Dinner – Page 7 – Kacey Tess

{Grandma’s} peas and potatoes

What you’ll need:

2 C milk (I use flax seed milk)
1/4 C butter (I use vegan butter)
6-7 red potatoes washed and cut into small chunks
1 small bag of frozen peas
1 yellow onion chopped finely
1/4 C unbleached all purpose flour
1 Tsp sea salt
2 Tsp black pepper
1/2 Tsp cayenne pepper
2 C cooked brown rice (cook according to the directions on the bag)
1/2 of one vegetable bullion cube

What you’ll do:
Put chopped potatoes in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil

Cook for about 10 minutes until potatoes are soft

Add peas and cook another few minutes until peas are warmed through

Drain the potatoes and set aside

In a large skillet add butter and onions

Cook 3-4 minutes until translucent

Add flour and mix thoroughly

Add sea salt, pepper and cayenne

Slowly add milk and mix well

Let cook for 2 minutes

Add potato and pea mixture

Add bullion to cooked rice

Mix thoroughly and serve with brown rice on top

Enjoy!!

Open face mashed potato sandwich

What you’ll need:

1 batch of vegan gravy (see earlier post)

5-6 red potatoes washed and quartered

1 C unsweetened flax milk (soy milk or rice milk would work also)

1 sprig of fresh rosemary

2 Tbsp vegan butter

Fresh ground pepper to taste

2 cloves of garlic chopped finely (optional, I don’t think it’s necessary if making the vegan gravy)

Sea salt to taste

Green onions chopped finely (white/light green parts only)

Bread of choice cut into medium slices ( I used kalamata olive bread)

Red pepper flakes (garnish)

What you’ll do:

Place quartered potatoes in boiling water and boil until soft

Drain all excess water

Add soy milk and mash

Add butter and mash again

Add rosemary, salt and pepper

Stir in green onions

Assemble sandwich by placing bread on a plate, add potatoes then top with gravy

Garnish with parsley and red pepper flake

I also baked the corn in the husk for 45 minutes directly on the oven rack at 350

Enjoy!!

Asparagus toast

What you’ll need:

2 pieces of whole wheat toast halved length wise

1 Avocado smashed (I add onion powder, sea salt and pepper to mine)

Balsamic vinegar (2-3 drops per toast)

4 pieces of arugula

12 pieces of steamed asparagus trimmed, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper

What you’ll do:
Place toast on plate
Add avocado
Add balsamic vinegar
Place arugula
Last, place asparagus

Enjoy!!!

Veggie pot pie casserole

What you’ll need:

1 package of extra firm tofu pressed (if you don’t have a tofu press place on a plate and wrap in paper towels, place heavy books or pans on top until excess water is removed)

Extra virgin olive oil

1 parsnip peeled and chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 russet potato peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
1/2 C sugar snap peas cut
1 yellow onion chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped finely
1/4 C unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 C water
1 vegetable bullion cube
1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1Tbsp nutritional yeast
Sea salt to taste
Plain bread crumbs
Black pepper to taste
Fresh rosemary
Fresh sage
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

What you’ll do:
Hear oven to 400
In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium and add tofu
Brown tofu
Remove tofu from skillet and set aside
Add more olive oil to coat the pan
Add garlic, onions and carrots
Cook until onions are translucent
Add potatoes, peas, and parsnips
Mix thoroughly
Add flour, soy sauce and 1/2 Tbsp of nutritional yeast
Add water and bullion
Mix thoroughly
Add sage, rosemary, sea salt and pepper, tofu
Mix again
Transfer to a glass baking dish
Top with nutritional yeast, bread crumbs and red pepper flakes
Bake for 10 minutes
When playing top with fresh rosemary or sage

Enjoy!!!

I served mine with whole wheat toast topped with fresh avocado and ground peppercorn

Whole wheat pasta with butternut squash sauce

What you’ll need:
1 batch of light fried eggplant(see previous post)

1 package of whole wheat pasta (I used whole wheat linguine)

1 package of fresh sage

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 butternut squash peeled and chopped into small cubes

2 garlic cloves chopped

1 Tsp red pepper flakes

1 yellow onion chopped

1 vegetable bullion cube

2 C water

1 Tsp agave nectar

Sea salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

What you’ll do:

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium
heat

Add sage and cook until crispy 2-3 minutes

Remove from oil and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil

Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper

Set aside

In the same skillet add the garlic, squash, onion and red pepper(you can leave out red pepper if you don’t like spicy foods)

Cook 10 minutes until soft

Add bullion cube and water

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes

While that is reducing cook pasta according to directions on the box

Strain, sprinkle with olive oil to help pasta from sticking to each other

Using an Emerson blender roughly blend the squash mixture, taste and add sea salt if needed

Add agave and lightly blend again

Add pasta to skillet and mix thoroughly

Put pasta on a plate, add fried sage and baby eggplant

Enjoy!!

Rosemary polenta with turmeric white beans

What you’ll need:

1 C uncooked polenta
3 C water
1 vegetable bullion cube
1 small fresh package of rosemary
1 can white beans drained and rinsed
2 cloves if garlic chopped
1/2 jar of marinated red bell peppers
1/2 Tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tsp turmeric
1 Tsp coriander
Sea salt to taste
2 celery stalks chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 bunch of young broccoli (opt)
1 bunch of green onions chopped (light part only)

What you’ll do:
Cook polenta according to directions on package, mine were quick so I brought 3 cups of water to a boil added to bullion and polenta, reduced the heat and wisked frequently for about 5 minutes

Add rosemary and remove from heat

Keep covered and set aside

In a large skillet add olive oil, red pepper flakes and garlic

Let cook for about 1-2 minutes

Add celery cook another 2 minute

Add beans and red pepper, cook until beans are heated through

Add 1 C of water and mash mixture

Add turmeric, coriander and sea salt to taste

Add cleaned, cut young broccoli

Let simmer covered until thickened a few minutes

Spoon the polenta mixture on a plate and cover with white bean mixture

Add broccoli and green onions

I also did a micro radish greens salad with cherry tomatoes and a homemade dressing of red wine vinegar, lemon juice, agave nectar and sea salt.

Enjoy!!!

Vegan ramen soup with tofu

What you’ll need:

1 package if extra firm tofu

1 package of refrigerated Undon or ramen noodles (discard sauce it comes with)

1 Tbsp soy sauce

Homemade or store bought vegetable stock (I use a spicy one my local store carries) 2 cups

2 cups of water

1 package if dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated and cut if desired

1 bunch of green onions chopped (white part only)

1 head of bok choy chopped (white parts separated from the green leafy part)

1/2 head of napa cabbage chopped

2 cloves of garlic chopped finely

1/4 Tbsp of ginger paste

Hoisin sauce or teriyaki sauce

Bean sprouts (optional)

Lime slices (garnish, optional)

What you’ll do:

Press your tofu in a tofu press or on a plate wrapped in paper towels with a heavy pot or book on top until all excess moisture is removed (about 20 minutes)

Rehydrate mushrooms in a bowl of warm water for 20 minutes

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat a small amount of olive oil, garlic, ginger, onions and white part of bok choy for about 5 minutes until soft

Add the vegetable stock (2 cups)

Add 1 cups of hot water

Add the soy sauce

Add the mushrooms

Bring to a boil

Mix well

Reduce heat to low and simmer

In a large skillet over medium add a small amount of olive oil and brown the tofu

Once the tofu is browned on all sides remove it from the pan and glaze it with hoisen or teriyaki sauce in a separate bowl

In the same pan add the ramen noodles, bok choy and cabbage and fry for about 2 minutes

Pour the contents of the sauce pan into the large skillet and mix well

Spoon with a large ladle into a small bowl

Add bean sprouts

Add tofu

Add lime slice

Enjoy!!!

Chili Relleno Casserole

What you’ll need:
2 7 oz cans of whole green chili peppers sliced in half

1 bag (2 cups) pepper jack cheese shredded

1/4 white onion chopped

1 can of diced jalapeños (optional)

1 5 oz can of evaporated milk

1/2 C of milk

2 Tbsp unbleached all purpose flour

2 eggs

1 jar of salsa verde

1 batch of fresh salsa (see previous blog post) I also added crab to this but you can leave it out to keep it vegetarian

What you’ll do:

Heat oven to 350

Grease a 9×13 glass baking dish

Place 1/2 of the peppers on greased baking dish

Sprinkle 1/2 of the pepper jack cheese

Sprinkle onions

Spread jalapeños out evenly over peppers

Mix milk, eggs and flour in a bowl

Pour milk mixture over peppers

Bake for 25 minutes

Take out of oven

Pour salsa verde over casserole

Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over casserole

Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until bubbly

Add fresh salsa to each serving

Enjoy!!!

Smoked salmon and spinach salad

What you’ll need:
1 bag of spinach cleaned
1/2 Red onion
10 sugar snap peas cleaned and cut in half
3-4 spears of pickled asparagus
3-4 large button mushrooms sliced thinly
10 cherry tomatoes halved
1 package of smoked salmon ( I prefer to use Lox)
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Goat cheese or feta cheese (optional)

1 batch of red wine vinegar dressing (recipe in previous blog post) or store bought

Mix all ingredients except salmon together thoroughly

Add salmon after you have plated the salad

If wanted add goat cheese or feta

Enjoy!!!

Artichoke and spinach lasagna

What you’ll need:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion chopped
2 small or 1 large green zucchini
1bag of spinach
1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts ( I used the oil they are marinated in place of using more olive oil)
1 batch of marinara sauce (see previous blog post for recipe) or 1 jar of store bought marinara sauce
1 carton of sliced white mushrooms
1 box oven ready lasagna noodles
2 C shredded mozzarella cheese
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 Tsp of cayenne pepper
Sea Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
1/2 lemon (juice)

3-4 green onions chopped
Fresh basil 1/2 bunch chopped

What you’ll do:
Preheat oven to 350
Grease a 9×11 glass baking dish
In a medium skillet heat olive oil over medium

Add onion and cook until translucent
Add zucchini and cook another few minutes (3-5)
Squeeze lemon juice in the mixture
Add spinach, mushrooms and oil from the artichokes and cook until spinach is slightly wilted

Add marinara sauce and mix thoroughly

Add all seasonings

With a large ladle (or coffee mug) spoon a layer of the veggie mixture into the glass dish
Then place a layer of the uncooked lasagna noodles
Place artichokes evenly on the noodles
Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese
Repeat steps until lasagna dish is full
Bake for 30 minutes at 350
Before you serve sprinkle with green onions and basil

Enjoy!!!