Warm Kale Salad with Quinoa and Broiled Tempeh

Warm Kale Salad with Quinoa and Broiled Tempeh

I wrote my last post after a few days of summer like weather but now the weather has turned again and it feels more like winter!  So perhaps this is a good day to post a hearty salad that could hold up to a cold windy day. One look at the ingredient list and the health benefits of this dish should be obvious.  But if you aren't familiar with vegan fare, you might not have ever tried cooking with tempeh.  Even I have only used it a handful of times, so this recipe began as an experiment to see if I could broil it instead of fry it on the stove top and I was pleasantly surprised with the results.  I marinated the diced tempeh for a couple of hours and then cooked it for about 20 minutes while I prepared the rest of the salad. Even my husband, who is often weary of soy products like this, enjoyed the meal.  So try going meatless the next time you prepare a dinner salad and give broiled tempeh a try!

Chocolate Trail Mix Muffins

Chocolate Trail Mix Muffins

These muffins are the perfect mix of chewy oatmeal, crunchy seeds and gooey chocolate. They are basically a modified, and in my opinion, improved version of my original Oatmeal Bars.  I wanted to make a gluten free chocolate muffin that even my daughter would eat and that would be full of heart healthy nuts and seeds.  This recipe calls for three types of seeds (sunflower, chia and flax seeds) as well as almond butter, so it does have a high amount of fat, but it is the type that your body needs and will leave you satisfied for hours afterwards.  The seeds, in addition to the oats, provide a high amount of fiber and protein as well, so this muffin is really a nutritional powerhouse while being one of the most moist and chocolaty breakfast treats that I have ever made.  The only sweetener is pure maple syrup, and not much of it either, but the result is still satisfying enough to make anyone with a sweet tooth excited about this breakfast. The recipe makes a dozen muffins and after this morning's meal, I only have three left for my breakfast tomorrow.  They were that good. I calculated the nutrition information and posted it below because I was pleased that without even knowing for sure beforehand, the balance of calories, fat, fiber, sugar and protein should make any nutritionist feel ok about recommending this recipe.  So the next time you want something quick and easy that you can enjoy with your family or take along for the morning rush, give this chocolate treat a try. You won't be disappointed!

Cashew Butter Trail Mix Bars

Cashew Butter Trail Mix Bars

This recipe is a slight variation on the original Trail Mix Bars I made a few months back.  As promised, I added in some soy nuts to increase the protein and also switched up a few of the nuts and the nut butter to give it a slightly different taste.  I also left out the dark chocolate chips as I felt they overpowered the last batch and added more sugar than was necessary.  Once again, I made these as a nutritious snack for my husband and I to eat on the run since I too was getting sick of dropping seeds and nuts all over myself.  My husband texted me the other day from work actually requesting I make a batch of these because he said that eating seeds while trying to work on his computer was not fun. These bars do need to stay in the fridge in order to maintain their shape, but there is nothing about them that is perishable, so they can easily be taken with you wherever you go and are certain to keep your hunger healthfully at bay for hours.

Trail Mix Bars

Trail Mix Bars

In the effort to eat more protein without eating more meat, I have found myself "eating like a bird" and chowing down on large amounts of seeds and nuts all day long. While I love trail mix and have a large jug of a delicious homemade combination on my counter, it can sometimes be tedious and messy to eat, especially when on the move or in the car.  So what better way to fix that than to turn that mix into a bar!  This combination is a bit sweet, a bit salty and full of flavor.  Still a bit messy on the fingers, it is certainly a lot easier to eat and the extra protein and healthy fats from the almond butter and coconut oil will keep you satisfied all morning or afternoon.  I am planning on adding in soy nuts next time as well to increase the protein content as this recipe is extremely flexible depending on what types of seeds, nuts and dried fruits you prefer.  And it requires no baking so it is super simple!!