Lentil Tahini Burgers

Lentil Tahini Burgers

by | Jun 22, 2022 | Recipes

Two Glasses with Detox Green Smoothie

Who doesn’t love a good burger? Now you can have a nutrient-dense, plant-based burger that everyone in the family is sure to enjoy!

This recipe is very easy to pull together, and the burgers themselves are sturdy and hold up well to your favourite fixings!

Lentils make up the base of this recipe. Not only are lentils a source of high-quality plant-based protein, but they are also a rich source of fibre. Lentils also contain phytonutrients called flavonoids, a type of antioxidant, that have been shown to reduce inflammation. Additionally, lentils contain lignans and saponins, which are plant-compounds that may have anti-cancer potential.

Tahini is the real star of this recipe! Tahini, also known as sesame paste, is made of ground sesame seeds. Sesame seeds contain proteins, healthy fats, fibre, and loads of vitamins and minerals. Sesame seeds are high in both calcium and magnesium, which supports strong bones. Sesame seeds also contain two unique lignans called sesamin and sesamolin. These compounds have protective antioxidant properties and may reduce cardiovascular disease and cancer risk.

Whether you regularly eat a vegan diet or not, these Lentil Tahini Burgers are an excellent way to include more health-promoting plant foods in your diet. In fact, we even included this recipe in our 7-day Cancer-Preventative Menu Plan!

If you give this recipe a try, let us know what your favourite topping combination is!

Lentil Tahini Burgers

Who doesn’t love a good burger? Now you can have a nutrient-dense, plant-based burger that everyone in the family is sure to enjoy!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 burgers

Ingredients
  

  • 2⅔ cups Green Lentils cooked, drained and rinsed
  • ¼ cup Tahini
  • 1 Carrot small, shredded
  • ½ tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • ½ tsp Onion Powder

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a food processor with an S-blade, process all ingredients until a well-blended, but not perfectly smooth.
  • Split the mixture into four even parts and shape into patties. Place on the parchment lined baking sheet with a minimum 1” between patties.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until firm and golden on top.
  • Remove the burgers from the oven. Serve on a bed of lettuce with your favourite toppings such as pickles, sauerkraut, slides avocado, fresh tomato, or grilled pineapple.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories - 254
Sugar - 3g
Carbs - 31g
Fat - 9g
Protein - 15g
Fibre - 13g

Citrus Quinoa & Bean Salad

Citrus Quinoa & Bean Salad

by | Dec 17, 2021 | Recipes

Two Glasses with Detox Green Smoothie
Filling up on our daily vegetables is important to maintain the health of all of our bodily systems, however, daily vegetable consumption has shown to be particularly beneficial for women currently managing symptoms of menopause. The vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and more found in vegetables is critical for supporting the health of our body’s including the endocrine system.

This recipe is filled with a variety of vegetables, including red bell pepper, red onion, avocado, parsley, and cherry tomatoes, offering a range of vitamins and minerals, perfect for women’s health. A staggering 17,473 women participated in the Women’s Health Initiative Dietary Modification trial which included increasing daily consumption of fruits and vegetables every day for a year. This led to a reduction of hot flashes and night sweats for menopausal women (1).

This colourful bowl is not only filled with vegetables but contains 40% of the recommended daily intake of protein. The high protein content comes mostly from the black beans and chickpeas in this recipe, plus an extra bit of protein from the quinoa. Consistent consumption of protein is important to support bone density and prevent age-related muscle loss (2).

The dressing for this bowl includes lemon, lime, and garlic which really enhances the flavours of this colourful bowl. Garlic specifically is a highly regarded spice known for reducing inflammation across bodily systems. Research has shown that individuals who take garlic supplements have lower markers of inflammation in their blood (3).

 

  1. Kroenke, C., Caan, B., Stafanick, M., Anderson, G., Brzyski, R., Johnson, K., … & Wallace, R. (2012). Effects of a dietary intervention and weight change on vasomotor symptoms in the Women’s Health Initiative. Menopause, 19(9), 980-988. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e31824f606e
  2. Paddon-Jones, D., & Rasmussen, B. (2009). Dietary protein recommendations and the prevention of sarcopenia. Current Opinions in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 12(1), 86-90. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0b013e32831cef8b.
  3. Mirzavandi, F., Mollahosseini, M., Salehi-Abargouei, A., Makiabadi, E., & Mozaffari-Khosravi, H. (2020). Eeffects of garlic supplementation on serum inflammatory markers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome, 14(5), 1153-1161. doi: 10.1016/j.dsx.2020.06.031

Citrus Quinoa and Bean Salad

This recipe is filled with a variety of vegetables, including red bell pepper, red onion, avocado, parsley, and cherry tomatoes, offering a range of vitamins and minerals, perfect for women’s health.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • ⅔ cup Quinoa dry
  • 1 cup Black Beans canned, drained, rinsed
  • 1 cup Chickpeas canned, drained, rinsed
  • ½ Red Bell Pepper chopped
  • ¼ cup Red Onion finely chopped
  • 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes chopped
  • ½ Avocado pitted, diced
  • ½ Orange or 1 Clementine Diced
  • Dressing
  • 2¼ Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 2 Tbsp Lime Juice
  • ½ Garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ Cup Parsley choppewd
  • ¼ tsp Sea Salt
  • Spouts to garnish (optional)
  • Lime Wedges to garnish (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set the cooked quinoa aside to cool slightly.
  • While the quinoa is cooking, add the remaining salad ingredients to a medium sized bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, add the dressing ingredients and combine well.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss, being sure the salad mixture is well coated.
  • Add additional salt or lemon juice to taste.
  • To assemble, split quinoa between serving bowls, then top with salad mixture. Garnish with sprouts and lime wedges if using. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 423
Carbs: 72g
Fibre: 21g
Sugar: 13g
Protein: 18g
Fat: 10g

Glazed Mushroom and Edamame Stir Fry

Glazed Mushroom and Edamame Stir Fry

by | Oct 14, 2021 | Recipes

Two Glasses with Detox Green Smoothie

This vibrant dish is a wonderful plant-based meal providing you with the nutrients needed to support your mental health!

Filled with vibrant vegetables and bold flavours, it is the perfect staple recipe! 

Edamame is a type of soybean with a nutritional profile built to support your mental health. Edamame has a low glycemic index, meaning that when consumed it does not spike your blood sugars. This is an important quality when it comes to your mood, as fluctuating blood sugar levels have been shown to have negative impacts on one’s mood. Individuals diagnosed with diabetes, who typically have fluctuating blood sugar levels, are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with a mood disorder such as depression or anxiety (1).

Mushrooms are believed to provide a plant-based source of vitamin D. While vitamin D can be produced in the body when our skin is exposed to sun, the limited hours of sun exposure during the winter months make dietary sources of vitamin D important. Low levels of vitamin D is correlated with mood disorders such as anxiety and depression (2). Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to decrease depression and anxiety symptoms (3). While mushrooms provide a good source of dietary vitamin D, protective against poor mood, it is important to ensure that they were grown in sunlight for optimal vitamin D levels (4).

Ginger is used to enhance the flavours of this dish. Ginger’s known benefits include containing high levels of antioxidants to fight oxidative stress and protect against cell damage. Recently, animal models have shown promise that ginger may be effective at reducing anxiety symptoms (5), giving it potential to support mood in humans.

References: 

  1. Li, C., Barker, L., Ford, E., Zhang, X., Strine, T., & Mokdad, A. (2008). Diabetes and anxiety in US adults: findings from the 2006 behavioural risk facto surveillance system. Diabetic Medicine, 25(7), 878-881. doi: 10.111/j.1464-5491.2008.02477.x 
  2. Bicikova, M., Duskova, M., Vitku, J., Kalvachova, B., Ripova, D., Mohr, P., & Starka, L. (2015). Vitamin D in anxiety and affective disorders. Physiology Research, 64(2), 101-103. doi: 10.33549/physiolres.933082 
  3. Byrn, M., Adams, W., Emanuele, M., Mumby, P., Kouba, J., & Wallis, D. (2017). Vitamin D Supplementation Improves Mood in Women with Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of Diabetes Research, 2017, 1-11. doi: 10.1155/2017/823863. 
  4. Cardwell, G., Bornman, J., James, A., & Black, L. (2018). A Review of Mushrooms as a Potential Source of Dietary Vitamin D. Nutrients, 10(10), 1498. doi: 10.3390/nu10101498.
  5. Fadaki, F., Modaresi, M., & Sajjadian, I. (2017). The effects of ginger extract and diazepam on anxiety reduction in animal model. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, 51(3), 159-162. doi: 10.5530/ijper.51.3s.4

Glazed Mushroom and Edamame Stir Fry

This vibrant dish is a wonderful plant-based meal providing you with the nutrients needed to support your mental health! Filled with vibrant vegetables and bold flavours, it is the perfect staple recipe!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ tsps Sesame Oil
  • 10 Cremini Mushrooms sliced
  • ½ Red Onion small chunks
  • ½ Yellow Pepper sliced
  • 1 cup Broccoli Florets
  • ½ cup Carrots julienned
  • 2 cups Edamame in Pod can substitute snow or snap peas
  • 2 tbsps Water
  • 2 tbsps Coconut Aminos
  • 1 tbsp Ginger fresh, finely grated
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 tsp Dried Basil
  • pinch Red Pepper Flakes optional

Instructions
 

  • Heat sesame oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add mushrooms and onions to the pan, cooking for 3 to 5 minutes or until the mushrooms and onions have started to soften.
  • Add sliced peppers, broccoli and carrots stirring to combine. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for another 3 minutes.
  • Add in edamame and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the edamame has warmed through.
  • While the edamame is cooking, combine the water, coconut aminos, ginger, garlic and spices in a small bowl.
  • Add the ginger-garlic sauce to the pan. Stir to combine for 2 to 3 minutes more until all ingredients are well coated and sauce has reduced.
  • When the stir fry is fully cooked, remove from heat and divide evenly onto serving plates. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 352
Carbs: 42g
Fibre: 18g
Sugar: 14g
Protein: 23g
Fat: 12g