White Bean Garlic Dip

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White Bean Garlic Parsley Dip - High Fiber Healthy Dip for Weight LossBefore I share this recipe with you, I have to tell you something. I like garlic. A lot. I mean, it takes a lot of restraint for me to create recipes for you that have a “normal and reasonable” amount of garlic in them. If I had things my way, every recipe would have at least 9 cloves of garlic in it – except maybe Wonderful Waffles.

At the very least, garlic would replace the lost tomatoes in my Tomato-Free Guacamole, Potato Corn Chowder would be zippy food instead of comfort food, and Cream of Leek and Kale Soup would become Cream of Leek and Kale and Garlic soup.

But alas, I’m forced to stay within the confines of “normal”.

So when I tested this White Bean Garlic Dip out on my kids and they told me, “It’s good, but it has a lot of garlic in it”, imagine my glee when I could say, “It’s supposed to be garlicky!” Ha.

I hope you enjoy.

5.0 from 2 reviews

White Bean Garlic Dip
 

This delicious dip is full of fiber and tastes great with chips or crunchy vegetables.
Author:

Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (about 7 “stems” of parsley)
  • 2 – 3 cloves garlic (see note #1)
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons lemon juice (see note #1)
  • 1 1/2 cup cooked white beans, well drained (see note #2)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder or granulated onion
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste (see note #3)
  • 1/4 cup finely diced red onion

Instructions
  1. Remove long stems from parsley and finely chop in food processor.
  2. Transfer to a bowl.
  3. Place garlic, lemon juice, and drained white beans in food processor and process until smooth. Be sure to blend well to thoroughly puree garlic so it’s distributed evenly.
  4. Add oil and process until well mixed.
  5. Add seasonings, minced parsley, and diced red onion and process just until mixed.
  6. Chill before serving. Dip will thicken slightly when chilled.

Notes
1. The amount of lemon juice and garlic you use depends on taste.

2. I used white beans that I cooked in my slow cooker (crockpot) because a slow cooker makes beans super soft and creamy. You could try canned beans and the result will probably be good, but if you think to put some beans in the crock pot the night before, you’ll have some lusciously creamy dip!

Be sure to drain beans very well or dip will be too thin.

3. The amount of salt needed will depend on the amount already in the beans.

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About Brown Rice and How to Cook Perfect Rice

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How to Cook Perfect Brown RiceThe difference between brown rice and white rice is not just color!

Is Brown Rice Better for Weight Loss?

White rice is brown rice that has been processed (refined). This milling and polishing process turns the brown rice to white and alters the nutritional value of the rice.

This refining process destroys: Brown Rice

  • 67% of the vitamin B3
  • 80% of the vitamin B1
  • 90% of the vitamin B6
  • 60% of the iron
  • most of the dietary fiber
  • most of the essential fatty acids

Brown rice is high in nutrients and fiber and helpful for weight loss.

How Much Uncooked Rice Equals How Much Cooked Rice?

Depending on the type of rice and the method of cooking, one cup of dry rice can equal from two to four cups cooked.  Using the cooking method below, one cup of long grain brown rice will yield almost four cups of cooked rice.

How Do I Cook Brown Rice?

Here is a no-fail method for cooking brown rice. It’s the method I use, and it gives me beautiful, fluffy rice every time.

In this method, the rice is dextrinized (lightly browned) before cooking. Yes, this is an extra step, but dextrinizing rice before cooking it makes it easier to digest and helps the nutrients in the rice to be more available. It also results in beautiful fluffy cooked rice.

I dextrinize a large amount of rice ahead of time and store it in 2 cup ziplock bags in my frig so it’s ready whenever I need it.

Perfectly-Cooked Fluffy Brown Rice
 

Cooked in this manner, brown rice is delicious and nutritious and easy to digest.
Author:

Ingredients
  • 2 cups uncooked brown rice
  • 3 7/8 cups water

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
  2. Distribute rice evenly on a large, dry baking sheet. Rice should be in a thin layer.
  3. Bake at 300°F for 20 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. (Baking time will vary depending on the type of baking pan used. Dark colored metal pans brown faster than light colored glass ones.)
  4. When rice is done baking, bring water to boil in a large, covered pan with a wide bottom.
  5. Add rice, cover, return to boil, and then reduce heat. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. (Cooking time will vary depending on how hot your stove burner is.)
  6. Remove lid and fluff rice with fork.

Notes
For best results, avoid lifting lid while cooking rice. A pan with a glass lid is helpful when cooking rice since you can see whether the rice is done or not without lifting the lid.

This super nutritious, gluten-free grain can be used in delicious dishes such as

Tex Mex Beans and Rice

Tex Mex Beans and Rice

and Pineapple Coconut Rice with Strawberries

Pineapple Coconut Rice w Strawberries

 
Some of the posts on this blog contain affiliate links, but I never recommend anything that I don’t use (and like) myself. All opinions stated are 100% mine and 100% honest. Buying items through those links doesn’t cost you any extra and is a nice way for you to help me continue to provide this blog. Thank you : )

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Borscht

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Borscht When I was a child, I was quite content to live on cereal, tater tots, and ice cream day after day (if I would have been allowed), and yet I wasn’t a terribly picky eater and could manage to eat foods that I didn’t really care for if absolutely necessary.  The one exception was beets.  I just could not tolerate beets.

Once when I was about 14 years old, we were dinner guests at the home of a family originally from Russia.  Guess what was on the menu.  Yep.  We were having soup made from the only vegetable I absolutely despised. And I had no choice but to eat it.

I swallowed a spoonful, and then as I began rallying the courage to take another, I suddenly realized that I actually liked it.  In fact, I really, really liked it!  Borscht just may be a delicious way to eat beets – even if you normally hate them.

There are probably as many different variations of borscht as there are towns in Europe, and I’m sure this one isn’t the “authentic” version, but we like it and I hope you do too!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Borscht
 

Be sure to use only fresh beets in this recipe. Canned beets won’t produce the same results.
Author:

Ingredients
  • 2 medium onions, finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots, coarsely shredded or finely diced
  • 1/2 head of cabbage, coarsely shredded or diced small
  • 4 medium FRESH beets, peeled and shredded or finely diced
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill weed or 2 tablespoons fresh
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder or granulated onion
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 cups broth
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced small
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups tomato puree
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice, scant
  • 1 tablespoon honey or 2 teaspoons sugar – optional
  • salt to taste

Instructions
  1. Prepare vegetables. (I use my veggie chopper for this.)
  2. In a soup pan, sauté onion, carrots, cabbage, and beets in oil over medium heat until vegetables are slightly tender, but not soft.
  3. Add garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes.
  4. Add seasonings and stir.
  5. Add remaining ingredients, turn heat to high, and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until all vegetables are tender.
  6. Remove bay leaves. Serve hot topped with sour cream.

    Variation: Omit the diced potatoes and add 1 1/2 cups white beans along with the tomato puree.

 
Some of the posts on this blog contain affiliate links, but I never recommend anything that I don’t use (and like) myself. All opinions stated are 100% mine and 100% honest. Buying items through those links doesn’t cost you any extra and is a nice way for you to help me continue to provide this blog. Thank you : )

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Make Homemade Nut Butter in a Blender

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Make Homemade Nut Butter Blendtec Twister Jar

There’s something you should know about me, especially if I ever ask you if I could borrow your blender. I am tough on blenders. I’ve burned out more blenders than I can remember. When I finally realized that a regular blender and I weren’t a good match, I checked out a Blendtec. Oh-la-la! This blender can blend!!

I use it every day – and usually several times a day!

Can You Make Nut Butters in a Blender?

Blendtec sells a Twister Jar that’s designed to blend super thick ingredients. It has a cool twister lid that you can … well … twist while the the blender is running to push thick ingredients (like ground nuts) from the sides of the jar into the blade. So you can even make nut butters with a Blendtec!

Blendtec Twister

If you’d like more blender-kind-a-info, I wrote a post on How to Choose a Blender and one on Blendtec vs. Vitamix.  I hope they’re helpful.

Some of the posts on this blog contain affiliate links, but I never recommend anything that I don’t use (and like) myself. All opinions stated are 100% mine and 100% honest. Buying items through those links doesn’t cost you any extra and is a nice way for you to help me continue to provide this blog. Thank you : )

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Greek Asparagus Salad

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Greek Asparagus Salad At the risk of further confusing my friends who think all I eat are salads – every meal, every day – I’ve decided to post two (two!) vegetable salad recipes in a row. Why? Because asparagus season is almost over, and I want to enjoy at least one more dish of those tender, spring-green spears before we say good-bye! : (

About the salads 24/7 … I’ve tried to tell my dear friends that there’s more to eating healthfully than carrot sticks and Brussels sprouts, but some of them still think I nibble on some celery stalks for breakfast, stuff a plateful of sprouts in my mouth for lunch, and get my kale on for supper. Oh well.

5.0 from 4 reviews

Greek Asparagus Salad
 

Author:

Ingredients
  • 1/4 pound extra-firm tofu
  • 2 bunches (2 lbs) asparagus
  • 1/3 cup diced or thinly sliced red onion
  • 1/2 cup (one 2.25-ounce can) sliced black olives
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
  • 1/4 teaspoon basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
  1. Drain block of tofu by placing it in a colander and setting something heavy on top. Set aside to drain.
  2. Rinse asparagus well. Snap off the woody ends of each spear by holding a spear on both ends and bending it. The spear should break easily where the woody end and the tender stalk meet. Discard woody ends.
  3. Cut asparagus into 1- to 1/12-inch pieces and steam for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender-crisp. (See notes below.)
  4. Meanwhile, place onions, olives, and crushed garlic in serving bowl.
  5. When asparagus is done, remove from pan to cool.
  6. Crumble tofu and add to serving bowl along with remaining ingredients.
  7. Add asparagus pieces and mix well.
  8. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Notes:

1. If desired, asparagus can be steamed first and then cut into pieces.

2. For the best flavor, be sure to steam asparagus rather than boiling it.

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