Indian Butter Chick'n

Ingredients:

2/3 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2/3-3/4 cups Quorn Chick'n Tenders

2/3 c onion, chopped

2/3 Tbsp grated, fresh ginger

2 2/3 tsp garlic, minced

2/3 tsp chili powder

1 1/3 tsp Thai red curry paste

pinch of cinnamon

18.67 oz diced tomatoes, undrained

1 1/3 Tbsp tomato paste

2/3 cup plain yogurt

1/3 cup Coconut Milk Creamer (see link for the one I used)

Steamed brown rice for serving

Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Throw everything but the yogurt and ccocnut creamer into a large saucepan.  Cover and cook on high heat until bubbling.  Turn heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes to cook through.  Add yogurt and coconut creamer, stir until combined and cook for another 2-3 minutes until heated through.

Serve atop brown rice.  Top with fresh chopped parsley.  Serve with steamed green beans for a complete meal.

Recipe adapted from: http://onceamonthmom.com/better-vegetarian-butter-chicken/

Herbed Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

1 small spaghetti squash

2 1/2 Tbsp Earth Balance buttery spread

2 1/2 Tbsp finely chopped mixed soft herbs (I used basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley)

salt and pepper for seasoning

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise and place cut side down in a baking dish.  Add enough water to come 1/2 inch up the sides of the baking dish.  Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake for 45 minutes until the squash is easily pierced with a paring knife.

Turn squash over and cover with aluminum foil again and continue to cook another 15 minutes until the squash is very tender.  

Remove from the oven, uncover and allow to cool slightly.  Using a spoon, remove the seeds and discard.  Using a fork, gently upll the strands of squash away from the peel and place the squash strands into a mixing bowl.

Heat a skillet.  Add the butter, spaghetti squash, herbs, tomatoes, salt and pepper and toss thoroughly but gently to heat and combine.  If you wish, you can add a little bit of balsamic vinegar to the squash mixture to flavor.  Top with a little cheese (optional) and serve.

**Note:  The spaghetti squash can also be cooked in the microwave for quicker preparation.  Do this by piercing the squash all over with a paring knife (be careful with this!).  Microwave squash on high for 10-12 minutes, rotating the squash halfway through cooking.  Allow the squash to sit in the microwave a few minutes to cool down after cooking.  Remove squash with cooking mitts.  Cut the squash in half lengthwise.  The squash should cut easily with little resistance.  If it doesn't put it back in the microwave and cook for an additional few minutes.  Remove seeds and discard.  Scrape out spaghetti squash strands with a fork and follow recipe above.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/herbed-spaghetti-squash-recipe/index.html and http://steamykitchen.com/19385-microwave-spaghetti-squash-with-tomatoes-and-basil.html

Asian Edamame Fried Rice

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked rice 

2 egg whites, scrambled

1 whole egg, scrambled

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 green onions, chopped (whites and greens separated)

1/2 cup shredded carrots

cooking spray

1 cup frozen, shelled edamame, thawed

1 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce, low sodium

Directions:

Whisk eggs and egg whites.  Season with salt and pepper.  In a large, hot skillet, spray a little oil and scramble the eggs.  When cooked, remove from pan and set aside.

Let the skillet get really hot.  Add oil and cook onions, green onion whites, carrots and garlic for about 30-60 seconds, careful not to burn.  

Add cooked brown rice ans stir for a few minutes to heat through.  Add cooked egg along with Braggs and Soy Sauce, green onion greens and edamame, mixing well for about 3-4 minutes.

Serve alone or along with spring rolls.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/04/asian-edamame-fried-rice.html

Veggie Stuffed Quesadillas

Ingredients: 

2 small green and red bell peppers cut into thin strips

1 small red onion cut into 1" long strips

1 Tbsp oil

cooking spray

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro or parsley

1/3 cup Tofutti non-dairy cream cheese

5 flour tortillas

Directions: 

In a large skillet, cook sweet peppers and onion in 1 tsp oil for 3-5 min until crisp-tender.  Stir in cumin and chili powder.  Cook and stir for 1 more minute.  Stir in parsley/cilantro.  Set aside.

Spread cream cheese over half of one side of each tortilla.  Top with pepper mixture.  Fold tortilla in half over the pepper mixture and press gently together.

Place tortillas in a grill pan, panini press, or on a large baking sheet lightly coated with non-stick spray. (if placing on a baking sheet, brush tortillas with oil).  Cook in skillet or panini press until outside of tortilla is golden brown.  If cooking on baking sheet, bake at 425 degrees for 5 min.

Cut each quesadilla into wedges.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/appetizers-snacks/veggie-stuffed-quesadillas/

Healthy Mac n Cheeze

What!?!  Healthy and Mac n Cheese in the same sentence?  That doesn't seem right!  Well, this dairy free version of Mac n Cheeze actually is healthy!  And, it is so nice and creamy.  It turns out better than other recipes I have used with real cheese.  My toddler son actually significantly prefers it to the real cheese version.  It is easy and definitely worth a try...you will love it!

Ingredients:

1 box (14 oz) Macaroni noodles, preferably whole grain, cooked according to package directions

4 cups water, divided

1 cup cashews

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup pimento peppers (or you can use roasted red peppers in a can, or I have even used raw red peppers)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes

3 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 Tbsp salt

2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch pan with non-stick spray.

Blend 2 cups water and nuts in a blender until very smooth and creamy (this can take several minutes, depending on your blender)

Add remaining ingredients (don't forget the additional 2 cups of water!), except pasta to the blender; blend until smooth and creamy.

Place cooked pasta in the baking dish.  Top with cheese mixture and stir to evenly coat the pasta.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Serving option: You can add chopped broccoli to the macaroni to "disguise" some veggies for the family.  Serve with green beans for a complete and tasty meal.

Recipe taken from: Give Them Something Better by Sarah Frain & Stephanie Howard