Recipes
Smoothie
1 cup frozen mango
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 can coconut milk
agave nectar or sugar to taste (optional)
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Enjoy!
Hummus
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 15oz can of chickpeas (drained)
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup tahini
1 tsp dried parsley or 1 tbsp fresh parsley
salt to taste
Place garlic and oil in a blender or food processor and processed until garlic is minced. Add tahini, lemon juice, and chick peas and process until smooth. While food processor is running, add parsley and then salt to taste.
Hummus will keep in tightly covered container in refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Pasta sauce
½ onion, chopped
½ carrot, chopped
½ stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 T oregano
1 T basil
1 T thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Add oil and a little salt to a pot on medium heat. When oil is hot, add onion, stirring occasionally. When onion turns translucent, add garlic, carrot and celery, stirring occasionally. When the carrots start to turn soft, tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer 5-10 minutes.
Refried beans
½ onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic
chili powder to taste
1 can refried beans
Add oil and a little salt to a pot on medium heat. When oil is hot, add onion and garlic, stirring occasionally. When onion turns translucent, add chili powder. Toast powder for about 30 seconds, then add beans and salt to taste. Heat, covered, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When beans are heated through, turn off the heat.
Mexical rice
½ onion, chopped
½ carrot, chopped
½ stalk celery, chopped
1 c white rice
1 2/3 c water
½ t salt
5 T salsa
Add oil and a little salt to a pot on medium heat. When oil is hot, add onion, stirring occasionally. When onion turns translucent, add carrot and celery, stirring occasionally. When the carrots start to turn soft, add rice, water, ½ t salt and salsa. Cover. When water starts to boil, turn heat to low. After 20 minutes, turn heat off and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Uncover and stir.
Roasted summer squash
4 c summer squash, chopped
2 T thyme
salt to taste
Preheat oven to 425F. Put squash in an oven safe dish. Drizzle oil over squash and mix thoroughly. Be careful not to drench the squash with oil. Add thyme and salt to taste, mixing thoroughly. Put it in the oven. After 25 minutes, stir the squash around and put it back in the oven for 15 more minutes.
Split pea soup
½ onion, chopped
½ carrot, chopped
½ stalk celery, chopped
1 c dried split peas
2 small potatoes, shredded or finely cubed
5 c water
cumin to taste
salt to taste
Add oil and a little salt to a pot on medium heat. When oil is hot, add onion, stirring occasionally. When onion turns translucent, add carrot and celery, stirring occasionally. When the carrots start to turn soft, add the split peas, potatoes and water. Cover. When water starts to boil, turn heat to low. As soup cooks, add water as needed to maintain a consistency you like. When peas dissolve into the soup, add cumin (start with 3 t) and salt (start with ¾ t) to taste.
Lima bean soup
½ onion, chopped
1 c dried lima beans
5 c water
salt to taste
Add oil and a little salt to a pot on medium heat. When oil is hot, add onion, stirring occasionally. When onion turns translucent, add lima beans and water. Cover. When water starts to boil, turn heat to low. Cook for about 2 to 3 hours until the lima beans get soft. As soup cooks, add water as needed to maintain a consistency you like. At the end, add salt to taste (start with ½ t), cook 10 more minutes, then take off heat.
Veggie Pockets
2 pieces pita bread
1 carrot, grated
2 leaves romaine lettuce, torn
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
8 oz canned black beans
4 T hummus
sunflower seeds
green or black olives (optional)
Spread the hummus on tortilla or inside pita pockets, then fill with veggies, beans, and seeds.
Lentil Mash
1 cup dried green lentils
2 T. olive or vegetable oil
¼ c shredded or finely chopped carrots
¼ c shredded or finely chopped celery
½ large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T paprika
2 t turmeric
½ t chili powder
salt and black pepper to taste
Rinse lentils then place in large pot with 2 cups water. Allow water to boil then reduce heat and simmer covered for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until lentils are soft. Drain lentils and set aside in a bowl. Then, add oil to the pot on medium heat. When oil is hot, add onion and garlic, stirring occasionally. When onion turns translucent, add carrot and celery, stirring occasionally. At this time, toss paprika, turmeric and chili powder with the veggies, stirring to coat for a couple of minutes. Now add the lentils and mix thoroughly. Turn off heat then mash lentil mixture for a minute or two. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.
At this point you may choose one of these variations:
Lentil Burgers
Sloppy Js
Stuffed Peppers
OR, you may freeze the lentil mash and use it at another time!
Lentil Burgers
lentil mash
1 cup panko bread crumbs or wheat germ
Cajun spice mix (or other spices you enjoy)
oil for brushing or frying
If you are baking your burgers, preheat oven to 425°.
In a wide bowl, mix the breading with the spices. Then, with your hands or a spoon, scoop out some lentil mash and shape into a patty. Dredge patty through the breading mixture and place on a plate. Repeat until you have made as many patties as you need for your meal. Refrigerate or freeze remaining lentil mash. Put any remaining bread mixture in tightly closed container and store in refrigerator.
Place breaded patties on oiled baking sheet and brush tops with oil. Bake for ~25 minutes, then remove from oven, flip over, brush with oil, then return baking sheet to oven for another 20 minutes. Patties are done when golden brown and crisp on both sides.
If you’d like to fry patties instead, once patties are breaded, fry one or two at a time, depending on the size of your pan, in about 1/8 inch oil. Flip after a minute or so. Continue frying until both sides are crisp and golden.
Sloppy Js
lentil mash
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 t oregano
2 t thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix tomato sauce into lentil mash over medium heat in large pot. Once heated, add spices. Spoon onto slices of bread or buns for sandwiches.
Stuffed Peppers
lentil mash
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
4 bell peppers, any color
1 c cooked rice
2 t oregano
2 t thyme
2 t basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix tomato sauce into lentil mash over medium heat in large pot. Once heated, add spices. Add cooked rice, mixing thoroughly into tomato-lentil mixture.
Cut tops off of peppers and set aside. Remove seeds and membranes. Fill peppers with tomato-lentil mixture then place tops on peppers. Place stuffed peppers in glass baking dish or on a baking sheet. Brush with oil and place in oven for 1 hour.
Kale and Chickpea Sautee
- 1/4c. vegetable broth
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2c. cooked chickpeas
- 1/2 head of green kale, cleaned and chopped
- Black pepper
Optional: chopped carrots, fresh snap peas, other vegetables and beans of your choice
Heat the vegetable broth in a large skillet (with a lid) over medium-high heat until just coming to a boil. Add the onions and garlic and allow to cook until onions are translucent and fragrant.
Add the chickpeas to the skillet and allow to cook until heated through. If you’re using other beans or vegetables, add them now, too. Finally, add the kale and cover the pan to allow it to steam in the remaining broth. (If your pan is like mine and doesn’t have a lid, you can just cover the whole thing with an upside-down heat-safe bowl.) Season to taste with black pepper and serve with brown rice or wrapped in a tortilla.
Baked Tofu
- 1 block of firm or extra-firm tofu
- 1 tbsp. olive oil, to coat
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce or Bragg’s
- Any or all of the following seasonings:
1 tbsp. thyme
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/2tsp. sage
1/4tsp. salt
1/4tsp. black pepper
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Press the tofu to remove the excess liquid. Cut into cubes or triangles of about 1/4″ thickness.
Coat a shallow baking dish or baking sheet with the olive oil and arrange the tofu in one layer on the sheet. Distribute the soy sauce evenly over all pieces of tofu.
In a small bowl, combine all the spices. Sprinkle over the tofu.
Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until beginning to turn golden brown and crispy, turning once.
Though the tofu definitely stands on its own, you may also want to add the following to your pan of baked tofu before cooking:
- Cubed sweet potatoes and black beans
- Diced onions, bell peppers, and barbecue sauce
- Cubed white potatoes and mixed root vegetables (carrots, turnips, onions, beets)
Pumpkin Lasagna Roll-Ups
- 1 package lasagna noodles (at least 12 whole noodles), cooked
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. oil OR 1/8c. vegetable broth
- 1 22oz can pureed pumpkin
- Splash of red wine
- 1 package firm tofu, pressed
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. oil
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- Pasta sauce (see recipe above or provide your own)
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, sautee the onion and garlic in the oil (or broth) until translucent and fragrant. Add the pureed pumpkin and the red wine and allow to cook until heated through.
Meanwhile, combine tofu, lemon juice, oil, garlic powder, and salt in a blender (or mix by hand with a whisk). Blend until all ingredients are combined and tofu is crumbled.
Lay out a lasagna noodle and spread a few spoonfuls of sauce along the entire length. Next, spread a few spoonfuls of pumpkin mixture. Finally, top with some of the crumbly tofu. Roll the lasagna from one end to the other and place in a greased baking dish. Repeat for all noodles until ingredients have run out.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Vegan Pumpkin Cookies
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice (if you don’t have pumpkin spice, combine 1/2 tsp nutmeg,1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp ground cloves)
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the pumpkin, sugar and applesauce.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, then add to the pumpkin, mixing well.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until done.
I really Hope this help you get started and help other's save money
-♥Essie
