Ratatouille

This is a classic vegetable stew type dish that is sometimes used as a side dish, but there are beans added to this recipe to make it more of a main course. We ate ours over some brown rice penne! It's a very colorful dish with a nice refreshing taste! =)  Another one from 1000 Vegan Recipes.

 

Ratatouille

Makes 4 to 6 servings

 

 

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped

2 medium zucchini, chopped

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup vegetable broth, homemade or store-bought, or water

1 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp dried thyme

2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

  

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in the eggplant, red and yellow bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and beans. Add the salt and pepper and cook, uncovered, stirring, for 5 minutes.

 

2. Add the broth, marjoram, and thyme. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the vegetables are tender but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and taste, adjusting seasonings if necessary. Serve immediately.

Coconut Red Lentil Curry

We have cooked with curry paste here and there, but nothing really adventurous, so we decided to try this recipe out that I found on vegnews.com. What a surprise! I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but it was wonderful! It had just enough spice to be slightly spicy without overbearing, and had a great flavor.

 

Coconut Red Lentil Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unrefined, organic coconut oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups red lentils
2 cans organic coconut milk
4 to 6 cups water (enough to cover all ingredients)
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
2 cups diced sweet potato
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 to 2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

 

 

 Directions:

 

1. Sauté onion in the coconut oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sea salt, stir, and cook for one minute more. 

 

2.  Add the lentils, coconut milk, water, and remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil. 

 

3. Stir well, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 30-45 minutes more, until the lentils are cooked through and creamy. Add more salt and pepper to taste. 

 

 

Note: After cooking for about 45 minutes, it thickened up nicely. We thought about having it with rice, but there is already a lot of carbs in the curry. It was delicious without it =)

 

Three-Bean Chili

I have to say, I've never used canned chiles or canned chipotle chiles before, but it gives the chili almost a spicy, smoky flavor. I'm not sure if the recipe had a typo in it, or if it really calls for 3 Tbsp of chili powder, but we only had about 2 1/2, and WOW!! SPICY! So, I think I'd probably knock it down to 1 Tbsp, maybe 1 1/2, or to taste. But the flavor was very good and we were very happy with it! =)

 

Three-Bean Chili

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 (2-ounce) can chopped mild green chiles, drained

1 cup water

3 Tbs chili powder, or to taste

1 canned chipolte chile in adobo, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can Great Northern or other white beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover, and cook until softened, about 7 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes, green chiles, water, chili powder, chipolte, cumin, marjoram, and sugar. Stir in the black beans, Great Northern beans, and kidney beans and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. 

3. Uncover, and cook an additional 10 minutes to allow flavors to develop and the chili to thicken. Serve immediately.

Herb Garden!

Last year we decided that we were going to try and plant as much of a garden as we could on the balcony of our condo. It worked out pretty well for a first try. Take a look!

 

Chocolate mint, feverfew, chamomile, and valerian, with lavender in the middle pot.

 

 Sage, peppermint, oregano, spearmint, and lemon balm.

 

 Nice big pot of basil. 

 

Tyson helping me garden! =) 

 

Palm, violet, lamb's ear, pepper plant with marigolds, and a pretty pot of flowers.

 

Hen and chicks, and wildflowers.

 

 Pot of flowers =) Red geraniums are supposed to protect your home.

This year, I decided to try and start growing seeds inside before we plant them outdoors. I planted them 3 days ago and they're already starting to sprout!

 

So far, the calendula (edible marigolds), thyme, and catgrass are sprouting!

We have a few plants left from last year, but the only ones that are still thriving are the aloe and the lavender. The lavender was actually outside all winter long and flourished!! We did bring the aloe inside, but put it out a week ago or so.

 

Hopefully, come spring, we'll have a lot of sprouted herbs to plant outside in our garden. In such a busy area, it's nice to have a little bit of comfort, even if it is something as simple as a garden of fresh herbs.

Penne with White Beans, Red Chard, and Grape Tomatoes

Wow! What a colorful, fresh dish this was!! The flavor of the swiss chard and tomatoes paired perfectly with the basil, one of our favorite herbs to cook with. And the beans gave it a little extra protein to make the dish more filling. Just delicious!

 

Penne with White Beans, Red Chard, and Grape Tomatoes

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 medium bunch red chard, tough stems removed and coarsely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups ripe grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1 lb penne

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil, for garnish

 

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste, adjusting seasonings if necessary.

 

2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the penne over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.

Vegetable Lo Mein with Tofu

This is another dish from 1000 Vegan Recipes, and I have to say, it's definitely one of my favorites so far!!!! It came out extremely flavorful and satisfying!

 

Vegetable Lo Mein with Tofu

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

12 ounces linguine

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

3 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp dry sherry, (optional; if not using, add an extra Tbsp of soy sauce and a pinch of salt)

1 Tbsp water

Pinch sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp canola or grapeseed oil

1 lb extra-firm tofu, drained and diced

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

3 cups small broccoli florets

1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 cup sliced fresh shiitake or white mushrooms

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

2 green onions, chopped

 

Directions:

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the linguine, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a bowl. Add 1 tsp of the sesame oil and toss to coat. Set aside. 

2. In a small bowl,  combine the soy sauce, sherry, water, sugar, and the remaining 2 tsp sesame oil. Add the cornstarch and stir to dissolve. Set aside.

 

3. In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 Tbsp of the canola over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

4. Reheat the remaining canola oil in the same skillet. Add the onion, broccoli, and carrot and stir-fry until just tender, about 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and green onions and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the sauce, the cooked linguine, and the tofu and toss to mix well. Cook until heated through. Taste, adjusting seasonings and adding more soy sauce if needed. Serve immediately.

 

Note: We used a package of brown rice fettuccine that was 14 ounces, instead of 12 and it worked just fine. I cooked it according to the package directions. For the soy sauce, we used Tamari. And instead of extra-firm tofu, we used firm. And as always, we put a lot more garlic that the recipe calls for!! =)

Black Bean Soup with a Splash

This is a recipe from my 1000 Vegan Recipe book. The soup turned out alright, but it definitely needs something else. We both agree some fresh cilantro blended in the soup would add a lot. And maybe a little bit more thyme and cayenne. But overall, it was good.

Black Bean Soup with a Splash

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 Tbs olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 celery rib, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, finely chopped

1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups vegetable broth

4 1/2 cups cooked or 3 (15.5-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cayenne

2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley, for garnish

1/3 cup dry sherry

 

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic. Cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, beans, thyme, salt, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the soup has thickened, about 45 minutes.

2. Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor, in batches if necessary, and return to the pot. Reheat if necessary.

3. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with parsley. Add splash of sherry to bowl. 

Note: Rich's 2nd bowl and my 1st bowl (after it sat for a while) had a much better flavor then when I tasted his right after it was done. I think letting it sit for a little while is a good idea and makes the flavors come out a little better. I didn't add the sherry to mine, but added some cracked red pepper instead. It was yummy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

This is a recipe from Alicia Silverstone's book, The Kind Diet, and they are to die for!!! They are big enough so one (or maybe two) is completely satisfying. If you love peanut butter cups, this is an amazing vegan substitute.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Makes 12

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Earth Balance butter

 3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted)

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs or 10 graham cracker squares

1/4 cup maple sugar or other granulated sweetener

1 cup grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips

1/4 cup soy, rice, or nut milk

1/4 cup chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts

Directions:

1. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and maple sugar and mix well. Remove the mixture from the heat. Evenly divide the mixture, approximately 2 tablespoons per cup, among the muffin cups.

 

3. Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted. Spoon the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture. Top with chopped nuts. Place in refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.

 

Note: We use fresh ground peanut butter from Whole Foods that they ground at the store. It's just peanuts and it's delicious. The first time I made this recipe I used vegan graham crackers, which was great. But since going gluten free as well, I had to find a substitute. I found some cinnamon cookies at Giant that are gluten free and vegan, and used those, and it tastes almost exactly the same. I did use maple sugar, which you can get at Whole Foods as well, and I used So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk instead of soy, rice or nut milk. Yum!!

Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup with Baby Spinach

I took a trip to Border's the other day and bought a few books to help with my journey. One of them was 1,000 Vegan Recipes, by Robin Robertson. It has some wonderful recipes in it!!! Since spring isn't here yet, we're still making soups, and found this one that sounded very different from what we usually make. It turned out really good, and had a bit of a kick from the cayenne!!

Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup with Baby Spinach

makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

6 cups vegetable broth, homemade or store-bought, or water

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black peper

4 cups baby spinach

 

Directions: 

1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and broth and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

2. Ladle about a cup of hot broth into a small bowl. Add the peanut butter and stir until smooth. Stir the peanut butter mixture into the soup along with the cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. 

3. About 10 minutes before ready to serve, stir in the spinach and serve.

Hot and Sour Soup with Tofu and Snow Peas

 

This is a delicious recipe that we found in the Clean Eating magazine. It's not your typical hot and sour soup that you would get at a Chinese restaurant, but it's wonderful in it's own way.  We switched it up a bit this time, but here's the original recipe. 

Hot and Sour soup with Tofu and Snow Peas

Ingredients:

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned (2 cups)

2 cups sliced snow peas (cut on a diagonal)

1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, chopped (2 Tbsp)

2 tsp low-sodium tamari or soy sauce

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp arrowroot powder

2 12-oz pkg silken tofu, drained and cubed

4 small scallions, slivered

Instructions:

1. In a 4-qt pot, bring broth to a boil over high heat. Add carrots, snow peas, jalapeño and ginger and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes, just until vegetables are crisp-tender.

2. In a cup, stir together tamari, vinegar, 1 cup water and arrowroot. Stir mixture into simmering soup for 1 minute. Carfully add tofu and stir gently. Turn off heat and let tofu warm through for about 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with scallions, dividing evenly. 

Nutrients per 2-cup serving: Calories: 230; Total Fat: 4g; Sat. Fat: 0g; Carbs: 31g; Fiber: 6g; Sugars: 4g; Protein: 16g; Sodium: 340mg; Cholesterol: 0mg

Note: We forgot to cut the snow peas this time, and honestly, I'm not sure we did last time. No big deal! Also, we decided to add about 2 cups of shiitake mushrooms. Last time we used the silken tofu and it was just too soft, so we got light firm this time, and only used one 16 oz box, since we added so many mushrooms.We also added a tad bit more tamari to flavor it a little more. =)

Spicy Tomato Soup

When we were on our trip to Vermont a few weeks ago, we stopped to eat lunch at a local food restaurant called Green Goddess Cafe in Stowe. They had a delicious spicy tomato soup, that we decided we would have to try and recreate. Sarah found a recipe online and we decided to try it as well! It came out delicious! I had a bowl with a vegan grilled cheese on sprouted spelt bread and Rich had a beautiful wild-caught hake filet with garlic. And we finally got to use our brand new immersion blender!

 

Spicy Tomato Soup

Ingredients: 

 1 carrot

1 onion

A few cloves of garlic

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 ts cayenne

2 28-oz. cans of whole peeled tomatoes

1 cup vegetable broth

Directions:

 Chop carrot, onion, and garlic. Add thyme, red pepper flakes, and cayenne. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the cans of tomatoes and vegetable broth and simmer for 25 minutes. Blend well and serve.

Note: We added an extra two carrots for flavor. This soup is relatively spicy, so cutting down on the spices is a good idea if you don't want too much spice. 

Rich's hake filet with garlic

Pho!!

Vietnamese soup is a favorite of ours, and I haven't had it since I decided to go vegan. I was a little unsure if they offered a vegan/vegetarian soup, so I had to try and find the menu online of our local Pho restaurant. Luckily, I managed to find it and they do! I was expecting somewhat of the same soup, simply without the meat. Boy, was I surprised!! It was loaded with vegetables!! Yum!!

Vegetable Stir Fry with Tofu

I never really thought I'd be a fan of tofu, but after exploring a few different options, I can honestly say I really like it. It takes on whatever flavor you cook it with. Wegmans has great prepackaged fresh cut veggies for stir fry that we pick up when we are in a hurry or don't feel like cutting for an hour prior to dinner. We started out our stir fry with three different packages of vegetables.

 

One thing we've been doing whenever we have a recipe that needs garlic (pretty much everything) is chopping it up and soaking it in olive oil for a while before we start cooking, so it can absorb the oil. It really brings out the flavor. We also added some ginger this time, and soaked that in oil as well. 

 

The last time we made a stir fry, we cooked the tofu first with the garlic and olive oil to try and flavor it well. This time we did the same thing, but instead of extra firm tofu, we used firm, which definitely seemed to soak up the flavor better. 

 

After that was cooked for a while, we put it in a bowl and covered it, and cooked the veggies separate, minus the mushrooms, until they were cooked completely.

 

The mushrooms were cooked separate as well, and then everything was added together in the wok. It came out perfect!

We made some wild rice to go with it, even though the tofu and vegetable alone are very filling!! It was definitely one of my favorite meals so far =)