VEGAN RECIPES
With the temperature heating up I want recipes that don’t require a lot of cooking. Quinoa tabbouleh salad is so refreshing and perfect for hot summer days. It is full of fresh herbs and veggies and tossed in lemon vinaigrette. The tabbouleh can be made ahead of time and is perfect for a summer picnic, BBQ or potluck.
My family loves anything in patty form. If the kids can put ketchup on it even better, so this was a big hit with them. The quinoa and chick pea patties are not only delicious, but also a great source of protein, plus its gluten free. I actually came up with these when there wasn’t much food left in the house, so I was happy they turned out so great. I have been trying to get creative with the ingredients we already have in the house to save some money and not run to the store so much. My mom got my a huge bag of quinoa from a bulk food store, so there has been quinoa in a lot of our meals lately. Good think it is so yummy and versatile!
2 Cans of chick peas rinsed and drained
1/2 cup of quinoa rinsed, plus 1 cup water
3 TBSP Olive Oil
1 small onion finely diced
1 medium carrot finely diced
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 tsp chefs blend seasoning or Mrs. Dash
1/4 cup chick pea flour
1 cup fresh spinach chopped
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
Bring the water to a boil in a small pot and add in the quinoa. Lower the heat, cover and simmer about 15 minutes. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium heat and then sauté the onion, carrot and garlic about 5 minutes until tender. In a large bowl smash the chick peas (I used a potato masher) until there are no whole ones left. You want it to be chunky, you are not making hummus! Combine quinoa, onions and carrots and all the remaining ingredients (except the oil) with the chick peas and mix thoroughly. Form the mixture into patties, whatever size you like. Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet or on a griddle. Cook the quinoa patties about 5 minutes on each side until they are browned.
The whole family loves it and it is easy, as well as inexpensive to make. The no-meatballs have a great texture and hold up well with the sauce and pasta. I usually serve this with a salad or some steamed broccoli.
1 lb. of whole wheat pasta
1 Jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1/2 cup of oats coarsely ground in the food processor
1 can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 large carrot chopped
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic
2 TBSP ketchup or tomato paste
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
1/4 cup wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375. Grind up the oats in a food processor and put into a large mixing bowl. Add the chick peas, carrot, onion and garlic in the food processor and pulse until everything is coarsely chopped. You want to make sure it still has some texture. Add it into the bowl with the oats. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until it is thoroughly combined. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Roll the no-meatballs into balls about an inch in diameter. Place on the oiled baking sheet. Bake them about 20 minutes, rolling them at least once.
Cook the pasta and heat the sauce while the no-meatballs are baking.