Simple Marinated Lentils

This was just the best salad ever
making use of these Marinated Lentils. 
The salad pictured above consisted of
baby greens, cucumber, scallions, Marinated Lentils,
steamed beets, vegan feta
and drizzled with Curried Tahini Dressing*.

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes about 6 servings

Marinating lentils is such a simple thing to do on prep day and yet marinated lentils adds a healthy dose of yumminess to any salad or nourish bowl.  

2 (15 oz.) cans lentils or about 4 cups cooked lentils, rinsed and drained
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
½ Tablespoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon fresh lemon zest
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Toss all of the ingredients in a bowl until they are well combined.  Place them in an air tight container in the fridge and allow the flavors to meld for at least a few hours before adding to salads or nourish bowls. 

Nutritional Information: (1 of 6 servings) 159 calories; 12 g protein; 28 g carbohydrates; 1 g fat (0 g sat. fat); 197 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 28 mg calcium; 4 mg iron/25% DV)  

*Curry Tahini Dressing 
3 tbsp. tahini
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. water 
1 tbsp. maple syrup 
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast 
2 tsp. curry powder 
1/2 tsp. sea salt 
Ground black pepper, to taste 

Whisk all of the salad dressing ingredients in a bowl until well blended.  Add to any favorite salad.  

2 Tablespoons dressing = approximately 62 calories

Vegan White Chili (Instant Pot)

Recipe from Lori Rasmussen of My Quiet Kitchen 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Yield: 6 servings

Who doesn't love chili on a cold day?  This one is not only vegan, but it's gluten-free and can be made without oil.  It's quite meaty and so tasty!  This is an Instant Pot recipe, but can be made on the stove top.  Soy curls have been a revelation to me.  I buy mine on Amazon, but you can also get them from Butler.

2 teaspoons olive oil, optional (Omit or sub water or broth for sautéing oil-free.)
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 large jalapeños, stems and seeds removed, diced 
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon mushroom powder blend, such as Trader Joe's umami seasoning (Substitute powdered dried mushroom + a pinch of salt)
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
½ teaspoon oregano
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
1 ⅓ cups TVP (textured vegetable protein) or 2 cups crumbled soy curls (Use your hands to break soy curls into smaller pieces.)
2 (15 oz) cans white beans, such as cannellini or great northern, rinsed and drained
2 cups corn kernels, thawed if using frozen (I used frozen roasted corn.)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Black pepper, to taste

¼ to ½ teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
½ cup coconut milk
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Optional Garnishes:
fresh lime juice; cilantro; diced avocado; pico de gallo

In a 6 quart or larger Instant Pot, add the oil, if using, to the insert and turn on the sauté function. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the bell pepper and garlic. Stirring frequently, cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the jalapenos, cumin, chili powder, mushroom powder, poultry seasoning, and oregano. Stir and cook for about 1 minute.
Add the vegetable broth, green chiles, TVP or soy curls, beans, corn, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, then lock on the Instant Pot lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
While the chili cooks, make the cashew milk. Combine water and cashews in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Add nutritional yeast, if using, salt, and lime or vinegar. Blend again to combine.
When the Instant Pot beeps and the 4 minutes at high pressure are complete, carefully quick release the pressure, and remove the lid. Stir the cashew milk into the chili. Let rest for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings adding lime juice, salt and pepper, and/or liquid smoke, if desired. The chili will thicken as it sits.  Leftover chili can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Calories: 318 calories per serving

Bacon-ish Bits (Vegan)

Here's a simple green salad topped with Bacon-ish Bits served
with some Curried Cauliflower Soup with grapes on the side.

Recipe from The Plant Based Cookbook by Ashley Madden
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 1 cup

If you eat lots of salads, veggies and soups like we do, you will like changing them up with this delicious topping.  It has that savory, smokey, salty, sweet crunchy taste that we all love. These are more healthful than actual bacon bits.  

1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon tamari
1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
½ cup sliced almonds (You can substitute the almonds with pumpkin seeds for a nut-free version.)
½ cup raw (hulled) sunflower seeds

Preheat the oven to 300F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.  

In a medium sized bowl, mix the spices, nutritional yeast, tamari and maple syrup (if using) into a paste.  Add the almonds and the sunflower seeds and mix well using a non-stick spatula until all the nuts and seeds are well coated.  

Transfer the mixture to the baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, mixing and redistributing into a single layer halfway through the cooking time.  They’re done when slightly browned and dry to the touch.  

Remove from the oven, mix around to break up any clumps, and let cool completely.  They will harden as they cool.  

Keep these Bacon-ish Bits in a sealed jar in a cool, dry place for up to a month.

2 Tablespoons Bacon-ish Bits equals approximately 60 calories.

 

Layered Polenta Dish (Vegan)

 

Recipe from Alice's Kitchen

Makes 2 generous servings

Wednesdays are busy days for me.  After doing my morning household chores, I go for a long walk and then head home to eat a quick lunch, take a shower and drive one hour to rehearse with the fellas in the band I'm a member of.  After making music all afternoon, I drive the hour back home and make dinner.  So, dinner must be quick and easy because I'm usually bushed. Today, I wanted to serve up a starchy side besides the usual brown rice or quinoa, etc.  I found this polenta at Trader Joe's and decided I would make some sort of layered dinner.  As usual, I keep some sort of sauce in the fridge that I've made on my food prep day.  I also usually have salsa or pico de gallo in the fridge.  Of course, there are always beans and greens around.  This meal got a big thumbs up from the hubster.  I loved it too.  I'm thinking the other half of the tube of polenta will make a nice Italian style meal with layers of garlicky white beans, greens and marinara sauce.  

2 large handfuls of your favorite greens

2 Tablespoons 1-Minute Sauce (optional)

1/2 tube of Trader Joe's Polenta, sliced

1 can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained and mashed with a fork

Vegetable broth for "frying"

1/2 onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 cup pico de gallo or salsa

1/4 cup crumbled vegan feta

1/2 avocado

Place the sliced polenta in a single layer in the air fryer.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Set the air fryer to 350F and air fry for 10 minutes.  When the timer is up, flip the polenta over and add another 10 minutes.  

Meanwhile, heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high.  When it is hot, add a splash of the broth.  Add the onions and garlic.  Sprinkle with the spices.  Stir for about 1 minute or until the onions are softened.  Add the mashed beans.  Add more broth, about 1/4 cup.  Turn down the heat to medium.  Stir the bean mixture and allow to cook for a few minutes, adding more broth to keep the beans from sticking.  Turn off the heat and set aside.

While the beans are cooking, place the greens on the dinner plates.  Drizzle the one-Minute Sauce over the greens, if using.  Top the greens with the polenta slices.  Top the polenta slices with the "refried" beans.  Add the the pico de gallo or salsa.  Sprinkle with the feta.  Peel and slice the avocado and place the avocado slices on the side.  Serve it up.

Curried Broccoli Chickpea Salad (Vegan)

Recipe from Ambitious Kitchen

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 4 generous servings

What a treat this was!  This salad was absolutely delicious and good enough for company.  It's easy to make and tastes great after it has a while for the flavors to meld, and that means it's perfect for food prep day.  As you can see in the photo, I served the salad over some greens.  I actually forgot to put in the chickpeas, so I served it along side some Trader Joe's Giant Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce.  In my defense, we had spent the afternoon working on taxes and so my brain was a bit frazzled.  Ha!

For the salad:

1 head of broccoli, very finely chopped*

1 cup shredded carrots (about 3 small carrots or 2 large)

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup toasted* sliced almonds (can also use chopped roasted almonds)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 bunch green onions, chopped OR 1/2 red/purple onion, minced

¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the dressing:

1/4 cup tahini

1/2 large lemon, juiced

3-5 tablespoons warm water, to thin dressing (I used 4 Tablespoons.)

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon yellow curry powder

½ Tablespoon freshly grated ginger

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, add finely chopped broccoli, chickpeas, carrot, cranberries, green onion, and cilantro. Set aside.

Make the dressing by whisking together the following ingredients in a small bowl: tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic, maple syrup, curry powder, ginger, turmeric, salt and pepper. Immediately drizzle over salad and toss to combine. Sprinkle almonds on top and toss a few more times.

Serve immediately with fresh squeeze of lemon or place in the fridge for later. Salad will keep well up to 5 days.

Recipe Notes:

*I blanched the broccoli putting it in boiling salted water for 2 minutes and then plunging it in ice water.  I drained the broccoli and patted it dry (so the dressing would stick) and then proceeded with the recipe.  I find blanching broccoli takes any bitterness away.  It also brightens the green which is quite appealing to me.

*If you are making this for a party with several other dishes, it will most likely serve 6 rather than 4 people.

*To toast almonds: Add sliced almonds to a pan and place over medium heat. Use a spatula to stir the almonds; stirring every 30 seconds or so until they are nice and golden brown, about 5 minutes total time. If pan begins to smoke, make sure to reduce the heat to prevent burning.

Nutrition Information: (1 of 4 servings)

Calories 434; Calories from Fat 159; Fat 17.7g; ; Carbohydrates 56.4g; Fiber 14.9g; Sugar 15.6g; Protein 15.8g

Oil Free Granola

Recipe from Simnett Nutrition

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 6 (1/2-cup) servings

I like having granola around, but I never buy any.  It's easy to make your own and by doing so, you control what goes in it.  This one intrigued me because it uses no oil. To coat the oats and nuts, dates are blended with water and vanilla and then poured over. This batch didn't come out as crispy as I like, but it tasted good. I'm thinking the granola just needs to bake a bit longer.  (Of course, it could be that it's not as crispy because there's no oil.) It's only a smidge sweet, which suits me just fine.  It uses the dates and raisins for sweetening and not refined sugars.  In short, I liked this granola as a more healthful alternative. Try this one or give my go-to granola a try.

1 1/4 cups rolled oats (Use gluten-free oats, if desired.)

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup coconut flakes or shredded coconut

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Pinch of sea salt

1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 Medjool dates, pitted (If they are not soft, pour hot water over them and allow them to soak for 15 minutes.)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (These are added after the granola has baked and cooled.)

Preheat the oven to 300 F.  In a large bowl, mix the oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, cinnamon and salt.  

In a high speed blender, pour in the vanilla, the dates, and the water (You can actually use the soaking water for this.)  Blend until completely smooth.

Pour the date liquid over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. 

Spread the granola onto a silicone lined or parchment lined baking sheet.  Be sure to spread the mixture evenly.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Take it out of the oven and stir well.

Bake for an additional 12-15 minutes, keeping an eye on it so that it doesn't burn. (I had to bake it about 10 minutes longer than the original recipe stated to crisp it up more.)

Cool the granola COMPLETELY.  Add the raisins to the granola and mix well.  Store in an air tight container.

Nutritional Information: (1/2 cup serving) 203 calories; 6 grams fat (1.8 sat. fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 44 mg sodium; 35.7 grams carbohydrates; 4.3 grams fiber; 18.4 sugars; 4.9 grams protein; 37 mg calcium; 3 mg iron; 339 mg potassium

Oil-Free Balsamic Salad Dressing/Marinade (Vegan)

Here's a simple salad drizzled with Oil-Free Balsamic Salad Dressing. 
It shares a plate with a bit of sauerkraut, Crispy Air Fryer Tofu,
a Clementine orange and one Brazil nut.

Recipe from Shane & Simple

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

This delicious oil free, nut free, gluten free, whole food plant based dressing is tangy with a hint of sweetness.  It can be made in less than 2 minutes.  It will keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.  And, it can be used as an oil-free marinade for tofu or tempeh or veggies for roasting. 

1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar

3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

Water (optional)

Add all the ingredients, except the water, to a jar with a tight fitting lid.  Shake the jar vigorously until the ingredients are well combined.  Add water, a Tablespoon at a time and shake again, until you get the consistency you like.

(You can also place the ingredients in a bowl and use a whisk to combine.)

Nutritional Information: (2 Tablespoons) 60 calories; 300 mg sodium; 0 g fat; 11 g carbohydrates; 0.1 g fiber; 0.3 g protein; 0 mg cholesterol

Note: I think it's really important to use a good quality, great tasting balsamic for dressings, especially when the vinegar flavor will be "out there in front."  Here's the one I use.  (I purchase it from William Sonoma.)

  

Cheesy Chili Oil-Free French Fries (Vegan)

 

Recipe from Minimalist Baker

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Serves 6

In an effort to reduce the amount of oil we consume on a daily basis, I'm playing with sautéing and roasting without oil.  I tested this recipe by one of my favorite bloggers, Minimalist Baker.  It's a keeper for sure.  I honestly don't see why I need to use oil to make roasted potato fries anymore.  These came out VERY crispy and flavorful, worthy of company.  

2 1/2 - 3 lbs. yellow potatoes (I used fingerling potatoes.)

Water (for steaming)

3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon chili powder (I used Trader Joe's Chili Seasoning Blend.)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Dash cayenne pepper, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 F.  Rinse the potatoes clean.  Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone liner.  Slice potatoes lengthwise into small wedges (about 1/4 - 1/2 inch wide.) Place a steamer basket into a pot with about 1-inch boiling water.  Cover and steam for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are slightly tender, but not cooked.  Transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet.  Top with the spice mixture.  Toss gently to coat.  Spread out the potatoes in a single layer so that they do not touch one another.  (You may need to use a second sheet pan to do this.  It's very important to keep space between the potato wedges for them to become crispy.) Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven.  Set the oven to 450 F.  Flip the potatoes over to ensure even baking.  Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.  Serve hot!  Store any leftovers covered in the fridge up to 4 days reheating at 375 F until hot.

**Note:  According to the original recipe, these potato fries were only 64 calories per serving, but when I checked on Very Well Fit's Nutritional Recipe Calculator, the calorie amount for 1 of 6 servings was 171.