Bean & Rice Gumbo

My husband really enjoyed this, and I was pleasantly surprised at how thick and flavorful the gumbo actually cooked up given the simplicity of the ingredients.  This recipe originally came from the McDougall Quick & Easy Cookbook.

Ingredients:

1 cup instant brown rice (dry)
1 onion, chopped (small)
1 red bell pepper, chopped (small)
2 stalks celery, chopped (small)
1 clove minced garlic
4 cups vegetable broth
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1-2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
2-3 tablespoons Frank's RedHot hot sauce
1 16 oz bag frozen okra

Cook the rice separately (according to the manufacturer's directions - I used 1 3/4 cups water to 1 cup rice and cooked for about 10 min); set aside.

Place the onion, pepper, celery, and garlic in a large pot with 1/2 cup of broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Add the remaining broth, the beans, and seasonings.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add the frozen okra and lightly simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Stir in the cooked rice and serve at once.

Quick Glazed Pecans (for salads)

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat.  Add a couple handfuls of pecans.  Toast, stirring frequently, for a couple minutes.  Sprinkle a generous amount of sugar in the pan.  Also, sprinkle in some salt.  Keep an eye on the pan now...and stir frequently until the sugar melts and is brown (but not burnt).  When done, pour out onto a piece of wax paper...(don't worry if it's clumpy) and let cool for 10 minutes.  Once cool, gently break pecans into separate pieces.  Sprinkle in salad and enjoy!

Mock (Vegan) Feta Cheese

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon dried basil (or 2 tbs fresh)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 lb. firm tofu, herb or regular flavored, cubed or crumbled

Directions:

1.  Place everything EXCEPT the tofu in the bowl, and whisk together.

2.  Add tofu, stir, and let marinate for overnight.

3.  Strain before using.

This is great on salads!  I love to serve this on a spinach salad with apples and toasted pecans (with my low-fat shallot vinaigrette (see recipe for this on the blog)).

Low-Fat Shallot Vinaigrette

Prep Time:10 min

Makes: about 1 cup

Ingredients

1/4 cup white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, or aged sherry wine vinegar
2 to 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely minced shallots
2/3 cup water

Directions
In a small jar, add all the ingredients.  Seal jar tightly with a lid and shake vigorously until combined. Use immediately or store covered, in the refrigerator, for up to a week.

Note:

This salad dressing especially good on a bed of raw baby spinach topped with apples, toasted pecans (with a little sugar), and homemade vegan feta (see recipe on the blog).

Overnight Oatmeal

This is a simple way to make a delicious, healthy breakfast by preparing it the night before so it will be ready to eat in the morning.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: none
Servings: 1

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 cup almond milk
1-2 tablespoons raisins or chopped dates
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a container and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.  The next morning either enjoy the cereal cold or microwave until warmed. Stir in some seasonal fresh berries or top with sliced banana, if desired.

Variation:  I like to add an extra 1/2 cup of almond milk and 1/2 cup of cooked farro to this recipe...the farro ads a chewy, nuttiness to the oatmeal that is really satisfying.

Mock Hollandaise Sauce - Vegan!

Serves 2 (can easily be doubled)

1/4 cup cashews
1 cup water
4-5 Tbs Lemon Juice (to taste)
1 tsp nutritional yeast powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/16 tsp turmeric pinch cayenne (or paprika)
1 Tbs cornstarch
   freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Place cashews and 1/2 cup of the water in a blender; process briefly (until smooth looking); add remainder of water (1/2 cup) and ingredients; process for 30 more seconds. Pour into a saucepan and heat over medium fire, stirring constantly, until thickened (it's okay if it comes to a slow boil - remember, this is mock Hollandaise)!

My mother serves this as a main course over an opened baked potato stuffed with steamed broccoli. To make the potato entree, simply, bake the potato and stuff it with steamed broccoli.  To finish, nap the sauce over the top and sprinkle toasted sliced almonds! It makes a super yummy, and super healthy meal...and best of all, it's low-fat and vegan!

Cucumber Salad with Olives, Oregano, and Almonds

Serves 4 to 6 .

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We started our Cucumber Salad recipe by selecting American cucumbers, which are crunchier than their English cousins. Draining the thinly sliced cucumbers on paper towels helped to wick away some of their moisture...

This salad is best served within one hour of being dressed.

INGREDIENTS
4 cucumbers , peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced very thin
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives , chopped coarse
1 shallot , sliced very thin
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
3 tablespoons sliced almonds , toasted and chopped coarse

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Evenly spread cucumber slices on paper towel–lined baking sheet. Refrigerate while preparing dressing.
2. Bring vinegar to simmer in saucepan over medium-low heat; cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer vinegar to bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Whisk in lemon juice, oil, sugar, salt, and pepper.
3. When ready to serve, add cucumbers, olives, shallot, parsley, and oregano to dressing and toss to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes; retoss, sprinkle with almonds, and serve.