HOTCALi has a goal to teach people and kids about the power of food and to promote schools to do so too. 

To help create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.

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This will save peoples lives advocating for a better diet for everyone, by improving our own first with a simple formula. Less meat, less junk, more plants. Make food more important not less, and save ourselves by doing so.

 

Cajun Cornbread Casserole 

Any excuse to eat cornbread is a good one in my book. This delicious and spicy cornbread-topped casserole is a complete meal with grains, beans and vegetables all in one dish, and can be found in Everyday Happy Herbivore.

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Serves 4​

Ingredients:

•    15 oz diced tomatoes (undrained)
•    1 small onion, diced
•    2 celery stalks, minced
•    3 garlic cloves, minced
•    1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
•    2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
•    15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
•    1 cup cornmeal
•    1 ½ tsp baking powder
•    pinch salt
•    1-2 tbsp raw sugar (optional)
•    ¾ cup nondairy milk
•    ¼ c unsweetened applesauce

Note: Any bell pepper will work here, but green bell peppers will provide the most authentic experience since they are a key part of the “holy trinity” in Cajun cuisine.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a square 8 or 9-inch baking pan or casserole dish.

Drain tomato juices into a skillet and chop tomatoes into smaller pieces, and set aside.

Add water as necessary until a thin layer of liquid covers the skillet.

Sauté onion, celery, garlic and bell peppers over high heat until onions are translucent, bell peppers are tender and all of the water has evaporated, about 4 minutes.

Turn off heat and mix in 1-2 tbsp Cajun seasoning, tomatoes and kidney beans, stirring to combine, and set side.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk cornmeal, baking powder, salt and additional Cajun seasoning if desired (several dashes so the flour looks speckled when stirred). You can also add 1-2 tbsp of sugar for a sweet cornbread topping. Then stir in nondairy milk and applesauce. It should be thick, but spreadable like hummus and not dry.

Pour bean mixture into your baking dish and pat down firmly with a spatula. Spread cornbread mixture on top and bake 30-35 minutes, or until the cornbread is a deep golden, cracked and firm to the touch. Let sit out for about 15 minutes before serving (it continues to firm as it cools). Serve with hot sauce, such as Tabasco, on the table.

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Nutrition Information (per serving):​

269 Calories, 1.9g Fat, 54.3g Carbohydrates, 10.9g Fiber, 11.1g Sugars, 11.6g Protein

 

​Mighty Muffins​
 

These muffins are the brainchild of my friend Bridget’s brother, Michael, who is an amazing cook. This recipe is great to serve Mom for breakfast-in-bed this Mother’s Day! Enjoy!

 

Makes 6 large muffins or 1 enormous loaf

Ingredients:

    •    3 cups oat bran
    •    1 teaspoon baking powder
    •    1⁄2 teaspoon salt
    •    4 tablespoons sweetener
    •    Juice of 1 lemon
    •    1 large apple, grated
    •    6 brown bananas, lightly mashed (leave some chunks)
    •    1⁄4 cup walnuts, chopped or halved
    •    1⁄4 cup raisins
    •    3⁄4 cup water

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375F.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Squeeze the juice of the lemon onto the combined apple and bananas.

Add walnuts, raisins, and water.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients into one bowl.

Pour into sprayed muffin tins and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown on top.

​Mushroom-Basil Au Gratin ​​

 

This dish is based on traditional au gratin potatoes, but without the cheese, milk, butter or flour. And along with the potatoes, thin layers of mushrooms and onions are stacked with chard and fresh basil. A few cashews make the sauce rich and creamy.

 

Serves 6-8

Entree:

4-5 large Yukon potatoes, sliced thinly
8 large white or crimini mushrooms, sliced thinly 1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 bunch chard
½ bunch fresh basil (about 20 leaves), roughly chopped
Sauce:

1/3 cup raw cashews
1 cup water
½ cup non-dairy milk
½ cup parsley leaves
2 green onions, diced
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1. In a high-speed blender, grind the cashews by themselves first; then add the water, soy milk, parsley, green onions and garlic powder and blend thoroughly. Set aside.

2. To prepare the vegetables, using a mandolin slicer with the thin slicing blade (as if you were making potato chips), slice the potatoes, mushrooms and onion, and set aside in separate bowls. Remove the thickest stems from the chard leaves, and rough chop the basil; wash both and set aside.

3. In a 13”x9” rectangular glass baking dish, layer vegetables in this order, starting with a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the dish (you do not need to oil or prepare the pan): potatoes, mushrooms, onions, basil, chard, sauce. Add a second layer of vegetables and sauce, then finish with a final layer of potatoes, pouring the last bit of sauce over the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and cook an additional 15 minutes until lightly browned (optional: grind some cashews on top first). Remove and let sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Preparation: 20 minutes; cooking time: 50 minutes; serves: 6-8

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Notes: Don’t be afraid to pile the vegetables high when making your layers, as everything will condense down quite a bit while cooking. If you don’t have a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix or Tribest personal blender), you may use a standard blender; just soak the cashews in the 1 cup of water for about 15 minutes first. If there are small cashew pieces in your sauce, no worries, it will still work fine. For a lower fat dish, leave the cashews off and decrease the water by ½ cup. The layers will not stick together as well, but the flavor will still be great. If you do not have a mandolin, just slice the vegetables by hand as thinly as you can. This dish makes great leftovers.

 

​Southwestern Twice Baked Potatoes 

 

Twice baked potatoes have a notoriously bad reputation as a fried food, topped with bacon, cheese, and sour cream—no more. This version makes a hearty healthy meal, filled with black beans, corn and spices—well worth the effort.

Serves 6
6 large Russet potatoes
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 red bell pepper, diced small
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
One 10-ounce package frozen corn
One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon sea salt, more or less to taste
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onion
One 12-ounce package extra firm silken tofu, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Rinse and scrub the potatoes. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Let cool.

Saute the onions and red pepper in a large skillet 7 to 8 minutes until the onions start to brown. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetable from sticking. Add the jalapeno peppers, garlic, cumin, and chile powder, and sauté another minute. Add the corn, black beans, sea salt and cilantro.

Puree the silken tofu in a food processor or blender. Add the tofu to the vegetable mixture and mix well.

When the potatoes are cool, slice in half lengthwise, and scoop out the inside, leaving a 1/4-inch wide rim. Divide the filling evenly between the potato halves and bake for 30 minutes.

 

​Mexican Style Bean and Rice Casserole  ​​

 

Serves 6

 

1 large yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 cups cooked brown rice
One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
One 10-ounce package frozen corn
One recipe No-Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sauté the onion and pepper in a large saucepan over medium heat, 7 to 8 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking. Add the garlic and cook 4 minutes. Add the cumin and chile powder, and cook another 30 seconds. Add the cooked rice and the remaining ingredients and mix well.

3. Spoon the mixture into a nonstick 9×13-inch pan. Bake 30 minutes.

No-Cheese Sauce

This sauce is great with the casserole and can be used for recipes like mac and cheese or baked ziti. Best of all, it takes about 5 minutes to put together.

1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 large red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons toasted cashews
1 tablespoon tahini
1 cup nutritional yeast
Sea salt to taste

1. Combine everything in a blender and puree until smooth and creamy.

 

​Lentil Chili   ​​

 

 

This hearty chili is robust and satiating. Enjoy with a Whole-Grain Corn Muffin (or two) and even a dollop of Cheese Sauce. Keep this recipe on standby for anytime you want a warm, easy, and soothing stew.

1 1/2 cups yellow onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 TB. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground chipotle powder or smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups green lentils, rinsed
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15-oz.) can kidney beans
zest and juice of 1 lime

1. In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic in 1 cup of the vegetable broth. Stir occasionally and cook until vegetables soften, approximately 5-7 minutes.

2. Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, ground chipotle powder, and cayenne pepper and cook for an additional minute, stirring well.

3. Add lentils, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, and remaining vegetable broth into the soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer until lentils are soft, approximately 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. When lentils are cooked, zest and juice lime into the chili and stir. Taste and add spice according to preference. Serve hot with Whole-Grain Corn Muffins.