VEGAN RECIPES
I have never been a big fan of tofu, but I have found a new way to cook it that I really like. I have started baking the tofu for at least 45 minutes at 325 after it has been marinated. This gives the tofu a firm texture and really helps it take on the flavor of the marinade.
I love the combination of the cilantro and lime in this dish. I served the tofu with black beans, but it would be great on its own as well.
This version of taco pasta was inspired by Pinterest. I love looking at all the pictures of food and I think I may be slightly addicted. I have been finding lots of recipes to try to veganize. We were getting into a little bit of a food rut, so I really wanted to try to veganize some of the recipes that I have seen. The kids will generally eat anything that has pasta in it and they love tacos, so I figured this would be good to start with. We all loved it! The sauce turned out super creamy with all the great taco flavors. Taco pasta will definitely be going into the dinner rotation on a regular basis.
Don’t let the color scare you, this smoothie is delicious and packed with nutrition.
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 last few weeks have been so crazy for my family. After looking for full time work for over a year, my husband was finally blessed with a great job in Asheville (where I have really wanted to live). The same week I found a part time job and we moved. It has all happened so fast that it hard to believe. We are so blessed and grateful! I haven’t really had much time for cooking lately and unfortunately we have had to eat out a lot, but now I am getting back in the kitchen.
Who doesn’t love mac and cheese? My kids are always asking for it and it is one of those things that I don’t like to give them on a regular basis just because it is not very nutritious. I have found a way to make all of us happy. The base of this cheese sauce is cauliflower. It comes out super creamy and cheesy tasting. I feel a lot better about the kids eating this version of mac and cheese and the kids are happy because I let me have it a lot more.
1 small head of cauliflower cut into florets
2 TBSP Earth Balance Butter
1 Cup Nutritional Yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp tumeric (optional of color)
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tsp salt
2 TBSP tomato paste (ketchup will work too)
1 1/2 cup of non dairy milk
1 lb whole wheat pasta (any small shape)
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 375. Steam the cauliflower until it is very soft. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, make sure not to let it go too long or it will be mushy after it is baked. When the cauliflower is soft add it to a blender with all the remaining ingredients (except breadcrumbs) and blend until it is smooth. You will probably have to do this in batches. Lightly butter a large baking dish. Put in the pasta and then pour the cheese sauce over the top and mix it with the pasta. Top with the bread crumbs and then bake the mac and cheese for 20-25 minutes, until it is bubbly and the top is lightly browned. Remove form the oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
This past week has been so hot that I haven’t wanted to cook, which is very unusual for me. A few night ago I was planning to make black beans and rice, but it was over 100 degrees outside and we had spent a full day kayaking on the lake. So, all the ingredients I was planning on using went into a salad instead. It was so light and fresh tasting, just perfect for summer. The best part was that I didn’t have to turn on the stove.
Salad:
1 head of Romaine washed and chopped
1 can of black beans drained and rinsed
1 cup of corn (I just thawed frozen)
1 large tomato diced
1 bell pepper diced (any color will work)
1 avocado sliced
Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl. You may want to leave out the avocado if you think there will be leftover salad because it will turn brown fairly quickly. I just put some on top of each serving of salad.
Chili lime salad dressing:
Juice of 2-3 limes
3 TBSP Olive or Canola oil
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
This is my favorite recipe for pasta sauce. I am trying to avoid the store bought kind because there is so much sugar in it, but it is so convenient. This sauce is really quick to make because I used canned tomatoes (try to find an organic brand). Right now I have tons of basil in my little garden, so I think I will be making this a lot. This makes a big batch of sauce, but you can always freeze the leftovers or cut the recipe in half.
2 TBSP olive oil
1 onion finely diced
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes
2 TBSP tomato paste
2 cups of water
1/2 cup of fresh chopped basil
2 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the onion and cook about 5 minutes until it is translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and water. Stir it well to mix in the paste. Bring the sauce up to a simmer and add in the basil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Simmer it for 20-30 minutes then remove from the heat. Serve the sauce over your favorite pasta.
Another berry recipe! We have so many berries it is unbelievable, so I have been trying to use them in everything. Saturday morning we even had blackberry pancakes. Today I decided to make some jam with some of the blackberries. The kids were really excited for it. We usually don’t use jam or jelly just because it has so much sugar in it, but I couldn’t resist since we have such sweet fresh berries. I don’t have a canner, so I only made enough for one jar. You can use this same method to make jam with any berries that you like. It will last in the fridge for about a week, but I don’t think our jam will make it that long. I can’t wait for toast in the morning!
about 2 cups of fresh berries mashed
1 cup of sugar
Combine the berries and the sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook them on high heat for about 5 minutes and then turn down the heat to medium. Cook the jam for another 15 minutes stirring frequently. Remove it from the heat and let it cool a little. Carefully spoon it into a jar or heat proof container and let cool completely. Refrigerate or freeze.
Please let me know what some of you favorite berry recipes are!
I have to warn you that these kale chips are addictive. They are crispy, crunchy and a little salty like potato chips and once you start eating them you can’t stop. Kale chips are so popular in our house that we all fight over them. I always have to make a big batch. This is a great way to eat your greens! Add some nutritional yeast or your favorite spice mix to add some more flavor.
1 large bunch of kale
2 TBSP of olive oil
salt
Preheat oven to 350. Wash and dry the kale and tear it off the stem. Then tear it into 2 inch pieces and put it on a baking sheet. You will probably need to pans. Make sure the kale isn’t piled up to much, you want it in a single layer. Rub it with the olive oil until it is evenly coated. Bake the kale for 10 minutes and then toss it around on the pan. Return it to the oven and toss it again after 5 minutes. It should be getting crunchy at this point. Keep checking the kale every couple minutes until it is all very crispy. It usually takes about 20 minutes, but it can take more or less time so keep a close eye on it. As soon as it comes out of the oven lightly sprinkle it with salt. Eat it right away so it stays really crisp.