chunky vegan chili

here it is. my favorite chili. yes, buying the bulgur is worth it. recipe from epicurious with a bit of changes. make this recipe with some homemade mac-n-cheese-with-broccoli !

ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion diced
1 cup shredded carrots
jalapeno minced (optional)
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup bulgur
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
2 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 can kidney beans
2 cans black beans
salt and pepper to taste
few pinches of cayenne (optional, to your liking)
pinch of thyme
1 1/2 cups water
parsley chopped as garnish

how to:

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and jalapeño and sauté, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the bulgur, add the spices (chili powder, cumin, cayenne, thyme) and stir until well combined.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans. Add in the water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt to taste. Serve with a sprinkling of parsley, if desired.

quinoa vegetable and fruit medley

my new favorite meal for lunch is a giant bowl of rainbow goodness. you can use any grain that has a high amount of protein and fiber such as bulgur  or quiona, farro, amaranth, couscous etc. I also find it tastes better eating everything mixed together. 

ENJOY, your body will thank you.

ingredients:

• precooked grain- quiona etc
• spices- salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, sriracha if you like!
• your favorite green such as spinach or kale- chopped
• raw veggies chopped - anything you like / have at hand
• fruit is great too!

how to:

1. cook your grain, add a little salt for more flavor if you like
2. chop your favorite green well and mix into your bowl with the cooked grain
3. pile your bowl with raw veggies and fruit you like
4. add your spices
5. check flavor, top with sriracha etc if you like
6. enjoy! sharing is optional ; )

vegetable medley lasagna

The other day I tried a lasagna recipe from my new book called The Plant-Powered Diet by Sharon Palmer and it's absolutely perfect. Exactly what I was looking for in a vegan lasagna. I only made a vegan lasagna recipe one time when I first started being vegan and it was so complicated and it didn't turn out exactly as i'd hope so I completely shied away from all lasagna recipes since then. But this one seemed so simple and included easy step by step instructions. So whether you are an omnivore, vegetarian or vegan you may enjoy this thick, vegetable- rich lasagna. We enjoyed our lasagna with home grown green onions and lettuce, nothing better than that!

*best made in a small, deep baking dish about 7x10 inches

ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium summer squash (about 8 inches long) such as a zucchini, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli
• 2 garlic gloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or 2 tsps dried)
• 1 teaspoon low sodium herbal seasoning
• 4 ounces (6 sheets) whole wheat lasagna noodles, uncooked
• one 24- ounce jar reduced- sodium marinara sauce
• 2 cups packed chopped kale
• 1 1/2 cups shredded plant-based cheese (such as Daiya)

how to

• heat the olive oil in a large skillet. add the onions, bell pepper, summer squash, broccoli, garlic, black pepper oregano, and herbal seasoning. saute for about 7 minutes.
• preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• pour 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce into a deep rectangular baking dish (about 7/10 inches) and spread it evenly over the bottom of the dish
• place 3 lasagna noodles side by side on top of the sauce. in even layers, add about half of the vegetable mixture, then 1 cup kale, half of the remaining marinara sauce, and 3/4 cup plant-based cheese.
• place the remaining 3 noodles on top and repeat the layers with remaining ingredients.
• cover the baking dish with lid or foil and bake for 1 hour. remove the cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the dish is golden and bubbly.
• cut the lasagna into six servings and serve immediately.

veggie/bean burgers

finally, the recipe post i should have written a long time ago since it quite possibly is my favorite meal to make for the family (and often). the recipe is as simple as you want it to be since you can include whatever ingredient you really want. below is what i usually do for veggie/bean burgers. i generally use four cans of different beans which makes quite a bit of burgers for four and then some leftovers. so definitely half the recipe for two people.

enjoy !

ingredients:

burgers

• four cans beans of any variety (kidney, black, pinto)
• 1 med-large potato shredded (use cheese grater)
• 1 large carrot shredded (use cheese grater)
• 1/2 cup peas (optional)
• lots of salt 
• crushed red pepper flakes for spiciness 

how to:

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. separate all your large ingredients into different bowls; beans, potato, carrot, peas. make sure to rinse the beans very well. tip: shred the potato last
3. get another bowl you can mush these ingredients with a fork easily to later form your burger. take a handful of beans and mush them for a minute (they don't all have to be completely mushed) then take handfuls of all your veggies and put those into your mushed bean bowl. 
4. you can mix all the ingredients with a fork and then add your spices
5. now using your hands form your burgers into a patty shape, you kind of need to press hard to get the beans to stick with all your ingredients but it should go pretty easily. (beware this is the messy part)
6. continue to make more patty's by adding and mushing together more of the mixture.
7. once done oven them for 30-40 minutes on a sprayed aluminum foil over your baking tray
8. the burgers should be slightly golden and crispy on each side. you can turn them over half way.

tip: if your patty's wont stick well it might be too wet which can be fixed with more beans which will make the mixture dryer. it is usually the water from the potato that may make your mixture un-stickable. you may need to squeeze out the water from the shredded potato if you notice it is watery.

toppings

• avocado slices (personal favorite)
• tomato slices
• bell peppers slices
• spinach
• onion slices
• ketchuppp (go organic! avoid HFCS)
• cucumbers (optional)
• toasted whole wheat buns (trader joes has yummy ones)

how to:

1. put all your toppings in dishes so everyone can build their own burger later

side dishes

• sweet potato wedges baked
• it is just fine and even nutritious to eat potato skins so simply wash and scrub your sweet potatoes before you slice them into wedges 
• you can make these while your burgers are in the oven so don't turn the oven off when the burgers are done since these can also bake at 400 degrees F. 
• then prepare your baking sheet. i put aluminum foil over my baking sheet for easy clean up. spray your sheet and then put your wedges on. you can sprinkle more olive oil over your wedges here too.
• use whatever spices you like and sprinkle them over the wedges. salt is usually what i use.
• they go in the oven for about 45-60 minutes depending on your wedge sizes and oven. i never know how long i keep them in because i keep adding the time if they are not ready. aka you want the wedges to be really soft and be able to put a fork through them easily so keep checking! definitely start with 30 minutes and then check every so often.
• transfer the wedges to a plate once done

• spiced chickpeas baked (optional)
• after your sweet potatoes are done you can use the same baking sheet and aluminum foil used with the wedges. 
• first rinse your garbanzo beans really well and then simply place them on your sprayed aluminum foil on the baking sheet
• sprinkles your desired spices, i go with  cayenne pepper and salt
• bake for about 30 minutes on the same 400 degree F as the burgers and wedges.
• the garbanzo beans will get golden and crispy as well.
• transfer them to a bowl and eat them as a snack on the side!

quinoa stuffed peppers

STUFF PEPPERS NOT TURKEYS ! :  )

this is a recipe i made up to my liking and use often. it is quite easy and makes a ton of stuffed peppers so you'll have more for later! i actually made this recipe this thanksgiving as a vegan dinner option which is great for when you have lot's of people to feed. this recipe made about 12 small-medium stuffed peppers so it was plenty.

it happened to be my sisters birthday as well so i made our favorite chocolate vegan cake here because it is so easy and so so good! andddd its FULL of chocolate goodness:)  i ended up decorating the top with sliced kiwi which was almost better than our usual sliced strawberries. mixing kiwis and chocolate was surprisingly really great.

the stuffed peppers i have been using for this recipe lately are green peppers that were kept in the freezer after my mom had already carved out the middle. my parents had plenty of peppers from their vegetable garden this past summer so we freeze any leftover for the winter. so stuffed peppers were the best way to use them up! first i would take them out of the freezer before i started any cooking just to let them thaw out.

ingredients:

• baby bella mushrooms 2 packages sliced
• garlic 2-3 cloves chopped
• one large onion diced
• two shredded carrots
• two tomatoes chopped
• one jalapeno chopped
• spinach about one bag
• coconut oil for cooking
• parsley chopped
• 2 cups red or white quinoa (substitutes: couscous or rice)
• salt
• spices: turmeric, ginger

how to:

1. first thing i do is chop and prepare all the veggies, you can add as much as you like but above are the ingredients i like to use and about how much i use
2. in a large skillet (all depends how much you're going to make) heat two tablespoons of coconut oil
3. once it melts add in the garlic and onions until translucent
4. prepare the quinoa separately in a pan according to package directions- i now add salt to my quinoa so it isn't so plain when added to the main skillet dish
5. once the onions are ready start putting in your veggies; shredded carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes and jalapeno
6. let these cook on medium high heat until they are tender 
7. start adding in your spices (turmeric, ginger) and experimenting with the taste to your liking. i usually add lots of salt because the quinoa tends to be plain. i also add more red pepper flakes if needed, however a jalapeno pepper should be enough. 
8. keep stirring your dish often and once its about done add handfuls of your spinach in at a time. it comes later since it doesn't take long for it to wilt and mix in with the dish. i usually end up adding a whole bag of spinach
9. once your quinoa is done mix it in with your veggie dish and combine well.
10. check the taste and add any more spices if needed
11. once combined and everything is cooked well turn off the heat and mix in your parsley last

 

stuffing the peppers

if you have non frozen whole peppers just cut off the top of the peppers and once your dish has cooled a little start to stuff the peppers. i would also at this time preheat your oven to 400 degrees F while you prepare. sometimes my dish has lots of juice/water in it so i make sure to drain the quinoa stuffing before scooping it into the peppers with a spoon. you don't want that extra juice in your pepper. fill as many peppers as you want and then transfer them to a pan for baking in the oven. i usually pile the pepper right next to each other on the pan and finish it off with pouring some olive oil and water in the pan to coat the bottom so it doesn't burn. you only need a little of each depending on the size of your pan and how many you're making. once prepared you are ready to bake the peppers for about 30-40 minutes. the frozen peppers take longer but just keep checking the peppers until the pepper is soft and tender.

mini pizzas

i was inspired to make some mini pizzas today and basically winged it by taking my thin crust veggie pizza recipe and making it into mini ones.

first make the crust by following the exact recipe in the above link for one thin crust pizza. then preheat oven to 350 F and once you have rolled out the dough use some kind of round cup or pudding bowl like i did and carve out the dough.

use the extra dough to roll out more until you've used as much as you can. then place the dough on a baking sheet with foil with some drizzled oil. poke holes with a fork in the middle of each dough piece and throw them in the oven for 5 minutes. then follow the directions below.

makes about 12-14 mini pizzas

ingredients for toppings:

• pizza sauce enough for all your dough pieces
• chopped up spinach
• daiya mozzarella cheese [vegan]
• chopped up mushrooms
• sliced tomatoes

how to:

1. after taking out the dough pieces from the oven [the initial 5 minutes] top them with your sauce using a spoon to spread it around, careful to stay away from the edges
2. next i put on my chopped spinach, then i did different pizzas some with a tomatoe slice topped with the cheese or mushrooms chopped with the cheese. feel free to put in your favorite toppings
3. then place the baking sheet with your decorated pizzas into the oven for about 12-13 minutes. careful not to burn your crust since they are smaller and thinner

whole wheat pancakes

these are my go-to pancakes that i know will turn out awesome every time. i really enjoy whole wheat pancakes now more than any other kind. they have a completely different taste and feel.

definitely more firm and i absolutely love that. it is something you must try at least once. i know sometime going whole wheat on things is a risk and doesn't taste right but for me this recipe is one of the best when it comes to pancakes.

serves two people

ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup milk of your choice (soy, almond, rice)
• coconut oil for cooking

how to:

1. mix in a bowl the flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt
2. add a little of the milk at a time while mixing well with a whisk, gradually adding the rest of the batter
3. heat the coconut oil in a pan about 2 tsp is all your need, use about 2 tablespoons of batter at a time and cook until golden brown

toppings:

absolutely highly recommended that you squeeze some lemon juice on your pancakes for the freshest and tastiest pancakes ever. this is a total addiction for me and i can't believe i never tried it sooner. sometimes i like to put in the chocolate chips or make them plain and pile on the fruit. i also sprinkled some ground flaxseeds on top- i love to get them in anywhere i can. for a syrup i always use agave because it is a much healthier alternative and has a low glycemic index.

detox smoothie

 i am so in love with my new detoxifying smoothie creation.
it is perfect for a summers day to share with your mom out in the sun.

it tastes so fresh and clean i can't get enough of it and neither can my senses.
i would say it smells like cucumbers but doesn't taste like any particular vegetable included.

for me it is just enough sweetness, which comes from the berries and banana however you can use vanilla almond milk as a water substitute for more sweetness and a more creamier taste. use my ingredients as a base or for inspiration and play around with it to your liking.

ingredients:

•  3/4 cup berries - frozen raspberries & black berries
• 1/2 cup cucumber- peeled and sliced
• 1 banana- sliced
• 1 1/2 cups water or vanilla almond milk
• 1 1/2 cup loosely packed kale
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

how to:

1. cut up and prepare all your ingredients
2. put it in your mixer - i use a nutribullet; check taste! need sweetener?  

+++
this drink is full of essential nutrients and vitamins.

kale: one of the healthiest superfoods on the planet! no joke. pack these in whenever you can your body will thank you. low calories, high iron, high fiber, antioxidants, high vitamin K, A, C, high in calcium, antioxidants, great ant-imflammatory food and detoxifies your liver.

berries: contains phytochemicals that protect your cells from damage, flavonoids to keep your memory sharp, fiber to control diabetes, heart health, weight control, lower blood pressure and fight cancers.

spinach: high in vitamin K, A, magnesium, high fiber, calcium, protein, cancer fighting antioxidants, lower blood pressure, cardiovascular health, brain health.

parsley: antioxidant nutrients: flavonoids, wonderful source for vitamin A & C, source of folic acid for herat health, protects from rheumatoid arthritis, much more useful than decorating food!

chia seeds: lowers cholesterol, aids digestion, stabilize blood sugar, packed with omega 3's, fiber, calcium, manganese, phosphorous, protein, improve heart health,

cucumber: high water content, minerals essential for skin care, lignans fight cancer, control blood pressure, dietary fiber helps with digestion, joint health by strengthening connective tissues, relieve gout and arthritis pain, diuretic- eliminates waste products, aid in weight loss, cures diabetes.

banana: vitamin C, potassium, manganese, vitamin b6, fiber, easy to digest, amino acids, excellent source for carbohydrates your primary source of energy.

almond milk: dairy-free and has less calories than a cup of skim milk. wonderful source of calcium, vitamin D and E.