Spicy Shirataki Noodles

So my husband loves noodles and I'm always trying to find a way to make it new and interesting.  I think he would only eat noodles if he had the choice and I would blow my head off with boredom if I didn't change it up once in a while. 

For those of you that aren't familiar with them (which I'm pretty sure many are not because I wasn't) Shirataki Noodles have some evidence that glucomannan, when tested as a powdered supplement, can play a role in blood sugar control, as well as improve cholesterol control and weight loss. It also contributes to fiber intake and can be a substitute for starchy noodles.  The most common found in the USA are Tofu Shirataki Noodles which are great because they answer that pesky irritating question asked to vegans about your protein intake. 

There are a million different ways that these noodles can be served and here is one of the ways that I tried and really enjoyed.

 

 

Ingredients: 



• 5 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of lime juice
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 red pepper
• 1 8oz pack of Shirataki Noodles cooked as directed one package
• 1/2 basil leaves torn

Whisk together soy sauce, lime, brown sugar and rice vinegar.  Set aside. 

Heat oil in pan or wok over medium to high heat.  Add in garlic and jalapeno. Cook for 1 minute.  Add in onion and pepper; stir fry for five minutes or until onion is almost clear. 

Add in noodles and soy sauce mixture.  Simmer for five minutes.

remove from heat and toss with basil before serving. 

Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mashed sweet potato
• 1/2 cup veggie broth
• 1/2 cup non dairy milk
• 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest

To Garnish:

• Diced Avocado 
• Chips
• dash of chili powder

Preheat oven at 400 degrees and cook sweet potato until soft.

Add sweet potato, veggie broth and non dairy milk into blender and blend until smooth.  Add spice and salt and blend in.  Fold in Lemon zest as added into serving bowls.  Garnish with fresh cubed avocado and chips and enjoy!

Easy Vegan Migus

Mingus is a great Tex-Mex breakfast food traditionally made with eggs but this easy recipe uses tofu instead creating a hearty meal for a great start to a morning!

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves garlic (Minced) 
• 2 table spoons Mexican Seasoning
• 2oz Nutritional Yeast 
• half yellow onion (diced) 
• 1 Poblano pepper (Sliced) 
• 1 package firm tofu (Drained)  
• Corn Tortillas
• Salsa to taste
• Salt and Pepper to taste 

Heat small amount of oil into a pan over medium to high heat.  Add garlic, onion, pepper and tomato to pan and saute until they at soft and slightly golden brown.

After tofu is drained crumble into pan.  Add nutritional yeast and mexican seasoning.  Cook through (About 8 minutes)

In second pan heat tortilla's for about 1 minute on eat side.  Plate and serve with salsa, tortillas and Migus.  Add salt and pepper as desired.  

Vegan Lettuce Wraps

This is always such a good summer food and being in the hot Texas weather only makes me want to eat lighter.  Lettuce wraps are light, easy to eat and delicious. They make a great snack, meal or party munch.

Ingredients:

•  Cashews

•  Tempeh

•  Stir-Fry Sauce

•  Ice berg Lettuce

•  Shredded Carrot (Shredded)

•  Green Onions
 (Diced)

 Heat skillet over medium high heat. Add cashews. Toast cashews until lightly brown, stirring several times. Remove cashews from pan.

Add small amount of vegetable oil of your choice. Remove tempeh from package and dice into manageable bites. Add tempeh to pan.  If you want extra sauce for dipping or drizzling, add to the skillet while marinating.

Add stir-fry sauce and cashews and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed

Remove leaves from the head of bibb lettuce, rinse and pat dry if necessary. Stack smaller leaves inside larger leaves for added wrap strength, if desired

Spoon tempeh mixture onto each lettuce stack and top with shredded carrot and green onions.  

Quick Thai Slaw

Ready for those nice cool summer salads?  Me too!  Here is a new favorite of mine.

Ingredients:
1/2 head of red cabbage
1/2 head of white cabbage
2 carrots grated
4 tbsp veggie broth
4 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp Peanut butter

Lime wedges and crushed peanuts as garnish

Whisk together broth, vinegar and peanut butter until smooth and creamy.

Toss with cabbage and carrots until coated.  Add additional garnishes before serving cold.

Crispy Rice Balls

So this was inspired by one of my favorite places to eat it Austin.  Sadly I live in San Antonio and there are only so many times I can justify driving the hour to Austin for the soul purpose of eating, so I am trying to figure out how to do some of these recipes on my own.  

Ingredients:  

Sticky Sushi rice- about 1/3 of a cup cooked per ball

1/2 cup of Soy Sauce

1/3 cup Rice Vinegar

1/4 cup of Sesame Oil. 

Piece of sea weed paper large enough to hold one of the rice balls each 

Steam rice as directed on the package.  Once it is finish let cool until it is cold enough to handle but not entirely cold.  Form the rice into tight balls, pressing them together hard so that they will not fall apart when put into pan.  You want these to have a flat top and bottom so that they can be evenly coated

Whisk together the liquid ingredients and pour into a pan over medium to high heat.  Once the liquid is close to boiling, carefully place rice balls into pan, turning them to coat with liquid.  Cook for about three minutes on each side.  

Drain off most of the excess liquid from the pan and put the pan back on the stove.  Continue to turn the rice balls in pan so that they do not stick.  Cook until both sides have a crisp texture.  Remove from heat.

Place each individual rice ball into a piece of sea weed paper and serve almost like a wrap. 

Enjoy while hot.  

Stuffed Mushrooms

So I just have to say that Mushrooms are with out a doubt one of the best foods ever.    In our package from greenling yesterday we got a half a pound of these beautiful button mushrooms.  They were so perfect; white and moist but still firm.

I decided to make this recipe for lunch and I hope that you enjoy it as mush as we do!

Ingredients:
- Baby Bellas or Button mushrooms
- 1 cup of whole wheat bread crumbs (Fresh is better)
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
-1 clove of garlic, pressed
-2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
-1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1+ Tbsp nutritional yeast
- Lemon juice to taste (optional)

If making your own bread crumbs, process about 2 slices of whole wheat bread in a food processor.   This makes about 1  cup of bread crumbs.    Set aside. 


Remove stems from mushrooms and chop them right up.  Toss mushroom tops lightly in 1 tbsp of olive oil and place on backing sheet.  Heat the rest of the oil in a pan over medium high heat.  Add garlic, onions and chopped up stems and sauté for 7 minutes.  Stir in salt, and then bread crumbs, basil, and parsley.


Evenly distribute mixture to mushroom caps.  Bake for 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of your mushroom caps and any considerations that your oven has.  Keep an eye on them that they don't get too brown. About five minutes before time is up sprinkle a tiny bit of nutritional yeast over the open and return to oven.  Remove and sprinkle with lemon juice.    Serve with a fresh salad or as a passed appetizer, and enjoy!  

Buffalo style tofu bits/ sandwiches

Ingredients:  

Buffalo Style Roasted Tofu
Serves 4

1 16-ounce block of extra-firm tofu
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Buffalo Sauce
1/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot Original Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1/8 cup Earth Balance Soy-Free Butter

Ranch Dressing
Makes a little over 1/3 cup

1/4 cup soy milk
1/4 cup Vegenaise or other vegan mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon granulated onion powder
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, combine the oil, salt and paprika. Cut the tofu into cubes and gently toss to coat with the mixture. Place each tofu cube in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast for 15 minutes on each side.

In a pan, melt the butter. Turn off the heat and add the hot sauce. Stir to combine. Add the freshly roasted tofu and toss until coated. 

For the ranch combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Chill until ready to use.

Serve immediately with celery sticks and ranch or toast Kaiser rolls and make a sandwich with ranch, lettuce and tofu bits.  

White bean Rosemary Soup with Jumbo Croutons and Fresh Basil

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onions 
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 large cloves of minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons mustard 
• 1 teaspoons salt 
• Black pepper to taste
• 6 cups white kidney beans cooked
• 3 cups veggie stock 
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary 
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 1 batch of fresh jumbo croutons 
• fresh basil, juillian cut 

In a large pot on medium heat add oil, celery, onion, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom.

Add 4 cups of beans, veggie stock, water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of rosemary.  Increase and bring to a boil.  Once boiling reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat.  Using an immersion blender blend well.  Stir in remaining 2 cups of beans, lemon juice  and remaining rosemary.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in individual bowls with jumbo croutons and fresh cut basil.  Drizzle with olive oil if desired.

Baba Ghanoush

You know what I love about Mediterranean food?  Besides the fact that its part of my heritage, is so awesomely good for you and so nutritionally dense?  It's the fact that it is so easy to make.  There are so few ingredients that I always know what I'm making is going to taste amazing!  From a great hummus to a tomato and basil salad I am always satisfied.  Try this recipe on for size.

• 1 eggplant
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• 
  
• Cut Eggplant in half and place on baking sheet make holes in the skin with a fork. Roast it for 30 to 40 minutes, until soft. Remove from oven and let cool. Using a serving spoon scoop out the insides of the eggplant and discard skin. 
• 
  
• Place eggplant, lemon juice (please keep in mind that I like mine super tangy so if that is not your taste use less lemon juice), tahini, sesame seeds, and garlic in an electric blender, and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer eggplant mixture to a medium size mixing bowl, and slowly mix in olive oil. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

 Serve with pita, crackers or use as a sandwich spread.

Raw "Peanut" Noodles

For the Dressing:

• 1" ginger
• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons roasted sesame oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup of white miso
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons high quality shoyu or soy sauce
• 1/3 cup water

Blend all of the ingrediants together in a food processor or high speed blender until creamy.

For the Noodles:

• 2 small zucchinis  sliced with a veggie pealer
• 1/2 red pepper, sliced into matchsticks 
• 1/2 carrot sliced into matchsticks
• 1/2 cucumber grated or pealed into long strips 
• Scallions of green onions for garnish

To actually assemble the dish take all of the veggies and toss together in 1/4 cup of the dressing, adding more if necessary.  Sprinkling with the scallions or green onions as garnish.

I also personally really like adding mug beans to this recipe.  

Garbanzo "Tuna" Salad Sandwich

This is an idea I got from Counter Culture and I just had to try it myself.

Ingredients:
- 1 can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 prog of celery, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup of non dairy mayo
- salt and pepper to taste

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse 10-15 times.  Place on top of hoggie roll with tomato and lettuce.

As a side just serve as is.

Enjoy!

Amazing Raw Lunch

So I tend to eat more raw food in the summer and it does my body good work. I get less bloated, feel lighter and the people who have to look at me in a swim suit while tubing thank my veggies!

Here is my amazing raw lunch for today.

Summer

Salad:
-one avocado, chopped
-1 red chili, diced
-2 roma tomato's, chopped
-1 1/2 cup of corn
-handful of cilantro
-1/2 cup of red pepper, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients into bowl and mix well. Place on two leaves of butter lettuce. You can either roll these into the leave as rolls or just eat as a salad. This will go a long way. Refrigerate rest.

Tomato Cucumber "Caprese"
-1/2 tomato, thinly sliced
-1/3 cucumber, thinly sliced
-1 teaspoon lemon juice
-pepper to taste

Take thin slices and arrange alternating. Squeeze lemon juice over and then sprinkle pepper.

Stuffed Tomatoes/ Peppers

2 large ripe tomatoes
4 tbsp extra version olive oil
2 large green or red peppers
2 onions (Chopped)
2 garlic cloves (Crushed)
2 oz of chopped raw almonds
1/2 cup of brown rice
1/2 an onion of mint (Chopped)
1/2 an oz of Parsley (Chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Cut tomatoes in half and scoop out the pulp. Roughly chop the pulp and set the outer parts on a paper towel. Half the peppers and leave the cores intact. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Brush the cores with oil. Bake the peppers for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper after removal. Put the peppers and tomatoes in an oven proof backing dish and set to the side.

Sautee onions in remaining olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and almonds and sautee for an additional minute.

Remove from the pan and stir in with rice and all the other ingredients. Season well with salt and pepper then spoon the mixture into the tomatoes and the peppers.

Pour 2/3 of water into the baking pan to keep moist as they cook. Put into the oven for 20 minutes. Remove a sprinkle with any additional almonds and olive oil. Return for another 20 minutes until they are golden.

I served this with an onion soup and bread. Yum!

Cold Summer Quinoa Salad

There is a recipe that is very similar to this at Central Market that I absolutely love! Its close to an addiction that's how much I love it. But at nearly 6 dollars a pound I would be better off having a drug addiction.

So I looked at the ingredients on the label and decided to give it a try myself! This is a great food to have at dinner. Even better then that it keeps for about 4 days and is easy to stick in a Tupperware container and take anywhere with you!

Ingredients:

-1 cup of dried tri-color Quinoa
-2 Cups of water
-1 red pepper (Chopped)
-1 can of organic corn (Drained)
-1 large avocado (Chopped)
-handful or cilantro (Chopped)

Please keep in mind that this will cook quite a bit.

Cook Quinoa as you normally would. For those of you who have never cooked quinoa its almost just like cooking couscous. Bring water to a boil before placing drained quinoa into the pot. Cover and simmer until it is clear.

Move and chill until cold. In a large bowl mix the rest of your ingredients. Mix in Quinoa and stir everything together well.

Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Onion Medley

Ah, the first of another month...a new beginning. I like to view the first of a month like most people view the new year, a new start and a time to renew my ideals. In this busy life it is easy to forget our basic life style. We need more then once a year to remember what we believe in. I like to start it off with a new recipe!

Ingredients:
-2 sweet potato's (Cubed and Peeled)
-1 red onion (coarsely chopped)
-1 tbs olive oil
-salt
-pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss potato and onion in oil, salt and pepper. Arrange on baking sheets covered with parchment paper and pop into the oven for 30 minutes or until it is soft to a fork.

Dressing:
-4 tablespoons olive oil
-1 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
-2 tablespoons chopped parsley
-salt
-pepper

Whisk together.

Once the medley is roasted toss in the dressing mixture. Serve hot or keep refrigerated until ready to eat.

Vegan Pho

Pho is an awesome Vietnamese noodle soup traditionally made with beef. I live for a place in San Antonio called Pho Sure. I highly suggest trying it out as well as trying your own recipes with all different Kinds of Asian veggies. This meatless version, is made with most of the same ingredients but subs out beef for tofu and a ton of veggies!


Serves 4 (Large portions!)

8 ounces dried rice noodles
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pack of soft tofu cut into squares
6 cups vegetable stock or water
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons miso paste
1/2 teaspoon Asian chile paste (or to taste)
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
3 to 4 scallions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons basil leaves
4 Shitaki mushrooms
water chestnuts

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the rice noodles, and let them sit for 30 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.

Bring the stock or water to a boil in a large pot. Add the onion, ginger, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice.

Place 1/2 cup of the hot liquid into a small bowl. Add the miso paste and stir to blend well. Transfer the blended miso paste into the soup along with the chile paste, if using. Stir in the noodles, tofu and water chestnuts.Do not boil but simmer for several more minutes to.

Divide the soup among individual bowls. Add the bean sprouts, scallions, cilantro (I get mine from my own garden), and basil.

Spicy Cauliflower and Onion Coucous

Spicy Cauliflower
Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower
Creole Spice
Red pepper flakes
onion flakes
Olive Oil

Slice the cauliflower thin, removing the steams and greens. Mix up the ingredients in a large bowl and sit at room temp for a half an hour to am hour.

Heat up pan at medium to high heat and pour mixture into the pan. Sautee this until the cauliflower is soft. Serve.

Coucous

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of veggie broth or water
1/2 an onion Chopped
1 cup of whole wheat couscous

Boil Liquid. Once it is at a rolling boil. Pour in couscous and remove from heat. Cover. Heat onion in a pan and sautee until clear. If it sticks add a touch of oil. Stir in onion. Serve.

Sesame and Ginger Tofu and Black/Brown Rice

3/4 cups of Black and brown rice
1 bunch of Spinach
3/4 tbsp veggie oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp ginger, chopped
3 scallions, White and green parts separated
1 pack firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 tbsp sesame oil
Lime wedges for serving

Steam Rice according to directions. Fluff and set aside.

Steam the spinach in the veggie oil over medium heat for 2 minutes and set aside. I like to drain any excess oil out...because I hate that oily taste.

Sautee the garlic, ginger and the white parts on the scallions in the remaining oil until it smells...amazing! About 1 minute. Add the slices of tofu into the mixture along with the sesame oil and cook until tofu is golden on both sides.

Remove the tofu and toss the rice that you had set to the side into the pan, cooking it until crisp.

Serve with the spinach and tofu on top. Garnish with lime wedges and the green parts of the scallions.

Leek and Potato Soup

I do not do well in the cold anymore and it has been cold here in North Carolina! I am visiting my parents for Christmas and my father is one of those people who though his house has to have a heater, that does not mean he has any intention of using it.

My Solis? Soup. I have been making most of my meals so a nice leek soup seemed to be a good way to go. In fact it was so good that my whole family, despite the fact that they always make fun of my vegan tendencies, joined in on some!

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts washed and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch cubes
4 cups vegetable stock
2-3 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves

Heat soup pot over medium heat and add the oil.

Add the leeks, onion, and sea salt and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion begins to turn translucent.

Add the garlic and stir well. Cook for 1 minute more.

Add the potatoes and vegetable stock, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook 20 minutes.

Remove the soup from the heat and use an immersion/stick blender to blend the soup in the pot or ladle the soup into a blender, 1 cup at a time. Blend the soup with the fresh rosemary leaves until smooth and free of chunks. Pour smooth soup into a heat-proof bowl and continue until all of the soup has been blended.

Transfer the blended soup back to the original soup pot and warm over low heat until heated through. Serve hot.