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Homemade Grillable Veggie Burger {vegan, gluten free}

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Grilling season is here! Save money and eat lighter with homemade black bean burgers. Ground flax and bread crumbs are used to bind the burgers. Shredded carrots sneak in more veggies! Serve over a bed of shredded lettuce and top with avocado slices (my favorite burger topping) or add classic mustard and ketchup.

If you prefer to make your own black beans instead of using the prepared canned recipe, I have included my simple crockpot method. This makes a lot of beans for a huge cost savings! These burgers are good for your wallet and your belly Smile

This recipe is featured on Vitacost.com, click the link to check it out:

http://blog.vitacost.com/food-and-drink/grillable-gluten-free-black-bean-burgers.html

veggie burger (480x640)picmoneky

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Homemade Grillable Veggie Burger {vegan, gluten free}

Yield: 4 Burgers

Calories per serving: 200

Fat per serving: 1

Ingredients

    Ingredients for homemade crockpot black beans:
  • 2 cups dried black beans if soaking and cooking (see crockpot method below)
  • 1 tsp each cumin and turmeric
  • stir in 1 tsp. sea salt after black beans are done cooking
    • Ingredients for black bean burgers:
  • 3 cups prepared black beans (divided)
  • 1 T. ground flaxseed + 3 T. water (mix together and set aside until it gels)
  • 1 carrot, grated (about ½ cup)
  • 1/2 cup brown rice bread crumbs
  • 1/4 t. each cumin, turmeric, oregano, garlic powder (or favorite spices)
  • 1/2 t. sea salt
  • Burger fixings:
  • Shredded lettuce
  • 1 Avocado sliced
  • Ketchup + Mustard

Instructions

    Method to make crockpot black beans:
  1. Using your crockpot ceramic container, add 2 cups dried black beans and fill with water so beans are covered, plus an extra inch or 2.
  2. Allow to soak overnight or at least 8 hours.
  3. Drain and rinse beans really well, remove any damaged beans or excess skin floating in the water.
  4. Pour beans into crockpot ceramic. Add enough water to cover beans, then add another inch of water over the beans.
  5. Add 1 teaspoon dried cumin and turmeric powder.
  6. Cover and set crockpot to cook on Low setting for 6-8 hours, until beans are fully cooked and softened to your liking.
  7. Drain excess water, then stir in 1 tsp. sea salt.
  8. Proceed with recipe below to make fabulous black bean burgers! You will have leftover beans to make extra burgers or for another recipe.
    9. Method to make burgers:
  9. Drain and rinse black beans, set aside in a bowl.
  10. Add to a food processor, 2 cups black beans along with brown rice bread crumbs, shredded carrots. Pulse until mostly smooth with some chunks.
  11. Add flaxmeal and spices, pulse to combine.
  12. Remove bean mixture from food processor and combine with remaining 1 cup of whole black beans. Mix with your hands in a large bowl or on a large cutting board.
  13. Divide into 4 portions and form 4 burgers of equal size so they cook at the same rate.
  14. Grill (place a sheet of foil underneath burgers) on medium-low heat about 8-10 minutes, these cook at a gentle heat, unlike meat burgers.
  15. Black bean burgers with become crisp on the outside and stay soft on the inside.
  16. Serve over a bed of shredded lettuce and top with sliced avocado and your favorite burger toppings.
  17. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutritionals: (1 burger) 200 calories, 1g Fat, 35 carbs, 11g Fiber, 1g Sugar, 12g Protein

https://www.totalhealthcounseling.com/2014/homemade-grillable-veggie-burger-vegan-gluten-free/

 

Chocolate Buckwheat Granola {gluten free}

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Berries are in season right now so what better way to enjoy the season’s best than with some crunchy homemade granola!

Granola can be a crunchy and satisfying breakfast with fruit or afternoon snack. Most packages granolas a full of sugar and additives your body would prefer to skip. Buckwheat is used as a crunchier alternative to oats. Toasted with pumpkin seeds and flax in this recipe then coated in a simple chocolate glaze, divine!

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Chocolate Buckwheat Granola {gluten free}

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole hulled buckwheat
  • 2 T. ground flaxseed
  • ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • Chocolate glaze:
  • 1 T. cacao powder
  • 1 T. grapeseed oil
  • 1 T. raw honey
  • Pinch of pink salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Grease an 8x8 glass baking pan, set aside.
  3. In a bowl, combine buckwheat, ground flaxseed, and raw pumpkin seeds.
  4. In a separate smaller bowl, combine cacao powder, raw honey, oil, and pinch of salt. Mix together until thoroughly blended.
  5. Pour chocolate mixture over buckwheat and seeds in medium bowl. Stir to coat evenly.
  6. Pour granola into baking pan, spread evenly then back 25 minutes, stir halfway through baking time.
  7. Remove from oven when pumpkin seeds are toasted.
  8. Allow to cool then store in glassware in fridge.
https://www.totalhealthcounseling.com/2014/chocolate-buckwheat-granola-gluten-free/

See my recipe featured on Vitacost:

http://blog.vitacost.com/recipes-2/non-gmo-recipe-chocolate-glazed-buckwheat-granola.html

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Serve up in a fancy parfait glass and enjoy!

#MuffinMadness with Driscoll’s Blueberry Muffins! {gluten free, dairy free}

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It’s March Madness for college basketball in some circles and it’s #MuffinMadness when it comes to Driscoll’s Berries.

Driscoll’s Berries was very gracious to send me coupons for their berries and a Whole Foods gift card (!!) to make their gluten free blueberry muffins. Thank you!!

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The original recipe is posted here: http://www.driscolls.com/recipes/view/6938/Gluten-Free-Blueberry-Muffins

It’s gluten free and looks glorious! I made my version dairy free as well and they came out super moist and delicious! I also cut a third of the sugar so they are perfect for breakfast but not overly sweet, just the way I like them. I hope you’ll make this great recipe too for your favorite gluten free and dairy free eater or yourself.

Disclosure of material connection: Driscoll’s Berries provided me with coupons and a gift card to purchase their product. All opinions expressed here are completely my own.

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#MuffinMadness with Driscoll’s Blueberry Muffins! {gluten free, dairy free}

Yield: 12 regular size muffins

#MuffinMadness with Driscoll’s Blueberry Muffins! {gluten free, dairy free}

Enjoy with a spoonful of coconut oil or pumpkin seed butter on top!

**Muffins freeze very well!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Gluten free all-purpose flour (I use Bob’s red mill)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 cup raw honey (local if possible)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. lemon zest
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups Driscoll’s Blueberries

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375. Line muffin pan with paper liners or grease lightly with coconut oil.
  2. Mix together flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and sea salt in a large bowl.
  3. In a small bowl, beat eggs then mix together with coconut oil, honey, lemon zest, and vanilla.
  4. Pour wet ingredients in with dry ingredients and mix to combine.
  5. Fold in blueberries.
  6. **Note batter will be relatively thick.
  7. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter in each muffin cup.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.
https://www.totalhealthcounseling.com/2014/muffinmadness-with-driscolls-blueberry-muffins-gluten-free-dairy-free/

picmonkey muffins image

What is your favorite muffin flavor? I love blueberries in the spring and pumpkin raspberry in the fall.

Snack on this – eatKeenwa Krunch

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When I saw eatKeenwa on Instagram @eatKeenwa, I knew I had to try them. The looked so yummy and wholesome.

I was able to get my hands on samples of Walnut Date Agave and Cinnamon Banana Strawberry. Thanks eat Keenwa!

Disclosure of material connection: eatKeenwa.com provided me with this product to review. All opinions expressed here are completely my own.

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eatKeenwa is a great snack for on the go. It’s chewy, crunchy, and satisfying! A serving is 6 nuggets that fits in your hand. Even two servings (or two handfuls) is a reasonable sized snack to keep you going. You’ll want to chew these well to savor the flavor. My favorite is the Cinnamon Banana Strawberry with chunks of dried banana and dried strawberries. The Walnut Date Agave is really tasty too with the delicious taste of walnut complimented by the dates and quinoa.

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All varieties are non-GMO, gluten free, high fiber with 5grams per serving, low sodium, soy free and dairy free. It’s a winner in my book!

Check these out asap! You can find them at a variety of retail stores in the Northeast. Find out where exactly by going here: http://eatkeenwa.com/pages/stores

Order directly from http://eatkeenwa.com/ if you cannot find locally. I’m traveling in a few weeks and these will be in my snack bag.

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Get your hands on some of these today!

What is your favorite snack for on the go or to stash at your desk at the office?

Spinach and Zucchini Lasagna {Dairy Free, Gluten Free}

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If you love lasagna, but don’t tolerate gluten or dairy very well, this is the recipe you will want to make asap.

Great tasting homemade lasagna you can feel great about feeding your family.

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Spinach and Zucchini Lasagna {Dairy Free, Gluten Free}

Spinach and Zucchini Lasagna {Dairy Free, Gluten Free}

Ingredients

  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 1 t. sea salt
  • 1 t. oregano, dried
  • 16 ounces non-GMO tofu, extra firm (tofu from refrigerated section is best)
  • 2 small cloves garlic, peel and crushed
  • 1 T. nutritional yeast*
  • 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and excess liquid drained
  • 1 box No-Boil Lasagna noodles (Gluten-Free, if desired)
  • 1 medium zucchini
  • 1 – 16 oz jar pasta sauce

Instructions

  1. Drain tofu by pressing down onto it with paper towels. Pat dry.
  2. Crumble tofu into bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender along with olive oil, sea salt, oregano, garlic and nutritional yeast. Process on high until smooth and ‘ricotta-like’.
  3. Add thawed and drained spinach to tofu mixture and blend thoroughly. Set aside.
  4. Shred zucchini (about 1 cup) and combine into bowl with pasta sauce.
  5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour ½ cup pasta sauce into the bottom of a 8 x 8 inch glass pan, enough to cover bottom of pan.
  6. Place one layer of lasagna noodles over sauce, do not overlap noodles.
  7. Pour ½ cup sauce over noodles, spread evenly.
  8. Dot ricotta mixture onto sauce covered noodles then spread an even layer.
  9. Repeat layers, starting with noodles, then sauce, and ricotta. Last layer should be noodles covered with sauce.
  10. Cover pan with foil, loosely enough so top layer of sauce does not touch the foil.
  11. Bake for 50 minutes or until noodles are soft.
  12. Remove from oven and let stand 15 minutes before serving.
  13. Save leftovers for lunch and serve with simple green salad. Tastes great the next day too!
  14. Serves: 4
https://www.totalhealthcounseling.com/2014/spinach-and-zucchini-lasagna-dairy-free-gluten-free/

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*Nutritional yeast is a great source of B-vitamins, often used by vegans because it contains B-12, a nutrient commonly lacking in their diet. Nutritional yeast also contains fiber, protein, selenium, and zinc. Nutritional yeast does not contain active yeast. It’s often used to boost the nutritional profile of healthy dishes and compliments the flavor of certain foods by adding a cheesy flavor. It can be found in the bulk section at Whole Foods.

Source: http://www.bestnaturalfoods.com/nutritional_yeast.html