Archives for July 2013

Must Read Vegan and Plant Based Books

July 29, 2013 by Veronica Grace 22 Comments

It is just amazing how many books there are available these days on vegan, vegetarian and plant based diets. It definitely wasn’t the case 20 years ago. One of the first books to come out about a plant based diet was Fit For Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond. (It came out in 1985, the year I was born! lol) Then in 1987 Diet For a New Americ a came out which focused more on the cruelty behind mass animal raising in North America and the health implications of a heavy meat based diet. These were the two major books that empowered many people to turn to vegetarianism in the 90’s.

But now we have even more books to learn from, with more being written each year. We are so lucky to have more doctors, researchers and nutritionists behind the plant based movement. So I wanted to make a list of recommended books for you, should you need some more information guiding you what to eat and what not to eat as well as helpful tips and encouragement for you and your loved ones.

This is in no particular order, just fyi. And at the bottom I’ve provided a list of other plant based recipe books that are oil free and useful if you’re looking for more recipes!

Must Read Vegan and Plant Based Books

The Starch Solution by Dr. John McDougall

Description: From Atkins to Dukan, fear of the almighty carb has taken over the diet industry for the past few decades—even the mere mention of a starch-heavy food is enough to trigger an avalanche of shame and longing. But the truth is, carbs are not the enemy. Now, bestselling author John A. McDougall, MD, and his kitchen-savvy wife, Mary, prove that a starch-rich diet can actually help readers lose weight, prevent a variety of ills, and even cure common diseases. By fueling the body primarily with carbohydrates rather than proteins and fats, readers will feel satisfied, boost energy, and look and feel their best. Including a 7-Day Sure-Start Plan, helpful weekly menu planner, and nearly 100 delicious, affordable recipes, The Starch Solution is a groundbreaking program that will help readers shed pounds, improve their health, save money, and change their lives.

Super Immunity by Dr. Joel Fuhrman

Description: In Super Immunity, world-renowned health expert and New York Times bestselling author of Eat to Live Dr. Joel Fuhrman offers a nutritional guide to help you live longer, stronger, and disease free. Dr. Fuhrman doesn’t believe the secret to staying healthy lies in medical care—rather, the solution is to change the way we eat. With more than 85 plant-based recipes, a two-week menu plan, and lists of super foods that boost immunity, Dr. Fuhrman’s proven strategies combine the latest data from clinical tests, nutritional research, and results from thousands of patients . Fans of Alejandro Junger’s Clean, Mark Hyman’s Ultraprevention, and T. Colin Campbell’s The China Study will appreciate Dr. Fuhrman’s practical plan to prevent and reverse disease—no shots, drugs or sick days required.

Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn

Description: Based on the groundbreaking results of his twenty-year nutritional study, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn illustrates that a plant-based, oil-free diet can not only prevent the progression of heart disease but can also reverse its effects. Dr. Esselstyn is an internationally known surgeon, researcher and former clinician at the Cleveland Clinic and a featured expert in the acclaimed documentary Forks Over Knives. Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease has helped thousands across the country, and is the book behind Bill Clinton’s life-changing vegan diet.The proof lies in the incredible outcomes for patients who have followed Dr. Esselstyn’s program, including a number of patients in his original study who had been told by their cardiologists that they had less than a year to live. Within months of starting the program, all Dr. Esselstyn’s patients began to improve dramatically, and twenty years later, they remain free of symptoms.Complete with more than 150 delicious recipes perfect for a plant-based diet, the national bestseller Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease explains the science behind the simple plan that has drastically changed the lives of heart disease patients forever. It will empower readers and give them the tools to take control of their heart health.

My Beef With Meat by Rip Esselstyn

Description: For the millions who are following a plant-based diet, as well as those meat-eaters who are considering it, MY BEEF WITH MEAT is the definitive guide to convincing all that it’s truly the best way to eat! New York Times Bestelling author of The Engine 2 Diet and nutrition lecturer Rip Esselstyn, is back and ready to arm readers with the knowledge they need to win any argument with those who doubt the health benefits of a plant-based diet–and convince curious carnivores to change their diets once and for all. Esselstyn reveals information on the foods that most people believe are healthy, yet that scientific research shows are not. Some foods, in fact, he deems so destructive they deserve a warning label. Want to prevent heart attacks, stroke, cancer and Alzheimer’s? Then learn the facts and gain the knowledge to convince those skeptics that they are misinformed about plant-base diets, for instance:
You don’t need meat and dairy to have strong bones or get enough protein
You get enough calcium and iron in plants
The myth of the Mediterranean diet
There is a serious problem with the Paleo diet
If you eat plants, you lose weight and feel great

Eat To Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman

Description: The Eat To Live 2011 revised edition includes updated scientific research supporting Dr. Fuhrman’s revolutionary six-week plan and a brand new chapter highlighting Dr. Fuhrman’s discovery of toxic hunger and the role of food addiction in weight issues. This new chapter provides novel and important insights into weight gain. It explains how and why eating the wrong foods causes toxic hunger and the desire to over consume calories; whereas a diet of high micronutrient quality causes true hunger which decreases the sensations leading to food cravings and overeating behaviors. It instructs readers on how to leave behind the discomfort of toxic hunger, cravings, and addictions to unhealthy foods. New recipes and menus are included as well as new and updated Frequently Asked Questions. This is a book that will let you live longer, reduce your need for medications, and improve your health dramatically. It is a book that will change the way you want to eat. Most importantly, if you follow the Eat To Live™ diet, you will lose weight faster than you ever thought possible.

Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program For Reversing Heart Disease by Dr. Dean Ornish

Description: Dr. Dean Ornish is the first clinician to offer documented proof that heart disease can be halted, or even reversed, simply by changing your lifestyle. Based on his internationally acclaimed scientific study, which has now been ongoing for years, Dr. Ornish’s program has yielded amazing results. Participants reduced or discontinued medications; their chest pain diminished or disappeared; they felt more energetic, happy, and calm; they lost weight while eating more; and blockages in coronary arteries were actually reduced.
In his breakthrough book, Dr. Ornish presents this and other dramatic evidence and guides you, step-by-step, through the extraordinary Opening Your Heart program, which is winning landmark approval from America’s health insurers. The program takes you beyond the purely physical side of health care to include the psychological, emotional and spiritual aspects so vital to healing. This book represents the best modern medicine has to offer. It can inspire you to open your heart to a longer, better, happier life.

The China Study by Dr. T Colin Campbell

Description: Even today, as trendy diets and a weight-loss frenzy sweep the nation, two-thirds of adults are still obese and children are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, typically an “adult” disease, at an alarming rate. If we’re obsessed with being thin more so than ever before, why are Americans stricken with heart disease as much as we were 30 years ago?
In The China Study, Dr. T. Colin Campbell details the connection between nutrition and heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The report also examines the source of nutritional confusion produced by powerful lobbies, government entities, and opportunistic scientists. The New York Times has recognized the study as the “Grand Prix of epidemiology” and the “most comprehensive large study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease.”
The China Study is not a diet book. Dr. Campbell cuts through the haze of misinformation and delivers an insightful message to anyone living with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and those concerned with the effects of aging.

Engine 2 Diet by Rip Esselstyn

Description: Lose weight, lower cholesterol, significantly reduce the risk of disease, and become physically fit–in just 4 weeks.
Professional athlete-turned-firefighter Rip Esselstyn is used to responding to emergencies. So, when he learned that some of his fellow Engine 2 firefighters in Austin, TX, were in dire physical condition-several had dangerously high cholesterol levels (the highest was 344!)-he sprang into action and created a life-saving plan for the firehouse. By following Rip’s program, everyone lost weight (some more than 20 lbs.), lowered their cholesterol (Mr. 344’s dropped to 196), and improved their overall health. Now, Rip outlines his proven plan in this book. With Rip as your expert coach and motivator, you’ll transform your body and lifestyle in a month. His plant-powered eating plan is based on a diet of whole foods, including whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. This invaluable guide features: **Dozens of easy, mouthwatering recipes-from pancakes to pizza, Tex-Mex favorites to knockout chocolate desserts-that will keep you looking forward to every bite **Pantry-stocking tips will take the panic out of inevitable cravings and on-the-fly meals **Guidelines on menu choices that will allow you to eat out, wherever and whenever you want **Rip’s simple, firefighter-inspired exercise program that will boost your metabolism and melt your fat away.

The McDougall Program For Maximum Weight Loss by Dr. John McDougall

Description: Drawing on the latest evidence about nutrition, metabolism, and hunger, an easy-to-follow weight loss plan places emphasis on a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet while explaining how weight is lost and gained.

Eat For Health: Lose Weight and Keep It Off by Dr. Joel Fuhrman

Description: Dr. Fuhrman’s scientifically proven system enables you to finally conquer your cravings and food addictions, while steering your taste buds toward healthier food choices. But be aware of the side effects….you may experience reversal of diseases such as heart disease, headaches, allergies, high blood pressure and diabetes, and you will feel better than ever before! This book includes Dr. Fuhrman’s ANDI food scoring system, with three phases of meal plans and 150 fantastic recipes. Start where you are comfortable and progress at your own pace or jump right into phase three to maximize weight loss and optimize the therapeutic effects for disease reversal.

The McDougall Program: 12 Days To Dynamic Health by Dr. John McDougall

Description: In this ground-breaking book, Dr. John McDougall, bestselling author and creator of the nationally renowned diet and exercise program at the St. Helena Hospital in Deer Park, California, introduces his remarkable twelve-day plan. Building on the idea that the traditional meat-rich American diet is hazardous to our health, Dr. McDougall has developed a medically sound, low-fat, starch-based diet that not only facilitates weight loss but also reverses serious illness, without drugs, and provides a broad range of dramatic and lasting health benefits. Step-by-step, he takes you through his revolutionary new program, providing:

Over 130 easy-to-prepare recipes
Delicious day-by-day menus
Suggestions for healthful dining out

Plus a comprehensive listing of health problems from arthritis to ulcer disease, comparing the traditional, often drastic medical approach and The McDougall Program‘s nutritionally based alternative. As featured in the book and movie Forks and Knives, John A McDougall delivers a powerful and effective food regiment.

Oil-Free and Low Fat Vegan/Plant Based Recipe Books

The following are cookbooks you can use as part of your oil-free/low fat vegan or plant based diet. All based on whole foods and easy to find ingredients with tons of recipes for you and your family to enjoy.

Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World 3D

Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World by Veronica Grace

Description: Learn how to cook the oil-free and low fat vegan way with 60+ recipes with full color photos for EVERY recipe! Recipes are designed to be Dr. McDougall, Forks Over Knives, Dr. Esselstyn, Engine2 and Eat To Live “friendly” and are based on oil-free, whole minimally processed plant foods.

Low Fat Vegan Comfort Soups

Comfort Soups To Keep You Warm by Veronica Grace

Description: These recipes are Dr. McDougall, Forks Over Knives, Engine2 and Eat To Live “friendly”. Designed to be 100% oil free, low in fat and full of flavor without processed ingredients. 30 delicious oil-free soup recipes to choose from. Whether you’re craving something familiar and cozy or something exotic and new you’ll find something to tickle your tastebuds. Learn how to make any vegan soup from scratch, make your own homemade vegetable broth and how to cook the best soup you’ve ever had in your life!

The McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook by Mary and Dr. John McDougall

Description: By greatly simplifying the work involved in preparing healthy, exciting meals, bestselling authors Dr. John McDougall and Mary McDougall continue to build upon the success of their acclaimed, low-fat McDougall Program books. In this latest edition, they share their secrets for lowering cholesterol, alleviating allergies, and dramatically reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and diabetes with food that is irresistible to the whole family. Featuring over 300 recipes (including healthy Mediterranean diet recipes) that can be prepared in fifteen minutes or less, The McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook is the busy person’s answer to eating right. Discover shopping tips and cooking hints to save time, reduce fat, and make great-tasting meals. Learn the viable egg and dairy replacements to eliminate fat, cholesterol, and animal protein from your diet. And refer to the updated “McDougall-Okayed Packaged and Canned Products” list. The economical, fast, and innovative recipes in The McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook help make good health and longer life easier than ever to achieve.

Eat To Live Cookbook by Dr. Joel Fuhrman (will be release Oct 2013)

Description: Joel Fuhrman, M.D.’s #1 New York Times bestseller Eat to Live has helped millions of readers worldwide discover the most effective and proven path to long-term weight loss and life-long health.Now, for the first time, the Eat to Live Cookbook makes it effortless to bring this revolutionary approach into your kitchen and life. With over 185 delicious and easy to prepare plant-based recipes for any time, any day, any occasion; an information-packed introduction that has everything you need to know about Dr. Fuhrman’s approach; and an invaluable guide to choosing the best ingredients, the Eat to Live Cookbook is the ultimate kitchen resource. Eat the foods you love while losing weight and staying healthy.

Forks Over Knives: The Cookbook

Description: A whole-foods, plant-based diet has never been easier or tastier—300 brand-new recipes for cooking the Forks Over Knives way, every day! Forks Over Knives—the book, the film, the movement—is back again in a Cookbook. The secret is out: If you want to lose weight, lower your cholesterol, and prevent (or even reverse!) chronic conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, the right food is your best medicine. Thousands of people have cut out meat, dairy, and oils and seen amazing results. If you’re among them—or you’d like to be—you need this cookbook.Del Sroufe, the man behind some of the mouthwatering meals in the film, proves that the Forks Over Knives philosophy is not about what you can’t eat, but what you can. Chef Del and his collaborators Julieanna Hever, Judy Micklewright, Isa Chandra Moskowitz, and Darshana Thacker transform wholesome fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes into 300 recipes—classic and unexpected, globally and seasonally inspired, and for every meal of the day, all through the year.

The China Study Cookbook: Over 120 Recipes by LeAnne Campbell

Description: The China Study, with 850,000 copies sold, has been hailed as one of the most important health and nutrition books ever published. It revealed that the traditional Western diet has led to our modern health crisis and the widespread growth of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Based on the most comprehensive nutrition study ever conducted, the book reveals that a plant-based diet leads to optimal health with the power to halt or reverse many diseases.
The China Study Cookbook takes these scientific findings and puts them to action. Written by LeAnne Campbell, daughter of The China Study author T. Colin Campbell, PhD, and mother of two hungry teenagers, The China Study Cookbook features delicious, easily prepared plant-based recipes with no added fat and minimal sugar and salt that promote optimal health.

The Happy Herbivore by Lindsey Nixon

Description: This book will save you money by using “everyday” inexpensive ingredients, save you time with easy, no fuss recipes and improve your health with each nutritional bite.
Vegan chef of one of the top 50 food blogs on the Web, HappyHerbivore.com, Lindsay S. Nixon, creates recipes that show eating a low fat vegan diet is not only healthy but delicious, too.
Now, Nixon combines some of her tastiest recipes in The Happy Herbivore Cookbook, each made with no added fats, using only whole, unprocessed plant-based foods. With Nixon’s help its easy to make healthy food at home in minutes using inexpensive, “everyday” ingredients and tools.

How many of these books do you own or have you read?

What is 20 Minutes To The Table About?

July 29, 2013 by Veronica Grace 1 Comment

QuestionMark

I started a little video series called 20 minutes to the table, and I wanted to let you know what it’s about and how it’s different from my regular recipe creations.

Check out my video here:

Let me know what you think and be sure to pick up a copy of my book Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World.

20 Minutes To The Table: Baked Flatbread with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Artichokes and Basil

July 28, 2013 by Veronica Grace 10 Comments

So the other day I was craving something pizza-like, but knew I wanted to put a healthy twist on it. Although you may think I’m apt to put hummus on just about anything (I might! lol) I actually don’t eat hummus all that often. But when I do, I love to make my own from scratch as it’s super simple. In this recipe I wanted to use the creamy hummus to sub for the sauce and cheese of traditional pizza and then top with some delicious veggies. Although you can use store bought hummus, I don’t like that it contains a lot of oil and isn’t as tasty as making your own. In fact there is a world of difference between fresh made roasted red pepper hummus versus the store bought kind.

In this episode of 20 minutes to the Table I’m going to show you how you can make your own roasted red pepper hummus, baked flat bread and a fresh salad with maple dijon dressing all in less than 20 minutes for an easy midweek meal

To subscribe to my Youtube channel please click on the video to open it in a new browser and hit the subscribe button beside LowFatVeganChef just under the video. Likes are always appreciated as well!

Some other toppings for your baked flatbread could be sautéed mushrooms, black olives, pineapple, arugula, tempeh or smoked tofu. Use your imagination! Recipes below:

Oil-Free Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Recipe

This is half the recipe from my version in Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World

Ingredients:

15 oz. / 425 g can chickpeas (no-salt), drained (reserve a few tbsp of liquid) *OR 1 3/4 cup fresh cooked chickpeas
1 Tbsp. tahini (sesame seed butter)
6 oz. / 170 g (half a jar) roasted red peppers, drained *OR about 1 small fresh roasted red pepper
1/2 large lemon, juiced
2 cloves of garlic
1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/8 tsp. Herbamare or salt, or to taste

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Taste test and adjust seasonings if desired and blend again. Don’t worry if it’s a little thin, when it baked it will become creamy and thick!
3. Enjoy!

BakedFlatBreadPhoto

Recipe photo

Vegan Baked Flatbread with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Artichoke Hearts and Basil

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (recipe above)
1 package of thin burger/sandwich buns or other flatbread
1 15 oz. can artichoke hearts in water (not oil) *OR 400g of frozen artichoke hearts
1 small Vidalia (sweet) onion, sliced
1 handful of fresh basil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sauté onion over medium heat for 5-7 minutes in a little bit of water.
2. Slice artichoke hearts and basil into strips.
3. Assemble flatbread by spreading a thick layer of hummus on each piece of bread and topping with cooked onion, artichoke pieces and basil.
4. Bake for 8-10 until crispy and brown on the bottom. (I baked mine for 10 minutes)

Spinach Arugula Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing

Serves 3-4

Salad Ingredients:

1 5 oz package baby spinach & arugula mix
1/2 English cucumber, sliced
1/2 ripe tomato, sliced
1/3 cup chickpeas

Dressing Ingredients:

4 tbsp Dijon mustard
5-6 tbsp maple syrup (or honey if desired)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper

Directions:

1. Assemble salad ingredients into a bowl.
2. Whisk dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Drizzle over salad and store any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge.

Have you ever made a vegan flatbread or pizza? What’s your favorite toppings? Let me know what you think of these recipes by posting below.

Lower Fat Vegan Chocolate Pudding (Stove Top)

July 23, 2013 by Veronica Grace 37 Comments

Although there are many ways to make your own vegan pudding such as blending avocados and cacao together (for a very high fat raw pudding) or combining silken tofu and melted chocolate (still high fat and has soy and oil) I wanted to make a less “sinful” way to make chocolate pudding. This vegan chocolate pudding recipe is a “better for you” version that I promise will fully satisfy your chocolate or pudding cravings! Anyone can make this recipe, you just need a handful of ingredients and you can also use whichever non dairy milk you like. I used unsweetened original almond milk as I prefer the taste of it versus soy milk, but it’s up to you.

Watch my instructional video below (it’s not very long) and the recipe follows.

Low Fat Vegan Chocolate Pudding Dairy Free Gluten Free

Lower Fat Vegan Chocolate Pudding Stove Top Recipe

Serves 4 (1/2 cup servings)

Ingredients:

2 cups unsweetened original almond milk, or other unsweetened non dairy milk
3 tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp maple syrup or sweetener of choice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I used my own homemade from fresh vanilla beans)

Directions:

1. Take 1/2 cup of the measured almond milk and combine it with the cornstarch and whisk together until there are no clumps.
2. add the maple syrup, cocoa and vanilla to a medium sauce pan over medium heat and gradually add the almond milk and whisk in.
3. Continue whisking and bring to a gentle boil. This will take up to 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and mix well.
5. Reduce heat and continue cooking until thickened into a thin pudding.
6. Remove from heat and pour into serving dishes.
7. Cover bowls with saran wrap and refrigerate until chilled and set (at least 30 minutes).

Enjoy!

I bet you didn’t realize it was so easy to make vegan chocolate pudding did you? I was very impressed with this recipe. It has all of the decadence of a melted chocolate bar, but it much lower in fat. It’s also easy to adjust the flavoring to your liking by adding more or less cocoa and more or less maple syrup. You also can’t taste the maple syrup in this recipe either. I prefer to use maple syrup as my sweetener because it’s more natural. I don’t use agave syrup as it gives me headaches just like high fructose corn syrup does (some argue it’s even worse than HFCS for you as well.)

Oh P.S. You can also use this recipe for hot chocolate and just omit the corn starch! Heat until boiling and serve. Mmm. 🙂

So there you have it. Are you ready to make vegan chocolate pudding? Come to think of it I want some more right now….

20 Minutes To The Table: Mexican Black Bean Corn Tacos & Costa Rican Cabbage Salad Video

July 21, 2013 by Veronica Grace 50 Comments

20 Minutes To The Table: Mexican Black Bean Corn Tacos & Costa Rican Cabbage Salad

Hi everyone! I had an idea the other day of putting together quick delicious meals for those of you short on time. This recipe is a great midweek recipe, if you can open a can and use a knife you can make this recipe very easily! I’ll start off by showing you how to make the raw Costa Rican Cabbage Salad recipe, and then the Mexican Black Bean Corn Tacos (this is a variation on my recipe in Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World.)

If you’d like order one of my cooking aprons or my cookbook my store is here: http://lowfatveganchef.storenvy.com

I’d like to point out that I used canned ingredients in my first video to show how anyone, no matter where you are, can make this recipe. You can also use home cooked beans and fresh corn (or frozen) if desired and using organic foods is your choice as well. This new series is going to show easy plant based recipes that absolutely everyone can make with ease, when pressed for time. That’s why I list the short cuts. Most of the time I cook from scratch, but I know this is not feasible for everyone, especially on a week night after work. Please of course feel free to use fresh cooked beans, organic fresh corn and your own homemade corn tortillas if you are a scratch cooker, but of course this will add to the prep time and take much longer than 20 minutes. Enjoy 🙂

Recipes follow below.

Raw Vegan Costa Rican Cabbage Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 green cabbage shredded (or 5 cups bagged slaw mix)
1 medium (ripe) tomato, diced
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 glove garlic, pressed or minced
1 handful fresh cilantro/coriander roughly chopped (or to taste)
1 – 1 1/2 large limes juiced (use your discretion to balance with salt)
1/4-1/2 tsp Herbamare or salt (use your discretion to balance with the lime)
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Toss ingredients into a large salad bowl (mine was a little small but I used it as it was clear to show you) and massage well for a minute or two, scrunching the cabbage to help soften it.

2. Adjust lime, salt and pepper to your tastes. If it’s perfectly seasoned it should taste neither of just salt or lime, but a nice mix between the two.

3. Place in refrigerate to marinate until needed.

To spice things up: Add a sliced fresh jalapeno or chili pepper.

Based on my recipe in Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World

Vegan Mexican Black Bean & Corn Tacos

Serves 2-4 (depending how ravenous you are!)

Ingredients:

19 oz. can no sodium black beans or pinto beans (or 2 1/3 cups cooked fresh)
12 oz. can no sodium/no sugar corn or 1.5 cups frozen or fresh cut
4 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
3/4 tbsp maple syrup, maple sugar or honey – I don’t use agave (*optional to add flavor to the unsalted beans)
1.5 tsp roasted cumin (or regular, but roasted is much more flavorful)
1/4-1/2 tsp Herbamare or salt (or to taste)
Pinch of fresh ground pepper
1/4-1/2 lime juiced (or to taste)
8-12 corn tortillas (depends how full you load your tacos)
Salsa of choice (I always look for the lowest sodium on the shelves, you’d be surprised how much sodium is in salsa)

Directions:

1. Heat a pot over medium heat. Drain the corn (if applicable), add some black bean juice to the pot and the garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the black beans, corn and seasonings (leave the lime juice until the end) and heat for 5-7 minutes to let the flavors meld together.

3. Meanwhile heat your corn tortillas over medium heat in a crepe pan, griddle or frying pan just until warm and place in a tortilla warmer, tinfoil or tea towel to insulate. Alternatively you can heat them over a gas flame until slightly charred or microwave just at the end all together for 30 seconds. (Any longer and it won’t be good…)

4. Add the lime juice to the beans and corn and taste test. Adjust seasonings to taste.

5. Assemble tacos, starting with a layer of black beans and corn, some salsa and then top with your marinated Costa Rican Cabbage Salad. Sometimes I like to add some fresh guacamole for variety as well.

6. Enjoy!

Make it spicy: add some chipotle chili powder, cayenne or a sliced jalapeno to the black bean and corns. Use your discretion.

Corn tortillas are fairly common in the USA and easy to find at most grocery stores and health food stores. I use corn tortillas because they usually have only 3-4 ingredients (but read the label to make sure there is no oil or lard) and are lower calorie than wheat tortillas. Wheat tortillas are more for burritos. If you’re in Canada check your health food store or google mexican/latin groceries in your area. I found several in my city of Calgary that had homemade corn tortillas. I will post a video later on show you how to make your own corn tortillas with masa (corn flour).

This makes a fairly light meal, if you’re family or dinner guests are ravenous I would recommend serving some fresh seasoned rice on the side to round it out, or double wrapping your tacos (use 2 tortillas) and load them up with beans and corn. 🙂

I hope you enjoyed my first episode of 20 minutes To The Table. I filmed this in my kitchen with a camera, a tripod and a lot of books lol. Let me know what you think by posting below!

12 Must Have Kitchen Gadgets and Tools For Your Vegan Kitchen

July 18, 2013 by Veronica Grace 22 Comments

KitchenGadgets

I previously sent out an article on my Top 12 Must Have Small Kitchen Appliances and I promised to do a part 2 but focus on kitchen gadgets/tools you use without electricity. I’ve ordered these by most to least used for convenience for you and included my top picks from my kitchen for my most frequent recipes. I will probably make a list for my raw food appliances and gadgets later on too as that’s got some other essential tools for those that predominantly eat salads and non cooked foods. So are you ready to see my list?

Yes?

Read on!

12 Must Have Kitchen Gadgets and Tools For Your Vegan Kitchen

1. Global 8″ Chef’s Knife ($93) MinoSharp Ceramic Sharpener ($53)

My favorite kitchen tool is my Global Chef’s Knife, it’s super sharp, easy to clean and is perfectly balanced so it’s not handle heavy and does not cause strain on my wrist. Normal cheapo wood block knife sets are often super heavy and get very dull quickly. Dull knives lead to lots of slips and possible accidents, so it’s important to take care and use a good knife. I also got a MinoSharp to sharpen my knife, this one is great because it’s a water sharpener (you use it under the faucet) and you can use it to sharpen all of your knives. In fact I think I’m going to go sharpen my knives right now…

Chef'n Vegetable Peeler

Swisspro peeler

2. Chef’n Palm Peeler ($5-$7) / Swisspro Speed Peeler ($7.50)

The next most used tool in my kitchen is a vegetable peeler. Sure you can use a regular vegetable peeler but I’ve found two that are a bit different than your standard one. The Chef’n Palm Peeler is nice because it doesn’t slip and it makes peeling vegetables much easier. It’s especially useful when your hands are a bit wet from freshly washed produce. A speed peeler is another useful peeler especially when you have a ton of potatoes or root vegetables to peel. It glides very smoothly over the vegetables in a single stroke without sticking. So you simply peel down and the peel falls away without you having to lift it up. This speed peeler also has a handy potato eye remover. Make sure you dry your peelers after washing to prevent rusting and replace occasionally so you’re using a sharp blade as dull ones are inefficient and dangerous.

3. Oxo Garlic Press ($20) / Oxo Mini Chopper ($12)

Mmm garlic… I use a LOT of garlic and chopping and peeling garlic is one of my least favorite tasks but it’s worth it for my recipes. I like having a garlic press to quickly get garlic into my pan or into a dish and it comes out in nice even pieces. But sometimes I need a lot of garlic for my vegetable broth or tofu ricotta and i don’t want to have garlic fingers so I use a mini chopper to quickly mince garlic. It works great for fresh ginger as well.

4. Oxo Garlic Peeler ($7)

If you can find pre peeled garlic in the store (I’ve seen it at Whole Foods) it’s a huge time saver, but bulb garlic is fairly inexpensive and it’s got to get peeled. You can either smash the garlic with the flat side of your knife and crack it open or you can use a garlic peeler. A garlic peeler is nice when sometimes you can’t get the paper off of your garlic, or you don’t want to have garlicky smelling fingers! I swear sometimes my hands were covered in onion and garlic juice when I’m madly throwing recipes together in the kitchen… So it’s nice to have some relief.

5. Chef’n Vegetable Steamer ($12)

When I steam greens or vegetables I usually make a lot, partially because we eat a lot but also because it’s nice to have some leftovers for quick meals or lunch the next day. I like my Chef’n silicone steamer as it’s easy to clean and doesn’t get little pieces of broccoli stuck in it like my old metal steamer basket does.

6. Citrus reamer ($6) / Steel Citrus Juicer ($12)

I love fresh lemon and lime juice in my recipes. Citrus juice adds a delicious fresh zing without needing as much salt and it’s so low in calories you can use it liberally if desired. A citrus reamer is good for juicing just a half or whole lemon at the end of a recipe, but if you’re adding a lot more than that sometimes it’s nice to have a steel citrus juicer. Also great for a little glass of fresh orange juice too!

7. Progressive Vegetable Chopper ($24) / Vidalia Chop Wizard ($20)

Vegetable choppers are great to use if you don’t have a good knife, have arthritis, have shaky knife skills or you need a lot of onions, tomatos or peppers in an even dice quickly. I love using one when I’m making dishes for guests or photographing the recipe so it has a nice even dice. I use it in my Mexican Black Bean Corn Soup, Quinoa Bean Chili, Mango Cilantro Salsa, tomato salsas, vegetable stews, and more. I have both, the Progressive has a bit larger of a container and 3 inserts vs 2 in the Vidalia. For just onions and tomatoes in square dices the Vidalia Chop Wizard is enough but if you like more than just a simple square and larger capacity go with the Progressive Vegetable Chopper.

8. Benriner Mandolin Slicer ($51)

I love my Benriner Slicer… it’s very durable and very sharp. I’ve had several mandolins and v-slicers in the past, but some of them were so cheap the blades bent or the became dull very quickly. I use my mandolin to shred cabbage, make cucumber, zucchini or carrot rounds for fresh salads or raw recipes. It’s essential for my raw lasagna and Costa Rican Cabbage Salad. This mandolin will stand up to all your slicing needs!

9. Zyliss Safe Edge Can Opener ($15)

I hated opening cans with cheap can openers, especially when they left sharp edges and wouldn’t cut easily. With my Zyliss can opener it cuts on the outside edge of the can (not the inside) which leaves a safe edge for you to pick up. No more frustration, no more sticking and no more sharp edges. 🙂

10. Oxo Salad Spinner ($30)

Washing lettuce and getting dirt and bugs out of every nook and cranny can be a pain as it is, but drying my lettuce in my OXO salad spinner is actually kind of fun. You just push down the middle plunger and the faster you push it the faster it spins. Just make sure to hold onto it so it doesn’t get away from you! A good little kitchen workout and your salad is ready to go. I really prefer this style as opposed to another where you have to crank the salad spinner to get it to spin which is more tiring.

11. Ozeri Digital Kitchen Scale $16

If you’re in the UK or Australia you probably already have a kitchen scale, but I like to use them when I have bulk dried goods such as beans or pasta and I don’t know how much I have. That way I can measure out a pound or half pound and know how much is going into my recipe. I also use my kitchen scale to weigh my book packages to ship out to Canadian customers, so it’s definitely getting it’s use!

12. Oxo Citrus Zester ($10)

A citrus zester or microplane is great to use for shaving citrus peels for baked goods or garnishes and making chocolate curls for desserts…. MMM! If you have an old cheese grater it should suffice, but I find cleaning those old box style ones are kind of a pain. A zester is super fast to use and easy to clean and gives your dishes a little professional edge with some beautiful peel or curl as a garnish.

Not Must Haves… But “Nice To Haves”

Onion Goggles ($20)

When I’m not wearing my contacts and cutting a lot of onions, I put these babies on (it’s ok no one sees me! lol) and it is a life saver when cutting more than 1 onion, such as in my homemade vegetable broth or French onion soup. It also keeps you from touching your eyes after cutting onions or garlic so no more stinging pain either! They are definitely nice to have when you chop onions every day or frequently. Don’t worry they come in “manly” colors too like black, red and green too. Alternatively you can store your onions in the fridge which helps solidify the oils and onion juices so there is less when you cut into them. But sometimes I don’t have enough room in the fridge for my onions and all my veggies.

Non-slip Silicone Mat ($17)

While you can use parchment paper for all your oil free baking, I like to use a non slip silicone mat to prevent sticking and it also makes cleaning my pans much simpler, just a quick wipe with soap and all the reside is gone. These non stick mats also make your pans last longer and prevent black marks, hurray!

Chef’n VeggieChop ($20)

A VeggieChop is nice when you want to quickly chop a bunch of ingredients together such as onions, garlic and tomato for a fresh salsa, or onions, celery and carrots for a quick soup. Sometimes you don’t want to pull out your food processor (or you don’t have one) and this tool can make preparing veggies a snap.

Mortar and Pestle ($21)

A mortar and pestle is useful when making ethnic recipes such as curry pastes or grinding Indian spices for garam masala or crushing dried chilies for spicy dishes. It’s nice to have because nothing is as satisfying when you want to crush your ingredients and it gives a rustic feel to your dishes. You can also use a food processor or coffee grinder, but this is very easy to clean and great for doing small batches of spices. One recipe that I like that is made in a mortar and pestle is Thai Green Papaya Salad, essentially it’s strips of unripe green papaya shredded and seasoned with tomatoes, carrots, chillies, lime and traditionally fish sauce – but i skip that part.

Progressive Cherry-It Pitter ($12.60)

In the summer I like to get lots of fresh cherries and sometimes it’s nice not to be bothered with the stems and pits. I like to pit a big bowl of them for a no mess snack, or when I have too many that I can’t eat and toss them in the freezer for smoothies. One of my favorite smoothie recipes is cherry mango or cherry pineapple.

So that’s my list and some of what you’ll find in my kitchen. I have a bunch of other never used, or useless kitchen tools in my cupboards just like anyone else. Actually probably more than most people… a situation I think a garage sale can rectify!

Let me know what you think, what’s on your must have list? If I’ve forgotten your favorite please forgive me, it’s been a long night!

How To Cook Dried Beans in an EZ Bean Cooker or Pressure Cooker

July 18, 2013 by Veronica Grace 4 Comments

DriedBeans

Here I show you how easy it is to use an EZ Bean Cooker or digital pressure cooker to cook dried beans from scratch.

Please like, share and subscribe to my channel for more demos and healthy recipes! I hope you enjoyed my EZ Bean Cooker Tutorial, right now I’m running a contest for a FREE EZ Bean Cooker. Go here for details: http://www.plantbasedu.com/ez-bean-cooker-giveaway

EZ Bean Cooker Giveaway

July 14, 2013 by Veronica Grace

It’s contest time again!

I just love summer contests, don’t you? This time it’s for probably my favorite kitchen appliance of the year, the Ez Bean Cooker. My mom first saw it online and told me about it and I knew I just HAD to have it.

Why?

Because I like to cook a lot of beans and lentils (without oil and salt) and it’s so much cheaper and faster to do so in this device. No more worrying about BPA in canned goods, excess sodium, sugar, preservatives etc. and I can infuse my beans and lentils with fresh herbs like thyme, basil, oregano and bay leaves very easily. Scrumptious!

The best part is probably how fast you can cook them though. With the pre-programmed settings on the EZ Bean Cooker (which is essentially a digital pressure cooker) there is ABSOLUTELY NO SOAKING REQUIRED. Yes, you do not have to pre-soak your beans the night before, nor do you have to do the “Quick Soak Method” for beans you want to make the same day.

Just choose your bean or lentil, rinse them well, cover with a sufficient amount of water, add herbs and seasonings as desired, close the lid, set the pressure release valve to the closed position and choose the program for your type of bean and press start!

If you can use a rice cooker or a microwave, you can use this, I promise!

It’s very simple and the Ez Bean Cooker does all the timing for you so there’s no more looking up pressure cooking times online or in a book, and no more guess work and having undercooked/overcooked beans. Once it’s complete it will beep, alerting you to open the pressure release valve. When the pressure dissipates and unlocks the lid you can open it up, drain your beans and use in any dish you desire.

Cooking times are between 12 minutes for lentils and 80 minutes for chickpeas/garbanzo beans. This is the actual pressure cooking time, there is additional time needed for it to come up to pressure, but the majority of your dried unsoaked beans are going to be fully cooked and ready to use in about an hour (longer for kidney beans and garbanzo beans as they are larger)

Now some people choose to use oil in their pressure cookers to prevent frothing from occurring and clogging up the pressure release valve, but so far I haven’t had any issues cooking 1 lb bags of dried beans or lentils without any. Although EZ Bean Cooker does recommend adding oil for safety reasons, but so far it works for me without oil and many other McDougallers on Amazon have done this as well.

This contest is open to residents of the USA (non-residents and Canadians with a US based shipping address can enter) only as EZ Bean Cooker only ships to the USA at this time. Disclaimer: Low Fat Vegan Chef was NOT paid to do this promotion. I received a complimentary EZ Bean Cooker to try out before I decided to recommend this product based on my own positive results with the unit.

So how can you enter to with an EZ Bean Cooker? Just use my easy little giveawaytools widget below to get started, enter in your name and email address, you will be required to sign up for my newsletter (already valid if you’re an existing subscriber) and comment on this blog post and validate the comment. Plus you get additional entries for things such as liking my Facebook page, following me on twitter, tweeting the giveaway, following me on Pinterest and sharing with your friends. You’ve got a chance to get anywhere from 10-70 entries for this draw! Good luck!

****Just a note, if you do not verify with the widget correctly your entry for that type (and just end up leaving the text box blank) it will be invalid and not count. So please enter in the correct information (such as email address, facebook name, twitter account etc.) to verify if you did subscribe to the newsletter, like on facebook, follow on twitter etc. If you don’t, the entries will be invalid and disqualified. At minimum, to be eligible to win an EZ Bean Cooker you must be subscribed to my newsletter (and stay subscribed at least until the contest ends Aug 12 2013) AND comment on this blog post. All other entry methods are optional after that. I want you to get as many entries as possible thanks so please read the instructions carefully!

Check out my recipe for How To Cook Dried Chickpeas here.

For more Canadian contests go here: Contest Canada

Contest is closed, congratulations to Kristi Lee who won!

Top 12 Must Have Vegan Kitchen Appliances

July 9, 2013 by Veronica Grace 92 Comments

Kitchen Appliances

I know this is a topic some of you have been waiting for me to cover for a long time. And I have to say I’m sorry for not doing it sooner! I have pretty much all the kitchen gadgets I need (and then some!) by this point so it’s definitely time I share this with you.

I’ve made two parts, one for kitchen appliances and one for gadgets and list them in order of most used and loved. And yes I do love some of my kitchen appliances because they make my job SO much easier. And who doesn’t love that right?

I also wanted to share blog recipes using each of these gadgets so you can get some new recipe ideas as well so be sure to check out the links below. 🙂

Part 1: Top 12 Kitchen Appliances For Your Vegan Kitchen

1. Vitamix ($400-$500) / Omni Power Blender ($300)

So the Vitamix is probably my first love. I’ve wanted one for most of my life (it was my dream as a child every time I saw the Vitamix demos at the trade shows – strange I know!) as I’ve always loved fresh fruit (no dairy!) smoothies, sorbets, fruit ice creams and blended soups. When I first got serious about eating raw and vegan food it was the first purchase I made and I haven’t looked back since. I know it’s very pricey, but what I recommend is saving about $10/week or $40/month towards one, and after a year you’ll have enough to purchase one on Amazon or Ebay. Older models can be had for about $350. This hands down is my most used appliance and it cannot be beat for the fact that is produces the smoothest green smoothies and pureed soups and sauces and it doesn’t break! Oh you can try, but I bet you you can’t break this motor. To me it’s just not worth going through a new $50-$100 blender every few months burning it out trying to blend frozen fruits and thick dips, so the Vitamix has been a great investment for me personally, plus it saves time in the kitchen. Instead of blending and stirring, blending and stirring (which can take 5-10 min with a regular blender in all) in 30-90 seconds I am totally done blending and either eating or finishing my recipe!

Another option is the Omni Power Blender – it is essentially a Vitamix knockoff (they are not happy about this) and I have used one once and it was pretty decent for blending. It is high power and seems durable, but it does not puree green smoothies as quickly or as smooth as the Vitamix. I would say it’s a not bad option if you like to do lots of blending but the Vitamix is too out of reach. It also has a plunger which I find is essential for anyone wanting to make dips or banana ice-cream. Sure some people love the Blendtec but I am not a fan of a blender without a tamper that has too many preprogrammed functions to figure out how to use. (Saving your pennies + having a garage sale this summer can help raise some funds for some much needed kitchen gadgets too)

Vitamix Recipes:

Chocolate Cherry Blender Ice-cream, Banana Berry Acai Bowl, Vitamineral Green Smoothie, Holiday Eggnog Smoothie, How to Make Perfect Green Smoothies, Avocado Green Smoothie, Cherry Mango Love Smoothie, Strawberry Pecan Spinach Salad, The Best Caesar Salad Dressing, Mexican Black Bean Corn Soup, Creamy Raw Vegan Mexican Cilantro Corn Soup, Dr. Fuhrman’s Anti Cancer Soup, Spaghetti Marinara With Chickpeas, Summer Harvest Soup,

2. Zojirushi Rice Cooker ($139-$159) / Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker ($41)

I will confess I was a user of $10 rice cookers for much of my rice cooking period. When I first discovered them at the discount store I was intrigued, cooking regular rice instead of microwaving pre cooked rice or using Uncle Ben’s minute rice? I used it, but often it would keep resetting leaving me with undercooked or still watery rice and sometimes even burned crispy rice on the bottom. Not good. So when I heard about the Zojirushi (and then saw the price) I scoffed, how good does a rice cooker need to be? And then I tried it… and holy mackerel I was hooked. I use my Zojirushi probably 3-4 times a week for all my rice and quinoa dishes (and steel cut oats too). What I like about it is I can pre program it to start at any particular time or just hit it an hour before I start dinner (for white rice, or 2 hours for brown rice) This is great when I don’t know what I’m making yet, I have time to decide whether i’m going with stir fried vegetables, lentils, beans, curry, and more. The Zojirushi also has some special features in that you can make porridge (steel cut oats), 1 pot meals with it (comes with some recipes), bake cake (it’s true!) and use different types of mixed rice, brown rice or sweet (dessert) rice recipes.

An inexpensive alternative is the Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker which my mom has and I use it when I visit her place. It has a white rice, a whole grain (for brown rice) setting, boil and simmer function. So you can cook both rice and/or vegetables in it. It does have a delay starter which is handy and I have used it to cook steel cut oats by programming it to start before I wake up in the morning. It’s a very good option, just doesn’t have as many bells and whistles and is much bigger than the Zojirushi so it takes up more counter space.

Rice Cooker Recipes:

How To Cook Brown Rice, How To Cook Basmati Rice, Greek Rice Stuffed Peppers, Greek Stuffed Eggplant, How To Cook Sushi Rice, California Rolls, Asian Vegetable Stir Fry With Tahini Sauce, Chickpea Quinoa Burgers with Lemon and Thyme, How To Cook Steel Cut Oats, How To Cook Quinoa, Protein Packed Spinach Salad With Quinoa, Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Boats

EZ Bean Cooker

Nesco Pressure Cooker

3. EZ Bean Cooker ($100) / Nesco Digital Pressure Cooker ($75) / Presto Stovetop Pressure Cooker ($50)

I’m fairly new to using pressure cookers, I’ve only been using them for about 2 years now but they are one of my favorite devices because #1 they are fast, and #2 you can cook almost anything in them. Potatoes, beans, lentils, grains, vegetable broth and more. Many people feel leery about pressure cookers imagining they are some sort of potentially exploding kitchen contraption, but please please have no fear. Dangerous pressure cookers are more old wives tales that could have only occurred with the old “jiggle top” style of pressure cooker. The ones these days come in two varieties, stove top and electrical plug in style (just like a rice cooker). I prefer the new digital pressure cooker style and just recently got an EZ Bean Cooker which is like the ultimate pressure cooker as it’s totally preprogrammed for every type of bean or lentil you would like to cook – which means NO soaking time. Yep! No overnight soaking, no taking all day to cook beans. Your beans will be done between 30-70 minutes due to cooking under high pressure. This in itself is invaluable as there’s no more need for canned beans and dried beans are so much cheaper. The Ez Bean Cooker also has a manual mode so you can use it to cook any other items you like, just program in the time to cook.

Another alternative is the Nesco Digital Pressure Cooker which you can cook everything you desire in, but you’ll need to use a pressure cooking chart to determine how long to cook the food you desire. And finally the Presto Stovetop Pressure Cooker is a great low cost option, but it’s best for gas stoves. I don’t recommend it for electric stoves as it’s hard to control the temperature (as you have to bring it to a boil and then lower it to cook with steady steam and the stove rings can retain heat for too long to do this) It also comes with a handy pressure cooking book with times and a few recipes which is very handy to have at your finger tips.

Pressure Cooker Recipes:

How To Cook Chickpeas, How To Make Homemade Vegetable Broth, Kik Alicha (Ethiopian Split Pea Stew), Holiday Yam Pecan Casserole, Vegan Avocado Dill Potato Salad and of course mashed potatoes and any recipes requiring cooked beans or lentils.

4. Ninja Cooking System ($130)/ Hamilton Beach Crock Pot (Slow Cooker) ($50)

The Ninja Cooking System is a fancy slow cooker with many more bells and whistles. You can cook in it just like a pot on the stove, it comes with a non stick pan which means easy clean up and you can sauté and brown any items you like before turning on the slow cooker setting. It also comes with a small cake pan and a wire rack so you can bake or roast in it dry just like an oven! I like using it for my chilli recipes and slow cooked vegetable stews and bean dishes.

A cheaper alternative is the Hamilton Beach Crock Pot, which can still be programmed with desired cook time on high or low and comes with a glazed ceramic insert to cook in. I like this size as it’s generally large enough to make dishes that serve 6 people. It’s definitely useful in the summer when you don’t want to heat up your house cooking, or set it and forget it Sunday recipes.

Slow Cooker Recipes:

Vegan French Split Pea Slow Cooker Soup, Slow Cooker Indian Dal Soup With Mixed Vegetables, Indian Tarka Dal Curry,

5. Cuisineart Food Processor ($100)

For some recipes, a simple food processor is required. I like to use mine to quickly shred root vegetables, slice cabbage or zucchini rounds, pulse nuts, make veggie burgers, hummus and black bean brownies. If you’re into raw food recipes or making your own dips a food processor is a must have kitchen item. It also works well when you don’t have a high powered blender and you need to puree thick mixtures.

Food Processor Recipes:

Low Fat Chickpea Hummus, Sweet Potato Yammus Hummus, Smoky Yam Black Bean Burgers, Chickpea Quinoa Burgers with Lemon and Thyme, Black Bean Brownie Recipe, Tahini Dip For Falafel, Vegan Cheesecake with Blueberry Rooibus Compote,

6. Breville Juicer ($150) / Green Star Juicer ($465-$529)

A juicer is something you may be interested in if you like to make fresh juices or Dr. Fuhrman style recipes. He starts many recipes off with fresh carrot and celery juice and a decent juicer is a quick way to get loads of nutrition from veggies you might otherwise not eat or not be able to chew. I have a Breville juicer and I like it because it’s easy to clean and the cup it comes with scrapes off the juice foam which is quite handy. For those who are concerned about centrifugal juicer and want a gentler way to extract nutrients from veggies a Green Star juicer is a great choice. It’s also the best way to juice wheatgrass and greens. (They don’t fair so well in a centrifugal juicer)

Juicer Recipes:

Pomegranate Apple Grape Juice, Kale Apple Celery Juice, Apple Celery Carrot Beet Juice, Fruit and Veggie Smoothie With Beet Juice, How To Make Dr. Fuhrman’s Anti Cancer Soup

Procter Silex Coffee Grinder

7. Proctor-Silex Coffee Grinder ($14)

This one is absolutely essential, but not for what you think! I don’t even drink coffee, nor have I ever ground coffee. What I use it for is grinding chia seeds, flax seeds, small quantities of nuts and whole spices to make my own spice mix. It’s invaluable to have as it’s often cheaper to buy these items whole and then grind them yourself so then you have both the whole seed/spice and a ground version for quickly using in recipe. I like to add ground chia to my Banana Pancakes, smoothies, and sometimes salad dressings (it makes it thicken nicely). I don’t like buying ground chia or flax in the store because it perishes quickly and then you have to store it in freezer which can take up a lot of space, so I prefer to grind 1/2-1 cup batches at a time and keep them in smaller containers in the freezer for ease of use. A coffee grinder is easy to pick up at any kitchen store so make sure you have one.

Coffee Grinder Recipes:

Punjabi Garam Masala Spice Recipe, Dr. Fuhrman’s Cinnamon Fruit Oatmeal, T he Best Ever Vegan Banana Pancakes,

8. Hamilton Beach Sandwich Maker ($23)

You may scoff at the idea of needing a sandwich maker, and truth is you don’t really need one, but if you have one you’ll enjoy making oil-free toasted sandwiches, panini, and more. I like to slather some homemade hummus on bread and add sautéed veggies such as onions, mushrooms, zucchini, peppers and more and grill it (no oil) so it comes out all toasty and melty and delicious. Get creative and use your favorite veggies, raw or cooked and favorite dip to create an easy meal.

Sandwich Maker Recipes:

Engine 2 Inspired Tempeh Mushroom Melts

9. Cuisinart Hand Blender ($35)

A hand blender is super handy (ok I know) to use for a variety of reasons. When I travel and can’t take my Vitamix with me, I can bring my hand blender as it’s stowable and easy to pack. You can make smoothies on the go wherever you are. At home it’s nice to make blended sauces and soups straight in the pot (instead of moving everything into a blender to puree) in a matter of seconds.

10. Procter-Silex Electric Kettle ($14.50)

An electric kettle is great to use to save on time for cooking pasta. Just boil your water and then pour it into the pot and return to a boil to easily chop your cooking time in half. I also use my kettle to make rooibus or herbal tea on a cold fall/winter day.

11. Black & Decker Toaster ($35)

You probably already have a toaster, but it’s nice to have to quickly toast some bread for toast and jam, toasted sandwiches, breakfast bagels, or even toasted buns for homemade veggie burgers.

12. Presto Air Popper Popcorn Maker ($20)

Who doesn’t love popcorn? I skip the the microwaved popcorn and prefer to make my own in an air popper so it’s oil free. Then I use a mister to spray on a little soy sauce and season with spices. Nutritional yeast, paprika, chipotle powder, salt and pepper are all great choices for your oil free pop corn.

So there you have it, my list for the top 12 “Must Have” Kitchen Appliances for your vegan kitchen.

What is your most beloved small kitchen appliance? Which one do you want to get next?

Check out Part Two: Must Have Vegan Kitchen Gadgets!

Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Burgers with Lemon and Thyme (Gluten Free)

July 7, 2013 by Veronica Grace 22 Comments

Summer is here and it’s the perfect time to be enjoying outdoor barbecues and picnics. Everyone wants to enjoy a freshly grilled hamburger or veggie burger. But making your own is quite easy and insanely tasty without using oils or refined soy products. My chickpea quinoa burgers are soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free so they will work for everyone no matter how they eat. If you’ve ever made homemade hamburgers or wanted to, you can make these.

A simple food processor is such a versatile tool for making your own chickpea quinoa burgers. Mine isn’t anything fancy, just a basic mid sized one and it’s perfect for pulsing various ingredients to use in veggie burgers.

I like to top my veggie burgers with some fresh hummus (see my chickpea hummus here or my yam/sweet potato hummus here), sautéed mushrooms and onions (I use a little soy sauce and maple syrup to flavor them), lettuce, tomatoes and pickles. Cucumbers also work well in place of tomatoes for this chickpea quinoa burger as well as spicy mustard.

Find a nice whole grain bun or roll, toast the insides and top your veggie burger with all your favorite toppings. I also highly recommend some of my Summer salad recipes to go along with it such as Avocado Dill Potato Salad, Strawberry Spinach Salad, Shaved Asparagus Salad, Costa Rican Cabbage Salad, Sweet and Savory Asian Salad, or Rock my Broccoli Salad. So now that your head is spinning with delicious Summer recipes let’s get grillin’! Mmm hmm.

Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Burgers with Lemon and Thyme

Makes 10-12 patties (depending on size)

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed yam/sweet potato, cooled (1 medium yam, cooked)
4 cloves garlic
3/4 cup chopped red onion
2 cans chickpeas, drained and patted dry
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (stems removed)
2 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled (I used 1/2 cup dry mix of white and red)
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp Herbamare or salt *or to taste

Directions:

1. Poke holes in your yam and bake at 400 F for an hour or until tender inside. Set aside until cool.

2. Cook quinoa with a 1:1 ratio of vegetable broth or water in a pressure cooker or on the stove. (See my directions here)

3. In a food processor, add the garlic and onion and pulse until chopped finely. Add the chickpeas, thyme, lemon zest and juice and pulse until chopped and well combined. Scoop out flesh from yam (discard peel) and to food processor along with quinoa, pepper and salt. Pulse until well combined.

4. Form into equal sized balls and place on a non stick sheet or plate lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate until needed.

5. Pre heat a pan or barbecue and press patties gently until slightly flatted and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, flipping once. Be careful to move gently so they don’t fall apart.

6. Serve on buns or lettuce wraps. (I find using a bun slightly bigger than the patty works best as they will squish a bit when eaten.

7. Store any patties in an air tight container and refrigerate or freeze until needed. (Leaving them uncooked is best).

Variations:

You can also use fresh dill instead of thyme if you wish for variety.

Also check out my Smoky Yam Black Bean Burger Recipe.

Have you ever made your own veggie burgers? What do you like to top your burgers with?