Peanut Butter Oat Squares

                                                      Pic courtesy of Cookies and Cups


Ya'll, I'm so excited about these! They are so yummy and good for you and they're VEGAN! They have only 3 ingredients in them and are full of fiber and protein! Even my kids loved them- they're way better than granola bars!

Peanut Butter Oat Squares
from Cookies and Cups 

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3 cups rolled oats

 Directions:

• Line a 9x9 pan with foil. Spray lightly with non-stick spray.
• Melt the peanut butter and honey together until smooth, either in the microwave or stove top. Combine mixture with oats.
• Press into prepared pan. Place in refrigerator until set. Cut into squares. If you want them to remain hard, leave them in the refrigerator and pull one out when you need a yummy snack!

Hummus Wrap

I made this for lunch today and it was SOOOO good. Like, so good that I'm craving it again right now. You have to get the roasted red pepper hummus. It's what gives this so much flavor. I did add a little salt to it b/c I love salt.



 Hummus Wrap
Serves 2

Ingredients: 2 Tortillas
1 cup of spinach
 4 Tablespoons of Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, or your favorite hummus
1 (15 oz) can of black beans, rinsed and drained (you are only going to use about 1/2 the can)
1/2 Avocado, diced

Directions: Lay out your two tortillas and spread 2 Tablespoons of Hummus on each one. Next spread you spinach on top of your hummus. Add some black beans (about 1/4 of a can) on top of your spinach. Then put your avocado on the very top. Fold the edges and roll the tortilla up. Cut in half and serve.

Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Tacos

Oh my heavens! We had vegan gluten free friends coming for dinner and I wanted to make something to accommodate their diet. I found these tacos on twopeasandtheirpod.com and decided to try them out. Forget vegan gluten free these tacos were AMAZING! they were super simple to throw together as far as prep and I seriously ate 5 they were so good. Don't be scared just make them you wont regret it!

Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Tacos

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

My favorite tacos! Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Tacos are easy to make and so delicious! Healthy has never tasted so good!

ingredients:

For the Tacos:
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1 (15 oz.) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small head cauliflower, washed and cut into bite-size florets
Corn tortillas
1 cup finely chopped red cabbage
1 jalapeño, sliced, seeds removed
1 large avocado, seed removed and diced
Chopped cilantro

For the Lime Crema:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1/8 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, lime juice, olive oil, and water. Stir in chickpeas and cauliflower florets. Place seasoned chickpeas and cauliflower on a greased baking sheet. Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally during cooking, until chickpeas are slightly crispy and cauliflower is tender. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. To make the lime crema, place the Greek yogurt or sour cream in a small bowl. Add fresh lime juice and cilantro. Stir well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Take a corn tortilla and place roasted cauliflower and chickpeas on top. Top with red cabbage, jalapeño slices, avocado, and cilantro. Drizzle lime crema over the tacos and serve!

Note-you can make the tacos vegan by using vegan sour cream or yogurt to make the lime crema or you can omit it...but it's really good:)

My favorite Veggies

So, I know this may be lame, but I thought I'd post my favorite way of preparing veggies.  We eat a TON of veggies and I've found this to be the easiest and yummiest way to get them to the table...and have your kids enjoy them.

My Favorite Veggies
From Rachel

Vegetables (I like a carrot, cauliflower and broccoli combo)
Olive Oil
Salt (try the Pink Himalayan salt at Costco- its much more nutritious than table salt)
Cajun Seasoning

You'll need a steamer of some sort on hand (I have a metal basket that fits on top of my regular stovetop skillet- got it at Williams-Sonoma for about $8).  Put water in the bottom of the skillet, but careful not to do too little or the veggies burn, or too much, or the veggies boil- you don't want the water to overflow onto your steamer basket.  Chop veggies to similar sizes to allow for even cooking. Place them in the basket and steam with lid covering until desired tenderness (I like mine with a little crunch).  Empty the water from your skillet and return skillet to hot stovetop.  Pour olive oil to coat bottom and heat slightly. Return veggies to skillet and season with salt and cajun seasoning.  Stir to coat and remove from heat- you don't want to cook your veggies any longer.  Enjoy.  I love serving these veggies tossed with these Simple Sesame Noodles.

Cherry-Tomato, Watermelon Summer Salad

I recently ordered this book to get more info on eating a plant based diet and have loved reading it. I mainly ordered it for the 150 recipes he includes at the back which are pretty amazing. It has been a great resource for wanting to incorporate healthier meals into my diet.

I made this tomato watermelon salad tonight and it is the PERFECT quick summer salad. Watermelon is all the rage this summer :)  and this recipe incorporates every fresh summer flavor your little heart could desire. I halved the recipe and sat down and ate the whole thing. It would be perfect to take to a summer BBQ as well. Yum!

2 Boxes of Cherry or grape tomatoes halved (large amounts of lycopene which fights cancer and heart disease)

1 Bunch of Cilantro (2 handfuls) chopped (detoxifies colon, pulls heavy metals out of body, relieves gas, prevents nausea, antiinflamitory)

3 Green onions, white and green parts chopped (Rich in Vit K which is good for bone health and immune system)

1/2 medium watermelon cut into bite-sized pieces (hydration assisting in weight loss, lycopene, vit A, potassium)

3 tablespoons of lemon juice  and lemon or lime zest

3 tablespoons of balsalmic or sherry vinegar

Lentil and Brown Rice Salad

For those of you who are trying to get that bod in swimsuit shape for the summer and love a hearty salad try this one! I seriously inhaled this one and it was a piece of cake to make. If you haven't been able to tell I've been trying to eat more plant based whole foods and share my recipes. I am feeling awesome and have had so much fun trying new fun ingredients. Even if you consider yourself a picky eater, I don't care it's worth the benefits to make healthier choices.
via wellvegan.com

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup green lentils (if you live near a trader joes they have precooked lentils that are cheap)
• 1/2 cup brown rice (trader joes also has a brown rice medley that you store in the freezer and throw in the microwave for 3 min as is makes for quick prep for this meal)
• 2 large carrots
• 2 radishes
• handful of cherry tomatoes halved
• 2 ribs celery sliced thin
• 1/4 cup currants or craisins
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 4 cups mixed greens or any other lettuce. I used mixed greens mixed with kale
• Drizzle of balsalmic vinegar over the top

Instructions

1. Cook rice and lentils according to package directions. Set aside to cool. While the rice and lentils are cooking, prep the rest of your ingredients.
2. Assemble all tossing

Wheat Berry and Arugula Salad

OK, OK I know I"m kind of on a roll here with salads but I had my left over Arugula so I thought I would make this. This is definitely one of the better things I've made in our marriage. A tad laborious but definitely worth the mix of flavors and textures. The recipe I made did not call for feta like what's pictured here but I bet it would have been great with some feta or bleu cheese crumbles in it. I hadn't planned on Beau eating any because he doesn't like a lot of the stuff in the salad but he had some and loved it!

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1 cup orange juice (from about 2-3 oranges) - I used pulpy orange juice
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp. agave nectar (or honey or sugar)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

For the salad:

• 1 cup wheat berries, uncooked
• 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained, patted dry, and chopped
• 2 oz. kalamata olives, sliced
• black pepper, to taste
• 8 oz. baby arugula
• garnish with green onions if desired

Instructions

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot with a 1/2 tsp. salt. Once the water is boiling, stir in wheat berries and partially cover. Cook for one hour, stirring often, until wheat berries are tender but chewy.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by simmering the orange juice in a small sauce pan until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 15 minutes. Pour reduced orange juice into a small bowl and cool in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Whisk together the cooled orange juice reduction with the cilantro, lime juice, water, oil, agave nectar, cumin, garlic, salt, paprika and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
3. To assemble the salad, toss the chickpeas, red peppers, olives, and wheat berries in a medium bowl with half of the dressing. Salt and pepper to taste. In a separate bowl, toss arugula with remaining dressing. Divide among 4 plates and top each with 1 cup of the wheat berry mixture. If you are making it ahead of time or plan on having leftovers the next day, do not toss the arugula with the dressing ahead of time. Simply pour the dressing on top of arugula right before serving.

Asparagus, White bean, Arugula Salad

Vegan Recipe I"m posting for my own records since I know the the Jewkes' are picky picky eaters! Fast, really yummy, worth a try if you're trying to get all you vitamins and nutrients and cut the processed stuff out.

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, sliced 1/8 inch thick (about 1 cup)
• 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed of tough ends and cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces
• 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, plus 2 tsp.
• 14 oz. arugula (1 large bunch), washed, dried, and stemmed (about 6 cups lightly packed)

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in nonstick skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke; stir in onion and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add asparagus, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper; cook until asparagus is browned and tender-crisp, about 4 minutes, stirring often. Off heat, stir in beans; transfer to large plate and let cool 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 3 tbsp. oil, vinegar, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper in medium bowl until combined. In large bowl, toss arugula with 2 tbsp. dressing and divide among salad plates. Toss asparagus mixture with remaining dressing, place a portion over arugula, and serve.

Portobello Zucchini Tacos

I'm on a roll here. Another vegan recipe that may be a little to wild for some of your families but if you don't tell them there are mushrooms in it they will never know. I made these last night for dinner and they were so good I had like 5...In fact I ate almost everything by myself because I was once again husbandless at dinner time. But I'm trying not to use that as an excuse not to cook! We'll see how long it lasts.

I had mine with salsa, avocado and some cilantro with a little salt and pepper and it was divine!

Portobello and Zucchini Tacos

Four servings • 45 minutes to prepare

I like to serve these tacos alongside a green salad with tomatoes and avocado.

Ingredients

• 5 medium portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 medium zucchini, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch sticks
• 1 medium red onion, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 12 (4 1/2-inch) corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup fresh salsa
• 1 ripe avocado, halved and sliced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425° F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms with 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper. On another rimmed baking sheet, toss zucchini and onion with remaining teaspoon oregano and tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper.
2. Place both sheets in oven. Roast, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are browned and fork-tender, 25 to 30 minutes (zucchini may cook faster than mushrooms).
3. Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium-high heat, warm tortillas according to package instructions (they should be lightly browned but still soft). Wrap loosely in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
4. To serve, fill each tortilla with mushrooms, vegetable mixture, avocado and salsa.

Mediterranean Chickpea Wrap

This is really easy to make, vegan, healthy and filling and really yummy. It's easy to thrown in a tortilla, add a handful of spinach or mixed greens, sprinkle on some vinaigrette and you're good to go. Also, I didn't add the banana pepper just cause I didn't want to buy one, but added a little siracha sauce to make it spicy. Also, don't be afraid to drain the extra water once the potatoes are done cooking.

Mediterranian Chickpea Wrap

Four servings • 30 minutes to prepare

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 banana pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, with liquid
• 1 white potato, peeled and diced
• 4 whole wheat tortillas, warmed

Instructions

1. In a large sauté pan, over medium heat warm the oil for about a minute. Add the carrot, onion, banana pepper, and garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. When the vegetable have started to soften, add the cumin, red pepper, cayenne and sauté for 1 minute.
2. Add the garbanzo beans with their liquid and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Add the potato and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
3. Wrap in warm tortillas with fresh spinach and serve.

Chickpea and Rice soup with Kale

Another Vegan recipe. This soup is awesome! We had it for sunday dinner because it's still pretty cold out here in Boston and this was the perfect remedy. I made it with the artisan bread Jess posted a little while ago and it made for a great meal. The only thing you have to prep before hand is soaking the cashews for a few hours and it's better the next day as leftovers as the flavors blend.

Chickpea & Rice Soup with Kale

Six servings • 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cashews, soaked in water for 2 hours or overnight
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• 3/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. salt
• Fresh black pepper
• 3/4 cup brown rice, rinsed
• 3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
• 1 cup carrots, diced chunky
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cans (15 oz. each) Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed- I only used 1 can and it was fine
• 4 cups chopped kale
• (green onions as garnish optional)

Instructions

1. After soaking, drain the cashews and place them in a blender with one cup of fresh water. Blend until completely smooth. You don't want any gritty bits if you can help it. And if you're not firing up a Vitamix, this could take some time. Like maybe 5 whole minutes.
2. Preheat a stock pot over medium heat. Sauté onion in olive oil with a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and sauté a minute more.
3. Add rice, celery and carrots and then pour in the broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, add the chickpeas, and let cook for about 30 minutes, until rice is cooked and carrots are tender.
4. Add the cashew cream and kale, and simmer until kale is wilted, 3 to 5 more minutes. You may need to add water to thin the soup if it seems too thick. Taste for salt and seasonings and let sit for 10 minutes so the flavors will mingle.

Tofu Broccoli Stir Fry

After watching the "Hungry for Change" documentary on Netflix, I decided I would take their advice and not view foods with an attitude of "I can't have that" or cutting things out but adding more and more healthy things into my diet. This leaves me guilt free when I do eat sweets and has inspired me to add maybe one or two vegan meals to my day. This was a great one to start out with- easy and simple and I don't mind the taste of tofu. It is just as filling as meat for me.

This is from the website wellvegan.com they have a great list of recipes for breakfast lunch and dinner and also snacks if you're not sure where to start.

p.s. I highly recommend the documentary. Some things are kind of cooky about it but it is a good reminder to think about what you're putting in your body.

Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry

Serves four • 40 minutes

Serve this stir-fry over brown rice or Asian noodles. To toast the cashews, spread them on a baking sheet and cook in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. If you’re serving this with rice, get it started before you do anything else. And if you’re gluten-free make sure you’re soy sauce is of the gluten-free variety.

Ingredients

• 1 package (14 1/2 ounces) firm tofu, drained, cut crosswise into 6 slabs (about 3/4 inch wide), each slab halved horizontally and cut into triangles
• 1 1/2 lbs. broccoli, stalks trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch rounds, florets separated into bite-size pieces
• Coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup cashews, toasted (optional)

Instructions

1. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels. Top with more paper towels and let tofu drain, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook broccoli (stalks and florets) in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, 1 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu; cook until golden brown, turning gently halfway through, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels.
4. Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, garlic, cornstarch, and 3/4 cup water; set aside.
5. Add broccoli to skillet; cook over high heat, stirring often, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk reserved sauce to combine; pour into pan. Return tofu to pan; stir to coat, about 1 minute more. Serve over rice or noodles and topped with cashews, if desired.

1234 Spicy Beans

Pic courtesy google images

I got this recipe from the Nutrition Digest magazine that my mother-in-law gives me for Christmas every year. I saw this recipe and knew that I wanted to try it. It was so easy and so yummy. It's the perfect lunch. I threw it on a whole wheat tortilla with a little cheese and salsa. It would be good plain, with rice, with some avocado, or on a salad. Go beans!:)

1234 Spicy Beans
adapted from Nutrition Digest

1 Tbs olive oil
3 minced cloves of garlic
1 tsp chili powder
15 oz. can of no-salt-added black beans, drained
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

Saute garlic in olive oil for 1 minute. Stir in chili powder and cook for 15 seconds. Add beans with just enough water to cover the beans. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.

apple dijon kale salad

another great recipe from Budget Bytes. i usually steer clear from anything dijon but it is really subtle in the dressing and you could even decrease the amount you put in. it went great with the teriyaki salmon i made but is also a great easy lunch salad. i added some feta cheese i had because who doesn't like feta cheese?

apple dijon kale salad

$5.53 recipe / $1.38 serving

otal Recipe cost: $5.53 
Servings Per Recipe: 4 large salads (or 6 side salads) 
Cost per serving: $1.38 (for four) 
Prep time: 30 min. Cook time: 0 min. Total: 30 min. 

INGREDIENTS		COST
1/3 cup	olive oil	$0.96
1/4 cup	apple cider vinegar	$0.24
1 clove	garlic	$0.08
1.5 Tbsp	dijon mustard	$0.16
1/4 tsp	salt	$0.02
10-15 cranks	fresh cracked pepper	$0.03
1 bunch	kale	$0.99
1 medium	granny smith apple	$0.87
1/4 cup	raisins	$0.36
1/2 cup	walnut halves	$1.82
TOTAL		$5.53

STEP 1: Tear the kale leaves from the stems. Cut the leaves into thin slices and then rinse well under cool water (in a colander). Allow the kale to drain as you prepare the rest of the salad.

STEP 2: In a blender combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, clove of garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until the garlic is minced and the dressing is smooth.

STEP 3: Wash the apple and chop it into chunks. Roughly chop the walnut halves. Make sure the kale is as dry as possible and then combine it in a large bowl with the apples, walnuts, and raisins. Pour the dressing on top, starting with half, and toss to coat. Add more dressing as desired (I used the whole batch). 

Classic Bran Muffins

photo courtesy of allrecipes

So, living in the "country" definitely has it's benefits, but also it's drawbacks.  Last night we ran out of propane, and no propane = no heat or hot water.  This morning our house was 53 degrees.  Brrr!  Outside it is 19 degrees and it is supposed to snow today.  I was craving something warm for breakfast, so I was happy to find this bran muffin recipe.  I made it vegan by substituting rice milk for the buttermilk, and it turned out delicious!

Classic Bran Muffins
adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups wheat bran (I used bran flakes)
1 cup buttermilk (substitute rice milk or any other milk)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line muffin cups or spray with cooking spray.  Mix together wheat bran and milk.  Let stand for 10 minutes.

Beat together oil, egg, sugar, and vanilla and add to milk/bran mixture.  Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Stir flour mixture into bran mixture, just until blended.  Fold in raisins and spoon into muffin cups.

Bake 15-20 minutes.  Enjoy!

Full-o-Beans Chili

A stick-to-the-ribs-not-the-waistline chili.  Great served with all the usual toppings: chopped red or green onions, chopped cilantro, and shredded cheddar cheese.  Serves 6+.

Full-o-Beans Chili

adapted from Bon Appetit

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion

8 garlic cloves, chopped

2-14 1/2 ounce cans Mexican style stewed tomatoes

1-15 ounce can black beans, well drained

1-15 ounce can kidney beans, well drained

1-15 ounce can garbanzo beans (chick-peas), well drained

1 can white and/or pinto beans

1 corn on the cob cut off (I use frozen corn)

 3 Tbs. chili powder

1 Tbs. ground cumin

Cayenne pepper

1 tsp. or more red wine vinegar

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions, then add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add next 8 ingredients and bring to simmer.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until flavors are blended, about 30 minutes.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne.  Add vinegar to taste.

Tomato and Avocado Salad

Thanks again to Dagmar for this one...sounds delicious!

courtesy

Tomato and Avocado Salad

Dagmar Jewkes

3 tomatoes

1 large avocado

Bunch of cilantro

Garlic Salt

Lemon Juice

Green Onions or Regular diced onions (optional)

Dice vegetables and toss with seasonings to taste. Enjoy!