Lentil Marinara Sauce: Super Thick and Yummy!

I am back! Sorry it has taken me so long to update my blog. It gets a little busy when you have family and best friends visiting, and unfortunately, those unexpected events. But here I am, ready to share my fun and fabulous dishes with you all!

I adapted this lentil marinara sauce recipe from Mrs. J. She had given me this recipe months ago and I finally got the chance to check it out! As I was cooking it though, I decided to turn it into something a little bit more than sauce! More like a stew, but it was a nice, thick sauce perfect over pasta, sauteed veggies (my preference for a healthier dish), or even rice! I love marinara sauces, and to me, the thicker, the better! Yum!

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3-4 fresh garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1-1/2 cups lentils, uncooked 
• 1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne
• 4 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 (6-oz) cans tomato paste
• 2 (14.5) oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1-2 cups broccoli florets
• 3/4 salt
• pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 3 handfuls of baby spinach leaves

Directions

1. In a  large pot or dutch oven, saute the onion and garlic in oil on medium-high heat until tender.
2. Add the broth, lentils, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes covered.
3. While the lentil mixture is cooking, steam the carrots for roughly 20 minutes, then puree or mash them. This helps to thicken the sauce. Set aside.
4. Once the lentils are done cooking, to the lentil mixture, add the pureed/mashed carrots, tomato paste, diced tomatoes,  broccoli florets, and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes.
5. Add the spinach leaves, cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes more, until the spinach is wilted.
6. Serve over sauteed, julienned vegetables (i.e. zucchini, squash, carrots) or rice or pasta. Top with fresh basil.
7. Enjoy!

Too-Good-To-Be-True, Healthy Nori Rolls

Liking the idea of a lower-carb nori roll, I came up with this yummy recipe! I don't think you could have a healthier nori roll! It's loaded with nutrient-rich foods, antioxidants, and get this, it tastes fantastic! I uploaded my recipe to VegWeb, so check it out!

Too-Good-To-Be-True, Healthy Nori Rolls

Ingredients

• 2 nori sheets
• 1/2 cup prepared hummus, divided (recommended: Veganomicon's "A Hummus Recipe")
• 2-4 tbsp pine nuts, divided
• avocado, thinly sliced
• carrots, julienned
• cucumber, julienned
• red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts, divided

Directions

1. Using a bamboo mat, place a nori sheet on top of it, spread approximately 1/4 cup hummus on 2/3 of the nori sheet (closest to you).
2. On top of the hummus, sprinkle with 1-2 tbsp of pine nuts, then top with avocado, carrots, cucumber, and red bell pepper in a thin row. Top the vegetables with 1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts. Be sure not to pile too many veggies on top, as it will be difficult to roll (my recipe is very close to overload though!).
3. Take the end of nori sheet closest to you, and begin to roll up and over the vegetables. Use the bamboo mat to tighten that portion of the roll. Continue to roll (with the use of your bamboo mat) until the entire sheet is rolled up. Place the roll on a plate, and begin making the next roll. Place the second nori roll on the plate.
4. Refrigerate the nori rolls for at least 30 minutes before slicing. 
5. Once chilled, slice the nori rolls. Wet a knife and cut each roll into 6-8 pieces. Wetting the knife aids in the slicing process. 
6. Enjoy!

* Note: The amounts of vegetables in this recipe depend on your preference. Be careful not to overstuff the nori roll though! Recommend using 2-4 slices of each vegetable per roll.

 

 

 

Eggplant and Chickpea Curry

In the mood to try something new, I came across Healthy Girl's Vegan Indian Eggplant Curry. It looked good and I had all of the spices that needed to go into it (minus the fenugreek, which is more of an optional flavor), so I gave it a shot and it was delish! I added a little protein into the dish (chickpeas!) so it could be a more nutitionally-balanced entree! I served this with sticky brown rice for David and he enjoyed it! I plan to make this again this week! Yum!

Eggplant and Chickpea Curry

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated on a microplane
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and jalapeno and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the broth, eggplant, peppers, chickpeas, salt, turmeric, coriander and cumin and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 70 minutes.
4. Serve immediately or reheat before serving.
5. Optional: Serve over brown rice.

 

Rachel's Loaded-Veggie Sushi Rolls

Saturday night we decided would be sushi night! But I really had an urge to try making sushi myself! I got a few pointers from VegWeb's Healthy Avocado Sushi with Brown Rice on how to make the sushi rice. Healthy Vegan Recipes has a great video which shows you how to roll sushi and I recommend watching it if you're a beginner! Here's what I came up with!

Rachel's Loaded-Veggie Sushi

Ingredients

• 1 cup short-grain brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
• 5 nori (seaweed) sheets
• Assorted vegetables*: Avocado, thinly sliced; Scallions; Red bell pepper, thinly sliced; Bean Sprouts; Zucchini, julienned; Carrot, julienned
• Low-sodium soy sauce (optional)
• Pickled ginger (optional)
• Wasabi (optional)

Directions

1. In a small pot, bring the rice and water to a boil. Once boiling, stir rice once, cover pot and reduce heat to a simmer for 50 minutes.
2. When rice is finished cooking, transfer to a bowl. Gently stir in the vinegar until it is well-mixed into the rice (rice will stick together). Place a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl and allow rice to sit for 10 minutes, letting it cool, before making the sushi rolls.
3. Here is where the video will really help you: Using a bamboo mat, place a nori sheet on top of it, add 1/5 of the rice on 2/3 (closest to you) of the sheet. On top of the rice (on only the closest part of the nori sheet to you), stack the vegetables in a thin row on top of each other. Take end of nori closest to you, and begin to roll up and over the vegetables. Use the bamboo mat to tighten that portion of the roll. Continue to roll (with the use of your bamboo mat) until the entire sheet is rolled up. Place on a plate, allowing the rice to soften the nori, while you continue making the next sushi rolls.
4. When all 5 sushi rolls are made, starting with the first sushi roll made, wet a knife and cut each roll into 6-8 pieces. Wetting the knife aids in the slicing process or else the rice will stick to the knife, making it difficult to cut.
5. Serve with soy sauce, ginger and wasabi. Yum!

*Note: I did not put amounts for the vegetables I used because it is really all your own preference! You really don't need a lot of veggies to make one roll, let alone the 5 rolls I made, so I highly recommend these few friendly tips before preparing your own sushi and deciding on amounts:

1. Warning: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO STUFF YOUR SUSHI ROLL. Stuffing your sushi roll makes it very difficut to roll up and slice. Yes, I am speaking from experience but was not about to take a picture of the disaster!
2. Wrap sushi roll as tight as possible with bamboo mat. The tighter your roll, the easier it is to slice.
3. Wet knife before slicing sushi roll into pieces (the rice sticks to the knife, making it difficult to cut).
4. Don't forget to have fun!

Enjoy!

The Herbivore's Out-of-this-World 5-Bean Chili

Okay, so Recipe #4 of The 2011 Cookbook Challenge required a little something extra. We need some chili to go with our cornbread! So I came up with a new chili recipe. I just love experimenting! I decide to post this on VegWeb.com and soon after they gave a special announcement on Facebook about my recipe! How exciting! You can really find some really good vegetarian/vegan recipes on their website. Hope you enjoy my latest creation!

The Herbivor's Out-of-this-World 5-Bean Chili

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1-1/2 yellow onions, chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 5 (small- to medium-sized) carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 (14.5-oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (15-oz) can organic garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-oz) can organic soy beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15.5-oz) can dark red kidney beans, undrained
• 1 (15.5-oz) can light red kidney beans, undrained
• 1 (15.5-oz) can black beans, undrained
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 jalepeno chili pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1-1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• Fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions

1. In a dutch oven pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the onions, minced garlic, celery, and carrots until tender (about 5-7 min).
2. Stir in the diced tomatoes, beans, red bell pepper, jalepeno and hot sauce.
3. Add the chili powder, ground cumin, cumin seeds, garlic salt, and oregano. Stir to combine.
4. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
5. Optional serving suggestion: Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro. Stir into chili for a delicious flavor.
6. Serves 4-6.

The cilantro mixed into the chili brought out an amazing flavor. Cilantro is an acquired taste. It has a very distinct flavor and most people either love it or hate it. If you bring up the word cilantro to my sister she freaks out and will go on and on about how much she despises it. I will admit, I did not like it at first, but after quite a bit of experimenting with different foods and flavors, I have realized I do in fact like this little herb! And again, it is AMAZING when stirred into this chili! Enjoy!

Grilled Jamaican Jerk Tempeh with Veganomicon's Mango and Black Bean Quinoa Salad

We had a delicious dinner Sunday night, with the wonderful company of David's mom (eh-hem, a.k.a. Bella's grandma)! David and I decided we wanted to grill... but what to grill? Well, we love Jamaican jerk chicken, but since I haven't been in the mood for meat, I decided to try out this marinade with tempeh. Oh my goodness, it was DELICIOUS! I have to give a big thank you to a recipe contributor of Allrecipes who created this fabulous marinade! I wouldn't change a thing about it. It is so flavorful! 

This time I steamed the tempeh for 10-15 minutes before putting it into the marinade. The tempeh did not have the slight bitterness that I tasted from my first experience with tempeh when I boiled it. I'm not saying that boiling doesn't work, but that steaming the tempeh seemed to work out better for me. I marinated the tempeh in the Jamaican jerk marinade for 24 hours. The tempeh really soaked up all of the flavors so nicely! I had leftover Jamaican jerk tempeh tonight that I was craving all day!

Jamaican Jerk Tempeh

Ingredients

For the marinade (click for original recipe):

• 1 bunch (6-8) green onions, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons organic brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

For the tempeh:

• 1 (8-oz) pkg tempeh, quartered diagonally, steamed for 10-15 min and cooled

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade in a food processor. Process for 15-30 seconds.
2. Place the tempeh in a ziplock bag, plastic container, or 8"x8" glass dish.
3. Pour approximately 1/3 of the marinade into the bag, container or dish (whichever you prefer). The remaining marinade can be saved for another use - it freezes well!
4. Marinate the tempeh, in the refrigerator, for at least 1 hr or up to 24 hrs. The longer the tempeh marinates, the more flavorful it will be!



I love the colors in this salad! Deliciously beautiful!



Since we planned on making such a great main dish, I wanted to find a fun side dish recipe. I took a look in Veganomicon and saw their recipe for quinoa salad. Yum! And geez-oh-man, was it ever so good!

Veganomicon's Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango (with a few minor changes!)

Ingredients

• 1 cup red quinoa, uncooked
• 2 cups water
• 1 mango, peeled and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 bunch scallions, choppped
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp grapeseed oil
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

Directions

1. In a small pot, bring the quinoa and water to a boil and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the mango, red bell pepper, scallions, and cilantro.
3. Stir in the red wine vinegar, grapeseed oil, and salt.
4. Add the quinoa and stir until well-combined.
5. Fold in the black beans.
6. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Best when served at room temperature for more flavor.
7. Serves 4-6. 

By the way, David and his mom both enjoyed the amazing Jamaican jerk chicken with delicious sides of Veganomcon's quinoa salad, my mom's famous roasted potatoes (which I need to blog about sometime), and grilled veggies with our favorite Bone Suckin' Seasoning! Yummy!!

Chicken and Rice Bake

So I've been trying all of these "vegan" recipes lately, but I haven't forced David to eat them after his initial impression of tofu. He really hasn't had any GREAT meals though, so I decided to look and see what I could make for him.

I happened to be in luck and have all of the ingredients for Chicken and Rice Bake that I found at Campbell's Kitchen. I added vegetables and other seasonings to make this dish a tad more exciting! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1-1/3 cup water
• 3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 2-3 celery stalks, died
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1/2 - 1 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 - 1 cup cauliflower, chopped
• 3-4 (1-1/4 lbs) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Stir all of the ingredients except the chicken in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with the chicken. Season with additional paprika, salt and black pepper. Cover the baking dish.
3. Bake for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.

The Ugly Little Vegan Pizza

Every Sunday we have dinner with David's mom and I like to change up our meals once in a while. Well, this past sunday was homemade pizza! Of course, since I've been all about veganism these past few weeks, I decided to come up with a special pizza for myself. It didn't turn out too pretty, but I had to share it with you because it was DELCIOUS! I had this three nights in a row and by the third night, I was still craving more!

Here's how my ugly little vegan pizza was made:

1. Herb Crust Pan Pizza: Thanks to VegWeb!
2. Sauce: a combination of tomato sauce, tomato paste, and italian seasoning
3. Sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water for 15-20 minutes
4. Thinly-sliced green bell pepper and red onion, sauteed in olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder
5. Tofu Ricotta: Thanks to Veganomicon!
6. Tofu pepperoni: Sold in local grocery stores!

7. Cheezy Sauce: Again, thanks to Veganomicon!

I placed the pizza dough into an 8x8 Pyrex dish, then layered it with the rest of the ingredients. I happened to have leftover cheezy sauce from the first time I made it, which I had froze. So I decided to use it on my pizza; I thawed it out, reheated it, then poured it over the top of the pizza. I baked the pizza at 425 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Delicious, yet ugly!

Dreena's Moroccan Bean Stew with Sweet Potatoes

I saw this recipe posted on Dreena's Vegan Recipes and just knew I had to try it! If you love trying new foods and flavors, you will LOVE her blog. This is also where I got the recipe for  raw brownies, which, if you haven't tried them yet, they are fantastic! Really, you have no idea what you're missing out on :)

I just love sweet potatoes, and they fit so wonderfully in this stew! The flavors are amazing too! I'm not used to trying all of these ethnic flavors, but it has been a positive experience! I had never tried the coriander and turmeric spices before, but the combination of all of the spices in this recipe was delicious. I also found the addition of cinnamon a little odd, but it really makes the overall flavor of the stew that much better!

Thank you Dreena for posting another fabulous recipe and allowing me to blog about it!

Moroccan Bean Stew with Sweet Potatoes (Original Recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin seed
• 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• Few pinches cayenne pepper
• Ground black pepper
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 (small/medium size) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 (14 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 (12-oz) bag fresh spinach

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the oil, spices and salt for 1-2 minutes. 
2. Add the onion, garlic, and sweet potato. Stir through, cover, and cook for about 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions have started to soften.
3. Add the remaining ingredients except ginger and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, until lentils are fully dissolved.
4. Add the fresh ginger and spinach, stir through until the spinach leaves are wilted, and serve.

Veganomicon: Smoky Grilled Tempeh

On the weekends, David LOVES to grill! Since I've been in this "I don't feel like eating meat" mood, I decided to start browsing through Veganomicon to figure out what kind of interesting food David could grill for me. Ah-ha! Tempeh! Shannon introduced this food to me when she came to visit for new year's.

For those of you who don't know what tempeh is, it is similar to tofu, but made of whole soybeans and has a much firmer texture. Most vegans would describe tempeh as "meaty" and "nutty."

Check out these websites to get a better idea about tempeh:
Cooking with Tempeh -Vegan Coach
"Tempeh" -Wikipedia
What is Tempeh? -Soya

I found a great recipe: Smoky Grilled Tempeh. Thank you Isa and Terry (the fabulous authors of Veganomicon)!!

I wrote the recipe the way I made this dish, which may be slightly different in comparison to the original recipe.

Smoky Grilled Tempeh

Ingredients

• 1 (8-oz) pkg tempeh
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp liquid smoke, hickory flavor
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp pure maple syrup
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

1. Whisk all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Cut the tempeh in half, widthwise, then cut each half diagonally to make 4 large triangles.
3. Bring a pot of water to boil. When the water is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer, add the tempeh, and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Use tongs to place the tempeh in an 8x8 Pyrex dish. Pour the marinade over the tempeh. Marinate for 1 hour. Flip the tempeh occasionally to allow all sides to evenly marinate.
5. To grill: Grease a piece of tinfoil and lay it down on the grates of the grill. Place the tempeh on the tinfoil and grill each side for 5 minutes.

This dish was really good. The only issue I had was boiling the tempeh before marinating. You are supposed to boil or steam tempeh prior to marinating to remove the bitterness tempeh tends to have. It also helps allow the tempeh to soak up the flavors more when marinating. So for this recipe, I let the tempeh simmer for 10 minutes in water and unfortunately I have a pain-in-the-butt stove. The burners are a little screwy, so I don't think the tempeh sat in the water long enough for the steam to take away all of its bitterness. The tempeh was still a little bitter after grilling, but I will say, the marinade was delicious! What wonderful flavors! Next time I make this I think I will steam the tempeh for 10-15 minutes prior to marinating. I don't trust my stove!

Thai Coconut Curry Loaded-Veggie Soup

Okay so any time I make a vegetable soup, I tend to go a little overboard with the veggies... okay, fine, A LOT overboard! I can't help myself though, I LOVE VEGGIES! And I love to cook in large amounts. I can split it up into many individual portions and freeze them! This allows me to be able to have prepared dinners on those busy school days or when I'm clueless of what to make for dinner.

So here we go, a 22-ingredient soup I put together after David's mom gave me a carton of Thai Coconut Curry broth and asked me to do something with it. Happy to take on the challenge, I began brainstorming... I glanced through a few possible recipes and then found a vegetable soup recipe on the back of the broth carton which I started to follow, but in the end, I came up with my own thing. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2-4 tbsp olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 (32-oz) carton College Inn Culinary Broth: Thai Coconut Curry
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup cauliflower, chopped
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1 cup sugar snap peas
• 1 (15-oz) can organic soy beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-oz) can organic garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 1 medium yellow squash, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 cups asparagus, chopped
• 2 (15-oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 (14-oz) pkg extra-firm tofu, diced
• 1-1/2 cups light coconut milk

Directions

1. Heat oil  in a dutch oven and saute garlic and onion for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the broth to the pot, followed by the bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, sugar snap peas, beans, zucchini, squash, carrots, asparagus, diced tomatoes, and lime juice. Stir to combine.
3. Add the ginger, curry powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
4. Add the tofu and gently stir into the soup.
5. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the coconut milk and stir to combine. Simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Vegan Eggplant Bake

After a great dinner of vegan lasagna with my fabulous vegan friends, I decided to branch out a bit more and come up with some kind of eggplant parmesan dish. Here we have it, a vegan eggplant bake! This was very similar to the lasagna I made. The only changes I made were: eggplant instead of lasagna noodles, a slightly different marinara sauce, a new tofu filling (thanks to Veganomicon), different veggies in the stir-fry layer, and finally, the addition of veggie cheese (unfortunately the cheese I used contains a couple of products that make it vegan-UNfriendly, but there is vegan cheese available out there!).

Vegan Eggplant Bake

A colorful, layered bake very similar to eggplant parmesan, only better!

Ingredients

  

For the marinara sauce, modified from Veganomicon:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup red wine
• 3 (15-oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
• dried parsley
• dried basil
• dried oregano
• salt 

For the filling, Tofu Ricotta from Veganomicon:

• 1 lb extra-firm tofu
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Pinch of ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes 

For the veggie layer:

• olive oil
• 1 pkg soybeans, shelled
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 yellow squash, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• salt
• ground black pepper

Other:

• 1 medium eggplant
• sea salt
• olive oil
• 1 package (12 slices) veggie cheese, mozzarella flavor
• 1/4-1/2 cup grated veggie cheese, parmesan flavor 

Directions:

1. Prepare the marinara sauce: Combine the olive oil, garlic, and onion in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and spices. Simmer on low for at least 15 minutes, or until ready to use.
2. Prepare the tofu ricotta: In a large bowl, mush the tofu until crumbly. Add the lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and basil. Mix/mush until consistancy of ricotta cheese, 2-5 min. Add the olive oil, stir with a fork. Add the nutritional yeast and mix together all of the ingredients with a fork. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Roast the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet. Slice the eggplant into 1/4-1/2 inch thick rounds. Place rounds on the baking sheet and salt and brush olive oil on both sides of each slice. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip eggplant over and bake for another 5-10 minutes longer. While the eggplant is roasting, make the veggie layer. When the eggplant is ready, remove from oven and set aside until ready to use.
4. To make the veggie layer: Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add soybeans, carrots, zucchini, squash, and bell pepper. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook until vegetables become tender. Set aside until ready to use.
5. To make the eggplant bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 Pyrex dish. Place about 1 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of the dish. Place half of the eggplant rounds on top. Layer with half of the tofu ricotta filling, then half of the stir-fry veggies, and then 6 slices of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Pour half of the remaining marinara on top. Top with the remaining eggplant, tofu ricotta, veggies, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese (omit the mozzarella on this one). Top with the rest of the marinara sauce, 6 slices of mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese. Cover with tinfoil and bake 50-60 min. Remove from oven and lift one end of the tinfoil to allow the bake to release steam. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

This eggplant bake was DELISH! The tofu ricotta was wonderful! To all you non-vegans, it tasted nothing like tofu! The dish was very flavorful and I have plenty for later! I was able to divide up this dish and freeze it in single servings! Perfect on those late school nights! Enjoy!

A Great Dinner & Dessert for My Vegan Friends!

My friend Shannon and her husband, Chris, came to visit David and I for New Year's. Since they were traveling quite a long way (from North Carolina), I wanted to cook up something special for them when they arrived! My only challenge I now faced was to make a vegan dinner! Something I had yet to try! I have become very interested in my guests' vegan lifestyle, and have researched quite a bit about it. I recommend checking out their blog at The Road Less Traveled. I've learned about different vegan foods, how to save money, and how to help make our environment greener!

 

So I began browsing vegan recipes to figure out exactly what I would make them for dinner! Perfect! I would make lasagna! All though this was not going to be an easy task, I was set on making this after reading good reviews about different vegan lasagna recipes. I decided to prepare the lasagna the day before. That way, I could take my time putting it together and I could let the lasagna marinate in its flavors and juices for a day.

 

Vegan Tofu-Veggie Lasagna

 

To make this dish, I took the ideas for a vegan lasagna from two different recipes:

Allrecipes' Vegan Lasagna

Fat Free Vegan Kitchen's Vegan Lasagna

 

Ingredients

• 1 (8-oz) pkg lasagna noodles (egg-free)

For the marinara sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
• 3 (15-oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
• dried basil
• dried parsley
• dried oregano
• salt
• ground black pepper

For the "ricotta" filling:

• 1 (10-oz) pkg fresh spinach, steamed and drained
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1/2 a lemon, juiced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 (1-lb) packages tofu, one pkg extra firm and one pkg soft
• onion powder
• dried basil
• dried parsley
• ground black pepper 

For the veggie layer:

• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 small yellow squash, diced
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 2-3 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 small head broccoli, chopped, stem discarded
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced 

Directions

1. Make the sauce: In a large, heavy saucepan, over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Place the onions in the saucepan and saute them until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook 5 minutes more.
2. Place the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil and parsley in the saucepan. Stir well, turn the heat to low and let the sauce simmer covered for 1 hour. Add the salt and pepper.
3. While the sauce is cooking bring a large kettle of salted water to a boil. Boil the lasagna noodles according to the package's instructions, then drain and rinse well.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Place the tofu blocks in a large bowl. Add the spinach, garlic, onion powder, basil and parsley. Add the salt and pepper, and mash all the ingredients together. Mix well. Place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble lasagna.
6. Saute the vegetable layer: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add all ingredients and saute until vegetables become tender. Remove from heat.
7. Assemble the lasagna: Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole pan. Arrange a single layer of lasagna noodles, sprinkle one-third of the tofu mixture over the noodles. Distribute 1/3 of the sauteed vegetables evenly over the tofu. Next ladle tomato sauce over the tofu, and top it with another layer of the noodles. Then sprinkle another 1/3 of the tofu mixture over the noodles, top with 1/3 of the sauteed vegetables, then the tomato sauce, and top with a final layer of noodles. Finally, top the noodles with the final 1/3 of the tofu and sauteed vegetables, and spread the remaining tomato sauce over it.
8. Cover the pan with foil and bake the lasagna for 45-60 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy. 

The next time I make this, I would like to try roasted, thinly-sliced rounds of eggplant (possibly dipped in bread crumbs to give them a nice, crisp texture) in place of the lasagna noodles. I would also add some veggie cheese the next time: a combination of mozzarella and parmesan subsitutes. Yum! I did not add the veggie cheese this time because it unfortunately contains a couple of ingredients that are not vegan. There are veggie cheeses out there that are vegan but my grocery store is so small that they don't carry it... sad. When I try this recipe with these other ideas I will post it!

Now I could not forget about dessert! I wanted to do something special because not only did Shannon and Chris drive so far to come visit us, but they were also recently married (back in July)! So I decided I wanted to make a cake for them to celebrate their marriage! I've been in a Hawaiian-themed mood (probably because my parents were just there) so I decided to take the banana bread recipe I normally make and turn it into a cake with, yep, you guessed it, Hawaiian ingredients a.k.a. pineapple, coconut, and macadamia nuts!

Now, because this banana bread is not vegan, I had to make a few subsitutions! Most importantly, I needed a substitution for the eggs. So in baked goods, eggs are very important for two different reasons: 1.) leavening and 2.) binding. In order to have both of these important effects incorporated into the recipe without eggs I researched a bit and found a recipe from The Vegan Wolf  which is a great substitute for cakes, muffins and quickbreads. And it worked great!

Egg Substitute (equivalent to 1 egg)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp water

Directions

1. Stir together all ingredients until a thick paste forms. Let sit until ready to incorporate into recipe.  

Vegan Ho`olaule`a Cake

 

Ho`olaule`a means Hawaiian celebration! Perfect for my guests who were just married over the summer.

 

Ingredients

For the egg subsitute (equivalent to 3 eggs):

• 3 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp (1/8 cup) water

For the cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups raw sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 (8-oz) can crushed pineapple in water
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

For the frosting:

• 8 oz. cream cheese substitute (Tofutti)
• 1/4 cup light coconut milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp coconut extract
• 1 lb (16 oz) organic powdered sugar
• 1 cup shredded coconut 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans
3. In a large bowl, combine all egg susbtitute ingredients and stir until a thick paste forms. Set aside.
4. To prepare the cake: Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon in a medium bowl to blend. Set aside.
5. In the large bowl with the egg substitute, beat in the sugar, oil, crushed pineapple and vanilla to blend. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended.
6. In a small bowl, stir together the banana, coconut, and macadamia nuts. Then fold into the batter.
7. Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans. Bake until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with no crumbs attached, about 35-40 minutes. Keep an eye on the baking time. Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool before frosting.
8. To make the frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese subsitute, coconut milk, and vanilla and coconut extracts in a large bowl until combined. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until the right frosting consistancy forms. Stir in the coconut. Consistancy will be runnier than most frostings. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before frosting cake to allow frosting to become firmer. After frosting the cake, sprinkle with flaked coconut and chopped macadamia nuts.

This cake with the frosting was amazing. This was my first time making my very own frosting (without a recipe to follow) and I can confidently say that I did well! The only negative comment I have to make about my frosting though is that it was runnier than regular cream cheese frostings, so it was difficult to frost the sides of the cake without it trying to run down the side and accumulate at the bottom of the cake (hence, the mess I made on the cake plate). Okay, so, it was a bit of a mess but I wouldn't change a thing!

I am so glad Shannon and Chris loved the meal I prepared. My hard work payed off! Even David didn't mind it! I really think the word "vegan" throws people off. In reality, it is mostly just healthier eating. Sometimes :) You can make amazing dishes that are vegan though! You also learn to really appreciate fresh herbs and spices more!

Thanks Shannon and Chris for being such wonderful guests! We had a great time and I enjoyed learning more about the kind of vegan meals you prepare at your home! Thanks for sharing some of them with me!

Edy's Super Experimental, All Original Black Bean Turkey Chili

So I decided to take a stab at making my own chili recipe. The result was very yummy! It has all the flavors of chili, minus the hot ones! I think the lack of hot spices was why this wasn't David's favorite! Usually he's throwing in jalepenos or hot sauce but I decided to leave those out for this one (I like to taste my meal, or else my mouth gets so hot and everything just become numb!). I wanted to make a healthier chili too, so I added ground turkey breast in place of ground beef. AND I love the addition of a variety of veggies to a chili!

I also added red wine this time. I happened to have an opened bottle that I didn't particularly care for. Adding wine to your cooking is, by the way, always a great way to use it up! It gives the meal a nice flavor too!

And I would just like to update everyone: I used dried beans again! Yay! And they worked out great after soaking them in water for a day, then boiling them for about an hour to an hour and a half more before adding them to my chili. Perfect! I'm glad I didn't give up on them :)

Here is my super experimental, all original black bean chili:

Ingredients

• approx. 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey breast
• 1 onion, chopped
• 7-8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (14.5-oz) cans stewed tomatoes, chopped and with juice
• 1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine, dry
• 1 (14-oz) bag of dried black beans, soaked overnight & boiled in water for 1-1 ½ hrs
• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 2 medium zucchini, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chiffouna
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• ½ tsp kosher salt 

Directions

1. In large skillet or dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high heat. Cook turkey, onion, and garlic until turkey is no longer pink. Drain off any excess oil/grease.
2. Add stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, and wine. Stir to combine.
3. Add beans, peppers, zucchini, carrots. Stir to combine.
4. Add basil, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Mom's Special All-Veggie Soup: Adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe.

Chilly days make you want to stay inside and keep warm! So why not make a big ol' pot o' soup?! You can't go wrong with Mom's veggie soup! This is the kind of recipe where you can add anything you like to it - especially veggies!! Lots of them! Any kind! Add all your favorites if you like! This is very low-cal too!

 

Now, it's always important to keep a well-balanced diet, so I  recommend adding protein to this dish. I normally add it only to the portion I will be eating since I like to switch it up a bit. Some days I stir-fry tofu with a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then add it to my soup; other days I stir-fry chicken, or just add beans (any kind of bean will work - I recently added Northern beans to my soup). This homemade soup is so delicious and so good for you! Keeps ya warm to!

 

Now, unfortunately, this does take a bit of prep time. Time required to chop all of the veggies, and then cook it. BUT this recipe makes a huge amount! I recommend freezing the soup in serving-size portions. That way, when you're having days where you don't feel like making anything, thaw out some soup and... WA-BAM! - dinner is ready! Yay!

 

Mom's Homemade-Veggie Soup: Adapted from a Weight Watchers Recipe

Ingredients

• 15 cups (2.25 quarts) water
• 12 buillion cubes, chicken-flavored
• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1/2 or 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 small head of cabbage, shredded or chopped
• 2 medium zucchinis, diced
• 2 small or 1 large eggplant, diced
• 3-4 carrots, sliced (I probably 5-6 though)
• 1 (9-oz) bag of fresh spinach
• 1-2 cups sugar snap peanspea pods
• 3-4 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 (16-oz) bag frozen cut green beans
• ½ or 1 (16-oz) bag frozen sliced okra
• 1 (16-oz) bag frozen lima beans
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• garlic, powder (~ 1 tsp) or fresh
• black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Put all ingredients in a large pot.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer 1-3 hours.
4. Serving suggestion: Add cooked chicken or tofu and top with grated parmesan cheese. Yum!

Vegan Meatballs!

Okay Shannon – I did it! My first time making vegan meatballs! And again, I note, this is my first time :)

Just to fill you all in, my friend Shannon is vegan and I am always getting tips and recipes from her! You can check out some of her tips and recipes at The Road Less Traveled. I really love trying new recipes and how you can be so creative when it comes to making vegan foods. Not to mention, it’s also quite healthier :)

I recently had asked Shannon for a vegan meatball recipe. So she gave me a choice between a tofu/fake sausage meatball recipe and a lentil meatball recipe. I decided to go with the tofu one, and as you can see, my meatballs turned out quite lovely. I modified the recipe a little bit to suit my own taste buds, but unfortunately as soon as I put them into my marinara sauce, they did not hold together very well. Okay, so I was a little off on the consistency of the meatballs. Instead of adding bread crumbs, I had decided to go with oats, which may have played a part in this problem. And my other issue – the taste was off. I don’t think I added enough flavor to my meatballs, and unfortunately, I found out that I don’t care for fake sausage. So how about some advice to make these meatballs better? More flavors? Omitting the sausage? Getting the right consistency? I will not give up!

All though this is not my best, I wanted to share this recipe with you. Cooking is always a learning process and I definitely want to learn how to make this recipe better. Suggestions are welcome!

Here are the ingredients I used to make these meatballs. Shannon, I would love any help/tips/advice to point me in the right direction to make these meatballs tastier!

• 1 package extra firm tofu, drained

• 1 Gimme lean sausage

• ½ cup walnuts, finely chopped

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• ½ cup oats (generous amount)

• ¼ cup grated Veggie Cheese (parmesan flavor)

• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced

• Spices: basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper

All of the ingredients were mixed together (using my hands Shannon!) and formed into generous 1” balls. The meatballs were placed on a greased baking pan and baked at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

I served the meatballs and marinara sauce over sautéed, julienned squash and zucchini. I have been on a kick these days replacing pasta with veggies. I got this idea from Teresa Giudice’s (from the Real Housewives of New Jersey) cookbook, “Skinny Italian.” I love it! I then topped the sauce and meatballs with a generous amount of veggie cheese (parmesan flavor) and chopped, fresh basil leaves.