TK Smith, Fitness Nutritionist & Lifestyle Coach

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sweet potato – cauliflower gratin w/crispy sage leaves

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This is what we are serving for Thanksgiving this year instead of the traditional yams with marshmallows on top.  We tested this recipe last week and we all enjoyed it.  I guess we were hungry again, so we forgot to take a picture of the final product, but snap one during our Thanksgiving feast.  In the meantime, I thought you might like a healthier option for your Thanksgiving.  Enjoy!

Stuff:
2 tbsp coconut oil
3 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 cup unsweetened soymilk
¼ cup fresh parmesan cheese
20 fresh sage leaves
1 tbsp fresh sage leaves – chopped
fresh ground pepper
dulse (optional)
2lbs sweet potatoes (orange yams) – sliced
1 head cauliflower – quartered and sliced ¼ inch thick
some additional coconut oil for frying

What to do with the stuff:
-Preheat oven to 350
-In a medium sauce pan, heat over medium heat the 2 tbsp of coconut oil and add flour and cook stirring for 1 min.  Slowly whisk in soy milk, and 1 cup water.  Cook whisking until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 12 min)
-Remove sauce pan from heat and add stir in ¼ cup parmesan and the chopped sage, season with pepper and dulse

-Pour 1/3 of the mixture in the bottom of a 9×13 inch casserole dish.  Arrange 1/3 of the sweet potatoes and cauliflower along the bottom of the dish, season with pepper and dulse.  Repeat layer with sauce, potatoes and cauliflower 2 more times.

– cover casserole dish with foil and bake until vegetables are tender (about 1 hour)
-increase oven temperature to 425, remove foil, sprinkle a little parmesan on top and cook until golden brown (about 20min) – let stand 10min before serving.

-crips the sage – heat coconut oil in a small pan (a good thin layer at the bottom)
– add the sage leaves one at a time until they are crips, about 10 seconds each, remove and place on paper towel to drain off the oil.

-top the gratin with the sage leaves and season with pepper and dulse to taste.

white bean & vegetable mash

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If you’re looking for a healthier option for your standard mashed potatoes, this is what we are serving for Thanksgiving this year.  This recipe adds some protein, fiber and some additional nutrients compared to the traditional mashed potatoes. We tested this recipe last week and we all enjoyed it (so much so that we forgot to get a picture – will work on that).  We had it with a green salad for dinner and it was delicious. You won’t even miss it.  Enjoy!  It makes about 6 servings.

stuff:
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 yellow onion – chopped
1 celery stalk – thinly sliced
1 carrot – peeled and thinly sliced
2 lbs – sweet potatoes (white not the orange yams) – cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cups cooked white beans
olive oil for drizzling
fresh ground pepper
dulse (optional)

what to do with the stuff:
-Heat  coconut oil in large sauce pan over medium heat.
-Cook onion, celery, and carrots until onions are translucent (about 6-8 minutes)
-Add potatoes and white beans and cover with water by 2 inches, season generously with pepper and dulse. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 8 min).
-Drain, saving about 1 cup of cooking water.
-Mash adding saved cooking water for consistence
-Season with pepper and dulse and drizzle with olive oil before serving

zucchini patty sandwiches

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We found this one in whole living magazine and it is for sure off the hook!   In the last 3 weeks, I have made this one like, 3 times.  Big hit in at our house.  Plus it is hearty and easy to make!  You have to try this one!

the stuff:
1 15oz can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 zucchini (grated)
1 red onion (grated)
1 egg (lightly whisked)
coconut oil
whole-wheat pitas
1 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt
8 lettuce leaves (chopped)
1 cup fresh mint (chopped)
1 avocado (peeled and sliced)

what to do with the stuff:
-mash chickpeas in a bowl until mostly smooth
-stir in bread crumbs, zucchini, onion and egg
-from mixture to patties (like burgers)
-saute patties in coconut oil until golden brown (about 3-5 min per side)
-serve in pitas stuffed with yogurt, lettuce, mint and avocado

hint: I would double the recipe because they are so good left over for lunch!!! If you want to go leaner just skip the pita.  I have been doing that and it is still great just with the toppings.

guacamole goji berry salad

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Made this guacamole goji berry salad tonight. I was a little concerned making it, but it turned out really good!  It got 4 thumbs up.  The only bummer, was that we all wanted just a little more (it’s about right for 4 but no more).  It was quick and easy to make and is perfect for that light dinner, or if you are trying to eat clean and lean.

stuff (for the salad):
1 large bowl mixed baby greens (I used 1 whole a bag of mixed greens)
3/4 cup of goji berries
1 fuji apple cored and chopped
1 teaspoon Vegan DHA Flax Oil (I used Udo’s Oil)
1 lime – juiced
pinch cayenne pepper

stuff for guacamole:
2-3  avocados
small handful cilantro chopped
1 green onion chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 lime – juiced
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 red onion chopped

what to do with the stuff:

  • Mix baby greens, goji berries, and apple in a bowl with lime juice, pinch of cayenne, and flax oil (or  Udo’s oil).
  • In a separate bowl mash avocado with guacamole ingredients to make guacamole.
  • Top salad with guacamole

ratatouille-ish (tomato, potato & squash)

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Just made this dish and it smelled and tasted great!  The whole family loved it!  Looks like we will be seeing this one again in the future.  My favorite thing about this dish, was how easy it was to make.  Plus, it is a super lean meal.   Karen pulled this from a magazine and I modified it to my liking.  The original recipe said it served 8 (but really it was more like 4), so I doubled the recipe below.  Enjoy!

stuff:
coconut oil
2 yellow onions – thinly sliced
4-6 small tomatoes – sliced about ¼ inch thick
5 yellow summer squash – sliced about ¼ inch thick
2 medium yukon gold potatoes* – sliced about ¼ inch thick
thyme
parmesan
dulse

what to do with the stuff:
-oven to 375
-saute onions in coconut oil until tender and lightly brown
-place onions in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish
-overlap tomato, squash and potato on top of the onion
-drizzle some coconut oil on top and season the top with dulse,  thyme and parmesan
-bake for 30min covered
-remove cover and back for 30min uncovered

*next time I may try substituting the yukon potatoes with sweet potatoes

heather’s quinoa recipe

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We made this last night right before one of our hardest workouts of the week and it was awesome!!!  It was easy to make, it tasted great, it did not weigh us down and we had plenty of energy for our workout.  The best part is we just felt really good after eating this meal! Not sure who Heather is, but we found this on 101 cookbooks and tweaked it to our liking.

stuff you will need:
olive oil
1 shallot (minced)
3 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup corn (frozen)
1 1/2 cups spinach
2 cups extra-firm tofu
1/3 cup pesto (see pesto recipe)
1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup roasted cherry tomatoes (halved)

what to do with the stuff:
-Make the quinoa as per the cooking instructions (you know from the box :)
-In small skillet toast seeds over medium heat; set aside.
-In a large skillet brown the tofu with a little olive oil, you can do the tomatoes at the same time; set aside
-In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
-Stir in the shallot and cook for a minute or two.
-Stir in the quinoa and corn and cook until hot and sizzling.
-Stir in the spinach and then the tofu, cooking until tofu is heated through.
-Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the pesto and pumpkin seeds.
-Mix well so the pesto is spread throughout.
-Turn everything out onto a platter and top with the cherry tomatoes.

vegetable tacos with chipotle “sour cream” and smoky black beans

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Wow that is a mouthful!   As you know I love mexican food!  Many of you have already tried the zucchini tacos and taco salad and I have loved them.  Here is another taco recipe, we found this one in Oprah magazine. Of course we modified it our liking.  We had this last week and everyone loved it.   But really anything would taste good with chipotle “sour cream” on it :) 

stuff you will need:
2 cups – corn
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp line juice (fresh squeezed)
line wedges (just to make it look good)
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground pepper
2 bell peppers thinly sliced (red, yellow and green mixed)
1 large red onion sliced
1 ½  smoked paprika (I could not find that so I just used regular and we are still alive)
2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 cup cilantro chopped
2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
2 avocados chopped
1 bunch radishes (6 – 8) thinly sliced
¾ cup plain greek yogurt
2 canned chipolte peppers in adobo (diced)
8 spelt tortillas (or whole grain – Ezekiel)

what to do with the stuff:

  • Preheat oven to 425.
  • In a large bowl, toss together corn, 1 tbsp olive oil, lime juice, 1 tsp cumin, ¼ tsp black pepper, bell peppers and onion, and then spread on large baking sheet.
  • In a second bowl, toss together 1 tbsp olive oil, paprika, and black beans, and then spread on second baking sheet
  • Put veggies in oven for about 40 min.  Add beans in oven for the last 20 min.
  • While baking. In a medium bowl, toss together cabbage, cilantro, vinegar, sugar, avocado, radishes, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, stir together greek yogurt, chipotle peppers.
  • Wrap tortillas in foil, and place in oven for a few minutes to warm.  Scoop roasted vegetables onto tortillas top with cabbage salad, “sour cream”, and beans.  Garnish with lime wedges and serve.

 

Black Bean Jalapeño Burgers

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One of my families favorite burgers! We are making this today :) The base recipe came from the Veganomicon and we modified it a bit to our liking. You can make these in advance and freeze them for later use (separate with wax paper so you can get them apart). Enjoy!

stuff you will need:
2 – 15 oz black beans (drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup whole grain bread crumbs
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup cilantro (finely chopped)
2 garlic cloves (pressed)
1 small onion (chopped)
*1 jalapeño (finely chopped) *optional if you like it spicy!

what to do with the stuff:
Mash beans in a mixing bowl. Can leave a few half beans for texture but no whole beans. Add all other ingredients and mix with fork and then knead with hands until firm and uniform. Divide and make patties. Heat heavy skillet with small amount of olive oil and cook 5 minutes on each side.

Note: they look like regular burgers but the are a little mushy. I like to eat mine in a pita pocket and stuff it full of good veggies, avocado, red onions, lettuce, tomato, really what ever you like.

whole wheat penne (with marzano tomatoes)

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This was off of last weeks menu and it was yummy! Kid approved :)  We  go this one from The Conscious Cook on page 184.

stuff you will need:
3 tbls olive oil
2 onions – quartered and sliced
2 fennel bulbs – halved and sliced
1 – 28 oz can peeled Italian San Marzano tomatoes – drained
4 garlic cloves – minced
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups roughly chopped Swiss chard
pepper – freshly ground
1 lemon – juiced
3/4 Manzanilla olives – chopped (we left these out)
1 tbls minced fresh tarragon (we used dried spice :)
1 tbls minced fresh thyme (we used dried spice :)
1 tbls minced fresh parsley (we used dried spice :)
8 oz whole wheat penne – cooked

what to do with the stuff:
Place oil in a large saute pan and heat, add onion, fennel and cook 3-4 min on medium-high heat.  Add the tomotoes, crushing each with your hands, garlic, vegetable stock, wine and chard.  Season with pepper, reduce heat to medium and cool for 5 min.

Add the lemon juice and olives (if you are using them) and simmer for 3 – 5 min.  Fold in the tarragon, thyme, parsley and pasta.

 

italian style tofu bake

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My younger daughter got this recipe from her grandma and wanted us to make it. We did and it was great!

stuff you’ll need:
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves – pressed
5 cups spinach – 5 handfuls
15oz firm tofu – sliced length wise (into 8 pieces)
1 tbls dried basil
8.5 oz jar sun dried tomatoes (packed in oil) – drained and sliced
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded
2 tbls parmesan cheese grated
pepper – fresh ground

what to do with the stuff:
heat oven to 400
heat oil over medium heat in large skillet
add garlic and cook about 1 min
add spinach and cook 3 min (covered) until wilted and add pepper
remove skillet from heat
lay tofu slices in a single layer in a 9×13 inch baking dish
sprinkle each slice of tofu with a pinch of basil
top tofu evenly with: spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella, parmesan and remaining basil
bake about 15 min (until cheese is melted and bubbling)

*Substitutes:  if you are cutting body fat you would want to serve this with a nice green salad.  You can also do 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup almond or soy mozzarella style cheese.

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