Green Fed

(Recipe Credit from Kalyn’s Kitchen)

Ingredients for Filling:
2 cans (15 oz.) black beans (or use 3 cups cooked black beans)
4 large orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, diced in 1 inch cubes (about 3 lb. sweet potatoes; sometimes called yams in U.S. stores)
1/2 cup vegetable stock or canned vegetable broth
4 T fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
4 tsp. minced garlic
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

We are big fans of Veganomicon in our house, so we decided to purchase Isa’s newest edition, Appetite for Reduction.  I’ve already made a few things from this book and we’ve loved every single one of those meals!

This particular recipe was AMAZING!  So many nutrients and MUCH LESS fat and calories than your typical Shepherd’s Pie recipe!  And those Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes… don’t even get me started!  They are sooooo good!!!

Upside-Down Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

from Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s “Appetite for Reduction”

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped finely
4 oz shiitake mushrooms, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 zucchini, diced small (1 1/2 cups
3 cloves garlic, minced (of course I doubled mine to 6! mmm garlic!)
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
Several pinches freshly ground black pepper
1 cup carrots, peeled and diced small
3/4 cup du Puy lentils (aka French lentils), rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (vegan varieties include Annie’s, Wizard’s, Edward & Sons)
1/2 cup frozen peas

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Saute the onion in the oil until translucent, about 5 mins. Add the shiitakes, zucchini, garlic, tarragon, thyme, salt, and pepper; saute for 5 more mins.

Add the carrots, lentils, and broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 25 mins, stirring occasionally. By this point, the lentils should be tender and most of the broth should be absorbed. If it’s not, then just let it simmer for longer and check on it. (Mine took about 15 mins longer than this.) Conversely, if the broth has evaporated and the lentils are soft, then add a bit of water and simmer for a bit longer.

Once the lentils are soft, stir in the Worcestershire sauce and peas. (I added 1 c. of peas instead of the 1/2.) Let sit for 10 mins or so for maximum flavor. Taste for salt.

To serve: Scoop a cup of Caulipots into a bowl and serve a cupful of lentils over it.

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes (Caulipots)
Gluten and Soy free

2 russet potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch pieces (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets (1 lb, or about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper

Place the potatoes in a 4-quart pot in enough cold water to submerge them, making sure there are about 4 inches of extra water on top for when you add the cauliflower. Bring the potatoes to a boil. Once boiling, add the cauliflower and lower the heat to a simmer. Let simmer for about 15 mins, until the potatoes and cauliflower are tender.

Drain them in a colander, return them to the pot, and use a potato smasher to mash them a bit. (A regular fork works just fine.) Add the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of broth, the seasonings and mix well. If needed, add another 2 tablespoons of broth. Taste for salt. Serve warm..

I made these last night, and they were really yummy!

Baked Mushroom-Sesame Rice Balls (from the The Food Matters Cookbook)

1 1/2 cups short grain brown rice

Salt

Boiling water, as needed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the pans

8 ounces fresh shiitake or button mushrooms, chopped

Black pepper

1 cup sesame seeds or finely chopped nuts, plus more as needed

Soy drizzling sauce for dipping (recipe to follow)

Soy Drizzling Sauce

1/4 c. soy sauce
1 T. rice vinegar
1 T. sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. fresh minced garlic
1 tsp. fresh ginger (or ground if you’re in a pinch)

Directions

1. Put the rice in a large pot along with a big pinch of salt. Add enough water to cover by about 1 1/2 inches. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally and adding more boiling water if the rice begins to stick to the bottom, until the grains are very tender and burst, about an hour.

3. Meanwhile, put the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until dry, lightly browned, and almost crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. When the rice is starchy and very thick, stir in the mushrooms, transfer to a bowl, and let cool in the fridge, at least 45 minutes and up to 24 hours.

4. When you are ready to bake the rice balls, heat the oven to 375°F and grease two large baking sheets. Pour the sesame seeds into a shallow bowl. Roll the rice mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls, dip each ball into the sesame seeds to coat it completely, and put the balls 2 inches apart on the prepared pans. Bake the rice balls, turning them as needed, until crisp and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately, passing soy sauce at the table.

Lemony Quinoa with Butternut Squash  

I made this the other night and it was FABULOUS!  So refreshing and filling!

Recipe found HERE.

This is my new favorite way to prepare our steel cut oats in the morning.  There’s no sacrificing indulgence for health with this bowl of yumminess!

Chocolate Steel Cut Oats (makes 3-4 servings)

1 cup Steel Cut Oats

3 cups water

3 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

1 tsp vanilla

Bring this mixture to a boil.  Once it starts boiling turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Add some almond milk to smooth it out even more.

Top with sliced bananas, fresh berries, a little dollop of peanut butter (my fave), or anything else that sounds good to you!

I came across a recipe on The Post Punk Kitchen, and couldn’t wait to try it!  We didn’t have any asparagus or great northern beans on hand, but I did have broccoli, carrots and garbanzo beans.  So, I substituted those in and it was great.  Next time I’ll follow the recipe exactly and I’m sure it will be equally (if not more) fabulous! The nectarines add such a yummy [and not too strong] sweetness to the mixture.  These were so awesome!!!

Portland Porch Lettuce Wraps

For the edamame pesto:
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup packed basil leaves
Handful (1/4 cup or so) fresh cilantro
14 oz package shelled edamame, thawed
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Optional: 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

For the beans:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots
4 cloves garlic, minced
Several dashes fresh black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound of asparagus, sliced on a bias (3/4 inch pieces or so)
1 large nectarine, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces (leave the skin on)
1 1/2 cups great northern beans, rinsed and drained (a 16 oz can)

To serve:
1 head of red bibb lettuce, or similar

Prepare the pesto:
Place garlic and basil in food processor and pulse a few times to get it chopped up. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until relatively smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula to make sure you get everything. Add a little more vegetable broth if it seems too stiff. Set aside until ready to use.

Now prepare the beans:
Preheat a large, heavy bottomed pan over medium heat (cast iron is preferred.) Saute the shallots in olive oil and a pinch of salt until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute about 30 seconds more. Season with black pepper and salt. Add asparagus and toss to coat. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add nectarine, and cook for about 5 more minutes. The asparagus should be a bright Kermit green, and the nectarine should release some of it’s juices.

Add beans and toss to coat. Cook until they are warmed through, about 2 more minutes. Taste for salt. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes or so, so that the flavors can meld.

In the meantime, prepare red lettuce leaves. Just peel off the good big ones, rinse and dry them.

To assemble wraps:

Place a few leaves on each plate, spoon in some beans and plop on a nice big scoop of the pesto.

We love popcorn… we eat it just about every day for a snack.  It’s cheap, full of fiber and just yummy!

One of our favorite variations of popcorn in our dairy-eating days was Parmesan and butter popcorn.  Since coming across Nutritional Yeast, we’ve been in heaven, and can once again enjoy [one] of our many favorite snacks again!  It’s got a nice little tangy, cheesy flavor to it, and it’s just yummy!

I make our popcorn with very little oil (like 1Tbsp for every 6-8 Tbsp popcorn).  Once popped, I add 1-2 Tbsp Earth Balance (it’s a vegan butter) and about 4-8 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast (depending on how ‘cheesy’ we want our popcorn).

One of the fabulous things about Nutritional Yeast, is that it’s a good source of Vitamin B12.  When you are on a plant-based diet, it’s a little bit more difficult to absorb this vitamin, as it’s found primarily in meat.  Since Nutritional Yeast is the only reliable food source of B12, it’s a great idea to add it into your regular diet.  Vitamin B12 is the only vitamin we [adults] take in our house, so you could always do that as well.  But don’t miss out on the yumminess that Nutritional Yeast has to offer!  It’s also really good sprinkled on pastas (basically anywhere you’d use Parmesan or other cheeses as a flavoring).

Have you ever heard of Tempeh?  Yah, me neither, until we started eating a Plant-Based diet!

What is Tempeh?  Go HERE. It’s PACKED with Protein, and it’s got a great, nutty, firm texture (much like ground turkey of beef).

It can be used in place of any type of ground meat- in chili, soups, meat balls, tacos, pasta sauces… the list goes on and on.  My favorite Tempeh has been the version from Trader Joe’s Organic 3 Grain Tempeh.

This week, I made a fresh tomato sauce, (just cooked up some fresh tomatoes with a little olive oil, garlic and spices), sauteed up some tempeh with onions and peppers, and then poured it over some pasta.  We then sprinkled it with some Nutritional Yeast (in place of parmesean).  So fresh and yummy!!

If you are like me, I pass up the Radishes when I see them at the market.  In other words, they are not my favorite!

We received our CSA box this week, and behold a nice, fat bunch of radishes stared at me when I opened up the box.  So, I immediately started searching for ways to prepare radishes because I knew none of us would eat them raw.

I decided to roast them with some turnips, carrots and an onion (tossed in a tiny bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt).  I put them in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes until all of the veggies were soft when I poked them with a fork.  I then tossed together a little dressing with the juice of an orange and some chopped, fresh cilantro.

Roasting the radishes really softens their flavor, and the orange juice and cilantro brought out some nice flavors of those vegetables. My boys had never tried radishes before, so it took some convincing that they tasted good.  Even my husband said he was skeptical at first, but really liked the flavor.  I loved this mix!

We ate this vegetable medley, along with a nice helping of Rapini (or Broccoli Rabe) and a freshly baked loaf of whole wheat bread.

I sautéed four cloves of garlic in 1 Tbsp olive oil just until the garlic was fragrant.  I then added two bunches of Rapini, with about 2 inches of stem, and tossed it in the olive oil and garlic.  Then I added 1 bunch of fresh broccoli and a cup of vegetable broth and brought it to a boil.  Once boiling, I covered the pan and turned the heat down to low to simmer for about 20 minutes.  Simmering the Rapini takes the bitterness out of it.

I love having a full spread of vegetables for dinner at least once a week.  It’s a great way for us to concentrated on getting ample servings of many different colors and textures of veggies.  And don’t forget, all of those essential vitamins and minerals!

Rapini has tons of Vitamins A, C, K and Calcium, along with phytochemicals that have been shown to fight cancer.  One more reason to eat those greens!

Some facts about Radishes that you might not know (I didn’t until I started researching):  HERE  Who knew those little red (sometimes purple, sometimes white or black) were packed so full of so many vital nutrients?  I think I’ll be eating them much more often… even raw!