Quinoa & Peas (2x) with Citrus Dressing

June 17, 2016June 17, 20167 Comments

Quinoa & Peas (2x) with Citrus Dressing
(Serves 4-6) ~ Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free

Nope, this is not another peanut butter dish instead let us swap one great source of protein for another. Cue in the Quinoa! Fluffy quinoa contains all 9 essential amino acids and has been deemed a complete protein. This recipe is filling and refreshing and great for the summer. I have two kinds of peas in this recipe (I ❤ peas) but you can swap for so many other recipes like another love of ours, broccoli. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
(16oz) or 2 ½ Cups Peas, steamed
(12oz) or abt 2 ½ Cups Sugar Snap Peas, steamed
1 Cup Quinoa, cooked
7 Scallions (white/light green parts only), chopped
½ Tsp Course Ground Pepper
½ Tsp Salt
1 small handful Fresh Curly Parsley, chopped

Citrus Dressing:
Juice of ½ Lemon
Juice of ¼ Grapefruit
1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (good quality)
½ Tsp Course Black Pepper
½ Tbsp Sugar
¼ Tsp Salt

Directions:
-Prepare quinoa according to package or see directions here. During the last 5 minutes of cooking add scallions – during steaming.

-For Dressing: whisk ingredients together to combine and toss with quinoa and peas.
-Add salt/pepper, parsley and optional (coconut bacon) – [see recipe here] to taste. Enjoy!

Quinoa and Peas with Citrus Dressing

Servings: 4-6
Time: 20mins
Difficulty: Easy
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Credit: http://www.veganrescue.com

Ingredients:

(16oz) or 2 ½ Cups Peas, steamed
(12oz) or abt 2 ½ Cups Sugar Snap Peas, steamed
1 Cup Quinoa, cooked
7 Scallions (white/light green parts only), chopped
½ Tsp Course Ground Pepper
½ Tsp Salt
1 small handful Fresh Curly Parsley, chopped

Citrus Dressing:
Juice of ½ Lemon
Juice of ¼ Grapefruit
1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (good quality)
½ Tsp Course Black Pepper
½ Tbsp Sugar
¼ Tsp Salt

Directions:
-Prepare quinoa according to package or see directions here. During the last 5 minutes of cooking add scallions – during steaming.

-For Dressing: whisk ingredients together to combine and toss with quinoa and peas.
-Add salt/pepper, parsley and optional (coconut bacon) – [see recipe here] to taste. Enjoy!

Hearty Vegetable Soup!

October 5, 2015October 5, 20156 Comments

Hearty Vegetable Soup!! ~ (Serves 10-12)

Hello everybody! It feels like it’s been awhile and it has been, sorry about that. It’s officially autumn and October, oh yes and my birthday is coming soon too, woot woot!
About this hearty soup…
Lovely fall and its cool and brisk mornings or chilly evenings. Not to mention all the rain we had last week which makes me want nothing more than a bowl of warm and filling soup. Without exaggeration this soup is as hearty as it gets, truly meal in itself. The veggies, beans and barley in this soup are very generous and easily serves 10-12 depending on portion/bowl size. This is the perfect make ahead, keeps well and we have leftovers for a few days 🙂 . I hope you enjoy – stay warm!

Hearty Vegetable Soup!

Servings: 10-12
Time: 1hr 20mins
Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:
2-3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large Sweet Onion, chopped
1 bunch of Leeks (4 total), white-light green parts only, sliced and rinsed well
5 cloves Garlic, minced
1 handful Fresh Parsley, chopped
4 Carrots, sliced
2 Red Potatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp dried Oregano
½ Tbsp Pepper
4 Quarts Vegetable Broth/Stock
1 Cup Barley
1 (28 oz can) Diced Tomatoes
4 Large Leaves – Collard Greens, stems removed/chopped
2 heads of Fresh Broccoli, chopped/florets
1 Zucchini, chopped
6 White Button Mushroom, sliced
1 (10oz) Frozen Peas
1 (15.5 oz can) Red Kidney Beans
1 (15.5 oz can) Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans
1 (15.5 oz can) Corn

Directions:
-In large stock pot, heat Olive Oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
-Stir in Leeks and Garlic then sauté for another 2 minutes.
-Add carrots, potatoes and parsley – sauté for another 3-5 minutes. Then add Salt/Pepper and Oregano.
-Add Vegetable Broth/Stock and bring to boil. Stir in Barley, Tomatoes and Collard Greens – cover then reduce heat to simmer for about 50 minutes.
-Add mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, beans, corn and frozen peas – cover and continue a slow boil for another 10 minutes.
-Let stand for 10-20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

A Ladle of Love & Health!

A bowl of Green goodness!

September 3, 20158 Comments

My (craving) Green Bowl!
(Serves 1 – Me!) ~ Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Dairy-Free

This seems like such a random blog post for me because I don’t typically post my random cravings or thoughts. Lol. 🙂 So here it is – not that this is really even a “recipe” per se, just something I threw together in the madness. Well I guess it is an example of how I eat sometimes on a whim.
The level of “busy” has really kicked up times 10 it feels like – work, School, Kids, Kids School and Activities, helping my husband edit his latest book and don’t forget being an awesome wife (toot-toot, yeah that’s me tooting my own horn, lol). With that said I’ve been doing a lot of meal prep the night before or on my lunch break from work. An example of this would be, Sunday into Monday I soaked black beans overnight then cooked them the next day, so Monday night and Tuesday we ate black bean burritos for dinner. I was on the run with class so I needed something quick and on the go. Our schedules don’t sound all that bad with a little planning.
Last night I made vegan Sloppy “Joes” for the kids and Seth had a big salad and soup. I didn’t eat until after coming home from Jasmine’s cheer practice (I had a late lunch) so I just threw this together. Again an example of something I throw together and enjoy on the fly.

Ingredients:
5-6 stalks of Kale, stems removed, chopped
2-3 Cups of Peas, steamed (that’s a lot of peas for one person, isn’t it? Yikes)
1 Avocado, pitted (I started out with ½ then caved and went for the whole thing…doubles yikes)
1 Handful of Fresh Parsley, chopped
Salt/Pepper to taste
Chili Powder to taste
Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
I lightly sautéed the Kale in olive oil (I just did a couple turns of olive oil in the pan) just before it wilts. I tossed in the steamed peas, fresh parsley and chopped avocado then seasoned to taste. Yummy in my tummy!

Weird craving…but I love peas! Love Kale! and Love love Avocado – so why not throw them all together, right! Enjoy!

Thai Peanut Sauce with Rombi Pasta & Peas

July 6, 2015July 6, 20155 Comments

Thai Peanut Sauce with Rombi Pasta & Peas
(Serves 8) – Vegan, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free (Use with GF Pasta)

This sauce is the best…it has the perfect balance of sweet, heat and savory. This recipe is kid approved I received two thumbs up from each 🙂 . Every time I make this sauce it’s a hit, love the creaminess. This sauce is excellent with the pasta and peas tossed in. I also incorporated a protein (tofu), this is a complete meal. The pasta I used was Rombi, a short ribbon-type pasta hangs on well to the sauce (picture a chopped up lasagna). Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
¾ Cup Peanut Butter
1 (13.5oz Can) Coconut Milk
¼ Cup Tamari Soy Sauce
3 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
¼ Cup Blue Agave Nectar
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
Add-In:
1 (16oz Pkg) Rombi Pasta
1 (10oz Pkg) Frozen Peas
1 (14oz Pkg) Extra Firm Tofu

Directions:
-Prepare pasta according to package and drain.

-Heat Olive Oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan, add Garlic and Red Pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes.
-Stir in Peanut Butter, Tamari Sauce and Vinegar. Whisk together to combine and continue to heat for another 1-2 minutes.
-Whisk in Agave and slowly stir in Coconut milk. -If adding frozen peas, add then now and heat through for about 5 minutes on low. Turn off heat and finish with Sesame Oil.
-If you’re not adding Peas skip the last step and just finish with Sesame Oil.

-Toss to combine with cooked Pasta and sautéed Tofu

-I just cube up the Tofu and season with salt and pepper then sauté in Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Enjoy!

Thai Peanut Sauce with Rombi Pasta & Peas

Servings: 8 ~ Vegan, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
Time: 20mins
Difficulty: easy
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Credit: https://veganrescue.com/
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
¾ Cup Peanut Butter
1 (13.5oz Can) Coconut Milk
¼ Cup Tamari Soy Sauce
3 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
¼ Cup Blue Agave Nectar
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
Add-In:
1 (16oz Pkg) Rombi Pasta
1 (10oz Pkg) Frozen Peas
1 (14oz Pkg) Extra Firm Tofu

Directions:
-Prepare pasta according to package and drain.
-Heat Olive Oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan, add Garlic and Red Pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes.
-Stir in Peanut Butter, Tamari Sauce and Vinegar. Whisk together to combine and continue to heat for another 1-2 minutes.
-Whisk in Agave and slowly stir in Coconut milk. -If adding frozen peas, add then now and heat through for about 5 minutes on low. Turn off heat and finish with Sesame Oil. -If you’re not adding Peas skip the last step and just finish with Sesame Oil.
-Toss to combine with cooked Pasta and sautéed Tofu
-I just cube up the Tofu and season with salt and pepper then sauté in Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Enjoy!

Creamy Chilled Cucumber Pea Mint Soup

June 3, 20154 Comments

Creamy Chilled Cucumber Pea Mint Soup
(Serves 6-8) – Vegan, Raw, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free

I made a Cucumber Dill Garlic sauce the other day and was inspired to make this chilled soup. This soup is raw so I treat this dish just as if I were juicing it, which means we eat it right away. Enjoy!

Creamy Chilled Cucumber Pea Mint Soup

Servings: 6-8 ~ Vegan, Raw, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free
Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:
1 English Cucumber, diced
A Bunch (handful) of Fresh Mint, chopped
½ Green Pepper, chopped
1 Cup Water
1 Avocado, pitted
1 Cup Peas
2 Scallions, chopped (white/light green part only)
Juice of 1 Lemon
Sea Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions:
-Blend all ingredients together using a high speed blender. Chill and Enjoy!

Notes: I blended the first four ingredients together and then the avocado, peas and scallions separately then stirred together and added salt/pepper to taste.
-To serve up instantly – Use refrigerated Cucumber/Scallions and use Frozen thawed Peas.

Wilted Iceberg Lettuce and Peas

May 20, 2015May 25, 2015Leave a comment

Wilted Iceberg Lettuce and Peas braised in Olive Oil
(Serves 8) – Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free

Yesterday was Taco night…who says Vegans can’t enjoy a good taco night. Anywho, I had left over lettuce since I only used ½ head for the tacos (I stopped buying the bagged lettuce long ago). Certain produce, like iceberg, I don’t like letting it linger around in the fridge too long. This recipe is quick and easy, ready in about 15 minutes or make a Iceberg Wedge salad with leftover lettuce. This is a very simple recipe and makes a great side or main dish and is even perfect for lunch. I served this up with Quinoa (more on Quinoa) on the side. For a Round 2 leftover recipe, I tossed the remaining braised Iceberg and Peas with the leftover quinoa, pictured below!

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Small Yellow Onion, chopped
1 (16oz Pkg) Frozen Peas, thawed (or sub fresh peas)
½ Head Iceberg Lettuce, shredded, washed/dried
1 ½ Tsp Salt, divided
1 Tsp Fresh Ground Pepper, divided
½ Tsp Tarragon
½ Tsp Dill

Directions:
-Remove outer leaves and core of Iceberg Lettuce, chop (shred up) with a knife. Rinse under cool water and dry (I use my salad spinner).
-Heat Olive Oil in sauté pan over medium heat and add onions. Sauté for about 3-5 minutes until onions are translucent.

-Add: Peas, Tarragon, Dill, ½ Tsp Salt/Pepper and continue to warm through for another 3 minutes.

-Add lettuce and continue to warm through until slightly wilted. Add remaining salt/pepper and serve. Enjoy!

Note: You can finish with or add 1 Tbsp of Earth Balance during cooking if you wish also to add another layer of flavor. I was out so this time I used only Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Wilted Iceberg Lettuce and Peas braised in Olive Oil

Servings: 8 ~ Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free
Difficulty: easy
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Credit: VeganRescue.com

Directions:
-Remove outer leaves and core of Iceberg Lettuce, chop (shred up) with a knife. Rinse under cool water and dry (I use my salad spinner).
-Heat Olive Oil in sauté pan over medium heat and add onions. Sauté for about 3-5 minutes until onions are translucent.
-Add: Peas, Tarragon, Dill, ½ Tsp Salt/Pepper and continue to warm through for another 3 minutes.
-Add lettuce and continue to warm through until slightly wilted. Add remaining salt/pepper and serve. Enjoy!

W…Wild Rice and Vegetable Medley with Lemon Pepper Dressing

April 27, 2015April 27, 20154 Comments

Wild Rice, Walnut & Spring Vegetable Medley with Lemon Pepper Dressing
(Serves 8-10) – Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, No Added Salt

W is for Wild…so get crazy about this Wild Rice! It’s perfect for the Springtime and great for a Pot-luck or family gathering. The veggies come alive with the lemon pepper dressing too. You can create this recipe using a Wild Rice Blend (I like Lundberg – Wild Blend) or you can use half Wild and Half Brown rice. I enjoy this rice as a meal in itself or prepare it as a side. Enjoy!

The chefs sample bite – yummy:

Ingredients:
6 Cups Prepared Rice (2 Cups Dry Rice with 3 ½ Cups Water)
1 Bunch of Asparagus, sautéed lightly
2 Cups Peas, steamed
3 Radishes, Shaved thin or chopped
1 Handful of Curly Parsley, chopped
1 Shallot, sliced and sautéed
3 Scallions, chopped and sautéed lightly
½ Cup Walnuts, chopped and toasted
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Sauteeing veggies

Directions:
-Prepare Rice: Combine dry Rice and Water in saucepan, bring to boil – cover, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork.
-In sauté pan with Olive Oil, sauté sliced Shallots over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside, back to pan sauté Asparagus (rough ends removed), sauté for about 5 minutes. –While asparagus or shallots are cooking, steam up Peas.
-Combine all ingredients toss together with Lemon Pepper dressing (recipe to follow) before serving.

Lemon Pepper Dressing
Juice of 2 Lemons
Zest of 1 Lemon
1/3 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Horseradish Mustard or Dijon Mustard
3 Tsp course Black Pepper
2 Tsp Blue Agave Nectar

-Combine all ingredients and whisk together.

Vegan Rescue

Uncover the Vegan within.

Tag: peas