Spicy African Peanut Stew {Peas and Thank You}

This was SO gooooood! I cooked it in the crockpot. Everyone loved. Except Ava. She would have given her first born to NOT eat it. Sigh.

1 can (14 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1  sweet potato, cubed (approximately 1 cup)

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon garam masala (depending on how spicy you like it)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 teaspoons minced garlic

sweetener to taste (organic sugar or stevia)

dash cinnamon

1 can (14 ounces) organic fire-roasted tomatoes, in juice

1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk

2 cups vegetable broth powder

2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

1/2 cup red lentils, drained and rinsed

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a Crock-Pot and set on high for about half an hour, and then switch to low for an additional 3 to 4 hours. Serve and pass garnishes at the table.

Chef Suggestions

Garnish with chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts, dairy-free or organic sour cream or organic plain yogurt.

Asian Noodle Salad. {Pioneer Woman.}

My sister-in-law, jami, turned me onto this one... and man, I am SO glad she did. I first wanted to try it because it's one of their new favorites. Sold. Then I found out it was Pioneer Woman. Sold. Then I saw that it was basically healthy. Sold. Then I read her write-up on it. Sold and salivating. I got the ingredients that day and made it for dinner.

Sold.

Even my pickiest eater, Ava, can get this all down. And even told me, "Mom, this is actually good!" As if it was a freakin surprise her mom actually makes her something good for dinner. Sheesh.

I changed it up a little, but the real deal is here. But try it. Seriously try it. And if I haven't convinced you enough... and the colread what she wrote herself. Then come back and tell me how sold you are!

It makes a huge amount. For my family I half it. It says for 6 portions. Well, that is a LOT of salad. Even for us plant eaters. It's good for leftovers too. The cashews MAKE it.

SALAD INGREDIENTS:
1 package Linguine Noodles, Cooked, Rinsed, And Cooled
1/2 head Sliced Napa Cabbage, Or More To Taste
1/2 head Sliced Purple Cabbage, Or More To Taste
1/2 bag Baby Spinach, Or More To Taste
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Thin
1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper, Sliced Thin
1 whole Orange Bell Pepper, Thinly Sliced
1 bag Bean Sprouts (also Called Mung Bean Sprouts) 
Chopped Cilantro, Up To 1 Bunch, To Taste
3 whole Scallions, Sliced
3 whole Cucumbers, Peeled And Sliced
1 can (about 10 Oz.) Whole Cashews, Lightly Toasted In Skillet

FOR THE DRESSING:
1 whole Lime, Juiced
8 Tablespoons Olive Oil
8 Tablespoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos (soy sauce)
2 Tablespoons (up To 3 Tablespoons) Sesame Oil
1/3 cup agave nectar, coconut sugar or brown sugar
3 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger, Chopped
2 cloves Garlic, Chopped
2 whole Hot Peppers Or Jalapenos, Chopped
Chopped Cilantro

Mix salad ingredients together. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on a platter.

Note: dressing keeps for up to three days before serving, without cilantro.

Cherry Chipotle Chili.

This should be called "Cherry Chipotle Chili, Hold the Chipotle." That's what the title said, but there was no chipotle in the recipe (checking to see if it was left off). Anyhow, my first go at any recipe I usually cook it exactly like the recipe says... and then adjust the next time if it's a hit.

I was more intrigued to make this because it sounded totally interesting, and I'm currently obsessed with dried cherries. Plus, it has most of the ingredients that we love. I loved it, my kids loved it... but my husband (and Mandy - I gave her some leftovers to see what she though) thought it was too sweet... and really needed the chipotle. NEXT time I'll add a good amount of chipotle in adobo.

2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup dried cherries (our grocery has them by the raisins)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon crushed fresh garlic
1 bottle roasted red pepper chopped, or one fresh red pepper chopped
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
? chipotle in adobo sauce?
4 cup petite canned chopped tomatoes
1 16 oz can black beans
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
avocado to taste

For chips: (i skipped the chips)
Spelt Flour tortillas
Coconut oil

Heat 1 cup of broth in microwave. Place cherries in small bowl and add hot broth and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a 4 quart sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion (and red bell pepper if not using bottled roasted bell pepper); sauté about 5 minutes.

Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add chopped bottled red pepper (if not using fresh), chili powder, cumin, coriander, and oregano. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and remaining broth, bring to boil.

Reduce heat; simmer uncovered about 5 minutes. Stir in beans, cilantro, and cherry mixture. Continue cooking until thoroughly heated.

I cut one tortilla into wedges and fry in coconut oil and stick the triangles in one side of the bowl and then chop a half of avocado and put on top of the chili.

from Lugubrious Delights

Slow Cooker Seitan Carnitas.

I found this recipe I just had to try on one of my favorite websites, Peas and Thank You. I love her website, but have taken a couple misses to find a true hit from her site. This is one of them.

I loved the crockpot aspect of it, and figured I'd give seitan a try. Pretty darn good and made me feel a little more "normal" eating something with a meaty texture. Next time I'll omit the salt, since I thought my seitan had enough it it already.

2 8oz. packages ground seitan

1 cup vegetable broth, divided
1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt (I omit)
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2/3 cup organic salsa
8 corn tortillas
toppings: sliced olives, guacamole, tomatoes, non-dairy (i.e. Daiya Pepper Jack) or organic cheese

•Drain seitan of as much liquid as possible.

•Add it to a skillet that has been lightly misted with oil and placed over medium high heat.

•While it isn’t necessary to sauté the seitan before adding it to the slow cooker, I like the flavor it develops. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, until starting to brown.

•Add about 1/4 c. of vegetable broth to the pan to deglaze the little bits of seitan from the pan.

•Transfer the mixture to your crockpot and add remaining broth, garlic, salt, lime juice, maple syrup, cumin, cilantro and salsa.

•Stir mixture, cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

•(If you don’t want to use a slow cooker you could just add all the ingredients to the pan and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until liquid has reduced.)

•Toast up the corn tortillas in a dry skillet and top with carnitas and other desired toppings.

Black Bean Taco Salad With Lime Vinaigrette & Taco Bowls.

These yummy bowls is a recipe from my friend Brooke's blog, Simply Real Foods. I think I made them the day that I saw the recipe. Everyone loved them... and the only change I made was cutting the olive oil. Awesomeness Brooke, thanks!

If you can find a good whole wheat tortilla, when you toast them into bowls - the taste is nutty and totally adds to the overall flavors.

Vinaigrette
1/4 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled


Salad
1 cup chopped tomato
1 large zucchini, chopped (and/or 1 cup chopped green pepper)
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1 cup frozen corn, partially cooked, rinsed with cold water and drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 avocado, diced
lettuce greens, torn into bite-sized pieces or shredded
crushed tortilla chips or Taco Bowls (directions below)

vinaigrette: combine first 11 ingredients in a blender or food processor, process until smooth.

salad: combine all chopped veggies except lettuce. Pour vinaigrette over top and toss well to coat.

Serve on a bed of lettuce greens. Top with crushed tortilla chips or inside a taco bowl.

Baked Taco Salad Bowls
Whole wheat flour tortillas
cooking spray
salt

Preheat oven to 425*.  Place up to 6 tortillas between damp paper towels on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 30-45 seconds, until steamed.  Arrange 6 empty metal cans or mold of your choice on a large sheet cake pan.  Drape steamed tortillas over molds and press sides down to form folds.  Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt if desired.

Bake taco salad bowls in oven for 7 minutes.  Remove taco bowls from forms and turn right side up on baking sheet.  Place back in oven for about 3 minutes.  Let cool on rack.  Repeat until desired amount of bowls have been baked.

Ranch Lentil Taco Salad.

 

I remember having taco salad growing up and my mom would mix everything in this big ole yellow Tupperware bowl to feed her family of 7. I loved to put ranch on mine... maybe that's weird, but I'm a ranch girl. So when I found the vegan ranch recipe, I knew I had to try it in the taco salad. Oh wow... SO yummy!

It's now Ava's favorite because she helps me make everything and then "plates" everyone's plate. She seriously says, "I'm ready to plate it now Mom." I love it. Maybe it's a bit too many Rachael Ray's, or Food Network Star or Master Chef's... but it's awesome. She also calls it her "birds nest" because of how she "plates" and lays out her lettuce.

romaine lettuce, chopped

tortilla chips

spiced lentil taco recipe

tomatoes

corn

avocado

vegan ranch dressing recipe

cilantro

Fruity Kale Salad with Coconut Lime Dressing.

When I saw this on Crysta's blog, I immediatly wanted to try it. It sounded so, so good. And it was. I was totally worried about the kale tasting bitter... but knew being soaked in the lime juice for a while would break it down. I didn't know how my kids would like it... but knew there was enough of what they like in there they'd be happy. And then for Shayne... he's a man... and salads typically aren't a main meal for him - but he really liked this.

6 large leaves of fresh kale, rinsed and dried

1 banana, chopped
3 strawberries, sliced
4 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 half of an avocado, cubed
1 clementine, or half of an orange peeled and divided
1 apple, chopped
1 tablespoon cilantro (chopped fresh is best, but can use dried)
toasted & sliced almonds {my addition}


dressing
1/4 cup dried coconut
2 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoon agave
1 teaspoon flaxseed

Chop up kale into bite sized pieces and toss with a pinch or 2 of salt. Mix up the ingredients for the dressing in a separate small bowl until well blended.

Massage the dressing (using your very clean hands) into the leaves until the kale becomes wilty and well coated with the dressing.

Now, in a separate bowl, take all of the chopped fruit (except for the avocado) and toss with cilantro. Mix fruit with the wilted kale.

Top with the chopped avocado and a little more of the dried coconut & toasted almonds.

from my friend Crysta who got it from ManifestVegan

Butternut Squash Soup

Looking for a good crockpot recipe that I can put together before church, I found this one from my friend Brooke's food blog... which she got from Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It was perfect for after church and took no time getting it all together. I love butternut squash, and this creamy soup was sweet and different.

Belly Biters
[me: yum] [nolan:yummy] [shayne: alright] [coco: eh.] [ava: yuck]

with half and half, I'll for sure be making it again.

2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups vegetable broth
1 14-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon shy maple syrup (brooke used brown sugar)
1 tablespoon fish sauce, soy sauce, liguid amino's1/2 to 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce (Sriracha sauce) or crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 recipe Thai Gremolata, [recipe below]

In a 3 1/2 or 4-quart slow cooker stir together squash, broth, coconut milk, onion, brown sugar, soy sauce, and Asian chili sauce. Cover; cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or high for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

At this point, the the crockpot, it looks pretty nasty. But keep it together and use an immersion blender to carefully blend soup until completely smooth. Stir in lime juice. Ladle into bowls and top with Thai Gremolata (below). If desired, serve with lime wedges.

Thai Gremolata
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1 tablespoon lime peel, finely shredded


In a bowl stir together.

Ancho Chili.

I've had this recipe in my arsenal since it aired on the Rachael Ray Show over 2 years ago. I figured it was about time because I was sick of seeing it, along with about 50 other bookmarks on my google homepage.

It was good... Ava loved it... but wasn't exactly worth the 2 year wait. Still trying to decide if it'll go into the much coveted rotation around this house. Although, while I was typing it up I realized that the avocado mixture was suppose to be use in the soup and not just as a garnish - which I omitted. So, I'll for sure be trying it again... and figured I'd throw it up here in case it suits someone else's fancy.

1 quart vegetable stock

4 ancho chilis (dried poblano peppers), seeded (next go round, I'll use 3)

1 red onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1/2 cup raisins, roughly chopped (sounds beyond weird, but trust me-or Rachael)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon {i omit}
Salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup tomato paste
1-2 cans of black beans {3 cups}

1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 ripe avocado
Zest and juice of 1 lime

1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese, for garnish {i used an almond pepper jack}

Yields: 6 servings

Place a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat with the stock and ancho chilies. Bring the liquid to a bubble then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes until chilies have softened. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor and -- very carefully, this mixture is very hot! -- puree it until smooth. Reserve.

While the chilies are simmering, place a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, steam fry the onion, garlic, raisins and spices to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until the veggies are tender, 5-6 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the pan and cook until deep golden brown and aromatic, about 1 minute. Add black beans.

Add the blended stock-chile mixture to the pot and bring the liquids up to a bubble.

While that's working, in a food processor {or just mash together} the cilantro, avocado, lime zest and juice. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, and puree until smooth.

Add the avocado mixture to the pot of chili stirring to incorporate. Serve the chili garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds and a little cheese with the quesadilla alongside.

Garden Bounty Tortilla Soup.

I got this recipe from Jami, who got it from her Peacocks on My Porch cookbook (read this if you're interested in what the name means... a clue: I loved it being the wife of a cyclist and somewhat of a cyclist myself). And I just veganized it. I love all the vegetables in here... but didn't quite understand why it was tortilla soup (maybe I copied it down wrong). Either way, next time I'm going to do the crisping and pureeing of the corn tortillas like I did in Brooke's soup next time (and probably take out the potatoes). I just love that flavor in the back of it. It's got a pretty sweet kick to it too, which Shayne loved.

8 cups vegetable broth
1 red onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2-4 potatoes, peeled and dice
1 can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
2 cloves minced garlic
1 ½ teaspoon canned chipotle in adobo (sliced)
1 teaspoon jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium yellow summer squash, sliced
1 can corn, drained
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
garnish: avocado, limes & toritlla strips

In a large stockpot over high heat, combine broth, onion, carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, garlic, chipotle in adobo, jalapeno, oregano and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. 

Add the salt and white pepper, zucchini, squash, bell peppers and corn. Bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add cilantro, lime and orange juice. Stir well and remove from heat. Garnish with fried tortilla strips, diced avocados, and lime wedges if desired.

If you don't like things very spicy, go easy on the jalapeno’s and chipotle peppers. If you find this out after making it - just add more broth.

Artichoke Pesto Pasta

I made this for the first time back in May (which feels like worlds away with how far I've come on all this foodstyle thing)... and have revamped it a couple of times. Every time it got better and better. Because my kids weren't big fans of eating the actual artichokes, I now puree them, and it turns them into this thick, cream-like stuff. Yum. Which has made this amazing pasta even yummier because now it's just full of yummy, creamy goodness. One of my most favorite recipes - by far.

Other then the taste, it's also my favorite because it's amazingly easy too. When I make it, I always double the pesto and freeze half of it. It's the best on-hand meal you could have on your shelf (artichokes) and in your freezer (pesto). Yum.

1/2 pound spinach or whole wheat pasta1 medium-size red onion, sliced into thin half-moons
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons white grape juice, veggie broth, or water
1/2 teaspoon salt
several pinches of freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe Basil-Cilantro Pesto (see below)
1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and pureed

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions, usually about 10 minutes. Once you've added the pasta to the water, proceed with the recipe.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and steam-fry the onion until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Puree in blender the rinsed artichokes. Add the garlic to the skillet and saute for a minute more. Add the white grape juice, salt and pepper, and cook for another minute or two. Lower the heat to low. At this point, the linguine should be done.

When the pasta is ready, don't drain it. Use a pasta spoon to transfer it to the pan in batches. This is a good method because you can use the pasta water to thin out the pesto and make sure that everything gets evenly coated. When you add one batch, add a bit of the pesto, too, and using the pasta spoon, saute to coat. Proceed with the rest of the pasta and pesto until you've added all of it. Stir in the artichoke heart puree. If it seems dry, add extra splashes of pasta water.

Cook gently over low heat just until all is heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately!

adapted from Veganomicon
page 191
serves 4
cook time: 35 minutes





Basil-Cilantro Pesto

In the book they say this is their "cheapskate" pesto because they're using a cheaper nut, almonds, instead of the traditional pine nuts. I guess "cheapskate" translates to awesome in my book, because that's what this stuff was... awesome! I could eat it by the spoonful. And with using my fat-free oil substitute instead of oil - I could... and did...

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
1/3 cup slivered  or sliced almonds
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fat-free oil substitute

Place the basil, cilantro, almonds, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor and blend until pasty, scraping down the sides occasionally. With the food processor on, slowly drizzle in the oil substitute. Blend until relatively smooth and no large chunks of almonds are left. If you don't have a food processor and are using a blender (i did this so i didn't have to get out the big food processor), then just add the olive oil at the end, since many blenders aren't equipped with and opening to drizzle into.

Veganomicon, pg 214

makes about 1 cup

time: 10 minutes

Vegan Mexican Spaghetti.

So I updated a classic from about a year ago, which was originally a Rachael Ray... I just took out the beef, alcohol, cinnamon and added tomato. Turned out awesome.

2 ancho chili peppers, stemmed and seeded {i found a big bag of them at Wal-mart}
3 cups vegetable stock
3/4 pound soyrizo {Sprouts}
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 12-ounce can tomato sauce
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
Finely chopped scallions, cilantro or parsley, to garnish

Simmer peppers in stock for 15 minutes to reconstitute, then purée stock and softened peppers in a food processor.

Meanwhile, heat heavy pot over medium-high heat add soyrizo, brown 8-10 minutes. Then add onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and cook 8-10 more. Then add tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring.

Add tomato sauce, stir a minute more then add the stock and pepper purée. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

While sauce simmers, bring water to boil for spaghetti. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente. Serve in bowls with pasta, sauce on top, and garnish with scallions and cilantro or parsley.

White Chili.

When I was first interested in healthier eating I found Ellie Krieger on the Food Network channel, dvred her shows, and watched them... and trying a few. She's a good go between because she still uses all "real" ingredients and none of the stuff you can't find at a normal grocery store. She uses meat and cheeses, but makes them as healthy as she can.

So it was fun to pick up her newest cookbook from the library and see how I can tweak some to fit us. This recipe spoke to me with the white beans, hominy, cumin and coriander... all of which I love. It also called for turkey (1 lb. white meat), which I omitted. And only used 1 instead of the 3 poblano peppers she used. I learned a few recipes back that they were a tad too strong for the kids. Although, it may be the cayenne.... I don't know. I'm too scared to try each on their own to decide which one it is... so I just ease back on both.

White Chili.
1 medium onion
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium poblano pepper, seeded, white ribs removed, and finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
2 - 15 ounce cans white beans (or 3 cups cooked) drained & rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 - 15.5 ounce can hominy, drained and rinsed
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
lime wedges

In a large pot, over medium heat, steam fry the onion, celery, and poblano peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the white beans, broth, and oregano. Cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. 

Add the hominy, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and more cayenne pepper to taste and continue cooking, partially covered, for 10 minutes longer. Ladle into individual bowls and top each serving with cilantro. Garnish with lime wedge. 

adapted from So Easy
by Ellie Krieger
"White Turkey Chili"
page 189

Quinoa and Black Beans.

Yum... Shayne said, "It's good, but it's not like I'm going to request this one." Well, that's all good and all until we saw how much Corynn tore-it-up. And if that stubborn girl likes it... we'll be having it again! It was real good the next day for lunch, wrapped up in a whole grain tortilla with avocado and tomatoes. Thanks Jami!

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels (or one can corn)
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
Juice of one lime
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
garnish with avocado or sour cream

First start by soaking quinoa in water. Before you add it to your sauce pan rinse very well and drain.

Heat some water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Steam-fry the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.

Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Add canned tomatoes (drained). Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro and lime juice.

Vegetarian Mixed-Bean Chili Express.

This stuff is goooood... and everyone tore it up! Never thought I'd say something with TVP is good. But it is!

6 garlic cloves, minced or crushed

1 tablespoon chili powder (preferably a dark variety, such as ancho)

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 (28-ounce) low-sodium diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans, rinsed & drained (or 1 - 15ounce can)

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed & drained (or 1 - 15ounce can)

1 1/2 cups cooked small red beans, rinsed & drained (or 1 - 15ounce can)

3 cups hot water

1 1/2 cups dry textured vegetable protein
1 cup frozen whole-kernal corn
1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon hot-pepper sauce
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon agave nectar
2 tablespoons cornmeal or mas harina
salt to taste
cilantro for garnish

Steam-fry the garlic in a large, heavy nonstick skillet for 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, oregano, cumin, and red pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes (with juice), beans, hot water, vegetable protein, corn, bell pepper, soy sauce, hot-pepper sauce, onion powder, cocoa powder, and agave.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes.

During the last 5 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the cornmeal or masa harina over the top and stir in thoroughly. Season with salt. Garnish with cilantro. Serve.

Make 6 Servings. 57 gram carbohydrates per serving


page 226



3 Layer Quesadilla

The kids loooooved this, totally going into the rotation!

vegetable oil cooking spray

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup vegetable broth

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 large red onion, chopped

2 cups zucchini, chopped

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced

kosher or sea salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas

3/4 cup prepared chunky salsa

garnish: avocado & tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Coat a 10-inch pie plate with cooking spray and set aside.

Add the beans, 1/4 cup broth, garlic, oregano, and cayenne to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth but thick. Set aside.

Heat the remaining 1/4 cup broth in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Put in the zucchini and corn and saute for 3 mintues. Add the cumin and cilantro and saute for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Place one tortilla in the prepared pie plate. Spread about one-third of the bean mixture over the torgilla. Using a slotted spoon, add one-third of the vegetable mixture on top of the beans. Add one-third of the salsa over the vegetables and top with another tortilla. Make two more layers in the same fashion, to make a total of three layers.

Baked uncovered for about 30 minutes. Cut into wedges, garnish with avocado & tomatoes then serve. 



page 137



Salsa.

Shayne and I love salsa. The kids love it too, especially Coco. It's probably been the hardest thing about our diet to keep. Not because of the actual salsa, because that's straight up healthy. It's those chips. The multigrain ones are our favorite... but with the oils and salt - they're still not entirely good for us. But, we've all got our Everest's, right!? {any Friends fans out there? Joey's "Thanksgiving Pants" where eating a whole turkey is his "Everest"....} Let ours be chips and salsa.

I've been on the hunt to find the best salsa recipe for quite sometime. We actually like the salsa from Chili's of all places. So I use to make a copycat version of that all the time. Until Carrie told me she had the best salsa from her sister-in-law Joleen. Well, after begging her for it... because it wasn't ever really written down. That is until now. John (Carrie's husband, and Joleen's brother) almost didn't want to give it to me because he knew I'd ruin it with cumin. I love cumin. It's seriously in the genes. That and cilantro, my mom and I both adore. Anyhow... if you're not a fan - obviously omit it and make John happy. And I changed it up even more from them by using fire roasted tomatoes. Shayne and I love the roastedness. I think I've found our new favorite salsa... the next step is eventually finding one without using cans, all fresh. Until then, I'll thouroughly enjoy this one...

2 - 14.5 oz. cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 bundle green onions
1 jalapeno pepper
1/3 bunch fresh cilantro
1 - 4 oz. can diced green chiles
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin

Pulse all ingredients in food processor or blender.

Beef-Free Bean Burgers.

At first I was so not into trying to find something to take the place of my burgers. But, after having 2 bad burger experiences... I was more willing to fill that void in a healthier way. Shayne still prefers keeping our new eating lifestyle seperate from his burgers... but he wasn't complaining about this one. Ava loved it so much she wanted the leftover for her lunch.

Below is the recipe with my additions/changes... the original from The Kitchn is  here if you want their version {pretty much the same though}.

Yields 4-6 patties depending on thickness.

Inspired By: Eating Well...Living Thin

1 (15oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed lightly (if at all)

1/2 cup pecans, diced (and checked for shells)

1/3 cup onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons green curry paste

1 bunch cilantro, chopped finely

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ketchup

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons ground flax seed + 3 tablespoons water {or 1 large egg white}1/3 cup flour (whole wheat, white, chickpea, oat - anything but pastry or semolina)

Put beans in food processor and pulse til all the beans are chopped up... as close to obliterating them that you can get. Add all remaining ingredients and pulse, adding flour last. Depending on how wet your curry paste, onions and garlic are, you might require a teaspoon less or more. You want your mixture to hold shape when formed (it will still be sticky) but not crumble. Chill for at least 10 minutes in the refrigerator. You can stop at this point and leave them all day if needs be, but if you're planning to eat at the same time as preparation, they can use a few minutes to chill before hitting the heat.

Form mixture into patties, we find 5 is the perfect amount, but if you like them a little thinner, 6 works as well. Heat skillet on stove with 2 cups oil (we prefer peanut or canola) on high for 5 minutes. Add patties and fry until crispy/crunchy on each side (3-5 minutes). You can use non-stick spray instead, though they won't crisp up quite the same. They will still be soft in the middle, that's ok!

(*Editors Note: We used 2 cups of oil in a 16" pan. The oil covered the entire bottom of the pan, but they weren't drowning or swimming in oil by any means, so please adjust the oil accordingly to your size pan and personal tastes.)

Serve on a toasted bun, with sprouts, mashed avocado and tomatoes. Enjoy!

Belly Biters:

Jen {love!} - Shayne {good.} - Ava {loves!!} - Nolan {yum.} - Coco {yum!}

Mexican Bowtie Pasta.

Here's another I got from LittleBirdieSecrets that's yummy... I loved it because I could get it ready earlier in the day, and not have to fuss with anything now that we're in the after school rush.

The original recipe called for mayo, and I subbed nayonaise for it {since they didn't have vegenaise at Sprouts}. Nayonaise has more soy in it then I'd prefer... so, I'll work on that or try it with vegenaise sometime. But it's so yummy and for sure going in the rotation!! The original has chicken and cheese added to it, if that's your flavor check out the link above.

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn, run under cold water for a minute
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup diced tomato
Juice from 1 lime
1/2 cup vegenaise {or mayonaise}
1 cup salsa of your choice
2-3 cups bowtie pasta (cook 2 min. less that directed)
1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Combine first six ingredients in a bowl. Chill. Mix mayo and salsa together and pour over cooked pasta. Chill. Before serving, add veggies to pasta. Toss with cilantro. Serve cold.

*You can also omit the pasta and serve as a yummy dip with tortilla chips!

belly biters: all {yum!!}

Pesto Sandwich.

When I made this pasta, I knew I had to try the pesto in a sandwich. I knew it'd be yummy. And it was!! We ate them for lunch with leftover black bean soup. I froze half of it to use for the pasta or more sandwiches. Probably more sandwiches...yum...

basil-cilantro pesto {below}
2 slices of bread, toasted
sprouts
tomatoes, sliced
avocado, smashed

Spread some pesto on one side of the bread, smashed avocado on the other. These are used as glue to hold everything else in. Then put sliced tomatoes and sprouts on one side... and close er up. Yum!

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
1/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fat-free oil substitute

Place the basil, cilantro, almonds, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor and blend until pasty, scraping down the sides occasionally. With the food processor on, slowly drizzle in the oil substitute. Blend until relatively smooth and no large chunks of almonds are left. If you don't have a food processor and are using a blender (i did this so i didn't have to get out the big food processor), then just add the olive oil at the end, since many blenders aren't equipped with and opening to drizzle into.

Veganomicon, pg 214

makes about 1 cup

time: 10 minutes