A recent clinical trial by the chocolate-maker Mars reports that consumption of cocoa flavanols (antioxidant compounds of dark chocolate) helps older adults with mild cognitive impairment.   This new report shows for the first time that cocoa has a positive effect in cognitive function.  Further research is still needed to expand on this information but given that these trials were done in a short time and already show promising res...

Agave Cranberry Sauce~ Since I have a massive sweet tooth (I know I always say this), I look forward to all things sweet at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Sometimes I just like to pretend it’s a holiday, most everyday in fact, so that I have an excuse to serve dessert.  Unlike Christmas, Thanksgiving became a new holiday for me when I arrived from Peru at the age of eleven. I didn’t quite understand the concept then, although it was...

I can whip up this topping quickly and use it on top of any dish like rice, pasta, steamed veggies, quinoa, etc., and it adds flavor and a bit of spice to what otherwise may turn out to be a borish meal. Serve it with crackers for a tasty snack. Save Print Curry Vegetable Topping Prep time:  5 mins Cook time:  15 mins Total time:  20 mins Serves: 2   Ingredients 1 large onion sliced in m...

Colder days are ahead and I crave hearty sandwiches.  Roasted veggies and creamy anything together, with every bite I am warmed right up.  I only use one slice of bread since this sandwich is very rich and there is no need for the second piece.  Also, you can cut these into pieces and serve them as a side dish with soup or salad.  For the bread I  used sesame Ezekiel, which is not gluten-free but the sprouted ingredients make the b...

Like creamy, warm soups? Who doesn't!  This  healthy and easy recipe was inspired by my good friends P & J who are the most creative vegetarian cooks I know.  And I promise that this soup is all you will need to warm your bones on a chilly night! Save Print The 20 Minute Cream of Garbanzo and Broccoli Soup Prep time:  5 mins Cook time:  15 mins Total time:  20 mins Serves: 3-4   In...

I love saag paneer and tofu is a great substitute for the cheese in this tasty Indian/Pakistani stew.  I have also found a quick way to make this dish so that I can make it anytime I have a craving and I don't have to spend a ton of time slaving over a stove. The quicker the better I say! Vegan Saag Paneer 1 Large sweet or yellow onion diced into medium size 5 cloves of garlic finely diced 2 teaspoons of fresh ginger fin...

Blueberry Quinoa Pudding ~ Quinoa is such a versatile grain that you can make it as a first course or as a dessert.  My grandfather Pepe use to make cakes out of quinoa, among many other dishes, during a time in Peru when this grain was only fed to the chickens or eaten mainly by the Andean people in the mountains. Every years, Pepe made four cakes for my birthday, and we ate this one right after all the kids were done destroying the p...

This dish is curry heaven! It is nutritious, mild, filling and light and you can serve it as a one pot meal. Traditional Dahl would not have any grain in it, but I add quinoa to mine to make it a bit thicker and give it extra texture when you bite. As far as the lentils, you can soak them for 10 minutes or a few hours. If you know you want the lentils to cook quickly, then soak them a few hours and it cuts the cooking time almost by hal...

Summertime is great for quick cooling salads.  This one is full of protein and all the other good nutritional stuff that raw kale brings along.  If you can't find baby kale then you can substitute with spinach.  I added walnuts, raisins and grapes for a bit of sweet and crunch. Chickpea and Raw Baby Kale Salad I can of cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans 2 cups of raw baby kale (you can substitute for spinach) 1/4 cup of c...

In one of my first posts I mentioned how much I love quinoa. In fact,  I love it so much that I try to incorporate it into many different dishes, including desserts.    This pudding is rich and creamy and  thickened with Kuzu Root Starch, which comes from a fibrous plant used in China for more than 2,000 year.  Kuzu is a great thickener and it is soothing to the stomach.  You can also think of this recipe as a great way to satisfy...