Sunday, October 30, 2011

What's for Dinner--Taco Lentils with Chili Rice on Whole Wheat Tortillas

I'll have to post the full recipe for this meal some time, but the one I want to share tonight is our homemade taco seasoning. If you don't already have a good recipe for this, and you're using those little MSG filled packets, this recipe is a great one. I found it on Allrecipes.com, and we've been using it for years. We usually triple or quadruple the recipe to have on hand.

Taco Seasoning

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Easy Nutritious Treat

Halva is an easy, nutritious treat. You mix about two parts honey with one and a half parts tahini, then adjust the proportion to taste. Then refrigerate till it's the consistency to roll into balls, or mold and slice. I saw one recipe that recommends mixing in chocolate, vanilla, or nuts. Other recipes recommend rolling balls of halva in sesame or chia seeds.

Both the honey and the tahini have great nutrition benefits, especially if the honey is raw and local, though you have to be careful not to give raw honey to very small children. I've heard that many people who eat raw, local honey find that their allergy symptoms decrease or disappear. Honey also contains enzymes, vitamins, and minerals, which sugar doesn't have. Tahini has protein, good fat, iron, calcium, and magnesium.

A couple more tips about honey: Honey is antibacterial and has been used to treat infected wounds. Also, I learned from Konnie and Serena that you can stir a spoonful of creamed honey into regular honey, and it will crystallize into creamed honey instead of hardening solid. It works great!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

What's for Dinner--Maple Mustard Glazed Potatoes and String Beans

These are so addictive that when I made them for my extended (non-vegan) family, they asked me to make them again the next day and begged me for the recipe. This recipe is from "Vegan with a Vengeance" by Isa Moscowitz

Maple Mustard Glazed Potatoes and String Beans

2 lbs small Yukon Gold potatoes, halved (about 1-inch pieces) (We also like red potatoes in this)
1/2 lb string beans, halved with ends cut off and discarded
1 yellow onion, thickly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced (I prefer pressed)
3 Tbsp tamari, soy sauce, or nama shoyu
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place veggies in 9 x 13. Mix other ingredients till mustard is dissolved. Pour over veggies and mix till well coated. Cover with foil and place in oven. Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven and toss, using a spoon to drizzle sauce over veggies. Turn oven down to 350 degrees. Cook 25 more minutes uncovered. Remove from oven, toss again, cook for 25 more minutes uncovered. (Total of 75 minutes). My family prefers to double the sauce recipe to have extra.

What's for Dinner--Pecan Cranberry Quinoa

Quinoa is usually grouped with grains, but it's actually a seed. It's a complete protein, containing all essential amino acids, and it's a good source of fiber, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus. This recipe is also from The Green Smoothie Girl's 12 Steps to Whole Foods. I think I could eat this dish every day.

Pecan Cranberry Quinoa

1 C quinoa, rinsed well to remove the seed's bitter, natural pest deterrent. (She recommends soaking for a few minutes to let the seeds swell, and then drain in a fine mesh strainer. I recommend the pre-rinsed quinoa sold at Walmart or Broulims, because I don't like to take a chance that the quinoa will be bitter.)
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 clove garlic. minced
2 cups water
1/2 C pecans chopped and toasted under a broiler or in a dry saute pan
1 orange, red, or yellow pepper, diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 green onions, chopped (used the green and white parts)
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp sea salt
Optional: 1/4 cup dried apricots, finely chopped

Dressing:
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp agave (I might have used honey)
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried basil

In a saucepan, saute the garlic in the oil, then add the quinoa and stir till toasted. Add water and bring to boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes. Blend the dressing ingredients. Toss the quinoa in dressing and all other ingredients. Serve cold or hot.

What's for Dinner--Potato Garbanzo Curry

This was another recipe that my kids liked as soon as they tried it. I've had several requests from my husband and kids to make this again. This is from The Green Smoothie Girl's 12 Steps to Whole Foods. By the way, I've noticed that the organic canned garbanzo beans taste a lot better than the regular ones for just a few cents more.

Potato Garbanzo Curry

1 1/2 C dry garbanzo beans (I used 2 cans)
1 C brown rice, uncooked (I used several cups cooked)
4 C water
2 yellow onions, chopped (I used sweet onions, and I added 1 green pepper and 1 red pepper, chopped)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
4 cups chopped new red potatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup water
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (no rapeseed oil/corn syrup/sugar added)
2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste (I used about half this because I was afraid it would be spicy and I didn't want to scare off my kids :) )
1/4 cup molasses

Rinse and drain the garbanzo beans and brown rice together, and then soak them in water overnight. Drain well. Bring 4 cups water to boil, add beans and rice, then reduce heat and simmer for 50-60 minutes until the water is absorbed. (I skipped this whole step and used already cooked ingredients.)

Sauté the onions in the oil until tender, add the spices and potatoes (and peppers if using) and sauté together briefly. Add broth, 1/2 cup water, and salt. Simmer until potatoes are tender. (She says about 30 minutes. Mine took more like 15, but my pots cook faster.)

Add garbanzo, rice, peanut butter, curry paste, and molasses and heat through. Serve hot.

What's for Dinner--Spinach Orzo Ensalata

This pasta salad is so good that my children liked it on the first try, despite the facts that it didn't look like anything we've ever tried and that it contained olives, which most of them don't like. The Green Smoothie Girl invented this salad to try and duplicate her favorite salad at the Macaroni Grill. It is so, so good. (from 12 Steps to Whole Foods)

Spinach Orzo Ensalata

1 cup uncooked whole-wheat orzo pasta (boil according to package directions and rinse well, then cool. PS--I couldn't find whole wheat Orzo here in Rexburg, so I used white.)
10+ cups spinach (about two 10-oz bags) chopped
1 pkg fresh basil cut in ribbons
2 tomatoes diced small
1 can black olives, sliced
2 oz capers (half a 4 oz jar) drained
1/2 cup raw pine nuts
OPTIONAL: shaved parmesan to taste

Toss all ingredients except optional parmesan. Add dressing to taste, and toss. Top each plate with parmesan if desired. (The Green Smoothie Girl recommends serving this dressing with her Tangy Dill Dressing, which is really good.)

Tangy Dill Dressing

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos (I used nama shoyu)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp dried dill weed, or 1/4 cup fresh

Blend all ingredients in a blender.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

What's for Dinner--Southwest Salad with Homemade Croutons and Avocado Dressing

These recipes are from 12 Steps to Whole Foods by Robyn Openshaw (The Green Smoothie Girl)

Southwest Salad

1 head green lettuce, washed and torn
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup black beans
fresh whole wheat croûtons

Mix and toss. We served this with corn chips, salsa, and avocado dressing

Homemade Croûtons

Several pieces of whole wheat bread, brushed with olive oil, and sprinkled with salt, garlic powder, basil, and oregano. Dice bread into cubes, then toast under the broiler in the oven till browned.

Avocado Dressing

2 large avocados
1/2 C fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp Nama Shoyu
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
2-4 Tbsp water to achieve desired consistency
Optional: 2 Tbsp alfalfa sprouts

Blend till smooth.


For desert I made a yummy fudge by throwing dates, walnuts, peanut butter, and a little maple syrup and cocoa into my food processor. Very yummy. If I had to guess at the recipe, I would say 2 cups dates, 1 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/4 cup cocoa, and 2 Tbsp maple syrup.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

What's for Dinner--Pot Pie Veggies and Sauce with Herbed Drop Biscuits

I diced and steamed lots of potatoes, sautéed two onions, several carrots, and two slices of celery, and threw in half a bag of frozen peas. I made up a gravy by pureeing a drained and rinsed can of great northern beans with enough water to make the consistency of a sauce. I flavored it by blending in salt, pepper, and a large handful of macadamia nuts till smooth (sometimes I add seasonings like thyme to this gravy). We mixed the veggies, then served them drizzled with sauce and topped with Herbed Whole Wheat Drop Biscuits. Delicious.

Herbed Whole Wheat Drop Biscuits from Vegan Brunch by Isa Moskowitz

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
5 tsp baking powder
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp salt

3 Tbsp cold nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening
2 Tbsp cold nonhydrogenated margarine
1 cup almond milk (or other milk)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease baking sheet. Mix first 5 ingredients. Cut in shortening and margarine (we used coconut oil instead) until pebble size pieces of dough form. Add milk and combine to form soft dough. Use ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop biscuits onto baking sheet. Bake 15-18 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to cooling rack, but serve warm. (We cut the amount of herbs just a little bit. 4 tsp. of herbs is a little strong for our family.)

What's for Dinner--Asian Salad

Last night we had a delicious dinner of Asian Salad from the Green Smoothie Girl's 12 Steps to Whole Foods Course Manual. (Step 1 is to drink a quart of green smoothie every day--1 pint for kids, Step 2 is make salad the star of your dinner meal, and Step 3 is to make your own dressing.)

Asian Salad

1 head red leaf lettuce, washed and torn
1 head green leaf lettuce, washed and torn
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup dried currants
1 cup peanuts
1 cup dried coconut flakes (you can find these, larger than shreds and unsweetened, at the health food store for 2 or 3 dollars).

Toss and serve with Asian Ginger Dressing.

Dressing

4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger root, minced
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup nama shoyu (this is what some consider a healthier soy sauce)
3 Tbsp. honey

Blend in a high powered blender until liquefied and well blended. (The Green Smoothie Girl also recommends this dressing over shredded cabbage with toasted sesame seeds.)

We served asian noodles on the side with the thai peanut sauce I've posted before.