Tag Archives: Fruit and Vegetable
Awesome Guacamole
I’ve been making this guacamole for years, it’s so easy and so good!! I’ve been dabbling in a mostly raw menu lately so this was perfect for our Raw Taco Night!!! This is great on chili or sweet potato nachos!
Awesome Guacamole
INGREDIENTS:
4 large avocados
8 dashes Tabasco or Cholula
3 T lemon juice, fresh
1/2 cup red onion, diced small
1-2 minced garlic clove
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1/4-1/2 tsp kosher salt or to taste
1/4 tsp ground cumin (optional but good)
1 tsp black pepper
1 small seeded diced tomato (optional but good)
smoked paprika for serving (if you’re serving this at a party, makes it look nice)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine all with knife – makes for a chunky guacamole!
2. Stir in tomatoes, sprinkle with paprika (optional) and serve.
Carrot Dogs
“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!?!
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.

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.
Cauliflower Chickpea Curry
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.
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
- Water sauté the onion and cauliflower. Cook until the onions caramelize and the cauliflower is browned.
- Add the curry powder and tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes break down and soften, about 6 minutes.
- 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.
- 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.
Brown Rice & Lentil Burgers
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!!
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

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.
Related articles
- Chipotle Lentil Burgers (kidtestedfirefighterapproved.com)
Chipotle Lentil Burgers
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!
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.
Related articles
- Ancho Lentil Bowls with Low-fat Vegan Nacho Cheese (kidtestedfirefighterapproved.com)
Creamy Broccoli & Kale Soup
Our 9 month old son is now walking along furniture, my how time flies! He’s still not sleeping well at night which means I am not sleeping well either so fast meals are my thing lately. I’ve been making dinner during nap time which means break time doesn’t really happen for me until both kids go to bed. I’m not always good about going to bed early because geez… that’s my only free time! It’s a vicious cycle but hey, it works.
I received a large bunch of broccoli in my CSA box this week and decided to make one of the broccoli soups I have bookmarked in my 1357 list of recipes I want to try. This turned out really good! It’s so easy to make and super healthy too. Our toddler loved it! First time we had it, I served it with brown rice mixed in to add in a serving of grain. The second time I added brown rice and a hunk of sweet potato I had leftover, that was a great combo! Both times I added a squeeze of lemon on top. So good!
This recipe is from a unprocessed food blog For the Love of Food. I really like this blog and I’ve bookmarked several recipes to try. I like her unprocessed approach, so nice to be able to make a recipe without changing it a ton.
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- Creamy Cauliflower Soup (kidtestedfirefighterapproved.com)
- Sweet Potato Curry with Kale & Chickpeas (kidtestedfirefighterapproved.com)
Quick Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili
Our son is now 9 months old and almost walking, needless to say my life is getting crazier by the second! I’ve been cooking dinner at nap time when my hubby is at work for 24 hours, that’s the only way I can feed both kids and have any chance at a meal myself. I save the complicated recipes for when my hubby is home, he watches the kids while I dice and chop in the kitchen for what feels like hours (to him! LOL!)
I just LOVE Veg Kitchen with Nava Atlas!! If you’ve never been on her site, you need to set aside some time to bookmark recipes soon! I’ve made so many of her recipes and I’m never disappointed. This is another winner and it’s super easy to make with tons of leftovers for the next few days. What more can I ask for!?! Our toddler loves this chili and my hubby and I often fight over the leftovers
Quick Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili
Serves: 8 or more
- 3 medium-large sweet potatoes
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- Two 28- to 32-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed – I used fresh cooked beans
- One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used no-salt added fire roasted flavor!)
- One 16-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 or 2 small fresh hot chiles, minced, or one 8-ounce can chopped mild green chiles – I used green chiles
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin, or more, to taste – I used 4 tsps
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley or cilantro, or more, to taste – I used cilantro
- 2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced, optional – I used 2
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Bake or microwave the sweet potatoes until just firm. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 3/4-inch dice. Set aside until needed.
Water sauté the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until the onion is golden. Add the remaining ingredients except the last three. Bring to a simmer, then simmer gently, covered for 15 minutes.
Add the sweet potato dice and continue to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the parsley or cilantro and optional scallions, then season gently with salt (or not). If time allows, let stand off the heat for an hour or two, then heat through as needed. Top each serving with extra parsley or cilantro, if desired.
Sweet Potato Curry with Kale & Chickpeas
I love any excuse to use curry! I go though phases where I cook with it all week, then I forget about it for awhile. I always come back to it though, I just ordered a few new curries from World Spice Merchant and I can’t wait to try them!
I made this one at my in-law’s house, it was a huge hit! I served this over quinoa but it would be great over brown rice or any other tasty grain! My toddler really enjoyed this as well!!
Sweet Potato Curry with Kale & Chickpeas
Serves: 4 to 6
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large sweet potatoes or 4 medium garnet yams, peeled and cut into large dice
- One 16- to 20-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed OR 2 – 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
- One 16-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used no-salt added fire roasted flavor!)
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons good-quality curry powder, or more, to taste (I used Kashmiri Curry)
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin, or more, to taste
- 8 to 12 ounces chard, any variety, or a combination of chard and beet greens – I used kale
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley, or more or less to taste – I used cilantro
- 1/4 cup raisins, optional (but HIGHLY recommended)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Water sauté onion and garlic in a large pan until golden. Add the sweet potato dice and cup and a half or so of water; bring to a simmer and cook until just tender, adding just enough additional water if needed, as they cook, to keep the mixture moist.
Stir in the chickpeas, tomatoes, scallions, curry powder, ginger, and cumin and bring the mixture to a simmer again; cook over low heat for 10 minutes or so, until the sweet potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, strip or cut the kale/chard leaves (and beet greens, if using) away from the stems. Slice the stems thinly, and cut the leaves into strips.
Add the kale/chard to the skillet, in batches if necessary, and cover. Cook briefly, just until the chard wilts, then stir in. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until the chard is tender but not overdone. Stir in the cilantro and optional raisins. Season with salt and pepper, then serve.
Red Lentil Curry
I love anything with curry and lentils! This is quick and easy to make and it makes the house smell awesome! Our toddler enjoyed this; I added a little plain soy yogurt to hers before I tasted it, thinking it would be spicy but it wasn’t.
This recipe comes from Vegetarian Hostess.
Ingredients
3 While the onions are cooking, combine the mustard seed, cinnamon, fennel, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, salt, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a mixing bowl. Mix well. When the onions are cooked, add the curry mixture to the onions and cook over a high heat stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Quick & Easy Collards
I use my pressure cooker a few times a week to make beans – I like to keep them on hand at all times for salads, soups and random recipes (plus our toddler likes to snack on them). This is one of my favorite veggie recipes for the pressure cooker, it’s so easy and fast! Plus it’s really good… I add this mixture to other recipes when I need extra veggies.
Our toddler likes this without the red peppers – I take some out for her before I add the hotness!
This recipe is from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen… one of our favorites!!
Quick and Easy Collards
Ingredients
- 1-2 bunches collard greens (as much as your pressure cooker will hold – I used 2 bunches)
- 1 large onion, peeled and cut into thin rings
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- generous pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Cut off the stems of the collard greens, removing any part of the central stem that seems tough. Stack 2 or 3 leaves on top of each other, roll them up so that they form a long tube, and cut them into thin strands
Repeat with all the collards.
Spray the bottom of the pressure cooker lightly with olive oil and heat. Add the onions and 2 tablespoons water and cook, stirring, until the water evaporates. Keep cooking and stirring until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for 1 more minute.
Stir in the collard greens, add the 1 cup of water, and seal the cooker. Bring to high pressure and then reduce heat to keep the cooker at high pressure for 3 minutes. (If you are using small, baby collards, cook at high pressure for only 1 minute.) Remove from heat and use a quick-release method to reduce the pressure. Check the collards for tenderness; if they’re still tough, put them back on the heat, but don’t seal the cooker. Cook until tender. Salt, if desired, and serve (using a slotted spoon) with additional red pepper flakes.
Preparation time: 15 minute(s) | Cooking time: 10 minute(s)
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Coconut Mung Beans (Pressure Cooker)
I bought some mung beans at the Asian Market last week, I’ve been wanting to try them since they’re so good for you. This recipe is from Melomeals: Vegan For $3.33 A Day - I’ve had my eye on it for a while now so I decided to make it tonight. It’s really easy to make, doesn’t take much time at all and tastes delish! It was a tad too spicy for our toddler but not for us at all. The toasted coconut topping was a nice touch.
- 1 T coconut oil
- 1 /2 t cumin seeds
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 Serrano chili (I used a jalapeno, all I had. Removed all seeds and diced)
- 1 T minced ginger
- 1 T curry powder (I used Kashmiri Curry from World Spice Merchant)
- 1 c mung beans
- 4 c water
- 1 t Creole seasoning
- Juice and zest 1 lemon (around ¼ lemon juice. You can use lime juice or 3 T of apple cider vinegar in place of lemon juice)
- ½ c cilantro
- Toasted coconut for garnish (I toasted unsweetened coconut shreds in my toaster oven on 325F for a few minutes)
- Soy Sauce/Pepper to taste
- In a pressure cooker over med hi heat add the oil, cumin, onion, chili, ginger, and curry powder along with a pinch of salt. Sauté for several minutes, then lower the heat down to low and continue cooking for 10 more minutes. (My pressure cooker doesn’t have a low setting so I just sautéed it for about 8 minutes or so)
- Add the beans, water and Creole seasoning
- Put top on pressure cooker and bring to high pressure for 6 minutes.
- Let the pressure come down naturally then stir in lemon juice and zest and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings and add toasted coconut to garnish if you desire
- Serve over rice – I used brown rice and served it with Naan bread… my hubby’s request!











































































