Category Archives: Soy-Free

Crunchy Cold Lentil Salad (Oil-Free)

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Life has been CRAZY lately! Our youngest is almost 8 months old and just started crawling! I’m almost completely done with my shopping/wardrobe makeover so I’m really happy about that! Life is good, I can’t complain!

So… I’m totally addicted to the oil-free lentil salads at Whole Foods! Since WF is 20 miles away and costs a wee bit more than you’re usual takeout food (my hubby calls it “Whole Paycheck”) I decided to come up with my own lentil salad recipe. This is a mixture of several different recipes. It’s not exactly like theirs but it’s pretty darn good! I usually double this recipe and eat it all week. It makes a great after-workout snack! Our toddler loves it too!

Crunchy Cold Lentil Salad

Crunchy Cold Lentil Salad

- 1 cup of lentils – I use green lentils

- 1 bay leaf

- 2 cups mini heirloom tomatoes (YUM!)

- 1 cup bean sprouts – I use mung bean sprouts but you can leave this out if you don’t like sprouts

- 1 green onion sliced

- A handful of Flat leaf parsley, chopped

- 1 bell pepper, diced (red would be good too!)

- The juice of a lemon with a little or a lot of zest

- A splash of apple cider vinegar

- 1 shallot, diced

- A little Dijon mustard – about 1-2 tsp

- 1/3 cup dried cranberries

- 1 T honey or agave syrup

- 3 to 5 garlic cloves , minced

- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

- Salt, to taste

- Ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring water to a boil and add lentils and bay leaf. Let lentils stand in hot water for about 30-40 minutes. I like mine super crunchy but test them to see how you like them. Drain and let cool for another 30 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice and zest, vinegar, shallot, Dijon mustard, honey/agave, garlic, thyme, cumin, salt and pepper. Add chopped tomatoes, parsley, green onion, dried cranberries, sprouts and bell pepper.

3. Remove the bay leaf and add the lentils to the mixture. Put in fridge and chill for a couple of hours or more. It’s really good the next day! Serve cold.

Mini heirloom tomatoes are really good in this dish!

So colorful! Ready to add lentils!

I used brown lentils... or maybe these are considered green? Either will work!

Delish!

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Tomato & Red Lentil Soup

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You know how much we love soup and lentils! Here’s an easy lentil soup using the unique spice sumac.

What in the heck is sumac? I found this description on WorldSpice.com (where I buy all my spices… YUM!) “The deep red sumac berry is ground and dried to impart a tart, lemony flavor with a refreshing complexity. Sumac’s traditional usage in middle eastern cuisine sees it added to rice or kebabs and sprinkled as a condiment atop bowls of hummus.”

Ah ha… that’s what that red powder is on top of the hummus served at Mediterranean restaurants!

I serve this soup with a scoop of grain (quinoa this time) and a hefty portion of greens (kale, of course)… Like my RD says – make sure to add a grain and a green at every meal! Oh and sometimes I add a scoop of plain soy yogurt on top too.

Our toddler loved the soup... our 7 month old isn't quite ready for that yet so he's enjoying his spoon for now :-)

Tomato & Red Lentil Soup

 

INGREDIENTS

* 1 medium onion , chopped

* 1 stalk celery , chopped

* 1 medium carrot , chopped

* 2 garlic cloves , minced

* 1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes (I use a box of Pomi chopped tomatoes and a can of tomato sauce in a pinch too)

* 4 cups vegetable stock or water

* 1 cup red lentil

* 2 tablespoons dried parsley (or one bunch fresh, chopped – I like to use fresh)

* Salt and pepper, to taste

* 1 to 2 teaspoon sumac (I use 2)

* 1 small lemon, juice of (optional but good)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Saute (using broth, water or bean cooking liquid) the onion, celery, and carrot, and cook until softened (a few minutes). Add the garlic, then, in a minute add the tomatoes and stock or water.

2. Simmer for about 20 minutes, season, and let it cool.

3. Puree the soup – I use my immersion blender for this. You can puree the soup after it’s done too if you’re like me and you always forget at this point! ;-)

4. Add the lentils and return to a low simmer. Taste a lentil in about 15 minutes to see if it’s tender. If not, continue cooking, but don’t let them get mushy. 

5. Add the sumac and parsley. Taste for seasoning and add lemon juice if you like.

Saute the onion, celery and carrot. Add garlic.

Add tomatoes and stock/water

Simmer for a bit then add lentils

Puree soup when done

Add parsley, sumac and lemon juice

Sumac

Serve with steamed greens, grain scoop of your choice and a little dollop of soy yogurt, if you wish

 

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Lemon Quinoa

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I make quinoa every few days and add it to all sorts of things, I like to always keep a cooked bean and grain on hand at all times. Here’s a really easy way to spruce up your regular quinoa. :-) I usually double this recipe because we like leftovers. I use this in collard wraps with Chickpea Salad or with Gingered Tofu & Zucchini. Our toddler loves this!

Lemon Quinoa

Lemon Quinoa

Ingredients:

* 1 cup cooked quinoa

* 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

* 2 celery stalks, chopped

* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

* 1/4 cup chopped onion

* 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

* 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Instructions:

1. Mix cooked (and slightly cooled) quinoa in a bowl with all the ingredients and combine. Serve warm or cold. 

So easy to make!

Mix all ingredients together and serve warm or cold

YUM!

 

 

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

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I used to make cauliflower with olive oil, rosemary, 16 cloves of garlic (yes, 16!) and salt but since I’ve stopped using added oils and salt I’ve had to find new recipes. This soup turned out really good! It’s nice and creamy yet dairy-free, oil-free and very low salt (depending on what you decide to use for broth). The cashews are an excellent addition. Our toddler loved this soup!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

The original recipe is from Healthy Blender Recipes. I added lemon thyme, black pepper and cayenne sprinkled on top. I chose buckwheat for my grain since that’s what I had on hand for the day.

  • 8 cups of strong vegetable broth – I used half low-sodium veggie broth/half water
  • Leftover bean cooking liquid for sautéing OR just use water if you’re trying to stay oil-free (Olive oil if you’re not) **NOTE: I save the leftover bean cooking liquid from my pressure cooker and use it in place of oil in recipes… works great and it’s much better for you! I use mostly chickpea :-)
  • 1 whole head of garlic roasted
  • The white part of 2-3 leeks washed and chopped
  • 1 large head of cauliflower chopped
  • 1/2 tsp dried lemon thyme (or regular thyme is fine)
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews (you could also use raw blanched almonds) – soaked in hot water for around 20 minutes
  • 4 Tbsp chives chopped finely to garnish
  • cayenne pepper to serve on top
  • white or black pepper, to taste
  • organic brown rice, quinoa or millet to serve – I served with buckwheat
  1. Place the whole head of garlic unpeeled in an oven at 400 F for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. (This makes the house smell REALLY GOOD!)
  2. In a large saucepan fry the leek in a little bean cooking liquid until soft. (About 3 minutes)
  3. Add in the cauliflower and stir for a couple of minutes until well coated. Squeeze in the roasted garlic pulp.
  4. Cover with the vegetable broth/water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a medium flame, and simmer partially covered for about 30 minutes until the cauliflower is soft.
  5. Let the mixture cool enough to put batches in the blender (I like to use a Vitamix), and puree with the cashews until smooth and creamy.
  6. Transfer to a clean pot and heat on low to serve. Season with salt (if you wish) and white or black pepper, to taste.
  7. To serve – top each bowl with a grain ball and a generous sprinkle of chives. Top with a little cayenne pepper.

This soup serves six people and makes really great leftovers!

Saute leeks in leftover bean liquid

Add cauliflower and roasted garlic

Add broth, bring to a boil and simmer half-covered for 30 minutes

Time to blend soup with cashews!

Yummy!!

Lentil Quinoa Stew with Red Chard

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This is one of our new favorites FOR SURE! My hubby loved it and so did our toddler, she ate two bowls! I reduced the amount of spice for her and I have to admit, I was a little surprised she ate so much because it still had quite a kick!

The original recipe is from Melody from Melomeals – I made a few changes to make it a wee bit healthier.

This recipe calls for her Goaty Cashew Cheeze and Easy Garlic-Roasted Marinara Sauce (Oil-Free) so if you just made the sauce from my post yesterday… save some for this! The Goaty Cashew Cheeze is excellent to have on hand so whip up a batch of that tonight so it will be ready to use!

I’ve learned a ton from Melody’s website! She uses a few base recipes to make a bunch of different dishes, all delicious!

This stew is nice and thick, perfect for turning into burgers!! I mixed 1 cup of the leftover soup with 3/4 cup rolled oats and 1 Tbsp flax meal. It’s sitting in my fridge tonight and will make perfect burgers tomorrow! I think I’ll wrap them in collard greens, that sounds delish! Here’s the “How to Make Burgers Out Of Leftover Soup” recipe if you need a reference.

Lentil Quinoa Stew with Red Chard

  • Water or broth for sautéing
  • 1 tsp good quality Italian Seasoning
  • 1/4 – 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes (omit if you don’t like hot – I only used a few dashes and it was a little spicy but good)
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3 c cooked lentils – I used 2 cans of Lower Sodium Organic Black Lentils, rinsed well (Sprouts sells them)
  • 3 cup water or broth – I used water
  • 2 cup Easy Garlic-Roasted Marinara Sauce (A MUST!)
  • 3 Cup greens of choice, chopped – I used a whole bunch of red chard, stems included
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms – I used one whole package of sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 – 4 Tbsp Goaty Cashew Cheeze (I used 4Tbsp)
  • 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp t lemon zest (I zest all citrus before using and freeze it!)
  • Pepper to taste
Method:
  1. Saute dried spices, onions, chopped chard stems and garlic for 3 minutes
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the chard leaves, balsamic vinegar, Goaty Cashew Cheeze, nutmeg, lemon zest and pepper – cover and bring to a boil for 15 minutes
  3. Remove lid, add chopped chard leaves and cover, cook for a few minutes or until chard wilts
  4. Take off heat, stir in vinegar, goat cheese, nutmeg, zest and add pepper to taste

Saute onions, garlic and chard stems with red pepper flakes and italian seasoning

Add selected ingredients (I messed up and added the Cheeze early but it was still good!)

Add chard leaves

Add balsamic, Goaty Cheeze, fresh nutmeg, lemon zest and pepper

Enjoy!!!

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Oil-Free Raspberry Vinaigrette

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This is a great oil-free dressing with lots of lemon zing to it!

Salad with No-Oil Raspberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

* 1 Tbsp parsley

* 1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped

* 1 Tbsp shallot, finely chopped

* 1/2 cup raspberry vinegar

* 2 tsp Dijon mustard, grainy style (I like the Trader Joe’s brand one)

* I add a teeny bit of Stevia to sweeten it up a bit

Directions:

* Blend all ingredients together until smooth, season to taste. I used my Magic Bullet to make this, so easy!

Makes about 1 cup

Blend all ingredients

Yum!

Kale Lemon Sandwiches

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My hubby and I both agreed that these are one of the best veggie sandwiches we’ve ever had!

Kale Lemon Sandwiches

This recipe is from the online movie Planeat. We REALLY enjoyed this movie and highly recommend it to anyone who likes food movies.

Kale Lemon Sandwiches

Ingredients:

  • 4 slices Mestemacher of Feldcamp (Whole Foods) or any whole grain bread – I’ve used squaw bread from Sprouts or Ezekiel sprouted bread
  • 1 bunch of kale, chopped in bite sized pieces (remove thick stem) or Swiss Chard or greens of choice (4 cups or more) – I use kale (Lacinato)
  • hummus without tahini (easy to make blending  a base of chick peas, lemon and garlic then adding to taste cumin, vinegar, red peppers, parsley or cilantro
  • Green onions chopped  (1 per slice of bread) – Red onion is good too!!
  • 1/2 to 1 bunch cilantro or parsley, chopped – I use cilantro
  • 1/2- 1 lemon, center part VERY, VERY thinly sliced and the ends squeezed and zested – I love lemon so I use extra
  • 1 large tomato, sliced in 4 thick slices (optional)
  • Broccoli sprouts (optional but good!)
  • Black pepper, to taste
  1. Toast bread well.  If using Mestemacher or a rye or pumpernickel double or even triple toast. Make it almost cracker-like. (I double toast the squaw or sprouted bread)
  2. Put kale in a pot with about 3-4 inches of water in the bottom.  Bring to a boil, cover and cook until kale is tender, 3-5 minutes. Check frequently. Kale is good when cooked almost spinach-like. (STEAMING KALE FOR A FEW MINUTES WORKS TOO!)
  3. Spread toast thickly with hummus, sprinkle green onions on the hummus, pile cilantro on top of the green onions and then place a few thinly sliced lemons pieces on the cilantro.
  4. When Kale is tender, drain well.  Shake the strainer so all water is gone, sprinkle the kale in the strainer with lemon zest and remaining lemon juice.  LOTS of lemon makes this good!
  5. Then put a big handful of lemon filled kale on top of each piece of bread.  It is delicious just like that or top with a tomato slice and/or sprouts. Season with pepper.

And there you have health in a bite!  A bit of a messy one at that!

Chop up your toppings

Steam or boil kale and drain, add lemon juice and zest

Double toast bread, top with hummus and onion

Add cilantro

Add sprouts (optional) and lemon slices

Top with kale, tomatoes and season with pepper

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Spicy Sweet Cranberry Chutney (Great on oatmeal!)

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Just in time for your holiday meal! This cranberry chutney is really good and would be an excellent addition to any holiday dish – any dish for that matter! This recipe was written to go with seitan. We ordered Indian food last night and added it to that, it was delish! I don’t make things like this often so this was a real treat! (Trying to reduce the amount of sugar I use in my recipes.) This freezes well too.

*UPDATE* I recently made a batch of this with 1/4 tsp Stevia instead of sugar and it turned out great! I’ve been adding it to my daughter’s oatmeal. She loves it!

Spicy Sweet Cranberry Chutney

This is another awesome recipe from Melomeals, of course! :-)

Cranberry Chutney

  1. 2 c cranberries
  2. 2 apples – I used organic Gala apples 
  3. 2 Serrano chilies – I deseeded mine
  4. 1 T chopped fresh ginger – I love ginger so I added 1 extra Tbsp
  5. Juice of 2 oranges
  6. 2 3 inch pieces of orange zest
  7. 1/2 c apple cider vinegar
  8. 1 t cinnamon
  9. 1 1/4 c sugar – Use 1 cup of raw sugar OR use 1/4-1/2 tsp Stevia 
  10. 1/2 t salt
Instructions:
  1. Place in saucepan and cover. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes or so. Stir often.
  2. If you want to tone it down, remove the serrano chilies and reduce ginger to 1 teaspoon.  If you don’t have oranges you can use water or any fruit juice you have around.

Place all ingredients into saucepan and cover. Cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes

Stir often

All done!

Banana Walnut Pancakes

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These are really good and easy to make, plus this batch makes a bunch of leftovers – great when you’ve been up all night with your 4-month old and you need a quick breakfast for your toddler! That’s my story lately so I really appreciate these kind of easy recipes. My toddler loves these pancakes! I top them with peanut butter and bananas for her… pure maple syrup for me. I put the leftovers in the fridge and toast them the next day.

Banana Walnut Pancakes

This is another… wait for it… Melomeals recipe! I used applesauce instead of oil because I’m really trying to cut down on my oil consumption, you can use oil if you wish.

Banana Walnut Pancakes 
* 2 c white whole wheat flour

* 1 T baking powder

* 1 t cinnamon

* 1/4 c brown sugar

* pinch salt

* 2 c soymilk – I used my homemade hemp milk

* 1 T vinegar

* 1/3 c olive oil – I used about 1/2 cup applesauce instead

* 1 t vanilla

* 1 large banana, mashed

* 1/2 c walnuts 

Method:

  1. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl
  2. Mix wet ingredients together along with the walnuts and add to the dry
  3. Cook in a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat for around 3 minutes a side 

Mix dry ingredients together

Mix wet ingredients together

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients with walnuts

Spoon out batter, cook until brown on each side. Enjoy with maple syrup!

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Easy 3-Ingredient Burgers

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You’ve recently learned how to make burgers out of leftover soup, but how about burgers with only 3 ingredients!?! These are so easy to make and hold together really well, ready for whatever toppings you enjoy most. We like sautéed or raw spinach/collard greens, avocado, red onion, pickle relish and Southwestern Chipotle Sauce or Habanero Sauce (our latest favorite!) served with a side of Sweet Potato Fries.

This recipe calls for HOT beans – I usually cook a pound of beans in my electric pressure cooker and once they are done I assemble these burgers (and save the leftover beans for other things). You can also cook beans in a crock pot, make sure to soak them overnight before you cook them. Make sure to save the water you cooked the beans in when you drain them, helps the burgers stick together better!

3-Ingredient Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries

This is another awesome Melomeals recipe – A.K.A. “The Food Genius” :-) I make about 9-10 average sized burgers from this one recipe, enough for leftovers for a few days!

3-Ingredient Burgers

Ingredients:

  • 3 C HOT Beans (HOT means TEMPERATURE) 
  • 2 C old fashioned oats (rolled oats, uncooked) – I’ve used quick oats or rolled oats
  • 1 envelope onion soup mix – I use Lipton or the Sprouts brand packet
  • Hot bean liquid if needed to bring the mixture together – I use about 1/3 cup of bean liquid for a batch of burgers

Method:

  1. Mix everything together
  2. Let mixture cool
  3. form into patties and cook over medium heat in a cast iron skillet for 5 minutes a side

3 Ingredients!

Mix HOT beans with oatmeal and onion soup mix - form patties

5 minutes on each side - use a cast iron skillet if you have one

This one is topped with Habanero Sauce... Yum!

This one topped with Follow Your Heart Nacho Cheese and Habanero Sauce

Chickpea Burger on top of kale and mushrooms

Breakfast Bulgur Porridge

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This is one of our regular hot breakfast dishes, great for cold mornings and toddlers learning to master the use of a spoon! This is easy to make and full of protein, fiber, calcium and vitamins D and B12… plus it’s delish! Bulgur does not need to be soaked overnight.

Breakfast Bulgur Porridge

My toddler obviously enjoys this…

Yummy!

Ingredients:

1 cup almond milk – I use homemade hemp milk but use whatever you wish

1 cup water

1/2 cup bulgur – I buy mine in bulk from Sprouts

1/4 cup raisins

Pinch of salt

1-2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Sliced fruit for serving – I add bananas, strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, persimmons… whatever I have

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, bulgur, raisins, salt, and 1 cup water – bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally until bulgur is tender and mixture is the consistency of oatmeal – about 10-15 minutes

3. Dish into bowls and top with maple syrup. Serve warm with fruit on top or plain.

Combine milk, bulgur, raisins, salt and water - bring to boil

Reduce heat, simmer until bulgur is like oatmeal

Serve with maple syrup and sliced fruit

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Kid Friendly Green Smoothie

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This is one of my toddler’s favorite Green Smoothies! Perfect for those days when it seems like your kids hate your cooking and won’t eat anything but snacks and air (it seems!). We like this one too, the peanut butter addition is good! I like to add a scoop of protein powder to this for my breakfast – I like Vega Whole Food Optimizer or Ultimate Meal powder. I make this in my Vitamix, best blender for Green Smoothies! I get most of my smoothie ingredients from my CSA box, delivered weekly from Abundant Harvest Organics and Squeeze Play Organics!

Kid Friendly Green Smoothie

  • 2 ripe bananas – can use frozen
  • 1/2 organic apple, core removed – granny smith is good, gala and fuji too (I get THE BEST apples from my CSA!!)
  • 1 pear, seeds removed (CSA Delivery favorite!)
  • 2 dates, pits removed (Halawy are my favorite!)
  • 1 heaping teaspoon of peanut butter
  • 1 small cucumber
  • 1 or 2 handfuls of fresh spinach (extra here, again from my CSA!)
  • 1 large leaf of dinosaur kale (without thick stem)
  • 1/2 cup of almond milk, hemp milk, coconut milk or soy milk
  • 1/2 cup of orange juice (or just add an extra orange)
  • Optional but really good – mint leaves, ginger, celery
  • Blend & Enjoy!

Learning how to use a straw cup

I let her lick the peanut butter spoon... as you can see!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones!

Here’s a quick shot of my Thanksgiving meal… it was a short menu this year – just made enough for my hubby’s on-shift dinner (he didn’t want to eat turkey this year!) and my daughter and I. It was delicious! Recipes and details to follow.

Tempeh & Sage Loaf (Vegan Slow Cooker Recipe)

Raw Collard Green & Apple Salad with Pomegranates (Melomeals: Vegan For $3.33 A Day Recipe)

Mock Meatloaf with Brown Gravy (Happy Herbivore Recipe)

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions (My Recipe :-)

Dill Potatoes (Josh’s favorite!)

Baked Acorn Squash with Apples (The Global Vegan)

Butter Bean Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert (Happy Herbivore Recipe)

Thanksgiving Meal 2011

Josh's Firehouse Meal (with leftover gravy)

Butter Bean Chocolate Chip Cookies - Happy Herbivore Recipe

Dig in!

Crock Pot Kheer (Rice Pudding)

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This is a healthy version of rice pudding using unsweetened coconut milk and Stevia to sweeten it. You can use brown rice or basmati – I use long grain brown. This recipe is from Healthy Slow Cooking. This is definitely toddler approved!

Brown Rice Pudding

Vegan Slow Cooker Kheer
soy-free gluten-free
serves 8

  • 1 cup long grain brown rice
  • 6 cups nondairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut milk)
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 cup slivered or chopped almonds (pistachios and/or cashews work great too)
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • sweetener to taste – I used about 1/8 tsp Stevia – you can use agave, regular sugar, brown rice syrup, etc.

Place all the ingredients except for your sweetener of choice into a 3 1/2  to 4 quart slow cooker. (Double the recipe if you have a larger slow cooker.)

Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for about 2 1/2 hours. The size of your slow cooker and how hot it runs will change the exact cooking time. Add sweetener and stir in. Then taste and add extra sweetener if you feel that you need it. (If you are using stevia I would recommend adding 1/8 teaspoon at a time. Just a little too much and it becomes bitter.)

The pudding will still be a little loose in the slow cooker. But it will thicken in the fridge. Serve it cold topped with extra raisins and nuts. You could even go crazy and add some fresh berries too!

Everyone in the slow cooker! ;-)

About done...

It will set as it cools

Yummy!

Yummy Bean Soup

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This soup is delicious! It’s a little spicy and very satisfying with a side of toasted naan (if you eat bread, we do no more than twice a week) and a glass of red wine (or hemp milk for my toddler!). This recipe is from HealthyMammas.com – home of  the recently made Creamy Dreamy Superfood Pudding and Black Bean & Corn Quinoa (2 more fabulous recipes!).  This recipe is toddler approved, she ate the whole bowl but she commented on it being “spicy Mommy spicy” the whole time… you may want to back off the chili powder if you have a spice sensitive child. My daughter will eat wasabi peas and dried chili mango so she may be the exception. :-)

Bean Soup

Ingredients (Serves 6-8)

  • 1 7/8 lbs 15 bean soup mix (I used the 8-bean soup mix from my CSA – about 5 1/2 cups)
  • 1 quart low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (you can use veggie broth or water to sauté instead – I used broth)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 box frozen chopped spinach, or 10 oz of fresh, chopped spinach (I used fresh – 2 bunches organic spinach)
  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced (I used leftover shredded carrots from Healthy Veggie Muffins)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained (I used fire roasted with garlic)
  • 8 tablespoons lemon juice (about 2 lemons worth) – this makes it!!
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 dashes Tabasco sauce (Didn’t have any so I used a big squirt of Sriracha)
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground thyme
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt (optional)

Instructions

  • Soak beans overnight, or at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse.
  • Cook beans in water until just tender by simmering on the stove in 2 qts. water for 1 1/2 hours. (or more) (Can also cook in slower cooker or pressure cooker.).
  • Shortly before the beans are done, saute onion and garlic in oil (or veggie broth) until slightly brown.
  • When beans are done, drain half the cooking water.
  • Add all remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, for 40-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Beans are cooked, adding in remaining ingredients (except spinach)

Added chopped spinach

Delish!!