High -Protein Oat Waffles.

This is another favorite from Reversing Diabetes... I love how crispy they are. If a waffle ain't crispy, it should just be a pancake... as far as I'm concerned. Best thing is that it's all in a blender and a waffle iron.

I always double and freeze leftovers. Here's the doubling for what I do, the single recipe is below.

1 cup dried white beans (cannellini, white kidney or great Northern beans)
4 1/2 cups water
3 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons whole flaxseed
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
2 teaspoons salt

The night before: Place the beans in a large bowl and cover generously with water. Refrigerate overnight or for up to a week.

In the morning: Drain the beans, discarding the soaking water. Place in a blender with fresh water and the oats, nectar, flaxseed, baking powder, extracts, and salt. Blend until smooth, light, and foamy. Set aside and preheat a nonstick waffle iron. {Setting asides allows for the flaxseed to do its thickening thang}

Pour a generous 1/3 cup of batter onto the hot waffle iron, close the iron, and cook for 4-5 minutes. If the iron is hard to open, let the waffle cook for another minute or two.

Repeat with the remaining batter. If the batter thickens while standing, blend or add enough water to return it to its original consistency.

The waffle should be golden brown and crisp (my favorite part). Serve immediately or cool completely on a rack and freeze. Serve with your favorite toppings.

our favorites...
maple syrup & nut dust
peanut butter and sliced bananas
banana frosting and fruit syrup

10 - 4" Waffles
1/2 cup dried white beans (cannellini, white kidney or great Northern beans)
2 1/4 cups water
1 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
2 tablespoons sugar or 1 tablespoon agave nectar
3/4 tablespoon whole flaxseed
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, OR 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3/4 teaspoon orange, almond, or coconut extract
1 teaspoon salt

Calzones.

My Mom and I have been meaning to test out a vegan "cheese" sauce. We even bought a case of the nutritional yeast and were ready to go. We just had to find the right one. 

Enter a conversation with Mandy telling me about this recipe on our friends blog that had a vegan cheese sauce. I was super excited to check it out and give it a try. It did not disappoint! I hijacked her recipe and made a few of my adjustments below. Thank you Brooke!! What's awesome about it is it's endless possibilities!!

Calzones

pizza dough recipe (below)

tomato sauce
basil
mozzarella "cheese" sauce (below)
toppings: chopped onions, diced cremini mushrooms, chopped baby spinach, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, etc.

Make pizza dough. While it is rising prepare the filling. For the filling saute the veggies for a couple minutes. Make sure they're still tender-crisp. You definitely don't want soggy veggies! After the dough has risen, roll it out onto an oiled jelly roll pan. Spread your sauce lengthwise on half of the dough, sprinkle with basil. Layer with veggies. Top with mozzarella "cheese" sauce. Flip over the empty half of the crust and press down around the edges to seal in filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Slice and serve!

Whole Wheat Breadstick Dough

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
2 tablespoons shy agave nectar
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups whole wheat flour

Mix water, yeast and agave. Let sit for about 3-4 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and salt to mixture. Mix until smooth and elastic. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups flour. Knead for 3-5 minutes. Place on lightly oiled jelly roll pan to rise for 10 minutes (can skip this step if in a hurry).

Mozzarella Cheese Sauce-Vegan

I cannot wait to use this for other things. Brooke says to make it smoky add 1/8 teaspoon of liquid hickory smoke. Yum!!

1 cup water
2 small cloves of roasted garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons tahini (the larger amount makes it "cheesier")
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons rolled oats
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick.

Belly Biters: TOTAL hit!! And better yet, it didn't have that I want to be like cheese, but I'm not, taste. Yum!

Wheatberry Pancakes

These are a new favorite, fast pancake. Hearty, fluffy, kinda cakey and all you need is a blender. I heated up some far-too-liquid-to-use-for-jam homemade jam on them. Or heat up some berries add a little agave or maple syrup, smash them up and use that for jam. I rounded out the meal with Shrek Shakes. A total blender meal. I double this for my family.

1 cup wheat berries (whole wheat kernels)

1 tablespoon whole flaxseed

2 cups water

1/3 cup chickpea flour (besan) or low-fat soy flour {i used rye}

1 tablespoon sugar/agave nectar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Place the wheat berries, flaxseed, and water in a blender and process at high speed for about 2 minutes. Add the flour and process for 2 to 3 minutes or until very smooth. Add the sugar, lemon juice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and process until well mixed.

Heat a heavy nonstick griddle or skillet over high heat until drops of water dance on the surface and then quickly disappear. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Working in batches if necessary, pour dollops of batter quickly onto the griddle, leaving space to expand. When bubbles appear on the surface, gently flip the pancakes. Don't overcook; they should be a bit fluffy when you take them off the griddle, so they are light and cakey. Yum!

Makes 12 - 4" pancakes (3 servings). Per serving: 261 calories, 11 g protein, 53 g carbohydrates, 6 g sugar, 3g total fat, 9% calories from fat, 0mg cholesterol, 9g fiber, 534 mg sodium.

Belly Biters: all loved!

Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes, pg197

Lentil Fajita Soup.

Pretty much this, just with lentils instead of the chicken and minus the cheese and chicken stock. Yum!

On the Light Side.

Pasadena Salad

Banana Wheat Germ Muffins

Corn on the Cobb

What's funny about this meal is that 3 months ago Shayne would have been totally turned off by this meal. This salad is awesome and these muffins are killer! And there's nothing like seeing your 17 month old daughter eat her first ever corn on the cobb!

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.