Tag Archives: healthy eating

Crispy Veggie Taquitos

This recipe for Crispy Veggie Taquitos was adapted from Ela Vegan

Ingredients:

 

  • 2 medium-large potatoes, peeled and chopped

    Photo by Ela Vegan

    Photo by Ela Vegan

  • 1/2 Tbsp oil
  • 1 medium carrot, grated or finely diced
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup peas, frozen
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp sea salt, more or less to taste
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup vegetable broth
  • 5 oz  cheese of choice
  • taco seasoning, to sprinkle on top of taquitos (optional)
  • 8–10 tortillas

Directions:

  1. Peel and chop the potatoes and cook in a pot with boiling water and salt until fork tender which takes about 12-15 minutes. Drain the water and mash the potatoes with a potato masher. You can add a splash of plant-based milk for a creamier result. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a pan/skillet over medium-high heat and add the chopped onion. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the grated carrot, minced garlic, all spices and sauté for a further minute.
  3. Pour in the vegetable broth, add peas (frozen), put the lid on and cook for a few minutes until the carrot is softened. If you use frozen peas, make sure to let them thaw completely. If using canned peas, drain and rinse (no need to cook, add them in the next step). Turn off the heat.
  4. Add the mashed potatoes and cheese. Use a fork or a potato masher to combine everything.
  5. Taste the veggie mixture and adjust seasonings. Add more salt/black pepper/spices to taste. If you want it spicier, add more red pepper flakes to taste.
  6. Preheat oven to 410 F (210 C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  7. Place about 2-3 Tbsp of the filling onto each tortilla and roll them up tightly. Place every tortilla seam-side down on the baking sheet, next to each other. Brush with a little vegetable oil (to make them even more crispy) and sprinkle with some taco seasoning.
  8. Bake in the oven for about 17-20 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy. Broil for a few extra minutes (optional).
  9. Serve with salsa, sour cream, queso or guacamole.
  10. Enjoy!

Rainbow Veggie Slaw Wrap

By Darshana Thacker (Forks over Knives)

Makes 8 wraps Preparation Time: 20 minutes Ready In: 20 minutesvegetables-742095_1920

These satisfying wraps make a great portable meal. Wrap them tightly in waxed paper and stash in the refrigerator for a meal on the go. Mashed chickpeas serve as a luscious base for the veggies, and white miso paste adds a burst of flavor. Feel free to get creative and swap in your favorite in-season fresh vegetables.

Ingredients for Rainbow Veggie Slaw Wraps

  • 1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained 
  • 3 cups shredded zucchini or yellow summer squash
  •  ½ cup shredded carrot ½ cup shredded radishes
  •  ½ cup snap pea pods, thinly sliced diagonally 
  • ½ cup chopped red onion or shallots
  •  ¼ cup finely snipped fresh dill
  • l 2 tablespoons white miso paste 
  • 1½ teaspoons yellow mustard
  •  1 clove garlic, minced
  •  Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  •  8 7- to 8-inch whole wheat flour tortillas
  •  16 lettuce leaves, stemmed and cut into large pieces

Directions for Rainbow Veggie Slaw Wraps

  • For slaw, in a large bowl mash chickpeas. Stir in the next nine ingredients (through garlic). Season with salt and pepper.
  •  In a dry skillet heat tortillas, one at a time, on both sides until warm. Remove and cover with a towel to keep warm. 
  •  To assemble, arrange lettuce and spoon slaw onto each tortilla just below the center. Fold bottom edge of tortilla over filling. Fold in opposite sides; roll up tortilla.

CAULIFLOWER PARMESAN

FROM THE BLOG SHE LIKES FOODLow-Carb Cauliflower Creamed Spinach

Ingredients for CAULIFLOWER PARMESAN:

  • 1 large head cauliflower, should be big enough to cut 4 good sized steaks out of
  • 1/2 cup flour, I used AP flour
  • 1/2 cup plain, unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon herbs de Provence or dried Italian herbs
  • 56 grams panko breadcrumbs, about 1 cup
  • 2 ounces shredded cheese, I used low fat mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup marinara sauce

Directions for CAULIFLOWER PARMESAN

    • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment paper.  Carefully cut cauliflower into four similar sized steaks.  See above for tips on that.  In a medium sized bowl, add the flour 1/4 teaspoon salt, garlic powder and onion powder and almond milk.  Whisk until a thick batter is formed.
    • Pour the Panko, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and garlic powder and dried herbs onto a large plate and mix until combined.  Carefully place the cauliflower steak in the batter and use your hands to make sure that the entire steak is coated with batter.  There is just enough batter for four steaks so you want it to be a thin coat.
    • Place the batter coated cauliflower steak in the panko and coat.  You can press it down and then sprinkle some on top.  Shake off any excess and then place on the baking sheet.  Repeat process until finished.
    • Bake cauliflower until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and starting to brown, 30-40 minutes.  Remove from the oven and top each with 1/4 cup tomato sauce and a small sprinkle of cheese.  Place back in the oven and bake another 5-7 minutes, until cheese is melted………..

 

 

TAVERN MUSHROOMS

A healthy version of deep fried mushrooms! Yum! mushrooms-1309246_1920

  • 1 8-ounce package of white mushrooms, washed and dried
  • 2 cups Pasta Sauce (or your favorite plant-strong pasta sauce)
  • 1/3 cup corn meal
  • 1/3 cup flax meal (you may find this in the store with the label “ground flax”)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta sauce for dipping. Using the remaining cup, dip the mushrooms into sauce to coat. Then, roll the sauce-covered mushrooms into the dry mixture until completely covered.
  3. Place on a parchment paper- or foil-covered baking sheet. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with remaining pasta sauce for dipping (or your favorite dressing or sauce).

Servings: About 15-20 mushrooms

“Indian” Baked Taquitos

makes 8-10 servings   tortilla-3590164_1920

Author: Michaela Vais

  • 2 medium-large potatoes peeled and chopped       
  • 1/2 tbsp oil
  • 1 medium carrot grated or finely diced                   
  • 1/2 medium-large onion chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup peas frozen 
  • 1 tsp curry powder                                                  
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin                                               
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 3/4-1 tsp sea salt or less/more to taste                    
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • Red pepper flakes to taste                                       
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup vegetable broth                                           
  • 5 oz cheese of choice
  • Taco seasoning to sprinkle on top of taquitos (optional)
  • 8-10 tortillas 

Directions:

Peel and chop the potatoes and cook in a pot with boiling water and salt until fork tender which takes about 12-15 minutes. Drain the water and mash the potatoes with a potato masher. You can add a splash of milk for a creamier result. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan/skillet over medium-high heat and add the chopped onion. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the grated carrot, minced garlic, all spices and sauté for a further minute.

Pour in the vegetable broth, add peas (thawed), put the lid on and cook for a few minutes until the carrot is softened. Turn off heat and add the mashed potatoes and cheese. Use a fork or a potato masher to combine everything.

Taste the veggie mixture and adjust seasonings. Add more salt/black pepper/spices to taste. If you want it spicier, add more red pepper flakes to taste.

Preheat oven to 410 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place about 2-3 tbsp of the filling onto each tortilla and roll them up tightly. Place every tortilla seam-side down on the baking sheet, next to each other.

Brush with a little vegetable oil (to make them even more crispy) and sprinkle some taco seasoning on top.   Bake in the oven for about 17-20 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy. Broil for a few minutes (optional).   Serve with salsa, sour cream, vegan queso or guacamole. 

 

Mushroom Bourguignon

Author: Linda Meyermushrooms-756406_1920Mushroom Bourguignon serves 4 

Preparation Time: Takes 1.5 hrs start to finish

Savory mushrooms and carrots in a rich wine sauce, the perfect cozy and romantic winter dish. This will please everyone at your table. 

  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 2 lb mushroom caps we prefer baby bellas, stems off and sliced thick
  • 6 large carrots peeled and sliced into 1 inch 2.5 cm circles
  • 1 large yellow onion peeled and diced
  • 1 large shallot peeled and sliced thin
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 ½ cups red wine
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp ground sea salt or to taste
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves plus extra for garnishing
  • 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp all-purpose flour use cornstarch to make it gluten free
  • 1/3 cup water
  • Served over 1 1 lb package of fettuccine or mashed potatoes (Dr C)

DIRECTION

  1. Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add 1 tbsp (15 ml) of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt, sauté for approximately ten minutes or until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  2. Add the remaining olive oil and the carrots. Sauté until they begin to brown then add the onions. Cook the onions until they become translucent then add the shallots. Cook until they are browned and caramelized, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
  3. Add the vegetable broth and wine to deglaze the pan. Stir and loosen the pieces of onion and shallot that may have stuck to the pan. Add the tomato paste and stir until it liquefies. Add the salt, thyme, Italian seasoning, and pepper, stir to combine and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for twenty minutes. Add more seasoning if you prefer a stronger flavor.
  4. In a small bowl, mix the flour (or corn starch if you want to make it gluten free) and water together until the flour breaks down and the mixture resembles a thick milky substance. There shouldn’t be any dry flour or lumps in the mixture. Add it to the wine sauce and stir well to combine. Add the mushrooms and stir to incorporate within the sauce. Cover and simmer on the lowest temperature for twenty minutes. The sauce will thicken into a stew. Be sure to lift the lid and check to make sure it’s not sticking to the pan or evaporating. That shouldn’t happen if the temperature is low enough, but if it does add a small amount of broth or water and stir.
  5. Spoon the mushroom Bourguignon on top of the fettucine/mashed potatoes. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves.

Eating Beef Kills More than Just the Cow

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION….HOW A BURGER KILLS MORE THAN A COW…from one of my vegan websites as they calf-362170_1920invite people to consider going meatless for a month.

It’s obvious that our food choices directly impact our health but they affect it in some less obvious ways, too.

 One of the biggest drivers of deforestation is agriculture and, because animal products need a lot more land than plants to feed the same number of people, it’s animal agriculture that is hungriest for available land.

 As global demand for meat increases, forests are increasingly destroyed to make way for farming, and the wild animals who lived there are displaced or killed. Humanity has wiped out 60 percent of all animal populations since 1970¹ and scientists warn that the Earth’s sixth mass extinction is underway.²

 The damage does not end with the felling of the trees. Without the canopy overhead to protect it from sun and wind, the soil becomes fragile and can be washed away during periods of rain. Deforestation can render once-rich landscapes utterly barren, and animal agriculture is one of the leading causes.³

 Does this actually affect us? Yes! Trees play a vital role in our survival by removing about 25 percent of harmful CO2 emissions from our atmosphere and giving us back the oxygen that we need to survive. And we need healthy soil to grow our food.

 We can play our part in protecting trees, forests, wild animals, our climate, the soil and our own oxygen supply by cutting down/eliminating meat and dairy products from our diet.

Nourishing Foods

How often are you eating Nourishing Foods?

ONLY 27% of Americans cook on a daily basis even though 98% say they prefer meals prepared at home. Home cooking is the best because you have control over the ingredients. fresh-orange-juice-1614822_1920

Eating at restaurants means you are often eating GMO grains, rancid oils (such as canola, corn and other cheap vegetable oils) and weird chemicals such as artificial sweeteners and MSG.

At home we can have real sourdough bread, good oils and healthy fats.

We recommend you make it a habit to start batch cooking (pre prep that can be done on the weekend – think of chopping the veggies all at one time-making a sauce that can be used at least twice in different ways through the week – planning for leftovers by cooking a double batch that can be presented in a different way later in the week ( like chile as a lasagna ingredient/over baked potatoes/as the base of shepherd’s pie).

Make use of your slow cooker to cook while you are at work…and if you pre-prep on the weekend…you can grab a baggy of precut up seasoned goodness and just throw it in the slow cooker, press start and head off to work!!

OF COURSE, IT HELPS IF YOU TAKE A FEW MINUTES ONCE A WEEK TO DECIDE ON A MENU FOR THE WEEK THAT CAN INCORPORATE SOME OF THE ABOVE IDEAS AND MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER.

Check out our most recent recipe: Chickpea Artichoke “Bliss in a Dish”

Chickpea Artichoke “Bliss in a Dish”

This recipe originally appeared in DREENABURTON.COM

I love artichokes and I love chickpeas. I also really love Mediterranean seasonings and briny olives with a touch of sweetness thrown in. So, when I make this dish, it’s like a little bit of bliss in a dish!  (This got a two thumbs up from Dr. Ray….so YAY it is now in rotation)

chickpeaartichokeblisstitle

Ingredients

2½ – 3 cups red or Yukon gold potatoes about ¾ – 1 lb  cut in small cubes

1 tsp olive oil to wipe around baking dish, optional

3 – 3 ½ cups chickpeas / 2 cans, rinsed and drained (I have subbed cannellini beans for these)

3 cups frozen artichokes- thaw beforehand or use from frozen (I used canned as Meijer did not have any frozen artichokes …)

4 medium-large cloves garlic minced or grated

3 tbsp water

1/2 cup red bell pepper chopped

1/3 – 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives sliced in half

1 cup chopped tomatoes

3-4 tbsp golden raisins

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

½ tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Use 1 teaspoon of the olive oil to oil a large casserole dish (about 8 by 12 inches). If you omit the oil, some of the ingredients may get a little sticky in the pan, but no biggie! Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and boil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fork tender. When potatoes are ready, drain well and add to the prepared dish along with the other ingredients, except the vinegar and the fresh parsley. Toss the mixture well, cover the dish with foil, and bake for 40 minutes (stirring about halfway through the baking process), until the potatoes are fully tender and the other vegetables have heated through and somewhat softened. Add the vinegar, toss again, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes uncovered. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the fresh parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper as desired. Serve on its own, with bread, or over quinoa, brown rice, or pasta, topped with a quick avocado sauce or mash.

 

HEALTHY MEXICAN BAKED SWEET POTATOES

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTSsweet-potatoes-3937451_1280

  • medium sweet potatoes                        
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
  • 3/4 cup canned corn rinsed and patted dry    
  • 1/2 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 green bell pepper diced                           
  • 1/2 onion diced

SEASONING

  • 1 teaspoon each smoked paprika, dried oregano,  brown sugar, chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder, cumin,   salt

TOPPINGS

  • 4 tablespoons light sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon lime zest grated
  •   2 tablespoons fresh cilantro roughly chopped  ( or green onions DR CL)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Scrub the sweet potatoes under running water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F).
  3. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
  4. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over them and rub the oil all over with your hands.
  5. Bake the sweet potatoes for 45-60 minutes.
  6. In a small bowl combine all seasoning ingredients.

Prepare the filling:

  1. About 20 minutes before the potatoes come out of the oven, place a large skillet over high heat.
  2. Put the corn in the skillet, sprinkle with seasoning and let the corn roast for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
  3. In the same skillet add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the bell pepper, onion, sprinkle with the seasoning mix and sauté until soft.
  4. In a large bowl mix together the corn, black beans, onion and pepper.

Prepare the toppings:

  1. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream with the lime zest and juice. Set aside.

Assemble the potatoes:

  1. Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven when fork-tender and let them cool for 5-10 minutes.
  2. Cut a slit down the middle of each one and squeeze the ends to open.
  3. Fill each potato with a generous amount of filling, top with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with cilantro.