The Best Tacos You've EVER Eaten.

That statement's true if you've never had Torchy's Tacos. Those are, in fact, the best tacos in the world. No contest.

But, these are a close second to Torchy's. Now, all you tofu snobs, don't panic. This is a tofu recipe and it was my first attempt at cooking with tofu (I've eaten it before). I can tell you with 99% certainty that you will like this taco. But, if you insist on not trying tofu then you can substitute chicken or (even better) fish. 

Here is the recipe. I followed this recipe exactly.

In my opinion, this is the best veggie recipe I've made. In Mark's opinion, it is a close second to a black bean burrito recipe that I'll post later.

This is tofu. The consistancy is similar to scrambled eggs.

Slaw for the tacos.

Yogurt dressing. Don't freak out...it makes the tacos. Promise!

Finished Product. I'm going to eat the leftovers from last night. Right Now.

Chickpea Patties

Told you I'm loving Chickpeas right now. I think I told you that. Who knows. This is another recipe from The Kind Life. You can find the recipe here. I left out the celery. The reason? I'm not a big fan of celery and I didn't want to buy a whole bunch when I only needed one stick. I don't think the recipe missed it. I certainly didn't.

These were really good. I'm not sure if I prefer these or the black bean patties. I guess it doesn't matter since they will both be making it into my cookbook as go-to meals.

Twofer

As in, two for one. I'm back on my health kick. I'm not going into details but the past few weeks have taken a toll on me. My body has really gotten used to non-processed, earthy meals.

This hot pickle salad that I've been making has been my go-to lunch most days. I stole/borrowed it from Elena. Pardon the picture. It's an iPhone pic. This salad is Romain lettuce, chickpeas (which are delicious), diced hot pickles and I added some croutons...a girls gotta live a little. I've been using a Garlic Asiago dressing because low calorie garlic dressing is hard to find. Most of them are creamy garlic. Beware anything that says creamy. My only complaint with this meal is that I end up picking up the chickpeas with my hands. They are quite difficult to get onto the fork. haha. But it's sooo good it doesn't matter!

This next recipe is delicious! I promise you'll love it. I got it from The Kind Life website.






It's Black Bean Burgers and Guacamole. 

You need:

• 1 Avocado
• 1tbsp. of lime juice
• a little pepper
• 1/4 cup of bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup of chopped garlic
• 1tsp. of cumin
• 2 tsp. of Olice Oil (reduced from original recipe which recommends 3 tsp.)
• 1/4 cup chopped tomato (I omitted this)
• 15 ounce can of Black Beans

What to do:

1. Make Guac. (maybe you have a better recipe but this worked fine) Mash up avocado in a small bowl, add lime and season to taste with pepper. Put in fridge until you are ready to eat.
2. Open, drain and rinse can of beans. Put into bowl with bread crumbs, garlic, cumin and olive oil.
3. Use food processor or potato masher to mix ingredients until they are well blended.
4. Add small amount of olive oil to pan. Form bean mixture into 4 patties.
5. On medium to high heat, heat oil. Add patties and cook 5 minutes per side until heated through and browned.
6. Slab on some guacamole and enjoy!

This was a recipe Mark enjoyed A LOT! His only complaint was that he needed a little more food. I didn't make anything to go with it.

Healthy Lunches

So I've mentioned that lunches are difficult, right? I never know what to do. I'm guilty of falling into fast food traps at lunch because: "how do make a lunch for one?" I'm not a big fan of at home sandwiches or salads. My favorite deli meat is bologna and it doesn't really fit into my diet plan. So lunches stump me.

Elena had some good suggestions on her blog. Have I mentioned her blog before? I have (on Granthamania)? Yeah, I'm a big fan of her blog right now. haha. I've tried two of the recipes she posted and they were fantastic!

Tuscan Panzanella Salad

Hop over to her blog for the Tuscan Panzanella Salad recipe and a few others.

This tuscan salad was pefect because:

1. The leftovers will refridgerate and save well for tomorrow.
2. Everything in the salad (minus croutons) are bite size for Miss Chloe and she enjoyed it!

When on her blog, please note the recipe for the Chickpeas Salad. It was so yummy. I didn't have chichpeas so I substituted white beans. It was a good substitute but I'm springing for the chickpeas next week at the store.

The Best One Yet! -French Bread Pizza-

This is the best recipe I've posted. Cross my heart...stick a needle in my eye. It's good because it uses french bread. I know what you're thinking. Carbs are bad. Au Contraire, Mon Frère! Just don't eat too many.


The only thing that bugs me about this one is the fact that I don't get to use whole wheat bread. I'm thinking I'll use whole wheat hamburger buns next time. 


This recipe would be easy and fun for kids to help make. (Obviously, they shouldn't chop the veggies.) Also, you can easily add to or take away to make the topping the your own.

iPhone photo...doesn't do it justice

INGREDIENTS


1 c diced Roma tomato
1 c diced asparagus (I use only tips)
1 c diced red bell pepper
1 c diced green bell pepper
1 Loaf french bread
1 T minced garlic
1 jar pizza sauce (I used Ragu brand)
shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese


DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut loaf of french bread in half length wise. Place one half on baking sheet and save the other half for whatever you want. (lunch tomorrow?)
2. Place tomato, asparagus, bell peppers and garlic into a bowl and toss to coat everything with garlic.
3. Slice the loaf into 4 separate pieces and spoon pizza sauce on each piece. (about 1/4 c per piece)
4. Put your veggie mixture onto each piece (use as much or little as you want...I always have leftover and I put them into the fridge for later...great for a salad or more pizza tomorrow.)
5. Sprinkle each slice with some cheese and put into the oven for about 10 minutes.

DONE!

Can't remember where this recipe came from but the calorie information I wrote down says 252 calories a slice. Not bad.

I promise not to post about pizza again for a while. 

A Lunch Idea - Quinoa & Black Beans

Healthy or not, lunch is difficult. Cooking for one (or one and a half in my case) is tricky. I don't want to eat salad. If I do, I'll end up eating a bunch of junk afterward. I also want lunch to be quick and easy. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen for supper and I don't want to do the same for lunch.

Aside from waiting for the Quinoa to cook, this recipe was quick (and easy). The recipe was on Eating Well's website. Again, it was found in the vegetarian menu.

original recipe

I made a few swaps:

• Used Red Bell Pepper 
• No onions (ran out yesterday)
• Added three cloves of garlic (I LOVE garlic)
• Added a few mushrooms 

• INGREDIENTS
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons broth, (or water)
• 1/2 cup hot cooked quinoa

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onion and cook until almost tender. Add beans and broth (or water) to the pan. Cook until heated through. Stir in quinoa.

Serving size: 1/2 cup

Calories: 162 (before I made my adjustments)

A Delicious Alternative to Pizza

Mark walked in the door tonight and said, "What smells so good?" The aroma did not disappoint. This Caramelized Onion & White Bean Flatbread was MMMMMazing!

This is a recipe that's easy to play with...add garlic and or mushrooms...take away the tomatoes...whatever.

Original Recipe from Eating Well

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 20 ounces prepared whole-wheat pizza dough, (see Note), thawed if frozen
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed (see Note)
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
• 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup finely shredded smoked Gouda, or Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons pepitas, (see Note), optional

Directions:

1. Place oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large noninsulated baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Combine oil, onion and salt in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden, 5 to 8 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to the size of the baking sheet. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Stir oregano and pepper into the onion. Transfer half the onion to a small bowl. Add beans to the remaining onion; cook over medium heat, stirring often, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the bean mixture to a food processor, add water and vinegar and pulse until a coarse paste forms.
5. Spread the bean paste over the pizza crust. Top with the reserved onion, tomatoes, cheese and pepitas, if using. Bake on the bottom rack until the crust is crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, 11 to 13 minutes. Slice and serve.

Changes I made:

1. Reduced the amount of Olive Oil to 1 Tbs.
2. Added one diced red bell pepper.

Recipe makes 6 servings

Calories: 365

Fat: 11g

Carbs: 51g

Protein: 13g