Ready for some food porn?

Ingredients

• 1 tsp canola oil
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 medium red onion, diced
• 1 package 14-oz organic firm tofu, drained and patted dry (the more moisture you can remove from the tofu, the better. I wrap the block in paper towels then place a pan atop it for a few minutes), cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/3 cup bbq sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3-2/3 cup pizza sauce (I used Trader Joe’s refrigerated pizza sauce; use more or less depending on how…saucy(?) you want your pizza lol)
• 1-2 bell peppers (I used 3/4 red and 3/4 yellow), sliced
• One package refrigerated wheat pizza dough (I used Trader Joe’s, 16oz package)
• 1 bunch cilantro washed and chopped

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450.
  
• Heat the tsp of canola oil and a spritz of cooking spray in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat for a couple seconds, then add onion and garlic. Saute until onion gets a little translucent.
• Add in tofu and saute until lightly browned and crispy on all sides, like this…
  
• When tofu is crispy, onions should also be carmelized. Turn off heat, add in bbq sauce and water. Stir together softly so as not to break up the tofu. Let sit while you take care of the crust…
• To make the pizza dough, you’ll simply be rolling out the refrigerated dough. I use a large wood cutting board, sprinkle it with white whole wheat flour, and sprinkle the rolling pin with flour, too; I then roll out the dough pretty thin, but not perfectly.
• Place foil over a cookie sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray, then place dough on it and press/spread to all edges (yes, I make the pizza dough thin).
• Spread bbq sauce over pizza dough, then spoon bbq sauce and tofu mixture atop, gently not to break tofu.
• Place bell pepper slices throughout.
• Sprinkle with cilantro, like this
  
• Bake for 12-16 minutes, until dough is cooked (there will be no wetness on top)
• Nutritional information per slice (1/8): 213.75 calories, 5g fat, 552.5 mg sodium, 32g carbs, 3.75g fiber, 5.5g sugars, 8.56g protein

<3,

The Cranky One

My family and I used to frequent the same local Chinese restaurant in Long Beach, called Chen’s, for all of our special occasions (I use “special occasions” loosely; Fridays would qualify lol) and for as long as I can remember. There are many things to love about this restaurant – the giant family-style portions, the fact that there was a dish for everyone, the prices were reasonable, and we were always ensured a table. But…being health conscious…AND vegan…changes things. Chinese food is notorious for being calorie-laden. And heavy on the animal products.

So what’s a cranky girl to do?

Get her ass in the kitchen, that’s what.

Holla’!

Sweet & Sour Tempeh
Four servings

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 medium-sized white onion, sliced
• 1 c vegetable broth (I use low-sodium)
• 1 package tempeh (8 oz/227g), chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 c ketchup (I recommend an organic brand, plus a lower sugar version. Heinz’s organic version actually has less sugar than Muir Glen’s organic version…)
• 1 tbsp agave (maple syrup will work, too)
• 1 tbsp hoison
• 1 tbsp sesame seed oil
• 1/3 c brown rice vinegar
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions

• Saute sliced bell pepper and onion in vegetable broth over medium heat until soft and the onion is translucent.
• Remove veggies from the broth and add in tempeh and the rest of the ingredients. Saute until tempeh has absorbed a lot of the juices and is warmed throughout. Add back in veggies and serve over cooked brown rice!
• Easy peasy!

Nutritional info. for 1/4 entire dish

Nutrition Facts   User Entered Recipe   4 Servings Amount Per Serving   Calories 227.3   Total Fat 9.9 g   Saturated Fat 1.6 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 3.3 g   Monounsaturated Fat 3.8 g   Cholesterol 0.0 mg   Sodium 686.7 mg   Potassium 359.8 mg   Total Carbohydrate 24.7 g   Dietary Fiber 1.1 g   Sugars 13.8 g   Protein 11.2 g   Vitamin A 6.3 %   Vitamin B-12 0.8 %   Vitamin B-6 11.4 %   Vitamin C 47.2 %   Vitamin D 0.0 %   Vitamin E 4.8 %   Calcium 7.8 %   Copper 18.3 %   Folate 6.3 %   Iron 11.4 %   Magnesium 14.2 %   Manganese 51.1 %   Niacin 8.5 %   Pantothenic Acid     2.1 %   Phosphorus     16.8 %   Riboflavin 12.8 %   Selenium 0.4 %   Thiamin 5.1 %   Zinc 6.3 % *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Mmmmm get in my belly! This dish totally satisfied my hankering for Chinese food. Compare to a serving of Panda Express’ Sweet & Sour Chicken: 390 calories, 17g fat, 350mg sodium, 45g carbs, 1g fiber, 15g protein.

<3,

The Cranky One

Happy Thursday! I have a great recipe to share today! It’s simple. It’s delicious. It’s healthy. Oh, and it has BLACK BEANS!!!!!!! (<– I was tempted to make two straight lines of exclamation points, but I restrained myself).

The following recipe is not my own. In fact, I’m not sure who to give attribution to (other than the smiling black bean gods above, of course). My band mate’s wife gave it to me, and said it came from her sister, who I think got it from someone or somewhere else. So, let’s just say it’s a community recipe, shall we?

Black Bean & Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cucumbers peeled and cut into cubes
• 2 stalks of long green onions (chopped)
• 1/2 a bunch of cilantro (chopped)
• 4 lemons, squeezed; pick out seeds, obviously, unless you like an unhealthy tooth-cracking crunch
• salt to taste
• 2 cans of black beans/drained & rinsed (or you can cook them yourself if you have the time)

Directions

• Mix together all ingredients other than black beans. Then, add in black beans last so they don’t get too mushy. Tastes best after it’s had an hour or so in the fridge marinating in all the citrusy goodness.
• If you can’t find fresh cilantro, which I couldn’t find at Trader Joe’s, there’s always these frozen cilantro cubes made by Dorot…

I wouldn’t recommend using these cubes unless you HAVE to. Why? Because that’s not just cilantro in a cube! It’s also got soybean oil, dextrose and corn starch to make ‘em thick and stick together in cube form. Lame. I only used two because I was like “um this recipe doesn’t call for soybean oil, dextrose or corn starch, so peace out, loser!” The dish still tasted amazing, though, loser cubes and all.

There are tons of variations you can make with this recipe. I’ve seen similar recipes using roasted corn, salsa, tomato, celery and jalapeno. Have fun with it!

Nutrition Facts   Calculated with Fresh Cilantro, not cubed
8 Servings (big serving, not sure how much exactly, sorry!) Just divide the total dish into 8ths and you’ll be ensured to get the below nutritional intake.
Amount Per Serving
Calories		119.1
Total Fat		0.7 g
	Saturated Fat	0.1 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.2 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.0 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		4.1 mg
Potassium		447.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate		25.3 g
	Dietary Fiber	9.6 g
	Sugars	1.0 g
Protein		7.8 g

Vitamin A	1.9 %
Vitamin B-12	0.0 %
Vitamin B-6	7.4 %
Vitamin C	73.8 %
Vitamin D	0.0 %
Vitamin E	0.4 %
Calcium	6.5 %
Copper	17.5 %
Folate	30.9 %
Iron	12.0 %
Magnesium	17.0 %
Manganese	19.5 %
Niacin	2.6 %
Pantothenic Acid	4.8 %
Phosphorus	12.9 %
Riboflavin	5.1 %
Selenium	1.4 %
Thiamin	15.6 %
Zinc	6.9 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

<3,

The Cranky One

p.s. Check out my post on taxing junk food. I got an interesting comment today and wondered if any one else wanted to opine? Also, coming later, my dreaded Comps 10 update. I can already guarantee that I did not lose weight this past week and a half. Why? Well, because I need to staple my mouth shut apparently. Oy.

Yesterday morning, after driving an hour to band practice – and then finding out band practice was canceled (d’oh!) – I knew I wanted to spend my free time devising a recipe that would be like a siren (not causing people to die or anything, but that would taunt them and cause them to salivate. You know how I do.). Anyway, I decided – hey, it’s fair season over here (fair as a noun, not adjective) and I’ve seen way too many adds for chocolate covered bacon, fried koolaid, turkey legs, etc., so let’s go that route, only healthy! I know many of you would like to indulge in fair food, but why pay the caloric price when you can make these babies?
Wholesome ingredients. Less than 50 calories each. Vegan. Delicious. Kid- and omnivore-boyfriend friendly.

Ingredients

• Almond Breeze Almond Milk, Unsweetened Vanilla, 1 cup
• Maple Syrup, 2 tbsp
• Cider Vinegar, 1 tbsp
• EnerG Egg Replacer, 2 “eggs”
• Hot pepper sauce, 1 tsp
• Garlic (minced. I buy the already peeled and minced garlic in the big jar from Costco), 1 tsp
• Cornmeal (I used medium grind), 1 cup
• Whole Wheat Flour (I used Trader Joe’s White Whole Wheat), 1 cup
• Baking Powder, 1 tbsp
• Salt, .5 tsp
• Pepper to taste
• Lightlife Smart Dogs, 5

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 24-count mini-muffin tray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Mix together top 6 liquid ingredients in a small bowl. Mix together remaining dry ingredients (not inc. hot dogs) in a separate bowl. Add liquid mix to dry mix.
• Chop up Smart Dogs into bite-sized pieces and set aside. (I usually ended up with 6-7 pieces per Smart Dog – and had some left over)
• Spoon batter into muffin tray. I did it two ways – one way: fill each cup half way, add a Smart Dog piece and then cover with more batter. This way the muffin comes out like an actual corn dog. The other way: spoon the cup full to the rim and then place a Smart Dog piece atop (push in just a tiny bit so it sticks). This creates a cute look that’s better if you’re serving as an appetizer.
• Cook for 13-15 minutes. Cool. Serve with mustard and ketchup if you’re traditional. Go nuts with hoison, soy sauce, Frank’s Red Hot etc. if you’re a lil wild thang.
• Enjoy world domination with these little bad boys.

Nutritional information:

Nutrition Facts   User Entered Recipe
27 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		46.7
Total Fat		0.4 g
	Saturated Fat	0.0 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.1 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.1 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		168.0 mg
Potassium		74.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate		8.7 g
	Dietary Fiber	1.1 g
	Sugars	1.1 g
Protein		2.5 g

Vitamin A	0.6 %
Vitamin B-12	0.0 %
Vitamin B-6	0.8 %
Vitamin C	0.3 %
Vitamin D	0.9 %
Vitamin E	2.0 %
Calcium	4.6 %
Copper	0.5 %
Folate	0.3 %
Iron	2.5 %
Magnesium	1.7 %
Manganese	3.7 %
Niacin	0.8 %
Pantothenic Acid	0.2 %
Phosphorus	2.4 %
Riboflavin	0.6 %
Selenium	1.0 %
Thiamin	1.2 %
Zinc	1.0 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

If you could “healthify” or veganize any fair food, which one would it be?

<3,

The Cranky One

I don’t think I need many words to convince you that you should try this recipe…

Dense. Gooey. Healthy.

Yea, this ish markets itself. It’s vegan bread 2.0.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour (I used white whole wheat; don’t use bleached or 100% white; if you’re going to use regular whole wheat, use 1/2 ww and 1/2 all-purpose, unless it’s whole wheat pastry flour, which you can use 100%)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 large ripe banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze)
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 Energ-E egg replacer or flax egg
• sprinkle of sea salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (the Trader Joe’s ones are vegan)
• 2 cups hulled and sliced strawberries + 1 cup for garnish (use organic!)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8×8 glass dish or loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Mix together flour and baking soda. In a separate bowl mix together banana, applesauce and liquid ingredients. If you haven’t mashed the banana separately, you can mash it with the liquid ingredients using a fork. When the liquid mix is relatively lump-free, add it to the flour bowl and mix. Add in salt. Fold in chocolate chips and 2-cups strawberries. Pour into baking dish and add a few sliced strawberries on top for the pretty factor.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out dry.

Nutritional info.:

Nutrition Facts   User Entered Recipe
9 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		222.1
Total Fat		5.0 g
	Saturated Fat	2.8 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.3 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.1 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		158.2 mg
Potassium		298.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate		44.5 g
	Dietary Fiber	5.9 g
	Sugars	19.3 g
Protein		4.2 g

Vitamin A	1.2 %
Vitamin B-12	0.0 %
Vitamin B-6	10.6 %
Vitamin C	50.4 %
Vitamin D	1.4 %
Vitamin E	5.0 %
Calcium	4.8 %
Copper	7.8 %
Folate	5.9 %
Iron	8.1 %
Magnesium	12.4 %
Manganese	79.1 %
Niacin	9.6 %
Pantothenic Acid	5.0 %
Phosphorus	10.8 %
Riboflavin	6.5 %
Selenium	27.8 %
Thiamin	9.2 %
Zinc	9.1 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Six grams of fiber a slice? Hot damn!

Eat up!

<3,

The Cranky One

My mom works insane hours, has an awful commute, and works in an area of Riverside County (*waits for a resounding “oy.”*) that she deems a food desert. Thankfully, this is a somewhat temporary placement while she finishes some public-agency projects down there. Anyhow, she tells me that the only food options close to her are fast food and Starbucks. So, I’ve been helping her devise meals that can be made in bulk ahead of time and packed easily for lunch. One of her favorite side dishes is coleslaw, but she is lactose-intolerant and hates slaws that are slimy and fatty, so I came up with a coleslaw that is delicious, dairy-free and healthy. It’s the least I can do to make up for that c-section scar I gave her :/

Vegan Coleslaw
Makes 8 cups
So fresh. So clean. So get-in-my-belly-tastic!

Ingredients

• 1 10-ounce bag shredded cabbage (I got mine from Trader Joe’s)
• 1 10-ounce bag shredded carrot (I got mine from Trader Joe’s)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 1/2 small or medium white/yellow onion, chopped
• 3-4 stalks celery chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup brown rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Trader Joe’s Tuscan Italian Dressing with Balsamic Vinegar (any vegan Italian dressing will do with about 50 calories per tbsp.)
• 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions

• Shake shake shake. SHAKE shake shake. Shake your bootay! Shake your bootay! (no seriously, just shake. Or mix. and you’re good to go!).
• Nutritional stats for 1-cup serving (8 total): 153.50 calories, 8.63g fat, 124.75mg sodium, 17.56g carbs, 2.75g fiber, 12.88g sugars, 2.38g protein
• Note:  You can cut the mayo in half, add a bit more vinegar and 1/2tbsp more of the dressing and you’ll save loads of calories and fat!

If you’re looking for other types of meals that are easy to compile (even for the kitchen illiterate) and good on the go, check out some of the vegan goods from Costco here. You can make a big batch of the brown rice or quinoa from Village Harvest, and place it atop a nice salad full of fresh veggies with a bit of dressing, or heat up the grains with organic frozen veggies and add a bit of low-sodium soy sauce and hoisin.

Any good ideas for other easy-to-make and easy-to-transport meals you’d like to share?

<3,

The Cranky One

I hope you’re having an amazing, fun-filled weekend! My lovely friend and I ran the Wrigley River Run 10k yesterday and it was so much fun! It was my first time running with someone (the last two 10ks I ran alone). It can be a bit of an awkward dynamic when you run with someone else –remember my feelings on running with a talker? Alternately, it can be a great way to push yourself and to feel camaraderie. I did, after all, first start my running career alongside my best friend Tamara! But, for those of you who run races with friends – do you make it an up front deal that you’ll each run at your own pace? Or do you just wing it? Do you stick with each other til the end? I’m curious!

Pre-run smiles

I didn’t break my personal record, unfortunately, though I did beat last year’s time for this particular race. Last year, I completed the 10k in 1 hour, 8 seconds — 9:41 pace; yesterday, I completed the 10k in 59:42, which is a pace of 9:36. My best time is for the Long Beach Turkey Trot, which I completed in 56:58 — a 9:14min/mile pace. Time for more 10ks! They are so much fun! (though if you ask me while I’m running them, I’m sure I’ll shoot you my death stare).

I love making race play lists! The three songs I would repeatedly switch to were Nicole S. & 50 Cent’s “Right There” (*writes ashamedly*), Motorcycle’s “As the Rush Comes (Gabriel & Dresden Chillout Mix)” and “Pop, Drop and Roll” by Chonique Sneed — a song I heard when I was flipping through and stopped at the girls’ performance on “So You Think You Can Dance” (see below)…

Now tell me that song doesn’t make you want to run your little heart out! (or dance like a crazy Geisha…)

Time for some cool super-easy vegan recipes!

Brown Rice & Vegetable Medley (w/ Smart Dogs for Good Measure )

Kahlua would like a taste…

What You’ll Need

• 3 cups frozen vegetables (I used Bybee Foods mixed vegetables with shelled edamame from Costco – it’s organic and non-GMO!), steamed and cooked without added oils or any of that nonsense [note: huge bag with 22 1-cup servings is $5.59 @ Costco]
• Cooked brown rice (however much 1 cup dry yields when cooked per package instructions) [note: Costco sells a huge bag of cooked frozen brown rice. It's very convenient. Trader Joe's also sells cooked brown rice in both the pantry (pasta/rice section) and frozen sections of the store]
• Smart Dog Veggie Hot Dogs (I added four dogs, chopped into bite-sized pieces)
• Low sodium soy sauce, hoison, brown rice vinegar (prob about 1-2tbsp each)

What to Do

• Add all the cooked ingredients together into a sauce pan and saute over low heat. Add in the sauces, stir and you’re done! So simple, cheap, healthy and delicious! I like to add the rice mixture to some lavash bread, add hummus and lettuce, and maybe even some of the papas below and it’s like a super-hearty, healthy, vegan breakfast burrito! MMMM!

Curry Potatoes

What You’ll Need

• Some potatoes. I used about 5-6 large red potatoes. Scrub ‘em, wash ‘em and cut ‘em into bite-sized pieces. Curry and paprika spices [note: Trader Joe's sells curry]

What to Do

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix in chopped potatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp curry and 1 tbsp paprika. Place into a shallow baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and cook until tender and crisp (about 25 minutes). These are amazing with ketchup!

Alright, gotta get back to band practice! (yes, I blog while the guys are figuring out guitar chords hehe!).

<3,

The Cranky One

A very special someone celebrated his birthday recently — someone who loves film, steam punk, archaeology and, apparently, cranky bloggers. Yep, that would be my boyfriend! He also happens to love poppy seed cake and, man, does he deserve one all to himself on his birthday.

Determined to make him the best vegan poppy seed cake out there, I found myself in a sticky spot when I couldn’t find a promising recipe online. Since I couldn’t risk a mediocre cake on someone who’s so clearly extraordinary, I decided to use the base of my favorite no-fail chocolate cake [via Vegweb here], omit the cocoa and add the lemon, almond and poppy seed flavors that I know he loves. It tasted like perfection and had a dense and super moist texture that made me wonder if the Cake God had come down and added her miraculous touch. It’s.that.good.

For all my health-conscious readers…this is not a “healthy” cake, so don’t bake it and then eat it out of the 9×13 pan with a shovel lol. Unless you’re the birthday boy (or girl), of course, in which case – dig in!

Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake (AKA “Birthday Boy Cake”)

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups vegan sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick spray.
• Mix together first four dry ingredients, then add in wet ingredients.
• Make sure you mix thoroughly, then fold in poppy seeds
• Pour mixture into pan and bake for 40 minutes. Check the center with a toothpick to make sure it comes out dry (that means done and voila!)
• YUM!

Frosting

• I used my favorite butter cream frosting recipe from The Vegan Chef, here, but substituted one tablespoon lemon extract for the two teaspoons vanilla.

Nutritional Information for one 1/18 slice without frosting

Nutrition Facts User Entered Recipe 18 Servings Amount Per Serving Calories 253.9 Total Fat 10.2 g Saturated Fat 0.8 g Polyunsaturated Fat 3.4 g Monounsaturated Fat 5.5 g Cholesterol 0.0 mg Sodium 269.9 mg Potassium 43.7 mg Total Carbohydrate 39.1 g Dietary Fiber 0.8 g Sugars 22.7 g Protein 2.5 g Vitamin A 0.0 % Vitamin B-12 0.0 % Vitamin B-6 1.0 % Vitamin C 3.6 % Vitamin D 0.0 % Vitamin E 9.8 % Calcium 3.2 % Copper 3.2 % Folate 1.8 % Iron 2.5 % Magnesium 2.9 % Manganese 14.0 % Niacin 1.4 % Pantothenic Acid 1.0 % Phosphorus 4.0 % Riboflavin 1.0 % Selenium 10.3 % Thiamin 2.9 % Zinc 2.3 % *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

It’s on my to-do list to “healthify” this cake by subbing in whole wheat pastry flour for the refined white flour, apple sauce & vegan sour cream for the oil, maple syrup for the sugar, etc. I’m sure it will taste like an entirely different cake, but hopefully it will still taste delicious and satisfy a hankering for poppy seed cake! I’ll keep ya posted.

<3,

The Cranky One

I wanted to create a mock tuna or chicken salad to eat in romaine leaves, so I devised the following recipe for a Vegan Chickpea Salad. It turned out amazingly delicious — the consistency and flavor is very similar to chicken salad. I have to admit this is my new favorite recipe because it’s delicious, healthy and can be eaten in a number of ways (atop a salad, with crackers, in a sandwich, in a pita, etc.!). Try it!

Vegan “Chicken” Salad/Chickpea Salad
Makes 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 tbsp light mayo (I used Trader Joe’s light mayo which isn’t marketed as “vegan,” but happens to be)
• 1/2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp paprika
• pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup raisins, chopped

Directions

• Mix chickpeas, celery and onion, using a fork to lightly mash chickpeas, leaving some chickpeas more or less intact (to maintain a chunky texture); mix in all remaining ingredients.
• Refrigerate or serve immediately.

Nutritional Info.

• Per 1/2 cup (5 total): 119.7 calories, 1.3g fat, 344.4mg sodium, 21.86g carbs, 4.98g fiber, 7.46g sugars, 4.6g protein

<3,

The Cranky One

Did you know that the lentil has the third-highest level of protein, by weight, of any plant-based food after soybeans and hemp? Yep, that’s what Wikipedia told me!

Sweet!

And take a look at how amazing lentils are nutritionally (per 100g serving): 116 calories, 0g fat, 2mg sodium, 20g carbs, 8g fiber, 2g sugars, 9g protein, 19% iron. So cool.

I had been craving a lentil dish for a while, but wanted something different from my usual lentil fix. Behold…

I Loafe You, Lentil (Inspired by lentil loafs crafted by Eat, Live, Run and Hungry Hungry Hippie)

I totally did not expect this lentil loaf to come out as deliciously as it did — with no added oils and 100% healthy vegan ingredients!

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked lentils
• 1 cup brown basmati rice
• 1/2 large white onion
• 3 oz. chopped carrots (about 3/4 cup of baby carrots)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• cajun seasoning to taste (I used a few sprinkles)
• salt and pepper to taste
• garlic powder to taste (I used a few sprinkles)
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
• 2 tbsp. organic bbq sauce, separated
• 2 tbsp. organic ketchup, separated
• 1 tbsp. organic hoison sauce
• 2 Ener-g Egg Replacers or use two “flax eggs” (I used Ener-g)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray an 8×8 glass cooking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• If you don’t have canned lentils or cooked lentils on hand, you’ll want to cook the lentils (I rinsed 1 cup dry and added to a pot with 4 cups hot water then simmered for 20 minutes with lid slightly ajar) – you’ll have leftover lentils, which is great for tacos and if you’re planning meals ahead of time. Also, if you don’t have cooked brown rice on hand, cook some via the package’s instructions (I also cooked 1 cup dry so that I’d have leftovers).
• In a pan sprayed with nonstick spray, saute onion, carrot and celery over medium heat until translucent. Add vegetable broth and dry spices. Turn off heat. Add in bread crumbs,1 tbsp. bbq sauce, 1 tbsp. ketchup, hoison and egg replacer. Add in cooked lentils and rice and mix completely.
• Place mix in an 8×8 glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with 1 tbsp. bbq and 1 tbsp. ketchup, spread evenly.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Remove…

take a slice…

Nutritional information per slice (1/6 of pan):

Calories		136.6
Total Fat		0.9 g
	Saturated Fat	0.1 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.3 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.2 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		254.9 mg
Potassium		290.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate		27.7 g
	Dietary Fiber	4.7 g
	Sugars	3.4 g
Protein		5.0 g

Vitamin A	52.6 %
Vitamin B-12	0.0 %
Vitamin B-6	8.9 %
Vitamin C	8.0 %
Vitamin D	0.0 %
Vitamin E	1.4 %
Calcium	6.2 %
Copper	7.3 %
Folate	18.5 %
Iron	8.2 %
Magnesium	8.1 %
Manganese	26.9 %
Niacin	5.7 %
Pantothenic Acid	4.1 %
Phosphorus	10.6 %
Riboflavin	3.3 %
Selenium	6.3 %
Thiamin	7.9 %
Zinc	5.0 %

Amazing stats!

You’ve got to try this.

<3,

The Cranky One

p.s. If you haven’t yet checked out Blogging for a Change, please do! This Monday the donation rally will start and go on for an entire week. You can enter to win a prize without even donating (though we, of course, hope that you do!).