Recipes

Dr. Claudia Pillow discusses the benefits of a gluten-free diet based on eating more fresh raw vegetables, and shares one of her favorite recipes.  Love pesto?  This recipe is for you!

More and more people are interested in eating a more plant based diet, including celiacs and other people living a gluten-free lifestyle. Chronic inflammation is at the root of the interest. Many celiacs, and others with any autoimmune disease, battle low grade chronic inflammation due to a protective immune response of the body to destroy what it perceives as foreign harmful invaders. For celiacs on a gluten-free diet, the inflammation is not in the villi of the small intestine but in other tissues of the body. The foreign harmful invaders that trigger the immune system are diets high in acidic foods (most processed gluten-free foods contain potato, tapioca or corn starch, refined sugars and unhealthy oxidized fats); medications; and stress.  To reduce chronic inflammation in the body it is important to eat alkaline foods- vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, basically fresh edible parts of plants. These foods also happen to be the basis of vegan and raw food diets. Summer time makes it easy to EAT MORE PLANTS. You can grow your own, shop at local farmer’s markets or join a local cooperative. Leafy greens and fresh herbs are two anti-inflammatory foods that fit perfect into summer mealtime without much fuss or fanfare but deliver powerhouse nutrition.

One of my favorite summer meals is this raw and vegan Green Pesto Sauce made with both spinach and basil and packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and plenty of phytonutrients, flavonoids that protect against cancer and chronic inflammation. You can whip up a batch in 5 minutes and use in your favorite recipe requiring pesto. Hail Merry® raw sunflower seeds are a delicious replacement for parmesan in traditional pesto recipes and the Chimayo Chili Pecans add a little spice on a hot summer day. See raw, vegan and gluten-free serving suggestions below.

CLEAN-GREEN PESTO SAUCE

• 4 small cloves garlic
• 4 cups firmly packed fresh organic baby spinach, washed well
• 3 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup raw organic olive oil
• 1/3 cup Hail Merry® Chimayo Chili Pecans or Lemon Thyme Pecans
• 1/4 cup Hail Merry® Sunflower Seeds- Salt N Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ¼-½ cup water

1. Place garlic in food processor and process until minced. Add remaining ingredients except the water and process to fine paste.

2. With the machine running add 1/4 cup of water. Continue to add water by the tablespoon until pesto becomes consistency of a creamy thick sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings. Use immediately or transfer to a glass container and top with a thin coat of olive oil to prevent the top of the pesto from discoloring.

Pesto will keep for 10 days in refrigerator.

Serving Suggestions:

Raw: Drizzle over sliced fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, thinly sliced zucchini and yellow summer squash, thin rings of orange peppers and chopped olives.

Vegan & Gluten-Free: Toss with your favorite gluten-free pasta, baked spaghetti squash, roasted baby potatoes, or grilled portabella mushrooms.

Who's playing again?  Just kidding....

The whole country is gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday, but for many of us, "game-day strategy" has less to do with football and more to do with tackling the menu for your Super Bowl Bash.  Save your energy for your team and score points with these healthy game day recipes.

Spiked Watermelon Pops:  Skip the heavy beer and go for this light and fun game-day cocktail.  Don't worry about spilling when you jump out of your seat for a nail-biting play.

Green Chile Macadamia Nut Dip:  Skip the nacho "cheese"  and nosh on this tasty dip made with fresh Anaheim Chiles and macadamia nuts - loaded with Omega-3 nourishing oils!  Use carrot sticks, celery and sugar snap peas for dipping.

Spicy Thai Collard Wraps:  Over and over again, these babies impress.  Crunchy collards and spicy almond butter won't weigh you down while you cheer for the { insert your team mascot here }!

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust: Forget the Pizza Hut v. Papa John's showdown.  You can still chow down on traditional football fair with this gluten-free version.  Use vegan cheese to go the extra yard.

Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings:  Deliciously versatile and with just enough "kick," these bite-sized pieces of cauliflower offer all the flavor and none of the guilt.

Spicy Sweet Potato Tots:  Crispy potatoes make every party better.  These are baked and the sweet/spicy combo is heavenly.

Raw Ranch Dressing:  This is America and ranch dressing goes with everything: veggies, pizza, wings... swap out the Hidden Valley with this raw recipe and no one will be the wiser.

One of Each Assortment:  Throw a Hail Merry Pass with this snack pack - 30% off when you use promo code HEALTHY at checkout.

And for Dessert?  Hail Merry Miracle Tarts of course!  Order by Thursday to get them in time for Super Bowl Sunday.

No matter who you root for on Sunday, we are on your team - Enjoy the Super Bowl!

Enjoy this vegan & gluten-free vegetable dish made with summer fresh eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes and basil grown in home gardens or purchased from farmers markets and organic grocery produce sections. Ratatouille is delicious warm or cold, tossed with gluten-free pasta or on top of a bed of leafy greens.  It takes 20-30 minutes of prep time but, make extra so you can enjoy this super nutritious, alkalizing dish filled with phytochemicals, antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals, for several days. Sprinkle with Hail Merry Seasoned Pecans or Sunflower Seeds for some healthy plant oils to totally Feed Your Body Royally!

ROASTED RATATOUILLE

Serves 8 to 10

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon raw honey or agave

1–pound eggplant, peeled, cut into ¾ inch cubes
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 large onion (such as a Vidalia or Texas sweet), peeled, cut into ¾ inch cubes
1 6-inch zucchini, cut into 1 inch cubes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     1 6-inch yellow squash, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 cup diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (to taste)
Non–stick vegetable oil spray

1/2 cup Hail Merry Chimayo Chile Pecans

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray 2 large non–stick baking sheets with non–stick spray.
2. In large bowl, whisk oil with garlic, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper and honey. Add eggplant, bell peppers, onion and zucchini. Toss to coat. Spread half of the mixture on each baking sheet and arrange in single layer.
3. Roast vegetables for 10 minutes and then turn. Continue to roast for another 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes on baking sheet.
4. Transfer vegetables to a large saucepan. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, basil and oregano. Bring ratatouille to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes.  Add salt to taste and adjust fresh herb seasonings.
5. Sprinkle with Hail Merry Chimayo Chile Pecans. Serve warm, room temperature or cold with more fresh chopped basil as garnish.

Ratatouille can be made up to two days in advance. Refrigerate until needed.

Watercress is another "green"superfood and when made into an alkalizing and refreshing raw and vegan no oil added salad, created by Chef Ali Brushaber, it contains more calcium than the average glass of milk. Whole Foods Markets has an aggregate nutrient density  index, called the ANDI. The ANDI is a score based on a scale of 1 to 1000 that measures many nutrients in a food product including:  Calcium, Carotenoids: Beta Carotene, Alpha Carotene, Lutein & Zeaxanthin, Lycopene, Fiber, Folate, Glucosinolates, Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Selenium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, plus ORAC score X 2 (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity is a method of measuring the antioxidant or radical scavenging capacity of foods). Watercress is right up there with Kale with an ANDI  score of 1000. Watercress has a peppery flavor that pairs well with the sweet notes of the watermelon and other fruits in this raw and vegan salad. Toss in some Hail Merry Salt N Pepper Sunflower Seeds and you will truly being Feeding Your Body Royally!

Watermelon Watercress Salad       yield: 4 servings

2 head              Watercress

2 cup               Sugar snap peas, cut into ¼” pieces

1 cup               heirloom yellow ‘cherry’ tomatoes, halved

1 each              Granny Smith green apple, cut into ¼” pieces

4 cup               Watermelon, cut into 1” cubes

1 each              Lemon, juiced

1/2 bag (4 oz)  Hail Merry Sunflower Seeds

½ teaspoon     Himalayan sea salt

1. Remove stems from the watercress; rinse and towel dry. Place into a bowl and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the watercress. Place onto a plate to serve as a base for the rest of the salad.

2. Mix sugar snap peas, tomatoes, apples, and watermelon and sunflower seeds. Sprinkle with sea salt and toss gently.

3. Mound the salad over the base of watercress.  Serve immediately.

Timesaver Tips: Mix the base salad ahead of time and refrigerate for up to one day. Toss the watercress right when you need it and assemble the salad.