Just a Quickie....

For anyone that knows me, you know I am a major avocado devotee.

I regularly look for ways to sneak it into my meals.  After all, aside form being one of the most delicious foods on the planet, it contains healthy satiating fats, vitamin C, magnesium and B-6. There is also a great deal of potassium in a serving.

This morning, I was looking for a new spin on my routine avocado toast.  What I came up after scavenging my pantry this morning  was still super simple, but had a much more complex flavor than the usual.

The addition of flax seeds add insoluble fiber and satiety to this meal, as well as some extra texture.

Also, a note on the flax seeds, nowadays, they can even be found at Aldi, so they are not an expensive addition to your pantry.  They're great for all kinds of things; sprinkling in oatmeal, Greek yogurt...the list goes on.

The finished product was spicy, sweet, and salty.

If I could, I would eat it all over again for lunch.

Avocado Toast Remix:

-2 slices of your favorite whole wheat or seed bread ( I love Alvarado Street Bakery Complete Protein)
- about 3/4 of an avocado
- red pepper flakes
-Natural honey
-Kosher salt
- flax seeds

Begin by toasting your bread to its desired level of crispness.  Next, mash your avocado onto the toast slices.  sprinkle a little Kosher salt to taste.
Add some flax seeds, for as much crunch as you would like.  Sprinkle a conservative amount of red pepper flakes and then a light drizzle of honey.


The rest of the job is up to coffee :)

As it gets deep into the week, and I find myself swamped with work, I am less excited to bust out a dinner that isn’t toast and eggs.  Enter the crock pot…..

I had made eggplant Parmesan earlier in the week and had about half of a massive eggplant left in the fridge. My wheels started turning. Why not a vegetable ragout?

This is a soul satisfying and healthy dish that can really be made with the contents of your pantry.  Not a fan of eggplant? Leave it out (but really; try it!); you can replace it with zucchini, or mushrooms.  Any vegetable that can vibe with a predominantly Italian flavor profile.

Aside from plain convenience and ease of preparation, this recipe is incredibly healthful.  Eggplant; for starters; is loaded with dietary fiber; but also folate, B vitamins and copper.  It also contains high levels of an antioxidant compound known as nasunin.  According to the NIH, nasunin dramatically decreases free radical production and prevents cellular damage. Eggplant is also a very low calorie food; about 1 cup equals 35 calories.

So here is the recipe:

Ingredients:  (TOTAL TIME; ABOUT 2 HOURS- SERVES 4 WITH LEFTOVERS)

-          1 small eggplant

-          5 cloves minced fresh garlic

-          1 large can of diced tomatoes (San Marzano if you get can your paws on them).

-          1 cup diced marinated artichokes; drained.

-          I can Northern beans; drained and rinsed.

-          2 handfuls whole wheat penne.

-          Kosher salt to taste

-          Freshly ground black pepper to taste

-          2 cups veggie stock or chicken broth.

-          Red pepper flakes to taste.

-          2 Tsp. dried oregano

-          2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

- Pecorino Romano for garnish at time of serving. If you prefer non-dairy, dried aminos would be a nice compliment.

1. Turn the slow cooker on high. Cut the eggplant into somewhat uniform cubes; roughly ½- ¾ inch in size. Don’t stress; this is a rustic dish.  Read: it’s OK not to be perfect or anywhere close.

2. Add the olive oil to the crock pot. Why oil? Eggplant has a tendency to stick, this will help keep the whole dish from doing so.  Next, add in the eggplant cubes.

3. Add your diced tomatoes, no need to drain them. Also, your (drained) beans, garlic, artichokes and seasonings. Let it ride on high for about an hour or so, stir occasionally. If you sense it’s starting to stick, turn down to low.

4. As you go into your second hour of cooking, add in your noodles and your stock. The eggplant should be pretty well cooked and broken down by this point.   Make sure you taste occasionally, I think the way people like eggplant cooked is largely subjective.

Once your noodles are soft; you’re ready to go.  Despite only using 2 handfuls of noodles, the combination of those and the beans will have created a very hearty and filling meal.  Sprinkle with the Romano cheese.

Until the next.

 Resources:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=22&tname=foodspice

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10100509