Sweet Potato Chilaquiles

I was surprised at the flavors of this. Be careful picking your salsa and guacamole. I got this meal from Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor. 

Ingredients:
2 corn tortillas 
1 sweet potato, diced 
2-3 tsp Taco Seasoning 
½ small onion, diced 
2 garlic cloves, minced 
15-oz can pinto beans, undrained 
1 cup (9 oz) salsa 
2-oz guacamole

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. 
2. Place tortillas right on the rack and bake until crispy, 5-10 mins. Crumble into chips. Set aside. 
3. Place cubed potatoes in a colander and rinse under cold water, shaking off excess water but leaving potatoes damp. 
4. Toss potatoes with Taco Seasoning. 
5. Spread out on baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes. Flip, and bake another 10-20 minutes, or until fork-tender. 
6. Sauté onion and garlic until translucent. 
7. Add beans (with their liquid). 
8. Turn off heat and mash beans well using a fork or potato masher. 
9. Add Taco Seasoning to taste. 
10. Cook until it thickens and reduces a bit. 
11. Spoon into bowls and top with potatoes, salsa and guacamole. 
12. Crumble corn chips over top. 

Notes:

• Serves 2
• Per serving: 408 calories, 7.6g fat, 69.8g carbs, 18.2g fiber, 9.7g sugars, 18.1g protein
• You can add corn or black olives.

PB&J Oatmeal

This is probably one of the simplest and most obvious breakfasts of all time. I have Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor to thank for it. 

Ingredients:
½ cup dry rolled oats uncooked 
¼ cup applesauce 
jam or jelly 
peanut butter

Directions:

1. Cook oats in ¾ cup water (or more). 
2. Stir in applesauce until well combined.
3. Top with jam and peanut butter. 

Notes:

• Serves 1
• Per serving: 284 calories, 6.7g fat, 49.9g carbs, 5.6g fiber, 17g sugars, 7.6g protein, provided you limit jam to 1 tbsp and peanut butter to 1 1/2 tbsp

Green Bean-Potato Salad

If you do Meatless Mondays, how about Salad Mondays? I am such a fan of Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor salads. I put salads as sides, because that's how many folks think of them, but this could be eaten as an entree, which is what I did.

Ingredients:
½ cup corn 
1½ cups fresh green beans, cut into 1” pieces 
½ cup dry couscous or 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
2 cooked potatoes, diced 
1 tomato, diced 
½ cup fresh basil, chopped 
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped 

Lemon Dressing 
2 tbsp vegetable broth 
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 
1 tbsp red wine vinegar 
garlic powder 
½ tsp agave nectar
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Make Dressing: Whisk ingredients together. Taste, adding more garlic as desired plus salt and black pepper.
2. Warm or thaw corn if frozen. Set aside. 
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and cook 5 minutes or until tender but still crisp. 
4. Pour ⅔-cup of the hot water over couscous in a mixing bowl and set aside. 
5. Drain green beans and immediately rinse under cold water, until they're cool.
6. After 5 minutes of soaking couscous in hot water, fluff couscous. 
7. In a large bowl, toss fluffed couscous with potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, corn, basil, and oregano. Toss with dressing until well mixed.

Notes:

• If serving as entree, serves 2.
• Per serving: 380 calories, 1.4g fat, 81.9g carbs, 11.3g fiber, 6.3g sugars, 12.8g protein
• Can add white beans or chickpeas. 

Baked Lasagna Wraps

When I saw this recipe, I was very excited to give it a try. It sounded so good; and it was! I wanted to half the recipe because it makes 4, and I didn't want a ton of leftovers because I have lots of fresh meals to make, but now I'm kind of happy I didn't. I got the recipe from Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor, but I altered it to fit my tastebuds.

Ingredients:
10-oz frozen spinach
15-oz extra firm tofu, drained
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt
pepper
2 cups marinara sauce
vegan parmesan
4 flour tortillas (burrito size)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Cook spinach according to package directions, squeezing out excess liquid.
3. In a large mixing bowl, crumble tofu.
4. Mix in lemon, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder until well combined.
5. Fold in spinach and 1 cup marinara.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more Italian seasoning or garlic if desired.
7. Spread mixture onto tortillas and roll up.
8. Place crease side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
9. Bake 15-20 minutes.
10. Warm remaining cup of marinara and drizzle over wraps.
11. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.

Notes:

• Serves 4.
• Per serving: 424 calories, 13.7g fat, 51.8g carbs, 12.0g fiber, 12.6g sugars, 28.0g protein
• For just cooked wraps, heat the filling (or serve cold), and do not bake. Serve with warmed marinara.

Banana Bread

Prior to learning I was allergic to bananas (the hard way), we used to collect banana bread recipes that we thought were especially good. I don't know where this one came from; we've had it for over a decade. Note that when it says bundt pan, it means bundt pan. I lost my bundt pan, so I tried to make it in bread pans. That doesn't work. You must use a bundt pan for this one.

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
3 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
4 cups + 2 tbsp flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup sour cream
non-stick cooking spray or butter and flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Spray bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray or grease and flour the pan.
3. Cream butter and sugar together in a stand mixer.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating for a few seconds after each addition.
5. Add mashed bananas and beat.
6. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
7. Add dry ingredients and sour cream alternately to the banana mixture in the stand mixer. Beat well until all combined.
8. Transfer dough into bundt pan.
9. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
10. Invert onto a cooling rack, and allow cake to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Notes:

• You really do have to use a bundt pan. 
• I would have shown you an actual slice, but my kids were eating them already.

Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal

It's no secret that I love Cinnamon Rolls. I'm not sure making it as oatmeal is particularly healthy, but probably a little better than actual rolls. I got the original recipe from Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry rolled oats
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
dash of ground nutmeg
1 tbsp brown sugar
pinch of salt
3/4 cup almond milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, combine oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and salt. 
2. Add milk and vanilla extract.
3. Over medium, bring to a light boil. Turn heat to low, and cook to desired consistency, stirring often.

Notes:

Serves 1

Per serving: 219 calories, 4.7g fat, 38.5g carbs, 5.5g fiber, 9.4g sugars, 6.2g protein

Bangkok Rice Salad

This salad was pretty awesome. I ate it as an entree. It is great as a side, too. I got this from the Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor. 

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked brown rice 
1 carrot, shredded 
1 cup napa cabbage, sliced thin 
¼ cup frozen shelled edamame (thawed) 
3-oz mango, diced 
2 green onions, sliced

Bangkok Peanut Sauce 
2 tbsp peanut butter 
1½ tsp agave nectar 
1½ soy sauce 
1½ tsp rice vinegar 
2 tbsp warm water
ground ginger

Directions:
Bangkok Peanut Sauce 

1. Whisk peanut butter, agave, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a light dash of ground ginger together with warm water until well combined.

Salad

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine rice, carrot, cabbage, edamame and mango. 
2. Toss with Bangkok Peanut Sauce until evenly coated. 
3. Garnish with green onions and serve.

Notes:

• Serves 2
• Per serving: 393 calories, 10.5g fat, 65.6g carbs, 5.7g fiber, 15.6g sugars, 11.3g protein
• Could add cold chicken, chopped peanuts, or more veggies.