Category Archives: Meatless Monday

Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onion and Spinach Quesadilla

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Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onion and Spinach Quesadilla

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups thinly sliced onion
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 9 ounces baby spinach
  • 4 8 – inches whole-wheat flour tortillas
  • 4 ounces semisoft goat cheese
  • 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, sugar and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is dark golden brown. Remove from pan. Add the spinach and 1 tablespoon water to the skillet; cook 2 minutes, or until spinach is just wilted. Remove from skillet and turn off heat. Spread a quarter of the goat cheese on each tortilla and top with spinach, tomato and onion; fold closed and press lightly. Heat the skillet and place two folded quesadillas in it; cook two minutes per side, or until golden brown and lightly crisp. Repeat.
 Nutrition Information
PER SERVING: 337 cal., 15 g total fat (6 g sat. fat), 38 g carb. (7 g fiber), 13 g pro.

Asian Lentil Soup

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This recipe is an easy and delicious way to get healthy today. Lentils are rich in protein, fiber and cancer-fighting phytochemicals. In fact, a single cup of these pulses provides more than half your daily value of fiber. Paired with sautéed carrots, peppers and onions, this soup packs flavor and nutrition in one pot.

  • 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced thin
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced thin
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 small onion, chopped medium
  • 1 bunch bok choy, chopped (use green leaves and 2 inches of white stalk)
  • 2 (15 oz) cans no salt added lentils (or cook 1 cup dry lentils per package direction)
  • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. fresh minced ginger
  • 2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. organic hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes or to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley finely chopped to garnish

Heat oil over medium heat in large pot. Sauté carrots, celery, bell pepper, onion and bok choy until tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Add lentils and remainder of soup ingredients to sautéed vegetables, reserving parsley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Garnish with parsley and serve.

Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 1 cup.

Per serving: 155 calories, 3 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 24 g carbohydrate, 10 g protein, 8 g dietary fiber, 230 mg sodium.

http://preventcancer.aicr.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=22847&news_iv_ctrl=1125

Plant Based Food Guide – How to Shop

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If whole plant-based eating makes sense for you how do you start?.  The following is information re: setting up for such an undertaking. The information below may make negotiating the store aisles and controlling your budget for this undertaking more doable.

Selecting Budget-Friendly Ingredients

Let’s consider eating plant-based on a budget two ways. How to get the most nutrition for your dollar and how to get more satisfaction from your nutrition.

  1. Which plant-based foods are jam-packed full of micro-nutrients per calorie and per pound?
  2. Which foods will help you create the healthiest and most satisfying meals, per serving and per dollar?

The answer to both questions can be found in a meal made with both greens and starches. Since greens provide the most nutrients per calorie, they’re the ideal addition to a meal based on satisfying, fiber-rich whole grains, beans and starchy vegetables.

How to Budget and Shop Smart

Once you’ve created a useful list of plant-based grocery items, make copies to use each week. Save yourself the time it takes to write that same list again and again.

  • Aim to spend at least 50% of your grocery budget on vegetables and fruits, and make sure everything you select looks colorful, enticing and delicious.
  • Plan to spend up to 20% on important staples, like grains, beans and canned tomatoes. These will last a long time in your pantry, so you may not need to spend this amount each week, once you have a nice supply on hand.
  • Use up to 10% for organic tofu, tempeh, or nondairy milks.
  • This leaves around 20% for discretionary items, like small amounts of nuts, seeds, spices, dried fruit or kitchen items and utensils.

Shopping List

Leafy Greens Other Vegetables
Beans & Legumes Whole Grains
Fruits Nuts & Seeds

Fruit: Look for quality and value, such as apples, pears, oranges and bananas.

Salad greens: Check out all varieties! Try romaine or leaf lettuce, baby spinach, mixed spring greens, arugala or baby kale.

Leafy greens: Select one or two bunches of greens to steam or dry sauté, such as collard greens, kale, or Swiss chard. Comb the produce section and select the freshest greens available. Often the most abundant greens are the best value. Experiment with less familiar varieties, too. Make buying and eating plenty of fiber-rich greens non-negotiable!

Cruciferous vegetables: Scout for the best value in cruciferous vegetables to add to your grocery cart, like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage. If you believe you are not a fan, be sure to give these another try and include them in your diet.

Potatoes and sweet potatoes: From fingerlings, to russets, to Japanese sweet potatoes, the varieties are endless. Grab a larger bag for better value.

Soups and stews: Don’t forget celery, carrots, garlic and onions.

Herbs and spices: Cilantro, basil, parsley and other herbs are highly flavorful additions to your recipes. Growing herbs at home can be very satisfying too.

Explore: As your comfort level increases, promise to try lots of new vegetables and fruits in the weeks ahead.

  • Consider organic vegetables and fruits when possible.

http://nutritionstudies.org/plant-based-on-a-budget/

Fall Plant-Based Risotto

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Risotto

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

  1. In a large saucepan or electric skillet, sauté diced onion in a few splashes of the measured water (to prevent sticking) for 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Add the butternut squash and the remainder of the water, and cook for several minutes on a fairly high flame until the vegetables are tender. Then add the broccoli florets, and continue to cook just until the florets turn bright green.
  2. Into the pan of vegetables, add the cooked brown rice, along with the broth and the white wine. Lower the heat if needed to allow the liquids to simmer slowly with the rice and the vegetables for just a few minutes, until mostly, but not entirely absorbed. Stir frequently to keep from sticking to the pan.
  3. Once the broth and the wine are almost completely absorbed, add soy milk for a little creamy finish. Combine briefly (but thoroughly) until the rice mixture is creamy. Remove from heat.
  4. Season to taste, and garnish with toasted breadcrumbs or roasted pecans, if desired. Serve immediately.

http://nutritionstudies.org/recipes/meal/brown-rice-risotto/

Lentil Potato Curry Patties

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An easy, delicious and practical meal for the whole family, using your leftover lentils. Let me tell you the story of this dish. I had some leftover lentil soup from the day before. There were about 2 cups of lentils, definitely not enough to feed my family of four. I decided to incorporate the lentils into a new recipe that everyone would enjoy and that would be enough food for us all. Voila, that’s how the potato-lentil patties were born.

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

  1. Cut the potatoes into large cubes and boil with salt, onion and garlic. Cutting the potatoes in cubes will help them cook faster and they will better absorb the flavor of the onion and garlic.
  2. When the potatoes are ready, take them out of the water and let them cool. (Or if you are in a hurry, like I always am, put them in a strainer and place in a bowl with cold water for a few minutes.)
  3. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until the potatoes are puréed and then add the lentils, spices and corn flour and mix thoroughly.
  4. Add the cornstarch and water mix. This will help the patties “bind” and stay together when you put them in the pan.
  5. The mixture should be dry enough to allow you to form patties. It should not be too watery or dry. If they are too watery, add a little more corn flour. If they are too dry, add a little more water.
  6. Heat a non-stick pan on low heat.
  7. With your hands, make a patty, about ½ inch thick , about the size of your palm and carefully put it in the pan. Repeat until you make all the patties your pan can fit!!
  8. Let the patties cook for a few minutes and then turn them over with a spatula.
  9. Turn the patties as many times as you desire until they are toasted enough on both sides and then serve.

Note

  • You don’t need to put them on paper towels before serving because they have no oil! The secret to making the patties crunchy and delicious on the outside is corn flour. In addition, it is best to use lentils that are not too soft, so you can distinguish the lentils within the patty. Also, I love the taste of curry and cumin, these two spices alone make any meal delicious. I use them every chance I get. However, If you are not a huge fan of curry and cumin, you can add any spice of your choice.

http://nutritionstudies.org/recipes/meal/lentil-potato-curry-patties/

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

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chickpea ingredients

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Drain and rinse chickpeas; add to the baking sheet. Using a few paper towels, blot the chickpeas to remove excess liquid.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the oil and spices. Mix to combine. Pour oil over chickpeas; using a spatula or hands, mix together so chickpeas are coated with spices.
  4. Roast chickpeas in the preheated oven until crispy, about 35 minutes, rotating and shaking the pan halfway through the cooking process. Remove from oven and serve.

Chickpea Nutrition

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Recipes/Spicy-Oven-Roasted-Chickpeas—Hot-Chicks_UCM_485712_RecipeDetail.jsp

 

 

Summer Wrap Recipe

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Peach Wrap

Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes  •  Cook time: none

INGREDIENTS
1 can (8 ¼ ounces) sliced peaches in 100% fruit juice, drained
1 can (8 ounces) pineapple tidbits in 100% juice, drained
½ cup red or green bell pepper, chopped
½ teaspoon cinnamon
4 (10-inch) whole wheat tortillas
½ cup chunky peanut butter 3 cups lettuce (deeper-green
variety), shredded

DIRECTIONS
1.  In a medium bowl, combine peaches, pineapple, bell pepper and cinnamon.
2. Warm the tortillas.
3.  Spread 2 tablespoons of peanut butter on one side of each tortilla, leaving room on the edges.
4. Spoon equal portions of the peach mixture over peanut butter, then top with lettuce.
5. Fold the side and bottom edges of each tortilla toward the middle over the filling, then roll so
the tortilla covers the filling.

CHEF’S NOTES
Mix the drained juices with your breakfast juice if you like.
To make them more pliable before wrapping, warm tortillas. 10 to 15 seconds on high heat in the microwave, 3 to 5 minutes at 350ºF in aluminum foil in
the oven, and 15 seconds per side over medium-high on the stove top.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 430     Calories from Fat 130

Total Fat 15g Saturated Fat 2.5g Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 600mg
Total Carbohydrate 64g Dietary Fiber 8g

http://whatscooking.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/featuredlinks/MeetingYourMyPlateGoalsOnABudget.pdf

 

 

How to Eat a Rainbow

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shredded salad

serves 8

recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver via Everyday Food Magazine

  • 2 raw medium beets (any color) trimmed, scrubbed & quartered
  • 1/4 red cabbage, quartered
  • 2 large carrots, scrubbed & trimmed
  • 1/4 white cabbage, quartered
  • 1 apple, quartered
  • 1 cup walnuts, roughly bashed
  • 2 handfuls Italian parsley and mint, chopped

for the dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • sea salt & ground pepper
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • hot sauce

Put a coarse grater attachment into a food processor and push ingredients through in the following order (to stop the beets from staining everything): beets, red cabbage, carrots, white cabbage and apple. (If your food processor is small, do this in batches.) Turn vegetables out onto a platter so get a pile of rainbow colors. Mix the yogurt, mustard, vinegar, and oil, then season with salt, pepper, Worcestershire, and hot sauce.  Add walnuts and herbs and toss everything together until you get a big, beautiful plate of dressed vegetables.

http://www.shutterbean.com/2012/shredded-rainbow-salad/