Tag Archives: Cook

Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup

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We all really enjoyed this soup! Ava took one bite and said “Yummy!”… that rarely happens!! I decided to puree part of the soup with my immersion blender after taking these photos and it turned out even better. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup

Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup

Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

Water/Broth for sauté 

1 Medium Onion Diced

2 Cloves Garlic, peeled and minced or pressed

1 – 15oz Can Fire-Roasted Crushed Tomatoes

1 Tbsp Minced Fresh Ginger 

1 1/2 tsp Turmeric

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Ground Coriander

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/8 tsp Cayenne

3 Medium Sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 3/4″ cubes

8 Cups Veggie Broth -OR- 4 Cups Veggie Broth AND 4 Cups Water

1 1/2 Cup Red Lentils – sort and rinse before using

Salt & Pepper 

Instructions:

1. Water/broth sauté the onion and cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes or until the onion starts to soften. (OR water sauté)

2. Add in the garlic, ginger and spices (except the salt & pepper), stir well and cook for about 30 seconds. 

3. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Add the sweet potatoes, broth/water & lentils. Stir well and bring to a boil over high heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and lentils are soft. Taste, season with salt & pepper and serve. 

Chop all of your ingredients

Chop all of your ingredients

Spices

Spices

Saute onions for a few minutes then add ginger, garlic and spices. Stir well and cook for about 30 more seconds

Saute onions for a few minutes then add ginger, garlic and spices. Stir well and cook for about 30 more seconds

Add tomatoes and cook for about 3 more minutes.

Add tomatoes and cook for about 3 more minutes.

Smells so good!!!

Smells so good!!!

Add broth/water, lentils and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and cover. Cook for about 20-25 minutes or until potatoes and lentils are soft.

Add broth/water, lentils and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and cover. Cook for about 20-25 minutes or until potatoes and lentils are soft.

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Puree part of the soup with your immersion blender!

Puree part of the soup with your immersion blender!

Ava loved it!

Ava loved it!

Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup

Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup

Spices

Spices

Saute onions for a few minutes then add ginger, garlic and spices. Stir well and cook for about 30 more seconds

Saute onions for a few minutes then add ginger, garlic and spices. Stir well and cook for about 30 more seconds

Add tomatoes and cook for about 3 more minutes.

Add tomatoes and cook for about 3 more minutes.

Smells so good!!!

Smells so good!!!

Add broth/water, lentils and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and cover. Cook for about 20-25 minutes or until potatoes and lentils are soft.

Add broth/water, lentils and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and cover. Cook for about 20-25 minutes or until potatoes and lentils are soft.

Serve as is or puree part of it with your immersion blender.

Serve as is or puree part of it with your immersion blender.

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Ava loved it!

Ava loved it!

Adapted from a recipe in “The Kind Life”

 

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

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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

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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!

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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!

 

 

 

 

 

Whole Food Wheatberry Ginger Breakfast Bread (Sugar-Free)

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I’m running out of preschool breakfast ideas so I’ve been making these easy “breakfast breads” because they’re so good and so easy to heat up on busy mornings. I usually serve them toasted with almond butter but since they do not allow any nuts at school, I’ve been serving it plain with sliced bananas topped with hemp seeds and unsweetened coconut. Our 15 month loves these too and I enjoy a few extra minutes in the morning to enjoy my cup of coffee instead of making my usual somewhat complicated breakfast menu. 😉

Oh and your kids will NEVER notice there are lentils and zucchini in this bread!!!

Whole Food Wheatberry Ginger Breakfast Bread

Whole Food Wheatberry Ginger Breakfast Bread

The original recipe is from my FAVORITE chef Melody from Melomeals!! I’ve featured many of her recipes because they are staples in our house and I have to share them with you!! Please check out her blog and LIKE her on Facebook!!! 

I make this and her Coconut Ginger Carrot Breakfast Bread (Sugar, Soy & Wheat-Free). We love both of them and highly recommend trying them!! This are really the only “breads” we eat besides the occasional Ezekiel slice. 

Whole Food Wheatberry Ginger Breakfast Bread

  • 1 lb dry wheatberries ground into flour (around 3 ½ cups) – original recipe calls for barley but I bet anything would do. Rolled oats have worked for me in the past as well.
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 3 tablespoons cinnamon
  • heaping ¼ teaspoon each nutmeg, cloves and cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kal Stevia Powder
  • 2 cups cooked lentils – I’ve also used the Organic Sprouted Trio mix from Costco I was talking about on Facebook 🙂
  • 5 small, 3 medium or 2 large zucchinis
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce – I use the cinnamon flavor
  • 4-5 tablespoons fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons vinegar – I use apple cider vinegar 

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375
  2. Grind the flour (I use my VitaMix), place in large bowl with the dry ingredients
  3. In a large blender, add the rest of the ingredients and blend until totally smooth
  4. Make a well and pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
  5. Mix very well
  6. Grease a 9 by 13 pan and bake for 45 min – 1 hour, rotating pan halfway through
It is VERY important to let these cool completely before eating so the stevia flavor has a chance to settle down and mingle with the spices and moisture from the veggies/beans. The taste changes completely! 

 

Grind flour and place in large bowl. Blend the rest of the ingredients until smooth.

Add wet to dry and mix well

Smooth into 9″ x 13″ pan and bake for 45 min – 1 hour (I prefer 45 minutes, makes it a bit more chewy)

Allow to cool completely then cut and serve. Well…. I never get that far because I eat one small piece right when it comes out of the oven 😉

Quick and easy breakfast!!

Cauliflower Chickpea Curry

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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.

Cauliflower Chickpea Curry

Yummy!

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

  1. Water sauté the onion and cauliflower. Cook until the onions caramelize and the cauliflower is browned.
  2. Add the curry powder and tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes break down and soften, about 6 minutes.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

    Saute cauliflower and onions until onions are caramelized and cauliflower is brown

    Add curry powder and tomatoes, cook until tomatoes break down and soften

    Add coconut milk, tomato paste and chickpeas… stir, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes

    Uncover and cook until most of the excess liquid cooks and a nice thick sauce is left

    Add chopped cilantro, stir and cook a few more minutes

    Serve over quinoa, garnish with cilantro!

     

Yummy Black Bean & Corn Soup

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This soup is REALLY good! Both kids and my hubby asked for seconds, our 14 month old screamed “Mo mo” for more until we refilled his bowl. I pureed his portion because he doesn’t like a ton of texture to his food. I will be making this again soon!

Yummy Black Bean & Corn Soup

Original recipe from Vega.

Black Bean & Corn Soup

Ingredients: 

  • Water/Broth for sauté 
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 4 celery stalks, diced
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp agave or other sweetener (I did not add this but you may like this addition)
  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 4 cups vegetable broth or water
  • 4 (15 oz cans) black beans
  • 5 big tomatoes
  • 2 (15 oz cans) corn or 3 cobs of corn, cooked and cut off
  • 1/2 bunch of cilantro
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • Avocado, diced (for garnish)
  • Cilantro (to garnish) 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grind cumin and coriander seeds in a food processor or mortar and pestle until a coarse grind (I used my magic bullet). Set aside.

2. Puree 2 cans of black beans and tomatoes until smooth. Set aside.

3. Water/Broth sauté onions, carrots and celery. Cook until tender. Add agave (if using) and let vegetables caramelize slightly. Deglaze pan with balsamic vinegar.

4. Add spices and garlic to pot and cook 2 minutes.

5. Add vegetable stock/water, pureed black beans and tomatoes, black beans and corn to pot. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Cook 20 minutes to over medium heat. Adjust seasoning if needed. Add cilantro.

7. Garnish each bowl of soup with avocado and cilantro.

Saute onions, carrots and celery

Puree 2 cans of black beans and tomatoes together until smooth

Add garlic and spices, saute for 2 more minutes. Deglaze pan with balsamic vinegar

Add pureed beans and tomatoes, corn, broth/water and remaining black beans to pot. Season with salt and pepper. My tomatoes didn’t fully puree so I chopped the remaining ones up and added them in.

Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Add cilantro

Serve with diced avocado and cilantro!