Thanksgiving Vegetarian Protein Feast!

(posted November 18, 2010)

1) Green Protein (powerhouse of iron for vegetarians)

INGREDIENTS:

Soma salt – ¼ tsp.

Turmeric – ¼ tsp.

Mum’s masala – 1 tsp.

Olive oil or ghee – 1 tbsp.

Water – 8 fl.oz

Fresh green leafy vegetable – 16 oz (weight by weight) -choose from Swiss chard, collard greens, spinach, green cabagge, kale, etc.

Paneer – 4 oz

Flat Italian parsley – ½ a bunch

Method: Step 1: Make Fresh paneer. Put it in a pan or cooker.

Step 2: Add turmeric, soma salt, water, olive oil or ghee. Cook for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Add greens, parsley and mum’s masala and cover with glass top. Watch for sharpness in the green color. When you see rich sharp green color, stop cooking. Unplug the cooker. Then blend it. Your Green Protein is ready to serve. Serve with lime.

Option: you may add 3 fresh thin slices of ginger and/or ¼ tsp. of chrushed black peppercorns for a spicier version.

Let’s do Some MATH!

A vegetarian’s source of iron: Protein from home made paneer (100 grams) and greens (24.9gms) respectively. Paneer has .68 mg of iron with 6.2 mg. in parsley.

Note: RDA of Iron is 10 mg for male and 15 mg for a female

Cheese vs. Beef:  Iron and Protein

Paneer has 24.9 grams of protein with 0.68 mg of iron.

Beef has 23.4 grams of protein with 2.44 mg of iron.

Adding greens to paneer adds more iron to a Protein and Iron diet

Spices enhance the Bio-availability

Scientific Support: Chlorophylls in the greens are usually fat soluble which helps to stimulate hemoglobin and red blood cell production - “it is interesting to note that the chlorophyll molecule is very similar to the heme protein of the hemoglobin molecule of red blood cells”. Ref: Murray, M. Encyclopedia of healing foods, 141.1000

Iron and Protein in Vegetables – Per 100 grams (3.5 oz)

 Rich in Proteins and Iron

2) Quinoa and Rice (light and nourishing)

INGREDIENTS:

Quinoa – 50%

Rice – 50% 

Pine nuts – 1 tbsp.

Ghee – 1 tbsp.

Soma salt – 1 tsp.

Mum’s masala – 1 tsp.

Method: Cook the quinoa with the rice by adding 1 ½ cups of water for each cup of quinoa or rice. when cooked toast pine nuts, mums Masala and soma salt on low fire with ghee; stir. When pine nuts starts to turn brown, remove and sprinkle on top of the quinoa rice and serve.

 3) Taro Root Pure  (mashed potato substitute)

INGREDIENTS:

Clean and chopped taro root – 1 pound

Soma salt – ½ tsp.

Mum’s masala – 1 tbsp.

Ghee – 1 tbsp.

Water –  6 oz

Method: Step 1: Peel the hairy skin off.

Step 2: Mix all ingredients and cook in the cooker for 20 minutes. Then mash with whisk or blend.  To make a creamier version, add 2 oz of freshly made paneer.

4) Asparagus and White Daikon Radish (de­tox delight)

INGREDIENTS:

Asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces – 80% (or 1 bunch)

White daikon radish - peeled and diced small – 20% (or 1 radhish)

Mum’s masala – 1 tsp.

Olive oil – ¼ tbsp.

Method:  Add vegetables in a pan or cooker with mum’s masala soma salt in little water and olive oil. Cover and cook till done. Optional: Can add thinly sliced ginger or Thai green chilies.

5) Red Lentil Soup (vegetarian protein)

INGREDIENTS:

Red lentil – 6 oz

Olive oil – 1 tbsp.

Soma salt – 1 tsp.

Cumin –1 tsp.

Mum’s masala – 1 tsp.

Curry leaves – 6 

Water – 4 oz

Fresh dill chopped – 1 tsp.

Method: Add lentil in a pan or cooker, mix with water, Soma salt, cumin, curry leaves and olive oil.

Cook together on medium heat till the dhal is cooked. Add Mum’s Masala. Stir and cover for 10 minutes. Sauté the mint and dill in ¼ tsp. ghee and add to soup. Garnish with mint and dill before serving.

Optional: can add sweet tamarind pulp – 1oz and cook with the dhal. Thinly sliced green chilies and ginger, sautéed in 1 tsp. of ghee can be added at the end of cooking.

6) Cabbage Asian Style (fast, simple and fla­vorful) 

INGREDIENTS:

Chopped cabbage – 1 pound (preferably green)

Ginger – 6 thin slices

Freshly crushed (or whole for less pungency) black pepper corn – ½ tsp.

Olive oil – 1 tbsp.

Water – 2 oz

Soma salt – ½ tsp.

Method: Add water, oil and ginger, pepper corn, soma salt in the pot. Put the cabbage and cover it tightly so that the aroma does not leak/go out. Cook in low medium. Cook for 10 minutes. Your cabbage should still be crunchy and bright in color. Enjoy!

7) Sweet and Tangy Tamarind-Cranberry Chutney

INGREDIENTS:

Peeled and pitted sweet Thai tamarind – 6 oz

Whole pitted cranberry – 2 oz

Water – 8 oz

Ghee – 1 tsp.

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp.

Soma salt – 1 tsp.

Olive oil – ½ tsp.

Thai green chilies – 2 (optional)

Black cardamom (crushed) – 2

Mum’s masala – 1 tsp.

Raw sugar – 2 tbsp.

Lime – ¼ (per person)

Method: Cover and cook everything together for 20 minutes on low medium heat. Keep mixing it from time to time. Make sure that the heat is not too high so the water does not all get evaporated. Before serving, mix in fresh lime juice and garnish with cilantro leaf to enhance the flavor.

8) SVA(Shaka Vanshiya Ayurveda) un-Pumpkin Pie!

 INGREDIENTS:

Carrots – 6 oz (cooked)

Sweet yam –  8 oz (cooked)

Soma salt¬ –  ½ tsp.

Raw sugar – 1 cup

Arrow root – 1 tbsp.

Kid’s masala no.2 – 2 tsp.

Nutmeg powder – ¼ tsp.

Ginger powder – 1 tsp.

Baking powder – ½ tsp.

Shredded almonds – 4 oz

For cream cheese topping:

Heavy whipping cream 4 oz

Fresh paneer – 4 oz

Method: Combine all above ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth, then cook gently on top of your stove for 5-10 minutes. 

Step2: whisk heavy whipping cream and paneer and add the pie mixture. Spread all on top of the baked pie. Garnish with sliced almonds.

And a very Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!