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%

"spanish" rice...? smokey, tomatoey, black bean, corny rice?

this spicy, smokey, hearty, healthy recipe is a great example of what i like to call "one-stop meals" - i'm a busy gal, so by the time i get home in the evenings i'm hungry and need to have an accessible meal solution ...or else i start "grazing"...not the healthy grass kind of grazing, i'm talking "i'll grab a handful of chips...or two...and a pickle, and some carrots while i decide what to do for dinner" fast forward 15 minutes and i'm awash with self loathing and my appetite's ruined.

solution: as always, this recipe makes several portions and can easily be refrigerated and reheated in the microwave. more importantly though, this dish can be a satisfying, healthy and well rounded meal with a salad or can serve as a side dish. see the "hints" after the recipe for more tips on serving this.

warning - the first step is leeeengthy, but you're learning to roast a red bell pepper and i want to make sure nobody gets intimidated.

ingredients:

- 1 carrot, diced (or about 6 baby carrots, diced)

- 1/3 red bell pepper, roasted and diced (i'll explain, you can do it! be brave!)

- 1/2 medium onion, diced

- 1 celery stalk, diced

- 3 garlic cloves, diced (again, worth it to get fresh garlic or sub 3 teaspoons jarred, pre-diced garlic)

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 1 1/4 tsp salt

- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (there's plain paprika, sweet paprika, hungarian paprika, but i live and die by smoked paprika. i see it in all "regular" grocery stores but only in McCormick brand - so it's a little pricier, but dear god it's a major addition to any dish it's in)

- 1/4 tsp cayenne or red pepper

- 1 tsp black pepper (i like this dish a little spicy, if this scares you, reduce black pepper in half then taste it later and adjust if needed)

- 1/4 cup red wine (adds another level of flavor, but isn't necessary for the dish to work)

- 2 cups crushed, canned tomato

- 2 1/2 cups water

-1 1/2 cup brown rice (i use medium or long grain, it's less starchy than short grain and this dish is going to be moist anyway, so we don't need extra starch gooping it up)

- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

- 3/4 can corn

- juice of 1 lemon

- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (fresh lemon and cilantro?! i know, i'm asking a lot, but at ~30 cents a lemon and 99 cents for a big bunch of cilantro, it's worth it)

what to do:

1. first step is always the same: get your prep work out of the way - but now we have a new piece of prep so this is going to be lengthy -

 roasting a red pepper!! don't be intimidated - take a couple minutes right now and we'll conquer the concept. you only need  1/3 of the pepper so slice it length-wise (from stem down to the "butt" or belly button) now you have one long, kinda wedge of pepper. turn your stove burner on full blast (sorry, you have to have a gas stove) and lay the pepper wedge skin-side down on the grate over the burner where you would normally put a pot or pan. don't stress, it's counter-intuitive, but let the pepper char, moving it with a pair of tongs or a long fork so all the skin turns black and papery. remove it from the fire once the entire skin side is black - the flesh side shouldn't have changed much visually, but you'll notice now the pepper is floppy and softer. set this aside to cool for a couple minutes. once you can handle the pepper, take a paper towel and wipe that thin, burnt skin right. just nice, confident long wipes - you don't need to "scrub" it off. make sure you get it all off (there may be some tiny flecks, you'll live) just don't run it under water to get the skin off, or you're washing off those natural oils and flavor. 

you just roasted a pepper. look at you.

 back to prep: measure out your spices and put them in a dish together, dice all your veggies (including roasted pepper and garlic). until now it hasn't really mattered what size you cut stuff - we blended the pasta sauce and the dip just mushed together - this time, think about the consistency of the dish - what are the sizes we are working with? rice, beans and corn - so try to roughly get your veggies a little bigger than that as they'll cook down a bit.

2. get a medium sauce pan over a medium heat, add the tbsp olive oil and all your veggies and garlic. saute these for 5 minutes or so until the onion and celery are getting translucent. (some sizzling is fine, we just don't want things browning - if they are, turn your heat down)

3. add all of your seasonings and saute another 5 minutes. your veggies should have cooked down significantly and your pan should be getting a little dry from the seasonings - that's ok, as long as nothing is turning black

4. add the red wine and stir a bit so all those dry seasoning bits and veggies get up off the pan - let that wine sizzle and pop for 2 minutes.

5. add your tomato, water and rice, turn your fire up to medium/high. stir everything together, and let it come to a boil.

6. let it boil for a couple minutes then give it a final stir to ensure nothing got too hot or stuck to the bottom of the pot, put the lid on and reduce your heat to a low flame. ("kc, what does 'low' mean?" well, you still want your stuff to be simmering but not boiling. so you want the tiny "blub blub blub" bubbles and sound, but the whole contents shouldn't be rolling or turning by boiling)

7. listen to me: leave it alone. let it gently simmer for about 25-30 minutes. rice works best in a private setting...so quit with the peeping tom act, just leave the lid on. 

8. after 25-30 minutes, open up, give it a stir and see where you are. rice not done and there's still watery liquid floating around? put your lid back on and give it another 10 minutes.  still liquidy but your rice IS done? leave the lid off and let it go for another 10 minutes. this is the beauty of using brown rice (aside from it being better for you than white rice!) - it's heartier so you're not in as much danger of over-cooking it.

9. check your rice again - it should still be a "moist" mixture, you're not looking for fluffy, well defined individual grains, but you don't want a bunch of runny liquid in your pan. look for that balance, but don't stress, ultimately - just taste the freakin' rice - is it done? then your done. stop it. 

10. once done, remove from heat and add your corn, beans, lemon juice and cilantro (optional for those freaks who "hate" cilantro) taste your dish and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

hints:

-this dish may seem a little more involved, a lot of little "add this, cook for 2 minutes, add that then 2 more minutes, etc etc) but you're building the flavor in those first 4 steps. this is why i say - get your prep done first! that way you can have everything out and ready so the whole process flows. dice all your veggies and have them in a bowl, measure your spices and have them in a little bowl, measure your tomato and water and have that in another container. makes for more dishes to wash, but if it keeps you from freaking out with measuring cups and spoons strewn on the counter and the veggies burning while you're trying to pry the stupid cap off your cumin...DO IT.

-this dish could be an entire meal - i like to eat a ~1 1/2 cups with 1/4 avocado diced on top. you could also serve a cup with a little grilled chicken and a side veggie for a fuller, more diverse meal.

-fresh cilantro is so good, but i understand if you're worried you'll buy a clump and only use part of it for this - i recommend chopping some of the remainder up and adding it to your store bought, jarred salsa along with the unused 1/4 can of corn - jazz that salsa up and seem fancy. you can of course also use bottled lemon juice in lieu of fresh...but fresh lemon juice really brightens the dish up and contrasts the smokiness well.

-when you dish some into a bowl and go to microwave it - cover it with a plate to prevent it from drying out. and if your rice came out a little drier to begin with, add 2 tbsp water and mix before reheating.

-the beauty of a dish like this is...nobody can tell you you're wrong. with the seasonings and measurements given, it will taste good (as long as your rice is fully cooked) so don't get too caught up on whether or not yours is the exact moistness it should be once the rice is done and the liquid's reduced - did it come out more like a thick rice stew? who cares, it's still good! is it a drier rice dish? as long as it's tasty.

nutritional facts: 

recipe yields about 7 cups, we'll say 1 cup is a serving. 

facts per cup:

calories: 279

fat: 3.8g

saturated fat: .3g

cholesterol: 0mg

sodium: 790 mg

carbohydrates: 52.9g

fiber: 6.8g

sugar: 4g

protein: 9.1g

vitamin A: 62%

vitamin C: 23%

calcium: 5%

iron: 17%

  

bonus dessert post! crazy-easy chocolate tofu pudding

yes, i said it. dessert, tofu - same sentence. don't cringe. this tip is so quick i can't even call it an entire post so i'm throwing it in there as a bonus for this week - what can i say? i'm a giver. after you've made your pasta for dinner, take 3 minutes (literally, that's as long as this takes) and made this healthy treat to satisfy your sweet tooth.

ingredients:
-12.3oz firm silken tofu (remember, we discussed this - it's different than regular {not silken} tofu. get it at most grocery stores and whole foods, i usually find it in the produce or "asian" section)
-1/2cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-8tsp sugar (~1/6cup - i find this to be a good ratio, though i don't like my chocolate sickeningly sweet)
-1/4tsp vanilla extract

what to do:
1.put all ingredients in you food processor or blender (if using a blender i'd recommend getting soft silken tofu as opposed to firm, though i like the firm one - keep your comments to yourself - because it's a thicker, mousse/pudding consistency, the soft tofu comes out a little runnier)
2.blend until silky smooth - give it a minute, you'll see when it's completely smooth
3.measure it because i didn't. scoop 1/4 the amount for now, refrigerate the rest, eat as chocolate cravings deem necessary.

hints:
-i find the cocoa powder masks any "weird tofu" taste you might not like, so i recommend sticking with that flavor, but otherwise, play with the extracts! i like almond extract instead of vanilla, i bet coconut would be yummy, i've also used mint, maybe even orange...go wild, you maniac.

-though this is still a sweet treat (so don't eat the whole thing at once) it's pretty good for you - low in fat and contains heart-healthy soy protein. you can find buy low-fat/fat-free puddings, but at ~$2 per container of this tofu, this is more bang for your buck and those puddings usually have creepy stuff like aspartame and...things i can't pronounce in them.

-if you want to amp this dessert up to full-fledged snack status, when blending it, add a scoop of chocolate flavored soy-protein powder to it. keep in mind, when you do this it'll be sweeter so back of the sugar a little. the calories/sugar will increase, but the protein and vitamin/mineral profile will too - so in this case i tell myself it's ok to make a mini parfait out of it by adding 1/4cup of my favorite cereal (kashi go lean crunch)

nutritional facts: i didn't measure exactly how much this yields...i'd estimate around 2 cups, whatever it is, we are saying it's 4 servings. info per 1/4 recipe:
calories: 123
fat: 4.3g
saturated fat: 0.3g
trans fat: 0
cholesterol: 0
sodium: 30mg
carbohydrates: 14.1g
fiber: 2.1g
sugar: 9.1g
protein: 7.8g
vitamin A: 0
vitaminC: 0
calcium: 3%
iron: 9%

Fauxlognese Pasta Sauce...get it? like bolognese?...forget it.

lean, mean, meatless machine - it's time to meet Textured Vegetable Protein.
remember how much you loved that crappy mystery meat sauce you used to get in the school cafeteria? you know, the one that left the orange grease ring around your mouth like toxic lipliner? yeah...that's gross. this stuff is way better. note: you should have a food processor for this - blender totally works, but i highly recommend you invest in a food processor, if you resolve to cook at home more, you will use it! and you can get one for around $35 i bet)
this recipe is so easy - seriously, i'd love for you to get the satisfaction of making your own healthy, delicious pasta sauce so you know just how simple it can be and use just the whole ingredients you need...but the real highlight of this recipe is introducing you to textured vegetable protein (TVP). sounds scary right? just read through this whole recipe and the hints at the bottom - this ingredient is a cheap, easy, versatile life-saver not only for vegan/vegetarians, but for anyone looking to eat healthy and lean.
note:please do read through all the way prior to starting, i didn't want to distract from the recipe steps too much, so there are hints at the bottom that are really be applicable while you're cooking

ingredients:
-28oz can crushed tomatoes
-1 small onion, diced (as always, don't stress "small" - look at the pre-bagged onions in the grocery store, those are "small" onions)
-1/2 average green bell pepper, diced
-1 average carrot, diced (only have baby carrots? ok, use 6 or so)
-2 stalks celery, diced
-3 cloves fresh garlic (only have that jarred, pre-diced kind? ok, use a 3 teaspoons, but i really prefer oneof those options over powder garlic)
-1tblsp olive oil
-1tsp dried oregano
-3/4tsp salt (i use coarse grain, so if you have fine, table salt - use just a smidge less as it'll fill the spoon more densely)
-1tsp black pepper (note to all: i used fresh cracked, i find it's zippier, if using pre-ground, you might want to use a little more to get the same spice)
-1/2tsp dried thyme (a little less common to have - you could sub dried basil)
-1/4cup red wine (and another cup for you to drink while cooking. if you're not a boozer, that's ok, you don't have to use it, but it really does add a whole other level of flavor to tomato dishes)
-3/4cup water
-1cup TVP (i used bob's redmill brand, small granules - you can get it at whole foods, it's about $4! i always find it in the baking aisle with the bob's redmill dry goods - flours, etc - just ask someone)
-1 bay leaf

what to do:

1.as always - get everything out and ready! it makes cooking so much easier! - rinse, dice your veggies, get your food processor out & plugged, open your can of tomatoes, put your sauce pan on the stove and get the matching lid out, etc, etc

2.with your sauce pan over a medium heat, toss your olive oil, then toss all your diced fresh veggies in (not the canned tomato)

3.let those veggies saute for about 5 minutes, give it a little stir a couple times (remember, saute it so we're looking for the onion and celery to start looking transparent, don't really want anything browning)

4.add your garlic and all your seasonings (not bay leaf) to the pan, give a little stir and let it go for another 3ish minutes

5.so it's likely looking a little dry in there, maybe the garlic and seasonings are starting to kinda stick to the bottom of the pan? cool, add the red wine - this is what fancy people might call deglazing, we're just gonna say your getting all those good little flavorful bits up off the pan and into the action

6.let that wine bubble and hiss for a couple minutes

7.add the tomatoes, stir everything together, cover with that lid and let that simmer for about 10 minutes

8.ladle that sauce into your food processor or blender **please see the first "hint"***

9.blend the sauce until it's no longer chunky - it's not necessarily going to be silky smooth- that's ok

10.put the sauce back into the same sauce pan, again over a medium heat, no need to wash it, though if you left chunks behind, rinse it quickly so your sauce is consistent

11.add the bay leaf, water and TVP - stir, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes - though you don't need to bug it, go ahead and stir it a couple times during that 20 mins to make sure your flame's not too high, the bottom isn't burning, and your TVP is all getting time bathing in the tasty sauce 

12.check it out - taste it, salt and pepper to taste. is the TVP soft and a little chewy like ground meat? perfect! 

13.remove the bay leaf! not sure if it's an urban legend, but they say if you swallow it, it can cut your throat open! whether that's true or not, it's a hard, sharp leaf...be a good host, fish it out. 

hints:

-**in regards to step 8**note!: to be super safe, you should let the sauce cool some prior to blending it- take a wine break or something. i don't like waiting but that means i'm very cautious and i ladle the hot mix into my food processor, only filling it about halfway (do it in batches) put the lid on and use a kitchen towel folded over multiple times to hold over the holes in the lid of the processor so scalding sauce doesn't launch out but so the hot air can escape and i don't burn myself. you could do the same with your blender - though if you put that lid on with it's tight rubber seal and start it, you could have a volcanic explosion when you remove the lid from the hot steam whizzing around in there. be smart, be safe, i'm not responsible for any maiming or injuries, when in doubt - let it cool for 20 minutes off the stove!

-this recipe is easy, you should try it. but if you really don't want to/don't have time to make the sauce - get a jar of pre-made red sauce (pick a healthy one obviously) when you go to heat it up in a sauce pan - add 3/4 cup water and 1 cup TVP...yup, it'll work, simmer it for 15 minutes. Bam. 

-you might also see "TSP" textured soy protein. if it's in the small granules that look like grape nuts cereal, that'll work too - you just don't want to get the bigger nugget sized TVP or TSP for this recipe.

-now i know there are "vegan crumbles" products that are already flavored and you don't have to go to the exhausting lengths to rehydrate them (that's sarcasm) but to be honest, products like that are way more expensive than buying TVP. and TVP is dehydrated, so whatever you don't use, you can save for ages in your pantry- also, buying it dehydrated means you get to rehydrate it with whatever flavor you want - this ingredient will appear again in other recipes!!! i think of most of those pre-made, highly process, sodium-heavy, not always healthy, expensive meat replacements just like i'd think of their meaty counterparts - they should be occasional items. honestly, all vegan products are not created equal! don't see "veggie patty" and assume it's good for you - better for you than McDonalds? sure, but so is mulch...read your labels!

-don't forget the pasta. i didn't put it in the recipe...do i really need to? if you're serving the food immediately, get the water in a big pot, covered, boiling on the stove when you prep everything for the sauce work. prior to step 11, put the pasta in to boil. i like the brown rice fusilli (corkscrew) from trader joe's because it's a little higher in protein, hearty, healthy - and the shape of the fusilli gets the sauce all caught in corkscrew grooves - yum. 

-remember the galaxy brand vegan "parmesan" topping from the spinach artichoke recipe? yeah...awesome on this.

-as you'll see bellow, this recipe is a little high in sodium...i'm no angel. if sodium is a concern for you, you have the power to reduce the amount in the recipe, go for it. 

nutritional facts:

this recipe yields about 4 cups of sauce - let's call 1/2 cup a serving. 

facts per 1/2 cup serving:

calories: 99

fat: 1.8g

sat fat: .2g

trans fat: 0

sodium: 455mg

carbohydrates: 12.6g

fiber:3.8g

sugar:6.2g

protein:7.25g

vitamin A:59.5%

vitamin C:4.5%

calcium:7.5%

iron:13%

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip -Super Bowl snack time

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip - fear not the dreaded tofu
for my first recipe post, i'm going to make it relevant, and really fun. this coming weekend is the super bowl, and one thing the packers and the steelers (they're the ones playing right?) could agree on is how freakin' delicious this dip is. was that too corny? served warm with whole wheat/grain pita chips, it's a crowd-pleasing snack that's gooey and rich, with a little spicy kick. I also like to spread some on a multigrain Wasa cracker as a snack.

ingredients:
-1/2 yellow onion  (average size, don't sweat the exact measurement)
-14oz canned artichoke hearts (quartered, drained)
-12oz frozen spinach (thawed, drained, squeezed dry)
-1tbsp olive oil
-12.3oz firm silken tofu (1 package - available at whole foods or most grocery stores - just ask someone)
-1/2cup "vegan grated topping"  (galaxy brand - tastes just like parmesan, available at whole foods - in italian aisle with pasta sauces usually - i go with the one in purple can, though there's also a rice one in a blue can)
-2-3 garlic cloves (they vary a little in size and 3 tend to yield a strong garlic flavor, think about your taste)
-2tbsp apple cider vinegar (if you don't have it, lemon juice works well also)
-1tsp dried basil or oregano (either one works, so use whichever you have)
-1/4tsp cayenne pepper (don't buy it just for this, you could also increase the black pepper a little instead)
-1/2tsp salt (the vegan grated topping lends a salty flavor already so i'm, conservative here, you can always taste it and add more later)
-1/2tsp black pepper (preferably fresh cracked, but i'm no snob)
-optional: 1/2 cup daiya brand vegan mozzarella cheese (also available at whole foods in cheese alternative section, comes in bags, shredded - best tasting cheese substitute, but does add a significant amount of fat, though not saturated)

what to do:
1. get everything out and ready (drained, thawed) and this will go pretty darn quickly
2. preheat your oven to 350F
3. dice your onion and start that sauteing in a pan in that tbsp of olive oil over a medium heat - you don't want them browning, you want them getting translucent - should only take about 3 mins.
4. add spinach and artichokes to translucent onion - let them mingle and saute for about 7-10 mins, stirring occasionally so the stuff on the bottom doesn't brown and so the artichokes break up a little
5. put the tofu, vegan grated topping, garlic, vinegar or lemon juice and seasonings in your food processor - haven't tried it, but a blender would likely work too. blend the mix until it is smooth (the grated topping will stay grainy but the tofu will get to a pudding consistency) taste this mix and see what you think about the salt/pepper. keep in mind the garlic is still raw at this point - it might be offensive.
6. mix the tofu and artichoke/onion/spinach in a bowl
7. empty this deliciousness in a medium-ish baking dish (yeah i said medium-ish, i used a 6x9 inch i think, but a deep enough pie round would work - please don't run out to buy an exact size...unless you don't have ANY)
8. if using the daiya, sprinkle this on top evenly
9. cover with foil, bake for about 25 minutes
10. eat the heck out of this with whole wheat pita chips or toasted whole wheat baguette slices

hints:
-tragically, people are closed minded. i suggest you just make this and serve it, then once everyone's thoroughly enjoying it, you can tell people it's low fat, high in heart healthy soy protein and predominantly TOFU!! if you tell them first, you'll likely get the stink face and people not so demurely declining to even try it. dummies.

-this dip is thick, so it needs a sturdy scooping device - it's really easy to make pita chips/toasted baguettes at home! cut the pita in triangles (I separate the pocket sides so it's 1 ply), or slice your baguette in 1/3 inch thick rounds, lay them out on a baking sheet, quick spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with some salt/pepper and bake for about 10 mins at 325F - flip the baguettes halfway through - the pita doesn't even need it - though keep an eye on the pita, it burns quickly because it's thin! now you've controlled the fat and salt by simply crop dusting with the cooking spray and sparingly using salt - after all, you're dipping with them, they don't need much flavor. you also saved $$$ since a bag of the average pita chip costs $5 and a baguette or bag of whole wheat pitas at Trader Joe's is about $1.99. Booya.

-you can prep this the day before, do everything through step 8 then cover with foil and refrigerate overnight - pull it back out when you want it and bake per instructions, just up it to 30 mins.

-if you are really uncomfortable with the vegan grated topping and the daiya cheese, you can use regular
parmesan and low fat shredded mozzarella, though i entered both recipes in for nutritional info and the vegan version is lower in calories, fat and saturated fat - so take that!

nutritional facts:
this recipe yields around 4-4 1/2 cups of dip, i'm calling 1/2cup a serving, so per serving (vegan, with daiya):
-calories: 126
-fat: 4.4g
saturated fat: .9g
trans fat: 0g
cholesterol: 0mg
sodium: 596mg
carbohydrates: 10.7g
fiber: 1.9g
sugar: 2g
protein: 8.4g
vitamin A: 33% viamtin C: 6% calcium: 14% iron: 8%