For any followers out there who don’t love pumpkin, I do apologize. I realize this is my 3rd pumpkin recipe…so far. 🙂 I told you – I love pumpkin. And I’m going to utlilze it as much as I can this fall. The picture shows a loaf made with a combo of dried cranberries and chocolate chips. You can use one, both, or neither – it’s yummy either way!
So, if you like pumpkin, bust out the baking supplies and enjoy this tasty Pumpkin Loaf. It’s easy to make and really satisfying.
I realize hummus recipes are a dime a dozen, and store-bought versions are widely available. However, the one thing they all have in common is a lot of fat. The average prepared hummus contains 4 grams of fat for 2 tablespoons. I don’t know about you, but I could eat that much in a few bites! Most varieties contain oil, which as I’ve said before, is not a health-promoting food. It’s concentrated fat and calories (14 g of fat for just a tablespoon), and truly unnecessary in a dish like this. Prepared hummus also contains tahini, or sesame seed paste. My recipe does too, but only 1-2 tablespoons for the whole batch, which is much less than other recipes or store-bought versions. Use 1 if you want a really low-fat version, or 2 for a little more fat. You’ll see I list truffle oil as an optional addition. You don’t need it but it adds wonderful flavor. I like mine on the lemony side so I use 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Also, the amount of water you add is dependent upon how thick/thin you want the hummus. I always have a batch made up and ready to go. Recently, I spread about 2 TBS on a piece of whole grain bread, laid sliced tomatoes and sweet onion on top, drizzled with balsamic, and sprinkled with basil and pepper. I broiled it for 6-7 minutes. DELISH! See photo below.
2/21/13 UPDATE: I’ve always known cooking your own beans, as opposed to using canned, was a nutritionally superior way to go but I didn’t fully grasp how much better a dish would taste!! Oh my. I recently got a pressure cooker (best. thing. ever.), and after soaking my chickpeas during the day (8 hours), I cooked them with water in the PC for 14 minutes. Then I made my hummus. SO creamy and flavorful. I really had no idea there would be such a marked difference. You don’t need a PC to make your own beans, but you do need to plan ahead. The forethought and time is worth it, trust me. If you use your own beans, use about 2 cups cooked for this hummus.
I’m all about the pumpkin. It’s one of the many things I adore about fall. I love the look of those orange beauties, and the flavor of anything pumpkin. I only wish the pumpkin bread, scones and pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks were healthy! Oh well, these little treats, along with my Pumpkin Pancakes (see Recipes), and Pumpkin Pie Minis (recipe coming soon) will suffice. They do contain chocolate chips, taking the healthy factor down a notch, but it’s a small amount and just enough to make you feel like you’ve been treated.
I used to love chicken and tuna salad sandwiches, but I’ve have had to do without since I happily gave up animal foods years ago. Sure, there are plenty of faux-chicken and even tuna products out there but they are not what I’d call healthy since they are highly processed and contain oil. Well, thanks to Lindsey Nixon, The Happy Herbivore, I got the idea for this tasty sandwich filling. Her recipe is for tuna, but I’ve made a few changes to make mine more like a chicken-salad. Both of them use….wait for it…..smashed garbanzo beans!! Weird, right? I thought so too, but seriously people, it’s good! And since the mayo is fat free, it truly is a guilt-free, healthy treat! Try it and let me know what you think!
I knew I wanted to make some type of noodle/stir-fry dish with a sweet-spicy-savory-tangy sauce, but I wasn’t thrilled about any of the recipes I came across. So, I threw a few things together – paying attention to amounts and making notes in case it worked out and I wanted to share with you, and it worked out! I love it when that happens! Love it even more when I’m not the only one in the house who thinks it’s yummy. For lack of a more creative idea, I’m calling these Asian Noodles. Any configuration of veggies would work, and you could add tofu or tempeh as well for extra protein. To make it super easy, Trader Joe’s sells packages of pre-shredded cabbage and carrots. I’d use two packages of cabbage. Typing this up makes me want to make and eat it again!
BBQ Jack WHAT?!? If you’re thinking “She’s lost her mind. What weird vegan food is she eating NOW?” bear with me! Jackfruit, the young/unripened variety, is popular primarily in Asian countries. It can be found in Asian grocery stores and is sold in cans. It has a mild flavor and poultry-like texture. I know it sounds weird; trust me, I was skeptical too, but it’s really good this way, and a heck of a lot healthier than pulled pork! Can be made gluten-free when using a gluten-free BBQ sauce.
I enjoyed this dish off of the Seabirds’ vegan food truck and have done my best to recreate it here. Tasted the same to me, only theirs was spicier (I’m a spice wimp so I didn’t use hot sauce).
I’ve been sitting here racking my brain trying to think of what to write for my first blog post. I mean, let’s face it, bloggers are a dime a dozen these days. Actually, I don’t even want to refer to myself as a blogger. I blog. Occasionally. Posting recipes is the main goal here but I also want to share thoughts, tips, articles, and anything else I think you may find even the slightest bit interesting, as it relates to food and health (I won’t be sharing sad stories of my dog who’s lost her mind, how much I love my kid, my favorite TV shows or my thoughts on politics – no way, definitely not going there!) Some blog posts go on for what seems like days, resembling a journal or diary, with every thought in the author’s head no longer a mystery. I don’t want to replicate that here. I also don’t want to hammer you with posts 8 days a week. I know the marketing gurus would say it’s important to really put yourself out there, but who cares. Less is more, that’s how I see it. Bottom line is this: I love food, and what I know healthy food does for the body (from first-hand experience, as well as what is clearly shown in the scientific literature). Hopefully I can impart some of my passion and knowledge on to you! Following is one of my favorite recipes. Enjoy!
NOTE: Some brands of chipotle in adobo sauce contain a little wheat flour. Make sure to check the label. If you are on a strict gluten-free diet, use chipotle powder or chipotle hot sauce instead to make it officially gluten-free.