Welcome to Life Beyond Lettuce, where I share ways to change your habits and try new recipes for a healthy and delicious less processed food life!

These are my recipes featured on Good Morning Washington on May 22, 2017

Makes: 4-5 single serving pies, 8-9 mini pies, or 1 full-size pie

• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 cup carrot, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup green peas
• 1.5 cups (1 can) chickpeas, drained
• olive oil spray
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 cups veggie or chik’n broth
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1 tsp dried thyme (optional)
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tube crescent rolls or defrosted puff pastry

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat a small amount of spray oil in a pan or pot, then add celery and onions and saute until translucent.
3. Add flour, stir, and cook until toasty brown so it does not taste raw.
4. Add broth and soymilk and simmer 5-10 minutes until it begins to thicken. Don’t worry: it will continue to thicken in the oven.
5. Add the carrots, peas, chickpeas, thyme, salt, pepper, and taste it to adjust seasonings.
6. Scoop into baking dish.
7. Cut crescent roll dough into squares or circles and set it on top of the liquid.
8. Bake 10-25 minutes. The timing varies a lot, but they are done when the liquid is bubbling and the crust is brown.Notes: if you’re avoiding gluten, you may substitute a tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water. If you choose to use no oil, I recommend the cornstarch since the oil + flour is what helps the recipe thicken. Go ahead and save time by using frozen vegetables such as frozen chopped onions! You may add any vegetables, firm tofu squares, sauteed mushrooms, or other beans!

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• Makes: as much tofu as you cook! 1 lb feeds 4-6 people
  • 1 lb super firm tofu
  • 1 bottle BBQ sauce: choose the lowest sugar, lowest oil one you can find. The first ingredients should be tomatoes and vinegar, not corn syrup or oil. Or use homemade!

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Slice tofu into desired shapes: small rectangles, large rectangles, long “rib” shapes
3. Dip tofu into BBQ sauce and place on baking tray lined with parchment paper
4. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove tray and use a basting brush to apply more BBQ sauce to each piece.
5. Repeat the process, basting every 15 minutes for a total of 1 hour, or up to 1.5 hours if you want extra thick and crispy bits on the edges

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Makes: 6-8 patties, or more smaller shapes

• 1 can butter beans
• 1 can small white beans
• 2/3 cup whole grain
  • Option 1: 1/3 cup bulgur + 2/3 cup water, microwaved 2 minutes in LARGE bowl to not boil over
    Option 2: 1/3 cup quick barley + 1 cup water, microwaved 5 minutes  in LARGE bowl to not boil over
    Option 1: 1/3 cup instant brown rice, prepared according to directions
• 1 tbsp chopped capers (optional)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 packet TrueLemon powder or 1 tsp lemon juice
• Whole wheat panko bread crumbs for breading

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Mash all ingredients together. If you have time, let it sit in the fridge 20 minutes.
3. Use hands to shape into burger patties or any shape you like.
4. Roll in the breadcrumbs and place on baking tray lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, or until browned.
6. Optional: Broil for 1-3 minutes to make them extra crispy. Watch so they don’t burn!

Serve as a burger, by itself, with dipping sauce, with tomato sauce, with pesto, fresh lemon juice, or anything you like!

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A great way to make pasta your high protein, high fiber main dish is by using pasta made out of beans! Every type has a slightly different flavor and texture, so try several before you decide which you like. I prefer edamame (a little chewier), green lentil (a little softer), and chickpea (a little heartier). Black bean pasta can be great, but it is the most prone to being overcooked into mush. Tolerant Legume Pasta and Banza Chickpea Pasta are two of my favorites.