Monday Recipes

Enjoy!

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB SMOOTHIE

This recipe is from One Green Planet. The recipe can be found online here.

Dairy Free; Kid-Friendly; Soy Free; Vegan

Ingredients

1 cup fresh rhubarb, chopped

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tbsp date syrup Organics Are For Everyone (you can substitute pure maple syrup here)

1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1 fresh banana

12 oz unsweetened vanilla non-dairy milk of choice

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ground flaxseed

Preparation

Combine chopped rhubarb, orange juice, date syrup, vanilla and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for five minutes.

Set aside to cool slightly and place in refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes (this can be done ahead of time and you can make more so you can enjoy this all week long).

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth and serve.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY PIE - Vegan tofu cherry "cream" pie recipe

Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian blog guide, writes, "Chocolate cherry pie - Vegan tofu cherry "cream" pie recipe - delicious! I'd love to try this same method with strawberries or perhaps even Elvis-style, with bananas."

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz.) box firm silken tofu

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 prepared vegan graham cracker pie crust

1 (12 oz.) package frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed and drained

1 cup non-dairy whipped topping

Preparation:

First, prepare the cherries. Slice them in half and remove the pics, if needed. Set a handful of cherries aside to use as a garnish on top of the pie.

Next, prepare the chocolate "cream" filling. Process the tofu in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the cocoa powder, sugar, melted chocolate chips, and almond extract. Process again until mixture is smooth.

To prepare the pie, place about 1/3 of the chocolate tofu mix in a single layer in the prepared pie crust. Next, place the cherries in a single layer on top of the chocolate tofu mixture and spread the remaining chocolate tofu on top.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Garnish each slice with whipped topping and reserved cherries.

This recipe makes one pie of 8 servings.

Nutritional information, per serving: Calories: 270, Total Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 100mg, Carbohydrates: 36g, Dietary Fiber: 2g. Sugar: 24g, Protein: 6g

HONEY-MUSTARD BROCCOLI SALAD

From the June 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 55. The recipe starts with the statement, "Protein- and fiber-rich black beluga lentils make this salad totally satisfying. The lentils are soaked overnight to shorten cooking time and enhance digestibility." Makes 4 servings. To view the recipe at the V.T. website, click here.

Salad

1/2 cup black beluga lentils, rinsed and soaked 8 hours or overnight

1 head broccoli, cut into florets (4 cups)

1 small red onion or shallot, sliced into rings (2/3 cup)

1/4 cup chopped almonds, toasted

Honey-Mustard Dressing

4 Tbs. cold-pressed olive oil

1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. raw honey or agave nectar

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

To make Salad: Drain and rinse lentils, then place in a medium stockpot with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 18 minutes. Add broccoli, cover pan, and steam 2 to 3 minutes, or until broccoli and lentils are al dente.

Meanwhile, to make Honey-Mustard Dressing: whisk together all ingredients in bowl until smooth.

Drain off any remaining liquid from broccoli and lentils, and transfer to large bowl. Add dressing, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve garnished with onion and almonds.

LOW-CALORIE, ALMOST FAT-FREE VEGETABLE CHILI

Jolinda Hackett, About.com's vegetarian blog's guide, wrote, "Using extra vegetables, tomato juice and tomatoes with fewer beans keeps this vegetarian chili lower in calories. Though meatless chili is already a healthy and low-fat choice, this version is extra low-cal. It's really more like a chili-spiced tomato soup than a hearty chili. This was one of those recipes that came about purely because of what I had on hand in my kitchen, which happened to be lots of veggies, and not so many beans. But I really wanted chili."

Ingredients:

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp water

1 large carrot, sliced thin

1 green bell pepper, chopped small

1 red bell pepper, chopped small

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 cup corn kernels

1 15-ounce can kidney beans

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (do not drain)

1 12-ounce can tomato juice or V8

water

1 jalapeno or other small spicy pepper, minced

1 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

green onions for garnish, optional

Preparation:

In a large non-stick pot, heat the garlic and onions for 3-4 minutes. Add the water and carrots and heat, stirring, for another 3-4 minutes. Add green bell pepper, red bell pepper and soy sauce, stirring to combine well. Heat for just another minute or two. Reduce heat to medium low and add all the remaining ingredients, except for the green onions. Cover and allow to slowly simmer for at least 25 minutes and up to 40 minutes.

Adjust the seasonings to taste, garnish with some green onions or even a bit of cheese or sour cream if you're not eating vegan.

Nutritional information, via CalorieCount: Calories: 195; Calories from Fat: 10; Total Fat: 1.1g, 2% daily value; Trans Fat: 0.0g; Cholesterol: 0mg, 0%; Sodium: 614mg, 26%; Total Carbohydrates: 38.0g, 13%; Dietary Fiber: 9.6g, 38%; Sugars: 9.5g; Protein: 11.2g; Vitamin A 80%, Vitamin C 159% Calcium 5%, Iron 32

PASTA FAGIOLI WITH ORZO

Another one of Jolinda Hackett's offerings. She writes, "A full vegetarian meal of orzo pasta, beans and tomatoes, pasta fagiole with orzo is nutritious, healthy, filling, and yet familiar enough that kids will love it. Omit the cheese to make it vegan."

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 jalapeno, minced

1 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes

2 15.5 ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

6 cups vegetable broth

1 8 ounce box orzo

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper

grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation:

Heat large sautee pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic and jalapeno to pan. Cook until onion is soft but not browned, 4-5 minutes.

Coarsely puree tomatoes in food processor or with potato masher. Stir tomatoes, cannellini beans and broth into onion mixture.

Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring periodically. Add pasta and return to a boil over high heat. Reduce to simmer, stirring periodically, 8-10 minutes or until pasta is tender but still firm. Add parsley and salt and pepper, to taste.

QUINOA PILAF WITH TEMPEH AND BROCCOLI

This is from the Vegetarian Times, page 30. It begins, “Everyone’s favorite ancient grain gets a flavor boost from a seasoned cooking liquid before it’s topped with a tempeh stir-fry.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

Quinoa Pilaf

1 tsp. coconut oil

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 tsp. salt

Tempeh and Broccoli

2 Tbs. coconut oil

1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cubed

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 Tbs. minced jalapeño chile

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup low-sodium no-chicken broth

2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

4 cups broccoli florets

1/4 cup chopped green onions

2 Tbs. chopped toasted cashews

To make Quinoa Pilaf: Heat coconut oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add quinoa, ginger, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add orange juice, 11/2 cups water, and salt. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until quinoa is tender.

Meanwhile, to make Tempeh and Broccoli: Heat coconut oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tempeh, and cook 7 minutes, or until lightly golden, stirring occasionally. Add ginger, garlic, and chile, and sauté 30 seconds.

Add orange juice, broth, and soy sauce to tempeh, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Add broccoli, and stir-fry 5 minutes, or until broccoli is crisp-tender.

Transfer Quinoa Pilaf to serving bowl. Top with Tempeh and Broccoli. Garnish with green onions and cashews.

nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 399; Protein: 21 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 47 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 625 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 6 g

Meatless Monday

Monday morning, which means another Meatless Monday. Enjoy!

CURRY ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

This comes from One Green Planet's newsletter. It starts off, “Curry Roasted Cauliflower is a super easy and delicious side diesh. It is ready in less than 30 minutes from start to finish and it is also gluten-free, vegan, and paleo!” Serves 4; Cook Time: 20 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower cut into bite size pieces (roughly 4 cups)

2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp curry powder

1/ 4 tsp salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place all ingredients in big bowl and toss to coat evenly.

Spread cauliflower evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

BREADED TOFU NUGGETS

This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, “Kid-friendly tofu nuggets are reminiscent of chicken nuggets and can be dipped in ketchup, barbecue sauce, ranch dressing or any of your favorite salad dressings. You can either bake or fry these easy tofu nuggets. The perfect snack or dinner for picky vegetarian and vegan eaters!” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients1 block firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed

1/3 cup soymilk

2 tbsp mustard

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried parsley (optional)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

3/4 cup bread crumbs (panko will also work)

Preparation

First, prepare your tofu. Like most vegan tofu recipes, this one will taste best if you press the tofu first. This allows the tofu to absorb more of the flavorings and seasonings which you add to it.

Next, whisk together the soymilk, mustard, nutritional yeast and spices until smooth in a wide bowl. Place bread crumbs in a separate bowl.

Coat each piece of tofu with soymilk and mustard mixture first, then coat with bread crumbs. Fry in oil until golden brown, serve with ketchup, barbeque sauce or other dipping sauce and enjoy!

For a lower fat alternative, lay tofu piece on a covered baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, turning once, until golden brown.

Makes 2 servings of vegetarian tofu nuggets.

QUINOA PILAF WITH TEMPEH AND BROCCOLI

This comes from the April/May 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 30. It starts off, “Everyone’s favorite ancient grain gets a flavor boost from a seasoned cooking liquid before it’s topped with a tempeh stir-fry.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

Quinoa Pilaf

1 tsp. coconut oil

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 tsp. salt

Tempeh and Broccoli

2 Tbs. coconut oil

1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cubed

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 Tbs. minced jalapeño chile

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup low-sodium no-chicken broth

2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

4 cups broccoli florets

1/4 cup chopped green onions

2 Tbs. chopped toasted cashews

To make Quinoa Pilaf: Heat coconut oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add quinoa, ginger, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add orange juice, 11/2 cups water, and salt. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until quinoa is tender.

Meanwhile, to make Tempeh and Broccoli: Heat coconut oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tempeh, and cook 7 minutes, or until lightly golden, stirring occasionally. Add ginger, garlic, and chile, and sauté 30 seconds.

Add orange juice, broth, and soy sauce to tempeh, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Add broccoli, and stir-fry 5 minutes, or until broccoli is crisp-tender.

Transfer Quinoa Pilaf to serving bowl. Top with Tempeh and Broccoli. Garnish with green onions and cashews.

nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 399; Protein: 21 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 47 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 625 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 6 g

LEMONY QUINOA BREAKFAST BOWL WITH EARL GREY STRAWBERRY COMPOTE

This comes from the June 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 71. It begins, “A maple-sweetened berry compote is poured over lemon-flavored quinoa for a summer breakfast bowl.” Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

3 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. lemon juice, divided

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large coins fresh ginger

1/4 cup low-fat milk

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup strongly brewed Earl Grey tea

1 cup halved fresh or frozen strawberries

4 Tbs. sliced almonds

Add 3 Tbs. lemon juice and enough water to make 12/3 cups liquid in 2-cup measuring cup; pour into medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa, salt, and ginger, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, and stir in milk and lemon zest. Cover, and let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring maple syrup and tea to a boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil 6 minutes, or until liquid thickens and bubbles turn frothy. Pour over strawberries in bowl, and stir gently to coat. Stir in remaining 1 tsp. lemon juice.

Spoon 3/4 cup quinoa into each serving bowl, top each with 1/4 cup berry compote, and sprinkle each with 1 Tbs. almonds.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 263; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 6 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 47 g; Cholesterol: less than 1 mg; Sodium: 303 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 17 g; Gluten-Free

TUSCAN FARRO AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

This comes from the March 1998 issue of Vegetarian Times, and starts off, “On a recent visit to Tuscany and the glorious walled city of Lucca, I sampled this wonderfully satisfying soup. Some recipes using this grain suggest overnight soaking, but I have never found it necessary. However, to save on preparation time, you could substitute canned beans for the dried. Serve with crusty Tuscan bread.” Makes 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

1 cup chopped red onion

1 medium leek (white and pale green part), rinsed well and sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup diced peeled potatoes

14-oz. can chopped tomatoes

2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage or 2 tsp. dried

2 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary or 2 tsp. dried

2 Tbs. chopped fresh marjoram or 2 tsp. dried

4 to 6 cups vegetable stock or broth

1 cup farro, rinsed and drained

2 cups cooked or canned white or cranberry beans (rinsed if canned)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 Tbs. olive oil

In large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, leek and garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion and leek are softened, about 10 minutes. Add celery, potatoes, tomatoes, sage, rosemary and marjoram and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.

Add stock and bring soup to a boil. Add farro and beans. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until farro is tender, 35 to 40 minutes. (If soup becomes too thick, add a little hot water.) Serve warm.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 302; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 6 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Sodium: 89 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Vegan

SUMMER GUMBO

This comes from the June 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. It starts off, “Rather than use meat substitutes, we turned to pecans to give this gumbo its “meaty” heft and a hit of protein. As they cook, the pecans become tender and chewy while lending the sauce a hint of nutty flavor. Feel free to spice things up with extra Cajun seasoning and hot sauce.” Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup glutinous rice flour

1 small green bell pepper, diced (1 cup)

1 small onion, diced (1 cup)

1 cup diced celery

2-3 Tbs. Cajun seasoning

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 Tbs. tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 cup raw pecan halves

2 small yellow squash or zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch chunks (1 1/2 cups)

1 1/2 cups halved radishes

6 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch lengths (1 1/2 cups)

1 cup frozen cut okra or 1 1/2 cups fresh okra pods, cut 1/2-inch thick

3 cups cooked brown or white rice

6 green onions, thinly sliced (2/3 cup)

Heat oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in glutinous rice flour until smooth paste forms. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until roux is caramel-colored, stirring constantly.

Add bell pepper, onion, and celery, and stir to coat with roux. Stir in 1 cup water and Cajun seasoning, and simmer 1 to 2 minutes, scraping up any stuck-on bits from bottom of pot. Stir in broth, 2 more cups water, tomato paste, and garlic, and season with salt, if desired. Add pecans. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add squash, radishes, carrots, and okra. Cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes more, or until vegetables are tender and sauce is thick and glistening. Serve gumbo over rice, and sprinkle with green onions.

nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 394; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 43 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 779 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 7 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free