Are you confused about which kind of oatmeal or oats to buy? It might surprise you to learn that a faster cooking time doesn't necessarily mean a healthier choice.

I encourage you to avoid "quick oats" that contain added sugar and/or salt. Otherwise, choose the oats that you enjoy the most based on texture and cooking time.

You may have already figured out that I have a bit of a love affair with muffins after my gushing over my "Best banana muffins in the history of all banana muffins". I will admit, though, that I'm a muffin snob- it has to be low fat, vegan, lower in sugar, contain a bit of protein, and taste great. This doesn't happen often, people! That being said, though, it happened for me this week with these blackberry orange muffins. These are amazing!

I use protein powder in smoothies, pancakes, muffins and baked goods, and in a few other ways. It seems like there are a million product choices out there so I thought I'd share a few of my favorites. I do not use powders that contain whey (I'm 99% vegan it isn't) or soy (I prefer to get my protein from other sources when possible and it can irritate my stomach in large doses). I choose products that are natural and I avoid overly processed or artificial ingredients.

Here are the products that I like:

Vega:
Smoothie Infusion: Great in smoothies or for adding to baked goods and pancakes (replace up to 1/3 of the flour in a recipe). Not sweetened.

I just had the best lunch that I've had in awhile! I was rummaging around in the fridge trying to use up a few things and came up with this awesome quesadilla!

Beans and other legumes are essential to vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. They provide healthy amounts of plant-based protein, fiber, and iron. That being said, though, many people avoid them for fear of the gas and bloating that they can cause. Here are five ways to help improve their digestibility and minimize gas factor:

You know those days when you haven't had a chance to get to the store and you have to make something out of nothing for dinner? Yeah, that was last Monday for me. Having run out of almost everything, I managed to throw together this broccoli soup and it turned out so good that I had to share the recipe with you!

I have discovered and fallen in love with a few new products this month and want to share them with you!

Stonyfield Organic O'Soy yogurt

If you over-indulged in chocolate bunnies over the weekend, this soup is a nice way to get back on track. It is light, healthy, and full of flavor. For extra protein, I serve it over soba noodles- they are made from buckwheat flour and contain 8 grams of protein per serving.

Seeds are small but incredibly nutritious! Adding them to your daily diet is a great way to add protein and various vitamins and minerals. You can add seeds to your cereal (hot or cold), salads, smoothies, granola or trail mix, pancakes, and baked goods. Here are my favorites:

Chia - Very rich in omega-3 fatty acids (even more than flaxseeds) and an excellent source of fiber. Try adding them to yogurt or make "chia fresca".

Flaxseeds - Rich in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber. Be sure to grind them before eating them.

Hemp - Excellent source of iron, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Pumpkin - Just a quarter cup of pumpkin seeds provides ~25-30% of the RDA for iron! They are also rich in manganese, magnesium, and several other vitamins and minerals. Eating pumpkin seeds (and other iron-rich foods) with foods containing vitamin C will greatly increase your iron absorption.

Sesame - Sesame seeds aren't just for buns (hamburger that is)! They contain a ton of calcium, copper, manganese, magnesium, and iron. Try them in hummus or stir fried veggies.

Sunflower - Loaded with vitamins E and B1, manganese, magnesium, copper, folic acid, and more.

Many of these are available in the bulk food section of your grocery store (or online). Look for raw seeds rather than dry roasted or otherwise cooked versions and keep them in the refrigerator. The oils in nuts and seeds are delicate and will begin to smell a bit like paint if they have gone rancid.

You will get the most nutritional value from consuming raw nuts and seeds. However, if you wish to toast them, please use a temperature that is 300°F or less to preserve the value of their delicate oils.

I'm not crazy about salad dressing. I know that might sound odd coming from a vegetarian whose diet, some believe, is mostly salad (that, by the way, couldn't be further from the truth!). There are a few dressings that I like but I prefer to top my salads with ingredients that add value instead of just flavor. The contents of my salads vary quite a bit, but here are some of my favorite toppings (including a few recipe links):

This burger recipe was inspired by Brendan Brazier's Thrive Diet. If you enjoy it, you can get creative by substituting different nuts, seeds, seasonings, etc. to create different kinds of nut burgers.

Raw Nut Burger
Serves 2-3
1/2 cup raw pecans
1/2 cup raw walnuts
2 Tbsp ground flaxseeds
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp raw sunflower seeds
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 medium carrot
1 garlic clove
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Several leaves of fresh basil
Dash of sea salt

You can crumble this over your salad, form it into patties and eat raw in a wrap, or cook and eat the patties as a burger (fry until lightly brown on both sides or bake at 300° for about 15-20 minutes (flip mid-way).

Did you know...? Nuts and seeds contain monounsaturated fat. This good fat helps to raise your "good cholesterol" and improve your overall cholesterol ratio (HDL to LDL). Nuts and seeds are also a great source of protein, iron, and vitamin E.

What is tempeh?
Tempeh, like tofu, is made from soybeans. It is more dense and grainy than tofu and contains more nutrients because it is made from whole fermented beans. A single 4oz. serving provides around 16-20 grams of vegan protein, 9 grams of fiber, and 15% of the RDA for iron. Even fellow vegetarians sometimes struggle with how to prepare and eat tempeh.

Here are two ways that I enjoy it.

Tempeh salad:
Makes 1 large or two small servings 4oz. tempeh cut into very small cubes or crumbled
Olive oil or cooking spray
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2-3 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise (I use Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise)
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Did you know...? 1/4 cup of sesame seeds contains 350mg of calcium (35% RDA) and 5mg of iron (29% RDA)!

Tempeh sandwich or wrap:

Three great places to find more tempeh recipes:
101 Cookbooks tempeh recipes
VegWeb.com (search for tempeh to find recipes)
FatFree Vegan Kitchen (search for tempeh to find recipes)

If you've only had steamed or boiled Brussels sprouts, I can understand if you don't care for them. Ick. However, I urge you not to give up on them until you give this a try! Roasting veggies in the oven brings out their natural sweetness and flavor and it may just change your mind.

To roast Brussels sprouts:
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Wash sprouts, trim the stems (if necessary), and cut them in half lengthwise. Toss them with a bit of olive oil (to coat) and salt and pepper to taste. Place cut side down on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper (or lightly oiled) and roast for 15 minutes. Turn sprouts and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes or until browned.

Did you know...?
...that a serving of Brussels sprouts (only 4 sprouts) contains 2g protein, 3g fiber, and 120% of the RDA of vitamin C?

Get roasting!