Colorful Chik'n Rice Casserole: From Christa's Kitchen

Love it or hate it …… Casserole can be great for planning ahead and feeding a crowd. I happen to love casserole because they are easy to make and is a great leftover food. The recipe below is a yummy dish from my past and I’ll be turning it into a dairy-free vegetarian dish with all the same flavors.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-rice-casserole-2

 1^st I’ll be replacing the chicken with Trader Joes Chickenless Strips and if you don’t like meat replacements then a can of garbanzo beans will work too. I usually don’t use meat replacements, but I thought it might be fun for a change.

2^nd I’ll use veggie broth instead of chicken broth and unsweetened soymilk for 2% milk. Also omitting the butter altogether.

3^rd Also I’ll use wild rice instead of plain old white and make a parmesan cheese topping from brazil nuts. The same topping I used on the lasagna from a few blogs ago.

Some things I used

First lets take a look at the fat and calories in both recipes:

1 TBSP Butter: 11.5g FAT 105 CALORIES

8oz Chicken: 12g FAT 450 CALORIES

1.5 cups 2% Milk 7g FAT 200 CALORIES

½ cup Romano Cheese 25g FAT 360 CALORIES

FAT TOTAL: 52.5g

CALORIE TOTAL: 1085

After the RENO:

Chickenless Strips 4.5g FAT 330 CALORIES

Unsweetened Soymilk: 6g FAT 120 CALORIES

Brazil nut Parmesan: 19g FAT 180 CALORIES

FAT TOTAL:29.5g

CALORIE TOTAL: 630

Keep in mind this is for the whole recipe and is only focusing on the fact we are turning this into a plant-based dish. All other ingredients in the original recipe that I didn’t mention above are good with me. The figures are very good estimates but not exact and are from:

http://ndb.nal.usda.gov

Colorful Chik’n Rice Casserole: From Christa’s Kitchen

PREP TIME 15-20min

BAKE TIME 55min

1 pkg of Trader Joes Chickenless strips (diced) or 1 can of garbanzo beans(drained)

½ cup diced onion

1 med size zucchini (quartered and sliced into ½ inch chucks)

1 med size yellow squash (quartered and sliced into ½ inch chucks)

1 med size red bell pepper (large dice)

3 cups cooked wild rice

2 cups veggie broth

¼- ½  cup flour

1-1 ½  cup unsweetened soymilk

½ cup brazil nut parmesan

2 tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp Salt and ½ tsp pepper or to taste

Prepare all veggies, chickless strips, and rice and set aside.

Diced veggies
To make sauce: add broth to saucepan and heat until warm. Add flour whisking until dissolved.  Increase heat to med-high. Add rosemary, salt and pepper. Whisk frequently. After it begins to thicken add milk. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.  Should be gravy like.

Sauté veggies and chickenless strips on high heat adding water instead of butter or oil.  Sauté for about 5min or until veggies are slightly soft.

Diced chickenless strips

To make “parmesan cheese”: Add 1/2 cup Brazil nuts, 1 garlic clove, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1/2 tsp salt in blender. Pulse until nuts are crumbly. 

Everything in bowl before mixed

In big mixing bowl add all ingredients except parmesan cheese and mix well. Add mixture to a prepared 9x13-baking dish.  Cover with foil. The parmesan will come later.

Pre-bake

 I made this ahead and put in fridge so these baking instructions are for a completely cooled casserole. Adjust baking time if you did not do this. 

Added parmesan topping

Bake at 375 covered for 30min and uncover sprinkle “parmesan cheese” and bake for another 20 min.

My sons plate

All done!

About P.H.Ö.D. 

At P.H.Ö.D. (pronounced "food") we have created products that don't sacrifice taste and flavor to achieve health. And we have created products that don't give up health to achieve great taste. Our wonderfully delicious and nutritious products are made from simple and all natural ingredients. Each bite is loaded with protein, omega-3, and fiber. Our products are superior for building great health and great bodies. We are also getting ready to launch our version of take and bake dishes. Great for on the go people who want to eat healthy but need a quick option. Additional information is available at www.eatphod.com

Taco Takeover: From Christa's Kitchen

Taco Tuesday! YES! We did this a lot when I was growing up. It probably was one of my favorite meals. My mom would brown ground beef with a packet of taco seasoning. She would grab a pack of shredded cheese, a tub of sour cream, jar of salsa, and chop lettuce, tomato and onion.  We would put all of that inside a crunchy taco shell. This is an American style taco and it was gooood! Now, I wasn’t about to give up on one of my favorites, so today I’ll show you how I changed things and still keep the flavor and reduce fat and calories.

Mom’s Taco Recipe

My tacos would look something like this

1lb ground beef

1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 

8oz sour cream

1 jar of salsa

1-2 tomatoes (diced)

½ onion (diced)

½ head shredded lettuce

1 packet taco seasoning

Package of crunchy taco shells

1^st ground beef is going to be replaced with lentils

2^nd cheese and sour cream are out. I don’t use dairy free cheese or sour cream because it is still high in fat, but that’s up to you.

3^rd I’m going to add chopped cilantro and lime juice with the tomato and onion for a nice mild pico de gallo. Mild for the kids, I keep the jalapenos on the side.

4^th replace crunchy shells for soft corn tortillas

Now I want to share the difference in fat and calories in both recipes:

Ground Beef 90% lean 50g of FAT 970 calories / 85% lean 65g of FAT 1050 calories

Cheese 1cup 38g of FAT 460 calories 2 cups 76g of FAT 920 calories

Sour Cream 42g of FAT 450 calories

Taco shells (pkg of 10) 28g FAT 650 calories

I do realize one person wouldn’t eat 2 cups of cheese, 8oz of sour cream, 1lb of ground beef with 10 taco shells. But, I bet you’d eat at least 3, I know I did. So, after t everything is totaled divide by 10 then multiply by 3.  You’ll be surprised.

TOTAL FAT 158-211g

CALORIES 2480-3020

NO FIBER!

AFTER THE RENO:

1LB Lentils 2g of FAT 520 calories

Corn tortillas (10 tortillas) 7.5g FAT 500 calories

TOTAL FAT 9.5g

CALORIES 1020

Remember this is for the entire recipe and we are just comparing fat and calories of the selected ingredients. I don’t worry about calories/fat in fruit or veggies. I focus on the things that make a difference.

35g of FIBER in ONE POUND OF LENTILS!

 Figures above are a good estimate but not exact. Figures are from http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/

Taco Takeover: From Christa’s Kitchen

PREP 10 min
COOK 10 min

Taco “meat”

1 lb cooked lentils

1 packet of taco seasoning

½ cup water

Place lentils in skillet over med-high heat. Then sprinkle seasoning on top and add water, stir until dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer until it thickens.

Just added water

5 min later it thickened

Pico de Gallo

2 cups of tomato (diced)

½ cup of onion (diced)

2-3 TBSP of cilantro (finely chopped)

Juice of 1 lime

Salt to taste

Mix all above ingredients in bowl. 

Brown rice, lentils, pico, romaine, & corn tortillas

1-2 cups of shredded lettuce or spinach

CORN TORTILLAS

BROWN RICE  (OPT)

So I cheated a little bit with this dinner and made more of a taco salad instead of individual tacos. I had a few corn tortillas on the side and then made my tacos.  Either way works!

My plate

About P.H.Ö.D. 

At P.H.Ö.D. (pronounced "food") we have created products that don't sacrifice taste and flavor to achieve health. And we have created products that don't give up health to achieve great taste. Our wonderfully delicious and nutritious products are made from simple and all natural ingredients. Each bite is loaded with protein, omega-3, and fiber. Our products are superior for building great health and great bodies. We are also getting ready to launch our version of take and bake dishes. Great for on the go people who want to eat healthy but need a quick option. Additional information is available at www.eatphod.com

'Better'Nut Soup: From Christa's Kitchen

When someone gives you butternut squash….Make soup! We will be looking at ways to save some calories in this classic recipe below.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/butternut-squash-soup

First I’m going to cut out the olive oil and heavy cream and replace it with water and unsweetened plant milk. I’m going to use soy because I prefer the flavor and I think it’s a bit creamer than almond or rice milk.  I will be adding a can of white beans to punch up the protein and fiber! It will also add to the creamy texture.

Lets take a look at the fat and calories in both recipes:

Heavy Whipping Cream adds 44g of Fat and 415 Calories

Olive Oil adds 54g of Fat and 480 Calories

FAT TOTALING: 98g

CALORIES TOTALING: 895

AFTER THE RENO:

Soymilk has 2g of Fat and 40 Calories (per ½ cup)

Beans have 3.5g of Fat and 385 Calories (whole can)

FAT TOTALING: 5.5g

CALORIES TOTALING: 425

PLUS: Beans add 17.5g of PROETIN and 28g of FIBER!

Take a peak at the other nutrients beans have. Cream and oil can’t offer this. 

Remember there are 3.5 servings per can

Figures above are a good estimate but not exact. Figures are from http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/

Better Butternut Soup: From Christa’s Kitchen

PREP: 10 MIN

BAKING: 50 MIN

2- butternut squash sliced in half lengthwise with seeds removed

1- med/large onion rough chopped

1-2- garlic cloves crushed and peeled

1-2 TBSP fresh thyme or 1-2 tsp of dried

32oz- Vegetable broth

½-1 cup- unsweetened plant milk*

1 can- white beans drained (I used great northern)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Roasted squash for 45-50min.  Pearce with fork to check for doneness. While squash is roasting heat a sauté pan on high, add onion, garlic, and thyme. (Use water instead of oil to help with sticking. Keep adding water as needed.) Sauté until soft and slightly brown. (about 3-4min) Stir frequently. 

Ingredients I used

Onion and garlic sauté 

When squash is done and cooled remove skin. Add all remaining ingredients to a large bowl or soup pot.  Puree with immersion blender until smooth. If you don’t have immersion blender a food processor or regular blender will work.  

Everything blended 

Heat thoroughly without boiling and ENJOY!

*This soup came out thick, creamy, and had a hearty feel to it. Add more plant milk if you want a thinner soup. 

This will make about 2.5 quarts. 8-10 servings.

My plate 

I served my soup with a toss salad and toasted french bread.  YUM!

Extreme Lasagna Makeover: From Christa's Kitchen

By Christa Parsons, P.H.Ö.D. Eat Well, Live Well, Tucson, AZ

So you've adopted a plant-based diet, but you miss lasagna. Perhaps you are simply trying to eat healthier and want to increase your fiber and decrease your fat intake. So lasagna is out the window again. Not so fast!

Below is a traditional family recipe that is up for renovation:

 http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Worlds-Best-Lasagna

While with this recipe I’m sure taste isn’t an issue. This recipe is loaded with FAT! It is very calorie dense with almost no fiber and little micronutrients. And where are the calories lurking? The meat and cheese have got to go! So, I’m going to replace the meat in this recipe with lentils, the ricotta cheese with a tofu blend, parmesan with a brazil nut blend*, and skip the mozzarella altogether.   Below is the remodeled recipe, but before we start I want to share just the calorie and fat of each recipe. I use the USDA nutrient database for these figures. http://ndb.nal.usda.gov This is a very good estimate but not exact. The results actually surprised me!

Traditional Lasagna

Mozzarella= 1010 calories with 63g fat

Ricotta= 856 calories with 64g fat

Parmesan= 315 calories with 21g fat

Both meats= 2125 calories with 151g fat

Totaling a whopping 4,306 calories and 299g fat and no fiber

 

This is for 1- 9x13 pan.

Remodeled Lasagna: we replaced all cheese for tofu ricotta and lentils for both meats.

Tofu Ricotta= 800 calories with 80g fat

Lentils= 1150 calories with 4g

Totaling: 1950 calories and 84g fat

REMEMBER THIS IS FOR 2- 9X13 PANS!

If you’re worried about protein…DON’T! The lentils alone offer 90g and the tofu ricotta offers another 80g! PLUS almost 95g FIBER for both pans.

So you can basically make about 4 pans of the remodeled lasagna to only 1 pan of the traditional lasagna for about the same calories and fat.

 Note: Using organic ingredients total cost for The Remodeled Lasagna is about

$10-15 for 2 pans! The traditional lasagna costs about $20-25 for only 1 pan.

Lets get started!

Prep time: 20min            

Baking time: 55-65min

Things you’ll need:

Oven preheated to 400

2- 9x13 baking pans

16- oven ready lasagna noodles
Tofu Ricotta*
Sauce*
Lentils

*See below for additional ingredients:

Some of the things I used for this recipe

Nutritional yeast gives the cheesy flavor

“Ricotta Cheese”

2- 14oz packs of firm tofu (drained)

2/3-cup nutritional yeast

2 tsp- Italian seasoning blend

2 tsp- salt

1 tsp- granulated garlic

1tsp-granulated onion

1 tsp- black pepper

2-3 tbsp- water

Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and blend with immersion blender until smooth. A food processor or blender will work if you don’t have the immersion blender.  

Prep time 5min

Tofu Ricotta

Sauce:

1- 28oz can of diced tomatoes

4-5 cups- tomato sauce

1 tsp- salt

1 tsp- granulated garlic

1 tsp- granulated onion

1-2 tsp- Italian seasoning blend

Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl and stir. The salt, garlic, onion, and Italian blend can be increased or decreased depending on taste. Another option is buy your favorite jar of pasta sauce. You will need about 60-68oz of sauce. (more or less depending on how saucy you like it.) I like to save some sauce to top off the lasagna when serving. 

Prep time 1-2 min

“The Meat”

4-5 cups- cooked green lentils

I choose to boil my own but there are other options. You could use canned, it would be about 4 cans. Another option is 2 packages of steamed lentils from Trader Joes. It is a great time saver! They are located in the refrigerated produce case. 

So now you have 3 bowls of stuff. Grab your baking dish. You’re ready for assembly!

1^st begin with a sauce base (1 cup)* spread around evenly this will help from sticking.  

2^nd place 4 lasagna noodles on sauce. They should be slightly overlapping.

3^rd spread “ricotta cheese” (about ¾ cup)* on noodles

4^th sprinkle “the meat” (1 cup)* on “ricotta cheese” and layer more sauce on “meat”.

*Use your best judgment with the amounts when layering. 

Repeat steps 2-4

I made 2 layers. They will be thick and I think 2 layers is enough. This will make 2 lasagnas! I figure why not make 2 at a time and save one for later. Prep time 10min

Bake at 400 covered for 40-45min and uncovered for another 15-20min. The lasagna should be hot and bubbly.
Allow to cool 10-15 min before serving.

This will easily feed a family of 6. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers. As for the other lasagna cover and freeze for another dinner.  It’s best if thawed completely before baking. Cooking times might be a bit longer. 

Served with green salad and topped with "parmesan cheese"

*Optional: "Parmesan Cheese"
Place 1/2 cup Brazil nuts, 1 garlic clove, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1/2 tsp salt in blender. Pulse until nuts are crumbly. I didn't include this in the calculations from above.

About P.H.Ö.D. 
At P.H.Ö.D. (pronounced "food") we have created products that don't sacrifice taste and flavor to achieve health. And we have created products that don't give up health to achieve great taste. Our wonderfully delicious and nutritious products are made from simple and all natural ingredients. Each bite is loaded with protein, omega-3, and fiber. Our products are superior for building great health and great bodies. We are also getting ready to launch our version of take and bake dishes. Great for on the go people who want to eat healthy but need a quick option. Additional information is available at www.eatphod.com