Tag Archives: main dish

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato, cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can black beans
1 (12 ounce) frozen package Green Giant corn steamers
1/2 cup cooked quinoa or rice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
4 red bell peppers, sliced lengthwise and seeds removed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Arrange the diced potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with cumin, chili powder and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Toss and roast for 20 minutes. Once roasted, lower the heat to 375.
Cook the quinoa in boiling water until they pop into little spirals, about 15 minutes. Drain.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the onions and sauté until they start to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the jalapeno and garlic; sauté another minute, until fragrant.
Add the black beans and frozen corn; cook for 5 minutes, until warmed. Add the roasted sweet potatoes, cooked quinoa, lime juice, cilantro leaves, and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Stuff the mixture into each pepper half, and sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the peppers have softened.

Before going in the oven.

Pasta And Vegetables With White Sauce

Notes: We both thought this was good. Pictured above with diced red bell pepper.

Ingredients:

1 pound whole wheat rotini pasta (or gluten-free pasta)
1 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, rinsed and drained)
1 head broccoli (about 1 pound), cut into small florets and stems reserved for another use
1 head cauliflower (about 1 pound), cut into florets
2 cups plain unsweetened soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
generous grating of black pepper
5 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons cornstarch or potato starch
1 1/2 teaspoons salt or salt-free seasoning (or to taste)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to instructions on package. About a minute before it’s done, add the chickpeas and cook briefly to heat them through. When the pasta is al dente, scoop out and set aside a cup of the cooking water. Then drain the pasta well and return to the pot or a large serving bowl.
While the pasta is cooking, steam the vegetables until just tender. Add them to the pasta.
While the pasta and the vegetables are cooking, make the sauce: combine in a medium saucepan the soy milk. garlic, herbs, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes or until pasta is done. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and the nutritional yeast. Stir the starch into 1/4 cup of cool water and add it to the sauce, stirring well. Increase heat and cook until the sauce boils and thickens slightly. Check seasonings and add salt to taste.
Pour the sauce over the pasta and vegetables and stir gently to coat. If the pasta needs more moisture, add a little of the reserved pasta water. Sprinkle with extra red pepper flakes if desired and serve immediately.

Notes
The pasta absorbs the sauce as it sits, so keep the reserved pasta water to add moisture when reheating leftovers.

Source: Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

Creamy Vegan Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Notes: Made this for Thanksgiving. It must have spent too much time in the oven reheating. Some of the rice was hard. Otherwise I thought it was pretty good. Nova didn’t care for the flavor.

Ingredients:

Sauce:

1 1/4 cup plain, unsweetened soymilk (or other non-dairy milk)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
4 teaspoons cornstarch or potato starch
1 clove garlic
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon sherry (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon tahini or cashew butter (optional)
very generous grating black pepper

1 head broccoli, cut into small florets (about 5 cups)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery, chopped
1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas (or other options, see below)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups cooked brown rice (warm, if possible)
2 tablespoons sliced or slivered almonds (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil or spray a medium casserole dish (about 2-1/2-quart size).
Place the sauce ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. Set aside.
Place the broccoli in a steamer basket set over water and steam, covered, until just barely tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
While the broccoli is steaming, heat a large, deep non-stick skillet or saute pan. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook, stirring constantly, for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas, thyme, rice, and steamed broccoli. Make sure the sauce is well-blended, and add it to the skillet. Stir gently and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if necessary, and smooth into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with almonds, if desired. Bake until the top begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Source

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Notes: Nova liked this better than I did. I just thought it was so-so. I used whole wheat tortillas.

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato
1 cup brown rice, cooked
8 ounces vegetarian, no added oil, re-fried beans
1 cup of salsa
1 cup fresh spinach
8 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cumin
1 jalapeño pepper, diced (optional and HOT)
6-8 Flour or Grain Tortillas

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF
2. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper
3. An hour before you plan to eat, peel and quarter the sweet potatoes
4. Bake sweet potatoes in the oven for 45 minutes to one hour, until soft
5. In the meantime, prepare rice in a rice cooker or on stove top as directed
6. Remove sweet potatoes from oven and toss into a mixing bowl
7. Mash sweet potatoes with the salsa, rice and fresh spinach
8. Place sweet potato mash in a sauce pan and mix in black beans and refried beans, heating mixture thoroughly over medium heat
9. Add onion powder, chili powder and cumin to taste and stir
10. Place a tortilla in a frying pan on medium heat, and slather the side facing up with sweet potato and bean mixture
11. Add jalapeños if desired
12. Place another whole wheat tortilla on top
13. Press down on top tortilla with spatula with pan on medium heat for about 3 minutes
14. Flip with spatula and cook for another three minutes
15. Voila! Cut into desired number of sections
16. Serve topped with salsa

Tip: Also try this with black-eyed peas instead of the black beans or any other favorite beans.

Source: Engine 2

Quinoa Burgers

Quinoa Burger on skinny bun and tater-rounds.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa
2 flax eggs (2 tbsp of ground flaxseed with 6 tbsp of hot water)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 green onions sliced thinly
1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp Liquid Smoke
1 TBSP Tamari
Oil for cooking

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to combine.
Form the mixture in to balls and then flatten in to patties.
Cook quinoa burgers in a medium heat skillet about 4-5 minutes per side.

Italian Style Quinoa Cakes

Notes: We both thought these were really good. Pictured served with Spaghetti Squash.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 flax egg (1 tbsp of ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp of hot water)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 green onions sliced thinly
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup mozzarella Cheese-Style Shreds
1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp olive oil, for cooking

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to combine. Form compact cakes with about 1/2 cup of the mix per cake. Heat a frying pan over medium heat with 1 tsp olive oil. Place quinoa cakes in the pan and cook about 4-5 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Mexican-Lime Soup

Notes: Makes 4 or 5 servings. Nova likes it and I thought it was ok for soup.

Ingredients:
1/2 large onion, chopped
4 ounces mushrooms, quartered
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
2 poblano chili peppers, toasted, seeded, and skinned (see Cooking Tips), and cut into strips
2 32 ounce cartons vegetable stock
2 cups of corn
2 large cooked red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and chopped
Juice of 3 limes
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
Corn tortillas strips – baked

Directions:
Sauté onion, mushrooms, and bay leaves on medium heat with a little water or low sodium vegetable broth in a large soup pot for 5 minutes, until onions brown.
Add garlic, chilies, and 1 cup of stock. Stir intermittently for 5 minutes, until peppers begin to soften.
Add remaining stock, corn, and potatoes. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes.
Stir cilantro & lime juice into soup immediately before serving.

To Serve:
Place a handful each of tomatoes, avocados, and tortillas strips into large bowls.
Pour hot soup directly over vegetables and corn tortillas strips and serve.

Enchilada Stack

Not sure what you’d call this.
3 corn tortillas layered with vegetarian re-fried beans and chopped fresh spinach. Covered with enchilada sauce.
I spread a thin coat of enchilada sauce on the bottom of and oven dish and cooked for around 20 minutes on 350.
Once out of the oven I topped with sliced olives and cilantro.

Pictured above served with home-made guacamole and home-baked tortilla chips.

Ratatouille

Notes: We both thought this was so-so. A little bland.

Ingredients:
2 zucchini
2 yellow squash
1 red bell pepper, seeded
1 green bell pepper, seeded
2 tomatoes
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
3 oz sun-dried tomatoes
15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1 tbsp Italian seasoning

Directions:
Cut vegetables (except tomatoes and garlic) into bite-sized pieces. Dice tomatoes and mince
garlic. Line a large pot with a thin layer of water or broth. Saute garlic until golden and fragrant.
Add more liquid and vegetables, and cook over high heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally,
while the tomatoes break down. Once the juices from the tomatoes have been released, add the
herbs, beans, and vegetable stock. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook with the lid off until the
liquid is evaporated,

Source: Happy Herbivore.

Spicy Basil Noodles

Notes: Slightly adapted from a Happy Herbivore recipe. We both really like d this.

Ingredients:
8 ounce package dry wide rice noodles
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh Thai chile, to taste
1 small red bell pepper thinly sliced
1 small white or yellow onion thinly sliced
1 small can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/4 to 1/2 a cup chopped fresh Thai basil, to taste

Directions:
If you’re using dry noodles, put them in a bowl and pour boiling hot water over them to submerge completely. Let soak for about 30 minutes, or until softened.

Mix water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, lime juice.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and chiles; saute 30 seconds. Add bell pepper and onion; saute for a couple of minutes until they start to soften. Add water chestnuts, drained noodles or fresh ones, and soy sauce mixture. Saute, stirring and tossing until everything is evenly coated and heated through, and all the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off heat and stir in chopped basil.