Monday, July 03, 2006

steak & peppers vegan style

WW POINTS® values per serving 4
Servings 3

Just like the old fashioned pepper steak Mom used to make, with a vegan twist and some healthier rice. While I don't eat Morningstar Farms products very often, this makes a nice change of pace once in a while and couldn't be easier to throw together.

Ingredients

1 8oz pkg Morningstar Steak Strips
1 medium bell pepper
1 medium onion
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 1/2 cup cooked brown rice

Instructions
Brush a large regular skillet with grapeseed oil. Saute onion & pepper till tender. Add steak strips and saute till heated thru, using veggie broth to deglaze pan as needed. Mix the ketchup w/equal parts water and add at the last minute.Serve over hot brown rice.

easy red beans & rice

While DD is pretty much fully recovered, things here are a bit chaotic still. So I wanted a no-brainer dinner that was quick & easy. To complete this meal I'm serving it with a side of roasted baby carrots and some unsweetened applesauce.

WW POINTS® values per serving 5
Servings 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Eden Organic Small Red Beans
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 medium green pepper
1 medium onion
1 small stal celery
1 clove garlic clove
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp liquid smoke
2 1/2 cup water

Instructions

place water, rice & chili powder in covered microwave dish, nuke for 5min on high, then 40 minutes on 50% power.

meanwhile, saute finely diced veggies, adding garlic near the end.

drain and rinse the beans.

when the rice is done, carefully remove the cover and add the veggies & beans to the dish. also add the liquid smoke, stir...salt to taste.

Thursday, June 29, 2006

broccoli rabe w/tomatoes, white beans & pasta

My DD is sick this week, and while her tummy's too upset for all but the simplest of food, Mama needs to keep her strength up (as well as feed the baby-to-be) so I quickly whipped up a batch of this -- my idea of healthy comfort food.

WW POINTS® values per serving 5
Servings 4

A great one dish dinner, this is my favorite way to serve broccoli rabe. The natural sweetness of tomatoes offsets the bitterness of this dark green vegetable perfectly. A small pasta shape works best, cooked aldente so it can soak up a bit of the juices. Make sure to salt to taste!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked navy beans
1 medium onion
1 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups cooked whole wheat pasta
1 Tbsp raisins
12 small olives
2 garlic cloves
1 cup tomato sauce
1 bunch broccoli rabe

Instructions

(NOTE: it takes about 2 3/4 oz of dry pasta to get 1 1/2 cups cooked)

Brush a large regular skillet w/grapeseed oil. Saute diced onion till starting to soften, using scant splashes of veggie broth to deglaze as needed. Add broccoli rabe, saute till starting to soften. Add diced tomatoes w/liquid, raisins, garlic & sliced olives, simmer till broccoli rabe is tender but firm. Again, use veg broth as necessary to keep from drying out.Stir the beans, tomato sauce & pasta in gently, warm through and serve.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

"fishy" tofu sticks

WW POINTS® values per serving 4
Servings 3

My adapted version of a recipe by Jennifershmoo from veganlunchbox.blogspot.com. Make sure to squeeze lots of lemon over the sticks. These are great served with ketchup or vegan tartar sauce for dipping. I made the tartar sauce by just blending lite vegan mayo & sweet pickle relish. We are having this later today with a side of some brown rice topped with sauted zucchini, peppers & onions. Tommorrow I’ll have what's left over with roasted baby potatoes and a simple salad of grape tomatoes, cucumbers & romaine lettuce tossed w/balsamic dressing.

Ingredients

1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup uncooked cornmeal
1/2 cup Silk Unsweetened Plain Soymilk
14 oz firm tofu
2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried dill weed1 serving
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp kelp granules (didn't have, so left out)

Instructions

IMPORTANT: Use 1/2 c of cornmeal & almonds, but only about 1/4 actually sticks so that's the amount I used to figure out the points value.

Sweet paprika can be substituted for the Old Bay.

Preheat the oven to 400ยบ. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and mist with oil.

Combine the cornmeal, sliced almonds, Old Bay, kelp, salt, onion and garlic powder in a food processor and pulse until it has turned into a coarse meal. Pour the mixture into a baking dish or pie plate.Place the plain soymilk into a bowl and set next to the cornmeal mixture.

With a sharp knife, cut the tofu into 12 even sticks.Working with one piece at a time, dip the tofu into the soymilk, then toss gently in the cornmeal mixture to coat evenly. Place on the prepared baking sheet. When all the tofu fish sticks are on the baking sheet, mist them with oil.

Bake for 15 minutes, then turn over and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until crispy Remove fishy tofu sticks onto a plate, and squeeze fresh lemon juice evenly over them.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

tofu noodle casserole

WW POINTS® values per serving 5
Servings 8

Adapted from "The Vegetarian Family Cookbook" by Nava Atlas, this dish goes great with a side of steamed green beans. Mine came out just a tiny bit dry, so I increased the soymilk by 1/4 cup here, as well as cut back on the crumb topping from my original amount -- that should do the trick. This was absolutely delish nonetheless and is a real keeper!

Ingredients

12 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta
12 oz White Wave Tomato Basil Baked Tofu
1 medium stalk celery, minced
1/3 cup of diced onion
10 oz portobello mushrooms
2 1/4 cup Silk Unsweetened Plain Soymilk
3 Tbsp white all-purpose flour
1 slice whole-wheat bread
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ

Instructions

Set a pot of water on to boil to cook the pasta al dente.

Preheat the oven to 350.

Mist a 2qt casserole dish w/grapeseed oil.

Toast the bread and using a food processor turn into bread crumbs. Mix w/wheat germ.

Brush the bottom of a large skillet w/grapeseed oil and over med/low heat saute the onion, mushrooms & celery till done, using scant splashes of veggie broth to deglaze the pan as needed.Pour 1+3/4 cups of the soymilk into the pan and bring to a simmer. Combine the remaining milk w/the flour until completely dissolved. Slowly add to the pan stirring constantly. Simmer until the sauce has thickened, then remove from heat.

In a larg bowl combine the pasta, sauce & tofu. Mix gently but well. Season w/salt & pepper to taste.Place mixture into the casserole and sprinkle the wheat germ/bread crumb mixture over the top. Bake for 35 minutes or until the top begins to get golden brown & crusty. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Friday, June 23, 2006

banana oatmeal raisin cookies

WW POINTS® values per serving 1
Servings 40

This recipe makes about 40 cookies. They are more like a drop cookie and don't flatten out much during baking. Since these are not overly sweet they are a nice treat you can feel good about eating.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal
3 Tbsp ground flax seed meal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp grapeseed oil
1 cup raisins
3 small bananas

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350, lightly mist 2 baking sheets w/oil.

Combine flour, oats, flaxmeal, sugar, baking powder & soda in a mixing bowl and stir together.In a smaller bowl mash the bananas well & mix with the oil. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the banana/oil mixture. Stir together till the dry & wet ingredients are thoroughly mixed. (you can add a few dashes of unsweetened soymilk if the dough is too stiff) Lastly, blend in the raisins.

Drop cookies onto sheets by rounded tablespoonful, keeping about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are slightly golden. Let stand for a minute or two and then remove to cool on plates.

Thursday, June 22, 2006

brown rice pizza

WW POINTS® values per serving 5
Servings 6

This recipe is adapted from "Vive le Vegan" by Dreena Burton.

The pizza was quite good, more like a casserole. But that having been said I probably would pass on making it again. I can think of other ways I'd rather fix brown rice & veggies...and even better ways to enjoy pizza-like dishes that are more points friendly. Still worth trying if this sounds like something you'd enjoy -- it was tasty and not difficult to make at all. And of course this cookbook is one of my faves :)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
1 cup tomato sauce
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow pepper
1/2 small onion
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp ground oregano
24 small olives
2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions

The best brown rice to use for this is the short grain variety because it is much stickier and holds together better.

Cook the rice according to your usual method. Toss herbs w/warm rice, salt to taste. Spread the cooked rice onto a lightly oiled pizza pan and press down to create an even crust. Bake @375 for 8-10 minutes. Remove & set aside.

Meanwhile toss the diced veggies with balsamic vinegar and mist lightly with oil. Roast until tender.

Mix the hoisin sauce with the tomato sauce and spread on the rice crust. Top with the olives & roasted veggies.

Bake the pizza for 15-20 minutes @375. Let it cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

(you may also top w/soy cheese, but this will add additional points)

Saturday, June 17, 2006

A Summer Solstice Feast....

This is what I'll be making for the upcomming Summer Solstice:

Golden Summer Solstice Soup

POINTS® value 2
Servings 4

Soups- This golden medly evokes the brilliant sun on the longest day of the year. Adding a sprinkle of black poppy seeds to each bowl represents the darkness & dreams, reminding us that this is also the shortest night -- a magickal midsummer's eve. I serve this soup with cheezy quesadillas and then some homemade orange chocolate chip (vegan) sherbet for dessert to finish off the whole sun filled theme.

Ingredients

1 medium onion(s)
1 large yellow pepper(s)
1 medium yellow summer squash
3 cup yellow tomatoes
1 large carrot(s)
1 medium Yukon Gold potato(es)
1 1/2 cup yellow corn
3/4 cup wax beans
1 1/4 tsp poppy seeds

Instructions

If you can, get a yellow carrot. Otherwise try shredding the regular kind for just a hint of orange strands throughout the soup.

Brush the bottom of a soup pot w/grapeseed oil and set over med/low heat. Saute yellow onion, pepper, & squash till slightly softened. Add tomatoes, carrots, potato, yellow wax beans and corn, cover with vegetable broth and simmer till all veggies are completely tender and soft. If you'd like you can use an immersion blender or take out a cup or two and puree to make the soup nice and thick.

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cheezy quesadillas

POINTS® values per serving 3
Servings 1

Side Dishes- Looking the part of a perfect sun symbol, this goes very well with the Golden Summer Solstice soup.

Ingredients

2 small corn tortilla
1 oz Follow Your Heart Cheddar flavor Vegan gourmet cheese
2 Tbsp salsa

Instructions

Spread 1 tortilla w/salsa and sprinkle w/cheese. Top with second tortilla and fry in a pan brushed lightly w/grapeseed oil, flipping once. It's done when the cheese melts.

(This makes 1 serving/person)

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sunshine orange sherbet

POINTS® values per serving 3
Servings 6

Desserts- This is the perfect ending to a Summer Solstice meal. Top with chocolate chips or sprinkles for a pretty & flavorful presentation.

Ingredients

6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
2/3 cup sugar
12 fl oz Silk Unsweetened Plain Soymilk
3/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp orange zest

Instructions

Place all ingredients in your ice cream maker and follow manufacturers directions.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

black beans, roast vegetables & brown rice

WW POINTS® value 4
Servings 6

Dinner just couldn't be more easy than this! Yet the flavor is utterly rich and delicious.

Ingredients

3 cups canned black beans
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 1/4 cup water
2 medium sweet red pepper(s)
2 small zucchini
1 large onion(s)
8 oz portobello mushroom(s)
salt to taste

Instructions

Cook rice in water.
Chop & roast vegetables.
Drain & rinse beans.
Mix it all together.
Eat :)

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

hummus quinoa casserole

WW POINTS® value 5
Servings 6

An unusual but satisfying dish from Dreena Burton's "Vive le Vegan". You can choose any combination of vegetables that you like. Pair the casserole with a side of greens to round out the meal nicely.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cup store-bought hummus
1 1/2 cup broccoli
1 small zucchini
1 medium sweet red pepper(s)
1/2 medium onion(s)

Instructions

Place quinoa & 2 cups water into a microwave safe bowl. Nuke for 15 min on high UNCOVERED. Immediately cover and let sit till water fully absorbs.

Depending on the vegetables chosen, cook by either roasting, steaming or sauteing. In this version I steamed the broccoli in the microwave and roasted the onions, peppers & zucchini in the oven.

To assemble casserole: In a sprayed 8X12 baking dish spread the cooked quinoa evenly over the bottom and gently press down. Drop spoonfuls of the hummus over the quinoa and carefully spread, keeping the layers intact. Next top with the veggies.

Bake for 20-25 minutes @ 375.