It was my part-time nanny who discovered little Rascal’s love for rice — “RASH, Mama, RASH!” And it was my part-time nanny who fed him hot dogs for lunch today. I almost had a heart attack when she told me, especially since I’m trying REALLY HARD to adopt the DR. FUHRMAN’s eating plan for my children (sshhhh! don’t tell Josh) — which emphasizes loads of vegetables and very little animal products. I’ll leave MOST of the treats and animal products to grandma and the nanny…. The kids’ll thank me later.

Because they had hot dogs for lunch (God help me), I wanted to give them a straight vegan dinner. And it was NICE for me to be able to eat exactly what they were eating. I made this great pesto rice dish and some grilled peppers and portobello mushrooms — which EASILY take the place of steak on a vegan plate. YUM. I finished the meal off with a KALE/banana/strawberry/omega 3 oil smoothie. The ingredients of which I could never duplicate (but see sidebar tag cloud for sneaky smoothie ideas).

And now for the recipes. Check it….

PESTO RICE

INGREDIENTS (serves 4-6)
1 cup Brown Rice
2 cups Water
1/2 cup Chopped Mushroom
Basil (to taste)
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
Salt (DASH; optional)
Pepper (to taste; optional)
Handful Pine Nuts (or so)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. COOK RICE: In a medium-sized pot, pour in the rice and water and BOIL. Turn heat down to low when water starts to boil, and let sit for 15 mins. Turn OFF heat, and let sit until all water is absorbed.
2. Sprinkle the mushrooms on top as rice sits cooking (this will steam them to perfection).
3. Once rice is done, and enough water absorbed, add the oil, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and pine nuts. Note that HEAT IS OFF. We want to keep the oil, etc., raw, for maximum health benefits!

Et voila!

ROASTED RED PEPPERS AND PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

INGREDIENTS
Portobello Mushrooms (thickly sliced)
Red Pepper (sliced)
Any other veggie
Canola Oil Spray (preferably high-heat resistant Spectrum, organic)
Tamari Sauce (or soy sauce)

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place reusable silicon mat on baking sheet (to make it nonstick). Place veggies on baking sheet and SPRAY until just covered. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until peppers start to darken and crisp lightly at the edges. Place veggies in a bowl and mix with tamari sauce to taste. ENJOY!

The reason it’s sexy is because it’s VEGAN (with vegetarian options), it’s YUMMY, and there’s NO TOFU INVOLVED, and, still, it offers a nourishing, satisfying amount of protein, fiber and nutrients. Black beans make a WONDROUS, whole-food alternative to ground meats.

I had the vegan version of the dish, and my kids and Josh-O enjoyed a little organic cheddar cheese grated on top. I don’t do soy cheese because I can’t find a brand that I like (and I’m not a believer in fake anything); so, I can tell you the dish was still delicious sans any cheese. If you’re really LAZY, you could sprinkle parmesan on top. But, this is Mexican we’re talking about here — which means GRATED cheddar. Besides, let’s face it, the big parmesan brands that you buy in the grocery store, are, well, pretty-much fake and laden with salt and chemicals…. Blech.

You can add any vegetable you want to this. But, if you’re dealing with picky children, sometimes a purée is best. Because I’m the Cheatiest cook in the West…, I added a spinach purée to it, which I’ll include in the recipe. Spinach is one of those super-healthy leafy greens that is a MUST in the diet, and it offers good calcium and iron for vegans (especially when combined with the vitamin-C in the tomato sauce).

Okay, so CHECK IT! Oh, and by the way, I’m putting vague amounts here, because they really vary, depending on how many people you’re serving, how much pasta you’re using, etc.. You’ll see….

INGREDIENTS

1/2 jar tomato sauce (any variety)
1/2 jar mild salsa
1 can black beans
1 cup spinach (to be purée in 1/4 cup water) (optional)
1 cup grated soy or organic cheddar cheese (optional)
Cooked pasta (or rice)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour all the ingredients over hot cooked pasta (or rice)!
2. Grate your cheese on top (in front of the kids, if possible, because they find it thoroughly entertaining — think making-spaghetti-with-play-dough…).
3. Stir it up!
4. ENJOY!

P.S.: This dish keeps really well in the fridge for a good 3-5 days. Or, freeze for later!

So, the other day, I mentioned BRIEFLY at Cheaty Monkey that I made a lasagna. And, since then, I have gotten TONS of requests for the recipe. So, here it is!

As with all lasagnas, this one incorporates a mish mash of things — like, whatever I had in the fridge that day. Errmmm, I happened to have an eggplant and portobello mushrooms in the fridge, which aren’t ANYONE’S usual fare. I’d bought them for some specific recipes that I ended up being too lazy to try…. So, they started rotting, and I thought LASAGNA! They ended up being perfect ingredients for the lasagna because they’re both very “meatie” vegetables — perfect for a vegetarian lasagna. Anyway, feel free to have fun with this, and throw in WHATEVER! Anything goes with lasagna!

INGREDIENTS

(Makes 8 servings)

9 whole-wheat lasagna noodles
1 onion, chopped
1 eggplant, sliced
3 portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 16-oz. container low-fat cottage cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tbs.)
1 can chickpeas (optional — for an extra punch of protien and fiber!)
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz.)
1 bottle of favourite tomato sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook noodles according to the package directions.

2. Blend cottage cheese, garlic, and chickpeas (if using) in food processor/blender for 3 minutes, or until smooth. Stir in spinach and egg.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat large pyrex dish (or whatever you’re using to bake the lasagna) with cooking spray. Place 3 noodles in bottom of pan, then 1/3 of the spinach mixture on top, then 1/3 of the eggplant and mushrooms, THEN pour a layer of tomato sauce on top, and sprinkle with 2 Tbs. feta. Repeat the layers twice, and top with remaining feta and the shredded mozzarella.

4. Coat sheet of foil with cooking spray. Place it over the lasagna, and bake for 45 minutes.

5. Uncover, and bake 5 minutes more. Let stand 5 minutes more before serving, or cool completely, and freeze.

NOTE: To reheat, let lasagna sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 20 minutes

ENJOY! And, let us know how you liked it in the comments!

I can’t get enough of this quinoa dish, Gorgeouses. I’ve made enough for what I thought were a few days, but it’s lasting me FIVE WHOLE DAYS. Quinoa’s just so FILLING, you know?

I got the recipe from a cookbook I am LOVING….

This cookbook is so deliciously healthy. I love it. It focuses on whole foods — which I am ALL ABOUT — and encourages a sensible balance of proteins, complex carbohydrates and fat. Author Tosca Reno suggests simply that each meal should contain a moderate amount of healthy protein. There’s no counting or weighing. It’s all common sense. A VERY DOABLE program. I did own her diet book at one point, but I sold it, because I found all the information and RECIPES I needed in the cookbook AND in her AWESOME NEW RELEASE (which I bought, of course), The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids:

I’ll talk more about this ULTIMATE family cookbook SHOON. For now, back to Reno’s fab quinoa recipe WHICH I adapted, as I always do, to make it just a WEE bit yummier and even more filling. Check it:

QUINOA WITH SUNDRIED TOMATOES

Look how fluffy that quinoa turned out!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6):

1 tsp best-quality olive oil
8 sundried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
2 minced shallots (I used green onions — is that the same thing?)
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium, low-fat chicken or vegetable stock (OPTIONAL)
1 cup dry quinoa
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro (OPTIONAL)
1 tsp sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper

About 1 cup of CASHEWS!!!

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Rinse quinoa grains in fine mesh sieve (to remove the bitter saponin layer) until water runs clear (about 1 minute).

2. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add tomatoes, shallots, and garlic. Sauté until shallots are softened. (I used green onions, by the way, so this took very little time).

3. Add stock OR water and bring to a boil.

4. Stir in quinoa and cayenne pepper. Return to boil.

5. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

6. Let stand for 5 minutes, and fluff with a fork.

7. Mix in the seasonings!

8. CHEATY SUGGESTION: Place small handful of cashew pieces (you can break them up individually — very easy) in each dish for an extra CRUNCH and an extra filling PROTEIN PUNCH. YUMMMM!

9. Enjoy! And, let us know how you liked it in the comments (which are now working again thanks to my GORG designer — YAY!).

As I get closer and closer to vegan status, I’m finding myself buying all sorts of great vegetarian/vegan cookbooks (COUGHsupportmybookbuyinghabit HERE!COUGH…). My latest find is Edith Rothschild’s Nutrilicious.

This book is ADORABLE. It’s written by Jewish GREAT-GRANDMOTHER. And, even though it calls itself “Kosher,” it’s great for everyone. I mean, I’m not even Kosher, and I LOVE it. It’s seriously PACKED with great information and health tips — and some THUPER sweet poems! And, for you non-vegans out there who would like to incorporate more vegetarian meals into their week (please do!), the book does include a few (free-range!) egg and fish recipes.

The recipes I’ve tried so far have been delish — not only for me, but for my non-veg hubby and kids. Here are two of them that we’ve totally enjoyed.

SUMMER SALAD SUPREME (p. 78)

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2):

2 cups shredded packed romaine lettuce
1 large orange or 2 tangerines, peeled and chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
1 small grapefruit, peeled and chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp NUTTY-EDITH CRUNCH (this is another great recipe on p. 181 of the book, but I just ground raw almonds and walnuts together in a coffee grinder, and it was WICKED ‘LICIOUS! A kind of paste formed that mixed GORGEOUSLY with the oil and lemon juice….. If you don’t want to do it my way, the author suggests that you use sunflower seeds if you don’t feel like making the NUTTY-EDITH CRUNCH)
1 – 2 tsp flaxseed oil
A small handful of organic golden raisins or dried organic cranberries.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all the ingredients in medium bowl, toss well, and ENJOY!

BENEFITS (qtd. directly from book):

What’s supreme about this salad? It’s as refreshing as a cool breeze on a hot summer day. I eat it all year ’round, whenever I need a light lunch and some vitamin C. Whenever we combine fruit with salad greens, we slow down the absorption of sugars from the fruit into our bodies. This enables us to keep our energy level up longer and prevents us from getting hungry again too soon.

JOKE (qtd. directly from book): “If life hands you a lemon, squeeze it into your salads.”

QUICK APPLE TREAT (p. 224)

INGREDIENTS (Serves 1):

1 medium sweet apple (I might even add some cheaty little blueberries or raisins to this!)
2 tbsp sugar-free jam or organic apple butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Peel the apple, cut it into 8 or more wedges, and discard core.
2. Place the jam or apple butter in a medium-sized skillet and heat at Medium-High, until bubbly.
3. Stir in the apple slices, turn heat down to LOW, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, turning the apples over once.
4. ENJOY!

BENEFITS (qtd. directly from book):

This takes much less time than making applesauce, baked apples or apple pie and quickly fills a sweet tooth.

Avoid Six White Foods!!!!!
White sugar, White Flour, White Rice, White Chocolate, Salt and Milk.

Cheaty HIGHLY recommends this cookbook if not only because it’s singlehandedly brought me back to WHOLE FOOD — in the real sense of the term. It’s made my kitchen a warm and exciting place to cook in again.