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Warm golden beet salad

I promise this will be last recipe with buckwheat for a while, but you're going to want to try this one! The golden beets are perfect natural sweeteners. You can serve this while the beets and buckwheat are warm, or eat it cold. It'll be just as good. I made a big batch of this for a party over the weekend and it was a big hit. 

Ingredients:
2 golden beets, boiled and shredded
1 cup of cooked buckwheat
1 tomato, diced
1 cucumber, diced
1 pickle, diced
1 tbsp red onion, diced
2 tbsp of vegan mayo

Instructions
mix all the ingredients in a bowl
 

Savory bok choy with toasted sesame sauce

Add this recipe to your menu this week. It's such a delicious combination of sesame seeds and nutty flavors. Plus, it's bok choy! A superfood packed with vitamin A and calcium.

Ingredients

3/4 cups of vegetable broth (divided)

pinch of chili pepper flakes

1 garlic clove sliced

2 heaping tbsp of nut butter (of your choice)

4-6 baby bok choy, chopped into quarters 

Sauce

2 1/2 tbsp of sesame seeds

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp of low sodium tamari/ Braggs amino acids

 2 tsp blackstrap molasses

3 tbsp of vegetable broth

Instructions

1) Dry sauté sesame seeds until they turn slightly brown.  Let them cool. Once cool, mix in the remaining sauce ingredients. Set aside.

2) In a sauce pan heat 2 tbsp of vegetable sauce. Add sliced garlic and pinch of chili pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1 min.

3) Add nut butter. Keep adding broth to dilute the nut butter to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The nut butter should be liquid.

4) Add the boy choy and mix well. Cook until the boy choy is tender. All leaves should be translucent in the thickest area of the white section.

5) Pour the sauce over the bok choy when it's done cooking. Serve over a bed of rice, or another grain of choice.

 

 

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chili

When it's cold outside it makes perfect sense to eat something called chili :) A bowl of this dish and you'll get nicely warmed up. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/4 cup of water or broth

2 carrots, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 small head of cauliflower, stemmed and cut into small florets

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp chili powder (or to taste)

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 crushed tomatoes

3 whole tomatoes, seeds removed and roughly chopped

2 cups cooked kidney beans (pinto beans will go well here too)

salt and pepper, to taste

1 to 2 avocados, diced

1/2 cup Cashew Sour Cream

Instructions:

1) Broth sauté the onions until they are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup of water and the carrots. Let the carrots cook for about 5 minutes, or until they start to soften a bit.

2) Next add the bell pepper, cauliflower and cook until they start to soften slightly, about 5 minutes or so.

3) Add cumin, chili powder, vinegar, tomatoes, beans and 1 cup of water. Bring the chili to a boil and then reduce to low and cook for 45 mins to an hour. Stir and test the chili occasionally to prevent sticking. If it’s too thick, add a touch more water. Chili is done when the vegetables are cooked through.

4) Salt and pepper to taste right before serving. Top it off with some avocado slices and cashew sour cream

Cashew Sour Cream:

1 cup of raw cashews, soaked overnight

1 tbsp of lemon juice

1/2- 3/4 cups of water

1 1/2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp of salt


Blend all ingredients in a blender. Add more water as needed to thin out the mixture and make it smoother.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Israeli Couscous

I love butternut squash and I love Israeli couscous....so I had make a dish to put them together.

Ingredients:
 

1 small butternut squash
1.5 cups of israeli couscous (also called pearled couscous)
1 tbsp of dried basil
1/4 tsp of cinnamon 
1/4 tsp of ground ginger
1/4 tsp of salt
pinch of nutmeg
3 cups of broth or water
2-3 handfuls of spinach


Instructions:
 

1) Cut squash in half length wise, place in an oven safe dish skin side down. Bake @ 350 for about an hour. 

2) While the squash is baking place couscous, spices and broth in a pot and cook until the couscous is al dente.

3) When the squash is done, carefully remove it from the oven and cut cross section into the meaty side. Try to avoid cutting the skin. Spoon the cubes and toss into the pot with couscous. Add the spinach. Cook for a few more minutes until the spinach is wilted and everything is well mixed.
 

Everyday Lentils

Lentils should be a staple item in every kitchen. Red, black, green... so many to choose from! My favorite is French lentils. They are hearty, which allows them to cook longer and have a more meaty texture. This recipe is a staple in our house. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. of vegetable broth

1 large onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp of dried basil

1/4 tsp each of: ground ginger, ground cinnamon, 

1/8 tsp each of: ground nutmeg, paprika

1 bunch of kale (or other greens like spinach/swiss chard)

2 carrots, chopped

2 1/2 cups of water

1 cup of French lentils

salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

 

1) Sauté onion in broth until onion is translucent. Keep adding broth to prevent onions from sticking. Add garlic, basil and the remaining spices and cook for about 1 min. Add kale and carrots. Cook until kale is slightly wilted.

 

2) Add water and lentils. Cook for about 30 mins until lentils are tender. 

 

3) salt and pepper to taste

 

Roasted Baby Potatoes Without Oil

Roasting vegetables is pretty basic, and doing it without oil is just as easy. Once again broth steps in as a perfect substitute. You can have the same crispy outer shell and a soft center that is typical of the traditional method. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 bag of baby potatoes

1/2 cup of vegetable broth

1 tbsp of nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp of dried basil

1/2 tsp of dried parsley

1/8 tsp of paprika

1/8 tsp of Himalayan pink salt

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 420 degrees.

1) Clean baby potatoes and place them in a bowl. Pour the vegetable broth into the bowl and coat the potatoes. Drain.

2) Mix the nutritional yeast and spices in a separate bowl. 

3) Put the potatoes in an oven save dish that is big enough for the potatoes to lay flat without overlapping. Coat evenly with the spices.

4) Bake for 30 mins, turning potatoes over every 10 mins. 


Pasta with Spinach Pesto

This is a perfect dish for a night when you are really limited on time. If you have kids this is also a great way to get them to eat spinach. My toddler gobbled this up. 

Ingredients for pasta:

1 bag of your choice of pasta. (I used a kamut flour penne here.)

Handful of mushrooms

red pepper flakes (optional)

Ingredients for Spinach Pesto:

4 cups of fresh spinach

1 garlic clove

1 tbsp of nutritional yeast

1/4 cup of pine nuts

1/2 cup of non-dairy milk

1/4 tsp of salt

Instructions:

1) Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

2) Saute mushrooms on a skillet.

3) For the sauce, blend all the ingredients in a blender

4) Add pasta and sauce to the skillet with the mushrooms. Stir until heated through.

Rainbow Chard with Brown Rice Topped with Thai Coconut Curry Sauce

Does anyone else have a mini obsession with thai food? Back in college, I'm pretty sure I paid the electricity bill of my favorite local thai place. Without having to master asian cooking, this simple dish hits the spot. Before you look at the ingredient list, I want to warn you it looks like a long list of items, but it really doesn't take that long to prepare. You just need to grab multiple jars out of the pantry at once and throw it in to cook together. 

Ingredients for Rice:

1 1/2 cups of brown rice

3 cups of vegetable broth

1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds

1 tsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp of salt

Ingredients for vegetables:

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bunch of rainbow chard, chopped

1 head of broccoli 

Ingredients for sauce:

1 (15 oz) can of light coconut milk

1 tbsp of thai red curry paste

2 tbsp of brown sugar (turbinado) *

Juice from 1 lime, freshly squeezed (optional)

 

Instructions:

1) Combine rice and spices in a rice cooker, give it a quick stir. Add broth and turn on the rice cooker. 

2) While the rice is cooking, in a pan broth or water sauté onions until they are translucent. Keep adding liquid 1 tbsp at a time to prevent sticking. Add garlic and rainbow chard. Cook until chard is soft. 

3) For this dish, I steamed the broccoli in the steamer tray of the rice cooker for a few minutes, but you can also cook it in the pan with the rest of the vegetables. If you steam the broccoli, make sure you don't leave it on the tray the whole time the rice is cooking, otherwise they will turn into mush. Set aside.

4) For the sauce combine all the ingredients in another pan and bring to a low boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar and red curry paste. Remove from heat when the sauce is heated through.

5) When the rice is done cooking add it to the pan with the vegetables. Add the sauce, and stir. 

Substitution Note

If you want to skip the sugar, you can use 1/4 cup of raisons or 4 medjool dates. In a blender, blend coconut milk with the dried fruit before cooking it in the pan. 

Pasta with Alfredo Sauce

I know what you'll think when you read the ingredients, cauliflower? Really? Back in my omni days I would have thought the same thing too. That must be so gross and mushy. But I swear it tastes great. Try it, just once. I bet you'll change your mind. 

Ingredients:

4 heaping cups cauliflower florets (1 small/medium cauliflower)

1 tablespoon minced garlic 

1/2 cup of non dairy milk of choice (also try using broth)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon onion powder or 1 additional sautéed onion

1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 additional fresh sautéed garlic

3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste

1/4-1/2 teaspoon black pepper, to taste

Pasta of choice (I used one (7-oz) bag of Explore Asian Mung Bean pasta)

Choose your favorite toppings, I used pine nuts and fresh tomatoes (the choices are endless: sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, etc)

Instructions:

1) Place cauliflower florets in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a low boil. Once boiling, cook for another 3-7 minutes until fork tender. Drain.

2) Meanwhile, broth sauté the minced garlic (and fresh onion if using it instead of onion powder) over low heat for 4-5 minutes until softened but not browned.

3) In a high speed blender, add the cauliflower, sauteed garlic, milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Blend until a super smooth sauce forms. 

4) Cook your pasta according to package instructions. Drain pasta.

5) Add cauliflower sauce into the pot (you can use the same pot) and add the drained pasta. Heat over low-medium until heated.

6) Plate and add your favorite toppings.

Dalmatian Stew Inspired Potatoes

Eating healthy while traveling can be difficult. There is a lot of temptation to try new foods while discovering new cultures, but it can also present an opportunity to inspire new dishes. 

On a recent trip to Montenegro I discovered a local popular side dish, the Dalmatian Stew. It’s simply boiled potatoes with spinach. Here is my spin to turn it into a main dish.

My local farmers’ market has been full of rainbow chard, so I decided to substitute it for the spinach because that’s what I had in my refrigerator. Add some mushrooms, and onions….viola! 

Ingredients:

5-6 potatoes, 

1 onion, chopped in long strips

1 handful of cremini mushrooms, chopped

1 tbsp dried basil

1 inch of fresh ginger, grated

pinch of turmeric

1 bunch of rainbow chard, finely chop both the leaves and stems 

1 cup of salsa

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Boil potatoes, with the skin on

2. While potatoes are boiling, broth sauté onions until they are translucent in a pan or wok. Add mushrooms and spices. When mushrooms are almost cooked, add chard. Cook until chard is almost wilted.

3. When potatoes are done boiling, cut them into about 1 inch sections. You can keep the skin or remove it depending on your preference. Add the potatoes and salsa to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until all the ingredients are well blended.

Creamy Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Love this creamy pasta dish! It's a simple meal that most kids will love. You can dress it up by adding cherry tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, or any of your other favorite veggies. 



INGREDIENTS
PASTA (whole wheat/ bean/ soba or another of your favorite)
2 red bell peppers
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Sea salt and ground black pepper
1.5 cups unsweetened almond milk
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1.5 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder (or other thickener of choice)
Pinch red pepper flake (optional, for heat)
12 ounces noodle of choice

FOR SERVING
• Vegan parmesan cheese
• Finely chopped fresh parsley or basil

For the Vegan Parmesan Cheese blend these ingredients in a blender:
3/4 cup raw cashews
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat oven to 500 degrees F and roast red peppers on a baking sheet until charred - about 25-30 minutes. Cover in foil for 10 minutes to steam, then remove (peel away) charred skin, seeds and stems. Set aside.
2. Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain, cover with a towel and set aside.
3. While the red peppers are roasting, bring a large skillet over medium heat and sauté onion and garlic until golden brown and soft - about 4-5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and stir. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Transfer sautéed shallot and garlic to blender with roasted peppers, almond milk, red pepper flake, nutritional yeast and cornstarch. Season with desired amount of salt, pepper and red pepper flake.
5. Blend until creamy and smooth, taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt and pepper or nutritional yeast for flavor.
6. Once blended, place sauce back in the skillet over medium heat to thicken. Once it reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and continue simmering.
7. Once sauce is thickened to desired consistency, add noodles.
8. Serve with vegan parmesan, red pepper flake and fresh chopped parsley or basil.