Issue 131: Protein Parade

Black Bean and White Cheddar Omelet
Serves 1 or 2

Ingredients:
3 eggs, preferably from organic, pastured poultry
1 Tablespoon butter
¼ cup onion, diced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped
¼ cup black beans
¼ cup white cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk eggs with 1 Tablespoon of water. Heat a small non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Melt butter, add onions and garlic, and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add black beans and cilantro and mix thoroughly. Add eggs and swirl around the pan to evenly distribute. Using a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon, gently pull the edges of the omelet away from pan as it cooks. When eggs are cooked to your preference, sprinkle with cheese, fold over, transfer to plate and serve.

Navy Bean and Spinach Dip
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 can navy beans, drained
1 pound fresh spinach
5 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
½ teaspoon cumin, freshly ground
½ teaspoon coriander, freshly ground
salt to taste

Directions:
Heat a large, heavy-bottom sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and whole garlic cloves, and sauté for 4 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, working in batches if the pan is not big enough. Place beans, spinach, garlic, lemon and spices in food processor and blend to desired consistency (add water for a thinner dip). Serve with fresh vegetables or whole wheat pita for dipping.

Seared Tuna with Brown Rice Cakes and Wakame Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 6-ounce tuna steaks
1/2 cup sake
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
4 Tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped
3 cups brown rice, cooked
1/2 cup vegetable or fish stock
4 Tablespoons butter
1 ounce dried wakame

Directions:
Mix together the sake, soy sauce, ginger and cilantro and marinate tuna steaks for 1-2 hours. Place tuna steaks in a hot pan with 2 Tablespoons of butter and sear to desired doneness. In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter. Add onions and garlic and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add jalapeno and mushrooms and cook for another 6-8 minutes. Take one cup of cooked brown rice and place in food processor and pulse until coarsely ground.

Put the ground rice and whole rice in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and add sauteed vegetables. Mix well. Form rice into cakes. Heat 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter. Sear rice cakes for about 2 minutes per side. In a medium saucepan, warm 1/2 cup fish or vegetable stock. Add 2 Tablespoons of cold unsalted butter and melt. Remove from heat and add wakame. To serve, place wakame (with sauce) on the plate, top with rice cake and then tuna steak.

Recipes courtesy of Jason Longman of Atlanta

This information is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used in place of an individual consultation or examination or replace the advice of your health care professional and should not be relied upon to determine diagnosis or course of treatment.