Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

How to build the perfect grain bowl.

by Filed Under: Beans, Gluten Free, Lentils, Nuts, Raw, Salads, Tofu, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

If you follow me on any form of social media, you know I eat a grain bowl daily. It’s my go-to easy and fast meal idea for lunch or dinner. Today, I’m going to give you the basics so you can build the perfect bowl in under 5 minutes flat!

First, I meal prep on the weekends to make weekly lunches or dinners super fast. My basics that I cover each weekend:
Make a batch or two of my chosen grain. This week I did a black, forbidden rice.
I roast or bake 3 large potatoes or various roasted veggies.
Prep my chosen protein – this week I made tofu (recipe can be found here).

So I won’t give you exact measurements as I create bowls custom per person. But here’s how I get started…

Use a larger, wider mouth bowl or plate per person.
Create a base of mixed greens, Romaine, spinach, kale or whatever greens you love. The more the better!
Then visually divide your bowl or plate into 1/4ths.
Fill 1/4th your plate with your protein of choice.
1/4th of your grain of choice.
If I use potatoes, I fill the third 1/4th with them. If I do a mix of roasted veggies, I fill the remaining 1/2th with them.
Top the plate with 2-3 tbl of nuts or seeds.
Dressing: drizzle with balsamic, hot sauce, hummus, lemon juice or the dressing of choice.

The more I make bowls, the more I customize it per person’s preferences. If I have a day of lower protein, I’ll add more into my bowl. I always overload my greens and veggies regardless. More color the better!

Additional raw veggies to add:
Red cabbage thinly sliced
Pickled jalapeños or onions
Carrots
Cucumbers
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Red onion
Peas
Watermelon radishes
Snap peas
Olives
Peppers
Sprouts
Beans or lentils

The variety you add increases your gut health meaning the more varied plants you eat, the more diversified your gut bacteria. This yields a happier and healthier microbiome. Have fun with it. I hope this helps you build your perfect bowl!



~ ox

— Knead to Cook

Green lentil taco “meat”. Vegan. Plant based. GF

by Filed Under: Gluten Free, Lentils, Mexican, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

Happy Taco Tuesday sweet people! This is a really quick and easy recipe I created a few weeks ago & forgot to share. It’s really easy to use freshly cooked lentils, leftovers or canned! In our pursuit to remove as much processed foods from our diet, these are a perfect protein option for your taco bar! I also use in my salads too. Okay, let’s get started!

Ingredients:
2 cups of cooked green lentils (leftovers, freshly cooked or canned – drained)
1 tbl of avocado or olive oil
4-5 spring onions, washed and diced
5-6 garlic cloves
1 tbl smoked paprika
1 tbl ground cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
2 tbl liquid aminos
1 tbl of liquid smoke

Method:

Cook your lentils according to package instructions or if using canned, drain completely.

Into a sauté pan, add your cooking oil over medium heat carefully. Add your onions and garlic. Stirring often, cook for 4-6 minutes. Then proceed to add your spices and liquids. Finally add lentils. Stir well to blend. Taste and adjust spices, adding additional as your preference dictates. Serve immediately or remove from the heat. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

I add these to my taco bar as a meat substitute.
Additionally:
Add to salads as a protein
Atop of nachos.
In chili or enchiladas. Limitless ideas!

Enjoy!

~ox

— Knead to Cook

Easy stuffed zucchini boats. Vegan.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Gluten Free, Lentils, Vegan, Vegan Burgers, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

Good day fine people! I’m on a staycation this weekend as our trip to Scandinavia clearly wasn’t happening amid a global pandemic. So day trips, socially distanced is where we’re at. Lots of hiking with the dogs. Peloton riding. Lots of movement and time outdoors.

Our garden is still producing quite a bit and I whipped up some stuffed zucchini boats for dinner on Sunday and I thought I’d share. These can be stuffed with lentils, meat (if you eat it) or a vegan meat alternative that you have on hand. I had 2 vegan burgers that I used in this for 6 stuffed zucchinis.

Ingredients:

2 burgers (If using lentils or another protein – I used enough for 3 people to eat). Leftovers can easily be thrown into a protein bowl, marinara etc. The size of your zucchinis will vary a lot so this recipe is very flexible.
2 large zucchinis, halves and hollowed out (use a spoon) so there is room for the filling
1/4 of a onion, diced
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 of a bell pepper, diced
1/2 of a jalapeño, seeds removed
You can add whatever vegs you have on hand, just dice up finely and add.
1-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp each of salt, smoked paprika and garlic powder
You can also add some rice or quinoa if you have leftovers (about 1/3 cup)
Topping: vegan cheese for topping

Method:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Decide on your cooking vessel, I was roasting other veggies so I used a baking sheet but a casserole dish or whatever will hold all of the boats. Set that aside.

Into a skillet, add your onion and cook for about 4 minutes until golden. Add the remaining ingredients through spices. Stirring often. Cook until softened. If using a grain of choice, add that to your sauté pan to mix through the filling.

Prepare your zucchini by scraping out the center with a spoon creating a well that you will fill. Then spoon your filling into each boat.

Place the filled zucchini on the baking sheet. Repeat until all are filled. Top with as much cheese as you prefer. Bake for about 15-20 minutes. The cheese should be nicely melted and the zucchini softened.

Enjoy and leftovers can be stored in an airtight container. Reheat and enjoy for future lunches or dinners.

~ox

— Knead to Cook

Mexican Instant Pot Black Lentils. Vegan.

by Filed Under: Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Lentils, Mexican, Pressure Cooker, Side dish, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

Since I received a preview copy of my friend’s first book, Fiber Fueled, I’ve become very conscious of eating way more fiber in each meal. Lentils are, of course, the king of the fiber world so I thought it was fitting to share my lunch today considering tomorrow is the epic Taco Tuesday with Cinco De Mayo on the same day! These lentils can easily be a replacement for you taco “meat” or a lovely addition to your taco bar.

These lentils are super easy to make in your instant pot and store beautifully in your fridge all week. I love to add leftover lentils to my salads or tofu scramble. Okay so let’s get started!

Ingredients:

1 cup of Beluga black lentils (green or brown would work)
1.75 cups of water
Pinch of salt
1 tbl of ground cumin
1 tbl of smoked paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp of chili powder
Lime juice from one lime

Method:

Add all of your ingredients to your Instant Pot insert and swirl around to mix. Set the manual timer for 6 minutes allowing it to release pressure naturally. Once its done, stir and adjust your seasoning per your taste and add your citrus juice. I added additional salt.

Endless ways of using these lentils. I added to Romaine boats and made tacos that way. You can use as a protein for your salad. Add these to nachos.

Hope you love these as much as I do!
~ox

— Knead to Cook

Hearty Lentil Stew. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Gluten Free, Lentils, Soups, Stews, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

Right now, I’m finding using up pantry essentials for our dinners quite cathartic. I feel like I’m hoarding my fresh veggies for my salads and focusing on beans and lentils with quinoa or rice as our main meal. Plus saving money where we can, during this unsure time, is necessary.

I’ve been off from work recovering from yet another knee surgery. My husband is still going into work daily. Both of our daughters are still doing classes online and working outside of the home as well. In fact our oldest remained at school in her apartment to remain at work. Such a weird time. I’m hoping you are getting into the kitchen to whip up some good comfort food even if you aren’t a cooking fan. This dish is very easy and forgiving. A great place to start 🙂 I served it with some fresh homemade dinner rolls which everyone loved.

Ingredients:

Olive oil to coat your pan
1 yellow or red onion, diced
3 large carrots, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped (keep the leaves and add them as well)
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large potato, I used a purple sweet potato but a white potato will work as well*
2.5 cups of green lentils, washed and drained
1 tsp of dried oregano
1-2 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp of smoked or regular salt
A few cracks of fresh pepper
1 tsp of liquid smoke
8 cups of vegetable broth
2 tbl of tomato paste
1 tbl of apple cider vinegar
1 cup of frozen kale

Method:

Into a large stock pot, add a drizzle of olive oil to the bottom of the pan over medium heat. Add your onions, carrots and celery to cook for 6-8 minutes stirring often. Add your garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add your potato, lentils, seasonings, smoke, broth and paste. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer and cover your pot. Cook until the lentils are softened throughout. Prior to serving add your acv and frozen kale. Stir to combine. Taste and add additional s&p as desired.

*When choosing your potato the sweet version will add a slight sweetness to the dish. The purple potato also makes the stew dark. A white or Yukon will not add sweetness and will keep the stew more red/tomato colored.

I hope you enjoy this dish. It’s better the day after as the flavors will develop more. We served over basmati rice along with some fresh dinner rolls.

Sending you all of my love~

— Knead to Cook

Plant based meal prepping.

by Filed Under: Air Fried, Breakfast, Brownies, Brunch, Chili, Desserts, Gluten Free, Lentils, Nuts, Pantry, Potatoes, Pressure Cooker, Salads, Snacks, Soups, Tofu, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

Since I’ve been working outside of our home for the past 15 months with a very demanding & crazy schedule – meal prepping has been a saving grace for me.

Meal prepping can be super easy & small or quite elaborate… its simply up to you. We keep ours very basic, but it allows us to throw lunches or dinners together in a snap – especially when you’re starving & can devour everything not nailed down while preparing dinner. Does this sound familiar? Yes, we’ve all done it.

So in this post I’m going to cover quick & easy ideas that will keep you afloat all week long without breaking the budget for time or money. Let’s get started…

The name of the game in our house lately is to use up all of our veggies from our garden that we’ve harvested. This week we’ve been inundated with plenty of tomatoes and green peppers. Being torn between salsa or homemade marinara… Bill voted for sauce. So I roasted all of my tomatoes, peppers, onions and garlic to make a marinara that we could use for dinner one night. Click here for one of my roasted tomato sauce recipes. You can easily go this route as well with a tomato soup. Honestly roasting these veggies and blending them down… it’s such a versatile sauce to use for dipping, atop of a vegan meatball hoagie or over zucchini noodles.

I rarely use salt or oil when roasting. Maybe a slight spritz of olive or avocado oil and tons of fresh herbs from the garden are all you need. In the winter, tap into your spice cabinet and experiment.

While roasting that goodness, I will always roast up in my second oven or use your second rack in you oven, potatoes. ALL the potatoes every single week! I always do yams/sweet potatoes and Japanese sweet potatoes (always organic and unpeeled). If you roast other veggies with it, try to keep the baking sheet separated because veggies will cook at varying times. But feel free to roast as many veggies as you can! Here’s one of my favorite recipes. Cold, cooked potatoes are a wonderful prebiotic fiber source. I normally eat them in my salads cold but feel free to warm before serving if you wish. Also fabulous topped with your favorite nut butter as a snack.

So your oven is working away so let’s turn our attention to your stovetop. I’ve gone back to making my grains, mainly rice on the stove top as I cannot get the perfect texture in my instant pot for my long grain brown rice. So I will normally do one or two grains for the week. Quinoa and brown rice. We also use a ton for the dogs so double or triple the recipe if need be. Both serve as a wonderful base to curries, as a side dish, on a salad… whatever! Use the cooking instructions on the package.

Next up super simple overnight oats with chia. Ohhhhhh these are my favorite. They take NO TIME to prep and will stay perfectly in the fridge all week long. I use these jars and love the size/wide mouth opening.

It’s imperative that you buy organic rolled oats. Sadly the glyphosate aka Roundup contamination is a huge issue with grains.

My super simple recipe can be found here for this easy, healthy and delicious breakfast. Add your favorite nut butter, fresh or dried fruit in the morning.

Now for snacking… I always make a treat for the week. It’s healthy and I normally go for something portable like muffins, cookies, baked oatmeal squares etc. I have a ton of super easy recipes that can be found here. This week I was testing out a oat scone recipe I hope to be sharing in the future. Bill and my dad couldn’t get enough!

These were a lemon pistachio version.

Snack ideas are limitless. Here are some of my favorites… bites, muffin, or brownie.

Next up… savory proteins.

So if you’re looking for some meat-free protein options great for reheating or eating cold (like me) in a big bowl of greens – I’ve got some recipes for you. I always prep tofu. Bill and I go through a ton! Here is my favorite recipe which I’ve been cooking in my air fryer. More recipes you can prep ahead can be found here, here and here. My tofu scramble makes a great meal any time!

If you aren’t a tofu fan… here are some other great prep-ahead ideas. This tempeh recipe is one of my favorites. This salad recipe is great on sandwich bread or atop your favorite greens.

This bbq tempeh is so easy!

Soups or stews are another super easy, one pot meal that will serve you well all week. This one pot lentil stew is so good. I just made these lentil sloppy joe’s again and they are perfect on a bun or I add a big scoop to my salad. Or this double protein vegan chili made in your instant pot for the win!

And then finally, once a month I make my own nut butter combo deal. I’ve found it very hard to find organic nut butters that aren’t super spendy so I make my own. One batch lasts us at least a month and the recipe is super flexible.

This is a blend of cashews, almonds and walnuts.

Taking the time to food prep one or two dishes at a minimum helps to make your meals easier all week long. I hope this post helps you gain some helpful tips on meal prepping. Again, it can be a small or grand as you desire. Happy weekend friends!

— Knead to Cook

Easy Lentil “Meatballs”. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Fitness., Gluten Free, Italian-inspired, Lentils, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

Happy Tuesday my friends!  Okay we survived Monday & that folks, we will call a win.  Actually my Monday was very productive.  We came off a spring cleaning, doing all the projects we didn’t want to do, feeling super duper productive so Monday was a bit of a continuation.  I’ve been cleaning out cabinets, drawers and it truly astonishes me that amount of things we accumulate.  I’m now, at 46, in this phase of my life where I want to downsize, get rid of everything and live a very minimalist life.  Truly.  I’m done with all the things.  But we have a few years to go before that happens so I continue to donate, sell, or clean out my possessions.

Last week I made these yummy “meat”balls out of some frozen lentils and they were so good.  I teamed them up with this stew I made a few days prior, added rice… and we had a meal!  They’re great on hoagie or sub rolls and in a lovely marinara sauce with your favorite pasta.  I also was caught eating them cold out of the fridge.  Yes, they’re that good.

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— Knead to Cook

One Pot Lentil Stew. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Gluten Free, Lentils, Soups, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free 2 Comments

One pot lentil stew. 

Hoping you all had a lovely holiday weekend.  We traveled, 1 dog in hand, north to visit my in-laws.  It was pretty much a typical food fest and I came home 2 lbs heavier, no doubt from a salt overload.  So Monday, in yet another snowstorm, I headed to they gym at 420a and got my workout in.  Hurried home to give hubs my truck (now that he has an electric car) so he was safer in the snow and my week started.  I have been craving a lentil stew for weeks for some reason but had no time in the kitchen to create.  Today was my day!  This stew has been simmering all day long and I just had a bowl over rice.  I’m in heaven.

So the snow is over, melted and the new month has begun.  What are your goals for the month?  I’m continuing my no-spend on clothes/shoes etc. for me.  I’ve been really good and haven’t bought anything since December.  That focus remains steadfast for me.  That along with continuing to push my fitness levels up now that my knee is 3 months post op.

Okay let’s get this stew going… can’t wait to hear what you think of it!

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— Knead to Cook

Lentil Vegetable Loaf. V. GF.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Holiday, Lentils, Thanksgiving, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations 6 Comments

 

Lentil vegetable loaf.  Vegan. Gluten free. 

Lentil loaf, of some variety, always seem to make an appearance on our Thanksgiving buffet each year.  I feel like it’s the staple for people/guests like me that can’t eat gluten and adhere to a vegan diet but want a substantial dish.  So I’m excited to share this super easy recipe that you can make ahead and even freeze this weekend before Thanksgiving.  Partner it with some roasted vegetables or favorite Thanksgiving sides and you’re good. Leftovers are heavenly and perfect for a quick lunch idea.  You can sub in vegetables you love or have on hand or remove if you don’t like into this recipe- it’s super forgiving.

So this dish is packed with protein, thanks to the lentils, and all those veggies… hello fiber!  If your goal is to have some healthy options on your buffet – consider this recipe for sure 🙂    I hope you enjoy!

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— Knead to Cook

Lentil Sloppy Joe’s. Vegan. Gluten Free.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Lentils, Party Foods, Pressure Cooker, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations 3 Comments

Hi there everybody & happy Tuesday!  Remarkable feat that I’ve gotten two recipes created, shot and posted this week already… maybe I can go for a streak?

I whipped this lovely dinner up in heartbeat on Sunday for the NFL kick-off.  Sloppy Joe’s is one of those dishes that everyone loves, and now this is my healthy spin on it.  No one even noticed that they weren’t eating meat and let’s face it… the lentils are packed with nutrient-dense protein so I was happy to serve them to family & friends.  The tomato sauce was made my from my freshly roasted tomatoes, recipe here, and it added a great tanginess along with the smoky flavor.  The recipe I linked makes a wonderful soup but the first part of the recipe has how to easily roast up your tomatoes.

This recipe, made in the Instant Pot, is one of those set and forget type deals, great for a party.  I left the IP on warm post cooking so that guests can grab a roll and make their own sandwiches when hunger hit.  Because I’m gluten free, I added this to rice and ate it that way.  I love it also topped in a salad, yes, strange but good!  Leftovers are great for busy weeknight dinners and it also freezes nicely.

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— Knead to Cook