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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

Palo-Santo-Candles

Healthy Dinner is Served

Recipes courtesy of Living Plate Nutrition Education and Counseling Center located in the heart of Somerset County in Far Hills. Credentialed healthcare professionals work along side culinary facilitators to bring you innovative programs with hands-on culinary instruction.

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Portion of Cauliflower Soup (on rustic wooden background)

Cauliflower Soup with Lemon and Herbs

Serves 8,  Makes 12 sample servings

Ingredients • 1 large sweet onion, chopped • 4 cloves garlic, chopped • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 3 tablespoons yellow miso paste • 1 large head cauliflower, chopped into 2” pieces, stems included • 2 teaspoons lemon zest • ½ cup raw, unsalted cashews • 6 cups water • 2 tablespoons za’atar spice mix or dried herbs of choice • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 tablespoon EVOO – optional for garnish

Directions 1. In a large soup pot, sauté onion and garlic gently in olive oil until softened and fragrant. 2. Add miso paste and stir to coat onions. 3. Add cauliflower, lemon zest, cashews and water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is soft, about 15-20 minutes. Add water if necessary to keep cauliflower covered. 4. Remove from heat and let stand until cool enough to purée. 5. Purée soup in batches in blender – be sure cover of blender is on tight as steam from soup could pop lid. 6. Season with salt. 7. Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with za’atar or other herbs and drizzle with oil if desired just before serving.

Nutrition Analysis Per serving: Calories 92, Carbohydrates 12g, Protein 3g, Fat 4g, Fiber 3g, Vitamin A 1% DV, Vitamin C 99% DV, Sodium 576mg.


Quinoa Arugula Salad

Serves 8, Makes 12 sample servings

Ingredients

• 4-5 cups diced or cubed butternut squash • 1 tablespoon EVOO • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste • 1 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled • 4 cups arugula, washed and spun dry • 2 cups asparagus, steamed and sliced in half on diagonal • 1 cup red pepper, chopped • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved • ¼ cup raw pepitas • Salt and pepper to taste • ½ lemon, juiced

Vinaigrette:

• 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinaigrette • 1 ½ tablespoons EVOO • 1 small garlic clove, pressed or minced • 1 teaspoon maple syrup • Sea salt to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Toss squash with oil. Season with salt/pepper, place on parchment lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes until just soft. 3. Set aside to cool. 4. Add ingredients for vinaigrette to mason jar and shake vigorously. 5. Add salad ingredients to large bowl. Toss with lemon juice, dressing and serve.

Nutrition Analysis: Per serving: Calories 220, Carbohydrates 31g, Protein 6g, Fat 9g, Fiber 5g, Vitamin A 192% DV, Vitamin C 99% DV, Sodium 589mg.

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Vegan burgers with sweet potato served with arugula and peanut sauce

Chickpea Spinach Burgers with Lemon Basil “Mayo”

Serves 8, Makes 8 sample servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds • 1 garlic clove, pressed • ½ cup celery, finely chopped • ½ cup carrot, finely chopped • ½ cup sweet onion, finely chopped • ½ cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry • 1, 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed • ½ cup brown rice, cooked • 1 tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos [or other gluten-free soy sauce] • 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder • 1 teaspoon cumin • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika • ½ teaspoon salt • ¼ cup oat flour • Vegetable oil spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 2. In a food processor, add sesame seeds, celery, carrot, and onion. Pulse until combined. Remove and place in bowl. 3. To the same food processor, add chickpeas and processes while pulsing the on/off switch until you get a smooth mixture with some chunks. Do not over process our you will be having hummus for dinner. 4. Add chickpea mixture to vegetables in the bowl along with rice, soy sauce, curry powder, cumin, paprika, and salt. Mix thoroughly. 5. Mix in enough oat flour to to form a stiff dough and knead for 30 seconds. 6. Form patties, place on a parchment lined baking sheet, spray lightly on both sides with oil, and place in oven for 30 minutes. Flip burgers and return to oven until browned. 7. Serve with Lemon Basil “Mayo”.

Nutrition Analysis: Per serving: Calories 159, Carbohydrates 28g, Protein 6g, Fat 3g, Fiber 5g, Vitamin A 60% DV, Vitamin C 9% DV, Sodium 516mg.


 

Lemon Basil “Mayo”

Serves 8, Makes 8 sample servings, about 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours and drained • 1 teaspoon lemon zest • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard • ¼ cup water • 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped • ¼ teaspoon hot sauce, optional

Directions

1. Place all ingredients, except basil and hot sauce, in a blender and process until smooth, adding more water a tablespoon at a time as needed to achieve desired consistency. Pulse in basil and hot sauce.

Nutrition Analysis: Per serving: Calories 119, Carbohydrates 7g, Protein 4g, Fat 9g, Fiber 1g, Vitamin A 0% DV, Vitamin C2% DV, Sodium 180mg.

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Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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