April Ashcroft

Chic Pea Tortilla Casserole

This Chic Pea Tortilla Casserole reminds me of my Grandma’s Chicken Tortilla Casserole. Chic Peas are a great high-fiber substitute for chicken and have a good amount of protein at 21.6%. However, the brussels sprouts that I include in this recipe have even more protein then chic peas coming in at 28.4%! Skinless chicken has 25% protein. Greens are king when it comes to protein and pretty much everything thing else! Include them whenever you can!

 

 

 

 

Recipe from Whole Food American Favorites

1 head cauliflower

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup canned or bottle chopped green chilies

3 cups chopped mushrooms, cremini or white button

3 cups brussels sprouts, halved

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

3 T Chicken Style Seasoning 

2 T nutritional yeast

4 T lemon juice

2 1/2 cups cooked chic peas (garbanzo beans)

8 – 10 corn tortillas

 

Break off cauliflower florets and steam until tender. Set aside. Water sauté onion, garlic, green chilies, and mushrooms over medium high heat until juicy. Add in 1/2 cup water, add brussels sprouts and bring to boil. Lower heat to medium. Cover and cook about 10 minutes until tender. Blend cauliflower with steam water, seeds, Chicken Style Seasoning, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice until smooth. Pour all but 1 1/2 cups of sauce into vegetable mixture .Stir in chic peas. Spread remaining sauce on the bottom of 9 x 13 casserole dish. Arrange one layer of tortillas on top of sauce. Spread 1/2 the vegetable bean mixture over tortillas. Add a second layer of tortillas, and top with remaining vegetable mixture. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, until bubbly.

Shepherds Pie

Recipe from Whole Food American Favorites

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut in chunks

Florets from one head cauliflower

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 t garlic powder

1 t onion powder

1/2 t sea salt

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pound of cremini mushrooms, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 bunch collard greens, chopped

3 T Kirkland No-Salt Seasoning or other no-salt seasoning

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

2 cups cooked kidney beans

2 cups frozen corn

1 t paprika

2 T Worcestershire Sauce (Page 101 in Whole Food American Favorites or other)

Sea salt

 

Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain and set aside. Steam cauliflower until tender, then set aside, reserving steam water. In a large pot, add 1/2 cup water, raw vegetables, and no-salt seasoning. Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender, adding more water if needed to keep from sticking. Add remaining ingredients. Salt to taste. Transfer to a casserole dish. Blend cauliflower with 1/2 cup steam water, seeds, onion powder, garlic powder. Salt to taste. Add more liquid if needed. 

Mash blended cauliflower with potatoes. Carefully lay the mashed potato mixture over the cooked vegetables. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

 

Chocolate Black Bean Cookies

1 cup rolled oatsBrownie Cookies

1/2 cup raw walnuts*

1/2 cup cooked black beans

30 small pitted dates

2 T cocoa powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 T apple cider vinegar

Process all ingredients in a food processor until a dough forms. Scoop out desired amount of dough and place on a cookies sheet limed with parchment paper. Flatten and from into a cookie shape. Cookies will not spread when cooked. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

*For those with nut allergies, substitute 1/2 hemp seeds and 1/2 sunflower seeds.

Chic Pea Vegetable Soup

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped red potato

1/2 pound kale or collard greens chopped

4 cups water or broth

1/2 cup quinoa

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 t dried thyme

1 cup finely chopped mushrooms

2 1/2 cups cooked chic peas

1/2 cup chopped parsley

Sea salt

 

Saute’ onion in a dry soup pot over medium high heat until it starts to brown. Add garlic and saute’ an additional minute. Add 1/2 cup water to loosen the onion and brown that has stuck  to the bottom of the pan. Add celery, carrots, potato, greens, quinoa, 2 – 3 cups of water just to cover the veggies. Stir in bay leaf and thyme. Cover and cook until quinoa and vegetables are tender.  Add chic peas, mushrooms and parsley and cook an additional 5 minutes. Salt to taste.

Gingerbread Man Cookies

From my cookbook Whole Food American Favorites

A strong blender such as a Vitamix or BlendTec., or a strong food processor such as a Kitchen Aid or Cuisinart, is necessary for this recipe.

 25 small pitted dates

2 1/4 cups white wheat flour, sifted

2 t baking powder

1/4 t sea salt

1 1/2 t powdered ginger

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t cloves

1/3 cup molasses

1 cup raw cashews

1 t vanilla

 

Soak dates in 1/2 cup water for at least 4 hours. Mix sifted flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Blend dates and water with remaining ingredients in a strong blender or food processor until smooth. Add to dry ingredients. Mix well and knead until you have a smooth ball of dough. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for several hours until chilled. (This step makes rolling out much easier.) Divide dough in half and roll one half between two pieces of parchment paper or wax paper.  Roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with a gingerbread man cookie cutter and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Use raisins or dried cranberries to decorage. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Thanksgiving Chic Pea Loaf

I should probably change the name of this recipe to “Garbanzo Stuffing” because it reminds me of  Stove-Top Stuffing but way better!  This recipe is Adapted from fatfreevegan.com. 

1 – 2 yams or sweet potato (need 2 cups cooked)

1 medium onion

2 cups chopped mushrooms

2 ribs celery

1 medium carrot

2 cloves garlic

4 cups cooked chic peas (garbanzo beans)

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3 T balsamic vinegar or 2 T tamari or soy sauce

2 T tomato paste

1 T spicy brown mustard

1 1/2 t onion powder

1 t garlic powder

1/2 t dried sage

1 1/2 t dried thyme

1/2 t dried rosemary, crushed

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 t Real Salt or sea salt, or to taste

1/2 t black pepper

 

Bake sweet potato in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes or until soft. Set aside to cool.

Sauté vegetable in ¼ cup water until soft. Transfer to large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, including cooked yam, and mash with a pastry cutter until the mixture become sticky and will hold together. Press into a 9 X 13 baking pan and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and continue to bake an additional 25 minutes. Uncover and brown for 10 minutes if desired. Let set for at least 15 minutes before serving.

 

Autumn Stew

 1 butternut squash or other winter squash of choice (about 4 cups)

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cups chopped mushrooms

2 or more cups chopped kale

3 cups water or veggie broth

1 15 oz. can chopped tomatoes

1/2 of a 6 oz can tomato paste (or more)

1 T chili powder

2 t cumin powder

1 t onion powder

1/4 t black pepper

3 cups cooked kidney beans

2 cups fresh or frozen corn

Salt to taste

 

Place squash on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour. (There is no need to poke it with a knife or cut it.  It’s much to dangerous to cut winter squash before they are cooked:-)Set aside to cool.  When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into cubes.

Sauté onion in a dry skillet on medium high heat until it starts to brown. Add garlic and sauté for a minute or two. Add 1 cup water, bell pepper, mushrooms, and kale. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and cook until kale is tender.  Add tomatoes, seasoning, beans, corn, and squash and cook 5 – 10 minutes. Add more liquid if needed, salt to taste, adjust seasonings and serve.

 

Almond Sugar Cookies

From my cookbook Whole Food American Favorites

1 cup raw almonds (raw cashews work too)

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup pitted dates

1/2 t almond extract

1 t baking soda

1 T apple cider vinegar

Chop all ingredients in a food processor until a dough starts to form. Add a tablespoon of water to help it become sticky. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop out dough, roll in a ball and mash to a cookie shape. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 – 12 minutes. 

Roasted Zucchini Mexican Salad

3 medium zucchini

2 ears corn

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained well

1 cup cooked brown rice (optional)

2 cups fresh diced tomatoes

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 jalapeno pepper, minced (or use canned green chilies)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 avocado, diced

Zest of one lime

Juice of 2 limes

 

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise again. Then cut in 1/2 – 3/4 inch chunks. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with Mrs. Dash Chipotle seasoning or other no-salt seasoning of choice. Mix thoroughly with your hands until each piece is lightly coated. Spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper making sure no pieces are over-lapping. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes until they start to brown. Let cool before adding to salad.

Cut corn off ears and place in the bowl you used for the zucchini. Add remaining ingredients.  When zucchini has cooled, add to salad.  Mix well. Add more lime or lemon juice and salt to taste if desired.

This salad is also delicious using raw zucchini. I only use 2 zucchini and I use the dice blade of the Vidalia Chop Wizard.  Cut the whole zucchini in 3 sections then lay each section on the chopper screen and chop. This makes a fun perfect shape for the salad. Mix in all remaining ingredients as above. 

 

 

 

 

 

Kale Tacos

1 bunch of kale

2 button mushrooms, finely chopped (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 jalapeno chili, seeded and minced 

1 – 2 t chili powder

1 t cumin

1 t coriander

2 cups cooked black beans

1 avocado, mashed

Organic corn tortillas

 

Add kale, mushrooms, garlic, and chili to a medium sauce pan, along with 3/4 cup water. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium, and cook 3 – 5 minutes. Add spices and cook until kale is tender.  Keep an eye on the water so it doesn’t burn. Add a little more water if needed. Add the black beans and heat through.

Take off the burner and stir in mashed avocado. Salt to taste.

Stuff them in a warmed corn tortilla. Makes 8 – 10 tacos.

April’s note: I love this mixture rolled up in a corn tortilla just the way it is, with no toppings, but they are also wonderful with shredded cabbage or lettuce and fresh vine-ripe tomatoes.

 

 

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