Lets Talk Lentils – A very misunderstood legume.

This is what I know about lentils. If someone had not served them up to me I would not know what lentils were and I would not have ever ventured out to try them. Does this sound familiar?


This is a middle eastern dish that dates back many 1000’s of years. It is an ideal dish for vegetarians because it has a high protein value. Just one cup of uncooked lentils has over 50 grams of protein. It is a great source of iron, folate, thiamine and carbs (120g). All good stuff. It is economical too.  A 1 pound bag costs about $2.00 and It will make about 3 or 4 full recipes (6 to 8 servings per recipe).

So what do they taste like? We were trying to come up with some great adjectives. How about, tastes like an earthy bean or like peas but not so pungent. Maybe like a navy bean. What we do know is this. You do not need to develop an “acquired taste”. I loved them the first time I tried them.

In the Middle East and all through India it is popular to combine them with rice. In Mexico it is popular to add a little hot sauce and sour cream. I have this fun five minute video where I cook them and show you some garnishes. You can go completely vegan or add some chicken bullion to add some flavor. Check out my video. Wellness Warrior Dean Cooks Lentils. Here is a Link to my Video.  Please come back now Ya hear?                      

Wellness Warrior Dean Cooks Lentils

Very Healthy Home Made Chili - Texas Style

Here is a simple recipe for chili.  It is healthy and has all natural ingredients.  You can substitute red meat for any meat or even egg plant if you are vegetarian.  Also if you hold the meat completely until the end you can add soy burger to the mixture just before serving. 

Ingredients:


1 pound round steak. You can spend more but it is not necessary. Read on

2 - 8 ounce cans tomato paste

½ large onion diced to about ½ inch pieces

5 garlic cloves diced very fine

4 tomatoes about the size of a roma diced to tiny pieces or run through a food processor.

2 cups cooked kidney beans

2 cups cooked pinto beans

You can buy canned beans but you can cook them from scratch in about 2 hours – same time it takes to simmer the chili.

1 tbsp coarse sea salt

2 heaping tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground black pepper

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 qt water

If you want to cook beans from scratch it is so easy. Pour pinto beans in a large sauce pan up to your first knuckle on your index finger. Add equal amount of kidney beans. Fill with water to about 1 inch below the top. Bring to a boil. When it reaches a boil reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 2 hours. Simple. The skin should just be ready to start falling off the beans. Add about a tbsp of salt after they are cooked.

In a large stock pot brown the onion and garlic in a dollop of virgin olive oil. Remove from pan. Here is a trick. If you cube the steak after it is browned it will hold all its juices inside until you cut it. If you cook it cubed then you are fighting the juices that run out and make it hard to brown your meat. I cooked the meat for 3 minutes a side in a very hot iron skillet and cubed it after it had sat for about 5 minutes. The meat got seared and all those wonderful juices ran out when I cut it which I saved and put back into the recipe.

Add the browned meat , onion and garlic to the stock pot. Add the water. Add the tomato paste. (note: tomato sauce is a processed food. Try to avoid it). Add the diced tomatoes. Stir mixture until the liquid is homogenous through out. Stir in chili powder. Stir in cayenne pepper. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for about 2 hours or until your beans are cooked. This lets all the spices have a chance to cook in. If you have a large enough stock pot you can double the recipe and feed a small army. After about 2 hours add the beans, strained from their water. Stir occasionally for about 10 to 15 minutes. If your chili is too watery you can add flour or cornstarch to thicken it up. Corn meal is ideal for thickening the chili.

Garnish. We like to add chopped onion and shredded cheddar cheese to our individual bowls. Of course fresh corn bread is the ideal side.

Why do we put poisons in our bodies??

Take a look at your toothpaste, soaps, detergents, and shampoos. Do you see either of these two ingredients, Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) , or Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS)? What are these two items? Mainly they are used as a foaming agent to make all these things lather up. Problem is they are both highly toxic chemicals. Look at your deodorant. Do You see Propylene Glycol? It is an alcohol that is used in anti-freeze. Another highly toxic chemical.


Why should you worry? Our skin is an organ. One of its capabilities is the ability to absorb the things on our skin. That is why medicines like Dramamine come in a patch. The nicotine patch is another example. Our bodies absorb some amount of the chemicals we put on ourselves. This includes make-up, chlorine in our water, and the chemicals that are in our soaps, toothpastes, shampoos and deodorant.

The liver has to work overtime to get these toxins out of our bodies. People who are fat have another problem. The fat cells in our bodies absorb these poisons and carry them around in our blood streams. I am sure this is why fat people tend to be sicker than most individuals who are more fit.

Fortunately there is a ray of hope. Health stores are now featuring soaps and detergents that are free of SLES and SLS. They cost a little more and don’t foam up as nicely as we are used to. But who needs these poisons floating around in our bodies. Women, when you buy shampoos and conditioners from your hair stylist, insist on all natural ingredients. If enough people do this then we can make some progress toward eliminating these chemicals. Also buy make-up that is more natural. You wear it all day. Watch what you are putting on your skin.

We don’t know the long term effects of these toxins on and in our bodies but why take a chance. Does anyone know what really causes cancer?

Following are some links that give you more information.  http://www.natural-health-information-centre.com/sodium-laureth-sulfate.html   and   http://propylene%20glycol/

Cucumber Helathy and then some......

CUCUMBERS ...


Did you know these facts about cucumbers? I didn't ... some 'fresh' ideas ...

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache-free ... cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm your fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!