seasoned "meat" for a quick, healthy, delicious taco night!

after sloppy joe night, a friend asked "what else can i do with this tvp?" oh where to even begin...?

one of my fondest childhood dinner memories was taco night!!! - my mom would make all of the fixins and have the entire table be a build-your-own taco station. shredded lettuce here, diced tomatoes there, refried beans, seasoned ground beef, cheese, sour cream, rice, guacamole, taco shells and burrito wraps...and nachos!! (no wonder i was a chubby kid) my mom was amazing - she'd spend hours in the kitchen getting everything ready.

let's be real: everyone loves taco/burrito night. 

rather than slave in the kitchen for hours a la worlds best mom, take this shortcut to have healthy, homemade, flavorful, really quick ground "meat" without defrosting (did you plan the day before to crave tacos? me neither) the texture is a dead ringer for ground meat and the flavor is...well the flavor is all the seasonings we use- delicious!

see the "hints" for ideas on your other super easy taco night items...

note: you need a shallow pan with a lid

ingredients and tools. seasonings from left to right: black
pepper, liquid smoke, ground cumin and smoked paprika.
TVP in the back, onion and garlic on front left. that bad
in the front, that's the microplane. 

ingredients:

- 1 tbsp oil (any kind, vegetable, olive, etc) 

- 1/2 average onion, diced approx. corn kernel size (white, yellow, red onion - doesn't matter)

- 3 cloves garlic, minced or microplaned

- 3/4 tsp salt

- 1 tsp ground cumin

- 1/4-1/2 tsp ground pepper (i used 1/2...very spicy. i like it, but some may not. start with 1/4 and you can always add more later)

- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (again, smoked paprika - if you got it for tomatoey rice or sloppy joes, you know how good it is, and you have plenty leftover)

- 1 + 2/3 cup water

- 1 tsp liquid smoke (remember that from the sloppy joes also?)

- 1 cup TVP (you should know this from sloppy joes, lasagna or originally explained in fauxlognese sauce)

what to do:

1. prep: measure out all your dry spices (salt, cumin, pepper, paprika) put them in a little bowl, chop up you onion and garlic, measure out your water and liquid smoke - combine those in a bowl and set aside, measure your tvp. this goes fast so now you'll be ready.

2. get a pan heating up over medium heat - add your oil, onion and garlic. let those saute for 5 minutes (add your dry spices halfway through those five minutes) - you should see your onion go from white to translucent - your garlic might turn brown and stick to the bottom of the pan! relax. don't let it burn (turn black and smoke - duh) but it's ok if it browns some - stir it a couple times while sauteing to help prevent sticking and promote even cooking. 

3. now you have a kinda dry, slightly brownish-red (from the paprika, cumin and garlic -it's ok) onion mess and your pan is a little gritty. add the water/liquid smoke (remember fancy-pants, we're deglazing - you just got all those yummy little brown bits and caramelized garlic off the bottom of the pan) give everything a gentle stir - try to make sure everything came up off the bottom of your pan.

4. add your TVP - stir it and cover your pan with the lid right away - you don't want much moisture escaping through evaporation, you want that TVP absorbing it. 

after simmering for 5 minutes

5. let it simmer for about 5 minutes. after 5-ish minutes, turn your heat off, give it a stir and taste some (it's hot, be smart) is the TVP chewy and soft? it should be, if it's not but all the water is already gone - add another 1/4 cup, stir and put your lid back on for  - you don't even need to turn your heat back on. if it's not soft and chewy and there's still water in the pan, put the lid back on and back off for 5 minutes - it'll likely absorb. worst case scenario: if there's still water in the pan and it's already soft and chewy, don't try to pour the water out - that water has all our flavor in it! turn your heat back on medium and let your TVP simmer for another couple minutes while you stir - the water will cook out and the flavor will stay. 

basically - don't panic, this is kinda hard to screw up, we can fix it.

6. your done - make sure the seasoning is to your liking and enjoy! so easy right?!?!? it'll keep in your fridge for about a week and can easily reheat in your microwave, which makes for stellar leftovers.

hints:

- technically, if you are really intimidated by seasonings, you could get "taco" seasoning and just use that. no shame in doing it...but you could just buy frozen "crumbles" too...the whole point is to build your repertoire of basic ingredients that can go into tons of different easy meals. cumin can go into central and south american, and indian flavor profiles. smoked paprika also goes into our sloppy joes - you might not realize it, but you're getting more familiar with what goes into the flavors you already love, making them easier to understand and recreate. so use the seasonings. you'll also start to appreciate what each one tastes like, so if you like more cumin and less paprika - you can change that! i always recommend smelling your spices before you combine/use them - especially with the ones in this recipe, you'll smell them and go "omg, this is that taste i love!" and that makes you smarter, cooler, more likable and ultimately a better human being...too much? moving on...

-  as always - everyone doesn't need to go vegan or vegetarian - i'm not soap-boxing here. but also "as always" - i encourage everyone to try this with TVP because it's really good for you, so easy to make, requires no freezing/thawing like meat, and it doesn't go bad so you can always just have a bag or 2 in your pantry - especially now that you are seeing how much you can do with it! 

- i mentioned other taco night items - i'm not going to go into each recipe - but here are some ideas for rounding out your simple, quick , healthy taco night:

   ~either buy a can of refried beans, or get a can of black or pinto beans and toss them in your food processor. simply stir them with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice and some salt and pepper. taste before salting though as some canned items are high in sodium already! heat in the microwave of a pan - or have them at room temp if you don't care!

   ~cut some lettuce and dice some fresh tomato as a topping

   ~open a can of corn, drain it of the canning liquid (or microwave-thaw some frozen - like that frozen roasted corn from trader joe's i mentioned in last week's corn chowder!) add a little lemon juice, diced fresh onion and some chopped cilantro. use this as a topping also!

even just with those items, can you see yourself with some soft or crunchy taco shells making a couple for dinner? smokey, spicy "meat", thick savory spread of beans, fresh crunchy lettuce and tomato and tart fresh corn mix?! yes yes yes. 

   ~if you wanted to be a superstar, or course, you could have make some rice as well...tomatoey rice...hint hint, would be perfect.

- don't limit this to tacos and burritos! i love to use this to make low fat 7 layer dip (i'll have to post that concept later - a friend at a party came up to me and said "what are you doing eating that?! that's not vegan!" mwah-ah-ahhhhh - it was.

nutritional facts:

recipe yields about 2 cups. serving size 1/3 cup:

calories: 81

fat: 2.3g

saturated fat: 0.2g

cholesterol: 0mg

sodium: 294mg

carbohydrates: 6.4g

fiber: 3g

sugar: 2.5g

protein: 8.1g

vitamin A: 0%

vitamin C: 2%

calcium: 6%

iron: 10%

"rich" and "creamy" corn chowder

"oh you like the soup? yeah, it's homemade. nbd." 

sure you can buy soup - i mean, the soup aisle at the grocery store is a shiny mecca of thousands of gleaming cans and promises...but as always, i think people should know just how easy this can be to make at home. plus - i hate waste, and this particular soup has bailed me out a couple times when i buy a couple potatoes swearing i'm going to eat them...then a week later they're looking a little haggard and the idea of waiting for a baked potato for dinner bores me to tears. this recipe doesn't call for anything terribly out of the ordinary, so about 25 minutes and a couple pantry items later you have a fantastic "comfort" soup - kinda thick and seemingly creamy, really savory, and dense enough to be a meal - though not heavy so a cup makes a great appetizer or side. i also really like that there's no iron-clad flavor profile for this soup - we'll talk variations so you can make it to your taste and not have to go out and buy specific seasonings.

ingredients:
- 1/2 tbsp oil (any kind will do - veg, olive, etc)
- 6 baby carrots (or 1 average carrot) diced - which might sound tough when carrots are round - just cut them in half length-wise so they have a flat side to sit on, then cut them - size isn't important here because we're going to blend this
- 2 celery stalks cut up - like the carrot, size doesn't matter much since we'll be blending it
- 1/2 average onion same - cut size doesn't matter, nor does onion size - more or less would still be dang good...i prefer more rather than less :)
- 3 garlic cloves diced (it came to my attention that i might want to specify - "cloves" are the little sections in that harder, dry skin within a head of garlic. don't use 3 heads of garlic...unless you really like garlic)
- 1 + 1/2 tsp salt (if you want to be really good - use 1 tsp...i'm a sucker for salt...i use 1 + 1/2)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp thyme (remember, we'll talk about different seasonings - don't run out and buy thyme just yet)
- 2 cups water
- 2 average potatoes skinned and chopped into bigger chunks (the kind of potatoes you use to make baked or mashed potatoes - the larger, brown-skinned kind we are all used to - not the little guys or purple ones or anything)
- 1 + 1/2 cups soy milk (make sure you don't have vanilla flavored! most will specify "plain" for unflavored ones. you can also use cow's milk, though there's more fat/saturated fat/cholesterol in cow's milk - you could use skim also - just note that will thin your soup a little more. almond milk would also work well)
- 1 + 1/2 cup corn (i often use canned corn, and you can definitely just round up to 1 whole can to make it easier - just make sure you drain the liquid out first! frozen corn also works really well - neat tip: trader joe's sells bags of frozen, roasted corn that lends a nice smokey flavor!)

the size of my potato pieces

what to do:
1. prep - cut up your veggies and garlic, skin you potatoes and chop them up - when it comes to your potatoes the smaller you cut them, the faster they'll cook, not that you need to mince them - just cut each in at least 8 pieces
2. in a medium pot, get your oil heating up over a medium fire. add your carrot, celery, onion and garlic. simmer for about 5-7 minutes. as usual - we're not really looking for browning, you want your onion and celery turning translucent. stir them 2 times while cooking - you don't need to be compulsively mixing - you're just making sure everything gets cooked.

step 2 as it's done

3. toss your salt, pepper and thyme in and stir again
4. add your potatoes and water, give it a little stir to make sure nothing stuck to the bottom of your pot. turn your heat up a little (medium-high fire) and cover your pot. the point here is your cooking the potatoes. should take about 10 minutes. do not over think this - it's ok if it boils - just make sure it's not outta control.
5. check your potatoes by poking the biggest piece with a fork or knife - if it feels soft (would you be able to mash it with a fork?) turn your heat off.
6. i recommend you let this cool before blending it to avoid scalding hot liquid spattering on you. if you're confident and live on the edge (like me, obvi) don't wait, but be very careful while you use a ladle or spoon to scoop out the chunks into your food processor or blender (either will work for this) then pour some of the liquid into the blender/processor as well. you'll likely need to do this in batches, just make sure each batch has a combo of chunks and liquid so it'll blend easily/smoothly. if you use a blender, be careful! if you put the lid on tight and the ingredients are hot - when you take the lid off it might spatter or a gust of steam will rush out the top. do not put your face over the top when you open it. idiot. also, open the lid, using a towel or potholder, away from you to let that steam out. if you use a processor there should be a little hole to let steam escape, but use a towel/potholder when taking the lid off also.

blended mix from step 7

7. blend until smooth - it can get really smooth. let it go for an entire minute (doesn't sound long, but watch the clock, it is) this should get creamy smooth and kinda thick - as each batch is blended, pour it into a large tupperware container (don't pour it back into your pot when there's still chunky stuff in there waiting to be blended)
8. once it's all blended, rinse your pot to get any little chunks out and pour the soup back into your pot. put that over a medium heat again and stir in your soymilk/milk. at any point here, add your corn. make sure at this point your don't boil your soup - you don't need to in order to incorporate the soymilk, and if you were to accidentally let it boil for too long, it'll "break" or separate - the milk will will get chunky. ew. don't get scared because i said that! it won't happen as long as you don't violently boil the poor soup for 5 minutes straight. you don't want to do that to any soup really - but canned soups have a bunch of weird emulsifiers and crap to help stop this from happening.

step 8 complete! we have soup!

9. taste your soup - good? probably. if it's not exactly to your taste - add some salt or pepper. (i like a lot of pepper because the corn is kinda sweet - nice contrast)

hints:
- i considered underlining the main points of each step in this recipe for people who are more comfortable cooking. you could likely follow just the main points and know how to make this recipe - but it got a little messy looking and confusing. i go in depth in each step on purpose so people who are not adept at cooking can make this as well. i bet if you're a pro it might seem a little long-winded, so just read through the whole thing once - it'll take about 3 minutes of your life. you'll probably get the idea. but the explanations are there for those who need them - and please ask if anything is unclear!

- you can make this soup and store it in tupperware in the fridge for a week - hi, convenient dinner. when reheating this soup - you can do it in the microwave or a pot - either way, the concern in step 8 ("breaking" or separating) is still there. it's not rocket science - just don't boil it or microwave it for a ridiculously long time. 1-2 mins microwaving for a cup of soup should be plenty!

- seasonings - so you don't have thyme? you know what i actually like even more in this? a bay leaf. if you have a bay leaf sitting around (it probably came with the generic spice rack assortment and you have no idea what the hell to do with it) add it when you add the water and potatoes - the flavor will release when you simmer or boil it. just make sure you remove it before you blend the soup! if you don't have either, use 1/2 tsp dried basil. i just don't highly recommend oregano or rosemary (also often lumped in the same family) as they can be a little strong and make it seem very attempted "italian" flavor. otherwise, if you don't have any of that stuff but you got garlic for this - just use an extra clove or 2! who wouldn't like a peppery, garlicky chowder?

-if you want your soup thicker or thinner - add more or less milk. duh.

nutritional info:
recipe yields about 4 cups soup - 1 cup is a serving. info per 1 cup:
calories: 205
fat: 4g
saturated fat: 0.4g
cholesterol: 0mg
sodium: 884mg (this is for the 1 + 1/2 tsp salt, that's why i say reduce it if you're watching your salt)
carbohydrates: 37.3g
fiber: 4.2g
sugar: 8.5g
protein: 6.3g
vitamin A: 46%
vitamin C: 25%
calcium: 18%
iron: 6%

sweet, smokey & zesty vegan sloppy joe's

ate the heck outta that vegan joe!
so rich & yummy. 

ah-sloppy joe, ah-slop-ah-sloppy joe   (lunch lady? adam sandler? come on!)


i love delicious, healthy, accessible food. making it, eating it, sharing it. all of it. having said that, there are some foods i'm more psyched about than others. let me tell you, i'm f-ing excited to talk about this sloppy joe recipe.
a while back, i had a party and wanted to create vegan sloppy joes to serve. i wanted some guidance, and i found a recipe for vegan sloppy joes - but they used tempeh, which is a grain based vegan "meat"ish food...but it's really grainy, larger granules, i've never been a huge fan...so i'm glancing at this recipe thinking "why the hell wouldn't they use TVP? it'd be perfect to simulate the texture of ground meat, and would soak up the flavor as it rehydrates, and smoked paprika would be awesome, and beer!..." bam. done. made my own recipe and now i'm sharing it with you. because i'm a giver. it's a blessing and a curse.
this recipe is as easy as...insert inappropriate analogy here. ie: a cheerleader on prom night.  and fyi - at the aforementioned party, everyone loved the joes, vegans and carnivores alike.

ingredients:
- 1 tbsp oil (vegetable oil is fine)
- 1 small onion (chopped nice and small, think about making it the size of a corn kernel)
- 1/3 to 1/2 average bell pepper (chop same as the onion. hate bell pepper? don't use it, won't hurt.)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or microplaned
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 cup (6 oz) beer  (what to do with the rest of the beer? enjoy responsibly)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (if you have regular vinegar, use 1/2 that amount. note - i like my joes zippy, tangy to balance out how sweet they are. 1 tbsp apple cider vin will give you that zip. white vinegar is stronger tasting...use your judgement)
- 1 tsp liquid smoke (if you've never used it, it might sound crazy. see the picture to the right - that's what it looks like when i get it from whole foods - it's all natural and vegan, and it adds that smokey flavor you would otherwise find in bacon, smoked salmon, jerkeys, "hickory" flavored things, etc)
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp mustard (any kind, don't stress - yellow or dijon, etc)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup TVP (do I have to say it again? textured vegetable protein - bob's red mill brand from whole foods - crazy cheap and awesome. refer to the fauxlognese sauce posting for detailed description)

what to do:
1. prep prep prep. mince your garlic, chop your onion and pepper, pop the tops off your seasonings, get your ingredients and measuring cups/spoons out for easy measure and dumping in the pan. it'll go pretty fast.
2. get a large pan (note: you want it to have a lid, so if you have to use a pot, that's ok too...btw: pan - shallow, think frying an egg. pot- deep, think making soup) heating over medium fire, add your oil, onion, bell pepper, garlic, black pepper and paprika. bring all that to a simmer - so your "medium" heat is right when your hearing "ssssssss"(that's hissing) and your onion's getting translucent (not brown) and your garlic should not be burning. the oil will combine with the seasonings and the pan will seem a little dry, it's ok. let that go for about 5 minutes.
3. add the beer to deglaze the pan (loosen up all those dry bits of seasonings and goodies from the pan) it's going to sizzle and pop at first, stand back a little. let that sizzle for a minute.
4. add everything else - liquid smoke, vinegar, ketchup, mustard, water and TVP

vegan joe on some 9 grain bread with a lil salad = heaven

5. mix all ingredients well, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes - the TVP should be absorbing almost all the liquid by the end of the 15 minutes (a little liquid in the bottom of the pot is perfect) if it's soupy at the end of the 15 mins - let it simmer with the lid off until that liquid reduces. if it's bone-dry 5 mins into the cooking - just add 1/4 cup water, stir, make sure your lid's on and continue cooking. it's not a big deal - you can do this.
6. as always, taste it - like it? great. if not, adjust to your taste. the only thing i can't think of how to fix is if there's too much vinegar - so that's why i warn that my 1tbsp of apple cider vinegar does make it a bit zippy! but it's so good with the sweetness and smokiness!


hints:
-double this recipe - because it's delicious. i like making this for parties and serving it on mini whole wheat buns as a finger food. a tray full of these little gems= best. party. ever.

- if i make the joes a little less vinegary, they end up being very sweet and smokey, and i like to make a rice wine vinegar asian cole slaw to put in the sandwich. if i make the joes zippy as above, i use the silken tofu ranch to make a traditional cole slaw and add that to the sandwiches. soooooooo good.

- sure you could get pre-made sloppy joe mix, but this is homemade, super healthy, easy and cheap - and you don't have to take time browning meat before you make it. the TVP soaks up the flavors and is so freakin' low in fat and high in protein. seriously. TVP - i heart you.

nutritional info:
recipe yields about 2 + 1/2 cups. the following is info per 1/2 cup:
calories: 161
fat: 2.9g
saturated fat: 0.2g
cholesterol: 0mg
sodium: 549mg
carbohydrates: 19.3g
fiber: 3.7g
sugar: 9.4 g
protein: 9.9
vitamin A: 1%
vitamin C: 46%
calcium: 7%
iron: 13%

silken tofu "ranch" dip/dressing

this ain't no hidden valley, this here goodness is in plain sight...

i know - how many more uses can i find for this damn silken tofu?! you have no idea...actually i don't either, i just keep playing with it and look what happened - a redemption for the much-mocked ranch dressing i lampooned in last week's post. (but at $2 a package - this tofu is such a cheap, healthy, versatile ingredient!!) make no mistake though - this is not your mother's ranch. no mayo, no milk, no sour cream...and no over-priced "flavor packets". this is healthy, quick and you know exactly what goes into it - no mystery preservatives or additives. we're going to use some basic seasonings you likely have in your pantry, our food processors, and yes, my much beloved silken tofu and in less than 5 minutes, we'll have healthy ranch dip or dressing. i bet you could even have your kids all smiley and children-of-the-corn-like eating their veggies with this just like in that creepy ranch dressing commercial on tv...creepy kids...

ingredients:

the tofu you never knew you'd love

- 1 package (12 oz) silken tofu (i prefer the "firm"for dip, and the "soft" for dressing)

- 1/4 tsp salt 

- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp galaxy vegan grated topping

- 1/2 tsp dried basil (see the last "hint" for possible seasoning substitutions - you don't have to run out & buy these just for this!...though these are pretty common, multi-tasking herbs to have)

- 1/2 tsp dried oregano

- 1/4 tsp celery salt

- 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional - definitely adds a little kick, but isn't "hot") 

vegan "parm"

- 1 + 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice if you don't have the vinegar)

- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (i know i always say to use fresh, but this isn't going to be cooked and fresh garlic completely overwhelms this dip)

what to do:

1. prep? what prep?  get all your seasonings out and pry those stupid shaker tops off so you can get a measuring spoon in there. plug your food processor in and cut your tofu box open.

2. put everything in your processor. blend it until very smooth.

3. taste it - like it? if not, adjust your seasonings, though be aware that if you let it set in the fridge the heat from the pepper will develop a little more.

4. refrigerate and use for up to a week in a sealed container.

hints:

simple party platter - homemade pita chips & veggies

-remember, when you make it and taste it on a spoon, that's not exactly how it's going to taste as a dressing or dip. dressings especially get diluted once they're tossed in a salad - so go ahead and make it, taste it, and let it sit for at least a couple hours before you use it - taste it again prior to serving, add anything you think might be a little lacking. don't be afraid to tinker with it! (i think this dip/dressing gets better when it sits overnight - the seasonings rehydrate and really come out more.)

- enjoy this with veggies (baby carrots, celery, broccoli, cucumber) or pita chips, tricuits, whatever healthy, savory snack you want.

- if you use the soft tofu this comes out more like a dressing consistency, so it's really up to you which you use. i like the firm because it's more scoopable for snacking. 

- this recipe is great to make and keep in a sealed container in your fridge as dressing for your week's salads!

-i think the seasonings listed are pretty common ones to have, but if you don't have them here are some alternatives: sub thyme for either basil or oregano (don't do all only thyme). if you don't have much of a spice cabinet, do you have some generic, ambiguous "italian blend"? instead of the basil and oregano - add 1 tsp of that. (herbs de provence also works well - we can make it work with minimal purchasing, i swear!) note that with these alternative you still want to add the garlic powder. oh, and now that i've preached always having fresh garlic on hand, if you don't have powder, you can use 1 tsp of the jarred, minced garlic. this ends up pretty garlicky even with the powder...maybe not a first date snack.

- idea - i admit i haven't tried this...i just had a brainstorm - someone try using this to make a pasta salad instead of mayo! i bet it'd be good! just another example of how you can think outside the box and make everyday foods healthier and still delicious!

nutritional info:

yields about 1 + 3/4 cups dip, info per 1/4 cup:

calories: 34

fat: 1.3g

saturated fat: .2g

cholesterol: 0mg

sodium: 136mg

carbohydrates: 1.5g

fiber: .1g

sugar: .6g

protein: 3.9g

vitamin A: 1%

vitamin C: 0%

calcium: 3%

iron: 3%

super simple hummus...or is it hommos...or hummos?

beans, beans, they're good for your heart.

      the more you eat...

             eh i forget the rest of that rhyme.

you know what makes it a lot easier to eat your veggies? dip. wait a minute! that sour cream/mayo stuff with a ranch dressing seasoning packet doesn't count. eating 5 baby carrots and a celery stalk does not even begin to justify that crap - those kids in the hidden valley commercials only look so happy and healthy because they're too young for the heart disease to have set it - give them time.

solution: i love that hummus has become so mainstream these days!  but now that it has, we get to demystify it. yeah, it's no longer an exotic dish from afar...it's that yummy snack you're overpaying for at every grocery store and food & liquor store (yup, seen it there too) i'm going to give you a recipe for really easy, cheap hummus at home - and once you see how simple it is, use the "hints" to turn this into any flavor hummus or even a different kind of bean dip!! (did your mind just explode? i know, brilliant - there's a money black bean dip idea in the "hints" - get on it)

note: you need a food processor for this recipe - though you could probably use a blender instead. there's just more stopping and starting while you scrape down the sides of your blender - the way the blades are set up it will naturally splatter the ingredients up onto the sides until it's smooth enough to "churn" around the blades. 

take 10 minutes at home to make this and get way more bang for your buck and steer clear of accidentally eating hundreds of calories and more fat than you think with those commercial brands (come on - 2 tablespoons is a serving?! get out of my face)

ingredients:

- 15 oz can of chick peas (or garbanzo beans, yes, same thing) doesn't matter what brand

- 1/4 cup the liquid from the can the beans came in (it's just starchy, salty liquid - don't be creeped out)

- 1/4 cup lemon juice (as always - fresh is best! it'd translate to the juice of 1 or 1&1/2 lemons - not a big investment, but way more flavor than concentrate, bottled stuff)

- 1 tsp minced garlic (same thing - fresh is better, you could use jarred/minced garlic or just cut 1 clove of garlic in quarters for this)

- 1/4 tsp salt 

- 1/2 tsp black pepper (fresh ground adds way more flavor than the ground stuff from a shaker)

- 7 kalamata olives (optional - this is the "flavor" of this hummus. i used the jarred ones from Trader Joe's, they'll keep for a long time in the fridge so you can use the leftovers later)

what to do:

1. prep - get your food processor out and assembled, squeeze/measure your lemon juice, grind your pepper (hint - if you're using a grinder and want to measure your pepper, grind it onto a piece of paper. you can fold the piece of paper and pour it into your measuring spoon) open your can of beans and  (use your can opener almost all the way around - leave a little bit of the lid attached, it'll be your "hinge" so you can use the lid to keep the beans in but pour the liquid out in to your measuring cup)

2. put everything in your food processor. 

3. process the food.

        seriously, that's it. blend it until you get that smooth consistency of commercial hummus. it will happen! if it's a little gritty, it's not done, i promise it will get to that creamy point if you stick with it. it may take 2 minutes of that annoying, high-pitched blending motor sound, but it'll happen. you may have to stop and scrape down the sides of your food processor to get some splattered ingredients in the mix. 

4. taste it. like it? if not, fix it. little salt, pepper, etc.

with some snow peas & baked tortilla chips: perfection

hints:

- this recipe is really cheap. a can of chick peas, on average, is 89cents, and a couple lemons- about $1. compared to commercial hummus which would be about $3-5 per container. the "flavor additions" will likely be the pricier items here. but keep in mind, you should be able to buy them and get multiple uses out of them! see the next "hint"...

- don't like kalamata olives? first off - what's wrong with you? second - that's ok! they're included in this recipe as an example of how easy it is to use one simple key ingredient to add a ton of flavor to a basic hummus. note that olives are really salty and briney, so if you chose not to use them, you may need to add a little more salt - always make the hummus as the rest of the recipe lists, adding any other flavor you want and tasting it in step 4 prior to adding more salt.

other examples of great additions: 

sun-dried tomatoes (some come already moist and ready to use, otherwise, if they're still hard-dried just follow the simple steps on the package to rehydrate - which is usually putting them in hot water)

3 fresh basil leaves and 2 tablespoons of galaxy vegan parmesan topping (or regular grated parm) what to do with the rest of the basil you bought for this? they make a ridiculously good addition to any pasta sauces!

2 chipotles canned in adobo sauce - these are soooo good and add a smokey, spicy flavor! i usually find these in the generically labeled "hispanic foods" aisle - be careful as they can add quite a bit of spice

roasted red pepper -remember, you learned how to make one the spanish rice blog from february!! look how handy that is now, you're so empowered!

-try other flavors! what are your favs that you buy pre-made? a bet you could do a pretty good job replicating it for less $ - if you want, let me know and maybe i can toy with the concept for ya...but i bet you could do it on your own!

-you may be wondering why my hummus recipe doesn't include tahini or olive oil...well, tahini is expensive and both of those ingredients add a significant amount of fat. don't get me wrong - both add healthy fats, but i'm just not the type to sit down and measure out the 2 tablespoon serving size of hummus...it typically ends up being half a cup nosh session! and no matter how good those calories are for you...it just adds up to a lot of them! i don't really find my hummus to be lacking because i don't use tahini or oil, the consistency is made by the can liquid & lemon juice and the flavor isn't lacking as long as you season it well (which is also why i really think you should use fresh lemon, pepper and garlic - they're so bold and rich!) 

-also feel free to try other beans! yeah - true story. just take note - chick beans are some of the hardest or driest beans i've used. meaning, if you want to make black bean dip, don't add all that liquid or you will have bean soup. black beans, kidney bean, cannellini beans, pinto beans - they are softer and will add more moisture on their own, so start off adding half as much liquid and blend - adding more liquid as needed. 

-cannelinni beans (white kidney beans) are delicious with the basil/parm idea!

-black beans turn into a delicious dip with lime juice instead of lemon, and a teaspoon of cumin. this is one of my favs! after blending it i like to add some chopped onion, cilantro and tomato. don't sweat the details - just try it. mmmmmm...

nutritional facts:

the kalamata recipe yields approximately 1&1/2 cups of hummus. we're calling 1/4 cup a serving. info per service:

calories: 72

fat: 1.9g

saturated fat: 0

cholesterol: 0

sodium: 321mg 

carbohydrates: 11.3g

fiber: 2.7g

sugar: 1.4g

protein: 3g

vitamin A: 0%

vitamin C: 8%

calcium: 1%

iron: 4%  

minimal effort, cheese-free veggie lasagna

lazy veggie lasagna
for this concept i broke it waaaaay down for you. i went by trader joe's and spent $8.54 for almost everything i used in this dish (minus the TVP, vegan "parmesan" and garlic - but if you've made any of my previous recipes, you already have these items at home! if not, shame on you - i'll note where to find them as well) my "prep" mainly consisted of opening a couple cans, a box and a bag, then layering. it took me a little longer as i was making it up as i went, but you could put this together in 15 minutes, then you bake for 40 mins. boom. done. for how healthy and yummy this recipe turns out, it's so simple! i really think i found a new staple meal for myself. taste-tested (devoured) by myself, my beau Skyler and roommate Abby - we all agreed: yum...then we ate more...then we sat back feeling indulged (stuffed) but not the least bit guilty or greasy...hey, we were just making sure we thoroughly tested it for you!
note: this recipe would be entirely vegan if it weren't for the lasagna noodles. the specific ones i used from trader joe's have egg in them - but they are the only ones there. i'm sure you could find lasagna noodles in any grocery store, and most dry pastas are dairy-free (if you look elsewhere you could also look for whole wheat or brown rice pasta - bonus points!) you would just need to boil them before using them in this dish.

ingredients:
-12 trader joe's no-boil lasagna noodles: ends up being about 1/2 the package so you have enough for next time too!
- ~3 cups frozen, chopped spinach - i got a 24 oz bag and ended up using about 1/3-1/2 the bag. i measured it while still frozen. don't stress exact measurements - you want enough to sprinkle a full layer for your lasagna, but note that you will be thawing it and squeezing some of the liquid out, it deflates!
-canned black olives - get a full size can and slice about 3/4 of them (enough to make a layer - you decide) this ingredient could be seen as "optional" if you hate olives (weirdo). but if you're on the fence, go for it! they add a great salty favor.
-2   28 oz can trader joe's marinara sauce note i changed this to 2 cans - see the first "hint" for layering/sauce tip!!
-3/4 cup red wine (if you do not imbibe, use vegetable broth, just don't use all water - unless you compensate by seasoning the sauce extra as in the "hints")
-1/4 cup water 
-3/4 cup TVP - remember this stuff? Textured Vegetable Protein. bob's red mill brand from whole foods. comes in a bag, looks like grape nuts. baking aisle. we used it in the fauxlognese sauce.
-1 container trader joe's firm tofu (i swear it's going to be good)
-1 clove garlic minced or microplaned (i'll talk about that, don't worry)
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (you could also use lemon juice if you don't have this, but i like the vinegar)
-1/4 cup galaxy nutrition vegan "parmesan" topping - remember this stuff? purple container, whole foods italian/pasta sauce aisle, we used it in the spinach/artichoke dip.
-another 1/4 cup galaxy vegan topping to top your lasagna prior to baking


what to do:
1. i usually make step 1 all your prep...in this case...preheat your oven to 350 degrees...slice your olives...open your cans, open your pasta box...snack on an olive? have some wine!
2. in a medium saucepan, combine one can of your marinara, red wine, water or broth and TVP (we're essentially making the lazy version given in the "hints" of our previous fauxlognese sauce) cover and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes over a medium heat. see "hints" for tips on jazzing up your sauce with minimal effort.
note: if you're on point, you could seriously get the tofu and spinach ready by the time your sauce is done! it's ok if it takes a little longer, but if it takes much longer - you're over thinking it! loosen up.
3. while your sauce is simmering, thaw your spinach in the microwave - 1 minute, stir, 1 minute, stir. once it's all thawed, squeeze some of the liquid out over a bowl in your sink - there's no "trick" to this, literally grab the spinach in your hand and gently squeeze. it's best to leave most of the liquid in the spinach as the moisture helps the pasta cook through in the oven, just squeeze enough liquid out so it's not sitting in a puddle.
4. open the tofu container, remove the chunk of tofu from the "brine" it's stored in (dump the brine). in a large bowl, crumble the tofu with your hands. add the 1/4 cup vegan "parmesan", 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and the garlic. if you have a microplane (teeny tiny grater) use that to "grate" the garlic so it'll mix into the tofu. if you don't have a microplane but feel comfortable with a knife - keep chopping that garlic until it's pretty much paste! If you don't feel comfortable with either of those options, you can use a tsp of powder garlic. (fresh is always better)

my gorgeous hand and tofu from step 5

5. using a fork, mix that tofu until you have what looks like chunky, crumbled feta. it's ok fine if it's inconsistent! you don't want tofu "paste" and you don't want chunks any bigger than a grape - otherwise that's a big piece of tofu that doesn't get the flavor mixed into it. here's my tofu:
6. by now, your sauce is done, you spinach is ready, your tofu is tasty - it's time to build this thing. get your casserole pan out (who makes casseroles anymore, btw?) and layer the ingredients as follows (i'll post a couple pics, by those, you should get the general idea) seriously, i don't know exactly how big the pan is...it's the typical...9x12? you know, a casserole pan!

first layer of sauce and noodles, step 6

- pour and spread ~1 cup of you fauxlognese sauce into the bottom of the casserole dish (should be a little less than 1/3 of all your sauce, may seem a tad sparse, it's ok)
- layer 4 noodles
- sprinkle half of your tofu mix
- scatter your spinach
- 4 more noodles
- spread a little more than ~1.5 cups sauce (half of what's left)
- sprinkle your olives like salty confetti
- use the other half of your tofu
- 4 more noodles
- the rest of the sauce (should be a little more than 1.5 cups)
- sprinkle the other 1/4 cup "parmesan" on top

tofu and spinach join the party, step 6

7. cover your pan tightly with tin foil. put it in the
oven for 40 minutes. after that, take it out, be careful, it's hot as hell! uncover and let it cool for 15 minutes then cut into that baby and enjoy responsibly with the rest of that red wine you cooked with (that's why we only used 1/2 cup, mama needs her medicine)

hints:
-you only used 1 can of the marinara sauce to make your fauxlognese!! use the other can at your discretion to ensure you have enough sauce while layering. the top layer of noodles especially needs to be covered or they'll stay dry & hard. yuck. spread that sauce, and make sure there's a little sauce down in the sides of the pan surrounding your lasagna, not just in between the noodles. get those edges moist! trust yourself, don't overthink it - if you err on the side of a little too much or too little sauce...either toast a piece of hearty bread to sop some up, or you can pour more on when it's done - no biggie i swear, and no matter what, you'll learn what's best for you for next time you make it! you shouldn't have to use that whole other can of sauce, the leftovers can be dipping sauce for some garlic bread or you make some easy fauxlognese sauce and freeze it for a quick-fix meal later)

finished! sorry, no pic of it plated nicely, i lost focus & started eating

-with any of these ingredients, you don't have to use the trader joe's one i listed, but i wanted to show you could go to one place, get some cheap stuff, along with a couple pantry items (tvp, parm, vinegar) and make an awesome meal.

-your sauce: you can use the canned sauce i got (very cost effective and really god!) or your favorite marinara, make the fauxlognese sauce i list in a previous blog, or you can always jazz up the sauce i used. i highly recommend adding 1/2 tsp black pepper & 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes at the start of step 2, it won't make the entire dish "hot" but adds a little dimension and warmth to the dish. whatever you use - taste your sauce! it's the best way to infuse this dish with flavor! add some garlic, basil, oregano, etc. have a little fun (just stick to the "italian" flavors)

-this is not an attempt to make ricotta cheese out of tofu! the tofu almost ends up tasting like a saltier, sharper cheese, like a hybrid of feta and parm. whatever, it's yummy and so dang healthy. if you want to be a little more indulgent, you could add 1/2 cup of daiya vegan cheese (found at whole foods) or a low fat dairy cheese to a layer, but i recommend trying it without first. branch out and try a lasagna that's flavorful and satisfying and you don't have to rely on a pound of cheese!

-the TVP adds a lot of protein, of course if you don't want to try it, you could brown some ground turkey (turkey to keep it healthy) and add that to the sauce, but to be honest, the TVP makes it a lot easier, and it's shelf life in it's dry state is...forever! So you'll hear me say it again and again - buy a bag, have it on hand!

-interesting point - i had a friend ask if she could make this dish the night before, then bake it the following day. here's the thing, i found this dish is best the day it's layered because the longer it sits, the more flavor saps from the tofu. remedy: if you want to save time, go ahead and prep your fauxlognese and tofu the day before - the longer those have time to marinade/sit, the better! but once you layer it, try to make sure you bake it off and serve it that day. not that it's a bad thing if you do have leftovers! but note that it will dry out a little in the microwave - make sure you cover it when zapping (i just flipped a bowl upside down over it on my plate)

nutritional info:
this yields one full dish, we'll say it's 8 servings
info per 1/8 of dish (recipe as listed, no substitutions or extra sauce as listed in "hints":
calories: 268
fat: 5.8g
saturated fat: 1.3g
cholesterol: 22mg
sodium: 850mg
carbohydrates: 31.5g
fiber: 5.3g
sugar: 3.3g
protein: 18g
vitamin A: 48%
vitamin C: 23%
calcium: 24%
iron: 20%

be smarter than the box - convenient baking made healthy!

oh dear god, i wrote at least five intros for this week's entry - really, life shouldn't be this hard, i might be overthinking this one...
we are going to go over a specific recipe to utilized my favorite boxed muffin/bread mix from trader joe's. doesn't sound earth-shattering, huh? by going over this one recipe, i hope to open some minds to the concept of taking advantage of boxed mixes...but saying "to hell with" the directions and making yourself some seriously healthy, delicious, convenient and cheap muffins for the whole week. once you see it work with this mix, start to branch out and experiment with others.

i've long since realized there are baking mixes out there that are pretty darn healthy and even vegan!...until you look at the directions and they tell you to add 2 eggs and 1/2 cup of oil and milk...don't you love how the nutritional info for the mix alone looks great, then they have the "prepared" info next to that, and that looks like crap? those are the 3 items we are going to conquer - oil (or butter), egg and milk - there's a replacement for each of these fatty items that will blow your mind (and make this whole recipe healthy and vegan!) keep these items stocked in your home and you get the ease of the mix, but the healthy ingredients and homemade vibe (and it's breakfast for a week - so cheap!!) - i'm telling you, it is, in fact, kinda earth shattering.

ingredients:
-1 package trader joe's spiced apple bread mix
-2 tbsp flax meal, mixed with 6 tbsp lukewarm water - used in place of eggs

(see "hints" bellow for flax meal tips)
-4 tbsp unsweetened applesauce - used in place of oil
-1+1/4 cups plain soymilk - used in place of dairy milk (or lowfat dairy milk, or almond milk)
-1/3 cup oats, blended in food processor (yup, just plain old oatmeal oats)

what to do:
1. get your oven preheating to 400 degrees and get your little paper muffin cups in your muffin tins.
2. in a small container, mix the 2 tbsp flax meal with the 6 tbsp water - do this first so it gets time to set while you prep the rest of the recipe. you'll notice when you go back to use it in 5 mins, it's turned to a goo...perfect.
3. blend the oats in your food processor. you want them broken up, but they don't have to end up as fine as flour. the point to this addition is that it bulks your recipe up a little (it's sweet enough, it can stand being diluted a little) adds some fiber, and gives your muffins a chewier, heartier texture. the larger you leave the oats, the chewier and more noticeable they'll be...though if you were to leave them whole, they're a bit too chewy if you ask me.
4. combine the oats and muffin mix in a large bowl.
5. add the milk, flax and applesauce - mix but don't over-mix. don't you hate when it says that? mix it until everything is just combined - no big flour deposits, etc. the thing is - the more you continue to mix it beyond that, the tougher your end product will be. and keep in mind, you're going to be "mixing" it a little more when you spoon it into the muffin tins, so take it easy - nice big combining swirls of the spoon or spatula.
6. spoon mix into your muffin tins/cups. fill them 3/4 of the way, so pretty close to the top, just make sure they're not right up to the brim. should fill around 14 average muffin cups (real muffin size, these are not going to be gigantic coffee shop monstrosities)
7. bake them for around 20 mins. take them out at 20 mins and stick a clean knife straight down into one - if it comes out clean, you're done.
8...your done. don't forget to turn your oven off so you don't burn down your home, take the muffins out of the tins to allow them to cool faster. store them in an airtight container unrefrigerated and they'll be good for 5 days or so, refrigerate them to keep them for an entire week. you made about 14 so have 1 for breakfast and take 1 to work for a healthy snack and the timing is perfect for your week.

hints:
-as promised - let's chat about flax meal - it's ground flax seeds, so it's got heart healthy fats - better than the cholesterol-heavy eggs they replace in baking and provides the gooey texture your recipe needs. go ahead and get a bag of it - you can use it in any other muffin mix in lieu of eggs (just refrigerate it after opening the bag). it can add a very slight nutty flavor  to lighter recipes like blueberry muffins - hardly noticeable and it works! i even use it in chocolate chip cookie recipes...but that's a whole other entry! buying that 1 bag will probably run you ~$6, but it will last a while!
the general rule is: 1 tbsp of flax mixed with 3 tbsp water = 1 egg
if for some crazy reason you don't end up liking this easy baking idea, flax is still really good for you - to use it up, add a tbsp to your oatmeal in the morning (omit any butter...come on, be good)
this may be dumb, but i have to say - obviously, flax is only used to replace eggs in baking...scrambled flax goo does not work for brunch.

-note - in this recipe i use applesauce instead of butter - obviously the flavor blends into the whole concept of the spiced apple muffin! trader joe's also makes a great banana bread mix that i make muffins out of, so i use a ripe, mashed banana instead of the oil the box calls for...see how this whole creativity thing works?!?! these are viscous, moist items so they serve as good fat substitutes. i've also done canned pumpkin in spiced recipes. here's how the banana bread recipe would look:
   -1 box of trader joe's banana bread mix
   -2 tbsp flax + 6 tbsp water - in place of 2 eggs
   -1/3 cup mashed banana - in place of 1/3 cup oil
   -3/4 cup water or soymilk - in place of 3/4 cup water
this is a sweeter mix also, so you could add the 1/3 cup oats and increase the milk/water to 1 cup

-both of the mixes i recommend are from trader joe's, i like them because they are really affordable, delicious and the mix itself is vegan. they are both "bread" mixes, but end up making good, hearty muffins - no, they're not going to be like the fluffy, super sweet, cupcakey, buttery "muffins" you might buy in a cafe...but did you hear those adjectives?! yeah, you shouldn't be eating that as breakfast. bonus - these muffins end up being smaller portions and very light calorie/fat wise, so you get to round out your breakfast by smearing a little peanut butter on one, grabbing and apple and having your coffee as well, with no guilt! (by making them in muffin cups they're pre-portioned for better control, and they travel easily, so you can grab and go in the morning)

nutritional facts
this spiced apple recipe yields about 14 muffins, so per muffin:
calories: 134
fat: 0.8g
saturated fat: 0.1g
cholesterol: 0mg
sodium: 328mg
carbohydrates: 29.3g
fiber: 1.5g
sugar: 13.8g
protein: 2.8g
vitamin A: 1%
vitamin C: 0%
calcium: 5%
iron: 7%