Beans & Grains

Beans combined with whole grain, are the major source of protein in a vegetarian diet. Beans are also rich in iron, B vitamins and fiber and whole grains contain complex carbohidrates, minerals and fiber. As a true Brazilian, I eat beans and grains almost every day. I love the combination. I use them in salads, soups, cakes, hamburgers and even deserts.

Cauliflower and leek risotto

(Yields: 4 portions)

Ingredients:

1 cup of round brown rice
3 tbsp olive oil
4 cups of water
½ cauliflower bucket (if big)
1 small leek
Salt to taste

Preparation:

In a small pan, sauté the rice with the olive oil. Add 2 cups of water and salt. Cook for 35 min.
Cut and clean the cauliflower. Boil with 2 cups of water for about 10 minutes. Add some salt and mix in a blender with the water from cooking and reserve.
Clean the leek and cut in small pieces. Sautee with olive oil and add to the cauliflower cream.
Mix the rice with the cauliflower cream and serve with olive oil.

lazy Lentil Curry

(Yield: 6 portions)

Ingredients:

250g dry lentils (it can be any lentil; mugdall and uridal are commonly used in Ayurvedic culinary and is very easy to digest).
2 bay leaves
2 tsp Ginger
2 tsp garlic chopped
2 pinch turmeric
4 pinches of cumin powder
2 pinch of black pepper
4 tbsp onion chopped
2 tbsp tomato chopped
2 tbsp coriander chopped
2 tbsp lemon Juice
200 ml water
2 tsp coconut oil
Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook the lentils for about 15-20 min with 2 bay leaves and 1 inch of water covering.

2. Add oil to a pan, sauté the onion, ginger and garlic for a few minutes in low fire, then add all the spices, the tomatoes and the cooked lentils with a bit of water and coriander, let it simmer for 5 minutes

3. Add a squeeze of lemon and serve it.

Soft Brown rice

(Yield: 6 portions)

Ingredients:

2 cups brown rice (use ¾ round brown rice and ¼ sweet rice)
3 & ½ cups water
1 pinch os sea salt.

Preparation:

1. Wash and cook the rice as usual. Cook for 45 min (pressure cooker) or 1 to 1-½ hours (without pressure, medium heat). The sweet rice will make the rice sticky (also perfect to make sushi rolls).

Beans Brazilian way

Black, white or brown

(Yields: 6 to 8 portions)

Ingredients:

2 cups dried beans, soaked for 8 hours
5 cm Kombu seaweed (hydrated)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions
6 cloves of garlic
½ tsp ground cumin
6 cups water

Preparation:

1. Drain the beans. Chop the onions and the garlic.

2. In a big pan, sauté the onion with the oil until translucent. Add the garlic, and cumin, stir for 3 minutes.

3. Add the beans and mix well before you add the water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce, heat, and simmer for 1 to 1½ hours (40 minutes in the pressure cooker), or until beans are quite soft.

4. Serve the beans with rice (to make it a complete protein) or other grains and garnish with some orange (to help iron absortion)

Chickpea salad

(Yield: 6 portions)

Ingredients:

1/2kg chickpeas
5cm piece kombu seaweed
100g green beans
100g cabbage
100g red pepper
20g fresh coriander (1/2 a bunch)
2 Lemons (juice)
3tbsp Olive oil
1tbsp umeboshi vinegar
Spices of your choice; cajun, sumac, paprica... (I also like to add a few drops of tabasco)

Preparation:

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight (in a large bowl with 4X the water).

2. Next Day, throw away the soaking water and cover with fresh water, add the kombu piece and cook it for 40-60 minutes without salt. ( 25 min in a pressure cooker)

3. Steam the green beans and let it cool down.

4. Add all the ingredients cut in small pieces to the bowl and season to your taste with tabasco, olive oil, lemon juice and some spices (cajun, sumac)

5. Mix well and keep it in the fridge before serving.

Quinoa and Roasted Vegetable Salad

Yield: 4 portions

Ingredients:

2 cups dry quinoa

Roasted vegetables:

4-5 asparagus, cut into 2 inch/5cm lengths
2 bell peppers, large chunked
2 zucchini, large chunked
1 eggplant, large chunked
1 onion, large chunked
2 tbsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin powder
salt to taste

Balsamic vinaigrette:

8 tbsp olive oil
6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup or sweetener of your choice
1 tsp salt
Pinch of black pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Sautee the onion and the garlic in 1 tsp olive oil, add quinoa, the water and 1 pinch of salt. Cook for about 15-20 minutes.

3. Season the vegetables with the spices, the olive oil and the salt.

4. Place the vegetables in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes.

5. Combine the Quinoa with the vegetables and vinaigrette. sprinkle some roasted nuts and seeds and garnish with mint and coriander.