Breakfast Pudding

Here's a tasty, healthy, quick breakfast treat...

1 cup plain whole milk yogurt, organic preferably
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or almonds
2 tablespoons shredded coconut, unsweetened
1 heaping tablespoon carob powder
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil, organic or virgin, melted
Stevia, clear liquid, a few drops or to taste

Mix all ingredients together, thoroughly.

This is great for a quick breakfast or a dessert.

Healthy Veggie Burgers

My big complaint about veggie burgers is that most you buy in the stores contain soy ingredients, canola oil and/or some form or MSG. It's really hard to find a healthy veggie burger in the grocery store or your natural foods market.

When I came across this article on veggie burgers, I was very suspicious that they would contain some of these harmful ingredients. I was pleasantly surprised.

Millet Burger with Chive Pesto

All healthy ingredients.

Beans and Greens Burger

Calls for orange zest. Make sure you make it from organic oranges only. Non organic oranges can be artificially colored with Citrus Red. No. 2, which is a possible carcinogen.

Calls for toasted whole grain bread crumbs. Make sure they're free of harmful chemical additives. Better yet, make your own from organic, sprouted grain, flourless bread.

Calls for olive oil to cook the burgers. A better cooking oil is coconut oil. Organic coconut oil has had the coconut flavor removed and still has the healthy, therapeutic properties of coconut oil.

Mushroom and Black Bean Burger

Calls for olive or canola oil to cook the burgers. Skip the canola oil. It is an unhealthy oil. And as I mentioned above, coconut oil is a better choice for cooking than olive oil.

Calls for stale or toasted sandwich bread to make breadcrumbs. Best to use organic, sprouted grain, flourless bread.

Calls for hamburger buns or hard rolls. Flourless, sprouted grain is your best choice. However if, like me, you don't like using buns or rolls, try wraping your burger in a couple big leaves of lettuce. It's a great way to have sandwiches without the bread.

Lentil Almond Burger

Calls for olive oil for cooking. I recommend organic coconut oil.

Calls for celery. Make sure you buy organic. Celery is #1 on the 2010 list with the most pesticides.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burger

Calls for whole spelt flour or other flour. If you use other flour, make sure it is whole grain.

Calls for tamari. Traditionally made tamari, as made in Japan, is fermented over long periods of time and is one of the few soy products that have the least harmful effects. However, made in America, the processing is modern, high speed and very unlike traditional processing. Modern soy sauces may contain dangerous levels of toxic chemicals. "The safety of commercial soy sauces cannot be assured." Reference, The Whole Soy Story, by Kaayla Daniel.

If you can get traditionally prepared tamari imported from Asia, then that would be a better choice than American made. I personally substitute Celtic Sea Salt in recipes that call for tamari or soy sauce.

If you enjoy veggie burgers, give these a try. They're definitely more healthy than the pre-made ones you buy in the stores.