Tag Archives: Cooking

Lemon Quinoa

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I make quinoa every few days and add it to all sorts of things, I like to always keep a cooked bean and grain on hand at all times. Here’s a really easy way to spruce up your regular quinoa. 🙂 I usually double this recipe because we like leftovers. I use this in collard wraps with Chickpea Salad or with Gingered Tofu & Zucchini. Our toddler loves this!

Lemon Quinoa

Lemon Quinoa

Ingredients:

* 1 cup cooked quinoa

* 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

* 2 celery stalks, chopped

* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

* 1/4 cup chopped onion

* 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

* 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Instructions:

1. Mix cooked (and slightly cooled) quinoa in a bowl with all the ingredients and combine. Serve warm or cold. 

So easy to make!

Mix all ingredients together and serve warm or cold

YUM!

 

 

Chickpea Salad

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My toddler has been a picky eater lately… she’s obsessed with cereal and that’s all she wants to eat! I decided to try a new sandwich option for her so I made this, I’ve been wanting to try it for awhile now. This recipe calls for Black Salt and in case you’ve never heard of it… it tastes just like eggs and it’s great in tofu scramble, sandwich type recipes.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Chickpea Salad

This recipe is from… can you guess?? Yep! Melomeals! 🙂

My hubby loves this salad mix on sandwiches and in collard wraps, I like it on mixed greens topped with avocado and pepper. Our toddler loves it on a sandwich or just by itself.

Chickpea Salad
2 c cooked and drained chickpeas – you could use 1 can of chickpeas too
½ c celery
2 c shredded carrots (I always have them on hand!)
¼ c onion, minced
2 T mustard
½ tsp black salt (this MAKES the salad!!)
2 T relish
½ cup Vegenaise
Ground pepper
2 tsp marjoram
½  tsp chipotle
2 T nutritional yeast
½ tsp lemon pepper
Pinch garlic powder
Salt/Pepper to taste

Mash the chickpeas a bit with a fork, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Let salad sit for an hour ( or even better, overnight ) before serving

Mash chickpeas

Add remaining ingredients, combine well

Refrigerate for at least an hour

Serve on salad

Here’s Melody’s Curried Chickpea Variation :
Remove relish, marjoram and chipotle
Add ½ c raisins, 1 T curry powder, ½ c cilantro and ½ c toasted sunflower seeds and 1 T apple cider vinegar

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Skinny Buckeyes

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I was trying to fight off a serious sweet tooth (it wasn’t working!) so I decided to make these… I figured it was a little bit of a compromise, considering they contain beans! They turned out really good, my hubby and toddler loved them!!

Skinny Buckeyes

This recipe is from Happy Healthy Mama. She has some really great recipes!

INGREDIENTS

* 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1-15 ounce can, rinsed and drained)

* 1 1/2 cups peanut butter

* 1/2 cup agave (original recipe called for honey but agave works too)

* 1 teaspoon vanilla

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used dairy-free chips)

* 2 tablespoons coconut oil

* toothpicks

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a food processor, process the chickpeas until they are completely broken down. Add the peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and salt and process until everything is well combined and forming a ball, about one minute.

2. Scoop the mixture with a rounded spoon (I used a 2 teaspoon size), roll into a ball, and place on a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Continue until you use all of the mixture; you should get approximately 48 balls.

3. Place in the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, place your chocolate chips and coconut oil in a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and then stir the mixture. Microwave another 30 seconds and stir again. If the chips are not completely melted yet, microwave in 5-10 second increments until totally smooth. {Alternatively, you can use the double boiler method to melt your chocolate. I always just use the microwave.}

5. When your peanut butter balls are firm enough, take them out of the freezer. Put a toothpick into the top of each ball and then using the pick as a handle, dip the ball into the chocolate. Leave a little circle open at the top to make traditional Buckeyes. I had a little chocolate leftover using this method, however, so if you want to cover the entire ball with chocolate, go ahead. Return the dipped balls to your tray.

6. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm and you are ready to serve. If storing, store in the refrigerator.

Process chickpeas

Add other ingredients and process until it forms a ball

Roll into balls and place on parchment paper - freeze for 15 minutes

Heat coconut oil and chocolate chips

Dip the balls into the chocolate using the toothpicks - refrigerate until firm

Yummy!

 

Oil-Free Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (AND Plant-Based RD info for you!)

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Ever since we watched the movie Planeat, I’ve been on a quest for a good oil-free hummus! I’ve been making these Kale Sandwiches from that movie about every other day, they’re so good! (Terrible picture, sorry! I was too busy eating the hummus to take a good pic!)

Kale Sandwich with Oil-Free Hummus

If you haven’t already read, we are trying to eliminate all added oils from our diet in an effort to “kick it up a notch” in the health department. I’ve been working with a fabulous plant-based registered dietician, her name is Elisa Rodriguez, RD, LDN and she’s available for online consultations through her website EatUrVeggies.com. So if you’re looking to get your health on track I HIGHLY recommend her!

I used up about 6 cups of chickpeas trying to create a tasty oil-free hummus recipe, this one was a hit!

Oil-Free Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

* 2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked in pressure cooker (You could use about 3 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed)

* Juice of 3 lemons, zest of 1 (Hey, I like lemon!)

* 2 roasted red peppers – I used roasted red peppers from a jar (COSTCO) and they were HUGE so maybe use a few more if they are small

* 2 pinches of sumac – great touch but if you don’t have any don’t worry

* 1/2 – 1 tsp salt, to taste

* 1/3-1/2 cup bean cooking liquid (Save from pressure cooking beans) OR use canned bean liquid OR water

* Handful of parsley, to taste

Blend in food processor until smooth and enjoy on sandwiches, pita chips, veggies and whatever else you like!

Yummy!

Coconut Mung Beans (Pressure Cooker)

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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.

Coconut Mung Beans

  • 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 case you’ve never seen them before, here are mung beans:

Dry Mung Beans

Directions:
  • 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!

Saute onions, pepper, ginger, curry, cumin seeds and a pinch of salt in coconut oil

Add beans, water and creole seasoning

Cover, cook on high pressure for 6 minutes

Toast unsweetened coconut for topping

Slow release pressure, add lemon juice, zest and cilantro

Yum!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones!

Here’s a quick shot of my Thanksgiving meal… it was a short menu this year – just made enough for my hubby’s on-shift dinner (he didn’t want to eat turkey this year!) and my daughter and I. It was delicious! Recipes and details to follow.

Tempeh & Sage Loaf (Vegan Slow Cooker Recipe)

Raw Collard Green & Apple Salad with Pomegranates (Melomeals: Vegan For $3.33 A Day Recipe)

Mock Meatloaf with Brown Gravy (Happy Herbivore Recipe)

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions (My Recipe 🙂

Dill Potatoes (Josh’s favorite!)

Baked Acorn Squash with Apples (The Global Vegan)

Butter Bean Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert (Happy Herbivore Recipe)

Thanksgiving Meal 2011

Josh's Firehouse Meal (with leftover gravy)

Butter Bean Chocolate Chip Cookies - Happy Herbivore Recipe

Dig in!