Busy Monday …. I mean Tuesday, and Sunflower Seed Pate

I have been thinking today was Monday all day long. Obviously Dan went back to work today and I have gone back to my schedule, well sort of. Yesterday I discovered that there were quite a few exercise DVDs available instantly through Netflix. I have been enjoying finding ones to add to the instant queue. My goal is to try two new exercise DVDs each day until I get through them all. I love trying out new exercise DVDs. At the moment I am working my way through the Pilates DVDs.

In addition to playing on the computer I have also spent a lot of time on the phone today chatting with girlfriends. Sometimes there really is nothing better. We are going to meet my friend Deirdre for dinner again on Friday. She has such a wonderful sense of humor I can’t wait to see her.

Today Dan and I had leftovers for lunch, nothing new. We ate the end of the almond feta so I needed to make another nut cheese or seed pate. Today I decided to make a sunflower pate to mix things up. Today I wanted to make one that reminded me of seafood. Nut and seed pates are very easy to make and this one is no exception. Here is what I did:

Sunflower Pate
approximately 24 tablespoons

Ingredients:

I cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked at least 4 hours in plenty of water, then drained well
1 cup raw red bell pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoons sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon cumin seed
¼ - ½ teaspoon dry mustard, depending on how much “zip” you want
¼ teaspoon fennel seed
1 pinch celery seed
black pepper, to taste
dulse granules (or sea salt), to taste

Directions:

Combine everything in your food processor and puree until completely smooth. You will need to stop the processor a few times to scrape the side of the bowl. Refrigerate and serve cold. Because this spread includes raw veggies it will not last as long in the refrigerator as nut cheese made without veggies. It normally lasts for us 4 or 5 days.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 35.91
Calories From Fat (71%) - 25.38

Total Fat - 3.03g
Saturated Fat-  0.26g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 1.68mg
Potassium - 50.98mg
Total Carbohydrates - 1.5g
Fiber - 0.62g
Sugar - 0.32g
Protein - 1.27g

Comments:

The flavor of this dish comes from the spices. If you don’t have all these herbs and spices use Old Bay to taste instead. This smooth pate with a nice hint of heat in the background (I used the ½ teaspoon of dry mustard). The mouth feel is much lighter and less fatty than the almond feta cheese. If you are new to nut and seed pates I recommend you start with the recipes that are denser, like the almond feta.

For those of you that are doing the 6 week "Eat to Live" program the 1 ounce of nuts or seeds seems to come out to be about 18 grams of fat. So you could have 6 tablespoons (or 1/3 cup) of this pate as you daily nut and seed allowance. Here is an interesting chart I saw today that you may find helpful. It shows you how many nuts are in one ounce.

Unrelated note:

Tonight for dinner we had a simple salad topped with salsa and sunflower seed pate. Nothing too exciting at our house for dinner, just a simple veggie salad. There was a fruit smoothie to go with that as well as fresh veggie and fruit juice and powdered green drink.

Courtney has introduced me to a new way to get raw cruciferous veggies into our diet. I want to play around with the specifics a little. But I will get that recipe ready to post this week. I think you will all be amazed, I know I was. Thanks for sharing Courtney! This is going to come in so handy this summer.

I don’t know how many of you saw this article at the NYT website but it annoyed me so I thought I would share. Some silly woman was eating 2-3 pounds of raw bok choy a day and ended causing low thyroid function due to an overdose of glucosinolates. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the doctor indicates that raw veggies should be eaten in moderation. Really? Silly me, I thought raw veggies were good for us. Who knew we should eat them in moderation. Do Americans really need another excuse not to eat their veggies? I don’t think they do. My take on this article is that we should all vary our diet and not eat an enormous quantity of anything. But that doesn’t mean that veggies are harmful. Sorry for the rant, this just irritated me. I am not a big fan of sensationalism.

I hope you are all having a good day. Only 3 days until the weekend. Don’t you just love these short weeks? I know I do. Talk to you all later.

Mushroom, White Bean, Wheat Germ and Sunflower Seed Burgers

I make a lot of different veggie burgers. There is sort of a formula that I use to make the burgers. I almost always include the following: beans, nuts or seeds, bread crumbs or other grain, and vital wheat gluten. I always add the vital wheat gluten last and start with 4 tablespoons and knead that into the burgers and then add more depending on the texture. Once you have made the burgers a few times you will know what it feels like when they are firm enough.

At cooking class this week one of the topics that came up was whether you should wash mushrooms or not. As with anything else, we all had different opinions. Someone thought the mushrooms would absorb water if rinsed. I decided to test this idea and weighted my mushrooms before I rinsed them and then again after I rinsed them. To be fair I did not submerge the mushrooms in water. I placed them in a wire basket and sprayed them with water until all the exterior dirt was gone. The mushrooms before the rinse weighted 12 ounces, and after the rinse they weighted 12.2 ounces. I don’t know about you but that didn’t seem very significant to me. So much for the theory that mushrooms are sponges and shouldn’t be rinsed.

I included the wheat germ and sunflower seeds for phytosterols since they are linked to a reduction in cancer. The consumption of mushrooms is also linked to a reduction in breast cancer so that is another benefit. The beans were included for fiber and protein.

These veggies burgers are definitely man sized. I weighed a few on them and they come in at 7 ounces. If you are wondering why the calories are so high, now you know. My husband has lost weight recently so I decided to make burgers that had more calories. I may have gotten a little carried away. But then again, if you have these with a veggie side the entire meal still wouldn’t have too many calories for a man or an active woman. Or .... you can do what I did and take 2 of 6 burgers and turn them into 4 woman sized burgers. Don't forget to half the nutrition numbers below too.

Mushroom, White Bean, Wheat Germ and Sunflower Seed Burgers
Serves 6 hungry men or 12 women

Ingredients:

12 ounces of crimini mushrooms
2 teaspoons of thyme, dried
1 tablespoon of onion flakes
6 cups of white beans
2 cloves of garlic, grated
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
½ cup of wheat germ
¼ cup of sunflower seeds, raw
2 tablespoons of hot crushed peppers (wet hots)
8 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten
1 tablespoon of canola oil for the pan

Directions:

Rinse the mushrooms to remove the exterior dirt clinging to the mushrooms. Place the drained mushrooms in your food processor and pulse to grind them. Move the ground mushrooms, onion flakes and dried thyme to a heavy bottomed skillet and cook to release most of the mushroom liquid and to rehydrate the onions and thyme. Return the mushrooms to the food processor and add the beans, garlic, and kosher salt to the food processor. Process to combine the ingredients.

Move the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and add the wheat germ, sunflower seeds, and hot crushed hot crushed peppers. Mix to thoroughly combine the ingredients. Taste the mixture for seasoning and adjust to your taste before adding the vital wheat gluten. Add the gluten and knead so that the gluten is thoroughly incorporated into the burger mixture. There should be no dry gluten left in the bowl. If you can’t get the gluten to completely combine add water a tablespoon at a time until the gluten is absorbed into the mixture. Form the mixture into six large burgers.

Heat your heavy bottomed skillet (preferably cast iron) with a little oil. When the pan is hot add half the burgers and cook until they are brown on the first side. If it is easy to get a spatula under the burger it is probably time to flip it. It took approximately 4 minutes per side in my cast iron pan for the burger to brown. When the burgers are browned on both sides move them to a paper towel lined plate or pan to cool before refrigerating.

I refrigerate my burgers before freezing. The burgers will firm significantly when cold and it makes them easier to wrap and store in the freezer. I have had veggie burgers last for a month in the freezer when double wrapped in cling film individually and then placed in a zipper freezer bag. I believe they would last longer in the freezer but we tend to eat them before they get any older.

Nutritional Information (assumes 6 very large burgers):

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 485.66
Calories From Fat (13%) - 63.66

Total Fat - 7.42g
Saturated Fat - 0.86g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 338.28mg
Potassium - 2227.24mg
Total Carbohydrates - 72.24g
Fiber - 17.84g
Sugar - 1.53g
Protein - 36.47g

Comments:

Mushroom burgers are one of my favorites and this is no exception. I like the nice crust this burger gets in the cast iron skillet. The interior is soft, but substantial. The wheat germ and sunflower seeds add bulk to the burger and the overall texture. Half a burger is more than enough for me. The flavor of this burger is a little spicy from the hot crushed peppers. The thyme flavor is definitely a background flavor. This is a big tasty man friendly burger.

Zucchini, Brown Rice, Wheat Germ and Sunflower Seed Burgers

(pictured: zucchini, brown rice, wheat germ and sunflower burger cooking in cast iron)

The Don Lee Burgers we purchased at Costco last week inspired this burger recipe. We liked the inclusion of seeds in the Don Lee burger so I decided to try them in a homemade veggie burger to see how they worked. I included wheat germ to this burger to add more plant phytosterols.

I was reading an article this morning on the role of plant phytosterols in cancer angiogenesis (new blood vessel growth) and apoptosis (cancer cell suicide). Since I didn’t want to buy Take Control or Benecol margarine I decided to find out what foods contained phytosterols. I found a nice table at this site.

So, now that you know what I added wheat germ I will go back to the burger recipe. The zucchini was included to provide moisture so that the gluten would develop without added liquid. The paprika adds vitamin C to the burger. The raw sunflower seeds are a good source of vitamin E and are anti-inflammatory. Sunflower seeds are also a good source of phytosterols (a nice bonus). Additionally, sunflower seeds are a good source of selenium, another nutrient that is reported to fight cancer.

These burgers are higher in calories and fat than most of my veggie burgers. The wheat germ and sunflower seeds are both calorie dense from fat. The fats they contain are healthy. In order to get back to our 12% fat target I will add a good portion of grain and vegetables to our dinner to get the overall numbers into line.

Zucchini, Brown Rice, Wheat Germ and Sunflower Seed Burgers
Makes 4 large burgers (about 6 or 7 ounces)

Ingredients:

2 cups of zucchini, finely shredded
¼ of a red onion, finely shredded
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
1 ½ cups of brown basmati rice, cooked (cold is fine)
2/3 cup of wheat germ
½ cup of raw sunflower seeds, unsalted
½ tablespoon of garlic powder
½ tablespoon of onion power
½ tablespoon of sweet paprika
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
6 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten

Directions:

Wilt the zucchini, red onion and kosher salt in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook until the volume has reduced by half. Move the zucchini mixture to a wire sieve and allow the excess fluid to drain away. This will happen in 5 or 10 minutes. You want the zucchini to retain some moisture that will be needed for the gluten.

Lightly grease your cast iron pan with canola oil and heat it over medium heat while you mix the burgers.

Move the zucchini mixture to a large bowl big enough to mix all the ingredients. Add the rice, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, kosher salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Now add the vital wheat gluten and knead to develop the gluten. This should only take a few minutes. If the gluten does not fully incorporate add water a tablespoon at a time and continue to knead to develop the gluten. A few minutes of kneading is sufficient.

Form the mixture into four roughly even burgers. Cook the burgers in the cast iron pan over medium heat until brown and crispy on each side. This took approximately 4 minutes per side at my house.

These are good hot or room temperature.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 283.06
Calories From Fat (26%) - 74.88

Total Fat - 8.94g
Saturated Fat - 1.04g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 484.58mg
Potassium - 520.05mg
Total Carbohydrates - 35.5g
Fiber - 6.21g
Sugar - 1.96g
Protein - 18.55g

Comments:

The taste of these burgers was very good. The texture was much more dense than I expected and I am assuming that is from the wheat germ. However, my husband and both thought the texture was good even though unexpected. My husband did suggest that I make the burgers a little thinner. I will try that next time. These burgers are very filling.

Overall, we both enjoyed these burgers. You can expect to see more variations that include wheat germ and sunflower seeds in the future.

Middle Eastern Inspired Wheat Berry Salad

This salad is easy to put together and improves as it sits in the refrigerator. It makes a great cold lunch or picnic item. The great thing about using wheat berries is that they are minimally processed and therefore retain more of their nutrition.

The wheat berries and sunflower seeds retain their chewy texture, which is a nice counterpoint texturally to the softer vegetables. The sumac helps to enhance the lemon flavor and adds an additional sour note to the salad that is unusual.

If you are unfamiliar with sumac it is a common Middle Eastern spice that grows wild in both the Middle East and Italy and comes from the dark purple berries that are dried and ground. The taste of sumac is fruity and sour. Sumac can be purchased online or is found at well stocked Middle Eastern markets. If you can’t find it, add more lemon juice and zest to the recipe for a similar flavor.

This salad is very healthy with the inclusion of the garlic, onion and tomatoes, which are all reported to help protect you from cancer. A serving of this salad contains more than 15 grams of fiber, which is half of what you need for the entire day, and more than the 12 grams of fiber the average American consumes in a day.

I serve this salad as an entrée when the weather is warm and I want something refreshing for dinner. Since the entire dish has less than 400 calories and 15 grams of protein. I think it makes a great light, yet substantial dinner packed with a lot of nutrition.

Middle Eastern Inspired Wheat Berry Salad
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup of wheat berries, which will be cooked and cooled
4 cups of water to cook wheat berries
zest and juice from one lemon
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
1 tablespoon of sumac powder
2 fresh tomatoes, diced
1 pound of snow peas, sliced into ¼ to ½ inch lengths
½ red onion, finely diced
½ cup of raw sunflower seeds
1 hass avocado, sliced
8 cups of lettuce
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook wheat berries in at least four cups of water until tender. The wheat berries will take at least an hour to cook. Be certain to check them periodically to make certain the water has not evaporated. When the wheat is tender to the tooth, but still a little firm, pour the wheat berries into a colander and drain. Rinse them in cold water if you are in a hurry.

Combine the lemon zest and juice, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and sumac. Move cooled wheat berries to a dish with a lid. Pour the dressing over the wheat berries and toss to coat evenly. Add the tomatoes, snow peas and red onion and refrigerate covered, until ready to serve.

Before serving the salad taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly. To serve place two cups of lettuce on each chilled plate. Top with one quarter of the wheat berry salad and fan a quarter of the avocado on top of each serving.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 396.17
Calories From Fat (34%) - 135.61

Total Fat - 16g
Saturated Fat - 1.99g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 29.5mg
Potassium - 1031.35mg
Total Carbohydrates - 54.79g
Fiber - 15.34g
Sugar - 7.3g
Protein - 15.28g

Comments:

This is a good salad when you want something cold that is still substantial. The salad would make a nice lunch or light dinner. This salad would also be good with cucumber or fresh parsley. If you have any almond feta on hand that would make nice addition to the salad.

If you haven’t tried making wheat berry salads before this may have you making many variations. We enjoy the chewy texture of the wheat berries in all types of cold salads. You can use the wheat berries in place of brown rice or pasta in any cold salad.

Be careful when eating as sumac will stain your clothing. If you rinse the sumac out immediately with cold water the stain won't set.

Chickpea and Nut Salad

Today’s salad is something that you can use as your would tuna or chicken salad. It has a nice texture from the soaked nuts, which also provided healthy fat and vitamin E. Specifically the sunflower seeds were used for their selenium, which is a known cancer fighter. The dulse granules were added for iodine since I don’t use table salt. I had also hoped the dulse would add a little “fishy” flavor that would mimic tuna, but that didn’t come through in the final product. Next time I may try a different type of sea vegetable granule to see if that makes a difference.

I wanted something that I could use in a sandwich or on a bed of greens that would be satisfying for lunch. I think this one is a nice change from my usual "chickpea only" salad.

Chickpea and Nut Salad
Makes 8 – ½ cup servings

Ingredients:

1 cup of dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
¼ cup of almonds, soaked overnight
¼ cup of raw sunflower seeds, soaked overnight
Juice and zest of one lemon
2 teaspoon of dulse granules
6 tablespoons of reduced fat almond milk mayonnaise
½ of a red onion, finely diced
3 celery stalks, finely diced
2 tablespoons of no salt seasoning – Costco Brand
2 teaspoons of kosher salt

Directions:

Cook chickpeas until they are cooked through but a little firm. You don’t want them to turn to disintegrate like in hummus. My chickpeas were cooked in 15 minutes on medium heat.

Rinse the almonds and sunflower seeds and place in the food processor. Pulse to mostly break down the seeds, leaving a little texture to remain in the final product. Add the cooked chickpeas to the food processor and pulse a few times to break up the chickpeas lightly.

Mix all the ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Taste the salad for seasoning and refrigerate until needed.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 134.94
Calories From Fat (57%) - 76.59

Total Fat - 8.92g
Saturated Fat - 0.71g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 494.98mg
Potassium - 207.24mg
Total Carbohydrates - 11.48g
Fiber - 2.75g
Sugar - 1.11g
Protein - 3.81g

Comments:

Both my husband and liked this salad. Previously I made this salad with chickpeas only (no nuts), but I definitely think the nuts added a nice textural element that was missing. This salad would also be nice with a little finely diced sun dried tomato, or red bell pepper for color.