Recipes

Recipe of the Week: Baked Spinach & Artichoke Dip

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This is my twist on a traditional dip that is usually filled with fat,  ingredients. Serve this at your next party or bring to your next potluck.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 cups baby spinach
  • 1 (6oz) jar of marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
  • 10 sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, sliced
  • 1 (14oz) can of navy beans or cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/3 cup vegetable broth
  • salt and pepper
  • 2-3 Tbsp nutritional yeast

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat; add in the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from the stove and place in a bowl; set to the side.

2. In a food processor or blender process the beans with the vegetable broth until smooth.

3. To the processor add the spinach, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and nutritional yeast; pulse 4-5 times to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Place in a medium oven safe dish, cover and then you place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or over night to achieve the best flavor.

When ready to cook preheat oven to 400F.

1.Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until edges are browned and bubbly.

2. Serve with vegetable sticks, pita or crackers.

Bonus Recipe: Spicy Black Eyed Peas and Greens over at my Health Coaching Site. 

That’s One Spicy Chickpea

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This weekend the Hubz and I took a whirlwind trip to Massachusetts to do a little Ikea, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Target shopping. We picked up a few things for the nursery and found out that 70% of the items I had put on our nursery vision board just didn’t live up to our expectations. I am glad we found this out now and not in March when we head to Boston.

On the ride home we stopped in to Whole Foods and I started craving hot sauce really bad, one of my weird pregnancy cravings, and I got to thinking what about a buffalo chickpea dip? I first thought of using Sour Supreme to make it creamy but I really wanted to avoid the soy and then I spotted the So Delicious Coconut Greek Yogurt and I decided to pick up a plain and try it in my dip.

The verdict? I loved the coconut Greek yogurt in this! I would recommend this recipe for your upcoming Super Bowl or Oscar Party it is sure to be a hit!

2-15oz cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup hot sauce (I use Franks)*
1 container SoDelicious Plain Greek Yogurt**
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Place 1 cup of the chickpeas in the base of a food processor with the hot sauce and process until smooth and pour into a medium bowl.

3. Add all of the remaining chickpeas and remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix to combine.

4. Pour the chickpea mixture into individual ramekins or into an oven safe dish.  Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

5. Serve with veggies (I suggest celery) and pita, crackers or tortilla chips.

*If you desire less heat reduce the amount of hot sauce and substitute non-dairy milk or water.

**Can’t find coconut Greek yogurt? No Problem! Substitute non-dairy sour cream! 

Update: Hubz ate the leftovers today and said they were even better than the first day, that being said if you have the time mix the dip the day before, refrigerate overnight and bake off right before eating.

{Recipe} Fiesta Tempeh-Bean Burger

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This burger is great for the entire family! Serve on a bun or in a wrap and top with your favorite condiments! Have extra patties? Freeze them and cook them up whenever you have a craving for a yummy veggie burger.

INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1/3 cup bell pepper (color of your choice), finely diced
• 1/3 cup corn, frozen or fresh
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4oz (1/2 package) tempeh, grated
• 1 (15oz) can of kidney beans, black beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed then pulsed in a food processor 2-3 times
• 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
• 1 tsp each of cumin, chili powder, Italian seasoning & paprika
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce
• 1 tsp sherry or red wine vinegar
• 2-4 Tbsp water

Directions:
1. In a small skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat; add in the onion, pepper and corn and saute for 6-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for an additional 5-6 minutes until the onions and peppers begin to caramelize. Transfer the onion mixture to a large mixing bowl.
2. To the mixing bowl add the grated tempeh, beans, wheat gluten, spices, salt and pepper; stir to combine. With a wooden spoon stir in the hot sauce, vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir until the mixture begins to come together similar to a dough; if the mixture seems dry add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Once the burger mixture has come together form into six thin patties. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. To cook the patties, heat a thin layer of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the patties for about 5 minutes per side; until they are firm to the touch.

Serve on a bun with your favorite fixin’s!

{Recipe} Creamy “Sausage” Gravy

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 4oz (1/2 package) tempeh, grated
  • 8oz mushrooms, quarter and pulsed in a food processor 5-6 times
  • 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  •  1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp dried crushed fennel
  • 1/4 tsp dried rubbed sage
  • 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
  • Water
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup vegetable broth + 1 tbsp cornstarch, whisked together
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy creamer

Directions:

1. In a small skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat; add in the onion saute for 5-6 minutes until the onions begin to caramelize. Transfer the onion to a large mixing bowl.

2. To the mixing bowl, add the grated tempeh, mushrooms, wheat gluten, parsley, spices, salt and pepper; stir to combine. With a wooden spoon stir in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke and 4 tablespoons of

water. Stir until the mixture begins to come together as a dough; if the mixture seems dry add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time.

3. In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil oil over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage mixture into the pan and cook until browned. Stir in the vegetable broth mixture and non-dairy creamer and simmer until the sauce has thickened.

Serve the gravy over your favorite savory baked good.

Weekend Wrap Up: Things Get Corny

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The highlight of the weekend was purchasing and installing our new washer and dryer. We finally decided that since we never go to the laundromat and end up with piles of laundry as well as the fact that we have a baby on the way which means even more laundry that we should finally suck it up and buy our own washer and dryer. So all of Saturday afternoon was spent making polenta lasagna and watching Storage Wars while Neil and my pa installed the washer and dryer.

Sunday Neil and I spent the day relaxing around the house and cooking up a big pot of Chipotle Coconut Corn Chowder. In the mix: frozen sweet corn, chopped green chiles, onion, carrots, garlic, paprika, chipotle chili powder, ground cumin, coconut milk, vegetable broth and chickpeas.

Neil used his new bread book to bake up a tasty loaf of whole wheat bread.

Monday came along and my stomach was feeling a little off from all of the gluten I had Friday-Sunday. So I ended up taking a sick day to relax and feel better. I enjoyed lots of water and some left over chowder.

And started reading the new Fit Pregnancy.

Yesterday afternoon I started to feel better and just in time because the UPS guy came knocking at my door to deliver a package from Cornucopia Popcorn, a variety of vegan popcorns.

I couldn’t resist diving right in and of course went for the most colorful option the Cornfetti, a mix of all our colorful candied fruit flavors including Cherry, Strawberry, Orange, Banana, Grape, Blue Raspberry, Green Apple and Watermelon.

It was super tasty. I had a few small handfuls and shortly went back to the box to try a few pieces from all of the other flavors.

Dinner time came around and my stomach was starting to feel a little off again so I decided to make Neil a big bowl of quinoa with tempeh and veggies and myself a nice big fruit plate.

Cara Cara Orange, Grapes and Banana with Almond Butter

{Recipe} TVP Tex-Mex Polenta

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 Your entire family will love this recipe! It also reheats really well which makes it perfect for any weeknight meal so you have yummy leftovers for lunch.

Polenta

  • 1 cup corn grits polenta
  • 2 tablespoons Nutritional yeast
  • 1t salt
  •  3 cups of water

Bring the water to a boil and stir in the corn grits polenta, nutritional yeast, and salt. Turn down to low and continue to stir until the polenta has thickened.

Tex-Mex TVP

  • 1.5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup TVP
  • 1/2 large onion, minced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup salsa
  • 1t ground cumin
  • 1T nutritional yeast
  • 1t paprika
  • 1/2t garlic salt
  • 1t chili powder
  • 1/2T oil

Bring the vegetable broth to a boil and stir in the TVP; turn down and simmer for 5- 7 minutes. Saute the onions and garlic in oil over medium-high heat until translucent. Add in the cumin, paprika, chili powder and salt and stir to evenly coat the onions and garlic. Pour in the TVP; it should be soft and expanded some- there should be a little left over vegetable broth. Stir the TVP and onion mixture together and add the salsa and nutritional yeast.

Assemble

Take 1/4 of the polenta and put it on a plate, top with 1/4 of the TVP mixture and then 1/4 of an avocado. ENJOY! Other suggestions: add your favorite hot sauce, fresh diced tomatoes, pickled jalapenos or cilantro to add even more flavor to this dish.

 

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