Tag Archives: tomato
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.
Lentil Kale Soup
This soup is a meal in itself! Our kids both loved this soup, especially our 1-year old who ate two big bowls!
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
- 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).
- Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 45-55 minutes, or until lentils and rice are tender.
- Stir in kale and cook for another 5 minutes or until kale is wilted.
- Stir in parsley and vinegar and season to taste.
- Serve as is or blend up soup using your immersion blender. (I blended mine so that our 1-year old could eat it)
Related articles
- Buffalo Ranch Roasted Chickpeas (kidtestedfirefighterapproved.com)
Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil “Cheese”
I’ve been stockpiling raw food recipes lately; I love collard wraps so much but I’m getting bored with the combinations I already have. Since most raw foodist have perfected the collard wrap, I figure it’s about time I do the same. I don’t plan on going 100% raw anytime soon (yeah, like I have that kind of time in the kitchen!) but I’m dabbling. I guess you could say we already eat a pretty raw diet but I’m enjoying learning about the more traditional styles of real raw food… if that makes any sense.
I found this recipe on a Choosing Raw and I had to make it. Not only is this one of the BEST nut cheeses I’ve ever tasted, it’s probably one of the best FOODS I ever tasted! I’ve been slathering it on so many things but I haven’t had a chance to take a better picture to represent all the glory of this beautiful “cheese”. Nevertheless, I had to post this so that you guys have a chance to make it yourselves. I plan on using it in collard wraps, salads, as a dip, I’ve been spreading it on my Pulp “Crackers” (post to follow soon – “crackers” made out of chia seeds and leftover juicing pulp… BRILLIANT!!!), eating it with a spoon, dreaming of putting it on pizza and well, dreaming of putting it on just about anything! This reminds me of sun dried tomato basil cream cheese, I bet it would be excellent on a warm toasted bagel! I haven’t had a bagel in so long…. hmmm…..
Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil “Cheese” (AKA Italian “Pizza Cheese”)
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for two hours or more
Juice of one lemon
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp white miso (optional)
4 sundried tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup basil
Throw nuts in a food processor and process the heck out of them! Then add salt, lemon juice and miso (if you’re using it). Scrape the sides of bowl and run your processor again, this time drizzling some water in. Keep doing this until the cheese reaches the consistency you like. I aim for mine to look like ricotta.
Add tomatoes and basil and pulse until they are well combined into the cheese.
DONE!! Now try not to eat the whole batch by yourself!!
Tomato & Red Lentil Soup
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
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.

Serve with steamed greens, grain scoop of your choice and a little dollop of soy yogurt, if you wish
Related articles
- Lentil Quinoa Stew with Red Chard (kidtestedfirefighterapproved.com)
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.
Related articles
- Red Lentil Thai Chili (kidtestedfirefighterapproved.com)
Easy Roasted Garlic Marinara (Oil-Free)
I’ve tried a lot of marinara recipes but this one is my absolute favorite! That’s it, I’m never making another one again! This is really easy to make and the roasted garlic is a nice touch! Plus it freezes nicely. My toddler loved this too!
In an effort to reduce my pasta intake, I mixed the sauce with beans and pasta and served it over spinach (I got the idea from Melomeals!). It was delish!!!
Original recipe is from Melomeals… I changed it a bit to make it oil-free and a bit lower sodium.
Roasted Garlic Marinara
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (for roasting the garlic)
- 10 cloves garlic sliced
- 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes (I did less to make it toddler friendly)
-
- 1 t marjoram
- 1 t rosemary
- 2 t dried basil
- 2 T balsamic vinegar (for deglazing)
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (I used no-salt added canned tomatoes)
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes with their liquid (I used tetra packed tomatoes)
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- 1 c fresh basil or parsley
- 1 carrot, shredded (add to cut acidity instead of sugar)
Method:
- In a cold pan place the balsamic vinegar and garlic in the pan. Turn heat to low and slowly caramelize the garlic This took me about 25-30 minutes.
- When garlic is golden and fragrant, turn heat up to medium and add the spices.
- Cook spices for 1 minutes, then deglaze with balsamic vinegar
- Add tomatoes, bring to a simmer, cover for 20 minutes
- Taste and adjust seasonings, stir in fresh herbs
- If the sauce is too acidic, add 1 shredded carrot or 2 t sugar (I added a shredded carrot)
Easy Red Lentils with Scallion Flatbread
There’s a theme here lately… easy! I have a few recipes waiting for me to make them but I haven’t had much time lately so I’ve been powering through my SUPER easy recipes first! I’ve made this one several times, it’s really good and pretty basic. My toddler loves these lentils and so does my hubby. You can find the Scallion Flatbread recipe here.
- Lentils (Dal)
- 1 cup red lentils, picked through for stones
- 2 cups water
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 serrano chile, sliced in 1/2, optional (I omitted to make it toddler friendly)
- Tempering oil (bagaar)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- Generous 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika or bafaat powder (I’ve used both, bafaat powder is pretty good with it!)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Handful chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- INSTRUCTIONS
- Put the lentils in a strainer and rinse them under running water. Add them to a bowl, cover with water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of water, the onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, chile (if using) and the lentils. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim any scum from the surface. DO NOT ADD SALT YET; it will toughen the lentils, thereby lengthening their cooking time. Lower the heat, cover the pot with a lid and gently simmer until the lentils are tender, almost translucent, and almost falling apart, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Whisk the lentils, releasing its natural starch, and mash some of them so the mixture becomes thick. Add salt, to taste.
- Tempering oil (bagaar): In a small bowl, combine the cumin and mustard seeds. In another bowl, combine the spice powders. Have all the ingredients ready because this will move very fast!
- In a small skillet, over a medium-high flame, warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add seeds and immediately cover so you don’t get covered in spluttering oil and seeds! Add the spices. They should sizzle and bubble a little – that’s the blooming and it’s exactly what you want. Don’t let them burn. The mixture should bloom for about 30 seconds, no more.
- Pour the oil mixture into the lentils, standing back so you don’t get hurt when the mixture splutters again. Stir to combine. Transfer the lentils to a serving dish and garnish with cilantro.
Per Serving: Calories: 237; Fat: 5 grams (Saturated Fat: 0 grams); Protein: 14g; Carbohydrates: 35g; Sugar: 4g; Fiber: 9g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 23mg
Yummy Bean Soup
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.
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.
Black Bean & Corn Quinoa
This is very healthy, easy to make and delicious! My husband and toddler LOVED it! You could eat this dish with a ton of things, we had it with wheat tortillas, shredded carrots, cilantro and leftover TVP Taco “Meat” and a side of Garlic Yu Choy.
I found this recipe on a new food blog I’ve been checking out – Healthy Mammas. I made their Creamy Dreamy Superfood Pudding a few days ago and that was really good!
Black Bean & Corn Quinoa
Ingredients (serves 4 to 6)
- 1/2 onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups organic veggie broth (plus a bit more for sauteing your onions and garlic)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional – I used 1/8 tsp)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 (15oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
- Optional (Throw in a can of drained diced tomatoes – OR serve with some fresh salsa) – I added one can of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic… YUM!
- Chopped cilantro, to top (optional but good!)
Instructions
- Saute onion and garlic in a few tablespoons of veggie broth over medium heat until soft and almost translucent.
- Add the garlic when the onions are about 1/2 done…you may need to add a little more broth as they cook to keep them moist and keep them from sticking.
- Mix in quinoa and cover with 2 cups veggie broth.
- Season with spices and salt & pepper.
- Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until most of the liquid is gone…about 10 to 15min.
- Stir in corn, black beans and diced tomatoes – continue to cook on low heat for about 5 more minutes until all liquid is absorbed and everything is heated through. (add a little extra veggie broth if needed)
- Taste and season with additional sea salt if needed.
- Enjoy!
BBQ Tempeh Wrap with Goaty Cheeze
I was craving “junk food” today so I searched through my fridge and came up with this BBQ Tempeh Wrap.
Ingredients:
* 1 Tbsp Olive Oil (optional if you’re oil-free – use water sauté or broth instead)
* 1 – 8oz block of tempeh (I like Trader Joe’s Organic Tempeh the best!)
* 1 1/2 cups leftover Finger Lickin’ Good BBQ Sauce
* 2-3 Tbsp leftover Kale Butter
* Whole wheat wraps or tortillas
* 1 cup baby spinach
* 1 tomato
* 2-4 Tbsp Goaty Cheeze
Directions:
* First I cut up a block of tempeh into 8 slices
* Heat cast iron pan (or regular if you don’t have cast iron but you may need a little oil or broth so they don’t stick)
* Brown tempeh slices on both sides, about 2 minutes each side
* Blot oil from tempeh and add to bowl with bbq sauce, coat tempeh
* Assemble wrap!
I spread Kale Butter on the wrap first, then added baby spinach, bbq tempeh slices, added slices of tomato, dolloped Goaty Cashew Cheeze on top and a little Southwestern Chipotle Sauce.
Yummy!!


































































