Category Archives: Lunch

Our Favorite Hummus & Sweet Potato Hummus (2)

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Here are two hummus recipes, the first one is our absolute favorite!

I make this first one at least once per week. I pack it in Ava’s lunch with snap peas or carrot sticks.  

Our Favorite Hummus!!

Our Favorite Hummus!!

Ingredients:

2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas drained and rinsed – OR – 3 cups cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup tahini 
6 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
3-4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper – I use a few shakes of Seasonello herbal salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Drain beans and reserve the liquid when you do so OR use cooked beans.

2. Combine beans, along with the other ingredients in your food processor. Use the bean liquid or water to thin it out to your desired consistency. I use about 1/4-1/3 cup water. Adjust seasonings to your liking and enjoy on everything!

Blend ingredients in food processor until it reaches your desired consistency - use bean liquid or water to thin it out.

Blend ingredients in food processor until it reaches your desired consistency – use bean liquid or water to thin it out.

Taste and season to your liking!

Taste and season to your liking!

Our Favorite Hummus!!

Our Favorite Hummus!!

Sweet Potato Hummus

You may have seen this one on my Facebook page. A few people asked for it so I figured I’d better post it before it gets lost!

Sweet Potato Hummus

Sweet Potato Hummus

1 large cooked sweet potato, cut into chunks
1 can or 1 1/2 cups chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
3-4 Tbsp tahini 
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste (I did a pinch)
Black pepper, to taste
Water or bean liquid 

Place ingredients in food processor, add water or bean liquid while its running until you get the consistency you like. Scrape sides, run again.

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Fiesta Bean Salad with Basil Lime Dressing

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Talk about a protein powerhouse! This salad is pretty easy to put together and perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. If you have little kids, like I do, you totally understand how important quick meals are!! I originally made this salad without the Basil Lime Dressing but my hubby insisted I post it together since it was so good. We haven’t tried this out on our kids yet but we will soon. I’m thinking it may be a bit spicy for them but we shall see :-)

If you don’t want to make the dressing, just add the lime juice and agave to the salad recipe. I thought about adding chopped cilantro but I though it might be a bit much with the basil dressing. Next time I’ll add some chopped jicama and maybe some corn as well. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!

Fiesta Bean Salad with Basil Lime Dressing

Fiesta Bean Salad with Basil Lime Dressing

Fiesta Bean Salad with Basil Lime Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 1 large 28oz can chickpeas OR 2-15oz cans, rinsed and drained – SAVE THE LIQUID FOR THE DRESSING!!!
  • 1-15oz can black beans
  • 1 1/2 – 2 cups sprouted green lentils (optional but adds a nice crunch. Not sure how to sprout lentils? SEE HERE)
  • 1 large red pepper, diced small
  • 1 cucumber, diced
  • 2 cups spinach, chopped
  • 4 cups prepared quinoa – I added mine after it had cooled for about 20 minutes, still pretty warm
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (This amount gave it a little kick but not too much. Adjust as you wish)
  • 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1 large avocado, diced

Basil Lime Dressing

* You can double this recipe and keep what you don’t use for other salads… it’s pretty good!

2-3 Tbsp agave
1/8 cup lime juice
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup fresh basil (roughly chopped)

1/2 cup bean liquid from canned beans

1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients in a high-powered blender until completely blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Directions:

  1. Add beans, lentils, red pepper and cucumber together in a large bowl. Mix gently.
  2. Add cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper and mix throughout.
  3. Add quinoa and spinach and gently combine mixture until fully mixed.
  4. Add pumpkin seeds and… you guessed it! Mix gently ;-)
  5. Add as much dressing as you’d like and combine until completely mixed.
  6. Serve with chopped avocado on top!

DSC_0051

Add spinach, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper. Mix gently.

Add spinach, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper. Mix gently.

Add warm quinoa and mix gently

Add warm quinoa and mix gently

Add pumpkin seeds

Add pumpkin seeds

I made extra dressing for later - doubled recipe

I made extra dressing for later – doubled recipe

Serve with chopped avocado!

Serve with chopped avocado!

 

 

 

 

 

Easy Plant-Based Sushi

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This is one of our favorite dinners. The rolling takes a little practice but it’s worth it!

Easy Vegan Sushi

You’ll need:

* bamboo sushi rolling mat – Here’s 2 for $6.31 on Amazon

* cling wrap

* Nori seaweed sheets

* Organic Pea Shoots (Trader Joe’s)

* Organic Brown Rice – I use the frozen organic brown rice from Trader Joe’s, it’s quick! (NOTE: I also mix leftover cooked quinoa in with the brown rice – half and half)

* Seasoned Rice Vinegar

* Organic Baked Tofu – Trader Joe’s makes one or make your own

* Cooked yams

* Organic Persian Cucumbers  (Trader Joe’s), red or orange pepper, cilantro, spinach (Our favorite is rainbow chard), avocado, super thin lemon slices… jalapeno is good too.

* Sriracha Sauce: I think it’s like 1/2 cup of Vegenaise to 1-2 Tbsp Sriacha

Directions:

* Stir a few teaspoons of rice vinegar into hot rice, stir and let cool to room temp

* Assemble your roll and enjoy! (See pics below)

My fillings

These are good!

Wrap your bamboo rolling mat in cling wrap

Ready to roll

Grab a piece of nori

I still don’t notice any difference if the shiny side is up or down

Add your rice

Pile up your toppings towards the front of your roll

I use the spinach leaves to hold all the goodies in while rolling. I also use rainbow chard or kale.

Start rolling the edge closest to you inward as tight as you can get it

Use a dab of water along the outside flap to close

water

Roll it closed and tight with mat

Get your knife wet and slice carefully but firmly

Ready

Serve with soy sauce and wasabi, top with black sesame seeds

My hubby likes his with the Sriracha sauce

Carrot Dogs

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“Carrot what?”

“Carrot dogs, you know… like hot dogs but carrots”

My husband was very confused with this one which says a lot because he’s so used to eating my random weird concoctions. He was confused for only a minute though because once he tried them he LOVED them! He said the guys at the station would love them and if you know firefighters, that says a lot.

We don’t usually eat a ton of bread but I really wanted to try these for camping so I bought some buns instead of wrapping them in collard wraps or something else creative. I had to give my hubby the full “hot dog” experience, right!?!

Carrot Dogs

Here goes the test bite…

Looks tasty!

He loved it!!!

Original recipe from Healthy Slow Cooking. I found this one on Pinterest!!

All Natural Carrot Dogs
soy-free gluten-free
serves 4 but can be easily doubled or even tripled (I doubled the recipe)

  • 4 carrots (cut into bun lengths)
  • 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar and a dash of salt)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil (Optional – I used bean liquid)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (can sub soy sauce but use unseasoned vinegar)
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1/2 clove garlic minced)
  • a dash or two liquid smoke
  • pepper to taste
  • Ezekiel sprouted hot dog buns

Fill a pot about half-way full of water, heat it on high until it boils. Turn down to medium heat and add the carrots. Cook until you can just pierce it through with a fork. You want it to still have a snap when you eat it. Run cold water over them to stop them from cooking more.

Combine the other ingredients to make the marinade. Use a container that has a tight lid so you can easily shake it without spraying it all over your kitchen. Marinate at least 3 to 4 hours, though they are fine for almost 2 days.

Put the carrots in the container and marinade for a few hours to up to a few days. If you marinate them longer they take on more of the vinegar flavor. If the carrots are very skinny I would not marinade them for more than 1 1/2 days so they don’t taste too sour.

To serve heat the carrots in a 350 degree oven or on in a grill pan on a hot grill until heated through. It should take about 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve in a toasted hot dog bun with your favorite toppings. They’re great the southern way  topped with chili and cole slaw! Prep these on a weekend and you’re ready for a quick weeknight treat.

You could also cook them in your slow cooker in the marinade. You will need to check on them so they do not get mushy, so it’s not an overnight or all day affair. If they get mushy when you re-heat them it will make a mess. Cook until a fork just goes through the carrot, but the carrot is still slightly firm.

Cut carrots into bun lengths – I cut the leftovers to add in too, testers!

Boil carrots until you can pierce with a fork but they’re still crisp – I think mine went about 4 minutes but they needed a bit longer. Remove from water and rinse with cold water to stop from cooking any more.

I left my carrots in the marinade for about 1 1/2 days.

Cook at 350 until heated through OR grill them. I used my toaster oven because my hubby was anxious to try them. Top with your favorite toppings!

It looks like a real hot dog….

Cauliflower Chickpea Curry

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I’ve been craving curry with cauliflower and chickpeas for a while now so I decided to try this since cauliflower is on sale at Sprouts this week. This was really good and pretty easy to make. My hubby ate two small bowls of it before I even started the quinoa and our 14 month old son ate a ton of it! He’s learning how to use a spoon and did quite well with this dish! I served this over quinoa but I bet brown rice would work too.I also doubled the recipe in order to have lots of leftovers.

Cauliflower Chickpea Curry

Yummy!

Ingredients:

1⁄2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1⁄2 head cauliflower (about 1 pound), cut into florets

2 tablespoons curry powder – I used Kashmiri Curry from World Spice

1 vine-ripened tomato, chopped OR 1 can diced tomatoes

1 1⁄2 cups chickpeas, cooked OR 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 can full-fat coconut milk – (I used one can of regular and one can of lite)

1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root

1/3 cup cilantro leaves, chopped – a few extra for garnish

Cooked quinoa – I served this over quinoa and it was really good! You could use brown rice too.

Procedure

  1. Water sauté the onion and cauliflower. Cook until the onions caramelize and the cauliflower is browned.
  2. Add the curry powder and tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes break down and soften, about 6 minutes.
  3. Mix in the chickpeas, tomato paste, ginger and coconut milk. Stir everything together. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the cauliflower istender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  4. Uncover and continue cooking until the excess moisture has evaporated and the cauliflower and chickpeas are coated with a thick gravy. Add ume vinegar/apple cider vinegar. Garnish with cilantro before serving.

    Saute cauliflower and onions until onions are caramelized and cauliflower is brown

    Add curry powder and tomatoes, cook until tomatoes break down and soften

    Add coconut milk, tomato paste and chickpeas… stir, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes

    Uncover and cook until most of the excess liquid cooks and a nice thick sauce is left

    Add chopped cilantro, stir and cook a few more minutes

    Serve over quinoa, garnish with cilantro!

     

Yummy Black Bean & Corn Soup

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This soup is REALLY good! Both kids and my hubby asked for seconds, our 14 month old screamed “Mo mo” for more until we refilled his bowl. I pureed his portion because he doesn’t like a ton of texture to his food. I will be making this again soon!

Yummy Black Bean & Corn Soup

Original recipe from Vega.

Black Bean & Corn Soup

Ingredients: 

  • Water/Broth for sauté 
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 4 celery stalks, diced
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp agave or other sweetener (I did not add this but you may like this addition)
  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 4 cups vegetable broth or water
  • 4 (15 oz cans) black beans
  • 5 big tomatoes
  • 2 (15 oz cans) corn or 3 cobs of corn, cooked and cut off
  • 1/2 bunch of cilantro
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • Avocado, diced (for garnish)
  • Cilantro (to garnish) 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grind cumin and coriander seeds in a food processor or mortar and pestle until a coarse grind (I used my magic bullet). Set aside.

2. Puree 2 cans of black beans and tomatoes until smooth. Set aside.

3. Water/Broth sauté onions, carrots and celery. Cook until tender. Add agave (if using) and let vegetables caramelize slightly. Deglaze pan with balsamic vinegar.

4. Add spices and garlic to pot and cook 2 minutes.

5. Add vegetable stock/water, pureed black beans and tomatoes, black beans and corn to pot. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Cook 20 minutes to over medium heat. Adjust seasoning if needed. Add cilantro.

7. Garnish each bowl of soup with avocado and cilantro.

Saute onions, carrots and celery

Puree 2 cans of black beans and tomatoes together until smooth

Add garlic and spices, saute for 2 more minutes. Deglaze pan with balsamic vinegar

Add pureed beans and tomatoes, corn, broth/water and remaining black beans to pot. Season with salt and pepper. My tomatoes didn’t fully puree so I chopped the remaining ones up and added them in.

Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Add cilantro

Serve with diced avocado and cilantro!

Spicy Thai Noodles with Tofu

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I’m overdue for a cheat meal and boy am I glad I used it up on this recipe! This is really, really good! It makes a ton of food too… awh shucks, looks like I have to finish the leftovers!

Spicy Thai Noodles with Tofu

Yes, it contains oil (sesame oil) and a decent amount of honey (you can sub agave if you don’t do honey) but if that’s the worst cheat I have lately I think I’m still okay. I didn’t test this recipe out of our kids since it’s on the spicy side.

The original recipe is from A Small Snippet.

Spicy Thai Noodles with Tofu

Ingredients:

* 1 package pasta (I used whole wheat spaghetti but I bet it would work well with linguini too)

* 1-20oz block of extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed (I used Trader Joe’s Extra Firm High Protein Tofu)

* 1-2 Tbsp red pepper flakes (I used 1Tbsp and it was nice and spicy but if you prefer more fire, go big!)

* 1/2 cup toasted sesame oil (I KNOW…. BAD!!!)

* 6 Tbsp lite soy sauce

* 6 Tbsp honey (sub agave if you prefer… could work with stevia but I’m not sure)

* 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

* 1 Tbsp peanut butter (I used smooth)

* 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

* 3 large carrots, peeled and shredded

* 3 large green onions, sliced thin

* 1/3 – 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts 

Instructions:

1. Heat sesame oil and red pepper flakes over medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, strain out peppers and reserve oil.

2. Whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and peanut butter. Add cubed tofu to sauce to marinate while cooking the pasta. 

3. Cook pasta according to package, drain when done and set aside.

4. Remove tofu from the sauce with a slotted spoon, cook on high in pasta pot until lightly browned on all sides. 

5. Add pasta and sauce to cooked tofu and toss, use tongs.

6. Add cilantro, green onions and carrot to mixture and toss until combined. 

7. Serve topped with chopped peanuts. 

YUMMY!!!!!!

Heat sesame oil and red pepper flake for 2 minutes on medium and strain. Whisk sauce ingredients until combined.

Add cubed tofu to sauce to marinate until pasta is ready

Chop your veggies – I used organic whole wheat spaghetti

Remove tofu from sauce with a slotted spoon, add to hot pan and saute until brown

Brown tofu

Toss pasta with sauce and tofu then add veggies, toss well

Try not to eat the whole pot!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curried Quinoa and Adzuki Bean Burger Wraps

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You’re probably saying adzuki what? That’s what I said when I first heard about these little red beans. Burgers are a staple in our house lately (easy finger food for our 1-year old) and I’m always up for a new bean so I added some to my last Nuts.com order. To be honest, these burgers came out a little bland so I decided to spruce them up a bit with a few toppings and WALAH… YUMMY GOODNESS!!! Okay… enough with the caps lock, you get the picture ;-)

Curried Quinoa & Adzuki Bean Burger Wraps

Both of our kids love these burgers smeared with a little hummus and topped with chopped avocado. I prefer the wrap thing myself. My best friend came over for dinner with her nephew a few nights ago when I served these burgers… he wasn’t a fan but our son was happy to eat his share!

First bite… not sure yet (Friend is NOT amused with these burgers!)

He likes them!! YES!!!! (Friend still not amused)

“Hey if you don’t want your burger, I’ll eat it…”

“No really… TAKE IT!”

Yummy! (Friend still not amused)

LOL!!! Had to share those pics, they’re too funny! Okay… onto the burger recipe.

NOTE: Once you make the burgers, here are the ingredients I used to make the wraps:

* Collard Greens – pick larger ones for wraps

* Mango Chutney (from Trader Joe’s)

* Plain Hummus (I make my oil-free hummus or use Trader Joe’s Mediterranean Hummus in a pinch)

* Lentil Sprouts (See my sprouting post)

* Avocado

Original burger recipe from Choosing Raw… great site!!!

Curried Quinoa and Adzuki Bean Patties (vegan, gluten free, soy free)

Makes 6-8 Burgers

1/2 cup quinoa, dry
1 3/4 cup cooked adzuki beans (I buy mine from Nuts.com - $3.99/lb for organic)
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/4-1/2 cup chickpea flour
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
Black pepper to taste
Cooking spray (I use the spectrum brand) or a scant amount of coconut oil for sauteeing and grilling

1. Bring 1 cup water to boil and add the quinoa. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes WITHOUT OPENING THE LID! Remove from heat and let sit, fluff with a fork.

2. Sautee the onion till golden and tender.

3. When quinoa is done, add quinoa, onion, chickpea flour, and adzuki beans to a food processor. Pulse quickly until the mixture is forming a dough that is uniform and sticks together, but still has some texture. Add spices and pulse a few more times to incorporate. If at any point you feel as though you’re overprocessing, you can transfer the bean and quinoa mixture to a bowl and mix with your hands!

4. Shape mixture into six patties and spray a skillet or pan with coconut oil. Cook for five minutes over medium heat, flip, and continue to cook for another five minutes or so.

Add cooked quinoa, onion, chickpea flour, and aduki beans to a food processor. Pulse quickly until the mixture is forming a dough that is uniform and sticks together, but still has some texture. Add spices and pulse a few more times to incorporate.

Spoon mixture into hot pan and smash a bit to resemble burgers

When burgers are done, let cool a bit then assemble your wrap. I did this order: collard green. hummus, burgers, mango chutney, avocado then lentil sprouts. Ready to wrap!

Pretty little wrap!

Time to eat!

BEST Lentil & Tomato Soup

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Another one pot meal! I know it’s a little too hot for soup but hey, it works in our house right now. Our 1-year old loves soup so it’s an easy reheat meal when I’m super busy. Plus he really enjoys the burgers I make out of the leftovers!

This soup is REALLY GOOD! My hubby said it’s in the top 5! The caramelized onions and garlic really make this soup so if you can, take the time to do that first!! You won’t regret it!

BEST Lentil & Tomato Soup

Original recipe from Food.com.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup lentils, rinsed – I used red lentils
  • 7 cups water
  • Water for saute OR cooking spray
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed & chopped
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 4 stalks of celery, diced
  • 1 potato, diced
  • 2 cups stewed tomatoes – I used one can
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 cup brown rice, uncooked
  • 1/3 – 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped – I used about 1/2 cup
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

Directions

  1. Heat soup pot, add in onions and garlic and sauté on medium heat, stirring often, until everything turns a deep golden brown – took me about 30 minutes.
  2. Add in brown rice, spices, carrot, celery, potato, tomatoes, and spices and sauté for another 5 minutes. DO NOT ADD WATER, LENTILS, PARSLEY OR LEMON JUICE YET.
  3. Stir in lentils and water and bring to boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 30-40 minutes or until rice and lentils are done.
  4. Stir in lemon juice and parsley, serve hot.

Caramelize the onions and garlic

Add in carrot, celery, potato, tomato, spices and brown rice

Add in water and lentils, bring to boil, cover and cook 20-30 minutes or until done.

Add in parsley and lemon juice

Ready to serve!

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Lentil Kale Soup

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This soup is a meal in itself! Our kids both loved this soup, especially our 1-year old who ate two big bowls!

Lentil Kale Soup

I served this with a little Coconut ‘Bacon’ on top, it was delicious!

Original recipe from Food.com.

Ingredients

  • 5 cups vegetable broth + 3 cups water (OR 8 cups of water)
  • 1 1/2 cups lentils, picked over and rinsed (I used brown lentils)
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1 (2 lb) can chopped tomatoes, drained,reserving juice – I used a large can of tomato sauce (all I had on hand) but I bet you could use fresh tomatoes, if you prefer
  • 3 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ¼ inch pieces
  • 1 onions, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups chopped frozen kale (Trader Joe’s sells it now) OR 1 bunch fresh chopped kale
  • 1/2 heaping tsp crumbled dried basil (pinch it between your fingers)
  • 1/2 heaping tsp crumbled oregano
  • 1/4 tsp crumbled dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Directions

  1. Combine broth, 3 cups water (or just 8 cups of water if you’re not using broth), lentils, rice, canned tomatoes with reserved juice (or tomato sauce OR fresh tomatoes), carrots, onion, celery, and herbs and bring to boil (do not add parsley and vinegar).
  2. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 45-55 minutes, or until lentils and rice are tender.
  3. Stir in kale and cook for another 5 minutes or until kale is wilted.
  4. Stir in parsley and vinegar and season to taste.
  5. Serve as is or blend up soup using your immersion blender. (I blended mine so that our 1-year old could eat it)

Combine everything BUT parsley, vinegar and kale in a soup pot

Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 45-55 minutes, or until lentils and rice are tender. Add kale, cook for 5 more minutes or until wilted. Then add parsley and vinegar.

I blended my soup with an immersion blender but you can eat it just like this if you wish.

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Brown Rice & Lentil Burgers

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Hey there!

Sorry I’ve been absent lately, operation “Daily Toddler Energy Drain” is in full effect this summer which means I haven’t been spending a ton of time at home. We’ve also been camping quite a bit since we bought our RV. So much fun!

I haven’t done a ton of cooking lately but I decided to make these burgers tonight since I need a burger recipe for our upcoming camping trip. Our son is turning one soon and I also needed a new menu item for him to try. These burgers were a hit all around, our kids LOVED them! I ate mine in a lettuce wrap with horseradish mustard, Habanero Sauce, avocado, relish and heirloom tomato slices. YUMMO!!

Brown Rice & Lentil Burgers

Kid Tested AND Approved!!!

The original recipe is from the blog For The Love of Food. I altered it a bit and I may continue to do so the next time I make them. I want to play with the spices a bit, maybe make a spicy batch next time.

Brown Rice & Lentil Burgers

1/2 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed (I used brown)
1/2 cup brown rice
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, grated
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup quick oats
Combine the lentils, brown rice, onion, carrot, garlic, cumin, sage, and salt in a medium-size saucepan. Add the water and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil then reduce the heat and boil gently until the rice and lentils are tender and all the liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes.
Drain in a colander to remove any excess liquid. Add mixture to large mixing bowl and add the quick oats, stir until combined. Let cool until able to handle. Form into 8 large burger patties.
Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper – you can spray the paper with a little cooking spray if you’re worried about them sticking (I did). Bake them for 15 minutes and flip. Bake an additional 15 minutes and remove from oven. Let cool slightly, they will harden a little and become easier to handle.

Add ingredients to medium-sized saucepan, cover and bring to a boil. Lower temp and continue to cook at a low boil for about 40 minutes.

Cook until lentils and rice are done and liquid is almost all absorbed.

Transfer to mixing bowl, add quick oats and combine. Let cool until able to handle.

Form patties and place on parchment paper (spray if you wish). Makes 8 large patties, I had to make them in two batches!

Almost done! Mini patty for our one-year old :-)

Yummy!!!

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Tabouli Quinoa Salad (Sammy’s WF Pizza Copycat)

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My mother-in-law introduced me to this salad and it’s my new favorite! You can find this salad at Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza restaurant… with a whopping 1/2 cup of oil and 2 tsp of salt. Yikes! I decided to recreate this salad WITHOUT that nonsense, turned out even better than the original!

My hubby was a bit skeptical but devoured an entire plate full! I served this with romaine leaves and a few flatbread crackers. I also added a couple cooked/chopped Gardein Chick’n Scallopini filets, per my hubby’s request. I try to stay away from fake meats as much as possible so this was a rare occasion.

Tabouli Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

  1. 1/2 cup of shredded carrot
  2. 2 cups chopped parsley
  3. 1 cup chopped mint
  4. 1 cup diced onion
  5. 1 cup diced fresh tomato
  6. 1 cup diced cucumber
  7. 2 cups shredded lettuce – romaine
  8. 1 cup cooked quinoa
  9. 1/2 cup bean liquid – from canned beans or home made 
  10. 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  11. 1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt
  12. 2 tsp black pepper, ground
  13. 1 tsp allspice, ground
  14. *OPTIONAL: Saute up a few Gardein Chick’n Scallopini fillets, chop and add them in. 
Directions:
  1. Cook quinoa according to package and let cool completely. 
  2. Combine all ingredients, mix well and serve with flatbread and/or romaine leaves. You can wait to add the veggie/mint/onion/etc mixture to the chopped romaine until you serve it if you need it to last longer. This makes a ton of salad, I saved the mixture and added it to chopped romaine the next few days. 
  3. Serves 6

Add cooked/cooled quinoa with all other ingredients – I added all ingredients EXCEPT romaine lettuce together then combined them before we were ready to eat

Now combine with chopped romaine. If you’re only serving a few people and want leftovers, reserve some of this mixture to combine with more chopped romaine later

YUMMY!!! I added chopped Gardein Chick’n Scaloppini filets

 

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Chipotle Lentil Burgers

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10

I’ve had my eye on this recipe for a while so I decided to try it since my hubby requested burgers this week. SO GLAD I DID because this one’s a keeper!!! This was a little too spicy for our toddler since I left the seeds in the ancho chiles. I’m going to remove more seeds next time I make it and see if she likes it. I’m sure she will!

                              
                Chipotle Lentil Burgers

I served these in collard wraps instead of buns but you can do as you like. I topped the burger with Cashew Basil Cheese, leftover from Portobello Mushroom Pizzas. Yummy!!!

The original recipe is from “Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (Buy it here).  Her recipes are AWESOME! I love her other book, Veganomicon too.

Ingredients:

* Bean cooking liquid/water for saute

* 1 small red onion, cut into medium dice

* 1/2 pound zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2 inch thick (about 2 medium to large-sized zucchinis)

* 3 cloves garlic, minced

* 1 (15oz) can cooked lentils, drained and rinsed (1 1/4 cups)

* 1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped (stems and leaves) 1 (15-ounce) can cooked lentils, drained and rinsed (1 1/4 cups)

* 1 1/2 cup bread crumbs (Recipe called for 1 cup but I needed more. I’m going to try using rolled oats or quick oats next time, maybe let the mixture sit overnight before cooking)

* 1/4 cup chipotles in adobo sauce, seeds removed if you wish (I didn’t remove any and they were nice and spicy but not too hot)

* 2 Tbsp soy sauce

* 2 tsp red wine vinegar

* 2 tsp smoked paprika

Directions:

1. Saute onion for about 3 minutes, use bean liquid/water to keep from sticking. Add zucchini, garlic and cilantro and sauté for 7-10 minutes, until the zucchini is soft. 2. Transfer veggie mixture to food processor, add all other ingredients EXCEPT 1 cup breadcrumbs – SAVE FOR LATER. Pulse until mostly smooth, transfer to a large mixing bowl. 3. Add remaining breadcrumbs and mix with a fork to combine. 4. Divide burger mixture into six equal pieces and form patties with your hands. 5. Spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray (just a little!) to keep them from sticking. Cook burgers about 10-12 minutes turning a few times until done. I cooked three at a time.

Chop your veggies!
Saute onions
Add zucchini, garlic and cilantro
Add veggie mixture to food processor with all other ingredients but RESERVE SOME BREADCRUMBS – pulse to combine
Pulse until almost smooth
Add remaining breadcrumbs and combine with fork
Form into six patties (stray zucchini in there, I see…)
Don’t crowd them in your pan, flip a few times until done
Done! Gee, this pic makes them look burnt but they aren’t, PROMISE!
Rolled mine up in collard greens… yummy!
Now that’s a burger!!
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Dill Pickle Roasted Chickpeas (Oil-Free)

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13

I try to keep some type of crunchy snack in the house at all times… let me rephrase that… HEALTHY crunchy snack. I’m a crunchy snacker, I can destroy a bag of chips in no time flat if given the opportunity so I’ve learned not to set myself up for failure. Roasted chickpeas are such a great snack, nice and filling with a satisfying crunch! I’m always searching for new roasted chickpea recipes (I’m currently experimenting with a roasted buffalo “wing” chickpea recipe because I LOVE buffalo wing sauce!) so when I came across this one, I had to try it! Our toddler loved these too which kinda surprised me considering the vinegar taste.

Dill Pickle Roasted Chickpeas

More please Mommy!! (Forehead boo-boo. She fell running through the sprinklers at a friend’s house today, poor kid!) 

Original recipe from Bitter Sweet blog, need to check out more of her recipes!

Dill Pickle Chickpea Crunchies

Basic Brine:

1/2 Cup Cold Water
1/2 Cup White Vinegar
1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 – 3 Teaspoons Light Agave Nectar

3 Cups Cooked Chickpeas OR 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (SAVE THE LIQUID!)

Seasonings:

2 Tbsp leftover bean cooking liquid OR canned chickpea liquid
1/4 Cup Roughly Chopped Fresh Dill
3 Cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
12 – 1 tsp Coarse Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Mustard Powder
1/4 tsp Ground Coriander
1/4 tsp Celery Seed
1/8 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes

Place all of the ingredients for the brine in a medium-sized jar, including the chickpeas, shake it up, and place it in the fridge. Allow the brine mixture to infuse into the beans for 12 – 24 hours. As one might presume, the longer the chickpeas soak, the more strongly they’ll be flavored with vinegar. It’s up to you whether that’s a good or bad thing. Bear in mind that the bite will mellow significantly after a trip to the oven, so don’t be afraid of having very vinegary beans at this stage. I let mine sit for a little over 24 hours and they turned out GREAT!

Once the chickpeas have been “quick pickled,” drain them thoroughly but do not rinse. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees while you measure out and prep the seasonings. Toss the chickpeas into a bowl along with the bean liquid and all of the aromatics, stirring so that every last bean is thoroughly coated. Transfer to a jellyroll pan or large baking dish (anything with sides- These edible marbles will want to roll right out otherwise) and spread them evenly in one layer.

Bake for 45 – 60 minutes, stirring every 15 or so, until the chickpeas have shrunken in size and are golden brown, with darker spots in some areas. It can be hard to tell when they’re done since the chickpeas will continue to crisp up as they cool, but listen closely and they should rattle when you shake the pan. Remove from heat and let cool completely before snacking and/or storing in an airtight container.

Mix beans with brine ingredients and place in fridge for approx 24 hours

Drain your beans well, chop dill and assemble spice mixture

Don’t forget to drain them well!

Here’s the infamous bean cooking liquid! Great oil replacer!

Coat beans with bean liquid and spices

Bake for 45-60 minutes, turning every 15 minutes

Ready to eat!

 

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

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Life has been so crazy lately, I feel like I can’t catch up on the things I need to do! It’s been a great summer so far… our 10-month old is kinda almost walking and our 2 1/2-year old is hilarious with her ever growing vocabulary. Sorry I’ve lagged on posting recipes lately but things have been nuts! Hope all is well with you and your family!

Ok so pizza, who doesn’t enjoy pizza?! Pizza on portobello mushrooms? What’s better than that! No bloated processed pizza crust feeling, no processed food headache… you can have pizza ALL THE TIME this way!

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

My hubby loved this so much he asked me to make it again this week. His last favorite, Ancho Lentil Bowls with Low-fat Vegan Cheese is fading out of heavy rotation here so we needed something new. Our toddler LOVED this pizza too, she ate a whole one and asked for more. We felt bad since we had already eaten the rest so I’ll have to make more next time.

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

* 6-8 Portobello mushrooms (allow for at least two per person… three if you’re really hungry)

* 2 cups pizza sauce – I LOVE the Muir Glen Pizza Sauce when I don’t have time to make homemade. Use your favorite.

* Cashew Basil Cheese (see recipe below)

* Chopped roasted red & yellow peppers – I used half a jar of Trader Joe’s fire roasted red & yellow peppers in water

* 1 green pepper, chopped

* 1 medium onion, diced

* 1 can black olives, chopped

* fresh basil, chopped (add on top OR use dried italian seasoning)

* 1/2 – 1 tsp red pepper flake

Directions:

* Preheat oven by setting the broiler on low or just broil if that’s the only setting you have.

* Take a baking sheet and cover with a silicone non-stick baking mat or parchment paper for easy clean up.

* Make your Cashew Basil cheese (see below). Set aside.

* Remove stems of Portabellas and gently rub Portabellos with a wet cloth to clean. Place Portabellas ‘belly’ side up on the baking sheet.

* Spoon about 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce into each mushroom. Now spoon about 2 – 4 teaspoons of Cashew Basil Cheese on top of the pizza sauce (see recipe below).

* Top the portobellos with remaining ingredients, sprinkle with fresh basil and/or italian seasoning and a sprinkle of dried red pepper flake.

* Broil in the oven on the lowest temperature setting on the middle rack for about 10-12 minutes, watching closely as broiler temperatures vary. Serve immediately and enjoy!

The cashew nut cheese is an excellent addition to these pizzas! You could also use the Pizza Cheese recipe from a few weeks ago, that would be GOOD! I changed the original recipe to suit our tastes and nutritional needs. I plan on making the Goaty Cashew Cheeze (Thank you Melomeals!) next time and experimenting with different toppings. The possibilities are endless!

Cashew Basil Cheese 

Ingredients:
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1/3-1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt, to taste
• 1/2 tsp leftover bean cooking liquid (or liquid from canned beans…. or water, that will work too!)
• 1 fresh basil leaf – I didn’t have this last time I made it so I added 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
* 1 tsp yellow miso paste
Directions: Place 1 cup of raw cashews in a bowl of water, cover, and soak overnight in the fridge. When cashews are ready, drain and place all ingredients (cashews, Himalayan sea salt, bean liquid/water, basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, miso and lemon juice) into a food processor and process until smooth, stopping to scrape sides of processor as necessary. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Place ingredients into food processor and process until smooth’ish… like a chunky ricotta cheese consistency

Ready for pizza! Or collard wraps, or salad…. hmmm…..

Remove stems, wipe mushrooms with damp cloth to clean, place on cooking sheet and fill “gill” sides with pizza sauce.

Add your dollops of Cashew Basil Cheese first, then follow with all your toppings!

Ready to broil!

Yummy!

Portobello Pizza goodness!