Category Archives: Lunch

Red Lentil Thai Chili

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I served this chili (and the Spicy Broccoli Cheeze Soup) at a party yesterday and it was a total hit, some people asked for leftovers to-go! It was even better today when I had it for lunch and dinner. It’s such a unique tasting chili, I really love the curry paste mixed with the sweet potatoes and lime.

This recipe is from one of my favorite vegan food blogs – Post Punk Kitchen. I doubled this recipe and skipped a few steps because I thought it would fit in my crock pot but it didn’t! My hubby had to run to the fire station to borrow a bigger pot.

Water or broth for sautéing
1 large yellow onion, diced medium
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced medium
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes cut into ¾ inch chunks
1 cup red lentils
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups vegetable broth
2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 15 oz can low-fat coconut milk
28 oz can diced tomatoes
½ cup fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Limes for garnish (optional but VERY GOOD WITH IT!)

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Saute onions and pepper for 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute a minute more.

Add chili powder, sweet potatoes, lentils, salt and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When lentils are cooked and sweet potatoes are tender, add the remaining ingredients and heat through.

Taste for salt and seasoning, top with cilantro and lime and serve!

BBQ Tempeh Wrap with Goaty Cheeze

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I was craving “junk food” today so I searched through my fridge and came up with this BBQ Tempeh Wrap.

Ingredients:

* 1 Tbsp Olive Oil (optional if you’re oil-free – use water sauté or broth instead)

* 1 – 8oz block of tempeh (I like Trader Joe’s Organic Tempeh the best!)

* 1 1/2 cups leftover Finger Lickin’ Good BBQ Sauce

* 2-3 Tbsp leftover Kale Butter

* Whole wheat wraps or tortillas

* 1 cup baby spinach

* 1 tomato

* 2-4 Tbsp Goaty Cheeze

* Southwestern Chipotle Sauce

Directions:

* First I cut up a block of tempeh into 8 slices

* Heat cast iron pan (or regular if you don’t have cast iron but you may need a little oil or broth so they don’t stick)

* Brown tempeh slices on both sides, about 2 minutes each side

* Blot oil from tempeh and add to bowl with bbq sauce, coat tempeh

* Assemble wrap!

I spread Kale Butter on the wrap first, then added baby spinach, bbq tempeh slices, added slices of tomato, dolloped Goaty Cashew Cheeze on top and a little Southwestern Chipotle Sauce.

Yummy!!

Spicy Broccoli Cheeze Soup

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I’m almost over my soup phase for this month! I made this soup two days ago and served it at a party yesterday, everyone loved it! Everyone was surprised it was non-dairy soup that really tastes like cheese. I made a double batch and let it sit overnight before serving it. I’ve found most of these soups, bean and lentil dishes taste even better the second day!

I found this recipe from Melomeals: Vegan For $3.33 A Day… another winner!

Southwestern Broccoli Cheese Soup
2 T coconut oil
1 t chipotle powder or smoked paprika if you don’t like heat (you can also use 2 whole chipotle chile peppers instead of the powder – I did and it was yummy!)
1 t cumin
1 T chili powder
Pinch marjoram
1 large onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
6 big cloves garlic, pressed
1 t garlic salt
Around 2.5 c white beans and their cooking liquid (2-15 oz cans or 1-29 oz can)
2 c waxy potatoes, (around 2 medium) medium chop
1 c salsa – I used the Costco brand salsa
1 c crushed tomatoes
1 T yellow mustard
2 c water or broth
16 oz frozen broccoli
1 T apple cider vinegar
½ c nutritional yeast
Salt/Pepper or Lemon Pepper to tasteMethod

1.       Sauté the dried spices, onions, carrot and garlic along with the garlic salt. If you are using canned beans then by all means use less garlic salt
2.       Add the beans, potatoes, salsa and tomatoes along with the broth. Cover and bring to a strong simmer for 10 minutes.
3.       Puree with a hand blender or in a food processor
4.       Stir in the broccoli, yeast and  vinegar. Cover and let soup sit for 10 minutes.  Blend again
5.       Taste and adjust seasoning

Yummy Cheezy Broccoli Soup!

Chipotle Split Pea Soup

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I did it, I finished a whole can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce! I always buy a can, use one or two for a recipe and the rest of it sits in the fridge and rots.

As you can see, I’ve been on a soup kick this week due to the recent rain. I love soup, it’s so easy and almost everything you need ends up in one warm bowl of goodness!

This is from… you guessed it! Melomeals: Vegan For $3.33 A Day vegan food blog. She has so many delicious recipes, I may just cook my way through her whole site!

First off, this soup smells SO GOOD when it’s cooking… the kind of smell where your neighbors peek their heads over the fence and say “What are you cooking? That smells awesome!”. Not only does it smell good, it tastes good too! Plus it’s easy to make, cheap and very healthy (protein & fiber!), what more do you need!

I served this soup with leftover Chickpea Flatbread – cut into pieces and toasted. My hubby ate his flatbread with Southwestern Chipotle Sauce, his new everyday condiment of choice.

Chipotle Split Pea Soup

2 T olive oil
1 t thyme
1 t basil
1 t tarragon
1 t rosemary
1 large onion, 1.5 cups chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced or 2.5 T
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 medium stalks celery, chopped
1 lb dried split peas
6 -8 c water or vegetable stock
2 bouillon cubes if not using stock
1-3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo chopped
salt/pepper to taste
1 T balsamic vinegar
fresh parsley or cilantro if desired

* In a heavy bottomed soup pot over medium heat add the dried spices,onions and garlic and saute for several minutes.

* Add the carrot and celery and saute for several more minutes, then add the peas.
* Stir to coat with the veggie/spice mixture then add the water or stock.
* Bring to a boil for several minutes then cover and turn down heat to a strong simmer.
* Cook for 30 minutes or until the peas are tender.
* Add the bouillon cube and more water if needed and the chiles.
* Cook for 15 minutes more, then stir in the balsamic vinegar.
* Taste and adjust seasonings.
* Top with fresh herbs if desired.

Kale Butter

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This is for all you kale “cult members” out there! There seems to be two kinds of people when it comes to kale – those who have no idea what it is and those who are obsessed with it. I don’t have much experience in between the two, only one or the other. We eat kale almost everyday so I suppose that puts us in the “cult member” category.

I found this recipe in the Engine 2 Diet book. It’s really good on crackers, pasta, veggies and sandwiches/wraps. I smear this on my toddler’s sandwiches with white beans and soy cheese and she devours it!

Ingredients:

* 1 bunch kale, rinsed and chopped (I use black/lacinato kale – use stems too)

* 1/2 cup walnuts

* 1/2 cup water – (use water leftover from steaming kale!)

* Salt, to taste

Directions:

– Steam the kale for 5 minutes, until tender

– Blend the cooked kale with the walnuts and 1/2 cup of the green water from steaming. Blend until smooth.

– Add salt to taste, if desired

My toddler LOVES this! Can you tell?

 

Napa Cabbage Tacos

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I ordered a napa cabbage from my CSA and when it arrived yesterday I was blown away at how big it was!

I took the leftover TVP “meat” mixture and all of my toppings (including the Southwestern Chipotle Dressing/Sauce)and used the napa cabbage to make Napa Cabbage Tacos! Napa Cabbage isn’t as thick as regular cabbage, it’s very refreshing and has a nice crunch to it.

These turned out really good! Yay for leftovers!