Showing posts with label Slow Cooker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Slow Cooker. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

RECIPES: My Own Butternut Squash Soup!

Asian Pear! :-)
Ok I don't share recipes of my own very often but this is super easy and OH SO YUMMY!! :-)

Butternut Squash Soup
Makes 4-6 Servings

Ingredients::
1 butternut squash
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbl cinnamon (optional)
2 Asian pears
4-6 cups vegetable broth (we use Trader Joe's brand)
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 


1)  Cut the butternut squash in half with a sharp knife and scoop out the seeds.
2)  Place the butternut squash soft side down in a glass casserole dish with 1 inch of water in the base.  (if I'm in a hurry, I'll cut the squash into smaller pieces than just the half because it takes a lot less cooking time!)
3)  Cook in Oven for 30mins-1 hour (depending on the size of the squash) until the flesh of the squash is soft and can be EASILY "mashed" down with a spoon
4)  Let the squash cool
5)  While the squash cools, finely chop up 2 Asian Pears (leave the skin on) and put into a big soup pot with 4 cups vegetable broth
6)  Scoop out the insides into a bowl and thoroughly puree the squash--if its cooked right this should be simple to do with a basic mixing spoon rather than a food processor or electric mixer--if its too hard the squash may need more baking time! (Sometimes I make this a 2 step process--I bake the squash one night, scoop out the insides into a ziploc bag once it has cooled and then make the soup in the next few day).  
7)  Add 1/2 tsp nutmeg (I usually add a bit more than this--I put the first 1/2 tsp in and then taste the soup after it gets going and since I like nutmeg, if I can't taste the nutmeg--I add more!)
8)  Add 1 Tbl cinnamon (I sometimes add more than 1 Tbl--I like cinnamon!)
9)  Bring the soup to a boil and then turn down to simmer for approximately 15-20 mins (alternatively you can cook the whole thing in a slow cooker!)
10)  Enjoy!
                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.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

RECIPES: What the Happy Nurse & I Are Eating This Week! Soups, Falafels, Parsnip Fries, Quinoa Salad, Zucchini Hummus, Mac & Cheese, Chocolate Chia Pudding & MORE!!!

Well I'm super excited about our food plan for this week!  What I've made so far has been delicious (with only one minor kitchen disaster:-))!  I've happily tried a bunch of new, very simple recipes from the Everyday Happy Herbivore Cookbook (which I FINALLY got from Amazon this week after being back ordered since December!!).  No time for bulk cooking again due to my call schedule.


What do YOU have on your food plan for this week?!  Any recipe ideas to share?


Dinner Monday Night :-)
Spinach & Dried Cranberries
Homemade baked tortilla chips &
 Gluten-Free Crackers
Homemade tahini-free hummus & veggies
Tarragon Rice w/ Kalamata olive
Ambrosia
On top of a busy clinical week, I have an exam on Friday (yes, Doctors continue to have exams forever--we have to retake our specialty board exams every 5-10 years in order to continue to be described as "board certified!")  For me, this time its an important mock Board exam as I'm nearing the end of my specialty training.  Thus, I'm throwing in a bunch of familiar favorites this week to keep the pressure off as I study!  That said, I need variety to keep my disease of compulsive overeating at bay--so I've also chosen a few simple new recipes AND used the slow cooker!    


Soups:  (Slow Cooker, YAY!)


My FAV:  The Healthy Librarian's version of Robin Robertson's Sweet Potato, Spinach, Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, and a Bit of Peanut Butter Soup:  Tried it in the slow cooker this time and it worked beautifully.  Just threw everything but the oat milk and the spinach in at first and then right before taking it off the heat I transferred it to a big pot and added the oat milk & spinach & cooked for about 3 mins.  YUMM.  I like a little more spinach in the soup so this time in addition to the fresh spinach I added a bunch of frozen spinach too.  I also cut the sweet potatoes up into tiny cubes instead of big ones--just a preference thing.  I think more flavor soaks in!


My Own Split Pea Soup:  Yes I'm biased but I love this.  Basically I put 4 cups (one box) of Vegetable Broth in, a lot of green split peas (enough so I can see them about 1 inch under the surface of the broth), 2 chopped up carrots, 2 celery stalks chopped and two bay leaves.  Literally thats it!  SO good!


Black Bean & Salsa Soup from The Everyday Happy Herbivore Cookbook!  Can't wait to make this--another extremely easy recipe using canned salsa!


Chana Saag (not a soup but a slow cooker recipe!) from the  Vegan Slow Cooker by Kathy Hester--I LOVE Indian food & I love spinach so this dish is perfect!  Really looking forward to this!


Main Dishes




Falafels from the Party Vegan by Robin Robertson:  Ok these were amazing and super healthy.  I didn't fry them in oil, instead I used a bit of spray oil on both sides of each patty & it tasted great!  I think the key is processing the chickpeas into a fine powder, refrigerating per her instructions and not skipping out on the fresh parsley (don't use dry).


Healthy Girl's Kitchen's Butternut Mac & Cheese:  Going to do this AWESOME looking dish (and one of my recipes of the week on the Best of the Blogosphere post) this weekend after the exam is over!


Lemon Basil Pasta from The Everyday Happy Herbivore Cookbook!  Made this two days ago.  SO easy and super yummy except for one small disaster--I added a ton of dried basil instead of fresh.  Not as yummy as it could be I'm afraid!  Next time it'll be fresh basil!  I love that this is oil-free and basically uses lemon juice as a sauce :-)


Curried Quinoa Salad from The Everyday Happy Herbivore Cookbook!  I love Quinoa and I love curry--hello awesome lunch (with the perfect balance of all essential amino acids).


Sandwich Spreads, Snacks & Side Dishes


Lentil Spread--still haven't made it--like I said, crazy week! I LOVE this spread though and talked about it last week.  Its on the docket to be made tonight. 


Parsnip Fries with Roasted Tomato Ketchup from My New Roots:  Can't wait to make these!  She made them with parsley root--first of all, I have no idea what that is and second of all, we have a bunch of parsnip in the fridge and she said we could substitute with parsnip!  I'm going to alter the recipe a bit by forgoing the canola oil thing in favor of a little bit of spray oil.  On the roasted tomato ketchup front I've cheated and bought a can of roasted tomatoes!!  Ah time saving techniques!


Zucchini-Almond Hummus from Choosing Raw.  This looks amazing and I'm really enjoying this new (to me) blog!  (Thanks Wendy for the rec!)



Green Olive & Sundried Tomato Biscotti from the Party Vegan by Robin Robertson:  Repeat effort as promised to reduce the oil in the recipe--I've now gotten it down from 3 Tbl to 1 Tbl and am delighted to report that it is still just as delicious!  Next time, no oil, only water!  This time around I saved time by skipping the crushing the pine nuts step and threw them in whole!  It worked great :-)


Spiced Rice-Lentil Squares from Susan Voisin's Fat Free Vegan Kitchen:   Ok so I made a kitchen error with this one and used long grain brown rice instead of short grain--the result--it completely (and I mean completely) fell apart when I was baking it--nothing to stick it together & the chia egg wasn't enough.  (by the way first time using a chia egg and I loved it!!!)  So instead I poured the cooked mixture into a bowl and ate it cold as a salad.  Oh OH SO yummy!!  The spices were perfect--very Persian.  Ah kitchen improvisation!


Cool Slaw from "Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz:  This was recommended by a reader and wow was she spot on!  Easy due to the store bought bagged shredded cabbage and carrots (coleslaw kt)


Desserts!!! (not a regular category for us but I'm feeling like some this week!)


Chocolate Chia Pudding by Susan Voisin from the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen:  Ok so this was extraordinarily good!!!!!!!!  I can't even explain how good!  I had no idea that you could use chia seeds (a great source of Omega-3's) this way!  If you like the consistency of tapioca pudding you will LOVE this!



Ambrosia by Susan Voisin from the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen:  Once again SO delicious.  I just finished the last of it and can't wait to make more.  I loved that she just peeled the orange and chopped it up--no intricate peeling of the individual slices.  The pineapple really add a lot to this dish!


Post Punk Kitchen's recipe for Raspberry Truffle Brownies: Making these as a treat after the exam.  Will need to eat and give away the rest immediately as my husband can't have sweets in the house.  See my post for my ideas on how to alter the sugar aspect.


Ok that's all folks!  Enjoy! Oh!  And let me know if you have any ideas for recipes for Spaghetti Squash!  I've had one sitting on the shelf for awhile!! 


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.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

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. 
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)
  • 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!  

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • 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
  • 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.

  • 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.

    Wednesday, December 21, 2011

    What the Happy Nurse & I Are Bringing for Christmas Dinner(s) & Links to Other Holiday Dishes!!!

    Well we are taking a quick pause here from the Holiday Happiness Marathon for a check in on what food is in the works for this week's holidays!  


    The Happy Nurse & I have to make two sets of different Christmas dinner contributions (plant-strong of course!) because we have a lovely marathon of events in the 48hours surrounding Christmas!  Its a bit tricky to figure out what to bring.  On top of finding a dish that will appeal to everyone we also had to think that the dish might turn into our main meal (depending on the vegan options--remember my holiday tips post).  In addition, both the Happy Nurse & I are working right before and right after Christmas so whatever we choose needs to be very low maintenance!  Soooooo with these things in mind:

    For Dinner #1: 

    • Polenta Bites with Herbed Cashew Cream & Tomatoes Forks Over Knives Recipe Book (OMG SOOOOO outstandingly good!  Super easy if you buy the polenta at the grocery store already made which I did!!  Discovering how to make the "Cashew Cheese" was so much fun (and once again, super easy!)
    • Spiced Greens The Happy Herbivore Cookbook (helllo slow cooker)

    For Dinner #2:

    • Happy Herbivore's Aztec Corn Soup (helllo slow cooker also!) Not only is this soup absolutely delicious, it is also extremely nutritious because of the quinoa base.  Quinoa is the "perfect food"--it has all of the amino acids in it (pretty much the only food that has that!).  It also is very yummy with an almost nutty flavor.  The green chilis in this soup are what make it sing.  Can't wait to share one of my favorites with the family!)
    • Spiced Greens  The Happy Herbivore Cookbook (oh yes, we are trying to be smart this year & bring the same dish to both events!)
    Now if you are still trying to figure out what you are going to make, here are a few other ideas from my Best of the Blogosphere! last week:

    Holiday Meal Suggestions:
    I found this holiday recipe gold mine Bon Appetit's Best Gluten-Free & Vegan Blogs for the Holidays!  How can you ever go wrong with Bon Appetit?!  

    The Healthy Librarian's Top Ten Holiday Weekend Dishes (as voted by her family!):  Can I just say that the HL really has some of the tastiest recipes ever & the fact that they are nearly all Esselstyn-approved--awesome!

    Happy Herbivore Plant-Based Vegan Christmas Recipes:  As always, Lindsay Nixon gives us a bunch of delicious recipe suggestions for the Holidays.  

    Healthy Girl's Kitchen's "Links for Latkas":  Ok so I'm not Jewish but I grew up in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and work at a Jewish hospital so unsurprisingly, I LOVE Latkas.  That said they are super unhealthy and I haven't had some in forever.  Thank you Wendy for posting all these healthy Latka options--whether you celebrate Chanukah or not, make some Latkas!! SO yummy!

    Post Punk Kitchen: Holiday Recipes:  Ok this is an AMAZING collection of plant-strong holiday options!!  As always I particularly love the ease of finding recipes--click on a picture, boom you are there (like the Happy Herbivore recipe site that I like so much)  New Blog for me to follow!  Looking forward to it! :-)

    My New Roots Blog:  Yummy looking, very nutrient-dense, immune-promoting holiday options.  Another great new blog I've found!

    Continuing THIS WEEK 
    • ITS THE HOLIDAY HAPPINESS MARATHON!!!  Doctors, Nurses & Patients Share Special Medical Moments That Will Warm Your Heart During the Holiday Chaos!
    Coming Up After the Holidays:
    • SuperImmunity for Kids ~Part 2~!
    • Medical System TuesdayTip #10 For The Best Hospital Care:  Try Not to Be Alone! ~ Insider Tips on How to Get the BEST Medical Care in the Hospital ~
    • 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.
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