Lentil Jalapeño Tofu Stew

A quick and easy stew using lentils, tofu and vegetables. The jalapeño sauce used in this recipe is easy to make - just boil up a load of whole jalapeños with a quarter of onion. Once softened, drain the water, remove the seeds and stems from the cooked jalapeños and blend in a food processor. Store the sauce in an air-tight container in the fridge. It's great to stir into a stew or a stir fry, or blend into a hummus/dip. I also like to add a spoonful on top of scrambled eggs for an extra spicy kick!

Lentil Jalapeño Tofu Stew
Makes 4

Ingredients:
- 170g / 6oz lentils, dry
- 110g / 4oz onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 85g / 3oz celery, chopped
- 85g / 3 oz green pepper, chopped
- 800g / 29oz / 2 cans chopped tomatoes, petite diced
- 33g / 2tbsp tomato paste
- 50g / 2oz jalapeño sauce (boiled and blended jalapeños)
- 450g / 16oz tofu, firm, chopped

Method:

• Boil the lentils in water until soft, about 30 minutes, then drain.
• In a pan, sprayed with cooking spray, cook the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, additing a splash of water if necessary.
• Add the celery, pepper, chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add the jalapeño sauce, tofu and cooked lentils and simmer gently for 10 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
• Serve with brown rice, quinoa or courgette noodles. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Avocado Cheese Bread

I had 4 avocados that needed eating so I made chocolate pudding and avocado hummus. I was going to make guacamole but decided to try a cheese bread. It was a little experimental but it turned out ok. I used bean liquid, from the canned beans used in the avocado hummus, instead of eggs. I also added nutritional yeast to give it extra nutty cheesy flavour. I then only used 3oz of reduced fat cheese making the bread healthier than if I'd used 4oz and/or full fat. I could have used regular flour but I had some blended oats already in a stored container. Similarly, I already had prepared taco seasoning from my Chicken Taco Broccoli Bake recipe so it was just a case of mixing everything together in a bowl.

Avocado Cheese Bread
Makes 8

Ingredients:
- 200g / 7oz avocado, mashed
- 30g / 1oz jalapeño, minced
- 90ml / 6tbsp bean liquid (aquafaba)
- 160g / 6oz oat flour
- 16g / 2tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1tsp baking soda
- 1tsp taco seasoning (a blend of herbs and spices)
- 85g / 3oz cheese, grated (I use reduced fat 2%)

Method:

• In a bowl, combine the avocado, jalapeño and bean liquid (aquafaba).
• Add the oat flour, nutritional yeast, baking soda and taco seasoning.
• Stir to combine and then mix in the cheese.
• Pour mixture into a 9x9 baking tray and bake at 220C / 425F for 20-25 minutes.
• Allow to cool on a wire rack before slicing. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Muhammara - Walnut and Red Pepper Dip

This Syrian dip is full of flavour: sweet from the roasted red peppers, nutty from the walnuts, and spicy from the jalapeños and  red pepper flakes. Muhammara means 'reddened' in Arabic and traditional ingredients include Aleppo peppers, adding to the spiciness, but I prefer red bell peppers and jalapeños. Pomegranate molasses is also added to the dip. I didn't have any molasses on hand so I just used pomegranate juice instead. I rarely drink juice - because of the high sugar content per serving - so when I run out of pomegranate juice (something I've had in the fridge since Christmas), I'll just use lemon juice alone.

I didn't bother adding additional oil as there's fats from the walnuts and sufficient liquid from the pomegranate / lemon juice combo. The bread crumbs add a bit of bulk and whole grain brown bread helps give this dip a little fibre. The roasting and peeling process of the red pepper takes a little time but there's no substitute for the flavour.

Muhammara
Makes 5 (70g serving)

Ingredients:
- 60g / 2oz walnuts
- 40g / 1.4oz / 1-2 slice brown bread
- 250g / 9oz red pepper
- 50g / 2oz jalapeño pepper
- 33g / 2tbsp tomato paste
- 15ml / 1tbsp pomegranate juice
- 15ml / 1tbsp lemon juice
- 1tsp cumin
- 1/2tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4tsp garlic powder (optional)

Method:

• Roast the peppers, whole, in oven at 220C / 420F for 15 minutes, turn and then roast for another 10 minutes, until skin is charred - but not burnt.
• Place in a ziplock bag or airtight container for 10-15 minutes.
• Peel skins, remove stem and seeds and chop roughly.
• Using a food processor, blend the walnuts and bread.
• Add all the other ingredients and blend until the mixture is smooth.
• Spoon into an airtight container and refrigerate. 
• Serve with chopped vegetables or spread on rice cakes, toast or crackers. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Tofu Gumbo

Gumbo is a traditional dish from southern Louisiana, usually featuring meat or shellfish, but my version below is a vegetarian alternative - using tofu!

The creole seasoning is easy to make using dried herbs and spices and gives the dish an authentic flavour. A Cajun gumbo is also a popular version, perhaps a bit spicier with a dark roux base.

Okra is traditionally used in Creole gumbo recipes, as it's a classic southern vegetable and used as a thickener, thanks to its slimy texture.  A nutritional breakdown of okra highlights its high fibre, vitamin C, and folate content. Okra is also known for being high in antioxidants and a good source of calcium and potassium.

I like to use two kinds of beans in this dish - to add flavour and colour - plus a variety of vegetables.

Tofu Gumbo

Makes 6

Ingredients:

Creole Seasoning

- 3-4tsp cayenne pepper
- 4tsp paprika
- 2tsp black pepper
- 2tsp basil, dried
- 2tsp thyme, dried
- 2tsp oregano, dried
- 2tsp garlic powder
- 2tsp onion powder

Gumbo

- 450g / 16oz tofu, drained and cubed

- 240g / 8.5oz onion, chopped

- 2 cloves garlic, chopped

- 100g / 3.5oz celery, chopped

- 195g / 7oz green pepper, chopped

- 40g / 1.5oz jalapeño, chopped

- 195g / 7oz okra, chopped

- 480ml / 16floz broth, reduced sodium

- 800g / 28.5oz / 2 can chopped tomatoes

- 335g / 12oz kale AND/OR spinach

- 420g / 15oz / 1 can red kidney beans

- 450g / 16oz / 1 can butter beans

Method:

• Combine all the spices and herbs to make the creole seasoning.
• In a frying pan, sprayed with cooking spray, cook the tofu until browned.
• In a large pan, sprayed with cooking spray, cook the onion and garlic for 3 minutes and then add the celery, pepper, jalapeño and creole seasoning. 
• Cook for 1 minute, stirring in water to avoid sticking. 
• Add the okra, broth and tomatoes to the pan and bring to the boil. 
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the kale, spinach, two kinds of beans and simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Finally stir in the tofu.
• Serve with parsley, if desired, brown rice or cauliflower rice. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Thai Green Pumpkin Dip

The seasons are changing and pumpkin recipes are becoming popular. The Thai green sauce is made with jalapenos, traditional in Thai cooking to make curries and give dishes spice and 'hotness', together with poblano peppers and green tomatoes.

The dip is low calorie and can be eaten with freshly cut vegetables and baked corn chips. The mixture of hotness and creaminess is a great combination, due to the spicy Thai green sauce and the nonfat Greek yogurt. With only three ingredients, it's quick and easy to make.

There are no beans in this dip, unlike the other dips I've previously made.

Thai Green Pumpkin Dip
Makes 8, 84g/3oz servings

Ingredients:
- 280g/ 10oz pumpkin puree
- 96g / 6tbsp thai green sauce
- 225g / 8oz nonfat Greek yogurt

Method:
In a bowl, mix together all ingredients and spoon into a container.
Serve with corn chips and chopped vegetables. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Guacamole

Another great dip for avocado lovers! I recently highlighted a few benefits of avocados in my Sunshine Muffins recipe post. Avocados are a good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, making them a great substitute for foods high in saturated fat. They also contain magnesium which is good for bone health and muscle and nerve function, in addition to assisting with sleep. A G&T is a refreshing accompaniment with guacamole, which may also assist with sleep!

Some basic general knowledge about guacamole (thanks to Wikipedia) reveals it was made by the Aztecs by at least the 16th century. The name comes from an Aztec dialect via Nahuatl āhuacamolli, which literally translates to "avocado sauce", from āhuacatl ("avocado") and molli ("sauce", literally "concoction").

Baked tortillas go perfectly with guacamole. It's easy to buy fresh flour or corn tortillas, cut them into triangles, spray them with a little cooking spray and bake them in the oven for 15 minutes at 175C / 350F - turning after 10 minutes.

Whilst flour tortillas are super tasty, corn tortillas are a better choice in terms of nutritional value. Corn tortillas are lower in calories, have less fat, fewer sugars and more fibre. Corn tortillas generally have less sodium than flour too. As an added bonus, corn tortillas are smaller so one serving typically allows for two corn tortillas where as one flour tortilla equals one serving.
This infographic also offers a nice comparison summary.

Flour (L) Corn (R) Tortillas

Guacamole
Makes 4, 85g servings
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 200g / 7oz / 2 medium avocados, mashed
- 15ml / 1tbsp lime juice
- 1/2tsp cumin
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 50g / 1.8oz - jalapeno. seeded and diced
- 140g / 5oz tomato, seeded and diced
- 1tbsp cilantro, fresh and chopped (optional)
- 1 clove garlic, crushed

Method:
In a bowl, mix the avocados, lime juice, cumin, and cayenne pepper.

Stir in the jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro and garlic.

Refrigerate for 1 hour for best flavour, or serve immediately. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information: