By |

 

 

 

 

 

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
4 cups kale, chopped (remove spiny sections) wash, but do not dry
5 cups vegetarian broth (divided- reserving 1 cup)
2 – 15 ounce cannellini beans , not drained (reserve 1 can)
28 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, shredded, optional

Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add onion, garlic and carrots. Saute until soft.
Add kale and sauté for about 15 minutes more.
Add 4 cups of the broth, 1 can of beans and tomatoes. Then add herbs, salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

While it is simmering – put reserved beans and broth in blender and blend.
Stir bean mixture into soup to thicken a little bit.
Simmer 15 minutes more.
Sprinkle with cheese, if desired

Serves 4

By |

2 small zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon olive oil
olive oil cooking spray
14 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half
1 1/4 teaspoons sherry wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Cooked pasta, optional

Preheat oven to 450°

In a large bowl, toss zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper and onion with thyme, rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper, 2 tablespoons water and oil. Fit a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and coat it with cooking spray.
Spread vegetables in a single layer in the pan; roast, stirring once, for 25 minutes.
In the same bowl, combine chickpeas, tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Add to pan with the vegetables; roast 10-12 minutes more.
Toss roasted vegetables with the vinegar.
Sprinkle with basil

Serves 4

Note: Can be served over cooked pasta for a more heartier meal.

By |

 

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound eggplant, peeled or unpeeled, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced, equals approximately 1 tablespoon
1 cup cooked or canned white beans
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, leaves only
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 cups marinara (pasta sauce)
Pinch of red chile flakes (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Use 1 tablespoon olive oil to grease a large rimmed baking sheet fitted with parchment paper. Put 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add eggplant and 1/4 cup water. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant pieces shrivel a bit and are tender and beginning to color, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer eggplant to the bowl of a food processor.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet along with the onion and garlic and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently until onions are soft and translucent.
Drain the cooked beans. If using canned beans, drain and rinse them. Add the beans and parsley to the eggplant and pulse until well combined and chopped, but not pureed.
Place the eggplant mixture in a large bowl. Add the onion and garlic and toss. Then add the breadcrumbs and red chile flakes, if using and mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings. Roll mixture into approximately 12 balls, about 2 inches in diameter. Transfer meatballs to the baking sheet. Bake undisturbed, until they are firm and well-browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
Warm the pasta sauce. Serve the meatballs, hot or at room temperature along with the pasta sauce.
Serve over pasta, rice, quinoa or steamed greens.

Serves 4-6

Note: Meatballs can also be added to and warmed up in the pasta sauce.

By |

 

6 cups fresh spinach, steamed lightly and chopped
1 lb. dry orzo (or other small-shaped pasta)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced chives
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
2 teaspoons minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
Shaved Parmesan, Romano cheese or shredded vegan cheese, optional

Place spinach in a large bowl. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Stir orzo into water. Cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain, but do not rinse. Add to the bowl of spinach. Allow to sit for 3 minutes before adding remaining ingredients. Toss well.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6-8

Note: Can substitute fresh basil for the parsley.

By |

14 ounce package tofu, drained
2 cups mozzarella style vegan cheese shreds
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder, or 2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced (added to the marinara sauce)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 – 25 ounce jars vegan marinara sauce
3 bell peppers, cored, seeded and chopped (a mix of red, yellow and
orange is a nice presentation)
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
Cooking spray
Can add sliced mushrooms or any other chopped vegetables to the sauce.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
Wrap tofu in 3 or 4 layers of paper towels and gently press out as much
liquid as possible, changing paper towels once or twice as needed.
In a medium bowl combine pressed tofu, yeast, garlic powder, if using, salt and pepper and mash with a fork.
Set tofu mixture aside. Put marinara sauce into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add peppers, minced garlic, if using (and any other chopped vegetables) and continue simmering until peppers are tender,
about 10 minutes.
Spoon enough sauce into prepared dish to cover bottom, then arrange 4
noodles on top. Spread 1/3 of tofu mixture onto noodles and sprinkle
with 1/3 of vegan cheese shreds, then spoon more sauce over the tofu
and vegan cheese shreds. Repeat the process 2 more times, ending with
sauce. Cover with foil and bake until noodles are tender, 45-60 minutes.
Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes and then serve.

Serves 4

Note: Can use regular lasagna noodles.

By |

1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 – 2 yellow and/or green squash, chopped
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, diced
1 cup cooked brown rice
15 ounce can organic refried beans
Vegetarian ground beef, optional
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 – 8 tortillas – whole wheat, gluten-free, rice, or corn

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Sauté the vegetables in olive oil on medium heat until soft. Mix in the brown rice, refried beans and “smart ground” until mixture is hot. Place some of the mixture in each of the tortillas. Roll them up and place them in a baking pan and cook them until brown, about 15 minutes. Top with your favorite toppings.

Yield approximately 6-8 burritos

Note: Leftover filling can be stored in the refrigerator. When ready to use, place mixture on a fresh tortilla, roll it up and microwave until hot.

By |

4 large sweet potatoes, washed well (do not peel)
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup green pepper, seeded, and diced
1/2 cup Roma tomatoes, seeded, and diced
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 ounce can black beans, rinsed, and drained
8 ounce can tomato sauce
hot pepper sauce, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Using a fork, pierce the skins of the sweet potatoes in several places. Place an oven-proof rack on a cookie sheet and place the sweet potatoes on the rack. Bake for 60-75 minutes or until the sweet potatoes feel soft when gently squeezed. While the sweet potatoes are baking, prepare the black bean chili. In a medium saucepan, sauté the onion in the olive oil on medium heat for 3 minutes to soften.
Add the green pepper and saute an additional 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings, and saute an additional 2 minutes. Add the black beans, tomato sauce, and season to taste with hot pepper sauce, stir well to combine, and simmer the chili for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove the saucepan from the heat. When the sweet potatoes are tender, remove the cookie sheet from the oven and leave the sweet potatoes on the rack to cool for 5 minutes. For each serving, place one sweet potato on a plate or in a bowl, split it open, ladle some of the black bean chili over the top, and serve.

Serves 4

By |

1 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 kabocha squash, remove seeds and
cut into 1/2″ cubes (peel only
if not organic.) Butternut squash can also be used
15 ounce can organic black beans (low sodium, if available)
1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste
Salt, pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, prepare couscous according to package, then set
aside.
In large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat. Add chopped garlic and saute until fragrant. Add chopped onion and saute until onions are soft and transparent, about 5 minutes.
Add squash cubes and saute for additional 3-4 minutes. Add vegetable
broth, reduce heat, and cover. Cook for 10 minutes or until squash
is fork tender, stirring halfway through. Be careful not to overcook
the squash or it will turn to mush.
Once squash is tender, add beans and cooked couscous to pan and mix
together.
Remove from heat. Add almonds, basil, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and
remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Mix thoroughly and serve hot.

Note: This is a fairly dry couscous. If you prefer a dish that is more moist, squeeze some fresh orange juice over it… Leftovers are really good this way!

By |

1 small spaghetti squash, leave whole
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove fresh garlic, diced small
1/2 medium red onion, diced small
1 medium zucchini, diced small
3 medium tomatoes, diced large
1 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 cup imported Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (or soy cheese), optional
6 leaves of fresh basil, slivered
Pinch of red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Pierce squash with fork. Place squash in shallow baking dish
and bake for one hour.
Let cool, cut in half and scoop out seeds with a spoon. Then with the tines of a fork scrape the squash strands into a large bowl.

Sauce

In a large skillet, add olive oil, garlic, onions and cook for about 3 minutes on medium heat.
Add zucchini and cook about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, fresh basil and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Add squash to the pan and mix together.
Drizzle with some more olive oil, if desired. Adjust seasonings and sprinkle with cheese (optional).

Serves 4

Note: Can microwave squash on high for 15 minutes.
Fresh herbs make all the difference.
Kosher or sea salt can be used. Celtic salt is available at Whole Foods Market.

By |

1 bunch Swiss chard (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 quart vegetable broth
3 cups water
2 – 15 ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnishing, if desired
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Rinse chard well, trim off and discard discolored stem ends. Tear leaves from stems. Thinly slice rest of stems crosswise. Cut leaves into 1-inch pieces.
Pour oil into a 4-5 quart pan over medium heat. Add chard stems and garlic. Stir often until stems are limp, about 10 minutes. Add chard leaves, broth, and 3 cups water. Bring to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until chard is tender to bite, 10 minutes longer.
Add beans and stir occasionally until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls; serve with more Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serves 4-6