Category Archives: Recipes

Recipes Starches

Potato Puffs

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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spoon very thick mashed potatoes (or cauliflower mashed “potatoes”) into a piping bag or into a ziplock bag, then cut the corner off. Pipe onto a buttered baking sheet in whatever shape you like. Bake until golden brown.

Even quicker – scoop potatoes with an ice-cream scoop onto buttered baking sheet and bake.

Variations

Before spooning into the piping bag stir one of the following into the mashed potatoes:

  • dairy or dairy-free Parmesan cheese before baking
  • pesto
  • any pureed vegetable such as broccoli, cauliflower, celery, spinach …
  • chopped vegetables
  • veggie bacon bits
High Protein Recipes Vegetarian

Country Chicken Casserole

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casserole

Amazing what kinds of things you’ll think up when you have hungry kids, little time and even less patience.  Necessity is the mother of …  good recipes 🙂

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt a little extra-virgin olive oil and butter in a flameproof casserole dish or Dutch oven.

Add 4 cups fresh or frozen chopped vegetables and saute until al dente.

Turn off heat and stir in

  • 2 cups cooked chicken
  • 1 cup shredded cheese
  • 1 can condensed cream soup
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, creme fresche or yogurt (I like to mix 1/2 sour cream and 1/2 yogurt)

Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes until hot and bubbling. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheese over top of casserole and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted.

This recipe is so easy to vary and have a completely different dish each time. Below are some of my favorites, but please add to the Comments if you come up with a winner.

Broccoli with Cream of Chicken or Cream of Celery Soup
Mushrooms with Cream of Mushroom Soup
California Veggie Mix with Cream of Celery Soup
Cauliflower with any cream soup
Asparagus with Cream of Asparagus, Cream of Chicken or Cream of Celery Soup

Recipes Starches Vegetarian

Quick Veggie Pasta

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Cut vegetables into matchsticks using a knife or mandoline. Place cut vegetables in a colander in the sink. Cook whole grain pasta with a big pinch of sea salt until al dente. Pour boiling water and pasta into colander over the vegetables. Transfer pasta and vegetables back into pot and toss with your choice of:

  • pesto
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • butter
  • dairy or soy mozzarella
  • Parmesan (dairy or nondairy)
  • tomato sauce
High Protein Recipes

Zucchini Parmesania

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If you have any leftover Zucchini Fingers you can use them in this recipe but if you’re starting from scratch simply brush or spray 1/4 zucchini slices with a little olive oil and bake them in 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes until al dente, then continue with the recipe below.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place enough baked Zucchini Fingers in a lightly oiled casserole dish to make a single layer. Spoon tomato or red pepper pasta sauce over zucchini. Top with sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese (can also use nondairy cheese). Continue layering until all zucchini slices are used, ending with a layer of mozzarella or Parmesan.

Bake for twenty minutes until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted.

Ezine: Lose The Belly Fat

Sausage Zucchini Parmesania

Add crumbled sausage as a layer after the mozarella cheese.

Neutral Recipes Vegetarian

Tofu “Egg” Salad

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This is a tofu classic that has often been mistaken for the real thing in my house. The mustard and turmeric give it the right color, and the other ingredients provide the traditional flavor. Adapt this recipe to include your own favorite seasonings.

Combine in a medium bowl:

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    1 tablespoon honey
    2 teaspoons unfiltered, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
    1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
    1/2 teaspoon onion powder, or 1 – 2 tablespoons minced red or green onion
    1/2 teaspoon celery seed
    1/8 teaspoon pepper
    1/4 cup minced celery
    1/4 cup minced green pepper
    2 tablespoons minced pickles

Crumble 8 ounces firm or extra firm tofu into the bowl and mash together until the mixture is the consistency that you like your egg salad.

You can serve it immediately, but letting it chill for a few hours allows the flavors to meld better.

 

Suggestions for using Tofu “Egg” Salad:

  • stuff celery sticks
  • spoon on top cucumber slices
  • Sandwich: spread mayo on whole grain bread, top with lettuce, tomato, sprouts, nondairy cheese and Mock Egg Salad
  • spread onto a toasted whole grain bagel, English muffin
  • spread onto a whole grain cracker

High Protein Recipes Vegetarian

Parmesan Zucchini Fingers

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This recipe is a gradual evolution that started with the traditional breaded and fried zucchini fingers. Every time I made them though they became simpler and simpler as I eliminated ingredients. The final result is so easy and quick you’ll be turning to them whenever you have no time or energy to cook for dinner.

Preheat broiler.

Trim ends from zucchini. Slice zucchini lengthwise to make 1/4 inch thick slices. Arrange in one layer on oiled baking sheet (foil lined for easy cleanup). Top with shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese. Don’t use the kind of Parmesan that comes in a can and is grated so fine it is basically a powder.

Place under broiler for about two minutes. Check with a fork and when they are tender, remove from oven. That’s it, they’re done!

Reheat leftovers in toaster oven or oven. Microwaving them will make them soggy.

Beverages Recipes

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

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This smoothie is like drinking pumpkin pie!
Place all ingredients in a blender & hit the puree button. Done!

  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • 2 cups nondairy milk
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons unrefined sugar or sweetener
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 banana
  • 1 apple, peeled and cored or 1 cup silken tofu

I put measurements in my recipes to make it easier for readers, but if your comfortable guesstimating you’re more than likely to end up with a perfectly edible smoothie 🙂

Dessert Recipes

Fake It Ice-Cream

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You could of course use an ice-cream maker, but if you’re dying for a cold bowl of creamy fruitiness right now just get out your blender. Use just enough fresh Fruit juice, or nondairy milk to puree your choice of frozen Fruit. Use store-bought frozen Fruit or freeze your own.

When making “ice cream” I like to use the full fat versions of nondairy milk (which at most is still only 7%) as it gives the finished product a richer flavor. Another option is to add some half and half or lo-fat buttermilk.

You can get away without adding any sweetener, but you may find that your kids and guests prefer some sweetener and/or flavoring.

I’ve provided some suggested combinations below but I’m sure you’ll come up with your own favorites. When you do please feel free to share with other UnDieters by leaving a comment.

Add one or more of the Fruit in parenthesis.

  • banana, vanilla, optional: chopped walnuts, almonds, pecans (apple, pear, strawberry, orange)
  • banana, unsweetened shredded coconut, pineapple (orange, pineapple, apple, pear)
  • strawberry, banana (apple, pear)
  • banana, decaf coffee optional: carob/cocoa powder, vanilla, flavoring extracts– don’t use Fruit juice
  • any melon, optional: lime juice, (best to use  the juice from your melon, or apple, orange, or pear juice)
  • chopped dates, banana, optional: chopped walnuts, almonds, pecans

You’ll need to stop the blender occasionally to scrape down the sides. The mixture should be smooth, creamy and thick (except for the chopped nuts, which you’ll stir in at the end if you’re using). If you’ve used too much liquid, add more Fruit and puree until you have the right consistency.

Note: sometimes the above technique just doesn’t work to give you an ice-cream consistency. In that case pour the mixture into a metal or plastic container. Don’t use glass as it can crack in the freezer. Freeze and stir with a fork every 30 minutes until your “ice cream” is the right consistency. The right consistency is however you like it!

Beverages Recipes

The UnDiet Basic Fruit Smoothie

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For each smoothie put 2 cups of fresh or frozen Fruit or mix of Fruit into a blender, add enough liquid to barely cover the Fruit and puree. Adjust the amount of liquid to suit your taste or mood.

If you have fresh Fruit juice on hand you could and should use it in place of nondairy milk. Low-fat coconut milk would be a good choice also, although the canning process means that the milk has been cooked.

Optional additions:

  • vanilla and/or other flavored extracts
  • carob powder
  • cocoa powder
  • unsweetened shredded coconut
  • decaf coffee
  • date or maple sugar
  • honey
  • agave nectar
  • maple syrup (use the real thing not high-fructose laden brown water)
  • nut butter
  • canned pumpkin
  • spices: cinnamon, ginger, mint, anise, apple pie spice blend, pumpkin pie spice blend, allspice, clove …