You can't have too many hummus recipes. Still my go-to that works for a party or every day snacking. This recipe is inspired from Chef Matthew Purnell's recipe and the "vegan Nights" cooking class I took in May. He used sprouted chickpeas, but it works as well with canned garbanzo beans. To reduce the calories and fat, I've eliminated the oil and reduced the amount of sun-dried tomatoes in oil in his recipe. Serve with crackers or veggies or you can also use it on your sandwiches or lettuce wraps in place of mayonnaise. It's one of the most delicious hummus recipes ever! Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
juice from 2 lemons
1 cup basil leaves
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
2 T. tahini (found near the peanut butters in the store)
5-7 shakes of Tabasco sauce
small amount of water
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Add all of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine and then stir mixture with a spatula. Continue to run processor, adding a little water to thin to a consistency you like.
2. Serve with a side of raw vegetables or crackers.

I have a smoothie most days so I decided to post another version. This one has oranges from our garden because it helps thin the smoothie. They are not only so delish, but also have great anti-cancer and healthy heart properties. Read more here... This smoothie also has 3 romaine lettuce leaves. This is a great way to get in your greens. Add almond milk, frozen berries and a little Super Seed and your ready whir.

Ingredients:
Serves 1
1 cup frozen organic berries
1 orange peeled into sections
3 romaine lettuce leaves
3/4 cup almond milk
1/2 scoop Super Seed

Method:
1. Put all into blender except the Super Seed.
2. Blend until smooth. Add a little water if too thick.
3. Pour in the Super Seed and whir just a few seconds.

I'm on a roll with snacks and since I only had lima beans in the freezer I thought - why not... So, here I present, Baby Lima Bean Hummus. I'm not sure, but I think lima beans have gotten a bad rap in the past. But, check this out...like other legumes, lima beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. According to a Whole Foods post, their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as rice, lima beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein. See their full goodness here. PS: These could be served warm as a dinner side.

Ingredients:
Make about 2 cups

1 bag of frozen baby lima beans, cooked according to directions
1/2 cup cilantro
2 T. red miso
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 T tahini
2-3 cloves garlic
5 shakes of Tabasco sauce
1/8 cup water as needed


Method:
1. Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process. Stop and scrape down the sides to incorporate all. Add water to thin as needed.
2. Serve with sliced apples, vegetables or whole grain crackers.

You've been trying to be good, but those afternoon snacks are killing your diet plan. That's what was happening to me. I would do so well early in the day and then wham, the cheese and crackers would come out. Ouch! That's when I realized I needed to find some healthy snacks that were just as satisfying as the bad stuff. It can be done. My first substitute was homemade traditional hummus (find the recipe here) served with veggies or wholegrain crackers. Easy to make and less expensive than store bought. It did the trick, but I need other ideas. So here is a dip made with edamame beans, easily found shelled in your store's freezer section. 

Ingredients:
Makes about 2 cups.
10 oz package of shelled edamame, cooked per directions on the bag and rinsed with cold water
1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro
1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime (or lemon) juice 
1/2 of a 6 oz container plain yogurt
1 small avocado
1 1/2 T. miso (Japanese paste-like flavoring made form fermented soybeans. Read more here.)
5 shakes of Tabasco
Salt to taste (be careful because the miso is salty)
Note: you can leave out the miso, but you'll need to pump up the other flavors - Tabasco, lime, garlic)

Method:
1. Place drained edamame in a food processor and pulse several times. Add the chopped cilantro and pulse again. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until well pureed. Add more water if it needs to be thinned slightly. 
2. Serve with sliced vegetables or whole grain crackers.

Vegetable juicing is part of Dr. Fuhrman's anti-cancer solution (here) but he also recommends it on a daily basis as a great way to get more micro-nutrients. Juice them yourself or head to the local juicer - however you do it, do it! 

This recipe has the following: 
4 carrots
2 apples
1/2 cucumber
1 beet, 4 leave kale
1/2 red onion
3 cloves garlic
2" ginger root
1 1/2 cup parsley

I've had an urge to make another yummy cold soup. This soup is brimming with vegetable and fruit goodness and is a great snack, any time of the day. It's rich and soothing with a little kick and the combination of tomato and pineapple juice is awesome. I'm not sure where it came from, but we had this at one of our gourmet group dinners years ago. 

Ingredients: Serves 6, makes 5 cups
1 1/2 cups tomato juice or tomato-veggie juice
1 1/2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1 ripe papaya or mango, peeled, seeded and diced
1 green (or any color bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 avocado, cut into 1/4" dice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
6-10 dashed of Tabasco
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Salt and ground pepper to taste

Method:
In a large bowl, gently mix all of the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours. 

I was watching Ina Garten make crab cakes and they looked very yummy, but I was wondering if I could make them with tofu. So I enlisted my friends to be taste testers and, phew, it was thumbs up all the way :) Serve with any kind of salsa, but I like a fruit salsa like mango. You won't be disappointed in the this dish. Could be served as an appetizer if made a little smaller. I halved the mayonnaise and "fried" them in only a little butter. I didn't have any Old Bay seasoning either. After looking up what ingredients are in Old Bay, I added a pinch of this and that and crossed my fingers. 

printable recipe
Tofu Crab Cakes
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
3/4 cup small diced red onion (1 small onion)
1 1/2 cups small diced celery (4 stalks)
1/2 cup small diced red bell pepper (1 small pepper)
1/2 cup small diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay) or use the following spices: 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika, 1/8 teaspoon ground celery seeds, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger, pinch crushed red pepper flakes, pinch ground cloves, pinch ground mace, pinch ground cardamom, pinch ground allspice
1/2 pound tofu, pressed between paper towels to take out some moisture
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
For frying: 2 T. butter

Method:
1. Place onion, celery, red and yellow bell peppers, parsley, capers, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add water and cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature. 
2. In a large bowl, break the tofu into small pieces and toss with the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, and eggs. Add the cooked mixture and mix well. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 
3. Shape into bite-sized crab cakes.
4. Heat the butter and olive oil for frying over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the crab cakes and fry for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until browned. Drain on paper towels; keep them warm in a 250 degree oven and serve hot.
5. Serve with salsa and a dollop of plain yogurt.

It's not always easy to get in all of the greens you know you should be eating, but this "green" smoothie makes it easy. By adding a few swiss chard leaves to the mix, you get a boatload of nutrition that is easily digested since it's be whirred into such small bits. I like adding 1/2 scoop of my new favorite fiber, Super Seed (from Garden of Life), and a scoop of powdered greens (from Amazing Grass). You can also add protein powder if you're upping your protein. Drink you greens (and berries) any time of day. My Vitamix does an amazing job. (see link below) 

Berry Green Smoothie
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 cups of frozen berries, any mix - organic strawberries, blueberries, cranberries are my favorite
1 cup of your favorite non-dairy drink - I like hemp or almond milk
1/2 cup water for thinning
1-2 leaves swiss chard broken into smaller bits
Fiber and / or powdered greens (optional)

Method:
1. Add the berries, swiss chard and on-dairy drink to the blender
2. Whir until smooth, adding water to think to the consistency you like.
3. Add any fiber, powdered greens or protein powder you like and whir just a few more seconds.

A great way to easily eat a lot of vegetables is to make a soup or stew that you can then keep for days and eat when you get the urge. Combine that with a salad every day and you rock in the "plant-based" arena. This soup was inspired by a recipe from Dr. Fuhrman's 2-volume book, "Eat for Health." I didn't have all of the ingredients that it called for so this is modified. And, I discovered, quite by accident, a new addition that I think you're gonna love when I needed something to replace the carrot juice. Canned pumpkin - which, by the way, is quite nutritious. I opened a can that I thought was just plain pumpkin, but it turned out to be pumpkin pie mix. Yes, it contained some sugar, but the spices were just perfect - cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg - no milk or cream. I decided to use it anyway. What a pleasant surprise. It was excellent. I know added sugar isn't the best, but the original recipe called for 2 cups of carrot juice which is sweet, too (although more natural). Give it a try.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup red lentils
4-6 cups water
1/2 head cauliflower florets, bite-sized
2 medium bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1 cup carrots, cut 1/2 inch thick
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch kale, washed, leaves removed from stems and chopped
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can pumpkin pie mix (or straight pumpkin)
1 can red or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Method:
1. Place lentils and water in a large soup pot and begin to simmer.
2. Add all of the prepared vegetables to the pot and simmered covered for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add more water is necessary.
3. Add the pumpkin and the beans and heat through.
4. Serve with a green salad.