1. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
2. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the almond flour, and pulse. You want to add enough corn flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
3. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts or small patties, or use a falafel scoop, available in Middle-Eastern markets.
4. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add more corn flour/meal. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Garnish with chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and pickled turnips. Drizzle with tahina thinned with water.

The post Gluten Free Vegan Falafel appeared first on Healthy Home Restaurant.

2 medium heads cauliflower
4-6 cloves garlic
1/3 cup diced onion
1/2 tsp minced fresh sage
1/2 tsp ground fennel
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flake
1/2 tsp green or red lentils, rinsed
juice of one lemon
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
salt and pepper
1 tbsp coconut oil or grass-fed butter
Chopped parsley
chili oil or olive oil (optional)
thin lemon slice (optional – for garnish)

Cut each cauliflower head in half lengthwise through the stem (to hold the entire “steak” together). Cut each half again in the same direction so that you get 1″ thick slices. The ends may break apart – which you can just roast with everything else or save for another dish later.

Saute garlic, onion, sage, fennel, red pepper flakes, and lentils with the coconut oil or butter over medium heat for 3 minutes in a medium saucepan until fragrant. Add vegetable stock and bring mixture to a boil over high heat for 1 minute. Reduce heat back to a simmer. Cook covered for 45 minutes or until lentils are very soft. If you lose a lot of water from the boiling process, add more water to keep it loose.

Once the lentils are tender, remove the saucepan from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Blend the mixture in an immersion (“stick”) blender or a regular blender. During this blending process add salt and pepper to taste. Also add the lemon to taste (usually 1 tablespoon of lemon juice should do it).

Heat the grill on high or set your broiler to high with the rack at the top most position. Place the cauliflower “steaks” on the grill and cook each side for 5 minutes until the “flowers” have a nice char to them. Remove to a plate and cover to finish cooking. If using an oven, place “steaks” in a baking sheet and broil for 5-7 minutes until edges have similar char. Remove and rest for 5 minutes to finish cooking process.

Carefully plate one “steak” on a plate. Add a ladle of the lentil sauce. Top with parsley, a dash of sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, and chili or olive oil drizzle.

The post Grilled Cauliflower “Steaks” with Spicy Lentil Sauce appeared first on Healthy Home Restaurant.

Picture by Flickr user danuv.

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 head cauliflower in 2″ pieces, greens removed
1 cup finely chopped kale
4 large garlic cloves (whole)
1 sm (or 1/2 large) onion – chopped.
3 tbsp Miso Paste
2 cups vegetable broth (low sodium)
salt and pepper to taste

Set broiler on High. Arrange cauliflower on a baking sheet in one even layer. Roast until tips are brown and steam is produced. Take out of oven and set aside to cool slightly. Heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil in a stock pot or large saucepan. Sautee onion and garlic until fragrant or until garlic cloves are slightly . Add kale and roasted cauliflower and saute for 3 mins until cooked. Add 2 cups vegetable broth and 3 tbsp miso paste. Stir until completely mixed. Simmer for another 5 mins. Add any additional seasoning if needed (I found I didn’t need any more). Add tons of black pepper. Blend everything in an immersion blender or in a normal one. Should be the consistency of loose grits. Add more stock if you need it to be thinner. Or you can set the pot on a low heat and evaporate any additional water if it’s too thin.

The post Roasted Cauliflower, Kale, and Miso “Grits” appeared first on Healthy Home Restaurant.

Picture by Food.com user Lavender Lynn.

Taken from Food.com user Mille. Original link here.

2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons oregano
1 1/4 teaspoons cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon onion powder

Mix all in a bowl. Store in air tight container. That’s it!

(We reduce the amount of cayenne powder for the kids.)

The post Homemade Chili Powder appeared first on Healthy Home Restaurant.

A squeeze of lime just before eating tastes amazing.

Pho is a classic Vietnamese street food, much the same way Pad Thai is to Thai cuisine or fried rice is to Chinese cuisine. This dish calls for some ingredients that you may not use for any other recipe, so we’ve included some substitutions. Also – the recipe instructs you to add a lot of whole spices to simmer for hours, then remove at the end. Using a slotted spoon works best. The following recipe does make a lot of pho – which can be frozen and reheated wonderfully on cold winter days. This is almost like the Vietnamese version of chicken noodle soup, but the fresh herbs and squeeze of lime just before serving takes it to a new level.

Pho is naturally gluten-free if you use rice noodles (be sure to check the box). You can make this vegetarian/vegan by removing the chicken, using vegetable broth, and replacing the fish sauce with soy sauce. Adapted from Slow-Cooker Chicken Pho recipe on EatingWell.com.

8 cups low-sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth (two 32-ounce boxes)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce    << Um, fish sauce?
5 whole star anise (or 2 1/2 tsp of regular anise seed)
6 whole cloves
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cinnamon stick
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total), halved
6 ounces wide rice noodles (like pad thai noodles)
6 cups chopped bok choy (or leeks or cabbage)
2 cups mung bean sprouts
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 fresh Thai chile or serrano, thinly sliced
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges

*Use organic ingredients wherever possible.

1. Combine broth, brown sugar, fish sauce, star anise, cloves, ginger and cinnamon stick in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add chicken breasts, meat-side down. Cover and cook on High for 3 hours (or on Low for 6 hours).
2. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to cool. Remove spices and discard. Add noodles and bok choy to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on High for 30 minutes.
3. Shred with two forks. When the noodles are tender, stir in the shredded chicken. Serve bowls of soup with bean sprouts, basil, mint, cilantro, sliced chile and lime wedges on the side so everyone can add their own toppings.

The post Vietnamese Noodle Stew (Pho) – Slow Cooker appeared first on Healthy Home Restaurant.

Adapted from The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre, MS, CN

2 TBSP coconut or olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 TBSP chopped garlic
1 tsp crushed red chili pepper flakes
2 tsp sea salt or Herbamare
4-5 red bell peppers, roasted
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
2 cans coconut milk (full fat preferred)
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup minced fresh basil

1. To roast peppers, preheat your broiler and move the rack to top-most position (closest to the heat). Cut the peppers as shown here in this video but no need to cut into smaller strips. Keep the sides as intact as possible. Place the tops, bottoms, and sides of the pepper on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 5-7 minutes – or until most of the pepper is charred black. Remove from the oven and let cool. Proceed with the next steps.
   

   I don’t bother removing the skins. The charring adds a wonderful smokey flavor to the soup. Just throw all the roasted peppers as is in the big pot. Easy!

2. In a large pot, saute onions, garlic, chili pepper and sea salt over medium heat until tender.
3. Next add coconut milk, stock, red peppers, can of tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Puree the soup in small batches OR use an immersion blender in the pot directly.
5. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes and then add basil. Cook for 5 more minutes.
6. Serve in bowls, garnish with more basil, cayenne pepper, cheese or olive oil.

Serve with grilled cheese that you can make with our homemade White Sandwich Bread or Multigrain Bread recipes.

The post Roasted Red Pepper Soup appeared first on Healthy Home Restaurant.

Serves 4-6

2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
3 1/2 cups water
pinch of sea salt

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely diced
2 tsp dried thyme (I omitted this)
1/4 tsp Herbamare or sea salt
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped parsley
freshly ground black pepper and sea salt

Dressing:
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 TBSP white wine vinegar
1 tsp orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 300° F. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under running water for a few minutes. Place into a medium pot with the water and a pinch of sea salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer; cook for about 20-25 minutes or until done. Remove from heat and let pot stand for about 20 minutes.
2. Heat the TBSP of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add red onions, thyme, and Herbamare. Saute for 5-6 minutes or until onions are soft and are beginning to turn color but not browning.
3. Place pecans in a small pie plate or cookie sheet and lightly roast for about 10 minutes. Watch carefully as they can burn easily. Remove from oven and let cool.
4. Place cooked quinoa into a large bowl. Add cooked red onions, toasted pecans, dried cranberries and chopped parsley to bowl. Mix together. Pour the orange juice mixture over the quinoa and gently mix. Add sea salt or Herbamare and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
5. Add pecans (we like to roughly crush/shop them to release more flavor) when ready to serve.

The post Winter Quinoa Salad appeared first on Healthy Home Restaurant.

Image Courtesy of Flickr user Tassike.ee – Marju Randmer.

Taken from The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre, MS, CN

3 cups cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas) or 2 cans
1/2 cup sesame tahini
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves of crushed garlic or 2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup bean liquid or water to desired consistency

1. Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Your blender may get “stuck” with the thickness of the ingredients. Simply turn OFF the blender and scrape the sides down to the blades with a wooden spoon. Adding more olive oil or bean liquid can help.
2. You will want to taste the hummus to see if it needs more lemon, tahini, garlic or salt.
3. In a pinch I have substituted 1/4 cup natural peanut butter for 1/4 cup tahini.
4. You can also add basil or other ingredients (such as red chili flake or roasted red pepper) to vary the flavor.

Hummus makes a great, healthy snack and freezes well!

The post Homemade Hummus appeared first on Healthy Home Restaurant.

Serves 6-8

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 large carrots, diced
1 TBSP dried thyme (I omitted this)
1 TBSP garam masala
2 cups green lentils, rinsed and drained
8 cups water or vegetable stock
2 cups chopped tomatoes
4 cups baby spinach leaves
1-2 tsp sea salt or Herbamare
2 TBSP red wine vinegar (I used 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar and 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar)

1. Heat olive oil and chopped onions in a large pot over medium heat. Saute for about 5 minutes or until onion begins to soften.
2. Add crushed garlic, diced carrots, dried thyme, and garam masala; saute for another 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the lentils and water; cover pot and simmer for about 35-40 minutes.
4. Add chopped tomatoes, spinach, sea salt, and red wine vinegar; simmer for another 10 minutes.

The post Fragrant Lentil Soup appeared first on Healthy Home Restaurant.

Image courtesy of Flickr user jim_j1

Tagine is the name of both the cooking vessel and the entree (kind of like our word for “casserole”). The entree tagine usually is made with tougher cuts of meat (lamb, beef) slowly simmered in a spicy sauce. This version replaces the meat with garbanzo beans and cauliflower. Cutting up all the vegetables and measuring all the spices in separate bowls before turning on the stove saves much time and frustration.

2 tbs. olive oil (or enough to coat bottom of pan)
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbs.)
2 14.5-oz. cans chickpeas (do NOT drain – keep the liquid in the can)
1/2 head of cauliflower florets
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds  (or handful of cut baby carrots)
3/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (or to taste)
1/4 cup raisins
2 tsp. honey
1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
3 Tbs. finely chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a large skillet or braising pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 2 to 3 minutes, or until onion is soft. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in chickpeas (including liquid), carrots, and all the spices (tumeric, cinnamon, cumin, red pepper). Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add honey, raisins, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Garnish each serving with a dollop of yogurt (or omit if vegan), and sprinkle with cilantro if desired. Serve over couscous or rice or by itself to keep it gluten-free. Freezes very well. Best if eaten the next day so the spices can seep into the ingredients.

The post Vegetarian Moroccan Tagine appeared first on Healthy Home Restaurant.