Polenta Lentil Salad

I love salads with complex flavors and a variety of ingredients. For the Transition Phase of the Body Rejuvenation Cleanse this past Sunday I created this dish to represent some of the foods that can be eaten over the next 2 weeks of the program. Bursting with flavor this Polenta and Lentil Salad can make a light meal or served with a warm bowl of Butternut Carrot Soup a comforting end to a long day.

For the polenta I used Bob's Red Mill Corn Grits and followed the recipe on the back of the package. When it called for butter to be added I substituted 2 tablespoons of Ghee (clarified butter), and eliminated the parmesan cheese, but added 1/3 cup of nutritional yeast to give it a cheese like taste and loads of B vitamins. I also grated in some dried garlic and black pepper before removing it from the heat. I then poured the polenta into a baking pan and let it cool. 

When cool I sliced the polenta into cubes and served it on a bed of lettuce. I had roasted some locally grown beets in olive oil the night before and spooned these on top along with a few tablespoons of cooked French lentils, some Goji berries (soaked in water about 10 minutes), toasted almonds and a few tablespoons of this fabulous dressing:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fig vinegar

1 tablespoon black current vinegar

3 tablespoons blood orange vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Ume Plum vinegar

Each part of the dish can be prepared ahead of time and assembled when ready to eat. Loaded with protein this dish will give your taste buds the sweet, sour, salty, pungent, and bitter flavors they crave, leaving you sated and satisfied.

PROTEIN RECIPES: LIFE'S BUILDING BLOCKS

Thinking of strong protein meals that support your weight loss and cleansing programs I put on the soundtrack to Mama Mia, turned it up high, my dancing shoes tied on tight and managed a few fancy moves while I prepped and prepared these two recipes. Maybe it was the dancing or just the fact that the recipes are good, because the lentils turned out to be some of the best I have ever made, possibly ever tasted; and the Lima Bean soup was a wonder to behold.

For the meal I paired the lentil soup with a fresh green salad of red leaf lettuce, dandelion greens, red clover sprouts, and blanched broccoli, topped with minced parsley, green onion and a tart dressing of fresh lemon juice, olive oil and minced garlic. A great liver cleansing salad.

The Lima Bean soup is very simple to make once you have soaked the beans overnight. You literally place half a peeled onion into the pot with beans and water/stock (no need to chop it) and a whole head of garlic, first layer of skin removed and washed well. The garlic cooks in its skin and when the beans are tender you remove the garlic to cool before slicing off the end and squeezing out the treasures within.

Serve the lentils over a bed of red and white quinoa, with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. It was a meal that put a smile on my face with enough protein to satisfy my daily allotment.

I post the two recipes here for your enjoyment. As always pass the word around to your friends and family so they can experience some delicious, healthy food as well. Probably the best gift you will ever give them, this promise of good health and happiness.

Spicy Winter Lentils

Yield: 6-8 servings

2 cups French lentils, rinsed

4 cups water

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1 red pepper, ceded and chopped

3 clove garlic, minced

2” piece ginger, peeled and minced

1 red chili or cayenne pepper, minced

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seed

salt to taste

Fresh cilantro minced

1. Combine lentils, water, carrots and celery in a soup pot and bring to a boil.

2. Remove from heat and spoon into a crock pot set to HIGH.

3. Meanwhile, roast the cumin, coriander and fennel seeds in a small skillet.

4. Remove from heat when they release their aroma. Place in a mort and pestle and grind to a powder.

5. In a medium skillet heat the coconut oil and sauté the onion, pepper, ginger, chili pepper and garlic until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

6. Add the ground seeds, stir well, and cook another 3 minutes.

7. Remove from heat and stir onion mixture into the lentils. Pour ¼ cup of water into the skillet and dissolve any remaining herbs and oil. Pour this water into the lentils.

8. Cover the lentils, reduce the heat to LOW, and cook for 4 hours. 15 minutes before serving adjust seasonings and salt to taste.

9. Serve topped with minced cilantro and a dollop of fresh yogurt if desired.

Lima Bean Soup

Yield: 6 servings

2 cups dried lima beans

1 cup vegetable stock

4 cups water

1/2 onion

1 whole head garlic (one layer of skin removed)

3 tablespoons fresh parsley

2 tablespoons minced green onion

1 teaspoon toasted pumpkin seeds per bowl

Sprinkle of cayenne (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak the beans overnight in a medium size soup pot or Dutch oven. Drain the water and add the stock and fresh water to the beans.

2. Add the whole ½ onion and the head of garlic to the beans.

3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 hour. (You can also bring to a boil, then pour into a crock pot set on LOW. Cover and cook about 4-5 hours)

4. When beans are tender remove the head of garlic and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle squeeze the garlic out of the casings and back into the soup. Discard the skin and casings.

5. Using a hand blender, purée the soup until tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

7. Serve topped with the minced parsley, pumpkin seeds and green onion.

 

I like to think that America is in the midst of a food revolution. All the books available on improving one's health by eating a good diet, and books about how to green the home and save the planet, articles on health and nutrition in magazines and newsletters, helps me to maintain the illusion that progress has been made and victory is within our grasp. Then the New York Times comes along and bursts my bubble with an article by Roni Caryn Rabin, showing the latest statistics for Americans eating habits. 



According to a national survey of Americans age 40-74 those eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day has dropped from 42 percent to 26 percent. At the same time the obesity rate increased from 28 percent to 36 percent and the percentage of people who exercise dropped by half. The study, reported in the June issue of The American Journal of Medicine, proved disappointing to its lead author, Dr. Dana E. King, who was concerned that people are using medication to control their cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease, rather than eating a high quality diet and getting regular exercise.

It is the nature of the human mind to deceive itself into believing what it wants to believe, and one of the greatest deceptions is that ultimate health can be found in a pill. Sorry to burst that bubble, but the only one benefiting from this lie is the pharmaceutical companies who indulge Americans addiction to greasy burgers, fries, sugar, and soda pop.

Author Eric Schlosser wrote in Fast Food Nation how, "In 1970 Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food; in 2000 they spent more than $110 billion dollars. Americans now spend more money on fast food than on higher education, personal computers, computer software, or new cars. They spend more on fast food than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded music combined."

Taking a pill in place of eating a whole foods diet, only creates a build up of toxins and poisonous sludge in the blood. It is not much different than how a river or ocean becomes contaminated, and when this happens there is only one thing to do. Cleanse, detoxify, go on a diet, renew, rejuvenate, recover.

Now, I'm not talking about doing a quick 7-day laxative induced, fasting binge, which is just another illusion that there's relief to be found in pill form. No, I'm talking about a gradual shift off of stress causing foods: refined wheat flour, refined sugar, pasteurized dairy products, caffeine, alcohol and artificial sweeteners, flavorings and colorings. To a diet consisting of alkaline forming foods found in organic fruits and vegetables, plus whole grains, animal and/or vegetarian protein, nuts, seeds and fresh herbs.

This way of eating allows your filtering organs time to cleanse gradually, so the liver can purify the blood in order for the cells to rejuvenate and rebuild. With enough time the entire body, including DNA can remake itself. A good cleansing, such as the Body Rejuvenation Cleanse program should last 5-6 weeks, however, in order to remake and heal the body plan for at least a full year for recovery.