CREAMY TOMATO SOUP with PASTA and CHICKPEAS

February 4, 2020January 11, 2022

CREAMY TOMATO SOUP with PASTA and CHICKPEAS

Creamy Tomato Soup w/Chickpeas and Pasta

A healthy plant-based version of a comfort food, with a twist, from my childhood. An easy-to-toss together hearty tomato soup. This creamy soup is a staple in our house, we never get tired of it…make it your own by swapping out various beans and different pasta. To make another variety, substitute pasta with par-boiled brown rice. Add your favorite leafy greens to make it a super soup.

Serves: 6 ll Prep Time: 20 minutes ll Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 small onions, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 (28 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, lo sodium
I (14 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), lo sodium, include brine
1 cup non-dairy milk
1 -2 cup vegetable stock, lo sodium
1 teaspoon salt-substitute such as Mrs. Dash’s Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cups whole wheat pasta noodles (elbow, penne, or your choice)
Leafy greens, torn into small pieces
Garnish: Sliced Almonds
Optional: 1 teaspoon unrefined sugar
Optional: 1 cup of par-boiled brown rice as a substitute for pasta

Directions:
Sautéing vegetables: In a medium soup pot, sauté diced onions and celery in a small amount of water or vegetable broth for 5 – 10 minutes or until onions are translucent.

Cooking soup: In the soup pot, combine remaining ingredients, except pasta and greens. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower heat, add pasta, cook for about an additional 10 minutes or until al dente. During the last few minutes, toss in leafy greens. Serve hot.

ENJOY THIS DELICIOUS PLANT-BASED TOMATO SOUP -WE DO!!

January 24, 2020January 24, 2020

CABBAGE and POTATOES CURRIED STYLE

CURRIED CABBAGE and POTATOES INDIAN STYLE

Add some spice in your life with this easy-to-make Indian style vegetable side dish. Mustard seeds and plenty of spices enhance the flavor of the cabbage and potatoes dish. It has eye appeal, as well as tummy appeal!

Serves: 4 || Prep Time: 20 minutes || Cook Time: 15 minutes

4 cups green cabbage, shredded
2 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and julienned
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and julienned
1/2 green or red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth, lo sodium
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pinch asafetida

Optional: Add brown rice and Roti to make this side a full meal. ++++++++++++++++

In a small amount of vegetable broth, heat the mustard seeds in a pan for 3-4 minutes until the mustard seeds appear to be cooked.

Add and stir potatoes, curry, broth (as needed), turmeric and asafetida to the pot; cover and cook on medium-low for 4-5 minutes.

Add the cabbage and bell pepper when the potatoes are almost cooked; stir and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add cayenne pepper and coriander powder, toss gently. Serve hot.

Nutrition Facts:Calories 108 Calories from Fat 3, Total Fat 1g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 121mg, Total Carbohydrate 24g, Fiber 7g, Sugars 9g, Protein 5g

Tom loves to throw this easy meal together. We love Indian! Enjoy!

November 29, 2019November 28, 2019

CoachBJ’s African Cabbage Stew

A plant-based spicy stew served over brown rice makes a tasty and attractive Fall or any season healthy choice. CoachBJ’s African Cabbage Stew is chocked full of red cabbage, sweet potatoes, kidney beans, tomatoes with berbere and a handful of other spices. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/2 head medium red cabbage, shredded
2 large sweet potatoes, cube (for stove top cooking, precook; no need to precook if using a pressure cooker)
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons (1″ fresh) ginger, minced or grated
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can cooked kidney beans, no salt added, include brine
1 (28-ounce) can Fire roasted diced tomatoes, no salt added
2-3 cups homemade or low sodium vegetable stock
3 tablespoons peanut butter powdered (PB2) or equivalent amount of fresh peanut butter
1/2 tablespoon (or to taste) Berbere
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Optional: leafy greens and brown rice
Optional: Kombu seaweed, 2″ long piece torn into small pieces

On the Stove Top: Shred cabbage and set aside. Cook sweet potatoes in the microwave (about 6 minutes) or roast beforehand in the oven. Scoop out cooked potato from skin and cube. In a large soup pot sauté onions, garlic and ginger root until onions are translucent. Add other ingredients, except cabbage, to the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 15 minutes to meld all spices with ingredients. Add shredded red cabbage, cover, allow cabbage to steam for about 15 minutes or until tender (don’t overcook). Serve over leafy greens and brown rice.

In Pressure Cooker: Shred cabbage, cube sweet potatoes (unpeeled or peeled), dice onions, grate ginger root and slice garlic. Add these and all other ingredients into the pressure cooker. Bring to medium steam, cook for 4 minutes. Take off hot burner, allow to rest until pressure is released. Serve over leafy greens and brown rice.

AFRICAN STEW: A plant-based spicy stew served over brown rice, made in the pressure cooker in 4 minutes. This stew is chocked full of red cabbage, sweet potatoes, kidney beans, tomatoes with berbere and a bunch of other spices. How about those new salt/pepper shakers...aren't they awesome! — AFRICAN STEW: A plant-based spicy stew served over brown rice, made in the pressure cooker in 4 minutes. This stew is chocked full of red cabbage, sweet potatoes, kidney beans, tomatoes with berbere and a bunch of other spices. How about those new salt/pepper shakers…aren’t they awesome!

ENJOY Coach BJ’s African Cabbage Stew!

October 11, 2019October 15, 2019

PUMPKIN PANCAKES: How to make perfect pancakes.

PERFECT PUMPKIN PANCAKES: When the leaves start to turn colors and there’s a little chill in the air, who doesn’t think of pumpkins. This recipe is great for fall or any season. Start the day with some healthy wonderful tasting plant-based pancakes. I had a basic recipe but wanted to tweak it so that we could make the PERFECT pancake. So the new revised recipe is below. And below that are step-by-step PIX so that, you too, can make the PERFECT PANCAKES.

Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe:
Serves: 8-10 medium (4 1/2 inch diameter pancakes) || Prep Time: 15 minutes || Cook Time: 15 minutes

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup whole white wheat flour
1 tablespoon flax seed meal
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2/3 cup non-dairy almond milk (shake container)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (Farmer’s Market Organic Pumpkin)
3 tablespoon aquafaba (chick pea brine)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 medium lemon (juice only)
Options: Maple Syrup, nuts and fruit

Cooking Directions:
Combine first six dry ingredients – flours, flax seed meal, baking soda and spices in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine six liquid ingredients and mix well. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix for about 60-90 seconds until it becomes a thick batter. Do NOT over-mix or the pancakes will fall flat, ask me how I know.

Let the batter settle for about 10 minutes before cooking. In the meantime, preheat a non-stick skillet on medium-high until droplets of water bounce on the skillet surface.

After the batter has rested and the skillet it hot, add batter with a ladle to the hot skillet. When bubbles form on top of the batter, check the underside of the pancake with a spatula to see when it has lightly browned, then flip over and cook the underside. It will take about 30 -60 seconds for each pancake to cook.

Flip the finished pancake onto a plate, top with fruits and/or nuts and drizzle a bit of maple syrup over the pancakes. Yum, happy healthy eating!

A stack of delicious pumpkin pancakes with maple syrup and walnuts. This recipe batter made 10 pancakes. Can I eat the whole thing!

Pumpkin Pancake ingredients. — Ingredients to make Pumpkin Pancakes…really easy.

The recipe makes a thick batter, let it settle for 10 minutes.

Pre-heat a non-stick skillet, no need for oil. Heat until drops of water bubble up on the skillet. — Pre-heat a non-stick skillet (no need to use oil). Heat until drops of water dropped onto the skillet bottom bubble up.

The batter has rested and the skillet is hot. Tom drops the batter with a ladle onto the skillet. — The batter has rested and the skillet is hot. With a ladle, Tom drops the batter onto the skillet.

When the batter starts to bubble up, check the bottom until each pancakes is lightly browned. Then flip it.

Lightly pat the pancake with a spatula so that it cooks in the center. When each is done, flip onto a plate. Tom is the best pancake maker, now you can follow my recipe and his tips to make perfect pancakes too.

**PUMPKIN PANCAKES with Blueberries, Walnuts and Maple Syrup!**

ENJOY COACH BJ’S
PUMPKIN PANCAKES!

October 9, 2019January 11, 2022

CoachBJ’s Quick Tips: How to use and where to get AQUAFABA

Simply put Aquafaba is bean brine. As a whole foods, plant-based food coach and cook, using aquafaba has been a great option for replacing ingredients such as eggs, oil and butter found in the standard American diet. My choice is to use organic low-sodium brine from canned chick peas (garbanzo beans) to maintain consistency in ingredients as a control while developing my recipes. Additionally the clearer color brine will not taint the outcome. On the other hand, I hear that other bean brine can be used from canned or cooked beans but I’m sticking to chick peas for now.

Aquafaba has been used by cooks in the last few years to enhance baked vegan goods but can be used by any baker who wants to cook healthier foods…who doesn’t wants to eat beauty health desserts. It is a useful ingredient for leavening and binding. Particularly wonderful for making cakes with beautiful crumb and a higher lift. Of course I use it in concert with many other leavening and binding ingredients. I started using aquafaba years ago and use it in my own recipes.

You can store aquafaba in the refrigerator for about one week and it also freezes well. Since we always have canned chick peas around, we always have aquafaba around – it’s a 2 for 1. Just save off the aquafaba from the canned chick peas. It’s so easy to find healthy foods to cook with the chick peas such as hummus, roasted for crunchy snacking, include in salads, use in soups and so many other ethnic dishes. We love chick peas and use the brine for aquafaba!

ENJOY THE TIPS!

August 5, 2019August 5, 2019

North Square Farmers Market…to market we go.

We love our local farmers and enjoy supporting them! They work so hard to offer us beautiful vegetables and fruits, many products are organic or chemical-free. Our terrific farmers market in Chambersburg, PA is North Square Farmers Market. It is open on Saturday Mornings May-October from 8 a.m. – noon, rain or shine. Join us in supporting local vendors. They love dogs!

We took a quick trip last Saturday so only had time to take a few photos of produce and fruit stands…there’s so much more, check details for other vendors at North Square Farmers Market.

Zipper is a big hit at the market, he gets so excited when we round the corner at the market, everybody knows his name…haha. Here’s a photo tour:

Beautiful variety of fresh vegetables offered by vendors.

Look at those fresh leafy greens for us plant-based customers – Foot of the Mountain Farm.

Foot of the Mountain Farm – service with a smile!

Lovely arranged flower arrangements. — Lovely arranged flower bouquets.

Harvest Hills - beautiful PA peaches. — Harvest Hills – beautiful PA peaches, all shapes and colors are offered.

Kids and dogs at the market, you can't beat that! — Kids and dogs at the market, you can’t beat that!

Cheesetown Produce – Sunflowers and melons.

Tomatoes, potatoes and other fresh veggies. — Tomatoes, potatoes and other fresh veggies from Cheesetown Produce.

Zipper and a beautiful gigantic flower arrangement.
Time to leave the market, Little Zipper says goodbye until next week

When we get home, I can’t help but steam some fresh cabbage…yummy!

STEAMED CABBAGE FRESH FROM THE FARMERS MARKET: When I get home from the market, I love to taste something fresh, today it was cabbage which I steamed with a bit of garlic powder, salt and pepper. We love our local farmers!

April 26, 2019June 10, 2021

APPLE ORCHARDS in the spring in the valley – Franklin County, PA, USA

APPLE ORCHARDS IN THE SPRING - APRIL 2019

Rows and rows, miles and miles of blooming apple trees are plentiful in our valley during the spring…so BEAUTIFUL! Just take a ride and soak in nature around the country side, enjoy the lovely pink buds opening up into gorgeous white flowers tipped in pale pink. The end of this journey will result in lovely various nutritious produce – delicious local PA apples. Eat the fruit raw or cooked, sweet or tart, red or gold – APPLES, APPLES, APPLES!

Rows and rows, miles and miles of fertile ground and blooming APPLE TREES

An apple crate awaiting the collection of delicious Franklin County APPLES later in the year

Below are two recipes using apples:

Homemade Applesauce: Directions to cook applesauce in a crock pot:

Scrub, quarter and core apples (I do not peel to retain more nutritional value and I don’t mind if the applesauce is not totally smooth; but, if you wish, peel to make silky smooth applesauce.)
Cut into similar sized chunks, place in the pot, do not add water (add spices is you wish)
Cook for 4 or more hours on low. (To make apple butter, it takes 10 hours or longer.)
When the apples are breaking up and have a mushy texture, it’s time to blend with an immersion blender to make applesauce

Watch the video to see how easy it is to make applesauce to have fresh eating all year round. ENJOY!

Apple Cherry Crumble: Apples and Cherries together make this a wonderful dessert. The difficulty is trying not to eat the fruit before you make the crumble. The colorful beautiful presentation is a bonus for this healthy crumble delight!

Serves: 6 || Prep Time: 20 minutes || Cook Time: 25 minutes
5 baking apples (5 cups), peeled and cored, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 medium lemon (juice and 1 teaspoon zest)
3/4 cup fresh or frozen cherries (no need to thaw)
1-2 tablespoon date sugar or maple syrup (to taste)
5 (3-inch) pieces crystallized ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup granola

++++++++++++++++

Preheat oven 350°F. Prepare apples then place into a non-stick ovenware dish. Add remaining ingredients (except granola); gently combine. Crumble the granola over the top, bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 154 Cal from Fat 9, Total Fat 1g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 8mg, Total Carbohydrate 35g, Fiber 4g, Total Sugars 23g (includes 11g added sugars), Protein 2g

**ENJOY PLANT BASED EATING WITH APPLES!**

March 10, 2019January 11, 2022

CoachBJ’s Quick Tips: Lining Materials for baking and roasting

For Whole Food, Plant-Based non-stick cooking without having to use oil or spray, I use two types of materials which will be shown in the Quick-Tips video below. I use these materials – a Silpat and/or parchment paper – to line baking sheets, pie pans and cake pans. They provide easy clean up, even cooking, no added calories and healthy eating options. (An additional option for non-stick bakeware is made from silicone material but that’s for another blog and video.)

I have used two Silpats for about 13 years, they have held up well under a lot of test cooking for my eCookbooks. They were purchased on the internet but if you have a kitchen store nearby they likely will stock Silpats. They are reusable, thus easy on your pocketbook and the environment. For baking foods such as cookies or burgers, just place a Silpat on a baking sheet. For roasting, I frequently line a baking sheet with a Silpat then add a few sheets of parchment paper to absorb the juices.