Healthy Recipes
PCRM Food For Life Recipes
Certified Food For Life Cooking Instructor, Sari Dennis is also a Board Certified Health and Wellness Counselor, and Founder of My Wellness Counts, LLC. Sari works with professionalism and compassion, guiding her clients to prioritize their health by connecting sound nutrition with healthy lifestyle choices. Sari advocates the value of nutritional excellence as a path to vibrant health and happiness.
“Healthy surroundings create healthy thoughts, and healthy thoughts inspire healthy choices.”
Sari works in group-settings and one-on-one with individual clients, over the course of a 6-month period. Sari received her training at the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine and at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC. Sari is certified by Purchase College of the State University of New York (SUNY), and accredited through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP).
Below you will find easy ways to REPLACE your allergy-sensitive ingredients for healthy, plant-based options . . . so keep reading!
All recipes are 100% plant-based, and here are some of the many health related reasons why:
20 Quotes from the Experts
1. “Genetics loads the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.” – Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., MD
2. “They say that vegetable food is not sufficiently nutritious. But chemistry proves contrary. So does physiology. So does experience…And again: the largest and strongest animals in the world are those which eat no flesh-food of any kind – the elephant and rhinoceros.” Russell Trall, MD
3. “It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in prevention and treatment of certain diseases.” ADA Position on Vegetarian Diets 2009
4. “Your choice of diet can influence your long term health prospects more than any other action you might take.” – Former Surgeon General C. Everett Coop
5. “You cannot buy health; you must earn it through healthy living.” – Joel Furhman, MD
6. “We have science to suggest that if you can make three changes – give up meat, all dairy, and refined foods including free oils – you can avoid dying form cancer and heart disease.” Mehmet Oz, MD
7. “People feel poorly because they are nourished by foods you wouldn’t feed to your dog or cat. The rich western diet is full of fat, sugar, cholesterol, salt, animal protein — all the wrong foods for people. Look around the world and see where people are thin and healthy — they live on a starch based diet — rice.” – John McDougall, MD
8. “Heart disease is a food-borne illness.” – Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., MD
9. “In this diet you’re never hungry. You never have to count calories. Its like quitting smoking, you don’t eat meat for a while and it’s hard for the first day or two, but (it’s easier) after you focus on the new foods you’re eating.” – Neal Barnard, MD
10. “A plant-based diet is more likely to produce good health and to reduce sharply the risk of heart problems, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, gallstones, and kidney disease.” – T. Colin Campbell, PhD
11. “An important fact to remember is that all natural diets, including purely vegetarian diets without a hint of dairy products, contain amounts of calcium that are above the threshold for meeting your nutritional needs…In fact, calcium deficiency caused by an insufficient amount of calcium in the diet is not known to occur in humans.” – John McDougall, MD
12. “We should all be eating fruits and vegetables as if our lives depend on it – because they do.” – Michael Greger, MD
13. “…in switching over to a plant-based diet, most people are able to reverse their heat disease, cure type II or significantly improve type I diabetes, effortlessly reduce their weight, eliminate their chronic and nagging aches and pains.” – Alona Pulde, MD and Matthew Lederman, MD
14. “I don’t understand why asking people to eat a well-balanced vegetarian diet is considered drastic while it is medically conservative to cut people open or put them on powerful cholesterol-lowering drugs the rest of their lives.” – Dean Ornish, MD
15. “We believe that if people focus on what they’re eating and not how much they’re eating, they will have weight loss with a plant-based diet.” – Neal Barnard, MD
16. “In the next ten years, one of the things you’re bound to hear is that animal protein is one of the most toxic nutrients of all that can be considered. Quite simply the more you substitute plant foods for animal foods, the healthier you are likely to be.” – T. Colin Campbell, PhD
17. “Medicines cannot drug away the cellular defects that develop in response to improper nutrition throughout life.” – Joel Furhman, MD
18. “Poor nutrition trumps tobacco, alcohol, and sedentary lifestyles as the primary cause for the development of chronic illnesses. We cannot ignore the reality that what we eat is totally within our control, and our choices are what determine the level of risk we have of becoming ill.” – Baxter Montgomery, MD
19. “The beef industry has contributed to more American deaths than all the wars of this century, all natural disasters, and all automobile accidents combined. If beef is your idea of “real food for real people” you’d better live real close to a real good hospital.” – Neal Barnard, MD
20. “Numerous research studies have shown that cancer is more common in populations consuming diets rich in fatty foods, particularly meat, and much less common in countries with diets rich in grains, vegetables, and fruits.” – Neal Barnard, MD
Bonus: “The fat you eat, is the fat you wear.” – John McDougall, MD
Therefore: eat more plants!
Replacing Allergy-Sensitive Ingredients
The following is a rundown of what to use in place of allergenic ingredients, including gluten. These allergen-free standbys are wonderful in the kitchen.
Replacing Eggs
Eggs provide moisture, richness, binding, and leavening. You may choose from a variety of alternate ingredients throughout your recipes in place of eggs.
APPLESAUCE
Applesauce works as a binding agent, and is also a great substitute for eggs or oil/shortening, when you want to reduce the fat. 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce = 1 egg
BANANA
Works similarly to applesauce, but has a much more distinct flavor. Only use it when you want to taste banana. 1/2 a mashed banana = 1 egg
PRUNE PUREE (AKA, baby food!)
Again, works similarly to applesauce, with a sweeter flavor. 4 1/2 to 5 ounce jar = 1 egg
VEGAN YOGURT
Vegan yogurt is great for adding moisture and binding. You may use it in place of eggs, but also in place of buttermilk, or cream. Also, coconut milk yogurt (see notes below re: coconut), and rice milk yogurt. Most people with tree nut allergies are NOT allergic to coconut, it’s an extremely rare allergy, but still, check with your allergist before consuming it. If the coconut milk is not an option for you, use the rice milk yogurt instead. 1/4 cup vegan yogurt = 1 egg
FLAXSEED MEAL
I love the effect of “flax eggs”, it works just like an egg, doing everything but leavening. It’s moist, rich, and binding. However, use “flax eggs” sparingly, as it is difficult to find totally clean flax. It’s often processed in facilities along with tree nuts or other allergens. So be sure to check with the manufacturer before consuming flax if cross contamination is a concern for you. 1 tablespoon Flax Seed Meal mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water = 1 egg
EGG REPLACER
Egg Replacer is great for leavening and binding. Ener-G Egg Replacer is manufactured in a facility free of all common allergens. 1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 2 tablespoons rice milk or water = 1 egg
BAKING SODA & VINEGAR
This is an old baking trick from WWII when eggs were rationed. It provides leavening in place of eggs. Add the baking soda to the dry ingredients, and the vinegar to the liquid. Wait to combine the dry and liquid ingredients until the very last minute, as the chemical reaction occurs as soon as the baking soda and vinegar meet, and you must get your goodie straight into the oven! 1 teaspoon baking soda + 1 teaspoon cider vinegar (or distilled white vinegar) = 1 egg
Replacing Dairy
Replacing cow milk is pretty much a no-brainer since even our local supermarkets now sell soy milk, hemp milk, almond milk, pea milk, seed milk, rice milk, coconut milk, etc.
1 cup non-dairy milk = 1 cup cow milk
RICE MILK
Rice milk is generally made from brown rice. It is a little thinner than other nondairy milks, but still provides yummy moistness. Rice milk is commercially available just about everywhere. Be sure to read ingredients carefully, as some rice milk brands contain gluten.
HEMP MILK
Hemp milk is the most nutritious of nondairy milks, and has a rich “nutty” flavor. Look for it at Whole Foods or your local health food store.
COCONUT MILK
Traditional coconut milk is very rich. It can be used in baking, but bare in mind that it is thick and sweet. (Again, the allergy world is on the fence about coconut. Some say it’s a member of the date family, some say it’s a tree nut. Most people with tree nut allergies are not allergic to coconut, it’s an extremely rare allergy, but still, check with your allergist before consuming it).
There is also a new Coconut Milk on the shelves made by Turtle Mountain, that functions like rice milk. It’s a thinner, lower calorie coconut milk, available in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods. It’s amazing for baking and yummy in cereal!
INSTEAD OF BUTTERMILK
You can easily make your own nondairy buttermilk at home. For any 1 cup of buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or cider vinegar to 1 cup nondairy milk, and let stand about 10 minutes to sour.
INSTEAD OF YOGURT, CREAM & SOUR CREAM
Use coconut milk yogurt, and rice milk yogurt in place of yogurt, cream, and sour cream. The coconut milk yogurt has a better texture, and the tang of traditional dairy yogurt. If the coconut milk is not an option for you, use the rice milk yogurt instead. And if you can eat soy, then by all means, substitute soy yogurt.
INSTEAD OF BUTTER
Ah, butter, the backbone of western baking. Or is it? I’ve been delighted to find you can still make awesome “buttery” baked goods WITHOUT butter.
DAIRY-FREE, SOY-FREE VEGETABLE SHORTENING
It’s non-hydrogenated, cholesterol free, and bakes up nice and light. 1 cup dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening = 1 cup unsalted butter
Replacing Nuts & Nut Butters
SUNBUTTER
The past few years has seen the advent of Sunbutter. Sunbutter (aka, sunflower seed butter) is a great replacement for peanut butter and other nut butters. It is available at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, and many local health food stores. It’s also popping up on some supermarket shelves. Additionally, you can now buy safe sunflower seeds for snacking, or use in baking, though you may have to order these online.
Replacing Wheat Flours & Other Gluten Flours
This is perhaps the trickiest part of baking allergen-free. It’s not so hard to bake gluten-free if you can still use eggs, butter, and nut flours, but learning to bake without ANY of them can be a challenge.
GLUTEN-FREE, ALLERGEN-FREE FLOURS
Rice, Corn, Potato, Tapioca, Beans, Garfava, Sorghum, Quinoa, Millet, Buckwheat, Arrowroot, Amaranth, Teff, Montina, and Flax.
Whoa, that’s a lot of flours! And trickier still, most of them can’t be used on their own, they must be mixed like you’re doing AP chemistry. They can’t be swapped out cup for cup for wheat flour, and they require varying amounts of xanthan from recipe to recipe. So to make things simple for YOU, here is a Basic Gluten-free Flour Mix that you can whip up and store in your fridge:
BASIC GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR MIX (RECIPE)
Makes 6 cups
4 cups superfine brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
2/3 cup tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch)
1. To measure flour, use a large spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with the back of a knife. Do NOT use the measuring cup itself to scoop your flour when measuring! It will compact the flour and you will wind up with too much for the recipe. Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Shake until well blended. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT CHOICE OF FLOURS
When preparing baked goods recipes, do so with a blend of super-fine brown rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca flour. These selected flours/starches are great for gluten-free baking, and they are generally the easiest gluten-free flours for the general public to find. But most importantly, they carry the least risk of cross contamination.
Most gluten-free flours are still being processed in the same facilities as tree nut flours (such as almond flour). These ingredients can be found with the safety assurance that they are free from cross contamination with all common allergens, and which are easily found by the general public.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT EGG REPLACER
Egg replacer works best when whisked together with a liquid, using a small whisk. Be sure to beat it until slightly frothy and all the lumps have dissolved before adding it to a recipe.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT XANTHAN GUM
Xanthan Gum is the be-all and end-all of gluten-free baking. I don’t know what we would do without it. It is a plant gum that mimics gluten. It provides structure and elasticity. A little bit goes a long way, so measure it carefully. I have found there is variation between brands. I like Ener-G Xanthan Gum best. It is a derivative of corn. If you can’t eat corn, you may use guar gum instead, but please note, these recipes have not been tested with guar gum.
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Black Beans with Salsa on Toast Breakfast
Makes 2 servings 1/2 cup dry black beans, or 2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed 1 salt, to taste 1 garlic powder, to taste 1 ground cumin, to taste 1 teaspoon thinly sliced jalapeno pepper 1 large tomato, chopped 1/4 cup chopped onion 4 slices toast, or 2-4 tortillas Start with black beans. You can boil them from scratch for about 2 hours after soaking overnight. Do not undercook. Or you can make life easier and simply use heated canned beans. Season cooked beans with salt, garlic powder, and cumin and mash. For the salsa, mix the jalapeno, tomato, and onion, adjusting amounts to taste. Serve the beans and salsa on toast or with tortillas. Per serving (1/2 of recipe) Calories: 314 Fat: 2.8 g Saturated Fat: 0.5 g Calories from Fat: 8% Cholesterol: 0 mg Protein: 15.4 g Carbohydrates: 58.3 g Sugar: 6.7 g Fiber: 12.5 g Sodium: 445 mg Calcium: 95 mg Iron: 4.5 mg Vitamin C: 18.8 mg Beta Carotene: 378 mcg Vitamin E: 0.6 mg Source: Maya Caribe, Cancun, Mexico. Published in The Best in the World, Neal D. Barnard, M.D.,...
read moreBlack Bean Breakfast Burrito
Makes 12 servings These hearty breakfast burritos freeze well and will also keep in the fridge for several days. There is a lot of room for experimentation with this recipe, so don’t feel compelled to follow it exactly. 1/4 cup water salt or tamari Tabasco sauce 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 onion, diced 2 bell peppers (red, orange, yellow, or green), seeded and diced 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic 1 black pepper 3 cups drained canned or cooked black beans 10 button mushrooms, sliced 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped 1/2 cup salsa 3 cups cooked brown rice 12 whole-grain tortillas Heat water and oil in a large saucepan or wok. When hot, add onion and sauté until limp. Add bell peppers, cumin, garlic, and black pepper, and cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Add a little more water if necessary, to prevent sticking. Stir in black beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, and salsa, and cook and stir until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Add rice and season to taste with salt or tamari and Tabasco sauce. Serve on warm tortillas, folded or rolled up to enclose filling. Per burrito Calories: 224 Fat: 2.5 g Saturated Fat: 0.5 g Calories from Fat: 10.1% Cholesterol: 0 mg Protein: 9.4 g Carbohydrates: 43.4 g Sugar: 4 g Fiber: 9.3 g Sodium: 409 mg Calcium: 40 mg Iron: 2.9 mg Vitamin C: 37.8 mg Beta Carotene: 506 mcg Vitamin E: 0.9 mg Source: Breaking the Food Seduction by Neal Barnard, M.D.; recipe by Jo Stepaniak; © Jo Stepaniak 2005, published by...
read moreBarley Waffles Breakfast
Makes 4 6-inch waffles 2 cups barley flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups soy- or rice milk 2 tablespoons maple syrup 2 tablespoons vinegar 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 vegetable oil spray 1 fruit preserves or maple syrup, for topping Preheat waffle iron. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, stir together non-dairy milk, syrup, vinegar, and oil. Combine the two mixtures and stir to mix. Lightly coat the waffle iron with vegetable oil spray, then pour in some of the batter and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with fruit preserves or syrup. Per waffle (without topping) Calories: 396 Fat: 7.1 g Saturated Fat: 0.9 g Calories from Fat: 16.2% Cholesterol: 0 mg Protein: 13.1 g Carbohydrates: 72.5 g Sugar: 11.5 g Fiber: 9.2 g Sodium: 701 mg Calcium: 219 mg Iron: 3.7 mg Vitamin C: 0.5 mg Beta Carotene: 1 mcg Vitamin E: 3.1 mg Source: Foods That Fight Pain by Neal Barnard, M.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S.,...
read moreBarley Pancakes Breakfast
Makes about 16 3-inch pancakes 1 cup barley flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups soy- or rice milk 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 tablespoon vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil 1 vegetable oil spray In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. In small bowl, stir together non-dairy milk, syrup, vinegar, and oil. Combine the two mixtures and stir to mix. Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle. Lightly coat cooking surface with vegetable oil spray. Pour small amounts of batter onto the heated surface and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the edges are dry and the tops bubble. Turn carefully with a spatula and cook the second side for about 1 minute, or until golden brown. Per pancake Calories: 50 Fat: 0.9 g Saturated Fat: 0.1 g Calories from Fat: 16.2% Cholesterol: 0 mg Protein: 1.6 g Carbohydrates: 9.1 g Sugar: 1.4 g Fiber: 1.1 g Sodium: 88 mg Calcium: 27 mg Iron: 0.5 mg Vitamin C: 0.1 mg Beta Carotene: 0 mcg Vitamin E: 0.4 mg Source: Foods That Fight Pain by Neal Barnard, M.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S.,...
read moreBanana Oat Pancakes Breakfast
Makes about 10 pancakes (10 servings) These satisfying pancakes contain generous amounts of heart-healthy oats. They are delicious when served with fresh orange slices or other fruit, or a bit of real maple syrup. You can purchase oat flour at natural food stores and in some supermarkets, or you can make your own by grinding rolled oats in a food processor or blender. 1 cup oat flour 1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 ripe banana, mashed (about 1/2 cup) 1 cup soy- or other non-dairy milk 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar (such as apple cider vinegar) 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional) In a small mixing bowl, combine flours, baking soda, and salt. Stir to mix. In a larger mixing bowl, combine banana, non-dairy milk, vinegar, syrup, and walnuts, if using. Mix thoroughly. Add the flour mixture and stir just enough to mix. Heat a large non-stick skillet. Pour small amounts of batter onto skillet and cook until tops bubble and edges are dry. Flip and cook second side for about 1 minute, until golden brown. Serve immediately. Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, leftover Banana Oat Pancakes will keep for up to 2 days. Per serving Calories: 78 Fat: 1.1 g Saturated Fat: 0.2 g Calories from Fat: 13.1% Cholesterol: 0 mg Protein: 3 g Carbohydrates: 14.8 g Sugar: 3.5 g Fiber: 2 g Sodium: 107 mg Calcium: 38 mg Iron: 0.8 mg Vitamin C: 1.1 mg Beta Carotene: 3 mcg Vitamin E: 0.4 mg Source: The Survivor’s Handbook: Eating Right for Cancer Survival by Neal D. Barnard, M.D. and Jennifer Reilly,...
read moreBanana Oat French Toast Breakfast
Makes 6 slices Serve this delicious, heart-healthy French toast with maple syrup and fresh fruit. 1 cup fortified vanilla soymilk 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats 1 medium banana 6 slices whole-grain bread 1 vegetable oil spray Combine soymilk, oats, and banana in a blender. Process until completely smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a shallow dish. Soak bread slices in batter until soft but not soggy. The amount of time this takes will vary depending on the bread used. Cook over medium-high heat in a vegetable oil sprayed non-stick skillet until first side is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn carefully with a spatula and cook second side until brown, about 3 minutes. Per slice Calories: 126 Fat: 2.1 g Saturated Fat: 0.4 g Calories from Fat: 15.2% Cholesterol: 0 mg Protein: 5 g Carbohydrates: 23.5 g Sugar: 6.9 g Fiber: 3.2 g Sodium: 173 mg Calcium: 74 mg Iron: 1.6 mg Vitamin C: 1.8 mg Beta Carotene: 6 mcg Vitamin E: 0.7 mg Source: Healthy Eating for Life for Women by Kristine Kieswer; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S.,...
read moreBanana French Toast Breakfast
Makes 4 slices 2 medium bananas 2/3 cup soymilk 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 4 slices whole-wheat bread 1 vegetable oil spray Blend bananas, soymilk, syrup, and cinnamon until smooth. Pour into a flat, shallow dish and soak bread slices 1 minute on each side. Transfer carefully to a vegetable oil sprayed skillet. Cook first side until lightly browned, about 3 minutes, then turn and cook second side until browned. Per slice Calories: 173 Fat: 2.2 g Saturated Fat: 0.5 g Calories from Fat: 11.3% Cholesterol: 0 mg Protein: 4.8 g Carbohydrates: 36.5 g Sugar: 16.7 g Fiber: 3.4 g Sodium: 174 mg Calcium: 82 mg Iron: 1.7 mg Vitamin C: 5.5 mg Beta Carotene: 14 mcg Vitamin E: 1 mg Source: Food for Life by Neal Barnard, M.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S.,...
read moreBaked Apples Breakfast
Makes 4 apples These baked apples contain no added sugar or fat, yet are delicious and satisfying. Cook them the night before for a quick breakfast treat. 4 large tart apples 3 – 5 pitted dates, chopped 1 teaspoon cinnamon Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash apples, then remove cores to within 1/4 inch of the bottoms. Combine dates and cinnamon, then distribute equally into the centers of the apples. Place in a baking dish filled with 1/4 inch of hot water and bake until apples are soft, 40 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or cold. Per apple Calories: 129 Fat: 0.4 g Saturated Fat: 0.1 g Calories from Fat: 2.8% Cholesterol: 0 mg Protein: 0.7 g Carbohydrates: 34.4 g Sugar: 26 g Fiber: 5.9 g Sodium: 2 mg Calcium: 22 mg Iron: 0.5 mg Vitamin C: 9.9 mg Beta Carotene: 58 mcg Vitamin E: 0.5 mg Source: Eat Right, Live Longer by Neal D. Barnard, M.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond M.S.,...
read moreApple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast
Makes 2 1-cup servings 1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats 2/3 cup apple juice concentrate 1 1/3 cups water 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup raisins or currants (optional) Combine oats, apple juice concentrate, water, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in raisins or currants, if using. Let stand 3 minutes before serving. Per 1-cup serving Calories: 312 Fat: 2.9 g Saturated Fat: 0.5 g Calories from Fat: 8.4% Cholesterol: 0 mg Protein: 7 g Carbohydrates: 66 g Sugar: 32.9 g Fiber: 4.7 g Sodium: 29 mg Calcium: 51 mg Iron: 2.8 mg Vitamin C: 2.1 mg Beta Carotene: 0 mcg Vitamin E: 0.3 mg Source: Healthy Eating for Life to Prevent and Treat Cancer by Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S.,...
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