Anonymous asked: This is less of a question, more of a thank you- I recently took up vegetarianism, but was starting to flag because I was board of the same old tofu stir frys... Your blog has got me so excited about trying out new things and new ways of preparing food- so here's a massive thank you from Liverpool, UK Robot Heart Recipes! :)

‘Ello! Thank you so much for your note! It is truly one of my most favorite pieces of feedback of all time! Hooray for you, don’t give up! I am just now getting back into my blog after a long hiatus…so please let me know if there is a particular type of recipe you are longing to see and I will be happy to oblige! Thank you for taking the time to write in, and that you for reading!! xoxo RHR!

My other blog, Veg Nation Celebration, is back up and running! It is a simple archive of vegetarian and vegan recipes, just a place for me to share my most recent discoveries from around the Internet. Hop on over and take a peek. Today’s posts are all about cucumbers! A couple have gone up already and there are more to come throughout the day. Thanks for reading! xoxo

Visit Veg Nation Celebration!

Robot Heart Recipes Test Kitchen: 9 Vegetarian Mother’s Day Brunch Ideas

It’s the time of year once again when we all pay homage to those quirky and lovable ladies who reared us. In honor of moms far and wide I have put together a roundup of scrumdiddlyumptious brunch ideas. These puppies are all RHR Test Kitchen approved and sure to put a smile on your mom’s face. In fact, many have graced my Mother’s Day tables past. Being a mom is hard work! On Sunday be sure to give thanks to anyone who adds motherly energy to your life, and give props to anyone you know who is a mom.

Broccoli and Cheese Crustless Quiche

Flourless Tiramisu Cupcakes

Nut-Crusted Asparagus, Leek, and Gruyère Quiche

Mixed Fruit and Avocado Salad

Orange Couscous Salad

Pannukakku (Finnish Oven Pancake)

Peanut Butter French Toast

Scrambled Tofu Florentine

Strawberry-Chèvre Salad

Green Apple Detox Juice
Serves 1-2

This little cleansing wonder comes from one of my favorite bloggers, Kathy Patalsky, of Healthy.Happy.Life. It’s a hydration celebration thanks to the coconut water, and if that’s not enough, it’s got leafy green goodness and fiber thrown in for good measure. Plus it really does come out of the blender with a juice consistency—a major bonus for those of us who are sans juicer. I used a Honeycrisp apple and spinach, and definitely went for the optional few dashes of cayenne.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium apple, chopped (any sweet variety)

2 cups mache lettuce (or spinach – or any soft leafy green)

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 cup coconut water

handful of ice (optional)

optional: cayenne – a few dashes for spiciness

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender from low to high until smooth; serve. Don’t be scared if it’s a bit foamy. The foam comes from the fiber in the apples. It’s good for you, drink it!

Source: Kathy Patalsky of Healthy.Happy.Life for Babble. View the recipe on Babble.com.

Robot Heart Recipes Test Kitchen: 9 Vegetarian Cuckoo for Quinoa Recipes

This is a collection I put together of Robot Heart Recipes Test Kitchen approved quinoa recipes. It really doesn’t get much better than quinoa in terms of a quick, easy, and versatile veg-friendly protein. Quinoa can be used in endless ways and can sneak its way into any meal. It’s great for making salads that can easily be transported for school or work lunches. If you’re just getting started with quinoa, try using it in place of rice in a dish you already enjoy. Do keep in mind that quinoa doesn’t offer much in the way of flavor on its own. I almost always swap out water for a flavorful medium like vegetable broth or juice when cooking quinoa. All of these recipes have earned the RHR Stamp o’ Approval. Some were even created by my own little brain. Enjoy!

Black Bean-Quinoa Burgers

Breakfast Quinoa with Blueberries

Chickpea and Quinoa Burgers with Tzatziki

Falafel-Inspired Lettuce Wraps

Gingery Quinoa Salad with Apples, Peas, and Coconut

Greek-Style Quinoa Salad

Pesto and White Bean Quinoa

Super Simple Soy Sauce Quinoa with Peas and Carrots

Weeknight Warrior Stir-Fry

Take a peek at additional RHR Test Kitchen Recipe Collections here!

Restaurant-Style (Chickenless) “Asian” Salad
Serves 4

You know those “Asian” salads that you love at your local chain restaurant? The restaurant you pretend you don’t ever go to—that Red Robin, Applebee’s or T.G.I. Fridays down the road. The place that pisses you off because they still charge you full price when you order your salad sans chicken. Well never fear my dear friends, this recipe allows you to make the very same salad right in the comfort of your own kitchen. The dressing is DELICIOUS, and obviously you can play around with the salad ingredients to make your most perfectly tailored restaurant-style “Asian” salad ever!

INGREDIENTS

Dressing

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce

Salad

6 cups chopped romaine lettuce

2 cups shredded red cabbage

1 cup shredded carrot, shredded

3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, greens included

1 cup snow peas, sliced diagonally into chunks

3-ounces teriyaki flavor baked tofu, cut into small squares   

1 (11-ounce) can Mandarin oranges in water, drained   

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/4 cup chow mein noodles

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: In a large bowl, combine lettuce, red cabbage, carrot, scallions, snow peas, tofu, and orange slices.

Step Two: In a separate bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, canola oil, sesame oil, brown sugar, and chili sauce.

Step Three: Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Divide among bowls and top each serving with toasted almonds and chow mein noodles. (The salad may also be served in a large bowl with dressing on the side).

Source: Modified from “Chinese Chicken Salad” by Ellie Krieger for Food Network’s “Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger,” 2007. View the recipe on FoodNetwork.com.

Butter Bean Green Dip
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

This is one of the snacks I put into play for my Healthy Eating Revamp. It is super fast and easy to throw together and keeps well. It is a prefect midday nosh—great with vegetables or seed crackers for dipping.

INGREDIENTS

1 15-ounce can low-sodium butter beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped parsley

3 scallions, white parts roughly chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: In the bowl of a food processor, purée butter beans. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Purée until smooth. Add parsley and scallions and continue to purée until fully combined. Serve with sliced vegetables for dipping.

Source: Vegetarian Times, June 2012.

Q: can you please tell me where you buy raw pumpkin seeds at? do they sell them at Vons or trader joes???

A: Hi there! Sure—I buy raw pumpkin seeds in the bulk section at my local, higher end grocery store. In my opinion, bulk sections are the best place to start for raw seeds and nuts. If you do not have access to a grocery store with a well-stocked bulk section, Trader Joe’s would be a good bet. I haven’t looked there specifically for raw pumpkin seeds, but they likely have them. TJ’s has a large nut/seed section and I did buy raw pistachios there recently. Whole Foods would also be a good option. I can’t answer regarding Vons because we don’t have them here in Washington, I’ve only been to Vons when I was in Los Angeles. Good luck on your quest, and thanks for reading!

P.S. If you come across something labeled “raw pepitas” in your search, grab ‘em. Pepita is Spanish for pumpkin seed and is often used in culinary terms, so you will sometimes find them labeled as such.

Grab ‘n’ Go Trail Mix
Makes 1/2 cup

It’s a little embarrassing to call this a “recipe.” I mean a monkey could likely throw this mixture together, although I have a feeling he would probably leave the kitchen in disarray and be pretty pissed that there aren’t any bananas involved. At any rate, I promised I would share my Healthy Eating Revamp recipes, so here we go. This type of little ditty is one of my favorite snacks. Any combo of your favorite nuts, seeds, and dried fruits will do the trick. Dried cherries are great in place of the pineapple and dark chocolate chips are also a welcome addition. My advice is to seek out all of the components from a well-stocked bulk section. They will be MUCH cheaper and you can try out different ingredients without investing a lot of cash into something you might not end up liking. I’m a salty snack kind of girl, so I like using roasted, lightly salted nuts to soothe my salt tooth, but go for raw nuts instead if you want to keep things extra healthy. Make multiple batches of this mix and keep them on hand in little containers to grab and go!

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup mixed roasted, lightly salted nuts

1 tablespoon dried unsweetened cranberries

1 tablespoon dried pineapple chunks

1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes

1 tablespoon raw sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Combine all ingredients in a small portable container, grab, go, and enjoy!

Source: A Robot Heart Recipes Original.

Robot Heart Recipes Test Kitchen: 5 Portable Healthy Vegetarian Snacks

I am all about a healthy eating focus right now. In my opinion one of the essential keys to maintaining sensible eating habits throughout the day is to have nutritious snacks on hand no matter where you are. Here is a batch of healthy and portable vegetarian snacks that don’t skimp on flavor and have all received the stamp o’ approval from the Robot Heart Recipes Test Kitchen!

Amaranth Clusters

Coconut-Date Bars

Lemon-Ginger-Cashew Balls

Sweet and Salty Seed Mix

Vegan Flourless Nut Crackers