Natural Products Expo West 2013

I had the opportunity to travel to Anaheim, CA for my second Natural Products Expo West. It is one of the largest natural products food shows in the world. They packed in 63,000 attendees this year with some 2,400 exhibitors. I was an attendee again this year, there for meeting, searching for new suppliers, prospects, networking, education and LOTS of sampling and gawking at all the up and coming products, many not on the shelves yet. There were a plethora of all things raw, non-GMO, made with chia, half-popped popcorn, hormone free, soy free, dairy free, and probably the most interesting combination of ingredients were the all new "Protein" bars made with hormone-free meats and chocolate (and derivations of coconut, nuts or berries with bison, turkey jerky, etc.) Now I have seen it all! :-)

Me and My Dad! Team GPK!

So you can get a feel for the size of this event and the huge booths and set ups!:

Some of my favorite healthy snacks I tasted, some new, and some old favorites: Mary's Gone crackers, Go Raw products, Two Mom's in the Raw, Brad's Kale Chips and Onion Rings (yum! loved the Rings of fire if you like spicy!), Amazing Grass Green Superfood Bars (don't look at the inside and you'll be fine! they taste great, I just saw them in the supplement section at Whole Foods not the bar section). Cliff Bar and Kind had new versions out. And Amy's is coming out with knock-offs of milky ways, snickers, toffee bars that are AMAZING, coming out later this year. While not "healthy" they are good clean natural ingredients for that special occasion. Justin's Nut Butter remains one of my favorite brands, my daughter and I LOVE the hazelnut spread and go through a container every week or so, spreading it on toast and for dipping apples. Their peanut butter cups are to die for! I discovered NuttZo seven nut and seed butter at the show. Loved it! Awesome combos of nuts and seeds with crunchy and creamy versions of their original formula, a peanut free version and a chocolate one. The package them upside down so you don't have to stir them. Smart!



Lots of new dried fruit puffs, dehydrated fruit mixes, pouches in every flavor and mix of veggies and fruits, super grains, including the super grain of choice at the show "Chia!" Happy Baby has a ton of new pouch combos and flavors. Great assortment, wish all these were out when my daughter was a baby! I had the honor to meet Shazi Visram the founder of Happy Baby. What an inspiration to mompreneurs and product innovation. Little Duck Organics had some great snacks and cute multi-purpose green packaging with their Mighty Oats product, when you are done your little one can plant it in the garden with built in seeds. Cute! Another new favorite: Peas of Mind new Peas of Pie pizza, like real veggies actually baked into the pizza dough that you can see! And it tasted amazing! Find them at Target everywhere.

The hot new natural sweeteners you will be seeing everywhere: Coconut Sugar and Monkfruit (this was new to me, zero calorie is from the monk fruit and advertises that is does not have the "aftertaste" like stevia does. They say you can bake with it, 1 to 1. I love Big Tree Farms new dehydrated coconut! Just add to you glass of water for instant coconut water, saves tons of plastic bottles!! Plus they have amazing coconut sugars.

I am a big tea drinker, and have to mention my favorite new tea: Rooibiee Red Tea, made from the rooibos bush to be high in antioxidants and naturally caffeine-free. Love it and it is now available in most grocery stores.

Majority of the products are available at Whole Foods. We were excited to see Whole Foods announcement at the show that they plan to mandate all GMO-free products within 5 years. Great news for consumers! We are headed in the right direction, but have leaps and bounds to go! Go to your local grocery stores and request these and other natural products. They listen!

Happy and healthy shopping!
Lisa

PS: Please make sure to follow Green Plate Kitchen and me on Twitter and Facebook!

@GreenPlateKitchen
@GreenPlateLisa
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Healthy Dried Fruit Snacks

Happy New Year GPK Fans! We are thrilled about our 2013 BIG plans and excited to share them with you. We will officially be using Green Plate Kitchen as our primary name and brand moving forward. Our emphasis will always remain the same of providing healthy and great tasting food for your children and family. GPK will also be expanding its products into grocery stores locally (HEB in Feb!) and expanding our operation into larger scale production for institutional sales into health care, hospitality and academic institutions. We will continue to directly offer you healthy family meals and items in bulk through our website in addition to offering catering services. We are very excited about expanding our operations to help provide healthy and tasty food to more people! Your support has and will continue to be invaluable as we grow. You are what you eat, help us spread the word!

Here is one of our first and favorite recipes for a raw dried fruit snack that is very simply to prepare, and great any time of day! Plus they stay forever in your fridge. And pack wonderfully in the kid lunchbox. My daughter loves them!

Apricot Cranberry Nubblers by Green Plate Kitchen

Yields: 24 Triangles

⅓ lb Dried Apricots
⅓ lb Dried Cranberries
¼ cup Shredded Coconut
2 Dried Dates (no seeds!)
⅔ cup Old Fashioned Oats (can use Gluten Free Oats to make GF)

Puree ingredients in food processor. Press into pan sprayed with non-stick spray, then cut into 12 squares, then diagonally into triangles.

Serve and enjoy! They stay great in the fridge for at least a month! Perfect snack or special treat for any time of day.

If you live in Houston, TX. you can order from these Apricot Cranberry Nubblers, our Cherry Chocolate Nubblers or any of our other healthy snacks and meals through our website or pickup at one of our retail locations.

Happy Eating!
Lisa

Sneaking Veggies in Halloween Treats

I had the opportunity to be featured on Fox News in Houston yesterday, October 27, 2012. Several of the recipes I highlighted were on previous posts below, like the orange carrot juice icing recipe I highlighted from my blog post, What's the Deal with Neon Blue Icing, we featured this naturally dyed icing on top of our super brownies! Here is a link to the video segment:

My Fox Houston video link

The other recipe featured on the show, we served inside a pumpkin with black carrots sticking out like scary fingers!

Pumpkin-Seed Hummus

½ lb Dried baby chickpeas (soaked overnight) 

3 cups roasted pumpkin seeds (see recipe)
3 Cloves garlic, crushed 

¼ cup lemon juice 

1 cup tahini 

1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp paprika

Drain the chickpeas, then cover them with water and simmer until soft. Lightly season your mixture, then let it cool. Now drain the chickpeas again, preserving the liquid. In batches, puree the chickpeas, garlic, pumpkin seeds, lemon juice, and enough of that reserved liquid to spin it all, adding tahini once smooth. Adjust seasoning with paprika, salt, and lemon.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

3 cups raw pumpkin seeds, scooped from a pumpkin or bought at the grocery store
3 Tbsp kosher salt
1½ Tbsp olive oil
¾ tsp paprika
¾ tsp dried ginger powder
¾ tsp cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. Fill a large pot with 8 cups of water. Add the pumpkin seeds and salt. Set the pot to boil over high heat. Bring the water to a rolling boil and allow it to boil for a moment. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the pumpkin seeds simmer for 10 minutes.

Our healthy snacks and treats, like the organic zucchini chocolate chip cookies, gluten free almond butter and strawberry mini muffins, super brownies and many others can all be purchased through Green Plate Kids. In you live in Houston, there are several retail locations that carry Green Plate Kids products, or you can simply order online and select to pick pick-up at one of our free pick up locations or delivery can be arranged. We also ship anywhere in the country!

www.greenplatekitchen.com

Don't forget to check out our healthy treat suggestions for treats to give away on Halloween and if you are in Houston, come by Dr. Natalie Harrison's office to sell them your excess Halloween candy for a good cause!

Healthy Regards,
Lisa Pounds

lisa@greenplatekitchen.com

Happy Healthy Halloween!

Tick or Treat! Are your kiddos busy picking out their costumes while you are planning the many party festivities?

I love this amazing Halloween Freakynomics Infographic!

Some astonishing statistics about Halloween:

• $2 billion dollars will be spent on candy
• 9 billion kernels of candy corn will be made
• 900 million pounds of pumpkins have been grown for Halloween
• It’s predicted people will spend $370 million on pet costumes this year

I am a huge fan of Healthy Child Healthy World, they put out a great blog on how to Green your Halloween: Green Halloween Blog

Here is a super cute little recipe we have done for Halloween catering that the kiddos love:

1. Remove any stringy fibers from the peeled banana, then cut it in half width-wise.
2. Push a Popsicle stick into each half through the cut end, then cover each pop with plastic wrap and freeze until firm (about 3 hours).
3. Next, place a 1.5-ounce piece of white chocolate candy in a microwave-safe bowl and cook on high until melted (it generally takes about 1 minute).
4. With a butter knife, spread the melted white chocolate on the frozen banana halves.
5. Set the pops on a waxed-paper-covered dish. Press on candies or currants for eyes and mouths and return the pops to the freezer until ready to serve. Makes 2.

Candy or Special Treat ideas for Halloween without all the toxic ingredients

Pass out candy without all the harmful ingredients that taste just as good. Here are some candy alternatives that will make you a poster mom for your neighborhood’s health:

Healthy Child Healthy World's approved list includes: UNREAL™ Candy offers chocolate treats that taste remarkably similar to major commercial products but without artificial colors, dyes, sweeteners, preservatives, hydrogenated oils and GMOs. Plum™ Kids offers individually packed USDA organic Fruit & Veggie Shredz, which taste like Sour Punch Ropes.ClifKids USDA organic twisted fruit ropes are gluten-free and contain no processed sugars.Surf Sweets® offers a wide variety of gluten-free, organic gummies, sour bears and jelly beans.

Or I love the little pretzel bags and clementines are great also! So are fun stickers!!

In Houston, Green Plate Kids is sponsoring a candy buy back program with Dr. Natalie Harrison's office (She is a Pediatric Dentist). The candy they buy back at $1/lb. will go to Operation Gratitude supporting America's Troops and goes to care packages for them. What a neat way to get rid of that extra candy in your house and get your kids involved in doing something good for our troops! (Link to details on this event scheduled on Nov. 1st are on GPK's Facebook page and Dr. Harrison's website.)

Happy & Healthy Halloween!
Lisa

What's the deal with neon blue icing?

What is the deal with bright neon blue, hot pink and brightly colored icing and frighteningly decorated and colored birthday cakes, cupcakes, yogurt, candy and even cereal? I get that it grabs our kids attention and is very enticing to them, but doesn't this scream hyperactivity, sugar high and fake artificiality to parents?? Well it should! I walk past these scary things at the grocery store and club stores and wonder who in their right mind buys these? Well I guess plenty of folks or they would not be making them!! To me it screams "Warning, this is so unnatural!"

 

In the NY Times Article on FDA Warning back in 2011, they finally concluded that yes there is a link to adverse affects of artificial ingredients! "The hearings signal that the growing list of studies suggesting a link between artificial colorings and behavioral changes in children has at least gotten regulators’ attention — and, for consumer advocates, that in itself is a victory."

In addition to avoiding artificial food dyes, lets all be reminded on some of the Top 10 Food additive ingredients to avoid in our diets on a regular basis: Top 10 Worst Food Additives from "GET REAL" and STOP Dieting!: Forget the Fads, Get the Facts and Feel Fabulous by Brett Blumenthal.

1. Artificial Colors
2. Artificial Flavorings
3. Artifical Sweetners - (Acesulfame-K, Aspartame, Equal®, NutraSweet®, Sacharin, Sweet’n Low®, Sucralose, Splenda® & Sorbitol)
4. Benzoate Perservatives (BHT, BHA, TBHQ)
5. Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO)
6. High Fructose Corn (HFCS)
7. MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
8. Olestra
9. Shortening, Hydrogenated and Partially Hydrogenated Oils (Palm, Soybean and others)
10. Sodium Nitrite and Nitrate (Deli Meats!)

Read Full Article why they are used and why they are bad!

There is a way to have beautifully decorated and great tasting special treats that are not pumped full of harmful artificial dyes, preservatives and toxic chemicals!! Check out this Organic Food Coloring guide to try it yourself! And things dont have to be brightly colored to be tasty! There are so many wonderful and healthy muffins, cookies, bars and snacks avaliable to buy now or make them at home with your children! Be the change you want to see in your home and school. Try making your own banana chocolate chip muffins or almond butter and strawberry muffins mixed with veggies to bring to your child's next birthday party at school. If you live in Houston, TX, Green Plate Kids has natural snacks and desserts that are only made with natural ingredients you would make in your own home.

Happy and Healthy Eating Friends! Remember to read your labels and think twice before your or your child try that neon blue cupcake!

Healthy Regards,
Lisa

Healthy Snacks for End of Summer & Back to School

Wow, can hardly believe the end of summer is in sight, sniff, sniff! Time to squeeze in any last minute vacations! And dare I say, start to think about back to school? Shopping for clothes, supplies and the dreaded packing of the school lunches and snacks! Yikes! Can be so overwhelming!

It doesn't have to be, and sometimes you just need to get out of your current habits and start trying some different things! They don't have to be super creative and fancy, but new combos, or presentation can make all the difference! Marketing works wonders on our kids too! :-) Amazing what putting something on a stick or adding some magical princess dipping sauce can do for some fruit or veggies! Just make sure that snacks are scheduled and not just offered on demand limitless times throughout the day or else those little guys won't be so inclined to eat that broccoli at dinnertime!

I was just featured on our local Houston TV news channel addressing healthy snacks, here is the short video segment:

The parfaits, and granola roll up recipes and pictures are listed on an earlier blog of mine on May 12, 2012.

Here is a good list of some other great snacks and ingredients to have on hand:

1. Fruit

Ready-to-eat (apples, bananas, grapes, cherries, berries)
Sliced (oranges, kiwi, melon)
Dried (raisins, apricots, cranberries, figs)

Green Plate Kitchen Hummus with whole wheat pita and veggies

(Recipe Below)

2. Vegetables

Cut up with a favorite dip
Soup
Roasted and made into a dip
Raw slices on a sandwich (My daughter loves avocado and cucumbers on her Turkey sandwich!)

3. Nuts and Seeds

Toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
Raw or toasted peanuts, almonds or walnuts
Peanut, Almond, Sunflower butter or Hazelnut spread (Love Justin’s Brand) spread on bananas, celery or crackers (Make sure it does not contain HFCS!)

4. Yogurt, Milk and Cheese (Low fat versions for 2 years +)

Plain yogurt mixed with honey and vanilla
Yogurt and fruit smoothie
Cheese and crackers
Cottage cheese and sliced fruit or vegetables
Cheese stick

5. Meat, Eggs and Beans (Lean cuts and low fat versions are best)

Deli slices of turkey, ham or roast beef with crackers
Chili and crackers
Hard-boiled egg
Mini bean and cheese burrito

6. Grains (WHOLE Grains)

Crackers
Toast
Animal crackers
Graham crackers
Mini bagels
Pasta, rice or potato “salad”

Green Plate Kitchen Hummus Recipe

Yield: 2 cups

15 oz. can Chickpeas
3 Tbsp Tahini Paste
⅓ cup Lemon Juice
¼ tsp Kosher Salt
¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper
¼ tsp Paprika
2 tsp Minced Garlic
1 Tbsp Chopped Parsley
2 tsp Olive Oil
¼ cup Water

Puree all ingredients in food processor until creamy and smooth.

Enjoy the end of summer and Happy and Healthy Snacking!!

Gluten Free Family Meals

I am constantly asked about gluten free products and over the past few years, we have created more and more items to help our clients and their children with their diets. Whether they are Celiac, gluten intolerant or just feel better by omitting or limiting gluten from their diets, I think it is so important to diversify your whole grains! We use brown rice and quinoa a lot. Black rice has amazing nutritional properties too! I love to mix quinoa and rice together, it give such a different and interesting texture. So try mixing it up with these rice bowls! The veggies can be mixed up as well based on seasonality. The key is the yummy sauce and making sure you find a Gluten Free and LOW sodium soy sauce. Easy enough to omit the meat and make these 100% veggie also! Or try topping with some grilled shrimp!

Gluten Free Chicken Rice Bowl

Yield: 1 Adult Portion

1 cup Brown Rice, cooked
¼ cup snap peas, steamed (whole pieces cut in half on diagonal)
¼ cup red pepper, 2” long thin strips
¼ cup yellow squash, ¼” thick half-moon slices
¼ cup eggplant, medium dice (with skin)
3 oz Chicken, poached, medium dice
2 Tbsp Ginger Soy Sauce (packaged separately in 2 oz container)

Gluten Free Beef and Broccoli Rice Bowl

Yield: 1 Adult Portion

1 cup Brown Rice, cooked
¾ cup broccoli, blanched (small florets)
¼ cup red pepper, 2” long thin strips
3 oz Beef, sauteed, 2” long thin strips
2 Tbsp Ginger Soy Sauce (packaged separately in 2 oz container)

Gluten Free Ginger Soy Sauce

Yield: 7 Tbsp

2 Tbsp Fresh Ginger, minced
2 Tbsp Gluten Free Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Turbinado Sugar
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Orange Marmalade
¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper

Mix all ingredients until sugar dissolved.

I have never been a fan of meatloaf. I don't eat beef and generally the word "loaf" turns me off. But this recipe is AMAZING and has always sold very well for us. Moist and delicious! Great to entertain with or simply for your family. Freezes well too! Cauliflower mashed potatoes are so popular and I LOVE them, if you have not tried them yet, give them a try! This recipe could not be simpler! No butter added (although you can add a little or add roasted garlic to give them an added boost!) Cauliflower adds so many nutrients and lowers the calories.


Gluten Free Recipes for Dinner

Turkey Meatloaf with Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes and French Green Beans

Yield: 1 family of four meatloaf

1 lb Ground Turkey 93% Lean
¼ cup Chopped Italian Parsley
½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
¼ cup Onion Puree
¼ cup Spinach Puree
1 cup Carrot Puree
1 cup Crushed Brown Rice Crispies (cereal we like Barbara's or Erewhorn)
1 Egg
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
½ tsp Kosher Salt

Mix all ingredients together. Gently press ingredients into 8" square Pyrex glass or metal baking pan.
Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes.

*Serve with your favorite marinara or use Green Plate Kitchen tomato sauce on the side.

Gluten Free Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

Yield: 7½ cups

2½ cups Cauliflower, cooked
1¼ cups Potato, cooked
1 tsp Kosher Salt
¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper
¼ cup of roasted garlic or ½ cup Parmesan cheese (optional)

Puree all ingredients and serve hot!

Happy and Healthy Cooking! Let me know your feedback if you try the recipes or have comments.

Healthy Regards,
Lisa

PS: Oh and if you are lucky enough to live in Houston, TX, and don't feel like cooking, we can make these items for you! www.greenplatekitchen.com

Chicken Nugget Throwdown

So, as we all know chicken nuggets seem to be a staple in our childrens diets. Whether we like it or not, our children will eat their fair share of them at school, at birthday parties, at friend's houses and without the watchful eye of Mom and Dad overseeing or approving of the quality and quantity of their meals.

When I started my catering and food business one of the first items we created was a healthy and tasty chicken nugget. During this process, I did a lot of research and the more I learned, the more disgusted I was with the most popular options and their nutrition info (or lack thereof). At Green Plate Kitchen we work regulary with a dietitian on all of our meals. She complied the comparative nutrition information on the most popular chicken nuggets and it is astounding!

I often speak on health and nutriton and present this info and it always seems to be a real hot button with parents and never give a talk without it now! Majority of parents do not know what is really in the food they are feeding their children on a REGULAR basis. The sad thing is that everyone in the south LOVES Chic-Fil-A, they have a cult like following and parents seem to think they are the "healthy" fast food? What? How is this concept communicated to the public? Well, all that salt and fat are addicting I guess!! (and marketing!) Beware and BE AWARE!

Prepared by Louise Goldberg RD, CSP, LD, CNSC
with An Apple a Day Nutrition Consulting

A note on sodium: the Daily recommended value for an Adult is 2300mg, Chic-Fil-A is almost 1/2 of the daily recommended (max) value for an adult, and this is a child's portion.

Bottom Line: Read your labels! Don’t get sucked into marketing traps and what the Jones' are doing! Create your "normal" for your house and don't fall prey to big budget marketing and don't make these over-processed, preservative laden, over-salted and fatty foods a mainstay in your child's diet. While having it on rare occasion won't make your child have diabetes or become overweight, however eating these foods on a regular basis just might! It is your job as a parent to make the rules and protect their health.

When I am not offering Green Plate Kitchen nuggets to my daughter, I prefer Applegate Farms (although they are lacking in the flavor department) or also like Bell & Evans. I prefer organic, but hormone-free and humanely raised I think it just as good when it comes to meats.

While, I can't share Green Plate Kitchen's top secret Chicken Nugget recipe, I did find another great baked and gluten free option that I am anxious to try (and simpler to make than ours): Kyle's Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets.

Happy and Healthy Cooking!
Lisa

Meatless Monday - Summer Entertaining Inspiration

Wow it is heating up here in Texas! Mid-90's today! In honor of meatless Monday (and usually every other day for me) and in my constant search for amazing gazpacho with the perfect harmony of flavors...I am sharing two recipes that we recently made for a catering event and I will for sure be making many more times during our HOT Texas summer! This Gazpacho is so silky smooth and creamy you will not believe it is dairy free (and vegan!) There are many (albeit great) chunky versions, this smooth version is so elegant and is sure to please the most discerning tastes and impress your guests! The tomatoes at our farmers markets are so beautiful right now and is the perfect time to take advantage of their beautiful flavors!

Hope you enjoy the recipes! Please share pics if you recreate!

Healthy Regards,
Lisa

PS: A huge THANK YOU to all of my amazing family, friends and fans for your wonderful support and votes to make me a top 25 Foodie Mom for Circle of Moms! Wow, I am really honored. Please feel free to send me ideas on what you would like to hear about in my blog! I in unbelievable company with some incredibly talented other Foodie Moms!

Here was the final top 25 Listing: Circle of Moms Top 25 Foodie Moms

Curried Egg Salad

¼ cup Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Scallion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp Shallot, minced
1½ Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
1½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp (heaping) curry powder
¼ tsp Ground cumin
4 large Hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 1/8" cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 mini Pita pockets, halved
(recipe uses pita but we used cucumber slices or granny smith apple slices would be great too!)
Watercress sprigs or any micro greens (we used micro arugula)

Whisk mayonnaise, scallion, shallot, apple cider vinegar, mustard, curry powder, and cumin in a large bowl. Fold in eggs and apple. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Fill pita pockets (or top cucumbers or apples) with about 1 Tbsp egg salad each. Top with watercress sprigs or micro greens.

Bon Appétit
May 2012
by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

Other ideas for this Egg Salad... Make extras for lunch kits! Pair with some multi-grain crackers and fresh seasonal fruit for a perfect lunch at the office or for the kiddos. My 3½ yr old is not afraid of the curry flavor (and you can tone this spice down to make more appealing for the kiddos) and she loved the green apples mixed in!

Classic Andalusian Gazpacho - Gazpacho "El Faro"

The classic Andalusian gazpacho is found all over the region with surprisingly few variations, except for the addition of cucumber and onion—ingredients that have fallen out of favor with chefs who prefer to allow the pure taste of the tomatoes, Sherry vinegar, and olive oil to shine through. In this version, cumin lends an intriguing, subtle flavor.

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 3½ hours

1 (2") piece baguette, crust discarded
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Sherry vinegar (preferably "reserva"), or to taste
1 tsp Sugar
½ tsp Ground cumin (optional)
2½ lb Ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
½ cup Mild extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Andalusian hojiblanca)

Garnish: finely chopped red and green bell peppers

Soak bread in ½ cup water 1 minute, then squeeze dry, discarding soaking water.

Mash garlic to a paste with salt using a mortar and pestle (or mince and mash with a large knife). Blend garlic paste, bread, 2 Tbsp vinegar, sugar, cumin, and half of tomatoes in a food processor until tomatoes are very finely chopped. Add remaining tomatoes with motor running and, when very finely chopped, gradually add oil in a slow stream, blending until as smooth as possible, about 1 minute.

Force soup through a sieve into a bowl, pressing firmly on solids. Discard solids.

Transfer to a glass container and chill, covered, until cold, about 3 hours. Season with salt and vinegar before serving.

Gourmet | August 2002
Adapted from El Faro, Cádiz, Spain

Read More - http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Classic-Andalusian-Gazpacho-106874#ixzz1wqiCG2FP

Enjoy!!

Black Super Foods & Memorial Day Black Bean Burger!

Happy Memorial Day! I just dusted off my black bean and lentil burger recipe to get ready for this weekend with my family and my daughter and I have been so enjoying blackberries over the past few weeks and I was reminded of my great Black Super food recipes that I presented on Great Day Houston last year. There are some amazing benefits to eating black or darker foods, the darker the better nutritionally! So try black rice instead of brown, black lentils instead of green, black soybeans (if you can find them!) instead of green and enjoy this great burger recipe as you fire up the grill this weekend!

Enjoy!

Healthy Regards,
Lisa

PS: Enjoy the informative and funny video. My test subject wasn't quite sure what to make of my black bean burger as she usually eats McDonald's! :-)

Great Day Houston Show 9/16/11

Black Bean and Lentil Burger

Yield: 4 Burgers

½ (16 oz) can Black beans, drained and rinsed (8 oz)
8 oz cooked Black lentils or French green lentils
½ Green bell pepper, cut into 2" pieces
½ Onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves Garlic, peeled
1 Egg
1 Tbsp Chili powder
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Thai chili sauce or hot sauce (we used Sambal)
½ cup bread crumbs (we use brown rice crispies to make gluten free)

Directions

1. If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375F (190C), and lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, mash black beans and lentils with a fork until thick and pasty.
3. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.
4. In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.
5. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.
6. If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.
7. Add 1 oz. of cucumber dill dressing with arugula, roasted red peppers and serve on toasted whole wheat or whole grain bun.

Cucumber Dill Dressing

Yield: 1 cup dressing

1 cup Greek Nonfat yogurt
2 tsp fresh Dill, chopped
2 tsp Honey
2 oz fresh-squeezed Lemon juice
2 oz minced English cucumber
½ tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp White ground pepper

Stir to combine.

Black Tea Infused with Blackberry Puree and Mint

1 gallon Brewed tea
½ cup fresh Mint
2 cups fresh Blackberries
½ cup Agave nectar

Blend well in mixer and pour over ice, garnish with lemon and mint and enjoy!

Black Rice Salad

2 cups cooked Black rice (rinse rice well before cooking)
2 oz small Diced red and green bell peppers
2 oz small Diced sweet yellow pepper
3 oz small Diced English cucumber
½ cup dried Cranberries

Toss to combine with Red Wine Vinaigrette.