Chickpea & Rice Super-burgers for Gallbladder & Aorta Health

Sometimes I just want a really hearty, mouthwatering burger.  Or two.  Or three.

Gallbladder diet.  Baked Chickpea & Rice Burgers.  Healthy Yum!

But I have to say no to real hamburgers.  They just are not right for my cardiovascular system, aorta and especially not right for my touchy gallbladder.

So what do I do?

Salmon burgers make a good substitute but still taste like 'fish' burgers.  Which is good but maybe not what I am looking for all the time.  Some days I just want a 'real' burger.

The closest faux-burger burger I've made to the real thing burger is my chickpea (garbanzo bean) and rice burger.

They are super good.  And filling and don't crumble apart like many vegetarian burgers may do.

Gallbladder diet.  Foods good for aorta and gallbladder - Chickpea & Rice Burgers.  Healthy Yum!

These chickpea and rice super-burgers are easy to prepare and cook.  Super easy.  And they are packed full of nutrients, vitamins, protein and phytochemicals.

Chickpeas contain on average about 15 grams of protein per cup and there is about a half a cup in each large burger!  Chickpeas also provide manganese and folate for a strong healthy body.  Of course chickpeas are famous for their fiber content (I like to soak my chickpeas/garbanzo beans overnight to remove phytic acid, a substance which can bind zinc in our bodies).

Heres how to make them.

Cook two cups basmati rice and two cups chick peas.  Make sure both the rice and chickpeas are soft.

I like to steam a couple peppers (red, green, banana or poblano) and onions, then dice them quite fine in size.

Chop several cloves of garlic and a thumb size chunk of fresh ginger root.  Sometimes I'll add a little turmeric too.

Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl along with a cup of organic masa harina.  Mix well.

If you are a vegan then add salt and pepper to taste and form the mixture into large patties.

If you are a vegetarian looking for a little more protein and binder then add three egg whites, mix and form into large burger-size patties.

Gallbladder diet.  Foods good for aorta and gallbladder - Chickpea & Rice Burgers.  Healthy Yum!

Place on a lightly oiled baking tray and bake at 385 F until golden brown, turning the burgers occasionally.  Sometimes I'll broil them for a minute or so to allow the onions and peppers to 'crispy caramelize' just a bit.

Serve hot with home made salsa!

Yum.

Chickpea and rice burgers will leave you satisfied every time (and aorta-gallbladder healthy too).

Whole Foods Diet and Aorta-Gallbladder Health, Hearty Dinners

Hearty, healthy gallbladder and aorta meals can be quick and easy to prepare.

Whole foods diet for gallbladder and aorta! #Phytonutrients, minerals, vitamins, fiber, anti-inflammation

Tonight's meal filled me up with 'good for me' whole foods.  As all the foods were homemade from fresh ingredients the meal contained no 'processed foods' except for the organic tahini.

My gallbladder is no longer angry at me when I eat.

My hunger cravings are always satisfied.

I really wish I had started eating whole, non-processed foods (or slow foods as some may describe) when I was younger.

But today I know my cardiovascular system is holding its own, even with the enormous tear in my aorta's inner lining.  And I know my digestive system is working smoothly.  No more painful and debilitating 'hiccups' from my gallbladder or pancreas.

Tonights meal included: a homemade salad with spring greens, peppers, ginger, onions and more; homemade garbanzo bean hummus, split pea soup with new potatoes and onions; and homemade salsa.

#gallbladderlife #dissectionlife

A Heart Hearty (and Gallbladder Friendly) Dinner

Steamed asparagus and baba ganoush for dinner last night.

Foods for gallbladder and aorta health - steamed asparagus and baba ganoush

And the yummy, healthy meal filled me up.

Asparagus provide just enough 'chewy' texture (but not to chewy) to satisfy my primordial urge of, yep you guessed it, 'chewing'.

On the opposite end of the texture spectrum baba ganoush though packs a flavor punch, one filled with umami and other exotic flavors.

Asparagus has been shown to promote gallbladder health and is recommended by many health sources as a gallbladder friendly food.

Asparagus also acts as a diuretic, relieving edema and providing much needed antioxidants supporting both the heart and digestive system.

So next time you need a heart hearty meal, try steamed asparagus and baba ganoush!

Aorta & Gallbladder Friendly Snacks - Baba Ganoush Yum

I stay hungry all the time.

Aorta and gallbladder friendly - healthy homemade baba ganoush!

Despite my touchy gallbladder I am finding homemade whole foods snacks like baked, gluten free corn chips and baba ganoush really satisfy my hunger urges without pain or inflammation that will damage y aorta or gallbladder.

Today I made fresh baba ganoush.

Dice a large onion, green pepper, large carrot, garlic (powder or fresh), nice size chunk of fresh ginger (the more the better for me) and yam and sauté in water until tender.

Bake two large market eggplant in the oven until completely tender.

Allow all ingredients to cool and then place in food processor or blender.  Add a couple large spoonfuls of tahini if you can tolerate tahini and two tablespoons of organic, cold pressed, unrefined coconut oil.

Aorta and gallbladder friendly - healthy homemade baba ganoush!

Salt and pepper to taste.

Blend away.

Homemade baba ganoush is full of phytochemical and nutrients, fiber and minerals.

So tasty too....

Gallbladder and Cardiovascular Diet - Vegan Feasts Can Be Hearty

My gallbladder and torn aorta pretty much demand that I eat a vegan diet.  Sometimes I do supplement the veggies with herring or sardines but for the most part I eat veggies.

Gallbladder diet & Aorta Diet.  Vegan dinners can be filling feasts!

Back when I first was presented with the fact that I'd no longer be able to consume cheese, butter meats, chips and processed foods I went through a 'grieving' phase.

I first thought going vegan meant going hungry.  I feared going vegan meant practical starvation but I was so wrong.

Today the vegan meals we fix are literal feasts.

The dinner featured here totally satisfied my immense appetite.  We had Basmati rice, fresh sauerkraut, cooks beets, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, cashews, walnuts, a cabbage & garden greens salad, chopped apples and chick pea veggie burgers.  Totally scrumptious, filling and amazing.

Best of all my gallbladder stayed happy and my torn aorta was content not to be hit with inflammatory processed foods ingredients.

Gallbladder life and aorta life don't have to be second place to the SAD diet.

In fact, whole and slow foods are not only healthy but will keep you coming back for more!

Having a Hard Time Giving Up Chocolate on a Gallbladder Diet?

I love Chocolate!

Gallblascular diet.  Cocoa nibs are low in fat, contain only cocoa and are anti-inflammatory which is good for the aorta and digestive system.

My gallbladder screams when I eat a chocolate bar though, reminding me that all the rich fats and oils in the processed candy are not what my body needs.

I have however found other ways to satisfy my cocoa cravings without causing that horrible, intense gallbladder pain or inflaming my already torn descending aorta walls.

The basic principle behind these two chocolate delights is one of 'non-processed'.  Actually both the unsweetened cocoa powder and nibs are processed but only minimally processed.  And there is just on ingredient - cocoa, not a whole hoard of probably taste good but not healthy sugar, preservatives, flavorings and oils.

Though this is just one particular example of the fundamental philosophy behind the Gallblascular Diet, the premise is consistent with all food items.

I find it is generally OK, even healthy, to eat 'whole' foods.

Foods with less than two or three ingredients on their packaging or preferable foods with no packaging at all are best for our aorta and digestive system - and our entire body.

Gallblascular Diet.  Satisfy your chocolate urge without gallbladder pain or inflammation from candy bars by using unsweetened cocoa.

I was so surprised and pleases about nine months into my Gallblascular Diet when I realized unsweetened cocoa powder and cocoa nibs were safe to eat.  No pain from the gallbladder, no inflammatory arterial damage to my cardiovascular system.

Gallblascular diet.  Unsweetened cocoa powder contains only cocoa and is actually low in fat and carbs.

In fact the flavanols in cocoa are reportedly quite healthy for us humans.

Try dissolving a spoonful or two in warm non-fat milk or if you are a vegan like me in almond or cashew milk.  If you can't tolerate the 'milks' then hot water works well too.

For a quick snack a small handful of cocoa nibs always quickly satisfies the chocolate urge.

Gallblascular diet.  Cocoa nibs are low in fat, contain only cocoa and are  anti-inflammatory which is good for the aorta and digestive system.

Remember, whole non-processed foods are what the Gallblascular Diet is all about.  Read the ingredients. If the package contains  lots of chemicals, preservatives, flavors, sugars, oils and other ingredients it probably is not good for you, your aorta or your gallbladder/pancreas.

Sugar Is NOT and NEITHER Aorta nor Gallbladder Friendly

Reducing body inflammation is crucial to aorta (cardiovascular) and gallbladder health.

Gallbladder and Aorta Diet - Eliminating Sugars can help reduce inflammation!

Sugar is one of the main drivers of increased inflammation in our bodies.

Reducing out sugar intake is so very important to our health.

Listed below are a few informative articles about the hidden dangers of sugar and inflammation.  I recommend reading them all and doing further research on your own about how you can eliminate sugar from your diet.

• "Curing Gallstones With Dietary Changes"
• "Preventing the Need for Surgery on an Enlarged Aorta"
• "Treat the Inflammation and not the Cholesterol"
• "Gallbladder: Function, Problems  & Healthy Diet"
• "The Gall Bladder" (Excellent Article by Body Ecology)

Want a healthy aorta and gallbladder?  If so then seriously consider ditching the sugar.