30 Day Superfood Challenge (Part 3)
This article is the final part of a 3-part series where I make dishes using 30 different superfoods. To check out the first two parts, you can use the links below!
Day 21: Kale
Whether you think it’s trendy or not, the fact is that kale is both delicious and here to stay. Kale is loaded with Vitamins A, K, and C, and is beloved among nutritionists and athletes alike.
Kale is great to use in salads, soups, and even can be baked into crispy chips, but today I’ll be sautéing it with some arugula and shallots for another tasty side dish.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide pan, then add 2 thinly sliced shallots and cook for about 5 minutes or until golden.
Like any member of the allium family, shallots are rich in vitamins, minerals, and traces of elements like magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron.
Once the shallots are golden, add 1 head each of torn Tuscan kale and escarole along with half a teaspoon of salt.
Cooked arugula might sound odd, normally you’d toss it in a salad or put it on a flatbread raw, but just trust me. Give it a shot, and I can guarantee you will find it to be enjoyable.
Cook, stirring, until the kale and escarole have wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add a teaspoon of grated lemon zest, a pinch of chili flakes, and season with salt, then serve warm.
And there you have it! Another side dish that is full of nutrients from both the kale and escarole, but does not skimp out on the taste.
Day 22: Black Beans
One of the best varieties of beans you can eat, black beans contain lots of complete protein, fiber, and are naturally gluten-free for all of you Celiacs.
There are a lot of things you can do with black beans like salads, soups, chili, and spreads, but today I’m going to show you how to make some delicious black bean burgers that can be enjoyed by both vegetarians and meat eaters alike, plus with these burgers, you will know exactly what went into them!
Start by draining 2 15-ounce cans of seasoned black beans, but do not rinse them! You need that bit of packing liquid to help bind these burgers together.
Place the beans into a bowl, then use a fork to lightly crush them. What you’re looking for is whole beans mixed with crushed beans.
Add 1 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of grated onion, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, 1 egg, and season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine, then divide into 6 pieces and shape each piece into a burger patty shape. Place the burgers into the fridge for 20 minutes to firm.
At this point, you can individually wrap the burgers in plastic wrap, put them into a large, resealable plastic bag, and freeze them, just thaw them when you need them.
To cook, heat some vegetable oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat and lay each burger inside. Cook the burgers for 3-5 minutes, or until one side is nicely browned.
Since the beans are already cooked, all you’re doing is getting some browning on them and heating them up.
Flip each burger when they’re seared, then lay a slice of your favorite cheese onto each patty (I used provolone). Let it cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the other side seared.
Meanwhile, mix 1/2 cup of mayonnaise with some hot sauce, as much as you can handle, in a small bowl and set that aside.
When the burgers are ready, place each patty onto a bun along with some lettuce, sliced tomato, and some of that hot mayo.
Ok, these black bean burgers might not be the exact same as a classic beef burger, but the flavor that’s locked inside these burgers do make this carnivore very happy!
Day 23: Honey
It is no secret that honey is great as an anti-inflammatory agent, and helps to fight off bacteria. As an added note, local honey is a great remedy for seasonal allergies.
There are a million uses for honey, from glazing ham to baklava to barbecue sauce to cocktails, but today I will be mixing it with more heart-healthy oats for some easy power balls that are great for hiking, a post-workout snack, or anything that you need a boost of energy for.
In a large bowl, beat 1 cup each of rolled oats and crunchy peanut butter with 1/2 cup of sweetened coconut flakes, 1/3 cup each of ground flaxseed (or chia seeds), chopped dried cranberries, and honey until fully combined.
If the mixture isn’t quite coming together, then add another tablespoon or two of honey. You want it to be sticky enough to form into balls, but not so much that it instantly sticks to your hands. This also works great with agave nectar.
Roll into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in more ground flaxseed, and freeze the balls until firm.
Since I’ve mentioned them already, flaxseeds help to promote digestion health and relieve constipation.
Once the balls are fully frozen, top each with a drizzle of honey to serve!
And there you have it! Delicious honey-oat power balls that taste like a very classic honey-coated cereal with a bee mascot, you know the one, and don’t contain anything that you can’t pronounce like some factory-made power bars.
Day 24: Coconut
I am a massive fan of coconut. Not only does it taste great, but it helps to support endurance, gives you better oral health, can help you lose weight, and contain more of those cholesterol-fighting unsaturated fats.
Coconut is widely used among many cuisines like Jamaican, Indian, Thai, and Indonesian, countries that aren’t afraid to of adding spice to their dishes, so today I’ll be making a simple Malaysian-style coconut rice that you can serve with a curry, Rendang, or anything you need some fragrant rice for.
It’s very easy to do. Sautee 2 tablespoons of minced fresh ginger in butter in a medium saucepan until fragrant.
Add 1 cup each of rinsed basmati rice, canned coconut milk, water, and a teaspoon of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then drop to a simmer and let it go for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
Remove from the heat, then let the rice relax for about 10 minutes.
Mix the rice with a fork and stir in 1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes. Dump the rice into a serving bowl and garnish with chopped cashews and some chopped cilantro.
Voila! Delicious coconut rice that is full of coconut richness and will surely leave you a happy person!
Day 25: Sauerkraut
Believe it or not, sauerkraut contains more probiotics than yogurt! I’m not saying that you need to replace your morning yogurt with sauerkraut, but it is a fun fact.
Sauerkraut is often served in a Reuben sandwich or as a side dish for German dinners, but today I’ll be cooking it with some turkey sausage and fennel for a delicious German-inspired weeknight dinner.
Start by heating a tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick pan, then add 4 hot or mild Italian turkey sausage links.
The great thing about the turkey sausage is it has about half the fat content of regular pork sausage, although any fresh sausage links you have will work for this.
Once the sausages are browned on all sides, remove them from the pan. Don’t worry if the sausages aren’t fully cooked at this point, because they will continue cooking later on.
To the same pan, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter and add 1/4 teaspoon of caraway seeds, and cook until the seeds are slightly toasted.
Add 1 large bulb of fennel, cored and thinly sliced, and one gala apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced, and cook until the fennel and apple begin to soften.
Thinly slice the sausages on the bias, then add them back to the pan along with 1 pound of sauerkraut, drained well. Cook until the sausages are fully cooked and the sauerkraut is warm.
Season with salt and pepper, then pile everything onto a serving platter and top with chopped fennel fronds.
And would you look at that? An incredibly easy dinner that took about 30 minutes to make, is low in carbs, low fat, and tastes fantastic! But we can’t eat this dinner without thanking the probiotic-filled sauerkraut for making it possible.
Day 26: Pomegranate Seeds
One of my favorite fruit in the world, pomegranate seeds were once beloved for their ability to help with fertility. They also help improve gut health, digestion, and keeps your colon clean and happy.
There isn’t much that needs to be done to make pomegranate seeds taste good, but today I’ll be mixing it with some riced cauliflower for an easy tabbouleh.
For those who don’t know, tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern salad that’s usually made with bulgar wheat, tomatoes, onion, and parsley. I’m giving you a gluten-free option that almost anyone can enjoy.
Put one head’s worth of cauliflower florets into a food processor, then pulse a few times until it resembles rice. (You can also do this with a bag of frozen riced cauliflower)
For this tabbouleh, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick pan, then add the cauliflower, 1/2 cup of finely chopped green beans, one minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of pepper.
Cook for about a minute, or until the cauliflower is tender, then transfer into a bowl to cool slightly. (That’s the beauty of cauliflower rice, it’s that it cooks much quicker than regular rice.)
Stir in one tablespoon each of lemon juice and olive oil along with 1/4 cup each of chopped parsley and mint and 1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds.
This isn’t really transforming the pomegranate seeds as it is sprinkling them in as a garnish, but considering pomegranate seeds are already bursting with sweet, tangy, nutrition-packed juice, this is all you need to do to them.
This veggie tabbouleh with pomegranate seeds is great to serve with chicken, fish, or anything that you need a good amount of veggies to go with.
Day 27: Pistachios
Pistachios are a great source of healthy fats, fiber, protein, and various nutrients, including Vitamin B6 and thiamine. They can also help promote weight loss, improve blood vessel health, and lower blood sugar levels.
Pistachios have a wide range of uses in desserts, salads, and for crusting fish, but today I’m putting it into an easy snack mix that should become the centerpiece for your next game day party.
In a large bowl, whisk one large egg white with 2 teaspoons each of sugar, dried thyme, and chili powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt and a few grinds of pepper until the egg white is frothy.
Add 1 1/2 cups of unsalted roasted pepitas, 1 cup of unsalted roasted pistachios, and 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds. Toss to coat.
Spread everything onto a parchment lined baking sheet, then bake in a 325-degree oven for about 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, until everything is browned and toasted.
The second the mixture comes out of the oven, stir in 3/4 cup of wasabi peas, then leave to cool. (To tell you the truth, I did not even think I would like the wasabi peas in there, but they are more mild than you think and really help to lift the mix)
With this snack mix, you get loads of crunchy texture plus a wonderful sweet and spicy flavor that makes you go back for more, and the nutty flavor and high nutrients of the pistachios only help to make the whole mix come to life.
Day 28: Pepitas
Pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, may be assosciated with the fall and Halloween, but these little seeds are a great snack year-round, and are packed with lots of healthy fats like magnesium and zinc, and are known to help include heart and, for the men out there, prostate health.
Pepitas are often toasted and sprinkled onto salads and cookies or, perhaps, mixed into a snack mix with pistachios and sesame seeds, but today I’ll be blending them into a sauce for some chicken to make another easy weeknight dinner.
In a dry pan, toast 1 cup of raw pepitas until toasted. If all you have is roasted pepitas, then those will work as well.
Transfer the toasted pepitas into a blender or food processor, then toast 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds until fragrant.
Dump the cumin seeds into the blender with the pepitas along with 1 1/2 cups of medium-hot salsa verde, 1 cup of packed fresh cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon of allspice, and 1/2 cup of water.
Blend the mixture until smooth, then dump back into the pan along with one rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, and meat shredded, and cook until the sauce reduces by half and the chicken is warm. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (This also works great with any leftover chicken you might have)
Meanwhile, toss one sliced red bell pepper with 5 sliced radishes and the juice of 1/2 a lime. Set aside.
Divide the chicken mixture into plates along with the bell pepper and radishes, warm tortillas, and some lime wedges.
Look at that! An easy dinner that came together in minutes, was easy to make, and is packed with nutrients from the veggies, the pepitas, and a bit of protein from the chicken.
You can use the tortillas to make some tacos out of everything and be rewarded by the spicy, nutty pepita sauce will make you feel good even after eating it all!
Day 29: Edamame
There is a reason why some Asian restaurants will give you a serving of edamame once you sit down. Edamame is rich in soy protein, has lots of healthy fiber, antioxidants, and Vitamin K, which helps prevent blood clotting and improve bone health.
When it comes to edamame in the shell, there isn’t a lot that needs to be done to get it to taste good, but I’ll be tossing it in some chili and garlic for another easy snack.
Start by cooking 1 pound of frozen edamame in the shell (Not frozen sugar snap peas, mother!) in salted boiling water for about 5 minutes, or until tender.
In a small pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil with 1/4 teaspoon of chili flakes and 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves over medium heat until the garlic is golden. Drain the edamame, then add to the pan, and toss to coat.
Stir in a squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of salt, then serve!
Again, edamame is delicious on its own, but adding the chili and garlic help enhance the experience as you suckle those little soy pods out of their shell.
Day 30: Strawberries
Here we are, the final day of this superfood journey, and it’ll be ending with as fruity of a note as the first day!
Strawberries are known for being full of Vitamin C and other antioxidants, which help reduce the risk of serious health conditions like cancer, diabetes, and liver disease.
You don’t really need to do anything to strawberries to get them to taste good, in fact I quite enjoy snacking on strawberries on their own, but today I’ll be blending them up into an easy smoothie bowl that will be the perfect way to start the day.
In a blender, puree 1 cup of frozen strawberries, 1/2 cup of cranberry juice, 1 teaspoon each of lime juice, chia seeds, and honey until smooth.
Pour into a bowl and top with sliced strawberries, pomegranate seeds, and dried goji berries.
Goji berries, also known as wolfberry, come from a shrub native to China. You can find dried goji berries at health food stores, you can get them off of Amazon, or you can skip them altogether! The smoothie bowl will taste just as good.
What you get is a smoothie bowl that’s full of sweetness, tartness, a bit of crunch from the chia seeds, and a mouthful of fruity goodness. Course, if you’re in a rush, you can easily put this smoothie into a cup and drink it like the strawberry smoothie it is!
Well, there you go, my journey into the world of superfoods.
All of the food that I made and tasted were quite tasty and I can see myself making some of these again in the future!
If you end up making some of these dishes, then I hope you tell me about them and if there’s anything about them that you would change!
