Tag: eat real food

Creamy Carrot Cheese-less Sauce Two Ways

by happycatie, posted in Recipes

Thinking of what to cook for dinner can be daunting some days. Especially if you are dealing with unexpected things….like going in for a leaking tire and walking out with 4 brand new tires and a huge bill. DOH! Such is adulting, right!?

Enchilada Pie

Maximizing your time in the kitchen, despite the kind of day you had, is the name of the game – and if I can turn something I’m cooking into two meals, well I am #winning!

 

So while I waited in the Tire’s Plus for my new tires, in between emails, projects and HIMSS17 planning, I thought about dinner. And came up with two dishes that could use the same sauce, making my tire experience not sting as bad.

Saute Time

Creamy Carrot Sauce 

  • 4 cups cooked carrots
  • 1 cup plant-based milk (I used almond/coconut blend)
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  1. Mix all ingredients in a cuisine art.

Broccoli Mac n Carrot Sauce

Broccoli Mac & Carrot Bake 

  • 1/2 package of cooked macaroni (or whatever pasta you’d like to use)
  • 2 cups chopped broccoli
  • Red pepper flakes to taste
  • 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
  1. Put broccoli into a 6 by 9 inch baking dish.
  2. Add cooked pasta, red pepper flakes & garlic powder.
  3. Take 1/2 of the carrot sauce and pour in the baking dish. Mix together and add more pepper and salt. Stir and bake for 20 minutes at 375.

 

Enchilada Pie

Enchilada Pie with a Spicy Carrot Sauce 

  • 2 small Green Peppers sliced
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 10 button mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 can of refried beans
  • Chili powder
  • Cumin
  • Tapatio sauce
  • Daiya cheese
  • 3 Tortilla Wrappers

 

  1. Put coconut oil in a pan, melt, then add onion and garlic and saute for 8 minutes (until onions start browning). Add a sprinkle of chili powder and cumin to the onions, stir.
  2. Add the sliced peppers and saute for another 8 minutes.
  3. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes.
  4. Place two tortillas in a deep baking dish, making a bowl – use less if you have a smaller dish.
  5. Fill the tortilla bowl with the veggie saute. Top with another tortilla.
  6. Take the rest of the carrot sauce and add 2-3 tablespoons of tapatio – stir together.
  7. Pour the sauce on top of the tortilla pie. Top with daiya cheese. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.

Veggie Delight!

Enjoy!

15 Minute No Carb Zoodle Bowl

by happycatie, posted in Nutrition, Recipes
Quick lunch
Quick lunch

Who am I kidding…..no carbs sound like a horrible idea! But, sometimes I do find that they make me a bit more sluggish and it’s good to switch it up with twice the veggies. Now, I do believe if you eat the right carbs, you should have no problems whatsoever & should never worry about counting calories. I’m also a firm believer of eating real food, so carbs or no carbs shouldn’t be a big deal!

I digress….let’s talk about my quick, easy, no carb lunch!

We are heading to the mountains this weekend, so I’m cleaning out my fridge. Not having a ton of time to make anything (busy day at work!) plus, not having a huge amount of food to actually work with…..I pulled out the following:

1 big red pepper

1 small orange pepper

1 whole zucchini

1 big carrot

3 gloves of garlic

An almost empty jar of peanut butter sauce

Coconut milk

Amino Acid

Sriracha

Red wine Vinegar

I shredded the zucchini and carrot with a cheese grater. Chopped the garlic & pepper, which I sauteed in about 1 tablespoon of coconut oil for about 5 minutes (I used a wok). I added the zucchini & carrot mix and sauted for another 5-7. Mixing 2 tablespoons of the amino acids, 1/2 cup of coconut milk, 1 tablespoon of vinegar and a few squirts of sriracha directly in the peanut butter jar…..I shook until mixed. Adding the sauce to the mixture I cooked for another minute or two, threw in a bowl and dove in!

Look at food differently…..and your meals will transform!

Happy Thursday!

Happy Meal Prep

by happycatie, posted in Happy, Nutrition

I’ve been asked the same question, multiple times, over the past few years: Do you cook ALL DAY!? Anyone who follows me on instagram may have that same question. I post pictures of my homemade, plant-based creations on a daily, so it may seem like I spend all day in the kitchen. I WISH!!

A little meal prep goes a long way!
A little meal prep goes a long way!

What I’ve learned in my food journey is that a little meal prep goes a long way!  In March 2013 Mike and I decided to go pescatarian and now eat about 80% plant-based, which completely changed the way I looked at, prepared, thought about food. I’ve always loved to cook, but now it was with vegetables.

I’ve picked up a few easy-to-follow tips along the way that have maximized my time in the kitchen, making meal prep quick, easy, and delicious! And most importantly, FUN! The kitchen experience should be happy above all and your meal should fuel you, have flavorful taste and be healthy.

Want to know what works for me? Email me at Thehappykitchenlife@gmail.com and I’ll send you my Free Meal Guide. No strings attached, just passing on things that have worked for me in my happy kitchen,  My goal is to educate and hopefully pass on some ideas to make cooking with good, real food, enjoyable. Healthy is a lifestyle – live it well!

Happy Meal-Prepping!