Barbeque-Style Portobellos

Makes 2 servings

Large meaty portobello mushrooms make a delicious meal when they're simmered in a spicy sauce and served with Polenta, Brown Rice, pasta, or French bread. ( I served mine over quinoa.)

2 large portobello mushrooms
¹/₂ cup vegetable juice
¹/₄ cup apple juice concentrate
¹/₂ cup roasted red peppers
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons chili powder
¹/₂ teaspoon garlic powder
¹/₄ teaspoon black pepper 

Clean mushrooms and remove stems. Cut into 1/2-inch strips.

Combine vegetable juice, apple juice concentrate, red peppers, soy sauce, vinegar, chili powder, garlic powder, and black pepper in a blender. Process until smooth, then transfer mixture to a non-stick skillet and heat until bubbly.

Add mushroom strips, turning to coat evenly with sauce. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Per serving (1/2 of recipe)

• Calories: 132
• Fat: 1.2 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
• Calories from Fat: 8.4%
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Protein: 4.7 g
• Carbohydrates: 28.9 g
• Sugar: 19.9 g
• Fiber: 3.9 g
• Sodium: 589 mg
• Calcium: 31 mg
• Iron: 1.8 mg
• Vitamin C: 97.9 mg
• Beta Carotene: 1906 mcg
• Vitamin E: 1.6 mg

Source: Healthy Eating for Life to Prevent and Treat Cancer by Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.

Averie's Sesame ginger maple baked tofu

I had some leftover tofu the other night so I made these maple baked tofu! Averie has so many recipes I want to try and these were delicious!


1 Tbsp Ground Ginger
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
1/8 c Sesame Oil 
1/8 c Maple-Agave blend (mine is from TJ's, but use whatever combo you have or desire)
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Optional: Garlic, Onions, Salt, Nama Shoyu/Bragg's Liquid Aminos/Soy Sauce, to Taste
Optional: bake and/or garnish with sesame seeds

Instructions & Baking Info 
Blot the tofu with paper towels (or use a tofu press) & Slice into Uniform Sizes

Combine all ingredientsin a small bowl, stir and Pour Over Tofu Slices.
Bake at 425F for 35 Minutes
I flipped the tofu slices over once, halfway through baking (at about 17-18 minutes).

Hoppin' John Salad

I made this last night and my husband loved it! The lemon juice mixed with the green onions makes such a wonderful flavor!

Makes about 10 1/2-cup servings


2 cups cooked black-eyed peas, or 1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained
1 ¹/₂ cups cooked brown rice
¹/₂ cup finely sliced green onions
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 tomato, diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
¹/₄ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
¹/₄ teaspoon salt
1 - 2 garlic cloves, crushed


Combine black-eyed peas, rice, green onions, celery, tomato, and parsley in a mixing bowl. In a small bowl, mix together lemon juice, oil, salt, and garlic and pour over the salad. Toss gently. Chill 1 to 2 hours if time permits.
Per 1/2-cup serving

• Calories: 91
• Fat: 1.9 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
• Calories from Fat: 18.5%
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Protein: 3.7 g
• Carbohydrates: 15.4 g
• Sugar: 1.3 g
• Fiber: 3.6 g
• Sodium: 68 mg
• Calcium: 20 mg
• Iron: 1.2 mg
• Vitamin C: 5.4 mg
• Beta Carotene: 137 mcg
• Vitamin E: 0.4 mg

Source: Turn Off the Fat Genes by Neal D. Barnard, M.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond M.S., R.D.

Couscous Confetti Salad

I've made this salad before and the display of colors is beautiful! The golden raisins add the perfect sweetness.

Makes about 8 1-cup servings

Couscous is pasta from northern Africa that cooks almost instantly and makes a beautiful and flavorful salad. Whole-wheat couscous is sold in natural food stores and some supermarkets.

1 ¹/₂ cups dry whole-wheat couscous
2 cups boiling water
3 - 4 green onions, finely chopped, including tops
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 carrot, grated
1 - 2 cup finely shredded red cabbage
¹/₂ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
¹/₂ cup golden raisins or chopped dried apricots
1 juice of 1 lemon
¹/₄ cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 ¹/₂ teaspoons salt

In a large bowl, combine couscous and boiling water. Stir to mix, then cover and let stand until all the water has been absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Add green onions, bell pepper, carrot, cabbage, parsley, and raisins or apricots.

In a small bowl mix lemon juice, vinegar, oil, curry powder, and salt. Add to salad and toss to mix. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Per 1-cup serving

• Calories: 194
• Fat: 2.1 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
• Calories from Fat: 9.8%
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Protein: 5.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 40.2 g
• Sugar: 10 g
• Fiber: 4.2 g
• Sodium: 283 mg
• Calcium: 33 mg
• Iron: 1.1 mg
• Vitamin C: 40.9 mg
• Beta Carotene: 1157 mcg
• Vitamin E: 0.7 mg

Source: Healthy Eating for Life to Prevent and Treat Diabetes by Patricia Bertron, R.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.

Carrot and Red Pepper Soup

Though this looks like baby food, it is surprisingly delicious! I crave it.

Makes 4 1 1/2-cup servings


1 onion, chopped
6 carrots, thinly sliced
2 cups water or vegetable stock
2 red bell peppers
2 cups soymilk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
¹/₂ teaspoon salt
¹/₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place onion and carrots into a pot with water or stock and simmer, covered, over medium heat until the carrots can be easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Roast bell peppers by placing them over an open gas flame or directly under the broiler until the skin is completely blackened. Place in a bowl, cover, and let stand about 15 minutes. Slip the charred skin off with your fingers, then cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds.

Blend the carrot mixture along with the bell peppers in a blender or food processor in several small batches. Add some of the soymilk to each batch to facilitate blending. Return to the pot and add lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Heat until steamy.
Per 1 1/2-cup serving

• Calories: 124
• Fat: 2.3 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
• Calories from Fat: 16.9%
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Protein: 5.8 g
• Carbohydrates: 21.9 g
• Sugar: 11.2 g
• Fiber: 4.9 g
• Sodium: 418 mg
• Calcium: 190 mg
• Iron: 1.9 mg
• Vitamin C: 102.8 mg
• Beta Carotene: 8274 mcg
• Vitamin E: 3.5 mg

Source: Eat Right, Live Longer by Neal D. Barnard, M.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond M.S., R.D.

Warm Grapefruit Dessert

Never before have I thought to warm a grapefruit but it's delicious. The cinnamon really helps make it less tart. Grapefruit is at it's peak and right now you can get 10 lbs for $4.99 at Smiths!

1 large grapefruit
1 t cinnamon, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the grapefruit in half through the middle. With a serrated citrus knife, loosen the segments, being careful not to cut through the peel. Place the halves, side by side, with the sections facing up, on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the cinnamon. Bake for 20 minutes, or until warmed through and starting to brown on top. Transfer to serving plates. Let stand for 5 minutes to cool slightly before serving.

Makes 2 servings

(please don't mind my hideous baking sheet. I promise it's clean)

Per serving: 56 calories, 1 g protein, 14 g carbs, trace fat (saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, trace sodium

from The Biggest Loser Cookbook

Jill’s Lazy Sunday Stew

This stew is quick and easy. It makes tons and is so good. Trully a lazy sunday stew.

Serve it with some garlic bread and a salad for a great meal. The chili powder in this recipe gives the stew the kick it needs to keep you warm on those particularly cold days, while the beans provide protein, calcium, and fiber to keep you feeling fuller, for a longer period of time. This recipe is courtesy of Jill Ovnik. Jill is a Food for Life instructor for The Cancer Project who believes that education and exposure to the right foods can improve health and change lives. Jill is the founder and president of the website Vegan Gal (www.vegan-gal.com). She is also the writer and producer of the DVD Change Your Food, Change Your Life. Jill received her certification from the Food Studies Institute.

Jill’s Lazy Sunday Stew Directions Makes 8 servings 1 30-ounce bag frozen hash brown potatoes 2 14-ounce cans tomato sauce or diced tomatoes (if you prefer chunky soups)    1 1/2 cups water 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed       1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (optional) 1 cup frozen corn                5 ounces (about 1 cup) frozen spinach 3 tablespoons chili powder                2 tablespoons ground cumin 1 tablespoon garlic powder                salt, to taste (optional) 1 tablespoon vinegar (optional)                3 or 4 green onions, chopped (optional) Combine tomato sauce or diced tomatoes, potatoes, and water. Cover the pot and simmer at medium-high heat until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the beans, frozen corn and spinach, and spices. Turn down the heat to a low setting and simmer until all flavors are blended. Serve the soup garnished with chopped green onions. Nutrition Information Per serving (1/8 of recipe): calories: 282 fat: 1.7 g saturated fat: 0.3 g calories from fat: 5.2% cholesterol: 0 mg protein: 11.9 g carbohydrate: 59 g sugar: 7.1 g fiber: 11.3 g sodium: 687 mg calcium: 93 mg iron: 4.8 mg vitamin C: 21.9 mg beta-carotene: 1549 mcg vitamin E: 2.8 mg Recipe from Jill Ovnik A varied diet of beans, lentils, grains, and vegetables contains all of the essential amino acids your body needs. Learn more.