Losing Pounds

Chickpea Vegetable Stew

2011-08-10T13:19:00.000-02:30

Place 1 sliced red onion in a saucepan with 2 crushed garlic cloves and 1 tbsp hemp oil or olive oil.

Sweat over a low heat until onion is soft.

Stir in one red diced pepper, 1 sliced courgette, 1 trimmed and sliced leek,

1 (400g) can rinsed no salt, no sugar chickpeas and 625ml/ 1.2 cup cold water. Add two teaspoons wheat free vegetable biuollon stock powder and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables are just tender. Serve with freshly cooked brown rice.

Carrot slaw

2011-08-09T13:18:00.000-02:30

Ingredients

¼ of a white cabbage, finely shredded
2-3 carrots, grated
sunflower seeds
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tamari
1 handful of freshly chopped parsley

Method

Combine the cabbage, carrots, parsley and sunflower seeds in a bowl.

Mix up the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.

Pour on the dressing and mix well.

Chickpea and parsley soup

2011-08-08T13:17:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 ½ cups of dry chickpeas, soaked, or 2 tins of unsalted chickpeas
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp miso paste
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Method

Cook the chickpeas until soft (not necessary if using tinned).

Dry fry the mustard seeds and cumin seeds until they start to pop. Grind them with a pestle and mortar.

Sauté the onions with the bay leaves until soft. When nearly cooked add the chopped garlic and ground mustard seeds and cumin seeds and cook for a few more minutes.

Drain the chickpeas and blend with the onion and spice mixture after removing the bay leaves and miso paste, adding enough water to create the desired consistency.

Add some fresh chopped parsley and serve.

Carrot and pumpkin seed salad

2011-08-07T13:17:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 2

2-3 carrots, grated
pumpkin seeds, soaked
freshly chopped coriander
olive oil and lemon juice for dressing

Method

Combine the carrots, seeds and coriander. Sprinkle over the dressing.

Butternut squash and sweet potato soup

2011-08-06T13:16:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 carrots, trimmed, peeled and sliced
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
6 shallots, peeled and finely sliced
1 wheat-free vegetable stock cube
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 bunch radishes, trimmed and chopped
4-6 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional)

Method

Bring a large pan half-filled with water to the boil. Add the squash, sweet potato, carrots, fennel, shallots and stock cube. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the garlic. Allow to cool, then strain the vegetables into a large bowl and keep the stock.

Add half the stock to the vegetables and blend in a food processor or with a hand-held blender.

Chickpea korma with brown rice

2011-08-05T13:15:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 2

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp garam masala
50g creamed coconut
1 tin of chickpeas
2 carrots, sliced
half a cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tbsp arrowroot dissolved in 1 tbsp water
1 tbsp chopped coriander
2 cups of brown rice

Method

Rinse the rice and put in a pan with twice the amount of water. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer with the lid on until all the water is absorbed (about 40 minutes).

Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Cook them until they soften. Add the spices, except the garam masala, and cook for a few more minutes.

Add the carrots and cauliflower and cook for a few minutes, coating them in the spices. Dissolve the creamed coconut in 2 cups of boiling water and add it to the pan with the drained and rinsed chickpeas. Cook for 20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through.

Add the arrowroot mixture and cook until the mixture thickens. Add the fresh coriander just before serving.

Buckwheat, lemon and ginger porridge

2011-08-04T13:15:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 2-4

250g buckwheat groats (can be found at a health food store)
juice and zest of 1 lemon
2cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
1 pinch dried mixed herbal seasoning
1 handful of shelled hemp seeds

Method

Place the buckwheat, lemon juice and zest, ginger, herbal seasoning and 1 litre water in a medium-sized pan. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Top with the hemp seeds and serve immediately.

Chickpea burgers

2011-08-03T13:13:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Makes 20

410g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
410g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 carrot, trimmed, peeled and finely grated
1 small onion, peeled and finely grated
50g sunflower seeds
2 tbsp tahini, drained of any excess oil before measuring
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1 handful chopped fresh coriander
1 tbsp wheat-free vegetable bouillon powder

Method

Preheat oven to 220°C/Gas 7.

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend for 5-10 seconds, until the mixture is fairly coarse (you can use a hand-held blender). Push the mixture down with a spatula and blend for a further 10 seconds.

Remove the blades from the processor, wet your hands under the cold water tap and shape the mixture into 20 small balls.

Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper. Place the balls on the tray and flatten slightly with the back of the spoon.

Bake for 15-18 minutes until lightly coloured. Remove from the oven and allow to rest. Serve with sweet potato wedges and a crunchy raw salad of mangetout, radishes, grated carrot, sliced celery and fennel dressed with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Celeriac and carrot salad

2011-08-02T13:13:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 2

half a celeriac
2 carrots
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp tamari

Method

Grate the carrots and celeriac and combine with the sesame seeds and parsley in a bowl.

Mix the olive oil, vinegar and tamari together in a jar and shake or stir. Pour onto the salad and mix.

Cauliflower soup

2011-08-01T13:12:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 onions, peeled and chopped
3 leeks, washed trimmed and sliced
half a celeriac, scrubbed trimmed and chopped
1 cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets
1 tsp ground cumin (optional)
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of water over a low heat. Add the garlic, onions, leeks and celeriac and cook very gently for 20 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.

Add the cauliflower florets, 1 litre of cold water and the cumin. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a knife.

Leave to cool for 5 minutes then blend in a food processor or with a hand-held blender until smooth. Return to the pan and reheat gently. If necessary add more water (or vegetable stock).

Serve in warmed bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Butter bean spread

2011-07-31T13:11:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 2-4

1 can (400g) organic butter beans, drained
½ small onion, peeled and chopped
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)
2 tsp miso paste (optional)
1 small garlic clove, peeled and chopped (optional)

Method

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until as smooth or as chunky as you like. Spoon into a small serving bowl and serve as a dip with lots of assorted fresh vegetable sticks. Alternatively, serve as a topping for baked vegetables or a spread for corn cakes, rice cakes and wheat-free bread. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to two days.

Tip
Canned beans make a great base for a host of fantastic spreads and dips. Simply switch your favourite variety for the butter beans in this recipe and follow the method as above. You can always vary the herbs or add spring onions instead of the small onion too. If you don't have a food processor, finely chop the onion and garlic and mash into the beans, herbs and pastes with a potato masher.

Serve with radishes.

Celery and broccoli salad with apple vinaigrette

2011-07-30T13:11:00.001-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 head broccoli, cut into florets
2 zucchini, trimmed and cut into fine julienne (matchstick) strips
2 celery stalks, trimmed and cut on the diagonal
1 small bunch radishes, trimmed and quartered

Apple vinaigrette
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp white miso paste or 1 tbsp wheat-free tamari
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
3 tbsp freshly pressed apple juice

Method

Bring a medium-sized saucepan of water to the boil. Add the broccoli and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Strain and run under the cold water tap until completely cold.

Place the broccoli in a salad bowl with the zucchini, celery and radishes. Place the vinaigrette ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake well to blend. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and serve.

Chestnut roast with steamed vegetables

2011-07-29T13:10:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to grease the tin
1 large red onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 large leek, washed, trimmed and sliced
2 carrots, trimmed, peeled and sliced
1 large parsnip, trimmed, peeled and chopped
200g vacuum-packed chestnuts
100g pine nuts
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tsp wheat-free vegetable bouillon powder
100g soft mild goat cheese (optional)
fresh rosemary sprigs and bay leaves
vegetables for steaming (try celeriac, broccoli and carrots), chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Take a 24-cm ring-shaped cake tin and use to cut out a circle of greaseproof paper. Cut a hole in the centre of the paper 2cm larger than the hole in the tin. Make 1cm cuts, 3cm apart, around the inside and outside of the paper circle. Brush the tin with a little olive oil, line with the paper and brush with a little more oil.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan. Gently cook the onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened but not coloured. Add the leek, carrots and parsnip with 375ml water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes. The water will have evaporated and the vegetables should be tender when pierced with a knife. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Place the chestnuts in the food processor and blend for 10-15 seconds until roughly chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and add the vegetables, pine nuts, parsley, thyme, rosemary and bouillon powder. Mix well and spoon half the mixture into the prepared ring mould, pressing down well. Dot with half the cheese, if using, and then top with the remaining vegetable mixture. Dot with the rest of the cheese.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes.

Steam your chosen vegetables.

Carefully loosen the chestnut roast from the mould with a palette knife and turn out on to a warmed serving plate. Garnish with the fresh rosemary sprigs and bay leaves.

Chickpea and mint soup

2011-07-28T13:09:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 2

1½ cups of dry chickpeas, soaked (or 2 tins of unsalted chickpeas)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp miso paste
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

Method

Cook the chickpeas until soft (not necessary if using tinned).

Dry-fry the mustard seeds and cumin seeds until they start to pop. Grind them with a pestle and mortar.

Saute the onions with the bay leaves until soft. Once nearly cooked, add the chopped garlic and ground mustard seeds and cumin seeds and cook for a few more minutes.

Drain the chickpeas and blend with the onion and spice mixture, after removing the bay leaves and miso paste, adding enough water to create the desired consistency.

Add some fresh chopped mint to the soup and serve.

Carrot and almond loaf

2011-07-27T13:09:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 4

6-8 carrots
3 sticks of celery
½ cup of almonds
2 tbsp of tahini
juice of ½ a lemon
tamari to taste
fresh parsley, finely chopped

Method

Roughly chop the carrots and celery and place in a food processor using the S blade. Whizz them up with the lemon juice and tamari until they are well homogenized. Put them in a bowl. Then whizz up the almonds in the food processor until they are well ground down.

Combine the ground almonds with the carrot and celery mixture and add the chopped parsley and tahini. Pack this into a loaf tin and cut into slices to serve.

Butterbean stroganoff with millet

2011-07-26T13:08:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 6

1 cup of dry butter beans, soaked overnight
3 carrots, sliced
half a cauliflower, cut into florets
2 bay leaves
3 tsp tarragon
1 onion, finely chopped
half a swede
250g of mushrooms
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 block of tofu
2 tbsp of lemon juice
2 tsp coconut oil

Method

Cook the butterbeans in plenty of water until soft (about 45-60 minutes).

Sauté the onion with the bay leaves and mustard seeds in the oil until the onions are transparent. Add the carrots, swede, mushrooms and cauliflower. Cook for a couple of minutes then add water to just cover the vegetables. Simmer for 10 minutes then add the cooked beans.

Blend the tofu with the lemon juice and tarragon and some water from the vegetable pan until smooth. Add the tofu mix to the vegetables and heat gently but do not boil.

Serve with cooked millet.

Buckwheat, pumpkin seed and ginger porridge

2011-07-25T13:07:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 2-4

250g buckwheat groats (can be bought at a health food store)
2-cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
1 pinch of dried mixed herbal seasoning
1 handful of pumpkin seeds

Method

Place the buckwheat, ginger, herbal seasoning and 1 litre of water in a medium-sized pan. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Top with the pumpkin seeds and serve immediately.

Carrot and almond soup

2011-07-24T13:06:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 4

2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
6 carrots, trimmed, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
1 tbsp wheat-free vegetable bouillon powder
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, stalks reserved
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, stalks reserved
100g ground almonds

Method

Place the onions, garlic, carrot and celery in a large saucepan. Add 1.25 litres of boiling water and the bouillon powder. Bring to the boil and add the herb stalks. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Strain, reserving the stock. Remove the herb stalks, then blend the vegetables in a food processor or with a hand-held blender until smooth.

Return the mixture to the pan and add the ground almonds and enough of the reserved stock to make a soup-like consistency.

Reheat, then divide between warmed soup bowls and serve garnished with chopped fresh coriander and parsley.

This soup is also very good made with sweet potatoes. Just add one sweet potato, peeled and diced, in place of two of the carrots and cook as above.

Chickpea Burgers with colourful salad and avocado-watercress dressing

2011-07-23T13:06:00.000-02:30

Makes 20 mini burgers

1 (410g) can organic chickpeas, drained
1 carrot, peeled and finely grated (65g prepared weight)
1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped,
50g/1/3 cup sunflower seeds
3 tbsp tahini (sesame paste), drained of any excess oil before measuring
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
1 handful fresh coriander leaves (20g/1 heaped cup)
1 tbsp organic wheat-free vegetable bouillon

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas Mark 7. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend for 10-15 seconds. Remove the lid and push the mixture down with a spatula. Blend once more until fairly smooth and thick.

2. Shape the mixture into 20 small balls and place on the prepared tray. If the mixture is too wet to roll easily into balls (which is sometimes caused by runny tahini), add another handful of sunflower seeds and blend once more.

3. Flatten the balls slightly with the back of a spoon and bake for 15-18 minutes until golden around the edges. Remove from oven and leave on the tray for 2-3 minutes to firm up a little. Lift carefully off the tray. Serve hot or cold with a colourful salad and lemon or lime wedges. Or make a quick raw salsa from chopped fresh tomatoes, coriander, red onion and avocado.

Make the mixture into larger burgers if you like – about 10 or 12. Cook for 15-20 minutes then cool slightly before lifting off the tray. Make the mixture go further by stirring in 100g/1/2 cup cooked long grain brown rice after blending the other ingredients.

These burgers are also fabulous served with this quick avocado and watercress sauce:

Simply blend the flesh from 1/2 a ripe avocado with a small handful of watercress, 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice and 6 tbsp cold water. (Use 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint instead of the watercress if you like.) Sprinkle one teaspoon raw shelled hemp seeds into dip. Fabulous.

Almond pesto

2011-07-22T13:05:00.000-02:30

Ingredients

half a cup of soaked almonds
bunch of fresh basil
½ tsp wholegrain mustard
1 garlic clove, crushed
juice of half a lemon
3 tbsp gold of pleasure oil

Method

Combine the soaked almonds with the basil, mustard, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add water until the desired consistency is reached.

Avocado cream sauce

2011-07-21T13:04:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 2

2 soft avocados
2 spring onions, finely chopped
¼ tsp of coriander powder
¼ tsp seaweed seasoning or sea salt
½ teaspoon olive oil
3-4 tbsp water

Method

Put the water in a blender. Add the avocados, spring onion, coriander, seasoning, olive oil and seaweed, season and mix until smooth and creamy.

Almond pate

2011-07-20T13:03:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Makes 75-100ml. Keeps for three days in the fridge

200g whole almonds, presoaked in water overnight
75g pine nuts
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Method

Drain the almonds and place in a food processor with all the other ingredients and 2 tablespoons of water. Blend until smooth; you may need to scrape down the sides during the processing. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and place in the fridge until required.

Avocado and barley salad

2011-07-19T13:03:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 4

2 ripe avocados
150g cooked pot barley
100g sugar snap peas, trimmed
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 small bunch radishes, trimmed and sliced
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
150g mixed salad leaves

Dressing
2 tsp pumpkin oil
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method

Peel, stone and slice the avocados and mix with the pot barley, mangetout or sugar snap peas, spring onions, radishes, parsley and pumpkin seeds.

Divide the salad leaves between salad plates and pile the avocado mixture on top.

Add 1 tablespoon of water to the salad dressing ingredients, mix together well and spoon a little dressing over each salad. Serve immediately.

Apricot dessert

2011-07-18T13:02:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 2

1½ cups of unsulphured dried apricots
1 tsp almond nut butter
2/3 cup of water
3 cups of pure apple juice
2 tbsp of lemon juice
4 tbsp of kudzu
blueberries to decorate

Method

Simmer the apricots in the water and half the apple juice for 20 minutes.

Pour the liquid from the pot into a measuring jug and add apple juice to make 2½ cups altogether.

Puree the cooked apricots with the almond nut butter, apple juice mixture and lemon juice. Return to the pot.

Dissolve the kudzu in a small amount of cold water and add to the pot. Simmer until the mixture thickens to a custard-like thickness. Pour into ramekin dishes and leave in a cool place to set. Decorate with fresh blueberries before serving.

Avocado salad

2011-07-17T13:02:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 2

mix salad leaves
cucumber, chopped
radish
avocado
cider vinegar
olive oil
fresh herbs

Method

Mix all the ingredients and sprinkle with cider vinegar and olive oil dressing and fresh herbs.

Barbecue relish

2011-07-16T13:01:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Makes 425ml. Keeps for three days in the fridge

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
400g tin chopped organic tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Method

Place all the ingredients except the basil in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes, until the mixture is soft and syrupy. Add a little water if necessary during the cooking process.

Transfer to a small bowl, cover and chill. Serve with freshly chopped basil.

Bean dip

2011-07-15T13:00:00.000-02:30

Ingredients

1 tin of cannelloni beans
1 garlic clove, chopped
olive oil
lemon juice
hazelnut butter

Method

Combine the beans, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and hazelnut butter in a food processor.

Serve with vegetable sliced raw vegetables of your choice, eg carrots, peppers, celery

Tip
You can make a bean dip by combining any cooked or tinned beans with some sunflower seed or almond nut butter, lemon juice, water and chopped chives or garlic. Experiment and make according to your own taste.

Bean salad

2011-07-14T12:59:00.000-02:30

Ingredients

1 tin of mixed beans, drained and rinsed
grated vegetables (eg carrot, rutabaga or yellow turnip, celeriac, beetroot)
fresh chopped herbs
dressing of olive oil and lemon with a dash of tamari

Method

Combine the beans and vegetables with the herbs and pour on the dressing.

Black olive tapenade

2011-07-13T12:58:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Makes 125ml. Keeps for 5 days in the fridge

100g drained pitted black olives
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tsp lemon juice

Method

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a clean screwtop jar and place in the fridge until required.

Borlotti bean salad

2011-07-12T12:58:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 1

1 tin of borlotti beans
a few handfuls of baby spinach leaves
1 handful of pumpkin seeds
2 carrots, grated
a dressing of olive oil, tamari and lemon juice

Method

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and add the dressing.

Broccoli salad with walnuts and apple vinaigrette

2011-07-11T12:56:00.001-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
2 zucchini, trimmed and cut into fine julienne (matchstick) strips
2 celery stalks, trimmed and cut on the diagonal
1 small bunch radishes, trimmed and quartered
3 tbsp of chopped walnuts

apple vinaigrette
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp white miso paste or 1 tbsp wheat-free tamari
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
3 tbsp freshly pressed apple juice

Method

Bring a medium-sized saucepan of water to the boil. Add the broccoli and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Strain and run under the cold water tap until completely cold.

Place the broccoli in a salad bowl with the zucchini, celery, walnuts and radishes.

Place the vinaigrette ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake well to blend.

Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and serve.

Buckwheat and lentil bake

2011-07-10T09:25:00.001-02:30

Ingredients
Serves 4

125g roasted buckwheat
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 tbsp of olive oil
190g red split lentils, soaked in 1.5 pints of water
1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder
1 tbsp tamari soy sauce
2 tbsp chopped parsley or chives
a selection of green vegetables

Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion and carrot until soft. Add the remaining ingredients (except tamari and herbs) and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed, then add the herbs and tamari.

Press into a flan tin and bake at 200°C/Gas 6 for 30 minutes.

Aduki Beans with red onion and corn salsa

2011-07-09T09:24:00.000-02:30

Serves 2

1 can 175g net weight of Aduki beans drained
80g organic sweet corn
75g red onion finely chopped
2 tablespoon cider vinegar
Handful Parsley chopped

Mix all the ingredients together and serve.

Aduki bean stew with millet mash

2011-07-08T09:22:00.001-02:30

Soak aduki beans for a couple of hours.

Ingredients
Serves 2

aduki beans
veggie cube
2 carrots
1 small squash
1 onion
1 handful chervil
chicory
radishes
seasoning

Method

Add water to a pan - 3 cups of water per 1 cup of aduki beans. Add a veggie cube to the water. Bring water to boil and simmer the beans for 30 minutes. Halfway through, add the squash and at the end add the onion and carrots.

Decorate with generous amounts of chervil.

Millet mash

If you are a potato addict and are missing your buttery and milky mashed white potatoes, then this dish is going to make your day.

Ingredients
Serves 4

100g millet
1 pinch of sea salt
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 cauliflower, cut into small florets

Method

Wash the millet and drain well. Place in a medium-sized pan of water, add the salt and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Place the onion in a medium-sized pan with the cauliflower and enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and return to the pan. Mash with a potato masher.

Drain the millet and mix through the mashed cauliflower and onion mixture.

Serve warm.

cajun rice and beans

2011-07-07T08:46:00.001-02:30

1/2 red bell pepper
onion
1 can red beans
1 can fire roasted tomatoes w/garlic
cooked brown basmati rice
CAJUN SPICE BLEND

Sauteed the onion and pepper in a little water till the pepper had softened and the onion was beginning to brown. Added the tomatoes and heated up, Added the spice to taste ( I like strong flavors so a decent amount). Added the brown rice (approx. 2-3 cups). I heated the beans separately so drained and added. Heat it all together for a couple minutes and Enjoy!

Easy Enchiladas

2011-07-06T08:45:00.000-02:30

1 Can Black Beans (no oil)
1 Can of Enchilada Sauce (no oil)
1/2 Green Pepper
1/2 Red Pepper
1/2 Onion Finely Minced
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp Veg Bouillon
6 White Corn Tortillas

Place chopped peppers, onion and garlic into a frying pan. Add 1/4 cup of water. Add veg bouillon. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Drain can of black beans and add them to pan. Mash beans as they heat until the consistency of refried beans. Add a bit more water if necessary. Turn stove down to low to keep warm. Microwave tortillas for about 45 seconds. Remove and add beans to each tortilla, folding them closed and placing in baking pan, folded side down. (hint: add a bit of enchilada sauce to bottom of baking pan before placing enchiladas in there. It will keep them from sticking and make them nice and moist). Continue to fill each enchilada. When they are all placed in pan, generously pour the enchilada sauce over them. Bake in oven at 350 for about 20 minutes or until enchiladas have slighlty crisped at the top. Garnish with cilantro/hot sauce and/or salsa verde, if desired.

Quick and Easy Enchilada sauce

2011-07-05T08:41:00.000-02:30

1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoone chili powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

combine all ingredients in a saucepan until well mixed. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened.

Hummus--creamy without tahini

2011-07-04T08:41:00.001-02:30

1 can no-salt added garbanzo beans
1 can cannellini beans
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup liquid from garbanzo bean can

Blended that up and VOILA!! It tasted TOTALLY creamy and just like "real" hummus!! And no added fat!

Potato salad

2011-07-03T08:37:00.001-02:30

You may find this sweet, feel free to adjust to your taste.

4 large red potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, cooked and cubed
2 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup low fat soy milk
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons fat free Nayonaise
paprika for garnish

In a small saucepan, stir together sugar, cornstarch, dry mustard, salt, celery seed, and nutritional yeast flakes. Stir in soy milk and vinegar, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool completely. Stir in onion and Nayonaise. Put the potatoes in a medium bowl, and stir in the dressing. Smooth out top and sprinkle paprika on top to make it look "purty". Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Cheezy Potato Casserole

2011-07-02T08:34:00.001-02:30

4-5 potatoes sliced thinly in food processor or mandolin
2-1lb bag of favorite frozen veggies (I used broccoli and Med mix)
1/4 bag frozen kale or other green

arrange sliced potatoes in 9x13 pyrex dish then pour frozen veggies over top and spread evenly.

cheezy sauce (from fatfreevegan.com) I used 2 1/2 x the recipe cause I wanted it real cheezy but you could use just 2 x.

1 cup water
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 Tbs light miso
3/4 cup soy milk

( I added extra mustard and paprika and only used 1/2 cup ff soy milk cause the frozen veggies have water content.)
Blend it all in a blender then pour over the veggies and potatoes top with foil tightly.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour. I ended up adding a cup of water to the second batch on the lower shelf of oven and cooking an additional 20min cause potatoes weren't totally done. But the top one was done fine.

White Bean Salad

2011-07-01T08:34:00.000-02:30

Ingredients:

1-15 ounces can navy or cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
4 ounces Red Bell Pepper, diced
2 tablespoons Parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons Scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Clove Garlic, minced
Salt to taste

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together. For the best flavor, let salad sit in refrigerator for an hour. Serves 6, approximately 1/2 cup servings.

Cucumber Salad #2

2011-06-30T08:32:00.000-02:30

Ingredients:

cucumber
sesame seeds
balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:
Dice cucumber into small pieces. Put into bowl, and mix with vinaigrette and sesame seeds.

Comments:
This is a really quick and easy recipe!

Cucumber Salad

2011-06-29T08:31:00.000-02:30

ngredients:

1-2 large cucumbers, sliced thin
1 bunch radishes, sliced thin into discs
3 scallions, white part and partial greens, also cut into thin discs
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Serve chilled. Best eaten the same day.

Cucina Bean Salad

2011-06-28T08:30:00.000-02:30

Ingredients:

1 (15-oz) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-1/4 cups peeled and chopped, tomatoes
3/4 cup diced red bell pepper
3/4 cup diced yellow bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup purchased medium salsa
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 large head romaine lettuce, finely shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In large bowl, combine beans and tomatoes, stirring gently. Add peppers and green onions. Stir to combine. In small bowl, combine salsa, vinegar, cilantro, salt and pepper. Whisk to blend. Pour over bean mixture and toss gently. (May be prepared to this point up to two days in advance.) Line large shallow bowl with shredded lettuce and top with bean mixture.

Cooler Salad

2011-06-27T08:28:00.000-02:30

Ingredients:

Fresh Cilantro or Parsley
1/3 cup green or red onion,

1 cup each of:
cucumber
tomato
avocado
celery

1/4 cup flavored vinegar or Italian salad dressing.
1/2 lemon or lime juice
salt & pepper

Directions:
Chop several sprigs of fresh cilantro or parsley

Cut each of the next four/five above ingredients into small cubes (celery a bit smaler, and I also clean out the cucumber seeds)

add lemon or lime juice, & salt and pepper to taste.

Combine all ingredients and chill in fridge. Serve cool as a salad or side dish. I eat it as a main dish when I can get the avocados.

String Bean Salad

2011-06-26T08:27:00.000-02:30

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ripe tomatoes
1 lb. frozen string beans, thawed
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 cup frozen thawed kernel corn
2 Tablespoons toasted slivered almonds (or toasted slivered almonds or other nut)

Dressing:

juice of 1 lime
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
3 ounces tofu, drained
salt to taste
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped

Directions:
Slice tomatoes and cut string beans. Mix with scallions and corn in a serving bowl.

In a food processor or blender, process all the ingredients for the dressing. Pour over the salad and toss. Sprinkle the almonds on top and serve.

Comments: Serves 4.

Bell Pepper Salad

2011-06-25T08:23:00.001-02:30

bell peppers, as many as you want
salt
extra virgin olive oil
vinegar

Place peppers on grill. Turn every few minutes. They should be done in 15 minutes. Set aside in covered bowl, with a pinch of salt with a pinch of salt. Let rest for a few minutes.

Peel using bowl with cold water to cool fingertips. Place whole peppers in bowl, let juice accumulate. Let cool. Add vinaigrette (salt, oil, and vinegar). Refrigerate.

weekly weigh-in

2011-06-24T22:22:00.001-02:30

Wow, I am not very good at reporting in with my weigh-ins! So let's see:
Friday, June 17th - I was down 2.2 lbs. I worked hard that week and I was super-proud!
Friday, June 24th - no change, but I went to a homeschool conference last weekend and I celebrated Father's day with Prince Charming with food (I need to work on that!) So no change over the course of the week is pretty awesome and speaks to how I got right back on the wagon again.

Spiced Chai Tea Smoothie

2011-06-23T17:59:00.000-02:30

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients
1/2 cup Unsweetened Almond milk
1 chai tea bag
1/2 cup light silken tofu
1 tablespoon granular sugar substitute
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
6–8 ice cubes
Ground cinnamon for garnish

Instructions
1. Pour milk into glass measuring cup; warm in microwave for 1 minute. Add tea bag; let steep 10 minutes. Remove tea bag; refrigerate measuring cup for 5 minutes.

2. In blender or food processor, combine milk mixture and tofu. Add sugar substitute, both extracts, and ice; process until ice is crushed and mixture is frothy. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information:
133 calories
5 g total fat (1 g saturated fat)
2 mg cholesterol
11 g carbohydrate
13 g protein
0 g fiber78 mg sodium

How to Make a Vinaigrette

2011-06-22T17:57:00.001-02:30

You can use this for salads and for other dishes too — as a marinade for example. Once you've mastered the basic dressing, you can add a dollop of your own creativity by changing the flavor with a variety of ingredients.

Balsamic Vinaigrette
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, thyme, salt, pepper, and basil in a screw-top jar. Cover and shake. Enjoy up to 2 tablespoons of salad dressing with a meal.

Variations: The basic ratio for any vinaigrette is 1 part vinegar to 3 or 4 parts oil. Instead of balsamic vinegar, you can use any other type of vinegar (such as red wine or cider), or substitute lemon juice for some of the vinegar. Shallots and fresh herbs make nice additions, as does mustard. To ensure proper mixing of the ingredients, either shake well or mix with a wire whisk.

Spinach With Garlic and Pine Nuts

2011-06-21T17:55:00.000-02:30

Makes 2 (3/4-cup) servings

Prep time: 10 minutes
Start to finish: 8 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 pound spinach leaves, tough stems removed (3 1/2 to 4 cups loosely packed)
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 garlic clove, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
1. Wash spinach and spin dry, leaving some droplets of water on leaves.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Add spinach to the pan, in batches if necessary, and saute until starting to wilt, 30 seconds. Cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until all spinach is wilted and liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Nutritional Information:
90 calories
7 g total fat (1 g sat)
5 g carbohydrate
4 g protein
3 g fiber
160 mg sodium

Chilly Chocolate

2011-06-20T17:55:00.000-02:30

4 servings

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons granular sugar substitute
Pinch salt
3 cups cold Unsweetened Almond milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ice cubes

Instructions
In a medium bowl, stir together cocoa powder, sugar substitute, and salt. Slowly pour in 1 cup of the milk and whisk until smooth. Whisk in remaining 2 cups milk and vanilla.
Fill 4 (8-ounce) glasses with ice. Pour Chilly Chocolate over ice and serve

Chinese-Style Broccoli

2011-06-19T17:53:00.000-02:30

Serves 2 (1-cup servings)

Prep time: 10 minutes
Start to finish: 8 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 head broccoli, cut into florets (3 cups)
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions
Heat oil in a large wok or high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, garlic, and lemon juice; continue to stir-fry until broccoli is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information
80 calories
5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat)
7 g carbohydrate
4 g protein
3 g fiber
300 mg sodium

LOW CARB "PEANUT" BUTTER & CHOCOLATE BROWNIE TREAT

2011-06-18T17:47:00.003-02:30

(VEGETARIAN NOT VEGAN)

2 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter soynut butter (Tastes just like peanut butter, but contains only ½g carbs per tablespoon. Brand is “I. M. Healthy”. Sold in the organic foods aisle of supermarkets, or www.soynutbutter.com)
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg (0 carbs)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda (0 carbs)
1 tablespoon cocoa

Put the first 3 ingredients in a small microwaveable bowl; cook on HIGH 30 seconds until the cream cheese and butter are soft. Beat with a fork until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and whip briskly with a fork until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Microwave on HIGH 2-3 minutes, or until set. Cool or chill before serving.

Makes 1-2 servings

SPAGHETTI SQUASH SALAD

2011-06-17T17:42:00.002-02:30

DRESSING:
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons oregano -- dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cloves garlic -- minced

SALAD:
3 cups spaghetti squash -- cooked
2 cups tomato -- chopped
1 cup cucumber -- diced
2 ounces Vegan Feta cheese -- crumbled
1/4 cup green bell pepper -- diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper -- diced
1/4 cup red onion -- diced
2 Tablespoons black olives -- chopped

Pierce squash in several places with a fork. Place in a glass pieplate. Microwave at HIGH for 5-10 minutes (depending on size of squash). Turn squash over; microwave 5-10 minutes more or until tender. Cool. Cut squash in half; discard seeds, and remove spaghetti strands with a fork, discarding shells.

Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl; stir well with a whisk.

Combine squash and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing mixture; toss well. Cover and chill.

Serving Size : 8

Vegetable Gratin

2011-06-16T17:39:00.002-02:30

1 pound eggplant, 1/4 inches sliced diagonally
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh chopped oregano
1 cup finely grated Vegan Parmesan cheese
1 /14 pounds zucchini, 1/4 inch slices diagonally
6 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 yellow bell peppers, roasted, 1 1/2 inch strips
1 1/2 cups Veggie broth

Preheat oven to 375 F. Brush both sides of the eggplant with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Bake the eggplant, turning occasionally, until soft and golden, 15 to 18 minutes. In a bowl, combine the garlic, oregano and Parmesan. Oil a 3 quart gratin or baking dish. Using one-quarter of the eggplant, place the eggplant at one end of the
dish. Next, using one-quarter of the zucchini, place a layer of the zucchini on top of the eggplant, overlapping slightly. Continue with one-quarter of the tomatoes and then one-quarter of the peppers. Continue in the same manner using the remaining eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the broth over the vegetables and sprinkle with
the cheese. Bake in the upper third of the oven until the liquid is almost absorbed and the vegetables are tender, 60 to 70 minutes.

Serves 8.
Calories: 150.3
Carbs: 11
Dietary Fiber: 2.6

Cucumber Salad

2011-06-15T23:09:00.000-02:30

6 cucumbers, peeled and sliced very thin
1 red onion, sliced very thin
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 or 2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Slice cucumbers into a large colander, salting each layer lightly. Let sit one hour. Squeeze water out of cucumbers, using hands. Rinse cucumbers to get rid of excess salt, and squeeze again. Place cucumbers and onions into a glass or china bowl. Combine vinegar, sugar, and salt. (The amount of liquid should cover cucumbers.) Taste, and adjust sugar and salt, if necessary. Pour liquid over cucumbers. Sprinkle paprika over top.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Comment: Will last in refrigerator a couple of weeks.

Use a mandolin, not a knife, to cut the cucumbers thinly (it's also way faster).

Don't skip the salting/waiting/squeezing steps.

Instead of sugar, use a pinch of stevia

Vegan Alfredo sauce

2011-06-14T23:07:00.001-02:30

Ingredients:

1 lb tofu (silken)
1 cup raw cashews
1/2-2/3 cup lemon juice
Fresh basil leaves (from 2 leaves to 1 cup, depending on the taste and color you are looking for)
1-3 garlic cloves
Salt to taste
Water

Blend all ingredients until very smooth. The sauce should be ever so slightly more watery than you want the finished product to be. This is a matter of taste, but try for the consistency of dairy alfredo sauce. Put the sauce into a pot. Heat on low heat until warm enough to serve. Serve with sauteed veggies as below.

Veggie ingredients:

Slices of veggies of your choice
- broccoli
- radishes
- string beans
- spinach, etc (not all at once, vary color and texture).
- Pine nuts (optional but very good)
- A little white wine cooked in can be good

VEGETARIAN HARVEST STEW

2011-06-13T08:16:00.001-02:30

Sautee celery, onions, carrots in olive oil.

Add in some chopped garlic and lightly cook.

Pour in vegetarian broth

Mix in some pureed butternut squash or canned pumpkin to thicken.

Add in veggies - such as zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, cauliflower, and fresh tomatoes chopped up.

You can add chickpeas for heartiness (but this is optional if you are doing lowcarb.

Season with a dash of cinnamon, dash of sweet paprika, dash of dried basil, and a bay leaf.

Simmer about 30-45 minutes.

Enjoy the thick, rich warm goodness!!

Sticks and Stones Salad

2011-06-12T09:18:00.000-02:30

Ingredients

2 cup zucchini (washed and trimmed and cut into matchsticks)
2 cup yellow squash (crookneck yellow squash washed and trimmed and cut into matchsticks)
12 oz garbanzo beans (rinsed and well drained)
12 cup italian dressing

Mix everything together and eat it all up. The longer it sits the better it tastes. Sometimes I serve this in lettuce cups. Very pretty.

Serves: 5

Pumpkin Seed Pancakes - Flourless and Low Carb

2011-06-11T09:13:00.000-02:30

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin seeds (unsalted)
1 cup water (room temperature)
34 tsp stevia powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Put all ingredients into blender. Blend until you get a good pancake batter consistency. And more water if needed.
2 Add stevia powder and vanilla and blend to combine.
3 Pour batter onto oiled pan. (non-stick works well).
4 Cook on medium low heat until browned on one side, then flip and cook until done. About 3 - 4 minutes on each side, more or less depending on how thick/dense your pancake mixture is.

Serves: 4

weekly weigh-in

2011-06-10T19:55:00.001-02:30

I am down 2.2 lbs this week. I am thrilled to be going in the right direction!

I decided that the first thing I am going to do when we get our financial situation fixed from this disastrous move is join a gym. When the doctor told me about my high cholesterol, he recommended I join one. There is one down the road that has great prices and I love the idea of going out and doing something that is just for myself for just a little while during the day the location is great.

Cranberry Ice Cream

2011-06-10T09:09:00.001-02:30

Ingredients

1 cup cranberries (raw, frozen solid)
23 cup almond milk (soymilk unsweetened chilled)
4 tbsp splenda (sugar substitute)

Dump the ingredients into the food processor and turn it on. the minute the berries are chopped fine and the mixture is still the consistency of ice cream, remove and eat. You may want to make this ahead and firm it up in the freezer, but not for too long or it will freeze solid.

Boardwalk Fries

2011-06-09T09:07:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
4 cup turnips (daikon, cut into french fry size)
1/4 cup soy flour (seasoned)
salt
pepper
peanut oil
old bay seasoning
Method
1 Heat oil to 375 degrees.
2 Fry in batches for about 10 minutes.
3 Drain on paper towels.
4 Season with Old Bay.

Serves: 5

Low Cal, Low Carb, No Fat Lemon Slushie

2011-06-08T09:06:00.001-02:30

Ingredients

2 lemons (peeled freeze the peeling to use as zest in other dishes)
1/2 cup splenda (sugar substitute)
2 1/2-3 cup cold water (ice)

1 After peeling the lemons, either juice the meat with an electric juicer or place in a blender and then strain the juice.
2 Add in Splenda, stir well.
3 Add in cold water.
4 Pour into 1/2 cup serving dishes or cups.
5 Freeze.
6 (Foods containing Splenda seem to freeze harder than naturally sweetened foods. If you don't want it to freeze super hard, add 1/2 teaspoons of salt to the ice cold water before mixing in with the lemon juice).

Summer Squash Salsa

2011-06-07T09:04:00.001-02:30

Ingredients

2 tbsp canola oil
1 cup zucchini (small diced)
1 cup yellow squash (small diced)
12 cup bell pepper (yellow bell pepper small diced)
14 cup red bell pepper (small diced)
14 cup sugar (substitute recommended: splenda)
18 tsp kosher salt
18 tsp black pepper (ground)
1 cup cantaloupe (small diced)

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add all ingredients, except cantaloupe, and cook for 2 minutes, or until just tender. Remove from heat, drain, and spread out on a plate. Refrigerate quickly without a cover to stop the cooking. When cooled, mix in cantaloupe, and cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Serves: 24

Sesame Snow Peas

2011-06-06T09:02:00.001-02:30

Ingredients
112 cup snow peas (6 ounces strings removed)
1 tsp soy sauce
14 tsp sesame oil (dark)
1 tsp sesame seeds (toasted)

Toss the snow peas with soy sauce and sesame oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cover tightly. Microwave at full power until crisp-tender, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve.

Serves: 2

Marinated Cauliflower Salad

2011-06-05T09:00:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
4 cup cauliflower (cut into small florets)
1 cup black olives (sliced thick)
34 cup bell pepper (chopped)
34 cup onion (chopped)
14 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp lemon juice
12 tsp salt
14 tsp pepper

NOTE:. Try some Greek style olives from the deli department.
Combine cauliflower, olives, pepper and onions.
Mix remaining ingredients together well and pour over vegetables, tossing to coat.
Cover and chill (or store in a zippered plastic bag) overnight, mixing occasionally.

Low-Carb Bombay Turnips

2011-06-04T08:56:00.002-02:30

Ingredients

4 tbsp oil
12 tsp yellow mustard seeds
12 tsp black mustard seeds
112 tsp chili powder
1 tsp turmeric (powder)
3 turnips (diced approx 3 cups)
salt

1 Peel, dice and boil the turnips until tender (15 to 20 mins).
2 Drain the turnips in a colander.
3 In a frying pan heat the oil.
4 Fry all the spices on medium high heat until the mustard seeds begin to pop.
5 Add the turnips and saute until heated through.
6 Salt to taste. (I like to add about 1 tsp).

Serves: 4

low-carb "lasagna"

2011-06-03T08:52:00.000-02:30

Ingredients

1 zucchini (green)
1 zucchini (yellow)
leaf spinach (washed)
2-3 fresh tomatoes (sliced or 1can of diced)
pasta sauce (choice)
crumbles (tofu, nutritional yeast)

1 Layer these ingredients in a casserole dish.
2 I put yellow zuke, spinach, tomato, tomato sauce, nutritional yeast, then more zuke, more spinach and topped with tomatoes and sauce Bake at 325 uncovered for about 45mins or until the sauce in the bottom starts to bubble.

Serves: 5

Gluten Free Low Carb Spanish Rice

2011-06-02T08:47:00.000-02:30

Ingredients
1/2 head cauliflower, grated in a food processor
2 green onions, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
1/2 an avocado, mashed
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 tsp sea salt
Directions
Puree all ingredients together in food processor (except cauliflower) until it creates a guacamole-like consistency. Stir into grated cauliflower and serve! Stores well in fridge for a couple of days.

Makes about 2 1/2 - 3 cups, for 2 big servings or 4 side dishes.

Number of Servings: 2

Nutritional Info

Fat: 7.4g
Carbohydrates: 16.1g
Calories: 130.0
Protein: 4.7g

Vegan tofu bean soup with vegetables

2011-06-01T08:43:00.001-02:30

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups Bob's Red Mill 13 bean soup mix.
1/2 Vidalia onion.
2 stalks celery.
1 large carrot.
1 medium squash
1 15oz. package extra firm tofu.
16 oz. vegetable broth.
1 cup of water or as much as needed.
1 teaspoon italian seasoning.
2 cloves garlic.
salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions

1. Boil beans for 5 minutes and allow to soak and simmer for at least 2 hours.
2. Dice onions.
3. Dice celery.
4. Peel and cube squash.
5. Cube tofu.
6. Add onion, celery, carrot and potatoes to beans.
7. Add vegetable broth.
8. Add water, salt, pepper and other seasonings.
9. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until beans are cooked thoroughly.
10. Add tofu and allow tofu to soak up juices for approximately 15 - 30 minutes.
11. Serve hot.

Vegan Curry Tofu with vegetables

2011-05-31T08:41:00.001-02:30

Ingredients

1 15oz. package extra firm tofu.
1/2 Vidalia onion.
2 handful baby spinach.
1 teaspoon tumeric.
1 teaspoon coriander.
1 teaspoon cumin.
3 tablespoons olive oil.
1/8 cup of water or as much as needed.
dash of garlic powder.
salt and pepper to taste.

Salad Ingredients

2 cups green beans.
1 large tomato.
1 ripe avocado.

Salad Instructions

1. steam green beans in steamer or place in boiling water for 4 minutes, covered.
2. slice tomato into discs.
3. peel and slice avocado.

Instructions

1. Dice onions.
2. Cut tofu in cubes or as desired.
3. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat.
4. Add onions to skillet.
5. When onions are tender, add tofu.
6. Add spinach and cook until tender.
7. Add water, salt, pepper and other seasonings.
8. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until cooked thoroughly.
9. Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving steamed vegetables, tomato and avocado.

African Peanut Soup

2011-05-30T23:08:00.000-02:30

1 T. vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/3 cup tomato paste
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/8 tsp. cayenne
4 cups vegetable broth

In a saucepan heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook garlic, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste, peanut butter, cayenne, and 1/4
cup broth and stir until smooth. Stir in remaining 3 3/4 cups broth and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Simmer soup, uncovered, 10 minutes, or until oil
floats to the surface, and skim oil.

Total carbs: 57 g

Squash Casserole

2011-05-29T23:05:00.001-02:30

3 fairly good size crookneck squash
3 T. nayonnaise (vegan mayonnaise)
1/2 cup grated vegan cheese
1 tsp each green pepper and onion, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Slice squash into 1/2 inch slices, and cook till tender. Drain cooking liquid off and press squash to remove more water. Mix in the remaining ingredients and bake till bubbly in a 325° oven.

6 g of carbs per 1/2 cup serving.

Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad

2011-05-28T23:04:00.000-02:30

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Greek olives
1 T. capers
1 T. wine vinegar (or you can substitute lemon juice)
3 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Directions:

1. Steam cauliflower florets until just tender. Refresh under cold
water to stop the cooking process.

2. In a bowl, combine cauliflower, pepper, parsley, olives and capers.
Toss lightly.

3. Whisk together vinegar, oil and oregano. Pour over vegetables.

4. Marinate in the fridge for two hours or over night. Serve cold.

NO OIL-NO SALT-ADDED MARINARA SAUCE

2011-05-27T22:57:00.000-02:30

2 1/4 c. dry white wine
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
5 cloves garlic, peeled & put through a press
1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes

Place the wine, basil, oregano, pepper flakes, and garlic in a heavy 2-quart sauce pan. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until all the alcohol from the wine has evaporated. Add tomatoes. Simmer, partially covered, over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Makes 3 1/2 cups (enough for 1 1/2 pounds fresh pasta or 1 pound dried pasta. 6 average main course servings). Freezes well.

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

2011-05-26T22:38:00.000-02:30

Filling:
1 small or medium onion, chopped
3 small carrots, chopped
1/2 cup spinach, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup cooked or canned green lentils, mashed
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt

Topping:
3 medium potatoes, roughly chopped
1/4 cup soy milk
1 tbsp margarine or olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium pot of water, boil the chopped potatoes until they can be pierced easily with a fork. In a medium saucepan, saute the onions, carrots, spinach, celery, and tomatoes in the oil. Once carrots are tender, add the mashed lentils, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer without a lid until the liquid cooks off.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or a medium bowl, mash the potatoes, milk, margarine, and salt with a potato masher or fork. Set aside. Pour the vegetable mixture into a lightly oiled pie plate and then layer the mashed potatoes over top. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.

This dish tastes best topped with miso gravy.

Recipe from "How It All Vegan" by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer

GF, Sugar-Free, No-Oil Banana Bread

2011-05-25T22:56:00.000-02:30

1/4 c apple sauce
4 medium very ripe bananas
2/3 c rice or soy milk
1/2 t vanilla extract
2 c brown rice flour
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c each raisins and chopped walnuts

Place apple sauce and bananas in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mash bananas with a potato masher or fork until just slightly lumpy. Add milk and vanilla extract and stir until well-mixed. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, place brown rice flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until well-mixed. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly with a spoon. Stir in raisins and chopped walnuts until evenly dispersed.

Pour batter into three oiled 4 1/2" x 3" loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes.

I'm pretty sure this would work well as muffins too. That's how I'll make it the next time. For people who don't like things overly sweet, you'll love these. If you're not sure whether you'll like the banana bread without added sweetener, plan to eat it with jam smeared on top--yumm! You can't go wrong! ;)

Berry Jam Muffins

2011-05-24T22:53:00.001-02:30

1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1 tablespoon gluten-free baking powder*
1/2 cup sucanat
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup rice milk
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
1/4 cup berry jam

Whisk together in a bowl the brown rice flour, potato starch, baking powder, and sucanat. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the ground flax seed and water. To this bowl, add the apple sauce, rice milk, and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined. Add to the dry ingredients, and mix until combined. Spoon into paper-pan lined muffin pans. Using a spoon, make a small dent in the top of each muffin, and fill the hole with 1 teaspoon of berry jam. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 35 minutes. Makes 10 muffins.

*You can make your own gluten-free, corn-free baking powder from 1 cup arrowroot powder, 2/3 cup cream of tartar, 1/3 cup baking soda.

Rice casserole

2011-05-23T22:46:00.003-02:30

Rice casserole

1 C uncooked white rice
2 C plain nondairy milk
1/2 C nutritional yeast flakes
2-4 Tbs ume plum vinegar
1 tsp crushed garlic
2 C bite size broccoli pieces

Preheat oven to 375. Mix all ingredients in a 4-quart casserole dish. Cover and bake 50-60 minutes.

This always comes out too dry for me so I add up to 1 cup of water after removing it from the oven to make it the way I like it.

Creamy Curried Veggies

2011-05-22T22:35:00.001-02:30

This recipe is from "How It All Vegan," an amazing vegan cookbook by Tanya Barnard + Sarah Kramer. It's the best curry I have ever had. It's very flavorful and extremely creamy. It's usually served over brown/white rice, but I like to eat it plain!

1 large onion, sliced
2-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1-3 large carrots, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium potato, diced
6-8 mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
pinch of cayenne pepper (You can adjust how much of this ingredient you put into your dish depending on how spicy you like your curry)
1 cup coconut milk OR soy milk
1 cup peas
3 tbsp gluten free soy sauce

In a large saucepan, saute the onions, garlic, and carrots in oil on medium-high until the onions become translucent. Add the veggies and spices, then add the coconut milk or soy milk. Simmer for 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork. Stir in the peas and the soy sauce stirring constantly so the liquid thickens.
Makes 2-4 servings.

Potato Burrito

2011-05-21T22:05:00.000-02:30

INGREDIENTS:
16 oz. pkg. frozen hash brown potatoes (with no oil)
1 cup chunky salsa
1/4 cup chopped green onions
6 corn tortillas

PREPARATION:
Cook hash brown potatoes as directed on package. Add salsa and green onion and saute for 3-4 minutes until hot. Fold mixture into warmed corn tortillas and serve. 6 servings

EASY TACO CASSEROLE

2011-05-20T22:33:00.000-02:30

1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 ½ cups salsa, mild
mexican seasoning mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Drunken Bean Soup

2011-05-19T22:31:00.000-02:30

Two 15-oz. cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed.
1/2 cup water or beer
1/2 medium onion, sliced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.

Baked Apple Dessert

2011-05-18T22:30:00.000-02:30

2 medium yams
1 large baking-type apple
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup water
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the yams and slice thinly. Peel and core the apple and cut into thin wedges.

Layer the yams and apples into a square non-stick baking dish. Combine the applesauce and water and pour over the layered ingredients. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover and bake for 50 minutes. Serve warm.

Mexican Pizza

2011-05-17T10:22:00.000-02:30

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 (15 ounce) can fat free (or reduced fat) refried beans

10 (6 inch) corn tortillas

1 tablespoon taco seasoning

1 cup enchilada sauce

1 roma tomato, chopped

1 cup vegan cheese, shredded

1 (2 1/4 ounce) can black olives, sliced

2 green onions, sliced

Saute onion in oil (you can use a little veggie broth). Add beans and taco seasoning. Heat through.

Spread mixture evenly on 5 tortillas. Top with other 5 tortillas.

Spread with enchilada sauce. Sprinkle tomatoes, then cheese, then olives, then green onions on top, dividing evenly between all five "pizzas.".

Broil in oven for 1-2 minutes or until "cheese" is melted.

Cut each "pizza" into four sections with pizza cutter.

Backyard Bean Burgers

2011-05-16T22:29:00.001-02:30

2 cans (15 ounces each) Black Beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup flour
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup chunky salsa
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Hamburger buns

Place beans in food processor; process until fairly smooth. Add flour, cornmeal, salsa, cumin and garlic salt. Spoon mixture into 6 balls on a large plate and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours before cooking.

Heat barbecue grill or ridged grill pan over medium heat. Coat grill or pan lightly with oil. Form each ball into a 4-inch patty about ½-inch thick. Place the patties on the grill or in pan and cook until browned and heated through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Crock Pot Refried Beans

2011-05-15T07:53:00.001-02:30

Ingredients:

* 3 cups dry pinto beans
* 8 1/2 cups water
* 1 onion, diced
* 1/2 jalapeno pepper, de-seeded and minced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 tsp cumin
* 2 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp black pepper

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a crock pot or slow cooker. Cover and cook on medium-high for 8 hours.

Drain out most of the water. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding back in some of the liquid if needed.

Creamy Tomato Tortilla Soup

2011-05-14T23:52:00.000-02:30

* 1 15oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles (do not drain)
* 1 15oz can navy beans (do not drain)
* 1/2 C plain soymilk
* 2 T fresh parsley or cilantro, minced
* 2 C tortilla strips or mini tortilla chips
* salt & pepper to taste

Blend tomatoes and navy beans in blender until pureed. Pour into medium saucepan. Add soymilk and salt & pepper. Heat until almost at a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with parsley or cilantro and tortilla strips to garnish.

Servings: 5-6

weekly weigh-in

2011-05-13T15:04:00.003-02:30

I know this hasn't actually been weekly lately. With the move and all the junk food I have been eating, I admit I was hiding from the scales. Last week I did weigh in and in the seven weeks I hadn't weighed, I gained 8.8 lbs. Not good, but actually less than I had expected all things considered. But this week, I lost 2.4 lbs of it. I am very proud of that. I am back on track and doing the best I can. It can only get easier as Prince Charming starts his new job and our finances get better. It is hard cooking two meals a day, but I have decided I am worth it. My health is worth it. I take care of my family and I need to take care of me to do it.

Caribbean Black Beans and Rice

2011-05-11T15:31:00.001-02:30

Ingredients:

* 1 large onion, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1- 2 tbsp grated or minced fresh ginger
* 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
* 1/2 tsp ground allspice
* 3 15 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 cup orange juice
* pepper to taste
* mango salsa
* brown rice, pre-cooked

Preparation:
In a nonstick saucepan, stir-fry onions and garlic in a small amount of broth, water, wine, or other liquid for 5 minutes, until onions begin to soften.

Add ginger, thyme, and allspice and stir-fry 5 minutes more, until onions are very soft.

Stir in beans and orange juice and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens slightly Mash a few beans with back of spoon for thicker consistency.

Add pepper and serve over brown rice topped with mango salsa and crisped corn tortillas.

Scroll down for more black beans and rice recipes to try and more Caribbean recipes to try.

Brown Rice with Tofu, Broccoli, and Water Chestnuts

2011-05-10T15:29:00.000-02:30

3 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 (14-ounce) package water-packed extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
5 cups small broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups (1/4-inch) diagonally sliced carrot
1/2 cup peeled, chopped broccoli stems
1 1/2 cups sliced green onions
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup snow peas, trimmed
1 (14-ounce) can whole baby corn, drained
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
4 cups hot cooked brown rice

Combine first 4 ingredients, tossing to coat; cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving marinade. Cook broccoli florets, carrot, and broccoli stems in boiling water 1 1/2 minutes; drain. Plunge into ice water. Drain.

Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and spray with cooking spray. Add tofu; stir-fry 5 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides. Stir in onions, ginger, and garlic; stir-fry 30 seconds. Stir in broccoli mixture, snow peas, corn, and water chestnuts; stir-fry 1 minute. Combine broth and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture, reserved marinade, and salt to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 2 1/2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Serve over rice.

Breakfast Rice

2011-05-09T15:28:00.000-02:30

Serving Size : 6

1 cup long-grain brown rice
1 cup unsweetened apple juice
1 cup water
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and cook for 40 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

This may also be made in a slow cooker overnight. Combine all of the ingredients and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Breakfast Polenta

2011-05-08T15:27:00.000-02:30

2 C soy or rice milk
2 C water
1 C yellow cornmeal
2 T maple syrup
soymilk
Fresh Fruit

In a 2-quart casserole, combine the 2 cups soymilk, water, and cornmeal. Cover with a lid. Microwave on high 4 minutes. Whisk and microwave on high, covered, for 4-5 minutes, or until the cornmeal is cooked. Whisk in the maple syrup. Serve with the soymilk and fruit.

Serves 4

Black bean vegetarian chili

2011-05-07T15:26:00.001-02:30

Ingredients:

* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 small onion, diced
* 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
* 2 medium carrots, sliced
* 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
* 1 15 ounce can black beans
* 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes or tomato sauce
* 1/2 cup vegetable broth
* 1 tbsp chili powder
* 1 tsp cumin
* 1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste)
* 1/2 tsp garlic powder
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp black pepper

Preparation:
Sautee onions and garlic in a little veggie broth for a minute or two, then add sweet potatoes, carrots and bell pepper until onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low, and add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine well.

Simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until flavors have mingled and vegetables are cooked.

Makes 5 servings of homemade black bean chili.

Nutritional information (per serving if using 2 tbsp of oil instead of veggie broth):
Calories: 427, Calories from Fat: 67
% Daily Value:
Total Fat: 7.5g, 12% / Saturated Fat: 1.2g, 6% Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 368mg, 15%
Total Carbohydrates: 72.0g, 24%
Dietary Fiber: 17.3g, 69%
Protein: 21.4g
Vitamin A 289%, Vitamin C 65%, Calcium 15%, Iron 31%

Baked Rice Pudding

2011-05-06T15:24:00.000-02:30

Servings: 4-6

3 cups cooked brown rice
1 ½ cups soy or rice milk
1 cup dried fruit
3 teaspoons brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
dash cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in an oven-proof pot. Heat to just boiling. Remove from heat, stir and place uncovered in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Hints: Serve in individual bowls with extra soy or rice milk to pour over the pudding and/or brown sugar to sprinkle on top. This may also be baked in individual bowls. Baking time will be reduced by about half. Different kinds of fruit may be used such as raisins, currents, dried cranberries, or chopped apricots or dates. This may also be served cold or at room temperature.

Bean-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

2011-05-05T15:25:00.000-02:30

1 head cabbage
--SAUCE--
12 ounces tomato sauce
6 ounces tomato paste
1 cup onion -- finely chopped
2 cloves garlic -- crushed
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
--FILLING--
1 pound white beans, canned
1 cup onion -- finely chopped
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Carefully remove 12 large outside leaves from the cabbage. Place leaves in a large pot of boiling water and boil 5 minutes. Remove leaves from water, place in a colander, and run under cold water for a few minutes. Drain.

To prepare sauce: combine all sauces ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.

To prepare filling: place beans in a large bowl. Mash slightly with a fork or potato masher. Add remaining filling ingredients and mix well.

To assemble: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Divide filling evenly and place each portion near the base of a cabbage leaf. Roll leaves up tightly, folding in the sides as you roll. Place rolls stem side down in prepared pan. Spoon sauce evenly over rolls. Cover Tightly and bake 1 hour.

Here's doing this right!

2011-05-04T15:20:00.001-02:30

I am back and back on the bandwagon. It will be as best I can for a while, but I need to get back to being healthy again. I have been sick for weeks and weeks. My stomach is acting up and I have been gaining weight like crazy. I have been in a downward spiral and I need to get myself back on track. So, even though we are not back on budget yet, I went out and bought just a couple of things for me. I am back to low fat, healthy, whole grain (and of course vegan) foods. I need this. I am up 7.6 lbs and I feel icky. I don't think it is a coincidence that I have been eating poorly for about the same amount of time I have been sick.

On a sidenote, I am so happy to be vegan here! There are so many wonderful, yummy vegan foods here. Soy Creamer for my coffee, Vegan Nacho cheeses, and all sorts of other wonderful things.

Asian Broccoli Stir Fry

2011-05-04T15:19:00.003-02:30

Ingredients:

* 1 bunch broccoli - cut into florets, stem peeled and chopped
* 1 T oil (Tip, I use a little water, or veggie broth)
* 2 cloves garlic, minced, grated, or pressed
* 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
* 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 Tablespoon dry sherry
* 1 teaspoon equivalent artificial sweetener
* 3 Tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

Preparation:
1) Lightly steam broccoli, or microwave in a covered container in small amount of water for 3 minutes.

2) While that is happening, if the almonds aren't toasted, you can do that in the skillet you're going to use for the broccoli - either in a dry pan or a small amount of oil.

3) Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, sherry, and sweetener.

4) Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet.

5) Stir-fry the broccoli in hot oil for 1-2 minutes, until almost tender. Push to the edges of the pan.

6) Put ginger and garlic in the center of the pan (add a little more oil or whatever you are usingif need be), and saute 30-60 seconds, until fragrant. Tips for using fresh ginger

7) Put sauce in the pan, and toss all ingredients together. Top with almonds.

Nutritional Information:Each of 6 servings has 4 grams effective carbohydrate plus 3 grams fiber, 3 grams protein, and 86 calories.