I Got Married! A Fresh Start: Mushrooms & Coconut Oil

On March 19, 2011, I got married!! The beloved Frank Stasio of NPR officiated. Even Wool E. Bull came to celebrate my wedding.

Wool E. Bull

OK, before I get my parents into a tizzy, I didn’t actually marry a person (sorry folks, still single!). I married Durham! I’ve never lived in a city with so much pride that hundreds of folks came out to marry Durham. Even the food trucks married Durham (eat that, Raleigh!)

Marry Durham

Weddings are long-standing traditions of starting fresh, new beginnings, and with spring underway, this is the time for fresh starts. It was amazing to see everyone willing to take this leap of faith with beloved Durham.

Navy Beans

One of my more recent leap of faiths happened in February. I, the vegetable commitment-phobe, decided to become a weekday vegetarian. I wanted to give my body a fresh start – get it ready to go for the second half of my life. What could someone like me with a natural abhorrence to bitters and obsessive affinity for bacon fat eat during the week?

Mushroom Bean Egg Bake (recipe below)

I’ve realized how wonderful beans and mushrooms and cheese can be – and have learned to be far more creative. I won’t lie. By Friday, I look forward to getting some meat. But a huge surprise (more to me than you) is that during the week, I don’t miss meat. I have supplemented meat with lots of beans, mushrooms, and cheese. As many of you know, beans are an incredible source of protein and fiber, which help, among many things, regulate blood sugar and even weight loss. A recent study showed that people with high fiber diets live longer and have lower rates of cancer deaths.

Mushroom Bean Egg Bake (recipe below)

Mushrooms are another great source of lean protein with zero cholesterol, and have shown to be beneficial to cholesterol levels, rates of cancer and diabetes, strengthen the immune system – as well as weight loss. Cheese…I don’t think I can give up cheese. The mushroom bean egg bake is super easy and you can make it as cheesy or egg-y as you want. It keeps super well in the freezer.

Mushroom Bean Egg Bake (recipe below)

Another ingredient that I have started using more of is coconut oil. I got a big ole jar (that lasts a while) and in place of olive oil or other oils, I used this. Coconut oil is known for health and skin health, healthy cholesterol levels, and increase immunity, digestion and metabolism. There are countless other benefits, but one pleasurable one is that it adds a lovely, subtle depth of flavor. Even though Kat shudders at the thought of me bastardizing Italian pasta, this coconut mushroom pasta is so easy and great to keep in the refrigerator for multiple meals.

Coconut Mushroom Pasta (recipe below)

Being able to make big batches of food that lasts the week, as we’ve discussed before, is one of the best ways to cut costs without cutting quality of ingredients. Using similar ingredients  for two different dishes also enable me to save some money. For example, I buy a big thingy of organic mushrooms, knowing that it will go into both dishes. I save by getting the bigger size, but still get to buy organic. Versatility helps.

Coconut Mushroom Pasta (recipe below)

I admit this weekday vegetarian thing leaves me feeling pretty good – I feel lighter, but satisfied. I don’t get get that heavy feeling and my tummy feels good. (No, not ready to go full veg, folks). After reading Leva’s wonderful article on fasting, and how it can jumpstart fresh starts, i.e. before the Persian New Year, I thought…maybe I should up the ante on my fresh start as a weekday vegetarian to do a cleanse.

Coconut Mushroom Pasta (recipe below)

There have been a lot of discussion about how periodic cleansing is a good and necessary way to detox all those toxins that get built up in your blood, colon, lungs, liver, kidneys, skin and lymph systems (so says Oprah’s Dr. Oz). Intuitively, it sounds reasonable to periodically clean out your system. When I heard about the (urban myth) that John Wayne died with 50 pounds of impacted poop, I figured I should give a cleanse a try (I don’t want to carry around 50 pounds of poop).

So I took another leap of faith, and found one that still let me eat. I tried a “gentle” one and after reading reviews of people with some clear discomfort after using it, I was a bit apprehensive. Day 1. Nothing. Day 2. Nothing. Day 7. Still nothing. Apparently, that cleanse was TOO gentle for me.

Coconut Mushroom Pasta (recipe below)

So I decided instead to supplement my fish oil (thanks, Patty!) with a liver supplement that contains milk thistle. Milk thistle is known to aid in natural detoxification of the liver – helpful for folks with diabetes and what not. We’ll see what happens with this…but so far, feeling good.

A cleanse/detoxification makes you step back and take stock of what you’re really put putting into your body. Because sometimes it stays there – and not in a good way. And when you’re trying to get a fresh start, you don’t want to carry around the baggage.

Mushroom Egg Bean Bake
1 lb. baby bella mushrooms (or other mix)
3-5 cups baby spinach (depending on how green you want it)
1 cup navy beans (pre-soaked and cooked)
2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese/Jack cheese (whatever you fancy, however cheesy)
7-8 eggs Thyme Oregano Marjoram Red chili flakes Salt Pepper Olive oil

1. Pre-soak and cook the navy beans.
2. In skillet, heat two tablespoons of olive oil and sweat the sliced mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In separate bowl, beat the eggs with as much herbs as you want (be creative and use the ones you like).
4. In casserole dish, add the beans.
5. Add spinach. Add more herbs as you like.
6. Add the cooked mushrooms. Mix a bit as spinach will begin to wilt.
7. Add egg mixture.
8. Top with shredded cheese. Mix.
9. Bake at 400F for 40-45 minutes until cheese bubbles.

Coconut Mushroom Pasta
3 TB coconut oil
1/2 large onion
1 lb. baby bella mushrooms (or any of your choosing)
2 plum tomatoes
1 bunch dinosaur kale
Parsley flakes
Basil
Rosemary
Salt
Pepper
Whole wheat spaghetti

1. Heat coconut oil in skillet.
2. Add onions and cook until translucent.
3. Add sliced mushrooms.
4. Add herbs as you desire for flavor,
5. Add chopped dinosaur kale and cook until begins to wilt.
6. Add chopped tomatoes.
7. Meanwhile, cook pasta accordingly.
8. Drain pasta and add to skillet – mix well.

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Tags: Carla Johnson, cleanse, Coconut Mushroom Pasta, coconut oil, Dr. Oz, Durham, fast, fiber, food, Hearth and Soul Hop, Huffington Post, Marry Durham, Mushroom Bean Egg Bake, North Carolina, Oprah, Traditional Tuesdays, weekday vegetarian, Wool E. Bull

Category: Featured Articles: Health & Nutrition, Health & Nutrition, Main Dish - Vegetarian, Recipe Vault