I’ve attempted to create granola-type bars in the past and haven’t been happy with the results. I got lucky this time. These are super easy to make and very quick. They are packed with Omega-3’s, protein and fiber.
Note: this recipe is only gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free oats and oat flour, which are both easy to come by.
My friend Kathy asked me to make a scone in this flavor, so I did. 🙂
I have faith in scones again.
I stopped eating them years ago, after I changed my eating ways to low-fat, plant-based. A sad time in a way. I loved my new healthy path, but I also really loved scones. And cookies. And donuts. And cakes. And pastries. I always say “if I could give that stuff up, anybody can!” It’s not like I ate them all the time but I treated myself more than I should have. Vegan treats and baked goods are becoming more mainstream, but they are by no means healthy. The animal products have been removed (win!) but they still have a ton of fat and heavily refined ingredients. Which is why I love creating healthier versions of fattening vegan baked goods. These scones fit right in with that mission. Are they health food that should be eaten all the time? No. But they sure are better for you than most, and satisfy a craving without putting your health at risk and creating a ton of guilt! Enjoy!
This sprinkle is a great way to add a cheesy/salty flavor to any food. The main ingredient is nutritional yeast which is a deactivated yeast, unlike the type used in breads. It is a source of protein and vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamins, and is a complete protein. It is also naturally low in fat and sodium, and is free of sugar,dairy, and gluten.
I sprinkle this delicious mixture on steamed greens, broccoli, salads, baked white and sweet potatoes, popcorn…basically everything savory.
I needed something to eat for lunch and the red lentils in the pantry got my attention. I literally threw these ingredients together without a plan, and was SO happy with the result. It’s hard to believe something this easy could be so flavorful. It was so good in fact that I included the dish in an Indian themed feast I cooked this past weekend. It was a big hit along with the Indian Spiced Cabbage, Roasted Aloo (potatoes), brown basmati rice and whole wheat flat bread. 
Red lentils are great because in addition to being extremely healthy and low-fat, they are quick-cooking. They can be used in sauces to add fiber and protein, or as the main ingredient along with a few others such as the recipe here. Unlike brown/green lentils they break down easily, blending in with whatever else is in the dish. They also end up being more yellow in color, even though they are called red and start out more of an orange color. At 140 calories per cup (dry), 0 grams of fat, 7 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein, red lentils are a great addition to the diet.
In this dish I used two different types of curry powder, but you don’t have to. Regular curry is the yellow/orange version you see in most stores. Different brands can taste different from each other, with some more mild than others. Madras curry is another type that is similar to regular but with more spice. Berbere curry is an Ethiopian version, that has a smokier scent/flavor and is much spicier than the others. Feel free to use whatever variety you have on hand, or a combination like I’ve done here. The measurements I used result in a mild dish. As I’ve said before, I’m a spice wimp.
This is a recipe I’ve had on my website for a long time but I revamped it last night and it’s so much better now. I recommend topping with a squeeze of lime, a drizzle of Sour Un-Cream and Cornbread Muffins ((find in Recipes). Make sure to read the NOTES at the bottom of the recipe for important tips.
These muffins are a great way to enjoy the taste and texture of cornbread without all the fat and calories. Very easy to make and delicious with my Veggie Crock Pot Chili or White Bean Chili. See Notes for the gluten-free option.
A friend recently posted a link to a scone recipe. The recipe called for whole wheat flour, and the addition of fruit, making it seem like a healthier version. I opened the link only to find the recipe was anything but healthy. It called for 1 cup whole cream, 1 stick of butter, an egg and and egg white. Yes, whole wheat is better than white, but with all the other unhealthy ingredients still there, it hardly makes a difference changing the flour and adding some fruit. Herein lies the problem with the way so many people eat. Adding a single food or nutrient, or taking it out, won’t really make much difference in health outcomes. We must pay attention to the overall pattern and big picture. As my friend and mentor Dr. Pam Popper says, “the totality of the diet and lifestyle”.
I was determined to “healthify” (not really a word, but I’m going with it) the recipe. I thought I would just be able to sub out good stuff for bad, but ended up basically creating a whole new recipe. I don’t use oil or vegan butter in my baked goods, but I did use a small amount here. Scones are all about fat, and I felt I needed some for them to turn out like anything resembling a scone. Keep in mind these are lighter than traditional scones because they aren’t loaded with fat. The average scone has 20-30 grams of fat (a day’s worth), so you’d have to expect this healthy version, which has about 3, to be a little different. They are still delicious, especially when you know arteries aren’t being clogged, and thighs or bellies aren’t growing during consumption!
NOTE: Use organic strawberries, as conventionally grown strawberries are very heavily sprayed with harmful pesticides. Or, feel free to use a different type of berry.
Banana. I love it anyway I can get it. Straight up banana, banana bread, banana non-dairy ice cream, banana sandwich (with a little peanut butter, of course), or these delicious super healthy donut-muffins I made the other day. Shaped like a donut, with the dense texture of a muffin, these are little cuties really are tasty. Thanks to Chef AJ for the original recipe and Healthy Girl’s Kitchen for tweaking them a bit and posting the recipe here: http://healthygirlskitchen.blogspot.com/2013/03/chef-ajs-just-banana-muffins-possibly.html#more
The only change I made was I added 1/2 tsp nutmeg. These healthy treats have zero added sugar – they are sweetened naturally by the bananas, apple sauce and apple juice. They aren’t super sweet, which is partly why
I like them. While I still have a sweet tooth, thankfully it takes very little to satisfy it since I changed my evil eating ways. It’s confirmation that I really was a sugaraholic before.
I used a combination of my one donut pan (makes 6), and 6 muffins. I cooked them for 22 minutes, but the muffins, which are a little taller than the donuts, could have used another minute or 2 in the oven. The recipe doesnt specify banana size. My bananas were ginormous so I only used 3. So, I’m assuming using 4 average sized bananas would work perfectly.
Well…sort of. Got your attention didn’t I? Let me explain….
Vegan and vegetarian restaurants seem to really be gaining popularity and popping up more and more. This is amazing and wonderful! The fact that it’s happening means there is a demand for it, and I couldn’t be happier about that. There is just one problem. Much of the food at these restaurants is the opposite of healthy, despite the fact that it’s plant-based. Sure, you won’t find a fatty piece of meat smothered in cheese, but you may be surprised to realize the amount of fat and calories that are in many of the dishes offered at these “healthy” restaurants.
I know this from experience. My family and I often eat at a vegan restaurant called The Veggie Grill. Most of the options are transitional foods – so, they are made to resemble the real thing, however, they are made from plants. For example, their “carne asada” is made from soy protein. These items are great for people moving away from the standard American diet. Personally, I don’t care for that type of thing. I didn’t enjoy the taste of meat before I changed my diet for good – I don’t want something that tastes just like the real thing. Plus, I try to eat only whole foods, and faux meat products aren’t that. So, I would usually get a sandwich made with a tempeh patty, or my personal favorite, the All Hail Kale. This salad is marinated raw kale, some quinoa, raw red cabbage slaw, a handful of slightly sweetened walnuts, served with a ginger-papaya dressing (the same thing in which the kale has been marinated. A very light dressing – or so I thought). Sounds light and healthy right? Wrong. I spent some time looking at their Nutrition Facts page on their website and was amazed, and saddened, by what I found. If I were to eat that salad the way I listed it above (and I did eat it), WITHOUT using the side of dressing, the grand total for grams of fat would be…drum roll please…..FIFTY THREE. I’ll put it another way. 53!! If I had added tempeh which I often do, and used the dressing, the fat count would have been 73. That’s more than TWO bacon cheeseburgers! I realize it’s without cholesterol and mega doses of saturated fat, but still!! I emailed the company hoping the numbers were typos (no luck) and was told they use rice bran oil in the marinade which is why its so high in fat. And since it’s pre-marinated, you can’t ask for it without. Well, you can ask, but you won’t get it. I was also told the only way to reduce calorie/fat content would be to order a lunch size portion – which is still 28 grams, btw, and not enough food in my opinion.
The innocent looking All Hail Kale Salad. Same calorie count and nearly twice as much fat as a bacon cheeseburger.
According to diet-centered medicine experts, we should be consuming a diet consisting of no more than 15% fat. So, for somebody consuming 2000 calories a day, that’s 30 grams of fat. This number should be less for somebody trying to lose weight or reverse a disease. Puts that 73 grams for a supposedly healthy salad into perspective doesn’t it?
Some examples of menu items and their values:
Grilled “chicken” wrap = 690 calories, 34 grams of fat. Kid’s mac-n-cheese = 470 calories, 27 grams of fat. Portobello mushroom burger = 360 calories, 17 grams of fat. They do offer a few soups, a green salad, and chili (if you get it without sour cream) that are lower in fat, but the majority of menu items are up there.
I’m pleased as punch that these restaurants exist, as I said. And I’m not saying we should avoid patronizing them. What bothers me is they really aren’t making much of an effort to make the food healthy, while making it plant-based (and I realize by virtue of making it plant-based it’s already healthier, but we can do better here!). Creating a kale salad consisting of over 50 grams of fat, (sans dressing), is almost irresponsible. I get that a “burger” and sweet potato fries is going to be fattening, vegan or not, and these are meals people need to be careful of regularly consuming, but a kale salad??? C’mon!
Reason for my rant is this. I want everyone to beware and understand that just because something is vegan or plant-based does not mean it’s healthy. I’m thrilled restaurants like this exist but people need to realize they are like most other restaurants – they want to sell what tastes good. Fat tastes good. And no matter what they tell you, fat is fat. Good fat, bad fat, doesn’t matter. It’s gonna end up on your bod if you eat too much (and create a slew of health problems in the process). That being said, food CAN taste fabulous without being so high in fat. So pay attention wherever you are dining. Become a smart restaurant consumer and know exactly what you’re eating by looking at the posted nutrition facts (ask if you don’t see them anywhere). Don’t assume, as I did, that just because it tastes nice and light, it is, or that if it’s being served at a vegan restaurant it must be good for you. You know what they say about assuming.
Again, to reiterate: I am NOT trashing The Veggie Grill or anybody else. I applaud them for going against the grain and for being successful! I just wish they’d make more of an effort to create truly healthy food, not just food that looks like it. As consumers we are charged with looking out for our best interests. We simply can’t assume this is being done for us.