Pumpkin Pudding-Vegan

Looking for the fastest dessert ever? Here it is! Great for fast week night dessert. Awesome as a smoothie or throw it into the freezer for a vegan ice cream! Yum!

Ingredients:

• 12 oz silken tofu (I used one pack of Nasoya silken tofu).
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (might want a little more, maybe 1 tbsp)
• 1 cup canned pumpkin, unsweetened
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tbsp flax seeds
• 1/4 tsp salt 

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients into a blender (we used a Vitamix)
2. Pour into 4 ramekins or pudding cups
3. Place in refrigerator, eat chilled 

Nutritional Benefits:

• Pumpkin: packed with Vitamin A: nutrient that aides in the healing process of bones, teeth, and other tissues
• Anti-inflammatory
• High in Protein: great for healing and rebuilding tissues
• Low in Sugar and no processed sugar (1 tbsp per serving)
• Rich source of Omega 3 fatty acids: excellent for heart health
• Source of Fiber

Nutritional Information:

Calories:147

Fat:5 g

Carbs:22 g

Fiber: 2 g

Protein:6.5 g

Calcium: 20% of daily needs

Vitamin A: 190% of daily needs

Pumpkin Bars-Flour Free, Low Fat, and Vegan (don't be scared-they're good!)

We're always looking for new ways to get healthy ingredients into our children, while not denying them some treats.  These pumpkin bars did the job on both accounts.  Pumpkin, beans, and oats (the base of this recipe) are packed with great nutrients that help reduce inflammation in the body and provide antioxidants like Vitamins A and E. "1 cup of pumpkin 1,906 micrograms of vitamin A, which boosts your immune system, as well as keeps your eyes, bones and teeth healthy. You need between 700 and 900 micrograms of vitamin A each day, and pumpkin is an excellent source. You also get about 15 percent of your daily vitamin E needs from a serving of pumpkin puree. Vitamin E keeps your immune system working properly and also protects your cells from damage that can lead to certain types of disease, such as cancer." (source: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-eating-pumpkin-puree-4645.html)

We found this recipe on  http://happyherbivore.com/2010/10/low-fat-pumpkin-bean-bars/ but adapted it slightly, cutting out the refined sugar and upping the spice (we like a little more spice!), and a few more modifications.  I might even alter it again, so check back for new changes.  It will be a little bit softer than a traditional bar and is best stored in the refrigerator (think of it like a pumpkin pie filling).  I think swapping out 1/2 of the maple syrup that we used for molasses would provide a more robust flavor.  I also think you can do without the peanut butter (to cut down on the fat even more).  It didn't add anything.

Ingredients (we always use organic when possible):

• 15 oz of white beans (we used organic cannellini beans)
• 2 bananas
• 1/2 cup of rolled oats
• 1/2 c of pumpkin
• 1/2 c of maple syrup or 1/4 c of maple syrup and 1/4 c molasses
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp peanut butter (we think it's fine to omit this)

**Optional toppings: 1 tbsp of chocolate chips, unsweetened low-fat coconut, or pumpkin seeds

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients into a food processors and blend until smooth
   
2. Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray.  Pour in batter.
   
3. Cook at 350 for 30-40 minutes, until tester comes out clean (bars will crack slightly)
4. Let cool and slice.  Store remainder in the fridge (or freezer).

Makes 16-20 squares

Nutritional Benefits:

• High in Manganese-sources: oats and maple syrup (helps with heart health)
• High in Vitamin A-source: pumpkin (carotenoids) 1/2 c=300% of daily needs!
• High in Potassium
• Low in Fat (almost none if peanut butter is omitted)
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-oxidants
• High in Fiber
• Low in sugar/no refined sugars

Nutrition Information

Totals per square based on 20 squares:

Calories: 60.5

Protein: 1.5 g

Carbs: 10 g

Fiber: 1 g

Fat: 1 g (virtually 0 if you omit peanut butter)

Broken down by food:

Bananas: 

Calories: 200

Carbs: 30g

Protein: 2.2g

Fat: 0g

Fiber: 5.2g

Potassium: 844mg

Oats:

Calories: 150

Carbs: 27g:

Protein: 5g

Fat: 3g

Fiber: 4g

Beans:

Calories: 200

Protein: 12g

Carbs:34g

Fiber: 10g
Fat: 2g

Potassium: 500mg

Pumpkin:

Calories: 40

Carbs: 4g

Protein 2g:

Fiber: 5g

Fat: 0g

Maple Syrup:

Calories: 420

Protein: 0g

Carbs: 106g

Fiber: 0g

Fat: 0 g

Calcium: 

Potassium: 320 mg

Peanut Butter: 

Calories: 200

Protein: 8g

Carbs: 6g

Fiber: 2g

Fat:16g

Black Bean Brownies

You may be thinking-EWW, black beans in a brownie?! But you will be saying MMM!  These brownies will wow everyone who eats them! While making them, I have to confess, I did lick the bowl clean (that's how good these are!).
What makes these brownies high in protein are (drumroll...) black beans! Yes-I know, I was completely hesitant, and a little bit grossed out at the concept.  But I had heard many people say that they were good.  I looked at various examples, and then designed the recipe below to cut down on the sugar and fat that most of these recipes were high in.  The result, a brownie everyone will love.  Just wait until the pan has been devoured to tell them the ingredients :)

Ingredients:

1 can or 1 3/4 cup of black beans, drained (we make ours from organic dried beans, click here to learn how)

1/2 c of cacao powder 

2 eggs (or flaxseed equivalent for vegan: 2 tbsp flax meal + 5 tbsp water)

1/4 c agave nectar plus 1 tbsp (you can substitute with traditional sugar)

2 tbsp coconut oil (or canola oil)

2 tbsp apple sauce (no sugar)

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp coffee grounds (we saved some from our morning coffee)

2 tsp baking powder 

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup chocolate chips 

Ingredients in Topping (optional):

2 tbsp unsweetened, shredded coconut 

1 tbsp chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Place all of the above into a food processor, except chocolate chips, adding balsamic last

2) Pour into a bowl and mix in chocolate chips

3) Greese an 8x8 or 9x9 pan and pour in batter

4) Top with additional tablespoon of chocolate chips and unsweetened coconut if desired

5) Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or until knife inserted comes out clean

**Kids only critique (they still don't know there're black beans in this) is that it needed a little more sugar.  You can up the sugar to 1/2 c of agave.  I think they're perfect as is :)

Nutritional Benefits:

Black Beans: high in protein, a nutrient essential for healing damages tissues, as well as potassium, which aides in nerve conduction

By replacing beans for flour, you are greatly increasing the amount empty calories with high protein, high fiber nutrients.  

Coconut Oil: zero cholesterol, anti-inflammatory, vegan

Agave Nectar: while a sugar, agave nectar has a lower glycemic index, meaning it is more slowly absorbed by the body, decreasing rapid increases in blood sugar like table sugar does

Total Nutrient Values in entire recipe (makes 16-20 servings):

Beans: 

calories: 397

Fat: 1.6g

Protein: 26.7g

Carbohydrates: 71.4g

Fiber: 26.2g

Iron: 35% of daily value

Potassium: 1, 068 mg 

Coconut oil: 

Calories: 260

Fat: 28g 

Agave:

Calories: 300

Carbohydrates: 80g

Eggs:
Calories: 185
Fat: 14g
Protein: 12.5g

Chocolate chips:
Calories: 350
Fat: 22.5g (includes addition on top)
Carbohydrates: 50g

Total Fat in entire recipe: 66g, or 4g per brownie (if making 16 squares)-not too shabby for a brownie!
Total Protein: 39.2g or 2.5g per brownie (if making 16 squares)

Apple Crisp (vegan)

Apple Crisp After Baking

Desserts are often high in sugar and fat.  This cobbler takes advantage of all the delicious apples we can grow here in Buffalo, while keeping things low-fat and low sugar.  Go picking or pick up some fresh apples from your farmers market.  Get more than you think you'll need, they last a long well in cold storage (and it's 1/3 the price you'll pay in the store).

Apple Crisp (made without DAIRY!) for a 9x13 pan

Ingredients for Filling:

8 apples (about, use as many as you need to fill the pan): use an apple peeler if you have one

Citrus juice (you can use lemons or orange juice)-about the squeeze of 1 lemon/orange or drizzle juice on apples to prevent browning

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp honey

Instructions:

Mix the above into a bowl and the place apples into a 9x13 pan

Pour 2-3 tbsp of apple cider into bottom of pan (to coat bottom of pan)

Ingredients for Topping:

2 cups rolled oats (organic preferred)

1 cup whole wheat flour (can be replaced by more oats if gluten free)

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp coconut oil (organic)

2 tsp cinnamon 

Instructions:

1. Mix topping and place on top of apples
2. Preheat oven to 375
3. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour (until bubbling), remove foil for 10 minutes to brown up

Enjoy!

Nutritional Benefits in this Apple Crisp (whole pan serves 10-12):

Apples: high in fiber and vitamin C (whole pan has 160% Vit C) high in potassium 

Oats: high in calcium, fiber, and helps to maintain blood sugar levels

Cinnamon: aids in blood circulation

Coconut oil: cholesterol free 

*totals in entire pan:
28g fat 

70 g sugar from honey

112 g carbs from oats (8g sugar)

12 g fiber from oats (much more depending on quantity of apples used)