RECIPES: What the Happy Nurse & I Are Eating This Week! Baba Ganoush, Plant-Strong Pizza, Cuban Black Beans, Salads & MORE!!!

As I write this post I'm waiting for homemade pizza dough to rise in the oven.  I had the afternoon off and after coming home to the exciting discovery of an Amazon box on my doorstep, I decided to delve straight in to Mark Sutton's new book "Heart Healthy Pizza!"  I'll keep you all posted on the pizza construction process but so far it looks very promising!!  


It feels like I haven't written a food plan post in FOREVER, but its been a hectic few weeks and between vacation and work I just haven't had time!  I kept up my commitment to salads (as I wrote in this post) and have actually come up with a few yummy salad ideas on my own!  Much to my surprise, I'm really liking the addition of salads to my daily diet!  It makes getting the necessary veggies (I eat minimum of 2 cups straight veggies per meal) in easier!


WHAT ARE YOU EATING THIS WEEK??!!! ANY RECIPES TO PASS ON?


Snacks:

• Smokey Baba Ghanoush from the Party Vegan by Robin Robertson:  Made this for a party last weekend and WOW it was a hit! I HIGHLY recommend you get this cookbook--I've posted about recipes from it here & here.)
• Robin Robertson's Polenta Crostini with Eggplant Tapenade also from her book, Party Vegan.  I used store bought polenta as the base.  The Tapenade was AMAZING.  You mix together the inside of one eggplant (roasted in the oven for 20 mins & then cooled so you can peel the skin off) with 1/2 cup kalamata olives, 3 garlic cloves, salt and pepper.  I adapted the recipe a bit because I didn't have any capers and was making this all in a big rush before the party!  Everyone LOVED it! 

Entrees & Soup

• PIZZZAAAAA!!!  As mentioned above, from Mark Sutton's new book "Heart Healthy Pizza":  Homemade Pizza with Light White-Brown Sauce topped with olives, sundried tomatoes & peppers.  I'm making the pizza dough with gluten-free all purpose flour from Bob's Red Mill!  To get a taste of the type of recipes offered in the cookbook, check out a few sample recipes on Mark Sutton's website.
• My old AMAZING soup stand-by The Healthy Librarian's version of Robin Robertson's Sweet Potato, Spinach, Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, and a Bit of Peanut Butter Soup
• Healthy Girl's Kitchen's Coconut Curry Kale, Chick Pea and Sweet Potato Soup:  I liked this but it probably wasn't my absolute favorite--which surprised me because I expected it to be!  I was missing a few ingredients though--like the bok choy so I may have just totally missed the boat on this recipe because of incorrect ingredients!!
• Mushroom Tibs from "Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz:  The Happy Nurse and I had a delicious vegan meal at an Ethiopian restaurant on our date night last week so I had to incorporate some Ethiopian food for this week!  YUM!
• Healthy Girl's Kitchen's Cuban Black Beans & Kale:  I've been wanting a Cuban black bean recipe!  After having the vegetarian plate at the FANTASTIC Columbia Restaurant in Tampa (on our vacation) I've been craving some good black beans.  Can't wait to make this recipe this weekend!  I've been waiting for my plantain's to turn black so I can cook them & they are almost ready so with a few onions on top, I may just be able to recreate part of the dinner we happily ate there!
• Beetballs by Susan Voisin of Fat Free Vegan Kitchen:  HELLOOOOOOO wonderful!  I'm so excited to have a "meat ball" without soy in it!  Whooohooo!! :-)

Salads:

• Rice Noodle Salad (cold) mixed with my Shredded Kale and Carrot salad (below) & Cool Slaw Dressing from "Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
• Shredded Kale & Carrot salad--this has been an exciting find that I figured out all on my own!  Inspired by the awesome My New Roots' Winter Slaw recipe, I shredded kale and carrot together for a basic, yummy and nutritious salad.  I've eaten this a few different ways:

• With raisins mixed in, no dressing
• With "Cool Slaw"Dressing from the Appetite for Reduction Cookbook by Isa Chandra (I can't tell you how highly I recommend this cookbook!!!  She has tons of low fat dressing recipes & everything I've made from here so far is excellent) (recipe below)

"Cool Slaw Dressing" (recipe from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Appetite for Reduction Cookbook)

Mix in a blender or food processor:

1/4 cup cashew pieces

2 Tbl minced onions (she says fresh, I used dried minced)

1/2 cup water

5 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp non-cane sugar sweetener of choice

1/2 tsp salt

pepper

• Caesar Salad:  With Healthy Girl's Kitchen's  "No-Oil Caesar Salad Dressing,"  I modified the recipe a bit.  I used pinto beans this week instead of garbanzo.  I add more capers (she says 2 Tbl, I add the whole bottle!).  I add more dates (she says 2, I add 5!).  See the original (and I'm sure delicious) recipe here.

COMING SOON!!:

• Preparing for a Joint Replacement--What can YOU do BEFORE surgery to have a quicker recovery? ~post series in two parts: Knee & then Hip ~
• SLEEP:  Why Is it Critical for Your Health ~ Join the Sleep Challenge!!!
• Interviews With My Favorite Plant-Strong Bloggers!
• AND MORE!!

The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.  Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. The Happy Rehab Doc expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site.  By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions.

Favorite Plant-Strong COOKBOOKS!! :-)

Ok! Since becoming a vegan I have relied on outstanding plant-strong bloggers heavily for their excellent recipes but I also have continued to use cookbooks as well.  Next time I'll discuss my go-to recipe blogs & who my favorite bloggers are and why (for a sample you can check the left sidebar of the blog for links!), but for today, lets talk cookbooks!


When planning our weekly food plan I tend to pick one cookbook to focus primarily on & then add in recipes from blogs as well.  Getting used to cooking so frequently was definitely an adjustment but since we really can't find anything to eat at work, I really rely on my homemade food to get through the day!  The thing I have discovered is that in the 20 mins it takes to get take-out and get back home you can have dinner practically ready to eat in that same timeframe AND know what is in the food you are eating!  (even less if all you are doing is heating up food from a weekend bulk cook).  


Oh and in case you missed my earlier post on my top 3 kitchen appliances, you can access it here.


For now, I definitely have a set of favorite vegan cookbooks and I'll share them with you in this post.  Do you have a favorite that isn't on my list??  Would LOVE to hear of ideas for new awesome ones!

Favorite Cookbooks:

1) The Happy Herbivore Cookbook by Lindsay Nixon.  If there was one cookbook I could recommend as a starter for plant-based eating, this would be it. 

• Very simple recipes.  Very yummy.  Very well organized.  And no, I don't just love Lindsay because she made me her "Herbie of the Week!", I was raving about her cookbook long before all that! 
• Great section at the front of the cookbook on what to stock in your pantry.  She says you can make all of the recipes in her book from this pantry stock list in the front!
• Easily demarcated if gluten-free, etc.  
• Nutritional info on EVERY recipe--all of the recipes are either no fat or low fat
• You can check out her blog here.  Her latest book is the "THE EVERYDAY HAPPY HERBIVORE" 
• Fav Recipes:  Azetec Corn Soup, Lasagna Rolls (OMG good, my husband couldn't get enough of them--I also turned them into fettuccine one night-pic above!)
• I blogged on the The Happy Herbivore Cookbook recipes as an example of how we bulk cook here. I also interviewed Lindsay on her newest cookbook, The Everyday Happy Herbivore.

2) Vegan on the Cheap by Robin Robertson:  My second favorite is a highly awesome book for those (like us) on a tight budget! 

• every recipe is <$2.50 a serving with a lot around the $0.50/serving range.  
• she helps you figure out how to replicate the more expensive vegan items with homemade versions--seitan, vegetable stock, mayo, "big stick pepperoni."  AND how to organize your kitchen.
• if you are going oil-free per Dr. Esselstyn's program (like me) you do need to substitute for oil 



Sweet-Potato, Roasted Tomato,

Spinach & Peanut Soup!




• the food is fantastic--Robin Robertson is an amazing chef--The Healthy Librarian's version of her Sweet Potato, Spinach, Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, and a Bit of Peanut Butter Soup is one of our favorites (that recipe is from a different one of her cookbooks but all of her recipes are of this quality)

3) Vegan Slow Cooker by Kathy Hester

• Brilliant new cookbook added to my collection this week
• First recipe, the potato soup, was very good
• Fascinating to discover that you can cook things like squash and poached pears in the slow cooker!
• LOVE our 3-in-1 slow cooker so I'm going to be all about this book!
• Its organized really well--love that it clearly identifies the recipes as soy and gluten-free, etc 
• I like its "The night before" and "In the morning" sections to each recipe so you can prep it the night before and then toss it in the slow cooker in the morning to cook all day!  

4) Forks Over Knives Cookbook:

• The cookbook from the Forks Over Knives film
• Really excellent variety of plant-based options to choose from, 125 recipes from 25 vegan chefs including Mrs. McDougall, Mrs. Esselstyn, Mrs. Campbell, Chef AJ, Rip Esselstyn and many more.  
• Great for new fresh ideas when you are getting in a rut!
• Need to substitute for oil in some recipes but a lot of recipes without oil as well.
• Favorite:  Polenta Pizza with Herbed Cashew Creme! (made that for Christmas for my family & they loved it!) YUM!

5) Party Vegan by Robin Robertson

• New favorite--got it this week and have made 2 recipes so far.  Both have been OUTSTANDING!
• I love this book because it has a bunch of full menu ideas for a party and then is organized into recipes by party theme.  The recipes sound complicated but I can follow them easily (I don't do complicated recipes! No time!)
•  For example, the first chapter is "A Dinner Party" and the recipes are:  "Artichoke Tapenade, Sun-dried Tomato & Green Olive Biscotti (made this tonight--with gluten-free flour of course--OUT OF THIS WORLD AMAZING!), Butterhead & Radicchio Salad with Walnut-Pesto Dressing, Wild Mushroom Ragu over Polenta and Orange-Kissed Chocolate Tiramisu!!"
• The themes range from a "Child's Birthday Party" menu to a "Super Bowl Party" with some formal menus as well (the formal menus do seem more complex however)!
• The recipes are very straightforward--easy to throw together.  When I saw the word "biscotti" I was a bit intimidated but it was actually pretty simple to prepare!  She clearly indicates if something is complicated or simple.
• You do need to find substitutes for oils and fats in the recipes 
• I'm a huge fan of "party food" so its nice to have a book to use.  Her "Finger-Lickin Tempeh" recipe is online--also see my post.

6) "Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

• Whimsical and fun--great variety of fantastic ethnic food, a lot of curries which is great!  We cook the curries in the slow cooker which saves time :-)
• Nutritional info with every recipe, no more than 400 calories per serving
• Main dish focussed which is nice, less emphasis on appetizers, etc.  
• Excellent variety of vegetable options and recipes are healthy
• New to me so I'm still getting to know it--did a lot of last week's menu from it:  the Butternut Coconut Rice was AMAZING and the Vegetable Korma is a total hit!

Reference Books with Recipes

1) Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn: Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease

• The first cookbook we used--fantastic simple recipes and great tips on learning how to cook without oil (surprisingly not as challenging as you would think!).  
• Favorites:  Artichoke-Bean Dip (a hit at every party I've brought it to--I use it also as sandwich filler), Green Onion Hummus, Quick Black Bean Chili (but we make it with multiple types of beans)--SO good!
• Excellent for beginners to the vegan, low-fat world because everything is very easy with very short, simple steps to prepare.

2) The Anti-Inflammatory Diet by Jessica Black, N.D. (Amazon link)

• I use this book primarily for the reference data in the front but there are some good looking recipes in the back--haven't tried them yet.  
• The table at the front is the basis for my anti-inflammatory food program

Coming Up:

• Best of the Blogosphere from This Week & My FAVORITE Blogs!
• How I Deal With Temptation...
• Guest Post from THE HAPPY NURSE 
• The Clear Skin Diet and My New Soy-Free Life!
• And more....

The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.  Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. The Happy Rehab Doc expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site.  By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions.

RECIPES: What the Happy Nurse & I Are Eating This Week! Curries Galore, Sri Lankan Kale, Butternut Coconut Rice, Quinoa Puttanesca, Winter Slaw & More!

Ok!  Well its been a crazy week (another family member in the hospital--now discharged thank goodness!) and no time to mass cook!  For most of the week, I've been coming home and chopping a few things here and there and throwing it in the slow cooker (the 3-in-1 slow cooker of course!)!!  At least I did our meal planning and we got the grocery shopping done before the week began so I have everything on hand!!  


What we've made food-wise this week has been SUPER yummy so far!  My husband, the Happy Nurse, got a cookbook for Christmas called "Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz."  Therefore, this cookbook features prominently in our plan for this week!  So far, the curries I've made from this cookbook have been really good!!  


Here is what the Happy Nurse & I are eating this week:

Soups & Curries 
1) Aztec Corn Soup from  The Happy Herbivore Cookbook by Lindsay Nixon:  As if we couldn't get enough of this delicious soup with a Mexican kick, we're making more for this week!! Its an incredibly healthy soup thanks to the ingenious use of quinoa as a main ingredient!  Great balanced protein source & gives it a nutty taste--yum!
2) Eggplant-Chickpea Curry: Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz: I haven't tasted this yet but it smelled really good cooking!  Instead of the Chickpeas, I accidently thawed the Canelloni beans we had cooked & frozen so I used those!  Instead of fresh tomatoes which are out of season, I used "Fire-Roasted"diced canned tomatoes.  Delicious!)

3) 2nd Avenue Vegetable Korma: Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz:  took this for lunch today--the sauce is SO good!  I forgot to buy cauliflower so I used broccoli instead & I threw in some parsnips as well since we had some!  I used the Healthy Librarian's trick substitution for coconut milk (since it is so high in saturated fat!)--I added a teaspoon of coconut extract to oat milk instead!  At let me tell you, I cannot taste a difference--yay Debby!
4) Red Lentil & Root Veggie Dal:  Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz: haven't made this yet but I've got all the ingredients!  For all of these curries we got the garam masala, etc spices from our local Indian foods shop.  We get all the regular spices and our dried beans/grains from our local health food shop where we can buy in bulk from bins!  Super super cheap!


Main Dishes
1) Healthy Girl's Kitchen's Sri Lankan Kale:  I've been wanting to make this for WEEKS, I just have been a bit stuck because we haven't had time to run across town to the only store that has unsweetened coconut! I keep putting it on the list, but this week it is for real!

2) Quinoa Puttanesca:  Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz Oh my gosh this is SO good!  I love pretty much everything in it--particularly the kalamata olives and capers!!  Instead of white wine, since we don't drink alcohol (12 step household!), I used sparkling apple cider (and it actually worked pretty well!).
3) Butternut Coconut Rice: Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz  I haven't made this yet but I adore butternut squash and I'm a huge fan of coconut, so both together--how could that be bad?!  I'm going to use the Healthy Librarian's trick substitution for coconut milk here too to reduce fat!
4) Mushroom Tibs:  Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz This recipe is an Eritrean-based recipe (Eritrea is a small country just north of Ethiopia) and since I'm a HUGE fan of Ethiopian food, I'm sure this will be delicious too!  And The Happy Nurse could not be more of a mushroom fan, so we both get to be happy!


Sides:

1) My New Roots Blog's Winter Slaw:  Ok I cannot even explain how unbelievably delicious this is!  And SO nutrient dense!!! Kale, carrots, cabbage (2 types), parsley, scallions--YUM!  And the dressing is amazing--a total home run all around!  
2) Healthy Girl's Kitchen's "Links for Latkas": So I had no time during the holiday week to make latkas and I really really like them!  So this week I saw a pound of potatoes on sale and I thought--why not?!  Wendy (the Healthy Girl herself:-)) has put together an excellent collection of healthy latka recipes--I plan to try a few of the recipes she has listed and compare them!  Great project for New Year's treats this weekend! (if I have time--if not, it'll be one recipe!):-)
3) Pineapple Collards:  Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz:  we have a lot of collard greens leftover from Christmas dinner!  I of course over-cooked!  I know we'll get bored of these mid-week so I think adding pineapple is an inspired idea!  I'll let you know how it turns out!
4)  Curried Cabbage & Peas: Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz I just realized how many curries I chose for this week!!  Guess I'm a mite bit excited about something on the spicy side when its SO cold outside!!
5) Brussels-Sprout-Potato Hash: Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz  My husband is NOT excited about this one, but I LOVE brussels sprouts!  I had some pretty amazing brussels sprouts for Christmas dinner (my sister made them--so delicious!) so I'm yearning for more!  I'm still on the search for some fresh ones--my grocery store was out--so this may get pushed back to next week's list!!


Alright!  What are YOU planning on eating this week?  Got any recipe ideas for me & the Happy Nurse to make for next week???!

Coming Up:

• SuperImmunity for Kids ~Part 2~!
• A Truly Healthy New Year: From Weight Loss to Sleep, A Few Suggestions for 2012 
• Treating Pain with Food--more thoughts

The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.  Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. The Happy Rehab Doc expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site.  By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions.