Easy Healthy Recipes

Chickpeas are abundant in a number of health-promoting nutrients, most notably folate, manganese, tryptophan, copper, iron, and healthy protein.

High folate and tryptophan content make chickpeas an excellent food choice for women of child-bearing age and people who have trouble getting restful sleep.

To promote your best health, including strong bones and teeth, it's vital that you eat plenty of green plant foods on a regular basis. And ounce for ounce, few green plant foods are more nutrient-rich than green peas.

Green peas are naturally abundant in folate, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, carotenoids, tryptophan, vitamin K, manganese, healthy protein, and a number of other health-promoting nutrients.

The other night, I finished re-reading one of my favorite books - Me and My Dad: A Baseball Memoir, by Paul O'Neill. The book ends with a pancake recipe from the O'Neill family, one that really got my salivary glands going for a short stack of freshly made pancakes with real maple syrup.

Did you know that ounce for ounce, black beans have 10 times more antioxidants than oranges? Black beans actually rank right alongside grapes and cranberries in overall antioxidant power.

Often called turtle beans, black beans are one of nature's most fiber-rich foods, making them an excellent choice for diabetics; fiber tends to slow down the pace at which natural sugars in foods enter your bloodstream.

This soup is full of immune-boosting ingredients; carrots are rich in carotenoids that can be converted to vitamin A, which is needed for optimal immune system strength; fresh orange juice is a decent source of natural vitamin C, good for overall immune system support; and just a little ginger provides a number of health benefits, including protection against cancer.

If you're a fan of curried dishes and stews, you'll definitely want to give this recipe a try. It's more Moroccan than Indian in flavor and texture (that's what I'm told by the friend who shared it with me), and it's as healthy as curried dishes come.

Mignardises are cute little bite-sized desserts that are typically served in high-end restaurants. With this recipe, you don't need a big wallet to enjoy the best mignardises around.

If you give this butternut squash soup recipe a try, you're in for a pleasant surprise. The secret ingredient is fresh pear - who would have thought that pears and squash go together so well?

Rich in vitamin C and carotenoids, this soup is an excellent choice for giving your immune system a lift. It's also rich in a phytonutrient (beta-cryptoxanthin) that is thought to be particularly good for promoting healthy lungs.

Most of us have our favorite childhood dishes. One that stands out for me is my mom's moo gook - a traditional Korean soup that's made with white radish.

White radish, called "moo" in Korean, is sometimes called daikon or Chinese white radish, and in Indian cuisine, it's called "mooli." If you can't find white radish at your local grocery store, try visiting a local Asian food store - most carry multiple varieties.

Here's a nourishing lentil soup that's made unique by adding small amounts of potato and barley. It doesn't call for a lot of potato or barley - just enough to make this soup a substantial meal in a bowl.