Nutritional Yeast - Who, What, Where, How and Why?

Who:

Everyone should be eating nutritional yeast! It's a nutritious, delicious and low-calorie way to add protein and fiber to your meals.

What:

Nutritional yeast is different from the yeast that makes bread rise. It's an inactive yeast that is dairy-, soy- and gluten-free, and it is a great source of complete protein, as well as the B complex vitamins.

Where:
You can buy nutritional yeast just about anywhere these days. Whether you get it online or in your local health food store, in powder or flake form, make sure that you store your yeast in a cool, dark place.

How:
Nutritional yeast's nutty, almost cheesy taste has made it a favorite for vegan dishes that call for a cheese flavor.  Add it as an ingredient to soups, mashed potatoes, pasta. Sprinkle it on salads or popcorn. Are you making dessert? Try adding just a bit of nutritional yeast for a more complex flavor. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, you can find hundreds of fabulous recipes that use this golden food.

Why:
Why not? It's delicious, good for you and easy to find! Now, go eat some yeast!

Acorn Squash Croquettes - Vegan and Gluten Free

Every Thanksgiving, we have a get-together with friends and family, every one of whom has their specific likes and dietary preferences. This year, I decided to create a new recipe that could take the place of stuffing, which usually contains bread, that could be enjoyed by people who are avoiding gluten. And, as an added bonus, it's also a vegan recipe that uses nutritional yeast! 

What?

Nutritional yeast is the best-kept secret superhero of the vegan world. My next blog post will be about all the wonderful reasons you'll want to add nutritional yeast to your diet. But, until then, let's just agree that it is a great source of vitamins and has a wonderfully cheesy taste.

These croquettes make a delicious side dish. The measurements below are approximate, so add more or less according to your preference. You should eat the croquettes immediately after cooking, as they don't keep well. 

Acorn Squash Croquettes

serves 2-3 people

1 acorn squash

1 tablespoon avocado oil (or grapeseed oil)

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon turmeric

Preheat oven to 375F.

Cut the acorn squash in half. Using a large spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard.

Acorn Squash Ready for the Oven

Brush the inside of each half with the avocado oil and sprinkle with the pepper, sea salt and turmeric. Bake until cooked, about 45 minutes. You will know that the acorn is done when you can easily insert a fork into it.

While the squash is baking, mix the following ingredients together:

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons dried cranberries

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

fresh juice of 1/2 small lemon

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper

Let the squash cool just enough to be comfortably handled.

Croquettes Rolled in Yeast and Ready to Be Fried

Use a spoon to remove all the meat from the squash and mix it well with the prepared seasonings above. 

Over low heat, melt enough coconut oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan (I use an iron one). While the oil is heating, lightly rub some coconut oil on your hands and roll the acorn squash mixture into small balls. Cover a large plate with nutritional yeast and roll each squash ball in the yeast to coat it completely. Fry the balls in the pan until lightly browned on one side, then roll over to brown the other side. Serve warm.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

-Tamera

A Nut Above

'Tis the season again! Time to wrap ourselves in cozy sweaters, run through noisy leaves lining the sidewalks and enjoy cold weather foods. And, whether  or not you roast them, chestnuts should be one of those foods. I love to eat them raw because they're crunchy and just a little "juicy".  Every fall, when they show up at my local stores and farmers markets, I make sure to buy them every time I'm out. My family and I love these little gems. If I didn't know just how exceptionally healthful they are, I'd feel a bit guilty about indulging in their deliciousness. 

But, because Google is my friend, I know a thing or two, about a thing or two. For example:

• Compared to other nuts and seeds, chestnuts are relatively low in calories and fat, so you don't have to be quite as careful about limiting portion size. 
• Chestnuts are a good source of dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins and phyto-nutrients.
• Surprisingly, chestnuts are exceptionally rich in Vitamin C, folates (which are usually found in leafy green vegetables), iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and potassium.
• If you're needing mono-unsaturated fats like oleic and palmitoleic acids in your life (and, really, who isn't) then you should be eating chestnuts!
• Want a good source of the B-complex vitamins? Chestnuts.
• Manganese! Chestnuts have got it. In fact, a 3 ounce serving of chestnuts will give you 50 percent of your recommended daily intake. Why is manganese important? Well, it's an antioxidant that reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease, while also helping with connective tissue health and blood clotting. Studies are beginning to indicate that manganese plays a key role in slowing down the aging process.
• Chestnuts are naturally gluten-free.
• The trace mineral copper is necessary for bone strength, red blood cell formation, nerve function and a strong immune system, and a 3 ounce serving of chestnuts gives you 22 percent of the recommended daily value.

So, how's that for an unassuming-looking little brown nut? Pretty impressive, if you ask me. Go get some chestnuts, crack them open and enjoy crunching on them, knowing that you are definitely doing your body good!

Product Review - Against All Grain

People often say to me, "Tamera, you must have the healthiest diet of anyone I know. How do you get your kids to eat so clean?"

Well, a few answers come to mind. I'm not perfect and I certainly don't have it all figured out. While I do have a lot of knowledge about health and nutrition, the simple fact is that each individual body has its own needs, and there is no cure-all diet for everyone. The truth is that I am always learning and modifying based on new research that comes out, plus my own personal observations about how the foods we eat affect my family and me. More about that in a minute.