Dairy Free

Healthy Cravings Recap: Are You Ready for the Super Bowl

January 18, 2013 by Holly Yzquierdo Leave a Comment

I don’t watch football but I don’t mind attending a Super Bowl Party, especially if there is good food. Since my idea of good food varies greatly from that of the average person this months Healthy Cravings focused on Super Bowl and party food.

Most of the recipes I’ve been posting lately were recipes presented at Healthy Cravings. Almost all of the recipes were given rave reviews.

We started with Nacho Bar! A friend let me borrow here Crockpot Trio which contained Quinoa-Lentil Tacos, Unfried Beans, and Faux Cheese Sauce. I also had salsa, guacamole, black olives, jalapenos and of course tortilla chips.

I also had the typical veggie tray with Somer’s Vegan Ranch Dressing. Everyone liked it, I used rice milk instead of soy and it didn’t get as thick. Somer told me the soy milk is better so you should try it that way instead.

We also had the CHICKpea salad in lettuce wraps. One of the ladies who attended had just told her husband that she did not like chickpeas; her mind was changed once she tasted these.

I made a gluten-free chocolate cake for dessert but I’m still tweaking the recipe. Hopefully I’ll be sharing it soon.

Another popular item was deviled potatoes that are posted at Happy Herbivore; they were really easy too. I wanted to make Buffalo Cauliflower but as time got short they were cut from the line up. Two friends helped out by bringing a few things. We had Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms using this walnut-pesto recipe from Veggies In My Freezer; another friend brought a pea dip and some delicious energy balls. I don’t have the links for those unfortunately but they were good.

We had great conversation and watched some clips from the Forks Over Knives Extended Interviews. One of the ladies who started coming to Healthy Cravings in September and switched to a plant-based diet in October shared how she has lost over 40 pounds. She is eating healthier and so is her daughter.

Not everyone who comes is eating plant-based but many are trying to eat healthier or just get more ideas and add variety to their diets.

What are you favorite party or Super Bowl Foods? I think the Nacho Bar was my favorite!

CHICKpea Salad…Two Ways

January 16, 2013 by Holly Yzquierdo 22 Comments

I have a few friends who have been dying to get their hands on these recipes. I’ll warn you this isn’t one of my typical healthy recipes and it isn’t low in fat. It uses vegan mayo which isn’t an ingredient I typically use or encourage others to use. I made these for a party; they are party food, not everyday food! I repeat, these are not healthy, you can’t eat as much as you want, you’ll get sick or fat.

I hope that wasn’t too mean. Since most of the recipes I present are whole food, plant-based, and no added oil I didn’t want to mislead anyone but I’m gearing up for the Super Bowl and attempting to make some of my favorite party foods a little more accessible to my new lifestyle.

Veggie CHICKpea Salad

Ingredients

2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas
1 carrot
1 stalk of celery
1/4 cup diced onion (optional)
1/2 cup vegan mayo
dash of black salt, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and nutritional yeast

Chop chickpeas in a food processor until they are course, this takes 15 to 30 seconds depending on your processor. Then place in a mixing bowl.
Shred carrot and celery in food processor then add to the chickpeas.
Add mayo and spices and gently stir until combined.

Serve

I served these in lettuce wraps, but they would be great as sandwiches or on crackers too. It keeps well for a few days and travels well with an icepack to keep it cold.

Fruity CHICKpea Salad

Ingredients

2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas
1/2 cup grapes, cut in half
1 apple, diced (I used granny smith)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (OPTIONAL)
1/2 cup vegan mayo (or for a twist use vegan yogurt)
dash of black salt
dash of onion powder

Chop chickpeas in a food processor until they are course, this takes 15 to 30 seconds depending on your processor. Then place in a mixing bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir gently until everything is combined.

Serve

I served these in lettuce wraps too but it would be amazing on top of a bed of greens. I also tried the yogurt version and put it in fillo shells for a fun and delicious dessert. You could also eat this in a sandwich or on crackers, it’s very versatile.

You could make your own vegan mayo for a healthier version.

For more inspiration check out my PARTY FOOD board on Pinterest! Or check out my Faux Tuna Salad Recipe! I think you like it.

How would you enjoy these, on a salad, sandwich, or as part of a wrap?

I submitted this recipe to the Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck!

Faux Cheese Sauce

January 13, 2013 by Holly Yzquierdo 26 Comments

When we first switched to a plant-based diet, faux cheese sauce became a very important part of our arsenal. We ate a lot of Mexican food (we still do) but it wasn’t the same without all of the cheese we used to add. After a few months we no longer craved the cheese, or faux cheese and rarely made it. It was just an extra step that we usually forgot.

I love making faux cheese sauce for plant-based newbies. They are usually really missing their dairy and this really hits the spot. We don’t love it by itself but it’s great as part of the dish, I also don’t like tomatoes much by them selves but love salsa and tomato based sauces.

Faux Cheese Sauce (Gluten-Free and Vegan)

Ingredients

1/4 c Nutritional Yeast
2 Tbsp rice flour* (wheat flour can be used instead)
1/4 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt to taste (I used 1/2 tsp)
1/4 tsp cumin**
1/2 tsp chili powder**
1 c plant milk (I use rice or unsweetened almond milk)

*For a thicker sauce add extra flour.**These are optional but best used for a Mexican inspired flavor.

In a medium sauce pan add all dry ingredients and place on medium heat.
Stir with a wisk as dry ingredients are heated and begin to toast. Don’t let them burn!
Once they are warmed and begin to be very fragrant (again, not burnt) add the plant milk and wisk often.
Once sauce becomes thick remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.

Serve

I like this drizzled over potatoes, broccoli, mixed into a casserole, or best yet on nachos. Unlike other recipes I’ve tried this one stays pretty fluid and is versatile enough to use in a number of different recipes. I’ll have more recipes coming using this sauce next month. 🙂

Meal Plan Monday: Spending Less to Eat More

January 7, 2013 by Holly Yzquierdo Leave a Comment

People always ask me what we eat; my answer is usually, “Real Food” or something similar depending on who is asking. I don’t have to read a long ingredient list because most of what we eat is pretty simple, but that doesn’t mean plain. I buy whole ingredients that fit into my budget, some weeks we spend more than others and I stock up when our favorites are discounted.

This weeks meal plan will focus on low-cost, high quality meals. Depending on where you live you may not have access to the same food at the same prices. Tomorrow I’ll talk more about eating plant-based on a budget. All of the items I talk about today are regular ingredients that we keep on hand. If you are new to plant-based eating it may cost a little more while you stock your pantry. You don’t have to do this overnight; we slowly bought new things as our budget allowed.

Meal Plan

Breakfast can be the least expensive meal of the day. Oatmeal is easy to prepare, but sometimes takes a little practice. Cook your oats and add your favorite toppings. I like ground flax, chia seeds, and dried cranberries or raisins. Homemade granola is another easy option especially when paired with fruit. Baked Sweet Potatoes with a little bit of cinnamon is a sweet yet filling breakfast. Check out this post for more Breakfast Ideas.

Lunch is a great time for a really big salad. I like spinach, tomatoes, peppers, beans, onions, carrots, and whatever other veggies I have. I prefer to eat it in a wrap with hummus. Most days we eat leftovers for lunch; including my husband who always takes his lunch. Soups are one of my favorite’s for lunch; Slow Cooker Potato Soup, Taco Soup, or Minestone help me warm up and fill me with fuel. Soups can also be taken to work in a thermos and kept warm. Baked Potatoes are also inexpensive yet filling, especially when combined with steamed or raw broccoli, raw veggies or any of the other lunch items mentioned. We do have our fair share of sandwiches (me and the kids) but they aren’t as inexpensive or nutritious.

Snacks are a great way to add an extra serving of fruit or veggies to your day. Sliced apples dipped in nut butter or veggies dipped in hummus are a favorite with my boys. Sometimes I make green smoothies too. If you have an early lunch and late dinner you may need a more substantial snack. Homemade granola or granola bars are much less expensive than sore brought and can be customized to your preferences.

Dinner is typically the biggest meal of the day at our house. The other meals are reactions while dinner is (usually) planned. We’ve been adding more salads to our dinner. I also try to have beans or a bean dominate dish. Beans are cheap and versatile. This Mexican Casserole has received rave reviews from adults and kids and is made with pantry staples. This Broccoli and Brown Rice Casserole is also a crowd pleaser and made with fresh or frozen broccoli. Our teenage daughter requested this once a week for months. Bean Burgers, Lentil Tacos, or Quinoa Tacos are easily mixed and matched for extra meals and make a great topping on top of a Taco Salad.

You’ll notice that these recipes are gluten-free, unprocessed, inexpensive and easy. Tomorrow I’ll talk more about how to eat a plant-based diet while eating inexpensively.

What are you eating this week? Any My Plant-Based Family recipes?

Oil-Free Blueberry Muffins

January 4, 2013 by Holly Yzquierdo 32 Comments

I admit it, I like to eat pastries for breakfast; but it’s gonna take more than a donut to fuel this chic. Try these oil-free Blueberry Muffins to fuel your day.

This recipe is similar to The World’s Best Banana Bread. It travels well, isn’t too sweet, and is oil free.

Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup turbinado sugar or raw sugar (I’ve used agave with a good result also)
2 extra ripe bananas, mashed (if your bananas are not very ripe, you may need more sugar and liquid)
1 Tbsp plant milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (regular flour or whole wheat flour with a little more liquid can be used also)
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup sliced almonds or other nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large mixing bowl add 1 cup applesauce and 1/2 cup turbinado sugar. Mix with a wooden spoon.
Add the bananas, plant milk and vanilla then mix well.
Add baking soda, salt, and flour. Mix again.
Add optional nuts and gently fold in the blueberries.
Pour into a sprayed pan muffin pan.
Cook for 25 minutes until a tooth pick comes out clean.
Remove from pan once cool.

These are great with a cup of coffee or even smoothie. I like to make them for brunch or potlucks. The hold up well in a lunch box and don’t need to be refrigerated.

This recipe can also be made in a loaf pan and baked for 40 minutes or in a jumbo muffin pan and baked for 35 minutes.

What are your favorite kind of muffins? Blueberry will always be my favorite but I love almost every kind of muffins! Have you tried my Strawberry Banana Muffin recipe yet? It’s just as good!

FAQ’s: Giving Toddlers Milk

December 22, 2012 by Holly Yzquierdo Leave a Comment

I get a lot of questions through email but one of the most common is about milk. I think most of us have been misled to believe cow’s milk is a nutritionally superior food and we must give it to our kids for them to be healthy. There are many respected doctor’s out there who can properly dispel that lie. Additionally the PCRM (Physicans Committee for Responsible Medicine) has some great literature that can answer a lot of your questions, there is even a section on Nutrition for Kids. Check out Parents’ Guide for Building Better Bones or Health Concerns About Dairy Products. I’ll focus on what works for us. And if it’s ok with you I’ll be completely real.

In Our Cups

We don’t drink dairy. I buy almond milk, rice milk, and occasionally coconut milk. We prefer almond milk to the others. When we first switched to eating plant-based I gave my son (who was 2 years old) a variety of the three. I was afraid of him becoming dependant on one type (or worse one brand) and not being able to find it. In the beginning he drank a lot of plant milk and it was getting expensive. Then our youngest got a little older and we started giving him plant milk too, it became even more expensive.

My boys got to the point that they always wanted milk. I didn’t like that. I decided to start cutting back on the plant milk and offering it less. I didn’t rush this. They always have water available now and love it. Anytime we leave the house we all have our water bottles. I don’t want them to feel like they need a “special” drink, most people drink way too many calories anyway. Now we are down to offering them milk a few time as week. I think this is a success, we were going through 1/2 a gallon a day in the beginning.

In Our Bowls

We eat cereal. I know it’s mostly processed junk but I like to have quick, gluten-free options available. I buy cereal that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to have seen in my pantry but will admit I let my kids eat it too often. We prefer almond milk in our cereal and buy both sweetened and unsweetened. Rice milk is too thin for our liking, although our 16 year old daughter prefers it.

In Our Mixing Bowls

When I bake it is usually for an event so I usually use rice milk. So many people have nut allergies so I try to limit the top allergens if I have other options available. Rice milk has a very neutral flavor and seems to work well for baking.

In the Real World

This has been a journey for us. We started eating Plant-based over a year ago. We don’t do it perfectly. Dairy is one of the areas that I am more strict. Last January I was still allowing my son (who was about to turn 3 year old) to have occasional cow’s milk or cheese. I even wrote a post about it called Evil Chocolate Milk Vomit that you may or may not want to read. If we go to a party and my 3 year old wants a piece of cheese I may let him have one but we will talk about how it will make his tummy hurt and he might decide against it. If there is birthday cake I’ll let him have some and not obsess about what is in it. Last week he ate pizza that had cheese on it. Now my youngest son who has a wheat, peanut, and likely dairy allergy is NOT allowed to have any of that. And don’t you even try to sneak him ice cream because I will hurt you!

A little tummy ache is one thing, a full on allergic reaction or flare up that will last days is another. Exposing him to something that will really hurt him is like letting him play with a knife and I won’t knowingly let that happen.

I’ve done my best to keep this mostly focused on giving toddlers milk but focus isn’t really my strong suit. Do you give your kids cow’s milk or plant milk?

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Healthy Cravings Recap: Are You Ready for the Super Bowl