Barbecue Lentil Loaf

This recipe was inspired by The Vegan 8's Oat-Free Spicy Barbecue Lentil Loaf. I made a few minor changes to make it more like the traditional "meatloaf" I knew growing up - and I have to say, this is DELISH! Very flavorful and filling - it will satisfy veggies and omnis alike, I promise!

Ingredients:

• 1 C brown lentils
• 1/2 C yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 C green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 C Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Sauce, divided*
• 1/2 C cornmeal (medium grind)
• 3 T ground flax seeds
• 1/4 t chipotle powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook lentils. Put lentils and 2 cups of water in a pot, add 1/2 t salt, and bring to a boil. Cover, turn down to medium-low heat, and simmer for 35-40 minutes.
2. While the lentils are simmering, saute the onion, bell pepper, and garlic over low heat until the onions are translucent and the peppers and garlic are softened.
3. Let the lentils cool after cooking. In a large bowl, mix lentils, veggie mixture, cornmeal, flax seeds, chipotle powder, 3/4 cup of barbecue sauce, and salt and pepper until thoroughly combined.
4. Grease a loaf pan with a little olive or coconut oil, and pack the lentil mixture in it.
5. Let the loaf sit for about 15 minutes for the cornmeal to soak up some moisture. 
6. While the loaf is resting, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
7. Top the loaf with the remaining 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce.
8. Bake for about an hour, until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Let the loaf sit for a few minutes to firm up prior to serving. 
10. Serve with barbecue sauce. You might want to double the barbecue sauce recipe to make sure you have plenty! Enjoy.

Easy One Pot Pasta

If I'd known making pasta could be this easy - without all the draining/straining mess - I'd have been making pasta this way for years. I don't know if I'll make it the "old way" again...this is easy, quick, and delish! And it makes a TON of food.

Ingredients:

• 1 12 oz. bag pasta
• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 4 C vegetable broth
• 1 medium white onion, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 t dried oregano
• 1/2 C chopped, firmly packed fresh basil
• 2 C fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 t salt
• black pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• nutritional yeast (optional, in place of Parmesan cheese!)

Preparation:

1. Place all ingredients except nutritional yeast in a large pot.
2. Cover and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until pasta is slightly al dente (check the directions on the bag of pasta), stirring every few minutes.
4. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes.
5. Stir just before serving.
6. Top with nutritional yeast, if desired.
7. Enjoy!

Spinach and Mushroom Salad with Pearled Couscous

Lately, I've gotten in to salads that combine raw and cooked elements. I got hooked on a salad in Chico, CA that had marinated tofu, brown rice, and quinoa on top of organic greens. SO tasty. This salad may sound a little odd, but it works. Beautifully.

Ingredients:

• 1 box pearled couscous, cooked according to package directions
• 1 package organic baby spinach
• 2 portobello mushroom caps
• 4-6 cremini mushrooms
• 1-2 T olive oil
• 1 t fig balsamic vinegar
• pinch of dried basil
• 1/2 white onion
• 1/2 red pepper
• slivered almonds, toasted
• lemon tahini dressing*
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Saute the mushrooms in olive oil until tender and darkened. (It will look like you have a ton of mushrooms at first, but don't worry - they will cook down!)
2. Add fig balsamic vinegar, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a separate pan, saute red peppers and onions in a bit of olive oil.
4. Cook the pearled couscous according to package directions, and toast the almonds in a dry pan.
5. To assemble, put baby spinach in the bottom of your bowls. Top with mushrooms, red peppers, and onions.
6. Sprinkle with toasted almonds, drizzle with lemon tahini dressing, and top with pearled couscous.
7. Enjoy!

Notes:

*For the lemon tahini dressing, I don't really use a recipe. The ingredients are water, tahini, lemon juice, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and garlic or garlic powder. I usually mix everything but the water together first, taste test it, adjust, and then add water to thin to desired consistency. Note that if you use raw garlic, use it sparingly - it's much stronger than powdered or granulated garlic!

Pasta with Tomatoes and Squash

This is a wonderful way to use those beautiful, fresh summer tomatoes and squash. I'm a big fan of cherry and grape tomatoes, they are so naturally sweet! This is so simple, it's more a process than a recipe! And everything is better with garlic, isn't it? 

Ingredients:

• 1 box whole wheat rotini or pasta of choice*
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 10 -12 cloves garlic
• 1 yellow squash
• 1 1/2 - 2 C grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 - 1 t Italian seasoning

Preparation:

1. Rough chop the garlic and saute it in extra virgin olive oil over low-medium heat.
2. After a couple of minutes, add the squash (sliced or diced) and the whole cherry or grape tomatoes. (I used red and yellow tomatoes.)
3. Stir to coat everything with olive oil.
4. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and cover.
5. In the meantime, put your pasta on.
6. While the pasta is cooking, stir the veggies every few minutes, and cook until the tomatoes begin to burst.
7. Remove them from the heat and cover them.
8. Finish cooking the pasta.
9. Pour tomato mixture over pasta, add salt and pepper to taste, add nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan if you'd like.
10. Enjoy!

Notes:

*I did not use the whole box of rotini for this recipe. This amount of tomato/squash/garlic mixture will serve two people, or one REALLY hungry person! I always cook a whole box of pasta at a time and save the leftovers for pasta salad or other dishes.

Vegan Mac and Cheese

There are a gazillion recipes out there for vegan mac and cheese, and I think I try a different one each time I make it. This one might be a keeper, though...it's delicious. What it is NOT: vegan health food. But sometimes, you just have to have comfort food!

Ingredients:

• 1 box pasta of choice
• 3 T vegan buttery spread
• 2 t paprika
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t onion powder
• 1 t mustard powder
• 1/2 t turmeric
• a dash of cumin
• 1/2 C nutritional yeast
• 2 C plant-based milk
• 1 bag Daiya cheddar cheese shreds
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
2. While it is cooking, make the sauce. Melt the vegan buttery spread in a medium saucepan.
3. Add the plant-based milk, spices, and nutritional yeast. Whisk until combined and heat until the sauce starts to thicken.
4. Add in the Daiya shreds and whisk.
5. Continue to heat and stir until the sauce is smooth.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. When the pasta is done, strain it (but do not rinse) and return it to the pasta pot.
8. Add the cheesy sauce to the pasta and stir to combine.
9. Enjoy!

Quick Lunch: Black Bean and Corn Bowl

When you're short on time and are hungry for something in a hurry, this is a quick and easy meal. It's easy peasy to dress up canned beans with some fresh, raw veggies and herbs, and you're good to go!

Ingredients:

• 1 can of black beans
• 1 ear of raw corn
• 1/4 C purple cabbage, chopped
• 2-3 T cilantro, chopped
• 1-2 T fresh salsa
• salt & pepper to taste
• hot sauce (optional)

Preparation:

1. Heat a can of black beans (add spices if you want) and put a serving of them in a bowl.
2. Add raw corn, purple cabbage, salsa, fresh cilantro (plus hot sauce if you like a little spice), and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Enjoy!

Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles

These noodles have a little kick, and they are fairly easy to put together on the fly. They are also good served hot or cold. Choose whatever vegetables sound good to you - they will all be good!

Ingredients:

• 1 C light coconut milk
• 1/2 C peanut butter
• 1/4 -1/2 C soy sauce (depending on how salty you like it)
• 1/4 - 1/2 C agave nectar (depending on how sweet you like it!)
• 6 - 8 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 T fresh ginger, minced
• 2 t ground cumin
• 2 t ground coriander
• 1 t Thai chili garlic sauce
• 1 t red pepper flakes
• 2 T cornstarch
• 1 box whole wheat spaghetti
• 2 - 3 C vegetables
• 1 T oil (peanut, vegetable, or toasted sesame)
• lime wedges

Preparation:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
2. Mix the coconut milk and cornstarch in a small sauce pan. Add all of the other ingredients to the sauce and heat over low-medium heat until the peanut butter breaks down and all ingredients are incorporated in a nice, smooth sauce. If you like it hot like I do, add more chili garlic sauce and red pepper flakes than indicated above.
3. Meanwhile, in a wok or large pan, cook the veggies in a bit of oil until they are slightly softened but not mushy. (For the oil, I used peanut oil and a few drops of toasted sesame oil. For the veggies, I used baby carrots, frozen shelled edamame, green bell peppers, red bell peppers, and red and yellow onions.)
4. Add the pasta and the peanut sauce to the veggies, and stir to coat the noodles and veggies evenly with the sauce.
5. Serve with a wedge of lime on the side.
6. Enjoy!

Avocado Pesto Pasta

Are you a fan of avocados? I love their versatility, and they are nutrient dense! I've been wanting to try Chef Chloe Coscarelli's recipe for this dish for a while, and I finally did - with a few small modifications.

Ingredients:

• 1 box whole wheat pasta
• 1 bunch fresh micro Thai basil
• 1/2 C pine nuts
• 2 avocados, pitted and peeled
• 2 T lemon or lime juice
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 C dehydrated, halved cherry tomatoes or sliced sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

Preparation:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Drain and set aside.
3. Combine basil, pine nuts, avocadoes, citrus juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender.
4. Process until smooth, or to the consistency that you like.
5. Toss the pasta with the pesto.
6. Put in individual serving bowls, top with tomatoes if using, and enjoy!

Quick Lunch: Veggie Tacos

This is a great way to use leftovers. What I had? Brown rice from a Chinese restaurant, leftover veggies from a diner, and a few cherry tomatoes that needed to be used. My solution? Veggie tacos!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 C chopped onion
• 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 can black beans
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/4 t chili powder
• 1/2 C brown rice, cooked
• 1/2 C cherry tomatoes, sliced
• + any veggie leftovers you happen to have
• Possible taco toppings: vegan sour cream, avocado, vegan cheese, chopped cilantro, chopped jicama, squeeze of lime

Preparation:

1. Saute the onion and garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil.
2. Add black beans, rice, cumin, chili powder, cherry tomatoes, and veggie leftovers. Warm a couple of toasted corn tortillas.
3. Top with salsa, hot sauce, vegan sour cream, avocado, vegan cheese, cilantro, a little jicama, and a squeeze of lime juice - whatever toppings you enjoy.
4. Voila! Lunch is served!

Spaghetti with Meatless Meatballs

It is fairly simple to turn pantry and freezer staples into a really good, hearty, plant-based pasta dish that will smell and taste like it took you all day to make. My friend, Cheryl, came over for a birthday dinner recently. I had made her this dish and the entire house smelled like an Italian restaurant kitchen. And the taste? Fantastic! I used the meatless meatballs from Trader Joe's - they are good, they are inexpensive.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 jars prepared pasta sauce (any brand you prefer - make sure it's vegan)
• 1 C vegetable stock or broth
• 1 bag meatless meatballs*
• 1 small green pepper
• 1 small onion
• 2-3 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t Italian seasoning
• 1 T agave nectar
• a couple of generous pinches of cumin
• red pepper flakes to taste
• splash of red wine
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven and cook meatless meatballs according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, dice green pepper, onion, and garlic.
3. Saute in extra virgin olive oil, adding salt and pepper to taste, over low heat until softened. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
4. Put pasta sauce in a stock pot on low. Add broth or stock to the empty jar, close, shake, and pour into the pot.
5. Add garlic powder, Italian seasoning, agave nectar, red pepper flakes, cumin, and wine.
6. Mix well.
7. Add green pepper and onions to the pot when they are ready.
8. Serve sauce over pasta of your choice, topped with meatless meatballs, and enjoy!

Spicy Adzuki Bean Burgers

Adzuki beans are small red beans that originated in China. They are a staple of the macrobiotic diet, and they are a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese and B vitamins. Adzuki beans have been called the "weight loss bean," since they are low in calories and fat, yet high in nutrition.

Ingredients:

• 2 C cooked adzuki beans*
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1/2 yellow or white onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• egg replacer for one egg**
• 1/2 C panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 t onion powder
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1 t cumin
• 1 t chili powder
• 1 t vegan Worcestershire sauce
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Saute onion, green bell pepper and garlic in extra virgin olive oil, plus salt and pepper to taste, over low heat until softened.
2. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Meanwhile, mash beans in a large mixing bowl.
5. When onion/pepper/garlic mixture cools, add to beans.
6. Add remainder of ingredients and mix well with your hands. Divide into four large patties.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes on each side.
8. Top with favorite burger toppings and enjoy.

Notes:

*You can substitute any cooked beans (black, kidney, etc.) for the adzuki beans, if you have trouble finding them.
**I used EnerG egg replacer. You could also use 2 T potato starch, 1/4 cup canned pumpkin or squash, or 1 T ground flax seed mixed with a couple T of water.


Adzuki Bean Burgers