Kare Kare is a traditional filipino dish comprised of meat and vegetables stewed in a creamy peanut sauce. This plant-based version replaces meat with extra firm tofu. My grandma usually puts chayote in the dish. Chayote is a lime-colored squash shaped like a pear. It is high in potassium and low in sodium which is good for maintaining a healthy blood pressure. It is also rich in vitamin C, B-6 and folate. You can use summer squash as a substitute if you can’t find chayote in the grocery stores near you.

The combination of peanut butter and the aromatic licorice flavor from the star anise gives this dish a simple, but distinct flavor. The peanut butter sauce is made of water (or vegetable broth), Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce), creamy peanut butter, ground black pepper and star anise. That’s it! It’s very easy to make and takes around 20 minutes to cook after preparing all the vegetables! Each serving has 10.3 g of monounsaturated fat from the peanut butter and olive oil. Monunsaturated fat helps reduce bad cholesterol levels, lowering risks of heart disease and stroke.

This lentil loaf is great for the holidays, but it’s also a great post-workout meal. I used flaxseed meal in this recipe to get some omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are “good” fats that help reduce muscle soreness, improve fat burning, and aid in muscle recovery. It’s a great substitute for fish oil. Flaxseed also lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol in the bloodstream and helps maintain the heart’s natural rhythm. Because this loaf takes a while to cook, I make a huge batch every few weeks and freeze leftovers for days we don’t have time to cook.

Substitute with wheat or spelt flour if you can’t find vital wheat gluten (natural protein found in wheat) or vegan breadcrumbs in your local grocery store. Don’t worry! You’ll still get plenty of protein from the lentils, split peas and barley without vital wheat gluten.

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! Happy Cooking!

We stopped by Zhu Pan-Asian Vegan Restaurant in Arlington, MA for lunch after picking up our camera from the Nikon Repair Center a few weeks ago. We tried their brown rice pudding for dessert and I was hooked onto brown rice pudding ever since! This is my version. It’s so easy to make, you have to try it!

We love cooking red lentils because they are rich in protein, folate, dietary fiber, potassium and magnesium. Lentils help reduce high cholesterol, promote regular bowel movement, stablize blood sugar level, increase energy, and improve blood flow and oxygen in the body. It even helps with weight loss because it is low in calories and fat!

Did you know that ¹⁄₄ of a cup of red lentils have more protein, less fat and less cholesterol than one hard-boiled egg?

Pasta comes in different shapes and sizes. It is a staple in Italian cooking and is usually made with some sort of flour and eggs. Thankfully, many supermarkets now carry vegan options! We often use Explore Asian Bean Pastas because they are certified vegan and contain between 20 to 25 grams of protein per serving! They can be found in your local Stop & Shop or Wholefoods. Wholefoods (and its 365 Everyday Value brand) also carry their own vegan pastas.

Boiling pasta is VERY easy. All you need is water, oil, a pot and a stove.