My Go-to Recipes for Fall

So, my favorite season is officially here.  I know its cliche, and all I see everywhere is #whitegirl jokes about how much we love Fall and pumpkins, but its true!  I have always loved the Fall because it feels like a magical time.  The crisp air and the slightly dreary sky reminds me of slightly spooky tales of Ichabod Crane.  The turning of the trees, the darker nights, the warm scarfs makes me feel like I can curl up near a fire or watch a Quidditch match.  The fashion is romantic, the food is comforting, and the world around you feels mystical.  And to top it off, the Disney princess inside of me will forever and ever, for always, have the beautiful memory of marrying my love at a castle in the woods, in the heart of Fall.  It is the best time of year, period. End of story.

With the wonderful weather comes all of my favorite recipes.  I have gotten a lot of questions about food lately, so I thought it best to just compile them and give you my all-time favorite go-to recipes.  Most are clean eating naturally, but if they are not, I have noted my substitutions.  Enjoy!

Breakfast in bed:

Quick Paleo Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas 
1 tablespoon nut butter 
1 egg 
1 cup sliced strawberries
Instructions:
Mash bananas in medium sized bowl. Mix in egg and nut butter until you have the consistency of a batter. Pour batter in skillet sprayed with olive oil cooking spray on med-high heat. Cook until browned on both sides. Top with sliced strawberries

AND just for Fall, Pumpkin Pancakes


Main Meal:
Slow Roaster Chicken
Honey Ginger Apple Shredded Pork
Turkey Pumpkin Chili
Savory Butternut Squash Pie
Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Meatballs
Chicken tenders (I add smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cracked pepper, and garlic spices to the breading. Add to your taste)
Bacon Stuffed Chicken
Pumpkin Curry (i use regular brown rice, because I can't be bothered to make the other stuff!)
And, the BEST paleo dinner rolls

Veggies:
Brussel Sprouts (sub broccoli for brussel sprouts and just as delicious)
Sauted Kale with garlic and onion
Baked Sweet potato


Dessert:
Vegan Pumpkin Cookies
Apple Muffins

AND...
The best zucchini brownies!!!

• 1 cup almond butter (I used 3/4 sunbutter and 1/4cup almond, since that's what I had)
• 1 1/2 cup grated zucchini
• 1/3 cup raw honey (I used maple syrup)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• i tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1 cup dark chocolate chunks

Cooking Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Pour into a greased 9×9 baking pan.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Sunday Morning Wake-up

Nothing says Sunday Morning, like a big delicious brunch.  I like waking up before anyone else (except my two catdogs, Baxter and Weasley) put on Jack Johnson's Banana Pancakes and start the breakfast feast.  I like to make a large batch of pancakes, eggs, or bacon (for the man, not me!).  The trick is to remember that delicious food can be healthy!  For instance, I like these scrambled "eggs" for my weekend breakfast, since I have been flirting with veganism since last year.  They are also a great choice if you are watching your cholesterol.  If I am making real eggs, I aim for a 1:3 yolk to egg white ratio.  I would use this same egg ratio rule if making french toast.  As always, use real maple syrup (no fake stuff) and choose a yummy whole grain bread.  Even if you don't change the meal itself, but you change the kind of ingredients, then you are doing yourself a favor.

Anyway, without a doubt, my ultimate breakfast specialty is pancakes.  The recipe I use comes from my father's weekend classic.  When he would make these pancakes, it would last me nearly ALL day.  

 

Here is my dad's featured recipe:

Rick's Secretly Healthy Short Stack

Here is the dry  mix:
2 1/2 cups spelt flour
1/2 cup soy flour
1/2 cup Quinoa or Kamut flour
1/2 cup barley or Amaranth flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1 cup oat or wheat bran
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
** You can also add some protein powder to give this a muscle-man-kick.

Thoroughly mix the dry ingredients.

To make pancakes, mix the following just before cooking:

1 cup dry mix
1 cup milk, either rice, soy, almond, goat, or cow
I egg (or vegan substitute...I like one mushed banana)
healthy dose of milled flax seed
1 tsp of baking powder (non-aluminum)

Mix can also be used to make waffles, and you can add just about anything to the wet mix like berries, granola, fruit, etc

ENJOY!

Partying Through Dinner

A dinner party is one of the most dreaded things to come your way when you're watching your weight.  It can be even worse when its a potluck and there is oodles and oodles of food.  I have a very hard time with these parties even more so because I have been a vegan flirt for over a year (flirt meaning I have been working towards committing fully to veganism, but not there yet).  Even before I decided to go vegan, I had been vegetarian and have been a health food junkie most my life.  That doesn't mean that I am immune to horrible, no good, terrible, very bad temptations.  Since I normally don't cook or order unhealthy choices, when they are right in front of me its sooo much harder to ward off the wonderful, greasy, cheesy smell of that buffalo chicken cheesy dip.

The second obstacle is the social aspect to dinner parties. I see someone grab a plate of something I haven't tried, and I immediately want it even if I'm full.  Its easy for me to turn off my full sensor and switch on my "its okay is a party!" sensor.  Problem?  I feel far from my awesome self and want to leave the party early.  Eating should be fun, especially with friends.  So why does dinner party grub become an addicting self destruction?  Peer pressure.

There is no denying I love food.  I love making it, sharing it, tasting it, everything.  What saves my weight is that I absolutely love making fresh, healthy food.   It leaves you feeling full and satisfied, but not gross and gassy.  People are afraid of health food because of the naughty word, health (gasp!).  What is that weird thing called tofu?  Why is that salad green and where is the mayo?  Ultimately, we don't think a dinner party would be the same without the pigs-in-a-blanket, nachos, potato skins, and onion dip.  We're right.  It would be so much BETTER!

A delicious picnic menu my friend Megan and I had over the summer.  All good for you!

So, lets vow to make the dinner party a party for our tummy once again.  If we are celebrating good friends, lets also be good to our pesky friend the tummy.  (That's the one we should worry about, temperamental thing who holds grudges for hours.)  Tonight I am attending my Yoga Teacher Training potluck, celebrating our almost-doneness.  Here is what I am making:

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta (un-cheesed)

• 1 pound tomatoes (your choice)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 medium onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh basil
• 1/2 cup Italian vegan cheese (or 1/2 parmesan if you are a health food WUSSY)

Italian vegan cheese:

• 8 oz extra firm tofu*
• 3 tbsp vegan parmesan** OR nutritional yeast
• 4 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp honey or agave
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• salt/pepper to taste

Mix ingredients in bowl and let sit for an hour to flavor. *Extra firm tofu will give this recipe a feta cheese texture, for a ricotta texture go for firm or medium firm.  **Found easily in the fridge near the veggies in any main chain supermarket.

For the Bruschetta:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F degrees.  Cut tomatoes in half, remove seeds and place cut-side down on baking dish.  Cut onions in quarters and then spread onions and garlic around tomatoes on dish.  
2. Drizzle with 1/2 tbsp olive oil and bake in oven for 30-35 minutes until tomatoes are tender/browning.
3. Remove and cool for 10 minutes.
4. Place in food processor with remaining oil, basil, and cheese.  Serve on lightly toasted bread.

Look for another post soon about other tummy approved party fare.

In Defense of Comfort

Its a rainy weekend and I am sitting lazily at home with large swollen cheeks.  All I can think about it comfort food.  


Who doesn’t have a favorite cheesy, salty, buttery, thick, meaty, ooey, gooey, yummy comfort food?!  I sure do and my weakness is always something terribly bad for me.  When I have a long, hard day or just not feeling my best there is nothing better than good ol’ fashioned Jersey pizza pie.  Top that off with some fries and a milkshake and you pretty much have the best comfort meal ever.   Or maybe its Mac n’ cheese, baked to cheesy perfection….yum!  Chocolate cake, amazing!  Tacos! Ice cream! I could go on…

But what’s the problem with all these wonderful foods we call comfort food?  Give it 20 minutes in your system and I guarantee you’ll feel anything but comfortable.  Cheesy goodness is followed by gassy, bloatiness, and all things un-sexy-like.  So I want us to re-think comfort foods.  Not throw pizza totally out the window in retaliation, but rather give our beloved pizza a much needed healthy facelift.  Here is the recipe for a vegan pizza I made the other day, but you can easily make it simply vegetarian.  My meat-loving boyfriend devoured it and wished for next day leftovers, so you know it’s man-approved.  Hate mushrooms but want to get healthy?  Here's why mushrooms are good for you !

Rachael's Now Famous Garlicky Mushroom Pizza

Ingredients:

·         1 of your favorite ready-made pizza crusts (whole wheat or regular)

·         1 1/2 c thinly sliced baby Portobello mushrooms

·         1 small onion cut into crescents

·         1 cup of frozen corn (thawed)

·         3 celery stalks diced

·         2 garlic cloves, minced

·         2 deli slices of provolone OR provolone flavored vegan cheese

·         1 tbsp olive oil

·         1 tbsp Earth Balance butter (optional)

·         1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

·         1 1/2 tsp light mayonnaise OR vegannaise

·         2 tsp bread (Italian seasoned)

·         Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

1.       Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil over med-high heat until onions start to sweat and become slightly translucent.

2.       Add celery, mushrooms, salt & pepper and butter (if adding)

3.       After 2 minutes, add corn and Italian seasoning

4.       Sauté until mushrooms start to sweat.  Continue to stir

5.       In the meantime, mix mayo variety and mustard.  Spread evenly oven pizza crust.

6.       Rustically tear each slice of cheese into 3 pieces and spread over crust.

7.       Once veggies are done, pour evenly over pizza crust.

8.       Sprinkle with bread crumbs

9.       Bake for 8-10 minutes