One of the biggest contributing factors to unhealthy eating? The convenience factor. To eat well, it seems, one must have at least two of the following: money, time, and skill. So today we have a health dish that’s cheap, quick, and easy!

(You won’t need a rat in a hat to help you with this one)

You will need

• 3 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 zucchini, halved and chopped into thick batons
• 2 portobello mushrooms, sliced into ½” slices
• 1 large red pepper, cut into thick chunks
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 2 tsp thyme leaves, destalked
• 1 tsp rosemary leaves, destalked
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Optional: 1 tsp MSG, or 1 tsp low sodium salt (the MSG is the healthier option as it contains less sodium than even low sodium salt)
• Optional: other vegetables, chopped. Use what’s in your fridge! This is a great way to use up leftovers. Particularly good options include chopped eggplant, chopped red onion, and/or chopped carrot.

Method

(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

1) Put the olive oil into a sauté pan and set the heat on medium. When hot but smoking, add the mushrooms and any optional vegetables (but not the others from the list yet), and fry for 5 minutes.

Note: if you aren’t pressed for time, then you can diverge from the “speedy” part of this by cooking each of the vegetables separately before combining, which allows each to keep its flavor more distinct.

2) Add the garlic, followed by the zucchini, red pepper, chili flakes, and thyme; stir periodically (you shouldn’t have to stir constantly) for 10 minutes.

3) Add the tomatoes and a cup of water to the pan, along with any MSG/salt. Cover with the lid and allow to simmer for a further 10 minutes.

4) Serve, adding the garnish.

Enjoy!

Want to learn more?

For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

• Level-Up Your Fiber Intake! (Without Difficulty Or Discomfort)
• The Magic Of Mushrooms: “The Longevity Vitamin” (That’s Not A Vitamin)
• Our Top 5 Spices: How Much Is Enough For Benefits? ← we had 3/5 today!
• Monosodium Glutamate: Sinless Flavor-Enhancer Or Terrible Health Risk?
• MSG vs Salt: Sodium Comparison

Take care!

Once again proving that burgers do not have to be unhealthy, this one’s a nutritional powerhouse full of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, as well as healthy fats and extra health-giving spices.

You will need

• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 cup same, cooked, drained, and rinsed)
• 3 oz walnuts (if allergic, substitute with pumpkin seeds)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• ½ red onion, finely chopped
• 1 small eggplant, diced small (e.g. ½” cubes or smaller)
• 1 small carrot, grated
• 3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (or if you have the “this tastes like soap” gene, then substitute with parsley)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped (adjust per heat preferences)
• ¼ bulb garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust per heat preferences)
• ½ tsp MSG or 1 tsp low-sodium salt
• Burger buns (you can use our Delicious Quinoa Avocado Bread recipe if you like)

For the guacamole:

• 1 large ripe avocado, pitted, skinned, and chopped
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• ¼ red onion, finely chopped
• ¼ bulb garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp red chili pepper flakes (adjust per heat preferences)

Method

(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

1) Process the walnuts, chia seeds, and flax seeds in a food processor/blender, until they become a coarse mixture. Set aside.

2) Heat a little oil in a skillet, and fry the red onion, aubergine, and carrot for 5 minutes stirring frequently, then add the garlic and jalapeño and stir for a further 1 minute. Set aside.

3) Combine both mixtures you set aside with the rest of the ingredients from the burger section of the recipe, except the buns, and process them in the food processor on a low setting if possible, until you have a coarse mixture—you still want some texture, not a paste.

4) Shape into patties; this recipe gives for 4 large patties or 8 small ones. When you’ve done this, put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, to firm up.

5) While you wait, make the guacamole by mashing the avocado with the lime juice, and then stirring into the onion, tomato, garlic, and pepper.

6) Cook the patties; you can do this on the grill, in a skillet, or in the oven, per your preference. Grilling or frying should take about 5 minutes on each side, give or take the size and shape of the patties. Baking in the oven should take 20–30 minutes at 400℉ / 200℃ turning over halfway through, but keep an eye on them, because again, the size and shape of the patties will affect this. You may be wondering: aren’t they all going to be patty-shaped? And yes, but for example a wide flat patty will cook more quickly than the same volume of burger mixture in a taller less wide patty.

7) Assemble! We recommend the order: bottom bun, guacamole, burger patty, any additional toppings you want to add (e.g. more salad, pickles, etc), top bun:

Enjoy!

Want to learn more?

For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

• Level-Up Your Fiber Intake! (Without Difficulty Or Discomfort)
• Chickpeas vs Black Beans – Which is Healthier?
• Kidney Beans or Black Beans – Which is Healthier?
• Coconut vs Avocado – Which is Healthier?
• Our Top 5 Spices: How Much Is Enough For Benefits?

Take care!