My kids love pancakes, my daughter especially, I do want to feed my kids the stuff they like….but on the nutrition chart, your run of the mill pancake recipes are basically void of anything but fat, carbs, and more carbs. So in an attempt feed my kids something they like, but something that has some nutritional balance I came up with today’s recipe. Drum roll please (snare drum rattle) I am making banana pancakes, with oats, flax, and FLAVOR! What? You say? This cannot be! Well it is! I might add there is nothing animal based either. No extra salt, but it has a lil’ camelina oil, if you haven’t heard of it, you should check it out, contains the most omega 3’s of any cooking oil and has a smoke point of 450! Bananas are cool because when heat is applied they crisp and caramelize up on top, reminded me of Crème brulee, hence the name. Shall we begin?
You will need:
Batter
½ Cup whole wheat flour or spelt
½ Cup quick cooking oats, preferably ground, you can also use a hand blender or regular blender
2 Tbsp. flax meal
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. rapid rise yeast
½ tsp. baking soda
1 Cup coconut milk
¼ Cup water
1 Tbsp. Camelina oil, or oil of choice
1 tsp. good quality vanilla
In a mixing bowl combine all the above ingredients, mix well, let sit at room temp for two hours (so the yeast can work its magic). Refrigerate overnight, I know this seems odd but this gives the pancakes a great flavor and rise without using eggs. Remove from fridge check consistency, the oats and flax suck up a lot of water so adjust to a batter consistency, maybe 2 to 4 Tbsp. warm h2o.
Slice a banana or two.
If you have a griddle that is the best route, for the rest of us, use a non-stick skillet, rubbed with little oil on a paper towel, or use cooking spray, you don’t need much, just a light coating, heat on medium, add batter about 4 Tbsp. or so I eye it, add some banana slices to the top, when the sides bubble up, flip, and cook other side till the center puffs, plate banana side up! Repeat 6 times or so, eat em! I topped ours with low sugar apricot preserves and just a sprinkle of powdered sugar, the kids love that! Try these, I think you will find that you don’t need butter or eggs or milk to make great pancakes! Tres bien mon amie!
Red chard stew with chickpeas, kidney beans, and Israeli cous cous
Onto week three eating plant based, and aside from a couple slip ups (goat cheese and pesto were the culprits), it has been quite easy to follow, I am down a solid 8 pounds, which is nice, my complexion is more even, and I feel good. I still think I need to get more non-cooked stuff into the mix, but it’s a change of habits, so as I pick up more knowledge I’m sure I will get the right balance. I had some beautiful locally grown, red chard, and it’s a bit overcast today, so I figured a soup was in order, even when it’s hot I totally like eating soup though….but I am kind of a weirdo. This soup boasts loads of health benefits, no oil, and with just a half cup of cous cous, is a great way to get the family their dose of veggies, plus I bet you have most of the ingredients for it already.
You will need:
1 bunch chard, or kale or spinach, get what is available and the best in your area
1 onion, diced small
2 carrots, peeled, diced small
2 stalks of celery, diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash, or other salt free seasoning
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. bragg’s liquid aminos, or reduced sodium soy sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes, I used the organic S&W at Costco
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 palm full of dried porcini mushrooms
6 cups water
½ cup Israeli cous cous
Nutritional yeast for sprinkling on top of soup (optional, but if you can get some it adds tons of flavor, my new favorite seasoning, think non-dairy parmesan or pecorino).
Method:
In a large pot, add all ingredients EXCEPT chard, nutritional yeast, and cous cous, bring to a boil, reduce to medium heat, cook 15 minutes, add cous cous and chard, cook 10 more minutes. Top with nutritional yeast and serve! Seriously a plant based, vegan, one pot meal o’ awesome! Serves 8, freezes well, also a great way to dip your toe into a plant based dinner, or a meatless Monday!
Vegan chocolate chip muffins with flax, oats, and dried cherries.
So the ice cream van keeps playing their annoying song on our street, every day, every hour. My 6 year old goes nuts every time she hears it and insists on getting a treat, I keep telling her no, so today I tried to find a sweet and healthy alternative to the afternoon Ice cream truck. I made these muffins today, and when the van came by blaring its obnoxious theme, Ava didn’t even notice! Victory for mom! Well I made these for the kids and hubby, since I’m trying to adhere to Dr. Fuhrman’s stricter regimen I technically shouldn’t really have these, but they are a great way to get a lot of healthy in a sweet treat. I ate half of one and honestly I couldn’t believe how good these ended up considering there is no added salt, minimal sugar, no butter or oil, eggs and no refined flour.
What you’ll need:
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup flax meal (I used Spectrum brand we love how nutty and delicious it is
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ cup coconut sugar, or a less refined sugar of choice
¼ cup dried cherries or raisins
½ semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used ones with soy instead of cocoa butter)
½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
¼ cup almond butter (I love marathon brand, only contains almonds)
1 tbsp. Vanilla extract or inside of a vanilla bean
1 cup almond milk
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, line a muffin tin with 12 liners, I was out so I just used parchment paper squares. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients, add the wet ingredient and stir till evenly moistened. Do not over mix. Fill muffin cups ¾ full, bake 20 minutes. They will puff up, brown, and spring back when touched. I was actually shocked at how easy these were and how great the results were, I basically looked at some old recipes I had, and just substituted healthier choices. Next time I might add some cinnamon and ginger to spice them up, but in total for my first attempt at vegan bakery, I was impressed, my vegan baked good skepticism is gone, and you don’t need any of those nasty fake butter products that are marketed as “healthy”….they are not, if fat chains have to be modified in a lab….you don’t need it in your body.
Vegan Pho that is actually as good as the beefy original
I think if I was on death row and had to pick my last meal, it would be Pho. Traditionally a long simmered, complicated, meat a thon, it is AWESOME(Imagine that last sentence spoken in Oprah’s voice for full impact)! I usually order the #2…that’s basically the whole kitchen sink without the meatballs….never developed a taste for those. So it’s full of tripe, tendon, and the whole animal, which I think is great, waste not want not. I have done a chicken version and now this is a plant based version. Pho is all about the broth….that being said, a vegan version could pose a challenge, the vegetarian option at my local pho hut, is chicken broth based…haha! So I have been given a challenge….I researched, I shopped, read some “easy” recipes, that being said, I came up with my own, and even cooked some leeks, shitake, and rutabaga, in the same fashion as the meat, to add to the richness and mouth feel. This isn’t really simple nor easy, but the best things in life don’t come easy!
You will need for the broth
2 shallots, charred on the outside in a hot pan
3 inch piece of ginger, charred on the outside in a hot pan
1 stem lemon grass, smashed
1 handful dried porcini mushroom
8 shitake mushroom, stems removed and set aside
1 leek, green part removed and rinsed well, leave the white part whole
2 carrots, I used the stems as well since mine had them.
2 to 4 cloves of garlic, smashed, I used an amazing heirloom variety called “Russian Red” that is incredibly pungent, so I only used two
1 rib of celery
The stems from a bunch of purple radishes, I added these because I am going to use raw radish on top and the leaves as a garnish, totally my take and totally optional.
Black pepper and salt to taste
3 tbsp. Bragg’s liquid aminos in place of fish sauce.
1 tbsp. Mrs. Dash, to replace MSG.
10 cups of water
In a stock pot combine all the ingredients except Braggs, bring to a simmer over medium high heat, reduce heat and cook 1 hour. Remove shitake caps, the white part of leek, rutabaga, slice, and set aside to top each bowl. Strain broth and return to pan over low heat, add Braggs, check salt level, add additional if needed, I am trying to avoid over salting things, plus your guests can add their own addition to their own bowls after it is served. Leave in pot on low while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
Hoisin marinated baked tofu
Hoisin is a traditional condiment for Pho, so it was a no brainer for me to add it to my baked tofu for topping our soup.
You will need
1 lb. Firm tofu, drained and weighted so you can remove as much water as possible.
1 tbsp. Hoisin sauce
1 tsp. Bragg’s
1 tbsp. sesame seeds, I used black and white to jazz it up a bit
Pre-heat oven to 375, slice your tofu into four slices, rub hoisin and bragg’s on to each piece, place on a parchment lined sheet pan, bake 30 minutes. Use 1 piece of tofu, sliced, for each bowl.
Noodles
8 oz brown rice noodles, I used Annie Chun’s
In a pot of boiling water, add noodles, cook 5 minutes, drain, and rinse with cold water, portion into 4 bowls. Top your bowls with some sliced onion, broth, veggies from broth, tofu, and let everyone pic their own toppins’
Toppins’
The classic are basil, cilantro, mung bean sprouts, limes, jalapeños or serranos.
You can also use sciracha, chili paste, hoisin, or whatever you like to season to taste, let everyone do their own! A fun and interactive meal!
Chile Verde with black beans and kale
So plant-based eating is such a deviation of the norm for me in many ways, but after a full week I already feel better! A few minor ailments I’ve had, no longer vex me, I feel light(er) and energized! I have however, really wanted some Mexican food! One of my favorite dishes is chile verde usually served with pork and thicken with a roux, it is not on the plan. So I decided I would do a version of it with black beans, and some kale. Tomatillos are in season so grabbed those today at the farmer’s market, along with some cilantro, garlic, peppers and other goodies, then I went to the kitchen and began my experiment. It ended up fresh, hearty, and spicy! Served with some whole wheat, flax tortillas it curbed my craving.
You will need:
1 lb. Tomatillos, husks removed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
3 Jalapeno or serrano chilies (depending on how hot they are, and your preference)
1 carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bunch kale, I used lactinato
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 ribs of Celery, chopped
6 cups Water or stock
2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
Salt to taste
In a medium sauce pan, add tomatillos, tomatoes, onion, chilies, ½ the cilantro, garlic,and celery. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cook 15 minutes, then blend half of this in a blender or use a stick blender, be sure to leave a little texture. Add Kale, and beans, cook 15 more minutes, add the rest of the cilantro and serve over rice or with tortillas! Ole’ frijole!
3 ingredient, no cook, chocolate + chia seed pudding
So after educating myself, by reading “Eat to live”, I got me some chia seeds and some flax. My kids always want ice cream or sweet stuff, so I did an experiment, my hypotheses was that if it has a little sweetness and chocolate they will eat it. Well I was right! Not to mention this recipe is so ridiculously easy a trained or not trained chimp could make it! Therefore, it will hopefully do well on pinterest…….I’m joking…im joking….kinda. Anyway, chia are totally cool they have the consistency of tobiko (tiny fish eggs) and can be used as a natural thickener that totally makes you feel full!
You will need
½ cup chia seeds
2 cups chocolate soy milk, or you can use almond, I used Silk chocolate soy, for consistency and so I wouldn’t need to add any extra sugar.
1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, scraped of its inner beauty.
Method:
In a bowl mix all those things…..fridge it for a few hours….donzo…yes seriously. I topped ours with a lil’ ground flax, totally taste like ground nuts! Super good, super easy, super healthy!
Makes 4 servings
Vegan miso ramen with brown rice + buckwheat noodles and mushrooms
Well, already on day five of doing my plant based cleanse and I feel really good and am down 4lbs! The one problem I have is that after reading “Eat to live” I found the recipes pretty blah….of course I like to expand on the basics and trying to feed my family the same thing I eat, I had to innovate. So today’s recipe is based on things my fam already loves, while sticking to Dr. Furhman’s advice. I went to the Vietnamese market by my house and found all kinds of great stuff! If you do your homework, you can find amazing and healthy Eastern products on the cheap. Asian cookery is a good one to look on when one is pondering a vegan lifestyle, as they don’t really eat any dairy, and they seem to have vegetarian products really dialed. Like in the China study, eating plant based is necessity in some regions, and a side effect is great health plus Asian cultures been doing it a lot longer than Western diet experts were preaching it, that is for sure. Plus going to the Asian market is fun, the kids love it, and it’s almost like travelling to another place, depending on how deep routed the community is, that your store is located, mine happens to be awesome, like “I don’t know what this is” awesome. Try it and this, I think you’ll like em!
You will need
1 package or four bundles buckwheat noodles, mine had brown rice added, never had em’ thought I’d try them. If you aren’t familiar with these noodles google it, they are loaded with health benefits.
4 Tbsp. Miso paste, I used Japanese Nagano, and it is a blend of both white and red.
8 cups of water
1 Tbsp. Soy sauce
4 large shitake mushroom
½ lb. firm tofu, sliced
1 bunch enoki mushrooms, if you can’t find these use a different variety, these are just super cool, and can be added on top without cooking
4 green onions, sliced thin
1 cup shelled edamame, I get mine at Trader Joe’s already cooked and shelled.
Optional stuff: Sesame seed, nori, carrots shredded, or use anything you like to add on top. All my toppings were vegan of course.
Method:
First things first, I did not use dashi stock which is traditional in miso soup, it’s totally delish, but it contains bonito, which is dried tuna flakes, so I left it out to maintain vegan status. I first cooked my noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes, rinsed with cold water and set aside. Next, in a medium pot, I put my water with the soy, shitake mushrooms, and white parts of onions, bring to a boil reduce to medium, add tofu and cook 10 minutes. After researching I learned that miso should never be boiled, it will reduce its nutritional power, I never knew this, so make sure if you have anything that needs to be boiled to add that first. Add your miso, making sure that it all gets dissolved. In four bowls, divide noodles evenly, take mushrooms out of broth and slice, add those to bowls, add tofu, and other toppings of choice, with a bit of prep this is an incredible meal, which can be done in 30 minutes or less! Domo arigato Mr. roboto!
Golden beets with amaranth and raw hazelnut pesto
Whoa Nelly, it’s basil season! Green herbage in general is exceptional this time of year in the Pacific Northwest. I scored today at the farmer’s market I really did! I got some gorgeous “loose” meaning not “perfect” golden beets, whatever a perfect beet is, for $1 dollar a lb! I got the most gorgeous bunch of amaranth and basil for $2 dollar a bunch, which basically looks like an herbal bridal bouquet. Of course our friends at the hazelnut booth had their wonderful raw hazelnuts, so I was set. In my never ending quest to lose 30 lbs. and be free of my ever annoying body issues, I have been trying to adhere to Dr. Furhman’s 6 week all plant based, non-processed diet. Well actually I am on day two, and gotta say it isn’t so bad, it’s kinda great, I am of course not cutting my coffee consumption, and only reducing my beer, we went to the Oregon brewer’s fest yesterday…haha! So today’s recipe is entirely VEGAN! My friend Jenn finally convinced me to give it try after we discussed our similar baby weight, retaining weight while nursing trials, she finally lost her remaining lbs. by doing Dr. Fuhrman’s plan, which she still quite strictly adheres to. Don’t be fooled this salad is delicious, healthy, plant based, oil free, and local! It would be great topped with goat cheese or grilled chicken or fish.
You will need:
2 medium beets, I used golden, I boiled them skin on for about 25 minutes, if you cut them first it will take less time to cook them. Cool, peel, slice.
2 cups of amaranth leaves or greens of choice, arugula would be great
¼ cup diced red peppers, mainly for color, use tomatoes if you prefer
Hazelnut pesto dressing:
¼ cup raw hazelnuts, soaked for 20 minutes in hot water
¼ red wine vinegar
¼ water
2tbsp soy sauce or Bragg’s
1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
Ground black pepper
Blend like the dickens, meaning till smooth, if you have a vitamix that is easy…if you have a stick blender like me it takes a bit of effort but this is totally amazing, considering its low on salt and only has the natural unprocessed oils from the hazelnuts.
Assemble anyway you like and eat! Serves two as a meal.
As for my quest for health, I will keep you updated, but I do like learning all types of cookery and I think the more you know about each genre the better you get, and I am very new to this type of cooking but thus far I find it fascinating!
Cornflake semi-fried chicken tenders
This dish right here is probably one of the reasons I have been married so long! This hands down is my husband’s favorite meal ever. I learned this early on in our relationship, his mom makes her own version, and this is what my husband would choose when it was his birthday to eat ever year. Mine is similar but different as I add cornflakes to the mix. My Dad used to make cornflake chicken for us when I was little for dinner when my mom was working the grill at our restaurant and it was dad’s turn to watch us. I love cornflakes in general but they take on a whole new identity when used in chicken breading. A very well-known biscuit shop here in pdx puts cornflakes on their famous breasts that lie between their homemade biscuits. Never underestimate this cold cereal its uses go far beyond a bowl and milk. I call this “semi-fried” since I shallow fry it and then put it in the oven, this cuts way down on the grease factor but still has all the flavor of its full fried friends.
You will need:
2 lbs chicken tenders, trimmed, you can use full breasts just remove the tender then cut the rest to a similar size for even cooking
½ cup AP flour
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
Dash of hot sauce
½ cup cornflakes, crushed
½ bread crumbs
1 tsp salt and pep
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cayenne
½ tsp dried herbs of choice
½ tsp Spanish paprika
½ cup cooking oil, high smoke point such as peanut
First thing first, after your chicken is trimmed and ready season all with the spices, both sides, don’t be stingy. Next in a medium bowl whip your egg with the milk and hot sauce, set aside. Next combine bread crumbs with cornflakes on a large plate. Set up a breading station, first the flour, then the egg wash, and finally a good dunk in the bread/flakes. Repeat until all the pieces of chicken are well coated. Heat a frying pan over medium high heat, add half of your oil, when shimmering add two pieces of chicken at a time, cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side then put on a cookie sheet in the oven set to 300 degrees. When your oil starts to look low add the remaining oil and finish frying the rest of your chicken, then place in oven. While your chicken is in the oven prepare gravy if you like, I use the oil I fried the chicken in, if there is more than about 2 tbsp left drain the excess, add two tbsp. of your flour you used to dredge your chicken in. Over medium heat, cook your oil and flour till golden, add two cups of chicken stock, bring to a boil and you have gravy! My mom always called this “crackling” gravy, as it utilized the crackins from frying your chicken. I served ours with Yukon gold mashers and fresh, local, steamed green beans. So good the colonel himself would second guess his recipe! Since it is without skin and full fry it is a healthier option when you have that craving…..not health food by any means….but an improvement…a delicious, crowd pleasing improvement. All things in moderation my friends.
Better than having a V-8, 8 veggie Bolognese
I don’t know how many times I hear or see folks rushing over to their local Italian chain restaurant to pay way too much to eat microwaved pasta that is easily replicated (or made better) at home for a much more modest price tag, not only in price but in quality ingredients. Let’s face it, Italian food isn’t the most health conscious but it is one of the most popular genres when dining out. Don’t get me wrong there are plenty of amazing places to eat Italian that are totally worth it, but if you want spaghetti and meat sauce, it is a great thing to make at home from scratch, not to mention it is ridiculously easy to sneak loads of healthy veggies in and no one notices….I can’t really express the amount of joy I feel as I watch my six year old munching noodles with sauce on her face, she has no idea that she is eating 8 veggies 4 of which she normally won’t touch. So here is a great and fast Bolognese for anytime, this makes a big batch so you can split it and use the other half in a lasagna to freeze or even a topping for easy French bread pizza. So toss out the jar of sugar laden spaghetti sauce and try this!
You will need:
1 lb of ground meat, you choose, pork, beef, turkey, chicken, lamb, whatever your heart desires.
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 rib o’ celery, diced
1 cup crimini mushrooms or button, or whatever you like, diced
1 cup eggplant, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes in puree
1 6oz can tomato paste (full of lycopene, google those health benefits)
½ cup dry wine, I use pinot grigio, but you could use chianti
1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp each fresh basil and flat leaf parsley
3 tbsp olive oil
Whatever pasta, cous cous, quinoa, rice noodles, spaghetti squash that you want as a base for this yummy witches’ brew of yum.
In a large dutch oven (I use a le creuset) over medium heat brown your meat, you may need a bit of olive oil to start it, especially if it is lean. Drain if necessary, add onion and garlic, cook till onions are translucent about 7 minutes, add carrot, celery, eggplant, sauté 5 minutes, add zucchini, both tomato products, wine, and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 15 minutes, add a bit of water if it is too thick. Turn heat down to low and cook an additional 20 minutes, at that point you can blend to get a smooth texture, I use a hand held blender, but you can put have of your sauce in a blender and pulse a few times. That is optional, I do it to make a smooth consistency, but I don’t blend the whole mixture, I want some texture, after this last step I like to add the fresh herbs and a bit of salt and pepper. Use sauce to top whatever you like, on more eggplant, or whole wheat pasta, or ravioli, the choice is yours, top with parmesano reggiano or pecorino romano and dig it……you won’t ever need to order it out again!
