We Helped "Good Day Philadelphia" Make the Holidays Healthy!
Our Nutritious Nostalgia hits the airwaves, and we couldn't be prouder of our baby!!
You guys! It was so freakin’ special to see our Nutritious Nostalgia concept continue to roll in different incarnations… what a fun opportunity to bring healthy options “to the table” for our fellow Philadelphia area peeps!!
If you haven't been following along, our Nutritious Nostalgia series started because George put the offer out to our followers on NYCfitfam to submit their favorite comfort foods and he'd pick a few to reverse engineer and make healthy & plant-based. What followed was hundreds of DMs, so we created a whole series around it... and then Good Day Philly asked us to come on and show their viewers how health-i-fy some traditional holiday favorites for their viewers!!
First up.... who doesn't love a Tater Tot?!?
So many of us grew up with this side dish as a staple on our dinner table... but the problem is, one serving can add up to about 350 calories and 12g fat (9g saturated), and you haven't even gotten to the main course yet!
We swapped 'em for these Butternut Tots w/ spicy maple mustard - these will satisfy those tot cravings with the velvety sweetness you only get from butternut squash. Not to mention, this low-calorie, fiber-rich winter squash is rich in important vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting antioxidants - win/win!
Butternut Tots w/ spicy maple mustard
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Servings: serving 4
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. butternut squash about 1/2 of a medium squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2-1 tbsp. olive oil divided
1/4 medium onion quartered
1/2 garlic clove minced
3/8 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/8 cup chickpea flour
1/4 tbsp. smoked paprika
1/8 tsp. salt plus extra for sprinkling
1/8 tsp. black pepper
For the Spicy Maple Mustard:
1/8 cup yellow mustard
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1-1 1/2 tsp. sriracha or to taste
Directions:
To Make the Tots:
Preheat the oven to 400°.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss the butternut squash cubes with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and arrange them in an even layer on baking sheet.
Bake until piercable with a fork, but still pretty firm, 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Place the butternut squash into food processor bowl with the onion, garlic, panko, chickpea flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Pulse until ingredients are well blended, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
Roll the mixture into tot-shaped cylinders.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place over medium heat.
Working in batches if needed, arrange tots in an even layer in skillet. Cook until browned on bottoms, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on opposite sides, about 4 minutes more.
To Make the Spicy Maple Mustard:
Remove from heat and sprinkle with salt, if desired.
Stir all ingredients together in small bowl.
Next up, let's talk SOUP!!
So many of us grew up with some sort of creamy potato soup around the holidays... the problem with that? Many Potato Soup recipes call for 25g of butter as the first ingredient - it doesn’t have to go down like that, people!! It’s an unnecessary indulgence when this healthy, delicious vegan version below is just a pot away... plus, the unhealthy version comes in at a whopping 18g of fat per serving (11g saturated).
Yikes dot com.
We swapped out for a Vegan Potato Leek Soup - the combination of creamy potatoes, delicate leeks with herbal notes of rosemary and thyme will have you going back for seconds. It's dairy-free, gluten-free and just good for you, too... and the best part? Only .5 grams of fat (.1 saturated!)
Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup
Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Servings: Serves 4
Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon olive oil or ¼ cup water (for water saute)
1 1/2 medium leeks (use white and light green parts only)
1 1/4 lbs. potatoes, cubed ½ inch (peeled or with skin on)
1/2 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme or Herbes de provence
2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
mineral salt, to taste
1/8 cup chopped parsley, to garnish
Directions:
Prep: Leeks, start by removing and discarding the root ends and thick dark green parts. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse each half under cold water, pulling apart the layers to remove any sand or debris nestled inside, slice the leeks crosswise. Alternatively, slice the leeks, then put in a colander and wash well under running water. Should yield 4 – 5 cups. Cut potatoes into ½ inch cubes. Feel free to peel the potatoes or leave the skin on (I left the skin on).
Saute: In a large dutch oven or pot, heat the oil/water over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary so as not to brown the leeks.
Simmer: Add the potatoes, broth, bay leaves, herbs, salt to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Puree: Remove the bay leaves, and puree the soup using a hand-held immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, use a regular blender to puree the soup in batches. Taste for seasoning.
Serve: Serve warm with chopped parsley, crispy chickpea croutons and a side of crusty artisan bread.
Store:Soup can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container. It’s also freezer friendly and can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours or so and reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until warm.
Notes:
If using a regular blender to puree the soup, fill the blender cup no more than halfway and leave the hole in the lid open to let any heat escape. May take two batches.
Ok, next up... let's talk POT PIE, because it's pretty much my favorite topic of conversation!! Backstory: when I was pregnant, I had MASSIVE pregnancy cravings for comfort foods like this specifically, and it was then that George started to learn how to "health-i-fy" my favorite comfort foods from my youth!!
Here's the problem with “Mom’s Chicken Pot Pie” (or the store bought kind many opt for):
Calories 610, Fat 36g, sat fat 15g.
Like.... WHOA.
Instead, George's Vegan Pot Pie recipe is full of familiar flavors, but minus the guilt. The flaky top crust hides a filling of vegan cream sauce, vegetables, and seasoned tofu.
Vegan Pot Pies
Prep Time: 40 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour | Servings: Yield: 2-3 pots pies
Ingredients:
PASTRY CRUST:
2/3 cup (160 grams) all purpose flour
pinch salt
1/4 cup (115 grams) chilled vegetable shortening or vegan butter
1-1 1/2 tbsp (30 - 45 ml) ice water
VEGAN pot PIE FILLING:
1/4 (350g/14-oz block) firm tofu, pressed and cubed
1/2 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp (45 ml) vegan butter or vegetable oil, divided (plus extra for brushing)
1/3 cup (90 grams) chopped carrot (approx. 1 carrot)
1/6 cup (50 grams) chopped celery (approx. 1 rib)
1/4 cup (70 grams) chopped onion (approx. ½ onion)
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1/8 cup (35 grams) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (250 ml) vegetable broth
5/8 cup (310 ml) original non-dairy milk
3/8 cup (125 grams) chopped Creamer potatoes (any variety by The Little Potato Company)
1/4 tsp (2.5 ml) garlic powder
1/4 tsp (2.5 ml) onion powder
1/8 tsp (1.25 ml) dried thyme
1/8 cup (50 grams) frozen peas
1/4 tsp (2.5 ml) white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
PASTRY CRUST:
Mix flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Cut the chilled shortening into the flour using a pastry blender, until the fat is uniformly combined and the mixture begins to stick together.
Add 2-3 tbsp of ice water and stir just enough for the mixture to form a dough. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
After chilling, cut the dough into 4 or 6 equal pieces. Form each piece into a round disk. On a floured surface, roll each piece of dough out into a roughly circular shape, slightly larger than your ramekins. Cut off any excess to make a round.
VEGAN POT PIE FILLING AND ASSEMBLY:
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Mix cubed tofu and soy sauce together. In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add cubed tofu/soy sauce and cook, stirring and turning often until browned on all sides. Remove tofu from pan and set aside.
In the same pan, heat 2 tbsp of vegan butter over medium heat. Once it begins to sizzle, add the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.
Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Gradually add vegetable broth and non-dairy milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
Add the Little potatoes, tofu, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme. Simmer for 10 minutes. Begin rolling out the pie dough while the filling simmers.
Stir in the frozen peas and white wine vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Divide filling into 6 (½ cup / 125 ml capacity) ramekins. Top with pie crust, folding the crust over the edges of the ramekin. Brush with melted vegan butter or non-dairy milk. Poke a few holes in the crust to allow steam to escape.
Notes:
Pot pies last up to 4 days in the fridge.
Reheating: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through.
Tip: To make larger meal-sized pot pies, use 4 (¾ cup / 175 ml capacity) ramekins. Prepare in a standard pie plate for a family-size pot pie.
And finally.... it wouldn't be the holidays without DESSERT!!!
Many of us equate "Holidays at Home" with a smorgasbord of desserts, including things like Chocolate Creme Pie... but one slice of junky store bought variety will run you approximately 330 calories, saturated fat 13 g, and sugar 25g.
Swap out your store bought variety chocolate dessert with something you can feel good about eating (and is a real crowd-pleaser!!)... this Vegan Pudding Pie!! The best part? At 90 calories, saturated fat 1g, sugar 4g, and an extra protein punch from the tofu, it's a dessert that not only tastes amazing but you can feel good about eating!
Low Fat Vegan Pudding Pie Tart
Cook Time: 25 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients:
crust:
1/2 cup of old fashioned rolled oats, ground into flour
1 Tbsp. coconut flour
1/2 Tbsp. potato starch
1/4 a ripe banana, chilled overnight
1/4 a ripe plantain, chilled overnight
1 Tbsp. applesauce
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Filling:
1/2 pkg . House Foods Tofu Medium Firm
2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cashew milk
3/4 Tbsp. vegan sugar, to taste (depending on how sweet you want it)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Combine oats, potato starch, cinnamon, and coconut flour in a large mixing bowl. Cut banana and plantain into chunks and blend together in a food processor until they are pureed. It will take a little bit of processing to get everything to incorporate. Knead plantain/banana mixture and applesauce into dry ingredients.
Once a cohesive ball of dough is formed, take out a sheet of wax paper and sprinkle it well with flour (or your choice). Also, coat your hands in flour, coat the ball of dough in flour, and coat your rolling pin with flour (this will prevent sticking). Roll the dough out onto the parchment paper thinly and until it is as big as your pie plate.
Spray pie plate with cooking spray or grease with coconut oil. Transfer crust to pie plate and press it into the sides to form a crust edge. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until firm but not overcooked.
Meanwhile, prepare pudding according to instructions. Place in the refrigerator while crust is finishing in the oven.
Remove crust from oven and let cool completely.
Once crust is fully cooled, pour the pudding mixture inside and spread evenly. Refrigerate overnight before cutting and serving.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS, FRIENDS!!!
