Quinoa Taco Salad

It's getting colder out which means we naturally remove ourselves from cold, albeit fresh, salads and opt for the more meatier (plant based of course) soups and rice dishes. So we've been having a lot of rice and bean dishes ... variations of the same, according to HOMY. He'd rather not eat another rice and bean dish for a few months :) !! I have been missing the greens in my diet and today when we came home with a salad box of baby spinach I decided to make a taco salad ... except HOMY is not a big fan of TVP and is fed-up with beans .. hmm? Stuck between a rock and a hard place .. not quite so because he loves Quinoa and I had the perfect idea to turn my Quinoa Chili recipe into a Quinoa Taco Meat recipe. 

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 cup Quinoa, rinsed and drained.
2. 1 cup Water
3. 1/2 Medium Red Onion, diced
4. 1 can (15 oz) Dark Red Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
5. 2 Large Tomatoes, diced
6. 2 cups Yellow Corn, steamed and ready to serve. 
7. 1 lb Baby Spinach, rinsed and ready to serve
8. 1 tbsp minced Garlic
9. 2 tsp Cumin powder
10. 2 Coriander powder
11. 1 tsp Italian seasoning
12. 1 tsp Taco seasoning
13. 2 tsp dried Cilantro leaves
14. 2 tsp Chipotle Pepper (add more, to taste)
15. 1 tbsp Light Molasses
16. 4 tbsp Soy Sauce, or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
17. Salt and Pepper, to taste
18. Salsa, as dressing, to taste.
19. Sliced Avocados or Guacamole, to taste (optional)
20. Sliced Jalapenos, to taste (optional)
21. Tortilla Strips, to taste (optional)

Directions:

In a large non-stick skillet, mix quinoa, water, red onion, and all spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover and allow to simmer until quinoa is cooked well (about 10-12 min). Remove cover, mix in Kidney beans and allow the excess water to evaporate until the mixture has the consistency of well-browned taco meat. Taste test and add more cumin, taco seasoning, salt and chili peppers, if needed. Split the baby spinach into 4 large salad bowls. Top off with a generous sprinkle of yellow corn and fresh tomatoes. Drop a generous dollop of taco meat in the middle, add salsa for dressing and serve. Garnish with optional taco salad toppings, if you wish. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 349 (Fat Calories 42)
Total Fat 4.7 g; Carbohydrates 65.9 g; Fiber 12.5 g; Sugars 9.7 g; Protein 17.0 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Steel Cut Oat Bean Chili

One of my favorite vegan chefs out there, Chef AJ, shared a recipe on Facebook for a Steel Cut Oat Bean Chili. The picture itself oh so appetizing. The recipe was super simple. It looked like it would come together is around 30 minutes. The temperatures have been dropping all week and today .. snow was coming down in gentle flurries all day long. It was a perfect day for a bowl of chili. I even had all the ingredients on hand. It was meant to be :) 

Adapted from: www.sheknows.com (original recipe in OATrageous Oatmeals, by Kathy Hester)

Prep Time: ~25-30 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 2 cups water 
2. 1.5 tsp Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base 
3. 1/2 cup steel-cut oats
4. 1 tbsp Oregano
5. 1.5 tbsp Ground Cumin
6. 1 tsp Smoked Chipotle Chili powder
7. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
8. 1 (14.5 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed 
9. 1 (14.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1-1/2 cups homemade)
10. 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
11. 1 cup frozen corn
12. 1.5 tsp Liquid smoke
13. 1 tsp Freeze-dried Cilantro leaves (or fresh)
14. Juice of 1/2 a lime (optional)
15. Salt, to taste

Directions:

I pretty much followed the directions on the sheknows.com website with the exception that I did not wait for the oats to be completely cooked before I added the rest of the ingredients. I let everything cook together which blended the flavors much better in my opinion. Bring the water and vegetable base to a boil in a heavy cast iron pot (I used my Le Creuset). Add oats, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Then stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil again and reduce heat to low, cover with a heavy lid to prevent excessive evaporation and serve when the oats are completely cooked (about 20 min). I forgot to use the lime juice listed in the original recipe. And with the vegetable base I used, I didn't even need to add salt to this recipe. It turned out great!!

My Assessment: This chili was really good. I love using different grains in my chili recipes and hadn't used Oats until now. The recipe was so simple, even with my couple of substitutions and additions, anyone could throw it all in a pot and have a wholesome dinner in half an hour!! A+++ 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 242 (Fat Calories 19)
Total Fat 2.1 g; Carbohydrates 44.7 g; Fiber 9.8 g; Sugars 3.5 g; Protein 12.0 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Spicy Stewed Okra

This recipe, a hot and spicy Okra stew is inspired by my friend Maria Hatcher. Not only does she style my hair to perfection, she's been tempting me with tales of this recipe for months now. After our visit to her salon yesterday, and another conversation about this dish, I decided to pick up some okra and onions at the store and try this recipe tonight. I'm not sure if she uses all the same spices or not, but this came out pretty darned good. I served it over 2 redskin steamed potatoes. She uses mashed cauliflower or masked potatoes. I think it will go really well with a batch of my Cauliflower Rice. 

Prep Time: 20 min 

Warning: Not for the weak of heart!! This recipe packs a lot of heat. 

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 x 12oz Pack of frozen/cut Okra
2. 1 small white Onion, julienned
3. 1 x 10oz can of Diced Tomatoes (or a medium fresh tomato, diced)
4. 1 small Jalapeño, diced finely
5. 1 tbsp Powdered Cumin
6. 1 tsp Smoked Chipotle Pepper (or more, to taste)
7. 1 tsp minced garlic
8. Salt, to taste

Directions:

Line a big saucepan with water and add onion and garlic. As the onion becomes translucent, add tomatoes, jalapeño, cumin and chipotle pepper. Mix well, add frozen okra and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer allow the okra to cook down for about 15 min. Serve over rice or potatoes. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 58 (Fat Calories 5)
Total Fat 0.5 g; Carbohydrates 12.0 g; Fiber 4.0 g; Sugars 3.9 g; Protein 2.1 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Mexican 7-Layer Dip

We were at the store a couple days ago for a mid-week grocery supplement trip when Tony picked up a container of 'ready to eat' Mexican dip from the deli-fresh section. I looked at it and it had more cheese and sour cream than any of the other whole ingredients and offered to make a whole foods-plant-based version at home. I mean, really, how hard could it be? So away we went .. picked up all of our ingredients and a bag of baked tortilla chips and we had the best lunch ever ... yep! we're those people! We at chips and dip for lunch! :)

Prep Time: <10 min

Ingredients (Serves 6):

1. 1 x 16 oz can of La Preferida Fat Free Refried Black Beans 
2. 1 x 8 oz bag of Shredded Lettuce (about 2 cups)
3. 1 Medium White onion, finely diced
4. 2 Medium Tomatoes, finely diced
5. 1 x 4 oz can of Ortega Fire-Roasted Diced Green Chilies
6. 1/2 x 3.8 oz can of Early California Sliced California Ripe Olives
7. 0.5 cup Pace Restaurant Style Salsa
8. 1 tbsp Ortega Taco Seasoning (to taste). 

Directions: 

I used black beans for this recipe because that's what we like to eat more than regular refried beans. Feel free to use a can of regular beans instead. The brand I used (La Preferida) has only cooked black beans, water, salt, and onion and garlic powder. I made sure also that the green chilies and olives are preserved in water, and not oil. Once all the ingredients are ready, start layering a bowl with the ingredients starting with half the lettuce, black beans, tomatoes, onions, black olives, green chilies, salsa, with sprinkles of taco seasoning between each layer. Finally top off with the remainder of the lettuce and add a few extra olives, and a sprinkle of taco seasoning, as a garnish. Refrigerate for about 30-60 minutes before serving. The longer the ingredients sit together, the better the flavors blend together. Serve with baked tortilla chips for an awesome experience. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 108 (Fat Calories 14)
Total Fat 1.6 g; Carbohydrates 20.4 g; Fiber 5.4 g; Sugars 3.9 g; Protein 6.7 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Mushroom, Chickpea Noodle Soup

This soup came about with a vague recollection of Happy Herbivore Chickpea Noodle Soup when I didn't have access to her recipe (or the internet at that moment). Turns out my recipe is nothing like Lindsay's with the exception that we both used Chickpeas, Noodles and Mushrooms. Here's my adaptation. Since the idea was inspired by the original recipe, I'm still crediting Lindsay Nixon here. I also accidentally managed to delete all my pictures :( so there are no pictures today. 

Adapted from: Happy Herbivore Chickpea Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 x 15oz Can of Chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
2. 3 oz dry Spaghetti
3. 1 cup Grape tomatoes, halved
4. 8 oz Cremini mushroom crowns, sliced
5. 1 small white onion, diced (or 2 tbsp dried Onion flakes)
6. 1 tbsp Better than Boullion - Vegetable Base
7. 6-8 cups Water or Home-made Vegetable Broth 
8. 1 tsp Garlic Powder
9. 2 tsp dried Parsley
10. 1 tsp Rubbed Sage
11. Salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

Put everything in a pot and simmer until spaghetti is soft. Taste test for salt, enjoy!!! For as simple as this recipe is, even my omnivore step-kids loved it!! Sorry I don't have pictures today :(

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 175 (Fat Calories 17)
Total Fat 1.9 g; Carbohydrates 31.0 g; Fiber 4.7 g; Sugars 5.2 g; Protein 9.1 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary.

If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Chickpea Hash

As part of a whole-foods lifestyle, it is my attempt to reduce our overall consumption of processed grains and grain products, especially white rice and white pastas. My husband is not a big fan of brown rice. He loves barley and bulgur but the mention of brown rice usually elicits a long face ;-) !!! So I'm always looking for different ways of substituting white rice in my recipes. Today, as I was getting ready to prepare dinner, I decided to switch white rice with potatoes. My initial thought was to just serve my chickpea recipe over steamed potatoes, but then I decided to try something different. And the result was actually phenomenal. Tony has 2 bowls full :) despite his initial reservations.  

Prep Time: 20-25 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 2 x 15oz cans Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
2. 1 Small Red Onion
3. 4 Medium Roma Tomatoes
4. 4-5 Small Russet Potatoes
5. 2 tsp Garlic Powder
6. 2 tsp Onion Powder
7. 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
8. 1 tsp fresh diced or freeze-dried Basil
9. 1 tsp Paprika, to taste
10. 2 cups Water or Home-made Vegetable Broth 
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Dice onion and 2 tomatoes and set aside. Puree the remaining 2 tomatoes in a blender until smooth and set aside. Peel potatoes and shred to match stick fries or hash brown thickness using a food processor or julienne using a mandolin slicer (about 2 cups). I used a mandolin today as I already had it out for the baked chips I made earlier. Set aside until ready to use. Line a heavy pot with water and add onions. Saute on medium-high heat until onions are translucent and add tomatoes and garlic and onion powders and saute until almost all the water has evaporated and the tomatoes take on a deep red color from the caramelizing sugars. Add a splash of water and add hash potatoes. Toss well making sure that the potatoes don't stick to the bottom or burn. Once well mixed, add 2 cups of water or broth, and add chickpeas. Add remaining seasonings, mix well, cover and simmer on low for 10 min, or until potatoes are fork tender. As the potatoes cook, they'll release some of their starches and make the broth rich and creamy and starchy. Garnish with fresh basil and freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy! 

My Assessment: This was a great way to sub out rice or even pasta in this dish. Loved the starchy feel of the potato and the shredded/julienned potato almost had a pasta like consistency in this dish. Tony loved it and so did I. :)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 271 (Fat Calories 17)
Total Fat 1.9 g; Carbohydrates 55.3 g; Fiber 16.2 g; Sugars 5.7 g; Protein 13.4 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary.

If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Mediterranean Chickpea Pilaf

Most of the regular visitors to my blog know that I love rice. I grew up eating it. Its a staple in my diet. While I am okay with almost any kind of rice and have actually come to prefer Brown Basmati rice, my dear husband is not a big fan of anything other than white rice. So often, when I'm making a rice-based entrée, I'll use White Basmati rice. My way-around, adding more fiber and lowering the starch content is to add lots of beans and lentils and vegetables to most dishes. 

Prep Time: 20-30 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 2 x 15 oz Cans of Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
2. 1 cup White Basmati Rice
3. 1 x 10 oz Fresh Baby Spinach
4. 2 cups water.
5. 4-5 tbsp Tomato Paste
6. 1 tsp Onion Powder
7. 1 tsp Garlic powder
8. 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
9. Salt & Pepper, to taste
10. 1/3 cup Raisins (optional)

Directions:

Line a heavy lidded stock pot (preferably cast iron) with a half a cup of water and add tomato paste, spices and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Add baby spinach to the pot, reduce heat to medium low and cover for 5 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt. Mix well. The spinach will release its water and the mix at this point will look like a thick gravy. Add rice and raisins (optional), mix well and add 1.5 cups of tap water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and cover with lid, with just a slight gap (couple of millimeters) to allow some steam to escape. Cook for about 8-10 min until rice is bite-tender. At this point, cover the pot completely with its lid, turn off the stove and let the pot sit on the stove for about 10 more minutes. This will allow any residual bite in the rice to cook and will also allow any excess water to be absorbed by the rice. This step is a good one to follow for any rice based dishes. This last 10 minutes makes for a fluffy pilaf. Serve garnished with freshly cracked black pepper. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 348 (Fat Calories 38)
Total Fat 4.2 g; Carbohydrates 69.7 g; Fiber 9.3 g; Sugars 3.5 g; Protein 13.9 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Savory Southwestern Oatmeal

I made this last weekend and loved it and I made it again this week for dinner when I couldn't figure out what else to make for myself at short notice (after staring at the pantry for a few minutes). Ever since I returned from my trip to India, I've been somewhat lazy and have been making either super quick meals or staring at the pantry for several minutes each night before deciding on what to make. This is another recipe that has been modified from one posted by The Oatmeal Artist and it's a definite keeper. 

Adapted from: The Oatmeal Artist: Savory Mexican Corn Oatmeal

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients (Serves 1):

1. 1/2 cup Old-Fashioned (Rolled) Oats
2. 1/4 Small Red Onion (diced)
3. 1/2 cup Frozen Corn
4. 1/4 cup Black beans, rinsed and drained
5. 1 Medium Roma Tomato (diced)
6. 1/2 tsp Cumin
7. 1/2 tsp (Deggi) Red Chili powder
8. 1 tbsp Lemon/lime juice
9. 1 tsp Cilantro leaves, finely diced
10. Salt and Pepper, to taste
11. Hot Sauce, to taste (I used Cholula)

Directions:

Mix Oats, cumin, a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup corn with 1/2 cup water in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes, making sure to keep an eye on the bowl so that it doesn't overflow. Once the oats are done, remove from microwave, mix well and set aside. Line a sauce pan with water. On medium heat, saute onions in water until translucent. Add cumin, a pinch of salt, chili powder, the rest of the corn and mix well. Cook for a few minutes and then add black beans. Stir and simmer for a few minutes until beans are warmed up nicely along with the rest of the veggies. Remove from heat, mix with oats and corn, and lemon/lime juice (to taste). Transfer to a serving dish, top with fresh diced tomatoes and cilantro leaves. Serve with hot sauce.  Enjoy!!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 301 (Fat Calories 38)

Total Fat 4.3 g; Carbohydrates 60.5 g; Fiber 10.7 g; Sugars 6.1 g; Protein 12.0 g

Bulgur on Soupy Asian Veggies

I did a Veggie Fact of the Day post yesterday to talk about my New Veggie #71 - Bulgur. I've had the Indian version of bulgur all my life (it's more golden, vs. the dark brown color I found here in the US). In India, it is usually made as a thick sweet porridge that is typically eaten for breakfast, but I always liked it best after it had been chilled in the fridge for a few hours. Here in the US, bulgur is more commonly used as a side dish and as a savory cereal, and that's how I decided to try it this time. It is an excellent low-glycemic white rice replacement and since Tony doesn't enjoy brown rice, I'm always looking for other whole grains that can be used instead. 

Bulgur on Soupy Asian Veggies

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 cup dry Bulgur
2. 2 cups Home-made Vegetable Broth (or water)
3. Salt, to taste

Ingredients (Serves 4) for Soupy Asian Vegetables:

1. 15 oz No-Salt Diced Tomatoes (canned)
2. 1 x 12 oz frozen Edamame
3. 1/2 cup Frozen Green Beans
4. 8-10 White Mushrooms, sliced
5. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste 
6. 1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
7. 1 tbsp Brown Miso
8. 3 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
9. 1 cup Water
10. Salt, to taste

Directions:

Pressure cook bulgur and vegetable broth, under high pressure, for 8-10 minutes, in an electric pressure cooker. Or for the same time in a stove-top. If you don't own a pressure cooker, bring the bulgur and vegetable broth to a boil, reduce heat to a slow simmer, partially cover the pan and let simmer until all excess liquid has evaporated and the bulgur tastes nice chewy :) For the Soupy Asian Vegetables, mix everything in one pan, bring to a boil and then allow to simmer until bulgur is done. I'm not sure whether or not bulgur is traditionally eaten in the Far East. I just used it here as a substitute to rice. I really enjoyed the texture of bulgur (as did Tony), so it is definitely going on our rotation. 

Nutrition Facts (Per 1/4 cup Serving of Bulgur*): Calories 150 (Fat Calories 4)

Total Fat 0.3 g; Carbohydrates 32.0 g; Fiber 4.0 g; Sugars 0.0 g; Protein 4.0 g

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving*): Calories 188 (Fat Calories 42)
Total Fat 4.7 g; Carbohydrates 17.3 g; Fiber 9.4 g; Sugars 4.5 g; Protein 13.7 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary a lot.

Tips for Leftovers:

1.  One of the suggestions I've gotten, but not tried yet, is to use bulgur as a replacement for TVP in tacos and other dishes. Will definitely be giving that one a try!! 

Mediterranean Chili

When I got home work today .. I just wasn't feeling it. I wasn't in the mood for eating leftovers .. and I wasn't really in the mood to cook ... that is until I came across a packet of Falafel Mix in my pantry. Even then ... I wasn't in the mood to sit around waiting for it to bake etc. As I was standing in my pantry holding the box wondering whether or not I should take the plunge, I saw the recipe on the back of the box. Yahoo!!! Vegetarian Chili!!! 

Mediterranean Chili

Prep Time: 40-60 min

Adapted from: A box of Ziyad Falafel Mix

Ingredients (Serves 6):

1. 1 x 12 oz box Falafel mix
2. 1 cup cold water
3. 3 x 14.5 oz cans of Chopped/Diced tomatoes
4. 2 x 15.5 oz cans of Chickpeas 
5. 2-3 tbsp Texas Chili Seasoning
6. 8-10 leaves fresh Basil
7. 8-10 leaves fresh Sage
8. Salt, to taste
9. Hot Sauce, to taste

Directions:

I followed the directions on the box, with a few variations. Combine contents of the box of falafel mix (about 1.5 cups of dry mix) with 1 cup cold water. Mix well and allow the mix to rest at room temperature for 20 min. The ingredients include ground chick peas, ground fava beans, spice blend, minced onion, garlic, baking soda, salt and sesame seeds. It has no added fat. Preheat a non-stick stock pot to medium heat and add the water-falafel mix to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, dry saute the mix over medium heat, breaking up the mixture into crumbles. This part worked really well for me. I was able to get a nice crumbly mix in about 20 min of dry sauteing. Once the mix is dry and crumbly, add canned tomatoes (with liquid), salt, chili seasoning and chickpeas. Mix well. At this point the box said to reduce heat and to cook the chili until everything was thoroughly heated. To me the whole dish at this point looked really dry. Since I wasn't planning on using any of the traditional toppings (sour cream, cheese etc.) which would add moisture, I decided to add some water to make it a little more moist. Consequently, my crumbles became a thick gravy. Lesson learnt (that's why they didn't ask for water to be added to this dish!). Once I added water, I lowered the heat and allowed the chili to simmer on medium-low for about 10 min. Once the dish was bubbling nicely, I turned off the heat, added some fresh herbs (Basil and Sage) and allowed it to sit (covered) for 5 minutes. I served my not-so-crumbly chili with Couscous (also prepared with minced herbs, no added fat), and my favorite hot sauce. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 269 (Fat Calories 74)
Total Fat 8.3 g; Carbohydrates 40.5 g; Fiber 7.6 g; Sugars 2.7 g; Protein 12.2 g 

Wilted Kale & Peanut Salad

This afternoon, I really wanted some kale and I wanted to try a variation of my usual Wilted Kale and Almond Salad. This is what I came up with on-the-fly and it's a recipe worth sharing. 

Wilted Kale & Peanut Salad

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (2 Servings):

1. 1 large bunch of Kale, stems removed (about 4 cups)
2. 1 Medium Tomato, Sliced
3. 1 oz (approximately, a handful) raw Peanuts 
4. 1 tbsp Naturally More Peanut Butter
5. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
6. 1 tbsp Miso (Yellow or Brown)
7. 2 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or Soy Sauce)
8. Pepper, to taste
9. Hot Sauce, to taste

Directions:

Remove stems, tear leaves in bite sized pieces and rinse in a bowl of water to remove all traces of dirt. Line a deep pot with water, on medium-high heat, add peanuts and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Then add remaining condiments to the water and mix well (the miso and peanut butter will need some coaxing with a rubber spatula). Once all the condiments are mixed in the water, add a small amount of kale and fold the sauce over it. Add remaining kale and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow kale to wilt (2-5 minutes, it will turn bright green). Once wilted, remove cover, increase heat to high for a couple of minutes to allow excess liquid to evaporate while folding the kale into the remaining sauce. Remove from heat, transfer to two serving dishes and top with sliced tomato, freshly cracked black pepper and hot sauce. Enjoy!! 

My Assessment:

I've been on a raw peanut kick lately. Overall, this dish had a wonderful Asian flavor to it. If you don't like raw peanuts, use roasted peanuts instead but bear in mind that those have a lot of salt in them. I labelled this dish as 'no added salt' because the miso and soy sauce/liquid aminos provide enough umami.  Also, I used Cholula for some added flavor, but this salad would pair very well with Sriracha. 

Nutritional Facts (Per Serving): Calories 220 (Fat Calories 99)
Total Fat 11 g; Carbohydrates 123.5 g; Fiber 5.9 g; Sugars 2.0 g; Protein 12.4 g

Rassa Aloo

Rassa Aloo simply means Curried Brothy Potatoes. My mom would make something similar to these as a breakfast dish which we would eat with puris (Indian deep fried, whole wheat, flat bread). Although it is derived from a very traditional Indian breakfast dish, my version is a lot higher on protein (in the form of TVP) and has no butter at all. My mom's version was pretty loaded with Ghee - a traditional Indian version of clarified butter. I've used TVP in this recipe because I'm trying to finish up my stock and am moving away from processed soy protein. Feel free to use Seitan or Tempeh, or even extra-firm tofu in this dish. 

Rassa Aloo

Prep Time: 15 min (with pre-boiled potatoes)

Ingredients (Serves 6-8):

1. 2 lbs Red Potatoes, boiled and quartered.
2. 1 x 15oz can of Diced (No Added Salt) Tomatoes
3. 1 cup presoaked TVP Chunks (I use Nutrela)
4. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
5. 1 tbsp Goya Recaito Cilantro Cooking Base
6. 2 tsp Cumin seeds
7. 1 tsp Mustard Powder
8. 1-2 tsp Deggi Chilli Powder
9. 1-2 tsp Garam Masala
10. 1/2 tsp Turmeric
11. 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
12. 1/2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
13. 4-6 fresh/frozen Curry Leaves
14. Salt and Pepper, to taste
15. Lemon/Lime juice, to taste
16. Hot Sauce, to taste.

Directions:

Line a pan with water and add ginger-garlic paste and recaito cilantro cooking base. Saute for a couple of minutes and then add diced tomatoes. Saute for a couple more minutes until the tomatoes begin to simmer. Then add 2-3 cups of water (or home-made vegetable broth) to the pan. Bring to a boil and add TVP chunks, remaining spices and potatoes. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve hot over rice or with slices of whole wheat bread. 

My Assessment: I can eat this dish just by itself, without any rice or bread or pasta because the added potatoes provide the starch. The TVP provides the protein and the tomatoes and curry leaves and spices provide all the flavor you might crave for a meal. Some might call it a chunky potato soup. Its pretty darn filling, I must add!!! 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 210 (Fat Calories 21)
Total Fat 2.4 g; Carbohydrates 36.5 g; Fiber 7.7 g; Sugars 6.7 g; Protein 13.1 g

Cheater Boiled Peanuts & Collard Greens

This past weekend I picked up a big sack of Collard Greens at the grocery store in another attempt to incorporate greens into my diet. I want to be at a point where I am consuming some green leafy vegetable on a daily basis. I used to do have Baby Spinach as part of my daily morning Green Smoothie but ever since I changed my breakfast to Steel Cut Oats, that part of my daily routine has fallen by the wayside. So today, I decided to make some Collard Greens - my New Veggie #69.  This recipe combines 2 Southern traditions - Boiled Peanuts and Collard Greens.  

Boiled Peanuts are a traditional snack in the North and South Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Northern Florida. They are an acquired taste but can be totally addictive and can be seen being sold at roadside stands all over the South. Traditionally, these are prepared by boiling un-shelled green/raw peanuts in salty water, over a wood fire. No one knows for sure why Southerners started boiling peanuts but they have been around since the Civil War. I call my version Cheater because it doesn't take nearly as long as the traditional method and because I used shelled peanuts. 

Cheater Boiled Peanuts & Collard Greens

Adapted from: Homesick Texan: Not Your Grandma’s Collard Greens

Prep Time: 30-40 min

Ingredients (4 Servings):

1. 1 lb Collard Greens, pre-washed and cut into bite sized pieces.
2. 1 large White Onion, diced
3. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
4. 2 large Tomatoes, diced
5. 1 large Red Bell Pepper, diced
6. 1/3 cup Smooth Peanut Butter
7. 1/3 cup Raw Peanuts*
8. 2 cups water or home-made vegetable broth.
9. 2 tsp Chipotle Pepper powder, optional, to taste
10. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

I used a large bag of pre-washed Collard greens today. But if you're using fresh leaves, remove thick stems and cut each leaf into bite sized pieces. Wash well to remove all traces of soil and dirt. In a large, deep pot, add 1 cup water and add diced onions and garlic. Saute until onion is translucent and garlic begins to release its essential oils (about 2-4 min on high). Add tomatoes and red bell pepper. Mix everything well together and add peanut butter and raw peanuts at this time. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer on the stove for 20-25 min. Add another cup of water or vegetable broth half way through this time to prevent the dish from drying out too much. Just a couple of minutes before serving, add Chipotle pepper powder and cover and allow the dish to simmer for another couple of minutes.  Serve as a side dish, or enjoy as I did tonight - over a bed of steamed rice. 

* Raw Peanuts can be easily be bought at Indian Grocery stores, if you can't locate them in your local grocery store. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)^: Calories 254 (Fat Calories 129)
Total Fat 14.4 g; Carbohydrates 22.2 g; Fiber 9.8 g; Sugars 6.6 g; Protein 13.8 g

^ Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary a lot.

Sautéed Kale & Lentil Joe's

Over the last several days, I've seen a few different pictures for Lentil Burgers and Lentil Joe's on Facebook and was craving something 'lentily' tonight. I also had a bunch of Kale that I wanted to use. I also wanted to make a variation of the Mustard Greens & Balsamic Chick Pea recipe I tried earlier in the week. All in all .. I think I was just really hungry from only having had an early brunch and no late lunch. 

Earlier in the week, Eco-Vegan Gal posted a picture of her Lentil Joe's that will be on the Forks Over Knives page. And I was inspired by a Fatfree Vegan Kitchen recipe which I was trying to make variation. Also, I've been a tester for Happy Herbivore recipes and I've tried this excellent recipe from her (which I can't post because it is copyrighted and not published yet!). I've made, in a past life, a recipe by Post Punk Kitchen which is great. And in my search today, I also came across this gem by Tasty Easy Healthy Green. Of course, as luck would have it, I didn't have all the ingredients for any one recipe, so I mixed and matched and improvised and so the credit for my creation goes to all these lovely folks. 

Sautéed Kale & Lentil Joe's

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (Serves 6):

1. 4 cups of fresh Kale, leaves torn into bite sized pieces
2. 1 cup raw Green Lentils 
3. 1 Medium White Onion, diced
4. 8-10 White Mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
5. 1 large Tomato, diced
6. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
7. 2 cups water or home-made vegetable broth
8. 2 tbsp Tomato ketchup
9. 2 tbsp Honey
10. 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
11. 6 tbsp Soy Sauce
12. 1/4 tsp Turmeric
13. Salt to taste. 

Directions:

Remove stems form kale leaves, tear leaves into bite-sized pieces and wash the leaves well to remove any traces of dirt. Allow to sit in a colander to drain. Line a deep pot with half a cup of vegetable broth. Turn heat to medium-high. Add garlic and half the soy sauce. As the water comes to a boil, saute garlic until it begins to release its aroma. Then, add the kale to cover the entire surface of the pan. Sprinkle a little bit of salt and allow the greens to wilt to a bright green (3-5 min). Remove greens from the pan with a slotted spoon, allowing them time to drain, and place in a bowl. To the remaining liquid in the pan, add turmeric and diced onion. Allow onion to wilt and then add lentils. If there isn't enough liquid (~1/2 cup) in the pan, add more vegetable broth. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover to allow lentils time to cook (~10-15 min). After about 10 min, check the lentils and if they're about done, add mushrooms and more vegetable broth, if needed. Cover and cook until mushrooms are tender and lentils are done. Once lentils are done, turn heat to medium high to allow excess liquid to evaporate in these last few minutes as you add the final flavorings. Add tomato, mix well, allow to wilt and blend with the lentils. Now add the remaining ingredients  (ketchup, honey, dijon mustard, soy sauce and salt to taste). Cook for a couple more minutes until the consistency is dry, yet sloppy, enough to resemble Joe's. Serve over a bed of Sautéed Kale or assemble the kale and lentils in a Sloppy Joe sandwich.  

My Assessment: I loved it both ways. A great way to get greens! As I predicted a few days ago, the FFVK recipe works great with Kale and the chickpeas were well substituted with lentils.  

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 187 (Fat Calories 5)
Total Fat 0.6 g; Carbohydrates 36.5 g; Fiber 6.9 g; Sugars 10.5 g; Protein 12.2 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary a lot.

* Nutrition facts are provided for the 'Bed of Kale' option, without the bun, for the same reason.

  

Indian Spiced Chickpeas w Chunky Tomatoes & Kale

This is my version of the Happy Herbivore recipe - Indian Spiced Chickpeas with Kale - from Everyday Happy Herbivore. I find that I like Kale better with a slightly tart ingredients such as lemon juice, tomatoes or even orange juice. I like the original HH recipe, but I like my modification better. Also, such acidic foods help in absorption of iron from food sources (see here) so adding tomatoes is a win-win. 

Rugratized Indian Spiced Chickpeas w Chunky Tomatoes & Kale

Prep Time: 20-30 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 2 x 15 oz cans of Chickpeas (rinsed in running water, and drained)
2. 1 x 15 oz can of Hunt's Diced Tomatoes (No Added Salt)
3. 3 cups Kale, coarsely chopped (or use baby kale). 
4. 1 Large Red Onion, julienned (thickly).
5. 2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
6. 1-2 tbsp MDH Chana Masala Spice Mix**
7. 4 cups Home-made Vegetable Broth, or water
8. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Line a deep stock pot with water or vegetable broth and add ginger-garlic paste and red onion. Once the onion becomes translucent, add kale and diced tomatoes, cover and cook for a few minutes to allow Kale to wilt. Now, add chickpeas, and the chana masala mix and the rest of the vegetable broth. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes on medium-low. Serve garnished with freshly cracked pepper, over steamed rice. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 247 (Fat Calories 17)
Total Fat 1.9 g; Carbohydrates 46.8 g; Fiber 3.3 g; Sugars 12.5 g; Protein 12 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.

** Chana Masala is a spice mix prepared and sold in India which is used specifically for chickpea dishes. It is a spicy smoky ground blend of cilantro seeds, dry young mango, pomegranate seeds, chilli peppers, cumin, dried musk melon, black pepper, black salt, fenugreek leaves, cloves, mint, nutmeg, dry ginger, cinnamon, Indian bay leaf, cardamom, ammomum (black cardamom) seeds, caraway and mace. Since I don't have a few of these ingredients, I always keep a pack of MDH Chana Masala on hand. Works like a charm every time!! 

Beans, Greens & Bean Curd

Having grown up with a rice-loving father, I developed a love for rice early in life. Being around dad, I got used to considering a rice-less meal incomplete. He loved rice in all forms - steamed plain, fried, pilafed or in the form or a biryani. To me a perfect meal has always been rice topped off with something. Tonight I decided to use some of the spinach I had sitting in the fridge to make a oriental style dish which could be eaten over rice. 

Beans, Greens and Bean Curd

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (Serves 6):

1. 1 lb Baby Spinach
2. 1 x 14 oz Extra Firm Tofu
3. 3 large Roma Tomatoes (~1.5 cups, diced)
4. 8 oz Shelled Edamame
5. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
6. 1 recipe Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce
7. 1 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
8. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Line a stock pot with water and saute garlic in water until its aromas are released. Add baby spinach, reduce heat to medium low, cover and allow spinach to wilt. Once spinach is wilted, add tomatoes, edamame and the soy, peanut and sambal oelek sauces. Add about a cup of water, cover and allow to simmer until semi dry and spinach and tomatoes are well wilted and combined (about 10-12 min). Do a quick taste test, and add add more sauces, and salt or pepper, as needed. Serve over a bed of steamed jasmine or basmati rice. 

Did you know that Tofu is also called Bean Curd?

My Assessment: LOVED IT!!! It was delicious and each serving contains a quarter of a pound of greens. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 239 (Fat Calories 89)
Total Fat 9.9 g; Carbohydrates 16.8 g; Fiber 6.9 g; Sugars 3.8 g; Protein 21.6 g

Mud Puddle Chickpeas

Growing up, my grandma used to make what she called 'Chikad Chhole' ... and the best translation I can come up with is Mud Puddle Chickpeas. I know, that is kinda pathetic. However, the name is quite catchy in my opinion and is indeed a literal translation of my grandma's name for this dish. She made it with Chickpeas as well as with Green Split Peas. The recipe is about the same for both kinds of beans.

Chikad Chhole

Prep Time: 25-30 min (with canned chickpeas)

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 2 x 15 oz Canned Chickpeas (drained and rinsed) (~3 cups cooked)
2. 1 x 15 oz Canned Diced Tomatoes (I used Hunt's No Added Salt, Fire Roasted)(~1.5 cups fresh)
3. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
4. 1 tbsp Goya Recaito Cilantro Cooking Base
5. 2-3 cups Water or Home-made Vegetable Broth
6. 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
7. 1 tbsp Cilantro Seed powder
8. 1/4 tsp Turmeric
9. 2 tsp Deggi Chilli Powder
10. Salt and Pepper, to taste
11. Lemon/Lime juice, to taste
12. Hot Sauce, to taste

Directions:

I used canned chickpeas and canned tomatoes in the interest of time and because I forgot to soak chickpeas last night. If you remember to soak them overnight, make sure you precook the chickpeas for this recipe. In a stockpot, bring about a cup of water to a rolling boil. Add ginger-garlic paste, cilantro cooking base and spices and the tomato. Bring to a boil again, reduce heat to a simmer and cook tomatoes until they begin to disintegrate (5-7 min). Add chickpeas, and another cup or water or vegetable broth and mix well and continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes adding more water, as needed, to keep the dish runny, but not soupy. Do a quick taste test and add more salt, pepper, and spices as needed. The tomato should add a certain sweet tang to the dish. Once you're satisfied with the taste, use a potato masher and press down on the chickpeas about 10-12 times so that some of the chickpeas get smooshed and form a thick mud (now you get why this dish is called a mud puddle?) making sure to leave about 2/3rd of the chickpeas still intact i.e. just enough that the intact chickpeas are floating in the mud :)!!! My grandma used to serve these over sliced bread, or rice, sprinkled with fresh lime juice and garnished with fresh cilantro leaves, fresh thinly sliced onions, sliced serrano/jalapeno peppers and even fresh sliced ginger. Instead of using bread or rice as the bed, I served these lovely muddy chickpeas over a freshly baked potato. Top off with hot sauce, as desired. 

Mud Puddle Chickpeas over a Baked Potato

My Assessment: Even without a lot of the fresh stuff that my grandma served these with, this dish was awesome and a hit with my dear American husband as well.

Quick Tip: If you want it extra spicy, or flavorful, add an additional tbsp of taco seasoning. Adds some extra zing. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 226 (Fat Calories 34)
Total Fat 3.8 g; Carbohydrates 37.9 g; Fiber 11.7 g; Sugars 8.2 g; Protein 10.4 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.

Tomato & Kale Miso Soup

Those of you who follow my blog regularly probably know already that I've been under the weather the past few days (Sinus infections suck!).  I started the day out so-so but felt significantly better as the day went by. My throat was still sore so I decided to make a rather simple Miso Soup for dinner tonight. I've made it before (see Cremini Miso Soup) and this one is a slight variation on that recipe.  To be quite honest, every miso soup recipe is a slight variation of the last recipe you used. It's just that good :)

Tomato & Baby Kale Miso Soup

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients (Serves 2):

1. 2 large Tomatoes, diced
2. 6 White Mushrooms, sliced thinly
3. 4 cups Baby Kale (~6 oz)
4. 6 cups Water or home-made vegetable broth
5. 4 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
6. 1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
7. 1 tbsp White or Yellow Miso
8. Salt (probably won't need any), to taste
9. Black Pepper, freshly cracked, to taste

Directions:

In a large stock pot, bring tomatoes, broth, mushrooms and kale to a rolling boil. Add soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. Turn off heat and mix everything well together. Allow the soupy broth to cool for a couple of minutes and then add miso and stir in really well to dissolve. Let sit for another minute or so and then mix in again to dissolve miso. Taste test for salt (with the miso and soy sauce you probably won't need to add any). Garnish with lots of freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy with freshly baked bread or crackers. 

Miso Soup

My Assessment: Perfect brothy peppery soup for a sore throat! Did you know that Miso is a nutritional powerhouse? During the aging process, basic nutrients in soybeans (or barley, or brown rice) are broken down into their simpler forms. It is packed with amino acids and vitamins and minerals. It is an excellent source of iron, calcium, potassium, B vitamins and protein. It includes all the essential amino acids and is often considered a source of complete protein. Miso also facilitates the body’s absorption of calcium and magnesium. Along with miso, the tomatoes gave it an extra tartness which worked well with the baby kale! And Tony, who swears that he hates kale, lapped up his large serving :) with gusto!!! (wink! I didn't tell him he was consuming kale!)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 107 (Fat Calories 8)
Total Fat 0.9 g; Carbohydrates 20.0 g; Fiber 4.3 g; Sugars 7.0 g; Protein 7.7 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.

Black Bean & Lentil Soup

So the DH is feeling a little under the weather with a sinus infection. What better to feed the poor baby than a wholesome home-made soup. I often add split lentils to my soups to increase overall protein content and also to make the broth at little creamier. Skinned Split lentils tend to breakdown when cooked well and that helps add a nice creaminess to soups. So much better than adding dairy based cream or additives like corn starch. This one came together really well. 

Black Bean & Lentil Soup

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (6 Servings):

1. 1 cup Mung Dal (split, skinned)
2. 1 x 15oz can Black Beans, drained, rinsed.
3. 1 Russet Potato, peeled and diced
4. 1 Large Tomato, diced (~1 cup)
5. 1 x 12oz Bag of Frozen Spinach
6. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
7. 1 tbsp Better than Bouillon Mushroom Base
8. 1.5 tbsp Dried Parsley flakes
9. 1-2 tsp Lawry's Garlic Salt
10. 8-10 cups Water or Homemade Vegetable Broth
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste
12. Hot Sauce (I use Cholula, optional)

Directions: 

Add all ingredients to a deep stock pot (start with 8 cups of water/broth and add more later, if needed). Bring to a boil and allow to simmer until lentils are tender and begin to break apart (~20-25 min). Taste test for salt, and add pepper for a garnish. Serve hot :) 

Tony's Assessment: Loved it. He ate 2 bowls for dinner and asked to take some for lunch tomorrow. 

My Assessment: This was a very filling soup by my standards. I was pretty full halfway through my first bowl and finished it only so as to not waste any. I liked it better with hot sauce added to it!! 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 170 (Fat Calories 15)
Total Fat 1.7 g; Carbohydrates 31.4 g; Fiber 7.9 g; Sugars 2.0 g; Protein 9.5 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.

Tofu & Peas w Curry Leaves

I usually keep a pack (or two) of  tofu on hand for emergencies .. or for days when I feel like I eating something more than veggies with my dinner. Yesterday, on the way back from the grocery store, something in the trunk (from one of the other bags) fell atop the tofu container and popped the plastic cover i.e. I was left with a busted pack of tofu that needed to be used soon. I'd also picked up some curry leaves on my monthly trip to the Indian Grocery store and decided to combine the two together this afternoon!

Tofu & Peas Curry

Prep Time: 20-30 min

Ingredients (4 Servings):

1. 1 x 14oz Pack of Extra-Firm Tofu, cut into bite sized cubes
2. 1.5 cup frozen Peas
3. 1 small Roma Tomato, diced into large chunks (1/3 cup)
4. 2 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
5. 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
6. 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
7. 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
8. 5-6 fresh Curry Leaves
9. 1 tsp Penzey's Sweet Curry powder (optional)
10. 2-3 cups water or Homemade Vegetable Broth
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Line a deep stockpot with water or vegetable broth and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Allow these to simmer for a couple of minutes to release their aromas. Then add the remaining spices and peas. Adding more broth to keep everything from drying. Once peas thaw and start to simmer, add tomatoes and tofu and add another cup or so of water or broth. Note that I did not press the tofu since I was adding it to a broth based dish. If you press it, it may absorb some more of the flavors but you'll need to add more broth to make it the same consistency as the pressed tofu will absorb a lot of liquid. 

Tofu & Peas Curry over Brown Rice

The final dish should be soupy like a vegetable soup so add enough broth to ensure that consistency. If you want it thicker, feel free to add less water. I like it soupier because that curry-leaf-flavored broth is the best part. Once everything comes to a boil, cover and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Taste test before serving and add salt, as needed. Serve hot over steamed brown rice and garnish with salt and pepper. 

My Assessment: I loved the aroma of curry leaves in the house. If you're new to Indian cuisine, the aroma and flavor provided by curry leaves is an excellent, yet mild, introduction to the spicy cuisine of the Indian sub-continent. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 158 (Fat Calories 51)
Total Fat 5.6 g; Carbohydrates 13.4 g; Fiber 5.3 g; Sugars 3.2 g; Protein 13.7 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.