Healthy Breakfast Cookies

December 20, 2012 by aprilcball

Reasons why I love these ‘cookies’:

They are quick and easy to make (Think breakfast to-go)
My kids love them every time I make them (They haven’t refused one yet… knock on wood!)
They are easy to pack in Ava’s preschool breakfast box (Mornings are not so rushed!)
My hubby and I love them too!
I don’t need any more reasons. Enjoy!!!

Healthy Breakfast Cookies – I’m still trying to get to that photography class so please excuse my poor photo!

Healthy Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients:

2 mashed bananas – the darker the better!
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1-2 Tbsp almond butter
1/4 teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg
pinch of ground ginger (optional but I like it!)
zest of 1 medium to large orange (I use a large one)
2 cups rolled oats
2 -3 Tbsp ground flax meal or ground chia seeds
1/3 cup dried fruit (cranberries, regular or golden raisins, currants)
1/3 cup walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine ingredients and scoop onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat. If you don’t have an ice cream scooper, use your hands to make about a 1/3 cup sized cookie.

3. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove cookies to cooling rack.

Mix ingredients together

I used ground chia seeds this time

I use my ice cream scooper

Makes a nice size

Flatten them a little

Done! Straight to the cooling rack!

Almost time to eat!

Cash loves them!

Ava loves them too!

The Best Lentil Chili Ever (Slow Cooker)

December 17, 2012 by aprilcball

I’m serious, this is the best lentil chili I’ve ever tasted and trust me, that means something because I’ve made a ton in my day. Both kids love it too, especially as leftover burgers! This would be great as a taco or burrito filling, nachos or anything with a Mexican flair! Plus it’s super easy to make and who doesn’t love that!

Best Lentil Chili Ever

The original recipe is from the cookbook “Fresh From The Vegan Slow-Cooker“. I’ve made a few things from this book and loved them all.

Best Lentil Chili Ever!

Ingredients:

* Water/broth for sautéing

* 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

* 4-6 cloves garlic, minced

* 1 or 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced (I omitted this for the kid’s sake)

* 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped (any color – I usually use a fresh red one but I used a jarred roasted red pepper last time and it was GOOD!)

* 3 Tbsp chili powder (Yes, 3)

* 1 tsp dried oregano

* 1 tsp ground cumin

* 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed and picked over (I’ve been using the sprouted lentil/bean mix from Costco)

* 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed and picked over

* 1 (29oz) can crushed or diced tomatoes

* 1 Tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari or shoyu)

* 1 tsp sugar (optional but gives it a different flavor)

* 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

* Salt and fresh ground pepper

* 4 cups water

Directions:

1. Water sauté onions in a skillet over high heat. Add onions, garlic, chilies and bell pepper and sauté for about 4 minutes or until soft. Add the chili powder, oregano and cumin and saute for 30 seconds longer.

2. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker/crockpot. Add both lentils, tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar and cocoa. Stir in the water, cover and cook on LOW until the lentils and veggies are tender, about 6 to 8 hours. (Mine took closer to 6 since I used the sprouted and red lentils) DO NOT ADD SALT YET! Salt tends to toughen/harden the lentils.

3. Once it’s done, add salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Serve hot with your favorite chili toppings!

Saute onion, garlic and peppers. Add in spices and saute a minute more then throw that and the rest of the ingredients into the crockpot.

5-6 hours later… Done!

It’s so easy and SO GOOD!

Cash likes it!

Ava likes it too! SOLD!!

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

December 16, 2012 by aprilcball

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

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)

Trim and steam your artichokes, approx 20-30 minutes

Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender and blend well.

Ready to serve!

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

December 10, 2012 by aprilcball

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

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:

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