Spinach Loaf for the plant based diet

Adapted from "Low Fat Meat-less Meatloaf" this version has quinoa, lentils and lots of spinach!

Vegan Spinach, Quinoa and lentil loaf (don't tell the meat-eaters, they will think it is meatloaf)

Ingredients to be placed into large bowl and set aside:
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1 cup vegan meat substitute such as ground seitan
1/2 cup wheat gluten
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon chia seed
1 cup precooked quinoa
Ingredients to be placed in food processor:
3 cups fresh spinach or 3 large handfuls
1 box silken tofu, firm organic
1 can lentils, drained and rinsed or pre-cooked equivalent
1/4 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Not-Beef vegetarian Bouillon

Combine processed ingredients with the items in your large bowl until well incorporated, then place in loaf pan.  Cover with balsamic vinegar sauce and bake for one hour at 350 degrees fahrenheit.  Serve with additional sauce.
Leftovers work well in sandwiches!

Note:  I was in a hurry and added the quinoa raw without pre-cooking and it turned out fine.  It seemed to cook in the oven and absorbed the spare liquid from the raw spinach I suppose.  Just a note to self that when short on time this works.


Balsamic Vinegar Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons date sugar
• 1/4 cup ketchup

Rollin, rollin, rollin, keep them pizzas rollin.....rawhide

Vegan black bean and kale pizza ready to go into the hot oven

Friday night is such a great occasion to make pizza that I couldn't help myself. There are gobbs of toppings to choose from on a plant based diet so I almost always make it loaded with everything--The Works! So here's the funny part, after I took the photo I couldn't get the pizza off the cutting block and we almost ended up with Friday calzone instead of Friday pizza. (Explain that in the second photo wise guy, I told myself.)


I need to remember to make the pizzas one at a time on a pizza paddle with plenty of cornmeal to keep them doggies rollin--the theme music to Rawhide keeps running through my head, can you tell? Note to self, when a pizza gets stuck to the work surface, use the biggest flipper/turner/spatula that you have with handfuls of cornmeal to work it loose. Lift up an edge, toss cornmeal under the metal spatula. Back the spatula up to get some of the cornmeal in front of the edge and shove it further. Keep doing this all the way around the pizza until you reach the center. By now the whole pizza should be moving freely and you should be sighing with relief. Wipe the panic sweat from your brow and slide the paddle under the perfect pizza you just made. Take it to the preheated oven and quickly slide the pizza from the paddle to the stone. Close the door, stand back and wait for the heavenly aroma of near precision.


Recipe for two perfect vegan pizzas:

• One recipe for whole wheat pizza dough (see end of post), divide in two and roll each to 14" or so
• Half recipe for tofu garlic sauce (see end of post)
• Toppings, in order after crust and sauce (see, I do all the thinking for the both of us)

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
6 large leaves fresh basil, chopped
4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano, half on each pizza (reminder for all ingredients)
2 teaspoons chia seeds
2 cups of fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup Textured soy, vegan sausage flavor rehydrated (optional as it is processed)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups mushroom slices that have been browned in a hot nonstick skillet, or grilled
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and sliced
1 small zucchini sliced thin
1 small can pineapple tidbits
8 black olives sliced thin
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, julienned
2 teaspoons flaxseed meal
2 large kale leaves, rinsed with thick stem removed, torn into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup non-dairy cheese shreds (optional as it adds fat--I do it for looks)
2 tbsp vegan Parmesan Cheese


Slip from pizza paddle onto a hot pizza stone in your preheated oven.  Say, "Thank you oven for this great adventure and for not breaking down today."
Set the timer for 12 minutes, and check to make sure things aren't turning black.  It may take up to 20 minutes, let your nose be your guide in addition to how it looks.

Vegan pizza right out of the oven.

Tofu Garlic Sauce, or Vegan Alfredo Sauce Recipe

Ingredients to be placed in blender:

1 package soft silken tofu

1/2 cup low-fat almond milk or non-fat soy milk

1/4 cup Tofutti Sour Supreme, vegan sour cream

2 Tbsp Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, vegan cream cheese

1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes

2 tsp non-dairy parmesan cheese, such as Galaxy Nutritional Foods Soy Grated Topping Parmesan Flavor

1 tsp miso paste

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp hot sauce, or to taste

1/4 tsp dry mustard powder

1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste


Pizza Crust, makes two 14" rounds
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp date sugar
2 tsp yeast


Place everything into large bowl and mix, then knead for a few minutes.  Let rest for 30-60 minutes before dividing into two parts for your masterpieces.

Pantry Items

Sometimes information is worth posting twice, so this is a repeat:

Here is a list if items that you may want to have on hand in your pantry for a plant based diet, some of which may be unfamiliar if you are new to this (in no particular order, just how they came into my head for this list):

Nutritional Yeast Flakes
Flaxseed Meal
Oatmeal, Old Fashioned Quaker type or bulk
Chia Seeds
Quinoa
Brown Rice
Beans, all kinds canned and dry (use soy beans less often since they have the most fat)
Whole wheat flour
Oat flour
Whole wheat pastry flour
Date Sugar
Frozen berries, frozen cherries, mango chunks, etc.
Yeast
Grape-nuts Cereal
PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter
Freeze-dried fruit of all kinds from Honeyvillegrain.com
Walnuts (keep in freezer, you will use them sparingly)
Sunflower seeds (keep in freezer, you will use them sparingly)
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
Bragg Essential Amino's (liquid) and Bragg 24 herb spice mix (dry)
B Vitamins, Complex or at least B12
Real Maple Syrup
Date Sugar (which is just ground up dates--considered a "whole food" instead of processed sugar)
Egg replacer powder
Vegan Custard Powder
Vegan Fat-free mayo by Walden Farms
Mustard, pickles, ketchup
TVP Textured Vegetable Protein (use once in a while)
Vital Wheat Gluten
Keep a steady supply of Kale, spinach and other dark leafy greens in the fridge, use them every day
Fresh vegetables for salads and stir-frys, and well just about everything
Cocoa powder (use instead of chocolate in recipes)
Canned pumpkin puree to replace fat in baked goods
Whole grain pastas, all sorts
Non-dairy milk such as rice milk or almond milk (fat free soy is best if you can stand it)
Soy Curls
Apples, fresh and crunchy plus applesauce to replace fat in baked goods recipes
Bananas, oranges, other fruit you like
Extracts and spices you like, make sure they aren't older than 18 months
Garlic, fresh and powdered
Non-fat broths, mushroom and vegetable
Bouillon, vegan type but flavored to taste like chicken or beef
Canned tomatoes, diced, pureed, sauce, look for low sodium versions
Enchilada sauce (or use the recipe published by The Happy Herbivore, Lindsay Nixon--it's good)
Smoked Paprika
Mori-Nu Soft and Firm Tofu
Extra Firm tofu from the refrigerated section of the market
Miso Paste
Tortillas--look for the very lowest fat content! We keep corn tortillas and whole wheat tortillas on hand.  (I like the spinach wrap tortillas even though they are not fat-free because they are so large and convenient and still healthier than eating out).
Panini Press--we use ours every day for grilling vegetables, warming tortillas, grilling tofu, etc.
Ice Cream Alternative--Dr. Greger's recipe on Nutritionfacts.org is one we make often.  It uses frozen cherries, cocoa powder, vanilla and date sugar among other things.  It's really good!

Not Tuna Salad for the plant-based world

If you are like me you have probably been hearing a lot lately about the benefits of eating seaweed.  Doesn't sound too appetizing, right?  As it just so happens that is a nice ingredient to turn chickpeas into a mock tuna salad.  Tuna was one of my favorite lunches before I read, "The China Study" and "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease" and gave up meat within a couple of days.
Let me reiterate:  I ate meat for 47 years and then quit because the research impressed me so much regarding how much healthier I could be by not eating animal protein or added oils and fats.  There are going to be foods I miss and tuna has been high on the list of foods difficult to mimic.

Here is a way to get yourself back into the zen of a tuna lunch.

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced dill pickle
2 tablespoons Fuero Wakame Dried Seaweed
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons Walden Farms Miracle Mayo
1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons mustard
1 teaspoon vinegar or pickle juice
1/2 teaspoon Bragg Sea Kelp Delight Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dill
pinch black pepper

1. Crush garbanzo beans with a potato masher, set aside.
2. Chop celery and dill pickle, add to beans.
3. Crush seaweed together with sunflower seeds in a mortar and pestle, add to beans.
4. Add remaining ingredients to bean mixture and stir.  
5. Serve rolled inside Nori Sheets, in a traditional sandwich or with crackers.

Dried seaweed and sunflower seeds

Dried Seaweed and sunflower seeds after grinding

Not Tuna Salad 

Not Tuna Salad Sushi Rolls

Eggplant in Spicy Garlic Sauce

P.F. Chang's China Bistro Stir-fried Spicy Eggplant made without frying,
on a bed of kale and brown rice and red lentils.

My favorite dish at P.F. Chang's China Bistro is the Stir-fried Spicy Eggplant, but I have been wondering if it would taste as good without frying the eggplant first.  Just as I suspected, to me it tastes better!  I found one of many copy-cat recipes at "recipe secrets": http://www.recipesecrets.net/forums/recipe-exchange/31921-p-f-changs-china-bistro-stir-fried-spicy-eggplant.html.
This shouldn't be considered an extremely healthy way to eat eggplant due to the sugars in the ingredients but it isn't too bad either.  After all, we have eliminated the majority of the fat from the original recipe.

Here is my version:

1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1" cubes

Brown eggplant in large non-stick skillet on medium high (without any oil) until tender inside and browned on all sides.  Add sauce mixture and stir until thick, about one minute.  Serve over a bed of kale and/or brown rice with lentils.  Garnish with sesame seeds, I found black sesame seeds at the local health food store and used those for the photo.  Downright elegant.

Sauce ingredients (place into small blender):

2 large cloves of garlic minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons vegan oyster sauce
2 tablespoons low sodium tamari
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon date sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili paste
1/2 teaspoon ground bean sauce
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Pumpkin Flan, Plant-based with no added fat

Sometimes I have leftover pumpkin puree hanging out in the fridge that needs to be used up.  The reason this time is due to a new recipe my daughter created while home from college on spring break--cinnamon rolls made without butter or eggs.  She did a nice job and has enthusiastically consented to sharing it with the world so look forward to that recipe coming to a computer near you soon.


Today I made a flan using pumpkin instead of tofu and added some spice.

Pumpkin Flan, PBNAF

For the caramel heat up 3/4 cup pure cane sugar and 1 teaspoon corn syrup with 1/4 cup water in non-stick skillet until golden brown and then pour into non-stick 9" round cake pan.  Set aside a bit to put into ramekins in case all your flan custard doesn't fit into the single cake pan.  Extra directions:  Do not stir cooking sugar syrup, just swirl skillet while this is turning brown.  Brush down sides of skillet with pastry brush dipped in water if crystals form.
Alternate method:  If this sugar syrup gives you trouble, just use maple syrup instead.  (It adds a nice flavor to the otherwise mild custard anyway.)  Coat the bottom of the cake pan(s) with just enough maple syrup to cover.  If you want to be REALLY SUPER-DUPER HEALTHY, skip the sugar syrup or maple syrup altogether.  I am not that pure yet.

For the custard, or flan:
2 cups rice milk 
1 tablespoon agar powder (This makes a very firm custard.  Use 2 teaspoons for a softer version.)
1/2 cup ground dates (date sugar)
2 cups pumpkin puree
4 ounces Tofutti non-dairy cream cheese
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or a combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and ginger)

1. Prepare caramel or use maple syrup and coat non-stick cake pan or individual ramekins.  I found that this recipe will fill a 9" cake pan and there is enough left over to make two individual servings in ramekins, or one 10" round or oval casserole.
2. Place rice milk, date sugar and agar powder in 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat and stir constantly until it is steamy and begins to get foamy and thick.  
3. Combine pumpkin, cream cheese, pumpkin pie spice and enough of the hot milk mixture to make a smooth slurry in blender.
4. Transfer pumpkin mixture back to saucepan and continue cooking until it is bubbly, stirring constantly.  Let this boil for no more than one minute, remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
5. Pour hot custard into prepared cake pan or ramekins.
6. Refrigerate 2 hours or until completely set and chilled.

Note:  Agar powder is just spectacular for making flan set up nice and firm in a very short time.  I have better luck with agar powder than with agar flakes (which are easier to find).  

Agar powder is worth special ordering online.  Now you know what I know.

Another Note:  We have been listening to the videos at NutritionFacts.org by Dr.Greger on many topics, one being which sweetener is best.  I don't want to give his surprise ending away, but I will be replacing all or most sugar in all my recipes with date sugar from now on.