Veggie Minestrone Recipe

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
3/4 cup chopped onion 
3 cups water 
2 cups diced zucchini 
1 cup diced carrot, peeled
 1 cup canned cannellini beans 
3/4 cup diced celery
 1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil 
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/8 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper 
28 fluid ounces canned plum tomatoes, dice and include liquid
 2 garlic cloves, minced 
1/4 cup uncooked ditalini or 1/4 cup elbow macaroni




 Directions: 1 Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. 2 Add chopped onion and sauté for 4 minutes or until just lightly browned. 3 Add water, zucchini, carrots, canellini beans, celery, basil, oregano salt, pepper, canned tomatoes and garlic. 4 Bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. 5 Add macaroni, cover and cook an additional 10 minutes. 6 Adjust spices to suit your taste. 7 Serve hot.


***This was excellent!  We actually ate it all before I remembered to take pics! LOL  Served with warm french bread from the bakery!

Meal Plan: July 10th-14th (short week!)

Tuesday:  Snobby Joes, Corn, Tater Tots, Pickles, Tomatoes
Wednesday:  Mushroom Pasta Bake, Salad, Corn
Thursday:  Minestrone Soup, Wheat Rolls, Salad
Friday:  Grilled Salmon, Steamed Veggies(broc,cauliflower,carrots,red potatoes)Mac n  
              cheeze (salmon is VERY small, wild-caught portion...trying out my new cajun
              seasoning.  Kyle will be skipping the fish)
Saturday:  Red beans and Rice (no sausage), Cornbread

Lunches will be leftovers...it is too hot to cook, and i'm still easing into the "not sick anymore" phase :)

Snobby Joes (from Veganomicon)

After many food discussions with my good friend Hollee, she introduced me to this recipe.  Her husband and my husband are both meat free for health reasons.  This was one recipe she promised would go over well :)  And she was right!  I have always said "ew" to Sloppy Joe recipes...you know, the normal kind with a pound of fat laden ground beef and a can of "seasoned sauce".  Yeah-ew!

This recipe, in my opinion, was not even comparable!!  It was a great, homemade low-fat vegan dish that now has a place in my recipe card recipebook! :)  It was super easy, and took about 30 minutes to prep/cook.  Served with typical bbq type sides, and you have an easy summer meal.  We had corn, pickle spears, cherry tomatoes, and (organic, baked) tater tots!




Snobby Joes Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked green lentils
4 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 green pepper, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon salt
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard


4-6 whole wheat buns for serving
Condiments for topping (mustard, relish, KETCHUP!, etc)


Directions:

Put the lentils in a small sauce pot and pour in 4 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are soft. Drain and set aside.

About 10 minutes before the lentils are done boiling, preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper in the oil for about 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and saute a minute more.  Add the cooked lentils, the chili powder, oregano and salt and mix. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 10 minutes.

Add the maple syrup and mustard and heat through.Turn the heat off and let sit for about 10 minutes, so that the flavors can meld. 

This recipe can also be frozen/microwaved, and from what I have heard, gets better each day!  Like I said, definitely a keeper!  I spooned the snobby joe mix on my bun, then topped with a thick layer of organic ketchup.  This gave it a tad more sweetness, and a lot of extra flavor!  

Summer Snack: Peanut Butter and Berry Rice Cakes

Finally started reaching for this quick snack instead of a Pop Tart :P  Very easy and filling!  Kids also LOVE them...

All you need:
Rice cakes (I used a low sodium store brand)
Natural peanut butter (2T or so)
Berries-lots of fresh summer berries.  Blackberries were a hit today, but a friend of mine used blueberries too..

Recipe: Plant Strong Potatoes

I used:
2 large baking potatoes

1 chopped yellow squash
1/2 c chopped broccoli florets
1/2 diced onion
1/2 diced red bellpepper
8-10 large baby bella mushrooms, chopped
1/2-3/4 cup veggie broth
2T white wine
Seasonings:  I used Mrs. Dash, garlic powder, Tony's, tsp of Roux mix to thicken it...

Sauté veggies until they start to soften.  Add seasonings, stir.  Add veggie broth to saturate vegetables, and make the whole pot "liquidy".  Add wine and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Bake potatoes in 350*oven for an hour, wrapped in aluminum foil.  Slice potatoes, and stuff with veggie mix.  These were so filling!  I added salt at the end, so it wouldn't be too salty. I also sprinkled mine with about a tablespoon of nutritional yeast and mixed it up.  Will make these again soon :)

Meal Plan: May 19-25

Saturday
Lunch:  Out!  (Mexican-bean/rice burrito with salsa, guacamole salad)
Dinner:  Curry couscous, sauteed mushrooms, roasted potatoes

Sunday
Lunch:  Red Beans and Rice
Dinner:  Veggie Wraps, Roasted squash/zucchini, and Fruit Salad (grapes, pineapple, berries)

Monday
Lunch:  Mini Ezekiel English Muffin Pizzas, corn

Dinner:  LO Red Beans and Rice

Tuesday
Lunch:  Boca Nuggets; Fruit, Salad, Mac N Cheese (with nutritional yeast)

Dinner:  Breakfast!  (hashbrowns, sauteed mushrooms, FF muffins, fruit salad, buckwheat pancakes with maple syrup)

Wednesday
Lunch:  Edamame, Miso Soup, Ginger Salad

Dinner:  California Quinoa Salad, Roasted Veggies

Thursday
Lunch:  Veggie Lasagna, Kale Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Dinner:  Veggie Alphabet Soup with homemade bread

Friday
Lunch:  LO Lasagna, Salad

Dinner:  Fruit/Veggie Tray with PB and J Sandwiches (easy!)

At some point over the weekend, I will be grocery shopping (no Whole Foods trip this time!  Boooo)  and I plan to try to make this soup!  A "Peasant Style Kale and Potato Soup".  Will veganize and omit oil!  Can't wait to try it!

Easy Lunch Idea: Mini Veggie Pizzas

Ingredients:

Ezekial brand English Muffins, cut in half
1 can of fat free (or  low fat) pizza sauce
VEGGIES :)
Nutritional Yeast

If muffins are frozen, defrost in microwave until they are thawed.  Add a layer of sauce, and then let your taste buds do the rest.  If your kids are like mine, they are more likely to eat foods if THEY help make it!  So-have the kiddos top their pizza with topping of their choice.  Top the pizzas with nutritional yeast to get your B12 in :)

Bake for 15-20 minutes until veggies are hot and slightly cooked.
These were a great Plan B lunch.  Paired with a big kale salad and fruit, it left me very full and I got my veggies in!

Yay for no cooking!
Happy Mother's Day :)

Kids=corn and mushroom
Ours=Mushroom, red bellpepper, baby spinach
All topped with nutritional yeast!

My Lunch :)  

Easy School Lunch

Field Day Lunch!
Granola bar, blackberries, carrots/yellow pear tomatoes, applesauce, lemonade

Whole Foods Grocery Haul

Instead of cheese=nutritional yeast!  Also gets B12 in :)

Love these individual containers!  Perfect for when you only need a splash or two for sautéing!

Finally found a baked tortilla chip that is wonderful!  

Kombucha!  Love this for times when I feel my digestive tract is lagging or if i've eaten junky.  It is a fermented tea.

LOVING Ezekial brand foods!  They are made from sprouted grains, and found in the frozen section.  

This was suggested in one of the Engine 2 recipes (the sausage one, breakfast tacos)
This is a soy-based substitute product, but is low fat, so it fits the "plant strong" bill :)

Ok-not "plant strong"...has Veganaise, but is so delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I love it on crackers for lunch.

Love my produce drawers!  

I have been missing my salad dressing with EVOO :(  Found this at  WFM, and was hoping it would taste decent.  It is awesome!!!!!  No added oils!

Plant Strong Cinco de Mayo ;)

Whole Wheat fajita sized tortilla
Sauteed Mushrooms
Roasted red bellpepper
Baby kale
cilantro and guacamole (underneath all that! LOL)

Holy cow-this was awesome!  Kept me full, and was so tasty!  I think cilantro is my new favorite herb!

John McDougall MD on the Perils of Dairy Products

Over the last few weeks, it has been so tempting to slide back into eating small portions of dairy and lean meat.  I came across this video today on the Engine 2 Diet Facebook Page.  Dr. McDougall is amazing!  I was glued to the presentation (it is about an hour long!)  He is such an excellent speaker.  He makes this research easy to understand and his visual aids are very helpful.

It was a great reminder of what I knew and what i've read over the last few months.  Dairy is NOT ok...it is just another reminder that we are responsible for our own health.  Our government health organizations and the medical community for the most part are not presenting us with accurate information.  It is infuriating to see the "3 a Day" dairy posters plastered all over my school (I am a teacher), and see that strawberry/chocolate/vanilla milk are the only *free* options available to our students.  (Water is $1 a bottle, and when we have about 50% receiving free or reduced lunch, well you get the picture)

Anyway-great video, great speaker, great information!!!

Meal Plan: May 6-12

Sunday:

Lunch: Whole Wheat Wraps (guacamole or homemade hummus, baby kale, cilantro, roasted red bellpepper, sauteed mushrooms) and roasted garden veggies (squash/zucchini) 

Dinner: Whole Wheat penne pasta bake with sun dried tomatoes and side kale salad
Monday:
Lunch:  Rip's Big Bowl (yes-i'm craving this and plan to bring it to work with me LOL)  I think this meal will be a "whatever I feel like" kind of meal :)
Dinner:  Black Beans and Rice, Guacamole Salad
Tuesday:
Lunch:  Leftover beans/rice, fruit
Dinner: Stuffed bell-peppers, salad, baked beans
Wednesday:
Lunch:  Peanut Butter Sandwich, banana, and baby carrots
Dinner: BBQ vegan riblet, baked sweet potato, and Cali Quinoa Salad
Thursday:

Lunch:  Baked Sweet potato and LO Quinoa Salad

Dinner: Mushroom and Herb Couscous, roasted garden veggies
Friday:

Lunch:  Fajita Veggie Baked Potato

Dinner: Baked Tofu Nuggets, roasted potatoes 
Saturday:
Whole Foods trip!  

My New Favorite Cookbook!

I got this on my iPad for $4.99 at Amazon, and was so excited to see SO MANY recipes that looked good and easy to make.  Some of the major downfalls that I have found with buying vegan cookbooks is A-they are vegan, but not always healthy (ie-lots of oils, meat substitutes, etc).  B-they call for crazy ingredients that I have never heard of..i'm new to this game! LOL and C-they take for-e-ver to prep/fix/cook.

This cookbook avoids all of those!  The recipes are all "low fat, whole food, plant based" ingredients, and the cover claims that the recipes can be "on the table in 30 minutes or less".  It also covers all aspects of cooking (breakfast, lunch, dinner, smoothies, dressings, salads, soups, etc)  I am so excited to meal plan for next week!  Stay tuned for recipes and pictures :)

Engine 2 Breakfast Tacos

Ingredients:

Fajita size whole wheat tortillas
2 cups of frozen, shredded hashbrowns
1/2c Gimme Lean sausage, crumbled and browned
Jarred organic salsa (we used mild)

Heat tortillas in microwave until warm.  In a skillet, heat Gimme Lean brand sausage until browned.  In a second skillet, lightly spray with cooking spray, and heat hash browns.  Top tortillas with hash browns, sausage, and spoon salsa.  Wrap and eat :)

Dinner Review: Gardein Mandarin Chicken

While following this diet (which I still can't figure out what to call...not quite vegan?  vegan leaning vegetarian?  95% Plant-Based?), one of the harder things for us has been those nights when you need a "quick fix".  Before, ordering fast food or take out would have been a simple solution.  I still have every take out place on my cell phone speed dial!

These days?  Not so much.  Take out options are severely limited.  We do occasionally eat sushi (crab/shrimp) but try to only go once a month or so for the time being.  We can get vegetarian options at the Mexican restaurant down the road (beans, rice, veggie fajitas) but it is so darn SALTY!  I do order a cheese free pizza loaded with veggies, but once again-not something I want to depend on.

We ended up switching around 2 dinners from the meal plan, and decided to try this.  It was around $4 at Whole Foods.  It is a package of thin sliced frozen "chick'n" that you saute and add a sweet Chinese sauce.  We served it over brown rice and topped it with green onions.  Also added edamame and broccoli (steamed).  It was amazing.  The kids loved it, which is always our big test.

Like I said earlier-we try to eat as "plant based" as possible, and I don't like to add a whole lot of processed foods, but there are just nights that it helps out SOOOO much to have things like this on hand.  It makes me feel better to think that it is still better than a Happy Meal from McDonalds.  

Meal Plan (April 23-27)

Monday:
Lunch:  LO Squash Casserole, Sweet Potato, Green Peas
Dinner:  Corn Chowder from Skinny Bitch Everyday cookbook, Salad 
Tuesday:
Lunch:  Peanut Butter Sandwich on WW bread, fruit, yogurtDinner: Veggie Lasagna, roasted petite Brussels sprouts, salad
Wednesday:

Lunch:  Chickpea Mock Tuna with crackers and Romaine lettuce

Dinner: Mandarin Chicken (Gardein brand) with brown rice and steamed broccoli 
Thursday:
Lunch:  Baby Carrots & Guacamole, Sliced Pear, Pita Chips
Dinner:  Mushroom and Herb couscous with sauteed mushrooms, roasted veggies 
Friday:

Lunch:  Veggie Pizza with no cheese, applesauce

Dinner: Star Pasta with veggies, kale salad
Saturday:
Grocery Shopping Day!!!

My Cure for a Cheesecake Craving!

Ingredients:
1/2 clamshell of fresh strawberries, rinsed and sliced

In food processor, blend:
1/4 c Tofutti "Better than Cream Cheese"
1/2 c organic powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

1/2 c crushed Graham Cracker sticks

Separate berries into small bowls.  Pour 1T sauce over the berries, and top with crushed graham cracker crumbs.  This made 6 little cups. Was really sweet and kept me from breaking down and ordering Copeland's cheesecake! LOL

Recipe: Spinach Stuffed Shells

This was really easy, really yummy, and a different way to get in a pasta dish.  It reminded me a little bit of lasagna...

Ingredients:

1 box of large pasta shells

1 large jar organic pasta sauce

1 cup of frozen spinach, lightly steamed

"ricotta" cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350*

Bring 20 pasta shells to a boil in lightly salted water.

In a food processor, add 8 oz firm tofu, 1 tsp agave nectar, 1 tsp cider vinegar, and 3-4T nutritional yeast.  Blend until smooth.  Add steamed spinach and blend until creamy.

When pasta is al dente, pour into strainer, and rinse with cool water.  Pour 1/2 c pasta sauce into a glass casserole dish and cover the bottom.  Stuff spinach mixture into the shells.  I scooped my ricotta/spinach blend into a gallon Ziploc with the corner snipped to help fill the shells easily.

Layer the shells side-by-side.  Cover with the remaining pasta sauce (not pictured)  Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, covered.

Earthlings

I have no words for this documentary...Heartbreaking?  Disturbing?  Lifechanging?

I originally quit eating meat for the health benefits, but at this point it goes far beyond that.

Click here to watch.

Warning:  there are extremely disturbing and violent scenes, some language from the factory workers.  Do not watch around kids :(

Whole Foods Market Haul

First of all, let me say how JEALOUS I am of those people who live near a Whole Foods.  I got to visit one for the first time today with my mother-in-law, and was amazed :)  (It was well worth the 2 HOUR DRIVE to Baton Rouge.) We have a tiny 3 aisle "natural section" at our Kroger that has been getting us by, but there are SOOO many things that we can't get there.  

Today I was able to go and pick up a few odds and ends.  We will be making another "big trip" soon, but these were some of the favorite snacks/items.  The judge?  My kids, and in order to please them, it has to be good.  These were the things that they loved best.

Almond milk pudding-tasted amazing!  Just like regular pudding cups!

Vegan Marshmallows (No icky gelatin)  Each kid got 2.  Chase and Taylor could have polished off the whole box, but Addison didn't seem to like the texture.  

These were suggested by the girl bagging our groceries.  The top one is a regular "mock chicken" salad, and the bottom one is a bit spicier, being a buffalo mock chicken salad.  Both were awesome on crackers...I ended up standing at the counter eating them, no plate! LOL

These were high suggested as the best vegan cheeses.  They supposedly stretch and melt like their dairy counterparts...we shall see!

This is an item we can get at Kroger for $4, but found it at WF for just over $2...and in a flavor that we don't carry in Alexandria!  Yay for French Vanilla coffee!