Friday Foodie Favorites: The “Bookmarked” Edition

Posted by cleaneatingveggiegirl in Uncategorized and tagged with , , ,

“Friday Favorites” is a popular blogging concept featured throughout the healthy living blogging community.  This Friday (though I normally do not post on Fridays), I decided to do my own version of my Friday Favorites.  This list of favorites includes several of my favorite recipes that I have bookmarked in the past (some many months ago!) and finally cooked, and a new favorite from one of my go-to cookbooks.  I hope you enjoy! :)

Friday Foodie Favorites: The “Bookmarked” Edition

Kale Fried Rice

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Once I finally realized how much I love kale, I decided to make a recipe that I had bookmarked all the way back in December.  I made Kristin’s Kale Fried Rice and absolutely loved it!  This is definitely a “must make” superfood dish!

Next up…

Curry Egg Salad Sandwich

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It is no secret that I have a major thing for anything curry!  So when I came across this recipe for Curry Egg Salad, I knew I had to make it!  Boy, am I glad that I did.

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The original recipe states to serve it on a bed of Romaine lettuce, but I chose to eat mine in the more traditional sandwich form.  It was super delicious.  I really enjoyed the curry flavor, and I already have plans to make it again soon!

Spicy Eggplant and Okra Bake

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I made my own version of Heather’s Spicy Eggplant and Okra Bake for a healthy and satisfying vegan dinner.  I left out the hemp seeds and almond milk, and used part of a jar of leftover curry sauce that I had in my fridge instead of the spicy ketchup.  Though it was an adaptation from the original recipe, the results were fantastic!

Mexican Barley Salad

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I mentioned on Wednesday that I made a Mexican Barley Salad.  To make this salad, I followed Anne’s recipe, but made some slight adaptations.  First, I made a smaller batch since I was only cooking for myself.  I also decided to use black-eyed peas in the place of the black beans.  The vegetables that I used included red onions, corn, and red and orange peppers.  This was one tasty and filling dish.

And finally…

Masala Burgers

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On Tuesday night I made Masala Burgers from the Everyday Happy Herbivore cookbook.  I absolutely love all three of the Happy Herbivore’s cookbooks, and cannot recommend them enough.  Like every other dish that I have made from these cookbooks, these burgers were fantastic and wonderfully seasoned!

So there you have it!  A few of my foodie favorites from the past couple of weeks! :)

Oh, and do not forget to enter the Larabar Giveaway!  The giveaway ends tonight at 11:59 p.m. CST.  Don’t miss out!

WIAW: May 15, 2013

Posted by cleaneatingveggiegirl in Uncategorized and tagged with , ,

Happy Wednesday, everyone!!  We are more than halfway through the work week.  And in fact, I will not be working on Friday so I only have to make it through one more day.  I may be just a little bit excited about this! ;)   And do you know what else I am excited about?  Joining in on the What I Ate Wednesday party, of course!  Thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting!

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Breakfast

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This morning I ate one of my favorite breakfasts: A sweet and savory waffle-wich breakfast sandwich!  My waffle-wich consisted of 2 whole grain waffles, 1 wedge of Weight Watchers white cheddar cheese spread, scrambled eggwhites, and blackberry jam.  This was SO good!

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On the side I ate Greek vanilla yogurt with fresh strawberries and blackberries.  I am loving that berries are finally getting into their peak season.  Not only are they tasting sweeter and juicier, but they are also a lot cheaper!

Mid-Morning

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I snacked on a perfectly ripe banana mid-way through my morning at work.

Lunch

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Today’s lunch was leftovers from Tuesday night’s dinner: Masala Burgers from the Everyday Happy Herbivore cookbook, roasted green beans, and a dill pickle spear.

Snack

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Before heading to the gym for some weight training, I snacked on a Zone Perfect Perfectly Simple peanut crunch bar.  This is one of the only protein bars that I will eat because it only contains six ingredients!  How awesome is that?

Dinner

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Tonight’s dinner was a delicious Mexican-inspired barley dish.  More on this one on Friday!

Snacks

Tonight’s snacks have/will consist of:

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Green peas, celery, and carrots with hummus…

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…fresh fruit (because I cannot get enough!)…

…and some air-popped popcorn sprayed with coconut oil spray and topped with sea salt and nutritional yeast.

This has been one tasty day of eats and I cannot wait for it to continue! :)

There are only a couple of days remaining for the Larabar Giveaway, so head on over to the giveaway post and enter!

Roasted Part 7: Potato Wedges

Posted by cleaneatingveggiegirl in Uncategorized and tagged with , , , ,

First off, just a reminder: Don’t forget to enter the awesome Larabar Giveaway!  :)

And now onto the roasting (and seeing how it was 101 degrees here in Omaha today, I would say this is quite fitting).

I am officially a veggie roasting fool.  I am a firm believer that nearly every vegetable tastes even more amazing when it has been roasted.  I now find myself trying, consistently eating, and loving vegetables that I never thought I would like simply because they have been roasted.  Some of my favorite vegetables to roast include: green beans, radishes, asparagus, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower.  Pretty  much any vegetable in roasted form is delicious, though!

It has been quite awhile since I have dedicated a post solely to one vegetable, but let’s get back into it with another “Roasted Part *” post, featuring…

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…”B” Size Potatoes!

Roasted Potato Wedges

Servings: 1 to 2

Ingredients

3 to 4 “B” size potatoes, red or gold
olive oil cooking spray
sea salt
black pepper
garlic powder
onion powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

2. Dice potatoes into one inch pieces.  I always leave the skin on.

3. Place the potatoes onto the baking sheet.  Spray the potatoes with cooking spray and sprinkle with seasonings.

4. Roast the potatoes for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and shake the baking sheet to rotate the potatoes.

5. Cook the potatoes for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them.

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I generally serve my roasted potatoes alongside ketchup and mustard, but choose whatever dipping sauce you like.  Or, eat them plain!

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These roasted potatoes make for the perfect side dish to any meal, especially sandwiches, but also make for a great breakfast accompaniment.  Lately, I have been addicted to eating them alongside huge salads for lunch.  Heck, I would even eat these for a snack! ;)

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What is your current favorite vegetable to roast?

Vegan Bean and Sausage Cassoulet

Posted by cleaneatingveggiegirl in Uncategorized and tagged with , , ,

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I have said it before and I’ll say it again.  Field Roast brand vegan sausage is amazing.  Even if I was not a vegetarian, I would prefer to eat their vegan “sausage” over real sausage any day.  The ingredient list of these sausages is impressive, and the taste is even better!  Due to my love for the Field Roast brand “sausages,” I grab at any opportunity to incorporate them into my meals.  When I found a recipe for a Mexican Cassoulet using this sausage, I knew that I had to make it!

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Vegan Bean and Sausage Cassoulet

Slightly adapted from Ginny’s recipe for Mexican Cassoulet.

Servings: 2

Ingredients

water, for cooking
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 link Field Roast brand vegan sausage, sliced
1 tomato, diced
1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, drained but with the juices reserved
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp chili powder
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 tsp tomato paste
1 to 2 tsp sriracha sauce
1 tsp yellow mustard

Directions

1. Line a large skillet with a thin layer of water.  Heat over medium-high heat until very hot.  Once hot, lower the heat to medium and add garlic and onion.  Cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until softened.  Add additional water, as necessary.

2. Add sliced sausage to the skillet.  Cook for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, or until warm.

3. Add tomato, reserved bean juice, seasonings, tomato paste, sriracha sauce, and mustard.  Stir until well-combined.  Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for approximately 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Add kidney and black beans to the skillet.  Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

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I served my Vegan Bean and Sausage Cassoulet over cauliflower “rice,” but you could certainly use brown rice, or eat the cassoulet on its own.

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And as I always love to kindly inform you of…yes, you could use real sausage in this dish.  But why do that when you can use vegan sausage that tastes better than the real thing and is healthier?  Cooking with vegan “sausage” sounds like a no brainer to me! ;)

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Oh, and since so many people are always so concerned about whether or not I am getting enough protein with a vegan diet, how does 28 grams of protein per serving sound?  That is more than half of the amount of protein that I need in a day.  I’d say that I have it covered! ;)

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Have you ever tried any of the Field Roast brand products?  Would you cook with vegan sausage?

Just a friendly reminder…don’t forget to enter the Larabar Giveaway!!

Portobello Mushroom Burgers (Vegan) + Larabar Giveaway!

Posted by cleaneatingveggiegirl in Uncategorized and tagged with , , , ,

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I do not know what the weather is like in your area.  But here in the Midwest, it is finally starting to cooperate and it actually feels like Spring!  In fact, there are rumors that it could very well get up to 92 degrees on Tuesday.  I definitely did not see that one coming, but I am absolutely not going to complain!  All of this warm weather indicates one thing to me: it is now officially grilling season and the season for “Summer foods.”  So what are “Summer foods?”  Well, in my book, anything grilled, involving corn on the cob, that is centered around fresh fruit (especially melons and berries), or that is surrounded by a hamburger or hot dog bun is considered to be a Summertime food.  Oh, and it doesn’t hurt to throw a beer or a margarita in there, either ;) .

Sometimes, though, eating “Summer foods” as a vegetarian can be a bit more challenging and requires a little extra creativity.  I can handle corn on the cob and fresh fruit just fine, but the “meaty” part of the meal takes a little extra imagination.  Trust me, I love a good veggie burger or vegetarian “hot dog,” but I also try to only eat these processed foods in moderation.  Enter: the Portobello Mushroom Burger!

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Portobello Mushroom Burgers (Vegan)

Servings: Makes 3 burgers

Ingredients

3 Portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
3 TB balsamic vinaigrette dressing (1 TB per mushroom)
olive oil cooking spray
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
whole wheat hamburger buns or thin buns

Optional toppings:

lettuce or spinach
sprouts
tomato slices
onions
pickles
hummus*
Vegenaise vegan mayo
ketchup
mustard

*I used Trader Joe’s Chipotle Hummus, which was amazing on these burgers!

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Directions

1. Place mushrooms into a large Ziploc bag with balsamic vinaigrette dressing.  Seal the bag and shake gently until all of the mushrooms are coated well with the dressing.  Place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Spray with cooking spray.  Place the mushrooms into the skillet, along with the remaining dressing from the bag.

3. Cook the mushrooms for approximately 7 to 8 minutes on each side, or until tender.

4. Assemble your Portobello Mushrooms Burgers using buns and your favorite toppings.

You can also follow the same marinating steps, but grill these burgers.  I am not sure on the exact time for how long each mushroom would cook for, though, because I am unfortunately without a grill at the moment.  If you try the grilling method, please let me know how they turn out!

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My burger toppings included spinach, red onions, tomatoes, bread and butter pickles, sprouts, and chipotle hummus on a whole wheat thin bun.

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And, keeping with the Summertime theme, I served my Portobello Mushroom Burger with corn on the cob, which tasted surprisingly good for it not being at its peak season.

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This was a humongous burger (it probably would have been funny watching me attempt to eat it gracefully), but an absolutely fantastic tasting Summertime sandwich.  The perfect texture and flavoring of the mushroom combined with the crunchy veggies and the slightly spicy and creamy hummus really hit the spot.  This will definitely be one of my “go-to” Summer burgers.  Who needs the meat when you have mushrooms, anyways? ;)   Wow…my former mushroom hating self cannot believe that I just wrote that!

Larabar Giveaway!

And because Summer weather is finally making an arrival in the Midwest, I have a giveaway to help us all celebrate!

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The wonderful folks at Larabar have offered to give one lucky reader a box of 16 assorted Larabar bars!  Awesome, right?!?  I am a huge fan of Larabars (for their delicious flavors and impeccable ingredient lists).  Some of my favorite flavors (so far) include Peanut Butter and Jelly, Blueberry Muffin, Cherry Pie, Chocolate Chip Cherry Torte, and Peanut Butter Cookie.

Larabar sent me several flavors to try out for myself, and using the Tropical Fruit Tart bar as an example, take a look at what their ingredient lists looks like:

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The best part is that I would actually consider this ingredient list to be a “long” list.  Some of their bars only contain 3 simple ingredients!  I love this company for that reason.  Oh, and the bars actually taste REALLY good, too! :)

To enter to win a box of 16 assorted Larabar bars, leave a comment on this post answering one of the following two questions:

1. What is your favorite Larabar flavor, or which flavor are you most excited to try?
2. What is your favorite “Summertime food?”

This giveaway is open to residents of the United States and Canada only.  The giveaway will close on Friday, May 17th at 11:59 p.m. CST.  I will announce the winner on Sunday, May 19th!  Good luck :) .

And finally…I would like to wish a very Happy Mother’s Day to my mom and to all of the moms out there!!!

Southwest Quinoa Bake + Healthy Living Summit 2013

Posted by cleaneatingveggiegirl in Uncategorized and tagged with , ,

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I think that I might be a little behind by posting this Mexican-inspired recipe now, seeing as how last Sunday was Cinco de Mayo.  But it is almost Friday, so that is reason enough to celebrate again, right? ;)   This time, however, you can celebrate with a Mexican-inspired meal that is likely lower on the calories and higher on the veggie intake.

As I mentioned about a week ago, I am working on cooking through my stack of recipes from magazines.  While digging through this pile, I found a recipe for a Southwest Quinoa bake that includes chicken.  I decided to use the recipe as inspiration to develop my own Southwest Quinoa Bake, but without the meat.  I think it turned out pretty darn tasty!

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Southwest Quinoa Bake

Adapted from the Health 2013 issue of the Hy-Vee Seasons magazine.

Servings: 2

Ingredients

olive oil cooking spray
1/2 cup quinoa, dry
1 cup water (for cooking quinoa)
water, for cooking
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into half moons
1/2 cup bell peppers, diced (I used red and orange)
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 medium zucchini, diced
1/2 of a 4 oz can of diced green chilies*
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp coriander
black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 of a 10 oz can of diced tomatoes with chilies, drained (I used Rotel brand)*
1/2 tsp sriracha sauce
1 TB Bragg’s liquid aminos or light soy sauce
1/3 cup shredded part-skim Mexican cheese

*I would definitely double this recipe if you are cooking for more than one person in order to use the entire can of the chilies and tomatoes.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray small baking dish with olive oil spray.

2. Cook quinoa according to package directions.

3. In a large skillet, heat a thin layer of water over medium-high heat until very hot.  Once hot, lower the heat to medium and add garlic, onions, carrots, peppers, celery, and zucchini.  Cook for approximately 10 minutes, or until softened.  Add additional water, as necessary.

4. Stir in chilies and seasonings and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Lower the heat to medium-low.  Add vegetable broth, tomatoes, sriracha sauce, liquid aminos, and cooked quinoa.  Stir until well-combined.

6. Once all of the ingredients are warm, spoon the vegetable and quinoa mixture into the baking dish.  Top with cheese and bake, uncovered, for approximately 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

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If desired, you can top your Southwest Quinoa Bake with additional cheese, salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole.  Now that I think about it, I totally regret the fact that I did not mix in some avocado before I ate it.  I guess there is always next time, right?

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I have tried many quinoa and vegetable dishes over the past year and a half since becoming a vegetarian, but this is one of the only ones that has had a spicy, Mexican flare to it.  I pretty much never tire of Mexican food, so I am thinking that this dish may have to become a regular in my cooking routine.

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And to continue with the theme of celebration…I am happy to announce that I have decided to attend this year’s Healthy Living Summit!  The location is in Minnesota, and I figure that this is probably the closest that it will ever be to me for the next several years.  Therefore, I am taking the plunge (financially, that is) and plan to register for the event when registration begins at the end of the month.

And so, I leave you with a proposition.  For the sake of saving money, I am looking for a roomie!  If you happen to be interested, please e-mail me at cleaneatingveggiegirl@gmail.com

Have a fabulous Friday tomorrow, everyone! :)