Tofu Stuffed Shells

Tofu Stuffed Shells



You know what I love most about being {mostly} vegan?  I don’t need to worry about pulling meat out of the freezer and planning what I’m going to make for dinner while I’m eating my breakfast. 

As dinner time approached I scoured the cupboard for something to make… and my boxed tofu kept staring at me! 
​​            --yes I buy tofu in the box, it is much cheaper than buying in the refrigerated section, and       

            when I say much cheaper I mean I buy a box for $1.15.  Yes!



Anyway the first time I made tofu stuffed shells they were barf-worthy, so when I thought about reluctantly making them again tonight I hoped they were at least 10% better. 



And boy if they weren’t absolutely amazing!



So Here We Go.  What You Need:



½ box large pasta shells
1 onion diced
1 package frozen spinach – thawed
1 package firm tofu – crumbled
1/8 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbl Italian seasoning
Pepper to taste

Pasta sauce to serve



The Fun Part:



- In large pot boiling water cook pasta shells for 13 minutes, or until soft
- Meanwhile in hot pan cook onion until translucent
- Add spinach and tofu to pan and mix until warmed and tofu is crumbled
- Add nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, and pepper
- Drain shells and rinse quickly – just so they don’t burn my fingers!
- Stuff shells
- Serve with your favorite pasta sauce and



Enjoy!



Two ways to eat it... With a knife, or without..

Veggie Lo Mein

Veggie Lo Mein



What can I say about veggie lo mein... After a long outings with the family sometimes we come home long after I should have had dinner already on the table. 



On days like these veggie lo mein is my go to meal!  It takes me 15 minutes from start to finish, and full of veggies so it's gotta be good for you! 

​

So Here We Go.  What You Need:

I use whatever veggies I have on hand… tonight I had these certain veggies:

1 tbl vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper- sliced
1 zucchini- diced
1 onion –sliced
8 oz mushrooms –sliced
1 can baby corn cut in half
½ bag asian salad kit (it’s a mix of shreaded broccoli, carrots, and beansprouts- find it in produce              

                            section near bagged broccoli/cauliflower etc.)
1 packet asian dressing (comes with the asian salad mix- it's sesame ginger dressing)
¼ cup soy sauce
1 package lo mein noodles



The Fun Part:



- cut up veggies
- In a hot pan add a tbl of vegie oil and cook vegetables until soft.  (about 5-8 minutes)
- meanwhile boil a pot of water and cook lo mein noodles for 4-5 minutes
- drain noodles add to pan of vegetables
- add asian dressing and soy sauce



Serve and Enjoy!

Spaetzle and Goulash

Since I have added two vegan-modified recipes that my father taught me, it’s only fair that I share a recipe from my mother’s side of the family.  Ergo tonight’s meal –

Spaetzle and goulash. 

Now I know goulash is an often referred to term used by Americans as an ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ recipe. It actually has a different recipe for different parts of the world. This recipe was, like nutella, a staple in my home growing up all thanks to my oma.  This is the Hungarian style.

Every time I make it, it reminds me of a lazy Sunday afternoon with nothing else to do but feel the wind blow through the open windows.  Gotta love those comfort meals. 

I have also made this Hungarian staple meal vegan.  It was simple- I just omitted the meat and replaced it with some fancy mushrooms – the perfect meat substitute!  Although, if you’re not vegan/vegetarian, by all means, cut up some bloody top round.  It’s your body!

So here we go.  What You Need

For the Goulash
8 oz portabella mushrooms diced (or sliced) (or meat, or not ya know, whatever, your choice)

1 onion (or ½ large) chopped

2 bell peppers (whatever color you love)

3 cups of water
2 packets brown gravy mix (some have a milk protein in them, check the label)
¼ cup paprika

     *you can also use the goulash mix by knorr instead of gravy mix & paprika*

For the Spaetzle

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup water
1 flax egg (1 tbl ground flax seed + 3 tbl water)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

The Fun Part:

- in large pot add mushrooms, onions, and peppers – let cook until softened – about 5 minutes

- add the water, gravy mix, and paprika.  Bring to boil and let simmer for 5 minutes. And you’re done.

-          Meanwhile in a bowl add flax egg, water, salt, and nutmeg.  Let rest for 15 minutes.

-          While it’s resting, boil a big pot of water.  Use a spaetzle maker or a colander to push the dough through and into the water.  Let boil for 5 minutes or until pasta starts to float.  – do this in a couple of batches so the water isn’t too crowded and the spaetzle doesn't stick to itself.  

Vegan Gnocchi

Vegan no-ricotta Gnocchi 

Let me start by saying that I could have gone the easy route making these vegan and just used potatoes, but as my dad always said, “when they’re made with ricotta they’re lighter and I can eat more.”

A wise man my dad is. 

The first time I made vegan ricotta gnocchi I made a couple of mistakes.  1. I used eggs and 2. I used two $4.00 tubs of vegan ricotta.  Now, I love gnocchi, but I don’t love them eight+ dollars worth!  I’m a frugal woman. 

So here is a modified recipe that uses tofu and it’s quite delicious, have a taste!

Let me add quickly that I use the tofu that you can buy on the shelf.  It comes in a cardboard box and it is probably half the price of refrigerated tofu. 

So here we go.  What You Need:

14 oz firm tofu (drained) crumbled

2 tbl lemon juice

3 tbl vegan parm

2 tea garlic powder

1 tea nutmeg

4 oz tofutti cream cheese

2 cups white flour + ½ cup to kneed in if needed.  (I usually need this.)  (and ps you can use wheat if that’s what you prefer, but I swear using white makes them taste almost the same as regular gnocchi)

The Fun Part:

-          Combine all ingredients (I don’t even dirty a bowl- just use the counter top- the old fashioned way)

-          Kneed dough until no longer super sticky

-          Roll out into snakes (or logs -if you’re an adult)

-          Cut into bite size pieces

-          Make a thumb print into each one (gives the sauce somewhere to go – you can also do this the fancy-schmancy way and use a fork to roll them, but I just see that as wasted time, my belly doesn't have the time to wait for me to use this method!)

-          *If you are going to freeze them, nows the time to do that.*

Cook in a pot of boiling water for 6 minutes – until they’re all floating toward the top of the pot.  You'll have to do a few batches, it will be worth it.  

Serve with pasta sauce and munch J

Little hands love to help :)

Meatless Loaf - Tofu/Vegan

Meatless Loaf

There isn’t much I can say about meatless meat loaf.  It is what it is, ya know?  I don’t think I had meatloaf until I was about 15.  I was at my tante’s (if you don’t know what that is, google it.) house and she served it up- I fell in love. 

Why does meatloaf have such a bad stigma behind it?!?  Beats me.  It quickly became one of my favorite meals.  That is, until I became vegan.  Bye bye meat. 

Hello Meatless Loaf!

Little hands love to help! 

ps. I added celery to mine, but I wasn't impressed so I omitted it from my recipe :)
(that's the green stuff you see in the loaf)

So here we go.  What You Need:

1 sweet potato

1 can white beans – drained- (I use butter beans, what else?)

1 pkg. (14 oz) tofu

2 carrots – grated

½ onion – grated

2 cloves garlic- grated or chopped

2 tbl soy sauce

2 tbl worcestershire sauce (I had to google how to spell that crap.)

2 tbl ketchup

1 tbl mustard

1 packet meatloaf seasonings (McCormick is what I use)

¾ cup breadcrumbs (or oats, or ground crackers- whatever you usually use for meatloaf)

The Fun Part

- Cook the sweet potato (I nuke in microwave for 5 minutes then peal skins off & mash)

- In pan cook grated onion carrots and onion, just for a few minutes to soften.  --Optional.

- Drain beans, rinse, and mash

- Crumble tofu in bowl

- Add in grated onion, garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, meatloaf seasonings, and breadcrumbs. 

- form into mini loafs (or put in loaf pan) - I make mini loafs- takes less time to cook and easy serving sizes.  This recipe makes 13 Kim-hand size loafs.  

- top w/ bread crumbs

Cook in 350 for 25 minutes – or if using loaf pan cook for 1 hr.

Enjoy the meatless-ness J

Easy Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala

Me:  “Don’t get too full I made your favorite dessert.”

My husband: “me… get full…. Off this?”

My husband doesn’t always speak like a caveman, but when he does I can read through the lines. 

Interpretation:  WHERES THE MEAT?!

After a couple of weeks at a time of eating meat free I like to give my husband a little treat and serve him up some chicken.  Ergo tonight’s meal- Chicken Marsala. 

It is so simple, don’t let the name fool you- it sounds fancy… but really it’s not!  I promise!  Trust me??   Here we go…

What You Need:

1 chicken breast (split in two) (= to half pound, you can use more if you’re hungry.)

2 packets gravy seasonings

8 oz mushrooms sliced

See I told you. EASY!  - no wine necessary- I don’t drink, but by all means, if you do- pour some in the pan- it’s your liver!

The Fun Part

-In pan sauté mushrooms until brown and soft

-Add 2 packets of McCormic gravy seasonings ( I use poultry gravy, but you can use brown or whatever you have – they’re your tastebuds!)

-Add 2 cups of water

- Add seasoned (with pepper or whatever you please) chicken – cover and let cook for about 10 minutes turning chicken half way through.  If the water evaporates too quickly, add more nbd. 

Serve with rice and some veggies and presto- dinner!  Enjoy!

Veggie Crepe Cake

Veggie Crepe Cake

When I think of crepes I think of nutella.  Yummm…

That is- until I made this crepe ‘cake.’- which isn’t really a cake at all.  But it sure is delicious!     

I think in general people are intimidated by crepes, but seriously they are so simple!  Promise.

I made crepes for breakfast and had some left over, what a dilemma!  After forcing myself not to eat them, I decided I better come up with something productive to do with them; so I combined them with a bunch of veggies and tada! Dinner is served!

So here we go!  What You Need:

For the crepes

4 tbl ground flax seed (or 4 eggs)

½ cup warm water

1 1/2 cups flour

3 tbl oil (coconut or veggie)

2 tbl sugar (optional)

1 1/2 cups almond milk (+more if needed to thin batter) – you can use any non-dairy milk (or  

                                                                          cow’s milk if you’re not vegan, it's your body!)

To Make Crepes

-          combine flax seed and warm water and let sit for a few minutes

-          combine the rest of ingredients

-          add in flax egg mixture

-          heat non-stick pan (add butter to a non-non-stick pan get it?)

-          ladle on the batter and turn pan to make one thin layer of batter

-          let cook for about a minute on each side- until it starts to brown

For the filling:

1 onion thinly sliced

8 oz mushrooms- sliced

3 zucchini (or 2 big ones)- Julianne

2 peppers –Julienne (any colour you like- Did you like how I added a ‘u’ to color to make  

                                                                   it French;-) I’m fancy like that)

Ps. You can use any veggies your taste buds enjoy, this is what I had in my fridge that night.

-          cook zucchini and mushrooms in pan until soft

-          cook onion and peppers in pan until soft (you may need to add a bit of oil to the pan for these).

-          Layer in spring form pan--pie dish (whatever) with crepes ---- This is how I layered

-crepe-1/2 of peppers/onion mixture—2crepes—1/2 of zucchini/mushroom mixture—2 crepes—1/2 of peppers/onion mixture—2crepeps—1/2 of zucchini/mushroom mixture—crepe.

You can layer in cheese in between (vegan cheese or not) or not, whatever- they’re your taste buds! 

350 in oven for 30 minutes

Serve! J Enjoy! 

Peanut Stew

Peanut Stew

I initially wasn’t going to post this recipe, because it wasn’t my favorite, but I figured- if I’m ever in a pinch, find myself craving peanut butter, tomatoes, and potatoes, it would be nice to have this recipe handy.  Since it’s super fast, easy, and includes ingredients that I almost always have on hand.  

I know it doesn’t look too appealing (I’m not a photographer, I can’t make something look good that doesn’t!), but I promise it’s better than it looks, at least a little bit ;-)

Little nostalgia rant:  The first time I had a peanut sauce was when my husband – then boyfriend- made it for me at his parent’s house.  He gave me the simple task of cooking the rice.  Effortless right?  Wrong.  Lets just say I wasn’t quite the … er… cook back then.  I was quite the opposite.  What happened you ask?  I’m so glad you asked…

Apparently I had no idea how to cook rice in a pot.  My family always used instant rice.. the simpler things in life!  So I don’t think I stirred the rice once, and when I lifted the lid and stirred it after 20 minutes of cooking, I was greeted by an enormous bottom layer of burnt rice.  Hehee—My then boyfriend, being the wonderful man that he is (or incredibly ignorant of kitchen happenings) said “isn’t that suppose to happen?”  lol…

So Here’s What You Need --- This recipe feeds 4 ladies and 2 men. 

2 potatoes (or one huge honkin one) -cubed and boiled

½ onion – diced

1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes (or crush a couple of tomatoes yourself)

½ peanut butter (crunchy or creamy, whatever you have)

½ can of garbanzo beans (about 1 cup)

2 tbl soy sauce – or tamari

1 tea Italian seasoning

1 tea pepper

½ tea ginger

2 cups brown rice – cooked (it takes 1 cup dry to make 2 cups cooked)

The Fun Part

-          dice potatoes and plop them in a pot of boiling water, let cook for about 10 minutes, until fork tender.

-          In separate pot cook onions on high heat until translucent and browning

-          Add crushed tomatoes, peanut butter, beans, and spices. 

-          Cover and let cook until potatoes are done.

-          Add potatoes to pot

Serve over rice and enjoy J

Vegan Stuffed Peppers

Vegan Stuffed Peppers

For years I thought stuffed peppers required cheese.  Until one day a little birdie told me pish posh!  Cheese is for the birds! So I started making it sans cheese- and then I discovered veggie sausage… woah! This stuff is seriously amazing.  It. Taste. Exactly. Like. Sausage.  You won’t miss a thing—oh except for the constipation and troubles that real red meat gives you.  Wink ;-)

I digress...So my daughter LOVED this recipe.  Actually she loves peppers- but tonight at dinner I swear I have never seen her eat so much, and that's saying a lot because she'll eat everything {except bananas}.

So I make them differently almost everytime- stuffed peppers to me is almost like meatloaf, whatever veggies I have in my fridge goes in my pot.  I’m literally looking at the photo to remember what I put into this particular pot-clearly not much- must have been the end of the week ;-)  

I photographed the left overs.  Just thought you should know that. ;-)

3 bell peppers- cut in half and seeded

½ pound gimmie lean veggie sausage

½ onion chopped (or a whole onion of you please)

2 cups rice (brown, white- your preference- I don’t care have purple if you want)

3 cups water (more if needed for rice)

1 can of corn-drained (or a cup and a half of frozen corn)

1 can diced tomatoes (any kind you have, I think I had w/ fennel and green peppers)

The Fun Part—

-          boil peppers (after you seed them) in pot to soften them for 5 minutes. Then place in a 12x9 baking dish

-          In pot cook ‘sausage’ and onion

-          Add rice, water, tomatoes, and corn. Bring to boil

-          Simmer for about 15 minutes- or until liquid is absorbed and rice is soft.

-          Stuff the peppers

-          Throw them in 350 oven for 15 minutes

Yum J

Meatless Meatball Subs

Meatless Meatball subs

Are you hungry?  Are you lazy?  I have the perfect meal for you. 

I don’t know many meals that take less effort than {meatless} meatball subs!

Have you seen these in your grocery? They are lovely, decently priced {$4.00}, and they taste like meat to me- although it has been a while since I’ve had real meat… Here’s a better judge; my husband—He was totally satisfied, he couldn’t even finish the second one I plated for him {he’s a fluffy boy at heart and eats enough for a family of four most nights}.  So that should tell you something! 

I'm not a photographer- it's not pretty but it's pretty good ;-)

1 package veggie meatballs (it has 15 ‘meatballs’)

1 can tomato sauce (seasoned to your liking, I use Italian seasoning and garlic seasoning-         

                               keepin’ it simple)

3 (or 4 if you stretch) hoagie rolls

Whaaa? That’s it? That’s it kids. It’s a lazy Sunday. 

-Cook ‘meat’balls according to instructions on box

           *microwave = cook on high for 2 minutes, turning after 1-let stand 2 more minutes

           * Oven= 350 for 18 minutes turning after 9

-Heat sauce in pot

-Add balls to sauce to coat

- scoop balls in rolls and serve!

Ps. I added mushrooms and onions, because I’m fancy like that ;-)

Enjoy J

Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

When we invited over dinner guests for the weekend we asked them what they would like; when they replied with eggplant parmesan I was relieved for two reasons. 1. It was Good Friday {whoops- almost forgot} and 2. I found a vegan recipe for this- Sweet!

    For the Eggplant

2 eggplants sliced in discs

1 cup seasoned flour

½ can coconut cream or milk (or substitute 3 eggs)

3 cups seasoned breadcrumbs

                *To season mine I used vegan parm, pepper, cayenne- you can use whatever         

                  you want, or keep them italian- whatever, it’s your kitchen

salt

Okay I ordinarily don’t use salt, but it is essential for this recipe to soften the eggplant and prepare it for the big bake J

Slice eggplants in discs about ½ inch thick

Place in colander and toss with a couple teaspoons of salt – let drain for at least half-hour.

When the eggplant has released a bit of it’s water dab dry with paper towels.

Dip in flour (shake off excess)

Dip in cream (or eggs)

Dip in breadcrumbs, coat.

Place on baking sheet and Bake at 425 for 30 minutes, flipping half way through.  I dare you not to eat one when they’re done.

    For the Sauce

You can really use any sauce that you prefer- Here is what I like;

2 (larger) cans of sauce – or crushed tomatoes, whatever

1 onion diced

4 tbl Italian seasoning

2 tbl garlic powder

Cook onions in hot pot for 5 minutes until softened

Add sauce and seasonings

Yum.

    Assembly

   Additional ingredients;

Vegan mozzarella cheese

Vegan parmesan (optional)

In a 13 x 9 inch baking dish (smaller dish if you want more layers

spread a layer of tomato sauce.

Layer half of the eggplant (overlapping a bit)

Spread more tomato sauce

Layer in the rest of eggplant slices

Pour the rest of the sauce, leaving some eggplant exposed so it stays crispy

Sprinkle the rest of vegan mozzarella cheese or vegan parmesan

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes – sprinkle with basil if you wish and Enjoy!  Yum! J

Kale and butter bean hot "salad"

Kale Salad

I discovered something this week… something Wonderful!  Butter beans!  Butter…. Beans! Unbelievable, I had a Paula Dean moment-- Ohhh yes ya’ll! 

I can’t believe I have never eaten them in my entire life!  They’re so creamy, yum.   I will add that growing up my family had a very limited number of meals that we repeated often.  I won’t say that they weren’t good, but I am saying that there were not that many. ;-)

I digress… Since I am living a plant strong life, I find that I am constantly finding wonderous new(-to-me) foods; and I am so glad the butter bean has found it’s way to my mouth!

This recipe can work as a main course and serve 2 – or as a side dish and serve 4 (not too hungry people) lol

1 onion – chopped
1 can butter beans – drained (or any white bean)

2 to 3 handfulls of chopped kale (or any other greens you like or have on hand)

1 Lemon --the juice – or substitute oil
2 garlic cloves – or sprinkle of garlic powder

Sprinkle of pepper

Sprinkle of nutmeg

Oil for cooking

*If you don’t have an ingredient above – who cares?  It’s your kitchen, this is now your recipe, and you’re the cook- put what you want into the dish! J

Cut the onion and cook in hot pan (drizzled with oil if you choose)
cook for about 3-5 minutes until onions are soft and browning
add garlic

drain the butter beans and add to pan – add a few drizzles of oil

Cook for a few minutes until the beans start bursting- stir occationally

Once beans start to burst, add a few handfuls of kale- big hands? Use two handfuls.  Small hands? Use three.  Love greens? Add more. 

Squeeze lemon juice over kale and add spices (pepper, nutmeg, garlic pdr)

Cook until greens are wilted

Enjoy J