Vegetarianism Made E-Z (Recipes and Stuff - NO debate allowed here!)

[Diana]

Here's a simple one that is, quote "heaven in your mouth."

Easy berry nut pie (no added sugar or flour - healthy and heavenly delicious!)

I can't wait to try this!

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Omcasey, the above recipes look fabulous. Thank you.

[BrownEye]

Wife made "lolipops" for my mom today. She winged it, and so does not have exact amounts.

Dark Chocolate: Cacao butter, honey, carob powder, non-gmo soy lecithin, ceylon cinnamon, vanilla bean, celtic sea salt.

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White Chocolate: Cacao butter, honey, non-gmo soy lecithin, vanilla bean, celtic sea salt.

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Brownie: Soaked/dehydrated walnuts, medjool dates, cashews, carob powder, cacao powder, celtic sea salt.

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Strawberry White Chocolate: Cashews, strawberries, honey, cacao butter, (may contain non-gmo soy lecithin)

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Blueberry White Chocolate: Blueberries, cashews, honey, cacao butter, (may contain non-gmo soy lecithin)

[omcasey]

Smoothies!
all raw, all organic

Raw Cacau Smoothie

1 cup raw milk
1 or 2 bananas
5 large ice cubes
1 heaping tbsp hemp seeds
1 heaping tbsp cacau
1 tsp lucuma powder
pinch of pink salt

put all ingredients in this order into the vitamix and blend until smooth


Very Berry Smoothie

1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup frozen blueberries or 1 cup fresh
4 large strawberries
1 medium banana
1 heaping tbsp hemp seeds
1 tsp lucuma powder
5 large ice cubes
pinch of pink salt

put all ingredients in this order into the vitamix and blend until smooth


Tropical Green Smoothie

1 cup water
5 large chunks fresh pineapple
4 large strawberries
1 medium banana
5 large ice cubes
1 heaping tbsp hemp seeds
1 tsp lucuma powder
1 tsp spirulina or chlorella
pinch of pink salt
2 large handfulls of fresh spinach

put all ingredients into the vitamix in this order and blend until smooth


Green Grapefruit Smoothie

2 large pink grapefruits; remove both rhine and membranes - or 1 cup pink grapefruit juice
5 large ice cubes
1 heaping tbsp ground flax
1 heaping tbsp hemp seeds
1 tsp lucuma powder
1 tsp spirulina or chlorella
pinch of pink salt
2 large handfulls fresh spinach

put all ingredients into the vitamix in this order and blend until smooth


I live on these!, especially the first one, super yummy

Casey

[Monica]

I live on these!

Me too! I have some sort of raw smoothie every morning, usually a raw stew for lunch, and dinner varies...not always raw.

This morning I had a yummy smoothie made from raw, homemade almond milk (soaked almonds, chia seeds, vanilla, Celtic salt, local honey), apricots, maca, hemp hearts and banana. (Sometimes I make a green smoothie but today I wanted a creamy smoothie.) I do my greens separately, usually. I just take my algae in water.

Last night, I made a cooked meal, and it turned out delicious! I had tons of squash from the garden so I came up with this dish. (Thanks to my son's girlfriend for giving me the idea which I then modified.)

Note: I made this in my large cast iron cauldron, since there are 4 of us, and it was our main dish. Some of the ingredients aren't common, so I've linked to where you can get them. (They are staples in our house.)

Monica's "I have squash coming out my ears" Curried Stew

2 TBLSP coconut oil
1 large red onion (yellow or white ok) chopped
4 large yellow potatoes or 2 large russet (Yellow Finn or Yukon Gold have more flavor) cut in chunks
4 yellow squash (or 2 if they are gargantuan like the ones hiding in my garden!) cut in chunks or small slices
4 mellow jalepenos (or 2 hot ones) chopped
1 bunch asparagus, in 1-inch long pieces
1 tsp salt (Celtic grey or Himalayan pink salts are the healthiest)
2 tsp curry spice blend (I used hot, from a local Indian grocery)
12-16 oz coconut milk or coconut cream

Toss onion and potatoes into the oil and begin sauteing. While they are getting a head start, chop up the squash and then throw that in. (My squash was the tough, gnarly type so I put it in right after the potatoes...but if your squash is softer you can give the potatoes at least a 5-minute head start.)

Saute for about 10 minutes, covered, stirring every so often. Don't let it get so hot that it smokes - that makes the oil turn bad!

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix it all up, then cover and cook another 10 minutes or so, until the potatoes are tender. Serve over a bed of brown rice. YUM!!!

Note: I'm the kind of cook who just kinda adds "a little of this a little of that" so you might need to adjust the salt and seasonings. Also your curry blend might be different from mine, and you might like it hotter or milder.

Sources:

Coconut oil - http://www.coconutoil-online.com/Coconut...E_jug.html

About 10 years ago, when I first heard of the health benefits of coconut oil, I got overly enthusiastic and bought a huge tub of coconut oil from this company, and another huge tub from another company. At the time, my family wasn't on board so we didn't use much of it, and then both tubs of oil got pushed to the back of the cupboard and forgotten. Then, about 5 years later, I reignited my interest in coconut oil, and pulled them out. The oil from coconutoil-online.com was still fresh and pleasant-tasting, but the one from the other company was rancid! Needless to say, I was very impressed! Since then, I buy my coconut oil only from coconutoil-online.com and have been very happy with it. It's imperative to get the highest-quality coconut oil, in order to get the health benefits. Yes it's pricey at first but this large tub lasts a very long time. You can also get small jars of coconut oil at any health food store, but I find this larger size to be much more economical.

Coconut cream: http://www.coconutoil-online.com/Kara_Na...Cream.html

Probably any canned coconut milk will do, but I used the Kara coconut cream from the same company. It's probably more expensive than the canned coconut milk from the grocery store, but it doesn't have added sugar, preservatives, etc. and it's exceptionally creamy. I used 2 of the 6.8 oz cartons in this recipe.

Enjoy!

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Monica's Raw Birthday Pie

Crust:
2 cups raw cashews
1/2 tsp Celtic salt (for best flavor use Celtic! It adds a zing)
1/2 cup hemp hearts (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp raw honey

Process in food processor until you get a thick, smooth texture and it's just beginning to ball up. This is past the crumbly stage, but before the 'nut butter' stage. Don't over process or you'll end up with oily nut butter! (which is yummy as a dip or spread, but too mushy for piecrust!) This might take a couple of times to get just right. Just press into the pan. No baking. The texture will be different. It won't be a flaky crust like you're used to. But, the flavor is absolutely divine! I actually prefer it to those bland flour crusts. (That's what I love about raw foods cuisine - the burst of flavor! It's difficult to describe how exquisite it is. Something you just have to experience! Most of the flavor is lost in cooking. That's why you smell it when it cooks - the smell is the flavor dissipating into the air.)

Filling:

Any fruit, gently mashed up with a dash of honey and lemon juice. We have fresh blackberries and blueberries from the garden so we used those. My other favorites are apricot, raspberry and strawberry. FRESH of course!

A Day in the Life of us weird, deprived, fanatical Vegetarians

My husband's instructor was in town and asked to be taken to a steakhouse. My husband wondered if there would be anything for him to eat other than the usual iceberg-lettuce (bleh!) salad. He was pleasantly surprised to have about 8 side dishes to mix and match! So while the others ate the usual steak and baked potato, my hubby enjoyed a cornucopia of tasty sides which, together, were way more than enough! He had to bring some home. Ah, life is so rough sometimes.

The next day, they went to a Chinese restaurant. My hubby got the same dish as the others, but with breaded tofu instead of chicken. The difference was hardly noticeable. The dish still had all the same flavors. Only the texture was a bit different.

[omcasey]

Monica,

Your curry sounds super! yummy.. I've never been really big on squashes but I'm going to try this recipe this week; maybe this is a way I can work squash into my repertoire. Do you parboil your potatoes and/or squash before sauteing??

To continue on the theme of RAW pies / tortes, here a few tested goodies!; all raw all organic

[I recommend using a shallow fluted torte pan; serving is easier, display is ideal, and portions are not too thick/rich]


Raw Chocolate Mouse Pie / Torte

Crust

2 cups pecans + 1 cup walnuts (soaked overnight then dehydrated); this makes a softer crust, for more crunch use the almond or almond/pecan recipes below
4 medjool dates
1-2 tbsp coconut oil (refrigerated so that it is solid/like butter)

Filling

2 thai baby coconuts (just the meat)
1/2 cup medjool dates
1/2 cup raw cacau
2 tbsp coconut oil (refrigerated so that it is solid/like butter)
3 tbsp raw honey

put ingredients for crust into food processor and pulse (do not blend) lightly together
form your crust into fluted torte pan and refrigerate for one hour
process the ingredients for filling and then pour into your crust
top/decorate with raw shredded coconut and pecan pieces


Raw Strawberry Coconut Pie / Torte

Crust

3 cups almonds (soaked overnight and then dehydrated)
1 cup dry raw shredded coconut
1/2 cup medjool dates
1-2 tbsp coconut oil (refrigerated so that it is solid/like butter)

Filling

1 large basket fresh strawberries, or 1 package frozen strawberries partially thawed
2 cups dry raw shredded coconut
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 tbsp coconut oil (refrigerated so that it is solid/like butter)

put ingredients for crust into food processor and pulse (do not blend) lightly together
form your crust into fluted torte pan and refrigerate for one hour
process the ingredients for filling and then pour into your crust
top/decorate with dry raw shredded coconut and fresh strawberry slices


Raw Blueberry Chocolate Pie / Torte

Crust

2 cups almonds + 1 cup pecans (soaked overnight and then dehydrated)
4 medjool dates
1-2 tbsp coconut oil (refrigerated so that it is solid/like butter)

Filling

2 cups cashews (soaked at least 2 hours and dehydrated)
2 cups blueberries
2 tbsp raw cacao
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 tbsp coconut oil (refrigerated so that it is solid/like butter)

put ingredients for crust into food processor and pulse (do not blend) lightly together
form your crust into fluted torte pan and refrigerate for one hour
process the ingredients for filling and then pour into your crust
top/decorate with dry raw shredded coconut, blueberries and mint sprig


Raw Pumpkin Pie / Torte

Crust

2 cups almonds + 1 cup pecans (soaked overnight and dehydrated)
8 medjool dates (soaked until soft)
2 tbsp coconut oil (refrigerated so that it is solid/like butter)

Filling

1 medium pie pumpkin (cubed and soaked overnight)
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut butter
1/2 cup cashews (soaked at least 2 hours)
water if needed to make less thick

2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves

"Whipped Cream" Topping

2 cups cashews (soaked at least 2 hours)
4 medjool dates
1 orange juiced (use just the juice)
1 meyers lemon juiced (use just the juice)
pinch of dry vanilla or 1 tsp liquid vanilla
pinch of pink salt

put ingredients for crust into food processor and pulse (do not blend) lightly together
form your crust into fluted torte pan and refrigerate for one hour
process the ingredients for filling and then pour into your crust
top/decorate individual slices with "whipped cream" topping


Enjoy!

Casey

[Monica]

Monica,

Your curry sounds super! yummy.. I've never been really big on squashes but I'm going to try this recipe this week; maybe this is a way I can work squash into my repertoire. Do you parboil your potatoes and/or squash before sauteing??

No. I just chop 'em up and toss 'em in the pot. I'm not exactly the world's greatest chef though, so I might be missing out on some tricks that improve flavor, texture etc.

To continue on the theme of RAW pies / tortes, here a few tested goodies!; all raw all organic

Casey, I think this is the beginning of a wonderful friendship!

[omcasey]

Monica,

Thanks!, this helps.. I like nice big chunks so I think I will parboil at least the potatoes first, and then let them cool, which will give the texture I know I like and also cut down on sauteing time when it comes time to prepare the actual/whole meal. It's fun having someone in here to talk to!, I have been working with food and cooking since 4 years of age, when my Dad [we were raised alone by my Father] out of necessity began teaching us to cook. He, too, was into health and wellbeing, through the beneficial use of food(s) so I received a very early start and education in this arena.

It seems to always be in large part my job [and joy!] to feed people and/or help them heal through more beneficial food choices in near every situation, work or social, I find myself in. As a careworker, this also extends into household cleaning, hygiene and medicines, moving away from the chemicals and poisons, toward Earth/eco-friendly, holistic options. It is all! very fun, I like helping people feel better, including myself!, I always begin with the testing on myself, so I more clearly know how to transition others more successfully. It is a skill, veeery much in the developing. Each person can be so different, and environments and environmental factors can be tricky.

Keeps me on my toes.


Casey

[ReptilianOrionLizardKing]

two pints of ice
3 ounces of rum
coconut
pineapple
put in a blender and enjoy
i won't include my secret ingredient mwahahahaa

[omcasey]

Omg, I could use 2 of those right now, I'm exhausted, what a month.

[Monica]

This is what I made for dinner last night:

Curried Black-Eyed Peas

I've been getting fresh black-eyed peas and pinto beans from my local farmer's market. I soak them for a few hours first, to get the sprouting process going, then cook. They cook really fast; less than an hour.

I used fresh, minced turmeric root instead of powdered spice in this recipe. I also added a small yellow onion, and used 2 regular vine-ripened tomatoes. I didn't have any mustard seed or bay leaf so I left those out. Served over rice. Turned out great!

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Lately I've been having purslane + fruit smoothies for breakfast. I have a couple of patches of gorgeous purslane growing in my back yard, so I'm using it as much as I can while it's there. Powerful stuff! Very high in Omega 3's.

I put a bunch of it in the VitaMix, add ionized Water or nut milk, then add a couple of apricots, a handful of frozen blueberries, and a banana. Yum! Energizing and light, yet sustaining. I don't get hungry again for 3 hours.

I use all of the above-ground parts of the purslane: stems, leaves, flowers and seeds.

Powerful Purslane

Purslane contains more omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid in particular[4]) than any other leafy vegetable plant. Research published by Simopoulos states that Purslane has 0.01 mg/g of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). This is an extraordinary amount of EPA for a land-based vegetable source. EPA is an Omega-3 fatty acid found mostly in fish, some algae, and flax seeds...100 Grams of fresh purslane leaves (about 1 cup) contain 300 to 400 mg of alpha-linolenic acid.

When eating wild weeds, make sure you get a positive ID!!! Sometimes there are poisonous lookalikes. Purslane is very distinctive.

[Monica]

I now shop mostly at a wonderful farmer's market. They have a lot of organic produce and grow most of it themselves. I'm so happy to have one nearby! They also have stuff I've never had before, like FRESH pinto beans, and several varieties of peas.

We cook a big pot of pintos every Sunday, to have on hand throughout the week. But wow, what a difference, using fresh beans instead of dried! The texture is so much better, and they cook faster (and digest better too!).

But I'd never had fresh Lady Cream Peas or Purple Hull Peas before! So last week I made a curried dish with the Purple Hull Peas, which turned out awesome! And tonight, I adapted a recipe for 'Cream Peas' and it came out great too. Here's what I made for dinner tonight:

1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tomatoes (vine-ripened if possible), chopped
1/2 tsp cumino (cumin) powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp salt (I use Celtic)
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
1 TBSP olive oil
3 cups Lady Cream Peas (Purple Hull would probably work just fine)

First soak the peas for a few hours, to start the germination process (makes them more nutritious).

Then drain the peas, add fresh water, and start cooking them on medium heat, stirring occasionally.

While the peas are cooking, saute the veggies in the olive oil. I always give the onions a head start, and then chop the others and add them into the pot, in this order: garlic, japs, tomatoes.

Add the salt to the peas and the spices to the veggies.

When the peas are tender, drain. (Save the cooking water to use as stock for a soup.)

Add the peas to the veggies, and mix 'em up.

Serve with cornbread OR over rice.

NOTE: Fresh peas take only about 30 minutes to cook!

[Ruth]

Anyone have any eggplant recipes besides Parmesiana?

[omcasey]

Eggplant is really good in curries, go back into page 2 of this thread and throw some cubed eggplant into Monica's "I've got yellow squash coming out of my ears" recipe. Super! yummy.

[highpriestess]

Anyone have any eggplant recipes besides Parmesiana?

I was going on a crazy eggplant kick a while ago. I did grow up eating middle eastern flavors though so these are definitely not your typical parmesana recipes.

Baba Ghanoush (Eggplant dip)
4-6 medium-sized eggplants
1 tsp olive oil
5 tsp Tahini paste
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste
cilantro and cayenne pepper to garnish

1. Grease eggplant with a little oil & cook on grill or in oven. For oven, place on a baking tray and bake at 170ºC /340ºF till the skin is chared and eggplant is tender (approx. 20 minutes).

2. Cool, peel and discard the skin, and mash eggplant to a pulp.

3. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.

4. Garnish with cilantro and cayenne as desired. Serve with toasted pitas or bread & enjoy!


Khoresh Bademjan (Eggplant stew)
2 ½ lbs./2 or 3 eggplants, peeled and sliced
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
4 tbsp. butter
1 large can crushed tomatoes
2 dried limes/1 ½ fresh limes cut into 4 parts and seeded
¾ cup yellow split peas
½ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp. saffron (optional)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
¼ tsp. nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel eggplants and add salt; let sit for at least 10 mins., drain and pat dry.

2. Preheat oven to 400° F. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with oil and place them on sheet. Cook for 20-30 minutes.

3. In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter. Sauté onion and garlic in oil until transparent.

4. Add ½ cup of water, tomatoes, limes, yellow split peas, saffron, salt and pepper, and turmeric. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 45 minutes or till tender.

5. Discard limes. Place eggplants in a casserole dish, add sauce. Cover and cook for 45 minutes in preheated oven.


Here's a delicious indian recipe for Palak Paneer (also known as Saag Paneer, but real saag is made with mustard greens!). Looks complicated but it's not that bad and it tastes so good.

Palak Paneer
Ingredients
4-5 packed cups Spinach
1-1½ cups Paneer, cut into 1 in long & 1 cm thick
2-3 Green Chillies, minced or finely chopped
1 Onion, very finely chopped
1 Tomato, finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
2 tbsp Fresh Cream or 1/4 cup Whole Milk
1 tsp Sugar
Juice of 1/2 fresh Lime
1-2 tbsp Oil/Ghee

Spices
Pinch of Cinnamon
4 Cloves
4 Green Cardamoms, lightly crushed
1 heaped tsp Dhania/Coriander Powder
½ tsp Jeera/Cumin Powder
½ tsp Garam Masala
½ tsp Kitchen King Masala
1 tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves, crushed

1. Boil pot of water and add about 1 tsp. sugar. Switch off the flame and add washed spinach leaves. Let it rest 1-2 minutes, then drain. Run cold water on spinach. Finely chop or puree the spinach. Keep it aside until needed.

2. Heat oil/ghee in a pan on medium flame and arrange paneer pieces in a single layer. Once they turn golden, about 1-2 mins., flip them over and cook the other side till they turn golden. Remove them from pan and either place them on a kitchen towel lined plate or in a bowl of warm water which will keep the paneer soft.

3. In a same oil/ghee, add cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms. Fry them for half a minute.

4. Add finely chopped onions and sauté on medium flame till they turn golden, about 3-5 minutes.

5. Add ginger-garlic paste, minced green chillies, dried fenugreek and fry them for 3-4 mins. until raw smell of ginger-garlic paste disappears.

6. Add masalas, coriander and cumin. Stir till the raw smell of the spices gives way to much harmonious and melodious aroma, about 1 minute. Add about tablespoon of water if think the spices are burning and sticking to the pan.

7. Mix in chopped tomatoes and cook till they are pulpy and release their juice, about 2 minutes.

8. Add the spinach, sugar and milk, a little less than 1/4 cups of water and mix them well.
[If using fresh cream instead of whole milk, add little less than 1/2 cup of water.]

9. Cook covered for about 5-6 minutes on medium flame. Add salt to taste and let it cook uncovered for another 3-5 minutes.

10. Add paneer pieces and gently mix. Simmer for 3 minutes. Drizzle freshly squeezed lime juice once the flame is switched off.


Other delicious ones I made earlier this week!

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Tacos with Mango Black Bean Salsa
Salsa
1 mango, diced
1 to 2 tomatoes, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeño, finely diced
juice from 1 lime
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chipped
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 cup cooked black beans
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt & pepper

Add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl, stir/toss well to combine. Set aside while you make your tacos. Taste again just before serving to see if it needs any additional seasoning.

Tacos (6-8 tacos)
4 Portobello mushrooms
1 to 2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt & pepper
1 to 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 to 4 tbsp olive oil
juice from 1/2 lime
tortillas
3 cups arugula, roughly chopped/torn
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
fresh lime wedges
optional toppings: avocado, queso fresco, sour cream, tomatoes, olives etc.

1. Drizzle olive oil over both sides of the mushrooms and spread evenly with a brush.

2. Divide red pepper flakes and garlic evenly over mushrooms; add salt and pepper.

3. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 a lime over mushrooms and set aside to marinate. Preheat grill.

4. Once grill is at medium-high heat, add the mushrooms, stem side facing up. Check every 5 or so minutes for 15 minutes or when tender with nice grill marks. Cool on plate and cut as desired.

5. Heat tortillas.

6. Top each tortilla with grilled mushroom pieces, a small handful of arugula (or green of your choice), fresh cilantro, onions, mango black bean salsa and fresh lime juice.


Fried Black Rice with Ginger Tofu and Spinach (serves 6)
¾ cup black rice
1 ½ cups water
1 bunch spinach, large stems removed and rinsed
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
1 lb. extra-firm tofu, cut into six ½-inch thick rectangles
1 tbsp. Sriracha sauce
Lime wedges

1. Bring rice and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

2. Steam spinach, covered in 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes; set aside. Saute garlic, ginger, and scallion whites in remaining oil until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tofu and Sriracha and cook until tofu is golden, about 6 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

3. Add rice to skillet and cook over medium-high heat until crisp, about 2 minutes. Serve with spinach and tofu. Garnish with scallion greens and serve with lime.

& for when you're feeling like something cheesy...
Three-cheese Stovetop Mac & Cheese w/ Artichokes
1 lb. elbow macaroni
1 stick butter
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
1 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
3 tbsp. goat cheese
13.75 oz. can whole artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, finely chopped
Salt & pepper
Chili powder, to taste

1. Cook macaroni according to package instructions and drain.

2. Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once it just begins to froth, whisk in the flour in small batches until smooth.

3. Slowly add the milk, continuously whisking.

4. Working in small batches, add the cheese.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Add the cooked noodles and artichokes and stir to combine.

7. Stir and cook over medium heat until both noodles and artichokes are heated through. Serve immediately topped with chili powder and dried parsley.

[Monica]

High-protein foods:

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4491/My-T...otein.html

I speak from experience. As a vegan endurance athlete, I place a high tax on my body. And yet my plant-based diet has fueled me for years without any negative impact on building lean muscle mass or recovery. In fact, at age 45 I continue to improve and am as fit, healthy, and strong as I have ever been.

Here’s a list of my top-7 plant-based foods high in protein:

[ocean50]

Thanks Monica, great post!

[jacrob]

Hello, great thread and here's my contribution. They involve eggs and cheese (my two favourite foods!) but I think you said that was okay.

Amazing sandwich
Marinade:
1 small clove garlic
Himalayan salt (to your taste = tyt)
Juice of 1 lemon
Lots of extra virgin olive oil tyt
Pinch sugar
Dried oregano or fresh parsley or fresh dill or fresh rosemary or fresh basil tyt

Char grill/bbq to golden brown the following, basting with marinade as you go:
- Eggplant slices well salted (salting makes the eggplant release lots of moisture, thereby reducing the amount of oil it absorbs or requires to cook to golden)
- Mushrooms – Big flat mushrooms the size of your slice of bread. Push down with a spatula firmly as you cook to release moisture
- Capsicum (peppers) cut into 4 lengthways
- Zucchini slices

Put all chargrilled vegies in a covered container to allow it to sweat which makes it moist and yummy and it should keep for a few days in the fridge

Put vegies on good bread with a slice of aged cheddar cheese. Top with a fried egg and dollop of mayonnaise. Close sandwich and it’s even better if you can then wrap in paper and let it sit for an hour or two for flavours to mingle.

Sprouted beans
Sprouted beans can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in stews etc and is highly nutritional. I tend to only make mung bean and chickpea sprouts however tonight I’m making Adzuki as well. I also use water with a small amount of montmorillinite clay (bentonite clay is probably easier to obtain) stirred in as it absorbs any toxins and bacteria and increase the mineral content of the beans.

I also use a wide bottomed glass dish with a glass lid i.e. it’s not air tight. If you don’t have such a container use a glass bowl and put plate over the top.

Select your beans and place a half inch high quantity into your bowl. Cover with water and place in a dark place for 18-20hrs. I put mine in the oven (switched off, and if I do use the oven I wait until it’s cool before putting the beans back in there.

Drain beans and for the next 3-5 days rinse and drain beans twice per day. After this time you see beautiful sprouts and it can be refrigerated for quite a few days thereafter. Great with pesto or in a salad with fetta cheese, olives, cucumber dressed with vinegar and oil and salt with a drop of honey to balance the flavours.

Chilli jam
For chilli addicts. Use on everything savoury, as a condiment, to add flavour to stews, or delicious spread on toasted sour dough bread topped with a slice of aged cheddar cheese. It’s very hot and spicy so vary the large and small chillies to your taste.

1kg long red chillies
500g small hot red chillies
1litre extra virgin olive oil
10 onions
15 cloves of garlic
2tsp Himalayan salt

Blend all together and cook in heavy based pot on very low heat for 10hrs. After this time add:

200g palm or raw sugar
300ml rice vinegar

Cook slowly a further 2hrs then bottle in sterilised jars. Makes approximately 1.5 litres which I’ve eaten all of in about 2 weeks.

Its delicious stirred into miso soup also and topped with sprouted beans.

[jacrob]

Hey, can anyone share some children-friendly vegetarian school lunches and dinner recipes/suggestions? I'm running out of ideas.

When my son stays with his dad he gets fed white bread, chicken schnitzels and donuts. To be fair it's not all unhealthy, but the majority of it is processed food with lots of additives.

When he's with me it's very hard to get him to eat healthy vegetarian meals.

Any ideas?

[Monica]

Hey, can anyone share some children-friendly vegetarian school lunches and dinner recipes/suggestions? I'm running out of ideas.

When my son stays with his dad he gets fed white bread, chicken schnitzels and donuts. To be fair it's not all unhealthy, but the majority of it is processed food with lots of additives.

When he's with me it's very hard to get him to eat healthy vegetarian meals.

Any ideas?

Hummus and whole-grain crackers or chips will always do in a pinch, and provides excellent protein. As do nut butter sandwiches. But vary them; don't just use peanut butter. Try almond butter, cashew butter, etc. for variety. I used to combine 2/3 almond butter with 1/3 brown or red miso, and spread that on whole-grain crackers for an amazingly nutritious snack. My son loved it! I often packed pasta with tofu also. And, nut milks are available in those little cartons with straws. I would definitely pack a nut milk! It'll add protein, nutrition and calories. There are lots of brands available.

Here are tons of recipes, tips and ideas:

http://www.peta.org/living/parenting/veg...-pack.aspx

http://www.vegkitchen.com/kid-friendly-r...h-recipes/

http://vegan.sheknows.com/2011/02/13/kid...x-recipes/

http://www.vegkitchen.com/kid-friendly-recipes/

[Diana]

Hey, can anyone share some children-friendly vegetarian school lunches and dinner recipes/suggestions? I'm running out of ideas.

I highly recommend an old veg cook book: The American Vegetarian Cookbook from the Fit For Life Kitchen, by Marilyn Diamond. There are so many great recipes in there fit for children. There is a "stedda tuna" recipe made from tahini, and a date/coconut ball snack, off the top of my head. The book is packed with useful info, how to stock the kitchen, live food deserts, and really inventive, practical vegetarian recipes for a family. You can probably get it used and cheap from a used online bookstore such as Alibris.

[Monica]

Monica's Quick, Creamy, Delicious, Decadent Raw Carob Fudge

I just came up with this and didn't measure, so amounts are approximate. I'll repost once I get the exact measurements.

1/2 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw walnuts (preferably soaked and dehydrated)
1/4 tsp Celtic grey salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-2 TBLSP raw organic honey
1-2 TBLSP carob powder (I used toasted because I had it in the cupboard but when it runs out I plan to buy raw)

Process nuts, carob powder and salt in a food processor until it's granular. Stop just when it's beginning to turn into butter but don't let it get too oily. (Sorry if this seems vague...you'll see what I mean once you do it. Nuts tend to separate the oils if you over process. The idea here is to get creamy but not gooey.)

Add vanilla and honey. Process just enough to mix. You may have to scrape the sides every so often.

Spread into a dish and pat it down with a spatula so it's about 1" high. Enjoy!

YUM! Hardcore chocolate lovers might not like it but I thought it was yummy! Definitely satisfies the sweet tooth while being ridiculously healthy...lots of protein and healthy oils in those nuts and seeds!

I made it again with sesame seeds instead of sunflower seeds. I like it with sunflower seeds better. Cashews would probably work well, and pecans could probably be substituted for walnuts. I like to use walnuts because they have the most Omega-3 oils. It's important to get them fresh though, and make sure they're really raw. The walnuts in stores are often rancid. Bleh!

I get my 'really raw' walnuts and almonds here:

http://www.livingnutz.com/

Note about Celtic salt: This salt has a very distinctive flavor, so I'm not sure how this fudge will taste if you use regular salt. I get my salt here:

http://www.celticseasalt.com/

Yes it's expensive but oh so healthy!

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Just discovered this:

http://nouveauraw.com/

WOW! I'm in heaven! This has got to be the best raw vegan site I've ever seen! It has a wealth of info, tips and techniques. I can't wait to try these recipes!

[BrownEye]

[Monica]

Monica's Sesame-Garlic Salad Dressing

Why not add some healthy oils and protein to your salad dressing? And why not make it alkalizing instead of acidifying? (Lemon is acidic but alkalizing to the body. Don't ask me why!)

I kinda threw this together so measurements aren't precise. You might have to adjust them a bit.

Toss into the blender or VitaMix:

2 TBLSP Sesame Tahini (I prefer raw but toasted works fine too)
2 TBLSP olive oil
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 small lemon
1/4 tsp Celtic salt (tastes better than any other salt!)
1 vine-ripened tomato, cut in quarters

Blend until creamy. It has a bit of zing! Enjoy!

[Plenum]

not really a recipe as such ... but a nice side addition to a meal that I've started doing recently.

I fry up some canned lentils in butter (generous serving of butter) and then pour on top of fried rye bread (Pumpernickel). The crunchiness and firmness of the rye bread is a beautiful contrast to the soft and succulent lentils. I have also added basil or cheese to the lentils while frying, and that makes a nice alternate as well.

yummies!

fibre content plus too

<apologies to the vegans out there : d>

[Monica]

Fresh Raw Hot Salsa

(You will need 6 medium tomatoes total)

Put into blender or VitaMix:

1 medium yellow onion (cut in half)
5-6 cloves garlic
1/4 to 1/2 small carrot (about 2-3 inches long)
5 medium tomatoes (or 6-8 small), cut in half
2 tsp Celtic salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp RAW honey (never use grade A, ever ever)
3-4 jalapeno or 2-3 serrano peppers (serranos are hotter), sliced in half, stems cut off (more if you like it hot!)
handful (about 1/2 to 1 cup) cilantro
Juice of 2 lemons or limes (flavor will be different - try both to see which one you like better)

PULSE, don't blend, on and off until everything is reduced to tiny chunks.

Then add 2 more tomatoes and pulse again a few times, to add tomato chunks.

NOTE: Don't blend constantly. You don't want it totally liquified. Pulsing it makes it chunky.

Variation: Add 1 (peeled and pitted) mango at the very end, then pulse again for just a couple of seconds so it still has chunks

My husband is Hispanic and he prefers my salsa to that of the local Tex-Mex taco places, because it's so fresh.

Enjoy!

NOTE: Recipe has been edited...I keep improving it!

[Monica]

Bumping this thread for a couple of people who asked.

Vegan Starter Kit

^^ Great info about nutrition, plus great recipes!

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