Spiral Spuds

It's summer and time for cookouts, celebrations, and get-togethers!  It's always fun to have creative foods for your guests or your family.  These spiral spuds are easy to make and healthy, too.  I am a plant-based eater, so I don't use butter, cheese, sour cream, or bacon bits, but you could make them "loaded" spiral spuds, if you want by adding your favorite toppings.  I like to pull my spiral spuds apart and eat them humus or salsa.

Ingredients: 
Potatoes (I used large, red potatoes, but any baking potato will work.)
Coconut oil baking spray (If you're WFPB, skip the cooking spray.)
Tajin spice
skewers

Directions:
Bake potatoes for 15 minutes. Don't over-boil because they will be mushy.
Let potatoes cool, and then gently run the skewers up the center of each potato.
Cut the potatoes at an angle on the skewer.
Gently pull the potato spirals open without breaking them. Some of them will probably break apart, but that's okay. ;)
Place on a baking sheet and spray a little cooking spray on each potato.
Sprinkle your spice on each potato and bake at 350 for ~30 minutes.  Just keep an eye on them since each oven is different.

Skewered, gently boiled potatoes

Cut potatoes at an angle for a spiral

Add spice and bake at 325

If you use cheese, just sprinkle the cheese on as the potatoes come out of the oven, and it will melt.

To serve, you could leave them on the skewers or gently pull them off and put them on a plate.  If you serve them at a party, leave the toppings around the serving plate so each guest can dress them how they prefer.  Enjoy! :)

Vegan Protein Bowl

Plant-Based eaters often times get the question, "But....where do you get your protein?" Did you know that 3.5 ounces of dry lentils contains 25 grams of protein, which is the same as a 3 oz piece of cooked ribeye steak?

Here are some other plant-based proteins in this bowl to show you a comparison:

1 cup black beans = 15 g of protein

1 cup dry couscous = 20 g of protein

1 cup cooked quinoa = 8 g of protein

1 cup cooked edamame = 18.5 g of protein

This bowl is full of gorgeous plant-based proteins, which are not only colorful, but delicious and healthy, as well!  I love food bowls because none of them are ever the same.  You can use what you have on-hand and make them as simple or as complex as you like. :)

Ingredients:
black lentils
Israeli couscous
quinoa blend
baby garbonzo beans
orzo
edamame (cooked and shelled)
black beans
corn
green onions
white button mushrooms
mango

Directions: 
Cook all of the grains and legumes per directions, boil and cut off corn kernels, and chop green onions to taste. Arrange in a bowl, mix gently, and enjoy!

Mixed-up Deliciousness!