Ezekiel breads are among the most healthful breads available, as they are made with sprouted grains and legumes. Their glycemic index (GI) is about 36 or lower (compared to over 70 for many whole-grain breads). The taco-sized tortilla has 80 calories (equal to one slice of bread), and the full-sized tortilla has 150 calories (equal to about two slices of bread). This is a super-simple recipe for days when you just don’t feel like cooking.
1 Ezekiel whole, grain tortilla (taco-sized or ½ full-sized)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) nut butter (almond, cashew, peanut)
1 / 3 cup (85 ml) berries (optional)
1, 2 tablespoons (15, 30 ml) Omega-3-Rich Seed Mix ( page 197 ) , chia seeds, or chopped walnuts
½ teaspoon (2 ml) ground cinnamon
1 banana
Lay the tortilla on a large cutting board. Spread the nut butter down the center and out toward the edges. If using the optional berries, distribute them over the nut butter and mash. Sprinkle with the seed mix and cinnamon. Place the banana on one side of the tortilla and roll. Slice in half to serve if desired.
TIPS: For a softer tortilla, steam it for about 15 seconds or microwave it in a clean, damp tea towel or brown paper bag for 45 seconds. Ezekiel tortillas can also be used as savory wraps stuffed with hummus, grated vegetables, slivered kale, and sprouts.
PER SERVING (with peanut butter, raspberries, and 1 tablespoon/15 ml chia seeds):
calories: 455
protein: 13 g
fat: 21 g
carbohydrate: 57 g
dietary fiber: 14 g
calcium: 99 mg
iron: 3.4 mg
magnesium: 72 mg
potassium: 570 mg
sodium: 84 mg
zinc: 1.3 mg
thiamin: 0.14 mg
riboflavin: 0.15 mg
niacin: 3.4 mg
folate: 44 mcg
vitamin A: 4.4 mcg RAE
vitamin C: 23 mg
omega-6 fatty acids: 0.7 g
omega-3 fatty acids: 1.8 g
SOUPS
Better Broth Base
Commercial liquid vegetable broths work well for all the soup recipes in this book, but they can be expensive and high in sodium.
More economical broth cubes and powders are often based on palm oil or other hard fats and sugar.
This fast and easy homemade substitute is based on nutritional yeast and seasonings.
It provides a healthy and low-cost alternative to commercial products.
When mixed with boiling water, it can be used instead of liquid vegetable broth in soups and stews.
Adjust the herbs and spices to suit your palate.
MAKES 2 CUPS (500 ML), 32 SERVINGS
1 cup (250 ml) nutritional yeast flakes
½ cup (125 ml) dried onion flakes, or 3 tablespoons (45 ml) onion powder
2 tablespoons (30 ml) dried garlic flakes, or 1 tablespoon (15 ml) garlic powder
1 tablespoon (15 ml) salt
1 tablespoon (15 ml) dried oregano
1 tablespoon (15 ml) dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons (10 ml) dried thyme
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground turmeric
1 teaspoon (5 ml) paprika
1 teaspoon (5 ml) whole celery seeds
Put all the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until well combined. Stored in a sealed container at room temperature, the broth base will keep for about 3 months. To make 1 cup (250 ml) of broth, combine 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the broth base with 1 cup (250 ml) of boiling water.
TIP: For a low- or no-sodium version, decrease or omit the salt.
PER TABLESPOON (15 ml)
dry broth mix
calories: 13
protein: 1.1 g
fat: 0.1 g
carbohydrate: 1.9 g
dietary fiber: 0.7 g
calcium: 8 mg
iron: 0.4 mg
magnesium: 5 mg
potassium: 24 mg
sodium: 222 mg
zinc: 0.04 mg
thiamin: 1.5 mg
riboflavin: 1.2 mg
niacin: 5.8 mg
vitamin B 12 : 2.2 mcg
folate: 2 mcg
vitamin A: 2.5 mcg RAE
vitamin C: 1 mg
omega-6 fatty acids: 0.01 g
omega-3 fatty acids: 0 g
Healing Greens, Beans, and Vegetable Soup
MAKES 12 CUPS (3 L), 4, 6 SERVINGS
Turmeric, garlic, and ginger are legendary for their healing powers, and kale and broccoli are cancer-fighting, bone-building superstars. Beans add fiber and protein to this recipe; use your favorites. A squeeze of lime juice on each serving adds a burst of flavor, which reduces the need for salt.
6 cups (1.5 L) vegetable broth
3 cups (750 ml) sliced mushrooms
1 large red or white onion, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) chopped carrots
1½, 3 teaspoons (7, 15 ml) peeled and grated fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1, 2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground turmeric
⅛ teaspoon (0.5 ml) ground cinnamon
3 cups (750 ml) chopped broccoli florets
1½ cups (375 ml) cooked or canned beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups (1 L) stemmed and thinly sliced kale or other dark leafy greens, packed
½ teaspoon (2 ml) salt (optional)
Ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
Put the broth, mushrooms, onion, carrots, ginger, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon in a large soup pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Add the broccoli and beans and simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the kale and simmer until it has wilted, 2, 3 minutes. Add the salt and season with pepper to taste. Stir in the lime juice just before serving. Serve hot.
VARIATION: Instead of stirring the lime juice into the soup, serve a lime wedge with each portion.
PER ¼ RECIPE (3 cups/750 ml)
calories: 195
protein: 12 g
fat: 1 g
carbohydrate: 37 g
dietary fiber: 9 g
calcium: 194 mg
iron: 3.5 mg
magnesium: 83 mg
potassium: 284 mg
sodium: 438 mg
zinc: 2 mg
thiamin: 0.3 mg
riboflavin: 0.5 mg
niacin: 6.8 mg
folate: 146 mcg
vitamin A: 864 mcg RAE
vitamin C: 136 mg
omega-6 fatty acids: 0.25 g
omega-3 fatty acids: 0.25 g
Smokin’ Lentil Soup
This is a beautifully spiced soup using lentils, which provide an excellent source of protein and iron. Omit the hot chile or cayenne if you prefer a milder soup.
MAKES 6 CUPS (1.5 L), 3 SERVINGS
5 cups (1.25 L) vegetable broth
1 cup (250 ml) dried lentils
2 cups (500 ml) chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons (10 ml) chili powder
1 small hot chile, diced, or ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) cayenne
1¼ teaspoons (6 ml) ground cumin
½ teaspoon (2 ml) ground coriander
½ teaspoon (2 ml) smoked paprika
3 cups (750 ml) stemmed and thinly sliced kale, packed
2, 3 diced tomatoes, or 1 can (14 ounces/398 ml) diced tomatoes
Ground black pepper
Lemon wedges
Put the broth, lentils, onions, garlic, chili powder, chile, cumin, coriander, and paprika in a large soup pot.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft, 45, 60 minutes. (If you use red lentils, the cooking time will be cut in half.) Add the kale and tomatoes and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale has wilted, about 3 minutes.
Season with pepper to taste.
Serve hot, with lemon wedges on the side.
VARIATION: For a Mediterranean flavor, replace the cumin, chili, coriander, paprika, and chile with 1 cup (250 ml) fresh herbs (such as basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, and thyme), coarsely chopped and lightly packed, or 3 tablespoons (45 ml) dried Italian herb mix.
PER SERVING
calories: 388
protein: 22 g
fat: 2 g
carbohydrate: 74 g
dietary fiber: 25 g
calcium: 174 mg
iron: 7.4 mg
magnesium: 138 mg
potassium: 1,618 mg
sodium: 1,037 mg
zinc: 3.9 mg
thiamin: 0.8 mg
riboflavin: 0.4 mg
niacin: 7.6 mg
folate: 383 mcg
vitamin A: 651 mcg RAE
vitamin C: 112 mg
omega-6 fatty acids: 0.7 g
omega-3 fatty acids: 0.2 g
Old-Fashioned Split Pea Soup
MAKES 12 CUPS (3 L), 8 SERVINGS
This nutritious comfort food easily satisfies the heartiest appetites.
1 large onion, diced
3 stalks celery, minced
9 cups (2.25 L) vegetable broth
3 cups (750 ml) dried green or yellow split peas
2 carrots, minced
1 medium potato, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon (15 ml) dried thyme
1½ teaspoons (7 ml) salt (optional)
1½ teaspoons (7 ml) smoked paprika (optional)
½ teaspoon (2 ml) ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh parsley or dill, lightly packed (optional)
Put the onion and celery in a large soup pot. Add 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the broth and sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add more broth if needed to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pot.
Stir in the remaining broth. Add the split peas, carrots, potato, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, optional salt, optional paprika, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the split peas are very soft, 60, 90 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the vinegar. Garnish with the optional parsley.
TIPS: Soaking the peas in water to cover for at least 2 hours will speed the cooking time and increase digestibility.
VARIATIONS: For a heartier meal, replace the potato with ½ cup (125 ml) uncooked barley; add it at the same time as the peas. For even greater nutrition, serve the soup over spinach, which will wilt as soon as the hot soup is poured over it. If you prefer to include tougher greens (such as kale or collard greens), add them the last 3, 5 minutes of cooking. Add greens only to the soup you will be eating right away as they tend to discolor quickly.
PER SERVING (without optional salt)
calories: 386
protein: 19 g
fat: 1 g
carbohydrate: 60 g
dietary fiber: 20 g
calcium: 65 mg
iron: 3.5 mg
magnesium: 95 mg
potassium: 931 mg
sodium: 352 mg
zinc: 2.4 mg
thiamin: 0.6 mg
riboflavin: 0.2 mg
niacin: 6.2 mg
folate: 220 mcg
vitamin A: 163 mcg RAE
vitamin C: 6 mg
omega-6 fatty acids: 0.4 g
omega-3 fatty acids: 0.1 g
Queen of Greens Soup
This is a delicious and incredibly healthy dish. Get creative with the seasonings if you like, fresh ginger, mint, thyme, rosemary, and other herbs will all work well.
MAKES 10 CUPS (2.5 L), 5 SERVINGS
6 cups (1.5 L) vegetable broth
1 white onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
8 cups (2 L) stemmed and coarsely chopped kale, spinach, or collard greens, packed
3 cups (750 ml) coarsely chopped broccoli
2 cups (500 ml) frozen peas
1½ cups (375 ml) cooked or canned cannellini beans or other white beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup (125 ml) coarsely chopped fresh parsley, lightly packed
¼ cup (60 ml) coarsely chopped fresh basil, lightly packed, or 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dried basil
2 cups (500 ml) unsweetened soy milk or other nondairy milk
1 ripe avocado, or ½ cup (125 ml) cashews, soaked for 2, 4 hours and then drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon (2 ml) salt (optional)
Ground black pepper
Put the broth, onion, and garlic in a large soup pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the kale, broccoli, peas, beans, parsley, and basil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes.
Do not overcook the vegetables or the greens will discolor.
Add the milk and avocado and stir to combine.
Transfer to a high-speed blender in batches and process until smooth.
Add the lemon juice and optional salt.
Season with pepper to taste.
VARIATION: To make this soup extra-special, steam 4 cups (1 L) of additional green vegetables (such as chopped Brussels sprouts, small broccoli florets, coarsely chopped leafy greens, chopped green beans, or thinly sliced leeks) and put about ½ cup (125 ml) on the top of each bowl before serving. Decorate with dehydrated colored peppers and pumpkin seeds.
PER SERVING
calories: 342
protein: 18.3 g
fat: 10 g
carbohydrate: 49 g
dietary fiber: 14 g
calcium: 273 mg
iron: 6 mg
magnesium: 107 mg
potassium: 1,190 mg
sodium: 424 mg
zinc: 2 mg
thiamin: 0.4 mg
riboflavin: 0.4 mg
niacin: 5.9 mg
folate: 139 mcg
vitamin A: 930 mcg RAE
vitamin C: 198 mg
omega-6 fatty acids: 0.93 g
omega-3 fatty acids: 0.28 g