Recipe for meatless Potato Pie

I grew up eating this dish with meat and pine nuts inside...In Lebanese it's called "Batata bel saynye"
Since I do not eat meat , I made it with veggies ;)

Let's get to it!

Ingredients:

• 1-2 cups assorted frozen veggies
• 14 small-medium red potatoes ( you can use whatever potatoes you like , if they are big you can use 7)
• oil of choice or ghee
• hemp milk or any milk of choice
• ground flax
• salt to taste

Method: 

• First, peel the potatoes and cook in boiling water. Then when they are cooked take out and set aside for few minutes. 
• Place potatoes in a big bowl, add salt, oil or ghee ( I used about a tbsp of oil and a tbsp of ghee) and mash , adding 1/2 cup of hemp milk. Continue mashing until soft, like mashed potatoes. 
• Then grease baking dish with oil or ghee, and spread the potatoes using your hands on the bottom to make the first layer.  You can make it thick or thin, it totally depends on what you like.
• Then add the veggies ( frozen without defrosting or cooking them) on the layer of potatoes. 
• Then spread another layer of potatoes over the veggies to cover them up. You may wet your fingers in order to smooth out the top layer. Again the thickness of the potato layer is up to you.
• Then sprinkle the ground flax on top about a tbsp.  
• Spread a little bit of oil or ghee over the flax. I used ghee , I just cut them in small pieces and put a couple of pieces over the flax.  
• Preheat the oven to 350 and place the potato pie in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then broil for 10-15 minutes in order for the top to get golden.

Enjoy!

Try the recipe and let me know how you like it. Remember to share a picture on social media with #bzhealthymama

I would love to hear from you in the comments below about how you keep up your busy schedule and healthy eating. 

As some of you may know that I am a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, studying to be a health coach . I'm learning about how food, diet, and lifestyle have a tremendous impact on our overall health, happiness, and well being . Not only am I learning how to improve my life , I'm also learning how to help clients look better, feel better , manage stress, and reach their health goals. I'm able to start seeing clients. If you would be interested in sitting down with me or skyping for about an hour to discuss your goals , message me (@bzhealthymama@gmail.com)so we can schedule your free health history consultation appointment.

Thank you so much for reading my post, please feel free to comment and share with your friends and family. 

Please share with me what works for you and your family.  

Follow me on Instagram , tmblr, and twitter: @bzhealthymama;http://www.instagram.com/bzhealthymama

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Easy dinner idea-Veggies over rice

Hey everyone :)

I am back at work after a two month summer break. The kids are back to their activities . DAILY !!! 

I won't be able to cook daily so what I have been trying to do is cook for two days. 

I have done this recipe before , it's pretty easy :)

Let's get to it ....

Ingredients:

1- 2 small bags assorted frozen veggies ( mine had carrots, edamame, corn, and peas) Remember I am cooking for two days, you can always use one bag if you would like. 

2- 1 small onion chopped

3- 3 tomatoes blended 

4- 1 box of baby bella mushrooms cut small or pulsed in the blender

5- salt and pepper to taste

6- oil of choice - Like usual I use grapeseed oil

7-1-2 cups of water

8- Rice of choice cooked accordingly

Method:

1- Heat the oil

2- Add the onions and sautee  until golden

3- Add the mushrooms , the seasoning and sautee for 10 minutes . You can use other spices if you wish

4- Add the frozen veggies and sautee for 5-8 minutes

5- Add the tomatoes and the water. First add one cup of water then if you need more you can. I covered the veggies that's all. I did not add more this time

6- Bring to boil

7-Then let it simmer for 30-45 minutes

8- Adjust seasoning if needed

Enjoy over rice or quinoa . 

Try the recipe and let me know how you like it. Remember to share a picture on social media with #bzhealthymama

I would love to hear from you in the comments below about how you keep up your busy schedule and healthy eating. 

As some of you may know that I am a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, studying to be a health coach . I'm learning about how food, diet, and lifestyle have a tremendous impact on our overall health, happiness, and well being . Not only am I learning how to improve my life , I'm also learning how to help clients look better, feel better , manage stress, and reach their health goals. I'm able to start seeing clients. If you would be interested in sitting down with me or skyping for about an hour to discuss your goals , message me (@bzhealthymama@gmail.com)so we can schedule your free health history consultation appointment.

Thank you so much for reading my post, please feel free to comment and share with your friends and family. 

Please share with me what works for you and your family.  

Follow me on Instagram , tmblr, and twitter: @bzhealthymama;http://www.instagram.com/bzhealthymama

Facebook: Healthy Mamas, Healthy Babies

https://www.facebook.com/HealthyMamasHealthyBabies?ref=hl

Green Beans and Rice

It is Sunday night and I'm exhausted. We were at the beach all day.

Tomorrow I go back to work after a two month vacation !! Alarm is set at 5:30 AM....it is going to be brutal lol

On Monday I made green beans and rice and as promised here is the recipe.

It was kids and husband approved. I was so proud of my daughter as she had some at home and some at school.She told me that she told her friends that she didn't like beans before but now she loves them coz she tried them .

Let's get to it 

Ingredients:

1. 2 lbs green beans ( I used the frozen ones)
2. 1 box of baby bella mushrooms cut small to give it a meaty feel
3. 1 medium onion, chopped
4. 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
5. 1 tsp cinnamon
6. salt and pepper to taste
7. 1 cup of water
8. 3 ripe tomatoes blended or chopped

Method:

1. Stem and cut the beans in half and set aside
2. Heat a tbsp of oil of choice ( grapeseed oil in my case), add onions, garlic and seasonings. Saute for 5-10 minutes or until golden.  
3. Add the mushrooms, saute for 5 minutes
4. Add water and simmer for 8-10 minutes
5. Then add the green beans and tomatoes
6. Add water to half the depth of bean mixture ( you can add more and cover if you like it saucy which was our case)
7. Bring to boil, then cover an simmer for at least 45 minutes. 
8. After 45 minutes, taste it and see if it needs to be simmered some more. If you add more water you might want to simmer it more. If you add less water you may need to simmer less.

Cook rice like usual. You can use any types of rice.
I used white rice and added turmeric to make it yellow because my daughter's favorite color is yellow. 

Try the recipe and share with me in the comments below or share on social media using the hashtag #bzhealthymama.

As some of you may know that I am a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, studying to be a health coach . I'm learning about how food, diet, and lifestyle have a tremendous impact on our overall health, happiness, and well being . Not only am I learning how to improve my life , I'm also learning how to help clients look better, feel better , manage stress, and reach their health goals. I'm able to start seeing clients. If you would be interested in sitting down with me or skyping for about an hour to discuss your goals , message me (@bzhealthymama@gmail.com)so we can schedule your free health history consultation appointment.

Thank you so much for reading my post, please feel free to comment and share with your friends and family. 

Please share with me what works for you and your family.  

Follow me on Instagram , tmblr, and twitter: @bzhealthymama;http://www.instagram.com/bzhealthymama

Facebook: Healthy Mamas, Healthy Babies

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Easy recipe- Mushroom rice ( plant based)

I like to keep cooking simple and easy. I am Bz (BUSY) Healthy MAMA LOL

We were out of the house this whole week and we have been eating out so yesterday we wanted to eat something simple and homemade. 

So here is what the hubz and I came up with ....Mushroom rice ;) It  is so DELCIOUS 

Let's get to it . 

Ingredients:

1. 1 onion cut small 
2. 1 yellow pepper cut in small pieces 
3. 1/2 cup of red cabbage chopped small
4. 1 box of whole baby bellas cut in half . Kept them big to give the "meaty" feeling but you can cut them up in smaller pieces if you like. 
5. 1 tsp of homemade sauerkraut ( this ingredient is not necessary and can be omitted)
6. salt, pepper and cumin to taste 
7. olive oil 
8. two cups of rice ( we used white but you can definitely use brown - you just have to adjust the water accordingly)
9. 3 cups of water

Method:

First heat up a tbsp of olive oil in the pot ( you can substitute for a different cooking oil if you wish)

Add the chooped onions and sautee until goldenish, you can season wtih salt , pepper and cumin to start bringing out the flavor

Add the peppers, cabbage, and sauerkraut and continue sauteeing for at least 5 minutes

Then add the mushroms and add a little bit more olive oil ( about a tsp), and sautee for 5-8 minutes

Next, add the rice and sautee all together for few more minutes. Make sure rice is coated with the juices from the veggies

At this point, you can adjust the seasonings. Add more salt, pepper and cumin if you wish

Then add the water, bring to boil, cover, then simmer

It simmered for about 25-30 minutes. It depends on the rice your are working with! Make sure you check on it and don't burn it ;)

Enjoy ;)

Please note I do not mention the heat of the stove because at the beginning, you sautee at med-high but simmering has to  be on low.

Try this recipe and let me know in the comments below how you like it. If you decide to post a picture of it on social media, please use #bzhealthymama so I can see your posts. 

Easy dinner idea-Beans and Rice ( Lebanese)

The more I practice cooking, the more I love it and enjoy it.

My husband is a natural but I could not understand how he can just come up with a new recipe. 

Until I started practicing... Like I mentioned before, I rarely come up with recipes others have not made, but I make it my own and that's the beauty. I add my touch so it fits me and my family. We are all different and what works for me may not work for me.

Practice , practice, practice and cooking will get easier, I promise :)

Let's get to the recipe. 

Ingredients:

1. Pinto Beans ( I soaked them for 24 hours and cooked them with a pressure cooker). You can use the canned ones if you like and those don't need to be put in the pressure cooker ;)
2. 3-4 ripe tomatoes ( will blend them with the mushrooms )
3. A small case of baby bella mushrooms
4. 1/2 onion-1 onion if you like 
5. 5-6 cloves of garlic ( more or less , whatever works for you)
6. Assorted frozen veggies ( mine had corn, carrots, peas, and edamame)
7. Salt , pepper and cinnamon to taste
8. Rice- cooked according to package. To make it yellow , I add 1 tbsp of turmeric before I add the water.
9. Oil of choice ( avocado oil, grape seed oil, etc...)

Method:

1. If your beans are not cooked, cook them and set aside. I recommend soaking the beans 24-48 hours in filtered water. Make sure you change the water at least twice a day ~ you can google the importance of soaking beans LOL 
2. Heat up oil, add onions and sautee until golden.
3. Add garlic and continue sauteeing.
4. I blended the mushrooms and tomatoes on low, meaning pulsing so they are still chunky and add to the onions and sautee. If you don't have a blender just cut up the mushrooms and tomatoes and add to the onions and garlic.
5. Add the frozen veggies and season with salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Please feel free to skip any spice you don't like or add any that you do like. After all, this is your recipe! 
6. Sautee for 5 minutes then add the beans and the water. Add water to cover up all the ingredients. The more water you add, the more you need to let it simmer for it to be flavory rather than watery. 
7. Bring to boil on med high heat, then cover and let it simmer for at least 55 minutes. If it continues to be watery , let it simmer more. The water should become dark in color and full of flavor.  Taste your seasoning and adjust.  

Try the recipe and share with me in the comments below or share on social media using the hashtag #bzhealthymama.

As some of you may know that I am a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, studying to be a health coach . I'm learning about how food, diet, and lifestyle have a tremendous impact on our overall health, happiness, and well being . Not only am I learning how to improve my life , I'm also learning how to help clients look better, feel better , manage stress, and reach their health goals. I'm able to start seeing clients. If you would be interested in sitting down with me or skyping for about an hour to discuss your goals , message me (@bzhealthymama@gmail.com)so we can schedule your free health history consultation appointment.

Thank you so much for reading my post, please feel free to comment and share with your friends and family. 

Please share with me what works for you and your family.  

Follow me on Instagram , tmblr, and twitter: @bzhealthymama;http://www.instagram.com/bzhealthymama

Facebook: Healthy Mamas, Healthy Babies

https://www.facebook.com/HealthyMamasHealthyBabies?ref=hl

Easy Meatless Potato Stew

Growing up with Lebanese food , I did not appreciate it much. I just wanted to eat fried chicken, fries, steak, bread and sweets. 
I remember my mom used to tell my dad "they don't eat anything"~ They=my sister and I , later my brother.  It is not like she would eat anything, we were like mothers like daughters.
So my dad used to reply " don't force them, they will eat when they are hungry. It is not like they are going to starve." So we were never encouraged or even forced to eat vegetables. My sister and I hated onions so bad that my grandmother had to cut them so tiny when she was cooking. Guess what!??!? We would pick them, it is like we had microscopic vision.
Right now , I LOVE Lebanese food and I appreciate everything about it to the point that I am cooking it ? I am plant basing it too ;) I know it is not a word !
Let's get to the recipe....

 

Ingredients:

•  1 small carton/box of baby bella mushrooms ground in small tiny pieces ( I used a handheld food processor)
• 1/2 onion cut in small pieces
• 6 red potatoes peeled and cut in cubes
• 3 ripe tomatoes blended in a blender
• 2 tbsp. of avocado oil
• salt/pepper to taste
• 1-2 tsp. of cinnamon ( you can add more if you like)

 

Method:

• Heat oil , add onions. Sautee the onions until golden.
• Add the mushroom and the seasonings, continue sautéing for about 10 minutes.
• Add the potatoes, sauté for few minutes so the potatoes are covered with the seasonings.
• Add the blended tomatoes, adjust seasonings if needed.
• Add more water to cover all the ingredients.
• Bring to boil on high heat then simmer for at least 45-55 minutes.
• It might need to simmer more, adjust to whatever suits your taste buds. 

Serve over white , brown or wild rice. You can also enjoy over quinoa.

Try the recipe and share with me in the comments below or share on social media using the hashtag #bzhealthymama.

As some of you may know that I am a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, studying to be a health coach . I'm learning about how food, diet, and lifestyle have a tremendous impact on our overall health, happiness, and well being . Not only am I learning how to improve my life , I'm also learning how to help clients look better, feel better , manage stress, and reach their health goals. I'm able to start seeing clients. If you would be interested in sitting down with me or skyping for about an hour to discuss your health , message me (@bzhealthymama@gmail.com)so we can schedule your free health history consultation appointment.

Thank you so much for reading my post, please feel free to comment and share with your friends and family. 

Please share with me what works for you and your family.  

Follow me on Instagram , tmblr, and twitter: @bzhealthymama;http://www.instagram.com/bzhealthymama

Facebook: Healthy Mamas, Healthy Babies

https://www.facebook.com/HealthyMamasHealthyBabies?ref=hl

 

Gluten free vegan pancakes

Who does not like pancakes? 

I love them but I can not make them from scratch. I used to buy the packages organic ones but they were not gluten free. I tried many recipes that did not work for me and my family.

Then my friend Nathalie made a recipe using simple ingredients so what I did is I just added hemp milk and made my own measurements. 

The pancakes worked and they turned out more like crepes but we all loved them. Since I only cast iron skillet, the first pancake did get stuck to it even with plenty of oil!! Then it worked like a charm and I was able to make a mini stack LOL 

Here are the ingredients:

One cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1 mashed ripe banana

1 tsp aluminum free baking powder

1 cup hemp milk

1 tsp carob powder ( optional)

Mix the dry ingredients then add the banana and the hemp milk, mix all together.

Grease the skillet with oil of choice , heat up and pour mixture ( I used a ladle which is the spoon you use to pour soup) when it bubbles ( usually 3 minutes) turn over and cook for few minutes.

Repeat the process. 

Sprinkle chocolate chips, cacao nibs and sweetener of choice. 

Enjoy :)

Please try the recipe and comment below how you liked it.

Thank you so much for reading my post, please feel free to comment and share with your friends and family. 

Please share with me what works for you and your family.  

Follow me on Instagram , tmblr, and twitter: @bzhealthymama;http://www.instagram.com/bzhealthymama

Facebook: Healthy Mamas, Healthy Babies

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