Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Tops

Ok, here is another Kodiak cooking mix recipe. I call them muffin tops because they are low fat, but your kids just might call them cookies.

1 cup Kodiak Power Cakes Flapjacks and Waffle mix
1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup soy milk (or other nut milk)

1 egg (you can leave this out if you are vegan)
1/2 cup chocolate chips 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all the dry ingredients until blended.  In a separate bowl mix together the wet ingredients*.  Combine and mix just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Spray muffin top pan with cooking spray (or you can use a cookie sheet with parchment paper on it.). Spoon mixture by heaping tablespoons onto the pan. Bake for 12 minutes.

*If you are not as concerned about fat, add 2 T vegetable or olive oil.

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

I originally made up this recipe before we were vegetarian.  I added ground beef and used Cream of Mushroom soup.  When we became vegetarian I made the same recipe but without the beef.  Then when we went low-fat, I substituted my white sauce recipe for the Cream of Mushroom soup.  I know the instructions seem complicated, but I can mix it up in about 1/2 hour, and then microwave for 10 minutes, when I am pressed for time,  so it isn't too bad.

1 medium spaghetti squash
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon veggie soup base
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 batches simple white sauce (click here)
1 box corn bread stuffing mix
1 1/2 cup water

Cut squash into quarters and spoon out and discard seeds.  Place in a steamer and steam until the meat is soft (about 20 minutes).  Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Meanwhile, spray a skillet with cooking spray and saute onion.  Add tablespoons of water if the onion starts to scorch.  Cook until softened and translucent, and then add soup base.  Stir to coat and set aside.

Prepare the Simple White Sauce recipe and set aside.

Using a fork shred the squash meat from the shell and place in a large casserole.  Add the white sauce, salt and pepper,  and half the onion to squash and stir to blend. 

Place the water in a microwaveable bowl and heat to boiling.  Add the stuffing mix and stir to moisten.  Add the rest of the cooked onion and let sit for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle the stuffing on top of the casserole.  (I don't usually end up using the whole batch of stuffing.  You can put the left overs in the fridge or freezer to use later.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or microwave for 10 minutes. 

Lowfat Vegan Ice Milk

My husband insists I shouldn't call this ice cream.  It doesn't have any cream in it.  But it does have soy milk, so I feel okay calling it ice milk.

2 cups vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup water
An ice cream maker

Put the water into a small microwave safe bowl.  Heat in the microwave until it boils.  Remove carefully, and stir in the gelatin. Keep stirring until it is fully dissolved. Cool slightly

Put the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Mix in the slightly cooled gelatin mixture.  Pour into the ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.  I use a table top electric ice cream maker and it takes about 20 minutes for the ingredients to thicken.  Once the ingredients are fairly thick, transfer from the mixer to a freezer safe container, and freeze until solid, about another hour.  Scoop and enjoy.

Broccoli Rice Soup

This is a recipe I got years ago from a Cooking Light magazine.  The original recipe called for chicken broth, so it was super easy to make it vegan by changing the chicken broth to veggie broth.  I also added the monosodium glutimate to add back some of the umami flavor of the broth.

1 cup chopped onion
5 cups veggie broth
1 can diced tomatoes
4 cups fresh broccoli flowerets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon monosodium glutimate (optional)
dash of red pepper (more if you like it spicier)
1/2 cup instant brown rice (or if you have left over brown rice, you can use that)*

Coat a large pan with cooking spray.  Add the onion and saute until slightly soft.  Add the rest of the ingredients except rice.  Bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat to simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the rice and simmer another 15 minutes or until broccoli and rice are tender.  Serve with your favorite whole grain bread.

*If you are using regular white rice or converted rice, add it in at the beginning with the other ingredients and cook for the full 1/2 hour.  If you are using uncooked brown rice, add it in at the beginning, but don't add the broccoli yet.  Cook it for 1/2 hour, add the broccoli, and then cook it all for another 1/2 hour.)

Sweet and Sour Tofu

The other day I was craving one of my favorite meat recipes, Sweet and Sour Chicken.  Then I thought, why not make the same recipe but use tofu instead.  The sauce is naturally low fat (though very high in sugar) and vegan.  It turned out quite good.

1 package extra firm tofu
1 teaspoon vegetable soup base

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
I/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup canned pineapple tidbits (use both pineapple and the juice it is packed in)
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Open the tofu package and drain off the water.  Pat the tofu down with a paper towel to dry as much as possible.  Cut it into 1/2 inch cubes.  Heat a skillet or wok and spray with cooking spray.  Add the tofu and brown slightly.  Stir in the soup base until the tofu is coated.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small sauce pan.  Heat until it boils, reduce heat, and then let it simmer for 5 minutes until the green pepper is thoroughly cooked and the flavors are blended.  Pour over the browned tofu and simmer over low heat for a few minutes so the tofu can absorb the sauce flavors. Serve over brown rice with a side of stir fry vegetables.

A Simple White Sauce

Here is a simple white sauce I use in recipes in place of Cream of Mushroom Soup or Alfredo.

1 1/4 cup plain soy milk or your favorite nut milk (divided)
1 bay leaf
1 slice onion
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon mono-sodium glutamate (optional)
Pepper to taste

Place 1 cup soy milk or nut milk in a small pan. Turn heat to medium.  Add the bay leaf, onion slice and garlic powder. Heat until it just starts to boil.  Turn off heat and let sit for 15 minutes.   (if you double the milk, you don't have to double the bay leaf or onion. )

Remove the onion and bay leaf and discard.  Add mono-sodium glutamate if desired. Mix the flour with the remaining soy milk and mix into the sauce.  Heat again until it just begins to boil and thicken. Serve as a pasta sauce, or use in recipes in place of cream soups.

Mix-in's

To make mushroom sauce
Place 8 oz of sliced mushrooms and 1/2 cup of chopped onion into a skillet coated with cooking spray.  Saute until the onions are translucent (adding a tablespoon of water whenever the onions begin to scorch) .  Put the mushrooms and onions in a blender and add the white sauce as well. Blend until smooth.  This is a great pasta sauce.

To make spinach sauce
Add one package (8 oz) frozen spinach, thawed, (or wilt one package fresh spinach in a steamer).  Put in a blender with one batch of white sauce and blend until smooth.  Add a dash of hot sauce if desired.  This is a pretty green sauce that goes nicely with tri-color rotini.

Alfredo
If you are not vegan, just vegetarian, you can make the same recipe using milk instead of soy milk.  Add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese to make a great lower fat Alfredo.

Chili Penne Caserole

When I was growing up one of our common family dinners was something we called "Mucket".  It was a casserole with macaroni, ground beef, tomato sauce, chili powder, and green pepper with melted cheese on top. When I got married, my husband didn't like the name "Mucket" but we both liked the casserole, so we called it "chili mac casserole."   In this recipe I give the recipe a low-fat vegan makeover.

1/3 cup chopped green or red pepper
1 cup diced onion
I can red kidney beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 cup frozen corn (heated through)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
8 oz wheat penne, cooked according to package instructions.

Put water in a 2 quart sauce pan, and heat to boiling.  Add penne and cook according to package instructions. Meanwhile, spray a skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium.  Add the chopped onion and green pepper.  Cook, stirring until it starts to scorch.  Then add a little water or veggie broth, to gently steam and cook the onion and green pepper until they are tender and translucent.  Add the rest of the ingredients, stir, and heat through.