Recipes – My Non-Toxic Life

Easy Plant-based Dinner

cooked flattza Whether you are exhausted from all the back-to-school activities or just want a quick meal, this is an easy vegan dinner. This takes about five to ten minutes of prep and about 15 minutes of cook time. Best of all, it’s a healthy meal that can feed a family.

If you live in Texas, you can buy this Flatzza at H-E-B in the pizza/sauce section. It will serve as the pizza crust. There are two crusts per bag. You can also order it online or find something similar. Next, break out the marinara sauce. I like the Whole Foods fat-free marinara sauce or the Engine 2 brand. Top with your favorite vegetables. I used red onion, arugula, mushrooms, pepperoncinis and baked it at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then I topped it with more fresh arugula, red pepper flakes and garlic powder. Serve with or without a salad. There you have your, “I’m too damn tired to cook,” dinner.

Plant-based Diet: What I Eat in a Day

SOB burger When I tell people I am a vegan, or that I eat a whole-foods, plant-based diet, they always say to me, “What do you eat?”

I think they picture me chasing a lettuce leaf around my plate. Not so. They are surprised when I cook for them or I show up to a party with my own delicious looking/tasting meal. If you are willing, try one meal. Maybe that will turn into two or more.

A note about these meals; in addition to eating completely plant-based, I also eat a very low fat diet. I do not eat oil, avocados or nuts. I occasionally have some seeds. A plant-based, low-fat diet has been proven to ward off cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Anyone can benefit from this lifestyle. I follow Dr. Esselstyn’s Prevent and PRHD cookbook Reverse Heart Disease (PRHD) plan.

I have frequently asked questions about supplements, protein etc. at the end of the menu planning.

What I eat in a day:

I am giving three examples from super easy-no time for preparation, medium preparation and full-out cooking. Obviously, these menus work best mixed and matched so you aren’t in the kitchen all day one day and not much the next.

Day 1 – Easy, little to no preparation (Think of these examples as entry level, transitional meals)

Breakfast:

Disclaimer, you are not supposed to have coffee on the PRHD plan, but this is where I draw the line. It is one of my favorite things in the world and I refuse to give it up! I have a cup of organic coffee with a little bit of Pacific brand oat milk. Remember, no nut or coconut milks, they are high in fat.

Cereal combo of Eziekiel, raw organic rolled oats, and organic puffed kamut (you can use any cereal and it doesn’t have to be a combo, I just like this) with berries, ground flaxmeal, cinnamon and oat milk.

Tip: I keep frozen berries in my freezer and run them under hot water to defrost when berries are out of season. Continue reading “Plant-based Diet: What I Eat in a Day”

Special Seed Dressings and Sauces

These sauce/dressing recipes are from the legendary macrobiotic restaurant, Casa de Luz in cilantro Austin, TX. Use sparingly, especially if you are on a low-fat vegan plan. This is what I consider a treat and I mostly use these to top some steamed greens.

The Casa de Luz recipes are notorious for having to be tweaked, so taste and tweak. Thin out with water to use as salad dressing.

Pepita (pumpkin seed) Cilantro Sauce

1 c. pumpkin seeds toasted

2 c. cilantro leaves

1 – 1 ½ c. water

2 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed Continue reading “Special Seed Dressings and Sauces”

Vegan, oil-free challah

Happy Friday! You won’t believe how delicious this is. challah

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water

2 & ¼ tsp. yeast

½ c. organic vegan sugar

½ cup of organic unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. salt

3 tsp. Ener-G egg replacer and 4 TBS. of water to mix (the equivalent of two eggs)

2 c. organic bread flour

2c. organic white whole wheat flour

Salt and sugar mixture – ½ tsp. of each for topping

Continue reading “Vegan, oil-free challah”

Finding Vegan Recipes

I wanted to share this site with you. healthy-candy-bars-07-700x1050

http://www.findingvegan.com/

They link to various sites to share the best vegan recipes. I’ve made several of them and they all turned out well. See below for this particular dessert. I have NOT made this one, but it looks so good. I realized that I never share desserts on My Non-toxic Life. http://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/healthy-chocolate-peanut-butter-candy-bars/

Creamy Cilantro Serrano Sauce (plant-based)

Cilantro serrano

A plant-based diet can be unbelievably delicious, satisfying and best of all, guilt-free. The key to a tasty plant-based meal is in the sauce. This is a versatile recipe that can be thinned out with water and used for a salad dressing, drizzled over enchiladas, tacos, greens or a quinoa bowl or used thick as a dip. Don’t be afraid to play around with the ingredients to vary this sauce to your liking. Continue reading “Creamy Cilantro Serrano Sauce (plant-based)”

Black Bean Orange Quinoa Salad

orange black bn quinoa Quinoa is packed with protein and nutrients and best of all, it’s delicious. This dish can be served warm or cold the next day as a salad. It seems like a lot of ingredients but it comes together quickly.

Ingredients (always use organic when possible):

1 cup of quinoa

2 cups of vegetable broth

1 cup of shaved Brussel sprouts

2-3 large kale leaves with stems removed and chopped

1-2 large scallions chopped

1 thick slice of red onion chopped Continue reading “Black Bean Orange Quinoa Salad”