I hate to waste food. So after a recent party instead of just tossing the leftovers, I made an effort to to come up with a meal that utilized the crudites that were left.
I didn’t want another raw food meal or a stir fry rice thingy.
This reminds me a little of pot roast; vegetarian style , of course.
It kind of looks like that, don’t you think?
I just sauteed the vegetables as they were, added them to some linguine added feta cheese, balsamic vinegar and Ghee. You could also use butter.
This was a complete meal and quite different from the ingredients original incarnation.
My secret ingredient ? Live music in my kitchen!
Check out this video performance of “Summertime” by Dolinar Spahija!
Meatless Monday! Broccolini soup and quinoa salad were the perect combo.
Quinoa is a complete protein and black beans, tomato and basil create a filling nutritious but light meal.
Olive oil and lemon dress the salad with salt to taste.
Quinoa is fast and easy to prepare; 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water, boil for about 15 minutes and you’re ready to go.
Just chop the rest of the ingredients and fold into warm quinoa. I used canned black beans so I rinsed them well to decrease the sodium content. I used about 1/2 can.
I made a quick “broth” for the soup by boiling the stems of the broccolini in water with garlic slices.
I boiled until tender then pureed in the food processor.
I then sauteed 1/2 onion and more garlic in olive oil and created a roux with 2 Tbspn of flour and 2 tbspn of butter.
Then 1 cup of half and half and 2 cups milk.
My girls wanted cheddar so I added about 3/4 of a cup.
I then combined everything in one pot to cook then added the tops of the broccolini to cook in the soup.
Warm and creamy with light and bright.
These tomatoes were the best. The juicy brightness set off the quinoa just right.
I wish that my meals looked as good as they taste.
How can I convince you that nutritious, yummy vegan meals are satisfying and delicious when they look so awful in photographs?
Food photography is indeed an art unto itself; an art which I have not mastered and do not see doing so in the near future.
However, making this stuff look good must take a talent far beyond my reach so I will have to ask you to indulge me; trust me, this food is great, not just nutritionally balanced but tasty!
When I make a meal like this I consider all the nutritional elements and the flavor notes, as well.
Some ingredients just lend themselves to certain herbs and spice combinations. Sometimes it’s nice to think outside the proverbial box and combine the unexpected.
And getting over the notion that you need a pound of flesh at every meal will liberate you to introduce your palate to flavors and textures that will seduce into a new way of eating.
It will also allow you to obtain necessary nutrition and micro-nutrients from foods which you haven’t been eating.
For my main meal of the day I consider a few things: I like to eat a lot of vegetables, I need to incorporate a healthy fat, and I like to make sure that there is protein.
Herbs and spices are important to healthy body function and can help fight off disease and increase overall wellness.
This recipe includes fresh ginger and garlic as well as crushed red pepper and red chili paste.
Coconut oil and avocado help provide that creamy mouth feel which leads to satiety and provide a vehicle for fat soluble nutrients.
Ingredients
1 TBSP coconut oil
2 TBSP red chili paste (or to taste)
1 TBSP crushed red pepper flakes
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced
fresh ginger to taste, sliced
2-3 Cups of broccoli
1-2 cups fresh spinach
1/2 cup pinto beans
1 avocado sliced, for garnish
Method
In a frying pan, saute coconut oil, garlic, ginger, red chili paste and crushed red pepper.
Add the broccoli and spinach and allow to cook; Just a few minutes on high.
Add 1/2 cup of pinto beans and allow to cook on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes.
OK. I know that some of my posts will seem really boring. I eat pretty much the same thing every day.
I follow a vegan diet and my children are primarily vegetarians; eating cheese and eggs.
But I am truly on a mission to make vegan meals tasty and completely nutritious and enjoyable for everyone. I also, try to keep these meals as inexpensive as possible.
I realize that there is a big emphasis on inexpensive meals, but keeping them nutritious is the real challange.
Adding veggies to everything is a great habit to get into and you will find that your cravings for less than healthy foods will decrease if you’re meeting your nutritional needs regularly.
Today I have put together some of my favorite flavors; garlic, coconut, peanut , and crushed red pepper.
I simply steamed the broccoli, spinach, and garlic. When that was done I added the crushed red pepper and the peanut sauce.
It was fantastic.
You can boil whole wheat pasta and add more of the peanut sauce and toss in the vegetables for a great meal or a side dish.
Use the pepper to taste. I love things hot and spicy but you could modify this.
