Dinner and an update

This was our dinner tonight. You will see rosemary and garlic salmon, caramelized brussel sprouts, roasted cauliflower, cantaloupe and strawberries.  It was fantastic! 

We are doing well.  My husband has lost 38 pounds total and I have lost 17.  McCartney has lost anywhere from 8-10 pounds.  Robert, the hubs, looks fantastic.  He looks healthy and it is obvious he has lost a bunch of weight.  Last weekend he put on a baseball cap and it was too big!  He is slowly decreasing his diabetic meds and doing well all around.  I am noticing that I am much less grouchy and I have fewer headaches.   We used to live on Alka-Seltzer and now, we have no use  for it!  Progress is good!

Roasted Cauliflower

One head of cauliflower chopped
2 t onion powder
2 t garlic powder
2 t paprika
2 T olive oil

Toss cauliflower in spices and oil and layer onto a baking sheet.  Heat oven to 450 degrees and cook for 25-30 minutes.

Vegetable Barley Soup

I like to make dinner on the fly.  I like to improvise.  Tonight I threw together a couple recipes I have seen and using what I had one hand, made a hearty vegetable soup that was a hit with the family.

In 1 T of olive oil saute the following:
One large onion sliced thinly
3 carrots grated
2 cloves of garlic buzzed in the food processor

In large stock pot combine
8 cups of vegetable broth or the equivalent
2 zucchini squash finely diced
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of great northern beans
1 can of organic green beans
The corn from one ear of sweet corn
I celery stalk finely sliced
2 cans of tomato sauce
1/2 a head of cabbage finely diced
2 tsp of oregano
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp black pepper

Bring to boil
Add 2 cups of barley
Reduce to medium heat and simmer for 20 minutes

Baked Beans

1 large sweet onion
2 cloves garlic
Buzzed in food processor until finely minced

1 small can of tomato sauce
3T soy or tamari
4 T maple syrup
2 t yellow mustard
2 cans of navy beans (I used Great Northern beans)

Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

You can choose to saute to onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil before adding to mixture if you prefer)

Grilled Bean Burgers

Finely chop one medium to large onion
saute in a bit of olive oil for 2 minutes

Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and saute for 1 minute

Add one large grated carrot and saute for a minute more.


1 can of black beans drained and rinsed
1 can of light kidney beans (or pinto) drained and rinsed
 1 1/2 cups of rolled oats ground in the food processor
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2T dijon mustard
2T ketchup
2T soy sauce (or tamari)
pepper 

Mix all together and add sauted mixture.  Form into 6-8 patties and grill.

Found recipe on Taste of Home

Bluebery Mango Quinoa Salad

I have no idea where I copied this recipe from, I believe it was a quick dinner book my mom had.  This salad is refreshing and yummy.

1/2 cup quinoa
1 c water

1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup chopped mango
1/2 cup chopped cucumbers
1/2 t dried cranberries

Dressing:
1 1/2 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1/4 t lemon zest
10 finely chopped basil leaves
salt/pepper

Place the quinoa in boiling water , reduce heat and summer for 15 minutes uncovered.  Fluff with fork.   Let cool to room temperature and add furits and veggies.

Make dressing but don't chop basil leaves until just before serving or they will turn black.

OMG Chili

Tonight I came home and had no real inspiration for dinner.  I decided to throw together an easy chili.  My last time I made chili, my husband said that we should add some ground turkey.   Dr. Fuhrman does allow some meat, but he specifies that it should be good quality meat that is antibiotic free, hormone free and grass fed, etc.  I decided that instead of buying ground turkey in that tube you cannot see through, I would get some free range, hormone and antibiotic free chicken.  The chili turned out wonderfully! 

In a large soup pot combine :
3 cans of chili beans
1 can of dark kidney beans
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato sauce
1 large chopped onion
1 green pepper diced 
2 T of chili powder  (or to taste)
pepper


For chicken :
Boil one chicken breast until no longer pink.  Chop into cubes and place in food processor.  Process until it is "ground" consistency.  Add to chili.

Simmer for 30 minutes

Refried Bean Soup

I have no words for the yumminess of this soup!   This is another gem from Fat Fee Vegan Kitchen.  The original recipe is found here.   I slightly altered it for us and it was a HUGE hit.  We had zero leftovers.

1 large onion, chopped
3 – 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 can vegetable broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 can fatfree refried beans 1 can black beans
1 cup frozen corn kernels 1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper, to taste

Spray a large, non-stick pot with cooking spray, and sauté the onion until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and bell pepper and cook for one more minute. Add all the remaining ingredients and cook 20-30 minutes.

I garnished with a simple guacamole and we ate it with some blue corn chips.   I have a feeling this will be in heavy rotation at our house!

Eggplant Rollups

 (this is a halved version of Dr. Fuhrman's recipe from Eat to Live)

Cut eggplant into half inch slices, longwise.
Bake eggplant 20 min at 350 degrees

Medium red bell pepper
half red onion
half cup celery
half cup carrots
mushrooms
2 finely chopped cloves of garlic 
chop all veggies and water saute them until they are a bit soft

add 1/2 T Mrs. Dash
large handful of spinach and let it wilt a bit into the veggie mixture

put all into bowl

Add 3T spaghetti sauce to veggies mixture and add 3 oz. of non-dairy mozarella cheese and mix

Take eggplant slices and mound veggies into center, roll up and pin with toothpick.   Dab more spaghetti sauce on top.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  (this recipe make 6-7 rollups)

Mighty Muffin Redo

I made my second batch of Engine 2's Mighty Muffins tonight.  I tweaked it a bit and thought I would share.

 

2 small apples grated
7 really ripe bananas lightly squished
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup walnuts chopped
splash of agave to sweeten
3/4 c water
1 t baking powder
3 c oat bran
1 c rolled oats
1 c frozen blueberries

Stir together, plop in muffin pan and bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

 All mixed up and ready to fill the pans

 Muffins, muffins everywhere!  This adjusted recipe makes 24 muffins.  

Don't have to worry about overfilling as the muffins do not rise.

Lemon Garlic Tilapia

My mom and step dad are also on the journey.  Tonight she sent me a cell phone picture of her dinner and I thought I would share.

Place 4 tilapia fillets in baking dish.  Pour 3T of fresh lemon juice over fillets and drizzle 1 T of melted butter on top. Sprinkle with one clove of garlic finely chopped and Mrs. Dash.

Bake in 375 degree oven until fish is white and flakes when pulled apart with a fork, about 30 minutes.

They also had roasted asparagus, vegetables and a fruit salad.

My momma rocks!

Summer Garbanzo Salad

One can of garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
Diced Red pepper
Diced orange pepper
Sliced cucumber
3 sliced green onions
4 roma tomatoes seeded and sliced
Juice of one lemon
splash of vinegar
splash of olive oil
salt and pepper

Mix together and enjoy!