The 150 Healthiest 15-Minute Recipes on Earth (39 page)

From Dr. Jonny
: Fermented foods such as miso are among the healthiest in the world. Why? Because natural fermentation produces live bacteria known as probiotics, which are like diesel fuel for your digestive system—they make everything run better, help keep pathogens at bay, crowd out “bad” bacteria such as yeast, and generally support and boost your immune system. And everyone knows by now the benefits of nuts. In one major Harvard University study, people who ate nuts five times a week had significantly lower rates of heart disease. They also were better able to control their weight! Taste-wise, the mellow saltiness of fresh miso paste is a perfect complement to the light sweetness of the cashew butter. Great stuff! Hint: Try spreading it on a celery stick.

1/2 cup roasted cashew butter

1 1/2 tablespoons (24 g) mellow white miso

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or in a small bowl (and use immersion blender) and process until smooth.

Yield
: about 3/4 cup
Per Serving
: 134 Calories; 11g Fat (68.1% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 149mg Sodium

Awesome Autumn Bean Dip

From Dr. Jonny
: From time to time I get asked by magazines to put together a list of superfoods that no one thinks are superfoods. You know the type of article: “Foods You Should Be Eating but Aren’t,” “Surprising Superfoods,” or something along those lines. Well, whenever I have to write one of those articles I always include pumpkin. We never seem to think of pumpkin except around holiday time, but really, we should. It’s a high-fiber, low-calorie food that’s loaded with nutrients such as vitamin A, and it’s one of the few exceptions to the rule about canned fruits and vegetables never being any good (the other exceptions are pineapples and beans, if you really want to know). So mix that fabulous pumpkin with some Great Northern beans and you’ve got a high-fiber dip that tastes terrific. Its gorgeous orange color makes it all the more appealing. This makes a superquick, satisfying snack for the family or a great healthy appetizer for company!

1 can (15 ounces or 425 g) great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 ounces or 425 g) pumpkin puree

3 tablespoons (45 g) tahini

3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ancho chile pepper (or cayenne), or to taste

2 cups (260 g) baby carrots

2 cups (150 g) sugar snap peas

2 cups (220 g) sliced crisp apples

2 cups (220 g) sliced crisp pears

Process the beans in a food processor until nearly smooth, scraping down the sides, as necessary. Add the pumpkin, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, salt, and chile pepper and process until smooth, scraping down the sides periodically. Serve with crudités on the side.

Yield
: 8 to 10 servings
Per Serving
: 228 Calories; 3g Fat (12.4% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 12g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 236mg Sodium

From Dr. Jonny
: With all the raging controversies in the nutrition world it’s always nice to find one thing that absolutely everyone—from Ornish to Atkins—agrees on, and that’s this: the value of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. A study that followed more than 80,000 people for 30 years found that those who consistently ate nuts (5 ounces or 140 g a week) had a 35 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease; other studies have found similar benefits. And it’s accepted by just about everyone that diets high in fruits and vegetables are associated with lower rates of heart disease and stroke. So now that you’re sold—as if you weren’t already—here’s a great way to get the trifecta of nutrition (fruits, veggies, and nuts) in one single, easy-to-make dish. It’s a speedy, healthy twist on the popular classic Waldorf salad, dressed lightly with another superstar health food: yogurt. No need to ever feel guilty indulging in this one!

1/2 cup (115 g) plain low-fat yogurt

1 to 2 tablespoons (14 to 28 g) vegan mayonnaise (e.g., Nayonaise or Veganaise) to taste, optional

1 tablespoon (20 g) raw honey, or to taste

1 bag (12 ounces or 340 g) slaw veggies (shredded cabbage and carrots)

2 large green apples, cored and chopped, unpeeled

1/2 cup (75 g) raisins

1/2 cup (60 g) chopped toasted walnuts

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayo, if using, and honey. In a salad bowl, toss together the slaw veggies, apples, raisins, and walnuts. Dress to taste and toss lightly to combine.

Yield
: 4 servings
Per Serving
: 238 Calories; 9g Fat (32.3% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 4mg Cholesterol; 77mg Sodium

From Dr. Jonny
: There’s a lot not to like about movie popcorn; for example, everything! The average portion is at least 1,000 calories (no, that’s not a misprint), the fake butter is a chemical nightmare, and there are trans fats lurking everywhere. Compare that to popcorn made with organic (non-GMO) corn and a decent oil. (Feel free to melt a little real organic butter and drizzle it before eating; I promise not to tell.) High in fiber, low in calories, this terrific basic popcorn can be flavored in multiple ways: Use one of the unique combinations suggested below or use your own imagination and enjoy!

Base Popcorn

2 tablespoons (28 ml) high-heat oil

1/2 cup (100 g) dried organic popping corn

Cocoa-Nut Corn

2 tablespoons (28 ml) coconut oil for popping corn

2 tablespoons (22 g) high-quality dark chocolate chips

2 tablespoons (28 ml) light coconut milk

Salty Spicy Corn

2 tablespoons (28 ml) avocado oil for popping corn

5 to 6 spritzes of Bragg Liquid Aminos, or to taste (Bragg 6-ounce [175 ml] spray bottle)

4 to 5 shots hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Place the oil and corn in a stovetop popcorn maker over medium heat, turning a couple of times to distribute. Once the first kernels start to pop, usually at 4 to 5 minutes, turn the crank continuously for 60 to 90 seconds or until the kernels are all popped (there are about 5 seconds of silence after a pop). If the crank gets stuck, just turn it the opposite way until the jam is freed up. Empty the popcorn into a large bowl and top with your choice of toppings below.

Yield
: about 14 cups dry (4 servings of 3 1/2 cups); moist mixtures will “collapse” the kernels somewhat and yield less volume
Per Serving
: 60 Calories; 7g Fat (100.0% calories from fat); 0g Protein; trace Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; trace Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Fat.

Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a microwave (about 1 minute at 80 percent power), stir well, and whisk in the coconut milk until smooth. Pour over the popcorn and toss well with clean hands to coat.

Empty the popped corn into a bowl and spritz the aminos directly onto the popcorn. Add the hot sauce and toss the popcorn thoroughly with a big spoon to coat evenly.

While the corn is cooking, melt the ghee over medium heat in a small pan. Add the curry powder, cumin seeds, salt, and cayenne. Stir well to coat and sauté for about 2 minutes until very aromatic and cumin seeds are lightly toasted but not scorched. Remove from the heat and stir in the honey until melted and well incorporated. Empty the popped corn into a bowl, pour the curry mixture over the popcorn, and toss thoroughly with a spoon until evenly coated. Add the peanuts and raisins, if using, and toss lightly to combine (the nuts and raisins will drop to the bottom of the bowl).

2 tablespoons (28 ml) coconut oil, for popping corn

1 tablespoon ghee

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 tablespoon (20 g) honey

1/3 cup (48 g) roasted peanuts, optional

1/3 cup (50 g) raisins, optional

1
. Toss the hot popped corn with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of warm olive oil, 1/4 to 1/3 cup (25 to 33 g) fresh-grated Parmesan cheese, and cracked pepper, to taste.

2
. Drizzle 3 tablespoons (48 g) warm, low-sugar barbecue sauce over popped corn and toss thoroughly with hands to coat. (See recipe for quick barbecue sauce on
page 44
.)

3
. Drizzle the popped corn with 2 tablespoons (28 ml) warm rosemary or garlic olive oil, sprinkle with a few pinches of salt, and toss thoroughly to combine. (See recipe for homemade rosemary garlic oil on
page 122
.)