Broccoli Pesto Fusilli with White Beans

This broccoli pesto recipe was on the bland side but healthy and very easy. It is also a kid friendly recipe - an easy way to get vegetables down. I added a little sriracha to my dish for an added kick (if you know me, I add sriracha to almost every dish) and enjoyed this quick, relatively no-cook pasta meal.
Ingredients:
1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 15.5 oz can of white beans
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
10 ounces whole wheat fusilli

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook broccoli until just tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer majority of broccoli to a food processor. Reserve a few small florets in a bowl. Return water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. When draining the pasta reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

Add oil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, pine nuts, and 1/4 cup of white beans to the food processor with the broccoli. Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down side as needed. Transfer pesto to the pot with the drained pasta. Stir to coat, adding enough reserved pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Stir in remainder of the beans and reserved broccoli and heat over medium until warmed through.

Season with salt and pepper.

Tempeh Meatloaf

So I have been saying that I wanted to try out a tempeh meatloaf for a few weeks now. I finally got around to it last night. I am usually more of a one-pot meal kinda of girl.....which I think is pretty typical for someone living alone. Last night however I pulled out all the stops and actually served up a fully balanced meal with my tempeh meatloaf, peas, and a sweet potato. I made a few changes but this recipe is based on one found in Lindsay Nixon's book, Everyday Happy Herbivore.  

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup of instant oats

1 8 oz package of tempeh (I used vegetable flavored tempeh) shredded with a cheese grater

2 tablespoon + 1/4 cup of ketchup

2 tbsp whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp (vegan) worcestershire sauce

1 tsp sriracha

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp Italian seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Fry chopped onion in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until soft and clear. Let cool in a medium sized mixing bowl.

Add remaining ingredients to a bowl except the 1/4 cup of ketchup and let the mixture rest for five minutes.

Shape into a log on a greased pan (or a bread pan). Coat the top and sides of the log with the reserved 1/4 cup of ketchup.

Cook for 30-35 minutes, until firm and golden. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. 

Brussel Sprout, Asparagus, and Pea Spring Salad

I was planning on making a tempeh meatloaf tonight but given the gorgeous spring weather we had here in Boston today I did not feel like turning on my oven when I got home from work. I had brussel sprouts and asparagus on hand so I thought I would make a quick salad. The maple mustard dressing brings this salad together and gives it a nice sweet and tangy flavor. Satisfying as a light dinner, it could be paired with quinoa or brown rice to make it a bit more substantial.

 Ingredients:

2 Tbps Mustard
3 Tbps Maple Syrup
1 Tsp apple cider vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 lb brussel sprouts
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
12 stalks of asparagus
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Directions:

Wisk mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, and salt and pepper together in a small bowl and set aside.

Cut asparagus into strips and microwave in a covered container with a tablespoon of water for three minutes to lightly steam.

Shred brussel sprouts into thin strips.

Heat olive oil in a large wok on the stove. Add shreded brussel sprouts and cook until bright green, about two minutes. Add asparagus and peas and cook until heated through, another minute or so.

Coat with maple mustard dressing and serve garnished with sliced almonds.

Vegan Shepherd's Pie with an Indian Twist

This recipe is from Robin Robertson’s cookbook QuickFix. The pictures are not great, but I don't think shepherd's pie ever photographs well. During the black out this week my sister and 15 month old niece were over at my house for dinner. I gave my niece leftovers and she seemed to enjoy it, despite the curry powder.

 Ingredients:

2 russet potatoes

2 cups cauliflower

½ cup light coconut milk

Salt and Pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 tablespoons curry powder

 1 15oz can of kidney beans

1 cup frozen peas (thawed)

3 cups fresh spinach, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes, well drained

1 cup light coconut milk

 Directions:

Steam potatoes and cauliflower over boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes.

Mash the potatoes and cauliflower with the butter and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

 Lightly oil a shallow baking dish and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and cook until soft, around 5 minutes.

Stir in the curry powder and cook another 30 seconds, until fragrant. Transfer to prepared baking dish.

Add the beans, peas, spinach, tomatoes, and coconut milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Spread the reserved potato mixture on top and bake until hot, around 30 minutes.

Bahn-Mi Wraps

Robin Roberston's cookbook "Quick Fix Vegan" is quickly becoming a favorite….these “bahn-mi” style sandwiches are delicious, quick, andlow carb since they use wraps instead of the typical French bread.
(makes 4 sandwiches)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lb extra firm tofu, drained and cut into strips
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sirracha

4 (10-inch) flour tortillas or other flatbread
Vegan mayonnaise
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 carrot, shredded
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons chopped bottled jalapeños

Directions:

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook until golden brown, turning frequently, 7 to10 minutes. Add the hoisin, soy sauce, and the 1 teaspoon of sriracha, stirring gently to coat the tofu. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

To assemble the wraps, spread the tortillas with vegan mayo and drizzle with sriracha to taste. Arrange one quarter of the tofu strips down the center of each of the tortillas. Top with cucumber, carrot, cilantro, and jalapeños. Roll up each wrap tightly and serve at once.

Pineapple Chocolate Chip Mini Cakes

OK, I admit I started out to make a healthy tea time treat…and got a little off track by adding chocolate. However, a little bit of chocolate goes a long way in these “cakes” to make you feel like you are really indulging in something good. And they are perfectly portioned for a healthy dessert or a sweet snack.

Ingredients:

1 8oz can of pineapple chunks (in 100% juice)

1 cup white flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Pinch of salt

¼ tsp of ginger root

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tablespoon agave nector

2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 150. Grease 6 muffin cups.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger root, and vanilla extract.

Add agave nector and pineapple pieces, reserving the juice. Mix together before adding the pineapple juice slowly, until the mixture is a wet dough.

Gently fold in chocolate chips.

Bake in muffin tins until brown on top, around 18 minutes.

 *Makes six small muffins

Mixed Lentil and Coconut Stew

This week we had our first taste of spring here in Boston…it has been in the sunny 60s the past two days and the change in morale around the city is noticeable. As excited as I am to see Spring arrive, the departure of winter does make me want to take advantage of the last few opportunities I have to cook stews, chili, and other wintery soups.

Coconut milk is the key ingredient in the Mixed Lentil & Coconut Stew recipe posted below. Added at the end, it makes the soup creamy and provides a slightly sweet flavor to balance the curry and other spices. I added a whole can because I couldn’t resist…although ½ a can would be plenty. The stew would be delicious over some brown rice or quinoa, or served with some crusty bread.

On a side note: My sister was over at my apartment yesterday and commented on how bare my fridge looked (as is usual around the end of a work week). Beverages, earth balance spread, almond butter, carrots, and a few random condiments made up the entire contents of my barren fridge. Despite the lack of fresh ingredients I had on hand, I had no trouble whipping up this wonderfully filling dinner. This is a great recipe to keep on hand for those days that you do not have time to go to the store since it is based almost entirely on pantry staples.  

Mixed Lentil and Coconut Stew

Ingredients:

 2 tablespoons safflower oil (Olive oil is fine)

1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ginger powder (or fresh ginger, chopped, if you have any on hand)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon cayenne

4.5 cups of water or low-sodium vegetable broth

1.5 cups mixed red and green lentils (I used half and half)

1 14.5 oz can of light coconut milk

1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

Scallions or Green Onions for garnish

Directions:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pan.
• Add onion, garlic, and carrots and sauté until soft (around 5 minutes)
• Add spices and fry for another minute or so.
• Add lentils and water or broth and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until water has been absorbed and lentils are soft and just starting to lose shape.
• Add tomatoes and coconut milk and simmer for another 5 minutes, until heated through.
• Salt & Pepper to taste. I left mine chunky as I prefer the texture, but you may also choose to puree with a hand blender until smooth.