Lentils w/ Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1 cup Lentils
• 1 Garlic clove 
• 1 large Tomato
• Sea salt - to taste
• 1 medium Onion (chopped)
• 1/2 cup Mushrooms
• 1 Yellow pepper (chopped)
• 1/3 cup Baby carrots 
• 1 dry Bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper
• 1/2 tsp Basil
• 1/2 tsp Thyme
• 1 tsp Flax seed
• 1 Tbs Olive oil

Directions

In a food blender add tomato and garlic. Blend until smooth. You may need to add water to get the process going. If so, add a little at a time.

In a pot, add one cup of water, blended tomato, cumin, bay leaf and sea salt. Let boil, then

add lentils. You will need to add water as need. Cook for 15-20 minutes. I like my lentils very soft, so I cook mines until they thicken up and create a gravy-like texture.

Heat olive oil in a pan. Add onions, yellow peppers, mushrooms, carrots, sea salt, black pepper, basil, flax seed and thyme. Cook for 10 minutes. Add mixture to lentils and serve.

I really enjoy lentils! Adding the vegetables gave it texture.  

If you have a recipe for lentils, please share with Your Renew.

Some Health Benefits

Lentils support blood, heart and digestive health. They are an energy booster and also help weight loss.

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Pasta w/ Avocado Dressing

Nice & Creamy!

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1/2 Avocado
• 1/3 cup Olive oil
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• 1 Tbs Tahini
• 1 Garlic clove
• 1 tsp Apple cider vinegar
• Sea salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• 2 Tbs Almond milk
• Pinch of Thyme
• Pinch of Basil

• 1 cup Broccoli (cooked)
• 1 1/2 cup Pasta of your choice
• 1 small Tomato (chopped)
• 1 small Onion (chopped)

Directions

Cook pasta as directed and set aside.

Combine  all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend. It will be thick, so you can add more almond milk to make it the consistency you want.

In a bowl add tomatoes, onions, pasta and broccoli. Add dressing and mix well. 

I served this dish cold. I'm thinking it would taste good hot also.

Some Health Benefits 

Avocados support heart, blood, liver, cell, skin and eye health. They are useful for nutrient absorption, weight-loss and detox, weight-loss.

Broccoli helps fight some cancers and supports cell health in general. It enriches the blood, nourishes the nervous system and helps in weight loss.

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Vegetable Chili

After one bowl you will be full, but its powers 

are beyond your control ... you will go back for more!

Ingredients

• 1 cup Kidney beans
• 1 cup Pink beans
• 3 cups Water
• Salt to taste
• 1 dry Bay leaf
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp Chili powder
• 1/2 Tbs unsweetened Cocoa powder
• 1 tsp smoked Paprika 
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 large Onion (chopped)
• 1 large Green pepper (chopped)
• 2 Tomatoes (chopped)
• 2  Tbs Tomato paste
• 1/2 cup Corn (optional)

Directions

Add beans, water, salt, bay leaf, cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika and chili powder in a slow cooker for 3-4 hours or until beans are soft.  I'm sure this complete recipe would work in a slow cooker, but I transferred the beans to a pot and finished the cooking on the stove.

In a pot, add onion, pepper, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans (with liquid), tomato paste, cocoa powder and corn. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until chili is thick.

I served this with basmati rice cooked in coconut milk and topped with avocado. Oh, so good!

Some Health Benefits


Basmati rice nourishes the heart, blood and nervous system. It helps the body heal from wounds and maintain a healthy digestive system. It complements beans for a complete protein intake. Basmati rice's protein content is higher than regular rice.  

Avocados are known to support heart, blood, liver, cell, skin and eye health. They help in detox, weight-loss and nutrient absorption.

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"Good Food"

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A good diet is always within reach. But making the switch to healthy eating might seem difficult at first. When we decide to eat healthy to shed unhealthy pounds; when blood test results say we have diabetes, and we turn to healthy sugars to balance our blood sugar levels; or when we cut out the sweets and unhealthy salts and fats, we know good eating is within our reach. 

Why then is it that many don't stick to the diet program? True, it's got to do with will power. It's also about finding tasty, familiar substitutes. But effective change must be natural. Some experts tell us to sip on diet pop, eat nicely-packaged diet foods, and pop diet pills - it's really no surprise when people fall off their diet plans while finding "good food." 

You know whether it's really good or not when it doesn't keep you anxiously watching the scale. We are swamped with numbers, terms and expensive programs. There are catchy-named dieting plans that sometimes confuse our efforts when we could focus and cut out unhealthy sugars completely for example. And for substitutes, there are always healthy alternatives you may creatively put together based on available recipes.  

That's when we're defining good food with health improvement in mind. That's when we are saying "good" with a little more meaning. Good diet must be as immunity-boosting, cleansing and nutritious as it should taste good. 

Bean Burger

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This sandwich is very satisfying. Even a meat lover would have to agree!

Ingredients

Serving size: 9

• 3 cups of cooked Pink beans
• 1 large Onion(chopped)
• 1 Green pepper(chopped)
• 1/3 cup cooked Brown rice
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Chili powder
• 1/2 tsp Onion powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1/2 Thyme
• 1/2 Basil
• 1 Flax seed egg
• Sea salt to taste
• 3 Tbs Wheat flour
• 4 Tbs of Olive oil( or any oil of your choice)
• 1 sliced Avocado
• Baby Spinach
• Vegan Mayonnaise
• Sliced Tomatoes
• Wheat Bread

Directions

In a large bowl add beans and mash together using the back of a fork. Add onion, green pepper, brown rice, ½ tsp garlic powder chili powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, basil, flax seed egg substitute and sea salt, Mix well. Pour wheat flour with 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp onion powder onto a plate and mix. Heat pan with olive oil. Use an ice cream scooper into wheat flour mixer and coat completely. Once coated, shape bean mix into the shape of a pattie and add to olive oil. Be careful while handling pattie - it will be very soft. Cook pattie for 3 minutes on both side or until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and assemble sandwich with wheat bread, sliced tomatoes, baby spinach, avocado and vegan mayonnaise.

Some Health Benefits

Beans support blood, heart and cell health. They are a source of protein and fiber. It is useful in weight loss. 

Avocados also help balance the body's weight. They support blood, brain, heart, liver, kidney, skin, hair and immune system health. They boost good cholesterol and helps repair swollen and damaged cells. Avocados are known to help correct premenstrual syndrome and some other hormonal imbalances.

Spinach is good for eye, blood, heart, brain, bone and cell health. It helps repair damaged cells, It also helps in digestion and counters constipation.

Tomatoes nourish the skin and support eye, heart, blood and kidney health.

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Basmati Rice w/ Curry Vegetables

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The lightness of the rice is delightful!

Ingredients
Serving size: 4

• 2 1/2 cups Basmati rice (cooking according to product's directions)
• 1 yellow Squash (chopped)
• 1 large Onion (chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 1 green Pepper (chopped)
• 1 cup mushroom (sliced)
• 1 medium Tomato (chopped)
• 1 cup Asparagus (chopped)
• 1 cup Broccoli
• 1/2 tsp Thyme
• 1/2 tsp Basil
• 1/2 tsp Rosemary
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1 cup Water
• 2 Tbs Curry powder
• 2 Tbs Fufu powder (or 2 Tbs flour) & 2 Tbs water
• 1 Tbs Olive oil
• Sea salt (optional)

Directions

Cook Basmati rice. Set aside.

Heat pan with olive oil. Add squash,onions, garlic, pepper, tomato, asparagus, broccoli and thyme, basil, rosemary, cayenne, pepper and 1 Tbs curry powder. Cook for 10 minutes. Add water and 1 Tbs curry powder. Cook for 5 minutes. Mix fufu and water until pasty. Add fufu mix in small amounts until thick. Cook until thickens to your taste. Serve over rice.

Some Health Benefits

Basmati rice helps maintain blood health - it is healthy for those countering diabetes. It nourishes the brain and heart systems. It supports skin health and boosts the body's energy production.

Asparagus supports bone, skin, reproductive and cell health in general. It helps heal swelling and damaged cells. It is an energizer and a detox.
.
Mushrooms are also a detox. They also support the blood, digestive and immune systems.

Tomatoes support blood, heart, skin, kidney health. They help help repair swollen and damaged cells. Garlic helps secure the immune system. It helps the body fight unhealthy bacteria and infections. It supports blood, lung and respiratory health. Onions have similar, but milder effects, as garlic.

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The "Miracle" Berry

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Source: miraclefruitusa.com

Miracle Berries*

The "Miracle" berry (click the Miracle Fruit red banners on the right) might surprise you. It makes some sour foods taste sweet. 

For black people, this miracle isn't so mysterious. It is a health-supporting fruit from West Africa. Interest in the berry has grown over the past decade.

You put the little red berry on your tongue and eat the flesh for about thirty seconds. Anything you eat immediately after that tastes sweet. 

This makes it an excellent healthy sweetener.

It is known to help people undergoing chemotherapy or countering diabetes and other sugar-related diseases to healthily sweeten and enjoy food.

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Dairy-Free Cornbread w/ Brussels Sprout Medley Roasted Tomato Garlic Sauce

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Nutritious & Organ-Pleasing

Ingredients

Dairy-Free Cornbread

• 1 cup Cornmeal 
• 1 cup Corn
• 1 cup  Unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tbs Baking powder
• 3/4 tsp Sea salt
• 1/4 cup Agave
• 1 cup Almond milk
• 1/4 cup melted Coconut oil
• 2 tbs ground Flax seed mixed with 6 tbs water (as egg substitute)

Brussels Sprouts with  Roasted Tomato Garlic Sauce

• 2 cups Brussels sprouts (cut in half)
• 2 medium Tomatoes (sliced)
• 1 cup baby Carrots (cut in half)
• 2 cloves of Garlic
• 1 Red pepper (sliced)
• 1 large Onion (sliced)
• 1 tbs Olive oil
• Sea salt (optional)

Directions

Brussels Sprout Roasted Tomato Garlic Sauce

Put sliced tomatoes on baking sheet pan in oven for 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic to a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside. Heat olive oil in pan and add chopped onions, red pepper and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes.

Dairy-Free Cornbread

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly coat an 8-inch-square baking sheet with olive oil

Combine flour, cornmeal,baking powder and sea salt. Add flax eggs, agave, almond milk, corn and coconut oil (add slowly as you stir ingredients). Mix just until smooth. Pour into baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle come out clean.

Some Nutritional Benefits

The almond milk in the cornbread insures bone, muscle, skin, eye, blood and heart health.

Brussels sprouts help the body produce energy from the food we eat. They nourish the heart and digestive system. They are also used as a detox, and in repairing damaged cells (to prevent swelling or cancer). The fibers help relieve constipation.

Tomatoes support the immune system and can help restore/maintain kidney health. 

Carrots are a good detox. They help cleanse the liver and colon. 

Tomatoes and carrots boost eye, teeth, bone, skin, blood, heart and cell health. 

 

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Tomato Barley Soup

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Delicious, nutritious soup, and quite filling! 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Barley (or 1/2 cup according to taste)
• 3 large Tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 cup Mushrooms (of your choice)
• 2 large bunches of Baby spinach
• 1 large Onion (chopped)
• 2 Garlic cloves (diced)
• 1 red Pepper (chopped)
• 1 Carrot (chopped)
• 3 cups no-sodium Vegetable broth (or water)
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp Basil
• 1 tsp Thyme
• 1 tbs Olive oil
• Sea salt (optional)

Directions

Heat pot with olive oil add chopped onions, red peppers, carrot, garlic, mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth, barley, tomatoes, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, basil, thyme and salt.  Let cook until soup thickens and barley is soft. Add spinach and serve.

Some Health Benefits

Barley helps nourish cells against damaged (cancer) growtheyes. Its fibers help the body digest, absorb and eliminate the food we eat. Good for the digestive system and bodies that should lose some weight! Barley's mineral content also supports blood (against diabetes for example), bone and muscle health.

Mushrooms help the maintain healthy blood sugar levels. It assists the body to process and produce energy from the food we eat. Mushrooms are also a boost to healthy organs fighting cancerous cells especially in the prostate - making it useful against prostate cancer.

Tomatoes, like Barley and mushroom, fights cancer and enriches the blood, helping balance blood sugar (against diabetes) boost eye and skin health from inside. It nourishes the heart and helps the body prevent strokes and balances blood pressure (against hypertension). It also assists in restoring bone mass (countering osteoporosis). it nourishes and flushes the kidneys  helping to prevent gallstones and kidney stones.

Carrots also enrich the blood, support eye health and help in digestion.

Spinach boosts the immune system, the nervous system and brain health. It also shares the other ingredients properties that insure blood, eye, skin and digestive system health. Like the others, spinach is a balm for cell health against cancer and inflammation.  

Garlic and onions aid in restoring health to swollen cells (against inflammation) and cancerous organs. They help break down foods, fight toxins and unhealthy bacteria and help heal wounds and clears scars. Onions are known to help repair black people's (brown) skin where there are hypertrophic scars.    

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