Simple Italian White Bean Stew

I was craving a good old fashioned bowl of paste e fagioli, the Italian pasta and white bean soup with tomatoes that is so very good and served at most Italian joints.  Having no pasta on hand and limited prep time, I came up with this healthy slow cooker dish, which turned out to be quite tasty, satisfying, and much healthier than the original.  To make the soup you will need:

• 1 cup Dry white beans (I used fava, I think)
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes (I used frozen chopped tomatos)
• Garlic powder, salt, oregano, and black pepper to taste
• 1 spoonful of oil of choice (olive oil works well here)

1. Rinse and sort the white beans and add them to the slow cooker (I recommend a 1.5 quart cooker here - if you wish to use a larger crockpot, you'll want to scale the quantities of everything else accordingly).
2. Add tomatoes and a few shakes of the salt and spices, going a bit heavier on the garlic than on the others.
3. Add the oil and 3 cups or so of water to the pot.
4. Cook on low until the beans are tender.
5. Adjust the seasoning to taste.  You will probably want to add extra garlic, salt, and pepper.
6. Enjoy!

Pancake Milk Shake

Behold the ultimate healthy comfort food: the pancake milkshake.

This thick and creamy, high protein, sugar-free maple shake was born out of a mostly empty kitchen and some desperation.

It's been a busy few weeks, with less time than usual for fiddling around in the kitchen.  I also hadn't been able to go food shopping as much as I would have liked to, either.  So left without my go to breakfast cereals, limited time, and an overwhelming craving for comfort food, I began to experiment.  This shake is the delicious result of a few quick minutes of mixing one morning.  I highly recommend this shake!

You will need:

• Milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond)
• Unsweetened soy protein powder (either plain or vanilla would work)
• Maple syrup of choice (I used a sugar free variety)

Stir everything together and enjoy!  If desired, swirl in some extra maple syrup after you have mixed everything together.  The soy protein powder has a dry and flour-y consistency that makes this shake thick and satisfying.

Creamy Cinnamon Sugar Breakfast Quinoa

This is one of the healthier, more filling breakfast meals I have had in a while.  Quinoa is a delicious seed that tastes a lot like a grain.  The consistency of this quinoa dish is much more like a porridge or oatmeal than a traditional quinoa.  Imagine wholesome, nutty quinoa, just more creamy than you might be used to, and mixed with cinnamon and sugar.  Yum!

Surprisingly, it's also one of the easier hot breakfasts to put together.  You will need:

• Quinoa
• Cinnamon, to taste
• Sweetener of choice, to taste (I used stevia)
• Salt to taste (a dash is usually enough)
• Milk of choice (I used unsweeteend almond milk)
• Fruit topping (optional, I used grapes)

1. Inspect and rinse the quinoa (some boxes come pre-washed, and if so this step is unnecessary).
2. Combine all ingredients in a small slow cooker (I used a 1.5 quart slow cooker).  You will want to use more milk/liquid for each serving of quinoa than recommended on box instructions, probably 1.5 to 2 times as much and possibly even more than that.  
3. Cook on low overnight or until creamy.  Overcooking a bit is okay, just make sure that your cooker is sufficiently fully (2/3+) so that nothing gets burnt.
4. Adjust seasoning.  Serve with sliced fruit, if desired.
5. Enjoy!  It's yummy hot or cold.

I ate the entire portion, but it did make quite a lot, and I would imagine for those with smaller appetites or serving bowls it might serve two.  If you have any leftovers, this should keep for 2-3 days in the fridge, and tastes pretty good cold as well.

Yellow Split Pea Soup

 I usually make this soup with green split peas, but I had a bag of yellow split peas in the cupboard and decided to give them a whirl in the slow cooker.  The result was an easy and delicious soup, with a beautiful color palette, suitable for spring.

To make the soup, you will need:

• Yellow split peas
• Salt, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes to taste

1. Rinse and sort the split peas.
2. Add peas and water to a slow cooker with approximately 1 part peas to 3 or 4 parts water, so that the cooker is ~3/4 full.
3. Cook on low, medium, or high heat until the peas are fully cooked and soft.
4. Stir in salt, garlic, and red pepper to taste.
5. Enjoy!

Warm Spring Green Lentil Curry

Ahh, springtime.  We have a change to agreeable temperatures which are no longer cold but not yet hot.  Sweaters are nice, but coats are optional.  And a nice bowl of warm lentils just hits the spot.  Following is a take on the traditional Indian lentil dal.  It was good when I made it, and delicious two days later after the flavors had really melded in the fridge.  You can make this lentil dish with standard green lentils, which are available at pretty much any regular supermarket.  To make the dish, you will need:

• 1-1.5 cups lentils
• 4-5 cups of water (you want approximately 4 parts water for every 1 part lentils)
• 1-2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1-3 teaspoons ambhar dal masala (get a small box of MDH brand from any Indian store for $1-2)
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil of choice (olive oil works well here)
• cilantro, more salt, red pepper flakes, and lemon (optional, for garnish)

1. Rinse and sort lentils.
2. Place the lentils a small (1.5 quart) crockpot with the other ingredients.  Make sure that your crockpot is approximately 2/3 full - if you decide to use a bigger or smaller crock, adjust your quantities accordingly.
3. Cook on low, medium, or high heat in the crock until lentils are soft and tasty.
4. Garnish with additional spices if desired.
5. Enjoy!

Orange Creamsicle Powerbar Balls

 These balls are the lovechild of an orange creamsicle and a protein power bar.  They also happen to be rich, creamy, coconutty, and vegan.  With the proper choice of jam, they are poteintially fiber rich as well as sugar free!  They're also super-easy to make.  No baking or waiting required-just mix, roll, and presto!  You have healthy creamsicle balls.  If you have been following this blog, you may recognize the following dough mix as the same as the one from our no-bake shortbread cookies.  This time just go a bit heavier on the marmalade and vanilla, and there's no need to refrigerate the balls first.

You will need:

• Coconut butter
• Protein powder (I used unsweetened soy; I haven't tried others here)
• Orange marmalade (I used SF Polaner)
• Vanilla extract

1. Melt the coconut butter in the microwave.
2. Add protein powder and orange marmalade and stir into the melted coconut butter.  Start with equal quantities of the three ingredients, and then keep adding protein powder until you get a thick dough.
3. Add vanilla to taste.
4. Roll into balls.
5. Enjoy!

Roasted overnight kasha groats (buckwheat)

 After the success of an earlier experiment with overnight oats, I decided to give another overnight grain cereal a go.  This is my favorite overnight cereal so far.  I had picked up a box of buckwheat kasha from the grocer (I used Wolff's brand), mixed it with almond milk, salt, sweetener, and cinnamon, gave the mixture a stir, and let it sit, covered in the fridge overnight.  In the morning I had a lovely nutty breakfast treat.  It was a very satisfying meal, but not heavy, and I'll definitely be making it again.

You will need:

• Kasha
• Milk of choice (I used unsweetened vanilla Almond)
• Cinnamon
• Sweetener of choice (I used stevia)
• Salt (you will definitely need at least a pinch here to get the flavors to sing)

1. Mix milk and kasha according to directions on box.  You can add a bit of extra milk if you like, a lot can get absorbed overnight.  I think I used a ratio of about 1 part kasha to 4 parts milk.
2. Add the cinnamon, sweetener, and salt to taste and stir.
3. Cover and let sit in fridge overnight.
4. Enjoy!

The Best Broccoli of Your Life, now Vegan!

Today I ate about a pound of broccoli.  In one sitting!  This roasted broccoli with lemon, garlic, salt, and pepper was just that good.  I think the nutritional yeast flakes on top (nooch) really sealed the deal here, and if you're unsure of the nooch or don't have a source available near you, feel free to substitute a high quality salty cheese.

My instant affinity for this "best ever" broccoli surprised me.  In the past, broccoli had consistently elicited a certain gag reflex from me-of all of the vegetables on the planet, I think our dear Veggie Wonder detested this particular green veggie the most.  I had had trouble eating more than a few bites in one sitting, even when the healthy green monster had been buried in fatty cheeses, etc.  Enter Adam of Amateur Gourmet and his post on the Best Broccoli of Your Life.  Given its stellar rating and ongoing popularity in the culinary blogosphere (over several years this site has been getting some heavy hit rates, Adam how did I only find you now?!!!), I decided to give the recipe a go.  But I decided to forgo the cheese topping and I prepared the dish with a vegan twist!  I also gave it a lazy twist (bottled lemon juice instead of fresh, powdered garlic instead of chopped cloves...).  If you are feeling ambitious, you can take the slightly more hardcore approach from Adam's site.  I imagine his version tastes even better, if that's possible.  This stuff is good!

You will need:

• Chopped, raw broccoli floret chunks (I used one of the bags of pre-washed broccoli you can get at most supermarkets - again, this recipe has a lazy twist!)
• Black pepper (freshly ground is nice, if you have it)
• Garlic powder (or fresh cloves, if you are feeling ambitious!)
• Salt
• Olive oil and olive oil cooking spray
• Lemon juice
• Nutritional yeast flakes

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Dry the broccoli floret chunks carefully, then toss them with a combination of olive oil and nonstick spray (depending on how much fat content is a factor for you; I used about 2 tablespoons of olive oil for a 1 lb bag of broccoli).
3. Salt and pepper the mixture to taste (you can add these spices pretty liberally).  Also sprinkle on a generous bit of garlic.
4. Put the broccoli on a baking tray and bake or roast for 20-25 minutes, until the broccoli gets somewhat brown and crunchy on the outside (it will still be soft and tender on the inside).
5. Remove the broccoli from the oven, and toss it with some lemon juice and a few spoonfuls of nutritional yeast flakes.
6. Enjoy!  This stuff is good!!!

Chocolate Blueberry Bread with Quinoa and Amaranth Flours

This is a healthy, nutty tasting bar, I think from the amaranth flour.  Like something "decadent" you might get in the vegan section of a health foods store.  If you like amaranth, you will almost certainly enjoy this bread, and even if you're not a fan, you still might like it.  I had bought the amaranth flour a few weeks back and been planning to experiment with it for a while.  Finally, I had some free time so I opened the bag of amaranth flour, and I realized that I don't like the smell of amaranth.  For this reason, even when baked, the bread seemed slightly less appealing to me than it might otherwise have been.  However, I love, love, love blueberries and chocolate, so I was able to tolerate the first slice or so of the bread.  I then left it out on the kitchen counter, and I guess overnight the smell dissipated and the flavors melded, and so the next day, I thought it tasted good, and the third day, I thought the bread tasted delicious - still healthy, though - it looks like a dessert but doesn't taste like one!

The gooey-ness of the blueberries and chocolate in the final loaf was retained for a few days after the baking process was complete.  This is a moist, healthy and nutty-tasting loaf.

To make it, you'll need:

• 1 1/2 cups oat flour
• 3/4 cup quinoa flour
• 3/4 cup amaranth flour
• 2-3 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 container beer (I used New Grist)
• Blueberries (I used ~1 cup frozen)
• Chocolate chunks (I used 1/2 of a 90% cacao Lindt bar) 
• Salt and sweetener to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix the first 4 dry ingredients and fluff with a fork.  Add the beer and stir until clumps dissolve.  
3. Add remaining ingredients, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
4. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until tester comes out without bread on it (some chocolate or blueberry will be inevitable).
5. Enjoy!  

If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also like our wild blueberry bread or spiced plum muffins!

Chocolate Almond Berry Protein Truffles

These truffles get a huge protein boost from the protein powder that gets mixed in with everything else. They can also have a really deep, dark chocolate flavor, depending on how much chocolate you decide to use.  You will need:

• Almond butter
• Unflavored protein powder (I used soy)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
• Berry Jam of choice (I recommend raspberry or blackberry, sugar free jams work well here)
• Instant coffee granules (optional)

1. Microwave the almond butter to soften it, if necessary.
2. Mix in the other ingredients.  Start with approximately equal volumes of everything and then adjust as necessary until the batter tastes good to you (if you want a fruitier taste, add more jam, doughier taste, add more powder, etc...)
3. Roll into balls.
4. Enjoy!  Store uneaten truffles in the refrigerator.

Blueberries and cream donut holes

 These are wonderfully creamy donut-y dough balls.  These donut hole dough balls are good!  I could have called them vegan dough balls, but donut holes sound so much more yummy!  And yet, these little balls could not be healthier.  With the proper choice of ingredients, they can have lots of fiber and protein and no grains whatsoever.  How's that for a healthy donut?

They're also super easy to make - you don't even need to bake or fry them!

To make these donut holes, you will need:

• Coconut butter
• Unflavored soy protein powder
• Blueberry jam (I used sugar free Smuckers, for a fiber boost you could use Polaner); you'll want approximately equal quantities of the first three ingredients
• Vanilla extract (optional)

1. Microwave a few spoonfulls of coconut butter until melted.
2. Add some soy protein powder to the liquid coconut butter and stir until absorbed.
3. Stir in blueberry jam.  You should have a thick dough now.  If necessary, adjust quantities of soy protein powder and blueberry jam to get everything to the desired consistency.
4. Roll dough into balls.
5. Enjoy!

Note: these donut holes will harden if left in the fridge and will not taste like soft n' creamy donuts anymore.  You could make them into high protein vegan shortbread cookies if you plan to eat them later!

Ice Cold Creamy Coffee Drink w/ Protein

This drink is simple and satisfying.  It has loads of protein, as much caffeine as you'd like, and if you'd like, very little sugar or carbohydrate.  It's also nice, cold, and creamy.

You will need:

• Milk of choice (I used unsweetened Almond Breeze)
• Protein powder of choice (I used unflavored soy)
• Instant coffee to taste
• Sweetener to taste

1. Mix cold milk and protein powder in ratio described on the protein powder container.
2. Add instant coffee and sweetener.
3. Enjoy!

This post is part of Allergy Free Wednesdays.