Halloween Pumpkin Oat Bran Muffins

To get in the spirit of Halloween, I whipped up a batch of Pumpkin Oat Bran Muffins as follows:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a large mixing bowl combine the following
2 cups oat bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
In a separate bowl make up your egg substitute for 2 egg whites using EnerG egg replacer
Add 1/3-1/2 cup maple syrup (if using sugar substitute or brown sugar add with dry ingredients)
Add 1 cup of pumpkin or sweet potato puree
                                                                                    Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well
                                                                                    Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-18 minutes.

Roasted Eggplant Spread

My good friend Anne gave me this recipe which I adapted to eliminate the oil. It can be used as a dip for veggies or as a sandwich spread.

1 medium eggplant
2 red bell peppers, seeded (green are fine too)
1 red onion, peeled
2 or more garlic cloves minced
salt (if allowed) and pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Preheat overn to 400 degrees
Cut eggplant, bell pepper and onion into 1 inch cubes.  Toss with garlic and S&P.  Spread on baking sheet.  Roast for 45 munites until the veggies are lightly browned and soft, tossing once or twice.
Cool slightly.
Place in food processor and add the tomato paste and pulse 3-4 times to plend.  Spread on crackers or use as sandwich spread in pita pockets.

Stuffed Pepper

Wash and clean red or green peppers

Mix cooked brown rice, frozen peas, frozen corn and cherry tomatoes

Season to taste

wrap in foil and bake in a 350 degree oven about 45 minutes

Baked Apple

Core and peel the top of the apples

Fill with raisons (and walnuts IF you do not have heart disease)

Add a teaspoon of apple juice consentrate and sprinkle with cinnamon

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes or until soft

Strawberry "ICE CREAM"

Start with fresh frozen strawberry (or any other fruit-bananas are great).  Blend in a food processor with just a touch of water or "milk" (soy,rice, oat) and process on frozen desert setting (if your machine has one) until smooth.  If the fruit is not sweet enough, add a bit of stevia or other approved sweetner.  This looks and tastes just like the best ice cream!

Eggplant Tomato Bake

Adapted from Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.

Peel and slice in rounds 1 large eggplant

Thickly spread with Fat Free Red Roasted Pepper Hummus (this melts and looks like cheese!)

I added a round of sliced onion and a basil leaf (Esselstyn's recipe called for sprinkling with onion flakes and garlic powder which would be delicious but I didn't have any)

Add a thick slice of organic tomato

Bake for 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven.  Serve with a large salad and fruit.

Next day, use the leftovers (all the more reason to make more than needed) in a whole wheat pita pocket or Eziekiel toasted bread spread with a bit more hummus and greens.  This was absolutely fabulous!

15 minute or less Veggie Stew (in a Pressure Cooker)

 If you are in a hurry for dinner and have a fridge full of veggies, you can have dinner ready in a jiffy!  Here I put

Potatoes

Butternut Squash

Green Pepper

Carrots

Onions

Celery

and any other vegetables you have on hand 

Heat in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water or vegetable broth. Pressure cook with the rocker , rocking 5 minutes and release pressure immediately by running cold water over the pressure cooker before releasing the rocker.  Take a cup or so of the vegetables and blend in a blender with a half cup of tofu and whatever spices you would like ( I season with Kitchen Bouquet) .  The tofu and cup of vegetables thicken the stew.  Next day add a can of beans and enjoy again.

Beans and Pasta

Saute in a little water until soft:
          1 small onion
• 1 apple
• 
  
• Add 1 or two cans of Organic Black Beans along with about a tablespoon of Balsalmic Vinegar to taste and heat until hot.  In the meantime, boil some whole wheat pasta.  Drain, serve with a salad and enjoy! Fast, Easy and a delicious Fat Free Meal.

Healthy Snack

Organic popcorn popped in a Hot Air popcorn popper is a healthy fat free snack.  Just sprinkle it with Nutritional Yeast (a rich source of the B-complex vitamins, including B12) or lightly spray with Bragg Liquid Aminos (an all purpose seasoning from Soy protein).