Garlic Chile Shrimp

 Garlic Chile Shrimp

from Burma Superstar

INGREDIENTS:

(Serves 3. 4 as part of a larger meal)

Garlic Paste:

-2 heads garlic, broken into cloves and peeled

-1/2 c canola oil

-1 tsp paprika

-1/4 tsp turmeric

-1 tbsp fish sauce

-salt (optional)

Garlic Chile Shrimp:

-1/4 c garlic paste

-1 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined

-1/2 c sliced yellow onion or shallot

-1 small dried chile, broken in half, seeds retained

-1/2 jalapeno, sliced crosswise

-salt (optional)

-cilantro sprigs for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Garlic Paste:

Put the garlic cloves in a small saucepan, cutting any overly large ones in half so they are all about the same size/they will cook evenly. Cover with the oil and place over low heat. Cook at a lazy simmer, stirring occasionally, until the garlic cloves have softened and turned from white to golden, but aren't falling apart yet. About 15 minutes. Watch the garlic carefully: you should see small bubbles forming along the sides of the cloves. The oil should not be bubbling vigorously. Remove the pan from the heat and let the garlic cool in the oil to warm room temp.

In food processor, puree the garlic and oil and spices. Blend in the fish sauce and taste, adding more fish sauce or salt if it's not noticeably salty. (It will be where the shrimp get most of their flavor, so it should be assertive.) You will have about 1/2 cup of paste, twice what you need for one recipe of garlic chile shrimp. The extra can be refrigerated and keeps for at least 3 months.

To make the garlic chile shrimp, mix the garlic paste into the shrimp in a bowl. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and stir-fry, letting the shrimp sear against the base of the wok (by avoiding constant stirring) for 2 minutes. Add the onions, chile, and jalapeno and cook til the onion has softened but is still slightly crisp and the shrimp is cooked through, about 1 minute more. Taste, add salt as desired. Sprinkle cilantro on top before serving.

Rice Krispie Treats!!!

Rice Krispie Treats!!!

IT'S A PANDEMIC, Y'ALL!! WHY THE HELL NOT?!!!

INGREDIENTS:

3 tbsp butter *ALLERGIZE IT: Miyoko's Vegan Butter (Whole Foods)

10 oz. (usually one bag) marshmallows

 6 cups Rice Krispies *ALLERGIZE IT: Whole Foods brand 

DIRECTIONS: 

1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add krispies and stir until well coated.

3. Press mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2 pan/dish coated with spray/oil. Top with sprinkles if you're feeling fancy. Or chocolate chips. Cool. Cut into squares and GORGE!!!

Baked Halibut with Parmesan Crumb Topping

Baked Halibut with Parmesan Crumb Topping

(from thespruceeats.com)

INGREDIENTS:

-1.5 lbs halibut fillets

-3 slices bread

-2 tbsp (I probably did half a cup, TBH) Parmesan Cheese (grated) 

*DO NOT BUY PRE-GRATED CHEESE IT TASTES LIKE NOTHING GRATE IT YOUR DAMN SELF

-1/2 tsp garlic powder (I added some finely diced garlic too)

-1/2 tsp onion powder

-1/4 tsp kosher salt

-Dash o' pepper

-2 tbsp butter (melted)

-Garnish: lemon wedges

VEGAN-IZE/ALLERGY-IZE the crumb:

-Abigail's Bakery Millet & Sweet Brown Rice Bread (NH bakery, available online or at NE Whole Foods)

-Violife Just Like Parmesan (Whole Foods)

-Miyoko's Vegan Butter

DIRECTIONS:

-Heat oven to 450. Spray baking sheet or pyrex with oil or line with foil.

-Cut halibut into four (6 ounce) servings/size the pieces into attractive serving sizes of your choice. Arrange the fillets on the tray/dish, skin-side down.

-Tear the bread into pieces and put in food processor. Pulse til breadcrumbs are crumby.

-In a medium bowl, combine the crumbs with the Parm, garlic and onion powders, salt, pepper, and melted butter. Mix well.

-Sprinkle the buttery seasoned breadcrumbs onto the fish and pat down to help the crumbs adhere to the top of the fish.

-Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until fish registers 145 degrees.

-Serve with lemon slices if you'd like.

NOTES:

This dish is SO easy and fast to make but packs a nice wallop. Seems fancier than it is! It made me excited to eat whitefish so it is going on my regular rotation. 

Definitely use more parm than the recipe calls for and I also added some finely chopped garlic to the crumb mix. 

The crumb is so delish, you can put it on anything/use it for vegan stuff. I'm going to try it on some chicken soon.

Tofu Katsu Curry

Ah the vegan life of always trying to find new, interesting ways to prepare tofu ;) This one seemed worth a try!

Recipe

Tofu

1 block extra-frim tofu

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 c panko bread crumbs

1 tsp curry powder

Curry

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1 inch ginger, grated

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tbsp curry powder

1 can (400g) coconut milk

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp maple syrup

2 tsp soy sauce

Rice, green onion, lime wedges, other veggies

• Press the tofu - like an hour, really get at it! Then slice into thin squares.
• Heat some oil in a skillet, and stir fry the onion, carrot & ginger until softening. Then add the garlic and curry powder.
• Then add the coconut milk and cornstarch, and stew for 10 minutes or so. Then add the syrup and soy sauce, and remove from heat.
• Blend the curry sauce until smooth.
• For the katsu, whisk the cornstarch into 4 tbsp hot water. Mix the panko & curry powder on a plate. 
• Heat oil in a skillet. Dip the tofu in the cornstarch, then coat with bread crumbs. Shallow fry a few minutes per side, until golden.
• Serve some rice *and veggies) in bowls with the curry powder over and tofu on top!

Notes

A bit fancier, but worth it! Main note is, you may need more panko depending on how you slice the tofu and the total surface area you have. I'd recommend not holding back ;)

Need to add a picture when we have the crispy tofu on top and not buried under the curry sauce - was still good but got to preserve that crispiness!

Vegan Creamy Sausage Pasta

Credit to Anne for finding this one!

Recipe
8 oz pasta

6 oz spinach

14 oz vegan sausage - sliced or crumbled

2 garlic cloves

1/2 vegan cream cheese

1/4 c pesto (see below)

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/4 c veggie broth

1/4 vegan parmesan cheese

• Start cooking the pasta. 
• In the meantime, start cooking the sausage in a little oil over medium high. When it's close to done, add the sausage and wilt. Set aside.
• Add a little more oil to the pan and sizzle the garlic. Add the cream cheese and veggie broth, and stir until melted. Then add the pesto and nutritional yeast.
• Combine everything and serve!

Pesto

2 c basil leaves

3 tbsp pine nuts (or walnuts)

3 cloves garlic

2 tbsp lemon juice

3-4 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp salt

2-3 tbsp olive oil

3-6+ tbsp water

Blend the dry ingredients into a paste, then add the olive oil a little at a time, then the water to get to the right consistency.

Notes

I was a little skeptical, since this favorite recipe of mine is pretty simple, good, and easy to veganize, while this takes extra steps for pesto and stuff. But I was happy to be proved wrong! The extra effort is well worth it whether for a casual night in or serious carb loading before a 25 (or 50) K...

Kung Pao Chickpeas

Always good to add to the collection of crockpot meals! This sounded like a good one, despite the questionable "detox" claims...

Recipe

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 red bell peppers, chopped

2 cans of chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1/4 c soy sauce

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp sesame oil

green onions, sesame seeds, rice

Whisk together the sauce ingredients, and pour over the onion, pepper & chickpeas in the crockpot. Cook 3 hours on high or 6 on low. Keep an eye on it, and add a couple tbsps of water if it looks like it's drying out. Easy enough!

Notes

Standard crockpot stuff - pretty easy, and really good! I'd recommend scaling this up - even with rice and maybe other veggies, one person could easily scarf down a can of these chickpeas ;)

Cauliflower Walnut Bolognese

As if this Cannibal Stew classic wasn't proof enough you can do an awesomely hearty vegan pasta sauce, here's another one, swapping in cauliflower & walnuts for chickpeas.

Recipe

• ~1 lb cauliflower (most of a head?) chopped into florets
• ~1/2 c walnuts (was doing some metric conversions here...)
• 1/4 c nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• salt & pepper
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 c water
• 1 tsp sugar

Get your food processor out, and chop up your cauliflower, then add walnuts, then seasoning (nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper). Lay out on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil, and roast at 400 for at least 20 minutes, mixing up partway through.

Heat some oil in a big saucepan and add onions. Once they're looking good, add the other veggies, and cook 10 minutes or more.

Prob start your pasta in here.

Add the other seasonings to the saucepan along with the cauliflower mixture, and stir up. Mash in the tomatoes, along with the water and sugar. Simmer ~20 minutes.

OK maybe start the pasta now instead. Combine and serve!

Notes

This one came out really well! Despite a healthy appetizer of whiskey that may have resulted in some struggles with said metric conversions, and forgotten ingredients like water and sugar... Main note is, it seemed way less tomato-ey than expected, so we added an extra can of diced tomatoes and prob could have done more. Worth playing around with!

Vegan Swedish Meatballs

What caught my attention about this recipe - aside from vegan Swedish meatballs - was the "One Pot" promise. More on that below...

Recipe

Meatballs

• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 c panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 c parsley, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp vegan worcestershire
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
• salt & pepper

Gravy

• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 3 c vegetable broth
• 1 14 oz can coconut milk
• 1 tbsp vegan worcestershire
• 1/4 c flour
• salt & pepper

Pasta

• Recommended 4 c bowties

Combine the "meat" ingredients together, mashing the beans up. Heat up the oil in a large pot over medium-high. Roll the meatballs - they recommend about golf ball size. Cook in the pot a minute or so per side to brown. Add the gravy ingredients, stir together, and bring to a boil.

Here, they recommend adding the pasta and letting it cook in the gravy. Our experience, backed up by internet stranger comments, was that doesn't work great. The pasta took forever to get to an edible level, and in the meantime the rest of the recipe becomes a bit of a goop with no clear dividing lines between meat and gravy. The flavors killed! But I'd likely start the pasta separately, and just finish it in the pot. Will test that out soon, hopefully resulting in a more photogenic end product!

Pancakes VII: Banana Pancakes

This breakfast recipe comes with a soundtrack!

And after some research this seemed like the best recipe option...

Recipe

• 1 1/4 c flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 large ripe banana, mashed (~1/2 c)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 3/4 c non-dairy milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Sift the flour and add the other dry ingredients. Mash together the banana and oil separately, and mix into the batter with the milk and vanilla. Cook up the pancakes as usual! 

Vegan Orange "Chicken"

Another online find for an easy but delicious vegan meal: link

Recipe

• 1 package extra firm tofu
• 3/4 c orange juice
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp rice (or other) vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 inch ginger, minced
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/6 c water (sorry, halving the recipe...)
• 1/2 tbsp orange zest
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes

Cube your tofu and bake at 425 about 25 minutes, flipping partway through.

Heat a skillet medium high and add your garlic & ginger, plus a tbsp of water or so. Next mix in the OJ, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili flakes, and heat up. Meanwhile mix the cornstarch and water separately, then whisk into the sauce. Stir until it thickens up, lowering heat if it gets bubbly. Add in the tofu once it's done and coat it up nice and good, along with the orange zest.

Serve over rice!

Notes

First time, I went a little overboard with the crushed red pepper. My B! Definitely worth trying again for a nice sweet & spicy, not to difficult meal.

White Bean Pasta

Gave this one a try from Budget Bytes via social media...

Recipe

• 8 oz pasta (a long type like spaghetti or linguine)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pint grape / cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• salt & pepper
• 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
• 4 oz baby spinach
• parmesan

Start your pasta. Heat the olive oil & butter in a skillet, on the medium-lower heat side. Add the garlic, then tomatoes, salt & pepper, and basil. Saute until the tomatoes pop - fun! Then add the spinach and wilt it a bit, then add the beans. Heat through and get a nice thick sauce going. Then toss in the pasta! 

Sweet Potatoes With Noooooch Sauce

Vegans like myself are obsessed with Nooch (Nutritional Yeast) because it is SO TASTY but also is so healthy because it is packed full of B12 vitamins which give you energy. Most animals are injected with B12 so if you eat meat, you're getting it second hand. But why not just skip the middle man and join the nooch fan club :)

This recipe is from one of my favorite wellness authors Darin Olien (he has a show on Netflix with Zac Effron that is actually really awesome)

Nooch Sauce (You can use this with ANYTHING and it is so so so good)

*I can't quite remember the exact numbers but these are a place to start and i always add more of whatever to taste

2 cups of cashews
1/2 cup of Nutritional Yeast (Nooch)
3-4 cloves of garlic minced
4-5 Tbsp lemon juice
Some water or plant-based milk (I forget how much! Just eye it. Prob about a quarter cup. It should come out like a sauce)

(You could really add whatever you want to this sauce to spice it up. I've added Poblano Chipotle peppers, cilantro, whatever!)

1. Soak cashews for 30 mins

2. Put all ingredients in blender and blend! 

3. Salt, pepper, water and modify for taste

Whole-Roasted Sweet Potato Dinner

Sweet Potatoes
Coconut Oil
Can of Black Beans
Cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
Garlic
Cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Drizzle baking sheet with a little bit of Coconut Oil. Cut sweet potatoes in half and lay flat on pan. Roast for 40/45 mins until done

3. In a pan, drizzle some coconut oil, add the cherry tomatoes, and cook until it smells deliciousssss. Add the garlic and the beans and simmer low for 5/10 mins.

4. Take out Sweet Potatoes. Scoop out a small dent in each sweet potato (you can save the inside scoops for a yummy sweet potato mash later!). In each Sweet Potato hole, add a nice glob of the beans mixture. Top with the cilantro and NOOCH SAUCE and OMG ENJOY. 

In the pic I had done it with some roasted brussel sprouts but you could add any green side if you want more food.

Vegan Mixed Veggie Flatbreads

This pizza is from the Forks Over Knives Cookbook and it came out BOMB. I used an Almond Flour pizza dough from Whole Foods but I also just noticed they have it on Amazon. It was sooooo yummy.

Ingredients:

Simple Mills Almond Flour Pizza Dough Mix (I got it at Whole Foods but Amazon has it too)
Olive Oil
6 baby potatoes (or 3 regular)
8 brussel sprouts
1 medium carrot (or a few baby carrots)
1 medium shallot (or onion)
red wine vinegar
balsamic vinegar
1 can white beans/cannelini

himalayan crystal salt (or whatever salt- but the crystal salt is the least likely to be polluted and has the best minerals)
ground black pepper
fresh sage (i didn't have this and it was fine without- i just used some random other herbs like oregano)
microgreens (not necessary but nice)

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 425. Line a baking pan with foil/oil

2. Chop up all veggies and put on pan. Sprinkle with some red wine vinegar and salt and pepper (I went heavy on the red wine vinegar and it was gooooood)

3. Roast the veggies for like 15 mins.

4. While veggies cooking, make the dough according to package instructions. Take veggies out of oven, change temp to whatever it says on the pizza dough box. Put just the dough in for 10 mins/15 mins till lightly brown.

5. In a bowl, mash the cannelini beans and stir in sage or some other herbs and 2 tsp of water.

6. Take the pizza dough out. Spread the Cannelini bean mash on the pizza dough as if it was sauce. Then top with the veggies :) Put in oven for 20/25 minutes until the veggies are nice and roasted and the dough is done.

7. While flatbread is cooking, put 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar in a pan and heat to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 6 mins until it becomes syruppy. 

8. When pizzas are done, drizzle the balsamic glaze over them and top with the micro greens or something green!

Lentil Sloppy Joes

Investigating some camping-friendly vegan meals, found this one to try out:

Recipe
1 small onion, diced
1 anaheim pepper, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c red lentils
1 1/2 c broth or water
1 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vegan worcestershire
1 tsp chili powder
buns

Heat a pot over medium and add the onion & pepper. Saute a few minutes, then add the tomato paste, then garlic for a minute or so. Add the lentils and water, boil, and cook 10-15 minutes until tender. Add the other ingredients and simmer until it thickens, 3-5 minutes. Serve on buns!

Lentil Mushroom Shepherd's Pie

Found another veganized favorite to try out!

Recipe
Filling
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 c carrot, diced
8 oz mushrooms, diced
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 1/2 c dried lentils, soaked and drained
2 c veggie broth or water
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 c frozen peas

Potatoes
5 c potatoes, chopped (~5 potatoes)
1/2 c cashews
3/4 c water
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried parsley

• Heat some olive oil in a large pot over medium-low. Add the onion, garlic, carrot & mushroom, and season with salt, pepper, and the spices. Cook 8-10 minutes until soft.
• Add the lentils, broth, tomato paste, and other liquids, and simmer until lentils are cooked, ~20 minutes. Add the peas at the end.
• Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until tender, ~20 minutes.
• Also meanwhile, make your cashew cream by blending them with water.
• Drain and mash the potatoes, then mix in the other ingredients.
• Put the filling in an 8x12 baking dish, and top with mashed potatoes. Broil on high for 5-7 minutes.

Tofu Tikka Masala

Love tikka masala, so definitely worth trying out this vegan version...

Recipe

2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
3 small Thai green chilis, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1" ginger, minced
1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 c vegan yogurt (or 1/2 c coconut milk)
1/4 c cashews (soaked for 4 hours or boiled for 15 minutes)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 lemon, juiced

1 block tofu
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp nutritional yeast

• Press the tofu, then cube and coat in the coatings.  Bake 15-20 minutes at 350, flipping partway through.
• Heat a pan with some oil on high, then add the garlic, ginger, chilis, and onion.
• Then add the tomatoes, then once some water releases add the spices, then the tomato paste.
• Add the tomato mixture, cashews, and 4 tbsp water to a blender, and mix into a sauce.
• Sauce goes back in the pan on low, simmer, and add the yogurt, then the lemon juice.
• Next add in the tofu and bell pepper, and simmer 10 minutes.
• Serve with the tofu over rice, quinoa, or whatever!

Notes

So, the saag paneer recipe made it really easy to make really authentic-, professional-seeming Indian food. This one was a little trickier - the flavors were there (and awesome), but the texture needed a little fine tuning / trial & error after the first attempt.  Second time around to make it creamier, we added a second (small) tomato, and more coconut milk, prob ending up around 1/2 cup.  Much better:

Vegan Avocado Mac & Cheese

In these vegan-y days, still figuring out how to find some old favorites.  Pizza's a struggle; mac & cheese does give a bit more in terms of options though.  After trying this one out, wanted to give another one a shot!

Recipe

1 large ripe avocado (or 2 small ones)
1 lemon, juiced
1 c basil leaves (loosely packed)
1/4 c cilantro
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
4-6 tbsp nutritional yeast (so, 6)
1/2 c + 1 1/4 c almond or other non-dairy milk
10-12 oz pasta
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp flour

• Get the pasta cooking
• Blend together the avocado, lemon juice, basil, cilantro, spices, nutritional yeast, and 1/2 c almond milk, plus a little salt
• Saute the garlic in some olive oil, then whisk in the flour, then slowly add the 1 1/4 c almond milk.
• Once the sauce thickens, remove from heat and mix in the avocado sauce.
• Pour over the pasta (cooked and drained) and eat!
• Top with more avocado, tomatoes, vegan cheese, etc.

Pancakes v6: Vegan Coconut

Had some extra coconut milk around, plus shredded coconut, and felt like an indulgent breakfast... Found this recipe that seemed to check the boxes and not require any crazy ingredients and stuff:

Recipe
1 c flour (doesn't have to be coconut!)
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar
pinch of salt
3/4 c coconut milk
1/2 c water
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted

handful of shredded coconut

• Whisk together the dry ingredients, then add the wet ones and combine - doesn't have to be super smooth, lumps are fine!
• Heat a non-stick skillet over medium; once hot, add some coconut oil and cook up batches of pancakes - about 2 tbsp to 1/4 c, a minute or two per side until set and browned.
• In the meantime, sprinkle the shredded coconut on a baking sheet and roast for a few minutes - don't forget while everything else is going on!
• Serve topped with toasted coconut, syrup, butter, etc.

Beet Burgers

This recipe comes courtesy of Purple Carrot, a while back but recreated it now that it's barbecue season!

Recipe
1/4 c quinoa
1/2 c green peas
2 oz shredded beets (maybe like half a beet?)
1/2 c bread crumbs
buns
aioli (3 parts vegenaise, 1 part sriracha or other sauce)
oil, salt & pepper

Cook the quinoa as directed (1/2 c water, ~10 minutes).  Add to a blender with the peas, beets, and bread crumbs and combine well.  Divide the mixture into halves and lump/press them into burgers.  Cook in a skillet with some oil over medium high, ~5 mins per side.  Serve on the buns with aioli and other toppings!

Notes
The patties are a little messy to work with, but actually hold together pretty well.  Not sure if they'd work on a grill though, might have to do some trial and error there...  And the recipe is easy to double or triple for more burgers for more friends, freezing for later, etc.!

"Sausage" (aka mushroom) "Breakfast" (aka anytime of day) Patties

Just did a Virtual Cooking Class with a chef who is on Instagram as @PlantBasedG.life and these are DELICIOUS. They SMELL just like sausage and get a delicious SEAR like a burger but its all mushrooms and plants :)

Ingredients

-3 cups white mushrooms

-1 large white onion, diced

-3 cloves garlic, diced

-1 cup brown rice

-4 oz black olives

-1/2 Jalapeno

-1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used Trader Joe's Gluten Free Rice Crumbs- use whatever! In the class he also told us you could also just make toast and use that)

-Avocado oil (2ish tablespoons but I honestly use less than every recipe says for oil)

-English Muffins (I used Ezekiel Gluten Free English Muffins. Highly recommend!!)

Spices

-Cayenne Pepper

-Oregano

-Cumin

-Dried Sage (I honestly just used regular sage and it totally was fine hahaha)

-Thyme

-Salt & Pepper

-Add any other spices you like :)

**NOTE: BLENDER NEEDED

To Serve

Tomato slices, lettuce, and raw onion slices

Steps:

1. Cook the rice, leave to cool

2. Blend the mushrooms till they kinda look like ground beef

3. Saute the onions in the avocado oil for a few mins (till translucent & starting to brown)

4. Add mushrooms to the onions and saute another few mins till the mushrooms are cooked. Add the garlic and ALL the spices (but NOT the jalapeno) and cook for another few mins.

5. Let everything cool (very important because you don't want to put warm stuff in the blender- it will get super hot in there)

6. Put the mushroom concoction, olives, and rice in the blender and blend. Add the bread crumbs & Jalapeno and blend a little more. It should start to look like ground beef.

7. Scoop everything into a bowl (this just makes it easier to form the patties and put on the pan

8. Add a tablespoon of avocado oil to a pan and set it to medium heat. When pan is hot, scoop out a patty sized chunk and put it on! It'll sear just like a burger its crazy. Flip over after 3-5 mins. Play around with timing obviously but cook for about 3-5 mins per side. 

While the patties are cooking, toast your English Muffins!

Serve with the raw tomato slices, raw onion slices, and lettuce. Eric liked his with Hot Sauce. 

ENJOY!! <3 Natalie

Cream of Broccoli Soup (with NO REAL CREAM)

This is another great recipe from The Plan Cookbook. Adjusted by me based on experience. Can easily be made vegan.

3 tbsp unsalted butter (who are we kidding, use more than that) (or olive oil)

1 large onion

herbs — I use a lot more than indicated — so, to taste: 

1 tbsp dried sage

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp celery seed — I love celery seed so use a lot, but note that it gives the soup a real spicy kick!

dash of sriracha and/or cayenne

2 cups chicken stock, chicken broth, vegetable broth

2 cups water (or use 4 cups broth)

1 (14-oz) can full-fat unsweetened coconut milk

8 cups chipped broccoli (~4 heads)

4 cups chipped zucchini (~2 medium)

1-2 avocado, pitted

In a skillet, melt the butter or heat the oil and sauté the onion, sage, cumin, celery seed until onion is softened.

In a soup pot, combine sautéed onion, broth, water, coconut milk, broccoli, zucchini, and cayenne/sriracha. Bring to a boil and simmer until the veggies are softened, about 30 minutes.

Blend the soup with the avocado for extra creaminess! I've never even thought about adding real cream — the coconut milk and avocado makes for a really lusciously creamy soup.

Zucchini Pancakes

This is a recipe from The Plan Cookbook, but modified by me thru experience. Good for breakfast! And with an egg substitution (and no goat cheese) would be vegan.

4-6 cups shredded zucchini (3-4 medium zucchini or 2 large)
4-6 eggs
1 onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 - 1/2 cup coconut flour (or some other kind of flour, I've used buckwheat)
lots of chopped dill (1/2 cup or so)
olive oil
topping: crumped goat cheese

Blot the zucchini with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

In a bowl, combine: zucchini, eggs, onion, garlic, coconut flour, dill, 1 tsp olive oil and MIX.

Heat olive oil on skillet. Use 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out pancakes and flatten on skillet. Cook 5-7 minutes until browned on the bottom and can be easily flipped. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Crumple goat cheese on top. Also good with hot sauce.

The Everyman's Chocolate Mousse

The Everyman's Chocolate Mousse

*My brilliant baker friend Sarah loves to challenge herself by making Jefe-friendly desserts. This one is his favorite and I am always jealous cuz he won't ever share. It is super simple and has literally 3 ingredients, 2 of which are different forms of water. SO, this mousse is allergy AND vegan-friendly!


INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup (6 oz.) water
8 oz. chocolate (70% recommended, but pick what you love)
ice cubes
whipped cream for topping *optional


DIRECTIONS:

1. Pour water into a saucepan *you can flavor it with orange juice or cassis puree if you want to get fancy. Over medium-low heat, whisk in the chocolate. The result is a homogenous sauce.

2. Put the saucepan in a bowl partly filled with ice cubes or pour into another bowl that is over the ice--it will chill faster. Then whisk the chocolate sauce by hand or with an electric mixer *if mixer, it will thicken faster, so watch out! Whisking creates large air bubbles in the sauce, which steadily thickens. After a while, strands of chocolate form inside the loops of the whisk. Pour or spoon immediately into ramekins, small bowls, or jars, and let set. Serve immediately or refrigerate


3 things can go wrong and here's how you fix them:

1. If your chocolate doesn't contain enough fat, melt the mixture again, add some chocolate, and then whisk it again.

2. If the mousse is not light enough, melt the mixture again, add some water, and whisk it once more.

3. If you whisk it too much so that it becomes grainy, this means the foam has turned into an emulsion. In that case, simply melt the mixture and whisk it again, adding nothing.

Buffalo Chickpea Taquitos

Vegan comfort food yeah!  From here...

Recipe

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1/2 c tomato sauce
3+ tbsp hot sauce
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp coconut / brown sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
chili powder to taste
~10 flour tortillas

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Mash the chickpeas.
• Heat some oil over medium, and saute the onion and bell pepper 3 minutes, then add the garlic and spices for another minute.
• Add sauces and chickpeas to the pan, bring to a boil, and simmer a couple minutes, adding chili powder for more spice if needed.
• Scoop about 2 tbsp of filling into each tortilla, roll up, and put close together on a baking sheet.  Brush with oil for extra crispiness.
• Cook 15-20 minutes until crispy.
• Serve with vegan cheese sauce if you've got it!

Notes

Not super easy and not quite as good as chicken :/ but overall a fun one!

Avocado Pesto Pasta

Found another recipe looking to use up some nearly-over-ripe avocados for an easy, hearty dinner...

Recipe

12 oz pasta
1 large avocado
1 c fresh basil
1/3 c walnuts
1 small lemon, juiced
1/2 c olive oil
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
salt & pepper
optional topping: cherry tomatoes, halved

Cook the pasta.  In the meantime, blend or process everything else together into a creamy sauce.  Mix in with cherry tomatoes and serve!

Notes

Another really easy one - basically just takes you as long as it does to make a pot of pasta.  One thing - we usually get aggressive with garlic, but since it's not cooked, you can be a little lighter on that ingredient here ;)

Mushroom Stroganoff

While the sibs might not have great stroganoff memories, it was never one of my unfavorites, and this recipe looked pretty awesome...

Recipe

1/2 red onion
16-20 oz mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c picked onions
1/3 c pickles
2 tbsp capers
1/2 c parsley
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 c vegan creme fraiche

Saute the onions and mushrooms over high heat, about 5 minutes.  Then add the olive oil, garlic, pickled onions, pickles, capers, and most of the parsley, and cook another 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the paprika, creme fraiche, rest of the parsley, and salt & pepper, with some hot water if needed to thin it out.  Serve!

Notes

Whoa those mushrooms...  We didn't get plating nearly as nice as the IG version, but less important than taste...  They recommend serving over rice which was good, but (non)egg noodles might be good too!

Beyond Meat Slow Cooker Chili

Trying out a few quarantine / work from home vegan recipes, and thought this recipe looked like one of the best and easiest options:

Recipe

1 can pinto beans
1 can diced tomatoes (with green chilies)
1 cup (or 1 pack) Beyond Meat crumbles
1/4 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or a few drops of liquid smoke)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
nutritional yeast, salt & pepper to taste

Add everything to your slow cooker and heat on low for 7-9 hours. Season with nutritional yeast & salt & pepper; serve over rice if desired.

Note that you may need to stir it up about an hour in - Beyond Meat can clump up a bit, but if you break it up then you should be all set.

Notes

Turned out really well!  A little on the dry side, but maybe because it was in a thin layer at the bottom of the somewhat oversized crockpot.  Would probably double in the future although that starts to be a lot of crumbles...

Vegan Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese

I love mac & cheese, one of the things I miss with a more vegan diet these days... Found this one and figured given all the ingredients it was worth a shot...

Recipe

1 sweet potato, roasted
1/2 yellow onion
1 head garlic
1/4 c nutritional yeast
1/2 c almond or non-dairy milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 c tahini
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
3 tbsp lemon juice
12 oz pasta
bread crumbs

Roast the sweet potato until tender. In the meantime, cut the head off the garlic. Drizzle the garlic & onion with olive oil and wrap in foil; bake 25-30 minutes.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a blender: sweet potato, onion, garlic (peeled), etc. Blend, and if it's too thick, add more milk.

Mix the sauce with the (cooked) pasta. You can top with breadcrumbs or any other favorite toppings!

Notes

I really liked this recipe, but I wasn't convinced I was eating mac & cheese - more of a sweet, somewhat cheesy pasta sauce. Overall pretty easy and tasty!

Pasta Autunno

Pasta Autunno

INGREDIENTS:

Pasta *substitute gluten free pasta if need be
Bacon (½ pack cooked crisply and crumbled)
Sweet potatoes (2 small, cubed)
Small head of cauliflower
Brussels sprouts (½ - ¾ lb, cut in halves)
garlic cloves (whole)
pesto (from a jar or homemade in a food processor with greens, lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper etc)Halloumi *substitute tofu to make vegan

DIRECTIONS:

*This is basically an excellent odds-and-ends or using-leftovers pasta. You can mix and match based on what you have on hand in the fridge.

1.) Cut sweet potato into small cubes, halve brussels sprouts, chop cauliflower into small pieces, and skin at least 4 cloves of garlic

2.) Toss in olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet until golden brown and soft.

3.) While the veggies roast, cut the halloumi into cubes (I prefer 1/2 inch). Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and cook the halloumi until you get some good color on those lil babies. *It will need to sit a lot initially! Be patient before you toss it around.

4.) Make pasta of your choice. *Spirals are best, though

5.) Toss all ingredients together and add some pesto sauce of your choosing.

Salt and Pepper Shrimp

Salt and Pepper Shrimp

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined *We like it best will ALL the shell removed, but you CAN keep the tail shell on if you want
1 cup cornstarch
4 cups oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, sliced thin
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons black pepper
¼ cup scallions, sliced
3 cups white rice, cooked

For sauce *We improvised this just to add a drizzle of wet flavor

Gochujang
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Fishsauce
ginger
Honey

DIRECTIONS

1.) Set a wire rack over a baking sheet.

2.) Add the shrimp to a medium bowl. Cover with cold water and let sit until thawed, about 20 minutes.

3.) Drain the thawed shrimp on paper towels and pat dry.

4.) Place the cornstarch in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss until well-coated. *Next time we will add salt and pepper to cornstarch before adding shrimp

5.)Heat the oil in a wok or large pan until it reaches 400°F (200°C). Add the garlic and fry for 40 seconds-1 minute, until golden brown. Remove the garlic with a strainer or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

6.) Fry the shrimp, about 6-8 at a time, for 2 minutes, or until light golden brown. Transfer to the wire rack to drain.

7.) In a clean wok or large pan, add the ginger and red pepper flakes and toast for 2 minutes, until the ginger is starting to brown.

8.) Add the shrimp and toss to combine. Season with the salt and pepper and toss until well-coated.

9.) Transfer the shrimp to a plate, drizzle on sauce and garnish with the scallions and fried garlic. Serve over rice.

Savory Soda Bread

Savory Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp finely chopped herbs of your choice
2 tbsp chopped scallions
2 oz. cubed sharp cheddar cheese *or cheese of your choice
2 oz. shredded cheddar *or cheese of your choice
1 cup buttermilk (1 cup milk and about 1 tbsp lemon, which you let sit 5-10 minutes)
1 large egg
1 tbsp melted butter
1/4 c roasted sunflower seeds
a bunch of cloves of garlic, chopped and sauteed until golden brown
at least 4 slices of cooked and largely crumbled bacon


DIRECTIONS:

1.) Preheat oven to 425. Line sheet pan with parchment paper, sprinkle lightly with flour

2.) In a medium-large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Add herbs, scallions, cheese, sunflower seeds, bacon, and garlic. Stir again. Run through the dough with fingers to break apart diced cheese that has stuck together.

3.) Combine the egg and buttermilk in a small bowl or cup until well combined.

4.) Make a well in the center fo the flour mixture and add the buttermilk and egg. Stir just until all the flour is incorporated.

5.) Turn the dough out onto a work surface that has been generously dusted with flour. Turn the dough several times to coat with flour then form into a round loaf. If the dough is sticky and difficult to shape, add a little extra flour to the work surface and your hands if need be.

6.) Transfer the loaf to the sheet pan. With a sharp derated knife, cut an "X" on top of the loaf (maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep).

7.) Bake for 20 minutes. Cover with foil if getting too brown. Bake for another 8-10 minutes. The top should be a nice golden brown.

8.) Remove from oven. Brush the loaf with melted butter and allow to cool for about 20 minutes before slicing.

Saag Paneer

Saag Paneer

*Adapted from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/saag-paneer-spinach-with-indian-cheese-recipe-1927603

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cayenne

Kosher Salt

3 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tbsp oil *we used canola

12 oz paneer cut into cubes *recipe called for 1 inch cubes, but we made the cubes dice-sized so there would be "more." Highly recommend that.

(Paneer=Indian cheese, either store bought of made from recipe below)

16 oz package fresh spinach (can use frozen, see below)

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

About 1 tbsp minced ginger (about 1 1-inch-thumb ginger if fresh) *we have a jar of minced ginger and love the convenience of that

4 cloves garlice, minced *Come on. Do at least 6. Don't be an idiot.

1 large green serrano chile, finely chopped, seeds removed to cut spice *We did VERY LITTLE chile, maybe less than 1/4 of it. Up to you.

1/2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp ground coriander *we didn't have this and weren't sad about it

1 tsp ground cumin

OPTIONAL:

(1/2 cup plain yogurt, stirred until smooth) *we did NOT do this

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, 1 tsp salt, and 3 tbsp oil. Gently drop in the cubes of paneer and gently toss (if you made your own paneer, take care not to break the cubes). Let the cubes marinate as you do the next step.

2. Take your spinach and mash it up in a food processor, get it pretty smooth/into very small bits. If you don't have a food processor, just get to chopping! Very fine, please. If you are using frozen spinach, thaw it in the microwave 5 minutes on high, then puree in a food processor until smooth.

3. Heat a large nonstick pan/skillet over medium heat, add paneer, let sit for a couple minutes, then toss. Point being to get some nice brown color on as many sides the paneer as you can. When you have achieved a good coloring all around, take the paneer out and set aside on a plate.

4. Add 1 1/2 tbsp oil to the pan. Add onions, ginger, garlic, chile. SUPER IMPORTANT: saute this mix until it is evenly toffee-colored. DO NOT SKIP THIS OR SKIMP ON THIS! It is the FOUNDATION of the dish! Be patient, should take around 15 minutes. And if you see it getting dry, add water or chicken/veggie stock as you go.

5. Add the garam masala, coriander, and cumin. Sprinkle a little water to keep the spices from burning. Cook, stirring often, until the raw scent of the spices cook out, and it smells more "melodious," about 3-5 minutes. 

6. Add the spinach, stir well. Add a little salt and 1/2 cup of water or stock, stir, cook about another 5 minutes with the lid off.

7. Add the paneer and mix. ADD BUTTER FOR A LITTLE ADDED CREAMINESS. Cover and cook for a few minutes until everything is warmed through. *We didn't cover it and warm everything back up because we were too hungry and it smelled too good. It didn't make a difference to us. But if you wanna be thorough, go for it.

7. OPTIONAL: Turn the heat off and add the yogurt, a little at a time to keep it from curdling. Once the yogurt is well mixed, add the paneer. Turn the heat back on, cover and cook until everything is warmed through, about 5 minutes

8. Serve over rice! Maybe with some homemade naan...maybe we a mango lassi with rum...follow your bliss!

NOTES:

The spices in this dish are so lively and the paneer, which soaks up all that spiced oil, is just delicious. We found that we did not miss the creaminess that the yogurt would bring--the spinach is just so bright and lush. We did throw in some butter when we were mixing everything together, I would recommend that. Why not! 

Basically, this is a super easy dish that tastes complex. SO good.

You may want to make a double batch...we had no leftovers.

If you want to MAKE YOUR OWN PANEER:

INGREDIENTS:

cheesecloth

8 cups whole milk

1/4 c freshly squeezed lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

-Line a large colander with a large double layer of cheesecloth and set it in your sink

-In a large wide pot, bring the milk to a gentle boil over medium hear, stirring frequently to avoid burning the bottom. Be patient!

-Add the lemon juice and turn the heat down to low. Stirring gently, you should almost immediately see the curds (white milk solids) and whey (greenish liquid) separate. Don't fret, this is perfect!

-Remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour the contents into the colander. Gently rinse with cool water to get rid of the lemon flavor.

-Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and twist the ball of cheese to squeeze out the excess whey. Tie the cheesecloth to your kitchen faucet and allow it to drain for 5 minutes.

-Twisting the ball to compact the cheese into a block, place it on a plate with the twisted part of the cheesecloth on the side (to ensure the cheese is smooth) and set another plate on top. Weigh the 2nd plate down with cans of beans or a heavy pot. Move to the fridge and let sit about 20 minutes.

NOTE FROM DAN:

We did a vegan version of this with tofu instead of paneer and coconut milk instead of yogurt (and some sambal for more heat!). Combo with this recipe:

https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/vegan-saag-paneer/

Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

This one came out of trying to healthy-ify some favorites:

Recipe
Sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sambal (chili paste)
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp sesame oil

Tofu
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sambal
3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp water
12 oz extra firm tofu, pressed and diced

Pad thai
1 medium spaghetti squash, halved and de-seeded
4 tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped into strips
other stir fry veggies (e.g. mushrooms, broccoli) if you want!
4 scallions, cut into 1-2 in pieces
3 tbsp chopped peanuts
lime wedges, cilantro, purple cabbage

• Preheat the oven to 400, and roast the squash cut side down, about 30 minutes.
• Whisk together the sauce.
• Whisk together the tofu sauce, and coat the tofu pieces.  Stir fry in a wok with a little oil until golden brown.
• Saute the red bell pepper (and other veggies if needed) once the tofu's done.
• Once the squash is done, shred with a fork to make noodles.  Add it to the skillet, then add the sauce.
• Serve topped with the tofu, scallions, peanuts, lime, cilantro, cabbage

Notes
Must have been too busy digging in to take a picture.  It's a new favorite though!  Just make sure you start the squash early if you're hungry...

Cauliflower Miso Soup

Tried to do something light and healthy that could use up some of the extra miso paste from the last recipe, and found this...

Recipe

head of cauliflower, floret-ed
2 shallots, peeled and cut into quarters
4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tbsp red miso
1 tsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 c unsweetened almond milk
2-4 c vegetable stock or water
1/4 c walnuts

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Toss the cauliflower, shallots, and thyme with some olive oil, salt & pepper.  Roast on a parchment-lined baking sheet, 20-25 minutes until starting to brown.
• Set aside a few florets for a fancy garnish.
• Blend the roasted veggies with the miso, vinegar, soy sauce, almond milk, and 1 c of the stock.  Add more stock and keep blending until you like the texture.
• Heat the mixture in a pot.
• Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil and toast the walnuts with more thyme, salt & pepper.
• Serve the soup topped with cauliflower, walnuts, and extra oil if you want!

Notes

Might not have had super high expectations for this one, but it was really, really good!  Roasted cauliflower is pretty good on its own, and everything combined had a nice, rich, nutty taste.  Also classy.  Yum!

Zha Jiang Mian

Another ATK IG recipe: Beijing-style meat sauce...

Recipe

8 oz ground pork (we replaced with vegan crumbles)
1/8 tsp baking soda (I guess ignore for vegan crumbles)
5 tbsp red miso paste
5 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp molasses
8 scallions - white & light green in 1/2 inch pieces, dark green sliced thin
2 garlic cloves
1/2 in ginger, peeled and sliced
4 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 lb lo mein noodles
1/2 english cucumber, cut into matchsticks
6 oz bean sprouts

• Toss the pork with 2 tsp water and the baking soda, and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Whisk together 1/2 c water and the miso paste, soy sauce, hoisin, and molasses.
• Pulse the white and light green scallion parts, garlic, and ginger until coarsely chopped, then add mushrooms and make an awesome-smelling finely-chopped mixture.
• Heat pork mixture with some vegetable oil in a large saucepan for a minute, then add the mushroom mixture.  Cook 5-7 minutes.
• Add the miso mixture and cook 8-10 minutes while noodles cook.
• Combine sauce and cooked noodles, top with cucumbers, sprouts, and scallions, and eat!

Meatless Mushroom & Chickpea Pasta Sauce

Alright, here's another faux-meat sauce, this one courtesy of the America's Test Kitchen IG:

Recipe

10 oz cremini mushrooms*
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced*
1 1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes*
1/4 c tomato paste
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 c vegetable broth
15 oz chickpeas, rinsed
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
*feel free to add more as desired!

• Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until in little (1/8-1/4 in) pieces.  Heat 5 tbsp of oil in a dutch oven over medium high and cook mushrooms (and a little salt) until browned.
• In the meantime, pulse the onion similarly (don't need to clean out the processor between all these ingredients).  Add to the dutch oven until soft.
• Mix the extra tbsp of oil plus the garlic, oregano, and red pepper in a bowl.
• Add the tomato paste to the pot and cook a minute or 2.  Reduce heat to medium and clear space in the middle for the garlic mixture; add it and cook and mix in until fragrant.
• Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer about 5 minutes.
• Pulse the chickpeas similarly, and rinse in a strainer until the water runs through clear.  Add to the pot and simmer about 15 minutes.
• Stir in basil and salt & pepper, and serve over pasta!

Notes

This is a bit more complicated, but comes out really, really good!  Great to make a big batch and get a few meals out of it.  Might even be jefe-friendly?

Tofu Bolognese

Alright, now getting into the vegan phase - thanks Anne ;)  First up...

Recipe

2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
1 block extra firm tofu
3 c tomato sauce
1 lb spaghetti or other pasta

Preheat oven to 350, and oil or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Mix the seasonings and stuff into a brown paste, and crumble in the tofu.  Mix it in real good, spread on the baking sheet, and cook for 35-45 minutes.  Toward the end, cook up the tomato sauce, then add the tofu, and serve over pasta (cook that in there toward the end too).

Quinoa & Spinach Patties

In my phase of looking for good vegetarian (not yet vegan...) recipes - ones that are filling, delicious (obv.), and as a bonus good for leftovers - found this one!

Recipe

1 c quinoa, cooked
4 eggs, whisked
1/3 c parmesan cheese, grated
3 scallions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c spinach, chopped & steamed (frozen OK)
1 c breadcrumbs

Basically, once you've done the above to each ingredient, mix them all in a bowl.  Let sit to absorb some moisture, and make patties.  Heat some oil in a skillet and cook in batches, 8-10 minutes per side until golden and a little crisp.

Baked Cod with Parm & Garlic Butter

Getting through some older recipes - for this one, actually have a picture of the end result so read on...

Recipe

3/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 lemon (juice & zest)
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/4 tsp paprika
3 tbsp butter
1 1/2 lb fresh cod

Preheat the oven to 400.  Mix the parm, garlic powder, paprika, and lemon zest on a plate.  Melt the butter and get your stations set up for the fish > butter > cheese > greased sheet pan; top with the extra butter!  Cook for about 15 minutes.  Squeeze on the lemon juice and serve!

Notes

As promised: