Tag Archives: lunch

Roasted Tomato Soup

Roasted Tomato Soup | GuessWhosCooking.com | simple, healthy, plant based, dairy free, gluten free, vegan, nut free, soy free.

This recipe is very simple with only 5 required ingredients. Avoid the guilt with this soup because it is almost nothing but vegetables with a little healthy fat, yet is full of flavor and much more appetizing than canned tomato soup. In these pictures, I used heirloom tomatoes. Use any tomatoes you’d like, but make sure they are ripe. That means purchasing tomatoes during the summer, when they are actually in season. If possible, buy them from your local farmers market. If you’re looking to start growing your own vegetables, try growing tomatoes – they are easy and so much tastier when you grow them yourself!

Roasted Tomato Soup

Serves 4 - 6
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 45 minutes
Total time 55 minutes
This simple soup recipe is vegan and contains only 5 ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 3lb tomatoes (halved)
  • 1 medium onion (quartered)
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus a little to drizzle, if desired)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Optional

  • fresh basil (garnish)

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 400˚F. In a large bowl, toss tomatoes, onion, and garlic with olive oil. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet.
Step 2
Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, turning the vegetables halfway through. Let cool.
Step 3
Place roasted vegetables in blender or food processor and blend in small batches as needed. Add salt. Blend until completely smooth, adding a little water or broth to thin if necessary. Warm in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through and serve. Garnish with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil (optional).

Roasted Tomato Soup | GuessWhosCooking.com | simple, healthy, plant based, dairy free, gluten free, vegan, nut free, soy free.

Springtime Buckwheat Salad

Springtime Buckwheat Salad  | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

Whole grains don’t have to be boring! Buckwheat, which happens to be gluten-free, despite the word “wheat” in its name, is accompanied by colorful veggies and simple yet flavorful dressing. This salad is great side dish for a potluck, picnic, lunch, or dinner! Or add some protein such as chicken or beans and make it your entree.

Springtime Buckwheat Salad

Serves 8-12
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes
Total time 45 minutes
This colorful salad can be made with either roasted or grilled vegetables, which are combined with a tender whole grain and simple lemony dressing for a fresh-tasting and very satisfying salad!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buckwheat groats (toasted for 4-5 minutes in a dry pan, or buy pre-toasted)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 green zucchini, organic preferred (chopped)
  • 2 carrots (diced)
  • 1/2 red onion (diced)
  • 1 red bell pepper, organic preferred (chopped)
  • 1 bunch asparagus (cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 1/2 cup artichoke hearts (quartered, thawed from frozen or marinated in jar and drained)
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (minced)

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 425˚F. Combine buckwheat and 2 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook on low 10-12 minutes, then let stand for 5 minutes. Let cool. Grains should be tender but not mushy. Toasted buckwheat or kasha may take less time to cook.
Step 2
Toss vegetables with 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) olive oil and spread into a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Do not crowd the vegetables on the pan. Roast for 10-12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until vegetables are light golden brown on one or more sides. Let cool.
Step 3
In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, and 1 tsp salt. In a large bowl, combine cooked buckwheat, roasted vegetables, and olive oil mixture. Toss and garnish with parsley. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.

Springtime Buckwheat Salad  | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

Springtime Buckwheat Salad  | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

Broiled Green Beans

Eat them like French fries, with or without sauce, or enjoy them as a super quick side dish, or keep reading for another idea!

Haricot vert, French for green beans, are a variety of green beans that are longer and thinner than most varieties in the US. When you broil them, they will be tender yet crisp on the outside. Because they are thin, they cook very quickly and work really well in this recipe. If you can’t find them, just use the thinnest green beans you can find and increase the cooking time.

Broiling is a high temperature direct heat cooking method. The outcome is an appearance that mimics Chinese restaurant-style stir fried green beans, usually cooked in a wok over a very high flame, which isn’t always possible at home, especially when you have an electric (as opposed to gas) stove. After broiling, you could try quickly warming them in a large skillet with a Szechuan sauce.

Pro tip: Trim the stems off the green beans by using kitchen shears. It is easier and dirties less dishes than using a cutting board and knife.

You can even roast frozen green beans straight out of the freezer! Prepare them the same way except bake (rather than broil) at 400˚F for 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until light golden brown.

Broiled Green Beans

Serves 3
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
Total time 20 minutes
Dietary Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type Side Dish, Snack
Misc Child Friendly, Serve Hot
This super simple recipe is addictively delicious and takes only about 5 minutes to cook!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups green beans, trimmed
  • olive oil
  • salt to taste

Optional

  • garlic powder

Directions

Step 1
Place oven rack in the top third of oven, second rack from the top. Set oven to broil.
Step 2
Toss green beans with a drizzle of olive oil, a generous pinch of salt, and if using, a light dusting of garlic powder. Spread an even layer of green beans on a baking sheet.
Step 3
Broil until light golden brown, tossing once or twice, about 5 minutes for haricot vert or very thin green beans, or up to 10-15 minutes for standard green beans. Watch the oven carefully the entire time to prevent burning.

Broiled Green Beans | GuessWhosCooking.com | Easy, quick, healthy, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based

25 Healthy & Fun Game Day Recipes

25 Healthy and Fun Game Day Recipes | Guess Who's Cooking | Recipes are mostly  minimally processed, plant-based, and low in added sugar and refined flours. Perfect for the Super Bowl!

Looking for a healthier recipe to share during the big game? Here are 25 recipes that are healthy, fun and delicious. For those with special needs or tastes, many recipes are:

  • Made with whole, real foods
  • Vegan
  • Lower-carb
  • No-sugar-added

Appetizers, Sides, & Snacks

Asian Cole Slaw

Baked Falafel

Bean & Corn Dip

Brussels Sprouts Chips

Chex Mix Pumpkin Seeds

Eggplant “Fries”

Mexican Zucchini Fritters

Pizza Hummus

Rosemary Sesame Pecans

Salt and Vinegar Pumpkin Seeds

Savory Roasted Chickpeas

Vegetarian Baked Beans (lower sugar)

 

Entrees

Cajun Meatloaf

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa

Fishy Nuggets

Mexican Taco Meatloaf

Personal Portabello Pizzas

Pizza Omelet

Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

White Chicken Chili (dairy-free)

 

Desserts

Black Bean Brownies

Buckeyes

Chickpea Blondies

 

Spaghetti Squash with Green Beans, Arugula, and Truffle Oil

Spaghetti Squash with Truffle Oil. Guess Who's Cooking. Low carb, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, soy free.

This “pasta” dish is so full of flavor that you won’t care that it’s spaghetti squash, not spaghetti! The truffle oil is optional, but really gives this dish a huge boost in rich, earthy flavor.

Truffle Spaghetti Squash with Green Beans, Arugula, and Truffle Oil

This rich and flavorful pasta dish is so tasty that you will forget you're eating spaghetti squash, not spaghetti!

Ingredients

  • 1 Medium spaghetti squash
  • 1/2 to 1lb green beans (trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • handful baby arugula
  • drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
  • garlic powder to taste
  • salt to taste

Optional

  • dash of truffle oil

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds and stringy flesh. Drizzle with olive oil, rub the oil over the inside and outside of the squash, and place face down on a baking sheet.
Step 2
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until squash is fork tender or flakes easily with a fork. Let cool.
Step 3
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, then add green beans. Blanch for 2-3 minutes for thin beans and 4-5 minutes for thick beans. Drain.
Step 4
Once the squash is cool enough to handle, shred the flesh into strands with a fork. In a large bowl, combine the squash, green beans, and arugula. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder to taste.

Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa

Although Chipotle’s barbacoa is made with beef only, this recipe tastes very similar and just as delicious, even though it is beef and chicken. By including shredded chicken in this recipe, the impact on the environment and your health is lessened, and it creates longer strands than lean stew beef alone, making it seem more authentic and improving the texture.

You can make extra sauce and store it in the freezer to cut down on prep time the next time you make this dish. Thaw the sauce before using.

Adapted from this recipe.

Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa - slow cooker lean beef and chicken - guesswhoscooking.com

Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa

Serves 8
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 6 hours
Total time 6 hours, 20 minutes
Although Chipotle’s barbacoa is made with beef only, this recipe tastes very similar and just as delicious, even though it is beef and chicken. By including shredded chicken in this recipe, the impact on the environment and your health is lessened, and it creates longer strands than lean stew beef alone, making it seem more authentic and improving the texture.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1lb stew meat
  • 1-2lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (or about 3 cloves)
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoons black pepper

Directions

Step 1
Heat coconut in a large skillet (stainless steel or cast iron preferred) on medium-high, then add stew beef. Cook until sides are browned, then place into slow cooker. Add chicken to pan and brown, then place into slow cooker.
Step 2
To make adobo sauce, combine apple cider vinegar, lime juice, chipotle chlies, garlic, cumin, oregano, black pepper, salt, and cloves in food processor and blend until smooth.
Step 3
Pour adobo sauce over meat and add bay leaves and chicken broth. Cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.
Step 4
Remove meat from slow cooker and shred with two forks. Combine with remaining liquid and serve.

White Chicken Chili (Dairy-Free)

Traditional white chicken chili recipes call for dairy, usually in the form of sour cream. This easy slow cooker recipe leaves out the dairy altogether, yet is still hearty and full of rich flavor. Use the highest quality of chicken you can afford (free-range organic preferred).

White Chicken Chili - Dairy-free, low-carb. guesswhoscooking.com

White Chicken Chili

Serves 8
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 8 hours
Total time 8 hours, 10 minutes
White chicken chili recipes without dairy are nearly impossible to find. This easy slow cooker recipe leaves out the dairy, but is still supremely flavorful and hearty.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion (diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
  • 1 bell peppers (diced)
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 can white beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 4 oz can diced green chilies
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
  • salt to taste
  • green onions and avocado (for garnish)

Directions

Step 1
Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes or until they start to turn light brown. Add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant. Remove from heat.
Step 2
Combine all remaining ingredients in a slow cooker except for green onions and avocado. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Step 3
Shred the chicken by removing and shredding with two forks, or mash it up in the slow cooker. Also mash the cauliflower. Add salt to taste if necessary. Serve with avocado and green onion.

White Chicken Chili - Dairy-free, low-carb. guesswhoscooking.com

Easy Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

Buffalo Chicken - slow cooker, easy, 2 main ingredients. guesswhoscooking.com

This easy slow cooker recipe really only requires 2 ingredients – chicken and buffalo wing sauce. Add onion and garlic to the slow cooker for extra flavor, but it’s not absolutely necessary. I used free-range organic chicken, and it was 1 package boneless skinless breasts (~1 pound) and 1 package boneless skinless thighs (~1 3/4 pound).

Use this chicken to complete a meal – make lettuce wraps, put it on a salad, top a pizza with it (try this cauliflower pizza crust), or whatever else your heart desires.

Easy Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

Serves 8-12
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 6 hours
Total time 6 hours, 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2-3lb boneless skinless chicken (could do 1 package breasts, 1 package thighs)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 bottle buffalo wing sauce

Directions

Step 1
Place chicken, onion, garlic, and water in a slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8 hours.
Step 2
Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with 2 forks. Remove some of the onions from the slow cooker if you'd like and add to the chicken. Mix sauce with chicken, adding enough to coat the chicken but not so much that it is swimming in sauce.

Buffalo Chicken - slow cooker, easy, 2 main ingredients. guesswhoscooking.com

Cauliflower Pizza Crust - guesswhoscooking.com. dairy free, gluten free (option), low carb

Use this buffalo chicken to make a buffalo chicken pizza using this cauliflower pizza crust recipe.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Cauliflower Pizza Crust - guesswhoscooking.com. dairy free, gluten free (option), low carb

This recipe for Cauliflower Pizza Crust does not contained refined carbs and dairy. If baked to a nice golden brown, it holds together like conventional pizza crust. Add whatever toppings you’d like. I used buffalo wing sauce instead of pizza sauce and topped it with buffalo chicken and sauteed onions and bell peppers. Use almond meal instead of whole wheat flour to make this recipe wheat-free and gluten-free.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Course Main Course
Keyword dairy-free, pizza
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 1 medium head cauliflower should yield about 3 cups once processed
  • 2 tablespoons almond meal or whole wheat flour
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for brushing parchment paper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • prepared toppings of choice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a baking sheet or pizza stone in the oven. Brush a sheet of parchment paper or silicone baking mat with olive oil and place on top of a cutting board.

  2. Cut the cauliflower into florets, then pulse in a food processor until it is ground but not pureed.

  3. Cook ground cauliflower by steaming or microwaving in a small amount of water and covered for about 4 minutes. Drain cooked cauliflower and allow to cool. When cauliflower is cool, remove as much water as possible. One method is to put it into a colander, then press down on it thoroughly with a flat utensil such as a spatula, which can be done while still hot. You may want to wring out more water once it is cooled. Alternatively, only once cooled, you can put it into a kitchen towel and wring out the water.

  4. In a large bowl, combine cauliflower with remaining ingredients and mix well. Shape into a pizza crust on the oiled parchment paper. Slide the parchment paper or silicone mat and crust onto the preheated cookie sheet or pizza stone in the oven. Bake 12-16 minutes, or until very golden brown on top.

  5. Spread pizza sauce over the crust, or try an alternative sauce such as pesto, barbeque sauce, or buffalo wing sauce. Top with desired toppings and serve, or if using cheese, place under the broiler until cheese is melted (3-5 minutes).

Cauliflower Pizza Crust - guesswhoscooking.com. dairy free, gluten free (option), low carb

Cauliflower Pizza Crust - guesswhoscooking.com. dairy free, gluten free (option), low carb

Cauliflower Pizza Crust - guesswhoscooking.com. dairy free, gluten free (option), low carb

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce - guesswhoscooking.com. Vegan, low carb, healthy.

Make this creamy yet non-dairy/vegan pasta sauce and use however you’d like! I recommend making it with zucchini pasta (instructions below). I’ll try to take a better picture next time I make it. I used the grater blade of my food processor to make these short zucchini noodles in a snap.

Creamy Red Pepper Pasta Sauce

This creamy pasta sauce is vegan and low-carb. It is delicious when served over zucchini noodles.

Ingredients

  • 1 jar roasted red peppers (7.5 oz drained weight, or 2 roasted bell peppers)
  • 1 cup unsweetened plain coconut milk
  • 1/3 cup onion (diced)
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic (minced)
  • 1-2 tablespoon corn starch
  • salt to taste

Directions

Step 1
Heat a small saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, then onions. Stir occasionally and cook for 3-4 minutes or until onions start to become translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds. Set aside.
Step 2
In a food processor, combine all ingredients except corn starch. Puree until smooth.
Step 3
Heat a saucepan or large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add red pepper puree. Dissolve 1 tablespoon corn starch in 1 tablespoon cold water and stir to combine, then set aside. Heat sauce, stirring occasionally, until it starts to bubble. Reduce heat to a simmer, then add corn starch mixture and stir well. Add another tablespoon of corn starch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water for thicker consistency. Heat until thoroughly heated and thickened to desired consistency.

If you are preparing this sauce with zucchini pasta, shred 4 medium zucchinis. Combine the pureed sauce and shredded zucchini in a large pan. Heat over medium heat and stir occasionally until zucchini starts to become slightly translucent and al dente. Dissolve corn starch in 1 tablespoon cold water and stir to combine. Heat sauce and zucchini, stirring occasionally, until it starts to bubble. Reduce heat to a simmer, then add corn starch mixture and stir well. Heat until thoroughly heated and thickened to desired consistency.