Sweet Potato Kale Salad

A couple weeks ago, Malissa and I were in the mood for something fresh.  A quick internet search on some of our favorite sites brought Malissa to this recipe, and after some simple modifications to make it simpler and vegan friendly, voila!  We had a new favorite side!  This salad has a sweet and tangy flavor, with a hardy taste and texture thrown in thanks to the sweet potatoes.  A definite favorite salad in our home, and an instant winner for any potluck!

HEALTH BENEFITS:  The combination of kale and sweet potatoes makes a powerful punch of vitamin A (the whole salad has around 1000% your daily need!) which is necessary for good bone growth and is a huge immune system booster!  This salad should be in your arsenal anytime someone is experiencing an illness.  Also loaded with potassium to help build stronger muscles, vitamin C to boost immune system more, and lots of fiber.

Sweet Potato Kale Salad

(Original Recipe by Real Simple, modified)

2 Sweet Potatoes cut into 1/2" cubes

6 Tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard

2 bunches of Kale

1 Pink Lady, Fuji or other sweet apple, thinly sliced

1/4 cup roasted almonds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss sweet potatoes in 2 Tablespoons of oil until coated.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 18-20 minutes until tender, tossing them halfway through.

In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper, and remaining oil. 

Add kale and rub leaves with mixture to coat and soften leaves.  Add apple slices, almonds, and sweet potatoes and toss together.

Savory Tomato Gnocchi

The recipe we made tonight was a spur of the moment creation that turned into a masterpiece!  With very little food and a great desire to refrain from shopping, Malissa and I desperately looked through our cupboards for something to eat.  After finding a box of potato gnocchi, we devised a plan.  Who would have guessed that ten minutes later, we would have created one of our new favorite dishes!  This meal is delicious, reminding us of pizza in a bowl (except this is healthy).  To top things off, the total cook time is only 6-8 minutes.
  
Savory Tomato Gnocchi

1 pound (450g) potato gnocchi
1 Green pepper, chopped
4 Tomatoes, Chopped
1/2 Cup Olives, sliced
4 Tablespoons Olive juice (from the can of olives) 
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or 2 Tablespoons dried)

Cook Gnocchi in boiling water 4-5 minutes or until the Gnocchi floats to the top when stirred.  Rinse and set aside.
In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add peppers, saute one minute.  Add tomatoes, saute 1-2 minutes more.  Add the gnocchi and all remaining ingredients into saucepan and saute for 1-2 minutes.  Easy enough!

10 Minute Artichokes and Dip

   

A Wild Rice Pilaf Makes an Excellent Side for These Artichokes

    Growing up, artichokes in our home were a delicacy.  Because they were so rare, I always assumed that they were either very expensive or very difficult to make.  I was wrong.  Artichokes are very inexpensive (around $1.50-$3.00 each) and easy to make.  The total amount of time you'll take on making the artichokes and the dip is 10 minutes!  They are incredibly healthy and delicious as well.

Artichokes and Dip 

2 Artichokes, stems and tops removed
1/4 Cup vegenaise (can be found in most grocery stores)
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Salt, to taste

    Place artichokes in pressure cooker with water just up to to the bottom of the steam rack.  Seal pressure cooker and cook on high.  Once it starts pressure cooking, turn heat down just a few degrees and cook for 9 minutes.  Take pressure cooker off heat and hold under cold running water until it can be released.

  For the dip:  Mix all ingredients together in a small container, adjust seasoning and mustard to taste.

*Note: to make the artichokes have a rich, smoky flavor, try putting a small amount of liquid smoke and onion powder in the pressure cooker water.



That's it! Super simple!  

Quick, Healthy, Wild Rice Pilaf

    Like many of you, Malissa and I celebrate Thanksgiving at our parents home surrounded by our family.  We estimated that there will be close to 30 people at this feast!  That many mouths will generally also include many different diets, allergies, and food restrictions, so, for this thanksgiving feast, we decided we wanted to bring a side that would be hardy, substantial, and one that the whole family could enjoy!  This wild-rice pilaf is Vegan, organic, nut free, gluten-free, and delicious!

Wild Rice Pilaf
 

1-2 Tablespoons Olive oil 

1 Small onion, diced  

2/3 Cup mushrooms, sliced 

2 Cloves garlic, minced  

1/4 Cup celery, chopped 

1/4 Cup fresh parsley, chopped  

1 teaspoon dried sage, 

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary 

2 cups wild rice (for a unique taste and texture, you can mix brown rice in with it)  

3 1/2 cups water or gluten-free vegetable broth

 
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until soft.  Add mushrooms, garlic and celery and cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked.  Stir in parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary. Add rice and stock or water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 50 minutes or until rice is tender.  Fluff with a fork before serving.

Easy Homemade Crockpot Applesauce

     Growing up, it was always a treat when I was at school, opened my lunch, and saw a small cup of applesauce from my mom!  The applesauce was always delicious, however, looking back and thinking of the added preservatives and sugar I was consuming de-romanticizes my elementary school days a bit.  Fortunately, after getting 22 pounds of apples, and scrambling to figure out what to do with them, Malissa and I discovered how to make delicious applesauce with no preservatives, and no artificial ingredients!  Now I can re-live my childhood memories without re-living the chemicals!

...OH! And it's SUPER EASY!...

Crockpot Applesauce

12 Apples, peeled and sliced into cubes (we used Fuji, which were really good!)
1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 Cups water
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon sweetener (optional)


Combine all ingredients in the crockpot, cook for 6 hours on low setting, stir and mash occasionally.

  

Easy Crunchy Kale Chips

      I have a secret I need to confess to everyone who reads this blog.  I love chips!  I know, I know, chips aren't healthy, they're really oily and fatty and have way more sodium than I should be consuming...but chips are my vice!  Malissa always gives me grief because I can turn away the ice cream, chocolate, candy, or any other type of junk food, but when chips are placed before me, my mouth immediately starts watering.  Fortunately, I have devised a plan to turn that weakness into a strength!  Behold the kale chip!  A healthy, delicious chip that you can eat guilt-free!  (And I think that picture looks cool too).  For all of you who have a weakness of loving chips too much, I have an incredibly easy win-win solution!

Kale Chips

Kale, stemmed and cut into chip-sized pieces
Olive oil
Salt or Seasoning of your choice

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Combine a small amount of olive oil (just enough to lightly coat all your kale), kale, and seasoning in a bowl.  Mix well and spread kale evenly in one layer over a cookie sheet.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until they are nice and crispy, but not burnt.  Enjoy!
 

Summer Veggie Pasta Salad With Balsamic Dressing

    I have loved pasta salad all my life.  Every time I eat some, I can't help but reminisce about my childhood, eating with my family outside on a warm summer evening.  My craving for pasta salad has not been satisfied for a long time however, as most pasta salads usually come with fatty, sugary dressings, and bleached, unhealthy pastas.  Malissa and I have successfully remedied this inability to enjoy pasta salad with our new healthy, whole grain version.  This meal only takes 15 minutes to make and will create new lasting memories ingrained in your mind forever!

*Veggie Pasta Salad

1 Pound whole wheat pasta (we use fusilli)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Clove garlic, minced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 Bell peppers, diced (red, green, or both!)
2 Zucchini, chopped
1 Tablespoon thyme
1/2 Cup fresh basil, cut into small pieces
Salt, to taste

Dressing:
4-5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Dash of cayenne or chili powder (optional)
Dash of crushed red peppers (optional, for a little spice!)

    Cook pasta according to package directions.  Place in large bowl.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the cherry tomatoes and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the peppers, zucchini, and thyme.  Cook until *veggies are soft, about 5-7 minutes.  Add to pasta bowl, along with the basil.  For the dressing:  Combine all ingredients and stir.  Add to pasta bowl.



*Note:  I call this a veggie pasta salad even though from a scientific point of view, all the main ingredients are actually fruits...however, I think you would agree with me that to claim this as a fruit salad would be ridiculous!  Therefore, I am taking a culinary liberty, and calling these vegetables.

Easy Ratatouille

    

    

    The word Ratatouille always brings my mind back to the beautiful city of Paris, with it’s glamorous tower, renowned breads, and small rodents cooking for food critics.  Yes, the first time I was ever introduced to this dish was when I watched the animated character Anton Ego take a bite, then dramatically drop his pen in slow motion as he savored the delicious taste.  Now, several years later, we are cooking our own ratatouille, and it is good!  Its flavor didn’t cause me to go into shock and have a flashback of my childhood…but it probably would have if I had ever had ratatouille when I was younger! 

    This meal is a great way to get rid of all that squash you have piling up in your refrigerator, and you can cook it as a delectable side, or serve it over rice as a wonderful main course.  Bon Apatite!

Ratatouille

1/4 Cup olive oil
1 1/2 Cups yellow onion, diced
1-2 Cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (The spice works if you don't have fresh)
1 Cup green bell peppers, diced
1 Cup red bell peppers, diced
*3 Cups zucchini squash, diced
1 Cup yellow squash, diced
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tablespoon Harissa sauce (optional, if you like spiciness)

Directions

Set a large 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are wilted and lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Add the thyme, green and red peppers, zucchini, and squash.  Continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt and pepper, and Harissa (if you want it spicy), and cook for 5 minutes. Stir well to blend and serve either as a side, or on rice as a main course.

*Note- if you like eggplant, you can substitute 2 cups of eggplant and only use 1 cup of zucchini.  Add the eggplant before the peppers, zucchini, and squash and let it cook for five minutes.

Healthy Zucchini Muffins

 
  Once again, we come to that wonderful time of year when all of us are panicking about how we can get rid of the truckload of zucchini we found in our garden.  Perhaps an obstacle you are facing is that the children at your table aren't thrilled about the taste of zucchini!  Time to sneak some of this squash into their lives!  These zucchini muffins are a great side or dessert to add to your meal, and they are very simple to make!  Just make sure your kids don't wander into the kitchen while you're making them, and they'll love these muffins without ever realizing what kind of squash they're digesting!  Enjoy!

Zucchini Muffins

2 Cups whole wheat flour
1/2 Cup flax meal 

A healthy, sweet, and hardy dessert or snack!

2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
2/3 Cup agave (Add more if you want it really sweet)
3/4/ Cup soymilk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 Cups Zucchini, shredded

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a 12 muffin tin with paper liners, or spray with non-stick spray.  In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth all the way through. Mix in the zucchini.  Scoop 1/3 cup of the batter into each prepared cup, almost filling it.  Bake on center rack for 23 minutes.  Poke with toothpick to test.  
 
 

Mexican Rice

 

    Growing up, I always loved going to Mexican restaurants because of how delicious the Mexican rice was.  We never ate Mexican rice in my home, and I assumed the reason why was because it must have been very complicated to make, or required some type of "secret ingredient".  Little did I know just how easy Mexican Rice is to make on your own (With just two lines of instructions!).  Now, Malissa and I are always just 20 minutes away from enjoying restaurant quality Mexican rice, which has now become the popular side to many of our favorite homemade Mexican Dishes.

Mexican Rice

2 Cups water

2 Cups rice (regular brown rice does not work!  Use quick brown rice or white)

1 ½ Cups Salsa

2 teaspoons salt

Dash of Chili Powder

In a medium pot or saucepan, bring water to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, add all ingredients, cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes.  Easy!

*This recipe works wonderfully as a filler for Tacos!

Chunky Tomato Basil Soup

    I don’t believe that Malissa and I are a minority as people who love to have soup with our sandwiches.  If you are like us, then this tomato basil soup is perfect for you!  Not only can it be enjoyed guilt-free, knowing that it is completely vegan and healthy, but it is also extremely easy to make and works very well as leftovers!  It is rich and creamy, but still has some good chunks in it, giving it a good hardiness.  This meal is also very quick, taking about 15-20 minutes to make.

8 Cups roma tomatoes, diced

2 Eight-ounce cans tomato sauce

1 Six-ounce can tomato paste

2 Cups water

4 teaspoons bouillon (we get veggie “better than bouillon”)

1 Package silken tofu (optional, adds to the creaminess)

10 Basil leaves, finely chopped (or to taste)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Vegan cheese (optional, for garnish)

Place diced tomato pieces in blender or food processor and pulse 2-3 times.  Combine tomatoes, sauce, paste, water, and bouillon in pot and simmer 3-4 minutes.  Blend the tofu until creamy and stir into tomato mixture.  Simmer until it reaches desired thickness.  Remove from heat, stir in basil, salt and pepper.

Black Bean Avocado Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

Tonight, Malissa and I have decided to try something a bit light, though, we still wanted something with a good kick.  This salad is incredible!  The Mexican style taste could be compared to a salad you would find at Cafe Rio, only much healthier, and the cilantro lime dressing adds a great zest to the already great colors and flavors.  Make too much and the leftovers can become an awesome Pico De Gallo.  It is also very easy to make, only taking about 15 minutes, and is great for a side or as the main course.

Black Bean Avocado Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

2 Cups fresh or frozen corn
1 Can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Cups fresh diced tomatoes
1 ½ Cups finely diced red or white onion
2 Ripe avocados cut into ½ -inch squares
2 Cups chopped fresh cilantro
6-8 cups lettuce (optional)

Dressing:
½ Cup flaxseed oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
1/3 Cup lime juice
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook corn in pot of lightly salted water for about 2-3 minutes, until crisp-tender.  Drain and rinse with cold water.

Combine corn, beans, tomatoes, onion, avocados, and cilantro in a large bowl.  Whisk oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl.  Pour over veggies and toss gently to coat.  Serve on beds of lettuce, or use as a chip dip if desired.

Healthy Movie Theater Popcorn

I am very excited about tonight's recipe.  Malissa and I love to watch movies together, but we have never really had a snack to eat while we watched.  Occasionally, we would pop some popcorn in the microwave, but we felt guilty if we ever put anything on it.  Then we discovered this little trick!  Now we enjoy popcorn that tastes exactly like the stuff you get at the theaters without the guilt (not to mention the unpleasant side effects).  Enjoy!

Movie Theater Popcorn

2 Tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
6 Tablespoons popcorn kernels
Any other seasonings you like


Place the coconut oil in a 14-inch wok over medium heat.  Add few kernels of popcorn. When you hear a kernel pop, pour in all of the popcorn.
Cover, turn the heat to medium-low, and cook, shaking the wok constantly, until you no longer hear the kernels popping against the lid.  Place in a bowl and Enjoy with your favorite movie!

Healthy Vegan Nachos

Malissa and I have been getting several requests for recipes involving snack foods, and kid-friendly meals where they won't realize they are eating something healthy.  Because of this, we decided to try a couple of our recipes on our twin nieces to see if they are worthy of being called kid-friendly.  These nachos have all-natural ingredients, are gluten free, and vegan.  They also passed the test; the twins loved them!

Our niece Kailey said they were delicious!

Vegan Nachos

-Tortilla Chips (look for some that only have three ingredients: Corn, oil, salt)
-Red or Green Pepper Slices
-Black Beans
-Vegan Refried Beans (If not homemade, make sure the canned version you buy says its vegetarian)
-Salsa (If you buy it from the store, make sure it has all-natural ingredients. Pace is a good brand)
-Pickled Jalapenos (optional)
-Olives (optional)
-Vegan Cheese (we like vegan gourmet, non-gmo, gluten free.  Can be found in most health-food sections of grocery stores)

Layer aluminum foil on a cookie sheet.  Lay out chips over sheet, top the chips with all the ingredients except salsa, in whatever order you choose.  Finish with cheese sprinkled all over the chips.  Put in the over at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.  Top with salsa.  Enjoy!

Homemade guacamole also goes great as a topper for this!

Healthy Homemade Refried Beans

A good friend of mine, Neil Reed has been looking for a healthy refried bean recipe.  I was introduced to this recipe when I first began eating healthy and it has been a favorite ever since!  Very easy to make and extremely delicious!  You can make this will all sorts of different bean variations as well.

Healthy Homemade Refried Beans

4 cups dry pinto beans (soak overnight, pour water off and rinse)
2 onions, chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoons salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup salsa
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Cook beans in big pot covered in water about 3-4 inches above beans.
Add all ingredients, bring to a boil, simmer 5-8 hours until water is
blended with beans to desired consistency (make the consistency just a little less than what you want.  It will thicken a bit as it cools).  Mash beans and stir well.  Enjoy!

Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Malissa and I love quinoa (Keen-wah).  It is a protein packed grain that tastes fantastic!  In fact, every time I see this dinner scheduled on our meal plan, my mouth starts to water.  With a great lime dressing, lots of healthy veggies, and a garlic kick, this one is definitely a favorite as a side or a main course.

Black Bean Quinoa Salad

2 cups quinoa (If you can, find it in the bulk section of the grocery store.  That will save a lot of money)
3 cups cold water
½ t salt
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (or 1 T minced fresh ginger)
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup chopped celery
1 carrot, peeled, halved lengthwise, sliced thin diagonally (optional)
1 cup chopped fresh yellow or green beans (optional)
1 red pepper, sliced thin
1 green pepper, sliced thin
1 t cumin powder
1 t coriander powder
1 large ripe tomato
½ c sliced olives (optional)
2 cups cooked black beans (drain and rinse well)
2 T chopped fresh cilantro or basil
¼ c chopped scallions

Dressing:

2 T freshly squeezed lime juice,

¼ cup olive oil

1 t salt

Fresh ground pepper

Pinch cayenne or chili powder

Place quinoa, water and salt in 2 quart pot. Bring to a boil, simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork and set aside. Sauté jalapeno, fresh garlic, celery, carrots and beans in 1 Tablespoon oil until garlic is browned and pepper and celery are softened. Add green and red peppers and sauté briefly. Add cumin and coriander and remove from heat.

Blend dressing ingredients with a whisk. Gently combine sautéed veggies, tomatoes, olives, black beans, quinoa and dressing in a large bowl. Stir in cilantro and scallions. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or cover
and chill.

Perfect Homemade Guacamole

In honor of the big game yesterday, this post is dedicated to a favorite among snack foods.  This guacamole will only take a couple minutes, is inexpensive, and is extremely delicious!  Although the chips you dip into the guac generally aren't healthy, you can find tortilla chips that aren't too bad.  Look for tortilla chips that only have three ingredients:  Corn, oil, salt (lime is okay too).  Read the labels carefully and you can go home knowing that you aren't eating any terrible preservatives or MSG's.  Although football is over, March Madness right around the corner so grab your dip and watch some ball!

Easy Guacamole

3 Small avocados (or 1-2 big ones)

2/3 Cup salsa (we use pace, no bad ingredients in it) 

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon onion powder

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 Cup non-dairy sour cream (optional, makes it a little creamier, you can find it in the health food section of most grocery stores. MAKE SURE you get the non-hydrogenated kind, it's usually in a blue container)

Salt, to taste

Cayenne pepper or chili powder, to taste (optional)

Cut, peel and pit avocados.  Add all ingredients to food processor (if you don't have a food processor, simply mash the avocados in a bowl).  Puree for only a few moments to mix all the ingredients, while still leaving it a bit chunky.  Place in bowl and enjoy! 

Vegan Potato Salad

Yesterday, Malissa was suddenly craving potato salad...in the middle of January...(no she's not pregnant).  Because of this, we went on a spontaneous quest to create our own vegan potato salad recipe!  I must point out two things for this post: First, I am not a spontaneous person, and second, I have always hated potato salad!  Upon completion, I reluctantly tasted our impromptu concoction.  You can probably guess what comes next or this post wouldn't exist...I LOVED it!!  It was so delicious I couldn't stop eating it (in fact, Malissa and I immediately ate the entire bowl!)  I was amazed that our spontaneity paid off with such a successful summer side (even if it was made when it was 12 degrees outside).

Vegan Potato Salad

4 Potatoes (peeling them is optional)
1/3 Block tofu, *crumbled
1 Cup diced Dill pickles
3-4 Tablespoons Vegenaise (I prefer the grapeseed version.  Malissa likes original. Either can be found in the health food section of most grocery stores)
2 Tablespoons Mustard
1-2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1/2-1 Tablespoon Dill
1-2 teaspoons Chives
Salt/Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon organic seasoning salt (This one is sold at Cosco and is great)
dash of onion powder, celery salt, and paprika (optional)

Place potatoes in pan and fill with water so the potatoes are completely submerged.  Boil 20 minutes or until soft (how soft you make them is your personal preference).  Remove from water, chop into cubes and place in serving bowl with all other ingredients.  Mix well.  Serve warm or chilled.

*To crumble tofu simply drain all the water out of the package, wrap the block of tofu in a towel and lay a book or something heavy on top of it for a couple minutes to remove the excess water.  Then crumble the tofu in your hands as you add it to the bowl (it should have the consistency of scrambled eggs as you crumble it in your hands).

With the 2/3 block of tofu you have left, you can add it to your Vegan "Ham" Fried Rice!

Vegan "Ham" Fried Rice

I have never been a fan of using meat or dairy substitutes.  I make sure to tell people that if I wanted meat (which I never do), I would eat meat, not some soy glob posing as meat.  With that being said, let me introduce this delicious fried rice with seitan (NOT HAM) recipe.  I look at the seitan in this meal as its own food, rather than a substitute (it tastes way better than ham ever did anyway).  This meal is quick, easy, incredibly filling, and *makes a ton of food! Enjoy!

(Not) Ham Fried Rice

1/4 Cup olive oil

2 Cloves garlic, minced

2 Carrots, sliced

1 Cup mushrooms, sliced

1 Cup green onions, sliced

1 Cup broccoli

1-2 Cups peas

1 Package seitan (Can be found in the health food section of most grocery stores)

2/3 Block of tofu, crumbled (we get medium or firm, but it doesn't matter too much what kind you get)

4 Cups brown rice, cooked

1/4 Cup soy sauce

Salt/Pepper, to taste

In a wok or large skillet heat oil over medium high heat.  Add garlic and all veggies, saute 5-8 minutes until veggies are tender. Add seitan and crumbled tofu, saute another 2-3 minutes.  Add cooked brown rice and soy sauce, mix well, saute 1-2 minutes.

To crumble tofu simply drain all the water out of the package, wrap the block of tofu in a towel and lay a book or something heavy on top of it for a couple minutes to remove the excess water.  Then crumble the tofu in your hands as you add it to the wok (it should have the consistency of scrambled eggs as you crumble it in your hands).

*Note: This recipe makes a huge amount!  If you aren't looking for leftovers, cut it in half. 

Now you have 1/3 a block of extra tofu, the perfect amount to add to your potato salad!

Perfect Homemade Hash Browns

   
    We usually don't do anything too special for breakfast here, just oatmeal or shredded wheat, however, we just got home from a trip to see the in-laws and realized we had no breakfast food!  Fortunately, we had been meaning to try making homemade hash browns for a while, and these turned out incredible!  We both agreed that it would become a common weekend breakfast in our home.

Homemade Hash Browns

6-8 Potatoes cut in half
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Paprika (or smoked paprika for a kick!)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt
Pepper


    Grate potatoes in food processor with shredding attachment (you can grate them by hand with a cheese grater although it is a bit harder).  Let shredded potatoes soak in water for 10-20 minutes.  Drain water and rinse potatoes under the sink for another minute or two (the soaking and rinsing is to remove unhealthy starch that also causes the potatoes to get clumpy).
   
 


 After rinsing, take a towel (or several paper towels) and wring out the potatoes in the towel.  The key is to get as much water out of them as possible (the more dry they are, the crispier they are)
   

    Heat oil in fry pan or on griddle over medium-high heat (350 degrees on the griddle).  Add potatoes and stir them, spreading the oil over all the potatoes evenly.  Mix in the spices to taste and let cook while slowly stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes until potatoes soften.  Arrange potatoes into a single uniform layer, cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown on the bottom, then flip and cook on the other side for 3-5 minutes.  You will have perfect hash browns with hefty portions for two or decent portions for four.  Yum!