Orange Tofu with Broccoli

I am extremely satisfied with this recipe. Rarely can one find a recipe that tastes just like the take-out Chinese he/she loves. The flavors in this recipe are excellent. If you love orange like I do, add about 1 TBSP orange zest to the sauce. This recipe is best served over brown rice. It is just like having take-out, but without having to pay a ridiculous amount of money! Enjoy!

Servings: 4

1 lb. extra-firm organic tofu, cut into cubes or triangles
1 lb broccoli, cut into florets (frozen works just as well)
4 cloves garlic, diced
4 green onions, diced
3/4 c water
1/4 c orange juice
1 TBSP lemon juice
2 TBSP seasoned rice vinegar
4.5 TBSP soy sauce
1/4 c light brown sugar (1/2 the amount if using splenda substitute)
1/2 tsp red pepper (cayenne pepper can be substituted)
1.5 TBSP cornstarch

After prepping your veggies, dry-fry tofu until browned, or saute in oil if you must. Steam/Boil the broccoli until tender, drain.

Whisk remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Heat a large skillet to medium, and add tofu, broccoli and sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer, then continue to simmer until the sauce is reduced to your liking, stirring occasionally. Make sure to taste the sauce. If it has too much orange, go ahead and add another TBSP of low sodium Soy sauce.

Serve over brown rice & enjoy!

Low Fat Veggie Chili

This chili is incredibly tasty and very easy to make. The chili is full of great vegetable flavors and makes for a very hearty meal. This chili is great for dinner is you have had a long day and just need to throw something together quickly for dinner. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!






Servings 6

1 TBSP olive oil (I used cooking spray for the pan instead to cut the calories)
1 cup chopped onion (Vidalia is recommended)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14oz) can No salt added Diced Tomatoes
3 (16oz) Cans Chili Beans (do not rinse or drain!)
2 (8oz) cans No salt added Tomato Sauce
1 TBSP low sodium Soy Sauce
1 tsp Sugar (1/2 tsp if Splenda)
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Cumin
1.5 TBSP Chili Powder

I recommend using a 4 quart pot for this recipe. Start by putting your olive oil into the bottom of the pan, or spray the pan with a coat of nonfat cooking spray. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and saute until they are lightly browned and tender (about 3 minutes).

Add the tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder. Bring the entire pot to a boil and then allow it to simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. If you want some extra spice throw in 1/2 tsp of Cayenne pepper and 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika.

This dish goes well with a slice of Whole Wheat Scallion Cornbread. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Scallion CornBread

Ok, so I will admit that I was a little hesitant to try a whole wheat cornbread recipe, but it turned out pretty well. I think adding the scallions gives it a more diverse flavor. I suggest adding some Veggie Shreds (fake cheese) to the mix with some diced jalapenos if you want to spice up the meal. This cornbread is more grainy that normal cornbread because of the whole wheat, so feel free to add more cornmeal/soymilk to the mix to balance. If you are feeling ambitious and want to use Corn Flour (Bob's Red Mill has a cheap variety)-that would definitely up the flavor. It is definitely great with a big bowl of chili. Enjoy!


Servings: 8

3/4 cup Plain soy milk
1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
3/4 cup Plain Yellow Corn Meal
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 bunch of scallions, diced
1/4 cup corn (out of the can is good)
2 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
2 TBSP Canola Oil (Optional)


Prepare your pan (any 8x8 or 9x9 cake pan will do) by spraying it lightly with nonfat cooking spray and sprinkling it with cornmeal. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Mix together your soy milk and apple cider vinegar and set it aside until it curdles, about 2 to 3 minutes. While you wait, grab a large mixing bowl and mix together the corn meal, flour, scallions, corn, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and canola oil. Add the curdled soy milk & vinegar mixture to your other ingredients and mix well. If your mix is too dry because of the whole wheat flour, add another 1/4 cup of soy milk.

Pour the mixture into your desired size cake pan and cook for 15-20 minutes (or until the top is a golden brown). Give it about 5 minutes to cool before you dig in.


Calories per serving: 102 Fat per serving: 4 grams

Chewy Vegan Brownies

Serving Size: 9 brownies

These brownies have a chewy, delicious texture. You could use vegetable oil in place of the apple sauce, but it will add a substantial amount of calories to the end product. Using the applesauce keeps the brownies moist and light. You could also use a cup of mashed bananas in place of the applesauce.






9 Servings

1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 cup white granulated sugar (or 1/2 cup Splenda sugar replacement)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup applesauce, sweetened or unsweetened
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt).

2. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients (water, applesauce, and vanilla). Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until just combined. If you decided to add nuts to the mixture, now is the time to throw em' in.

3. Spread batter into an 8" or 9" square baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, but keep checking for preferred doneness after 10 minutes or so...pull them out when they are as chewy as you'd like!

Calories per serving: 70 Total Fat per serving: 1.5 grams

Homemade Onion Rings

Homemade onion rings are a task, but they are well worth the effort. These onion rings are cholesterol free and not deep fried. Baking the onion rings is a healthy alternative to using a fatty deep-fryer. Make sure to use a sweet onion such as Vidalia for the best flavor. The onions should be cut into thicker (3/4") slices in order to have the quickest, cleanest and best experience. Make sure to place a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom of your baking sheet for easy clean-up & to guarantee that the onion rings do not stick to the sheet.


4 Servings

Ingredients

2 Vidalia Onions (about 1 pound total)
1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP of all purpose or whole wheat flour
2 TBSP Cornstarch
1 cup cold Soy Milk (flavored or vanilla)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp olive oil


Slice the onions into 3/4 inch-thick rings. Place into a larger bowl. After you cut the onions move onto preheating the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray and then set aside.

You will need two bowls for the batter and breading process. Dump the flour and the cornstarch into one bowl. Add about 1/2 of the soy milk and stir with a fork until it dissolves. Add the rest of the soy milk and the apple cider vinegar, stir & set aside.

In the other bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and the salt. If you want to add a kick to your onion rings, throw in 1/2 tsp of Paprika, 1/2 tsp black pepper, & 1/2 tsp chili powder. Drizzle in the olive oil and mix.

You are going to make these on a conveyor belt system. From left to right, arrange the onions, the flour mixture, the bread crumb mixture, and then the baking sheet. This is the messy part if you are not careful! You can either use one hand as the wet hand and one hand as the dry hand to place the onions on the tray OR you can cheat like I did and use a pair of tongs. Don't try to do a bunch of onion at once, take your time. Coat the onion thoroughly and then roll it in the bread crumbs. Arrange the finished product on the baking sheet on a single layer.

After you arrange the rings, spray them with a light coat of fat-free cooking spray and bake for about 12 minutes. Flip, and bake until they reach desired crispiness. Serve with low-sodium ketchup.

Total Calories per serving: 190 Total Fat: 4 grams

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

I really like this Black Bean Burger recipe. This recipe has a nice blend of flavors and a decent kick of spice. It is a great and more filling alternative to an actual burger-not to mention healthier. It is low-calorie, low-fat and full of protein. This burger goes great with corn-on-the-cob and homemade sweet potato french fries. This burger is completely vegan. Good for your belly, Good for your ticker.



Servings: 6

• 1 (16 ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
  
• 1/2 onion, cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup zucchini, peeled
• 1 can of no-salt-added corn, drained
• 1 jalapeno, seeded (unless you want the heat), sliced
  
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1.5 tablespoon smoked (or regular) Paprika
  
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar (optional)
  
• 2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 cup oats (instant,etc)
  
• 1 cup bread crumbs

The recipe gets really easy from this point forward. Place all of the veggies and garlic into a food processor and pulse until it becomes a small dice, but not a complete puree. If you do not own a food processor use a blender. If you do not own a blender, dice/mince everything with a knife. If you don't own a sharp kitchen knife, you should not be cooking. :) Once everything has reached a small dice, remove from the bowl and place into a large mixing bowl. If you are not putting the black beans into a mixer, etc., make sure to completely dry them and mash them with a fork before proceeding. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, soy sauce, bread crumbs, oats, vinegar and hot sauce into the bowl. Mix thoroughly. Veggie burgers usually do not hold together as well as carnivore burgers, so make sure to modify the bread crumbs as needed.

The mix should yield 6 decent-sized burgers. Mold the mix into 6 balls and then make into patties. Make sure to place the patties onto a piece of wax paper. If you choose to grill the burgers on a grill, place a piece of foil underneath to avoid any breakage. I usually just cook the burgers in a frying pan on the stove. You do not need to spray the pan with any cooking spray or add any oil. This dramatically increases the caloric intake of the burger. Cook the burger for about 10 minutes total, flipping at 5 minutes. Both sides should have a nice shade of brown on 'em. You can also bake the burgers at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes, also flipping at the half-way point. Serve immediately or freeze for later consumption!


Total Calories: 198 calories/burger Total Fat: 3 grams

Kiwi Salsa

Kiwi salsa is tangy and a great change from the traditional tomato based salsa. I recommend using fresh lime juice instead of bottled because not only are limes pretty cheap, but the freshness also enhances the overall flavor of the salsa. Make sure to let the salsa sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes so that the flavors can fully blend. This recipe is completely Vegan and low-fat. Good for your belly, good for your heart.


6 Servings

• 6 kiwis, peeled and diced
• 1 medium-sized tomato, diced
  
• 1 small onion, diced (use red if you want more zing)
  
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (fresh)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon curry powder

Mix kiwi, tomato, onion, jalapeno, lime juice, honey, cumin, and curry powder together in a medium bowl. Cover the bowl and place the bowl in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Serve & enjoy!

Per Serving-Calories: 85 calories Fat: 3 grams