Recipes

Vegetarian Diet Perks

With so many diets out there, which one is best? A vegetarian diet might be. Researchers assigned 74 adults with type 2 diabetes to a low-calorie vegetarian diet or a standard low-calorie diet recommended for diabetes. In six months, the vegetarians lost more body fat, achieved better blood sugar control, and became more responsive to insulin--the compound produced by the pancreas that lowers blood sugar levels. The vegetarians got 60% of their calories from carbohydrates, 15% from protein, and 25% from fat. The only animal products allowed were one cup of low-fat yogurt per day.
(Source: Journal of the American College of Nutrition)

Also, note that you may want diabetic friendly potatoes. This will help to reduce the glycemic load of potatoes by about 25 percent. You can achieve this by refrigerating your potatoes for 24 hours after cooking. This reduces the effect of the potatoes on blood sugar levels because the cool temperature converts the starch into a form that is broken down more slowly in the body.

Granola

Stir together:

14 C. oatmeal - old fashion or quick (I use approx. ½ of each)
2 C. raw wheat germ
2 C. coconut - sweetened or unsweetened
2 C. raw sunflower seeds
2 C. chopped nuts (We love nuts so I put in 4 cups, slivered almonds, pecans or walnuts.)
2 C. sesame seeds (We don't care for these so I omit them, or add a cup of flax meal and let the extra nuts take the place of sesame seeds.)

Blend:

1 C. water
1 C. oil
1 C. brown sugar (may substitute honey if prefer)
2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. vanilla (I add 1 tsp. each of almond &/or coconut flavoring)

Add to dry ingredient and mix well. Spread in 2 large pans - like broiling pans.

Bake in 200 - 225 oven until browned and crisp (usually 2 1/2 to 3 hrs.) stirring every 30 - 45 minutes. Or bake at 185 for 6 to 7 hours and on that low temp you don't need to stir - of if so, only once.

Ice Cream Substitute

1 cup raw cashew nuts rinsed
1 can cream of coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon powder stevia or 1 banana or sweeten to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 cups ice cubes

Blend first 5 ingredients until smooth. Gradually add ice cubes blending until smooth. If using a regular blender [not heavy duty] you may want to divide blended cream and add 1/2 of the cubes, remove and repeat - will give a smoother ice cream.

Serve immediately for soft ice cream or pour into the container and freeze for at least 3 hours. If completely frozen, thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes or in micro on 20% for 1 minute.

I often don't add any sweeter - but if desired a few tablespoons of honey is great. A nice variation is to substitute 2 cups of the ice cubes with frozen strawberries.

Indian Lentil Soup

1 cup dry red lentils
5 cups water
1 crushed garlic clove
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 & 1/2 cups canned chunky tomatoes
1 & 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 & 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Combine the lentils, water, garlic, oil, onion, celery, and carrots in a soup pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and let simmer for about 2 hours. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, chili powder and salt and let simmer a few more minutes. Just before serving, add the parsley and remove bay leaf.

Delicious Vegan Lasagna

14 ounces firm tofu
1 cup vegenaise or mayonnaise
4 teaspoons sugar or equal amount Stevia
1 small onion - finely chopped
3 cloves garlic – pressed
10 leaves fresh basil – chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 jars spaghetti sauce
6 to 8 precooked whole wheat lasagna noodles

Mix first 7 ingredients together. In a greased baking dish, layer sauce, noodles and tofu mixture. Repeat layers and top with sauce. Bake at 350 degrees in the oven for 1 hour.

Onion-Topped Lentil Rice

Fried onions top a mixture of lentils and rice seasoned with cumin and garlic powder - very healthy!!

Prep time 15minutes, Cook time 1 hour, Ready in 1 hour 25 minutes.

Serves 6

1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup white rice, rinsed
3/4 cup water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 white onions, sliced into 1/4 - inch rings

Combine the lentils, 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoon salt, the cumin, and garlic powder in a pot over medium heat; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook until the lentils begin to soften, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir the rice, 3/4 cup of water, 1 teaspoon salt, and the olive oil into the lentils. Cover the pot and continue cooking until the lentils and rice are tender about 40 minutes.

Heat the cooking oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook the onions in the oil until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Spread the onions over the rice and lentil mixture to serve.

Red Potato Salad

Yield: 7 (1/2-cup) serving

2 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed (approximately 8 medium potatoes)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dill pickles, preferably naturally fermented
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 – 3/4 cup vegan mayonnaise (such as Just Mayo)

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Heat to boiling; cover, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Drain potatoes and rinse with cold water. Cool slightly and cut into 1-inch cubes with a serrated knife.
Stir warm potatoes, lemon juice, and salt together in a bowl.
Refrigerate potatoes while chopping and measuring remaining ingredients.
Add green onions, pickles, parsley, and mayonnaise to potatoes, and stir. (If desired, cover and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 24 hours before serving.) If potato salad is too dry, stir in additional mayonnaise.

Peaches & Cream Smoothie

2 cups frozen peaches (about 8 ounces)
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup frozen orange-peach-mango juice concentrate
1/2 cup soy milk or vanilla nondairy yogurt

Remove peaches from the freezer, and let stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes to thaw slightly (or defrost in the microwave at 50 percent power for 1 minute).
Pour water, juice concentrate, and soy milk or yogurt into blender.
Add peaches. Cover and blend until smooth, about 30-60 seconds.
Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers or freeze in popsicle molds.

Kale and White Bean Soup

1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth (low-sodium preferred)
1 bunch kale, ribs removed and chopped
2 large carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch coins
1 (15-ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Salt, to taste

In large, heavy-bottomed pot, cook onions with olive oil over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer. When onions and garlic are translucent, add vegetable broth, kale, carrots, and tomatoes. Cover, and cook until carrots and kale are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Add cannellini beans, salt to taste, and cook until beans are heated through.

Delicious and Light Waffles

2 cups white whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups soy milk
1-2 tablespoons oil (optional)

Mix flour, baking powder, and sea salt together. Make a well in the middle and slowly stir in milk and oil. The dough consistency should be like honey running off of a spoon. If needed, add more milk or water to get the desired consistency. Depending on the size of the waffle iron, use about 1/2 cup of dough per waffle, and cook for approximately 12 minutes (the time will vary from iron to iron).

For variation, try one of these flavorful additions:

a dash of cinnamon
vanilla or maple flavoring
1 cup of blueberries or other fruit

Caribbean Bean Salad

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained
2 1/4 cups frozen organic corn
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup purple onion, diced very finely
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
rind of 1/2 lime

*In a pot, prepare corn according to package instructions. Drain and cool.

*Mix corn with remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until served. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Mexican Inspired Stuffed Peppers

Yield: 7 servings

4 large green bell peppers (tops, seeds, and membranes removed)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups cooked rice
1 (15 ounces) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 ounces) can chili-style diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 ounces) package shredded Mexican cheese blend

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Bring a large pot of water to boil: cook green bell peppers in the boiling water until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat: cook and stir onion in the hot oil until softened and transparent, 5 to 10 minutes.
Mix rice, black beans, tomatoes, and cooked onion in a large bowl. Add chili powder, garlic salt, cumin, and salt: stir until evenly mixed. Fold 1 ½ cups Mexican cheese blend into rice mixture. Spoon rice mixture into each pepper: arrange peppers in 9x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle peppers with remaining Mexican cheese blend.
Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Mighty Mac Burgers

1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
2 cups quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sage
1 1/4 cups water, save some
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1 medium onion, minced
1 teaspoon salt

Whiz garbanzo beans and water in the blender. Pour mixture into the bowl and add remaining ingredients. (Use less salt if using canned garbanzos.) Stir. Form patties, using an ice cream scoop or a 1/4 measuring cup. Carefully place patties on baking sheet sprayed with vegetable spray and bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes. Or fry in nonstick skillet with a minimum amount of oil. Serve patties on whole-wheat buns with lettuce, tomatoes, etc.

Delicious Hummus

3 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup of tahini
1 (15-oz.) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped onion
Salt to taste (1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon)
Bell peppers, jalapeños, or black olives (optional)

Blend above ingredients until smooth and enjoy on crackers, as a dip or on bread as a spread.

Delicious and Easy Cauliflower Soup

1 medium head of cauliflower, broken into florets
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 & 1/2 cups of water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups of 2% milk
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, carrot, celery, water, and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender (do not drain). In another large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Stir in the cheese until melted. Stir into the cauliflower mixture.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

3 & 1/2 cups of water
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup potato, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1 & 1/2 tablespoons McKay’s chicken-style seasoning
Dash of cayenne pepper
3/4 cup of additional water
1 cup of cashew pieces
1/2 cup of nutritional yeast
2 &1/2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 cup of red bell pepper or pimento
3 to 4 cups of broccoli, chopped (may also use cauliflower or asparagus)

Bring 3 1/2 cups of water to a boil and add onion, potatoes, celery, carrots, garlic, dill weed, chicken-style seasoning, and cayenne. Reduce heat to medium. In a blender, combine 3/4 cups of water, cashews, yeast, salt, and red bell pepper. Blend until very smooth. When vegetables are tender add cashew sauce and broccoli. Return to a boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes at a high boil. Remove from heat.

Creamy, Delicious, and Easy Sweet Potato Soup

2 large baked sweet potatoes
2 cups of chicken broth
1 tablespoon of reduced-calorie margarine
1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
1 cup of fat-free evaporated milk or milk of choice
1 tablespoon of chopped & toasted pecans (optional)

Blend peeled sweet potatoes with 3/4 cup of broth until smooth. Melt margarine in saucepan; stir in flour and ginger, and then add milk. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Cook 1 minute more and then stir in sweet potato mixture and remaining 1 & 1/4 cups of broth. Cook, stirring until heated through. Garnish soup in a bowl with pecans.

Vegetable Pasta Soup

2 pounds of Morning Star Farms ground veggie-burger
3 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil
1 & 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 & 1/2 cups of thinly sliced carrots
1 & 1/2 cups of diced celery or zucchini
48 ounces of canned tomatoes, diced
2 cups of red kidney beans, cooked
2 cups of white kidney beans, cooked
11 cups (88 ounces) of beef-style stock
3 teaspoons of oregano
5 tablespoons of parsley, chopped
1 (48 ounces) jar Prego spaghetti sauce
8 ounces wheat pasta shell macaroni

Sauté veggie burger and onion in oil. Add carrots, celery, tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse beans and add to pot. Add beef stock, oregano, parsley, and spaghetti sauce. Simmer until celery and carrots are tender, about 45 minutes. Add cooked macaroni.

Chickpea Stew

1 whole garlic clove, chopped
2 sweet onions, chopped
1 medium-size green pepper, chopped
1 can of diced tomatoes or 3 large (fresh) tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup of olive oil
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon of steak sauce
1 package of Sazon Goya seasonings
4 cans of garbanzo (chickpeas) beans, drained
1 box of Morning Star Farms spicy black bean patties
4 red potatoes with skins, diced

Simmer first 4 ingredients in 1/3 cup of oil. Fry patties, cool slightly and crumble. Add everything to the pot and simmer for an hour or longer.

Minestrone Soup

4 cups of vegetable broth
2 15 1/2 - ounce cans rinsed & drained beans, kidney, great northern, garbanzo or black
2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 of a medium size onion, chopped
3/4 cup of small pasta, shells, macaroni or etc.
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes, undrained

Stir together broth, beans, vegetable, onion, pasta and basil in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in tomatoes and heat through.

Tomato Bisque Soup

1 bay leaf
4 cups of stewed canned tomatoes
2 teaspoons of salt
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 tablespoons of chopped onions
2 tablespoons of parsley
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 cup of hot water
3 tablespoons of margarine
3 tablespoons of flour
1 & 2/3 cup evaporated milk (13 oz.) or milk of choice
1 cup of cooked rice

Cook first 7 ingredients together for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Blend until smooth. Add water. Blend margarine and flour together. Add to tomato mixture and simmer until thick - about 5 minutes. Add milk and rice. Heat and serve.

Vegetarian Bean Soup

1 16-ounce package of great northern beans
2 & 1/2 quarts of water
1/4 cup of oil
1 cup of onions, chopped
1 cup of celery with leaves, sliced
1 cup of carrots, sliced or diced
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 cup of tomatoes
3 tablespoons of parsley, minced
2 teaspoons of salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon of sweet basil

Soak beans overnight in water.

Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1 & 1/2 hours, adding water as needed. Heat the oil in a skillet. Sauté onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and oregano about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add to beans. Stir in tomatoes, parsley, salt, and sweet basil. Cook until beans are tender, approximately 1 hour.

Fresh Applesauce

Yield: 6 servings

8 apples (such as Braeburn, or Jonathan), cored, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1. Place apples in a 5-quart pot. Add sugar cinnamon, lemon juice, and vanilla. Add just enough water to cover half the apples (to prevent a watery sauce).
2. Bring apples to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer until apples are soft about 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Hand-blend or mash apples to desired consistency. Serve warm or cold.