Best Broccoli Ever

1 1/2lbs fresh broccoli (or bag of frozen)
10 large cloves fresh garlic unpeeled
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt

Separate broccoli (whether fresh or frozen).  Crush garlic.  Fill large pot with water and add all ingredients. 
OR use steamer for broccoli.  Once steamed, put in bowl with all ingredients.

Garlic Butter Green Beans

1 large can of green beans or 2 cans
1/4 cup butter
1/2 onion, sliced
Garlic Powder
Garlic Salt
Sea Salt

Put 1-2 tbsp butter in pan and add onion, cook until translucent.  Drain Water out of green bean cans, add Green beans, garlic, and salt.  Place lit on pan, stirring  and adding rest of butter periodically.  Cook green beans down.  Add Garlic to taste.

Oven Baked Fries

Serving (2)
5-6 Potatoes

I leave the skins on, but if you'd like, peel and wash them.  Preheat your oven to 450.  Mandolin or cut potatoes into fries.  Place fries in water to soak.

2 Tbsp Peanut Oil (I use Olive Oil or Coconut Oil)
1/2 teas chili powder
1/2 teas paprika
1/2 teas sea salt
1/2 teas blk pepper
1 teas Dijon mustard

Mix together.  Drain Fries and add sauce mixture.  Get your hands dirty and mix well.  Place on non-stick pan, no clumping or overlapping.  Place in your preheated 450 oven for 20 minutes.  Flip the fries and bake for another 10 minutes. 

Take 'em out and enjoy!

Tacos

Tacos

2 cups Pinto Beans, cooked
Any Grilled Vegetables - bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, onions, potatoes, corn, etc.

1 pkg Meatless Soy Chorizo
1 pkg Taco Seasoning

Mix and Brown Beans, Chorizo, and Seasoning. Add to Whole Wheat Tortillas. Add toppings, such as, sour cream, cheese, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, or even any other vegetables!

There is a Whole new HEALTHY way to eat out there! If it's too daunting a task to tackle, try one meal a week to start. Just START! : )

Brown Rice & Lentils

Brown Rice & Lentils

1 cup long-grain brown rice

1 cup dried brown lentils

3 medium yellow onions (about 1 1/2 pounds), thinly sliced

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Bring rice and 2 cups water to a boil in a medium pot. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer until liquid is completely absorbed and rice is just tender, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate medium pot, bring lentils and 5 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer until lentils are tender but not falling apart, about 30 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water and drain again.

While lentils and rice cook, bring 1/2 cup water to a simmer in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until beginning to soften, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water, cumin, cinnamon and salt and reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook about 15 minutes or until onions are soft and browned, stirring frequently and adding 1/4 cup water halfway through cooking or if onions begin to stick to skillet. Remove 1 cup cooked onions and set aside. Stir lentils, rice and pepper into skillet with remaining onions. To serve, top with reserved onions and garnish with parsley.

Eggplant Lasagna

Lasagna

Oven Ready Whole Wheat Lasagna noodles (or use the regular boiled ones)
1 container Ricotta (1/2 Cottage Cheese and 1/2 Ricotta, if you choose)
Shredded Mozarella Cheese
Grated Parmesan
Garlic Salt (or minced cloves)
Vegetables - (sliced longways) Eggplant, Spinach, Zucchini, Onion, Mushroom, etc.
2 Cans of Diced Tomatoes
Sea Salt

Sauce
Cook the diced Tomatoes in a saucepan, with the spices you like, such as, oregano, basil, garlic, etc. (I also used "Just a Pinch" Seasonings). Let the sauce cook for a little while until you get just the right flavor!

Cheese Mixture
Mix Ricotta (and/or Cottage Cheese) with Garlic, Parmesan, and Mozarella to taste.

Layering
Spread a thin layer of Sauce on the bottom of casserole dish. Add a layer of noodles, a layer of cheese mixture, a layer of vegetables, and repeat the process. On the top, add a layer of noodles, sauce, and sprinkle with mozarella.

Bake until brown and bubbly, around 45 mins.

Brown Rice "Burgers"

Brown Rice "Burgers"

1 cup brown rice cooked
1/4 cup pecan
1/4 cups walnuts
1 medium potato diced small
1 carrot diced small
1 stalk celery diced small
1/2 cup green & red pepper diced small
2 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons shoyu soy sauce
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
dash of oregano
dash cayenne pepper
olive oil

Place about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and put in the first 5 ingredients, except nuts. Allow to cook about 8 minutes on low to soften the veggies, then add the garlic and soy sauce and continue cooking another couple of minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking, process the nuts in a food process until totally ground. When the veggies have cooled put them into the food processor, and add the dash of oregano, cayenne and yeast.

Process until all the ingredients are well combined.

Add a little more oil to the skillet and let it get nice and hot on a medium temperature. (I personally used a griddle.) You will need to wet your hands when making the patties because they are a little sticky. Cook until golden brown on both sides about 7 minutes per side. Don't flip until a crust forms on the bottom. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Makes 4 patties.

So, obviously, you can try ANY vegetable dish, but I'm going to list a a few MAIN dishes to get started. You can add any tvp (textured soy product) or Soyrizo (meatless soy chorizo) to any or all of these. Since I'm not much into "Exactness", some of these are pretty general to taste and to the size of your family/guests.

Chili

1 can of diced tomatoes (or do it fresh!)
2 cups Pinto Beans
1 cup Red Kidney Beans
1 chopped onion (I put a little more)
8 chopped cloves of garlic
Chili powder, Cumin, Seasoning Salt, Oregano (or anything that suits your tastebuds)
Vegetables - any you desire such as, mushrooms, corn, celery, green bell peppers, red bell peppers, etc.

Put beans in slow cooker covered in water and cook until tender. Drain 1/2 and add other ingredients. Cook a couple of hours.

Add Sour Cream and Cheddar Cheese (vegan if you have or can get it!) and add some Multigrain Mini Crackers for crunch and texture! The kids ate the whole crock pot and kept asking for more!

Adventures in a Plant Based Diet and New Way of Living

Onto the next adventure!  A Plant Based Diet!  We stumbled upon this, after watching "Forks Over Knives," "FoodMatters," and "Food, Inc."  It will open your eyes to our "quick and convenient" (and unhealthy) society!

These are the types of diets we learned:
Omnivorous - An omnivorous diet is one in which both animal and vegetable foods are eaten.
Carnivorous - A carnivorous diet is one that contains animal flesh—that is, meat.
Lacto-ovo-vegetarian - This is the most common of the vegetarian diets, one that does not include animal flesh but does use the by-products of the chicken and/or cow—eggs and milk products (vegans, or strict vegetarians, do not eat these foods).
Lacto-vegetarian diets - exclude meat, fish, poultry and eggs, as well as foods that contain them. Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt and butter, are allowed in a lacto-vegetarian diet.
Vegan - This is the strict, or pure, form of vegetarianism. No animal products are consumed, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products — and foods that contain these products.  This diet is only fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds. This means No eggs, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter, or other milk products are eaten.
Macrobiotic - A macrobiotic diet consists almost exclusively of cooked foods. Raw foods are felt to be difficult to digest and too cooling for our system. Thus, it is primarily a vegetarian, almost vegan, diet, but it seems to contain more protein and nutrients than the standard vegetarian cuisine.
Raw Foods - It basically consists of uncooked whole foods. Foods are eaten in their uncooked, most potentially nutritious state, with the vital elements of nature still contained in them.

The thought of not eating meat is almost like a drug addict not getting his fix!  However, it was a lot easier than originally thought!  We have now made Vegetarian Chili, Lasagna, "Burgers", Tacos, etc. just to name a few!  And lo' and behold - no one is dying of lack of (what they thought) protein!  There is soooo much out there you CAN eat (and actually more of!) that doesn't have the huge amounts of fat, calories, sodium, etc.  Quantity and Quality!!

In all actuality, Dairy has been more difficult to 'get' around and substitute.  But, one thing at a time!  We'll work on that soon.  For now it's

NO:

Meat

Fried Foods

Boxed/Prepared Foods

YES:

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Legumes

As always, everything is Fat Free or Low Fat and always seasoned with Sea Salt and Pepper.  If you're using Celery or Celery Salt, you may not want to use the Salt, as Celery has a natural "saltiness" flavor to it. 

National Peanut Festival Dothan, AL

November 6, 2011 - What a wonderful night to remember!  Royal Tailor, Leeland, and Building 429.... Aaah, their songs are music to my ears!  The National Peanut Festival was huge both size wise and people wise!  Lots of expensive rides, food, and activities to keep the kids entertained and wanting more!

The Highlight, of course, and the reason for the trip to Dothan, not only to see what the National Peanut Festival was all about, but to see three Fabulous Bands do a tremendous job of walking in their gifts!  Going to see Christian Artists at these festivals is definitely a must-see from now on!