Tag Archives: vegetarian food

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Naturally Healthy, Vegan Banana Bread Recipe

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Banana bread.  It’s such a yummy way to use up old bananas; which are actually some of the best bananas nutritionally.  However, brown bananas aren’t always that appetizing.  Enter, banana bread.  Of course, you can use ripe bananas too (like in the photo), but the closer to rotten the bananas are, the sweeter and more flavorful they are, and, as we said, the more nutritionally optimal.

Now, we’ll readily admit that there are a lot of banana bread recipes out there many of which are very tasty.  But, some rely on a lot of refined sugars and are heavy on the fat.  This one we’re going to share here though has some amazing extras that helps it stand out while staying healthy.  Plus, it’s all  natural and totally vegan!

Don’t let those brown, nutrition filled bananas go to waste – use them in this natural banana bread recipe that’s super healthy, vegan; and that the whole family will enjoy.

 

vegan banana bread loaf on white plateorganic bananas in glass bread baking dishvegan banana bread recipe mix

 

Naturally Healthy, Vegan Banana Bread Recipe

Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
  • 3 ripe bananas (1 c)
  • 1/3 C applesauce (or oil)
  • 1/4 C lemon juice
  • 1/2 C maple (or sugar)
  • 1 1/2 C flour
  • 1/2 C wheat germ
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1/2 t baking powder
  • 1/2 t baking soda
  • 1 C chopped dates
  • 1 C chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Mash bananas and mix with lemon juice, and applesauce (or oil).
  3. Add to sugar and mix well.
  4. Combine flour, wheat germ, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
  5. Add to banana mixture and stir until combined.
  6. Add dates and nuts.
  7. Spoon mixture into greased loaf pan (4×8) and bake for 45-50 min.
  8. If you’d like to make muffins bake for about 25-30 min

 

Eating Naturally, gallery

Veggie Stir Fry With Brown Rice – A Nutritious, No Fuss, Natural Family Meal!

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Quick and healthy don’t always go together – but more and more natural mammas and pappas are making it happen!

When it’s 5:00 and I still can’t figure out what’s for dinner, I used to reach for the frozen fish sticks or chicken nuggets – not anymore!  We’ve got a stash of go to quick, easy recipes the whole family enjoys.  One of our favorites, and probably one of the most healthy, is veggie stir fry with brown rice.

Stir fry is such a great natural family meal because it’s so versatile.  Got a garden bursting with _____ veggie – make a stir fry with it.  Joined a CSA – you can make a different stir fry each week with whatever they give you.  Cleaning out your fridge and have some lone veggies?  Use them up in a stir fry!

Of course like all other meals you could actually plan a specific type of stir fry, and you can add meat too.  Or give it a bit of oomph while keeping it vegetarian by adding some seasoned tofu or tempeh.

Best of all, if you have a large family like we do, stir fry is excellent because everyone can have what they want usually with minimal fuss.  Add some soy sauce, hot sauce, or other seasonings you like and you’ve got a meal any natural family will love; and that’s easy to prepare, even in a pinch!

The one thing is it does take about 20 – 30 min to cook the brown rice.  One of the ways around this issue though is to make a bunch of brown rice one night then store the extra in the refrigerator.  That way it’s ready and waiting for whatever veggies you want to ad, as well as for other meals too like bean and rice burritos, or as an awesome side dish.

veggie stir fry and riceYou can also make stir fry quicker and easier by cutting up the veggies in advance (a great idea for making salads easier too).  You might also consider keeping a bag of organic frozen mixed veggies on hand; which will cut your prep time down considerably.

Best of all though, everyone will enjoy this yummy family meal, and, you can even puree some for the baby if needed!  Plus, this meal is super affordable, a great way to use up left overs, it’s nutritious, and, we’ll just say it again, it’s EASY!

Fix up a stir fry tonight and see what we mean!  Most likely, it’ll become a staple on your weekly natural family menu too.

PS – we’re feeling lazy – and are wicked busy right now too (like always!!) – so we didn’t include a recipe.  While it’s pretty basic, if you feel like a recipe for stir fry will help let us know and we’ll add one right away!

Natural Mamma's Recipes

Yummy Veggie Hot Pockets Recipe!

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Autumn is here and is one of my favorite seasons of the year.  It’s so beautiful out the weather is amazing, we have some family birthdays as well as other celebrations, and, the food!

One of my favorite autumn (and winter, and sometimes spring and even summer….) dishes is these yummy veggie hot pockets, or turnovers.  Homemade crust wrapped around tasty root vegetables and other fall staples with a vegetarian sauce over them.  You can really use any vegetables just get them tender if needed, via steaming or sauteing – which ever is appropriate.

Also, these vegetarian hot pockets freeze really well so you might want to make extra.  This also makes them excellent options for bringing meals to help others like new mothers or those caring for ill loved ones.  Just wrap individually and freeze then bring over w/instructions for re heating whenever they need a quick, homemade meal.

Yummy Veggie Hot Pockets Recipe!
Recipe Type: Vegetarian Entree
Author: K.
Prep time: 40 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 1 hour 10 mins
Serves: 4-6
A super tasty vegetarian recipe for hot potkets/turnovers featuring fall veggies, a special vegetarian sauce and homemade crust. Perfect for autumn or, any time of year! Can also become a veggie pie.
Ingredients
  • Dough for Crust
  • 1/2 C Butter (1 stick)
  • 2 C Flour
  • 1/4 C Iced Water (may need more especially if using whole wheat flour)
  • Veggies
  • Use any combination of these you wish just adjust the amounts as you work out the ingredients ie use the larger amt called for if you omit another ingredient – or if you just like it a lot – I’d say the only essential ingredients are at least a bit of garlic and the onion for flavor.
  • Steam or saute in olive oil as appropriate.
  • 1-2 Carrots
  • 2-3 Potatoes
  • 1/2-1 C Pumpkin and/or other Squash
  • 2 Ears of Corn w/kernals removed (or frozen corn)
  • 1/2-1C Broccoli
  • 1/2-3/4 C Green Beans
  • 2-4 Cloves of Garlic (more if you really like garlic)
  • 1 Large Onion
  • 1 Med Bell Pepper
  • 1/2 C Peas
  • Sauce
  • 4T Butter
  • 1/4C Flour
  • 1 C Milk
  • 2 Egg Yolks
  • 1/2 C Cheddar Cheese
  • Olive Oil to brush onto the top
Instructions
  1. Make the dough by cutting the butter into the flour until its a crumbly mixture.
  2. Then, add water and mix until you create a dough that doesn’t stick to your fingers but forms nicely into a ball.
  3. Now prepare the veggies as appropriate (ie steam carrots, broccoli, pumpkin, etc – boil potatoes – saute onions, garlic, peppers in a bit of olive oil, and just add the corn and the peas)
  4. Once veggies have been prepped add them all into a big bowl. This is where you’ll mix them up with the sauce – so give yourself room!
  5. Next its time for the sauce. Melt the butter over med heat, then add the flour. Stir until combined over low heat.
  6. Add Milk and stir over med heat until it boils.
  7. Once the mixture boils let go for 1 min then take off the heat. Add the egg yolks and the cheddar cheese stirring until all combined.
  8. Now, pour over veggies.
  9. Next, get your dough and separate into 4 med – 6 small balls.
  10. Roll out each ball into a flat circle and add a few spoonfuls of the veggie and sauce mixture into the front/center area.
  11. Fold the back of the dough up and over the veggies and press bottom and top together to create a seal.
  12. Repeat with each dough circle.
  13. Then glaze all turnovers with a bit of olive oil – I like to mix mine with a bit of salt too.
  14. Now bake at 350 until dough is golden – about 30 min.

If you have leftover veggies – they can be wrapped up in a tortilla to make super tasty leftover veggie burritos.

Or, you can make this recipe as a pie – Just roll out the crust and put it into a baking dish trimming off the extra.  Then, add the veggie mixture and you can make a lattice top from your crust trimmings.  Baking time is the same.