Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Feeling a little chocolate craving coming on? I have one at least once a day.  But everybody who knows me knows I love a healthy cookie recipe.  This time I came up with this recipe all on my own.   I added a little of this and a little of that and a yummy healthy cookie recipe was invented.  The kids and the hubs all gave it a thumbs up.

2 Cups Almond Flour
1 Cup Oats
2 Chia/Flax eggs (2 T chia/flax mixed with 6 T warm water)
1 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 T cocoa powder
1/2 agave
2 T honey
1 cup chocolate chips (ok, so these are not that healthy but they make healthy cookies taste great)

My friend gave me a bag of chia and flax that she blended in her blendtec and that's what I used for my chia/flax eggs.  I am sure that if you had just chia or just flax, it would also work.

So the first thing you do is mix the "eggs" with the agave and honey.  Next you add your almond flour, oats, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.  Throw in the chocolate chips and stir.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop spoonfuls of dough.  Cook at 375 for 13 minutes.  Makes 12 cookies.

Veggie-licious Sandwich

Summer is on it's way and so are beach trips, vacations, and lots of fun in the sun.  I just made a delicious sandwich with things that I had on hand.  Who says you need lunch meat to make a delicious and satisfying sandwich?  Well I don't.  I took two pieces of Ezekiel Sprouted Wheat Bread toasted it nice and toasty, then spread some veganaise on it, topped it with one piece of roasted red bell pepper, a few slices of yellow pepper, four slices of tomato, four slices of cucumber, and a small piece of swiss chard.  The sandwich was very, very yummy, filling, and satisfying.  Now when you pack your lunch for the beach, you can pack a sandwich that is good for you and your waistline. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
Ezekiel Sprouted Wheat Bread
Veganaise
Roasted Red Pepper
Cucumber
Tomato
Swiss Chard (other green leafy vegetable would work also)
Salt and Pepper

Good starter veggie recipes

Lots of my friends wonder what I eat if I don't eat meat.  They want simple recipes without weird ingredients. This recipe for taco soup fits that description.  Some black beans, brown rice, salsa, tomatoes and spices and you have one super easy and delicious veggie recipe. No meat needed! :)  Check out Mary's recipe http://mygreendiet.com/green-diet-plan-recipes/taco-soup/ When I make the soup I do not include the jalapeno since we don't like a lot of spice.

On March 14 also known as Pi day for the mathematical number 3.14.  I made a delicious potato pie.  This pie or tart did call for some ground beef substitute which I know my meat eating friends would not have but it is so delicious I bet you could just exclude it and it would be just as yummy.  Now this is no foofy veggie dish.  This is a hearty and delicious recipe that even the husband liked.  :)  Check out this delicious recipe on Kristi's blog http://www.veggieconverter.com/2011/04/vegan-meat-and-potato-pie-recipe.html.  I added some seasoning salt and celery to ours.  Also, use this recipe for the crust it's phenomenal!

2 Crust-Pie
2/3 cup plus 2 T butter, salted
2 cups all purpose flour
1 t salt
5-6 T cold water

First I cut cold butter into small squares.  Then in my standing mixer I added the flour and then a little at a time added the small butter squares and salt.  I let it mix on low until the butter and flour were well incorporated.  Then one tablespoon at a time I added the cold water until it formed into a dough.  Form a large ball and cut in half.  I refrigerated mine for a little bit because I made it ahead of time.  I don't think that is necessary.  Then just roll into a circle and line the bottom of your pie tin.  Put your filling in and top with remaining dough.  Eating the pie again for lunch. mmmm!

Hawaiian Black Bean Balls

One of my kids favorite meals is Waikiki meatballs.  Since I don't eat meat I decided to try an alternative and see if they went for it.  I started with a really basic black bean burger recipe and formed them into balls instead of patties.  Then I made the sauce as usual and served over brown rice.  The result was good not great.  The balls stay kind of mushy or bean like in the middle.  Next time I think I would form them into small balls and then flatten them a bit so they get more crispy.  The cool thing about these is that they actually look like meatballs.

Black-Bean Balls
2 cups black beans, can use 1 can or 2 cups homemade which is what I did
1/2 cup- 3/4 cup ground oat flour (place 1/2 cup or so of oats into food processor)
small handful of chopped cilantro (doesn't really need it but would be good as a burger)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 chia seed egg (1 T chia seeds and 3 T water)
2 T BBQ sauce
1 T nutritional yeast (optional)
1-2 Tablespoons coconut oil

Place the beans in the food processor and blend until smooth then add the cilantro, salt, garlic, and BBQ sauce. Mix well then add the flour a little at a time.  I may try it with breadcrumbs in the future.  Then refrigerate for 30 minutes, that makes it easier to roll into balls.  Heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or oil of choice) and heat in a large pan then add the balls.  Fry until crispy on both sides.  I think it will work better with smaller balls. Then pour Hawaiian sauce over them.


Hawaiian Sauce
1 can pineapple tidbits (13 1/2 oz) reserve juice
2 T cornstarch
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 T soy sauce

Mix cornstarch and sugar.  Stir in reserved pineapple juice, vinegar, and soy sauce until smooth.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Add pineapple tidbits and pour over meatballs.

*The picture shows pineapple chunks not tidbits because I didn't have any.  My kids prefer it this way though.

The Verdict: 2 out of 3 kids liked it.  Veggie mom and dad thought it was good but might need some tweaking in the future.  I will definitely make this again.  Good source of protein! The green beans were cooked in some coconut oil with a dash of seasoning salt and the kids just thought that was great.  They even asked for more.  They will be veggie kids before we know it. :) Good luck!

Collard green wraps with homemade hummus

So I am doing a 6 week challenge to get fitter and healthier.  I decided I would eat at least one salad a day and usually that is at lunch.  But today I didn't feel like salad and I wanted to try something different.  I was perusing one of the many blogs I follow and I got the inspiration to make these collard green wraps.  The original recipe called for an almond mayo but I didn't have any soaked almonds nor did I have the time to wait for the almonds to soak.  So I set out to make some hummus.  I love hummus, I really need to start making more of it.  This is a great way to get all your servings of veggies! Enjoy!!

Collard- Green Wrap Serves 1

2 collard green leaves, washed and stemmed

2-4 T homemade hummus (recipe below)

1 carrot, sliced into matchsticks

1 yellow pepper, mine were the small kind you can buy in a bag 

1 red pepper, small, sliced into matchsticks

1 avocado

Wash and cut the stem off the collard green leaves.  Then spread a couple tablespoons of hummus on each leaf, top with veggies and roll them up. This would be good with a variety of different veggies but this  is just what I had on hand.  Cucumbers would be good. Next time!

Homemade-healthy Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup lemon juice

1-2 teaspoons garlic salt (or regular salt, I just didn't have any)

2 T olive oil 

1 T ground flax-seed

1/8 t cayenne

pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Adjust salt as needed. Mine was pretty salty but I like it that way.  I didn't have to put any salt on the veggies.  

Lettuce Boats

Not sure what to call these but this is the best I got, Taco Boats. :) This isn't really a recipe but more of a healthy dinner or lunch idea.  On Monday I made awesome homemade refried beans.  The sad part was that I only had one cup of dried beans so it only made enough for one meal.  I also realized later that I had used the same amount of seasonings that I would have for 2 cups of beans, so the beans had lots of extra flavor.  I recommend increasing the amount of seasonings if you like super flavorful beans.   So this is what you do for a super healthy meal.  Instead of using tortillas I used romaine lettuce leaves and topped it with the homemade beans, brown rice, tomatoes, and avocados.  Voila! Easy, low calorie, full of good for you vitamins, fiber, and protein.  I served some raw veggies on the side.

My kids and husband still ate their tacos the traditional way. :)

Butternut squash

I had two butternut squashes the other day and I had no clue what to do with them.  My mom gave me a great idea on what to do.  I got to say it was delicious.  The recipe is so simple and full of flavor.  My kids aren't fans of any kind of squash and this was no different nor a surprise.  But my theory is that if I keep introducing them to healthy things eventually they may want to try it and realize that they do like it or grow to like it.  Either way I feel as though I am making progress on the road to healthy eating.

Roasted Butternut squash
1 med-lg butternut squash or 2 small
1 onion, roughly chopped
4-5 garlic, cut in half or sliced 2-3 times
2 T approx. of olive oil
salt and pepper

Start by peeling your squash (I used a potato peeler) then cut the squash into small squares.  Chop your onion and garlic and add it to a large bowl with the squash, olive oil, and salt and pepper.  Mix together to coat all the veggies with oil and seasonings.  Place in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  All ovens vary so check on them at about 20 minutes and if the outer pieces are getting toasted just stir a bit and move the pieces around.  They are done when a fork pierces easily through the squash.  I served over brown rice.  It was delicious.  I ate it again for lunch the following day.  Happy Eating!!