Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip

This is my second favorite spinach artichoke dip! (First favorite here!) I’ve made this for a few gatherings and people love it!! My kids love it too, double bonus!! I serve this with fresh veggies on the side. I love using the leftovers in my collard wraps or on sprouted bread for the kids! :-)

Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip

Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip

Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
  • 2 (14oz) cans artichoke hearts (in water), chopped
  • 16 oz frozen spinach
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • ~ 1/3 cup water 
  • juice of 1/2 medium-sized lemon (a little under 2 Tbsp)
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • smoked paprika, to top (optional) 
 
Instructions
  1. Add frozen spinach and artichokes to large saucepan over medium heat and cook until thawed, stirring often.
  2. Place cashews in food processor, process until your cashews become a flour then begin to pour in your water until you get a creamy consistency. 
  3. Once your spinach is completely thawed and it’s all good and warm, drain the excess water from your saucepan and add spinach and artichoke to a large bowl.
  4. Add your creamy cashews, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and seasons to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Place in pretty dish, sprinkle with smoked paprika and serve!
  5. You can serve this now or stick it in the oven at 300 for about 10-15 minutes. Both ways are good! 
Cook frozen spinach and chopped artichoke hearts over medium heat until thawed and hot

Cook frozen spinach and chopped artichoke hearts over medium heat until thawed and hot

Process cashews into a flour using your food processor, slowly add water until it reaches a creamy consistency. (This was before I added more water to make it smooth)

Process cashews into a flour using your food processor, slowly add water until it reaches a creamy consistency. (This was before I added more water to make it smooth)

Drain water out of spinach artichoke mixture and place in mixing bowl

Drain water out of spinach artichoke mixture and place in mixing bowl

Add creamy cashew mixture to spinach/artichokes and stir well. Add in lemon juice, nutritional yeast and all the spices and combine well. Serve immediately sprinkled with a little smoked paprika or bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 300 degrees

Add creamy cashew mixture to spinach/artichokes and stir well. Add in lemon juice, nutritional yeast and all the spices and combine well. Serve immediately sprinkled with a little smoked paprika or bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 300 degrees

Yummy!

Yummy!

Original recipe from iknowsquat.com

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Sriracha Lime Roasted Chickpeas

Here they are! Hope you like them, we sure do! My poor hubby has eaten almost 10 or so batches just to get this recipe down!

Sriracha Lime Roasted Chickpeas

Sriracha Lime Roasted Chickpeas

Sriracha Lime Roasted Chickpeas

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas – rinse, drain and pat the beans dry

1 1/2 Tbsp Sriracha Hot Sauce

1/2 tsp maple syrup (optional but good)

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Juice and zest of 1 lime

Tiny pinch of salt

2-3 Tbsp fresh cilantro (optional but pretty!)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Whisk sriracha, lime juice and maple syrup together in small bowl.

3. Add chickpeas to mixing bowl, add in Sriracha, maple syrup and lime juice mixture, toss to coat.

4. Add in nutritional yeast, coriander, garlic powder and smoked paprika to chickpeas, toss to coat.

5. Spread them onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for about 45-50 minutes stirring/shaking pan every 15 minutes.

** NOTE: I go back and forth between cooking them at 350 – stirring/shaking pan every 10 minutes or 400 – stirring shaking pan every 15 minutes so do what works for you!

6. Remove chickpeas from oven once they are to your desired texture. Toss with chopped cilantro, tiny pinch of salt (both optional) and lime zest.

7. ENJOY!!!

 

 

Mix Sriracha, lime juice and maple syrup together in a bowl

Mix Sriracha, lime juice and maple syrup together in a bowl

Add to chickpeas, toss to coat

Add to chickpeas, toss to coat

Add nutritional yeast, garlic powder, coriander, smoked paprika and tiny pinch of salt. Toss to coat well

Add nutritional yeast, garlic powder, coriander and smoked paprika. Toss to coat well

DSC_0003

Spread onto parchment lined baking sheet

Spread onto parchment lined baking sheet – Bake for 45-50 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes 

Remove from oven, transfer to mixing bowl

Remove from oven, transfer to mixing bowl

Add lime zest, tiny pinch of salt and chopped cilantro

Add lime zest, tiny pinch of salt and chopped cilantro

Serve warm!

Serve warm!

 

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Lentil Bolognese

My kids both devoured this two nights in a row but my hubby and I were on the fence about it. You be the judge! I may make a few changes the next time I make this so I’ll keep you posted!

Lentil Bolognese

Lentil Bolognese

I served this over spaghetti squash for us, brown rice pasta for the kids! Another great pasta sauce is Easy Garlic Roasted Marinara Sauce if you have more time!!

Lentil Bolognese

Ingredients:

Water/Veggie Broth for sauté 

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 medium carrots, chopped

1 onion, diced

1 fennel bulb, diced

4 cloves of garlic, mined or pressed

 2 – 280z cans of crushed tomatoes (I used crushed with basil)

1 Tbsp tomato paste 

1 – 15oz can diced tomatoes

1 cup veggie broth or water

1 cup red lentils, rinsed 

1/2 cup red wine

12 ozs sliced mushrooms

2-3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 

3 tsp italian seasoning

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Saute onion, celery, carrot and fennel together until soft. Add in garlic and mushrooms, sauté a few minutes more until mushrooms are soft’ish.

2. Add in italian seasoning and sauté for anther few minutes. 

3. Add in broth, red wine, tomato paste and tomatoes and let simmer 30 minutes to an hour. I did an hour but I bet 30 minutes would work just fine!

4. Add lentils, cover and cook until lentils are done – about 30 minutes or so. Stir in parsley and balsamic vinegar, let cook a few more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve. 

5. Let me know what you think?! Thank you!!!

Saute onion, celery, carrot and fennel until soft, add garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are soft'ish

Saute onion, celery, carrot and fennel until soft, add garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are soft’ish

Add in italian seasoning

Add in italian seasoning

Add in tomatoes and let cook for 30-60 minutes. Add lentils and cook about 30 more minutes.

Add in tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine and broth and let cook for 30-60 minutes. Add lentils and cook about 30 more minutes.

Smells good!

Smells good!

Add in chopped parsley...

Add in chopped parsley…

And balsamic vinegar and cook a few more minutes.

And balsamic vinegar and cook a few more minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over spaghetti squash or pasta!

Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over spaghetti squash or pasta!

Cash ate two bowls so it must be good!?

Cash ate two bowls so it must be good!?

Ava devoured it too!

Ava devoured it too!

Our Favorite Hummus & Sweet Potato Hummus (2)

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.

Oil-Free Garlicky Lemon Dipping Sauce (Guest Blogger!)

Here’s a new recipe from featured guest blogger, Karen Hix! You may have seen Karen on my Facebook Page or our new Facebook Group! Please be sure to read all about her at the end of this post, after you make her delicious recipe!

Take it away Karen!!!

One of the summer veggies I always love to eat is an artichoke. Problem is, since I’ve gone plant based with no oils, I can’t eat them the way I used to … melted butter, or mayonnaise with lemon. So I came up with this Lemon Garlic Sauce (two of my favorite ingredients!) which I’ve found to be totally versatile! I now have a healthy dipping sauce for my artichokes and it makes a yummy dip or topping for steamed veggies as well … But my second favorite way to eat this is over a veggie version of no-eggs benedict … toasted muffin, topped with a grilled portobello mushroom, sliced tomatoes & avocados and drenched in this sauce. Yummy! I love lemon and garlic, so bringing these together is pure paradise. Hope you enjoy!

Garlicky Lemon Dipping Sauce!

Garlicky Lemon Dipping Sauce!

Garlicky Lemon Dipping Sauce
1 (12.3 oz.) pkg Mori-Nu firm or extra firm silken tofu
2-4 cloves garlic (I used 4 because I LOVE garlic, but adjust to your liking)
2 Tbs non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond)
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
4 tsp yellow miso
1 tsp granulated onion powder
2 tsp brine from green olives jar
4 Tbs fresh lemon juice
artichokes (or other veggies to steam)
1. Trim the stem and edges from your artichokes. Place the prepared artichokes in a pot of boiling water and steam them until done (approx. 20-30 minutes).
2. While the artichokes are steaming, combine all sauce ingredients in a blender.
3. Blend until well combined.
4. Pass the sauce and dip away! (Sorry my pic is a little blurry … I was too excited to start eating, I guess … lol)
Steam your artichokes, approx 20-30 minutes

Trim and steam your artichokes, approx 20-30 minutes

Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender and blend well.

Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender and blend well.

Ready to serve!

Ready to serve!

Garlicky Lemon Dipping Sauce!

Garlicky Lemon Dipping Sauce!

Hmmm a little about me … well, I’m a manicurist by day, and a major foodie who loves to cook. I’ve always taken a huge interest in health … and always thought I ate healthy … until one day when I watched the movie “Forks Over Knives”. That movie, along with the book “The China Study” by T. Colin Campbell opened my eyes to a new lifestyle of healthy eating. I actually have a birthdate for going plant-based of 3/30/12 and have never looked back. I lost 10 lbs within my first 2 weeks … all because I realized my problem … was with olive oil. Now the olive oil is gone from my cooking days … and it was a lot easier than I thought it would be!

With my newfound dietary changes, I became addicted to researching recipes on the internet, and found April on her “Kid Tested Firefighter Approved” website … which is by far my favorite source for plant-based recipes!  I have loved every recipe of hers that I’ve tried (and I’ve tried almost every one she’s posted!) and tell all my friends about her delicious and easy recipes. Now they’re addicted to her recipes too :)

I have ventured out in trying out a few recipes on my own, mostly trying to recreate some loves from my pre-plant based lifestyle. That’s how this recipe evolved. I told April about it, and she’s graciously asked me to share it with her fans. This sauce kinda reminds me of a garlicky hollandaise sauce … I hope you enjoy :)

Fiesta Bean Salad with Basil Lime Dressing

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!

 

 

 

 

 

Curried Quinoa and Adzuki Bean Burger Wraps

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!

Buffalo Ranch Roasted Chickpeas

Howdy!

Sorry (again) for my absence lately… as you know, things are a little crazy around here! Our 1-year old is now walking and our 3-year old has more energy than ever. My hubby had sinus surgery last week and is slowly recovering. I haven’t had a ton of time to cook anything new lately so I’ve been rotating old favorites. I’ve been making a lot of Italian’ish Lentil Tomato Soup because it’s easy and the kids enjoy it. I’ve also been experimenting with bean/lentil/rice burgers since they’re really easy to reheat in a hurry.

I’ve been so busy that I keep forgetting to eat and I find myself starving at night after the kids go to bed. Since that’s my only time to get things done I look for things I can eat in a hurry. I had a craving for something buffalo’ish (minus the chicken wing part) so I made up these roasted chickpea snacks the other night. They turned out REALLY GOOD!!! Our toddler enjoyed them too even though they do have  a little kick to them!

Buffalo Ranch Roasted Chickpeas

Buffalo Ranch Roasted Chickpeas

Ingredients:

* 2 cups of cooked chickpeas (OR you could use 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed – maybe dry them off a bit first)

* 2-3 Tbsp Frank’s Hot Sauce (more if you prefer – I sort of eyed this amount so you could use less or more depending on how coated you want them to be)

* 1/4 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

 * 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

* 1/2 tsp garlic powder

* 1/2 tsp onion powder

* 1/4 tsp black pepper

* 1/4 – 1/2 tsp dried dill (optional but tasty!)

* 1-2 Tbsp dried parsley (I like a lot of parsley but see what you prefer)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Combine chickpeas with hot sauce and vinegar/lemon juice and coat evenly. Add in the nutritional yeast and spice, combine well. 

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread out the chickpeas evenly, patting them down. 

4. Roast 40-50 minutes or until slightly browned. Shake pan or stir every 15 minutes throughout the baking process! 

5. Enjoy!

Combine chickpeas, buffalo sauce and lemon/vinegar first. Then add in spices and nutritional yeast, stir to combine well.

Spread onto baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes

Roast until browned

Enjoy!!!

Dill Pickle Roasted Chickpeas (Oil-Free)

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!

 

Pizza Hummus

I’ve been trying to make a new hummus flavor each week since we eat so much of it, the plain version gets a little old after awhile. I wanted to try a pizza flavored hummus since we loved the Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil “Cheese” so much. This turned out pretty good! I may use sun-dried tomatoes next time, just to see how that turns out.

Pizza Hummus

Pizza Hummus

* 2 cups garbanzo beans – I used cooked beans but I think you could use about 2 cans worth, drained and rinsed

* 1/2 cup tomato sauce

* 2-3 cloves garlic

* 2 T bean liquid – I use this instead of using oil. Try water instead if you don’t have bean liquid leftover from cooking or canned

* 4-6 Tbsp nutritional yeast

* 1 1/2 – 2  tsp dried oregano

* 1 tsp dried basil

* 1/8 – 1/4 cup fresh basil – I used a little under 1/4 but just add to your liking

* pinch of salt

- Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth, taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. 

Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth

First taste…

I think it’s good now!

Ready to eat!

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!

Creamy Broccoli & Kale Soup

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.

Creamy Broccoli and Kale Soup
Water, broth or bean liquid for sautéing
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups vegetable stock – I used low sodium
1 bunch broccoli, chopped (6 cups)
1/2 bunch kale, chopped (4 cups) – I added extra because I LOVE my kale!
2 Tablespoons tahini
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Heat water, broth or bean liquid in a medium pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté about 3 minutes.  Add stock and bring to a boil.  Add the broccoli and kale, turn heat to low, and let simmer for five minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in tahini.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Blend the soup by using an immersion blender or transfering it to a regular blender. (If using a regular blender, be very careful as the steam can sometimes cause the lid to blow off.  I recommend allowing the soup to cool for a few minutes, then blending small batches on medium speed while holding the lid down with a large pot holder or towel in my hand).
Squeeze lemon wedge over soup.  Serve hot.

Saute onions and garlic in water, bean cooking liquid or broth

Add broth and bring to boil. Add chopped broccoli and kale and simmer.

Add tahini. I used my immersion blender to puree this soup

 

Serve with lemon

Day 2: Served with brown rice and sweet potato

Spicy Lentil Wraps with Tahini Sauce(s)

Have you tried the vegan Spicy Lentil Wrap from Trader Joe’s? OMG it’s so good! I’m not that stoked on the white lavash wrap or the high’ish sodium content but in a rare pinch it works perfectly! I decided to try and find a copy recipe for that wrap, maybe make it a wee bit healthier in the process so I can have it more often. I found this recipe on theKitchn website after a few searches and decided to make it immediately.

Spicy Lentil Wrap with Tahini Sauce(s)

I made the red pepper paste first. It didn’t come out the way I expected it to, it was a little runny in the end but it still tasted good! I cooked it much longer than the directions said, hoping that it would thicken up but it didn’t. It was still delicious and I plan on making it again!

I bought lavash bread/wraps from Trader Joe’s but as my luck would have it, they were out of the whole wheat ones that day so I decided to do a few on collard wraps to make it a bit healthier. The collard wraps were pretty good but not as good as the lavash bread… figures, right?!

Collard wraps ready to roll!

Now to roll this without breaking it... hmmm....

Success!! Well... if you don't count the red pepper paste oozing out...

Delish!!

I wasn’t super crazy about the tahini sauce recipe that came with the wrap recipe from theKitchn so I did a little hunting… maybe it was the lack of salt? Hmmm…. I found a Yogurt Tahini Sauce on one of my absolute favorite vegan food blogs Fat Free Vegan Kitchen and made that as well. Now THAT is a good tahini sauce! Her secret ingredient is ketchup, who would’ve guessed to use that! Genius!!!

Spicy Lentil Wraps with Tahini Sauce
Makes 6 wraps

1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed
2 cups water
3/4 cups bulgur
2 tablespoons olive oil (I omitted this and water sautéed instead, as usual!)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 scallion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I omitted)
6 (approximately 9×12-inch) sheets lavash, white or whole wheat OR use collard wraps!
3/4 cup red pepper paste (recipe below, or use store-bought)
2 cups shredded cabbage
Tahini sauce to serve (recipe below)

Combine lentils and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 20 minutes.

Turn off heat and stir in bulgur. Let stand until water is absorbed and bulgur is soft, about 30 minutes.

Cooking up the barley lentil mixture!

Meanwhile, heat olive oil (or water for water sautee) in a pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent. Stir in cumin and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute.

Add onions, scallions, parsley, and salt to lentil-bulgur mixture and stir until well combined. Let cool before using to make wraps. (If you want a smoother texture closer to the Trader Joe’s version, you can run the filling through a food processor, but I like it just as it is.) You can freeze the filling in an airtight container if not using all at once.

To assemble, lay out a lavash sheet with the shorter end closest to you. Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons of red pepper paste across the lower 1/3 of the sheet. Top with the lentil-bulgur mixture, and then the cabbage. Roll from the bottom up, and spread an additional 1/2 tablespoon of red pepper paste across the top end to help seal the wrap. Repeat for remaining wraps.

Lavash wrap

To serve, cut each wrap in half and serve with tahini sauce on the side.

Red Pepper Paste
Makes about 3/4 cup

6 red bell peppers, cored and chopped

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt (I omitted this)

Olive oil to cover (if refrigerating) – I did not use this and mine kept in the fridge just fine

Combine bell peppers, cayenne pepper, and salt in a food processor and puree.

Pour the puree into a skillet over low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a paste. This can take up to 2 hours.

Let cool before using. To store, pack the paste into a jar, pour enough olive oil on top to cover, and refrigerate.

Pretty red peppers

Combine and blend until smooth

Pretty!

Cook up to two hours or until thickened - mine never really thickened, I cooked it for 2 1/2 hours total

Tahini Sauce
Makes about 3/4 cup

1/4 cup tahini
2/3 cup or more warm water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a fork until well combined.

Gradually stir in small amounts of additional warm water until the desired consistency is achieved.

Regular Tahini Sauce - use your Magic Bullet!

Spicy!!

** Fat Free Vegan’s AMAZING Yogurt-Tahini Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup soy yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pinch red pepper
  • 4 teaspoons ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl. Add additional seasonings to taste.

Ketchup? I think yes!

YUMMY!

Delicious Oil-Free Hummus

Who doesn’t love a good hummus recipe!? It’s just so easy to make and such a satisfying alternative to junk food dips out there. We love it on Kale Lemon Sandwiches, dolloped on top of salads, nestled inside of collard wraps or next to a plate of cold, raw veggies. Our toddler eats hummus for her morning snack with carrots, jicama, sugar snap peas, celery, daikon radishes (raw, yep she loves them!), raw broccoli and well… most of the time she uses her hands to scoop it into her mouth when the skinny carrot sticks and pulled-apart veggies take too long.

Then again, who doesn’t love a good OIL-FREE hummus recipes!?! I know I do, I’m always on the lookout for good oil-free alternatives to foods that are usually full of it, and still taste good too! This is a good plain hummus recipe but we also love Oil-Free Buffalo Wing’ish Hummus too!

I really like this recipe because it uses sesame seeds instead of tahini… I don’t know what it is about me and tahini but I always taste something funky when I use it. Some recipes, I don’t notice it but in hummus recipes, I do.

Delicious Oil-Free Hummus

I found this recipe on The Veggie NP: Plant-Based Health Care ’s Facebook page. I tweaked it a bit to suit our taste, it’s a really great recipe! I doubled it and send a big container to work with my hubby.

Delicious Oil-Free Hummus 

** Combine in a strong blender:

  • 1/2 c ground sesame seeds (or tahini if that’s all you have) – Put the sesame seeds in the dry blender first, and grind, then add the rest of the ingredients.
  • 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, reserve liquid OR 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans 
  • 1-3 clove garlic
  • 1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1-2 Tbsp parsley flakes
  • Juice of one + lemons (or 3-4 Tbsp lemon juice) – I like lots of lemon in mine so I added extra, start with one and test to see if you want more
  • Dash of cayenne pepper (optional but really adds a nice taste!)
Instructions:
  • Blend until smooth, and serve!
  • Note: Use enough liquid from canned Garbanzos to get the consistency you want: thick for sandwich spread, thinner for a vegetable dip, etc. If you’re using cooked garbanzo beans, use the cooking liquid or water if that’s all you have.

Grind those sesame seeds first! Or if you're using tahini, add with all other ingredients :-)

Add chickpeas and all other ingredients and blend well

Adjust seasonings.... as you can see I added more cayenne, lemon and parsley flakes

Yummy!

BEST Lite Goddess Salad Dressings (Oil-Free)

I LOVE Dr. Joel Fuhrman and really respect what he has to say when it comes to nutrition and how to take care of your body. If you’re looking for a really great book to read, try “Eat To Live” or his other book “Disease Proof Your Child“… I HIGHLY recommend both! Our family takes his vitamins, DHA and EPA supplements too… you can purchase them from his site. All of his supplements are legit, I can attest to that. I’ve never felt better!

Dr. Fuhrman recommends everyone eat a LARGE salad for one of their daily meals since raw, uncooked veggies and fruits offer the most powerful protection against disease. Raw foods contain enzymes, some of which can survive the digestive process in the stomach and pass into the small intestines. In other words, they keep things moving the way they should be! ;-)

Since I try to eat a large salad everyday for lunch I’m always on the lookout for new oil-free salad dressings. These two are our favorites! They are much less fattening than the bottled versions and are super easy to make. I make a double batch every week. I also LOVE topping our salads with Goaty Cashew Cheese… YOU HAVE TO TRY IT!

If you like oil-free dressings, you’ll also have to try Oil-Free Raspberry Vinaigrette!

Lite Green Goddess Dressing

Another delicious salad with Goddess Dressing!!

This first one is from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, one of my all-time favorite vegan food blogs. If you haven’t checked out her site yet, I suggest you do. Be prepared to spend some serious time bookmarking recipes though!! I cook her recipes on a regular basis and we really enjoy them! What’s awesome about her site is she’s almost oil-free, low salt and no processed foods… right up our alley!

Susan’s Lite Goddess Dressing

6 ounces lite firm silken tofu (1/2 pkg. of Mori-Nu) – I’ve made this without tofu and it’s just as good
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon tahini
2 green onions, white parts removed, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, packed
1 large clove garlic

Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. (The Magic Bullet worked well for this.)

Makes 10 servings of 2 tbsp. each. Per serving: 19 Calories (kcal); 1 g Total Fat; (45% calories from fat); 1 g Protein; 1 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 164 mg Sodium

Magic Bullet works great for this!

Takes me about 10 minutes to make

Lite Goddess Dressing... THE BEST!!!

Here’s another version of Goddess Dressing, this one uses chia seeds as a thickener.

Recipe from Melomeals!

Goddess Dressing

  • 3 T Tahini
  • 2 T Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 T Braggs or Soy Sauce
  • 2 Green Onion
  • 2 Cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger
  • 1/4 t cumin
  • 1/2 t lemon pepper
  • 1 c veg stock
  • 2 t chia seeds
  • 2 dates
  • 1 T fresh parsley

Again... use your Magic Bullet!

Yummy!

Easy Black Bean Soup

Black beans were up next in our bean rotation so I decided to make this soup. It’s super easy to make and pretty darn good! Our toddler loved it! I mixed hers with a little leftover tricolor quinoa to thicken it up a bit.

Easy Black Bean Soup

This recipe is from Whole Foods.com. I love Whole Foods! My hubby calls it “Whole Paycheck” because it’s a little spendy. LOL! I like the salad bar the best! Ah the cold lentil salads, California Quinoa Salad and all the other goodies offered at your fingertips. YUM! I’ll be recreating those salads next so watch for those recipes soon!

Serves 8

Cooking dried beans is low maintenance and a great value. Make sure to plan ahead and allow time for soaking the beans.

Serve with hot sauce or salsa, if you like. I served this with Habanero Sauce… A MUST HAVE ADDITION!! I keep this sauce in the fridge at all times, it’s that good. Our toddler like a little in her food too so if she can handle it, so can you!

Ingredients

1 pound dried black beans (about 2 1/2 cups), rinsed
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 ripe avocado, chopped

Method

Soak the beans overnight or 6 to 8 hours prior to cooking. Drain and rinse.

In a large pot, bring 1/2 cup water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in cumin and chipotle and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add drained beans and 10 cups water. Bring soup to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until beans are tender. Remove 4 cups soup and carefully purée in a blender. Return purée to pot and stir in cilantro, nutritional yeast and lime juice. Spoon into bowls for serving and garnish with avocado.

Saute onions, peppers and garlic

Add spices, beans and water, cook uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours

Puree 4 cups of soup in a blender - I used my VitaMix (of course!)

Add pureed soup back into the pot - add nutritional yeast, cilantro and lime juice.

Serve with diced avocado and your hot sauce of choice!

Nutrition

Per serving: 120 calories (25 from fat), 2.5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 15mg sodium, 20g total carbohydrate (7g dietary fiber, 2g sugar), 7g protein