Happy Monday Meatless followers! I hope my recipes are keeping you interested and nourished! I’ve got two yummy recipes that are definitely at the top of my list, and I’m sure you will enjoy them just as much as I do! I’ve adapted both recipes from the Whole Foods market cookbook, made my own little tweaks, and I must say; I think I made them even BETTER!
Pineapple is definitely one of my favorite fruits. Aside from being amazingly juicy, it contains a natural enzyme called bromelain, which is typically extracted from the stem of the fruit, as well as the juice. Most digestive enzyme formulas contain bromelain in their ingredient list. Bromelain is known as a proteolytic enzyme, which means it is helpful at breaking down and digesting proteins. This meal is bursting with incredible fresh summer flavor. It contains the perfect zing, from fresh ginger and a healthy dose of monounsaturated fat from avocado. It’s also a great way to use up left over brown rice.
Pineapple Edamame Rice
Ingredients
3/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
2 tablespoons brown rice miso or light yellow miso
4 cups cooked brown rice (long grain rice or quinoa would work well too!)
2 cups shelled edamame
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
1 avocado, chopped
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Directions
In a large, deep skillet, bring broth and ginger to a simmer over medium high heat; simmer for 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and whisk in miso. Return to heat, add rice, edamame and pineapple, toss gently and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is hot throughout, 3 to 5 minutes more. Stir in cilantro, mint, avocado and serve.
These sweet treats are fun to make and are quite versatile! You can use any flavor jam you like, or for extra sweetness, use organic chocolate wafers or chocolate chips in place of jam. This recipe, unlike the original one, contains no butter, no eggs, and has a healthy dose of fiber!
Jam Filled Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup almonds or pecans
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or spelt flour
1/2 cup safflower oil
1/2 cup maple syrup or brown rice syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Fruit juice sweetened jam (I love Crofters strawberry or apricot jam!)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Put almonds and oats into a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to a large bowl and add flour, oil, syrup and salt. Stir to combine well. Roll walnut-sized balls of the dough in the palm of your hand to form each cookie, then arrange on 2 large baking sheets, spacing cookies 2 inches apart. Press your thumb gently down into the center of each cookie to make an indentation. Spoon a teaspoon of jam into each indentation.
Bake cookies until golden brown and just firm around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to let cool completely, then serve immediately or store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.
Hope you enjoy these Meatless Monday recipes!
Ready for another Meatless Monday?? I sure am, especially with the recipes I’ve posted below! Being the foodie that I am, I have quite the abundant amount of cookbooks and foodie magazines! I love spending a Sunday afternoon flipping through books and finding recipe inspirations for the week. Two of the three recipes below are from the Everyday Food magazine (which I now order through the web and download to my iPad!! Too cool!) I absolutely love these recipes and they are perfect for meatless Monday! As for the smoothie, this is incredibly delicious and you can find fresh cherries at almost every grocery store now!
Cherry Almond Smoothie
Edamame and Tofu Dip