Category: Main Dish

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Hearty Vegetable Chili

My kids actually like this vegetable chili.  Woohoo! Adapated from America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.  I will also put leftovers over rice or quinoa and top with cheese sauce to turn it into a casserole–just heat in the oven until warm.

2 TBSP vegetable oil
1 onion minced
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 zucchini chopped
1 yellow squash chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1 1⁄2 TBSP chili powder
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 can kidney beans rinsed
1 can black beans rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth
2 TBSP minced cilantro optional

Cook onion and bell pepper in oil over medium high heat until softened, about three minutes. Add zucchini and squash and cook until browned, 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic and chili powder until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sauce, beans and broth and simmer for ten minutes. Add 2 TBSP minced cilantro; season with salt and pepper to taste.
I added about 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp chipotle tabasco.
Chipotle Tabasco is the BEST flavor for soups and stews.  If you add just a few shakes or 1/4 tsp or so, it adds great flavor without being spicy.  Of course you can add more if you want it spicy!
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“Cheesy” Rice

I created this not long ago and got an enthusiastic “Make this again, Mom!”  Will do!  I’ve tried a ton of different plant-based macaroni and cheese recipes.  They are tasty but nothing will ever taste exactly like a box of mac and cheese.  I’m okay with that, but putting this sauce on brown rice creates a similarly satisfying combination without the expectation that it taste exactly like the box.

2 cups uncooked brown rice, cooked

1-2 lbs cooked broccoli, normandy mix or your favorite vegetables

1 recipe Smoky Butternut Squash Soup

Simply pour the soup over the cooked rice and vegetables and you have delicious warm comfort food.  Serve immediately or can also be reheated later in a casserole dish in the oven (30-40 min at 350).

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Super fast you’d never believe its vegan broccoli “cheese” soup

This soup is so fast, tasty, satisfying and healthy!!

1 lb cooked broccoli
1-2 roasted red peppers (optional)
1 quart vegetable broth
1 cup cashews (preferably raw unsalted)
3 tbsp nutritional yeast (I get this at sprouts by the spices or order on Amazon)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Few dashes chipotle Tabasco
1/2 tsp sea salt
Cooked quinoa (optional) brown rice would work too.

I cook my quinoa on the white rice setting of my rice cooker. It generally takes 20-30 minutes so if I do that first it can be cooking while I make everything else.

Cook your broccoli if it’s not already cooked.

Add remaining ingredients to blender. If you have a Blendtec or Vitamix you can run it on high for three minutes to heat, but your broccoli and quinoa should be hot as well. Or you can blend until smooth and heat on the stove. Once mixture is smooth, pulse in broccoli to desired consistency and stir in quinoa if using (if the broccoli is the right size no one will know the quinoa is there). Heat if needed, adjust seasonings to taste and enjoy!

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Avocado Pasta

My best method for getting fresh garlic into all of my kids!  They love it!!

12 oz pasta
about 1 TBSP salt for pasta water

2 cups frozen corn
1 can black beans

Sauce:
1 cup unsweetened original almond milk
1 large avocado
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp sea salt

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, put corn and beans in colander, rinse with warm water to thaw corn.  Then blend milk, avocado, garlic and salt until smooth.

When pasta is done cooking, you can pour it into the same colander which will take care of any corn that is still frozen.  Return corn, beans and pasta to pot and mix with sauce.

You could certainly make this healthier by swapping out the pasta for zoodles, quinoa, etc.  But I haven’t come up with anything my kids will devour this quickly so we’ll stick to it for now.

You could mix in diced avocado, cilantro, mango, tomatoes . . . the possibilities are endless here!

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Fried Rice

I told a friend about to have her fourth about this one this morning–comes together super fast and my kids really like it!   We don’t eat many animal products anymore but do enjoy a few high quality eggs here.

All amounts are approximate, this recipe is very forgiving to preferences and whatever you happen to have in your house at the moment!

2-3 cups uncooked brown rice or quinoa – cooked in rice cooker

1 egg/person

2 lbs stir fry vegetables (I use the ones from Costco)

1 cup teriyaki sauce (I make my own to make sure it doesn’t have any mystery ingredients hiding out:  1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1/2 cup honey, 1 garlic clove minced, squirt of sriacha and sesame oil and occasionally some ginger blended well)

Start your rice or quinoa in the rice cooker according to package directions (I do quinoa on the white rice setting, with slightly less water than the 1:2 ratio called for on the package).  If I can remember to do this early in the day then everything comes together quickly.  Although if I forget I just use quinoa, which is usually done by the time everything else has cooked.

With a small amount of oil if needed, scramble eggs in the pan and set aside.  Stir fry veggies in pan.  While veggies cook, blend sauce if making.  When veggies reach desired tenderness, add sauce to pan and heat through for a moment.  Add rice/quinoa and eggs, mix well and serve.