Dilled Brown Rice and Kidney Beans

This is an amazing salad that's super easy to put together once you've got your ingredients on hand. It is always a hit at parties and get this--it's totally good for you! It's also a great dish to make ahead and eat as part of lunches and dinners during the week. Since it's a combo of beans and rice, it's a great source of protein, but also fiber, antioxidants and heart healthy oil.
And by the way, this is not only Gluten-Free, but Dairy (Casein), Nut and Soy Free as well, for those on special diets.
Depending on where you live, you might have to try a little harder than usual to get one of the vinegars that is used. If you live in a rural area, just pick some up the next time you're in the big city! It's called umeboshi plum vinegar, which is the left-over juice from the umeboshi plum pickling process. It gives a unique salty-sour taste and is usually found in the Asian section. While you're in the Asian section, just go ahead and pick up some regular and/or hot pepper sesame oil. I'll let you know the many ways in which you can use this in the future.

Now, I just want to add that I can't take credit for this one. I got it from my favorite cookbook, Feeding the Whole Family, Whole Foods Recipes for Babies, Young Children and Their Parents, by Cynthia Lair. This was one of the best gifts I've ever been given. It really got me started on figuring out how to cook more naturally for myself and my family.

Salad
2 cups cooked brown rice
1.5 cups cooked kidney beans
0.5 cups red onion, chopped

Dressing
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon umeboshi plum vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh dill or 2 tsp dried dill

Mix oil, vinegars and dill with whisk or shake in a small jar. Pour dressing over rice, onion and beans; toss gently. If possible, let set an hour or two as flavors integrate nicely over time.

Another Amazing Breakfast Idea

So check this breakfast out my fellow Gourmet Healers! This idea developed when I tasted a dip at a party that was nut butter based with some flax seed mixed in. I decided to try to make my own version at home, at first as a spread on Wasa Rye crackers, which was great. Then it evolved into breakfast, and that' s when I fell in love. It was when I added it to toast that I had spread lightly with Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil (VUCO) and coupled it with a glass of Organic Unhomogenized Whole milk that it became a masterpiece. Please try it and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:
Your favorite whole grain bread (should have 3 grams of fiber or more per serving).
Mine: French Meadow Hemp Bread, which is a sprouted whole grain, wheat and hemp bread with organic flax, pumpkin and sesame seeds--a nice source of Omega 3's right out of the gate.
Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil. Don't be leary. VUCO is mostly saturated fat, but it also very rich in anti-microbial fatty acids and can be helpful to those wanting to lose weight.
Creamy & Raw Almond Butter or Cashew Butter. I like the taste of almond butter, as well as the fact that it is rich in monounsaturated fat. That it is raw means that the healthy oils have not been exposed to heat and therefore are not degraded and rendered useless. All nuts and nutbutters should be consumed raw for this reason.
Flaxseed Oil. This oil is very rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, which is why this oil should be added on a regular basis--such as at breakfast time!
Flaxseed. Same as flax seed oil, but adds some fiber to the mix.
Vanilla Extract. This is the ingredient that takes it home. Vanilla adds a heavenly sweetness and coolness to the spread. And, of course, it is noted to have health benefits as well, which include fighting inflammation--and according to recent research, we can all stand to be a little less inflamed.
Actually, every ingredient in this recipe helps to fight inflammation somehow, whether it be through providing Omega 3's and other anti-inflammatory oils or by providing antioxidants.
And to top it all off, this breakfast tastes completely indulgent.

Directions:
1.In a small custard bowl, mix about 1 TBSP of almond butter (or YOUR favorite natural nut butter) with 1/2 tsp of flaxseed, 1/2 to 1 tsp flaxseed oil and 1/8 tsp vanilla.
2.Toast bread (I use 2 slices because they're small pieces and I need for my breakfast to stick with me) and spread about 1/2 to 1 tsp of VUCO onto toast.
3.Spread nutbutter mixture onto toast and enjoy with a 6-8 oz glass of milk or 6 oz plain (I use Greek) yogurt sweetened with vanilla.
4.Add some local honey if your allergies are bugging you, but there is no real need for sugars to be added otherwise. I also sometimes add a probiotic powder from USANA, which is tasteless. **Those whose immune systems are compromised/suppressed due to immunosuppressive drugs should not use probiotics.

Also of note, this breakfast can easily be made Gluten-Free. Just use GF bread and make sure you use coconut oil and nutbutters that have not been processed in a facility that also processes wheat. Spectrum makes a great coconut oil that is GF. The 365 brand pictured is not GF.

Blessings and Good Health,
The Gourmet Healer