Make every day a salad day.

Here’s the recipe I prepared on Channel 18 WLEX-TV today. To view the video go to www.wlextv.com and click on ‘Wellness Cooking with Susie Quick.’

The best thing you can do for your health is to make sure you eat a wide variety of colors. The easiest way to do this is to eat a large salad for your lunch or dinner.

Red Lentil and Rice Soup

Lentils are a great legume to prepare. They are high in protein and fiber and cook a lot quicker than other pulses. Lentils are an important source of B vitamins, especially B3, which is essential for both a healthy nervous system and digestive system. They also have healthy amounts of iron, zinc and calcium and are a good replacement for animal protein when combines with whole grains. This soup is very simple to make and makes a nice meal. If you use vegetable broth it qualifies as vegan.

This is the recipe I prepared on WLEX-TV today using eggs from Jon and Norma Brumley of Waterworks Farm in Shelbyville, KY (above).

Local pasture-raised eggs come from chickens that get to enjoy life in the great outdoors and dine on greens, grubs and grains. The latest research shows these eggs have a healthier nutritional profile with elevated levels of Omega 3 fatty acids. Today we’re using these fresh local eggs from Waterworks Farm in Shelby County to make an Italian Frittata with penne, asparagus and ham. It’s a great dish to serve for Easter brunch or any day of the week.

Here’s the recipe I prepared today on WLEX-TV’s noon:30 show.  I also like tossing the hot roasted tomatoes with thinly sliced collard greens and crisp bacon for a delicious side dish. And this is the link to the video on the LEX website: www.wlextv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7620219&nav=menu203_2_13.

I really like the Barilla brand multi-grain thin spaghetti for this, but you can use any shape. The multi grain ups the protein and it also has added Omega-3, which doesn’t hurt. The flavor and texture is infinitely better than other brands I’ve tried. Besides, Barilla is the pasta of choice of most of my Italian friends (even the ones who live in Italy).

Here’s the recipe I made on WLEX-TV today. These are surprisingly delicious and satisfying. You can also make small ‘burgers’ to serve as appetizers for a party.  The link to the video is here: http://www.wlextv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7620219&nav=menu203_2_13

Black Bean Burgers with Guacamole

The addition of walnuts to these burgers makes them even more heart healthy. They’re as satisfying as a meat burger and very simple to make.

Makes 4 burgers

1 1/2 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup coarse dried bread crumbs
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
1 large egg, beaten