WFPB Recipes

Cooking your meals has benefits:

- makes fiber more digestible

- enhances absorption of several nutrients

However, it’s important to be aware of the drawbacks.

Cooking can reduce the nutritional value of your food by destroying essential vitamins and minerals. Specifically, heat-sensitive vitamins such as Vitamin C, B1 (Thiamine), and B9 (Folic Acid) can lose up to half of their content during the cooking process.

Yet, not every cooking method impacts food the same way.

Some techniques are more effective at preserving your ingredients’ nutritional quality.

Generally, the shorter the cooking time and the lower the temperature, the better it is for retaining the food’s nutritional content.

GENTLE STEAMING

- maintains the flavor and texture of foods

STIR-FRYING

- very common in Asian cuisine

- technique consists in sautéing foods in a wok or skillet

- very quick cooking method

- food is seared on high heat for just a few seconds, which limits the deterioration of the food’s inherent nutritional quality

- method appealing because it does not require much oil

COOKING EN PAPILLOTE

- French term “en papillote” refers to cooking ingredients in parchment (or aluminum foil)

- food is sealed in a pouch made from aluminum foil or parchment paper, then cooked in an oven or microwave

- food is protected inside the pouch, which helps to preserve nutrients

- usually done at a high temperature (250°F or higher), which diminishes food’s nutritional quality

- better to use parchment paper to prevent any transfer of metal particles from the aluminum foil to your food

- aluminum foil cannot be used in microwave ovens; only parchment paper is suitable for using a microwave to cook en papillote

- never add any acid (e.g., lemon, white wine or vinegar) when cooking with aluminum because the acidity promotes the absorption of aluminum

WATER POACHING

- food is held at a high temperature for a lengthy period, which lowers its nutritional quality

- preferable to poach at a low temperature and to avoid bringing foods to a boil

- some minerals (and vitamins, to a lesser extent) migrate into to the cooking liquid

- thus, consume this poaching liquid where possible

- choose organic vegetables to avoid consuming any pesticides that may have migrated into the cooking water

BAKING

- takes a long time and often requires very high temperatures

- has a major impact on nutritional quality

- promotes the Maillard reaction, which is the chemical reaction that occurs in high-temperature cooking and creates Maillard products

- reaction lends foods a brown color and enhances their flavors

- Maillard products are responsible for the characteristic taste of the crispy skin on an oven-roasted chicken

- Maillard products encourage oxidative stress, which accelerates cellular aging and increases the risk of cancer

PAN FRYING

- also requires high temperatures and a relatively long cooking time

- this cooking method should be limited

- choose an oil suited to cooking

- olive oil for low temperatures and coconut oil for high temperatures

- never bring an oil to its smoke point, as this makes it toxic

GRILLING

-when you grill meat, the fats in the meat drip into the charcoal and catch flame: the resulting smoke contains a carcinogenic substance (benzopyrene) and several other toxic compounds that permeate the meat

- a grilled 3.5-ounce steak may contain as much benzopyrene as 120 cigarettes (Kaisennan, 1996)

- this is why it is recommended that the meat be cooked at least 4 inches from the coals

- the best approach to grilling meat is to use a plancha or a vertical grill, which allows the smoke to escape into the sky without entering the meat

- marinate your foods before cooking as it reduces the amount of toxic compounds they absorb

MICROWAVING

- wide disagreement among experts about the dangers of microwave cooking

- some believe that, if the microwave oven is not damaged, it cannot emit dangerous amounts of radiation

- however, others are concerned because microwaves cause unnatural changes in food structures by agitating their water molecules, and we do not yet know the full extent of the potential effects and consequences of such action

- because the matter has not been settled, it is advisable to use the microwave in moderation

DEEP FRYING

- high-temperature cooking method favors the production of troublesome compounds through the Maillard reaction

- browning food in a fryer also produces acrylamide, a molecule that promotes the development of cancer and becomes neurotoxic in high volumes

- this molecule is formed mainly when sugars are present

- for example, the sugar in potatoes will encourage the production of acrylamide when cooked in a fryer

- deep frying foods increases their fat content

- frying oils are usually high in omega-6 and saturated fatty acids, two kinds of fat that are already over-consumed

LEMON BLUEBERRY breakfast cookies

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk 

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 2 1/2 Tbsp water, let sit for a few minutes)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 cup dried blueberries (you could also use fresh)

CARROT CAKE breakfast cookies

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk 

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 2 1/2 Tbsp water, let sit for a few minutes)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup grated carrot

CHERRY CHOCOLATE breakfast cookies

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk 

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 2 1/2 Tbsp water, let sit for a few minutes)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup chocolate chips 

1/2 cup dried cherries (You can also use fresh)

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER breakfast cookies

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk 

1/4 cup +1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 2 1/2 Tbsp water, let sit for a few minutes)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

BANANA BREAD breakfast cookies

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk 

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 2 1/2 Tbsp water, let sit for a few minutes)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

TROPICAL breakfast cookies

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 2 1/2 Tbsp water, let sit for a few minutes)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup diced dried pineapple

1/2 cup diced dried mango

1/2 cup dice dried apricot

1/2 cup chopped cashews

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and stir. Next, add all remaining ingredients and mix again until everything is combined.

Use a 1/4 cup scoop to scoop the batter onto the parchment paper. 

Pat the tops down a little and bake cookies for 15-17 minutes, until firm and cooked through. Let cool on a wire rack before eating.

Cowboy Caviar

1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can chickpeas

1 can corn

1 medium red onion

1 medium red pepper

1 medium orange pepper

4 jalapeno peppers

4 cloves minced garlic

8 oz diced tomatoes

Cilantro – as desired

Dressing:

1/3 cup coconut oil

2 tbsp lime juice

6 oz white vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp red chili pepper flakes

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

Pulse all dry ingredients in ninja to grind down chili flakes.

Use 3 tbsp of dressing

Caution – SPICY

Sarah Nilsson, J.D., Ph.D., MAS

602 561 8665

sarah@sarahnilsson.org

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