wisdomrootsGet back to your health. Get back to your roots.

Ready to replace the spinach dip and all that other heavy cheese stuff? Replace that with protein and greens: Here’s a kale dip that will knock your socks off. You may never find them again.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl:

1cup finely chopped steamed kale (steam the kale, then squeeze the juice out before you chop it or food process it)

1tbs almond butter

1tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning (or other seasoning of your choice, oregano, thyme, etc…)

6oz Greek yogurt (Low fat Chobani brand works well, and it has lots of protein in it)

Put on crackers (or eat it out of the bowl when no one is looking).

Looking for more than brown rice, I ventured into the unknown simple dinner staples that waited on the cupboard…

Ingredients

1/2 cup Quinoa

1/2 cup Brown Rice

2 1/3 cup Water

1/2 tsp garlic powder (or one clove fresh)

1/2 cup Shitake Mushrooms (dried and crushed or fresh and cut to bite size)

2 tsp olive oil

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Method: Throw it all in the rice cooker, click to cook. Wait. Enjoy. I like it with a dash of soy and sesame oil.

Need it now? Need it fast? This is a recipe for plain frozen yogurt lightly flavored with vanilla. It takes about 5 minutes to mix up, then throw it in your ice cream maker and wait for another 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

2 cups plain nonfat yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

1 pinch salt

3 Tbsp agave syrup (or sweeten to taste with more syrup. You can also try adding some stevia to sweeten it.)

Mix well with a spatula then scoop it into your ice cream maker until its thick enough to eat. Make sure to invite a friend over so you don’t eat the whole batch yourself.

Sauerkraut was gross as a child, but with age comes wisdom. It benefits the digestive system bringing you into balance and stabilizing the immune system. The downside is you can’t get this in a jar on a shelf at the store, you have to make it. While some stores sell fresh, unpasteurized sauerkraut in the refrigerated section, it is still a good excuse to experiment with this tasty dish at home.

Ingredients:
1 head cabbage
2 Tbsp sea salt

Stuff:
Pickling Jar or other vessel
Weight to weigh down the cabbage (either a large bag of water or a plate with something heavy on top)

Method:
Quarter the cabbage top to bottom and cut out the stem. Slice the quarters into fine strips, you know, sauerkraut shape. Place all the cabbage in a bowl and sprinkle the sea salt on. Squish around with your hands with some force to mix up the salt and cabbage and to start to release some of the liquid in the cabbage.

Pack the mixture into a pickling jar or another container* and place a weight on top. Cover and let it sit out of the light at room temperature for a week or so, depending on how sour you like it.

When you first open the jar to your newest food experiment, it may smell less than desirable. In fact, when I first made this I almost decided to throw it out based on the odor. I’m glad I didn’t though because it is delicious as a side dish or on sandwiches or added to other dishes.

If you want to cut back on the sodium or the sourness, go ahead and rinse the sauerkraut before eating it.

Welcome to the fantastic world of lacto-fermented foods!

*A weight is needed to compress the juice out of the cabbage to create the brine in which it ferments. You can use anything as a vessel (even a 5 gallon bucket will do if you are making in in large quantities. A plate on top with clean rocks or bags of water will do the trick.) A pickling jar is nice because it is air tight and a bag of water fits nicely inside.

This is a light but warming dish for the cool spring days.

Ingredients

1 Bunch Chinese Broccoli

1-2 Tbsp Minced Ginger

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1/2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

Cooking Oil

Method

Mince the ginger.

Wash and cut the broccoli to maintain length.

Add the oil to a large pan. A wok is best because it allows you to cook the food quickly and very hot. A hot cast iron pan will do the trick though.

Fry the ginger for a minute or so until it is a light brown. Add the broccoli, soy sauce and vinegar and cover for 30 seconds. Stir it around so it does not burn. Cover for another 30 seconds or a minute.

The broccoli is done when the leaves have all wilted and the stems are just beginning to soften. There should still be some crunch in them. This is tasty and preserves nutrients.

Learn to harvest and cook your own Bamboo Shoots!

Whether you’re looking for less cholesterol or more fiber in your baking, try this quick and easy egg substitute.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup ground flax meal
• 1 1/2 cup water

Blend together on high for two minutes. Ready to use as eggs, or store it in the fridge for a few days for later use. Try it in some

Pineapple Carrot Muffins.

These muffins provide a substantial amount of veggies, fruit, and other goodies for those on the go. Best cut in half, toasted, with cream cheese. Great for breakfast! You can double this recipe if you have a bowl large enough and an army to feed.

Ingredients:

Wet Stuff:
•    1/2 cup rice or almond milk
•    1/2 cup flaxseed egg substitute (or 1/2 cup egg)
•    1/2 cup olive oil
•    1/2 cup honey or substitute (such as maple syrup)
•    3/4 cup crushed pineapple, unsweetened and drained
•    2 cups carrots, grated in a food processor
•    1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Dry Stuff:
•    3 cups whole wheat pastry flour, sifted
•    1/2 cup rolled oats
•    1 cups walnuts, chopped small
•    1 1/4 Tbsp baking powder
•    1 tsp baking soda
•    1 tsp cinnamon

•    1 tsp allspice

•    3/4 or 1 tsp salt

If you like raisins, you could try adding some!

Also needed: A greased (with olive oil or cake release) muffin pan.

Preparation: Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix all wet ingredients in another bowl. Gently fold/mix in the wet ingredients into the large bowl of dry ingredients. The batter will be thick. Fill the muffin cups up just over 3/4 of the way full with the batter. Bake at 375°F for 22-28 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Store in an airtight container. You can freeze these too! Just take them out of the freezer the night before and have them toasted for a tasty breakfast!

If you are dealing with people who will be opposed to the idea of something raw or vegan, perhaps “Chocolate Date Bars” is a better name for this. Either way, if you are looking for a chocolaty treat without the white sugar, flour, or eggs, this is the recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup walnuts

1 cup Medjool dates (about 8 )

1 Tbsp almond butter (or peanut butter)

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Salt to taste (a little less than 1/4 tsp should do the trick)

Olive oil to grease the dish

A 4″ or 5″ glass dish works best.

Preparation:

Pulse the cocoa and the walnuts in a food processor until a dough is formed. Move the dough to a bowl. Remove the pits from the dates and finely chop them. They will turn into a paste. Keep chopping to break up the skins. Add  the dates and the rest of the ingredients to the bowl. Mix with a metal spoon, smooshing it all together into a uniform dough. Press dough down into a greased dish.  Chill in the fridge or the freezer for an hour. Enjoy!

These will last for up to a month in the freezer in an air tight container, and they do not freeze solid because of the ingredients so you can eat them right out of the freezer!