Aymar Health x Mama Milly's: A Heart Healthy Meal (Recipe & Video Link)

This recipe was created to support the Wellness Sunday series presented by Aymar Health. February is all about heart health, so we are focusing on a plant-based recipe with ingredients proven to support a healthy heart: beets, mushrooms, and spinach.  Each dish is prepared with our Mojo Garlic Sauce to show how versatile and easy it is to make dishes.

We made this recipe live, so to see the video of the cooking class, click here.

Just about any protein or vegetable can be used in this recipe and added to make these filling and tasty Hummus Bowls.  They are easily adaptable to all kinds of diets, and a great way to try vegan eating. These mushroom steaks are so delicious, you won’t miss the meat!

To purchase a bottle of Mama Milly's Mojo Sauce, click here.

RECIPE: 

Kitchen Tools:

• Cutting Board
• Knife
• Teaspoon
• Sauté pan
• Mixing Bowl
• Food processor or high-speed blender

Ingredients:

• Mama Milly’s Mojo Garlic Sauce
• Turmeric
• Sumac
• Za’atar
• Cumin
• White Pepper
• Tahini
• Lemon
• Beets, chopped
  • Note: If you are using fresh beets, boil for 60-90 minutes or put in a pressure cooker for 25-30 minutes. Pre-cooked beets are available in most produce sections, and if you can’t find that, canned beets would be fine too.
• Spinach- fresh baby or full leaf
• Portobello Mushroom caps
• Chickpeas (one can, or dried beans soaked overnight)
• Pita (of your choice- I am using store bought for efficiency, as you need time to rise for fresh dough)
• Optional: chopped mint, cilantro, dill, parsley, pine nuts for garnish

Cooking Process:

Mushroom “Steaks”:

Note: You can use this method for other vegetables cut into “steaks” like thick pieces of eggplant, cauliflower, or winter squashes.

1. In a mixing bowl, coat mushroom caps with 1 tablespoon of mojo garlic sauce per cap, 1 tablespoon of cumin, 1 tablespoon of sumac, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of white pepper.
2. Place on a baking tray or dish- a fun way to do this is use half of an onion as a base, stick 3 skewers into it, and stack the mushroom caps on top, forming a tower. If you choose this method, cook for about 30-40 minutes on 375 degrees.
3. If on a tray or dish, bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes until done.

Spinach:

1. Wash and dry- you can chop if you wish, but not necessary.
2. In a pre-heated sauté pan, add 3-4 tablespoons of mojo garlic sauce and saute for 1 minute.
3. Add spinach and sauté about 7 minutes if your pan is small, you can add the spinach in batches.

Pita:

1. Brush mojo garlic sauce on top of pitas.
2. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of za’atar.
3. Toast or bake for 5-7 minutes until crispy and warmed through.

Hummus:

Note: If you don’t have time to soak dried beans, use a can.  The key here is making sure you have a high-speed blender or processor to really break the beans down and get a super smooth texture.  If you don’t, you will have a chunkier texture- peeling the chickpeas from that clear shell will give you a smooth consistency as well- time consuming, but worth it if you don’t have a high-speed option.

1. In a food processor or blender, add 1 cup of beets, chickpeas (one can or equivalent), ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of tahini, juice of half a lemon, 1 teaspoon of mojo garlic sauce, 1 teaspoon cumin.
2. Blend on the highest setting until you get a smooth consistency. You can also drizzle in olive oil (a few tablespoons should do it), until you get the consistency you like.

Building the hummus bowl:

• Take a big spoon and place a few dollops in the center of the bowl. Take the spoon and swoop, moving the bowl in a circle to create a well.  (You can also drizzle with olive oil and sumac or za’atar to serve like this). Layer veggies and meat on top of the hummus, and finish with a garnish of fresh herbs.

Other ingredients to build hummus bowls:

• Quinoa: Quinoa makes these bowls nice and filling. You could also use another grain like couscous, brown rice or farro.
• Tomatoes: I like to use sweet and ripe cherry tomatoes, but plum tomatoes will also work well.
• Cucumbers: Cucumbers add a great freshness. I like to use Persian cucumbers, but you can use English cucumbers if that’s what you have.
• Red onions: Red onions are more mild than white and make a great addition to salads. Soak them in ice water to make them more mild, or do a quick pickle!
• Spinach: I like to get some leafy greens into my salad bowls. Baby spinach has a mild flavor and is a great source of iron but you an also add lettuce, arugula or kale.
• Olives: Olives add a great saltiness and really compliments the other ingredients.
• Feta style- cheese: Find a sheep’s milk cheese that is a block in brine.   This adds a nice creamy and slightly salty addition, but you can skip to keep this vegan.
• Other topping ideas:  sun-dried tomatoes, bell peppers, pine nuts, tabbouleh, toasted pita chips, farro, couscous or rice pilaf.

Tips for making hummus bowls with salad greens:

1. Assemble the salads just before serving. This way the hummus doesn’t add too much moisture to the other fresh ingredients, keeping everything crisper and more presentable.
2. Don’t add any dressing. You might be tempted to add dressing, but I recommend keeping the focus on the hummus, which acts like a thick dressing. I would definitely recommend adding olive oil, lemon, and a sprinkle of sumac or za’atar.
3. Cut the salad ingredients into similar sized pieces so that they are easy to eat.  

Liked this recipe? Please leave us a review on Facebook

Have an idea for a dish you think we should cook?  Please reach out to us at milena@mamamillys.com