Foods High In Iron

Dust off that slow cooker ( crock pot) and get ready to make a light, simple, and delicious sweet and cinnamon-y butternut squash soup. Nothing says fall like butternut squash! If you are not ready for soup yet, pin this recipe  for later.  Or better yet, make it now and FREEZE it for that first surprise really cold wet damp day. You'll be prepared with a tasty and healthy warming homemade soup! This soup has an incredible flavor that both children and adults will love! Cinnamon, coconut sugar, vanilla almond milk swilled into this rich butternut squash and apple base made in the slow cooker!! Need I say more??? My CSA farm supplied me some butternut squash after I had already loaded up at Trader Joe's making my stash four large squashes in total! I decided to cook and freeze butternut squash soup this week. I made two butternut squash soups-   one savory  ( click here  Butternut rosemary soup)  and one sweet- both are vegan and gluten free. Today I am s...

Do you hate or love brussels sprouts? For most people there is no in between. If you love them, then make this soup. If you haven't liked them in the past, I'm asking you to give them a chance. If they aren't overcooked, you might like them. They actually taste like little cabbages.  This is a simple, but healthy vegan gluten free  soup recipe that of course is naturally gluten free.  I happen to like Brussels sprouts ( I didn't always ) , and I've been getting super excited about making fall soups since the weather has been getting cooler.  I like how fast and easy it is  and thought it might actually be nice for Thanksgiving when supermarkets and Trader Joe's carry fresh stalks of farm fresh brussels sprouts (of course feel free to use frozen- I did). You might have to add 5-10 minutes to the cooking if you use fresh brussels sprouts because they tend to be not only firmer, but larger than frozen. I used frozen but cooked them in the soup, not the bag Fresh...

Have you met (low carb) kohlrabi? Let me introduce you.  September and October are Kohlrabi season and this unusual vegetable is well worth buying and trying. It peels like a potato, tastes a little like a potato , and has practically no carbs. ( Is it like the cauliflower substitution?). You could try mashed kohlrabi or kohlrabi fritters. Last week I was given  kohlrabi from my CSA farm . I never had one before, so I was a little intimidated. I went online and discovered that this sometimes green, sometimes purple vegetable from the cabbage family is easy to make and really delicious.  Kohlrabi is very low in carbohydrates and calories, has no fat and just a hint of sodium. Yet, like the cabbage family vegetables, It is rich in protective antioxidants, minerals, and carotenes making it a "nutritionally powerful" fall vegetable to add to your diet!  The flavor is interesting. When it is raw, it tastes like a mild radish that could be added to sal...

This incredible vegan and gluten mug muffin is made with chia seeds and  is a variation of my 3 minute blueberry mug muffin that I originally made with a regular egg. My friend Vicki doesn't eat eggs, so I tried to make a fast 3 minute mug muffin that she ( and all my vegan readers)  could enjoy. You know what? I like the vegan version just as much better. Chia seeds really do work as a replacement for eggs in this recipe, and I was really pleased with the results. Mug muffins taste much much better than they look.. don't let the looks fool you.. I make this muffin every day for breakfast . It's oozing warm strawberries and blueberries. I can't wait to eat it each day. The Chia seeds are a powerhouse of nutrients. They are a really good vegan source of Omega 3, calcium, protein and B vitamins. For additional nutritional information about chia seeds see : Chia seeds  It is very quick and easy to make, tastes fabulous, and is only 3 Points Plus on Weight Watchers ( Y...

Did you know that you can use chia seeds to replace eggs in a recipe?  You can make a "chia seed egg" ! . These simple egg substitutes are perfect if are allergic to eggs or if you are vegan.  Chia seeds can be a healthy replacement for eggs in most baked products like muffins, cakes, and cookies. Chia seeds add very little taste to the finished product, but they do the job of the egg and also add a powerhouse of nutrients to the recipe. These little seeds become gel like when they are in liquid, making them a perfect base for chia pudding recipes and a perfect egg replacer in baking recipes.  Here is the formula per egg.  If your recipe calls for 2 eggs, double the recipe. According to nutritional charts, chia seeds are nutritional powerhouses.  They have:  7 times  the Omega 3 per ounce of an ounce of salmon.  They have more protein than any other seed Provide  as much calcium as milk  per ounce. Are a complete protein.  In addi...

Do you love fresh beets? This beet and pomegranate salad is awesome and incorporates the fruits of the season. I'm making this fragrant recipe for my Rosh Hashanah meal tonight because pomegranates are a traditional fruit to eat on this holiday! I only cook fresh beets once in a while . They are so good for you, so delicious, and so easy to make, I don't know why I don't make them more often. It might be because my husband will not touch a single bite of a beet, or maybe it's because of the way they stain my hands. Seriously, beets are very easy to cook . I just wash the beet well, I do not peel it, and I put it in a covered pot with one of those little steamer baskets. The beets steam in 15-20 minutes and once cooked the tough skin will just literally rub right off. I now wear gloves for the rub off  the skin and my hands do not get stained. I keep the gloves on to cut the beet and all is well. I can just imagine the nourishment from that deep purple /red pigment . Th...

                                 This Sunday night begins the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah                                                         which is the Jewish New Year.. For those who celebrate, let me wish you a happy and healthy new year with peace and happiness. For those of other faith's I wish you blessings of good health, happiness and peace as well:                                                    This is a great Youtube Video-                        Uplifting Song and Message for Rosh Hashanah                  ...

Following Weight Watchers? This fabulous chilled soup is ZERO points and you can make it quickly. Talk about veggies; this soup is loaded. Lets face it, it may be well into September, but it is 90 degrees outside. A nice bowl of ice cold Mango Gazpacho will hit the spot! I found this recipe on Pinterest! It sounded interesting, so I thought I'd give it a try. It was definitely different -but very tasty. My adapted recipe called for most of the end of summer vegetables: tomatoes, peppers, red onion, garlic, cucumber, corn on the cob kernels, and mango. Using my blender, it was easy enough to make. I served it in these cute little bowls. The presentation was lovely and everyone seemed to like it. It is certainly healthy and the best part as I said is that on Weight Watchers it is Z ero Points Plus .   The soup itself is a creamy puree, but it is topped with a hearty medley of crunchy vegetables and mango. I loved the texture and colors. And of course it's gluten free and vega...

Need a quick Weight Watchers lunch idea? Chick Peas are high in protein, flavor, fiber, and vitamins - ! This simple vegan chick pea vegetable salad is REALLY easy and FAST to make and is delicious. I just opened a can, lightly mashed the chick peas with a fork, added some chopped red onion, a little chopped celery, chopped red sweet pepper, parsley, dill, lemon juice and spices, and topped it with a flavored balsamic vinegar ! A healthy rainbow packed lunch in minutes and it's filling, fast, and hearty. Yet, kind to my waistline- with only 2 Points Plus. I made this recipe for one. Why? Because I'm trying to follow WW and I wanted it to be very low in points. On Weight Watchers the chick pea mash is about 2 points Plus per serving. ( which is the entire recipe) Want to serve more people, just double, triple or quadruple the recipe. The best part of it is that you can eat the chickpea mash on a romaine lettuce leaf instead of bread. I know there are delicious gluten free  brea...