Black Pepper Stir Fried Noodles

I cannot believe how fast this summer is flying by! I've tried two new recipes recently that I loved and I'm excited to share them with you. :) You'll get the first recipe today and the next one will be coming soon!

This first recipe is a yummy Asian noodle recipe-- Black Pepper Stir Fried Noodles. I modified the original recipe in a couple ways.  First, I added bean sprouts! From making Pad Thai I learned that you can add a ton of bean sprouts and when they cook in with everything else it is essentially impossible to distinguish them from the noodles. What this means is that you can get a large serving of what looks like just noodles, but it's actually half bean sprouts! More nutritious without you even noticing. Also, the original recipe called for udon noodles which I couldn't find so I used lo mein noodles and they worked great. So the lesson is that the exact noodle you use is flexible.

The black pepper sauce has lots of flavor but isn't overly spicy. If you are craving a big bowl of Asian noodle comfort, go for this. It comes together relatively quickly and it's quite tasty! 

Black Pepper Stir Fried Noodles

serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:
Black Pepper Sauce:

• 1/2 tablespoon black pepper (or freshly ground black peppercorns)-- [tablespoon is not a typo!]
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3-5 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 tablespoons water

Stir Fried Noodles

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 8 ounces udon noodles (or lo mein noodles or rice noodles... even linguine if necessary)
• 1 bag of mung bean sprouts (mine was 12 ounces but  you could use a bit more or less depending on what you find)
• about 1/2 cup water
• 2-3 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 pound extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into cubes (make sure to get out as much water as possible) [Note: You can substitute chicken if you prefer]
• sesame seeds for topping

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for just a few minutes. They should be soft but not at all done. They will continue cooking later with the rest of the ingredients and you don't want them to end up over-cooked. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
2. Place all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large cast iron skillet (or nonstick skillet) over medium heat. Once hot and shining, add tofu. Cook tofu, turning occasionally, until all sides are lightly brown. This will probably take about 10 minutes. At this point add about 1 tablespoon of the sauce, 1 tablespoon of water, and 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil to the pan. Stir or shake the pan around to coat the tofu in the sauce. Because the pan is hot, the added sauce/water/oil should pretty much immediately sizzle and coat the tofu as you stir it around. Transfer the tofu to a bowl and set aside.
4. Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil in the skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add noodles, bean sprouts, and remaining black pepper sauce. Use tongs to help move the noodles and bean sprouts around so they are all getting coated in sauce. Cook, stirring frequently (you want to avoid the noodles/sprouts sticking to the bottom of the pan), for about 5-10 minutes until noodles and sprouts are cooked through and soft. Add small amounts of water as necessary to help everything cook and to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat.
5. Add the spinach leaves and cooked tofu and stir to combine. The spinach leaves should wilt pretty quickly from the heat of the noodles.
6. Serve topped with sesame seeds.

recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum

Roasted Mushrooms and Zucchini on White Bean Puree

This dinner was surprisingly delicious. I say surprisingly because as much as I like beans, a bean puree doesn't necessarily sound like the most appealing dinner! However, there were lots of great flavors in this dish that made it both tasty and comforting. Mark even went back for seconds! It was relatively quick to make with lots of good-for-you ingredients, so I definitely plan on making it again in the future.

This meal is a bean puree (cooked beans, milk, and spices that are blended) that is topped with a portobello mushroom, zucchini, and tomatoes tossed in some olive oil and spices. I made some that were also topped with mozzarella cheese (as shown above). Both versions turned out great! 

FYI- This meal is gluten free and vegetarian. If you leave off the mozzarella cheese, it is also vegan.

Roasted Mushrooms and Zucchini on White Bean Puree

serves: 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 large portobello mushrooms caps, stemmed
• 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 6 cloves garlic, minced and divided
• 1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (or skim milk but then it won't be vegan)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper (if you don't have white pepper, you can omit or use more black pepper)
• 2 14.5 ounce cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (I used "tomato on the vine" tomatoes and I did not seed the tomatoes)
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced [omit or leave off of some of the mushrooms to make vegan]

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Place mushroom caps, gill sides down, in a single layer on a baking sheet (it's best if the baking sheet has sides as the vegetables will release liquid). Drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and rub the oil into the mushrooms. Once the oven has preheated, bake the mushrooms for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and sliced zucchini.
4. Remove the mushrooms from the oven and turn them over. Sprinkle mushrooms with 1/8 teaspoon of salt and half of the minced garlic. Layer zucchini slices over the mushrooms (you will need to make more than one layer). It's okay if the zucchini falls off a bit.
5. Bake for another 6-10 minutes until zucchini is cooked.
6. While the zucchini and mushrooms cook, combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining garlic, almond milk, black pepper, white pepper, beans, parsley, and thyme in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes on low heat. Finally, transfer bean mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
7. Meanwhile, combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, oregano, and tomatoes in a small bowl and set aside. 
8. Once the mushrooms and zucchini are cooked, top with sliced mozzarella cheese as desired. Return to oven for 2 minutes until cheese is melted.
9. Divide puree among plates. Place mushrooms on the puree. Top with the tomato mixture. Serve immediately.

recipe slightly adapted from Cooking Light, discovered on Oh My Veggies

Chicken [or Tempeh] and Broccoli Curry with Coconut Rice

I recently celebrated my 29th birthday! Mark jokingly said "I guess this will be the first of many 29th birthdays".  Ha! I think I'll be okay with proceeding into my 30s, but let's not rush anything!

For my birthday dinner I decided I wanted this yummy broccoli tempeh curry that I had made before but for some reason never posted to the blog. I KNOW I bought the tempeh at the store, but when it came time for us to cook this meal we couldn't find it anywhere! And I mean anywhere. We both searched the refrigerator, then the freezer, then all the cupboards, then the shopping bags, then even my car... nowhere to be found. So we decided it never made it home from the grocery store. Luckily I had some chicken in the freezer so I decided to just substitute the tempeh with chicken. Still tasted great! So moral of the story is this recipe works well with chicken or with tempeh!

This meal consists of coconut rice topped with chicken and broccoli tossed in a delicious (and pretty healthy) homemade tomato/coconut curry sauce. The sauce is relatively quick to make and I found that overall there was less chopping of ingredients than in some recipes. Had we not spent 15 minutes looking for the tempeh, it would have been ready quickly! Just start cooking your rice first and everything else will be done when the rice is done.

I have a rice cooker and just threw the broccoli in the top of the rice cooker to steam while I cooked the chicken. I forgot to set a timer so I overcooked the broccoli a bit. It still tasted great, but it's better when the broccoli holds its shape better.

I really like the flavors of this dish. If you make it, I definitely encourage you to make the rice as well! I used black rice (I found it in bulk at Costco and we are loving it), but brown rice works too.

Chicken [or Tempeh] and Broccoli Curry with Coconut Rice

serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

Coconut Rice

• 1 cup black rice (or long grain brown rice)
• 1 cup canned lite coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Chicken [or Tempeh] and Broccoli Curry

• 2-3 bunches broccoli, cut into florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces tempeh, cubed OR 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (depending on if your tomatoes are unsalted)
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (don't drain)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup (or more as desired) lite coconut milk (use the same can that you used for the rice)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Start by cooking the rice.  Combine all the rice ingredients in a small saucepan (or rice cooker). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25-35 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rice sit, covered, at least 10 minutes until ready to serve.
2. Meanwhile, steam or saute broccoli until tender (don't overcook!). Run under cold water to stop the cooking and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tempeh or chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and lightly browned. Remove from pan to a plate and set aside.
4. Add remaining olive oil and butter to the skillet and turn heat to low. Once butter is melted, add onions and cook until soft and slightly brown, about 5 minutes.
5. Add cumin, curry powder, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir to combine.
6. Add in salt, tomatoes, and water. Stir to combine and cook for about 2 minutes.
7. Transfer onion/tomato mixer to blender. Add 1/4 cup lite coconut milk to blender as well. Blend until thoroughly pureed. Add more coconut milk until desired taste/consistency is reached.
8. Return pureed curry sauce to skillet. Add chicken/tempeh and stir to combine. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until chicken/tempeh is hot. 
9. Add broccoli and stir to combine. Cook until broccoli is warmed through. 
10. Remove from heat and serve over coconut rice.

recipe slightly adapted from edible perspective

Thai Peanut Noodle and Veggie Bowl

Have you been enjoying spring? After lots of snowy months is always exciting to feel the warmth of the sun again. With some warmer days last week I started craving salads again. This Thai noodle bowl with lots of vegetables and a delicious peanut sauce was a great way to satisfying that craving.

My love of peanut butter and Thai flavors is not new to this blog, and I've made similar recipes before (vegetables + some other ingredient + peanut sauce). What makes this different is the addition of cold noodles and lots of edamame, which really help to make this a full dinner that is quite satisfying. Bonus? This meal is very quick to make. Start boiling water for your noodles and prep everything else while the water comes to a boil and the noodles cook. Then it's time to eat!

I found this recipe on a blog I just recently discovered, Oh My Veggies. It is run by a few different people but features all vegetarian recipes. It also has meal plans like I used to do! I've been enjoying looking at everything on that site so expect to see more recipes from that source in the future. This particular Thai noodle bowl recipe was originally from the Oh She Glows Cookbook. Oh She Glows is another blog that's been one of my favorites for a few years.

I will definitely be making this again during the warmer months. It would make a great lunch as well! Enjoy!

Thai Peanut Noodle and Veggie Bowl

serves: 4

Recipe: Thai Peanut Noodle and Veggie Bowl

Kaitlyn's Notes:

• I couldn't find soba noodles, so I used whole wheat linguine instead.
• I doubled the amount of pasta (I used 8 ounces) to make larger dinner servings.
• I made 1.5 times the sauce, since I doubled the pasta. I recommend doing that if you also double the pasta and tend to like a lot of dressing on salads, otherwise it's probably not necessary.
• Baked tofu or chicken would make a great addition or substitute for some of the edamame.

Yogurt with Nut Butter

I have a new lunch obsession.  The title really says it all.  Yogurt with nut butter.  Sound weird?  I thought it did at first too.  But then I remembered how much I like peanut butter on everything else.  I've put peanut on ice cream/frozen yogurt and in smoothies, so why not just directly on to plain yogurt?  Silly me for never having thought of this before.  This post on the kitchn was my inspiration.  Though I haven't tried the graham crackers like they did, I do think the crunch would be nice. 

I've been having this along with some cut up veggies for lunch for the past couple of weeks.  The peanut butter makes it taste rich and amazing.  The great thing is that it is VERY filling, but also very nutritious.  It has lots of protein and healthy fats, but not too many carbs. It is quick to prepare and easy to take on the go in a little container.  

Try it!  Especially if you are in need of new lunch ideas.

I should mention that when I first told Mark about yogurt with peanut butter on it I think he was skeptical, but he did try it and has since had it multiple times as a lunch addition/snack.  He's not one to have yogurt plain, but throw some peanut butter on it and he's a big fan. :)

Yogurt with Nut Butter

Here is my "formula"- play around with it!  

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt 
• 1-2 tablespoons nut butter (peanut butter or almond butter-- peanut butter will have a stronger flavor)
• drizzle of honey or small spoonful of jam

DIRECTIONS:

1) Put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

2) Eat!

Or... if you want to make it look fancy, you can microwave the peanut butter in a small dish first for about 1 minute to make it easier to pour.  That's what I did for the first photo.  But usually, I just stir everything together in the bowl or container I eat it out of.

Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake

As much as I love Mexican food, I have never ordered enchiladas from a restaurant before.  Really, I don't have a good reason for this.  It's mostly just that I can't seem to choose anything besides a vegetarian burrito.  Ha!  But when I saw this post a few weeks ago and the author writing "promise me you will make it!" on the recipe, I knew I had to give it a try.

The results really were amazing.  Definitely an example of something that tastes way better than it looks!! Mark said many many times how good it was as he was eating it.  He didn't even want me to tell him what was in it because he said it tasted so good he didn't want the truth about whatever healthy things were in it to spoil that for him!  This enchilada bake has quinoa, veggies, black beans, homemade enchilada sauce, and Mexican cheese.  We topped it with avocado and ate it with baked tortilla chips.  The enchilada bake was great for dipping chips in!  While it isn't the healthiest thing you could eat, this is overall a pretty healthy meal.

I know I am not posting as frequently as I used to, but I will post great recipes that I find- I want to remember to make them again myself!  So trust me, this was really good.  I will be making it again very soon!

Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake

serves: 6 (generous servings!)

Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake Recipe

Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Kaitlyn's Notes:

• As you can see by the links, I made my own enchilada sauce.  It was very easy to do so I recommend that!  I made the full enchilada sauce recipe and used it all in the enchilada bake.
• When I made this I actually made 2/3 of the quinoa, used less cheese (probably 1 cup) and baked in an 8x8 pan to serve 4.  These were big servings, but we devoured it!

Roasted Veggie Quinoa Bowls with Peanut Sauce

I saw this recipe on Annie's Eats a few weeks ago and immediately bookmarked it (peanut sauce? I'm sold!).  The original recipe calls for eggplant, but I haven't quite grown to like eggplant yet... so I used broccoli instead.  Both Mark and I were very impressed with the result.  The peanut sauce has a lot of flavor, and helped to make the dish quite filling.  For dinner we had it warm (since the quinoa had just cooked), but for lunch I had it cold and it was delicious that way.  If you are a peanut butter fan and looking for a new dinner or lunch option, I highly recommend this recipe!

Roasted Veggie Quinoa Bowls with Peanut Sauce

serves: 4-6 (depending on if you eat this for lunch or dinner)

The recipe can be found here.

Kaitlyn's Notes:

• The original recipe calls for eggplant, onion, snow peas, and bell peppers for the vegetables.  I used broccoli, bell peppers, onion, and snow peas and I increased the overall quantity of vegetables by about 50%.  Feel free to experiment with different vegetables!
• The vegetables get drizzled in olive oil and roasted.  The peanut sauce also calls for olive oil.  I found the dish a bit too oily overall, so I would use only 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in the sauce next time (and possibly add a bit of water to thin the sauce).  
• I increased the peanut butter and garlic in the sauce a bit.... because I love peanut butter and garlic. :)

Breaded Tempeh with Spicy Tomato Sauce

I made this yummy tempeh recipe a few weeks ago.  Mark said it was one of his favorite ways of having tempeh.  It's essentially chicken parmesan, except with tempeh instead of chicken.  Tempeh is breaded and cooked in a skillet.  Then it is topped with a spicy tomato sauce (or your favorite pasta sauce) and cheese.

If you've never had tempeh or need to please someone who doesn't usually eat tempeh, give this a try.  With all the breading/sauce/cheese, it's easy to forget that you are eating tempeh. :)

Breaded Tempeh with Spicy Tomato Sauce

serves: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 8 ounce block of tempeh (any variety)
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 large egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• tomato sauce (use spicy tomato sauce below or your favorite pasta sauce)
• mozzarella cheese or other cheese of choice

DIRECTIONS:

1) Cut the tempeh in half lengthwise so it is half as thick.  Then, cut each half into 4 equal sections.

2) In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, and salt.  Put flour in another small bowl.  Put egg whisked with water in a third bowl.

3) Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat (I used a cast iron skillet).  While oil is heating, coat each piece of temepeh in the flour, then the egg wash, then the breadcrumb mixture.  Use your fingers to make sure the tempeh is fully coated with the breadcrumbs.  You might not end up using all of the breadcrumbs.

4) When olive oil is hot, add temepeh to the pan in a single layer.  Cook for about 5 minutes until golden brown.  Then carefully flip each piece and cook on the other side for another 3-5 minutes.

5) Serve topped with tomato sauce and cheese with roasted vegetables on the side.

recipe slightly adapted from edible perspective


Spicy Tomato Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1  teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1/ 4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
Combine oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a small pot over medium-high heat.  Once it starts to sizzle, add crushed tomatoes, salt, and oregano.  Stir to combine.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cover.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-10 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.  Set aside until ready to use.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer.

Thai Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers with Peanut Sauce

Angela from Oh She Glows has got to be the queen of veggie burgers.  Every veggie burger recipe she has posted has been amazing.  I was so excited when I saw her post recently for Thai Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers with Peanut Sauce because:

1. I love veggie burgers
2. I love sweet potatoes
3. I love Thai food
4. I love peanut butter and peanut sauce

So basically it seems like this recipe could do no wrong.  And it didn't!  These burgers held together well and tasted amazing.  And the great thing about veggie burgers is you can freeze the extras for a quick meal later on.  Mark liked these too, though he said he still prefers regular veggie burgers that he can have with BBQ sauce.  So if you are looking for a regular veggie burger, this is not it.  BUT, if you like Thai flavors/peanut sauce and non-traditional burgers, give these a try!  I will definitely be making these again.

Thai Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers with Peanut Sauce

serves: 6 (you can also easily double this and freeze extras for later!)

The recipe can be found here.

Kaitlyn's Notes:

• I used low-sodium soy sauce instead of the tamari.
• I used regular oats (not certified gluten-free), but if you want to make these gluten-free you should use the certified gluten-free oats.
• I divided the original recipe into 6 burgers.
• I added a few teaspoons of sriracha to the peanut sauce to make it spicier and that worked well.
• I served these on homemade buns.  I spread peanut sauce on both the bottom of the bun and the top of the burger.  I then topped the burger with some baby spinach leaves (any lettuce would be good).
• Serve with salad or roasted vegetables.

Curried Vegetable and Chickpea Stew

I made this soup for the first time last week and it was excellent.  It was one of those meals where I was sad when I finished the last serving.  This soup is full of vegetables and chickpeas, plus ginger, garlic, curry powder and a bit of coconut milk to give it some Indian flavors.  It is hearty and satisfying, but also happens to be vegan.  

The coconut milk added at the end gives it just the right amount of richness in my opinion.  I actually made my own coconut milk from unsweetened shredded coconut and water in my vitamix, but you could also use light canned coconut milk.  

While the recipe was written for the slow cooker, I needed dinner within an hour and so I made it on the stove.  It worked out great that way, but next time I will try the slow cooker method.

If you are a soup fan and a curry fan, give this a try!

Curried Vegetable and Chickpea Stew
serves: 8

The recipe can be found here.

Kaitlyn's Notes:

• You can definitely make this on the stove.  There are stove-top instructions at the bottom of the recipe.
• Feel free to substitute other vegetables.  I used 3 red bell peppers instead of the 1 red and 1 green.  You could also substitute sweet potatoes for some or all of the regular potatoes.
• Don't skip the coconut milk!  It really helps to finish the dish.  Light coconut milk would be fine.
• This tastes great when reheated.  I had it 4 times within 4 days for dinners and lunches.  YUM!

Potato and Winter Squash Gratin

The other day I was in the mood for a new fall recipe, and happened upon a recipe for potato, squash, and goat cheese gratin.  I was intrigued by the goat cheese and the inclusion of squash in what is typically a heavy potato dish.  The recipe called for yellow squash and that was my original plan, but then I saw some small delicata squashes at the grocery store and thought they might be more fitting for fall.  They worked out great!  This dish is super comforting and delicious, but doesn't have loads of cheese or heavy cream.

Essentially you slice squash and potatoes very thinly.  Toss with olive oil and layer into a baking dish with crumbled goat cheese, salt, and pepper.  Top with some parmesan cheese and a little milk and bake for an hour.  If you have a mandoline then you can use that to slice the squash and potatoes and this comes together very quickly.  I don't have a mandoline, so I had to spend a good amount of time slicing everything thinly by hand.  Because my slices weren't quite as thin as a mandoline would have made them, and because delicata squash is denser than yellow squash, I increased the baking time by about 20 minutes.

If you would also like to try this with delicata squash, I recommend cutting it in half lengthwise and scooping out the seeds.  Then, thinly slice so you have semi-circular pieces.  Of course I'm sure the yellow squash would also be good.  You could also mix up the potatoes to include some sweet potatoes as well.

I think this would be a great dish for Thanksgiving or another fall party.  For our dinner, I served it with a piece of salmon for some protein.  I'm already looking forward to the leftovers!

Potato and Winter Squash Gratin

serves: 4

The recipe can be found here.

Kaitlyn's Notes:

• If you want this for a substantial part of your meal, double the recipe to serve 4.  I used 1 1/2 pounds of red potatoes and 1 1/2 pounds sliced delicata squash.
• You can cut back the olive oil to two tablespoons (for the original recipe) and it will still be great.
• Substitute delicata squash for the yellow squash and/or sweet potato for the regular potatoes depending on what you feel like.  If you use denser vegetables, plan to increase the baking time by about 20 minutes.
• Everything should be sliced as THINLY as possible.  You can leave the skins on.

Indian Style Tofu and Bean Sprouts

I enjoy tofu as a protein source for dinner every couple of weeks.  I already have two favorite tofu recipes, but I always keep my eye out for others.  One of the great things about tofu is that you can cook it FAST and you don't have to worry about dealing with raw meat.

This particular recipe stood out for a couple of reasons:

• not many ingredients and not much ingredient preparation 
• uses bean sprouts which Mark particularly likes (I like them too!)
• different from my typical tofu recipes because it's not spicy

Mark and I love spicy food, but not everyone does, so it's nice to have a good tofu suggestion for those of you out there who are not spicy fans!  This tofu dish has a pleasant mild coconut flavor.  When cooked, the bean sprouts to me taste like noodles.  I served this over brown rice but that really isn't necessary.  This would be great plain with more vegetables on the side.  The original recipe had a few ingredients that I did not have and did not feel like venturing out to find, so I had to modify the recipe to include more standard spices.   If you serve this without rice, you can get this meal together in under 30 minutes- perfect for a busy weeknight!

Indian Style Tofu and Bean Sprouts

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 15-oz package extra firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced (Note: the heat of a jalapeno comes from its seeds, so by taking out the seeds you are not adding very much heat at all to the dish.)
• 12-16 ounces bean sprouts (my bag was 12 ounces)
• 1 cup light coconut milk (from a can--- if you serve this with rice, I recommend using the rest of the coconut milk from the can as some of the cooking liquid for the rice)

DIRECTIONS:

1) Drain the tofu and press with towels to remove as much liquid as possible.  Cut into small cubes and set aside.

2) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Once hot, add all spices and jalapeno.  Mix for about 30 seconds. 

3)  Add cubed tofu and mix so that the spices coat the tofu.  Cook the tofu, flipping occasionally, until it is lightly browned on most sides.  This should take about 10 minutes.

4)  Add the bean sprouts and coconut milk and stir to combine.  Cook for about 2 minutes until the bean sprouts are wilted and the coconut milk is mostly absorbed (you can cover your skillet for this if you have a cover).

5) Serve hot with cooked brown rice if desired.

(recipe adapted from Veggie Belly) 

Pizza Topped Quinoa + Bean Burgers

These fun burgers are sort of like bagel pizzas except switch out the bagel for a quinoa bean burger.  Weird description?  Perhaps.  They really are just burgers made with beans, quinoa, and Italian flavors that are topped with your favorite pizza toppings.  Mark devoured three of these pretty quickly.  They are delicious! Our only complaint is that they don't hold together very well when you are eating them, so you really do need to eat them with a fork.  I found this recipe over at edible perspective, and she ate these on a piece of bread so that is an option as well.  I opted to skip the bread since the quinoa felt like enough carbs.

I topped these with a spicy homemade tomato sauce, sauteed mushrooms, black olives, and mozzarella cheese.  Of course you could top them with whatever pizza toppings sound good to you.  And don't let the long ingredient list scare you- I've included my recipe for my pizza sauce, but you don't have to use that!  I served these with roasted kale, because Mark and I both LOVE kale, but I recommend serving these with your vegetables of choice.  These pizza burgers really are a great way to satisfy your pizza cravings in a different (and healthy!) way.  As the weather continues to get cooler and warm comfort foods sound like the perfect dinner, give these a try!

Pizza Topped Quinoa + Bean Burgers 

yield: 8 burgers (serves 4 or more, depending on how and with what they are served)

INGREDIENTS:
Burgers:

• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 1 14 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large egg + 1 egg white (or 1 duck egg), whisked
• 6 tablespoons ground rolled oats (You can grind them in your food processor.  Use gluten-free if desired.  Or try substituting a different type of flour)
• olive oil for cooking

Spicy Tomato Sauce (or use your favorite pizza sauce):

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon (or more) crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes (no salt added if possible), juice drained out
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Toppings:

• 10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• black olives, sliced
• mozzarella cheese
• parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1) Start by cooking the quinoa.  Combine dry quinoa and 1 cup of water in a small pot.  Set over medium high heat and bring water to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce hit to low and cover the pot.  Let cook for 15 minutes (while you prep other ingredients), until all water is absorbed.  Set quinoa aside to cool slightly.

2) Next start the spicy tomato sauce.  Puree the diced tomatoes (without the juice) in a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender.  Heat olive oil in a small pot with garlic and red pepper flakes over medium heat.  Once garlic begins to brown, add tomatoes, salt, and oregano.  Stir to combine.  Cover and cook on low/medium-low until ready to use.

3) Process beans in a food processor, or mash thoroughly with a fork.  In a large bowl, combine beans, cooked quinoa, onion, basil, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Add olive oil and eggs and mix.  Add ground rolled oats and mix to combine.  The mixture should be wet, but you should be able to form it into balls that stay together.  If it's too wet, add a couple tablespoons more ground oats (or flour).

4) Divide burger mixture into 8 equal portions and shape into burgers that are about 3/4 inch thick.

5) Heat about 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Once hot, use a spatula to carefully transfer half of the burgers to the skillet.  Cook for five minutes until dark brown on the bottom.  Carefully flip over and cook for another five minutes until browned and cooked through.  If burgers are browning too quickly and not cooking on the inside, lower the heat! Repeat with remaining burgers.  Preheat your oven to low broil in the last few minutes of cooking.

6)  While burgers are cooking, heat a small amount of olive oil in a medium skillet.  Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is released and evaporated.  Set aside.

7) Place burgers on a baking sheet.  Top each burger with spicy tomato sauce, mushrooms,  olives, and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.  Place in the oven under the broiler for 2-4 minutes until cheese is starting to brown (watch carefully!!).  Enjoy!

(recipe slightly adapted from edible perspective)

Spelt Berry Salad with Balsamic Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

While in Sacramento recently, my family picked up a delicious spelt berry salad from a natural foods store.  I had never had spelt berries before, and everyone loved the salad.  I took a picture of the ingredient list so that I could attempt to make it at home.  This copy-cat recipe turned out great!

If you've never had spelt berries before, they are a whole grain like rice, but bigger and slightly chewy.  I got a bag made by Bob's Red Mill, but you could also probably find them in the bulk bins at a natural foods store.  Spelt berreis have a great texture for salad.  After cooked, these spelt berries are tossed with peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, cranberries, and a homemade balsamic maple dijon vinaigrette.

This salad would make a great lunch or side dish.  It'd also be great to bring to a potluck!

Spelt Berry Salad with Balsamic Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

serves: 8 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups dry spelt berries, soaked and cooked according to package instructions until slightly chewy
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup orange juice or water
• 3 bell peppers, chopped into small pieces (a variety of colors is nice)
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 large cucumber, seeded and chopped into small pieces
• 1 1/4 cups grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1) Combine dried cranberries and orange juice/water in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 3 minutes on high.  Let sit for 5 minutes while prepping other ingredients.

2) In a large bowl, combine cooked spelt berries, cranberries, bell peppers, red onion, cucumber, grape tomatoes and sunflower seeds.

3) In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, maple syrup, oregano, salt and pepper.  Pour over spelt berries and vegetables and stir everything to combine.

4) Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

This is a yummy pasta salad that I've made two times recently.  It's hearty enough for a main dish, and is a great way to eat lots of vegetables.  The dressing for this pasta salad is made with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and lots of garlic and herbs.  It adds lots of delicious flavor to this simple dish.

I used a zucchini from our garden in this salad! I highly recommend using any produce from your garden for this salad.  And if you have fresh herbs in your garden, you should definitely use those for the dressing.  Last year my mother-in-law had some delicious lemon thyme in her garden that would go great with this (Lanie, if you have that again this year, definitely use it to make this!).

This is a great make-ahead salad, as the flavors develop even more over time.  I've found it's good cold, at room temperature, or even slightly warm.  I hope you get a chance to enjoy it before all the summer vegetables are gone!

Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

serves: 4-6 as a main dish

INGREDIENTS:

For the dressing:

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (I've used parsley, basil, thyme, oregano)

For the salad: *feel free to substitute different vegetables that you have!*

• 10 ounces whole wheat penne pasta (or pasta of choice-- I threw in some orzo I had as well)
• 3-4 medium squash (yellow and/or green),  halved and sliced (to yield about 5 cups cut up squash)
• 1 small bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and sliced into 1 inch segments
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1-2 cups cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 
• optional: goat cheese or Parmesan cheese for topping

DIRECTIONS:

1) Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well (or whisk together in a bowl).  Refrigerate until ready to use (the longer it sits, the more the flavors will combine and the better it will be).

2)  Bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.   *Save the cooking water!*

3)  While pasta is cooking, prep all the vegetables.  

4) Drain the pasta into a colander set inside a large pot (to save the cooking water).  Run cold water over the pasta to cool it down.  Bring the pot filled with cooking water to the stove and turn the heat on high.  Add the squash, asparagus, and frozen peas and cook for 2-4 minutes. You want the vegetables cooked, but still a bit crunchy- try not to overcook them!  Drain the vegetables and run cold water over them to stop the cooking and cool them down.

5) Combine pasta, cooked vegetables, tomatoes, and chickpeas in a large bowl.  Pour dressing over top and gently mix to combine.

6)  Serve topped with crumbled goat cheese or Parmesean cheese if desired (it's excellent either way).  Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

(recipe barely adapted from edible perspective)

Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches

This is more of an idea than an exact recipe.  I provide the recipe for what I did below, but you can definitely play around with this!  After trying grilled pizza, I thought it would be fun to try making bread for sandwiches out of pizza dough cooked on the grill.  I ended up making taco-shaped sandwiches that were really delicious and also very filling.

I filled the sandwiches with grilled vegetables (zucchini, peppers, red onion, portobellos) and grilled tofu slabs.  I divided the pizza dough (a little less than a pound's worth) into four pieces and rolled each piece into a rectangle that I grilled.  I then spread one side of the grilled bread with kale pesto and goat cheese (this was key!) before filling with the grilled ingredients.  YUM!

Store grilled ingredients separately from the bread for leftovers.  Reheating in the toaster oven is ideal!

This was a fun new way to use the grill (I actually did all of the grilling this time!).  And while a bit messy to eat, these sandwiches were thoroughly enjoyed!  Get creative and make your own grilled veggie sandwiches!

Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches

serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ball pizza dough (about 1 pound)
• olive oil
• salt + pepper
• 1 14 ounce package extra firm tofu, drained and water pressed out, cut into 4 slabs
• 1 red onion, sliced into semi-thick circles
• 2 green bell peppers, sliced into large flat pieces
• 2 small zucchini, sliced into long strips
• 4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed
• kale pesto
• goat cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Divide the pizza dough into four sections.  Roll each section into a rectangle shape.  Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt + pepper (if desired).  Set aside while you prep the remaining ingredients.

2)  Heat the grill to medium and cook.  Brush or spray tofu, onion, peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms lightly with olive oil.    Cook on the grill until tender and moisture has been released.

3)  Turn the heat on your grill to medium-low and start to grill the bread.  Flip the rectangles onto the hot grill so that the oiled side is touching the grill (I did two at a time-- depends on the size of your grill).  Close the top of the grill and let cook for 1-4 minutes until browned on the bottom.  Carefully flip over and cook the other side until done (1-2  minutes more).

4)  Spread  half of each piece of bread with pesto and spread the other half of each piece of bread with goat cheese.  Layer tofu and vegetables onto one half and fold other half of bread over (now it looks like a taco/wrap!).  Cut each sandwich in half.  Serve with napkins (it can get messy!).

Saag Paneer

Once I discovered it, saag paneer quickly became one of my favorite Indian foods.  Saag refers to greens such as spinach, and paneer is a mild cheese.  I've made this version of saag paneer a few times, but this weekend was my first time making the paneer myself.  Long story short- YUM!  Both Mark and I really liked this.

Making the paneer was easier than I thought it would be.  You bring milk to a boil, and then add some lemon juice.  This causes the milk to separate into curds and whey.  Recite "little miss muffet" to yourself (optional), as you pour the curds and whey through cheesecloth to capture the curds.  At this point you drain out all the liquid, press the curds into a block, and refrigerate.  If you don't want to make your own paneer, you might be able to find it at the store.  You'll have more luck if you go to an Indian market.  But I really recommend making it yourself- it'll be fun and you'll be so proud!

This version of saag paneer uses 1 1/2 pounds of spinach, plus onions and lots of good for you spices.  It is cooked in some buttermilk (as opposed to heavy cream), which lightens it up a bit.  If you've had saag paneer in a restaurant, this doesn't taste exactly the same, but I think it is still delicious (just different!).  Full disclosure: the paneer is cubed and fried in a bit of butter, but it is totally worth it.  I served this over rice which was great for soaking up some of the sauce from the saag paneer.

Already looking forward to eating the leftovers for lunch.... :)

Saag Paneer

serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

For the Paneer (makes about 1/2 pound of paneer):

• 1/2 gallon (8 cups) 2% milk (or whole milk)
• 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, divided

For the Saag Paneer:

• cooked brown rice
• 8 ounces of paneer (from above)
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (plus more if desired)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt (or additional buttermilk if desired)
• squeeze of lemon juice
• sesame seeds, for sprinkling on top (toasted if desired)

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Start by making the paneer (this can be done several hours before or a day in advance):  Line a colander with at least three layers of cheesecloth.  You should have enough cheesecloth so that you will be able to wrap it around the cup or so of curdles you will get.

2)  Pour all milk into a large pot over medium-high heat.  Bring to a gentle boil, whisking frequently to avoid burning the milk on the bottom.  Once boiling, add lemon juice, one tablespoon at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon for 30 seconds or so between additions.  You should see a clearish whey separating from the curdles.   Cook another minute and then remove from heat.  Pour the curd/whey mixture through the cheesecloth/colander.  Let sit for a few minutes and cool.

3) Wrap the cheesecloth around the curdles and form into a rough block.  Put inside of a kitchen towel and place a book or a heavy item on top for about 10 minutes to get out as much liquid as possible.

4)  Unwrap the towel and cheesecloth from the paneer.  Transfer the paneer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

5)  For the Saag Paneer:  Make sure your rice is cooked or cooking.  Then, heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium sized skillet over medium heat.  Cut the paneer into small bite-sized pieces.  Add the paneer to the skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on most sides.  This will take about 10 minutes.  Once cooked, remove from heat and set aside.

6)  Meanwhile, heat the second tablespoon of butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften (about 5 minutes).  Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, ground mustard, red pepper flakes, cloves, and turmeric.  Stir to combine and cook for about two minutes.

7) Add all the spinach (this is easier to do all at once if it is finely chopped!) and stir to combine.  Turn  up the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until all the spinach is wilted.

8)  Stir in the buttermilk and yogurt and cook for a few more minutes.  Add a squeeze of lemon juice and the paneer (or serve on top).

9)  Serve spinach mixture over rice with paneer and sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

(recipe adapted from 101 Cookbooks and The Curvy Carrot)

Warm Tortellini Salad

This is a great quick meal that is full of vegetables.  We don't tend to eat much pasta, but sometimes I have a real craving for it!  This warm tortellini salad is a great way to get your pasta fix while still eating lots of vegetables.  

While the water for the tortellini is boiling you can prep and start cooking all of the veggies.  By the time the tortellini is cooked dinner is served!  I served the warm tortellini and cooked vegetables over some mixed greens tossed with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  I liked it that way (the balsamic vinegar added a nice additional flavor), but it would also be great without the extra greens.  This would be amazing with some fresh tomatoes from the garden!

Warm Tortellini Salad

serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 ounces fresh tortellini (any variety)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 large portobello mushrooms, halved and sliced
• 1 pound grape tomatoes, quartered
• 2 cups thawed frozen peas
• 6 ounces baby spinach leaves
• handful grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• salt + pepper
• OPTIONAL:  Mixed greens tossed with equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Once boiling,  add tortellini and cook according to package instructions.

2)  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and have released moisture (about 5 minutes).  Add the tomatoes and peas and continue to cook until warmed and soft.  Add the spinach and use tongs to slowly toss to allow all the spinach to wilt.

3)  Add the tortellini and toss to combine.  Serve over mixed greens (if desired), topped with Parmesan and chopped walnuts.  Season with salt and pepper.

(recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping)