Tortilla Soup

I love tortilla soup! This has little to no spiciness and it could definitely use some. I didn't have any fresh tomatoes so I just used a 1/4 can of chopped tomatoes. Could use a few more, but it tastes divine like this. I served this with 2 baked potatoes. I couldn't decide if I wanted a plain potato or one smothered. So I had both. But I became full after that bowl of soup, so I didn't eat much more of the potatoes. LOL The cheeze is from yesterday's recipe and the salsa is just Pace. It's what I had on hand. I hash tagged it #realfoodnotfake cause its all real.

1 tomato

1 celery stalk

6 baby carrots

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon Better than Bullion 

1 1/2 taco seasoning

2.5 cups of water

1  cup corn, thawed if frozen

2 baked no oil tortillas broken up

A couple sprigs of cilantro, cut in small bits.

1 cup of black beans. 

Put first 7 ingredients into blender jar. I have a vitamix and it works great. Blend on high for about 5-7 minutes. Once hot, slow blender to slowest setting and add remaining ingredients and blend for about 10-15 seconds. Pour and eat at once. 

3 in 1

3 recipes in 1 post. Well, really only 2 are recipes the other is instructions.

Also want to remind people of my regular blog. Its back up and running.  http://starchsolutionforhealth.blogspot.com/

Cheeze Sauce
 3 cups water
 1/4 cup raw unsalted cashews*
 4 T corn starch
 4 T nutritional yeast flakes
2 ounce jar of pimentos or 1/4 cup roasted red peppers*
1 t salt
1/2 t garlic and onion powders
1 2 ounce can of chilies

 Put everything except chilies in a blender and process on high for about 1 minute. After the minute, pour the sauce and chilies into a sauce pan and cook on medium high until thick.
 *This is pretty low in total fat. But you can lower it more by using a half a cooked potato in place of the cashews.
 *I almost always use roasted peppers. It gives a very nice flavor and color and they are often far cheaper than pimentos.

 This being dairy free, is great on everything it seems regular melted dairy cheese would go.

321 dressing

3 T vinegar
2 T mustard
1 T honey

 On the dressing on the salad I used, white wine vinegar, grey Poupon mustard. The vinegars and mustards can be changed up to make completely different dressings.

Oven fries
 Cut potatoes into strips. I happen to have a french fry cutter we bought several years ago. I don't care for the big wedges.

Chef AJ's Lasagna

There is almost nothing more to say....Lasagna. I remember in years past deciding to try and make a standard lasagna. I decided very very quickly that is was far easier and more cost effective to just buy a frozen one from the grocery store. But in either case, neither were healthy at all. I once thought it was the pasta that made it unhealthy but now know that it was all the meat and cheese and oils.

I've made a few different plant based lasagnas in the past, but my absolute favorite is Chef AJ's. I have made it several different ways. The first time, I made it exactly as it was written, using the beans in place of the tofu. I decided rather quickly it really didn't need the cashews, so I just added more beans. I've used store bought sauce and homemade. Homemade is far better. Today's is no exception to that. This time I used tofu instead of the beans. I also used shredded carrots and my own grown zucchini. I don't use mushrooms, cause hubby seems against them.

So, because I didn't use the cup of nuts, I used 2 14 ounce packs of tofu. And as always, I didn't have enough of the onion veggie mixture. But no one can tell. ;)

http://www.healthygirlskitchen.com/2011/03/unprocessed-chef-ajs-disappearing.html

Recipe for the sauce used.
http://ieatstarchy.blogspot.com/2015/09/garlic-lovers-marinara-sauce.htm

Snackels

I saw this recipe come across my feed the other day, and new my children would love them. I made them today and did they ever LOVE them!!! Oh my gosh.

I followed the recipe nearly identical except when I ground the oats for flour I added cranberries, almonds and chocolate chips so they were smaller and better incorporated.  One kid doesn't like cranberries, another doesn't like almonds. They all love chocolate of course. I'd have to send them back as defective if they didn't. HA....Kidding of course. I also didn't the amount of maple syrup it called for, just the applesauce, a drizzle of syrup and water to mix.

Iv'e made lots of oatmeal bars and oatmeal muffins. But when it seems like its a cookie, its more of a treat to them. And with a spectacular name like snackel.....well what's not to love? I haven't made anything from Dreena Burton that we haven't loved! http://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/wholesome-oat-snackles/

Garlic Lovers Marinara Sauce

I love a good, deep, and rich pasta sauce. There are many decent store brands out there. But too often they are full of unhealthy ingredients. Oil and too much salt and sugar. I've made one a couple times, but never really paid attention to the ingredients to write it down. So, its different each time I make it. I am making one today and its different from the last time I made it. So this time I paid attention. The recipe is as follows.......This makes a lot of sauce, about 10 cups in all.

1 large yellow onion, chopped small
5-8 T chopped garlic, more or less depending on taste
1 can organic tomato paste
2 cans organic chopped tomatoes
4 cans organic tomato sauce
2 T organic low sodium Better than Bouillon (BTB)
2-3 T Italian seasoning
2 T brown sugar
2-4 bay leaves


I used my instant pot for all the cooking. Using the saute program, I cooked the onion for about 15 minutes, adding only a small amount of water once it sticks. Then add the minced garlic and cook another 10 or so minutes, stirring often to prevent burning. You want them both to turn brown, the browning process is caramelizing and helps give it a rich flavor.

Next add the can of tomato paste and stir to "melt" into the onions and garlic. Add the 2 cans of chopped tomatoes and stir to mix. Using an immersion blender, blend lightly to leave thick and only slightly chunky. Next, begin adding the tomato sauce. Stir in the BTB the warm sauce. Once mixed well, add the seasoning and brown sugar stir to combine. Add the 2-4 bay leaves and cover with the Instant Pot lid and cook using the slow cooker function for about 3 hours.


Note: If you dont have an electric pressure cooker, use a pan and stove top then either cook on low for 3-4 hours or transfer to a slow cooker/crockpot.