Turtleneck Gnocchi

This recipe is so easy even a Mat can do it!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 package of gnocchi
  • Head of broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • Garlic to taste
  • Lemon juice to taste
  • 2 tablespoons of earth balance

 

Cut the broccoli and brussels sprouts into bite sized pieces, toss in olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 375 and bake for 25-30 minutes until vegetables are cooked. (Careful not to touch the oven, Mat, it gets very hot.)

Meanwhile, cook gnocchi according to package. In a separate pan, melt butter and add garlic and pine nuts. Saute until fragrant and pine nuts are toasty.

When the gnocchi and vegetables are finished, add them to the pan with the garlic and toss. Add lemon juice and more butter as you like. (Mat, I cannot stress this enough, the stove will be hot, so please be careful.)

For those non-Mats, add grated parmesan on top. For those of you who are Mat, add parmesan anyway and remain within 5 feet of a restroom.

Bell Pepper and Corn Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS

  • 10 ounces fusilli pasta
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 medium orange bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 medium ears corn, kernels removed
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts

For dressing

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • salt and red pepper flakes, to taste

Cook pasta according to package, drain, rinse with cold water and add to a large bowl.

Add olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes, until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add in both peppers and corn. Continue to cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the peppers are crisp tender. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl with the pasta, along with the basil and pine nuts. Toss to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. Pour into the bowl with the pasta and toss to combine. Season with additional salt and red pepper flakes as needed. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator.

Sourced from Oh My Veggies blog.

Green Chickpeas and Brown Rice

INGREDIENTS

For chickpeas

  • 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 1 5 ounce package baby spinach
  • 1 1/2 cups cilantro
  • 3/4 cup red onion, chopped finely

For dressing

  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp maple syrup (or liquid sweetener)
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt and ground pepper, or to taste

To serve

  • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • Sliced fresh tomatoes

Cook rice according to package.

In a food processor, add the spinach and cilantro and pulse until chopped very small. Add the processed spinach and cilantro, chickpeas, and chopped onion into a large bowl and stir.

In a small jar, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, maple syrup, and salt.

Pour the dressing on top of the chickpea mixture and stir well. Let stand for about 10 minutes.

Top brown rice with tomato slices and the chickpea mixture and serve.

Sourced from Oh She Glows blog.

Falafel Tacos with Avocado Sriracha Cream

INGREDIENTS

Falafel

  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 2 bps whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 red onion, diced
  • 2- 3 cloves garlic
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste

Avocado Sriracha Cream

  • 1 very ripe avocado
  • 1/2 cup cashews soaked overnight
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1- 2 tbsp (or more) Sriracha

For the tacos

  • 4- 6 hard or soft taco shells
  • sliced tomato
  • sliced red onion
  • chopped cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor, add all the falafel ingredients. Process until you have a smooth ball of dough. If the batter is too dry, add a tablespoon of olive oil and pulse. Scoop smalls balls of dough onto parchment paper and flatten into patties. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping half way through.

To prepare the Sriracha cream, combine the soaked cashews with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water in a blender. Blend until smooth. Then add the remainder of the ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth.

To prepare the tacos, layer falafel, tomato, red onion and fresh cilantro into taco shells and top with avocado Sriracha cream sauce.

Sourced from Pumpkin and Peanut Butter blog.

Walnut, avocado & pear salad with marinated portobello caps & red onion

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 large portobello mushrooms
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 box of mixed greens
  • 1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, and chopped
  • 1 avocado, pitted and chopped
  • 1/3 cup of walnuts, toasted
  • 1 recipe of Balsamic Vinaigrette

Remove mushroom stems, scrape out the gills, rinse, pat dry, and slice.

Combine mushrooms, onion, and enough vinaigrette to coat and toss. Marinate for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Add oil of your choice to a pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onions, cooking for about 5- 10 minutes until onions are caramelized.

For each salad, place a few handfuls of mixed greens in a bowl and top with half of the pear, avocado, walnuts, and grilled mushrooms and onions. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and serve.

Sourced from:  Liddon, Angela.  “Walnut, avocado & pear salad with marinated portobello caps & red onion.”  The Oh She Glows Cookbook.

Caribbean Vegetables with Coconut Rice and Plantains

INGREDIENTS

Coconut Rice

  • 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
  • 1/2- 1 teaspoon salt

Caribbean Vegetables

  • 1 large red-skinned sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 to 3 cups broccoli florets
  • sea salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons jerk spice seasoning of a mixture of 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, and 1 or 2 pinches cayenne

Cumin- lime black beans

  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • sea salt

Plantains

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 large ripe plantain (yellow with black spots), peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices on the diagonal
  • sea salt

 

To make the rice: In a medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, and desired amount of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until rice is cooked. Remove from heat and let rice sit, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.

To make the vegetables: Steam sweet potatoes and broccoli for 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are fork tender. Season with salt and spice mix. Set aside.

To make the cumin-lime beans: Combine 1/2 the can of black beans, broth, and garlic in a food processor. Puree until smooth. In a medium saucepan, combine bean puree, remaining 1/2 can of beans, cumin, and lime juice, and heat over medium heat. Season with salt to taste and cook until heated through.

To make the plantains: Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add plantains and lightly season with salt. Let cook a few minutes on each side until nicely browned with crispy edges.

To serve: Add a little of each component to each plate.

—

Sourced from: Coscarelli, Chloe. “Caribbean Vegetables with Coconut Rice and Plantains.” Chloe’s Kitchen.

Everyday Pad Thai

INGREDIENTS

For the sauce

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 5 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 6 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons sriracha
  • 2 tablespoons mellow white miso
  • 1/4 cup water

For everything else

  • 4 cups broccoli florets and thinly sliced stems
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups scallions chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 8 ounces pad thai rice noodles, cooked according to package, immediately rinsed with cold water to cool
  • 4 ounces mung bean sprouts

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.

Add 2 teaspoons of oil to a large pan or wok, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the broccoli and cook over medium heat, stirring often. Cover the pan in between stirring to get it to cook faster. It should take about 5 minutes and be lightly charred in some places. When cooked, transfer to a plate and cover.

In the same pan, add another teaspoon of oil and garlic, cooking garlic until just fragrant (about 15 seconds). Add the scallions and cilantro and toss until wilted. Pour in half the sauce and heat through.

Add the noodles and toss to coat. Then add the broccoli, the bean sprouts, and the remaining sauce, and toss to coat.

—

Sourced from: Moskowitz, Isa Chandra. “Everyday Pad Thai.” Isa Does It.

New England “Clam” Chowder

INGREDIENTS

Cashew cream

  • 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch

Everything else

  • Olive oil for cooking vegetables
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick half moons
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch
  • 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 8 ounces white mushrooms (or additional shiitake)
  • 3 ribs celery, slicked 1/4 inch thick
  • 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
  • black pepper
  • 1 or 2 sheets of nori, finely chopped
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

To make the cashew cream, drain and rinse the cashews and add them to a blender along with the vegetable broth and cornstarch. Blend until smooth and set aside.

Preheat a large pot over medium heat and add oil. Sauté the onion and carrots in the oil with a pinch of salt until soft.

Add both kinds of mushrooms and celery. Cook for about 3 minutes.

Add the potatoes, remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt, pepper, nori, and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes only until potatoes are tender (you don’t want the potatoes to turn to mush.)

Stir in the cashew cream and gently heat, uncovered, for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

Add the tomato paste and lemon juice and taste for seasoning. Add a little water if it seems too thick.

—

Sourced from: Moskowitz, Isa Chandra. “New England Clam Chowder.” Isa Does It.

Drunken Noodles

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 ounces udon noodles
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 scallions trimmed and sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • pinch cayenne
  • 5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • sea salt, to taste

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms and scallions and let cook until mushrooms are soft and lightly browned. Add garlic, ginger, jalapeño, and cayenne; let cook for a few more minutes.

Add the broth and bring to a boil. Then add the noodles and boil for about 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat, stir in the vinegar and sesame oil. Season to taste with salt and serve.

Grilled Portobello Burger with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

INGREDIENTS

Portobello caps

  • 2 portobello mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Sun-dried tomato pesto

  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 cup destemmed kale leaves
  • 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Other

  • burger buns
  • caramelized onions
  • avocado slices
  • lettuce
  • sliced tomatoes

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and discard (or save for another use). With a small spoon, scrape out discard the black gills and rinse the caps.

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, oil, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Add the portobello caps and toss to coat them in the marinade. Marinate the mushrooms for 30 to 60 minutes, tossing them every 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sun-dried tomato pesto by combining all the ingredients plus 2 tablespoons of water in a food processor. Process until smooth.

Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high heat. Grill the portobello caps for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until lightly charred.

Serve the caps on a toasted bun topped with the pesto, caramelized onions, avocado, lettuce, and tomato.

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Sourced from:  Liddon, Angela.  “Grilled Portobello Burger.”  The Oh She Glows Cookbook.