My family is all about healthy eating!  We eat well by eating vegan meals - plant-based, whole foods that completely exclude meat, dairy, and eggs (anything from an animal).  This blog will help you to come up with quick family dinners and kids snacks that will get your family eating right in no time!  Even if you aren't vegan or vegetarian, stick around for some healthy cooking tips and tasty recipes!

All recipes posted serve 4 unless otherwise noted.

The healthiest way to eat is to remove packaged foods from your diet.  I always tell my son, "If it's in a box, it can't be that healthy for you!"

However, the majority of us in the U.S. buy a large portion of our pantry staples are in cans, boxes, and bags.  This doesn't mean we aren't eating healthy, but it does require some extra sleuthing on our parts, as consumers, to know what we are putting in our bodies.

It is extra important if we are raising children!  I have recently tried to reduce the amount of sugar my family is consuming (and have eliminated it completely from my diet temporarily - YIKES!).  I am constantly scanning pasta sauce labels to see if there is sugar added, and searching for unsweetened applesauce (which is just as sweet as the sugared-up kinds!!!).

But I haven't gotten rid of sugar completely.  In fact, I discovered a tasty cookie that I feel comfortable packing in my son's lunches (in moderation, of course!).  I try to bake from scratch, but time hasn't allowed for much of that the past few weeks, so I grabbed a bag of Barbara's Bakery Snackimals (Chocolate Chip), and fell in love!  Sadly, I ate almost an entire package myself in just two sittings.  The second package, my husband finished off!  (I'm not even sure my son has eaten more than a handful......)

This article was brought to my attention this week from the American Chronicle website.

Some notable points from the article:


"Smithfield Foods, the world´s largest pork producer, says its hog-raising costs have increased more than 20 percent in the past year, largely because of the high cost of feed. Meat-eaters can expect to foot the bill by paying higher pork prices."


"Some of the most versatile vegan foods—including beans, rice, vegetables, soy products and pasta—cost relatively little compared to animal products."


"According to a 2007 MSN MoneyCentral article, the cheapest cuts of beef, such as ground round, average $3 per pound; boneless chicken breasts cost $3.40 a pound; and canned tuna costs around $2 per pound. In comparison, dried beans and lentils cost less than $1 a pound, and rice is cheaper than $1 a pound. Tofu usually costs less than $2 per pound."


Sometimes eating vegan can be more expensive, if you are used to shelling out a buck for a McDonald's double cheeseburger and calling that a "meal".  But a home-cooked, vegetarian meal made from fresh, organic produce is healthier by far, and will save on your medical bills in the long-run! 



One of our favorite meals that is extremely inexpensive is sloppy joes.  We buy the Fantastic Foods brand box mix ($1.99), add oil, water, and tomato paste, and VOILA, you have dinner!  Place on a bun ($.60 at the bread outlet) with a slice of onion or tomato (free from your organic garden, a buck from the store), and you've got dinner for about three or four bucks!  If you're feeling spendy, add a can of baked beans on the side. 

I had to start this post with the photo.  Truly amazing.  Joanna (of Yellow Rose Recipes) posted this recipe for us testers, and it is on my list of "Meals I Will Make Again".

It is so simple, it almost doesn't qualify as a "recipe" - but it made a delicious, light, Spring meal that everyone in my family enjoyed. 

Zucchini are coming in season soon (May to August is the best time to buy them), so be on the look-out at your local Farmer's market!  

I would love to share the recipe, but as this cookbook is still in its testing phase, all recipes are classified.  I will continue to post recipes that my family has tried, and I will keep you updated on when to expect the cookbook in stores!

Making homemade seitan always seemed daunting to me, so I always forked over $8.00/lb for the stuff frozen from the local co-op.  But I heard so many rave reviews of the Seitan O Greatness recipe that is posted on The PPK that I figured I might as well give it a shot.

The results were fabulous, and the process was so quick and easy (my two favorite words in the kitchen!).  You mix a few ingredients together, form it into a log, wrap in aluminum foil, and BAKE! 

I have been asked to be a tester for Joanna Vaught's newest cookbook (as yet unnamed).  She is the creator of the Yellow Rose Recipes cookbook that came out in December. 

I cannot be more excited!  Expect lots of photos in the upcoming months as I show off Joanna's creations. 

We already tried a creamed soup recipe that was tasty, but not something we were completely WOWED by.  It included organic acorn squash, which I love, but the seasonings were a lot spicier than my boys cared for, and we tend to like a chunkier soup.  So, not a bad recipe, just not something we would normally make.

I plan to make her falafel sandwich recipe this weekend, and expect to enjoy that more than we did the soup.

My son just turned eight years old and what better way to celebrate than with lots of vegan goodies!?!!

I admit I didn't get as many photos as I would have liked, as I was busy with preparations, but I snapped a few shots I wanted to share with you.

Last year's party was a Pirates of the Caribbean theme, including a Treasure Chest cake.  I was encouraged to "top" myself this year (I can see this turning into a nightmare by the time he's 12!), so we chose a Star Wars theme. And not just ANY Star Wars, specifically Episode III.

The cake was the biggest feat, although not nearly as complicated as I initially anticipated.  I found the original idea online, so don't let me take any credit for it.  It is from one of the final scenes, on the planet Mustafar, where Anakin and Obi Wan are battling each other.

My birthday was last week and I wanted CAKE.  But my family is small and we can never finish an entire cake, so I opted for cupcakes instead. 

I am one of the many devout worshipers of Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.  I have all of their cookbooks and have tried countless recipes from each.  However, I am considerably behind in testing Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  So this is the holy grail to which I turned in preparation for my special day.

I made the Chai Latte Cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting.  They were definitely tasty!  They had a spice to them that was reminiscent of carrot cake.  I don't think they tasted enough like tea, but that might have been a problem with the cook....  Next time I might put an extra tea bag or two in the mix.


My birthday was Thursday, and by Saturday the cupcakes were GONE.  We had company over, so I just HAD to make more cupcakes.  I made the Isa and Terry's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with a cinnamon icing - very tasty, but more like a sweet muffin than a cupcake.  Our omni guests were pleased with the dessert, thankfully.  (They had brought over a cheesecake - oops!  Very considerate, but not something I wanted to partake in - super-glad I made cupcakes!!!  I ate five of them before they left.....)  I did not photograph those, as they were eaten before it crossed my mind...  That just gives me an excuse to bake them again. 

If you like pasta as much as we do, you will likely fall in love with Vegan Italiano - a great cookbook that is full of recipes that are naturally vegan, and not adapted to be vegan (you won't need tofu or soy milk or other "mock" foods items to enjoy these recipes).

Last week, we experimented with a recipe from Vegan Italiano:

Linguine with Artichoke-Marinara Sauce

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Cups marinara sauce
1/2 Cup water
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste
14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
12 oz linguine, cooked according to pkg directions (we used bionaturae organic linguine)




* In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until very lightly browned, 1 - 2 minutes.

* Stir in the marinara sauce, water, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

* Stir in artichokes and simmer, covered, 2 minutes.  Serve hot, over linguine.




While I definitely feel this should be on everyone's list of healthy, easy to make family dinners, I was a bit overwhelmed by the artichokes.  The next time we make this dish, I will use half the can of artichoke hearts and save the other half for a spinach dip. 

* What is your favorite recipe from Vegan Italiano?  Or favorite way to use up a leftover half-can of artichoke hearts?

I have been a subscriber to Vegetarian Times magazine for a little over a year now.  I enjoy reading through the articles and browsing the recipes, but overall it is only mediocre, in my humble opinion.

The magazine is geared toward vegetarians of all kinds, which means that only some of the recipes are vegan-friendly.  The articles cover a range of topics beyond just food (environmental issues, for example). 

But the main reason I subscribed originally was for the recipes.  I enjoy trying new recipes on a regular basis, so I am always searching for ideas.

This month, a section on tofu caught my eye, with a vegan recipe for Grilled Sesame-Tofu Skewers With Ginger Peanut Sauce.

This recipe was photographed and looked pretty darn scrumptious, so I was eager to try it.  My first issue was with finding SMOKED TOFU.  I tried traditional grocers as well as my local co-op, with no luck.  I assume an Asian market might carry this, but I did not have time to find out.  Plain tofu was substituted.

I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand except for orange juice (for the marinade), so I was extra excited (I am cheap, by nature, so I hate trying recipes that call for a dozen ingredients I do not have). 

To go with this, we decided to make fried rice.  (Fried rice is a favorite of my son!)  I prepared the marinade ahead of time and let the tofu cubes soak in it.  I also steamed the rice ahead of time.  This made it much easier for my husband to throw dinner together last night while I was at school. 

It took him about 15 minutes to assemble and prepare the tofu skewers and fried rice, and here was the end result:


Unfortunately, none of us were impressed with the flavor of the tofu or the dipping sauce.  Granted, I didn't use smoked tofu, so who knows if that would have made much difference.  It was just OK in our estimation, so none of it went to waste, but it certainly isn't something I plan to make again.

I will probably keep my subscription to Vegetarian Times, but to be honest, I rarely make use of the recipes in it.

* Your comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome and appreciated!  Be sure to read ChaCha's other food blogs (link available on right side of page) for great recipes and suggestions for healthy, organic cooking! 

Weekends are a great chance to relax and catch up on errands and household chores.  Sometimes that means grabbing a bite to eat at a local restaurant.  Although I live in a large city, there are no vegetarian or vegan restaurants currently, so we do not eat out much. 

Fortunately, when we do get the urge for someone else to cook our meal for us, a trip to Flat Top Grill is perfect.  You choose exactly which ingredients go into your stir fry, and they offer several mock-meat options, as well as tofu upon request. 

If you have never been, I encourage you to find one near you and go tonight!  You start off with rice or noodles.  Then you pile on the veggies of your choice.  I like spinach, broccoli, bean sprouts, carrots, edamame, and mushrooms.   This is also where you will find the mock-meats (seitan, veat, tempeh, etc.). 

Add a few spoonfuls of a sauce (Vegan options are clearly labeled).  Lastly, add garlic, cilantro, chopped peanuts, or other extras to your bowl.  Add a special stick for tofu, or roti prata bread, and a white (vegetarian/allergy) stick as well to have your dish cooked on a separate grill surface (to avoid cross-contamination from other people's stir fries). 

A few minutes later, your stir fry is brought to your table, piping hot and exactly as you wanted it!  (With no hidden ingredients.)

* As you can see, I didn't do much cooking this weekend (veggie burgers on Friday, and bean burritos on Sunday...).  We are planning to try a new dish or two this week, if life allows me the time to get to the grocery store!

The new edition of Vegan Lunch Box that was supposed to be out in March is being pushed back by the publishers to have a July/August release date. 

I was really looking forward to actually owning a copy of this book, as the self-published edition sold out several months ago before I could purchase it.  Jennifer McCann has such interesting ideas for kids snacks and lunches!  Oh well, if we must wait, we must wait.

In the meantime, if you need a quick and healthy snack for the kids in your life, whip up a fresh batch of guacamole!   Store bought guacamole often doesn't even contain much avocado (Kraft's version, for example), and it can contain gelatin as well (Gross!  Gelatin comes from the bones, skins, hoofs, and tendons of cows, pigs, and fish.).

Organic avocados are a terrific source of fiber, as well as potassium, Vitamin E, and more!

Guacamole

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons lemon or lime juice
2 avocados
2 cloves garlic (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder  (I use a bit more than this for an extra kick!)

* Squeeze juice into bowl.  Add avocado chunks.  Mash with a fork. Stir in the garlic, salt, cumin, and chili powder.

How easy was that?!  Serve with chips as a healthy, organic snack, or spread on a tortilla with refried beans and leftover rice for a simple burrito lunch.  

* To answer some questions that were posed to me:  I buy a lot of the more unusual ingredients at the local health food shop or our local food co-op.  Traditional grocery stores often have a small selection of vegetarian foods, but you won't find vegan cheeses or miso there usually. 

In larger cities you can likely find things like SoyBoy ravioli and Vitasoy soy milk at Whole Foods or Trader Joes.  (I wouldn't know for sure, our city doesn't have either of those!) 

And I have no preference between rice cheese or soy cheese.  They are both great on a veggie burger or on a bun beneath sloppy joes!  I have yet to make a grilled cheese sandwich with either one, though.  I suppose that will be the TRUE TEST!  ha ha

I am a full time college student.  Although I love to cook from scratch, I really don't have the time every single night.  This recipe is tasty - but quick and easy as well!  The original recipe called for a cheese tortellini, but for a healthier, vegan, version, use SoyBoy ravioli.


Adapted from Very Best Baby:

Ravioli Stew

Ingredients:
1 package (10 ounces) SoyBoy ravioli (any flavor!), prepared according to package directions
1 container (15 ounces) BUITONI Refrigerated Marinara Sauce
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) no-chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 package (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables (my family doesn't care for frozen veggies, so I use a can of DelMonte Summer Crisp corn and a can of cut green beans, use whatever veggies your family prefers!)

*Combine sauce and broth in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Add vegetables; return to a boil.  Reduce heat to low; cover.


* Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in pasta; heat through. (SoyBoy Verde Ravioli shown here)


(Makes 4 servings)

And the final product looks something like this:

Speaking of dairy...

And school lunches...


The last time I let my son buy a hot lunch at school I had to send him with his own drink.  His school only offers milk (white, chocolate, or strawberry) as a beverage option.  In fact, this is not unique, as the USDA mandates that milk be apart of each child's lunch.  According to Jean Daniel, USDA's public affairs director for food and nutrition, "Milk must be served with school lunch, according to USDA regulations.  If not, it's not considered a reimbursable meal."

Kim Tarhan, registered dietitian for a D.C. area school district, said, "We serve four kinds of cow milk, and if a student brings a doctor's note, they get calcium-fortified orange juice."

It takes a note from your family doctor to allow your child to NOT drink cow's milk at school!  Your or your child's personal preference holds no weight, regardless of your reasoning, be it ethical, for your child's health, or even simply a dislike of milk.

My son's teacher told him that kids need milk to build strong bones. That is a common misconception that the dairy industry has pushed on our children for years.  What our children need is CALCIUM to build strong bones, which is abundant in plant-based foods.  (Refer to my previous post for some examples.)

According to a recent article on Yahoo News, "Calcium from non-dairy food was tied to a reduced risk of non-advanced prostate cancer."

And as for dairy sources of calcium (i.e. milk), Amy Lanou, Ph.D., nutrition director for the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine said, "Besides prostate cancer, milk has been linked to asthma, anemia, juvenile-onset diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and ovarian and breast cancer."

But in the school systems, our children's health is being dictated by federal funding which is dictated by USDA policies.  If we expect our children to be healthy, we have to be proactive, either by packing them healthy lunches or by becoming activists on their behalf.  Check back to my blog regularly for healthy cold lunch suggestions.  Check out Healthy School Lunches and Two Angry Moms for suggestions on how to become activists for school hot lunches.

A few months ago I realized that my husband hadn't complained about his arthritis in quite a while.  I asked him if he had any pain recently, and he said no.  The pain stopped not long after my husband switched to a vegan diet.  I cannot say definitively if removing meat and/or dairy led to this or not, but there is compelling scientific evidence to back that possibility up.

A study was performed in Sweden on a group of people who had rheumatoid arthritis.  They went dairy-free for a period of three months.  This short time period was long enough for the arthritis patients to "obtain better physical function and increase their vitality".  

Other, older studies, have had similar results, with patients going on vegan diets and having their pain go away in a very short period of time.  And then, of course, there is my husband.  Five years of arthritis doesn't just disappear!

People often cite dairy as being good for your health.  A 2005 article on TIME Magazine's Online Edition states that, "Previous studies have shown that low-fat dairy products, as part of a diet that's rich in fruits and vegetables, also helps to reduce high blood pressure."  

Well, I'm sure that a plate of brownies every day, AS PART OF A DIET THAT'S RICH IN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, would do just as good a job at reducing high blood pressure.  Bad foods in moderation aren't going to do an enormous amount of harm if you are eating well the majority of the time.    

Sadly, the only real "health benefit" you can get from dairy products is the large amounts of calcium they contain.  And the damage that dairy can do to you (arthritis, for example) definitely overpower the calcium factor.

In fact, calcium can be found in many plant-based foods, making dairy worthless on the "health" scale.

Calcium Requirements

Teens and Adults need roughly 800 - 1,000 mg per day.  Infants and Children need 350 - 550 mg per day (depending on their exact age).

A vegan diet provides for this easily!  Most orange juice and non-dairy milk is fortified with calcium - read labels to get exact amounts (though these tend to be around 200 - 300 mg per 8 oz glass).   Blackstrap molasses has 400 mg for every 2 tablespoons you consume.  A cup of cooked broccoli has 94 mg.  A handful of almonds contains 89 mg.  

According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, calcium can be most readily obtained from "greens and beans".  "Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, mustard greens, Swiss chard, and other greens are loaded with highly absorbable calcium...  Beans are humble foods, and you might not know that they are loaded with calcium.  There is more than 100 milligrams of calcium in a plate of baked beans."

And once you get a good dose of calcium - keep it!  Excess salt, as well as animal proteins (read: meat) tend to leach the calcium right out of your bones.  (Another good reason to eat vegan!)

As I said last time, I used to enjoy drinking strawberry milk.  I still haven't quite acquired a taste for soy milk (other than for cooking with), but I recently stumbled upon VitaSoy's flavored soy milk in Strawberry Banana flavor.  It is delicious!  No funny beany flavor to it at all.  A good non-dairy substitute!  Let me know if you've tried it, or their other variety (Chocolate Banana).  And know that you are doing your body a favor by eliminating dairy from your diet!!!

* More on the importance of eating healthy next time!

PROBLEM:  Children are eating too many unhealthy snacks and drinking too much soda.  On top of that, children just aren't exercising like their bodies need (this comes from a sedentary lifestyle of watching hours of television each week and playing even more hours of video games).

Granted, it isn't the best time of year to tell your children "Go outside and play," but you can certainly take control over what they are consuming.  (You ARE the parents, remember?!)

A 2001 study on behavioral intervention in overweight families concluded that INCREASING fruits and vegetables worked much better for weight loss than DECREASING high-fat and high-sugar food items.  That is such a fabulous way to look at eating right!  Focus on increasing the variety of tasty foods you are trying and lessen the focus of what you are "giving up".  

(Before going vegan, I never made fresh-fruit smoothies.  The closest I ever came to that was adding strawberry syrup to a glass of milk.  It is such a treat whipping a batch of smoothies up on weekend mornings with whatever fresh fruit we have on hand.  Think INCREASE, not DECREASE!!!)

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that providing healthy snacks and school lunches is too time-consuming.  A little planning and prep work goes a long way.  Sunday evening, set aside time to chop some organic fruits and veggies for the week ahead.  Fill several Tupperware with carrot sticks, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, grapes, kiwi, strawberries, pineapple, etc.

On school days, grab a serving of two or three of these, and your child's lunch is nearly done!  Add hummus, salad dressing, or a natural nut butter for dipping (peanut butter and almond butter are my favorites).

Instead of greasy potato chips, include pretzels or whole grain crackers.

For a dessert, make a pan of granola bars, or half a dozen fruit muffins.

Add a sandwich or other "entree" - and voila, your child is ready to head out the door!  And these suggestions go for afternoon and weekend snacks as well.  A really great snack bar recipe was created by Teresa Mattson, who agreed to let me share it with you.  Feel free to change up the ingredients a little to suit your picky eater!  

Peanut Butter Paradise Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup earth balance margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup flax seed
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup vegan semisweet chocolate chips
 
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
* Stir together the peanut butter, margarine, the brown sugar, corn syrup, agave nectar and the vanilla until smooth. Add all the other ingredients. Stir well.
* Press the mixture into 13 x 9 inch greased pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
* Cool on wire rack before cutting into bars.

I spend a lot of time each week planning and preparing my son's school lunches.  He has the cutest Laptop Lunchbox that has adorable little compartments that encourage me to include a variety of tasty items for him each day.  I have to laugh when people ask us if eating vegan is boring, since our food choices are "limited".  I would bet money that my son eats the most un-boring lunches of any kid in his school!

For his "entree", I alternate between PB&J, pita bread triangles with hummus, crackers with almond butter, and "mock meat" sandwiches with Rice cheese and mustard.  

In the large, lidded compartment (if it doesn't contain hummus or almond butter), I usually include applesauce, banana rice pudding, or soy yogurt.

In one of the smaller compartments, I usually put fresh fruit or veggies.  The most common ones are grapes, raspberries, kiwi, raisins, and carrots sticks with a side of dairy-free ranch.  


And finally, he gets a dessert.  When they go on sale, I stock up on fruit leathers (Stretch Island and Fruitabu).  I also try to have a few Organic Dark Chocolate Bug Bites on hand each week.  Sometimes I put in a homemade raspberry muffin or a Fauxstess Cupcake (shown here, Halloween-style!).

For a drink, he gets apple juice, soy milk, or sometimes a juice box of Kidz Dream Orange Cream Smoothie (flavored soy milk).

Granted, I don't go to school with my son to compare his lunch to the other kiddos'.  But I remember growing up taking a brown paper sack to school with a Carl Budding sandwich, a baggie of chips, and a stale-tasting Little Debbie.  Every day.  

My son is eating healthier food and getting a lot more enjoyment out of school lunch time than I ever did!  

* My next few posts will focus on the importance of healthy eating.  This goes for adults and kids!

My friend Troy is always making his family Bangers and Mash, a British name for sausage and mashed potatoes.  It made me jealous.  I wasn't jealous that he ate artery-clogging sausage several times a month, but that he could throw around such a cute name for a meal.  

I decided to try another cutely-named British dish, Bubble and Squeak.  This dish is intended to be a tasty way to use up any leftovers you might have, but you can make it with fresh ingredients like I do.  

Directions:

Gather some leftover mashed potatoes and cooked cabbage - OR - Peel, chop, and boil some potatoes.  Chop some cabbage up, and throw it in the pot, too.  Once they are both cooked up nice and soft, drain and fry them up in a big frying pan with vegan margarine.  

How's that for an easy vegan family dinner or side dish?  And cheap, too.  The first time I made it, I found organic cabbage on sale for 49 cents per pound, and potatoes are always a steal.  

To add some variety to your Bubble and Squeak, add any other leftover veggies you have.  Some good choices would be onions, mushrooms, carrots, or peas.   You could also form the potatoes and cabbage into patties and fry them up that way.  I don't usually bother, but that's just me.  

* Bookmark this page and check back often -  more vegan recipes to come soon, to help you eat well!

With the busy holiday season upon us, and college students finishing up this semester of school, now is as good of a time as any to take advantage of healthy easy to make dinners.  While we are on the topic of potatoes, I have to remind you how simple it is to have a baked potato bar for dinner!  To simplify things further, bake the potatoes in advance and refrigerate them.  Then just zap them in the microwave on the night you have the least amount of dinner-prep time.

If you are like me and occasionally forget the details on baking a potato, don't feel foolish.  The Internet is a fabulous resource:  Howtobakeapotato.com

Once you've mastered the hard part, setting up your bar will be easy!  Just gather any toppings you and your family desire.  Here are some suggestions:

tofu sour cream
chives
salsa (my personal favorite)
diced onions
black olives
mushrooms
steamed broccoli
sausage-style veggie crumbles
Betty Crocker Bac-o's Bacon Flavor Bits
steamed broccoli (or any vegetable you like!)
ranch dressing (we use organic non dairy ranch by Organicville)
shredded vegan cheese

Everyone can assemble their potatoes to their own tastes, which should satisfy even your pickiest family member (whether that be your spouse or your toddler).

If you choose large baking potatoes, one of these will be a filling meal.  (Although you might consider dessert just in case.)

Don't be fooled by the Atkins Diet craze. Potatoes are not going to make you fat - unless you eat them in the form of fast food french fries and greasy potato chips on several occasions each week.

The average potato, which weighs in at roughly 5.3 ounces, is actually extremely nutritious! That little spud contains 45% of your daily Vitamin C requirement, 620 mg of potassium, as well as thiamin, riboflavin, folate, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, and zinc.

There is no fat whatsoever, and a mere 100 calories. (Potatoes are the ultimate low-calorie food!) And, just like all vegan foods, it also contains no cholesterol. Take THAT coronary heart disease!

I found this wealth of nutrition information at Potatoes.com, where I also learned, "Despite the popular notion, the majority of nutrients are not found in the skin, but in the potato itself." Good to know for those people MY HUSBAND who refuse to eat the skin of any type of potato.

A good potato peeler eliminates that issue quickly and easily. So, get yours ready and you are one step closer to a tasty home-cooked dinner!

POTATO SOUP

Ingredients:
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, chopped (I use a lot less, roughly 2 - 3 Tablespoons, so feel free to adjust to your family's liking!)
1 - 3 carrots, grated (Carrots add a great color and hint of flavor to this soup - omit if you really feel you must, or if you are like me - add more!)
5 Cups water
1/2 Cup non-dairy milk (I prefer rice milk, but I have used soy milk successfully in this recipe)
1 Tablespoon margarine (Earth Balance is a great vegan margarine)
dash of salt and pepper
dash of parsley (dried works just as well as fresh)
1/2 Cup shredded Cheddar cheese (vegan cheeses can be pricey, so feel free to skip the cheese)

* Cook the potatoes, onion, and carrots in water in a covered saucepan for 45 minutes over Medium to Medium-High heat. (You want it hot, but you don't want a mess on your stove. If your soup appears watery after 45 minutes, you don't have it quite hot enough - turn the heat up and cook a bit longer.)
* Stir in the remaining ingredients, except cheese. Simmer for 15 minutes.
* Stir in cheese. Heat just long enough to warm up the cheese, stirring constantly.

This is a family favorite in our household. We sometimes top it with a handful of oyster crackers or even a scoop of tofu sour cream. Or more parsley. Or more cheese. Either way, it is a quick family dinner that practically cooks itself.