Serves Two

Ingredients:

4- Frozen Bananas, cut into chunks
1/2 cup-3/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1-2 Tbs Almond Butter
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 Tbs Cacao Nibs

Directions:

Place bananas, 1/2 cup of almond milk, almond butter and cinnamon into a food processor. Process until creamy and smooth. You may need to add additional almond milk until desired consistency is reached. If you want it a little softer or if you want to enjoy it like a shake, you can add more almond milk.

Sprinkle with cacao nibs and serve immediately. This is something you want to eat fairly quickly after you make it. I wouldn't plan on refreezing it just because it doesn't hold up the best.

Tips from Shelly: As soon as your fresh banana's begin to freckle and are no longer desirable to eat fresh but are still relatively firm, peel them and place in a gallon size freezer bag and keep in the freezer.  You can also sometimes purchase them on discount at your local markets. They make awesome ice"cream" and are a nutrient rich addition to smoothies. 

The options for this recipe are endless once you have the main idea down. You can make Raspberry Cashew, Banana Peanut Butter, Blueberry Coconut and many other variation just by switching out the nut butter and leaving out the cinnamon, if desired. 

Enjoy!

--Shelly

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” 
― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto



For most people the concept that food can be medicine is something completely foreign. Most people in America don't put much thought into the foods that they eat on a regular basis. We spend millions and millions of dollars each year searching for the magic bullet, the newest diet plan or pill that will make us thin, beautiful and ageless with minimal effort. The truth is that there is no magic bullet. Optimal health, at least in our modern world, takes effort. It comes from living a healthy lifestyle and preparing and eating fresh minimally processed whole foods. You have to put the time in.

Food is more powerful than many of us realized. 
Over the past several months Amy and I have been learning a lot and teaching many classes at NuGenesis Farm in Delafield, WI (soon to be moving to Stone Bank, WI). NuGenesis Farm was started by a women named Kathy Bero who is a three time cancer survivor. It was during that battle that Kathy was introduced to the term Anti-angiogenesis. Angiogenesis, the proliferation of blood vessels, is necessary at three times in your life, during menstruation, pregnancy or during wound healing. When Angiogenesis is happening outside of those three life events it can prove to be quite dangerous. Angiogenesis is the process that turns a small, harmless single cancer cell into a large, life-threatening tumor.  Anti-angiogenic foods are foods that have been proven to turn off this process, in essence, to stop the proliferation of blood vessels from feeding cancer. Cancer cannot grow without a source of nutrients.  Not all foods have proven Anti-Angiogenic benefits... sorry junk food lovers.

This list is a simplified version of NuGenesis' list of "Foods to Embrace."

Vegetables
Artichokes
Asparagus
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Butternut Squash
Carrots
Celery
Collards
Cucumber
Fennel
Green Beans
Green or Yellow Squash
Green, red & purple Peppers
Kale
Leeks
Lima Beans
Mushroom
Peas
Pumpkin
Purple Cabbage
Purple Cauliflower
Purple Turnips
Radish
Red beets
Red onions
Red shallots
Scallions
Soy Beans (Edamame)
Spring Mix Greens
Sweet Potato/Yams
Swiss chard
Tomatoes
Watercress


Fruits
Apples
Black Currants
Black Raspberry
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cranberry
Grapefruit
Lemons
Oranges
Pineapple
Red Grapes
Red tart cherries
Strawberries

Nuts
Almonds
Hazelnuts
Walnuts


Herbs
Basil
Chives
Fenugreek
Garlic
Ginger
Green/purple sage
Italian parsley
Lavender
Licorice
Marjoram
Mint
Nutmeg
Oregano
Rosemary
Thyme
Turmeric w/pepper


Other
Dark Chocolate
Grape Seed Oil
Green Tea
Olive Oil
Red Wine

Notice, all of these foods are PLANTS or derived from PLANTS! (There is a theme here.) Another benefit of these foods, there are no side effects.... except for a happy vibrant thriving body.

You will see many of these foods in the recipes we post on this site. It's important that if you do start incorporating more of these foods into your diet that you try to eat these foods on a daily basis.

For more information about Anti-Angiogenic Foods and/or NuGenesis Farm please visit:

http://nugenesisfarm.org/

--Shelly

Michelle harvested all of the peppers in her backyard garden and brought them to work for us to enjoy. Thank you, Shelly!!! I grabbed a ton of jalapenos thinking I would make some poppers, but then I had a better idea: hot sauce! Turns out it's pretty simple to make your own! And you can add other flavors and make it as hot as you want! I used mostly jalapenos but habanero chilies would work if you wanted them extra hot. I also added some peppers I had previously roasted to add a slightly smokey flavor! Try it out with your own pepper mix!

Ingredients: 

• approx. 25 jalapenos or other spicy peppers
• half of a white onion (about 3/4 cup chopped) 
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup roasted peppers (I used some sweeter peppers for a milder flavor) 
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• black pepper, cumin, turmeric, and other spices to taste! 

4. Pour into a clean jar (I used an old pasta sauce jar) and store in the refrigerator, it should last about 6 months. *Note: If your blender isn't the greatest, put a strainer over the jar as you pour in the sauce to catch any large chunks or seeds.

Voila! Homemade hot sauce! My sauce turned orange due to the mix of pepper colors, next time I'll try to stick to just one colored pepper to get a nice bright red or green color hopefully!

-Amy

It doesn't take people long to realize I am in the midst of a passionate love affair with Kale. Lacinato, Curly, Red Russian, Purple... it doesn't matter. I love it. It's great in smoothies, soups, stewed, sauteed and baked into kale chips. One of the most difficult ways to eat it is raw just because it can be quite tough.  Kale offers substantial amounts of Vitamin A, K, C and various trace minerals. It's even high in calcium (mooove over milk)! Kale, the king of the dark leafy greens, has also made the list of the top 30 Anti-Angiogenic foods. Anti-Angiogenic foods are foods that have been proven to help cut off blood supply to cancer cells and tumors. In essence this foods contain cancer fighting properties.

This recipe is inspired by the Kale-abration Salad from NuGenesis Farms in Delafield, WI. My husband and I prefer the 2-3 cloves of garlic because it tastes a little spicy. If you don't absolutely love garlic, I would suggest just using one clove.


8 cups chopped kale
2-3 cloves of garlic finely minced
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. honey
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/3 cup currant, raisins, dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or other nut of choice
2 apples, chopped

Place kale, oil, honey, garlic and salt into a large bowl. With clean hands, massage everything together. After a few moments you will see and feel the kale turning softer and more tender. You can stop massaging whenever the kale reaches the texture you enjoy. The more you massage, the softer it gets. The softer it gets, easier it is to chew. When the desired texture is reached, add all other ingredients and toss gently.

Don't be afraid to add other vegetables. In the recipe above, I added some finely sliced purple cabbage. Jicama, shredded carrots, avocado, sliced onions or any other vegetable of your choosing would most likely be delicious, as well.

Enjoy!
--Shelly

This is one of our favorite juices we make on a regular basis. It's simple, sweet and one of the most palatable ways to introduce fresh juices to your diet.

Makes 2 servings


4 whole apples
4 large carrots
2 medium beets
1 inch piece of fresh ginger
Juice from one lemon


Roughly chop the apple, carrots, beets and ginger into pieces small enough to run through your juicer. When juice is extracted, stir in the juice from one lemon. Occasionally, depending on my tastes, I will add some filtered water to the recipe afterward. Some days I can't handle super sweet flavors and prefer something a little more muted. Do what works for you. My husband has a sweet tooth and likes it as is.

Ginger is a digestive aid and is also beneficial for combating nausea. It can be a little spicy for some people so if you are not sure if you'll like it, just cut back on how much you add.


Warning: if you aren't used to eating beets on a regular basis, you may find that your pee and/or poop turn a lovely pinkish or reddish hue.  Try not to panic. :)

-Shelly

My coworker Jen gave me some peppers from her garden so I thought I'd make my favorite green chile mac and cheese with them! I've gotten pretty good at hiding vegetables in food since my boyfriend Andrew is a little picky about his veggies. And mac and cheese is a great medium for hiding vegetables or just adding them in, considering it's not the healthiest entree to begin with!  My favorite veggies to add to mac and cheese include spinach, onions, carrots, and collard greens, but this recipe's use of peppers gives it a wonderful heat! Try it out and make it your own! Also, I almost never measure ingredients when I'm just cooking so I apologize for the lack of preciseness of this recipe! 

Ingredients: 

• At least two whole chile or poblano peppers
  
• olive oil
• whole grain pasta
• milk
• cream cheese
• your favorite cheeses (I used colby jack & feta, but a sharp white cheddar would also be wonderful with this) 
• onion, diced
• garlic, minced
• panko bread crumbs
• butter
• cayenne pepper
  
• salt
• pepper

Directions: 

• Rub the outside skin of the peppers with a small amount of olive. Roast the peppers whole in an oven at 425 F for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the outside skin of the peppers is slightly charred. 
• While the peppers are roasting, boil the water for your pasta and cook according to the package directions. In a small pan, saute the onions in a small amount of olive oil (just enough to coat the bottom of the pan) until they turn translucent. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or two more (you don't want to overcook the garlic or it will turn bitter). 
• When the peppers are done roasting, let them cool for a few minutes. Then carefully peel off the thin outer layer of skin as shown below: 

• Pour the entire mixture back into the pan you used to saute the garlic and onions. Add your choice of cheeses (I used about 4 oz. of cream cheese plus 3 oz. of colby jack) and stir the mixture over low heat until completed melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. (I added some cayenne pepper for some extra heat as well. If you didn't use onion or garlic you could also use onion powder and garlic powder for extra flavor!)
  
• When your pasta is done, drain it and pour into a baking dish. Pour the sauce mixture over the pasta and mix to combine. 
• To add some crunch, melt a tablespoon of butter and mix with about a 1/2 cup of Panko bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta. (I also sprinkled feta on top!)
• Throw under the broiler for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are nicely browned! Serve and enjoy! 

-- Amy

Inspired by Jeff Novick RD's DVD  "Fast Food Burgers and Fries." These are vegan and can easily be made gluten free if you choose gluten free oats.


Ingredients:

1- 14 oz can salt free black beans, drained and rinsed
1- 14 oz can salt free kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup dry rolled oats
1 cup cooked brown rice
4 Tbs Salsa
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (could use fresh if you wanted)
hot sauce, optional


Directions:

Place drained and rinsed beans into a large bowl and mash with a potato masher until thick and creamy. I like my beans to be slightly recognizable so I don't mash them completely but you want them to be somewhat creamy so they hold together. Add the salsa, oats, brown rice, hot sauce and corn and mix until well combined. They mixture should resemble a dough that holds together.

Divide the mixtures into 8 equal portions and shape into hamburger patties. Place on a plate and allow to sit in the refrigerator for approximately 10 minutes. This makes them firm enough that they stay together during the cooking or grilling process. I cook ours in a un-oiled skillet but you can also use a griddle pan, broiler or toaster oven to cook them.

(The only reason I used an un-oiled skillet is because we are staying away from oils and added fats so if that is not something you are staying away from, by all means, use a little oil.)

I topped ours with more hot sauce, spinach, shaved red onions and pickles. Sliced avocado would be awesome as well.

Enjoy!

These vegan and gluten free  oats are inspired by Angela Liddon's recipe for Vegan Overnight Oats. They are sweet, high in fiber and the perfect cold breakfast. This recipe makes two large servings.


Ingredients:

Oat Layer
1/2 cup Gluten Free Thick Rolled Oats
2 Tbs. Flax Meal
2 Tbs. Chia Seeds
1 cup Vanilla Almond Milk
1 fresh ripe Banana, chopped
1 cup fresh Cherries, pitted and chopped

Cherry-Banana Soft Serve Layer
1 cup fresh Cherries, pitted
2 frozen Bananas, cut or broken into chunks



Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients listed for the oat layer. Stir thoroughly to combine and set aside. The chia seeds, flax meal and oats will start absorbing all of the liquid ingredients. In a blender or food processor, combine the pitted cherries and frozen bananas. Blend until thoroughly combined. You might need to add a little bit of almond milk to reach your desired consistancy.

In two glasses or desired serving dishes, layer the two mixtures.

Serve immediately.

Michelle recently found out she had a gluten intolerance so I thought I'd try to do some gluten-free baking to treat her, something I've surprisingly never done before! Since Pick 'n Save is just across the street from my apartment, I decided to scope out what sort of gluten-free products they had available for baking. Unfortunately, while they did have a decent assortment of gluten-free flours, there was no xanthan gum or guar gum, ingredients that are typically needed when doing gluten-free baking in order to act as a binder in place of gluten. Some quick web searching on my phone and I found that it is still possible to bake without these ingredients but it might not work as well. I figured I give it a shot and try using some tapioca starch I had left over from making tapioca popovers last week to act as an emulsifier. Good news: it worked! The cookies turned out to be delicious with a nice, soft texture! Below is my recipe for Gluten Free Pumpkins Cookies with a Cinnamon Glaze modified from: http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/dessertsandsweets/r/glutenfreepumpkincookierecipe.htm 

Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Cookie Ingredients:

• 2 cups gluten-free flour (I used 1 cup of rice flour and 1 cup of flaxseed meal)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (I checked mine just to make sure it was gluten-free!) 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch (corn starch might also work) 
• 1/2 cup organic coconut spread OR unsalted butter 
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup syrup (the original recipe called for molasses) 
• 1 egg
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (don't use presweetened canned pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/3 cup milk OR your favorite dairy free milk substitute
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional) 

Glaze Ingredients:

• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk OR dairy free milk substitute
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 375 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or tinfoil and lightly grease. 
• In a medium mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients (gluten-free flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, tapioca starch) and whisk until thoroughly combined. 
• In a separate mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add syrup, egg, pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla and beat until combined. 
• Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips at the very end. 
• Drop cookies by generous rounded teaspoons on prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes in preheated oven. 
• While cookies are baking prepare glaze by whisking confectioner's sugar, milk, vanilla and cinnamon in a medium bowl until smooth and glossy. You may need to add more milk if the glaze is too thick. 
• Place cookies on bakers rack to cool for 1-2 minutes. Drizzle glaze over cookies. 
  

Notes: 

• Makes about 3 dozen cookies 
• For larger cookies drop cookies on prepared baking sheet by using a rounded tablespoon and bake an addition 2-3 minutes or until the cookies are done. 
• Always make sure your work surfaces, utensils, pans and tools are free of gluten. Always read product labels. Manufacturers can change product formulations without notice. When in doubt, do not buy or use a product before contacting the manufacturer for verification that the product is free of gluten.
  

--Amy

I LOVE oats. Not the crappy oatmeal packets, but the thick cut or steel cut oats. This is one of my absolute favorite breakfasts and I would honestly choose this over "special" breakfast items any day of the week.


Serves 1

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Thick Cut Oats, raw (uncooked)
1 TBS Chia Seeds
1 TBS Flax Meal
3/4 cup Vanilla Almond Milk or other non-dairy milk of choice

1 cup berries or diced fruit of your choice (I used fresh blueberries and raspberries here)



Directions:

Mix oats, chia, flax and almond milk in a bowl. Let sit approximately 15 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to eat, mix in fresh berries or fruit of choice. Enjoy!

Preferred consistency is a personal thing. If you like it thicker, hold back on the liquids. If you like a thinner oatmeal add more non-dairy milk.



Notes from Michelle:

Diced banana chunks are awesome in this, particularly if you use UNSWEETENED vanilla almond milk. Banana + sweetened non-dairy milks can be a little over board with the sweets but you can decide what is right for your tastes.

Chia seeds are a source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. When mixed with liquid, they form a gel which can be used as a replacement for fat in baking. Research suggests that this gel can slow the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose which helps to provide a steady release of glucose into the blood stream. Chia seeds are also an excellent source of fiber (7 grams of Fiber per ounce of Chia), copper, iron, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, niacin and zinc.

For a quick breakfast at your desk: Add all ingredients to a canning jar, pop the lid on and shake it. By the time you arrive at work, your oats will be ready to eat. :)