"cheesy" mac and veggies

A perfect winter meal. Warm, hearty and filling. You really can mix and match the veggies to what's on sale that week, it all tastes delicious covered in the sauce!

I also like to sometimes add beans to this recipe (butter beans or chick peas are my favorite for this dish) for the added protien.

mac and veggies

• 1 box of gluten free pasta (i used tri-color rotini quinoa pasta)
• olive oil
• salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped 
• your favorite Italian seasoning ( I added 1/2 a teaspoon each of dry oregano, sage, and rosemary)
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomato, chopped
• 1 head of broccoli, cut to small florets
• 1/4 cup margarine (I used soy free earth balance)
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked spanish paprika (optional)

(there are three separate steps for this meal, but all can be done at the same time)

(1) in a medium sized pot, cook noodles according to the instructions, drain and set aside

(2) in a large pan, add about a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt

heat on medium-high, and add the garlic and onion

add your favorite Italian seasoning 

once onions are soft and cooked through, add the carrot and sun dried tomato

cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally
add the broccoli, cover and cook another 5 minutes, or until broccoli is still firm, but changed color slightly

(3) in small sauce pan, melt the margarine on med-low heat
add the rice flour, whisk until combined
slowly add the boiling water, whisking continuously until it begins to thicken
whisk in salt, garlic powder, tumeric, and oil
turn off heat and whisk in nutritional yeast
add smoked paprika (optional)

once all three steps have been made, simply throw them all together in a large mixing bowl
stir with a wooden spoon until combined, then serve immediately
add pepper to taste, maybe a splash of your favorite hot sauce, and enjoy!

"tuna" salad

this is a delicious raw meal.

it's really just a simple nut meat salad, but some people are turned off by the words "nut and meat." 

call it whatever you want, it's good and good for you!

keep in mind you need to soak the nuts overnight

Raw vegan "tuna" salad

• 1 cup raw sunflower seeds (soaked and covered overnight, then drained)
• 1 cup walnuts (soaked and covered overnight, then drained)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 3-4 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3-4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 head of romaine lettuce
• handful of grape tomatoes
• fresh sprouts

once nuts and seeds have soaked for at least 6 hours,

add them to a food processor and process until chunky but not creamy (3-5 pulses)

add the next 4 ingredients and process another minute

combine with the remaining ingredients in a medium mixing bowl

salt and pepper to taste

serve with your favorite leafy green, fresh grape tomatoes, sprouts

other ideas: add a bit of your favorite italian dressing, or throw a pickle in there!

Lasagna! (with cashew "ricotta")

Layers of veggies and "cheesy" goodness?

Yes, please!

I made this one past cold night, it really hit the spot, and fed me for days!

You do have to soak the cashews an hour in advance, so keep that in mind.

Other than that, this is a very simple comforting dinner for many.

Lasagna with cashew "ricotta"

   cashew ricotta

• 1 1/3 cup raw cashew nuts (soaked, one hour in advance in two cups water, then drained)
• 1/2 of a lemon's juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary and oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed butter)
• 6 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/4-3/4 cup water (depending on desired consistency)

Once cashews have been soaked and drained, add them to a food processor, until chopped fine

add lemon juice, herbs, salt, tahini, nut yeast, process until mixed well

add water, 1/4 cup at a time, until you reach the consistency of cream cheese (keep in mind, you don't want your "cheese" too dry, as it will lose moisture after being baked)

try a bite, add salt, and pepper to taste.
refrigerate until ready to use.

 other lasagna ingredients 

• 1 box of gluten free lasagna noodles 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• one medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon oregano, rosemary
• 1 red or orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• about 2 cups broccoli, cut to bite sized pieces 
• 2 small zucchini, sliced
• 5-6 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 2 of your favorite veggie burger patties (i used sunshine garden veggie burgers)
• 1 1/2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce (i used my simple recipe from pizza!)

 cook your gluten free noodles according to the manufacturer (each brand is different), and set aside

in a medium sized frying pan, add the oil on medium heat

add the garlic and onion, stirring until tender (about 3-5 minutes)

add the herbs, pepper, broccoli, zucchini, and mushrooms

cover and cook on medium heat for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally

add the veggie burgers whole, once thawed break into chunks with spoon

add tomato sauce, reduce heat, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes

stir and taste, add salt and pepper as needed.

PREHEAT oven to 375 F

slightly grease a casserole dish

once all the ingredients have been prepared, begin layering them in your casserole dish

i start with a layer of noodles first, then a layer of the tomato vegetables, another layer of noodles, a ricotta layer, and continue those once more. i usually end with a veggie layer on the top, and sprinkle some nutritional yeast on top of that for good measure.

bake on the center rack for 30 minutes

let sit for 10 minutes before serving, then enjoy!

lentil salad!

no cooking necessary. no utensils needed to eat it. sold!

 

lentil salad

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• the juice of one lemon
• 2 cans of lentils, drained and rinsed (couldn't use goya dry lentils, they warn they might have wheat in them!!)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped fine
• 2-3 stalks green onion, sliced
• a handful of fresh sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste

 in a medium sized bowl, first combine garlic and lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes
add all other ingredients into the bowl, mix well

add a spoonful to some red leaf lettuce, or any other green, wrap and eat up!

veggie fajitas!

it's getting so hot here in new york, pretty soon i'll only want to eat salads and watermelon!

last night i was craving mexican, so i made vegetable fajitas, re-fried beans and guacamole.

i heated some corn tortillas, topped it all with fresh greens and cilantro, and chowed down!

 guacamole, veggie fajitas, and re-fried beans

        guacamole

• 3 ripe avocados
• juice of one lime
• a pinch of smoked chipotle powder
• 1/2 a teaspoon of cumin, chili powder, and salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 an onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 a container of grape tomatoes, halved
• 1-2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• pepper, to taste     

 in a medium mixing bowl, add the avocado meat and toss with 1/2 of the lime juice

 add the salt and spices, and mash in with a potato masher

fold in garlic, onion, tomatoes, and cilantro

add pepper, the rest of the lime juice and more salt to taste

cover and refrigerate for an hour

      veggie fajitas

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 a dried chipotle pepper
• 1/2 of an onion, sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper, sliced
• 6-8 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 summer squash, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, salt, cumin, pepper, and crushed coriander

 in a large pan, heat oil, garlic, chipotle pepper, and onion until cooked, about 3-5 min

add orange pepper, cook and stir another 3-5 minutes

add mushrooms and seasoning, stir 3 minutes

add squash, cover and cook until squash is tender

    re-fried beans

• 1 can mixed beans (black, pinto, kidney), drained and rinsed
• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 a container grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, and pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

 

 

in medium sauce pan, combine beans and water, bring to a boil

add all remaining ingredients besides the oil, reduce heat and cover

simmer about 15-20 minutes, until most water is gone

remove from heat, mash with potato masher

add oil, and return to the stove

cook another 3-5 minutes on medium heat

serve immediately

chilly day chili!

yesterday was a weird weather day here in new york city.

so weird, in fact, that i'm writing about it on a food blog.

it snowed, rained, hailed with a lightning and thunder storm, and then snowed some more.

covering all the bases, i suppose. 

anyways, i want nothing more than to be cuddled up, warm, and full on days like these. 

so after a trip to the store to get ingredients for my NEW BREADMAKER (yes!! my mom is amazing and got one for me! it even has a gluten free setting on it!), i was on a mission to make some bread and chili. and then eat it!

vegan chili mac

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 of a medium sized onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 stalks small celery stalk, chopped
• 1 orange pepper, chopped
• 4-5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 dried chipotle peppers, chopped
• 2 sunshine burgers (i used the "south west" burger)
• 2 cans tomatoes (i used fire roasted with roasted garlic)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can roman beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 box of quinoa macaroni pasta
• loose fresh spinach, to taste

in a large pot, i heated the oil on medium heat, and added the onion

then i added the bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt

once the onion looked cooked through, i added the celery and orange pepper

once the vegetables were cooked and tender, i added the sun-dried tomatoes and chipotle pepper,

then the sunshine burgers, and reduced the heat to low

once the burgers were thawed, i broke them into small pieces with a wooden spoon

stirred on low for about 5 minutes

then i added the tomatoes, chili powder, black pepper, kidney, garbanzo, and black beans, turning the heat up and bringing everything to a boil.

once boiling, i put the heat back to low, covered the pot, and simmered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

in a separate pot, i brought some water to a boil, and cooked my quinoa pasta, for about 8 minutes, and then drained and set aside.

after my 45 minutes had passed, i added the corn to the chili pot, stirred and cooked for another 5 minutes

i took the pot off the heat and combined it with the macaroni

i served the chili with fresh spinach, and roasted garlic potato bread.
satisfying!
(more on the bread soon!)

biscuits!!

the day i made this simple biscuit recipe, my roommates had just bought brand new cookie cutters that i could use before they glutified them. yay! not only were they tasty, but they were also cute!

these make a great quick snack with preserves, margarine, or with dinner

biscuits

• 1 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup potato starch (NOT potato flour)
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pinch of nutmeg
• 3/4 plus 2 tablespoon milk of choice
• 1/2 cup soy-free margarine

PREHEAT oven to 425 degrees

line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

in medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg

add the 3/4 cup milk, and mix well with wooden spoon

mix in the margarine with your hands, until fully combined

add remaining milk, mix with spoon

roll the dough on a clean floured surface, and cut out any shape you like, until all the dough is used.

bake for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden

let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes before removing to cool or eat

dumpling revelation

 i've been thinking about making dumplings all week long. 

i haven't actually had a dumpling in a really long time, i don't even really remember what they taste like, and this being the first time making my own dumplings, i wasn't expecting much. turns out, for me, there was more heart in the hype than in the act. i think i've really just been craving the idea of dumplings.

 once i finally got around to making them, the romance was lost. the ratio of vegetable to dough just didn't seem worth it. consuming almost a cup of flour and only 5 teaspoons of blended vegetables per serving didn't sit well with me. i like my vegetables. and protein. and i discovered, when i'm eating dinner, i want more of those than flour.

still, this recipe was fun to experiment with, and using my new bamboo steamer and dumpling press was a good time. maybe if your attachment to dumplings is stronger than mine, you will appreciate this more than i do. 

dumplings

 (makes at least 12)

           filling

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, halved and sliced
• 5-6 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 can small red beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 heaping cups of kale, broken into small pieces 
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons liquid coconut aminos
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• salt and pepper, to taste

in medium pan, heat oil, garlic, ginger, and onion on medium-low heat, stirring often to prevent burning, for about five minutes

add carrot, stir for 3 minutes

add mushroom, stir another 3 minutes

add beans and let everything sit for about three minutes

stir everything again, add kale and water, and cover

after about 3 minutes, add coconut aminos, and chili power

cover and cook for a few more minutes, until carrots and kale are cooked.

drain for a few minutes, to remove as much moisture as possible

add to a food processor and blend ingredients to small chopped size

(the last step is pretty important, if you want to taste and get all the ingredients into one dumpling.)

 

        dumpling dough

• 1 cup white rice flour
• 1 cup tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 10-12 tablespoons cold water

in medium mixing bowl, combine flours and xanthan gum, whisk to combine

add oil and water, and blend with your hands

roll out onto floured board, let sit a few minutes with a towel over it

 

taking one small ball of dough at a time, flatten out in your hand, and add about a teaspoon of the vegetables. i used a dumpling press, which worked well and made the dumplings come out pretty darn cute, but you can fold the dough by hand and use a spoon to seal and crimp the ends.

add the dumplings to your bamboo steamer, and steam for 5-10 minutes, until dough is more translucent, and cooked.

then add your steamed dumplings to a frying pan with a little sesame oil and fry each side to brown slightly. 

while doing that, i also threw some broccoli into the bamboo steamer and served my dumplings with that.

(for the sauce, i didn't really measure anything out, but i combined some garlic chili sauce, cashew butter, rice vinegar, fresh grated ginger, sesame oil, coconut aminos and let sit in the fridge for a few minutes.)

vegetable curry, dal, and naan!

i was craving Indian cuisine for dinner so i whipped this up!

vegetable curry

• 2 tablespoons soy free margarine
• 1/2 large onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 zucchinis, sliced
• 1/2 a head of cauliflower, chopped
•  3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup coconut milk (canned)
• 3 vine tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper, to taste
• 2 cups long grain brown rice, cooked
• cilantro, chopped, for garnish

in a medium saucepan, heat margarine

add and saute onion and garlic until onion soft 

add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil

simmer for about 20 minutes, until all vegetables are cooked through

add pepper to taste

turn off heat, and let the sauce thicken (about 5 minutes)

add over brown rice

top with cilantro

Dal

• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup lentils
• 1 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 vine tomato, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons mustard seed
• about 2 cups spinach, chopped
• grated carrot, for garnish
• 1/4 cup roasted cashews, chopped 
• salt and pepper, to taste

in a medium saucepan, bring broth, lentils, turmeric, garlic, ginger, tomato, and onion to a boil

reduce heat and simmer for 30-50 minutes, until lentils are soft

once cooked, add salt and pepper to taste

mash the lentils

add mustard and spinach, stirring on low heat to cook the spinach

turn off heat and cover until ready to serve

top with shredded carrot and cashews

naan

for the "naan" i made my no yeast pizza crust dough, and simply added some extra spices to the dough.

i added about 1 teaspoon curry powder, and 1/ 2 teaspoon garlic powder

once rolled out on the baking sheet, i sprinkled the top with chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

yum!

got an hour to kill?

i felt like i wasn't absolutely starving when i went to cook dinner last night, so i made an easy dinner, but with some simple waiting time. totally worth it, especially for the leftovers!

i made scalloped potatoes, fancy beans and rice, and green beans with mushroom and cashew

scalloped potatoes

• 4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and THINLY sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons soy free earth balance
• 3 tablespoons brown rice flour
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• fresh pepper, to taste
• nutritional yeast, to taste
• garlic powder, to taste
• 2 cups milk of choice

PREHEAT oven to 350 F

in a casserole dish, start with a layer of potatoes

add some of the onion,

1 tablespoon earth balance (a lil dab here and there),

1 tablespoon flour (sprinkling evenly over layer),

then some salt, pepper, nut yeast, garlic powder

repeat and make two more layers, until ingredients are used

carefully pour the milk over the top layer, making sure to get the liquid into the nooks and crannies.

bake for about and hour, or until liquid is bubbling, top is brown, and it smells done.

fancy rice and beans

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup long grain brown rice
• 1/4 cup drained and packed sun-dried tomatoes (the kind in olive oil), chopped
• 1 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1 can roman beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• smoked chipotle powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• cilantro, chopped

in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat

add onion and garlic, stir for about 3 minutes

add rice, tomatoes, and stock. bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low

simmer gently for about 35-40 minutes

add beans and zucchini, cover and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.

season with salt and pepper, top with cilantro

green beans with mushroom and cashew

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 hand-fulls of green beans
• 4-5 baby bella mushrooms
• pinch of chili powder, ginger, salt, and pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped or whole raw cashews

in a medium frying pan, heat oil

add garlic, stirring about 2 minutes

add green beans, cover and cook on medium heat for about 4 minutes

  stir in mushrooms, and spices, cover for another 4 minutes

add cashews and stir frequently

cook until green beans are at desired consistency.

once it's all done, plate it and gobble!

(warning! potatoes might put you in a food coma!)

noodle bowl!

made a fresh, healthy, filling dinner tonight!

i was craving a Vietnamese noodle bowl, and with a quick run to my favorite healthy corner store after work i was on my way to one!

cashew nut butter noodle bowl

• 1 package rice noodles
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 orange pepper, chopped
• 6-7 mushrooms, chopped
• about 1 cup sugar snap peas
• 1 tablespoon raw liquid coconut aminos
• chili powder, to taste
• 1 cup raw coconut milk
• 1/2 cup cashew butter
• 1/2 of a lime's juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
• pepper, to taste
• fresh spinach
• 1 carrot, grated
• handful of raw cashews, finely chopped
• cilantro

         for this fantasy dinner i bought some gluten free rice noodles (vermicelli ), threw them in boiling water for about 4 minutes, drained, cold rinsed, and set aside.

for the veggies i started out with some sesame oil, garlic, and onion in a medium pan

cooked until onion was soft

added the chopped orange pepper

after about 3 minutes, i added the mushrooms

added some raw coconut aminos, chili powder, and covered for about 5 minutes

i then added the sugar snap peas, covered for another 5 minutes

uncovered, and cooked on low until mushroom was soft and flavorful

i turned off the heat and let the sauce settle.

for the cashew sauce, i whisked the coconut milk, cashew butter, salt, chili garlic sauce, lime, and pepper in a sauce pan over medium heat until blended

to serve, i took a medium sized bowl

i started with a layer of fresh spinach on the bottom

put some of the cold noodles on top of that

 added some vegetables

then grated carrots

and finally the tasty cashew sauce, with a sprinkle of the chopped raw cashews

oh yeah and cilantro and some more lime :)

(and, to serve my spicy side, i swirled in some sriracha)

pizza!!

  i was craving pizza at 3am, so i didn't really want to mess around with a dough for too long.

whipped this whole pizza up in around 30 minutes (majorly multitasking though!)

no worries of yeast for this crust recipe, just simple and fast.

for the toppings i used what i had in the veggie drawer, plus some daiya cheese (what a treat!)

next one i'll prepare ahead and have some pinapple.... mmmmm...

vegan gluten free no yeast pizza dough

• 1 cup flour (i used 1/2 brown rice, 1/2 white rice)
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour (also known as tapioca starch)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed, mixed with 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 1/2 cup milk of choice (unsweetened)
• 1/8 cup oil

PREHEAT oven to 325 F

in small cup, combine flax seed and water. set aside.

in large mixing bowl, combine flour, tapioca, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum (whisk well)

in medium mixing bowl, combine agave, milk, oil, and flax mix (after allowing to sit at least 5 minutes)

add the wet to the dry ingredients, mixing well with a spoon

put dough ball onto greased pizza pan (or baking sheet)

roll or press to desired shape/size

set aside until toppings are ready

for the toppings of this pizza, i used garlic, onion, orange pepper, zucchini, kale, and portobello mushrooms.

i started by heating some oil, garlic, and onion in a medium frying pan

i added the pepper, and zucchini, bout three minutes in between the two, also adding some italian seasoning (pinch or two of rosemary, oregano, sage, basil, thyme, salt)

i cooked that until zucchini tender.

in a separate pan, i sauteed the kale with some garlic and lemon juice until soft

 i sauteed the mushroom with chili powder, garlic powder, oregano

for the tomato sauce, i cut 3 tomatoes, cooked in olive oil, added italian spices, then put in food processor until creamy.

 

i put the crust in the oven alone, for about 5 minutes.

i then added the sauce, and all the vegetables, and then added some daiya mozzarella cheese

baked at 325 F for around ten minutes, then at 450 F until edges browned (around 10 minutes)

i let cool at least 10 minutes, then ate the crap out of it! 

you really can come up with anything you like for the toppings, the important part is the crust!!

quinoa!!

(photo is blurry from the steam!)

quinoa curry

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 onion, 1/4 finely diced, 3/4 coarsely chopped
• 1 cup quinoa, thoroughly rinsed (some of the newer brands don't need rinsing)
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• salt & freshly milled pepper, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large zucchini, quartered and sliced
• 3-4 large mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup carrot juice (i used 3 large carrots in a juicer, but you can also purchase carrot juice)
• 1 cup peas
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, including a little of the greens
• 1/2 cup cashews, roasted and coarsely chopped (i used raw cashews, roasted on baking sheet in oven 10 minutes, then chopped in food processor)
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

    heat half the oil in a soup pot, add the finely diced onion, and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes. 

stir in the quinoa, 1/2 tsp curry powder, and 1/4 tsp salt and cook for two minutes. 

add 2 cups boiling water and then lower the heat. 

cover and cook for 15 minutes.

    meanwhile, heat the remaining tbsp oil in a large skillet. 

add the chopped onion, garlic, zucchini, mushrooms, chili powder and remaining 1.5 tsp curry powder

cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat, for 5 minutes. 

add 1/2 cup water, the carrot juice, and 1/2 tsp salt. 

cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the peas and scallions and cook for a few minutes more. 

stir the vegetables and cashews into the quinoa 

taste for salt and season with pepper. 

serve in soup plates, garnished with cilantro.
(i also topped mine with sriracha)

not enough time to cook?

 quick bean dip

really simple! just throw all this in a bowl and mash it up!

• 1 lime
• 1 clove garlic, minced (mix with lime juice before everything else, it will cook the garlic a bit)
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of corn, drained (optional)
• 2 avocados
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• cilantro, chopped, to taste
• 2 stalks green onion, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• cumin, to taste

any chipotle or hot sauce adds a nice kick.

i like to eat it with fresh greens and corn tortillas toasted in the oven, better for you than chips and then it's like a taco!

sorry for the lack of visual aid....

it's been a distracting past few days!

that hasn't stopped me from eating, just from taking pictures.

here are some of the things i've made this week.

spanish cauliflower with black beans and kale 

this is a healthier alternative to traditional spanish rice, and tastes just as delicious!

      spanish cauliflower

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 orange or red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 a head of cauliflower
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

heat oil in medium skillet

add onion and garlic, cook until onion is tender

add pepper and cauliflower, attempting to slightly brown cauliflower

stir in water and tomatoes

season with spices and parsley

cover and cook about 20 minutes (till liquid is absorbed)

         black beans with kale

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4-5 mushrooms, chopped
• 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 a bundle of kale
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 a lemon 

in medium pan, heat oil 

add mushroom, cumin, and chipotle powder

after stirring a few minutes, add beans

after another few minutes add nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.

in separate pan, heat oil and garlic

once garlic is almost browned, add kale

squirt lemon over kale and cover for 5 minutes

cook kale to desired consistency (i like mine pretty chewy)

salt and pepper to taste

plate all items together, and enjoy!

potato ravioli turned potato pesto casserole

i got the idea to try and make ravioli from potatoes instead of dough,

although it didn't work out as planned, it was still really tasty!

i left the potatoes to boil too long, and they became too soft to shape into ravioli,

so i laid them out in a casserole dish, layered the pesto filling in between the potato, and topped with a tomato sauce.

potato pesto casserole

• 2 large potatoes, sliced into thin sheets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 5-6 large mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 cup fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• salt, to taste

PREHEAT oven to 350 F

boil sliced potatoes until tender, drain and set aside

in separate pan, heat oil

add onion and garlic, cook until tender

add mushrooms, cook about 5 minutes

add spinach, basil, and italian seasoning

in separate pan, fry cashews for a few minutes on low heat

once spinach is tender, and cashews are slightly browned, take off heat and add to food processor

blend until creamy, adding salt as needed.

in casserole dish, add a little olive oil to the dish

add bottom layer of potatoes

add layer of pesto

add top layer of potatoes, coat lightly with oil, garlic salt, and nutritional yeast

bake for 15-20 minutes (until top later of potato is slightly browned and crispy)

        tomato sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped 
• 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
• 5-6 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• pinch of rosemary, sage, oregano

heat oil in pan

add garlic and onion, cook until tender

add tomatoes and spices

cook about 5 minutes 

once casserole is out of the oven, top with tomato sauce.

yum!!

quick and tasty dinner

 last night i made a simple and warm meal.

beans, potatoes, and sauteed portobello mushrooms

not really a recipe to these, but i'll let you know what i put in em.

for the bean dish i used a can of pinto beans, spinach, half of an orange pepper, one small onion, and about 2 cloves garlic.
i cooked the garlic and onion first in a little olive oil, then added the orange pepper, then the beans, and finally the spinach, a few minutes in between each.
added some chili powder, cumin, salt, and just a pinch of cinnamon.

for the potatoes i simply cut up 2 into cubes, and boiled in water until soft
drained them, tossed them in a bowl with nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chipotle chili powder
then i threw the mix on a baking sheet, and baked at 350 F until crispy
topped em with some chipotle ketchup

for the mushrooms i sliced them, then sauteed them in a little olive oil
added a little oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder while cooking
takes only about 7 minutes to cook them, flipping often
they get cold quick so i do this as the very last part

yum!

falafel

if you're vegan, chances are you know how awesome falafel is. simply put, it's a patty made from chick peas. it's high in protein and flavor, and when baked instead of fried, it really is a healthy meal.

i like serving my falafel over a salad with a cucumber salad and tahini dressing, since a pocket pita isn't really an option. plus anything is better for you if it's served over a bed of greens :)

i'll share with you my simple recipe for this yummy meal.
a food processor isn't necessary, but if you're a vegan celiac, investing in one is a really smart idea.

Falafel

• 1 can of chick peas (fresh soaked beans are best, but for convenience sake....)
• small onion or leek, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup water (if mix seems too dry before baking, add more)
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (if using dried ingredients, only use 1 teaspoon)
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley (" ")
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup dry gluten free breadcrumbs, home made or store bought (there are several gluten free varieties on the market, i prefer Gillian's Foods. if you don't have any breadcrumbs, try with coarse cornmeal instead.) **
  
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
• lil' squirt of lemon
  

**if the mix seems too dry or like it won't stick together with the breadcrumbs you're using, try adding 1/4 cup mashed potato.

PREHEAT oven to 350 F
combine ingredients in food processor, or combine ingredients in large bowl with potato masher
make sure all ingredients are mixed well
slightly oil a non stick cookie sheet
shape dough into small balls and place onto cookie sheet
slightly flatten balls to a patty shape (will cook more evenly)
coat the top side with oil
bake 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway

other ideas: add a little curry powder or chipotle powder to the mix


Cucumber Salad

• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (if dry, 1 teaspoon)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill ("")
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1 teaspoon sugar (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 a container of cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 1 stalk green onion, chopped
• pepper, to taste

combine ingredients in a bowl, and chill for at least 30 minutes

other ideas: add lime, cilantro (right before serving), and/or a little oil to get a slightly different taste

Tahini Dressing

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
• 1/4 cup ground sesame seeds (tahini)
• 1/4 cup water
• salt and pepper, to taste

after chopping garlic, place in small cup
pour lemon juice over garlic, let sit at least 5 minutes
add tahini, water, salt and pepper
mix well, and allow to sit for a few more minutes

other ideas: i usually add some sriracha or chipotle powder to the mix for some heat. cilantro, green onion....

once all of these are ready to go, serve over a bed of mixed greens. enjoy!!