Month: April 2021

Categories
Family Friendly Snacks

Whipped Hummus

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Whipped Hummus

This is a delicious, light and fluffy hummus – a delicious way to get more of those health promoting beans into your diet.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can chickpeas, drained, reserving the liquid
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • Water
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Add the can of chickpeas and 1/3 cup of the reserved chickpea liquid, garlic, and tahini to a blender.
  2. Blend on high speed, adding more liquid as needed until whipped up and light.
  3. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

Serve with cut vegetables, crackers or pita chips.

Categories
Sauces, Dips & Dressings

Vegan Parmesan

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Vegan Parmesan

A great substitute for all of your parmesan needs.

Yield: 1-1/2 cups

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup raw cashews
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3 tablespoons chopped green olives, patted dry
  • 1 tablespoon white miso paste
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
  2. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until finely ground, approx. 1 – 2 minutes.
  3. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the mixture out evenly. Bake, stirring occasionally, until dry, about 30 minutes.  Cool to room temperature.
  4. If a finer texture is desired, place back into the food processor after oven-drying and cooling. Pulse until desired texture.
  5. Store in the refrigerator.

To download and print this recipe click here.

Categories
Sauces, Dips & Dressings

Cashew Cream

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Cashew Cream

This is an essential ingredient to substitute for cream or to add a creaminess to almost any dish.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
  • Water
  • Instructions

Instructions:

  1. Place cashews in a bowl or jar and cover with water. Let soak 2 hours if you have a powerful blender or at least 6 hours for a standard blender. You can also cover cashews for 1 hour with boiling water for a faster soak time.
  2. Drain the cashews, and place in the blender. Adjust the consistency as needed by adding more or less water. Approximately one cup of water for heavy cream thickness, two cups of water for half-and-half thickness, and three cups of water for milk thickness. Blend on low speed until incorporated then on high speed until very smooth—a few minutes. I like to blend a thick mixture, then just add water as needed for any use.
  3. Store in covered container in the refrigerator or make a larger batch and store in small amounts in the freezer. The cashew cream will thicken with time (especially if frozen). Whisk with additional water to regain your desired consistency.

Use for coffee creamer, on pasta or in place of cream in any dish.

Categories
Mains Pasta

Mushroom Stroganoff

Mushroom Stroganoff

Makes: 4 servings
Difficulty level: moderate

Beef stroganoff was a favorite food growing up. This was an easy dish to re-create in plant-based style as it already contains hearty mushrooms and wonderful flavor – no beef needed!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard
  • 2 teaspoons hot water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 16 oz fresh mushrooms sliced
  • 4 teaspoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
  • 1/3 cup white wine or dry vermouth
  • ½ cup vegan sour cream (or ½ cup cashew cream with 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • Rice or pasta of choice for serving

Instructions:

  1. Combine mustard, water, sugar and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
  2. Heat oil in a large pan/skillet over med-high heat, add onion and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and fry for about 5 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste, stirring until mushrooms and onions are coated.
  3. Stir in white wine, vegetable broth, tamari (or soy sauce) and mustard paste.
  4. Reduce heat and to medium and cook, stirring until reduced slightly and beginning to thicken, about 8 minutes.
  5. Stir in sour cream (or cashew cream and lemon juice) and stir to dissolve. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  6. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and enjoy over brown rice or pasta of choice.

Advanced move:

  1. Place wilted mild greens (such as spinach) under the pasta or rice, then top with the mushroom mixture. This is a great way to get in those extra greens.
Categories
Mains

Tofu Banh Mi

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Tofu Banh Mi

Makes: 4 servings
Difficulty level: moderate

We absolutely love the flavors in this sandwich. It is obvious why it is a staple of Vietnamese cuisine.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (14-ounce) package extra firm tofu, drained and sliced cross-wise into ½ inch thick slices
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
  • ¼ cup mayo (or vegan mayo)
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce (adjust to your taste)
  • 4 (8-inch) Italian sub rolls or baguette pieces, sliced in half
  • 2 carrots, shredded
  • 1/2 small cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, & thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • ½ cup of cilantro leaves
  • Extra Sriracha

Instructions

  1. Drain the tofu and slice it into 1/2-inch slices. Place it on a towel and gently pat dry to remove excess water. Sprinkle with a small amount of salt and pepper.
  2. Meanwhile, combine the carrots, cucumbers, lime juice and fish sauce and let sit for 10 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, lime zest and Sriracha.
  4. Place cornstarch in a shallow bowl and dredge the tofu slices in cornstarch, transferring to a plate until all pieces are lightly coated.
  5. Heat a nonstick skillet to medium-high heat, then add a small amount of oil to the pan. Place the tofu pieces in the pan leaving some space between each piece, working in batches if necessary. Without moving the tofu slices around too much, let them cook for a few minutes per side until they’re deeply golden brown on the edges. Remove from heat.
  6. Assemble sandwiches by spreading a moderate amount of mayo mixture evenly over the cut side of each roll. Next, layer on the tofu, pickled veggies (without the liquid), and cilantro. Serve with extra Sriracha.
Categories
Soups

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

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Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Makes: 4 servings
Difficulty level: moderate

This is hands-down our favorite soup. Roasting the red peppers adds a little time to the preparation but it is so worth it for the depth of flavor. We make a large batch and freeze in multiple containers so that it is ready any time we have a craving.

Ingredients:

  • 3 large red bell peppers (or a 16 oz jar of roasted red peppers, drained)
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in juice
  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon dried dill or 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
  • 3 tablespoons coconut sugar or agave syrup
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Optional: red pepper flakes for spice

Instructions

  1. Roast red peppers on a foil lined baking sheet in a 475 degree F oven for about 15 minutes until partially charred. Then wrap in foil to steam for 10 minutes.
  2. Add all of the remainder of the remaining ingredients to large pot and bring to a simmer. If using jarred peppers, add now.
  3. When red peppers are cool enough to handle, remove outer skins, seeds and stems. Chop coarsely. Add peppers to soup and warm through.
  4. Purée in a blender or use immersion blender until smooth. Return to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasonings to taste and serve.
  5. For a thinner soup, add additional vegetable broth or water to desired consistency.

The soup can be frozen and reheated if desired.

Advanced moves:

  1. Stir in 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds.
  2. Add a few tablespoons of drained canned white beans to the bottom of the bowl before pouring the hot soup over.
Categories
Sauces, Dips & Dressings

Green Onion Vinaigrette

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Green Onion Vinaigrette

This is an amazing sauce that we love to use on tacos or Mexican-style health bowls.

Ingredients:

  • 8 green onions
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ cup olive oil (advanced move: use ¼ cup of olive oil and ¼ cup pine nuts)
  • 1/3 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoons honey
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Instructions:

  1. Blanch green onions in boiling water for 30 seconds and then immerse (shock) in ice water. This is important to keep a bright green color.
  2. Combine green onions, garlic, (nuts if using) and vinegar in blender. Add oil with motor running until emulsified. Blend in honey, salt and pepper.
  3. Taste and adjust the seasonings (adding more salt, pepper or honey if necessary)
  4. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. We like to store this in a squeeze bottle to squeeze on tacos, bowls, etc.
Categories
Breakfast Snacks

Muesli

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Muesli

Makes: 16 servings

Difficulty level: very easy

Muesli was created by a Swiss physician and nutritional pioneer who used this food to improve the health of many of his patients, with impressive results.  Muesli is a great weekday breakfast as it is very nutritious, can be altered to your tastes, and can be prepared ahead so it is ready to go when you are. 

Ingredients

  • 4 cups of grains
  • 1 ½ cups nuts/ seeds
  • 1 cup dried fruit
  • Grains: Rolled oats, wheat bran, oat bran, whole barley, quinoa flakes, millet puffs, or other.
  • Nuts/seeds: Sliced almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pepitas, chia seeds, or other
  • Dried fruit: Blueberries, apricots, cherries, gogi berries, barberries, mulberries, figs, raisins, currants, apple chips, unsweetened coconut flakes, or other.

Instructions:

  1. In a large mixing bowl combine grains, nuts, seeds and dried fruit. Mix well. Store muesli in an airtight container. Keeps for 2 months at room temperature.

Variations:

For added nutrition, I recommend adding 2 teaspoons of ground flax seeds to any of the muesli preparations. (I don’t add it ahead because it is so fine that it sinks to the bottom of the storage container.) If desired, drizzle with a sweetener of your choice (yacon syrup, maple syrup, agave syrup, honey).

  • For a quick breakfast or snack, add desired amount of Muesli to a bowl, then add desired amount of milk (preferably plant-based). Top with fresh fruit if desired. Eat immediately or let rest for 20 minutes for a softer texture.
  • Use overnight-oats style by adding 2/3 cup of muesli into a small jar, adding 2/3 cup (plant-based) milk, top with frozen fruit. Cover with the lid and refrigerate overnight. Perfect for a quick summer breakfast.
  • Stir into yogurt.

Warm with milk or water for an oatmeal-style breakfast.

Categories
Dessert

Chocolate Mousse

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Chocolate Mousse

This is an extremely easy, amazingly light and fluffy chocolate dessert that no one (and I mean no one) will know is made with tofu. It is a delicious way to get more of those important antioxidant isoflavones into your diet.

Makes 3 servings

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (or roughly chopped chocolate bar)
  • 1 package (12 ounces) organic silken tofu at room temperature, well drained
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • Optional toppings: raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, chocolate shavings, fresh mint leaves

Instructions:

  1. Place the silken tofu (make sure that it is at room temperature and well drained of excess water) and maple syrup in a food processor and blend until very smooth.

  2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each heating, until the chocolate is melted.

  3. Add the melted chocolate to the food processor and blend, scraping down the sides as needed until well combined.

  4. Scoop the mixture into 3 ramekins or small glasses, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

  5. To serve, garnish with desired toppings.

Categories
Pasta

Grain Salad with Tahini & Apricots

Grain Salad with Tahini & Apricots

This dish stands alone as a light meal or on the side of a health bowl or salad. It makes a great addition to a pot luck.

Serves 4-6 as a main dish or 8-10 as a side dish.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups uncooked oat groats (or farro)
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 4 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons finely diced red onions
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  • ¼ cup finely chopped dried apricots
  • ¼ cup toasted sliced (or slivered) almonds
  • Additional cilantro, mint leaves, or sliced dried apricots for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Cook the grain according to the package instructions. Set aside.
  2. Whisk the honey, tahini, lemon juice, water, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. (You may need to add more water if your tahini is particularly thick. Add one tablespoon at a time until you have a dressing consistency.)
  3. Add the grain to the bowl and toss to coat. Fold in the onions, cilantro, mint and apricots. Taste, adjusting seasonings to taste.
  4. Let rest for 15 minutes or refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve chilled or at room temperature, topping with almonds and a sprinkling of fresh herb leaves or extra sliced apricots (optional) before serving.
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