Find more of my recipes at http://sweethealthyliving.com/.

Dense and fudgy, you would never guess these are vegan, low fat, grain free and sugar free! These truly are “guilt free!” You have to try them! I made both the brownie and the icing on the thin side. If you want a thicker brownie, double the recipe. Also, the icing helps to sweeten the brownies, so if you want a sweeter brownie with a thicker icing, double up on the icing!

Ingredients (9 large brownies)

Recipe by healthyvic.

For the full article check out my newest blog www.lacucinadikait.com

Ingredients

1 cup of ground flax seed meal

1/2 cup of water

2 tbsp of sunflower seeds

1 tbsp of sesame seeds

1 tbsp of poppy seeds

1 tbsp of vegan honey substitute (such as agave)

1/2 tbsp of garlic powder

1/2 tsp of onion powder

1/2 tsp of oregano

1/2 tsp of dried basil

1/e tsp of dried parsley

a pinch of sea salt

a pinch of fresh ground black pepper

Method

1) Preheat oven to 400, mix all ingredients together, the mixture should have a thick gelatin like texture, if you notice that yours mixture is very thin, add more flax seed meal in to thicken

2) Using a spatula pour mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet, this next part may require that you get your hands a bit dirty (but  you’re cooking…so it should be expected). Use your hands to flatten mixture so that it’s paper thin (do no use a rolling pin to flatten mixture, the mixture is very wet and will stick to the rolling pin.

3) let bake for about 20-25 minutes until crispy, make sure to check crackers every five minutes as they do cook quite fast, let cool for 10 minutes, you will notice crackers become even crispier once they are exposed to air and are still on the hot baking sheet.

4) Using kitchen shears cut crackers into squares, enjoy as is, or run to the cabinet to grab your favorite condiments and put it on top of your delicious paleo friendly cracker!

I had an intense craving for almond butter, so I spread a bit a top of these thin crispy crackers! YUM!

–Recipe by kaitsinsidedish

Baked Tofu Panini with Roasted Peppers and Caramelized Onions

The delicious elements in this sandwich can used in variety of ways, including salads, wraps, potatoes and stir fries. Adjust the vegetables to your liking. With a little preparation, you can enjoy these wonderful ingredients all week!

Baked Marinated Tofu
-         2 tablespoon maple syrup
-         3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
-         1 teaspoon chili powder
-         Dash of chipotle powder (if you like it a little spicy)
-         1 teaspoon onion powder
-         1 teaspoon garlic powder
-         Few dashes of liquid smoke (optional)
-         Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
-         1/3 cup water
-         1 package extra firm tofu (sliced into 12-13 even slices)

Combine all ingredients except for the tofu in a shallow dish. Put the tofu slices in the dish and make sure everything is covered with the marinade. Marinate overnight (ideally) but minimally for 20 minutes. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and bake slices for 25-30 minutes at 395 degrees, flipping after each 15 minutes until slightly crispy on the edges. Set aside.

Caramelized Onions
-         Cooking spray
-         2 large sweet onions
-         2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
-         Freshly ground sea salt & pepper

Slice the onions and put into pan coated generously with cooking spray. Stir occasionally and wait until onions start to brown. Once they are lightly brown and translucent, add the salt & pepper and the balsamic vinegar. You may need to add water (tablespoon at a time) if all fluids have been absorbed. Continue cooking another 5-10 minutes until soft and brown. Set aside.

Roasted Sweet Red Peppers
-         2-3 large sweet red peppers (or yellow/orange)
-         Cooking spray
-         Freshly ground sea salt & pepper

Cut the peppers lengthwise so they are long and slightly thin (to fit onto bread) and remove seeds. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and put onto sheet, spraying again with the cooking spray and lightly with the sea salt and pepper. Put into 395 degree oven for about 30 minutes or so, flipping over ½ way through. Cook until soft-tender. Set aside.

Assembling the Sandwich
-         Baked tofu from recipe above
-         Caramelized onions from recipe above
-         Roasted sweet red peppers from recipe above
-         Vegan pesto – optional but it is delicious!
-         Veggie/soy cheese (optional- mozzarella, swiss, pepper jack – whatever your favorite is!)
-         Fresh spinach
-         Toasted sliced almonds (optional)
-         Panini bread (I use Ciabatta. Make sure yours is a hearty bread that can handle a lot of ingredients)

Cut the bread in half lengthwise. Put layer of pesto first (optional), then spinach and 2 slices of cheese (optional), then one layer of sliced tofu. Next put a layer of peppers and then onions, then sprinkle some toasted almonds (optional). Coat the pan with cooking spray and grill on low heat until cheese melts and bread is crispy. Flip over carefully (some ingredients may want to spill out on you!) and repeat until thoroughly heated through. A Panini press works best but you can use a heavy lid in a regular grill pan if you don’t have one.

Serve with your favorite fruit or side dish.

**Since so many elements are made in advance (tofu, onions, peppers, pesto), I store them in the refrigerator and eat them all week. I use them in stir fries, wraps, and salads. ENJOY!

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.