Easy Lentil Meatballs

Preheat oven to 350

Line baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray

Set aside

In a large bowl, combine the following:

Ingredients:

1 can black lentils, drained and rinsed
1 c oatmeal
1 c corn meal

1/2 c. spaghetti sauce

Spices:  Granulated garlic, salt, pepper, basil and oregano to taste
*Another option is to add in shredded mozzarella but I left this out this time

 Method:

With clean hands or plastic gloves, squish all ingredients together into a "dough"

Roll into small balls

If you can, refrigerate the "dough" for a while, about an hour or so

Heat frying pan with olive oil and brown lentil balls on both sides
Transfer to oven to keep warm and finish baking, about 5-10 min.

Serve with a side of pasta and sauce
*Cover with sauce ONLY just before serving, so they don't get soggy

Easy and surprisingly yummy AND good for you!

These also freeze well (without sauce) in a ziploc and just microwave to defrost when ready to use again!  

Pumpkin Oatmeal "Muffin" Cookies

These cookies have the hearty texture of a muffin and are not too sweet, so they go well with a nice glass of soy milk or a cup of coffee.  I call them a "breakfast cookie".  You can also freeze them and pull them out one at a time to defrost in your diaper bag for on the go breakfasts/snacks.

I wasn't too sure about these because they are not overly sweet and seemed too healthy, but my 3 year old boy exclaimed "These are GOOD, Mommy!" and ate about 3 of them at snack time.  My 1 year old also had some without throwing them at me.  So I guess they're a keeper!

I used this original recipe http://healthnews.ediets.com/recipes/pumpkin-oatmeal-cookies.html

and added in 1/2 c. finely chopped kale and a handful of dark chocolate chips

I also cut the sugar.  Instead of the full amount of brown sugar I only used about 1 TBSP, plus 1 TBSP molasses

I subbed in ground flax mixed with hot water to equal the egg whites.

Perfectly "Cheesy" Crispy Tofu Scramble

There are lots of ways to prepare tofu scramble, some involving chopped various vegetables or adding in exotic spices.

Mine is simple, "cheesy" and perfectly crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside.

Does that sound delishish or disgusting...Depends on who you ask I guess, but for me and my family it is "Tofu Wa Bohu" - silly term courtesy of my husband's fantastic sense of humor  (a play on a nifty phrase picked up from one of our pastor's recent sermon references, 'tohu wa bohu' - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tohu_wa-bohu) - taking something formless and turning it into something wonderful.

Anyway, here is my method.  It does involve finding and investing in Nutritional Yeast, a type of Brewer's Yeast that makes vegan food very tasty and full of B vitamins.  You can find it easily at Whole Foods.  http://www.redstaryeast.com/science-yeast/types-yeast/nutritional-yeast

 Ingredients:

Extra Firm Tofu (1 or 2 blocks depending on how many you are serving) - preferably pressed of most of the water (I have a Tofu XPress but you can use heavy plates or gently squeeze the block by hand)
http://www.redstaryeast.com/science-yeast/types-yeast/nutritional-yeast

Nutritional Yeast

Garlic Powder, Salt, Pepper

Water

Butter for frying (we use Earth Balance, which is vegan)

Method:

Heat the skillet, add butter
Add full block of tofu - fry until beginning to brown on both sides

At this point, begin to break of the tofu into chunks with your spatula

In a cup, combine about 4 TBSP Nutritional Yeast with 1/2 c. water

As you continue to fry the tofu, gradually add the yeasty liquid (mmm...right?  It is, trust me!)

Keep frying and as the tofu brown and the liquid begins to get crusty, scrape the pan and do this over and over, frying continually

You can just leave the tofu in the pan on the stove frying and checking it until you use up all of the liquid and the tofu is evenly browned and crunchy

By now it is perfect and ready to serve alongside toast, veggie sausage, pancakes, or whatever you usually eat for breakfast/brunch.

Pumpkin-y Chocolate Chip Waffles (with secret kale, carrot and apple!)

 

I made these, using this original recipe http://www.girlmakesfood.com/pumpkin-waffles/

Mine weren't so much pumpkin-tasting as they were filled with pumpkin nutrition and goodness.  They are more like chocolate chip waffles filled with good-for-you veggies and fruit.  :)

I blended a handful of kale into the milk and added in grated carrot and apple and added chocolate chips.  I prepared them in a waffle maker and cut off the messy edges with a pizza cutter to make them more square.

Makes about 10 waffles

Serving with roasted potatoes, tofu scramble and veggie sausage.

Mmmmmmm...Breakfast for dinner! 

Barley & Baked Bean "Meat Loaf"

 Barley & Baked Bean "Meat Loaf"

We pre-freeze portioned amounts of cooked barley, rice and quinoa and always have various canned beans and veggie burgers on hand so this was a relatively quick dish to throw together before baking.

This recipe was adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe that used turkey and barley to make a meat loaf.  You can find the original here http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=142901

Ingredients:

1 can (16 oz.) Baked Beans, drained and rinsed (vegetarian)
1 c. Cooked Pearl Barley
2 Veggie Burgers, chopped (Used Morningstar vegan patties)
1 TBSP Flax mixed with 3 TBSP Hot Water (to substitute for 1 egg)
1/4 c. Ketchup
1/2 small onion, diced and fried in oil until translucent

Method:

In a mixing bowl, mash beans with a potato masher
Add in barley, chopped veggie burger and ketchup, stir to combine
Add flax mixture and stir again

Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray
Press mixture into loaf pan with spoon
Top with more ketchup, if desired

Bake at 350 for 30-40 min. (Mine was done at 40 min.)

Let rest and then cut into slices.

Homemade "Tasty Things" Sesame Crackers

My 3 yr. old B. loves these sesame sticks he calls "tasty things" we get at Trader Joe's but we ran out and I can't seem to make my way over there so I improvised and found a recipe online.  Not exactly the same, but pretty close!  Close enough that I can add them to his snack mix and everyone's happy!  :)

I followed the recipe from this site 
http://breadmakingblog.breadexperience.com/2012/04/sesame-einkorn-crackers.html

But, I changed the following:

Used regular whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt instead of 1/2 tsp.
3 TBSP Sesame Oil with 2 TBSP Olive Oil, mixed
Added a sprinkle of garlic powder and nutritional yeast to the flour
Kneaded all in a KitchenAid and rolled out pretty thin, then sliced with pizza cutter into little sticks

"Cheesy" Mexican Lasagna

2-3 Large Flour Tortillas
1 Can Beans of Choice (Pinto or Black), we used Pinto
1 Veggie Burger, chopped
Nacho "Cheese" Sauce (recipe below)
1 Can Tomato Soup, undiluted

Nacho "Cheese" Sauce

1 cup soy milk
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp granulated garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder

Whisk ingredients together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often until thick.
Stir in beans and chopped veggie burger

Assemble Mexican Lasagna 

Set oven to 400

In a round glass pie plate layer flour tortilla, bean/burger/cheesy filling and flour tortilla
Top with Tomato Soup

Bake for 15-20 min.

Serve with chips, guacamole, sour cream