Welcome!
Hi, I'm Tori! Welcome to Healthy Plate Happy Family!
I am a fun-loving, healthy-eating, wife, mom, holistic
nutrition student, aspiring yogi, SUP-enthusiast, living
and loving life on the beautiful coast of West Michigan.
Here you'll find all of the whole foods, clean-eating recipes
that I am cooking up to keep my family happy and healthy!
Thanks for stopping by!
This past Spring Break, we took a family trip out to California….and pretty much fell in love with it. We especially loved Southern California! Luckily, being in the Stand Up Paddleboard business, we have a lot of opportunities to travel out there. Actually, Darren just spent a week in Laguna Beach and Coronado for some meetings, networking, and a race. I loved seeing all of the pictures, but was kind of bummed that I didn’t get to make the trip with him this time. I shouldn’t complain too much since we have some pretty awesome beaches and trails near us. Whenever I need my “beach fix” I just head across the street to this….
Today was the perfect day for a jog on the trails –
running the stairs-
and a cool down walk on the beach –
Ending with a few yoga poses since I missed my usual class this morning.
I was definitely ready for lunch by the time I got home! It only seemed fitting to make this quinoa salad inspired by the flavors of California. My fellow SUP and yoga-loving friend made this for me this summer and I completely forgot about it until just recently.
It’s a lot of chopping…..
But I promise it’s worth it!
California Quinoa Salad
Ingredients (amounts are estimates, use more or less based on your taste preference!)
1 cup quinoa (red, white or a mix)
1 ripe mango, diced
1/4 large red onion, finely chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup pre-steamed or frozen edamame (shelled)
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 avocado, diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries, cherries, or raisins
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
handful of cilantro, chopped
2 T. balsamic vinegar (she suggests fig vinegar if you have it, but I used balsamic)
juice of 1/2 of a lime
1 T. olive oil
Directions
Rinse quinoa and cook according to package. I usually bring mine to a low boil (covered) for about 15 minutes and then let it sit covered off the heat for another 10 minutes. Place in a dish to cool in the refrigerator for a few hours.
Chop all veggies and toast almonds if necessary.
Mix balsamic, lime juice, and olive oil.
Combine cooled quinoa with all of the other ingredients and toss with dressing. Season with a little sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend. Ours was spent at a quaint little ski resort in northern Michigan for some much needed family time away from the monotony of everyday life. Don’t get me wrong, structure and routines can be a wonderful thing, but sometimes you just need to mix things up a little bit and have some fun!
I had every intention of posting about all of the healthy meals and snacks that I packed for the trip and to take pictures of how we incorporated some meals made in the condo and some meals out. But in the end, real life won out over blogging life 
Instead, I enjoyed taking pictures of the breathtaking scenery and of my kids as they both took on new challenges. Jake took his first ski lesson and can ski down the hill on his own now. And Hailey tackled some pretty tough hills with her instructor and uses ski poles now. It was so much fun watching them and their new accomplishments!
On our drive home, I passed the time by searching the internet for some new recipe inspiration. I came across some tutorials for cooking beans in the slow cooker, which I was excited to try out for our Meatless Monday meal this week!
Beans are a healthy, inexpensive, low-fat source of protein, and a great base for a meatless meal. I have always relied on canned beans because I was overwhelmed by the amount of time involved with cooking them from scratch. But I was determined to learn how to make them myself because it accomplishes two of my biggest recipe goals – healthier food at a lower cost! By cooking them yourself, you don’t have to worry about unnecessary ingredients like natural flavors, preservatives or “firming agents” and you can control the amount of sodium. I did the math and it brings the cost down to around $0.40/can!! Plus it was SO easy!
As I poured the beans out, I pulled out any little debris or beans that were broken.
I gave them a quick rinse and added them to the slow cooker with about 6 cups of water, 1/2 cup of chopped onion, and 2 whole cloves of garlic. I would have also added a bay leaf but I was out.
I cooked them on low for about 6 hours. I added 1 T. of salt and turned the slow cooker to warm for another hour.
And then 1 pound of dried beans turned into 6 cups of delicious, perfectly cooked black beans!
I combined them with some roasted sweet potatoes, a tangy purple cabbage slaw, and some fresh guacamole.
We tried this combination as tacos but I was disappointed in the taste and texture of the corn tortillas. For the kids, I made a quesadilla out of a whole wheat tortilla, the black beans, roasted sweet potatoes, and just enough monterey jack cheese to hold it all together. I actually preferred it made as a quesadilla and topped with the purple cabbage slaw and guacamole.
Slow Cooker Black Beans
Ingredients
1 lb dried black beans, sorted for debris and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped onion (white, red, or combination)
2 cloves of garlic
1 – 2 dried bay leaves
Directions
After sorting and rinsing black beans, add to a slow cooker along with chopped onion, garlic, bay leaves and 6 cups of water. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. During last 30 minutes of cooking, add in 1 T. of salt (or less depending on taste preferences). You may need to experiment with the length of cooking time in order to get the desired texture. Cool completely and use immediately or freeze in 1 1/2 cup increments in Ziploc freezer bags.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas with Tangy Purple Cabbage Slaw
Inspired by Watercourse Foods in Denver, CO and recipe adapted from Joy the Baker
Ingredients
For Roasted Sweet Potatoes:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and red pepper flakes, to taste
For Black Beans:
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 T. fresh lime juice
For Cabbage Slaw:
1/2 head purple cabbage, finely chopped into cole slaw “shreds”
3 T. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp honey
2 T. chopped cilantro
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop sweet potatoes.
While the oven is heating, make the cabbage slaw mix so that it has time to soften. Mix 3 T. lime juice, 2 tsp EVOO, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp honey together in a medium-sized bowl. Add cabbage and cilantro and toss to combine.
Toss sweet potato cubes with 2 T. lime juice, 1 T. EVOO, kosher salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes, turning half-way to ensure even browning.
My beans were still warm from the slow cooker so I mixed 1 1/2 cups beans with 1 tsp. ground cumin and 1 T. fresh lime juice. If you are using canned beans, rinse and drain well, and then heat them in a sauce pan with the cumin and lime over low heat. Add salt if necessary.
Layer seasoned black beans, roasted sweet potatoes, and shredded monterrey jack cheese between two whole wheat tortillas. Brush 1 tsp. grapeseed or olive oil in a large skillet and brown quesadilla on both sides. Cut into wedges and serve with tangy puple slaw and “quick” guacamole (1 mashed avocado seasoned with a generous squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of kosher salt).
I have to admit, I’m actually a little excited that it is Monday. I like the thrill of tackling my to-do list, getting organized, and being productive. In terms of the blog, it means I can post a meatless meal without having to explain myself. I have to say, I am so much more comfortable posting undeniably nutritious vegetarian and vegan recipes because it is something that I feel so strongly about.
Every once in awhile, I come across some new information from a book, online research, or a documentary, and it just reignites the flame for me. This weekend we watched the documentary “Food Matters.” While it is not the most captivating and well-delivered documentary I’ve seen, it is very powerful information that everyone needs to know.
This movie begins with one of my favorite quotes, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food,” from Hippocrates, the “father of medicine.” Unfortunately our society has turned its back on this very fundamental and powerful concept that food is medicine. Most medical doctors today have very little, if any, training in nutrition. Instead of looking to the powerful healing properties of the foods included a patient’s diet, doctors are more focused on prescribing “a pill for every ill” which oftentimes ends up doing more harm than good. Every year 225,000 people die from improperly used medications. Another 2.2 million end up in the hospital from adverse reactions to prescribed medications. With over $289 billion in annual sales in the U.S., it makes sense that doctors are over-prescribing these medications because prescription drugs are big business for pharmaceutical companies.
In 2009, the U.S. spent $2.5 trillion dollars on healthcare, the highest of any country. At this amount, I would expect to have access to some of the best medicine in the world. But we don’t. We spend more than every other country with only mediocre outcomes. Each year approximately 575,000 people in the U.S. are still dying from cancer and almost 600,000 will die from heart disease.
Fortunately, most chronic disease such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes can be prevented through simple lifestyle choices including daily exercise, not smoking, eating a proper diet of whole foods (including organic fruits and vegetables and an appropriate calorie level), reducing stress, reducing exposure to environmental toxins (such as BPA), and limiting alcohol consumption.
Furthermore, there are a number of other health conditions, such as depression, high blood pressure, and digestive issues to name a few, that can be effectively treated through proper nutrition and/or vitamin supplements.
Yes, you most definitely have the power to prevent and reverse disease starting with a key decision you make three times a day. You can choose to fuel every single cell in your body with delicious and nutritious whole foods or you can sabotage your health with processed junk and fast food. Just like the title of the movie implies, food matters.
If you commit to making these critical food choices, I promise to deliver as many delicious recipes that I can! Starting with this Falafel and Tzatziki dip.
These falafel are great because they can be made ahead, frozen, re-heated, used multiple ways, and are kid-friendly vehicles for a yummy dipping sauce.
Start with garbanzo beans, chopped onion, 2 cloves of garlic, chopped cilantro, lemon juice, and kosher or sea salt in the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse briefly.
Add in ground oat flour and baking powder and pulse a few more times to combine. It is important not to over-process. You want it processed enough to stick together, but still have a little texture.
Shape this into flattened patties and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
When you’re ready to complete the falafel, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a pan coated with extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Sear each side of the falafel patties for about a minute, or until golden brown.
Place the patties back on the baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Serve them alongside this Tzatziki Sauce, which you will want to make ahead of time to allow the flavors to combine.
To complete the meal, I like to serve the falafel and tzatziki alongside a huge Greek salad. Everyone else likes to tuck them into a lightly toasted pita with some lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, and red onion.
Falafel with Tzatziki Dipping Sauce
Falafel Ingredients
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 T. oat flour (finely ground oats or sub wheat flour)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil to coat pan
Falafel Directions
Place drained beans, chopped onion, minced garlic, chopped cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and ground cumin into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade. Pulse briefly to combine (see picture above). Add baking powder and flour and pulse briefly to combine, being careful not to over process. The mixture should stick together, but still have some texture (see picture above).
Scoop spoonfuls of the mixture and form into ball or flatten into discs. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
When ready to cook falafel, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a skillet with extra virgin olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add falafel and sear on each side for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Place falafel onto a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
Note: Depending on your goal, the more oil you add to the pan when searing, the more traditional crunchy exterior you will get. If you prefer a lighter, healthier falafel, minimize the amount of oil that is used.
Tzatziki Sauce Ingredients
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 small clove of garlic, finely minced
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 cucumber, seed area removed, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Tzatziki Sauce Directions
To avoid a watery sauce, you will want to remove excess moisture from cucumbers by placing chopped cucumbers in a colander and sprinkling with 1/4 tsp salt. Let sit for approximately 15-30 minutes and squeeze dry with a paper towel. Add remaining ingredients to a mini food processor and blend for a smooth sauce. Or simply combine ingredients in a bowl for a more authentic chunky style sauce. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but up to 24 hours before serving for flavors to develop. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. I find that because of the salt added to drain moisture from the cucumbers, additional salt isn’t usually necessary.
Note: This will provide enough sauce for one meal for 4 people. Double the recipe for additional sauce.
For a vegan Tzatziki Sauce recipe, check out this one at Peas and Thank You.
Greek Salad Dressing
Recipes from Allrecipes
Makes enough for 10-12 individual salads
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 1/4 tsp dried basil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
2/3 cup red wine vinegar (if you don’t like a real tangy dressing, you can mix equal parts of vinegar and oil using 1/2 cup of each)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Add all ingredients to a glass jar (I use a mason jar) and shake well. For an authentic style Greek salad, toss a few tablespoons of dressing with romaine, cucumbers, bell peppers, tomato, red onion, kalamata olives, and Feta cheese.
Note: After consulting with a professionally trained chef, I have learned that technically this dressing does not need to be refrigerated. To be cautious, though, we refrigerate ours. Doing so will cause the oil to solidify. I take it out of the refrigerator and set it on the counter when I begin making dinner to give the olive oil time to dissolve and then shake it well before serving.
I have been trying to branch out from standard store-bought hummus lately. It gets a bit pricey since we eat so much of it. But also, I just wanted to mix it up a little bit and try something different.
When I saw this dip on Pinterest, I just knew it would be a winner! Not exactly hummus, but more of a hummus guacamole blend. Quick, easy, kid friendly, versatile, and tastes great. What more can you ask for?!?
Avocado and White Bean Dip
First things first, I always wash my produce before I cut into it since this can transfer germs from the outside into the fruit or vegetable that you’re cutting!
Slice the avocado length-wise all the way around and twist to open. Using a large sharp knife, give it a good whack into the pit and twist to remove it (see this youtube tutorial if you’re not familiar with this method of pitting an avocado).
Scoop the avocado flesh out and place it into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade. Squeeze the juice from the lime half into the bowl and add the remaining ingredients.
Place the lid on the food processor and process until smooth.
And in less than 10 minutes, you will have white bean and avocado dip packed with fiber (roughly 10 grams per serving!) and nearly 20 different vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. I especially like that you can store this dip in the refrigerator for a few days without it turning brown like traditional guacamole.
You can serve this with a combination of raw veggies and crackers (I prefer gluten-free rice crackers) or other chips (tortilla, pretzel chips, etc) for an appetizer or well-balanced snack.
Avocado and White Bean Dip
Ingredients
1 ripe avocado
1 can of Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed well
1 /2 lime
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
Directions
Add the flesh of one avocado, the juice of 1/2 of a lime, olive oil, minced garlic, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade. Process until smooth. Adjust seasonings to your liking (more lime, salt, or cayenne). Serve with veggies, chips, or crackers.
Happy Wednesday!!!
For any new visitors to Healthy Plate Happy Family, this is the one day during the week where I show you a picture of everything that I ate during the day in hopes of showing you how to put “healthy eating” all together.
I have procrastinated putting this post together because of my colossal dinner FAIL. But I guess you will see that I am living real-life here, with chaos and changes in plans and crabby little ones, and sometimes you just have to roll with it!
First up, for breakfast, I took advantage of a nearly empty Almond Butter jar and made a pumpkin version of Overnight Oats in a Jar. Now, Overnight Oats can be made in any container you’d like. I just happen to like taking advantage of the little bit of almond butter that is left to blend in with the other ingredients.
Overnight Oats are a super convenient grab-and-go breakfast. The night before, you simply blend up 1 part oats to 2 parts liquid (usually milk or water) and leave them to combine and thicken up overnight. The flavor combinations and toppings are endless here!
Today, I went with pumpkin because I had a can of it open. Into the jar (last night) I mixed together:
- 1/3 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup water ( because we were out of almond milk which is what I would normally use)
- 1 T chia seeds (ground flax seed would work too)
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 T. maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (just cinnamon would be fine too)
Store this in the refrigerator overnight. This morning, I topped it with some raisins and chopped pecans. YUM!
I had a snack mid-morning of carrots, gluten-free rice crackers, and this Avocado and White Bean Dip. It is really tasty – like a combination of hummus and guacamole. And it is usually a little more green, but I made this a couple of days ago. Perhaps the blinding brightness of the carrots will make up for it!
After a marathon grocery shopping trip, I came home and made lunch. Today it was a massaged kale salad, one of my favorite salads. This salad took me some time to warm up to. In the beginning, I would make a smaller portion and could eat it as long as it was paired up with a sandwich or soup. Now, I’ve grown to really like it and it can be my whole lunch. I love this because of the powerhouse of nutrition – Vitamins A, K, C, calcium, fiber and loads of antioxidants in the kale, plus a little healthy fats from the avocado and olive oil to help absorb the nutrients. And I haven’t even gotten to the add-ins!
Start with a huge bowl of washed kale (stems removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces).
Make the dressing with a small wedge of avocado (a little less than 1/4 of an avocado), juice from a wedge of lime, 1 tsp. olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt, and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Did you get all of those precise measurements?!?!?!?
Mash them up until it sort of looks like guacamole.
Dump the avocado mixture into the bowl of kale, and with CLEAN hands, massage the dressing right into the kale leaves. This will tenderize the leaves making them much easier to eat and more palatable.
Then your huge bowl of kale will be reduced to a more reasonable looking portion like this.
Taste and adjust seasonings. I usually like to add an extra squeeze of lime to give it more of a tangy flavor. At this point, you can cover the salad and let it sit for a little while. But I don’t recommend refrigerating it for a long period of time, or it will get pretty soggy, at least for my tastes.
Top with lightly toasted nuts (today was almonds), carrots, and cucumbers. A lot of times, I’ll add diced apples or dried cranberries in as well for a little sweet contrast.
So I realized this afternoon that Darren and Hailey were going to be gone for the rescheduled Daddy Daughter Dance, so I would be having a little dinner date at home with Jake. But then he wasn’t feeling well and just wanted to play Monopoly and snuggle on the couch. Next thing I know, he was hungry for food RIGHT NOW, and I was scrambling to pull some dinner together. I could tell he wasn’t feeling well because he didn’t really want any of his usual favorites. He wanted grapefruit, then a homemade popsicle (pureed watermelon and strawberry), and then asked for a treat or a smoothie. At this point, I was starving too and I also felt like Jake needed a little more substance. So I decided to scrap my plans for a Greek salad and falafel, and make the treat/smoothie/dinner all into one dish!!!
Behold, the Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothie!
Believe it or not, this thing was so filling that it turned out to be my dinner! Maybe dinner wasn’t a fail afterall?????
Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothie
- a little less than half of an avocado (1/4 to 1/2 of an avocado would work)
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 2 T raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder would work)
- 1 huge handful of spinach
- 1 whole banana, frozen in chunks
- 1 1/2 cups frozen sweet cherries (this is also awesome with strawberries!!)
Mix all ingredients in a blender until super smooth and creamy. Add more almond milk to thin or ice cubes to thicken, as necessary. This made 2 decent size portions. You could scale back to 1 cup of cherries/strawberries, 1 T. cacoa, and 1 cup of almond milk for an individual portion.
So there you have it for this Wednesday!
I had every intention of actually getting this post up on Monday, the one day during the week that I commit to making a vegetarian dinner for our family. But an interesting opportunity came up that changed up my plans at the last minute. I found out that a local chiropractor was showing the documentary “Doctored” so of course I needed to take advantage of the opportunity to socialize with some of my fellow health nuts!!
Overall, I liked the movie and found some of the facts presented to be very eye-opening. For example, did you know that “although the U.S. makes up only 5% of the world’s population, we consume over 50% of all the world’s pharmaceutical drugs?” I think that is shocking!
The movie is centered on the chiropractic profession and their struggle against “big business” and the American Medical Association. Although I felt like the movie lost focus near the end, they still managed to make the point that there are very effective alternative treatments available for many of the pains and illnesses that plague us. Whether your medications and current approach aren’t working, or you would like to explore an alternative to prescription drugs and surgery, it is important to educate yourself of other options besides our traditional Western medicine. Our family, personally, has had amazing success with chiropractic care. I won’t go into too much detail here, but years ago, we successfully treated our daughter’s asthma diagnosis through chiropractic adjustments. I am a firm believer in the healing energy within our own bodies.
It was incredible to see the examples of cases they presented where debilitating chronic pain was resolved through something as simple as chiropractic adjustments as well as proper diet and nutrition.
Proper nutrition….my favorite subject.
So lets get going with this healthy vegetarian-friendly soup! Its Butternut Squash Apple Curry soup based off of this recipe from one of my favorite classical chefs, Ina Garten, better known as the Barefoot Contessa.
I first made this recipe because I wanted to experiment with curry powder in a recipe after learning some of its health benefits. Curry powder is a mixture of spices including turmeric and curcumin. Turmeric has been found to reduce inflammation of the joints. Some studies suggest that turmeric may also help protect us against cancer, heart disease and even Alzheimer’s disease. Studies done at one of the world’s most renowned cancer centers, MD Anderson Center in Texas, have shown that curcumin seems to turn off genes that can trigger the onset and spread of breast cancer. It also shows some promise, in a handful of patients, in stabilizing pancreatic cancer. Who knew all of that power was there in a little spoonful of spices???
I like to start this recipe ahead of time by roasting a butternut squash the night before I plan to make the soup (usually while our dinner is cooking or afterwards, while the oven is still hot). Slice the squash in half and remove the seeds. Brush a little olive oil on the cut surfaces and place it cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast at 350 degrees for an hour (up to an hour and a half depending on size), until the squash is golden and soft. Once it has cooled, scoop the flesh of the squash from the skin and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to proceed with the soup. The soup comes together quickly after the squash has been roasted!
Next, saute a chopped onion and 2 tsp. of curry powder in olive oil, grass-fed butter, or ghee. If it starts to dry out, add a little bit of vegetable stock – this is a great way to cut back on the amount of butter and oil used.
After about 10 minutes, add in 2-3 peeled, cored, and chopped apples and 2 cups of vegetable stock. Let this simmer for about 8 minutes until the apples are soft.
Add in the roasted and peeled butternut squash, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt and 2 cups apple cider. To get the right taste, be sure to use cider and not apple juice.
Mix to incorporate everything and let this cook for a few minutes until the squash is heated.
Puree with an immersion blender and adjust seasonings to taste.
If you want it spicier, add more curry. If it doesn’t taste sweet enough to you, add a bit more apple cider. The flavor of the soup can vary quite a bit based on the size and flavor of the apples and squash. Also, you can adjust the thickness of the soup to your liking by adding more broth, cider, or even water. When I reheat this soup for lunch later in the week, I always need to thin it out more with about half a cup of liquid.
Paired with some good bread and a salad of mixed greens, pears or apples, red onion and toasted nuts, it makes a great vegetarian lunch or dinner and is a great use of seasonal produce.
Butternut Squash Curry Soup
Recipe adapted from here
Ingredients
1 large butternut squash (roasted ahead of time, cut-side down on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for about an hour)
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 tsp. olive oil, butter, or ghee
2 tsp. – 1 T. of curry powder, depending on how spicy you want it
2-3 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 cups vegetable stock (optional, can just use water)
1/2 tsp. sea salt or to taste (adjust as necessary)
fresh ground black pepper
2 cups good quality apple cider
Directions
Roast butternut squash ahead of time. Cool and scrape squash from peel. This can be done 1-2 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator.
Heat a dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and/or butter to pan. Saute chopped onion and curry powder for about 10 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent. If onions begin to stick, add a splash of vegetable stock or water to the pan.
After 10 minutes, add peeled, chopped apples, cooked butternut squash and 2 cups of water or vegetable stock and simmer covered over low heat for another 10 minutes.
Remove from heat. Add 1 cup of apple cider, 1/2 tsp. salt and some fresh ground pepper and puree with an immersion blender. Alternatively, you can puree the soup in a blender in batches. Add up to an additional cup of apple cider. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. This soup tastes better after it sits and flavors have developed.
Happy Wednesday! This is the one day during the week where I post pictures and details of everything I ate for the day in hopes of inspiring you to try something new
I have been a bit stressed lately over some big changes coming up around here, so I wasn’t really all that hungry this morning. I waited until mid-morning and then decided to make one of my favorite comfort meal breakfasts. This is a slice of toasted Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bread, topped with smashed avocado, slices of red onion, tomatoes, and an egg (over-medium in olive oil). I had half of a grapefruit on the side. I love it when comfort food can be nourishing and healthy too!!
After breakfast and before picking Jake up from school, I managed to squeeze in 3 segments (30 minutes) of this dvd – it is one of my absolute favorites!! It’s easy to follow and a little challenging with some high intensity plyometric bursts. It is structured in 10 minute increments so I can mix them up or just do as many as I have time for. I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of it!!!!
I am trying to mix it up a bit on What-I-Ate-Wednesdays but I can guarantee you’ll see this meal again. I am obsessed with this chickpea (“mock tuna”) salad and make it at least every other week.
Chickpea “Mock Tuna” Salad
(note: this salad is based on the flavors of traditional tuna salad but doesn’t actually taste like tuna fish)
1 can garbanzo beans/chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
2 T. mayonnaise (I prefer the clean ingredients in soy-free Vegenaise, found at the health food store)
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 rib celery, chopped
2 T. red onion, chopped
Rinse and drain canned chickpeas and pat dry with a paper towel. Place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade. Pulse a few times. Add in lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt, dill, celery and red onion. Pulse a few more times to mix. Don’t over process the mix or you will just end up with mush. Hand mix with a spoon if necessary. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Sometimes I have it on toasted Ezekiel bread, but since I had that for breakfast, I wrapped it up in red leaf lettuce wraps and had it with some kiwi and grapes. Served this way, with fruit, it’s a staple lunch for me in the summer time.
I played Uno with Jake most of the afternoon until he requested a snack of leftover “chocolate pudding” – if you follow me on Instagram, you know that this chocolate avocado “pudding” was a huge hit with the kids last night!!! I was happy to oblige
Later in the afternoon, I knew I had a long math homework date with Hailey and wanted to bake up a little treat for her to have as a special after school snack (that isn’t encouraging emotional eating, is it??? at least it was packed with healthy fats, fiber and antioxidants!!!) These are the Almond Joy Bars from Peas and Thank You (minus the artificial flavor extracts and I subbed in organic coconut sugar which I’m able to get at our Meijer). Needless to say, the temptation was just too much and I ended up having one too. Straight out of the oven, warm and gooey – they were dreamy!!!! And I can only imagine how awesome they would be topped with some vanilla (coconut milk) ice cream!!!
Dinner was one of Jake’s favorites – spaghetti and meatballs. I don’t care for the overly full feeling I get from having pasta for dinner so the if I have the time, I bake a spaghetti squash for me instead of the regular noodles. I was a little disappointed the first time that I had spaghetti squash because I actually expected it to taste like pasta – HA! It definitely doesn’t but it has grown on me…..a little…..this was topped with sauteed mushrooms and a couple of the meatballs. We had a simple green salad on the side with one of my favorite homemade vinaigrette dressings (recipe to come!)
I have lots of recipes coming at you soon – two healthy snack “dips”, my go-to salad dressing, butternut squash apple & curry soup, and overnight crockpot steel cut oats just to name a few. Since I can count on my fingers how many of you are reading this little blog, please feel free to leave comments on my posts!!!! I’d love to hear from you – what recipes you’ve tried, if it turned out good/bad, any questions about foods or ingredients I’m using, or perhaps what you’d like to see on here. And thanks for reading
That wraps it up for this Wednesday!
Did anyone else have lots of yummy party food for the Superbowl yesterday???
This football-obsessed household loves having an excuse to make some of our favorite tailgating recipes and party appetizers! In honor of the game being held in New Orleans, of course we had to make Gumbo (using organic chicken andouille sausage and amped up with lots of spicy creole seasoning), along with Caesar salad (dressing made with Vegenaise soy-free mayo and minus the anchovy paste), and soft pretzel bites with beer cheese dip (made with a local IPA and ground horseradish instead of jalapenos). Darren also made some buffalo wings for himself with a homemade spicy garlic wing sauce (hmmm….maybe after reading my post about the sketchy ingredients in wing sauce???)
Anyway, it was a fun and relaxing family day around here filled with lots of yummy food. I am such a sucker for salty snacks and good appetizers so I think the pretzel bites did me in!
As much fun as it is to indulge in a special meal every once in awhile, I know that I need to get back on track right away with a day of clean eating afterwards.
Today will be filled with lots of green juice for breakfast (this one has kale, romaine, celery, cucumber, an apple, a baby clementine, a squeeze of lemon and a teaspoon of spirulina)
A huge salad for lunch (romaine with lots of veggies and tahini/lemon/cayenne dressing just like this one)
Fruits and Veggies for snacks
Add in a good workout, loads of water, and a Meatless Monday dinner and I will be right back on track. This recipe comes from Peas and Thank You, one of my favorite sources for kid-friendly vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Starting line-up of antioxidant, protein, and fiber packed ingredients including veggies, beans, and tempeh. If you are not familiar with tempeh, it is a fermented soy product native to Indonesia. It has a nutty flavor and is versatile for vegetarian cooking. It is generally found in the refrigerated section of the produce department near the sprouts and tofu. This is a great recipe to try it out since it is crumbled up into the chili mixture.
Chop pepper, onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until soft, about 4-5 minutes.
Meanwhile, grate tempeh with a cheese grater into uniformly-size crumbly pieces.
Add tempeh and 3 tablespoons of water and cook tempeh for another 5 minutes.
Add spices, tomato sauce and beans let this simmer for about 5 minutes to allow flavors to combine.
In a separate bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix liquid ingredients together in a glass measuring cup and add to dry. Stir until just combined and add in corn. Forget to take pictures……
Spray a 2-quart baking dish with olive oil and add veggie/bean/tempeh mixture. Top with cornbread mixture and bake at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
Top individual servings with sour cream, guacamole, and/or chopped cilantro.
Tempeh Tamale Pie
Adapted from Peas and Thank You
Ingredients for the filling:
1 medium onion or 1/2 of a large onion, chopped
1 cup red or green pepper (or combination of both), chopped
1 8 oz. package tempeh, crumbled
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt (I used a little more since my tomato sauce had No Salt Added)
1 tsp maple syrup
1 14 oz. can tomato sauce (organic and BPA-free if possible!)
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Ingredients for the crust:
2/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup flour (regular, whole wheat pastry, or gluten-free alternative)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup non-dairy or organic milk
2 T. unsweetened applesauce (or substitute melted coconut oil, grassfed butter, or olive oil)
1 T. maple syrup
1 cup frozen corn (I prefer organic, non-GMO corn)
Optional Toppings:
1/2 cup grated cheese to add to top of cornbread before baking, sour cream, chopped cilantro, guacamole, olives, etc.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Place a large skillet over medium high heat and spray with olive oil or non-stick spray. Add onion, peppers, and garlic and sauté until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Grate or crumble tempeh and add to the pan with the sautéed vegetables. Add 3 T. water to help steam tempeh. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes.
- To the pan, add chili powder, ground cumin, salt, maple syrup, tomato sauce and beans.
- Allow bean mixture to simmer for a few minutes to combine flavors. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray or lightly coated with oil and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a glass measuring cup, combine milk, maple syrup and applesauce.
- Add wet ingredients to the cornmeal mixture and stir until just combined.
- Gently fold in the defrosted corn.
- Spread corn mixture carefully and evenly over the top of the casserole dish.
- If using, top the casserole with shredded cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until crust is set and starting to brown.
- Serve with desired toppings.
This was the third time I’ve made this casserole and overall it was pretty good. The filling was tasty but could potentially have a little more flavor with the addition of some fire roasted tomatoes. I am definitely going to experiment with a variation on the cornbread topping next time to get more of a traditional cornbread top – this was just a bit flat and grainy for my tastes. I’m thinking of switching to unbleached all purpose flour and coconut oil or grassfed butter instead of the applesauce. But this was good for a cleaned up and dairy-free/meatless version of the classic tamale pie to end my day of back-on-track clean eating.
I am quite obsessed with kale. When I combine my finance background with my love for nutrition, the reasoning goes something like this – you simply cannot get more nutritional bang for your buck when it comes to kale!!!! For a mere $1.49, I can get a bunch of kale so big that I have to wrestle it into the bag. I must look like I’m losing the battle sometimes because I have had people in the grocery store ask me what it is that I am buying!
There are a lot of reasons why kale is considered one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet.
The Nutritional Details: One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. (SOURCE)
What does all of that mean???
- Kale is a rich source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K, fiber and carotenoids. Research has shown that kale contains 45 different flavonoids with a variety of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- It is a very potent source of vitamin K, which can reduce the overall risk of developing cancer, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
- Kale is one of the best sources of beta-carotene, one of the antioxidants believed by many nutrition experts to be a major player in the battle against cancer, heart disease, and certain age-related chronic diseases.
- Kale possesses other important carotenoids: lutein and zeaxathin. These help keep UV rays from damaging the eyes and causing cataracts.
- According to recent research results, kale is an incredible source of well-absorbed calcium, which is one of the many factors that may help prevent osteoporosis.
- The manganese in kale helps your body’s own antioxidant defense system, protecting you from damaging free radicals.
- Its folate and B6 team up to keep homocysteine levels down, which may help prevent heart disease, dementia, and osteoporosis bone fractures.
- Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw.
Something else I found particularly interesting is that kale contains indole-3- carbinol, a nutrient that seems to play a role in how estrogen is metabolized in the body and may play a protective role against breast cancer. According to the naturopathic physician quoted in this article, “We sometimes use it as a supplement in patients with breast cancer, anyone who has a reason to be concerned about developing breast cancer and for those with estrogen-dominant illnesses like fibroids, fibrocystic breast disease or endometriosis, to try to help modulate negative estrogenic effects in the body. Eating kale is a natural way to do that.”
With all that being said, I learned a couple of years ago when my mom was experiencing some heart problems that the high amount of vitamin K can cause problems for some people. Anyone taking anticoagulants (blood thinners, such as Warfarin, Coumadin, etc) or other medications should avoid kale because the high level of vitamin K may interfere with the drugs. Please consult your doctor before adding or increasing the amount of kale and other greens to your diet.
But for those who are looking to add more of this SUPERFOOD to their diet, I highly suggest starting with kale chips!!!
Start by removing the tough stem from the center of each stalk. This part can taste bitter. Tear the remaining leaves into bite-sized pieces.
Wash and dry kale (I use a salad spinner)
With clean hands, massage kale leaves with extra virgin olive oil to get them completely coated. For reference, I used about 2 teaspoons of oil for a whole head of kale.
Spread on a SINGLE layer on a baking sheet (or two sheets if necessary). Sprinkle with coarse ground kosher salt. For this batch, I used about 1/2 teaspoon.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Start checking the kale chips around 12 minutes as you will want them to be super crispy, but not burnt. Mine are usually perfect around 14 minutes. I just taste as I go, which depletes about half the pan!
With the kids helping me, we can usually eat an entire batch in one sitting. And by sitting, I mean standing over the pan shoving them in our mouths!!!
Look Mom—no hands!!!
There are a TON of variations all over the internet. But this classic version is quick, easy, and SO good! I hope you’ll give them a try!
Without a doubt, carrot cake is my all time favorite dessert. Next up might be key lime pie. Oddly enough, chocolate desserts usually aren’t on my radar.
I’ve tried numerous recipes to make a lighter, healthier carrot cake but just haven’t quite nailed it yet. In the meantime, I still love the flavor combination, so when I saw this snack bar recipe over at Happy Healthy Mama, I knew I could tweak it just a bit to make it more like carrot cake.
Needless to say these have been a huge hit around here!! There is so much nutrition packed into these little squares!!! Fruits, vegetables, oats, healthy fats, and Omega 3 fatty acids all sweetened naturally for an awesome on-the-go snack or breakfast!!
The original recipe called for eggs as the binder. Feel free to make them this way if you prefer or if it is what you have on hand. I decided to experiment with swapping out the eggs for a chia “egg” which is a common substitute in vegan baking. Since the kids have been eating eggs a lot for breakfast, I felt like this was a good place to reduce the egg and swap in something with a little more nutritional oomph. Chia seeds are an excellent source of plant-based calcium, protein and Omega 3 fatty acids. Since I haven’t made the original, I can’t compare the texture between the two, but we’ve been happy with them this way.
I have made chia gel or chia “eggs” two different ways now. The ratio is 1 tablespoon of chia seeds to 3 tablespoons of water – this will yield the equivalent of 1 egg. You can simply mix the whole chia seeds into a bowl of water or grind the seeds in a coffee grinder first and then mix with the water.
So lets make some oatmeal squares!!! Gather all of your ingredients – I love this recipe because I almost always have these ingredients on hand!
To make a chia egg, add 2 T. of ground chia seeds to a small bowl with 6 T. water. Mix with a fork and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Into a large bowl, add oats, shredded carrots, shredded apple, raisins, and spices.
Combine wet ingredients: melted coconut oil, honey, and vanilla. Add to bowl along with gelled chia “egg”.
Mix wet and dry ingredients and press into a greased 8 X 8 pan (I greased mine with a little coconut oil).
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool in pan before cutting into squares. I have also found that I prefer to take these out of the pan to sit on a cooling rack for awhile. This seems to help the bottom “dry out” a little. I store them in a storage container in the fridge. They don’t last long around here
Carrot Cake Oatmeal Squares
Inspired by Happy Healthy Mama
2 T. chia seeds, ground in coffee grinder (or sub 2 regular eggs)
2 Cups Old-Fashioned Oats
2 small-medium sized carrots, grated (or 1 large carrot)
1 apple, grated
Scant 1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/3 Cup honey
1/3 Cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Extra coconut oil for pan
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 X 8 pan with coconut oil. Grind 2 T. chia seeds in a clean coffee grinder. Mix with 6 T. water in a small bowl and set aside to “gel”.
In a large bowl, combine oats, shredded carrots, shredded apples, raisins, and spices.
In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, combine melted coconut oil, honey and vanilla extract.
Pour liquid ingredients and thickened chia “gel” into oat mixture and mix well. Press down into an 8 X 8 pan and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan before slicing into squares. Remove from pan to finish cooling on a rack.
