Peach Almond Coffee Cake

This is one of Shayne's favorites from the Betty Crocker’s Diabetes Cookbook. The very first cookbook I bought when we learned Shayne was borderline diabetic 7 years ago. It's got some gems in it that I all too often forget about. That is until one of them is requested... and I wonder why I don't make them anymore. It's not vegan, and it doesn't fit into our new diet... but it was Father's Day and I was all about getting the man what he wants. I'll experiment some other time... This is SO yummy...

2/3 cup fat-free (skim) milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 cups reduced fat Bisquick
1/3 cup sugar/Splenda
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) peaches
½ cup artificially sweetened vanilla low-fat yogurt
¼ cup packed brown sugar (I use way less then this, like a tablespoon or so)
¼ cup sliced almonds

1. Heat oven to 375. Spray round pan, 8 x 1 ½ inches, with cooking spray. Mix milk, egg, oil and almond extract in large bowl until smooth. Stir in Bisquick and sugar until Bisquick is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Spread batter in pan.

2. Mix peaches and yogurt; spoon onto batter. Swirl lightly with knife. Sprinkle with brown sugar and almonds.

3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake near center comes out clean (it will be a little wet because of the yogurt – I just look for brown around the edges). Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.

Austin Crispy Steak Tacos with Salsa Verde

I was sure I had posted this before, since it's one of our favorites... but I couldn't find it anywhere. So here it is... and you will not be disappointed. I remember watching her make it on her daytime show like it was yesterday. I was salivating with each step... and could taste it in my mouth.

It's a meat meal, double meat actually, that we had for Father's Day. Nothing says "I love you"

around our house

these days like meat does.

So it was for sure a great treat. Shayne loves it. The kids love it. I've made a few adaptations so it's a little "healthier". It's based on a Rachael Ray, and the "real" recipe is here.

1 2-pound flank steak, cut into 4 pieces
2 medium onions, 1 peeled and quartered, 1 finely chopped, divided
2 bay leaves
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 fresno chile, seeded and finely chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 pound soyrizo
6 tomatillos, husks removed, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 avocado, pitted
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Soft flour tortillas, for serving

Place flank steak into a crockpot with the quartered onion and bay leaves. Cover with cold water and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Remove meat from pot and discard water and veggies. {Rachael cooks it in a pot, but I love cooking meat in the crockpot because not matter what quality of meat it is, the crockpot will get it nice and tender.}

Shred the steak with a fork and transfer to a medium-size mixing bowl. Add red onion, 2 cloves garlic and peppers to the bowl and combine. Season with salt and pepper and reserve.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with a little bit of water along the bottom of the pan. Add the soyrizo to the pan and cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes. Add the shredded meat and veggie mixture to the pan, spreading it out to cover the entire bottom, and cook until crispy on the bottom. Flip the mixture over and cook on the other side until crispy, about 5 minutes per side.

While the meat is cooking, place a medium pot over medium-high heat with a little bit of water on the bottom. Add the remaining chopped onion, garlic, tomatillos, and cumin to the pan, and cook until the veggies are tender and the tomatillos have begun to release their liquids, about 8 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add in the honey, avocado and cilantro and pulse to puree.

To serve, spoon some of the meat and veggie mixture in soft flour tortillas and top with the salsa verde. Serve Confetti Rice and Refried Pinto Beans alongside.

Vegetarian "Refried" Beans.

This dip is yummy... and Shayne and I find ourselves devouring it with a bag of tortilla chips. Which isn't the healthiest way to eat it... but it's gooood. It also makes a great warm bean dip or a good cold spread for sandwiches, wraps, or crackers.

4 1/2 cups cooked or 3 cans beans - black, small red, kidney, or pinto - rinsed and drained
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon groun cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried garlic granules
1 teaspoon chili powder
hot-pepper sauce to taste (optional)
a few dashes of liquid smoke (optional)

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Blend for several minutes or untilo very smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate.

For hot dip, microwave on high for about 3 mintues or heat in a skillet, stirring constantly.

Oatmeal Drop Scones.

Traditional Scottish skon recipes contained no fat at all. They were eaten immediately, warm and fresh, as these should be. Enjoy them with low-sugar jam.

1 cup old-fashioned oats1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour1 teaspoon sugar/agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1 1/4 cups nondairy milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar

sprinkle with raw sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Grind the oats to a fin meal in a dry blender. Pour into a medium bowl and add the flour, sugar/agave, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.

Mix the nondairy milk and lemon juice or vinegar in a small bowl. Pour into the dry mixture and stir briefly with a fork. Drop by large spoonfuls onto 2 nonstick baking sheets, making 12 mounds. Smooth the tops a bit with a wet fingertips. Bake for about 15 minutes. Split with a fork while still hot.

Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes:

The Scientifically Proven System for Reversing Diabetes without Drugs

Chocolate Balls.

These are now our go to treat...

There are about a million different variations out there... and ours have evolved a few times (Balls of Joy!). Where we're at now is mostly a recipe from The Kind Diet, but just adapted a bit to our needs. We like more nuts to stretch the other ingredients. The kids love them, they think the dates are chocolate balls... so it's only fitting we call them "Chocolate Balls". This is where we're at now... and the way Shayne likes them the best...

2 cups of nuts & seeds{i use: walnuts (they're the healthiest nut), almonds, pecans & sunflower seeds}

6 med jool dates, pitted

1/2 cup scant maple syrup or agave nectar

1/2 cup scant cocoa powder or carob powder

1/2 cup peanut butter or almond butter {we like pb the best}

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup coconut, shredded and unsweetened

Place the nuts in the food processor and process until coarsely ground. Add the dates, and pulse until well combined with the nuts. Add the cocoa/carob powder, syrup/nectar, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Process until the mixture is thick and smooth.

Form into small balls... I use a small cookie scoop. These are really rich, so I like small balls. You can also roll the balls in the shredded coconut...(the picture up top)... I like these best.

Put in a container or ziplock, and then stick them in the freezer until hardened.

To eat? Grab one out of the freezer, and you can risk knocking a tooth out by taking a bite right then and there - because you'll want to. Or, even better, and less risky - let it sit for a minute or so to soften a tad. SO YUM!

Variation: add a banana to the mixture just before you roll them into balls. Pulse to get it all incorporated. Don't massacre them, or they'll be juicy. Juicy is no bueno. These are a little more sticky, but are SO yummy!! And you can actually eat them right out of the freezer because they don't get super duper hard.

Veggie Cookies

After a weekend in Houston, sharing my food knowledge with my sister in law Jami, she showed me one of her gems... these cookies. They're yummy... and what's even better?! There isn't a single unhealthy thing in them!!

1/3 cup applesauce {or 1/3 cup oil}

1/2 cup agave nectar {or 3/4 cup honey}

2 tablespoons flax meal

3 tablespoons water

1/8 teaspoon baking powder {the previous 3 or 1 egg}

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup grated zucchini

1 cup grated carrot

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup nut dust & seeds of your choice {combo of almonds, walnuts, pecans,

1 cup craisins, raisins or chocolate chips

Mix wet ingredients, add dry ingredients. And then mix in oats, nuts/seeds and chocolate chips/craisins/raisins. Put cooking spray on a baking sheet and drop mix by spoonfuls or use a cookie scoop. These don't spread out like others do, so you can put them kinda close.

Bake 375*F for 10-12 minutes.

Let cool, then freeze. Seriously. Let 'em cool, then put in a freezer ziplock or container and stick them in the freezer. They taste good at room temp, or straight out of the oven. Just ask my kids... they tore them up!! But they're so much better, frozen and then eaten right out of the freezer.

And when your daughter asks you, "Mom, are these healthy? Can I have another one?" You can yes... why yes you can!

makes 36-37 cookies

(with a big cookie scoop)

Tomato-Rice Soup with Roasted Garlic and Navy Beans

I love me some roasted garlic... and all throughout a soup - yum! This was awesome soup, amazingly healthy... the only downfall was we were eating hot soup in 97* weather. I followed the recipe, but added some kale at the end. And it called for a can of navy beans, but I added the leftovers from the Rustic White Beans and Mushrooms. Perfect. It made a ton of soup, so I froze half of it for a later don't-feel-like-cooking day.

2 bulbs garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium-size yellow onion, diced as small as possible

1 cup long-grain brown rice (I actually love the short-grain brown rice from the bulk bins at Sprouts, I always have that on-hand, so I use that)

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

2 teaspoons salt

several pinches of freshly ground black pepper

2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can navy beans, drained and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups)

PREHEAT the oven to 425*F. Roast the garlic for about 45 minutes, until soft. You should be able to feel if it's soft by pressing with a knife or your finger.

Preheat a soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onions in the olive oil for 5 to 7 minutes, until translucent.

Add the rice, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, then fill up the can with water twice and add the water (that's 56 ounces of water).

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes.

Remove the garlic from the oven. When it is cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skin and into a small bowl. Use a for to mash the garlic to a relatively smooth consistency, then add to the soup once the rice is nearly tender.

When the rice is completely cooked, add the beans and heat through. Then it's ready to serve - just remove the bay leaves beforehand.

BELLY BITERS:

shayne {yum} jen {yum!} ava {eh.} nolan {"it's gooood!"} corynn {tore.it.up!}

Veganomicon, pg 137

serves 10 to 12

time: 45 minutes

Spinach Linguine with Basil-Cilantro Pesto and Artichokes

Spinach Linguine with Basil-Cilantro Pesto and Artichokes

When I made the pesto earlier in the day, it was heavenly... and I knew any addition to it would be awesome too. And it was. I'm going to try this pesto with the sandwiches we love from Corner Bakery.

1/2 pound spinach linguine (i used brown rice spinach spaghetti)
2 tablespoons of fat-free oil substitute
1 medium-size red onion, sliced into thin half-moons
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons white cooking wine, veggie broth, or water
1/2 teaspoon salt
several pinches of freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe Basil-Cilantro Pesto (see below)
1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced in fourths

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to the package directions, usually about 10 minutes. Once you've added the pasta to the water, proceed with the recipe.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and saute the onion in the oil substitute until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for a minute more. Add the white wine, salt and pepper, and cook for another minute or two. Lower the heat to low. At this point, the linguine should be done.

When the linguine is ready, don't drain it. Use a pasta spoon to transfer it to the pan in batches. This is a good method because you can use the pasta water to thin out the pesto and make sure that everything gets evenly coated. When you add one batch, add a bit of the pesto, too, and using the pasta spoon, saute to coat. Proceed with the rest of the pasta and pesto until you've added all of it. If it seems dry, add extra splashes of pasta water.

Add the artichoke hearts and toss to coat. Cook gently over low heat just until the artichokes are heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately!

Veganomicon, pg 191

serves 4

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Basil-Cilantro Pesto

In the book they say this is their "cheapskate" pesto because they're using a cheaper nut, almonds, instead of the traditional pine nuts. I guess "cheapskate" translates to awesome in my book, because that's what this stuff was... awesome! I could eat it by the spoonful. And with using my fat-free oil substitute instead of oil - I could... and did... and not feel a bit bad about it!

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
1/3 cup slivered  or sliced almonds
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fat-free oil substitute

Place the basil, cilantro, almonds, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor and blend until pasty, scraping down the sides occasionally. With the food processor on, slowly drizzle in the oil substitute. Blend until relatively smooth and no large chunks of almonds are left. If you don't have a food processor and are using a blender (i did this so i didn't have to get out the big food processor), then just add the olive oil at the end, since many blenders aren't equipped with and opening to drizzle into.

Veganomicon, pg 214

makes about 1 cup

time: 10 minutes

BELLY BITERS:

Jen {Mmmm} Shayne {yum} Ava {yum} Nolan {yum} Corynn {tore.it.up}

Banana-Wheat Germ Muffins

YUM! I was thinking we'd have some left over for snacks tomorrow. Should have known better, that my 3 adult size proportions kids would finish them off. Shayne and I of course helped. I made with safflower oil, next time I'll just do applesauce. They seemed a little heavy because of the oil.

1 cup plain soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 very ripe bananas
1/3 cup canola oil/applesauce
shy 1/3 cup agave nectar (or 1/3 cup sugar)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour
3/4 cup wheat germ
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 375*F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

Pour the soy milk into a measuring cup and add the vinegar to it. Set it aside to curdle.

Meanwhile, mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl. Add the soy milk mixture to the bowl along with the oil, agave nectar, and vanilla, and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Add this to the banana mixture and use a wooden spoon to gently stir the ingredients, until all the dry ingredients are just moistened.

Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full and bake for 22 minutes. Remove from the oven and, once cool enough to handle, transfer to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way. You can also serve them warm, if you like!

Veganomicon, pg 226

makes 12 muffins

time: about 40 minutes

BELLY BITERS:

shayne {new faves!} jen {yum!} ava {double yum!} nolan {yum!} corynn {yum!}

Rustic White Beans and Mushrooms

This was one of the first recipes I tried from my library checked out copy of Veganomicon... and it was good enough for me to want to buy the book - thanks to those mushrooms. It was also my first time to cook old beans, and see just how bad beans can not turn out. I tried it this time with the Sage Bread Crumb topping, which made the dish this go-round. It made a lot, even for our big appetite family... and we're not huge on leftovers... So I was glad I found the leftovers useful in the Tomato-Rice Soup with Roasted Garlic and Navy Beans. Score!

Veganomicon, pg 120

serves 6 to 8

time: about 65 minutes (not including bean-soaking time) 

BELLY BITERS:

shayne {eh.} jen {alright} ava {loved the beans, hated the shrooms} nolan {good} corynn {loved!}

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

These are from The Kind Diet, and were really good... although I'm still deciding how I feel about carob (considered a "healthier" alternative to cocoa because it's caffeine free and has three times as much calcium then cocoa powder). I also used puffed millet instead of the graham crackers - and I liked the additional crunch. I just love eating sweets that I don't need to feel bad about.

Wainbow Waps

I am so, so, soooo excited about these. Other then drinking shrek shakes, my kids aren't over the moon about vegetables. They'll do broccoli and corn, and maybe a few others. But slowly I've been wearing them down. First, salad. And now, wraps. I've learned with kids that if you give something a cool name, put it in a wrap or on a bun and get them involved making/assembling stuff - they're almost golden to eat whatever. Though I guess it also takes a bit of "molding" like I've been doing lately, also.  

Nolan has always eaten these well, the kid loves anything in a tortilla - and sprouts and avocado are his favorite. Ava has taken a bit more "brainwashing". So, after they had already downed their pb&j's for lunch - and weren't ravishing animals anymore...I offered them a wrap. I was about to make some wraps for Shayne and I when I got my bright idea of calling them WAINBOW WAPS (totally fun to say) and having them help make them. I think that's what won Ava over.

The kids now eat 2 of them for lunch. This is what we had in them today - on picture day...

a multi-grain tortilla, hummus (below), black beans, red peppers, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, yellow peppers, sprouts, avocado and black beans

A HUMMUS RECIPE

2 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
{i didn't have and used a can of navy beans & pinto beans - so yum!}
1/3 cup fat-free oil substitute (or olive oil)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons sesame tahini
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup water, more or less for desired thickness
pinch of ground cumin or ground coriander (optional - did both)
salt and pepper
paprika (preferably Hungarian smoked - or just smoked)

Place half the chickpeas and oil substitute in a blender {makes it more creamier then a big ole food processor}. Pulse several times, stopping to stir with a rubber spatula. When the mixture is almost pureed and creamy, add the remaining chickpeas and oil, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, cumin, and a little salt. Pulse, stopping to stir several times, until the mixture is very creamy. Season with salt and pepper; add more lemon juice to taste if necessary.

Transfer to an airtight container and chill for 30 minutes before serving. To serve: spread into a shallow bowl, dust with paprika, and drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil on top. (i just added the paprika when i mixed and forgot about the pretty drizzle of olive oil - no need for cute presentation for lunch)

I've added 2 roasted red peppers to this, and it turned out yummy. Another recipe variation is to add 2-3 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill and parsley to it. Can't wait to try that since my "Ranch Hummus" I made for Ava a while back didn't turn out so stellar.

Veganomicon, pg 67

serves 4

time: 10 minutes, plus chill time

Soyrizo Black Bean Soup with Tender Barley Cornbread

This is one of the first recipes I converted over to our new lifestyle diet. We all love it, and there's never any leftovers. If you want the "real deal", check it out here on Lugubrious Delights or straight from Racheal Ray herself.

1 pound soyrizo (i get it at Sprouts)
1 small onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
2 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Salt and ground black pepper
4 14-ounce cans black beans, drained
3/4 to 1 quart vegetable stock, depending on desired thickness
1 ripe avocado
1 lime, cut in wedges
1/2 cup (about a handful) flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, chopped

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add some water to thinly cover the bottom and add the soyrizo. Cook until cooked through (see package instructions for cooking details), about 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and reserve.

Add some more water to the pan to thinly cover and add the onion, garlic, serrano peppers, smoked paprika, salt and ground black pepper to the pan, and cook until the onions are tender, 5-6 minutes. Keep any eye on the water, add more to prevent sticking and to keep steam-frying.

Add the black beans and vegetable stock to the pan, and bring the liquids up to a bubble. Ladle a couple of scoops of the soup into the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot and stir in the soyrizo. 

Serve the soup topped with avocado, a squirt of lime juice and cilantro. YUM!

BELLY BITERS:

all love, love, love this one!

Tender Barley Cornbread

This cornbread is awesome. Super healthy and super fast. It's our new staple. I just ground barley up in my food processor instead of buying overpriced barley flour. Plus, I love the texture the little pieces that don't get quite so ground give.  When it's all done baking, while it's still warm, I spread a little agave nectar on top to sweeten it a little more.

3/4 cup yellow stone-ground cornmeal
1/2 cup barley flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour (regular or pastry flour)
2 tablespoons sugar (or a tad shy of 2 T. agave nectar)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup reduced-fat soy milk
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

Preheat the oven to 425*F. Whisk together the cornmeal, barley and whole wheat flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add the soy milk and applesauce and stir just until mixed. Scrape into and 8" x 8" nonstick baking pan and smooth the top. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Cut the hot cornbread into squares.

Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes, pg 195

BELLY BITERS:

all love, love, love this one!

Banana-Berry Oatmeal Bar

These are from a book by Kelly Freston, Quantum Wellness. Who, I'm not gonna lie, I saw on Oprah... and was interested to see more of what she was about. She had a lot of good stuff in her book - agreed on all of her food stuff. And if I didn't turn somewhere else for my spiritual well-being - I'd probably groove on a lot of her stuff.

BUT, her food was good. I'm excited to add this to my list of healthy snacks/treats and they freeze well. Which turns out to be awesome for me when I forget to close the freezer door, thawed out 3 bags of berries.... and needed to find something to do with them.

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
1/3 cup agave nectar
4 ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
1/3 cup chopped almonds

Preheat the oven to 425*F.

Lightly grease a 13" x 9" baking pan.

In a large bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the agave nectar, bananas, and vanilla.

Gradually add the flour and oats, alternating, into the banana mixture until incorporated. If it is getting too thick, add vanilla soy milk. Fold in the berries and nuts.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 25 minutes or until golden (my Texas climate took 21 minutes - so watch 'em). Cool and cut into bars.

Makes 2 dozen.

Berry Steel Cut Oatmeal

Berry Steel Cut Oatmeal

We all eat a variation of this for breakfast every morning. I'll post the basic and the different variations. 

Morning of Cooking Method: Add 1 cup of oats and 3 cups of water, bring to boil - lower heat and cook til your desired texture. Usually 20-30 minutes. I really like them this way, but with the way we slowly get and how starving we all are in the mornings - it's hard to pull off that cooking time.

So, we usually do the Night Before cooking method. Which is arguably the healthier way to eat the oats. Since they're not being exposed to heat for a long period of time, it doesn't break down the nutrients. So... the night before, boil 3 cups of water. Once the water is boiling, add 1 cup of steel cut oats or groats, take off heat, stir and then put the lid on it. The oats will "cook" overnight. In the morning just warm the pot up enjoy!

Mine & Coco's variation:

oatmeal, berry blend (blueberry, marion berry & raspberry - from Cosstco), bananas, nut dust & agave nectar

(the blueberry/banana combo is heavenly - but then when I added in the raspberries - it put it out of the park! I could eat that every morning for the rest of my life - oh wait - i do. Although this warm summer is causing me to start out the day sweating - no bueno. So, I just don't warm it up as much as I'd like to)

Ava's preferred variation:

oatmeal, blueberries, bananas, nut dust & agave nectar

Nolan's preferred variation:

oatmeal, strawberries, bananas, nut dust & agave nectar

(though he'd prefer bran flakes & bananas, I'm trying to wean him off)

Shayne's variation:

oatmeal, Splenda & silk

(and then he chokes it down - hasn't quite been converted)

SWEET AND SOUR THAI NOODLE BOWLS

From my girl Rachael Ray... modified for our belly bites. She will always and forever remain "my girl" for giving me some of my most favorite meals - even if we've changed what goes into our bellies. I'll just keep modifying.

Shayne loves this and said he could eat this once a week... It's a lot of the same ingredients as our favorite tilapia dish - so I figured it'd be a for sure thing with him. I told Shayne when we decided to change our eating that I'd die finding meals that left him fulfilled and happy the way his meat made him - and this is one of them. Yeah!! If you want to see the RR version, with meat - check it out here.

1 pound whole wheat or whole grain spaghetti
2 leeks, thinly sliced and thoroughly cleaned {I usually use just one}
A couple of generous handfuls shitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 inches ginger root, grated
1/3 cup Tamari (or Bragg's Liquid Aminos - healthier and a quarter of the sodium)
2 tablespoons agave syrup or honey
2 limes, zest and juice of 1, the other cut into wedges, divided
Sriracha or other hot sauce, to taste
2 cups shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce
Cilantro or basil, chopped, for garnish

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Add salt and cook pasta to al dente.

When the pasta goes into the water, heat some water (enough to fill the bottom of the pan) in a large skillet over high heat add leeks and mushrooms to the skillet and stir-fry 2 minutes. Keep adding water once it's evaporated out. Add garlic and ginger, and cook a minute more. Stir in Tamari (or Liquid Aminos), agave syrup or honey, lime zest and juice, and hot sauce to taste.

In a large serving bowl, toss veggies with the meat, noodles and lettuce to combine. Garnish with cilantro or basil and serve with lime wedges alongside.

YUM!!

Shrek Shakes: REborn.

{I tried to make the Shrek Shake look a little more glamorous or enticing... did it work?}

Since my first post on Shrek Shakes - over a year and a half ago, I've changed them up a little. I highly recommend them... it's the best way to get greens into yours and your kids diets.

I've converted a few people to Shrek Shakes, which I am very, very proud of. I was going to make a flow chart of who I've converted - one of these days. It makes me so happy when someone else tells me they're eating them regularly. Or when I see my nephew gulp his down and ask for more. happy. Or when my old bishop's wife tells me she's taught her 10th graders in her health class how to make them. happy. Or when my son asks for them out of no where. happy.

Basically you want to get as many greens into the shake/smoothie that you can handle. In first starting out - have more fruits then greens - then gradually add in more greens.

a tablespoon of flax seed for each person that's going to drink it.

Blend in blender, until it's ground into a fine meal. Grinding it enhances their digestibility and therefore their nutritional value. Don't buy the already ground stuff - buy it whole. A lot of the nutritional value is depleted once it's ground and then sits. (Sprouts $0.79/lb) 1-2 bananas other then the greens, this is the key to the shake. I wouldn't eat a shake without the bananas. They give the shake the smooth, creamy texture you want... which combat the texture the pureed greens put off. 2 handfuls of berries strawberries and a berry blend are our favorites. If your kids are leery about drinking a green smoothie - put blueberries in them - and the color will be more of a purpley. Fill with enough water to cover and blend. Carrot. Helps sweeten it a little. Blend. Add in your greens. Any greens...and as much as you can handle. Blend after each bit, this is what'll take some work... breaking down all the greens. Unless you've got one of those covetous BlendTec's that I'm saving up for. But make sure you've got it good and blended... Spinach - enough to reach the top. Blend that down, and then do it again. (any, I get mine at Costco: $3.59/lb organic) Add 2 -3 big leaves of collard greens, blend. (any store $0.99-$1.29 - depending on season and size of bunch) 2-3 leaves of kale, blend. For a long time. Kale really needs to be broken down so the body can absorb all of it's nutritional value - and so it doesn't leave kale bits in it... so not cool to come across one of those in a bite! (any store $0.99-$1.29 - depending on season and size of bunch) a splash of vanilla. This is a new thing I've added since the beginning, and I love the way it tastes. I tried it after falling in love with the vanilla flavored protein powder I used while I was running a ton and training. Then add some sweetener, either: squeeze of agave nectar, or 1-2 med jool date(s) (Costco or Sprouts) and/or a scoop of Coconut oil is also makes it taste amazing and has great benefits... Then I add 5-6 cubes of ice, blend. I cannot stand a warm shrek shake, no bueno.

Then you're all done! My family will drink a pitcher full, Shayne and I drink big plastic cups full and the kids drink the little Ikea cups full. They're awesome and is the single greatest thing I have ever done for my family - nutritionally!

And yeah, you do get sick of them every once in awhile... so you go on a Shrek Shake Strike, which I did last week. But then you gain 5 lbs., and quickly get back on them... because I'm sure it all plays off of each other.

BERRY BANANA WHOLE WHEAT MUFFINS

This is a recipe I found on my sisters childhood friend's blog, Welcome to Beanland. She's way into healthy living, and where I found a lot of my early inspiration. She's also got some good info on a Healthy Minds and Bodies Group she does... something I'd totally love to do around here. Anyhow, these are super yummy, super healthy - and freeze great.

1 Jumbo egg + 1 TBS flax meal (or instead of egg use 2 T. flax meal + 1/8 teaspoon baking powder + 3 tablespoons water, OR 1/2 of a mashed ripe banana plus 1/4 teaspoon baking powder) OR you can use 2 regular eggs
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup vegetable oil (or pumpkin puree)
½ cup packed brown sugar (1/3 cup agave nectar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 bananas, mashed (could puree)

Whisk together. Combine in a separate bowl:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Stir into dry, then add:
1 heaping cup frozen 3 berry blend (or any frozen berries. Mine is the 3 blend from Costco, blueberry, marion, and raspberry)

Grease regular muffin tins and fill all the way up. Sprinkle with brown sugar (optional). Bake at 375 F for 15-20 minutes.

Black Bean Stoup

{the nonvegan picture}

I was reminded that I need to post this Ava favorite on here when she requested it for her birthday dinner. Love that my girl wants this for her pick any meal you want meal! It's a Rachael Ray Recipe (from her 365: No Repeats Cookbook) that I LOVE and could eat once a week myself! So much flavor! Shayne likes it all pureed. Which makes for a yummy, creamy texture. Here's the vegan, no oil version (which is the new lifestyle change we're on).

water
1 dried bay leaf
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 celery ribs with greens, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
3 - 15 oz. cans black beans
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
Salt and black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce
1 qt. vegetable stock or broth (I use 3 cups because I like it a little thicker, especially if I puree it)
1 – 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 to 3 scallions, chopped

Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add enough water to cover the bottom, then add the bay leaf , jalapeños, garlic, celery, and onions. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the bell peppers and continue to cook. Make sure to keep an eye on the water, if it's all evaporating out, add a little more so it doesn't burn or stick.

Drain 2 cans of beans and add them. With the remaining can, pour the juice and half the beans into the pot. Use a fork to mash up the beans remaining in the can. Stir the mashed beans into the pot and season with the cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the hot sauce.

Add the stock and tomatoes to the stoup and bring to a bubble. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat.

This is when I puree or just ladle up the black bean stoup and top with scallions.

This is the face of a birthday girl super excited to eat her black bean soup!!

Fat-Free Oil Substitute

Our new EVOO from Reversing Diabetes. It's been a little tricky seeing what it's good and not so helpful in. It doesn't prevent sticking when roasting, but it does help dressings stick to the greens - without oil. 

1 cup cold water
1 tablespoon low-sodium vegetarian broth powder
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Place the water in a small saucepan and whisk in the broth powder and cornstarch. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and clear.

I make 2 cups at a time and refrigerate the extra.