Pasta with Beets

I got about a dozen beets in my Bountiful Basket last week. I love beets but they are so messy that I never buy them. I did a google search for vegan beet recipes and this delicious recipe popped up. It was so easy and tasty!

I substituted celery for onion. I didn't have any onion, plus my husband hates it, unless it's in salsa. I didn't add greens. I did add about 6 cherry tomatoes, split in half. I also added 1/4 tsp of nutritional yeast and 1 tbsp of pine nuts.

I served this with fresh sliced mango and a side salad and garlic toast. I'm so full.

Melissa

Baked Orzo with Zucchini

This recipe comes from Vegetarian Times

I skipped the cheese. I could have used vegan cheese but I didn't feel like it. I threw in some pine nuts for protein. I skipped the leeks and used celery instead. I also didn't add salt to taste.

Delicious dinner. We had fresh mango, a salad, and garlic bread too.

Melissa

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

This was delicious and I will definitely make it again. I got the recipe from a tiny cookbook called Vegan A Go-Go! by Sarah Kramer.

1 small head of green cabbage

Filling:

1/4 cup bulgur

1/4 cup boiling water

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 large button mushrooms, minced

1 tbsp oil (I used safflower)

1 tbsp Braggs or tamari

1/8 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

3 tbsp walnuts, finely chopped

1/2 cup cooked cabbage, finely chopped

Sauce:

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes

1 5.5 oz can tomato paste

1 tsp sweetener (maple syrup or sugar)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat ove to 350 F. Remove core from the cabbage and steam whole head for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool. Remove 6 large outer leaves and set aside.

To prepare the filling: in a small bowl, pour boiling water over bulgur. Cover with lid and set aside. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, saute the onions, garlic, and mushrooms in the oil until onions are translucent. Add the Braggs, paprika, pepper, cayenne, walnuts, and bulgur and saute for 6-8 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the cooked minced cabbage and set aside.

To prepare the sauce: in a medium saucepan on medium-low heat, saute the garlic in the oil until translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Assemble cabbage rolls by dividing filling among the 6 reserved leaves. Roll each leaf and arrange in a lightly oiled 8x8 in baking dish. Spoon sauce evenly over top and bake for 20-25 minutes. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings. Sauce makes approx 2 cups.

Melissa

Chili

I love Healthy Bitch Daily. This was the easiest chili recipe I have ever made. I will make it for years to come. The husband and I devoured it.

I forgot to take a picture but chili looks like chili, you know?

Enjoy,

Melissa

Summertime Salad: White Bean and Veggie Medley

This is a really yummy and healthy salad. I found the recipe on Healthy Bitch Daily. The recipe was super easy.

Enjoy.

Melissa

Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

From Vegan A Go-Go! by Sarah Kramer

egg replacer to equal 1 egg (ener G egg replacer)

1/2 cup vegan margarine

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a food processor, blend the egg replacer, margarine, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and set aside (I used my muscles and a spoon and it was fine).

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and soda, salt, coconut and chocolate chips. Add the margarine mixture and stir until well incorporated. Roll dough into balls, lay on cookie sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cookies cool 5 minutes before removing from sheet. Makes 18-24 cookies.

One of the best and easiest cookie recipes ever. MMMMM.

My friend had some last night and she said they were as good as Paradise Bakeries. :o)

Melissa

Fresh Tomato Pasta

Today I looked in my fridge and I found onion, garlic, parsley, and a whole bunch of tomatoes that looked like there were going to turn bad in a couple of days. So I decided to make up a recipe.

You can alter the amounts based on how much of each flavor you want. But here's how I did it. My 12 year old had 3rds he liked it so much.

2 TBSP red onion-minced

1 large clove garlic-minced

Saute these until garlic is very lightly browned over medium heat with some oil. I did maybe 1-2 minutes.

2 sprigs of parsley chopped

4-6 whole tomatoes diced

1 cup of olive oil

dash of pepper

pinch of sea salt

4 pepperoncini's (banana peppers)-diced

2 dried bay leaves, diced

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and cover. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Cook any kind of pasta that you want. Drain it and mix it with the sauce.

Very light summer dish. Enjoy.

I also thought some black olives and pine nuts would be good in this. Try adding a splash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar too. Maybe fresh mushrooms. Mmmm. The possibilities are endless.

Melissa