What We Tried Today: Gardein Crispy Tenders

A few weeks ago I picked up a bag of Gardein Crispy Tenders for lunch.  I was pleasantly surprised at how close the taste is to regular chicken. 

I decided to test them out on the fam for dinner and everyone enjoyed it. Simon actually suggested that I pack them in his lunch box. Woohoo!

Pros:

*Kid-Friendly

*A great way to transition from eating conventional chicken nuggets -Tastes just like regular chicken

*No crazy ingredients-Being able to pronounce all of the ingredients is another huge plus

Cons

*Takes about 25 minutes to bake-this isn't a major con but I was hungry lol

To save time, you can thaw them out and use the microwave instead.

*Contains wheat & soy-I know some people have allergies and problems digesting these foods

Both a Pro & Con

*Pricey-You get 10 (kind of small) tenders for about $5~Since we're a family of 5, I had to buy $15 worth to feed us for one night.  I also picked up a bag of french fries and broccoli, so the total came to about $22. It would cost a lot more to eat out at a restaurant, so this would make a great occasional dinner.

Ideas for the lunch box and beyond with Gardein Crispy Tenders:

Wrap a few tenders in a tortilla with lettuce and cucumber slices-top with a sauce of your choice

Make a basic garden salad and top with warm tenders

Have you tried any Gardein products?  Let me know what you think.

Let's connect. Follow me on Twitter and/or Facebook.

Since I love music just as much as I enjoy cooking, Pandora is usually playing in the background while I explore vegan recipes. Starting today, I will feature a "song in my head" at the end of each food related post. This idea was inspired by Byrant Terry's writing in Vegan Soul Kitchen.

Song in My Head While Cooking

Al Green's "Tired of Being Alone" performance onSoul Train

R.I.P. Don Cornelius

How to Make Quinoa & A Simple Recipe

Before trying quinoa, I assumed it would be difficult to make.  I did a little research online and saw it's no more complicated than a pot of rice.  I instantly fell in love with this light, fluffy "grain". Quinoa looks like a grain but it is actually related to the green, leafy vegetable family.

It's a great source of complete protein, magnesium and calcium. 

Watch me make this simple and delicious meal below.

Ready in about 30 minutes - 6 Servings

Recipe inspired by Tablespoon

Additional information:

Health Benefits of Quinoa

5 Health Benefits of Quinoa

Quinoa

Quinoa Benefits

Quinoa with avocado & tomato

by Brown Vegan

Keywords: vegan

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 large handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 Haas avocado, chopped
• Drizzle of agave nectar
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes
• 1/2 juice of lemon
• Salt, black pepper, garlic powder, to taste

Instructions

Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a small strainer. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Put quinoa in water and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook until all water is absorbed (10-15 minutes).

While the quinoa is cooking, halve your tomatoes and cut up your avocado and cilantro.

Once the quinoa is cooked, stir it up to release some heat and bring to room temp.

Stir in avocado, tomato, cilantro, drizzle on agave nectar, and sprinkle salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Squeeze lemon juice on top.

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30 Minutes or Less: Alfredo Pasta

Want dinner ready and on the table within 30 minutes? I have the recipe for you!  The sauce is creamy, delicious, and very easy to make-So pull out your blender and let's get to it. :-)

Alfredo Pasta-30 Minutes

by Brown Vegan

Cook Time: 30

Keywords: vegan

Ingredients (Serves 5)

• Pasta, of your choice
• 1/3 heaping cup raw cashews (best if soaked in water for several hours)
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast (found in any health food store or order from Amazon)
• 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp almond milk
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp non-dairy butter (I use Earth Balance brand)
• 2 tsp organic Tamari soy sauce, or to taste
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp Tahini (sesame seed paste)
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Kosher salt, to taste (I used 1/4-1/2 tsp I think)
• 1/2 tsp Paprika, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Herbs or veggies to add into Alfredo, if desired

Instructions

Boil a pot of water and add pasta. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce: Add all the ingredients and blend until smooth.

Drain the pasta and add it back into the pot. Add in the sauce & desired vegetables

Enjoy!

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Recipe adapted from Oh She Glows

30 Minutes or Less: Happy Herbivore's "Cheater" Pad Thai

Quick. Easy. Inexpensive. Most importantly, delicious.

I made this for lunch today and didn't realize I forgot to pick up bean sprouts until it was time to add them. *sigh* The recipe is still good without them but I wouldn't leave it off next time because they "make" the dish.

All three of my kids ate this meal, so I would consider it kid-friendly.

Ingredients:

¼ thick rice noodles (I used a 14 oz box)

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp smooth peanut butter

1 tbsp red chili Asian sauce

¼ tsp garlic powder (I also added ½ tsp minced garlic)

¼ tsp ginger powder (I also added ½ tsp fresh ginger root, mined)

3 oz bean sprouts

Hot sauce, to taste

Directions:

Prepare rice noodles according to directions on the package

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp of warm water and all other ingredients.

Use tongs and toss in mixture with rice noodles until evenly coated.

The leftovers are perfect for school or work lunches. :-) 

Notes:

*You may need an additional tbsp of peanut butter and water to completely coat the noodles.

*A great addition to this meal would be tofu and/or steamed stir-fry veggies.

*None of the boys complained about the meal being spicy (because of the Asian chili sauce), so the tbsp probably isn't too much for kids.

*Since I didn't have bean sprouts (for the picture above), I added raw sunflowers and extra chili sauce to my plate for additional flavor.

Enjoy! The above measurements serve 3.

Have you tried this recipe? Let me know what you think in the comment below or connect with me on Twitter.

Click to tweet this recipe 

Thanks for reading. :-)

Recipe Source

30 Minutes or Less: Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

I made this recipe for lunch and stretched it out for about 4 days.  It's so simple and delicious and the perfect combination of vegetables and quinoa.

Quinoa is an excellent source of protein, fiber, and calcium and priced comparable to rice.  According to The World Health Organization, quinoa is a better source of protein than cow's milk because your body is better able to digest vegetable protein than those from animal properties. 

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups dry quinoa, rinsed
• 1 tbsp coconut oil (other other cooking oil)
• 1 medium cucumber, diced
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup olives, minced (I skipped this ingredients because I didn't have olives on hand)
• 1/2 cup basil, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• sea salt to taste

Directions:

1. Rinse quinoa and add 3 cups of water to either a rice cooker or sauce pan on a stovetop.  Cook for 25 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed.
2. Dice the cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and basil, and add to a large mixing bowl.
3. Once the quinoa is cooked, fluff and add to the bowl of vegetables.
4. Whisk together oil, lemon juice, and sea salt and pour dressing over quinoa mixture. 
5. Let flavors marinate for 5-10 minutes before serving

Recipe adapted from Daily Garnish