Easy Vegan Dinner

Sometimes I have those days where I am really not in the mood in creating something for dinner. I often get off looks from Kyle as to what I have served up... it is often a random mix of different sides made into a "meal". 

Well, this week I found a fantastic new product! I had read about the brand Field Roast on another vegan blog, and knew I had to try them. Found at our local health food store, Naked Naturals (seriously, my favorite store, EVER!). I bought two of the three flavors.

Last night we tried the Potato and Apple, they are the bomb. I actually sent a text to one of my good friends (also a non-meat eater) and actually said they were "the bomb". I don't know why I feel the need to say this all of the time now..... 



This meal was super easy, and delicious! We are big brussel sprout lovers in our house, so I try to cook them as often as I can around this time of the year.


Garlicky Brussels and Potatoes
-brussel sprouts 
-potatoes
-garlic cloves, minced
-olive oil
-salt and pepper

*Please note, prepare as many brussel sprouts and potatoes as you would like. Also, add as much garlic as you would like. We love garlic, so I add more than most people would :) 

Directions
-Preheat over to 400 C
-Slice brussel sprouts in half, vertically. If you cut them horizontally, they wont stay together well.
-Slice potatoes into thin wedges
-Place brussel sprouts and potatoes in baking dish. Toss with olive oil, garlic,salt and pepper.



-Place dish in oven and bake approximately 30 minutes. Once veggies get golden and tender, they're done. 

Sausages
-Preheat skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add sausages, cook until golden brown on all sides. Slice and serve.

The final product :) Enjoy!! xo

Pumpkin Cranberry Loaf

For the last two months, I have been seeing pumpkin recipes EVERYWHERE! Don't get me wrong, I love a good pumpkin pie... but I just wasn't convinced when I was seeing pumpkin risotto, and pumpkin smoothies.... So, I thought I would take the first step and purchase a pumpkin and roast it. This turned out to be extremely easy... but then, the pumpkin sat in my fridge for a few days. But, after all my skepticism I finally have a recipe to share :)

Ingredients

Cinnamon Streusel:
2 tbsp organic sugar
2 tbsp vegan margarine2 tbsp oat flour or finely ground old-fashioned oats 
4 tbsp old-fashioned oats 
2 tsp cinnamon

For the Loaf:
1 C oat flour or finely ground old-fashioned oats 
1/2 C white rice flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 C non-dairy or organic milk
1 C pumpkin puree
1/4 C vegan margarine 
1/2 C organic sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare streusel, combine sugar, margarine, oat flour, oats and cinnamon. Set aside.

For loaf, in a large bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a smaller bowl, mix pumpkin, milk, margarine  sugar, vanilla and cranberries. Fold wet ingredients into dry and stir until just moistened.

Spoon into a standard loaf pan that has been greased or liberally sprayed with cooking spray. Top with streusel. 

Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

*I found that if I left the loaf overnight it set-up much better. 

Enjoy!!! xo

Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink Burritos

So, a couple of nights ago I had no idea what to make for dinner. There were lots of leftovers in the fridge.... so I figured I would concoct something from that. The first thing that came to mind was burritos after I saw the leftover rice and black beans. Then I saw the remainder of the butternut squash that I had used in the previous two nights' dinners.... In to the burritos it went too. 

I find that leftover night can either be hit or miss. It can either be delicious (if I have combined the ingredients properly), or it can be a total disaster... Kyle is often the one to point this out. I don't mind though, it doesn't hurt my feelings. We're fed, and there's more room in the fridge :)

Ingredients
-1 tbsp olive oil
-3 C spinach, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 1/2 C cooked rice
-2 heaping Tbsp mild chili powder
-1 1/2 C black beans
-1 C butternut squash, mashed
-2 medium sized tomatoes, diced
-1 avocado
-4 - 6 tortillas wraps
-feta cheese, optional

Heat skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, spinach and garlic. Saute until spinach is wilted.














Stir in rice, chili powder, black beans and butternut squash. Cook until all ingredients are heated through.


Take off heat and add tomatoes. 

Heat tortillas in microwave or oven. This makes them easier to wrap. 

Take one tortilla, place approximately 1/2 - 3/4 C of rice bean mixture in the middle. Add desired amount of avocado and feta. Roll tortilla up, folding in the sides as you go.
 

Enjoy!!! xox

Butternut Squash Risotto with peas

So after cooking up a whole butternut squash last night for the mac and cheeze, I had TONS left over! Almost as soon as I was done roasting all that squash, I thought, RISOTTO! Since traditional risotto has cheese, I had to find something that would replace the creaminess. This definitely did the trick.


INGREDIENTS
-1small onion, diced
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1 1/2 C Arborio rice
-3 C vegetable broth
-Water
-1 C roast butternut squash, mashed
-1 C frozen peas
-Salt and pepper to taste


-Heat skillet over medium heat. Add in olive oil and onion. Cook for 5 minutes, until onion is soft.










-Add Arborio rice. 


-Add 1/4 C vegetable broth and stir. Let liquid cook down. Add another 1/4 C once almost all liquid is gone. Repeat until all broth is gone. It's really important that you keep stirring the rice to make sure that it doesn't burn and stick to the skillet. 


-Once all broth has been added to the rice, test to make sure that rice is to the correct texture. Rice should be firm, but not hard. If it is still hard, add water (1/4 C at a time)  and repeat the same process as the broth. 




-Take off of heat and stir in butternut squash and peas. 




-Serve immediately.

I served this with a vegan sausage that I get from my natural foods store called Naked Naturals (the store name, not the sausage). It has the best name, doesn't it!?

ENJOY! xo

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheeze

First of all, I would like to apologize for the lack on photos... I was in such a rush to make this once I got home that I forgot to take pictures along the way. 

This recipe is fantastic! I found it on a blog I read called "Oh She Glows". I was a little skeptical as to how this would compare to regular mac and cheese, but it really held its own. The squash make its really creamy, and the nutritional yeast gives in the "cheezi-ness" that you expect to find in mac and cheese.

*This recipe does not contain any dairy, soy or nuts. 

Ingredients:

• 1 fresh butternut squash* (peeled and chopped) OR 1 cup canned butternut squash 
• Extra virgin olive oil, S & P
• 1 tbsp Earth Balance (or other non-dairy butter replacer)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened & unflavoured almond milk 
• 1 tbsp arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
• 6 tbsp nutritional yeast, or more to taste
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2-3/4 tsp kosher salt (or to taste) & ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 servings brown rice macaroni (8oz or half a 16oz package) makes 3 1/4 cup cooked
• Mix-ins of choice (e.g., kale, spinach, broccoli, peas, pumpkin seeds, etc)

 

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a casserole dish with tin foil. Mix chopped squash with EVOO, S & P. Roast for about 40 minutes, uncovered, or until tender.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the cheeze sauce in a pot on the stove top. Add Earth balance over low-medium heat. In a bowl, whisk together milk and arrowroot powder (or cornstarch or flour) until clumps are gone. Add into pot and whisk. Stir in remaining ingredients (nutritional yeast, Dijon, garlic, S & P) and whisk over low heat until thickened (about 5-7 minutes or so).

3. Cook your pasta according to package directions. The sauce makes enough to cover 4 servings of pasta.

4. In a blender, blend the sauce with 1 cup of roasted squash (or if using canned, simply stir 1 cup into the pot).

5. Add cooked, drained, and rinsed macaroni into pot, along with cheeze sauce & mix-ins. Heat and serve.

Note: You will have leftovers of squash. I'm thinking of making some sort of risotto or burritos with these....

Enjoy xo

Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

The only thing that I don't like about this time of year is how fast our bananas rippen. It seems like it takes 2 days and they're too ripe to eat. I don't like them when they have spots... so into the freezer they go. 

I realized today that I had a build-up of bananas in the freezer, so I figured it was time for banana bread. Now, I like regular banana bread, but I LOVE banana bread with chocolate chips. 

This bread goes faster than the bananas take to rippen :) 

Ingredients

-2 C whole wheat flour

-1/2 tsp baking soda

-1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 C vegan butter

1/2 C brown sugar

1/2 C white sugar

-3 medium sized bananas

-1/4 non-dairy milk

-1 tsp apple cider vinegar

-1 tsp vanilla

-1/2 C dark chocolate chips 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a small bowl combine non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar.

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. 

In a seperate bowl cream butter and sugars together. Once mixed, add mashed bananas and vanilla. Add milk and vinegar mixture. Finally, add chocolate chips.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir until just combined. 

Put mixture into pre-greased loaf pan. Place in oven and bake approximately 60 mins. Test bread after 60 mins with toothpick. If toothpick comes out clean, bread is done

Enjoy!! xo

Black Bean and Veggie wraps

I am so thankful that each Sunday I cook up batches of beans and chickpeas to have in the fridge for quick and easy meals. It's so easy to add them to a meal for protein, as I don't like to rely on tofu or meat alternatives all the time.

I always make sure to have wraps in the house too. I find the best deal is at Costco. I love Costco.

Ingredients
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1 small onion, diced
-1 small zucchini, diced
-1 red pepper, diced
-1 C diced tomatoes
-1 medium carrot, diced
-1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-3/4 C vegan cheese, grated
-4-5 Tortilla wraps

Directions
-Heat skillet over medium heat.
-Add olive oil, onion, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes and carrots. Saute for about 5 minutes.

-Add in garlic and black beans.

-Add chili powder, salt and pepper.

-Heat tortilla wraps in microwave for 2 minutes. I wrap mine in a damp tea towel and put on a plate. This prevents them from over-drying and becoming hard.
-Take tortilla wrap and place 1/3 C of veggie-bean mixture in the middle. Sprinkle with cheese.

-Roll tortilla up, tucking in sides as you go.

Enjoy! xo