Yummy Shake

Nutribullet:

water
2 servings raw organic baby spinach
1 serving raw organic strawberries
1 serving vegan chocolate Shakeology

Yummm!

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Last week's great one was:

Nutribullet:

2 servings greens
1/2 serving fresh raw organic blueberries
1/2 serving fresh raw watermelon
lime flavored sparkling water

Yummm!

Here's the Stew Recipe from Today

Oil

Fresh garlic 2 or 3 cloves I forget which

+ garlic powder, a good deal

some hot pep, a little

4 potatoes partially peelled, and cut into chunks

½ large onion chunked

less ½ bag baby carrots, cut

stir

add half box Imagine brand "unchicken broth"

then a lot of dried rosemary, dried parsley, and some black pep

then bag of cut green beans

and half bag of collards

while cooking,

add great northern beans, a can, with some but not quite all of the gunk

Cook to boil then lower to simmer, lid askew, for about 45 minutes - 'til potatoes can be forked.

Yum

Is “like butter.”

My Great Yummy Health Pasta for SELF!

My Great Yummy Health Pasta for SELF!
From June 10, 2013. The first day I ate dinner at the table alone since before J left.

Boil water for pasta
Throw small bag of organic broccoli florets in for 5 minutes

Meanwhile, in large pan, put organice olive oil and Earth Balance
And hot pepper flakes
Add drained can of organic cut green beans
And jar of organic garlic sauce
While pasta cooking (see below) add 1 package of Punjab Eggplant. Yup. Really.

Add a little less than half a bag of frozen artichoke hearts to the broccoli water
And whole grain angel hair pasta
Cook – 4 minutes or so – test

Take a custard cup of the pasta water near very end, and add to sauce mixture in pan

Drain pasta and broccoli.
Put back in pot.

Cook for a minute or two, tossing.
Enjoy!

*Sit at table. Set it nicely. Eat slowly and savor it. It is good for you, and surprisingly delicious blend of colors, textures, and flavors. And very filling!

My Favorite Meal

It is a variation on the complete meal protein/veggie bake below
(My second favorite is the pasta with protein and veg)

I eat this probably 4 - 6 x a week (out of 21 meals)

Ingreds:

2 T Wesson canola oil (to use at two different times)
1 T olive oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 bag or 1/2 large bag frozen broccoli florets (or use spears but cut them after nuking)
1 bag or 1/2 large bag frozen spinach
1 bag or 1/2 large bag frozen collards
1 can artichoke hearts. I usually buy quartered, and cut them in half lengthwise again
a sprinkle of Wheat Germ (optional)
1 slice Ezekial 4:9 bread
1/8 or 1/4 cup Panko Italian bread crumbs
1 T Soy Garden Earth Balance (optional - could use more of either oil if prefer)
1 bag (4 cutlets) Gardein "chicken" scallopini

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit
Put 1 T Wesson in bottom of baking pan
Nuke the veggies just to defrost, one at a time, and layer in pan (I do about 2 minutes per)
Broccoli, then spinach, then collards
Then add the cut up artichoke hearts
Nuke for 1 or 2 minutes, the gardein (I buy frozen) then sautee as per directions - then cut up into bite-sized pieces and set aside
Sprinkle the Ezekial bread, crumbled
Sprinkle the Wheat Germ
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs
Sprinkle the 1 T of olive oil over it
Then the 1 T of Earth Balance (in bits all around)
Put the cut-up Gardein on top
Cover with aluminum foil
Bake for about 35 minutes - sometimes 40 - it should look a little tan or a little browned - not like raw beige breadcrumbs
Stir it all up

I love this hot, warm, cool, or cold from refrigerater
I get 6 servings out of this.
Will stay in fridge for like 8 days!

*I do NOT like it AS MUCH after freezing, so I don't do that anymore.

Caribbean Tasting Stewp

So delicious!
Very filling!
Too stewy to call a soup. But too liquidy to call a stew. Definitely will repeat this one!

Ingredients:

2 yellow onions
2 cloves garlic
Tablespoon or 2 of peanut oil
1 Knorr veggie boullion cube
Frozen spinach (2 handfuls?)
1 can and fire roasted tomatoes with green chilis
1 can chick peas
1 can white beans
1 can cut green beans
salt
pepper
garlic powder
hot pepper
oregano
thyme
about 2 T tahini
little less than 2 T Ghiardhelli unsweetened cocoa
a little cinaommon (1/2 teaspoon?)
Bulgur - optional
1 can coconut milk - optional

Directions:

Soften the onions and garlic in the peanut oil
Then remove lid and continue cooking until golden

In the meantime, half-fill soup pot with water and add the bouillion cube
Throw in the spinach
Add the can of diced tomatoes
salt
pepper
Then add the onions/garlic
And the chick peas, white beans, and cut green beans
Now add the garlic powder, hot pepper, oregano, thyme, tahini, cocoa, and cinammom

Bring to a full boil

Then lower to simmer.
Simmer, lid askew, for 1 hour and 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Last, IF DESIRED (it's good before this too!):
Add the bulgur (two handfuls?)
And the can of coconut milk
Stir
Continue cooking on simmer with lid askew for 20 minutes.

Enchilada Casserole

Mexican Lasagna (or Enchilada Casserole)
I *think* this comes from fatfreevegan.com
It tastes, in my opinion, almost like junk food (in a good way) but is actually good for you.

Ingredients
• 1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• corn tortillas – at least 12
• 3 cups (28 ounces) fatfree vegan refried beans
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 tsp. chili powder, divided
• 1/2 tsp. cumin, divided
• 3 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 can enchilada sauce (or 1 1/2 cups homemade)
• sliced black olives

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In a non-stick pan with a little water (1 tbsp.), sauté the peppers, garlic, and onion for about 3 minutes, or until softened. Set aside.
3. Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Line the bottom with a layer of tortillas (you may cut some of them to fit). Make sure you cover the entire bottom of the pan.
4. Stir the refried beans and spread half of them evenly over the tortillas. Cover the refried beans with half of the pepper-onion mixture and half of the tomatoes; sprinkle with half of the seasonings and half of the black beans.
5. Add another layer of tortillas and repeat the layers of the other ingredients. Spread the cup of salsa over the final layer of black beans. Cover with a final layer of tortillas, pour the enchilada sauce over the top, and sprinkle with black olives. Cover and bake for about 30 minutes or until hot throughout. It will be easier to cut if you allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Fresh corn is a great addition to this. I use about 2 cups of uncooked (or frozen) corn and add it as one more layer. You may need a deeper pan, though.

8 servings

PS Of course, if like, can serve with on the side for people to put on: shredded lettuce, guacamole, even vegan sour cream (although that would be the one "fake" ingredient, so I'll skip)

Great Pasta Dish with Protein and Veggie

Great Pasta Dish
Boil water with some salt for pasta
In large fry pan put oil and coo 4 Gardein “chicken” scallopini
Remove the “chicken” and cut it up
In same pan heat sauce – Ragu garlic something is good
Add one can French style green beans to the sauce and a little hot pepper
Cook whole grain linguini, undercook it by about 2 minutes
Drain and put into pan with the sauce and green beans and heat for about 2 minutes
Add the Gardein

Greens, Beans, and Pasta

I just made this and tasted it.
I was thinking of a friend of a much older relative, who grew up during the Depression. She said all they ate growing up was, "Greens, beans, and more greens." And boy were they healthy - even into much later years.
Well, we're trying to conserve money, and to eat better, so I just made this and tasted it - I like it!
It's probably something millions of people have done, but I never thought of it until just now. It's a keeper. Leave out the collards if you want. Add a bit of broccoli if you want. It will still be good I'm sure (think of the classic pasta garlic/oil/broccoli dish)

Here it is:

Great Greens/Beans/Pasta Dish

This is tasty to me. I can taste the garlic and the spinach and the pasta, and a little bit, the collards.

It’s very healthy and will probably be about 6 portions or so. It’s easy, quick, and inexpensive too. This will be a repeat.

1. Boil water for one box whole-grain pasta (I used Barilla whole grain penne)

2. Nuke to defrost about 1 box plus 2 handfuls from a bag, of frozen spinach (I did it that way 'cause it's what I have - so, about 12 – 14 ounces?)
And about 6 – 8 ounces frozen collards with it ( I took it from a bag)

3. Heat on stovetop – 2 Tablespoons olive oil, with nice amount of garlic and a bit of hot pepper

4. Add to the oil, garlic and hot pepper, one can of white beans, NOT drained (the gunk should go into the pan with the beans)

5. Stir as heating (on medium flame)

6. Add to the beans and oil mixture, the spinach collard mixture.

7. Keep heating that while the pasta cooks (for about 2 minutes less than the pasta box says to cook it), stirring sometimes. If the bean/veggie/oil pan starts to bubble, lower flame a little and stir – but you do want it to roll a little tiny bit.

8. Drain the pasta RESERVING THE LIQUID (I just place a bowl in the sink under the collander)

9. Now throw the pasta into the pan of greens/beans and oil – or, if like mine, that pan is too small, then throw the pasta back into the pot you cooked it in, and add the beans/greens/oil mixture to that bigger pot.

10. Add in two cups of the reserved pasta liquid and stir that all up now.

11. Mix it in, while heating for about 2 minutes.

Enjoy!

Such Yummy Soup

I wanted to use up some more of my not-needed-after-all hurricane supplies (canned food).

Here's what I made, and it is YUMMY and very filling too!

Such Yummy Soup

Soften then sauté 2 yellow onions in olive oil and a bit of soy margarine like Earth Balance

In large stock pot, pour two containers (boxes) broth:
One vegan veggie broth
One vegan “chicken” broth

Add to large pot:
Two (kind of large) glasses water
Garlic powder
Hot pepper
1 can green beans, French style
1 can spinach
Some frozen spinach
1 can pinto beans
1 can white beans
Dried parsley
Dried rosemary
And the onions

Bring to boil
Then simmer, lid askew, for about 2 hours.

It makes a delicious soup!

Then, if you want to take it up a notch, here's what I did next, and it became an amazing soup! Here it is:

For about another 20 minutes, add some bulgur - it becomes a totally complete meal!
And some coconut milk - because - yum and creamy (and healthy too)

Our Chili

Our Chili
(This one DOES use some “fake meat stuff.” But it’s really easy, quick, delicious, and helps us with weight loss, so I thought I’d include it here)

*Also very well received at pot-luck type gatherings.
*And great on a work-night.
*Freezes very well
*I even like it cold the next day as well as reheated!

Ingredients:
4 Boca Burgers (vegan - 1 box) OR Lightline grounds (12 oz) + 2 gardein "chicken" (5 oz) scallopini
2 cans (15-ounce each) red kidney beans – with the liquid
2 cans (15-ounce each) stewed tomatoes – with the liquid
2 large Spanish onions
1/3 jar salsa
Earth Balance (soy margarine)

Directions:
Fry the onions in the soy margarine. (Soften in covered pan, then remove lid to let them brown).
Meanwhile:
In large pot (Dutch oven is fine), heat the kidney beans and stewed tomatoes.
Microwave the burgers. Chop them up.
When they’re ready, add the burgers to the pot.
When they’re ready, add the onions to the pot.
Add the salsa to the pot.
Bring to boil for a second, then lower to simmer, with lid on but askew.
Simmer 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, and after 15 minutes, add a tablespoon of vinegar.

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Complete Meal Yummy Veggie Bake

Complete Meal Veggie Bake

1. Pre-heat oven to 375.

2. Put in baking pan:

some canola oil
then
• 2 – 3 large carrots, washed and cut up
• 2 nice size onions, cut up (not too small – how you want to feel them in your mouth)
• few stalks celery washed and cut up, no tops (not the leafy part)
• 1 bag frozen broccoli florets, defrosted in microwave
• ½ bag frozen collard greens (they come already chopped in the bag) defrosted in microwave
• 1 box frozen spinach defrosted in microwave
• artichoke hearts, about ½ bag Trader Joe’s frozen defrosted in microwave OR 1 can (drained and quartered lengthwise) - better still, CAN artichoke hearts from supermarket, quartered lengthwise)
3. Mix this stuff up a bit

4. Then add:
• 2 slices Ezekial bread (really whole –grain, doesn’t even use flour!) broken up and scattered over the top
• about 2 T? extra virgin olive oil or more if you want
• seasoned breadcrumbs sprinkled over all
• olive oil (extra virgin) over the top of it all

5. Then on top of it all, 6 Gardein “chicken” fillets, frozen, cooked for like 2 – 3 minutes (it says on package) in pan with a little oil, so can cut up. – Buy them frozen, in health food store or some supermarkets – if don’t have, substitute the Gardein “chicken” scallopinni. Scatter the cut up pieces on top

6. Cover tightly and bake for about 40 minutes.

7. Remove from oven. Uncover. Mix it all in. Enjoy. (I like it even better cold from fridge for days!)

Mom and J's Lentil Soup

Put lentils in a pot (from plastic bag)
Cover with water
Add baby carrots - can chop, don't have to
And an onion, cut
And red pepper flakes - about 1/2 teaspoon - to taste
And little sage (1 teaspoon packed)
And 1 1/2 T olive oil
And a little salt (kosher)
2 - 3 packages of veggie bouillon or *chicken flavored vegan one*
CAN add celery but she doesn't
Put burner on medium
When boils, lower to simmer, with lid partially off
Stir every once in a while
Til cooked - about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally

*Can also be made in slow cooker!
*Also freezes well

Healthy
and good for weight
and easy
and inexpensive
and yum!

Mom's Pasta Fagioli

1. Oil in pan (2 T)
2. Add lots garlic powder and a little hot pepper (flakes)
3. Add can of crushed tomatoes

(Gonna cook a long time)

Meanwhile, after about 70 or 80 minutes, in another pot, boil water.
When ready, add pasta* (she uses ditaline; I use small whole-grain anything about 1/2 of a 13 oz box)

*About when the water is boiled and gonna add the pasta to it, add can of white beans with gunk to the sauce

When pasta done, drain and add to the beans in sauce. Stir.


Yum and healthy.
Easy and inexpensive.

Mom's Vegetable Stew

My precious mom devised this for me when I first became vegetarian, almost 21 years ago, and she didn't understand that but wanted to support it and be able to cook for me

*Filling and Delicious
Can have with a salad too or some nice whole grain Italian type bread
I love it hot, warm, or cold from fridge!
Even on a sandwich!

Add a little oil to a pot, and add garlic powder. Hot pepper (flakes) optional.

Blend one 28 ox. can crushed tomatoes in blender.

Add to pot and put gas on. Add 1/2 can of water.

Add two peeled potatoes, cut into pieces.

Add baby carrots and 1 pkg. frozen string beans.

Can also add 1 small can Le Seur peas.

let simmer for at least 1 1/2 hours - and test carrots with fork to make sure they are tender.

While simmering, stir every once in a while.

***It is much better than it sounds, and "sticks to your ribs."

Not Ricotta Stuffed Shells (from Daisy)

***I do not do the stuffed shells. I do lasagna, which tastes like pesto lasagna (!) or now that I'm not really eating such white flour, I just put this mixture on whole-grain pasta, like a pesto sauce stirring *well*, so that I'm just using the ingredients and ignoring the directions below.
If I can find whole-grain lasagna noodles or stuffed shells, I will try that too!

1. 12 manicotti pasta shells cooked, drained, and cooled
2. 14 ounces extra firm toru, drained & crumbled
3. Two tablespoons olive oil
4. Three cloves garlic
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt (she uses more, I use less than this even, or totally omit)
6. 1/3 bunch fresh spinach, roughly chopped.
7. One tablespoon crushed dry oregano.

Combine ingredients two through seven in food processor and process until creamy. Stuff each shell generously. Sppon your choice of tomato or spaghetti sauce across bottom of baking dish. Place shells in dish and drizzle a bit more sauce across the top of shells. Bake at 350 degrees until sauce is bubbly and shells are heated through.

Can freeze them individually. Vacuum seal in servings.

***I have also changed this a lot on different occasions, depending on what I have in the house. Like more spinach, or frozen spinach defrosted, fresh parsley, might add a few nuts sometime, add water if using blender instead of food processor and not blending well, ...might add basil this summer...Always yum! And has veggie and protein.

Great Way to Get in Greens

Broccoli Casserole

Pre-heat oven to 375
Defrost frozen broccoli, like a whole bag
Throw into casserole dish
Add a slice of Ezekial bread
A sprinkle of breadcrumbs
A bit of Earth Balance, dotted about
Cover
Bake for 35 minutes
Yummy and more than one serving
IMPROVED!:
only 2 - 3 measured teaspoons Earth Balance (use 1/2 teaspoon measure, so can dot around)
and 2 teaspoons olive oil
Still yum!

Veggie Casserole
Pre-heat oven to 375
Put into microwave safe dish, one box frozen spinach, about same amount frozen collards, less than that of frozen green beans and of frozen artichoke hearts
Defrost
Add a slice of Ezekial bread
A sprinkle of breadcrumbs
A bit of Earth Balance, dotted about
Cover
Bake for 35 minutes
Yummy, and get 4 servings out of this!

Alternatives to try.
Add broccoli to the Veggie Casserole.
Keep making it less and less rich.
Maybe some olive oil and even less Earth Balance.

Other Veggies that might be good in this kind of thing:
Cauliflower
Swiss chard?
Zucchini?

Great "Stuff I Had around" Soup!

Great Stuff-I-Had-around Soup

INGREDIENTS:

· 3 T extra virgin olive oil
· nice amount garlic powder (or cloves, if have)
· hot pep flakes (optional)
· about 15 baby carrots, cut up
· 2 large onions, cut up
· about 6 stalks celery, with tops, cut up
· one can white beans, drained and rinsed (standard like 14 oz size) (or use dried oned)
· one can chick peas, drained and rinsed (same size) (or use dried ones)
· one can diced tomatoes (large, like about 28 oz) (or can use fresh tomatoes, or sauce or Italian canned plum tomatoes, or crushed, I’m sure)
· veg broth – about 16 ounces – I used what I had leftover of 2 different types – I don’t think it matters – could probably use cubes if had to
· water
· about half bag frozen broccoli florets (could use fresh, I’m sure)
· one box frozen whole leaf spinach (could use fresh, or chopped, I’m sure)
· black pep
· dried oregano
· dried parsley (could use fresh, I’m sure)
· good amount sage
· even more rosemary

DIRECTIONS:
· Heat oil, garlic, hot pep (if using) in soup pot
· Add the carrots, onions, and celery
· Cook with lid on til softened (10 minutes or more)
· Remove cover and sautee (another 10 or so – they’ll start to look translucent), stirring a little bit
· Throw in the white beans and chick peas and diced tomatoes and veg broth , broccoli, spinach, and water (a cup or two of water – til you think it looks like you want it to)
· Add the spices
· Stir
· Bring to boil
· Then simmer, covered (or uncover on and off if it won’t stop boiling) for about 2 ½ hours, stirring every 10 – 15 minutes