Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes (about 1.5 pounds)

1 can of black beans

1 small white onion

5 corn tortillas

1 can of green chile enchilada sauce

1/2 table spoon chile powder

1/2 tablespoon cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Toss potatoes with chile powder.  Spread across baking sheet and bake for 35 min. or until tender when poked with fork.  Rinse black beans with water and put in sweet potato bowl.  Toss with cumin and cayenne pepper.

Chop onion and saute in non-stick pan until translucent.  I usually add a little water to help prevent sticking.  Once potatoes are done, reduce oven to 350.

Cut corn tortillas in halves and quarters to aid with layering.

Layer lasagna in 8×8 baking dish as follows: green chile sauce, tortillas, black beans, sweet potatoes, onions.

Once all ingredients are used up (mine makes 2 layers) top with nutritional yeast.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350.  Remove foil with 20 minutes remaining to brown the top.

Nutrition information:

6 servings

Calories: 281

Total fat: 3.1 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 596.3 mg

Potassium: 611.2 mg

Fiber: 10.5 g

Protein: 10.2 g

Check out my blog Kait’s Inside Dish for my inspiration behind these muffins and find out just how versatile they really are.

Ingredients
1 cup of Almond meal
1 cup of pure pumpkin puree
2 egg substitutes
1/4 cup of agave/maple syrup
3/4 cup of creamy almond butter
1 apple sliced and chopped into bite size pieces
5 dates chopped into bite size pieces
1 tbsp of cinnamon
1/2 tbsp of pumpkin pie spices
1 tsp of baking powder

Method
1) Preheat oven to 350

2) in a large mixing bowl add in all ingredients, mix together until batter is creamy and all ingredients are well combined

3) Place cupcake liners in tray and using a spatula fill each liner with about 3/4 with batter

4) Bake for at least 50 minutes (they may need more time, as pumpkin is quite moist and may take longer to throughout bake through).

The spanakopita was very tasty. Here’s the recipe, adapted by removing olive oil and salt.

1 pound kale, tough stems removed
Canola or other cooking spray
1 medium yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
One 16-ounce package firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt substitute
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
One 16-ounce package phyllo pastry, thawed overnight in the refrigerator

1. Coarsely chop the kale and steam until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well, squeezing out any excess moisture. Set aside.

2. Add the onion to a large skillet and cook, covered, with 2 tablespoons water over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add the kale and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes.

3. Transfer to a food processor and add the tofu, lemon juice, salt substitute, pepper and nutmeg. Process until smooth and set aside.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Unwrap the phyllo pastry and remove 10 sheets. cover with plastic wrap, then a damp towel. Tightly seal the remaining sheets and reserve for another use. Lightly coat a shallow, 10-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Place 1 phyllo sheet into the dish, pressing it gently into the bottom and sides of the dish. Spritz a small amount of cooking spray on the pastry. Top another sheet of pastry and add a little more spray. Repeat with 4 more sheets and spray. Spread the filling on the pastry and smooth the top.

5. Place a sheet of phyllo over the filling, gently pressing to smooth the top. Spray lightly and repeat with the remaining 3 sheets, spritzing each with the cooking spray. Trim the excess pastry to within 1 inch of the baking dish. Roll the trimmed edges inward and tuck into the room of the dish to make a neat edge. Spray the rolled edge.

6. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes, then cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes: I used about 5 cloves of garlic to “kick it up a notch.” Had a combination of red and black kale on hand, which turned out OK. Substituted a lemon herb spice blend for the salt. Fresh grated nutmeg is heavenly, so I added several extra pinches. (Powdered nutmeg from a bottle is not a substitute.)

The filling was smooth per the instructions, but I think leaving a little texture in would have been better. Next time I’d process the greens and seasonings lightly, then add the tofu and pulse briefly to combine.

I don’t have a 10×10″ pan, so I used an 8×8″ instead and the filling was pretty thick. I would have been better off with a 10×13″ pan and spreading the kale mixture in a thinner layer between the phyllo sheets.

My only complaint is that the spanakopita was slightly dry. A dribble of tzatziki sauce would have been perfect.

This recipe definitely gets a thumbs up from me!

Posted to Eat-2-Live

15 oz. light extra firm tofu
5 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs. mirin, rice wine, or sake
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. chili paste with garlic
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 C arugula
1 lb. green beans, trimmed
1 onion, halved and cut into slivers

Prepare med.-hot charcoal fire, or preheat gas grill, or broiler.

Wrap tofu in paper towels, and squeeze gently to remove excess water. Pat dry. Slice into 3 pieces horizontally, cut each piece in half. Set aside.

Mix together soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, chili paste and garlic in 9X13 glass baking dish. Add tofu, turn to coat and let sit for at least 15 min.

Spray tofu with cooking spray on all side and grill until browned and crusty, 3-4 min. per side. Arrange arugula on large serving platter, then arrange grilled tofu on top.

Meanwhile, add green beans and onion to remaining vinaigrette, and toss to coat. Grill beans and onion on perforated rack, stirring frequently, until beans are tender and browned, 8-10min. Arrange beans on top of tofu. pour any remaining vinaigrette on salad and serve.

***NOTE I do not have a grill, so I was planning on doing this in the broiler in the oven. I think it should work fine–I have done similar types of grill recipes this way before–and VT says that it should work okay.

1 C TVP (texturized vegetable protein)
7/8 C boiling water
1/2 C coarsely chopped onion
1 C tomato sauce
1 C cooked pinto beans
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
8 flour or corn tortillas
chopped tomatoes
shredded lettuce
salsa

Pour the boiling water of the TVP and set aside. In a large skillet, saute the onion until transparent. Add the TVP, tomato sauce, pinto beans, chili powder, and cumin. Mix well and simmer for 20 minutes.

Warm the tortillas in the oven or on a griddle. Fill each tortilla with about 1/2 C of the taco filling and top with chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and salsa.

1/2 cup coconut milk (or use soymilk + coconut extract)
1 medium onion — chopped
1 medium green bell pepper — seeded and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 10 oz package chopped collard greens — see note
1 large carrot — cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/3 cup sliced scallions — white and green parts
1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes — 1/8 to 1/4
1 15 oz can black soybeans — drained
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk in a large saucepan or small Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the onion and green pepper and sauté for 3 minutes, or until the onion softens.

Add 2 cups hot water, the remaining coconut milk, rice, collard greens, carrot, scallions, thyme, allspice, and red pepper flakes. Cover the pot bring it to a boil, and reduce the heat. Simmer until the rice is done, 15 to 20 minutes.

Mix in the soybeans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let sit, covered, until you are ready to serve.

NOTES: This is one of the quickest meals I know, although I discovered it in one of the most leisurely places on earth. Strolling along the beach near Ocho Rios in Jamaica, I came across a man cooking creamy coconut rice, smoky-tasting greens, and velvety red beans, all in an iron kettle set over a charcoal fire in a shack. He ladled out this modest food onto a paper plate, and I ate it sitting on a log beside the sea. In our high-speed world, however, you can make this meatless meal in 30 minutes thanks to frozen collards and canned beans. To use fresh collard, remove the stems from a medium bunch of the greens, about 3/4 lb. Cut the leaves crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. Boil the greens for 5 minutes and drain. There should be 3 cups cooked greens.

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1-3/4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley
3/4 cup unsweetened lite coconut milk (or soymilk plus coconut extract)
4 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 lb extra firm tofu cut in 1/2″ cubes
1/2 cup sliced scallions
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 cup small cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped peanuts

1) Stir coconut in nonstick skillet over med heat about 5 min until golden brown. Set aside.

2) Bring water and salt to boil, add rice, cover, lower heat and simmer until water is absorbed, about 18 min.

3) Puree cilantro (or parsley), 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 tsp ginger, lime juice, and half of garlic in blender/food processor. Mix puree and coconut into rice. Set aside.

4) Heat a non-stick skillet brushed or sprayed with a tiny amount of oil; stir fry tofu until golden, about 6 min. Add onions, curry, cumin, red pepper, and remaining ginger and garlic. Stir fry 1 min., Add tomatoes and remaining coconut milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5) Divide rice among 4 plates. Top with tofu mixture. Sprinkle with peanuts.

This may sound like one of my weirdest recipes, but trust me, it really works. I read about someone eating a carrot dog on a vacation and they raved about it. I was fairly skeptical, but I love the idea of having carrots in place of a processed veggie dog.

Easy and Healthy Carrot Dogs
soy-free gluten-free
serves 4 but can be easily doubled or even tripled.

• 4 organic carrots, cut into bun lengths with ends removed
• 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar with a dash of salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (can sub soy sauce but use unseasoned vinegar)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1/2 clove garlic minced
• a dash or two liquid smoke
• pepper to taste

Fill a pot about half-way full of water, heat it on high until it boils. Turn down to medium heat and add the carrots. Cook until you can just pierce it through with a fork. You want it to still have a snap when you eat it. Run cold water over them to stop them from cooking more.

Combine the other ingredients to make the marinade. Use a container that has a tight lid so you can easily shake it without spraying it all over your kitchen. Marinate at least 3  hours.

Put the carrots in the container and marinade for a few hours to up to a few days. If you marinate them longer they take on more of the vinegar flavor.

To serve heat the carrots in a 350 degree oven or on in a grill pan on a hot grill until heated through. It should take about 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve in a toasted hot dog bun with your favorite toppings. They’re great the southern way  topped with chili and cole slaw! Prep these on a weekend and you’re ready for a quick weeknight treat.

Another recipe from Healthy Slow Cooking , an all vegan (mostly slow cooker) site. Please join us on Facebook for more recipe ideas.

Just in time for the warm weather – a healthy frozen treat that doesn’t cost a fortune!

So Delicious Almond Milk Blueberry Green Tea Cheap-o-chino

Makes about 2 to 3 servings
soy-free, gluten-free

• 1 1/2 cup So Delicious Vanilla Almond Plus Milk
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries (if fresh use more ice)
• 1 teaspoon matcha powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Nu-stevia powder, optional – you may need none
• pinch of xanthan gum or 1 teaspoon pectin (do not leave out – it holds it together!)
• 1/2 cup ice

In a blender mix everything except for the xanthan gum and ice. Blend until smooth.

Then add xanthan gum (or pectin), ice and blend. This will keep the different ingredients from separating.

You can add more almond milk if it’s too thick or you can add more ice if it’s too thick.