dinner ideas – Page 2

Vegetable Soup with Vegan Sausage

What you’ll need:

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
1 Leek chopped (only use the white and light green part of the leek, cut length wise then in
1/4 inch strips)
3 Celery stalks chpped
3 cans of beans, whatever you prefer (I used black, pinto and kidney) drained and rinsed
1 Box of vegetable stock
1 TBSP soy sauce
1 TSP red pepper flake
1 TSP cayenne pepper (you can leave out if you don’t like spice)
1 TSP sea salt or to taste
1 TSP ground black pepper or to taste
1 TSP ground coriander
Chives to garnish (fresh and chopped)
2 Links of vegan italian sausage cut into bite size pieces

What you do:
In a large pot heat olive oil over medium heat
Add chopped leeks and cook for about 5 minutes until soft
Add all spices and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes
Add vegan sausage, brown both sides
Add vegetable stock, beans and soy sauce
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes uncovered
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed
Add chopped celery and cook for an additional 5 minutes
Spoon into a bowl carefully and add chives on top
Chive muffin goes great with this, see my blog post for recipe

Enjoy!!

Veggie Pad Thai

Vegan Pad Thai

What you’ll need:
1 package of brown rice noodles
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves chopped finely
1 shallot chopped finely
1/4 head of cabbage chopped finely
1 Cup of sugar snap peas cut in half
4-5 radishes cut finely
1-2 TBSP Sriracha (use more to make it more spicy or leave out if you don’t like spice)
Fresh cilantro (use as garnish)
1/2 lime quartered (for garnish)

1/3 Cup vegetable stock
3 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1/2 lime (juice)
3 TBSP brown sugar
2-3 TBSP fish sauce (can be found in the asian section of your grocery store)
1-3 TSP cayenne pepper (use to taste)
1 TSP black pepper

What you do:

Heat a pot of water until boiling
Add brown rice noodles to boiling water, turn the burner off and let noodles sit 5-9 minutes until soft

Drain and rinse noodles with cold water (this will help prevent them from sticking)
Set aside

In a bowl mix:
1/3 Cup vegetable stock
3 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1/2 lime (juice)
3 TBSP brown sugar
2-3 TBSP fish sauce (can be found in the asian section of your grocery store)
1-3 TSP cayenne pepper (use to taste)
1 TSP black pepper
Set aside

Heat a skillet over medium and add olive oil, shallot and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes

Add cabbage and Sriracha and mix thoroughly, let cook for 1-2 minutes

Add rinsed noodles and pad thai sauce you already mixed

With two forks continuously mix noodles and sauce until completely absorbed

When sauce is completely absorbed into noodles fold in peas, radishes and/or any other veggies you like

After you plate the noodles top with fresh cilantro and place one quartered lime on plate

Enjoy!!

Cabbage Stir Fry

What you’ll need:

1/2 head of cabbage chopped
5 carrots chopped (one small bag of shredded carrots would also work)
1 large yellow onion
5 red potatoes chopped ( I like the skins left on but you can peel first if you prefer)
Olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan you are using 3-4 TBSP)
1 TSP sea salt or to taste
1 TSP ground black pepper or to taste
1 TBPS turmeric
1 TSP cayenne pepper (you can leave this out)
Fresh cilantro (a few sprigs to use for garnish at the end)
1/2 lime

What you do:

Heat oil in skillet over medium

Add chopped onion and carrots and cook until tender about 5 minutes

Add all spices and cabbage

Let cook until cabbage is soft about 5 minutes

Add potatoes, reduce heat and cook over low heat until potatoes are soft about 15-20 minutes

After you dish this up on a plate or in a bowl squeeze lime juice over mixture and add cilantro

Enjoy!!!

Spicy Black Bean Burgers with Gaucamole

What you’ll need:

1 can of black beans (rinsed very well and drained) mashed
1/2 large white onion or a whole small-medium onion
1/2 green bell pepper (de-veined and seeded) chopped
1 jalepeno (de-veined and seeded) chopped very finely
1 garlic clove chopped very finely
1/2 C of bread cumbs (un flavored)
1 large egg
1 TBSP of chilli powder
1/2 TBSP corriander
1/2 TSP cayenne pepper
1 TSP red pepper flakes
1 TBSP of your favorite hot sauce
1 batch of fresh guacamole (you can find my recipe in an older blog post)
Your favorite bun (I like whole wheat large rolls I find at my local Smith’s)
Your favorite condiments ( I used Frank’s spicy hot wing sauce)
Onion crisps (fried leeks would be great too)

What you do:

Preheat oven to 375 (you could also grill these)

Take the mashed black beans and add the onions, jalepeno and bell pepper

In a seperate bowl combine the egg, hot sauce and all seasonings

Add the egg mixture to the black beans

Combine thouroghly

Add the bread crumbs

Combine thouroghly

Divide the mixture into 4 equal sections

Form each of the sections into patties

Place patties on a lined, greased baking sheet

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes per side until crispy on both sides

Cut rolls/buns, add patty, sauce, guacamole and onion crips

Enjoy!!!

Zucchini and Goat Cheese on Ciabatta

What you need:
1 TBLS butter
2 green zucchini chopped
1/2 yellow onion chopped
Goat Cheese (I used tomato basil)
4 ciabatta rolls
1 TBLS olive oil
1 Clove garlic
2 TSP red pepper flakes
1 TSP vinegar (I used red wine)
1 TSP white sugar
6-7 leaves of fresh basil
1 can of diced tomatoes
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

What you do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a medium sauce pan heat olive oil over medium
Add garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, sugar, vinegar and salt
Cook for a few minutes then add diced tomatoes
Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes

Melt butter in a skillet
Add zucchini and onion
Cook for about 10 minutes until golden brown
Season with salt and pepper

Spoon zucchini mixture and tomato sauce into a ciabatta roll
Add goat cheese
Wrap in aluminum foil (each sandwich individually)
Bake for 10-15 minutes

Enjoy!!

(I paired my sandwiched with a fresh watercress salad with balsamic vinegar)

Beet and Apple Panini

What you’ll need:
Freshly baked bread (I used rosemary and olive oil bread I bought at Sprouts Market)

1 can of chickpeas
1/4 cup Veganaise
1/2 lemon (juice)
1 TSP sea salt
1 TSP coriander
1 red beet
1 granny apple
Sprouts ( I prefer broccoli sprouts)
Rosemary (optional)
Spray olive oil (you can drizzle the olive oil but I find it easier to use the spray for this recipe)

What to do:
In a food processor (I use a ninja) blend together chickpeas, lemon juice, veganaise, coriander and sea salt

Cut beets into thin slices
Cut apple into thin slices

Spread chickpea mixture on to the bread
Add beets, apples and sprouts
Spray both sided of the bread with olive oil
Sprinkle rosemary and sea salt on each side
Place in panini maker (I use my George Forman Grill)
Cook until bread is golden brown

Enjoy!!

Vegan Pasta Shells

What you’ll need:
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 box of whole wheat jumbo pasta shells
2 cloves of garlic
1 TSP red pepper flakes (optional)
1 TSP black pepper
1 TSP sea salt
1 TBLS extra virgin olive oil
1 package of fresh basil
1/2 TBLS of parsley
1 package of extra firm tofu
2 handfuls of spinach
1 white onion
1/2 lemon (juice)
1 cup button mushrooms (optional)

What to do:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Use a tofu press to remove extra water or wrap tofu in paper towels and place a heavy item on top of tofu until most of the moisture is gone

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta shells according to the directions, add a sprinkle of salt to the water

Heat a large skillet on medium heat and cook onion and garlic in the olive oil until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes

Add basil and spinach, cook for a few minutes

Add tofu by crumbling it in the pan, combine thoroughly

Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and lemon

Cook until everything is heated, about 10 minutes

In a glass casserole dish place a thin layer of pasta sauce and 1/2 of the mushrooms

Spoon the tofu mixture into the shells

Place shells evenly over pasta sauce in the casserole dish

Pour the remainder of the pasta sauce on top of the shells and add the rest of the mushrooms and parsley

Bake, covered with foil, for 30 minutes

Enjoy!!

Vegan Club Sandwich with Kale Chips

What you’ll need:
1 bunch of kale
Season salt
Sea Salt
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Wheat bread
Tempeh
2 TBLS olive oil
1 TBLS balsamic vinegar
Tofurkey (I use peppered)
1 vine ripened tomato
1 avocado
Alfalfa sprouts
Pickles
Dressings: mustard, vegenaise, ect.

What you do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil
Clean and cut kale into bit size pieces removing any veins
Place the cleaned, cut kale on the baking sheet
Drizzle olive oil over kale (I use a spray olive oil to coat the kale more evenly)
Sprinkle the season salt, sea salt, pepper and red pepper flakes on kale
Bake for 10-15 minutes until crispy

In a large frying pan heat 1 TBLS of olive oil and 1 TBLS of balsamic vinegar on medium heat
Place tempeh in pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown

Spread mustard, veganaise (whatever dressings you prefer) onto the bread
Add: tomatoes, avocado, sprouts, pickles, tempeh and tofurkey
Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Enjoy!

Vegan Tacos on Romaine

What you’ll need:
1 1/2 Cups walnuts (unsalted)
1 /12 Tsp Chili Powder
3/4 Tsp Coriander
2 TBLS Soy Sauce
1 1/2 Cups Cashews
1/2 Cups Water
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 TBLS Lemon Juice
Romaine Lettuce
1 Avocado
1 Tomato
1/2 Red Onion

What you do:
For “Taco Meat” in a food processor combine:
Walnuts
Chili Powder
Coriander
Soy Sauce

For “Sour Cream” combine in blender until creamy:
Cashews
Water (if too thick add an additional 1/4 cup)
Salt
Lemon Juice

Spread the “Taco Meat” onto romaine lettuce
Top with Sour Cream
Add: Onion, Avocado(I squeeze any left over lemon on the avocado), Tomato and Salt to taste

I learned this recipe at a cooking class at Beehive Essentials in Spanish Fork Utah(www.healthyeatersclub.wordpress.com) and have loved it. I made a few small changes in seasonings so feel free to use your favorite spice in place of the chili powder or coriander. I make this recipe almost every week, it’s a staple in our home now. Enjoy!!

Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

What you’ll need:
2 half pound fillets of salmon
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Chilli Pepper Seasoning
Lemon
Yellow Squash X1
Pineapple Salsa(Recipe Below)

What you do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Place the salmon fillets on tinfoil (one per piece of salmon)
Pour olive oil on each fillet so it is covered
Sprinkle salt and pepper on each fillet (both sides)
Wrap and seal tin foil around salmon
Place tinfoil packages on a cookie sheet
Place cookie sheet in oven
Cook at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until cooked

While Salmon is baking get a large frying pan
Place 1 TBLS of olive in pan and heat on Med-High heat
Cut yellow squash into thin pieces
Place yellow squash in the olive oil
Season with salt, pepper and chilli powder
Once squash starts to turn translucent remove it from heat.

Place squash on plate
Remove salmon from oven once it’s cooked
Place Salmon on the squash
Squeeze lemon on top of salmon and squash
Season with salt to taste
Place pineapple salsa on top of salmon

To make pineapple salsa you can replace the tomatoes in your favorite salsa recipe with pineapple or see below an easy pineapple salsa I use.

Pineapple Salsa:
1 can pineapple
1 red onion
1 Red pepper
1 jalepeno pepper
1/4 bunch cilantro
1 lime
1 TSP salt
Chop finely and mix together or place all ingredients in a food processor until chopped finely.

Enjoy!