Author: sml-dev

Categories
Salads

Orange Avocado Salad

Orange Avocado Salad

This is our favorite dressing and can be used for almost any salad.

Makes: up to 12 servings as a side, 4-6 servings as a meal salad

Ingredients For Salad

  • Mixed lettuces and greens (include kale and thinly sliced red cabbage)
  • Thinly sliced red onion or green onion
  • Orange, sectioned, with sections thickly sliced
  • Avocado, sliced
  • Sliced roasted almonds

Ingredients For Citrus Vinaigrette (makes 12 Tablespoons)

  • 1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 3 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon vinegar (apple cider vinegar works well)
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (advanced move: instead of oil, use 3 T. sunflower seeds or nut butter)

Instructions for Dressing

  1. Add all ingredients to a dressing container or jar. Whisk or cover tightly and shake until the dressing is combined. (If using sunflower seeds or other nuts, combine in blender or immersion blender, adding water to thin as needed.) Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Instructions for Salad

  1. Add greens and onions to a bowl and toss with desired amount of dressing.
  2. Top with orange pieces, sliced avocado, and sliced almonds.

Variations: Mix it up by adding any of your favorite ingredients (some suggestions are baked tofu, sliced beets, and sliced hearts of palm).

Categories
Breakfast Snacks

Avocado Toast

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Avocado Toast

Makes: 1 serving

Difficulty level: very easy

Avocado toast makes a delicious, satisfying breakfast or snack that packed with fiber and ready in a few minutes.

Ingredients:

  • 1 slice of bread (thick coarse whole grain bread is great)
  • ½ ripe avocado
  • Squeeze of lemon or lime
  • Pinch of garlic powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Additional toppings as desired: tomatoes, herbs, green onions

Instructions:

  1. Toast the bread until slightly browned.
  2. Scoop out the flesh of ½ avocado into a bowl (or directly onto your toast). Add a small squeeze of lemon or lime, dash of garlic and a pinch of salt and mash with a fork until coarsely blended.

Spread the avocado the toast. Top with diced tomatoes (our favorite), chopped green onions or herbs. Experiment and find your own favorite variations.

Genius move: smash a layer of white beans on the toasted bread before adding the rest of the toppings.

Categories
Vegetables

Roasted Lemon Asparagus

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Roasted Lemon Asparagus

Makes: 4 servings
Difficulty level: very easy

This is my favorite preparation for asparagus. Simple and delicious!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound asparagus
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 lemon (2 tsp freshly squeezed juice from half, and slices from the other half)
  • 1/2 cup vegan or regular Parmesan cheese
    Optional: sliced toasted almonds

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Remove the tough bottom ends of the asparagus by snapping off the lower part. Prepare a baking sheet with foil lining and add the asparagus stalks. Drizzle them with olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Mix and coat with your hands. Thinly slice the remaining 1/2 lemon and add to the baking sheet. If using traditional parmesan, sprinkle on now.
  3. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until tender when pierced by a fork at the thickest part. If using vegan parmesan, sprinkle on now. Top with sliced toasted almonds. Serve.
Categories
Mains Pasta

Mushroom Stroganoff

Mushroom Stroganoff

Makes: 4 servings
Difficulty level: moderate

Beef stroganoff was a favorite food growing up. This was an easy dish to re-create in plant-based style as it already contains hearty mushrooms and wonderful flavor – no beef needed!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard
  • 2 teaspoons hot water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 16 oz fresh mushrooms sliced
  • 4 teaspoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
  • 1/3 cup white wine or dry vermouth
  • ½ cup vegan sour cream (or ½ cup cashew cream with 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • Rice or pasta of choice for serving

Instructions:

  1. Combine mustard, water, sugar and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
  2. Heat oil in a large pan/skillet over med-high heat, add onion and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and fry for about 5 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste, stirring until mushrooms and onions are coated.
  3. Stir in white wine, vegetable broth, tamari (or soy sauce) and mustard paste.
  4. Reduce heat and to medium and cook, stirring until reduced slightly and beginning to thicken, about 8 minutes.
  5. Stir in sour cream (or cashew cream and lemon juice) and stir to dissolve. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  6. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and enjoy over brown rice or pasta of choice.

Advanced move:

  1. Place wilted mild greens (such as spinach) under the pasta or rice, then top with the mushroom mixture. This is a great way to get in those extra greens.
Categories
Mains

Tofu Banh Mi

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Tofu Banh Mi

Makes: 4 servings
Difficulty level: moderate

We absolutely love the flavors in this sandwich. It is obvious why it is a staple of Vietnamese cuisine.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (14-ounce) package extra firm tofu, drained and sliced cross-wise into ½ inch thick slices
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
  • ¼ cup mayo (or vegan mayo)
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce (adjust to your taste)
  • 4 (8-inch) Italian sub rolls or baguette pieces, sliced in half
  • 2 carrots, shredded
  • 1/2 small cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, & thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • ½ cup of cilantro leaves
  • Extra Sriracha

Instructions

  1. Drain the tofu and slice it into 1/2-inch slices. Place it on a towel and gently pat dry to remove excess water. Sprinkle with a small amount of salt and pepper.
  2. Meanwhile, combine the carrots, cucumbers, lime juice and fish sauce and let sit for 10 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, lime zest and Sriracha.
  4. Place cornstarch in a shallow bowl and dredge the tofu slices in cornstarch, transferring to a plate until all pieces are lightly coated.
  5. Heat a nonstick skillet to medium-high heat, then add a small amount of oil to the pan. Place the tofu pieces in the pan leaving some space between each piece, working in batches if necessary. Without moving the tofu slices around too much, let them cook for a few minutes per side until they’re deeply golden brown on the edges. Remove from heat.
  6. Assemble sandwiches by spreading a moderate amount of mayo mixture evenly over the cut side of each roll. Next, layer on the tofu, pickled veggies (without the liquid), and cilantro. Serve with extra Sriracha.
Categories
Soups

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

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Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Makes: 4 servings
Difficulty level: moderate

This is hands-down our favorite soup. Roasting the red peppers adds a little time to the preparation but it is so worth it for the depth of flavor. We make a large batch and freeze in multiple containers so that it is ready any time we have a craving.

Ingredients:

  • 3 large red bell peppers (or a 16 oz jar of roasted red peppers, drained)
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in juice
  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon dried dill or 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
  • 3 tablespoons coconut sugar or agave syrup
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Optional: red pepper flakes for spice

Instructions

  1. Roast red peppers on a foil lined baking sheet in a 475 degree F oven for about 15 minutes until partially charred. Then wrap in foil to steam for 10 minutes.
  2. Add all of the remainder of the remaining ingredients to large pot and bring to a simmer. If using jarred peppers, add now.
  3. When red peppers are cool enough to handle, remove outer skins, seeds and stems. Chop coarsely. Add peppers to soup and warm through.
  4. Purée in a blender or use immersion blender until smooth. Return to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasonings to taste and serve.
  5. For a thinner soup, add additional vegetable broth or water to desired consistency.

The soup can be frozen and reheated if desired.

Advanced moves:

  1. Stir in 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds.
  2. Add a few tablespoons of drained canned white beans to the bottom of the bowl before pouring the hot soup over.
Categories
Sauces, Dips & Dressings

Green Onion Vinaigrette

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Green Onion Vinaigrette

This is an amazing sauce that we love to use on tacos or Mexican-style health bowls.

Ingredients:

  • 8 green onions
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ cup olive oil (advanced move: use ¼ cup of olive oil and ¼ cup pine nuts)
  • 1/3 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoons honey
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Instructions:

  1. Blanch green onions in boiling water for 30 seconds and then immerse (shock) in ice water. This is important to keep a bright green color.
  2. Combine green onions, garlic, (nuts if using) and vinegar in blender. Add oil with motor running until emulsified. Blend in honey, salt and pepper.
  3. Taste and adjust the seasonings (adding more salt, pepper or honey if necessary)
  4. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. We like to store this in a squeeze bottle to squeeze on tacos, bowls, etc.
Categories
Breakfast Snacks

Muesli

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Muesli

Makes: 16 servings

Difficulty level: very easy

Muesli was created by a Swiss physician and nutritional pioneer who used this food to improve the health of many of his patients, with impressive results.  Muesli is a great weekday breakfast as it is very nutritious, can be altered to your tastes, and can be prepared ahead so it is ready to go when you are. 

Ingredients

  • 4 cups of grains
  • 1 ½ cups nuts/ seeds
  • 1 cup dried fruit
  • Grains: Rolled oats, wheat bran, oat bran, whole barley, quinoa flakes, millet puffs, or other.
  • Nuts/seeds: Sliced almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pepitas, chia seeds, or other
  • Dried fruit: Blueberries, apricots, cherries, gogi berries, barberries, mulberries, figs, raisins, currants, apple chips, unsweetened coconut flakes, or other.

Instructions:

  1. In a large mixing bowl combine grains, nuts, seeds and dried fruit. Mix well. Store muesli in an airtight container. Keeps for 2 months at room temperature.

Variations:

For added nutrition, I recommend adding 2 teaspoons of ground flax seeds to any of the muesli preparations. (I don’t add it ahead because it is so fine that it sinks to the bottom of the storage container.) If desired, drizzle with a sweetener of your choice (yacon syrup, maple syrup, agave syrup, honey).

  • For a quick breakfast or snack, add desired amount of Muesli to a bowl, then add desired amount of milk (preferably plant-based). Top with fresh fruit if desired. Eat immediately or let rest for 20 minutes for a softer texture.
  • Use overnight-oats style by adding 2/3 cup of muesli into a small jar, adding 2/3 cup (plant-based) milk, top with frozen fruit. Cover with the lid and refrigerate overnight. Perfect for a quick summer breakfast.
  • Stir into yogurt.

Warm with milk or water for an oatmeal-style breakfast.

Categories
Dessert

Chocolate Mousse

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Chocolate Mousse

This is an extremely easy, amazingly light and fluffy chocolate dessert that no one (and I mean no one) will know is made with tofu. It is a delicious way to get more of those important antioxidant isoflavones into your diet.

Makes 3 servings

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (or roughly chopped chocolate bar)
  • 1 package (12 ounces) organic silken tofu at room temperature, well drained
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • Optional toppings: raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, chocolate shavings, fresh mint leaves

Instructions:

  1. Place the silken tofu (make sure that it is at room temperature and well drained of excess water) and maple syrup in a food processor and blend until very smooth.

  2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each heating, until the chocolate is melted.

  3. Add the melted chocolate to the food processor and blend, scraping down the sides as needed until well combined.

  4. Scoop the mixture into 3 ramekins or small glasses, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

  5. To serve, garnish with desired toppings.

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