Quinoa-Stuffed Zucchini

We love stuffed peppers so we figured we would branch out and try stuffed zucchinis. They did not disappoint! These stuffed zucchini boats make a great light dinner and they're nutritionally packed with quinoa, almonds, tomatoes, and beans! They pair well with a side of roasted sweet potatoes :)



Quinoa-Stuffed Zucchini
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
4 large zucchini
1 (15oz) can white beans (such as great northern or cannellini)
1 cup cherry or plum tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup raw, unsalted almonds, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cheese, grated (we used Follow Your Heart Mozzarella and Cheddar)
3 Tbs olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a pot, combine the quinoa with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the quinoa is fluffy and the water has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place them in a large pan, cut-side up.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork and then gently fold in the beans, tomatoes, almonds, garlic, 3/4 cup of the cheese, 3 Tbs of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Spoon the mixture into the zucchini boats and top each with a little drizzle of olive oil and the rest of the cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake until the zucchini is tender, about 25-30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the tops are golden, another 8-10 minutes!

Serves 4.

Jamie Oliver's TED Prize wish: Teach every child about food | Video on TED.com

This video is definitely worth watching! Jamie Oliver is a very passionate speaker and work like his will make a big difference in the world.

Jamie Oliver's TED Prize wish: Teach every child about food | Video on TED.com

Indian Mango Dal

Dal is a traditional Indian dish that usually consists of lentils flavored with spices and served over rice. The mangoes in this dish add a whole element of unexpected flavor! You can use both ripe and under-ripe mangoes. Ripe mangoes will add a sweetness to the dal while the under-ripe mangoes will add tartness. This recipe comes from Eating Well magazine.



Indian Mango Dal
1 cup lentils, rinsed
4 cups water
1 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 Tbs canola oil
1 tsp cumin
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Combine the lentils, water, 1/2 tsp of the salt, and turmeric in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the cumin and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the onions and cook till they soften and brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt and cook, stirring, for another couple of minutes.

Add the garlic mixture and the mangoes to the pot with the lentils. Return to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are falling apart and the mangoes are soft, about another 15 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and serve over steamed brown rice!

Serves 5-6.

Banana Walnut Pancakes

Who doesn't like a nice fluffy pancake in the morning? These are fast to whip up and are great for a relaxing weekend breakfast (or brunch for that matter). Use whole wheat pastry flour to keep them nutritious while at the same time, keeping them light and airy. Paired with a couple patties of Gimme Lean veggie breakfast sausage and you've got yourself one tasty meal!



Banana Walnut Pancakes
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups plain soymilk
2 Tbs canola or coconut oil
1 Tbs maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 banana, thinly sliced
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, mix together the soymilk, oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk the milk mixture into the flour mixture and combine well. Add in the banana and the walnuts.

Preheat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1/3 cup of pancake batter for each pancake to the griddle. Cook until bubbles appear on the top and around the edges of the pancake and the bottom is nicely browned (about 2-3 min). Flip the pancake over and cook another 1-2 minutes until the other side is browned as well. Repeat until the batter is gone. Serve hot with butter (we use Earth Balance or Smart Balance Light) and pure maple syrup!

Serves 2-3.




Heart-shaped pancakes Thomas made on Valentine's Day :)

California Guacamole

This is hands down the best guacamole we've ever had. The ingredients are similar to any other good guac, however, the ratio of the ingredients seem to put this one over the top. Thomas made this for our super bowl party last weekend and the recipe made so much we had leftovers for several days. Needless to say, we were thrilled :)



California Guacamole
6 medium, ripe avocados
2 cups scallions, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, stems removed and coarsely chopped
2 cups tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp sea salt
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbs olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. We mashed it a bit with a potato masher to get the consistency we wanted. Feel free to do it however you want!

Serves about 8 to 10.

French Lentil Soup

This soup is wonderfully earthy and satisfying. Lentils definitely earn their spot among the powerhouses of food. They are considered legumes along with other types of beans and are extremely rich in fiber, minerals, protein, B-vitamins, and contain almost no fat. At only 230 calories for a cup of cooked lentils you can fill up without rounding out :) The red wine and dijon mustard in this recipe add a rich "Frenchy" element to the soup. Serve this with rice, barley or a nice thick, crusty piece of bread. Word to the wise, plan to spend the evening at home after eating this soup. Toot toot!



French Lentil Soup
3 Tbs canola or coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
3 stalks celery, chopped
6-7 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
2 heaping Tbs tomato paste
1 1/2 cups red wine
16 oz. dried red lentils, rinsed and sorted
6 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbs dried oregano or thyme
1 1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
2 cups spinach, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs dijon mustard

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over med-high heat. Add the onions and celery and sauté for a few minutes. Add in the garlic and bay leaves. Sauté another 3-4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and wine. Reduce by three-quarters.

Add in the lentils, and enough veggie broth to cover the lentils with a couple inches of liquid. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, and adding enough broth (or water) to keep the lentils covered.

Cook the soup for 30-40 minutes or till the lentils are tender. Add in the oregano/thyme, pepper and salt. Stir in the spinach and cook gently until it is soft and wilted. Finally, add in the dijon mustard and serve immediately while it's hot! The soup tastes even better the next day as leftovers :)

Serves about 6.