Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

This is a great gateway recipe into vegetarianism - it is easy to make, has the great flavors of a traditional chili, and made with veggies & beans most people like.  What puts this one over the top though, is the garnishes... don't skimp on the orange zest, avocados, or crunchy tortilla chips!  Super duper tasty.  http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-potato-bean-chili

Gruyere, White Bean, Carmelized Onion & Apple Pizzas

This tasty treat is on regular rotation at our house.  Any time a friend gives me some rosemary from their garden, this recipe is my first thought!  I usually double the amount of rosemary called for, I love the flavor.  I've also found this freezes well, and have often thought this yummy dish would be great served as a warm appetizer at a party.

 

Individual Pizzas with Gruyere, Carmelized Onions and Apples

4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced (I use a little less)
2 medium red apples, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 dried rosemary, crumbled (I use a whole lot more)
4 whole wheat tortillas (8 inch)
2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (8 oz) (I use the shredded Gruyere/Swiss blend from Traders)
1/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Heat oven to 450
2. In a large skillet, warm 2 tsp oil over medium heat.  Add onions and toss to coat.  Add 3/4 cup water, bring to a boil, and cook 5 min longer.
3. Add apple slices and cook until apples are crips-tender, onions are golden, and liquid has evaporated, 7-10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mash beans with remaining 2 tsp oil, lemon juice, salt, rosemary, & three Tbsp water.
5.  Place tortillas on 2 large baking sheets.  Spread beans evenly over tortillas.  Top with the onion-apple mixture, cheese & pecans.
6.  Bake about 5 minutes, until pizzas are piping hot and cheese has melted.  Serve hot. 

Quinoa Bowl #1 - Roasted Asparagus & Brussel Sprouts over Quinoa, topped with Poached Eggs

Quinoa - a great source of clean protein, wonderful for a vegetarian diet.  I make a batch of quinoa at the beginning of the week & usually have 2 different quinoa bowls.  I will post my faves, but the possibilities are endless.. and packed with protein, and filling! 

 

Roasted Asparagus & Brussel Sprouts over Quinoa, topped with Poached Eggs

Make quinoa according to package, use broth instead of water if you want a more flavorful grain.

Cut asparagus into thirds, and brussel sprouts in half, roast with oil (I use coconut), salt, pepper & any other spice you are in the mood for. 

When veggies are almost done roasting, bring water to a slow boil in a pot on the stove, add a dash of vinegar.  Crack egg into a ramekin and gently pour into boiling water.  Let boil for 1 1/2 minutes, take out with slotted spoon.  Place on top of quinoa & veggies in bowl.  Add more s&p, or hot sauce if you'd like. 

Sweet Potato Panzanella (Bread Salad)

OMG I love this recipe.  First of all I love sweet potatoes, I love bread, I love complete meals in a bowl, and I love pretty food.  This is all of the above.

Sweet Potato Panzanella
1 1/2 lbs sweet potato, peeled and diced large
2 cups ciabatta, diced large
2 cups kale, coarsely chopped and steamed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon shallot, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
2 tablespoons white wine
1 teaspoon agave nectar
Pinch red chile flakes
Kosher salt to taste
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Toss sweet potato with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread on a sheet tray.  Roast in oven for about 15 minutes, or until tender.  Toss ciabatta bread with a drizzle of olive oil, spread on a sheet tray, and toast in the oven for about 15 minutes, until crisp and golden.

Warm a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add butter, garlic, ginger, and shallot and sauté for one minute.  Add cooked sweet potato and cooked kale and sauté for for 1 additional minute.  Add croutons.  Deglaze the pan with wine.  Add agave, chile flakes, and salt to taste.  Serve as soon as possible to retain some of the crunch of the croutons. 

Spelt Risotto Bowl with Veggie Meatballs & Arugala - 10 minute (from frozen) vegetarian meal

When I started cooking vegetarian, the meals always seemed to be labored, long, recipe-following ordeals... I did not know how or what to cook if I needed a really quick meal (other than pasta).  Now I have some old standby's.  This is one of my favorites that literally takes 10 minutes and tastes pretty close to homemade!  The pre-packaged components are from the Trader Joe's freezer section. 

There are 10 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber in the risotto alone, per 200 calorie serving. 

 

The risotto takes less than 10 minutes on the stovetop, the veggie meatballs take exactly 10 minutes in the oven, place them on a bed of arugala & top with parmesan.  Yummy, warm & satisfying. 

Vitamin Water - Do you ever make your own?

Every once in a while I find myself with a surplus of produce and herbs, and I just end up making some tasty water instead of wasting them.  Over the summer I found myself with strawberry & mint, just the other day I had some extra lemon, cucumber and rosemary.. the possibilities are endless, and its always lovely to mix up your water flavors naturally, adding vitamins, minerals & of course tastiness.  Just put it all in a mason jar or whatever sort of container you have for 24 - 48 hours, pour over a strainer & drink!  Fresh & yummy..

Roasted Broccoli and Pumpkin Seeds over Wild Rice

This the pumpkin season, just don't toss the seeds! 

12 BENEFITS OF PUMPKIN SEEDS:

1. Contain many healthy minerals including magnesium, iron and copper
2. Are a great plant based source of Omega-3
3. Great for prostate health
4. Effective at regulating insulin
5. Improve heart and liver health
6. Are Anti-Inflammatory
7. Natural treatment for killing parasites
8. Prevent kidney stones
9. Help increase good cholesterol
10. Promotes a good night’s sleep
11. A fiber rich snack
12. Great source of Vitamin B

This is a super yummy (and of course easy- that's all I do) fall recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/1047454/roasted-broccoli-pumpkin-seeds-and-grated-pecorino

Chocolate Banana "Pudding" - made in a blender

We had this for breakfast one weekend morning, but it would be a great after school snack too.  The kids were excited to try something new, but I think next time I'll put some chocolate chips on top (like the original website photo) to give it some texture & make it a real treat for them.  I'd have it as an adult too.. I'll make it again for the family.  One batch made more than enough for me to split it between my kids. 
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2014/09/03/chocolate-banana-bread-bowl/

Honey Mustard Dressing

I love a good salad, and my husband doesn't love it as a main course, so in order to trick him into eating it as such, I have to really beef it up.  I make this salad with "fried chicken" (trader joes chickenless crispy tenders, freezer section), avocado, red onions & sometimes a hardboiled egg on top of mixed greens.  This honey mustard dressing is a perfect topping for whatever you want to put in your salad, or as a dip, and it only has 4 whole food ingredients.  Steve thinks it tastes like the old days, when we used to get a 2,500 calorie salad from TGIFridays or somewhere like that.  It's good.
http://mywholefoodlife.com/2013/03/22/healthy-honey-mustard-dressing/

Mushrooms, Gorgonzola Polenta & Microgreens

This dish sounds way fancier than it is.. it is so quick to make, it just uses ingredients you may not use often.  Mushrooms are a great add in when you give up meat.  I was not a fan, until I discovered the joys of grilled portabellas (recipe to come soon), and then I slowly made my way to enjoying other mushrooms.. their meaty texture and taste is a good substitute when you are eating more plant-based.  In this recipe I used micro-greens instead of watercress, either would be great, or any green that you like or have on hand. 
http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipe/blue-cheese-polenta-with-watercress-and-mushrooms/

Decadent Coffee Creamer - non dairy

It's all about the little things to make a normal day feel special.. starting with an amazing cup of coffee.  I finally tried this non-dairy creamer recipe using only whole food ingredients.  It is so rich, sweet, thick & creamy, it transformed my morning cup of joe to a cup of heaven!  Well, that might be pushing it, but it was fantastic.  I could even see pouring this creamer over a piece of homemade apple pie instead of whipped cream.. It is super easy, it just requires about about an hours' forethought, to soak the cashews and dates, or just make it the night before.  I set my blender on "liquefy".  Also, the coffee did require quite of bit of re-stirring to incorporate the nut sediment.   http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14979/diy-dairy-free-coffee-creamer.html

Another make ahead breakfast.. Quinoa Carrot Breakfast Bars

These are so great.  When I find myself with some time, i'll make a 9x13 batch, cut in to squares & freeze.  They are packable, I can send them with my husband for lunch; or take a few out the night before for breakfast.  If there is time, I'll serve it as pictured below, with a little honey & blueberries on top.  If on the go, it's a tasty, filling breakfast or snack on the road!  If I know I am making the quinoa for this specific recipe, sometimes I'll simmer it 1/2 water, 1/2 orange juice.
http://onceamonthmom.com/quinoa-carrot-breakfast-bars/

How does Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal sound? No time to make it in the am? Make it the night before!

If you are like my husband & I, we are up & out the door.  He wakes up at the crack of dawn to go to work, and the kids & I wake up shortly after, and need to get out the door to go to school.  I was really excited to try this make-ahead oatmeal because I always want something healthy & tasty, but quite often leave without anything at all.  I finally tried these for my husband and I, we both really enjoyed it.  I had mine cold, he warmed his up.  It has a tasty fall flavor, perfect for the upcoming season, with nutmeg & cinnamon.  Super quick to make.  I used steel cut oats & unsweetened vanilla almond milk.  http://mywholefoodlife.com/2013/08/26/apple-cinnamon-overnight-oats/

Turmeric - the cancer fighting spice

It seems like everyone's life is affected by cancer these days, doesn't it?  For me, in the last decade, my mom, sister, dad and husband all got varying forms of cancer.  It has made me read up on how we can fight cancer with our diet, and turmeric seems to be one powerful spice!  I'm always looking for more ways to get it into my (and my family's) diet, and this is a great recipe!  It is very flavorful - zesty & tangy.  I used it as a kind of dressing on a multigrain barley/veggie/arugula dish.  I think it would also be great to just have as a dip for raw peppers & pita, maybe even some falafel.   http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-9543/anti-inflammatory-turmeric-sun-dressing-gluten-free-recipe.html

Spaghetti and Meatballs, just as good, but not exactly what you think..

My husband's absolute, hands down, favorite dish is spaghetti and meatballs! I found an amazingly easy homemade marinara, and for better or for worse, I can never go back to jarred!  ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23vfRqWOQEc  ) My Sicilian friend Mark walked me through making zucchini pasta for the first time.  I will show in pics below, but with the help of a mandolin with several extra parts, it was easy.  While roasting the tomatoes, shallots, & garlic, I go to work on the zucchini.  After grating the zucchini, you just sautee it in oil (coconut or olive) for 2-3 min, add s&p.  Put in a bowl, top with homemade marina (and then we added Trader Joe's veggie meatballs) & fresh grated parm.  Soooo Goood!!!  My husband actually says he likes it better than the traditional pasta, because it leaves him satisfied, but not "disgustingly full"..

Apple Cider Vinegar - An Old Wives Tale come true..

One of the biggest life-changers for me health-wise was adopting this simple, inexpensive practice...a tablespoon of ACV in a big glass of  cold water every morning.  I'm pretty much immune to the common cold, stomach flues, any other bug that seems to be flying around.  Braggs brand is easy to find, I get it at Whole Foods.  Make sure you buy unpasteurized and unfiltered, that is where the magic is.  If you google Apple Cider Vinegar, you will find so many uses for it, and I've drunken it daily for several years now, I can attest! 

http://thechalkboardmag.com/simplest-health-tip-ever-drink-apple-cider-vinegar

Black Bean Bowl with Poached Eggs

There are few things I love more than beans, sweet potatoes, & eggs.  This dish has all three, so naturally it is a staple in my house.  It is easy after you have done it once.  The part that requires forethought is in the soaking of the dried black beans overnight, then simmering them for roughly 1 1/2 hours before you start the recipe.  It is warm, flavorful, filling yumminess - hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  http://www.sproutedkitchen.com/home/2013/4/1/bean-bowls-with-poached-eggs.html

Pretty vegetarian dinner featuring a fun new squash..

A friend sent me this link, knowing I cook mainly vegetarian.  I had never cooked with delicata squash before, & found it beautiful and very tasty when roasted.. http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/roasted-delicata-squash-with-quinoa-salad

Quick breakfast or lunch idea - Egg Salad

I was craving egg salad, but didn't want to add the mayo, so thought about what else I had in the house on hand, so I just added 1/2 an avocado.  Took 2 minutes to cut up the hardboiled egg, dice up the avocado & season!  Has both protein & fat to keep you satisfied, plus it has avocado, with which you can never lose.. ;)