White Bean and Kale Soup Recipe

     Cooler weather calls for warmer meals, and that is just one of the many reasons why I love fall! I love being able to cuddle up in a blanket, drinking coffee and reading....Watching the leaves fall outside in the crisp air and being warm and cozy inside! With the weather (finally) cooling off here, I am getting excited about making more warm and cozy meals like this soup recipe I am sharing today!

 

     I haven't always been a fan of vegetable soups, especially ones with kale in them, but as I have grown, but taste buds have matured! Now I love all kind of soups with all kinds of vegetables( including kale!).  Soups are perfect for easy dinner ideas, healthy meals and they even make delicious lunches! Whenever and however you choose to eat soup, I know you will enjoy this recipe!

      This soup is vegan, dairy-free, oil-free and gluten-free! Its super simple and yet so full of flavor and textures! Make this soup on those chilly fall evenings and serve it with some fresh homemade bread!

Ingredients:

1 Yellow Onion- Diced

1 cup Chopped Carrots

1 TBS Garlic- minced

1 1/3 cup Quinoa

1 can Diced Tomatoes

2 cans White Northen Beans

9 cups Veggie Broth

2 cups Chopped Kale

2 tsp Oregano

1 tsp Thyme

1 tsp Parsley

1 tsp Ground Mustard

Salt

Pepper


     First, get all the veggies chopped. Heat up a pot on the stove and add in the onions. I prefer to do this without any oil, but you can add some in if you wish. Cook until the onions begin to soften.

Next, add in the carrots and garlic. Saute for about a minute before adding in the seasonings.

(Sorry for the picture quality! My camera  was getting foggy from the steam!)

     Saute the seasonings for a few seconds before adding in the quinoa, tomatoes and beans. MAKE SURE TO DRAIN AND RINSE YOUR BEANS. It makes a huge differnce in the taste of the soup as well as your digestion later!

     Cook to warm everything through and then add in the broth. I added all but 1 cup of the veggie broth at first and reserved the last cup for the end. Bring the broth to a boil , add in the kale and reduce to a simmer.

     Cook for 25-30 minutes at a simmer or until the quinoa is fully cooked. The quinoa will absorb quite a bit of the broth, so you might want to add more broth at the end( I added my reserved 1 cup).

 

     Isn't it pretty? Its so colorful looking! You can serve the soup right away, or let it cool down and put it in the fridge of a few days or even freeze it for a few months! Its never a bad idea to have soup in the freezer for those days when you don't feel like cooking!

We ate the soup right away with some delicious bread! It would also be great with some crackers or cornbread! I loved this white bean and kale soup and so did my family! Its perfect for families because it is easy to make, full of fiber and veggies and taste amazing!

     I hope you try out this recipe and that you love it as much as I did! I really cannot wait to make it again! This is a great recipe to share with you friends and family, so pass it along so that everyone can have a delicious soup recipe this Fall!

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Hannah

Getting Protein as a Vegan

     Vegans hear it all the time- "Where do you get your protein?", "Are you getting enough protein?" "How do you get protein when you don't eat meat?".... These questions are mostly asked out of concern, probaly from someone who truly cares about your welfare. Which is wonderful, we should all care about the health of our loved ones, but when it comes to vegan protein, there really is nothing to worry about!

     First, let's talk about protein. What is it? What do we use it for and how much do we need?

     Proteins are molecules made up of amino acids. They are important for many reasons like: Helping your hair grow and stay healthy, they make up part of our DNA, keep our bones strong, and helping us stay as healthy as possible!
     So you can see that it is important to get protein in your diet, but how much? The recommended amount of protein for adults is 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men. Depending on a person's level of activity, they might need more than that.
    What happens if you get too much protein, or too little? If you are low in protein you might have brittle hair and nails, fatigue, constipation, skin rashes, and muscle weakness. Over abundance of protein migh cause weight gain, stomach irritation, dehydration, and kidney problems. Like everything, protein needs to be comsumed in moderation. Not too much, but not too little either!

     Most people get their protein from animal products like meat, fish and eggs. However, this tends to lead to an over dose of protein. A 6 oz steak as about 42 grams of protein, a chicken breast has around 30 grams, tuna has 40 grams per 6 oz, one egg has 6 grams and one cup of milk has around 8 grams. By the time you have eggs and milk for breakfast, chicken or tuna for lunch and a steak or hamburger for dinner, you've gotten way more protein than you need!

Vegans don't eat any animal products, so how do we get our protein? Or how does someone who wants to limit their meat intake get enough protein to stay healthy? Its actually very simple!

1. Nut Butters- 8 grams of protein per 2 TBS
2. Oatmeal- 6 grams per cup
3.Beans- 15 grams per 180 gram serving
4. Nuts and Seeds- 6 grams per handful
5. Spinach- 5 grams per 180 gram serving
6. Cauliflower and Broccoli- 5 grams per 180 gram serving
7. Quinoa- 8 grams per cup
8. Peas- 8 grams per cup
9. Tofu- 25 grams per serving
10. Nutritional Yeast- 12 grams per 3 TBS

     There are also things like Vegan Protein Powders, Portein Bars and Cookies, and other more processed foods that contain added protein. If you are interested in finding a vegan option, make sure that it doesn't contain Whey Protein or just Whey. This is a product made from milk.

     Those are just 10 of the thousands of options we have for non-meat sources of protein. Think about it for a minute. If you had oatmeal with peanut butter for breakfast, a quinoa and bean salad for lunch, a handful of nuts for a snack, and roasted cauliflower and broccoli with some tofu and spinach for dinner thats more than enough protein for an adult man! ( the total comes into around 78 grams of protein). See how easy that was? You don't have to try hard at all to get in enough protein to keep your body fit and healthy!


     I challenge you to try it for yourself and see how easy it really is to get in protein and not comsume so many(if any) animal products! It can be a fun and healthy challenge to change the way you look at protein forever!

I hope this post has been helpful to you! I hope to be in the kitchen this week and create some more recipe post for you, so be on the look out for those!

Please share this post with your friends and family and over social media to help the whole world become a healthier place!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana

Valentine's Day Granola

Granola is delicious. Granola given as a gift is super special and granola given or received on Valentine's Day is amazing! This granola is the perfect way to show someone how much you care! Its delicious, easy to make and give as a gift, and it also happens to be healthy! What more is there to love?!

Homemade gifts are so much better than store bought ones! They are always from the heart, because you put your time and effort into them, and you put thought into what to make. Giving a homemade gift on Valentine's Day is the best way to show your love!

A lot of granola recipes have a few standard ingredients in them. Butter, Honey, and Oats. Some use coconut oil or other types of oils, and some might use a differnt form of sweetener, but usually they are all about the same. I took out the butter and added in banana and I used maple syrup instead of honey. Becasue of those changes, this recipe is vegan, low in fat, refined sugar free, and packed full of fiber and protien!

The Recipe

1 ripe Banana- mashed
4-5 TBS Maple Syrup
3 tsp Nutmeg
4 tsp Cinnamon( Good for the heart!)
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla
1/4 cup Chia Seeds
5 cups Rolled Oats ( to make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free oats!)
1/2 cup Quinoa
Raisins
Dried Apples( or mix-ins of your choice. Sliced or Crushed nuts like almons, pecans, walnuts or cashews. Ground Flax seed, Flaked Dried Coconut, Dried cranberries or blueberries, seeds like pumpkin, sesame, or sunflower, or freeze-dried fruits like raspberries or strawberries!)

-- Nuts, Seeds and coconut flakes can be added before baking. Anything else needs to be added after baking.

First, mash the banana and add  the maple syrup, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla to it. Mix well with a whisk.  Then add in the oats, quinoa and chia seeds. Make sure to stir well and get everything evenly coated.  If you are adding nuts, seeds or flax seeds, you can add them in now.

Preheat your oven to 400 F. Lay the raw granola out on a baking sheet and spread it as evenly as possible. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Make sure to flatten out the granola after each stir.

 

Once it is all toasty and golden brown, its done! Your home will smell amazing! You could leave it how it is, but to add to the amazing-ness, lets add a few more things! I added a few handfuls of raisins and dried apple chips, but feel free to add what ever you want.

Stir the ingredients together and then let the mixture cool completely! I usually have a few bites while it is cooling! I just can't help myself!

 

Once it has cooled, you can store it in air-tight containers. I like to use mason jars, but plastic would work just as well! Also, using pretty containers makes gift-giving even easier!

 

 

I know I would be thrilled to receive a jar of homemade granola for Valentine's Day! I can't imagine anyone complaining about getting a home--made, from-the-heart gift anytime of the year! They just are so special!

 

Whether you give this as a gift to your specail someone on Valentine's Day or you keep it for yourself, this granola is amazing! You will want to keep this recipe some where safe! :)

 

 

I love to eat granola on smoothie bowls and oatmeal, over dairy-free ice-cream or banana-ice-cream, or just with a splash of almond milk as a cereal! Its the perfect way to start your day becasue it is full of protein, fiber, healthy sugars, and even cinnamon( which is good for your heart!). It also makes a great snack or even dessert!

If you liked this recipe, please let me know, and share it with your friends and family! Spread the love and give this as a gift for Valentine's Day or anyday!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

I post every Friday!

Happy Valentine's Day!

H.Banana

Fresh Mexican Quinoa Salad

  My family and I love Mexican food! We probably could live off of it, and we do eat it a lot! It can be pretty healthy too, with the fresh or grilled veggies, salsas, and so on. We like to use a lean ground beef or sliced and grilled chicken for our meat, but we have grilled fajita steaks and fish too! There are so many different types of Mexican food that are really good, like south-west, Tex-Mex, Baja and traditional! This fresh, crunchy, and healthy Mexican salad fits into just about all Mexican food types, and is the perfect summer dish to add to your table!

Ingredients:
2 cups Quinoa, cooked and chilled
2 Bell Peppers
1 15 oz. can Black Beans
1 15 oz. can Corn
1/2 large White Onion
3 Tomatoes
1 1/2 Limes
Salt and Pepper
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Cumin
Pinch of Cayenne (or more if you like to live dangerously) :)

Start by dicing up your peppers and onions. Since we aren't cooking these veggies, you want them to be chopped really finely. At the Farmer's Market this week we found purple bell peppers, and they were amazing!

Add them to a bowl and mix to combine.

Pour your canned beans on a sieve and rinse well with cold water.

Add the beans and corn to the mix and stir.

Chop your tomatoes and add them to the bowl and combine. Honestly, this mix alone is delicious!
Add in your chilled quinoa and mix.

Now we need to make the dressing. Squeeze the juice from your limes into a bowl and add in your spices. Go by taste, you might need to add more depending on your preference!

 

 

Mix it well and then pour over the salad. Make sure to mix the dressing in well, so you don't get some salad with flavor and some without!

This salad is best after its set in the fridge for a bit, but if you don't have the time, its great right away as well!

 

This salad is delicious! Super fresh, has amazing texture, bright flavors and super healthy as well!
I suggest serving this with tacos, fajitas, taco salad, taco soup, any other Mexican foods you can think of, or even eat it for a light meal on its own!

I you like this recipe, please share it with a friend and family member! Also, please follow the blog via email, Google, Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett and on Twitter @ SpinachisGood.

New post every Monday and Friday!

Keep healthy and SAFE!
H. Banana

Super Foods Facts Part 2

  A few days ago I posted about Super Foods and I had so much fun writing it that I decided to do another one! I love learning about food and the benefits they have for our bodies! In my last Super Foods post I went over Kale, Flax Seeds, Blueberries, Avocados, Dark Chocolate and Almonds. You can find that post HERE . So now I am going to write about a few other popular Super Foods and some that should be popular!

Bananas
Bananas are delicious and packed full of healthy benefits! They contain Potassium which is helpful for building muscles, and bananas reduce the risk of hypertension, stroke and high blood pressure. Next, Bananas are a great source of Vitamin B6 which helps in the synthesis of the immune system, protein metabolism and functioning in the nervous system. Bananas also contain Vitamin C which helps the body to defend and heal infections. Because Bananas contain 3 natural sugars along with fiber, they offer an instant and substantial boost of energy! For me, eating bananas isn't hard, but sometimes just a whole bananas is boring. I like to bake with them, make Banana Ice Cream, throw them in a smoothie or freeze them and cover them with Dark Chocolate!

Quinoa
I love quinoa! My sister and I like to make quinoa bowls for lunch! Quinoa is actually a seed and is related to the beets and spinach! It contains two times the amount of fiber than white rice. Also, quinoa has all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. A cup of cooked quinoa contains 8 grams of protein, 29% of your daily magnesium needs and four times the amount of iron per serving than brown rice.  Cooking quinoa takes little time at all and you can add almost anything to it! I like to add sautéed veggies and chicken to mine. Also you can bake with quinoa!

Lemons
Lemons help maintain PH balance, are high in Vitamin C  and potassium( which helps boost the immune system!). They are high in pectin fiber which aids in weight loss, and are rich in proteins, calcium, fiber and flavonoids. Lemons hydrate the lymph system and can alleviate constipation and stress. One lemon contains around 17 calories, 2 of which come from fats.  When using lemon juice in anything, try to squeeze your own since this is so much better than the bottled form. I like to have lemon water in the morning, add lemon juice to smoothies, bake with the juice and zest and add it to meat marinades!

Wheatgrass
I know, I doesn't sound appealing does it? To be honest, I have never tried it, but I am curious to. Wheatgrass is all over the health world now! Its the best natural source of chlorophyll, it activates white blood cells to boost your immune system, helps reduce high blood pressure and alleviates stress. Wheatgrass contains beta-carotene which detoxifies your body. Also, wheatgrass is high in vitamins A, B-Complex, C, E, and K. Per serving ( about a tablespoon) Wheatgrass has about 35 calories and none are from fat. You don't eat wheatgrass in large amounts. I mostly see it added to smoothies or juices!

Well, there are a few more Super Food facts! I hope you have enjoyed learning more about you food! I know I did! Please share this post with a friend!

Keep Healthy and SAFE!
H.Banana


Pictures from FreeDigitalPhotos.net