Easy Indian Mung Beans

I call this picture "I'm tired of cooking all day and just want to document the food in the quickest way possible". I bought a bag of mung beans a couple of years ago but rarely use them as I don't see them often called for in recipes. I'm trying to make more of an effort to use what I have in my pantry so went searching for a mung bean recipe.

I was not expecting to enjoy this dish. It seemed so simple and too bean-y. But it was actually really good! And I'd make it again. I might even buy more mung beans to make it again and that's saying something.

To make up for my mung bean photo, check out my cute nails!!! My friend did these for me.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Zucchini and Chickpea Pancakes
Lemon Curried Lentils and Potatoes
Dal Makhni
Pink Beans with a Cardamom-Yogurt Sauce

Easy Indian Mung Beans
Adapted from Radiant Health, Inner Wealth

Serves 4

1 cup dry mung beans
1 tbsp ginger, grated
1 tbsp coconut oil (or other oil)
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
3 cups water
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp lemon juice

In a large pot, put the mung beans, ginger, coconut oil, cumin, coriander, jalapeno and water. Bring to a boil, cover and then simmer for 45-50 minutes (or until beans are tender). Once tender, take off the heat and stir in the sea salt and lemon juice.

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu

I was hoping to get all our meals cooked for the week today, and bake some cookies to use up the vegan shortening in my fridge. But then I sliced my thumb this morning while chopping onions and didn't have any bandaids. After the sliced thumb I decided to just stick to the essentials, cooking for the week. Not baking gave me time to watch Grey's Anatomy and read, so it all worked out in the end!

I didn't make this tofu today but it was one of the delicious things I've made recently. It's kind of similar to Matthew's Delicious Tofu (one of my favourite tofu recipes) but a little different as it has lime juice and mint. Basically pan fried tofu with a sweet-sour-spicy-salty-sticky sauce. I imagine it would be good with tempeh too, if you're not scared of it like I am.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Tofu and Broccolini in Peanut Sauce
Broccoli Cashew Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry
Sweet and Spicy Cashew Tofu
Lemon Miso Tofu and Eggplant

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu
Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum

Serves 4 (with vegetables and a grain)

1 package of extra firm tofu
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 3/4 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 zest of a lime
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/4 tsp salt
4 mint leaves, chiffonade

Prepare the sauce by whisking together all ingredients except the tofu.

Drain the tofu and cut it into small triangles. Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Spread the tofu out into a single layer, and cook for about 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the prepared sauce and stir to coat the tofu. The sauce should be bubbling. Turn off the heat, and serve.

Oven Roasted Cauliflower with Rosemary and Garlic

I love my cruciferous vegetables. If I had a choice between mashed potatoes or a big pile of broccoli, cauliflower, rutabaga, kohlrabi and brussels sprouts, I would always pick the cruciferous vegetables. Unless I was extremely hungry, then I'd probably mix them together.

I usually roast or steam my cauliflower, and I'm currently in love with this delicious mixture that's used for roasted cauliflower. It sounds simple - rosemary, sugar, balsamic vinegar, pepper, salt, garlic. And it is. But it's also really flavourful, and easy of course. Plus it's so yummy when you roast cauliflower and the edges get a bit browned.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Herbed Cauliflower with Capers & Lemon
Pan-Roasted Cauliflower
Cauliflower Gratin
Cauliflower and Parmesan Cake

Oven Roasted Cauliflower with Rosemary and Garlic
Adapted from The Two-Week Wellness Solution

Serves 2 as a side dish (though I could totally eat the whole thing myself)

1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sucanat (or sugar)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
4 cups chopped cauliflower (bite size pieces)

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except the cauliflower. Add the cauliflower and mix until everything is evenly distributed. Spread the cauliflower mixture onto a baking sheet, making sure to get all the little bits of herbs and garlic with a spatula.

Bake for 30 minutes, turning once after 15 minutes. It's done when the cauliflower is browned and very tender.

Butternut Squash with Sunflower Seeds & Cranberries

I really wish this photo looked better! But it did taste good, and it's a great simple way to do something a bit different with butternut squash. After roasting the squash, it's mixed with sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seeds), dried cranberries and a Dijon balsamic apple dressing.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Maple-Miso Glazed Tofu with Broccoli and Butternut Squash
Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomatoes
Spiced Squash, Lentil and Goat Cheese Salad
Warm Roasted Pumpkin & Shallot Salad

Butternut Squash with Sunflower Seeds & Cranberries
Adapted from Nutrition Action Healthletter, November 2011

Serves 4 as a side

750 g butternut squash, 1/2" dice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp apple juice
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
3 tbsp dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Spread the squash out on a sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until tender.

Whisk together the Dijon, vinegar, juice, salt and olive oil. Toss the squash with the dressing, sunflower seeds, and cranberries.

Best Roasted Potatoes

Yes I'm saying it, BEST roasted potatoes. I am completely in love with the herb mixture and even if you try it and it's not the absolute best for you, I'm positive it will at least be really good.

E found this recipe one day when looking for a good potato seasoning mix and it's the one we've been using ever since. It's good on other vegetables too, but it's best on potatoes. Also really good on sweet potatoes, where it sticks really well because the sweet potatoes are a bit more "wet".

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Healthy Baked Zucchini Fries
Pan Roasted Cauliflower
Ginger Roasted Winter Vegetables
Maple Mustard Glazed Potatoes and String Beans
Caribbean Roasted Vegetables

Best Roasted Potatoes
Adapted from JMRYGH at allrecipes

I'm not sure if this is the ratio of potato to herb mixture we usually use, so just add to taste. Sometimes we have some spice mixture leftover

1 tablespoon minced garlic (usually we use dehydrated garlic)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tbsp olive oil
4 large potatoes, cubed (or an equivalent amount of baby potatoes cut into 4)

Preheat oven to 450F. Prepare a baking sheet or roasting pan with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine garlic, basil, marjoram, dill weed, thyme, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt. On the baking sheet, mix together the potatoes, oil and spice mix. Stir around until evenly coated and then spread the potatoes out to a single layer.

Roast for 20 to 30 minutes (or until a bit crisp on the outside and tender on the inside), flipping the potatoes at least once.

Zucchini and Chickpea Pancakes

I've seen chickpea pancakes around the blogosphere (can't remember where now though) and they always looked so good. And this one used up some of that CSA zucchini I keep on mentioning. I love how easy this is. Like a frittata or omelette but vegan. Usually I would use tofu to make something like this so the chickpea flour was a nice change. To make it a meal just add some steamed or roasted vegetables on the side, or cut it up into pieces and put it on a salad. Ooo now that I'm thinking about it, I bet a peanut sauce for dipping would be just excellent. (And I think this is the last zucchini recipe for a while.)

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Healthy Baked Zucchini Fries
Swift, Delicious Bean Salad
Pink Beans with a Cardamom-Yogurt Sauce
Sunflower Lentil Pie

Zucchini and Chickpea Pancakes
Adapted from Just Hungry

Makes 2 large pancakes, which make 2 main dish servings or 4 appetizer/side dish servings

4 cups grated zucchini (about 3 zucchinis)
Some cilantro leaves, chopped
1 cup chickpea flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp garam masala
Olive oil for cooking

Put zucchini and cilantro into a large bowl; add the salt, garam masala and the chickpea flour. Mix well - the moisture that comes out of the zucchini may be enough to turn this into a batter, but if not add a tiny bit of water, just so that it turns moist but not runny.

Heat up a small (8 inch / 20cm) non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add some olive oil and spread around. Put in about half of the batter and spread around to form a circle. Cook for about 5 minutes, then turn and cook for another 5 minutes or so, until it’s cooked all the way through. (You can slice into the middle a bit to see if there’s any batter oozing still; if so, cook a bit more.) Repeat for the other half of the batter.

Cut into wedges, and serve hot or at room temperature.

Note: If you want a crispy outside, use more oil in the pan; if you want it soft (and less caloric) add less.

Healthy Baked Zucchini Fries

I made these back in the summer when I had ridiculous amounts of zucchini. While I had trouble figuring out what to do with it all, it was easier to use up than the ridiculous amounts of cucumber! Anyway, so one night I decided to try out battered and baked zucchini fries. A giant tray of them. The batter was quite thick, which adhered well to the zucchini but it was difficult to get an even application on all zucchini fries. I'm sure this will become easier with practice! These are a great healthier alternative to deep fried battered vegetables. I didn't add the recommended spices, but next time I'd definitely add some herbs like oregano or thyme.

Zucchini fry army.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Wheat Berry Salad with Zucchini and Mozzarella
Maple Mustard Glazed Potatoes and String Beans
Caribbean Roasted Vegetables
Warm Vegetable Salad with Sesame-Maple Dressing

Healthy Baked Zucchini Fries
Adapted from mcdeanna on VegWeb

Makes 3 to 4 servings

If you're making your own bread crumbs, toast the bread, let it cool, then run it through the food processor until you get crumbs. I do about 1 piece of bread per cup called for, but depending on the size of your bread you might need more or less.

4 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup nondairy milk (I used unsweetened plain soy)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 zucchini, sliced into fries

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.

2. Place bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Set aside. Mix apple cider vinegar with nondairy milk. Stir and leave undisturbed for 5 minutes.

3. In another bowl, combine the flours, soy/vinegar mixture, salt and pepper.

4. Dip zucchini in wet ingredients. Then dip and cover zucchini individually into bread crumbs and place on baking sheet.

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

White Bean & Walnut Bruschetta

Okay I know I said several times how much I don't like beans, but now I keep posting bean recipes I like. Because I do like some beans or like them in some forms. I just can't imagine being a person who would enjoy some beans poured on top of a salad with nothing else done to them. But made into bruschetta like this? Yes yes yes. The vinegar, tomatoes, walnuts, garlic, thyme and fresh basil do something magical to the beans. I didn't want to share the leftovers with E. We ate it on top of some zucchini garlic bread I made, which I will post about soon.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Black Bean Confetti Salad
Back On Track Wheat Berry and Chickpea Salad
Triathalon Tostadas
Black Bean, Zucchini & Olive Tacos with Garlic-Lemon Yogurt

White Bean & Walnut Bruschetta
Adapted from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan

Makes 4-6 servings

Crusty bread, sliced
1 cup cooked navy beans
2 tsp red wine vinegar
3/4 cup tomatoes, minced
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place bread slices on baking sheet and bake for 3-4 minutes to slightly toast. Remove from oven, but keep temperature at 425F, and let bread cool while preparing bean mixture. In a bowl, mash 1/2 cup beans with vinegar. Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine well. Once bread is cool, spoon mixture onto bread slices, portioning mixture as desired. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until the topping is warmed through. Do not over bake, since the beans can dry out.

Scalloped Tomatoes with Croutons

I started a new job last week which I'm super excited about! I have a long commute - about 3 hours total a day - so I plan to try and cook and prepare as much as I can for the week on Sundays. I figure with some organization I should still be able to easily have healthy home cooked meals, and have time to exercise on week nights too. Anyway, I just wanted to share my news. :)

I made this in the summer when we had an abundance of amazing tomatoes from our CSA. I know tomatoes aren't in season now but I think it'd still be delicious, and would be a great addition to a big family meal. Or something comforting and warm to eat at home. The garlic, basil and Parmesan cheese make this tomato bread dish into something really flavourful. I found it quite rich and strong tasting, which was great, but it's definitely best eaten alongside something else like a salad.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Tomato Corn Pie
Pan-Roasted Cauliflower
Tarragon Pecan Asparagus
Cauliflower Gratin

Scalloped Tomatoes with Croutons
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted from Ina Garten

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices whole grain bread (I used Silver Hills), cut into 1/2" pieces
2 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup thinly slivered basil leaves, lightly packed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium. Add the bread cubes and stir so that they are evenly coated with oil. Cook cubes, tossing frequently, until toasty on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are toasted, add the tomato mixture and cook them together, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the basil. Pour into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm.

Curried Scrambled Tofu with Wilted Greens

If you're vegetarian, vegan or just have a love for tofu, I'm sure you've tried scrambled tofu. While I love tofu, I've never found a tofu scramble that I really loved, until this one. The recipe calls for arugula, but I used some random bitter leafy green that came in our CSA. I think it was some kind of lettuce. Cooked lettuce used to be so bizarre to me, but I discovered a love for it when I tried it in hot pot. And again when I had it in this tofu scramble.

Masala Baked Tofu

For those of you that read my blog regularly, I'm sure you can tell that I've been cooking a lot from Appetite for Reduction. So many of the recipes really appeal to me, and I've enjoyed most that I've tried. But occasionally I try some I don't like so much, like this masala baked tofu and curried cabbage and peas. They weren't bad, they just weren't things I'd recommend or make again. So I just thought I'd stick in a mini review of them here for people who have the cookbook and are wondering what to try next. :)

Curried Cabbage & Peas

The Fairy Hobmother visited my blog after I left a comment on Grace's blog, and will be sending me an Amazon gift card! If you want the chance to be visited by the Fairy Hobmother, just leave a comment and make a wish, and you might be lucky too. :)

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Orange Sesame Tofu with Coconut Lime Basmati Rice
Lemon Miso Tofu and Eggplant
Tofu and Broccolini in Peanut Sauce
Salt and Pepper Tofu

Curried Scrambled Tofu with Wilted Greens
Adapted from Appetite for Reduction

Serves 4 as a side, or 2 as a main

1 tsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 block extra firm tofu (about 14 oz)
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 tsp salt
Ground black pepper
2 cups chopped leafy greens (ex. arugula, lettuce, spinach)

Preheat a large pan over medium high heat. Saute the onion in the oil for about 4 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Crumble the tofu into bite size pieces and add to the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the tofu has browned on some of the sides. Use a little nonstick cooking spray if needed.

Add the curry powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and a few splashes of water if it's too dry. Mix in the greens. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are wilted. Add the lemon juice and serve.

Apple-Miso Tofu

Last night was our first snow!!! Probably less than an inch and I'm sure it will be gone soon but I'm so excited and love how the world looks with snow!

I love tofu. A lot. I would much rather eat some plain pan fried in a dry pan tofu than beans. I try so hard to love beans, but unless they're mixed with a bunch of other things or pureed/mashed (hummus, refried beans, soup), I end up having to cover them in something or swallow without tasting. I know I talk a lot about my dislike of beans - but I'm just baffled by people who love beans. How can you love them? And why can't I??

So tofu - it is my favourite. Well lentils are good too. But tofu is first. And this apple miso tofu is something different from other tofus I've made before. You marinade the tofu in miso, mirin, ginger, garlic and soy sauce. Then slice up some apples, add them, and bake the tofu, apples and marinade together. Very flavourful. Very saucy. I like crispy fried tofu, but I also love saucy tofu like this one.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Orange Sesame Tofu & Coconut-Lime Basmati Rice
Sweet and Spicy Cashew Tofu
Lemon Herb Tofu
Honey-Mustard Marinated Tofu

Apple-Miso Tofu
Adapted from Appetite for Reduction

Marinade:
1/4 cup water
5 tbsp miso (I used red)
1/4 cup mirin
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce

Everything Else:
1 block extra firm tofu (about 14 oz)
1 pound apples (about 2 large), cored and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

Mix the marinade ingredients together in a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Cut the tofu into whatever shape you like - I went for squares, but cubes, triangles or slabs would be good too. Add the tofu and let marinate for at least an hour, or up to 12 hours, flipping once in a while to make sure things get coated.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Add the apples to the pan; it;'s okay if they're not all submerged. Cover the pan tightly with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and remove the tinfoil. Bake for another 20 minutes. The tofu should be lightly browned and the apples should be nice and soft. Serve over rice if desired.

High Protein Quinoa Almond Fruit Salad

I know I'm terrible for posting dishes that involve out of season fruit or vegetables. But things can always be substituted or recipes can be saved for next year! I thought this quinoa fruit salad was really interesting. It's such a unique way to combine fruit and protein for a great snack. I used yellow plums, blueberries and cherries but I'm sure other fruit like apples, oranges (mandarin oranges!) and persimmons would be good too. Whatever you like, really.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Cocoa Nibbles
Apple Fennel Celery Salad
Coconut Raspberry Walnut Power Bars
Sunny Jungle Bars

High Protein Quinoa Almond Fruit Salad
Adapted from Oh She Glows

Makes about 4-5 snack size servings

3/4 cup dry quinoa
3 cups plums
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup cherries, pitted and sliced
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup almonds, chopped

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, chop the fruit and place in a large bowl.

3. Mix the dressing ingredients (maple syrup, balsamic, lime juice, salt) in a small jar and adjust to taste if necessary. Note: You may have to double the dressing recipe if your salad is quite large.

4. Fluff cooked quinoa with a fork and add to large bowl with fruit. Combine. Pour on dressing and mix well. Serve immediately or chill in the fridge until serving time.

Thanksgiving! Featuring Sweet Potatoes with Pecans, Goat Cheese and Celery

I hope all the Canadians had a great Thanksgiving this past weekend! I was so ridiculously excited for Thanksgiving this year for some reason. My mom and I planned an epic feast with appetizers, punch, lots of of side dishes, and desserts. I'll be sharing the recipe for the sweet potato appetizer E made as it was my favourite new thing we tried. Looking at the photos on the camera now I see that some of them are actually quite blurry, but I wanted to eat and was taking them mostly for documentation purposes! :) Let's begin our journey through Thanksgiving 2011.

Appetizer - sweet potatoes with Thanksgiving on top. I ate way too many of these because they were so good, and then was worried I wouldn't be able to eat much at dinner. The topping was so flavourful and perfect for a holiday meal - shallots, celery, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, goat cheese, and herbs. Next time I'd try to fit more topping on each sweet potato, though it's kind of difficult and messy. Will definitely make these again! I've included the recipe at the end of this post.

Appetizer - cranberry cheese phyllo parcels, made by my mom. I just tried to find the recipe online but couldn't. She got it out of a Canadian Living holiday magazine I think. They were really yummy!

Punch! I don't actually like punch and almost always drink water, but I thought punch would be fun and I wanted to make neat ice cubes. I was going to make an ice ring with frozen fruit inside, but then decided to use my Halloween pumpkin silicon muffin mould instead. Don't think you can really see the pumpkin ice cubes in this photo though.

The table ready for dinner. Roasted garlic mashed potatoes (yummy but needed more roasted garlic - maybe 6 heads next time?), brussel sprouts, and homemade cranberry sauce.

Beets, salad, baked cheesy cauliflower, vegan gravy, and vegetarian stuffing. I really need to post about that baked cheesy cauliflower sometime as it's a family favourite. I made the vegan gravy from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan because Angela said it was really good. It was alright but I've had better vegan gravy, like this shiitake one that I need to make again and then post about. (There was also turkey, meat gravy, and sausage stuffing.)

Vegan green bean casserole. I've been dying to try making this for so long. Unfortunately I didn't think it was that good. Maybe because the mushroom sauce wasn't that flavourful or there wasn't enough sauce? I used this recipe from Fat Free Vegan. I used 3 tbsp flour instead of 2, unsweetened plain soy milk instead of soy creamer, and omitted the sherry.

My plate! Yum yum yum. Going clockwise from the bottom left corner - vegan green bean casserole, vegetarian stuffing (YUM stuffing is my favourite), roasted garlic mashed potatoes with vegan gravy, beets, baked cheesy cauliflower, carrots, brussel sprouts, salad, and homemade cranberry sauce.

Dessert! My brother and sister-in-law made sex in a pan, which I've never had before so was really excited to try. And I made pumpkin cheesecake.

I was really happy with how the pumpkin cheesecake turned out. I won't pretend that I can always make cheesecake this well though. A lot of times it cracks and the edges are a bit rubbery. Not this time. It was perfection. So creamy. What I did differently is used mini cheesecake pans (so I baked them for a shorter amount of time) and used a water bath. I posted a bit more of the details on my original pumpkin cheesecake post.

And thus concludes Thanksgiving 2011. We brought home tons of leftovers and I'm so looking forward to eating them all week.

Sweet Potatoes with Pecans, Goat Cheese and Celery [a.k.a. Roasted Marshmallow-y Sweet Potatoes with Thanksgiving on Top]
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 1/2 pounds sweet potato, scrubbed, unpeeled, in 3/4- to 1-inch coins
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup toasted and cooled pecan halves
2 tiny or 1 small shallot
2 stalks celery
2 tsp herbes de provence (original recipe used 2 tbsp fresh parsley)
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
2 ounces firmish goat cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 450F. Coat a large baking sheet generously with olive oil, about 1 to 2 tablespoons. Lay sweet potatoes in one layer on the oiled sheet. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast, without disturbing, for 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully flip each piece: the undersides should be blistery, dark and a bit puffy and should release from the pan with no effort. If they’re not, let it cook longer. Sprinkle them with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper and return the pan to the oven for another 10-30 minutes or so, until the undersides match the tops. (Ashley note: E was the one that made these, and he said that he had to bake the sweet potatoes a lot longer than the recipe suggested so that's why I changed it to 10-30 minutes.)

Meanwhile, prepare your salad. Chop your pecans well, mince your shallot, chop your celery, mince cranberries. Crumble your goat cheese and stir it into the mixture. In a small dish, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon. Pour over salad.

When the sweet potatoes are done, lay them on a serving platter. Scoop a spoonful of the salsa over each round. Eat immediately. (Ashley note: We baked the sweet potato earlier in the day and kept the salad separate, then reheated the sweet potato just before serving and topped with salad.)

Rainbow Rice and Beans

I made this rice dish with the idea that it could be a stand alone meal. And I didn't find it to quite be what I wanted, maybe not flavourful enough. But it is a great side dish. A great accompaniment to a larger meal, like a potluck. While it wasn't a favourite of mine, other people enjoyed it so I'm sharing it here. To make it again, I think I'd double the spices.

Miss Abby.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Quinoa Corn Salad
Greek Basmati Rice
Warm Roasted Pumpkin & Shallot Salad
Greek Barley Salad

Rainbow Rice and Beans
Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum and Oh She Glows

Serves 3 as a main, or more as a side dish

1 cup brown basmati rice, dry

1 tbsp oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can (about 15 oz or 1 3/4 cups) black beans, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
2 medium carrots, shredded

Spices:
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Start the rice with two cups of cold water.

When the rice is almost done cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook until golden brown. Add spice mix and saute until spices begin to bubble up a little bit, being careful not to burn.

Add beans, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and simmer on low, covered, until rice is done. Add peas, carrots, and corn and for a few moments until defrosted. Add rice to pan, stirring well to mix in beans and veggies and coat with sauce.

Orange Sesame Tofu & Coconut-Lime Basmati Rice

I never do fancy things with rice, but after making this simple coconut-lime basmati rice it makes me want to more often! You can't really see the rice in this photo but it's there under some sauteed kale. I paired the rice with orange sesame tofu and kale, as suggested in the cookbook and really enjoyed the combination.

I couldn't choose between these 2 photos so I had to post both!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Kung Pao Noodles with Peanuts and Wok Fried Vegetables
Broccoli Cashew Teriyaki Tofu Stir-Fry
Pad Thai
Tarragon Pecan Asparagus

Orange Sesame Tofu
Adapted from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan

2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Zest of 1 orange
3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 pkg (350 g) extra-firm tofu, diced into 1/2" squares
1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 400F. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, combined cornstarch with 2 tbsp orange juice and stir until fully dissolved. Add remaining juice and ingredients, except tofu, green onions and sesame seeds, and stir to combine. Add tofu and turn to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for 1 hour or more, or bake it immediately.

To bake, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Turn over tofu, gently stir to cover tofu with sauce, and bake again uncovered for another 6-9 minutes, or until sauce thickens and is bubbling at edges (sauce will continue to thicken as it cools). Remove from oven, sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds, and serve.

Coconut-Lime Basmati Rice
Slightly adapted from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan

1 cup dry brown basmati rice
1 can (400 mL) light coconut milk
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (zest limes before juicing)
1/4 tsp sea salt
Zest of 1 lime

In a saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, lime juice, and salt. Bring to a boil on high heat, stir, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 35-45 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked through. Turn off heat, stir in lime zest and let sit for 4-5 minutes.

Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomatoes

So you know how I said I was going through baking withdrawal? Well I am definitely making up for it this weekend! So far I've made really crunchy granola, double chocolate avocado muffins (cupcakes masquerading as muffins!), no bake chocolate peanut butter chews (not a baked good but it still counts to me), and carrot cake power scuffins. This morning I started the sponge for a yeasted fruit bread, and will also be making the Elvis fluffernutter cake. AND I'd also like to make a couple more things - I'm thinking espresso chip oatmeal cookies, lazy samoas, and/or kitchen sink chocolate biscotti (all from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar). I'll be giving a lot of this stuff away, though I also need to restock my freezer with healthy snacks for the week!

Now to balance out all those baked goods with something healthier - this spaghetti squash with roasted tomatoes. I'd say this is a great accompaniment to a meal, but I wouldn't want to eat it for a main course. It's something a bit different with a nice presentation and decent flavour (and healthy!), but not so super amazing that I want to eat a lot of it. E liked it though. One of my friends really loves roasted tomatoes, so I was interested to see how the roasted grape tomatoes would turn out. I definitely prefer them raw. Cooked tomatoes are just not my thing! I do think this dish is a great way to eat beans though.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Garlicky Broccoli, Corn and Bean Burritos
Black Bean and Zucchini Chilaquiles
Pan-Roasted Cauliflower
Carrot Slices in Dill Sauce

Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomatoes
Adapted from Canadian Living: The Vegetarian Collection

1 spaghetti squash (2 1/2 lb/1.25 kg), halved and seeded
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 cups grape tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp chile pepper flakes
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) white kidney beans or navy beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400F. Bake the squash cut side down on greased baking sheet or parchment paper until flesh is tender when pierced, about 1 hour. Using fork, scrape strands into bowl; stir in half each of the salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a 9x13 (3L) glass baking dish, toss together tomatoes, garlic, oil, vinegar, hot pepper flakes and remaining salt and pepper. Roast in 400F oven for 30 minutes. Stir in beans and parsley; roast until beans are heated through and tomatoes are shriveled, about 10 minutes. Mound squash on platter; spoon tomato mixture over top.

Garlic Cheese Bread

This is definitely not the glamorous photo this cheese bread deserves! Because it is just completely perfect, delicious, gooey, cheesy, and flavourful. I've never made cheese bread with mayonnaise before - turns out it's an excellent addition. The original recipe suggests that it serves 4, but I don't recommend eating 1 serving of this, unless you eat it with a giant plate of raw vegetables, as we did one night. So basically what I'm saying is you have to try it, but make it when you're serving lots of people or have lots of raw vegetables!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Mediterranean Macaroni & Cheese
Chile-Cheese Bread
Sun Dried Tomato, Feta and Oregano Muffins
Flatbread with Caramelized Onions and Brie

Garlic Cheese Bread
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Serves 6-8

3 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
3/4 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cups mayonnaise
4 green onions, minced
1 loaf crusty French bread
8 tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic, finely minced

Mix cheeses with the mayonnaise and the green onions. Set aside or keep in fridge until you need it.

Cut loaf of bread in half, then each half into half again. Working 1/4 loaf at a time, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet and add 1/4 of the minced garlic. Place 1 of the 1/4 loaves face down in the skillet, swirling it to soak up the butter and garlic. Allow bread to toast in the skillet, removing garlic if it starts to get too brown.

Repeat with remaining butter, garlic, and bread.

Spread cheese mixture on warm loaves and bake in a 425F oven until cheese is hot and bubbly, about 10 minutes.

Slice and serve.

Greek Basmati Rice

As suggested by Dreena, I paired this Greek basmati rice with lemon-herb tofu and it made for the perfect easy dinner. This rice dish comes together so quickly - basically you dump everything (tomatoes, olives, onion, garlic, lemon, oregano, uncooked brown rice) into a casserole dish and bake it for over an hour. Delicious and easy - perfect weeknight meal!

I'm so ridiculously excited as I just received 2 awesome new cookbooks in the mail!! Radiant Health Inner Wealth, and The Two Week Wellness Solution. I've been waiting for these books for weeks. We're going out for dinner shortly but I can't wait to come home and look through them!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Warm Roasted Pumpkin & Shallot Salad
Greek Barley Salad
Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Dill and Lemon
Wild Rice Almond Cherry Pilaf

Greek Basmati Rice
Adapted from Vive le Vegan!

Serves 4-6

1 1/2 cups brown basmati rice
3 1/4 cups water
1 medium red onion, diced
4 small tomatoes (1 to 1 1/4 cup) tomatoes, chopped, seeds removed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400F. In a deep casserole dish, combined all the ingredients except the olives and parsley, and stir through to mix. Cover and bake for 60-65 minutes. Add the olives and stir through. Cover and bake for another 10-15 minutes or more, until the rice is soft and has absorbed all the water. Remove and stir in the fresh parsley.

Lemon-Herb Tofu

As I keep saying over and over and over again, Eat, Drink & Be Vegan is one of my favourite cookbooks right now. It's the one I always pull off the shelf when looking for meals for the week. Well I thought it was time I got another Dreena Burton cookbook so I got Vive le Vegan! and not surprisingly, I love it too! I found this lemon-herb tofu recipe in it and it's a new favourite.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Puttanesca Tofu
Cumin Lime Tofu
Salt & Pepper Tofu
Honey Mustard Marinated Tofu

Lemon-Herb Tofu
Adapted from Vive le Vegan!

4 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp light sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp agave syrup
few pinches ground black pepper
1 pkg (350 g/12 oz) extra firm tofu, cut into squares about 1/4"-1/2" thick

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine all ingredients except tofu in a baking dish (9"x13" is good). Add the tofu and coat each side. Bake covered for 15 minutes. Turn the tofu over, and continue to bake uncovered for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour any extra marinade on top.

Maple-Baked Beans

I'm still not completely in love with beans, but I'm trying! Baked beans is one of the few ways I enjoy eating them. I've tried a few recipes and these two are my favourite. I don't have a photo of the second recipe but I remember really liking it, so I wanted to include it. They're pretty similar so you can't go wrong either way. The first recipe is from my new go to cookbook, Canadian Living: The Vegetarian Collection. The recipes in this book use easy to find ingredients for the most part and there's a really good variety of recipes. I usually try at least 1 new recipe from it every week. I just bought Cooking Light - Way to Cook Vegetarian, hoping that it would be as good as the Canadian Living one but I'm not sure it will be. Haven't tried anything yet from it though, have you guys?

Abby playing on the couch with her favourite cow toy.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Black Bean and Zucchini Chilaquiles
Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Dill and Lemon
Frijoles, Etc. Casserole
Refried Beans

Maple-Baked Beans
Adapted from Canadian Living: The Vegetarian Collection

3 cups dried navy beans
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp dry mustard
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups (500 mL) tomato sauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp molasses
1 1/2 cups bean cooking liquid, vegetable broth or water

Rinse and soak dried beans overnight in three times their volume of water. (Or for quick-soak method, bring to boil; boil gently for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour.) Drain.

In saucepan, cover beans again with three times their volume of water and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Drain, reserving cooking liquid.

In saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, apple, garlic, mustard, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper until softened, about 8 minutes.

Stir in tomato puree maple syrup, vinegar and molasses; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Scrape into food processor; pour in bean cooking liquid and puree until smooth.

In bean pot or 16-cup (4 L) casserole, combine beans and sauce. Cover and bake in 300F oven for 2 hours. Uncover and bake until thickened and beans are coated, about 1 hour.

Baked Beans
Inspired by Dinner & Dessert & Lisa's Kitchen

1 1/2 cups dried navy beans, rinsed and picked over
1/2 cup boiling water
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt

Soak beans overnight. Drain, then cover with water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Be careful not to overcook the beans as they will turn to mush when you bake them.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Drain the beans and reserve the cooking liquid. Combine the beans in a casserole dish with remaining ingredients. Bake covered for 2 to 2 1/2 hours; uncover for the last hour of cooking. If they become too dry, add a little reserved bean water.