Grilled Salad Pizza, from 12 Mouthwatering Meatless Meals

Pretty sure I need to try each and every one of these.

(via Health.com)

So, I am on a mission to find some low-cal vegetarian options for Super Bowl snacks.  I know, that sounds unbelievably exciting to you. 

But, a few of them don’t look so bad at all.

I’m pretty sure I’ll be making this Warm Spinach-Artichoke dip…59 Calories a serving (so as long as I don’t eat…uhh…well, all of it like I probably will..I will be fine!)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (16-ounce) can lima (or butter) beans, drained
• 1 cup light mayonnaise
• 4 ounces tub-style fat-free cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
• 1 teaspoon capers, drained
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
• 3/4 cup preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Combine first 8 ingredients (through mustard) in a food processor, and process until smooth (about 15-20 seconds).

3. Add remaining ingredients; pulse 5 times, then process until mixture is consistent throughout (about 10 seconds). With a rubber spatula, transfer mixture evenly to a 1-quart casserole dish, smoothing top.

4. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly at the edges. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes.

(via Health.com)

delishyourdish:

“Def Pepper”- Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers with Black Beans, Tempeh and Tofu

Let me first apologize for the not so great photo of today’s dish.  Like many of us, I got distracted while my peppers were in the oven and unfortunately my cheese got a little over done.  But, nevertheless, the dish was tasty and delish.

Also, I’ll be heading out of the country for about 2 weeks.  Unfortunately, I will not have internet access so I will not be able to post.  But, when I come back I’ll have all sorts of new and interesting photos of my tasty travels through Israel.

What You Need (For 2 Whole Peppers):

2 Bell Peppers (sliced in half and seeds removed)

1/2 Cup Quinoa

1 Can Black Beans (drained)

1 Heaping Tbsp. Mushroom Consomme Mix

1/2 Diced Yellow Onion

2 Tbsp. Cascabel Sauce

4 oz of Toasted Tempeh (crumbled)

1/2 Brick Firm Tofu

Shredded Mexi Cheese

Set Oven on 400 degrees convection.

1. Drain and pat the tofu dry.  Slice into cubes and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Place tray in oven for about 20 minutes or until the tofu cubes have crisped.  Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, add the quinoa, mushroom consomme and water to a medium sized pot (follow package directions on how much water and how long to cook the quinoa).  Then about 1/2 way through the cooking, add the onions to the pot.  Keep stirring so that the quinoa does not stick to the bottom.

3. Then, once the quinoa is complete, add in the black beans, cascabel sauce, tempeh and tofu to the pot.  Fold all the ingredients together.  Then, use a large spoon to fill the peppers.  Place the filled peppers onto a greased cookie sheet and place in oven for about 25 minutes.

4. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, turn off the oven and top the peppers with shredded cheese.  Once the cheese has melted, remove from oven and serve.

*Goes perfect with fresh guacamole and sour cream!

 OMG, I think I may fall in love with this

girlwearsmascara:

DAILY WANT.

The “HELLO-I-always-want-a-champagne-cocktail-but-it-is-now-seasonally-appropriate-and-this-is-a-raspberry-version” edition.

• 1/4 cup good quality vodka
• 2 fluid ounces Chambord
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 2 fluid ounces Champagne
• fresh raspberries for garnish
• red and white crystal sugar for coating the glasses

Dip glass into water then into the sugar to coat the rim of the glass.
Pour chilled Vodka andChambord into a shaker and shake till frothy, pour into the prepared glass . Top off with champagne. Garnish with fresh raspberries through a toothpick.

 So, i am actually having an alcohol-free New Year’s (what?? I know, circumstances beyond my control), but were I drinking, I would so be on board for this.  Maybe I’ll just have to have to celebrate some..uh..Wednesday or something

skysignal:lickystickypickyme:

Make no-mess pancakes with the help of a ketchup bottle: Pour in batter, then squeeze out precise portions.

49 more new uses for old things

This is brilliant. I always make a mess when I make pancakes, so this will make it so easy.

 Woooow…I don’t even cook and I am impressed

To kick off the Holiday season this weekend, I will be indulging in the Pumpkin Pie Martini.

Recreate the classic pie in a martini glass with vanilla vodka, pumpkin spice liqueur, Kahlua, butterscotch schnapps and half-and-half. Garnish with the perfect “crust”: crushed graham crackers.

nutritionista:

Sweet Freak: Healthy Desserts that Won’t Weigh You Down

I always get questions from readers about how to satisfy a sweet tooth without sabotaging health efforts. Well, the New York Times’ Well Blog has an answer. Here are five fruity dessert recipes that won’t break the calorie bank (and provide some nutrition to boot).

Pears Poached in Beaujolais: The pears are very gently poached for just 10 minutes in red wine that is infused with peppercorns and cinnamon.

Pear and Apple Soufflé: Fruit soufflés are dramatic desserts, but quite easy to make.

Roasted Apple and Pear Compote With Candied Ginger: A comforting apple compote best served warm.

Quince Compote: A simple compote gets its fragrance from cooked quince.

Orange Sorbet With Blood Orange Salad: This refreshing dessert feels like a pick-me-up after a rich dinner.

 Yes, to all of them.  A good guide for this season, when sweets are all around, and it is very hard not to partake.

mariahnotcarey:girlwearsmascara:

Where Should I Eat? Fast-food flowchart.  Amazing.

Pre my vegetarian days this was so accurate it was mind boggling.

Now it is pretty much Subway and Chipotle all the way.

azspot:

Here’s why: The livestock industry as a result of its reliance on corn and soy-based feed accounts for over half the synthetic fertilizer used in the United States, contributing more than any other sector to marine dead zones. It consumes 70 percent of the water in the American West — water so heavily subsidized that if irrigation supports were removed, ground beef would cost $35 a pound. Livestock accounts for at least 21 percent of greenhouse-gas emissions globally — more than all forms of transportation combined. Domestic animals — most of them healthy — consume about 70 percent of all the antibiotics produced. Undigested antibiotics leach from manure into freshwater systems and impair the sex organs of fish.

It takes a gallon of gasoline to produce a pound of conventional beef. If all the grain fed to animals went to people, you could feed China and India. That’s just a start.

biteofpythias:

elspethjane:

Pinkberry was out of blueberries, so what’s a girl to do?! Get Fruity Pebbles instead. :)

today was definitely one of those rare november frozen treat day!! but i walked past the local pinkberry in favor of one of those corner store drumsticks. i love the little chocolate plug in the bottom…

 I might actually kill for Pinkberry right now.  Or Fruity Pebbles for that matter!

rocketboom:

Who Owns Organic

Which giant corporations own which “small” organic food brands? (2009 edition)

 This is disheartening.

The last couple of weeks I have been stuck on Amy’s soups for lunch.   For my “pre-Hawaii-must be in a bathing suit in pictures” diet, they have been terrific.  They are low in calories and fat.  And they’re delicious.  And most of them (today’s Lentil included) are vegan. 

Basically, what I am saying is, I would like to make-out with Amy.

Snack Alert!

Okay, so I am swooning over Salt and Vinegar almonds from Blue Diamond.  I suppose I should make it known here that I swoon over anything Salt and Vinegar, but typically fight the urge to buy the potato chips, because they are, well, potato chips, and I tend to steer clear.

But these, these are health food, I tell you.  1 oz of the almonds has only 1 g of saturated fats, NO cholesterol and 6 g of protein. Not to mention the health benefits of eating almonds (in moderation, of course.  That’s the hard part.) have been well documented, and have shown everything from lower risks of cancer and heart to disease to weight loss. 

And now I am drooling.  Must. have. now.

azspot:

A kilogram of beef is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions and other pollution than driving for 3 hours while leaving all the lights on back home.