Meal #3

Hey Everyone! Time for a new post!

It's been a week since my last post (sorry!) and I have new recipes and have made new discoveries :)

Last week I made Orange Tofu, Garlic Artichoke with Oregano Dip and stir fried vegetables. The Orange Sesame Tofu came out really well! The flavors were great and it took no time to make. I just combined corn starch with OJ, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce (wheat free) and spices into a baking dish. Mixed it all together and then put the slices of tofu in the pan and put it in the over for 20-30 minutes. The only complaint I have about this recipe was that the texture of the tofu. I think next time I might quickly panfry the tofu so that it has a crunchier exterior. I'll have to play with this one.

The artichoke dip was great! I would definitely put that out at a "dinner soiree" or just keep some in my fridge for snacking. This was also incredibly easy to make. Just combine all the spices and artichoke hearts in a pan and put in the oven for 45 minutes!

I have to admit that Scott made the sauteed vegetables. He just chopped up broccoli and onion and sauteed them with garlic, a little soy sauce and chili pepper flakes.

As for new discoveries, I tried soy yogurt for the first time! It actually tasted pretty much the same as regular yogurt. It does have a slight after-soy taste but it's good and creamy :)

Health Tip for Meal #3:

Artichoke: One artichoke contains approximately one fourth of an average sized adults fiber needs. The artichoke is also rich in vitamin C, potassium, folic acid and magnesium. An artichoke is naturally fat free and very low in calories.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/394397/the_surprising_benefits_of_artichokes.html?cat=51

Health Benefit for Meal #2

Sorry everyone! I forgot to write my Health Benefit Tip!

Here it is!

Pinto Beans:

Pinto beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, pinto beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia...Pinto beans, like other beans, are rich in fiber. A cup of cooked pinto beans provides 58.8% of the recommended daily intake for fiber...A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as pinto beans, helps prevent heart disease. Almost 10,000 American adults participated in this study and were followed for 19 years. People eating the most fiber, 21 grams per day, had 12% less coronary heart disease (CHD) and 11% less cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to those eating the least, 5 grams daily.

All that's just a small example of all Pinto Beans can do for you! Check out this website to learn more:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=89

Meal #2

Yesterday for dinner I made Bean & Corn Tortilla Lasagna with Avocado. This was another great recipe from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan. It was a very easy recipe that involved throwing a bunch of spices together like chili powder, cumin powder, oregano, allspice, hot sauce, agave nectar, and garlic with onion, pinto beans and tomato sauce. I then layered a baking dish with this mixture, corn tortillas, avocado, corn kernels, more mixture, crushed tortilla chips and vegan cheese. It turned out really well! It was delicious and filling! There was also enough there for 3 people to have dinner and have left overs for tonight!