Two recipes in one Post!

 The other day I decided to make my friends "meatloaf" (Ty author of the cameraphonevegan blog) Ty’s TVP “meatloaf” and yummy! Here it the recipe. It’s really good but to warn meat eaters it’s not like eating the real thing. The texture is the same but not sure most true meat eaters will like it. On a good note tho, the hubby liked it, but he has gotten use to eating vegan and or vegetarian a lot.  Here is a picture of it from last night with half a sweet potato and corn on the cob… 

 Tonight the Hubby has gone over to his Dad’s to watch the NFL draft and for those who know me, know my take on football… UGH!... So I went to the bookstore and bought two new cookbooks Veganomicon and Vegan with a Vengeance. Can’t wait to sit down and look them over tonight. 

Since I came home a little late I decided to use a portabella mushroom that I had and make portabella mushroom tacos for dinner. Super easy!

I made enough for just me so make more depending on who's eating

1 portabellla mushroom

¼ onion cut up

½ cup of Braggs amino acid

1 tablespoon of olive oil

¼ of Balsamic vinegar

2 corn tortillas

Some vegan sour cream

Salsa of choice and hot sauce to taste

Whatever other toppings u may like

Take the mushroom clean it and remove the gills. Marinate it in the braggs amino acid, oil and balsamic vinegar for about 10 to 20 min.

Once done marinating cut up however you like

Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook the onion for a few minutes on med then add the mushroom. Cook for about 3 to 4 min more, remove from heat and set aside.

Heat up your tortillas, once warm add the vegan sour cream and salsa and then the mushrooms and onions. Add what ever else you like. I added some cabbage and hot sauce. Yum.

 

Had just enough to make two for myself... 

 

Red Curry Chick'n and Banana Pudding for dessert

So tonight I made Red Curry Chick'n a recipe my friend camerphonevegan posted a while back here it the recipe http://cameraphonevegan.com/tag/gardein/ 

It was really good and we have leftovers which is always the best  for those nights I do not have time to cook. I also made some brown rice and tondora chef’s Channa Masala mixed together with a side salad to round out the meal…

 

For Dessert I made Banana pudding yum!!!

Super easy to make... 

 recipe as follows: 

What You Need

3 1/2 cups cold milk

2 pkg.  (4-serving size each) JELL-O Banana Flavor Instant Pudding (I used the sugar free and fat free one)

30 NILLA Wafers

3 medium bananas, sliced

 

Make It

POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Let stand 5 min. 

ARRANGE half of the wafers on bottom and up side of 2-qt. serving bowl; top with layers of half each of the banana slices and pudding. Repeat all layers. 

REFRIGERATE 3 hours. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator. 

Black bean and mushroom quesadillas, roasted acorn squash and a side salad

So this is an adaptation of this: original recipe.  I didn’t have an avocado so I felt out the guacamole and the lemon juice and the cumin mix just didn’t sound appealing to me. I followed the recipe for the black beans and mushrooms and the acorn squash which was sweet and delish!!!

 

Black bean and mushroom quesadillas , roasted acorn squash and side salad

Serves 4. Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients for acorn squash:

1 medium-to-large acorn squash
1 t olive oil

Ingredients for quesadillas:

4 White corn tortillas
2 t olive oil
1 sm onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced small (from my garden)
4 oz baby bella or cremini mushrooms, sliced (you could also use regular white mushrooms, though they’re not as hearty)
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t salt
1 14-oz can (about 1 3/4 cups) black beans

1. START THE ACORN SQUASH. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Brush the cut surface with olive oil. Place the squash cut-side down on a piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for 40-45 minutes or until you can easily poke a fork in it.

2. START THE QUESADILLA FILLING. Place the olive oil in a large fry pan and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno and cook for about 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft.

3. While the onion mixture is cooking, MASH THE BEANS. Rinse and drain the black beans. Put them in a medium bowl with a little water to moisten them (start with a couple tablespoons and add more as needed) and mash with a potato masher or the bottom of a glass. The beans should be nice and gooey, but they don’t have to be perfectly mashed.

4. CONTINUE THE QUESADILLA FILLING. Add the chopped mushrooms, chili powder, and salt to the onion mixture. Cook for an additional 10 minutes until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally.

6. FINISH THE QUESADILLA FILLING. When the mushrooms are cooked, add the bean mixture. Stir to incorporate, adding water if necessary to keep things somewhat moist and gooey. Heat 2 more minutes, then turn off the fire.

7. ASSEMBLE THE QUESADILLAS. Preheat a separate; dry fry pan (preferably one with angled, as opposed to straight, edges) over medium heat. Place one tortilla on the fry pan and spread half the bean mixture on it, leaving at least 1 inch around the edges. Top with another tortilla. After about 2 minutes, flip using a large spatula and lots of loving care. After about 2 more minutes, remove from heat and repeat the process to make another quesadilla.

8. TAKE THE ACORN SQUASH OUT OF THE OVEN, if you haven’t already.

9. TO SERVE: Cut the two quesadillas into wedges, and cut each half of the squash in half again.

Serve with extra hot sauce if you like. 

10. any kind of salad you like put on the side

This came out really good.

The second time I made for lunch it’s cause I had leftovers but this time I made them in my Forman. I put one corn tortilla on the grill put the bean mixture a little cheese this time and another tortilla, grilled for about a min on high… OMG YUM!!! Even better this time. I served them with some grilled shrimp and brown rice that I mixed some southwestern corn mix in…

Vegan Jambalaya and Broccoli Slaw

Tonight I made this:

Vegan Jambalaya and Broccoli Slaw

It was pretty Damn good! I have a ton of leftovers, which will translate in lunch for a week for Luke and I, nom nom nom! So here is the recipe. One of my many from searching the Internet: 

Jambalaya

Serves: 6 to 8

• 1 cup raw brown rice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• One package Tofurky or Field Roast vegan sausage, any variety
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 1 medium green or red bell pepper, diced
• One 28- to 32-ounce can diced tomatoes, with liquid
• 1 teaspoon each: paprika, dried oregano, dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• Salt to taste
•  

Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a simmer in a saucepan. Stir in the rice; cover and cook at a gentle, steady simmer until the water is absorbed, about 35 minutes.

Slice the sausage links 1/4 inch thick. Heat just enough of the oil to lightly coat the bottom of a large, nonstick skillet. Cook the sliced sausages over medium-high heat, gently turning them until all sides are golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside until needed.

Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic, celery, and bell pepper, and continue to sauté until all the vegetables are lightly browned.

 

Add the remaining ingredients except the salt. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes.

Combine the skillet mixture with the hot cooked rice and sausage pieces in a large serving bowl and toss together thoroughly. Season to taste with salt (and a bit more cayenne if you’d like a spicier dish) and serve at once.

Broccoli Slaw

1 bag of Eat Smart Broccoli Slaw mix: in your produce section

¼ cup of low fat mayo (or vegan mayo)

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

¼ tablespoon of white vinegar

2 tsp of light agave nectar

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything but the bag of broccoli slaw, in a mixing bowl

Once mixed well add the bag of slaw and toss well.

Refrigerate till ready to serve

Garlicky Greens

Garlicky Greens

1 lb of greens

(I used a combo of Kale and Swiss chard from my garden. I also added some spinach in there)

4 table spoons of water

3 garlic cloves lightly crushed

½ of a lemon’s juice

            

         (My Kale Plant)                                         (My Swiss Chard Plant)

Wash your greens really well and put them I a salad spinner to get all the access water out.

If you are using Kale it takes longer to steam so separate it from the other greens.

Put the water in a large sauce pan and heat. Add the garlic and heat on low sautéing for about 2 min.

Add kale if using and cover let it steam for about 5 min check it. If needs longer keep steaming it. Add the spinach and Swiss chard (they wilt quick so put them in when the kale is almost done) don’t over steam the greens you still want them a little firm.

Once done drain what ever water is left and add the lemon juice a little bit at a time to your taste preference.

For the roasted veggies I just cut up some fresh green beans, onion and bell pepper sprayed with a little olive oil and seasoning (use what u like) and roasted in the oven at 400 for about 12 mins.

I added the roasted veggies to the greens for a yummy side to my Bean Burger and Chipotle Smashed sweet potatoes.

Bean Burgers with sautéed onion and mushrooms, with Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes and a side Salad

 I like these Bean Burgers a lot and I happen to make them at least twice a month as of lately. The recipe called for a grill, but since we live in a condo we do not have one, so I put these under the broiler for 5 mins each side. The Smashed sweet potato recipe is one I have never tried before but it is for sure a keeper!

Grilled Bean Burgers (if you have a grill if not broil them)

  Ingredients

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onion in oil for 2 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in the carrot, chili powder and cumin; cook 2 minutes longer or until carrot is tender. Remove from the heat; set aside.
• In a large bowl, mash the pinto beans and black beans. Stir in oats. I usually but the oats inn a coffee grinder to make into oat flour. Add the mustard, soy sauce, ketchup, pepper and carrot mixture; mix well. Shape into eight 3-1/2-in. patties.
• Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill patties, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until heated through. 

 You can serve these on Bun with your favorite topping if you like. I rather have them minus the bun.

Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 whole canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
• 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can of peppers

Directions

Put cubed potatoes into steamer basket and place steamer into a large pot of simmering water that is no closer than 2 inches from the bottom of basket. Allow to steam for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Add butter to potatoes and mash with potato masher. Add peppers, sauce, and salt and continue mashing to combine.

  For the Sautéed Onions and Mushrooms

Just cut up as much onion as you want add a little oil to a frying pan heated to med heat add the onions and stir once they look soft add as much mushrooms as you want and continue to cook till the mushrooms are done. You can also add a little bit of white wine to the onions and mushrooms cook till liquid is almost gone. Server over the bean burger .

 Serve with a salad to complete the meal.

 

Roasted Red Pepper & Artichoke Cheese Tortelloni

I love this dish, super easy and yummy!

 ^^Fresh Basil from my Garden^^

  

Ingredients:

1 8-9 ounce bag of dried tortelloni

1 12 ounce jar of roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

2 6-ounce jar of marinated artichoke hearts drained or one large jar

2 tablespoons of butter or margarine

1 tsp of cornstarch

¼ cup of white wine

½ cup chopped fresh basil

 Directions

Cook tortelloni in a pot of salted water according to package

While the pasta is boiling, sauté the red peppers, artichoke hearts, in the butter. In a large skillet over med heat, stirring occasionally, about 4 or 5 min. Put the wine and the cornstarch in a small cup mix and add to the pepper sauce. Stir and reduce heat to low., Add the chopped basil. 

Once the pasta is ready drain and add it to the sauce, if the sauce is to thick u can add a little of the pasta water … and ur done

 Nom Nom Nom… 

:) ^^Rum and Coke Zero to drink^^ :)