Peanut Miso Cucumber Crunch Sandwich

Recipe from Plant Based RD
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 4 sandwiches

I’m not a huge fan of sandwiches, but this one is quite delish.  I love that you can make the components in advance and then, come lunch time, place them on your favorite whole grain bread and enjoy. Easy peasy, tasty, tasty.

1 English cucumber, thinly sliced 
Pinch of kosher salt 
¼ cup cilantro leaves, minced 
1 scallion, thinly sliced 
3 Tablespoon finely chopped peanuts 
Zest and juice of 1 lime 
1 heaping Tablespoon natural unsalted peanut butter 
2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon sriracha 
1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)

1 (15 oz can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
2 teaspoons white miso paste 
2 scallions, thinly sliced ,
1 clove garlic, grated 
2 Tablespoons natural unsalted peanut butter
Pinch of salt 
1 Tablespoon sriracha 
2 teaspoon maple syrup 
2 teaspoon rice wine or brown rice vinegar 

Slices of whole grain sourdough bread or whole wheat bread or whole wheat lavash or whole wheat pita

Add the cucumbers to a medium bowl and top with a pinch of salt, cilantro, scallions, peanuts and lime zest. To a separate small bowl add the lime juice, peanut butter, soy sauce, sriracha and maple syrup and whisk together until evenly mixed. Pour the mix overtop the bowl of cucumbers then toss everything to combine and place in the fridge.

To a separate medium bowl, add your chickpeas and miso then use a fork to mash them together. When mashing, mash as much of the chickpeas as you personally like.

Add the scallions, garlic, peanut butter, sriracha, maple syrup, and rice wine vinegar then stir together well to combine into a uniform mixture. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to enjoy.

To assemble a sandwich, add a few spoons of the peanut miso chickpeas onto a slice of bread and spread it out evenly. Then layer the cucumbers on top. Cover with the other slice of bread then enjoy! (I would recommend adding some of your favorite greens to your sandwich as well.) Serve with some seasonal fruit or berries for a wholesome lunch.

Nutrition: (1 of 4 servings) 360 calories; 14g fat; 3g saturated fat; 0g trans-fat; 0mg cholesterol; 700mg sodium (This could be reduced by using tamari in place of soy sauce); 50g carbohydrates; 10g fiber; 3g sugars; 12g protein 

Spicy Thai Salad with Tempeh (Vegan)

Recipe from http://www.picklesnhoney.com
Husband-Tested  in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 4 servings

This is a beautiful, delicious salad worthy of your best company, meat eaters and/or vegans.  Many of the components can be prepared well in advance, making this party perfect. This colorful salad is loaded with protein too. Make the dressing, the tempeh, the quinoa and edamame as much as a day ahead and then it’ll be a cinch to layer the salad on a large platter for dinner.

For the Peanut Dressing:
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup low-sodium tamari sauce
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 Tablespoons (or to taste) Sriracha sauce
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 heaping Tablespoon fresh, peeled ginger (I use minced ginger from a jar.)

For the Tempeh:
1 (8 oz.) block of tempeh, steamed* and crumbled
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Juice of 1 orange
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced (I used several leaves of red leaf lettuce plus several leaves of Napa cabbage, thinly sliced.)
2 cups cooked quinoa, seasoned with sea salt and pepper
1 heaping cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced carrot 
½ cup cooked edamame 
½ cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, optional for garnish
Lime wedges, optional for serving
Sriracha sauce, optional for serving
 
Instructions:  
Place all the dressing ingredients in a high speed blender.  Blend until the dressing is smooth.  Set aside.  (This can be made in advance.). Heat a non-stick skillet.  Add the toasted sesame to the skillet.  Add the crumbled tempeh.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add the orange juice.  Stir until the tempeh is coated with the oil and juice. Cook, stirring every so often, until the tempeh is golden brown, about 7-8 minutes.  Set aside.  To assemble the salad, toss together the tempeh, lettuce, quinoa, cabbage, carrots, edamame, chopped peanuts, and green onions.  Divide between four bowls.  Garnish with the sesame seeds (if using) and drizzle the salad with the peanut dressing.  Serve with lime wedges and sriracha, if desired.

*How to Steam Tempeh:  After opening the package of tempeh, cut it into 4 sections.  Place it in a steamer basket.  Bring water to a boil in a pot that has a lid.  The water level should not come up above the holes of the steamer basket.  When the water comes to the boil, place the steamer basket in the pot and put on the lid.  Set a timer for 10 minutes.  When the timer beeps, remove the tempeh pieces to a clean towel.  Pat the tempeh dry.  When the tempeh is cool enough to handle, crumble it up and proceed with the above recipe. 

Nutritional Information: (1 of 4 servings)  
Calories 617
Total Fat 29g
Saturated Fat 4.4g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 627mg
Total Carbohydrate 72.7g
Dietary Fiber 7.9g
Total Sugars 30.8g  
Protein 23.3g  
Vitamin D 0mcg
Calcium 163mg
Iron 18mg
Potassium 848mg

Popcorn Trail Mix

 

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes about 6 cups or so.

When you are doing your meal prep for the week, set aside just a few minutes to make this satisfyingly delicious trail mix to snack on or to pack in a lunchbox or picnic basket.  I use a silicone popcorn maker that's collapsible so that it fits in a drawer.  I don't use any oil.  I just measure out a couple of Tablespoons of un-popped popcorn into the bowl, pop on the lid and then zap it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. While the popcorn is popping, I measure out the rest of the trail mix ingredients into a big bowl. Then I store it in a large Mason jar and keep it on the counter. The popcorn popper is called Original Salbree Microwave Silicone Popcorn Popper (collapsible bowl) that I ordered from Amazon.  The bowl comes in lots of colors and makes a great gift.  

2 Tablespoons un-popped Popcorn

1/3 cup Unsalted Peanuts (Use other seeds or nuts if you wish.)

1/3 cup Whole Almonds

1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds

1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds

1/3 cup Dried Cranberries (Raisins or dried apricots would be good substitutes.)

2 Tablespoons Cocoa Nibs or Mini Dark Chocolate Chips (Use vegan chips to keep this vegan.)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt

Pop the popcorn using whatever method you wish.  Mix the popped popcorn with the remaining ingredients and then store in an airtight container on the counter.  I think it should last about a week or so.

Peanut (or Almond) Coated Tofu (vegan)

Recipe from Avant Garde Vegan

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 3-4 servings

This is actually one component of a recipe from Avant Garde Vegan, but it was so darn good that I thought I should make a record of it to use for lots of other dishes. The original recipe did not include any marinating time at all.  It just called for coating the tofu with the sauce and crumbs and baking the tofu right away, but when I prepared this it was in the morning and so I let the sauce covered tofu hang out in the fridge until dinner time, coated it with the nut crumbs and then baked it. And it was delish.  By the way, the husband asked after tasting it, “Is this chicken?”  Ha!  I didn’t think it tasted so much like chicken, but it certainly had a “meaty” quality to it.  Make up a batch and serve it in your favorite Buddha bowl.  I think it would make a mean sandwich when the local tomatoes are ripe.

1 block extra firm tofu

1 Tablespoon peanut butter or almond butter

2 Tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

Juice of 1 lime

Pinch of dried red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¾ cup toasted* peanuts or almonds

Tamari or soy sauce, for serving

Drain the tofu and then cut it into 4 slabs.  Place them on one end of a clean towel and fold the other end of the towel over the tofu to cover.  Place a baking sheet on top of the towel-covered tofu and place a heavy pot or book on top of that.  Set aside to dry while you make the sauce. In a bowl, whisk together the peanut (or almond) butter, 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, lime juice, red pepper flakes and garlic powder until smooth. Set aside.  Remove the tofu from the towel and cut the tofu slabs in half so that you now have 8 pieces.  Place the pieces into a shallow dish and pour the sauce over the tofu.  Flip the tofu pieces over to coat all the sides.  Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Meanwhile, roast the peanuts (or almonds) and process in a blender or food processor until you have fine crumbs.  (Do not over process or you will end up with peanut (or almond) butter!) Place the nut crumbs in a shallow dish. 

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Carefully place each piece of sauce-covered tofu into the crumbs and flip to coat all the sides.  Put the crumb-coated tofu pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet.  (The original recipe suggested placing the tofu in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat on the stove top for 2 minutes on each side to lightly color them before baking, but I didn’t follow the directions and they turned out just fine.) Bake for 15 to 25 minutes or so until toasty brown, flipping halfway through the cooking time.  Drizzle with a little tamari before serving.

*To toast the peanuts or almonds: Preheat the oven to 325F.  Spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Notes:  You can make this dish even easier on a weeknight if you make a double batch of the peanut/almond crumbs.  Store them in the fridge and then all that needs to be done is prep the tofu and bake.

Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken

Yield: 6-8 servings

Recipe from The Healthy Slow Cooker by Judith Finlayson

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Make this comfort food dish in your slow cooker on the weekend for a satisfying family meal.  Serve it over Brown Rice and have a fresh piece of fruit as dessert for an especially healthful and tasty dinner.

1 Tablespoon olive oil or extra-virgin coconut oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and diced

4 stalks celery, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon minced ginger root

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock (You can also use Homemade Vegetable Broth*)

3 lbs. skinless chicken thighs (boneless or bone-in)

3 Tablespoons natural peanut butter

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 Tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste

½ cup coconut milk

2 cups sweet green peas, thawed if frozen

1 red bell pepper, diced

¼ cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts

½ cup finely chopped cilantro

1. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds.  Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until the carrots are softened, about 7 minutes.  Add the garlic, ginger root, and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add the stock and bring to a boil.
2. Arrange the chicken over the bottom of a slow cooker.*  Add the vegetable mixture.  Cover and cook on Low for 5 hours or on High for 2½ hours, until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a fork. Use a couple of forks to shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.
3. In a bowl, combine the peanut butter, lemon juice, soy sauce and red curry paste.  Mix well.  Add to the slow cooker and stir well. 
4. Add the coconut milk, peas, and red pepper and stir well. Cover and cook on High for 20 minutes, until peppers are tender and the mixture is hot.  Garnish with peanuts and cilantro and serve over brown rice.

Notes: 

      *You can save money by putting the vegetable trimmings in a small pot.  Cover the trimmings with water.  Add a couple of whole peppercorns, a few dried mushrooms and any fresh herb scraps you may have.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat and simmer for about ½ hour or so.  Strain out the solids.  You should have enough vegetable broth for this recipe plus enough to make flavorful brown rice.
**This recipe works in slow cookers from 3½ to 6 quarts.
This dish can be partially prepared before it is cooked.  Complete Step 1.  Cover and chill overnight or up to 2 days.  You can also prepare the peanut butter sauce in advance.  When you are ready to cook, continue with the recipe.
When making this dish, using extra virgin coconut oil to soften the onions adds a depth of coconut flavor to the sauce and nutrients to you diet.
 

Nutrients Per Serving:  334 calories; 33 g protein; 14.7 g carbohydrates; Fat 16.2 g (total); 5.3 g saturated fat; 6.0 g monounsaturated fat; 3.3 f polyunsaturated fat; dietary fiber 3.6 g; sodium 471 mg; cholesterol 114 mg; excellent source of vitamins A, C, B6, and K; good source of folacin, potassium and iron

Sesame-Peanut Bars

Recipe from http://www.bonappetit.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 16 bars

Wow!!!  Make these terrific tasty seed-and-nut packed energy bars and include them in your lunchbox.  These are now in our regular snack rotation.  I think replacing the peanuts and peanut butter with almonds and almond butter would make a nice variation.

½ Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (for buttering the pan)

1¼ cups white and/or black sesame seeds

¾ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

¼ cup unsalted, roasted peanuts

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup honey

2 Tablespoons peanut butter

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Butter an 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan with the melted butter.  Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a generous overhang on all sides.  (This will make removing the bars much easier.) 

In a large bowl, combine the sesame seeds, the coconut, the peanuts and the kosher salt.

In a small bowl, mix the honey, peanut butter and vanilla.  (Heating the honey mixture for a few seconds in the microwave or on top of the stove will make mixing much easier.)

Add the honey mixture to the seed/nut mixture and mix well. 

Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Press firmly into an even layer. (Spray the bottom of a measuring cup with cooking spray and use it to press the mixture evenly in the pan.)

Bake at 350 F until golden brown around the edges, 20-25 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool until firm, 30-40 minutes more. 

Lift out of the baking dish (if it starts to crumble, let cool a bit longer) and cut into 16 bars.

Let the bars cool completely. 

Bars can be made 3 days in advance.  Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Thai Basil Pesto (vegan)

Makes 1 cup

Recipe from http://www.eathealthyeathappy.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

If you are fortunate enough to have access to fresh Thai basil, then you must make this wonderful pesto.  It’s hard for me to describe, but I would say that it’s slightly sweet, hinting of anise and peanuts, and with a tiny bit of heat.  Toss it with pasta, vegetables, tofu, rice, or serve it with chicken or fish.

2 cups Thai basil leaves (without stems)

3 Tablespoons plain roasted peanuts

1 Tablespoon agave nectar or coconut sugar (You could use honey, but then it wouldn’t be vegan.)

1 Tablespoon brown rice vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)

2 Tablespoons sesame oil (not toasted sesame oil) or more

3 cloves garlic, peeled

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon soy sauce

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree to the consistency you prefer.  Use right away or store in a glass container with a lid in the refrigerator.  You can also freeze pesto.  (I added about a teaspoon more sesame oil to make a “looser” pesto.)