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.

How I Won the Battle with Depression and Got off Antidepressants – and a Sunny Mila (Chia) Dreamsicle Smoothie with 3000 mg of Omega 3′s

Articles and Reading, Beverage, Breakfast, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Food Find, Gluten Free, Gratitude, Kid Friendly, Quick and Easy, Six Ingredients or Less, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian 9 Responses »

Apr 222013

I felt like a three ton weight was pressing on my shoulders and wanted to just lie in my darkened closet and not come out.

One of the hardest parts was that I looked normal.

Sunny Mila (Chia) Dreamsicle Smoothie

It is not easy to share the details of my life in a public forum like this, in fact I’ve had this post written for a while and continued to put off posting it because I just wasn’t sure I wanted to put it out there, but I’m going to do so in the hopes that I might be able to help someone else.

My life was (and is) seemingly perfect. I have a supporting and loving family, husband and daughter, a wonderful home, a job, I have figured out my passion, I have all my limbs and hey, I live in Florida, how bad can things actually be?

I was suffering from major depression. What made it worse was that I should NOT be depressed, right? I should have felt only happiness and gratitude. And I DID, but I also had a cloud that hung over my head and no matter how much I tried to talk myself out of it, read positive books, think positive thoughts, it would still be there. It was so bad that I would cry almost every day on the way on the drive to work and many days on the way home. When I got to work I would blow my nose, put some cover-up around my eyes, slap on some powder and put my glasses on to cover it up. I was exhausted all the time, so much so that it felt like physical pain. I would tell my mom this almost daily. Mom I’m so tired it hurts.

I had an aging (and very noisy) Labrador, Madison, that would wake me at night and afterwards I wouldn’t fall back to sleep which made the exhaustion worse. One particular weekend stands out in my memory. Some friends, Matt and Stephanie, came in town and several couples were going out for dinner. My hubby was busy doing something that I can’t recall so I was going to go myself. I put on a beautiful new dress that had the colors of the ocean, blues and greens, and drove to my friend Justine’s house 45 minutes away from mine to see them. Everyone was chatting and gathering their things to head to dinner. I tried to put on my game face but I was so worn down that I was wrestling with myself. Just suck it up and go, you’ll be fine. And the next thought, I’m so tired it hurts. I just want to sit at home and wallow. The exhaustion won. I said I’m so sorry, I can’t do it. I have to go home. I’m exhausted. I envisioned everyone mentally rolling their eyes at me. Of course they weren’t, but I was so embarrassed. I’m still embarrassed about that day and sad that I missed seeing Matt and Steph. I was too young to be that tired. Anyone is too young to be that tired.

That memory always fades into another; my husband and I were staying in St Augustine to celebrate the “February Birthdays” with about five other couples, and I was so worried about even making it to dinner, never mind out afterwards for drinks and music. I was so tired that I wanted to forgo dinner at the Floridian and just stay in my hotel room at the Edgewater by myself. I drank two red energy drinks and one and a half of those little energy bottles and was still exhausted. I was so embarrassed that I would resort to drinking such chemicals when I have a food blog about eating a healthy, plant based diet.

Sunny Mila (Chia) Dreamsicle Smoothie

I was on the highest dosage of Bupropion I could be on and I had tried many of the other antidepressants. Nothing seemed to work. My poor mom is a saint for listening to me through all the crying.

On a particularly dark day I said enough was enough and called my physician to see if she would increase my dosage again. I told her I just want to be a zombie. Get through the day. Go home. I don’t want to feel this weight any more. She said no. You are on the highest dosage. It can not be increased any more, Dawn. I cried about that.

My hair was falling out so I fired my hair dresser thinking that he had over-processed my hair.

Then one day I got an email from my mom’s neurology nurse practitioner, Megan. (My mom has Multiple Sclerosis.) Megan, asked me if I would do a talk on food, nutrition, recipes and my CSA (KyV Farm) for her MS group she runs and I told her of course, I would love to. She said my mom had been telling her about my food blog and she got very excited because she is vegetarian.

Things would come up and I didn’t get around to it, but we continued to talk and become friends. She became a regular follower of my blog and we would occasionally discuss recipes offline.

A while later I did a few posts about flax and chia seed. Once again she contacted me and said she saw I was eating chia seeds. I said yes, and told her how I was eating lots of organic chia and freshly ground flax daily. She asked if I had tried Mila, a raw seed blend. I said no and asked if it is organically grown and non GMO. She said yes to organic and no to GMO. She said I’d be happy to share some with you. I said as long as it’s one ingredient and is a whole, raw food, send it on over. I’d try it.

A few days later I got a large bag of seeds. Being the health nut that I am I cracked it open and began eating it. About three weeks into it I noticed better digestion, more energy and I was falling back to sleep after Madison woke me up at night. Hmm…well that was nice. The seeds I was eating before hadn’t had the same effects. I started getting low and asked her for more. About three months into eating it I noticed something about my depression. Not that I wasn’t getting upset, but that I wasn’t crying all the time. I seemed to be able to get over the hump easier.

Eager to get off any pharmaceuticals, I decided to cut out one day a week of taking them, after a week or two I cut out two days. And so on and so forth.

After a few months I was completely off pharmaceutical antidepressants, and for some reason I didn’t put two and two together. But I finally thought about it and the ONLY thing I had changed was this food.

I did some research. I found many studies about high amounts of Omega 3’s helping the symptoms of depression. The blend I was eating has 3000mg per serving, I know other brands do as well, but for some reason the organic kind I was eating before didn’t touch the depression.

The fact that I had no idea this was one of the “side effects” of eating this whole, raw food until after I was off the meds was what really moved me.

My hair started growing back in. I didn’t realize that many people experience hair loss on high dosages of antidepressants, so now that I was off them, my hair started growing back. Now, over a year later, I don’t even take one medication, my weight is lower and I have more energy. I can’t remember the last time I drank a disgusting red energy drink or took those little energy bottles. I have a cup or two of coffee in the morning because I enjoy it, and that’s all I need. I get up between 4:15 and 4:40 am and typically get to bed around 9 or 10 pm.

I’m so thankful that Megan sent me that purple bag of seeds that was so different than everything I had tried before that I think of her daily with gratitude.

The best part is that the three ton weight is gone. And I’m happy to say I finally did do that talk for the MS group and had a great time.

This is my story. I’m not embellishing or exaggerating. I still absolutely do get upset about things but am able to deal with them a bit better and find my moods much more even. I did join the business with Megan in order to share information about my story and the food that helped me so much and I’m so proud to represent it. I tell people about it like a good movie or good restaurant. If they want to try some, great and if not, that is fine too. I am NOT by any means saying that what I found will cure anything whatsoever, and I’m NOT giving any advice on how to get off antidepressants, all I know is my own experience and how it helped me. Everyone’s bodies are different and react differently to foods. Please also notice that I said it took THREE months. If I had been expecting the effects of this food I probably would have gotten impatient. Because I didn’t know this was a benefit of this food, it was like an added bonus. And what a bonus!

All I ask is that you treat yourself with love and consider the side effects of taking any sort of pharmaceutical BEFORE you start. Your doctor will most likely NOT try to treat any ailment through food and nutrition before going to pharmaceuticals. There are a very few like Megan and if you have found one, hold on to them like gold.

I have no idea what other ailments my body was suffering from those high dosages of antidepressants, not to mention the energy drinks but I am so thankful, every day, that I found this food.

If you have questions about my experience please contact me at chefdawn (at) hotmail.com.

“If you’re concerned about your health, you should probably avoid products that make health claims. Why? Because a health claim on a food product is a strong indication it’s not really food, and food is what you want to eat.”
― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

Sunny Mila (Chia) Dreamsicle Smoothie

Sunny Mila Dreamsicle Smoothie

Serves 1
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup vanilla almond milk
2 mandarin oranges, peeled and sectioned
1/2 frozen banana, chopped
1 scoop (2 Tbsp) Mila
**If using unsweet vanilla almond milk, you can add a bit of agave, honey or sweetener of choice

Directions

1. Blend everything together and enjoy!

“While it is true that many people simply can’t afford to pay more for food, either in money or time or both, many more of us can. After all, just in the last decade or two we’ve somehow found the time in the day to spend several hours on the internet and the money in the budget not only to pay for broadband service, but to cover a second phone bill and a new monthly bill for television, formerly free. For the majority of Americans, spending more for better food is less a matter of ability than priority. p.187”

― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

Nutrition Facts
1 Serving
Amount Per Serving

Calories 252.4
Total Fat 6.8 g
Saturated Fat 0.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 184.5 mg
Potassium 460.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 43.9 g
Dietary Fiber 11.2 g
Sugars 28.2 g
Protein 6.5 g

Vitamin A 10.8 %
Vitamin B-6 14.6 %
Vitamin C 7.7 %
Vitamin D 25.0 %
Vitamin E 50.7 %
Calcium 53.3 %
Copper 4.6 %
Folate 2.4 %
Iron 10.9 %
Magnesium 7.7 %
Manganese 20.9 %
Niacin 1.4 %
Pantothenic Acid 1.3 %
Phosphorus 14.0 %
Riboflavin 5.0 %
Selenium 0.8 %
Thiamin 1.5 %
Zinc 0.6 %

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

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.

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!

A Fresh Take on Old Favorites – Two Bagel Toppings! Curried Cashew Hummus and Curried Cashew Cream Cheese

Appetizer, Breakfast, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Gluten Free, High Protein, Kid Friendly, Native Sun Recipe, Quick and Easy, Six Ingredients or Less, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian No Responses »

Feb 282013

Two Bagel Toppings! Curried Cashew Hummus and Curried Cashew Cream Cheese

Remember some of the diets of the past? Go fat free, they said. Peanut butter was the devil, nuts were off limits and you couldn’t even LOOK at an avocado. (Be still my heart.)

Curried Cashew Hummus and Cream Cheese

(Don’t even get me started on the Atkins craze. That’s a whole post in itself.)

Fat free cheese, fat free cream cheese, fat free yogurt, fat free cookies – Snackwell’s anyone? We were swimming in processed, fat free but sugar filled foods as the obesity epidemic skyrocketed.

Curried Cashew Hummus

Thankfully, times are changing and people are beginning to learn that balance is the way to go and that we do need some fat, some carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and protein in the form of whole foods.

Cashew Cream Cheese

Meet the cashew. Cashews can be turned into alternatives to almost any dairy you like – milk, sour cream, cheese, cream cheese, but have NO cholesterol and some of that healthy fat we used to miss. Typically I use raw cashews, but in this case the curry ones were on sale at Native Sun Natural Foods Market, so I decided to give them a try. I soaked them first so they would blend easier and voila! Delish!

As for the hummus – this was a little sub I learned from my friend Suzanne. A co-worker had brought bagels into the office and instead of eating it dry, since she had also cut out dairy, she topped it with some hummus. I tried it and LOVED it, so now it’s my favorite way to enjoy a bagel or baked bread and as the usual dip for crunchy, fresh veggies.

A dash of curry gives these two toppings a little hmm factor without being overpowering. If you don’t like curry, simply leave out the curry powder, use olive oil instead of the curry coconut oil and use raw cashews instead of curry.

Curried Cashew Hummus

Serves 4 (Hummus serves 4-6)
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

4 GF bagels, such as Udi’s
2 Tbsp chopped curried cashews, soaked for 1 hour or overnight
1 can chickpeas, Tree of Life, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp melted curry coconut oil, Ziggy Marley (you can sub olive oil here)**
Dash of curry powder
1 Tbsp tahini
¼ tsp salt

Directions

1. Blend cashews through salt in a small food processor or blender, adding 1/2 Tbsp water at a time until creamy consistency is reached. Spread ¼ mixture over each of four toasted bagels.

Curried Cashew Cream Cheese

Inspired by this recipe
Serves 4 (Cream Cheese serves 4-6)
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

4 GF bagels, Udi’s
1/2 cup chopped curried cashews, soaked for 1 hour or overnight
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp apple cider vinegar, Bragg
Dash of curry powder
¼ tsp salt

Directions

1. Blend cashews through salt in a small food processor or blender, adding 1/2 Tbsp water at a time until creamy consistency is reached.

__________________________________

Nutrition Facts Hummus (without bagel)
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 231.5
Total Fat 8.9 g
Saturated Fat 3.8 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.5 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 510.3 mg
Potassium 302.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 31.4 g
Dietary Fiber 6.4 g
Sugars 0.3 g
Protein 8.5 g

Vitamin A 0.7 %
Vitamin B-12 16.6 %
Vitamin B-6 90.8 %
Vitamin C 11.1 %
Vitamin E 0.6 %
Calcium 6.3 %
Copper 19.5 %
Folate 29.5 %
Iron 13.4 %
Magnesium 13.4 %
Manganese 43.8 %
Niacin 37.3 %
Pantothenic Acid 5.8 %
Phosphorus 18.2 %
Riboflavin 74.7 %
Selenium 10.1 %
Thiamin 86.3 %
Zinc 14.1 %

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

Nutrition Facts Cream Cheese
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 99.6
Total Fat 7.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.7 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 255.0 mg
Potassium 104.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 6.1 g
Dietary Fiber 0.5 g
Sugars 1.1 g
Protein 2.6 g

Vitamin B-6 2.3 %
Vitamin C 2.3 %
Vitamin E 0.5 %
Calcium 0.8 %
Copper 19.1 %
Folate 3.0 %
Iron 5.8 %
Magnesium 11.4 %
Manganese 7.6 %
Niacin 1.2 %
Pantothenic Acid 2.1 %
Phosphorus 8.4 %
Riboflavin 2.0 %
Selenium 2.9 %
Thiamin 2.3 %
Zinc 6.4 %

*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 These A Fresh Takes on Old Favorites – Two Bagel Toppings! Curried Cashew Hummus and Curried Cashew Cream Cheese!

Blissful Blueberry Bake and Six Disney Food Survival Tips

Articles and Reading, Breakfast, Dairy Free, Dessert, Egg Free, Native Sun Recipe, Six Ingredients or Less, Snack, Soy Free, Tips, Travel, Vegan, Vegetarian No Responses »

Feb 212013

Six Disney Food Survival Tips

Blissful Blueberry Bake

Disney World.

Is it one of your life’s dreams to get there? Or are you not into the lines and crowds?

I would definitely put myself into the latter category. Camping is one of my favorite pastimes. Nature. Solitude. Calm. My life is crazy enough as it is, so going into an environment of man-made chaos is not my cup of tea. Nevertheless, I just returned from a three day Disney adventure because we had family that flew in from Massachusetts that my daughter had never met and she very much enjoyed meeting her cousins…and Mary Poppins.

One of the first and most obvious things to me, of course, was the food choices of many Disney-goers. At the “resort” we stayed at there was a cafeteria where my family and I ate. During one particular breakfast I noticed a sadly obese child that had skittles, some sort of cinnamon bun, a chocolate chip cookie, bacon and a chocolate chip pancake on his plate and was washing that down with his ($17) mug of Coke. The more I looked around, the more I realized it was the same with many of the parents and other children’s plates. Some of the “healthy” choices were Light and Fit yogurt, flavored milks and frosted flakes. If you know anything about the commercial dairy industry and GMO corn, you know this is not actually a healthy choice.

So what is a food conscious person to do? With a little planning you can both save money and stay healthy!

1) Spend a little time to plan ahead. Choose a few recipes to make beforehand, such as this five ingredient black bean burger. **(For those flying in see below.)
2) Find out if you can get a refrigerator in your room or if you will need to get ice each morning.
3) Bring a canvas bag for non-refrigeration items, a large cooler for anything that must stay cold and smaller lunch bag for the day trips.
4) Each morning separate breakfast items out and then pack enough food items for lunch and snacks in the smaller bag. (You will have a much easier time of this with a plant based diet since you won’t need to worry as much about refrigeration.) If you are not going back to the room for dinner, you will need to pack that too.
5) Bring paper plates, napkins and utensils. (If you are flying in you can get these on the park grounds, but taking them along allows you to forgo having to stand in line to obtain only a plate.)
6) Bring some reusable storage containers that you can portion your lunch into and rinse out each night.

Note: For lunch items such as a bean burger, there are a few restaurants that are happy to allow you to use their condiments such as salsa, lettuce, tomato and onion when you tell them you or your child has food allergies – especially if you do purchase something from them such as a side salad or small iced coffee (I packed my own coconut creamer).

**If you are flying in, prior to leaving home, purchase and pack a soft sided cooler. Upon arriving in Orlando find a grocery store such as Publix and stock up on some ice and essentials. You can still make these five ingredient black bean burgers - all you need is a can of beans, mustard, ketchup, some instant oats, salt and pepper and a microwave.

The outcome? With just this little bit of preparation: 1) I saved enough money to cover my daughter’s three day ticket into the park as a Florida resident and 2) we had some really delicious food compared to some of the generic items available. There would have been almost nothing either of us could eat between my plant based diet and my daughter’s food allergies. I found almost no meat/dairy free choices, unless we wanted to get a iceberg lettuce salad or a plastic packaged $7 bowl of melon.

Some of the items I packed included refillable water bottles with filters, fresh fruit, dried fruit, sun butter/peanut butter, whole grain bagel thins, rice cakes, home made bean burgers, an avocado, onion and tomato, carrots and hummus, salsa and organic corn chips, oatmeal, coconut milk creamer, rice milk for my daughter and a few splurge items such as a container of Blissful Blueberry Bake, gluten free fig newtons and GF pretzels.

Looking at the population of people that was in the parks was disheartening. There were so many people that were so overweight they actually had to have motorized wheelchairs to get around. It made me so sad and wishful that I could help them. But as with all things in life we can only Live and Let Live and lead by example. The more of us that band together in these situations and show people that eating and living healthy is possible the better. My hope is that even ONE person saw what we were doing and said you know what, I’m going to do that next time!

Blissful Blueberry Bake

This blueberry bake is a simple and satisfying warm dessert. For those folks where fresh blueberries are not available, frozen would work great too. Whatever you choose, be sure to get a variety that does not contain added sugars or salt -this way you can control the amount that is added to the recipe.

I encourage you to dress this base recipe up in different ways – some ginger or cinnamon would be lovely or the addition of some extra pecans or other nuts. Don’t like agave? Try subbing some 100% maple syrup. Any which way, you can’t go wrong with baked blueberries!

Blissful Blueberry Bake

Serves 4
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Items on sale now at Native Sun Natural Foods Market, Feb 7 through Mar 6, 2013

Ingredients

1 pint fresh blueberries**
¼ cup agave nectar, (Madhava)**
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup gluten free granola, (Natures Path)**
1 tsp coconut oil, melted (Nutiva) **

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F; mix blueberries, agave, lemon and salt in a small baking dish; mix granola and coconut oil in a small dish and then spoon over blueberries evenly; cover and bake 60 minutes, until warm and bubbly.

Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 213.6
Total Fat 4.5 g
Saturated Fat 1.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.8 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 166.4 mg
Potassium 94.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 42.9 g
Dietary Fiber 4.4 g
Sugars 29.8 g
Protein 2.7 g

Vitamin A 2.0 %
Vitamin B-6 1.9 %
Vitamin C 24.7 %
Vitamin E 5.0 %
Calcium 1.3 %
Copper 3.1 %
Folate 1.6 %
Iron 4.3 %
Magnesium 1.3 %
Manganese 14.2 %
Niacin 1.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 0.9 %
Phosphorus 1.1 %
Riboflavin 3.0 %
Selenium 0.8 %
Thiamin 3.3 %
Zinc 0.8 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Enjoy my Blissful Blueberry Bake and Six Disney Food Survival Tips!

Vegan and Gluten Free Orange Almond Pound Cake made with Orange Almond Coconut Oil from Ziggy Marley Organics

Dairy Free, Dessert, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Native Sun Recipe, Soy Free 6 Responses »

Feb 102013

Delicious Vegan and Gluten Free Orange Almond Pound Cake

Ziggy Marley Organics Coconut Oil

Naomi and Tammie – this one is for you! My friend Naomi, General Manager at Native Sun Natural Food Stores, asked me if I could create something delicious with a Ziggy Marley Organics coconut oil and I chose to make a pound cake made with the orange almond version at the suggestion of Tammie, the customer service manager at the store near my house. I thought this would be a nice alternative to the standard lemon pound cake. This coconut oil is totally worth the splurge – it has great flavor without being overpowering but a little goes a long way. The Orange Almond flavor would also be great as a glaze for a tofu dish with a little soy sauce and agave or in a dressing for a citrus salad.

Vegan and GF Orange Almond Pound Cake

Even though this cake is decadent and rich – I love that there is no cholesterol. The texture is super moist and held up a bit better once it had cooled. I hand sliced these almond slivers from raw almonds and then hit them with the broiler for a minute or two at the end to toast the top and give it a nice little crust.

Vegan GF Orange Almond Pound Cake

Oranges and citrus are in season right now so it’s a great way to showcase this sunny citrus.

Florida Citrus

This cake is the perfect finish to any meal – especially a dinner party, holiday event or Valentines day. Enjoy!

Vegan and GF Orange Almond Pound Cake

Orange Almond Pound Cake

Inspired by Food.com
Serves 8
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup Ziggy Marley Organics Orange Almond Coconut oil
1 cup organic pure cane sugar
Egg replacer equal to two eggs
1 Tbsp fresh orange juice**
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups gluten free flour (or regular flour if you don’t need gluten free)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
1 oz sliced almonds

Glaze
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice**
1/4 cup organic pure cane sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325F; mix coconut oil and sugar until creamy; add egg replacer and orange juice.

2. In a second bowl, mix the salt, baking mix and baking powder; slowly add to coconut oil mixture and mix until moist; stir in almond milk; pour mixture into a loaf pan greased with a bit extra coconut oil; bake 40 minutes; top with almonds; bake an additional 20 minutes; pour glaze over evenly, broil for a minute or two if desired.

Nutrition Facts
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 347.7
Total Fat 16.4 g
Saturated Fat 11.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.9 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 144.4 mg
Potassium 55.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 51.5 g
Dietary Fiber 2.8 g
Sugars 33.2 g
Protein 3.9 g

Vitamin C 5.1 %
Vitamin D 1.6 %
Vitamin E 8.0 %
Calcium 9.7 %
Copper 2.2 %
Iron 12.8 %
Magnesium 3.0 %
Manganese 4.6 %
Phosphorus 3.2 %
Riboflavin 2.2 %
Thiamin 1.3 %
Zinc 0.8 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Enjoy my Vegan and Gluten Free Orange Almond Pound Cake!

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