“This light, low-carbohydrate breakfast or lunch dish combines two of Dr Weil’s favorite ingredients – greens and fresh ginger. Baby spinach or other baby greens work great in this recipe.”

“These are high-protein pancakes and quite a treat!”

“Gnocchi (pronounced “nyo-kee” and derived from the German word for “knuckle”) are tasty little dumplings, one of Italy’s oldest pastas, dating back to the 12th century. Traditional ingredients vary from region to region, with recipes including potatoes, flour, semolina, ricotta cheese, spinach and even bread crumbs. My favorite base for gnocchi is the Idaho potato. Potatoes are packed with complex carbohydrates, plenty of potassium, vitamins C and B-6, and lots of great minerals. Potatoes convert to glucose in your body fairly quickly, triggering the release of insulin, which leads to increased levels of relaxing seratonin in your brain. When making gnocchi (a relaxing activity in itself), pinch each one to create an indentation, which
holds the sauce. Immediately let it fall to the floured surface so you handle the gnocchi as little as possible. Cook them right away if you can. Toss the dumplings into the bubbling water and drink in the scented steam. They will emerge light and delectable."

“This old-fashioned recipe makes a muffin batter that can be kept in the refrigerator so you can make 1 or 2 muffins at a time. Or you can make them all at once and freeze them. They thaw in just a few minutes if left on the kitchen counter.”

“This side dish makes four servings; it’s perfect to keep in your fridge to add to stir-fries or pasta dishes. Use as many different mushrooms as you can find, especially the healthier varieties like shiitake, enoki and oyster mushrooms. The dried porcini or cepes really add a lot of flavor. You’ll find them in little packages near the produce stands.

“This high-calcium “pudding” has the benefits of cocoa and cinnamon – and the flavor of Mexico. Experiment with different brands of ricotta – they have different textures and flavors."

“Couscous is a mildly nutty-tasting grain that comes from North Africa. It makes a great stuffing, especially for a small cavity like a mushroom, because it’s so moist. When the stuffed mushrooms are baked, the full flavor of the couscous and the mushrooms really come through. These will go fast!”

“Kasha boasts a wonderfully nutty flavor when toasted. You can buy it already toasted. If you buy the untoasted variety, toss it lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat until it colors. Hearty, but not too heavy, kasha is a staple of Northern Europe and Russia traditionally served as an accompaniment to meats, in pilafs or as the essential ingredient in many traditional Jewish dishes like kasha varnishkes. Exotic though it may sound, kasha is just basic buckwheat groats, used like a grain, but botanically just a cousin of true grains. Once only available through specialty grocers, you’ll find kasha in many health food stores and supermarkets now as well. So, by all means, go nuts with kasha!”