Quinoa Loaf with mushrooms and peas

So I saw this recipe on the Whole Foods website and loved the idea of a loaf made from quinoa! This is one of my favorite grains because it is a complete protein! All you need is 1 cup dry with 2 cups liquid and it takes 20 minutes to cook. The combination of flavors in this loaf were so delicious and even better leftover the next day with some sauteed swiss chard.

Quinoa Loaf with mushrooms and peas

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup rolled oats (instant or old fashioned)
2 cups cooked quinoa (so 1 cup dry makes more than you need, save the leftovers for another meal)
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley and/or 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
10 sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
1 cup (about 1 onion) chopped red onion

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch loaf pan with oil; set aside.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put beans, oats and 1/2 cup water into a food processor and pulse until almost smooth.
• In a large bowl, combine mushrooms, bean mixture, quinoa, peas, parsley, tomatoes, onion, salt and pepper.
• Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan, gently pressing down and mounding it in the middle.
• Bake until firm and golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

look at those chunks of veggies in that loaf!! mmmm

Nutrition Per serving (about 6oz/172g-wt.): 170 calories (35 from fat), 4g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 200mg sodium, 28g total carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 8g protein

Vegetarian Paella

So I really wanted to make paella one night and when I went to the store to track down saffron threads I saw that they were anywhere from $12-$18 a bottle!!! My hubbie researched online for a substitute (you can use tumeric) or for a cheaper brand. Well he found that Trader Joe's had a container for $5.99 and I rushed over there to pick some up! This recipe was super easy because I cooked the rice ahead of time and just had to chop up all the veggies. I reduced the amount of rice from the original recipe from 2 cups down to 1 cup because I honestly love all the veggies. It seemed like the perfect ratio to me, but if you want to up the rice then go ahead!

Vegetarian Paella

1 cup rice dry, cooked ahead of time

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, quartered

1 cup sliced yellow squash

1 cup baby squash or sliced zucchini

1 cup sliced carrots

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces

1/2 cup frozen green peas

14-ounce can diced tomatoes

6 to 8 saffron threads

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat non-stick cooking spray in a large paella pan or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes.

Add artichokes, squash, zucchini, carrots, asparagus, peas, tomatoes, saffron, paprika, and bay leaves, bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.

Add rice and broth and cook for 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat, remove bay leaves and stir in parsley. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.

Then proceed to enjoy a frosted healthy chocolate chocolate chip muffin for dessert ;)

Banana Almond Pancakes

So these pancakes are a spin on a recipe that I've already posted here. I was hanging out with my gorgeous cousin Elizabeth and we were talking about our obsession with almonds and she told me to try almond extract in my pancakes instead of vanilla! This was my first time ever using almond extract and oh my god - these tasted like little almond short bread cookies - but in pancake form! So yummy.

Banana Almond Pancakes

1 1/2 Cup Almond milk
1 Tbs Agave Nectar (or Sugar)
1 Ripe Banana
1 Cup Spelt Flour (or sub all purpose)
1/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Almond Extract
1-2 Tbs water, to thin batter if needed

Add almond milk, banana, and agave to blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients except the water and blend for a few seconds until combined. Scrape down any dry flour stuck to the side of the jar and blend again (just for a few seconds).

Top with fruit of choice!!

Healthy Carrot Cake

So I saw this recipe and thought it looked delish and packed an awesome nutritional punch. The original recipe called for 1 cup walnuts, but I did half and half of two different kinds (you can use whatever you have on hand). I also switched out one cup of maple syrup for applesauce. This drastically cut the calories and sugar content from 255 to 185 calories, and 25 to 12 grams of sugar. If you want to drizzle some maple syrup on top before eating, then go ahead! This was super yummy and it's so good for you!!! It really tastes exactly like carrot cake mmmm

Carrot Oat Breakfast Cake - Makes 12

Natural cooking spray

1 cup rolled or quick cooking oats

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup almonds

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut (divided into 6 Tbsp and 2 Tbsp)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly oil a rectangular baking pan with cooking spray and set it aside. Pulse oats, walnuts, and almonds in a food processor until coarsely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt and mix well.

In a second large bowl, combine carrots, applesauce, 6 Tbsp coconut and vanilla.

Add carrot mixture to flour mixture and stir until completely incorporated.

Transfer to prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining 2 Tbsp coconut on top of the cake.

Bake until cooked through and deep golden brown, about 1 hour. Set aside to let cool before cutting into squares (3x4 to make 12 pieces).

Enjoy!!!

look at all those vitamins and minerals!! (click to enlarge)

Banana "Yogurt" Parfait

So now that the weather is warmer I just love sweet, juicy, cold fruit. One thing I used to love were yogurt parfaits mostly for the fruit and granola. I decided to make a banana based "yogurt" instead of running to the store to buy a soy yogurt substitute. I was never too crazy about yogurt to begin with, so buying a fake version didn't sound too good to me. This banana version is AMAZING with the fruit and granola, it all just comes together so well. I made this 2 days in a row now and I don't know if I'll ever get sick of it. The only thing you need to do ahead of time is peel a banana, slice it up, and pop it into the freezer.

Banana "Yogurt" Parfait - makes 2 servings

1 frozen medium to large banana

1/4 cup almond milk

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup frozen raspberries

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup granola (I used Galaxy Granola Not Sweet Vanilla bc it's baked in apples instead of oil!)

In a food processor, add frozen banana chunks, almond milk, and vanilla. Let run for about 2 minutes until the mixture is a smooth consistency. This should make about 1 cup of banana yogurt.

In 2 glasses or bowls, spoon the yogurt layers as follows:

• 1/4 cup banana yogurt
• 1/4 cup berries
• 2 Tbsp granola

Repeat for a second time to create 6 layers. If you want to make just one parfait, then the banana yogurt can be kept in the fridge until you're ready to use it up!

Just for comparison's sake, I'm going to compare the nutritional facts of my Banana Yogurt Parfait to the McDonald's Yogurt Parfait (which I used to love). The reason my parfait has more calories is because I use 1/4 cup (30 grams) of granola (which is 115 calories) per serving while McDonald's only uses 7 grams of granola. Um that sucks bc the granola is the best part!!!

Look at all that fiber that's going to keep you full!!!

Enjoy!!!

Irish Soda Bread

So if you look up any recipe for traditional Irish soda bread, it contains 4 ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. Anything else added (such as raisins) strays from the original tradition! So in vegan baking, to create a buttermilk substitute all you need to do is add some vinegar to a milk substitute and you've created a buttermilk equivalent! This bread was so yummy and everyone that tried it loved it (non-vegans included).

Irish Soda Bread

2 cups non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)

2 tsp white distilled vinegar

4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 425. Lightly grease a round 9- or 10- inch cake pan.

In a measuring cup, combine milk and vinegar. Let stand for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and raisins. Add the milk and vinegar mixture until you have a sticky dough. Knead dough in the bowl for 10-12 strokes.

Place dough in the cake pan and cut a cross in the top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top sounds hollow when thumped.

Cool slightly before serving. Spread your favorite non-dairy butter or jam on the bread!!

SPRING SALAD WITH STRAWBERRIES AND CREAMY ORANGE-AVOCADO DRESSING

So after my bff told me that she saw this recipe on the whole foods website and made it for herself and her boyfriend, I had to make it as well!! I am so excited for strawberries to come into season because they are one of my favorite fruits. These salad tasted amazing and was so easy to put together.

SPRING SALAD WITH STRAWBERRIES AND CREAMY ORANGE-AVOCADO DRESSING

Serves 2

3 green onions, trimmed 1/2 avocado, peeled and pitted 1/2 cup orange juice Salt and ground black pepper to taste 3 ounces spring greens or mesclun mix 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and sliced into strips with a vegetable peeler

Puree green onions, avocado, juice, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor until smooth to make a dressing. In a large bowl, toss greens, strawberries and asparagus together. Transfer to plates, drizzle with half the dressing and serve. Extra dressing will keep one day refrigerated.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 11oz/307g-wt.): 120 calories (35 from fat), 4g total fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 310mg sodium, 20g total carbohydrate (7g dietary fiber, 11g sugar), 4g protein

Dark Cherry Mocha

So we all know by now that I have a serious obsession with Starbucks coffee and lattes. It's a good thing that we received a cappuccino maker as a bridal shower gift because I use that thing twice a day. I saw that Starbucks has a new drink and had to make my own version of it ASAP. It's a pretty good all natural alternative to the sugary alternative, but of course Starbucks lattes will always prevail my homemade ones. At least I can save $4 while sipping on this one though =]

Dark Cherry Mocha

1 c vanilla almond milk

4-6 frozen cherries

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 oz espresso

• Heat frozen cherries in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Mash them up with a fork to get as much juice out of them as possible.
• Brew espresso and pour into a mug
• Add 1 Tbsp cocoa powder to espresso and mix together

• Add cherries and their juice to the espresso and cocoa
• Steam almond milk to 160 degrees

• Pour steamed milk over espresso and stir!!

See the cherries on the bottom there!! Mmmm

Simple Sushi Wraps

So I have a pack of sushi wraps that I keep in the house (yea I know I'm weird). I have them for whenever I'm craving a little sushi but don't feel like going out to get some. Sea vegetables are so good for you so I love having this around for a healthy snack or side dish for dinner.

Simple Sushi Wraps

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

1 sheet of sushi nori

Cut sushi nori into 3 strips that are wide enough to hold all of your veggies.

Wrap up about 4 sticks of each kind of veggie and enjoy!

Feel free to add in avacado, sprouts, faux meat, or anything you want!!

Healthy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

So these muffins are from Bethenny Frankel's book "Naturally Thin" and I wasn't really sure what to expect of these. Whenever I bake with applesauce, the result is either rubbery or kind of off tasting. Well one bite of these dreams and it was like applesauce what? where? I really couldn't believe how good these tasted for replacing almost ALL of the oil with applesauce! I'm def going to play with these to make a blueberry version without the cocoa and with agave nectar instead of sugar. These were a little too sweet for my liking (because my palate is super sensitive to really sugary foods) but I'm sure for the average person they are just right. These really are more along the lines of a dessert/cupcake food. I had one for breakfast this morning and it was just way too decadent for a breakfast/latte meal. These would be perfect for after dinner though!

look at how moist and fudgey they are in the middle!!

Healthy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup raw sugar (use 1/3 cup if you want less sweet)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon oil (safflower, canola, or vegetable)

3/4 cup oat flour (to make oat flour, pulverize dry rolled oats to a powder in a blender)

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

dash of cinnamon

1/2 cup grain sweetened chocolate chips (using these instead of regular chocolate chips cuts the calories of the chips in half and you don't sacrifice any taste)

1. Preheat oven to 375 and line a muffin tin with 8-10 liners (depending on if you want 8 large muffins or 10 smaller muffins)

2. In a small bowl, combine the applesauce, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and oil. Stir and set aside to let the sugar crystals dissolve.

3. In a large bowl combine the oat flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix together with a wire whisk to aerate the dry ingredients.

4. Add the applesauce mixture to the flour mixture and stir well until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

5. Using a large spoon, divide the batter between 8 or 10 muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are firm to the touch.

6. Cool completely on a wire rack.

I made 10 muffins and they still turned out to be a decent size. I made half the batter with regular chocolate chips (for the hubby) and the other half with grain sweetenend chips (for me). His muffins are only 142 calories a piece while mine are 114 calories each. Either way, these muffins are bangin and really healthy!!!

Tempeh Cutlets Provençal

So I saw this recipe on the Vegetarian Times website and thought it sounded so good since tempeh is my favorite vegetarian protein to cook with! The flavors in this were outstanding and I felt like I could have easily ordered this from a high end restaurant in the city. The best part is that this was SO easy to make!! I served this with a side of kale sauteed with onions and garlic, and spaghetti with marinara sauce.

Tempeh Cutlets Provençal - Serves 2

1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cut widthwise into 2 cutlets
1/2 cup white wine
1 Tbs. herbes de Provence
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup smooth tomato sauce
2 Tbs. capers, rinsed and drained
1/8 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish

1. Place tempeh slices in large baking dish. Bring wine, herbes de Provence, oil, garlic, and pepper to a boil in small saucepan. Pour over tempeh, cover, and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Remove tempeh from marinade, and place on baking sheet, reserving marinade. Spray top of cutlets with cooking spray, and bake 15 minutes. Flip tempeh, spray again with cooking spray, and bake 15 minutes more, or until edges are golden.

3. Meanwhile, strain reserved marinade into small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and add bell pepper. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes, or until bell pepper is softened and liquid is nearly absorbed. Add tomato sauce, capers, and sugar, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Simmer 10 minutes over low heat, or until sauce is thick. Stir in basil.

4. Place tempeh on plates, and divide sauce between servings. Garnish with basil sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Per Serving : Calories: 325, Protein: 23g, Total fat: 20g, Saturated fat: 3.5g, Carbs: 20g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 434mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugars: 3g

Vanilla Cupcakes

These are like vanilla custard in cupcake form, seriously. I don't even like vanilla cupcakes because they usually just taste like I'm eating pure sugar in cake form, but these were amazing and like nothing I have ever tasted before in a cupcake. This recipe is so simple but amazing. I made them for my best friend's 26th birthday but I plan on making them again this weekend when the hubby comes home, so I'm including a scaled down version at the end that makes just 3 cupcakes instead of 12!

Vanilla Cupcakes - makes 12

2/3 c soy milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2/3 c agave nectar*

1/3 c safflower oil*

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 c all purpose flour

1/3 c whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch of sea salt

*Agave nectar can be substituted with regular sugar. Safflower oil can be replaced with any neutral tasting oil, such as vegetable or canola.

• Preheat oven to 325. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• Combine the milk and vinegar in a medium bowl, and set aside for at least 5 minutes or until it bubbles a little. If it doesn't bubble, then keep stirring the mixture until it does. Add agave nectar, oil, and vanilla and stir.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing until no lumps remain. I used a hand held mixer to ensure it was thoroughly combined.
• Pour batter into the prepared muffin tin so that the liners are filled about 3/4 of the way with batter. This will make exactly 12 cupcakes.
• Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one cupcake comes out clean and the tops are slightly springy when pressed.
• Cool cupcakes in the pan for 10-15 mins, then cool completely on a baking rack before frosting.

For the frosting I used Cherrybrook Farms Chocolate Frosting Mix because I've had it sitting unopened in the cabinet for a while. I used half of the mixture with one stick of margarine blended together. You can use any frosting you want or search for a recipe online, there are tons available.

Enjoy with besties!!! (thanks for the pic Renee!)

Scaled down recipe - makes 3 cupcakes

Since this is scaled down, there will be some weird Tbsp and tsp combinations because it is an EXACT measurement scaling. If you want to approximate (keeping in mind that 3 tsp = 1 tablespoon) then go for it!

2 Tbsp + 2 tsp soy milk

1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar

2.5 - 3 Tbsp agave nectar (depending on how sweet you want it)

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp safflower oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 c. all purpose flour

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

pinch of sea salt

Easy French Toast

This recipe is incredibly easy and has become my favorite for making some delish french toast! I am obsessed with breakfast foods and usually eat brunch everyday instead of lunch.

French Toast

1 c. almond milk

2 T chickpea flour (optional)

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

6-7 slices of bread

Pre-heat a skillet on medium heat.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl and mix/whisk together with a fork.

Dip each piece of bread front and back and then place onto pan sprayed with cooking spray.

If you want to keep the french toast warm as you make more, then place the cooked pieces onto a plate and pop into an oven heated to 200 degrees.

Smother in earth balance buttery spread and maple syrup and enjoy!!!