fat-free

My Top 10 Most Frequently Made Low Fat Plant Based Recipes

August 27, 2013 by Veronica Grace 7 Comments

I’ve been doing some list making over the past few weeks as you might have noticed because a lot of you are finding it really helpful to have a bigger picture overview for tools, gadgets and easy recipes. I like being helpful so this is fun for me sharing my top 10 favorite fast vegan recipes with you as well! 🙂

I don’t cook fancy all the time, in fact most of the time I’m just like everyone else and want to get a healthy meal on the table quickly. So I’ve compiled a little list of the top recipes I fall back on when I don’t know what else to make, or am running low on new or “exotic” ingredients. I usually have all the staples necessary for these recipes on hand and it makes it easy for me to make again and again.

Sometimes I don’t follow the amounts of vegetables or seasonings exactly each time and season to taste as it’s easier than measuring everything out. So I wanted to share with you what I make when I can’t think or don’t have time to think of coming up with something new.

Most of these are dinner recipes but there’s a few you can use for breakfast or lunch as well.

Let me know if I picked any of your favorites!

1. Red Lentil Tarka Dal

I really love this curry because it’s so fresh and flavorful and doesn’t require any fresh vegetables. So I make this when I’m down to things like onions, ginger and garlic and if I’m lucky I have some left over cilantro in the fridge. This dal is super simple and you basically only need red split lentils, canned or fresh tomatoes and water or vegetable broth and Indian spices. I serve it with Basmati or brown rice. It’s truly a delicious fat free meal.

2. Rotini Marinara with Vegetables

Once upon a time I bought this giant box of whole wheat rotini from Costco and I STILL am eating from the same package. Buying 1 box of pasta at Costco pretty much negates needing to buy any more or any other kind of pasta for a long time lol, so every week or two I make rotini marinara or pasta primavera with fresh or frozen vegetables. It’s really nice to mix it up and use whatever I have left and it never gets old, it’s still one of my favorite quick recipes.

3. Soy Curls with Chickpeas in Tomato Sauce

Canned tomatoes or tomato sauce is well utilized in my kitchen as it’s an easy way to create a delicious fat free sauce and it can be seasoned with Mediterranean, Indian or Mexican spices really easily. I always have some chickpeas on hand and dried Soy Curls (which I pick up every time I go to Portland). You can use tempeh or tofu or skip it all together, but I like the texture of soy curls as it is a little meaty and goes really well with chickpeas in this recipe. Soy curls are also nice because they are compact and can be rehydrated so one package actually lasts for quite a few meals. If you like Chana Masala or Chicken Cacciatore you’ll like this.

4. Deluxe Dijon Tofu Scramble

I don’t really make or eat breakfast, but on weekends sometimes I make brunch. Whenever someone wants a hot breakfast or brunch I make this and it’s great for using up leftover veggies in the fridge, as I usually have half a bell pepper, or zucchini or some broccoli or mushrooms. You can also use whatever leftover veggies and greens you have in your fridge and throw this together. To make this faster I like to use pressed tofu (you can find it organic) as it’s already firm and doesn’t have much moisture in it so it’s great at absorbing flavours.

5. Vegetable Stir Fry with Tofu and Tahini Sauce (sometimes I add pressed or smoked tofu as well)

Stir fry is probably the easiest thing to make especially if you have some frozen vegetables and dried rice. I like to change it up and make a little tahini sauce from scratch to top it with instead of using bottled sauces. I don’t use any Asian bottled sauces as most of them contain MSG and have a lot of sugar and sodium in them. This way I can control the flavor of the sauce and make it to my tastes with things like fresh garlic, ginger, soy sauce and spices. You can also change it up by using different fresh or frozen veggies and different nut butters.

6. Quinoa Bean Chili

This is my most used slow cooker recipe. Whenever I have to feed a lot of people for a potluck or a family gathering I make this. My chili is super hearty with fresh cooked quinoa, black beans, kidney beans, corn, bell peppers, carrots, celery and tomatoes. I’ve fed it to many non vegetarians and they honestly don’t miss the meat. The quinoa is a great ground beef substitute because of it’s small and spongey size and it’s a great alternative to fake meat or soy protein for those who can’t have soy. Did I mention it’s also gluten free? Yeah so I make this recipe because it suits almost everyone’s dietary needs.

7. Chana Masala from Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World or Eggplant Chickpea Curry

Another one of my favorite curries is a chickpea curry in tomato sauce. It’s also extremely easy to make if you don’t have any vegetables left and are down to canned chickpeas or canned tomatoes. Or you can use fresh cooked chickpeas by using my favorite new tool the EZ Bean Cooker and keep this recipe truly fast and affordable. Don’t be intimidated by curries, this one is extremely easy to make and you’re going to be thrilled with how tasty and filling it is.

8. Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheezy

This mac & cheese is my favorite recipe as you’d never guess that there is butternut squash in it and it is very satisfying being baked with panko breadcrumbs.The secret is using miso paste, nutritional yeast and smoked paprika for a delicious vegan cheese sauce. It’s one of my most complimented recipes by family and readers alike, so I hope you try it!

9. Smoothies!

I make smoothies for breakfast, or lunch whenever I don’t have time to make anything else, or I have ripe fruit to use up. Check out my smoothie selection on the blog and get some ideas for easy and tasty fat free smoothies you can enjoy for a quick meal.

10. Black Bean and Corn Tacos

Someone once joked to me that I must only eat tofu tacos as a vegan, and I kind of laughed because I actually have never had tofu tacos. I always make black bean and corn tacos because they feel naturally Mexican, simple and fresh. I serve these tacos often when I don’t have a lot of time and have a lot of people to feed. Then I make up some fresh guacamole and pico de gallo and everyone has a blast loading up their tacos with their favorite toppings. Long gone are the days of boring Old El Paso recipes from a box (like we do in Canada and parts of the USA). Have some real Mexican food the healthy way. Who doesn’t love tacos right?

I hope I’ve given you some inspiration for fast recipes you haven’t thought of before. Which recipe are you most looking forward to trying?

20 Minutes To The Table Episode 5: Zucchini Rotini Marinara with Vegetables

August 25, 2013 by Veronica Grace 14 Comments

It’s been a long day, you’re tired, you’re hungry and you have no imagination for what to make for dinner. – I know this feeling and what to make for dinner when I have no inspiration. This vegan Zucchini Rotini Marinara is something that I make quite often because it’s easy to throw together and it’s great for using up vegetables in the fridge. Sometimes I’ll add in some mushrooms, broccoli, or carrots, but I really love this version with zucchini, bell peppers and peas. I use whole grain rotini and I like this style of noodle because it holds onto the sauce well, has a nice texture and looks really pretty on the plate. I got a giant box of this at Costco for a good deal. It lasted me forever and made quick meals really easy.

I actually prefer a spiral type of noodle compared to spaghetti or fettucini as well. This way I can add more veggies and have a little less pasta. Most of the time I make my own pasta sauce each time with just canned tomatoes and season it and blend it up, but I wanted to show you a quick version of this recipe. I know most of you are probably used to buying pasta sauce in a jar.

When I went shopping in Canada there weren’t too many brands of pasta sauce available that didn’t contain olive oil, canola oil or soy bean oil, but I did find 2 different brands. Just look for one that has a low fat, or light description on the front and then check the back to see if it has any oil. I really try to make sure everything I buy is oil-free, it just doesn’t need the extra calories and I don’t enjoy eating slick or greasy food anymore.

Vegan pasta marinara is one of the easiest dishes you can make, but you can make it delicious and special by jazzing it up with some fresh veggies, cooking them perfectly and seasoning your sauce to your liking. I always like to add some fresh chopped onions for more flavor. The recipe video is below.

If you enjoy my video please click on it to view it in youtube so you can click the like icon and subscribe to my channel so you can get more recipe videos. Thank you for the support!

Recipe follows below.

20 Minutes to The Table Episode 5: Zucchini Rotini Marinara with Vegetables

Serves 6

Pasta Ingredients:

1 onion, diced
2 zucchinis sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
300g/4 cups dried whole wheat rotini (or GF)
1 700 ml/ 24 oz. jar of pasta sauce (look for oil free and low in sodium)
1 tbsp. fresh parsley
Salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt if desired.

2. When water is boiling add the pasta, bring it back to a boil and then begin timing it as per the directions on the package.

3. Saute onion in a non-stick pan, dry for 4-5 minutes.

4. Add the zucchini and bell peppers. Cook until just tender.

5. Add the tomato sauce and stir to combine, when hot add the frozen peas.

6. Test the pasta for desired doneness. Drain in a colander.

7. Add drained pasta to pasta sauce in a large saute pan (or a pot if you don’t have one large enough).

8. Marry the flavors together for a minute or two to help the pasta absorb the sauce.

9. Add the fresh parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

10. Serve!

Cranberry Walnut Salad

Ingredients:

4 cups Spring Mix salad
2 tbsp dried cranberries
2 tbsp walnuts, chopped
Balsamic vinegar to drizzle

Directions:

1. Assemble salad in a bowl or on plates.

2. Drizzle with dressing and serve along with pasta.

What is your favorite type of pasta and vegetables to cook together?

20 Min To The Table: Rainbow Black Beans and Rice with Garlicky Citrus Kale

August 18, 2013 by Veronica Grace 16 Comments

Beans and rice are and eaten throughout the Caribbean and Latin America and it’s easy to see why! Beans are so easy and versatile to use in many dishes and can absorb all kinds of delicious flavors when seasoned with delicious spices and herbs. It’s also an extremely affordable and satisfying dish that pretty much anyone can make!

This Rainbow Black Beans and Rice is my take on an old staple, but it will also work for pinto beans or kidney beans so feel free to get creative and use what you have.

And aren’t you cooking fresh beans weekly by now with your EZ Bean Cooker or Digital Pressure Cooker? Aren’t you? I hope so. With weekly fresh beans you have to put them to use and start incorporating them in new recipes! Hopefully 🙂

Also if you’d prefer to just buy pre cooked brown rice to always have on hand you can check out Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice Pouch or Steamed Brown Rice Bowls and use it for this recipe.

Video below:

For more delicious recipes please check out my cookbook Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World here (and pick up an apron while you’re at it too!) 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! The recipe follows below.

Vegan Rainbow Black Beans and Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced or pressed
1 tomato, diced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 15 oz can black beans or 3 1/2 cups fresh cooked in a little bean liquid
2 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute or Mrs. Dash (salt free seasoning)
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2-3/4 tsp Herbamare or salt *or to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
handful cilantro, chopped
3 cups pre cooked brown rice (about 1 1/2 bags)
8 Corn tortillas *optional

Garlicky Citrus Kale

Ingredients:

1 large bunch of kale, stems removed
4 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1/4-1/2 lime juiced
Pinch of salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Add the onions, tomatoes and garlic to a pan over medium high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the bell pepper and celery and cook for about 5-7 minutes just until the celery is just tender.

3. Add the beans, a little bean liquid and the seasonings and let cook 2-3 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, gently steam the kale and minced garlic in a little boiling water for 2-3 minutes just until cooked and set aside.

5. Add the cooked brown rice to the beans and veggies. Stir gently and heat for a minute. Taste test and adjust seasonings if desired.

6. Drain the kale and season with lime juice, salt and pepper.

7. Quickly heat the tortillas in a microwave (30 seconds) or in a flat pan just until warm and pliable.

8. Serve and Enjoy!

Have you ever made rice and beans? What are your favorite seasonings to add?

Simple & Crisp Fat Free Chip Giveaway

August 13, 2013 by Veronica Grace

I cannot believe it, but I’m doing yet another giveaway this Summer. What can I say, Simple & Crisp contacted me and wanted me to give away some delicious, naturally oil free fruit crisps to one lucky reader and I couldn’t refuse. (I would never deprive you of free healthy food… seriously)

I had never heard of the company before, as they are based in the USA, but this sounds like a great alternative to potato chips and the bland freeze dried fruit packs I’ve seen at the health food store. (Freeze dried anything just doesn’t do it for me!)

So I was thrilled that these fruit chips were oil free and could actually be eaten guilt free! Who doesn’t want a guilt free chip? I know I do. These chips are oil-free, vegan, gluten-free and totally natural. No weird preservatives or chemicals. It’s just beautifully dried fruit dehydrated until crisp!

Here’s what Simple & Crisp had to say about this new product:

“Simple & Crisp Signature Mini Pack ($15 value) ~ Enjoy the perfect taster pack of Simple & Crisp’s three signature flavors, apple, orange and pear – their mini pack makes an ideal serving for a tasty snack on the go or the perfect pairing for any culinary occasion, from savory to sweet, to cheese to cupcakes to cocktails – the possibilities are endless.”

They are giving away 1 Signature Mini Pack of their crisps ($15 value) to 1 lucky winner who has a USA mailing address.

Here is an example of the nutritional information for this product.

Apple Chips: nutritional facts // serving size: 15 slices (22g) // servings per container: about 2 // calories per serving: 80 // total carb.: 21g

Ingredients: apple, ascorbic acid (to maintain natural color)

I just received my samples and the one that surprised me the most was the orange chips. They taste like orange candies! Very interesting for sure.

To enter to win, please use the widget below.

Entry -Form

To be eligible to win you must have a USA mailing address, comment on this post (using the comment section below – please do not write your comment in the giveawaytools widget, it needs to be on the blog post with everyone else) AND be subscribed to my newsletter. You can also get additional entries by sharing this contest, liking me on Facebook, following me on Twitter, subscribing to me on Youtube and following me on Pinterest.

If you’re interested in getting the chips directly from the company you can find their website here (orders over $50 have free shipping) and there’s a list of all the local retailers you can find them in as well in the USA.

Disclaimer: LowFatVeganChef.com was not paid for this promotion, a sample pack was offered free for review only. Simple & Crisp is providing 1 reader with a free sample pack as well.

Which flavor of Simple & Crisp are you most looking forward to trying?

20 Min To The Table: Asian Vegetable Tofu Stir Fry with Chinese Garlic Ginger Sauce

August 11, 2013 by Veronica Grace 14 Comments

Stir fry may be something many of you have made before, but I guarantee you’ve never made it with my homemade Chinese Garlic Ginger Sauce recipe. I’m going to show you how to make stir fry without any oil, but with tons of flavour. With fresh garlic, fresh ginger and a little soy sauce you can make your own delicious stir fry sauce so there’s no need to rely on store bought ones with MSG and high fructose corn syrup. You can also make it in advance to use later on and just store it in the fridge.

I’m not a fan of store bought dressings or bottled sauces because of the questionable ingredients they often contain so hopefully with my video you’ll see you can make your own and have them be just as tasty too!

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!

What I do to save money buying pre cooked brown or white rice (for fast meals) is to cook up a big batch in my Zojirushi 5 1/2 cup rice cooker and then I have enough for that night’s meal plus extra to store in bags or tupperware in the fridge or freezer for later. Just a note, cooked rice holds a lot of moisture and must be eaten within 3 days if left in the fridge due to bacteria growth. So please use it within this time or freeze it for food safety. Also you must let it cool before placing it in the fridge or freezer to minimize the bacteria growth as well.

Additionally if you’d prefer to just buy pre cooked brown rice to always have on hand you can check out Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice Pouch or Steamed Brown Rice Bowls and microwave it shortly before your dish is ready.

20 Minutes To The Table Recipe for Episode 3

Asian Vegetable Stir Fry with Tofu

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 package firm or pressed organic tofu, sliced into cubes
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 green cabbage sliced
3-4 cups broccoli, cauliflower, carrot mix (or stir fry mix)
1 bag of pre cooked brown rice or 3-4 cups fresh cooked (I used homemade)

Chinese Garlic Ginger Stir Fry Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetable broth low sodium
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3-4 tbsp maple syrup or sugar (as needed to balance the spice/acidity)
3 cloves of garlic
1 inch ginger, minced
1/2 tsp granulated onion powder
1/4 tsp white pepper
2-3 tbsp cornstarch (depending how thick you want it)

Directions:

1. Prepare the sauce. You have two options you can either blend it all together and gently heat it until thickened (this does produce some foam from the ginger/garlic fibre so I scooped that off) or you can just mince the ginger and garlic and put everything together in a pan and heat until thickened. Set aside.

2. Prepare the tofu and heat over medium high heat in a non stick pan. Add a little ginger garlic sauce to cook it in. Let it cook for a few minutes while you prepare your veggies.

3. Add the vegetables and stir well. Place a lid over the vegetables and cook 4-6 minutes (depending how big your vegetables are). Taste test, stopping when crisp tender. Heat your rice (if using bagged pre cooked rice) in the microwave for 60-90 seconds.

4. Drizzle in some more sauce and toss to combine.

5. Serve stir fry over rice and drizzle with more sauce as desired.

Enjoy!

What are your favorite stir fry ingredients? What sauce do you usually pair them with?

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?

GoGo Quinoa Minestrone Soup Review (Gluten Free and Vegan)

May 15, 2013 by Veronica Grace Leave a Comment

We have a new food/pharmacy shopping website in Canada called www.Well.ca and I noticed they had food items on there. I decided to check to see if they had any vegan products and I was pleasantly surprised they had some vegan and gluten free combined products. I purchased a few including this GoGo Quinoa Minestrone Soup to try and review.

Reading the label I noticed it contained only natural and some organic ingredients. It was also completely oil free, low in fat and low in sodium. I was pretty shocked, but thought this was an excellent choice for a prepared food item. It only contains vegetables, quinoa and seasonings. The package says it has 4 servings, but I think it’s more realistically 2 servings for a hearty meal.

Ingredients: Organic white rice and quinoa macaroni, organic white quinoa flakes, tomato powder, green peas, red beans, carrots, red peppers, onion flakes, paprika, parsley, organic onion powder, salt, organic garlic, and organic tumeric. – That’s it! No oil and no chemical flavorings.

It’s very easy to prepare, you just boil some water and add the contents and cook until the pasta is tender. This pasta tends to get overcooked quite quickly, so it is best eaten fresh. If you only want a half portion I would try dividing the whole package ingredients in half as it’s a little too overcooked if reheated.

The taste is much better than instant soup cups and other dehydrated camping meals I’ve tried. The only thing I didn’t like about it was that the peas never really softened and were still kind of hard and gritty they weren’t very good even after cooking for 15 minutes and letting sit for a few minutes.

For a healthy fast meal I would recommend it, especially since it contains only natural ingredients, it’s vegan, gluten free, oil-free and low in sodium.

If you purchase these items on www.Well.ca (in Canada) you can get free shipping on orders over $25. Otherwise you can order them directly from the company for a flat shipping free of $5 in Canada and $10 shipping in the USA. Check out GoGo Quinoa’s Website for more gluten free vegan items.

Just FYI. This is not a sponsored review. I receive absolutely no compensation from GoGo Quinoa, I just thought it was neat that they were creating oil free vegan and gluten free products which is uncommon.

Pre Order Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World Now!

April 30, 2013 by Veronica Grace 2 Comments

Hi Everyone!

I’m now accepting pre orders for Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World.

Just click here to go to the sales page.

I have had this available as a recipe ebook since October 2012, but now I’ve turned your favorite recipes into an all new, totally redesigned printed book you can bring into the kitchen with you!

Thank you so much for your support and all the positive feedback I’ve received from you guys. I could not do this without you!

This book has recipes for everyone in it. All of them are low fat, oil-free and contain absolutely no fake vegetarian cheeses or meats. There’s also tons of recipes for those following a gluten free, nut free or soy free diet.

Enjoy my little chefs! 🙂

Veronica

Fat Free Potato Chip Recipe

April 14, 2013 by Veronica Grace 42 Comments

Hands up how many people like eating crunchy snacks? What about potato chips? Mhmm that’s what I thought! You love potato chips, but wonder how you can eat them as part of a healthy diet. I love crunchy things and sometimes you want the crunch of a chip, but without all the excess fat and calories. Sure you can buy some baked or popped chips at the store, but they’re quite pricey and fairly bland. Not to mention not exactly “fresh”.

As a society we tend to overeat on packaged snack foods because they are so easily available everywhere and in such large quantities. Why not try making some of your own favorite snacks and keep them totally healthy?

In fact after making your own healthy snacks you might appreciate the amount of labor and love goes into making them. So hopefully you won’t just devour them in a few minutes, but savour your hard earned tasty snack! (At least I hope so…)

For this fat free potato chip recipe you will need a mandolin or a V-slicer. Something that you can slice a potato on very thinly. Also please be careful and use the vegetable holder/guard that comes with your slicer, or use some safety gloves so you don’t slice your finger. Personally I have never had a problem using these devices. Just go slowly and be aware of your fingers and you will be fine.

You’ll also require a microwave oven and a roll of parchment paper. Or you can get something like “Top Chips” on Amazon that includes a slicer, spices and a microwaving tray.

Microwaved Fat Free Potato Chips

Makes 70-80 chips Total time: 45-60 minutes

1 large russet potato
Salt and/or pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Fill a medium bowl with water and peel the potato.

2. Using a mandolin slicer on the thinnest setting, slice the potatoes.

3. Place the sliced potatoes in the bowl of water to prevent browning and remove excess starch.

4. Dry potato chips thoroughly with paper towel or a tea towel.

4. Line two large plates with a sheet of parchment paper (essential so the potatoes don’t stick) and place enough potato slices on it to cover (about 9). Make sure none overlap.

5. Mix salt, pepper and any other seasonings together in a bowl and sprinkle seasonings very lightly over the chips with your fingers. Go easy at first and taste test your first batch to know if you need more or less seasoning on the next.

6. Microwave one plate of chips at a time on high for 3-6 minutes (depending on the strength of your microwave). Watch them after 3-4 minutes and stop the microwave when they turn a golden brown in the centre. (My low powered microwave took about 5 minutes)

7. Use oven mitts to remove the plate from the microwave (it’s very hot!) and let cool a few minutes (before removing the chips from the parchment).

8. Remove the chips and set aside in a bowl or dish and repeat this process until all of your potato slices have been cooked (using the correct cooking time for your microwave).

9. Chips will harden after they cool down and become crispier. Eat when cool and crunchy!

Safety Note:

Please make sure to use oven mitts as the plates will be very hot. Also don’t microwave chips back to back for the entire amount, let the microwave have a little break after every 3 plates of chips. I overheated my microwave on the fourth plate and it turned off as a safety precaution.

Additional Tips:

Extra chips can be stored in an air tight container. Eat soon as they can go stale as there are no preservatives.

Use a large potato. The chips shrink significantly after cooking and if you start with a medium potato you’ll end up with small chips.

To Make Fat Free Oven Baked Potato Chips:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Use a baking pan lined with a non stick silicon mat or a sheet of parchment paper. Place cleaned and dried potato slices on the mat/sheet and season. Bake for 15-17 minutes until golden and crispy. Cool before eating.

Additional Seasoning Ideas:

Chipotle chili powder and salt

Salt & Vinegar

Curry powder and salt

Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper

Grind your favorite herbs or mixes like Herbs De Provence or Italian Seasoning to a fine powder and mix with salt for herbed potato chips

Nutritional Information: Entire recipe (without seasonings) Calories 254.7 Total Fat 0.2 g Saturated Fat 0.2 g Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g Cholesterol 0.0 mg Sodium 58.7 mg Potassium 1,502.2 mg Total Carbohydrate 58.0 g Dietary Fiber 8.8 g Sugars 4.2 g Protein 6.2 g

And no the microwave does not cause cancer, nor does microwaved water kill plants.

What seasonings do you like on your potato chips?

Vitamineral Green Smoothie Recipe

February 3, 2013 by Veronica Grace 17 Comments

So can you use green powders in green smoothies instead of fresh greens? Why yes you can!

I think a lot of us are guilty of not getting enough green leafy vegetables in their diet day after day. Myself included. Sometimes I don’t have enough room in the fridge to have salad ingredients every single day, and sometimes I get tired of chewing salad every day. So I often opt for a green smoothie to get more greens in my diet and it’s pretty fast and simple.

You kind of need a decent blender to blend the fresh greens though otherwise they can end up a little chunky or not so smooth. So you may consider using green powders in your smoothies instead for texture.

Or you may not have access to the best fresh greens all year round so a green powder is a more attractive option for you as well.

You can find a variety of green powders at the health food store and on Amazon.com. Some are based on wheat grass, barley grass or a mixture. I picked up a new one the other day to try out called Vitamineral Green. I’d heard people talk about it before and really liking it so I thought why not give it a shot.

I first tried mixing Vitamineral Green into some water and stirring well in an attempt to drink it. I figured I could manage it. I was dead wrong! It’s not very edible this way! So instead I’ve been playing around added it into smoothies instead of my regular baby spinach or baby greens or kale.

As soon as I started drinking this green smoothie I immediately felt more alert and had a very positive reaction to it. My body definitely enjoys getting more greens!

This is my favorite version that I came up with so far and it definitely tastes like a fruit smoothie with some greens in it, instead of a strong green drink so I think you’ll enjoy it.

Veronica’s Vitamineral Green Smoothie Recipe

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

1/2 cup filtered water
2-3 large bananas (I use 3 so it’s filling)
1-2 heaping tablespoons of Vitamineral Green (I use 2, but you can work up to it)
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1/2 cup frozen mango
1/2 cup frozen cherries or blueberries

Directions:

Place ingredients in a Vitamix or blender in the order listed and blend on high for about a minute until smooth and creamy.

*Note: You can adjust the thickness of the smoothie as desired by added more or less water and banana. If desired you can add some ice and blend again.

Other Tips:

Make sure to add enough water and sweet fruits such as banana or mango to help mask the strong flavor of Vitamineral Green or other green powders.

You don’t have to use Vitamineral Green, you can use another green powder. Be careful as straight wheat grass or barley grass powder may be stronger in taste. Use a small amount of Vitamineral Green or green powders to start until you get used to them. Gradually increase until you use 1 – 2 heaping tablespoons per smoothie.

Try using 1 banana and 1 fresh mango and frozen berries.

Try 1 Hawaiian papaya 2 bananas and frozen berries.

Try 3 bananas, 1/2 cup almond milk and a scoop of cocoa powder.

What’s your favorite green powder to use? How do you drink it?