Veggie Stirfry with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:
1 Zucchini, thinly sliced
1 Summer Squash, thinly sliced
1 Carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 Green Bell Pepper
1/2 Red Bell Pepper
1/2 Cup Tofu, 1 inch cubes
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Tablespoon Water
1 Tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
Salt, to taste
Optional: Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
1 Tablespoon EVO or Ghee

Directions:
Heat up the Ghee/Oil in a Wok or non-stick pan, over medium heat.
While this is heating up, heat up the Peanut Butter, Soy Sauce and Water (in the microwave) for 10-15 seconds, stir.
Sautée all the vegetables for 7-10 minutes. Add in the salt and any other seasonings you prefer.
Once they soften up, add the tofu and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Serve over rice.
Optional: drizzle some Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce to spice things up!!

Spinach Salad

I can't believe I am actually doing a "recipe" blog for this. Its really so easy. Take a huge bowl and add all of the following ingredients together:

• Spinach - 2 cups (makes salad for one person)
• Shredded Cheese (sharp cheddar) - 2 tablespoons
• Sunflower seeds - 1 tablespoon 
• Veggie Patch meatless meatballs - 5 to 7 of them, cooked
• Catalina Dressing - 1 tablespoon (fat free)

For a vegan/healthier twist, skip the cheese!

Fiber for Vegetarians

We have all seen people emphasize health benefits of a high fiber meals, so what exactly are these benefits? Fiber enables proper function of your digestive tract. It also reduced the risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. According to the Mayo Clinic women should try and eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber daily, and 30 to 38 grams for men.

So one of my resolutions this year was to quit meat, and another one was to reduce processed food. So the options I am providing you are Vegetarian and Vegan friendly. A few things from the list below that I use on a daily basis are: Apple, Avocado, Blackberries, Cherries, Coconut Water, Mango, Nectarine, Pear, Raspberries, Spinach, Strawberries etc. Don't have time to eat them, well make a smoothie and drink it up!

Wanting to change your eating lifestyle is a slow process. Take it one step at a time. Here is a detailed list of fiber content in food items that are readily available.

Source: Mayo Clinic

Pineapple Buffalo Tofu Quesadillas

(Serves 4 – 2 half quesadillas per serving)

Ingredients:

• Pam Cooking Spray
• 8 ounces Extra Firm Tofu, Pressed (see directoions below)
• 4 Whole Flour Tortillas
• Buffalo Sauce - I used Mexican Cholula Sauce (its a cross between hot and buffalo sauce - heat: medium)
• 5 Green Onions, Finely Chopped
• 2 medium Tomatoes, Finely Chopped
• 1 medium Yellow Onion, Sliced
• ½ Red Bell Pepper, Sliced
• 1 can (8 oz) Dole Crushed Pineapple with Juice - avoid the one with syrup
• ¼ Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• ¼ Tsp Cumin
• ½ Tsp Salt
• 1 cup Shredded Cheese
• 4 Tbsp Low Fat Sour Cream

Directions:

1. Heat a Tbsp of Olive Oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the Onions to the pan. Sauté till they soften and then add the Pineapple with its juice. Cook till about 1/2 the juice has evaporated. 
2. Add in the Red Bell Pepper, Cumin, Red Pepper Flakes and Salt. Once the juices are done cooking set the mixture aside. Let this cool to room temperature. 
3. In a separate bowl crumble the pre-pressed tofu. If you haven't pressed tofu yet or need directions on it, please read the notes section below. Add in the Buffalo sauce, as much as you need. I would start with a very small quantity. Fold in the Pineapple mixture and the remaining vegetables. 
4. Spray the inside of a skillet lightly with Pam Cooking Spray and heat the tortilla. Once it softens up, layer half the tortilla with the filling and some shredded cheese. Fold.
5. Cook evenly on both sides. Be careful when flipping over the YUMMY Quesadilla! It takes less than a minute to cook these so be very careful.

Serve warm with sour cream!

I find sautéing vegetables and then making quesadillas very easy. For a quick meal, I would make the vegetable filling on my day off and refrigerate it. This made for a healthy meal when you are pressed for time. This is ideal for college students too! 

Pressing Tofu:

1. Open the package and drain the water. 
2. Cut the tofu width wise. I typically cut them into 5-6 pieces. 
3. Place a single layer of these on a towel. I use paper towels, mainly because it makes for an easy and quick cleanup. 
4. Using my hand and another paper  towel I pat the pieces dry. Get as much moisture off by patting them. NOTE: The tofu (even if you by extra firm) is still tender at this point. 
5. Layer a new set of 2-4 paper towels and place a single layer of the tofu on cutting board.
6. Cover this layer with another 2-4 paper towels. Place a bowl or large plate and some heavy objects so the water gets out of the yummy tofu! 
7. I use a square serving platter and add some canned goods. Let it drain for about 30 minutes and your tofu is ready! 

PS: Amazon does sell equipment that presses Tofu but why pay when you can do it at home for a fraction of the cost. 

Protein for Vegetarians

Protein intake for vegetarians is the most discussed topic. Most people tend to think that vegetarians and vegans lack protein in their regular diet. Most people also fail to realize that there are several options that vegetarians can fall back on. Here are a few things that I would recommend if you are looking for vegetarian protein options. Several of these are common in Indian foods and those are on the top of my list as thats what I mostly consume. If you need recipe suggestions feel free to leave me a comment.

I have broken these down into different categories, such as: Grains, Nuts, Beans, Soy, Lentils, Dairy, Vegetables, Etc. I have also included some of the Indian names for the lentils.

Vegetables: Broccoli, Avocado, Spinach, etc.
Grains: Quinoa, Brown Rice, Barley, Couscous, Oats etc.
Nuts: Peanuts, Pistachios, Cashews, Almonds, Walnuts, Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, etc.
Beans: Garbanzo (Chickpeas), Pinto, Black, Kidney, Hummus, etc.
Soy: Soy Milk, Soy Yogurt (recommend Silk), Tofu, Edamame, Tempeh, Soy Butter, etc.
Dairy: Cottage Cheese, Greek Yogurt (recommend Chobani), Milk, Ricotta Cheese, Cream Cheese, etc.
Lentils: Black Lentils (Beluga, Urad Daal: black or white), Black Chickpeas (Kala Channa, Bengal Gram), Brown Lentils (Masoor: brown or red), Yellow Lentils (Channa Daal), Split Peas (Moong Daal or Val Daal), Pigeon Peas (Toor Daal), French Green Lentils, etc.
Additional Sources: Protein Bars (Luna or Zone), Protein Supplements such as Hemp Powder.

Please Note:

• If you do consume eggs, I don't recommend egg substitute as its very processed. 
• Upon further research I also found that sprouted lentils tend to lose nutritional value. I personally don't like the taste of sprouted lentils so I avoid it. 
• Be careful when using canned beans. They have a ridiculous amount of sodium that they use in the preserving process. Rinse them throughly before using. I recommend using soaked beans but I can totally understand if you are pressed for time. 
• Being vegetarian is a lifestyle choice ... and I promise its a yummy journey! 

Spicy Desi (Indian) Potato Tian

Spicy Desi (Indian) Potato Tian

(Serves 2)

 Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Pam Cooking Spray
• 1 lb Red Potatoes, Sliced
• 1/2 cup Maggi Tomato Chatpat Sauce 
• 1 cup Pepperjack Cheese, Shredded
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/2 tsp Chaat Masala (optional)
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the Olive Oil, Cumin, Red Pepper Flakes and Chaat Masala. Set aside. 
3. Spray the inside of a baking dish with the Pam Cooking Spray and place all the potatoes vertically as shown in the picture below. 
4. Drizzle the oil and spices mix over the potatoes. Bake for 60 minutes or until it is golden brown. 
5. Drizzle some Tomato Sauce and Cheese. 
6. Serve warm.

I usually serve this as a side. For those of you wondering what Tian means or where I got that word from, according to Google its a dish of finely chopped vegetables cooked in Olive Oil and then baked.

Spinach Mushroom Quesadillas

Spinach Mushroom Quesadillas

(Serves 4 – 2 half quesadillas per serving)

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Pam Cooking Spray
• 8 ounces White Mushrooms, Sliced
• 8 cups Baby Spinach
• 8 Whole Flour Tortillas
• 1 medium Yellow Onion, Sliced
• ½ Red Bell Pepper, Sliced
• ¼ Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• ¼ Tsp Cumin
• ½ Tsp Salt
• 4 Slices of Cheese or 1 cup Shredded Cheese
• 4 Tbsp Low Fat Sour Cream

Directions:

1. Heat a Tbsp of Olive Oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the Onions to the pan. Sauté till they turn yellow and then add the Red Bell Peppers. NOTE: We only want to soften the peppers. Set this aside.
2. In the same pan add in the Mushrooms and cook for 3-5 minutes. Once the mushrooms soften up add in the Spinach. Note: You will need to constantly toss the Spinach so that it doesn't burn. The goal here is to wilt the Spinach.
3. Add in the onion and pepper mix. Now let’s add in all the seasoning.
4. The salt tends to make the vegetables sweat a tad more, so cook for another 3-5 minutes. Once it is the consistency you like, turn of the stove and take the filling off the heat.
5. Spray the inside of a skillet lightly with Pam Cooking Spray and heat the tortilla. Once it softens up, layer half the tortilla with the sliced cheese and filling. Fold.
6. Cook evenly on both sides. Be careful when flipping over the YUMMY Quesadilla! It takes less than a minute to cook these so be very careful.

Serve warm with sour cream!

I find sautéing vegetables and then making quesadillas very easy. When my brother and I were much younger my mom would make the vegetable filling on her day off and refrigerate it. This made for a healthy lunch while she was at work. This is ideal for college students too! 

PS: Spinach is an EXCELLENT source of Iron, boost energy level, so eat up! 

Vegetable Tian

Vegetable Tian

(serves 6)

Ingredients: 

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Medium Onions - finely chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
• 1 Medium Zucchini - sliced
• 1 Medium Yellow Squash - sliced
• 1 Medium Potato - sliced
• 1 Medium Tomato - sliced
• 1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Tsp Cumin
• 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Heat a Tbsp of Olive Oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped Onions to the pan. Saute till they turn yellow and then add the Garlic. NOTE: Garlic cooks much faster than Onions so be mindful of that. Once the Onions and Garlic mix is done sauteing, layer it at the very bottom of your baking pan. Don't forget to spray the inside of your baking pan. 
3. Place all the vegetables vertically in an alternating pattern as shown in the picture. 
4. Sprinkle the cumin and pepper flakes over the vegetables and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. 
5. Remove the foil, sprinkle cheese and bake for another 15 minutes or until it is golden brown

Serve warm. I usually serve this with some rice. For those of you wondering what Tian means or where I got that word from, according to Google its a dish of finely chopped vegetables cooked in Olive Oil and then baked. Doesn't that sound oh so fancy?!!

Zesty Vegetable Egg Casserole

Zesty Vegetable Egg Casserole

(serves 4)

Ingredients: 

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Medium Onions - finely chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
• 3 Medium Tomatoes 
• 3 Green Onions - finely chopped
• 1 Red Bell Pepper - finely chopped
• 2 Cups Spinach - chopped
• 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese
• 3 Whole Eggs
• 7 Egg Whites 
• 1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/4 Tsp Cumin
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Cilantro - finely chopped

Directions: 

1. Heat a Tbsp of Olive Oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped Onions to the pan. Saute till they turn yellow and then add the Garlic. NOTE: Garlic cooks much faster than Onions so be mindful of that. Once the Onions and Garlic mix is done sauteing, turn the heat on low. 
2. Cut the Tomatoes into quarters and take the seeds out. This will eliminate the extra juices and cut down the cooking time. Chop them finely. Add them to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes on low heat. 
3. Add in the Red Bell Peppers, Spinach and Green Onions. Give it a good stir and add in the Red Pepper Flakes, Cumin and Salt. Turn the heat off. 
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
5. Whisk the 3 whole eggs and the 7 egg whites. 
6. Spray the inside of a large 8x11 casserole dish. Place the vegetable mixture on the bottom. Pour the whisked eggs over it and sprinkle it with the cheese. Bake for 40 minutes or until it is golden brown. 

Serve warm. 

Optional: Serve with a dollop of light (or fat free) sour cream. I like to add some hot sauce to mine. What can I say, I like it hot!!