Recipe: NOT Chicken Burritos

In a perfect world we would all be able to cook complex meals everyday! Cody and I try really hard to eat fresh vegetables with every meal and stay away from processed stuff. Even though a lot of the vegan processed food is healthy we still prefer home cooked meals. Cody has been working really late so we have been just throwing easy quick meals together. We decided to try these Meatless Chipotle Lime Crispy Fingers out and were pleasantly surprised! Here is how we ate them...



INGREDIENTS:
Rice, Crispy Fingers, Kale, Yellow Bell Pepper & Tortillas!
(Needless to say you can change this up however you want.)



I've become obsessed with Kale! I love it with just about everything.
I cut the Kale into little strips so that it would fit in the tortillas better.
The Yellow Bell Pepper was just extra produce that we had and decided to throw it into the mix.
The Crispy Fingers take about 10 minutes to bake,...yes ONLY 10 minutes!



We use a rice cooker to fix our rice which does take about 40 minutes to cook.
I just cook it early in the afternoon so that it warm for Cody went he gets home!



These were so simple and yummy! The Crispy Fingers really have a lot of flavor.
You should try them whether you are vegan or not. :) We all need quick meals sometimes.

Whole Food Recipe: Chickpea Tacos

These are truly amazing and so simple to make!
Cody's dad is visiting this weekend and this is one of the meals we are cooking him! Chickpea Tacos
Recipe by Veggie Terrain / Inspired by Happy Herbivore
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp tamari
2 tsp lime juice
2 tbsp taco seasoning - We use this recipe to make our own!
tortillas - we use these, sprout wheat and good for you! No added oils.
romaine lettuce
tomato, diced
2 - step guacamole (mashed avocado + minced garlic and kosher salt) to put on the tacos

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Lay parchment paper on a cooking pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk tamari, lime juice, and taco seasoning together.
- Add chickpeas to bowl, tossing until well coated.
- Place chickpeas on the pan in an even layer and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven! Assemble tacos! Enjoy!

*I did change the recipe a bit because it had oil and we do not eat oil. You don't need it I promise. :)

Please visit my WHOLE FOOD PAGE to view all my recipes and read about how easy it is to eat Vegan!

Recipe: Vegan Tacos

Before Cody and I gave up meat we would eat tacos weekly. I must say I don't miss it at all! Walking by meat and ground beef makes me sick to my stomach now. It's amazing how much you change when your diet changes. (It's only been 4 months!) We decided to try making meatless tacos using soy protein by Light Life, ground beef style. These tacos are simple to make! We just followed the cooking directions on the "meatless ground beef".
It takes like 5 minutes and just a little bit of water to cook it.
We use organic taco seasoning, re-fried beans, bell peppers and salsa for our tacos!
It's all up to you what you want to put with it.
Just make sure what you buy doesn't have sugar, corn syrup or oils in the ingredients!
Please visit my WHOLE FOOD PAGE to view all my recipes and read about how easy it is to eat Vegan!

Whole Food Recipe: Veggies & Pasta w/White Sauce

This is one of my favorite dishes! Probably because I love broccoli and brown rice pasta, this dish has both! This recipe is from Susan over at Fat Free Vegan Kitchen. She has an amazing selection of vegan recipes! She just proves that you can eat vegan and not give up flavor! This was our first dish we tried by Susan...

Pasta and Vegetables with White Sauce

 Recipe by Susan Voisin // Fat Free Vegan Kitchen 

 

1 pound whole wheat rotini pasta (we use brown rice pasta)

1 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas, or 1 can rinsed and drained

1 head broccoli, cut into small florets

1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets

2 cups plain unsweetened soy milk (we use plain almond milk)

6 cloves of garlic, peeled and pressed

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)

generous grating of black pepper

5 tablespoons of nutritional yeast

2 teaspoons cornstarch or potato starch (we use arrow root)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt or salt - free seasoning (or to taste)

 

- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to instructions on package.  About a minute before it's done, add the chickpeas and cook briefly to heat them through.  When the pasta is al dente, scoop out and set aside a cup of the cooking water.  Then drain the pasta well and return to the pot or large serving bowl. 

 

- While the pasta is cooking, steam the veggie until just tender.  Add them to the pasta.

 

- While the pasta and veggies are cooking, make the sauce:  Combine in a medium saucepan the soy milk, garlic, herbs and pepper.  Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes or until the pasta is done.  Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and the nutritional yeast.  Stir the starch into 1/4 cup of cool water and add it to the sauce, stirring well.  Increase heat and cook until the sauce boils and thickens slightly.  Check seasonings and add salt to taste.

 

- Pour the sauce over the pasta and vegetables and stir gently to coat.  If the pasta needs more moisture, add a little of the reserved pasta water.  Sprinkle with extra red pepper flakes if desired and serve immediately.

 

*We just put our pasta in a bowl, add the veggies, then pour sauce over our bowl.  That seems to work best for us!  This dish has a spicy KICK to it because of the crushed pepper flakes! 

If you haven't tried Brown Rice Pasta I highly recommend it!
I wish I would of know about this stuff way before I went vegan!  It's the best pasta I have ever had!
Enjoy!

Please visit my WHOLE FOOD PAGE to view all my recipes and read about how easy it is to eat Vegan!

VEGAN FOOD: Penne & Chreese

When traveling I found different food products that I hadn't seen before in my local grocery stores. I found some Vegan friendly pasta by Road's End Organic's. I decided it was worth a try! One thing I had really missed eating was Mac & Cheese. There are so many great Vegan options though to keep you from giving into temptation. Even though at this point the thought of cheese and diary makes me sick to my stomach! After just 3 months of giving it up, I don't really miss it. This Vegan pasta version was Penne & Chreese. I still have yet to find and try the Mac N Cheese version. I will say it doesn't have a strong "cheddar" taste. I added salt, pepper and Franks Red Hot to mine and it was delicious! It is a lot of calories to eat it all yourself, but it was my dinner one night. It was quick and easy! Great traveling meal. :) Cody and I eat it sometimes as a side dish with Black Bean Burgers.

Please visit my WHOLE FOOD PAGE to view all my recipes and read about how easy it is to eat Vegan!

Whole Food Recipe: Veggie & Tofu with Rice

Eating Tofu is still new to us. We haven't cooked much with it yet. I love my white bean salad that has Tofu crumbled on top of it. This Tofu dish has a very interesting taste. The sauce is made using sesame seed paste, so a little sauce goes a long way.
Veggie & Tofu with Brown Rice
Recipe by Rory Freedman & Kim Barnquin \\ Skinny Bitch in The Kitch

1 1/2 cups of brown rice
3 1/2 cups water, plus more for steaming the vegetables
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos, plus more for the table
(or 4 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce)
2 carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (about 2 cups)
1/4 head red cabbage (about 6 ounces), cut into 1/4 inch strips
1/4 bunch kale (about 4 ounces or four to six leaves), cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 broccoli crown, cut into bit size florets (about 2 1/2 cups)
7 to 8 ounces firm or extra firm tofu cut into 1/4 inch slices, then cut on a diagonal into triangles
(I just cut small cubes)
1/4 cup raw pine nuts

- In a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, combine the rice, 3 cups of the water, and the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice in tender, about 45 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let the rice stand, covered at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, 1/4 cup of the Bragg Liquid Aminos (or 8 teaspoons of tamari or soy sauce), and the remaining 1/2 cup of water; set aside. If the dressing is too thick, slowly stir in more water as needed.
- In a pot fitted with a steamer insert, bring 1 inch of water and the remaining 2 tablespoons of Bragg Liquid Aminos (or tamari/soy sauce) to a boil. Arrange the carrots and cauliflower in the insert and steam for 3 minutes. Add the cabbage, kale, broccoli and tofu and steam for 3 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the tofu is heated through.
- To serve, place the rice on plates or a platter and tops with vegetable mixture, tahini sauce, and pine nuts. Pass remaining sauce and additional Bragg Liquid Aminos at the table.

*Be careful not to pour to much sauce onto the dish. It has a very strong taste, you do not need a lot. 
Here is the type of Tofu we use....

Please visit my WHOLE FOOD PAGE to view all my recipes and read about how easy it is to eat Vegan!

Whole Food Recipe: Veggie Bake

This is a Vegan twist on your typical lasagna recipe. It's a healthy & hearty meal!

One of my favorites for sure! Layered Pasta & Veggie Bake

Recipe Source: Whole Food Market

1 (10-ounce) box brown rice lasagna noodles
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound yellow squash (about 3), chopped
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 cup finely chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano and parsley, divided
1 cup of Almond Milk
2 (15 ounce) cans no-salt added white beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups of fresh broccoli or 16oz frozen bag of broccoli, thawed
2 cups of fresh spinach or 16oz frozen package, thawed and moisture squeezed out
1 large tomato, diced 1 (15 ounce) tub of skim ricotta cheese or make your own Tofu Ricotta.
*We made our own Tofu Ricotta, recipe is easily googled.

- Cook noodles per package instructions. Rinse in cold water after draining and spread out in a single layer to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350
- Heat broth in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, squash, onions and 1/2 cup of the herbs and cook, stirring often, until liquid has evaporated, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree almond milk, beans and ricotta until smooth; transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- In a 9x13 " baking dish (make sure dish is at least 2 inches deep), layer lasagna as follow, scattering remaining herbs in between layers: ricotta mixture, noodles, broccoli, and spinach, noodles, squash mixture, noodles, ricotta mixture.
 - Top with tomato and bake, uncovered, until hot throughout, about 45 minutes; set aside to let rest 15 minutes.
- Cut into squares, garnish with fresh herbs and serve!

Please visit my WHOLE FOOD PAGE to view all my recipes and read about how easy it is to eat Vegan!

Whole Food Recipe {Pizza}

One of our favorite recipes in a plant based pizza. We have this once or twice a month. 

We actually crave it!

Great thing also, is you can choose whatever toppings you want! This pizza has a unique taste.
It uses cashews to make a "cheese type" sauce and polenta for the crust!
We always put jalapenos, bell peppers and Vegan meatless pepperoni on ours. PLANT-POWERED POLENTA PIZZABy Moira Nordholt // The Feel Good Guru 
MAKES 2 SMALL PIZZAS

MAKING THE TOMATO SAUCE: 
1 pound heirloom tomatoes
Sea salt
6 to 8 garlic cloves
Fresh herbs, such as basil, chives, oregano or sage

POLENTA CRUST:
4 cups water or unsalted vegetable broth
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups organic polenta or cornmeal 

HERBED CASHEW "CHEESE" SAUCE:
1 cup organic oil free cashews
1/2 lemon juiced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh basil or your favorite herb
1/4 cup water

Choose your toppings of choice!

For the tomato sauce:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Quarter the heirloom tomatioes and place faceup on a roasting pan.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Add the whole cloves of garlic and roast for 30 minutes or until lightly caramelized.  Scrape the roasted tomatoes and garlic into a bowl and pulse with an immersion blender.  Chop some of your favorite herbs and stir-in sauce.


For the crust:  Bring the water and sea salt to a boil in a 10 - 12 inch pot or saute' pan.  Whisk in the polenta slowly until all is incorporated.  Stir for about 1 minute, then turn the heat to low, cover the pot, and leave it for 40 minutes.  Turn off the heat and allow to sit for another 10 minutes.

*Tip: The crust is hard to get out of the pot when it's cooked.  We started cooking half the mixture in 2 separate pots.  That way you don't have to attempt to cut it in half later!  

The crust in the photo was cooked in 1 pot and had to be cut in half.  Much easier to just cook half separately!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Carefully turn the pot upside down dropping the polenta onto a cutting board.  Slice the polenta in half, parallel to the cutting board, into the round pizza crusts.  Place the crusts onto a cookie sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, or until crispy around the edges.

*Tip: The polenta crust does not come out easily.  If you do my above tip you will be thankful!  Instead of having to turn the pot upside down, just cut the crust in half while it's still in the pot.  Then just put it back together when you place it on the cookie sheet.

For the cashew "cheese":   Put all "cheese" ingredients into a food processor and puree, adding water slowly, until they reach a thick, cream-cheese-like consistency.


Assemble the pizza:  Spread the tomato sauce over the polenta crust, then use a teaspoon to form little balls of the cashew "cheese" and arrange them on top.  Then add all your toppings.

Bake the pizza for 10 minutes just to heat the toppings. 


On this pizza we added beansprouts!  Very Yummy!!!!!

ENJOY!
Please visit my WHOLE FOOD PAGE to view all my recipes and read about how easy it is to eat Vegan!

Whole Food Recipe {Strawberry Muffins}

These are super, super, SUPER YUMMY! STRAWBERRY MUFFINS  Recipe by Julieanna Hever // The Plant-based Dietitian
MAKES 12 MUFFINS

1 medium banana, mashed
1 15oz can sweet potato puree (we used an actual sweet potato)
1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole oat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 cup fresh strawberries, diced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the mashed banana, sweet potato puree, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, combine the oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and mix together gently until well combined. Avoid over-mixing to prevent toughness in the final product. Fold in the strawberries.

Spoon the batter into silicone muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Store the muffins in an airtight container.

*This recipe was originally for blueberry muffins. We didn't have blueberries, so we used strawberries! Just replace the cup of strawberries with blueberries! 

ENJOY!!

Visit my Whole Food Page where I have links to all my recipes and information!

Whole Food Recipe {Broccoli Soup}

If you love broccoli this soup is for you! We crave this soup we love it so much....
I don't usually do the cooking because Cody loves to cook and I hate to cook. Last time we made this soup, Cody made me cook it....
It takes me forever to cook. I am horrible at cutting up all the veggies and multiply tasking in the kitchen. The end result was delicious though, even with me doing the cooking! This soup has potatoes, carrots, cashews and a red bell pepper in it! Many great flavors all packed into one soup!

CREAM OF BROCCOLI DELUXE 

Recipe by Anastasia St. John \\ Compassionate Diet and Lifestyle Advocate

6 cups vegetable stock

1 rounded cup of raw cashews (look for cashews that have no added oil)

1 medium onion, finely chopped 

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 medium unpeeled potatoes, cubed

1 large head broccoli, including stem, chopped (about 4 cups)

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

- Puree 1 cup of the vegetable stock with the cashews in a blender until smooth.  Set aside.

- In a large pot, cook the onion, celery and carrot over medium heat in 1 cup of the vegetable stock for 5 minutes.  

- Add the garlic, bell pepper and potatoes and cook for 2 more minutes.  

- Add the remaining 4 cups of vegetable stock and the broccoli, thyme, salt and black pepper and bring to a boil over high heat.  

- Cover and simmer until the broccoli and potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.

- Add the cashew mixture to the soup and stir until mixed.  

- Remove the pot from heat and puree about half the soup, in small batches, until smooth.

- Return pureed soup to the pot and reheat, stirring well.  Serve.

ENJOY!

Whole Food Recipe {Vegan Chili}

I wanted to share with you a chili recipe. I actually fixed this chili for my parents a few days ago when I arrived in Ohio. It's pretty much like any chili, just no meat. I do only use organic canned beans and the chili has vegetable broth in it.

Vegan Chili

1 sweet onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 15oz cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Sliced fresh jalapeno pepper(s)

Heat a large sauce pot over medium high heat until hot. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes or until beginning to brown and stick to the pan. Stir in 1/2 cup broth and cook 3 to 4 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender and most liquid has evaporated. Stir in chili powder and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth, beans and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, partially covered, about 30 minutes or until vegetables and beans are tender and sauce is thickened. Stir in black pepper. Serve with cilantro and jalapenos, if using.

*I highly recommend stirring in the cilantro while the chili is still simmering. It gives the chili a very good taste. I also added 4 cans of kidney beans because I like thicker chili. It's better to buy all Organic canned beans and tomatoes. If they aren't Organic, a lot of times they will have added sugar and other things you don't NEED. Then the chili ends up not being healthy.

Whole Food Recipe {White Bean Salad}

I thought it was time to share another recipe with you! This salad is what we had for dinner last night. We wanted something light, simple and quick.
White Bean & Spinach Salad

2 15oz cans of White Northern Beans
4 cups of Spinach Leaves, tough stems removed
Kale, one bunch
2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 1/2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
Package of extra firm Tofu

Cut up kale and put in large salad bowl, add the spinach leaves and mix with the kale. Drain the beans and add them to the salad. Crumble the Tofu over the salad and mix in. In a separate bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar and Italian seasoning. Pour dressing over the salad and mix in. Serve immediately or chill until ready to use.

The dressing has a very tart taste, so you may want to make that to taste. Cody loved it, but I thought it was to strong.


We did change the recipe a bit from the original recipe I found on Whole Foods Market. We decided to try adding the Tofu. It's a great way to add more protein to the meal. It was really good. The dressing is made from Dijon Mustard & Apple Cider Vinegar....

We also added some nutritional yeast seasoning on top of the salad, which kinda is like adding "cheese" without using diary. The dressing was really tart, but Cody loved it. Next time I will have him make it with less mustard.....


It was a really yummy salad! I plan to add chick-peas and sunflower seeds next time.

Whole Food Recipes

Cody and I have being eating our new plant based diet since January 15th. We are still loving it and finding new recipes to tryout daily. When you tell people that you are a veterinarian, eating a plant based diet or vegan the first thing they ask is, "Well then, what do you eat?"
It's always with a worried and confused tone in their voice. It's almost humorous to me. I can't help but think to myself,"Probably stuff that you should be eating." Most people don't eat enough fruits and vegetables.

Then you also get asked, "How do you get protein?"

Then recently my favorite comment is,"Well as long as you are getting all the vitamins you need."

Fruits and vegetables are LOADED with vitamins! That's why we are supposed to eat them. I know that a whole food diet is healthy because I am seeing results everyday. Here are my top 4 reasons to eat a plant based diet:

These reasons all seem like proof enough to me that it's working. If you truly want to be healthy inside and out, this might be the diet for you. I am frustrated that I didn't know about this years ago. As far as protein, the bread and bagels that I eat on a daily basis have protein and I also drink protein shakes. It amazes me how many people think you have to eat animals to get protein or even stay alive and survive. To live a long happy life you should eat more plants.

Spiru-Tein Protein Powder & Alvarado Street Bakery Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

I wanted to share some of my favorite meals (so far) with you. We are trying new things everyday! I tried to be detailed about some of the things we are eating, because to do the diet we are doing you really have to read all the ingredients on the BACK label. No oils, no added corn syrup, added sugar, no diary and we also only eat things that are whole grain flour. Sounds hard right? Only until you go to the store a few times and shop at the right places. I have only been able to find one brand of tortillas that have no added CRAP in them: LaTortilla Factory Smart & Delicious 100 Calorie Whole Wheat Tortillas / Found at Walmart. Let me start with what could be a snack, breakfast or lunch....

Bagel & NAKED Smoothie
This is something I eat for lunch if I don't have a lot of time.

Alvarado Street Bakery Cinnamon Raisin Bagel with Peanut Butter and Jelly
Peanut Butter - Smucker's Natural Creamy Peanut Butter
Jelly - St. Dalfour 100% fruit / all natural


E2 Black Beans & Rice
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 - 1 1/2 cup of water or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 teaspoon chile powder
2 - 3 tomatoes chopped
1 can water chestnuts, drained
1 cup corn, fresh, frozen or canned
2 bell peppers, any color, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and chopped
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
3 cups cooked brown rice
Salsa to taste

Heat the beans with water or stock and add the liquid Aminos and chile powder.
Place chopped vegetables and cilantro in individual bowls.
To serve, place several big spoonfuls of brown rice onto large plates and ladle beans on top.
Add generous amounts of chopped vegetables, cilantro and avocado on top of the beans.
Add salsa to taste.

Incredible Tomatoes & Cucumbers

3 large tomatoes
2 cucumbers
3 tablespoons apples cider vinegar
3 tablespoons agave or rice syrup
3 tablespoons mustard
salt to taste

Wash the veggies. Chop the tomatoes and cucumbers into medium small cubes.
Add the vinegar, syrup and mustard and toss.
Taste before salting in case you don't want salt.
Serve Chilled.

*We eat ours warm and with brown rice.

Asparagus Red Pepper Stir-fry

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed cut into 1" pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4" slivers
8 oz cremini mushrooms, thin sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos

Heat a large skillet over high heat and add the asparagus, bell pepper and mushrooms.
Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes, adding water. 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep veggies from sticking.
Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Add the liquid Aminos and toss well.

Serve with whole grain pasta or brown rice

Quick Bean Burgers

15 oz can of black beans, drained
2 tablespoons of ketchup
1 tablespoon of yellow mustard
1 teaspoon of onion powder (granulated)
1 teaspoon of garlic powder (granulated)
1/3 cup of instant oats

Preheat over to 400.
Grease or line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, mash the black beans with fork or masher until mostly pureed but still some half bean parts left.
Stir in the condiments and spices until well combined. Then mix in the oats.
Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into thin patties with your hands.
Bake for 7 minutes, carefully flip over and bake for another 7 minutes. Or until crusty on the outside.
Slap into a bun with extra condiments and eat.

*We load ours up with romaine lettuce, bell peppers and salsa and use whole wheat tortillas.

MexiCali Burritos

1 15oz can oil-free refried pinto beans (We have been buying organic ones that are sold in a box)
2 cups of corn kernels
1 cup of salsa
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/3 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 larger or 8 smaller whole grain tortillas (make sure to read labels. Most have OIL and added sugars)
1 cup shredded lettuce or kale
Guacamole (optional)

In a large bowl, mash the beans, corn and salsa with a potato masher. In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute' the onion in the vegetable broth for 5 minutes.
Add the chili powder, cumin, turmeric and cayenne and saute' for 1 additional minute.
Add the bean mixture and cook, stirring until heated and smooth, about 5 minutes.
Heat tortillas on the stove, flipping every few seconds till warm.
Spoon the mixture onto half of the tortilla and top with lettuce.

Garbanzo Bean Loaf

4 cups cooked, blended garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups tomato sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 cup grated carrots
Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, combine the blended beans and rice. Add the tomato sauce, mustard, carrots and lemon juice.

Spoon into a loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cover the loaf with aluminum foil if the top begins to brown to quickly.

VARIATION:
Add 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder or onion powder with the other seasonings.
This dish may not look yummy, but it is. Garbanzo beans, also know as chickpeas are the main thing in this dish. The loaf is also made with brown rice and carrots. We loved it. Next time we will probably have steamed broccoli and a salad as sides with it.

I plan to keep sharing recipes with you once Cody and I try them out! Some of the things you need for these recipes are hard to find at your typical grocery store. We go to Natural Grocers to get things like whole grain flour, the bagels and bread I eat, some of the seasonings and the Bragg Liquid Aminos. The Aminos tastes like soy sauce, it's just a healthy version. Even if you don't do this diet, but love soy sauce you should at least try it out!

A WHOLE New Food Life

I am super excited to share with you about a new thing that Cody and I have decided to do. With it being a new year, so many people say they are going to eat better, lose weight, diet and exercise. We all do it. When Cody went to basic training he lost a lot of weight. Even though he ate like crap, all the exercise and stress made him shrink. Once basic was over and he was off to Tech School, he was able to eat whatever he wanted. All the weight he had lost came right back. Even though he was exercising still it just wasn't enough. Most of the time when you watch some exercise infomercial there is always fine print that says,"with DIET and exercise." You can't just continue to eat what you want and exercise a few days week and think you are going to be suddenly skinny.

Last year I did Pilates almost everyday for probably 6 months straight and couldn't figure out why my cellulite would not go away!!! The main reason I was working out was to get rid of my cellulite, but it didn't have any plans of going anywhere! Since we moved here to Wyoming, Cody has starting to workout again trying to get rid of his gut and get back into shape. He found himself so frustrated because nothing seemed to be working.

We always have thought of ourselves as "healthy" people. We don't buy potato chips, cookies or ice cream. I have always figured if it isn't in the house you can't eat it. Pretty simple. Our typical dinner meals were spaghetti, tacos, pork chops, baked chicken and DiGiorno pizzas. Recently I had come up with the great idea of cooking chopped up chicken in Ramen noodle seasoning, then eating it with the noodles and steamed broccoli. Well, the broccoli is healthy!!! lol

Our old food that I plan to donate
I have never been over weight and my goal has been to keep it that way. I have battled with body image issues for years. My legs have been my one problem area. I have had cellulite for years. My entire thighs, front and back. I don't wear shorts mainly for this reason. No one likes looking in the mirror and hating what they see. We are all so hard on ourselves. I have always blamed my coffee/caffeine addiction for causing the cellulite in my legs. I read somewhere that caffeine causes cellulite. I thought for sure this had to be the reason my legs looked the way they do.

I always talk about Netflix's and the movies I watch on my blog. One night Cody randomly chose to watch a documentary called Forks Over Knives. I didn't know what it was about, but became very interested very quickly. It's really a lesson on what is good and bad for your body. It's things you are never taught about the food we are putting in our bodies. Preservatives, sugar, oils, animal protein, animal fats and diary products are all VERY BAD FOR US! Everyone thinks you have to eat chicken for protein and drink milk for calcium. It's how we are raised and it is what is considered normal.


Forks Over Knives breaks the myths and proves that a plant based and whole food diet is what our bodies really need to function correctly. It has been such an eye opening thing for Cody and I. Yes, it seems hard and yes most of us don't want to give up meat. I get it! Did you read the meals I was eating daily? Also, I had a lunch meat sandwich for lunch daily and a sugary cereal for breakfast with my calorie loaded coffee creamer. I figured at age 30, what better time to start treating my body the way it deserves to be treated! The beauty of changing your eating habits is your immune system actually can correct all the damage done by poor eating habits in the past.

Broccoli & Sugar Snap Pea Stir-Fry & Spaghetti Squash
So the moral of this long blog post is that Cody and I decided to change our diet completely. After watching Forks Over Knives and Food Matters, that was all the motivation I needed. We cleared out of fridge and pantry of probably 90% of what was in it and STARTED OVER!

Our new fruit and veggie filled fridge
All dairy gone! We have been using skim milk for years. I hate milk no matter what kind it is. I forced myself to have it in cereal just so I felt like I was getting calcium in my diet. FORCED myself!! Well newsflash, Almond milk tastes amazing and has twice the calcium! I needed to know about this years ago. The main thing when doing this life changing "diet" is teaching yourself to read ingredient labels! That is key. Here is an example:


I used to eat Cheerios everyday! We traded Cheerios for Post Shredded Wheat's because of the ingredients! Everyone thinks Cheerios are healthy. My favorite ones were the Multigrain Cheerios. How can they be unhealthy? Well they add so many sugars and preservatives, that's how. Here is the labels to the frosted Cheerios and the shredded wheat's...


As you can see the Cheerios label on the left is crammed full of sugar, corn syrup (more sugar) and brown sugar syrup. Yes even brown sugar is bad for you. The label on the right is very short and straight forward: Whole Grain Wheat. Which is great for you. Whole grains, beans, nuts, vegetables and fruit is all part of a whole food diet.

My new breakfast. Shredded Wheat's with fresh fruit and Almond Milk.
When I use the word diet, it just means the food you choose to put into your body. When you choose to eat whole foods you basically eat as much as you want all day long. Currently we are using the Forks Over Knives recipe book, which has over 150 recipes and educates you more on what not to buy at the grocery store. So far one of our favorite meals has been a black bean salad....


It's nice to see Cody actually enjoying cooking again!

The meals are loaded with veggies high in fiber so you are just as full as if you would of ate pork chops for dinner. Other meals we have enjoyed so far are Pasta stir-fry's with an awesome healthy soy sauce substitute that is better tasting then real soy sauce! MexiCali Burritos, Black Beans & Rice, Asparagus Red Pepper Stir-fry and Black Bean Burgers. Most people would think, "There is no way I could give up sugar and meat!" These meals are loaded with flavors. There are recipes for muffins, cookies and cakes. Cody and I just haven't gotten that far yet! So I traded my lunch meat sandwiches for this lunch...

A Whole Grain Bagel, Natural Peanut Butter & Natural Jelly with fresh fruit
The only bad thing about eating this diet, is the way people JUDGE you. It's horrible. My co-workers look at me like I have 6 heads. They watch me eat my fruit and bagel like there is seriously something wrong with me. You know what I watch them eat everyday? Arby's and Wendy's. I think it's sad that I have to feel self-conscience about eating healthy, or telling someone I gave up meat! Cody and I ate meat probably 25 out of 30 days a month for the last million years! We were both raised on meat. Last year we ate tons of fast food. I traveled and didn't even think about it. I would just get Subway and "think" I was being healthy. I never looked at any other ingredients on labels except the fat. Ignoring all the other crap that was in the food. The high sodium, sugars, oils and corn syrups. Sadly for me the hardest thing is worrying about what my family and friends will think. How will they judge me? It's as if there is something WRONG with me because I won't eat the meals they do. This is a major life overhaul. You can't eat out anywhere and you can't have that typically holiday feast anymore. Everyone knows you can't change what people think or how they choose to live their life. This is our choice and all I can hope is that people can understand and maybe take the time to do their own research. Honestly, to me this whole diet change is common sense. You watch Forks Over Knives and Food Matters and all the pieces just fit.

Want to know the best part for us so far? My cellulite, almost completely GONE after just 2 weeks. Cody, his gut that exercise alone (P90X AB Ripper) could not get rid of, is almost gone. So to me, that is all the proof I really need. The fat I have been carrying around with me for years is finally leaving my body. If I only would have know about this years ago. The hardest part of this change, is finding the correct things to eat at the grocery store. We have a local store called Natural Grocers that sells the only healthy bread and bagels with no added oil and sugars. It just took a few trips to different stores to learn what we could buy and where. Once you get over that hurdle, it's just like regular grocery shopping again. (Except I actually enjoy it now!) You just spend more time in the produce section,.....and yes some people stare at you at the check out. lol Like I said, apparently if you eat healthy you are a freak.

If dinner wasn't enough and we feel a little hungry still Cody fixes us smoothies.

Organic Cocoa Powder, Strawberries and Spinach Leafs! Yummy!
The point of this post is to inform people there is another way to live. It's okay to be a health freak. lol Cody and I both have more energy now. I feel better everyday inside and out. My self-esteem is better and I just feel happy. To me, it's really a simple solution. Most of us already eat some of this stuff, it's just taking it to the next level. You truly are what you eat. Living a long healthy life is way more important to me then eating pizza or fast food. If you are interested in learning more about a whole food diet please visit these links:

Forks Over Knives
FOODMATTERS
Engine 2 Diet
Fat Sick and Nearly Dead
Farms 2 Forks
Happy Herbivore

There is so much information that I can't even begin to tell you about! Please choose to inform yourself! I chose to share all this with you because this is all part of my journey in life and I hope to inspire others. Thanks for reading!