Monthly Archives: March 2015

Soup

Carnival Squash Soup

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Mmmmmmmm, carnival squash is sweet, so sweet that I could not eat it plain!  So sweet that with savory spicy seasoning and veggies it is a heavenly combo! It tastes sooooo rich and buttery (no butter and very little oil involved)!

Steam and peel 1 sweet Carnival squash

Spray your pan with a little coconut oil spray and sauté 1/2 yellow onion, 2 clove garlic, 2 large handfuls washed curly kale.  Add in 1/4 minced jalapeño for a kick!

Puree squash with 1/2-1 cup soy milk (or milk of choice), to desired consistency, along with about 2 tbs sautéed  onion/garlic * then sprinkle the remainder of sautéed veggies on top on top as a flavorful garnish. Enjoy the simple deliciousness!!

*for ease/laziness, I actually scooped out pieces of sauteed onion/garlic out of the frying pan, leaving all kale and about half the onion/garlic behind for garnishing.

Wow, I cannot wait to make this again!!  

   

                 

Salads

Crunchy Sweet Summer Salad

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This was so simple yet so delicious!!  I was not expecting it to taste as good as it did 🙂  Optional add ins could include pumpkin seeds, cilantro, or sesame seeds. Enjoy with these or in the pure simplicity below 🙂

2 cups organic girl greens

1 large stalk celery chopped

About 6 small strawberries sliced

1/4 large lemon squeezed

About 1.5 cups chopped pineapple

Toss all together and be nourished!

Yum!!

   

   

Casseroles, Stir Fry

Savory Roasted Red Beets

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Ah, I spent last weekend in Vegas eating lavish buffets and oversized oily feasts, so I must say I was delighted to get back to my healthy kitchen. Fortunately my guy values health as much as I do and did some grocery shopping while I was away, yielding some fresh organic beets! Time to roast em!

You need:

3-4 beets, chopped into 1/2in x2 in slices

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

coconut spray

2-3 tbs fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F, and spray glass/ceramic dish with coconut oil

Toss all veggies and parsley in dish, adding another spray if necessary to lightly coat.

Bake for 20minutes, stir. Resume for another 20minutes and serve with whatever you like!! I steamed some potatoes, cabbage, and acorn squash to go with mine, but I could see serving them on rice, or a bed of spinach too!  Naturally for meat/fish eaters it makes a great side, but is a most delicious meal for plant munchers 🙂  Enjoy! These were SO flavorful, and were even tastier as leftovers. Yeah, baby!!





Stir Fry

Creamy Vegan Mushroom Bok Choy Stir Fry

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Pseudo-asian-concoction of the day 🙂  I have so many asian crave foods I’m working on replicating in my very caucasian-but-wannabe-asian kitchen.  Hey, at least we got a rice cooker!!  My guy was raised on rice and doesn’t go a meal without it; I’m in!  We ate this along with some other leftovers tonight, but if I was cooking for me, I’d eat this whole recipe on some brown rice and call it a MEAL!

You need: 

1 large stalk bok choy, cleaned and chopped, greens separated from white stalks

About 3-4oz mushroom of choice (I used an assortment)

1 large clove garlic

1 drizzle sesame oil

about 1/2 tbs liquid aminos

1/2 cup low fat soy milk

1 generous dash crushed red pepper

Saute mushrooms and white stalks of bok choy in sesame oil, then add liquid aminos and garlic. Saute for a few more minutes, then add soy milk and crushed red pepper. Simmer until stalks reach desired level of tenderness, then add greens of bok choy, simmering until just wilted. Remove from heat and serve over brown rice!! YUM !

   

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Salads

Sweet Spinach Strawberry Salad

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Simple and delicious!! Truly satisfying and fresh!! What a spring/summer lunch time treat 🙂

 All you need:

-2 cups fresh spinach

-1/4 lemon

-5-6 large strawberries sliced

– about 3 medjool dates chopped (more or less to taste!)

I packed this for my lunch today, squeezing the lemon over just prior  to eating. It was heavenly and didn’t taste overtly lemon-y. Really the strawberries and dates shine here!! YUMMY!





Appetizers, Salads, Snacks

Fresh Mango Salsa!

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Oh yeah!  Put these on some black bean vegan tacos, a bed of spinach for a fresh, salad, or if you eat fish some lovely grilled salmon.  We had a feast today replete with power greens, fresh avocado, steamed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and purple potatoes, and grilled salmon. It was amazinggggggggg.  My guy does the grilling and I do the veggies in the kitchen 🙂  Does not get more summery or simple!!

You need:

1 cup chopped mango

1cup chopped tomato

3 green onions sliced

4tbs chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 lemon or lime juiced

1/4 chopped jalapeño or serrano 

Chop and toss, enjoy!!!





Breakfast, Snacks

Blueberry Fig Morning Smoothie

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Another super simple all fruit smoothie for starting out your week right!  Get yourself hydrated and full of all natural energy and antioxidants. I know you need it on a Monday morning!! I sure did 🙂

You need:

16oz frozen figs

6oz frozen blueberries

1tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

about 1L water

Blendo all in high power blender!

Serves 2!

Garnish with fresh mint leaves (I couldn’t find mine for photos!)





Appetizers, Salads, Sandwiches/Wraps, Snacks

Steamed Kabocha and Pea Sprout Spring Rolls

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Clearly one of my favorite foods, these spring rolls!! I was almost out and found some brown rice wrappers, so tried them out! Not bad, just not as pretty 🙂 The brown rice wraps just require a little more water/soaking to soften up as much as the white rice wrappers.  Personal preference, this recipe is great with either!!  The kabocha and pea sprouts were a new experiment and I LOVED the textures/flavors of both! Bell peppers, cilantro, and cucumber are old standbys 🙂  This is one dinner that is light, fresh, healthy and leaves you feeling satisfied, but not weighted down by oils and heavy food.  Easy to digest and oh so delicious!!! Check it out!

You need:

-1 small or 1/2 large kabocha squash, cubed and steamed until soft

-3 green onions, cut into strips

-large handful cilantro

-1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin

-1/2 large cucumber, cliced thin

-Rice Wrapper, Vietnamese Style, 8in, brown or white rice, 10-12 wrappers

-raw spinach or mixed greens

-about 4oz fresh pea sprouts (got mine organic at TJs), bottoms trimmed off about 1 inch

One at a time, dip spring roll wrappers into warm water until softened. Place on flat surface like a cutting board. Layer in greens, sprouts, sqaush, and other veggies, then roll up folding one long side, then each of the small sides, finally wrapping around second long side to secure together.  Set on a place and set aside as you make each one the same way. Whisk together your dipping sauce and enjoy!! Serves 2!

For the sauce:

-1tbs liquid aminos

-1 large or 2 smaller lemons juiced

-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper





Appetizers, Breakfast, Snacks

Healthy Vegan Cornbread

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I always say, I know I’ve been away from home too long when I start to crave cornbread. So tell me why I have never tried to make this heavenly treat. I know I can healthify anything!! MMMMM healthy cornbread– an oxymoron?  Perhaps generally, but not today! No this one is not lard or butter laden, (though a little butter on top would not be the end of the world 😉 Made with organic 100% gf cornmeal and completely oil free, one could do MUCH worse in the health department!!  These come out pretty dense and hearty, which I love, but if you are accustomed to a lighter cornbread, just up your oat flour by 1/2 cup and your almond milk by another 1/3-1/2 cup.  You’re golden!

I used: 

1.5 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup oat flour

2 bananas

1/2tsp vanilla

1 tsp coconut vinegar

1tbs golden flax

1 cup almond milk

1 ear corn, de-cobbed and crumbled

1 tbs jalapeno, minced

Nutritional yeast 3tbs + some to garnish

Mix all ingredients together, saving out a few tsp nutritional yeast to sprinkle on top! Feel free to up your jalapeno if you can handle some kick too, it really depends on how spicy your chosen pepper happens to be!!

Spoon into silicone cupcake molds for easy, oil-free removal.

Bake at 350 x 35min and enjoy!!







Dessert, Snacks

Chocolate Orange Chip Cookies

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Ooey Gooey Chewy!!!  These cookies don’t look like much, granted, but I promise you they taste addictively good!!   Noadded fats aside from that in the chocolate chunks, made purely with coconut oil.    YUMMMMYYY!! Some buckwheat flour gives it a dark and hearty look, while the bananas keep them light and fluffy yet chewy! 

Blend on high:

2 bananas

1 tsp vanilla

4 dates

1/2 cup almond milk

Then add:

1tbs golden flax

1dash cinnamon and let sit for about 5 minutes

Turn into a bowl with:

1.25 cup oat flour

1/4 cup buckwheat flour

about 2/3 cup chocolate chunks from this chocolate recipe (you could use any chocolate, but it would no longer have the orange cocunut flavor)

1/2 tsp each baking soda/powder

Combine until well moistened!

For best results, refrigerate for 2 hours prior to baking, but if you can’t wait, they still taste yummy either way, they just melt/spread more if you don’t fridge first 🙂 

Bake at 350 for about 10-12 min. These come out light and chewy with a crisp chocolate bottom. They taste WAY better than they look! The chocolate seems to sink to the bottom and melt creating this awesome crisp chocolate coating on the bottom of the cookie.  The almond/coconut/orange of the chocolate really adds to the complexity and taste on these. Enjoy!!