PSL & Pumpkin Chocolate Spice Bars

I love Fall. Cooler weather, nice orange colors all around, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, Thanksgiving...etc! My favorite things during this time are pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin pies.

Pumpkin spice latte (PSL) is extremely popular during this time of year and people anxiously await its arrival (earlier each year). Even though it tastes like heaven, it's not that good for you. The PSL syrup is made with condensed milk and also has high fructose corn syrup. These are the ingredients for the PSL syrup:    

CONDENSED NONFAT MILK, SUGAR, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, ANNATO (FOR COLOR), NATURAL AND ARITIFICIAL  FLAVORS, CARAMEL COLOR, SALT, POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVE).


Needless to say...if you have a PSL more than a couple times a week, it's going to take a toll.

For this post, I am sharing a vegan/healthy PSL and pumpkin spice bars (healthy but not vegan).

Don't forget to scroll down for amazing pumpkin spice bars!


Pumpkin Spice Latte


You'll need:

• 1 heaping tbsp of canned pumpkin/pumpkin puree
• 1 cup almond milk (divided into 1/2 cups if you have steamer)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• pinch ground ginger
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• shot of espresso or 1/2 cup strongly brewed coffee

1. Mix (with a whisk or fork) the pumpkin, 1/2 cup milk (or 1 full cup if you dont have a milk steamer) spices and honey/syrup. 

2. Heat in the microwave for 45 seconds or until hot enough.

3. Steam remaining 1/2 cup milk (if you have a milk steamer)

4. Add 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee or 1 shot of espresso (or two?!)

5. First, add coffee, then pumpkin mixture and finally top off with steamed milk and some sprinkled cinnamon. 

 Pumpkin Spice Bars (with chocolate chips!)

You don't need oil or butter to make these bars and they are super spongy and delicious!

You'll need:

• 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp pumpkin puree/canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup flour (whole wheat, all purpose or oat flour)
• heaping 1/4 cup peanut butter or almond butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup medium sized chocolate chips (I used dark) -- if you have small chips, use a little less

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Grease an 8 x 8 pan with spray or butter or oil.

3. Mix all ingredients all wet ingredients in bowl. Add dry ingredients and finally add chocolate chips!

4. Bake for 20 minutes.

5. Let cool in pan for at least 10 minutes before serving (cut into bars).

Italian Vegetable Bake

I am back again!

This is a dish that can be served as a side or a main entree. We had it for dinner (pretty big pieces) with some bread. You know what would be great with this? freshly baked garlic bread and a salad.

Think of this as a lasagna without the noodles and the cheese...

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant
• 2 zucchinis (small to medium sized)
• 1/2 red bell pepper (julienned)
• 1/2 white onion (julienned)
• 1 cup cooked lima or white beans 
• 1 package mushrooms (white will do)
• 1 jar marinara or tomato sauce
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook the white beans or lima beans  until soft (if not using canned). Usually fresh beans have to be soaked overnight and then simmered in a pot on medium heat for about an hour or an hour and a half.

2. Preheat oven to 350F. 

3. Use a mandolin (or you could use a knife...note: more time consuming) to slice zucchini and eggplant with 1 tbsp olive oil. 

4. Sautee or grill mushrooms with garlic cloves and some olive oil. Sautee red bell pepper and onion until soft.

5. Grill eggplant and zucchini with olive oil. About 5-6 minutes on each side (set aside).

6. Mix red bell pepper and onion with oregano and white beans (or lima beans) in a food processor or blender until paste forms. Should look like hummus almost. Set aside. 

7. Assemble "lasagna"

            - Place one layer of marinara or tomato sauce in an oven proof pan (9 x 13). 

            - Then layer some eggplant slices. 

            - Add white bean mix (if you have enough for two layers great and if not just put all of it on)

            - Add layer of zucchini and mushrooms. 

            - Then: marinara sauce.

            - Keep going until you ran out of vegetables (I think I had about 4 layers total). End with marinara sauce.

(optional** add parmesan cheese on top of the last marinara sauce layer)

8. Bake for 40 minutes (until bubbly and parmesan cheese somewhat crusty).

Enjoy!!

Pam & Oscar

Vegan Mac n' Cheese

I know Mac and Cheese shouldn't be messed with and that there are some amazing recipes out there loaded with cheese,  heavy cream and butter to make it super tasty and addicting.  I've made "real" mac and cheese but never feel good after eating it. I am very sensitive to dairy so heavy cream and butter don't work well with my body. I could use cheese but wanted to make something that resembled the cheesy flavor without unhealthy ingredients.

Don't expect this to taste like regular mac and cheese because...it just won't. It tastes good but in a different way! So be open to a new recipe for this classic dish. You might be pleasantly surprised.

By the way - almond milk has more calcium than regular milk, nutritional yeast is one of the best sources of vitamin B12 and turmeric is an amazing anti-inflammatory ingredient. This is a great way to incorporate all of those ingredients into one dish!

Vegan Mac n' Cheese
Serves: 4

You'll need:

• Elbows or Penne (any kind of pasta - I used brown rice pasta)
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp yellow miso
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
• *optional: 1 head steamed broccoli, peas or sautéed mushrooms

1. Start preparing pasta according to package directions. Save some pasta water for later. 

2.  Heat almond milk and arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) on medium high heat until its simmering. 

3. In a high powered blender mix in the cashews, nutritional yeast, yellow miso, lemon juice and spices. Mix until you get a "nut butter consistency" then add the warmed almond milk and arrowroot powder and mix for a few more seconds. Adjust consistency by adding more cashews or milk. Adjust seasoning by adding salt or pepper.

Sauce should look like this

4. Mix in sauce with pasta and loosen up with some pasta water if necessary.

5. Serve with steamed (or sautéed) broccoli, mushrooms or peas. 

Enjoy!!

Pam & Oscar

Mock "Chicken" Salad

Sorry for the hiatus again! I was cooking a lot but not writing my recipes down so I couldn't really post anything :)

I made this last week and it was great. My husband loved it and he does like meat so it proves that you can make tofu (or tempeh in this case) taste like chicken! This is a great alternative to regular chicken salad (which is loaded with mayonnaise, oil and unhealthy ingredients).

You'll need:

• 1 package tempeh (if frozen, thaw in fridge for a few hours).
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 3 scallions
• 1 finely chopped pickle
• 2 celery stalks (chopped)
• 1/4 white onion (finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp mustard
• 3 tbsp vegan mayo (I used grape seed oil vegennaise)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• some toasted bread (I used gluten free bread but any will do)
• greens or lettuce for the sandwich

I used this "chicken salad" for sandwiches but it can also work as a dip with some pita chips or as a side dish.

1. Steam tempeh for 10-15 minutes. Chop into bite size pieces.

2. mix all of the ingredients together into a bowl and then add in tempeh pieces. These should be small enough for it to look like a "chicken salad.

3. If more mayo or mustard is needed, adjust seasoning. 

4. Serve over toasted bread and greens or just greens (as a salad).

*Great add-ins: some red grapes!

Enjoy!!

Pam & Oscar

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Smoothie

I drink tons of smoothies and have one for breakfast almost every day.
I switch between green smoothies, protein smoothies and oatmeal smoothies. This is one of my favorite smoothies.

One glass of this drink has 10g of fiber! (thats about half your daily intake). It's filling and good for you. It has both types of fiber: soluble and insoluble as well as a lot of protein. Additionally, it's high in magnesium and iron.

More benefits:

Raisins are also a good source of fiber and antioxidants.

Cinnamon is a great anti-inflammatory food and can help prevent blood clots.

Bananas are a great source of vitamin B6, vitamin C and potassium.


This smoothie is very easy to make and tastes literally like an oatmeal raisin cookie! yum!

You'll need:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 banana
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (or more according to taste)
• 4-5 cubes ice

1. Just put everything in a high-speed blender and mix until smooth. I have a Vitamix blender and it takes me about 30 seconds. You can probably blend for a minute.

Enjoy!

Pam & Oscar

Amazing Vegan Chocolate Chunk Brownies

I know it's hard to find a great vegan chocolate brownie recipe. There are many out there. Yes, it's hard to make a brownie taste good without cream, eggs and butter or tons of white sugar.

Today I was really craving brownies...and did not want to eat an unhealthy brownie that would make me feel like crap (dairy is doing that to me lately). So, I scoured the internet for every vegan chocolate brownie recipe out there. I spent about 3 hours "researching" and also tweaking recipes here and there. I researched whether flax eggs, chia eggs or applesauce were the better substitutes for eggs and oil...I also looked for comparisons between using baking soda or baking powder and whether to use chocolate chips, etc!

Finally, I came up with a single recipe that encompassed the best of the best and I think these brownies are the best so far. They're fudgy, chocolate-y and cake-y at the same time. SO GOOD.

I will continue to make this better by trying other ingredients and amount variations.

Try them and let me know what you think!


You'll need:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 3 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 flax eggs (2tbsp flaxseed meal needed see below)
• 1 shot of espresso (or very very strong brewed coffee)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened, dark)
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (vegan or normal)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease and flour a brownie pan (8 by 8 usually or 9 by 13)

2. Make 2 flax eggs (put 2 tbsp of flaxseed meal with 6 tbsp warm water in a bowl and let sit for 2 minutes until it becomes gel-like).

3. Mix sugar, almond milk, canola oil, apple cider vinegar and flax eggs in a bowl with the espresso and vanilla extract.  

4. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. 

5. Add wet ingredients to dry mix. Stir until all incorporated. Add in chocolate chips and walnuts if using.

6. Bake for 17-20 minutes (depends on oven).

7. Let brownies cool for 10 minutes at least before serving or cutting up.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Estos brownies son veganos...asique no tienen leche, huevo o mantequilla (nada animal).  Se pueden preparar con harina blanca sin prepar o tambien  serian mas nutritivos hechos con harina "whole wheat" (trigo entero). 


Ingredientes

• 1 taza azucar morena (ojo: lo hice tambien con 3/4 de taza y salio bien)
• 1/2 taza leche de almendras (o de soya)
• 3 cucharaditas vinagre de manzana 
• 1/4 taza de aceite vegetal (o si quieren pueden usar 2 cucharadas con el mismo efecto)
• 2 cucharadas de linaza molida + 6 de agua filtrada
• 1 shot de espresso
• 1 cucharadita de vainilla
• 1 taza harina sin preparar blanca (o de trigo entero)
• 1 cucharadita de polvo de hornear
• 1/4 cucharadita sal
• 3/4 taza de cocoa (para postres - sin azucar)
• 1/2 taza de chips de chocolate dark
• 1/2 taza nueces o pecanas picadas (opcional)
• *opcional: azucar en polvo para espolvorear encima de los brownies

1. Pre-calentar horno a 375 F (190C).

2. Engrasar (con aceite o mantequilla) un molde rectangular de 8x8 o 9x13 pulgadas (saldran mas delgados con 9 x 13).

3. Preparar los "huevos de linaza" -- mezclar 2 cucharadas de linaza molida (usar licuadora) con 6 cucharadas de agua filtrada. Dejar en un bowl por unos 5 minutos hasta que parezca un "gel" o se cuaje. 1 huevo es el equivalente a 1 cucharada de linaza molida con 3 de agua (asique estamos usando 2 "huevos").

4. Mezclar en un bowl: azucar, leche de almendras/soya, vinagre de manzana, "huevos de linaza", shot de espresso, vainilla y aceite. 

5. Mezclar en un bowl aparte la harina, la cocoa, el polvo de hornear y sal.

6. Incorporar los ingredientes liquidos con los secos poco a poco. 

7. Agregar los chips de chocolate y las nueces/pecanas (si se desea).

8. Hornear por 17 minutos y dejar reposar por lo menos 15 minutos antes de servir.

Enjoy!

Pam & Oscar

Mushroom "Quinotto" (Quinoa Risotto)

Hi there!
It's been a few days since my last post.  My husband and I went to NY to visit family and I got a friendly visit over Labor Day weekend. It's been a busy couple of weeks but I am back in Houston cooking away!

NY was amazing...as always. I got to try the famous "Candle Cafe" Vegan restaurant (I think it's one of the most famous in the US). It was good but we had a lot of food. I did get somewhat inspired by the food and will be making/recreating some of them soon!

For now...I leave you with a mushroom quinotto. It's very very good for you and tasty. We know the benefits of quinoa are endless so it won't hurt to try this as an alternative to regular risotto. I used almond milk and olive oil instead of cream and butter.

I used some amazingly strong saffron that my parents brought back from Istanbul (if you have some strong saffron please be careful as it can be too much!)

I hope you love it!

You'll need

• 1 cup cooked quinoa (check out this post on how to make it)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 4-5strips saffron (or 1/4 tsp ground saffron)
• 1/2 white chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped portabella mushroom  (or any mix of mushrooms)
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 cup almond milk (or if you don't want to make it vegan use cream)
• salt and pepper to taste
• parsley (fresh or dried whatever you have)
• parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Cook quinoa and set aside.

2. In a pot, saute garlic and onion in olive oil on medium heat. Then, when onions are translucent, add in the saffron, nutmeg and mushrooms. Stir for a few minutes.

amazing saffron from Istanbul

3. Add in the wine, almond milk (or cream if using). Add in salt and pepper to taste (adjust if necessary).

4. Add in cooked quinoa to the pot. Stir and add in more milk if necessary to get that risotto texture. 

5. When ready to serve, add about 3 tbsp parmesan cheese and adjust seasoning.

6. Serve with parsley and parmesan cheese on top.

Enjoy!!

Pam & Oscar

Veggie Burgers

There are a lot of veggie/vegan burger recipes out there but some don't turn out as good (they fall apart, they're too soft, etc). This recipe is adapted from the Engine 2 Diet cook book. It's a vegan burger with no oil and it's super healthy for you. It's also tasty, obviously....

I paired it with some oven roasted sweet potato fries. Super good!

For the burgers

• 1 can black beans (drained) or cooked black beans
• 1/2 can diced tomatoes (drained)
• 2 carrots (peeled and chopped)
• 2 cups oats
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 stems green onion (chopped)
• 1/2 cup parsley 
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp flaxseed meal

For the sweet potato "fries"

• 2 big sweet potatoes (peeled and cut in strips)
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. 

2. Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet (don't overcrowd or they will get soggy). Put in the oven (tossing sometimes) for about 20-30 minutes or until crispy and brown.

 Make the burgers!  

3. Put the beans, tomatoes, garlic, carrots, green onion and spices into a food processor (or blender) and chop/slowly blend for a few seconds until mixed through.

4. Put the contents into a bowl (or a stand mixer) and add in the oats and flax seed meal.

5. Check for consistency: adding more oats or more canned tomatoes if needed.

6. Form patties and pan-fry on medium heat in a sprayed skillet. About 5-6 minutes on each side (both sides should be browned and firm).

7. Build your burger! We did not have "burger buns" this time and just used regular sliced bread...with some lettuce, avocado, mustard and tomatoes. We've had these with caramelized onions and they're amazing!


Enjoy!!

Pam & Oscar

Lemon/Lime Fat-Free Yogurt Cake with Warm Blueberry Sauce

Recipe dedicated to my friend Theresa :)

I adapted this recipe to make it fat free but have made it before with 1/2 cup canola oil and it came out great too (I would use the oil if you're going to eat it between a few people...but if it's just two of you then might as well reduce the oil content)

This is so good and easy to make and you just need a few ingredients.

You'll need:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup + 1/3 cup white sugar
• 3 large eggs (cage free-organic)
• 1 1/4 cups fat free plain greek yogurt 
• 3 tbsp apple sauce   (if using canola oil: 1/3 cup, don't use applesauce and only use 1 cup yogurt)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• zest of 2 big lemons or 3 limes
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• half pint blueberries
• 2 tbsp water

Make the cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Grease and flour a loaf pan.

3. In a big bowl mix the eggs, yogurt, applesauce (or oil if using-see above), vanilla extract, lemon/lime zest and 1 cup of sugar.

4. In another bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt.

5. Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan and put in the oven for about 40-50 minutes (check for doneness and golden brown color).

7. Make the lemon glaze: simmer 1/3 cup lemon juice and 1/3 cup remaining sugar in a small pot on medium heat until "glaze" forms (should look syrup-like).

8. When cake is ready, let cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. Then, pour the lemon-sugar mixture while still farm and let it soak in (I keep the cake in the pan and just pour the mixture..eventually it soaks in and becomes moist).

cake should be golden brown after 40-50 minutes

9. Make blueberry sauce: rinse blueberries in colander, mix in with water for 5 minutes on medium heat. When ready serve on the side (if you pour it all on top you probably want to eat it soon if not it might become soggy).

That's it!! Enjoy

Pam & Oscar

Aji de Gallina: Chicken in Yellow Chili Sauce [healthier version]

I think I mentioned before that I eat chicken/eggs or fish about once a week. Saturday night, I decided to make a Peruvian dish.

Typically, this recipe is relatively unhealthy as it has a lot of cream or whole milk, a lot of cheese and white bread. I made it a little healthier (albeit not completely) by making simple switches. For example, instead of using white bread for the sauce, I used quinoa. Instead of using whole milk or cream, I used almond milk.

I did not use oil either.

You'll need the "aji amarillo" sauce or chilies. I couldn't find the actual chilies (sometimes available frozen at specialty latin stores) but I found an organic aji amarillo paste at Whole Foods:

It came out great!! My husband love it and couldn't tell the difference. He devoured it...

You'll need:

• 2 chicken breasts (I used organic, pasture raised chicken)
• 3 tbsp aji amarillo paste
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 cup "queso fresco"
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 cup almond or soy milk (if you drink regular milk then regular milk will do)
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 chopped white onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 gold potatoes
• pitted kalamata olives
• 2 boiled eggs
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil water in a small stockpot and cook potatoes for about 20 minutes (until soft inside)

2. Make 1 cup of quinoa according to package directions (you can find how to make quinoa here)

3. Make some white or brown rice (typically this dish is served over white rice)

4. In another pot, boil chicken. Boil water and then place chicken breasts in the pot. About 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool down. When cooled down - shred chicken by hand.

5. In a big sauce pan, sauté onion in olive oil. Add garlic and simmer until onion is translucent. 

6. Add aji amarillo paste (3 tbsp). 

7. Simmer and add 1/2 cup vegetable/chicken stock. Lower heat a little bit.

8. When quinoa is ready, put in a blender with almond milk, queso fresco, parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Mix until a puree is formed. About 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste and more milk if too dry.  Set this puree aside.

9. Add puree to the pan, mix in with the onions and aji amarillo paste. Add the turmeric powder. Mix well and simmer on low heat. 

10. Add shredded chicken to the pan and add more aji amarillo if needed (it is not that spicy so try it out first). Also, add salt and pepper to taste. 

11. Sauce should look creamy. Add more stock if necessary to loosen it up a bit.

12. When its ready, serve over sliced boiled potatoes and white rice. Also, put some pitted kalamata olives on top and a boiled egg sliced in half.

Enjoy!!!

Pam & Oscar

Tempeh Tacos

Tempeh is a fermented soy product highly popular in Indonesia. It's a great source of protein and fiber and low in fat and cholesterol. Tempeh is less processed than tofu but is not tasteless.

Eating less meat and dairy is definitely good (at least increasing meatless meals) because it reduces cholesterol and saturated fat intake.

For this recipe, I used non-GMO tempeh I found at Whole Foods.

You'll need:

• 1 package tempeh
• 1 bell pepper - sliced
• 1 onion - sliced
• 1/2 cup frozen roasted corn (or freshly roasted corn)
• cilantro (chopped)
• 1 lime
• 1 tbsp tamari (or if you don't have it, soy sauce)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt and pepper to taste
• whole wheat or sprouted tortillas

1. In a grill pan or saute pan, cook peppers and onions. If grilling, stir for 10 minutes until softened but slightly charred. If sautéing, cook with little oil so that the onions don't "sweat" much and they don't become soggy (also 10 min approx).

2. Cook corn (in a pan with 1 tbsp water if frozen) for 5 minutes. If using fresh corn, roast or grill for a few minutes.

3. Steam tempeh (in a steamer for 10-15 minutes). If you don't have a steamer then just pan fry until brown. I highly recommend steaming the tempeh because it will allow for more flavors to soak in.

4.  Marinate tempeh with paprika, chili powder, tamari, cumin, and salt & pepper.

5.  Cut tempeh in half and sauté or grill (I grilled it) for a few minutes.

6.  Cut tempeh in cubes (so as to resemble chicken). Serve with sautéed/grilled vegetables.

7. Steam tortillas in the microwave (roll in paper towel and heat for 15 seconds).

8. Serve with homemade guacamole and cashew cream sauce (fake sour cream).

9. Chopped cilantro on the side.

Enjoy!

Pam & Oscar

Warm Green Lentil Salad with Pan-Seared Fish

Lentils are so good for you!

*They have high levels of soluble fiber (possibly helping to reduce cholesterol)
*Almost fat-free
*High in protein
*High in folate and magnesium

If you want to eat light - get more lentils in your diet.

Green lentils have more of a nutty flavor and they taste amazing in salads or spreads (even burgers). We had some fish available so we wanted to eat fish with something light for dinner.

I made this lentil salad to go with it! (and some steamed broccoli just because)
It's extremely easy!!

You'll need

• 1 cup green lentils
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 orange (juiced)
• 1/2 lemon (juiced)
• 1/4 cup finely julienned red or white onion
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp agave or honey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• fresh fish filets (we used halibut) --> you can use red snapper, tilapia or even salmon.

1. Prepare the lentils: boil water and add lentils. Simmer on medium heat for 20-25 minutes. If there is still a lot of water left you can drain in a colander. Lentils should be soft but crunchy almost. Set aside.

2.  Start pan-frying the fish. Our halibut filets took about  5 minutes per side (it can take longer depending on the thickness of the fish). If you're using salmon - try to pan fry 80% of the time on the skin side. 

3. Add orange juice, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to a bowl. 

4. Add onions to the bowl and set aside for 5 minutes (quick pickling).

5. Then, mix in in the olive oil, salt, pepper, coriander, honey/agave and mustard to the bowl and mix well.

6. Add the drained lentils, mint and cilantro to the bowl.

7.  Serve fish over lentil salad.

Pam & Oscar

Healthy Pad Thai

Pad thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish from Thailand. It's common street food and usually has a lot of oil, eggs and fish sauce. Veggie versions include tofu.
This pad thai is a little different because I used peanut butter and also tamari (instead of soy sauce). Also, I used tofu instead of shrimp or chicken but if you want, you can just substitute the shrimp or chicken for the tofu easily.
I absolutely love pad thai and hope you enjoy this recipe!

You'll need:

• 1 package rice noodles
• 1 package tofu (extra firm)
• 1 red bell pepper (shredded/julienned)
• 2 carrots (shredded)
• 1/4 head of green cabbage (shredded)
• 1 big shallot or 1/4 white onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 lime
• 2 tbsp peanut butter (unsalted)
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (start easy because its very spicy)
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• chopped peanuts/cashews to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Drain tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Press to get water out of tofu. Cut into cubes.

2. Heat a big pan or skillet on medium high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil.

3. Pan fry tofu for 10 minutes flipping sides. Set aside.

4.  In same pan, add more oil if needed and sauté garlic and onion (chopped). Sauté until translucent.

5. Add carrots and bell pepper to the pan with 1 1/2 tsp tamari or soy sauce.

6. Add chili powder and ginger. sauté and then add 1 cup of the vegetable stock to loosen up the sauce.

7. Saute until vegetables look cooked (simmer for a couple of minutes).

8. Add cabbage and remaining spices (paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper). Add more stock (1 cup) and simmer.

9.  Prepare noodles according to package direction.

10. Then add the peanut butter and brown sugar and mix well.

11. Then, add tofu cubes and simmer until sauce thickens. If the sauce needs more liquid just add more vegetable stock.

12. Add the rice noodles to the pan.

13. Adjust seasoning: add more sugar, soy sauce or stock (if too salty, too sweet or too thick).

14. Turn off pan and serve with chopped peanuts, chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

15. You have to squeeze some lime on this dish - it does make a huge difference before eating. 

That's it. Enjoy!!

Pam & Oscar