Vegan Black Bean Chili

You can find a lot of recipes for vegan black bean chili. This is my version. It's my "go-to" meal when I want something fast and delicious. Recently I've updated it by eliminating the use of the food processor, adding olive oil and fire roasted tomatoes. It's easier and better tasting. You can play with the heat by adding jalapeno peppers just before serving.


Black Bean Chili

4 (15.5 oz.) cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 C. water
1 cube of vegan bouillon (I use the Rapunzel brand)
2 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (at least 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, chopped
½ red pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 oz.) fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 1/2 t. cumin
1 1/2 t. chili powder
1 t. dried oregano leaves
1/2 t. sea salt

Garnish
Scallions, sliced
Jalapeno pepper, sliced
Avocado, chopped

Pour olive oil into a soup pot and add the onion, celery, red pepper and garlic. Cook the vegetables over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until tender, stirring often. Add the fire roasted tomatoes with its juices, 2 cans of the rinsed and drained beans, water, bouillon cube and spices. With a potato masher, mash the beans breaking them up to help thicken the broth. Add the remaining black beans and bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve garnished with scallions, peppers and avocado.

Basil Oil Bruschetta

 

I came up with this recipe two summers ago, but I've improved it with the use of a flavored olive oil. My family likes this version much better. I buy my oil and balsamic from Fustini's, a Michigan based company that has a crazy variety of fantastic tasting oils and vinegars.

(Just follow this link for a look... http://www.fustinis.com )

I'm sure you know that bruschetta is an antipasto from Italy. But did you know that it's origin dates to the 15th century? There are many variations on this starter, much more than we're used to seeing, including toppings of beans and cured meats. Mine is the tomato version. The flavored olive oil deepens and intensifies the flavor. It's a great recipe for entertaining when you don't have a lot of time because so much of it can be done in advance, and it tastes better if you do!

Basil Oil Bruschetta

1 baguette
10 oz. of cherry tomatoes
1/2 C. Fustini's Basil Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced (I like garlic, so I use 2 cloves)
3 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
1/4 t. fresh rosemary, finely minced
1/8 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 t. sea salt

1/2 C. Fustini's 18-Year Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
extra basil leaves for garnish

The night before (or 3-4 hours before serving) mix together the Fustini's Basil Extra Virgin Olive Oil, garlic, basil leaves, rosemary, crushed red pepper and sea salt in a bowl large enough to hold the oil mixture and all of the tomatoes. Slice each cherry tomato in half, then quarter and add them to the olive oil marinade. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.

Pour the Fustini's 18-Year Traditional Balsamic Vinegar in small sauce pan and heat over a low setting until reduced to a thick syrup. This can also be done in advance.

When ready to serve, slice the baguette in to thin rounds. Grill the rounds if you can. The flavor is so much better. If you can't grill, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lay the rounds out on a cookie sheet. Toast the bread in the oven checking every few minutes so it doesn't get too dark.

Lay the grilled or toasted bread out onto a serving plate. Spoon the tomatoes and some of the olive oil over the top. Drizzle the reduced balsamic over or near the bruschetta. Add the whole basil leaves. Serve!

Guacamole

Well... how can I post a salsa recipe without guacamole! Silly girl... So I went back to one of my first blog posts and dug it up. Of course, there's a story...

My sister, who lives in Arizona, makes the best guacamole I’ve ever tasted. I've been eating it for years. All this time I thought she used sour cream and Mexican cheese, but during my last visit to Arizona she made it. To my surprise, she doesn't use either one of those ingredients! It's still the best ever, and it's just one of those things... the girl has it down!

Now, I hope this doesn't disappoint you, but what follows isn't her recipe. She really doesn't have one. Figures. So this is mine. It's very good, really! 

Guacamole

3 avocados
1T. lime juice or more to taste
½ C. red onion, diced
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
1 minced garlic clove
2T. cilantro, chopped
½ t. cumin
½ t. salt
Pepper to taste

Mix ingredients together and serve. I keep it fresh by placing plastic wrap directly on top of the guacamole, pushing down so it's air tight, and placing it the in refrigerator.

Collard Greens with Beans and Rice

This is another dish inspired by the local farmers market. It's a complete protein meal that's easy to put together. Everyone in my family liked this one!!

Collard Greens with Beans and Rice
Serves 4

2 T olive oil
2 T Earth Balance
2 small sweet Spanish onions, thinnly sliced (or shallots)
4 garlic cloves, sliced
 pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 bunch collard greens, stemmed and cut into 1 inch wide pieces
1 C. water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans
1 C brown rice, cooked according to package instructions
fresh lemon juice

Begin by cooking the rice according to package directions. In a large saute pan, saute the onion in the oil and Earth Balance on a low heat until lightly browned or caramelized, 5 - 10 minutes. Add the sliced garlic cloves and crushed red pepper. Continue to saute another 4 - 5 minutes. Add the collard greens and stir to coat with the oil mixture. Once slightly wilted, add the water and bouillon cube. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, uncover and add the cannellini beans. Continue to cook until the liquid is evaporated (5 - 10 minutes). Add the rice to the mixture stirring to combine. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the mixture, stir and serve.

Raw Food at Oryana

My sister is working at Oryana in Traverse City. She has long been interested in the relationship between food and health, so working at Oryana is a great fit. Oryana is a food co-op that consistently provides quality food to the community. It's an amazing store that reminds me of a smaller, better version of Whole Foods.

There's a lot going on in this store and all of it is good. They pride themselves on featuring local products some of which include produce, chocolate, wine, and bread.  There's a restaurant that serves up anything from smoothies to sandwiches and when you visit you may find yourself happily listening to live music as you sip your chai.

But back to my sister. She loves her job and its easy to see why. She demonstrates healthy, delicious meals featuring seasonal food while focusing on dishes that are easy to prepare. I visited recently with our mother and she was serving up a raw dish that could be made for lunch or dinner. It's a twist on pasta. You simply sub out the pasta for zucchini and end up with a raw, fresh, healthy, fun, good for you meal (her words). She found the recipe in the magazine,  "Whole Living,"  and it is so delicious I had to share.

Zucchini "Pasta"
Serves 2

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped raw walnuts
2 T torn fresh basil, plus leaves to garnish
2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
sea salt
1 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise, slices cut into 1/4 inch long strips

In a bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, walnuts, basil and oil. Season with salt. Let stand 20 minutes. Toss with zucchini, garnish with basil and an extra drizzle of olive oil if desired.

This photo is from the Whole Living website.

Oryana - Natural Foods Market

My Classic Vinaigrette

I've been making this vinaigrette for years. It's a simple, classic vinaigrette that everyone loves. It's not too acidic and has just a hint of mustard. If your serving a simple salad toss the greens in this lovely dressing and fall in love. Lately, I've been using it on a vegan nicoise salad and it's out of this world good.

My Classic Vinaigrette

1 T minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 t sea salt
1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
1/2 t Dijon mustard
1/4 C white wine vinegar
3/4 C olive oil

In salad bowl, combine the shallot, garlic, salt, pepper, Dijon and white wine vinegar. Blend well. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Serve.

Note: The pic is not mine.

Roasted Artichokes & Vegan Aioli

If you are a long time reader of my blog, you know that about three years ago I fell in love with the roasted artichokes served at The Cheesecake Factory. Recently I was in Arizona and made sure I got to a Cheesecake Factory just so I could eat them again. Then I came home and made them! Enjoy!

Roasted Artichokes and Vegan Aioli

Roasted Artichokes
2 artichokes
2 lemons
4 cloves garlic, peeled
8 - 10 T olive oil

Break off and discard the outer layers of leaves on each artichoke. With a scissors, snip off the thorny tip of the remaining leaves. Cut the artichokes in half. Slice a lemon so you have four slices. In a pan large enough to hold the artichokes tightly, lay the lemon slices down with a garlic clove on top of each. Lay the artichokes on top of the lemon slices and squeeze the juice from one lemon over the top. Drizzle the olive oil over the top as well. Seal the pan well with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.

Once roasted, use a spoon to remove the choke and grill the artichokes lightly before serving (this step is optional, but well worth it). Serve with the vegan aioli sauce.... wonderful!



Vegan Aioli

1/2 C Vegeniase
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 t juice from capers
Zest of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Put all the ingredients into a small bowl and mix. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: The pic isn't mine.

Spicy Black Bean & Corn Chili

If you like hot... you'll like this! And it's quick and easy! I posted this recipe a long time ago and on Saturday I decided to make it a part of our Superbowl celebration. When I brought the recipe up to jot down the ingredients I re-read the comments and found one from my sister Kathy. She and her family love this chili, but she only uses 1 cup of corn when she makes it. So this time I took her advice on the corn and changed a couple other ingredients. As usual, my sister was right and now I love it even more.


Spicy Black Bean & Corn Chili

Serves 6
Easy
30 - 40 minutes

1/2 onion, chopped (1/2 C.)
1 stalk of celery, chopped
2 T. olive oil
1 large clove of garlic, diced
2 - 10 oz. cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 - 14.5 oz. can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
2 - 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 C. frozen corn
1 C. water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1/2 t. cumin
cilantro

In a stockpot, saute onion and celery in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for about 2 minutes more. Add the rest of the ingredients minus the cilantro. Simmer on low heat for 20 - 30 minutes more. With a potato masher, mash the mixture a little breaking up the beans. Serve with a garnish of cilantro.

Note:  I used Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies and Muir Glen Fire Roasted Organic Crushed Tomatoes when I make this.

Rustic Vegetable Soup with Almond Pesto Topping

I really like making soup. To me it's comfort and goodness in a bowl and all I need is a spoon. I made this soup and my husband had one word for it, "Delicious." It's easy to put together and with the pesto on top it has a fresh taste that's very satisfying.

Rustic Vegetable Soup with Almond Pesto Topping

2 T. olive oil
2 small onions, rough chop, 1 - 1 1/2 C.
2 carrots, rough chop, 1/2 C.
5 cloves garlic, rough chop
1 quart vegetable broth, low sodium
1 28 oz. can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 cube of vegetable bouillon
1 16 oz. can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 19 oz. can of cannellini  beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 T. fresh Italian parsley, rough chop
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the carrots and onion in the olive oil until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and saute another minute or two. Add the rest of the ingredients, excluding the salt and pepper, and cook slowly for 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the Almond Pesto on top. 

Almond Pesto Topping

In a food processor, pulse the almonds until chopped small. Add the basil leaves and pulse until the basil is shredded. Add the olive oil and pulse quickly just until fully incorporated. Salt and pepper to taste.

1/4 C. almonds
1/2 C. packed basil leaves
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Ratatouille Appetizer

My husband and I went north for New Years Eve and spent it with family. My sister Kathy organized the celebration and did nearly all of the cooking. She's an amazing cook. She thinks of everything! So when I walked in to find a vegan appetizer, I wasn't surprised. As usual, it was fantastic.  I begged her for the recipe and she sent it on to share along with this note.

"Here is the recipe for the ratatouille! This is my tweaked version of a recipe from a newspaper insert. I can't remember which one! You can use it as a main vegan dish or do the appetizer. If doing the appetizer, you should still have leftover ratatouille. I think this would also be great served over pasta."

I cannot adequately express how beautiful this appetizer is to look at, and it's soooo delicious! Thank you Kathy!

Yummy over pasta too!

Ratatouille

  

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium red onion, diced 

1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced

1 medium orange bell pepper, diced

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 medium yellow squash, diced

1/2 medium eggplant, diced (My sister used a bit less and left the eggplant unpeeled, but you could peel it if desired)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 large ripe tomato, seeded and diced

1/2 t coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

30 - 45 mini phyllo cups

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, cook for 2 minutes. Add yellow and orange bell peppers and cook for another 2 minutes. Add zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant and cook for 2 more minutes. Add garlic, tomato, salt and pepper and cook for about 1 minute.

To make into an appetizer, spoon ratatouille into the mini phyllo cups and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes, or until heated through.

Vegan Vegetable Pot Pie

Ahhhhh... comfort food. Winter screams comfort food, doesn't it? And this is something I've been missing... pot pie. I use to love chicken pot pie. I remember eating it with delight as a kid and that continued well into my adulthood. So I thought I'd try making a vegan version. My family liked it and so did I!!

It was fun to make, and if you buy pre-cut or frozen vegetables it goes together easily. If you've never used phyllo dough, don't let that get in the way. Just follow the directions on the package. If a sheet or two breaks in the process, don't worry, no one will know... but you could substitute the phyllo for a vegan pie crust if you like. 

Vegan Vegetable Pot Pie

This recipe can be made in ramekins. If you do that, it should make at least four individual servings.?? 

Filling:
2 T olive oil
1 C onion, diced
1 C celery, diced
1 C carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C cauliflower, diced
2 Russet potatoes, cubed small
3 T flour
2 C vegetable broth
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
1 C frozen green beans
1 C frozen corn kernels
garlic powder
celery salt
1/2 t salt
freshly ground pepper

Crust:
10 sheets of phyllo dough, you'll use 1/2 of a package
Earth Balance 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent. Add the cauliflower and russet potatoes and continue to cook for 5 - 10 minutes. Stir often so the vegetables don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the flour and stir it into the vegetables. Once fully incorporated, add the broth and bouillon and scrap all the bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the bay leaf, thyme, greens beans, corn, garlic powder, celery salt, salt and pepper and simmer on low, stirring often, for 20 - 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, melt some Earth Balance and get the phyllo out of the refrigerator. Once the vegetables are done, remove the bay leaf and sprig of thyme, and pour into a  9" X 13" pan. Lay a single sheet of phyllo on top of the vegetable mixture and brush with Earth Balance. Place another sheet on top of that brushing it with Earth Balance. Repeat the process until all the sheets are used. Brush the top of the last piece with Earth Balance and put the pot pie in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until it is golden and the mixture is bubbling up around the edges. Let it sit a few minutes before serving.

Note: The picture is not mine.

Artichoke Dip

My sister Kathy makes a baked artichoke appetizer that's too good to pass up. So my goal with this recipe was to use that as inspiration and make it every bit as delicious, but vegan. This dip can be served hot, cold or heated on top of slices of a baguette.

Artichoke Dip

1 garlic clove
1/2 C raw cashews
1 t fresh lemon juice
2 6oz. jars of marinated artichoke hearts
pinch of onion powder
crackers or baguette for serving

In a food processor, pulse the garlic until finely minced. Add the cashews and process until the cashews are chopped small but not finely processed. Add the remaining ingredients, picking the artichoke hearts out of the jars and transferring only the oil that comes with them. Pulse until the the ingredients are well mixed.

You can serve the dip either hot or cold with crackers or a sliced baguette. To warm it up, put it in an oven proof dish and set it in a 350 degree oven for 10 - 15 minutes. If you want to serve it on toast, slice up 1/2 of a small baguette, place the slices onto a sheet pan and put it into a 350 degree oven. Keep an eye on it. The slices will toast quickly. Remove the baguette slices and put the dip on top of each slice. Place it back into the oven and heat for 5 minutes. Serve.

Note: The photo isn't mine.

Stuffed Artichoke Hors d'oeuvre

This appetizer is elegant, delicious, easy and fun to make. It's perfect for the New Year celebration. I posted it this past summer and it has become a favorite recipe of mine. You'll have to try it and tell me what you think!

Stuffed Artichokes

1 can of artichoke hearts
2 T olive oil
2 T onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely diced
1/2 C. packed baby spinach leaves, chop finely
6 T diced oyster mushrooms
1/8 t sea salt
3 T panko bread crumbs
fresh lemon

Drain the can of artichoke hearts and cut them in half. Scoop out the center of each half and mince the center leaves that you've removed. Set aside. Dry the in-tack artichoke hearts with a paper towel so little moisture is left.

In a saute pan, add the oil and heat to medium low. To that, add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the spinach, chopped artichoke, mushrooms and sea salt and saute until the mixture is cooked down nicely (only a few minutes). Finally, add the bread crumbs and heat through.

Scoop out enough mixture to fill each half of the artichoke hearts. It will work out perfectly if you don't overfill. Set the stuffed artichoke hearts onto a baking sheet and broil until the tops are nicely browned. Squeeze lemon over the top of them when they come out.

Serve

Black Bean Dip

Here's a healthy appetizer for the coming New Year festivities! Happy New Year everyone!!


Black Bean Dip

1 clove of garlic
1 15oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 T. diced green chiles
2 t. fresh lime juice
1/4 C. salsa
1 T. rough chop cilantro
2 green onions, white and some green chopped

corn chips or veggies for dipping

Process the garlic in a food processor until minced. Put the remaining ingredients, except for the green onions, in the food processor and process until smooth. Stir in the green onions in serve with chips and/or veggies.

Tomato Confit

This is a dish I made for Christmas dinner. It's easy, beautiful and a wonderful side... plus, it's red! But one of the best features of this recipe is that it can be made in advance and served at room temperature if you don't have enough space in the oven. It's perfect for entertaining. Enjoy!

Tomato Confit

12 - 15 small tomatoes - about 2 inches round
6 basil leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
enough extra virgin olive oil to come about half way up baking dish
sea salt
freshly cracked pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil water in a large pot and get an ice water bath ready in a bowl. Prepare the tomatoes by cutting a small X on the bottom of each one. Put the tomatoes into the boiling water and time for about 15 seconds or wait until you see the skin begin to crack. Immediately remove the tomatoes and place them into the ice water bath to cool. Peel and core the tomatoes once cooled. Place the basil, thyme and garlic in the bottom of a baking dish just large enough to hold the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes, core side down, on top of the herbs and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Pour the olive oil into the dish until the oil comes nearly half way up the side of the tomatoes. Bake for about 50 minutes. Cool the tomatoes and place them in an airtight container. Remove the garlic and herbs from the olive oil and pour the oil into the container with the tomatoes. Refrigerate. This can be served at room temperature or you can reheat them before serving. They will last for 3 days refrigerated.

Asparagus Soup

Tis the season, and as it approaches I seem to become interested in all things red and green. Hence, asparagus soup. This is a wonderfully yummy take on the non-vegan version. I included potato in the recipe to give the soup more texture, but if you don't like potatoes reduce by half. You'll still get the benefits, but with less potato flavor.

Asparagus Soup

2 T olive oil
1 C chopped shallot, 2 large
3 garlic cloves, minced
32 oz. vegetable broth
2 lbs. asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 lb. potato, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 t salt
1/4 t dried thyme
1/8 t white pepper
1/8 t celery salt
croutons

Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and garlic and saute until the shallot is translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, thyme and celery salt. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Trim the woody ends off of the asparagus and discard. Cut the asparagus into 1 inch pieces, then peel and cube the potato. Add the cut asparagus and cubed potato to the stock and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until the  asparagus and potato are tender. Once the vegetables are tender, either carefully transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, or use an immersion blender and blend until smooth. Serve with croutons on top as a garnish.

Tomato Quinoa Soup

My daughter was living in Grand Rapids and found a restaurant that became a staple for her, Marie Catribs. We would eat there often and I fell in love with it too. It's a great restaurant that serves amazing vegetarian and vegan dishes. Not too long ago I ordered the soup of the day and by the third spoonful I made up my mind to try to duplicate it! Here it is. I hope you like it! And if you ever get to Grand Rapids, Michigan, it's worth your time to visit Marie Catribs. It won't disappoint! Check out her website.

Tomato Quinoa Soup

2 T olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
3 leeks, white parts only, sliced 
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
6 oz. portobello mushrooms, chopped
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
32 oz. veggie broth
leaves from two sprigs of thyme
3 basil leaves, chiffonade
1 T parsley
1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 C quinoa
1/2 C cashew cream (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
basil leaves for garnish, chiffonade

In a large stock pot saute the garlic, onion, leeks, celery, carrots and mushrooms until tender and fragrant. Add the tomatoes, broth, thyme, basil, parsley, kidney beans, garbanzo beans and bring the soup to a simmer. Add the quinoa and bring the soup to a boil. As soon as it begins to boil, reduce heat to medium low. Cover. Simmer until the quinoa has cooked and the soup has thickened, about 10 – 15 min. Add the cashew cream and season to taste. Serve garnished with basil leaves.

Vegan Stuffed Green Peppers

Vegan Stuffed Green Peppers
Serves 4 

1-2 T olive oil
1 C chopped white onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 C sliced button mushrooms
1/2 C sliced celery
1 package of Trader Joe's Beef-Less ground beef (12 oz.)
1  28oz. can of diced tomatoes
1  6oz. can of tomato paste
1 T vegan worcestershire sauce
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1 C brown rice
water for cooking rice
4 green peppers
Panko bread crumbs for topping


Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook the brown rice according to the package directions. While the rice is cooking, in a saute pan heat the olive oil and add the onion, garlic, mushrooms and celery. Saute until the vegetables are tender, between 5 - 10 minutes. Add the package of "beef-less" ground beef and stir into the vegetables. Once the "beef-less" ground beef and the vegetables are well combined, add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, garlic and onion powder. Gently simmer. Once the rice is cooked add it to the vegetable mixture. Cut the top off of the green peppers and fill each with the mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Lightly oil a baking dish. Place the peppers open side up on the baking dish and bake covered for 30 - 35 minutes.

You can see where I got the idea... ;-)

Read about Thrive Foods!

I was given a copy of "Thrive Foods" to review and I have nothing but good things to say about it. The book was written by Brendan Brazier, a former professional triathlete and creator of Vega Foods, a line of whole food nutritional products. This is his third book and it's full of  referenced nutritional information and recipes. 

Because I am interested in cooking, at first glance my focus was on the recipes (there are 200!). In it you'll find recipes for smoothies, salads, soups, dips, spreads, dressings, snacks, breakfasts, main courses and desserts. I've made several, one of which I've included in this post. All were fresh tasting and delicious. 

A lot of the recipes are raw or low-temperature cooked foods and all are carefully created for optimum nutrition and taste. Brendan also includes recipes created by well-known chefs whose focus is either vegetarian or vegan, such as Tal Ronnen, of Oprah fame, and recipes from well known restaurants like Candle 79 in Manhattan, New York. 

This is a picture of the Black Bean Soup from Candle 79. It's like eating a bowl of fresh.

As a cookbook Thrive Foods is well worth buying, but it's much more than that. Brendan begins his book by highlighting the benefits of a plant-based diet. He provides information on the components of good nutrition and the nutrient-dense foods that provide them. He explains why nutrient dense foods are essential for feeling and looking our best, as well as having the sustainable energy we need to make it through the day. He also demonstrates how eating a plant-based diet is good for our planet, something we should all be paying attention to.

Now for the fun part!! Go to Brendan's Facebook page  where you can download a Thrive Foods introduction and three recipes! Or... you can pre-order Thrive Foods on Amazon.com. Believe me, you'll be glad you did!

I want to thank Cierra at Vega for the opportunity to review the book and make some delicious dishes!

NOW... Here's a recipe for you to try. It's Garlic Thyme Sweet Potato Oven Fries... it's quick, easy and yummy. Enjoy!

Garlic Thyme Sweet Potato Fries

Serves 2

2 medium sweet potatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 T. coarsely chopped pumpkin seeds
1 T. thyme
1 1/2 T. coconut oil
1/2 T. basil
sea salt to taste

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Cut the sweet potatoes into wedges or chunks. In bowl, combine the garlic, pumpkin seeds, thyme, coconut oil, basil, and sea salt.
• Add the sweet potatoes, stirring with your hands to make sure all the pieces are covered with the mixture.
• Spread the sweet potatoes on a baking tray lightly oiled with coconut oil; bake for about 35 minutes.
• If you prefer the potatoes crispier, leave in the oven for an extra 5-10 minutes.

Black Beluga Lentils with Spinach and Mushrooms

Lentils are an excellent source of protein. They have the 3rd highest level of protein by weight of any plant-based food. They are also a great source of fiber as well as being inexpensive and plentiful. I love the look of these black beluga lentils and I find the taste is more desirable than that of green or red lentils. If you add rice as a side dish, you'll end up with a tasty dinner that provides complete protein.

Black Beluga Lentils with Spinach and Mushrooms
Serves 2-4

1T olive oil
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
2T finely minced carrot
2T finely minced red onion
2T finely minced celery
1/2 C. black beluga lentils
1 1/2 C. veggie stock

In a sauce pan saute the garlic, carrot, onion and celery for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the black beluga lentils stirring to coat the lentils with the oil. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer very gently for 25-30 minutes until the lentils are tender. As the lentils are about half way thru cooking, begin sauteing the mushrooms.

2T olive oil
4 oz. of shittake mushrooms or wild mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 lg. packages of spinach
Sea salt to taste

In a saute pan heat 1T olive oil. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender. Set the mushrooms aside and add 1T olive oil and the sliced garlic. Saute until fragrant then add the spinach handfuls at a time as it cooks down. Season with salt to taste. Plate the dish with spinach and garlic on the bottom, black beluga lentils over the spinach and mushrooms on the top.