Vegan Burgers

This entry is dedicated to my lovely mother, & my two beautiful sisters.

Two weeks ago, my mother went to the hospital to find out why she was having persistent abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with gallstones and scheduled for surgery. 10 days, 2 surgeries, an MRI, and a case of pancreatitis later, she got to go home. I immediately googled gallstones and found that they are mostly contracted by women, with a family history. Then I learned that my grandmother and great-grandmother had also had their gallbladders removed. So of course, I went to researching ways to prevent myself from becoming the next female in my family to contract this condition. 

One way to pamper your gallbladder is to speed intestinal transit. How do we do this? 

1. Insoluble Fiber

Insoluble fibers are considered gut-healthy fiber because they have a laxative effect and add bulk to the diet, helping prevent constipation. These fibers do not dissolve in water, so they pass through the gastrointestinal tract relatively intact, and speed up the passage of food and waste through your gut. Insoluble fibers are mainly found in whole grains and vegetables (Source:WebMD).

2.  Reduce foods that slow digestion, ie. Animal Protein.

Animal protein, out of all the food groups, takes the longest to travel through the intestines, sometimes up to 24 hours. So if you are not vegan, I would encourage you to eat foods like eggs, yogurt, cheese, meats, fish, and poultry, only once a day (or less!). I have also been talking to my mom about saving her main sources of protein, for the evening, (and switching to fish). Eating these foods at dinner time gives your body an 8-10 hour head start on digesting them before your next meal (breakfast).

3. Eat your (raw) vegetables. 

Raw veggies are the best for a happy digestion. And having a healthy gallbladder starts with a healthy digestive system. Try having a small salad before your two largest meals, and see if you feel better (and eat less too).

4. Take a probiotic.

I've started taking a probiotic and a digestive enzyme before lunch and dinner and  I feel incredible! This way, even if you are not eating foods that are absolutely the best for your tummy, you are at least throwing in some happy helpers to keep things moving. And that's what we want, right? 

All of these new habits can be attributed to the fact that I'm obsessed with Kimberly Snyder's book, The Beauty Detox Solution. The following recipe is from her book. 

Vegan Burgers

(from Kimberly Snyder's, The Beauty Detox Solution)

Have you been on the look-out for a vegan, gluten free, soy free veggie burger? Look no further, friends.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup dry millet
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 
• 2 tablspoons raw cocont oil or grapeseed oil
• 1 large onion finely minced
• 3 cups spinach, inely chopped
• 2 stalks of celery finely minced
• 2 mall carrots, peeled and minced
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbs cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup amaranth flour

Prep: soak millet in water overnight (recommended)

Tools: A cheese grater or a food processor wouldn't hurt

Tips: I added cumin seeds in with the onions step 2), toasting them brings out their hard to miss flavor. I also added turmeric in Step 3.

Step 1.
In a saucepan over high heat, ring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the millet, and simmer until it reaches a softer texture (life fluffy rice), around 15-20 minutes. Pour through a strainer and set aside to cool.

Step 2.
Saute the garlic in enough coconut oil until gently cooked, then add the onions and stir until the onions become translucent.

Step 3.
Add the spinach,celery and carrots, and cook for a few minutes. Add sea salt and other seasonings and stir in.

Step 4.
Add the cooked millet and stir until everything it well mixed. Last chance to adjust your seasoning.

Step 5.
Turn off the heat and add the amaranth flour to the mixture. Stir until it starts to bind together and the mixture cools.

Step 6.
Form the cooled mixture into patties, about 3-4 inches in diameter (I made 7 and kept them in the fridge all week until I was ready to fry 'em up).

Step 7.
When you're ready to eat, heat a large pan to a fairly high temperature an coat with coconut or grapeseed oil. Saute eah pattie on both sides until firm and browned.

Serving suggestion: 
Enjoy on a salad, with steamed veggies, or on your favorite bun! I recommend a slice of avocado and a pinch of sprouts on top.

Why this recipe? 

Millet, more commonly known as birdseed, is a grain high in insoluble fiber. It also carries good *percentages of our daily recommended value for Manganese, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Tryptopan (one of the 10 essential amino acids). These nutrients have been linked to aiding head and muscle aches, lowering blood pressure, and assisting in stress reduction and restful sleep. Millet won'e just be for the birds after you try these burgers.

*1 cup Millet contains a daily value of 23.5% manganese, 21.8% tryptophan, 19.1% magnesium, and 17.4% phosphorus (Source)

Here's a relaxing, post-burger pose to try

What it does: Boost circulation and mood. Relaxes the belly. Prepares you for sleep. 

Viparita Karani

Legs up the wall pose

Other Sources of insoluble fiber: whole wheat, whole grains, wheat bran, corn bran, seeds, nuts, barley, couscous, brown rice, bulgur, zucchini, celery, broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, grapes, fruit, and root vegetable skins. (WebMD)

Know Your Roots

The first of the chakras is the Muladhara, or Root Chakra. Located at the base of the spine, and symbolized by the color red, this chakra represents survival and basic needs. Our most primal sense, the sense of smell, is also said to originate here.

Root Chakra Soup

This week I'm making a root vegetable soup for grounding and stability. And I'm filling it with plenty of things that are pleasing to the nose, such as garlic and rosemary. Coincidentally, beets are everywhere right now as they are in full season, so they also bring a nice, bright red color to the dish.

 Spring can have us bouncing around, whether you're spring cleaning, or finally enjoying the outdoors again, it's important to remember to stay grounded and since there's still a few cold days ahead, it's good to know that a comforting soup doesn't have to weigh you down. This soup is meant to nurture and heal your root chakra, attend to your most basic needs, and firmly plant you in your roots.

Ingredients: 

• 1 bunch, or 4 medium sized red beets, de-stemmed
• 1 parsnip, cut into fourths
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 3-6 sprigs of thyme 
• 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 medium carrots or 1 bunch baby carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1 sweet potato or yam, peeled and cubed
• 1 1/2 quart vegetable broth 
• 1 small piece ginger root, peeled, sliced
• 1 garlic bulb (preferably elephant garlic since the elephant is the animal of the Root Chakra)  
• olive oil
• Salt & pepper to season as you go  
• *(white wine optional) 

Equipment:

Submersion blender or Hand blender
(if you like making soup at home, you should invest in a submersion blender. It saves a lot of mess, and it's much easier to make creamy, seamless soups)

Set your over to 450 degrees F.

Begin by cleaning your vegetables. Root vegetables can be covered in soil, and we don't need any real bits of earth getting into this soup.

Beautiful carrots from the farmer's market

Slice the tops off your beets, and split your parsnip into four pieces. On a large piece of aluminum foil, place beets and parsnips, along with as much garlic as you like, and the herbs of your choice. I used Thyme and Rosemary. drizzle olive oil, and and sprinkle about 1/4 tsp. of salt. Seal the foil like a small package and place in a roasting pan in case juices get out. Bake at 450 for at least an hour, until the beet skins peel off easily.

Beets, Parsip, Garlic, Thyme, Rosemary

In a large pot, begin to saute onions with 1-2 tbsp of olive oil, and a pinch of salt, over medium heat, until they begin to soften. If onions begin to brown, you can splash a bit of *white wine into the pot to decaramelize the pan. After 10-15 minutes, add the carrots and saute until soft, about 5-10 minutes.

To the pot, add the sweet potato, and half of the broth, bring to a simmer and cover until the broth reduces by 1/3, about 30 min.

By now, the beets should be ready. In a blender, blend the beet/garlic/parsnip mixture with the rest of the broth, until pureed. When the stock has reduced fully, add the beet puree to the pot, along with the ginger, 2-3 tbsp of olive oil, and 2-3 fresh cloves of fresh garlic. Blend everything into a fine puree with a hand blender, or by transferring 3 cups at a time into a blander. Be careful bending hot liquids. If you're using a regular blender, I suggest you let the soup cool somewhat before blending. Taste your soup, and add more garlic, ginger, salt, or olive oil to taste.  Serve hot or cold.

Root Chakra Soup w/ hardboiled egg

Toppings: 

• Suggested topping for this 'borscht' is a boiled egg. 
• My friend nicole preffered a squeeze of lemon and some shredded parmesean
• You can also roast some golden beets along with the other beets at the beginning and store them in   the fridge while you prepare the soup. When you're ready, peel and thinly slice them for a great colorful topping.