Veggie Detox Soup Plus Protein

Veggie Detox Soup Plus Protein:
Makes 8-10 servings

64 oz organic low sodium vegetable broth
4 cups water + 1/2 cup cold water
14 oz organic diced tomatoes with liquid
3 organic carrots
3 organic celery sticks
1 organic yellow pepper (small to medium sized)
1 organic yellow onion
1 organic sweet potato
1 tbsp freshly minced organic ginger
3 organic garlic cloves
1/4 cup organic low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup organic rice vinegar
1 package extra firm tofu
2 cups dry organic quinoa
1/2 tsp organic turmeric
1/2 tsp organic cayenne (more to taste)
1/3 cup garbanzo bean flour
freshly ground black pepper to taste


First, set the tofu to drain and the cook the quinoa according to direction.

While the quinoa is cooking and the tofu is draining, peel the carrots, cut them in half and add them, along with 2 cups of water, to a large soup pot over medium heat and cover.

While the carrots are cooking, mince the ginger, chop the garlic, and then add them to the pot as well. Stir everything together and then re-cover.

Next, peel and dice the sweet potato, dice the celery, and add them to the pot stirring everything together while adding the remaining 2 cups of water. Replace cover. The soup should have a low rolling boil going at this point.

Chop the onion and pepper and add them to the pot along with 32 oz of vegetable broth, turn the heat to medium-high and replace cover for at least 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl whisk together 1/2 cup cold water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garbanzo bean flour then add to the pot along with the remaining 32 oz vegetable broth, turmeric, cayenne, and black pepper. Stir together well, cover, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Finally, cube the tofu. For soup, I usually cube 1 block into 72 pieces, cutting the block: 6X4X3. Once cubed, add gently to soup and cook for a final 10 minutes.

To serve, first add quinoa to your soup bowl and top with some soup. Enjoy!


Healthy Life Tip: Always cook extra soup to have on hand for easy lunches to pack and quick dinners to have throughout the week.

For another great detox soup with tons of protein, 

check out this Rosemary & Lemon Protein Packed Soup:

Warmed Sweet Potato w/Avocado Lime Spread

After making a batch of Avocado Lime Spread for my Quinoa Veggie Burgers, I had plenty of spread left over and didn't want any to go to waste so I looked around to see what else it would pair well with. I decided to bake a sweet potato and it turns out they are the perfect combination of tangy and sweet and can be a great snack, or a perfect little side dish! 

So easy too!

Warmed Sweet Potato w/Avocado Lime Spread: 

Organic Sweet Potato(s) - the quantity will depend on how much you want to make. Consider 1/2 sweet potato per person.

For the spread:

2 organic avocados
1 organic garlic clove, minced
1 organic jalapeño, chopped
juice from 2 organic limes
1/2 tbsp freshly chopped organic cilantro (more to taste)
1/8 tsp organic cumin

Simply bake sweet potatoes (skin on) at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until soft.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the Easy Avocado Lime Spread and set aside.

Once soft, peel the skin off (it should be very easy to remove at this point) and then slice into 1/4-1/2 inch slices. Top with spread and enjoy! 

BBQ Veggie Burger with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

BBQ Veggie Burger:

Makes 5 Burgers:

1 cup uncooked organic short grain brown rice

3/4 cup no salt added organic black beans

1 tbsp organic oat bran

1/2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chopped white mushroom

3-4 tbsp organic carrots shredded or minced 

1 organic yellow onion chopped, or minced depending on your preference

1 organic jalapeño chopped, or minced

1 organic garlic clove finely chopped

6-8 tbsp of your favorite organic BBQ sauce

Optional additions (about 1/4 cup or less each): peppers, yellow or blackened corn, diced tomatoes

Roasted sweet potatoes and your favorite green or salad (I love freshly steamed green beans with this recipe) are great side dishes to complement this burger. For the roasted sweet potatoes, you'll want to make sure you have 1 large potato for every 2 people you will be serving.

First preheat oven to 350 degrees then cook rice according to directions on package. While rice is cooking, peel and cube sweet potato, place in a glass pan, and toss in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil making sure all potatoes have a coating on them then place pan in oven for 20 min. When 20 minutes is up, remove and flip the potatoes, adding only slightly more oil if potatoes are dry, and place back in the over for an additional 20 minutes or until soft or crispy, whichever you prefer. Remove potatoes when finished, cover, and set aside.

While rice and potatoes are cooking, prepare onion, garlic, jalapeño, and if adding corn and pepper them as well. Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté vegetables until soft but not brown, then set aside in separate bowl to cool. 

Next, prepare remaining vegetables and ingredients and set aside while rice finishes cooking. Once rice is cooked, set it aside in a large mixing bowl to cool. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Once rice is cooled, add all ingredients to mixing bowl and mix together with your hands so that all ingredients are distributed evenly. I like to wear cooking gloves or use sandwich baggies to cover my hands to help prevent sticking. First add just 6 tbsp of bbq sauce to mixture and taste before adding more. 

Divide into 5 patties and place onto a nonstick cookie pan and cook for 8-12 minutes.

Enjoy on your favorite organic bun and top with lettuce, tomato, and your favorite healthy condiments. Freshly made mango salsa is an amazing addition to this veggie burger!

Nutrition Info per veggie burger:

237.4 calories, 3.5g fat, 0.2g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 282mg sodium, 45g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 9.4g sugar, 10g protein

Healthy Sweet Potato & Quinoa Soup!

Healthy Sweet Potato & Quinoa Soup:

Soup:
1 cup organic quinoa, cooked
4 cups organic sweet potato, cubed largely
2 organic carrots, diced
1 organic garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons, organic extra virgin olive oil
32oz organic, low sodium vegetable broth

Topping
1/2 cup organic panko breadcrumbs
1 1/2 tblsp organic extra virgin olive oil


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the sweet potato and dice into large cubes. Place into large bowl and coat with 2 tblsp of olive oil then transfer into glass pan and roast for 10 minutes. At 10 minutes take out of oven and rotate pieces, then roast for an additional 10 minutes.

While potato is roasting, dice carrots and onion, and mince garlic. Add vegetables to medium soup pot and sauté in 1 tblsp of olive oil until onion is tender. Once potatoes are done and onions are tender, add broth and cooked potatoes to pot and simmer until carrots are completely tender. About 15-25 minutes.

While soup is simmering, cook quinoa according to directions on packaging.

Once vegetables are soft, blend mixture in blender, food processor, or Vitamix until combined to your desired texture, then return to pot over very low heat.

Finally, heat 1 1/2 tblsp olive oil in a small pan over medium-low head and add the panko breadcrumbs. Stir continuously until lightly browned.

Divide soup and top with 2-3 tablespoons of panko topping and serve immediately.

Makes 5 servings

A Look Back: Top 5 Recipes of the Year!

Mediterranean Pasta Salad 

A fresh, convenient, and healthy option for an easy dinner or a perfect dish to serve to a large group. Easy to prepare extra for a healthy lunch to pack as well. 

BBQ Tofu Sliders 

A fun, healthy option for lunch or to serve at a party. Make these into a meal by pairing them with some mixed greens and fresh veggies.

Southwest Veggie Burgers

These tasty burgers are low in sodium and high in fiber! They have great texture and remain intact when you eat them. They freeze very well for saving, so make extra for an easy meal the following week.

Protein Packed Pancakes 

Pancakes can be filled with sugar and carbs. Try these for a healthy and filling start to your day! Don't forget to add the fruit!

Healthy Tofu Parm

Whether you're looking for a healthier version or a vegetarian option to Chicken Parmesan, this is a great choice! The tofu is baked, crispy, and full of flavor. Serve over whole wheat pasta with a side salad and this makes a great option for an easy meal.

Southwest Veggie Burgers!

Southwest Veggie Burgers:

1 cup no salt added organic black beans
1 cup cooked organic brown rice (I like short grain for this recipe)
1 - 1 1/4 cup mashed sweet potato
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup diced organic tomato
3 tblsp nutritional yeast
1 tblsp chili powder
1/3 tsp cumin (more if desired)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder

First, set the rice to cook following the recipe on the package but without adding oil, butter, or salt. I use 365 organic short grain brown rice and cook with just water and it works perfectly. Once the rice is cooking, begin to boil the water to cook the sweet potato. Peel and cube the sweet potato and once the water is boiling, add potato, reduce heat to medium and cook until softened.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

While rice and potato cook, drain and rinse beans, and place them onto a paper towel and gently pat dry and set aside. Dice the tomato, shred the carrot, and add to a large mixing bowl along with the beans, spices, and nutritional yeast.

Once the potato is cooked, strain and mash thoroughly. Keep potato separate while the rice finishes cooking so that it will cool. Once the rice is finished, allow to cool slightly and add to mixture along with sweet potato.

Once all ingredients are in the mixing bowl, gently mix them so that they are spread evenly throughout and then begin to form tight patties. If the mixture is warm, allow to sit until it cools or briefly place it in the refrigerator. The cooler it is, the more tightly the patties will form.

This mixture makes 4 large patties, or 6-8 smaller sliders. Place each patty on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and cook on each side for 15-20 min, or until top is a light brown.

Serve on an organic whole wheat bun with your favorite burger toppings. For this recipe, I love to top with with guacamole, some sliced tomato, and lettuce. Goes great with a small mixed greens salad!

Healthy Life Tip: Save the extra patties or double the recipe for an easy meal at a later date by freezing patties once they have been cooked and cooled off!

Nutrition Info per patty when made into 4 patties:

225 cal, 2.1g fat, 0.06g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 72mg sodium, 46g carbohydrates, 9.3g fiber, 6.8g sugar, 9.7g protein.

For an added 16g protein, add 2 tablespoons of this Cookable Protein Powder.