Gingery Pepita Energy Bars – a little spicy, a little salty and a little sweet and only around 150 calories!

Dairy Free, Dessert, Favorites, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Native Sun Recipe, Quick and Easy, Raw, Six Ingredients or Less, Snack, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian 1 Response »

May 182013

Gingery Pepita Bars – a little spicy, a little salty and a little sweet.

Gingery Pepita Energy Bars

100% delicious.

Gingery Pepita Energy Bars

These are so satisfying and EASY to make – you’ll never spend money on pre-made bars again. I’ve been making tons of variations of these with whatever is on sale. I simply add enough dates, raisins or prunes so that the mixture just stays together and then shape into bites or bars.

Bars are perfect to grab on a busy day when you just won’t have a lot of time to eat and make a great breakfast or snack. The cashews and dates will give you tons of energy, ginger aids in digestion and has anti-inflammatory powers, and pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, are a great source of zinc, protein and iron.

Say no to store bought bars!

Gingery Pepita Energy Bars

Gingery Pepita Energy Bars

Serves 4
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Ingredients on sale now at Native Sun Natural Food Market, May 7 – June 6

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped dried dates
1/3 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger (ginger chews)**
1/8 tsp coarse sea salt
2 Tbsp whole pumpkin seeds (pepitas)**

Directions

1. Place all ingredients except whole pumpkin seeds in a food processor and pulse until combined. Mix pepitas in by hand and roll into a ball; press onto parchment paper and form a square; cut into four sections.

Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 156.4
Total Fat 5.8 g
Saturated Fat 1.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 77.6 mg
Potassium 221.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 26.8 g
Dietary Fiber 2.4 g

Sugars 17.3 g
Protein 2.5 g
Vitamin B-6 4.0 %
Vitamin C 0.2 %
Vitamin E 5.4 %
Calcium 1.5 %
Copper 15.5 %
Folate 4.0 %
Iron 5.1 %
Magnesium 9.7 %
Manganese 9.3 %
Niacin 2.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 4.0 %
Phosphorus 8.7 %
Riboflavin 2.4 %
Selenium 4.9 %
Thiamin 2.3 %
Zinc 5.0 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Enjoy my Gingery Pepita Energy Bars!

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

Dairy Free, Dessert, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Quick and Easy, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian 2 Responses »

May 152013

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

Over a week ago I had this post read to print when the unthinkable happened. In an effort to get back to some normalcy and keep my mind off things I am up and looking at my site and want to share something positive and fun with you – this brownie/fudge recipes.
Mila lovers – this is another great way to eat your Mila.
I’m looking forward to making these again as soon as I can.

______________________________________________

There are certain flavors that just don’t work.

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

Like toothpaste and orange juice. Yuck!

Black Bean Quinoa Brownie Fudge (Photo after refrigerating)

But there are some things that go together surprisingly well.

Cocoa powder in a chili recipe, bananas and beans in a salsa….

Black Bean Quinoa Brownie Fudge

…black beans and quinoa together in a dessert.

I’ve seen so many black bean brownie recipes recently that, frankly, look too dry. And I found none that had both black beans and quinoa together, so I thought, why not create one! I love my brownies super moist and gooey rather than cakey. If you want a more cake-like brownie try adding more quinoa flour and see how that works.

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

These little brownies are so moist and rich I had to call them brownie fudge. They are delicious at room temp or right out of the fridge – a perfect snack, dessert or even breakfast. My friend Justine and I each polished off two servings with coffee.

After one bite, Justine’s eyebrows rose in surprise - they’re delicious!

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

We all know the how great quinoa is for us – the super nutrient dense little seed that markets itself as a grain.

You sneaky little seed, we’re on to you.

Quinoa is high in protein, anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, and has a nice dose of healthy fat.
The high amounts of lysine and isoleucine actually make quinoa a complete protein source. The next time someone asks how you get your protein on a plant based diet and tells you that you can’t get all your nine essential amino acids – tell them to look up the facts about quinoa! Worlds Healthiest Foods is a great resource.

I hope you try these just out of curiosity and are pleasantly surprised as how delicious these are!

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

Serves 12
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 14.5oz can (1 1/2 cups) black beans (unseasoned, rinsed and drained)
1/3 cup agave or maple syrup
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted (or vegetable oil) + 1 tsp to “butter’ baking dish
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup pure raw cane sugar
1 chia egg (1 Tbsp Mila + 3 Tbsp water)**
1/4 cup quinoa (ground into flour with a Magic Bullet, coffee grinder or blender)
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder) + 1 tsp
1/2 cup vegan mini chocolate chips (or chocolate chips of choice)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread 1 tsp coconut oil evenly over 6×6 inch baking dish; sprinkle with 1 tsp cacao powder.

2. Blend black beans, agave, coconut oil and vanilla in a blender; mix sugar, quinoa flour, salt and cacao powder in a bowl and pour black bean mixture over evenly; mix well to combine; stir in chia egg, stir in chocolate chips; pour into baking dish; cook for 20 minutes or until top is firm.

3. Refrigerate 1 hour to overnight and cut into 12 squares.

**I recommend using Mila in this recipe. Why? Read my story. To purchase click here.

Nutrition Facts
12 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 182.6
Total Fat 8.0 g
Saturated Fat 5.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 49.1 mg
Potassium 102.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate 26.3 g
Dietary Fiber 3.0 g
Sugars 12.1 g
Protein 2.9 g

Vitamin B-6 0.8 %
Calcium 1.4 %
Copper 4.8 %
Folate 8.1 %
Iron 5.8 %
Magnesium 6.3 %
Manganese 7.4 %
Niacin 0.7 %
Pantothenic Acid 0.6 %
Phosphorus 7.3 %
Riboflavin 8.1 %
Selenium 0.6 %
Thiamin 3.6 %
Zinc 2.2 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Vivian’s Rockin’ Raw Root Veggie Salad

Dairy Free, Dressing, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Raw, Salad, Side Dish, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian 4 Responses »

May 012013

The moment one learns the joy of cooking is the moment things get interesting.

A whole world opens up. Recipes, cookbooks, classes, TV shows and food blogs.

It can be a bit overwhelming to the point that there are so many recipes you would like to create you ask, what will I create next? How do I choose?

And then someone makes a suggestion that sounds so amazing you just have to make that next.

Thank you Vivian.

Vivian’s Rockin’ Root Veggie Salad

My friend Vivian from KyV farm created this deliciously simple recipe to use up any radishes, root veggies, fresh herbs and any hearty greens that can stand up to hanging out in some marinade.

I officially dubbed it Vivian’s Rockin’ Raw Root Veggie Salad.

Vivian’s Rockin’ Root Veggie Salad

Make this basic marinated salad up once and eat 1000 different variations all week!

Add cooked beans and grains, raw nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit, roasted tofu….

Stuff tacos with it or eat it as a side!

Vivian’s Rockin’ Root Veggie Salad

Once you try it I think you will agree – it’s an awesome way to eat raw root veggies!

Vivian’s Rockin Raw Root Veggie Salad

Vivian’s Rockin’ Raw Root Veggie Salad

Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
Vegetables from KyV Farm

Ingredients

1 watermelon radish
1 golden beet (or any beet but it will color everything red)
4 large carrots (or about 3 cups)
1 small head red cabbage
1 green onion top
2 small green garlic (or 1 clove fresh garlic)
3 broccoli stems
Handful cilantro
Coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
2 tsp mustard
2 tsp agave (or honey)

Directions

1. Chop all ingredients or place in food processor to chop.

2. Whisk dressing ingredients and pour over salad mixture.

**No nutrition info since serving size may vary widely.

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto PLUS Tips on How to Make Tofu Look Like Chicken!

Articles and Reading, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Gluten Free, High Protein, How To Video, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Main Meal, Native Sun Recipe, Raw, Tips, Vegan, Vegetarian 8 Responses »

Apr 162013

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies
Open your mind……

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” ― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

“Many people know that animals around the world are treated badly, yet they turn their minds away.” - Ruby Roth, Vegan is Love

So I say…..open your mind to what is going on in factory farms.

“Were the walls of our meat industry to become transparent, literally or even figuratively, we would not long continue to raise, kill, and eat animals the way we do.”
― Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

“I would NEVER.” Some people say.
Never give up meat. Give up dairy. Eat tofu.

I do believe I heard that out of my husband’s mouth.

(But curiosity got the best of him.)

It looks like chicken.

“Hey! It’s pretty good!”

Score.

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

How did I manage to do this and WHY?

Let’s start with the why.

For the same reason I would pre-prep and pre-make dishes for my CSA….so folks would at least try it. Even ONE meat and dairy free meal helps your body, the environment and, of course, the animals that were not eaten.

“But that’s the challenge — to change the system more than it changes you.”
― Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

The HOW.

Tips on how to make tofu look like chicken.

Step 1: Press well. Do this the day before you are going to eat it or at least a few hours in advance. I LOVE my tofu xpress, or you can simply wrap the tofu in thick paper towels and a kitchen towel, place it between two plates and weight down the top plate with a very heavy book and/or soup cans. If you are pressing it overnight, place in the fridge; if not, it is fine to leave on the counter.

Step 2: Cut around the entire tofu to remove any flat planes and edges – think chicken breast. Save all the little shreds to season and throw on a salad.

Step 3: Now cut the tofu into similarly sized but asymmetrical pieces.

Step 4: Run your knife along the flat planes making small downward cuts to shred the edges a bit and then throw the tofu in the marinade. See the below video and I promise to get a better one soon! Stay tuned…..

(All these steps will also help the marinade seep in a bit better.)

Ever wondered how to disguise tofu? This very humorous, last minute (and shaky) video shows you how.
Warning: The videographer was my 4 year old.

Now that all the nuts and bolts are out of the way, let’s get down to the food.

The weather is getting warmer and people are ready to start grilling! There is nothing like a nice crisp char on some veggies and a mouth-watering, marinated protein-of-choice (tempeh would be great too) - perfect with cool salsa and creamy avocado. This whole concoction, nestled in a bed of aromatic-nutty cilantro and sunflower seed pesto, is a perfect medley of flavor, texture and temperature.

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sun Flower Seed Pesto

___________________________________

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies

Serves 6
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
Tip: Press the tofu overnight and then marinate during the day.

Ingredients

1 block organic, extra firm tofu, pressed 1 hour to overnight
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp adobo seasoning
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil
2 fresh zucchini, sliced
1 onion, quartered and cut into chunks
5oz button mushrooms

Adobo Seasoning Recipe
Notes: You will definitely have left over.
This step can be skipped by purchasing pre-mixed adobo seasoning.
2 tsp each; garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cumin, dried oregano
1 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp salt

Directions

1. Mix 2 Tbsp adobo seasoning and 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large bowl; cut tofu into chunks (see tip on how to make tofu look like chicken) and add to bowl; toss to coat and set aside for at least an hour or the day.

2. Preheat grill to medium high; season the vegetables with remaining 2 tsp adobo seasoning and 2 tsp olive oil; toss to coat.

3. Thread veggies and tofu onto skewers in an alternating pattern; spray with organic, non-stick spray.

4. Grill until nice char marks appear and vegetables are soft but not mushy; 5-10 minutes on one side and 5 or so minutes on the next.

Full Nutrition Info

Fresh Citrus Salsa

Serves 6
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 tomatoes, chopped
1 navel orange, peeled and chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
Juice 1 lime
1 avocado, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Dash coarse sea salt

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.

Full Nutrition Info

Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

Serves 6
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp chopped onion
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1/8 – 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt (depending on taste)
1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in Magic Bullet or blender.

!Full Nutrition Info

Enjoy this grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies

Roasted Cabbage with Caramelized Onions and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, High Protein, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Main Meal, Vegan, Vegetarian 2 Responses »

Apr 092013

Roasted Cabbage

There is one vegetable that always stumps me. I ask people what they do with it and they almost always say make slaw.

A few times I went ahead and made it – usually an Asian version with the gigantic napa cabbage from my organic CSA Farm Share, KyV farm, and ended up with about 30 cups of slaw that I had to eat myself since my family isn’t a fan.

I still am “slaw’d out” from the experience.

This time I did my homework. I checked google, Pinterest, Foodgawker, Finding Vegan and other bloggers for inspiration but nothing was hitting me.

Roasted Cabbage with Sun Dried Tomato

What’s a girl to do with a HUGE head of cabbage and no inspiration? Get back to basics. That seems to be what I do best. Garlic, onions, and kicky sun dried tomatoes. Isn’t everything better with sun dried tomato?

Cabbage is such a versatile vegetable – it can be roasted, grilled, eaten raw or steamed. Steaming, according to one of my favorite resources, Worlds Healthiest Foods, is the best way to eat it – unlocking it’s cholesterol lowering benefits – but roasting is still good (and sure tastes good.) Cabbage is also a powerful cancer fighter and as an added bonus there is lots of Vitamins K and C.

Need more reasons to eat cabbage? If you try it with caramelized onions it’s a great flavor sub for roasted potatoes and onions with a much lower carb count. The cabbage cooks down and gives a nice sweet flavor that goes nicely with caramelized onions and the roasted tofu. The benefit of the tofu is the added calcium and high plant based protein content but feel free to sub any protein you like here – when cubed, it should be sufficiently cooked in the same time frame as the pressed tofu.

Roasted Cabbage with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Roasted Cabbage with Caramelized Onions and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Serves 4
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Cabbage from KyV Farm

Ingredients

1/2 Tbsp oil of choice
1 block organic tofu extra firm, pressed
1/2 head cabbage, rough chopped**
1 onion, rough chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 - 1/3 tsp coarse sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray two baking sheets with non-stick spray so that all the veggies and tofu can be evenly laid out and spaced. Mix all ingredients except tomatoes in a large bowl and toss to coat evenly. Spread over two pans; place in oven for 40 minutes or until onions are caramelized and tofu toasted.

2. Taste cabbage mixture and re-season as needed. Divide onto four plates and top each with 2 Tbsp sun dried tomatoes.

Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 198.5
Total Fat 9.4 g
Saturated Fat 1.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.9 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 327.9 mg
Potassium 831.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 18.5 g
Dietary Fiber 5.5 g
Sugars 3.5 g
Protein 15.7 g

Vitamin A 5.6 %
Vitamin B-6 15.4 %
Vitamin C 93.5 %
Vitamin E 2.0 %
Calcium 21.0 %
Copper 18.2 %
Folate 26.9 %
Iron 20.1 %
Magnesium 30.4 %
Manganese 76.6 %
Niacin 7.6 %
Pantothenic Acid 4.7 %
Phosphorus 26.1 %
Riboflavin 9.0 %
Selenium 21.8 %
Thiamin 12.6 %
Zinc 12.0 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Kale 3 Ways – Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce, Kale Basil Pesto and Quinoa Power Bowl

Camping, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Gluten Free, High Protein, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Native Sun Recipe, Quick and Easy, Tips, Vegan 5 Responses »

Apr 012013

Kale 3 Ways – Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce, Kale Basil Pesto and Quinoa Power Bowl

There was a certain time during our camping trip last week that I took my life into my own hands. I was in a stare down with a tired and hungry 4 year old after a day of sun and fun with no nap. I needed to whip up something fast and healthy because I had already busted her hiding under a pillow with marshmallows stuffed in her cheeks like a chipmunk with a third waiting to follow. Needless to say she was not thrilled when I grabbed the lone remaining marshmallow.

I quickly set some water on to boil and pulled some brown rice noodles, nutritional yeast (nooch) and a jar of quality pasta sauce in the cupboard of my little teardrop shaped trailer and some kale from the mini fridge. (What, that’s not normal camping fare?) With those ingredients I made a semi-homemade cheesy kale tomato sauce with a vegan twist by stirring in some nutritional yeast as I heated the sauce and then simmering some finely chopped kale right in the sauce to wilt it down nicely. Voila – it looked like normal pasta sauce but had lots of protein, vitamins and minerals. Once I got home I simply had to create it from scratch. It was super simple to do and would be great over salad, tofu and tempeh, poured over baked dishes or anywhere sauce is used. It’s rich and hearty and has a great balance of acidity, sweet and savory flavors. After trying the sauce, my daughter ate at least a full cup of the made- from-scratch version. I’d much rather see her cheeks fully of healthy sauce than marshmallows!

Kale and Nutritional Yeast

What is nutritional yeast? Find out here. And why all the kale? Kale is that powerful and vibrantly green plant that packs a huge nutrient punch. It is one of the sources of plant based calcium that is super absorbable and alkalizing. It also helps to lower cholesterol, fights inflammation and oxidative stress and has tons of vitamin K, A and C.

Quinoa Bowl and Fresh Pesto

The idea for the quinoa power bowl came from a breakfast dish I had recently at a local restaurant. Their quinoa and kale is typically served with tomatoes, a creamy pesto, chicken and feta so I had to do lots of “leave this off please“. I loved the idea, but there were way too many animal based foods in it. I decided to nix the chicken, feta and creamy pesto and create a virgin olive oil based pesto with fresh garlic, kale and some of the Cheesy Kale Tomato sauce. Wowza! The fresh pesto really makes this dish pop. There is nothing like aromatic basil and garlic with a touch of salt; what a versatile recipe. Here are some ideas of how to use pesto; use it as a spread for sandwiches, stir into soups, use it on pasta, top any vegetable or salad, make hummus or potato salad!

Time Crunched?

If you don’t have time to make the sauce from scratch but want to try your hand at the quinoa power bowl, simply do what I did the first time – purchase your favorite store bought brand, heat and stir in 2 cups kale and 1/4 cup nutritional yeast. No time even for that? Open a can of fire roasted tomatoes, drain and use in place of tomato sauce on the Quinoa Bowl.

Another time saving tip.

There are many delicious store bought versions of pesto. Simply purchase one and add a tbsp to each plate.

Have some extra time to make all three? Here is a handy grocery list.

Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce

Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce (Vegan)

Basic sauce recipe by Giada De Laurentiis
Makes about 5 cups
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 dried bay leave, crushed
4 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
3 (14.5 oz) cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
3/4 tsp sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp agave
2 cups finely chopped kale
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Directions

1. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a Dutch oven or large stock pot. Add onion, saute until translucent, about two minutes; add garlic, saute n additional minute. Add carrot and saute about 5 minutes. Add bay, basil, tomatoes, salt and pepper and simmer covered on low heat for 30 minutes.

2. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until semi-smooth or to desired texture. Alternatively; process the sauce in a food processor until smooth; stir in agave.

3. Add kale and simmer an additional 20 minutes.

4. Stir in nutritional yeast; and taste to check seasoning.

**If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

Kale Basil Pesto

Makes about 1/2 cup
Serves 4
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped kale
Handful fresh basil
3 cloves fresh garlic
2 Tbsp oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup vegetable broth

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients in a magic bullet or blender.

Quinoa Power Bowl

Quinoa Power Bowl with Tomato Sauce, Kale and Basil Pesto

Inspired by First Watch
Serves 4 (plus extra quinoa for another use)
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 cup dry quinoa
1/2 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped, divided
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp sea salt, divided
4 cups chopped kale
2 cups Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce (or sub store bought tomato sauce of choice)
1/2 cup Kale Basil Pesto (or sub store bought pesto of choice)

Directions

1. Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer; heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium stock pan; add quinoa, onion and 2 cloves garlic to heated oil; toast by stirring about 3 minutes; add 1/4 tsp salt and vegetable broth; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, covered and let sit 5 minutes. (Makes 4 cups. Reserve 2 cups for recipe and set aside 2 cups for another use.)

2. Heat second Tbsp olive oil in pot originally used for quinoa; add kale and 1/4 sea salt and second 2 cloves garlic. Saute until wilted; about 5 minutes.

3. Place 1/2 cup quinoa, 1/4 kale mixture; 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1 Tbsp pesto on each of four plates. Enjoy the fruits of your labor!

**I have been making quesadillas with my leftover quinoa – delicious!

Nutrition Information
___________________

Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce (Vegan)

Kale Basil Pesto

Quinoa Power Bowl with Tomato Sauce, Kale and Basil Pesto (For the quinoa and kale only.)
Kale 3 Ways – Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce, Kale Basil Pesto and Quinoa Power Bowl

Roasted Carrots with Lentils and Sunflower Seeds

Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Main Meal, Quick and Easy, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian 6 Responses »

Mar 212013

Two days ago I clicked on a photo and my mouth started watering.

Over carrots.

Roasted Carrots with Lentils and Sunflower Seeds

I was visiting one of my usual favorite blogger’s site, Eat’s Well with Others, and came across a roasted carrot recipe with walnuts. Of course I LOVE walnuts but my daughter is very allergic to them so I needed an alternative.

Roasted Carrots with Lentils and Sunflower Seeds

I had sunflower seeds and dates on hand so I decided to add those instead.

Garlic
Cumin
Carrots
Olive oil
Sunflower Seeds
Dates

Doesn’t that sound good?

This dish is so satisfying – a bit of coarse sea salt and sweet agave pump up the volume when paired with the aromatic cumin. I used canned lentils here for time’s sake but please feel free to cook your own if you have time! Want some more recipes? My friend Janet at Taste Space is the queen of lentils, grains and gorgeous whole food dishes and my friend Cara has tons of delicious carrot recipes at Caras Cravings!

What is so great about lentils is that they have TONS of belly filling fiber that also stabilizes blood sugar for very little calories and fat. Excellent diet food? I say yes! Now imagine if you sprinkled a little Mila on top….like I did. Now it’s a SUPER food!

These gorgeous carrots are from KyV Farm - Support local farms!

Roasted Carrots with Lentils and Sunflower Seeds

Altered from Eats Well with Others
Serves about 6 3/4-cup servings
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Fresh seasonal ingredients from KyV Farm

Ingredients

Dressing
1 clove crushed and minced garlic
1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Carrots and Lentils
2 lbs fresh organic baby carrots** (or large carrots can be chopped for shorter cook time of about 25 minutes.)
3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp heat stable oil such as avocado oil or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 15oz can lentils, rinsed and drained (if you have home cooked here, even better)
3/4 cup toasted and lightly salted sunflower seeds
3 medjool dates, pitted and chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Mix carrots, garlic, cumin seeds and oil in a baking dish. Cover and bake for 20 minutes, stir and uncover for an additional 20 minutes or until carrots are fork tender.

2. Meanwhile, mix the dressing ingredients. Add lentils to cooked carrots, pour dressing and top with dates and sunflower seeds; toss to mix.

Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 240.5
Total Fat 10.3 g
Saturated Fat 1.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 439.8 mg
Potassium 791.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 33.6 g
Dietary Fiber 8.6 g
Sugars 15.2 g
Protein 6.9 g

Vitamin A 364.2 %
Vitamin B-6 21.0 %
Vitamin C 17.5 %
Vitamin E 34.1 %
Calcium 7.7 %
Copper 20.0 %
Folate 28.9 %
Iron 11.8 %
Magnesium 12.7 %
Manganese 34.6 %
Niacin 14.0 %
Pantothenic Acid 15.0 %
Phosphorus 24.7 %
Riboflavin 8.8 %
Selenium 14.3 %
Thiamin 11.9 %
Zinc 9.6 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

Appetizer, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Native Sun Recipe, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian 7 Responses »

Mar 172013

Vegan Taco Salad

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

Do you love traveling? I have to say that I do enjoy some travel but leaving home weekly would be tough – my life is so crazy that I savor the quiet minutes at home. When the travel bug does happen to hit me, one of the very first things I do as a plant based foodie is check out unique restaurants located in my destination that offer some creative vegan options, or at least some great dishes that can be easily altered.

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

The restaurant that stands out from a trip to San Francisco a few years ago was Peter Lowell’s in the little town of Sebestapol. I found it on a recommendation from a local woman and then logged on to my smart phone and checked it out. They offered tons of vegan, local and sustainable options! One of the first things that hit me when I walked in the front door was seeing industrial sized salad spinners in the back for cleaning all the greens they go through. Now THAT is the sign of a good restaurant! I ordered a macro bowl with lentils, greens, tempeh and some delicious sauces to-go. What an impression it made! It was so flavorful that I still remember sitting on a bluff overlooking the ocean as I savored every morsel.

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

When I think of locations I haven’t been to in the US that I’d like to travel to, I think of Montana (anyone have any suggestions on great cities in Montana?), Lake Tahoe, South Padre Island, Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Vegas baby! My parents are going to be heading out there in September so my mom was asking about some places to eat – I searched around on line and found this a great list of celebrity chef restaurants in Vegas. I’d LOVE to try Bobby Flay’s restaurant. Though he doesn’t cater to a vegan diet, there is a LOT to work with there. Black beans, fresh salsas and sauces, and avocados. You just can’t go wrong with avocado!

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

All the talk of avocado was making me hungry – and this salad was certainly gratifying. Crunchy chips, creamy avocado, fresh salsa and a hearty seasoned mixture of walnuts and barley with the kick of cayenne are perfect to satisfy any Tex-Mex craving.

I created a chipotle walnut lettuce wrap with mango salsa in the past, based on a recipe from the glorious blog My New Roots (Who ironically just posted about travel as well.), that was better than any greasy beef dish I’d ever had – so I used the basic idea of taco seasoning and walnuts but added in some chewy barley to enhance the “beefy” texture. The barley can be pre-cooked a few days beforehand but keep in mind that if you want a warmer temperature that you will have to heat the walnut barley mixture.

Tips: Not a spice fan? If you don’t like the heat, simply leave out the cayenne pepper.
Gluten allergy? Sub quinoa for the barley!

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

6 servings
Vegan
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup barley
1/2 cup raw walnuts
6 ribs romaine lettuce, chopped
1 bag organic blue corn chips

Flavor Punch!

1 Tbsp tamari, soy sauce or liquid aminos
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil

Salsa

1 avocado
1/2 lime, juiced
¼ red onion
1 tomato
Dash of coarse sea salt

Directions

1. Rinse barley in a fine mesh strainer; soak barley in 2 cups water overnight; drain; add to a medium pot with 1 1/2 cups water or veggie broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. (**See below for cook times without pre-soak.) Reserve 1/2 cup cooked barley for recipe and save the rest for another use.

2. Place walnuts in a food processor or magic bullet; mix flavor punch! ingredients in a small bowl and add to walnuts; pulse until well combined; stir in cooked barley.

2. Mix salsa ingredients in a small bowl. Lay a few chips on each plate; top with 1 rib chopped romaine, crumble 2 Tbsp walnut barley mixture and 2 Tbsp salsa.

**Rinse barley; add to 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover; cook 45 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 194.3
Total Fat 14.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 6.8 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 213.4 mg
Potassium 309.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 14.6 g
Dietary Fiber 4.7 g
Sugars 0.5 g
Protein 3.6 g

Vitamin A 12.0 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 10.5 %
Vitamin C 14.7 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 5.2 %
Calcium 2.5 %
Copper 11.4 %
Folate 13.8 %
Iron 7.2 %
Magnesium 7.9 %
Manganese 24.7 %
Niacin 6.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 5.8 %
Phosphorus 7.2 %
Riboflavin 5.5 %
Selenium 2.9 %
Thiamin 6.3 %
Zinc 4.5 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Enjoy this Feisty Vegan Taco Salad!

Three Tips on How to make a Great Vegan Veggie Burger (and a Savory Veggie Burger Recipe)!

Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Main Meal, Soy Free, Tips, Vegan, Vegetarian 4 Responses »

Mar 102013

I’ve finally discovered the secrets to making great tasting great veggie or bean burgers when they used to fall apart, turning into mush.

The first secret is some flour – any kind will do; add it a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is firmer but only just stays together. (This does take some practice because if you add too much, it is firm before you cook it. but after it’s cooked it is too dry.)

Second, add some mila. It acts as an egg replacer but is a whole, raw food instead of that powdered stuff you buy at the store. (More on mila below.)

Third, put avocado on top. Everything is better with avocado.

Savory Veggie Burger with Vegan Cheese

These burgers were actually a round two recipe for me – I used the leftovers from the Quinoa and Black Bean Stew and, using fresh beets from KyV Farm, I re-created the veggie burgers I had recently eaten at Manatee Cafe in St Augustine. I don’t know what they put in those things but I could eat them every day. Maybe twice a day. Make that three times. They are GOOD.

These burgers are really flavorful with the Bragg Liquid Aminos (tastes like soy sauce), sweet raisins and fresh salsa in the mix. Put them on a burger bun with some vegan cheese and avocado and I bet you won’t miss the beef!

For my mila lovers out there – this is a great use for it! In this recipe it acts as an egg replacer and also happens to be a whole, raw food with 3000 mg of Omega 3′s. This powerful little seed has TONS of benefits and has been all over the news in the past few weeks. Mila was recently featured on Good Morning America as a great aid for weight loss! (You can see my friends Greg and Rachel in the clip – SO proud of you guys!). How awesome to finally have a way to help lose weight that isn’t some fake powder shake, pill or pharmaceutical. It is the seed used in Dr Bob Arnot’s new book the Aztec Diet and was also featured on Fox News. If you are wondering what the heck mila is – you can check it out here.

Veggie Burger

Savory Veggie Burger

Inspired by Manatee Cafe Veggie Burger

Serves 6
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Veggies from KyV Farm

Ingredients

2 beets**
2 cups finely chopped purple cabbage**
2 red onions with tops, chopped finely (or 1/2 cup chopped onion)**
1/4 cup cooked quinoa (or cooked rice or any grain)
1/3 cup cooked black beans (or beans of choice)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp flour of choice
1/4 cup raisins

Flavor punch!

1/2 cup salsa mixed with 2 Tbsp mila as binder (Mila is optional but I suggest trying an additional Tbsp flour without it; however, this has not been tested.)
1/4 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos (or tamari or soy sauce)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder

Optional toppings

2 avocados
3 red onion slices, chopped
Vegan cheese slices

Directions

**This is a great place to use left over quinoa and black bean stew in place of the precooked grains and beans. Another option is to use canned beans and quickly cook the quinoa. Feel free to also precook the beets, cabbage and onion in step one the day before.

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Cut tops off beets and reserve for another use; wrap beets in foil and bake for 1 hour or until soft enough to be easily pierced by a fork; unwrap and cool enough to handle; peel and chop finely. Meanwhile heat a medium pot sprayed with nonstick cooking spray; add cabbage and onion and cook until softened, about five ingredients.

2. Mix the beets through the raisins, stir in flavor punch! Preheat broiler to high; spray a sheet pan with non-stick spray form veggie burgers into six patties; broil about 3 to 5 minutes but watch closely as broilers vary. Flip when firm enough to flip; broil an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until firm. Top each burger with a slice of cheese, and/or 1/3 avocado and a sprinkling of red onion.

Nutrition Facts (Without optional toppings.)
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 119.3
Total Fat 1.3 g
Saturated Fat 0.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 124.2 mg
Potassium 323.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate 21.6 g
Dietary Fiber 4.1 g
Sugars 7.9 g
Protein 6.8 g

Vitamin A 3.6 %
Vitamin B-12 44.4 %
Vitamin B-6 51.5 %
Vitamin C 25.5 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 1.6 %
Calcium 3.3 %
Copper 7.2 %
Folate 15.2 %
Iron 8.3 %
Magnesium 8.4 %
Manganese 17.9 %
Niacin 36.7 %
Pantothenic Acid 68.6 %
Phosphorus 10.8 %
Riboflavin 42.4 %
Selenium 1.3 %
Thiamin 42.6 %
Zinc 2.8 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Looking for a last minute dinner idea? Try this Black Bean Stew with Quinoa plus 7 Amazing Black Bean Recipes.

Dairy Free, Egg Free, High Protein, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Main Meal, Native Sun Recipe, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian No Responses »

Mar 052013

Black Bean Stew with Quinoa

Do you ever get home from work tired and without any sort of plan for dinner? That’s the time that fast food starts looking palatable. I say – don’t do it! Reach for a few cans out of the pantry or pre-cooked frozen beans and grab the quinoa. It only takes 20 minutes to prepare. Many times I do an alteration of a previous recipe because it’s easy and doesn’t take as much thought when I haven’t planned something out. Isn’t that what most of us do in our busy lives? Draw from experience and then use what we have on hand. It’s good to throw in a completely new recipe every now and then, but that takes a bit more time and effort. This stew is a alteration of the below black bean soup and will definitely be added into my normal rotation along with bean quesadillas, oat and bean burgers and pasta.

Black Bean Soup with Forbidden Rice

Here are a few more easy black bean recipes to help you through those busy nights….

Upside Down Lentil Pot Pie

Garlicky Black Bean Mila Dip

Easy Mexican Tortilla Bake

Easy Mexican Tortilla Bake with Mila

Vegan Tropical Black Bean Burgers
with Cucumber Mint Mango Peach Salsa

Tropical Black Bean Burgers

Ten Minute, Five Ingredient Black Bean Burgers

Avocado, Mango and Black Bean Tostada

Avocado, Mango and Caribbean Black Bean Tostada

This recipe was so quick, easy and delicious. It is very filling with tons of protein and fiber. For those people who ask me how I get protein on a plant based diet I can show them this recipe! The leftovers are versatile and make a great lunch (just add a bit of water before re-heating) and I even added them into a veggie burger – recipe to follow!

Black Bean Stew with Quinoa

Serves 6 (about 1 1/4 cups stew and 1/2 cup quinoa)
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 Tbsp avocado oil (or oil of choice)
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups vegetable broth
2 14.5-oz cans black beans (Tree of life)
1 14.5-oz can fire roasted diced tomato, drained
2 tsp adobo seasoning

Quinoa
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth

Directions

1. Rinse and drain quinoa with a fine mesh strainer; bring quinoa and broth to a boil in a large sauce pan, cover and reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes; remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat 1 Tbsp avocado oil in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat, add onions and cook 3 minutes until translucent, reduce heat and add garlic, stirring frequently, an additional 2 minutes; add beans, tomatoes, broth and adobo seasoning; simmer about 10 minutes; puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender to thicken.

Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 337.1
Total Fat 4.9 g
Saturated Fat 0.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.7 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 592.8 mg
Potassium 626.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 57.2 g
Dietary Fiber 14.8 g
Sugars 3.5 g
Protein 16.9 g

Vitamin A 5.2 %
Vitamin B-6 6.7 %
Vitamin C 12.7 %
Vitamin E 1.5 %
Calcium 5.3 %
Copper 17.1 %
Folate 51.9 %
Iron 30.0 %
Magnesium 24.5 %
Manganese 32.9 %
Niacin 3.6 %
Pantothenic Acid 3.6 %
Phosphorus 46.1 %
Riboflavin 61.7 %
Selenium 2.8 %
Thiamin 23.0 %
Zinc 10.6

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Enjoy this fabulous Black Bean Stew with Quinoa!

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