Healthy Tots!

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Black Eyed Pea Gumbo

I really wanted gumbo, but didn’t want to go to the store so I just used what I had on hand. I guess it’s not really “gumbo” but this is my blog and I can call it whatever I want.

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups sliced vegan smoked sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 12 ounce package of frozen black-eyed peas
• 7 cups of water
• 2 not-chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning, try to find one without tons of sodium and no MSG
• 1/4 teaspoon file powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small bunch of kale, stems removed and leaves torn
• cooked brown rice

In a thick bottomed soup pot heat the oil over medium high heat and brown the sausage, removing from the pan when done. Then saute the onion, pepper and celery for 5 minutes or so until everything has softened. Turn the heat down a little and throw in the garlic, cooking for about a minute. Next add the tomatoes, peas, water, bouillon cubes, and spices. Bring soup to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the peas have cooked through, stir in the kale and sausages then turn off the heat. Serve with brown rice.

This soup is even healthier if you leave out the fake sausage. If you choose not to add them, just add more veggies and peas.

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Three Bean Chili with TVP

This chili is perfect for busy nights because it can be thrown together in less than 30 minutes. This recipe yields a ton of chili so you can freeze part of the leftovers for a future meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry TVP (textured vegetable protein)
• 1 cup of warm vegetable broth
• 1 (28 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can of petite diced tomatoes
• 1 can of pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 can of black beans, rinsed
• 1 can of kidney beans, rinsed
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 2 T. dried minced onion
• 2 T. chili powder
• 1 T. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
• salt to taste

First rehydrate the TVP: Mix 1 cup of TVP with 1 cup of warm vegetable broth, cover, and set aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile put the remaining ingredients in a large soup pot. Bring contents to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Add in the TVP once it’s ready and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes.

Garnish with Daiya, vegan sour cream, and baked whole grain tortilla chips.

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Chickpea & Rice Soup

I’ve replaced the chicken with chickpeas in this classic soup.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 stalks of celery, diced
• 2 cups of carrots, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 5 cups of water
• 2 vegan “chicken” boullion cubes
• 1 cup of long grain brown rice
• 2 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup of cauliflower, pureed
• 1 tablespoon Tofutti cream cheese
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• pepper to taste

Saute onion and celery with olive oil in a soup pot over medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Add carrots and garlic, lowering the temperature a little, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add everything else and bring soup to a boil, stir until the ingredients are well incorporated, then lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 35-40 minutes until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.

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Fried Phony Baloney

This is not a superfood by any stretch of the imagination. However, it is leaps and bounds healthier than it’s mystery meat counterpart and a favorite in our house.

What you’ll need:

• 2 slices of 100% whole wheat bread
• 2 slices of american-style cheese, I use Rice Vegan slices
• 3 slices of Smart Deli bologna style slices
• 2 tsp. of Earth Balance (margarine)

First melt 1 tsp. of margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Place the bologna slices in the pan and cook for about a minute on each side (you want to brown them a little, not burn them) then remove and build the sandwich. It goes bread slice, cheese slice, bologna, cheese slice, bread slice. Then grill it like you would a grilled cheese with the rest of the margarine. 

This was a lazy dinner night so we ate our Phony Baloney sandwiches with tomato soup.

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Potato Corn Chowder

Potatoes get a bad rap, but really they’re not so bad. It just depends on how you prepare them. They have a reasonable amount of fiber and protein, plus they are packed with Vitamin B6 and potassium. Just leave the skin on, that’s where the good stuff is. 

Ingredients:

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 (6 ounce) package LightLife Chick’n Smart Strips
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2-3 stalks of celery, minced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 large orange or yellow bell pepper, minced
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil or oregano 
• 1/4 tsp. dried sage
• 2 medium potatoes, diced (skin on!)
• 3 cups of corn, fresh or frozen, half pureed and the other half left whole
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
• 2 T. Tofutti cream cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• Optional garnish: Toffuti sour cream, green onions, crumbled fake bacon, hot sauce (my tot likes it), or your favorite vegan cheese, like Daiya. 

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium high heat. Cook Chick’n Strips for a few minutes until browned, then remove from pan and set aside. Add onions, celery, and bell pepper. Cook for about five minutes then add garlic. Lower heat a little and continue cooking until veggies are tender. 

Add spices, potatoes, corn (both kinds), and broth. Bring to a boil then turn heat down to a simmer. Stir in almond milk and cream cheese. Continue to cook for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 

Use a potato masher to mash most of the potatoes. Stir in the Chick’n. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Southwest Variation: Omit the basil and sage and use 2 tsp. of ground cumin and a small can of diced green chilis instead. Serve with sliced avocado.