Eggplant Parmesan - very easy and very tasty Directions & Ingredients: 2 medium eggplants, cut into 1/4 inch rounds (skin on) - THEN, bake at 420 for 20 minutes (flip over half way through) and spray with Pam spray 1 jar of marinara sauce 2.5 cups part skim mozzarella Mix the following: 12 oz cottage cheese 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley 1 large egg DO: layer in this order: marinara sauce, egg plant rounds, cheese & egg mixture, mozzarella cheese - REPEAT BAKE: Bake this 8X8 for 40 minutes covered with foil, at 350

 

Cooked Dried Beans in a Crockpot

2 cups dried beans (some recipes call for 1 lb of dried beans) - rinse and pick out stones 6-8 cups water 1 teas salt pepper 1 teas crushed red pepper flakes

Cook for 8-10 hours on low

Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings - very tasty!! https://fitfoodiefinds.com/buffalo-cauliflower-wings-homemade-healthy-blue-cheese-sauce/ INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAULIFLOWER 4 cups cauliflower florets (~1 medium head) 1 cup superfine almond meal 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 large eggs FOR THE BUFFALO SAUCE 1/2 cup Franks Hot Sauce 2 tablespoons maple syrup FOR THE BLUE CHEESE SAUCE 3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt 1/3 – 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon salt   INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 400ºF and spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Prep cauliflower, but cutting into “wing-sized” pieces. Set aside. Make rub my mixing together almond flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Transfer into a gallon-sized bag. Then, crack 2 eggs in a bowl and whisk. Dip cauliflower into the egg mixture and thoroughly coat. Then transfer into gallon-sized bag. Repeat with all pieces of cauliflower. Shake bag so that the cauliflower gets coated with rub. Transfer cauliflower onto baking sheet and spread out evenly. Spray cauliflower with olive oil cooking spray or alternatively drizzle on some olive oil. Bake at 400ºF for 20 minutes. Remove and flip cauliflower. Bake for 10 more minutes. While cauliflower is baking, prepare buffalo sauce. Mix together Franks and maple syrup. When cauliflower is done baking, toss in buffalo sauce, making sure all pieces are coated. Place cauliflower back on baking sheet and then bake at 400ºF for 3-5 more minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Prepare blue cheese sauce, by mixing together all ingredients. Enjoy! NOTES Nutrition does not include blue cheese sauce. NUTRITION Serving Size: 1/4 Calories: 256 Sugar: 9 Fat: 16 Carbohydrates: 19 Fiber: 6 Protein: 11

 

 

APPETIZERS/ SIDES/ VEGAN RECIPES Orzo Greek Salad   This Orzo Greek Salad is a fresh and simple recipe that will please everyone. It’s perfect for lunch or for a BBQ dinner side dish.   Print Orzo Greek Salad Author: Sophie Prep Time: 10 Cook Time: 20 Total Time: 30 minutes Yield: 4 Ingredients 1 1/4 cups orzo 1 cup cherry tomatoes 1 yellow pepper 1 cucumber ¼ cup fresh basil ½ cup chickpeas 1 tbsp herb of Provence 1/3 cup olive oil 2 tbsp white wine vinegar salt and pepper, to taste Instructions Cook the orzo in salted boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and put in a bowl. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Cut the pepper into small cubes. Cut the cucumber into small cubes. Chop the basil. Add the orzo to a large bowl, add all vegetables, chickpeas, basil, spices, olive oil, and vinegar. Mix together gently. Ideally, refrigerate salad about 2 hours before serving to enhance the flavor combinations.

 

 

Vegan Taco Salad - this is filling, healthy and good!  Farro replaces the ground beef in this vegan taco salad. Creamy Lime Dressing adapted from Hello Natural’s Vegan BLT Salad. Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes Yield: 4 big salads Ingredients For the Farro Taco Meat: 1 cup farro, cooked according to package instructions and drained (about 2 1/2 cups cooked) 1/2 cup mild salsa 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika Pinch of cayenne pepper Salt to taste For the Creamy Lime Dressing: 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 4-8 hours and rinsed 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 clove garlic 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin Salt to taste For the salad: 2 medium heads romaine lettuce, chopped 1 large tomato, diced or 1 cup halved grape tomatoes 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup frozen fire-roasted corn kernels, thawed (regular frozen corn is fine if you can’t find fire-roasted) 1 cup broken tortilla chips 1/2 cup sliced green onions Cilantro, lime wedges, salsa and/or guacamole for serving, if desired Instructions To make the Farro Taco Meat: Combine the farro, salsa, chili powder, cumin, paprika and cayenne in a medium pan over medium heat. Cook about 5 minutes or until heated through, stirring often, then season to taste with salt. Set aside. To make the Creamy Lime Dressing: Place ingredients in a mini-blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth. To assemble the salad: Divide the lettuce onto 4 plates, then top with the tomato, black beans, corn, farro, tortilla chips and green onions. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and add the optional garnishes if you’re using them.

 

 

 

Pizza Dough in the Vitamix

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 ml) warm water, 105°F-115°F (40°C-46°C)
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 package (1 tablespoon) active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups (312 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons light olive oil, divided use
• 2 Tablespoons (15 g) whole grain cornmeal for sprinkling pizza pan
• 1/3 cup (33 g) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/3 cups (320 g) pizza sauce
• 1 1/4 cups (141 g) grated Mozzarella cheese

 

 

Mexican Bean Dip - for cut up veges or in a rollup

1 table olive oil

1/4 cup oinion

1 garlic clove

2 table celery finely chpped

1 1/2 cups kidney or pinto beans (14 oz can)

1/4 teas soy sauce

1/4 teas cumin

1/8 teas cayenne pepper

FRY veges and add beans and spices

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Dilled Chickpea Burger with Spicy Yogurt Sauce

Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain yogurt

2 garlic cloves minced

1/2 teas curry powder

1/4 teas cayenne pepper

 

1 (15 oz) chickpeas

1/3 cup fresh dill chopped

1/2 cup shallots minced

2 table plain dry bread crumbs

2 table lemon juice

2 table tahini

1/2 teas salt

1/4 ground cumin

6 pita pockets

 

To make yogurt sauce, blend together or mix.

For burgers, mach half chickpeas with dill, shallots, bread crumbs and lemon juice. 

IN food processor, combine remaining chickpeas, tahini, salt, pepper and cumin until smooth. Add the mashed chickpeas, mix well and form into six to eight patties. Fry. Stuff the patties into pita pockets and drizzle with yogurt sauce. 

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Vegan Reuben Sandwhiches

Thousand island dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 table ketchup

3 table dill pickles diced

 

Sauteed Onions

oil for frying veges

1 large yellow onion sliced thinly

1 teas garlic minced

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 teas paprika

3/4 cup teas caraway seeds

3/4 teas dried dill

1 teap salt

2 table cider vinegar

1 table tamir

1/4 teas ground black pepper

 

8 slices rye bread

8 slices bacon

2 table margarine

1 cup drained sauerkraut

 

For onions, heat oil and add bay leaves, paprika, caraway seeds, dill, salt, vinegar, tamari and pepper. Add water and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Remove bay leaves.

For bread, add margarine on each side and grill in pan. Each sandwich has dressing, sauerkraut, bacon and onion. 

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Falefel

2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas

1/4 cup bread crumbs

2-3 superfine brown rice flour

1 medium onion chopped

2 garlic clo es minced

1/2 teasp baking powder

1 teas cumin

1 teas coriander

1/4 teasp chipotle or cayenne pepper

1/2 teas salt

vegetable oil for frying

ON TOP - add lettuce, tomato, cucumber or red onion, tahini dressing, or hummus. 

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Veggie Chili

garlic clove

1 large onion

3 celery stalks

3 carrots

1 bell pepper

1 medium zucchini

2 cup kale chopped

1/2 fresh cilantro

2 table chili powder

1 table cumin

1 table garlic powder

1 table black pepper

2 teas salt

2 (14 oz) cans tomatoe sauce

2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste

1 table maple syrup

2 (14 oz) cans kidney beans

2 (14 oz) cans black beans

2 (14 oz cans) pinto beans

1/2 (12 oz) bag frozen corn kernels

SAUTE all veges except for corn for 10 min. Add spices, tomato stuff, maple syrup for 3 more minutes. Then add corn. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

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Creamy Enchilada Casserole

BEAN Filling

olive oil

small onion

garlic 

1 can pinto beans, or kidney or vlack

1 can refried beans

1/2 cup salsa

2 table cilantro

1/2 teas dried oregano

 

Cheese Sauce

1 1/4 cups plain almond milk

2 table flour

1 cup grated cheese

 

Topping

chopped scallions

 

400 degrees. Make bean filling. Make cheese sauce. Put milk in saucepan. Pre-wisk flour in remaining milk and then add to sauce pan. Add cheese. Thicken for 7 minutes. 

Put a layer of tortillas in pan. Pour filling on top. Add another layer of tortillas. Pur cheese sauce over it. Add scallions. Bake for 15 minutes. 

 

Breakfast Burrito

2 table margarine

1/2 yellow onion chopped

1/2 teas garlic minced

1 redor green bell pepper chopped

1 cup mushrooms sliced

1 can pinto or black beans

1 (14oz) firm tofu, dranined and diced into 1/2 inch cubes

1/8 teas cayenne pepper

1/2 teas ground black pepper

1 1/2 teas turmeric

1 teas salt

1 teas olive oil

2 teas maple syrup

1 table cider vinegar

1 cup chopped spinach

1/2 cup cheese

4 large tortillas

1/2 cup salsa for dipping

Cook everything and then add spinach and cheese towards the end.

 

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas 

This recipe was used when we had a couple of friends come over (Justin & Megan). We knew they enjoyed vegetables as much as we do, so we gave this a try. It is very delicious and now one of my new favorites. I hope you enjoy it too!

Serves 4-5

adapted from The Roasted Vegetable by Andrea Chesman   

Ingredients:

1 poblano chile, cut into matchsticks

2 red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks

1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 medium onion, halved and slivered

1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

3 T heat-safe oil like grapeseed or coconut

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 garlic cloves, minced

salt and black pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 cups homemade tomato sauce (see below)

2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 big handfuls)

9-10 corn tortillas, halved (try making homemade tortillas!)

2 cups shredded cheese (I used a cheddar-Monterey Jack blend)

sour cream and thinly sliced scallions (green onions) for garnish, if desired

Homemade Tomato Sauce: My husband came up with this through experimentation. I think it's much better than store purchased!

Ingredients:

1 large can of crushed tomatoes

3 garlic cloves

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon red pepper

Directions for sauce:

Saute garlic cloves in a teaspoon of olive oil until carmelized. Add red pepper flakes. Transfer into to crushed tomatoes.

COOK TOMATO SAUCE ON LOW FOR 20-30 MINUTES.

Directions for Entire Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet.

Place poblanos, red bell peppers, cauliflower, sweet potato, onion, and corn kernels onto cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the cumin and minced garlic over top. Add a generous pinch or two of salt and black pepper, then use your hands to mix everything together. After everything is coated well, spread the vegetables evenly in the pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and begin to brown in spots. Stir or shake the pan every 10 minutes for even roasting.  Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Prepare a 9x9x2-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, stir the cilantro into the salsa. Spread 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of the baking pan. Add a layer of tortilla pieces, to completely cover the salsa. Top with 1/3 of the vegetables, a handful of spinach, and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, salsa, vegetables, spinach, and cheese. Top with with a layer of tortillas, salsa, vegetables, and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.

Let it sit for 5 minutes and cut into squares. Serve with sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.

Nat’s Note: I’ve gotten a lot of comments about not being able to fit this into a 9x9x2 pan. If you find that you have a hard time as well, simply use a 9×13.

 

Creamy Zucchini Spaghetti with Lemon Chive Dressing (Haven't tried this yet)

1 pound small zucchini, rinsed, dried, and trimmed at both ends

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 cup Creamy Lemon-Chive Dressing

Fleur de se

 

1. STEP 1

   Using the julienne blade of a mandoline, slice zucchini into long, thin strips. Transfer zucchini to a colander set over a mixing bowl. Toss zucchini with salt. Let stand 15 minutes at room temperature.

 

1. STEP 2

   Gently squeeze zucchini to extract excess water. Transfer to a bowl and toss with just enough dressing to evenly coat the zucchini. Season with fleur de sel and serve.

 

DRESSING

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Fine sea salt

1 cup light cream

1/3 cup freshly minced chives

1. STEP 1

   In a small jar, combine lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and shake until salt is dissolved. Add cream and chives; shake to blend. Season with salt. Store, covered and refrigerated, up to 1 week. Shake to blend before using.

 

from: http://www.marthastewart.com 

 

 

 

MEDITERRANEAN Vegetable Stomboli (hAVEN'T TRIED THIS YET)

Ingredients

 

Instructions

1. To draw the water from the zucchini, 2-3 hours ahead of time add the sliced zucchini to a large bowl and toss with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons sea salt. Cover and refrigerate. Make pizza dough.
2. In a large skillet saute onion and green pepper in a few tablespoons olive oil until soft and tender over medium-low heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add garlic, saute until fragrant. Add hot and red peppers, saute 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a large bowl.
3. Drain zucchini and pat dry, cook in a tablespoon or two of olive oil using the same skillet over medium heat, season well with black pepper and Italian seasoning. Cook, turning often until zucchini are tender but not mushy. Add to the bowl with the onion/pepper mixture along with the spinach, olives and capers. Mix well.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet (16x12) with parchment paper or grease well with oil and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. Roll or press out dough with your hands to a rectangle about 16x12. Evenly spread vegetable mixture over top, leaving a 1-2 inch border around all the edges. Sprinkle Gouda evenly over top. Brush egg wash over the border. Carefully roll up, lengthwise, using the parchment to help. Press edges together to seal and fold the ends.The seam should be on the bottom. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle poppy seeds over top if desired.
5. Bake 22-24 minutes until golden brown. Allow to set 5 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife. Serve with tomato sauce and additional red pepper flakes, if desired.

recipes from http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com

 

Black Beans with Coconut and Mango  - Ok, this was very different tasting, but I liked it. My husband didn't~
Makes about two 1-cup servings

• 1 3/4 cups cooked or canned black beans, rinsed
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups fresh or frozen mango pieces

Put the black beans, coconut milk, lime juice, chili powder, and salt in a medium saucepan and stir until combined. Cook over medium-high heat until the coconut milk comes to a boil. Decrease heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in the mango, cover, and cook stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until heated through.

Variations: Omit the mango. Slice or cube 1 avocado. Garnish each portion with half of the avocado before serving. Also, you can replace the mango with one small papaya, peeled, seeded, and cubed.

- See more at: http://www.vrg.org/blog/2013/01/11/cooking-vegan-by-vesanto-melina-ms-rd-and-chef-joseph-forest/#sthash.DaRwReqR.dpuf

 

Mediterranean Chickpea Burgers (with sun-dried tomatoes, feta, and rosemary)

 

Makes 10 (4 ounce) burgers

 

2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 eggs

¼ cup hot pepper sauce

3 cloves garlic,minced

1 tablespoon smoked paprika2

teaspoons turmeric1

teaspoon sea salt

6-8 sun dried tomatoes, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1 small bunch Italian parsley, chopped

½ small onion, minced

½ red bell pepper, minced

1 cup crumbled feta (3-4 ounces)

1 cup bread crumbs (plus extra for dusting)

 

Olive oil for cooking

 

Place half of the chickpeas in a food processor and pulse for just a few seconds, until coarse but slightly mashed; transfer these beans to a large bowl. Add the remaining beans to the food processor along with the eggs, hot pepper sauce, garlic, smoked paprika, turmeric, and sea salt; process until very smooth, then add this mixture to the bowl with the coarse beans. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, parsley, onion, and bell pepper to the bowl also. Mix everything thoroughly, then add the cheese and bread crumbs and mix again. Divide the mix into ten balls and shape into burgers, transferring them to platters or a baking sheet that is lightly dusted with breadcrumbs. Heat a large heavy skillet with 1/8th  inch olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the burgers for about 10 minutes, turning them as necessary, or until golden, crispy, and cooked throughout. Transfer to absorbent paper before serving.

 

Baked ChickPea Burgers - ok, while the grandkids didn't like them, I though that they were delicious

• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves (add more herbs like dill, mint, and basil for a different flavor)
• 1.5 cups cooked or canned chickpeas (if canned, be sure to rinse off the can-slime!)
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

What to Do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the diced onion and saute, stirring occasionally, for five minutes, until soft and translucent. Remove from heat and place onions in a large bowl.
3. In a food processor, blend carrot, garlic, parsley/herbs, and chickpeas until smooth. Add chickpea mixture to the bowl with the onions and mix to combine.
4. Add bread crumbs, salt, coriander, and cumin to the chickpea mixture and mix until fully combined.
5. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray or brush with olive oil. Form chickpea mixture into 4 patties about 3 inches across and 1/2 inch thick. Place patties on and baking sheet and use a pastry brush to brush patties with remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they begin to turn golden brown. Serve warm with tzatziki sauceand tabbouleh.

 

Chipolata Veges Burger (haven't tried this yet)  

For 4 to 5 burgers