vegan

Desserts, Recipes, Treats

Vegetables… In My Brownies?!

Uh oh, it’s April 1. We all know what that means… April Fool’s Day!
What if I told you that this indeed is no joke. These brownies really are made of veggies!

YES, HEALTHY BROWNIES DO EXIST!

Trick all of your friends, coworkers, and family members with the tastiest, healthiest April Fool’s prank yet! They will have no idea that these rich chocolate brownies are made of vegetables! Not to mention; vegan, gluten free, and contain no refined sugar, butter, oil, or salt! Take that Paula Dean.

Just make sure that no one is allergic to the secret superstar ingredients first… because that would not be fun!

I love Chef AJ’s original Black Bean Brownie recipe, but I didn’t have barley flour or date syrup on hand, so I did some trial and error with flours, making my own date paste/syrup, and added spinach! I made 2 different batches to ensure they were perfect before posting, and I found that almond meal/flour tasted the best and gave the greatest consistency. I wanted to give whole-wheat flour and try, but it came out like rubber! As I was experimenting, I found that blending the ingredients in a particular order made the process much more efficient.

Remember, even though these are made from whole healthy ingredients, that they are still treats and should be enjoyed in moderation. But go ahead, lick the batter straight from the bowl, there are no eggs!

Black Bean & Spinach Brownies
Recipe adapted from Chef AJ
Makes 9 servings

15oz, can no salt added black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cups fresh spinach
12 medjool dates (pitted)
1 cup water
½ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup almond flour
Optional 2 Tbsp dark chocolate chips or vegan carob chips – as a topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a high-powered blender or food processor (I used my Vitamix!) combine the dates and water, blending until thick smooth paste is formed. Add the fresh spinach to the paste and mix until smooth. Next, add the beans and vanilla extract and blend. Finally, add the cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and almond flour. Blend until batter is mixed evenly. Scrape the sides of the blender or food processor as needed, as the batter will become very thick. Once batter is smooth, pour into an 8 x 8 cooking pan, lightly coated with olive oil spray. Bake for 30-35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Optional: when brownies have finished baking, sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and let them melt in the oven for 1 additional minute. Remove brownies from the oven and spread melted chocolate chips evenly with a spatula.

Note: I checked the brownies after 35 minutes and they were still raw in the middle, so I kept cooking them in 10 minute increments, checking with a toothpick each time. The brownies took around 50 minutes to completely cook.

Side Note: I have not tried using deglet noor dates (the smaller, lighter dates) but if you use them in place of medjool, I suggest doubling the quantity to 22 since they are half the size.

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Desserts, Lunch, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Lemon Garlic Couscous

Since I am usually cooking for myself, sometimes I like to make my meals as a single serving. This ensures that I will eat the perfect serving size and will not be tempted to go back for seconds. Most cookbooks contain recipes that have many servings, and sometimes it can be overwhelming to purchase and make such large amounts of food. I like to offer single serving recipes to my readers who like me are only cooking for themselves and do not have families to feed. Of course, all recipes could easily be doubled to make more servings as you wish.

Lemon Garlic Couscous (vegetarian/vegan)
serves 1

1/2 cup cooked whole-wheat pearl couscous
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1 cup asparagus (about 8 stems)
1 cup broccoli
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 clove garlic

Cook couscous to package directions. Chop broccoli and asparagus into 1 inch sections. Place vegetables in a microwave safe bowl, cover, and let them steam in the microwave for roughly 2 minutes.
In a blender (I used my magic bullet) combine garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. Blend until Smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine couscous, chickpeas and vegetables. Add the dressing to the bowl and mix until couscous, chickpeas, and veggies are evenly coated.

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: asparagus and broccoli
Whole Grain: whole-weat couscous
Protein: chickpeas
Plant Based Fat: olive oil

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Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Green Smoothie

My obsession with Chef AJ’s recipes is still going strong! I’m quite positive I will make everything out of her book.
Her “It’s Easy Being Green Smoothie” is on my top 3 list of green smoothies.

My obsession began with my first green smoothie called the “Glowing Green Smoothie” by  LA Nutritionist Kymberly Snyder. After my first experience of blended green goodness, I tried countless different recipes varying from sweet to rather savory and well… green tasting. I think I’m going to have to do a comparison post with my favorite green smoothie recipes in the future!

The great thing about green smoothies is that they are filled with vitamins and minerals to keep you energized and healthy, but unlike a juice, the fiber from the fruits and vegetables still remains, which helps to keep you fuller longer!
This smoothie is more on the sweet side, which is a great intro smoothie for someone who wants to try, but is a little hesitant.


It’s Easy Being Green Smoothie:
Recipe by Chef AJ
serves 3

1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup almond milk
1 bunch kale
2 frozen ripe bananas (peel and freeze beforehand)
2 cups frozen mango
about 1 cup of mint leaves (start with less and add to taste)

Start off by combing orange juice and almond milk with kale and blend until smooth. Then add the frozen banana, mango, and mint leaves.
Blend until thick and smooth, pour into 3 glass jars and enjoy. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.

 

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Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Hail To The Kale

After attending Chef AJ’s cooking class last Sunday, I was dying to try one of her recipes and definitely craving some kale.
I went for the “Hail To The Kale” salad, which was the original dish I had tried at Whole Foods before discovering Chef AJ!

 Hail To The Kale Salad
Recipe by Chef AJ
serves 3-4

Salad:
2 large heads of curly kale
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup raisins

Dressing:
1 cup raw almond butter (unsalted/unsweetened)
1 cup coconut water (I use O.N.E.)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic
3/4 oz. fresh ginger (approx 1″)
2 tablespoons low sodium Tamari or low sodium soy sauce
4 pitted Medjool dates
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Chop the kale and set aside in a large bowl.
In a high powered blender, combine all dressing ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.
Massage about 1/2 cup of the dressing onto the kale (more or less depending on your taste).
Toss with slivered almonds and raisins and serve.
Store excess dressing in a jar and refrigerate.

Chef AJ’s recipe doesn’t call for raisins, but I thought they were the perfect chewy addition to this creamy salad.

As Chef AJ says “Like a woman, this salad gets better with age.” I have to agree, I love to let the kale marinade in the dressing overnight in the refrigerator. It is twice as good the next day!

This recipe makes a large amount of dressing.
I was able to coat my 2 heads of kale, and  fill an entire mason jar for future salads.
This dressing is a great staple to have in your fridge for veggie dipping and quick salads.

 

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Obsessions

Chef AJ

A few weeks ago, I was shopping at Whole Foods in Pasadena and decided to grab a salad to snack on later at home. As I was perusing through the salad bar, I noticed a pre made salad that I had not seen at any other location. The salad was called “Hail To The Kale” and looked rather yummy, so I grabbed it to go and was on my merry way.

It was love at first bite. I finished the entire salad and left no dressing behind. At that moment, I knew this wasn’t just any kale salad. This was the holy kale! I took to my google searching skills to find the recipe for the salad. Followed by a few searches and clicks, I found out that the salad was created by a plant-based chef named, Chef AJ. After finding some basic information about Chef AJ and her contribution to the “Health Starts Here” initiative on Whole Foods’ website, I found my way to her  personal website.  I was so intrigued by Chef AJ’s take on healthy cooking and her no sugar, oil, or salt, recipes that I needed to know more, so I bought her book “Unprocessed” and signed up for her intro cooking class right then and there!

Her book “Unprocessed” is an easy read and gets to the point as to why she made the decision to obtain an unprocessed, whole food, plant based, vegan diet. Her story is remarkable, and made me appreciate her even more. The book is filled with over 100 nutrient-rich recipes that so far, taste incredible. Her dishes are easy to prepare and require little cooking, which is fabulous for someone who is intimidated by the kitchen. Her ingredient lists are simple and can be found around the perimeter of any grocery store, with the exception of some fun new natural products and vegetables that I was introduced to!

The night before my cooking class, I was so excited and antsy that I could not sleep, so I found myself watching Chef AJ’s web series “The Chef and the Dietician” on YouTube until the early hours of the morning.

Chef AJ had emailed us prior to the class and informed us that anyone who was in their seat early (by 9:50am) would get a special treat, and informed us to bring a medium size piece of Tupperware. I’m sure you could imagine my excitement level at this point! I arrived early with my book, camera, and tupperware in hand.

When Chef AJ walked out, I had the biggest smile on my face. She has the greatest personality, and tons of energy! We started the class off with a sample of her “It’s Easy Being Green Smoothie,” which was fantastic. It was the perfect combination of bitter kale, balanced with sweet bananas and mangos, along with creamy almond milk. The class was rather casual and intimate with only 16 students, AJ and her lovely kitchen assistants. From time to time, students would throw out questions and Chef AJ would answer with enthusiasm and full detail.

We learned to make (and got to taste) 10 healthy plant strong meals including:
It’s Easy Being Green Smoothie
Nutrient Rich Chocolate Smoothie
Fresh Almond Milk
6 Minute Split Pea Soup
Smoky Black Bean Soup
Hail To The Kale Salad
Quick 6 Fat-Free Salad Dressing
Chocolate FUNdue
Peanut Butter Fudge Truffles
Banana Ice Cream

I loved how simple everything was to make. Almost anything could be made in a Vitamix. Chef AJ explained that she taught cooking classes to the blind, which led her to these easy to prepare recipes.

Every second of the class was informative yet fun. Chef AJ even burst into song, complete with instrumental track, and her own lyrics about healthy eating. She is a hoot, as my grandma would say. Oh, and she even did a headstand in the middle of class. Yes people, this is the kind of energy you get from eating whole, unprocessed foods!

When it was time for the “Chocolate FUNdue,” which was served with strawberries, Chef AJ brought me apple slices in their place since I am allergic. She is so fabulous. What other chef would cater to your allergies like this in their cooking class? After we finished our last dish, it was time to get our “special treat” for arriving early, which was a slice of Vegan German Chocolate Cake.

I stayed for a few minutes to talk to Chef AJ and shyly asked her to sign my book. I shared my story with her, and she was so encouraging and excited for my healthy new life. I had such a great time at her class and would love to attend another in the future. She has great ideas for healthy alternatives and cooking and is very informative as to why she eats this way, but does not force anyone into it. I love that she bases her teachings on scientific research and does not force her opinion on anyone, yet encourages her healthy examples. If you live in the LA area, you should definitely attend one of her intro cooking classes.

After I got home, I couldn’t wait to try Chef AJ’s Vegan German Chocolate Cake and Peanut Butter Fudge Truffles. I have no words to describe the amazingness. Just a photo, and a very very happy tummy.

 

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