Tuscany Risotto

About 5 years ago, I discovered risotto. I love risotto. Imagine my delight when Tuscany Risotto showed up about 1 month after I started getting meal plans from the Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor. The above photo is one-half of one serving. The serving was nearly as large as my big plate, but it wasn't particularly pretty for the photo. I submitted this photo on Instagram as a part of the March Madness challenges. 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp miso paste
oil
12-oz riced cauliflower (available from Trader Joe's in frozen section)
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups kale
2 tbsp almond milk
garlic powder
black pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk tahini, nutritional yeast, and miso together. Set aside.
2. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat, heat oil. Saute onion and garlic until translucent.
3. Stir in riced cauliflower and cook a couple minutes, adding splashes of broth to prevent sticking and stirring occasionally.
4. Add tahini mixture plus remaining broth and cooked rice, stirring to combine.
5. Cover and simmer for a few minutes.
6. Uncover and stir in kale until it softens.
7. Continue to heat over low, stirring, until kale incorporates and excess liquid cooks off.
8. Add milk to cream it up, adding more as desired. 
9. Let rest a few minutes.
10. Top with a dash of garlic powder and black pepper.

Notes:

• Serves 2
• Per serving: 404 calories, 8.4g fat, 71.9g carbs, 9.7g fiber, 6.5g sugars, 15.1g protein
• Add in some steamed carrots.

Apple Crisp Muffins

These apple crisp muffins are so good! I had a couple, one child had a couple, and someone else had at least half dozen. I got them from Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor, which is a whole foods plant-based no oil meal plan. It's not a diet. All the same, I was told, "These don't taste like diet muffins." And I was asked to make them again. 

Ingredients:

1½ cups flour (white whole-wheat or GF) 

½ cup dry rolled oats, uncooked 

2 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp baking soda 

2 tsp ground cinnamon 

¼ tsp ground ginger 

dash of ground nutmeg 

¼ tsp salt 

½ cup raw sugar 

¼ cup brown sugar 

1 cup applesauce 

¼ cup pure maple syrup 

1 red apple, diced

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350F. 
2. Mix dry ingredients together. 
3. Add remaining ingredients, mix until just combined. 
4. Spoon into lined muffin cups. 
5. Sprinkle with additional oats and brown sugar, if desired. 
6. Bake for 18-25 mins.

Notes:

Makes 12 muffins.

Per muffin: 124 calories, 0.4g fat, 28.8g carbs, 2.4g fiber, 15.4g sugars, 1.8g protein

Kung Pao Lentils

A great dish that can be a side or entree. There is some time in the prep, so it would be great to have a rice cooker. There's some other kitchen appliances that cook lentil, which might also be helpful. I got this meal from the Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor.

Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup cooked green lentils
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp agave
1 tsp rice vinegar

Directions:

1. Cook rice and lentils according to package (or internet or appliance) directions.
2. Make Kung Pao Sauce by whisking the soy sauce, cornstarch, agave, and rice vinegar in a bowl.
3. Heat a couple tablespoons oil in a skillet and saute peppers until tender.
4. Add cooked lentils and Kung Pao Sauce, mix until well combined.
5. Reduce heat to low, cover, and heat until everything is warm.
6. Let rest a few minutes.
7. Served over the cooked brown rice.

Notes:

• Serves 2.
• Per serving: 413 calories, 2g fat, 80.8g carbs, 17.2g fiber, 7.3g sugar, 18g protein.
• Add additional veggies or peanuts. 

Tomale Pie

If you know me and my family, you might be as surprised as I am for something called "Tomale Pie" to make it onto the Codex. It was one of the meals from the Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor. I changed some of the measurements to be less spicy.

Ingredients:
oil
6 tbsp fine cornmeal
1/2 small onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup corn
1 tbsp diced green chilies
7-oz diced tomatoes

Directions:

1. Make polenta: Bring 3/4-cup water to a boil. Reduce to low. Slowly whisk in cornmeal, stirring to break down clumps. Add more hot water (about 1/4-cup) to thin out. Salt to taste.
2. Preheat oven to 375F and set aside a square 8 or 9-inch glass casserole dish.
3. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add oil and saute onion and garlic until translucent.
4. Add spices, stirring to coat well, and cook another minute.
5. Add beans, corn, green chilies, and tomatoes.
6. Mix well and cook for a minute or so, then transfer to the casserole dish. 
7. Spread polenta mixture on top and bake 30 minutes, or until polenta is firm.
8. Allow to cool for 15 minutes while the polenta firms. 

Notes:

• Serves 2.
• Per serving: 387 calories, 3.8g fat, 70.1g carbs, 15.6g fiber, 6.7g sugar, 19.5g protein.
• If you like spice, double the chili powder to 1/2 tsp, and add as much as 2-oz of diced green chilies. You can pour hot sauce on top, too.
• Top with guacamole or sliced olives for more flavor.

Un-Birthday Cake Baked Oatmeal

This was amazing! It takes a little long for a regular weekday breakfast, but I think I'll be having it fairly regularly for a weekend breakfast. It came from the Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor Big Breakfast Book. I submitted this photo as a part of the March Madness Challenge on Instagram. This might be fun to make several of these during a brunch.

Ingredients:
6 tbsp dry rolled oats
1 tbsp oat flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp applesauce
3-4 tbsp almond milk
3 oz yogurt
sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a small bowl, combine oats, oat flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. Add in the maple syrup, vanilla, applesauce, and 2 tbsp milk.
4. Stir and add more milk until batter forms. The mixture should be wet, but not runny.
5. Transfer mixture to a ramekin.
6. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until the top is set and golden.
7. Top with yogurt and sprinkles.

Notes:

• Serves 1
• Per serving: 271 calories, 3.9g fat, 46.9g carbs, 4.1g fiber, 20g sugar, 9.8g protein
• Add a side of fruit.

Broccoli Rice & Cheeze

I got so many likes on Instagram for this photo and a comment about how good it looked. (Okay, over 20 likes and one comment, which is a lot for me.) 

First, I need to step up my food photography game for this blog again. Unfortunately, I am taking photos with my cell phone under low light conditions so I can Instagram them. Sometimes the Instagram filters can help make the image look better. This is an unfiltered photo.

Second, I probably should have added the broccoli on top rather than stirring it in. 
Finally, this is a Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor meal, adjusted to my taste. For me, it is an entree, and it might be a good lunch. I'm putting it as a side in the food blog because I think for most people, it might serve best as a side.

Ingredients:
1¼ cups (10-oz) soy or almond milk 
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast 
2 tbsp cornstarch 
1 tsp onion powder 
1 tsp garlic powder 
½ tsp smoked paprika 
¼ tsp turmeric 
2 tbsp miso paste 
1½ cups cooked brown rice 
2 cups broccoli florets, steamed

Directions:

1. Whisk milk with nutritional yeast, cornstarch and spices until combined. 
2. Bring to a near boil then reduce to low. 
3. Cover and simmer, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly, stirring occasionally. 
4. Whisk in miso until well combined. 
5. Stir in cooked rice and top with broccoli.
6. Salt and pepper to taste.

Notes:

• Serves 2
• Per serving: 389 calories, 6.4g fat, 66.1g carbs, 12.6g fiber, 3.5g sugars, 22.9g protein
• It is a little bland, as is. I would add additional paprika or a dash of chili powder, or something else to give it a little kick. 
• You can add beans ore more broccoli.

Potato Verde Tacos

This is a meal from the Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor. It is one serving pictured. I make changes to the original recipes to fit my tastebuds.

Ingredients:
olive oil
up to 1 cup vegetable broth 
½ small onion, diced 
1 garlic clove, minced 
½ tsp ground cumin 
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced 
1 cooked potato, diced 
5-oz fresh spinach 
½-1 tbsp nutritional yeast 
¾ cup refried beans (warmed) 
6 corn tortillas 
½ cup salsa 

Directions:

1. Sauté onion and garlic until translucent. 
2. Add cumin, stirring to coat.
3. Add bell peppers and cook until almost tender, adding broth as needed. 
4. Add potato pieces, cover and simmer, cooking until potatoes and peppers are very tender and potatoes have taken on broth coloring. (Add more broth as needed during cooking). 
5. Turn off heat and add spinach, stirring to cook down and incorporate. 
6. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with nutritional yeast. 
7. Mash potatoes partially (optional). 9
8. Stir to combine and set aside.  
9. Spread warm refried beans on tortillas and top with potato mixture. 
10. Spoon salsa on top or on the side.

Notes:

• Serves 2
• Per serving: 412 calories, 4.5g fat, 79.8g carbs, 17.7g fiber, 7.6g sugars, 19g protein
• Add corn or guacamole