Crunchy Veggie Medley with Fresh Lime

This fresh pop of flavor is great as a snack, on tacos, 

as part of a salad, or anything you can think of! 

Crunchy Veggie Medley with Fresh Lime:

1 organic cucumber

1 organic red yellow pepper

1 organic green pepper

2-3 organic celery stalks

1 organic lime

Optional: fresh spearmint and a variety of other crunchy veggies like red peppers!

Dice the veggies to the size of your liking (I think the smaller, the better), combine them in a bowl, and top with the juice from the lime to taste. That's it!

Healthy Life Tip: prep this at the beginning of your week and separate into several different grab-and-go servings for an easy snack! 

Pairs excellently with these BBQ Seitan Skewers 

and may also want to check out this Pepper & Lime Salsa:

         

Classic Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Classic Spinach & Artichoke Dip:

1/8 lb. vegan butter

12 cloves fresh garlic, minced

12 oz vegan cream cheese (Kite Hill highly recommended for this recipe)

16 oz vegan sour cream (Tofutti highly recommended for this recipe)

4 oz vegan parmesan (Follow Your Heart highly recommended for this recipe)

24 oz artichoke hearts, chopped

24 oz fresh spinach, chopped

1/4 tsp onion powder

salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients into your slow cooker and set on low. Cook for 2-3 hours stirring and testing occasionally until it's all melted into this the best spinach & artichoke dip you've ever tasted, then enjoy!!! 

Clam-less New England Clam Chowder

Clam-less New England Clam Chowder:
makes 8-10 servings


Blend Together:

1 cup organic whole cashews, boiled
1 organic russet potato, boiled
- boil the potato and cashews together until soft and before blending, don't discard water
2 tbsp of the cashew/potato water
1 1/2 cup organic unsweetened almond milk
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder

Cook in Vegetable Broth:

2 cups organic low sodium vegetable broth
1 organic yellow onion, diced
2 organic celery stalks, diced
2-3 large potatoes, chopped - skin on or off, your preference
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
2 tbsp garbanzo bean flour (may or may not be needed)

Sautee Mushrooms:

10.5 oz organic oyster mushrooms, chopped to the size of clams in chowder
1/4 cup water
1 tsp organic miso paste
1/2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar


Begin by adding the vegetable broth, onion, celery, potato, oregano, and thyme to a pot, bring to a simmer, partially cover and allow to cook, stirring occasionally.

Set the cashews and potato to boil. While they are boiling, add all other ingredients in "Blend Together" to your blender and set aside.

Next, combine the water, miso paste, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar and whisk together. Add the mixture to a frying pan over medium heat and sauté with the mushrooms until the mushrooms have absorbed the liquid. Once they have, remove from heat and set aside.

Once the potato and cashew are soft, add them to the blender, along with 2 tbsp of the water they were boiled in (more if needed depending on your blender) and blend everything together until mixture is smooth and set aside.

Once the vegetables in the vegetable broth are mostly cooked, add the cream mixture from the blender and stir together. Allow to simmer together for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, test the chowder for taste and thickness. If it needs to be thickened, add 1-2 tbsp of garbanzo flour and also add more pepper, and other spices to taste if needed.

Finally, add the mushrooms and stir together completely. Allow to cook together for another 5 minutes and then enjoy!

I especially love this chowder the next day, as I feel the flavors really get a chance to blend together overnight.


Healthy Life Tip: With all soups, I suggest making enough to save for lunches or quick dinners later in the week!

Slow Cooker Seitan "Beef" Stew

Slow Cooker Seitan "Beef" Stew:

24 oz seitan, cubed into large bite-sized pieces
64 oz organic low sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
16 oz organic tomato paste

3-4 large organic carrots, chopped
4 organic red potatoes, cubed
3 organic celery stalks, chopped
1 organic medium onion, chopped
4 organic garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup organic sweet yellow corn

2 1/2 tablespoons organic parsley
2 tablespoons organic oregano
2 teaspoons organic thyme
3 organic bay leaves
1 teaspoon organic onion powder
1 teaspoon  organic garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon organic ground black pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground sea salt

Optional: add 1/2 cup organic peas and/or string beans


First, add the vegetable broth to the slow cooker and whisk in the garbanzo bean flour and all purpose flour thoroughly then whisk in the tomato paste. Add all of the spices, cover and let warm while you prepare the vegetables. Drain the seitan and pat down with paper towels lightly reducing the amount of water left inside, cube to large bite-sized pieces, then add to the slow cooker. Prepare and then add the vegetables, cover and cook for 6-8 hours, and Enjoy!

Another heartier soup you may enjoy:

Sesame Veggie Noodle Stir-fry with Tofu & Seitan

Sesame Veggie Noodle Stir-fry with Tofu & Seitan:

6 servings Pad Thai brown rice noodles
2 packages seitan strips
1 package extra firm tofu, drained and cubed 4x5x3
1 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
1 cup organic green beans broken in half
2/3 cup organic shredded carrots
1 package organic white mushrooms
1/2 package organic portobello mushrooms
2 organic zucchini,
1 organic red pepper, chopped
1 organic yellow onion

For the Noodle Sauce:

1/2 cup organic soy sauce
3 tbsp organic rice vinegar
1 tsp organic sriracha
2 2/3 tbsp (or 2 tbsp and 2 tsp) organic sesame oil
1/4 tsp organic cane sugar

Toppings:

sliced organic green onions
organic sesame seeds

Drain and lightly rinse the seitan, then pat it dry between two paper towels. Cover fully with Annie's Sesame Shiitake Dressing and set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes. I usually do this in a tupperware container or plastic baggie. Once the tofu has been fully drained and cubed, in a separate container from the seitan, also cover with the dressing and set aside. You can save time by setting the tofu and seitan to marinate the night before.

Prep all the veggies by rinsing and chopping accordingly. Then begin sautéing the pepper and zucchini in the olive oil in a large fry pan.

While they are cooking begin sautéing the seitan on low in a separate fry pan. Add the seitan, and all of the dressing it has been marinating in to the pan together. The seitan will cook here for the rest of the meal prep, so just make sure to stir occasionally and keep the heat on low.

Add the green beans, carrots, mushrooms, and onion to the zucchini and pepper, stirring everything together and cooking for another 2-3 minutes. Then add the tofu and about half of the dressing it has been marinating, stir together gently, bring heat to medium-low and allow to simmer.

Next, cook the pad thai noodles according to direction.

In a separate bowl combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha, sesame oil, and cane sugar and whisk together.

Once the noodles are done, drain them and rinse them very well in hot water, and add them to a large mixing bowl. Whisk the noodle sauce again and then poor directly over the noodles and mix until all noddles are evenly coated. Return the noodles back to the pan they were cooked in, cover, and place back onto stove to keep warm without turning the stove back on.

Once the veggies are cooked and softened, spoon some noodles onto a dish, the top with veggies and tofu, and add some seitan and enjoy!

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:

The Healthy Life's Banana Bread

There's nothing quite like a slice warm banana bread on a weekend morning... I even like to toast mine and add a little vegan butter on top! But between the sugar, fat, cholesterol and other stuff, that one slice of banana bread can wreak havoc on your system and start your day of in a not-so-healthy kind of way. So, using an old family recipe (one of my favorites growing up), I set out to make a healthier version with the same great flavor...
and it was so much easier than I thought! In just two attempts, I bring you

The Healthy Life's Banana Bread!

The Healthy Life's Banana Bread:

makes 10 slices

2 cups organic whole grain oat flour 

2 tsp organic baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp organic baking soda

1/4 cup organic cane sugar

1/3 cup organic unsweetened applesauce

1 neategg

2 cups mashed ripe organic bananas (4-5 bananas)

1 tsp organic vegan butter (to grease pan with) 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease bread pan.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and set aside. 

Mash the bananas, measure out 2 cups, then set aside.

In large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and applesauce together well. Prepare the neategg according to direction (combine 2 tbsp water and 1 tbsp of neategg mixture, and mix well), add to the sugar and applesauce and mix together completely. 

Add about 1/3 of the dry mixture to the large mixing bowl with applesauce mixture and combine. Then add about 1/3 of the bananas to the large mixing bowl and combine again. Repeat this process until all ingredients have been combined well into the large mixing bowl. 

Add mixture to the greased baking pan and bake for about 45-55 minutes, depending on your oven. 

Test the center of the bread with a toothpick and once it comes out clean, remove the bread from the oven, allow it to cool for several minutes, and enjoy!

A package of neategg was gifted to me by Neat Foods LLC.

Tofu "Egg" Breakfast Sandwich

Tofu Egg Breakfast Sandwich:

1 organic english muffin
1 package extra firm organic tofu
vegan cheddar cheese (for this dish I prefer to shave some of Daiya's Medium Cheddar Block)
organic extra virgin olive oil
organic turmeric
organic cracked pepper
optional garnishes: sliced tomato, vegan bacon, avocado, salsa... make it your own!

Drain and press the tofu well then cut into 4 filets (once lengthwise, and once widthwise). To save time, I would suggest doing this the day or night before and storing it in the refrigerator overnight so it's already prepped for the morning.

Heat a fry pan over medium heat then coat the pan generously with olive oil and allow the oil to warm. Sprinkle some turmeric and cracked pepper into the oil and reduce heat to medium-low. Place a single filet onto the pan and immediately press down firmly with a spatula and move the tofu in small circles preventing it from sticking to the pan. If it begins to stick, reduce heat further and continue to move around while pressing firmly. Continue to press down and move the tofu around the pan. During this time, sprinkle some turmeric and cracked pepper on top of the filet as well.

Once the filet has been cooking for about a minute, add a second filet a repeat the same process ensuring it does not stick to the pan. Once the bottom has begun to very lightly brown and crisp, flip over and repeat the process on the second side. One side should take anywhere from 2-5 minutes.

Depending on how large your pan is, it may be best to cook two filets at a time.

Once the filets have been cooking for about 1 minute on the second side, add the cheddar cheese to the top side of the tofu, reduce heat to low and cover so that cheese can began to melt. Make sure to check and move the tofu around occasionally during this time to ensure it does not stick - be careful not to rush the melting process and turn up the heat - the tofu will stick.

While the cheese is melting, toast your english muffin, then add your tofu to the english muffin, add any extra garnishes, and enjoy!!

Rosemary & Orzo Protein Packed Soup

Rosemary & Orzo Protein Packed Soup:

96 oz organic low sodium vegetable broth
1 package extra firm organic tofu, pressed well
15 oz organic garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
4-5 servings organic orzo
5 sprigs fresh organic rosemary (put in cheesecloth bag before adding to soup)
3 tsp organic dried thyme
3 organic dried bay leaves
1 medium organic yellow onions, diced
3 large organic celery stalks, chopped
4 organic carrots, diced
4 organic garlic cloves, diced
juice from 1/2 organic lemon
1 mini cheesecloth bag


First, set the tofu to be pressed and then put aside to drain while you prep the veggies.

In a large soup pot over medium heat add the broth, veggies, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves and bring to a low boil. Cover and let simmer until veggies are soft and cooked. About 20-30 min.

After the soup has been cooking about 15 min, begin cooking the orzo according to directions on package, then add the cubed tofu to the soup.

Finally, once the veggies are cooked, turn the heat to low, add the garbanzo beans and lemon juice, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add a serving or 1/2 serving of orzo to your bowl, top with the soup, and enjoy!


Healthy Life Tip: For extra protein and whole grains and protein, sub out the orzo for some quinoa!

Teriyaki Seitan Bowl

Teriyaki Seitan Bowl

4 servings organic rice

4 generous servings cubed seitan

Vegan teriyaki sauce. my favorite is Soy Vay's Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce

1 pound organic white mushrooms, largely chopped

1 organic green pepper, largely chopped

1 organic red pepper, largely chopped

1 organic yellow onion, largely chopped
1 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
- feel free to add additional vegetables such as snow peas, baby corn etc.


Drain and lightly rinse the seitan, and if needed cut into bite-sized cubes. I like to leave them on the larger side. Very lightly squeeze out just some of the moisture and place them in a mixing bowl, then cover with teriyaki sauce and set aside.

Next, set the rice to cook according to direction.

Chop all veggies, and add the peppers to a large pan and begin sautéing over low heat in the olive oil. When peppers begin to soften, add the onion and continue sautéing. Once peppers are mostly cooked and without the onion browning, add the mushrooms. During this time, you will need to add moisture to the pan, do so by adding a few tablespoons of water at a time, not more oil. I also find it beneficial to allow this process to take some time, keeping the heat low and adding a cover over the veggies to trap in heat and moisture once I've added some extra water.

Once the mushrooms begin to cook and shrink in size, add the seitan, without the marinade they've been in. Add some new marinade (about 1/4 cup max) and mix everything thoroughly. Increase heat to medium and allow to simmer for about 5-10 minutes.

Once the rice and seitan are done, add a serving of rice to the bowl, top with seitan and veggies, and enjoy!!


Healthy Life Tip: This meal is loaded with protein and is great left-over. Make more than you will need in one setting and save for extra meals throughout the week like lunch, dinner, or even to have as great snack after work.

Sweet Corn Salsa

I love this recipe for so many reasons! This salsa has a great pop of flavor and it's perfect any time of year and at any occasion! I especially love it outdoors in the summer! It's so easy to make and all of the veggies can easily be prepped the night before! Enjoy this super healthy salsa knowing it's made entirely of real, whole foods!

Sweet Corn Salsa:

16oz organic sweet corn
1 organic jalapeño, diced
1 organic poblano pepper, diced
3/4 organic red onion, diced
1/2 freshly chopped organic cilantro
juice from 2 organic limes
juice from 2 organic lemons


Dice the jalapeño, pepper, and onion and combine with the sweet corn. Chop the cilantro and mix in with the veggies. Finally squeeze the juice from the lemons and limes onto the veggies and mix together and enjoy!

Serve this alongside some Southwest Taco Wontons & Avocado Lime Dip to really step it up a notch!

                   

BBQ Seitan Skewers

BBQ Seitan Skewers:
Makes about 12 skewers

2 boxes of cubed seitan
your favorite vegan BBQ sauce.
1 organic green pepper, cubed
1 organic red pepper, cubed
1 organic onion, quartered
organic grape tomatoes

Drain and rinse the seitan then pat lightly between paper towels. Add to a large mixing bowl and mix with BBQ sauce so that all of the seitan is covered, then set aside to marinate.

Cube and quarter the veggies (except tomatoes) and add them to the bowl of seitan, coating them with BBQ sauce as well.

Finally, add everything to the skewers, alternating vegetable with seitan. If you're not grilling them, place them on a broiling pan and broil for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

These skewers are even more amazing when paired with these Twice Baked Potatoes or Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

  

            

Tofu Breakfast Bake

Pepper, Mushroom, and Onion Breakfast Bake: 

2 packages organic extra firm tofu, drained well

1 organic yellow onion

1 organic green pepper

1 lb organic white (or portobello) mushrooms

8oz chopped green chilies, mild or hot - your choice
1 cup shredded vegan cheese (optional)
2 tbsp organic turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon organic onion powder

1/2 teaspoon organic garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon organic paprika 

5 twists organic black pepper

2 twists freshly cracked sea salt (pink himalayan is my favorite!)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

First, drain the tofu then crumble into a bowl. Don't drain all of the water out, just most of it. Retaining some of the moisture will help while it bakes.  

Chop the pepper, mushrooms, and onion and sauté until soft. I like to sauté using water, instead of oil or butter not only because it's healthier, but once the veggies are done, there will be some flavored water left over that I like to add to the dish for extra flavor. I would use about 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed when sautéing. When sautéing with water, I also use a lower heat for slightly longer to avoid burning off all of the water. Once the veggies are soft, remove the pan from heat and set aside.

While the veggies are cooking, add the dry spices to the tofu and combine well with the tofu continuing to crumble the tofu as needed. I like to use my hands for this so that the spices really get mixed in with the tofu, but make sure to either use a glove or a plastic baggie as the turmeric will turn your hand/nails yellow.

Once the veggies are cooked, add them and the remaining water they are in to the tofu and mix together. Finally, fold in the shredded cheese.

Once mixture is complete, add to a deep glass baking pan. Using the back of a spoon, compress the mixture together firmly (this is critical to it remaining as a bake when complete so you can cut it into pieces, and not have it crumble). 

Cover with foil and place in the oven for 25 minutes. If you want a crispier top, after the 25 min, broil as desired.  

When finished, remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. I love to prepare this dish a day in advance, as I feel the flavors tend to enhance and blend together overnight. This dish also reheats very well! 

Either way, enjoy! Great for serving to a group! 

Healthy Life Tip: Make this on a Sunday and box individual servings for breakfast (or even lunch) to have throughout the week! 

Baked Balsamic Tofu Cubes

Balsamic Tofu. I really can't say enough about it. Grilled, baked, fried, sautéed, whatever. A staple in my kitchen for sure. It can go on salads, as a side, on a pasta salad, in a wrap, as a snack, whatever you want. So easy to make and so many things to have it with! 

Try them, you'll be instant best friends. 

Baked Balsamic Tofu Cubes:

Organic extra firm tofu - as much as you want!

Your favorite organic balsamic dressing 

Organic Italian seasoning (optional)

First, drain the water out of the tofu... yes you have to do this. Either wrap the block of tofu in paper towels and place between to dishes, trays, whatever you want and put something on top to gently squeeze out the water (sometime I use 3 soup bowls) and let stand for about 20-30 minutes, or use a tofu press. 

Once the tofu is drained, cut into 1 inch cubes, or whatever size you're into at the moment, and toss into a baggie, cover with marinade, and marinate for 30 min or longer. I like to get all of this done the night before and let it sit overnight, but it turns out great either way!

Once you're ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 and place tofu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure there is space in-between each piece of tofu. I also like to sprinkle a little extra Italian seasoning onto the pieces at this point! Bake for about 10-15 minutes or longer, until they are golden brown along the edges, watching to make sure they don't burn. Once you see the golden edges, remove and enjoy warm or cold!

I LOVE to use these to top one of my favorite pasta salads recipes:

Morning Breakfast Smoothie

I call this the Morning Breakfast Smoothie, but really, you can enjoy it anytime of day. 

I just love to start my morning with tons of fruits and veggies! 

Morning Breakfast Smoothie: 
For optimal health, you'll want to make sure everything is organic; here's why.

1 cup filtered water
2 cups organic spinach (or 1 cup spinach, 1 cup kale)
1/2 cup organic shredded carrots
1/3 organic cucumber
2 sticks of an organic celery stalk
2 tbsp organic ground flaxseed
1 tbsp organic chia seeds
3/4 cup frozen organic mango
10 frozen organic strawberries
1/2 organic banana
Optional for added detoxifying affect: 
1/8 cup fresh organic parsley (why parsley?)
organic ground cayenne pepper (why cayenne pepper?)


Throw all ingredients into your blender and enjoy! I suggest starting with the spinach and veggies in the blender first and adding on from there.


Healthy Life Tip: If you want to switch up the flavor of this smoothie, keep the base of veggies, chia seeds, and flaxseed and just change up the fruits for some variety in flavor! Enjoy!

Coming Soon: Product Reviews

As you may have noticed, there haven't been any new posts on here lately, but the_healthy_life_blog on Instagram hasn't stopped!

Summer finds me all over the map each year, which is great for trying new foods, but bad for being home to cook from scratch and post new recipes! I have so much to share from all of the new (and old) vegan products I've been trying all summer that I've decided it's about time to add a Product Review section to the blog!

So check back in to see what products I'm reviewing next and how they can fit into your healthy kitchen arsenal! Happy Summer!!

Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta with Crispy Lemon Tofu

I fell in love with this recipe when I tried the Minimalist Baker's Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta. I've switched a few things around since then but have no idea how I ever lived without this dish that bursts with flavor. The lemon and asparagus are perfect together and the dish is so light, yet perfectly creamy and so easy to make on a weeknight. Enjoy!

Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta:
Serves 4

3 servings of organic whole wheat farfalle (bow tie) pasta. Or a healthy pasta of your choosing
4 servings of organic asparagus
4 organic garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil
2 organic lemons
2.5 cups organic unsweetened almond milk
3-5 tablespoons organic garbanzo flour
Organic group pepper to taste


Begin cooking pasta according to instructions. Next, peel your asparagus and set it to steam over water. Make sure not to over-steam the asparagus as it will become tough. Once the pasta is complete, drain and return to pot. Steaming the asparagus and cooking the sauce should be completed while the pasta is cooking.

While pasta is cooking, sauté the garlic in the olive oil until it begins to brown lightly then add the almond milk.

Next, slowly whisk in the garbanzo flour one tablespoon at a time and allow to simmer over low-medium heat whisking continuously until thickened. If needed, add additional flour to thicken, but also give it enough time to do so on it's own, about 5-10 minutes. Add ground pepper if desired.

Once the sauce has thickened and asparagus has steamed, add them both to the pot of cooked, drained pasta, stir together and enjoy!!

To complete this meal and add a healthy protein source, I created some Crispy Lemon Tofu which is a perfect addition to this recipe.

Crispy Lemon Tofu

Crispy Lemon Tofu
Serves 4

2 packages organic extra firm tofu
3 organic lemons
1 teaspoon organic extra virgin olive oil


Drain the water from the tofu and cut each package into 6 filets. Add them and the juice of one and 1/2 lemons to ziplock bag. Save the other half of the lemon for later. For this recipe I usually start marinating the tofu in the morning when I make breakfast so that they have the opportunity to marinate all day.

Using a large sauté pan, (I like to use one with straight sides so that the liquids are contained), add the tofu to the pan one filet at a time. The more filets they are able to touch the bottom of the pan the better. Add the juice of the the third lemon to the pan and turn on heat to low-medium.

Gently coat and preheat oven to broiler setting.

Allow the tofu to simmer in the lemon juice until the juice is almost reduced completely while not allowing the tofu to stick to the pan. The key to this is the adjusting the temperature accordingly as the juice begins to reduce (less juice = lower temp) and gently moving the tofu occasionally to make sure it is not sticking.

Once the juice is reduced, add tofu to the broiler pan, top with the remaining 1/2 of a lemon, and broil until golden or desired crispiness is reached on one side, about 5-8 minutes, then flip and brown the second side if desired.

I love pairing this tofu with my Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta recipe:

The Best Vegan Mac & Cheese

The Best Vegan Mac & Cheese:

Serves 4:

4 servings of your favorite organic mac and cheese pasta. The more places for the cheese to get stuck the better. I like fun shapes and pinwheels the most!

1 tablespoon organic extra virgin olive oil

1 organic yellow onion, minced

2 organic garlic cloves, minced

4 cups organic cauliflower florets

1 1/3 cups of organic unsweetened almond milk

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon organic tomato paste

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 

1 teaspoon onion powder (or more to taste)

1 teaspoon garlic powder (or more to taste)

1 teaspoon organic nutmeg

2 teaspoons organic paprika 

3-4 twists of organic ground pepper (to taste)

spinkle of organic cayenne pepper (optional and to taste)

1 cup or more of organic vegan mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon organic extra virgin olive oil 

1-2 cups organic bread crumbs

Chop the cauliflower into small florets, then steam for 8-10 minutes or until soft. 

While the cauliflower is steaming, begin to sauté the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat until onions are tender, making sure they don't brown or become crispy. Once the cauliflower is complete, add it to the pan with the onion and garlic and continue sautéing for about 3-5 minutes. 

Begin cooking the pasta according to instructions. 

Add cauliflower, onions, and garlic to a blender, Vitamix, or food processor and blend until completely smooth then return to the sauce pan. Add the almond milk, onion and garlic powder, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, lemon juice, nutmeg, paprika, pepper, and cayenne pepper and stir to combine everything fully. Allow to simmer on medium-low for about 10-15 minutes. 

While sauce is cooking, heat a small fry pan over low-medium heat and add in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the breadcrumbs. Stir continuously until they become golden brown, then remove from heat and set aside.

Once the pasta is done, strain it and add it to the cheese sauce (or vice versa if your pasta pan is bigger). While you are combining the pasta and cheese sauce, stir in the vegan mozzarella. Continue stirring while over low heat for another 2 minutes to combine the sauce and pasta nicely. 

Add mac & cheese to bowl, top with breadcrumb toping and enjoy! To add some extra spice, serve with a side of this Healthy Homemade Hot Sauce. 

Healthy Life Tip: To add some veggies or variations to the recipe, sauté or steam your veggies of choice while the pasta and sauce are cooking. Then add them to the pasta when you add in the mozzarella at the end. Some of my favorite combinations are peppers, mushrooms, and onions; spinach, broccoli, and tomatoes; and corn, peas, and black beans. Enjoy!

Easy Balsamic Tofu Steaks

Balsamic Tofu Steaks save my life on a regular basis. They are so easy to make, so versatile, and they can be made in bulk and saved in the fridge for later use. Whenever I haven't planned for lunch or dinner, I always fall back on these because they are so quick to make, easy to take with you, great served hot or cold, and they pair well with all of my favorite things!

As pictured above, I love throwing them into a sandwich with lettuce and tomato (and some avocado too!). They also go well on top of a salad, in a wrap, over a pasta salad (this one especially), Mediterranean quinoa salad, as a snack by themselves, and anything you can think of!

Healthy Life Tip: Make a dish with these tofu steaks at the beginning of the week and make extra steaks to have with a variety of different lunch options throughout the week. This is a huge time saver, and an easy way to ensure your lunches are homemade and healthy!

Balsamic Tofu Steaks:

Package or more of organic firm or extra firm tofu

Your favorite balsamic dressing (I love OrganicVille's Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Organic Italian seasoning

Organic red pepper flakes (optional) 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

If you have time, or know you are going to make this in advance, have the steaks marinating in your balsamic vinaigrette ahead of time. If you don't, I find following the steps below helps to achieve the most flavor is the shortest amount of time. 

Slice the tofu into 6 steaks and press out the water pretty well. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place slightly less then a tablespoon of vinaigrette where each tofu steak will go. Place steaks onto the the sheet making sure the vinaigrette is spread out beneath each. 

Next, using a fork, poke a generous amount of holes into the top of the steaks. Cover each steak with your balsamic vinaigrette, making sure it covers the sides as well. Sprinkle Italian seasoning on top of each as desired and for an extra kick, also sprinkle on some red pepper flakes. 

Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until edges become golden and crispy, then enjoy! 

Time Saver Tip: Prepare the steaks first and as they are cooking prepare your other ingredients.