Whole Foods Recipes - Getting Started
From my article on January 23, I shared a few meal suggestions to explore eating whole foods. When we eat foods from the earth, we are giving our bodies natural nourishment, full of macro- and micro-nutrients, all of which contribute to the complex functions of life within us. At the end of the article, you will find the breakdown of all the health benefits for each food featured here.
I hope you’ll play with whole food cooking on your own! Your body and health will thank you!! To get started, here are some of the recipes for the meals I shared previously.
DELECTABLE BREAKFAST – makes 1 serving – 10-minute recipe
Ingredients:
1-2 free range hen eggs 3/4 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) Salt/pepper to taste Pinch of dried or freshly chopped organic parsley 1 cup rinsed and torn organic spring greens or red leaf lettuce 1/2 tbsp Bragg’s Organic apple cider vinaigrette
1/2 cup rinsed organic blueberries 1 rinsed organic pear
Hardware:
8-inch small sauté pan (ceramic non-stick preferred) Soft spatula Cutting board Paring knife
Preparation:
1. Add 3/4 tsp EVOO to small sauté pan and heat pan over medium-high heat. When the oil breaks into smaller droplets, it is hot! 2. Crack egg(s) into sauté pan. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to your preferred taste (minimal salt is best). Allow to cook until egg whites are opaque. 3. Flip eggs using soft spatula and then sprinkle on parsley. Allow egg(s) to cook until desired yolk doneness (approx. 15 secs for over-easy, 30 secs for over-medium, 45-60 secs for over-well). 4. While the egg(s) cook, place rinsed and torn greens at center of the plate. Cut up rinsed pear as desired and place around the greens. Sprinkle in rinsed blueberries with the pear. 5. After flipping eggs, drizzle 1/2 tbsp Bragg’s organic apple cider vinaigrette over greens. 6. When egg(s) ready, use soft spatula and lift egg(s) onto bed of greens.
Enjoy this delicious, flavorful and healthy breakfast! You’ll love this filling start to your day!
SIMPLY DELISH LUNCH or DINNER – makes 2-3 servings – 30-minute recipe
Ingredients:
1 lb free-range organic chicken breast(s) 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) Salt/pepper to taste 2 tbsp organic granulated garlic 1 cup organic brown basmati rice (to be prepared in rice cooker) OR 1 packet of Good & Gather Organic Brown Basmati quick cook rice 8-10 oz fresh organic spinach 3 cloves of fresh organic garlic, peeled and crushed or diced 1 organic lemon, cut in half, seeds removed
Hardware:
Cutting board Chef’s knife Paring knife 2 x 12–14-inch large sauté pan (ceramic non-stick preferred) need one lid 2 x medium tongs Rice cooker (or use Good & Gather Organic Basmati quick cook rice) Garlic press (or dice garlic using paring knife)
Preparation:
1. If using a rice cooker for your rice, begin by preparing this – it’s a 1 cup dried rice to 2 cups water ratio (usually takes about 25 minutes).
2. On cutting board, use paring knife to cut lemon in half and remove seeds – leave the two halves to the side.
3. Next, cut heels of garlic cloves and peel dry sheathing. Press garlic in garlic press or dice into fine cubes with paring knife. Set this aside. Make sure to prepare produce before putting chicken on cutting board – this will avoid possible cross contamination and keep your food prep clean.
4. Now, prepare chicken by removing breasts from packaging and placing on cutting board. Using the chef’s knife, cut the breasts into smaller portions; if they are large, cut them in half horizontally to roughly ½” thickness. Portion into pieces approximately the size of your palm.
5. Add 1 tbsp of EVOO to 1 of the large sauté pans and heat the pan over medium-high heat.
6. While pan is heating, season one side of the chicken on the cutting board with salt & pepper
to taste. Sprinkle half the granulated garlic over the chicken.
7. When pan is hot, using tongs, place seasoned side of chicken breasts face down in the pan to sear them. Now, season the other side with salt & pepper to taste and the remaining granulated garlic. Cover with lid and cook approximately 3 minutes.
8. Place cutting board and tongs in the sink to be cleaned and wipe down the counter where you prepared the raw chicken.
9. The chicken will begin to have a white exterior rim – using tongs, flip the chicken and re-cover with lid. Allow to cook for roughly 5 minutes.
10. After 5 minutes, flip chicken again, re-cover with lid, and cook for roughly another 5 minutes.
Watch chicken to make sure it is not burning - you can lower the heat to medium-low if needed, and add 1-2 minutes cooking time.
11. After flipping chicken for the first time, use 2 tbsp EVOO in second large sauté pan and heat the pan over medium heat.
12. When the pan/oil is hot, add crushed or diced fresh garlic. Sauté this for 1-2 minutes, allowing the garlic to turn slightly brown.
13. Add half your spinach to the pan and season with salt & pepper to taste. Squeeze one half of the lemon over the spinach.
14. Then add the remaining spinach and repeat with seasoning and the other half of the lemon. Your volume of spinach will look BIG, but it will quickly cook down.
15. Using the second set of tongs, gently grab the spinach and pull the bottom layer over the top. Repeat this as the spinach is cooking. It will take roughly 7 minutes for the spinach to fully wilt and become a dark, vibrant green color. Remove from heat when the spinach is fully wilted.
16. Prepare quick rice or portion ½ cup of rice from the rice cooker and place on your plate.
17. Place 1-2 pieces of sautéed chicken atop the rice, accompanied by ½ of the spinach.
Your simple and flavorful meal is ready to enjoy!
Here are just some of the health benefits from these foods:
Egg(s) – Omega 3 fatty acids (cell growth), Raise HDL (good) cholesterol, Contain all amino acids
EVOO – Rich in antioxidants (support immune health & reduce cancer risk), Vitamins E & K
Leafy greens – Contain folate (cell growth), potassium (heart health), fiber (digestion)
Parsley – Vitamin K (bone health), Vitamin C (immune support), lutein (eye health)
Apple cider vinegar – Aids with slow digestion to reduce bloating **use sparingly
Blueberries – KING of antioxidants with high anthocyanidins for heart health, low glycemic index Pear – Excellent soluble fiber (gut health broom*), low glycemic index (blood sugar), potassium
Free range chicken – Excellent protein for cellular building, antibiotic-free, no added hormones
Brown basmati rice – Whole grain (lowers heart disease), fiber (aids constipation), B vitamins
Garlic – Boosts immune health (natural cold remedy), aids heart health, supports brain health
Spinach – Rich in iron (red blood cell production) for energy, lutein (eye health), Vitamin K
Lemon (with spinach) – Vitamin C (immune support) which boosts absorption of iron in spinach
Resources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-health-benefits-of-eggs https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/extra-virgin-olive-oil#nutrition https://www.healthyfood.com/advice/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-leafy-greens/#:~:text=Leafy%20greens%20contribute%20to%20a,against%20heart%20disease%20and%20stroke https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/parsley-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4 https://cdhf.ca/health-lifestyle/apple-cider-vinegar-for-digestion-whats-the-deal/ https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-blueberries https://www.wellandgood.com/pear-benefits/** https://draxe.com/nutrition/free-range-chicken/ https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-basmati-rice#:~:text=Eating%20whole%20grains%20like%20brown,risk%20factor%20for%20heart%20disease https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-health-benefits-of-garlic https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-spinach https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/photo-stories/the-six-most-powerful-food-combinations/six-most-powerful-food-combinations/photostory/66474575.cms
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