Nutritional yeast

Nutritional yeast is a wonderful pantry staple for everyone, but especially for anyone who is lactose intolerant or vegan and still wants a little cheesiness in their foods.  It is an inactive yeast that is sold as yellow flakes and has a cheesy, nutty flavor.  It is not the same as bread yeast; it is deactivated, so it won’t grow and won’t leaven.  It is also not the same as brewer’s yeast; nutritional yeast is usually grown on molasses, so it is not at all bitter.  It can be sprinkled on anything from pasta and pizza and burritos to popcorn and scrambled tofu and baked potatoes.  It is often sold in the bulk section of stores like Whole Foods or Sprouts, or it is sold in containers in the supplement aisle.  It is a complete source of protein, containing all of the essential amino acids, and is a great source of B-complex vitamins.  It is often fortified with B12, which is very important for people eating plant-based diets.

Avocados

What a glorious fruit!  Avocado is a necessity for vegans.  It will make you not miss cheese, and that is spoken by a former cheese-aholic who didn’t recognize my addiction until I once opened the fridge and found 18 different kinds of cheeses.  No, we weren’t prepping for a cheese party and we didn’t have a family of 18.  That cheese was for just the two of us.  We needed help!  Now I am happily cheese-free, but I still want some soft, creamy, fatty goodness every once in a while.  Avocado is the healthiest, tastiest and most versatile way to satisfy that craving.

Chia seeds

It seems like chia seeds are one of the new “it” foods.  They are gaining attention from nutritionists, doctors and athletes, and they are showing up all over in grocery stores.  They are often now called a “superfood”, and it is easy to see why.  We all know the name from their 80’s ch-ch-ch-chia fame as sheep’s wool and a strange looking man’s afro, but chia seeds serve a much better use than spreading them on terra cotta for kitschy décor.

Cranberries

Cranberries are an amazing fruit.  Anything that tart and dark in color has got to be good for you.  Half a cup of whole berries has only 23 calories but has 2g of fiber (10%RDV) and over 10%RDV of calcium.  Even greater than that are all the benefits of its phytonutrients, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins (PACs).  The structure of their PACs helps prevent bacteria from attaching to the urinary tract and stomach lining, which helps prevent UTIs and stomach ulcers.  Cranberries also have high concentrations of anthocyanins (which give them their deep red color), which are strong antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.  They also have been shown to help prevent cancers such as breast, colon, lung and prostate, due to a synergy of nutrients that help inhibit and stimulate specific enzymes, ultimately triggering tumor cell death.  Not bad for a tasty, pretty little fruit!

You can find cranberries in the following recipes:

Cranberry apple crisp with orange and coconut

Garbanzo beans (Chick peas)

Garbanzo beans are a truly amazing legume and can be used in so many ways.  A 100g serving (~½ – ¾ cup) has roughly 164 calories with 9g protein (18%RDV and 19% caloric ratio), 8g fiber (30%RDV) and only 3g fat (4%RDV and 13% caloric ratio).  You are also getting 43%RDV of folate, in addition to 7%VitB6, 16% iron, 5% calcium, 8% potassium, 17% phosphorus, 18% copper, 10% zinc, 52% manganese, and much much more.  And they are SO delicious!

You can find garbanzo beans in the following recipes:

Cumin-paprika garbanzo beans with cashews and dinosaur kale

Kale

Leafy greens are amazingly healthy and are like a vitamin pill in a bowl.  Kale is no exception.  Kale has been shown to lower risk of several kinds of cancer and lower cholesterol, in addition to being an anti-inflammatory and packed with flavonoids and anti-oxidants.  One cup of raw, chopped kale (67g, <1/2 cup cooked), has only 33 calories yet still contains 2g protein (16% caloric ratio and 4%RDV) and 1g fiber (5%RDV).  It also contains 9%RDV calcium, 6% iron, 9% potassium, 10% copper, 26% manganese, 9% VitB6, and it doesn’t stop there.  It has an astonishing 206% VitA, 134% VitC, and 684% VitK.  In less than a half cup when cooked! Vitamin K plays an important role in bone growth and bone density maintenance, and has been shown to benefit Alzheimer disease and significantly reduce risks for liver and prostate cancer.  Seriously, what are you waiting for.  Go buy some kale!  There are so many kinds to choose from- curly leaf or flat leaf, green or red, some that are more sweet and some that are more bitter, some that are delicate and some that are hardy.  You’ll never run out of options to make your dish exactly how you want it.

You can find kale in the following recipes:

Cumin-paprika garbanzo beans with cashews and dinosaur kale

Celeriac (Celery Root)

Celeriac, or celery root, is a classic case of you-can’t-judge-a-book-by-its-cover.  Although it lacks aesthetic appeal, it is delicious when eaten both raw and cooked and is incredibly nutritious.  Its flavor is often described as a cross between celery and parsley and its raw texture reminds me of turnips crossed with jicama.  One cup (156g) of celeriac has a mere 66 calories, yet in those 66 calories you get 3g fiber (11% RDV) and 2g protein (10% caloric ratio and 5% RDV).  It is also jammed packed with vitamins and minerals, containing the following percentages of your RDV: 21% VitC, 80% VitK (!), 13% VitB6, 7% calcium, 6% iron, 18% phosphorus, 13% potassium, 12% manganese…and this is just to name a few.  It is harvested in the late fall and stores really well at cool temps, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be buying some right now!

You can find recipes with celery root at the following links:

Celeriac and potato salad with cashew-miso dressing