best black bean burgers

Leave a comment April 6, 2021 nourishinggrace

Where love is there is Christ – Love. And where humility exists, the Grace of God takes up permanent residence, God reigns and the earth is ultimately transformed into Paradise.
Saint Paisios the Athonite

I’m just guessing that right about now you may be looking for mew Lenten recipes. This is usually when I am. And if you are, these Black Bean Burgers are for you! Normally I am not a fan of making a vegan version of dinners that should be meat… over the years my kids have always balked, but not with these. They are simple, tasty and got a thumbs up from 3 our of 3 of my kids.

almond shortbread {fast friendly}

Leave a comment February 1, 2020 nourishinggrace

“Today is the day of salvation and we must never put off prayer for another time. Every moment is the moment to turn to the Lord, to thank the Lord for all His innumerable benefits, to beseech aid from on high, to repent and ask forgiveness, and to ask His blessings. The most essential part of prayer is the inner turning of the heart to the Lord.”
Acquiring the Mind of Christ : Embracing the Vision of the Orthodox Church

These vegan almond shortbread cookies are so easy to make and taste delicious. Because there are no eggs the kiddos can eat all the dough they’d like!! These cookies are

“Orthodox Fast friendly”

“Paleo”

“Low carb“

“grain-free“

These are so easy to make – basically fool proof. The recipe doubles or triples very nicely. I let them cook till they are just a slight golden brown and not super soft to the touch. They will crumble a little easier than other cookies so that really ensures that they are set up nicely. Before you start gathering your ingredients go ahead and preheat your oven to 350F.

Vegan Almond Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups Blanched almond flour
2-1/2 tablespoons monkfruit sweetener (preferable), coconut sugar or regular sugar
6 tablespoons melted coconut oil
3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips :: I used Lilly sugar free semi-sweet chocolate chips. They are sweetened with Stevia

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Using a large melon baller scoop cookie dough and form into a ball. Lay each cookie dough ball on parchment lined cookies sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake cookies in preheated oven about 15-17 minutes checking to make sure they do not over brown. Even if they are a little soft when you take them out they will firm up once they cool. Enjoy with a good book and a cup of coffee!

lenten quinoa cakes

Leave a comment December 14, 2017 nourishinggrace

seek Him with your whole heart (Jer 29:13)

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The Lord seeks a heart filled to overflowing with love for God and our neighbour; this is the throne on which He loves to sit and on which He appears in the fullness of His heavenly glory. ‘Son, give Me thy heart,’ He says, ‘and all the rest I Myself will add to thee (Prov. 23:26; Matt. 6:33),’ for in the human heart the Kingdom of God can be contained. The Lord commanded His disciples: Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things (Mat. 6:32,33).

Saint Seraphim of Sarov

Lenten Quinoa Cakes with Zucchini and Hummus

This recipe is adapted from a family favorite at Le Pain Quotidien cafe. The quinoa is a good source of protein during the fasting periods of the Liturgical year. Combined with whole wheat bread and hummus and you have all the amino acids, which means it is also a complete protein, and that is important to your health.

These cakes are kind like a burger served over hummus and topped with fresh avocado

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 fresh raw zucchini grated (can be any color – we used green)
1 small white onion, minced
1 cup chickpeas, cooked and mashed coarsely (we use a potato masher)
2 cups cooked quinoa (rinse your quinoa before cooking – quinoa can actually be bitter and rinsing it has the effect to remove that bitter quality)
1 tablespoon each resh oregano and thyme
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 cup marinara sauce for garnish (we use Victoria brand from Costco)
fresh avocado for garnish
fresh hummus

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix all ingredients except hummus, marinara sauce, olive oil, and avocado in a bowl and mix to incorporate well.

Press the quinoa mixture into a loaf pan Really press it together because you want it to adhere to itself, since we will slice it and sautee it in a pan to finish it off.

Place in oven and cook for 45 minutes. It should be fragrant when it is done.

Once it is cooked you can either place in the refrigerator to use the next day or carefully slice pieces of the quinoa loaf and place on a heated seasoned cast iron skillet with olive oil. Cook on both sides until brown.

Serve over hummus and top with a few spoons of marinara sauce and avocado.

Goes great with a fresh green salad!

Enjoy and may your fasting be blessed.

kitcheri

Leave a comment November 16, 2017 nourishinggrace

With prayer and fasting in the Lenten spring, the Christian clears the self’s soil of stony sin and makes rooms within for the birth within of the pierced heart and bleeding flesh of Jesus. “A new heart I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26) Our love and labor along with God’s grace can make even the poorest stony soil grow round red beets, sweet hearts of flesh. Vigen Guroian – Inheriting Paradise : Meditations on Gardening

Healing foods : tonight I am making my family an Indian dish called Kitchari – pronounced kitch-r-ree. It is fast friendly, and aside from that it is an alkalizing nutrient rich meal which is so easy to digest and brings balance to the body. It is very good for anyone suffering intestinal discomfort. It is traditionally vegetarian, but one can use chicken or bone broth instead of vegetable broth.
KITCHARI

1 cup basmati rice – rinsed
1 cup mung bean dal (split yellow) 6 cups fresh organic spinach
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon Celtic sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 inch piece fresh peeled minced ginger
4-6 cups water, vegetable broth or homemade bone broth
3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil
1 can coconut milk

Preparation
Soak Mung Dal overnight. This makes them easier to digest. .
Place ghee and seeds in large skillet over medium heat. Once seeds start to pop and are fragrant add remaining spices and ginger.
Add rice and beans stirring to coat. Do this quickly to avoid burning. .
Add liquid (bone broth, veggie stock and/or water)

Bring to a boil and lower heat. Co we with lid and cook for 45-60 minutes. .
Add spinach and coconut milk. .
Stir to wilt spinach. Add salt and stir. .
This recipe makes 4-6 servings.
The lentil and rice combination makes for a complete protein. It stabilizes blood sugar and helps the body detoxify. It is so easy to digest that it soothes the intestinal wall.

vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream

Leave a comment December 2, 2016 nourishinggrace

The soul should be filled with such insatiable love of God that the mind in all its strength dwells continually in God, captive only to Him. ~ Saint Silouan the Athonite

This vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream, is absolutely delicious and has become a new favorite. The base has just four simple ingredients and requires no cooking. It can be used with any number of different flavors to create any ice cream combination.

You will need an ice cream maker for this recipe and a food processor. You will want to make sure that your ice cream bowl has been frozen according to the manufacturers instructions so that it is cold enough to make this into ice cream.

Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Ice Cream Base

1 can coconut milk (don’t get coconut cream and look for a brand that has only coconut and water) I like Native Forest brand and Natural Value
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup water

For Flavoring

2 teaspoons natural mint extract – I use Flavorganics brand : but if you are using a different brand, use one teaspoon and taste before adding more.
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
2 teaspoons coconut oil

Place cashews and water into a food processor and process on high for 5 minutes or until mixture is very very smooth. The goal is to get rid of all the cashew chunks. Depending on your food processor, it may take longer.

Add coconut milk and sugar to the food processor and process on high for another few minutes to totally incorporate. This should be really creamy.

Pour mixture into a bowl or jar and place in the refrigerator for about an hour.

While this is chilling, add two teaspoons coconut oil into a saucepan over low heat. Let it melt to coat the bottom of the pan and then add the chocolate chips. This avoids the chance that your chocolate will seize or get stuck onto the bottom of your pan. Stir to incorporate as it melts. Using the coconut oil allows this to still be bitable once its s frozen. We’ve tried just adding straight chocolate to ice cream. Good luck trying to chew it without breaking your teeth.

This chocolate sauce can also double as a homemade “magic shell” for your ice cream toppings.

Let the chocolate sauce sit on the counter until ready to use.

Prepare the ice cream

Once the mixture in the refrigerator is completely cooled, pour it into the ice cream maker and begin to churn. Add the peppermint.

When it is very thick and almost finished, start to drizzle in the chocolate sauce. It will harden almost immediately but since it is stirring it gets incorporated throughout the ice cream.

This recipe makes enough ice cream for our whole family. Double it if you want leftovers… Delicious!

simplest tomato salad

Leave a comment July 18, 2016 nourishinggrace

Our first and most important spiritual task is to claim God’s unconditional love for ourselves. To remember who we truly are in the memory of God. Whether we feel it or not, whether we comprehend it or not, we can have spiritual knowledge in the heart— a deep assurance that passes understanding— that we are God’s beloved.

Henri Nouwen

It’s the ripe, plump tomatoes which blanket the farmer’s markets and neighbors gardens that make this simplest tomato salad so delectable. No need to fancy it up – the salt really brings out the savory sweet juicy flavors of the tomatoes. It’s a family favorite during the summer.

Ingredients

5-6 ripe in season tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and serve. Dinner can be that simple…

crunchy bean salad

Leave a comment July 7, 2016 nourishinggrace

“Water falls from heaven as rain, and while it is always the same in itself, it produces many different effects, one in the palm tree, another in the vine, and so on, throughout the whole of creation. It does not descend, now as one thing, now as another, but while remaining essentially the same, it adapts to the needs of every creature that receives it. In the same way the Holy Spirit, whose nature is always the same, simple and indivisible, apportions grace to each person as He wills. Like a dry tree which puts forth shoots when watered, the soul brings forth the fruit of holiness when repentance makes it worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit. Although the Spirit never changes, the effects of His action, by the will of God and in the name of Christ, are both many and marvelous.” Saint Cyril of Jerusalem

It’s “bean” a while since writing on the blog. This past year beckoned reprioritizing – faith, family, homeschool and also really to focus on completing my Master’s Degree. No, I am not done, but almost! Yay!

We’ve also been battling Lyme disease in this home and I tell you, it is formidable – and affects everyone different! Lord have mercy. It really turned our lives upside down. However, all signs are that my loved one is almost done with treatment and that is a tremendous blessing.

In many ways, the year of Lyme Disease has been a blessing too… just in it’s very own way.

That aside, it’s also “bean” a long time since I have made a bean salad, but since the farmer’s market this week was so plentiful with green beans – I brought home a whole bunch!

This salad is a riff on that old picnic favorite the “three bean salad”. What I like so much about this is that the beans are green and crunchy, unlike the one I remember from my youth with watery faded green canned beans. You could easily make this with wax beans or a combination of string beans too.

Crunch Green Bean Salad

Ingredients:

3/4 pound of beans – washed and trimmed
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup finely sliced red onion
1 Tbspn extra virgin olive oil (currently we are using a local favorite, Spartan’s for our salads – it is very tasty and comes in a cute reusable ceramic bottle. Refills come in a convenient pouch)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or pecans
1 finely chopped red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

For the preparation, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the trimmed and cut green beans. You only need to cook them for 3-5 minutes or less. Test them to make sure they are still crunchy and retain that bright green color. Once done, immediately place them into a bowl of cold water. This will stop the cooking process.

Drain the beans in a collander and put them into your salad bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and toss well. Salt and pepper to taste.

You can make this the day before, the flavors just get better and better over night! Great for a picnic and for any summertime meal!

warm spiced fall apple cider

1 Comment November 2, 2015 nourishinggrace

“Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, we ascend to the kingdom of heaven, and are reinstated as adopted children. Thanks to the Spirit we obtain the right to call God our Father, we become sharers in the grace of Christ, we are called children of light, and we share in everlasting glory”.

St. Basil the Great

Around this time in Virginia, apple cider turns up in all the stores and farmer’s markets. This warm apple cider is a great way to enjoy this crisp apple beverage. It is inspired from one of our favorite restaurants, Le Pain Quotidien, which also offers it at various times throughout the year.

Warm Spiced Fall Apple Cider

5 cups apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
5 cloves
5 cardamom pods

Place all ingredients in small pot. Bring to a simmer.

Remove from heat. Let sit for ten minutes. Pour into mugs and enjoy.

Alternatively, you can double or triple the ingredients and place in a crock pot on low and drink it throughout the day.

massaged kale salad

Leave a comment May 14, 2015 nourishinggrace

This Massaged Kale Salad is one of my favorites, especially when there are fresh strawberries in season at the market. Fresh picked strawberries are a sweet addition to the earthy kale and the citrus dressing. Kale is a superfood that deserves room on every plate. Most recipes for massaged kale salads call for green apples or other fruit, but I think the strawberries are the best. Massaging the kale in an olive oil, lemon and salt dressing has the effect of cooking the kale. The lemon also makes the iron content in the kale far more bioavailable (that means you absorb more!).

I hope you enjoy this kale salad!

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Massaged Kale Salad with Farm Fresh Strawberries

1 bunch fresh kale, washed
1-1/2 cups fresh organic strawberries (from the farmer’s market is the best)
2 tablespoons olive oil (expeller pressed)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup minced red onion
fresh juice of 1/2 lemon
optional : 1/2 cucumber, cut into small cubes
optional : 1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds, slivered almonds or pine nuts
optional: 3 teaspoons fresh oregano or marjoram finely chopped

Gather your ingredients.

Stem and chop the kale. Place in large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

Massage kale gently with your hands for five to ten minutes.

Toss with the strawberries, onion and other optional ingredients (if using).

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Enjoy!

kale – wonderful kale!

1 Comment April 22, 2015 nourishinggrace

Move over Popeye… kale is precisely what this nutritionist means when she says, “Eat your greens with reckless abandon.” It is wise to include kale as one of your crucifeorus vegetables of choice on a daily basis.

To start with, kale is a remarkable and ancient superfood, that has gotten somewhat of a trendy reputation in recent years. Maybe you have even noticed kale chips at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. A delicious snack, only made better if you venture to make your own.

What you might not know is that kale has nourished people, well, forever really. Kale is an offspring of wild cabbage. Ancient Greeks and Romans are known to have grown kale. Even ancient Egyptians recognized kale as a nutritional superfood – considering that they lined the tombs of pharaohs with elaborate gold and silver carvings of woven kale garlands.

Scientists know that kale has been under cultivation for more than 6,000 years, as there are remants of fossilized kale found in ancient containers from the Shensi Province of China dating back to 4,000 BC.

Roaming Celts evidently brought kale from Asia to Europe as long ago as 600 BC, and because of it’s easy cultivation, resilience and cold-tolerance, kale proliferated and sustained nourishment for people throughout the European continent. It’s easy germination and fast growth is one of the reasons early European settlers brought this nutrient rich leafy green with them to North America.

All of our farmer’s markets bring in an abundance of kale. If you are a gardener, then you know the simplicity of growing kale. In fact it may be one of the easiest vegetables to grow organically. Whether you are a seasoned gardener or new to the possibilities, growing your own kale is a cinch. It’s delicious straight from the garden, and grows well in warm and cold climates. In fact, a little freezing weather only tends to sweeten the kale leaves!

Check out these great resources on growing your own kale – from GentleWorld, Harvest To Table, and Mother Earth News.

Still not sure whether kale is for you? Try the young tender shoots in a salad. They are sweet, nutrient dense and delicious.

There are many varieties of kale from Lacinato, Dino Kale, Red Russian Kale, Tuscan Kale and many more.

Kale has stood the test of time, and deserves a spot on your plate and in your garden. Build a habit of eating more green vegetables, the greener the better!

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Health Benefits of Kale

Aids in Detoxification : Cruciferous vegetables like kale contain large amounts of health promoting sulfur compounds, such as sulforaphane and isothiocyanate and these increase your liver’s ability to produce enzymes that neutralize toxic compounds and substances.

Rich in Phytonutrient Antioxidants : Phytonutrients are biologically active plant substances that are vital to health. Kale is the most concentrated source of lutein and zeaxanthin, which are carotenoids that protect the lens of the eye. They act like sunglasses and protect the eyes from ultraviolet damage and are protective against cataracts. Studies have shown that people who eat foods, like kale, rich in lutein have a 50% lower risk of developing new cataracts.

Can Reduce Natural Cognitive Aging : Green vegetables like kale, spinach and collards can help your thinking! In experiments, older rats given a diet high in such greens improved learning and motor skill capacity.

Repair Damaged DNA : Cruciferous Vegetables such as kale and cabbages contain many vitamins and a chemical called “indole-3-carbinol” which repairs damaged DNA. One of the reasons is that phytochemicals activate glutathione, and glutathione is critical to cell survival and repair. Glutathione is a potent detoxifier and our mitochondria (which are what provide us energy) depend on glutathione for their well being.

Protection Against Cancer : Brassica vegetables offer protection against cancer. The organosulfur phytonutrient compounds in kale, including glucosinolates and methylcysteine sulfoxides activate detoxification enzymes in the liver which may help neutralize carcinogenic substances. This helps clear them from the body more quickly.

Kale is Anti-Inflammatory One cup of kale has 10% of omega-3’s, which are anti-inflammatory, reducing swelling, arthritis pain and anti-inflammatory issues.

Concentrated Source of Many Nutrients : At only 36 calories per serving. Kale contains an entire spectrum of health promoting minerals, vitamins and nutrients,

Rich in manganese and copper – which are free radical scavengers

Good source of dietary fiber, vitamin E, vitamin B6 folic acid, and potassium.

Contains calcium and magnesium – vital for strong bones, as well as phosphorus, iron, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and niacin.

Kale is rich in vitamin A which coupled with beta-carotein is supportive of optimal vision and eye health.

High in Vitamin C : Vitamin C is a water soluble antioxidant which is extremely protective against free-radicals and oxidation (including to DNA and cholesterol). Vitamin C also helps maintain a strong immune system.

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What is the best way to eat kale? Any way you like, but here is a great recipe for steamed kale…

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Steamed Kale

1 pound fresh kale, washed
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Separate kale leaves from stems and slice the leaves into 1 inch pieces. Don’t throw away the stems, cut them into 1/2 inch pieces. Let sit for 5 minutes. According the the World’s Healthiest Foods, cutting the kale and letting it rest five minutes breaks down the cell walls and enhances the activates enzymes that slowly convert the plant enzymes to a more active form.

Add two to three inches of water to bottom of steamer. Bring to boil. Stems kale for five minutes max – to preserve phytonutrients..

Place steamed kale in bowl and add lemon, garlic and olive oil. Toss. Salt and pepper to taste.

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More Kale Recipes

Smitten Kitchen has a potato scallion and kale cake that is fantastic. Poach an egg and have it for breakfast! Kale is also versatile in many salads such as roasted cauliflower and kale salad or kale salad with avocado and almonds. Trying it in a soup is an easy way to slip any vegetable in your diet.

Truly, though, one of our favorite ways to enjoy this vegetable are homemade kale chips. My kids love it, and I think yours will too!

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Homemade Kale Chips

1 pound fresh kale, washed and leaves removed from the stem (save the stems for smoothies) Cut or tear leaves into dorito sized pieces.

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon olive oil

pinch of salt

Massage kale leaves and olive oil. Add salt and nutritional yeast. Toss again until leaves are fully coated. Place leaves in a layer on one or two cookie sheets. Place cookie sheets into a 150 degree oven. Use convection if you have it. Let bake until they are dried out.

If you have a dehydrator, you may also use that.

Enjoy!!

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The possibilities for eating kale are endless. Think your kids won’t like them? Chop small and add it to meatloaf! Throw it in a smoothie with a green apple, four ice cubes, a teaspoon of lemon juice, banana and a tablespoon of coconut oil.

But still, I have to say, the most tried, tested a true way I know to get my kids excited about veggies is for them to help plant and grow it – on a windowsill, back porch in pots or in the garden proper.

Whatever you do, make room on your plate for this awesome vegetable.