Tag Archives: main dish

Mac & No Cheese

Notes: We both thought this was pretty good. Pictured it has red, yellow, green onion and diced tomatoes with green chiles and no red peppers.

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 cup cashews
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
16 ounces whole grain elbow pasta, cooked

Instructions:
Sauté onion on medium heat in non-stick skillet with a little water or low sodium vegetable broth for 5 minutes, until translucent.
In a food processor, combine the onions, cashews, lemon juice, water, and salt.
Gradually blend in roasted red peppers, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Thoroughly toss the sauce with the pasta.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown on top.

Source: Engine 2

Taco Salad

Notes:

Ingredients:

4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 recipe Fresh Tomato Salsa Dressing (recipe follows) OR your choice fresh salsa
4 ounces low-fat baked tortilla chips (regular or gluten-free)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
4 servings Guacamame (about 1 cup, recipe follows) OR a packaged guacamole hummus

Tomato salad dressing

1 pound tomatoes (about 3 medium)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons hot sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of salt

Chop the tomatoes finely, and place them in a mixing bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients, and use your hands to mush everything up really well. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Chill in an airtight container until ready to use, up to 5 days.

Guacamame

4 ounces sliced avocado
1 cup frozen edamame, completely thawed
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 lime
1 plum tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves (optional)
Pinch of cayenne, for spiciness (optional)

Place the avocado and edamame in a food processor. Pulse until everything is well chopped.
Add the water, salt, and lime juice, and puree until relatively smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula.
Add the tomato, red onion, cilantro, and cayenne (if using), and pulse to combine.
Transfer to a bowl, taste, and adjust flavors, if necessary. Serve ASAP.

Directions:
Divide the salad among four big bowls.
First, place the lettuce in each bowl, then layer on the black beans and salsa.
Crumble on the tortilla chips, and top with cilantro, if using. Serve with Guacamame on the side.

Impromptu Dinner

Leftovers for lunch from last nights impromptu dinner. Broiled brussel sprouts mixed with faux kielbasa, mushroom, onion and red pepper tossed around in the skillet. Served along side gnocchi w/marinara and kalmata olives

Stuffed Peppers with Veggie Sausage, Rice and Tomatoes

Notes: We both thought these were pretty good. Pictured is sans breadcrumbs.

Ingredients:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Gimme Lean Veggie Sausage (use half a stick or more depending on how hungry you are)
1/2 Zucchini diced small
Onion, diced small (use as much onion as you want. I used about 1/4 an onion)
1 garlic clove minced
Coarse Salt and Ground Pepper
2 cups, cooked whole grain rice
1/4 cup of whole wheat breadcrumbs
2-3 large bell peppers halved length wise, remove seeds (pick 3 different colors to make it fun!)
Cherry tomatoes halved (however many you want! It’s your dinner!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. In a large pan heat oil over medium high. Ad the veggie sausage and cook breaking up the “meat” with a spoon until cooked, about 5 minutes. Transfer the “meat” to a plate or bowl.
Add a little more oil to the skillet along with the zucchini, onion, garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until veggies are tender. About 7 minutes.
Add zucchini mix to the bowl with the veggie sausage, along with the Parmesan, tomatoes, rice and a tiny bit of oil to combine.
In a small bowl, add some breadcrumbs, pepper and a little bit of olive oil. Stir together.
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray, arrange the peppers cut side up. Divide rice mixture among the peppers and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake until breadcrumbs are browned. About 30 minutes.

This is a recipe you could make the night before and just pop in the oven when you get home from work. Try the veggie sausage, but if that is weird to you, feel free to use a meat of your choice.

Source: SK Fitness.

Vegetable Lo Mein

I made Lo Mein using wheat linguini noodles that were left over from the Linguini Alfredo and whatever veggies we had on hand. I attempted to brown the noodles in a skillet sprayed with olive oil and a little vegetable broth. Meanwhile stir frying the vegetables in a wok. I made and added the sauce below per the instructions. Then stir fried for a couple minutes and then add the noodles to the wok and stir fried a couple minutes more. We didn’t have Hoisin sauce so I made my own using the recipe at bottom.

Notes: It was really good but a little too saucy/oily. If I make again I’ll add less sauce.

Stir Fry Sauce
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon groundginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon curry powder

Directions:
Mix cornstarch and chicken broth in a small bowl and add to stir fry. Stir in hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, cayenne pepper and curry powder. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Hoisin Sauce
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon molasses or 1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
1 teaspoon chinese hot sauce (more or less to taste)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
Mix with a whisk until well blended.

Raise-The-Roof Sweet Potato Vegetable Lasagna

Our Notes: I thought this was really good. Nova didn’t care for it. She doesn’t like the canned spinach. We cut the recipe (approx) in half.

Recipe Notes: If you’re starting this from scratch, begin by baking two sweet potatoes and start layering the lasagna once they’re done. If you sauce dry noodles, generously when layering the lasagna, it’s not necessary to boil the pasta. Use a sauce with little or no added oil (Muri Glen’s Mushroom Marinara or Portobello Marinara; whole foods brand 365 roasted red pepper, light Ragu tomato basil, Trader Joe’s organic spaghetti with mushrooms).
Adapted from “The Engine 2 Diet”.
Number of Servings: 12.

Ingredients:
1 onion chopped
1 small head garlic, cloves chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 head broccoli, chopeed
2 carrots, chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 pound silken tofu
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 jars (about 25 ounces each) prepared pasta sauce
1 pound whole grain lasagna noodles (uncooked)
1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
6 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup raw cashews, ground

Directions:
1. Set the oven at 400 degrees, Have on hand a 9×13 inch baking dish.
2. In a large skillet over high heat, cook the onion and garlic, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until they release their liquid.
3. With a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a large bowl, reserving the liquid in the pan.
4. In the same skillet, cook the broccoli and carrots, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Ad them to the mushroom mixture
5. Add the bell peppers to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until they soften; transfer to the bowl of vegetables.
6. Drain the tofu by wrapping it in paper towels. Break it into pieces. Add the tofu to the vegetables with the cayenne, oregano, basil and rosemary. Mix well.
7. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with a layer of sauce. Add a layer of noodles. Cover the noodles generously with sauce. Spread all the vegetables on top. Add another layer of noodles, then another layer of sauce.
8. Distribute all the spinach evenly on top. Use all the sweet potatoes to make another layer. Add sauce, then noodles, and finally more sauce. Lay the tomatoes on top.
9. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
10. Remove the foil. Sprinkle with cashews and return to the oven. Continue to bake for 15 minutes. (total baking time 1 hour). Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Source:: Sparkrecipes

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Notes:

Ingredients:
2 whole green bell pepper, seeded and diced
¾ cup frozen corn, thawed
¾ cup black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup cornmeal
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp onion flakes
½ tsp cumin
¾ cup salsa

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F. Cut peppers into boats and clean out insides. Heat all other ingredients plus 1/2 cup water over med-high heat, until thicker and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Place peppers in an oven dish and spoon mixture into peppers. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes or until peppers are tender.

Source: The Happy Herbivore Cookbook

Linguine and Creamy Alfredo Sauce

Notes: We both liked this. I used a little less nutritional least. We served it along side spinach and artichoke hearts.

Ingredients:
1 package Silken Lite firm tofu
2 cups unsweetened soy milk
¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
¼ cup raw cashews
1 tablespoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
1 white onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
¼ cup water
¼ cup white cooking wine
¼ cup whole wheat flour
16 ounces whole grain linguine, cooked

Directions:
Blend all the ingredients from the tofu to the pepper until smooth. Sauté the onion with the herbs and water in a saucepan over medium heat until translucent and all the liquid has evaporated. Be careful not to brown the onion during this step”

Pour in the wine, swirling it around in the pan to absorb the heat until it begins to sizzle. Add the blended ingredients to the wine and onions, continuously whisking the sauce.
When a gentle bubbling starts, gradually add the flour and continue to whisk until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat. The sauce will be frothy at this point. Continue whisking for 1 minute, or until the sauce has settled and is smooth and thick. Ladle over the pasta.
Variation:
Add artichoke hearts and mushrooms to the sauce.

Source: The Engine 2 Diet book

Vegan Omelette

Notes: We both thought this was pretty good. I think it will be even better once I perfect cooking it. The first one stuck to the pan and the second one didn’t cook long enough. We made them sans the mushrooms and spinach and added vegan cheddar cheese.

Ingredients:
Omelet Filling
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
½ onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 cup baby spinach leaves

Omelet
12 ounces Silken Lite Firm tofu
2 tablespoons soy milk
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons Ener-G egg replacer
2 teaspoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric
Salsa to taste (see page 240)
Fresh fruit

Directions:
For Omelet Filling:
Sauté the mushrooms and onion in a large, sprayed skillet over high heat for 5–7 minutes or until the mushroom liquid is mostly gone. Remove to a bowl and return the skillet to the heat. Toss the bell pepper strips in skillet for 3 minutes until they begin to brown slightly. Remove from heat and set aside.
For Omelet:
Blend together all ingredients until smooth. Spray a large nonstick skillet and pour half of the batter into the center, using a spoon to spread it out thinly over the bottom of the skillet. Turn the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 8 minutes, then place half of the cooked mushrooms, onions, bell pepper strips, and spinach in a line down the center of the omelet. Use a spatula to flip both sides over the veggies, cover and cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and gently shake the skillet from side to side a couple of times to loosen the omelet. Carefully slide the omelet onto a plate. Repeat with the second half of the batter. Serve immediately with salsa and a side of fresh fruit.

Source: unknown.

Broiled Tofu And Snow Peas

Notes: We both really like this. Serves 2.

Ingredients:
12 ounce package of firm tofu, drained
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 cups snow peas
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon chile oil
1 cup cooked white or brown rice, for serving

Directions:
Heat broiler, with rack in top position. Cut tofu into cubes. Coat cubes with Braggs liquid aminos. Broil for 20 minutes turning cubes after 10.
In a small bowl stir together soy sauce, agave nectar, and sesame oil.
Heat wok on high with chile oil. Stir in snow peas and scallion and cook for a couple of minutes. Add liquid mixture and cook for a couple more minutes. Then add broiled tofu and cook for a couple more minutes.

Source: