed and followed (so long as there are not emergencies). 

Why is a Birth Plan Important?

Creating a Birth Plan allows you to take control and be in charge of the birth you want. It clearly communicates your wishes with hospital staff. However, do keep in mind that births can be unpredictable, and intervention may be necessary in emergency situations.

Writing Your Birth Plan

• Keep it short, simple, and to the point

• List only what's most important to you.

• Keep it positive. Try to avoid the words and phrases that include "no" or "don't". Find the positive side of what you want and say it that way. 

• Make it relevant. No need to list wishes the hospital already accommodates, and the nurses don't need to know that you wish to labor at home for as long as possible.

• Choose your battles. You can refuse any intervention when it's offered - Just ask for a waiver.

• Make it easy to read. Avoid using small fonts or handwriting. Use bullet points and leave some blank space. Print it on colored paper to distinguish it from the white papers in your file.

• Personalize it. Attach a snapshot of you and your partner to the birth plan to identify who provided the food basket.

• Say it with food. Providing a basket of healthy snacks will be appreciated by nurses working long hours. Your birth preferences, with photo attached, will be read by every nurse at the station when presented with a small basket or gift bag of healthy snacks. Bring an additional basket for the postpartum nurses too!

• Solicit their help. Most doctors and nurses go into the health profession because they want to help. However, because they are in the medical profession, many of them have never seen a natural (unmediated) birth, and they truly believe that the epidural, episiotomy, I.V., catheter, internal fetal monitoring, etc. are all"helpful". Asking for their help in avoiding such interventions gives them a different perspective.

Here is a sample birth plan you may use and amend to fit your needs. Even if you have a scheduled cesarean, you may still want a birth plan to discuss decisions such as cord clamping. No matter your situation, remember this is your birth, your baby, and your body, and you have say over the decisions made.

To connect with others in this crazy journey of life, discover new parenting ideas & fun DIY projects, learn about holistic remedies, & find whole food plant based recipes, please visit our Facebook page Loving Green at Loving Green FB.