Pesto Mushroom & Chick Pea Spinach Salad
Pesto Mushroom & Chick Pea Spinach Salad is an incredibly delicious, easy, quick, and simply awesome recipe! Very few ingredients but loaded with flavor… now, that’s my kinda meal! Especially with a baby, blog, full time job, massive move prep, and my current “quest” to shed some lbs. Now that is not so simple, so shedding time, eating well, and assisting said “quest” makes this Pesto Mushroom & Chick Pea Spinach Salad my current favorite dish of the day. I think I average eating this delight about 3 times/week for sure.
Okay, I know I’ve said this before but it’s not like I’m on a permanent diet. I don’t think I could cope with that. However, I am officially trying to shed .6kgs/month (1.3 lbs). Sound like an odd number? Haha. I’ve sorted it out that from the time I began my weight chart (a simple but effective chart I made for myself) until when I leave Beijing for good in June that .6 kgs/month will get me to my goal weight. Bless you Jillian Michael’s for your assistance in this “quest.” Thus far, I’m doing fairly well. I’ve hit a plateau though and felt myself getting demotivated. Therefore, I…sigh…ugh…sigh again… am now going to have to cut back on some calories, mainly carbs, and outside of Greyson, that is my biggest love. Am I calling this a diet? Absolutely not! Not that there is anything wrong with dieting! I just need to get things moving again (em-hem, the scale!) and need to start seeing numbers that make me smile and for a moment, a meer wrinkle in time, make me forget about the carb I would’ve been enjoying at dinner. This brings me to my point, I know right? You didn’t think I’d get there! Why did I go on this tangent?! I’ll tell you, SALAD. I love it. It completes me. Well no, carbs do, but it’s not a far second or third. I believe salads should be delicious and specifically not boring. If I’m gonna shed some lbs I want to do it whilst catering to my tastebuds and not going bland, bland, bland! Pesto Mushroom & Chick Pea Spinach Salad will definitely be a recipe to add to your collection if you’re going down this rabbit hole with me, or even if you just love salad and want an awesome new and easy recipe. Let me know your thoughts! Enjoy!
- Large handful of spinach leaves
- 1/2 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 5-7 shiitake mushrooms (you could substitute with other mushrooms) - sliced thin
- 3 Tbl pesto
- Parmesan cheese to taste for topping (optional)
- 2 tsp lemon juice (optional)
- tsp oregano (optional)
- Sea salt & cracked pepper to taste
- Olive oil for pan
- Place your spinach in the bottom of a bowl and set aside
- Heat oil in pan and add mushrooms, salt & pepper, oregano, 1 Tbl of pesto. Mix and let cook for 2 minutes
- Mix again and add add chickpeas, any more s & p you'd like, lemon juice, and 1 more Tbl of pesto. Cook for 2 more minutes
- Add last Tbl of pesto, toss, and cook for one more minute then remove from heat
- Place pan ingredients on top of spinach and garnish with parmesan cheese & pepper
- Toss well and enjoy!
- If your ingredient balance is a bit different and you want more dressing, consider adding a sprinkling of olive oil, more lemon juice, or more pesto.
- I've also tossed in some hummus just for the heck & deliciousness of it!
- Serve with a crisp white wine if you'd like (I prefer a nice sauvignon blanc with this)
G’s Arugula & White Bean Quesadilla
G’s Arugula & White Bean Quesadillas are a protein packed meal full of flavor and done in 15 minutes or less! Healthy, delicious, and guaranteed to make any toddler actually eat their entire portion! I make one quesadilla, give my wee man (G) 1/4, save another 1/4 for the following day, and eat the other 1/2 myself. This is most definitely a meal that is for any age. I had all of these ingredients left over in my fridge (remember my food philosophy? “Like the mind, food is a terrible thing to waste”) and wanted to make something different for Greyson than he’d been eating over the past few days. I quickly pieced together these ingredients and was left with my mouth watering. Not only did G eat his portion and practically lick his plate (lots of “more” baby signing came afterwards), but I had to go and make another one for my work lunch the following day. I, too, was in love. As a veg-head, I’m always packin’ with protein everywhere I can. Make the recipe as is or adjust for your lil’ one or yourself however you deem fit. Use as much or as little of the ingredients as you’d like. Now go chow down with your kiddo in total bliss!
- 4 whole wheat tortillas
- Handful of arugula
- 3/4 can of small white beans or cannellini beans
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 brick of tofu (I used firm)
- 1 ripe tomato - chopped (finely chopped for toddler)
- 2 Tbl pesto
- 4 slices gouda cheese
- Small handful cilantro
- Cumin to taste
- Salt to taste
- In a small bowl, toss the tomato and pesto together. Mix well
- Put one slice of cheese on top of each quesadilla
- Divide then smash white bean (leave some whole as well) on two of the tortillas
- Smash half and avocado on top of the each white bean half and sprinkle with a pinch of salt
- Divide the tofu and smash on top of the avocado with another pinch of salt and the cumin
- Top each with tomato and cilantro
- Top again with arugula and a pinch of cumin
- Put the other tortillas with the gouda on top of the two filled tortillas
- Heat pan on low - medium heat. Cook on both sides until golden brown
- Done!
- This recipe came from what was in my refrigerator so feel free to make something similar and change up the ingredients to accommodate what is in your fridge!
Easy & Amazing Fettuccine Alfredo
I am sitting in this awesome Airbnb rental in Amsterdam as I write this. Not too shabby, right?! Husband’s putting the wee man to sleep and it has just occurred to me that I haven’t posted in a week! I’d been posting everyday to get this blog up and running but oh, Amsterdam! You’ve been a pleasant and well needed distraction and I have not touched my blog or my book (I am currently writing a book about the craziness of my last 5 years in China) in the past week. So, with my delicious beer, full on far too much cheese & bread, I sit here, looking out over the awesome balcony, ready to post. If you’ve never been, I can’t recommend it enough! Anyway, there will be a large Amsterdam post upon my return.
Easy & Amazing Fettuccine Alfredo is just that- easy & amazing. This to me is one of those sauces like a pesto sauce. Very few ingredients, easy to make, but I rarely enjoy it. When I do enjoy one of these sauces they are one of my top choices & favorites for a sauce. However, for some reason, I find myself a stickler for the perfect balance of ingredients in order to make sauces like these tasty. Anyone else this picky or find this to be true?
As my mom used to call this dish – “a heart attack on a plate” – I won’t even pretend to paint a pretty picture of health & weight loss. You are swimming in a sea of fatty deliciousness. A true comfort food. Let’s be serious. There’s almost always a time and a place for this type of food. I am quite a healthy eater on the day-to-day but sometimes, just sometimes, I must indulge, and when I do, I dive right in for a creamy & rich swim in this here Alfredo sauce. Yes ma’am. This is the recipe for when the boyfriend breaks up with you, a hell of a day at work, or anything that involves comforting your inner self. Enjoy!
- 1 lb (16 oz) of fettuccine pasta (fresh if possible)!
- 1 1/4 C heavy cream
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 3/4 C parmesan cheese - grated
- 2 Tbl lemon juice
- Salt & pepper to taste (I use a lot of cracked peppercorn)
- Fresh basil for garnish
- Optional: 1 garlic cloves (minced) or 2 tsp garlic powder
- Optional: 1 very ripe tomato – diced
- Boil pasta
- Over medium heat, put in butter (let melt for a few seconds) & add cream (I dash some s & p here)
- Add lemon juice & garlic (optional), and then stir in cheese until melted with the rest of your s & p
- Remove from heat and add pasta into sauce - stir until pasta is fully covered in sauce
- To serve: (optional)
- Top each bowl with diced tomato & garnish with fresh basil and additional cracked pepper
- White wine- Chardonnay for you chard lovers! (I don't love Chardonnay myself so I often opt for a Pinot Grigio)
- Red Wine- Pinot Noir
- This dish takes less than 15 minutes if you use fresh pasta!
Parmesan & Artichoke Dip
Parmesan & Artichoke Dip is a creamy and divine dip that everyone must be serving at virtually every fun, fancy, or low down/hoedown affair. This dip is compliments to my very first guest poster. A big welcome and HUGE “thank you” to my Beijing bestie, Ms. Alana Martin! Not only is she amazing, but her dip is as well. She serves this at every party and I’m pretty sure it’s always the first thing to go. I was saying that I wanted one more recipe to add to my game day post (to come) and was hoping that she’d kindly find some time (like asap, as I asked her last minute) out of her extremely busy work day, mommy day, and wife day, to make this, let me photograph it, and of course, let me eat some as well. In all of her fabulousness, she agreed, and lucky for all of you and every party that you may have in the future, for her easiness & agreeability. Healthy? Ummm… Can it be made healthier? Totally! Replace all mayo with Greek yogurt. You can serve this with almost anything as well and it takes a mere minutes to make. So let me get this right? Divine? Check. Delectable? Check. 5 minutes or less? Check. Guaranteed crowd pleaser? Check, check, check, check, check! Why are you still reading this? Get your artichokes and start stirrin’! Game day awaits!
Disclaimer: Had to be shot at night. I’ve been trying SO hard to only shoot during the day but alas, this simply wasn’t possible this time around.
- 3 Tbl mayo
- 1 1/8 C plain greek yogurt (260 grams)
- 1/2 C shredded fresh parmesan cheese
- 1/2 lemon - squeezed
- 1 clove garlic - pressed
- 1 tsp of dried oregano and a dash more for garnish
- 1 can artichoke hearts
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl
- Garnish: (optional) with a sprinkling of oregano & shredded parmesan
- Serves enough for a small party (in conjunction with other appetizers of course) - approximately 2 1/2 cups
- Serve with veggie sticks, baguettes, bread sticks, or anything you like!
- Great with a crisp white wine
Bagel, Hummus, Avocado & Some, Spread
This is an incredibly easy, healthy, and delicious breakfast spread that can be accomplished in just 5 minutes! I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty amazing to me! Especially, on a busy weekend. Sometimes, a good-for-you & easy recipe can be more involved. Not the case here, which is why this is my go-to weekend recipe when I am movin’ & groovin’ with little time in between. This spread is inspired by one of my favorite vegetarian breakfast restaurants in Portland, OR- Muddy’s Cafe. This was a weekend fave for my veggie friend and I when I lived there. I loved sitting outside of the old Victorian, on the patio, and in one of my favorite Portland neighborhoods, or even inside the rustic and cozy warmth of the country-esk kitchen vibe that Muddy’s provided. No, this is not a paid advertisement, and sadly, it has closed after 9 years of business. Moment of silence for my PDX vegetarian foodies please… Sigh. Here is my version of a regularly ordered breakfast: A bagel (always an everything bagel in my case), slathered and oozing with cream cheese, hummus, and avocado (often all mashed together), sometimes with an egg on top (over medium), and always with a side of ripe fruit. Yes please! Save yourself some time and scarf it up this weekend!
Bagel, Hummus, Avocado & Some, Spread
- 1 bagel (I use whole wheat everything bagels)
- 4-6 Tbl cream cheese (I use veggie or chive cream cheese)
- 6 Tbl hummus (see my hummus recipe)
- 1/2 or 1 ripe avocado
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 egg (optional)
- Fresh & ripe fruit of your picking
- Toast your bagel
- On each bagel half, slather on the cream cheese, then hummus, and lastly the avocado & salt/pepper (you can smash together if you want)
- If using egg, top on one of the bagel sides now
- Add your fresh fruit to the plate and voila! Done!
Breakfast Tofu Taco Tuesdays!
Taco Tuesdays have been all the rage for as long as I can remember. I used to look forward to them all day long at work when I lived in California. I’m pretty sure that’s how I got through the beginning-of-the-work-week blues. It was something to look forward to and a way to end my night right. Well, why not start your day that way, too? Something to look forward to upon waking, and a way to start the day right! SOLD! I took this philosophy and rolled with it. When I made this taco, I, as usual, used what I had in my fridge. That being said, I didn’t have any taco shells at the time. Therefore, I made my own. I had these small homemade tortillas (love them) that I turned into taco shells. You can do this by simply bending it over two of the bars in your oven or convention oven and heating them up. However, due to the awesome texture of my tortillas I simply have to put it in the pan and cook on both sides. Feel free to do either! This taco recipe is super simple, quick, and delicious. Of course, I am pushing you on the taco-ness of Tuesdays but naturally, you could have this any morning, or even any day or night. The only downside about the Taco Tuesday morning is sadly, you cannot accompany it with a tasty beer. However, that just means you’ll have to celebrate Taco Tuesday evenings as well. Did I twist your arm yet? Sorry! You’ll thank me later.
- 2 taco shells or small tortillas
- 1/2 a brick firm or extra firm tofu
- Handful of baby spinach
- 4-5 Tbl small white beans
- 3 Tbl diced ripe tomatoes (optional)
- 2 Tbl cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- Approximately 4-5 Tbl crumbled feta (optional)
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Dash of cumin
- Dash tumeric (optional)
- Sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
- Olive oil for pan
- Heat the oil in pan and add garlic - cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute
- Add tofu, white beans, tomato, seasoning, salt & pepper - cook for about 4-5 minutes
- Add spinach & cilantro - cook for about 1-2 minutes more
- Add half of the feta to the bottom of each taco shell and divide the tofu etc from pan into both shells
- Sprinkle the remainder of the feta on the top of both taco shells
- I HIGHLY suggest making your taco shells the way I mention in my post. Use a tortilla, heat it whilst bended, and turn it into a shell. You can do this while your tofu is cooking. With some tortillas, you can even place the tofu etc (once cooked) inside the tortilla and then put the tortilla back in the pan, fold it, and heat both sides. The latter is the best way in my humble opinion. Want to make it vegan? Remove the feta!
Croissant Egg/Egg Monster/Breakfast Feast!
I was looking to be glutenous on a Sunday morning way back when. Well, I’m always looking to be glutenous on every Sunday morning. I LOVE breakfast but sometimes have a hard time finding something different. I wanted a breakfast platter of sorts and before I knew it I ended up with this feast! I have never thought of having mushrooms as a side for bfast until traveling around Europe. Many of the hotels offered this and as a mushroom lover I thought to myself, “why the ‘bleep’ haven’t I thought of this?! I eat mushrooms with everything!” So, after beating myself up about it right, left, and center I decided this would now be a weekly staple. What to add with this staple? Well, after being reminded of these amazing European hotels I was quickly reminded of the awesome croissants they served, next came the thought of eggs, then toast, fruit, and my mind soon arrived at the recipe platter below. Simple, quick, delicious, satisfying, and seemingly grander than it really is (who doesn’t love that?)… I present to you… drum roll please… “Croissant Egg/Egg Monster/Breakfast Feast!”
Croissant Egg Sandwich & Breakfast Feast!
- 4 eggs
- 2 croissants
- 2 pieces delicious sandwich bread
- 2 slices cheese (I used white cheddar)
- 4 medium slices ripe & juice tomato
- Small handful of arugula
- 1/2 C mushrooms (I used oyster mushrooms)
- 1 Tbl fresh oregano - chopped (or 2 tsp dried oregano)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Oil for pan
- 1 C fruit of your choice (I used diced melon & strawberries)
- Breakfast potatoes (find this recipe in my California Omelette with Homemade Breakfast Potatoes Recipe) or hash brown patties per plate
- Slice open croissants and top each with a piece of cheese, two slices of tomato, and arugula
- Scramble your 2 eggs with salt, pepper, and oregano (save some for mushrooms)
- Place eggs on top of croissant. Voila!
- Cut a small & circular hole in each piece of bread
- In a heated pan, place bread & crack your egg in the hole (cook to desired temp) - sprinkle with salt and pepper. Done!
- Heat pan with oil & throw in mushrooms. Add salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes depending on the type of mushrooms. Finished!
- Put each of the sandwiches on both plates
- Add potatoes, mushrooms, and fruit as a side
- Enjoy your feast!
- Serve with a nice Bellini or Kir Royal, an amazing cup of coffee, and you've started out your Sunday more than successfully! Now, you've guaranteed yourself an awesome day!
Sesame Soba Soy Scallion Noodles
Try saying that one five times in a row! Unlike the challenging title, this dish is so easy to make and absolutely scrumptious! It was amazing how long I had been living in China before I started to get my feet wet with basic Chinese or other Asian dishes. I had been tooling around with udon noodles and this incredible and common chili sauce here but that was about it. This noodle dish is refreshing, simple, and most likely something a bit different than your day-to-day noodle nom-noms. Usually, noodle for me equals Italian food. However, both this dish and the recipe that will be posted afterwards are indeed Asian inspired. I made them both last year when I decided to spoil the crap out of my husband for his entire birthday weekend. I literally cooked him crazy awesome and sometimes crazy involved meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner 3 days in a row. I know, I know, how insane or insanely nice of me, right? Well, selfishly, as this is my hobby, it was a fantastic opportunity for me to concoct some creations I’d had brewing in my brain for some time. I loved every second of it! Enjoy!
Sesame Soba Soy Scallion Noodles/Best Veggie Inspired Pho ever!
- Soba noodles (9 oz)
- 1-2 Tbl sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup mushrooms (I prefer Shitake) - halved
- 1 small cucumber - juilienned
- Lime wedges
- 2 cups scallions - diced
- 1-2 cloves garlic - minced
- Handful of cilantro - chopped
- 2 Tbl fresh ginger - minced
- 1 Tsp pickled chili with garlic sauce (optional)
- 3-4 Tbl sesame oil
- 1 1/2 - 2 tsp chili oil (optional but highly recommended)
- 2 Tbl honey or agave nectar
- 4-6 Tbl soy sauce or Braggs Amino Acids
- 2 Tbl rice wine vinegar
- Mix sesame & soy sauce in bowl
- Cook noodles
- Mix sauce, sesame seeds, cucumbers, mushrooms, and noodles in bowl - mix well
- Serve cold and garnish top with sesame seeds and a sprinkle of green onion. Put 1-2 lime wedges in each bowl to be squeezed on top.
- Add peanut sauce to make this a sesame/peanut noodle dish! Just remove the chili option.
- This serves between 2-4 people.
Pita & Parmesan Eggs w/ Tomato
This recipe was made completely randomly with the left overs in my fridge. I had pita and tomatoes from some Greek food I had made the day before, extra eggs, and I almost always have parmesan cheese. This plus a few herbs and voila! A simple, quick, and delicious breakfast was born. Honestly, this could easily be one of those breakfast for dinner dishes. Whatever the time of day, it’s a great & easy dish to add to your repertoire. Not to mention, if you’ve read the “About Me” portion of my blog you’ll know that this goes along with my food philosophy. Like the mind, food is a terrible thing to waste!
Pita & Parmesan Eggs w/ Tomato
Pita & Parmesan Eggs w/ Tomato
- 2 pitas (preferably flat bread pitas)
- 2 eggs
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 6 cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- Small handful fresh (or 1 Tbl dry) flat leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup (or just shy of) shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbl olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste (I use a fair amount of both)
- Put the olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt & pepper in a bowl and toss together
- Lightly toast the pitas
- Fry the eggs in the pan (I prefer over-medium)
- Put an egg over each pita and split the tomato bowl over each pita
- Sprinkle with loads of parmesan
- Optional: Garnish with additional parsley & salt and pepper. Cut into triangles.
- You can use any herbs that your heart desires!
Brie & Basil Pasta
Okay, this is an amazing dish! It’s amazing because it’s delicious, quick, and super easy. Up until I was about 8 years old, my mother predominately cooked Italian food. She had me at a young age, didn’t know anything about cooking, and followed my grandmother’s (dad’s side) homemade cookbook that was comprised of recipes on index cards from the typewriter. Well, my mother most definitely mastered pasta dishes, and today, is an absolutely incredible cook. Honestly, I don’t think she even makes much pasta anymore. She cooks a wide variety of healthy and delicious meals. I never could’ve became a vegetarian at eight years old if she didn’t keep me so well fed. What 8 eight year old in 1989 was eating quinoa? No one had even heard of that grain at that time. My friends used to come over and ask what weird food we had that day. Not weird bad, just weird different. I remember her taking me to the local health food store when I was 9. The woman was holding a workshop about vegetarianism after the store closed for the night (1990- awesome, right?). She taught us how to make vegetarian jello, delicious grain dishes, and why it can be such an incredibly healthy way of life. In hindsight, this was so cool!
This Brie and Basil pasta was a VERY popular dish in my household when I was young. The smell of it today still reminds me of my childhood. It’s a tasty flashback indeed. This dish couldn’t be easier. If you’re looking for a quick and delicious pasta you’ve found your recipe here. Mangia!
Brie & Basil Ingredients
- 1 lb linguine pasta
- 1/2 C quality extra virgin olive oil (sometimes I add a splash more)
- 7 very ripe tomatoes - diced (preferably off the vine)
- 1 C fresh basil - loosely chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic- minced
- 1 1/4 lb brie cheese - diced (peel off outer layer)
- Salt & ground pepper to taste
- Optional: Sprinkle each bowl with some freshly grated parmesan cheese & additional cracked pepper
- In a bowl, add oil, tomatoes, basil, garlic, brie, and salt & pepper - stir well
- Cook your linguine
- Optional: Let bowl marinate for about 30 minutes to and hour
- Pour bowl of ingredients on top of pasta and stir
- Optional: Add the parmesan & extra cracked pepper now if you'd like
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves
- A fair amount of freshly cracked pepper is key for me in this dish. Also, you can toss a very small amount of recycled pasta water into this dish if you'd like!
Healthy & Hearty Cheddar Omelette
Okay, sometimes I really just need a plump Sunday breakfast. Well, almost every Sunday I feel this way. Again, my philosophy is to use whatever is in my fridge. I wanted something pretty healthy yet hardy and something my husband would eat as well (this can be a challenge). We had a tomato, cheddar, white beans, basil, and broccoli. Sold! 15 minutes later breakfast was served with some additional sides, not to mention a delicious bellini (prosecco and peach puree) to help wash down the delectable omelette delight. What a way to start my Sunday. In my opinion, the only way one should begin their Sunday. Now go cook your way into a relaxing end of your weekend!
- 4 eggs
- Small handful of basil - chopped
- 1/4 C cheddar cheese - diced
- Approx. 10 broccoli florets - diced
- 1 small tomato
- 1/2 15 oz can of white beans
- Shallot - diced
- Pinch of red pepper flake
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Olive oil for pan
- 6 strawberries
- 2 english muffins
- 4 hashbrowns
- Heat pan on low with olive oil. Add shallot and cook for about 3 minutes
- Add broccoli, white bean, tomato, salt & pepper, red pepper flake. Cook for 3-5 minutes
- Remove from pan, keep heat on, and re-oil
- Crack 2 eggs and lightly scramble. Add cheddar, pinch more salt & pepper, basil, and all other ingredients you've just cooked
- When bottom becomes lightly browned, fold omelette in half and briefly cook on both sides until egg center is fully cooked
- Do the same again for the other omelette. If you can do two pans at once or have a griddle I recommend doing this. Both omelettes will be perfectly hot and ready to eat together.
- Add side dishes and garnish with whole leaves of basil (optional)
- When I have brie cheese in the fridge I sometimes replace the cheddar. I love brie and basil together!
Veggie Twist on a BLT
- 2 slices hearty whole wheat bread - toasted
- 2 slices vegetarian bacon
- 2 medium slices of firm or extra firm tofu
- 1/2 avocado
- 2 slices of tomato
- 1 Tbl green onion - diced
- 6 baby spinach leaves
- 1 Tbl Vegenaise (my favorite is the grapeseed)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tsp taco seasoning
- 1 slice white american cheese (optional)
- Olive oil
- Coat tofu with oil and taco seasoning (both sides)
- Cook tofu on medium in pan until golden brown on both sides
- Spread the Vegenaise on both sides of toast
- Smash the avocado on both slices of bread and sprinkle with salt and pepper
- On one side of the toast place the spinach, bacon, and then tofu
- On the other side of toast place the green onions & top with cheese (optional), then top with tomato
- Put the pieces of bread together, slice in half, and enjoy!
- Smoked tempeh bacon is a very nice choice for your veggie bacon!
Tofu Tuna
- 3/4 C diced white onion
- 1 drained & pressed firm brick of tofu - crumbled
- 150 grams plain greek yogurt or Vegenaise (I prefer the grapeseed Vegenaise) OR half yogurt & half Vegenaise
- 2 grams crumbled dried seaweed
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 heaping Tbl dijon mustard (a bit more if you'd like)
- 2 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp tumeric
- 1 small stalk celery - diced
- Pinch of white pepper
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/4 tsp soy sauce (I use Braggs Amino Acids)
- Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Done!
- For a sandwich, I love this on a ciabatta roll with a piece of lettuce and a slice of provolone. The same with a wrap.
- Top on a bed of greens with some veggies for a delicious salad!
- Serve in a bowl as a dip with crackers and/or veggie sticks!
Hummus & Veggie “Sushi” Rolls
- 4 nori seaweed wraps
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 C hummus
- 1/2 a carrot julienned
- 1/2 a cucumber julienned
- 1/4 red pepper julienned
- 1/4 yellow pepper julienned
- 1 stalk green onion julienned
- 2 Tbl cilantro
- Smear hummus on all 4 wraps
- Either smash or use slices of avocado on top of the hummus
- Layer your veggies, green onion, and cilantro and roll them up
- Cut each roll into 6 or 7 pieces
Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup
A delicious Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup. Vitamin and protein packed! Healthy, quick, easy to make, and delish! Slurp up and enjoy on a cold day!
- 3 Tbl olive oil
- 2-3 C vegetable broth (depending on the thickness you prefer)
- 1 onion- diced
- 2 heads of broccoli
- 1 carrot-diced
- 1 can of cannellini beans
- 2-3 Tbl flour (depending on thickness wanted)
- salt & pepper to taste
- Heat the oil in the pot and add the onion. Let cook for 3-5 minutes
- Add the carrot and cook for another 3-5 minutes
- Add the broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes
- Add the flour and cook for about 1 minute
- Add a pinch salt, white beans, and broth. Let cook for 3 minutes
- Take your immersion blender and blend until smooth
- Heat, stirring occasionally, the soup for about another 5-10 minutes. Add the rest of the salt & pepper
- This is so easy and delicious! Perfectly creamy soup for a cold day.
Amazing Hummus Veggie Sandwich
- 2 slices whole wheat bread
- 1/4 cup Hummus
- 1 small carrot (shredded)
- Approximately 1/4 cucumber sliced thin
- 1/2 of an avocado
- Pinch of salt (optional)
- Shred carrot
- Slice cucumber very thin
- Smash your avocado on both pieces of bread and then top with hummus
- Add cucumber
- Add carrot
- This is a delicious, healthy, and easy vegan sandwich. I do not recommend toasting the bread.
Lentil & Tofu Breakfast Quesadillas
- 2 eight inch sized tortillas
- 1 slice of jack cheese (you can use shredded as well)
- 1/4 slice of firm tofu brick
- 3 Tbl cooked lentils
- 2 Tbl cilantro
- 1 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- Pinch of chili powder
- Tbl olive oil
- Heat the olive oil in the pan
- Crumble the tofu and stir
- Add oregano and garlic salt and stir again
- Cook for 2 minutes
- Add lentils, cumin,and chili powder then stir
- Cook for 2 minutes
- Put in bowl and keep pan on
- Put one tortilla topped with cheese on the pan and place the ingredients from the bowl on tortilla
- Put the other tortilla on top of the filling
- Cook on each side until tortilla is slightly crisped
- Cut quesadillas in half both ways creating four triangles.
- Want to simplify this? Use taco seasoning instead of the recommended herbs and spices.
- Want to make it vegan? Scratch the cheese! You can smash & spread some white bean on either side of tortilla to help it bind together.
Lentil & Tofu Breakfast Quesadilla
