Recipe: Homemade Chana Masala (Chole)

Last night I had an intense craving for Indian food, specifically, chana masala (or chole). I had some vegan samosas from Whole Foods that were calling my name, and felt nothing would go better with them than chana masala. The problem:  I was much too lazy to go and pick some up. So my only option was to make some. I've never made Indian food at home before and was kind of afraid to. Many of the recipes I looked up called for things I didn't have (coriander seeds, garam masala, etc) but I decided to wing it, and it actually came out pretty well! The best part was I had all of this at home, and  it didn't require me to go to the specialty section of Whole Foods and spend money; plus it was super easy :)  Most of it I just kind of threw in the pan so these are only estimates, do what tastes good to you! For the tomato base I used paste, but next time I would probably use canned peeled tomatoes or something like that. (or fresh)

Homemade Chana Masala (Easy!)
1 can chickpeas
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp Grape seed Oil (or vegetable oil)
1 Tbsp Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1/2 small can of tomato paste or 1 can of diced tomatoes w/ liquid.
1 and 1/2 Tbsp Curry powder
1 clove garlic - minced
1 medium red onion - chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
Black pepper to taste
Dash of cayenne powder
Dash of cumin powder
Dash of turmeric powder
Water, as needed


Directions:
Heat vegetable oil over medium heat and saute onions until lightly browned. Then, add in the chickpeas, tomato paste or diced tomatoes, curry, garlic, salt, cayenne, cumin, turmeric, and black pepper. Add in the Earth Balance and stir until melted. Lastly, throw in the cilantro and let everything simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the chickpeas are nice and soft. (I noticed my mixture was a little thick, so I threw in some water to thin it out a bit, per my preferences)  Serve with rice, naan, samosas, pizza, whatever your heart desires!

I really enjoyed making this recipe. It was super simple and proves I don't totally suck at making food when I don't have a recipe to follow!

Recipe: Vegan Black Bean Tacos

Ahhh! I knew I was putting off a blog post, but I didn't realize how much time had passed. I'm adjusting to a whole new schedule and it has definitely thrown me off my game.
I wanted to share a super simple recipe for a quick weeknight dinner!
I've definitely been in the mood for Mexican food lately, as I've had some variation of it several times within the last week. I got the original idea for tacos from Pinterest, and put my own spin on things :)

Vegan Black Bean Tacos (serves 2)

What you'll need:

4 corn tortillas (I used gluten free tortillas from Whole Foods)
1 can of organic low sodium black beans
1 tomato
1/4 of an onion
1/2 an avocado
Vegan cheese of your choice - I used Daiya cheddar shreds
Optional: add salsa, jalapenos, lime, or vegan sour cream for extra flavors

Instructions:
Rinse and drain can of black beans. In small pot, heat the beans on low. While you're warming the beans up, dice your tomato and onion and slice up your avocado. Warm tortillas in a pan or skillet until nice and hot. Layer beans and then toppings of your choosing and enjoy!

This recipe was so stinkin' easy, filling, and delicious! I'm the laziest cook on the planet, especially when it comes to dinner. The faster I can make it without sacrificing health benefits or flavor, the better. I absolutely enjoyed this dish to the fullest, as did the boyfriend.  I will definitely be making these tacos again in the near future :)

What are your favorite quick go-to dinners? I'd love to hear more ideas!

Easy Vegan Recipes!

Happy Tuesday! I wanted to share a few recipes that I have thoroughly enjoyed making  as well as what an average day looks like for my meals. As someone who is just starting out, this is what is working for me so far.

If you're trying to get healthier and shed some weight, it is important to have 5-6 small meals, spaced out during the day. I try to eat every 3 hours or so. This is what a typical work day for me looks like:

Breakfast: Overnight Oats, or a Van's Gluten Free Waffle with almond butter and an apple
(Check out LaurenLivesHealthy for a few great ideas for overnight oats!)

Morning snack: Coconut milk yogurt/soy yogurt with fresh berries

Lunch:  Spinach salad with chickpeas or kidney beans, tomatoes, red peppers, onion, whatever other vegetables I have on hand, with balsamic vinegar and lemon as dressing

Afternoon snack: Baby carrots and hummus, or sometimes a Lara bar *not all Lara bars are vegan! The ones with chocolate chips may have traces of dairy. Which sucks because the ones with chocolate are obviously the best ones.

Dinner: Roasted Brussels sprouts or asparagus, (some kind of green veggie) with quinoa, and a tofu veggie patty. (this is my go to!) Other times I will make Vegetable Quinoa (recipe below)


Now on to the good stuff:
I fell in love with these recipes the first time I tried them, and can't get enough!

Cinnamon Apple Chia Porridge  

(from Tone It Up)  It is sweet and filling and makes enough to have it a few days in a row.

• ½ cup white or black chia seeds
• 2 cups apple juice
• ½ cup diced apples
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ cup of agave

Pour chia seeds in a large mixing bowl. Add apple juice and stir until well incorporated. Continue to stir for about 5 minutes off and on to make sure no clumps form. Set aside for 10-15 minutes to let the chia absorb the liquid. You will know it is ready when the consistency is of porridge. Next add remaining ingredients to the chia mixture and stir until powders and sweeteners are well incorporated. Serve immediately. Garnish with additional fruit or your favorite topping.

  

    

Vegetable Quinoa

(Thank you to Veg Kitchen for the initial recipe. I changed a few things for my own preferences)
Gluten free, vegan and super delicious!  It makes a lot so you'll have leftovers for a few days, or bring it to a family gathering to share.
8 Servings

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 heaping cup thinly shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup carrots cut in medium pieces
• 1 medium yellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced l/4-inch thick
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced l/4-inch thick
• 1 1/2 cups canned (drained and rinsed) chickpeas
• 1 1/2 cups diced ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon each: ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and salt

Cook quinoa as directed on package, fluff with a fork when done.
For the vegetable stew, heat the oil in a large saucepan or soup pot. Add the onions and sauté over moderate heat until translucent. Stir in cabbage and sauté until both it and the onion are lightly golden.
Add remaining stew ingredients. Bring to a simmer, then over and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Add water as needed to produce a moist, but not soupy, consistency. The vegetables should be tender, but still firm.

Once done, serve the stew over the quinoa and enjoy!


Dark Chocolate Bites

(Photo cred: @waytogohealthy)
This was absolutely perfect for a post dinner anti-oxidant rich sweet treat! Thank you to @waytogohealthy on Instagram for the idea!

Makes approx. 12 pieces

• 2 cups vegan dark chocolate
• Pomegranate Seeds
• Chopped walnuts

Honestly I didn't even measure the seeds or walnuts, I just sprinkled them on top as I saw fit.

1. Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler (If you have one.  I don't have a double boiler, so I just brought some water to a simmer over the stove in a small pot,  stuck a heat-proof bowl in it and melted the chocolate in the bowl.)
2. Prepare cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper
3. Spoon dollops of the dark chocolate onto the parchment paper
4. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds and walnuts over the dark chocolate
5. Put whole cookie sheet in the freezer to set.
6. Enjoy!

Let me know your thoughts on these recipes! What are your healthy go-to meals?