Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

It's been really fun to make healthy versions of ethnic food that I love.  Eating healthy at home saves you a ton of money and is much much healthier... but it doesn't have to be boring!  Tracy, Ed and I had a feast one night last week with this Tabbouleh salad and homemade hummus!

Ingredients

Serves 1

1/2 cup quinoa (uncooked)
1/3 cup parsley (coarsely chopped)
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth (or water)
1 tomato, diced
1 cucumber, diced
2 green onions, sliced
2 cups baby spinach (salad bed)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine quinoa in a saucepan with 1 cup water or vegetable broth. Cover, bring to a boil and reduce to low, simmering until water has evaporated and quinoa is fluffy, about 15 minutes.  Once quinoa is cooked, let cool then mix with parsley and lemon juice (start with half of the lemon). Stir, and then mix in cucumber, tomatoes, green onions plus salt and pepper before serving. Serve over a bed of spinach, or chop spinach and mix it in. Add more lemon juice as desired.

Per serving: 381 calories, 5.8g fat, 70.3g carbohydrates, 10.6g fiber, 7.8g sugars, 16.7g protein

Healthy Homemade Hummus (White Bean or Chickpea)

A story of Sara's Hummus-making journey....

Hummus is something we buy every week and eat a lot of. All of the store-bought versions have oil and tahini so of course this is something I've been wanting to create at home :)  I have been looking for a healthy hummus recipe since I got my food processor last summer!  I tried a few recipes and was never quite thrilled with how it turned out...   so we kept buying it and trying different brands.

Whole Foods is my favorite (spinach hummus or the baba ghanoush) because it's low calorie and has this delicious tanginess.  I was reading the label and noticed that there is citric acid in their version.  So I started reading about citric acid in hummus and found out that it's common to use this in true Mediterranean versions.  It gives the hummus the tanginess without making it too liquidy from adding too much lemon juice.  I found some in the ethnic aisle at the grocery store and was really excited to try it!  So I found this recipe online which I really liked (I was intrigued by the Bragg in it).  I decided to add citric acid to it and give it another try.

The last twist in my hummus-making story is that Ed made about 10 pounds of white beans, probably not realizing how dry beans appear to be a much smaller amount than the cooked version :)  There was so way we could eat all these beans before they would go bad.  So I decided to try the recipe with white beans instead of chickpeas.

Voila!  I LOVED this recipe :)  The white beans were a smoother consistency than chickpeas, which is perfect when not using oil , which would normally give hummus it's creaminess.  The citric acid gave it the tanginess I love and the Bragg Liquid was a little flavor kick as well.

FINALLY a successful healthy hummus.  Can you tell I'm thrilled?   I can now produce this stuff in huge batches, saving lots of calories and $$.  It's a good day :)

We ate this batch with Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad... it was quite the feast!

Ingredients

• 2 cans  white beans or chick peas, rinsed and drained (4 cups cooked beans*)
• 3 cloves garlic
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp citric acid
• 2 teaspoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth (or water)

 * When soaking dry beans, try adding a little baking soda (about 1/2 tsp for every two cups of dried beans).  It will soften the beans and shorten the cooking time.

 

Instructions

 Heat up the beans a bit first,  then using food processor, blend all ingredients into a thick paste.

 

 

Variations

  Customize by adding one or more of the following:

 

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1 roasted and chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup dark or Kalamata olives
• 1 bunch fresh mint
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1 cup cooked eggplant
• lime juice (instead of lemon juice) and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Yummus (Sweet Potato Hummus)

This one came from a Happy Herbivore Meal Plan and was soooooo creamy and good.  Yummmmmmy yummus :)

Serves 1

1 sweet potato
1/4 cup hummus (look for plain hummus without much additional flavors, 60 cal or less per serving)

Boil, bake, steam or microwave sweet potato. Scoop out flesh/remove skin (handle carefully if it's hot) and transfer to a food processor. Add hummus and blend until smooth and creamy like hummus. You can add more hummus to taste, if desired, or a little non-dairy milk or water if you don't want to add more hummus.

Per serving: 206 calories; 6.2g fat; 32.5g carbohydrates; 7.5g fiber; 7.4g sugar; 7.2g protein

Happy Herbivore Meal Plan Favorites (10/31/12)

 

 

I decided to try the Happy Herbivore meal plans!  Basically you pay $5 for a 7-day meal plan that includes a schedule of 3 meals a day for a total of 1200 calories, the recipes, the nutritional information and a consolidated shopping list.  It is true to Happy Herbivore style (vegan, low-fat/fat-free eating)... which makes me happy :)

 

So far so good!  The plan has been helping me a lot because my schedule during the week is so crazy busy.  I went to the grocery store just once, with the shopping list.  I like knowing what I'm making for dinner and knowing that I already have all the ingredients. The recipes are very simple and pretty quick. I'm sure I'll try a few more involved recipes here and there as substitutes, but I think this meal plan will help me not get so bored with "eating the same thing every night out of the fridge."   I've been making my lunches the night before since some of them are a little more involved than putting things in baggies. But again, it's pretty quick and I do it as I'm making dinner so I'm only in the kitchen "once" each night. I alter a few things like add nutritional yeast to my salads to make sure I'm getting my B12 (and because I like it!), as well as eat some almonds and additional fruit throughout the day at work (as well as Shakeology).  I think I need more than 1200 calories a day, because I'm not trying to lose weight anymore, so I just add healthy snacks.  Also, to maintain enough energy for exercise, I like to eat a little more.  It's all about the quality of the things you put in your body!  I like that the meals are very flexible too... all the meals are similar amount of calories so you can move them around throughout the week.

 

Below are some of my favorites from my first week of the meal plan.  I think my ultimate favorite was the Yummus, so I had to have a separate blog entry for that one!  Enjoy :)

Breakfast

These breakfast recipes were fast and easy so I could make them before work during the week.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

serves 1

1/2 cup rolled oats (uncooked)
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup pure pumpkin (canned)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp pure maple syrup

Cook oats in water with raisins. You can add more water if you like your oatmeal to be more soupy. Once cooked, mix with pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and raisins. Drizzle with maple syrup.

Per serving: 284 calories, 3g fat, 60.7g carbohydrates, 6.6g fiber, 25.1g sugars, 6.6g protein

 

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

serves 1

1 banana (frozen)
1/4 cup pure pumpkin (canned)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
ground ginger
2 tsp pure maple syrup

Combine banana with pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, almond milk, a dash of ground ginger, and maple syrup and blend until smooth, adding more almond milk as necessary to achieve a smoothie consistency. Taste, adding more maple if desired.

Per smoothie: 186 calories, 2.3g fat, 43g carbohydrates, 5.6g fiber, 24.5g sugars, 2.6g protein

 

 

Sweet Cinnamon Blueberries

serves 1

 

1 cup blueberries

1/2 tsp agave syrup

cinnamon, a few dashes

 

Add agave and cinnamon to blueberries and mix together.

 

 

Lunch or Dinner

 

These recipes were also pretty fast.  I would make them in the evening, and either pack it for lunch the next day or eat right away.

Creamy Chipotle Corn Soup

serves 1

 

8 oz corn (thawed, if frozen)- I used Trader Joe's Roasted Corn and it was delicious!
1/2 tsp chipotle powder

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

Combine half of corn, chipotle and almond milk in a blender and puree until mostly smooth. Add water as needed for a thinner consistency, if desired. Transfer to a saucepan, stir in remaining corn and warm over low heat.

Per serving: 183 calories, 0.6g fat, 44.1g carbohydrates, 2.7g fiber, 27.7g sugars, 3.2g protein

Creamy Carrot Soup

serves 2

1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup instant oats (uncooked)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
salt & pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of water, carrots, onion, and oats over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until oats are cooked and carrots are fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender, in batches if necessary, and combine with almond milk. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding an extra splash of almond milk if needed. Transfer back to saucepan and stir in ginger and allspice. Gently reheat and add salt and pepper.

Per serving: 147 calories, 1.6g fat, 31.0g carbohydrates, 7.8g fiber, 13.8g sugar, 4.8g protein

 

Chickpea Taco Salad

serves 1

1/2 recipe TACO CHICKPEAS (see below)
4 cups lettuce, chopped
1/4 cup corn (thawed, if using frozen)
1/3 cup salsa
3 green onions, sliced

1 corn tortilla, crisped

hot sauce

Crisp tortilla in an oven or toaster oven at 350F for a few minutes then crumble into broken chips to top the salad with. Combine chickpeas with lettuce, corn, salsa and green onion. Top with chips and drizzle with hot sauce as desired.

 

(Salad without taco chickpeas) 156 calories, 1.7g fat, 33.5g carbohydrates, 7.8g fiber, 9.7g sugars, 6.8g protein

 

Taco Chickpeas

serves 2

15 oz can chickpeas (canned), drained and rinsed
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp lime or lemon juice
1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder, granulated
1/4 tsp garlic powder, granulated
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 tsp dried oregano

 

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or grease) and set aside. Rinse chickpeas under cold water in a colander. Shake to remove excess water but beans should still be lightly wet and not dry. Transfer to mixing bowl and mix with remaining ingredients, stirring to coat the chickpeas. Transfer chickpeas to cookie sheet and bake 20 to 40 minutes, until chickpeas are as crisp as desired. Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Per serving: 208 calories, 3.6g fat, 34g carbohydrates, 7.9g fiber, 1.6g sugars, 10.8g protein

 

Pepper Fajitas

serves 2

2 whole-wheat or brown-rice tortillas
2 bell peppers
1 onion
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp onion powder, granulated
1/4 tsp garlic powder, granulated
1/4 tsp ground cumin

Cut bell peppers into 1/2 inch strips and set aside. Cut the onion into 1/4 inch strips and set aside. Whisk remaining ingredients except tortillas with 1/3 cup of water and set aside. Line a medium skillet with a thin layer of water. Add onions and peppers and cook over medium heat, adding water as necessary, until the peppers are cooked but still crisp and no additional water remains, about 3 to 5 minutes. Rewhisk spice mixture and pour over peppers and onions. Allow the mixture to slightly thicken for 1 to 2 minutes, then stir to combine so peppers and onions are evenly coated. Spoon peppers and onions into tortilla shells and serve.

Per serving (without tortillas): 101 calories, 1.1g fat, 20.6g carbohydrates, 4.1g fiber, 4g sugars, 3.3g protein

Healthy Pumpkin Bread

I could eat this all the time!!  If you go without frosting, it's perfect for breakfast.   Or keep the frosting and eat it for dessert.  I'm still perfecting a sugar-free glaze but you can always go with the basic glaze (link here) of powdered sugar and almond milk.  I altered the original recipe just a tad by substituting Stevia for some of the sugar.

Ingredients

Makes 12 slices

• ¼ cup plant-based milk (unsweetened almond milk)
• ¼ tsp lemon juice
• 15 ounces pure pumpkin, canned
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup Stevia in the Raw
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or spray a standard bread pan.
2. Whisk non-dairy milk and lemon juice together until bubbly and set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, cream pumpkin, sugar, Stevia, syrup and extract together.
4. In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin pie spice, flour, baking soda and baking powder together.
5. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture, add the milk/lemon juice mixture and stir until just combined.
6. Pour into bread pan, using a spatula to evenly distribute and smooth out the top.
7. Grab a large piece of aluminum foil and make a tent over the pan.
8. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. If using icing, prepare while bread is baking. Once the bread has cooled but is still slightly warm, gently remove it from the pan and on to a serving plate.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

 

 

This recipe is a preview from the new Happy Herbivore Abroad cookbook, which I am so excited to get!  I had never made acorn squash before and discovered that I like it A LOT.  This recipe was pretty quick and looks so pretty (in addition to being delicious)!  I think this would make a great addition to any Thanksgiving meal :) 

 

Ingredients

 

Serves 2

 

• 1 acorn squash
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp yellow curry powder
• 1/8 - 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• sea salt, to taste
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 cup fresh spinach, finely chopped
• spray cooking oil

 

Instructions

 

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cut acorn squash in half, place cut side down on a greased cookie sheet, and bake 30–35 minutes, until fork-tender.
2. Meanwhile, combine quinoa, vegetable broth, curry powder, a few dashes of cinnamon (about 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon), and raisins in a pot.
3. Bring to a boil, immediately reduce to low, and cook for 15 minutes, or until liquid evaporates. If quinoa is not fluffy after 15 minutes, add more vegetable broth and cook longer. (Sometimes the raisins will absorb the liquid also, so more is needed to cook the quinoa. This is particularly true with electric stoves.)
4. After quinoa is done, stir in spinach, add another dash or two of cinnamon, plus salt if desired, then cover and set aside, away from heat.
5. Once acorn squash is done, flip it over and scoop out seedy matter. Then use a sharp knife to cut the point off each base so the acorn bowls sit upright and don’t fall over.
6. Spoon quinoa mixture into squash and serve warm.

 



Apple Fritter Cupcakes

These were quite an adventure (mostly because I was experimenting with creating vegan sugar-free icing, and the cupcake papers were sticking to the cupcakes!!).  My kitchen was a disaster!  But don't worry, I did the experimenting for you so it should go much smoother on your end :)  The key is that you should not heat starches such as arrowroot flour because it becomes a freakin' sticky mess.  Anyway, even with all the mess these treats turned out delicious and a perfect fall treat that is vegan and low-calorie!  Another one from my Everyday Happy Herbivore cookbook, with a few adjustments made by me.  I'm still figuring out the sugar-free icing so in the meantime, you can always default to the Basic Glaze made with powdered sugar.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 2 1/2 cups finely chopped apples (skin optional), divided
• 1 tsp cinnamon, divided
• 1/8 cup light brown sugar
• 1/8 cup Stevia in the Raw
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp ground sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• dash of ground nutmeg or ground ginger
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• canola oil spray

Basic Vanilla Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 4 tsp unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Cupcakes- makes 1 dozen.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Fill muffin tins with paper liners (NOTE: once the fritters are completely cool, the liners will peel off.  If you plan to eat them warm, lightly spray the inside of the liner with oil spray to prevent sticking... and let's be honest, who doesn't eat one fresh out of the oven?!)
3. Toss 2 cups of apple pieces with a few dashes of cinnamon and a little brown sugar until well coated and set aside.  (This is the topping).
4. In a small bowl, whisk almond milk with vinegar and set aside.
5. In a large bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and 3/4 tsp of cinnamon, plus a dash of nutmeg or ginger, and stir to combine.
6. Whisk in sugar and Stevia to the flour mixture, then pour in the milk mixture.  Add 2 tsp vanilla and remaining 1/2 cup of apples pieces and stir to combine.
7. Spoon into muffin cups, filling just a tad more than halfway.  Add apple topping on each.
8. Bake 15-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Meanwhile, make the glaze.
10. Drizzle warm fritters with the glaze.

Basic Vanilla Glaze- makes 1/2 cup

1. Combine sugar with vanilla and non-dairy milk and stir until a thick glaze forms.  If it's too thick, add more liquid.  If it's too thin, add more sugar.
2. Scoop glaze into plastic baggie and squeeze it to one corner of the bag.  Cut small hole in corner of baggie and squeeze glaze on to cupcakes (if you have an icing bag, you don't need to do it the ghetto way like me!  lol)

White Enchiladas (Vegan)

This is one of my favorite recipes so far (another Happy Herbivore masterpiece).  Pretty quick and easy for a weeknight too!  The traditional Mexican recipe is made with chicken and queso sauce.  The vegan version was even better with chickpeas and a nutritional yeast-based sauce.  The sauce was so creamy and delicious!!  Gotta make this one again soon.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 1/2 tbsp green chiles
• 1/2 cup nondairy milk (unsweetened almond milk for me)
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp yellow miso paste
• juice of 2 lemon wedges
• 1/4 tsp ground chipotle powder
• good dash of black pepper
• 1- 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 cup salsa verde (green salsa)
• chili powder
• 4-5 whole wheat tortillas

Instructions

Serves 2.

1. Preheat oven to broil setting or 400 degrees F.
2. Whisk the cornstarch into the water and set aside.
3. Combine chiles, milk, nutritional yeast, miso paste, lemon juice, chipotle powder, and black pepper in a blender or food processor and whiz until really smooth.
4. Transfer sauce to a small saucepan, add cornstarch slurry, and bring almost to a boil over medium heat, stirring regularly.
5. Once it's at a near-boil, reduce heat to low and continue stirring and cooking until it thickens a little.
6. Taste, add more chipotle if desired (a little goes a long way).  Set aside, away from heat.
7. Transfer chickpeas to the food processor / blender (don't worry about rinsing it out first) and pulse a few times until the chickpeas are shredded but not pureed like refried beans.
8. Transfer into a mixing bowl and combine with cumin, salsa, and several dashes of chili powder.  Stir to combine.  Taste, adding a little more chili powder if desired.
9. Divide bean mixture among the 4-5 tortillas, lining it in the center of each tortilla.
10. Roll up and place the crease side down in a baking dish.
11. Bake in the oven until tortillas start to brown and are crispy to the touch (about 5 minutes for me).  You can also microwave them for 20-30 seconds instead but I like the crispiness from putting them in the oven.
12. Spoon already prepared sauce over the top, drizzle with salsa verde and serve.

PB&J Chocolate Cake (Vegan, No-Oil, Low-Sugar)

This cake kind of blew me away because it's made with tofu, no oil and no added sugar (there is some sugar from the chocolate chips and the PB2 in the frosting but it's minimal).  It was sinfully good!!  I made it with a raspberry jelly filling and a peanut butter frosting but you could really do any combination you can think of and it would be delicious :)  Perfect for birthdays or any party... just make sure you have some people to share it with you so you don't eat the whole thing :)

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

• 1 1/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips, melted
• 12 oz. firm silken tofu, cut in large chunks (Mori-Nu is the brand I use, find it in the Asian section of Whole Foods)
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup raw agave nectar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• canola oil or flour-based spray

Filling

• 1/4 to 1/2 jar of sugar-free jelly (I used red raspberry preserves)

Frosting

• 1/2 cup PB2 (peanut butter powder, also sold at Whole Foods)
• 12 oz. firm silken tofu, cut in large chunks (Mori-Nu)
• 1 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 4 packets of Stevia

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

1. Use two 8 inch round cake pans.
2. Prepare frosting and chill in fridge until cake is baked and cooled (see frosting instructions below).
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees & oil cake pans.
4. Melt chocolate chips according to package instructions and set aside.
5. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
6. Place melted chocolate, tofu, cocoa powder, agave nectar, applesauce and vanilla in a food processor and process until smooth.
7. Pour chocolate mixture into flour and mix into a stiff batter.
8. Spread evenly in pans (an oiled spatula can help in this endeavor).
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
10. Remove from pans and cool on racks.
11. When cakes are completely cool, carefully cut the top off of one of the cakes to create a flat surface.
12. Spread the jelly / preserves on top of the flat cake.  Be generous with the amount of jelly :)
13. Place the cake with the rounded top on top of the flat cake.
14. Frost the entire thing and enjoy!

Frosting

1. Place all ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Put frosting into a bowl and put in the refrigerator.  The frosting will become thicker and easier to spread when cold.
3. You can omit the PB2 in this recipe, for a vanilla frosting (or add cocoa powder for chocolate frosting) that is virtually fat-free.