Mushroom, Carrot, and Kale Stroganoff

The week before spring break is always a long one. It definitely calls for some comfort food.  Stroganoff is something that I just dont eat because of how packed with fat and sodium (and meat) it usually is. Luckily, this version is low in both, and you will barely notice.  It is the perfect balance of light and creamy, and has all the comfort you need.

Mushroom, Carrot, and Kale Stroganoff

1 tbs Butter

1 medium Onion, diced

3/4 cup matchstick Carrots

2 tbs Flour

2 cups Reduced Sodium Vegetable Broth

6 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced

10 oz Cremini Mushrooms, sliced

2 tsp Thyme

1 tbs Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce

1 tsp Tomato Paste

1 tsp White Pepper

2 tbs Red Wine

1/4 cup Reduced Fat Sour Cream

10 oz Whole Wheat Egg Noodles

Parsley, chopped 

Cook noodles according to package directions. 

Melt butter in a large pot. Turn heat to medium high and add onions, cook for 3 minutes. Add carrots, cook for 2 more or until just tender. Reduce heat to medium and add flour stirring until vegetables are coated. Gradually add vegetable broth, soy sauce, and tomato paste, stirring constantly. Add thyme, pepper, and mushroom. Allow to simmer for 4-5 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly to prevent burning. 

Add wine, simmer for 4 minutes more. Turn off heat, stir in sour cream and add noodles mixing well. Serve with a garnish of parsley. 

Adapted from SkinnyTaste

Personal Pavlovas with Strawberry Compote

This past weekend, Jeremiah and I were challenged with creating a menu that would satisfy our vegetarian lifestyle, as well as our guest's paleo diet. I thought the Paleo diet was mostly meat because all I ever hear about it is the fact that you get to eat bacon with a side of sausage for breakfast every morning. Don't get me wrong, if its veggie sausage and bacon, I'm all in. But, of course, this was a skewed opinion. Besides cutting carb intake, it is largely about eating fresh, organic foods that are low in carbs and high in protein. This definitely gave us something to work with.

I wanted the meal to be well rounded and leave our meat-eating friends feeling like nothing was missing. Instead of making a cake or something heavy, I decided to make individual Pavlovas. These are very similar to a meringue.  The recipe is based on whipped egg whites, which are low in calories and very low in carbs. 

Pavlovas are very easy to make, but they require some time. They are baked at a very low temperature for a an hour and a half, and then need to sit in the unopened oven to cool. This process results in the outside of the Pavlova being crisp, while the center is soft and moist. Adding the strawberry compote makes a great combination of textures. 

Adapted from Food Network.

Pavlovas

6 large Egg Whites
1 1/2 cups 
Pinch Kosher Salt
3 tsp Cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp White Wine Vinegar
3/4 tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 200F.  Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Draw 6, 4in circles, using a bowl as a guide. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg white and salt. Whisk on high speed until firm, about 1 minute. Gradually add sugar, and whisk until whites form shiny, stiff peaks. Sift cornstarch over egg whites, add vanilla and vinegar. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until combine . 

Scoop about 2/3 of a cup of the mixture onto the center of one of the drawn circles on the cookie sheet. Spread with the back of a spoon, forming a bowl shape. Repeat on all 6 circles. 

Bake for 1 1/2 hours. When bake time is up, turn off oven, and allow pavlovas to cool in the oven with out opening the door. About 1 hour. Remove from parchment paper and plate. 


Strawberry Compote

3 cups sliced Fresh Strawberries
1/2 cup Sugar
Juice of 1 Lime

In a medium sauce pan, over medium-low heat, combine strawberries, lime juice and sugar. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and burning. Cook until syrup forms and strawberries soften, approximately 7 minutes. Remove from heat, and pour 1/2 cup compote over individual pavlovas. Top with sweetened whipped cream if desired. 

Vegan Curried Split Peas and Kale Soup

Winter came a little late this year, and every evening when I come inside from walking my dog, Spike, I am chilled to the bone. Nothing helps but a steaming hot bowl of soup. This is a delicious and hearty vegan soup that is perfect for the cooler months. 

My favorite technique in this soup is the addition of a pureed garbanzo bean mixture, which results in a creamy texture without the addition of "cream of whatever" condensed soup or heavy cream.  The subtle spice from the curry and crushed red pepper will warm you up, while the protein and fiber from the split peas and garbanzo beans fill you up. The addition of nutrient dense kale makes this soup even better for you.

Ingredients

4 tbls olive oil, divided

1 large yellow onion, small dice

1 cup carrots ,chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

3 tbls good madras curry powder 

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced or grated, divided

1 1/2 cup dried split peas
Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp White Pepper
1 tbs rice vinegar

6 1/4 cups vegetable broth, divided

1 (15.5oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed 

Juice of 1 lemon

1 bunch kale, rinsed, removed from stem, and chopped

Cilantro for garnish

1 lemon, cut into wedges for garnish

Heat 2 tbs olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot. Saute onion, carrots and celery until just tender. Add garlic, cook 2 minute. Add curry powder, white pepper and crushed red pepper and stir, cook 1 more minute. Deglaze pan with rice vinegar. 

Add split peas, 6 cups vegetable broth, and salt to taste. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes, or until split peas are al dente. 

While split peas are simmering, in a food processor, add garbanzo beans, 1/4 cup broth, olive oil, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. 

After soup simmers, add kale and allow to wilt, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pureed garbanzo bean mixture and stir. Soup will be creamy and slightly thick. Add salt as needed More crushed red pepper can be added if you like a little more spice. Heat all the way through, then serve with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges. 

Tahini and Roasted Garlic Hummus

My roommate recently hosted a Clothes Swap at our house, and asked me to prepare some finger foods that all the girls could enjoy between trying on shirts and tossing them all over our living room. Of course, I was happy to do so.

I don't know a single person who doesn't love hummus. It is my go-to snack. Sometimes, hummus is my entire lunch. The only downfall? If you eat a lot of it, it can get kind of expensive.  Making it from scratch is a great way to cut costs. It also gives you the freedom to flavor it however you would like without all the additives. 

The real money saver is making your own tahini, which is just a roasted sesame seed paste. The bulk section of your grocery store will have white sesame seeds for much less than buying them pre-packaged. If you follow this recipe, there will be leftover tahini. It can be refrigerated and reused for more hummus, or it is great for a tahini dipping sauce or dressing.  

For this gathering, I decided to prepare roasted garlic hummus with a variety of veggies for dipping. Roasting the garlic takes a little longer than some of the other varieties, but it is definitely worth the effort. The roasted garlic adds a sweet smokiness to the hummus, while zesting in a fresh garlic clove at the end gives it more garlic flavor and a bit of a bite. 

Tahini

1 cup White Sesame Seeds

5 tbsp Olive Oil

Place sesame seeds in saute pan over low heat. Stir frequently. Cook until seeds are toasted and fragrant, around 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool. 

Combine cooled toasted sesame seeds and olive oil in food processor. Blend. Add more oil if necessary to bring the mixture together. Tahini can be slightly chunky. Remove from food processor and reserve in bowl.

Roasted Garlic Hummus

1 large head of Garlic
Olive Oil for drizzling

2 cans Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
4 tbsp Tahini
3 tbsp Olive Oil
1/3 cup warm Water
1 Clove Fresh Garlic, minced or zested
Juice of 1 large Lemon
Kosher Salt

Preheat oven to 400F. 

Peel off and discard outer paper of the head of garlic. Cut off the tops of the cloves, approximately 1/4 inch. Place on a piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil, allowing the oil to soak between the cloves. Wrap the garlic in the foil by bringing the corners of the foil together at the top and folding over, leaving some room inside. Place the pouch on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool while preparing other ingredients. 

In food processor, combine garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil, water, lemon juice, zested fresh garlic clove and salt to taste. Once roasted garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze cloves into the food processor. Blend ingredients until smooth.

The hummus can be served immediately or made ahead and refrigerated. To plate, drizzle the top with olive oil and sprinkle some sumac or paprika. Serve with pita bread, crackers, or cut up veggies, such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, red and yellow bell peppers, and radishes. 

Carrot Mini Loaves with Oat Topping

When I was growing up, anytime a friend or family member fell ill or had a life changing event, food was the answer. The fridge and counters would quickly fill up with casseroles, pies, soups, cookies, fried chicken, all other sorts of eats. The warmth and love that went into each dish, prepared just for your family, made you feel like everything was going to be alright.  

This week, my mom had a major surgery, and I thought there would be no better homecoming treat than a stock pile of  delicious carrot mini loaves. These are great for breakfast with coffee, as an afternoon snack, or even as dessert. 

She is very health conscious, and it can be difficult convincing her to eat any sweets besides a small piece of very dark chocolate. To make these more appealing, I replaced some of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour, added more coconut and pecans and used soy milk in place of buttermilk. 

My efforts where rewarded when she said thoughtfully, "I think these are the best carrot muffins I have ever had." I was all smiles. 

Carrot Loaves

1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ginger
1 1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
3/4 cups Vegetable Oil
3/4 cups Skim Milk or Soy Milk
2 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Shredded Carrots
1 cup Crushed Pineapple
1 cup Coconut Flakes
1 cup Chopped Pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray loaf pan with non stick spray, and set aside. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, backing soda, and salt, and spices. Set Aside. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together sugars, oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add dry ingredients, folding them in gently. Add carrot, coconut, and pecans, again folding gently until just combined. 

Using an ice cream scoop, fill each 3/4 full. Bake for 25-27min. Check by sticking a toothpick in the center of one loaf at 25 mins. Let cool on wire racks. 

Vegan Oat Topping

This is my go-to muffin topping. It goes well on vegan or non vegan muffins, quick breads, and mini loaves. Just sprinkle a generous amount on top of batter right before baking. Other options for toppings include a sprinkle of turbinado sugar or a drizzle of cream cheese frosting. 

1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup Rolled Oats
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl until combined. Topping will be in crumbles. 

Yummy (and Quick) Breakfast Sandwich

Busy day ahead?

Some mornings you need a quick breakfast that is sure to fill you up and hold you over until the next chance you get to eat (and who knows when that will be). With the combination of complex carbohydrates from the whole wheat bread and  protein from the egg and cheese, this sandwich definitely fits the bill. The addition of avocado provides nearly 20 vitamins and mineral such as Vitamin C and potassium, as well as mono- and polyunsaturated fats (good fats). These good fats provide a range of health benefits from energy to aid in absorption of vitamins and minerals.  (Source: Nutrition Data) Its a sandwich you can feel good about, and it takes less time than a drive thru. 

1 egg

Sprinkle of sharp cheddar cheese

1/2  Small Avocado

2 Tbls Favorite salsa (I used black bean and corn)

2 Slices whole wheat bread toasted

Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat saute pan over medium flame. Spray pan with olive oil to coat the pan. Whisk egg in bowl and pour into heated pan. Cook, letting them set up a bit before stirring. Scrape along the edges and bottom of the pan to loosen and stir the egg pulling to the center. Once the eggs have come together, turn heat off.  Sprinkle with cheese.

Place egg onto one side of the toast, add salt, pepper, avacado, and salsa. Top with other slice of toasted bread. Serve.

Pumpkin Lemon Pie

                                                    

Who doesn't love pumpkin pie? 
Most think of this as strictly a holiday delight, but some of us like it all year round. Unfortunately, in the heat of the summer, pumpkin pie can be a bit too heavy. To lighten the richness, I added a lemon sour cream topping that lends perfectly to this traditional favorite. 

 

Pie Filling

            2 eggs, slightly beaten

            16 oz. pumpkin

            2/3 c sugar

            1 tsp cinnamon

            ½ tsp salt

            ½ tsp ginger

            1 1/3 c half and half

Sour Cream Topping

            1 c sour cream

            2 T brown sugar

            1 T lemon juice

            1 T lemon zest

            ¼ c pecans, chopped

Directions

Pie filling: Mix all ingredients of pie filling. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 45 minutes. Cool 20 minutes.

Sour cream layer: Blend sour cream, brown sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Spread mixture over pie. Bake 10 minutes Sprinkle with chopped pecans.