Pumpkin Seed Oil Risotto

2 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups baby arugula
2 avocados, cubed
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seed oil

1) In a large saucepan, heat oil until warm. Add rice and stir for about 2 minutes, or until rice is slightly toasted.
2) Stir in white wine to deglaze.
3) Add one cup of vegetable broth. Cook until it is mostly absorbed, stirring occasionally. Repeat this step until all of the broth is used. The rice should have absorbed most of the liquid and looks creamy.
4) Remove from heat and add the arugula and avocados. Stir until the arugula has wilted and the avocados have melted into the risotto.
5) Stir in the toasted pumpkin seed oil and add salt to taste.

Review: I bought toasted pumpkin seed oil a while back for a recipe. I didn't find another one to use it in and was starting to feel like I wasted my money. I went on an exhaustive search for a new recipe to use it in. The vast majority of recipes was using it in a dressing. I don't like making salads for dinner, as it leaves me with limp leftovers. I was happy to find this risotto recipe, but wasn't sure it'd be tasty without the cheese. Well, it definitely was. There's no strong flavor (maybe I should add more toasted pumpkin seed oil?), but a general savoriness. It's definitely filling and I didn't miss the cheese!!

Adapted from:
http://theingredientfinder.com/blog/33-pumpkin-seed-oil-risotto

Roasted Vegetable & Wild Rice Salad with Almond-Parsley Sauce

1 cup wild rice
1 acorn squash, seeded and cut into 1-inch thick wedges
2 turnips, diced
1 apple, diced
4 Tbs olive oil
salt and black pepper
1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup roasted almonds, chopped
1 Tbs lemon juice

1) Heat oven to 450F. Cook the rice according to package directions (typically boiling in 4 cups of water for 45 minutes).
2) Toss the squash, turnips and apple with 2 Tbs of the oil, salt and black pepper. Place on two large rimmed baking sheets. Roast, turning once, until golden brown and tender, 22 to 24 minutes.
3) Combine the parsley, almonds, remaining 2 Tbs oil and lemon juice, with salt and black pepper, in a small bowl.
4) Serve the rice and vegetables topped with the sauce.

Review: I learned my lesson and carved up the acorn squash while wearing gloves. My skin thanked me! This was a very unusual dish for a weeknight. I forgot that wild rice takes so long to cook. Yet, somehow I got every part of this salad done at the same time, which made it easy to throw together. The almonds were a great addition to the roasted vegetables and the wild rice gave it an earthy flavor. I think this may be made better by using pomegranate vinegar instead of lemon juice, maybe adding pomegranate arils on top, too. Maybe I'll make this again to try that out.

Adapted from:
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/roasted-vegetable-wild-rice-salad-almond-parsley-sauce

Mixed Mushroom & Rice Soup

1/2 cup basmati rice
1/2 cup black rice
2 Tbs olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
12oz frozen mixed mushrooms
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1) Combine both rices and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to simmer. Cover, and cook 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
2) Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbs oil in a large pot. Add shallots and celery and saute 3 minutes, or until softened. Add remaining 1 Tbs oil and mixed mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Saute 10 minutes, or until mushrooms are fully heated and celery is softened.
3) Stir in cooked rice, broth and parsley. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 3 to 5 minutes.

Review: I still don't like soup, but yet the recipes keep making it to my grocery list. I left out about 3 cups of fluid when I made this, so it was more dense and less soupy. The black rice gave it a dark purple look (the color only intensified once it was served as leftovers the next day). It's a sweet rice, so this is the first recipe I've found that used the ingredient and the recipe wasn't rice pudding! It balanced with the exotic flavors of the mushrooms and the earthiness of the basmati rice. I could see this being a great holiday dressing if more broth was left out. It was so yummy!

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/mixed-mushroom-and-rice-soup/

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Hash

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 2 Tbs ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 15oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 
  
• 1) In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato, and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown in spots, about 3 minutes.
• 2) Stir in garlic, jalapeno, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring often, 30 seconds. Add 3/4 cup water and cook, stirring to scrape any browned bits from bottom of pan, until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. 
• 3) Stir in corn and beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Season with freshly ground pepper to taste, and serve hot.

Review: This was so good! My cumin had clumped and I had to shake the jar harder to get it out. Of course, that led to almost half the jar falling into my pan!! It's a good thing I love cumin, but it really didn't overpower the dish. This was a great blend of sweet and savory. It was also incredibly filling.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/sweet-potato-and-black-bean-hash/

Spinach, Mushroom, Pine Nut & Squash Quinoa

2 kabocha squash, peeled and diced
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
1 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb mushrooms, diced
1 tsp thyme
3-4 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and toss the squash onto the sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until squash is tender.
2) In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until all liquid has been absorbed.
3) In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and mushrooms. Allow to cook until mushrooms are browned, about 5-7 minutes. Add spinach and cook until it's wilted.
4) Fold in quinoa and squash. Season with thyme, then salt and pepper to taste.

Review: This was supposed to be a stuffed squash recipe. However, every time I find a recipe like this, I have way too much filling for the item to be stuffed. So, I decided to just dice the squash and add it in. However, in peeling and cutting up the squash, I've discovered a new allergy. For a long time now, I've noticed hard squashes leave a film on my hands and it takes days to look normal. The skin gets horribly scaly and discolored. Tonight, I lost feeling in a few of my fingers (left finger could not detect sensation for about 2 days). A google search informed me that some people develop an allergy and it leads to contact dermatitis. Great. I don't think it will impact my ability to eat it, I just can't peel/cut it without wearing gloves. At least I can buy butternut squash already prepared . . . but I digress. This was really tasty and quite filling. I was happy in eating it, even if I couldn't feel the bowl I was holding. Lesson learned and I feel like an allergy ridden freak.

Adapted from:
http://www.theglutenfreevegan.com/2012/03/spinach-mushroom-quinoa-and-pine-nut-stuffed-squash/

Barbecue Chili with Tempeh

2 8oz pks barbecue tempeh, diced
12oz barbecue sauce
3 15oz cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1) Combine tempeh and barbecue sauce in a large saucepan.
2) Bring chili to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Add beans and 1 1/2 cups of water. Simmer 20 minutes.

Review: I originally decided I wasn't going to use barbecue sauce. I planned on buying barbecue tempeh at the co-op and figured that would provide enough flavor. I also didn't want to add a bunch of sugar, so Mike could eat this with me. However, I got to the co-op and decided to at least look at the options. I found Bone Doctors' Carolina Bold barbecue sauce, which had only 1g of sugar per serving. I thought I had found a miracle option, but the cashier kindly pointed out it has a vinegar base instead of a ketchup base. I didn't think that would matter. Well. It made for a very spicy chili. It smelled like vinegar and burned like vinegar. Yet, I couldn't stop eating this!! I had tears pouring down my face and loved every minute of it. Mike won't eat food this hot, so I completely defeated the purpose of buying this barbecue sauce. But, I'll happily finish the rest of this!

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/barbecue-chili-with-tempeh/

Amaranth Corn Chowder

4 cups vegetable broth
2/3 cup uncooked amaranth, rinsed
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp chipotle powder
4 cups frozen corn
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbs fresh lime juice
1 Tbs soy sauce

1) In a large pot, combine stock, amaranth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, add olive oil, garlic, bell pepper, cumin, oregano and chipotle powder. Over medium heat, cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in 2 cups of corn.
3) Stir corn mixture into amaranth mixture. Cover partially, increase heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
4) Preheat oven to 450F. Spray a flat baking sheet with olive oil spray. Evenly distribute the remaining 2 cups of corn across this baking sheet. Spray top of corn with olive oil spray. Bake in oven 15 minutes, or until beginning to brown.
5) Remove soup from heat. Add roasted corn, cilantro, lime juice and soy sauce. Serve.

Review: I bought amaranth at TJ Maxx, as I read it's a hot new ingredient. After two months of owning it without finding a recipe, I went searching for one. This one was quite complicated and I omitted some very hard to find ingredients (and I decided to not run this through a blender since I dislike soup texture so much). Amaranth appears to be similar in taste to quinoa (though it smells like potting soil) but is quite a bit smaller. As you can see in the pic, it looks weird and not something with a good mouth feel. It just feels gritty and didn't add much to the chowder. However, I'm sure it helped make it more filling. The taste of the chowder was pretty wonderful. The smoky seasonings, combined with lime/cilantro and soy sauce sounded really weird to me. However, it works, especially with the roasted corn added. I may need to make this again, but without the amaranth!

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/amaranth-corn-chowder/

Quinoa, Red Pepper & Pine Nut Salad

1 1/2 cups quinoa
3 cups vegetable broth
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper

1) In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable stock and quinoa to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook about 15 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Let sit a few minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2) In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa with red pepper, parsley and pine nuts.
3) In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and oregano.
4) Pour dressing over the salad and stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5) Let sit for a few minutes to let the flavors meld. Serve.

Review: This was a quick and easy dish to make. While it seemed basic, it didn't taste basic. It was flavorful enough that I'd make it for a party. I also anticipate it would make a great leftover dish, served cold.

Adapted from:
http://www.theglutenfreevegan.com/2011/12/quinoa-red-pepper-and-pine-nut-salad/

Smoky Split Pea Soup

1 cup green split peas
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chopped chipotle chili, canned in adobo sauce
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
3 ribs celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 14oz can diced tomatoes

1) Soak split peas in large bowl of cold water overnight.
2) Heat oil in 3-qt saucepan over medium heat. Add paprika and chipotle, and stir. Add sweet potatoes and celery, and season with salt and pepper. Cover, and cook 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes.
3) Drain split peas and add to pot with 4 cups of water. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour. Add tomatoes, and cook 30 minutes more, or until split peas are tender.

Review: Once again, I don't like soup. The original recipe called for 6 cups of water and I just couldn't add that much. I also didn't realize it would cook for so long and made this on a work night. I was soooooo hungry by the time it was done!! This sounded like a really tasty dish. However, I was quite underwhelmed. I think it may be better off being made with broth instead of water. It was just too bland (and I added extra chipotle and adobo sauce!!!). It was filling and warm, two very desirable traits in a meal, but I wasn't looking forward to the leftovers.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/smoky-split-pea-soup/

Portobello Stuffed Poblanos

4 large poblano chiles
1 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large portobello mushrooms, diced
1 16oz can white hominy, rinsed and drained
1 14.5oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 chipotle chile, diced from can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, 1 Tbs sauce reserved
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup shredded vegan Cheddar cheese

1) Broil poblano chiles on baking sheet 15 minutes, or until blackened, turning occasionally. Cool, then rub off skins. Cut slit in side of each chile; remove seeds.
2) Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushroom and garlic; saute 5 minutes. Add hominy, tomatoes, chipotle and reserved sauce, cumin and coriander. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice.
3) Preheat oven to 400F. Coat large baking dish with cooking spray.
4) Spoon 1 cup mushroom mixture into each poblano and place in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle each chile with 1 Tbs cheese. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and chiles are hot.

Review: I skipped steps 3 and 4. Every time I make a dish like this, I find I have too much filling for the things I need to stuff. I'm not sure how that happens, but it's left me unwilling to even try to make the stuffing fit. So, I halved the chiles and placed them on the bottom, then covered them with the filling and cheese. It was sooooo good! There really wasn't any heat to the dish, despite the poblanos and chipotles. However, the hominy/tomato/mushroom mixture was really savory and filling. I could have eaten all of it, but restrained myself so I'll have leftovers for lunch.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/portobello-stuffed-poblanos/

Chard, White Bean & Potato Soup

2 15oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbs olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
4 red potatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves coarsely torn

1) Smash 3/4 cup beans in a bowl with the back of a fork to form a paste; set aside.
2) Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bell pepper and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook 5 minutes, or until softened. Add potatoes, and cook 10 minutes, or until tender. Stir in garlic, and cook 2 minutes more.
3) Add broth, smashed and whole beans, and smoked paprika to the pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer to 12-15 minutes. Add chard and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Simmer 5 minutes, or until chard is wilted.

Review: I don't like soup. But, if I find a recipe with enough chunks in it, I'll make it and decrease the recommended amount of broth. I think it might be a ragout at this point. This was definitely worth the effort. This was savory, hearty and really filling.

Adapted from:

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/chard-white-bean-and-potato-soup/

Black Bean & Chile Posole

2 4-5 inch dried guajillo chiles
2 leeks, white and light green parts cut into 2-inch chunks
2 Tbs olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
2 15oz cans white hominy, rinsed and drained
2 15oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1) Place guajillo chiles in a large bowl and cover with 3 cups of boiling water. Let soak 15 minutes, or until softened. Drain chiles and reserve liquid. Pull open chiles and gently scrape out and discard the seeds. Puree chiles in blender with 1/4 cup reserved soaking liquid. (Press puree through a sieve if bits of skin remain and discard solids.) Stir chile puree into remaining soaking liquid.
2) Halve leek chunks and thinly slice into matchsticks.
3) Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add leeks and saute 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic, cumin and oregano, and saute 1 minute. Add hominy, black beans, tomatoes with juice, chile liquid and 6 cups water; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes.
4) Garnish, if desired, with tortilla chips, avocados, diced tomatoes, chopped green onions, lime wedges or chopped cilantro.

Review: This was not spicy, but more savory. I love posole and hominy, especially with extra salt!! This was a slightly different flavor than usual, due to the leeks. I'm not sure what happened as it sat in the fridge, as this was the smelliest leftovers I've ever had - not good at work!!

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/black-bean-and-chile-posole/

Forbidden Rice Pudding with Pomegranate Seeds & Coconut Chips

1 14oz can light coconut milk
1/2 cup black rice
2 Tbs sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 vanilla bean
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup toasted coconut chips

1) Pour coconut milk, rice, sugar and salt into a medium saucepan.
2) Slit the vanilla bean in half, scrape vanilla seeds into saucepan and add pod to saucepan.
3) Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 30 minutes, or until rice is soft and much of liquid is absorbed. Remove and discard vanilla pod.
4) Serve pudding warm or chilled, topped with pomegranate seeds and coconut chips.

Review: The original recipe included instructions on how to make toasted coconut chips. However, I found a big bag of them at Costco:

Of course, the original recipe also called for using Arborio rice. I still had some black rice from the last time I made rice pudding and thought that would work much better. It didn't absorb as much of the liquid as the Arborio rice would have, so the fluid amounts had to be adjusted. At this point, I think this is now an original recipe! This tasted similar to the last rice pudding I made, but the vanilla bean really added extra flavor and the pomegranate seeds added just a bit of tang. The coconut chips didn't add much, but are super tasty!

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/coconut-rice-pudding-with-pomegranate-seeds/

Cajun Scrambled Chickpeas with Zucchini

2 15oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped frozen onion
1 medium zucchini, sliced into thin half-moons
1 Tbs Cajun spice blend
1 Tbs chopped thyme

1) Mash chickpeas in medium bowl with fork.
2) Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Add onion, and saute 5 to 7 minutes. Add zucchini and cook 5 minutes. Stir in chickpeas, Cajun spice and thyme. Cook 5 minutes, adding up to 1/4 cup water if mixture seems too dry. Serve garnished with a sprinkling of thyme.

Review: My potato masher does a great job with potatoes. It has large gaps that make it easy to clean. However, this feature made it difficult to smash chickpeas!! Most of the gaps were larger than the chickpeas, so I had to strategize a bit. After that hurdle, this was easy! I quickly made this for lunch. I thought it wouldn't be very filling, but I couldn't finish my bowl! It had a great taste and felt like I was eating a substantial meal.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/cajun-scrambled-chickpeas-with-zucchini/

Roasted Cauliflower Chilaquiles

1 1.25lb head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
1 Tbs olive oil
2 poblano chiles, halved lengthwise and seeds removed
1 15oz can refried black beans
12 corn tortilla chips
3/4 cup prepared mild tomatillo salsa
1/2 cup shredded Daiya cheddar

1) Preheat oven to 400F. Mound cauliflower on rimmed baking sheet and toss with oil. Spread in single layer on one side of baking sheet and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread chiles, skin side up, on empty side of baking sheet. Roast 30 minutes, or until cauliflower is browned and chiles are charred. Cool. Remove skins from chiles and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
2) To assemble: Layer half of ingredients in each of two microwave-safe containers, starting with beans on bottoms, followed by chiles, cauliflower, tortilla chips, salsa and Daiya cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3) Just before serving, heat in microwave until cheese melts and casserole is heated all the way through.

Review: Apparently, if you add vegetables and use a few less chips, it's called chilaquiles instead of nachos. This was really tasty and very filling. I don't normally use the fake cheese (as you can see, it's just not the same), but decided to risk it tonight.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/mini-roasted-cauliflower-chilaquiles/

Chickpea Succotash with Lemongrass

4 stalks fresh lemongrass
1 large tomato
2 tsp olive oil
4 yellow squash, sliced into half-moons
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 15oz can chickpeas, drained
1 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1) Trim and discard tough base and skinny top leaves of lemongrass stalks, then peel away tough outer layers. Crush inner white stems with mallet or rolling pin, then finely chop. Transfer to a small bowl and cover with 1/4 cup boiling water. Set aside.
2) Halve tomato through middle and scoop seeds into strainer set over bowl. Press juice from seeds, then discard seeds. Set juice aside and dice tomato flesh.
3) Heat oil in large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add squash, ginger and garlic, and saute 3 minutes without browning. Stir in chickpeas, corn and diced tomatoes, lemongrass with liquid and tomato juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover, increase heat to medium, and simmer 5 minutes, or until tomatoes just begin to soften. Stir in cilantro.

Review: I wasn't excited about this dish, as I'm not a big fan of yellow squash. However, I had stocked up on chickpeas awhile ago and wasn't using them like I had expected. I need to get rid of the stock so I have more space. I'm glad I went for this recipe, because it was amazing. The yellow squash wasn't it's typical bland self. The lemongrass really spiced it up and gave everything an exotic, 'green' flavor. It's hard to describe, but it was amazing. The chickpeas gave the dish a more filling base, so I didn't seek out seconds.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/chickpea-succotash-with-lemongrass/

Roasted Winter Vegetable Jambalaya

1 cup long-grain brown rice
2 large carrots, diced
2 medium parsnips, diced
1 small sweet potato, diced
2 Yukon gold potatoes, diced
6 Tbs olive oil, divided
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups vegetable broth
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1) Soak rice in bowl of water overnight.
2) Preheat oven to 450F. Drain rice. Coat casserole dish with cooking spray.
3) In a large bowl, toss together the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, potatoes, 4 Tbs oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Spread in casserole dish and roast 30 to 40 minutes, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are browned.
4) Combine onion, remaining 2 Tbs oil, paprika, cayenne and remaining 1/4 tsp salt in a large sauce pan. Heat over medium-low heat. Cook 5 to 8 minutes, or until onion is soft. Add rice. Cook 2 minutes over medium heat, or until liquid has evaporated. Stir in broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then immediately remove from heat.
5) Stir roasted vegetables into rice mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Review: This made soooo much food, about 8 servings. I wasn't expecting that and will now be eating it for days. Fortunately, it's tasty. It's quite a dry dish, with the rice absorbing all of the liquid quite well. It's smoky, while boasting the awesomeness of roasted vegetables, combined with the savoriness of tomatoes. It was quite delectable, but definitely needs salt!

Adapted from:
The Inspired Vegan

Black Bean Chili with Fire-Roasted Corn

1 16oz jar salsa verde
2 15oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 16oz bag frozen fire-roasted corn
4 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro

1) In a large saucepan, combine salsa, beans, corn and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil.
2) Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Review: This was amazing. It had a little heat, but this was really sweet. The green salsa always tastes a bit sweet to me, but then adding in the corn made this chili quite sweet!! That's not normally a desirable quality to chili, but it made this one really yummy.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/black-bean-chili-with-fire-roasted-corn/

Leek Hash with Polenta

1 Tbs olive oil
3 medium leeks, trimmed, halved and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 16oz tube prepared polenta, sliced

1) Preheat oven to 375F. Heat oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks, bell pepper, 1 Tbs thyme and red pepper flakes; saute 10 minutes. Stir in broth and garlic.
2) Arrange polenta slices over leek mixture in skillet. Bake 15 minutes.

Review: I was hoping the polenta would brown, but it didn't. It did firm up a bit and was a great balance to the acidity of the leeks and bell peppers. This was pretty tasty.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/spring-leek-hash-with-polenta-and-goat-cheese/

Quinoa with Broccoli Raab & Pistachios

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 bunch broccoli raab, chopped
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped roasted pistachios

1) Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 8 minutes. Add broccoli raab and 1/2 cup water; cover, and cook 8 minutes more, or until broccoli raab is tender. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Drain any excess water, then transfer quinoa and broccoli raab to a large serving bowl.
2) Whisk together lemon juice and vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk in oil until blended. Stir dressing into quinoa mixture along with the parsley. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Sprinkle with pistachios.

Review: I feel like I've made a lot of broccoli raab in recent weeks, but it's just so tasty. I love the bitterness of it. The acidic dressing helped balance this, with the salty sweetness of the pistachios finishing it off. It was good, but not so great that I'd make it again.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/quinoa-with-broccoli-raab-and-pistachios/

Pumpkin Soup

2 cups vegetable broth
15oz can pumpkin
4 Tbs Thai red curry paste
15oz can light coconut milk

1) In a saucepan, whisk until smooth the vegetable broth, pumpkin and Thai red curry paste over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2) Add coconut milk and cook until hot, about 3 minutes. Salt to taste. Can be garnished with sliced red jalapeno or a cilantro leaf.

Review: I really don't like soup. However, I had a bit of Thai red curry paste leftover in the fridge that I wanted to use up, without resorting to remaking a recently tried recipe. Luckily, this didn't suck. It had a thicker texture, so it was filling. It wasn't spicy, but had a spicy flavor. The flavors melded together quite well, so there was no one predominate flavor, just a well blended, tasty soup.

Adapted from:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/node/157636

Asian Edamame Salad

1 head cabbage, preferably purple, shredded
1 cup shelled edamame
4 carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 piece ginger (2-inch), grated
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbs white miso
2 Tbs sesame oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar

1) In a small bowl, whisk together the ginger, garlic, miso, sesame oil and rice vinegar.
2) Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat.

Review: I couldn't find purple cabbage and subbed in the smallest head of cabbage I've ever seen. Despite it's small size, I had a ginormous salad that made 8-10 servings. Eek!! Mike had a bowl, but the rest was all on me. Luckily, it was tasty. It didn't have a very exotic flavor, but was more of an Asian inspired coleslaw.

Adapted from:
http://recipes.womenshealthmag.com/Recipe/asian-edamame-salad.aspx

Miso-Lime Sweet Potato Dip

2 medium sweet potatoes
2 Tbs white miso paste
2 Tbs lime juice
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1) Pierce sweet potatoes with fork and microwave 7 to 10 minutes, or until soft (or bake 1 hour in 400F oven). Cool sweet potatoes 10 minutes, or until easy to handle, and then halve and coarsely chop (leave skins on).
2) Transfer chopped sweet potatoes to food processor, add remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth, adding up to 2 Tbs water, if necessary to achieve desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Review: This was pretty tangy, which I wasn't expecting. It was filling and had an exotic taste. However, I wasn't wowed and wouldn't make it again.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/miso-lime-sweet-potato-dip/

Broccoli Raab with Spicy Almond-Miso Dressing

1 lb broccoli raab, ends trimmed
3 Tbs almond butter
1 Tbs rice vinegar
2 Tbs sweet white miso
1 tsp chile-garlic sauce

1) Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add broccoli raab, cover pan, and cook 4 minutes. Turn with tongs and cook 4 minutes more, or until bright green and tender. Drain, then cool.
2) Whisk together almond butter, 2 Tbs water, vinegar, miso and chile-garlic sauce in a small bowl. Pour dressing over broccoli raab and toss to distribute evenly.

Review: Every time I make a "dressing" with miso or almond butter, the directions always say "pour" it on. However, mine is NEVER pourable. I had a double whammy tonight, since it had both miso and almond butter. So, I clumped it on and consciously scooped a bit of dressing with every forkful of broccoli raab. It worked for me. The dressing was unbelievably delicious, just on it's own. It was savory, with just a hint of sweetness and spicy heat. This, combined with the sharp bitterness of the broccoli raab was just heavenly.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/broccoli-raab-with-spicy-peanut-miso-dressing/

Roasted Cauliflower & Kale Salad with Miso Dressing

1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 bunch of kale
4 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs white miso paste
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1) Preheat oven to 415F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil. Spread out cauliflower florets and spray with olive oil. Roast in oven for 20-30 minutes, until browned.
2) In a large bowl, place kale, 2 Tbs olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Use hands to massage oil and vinegar into kale, until leaves turn bright green and begin to soften.
3) In a small bowl, whisk together 2 Tbs olive oil, white miso paste and lemon juice.
4) To serve, place kale in a bowl, top with cauliflower, drizzle miso dressing over the salad and garnish with pine nuts.

Review: This recipe originally called for tossing the cauliflower in the miso dressing and then roasting. However, the last time I tried that, it lost the miso flavor and everything tended to burn. So, I tried to make a dressing. It wouldn't thin out, so once I put some dressing in the bowl, I tossed it all and it worked ok. White miso has a sweeter flavor than regular miso. It also costs several dollars more!! I like the new flavor and it was a great addition to the flavors of kale and cauliflower. I still have quite a bit of white miso and will be using it the rest of the week!!

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/miso-glazed-cauliflower-with-kale-salad/

Spicy Corn Chowder

2 Tbs olive oil
1 stalk celery, diced
2 yellow potatoes, diced
2 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn
1/2 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, diced
1 bay leaf
2 cups vegetable broth
13.5oz can coconut milk
1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

1) Heat oil in large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add celery and saute 5 minutes, or until soft.
2) Add potatoes, corn, chipotle chile, bay leaf and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3) Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Remove bay leaf.
4) Stir in coconut milk and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Review: I used a whole chipotle pepper and a few spoonfuls of the adobo sauce from the can. So, my chowder was REALLY spicy. It was so good, but hard to manage at work as I looked like I had been crying after eating this! It's full of flavor and very filling, however. Adjust the spices to your own comfort level.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/spicy-corn-chowder/

Pozole Rojo

5 large dried guajillo or ancho chilies, toasted
2 cups warm water
5 cloves garlic
2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp olive oil
8 oz tempeh, chopped
2 tsp soy sauce
29oz can hominy, drained
1 zucchini, chopped
1 Tbs dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt

1) Soak chilies in the water for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove chilies but hang on to the water. Cut off chili tops, remove seeds and chop the chilies. Blend them in a blender with garlic, cocoa powder and pepper water, until well blended.
2) Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add tempeh and saute 3 minutes. Flavor with soy sauce.
3) Add hominy, zucchini, oregano, cumin and salt. Stir together, then add chili-garlic sauce. Toss it around so everything is well coated. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Review: This was such a cooking disaster! The directions said to make the chili-garlic sauce in a food process or blender. I put it in the food processor and much of the water gushed out of the back of my food processor, where the lid and bowl connect. It was such a mess. Mike helped me transfer it to a blender, where it still oozed a bit out of the lid. Eesh! So, I finally get it all under control and pour it into the pot. Now it looks like stew, but the original recipe asked for another 4 cups of vegetable broth - why?! Needless to say, I left that out. This was not a spicy pozole, but was pretty flavorful. I prefer the recipe I'm used to making, but this has more variety to it.

Adapted from:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/thug-kitchen-recipes?page=3

Big Apple Punch

8 cups fresh apple cider
4 cups dry hard cider
4 cups ginger beer
1 1/2 cups apple brandy
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 dashes Angostura bitters
1 apple, cored and diced

1) Combine all ingredients.
2) Serve over ice.

Review: I made this for a family celebration. I brought apple cider that was fresh pressed from an orchard down the street and the apple brandy was also made with New Hampshire apples! This had an awesome 'fall' flavor. Oddly, every ingredient could be tasted in this punch. It didn't taste strongly of booze, so it was a nice drink. Everyone gave it a great review!

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/big-apple-punch/

Lentil-Quinoa Pilaf Over Wilted Arugula

2 1/2 Tbs olive oil, divided
4 cups vegetable broth
1 3/4 cups green lentils, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
3 Tbs pine nuts
8 cups baby arugula
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1) Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add broth, lentils and quinoa; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let rest, covered, 10 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, toast pine nuts in small skillet over low heat 3 minutes.
3) Toss arugula with balsamic vinegar and remaining 1 1/2 Tbs olive oil in a bowl. Serve lentil mixture over arugula mixture, sprinkled with pine nuts.

Review: This was a pretty basic, but hardy meal. However, the balsamic vinegar and pine nuts prevented it from tasting bland.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/lentil-quinoa-pilaf-over/

Smoky Black Bean & Butternut Squash Ragout

3 Tbs vegan butter
1 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
15.5oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp fresh lime juice
3 tsp pure maple syrup, divided
2 Tbs adobo sauce from can of chipotles in adobo
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

1) Heat butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add squash and season with salt, if desired. Cover pan and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2) Uncover pan and add garlic and black beans. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until squash is tender. Remove from heat.
3) Stir in lime juice, maple syrup and adobo sauce, coating butternut squash evenly.
4) Serve topped with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Review: This was DELICIOUS. It was sweet and smoky, without being weird. It had a bit of heat (use less adobo sauce if you don't like spicy), which I love when I have a cold. It helps clear the sinuses!!

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/smoky-black-bean-and-butternut-ragout/

Pumpkin Pie Pudding

3 Tbs cornstarch
1 1/2 cups almond milk
3 Tbs maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
15oz can pumpkin
gluten free gingersnaps

1) In a saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch and almond milk, over medium heat until bubbly. Reduce heat to low and whisk 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
2) Stir in maple syrup, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Set aside to cool.
3) Once cool, whisk in pumpkin. Refrigerate until cool. Serve with gingersnaps.

Review: I was super excited to try this. Unfortunately, I'm allergic to nutmeg and tend to make my own pumpkin pie spice using all the other ingredients. However, I somehow only have cinnamon! Looks like I forgot to restock some spices . . . so this was more pumpkin flavored than pumpkin spice. It was still good. I think it could have been sweeter (maybe more syrup?) and it doesn't solidify like most pudding. The gingersnaps were a great addition.

Adapted from:
http://recipes.womenshealthmag.com/Recipe/pumpkin-pie-pudding.aspx

Slow Cooker Squash

2 Tbs vegan butter
3 Tbs gluten free flour
1 3/4 tsp salt
1 cup almond milk
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
2 small acorn squash, peeled, quartered and sliced 3/4-inch thick
1 leek, halved, light green and white parts cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 Tbs chopped fresh sage
3 cloves garlic, minced

1) Line the slow cooker with a liner. Add vegan butter, cover and heat on high for 10 minutes, or until butter is melted.
2) Whisk flour and 1/4 tsp salt into butter 1 minute, or until smooth. Gradually add 1/4 cup almond milk, whisking constantly 2 minutes, or until completely blended. Whisk in remaining 3/4 cup almond milk and minced chipotle. Cover.
3) Meanwhile, combine squash, leek, sage, garlic and remaining 1 tsp salt in a large bowl.
4) Uncover slow cooker, and whisk sauce 2 minutes, or until smooth. Stir squash mixture into sauce. Place single layer of paper towel across top of slow cooker, extending over edges, and securing with lid. Adjust slow cooker setting to low, and cook 3 to 4 hours, or until squash is tender.

Review: I always forget how hot slow cooker meals are - it's like lava when I serve it!! This was originally supposed to be a gratin, with Gouda and breadcrumbs. I didn't even miss it, though. This was really rich and quite savory. The spiciness of the chipotle chili didn't make the dish hot, instead just adding flavor and dimension. I'm glad it turned out tasty, as it made a tremendous amount of food. I think the acorn squashes that I bought were bigger than this recipe called for! They were a horrible pain to peel and I ended up breaking my peeler in the process. Oops!

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-squash-gratin/

Mixed Vegetable Salad with Almond Dressing

2 Tbs coconut oil
2 Tbs gluten free soy sauce
8oz package tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
6oz green beans, trimmed
4 cups bite-sized cauliflower florets
3 plum tomatoes, diced
2 cups mung bean sprouts
14oz can light coconut milk
1 cup almond butter, at room temperature
4 Tbs lime juice
4 Tbs gluten free soy sauce
2 Tbs fresh ginger, minced
1 Tbs sriracha sauce

1) Heat oil and 2 Tbs soy sauce in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add tempeh and stir-fry 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden and crisp on most sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
2) Place potatoes in a deep skillet with just enough water to keep bottom of pan moist. Cover, and bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and steam potatoes 8 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer to serving platter and add tempeh.
3) Wipe out skillet and arrange green beans and cauliflower side by side without mixing together. Add more water to pan to keep bottom moist, cover and steam over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from heat, drain and rinse under cold water. Add to serving platter.
4) Add tomatoes and mung bean sprouts to serving platter.
5) In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the light coconut milk, almond butter, lime juice, 4 Tbs soy sauce, ginger and sriracha sauce. Drizzle over the salad in the serving platter.

Review: I tinkered with this recipe and made an AMAZING dish. The coconut oil and soy sauce gave the tempeh a flavor I've never experienced before. I want to always cook my tempeh like this!! It crisped really well, too. The sauce was supposed to be a peanut sauce, but I've been so in love with almond butter sauces that I had to make the switch. It was well worth it. This is a cold salad dish (great for leftovers!!), but one where you can serve it with the dressing and not worry about greens wilting. This was a yummy, savory, a little spicy dish. Adjust the sriracha to please, of course. This had just a bit of exotic flavor, without being overwhelming. I think it would please most palates. This made four large servings.

Before the dressing:

After the dressing:

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/indonesian-mixed-vegetable-platter-with-peanut-sauce-gado-gado/

Roasted Pumpkin & Pomegranate Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seed Oil Vinaigrette

3 cups pumpkin, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 cup mixed winter salad greens
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
8 tsp lightly toasted pumpkin seeds
3 Tbs toasted pumpkin seed oil
2 Tbs champagne vinegar
3 Tbs orange juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small chopped shallot (about 1 Tbs)
1 tsp honey

1) Preheat oven to 400F. Toss pumpkin with olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in one layer on a lipped baking sheet. Roast until pumpkin is tender-firm and edges are caramelized, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
2) Combine pumpkin seed oil, champagne vinegar, orange juice, Dijon mustard, chopped shallot and honey in a small jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until dressing emulsifies and has a creamy appearance.
3) Divide the greens evenly among 4 salad plates. Scatter 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin, 1 Tbs pomegranate seeds and 2 tsp pumpkin seeds on top of each plate of greens. Drizzle with 2 Tbs vinaigrette.

Review: This was AMAZING. There was a great fall flavor with the pumpkin, seeds and oil. The sweetness of the pomegranate balanced well with the sharpness of the shallots. The recipe originally called for crumbled goat cheese on top. I'm sure that'd be awesome. I was really happy with this salad and found it to be filling. If you're curious where to find toasted pumpkin seed oil - it's at Trader Joe's. Now, for $9.99, I need to find more uses for this oil!!

Adapted from:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/printwhlist?nid=34878

Wild Rice Stuffed Pumpkin

1 lb wild rice blend
2 lb fresh spinach, stemmed
1/4 cup, plus 2 Tbs olive oil, divided
6 cups sliced button mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup diced celery
9 cloves garlic, minced, divided
3 Tbs chopped fresh sage, divided
4 tsp chopped fresh thyme, divided
2 cups frozen corn
15oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
1 6-8 lb cooking pumpkin

1) Prepare wild rice blend according to package directions. Transfer to bowl.
2) Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in bottom of skillet. Add spinach, and cook 4 minutes, or until wilted. Drain, and cool, then squeeze dry, chop, and add to rice in bowl.
3) Heat 2 Tbs oil in skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion, celery, 4 tsp garlic, 1 Tbs sage, and 2 tsp thyme; saute 10 minutes, or until all liquid has evaporated. Stir in corn and kidney beans, and saute 3 minutes. Stir mushroom mixture into rice mixture. Fold in pecans, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
4) Preheat oven to 350F. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Cut top from pumpkin, and scoop out seeds and pulp.
5) Combine remaining 1/4 cup oil, remaining 5 tsp garlic, 2 Tbs sage and 2 tsp thyme in bowl. Brush oil mixture over inside of pumpkin. Fill pumpkin with rice mixture, cover with top, and bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until pumpkin is tender when side is pierced with knife tip. Uncover, and bake 10 to 20 minutes more.

Review: This serves 12. I don't need that much food. I've been dying to make this and was able to scale it down quite a bit to serve in a small pumpkin. It's still a lot of food for just me - 4 large servings! The rice mixture had a very savory flavor that was wonderful. The pumpkin added a sweetness that rounded out the dish. It was messy to serve, though. I cut wedges of the pumpkin, which means everything spills out onto the baking sheet. I wasn't sure how to eat it without eating the skin, but I quickly noticed the skin peels right off. After taking the picture, I peeled the skins off and lightly chopped up the pumpkin for the leftover containers. Mmmmm.

Before roasting:

 After roasting:

 Sliced and served:

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/wild-rice-stuffed-pumpkin/

Thai Red Curry Stew

4 cups vegetable broth
3 stalks lemon grass, outer leaves removed, lower part only chopped into 2-inch pieces (discard grassy top)
2 Tbs Thai red curry paste
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
15oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1) In a large saucepan, combine broth, lemon grass, curry paste and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes.
2) Stir in beans and salt to taste. Cover and cook until sweet potatoes are tender, about 3 more minutes. Remove pieces of lemon grass and serve.

Review: I had a jar of Thai red curry paste in the fridge that I needed to use. This recipe was a great way to use up some of it (half the jar!). This didn't taste spicy, but instead actually tastes really sweet. The lemon grass and curry and a little bit of exotic flavor, but it's not prominent. This is a great alternative to soup and is really filling.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/thai-inspired-red-bean-and-sweet-potato-stew/

Miso Roasted Brussels Sprouts

3 tsp toasted sesame oil
3 tsp rice vinegar
2 Tbs miso
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp sriracha chile sauce
1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
3 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1) Preheat oven to 450F. In a large bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, rice vinegar, miso, garlic and sriracha chile sauce. Add Brussels sprouts and toss to coat.
2) Spread Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet, and roast 20 minutes, or until coating looks dry, tossing every 10 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Review: I love roasted Brussels sprouts and I love miso, so I thought this would be AMAZING. However, the coating tended to stick more to the sheet than the sprouts, and it liked to burn. So, I didn't find much benefit to the sauce. It did add a little flavor, but I think it might be better to simply roast Brussels sprouts and then toss it with the sauce. Mmmm

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/miso-roasted-brussels-sprouts/

Quinoa Bowl with Miso Cheeze Sauce

1 cup quinoa
1 sweet potato, diced
1/4 cup frozen chopped onions
2 cups frozen chopped broccoli
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 cup nutritional yeast
1 Tbs turmeric
1/4 cup gluten free flour
2 1/2 cups almond milk
2 Tbs yellow miso
2/3 cup salsa

1) Combine quinoa, sweet potatoes and 2 1/2 cups of water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover and cook for 15 minutes. The water should be fully absorbed and the sweet potatoes tender.
2) In another medium pot, combine onion, bell pepper, broccoli and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and heat over medium heat. Steam the veggies until broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes.
3) In a smaller pot, combine nutritional yeast, turmeric and flour. Pour in almond milk and stir to combine. Whisk in the miso. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens - about 10 minutes. Stir in salsa.
4) To serve, bottom layer is quinoa mixture, topped with steamed veggies, pour on cheeze sauce.

Review: I attempted this recipe last week and discovered my almond milk was chunky - after I poured it in! The recipe sounded too good to not try again, so I scheduled it again for this week. I'm glad I did. The recipe I found made a ton of food last week, without the cheeze sauce, so I scaled back the ingredients. This made four large servings. In typing this, I also corrected a few things. I found the cheeze sauce to be too heavy on the turmeric and recommend using 1 Tbs (I used 2). I also used 3 cups of almond milk and it was just a little too runny. The 2 1/2 cups I recommend here should create a thicker sauce. Now, this definitely isn't a cheese substitute, but it's about as close as I'll get and it was tasty. The miso really adds a savory flavor that's not found in other sauce recipes I've found. Of course, I wish I could add miso to everything, it's one of my all time favorite things!!

Adapted from:
http://www.platesforplants.com/blog/meatless-mondays-cheezy-miso-quinoa-bowl/

Vegetables with Miso Sauce

1 small red kuri or kabocha squash, peeled/seeded/diced
1 large bok choy, stems removed and leaves chopped
coconut oil spray
2 Tbs yellow miso
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp light brown sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice vinegar
3 Tbs toasted sesame seeds

1) Preheat oven to 375F. In a roasting pan, spray squash with coconut oil spray and toss evenly to coast. Roast for 30 minutes, or until tender.
2) Meanwhile, spray a medium sized skillet with coconut oil spray. Saute bok choy until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3) In a small saucepan, combine miso, garlic, brown sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook 1 minute, or until miso dissolves and begins to bloom. Remove from het; stir in oil, vinegar and sesame seeds.
4) Drizzle miso sauce over vegetables and serve.

Review: Eek! It was a crazy night where I had a ton of chores to do along with making dinner. While my mind was scattered around the house, I missed the part of the directions that said to serve this over rice. Oops. I don't think it's necessary, however. This was tasty and filling. I loved the miso flavor and made the sauce a little thinner than I would have preferred. However, it wasn't super runny and seemed to cling to the vegetables. This was the first time I've tried kobacha squash. The flavor was very mild. It was quite a chore to get into it, however. The skin is very thick and plentiful. I feared I wouldn't have any squash left as I peeled away the dark green skin! I'd like to try this again with a red kuri squash (which I've also never tried).

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/grilled-vegetables-with-miso-sauce/

Smokey Tempeh Hash

8oz tempeh, cubed
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 potato, diced
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper
salt to taste

1) Spread tempeh in bottom of large nonstick skillet. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes. Drain in colander and wipe out skillet.
2) Add olive oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Return tempeh to pan along with onion, green bell pepper and potato. Saute 5 to 7 minutes, or until beginning to brown.
3) Sprinkle with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and chipotle pepper. Saute 7 to 8 minutes, or until potatoes are browned and tender.

Review: Not sure how this dish was supposed to end with the potatoes browning, as my tempeh was nearly burned and my potatoes were still a little raw! However, a little time in the microwave and my dish was edible! This was tasty and pretty easy to make. I made this dish smoky with the smoked paprika and chipotle, instead of regular paprika and cayenne as the recipe originally called for, but that's my preference.

Adapted from:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/spicy-tempeh-hash/

Rosemary Berry Punch

1 bunch rosemary
1 pint blackberries
1 bottle merlot
raspberry or blackberry liquor

1) Drop 5 blackberries and 1 sprig of rosemary (broken in half) into each of 6 rocks glasses; muddle.
2) Add ice, if desired, then fill each glass with 4oz merlot; stir.
3) Top with a splash of berry liquor.

Review: This recipe originally called for raspberry liquor, such as Chambord. However, I hate raspberries. So, I figured I would try to hunt down blackberry liquor instead. I put it off, as I still had all of my booze in my in-laws' basement as it didn't fit in our cars for the move. Last weekend, we brought the booze (and the rest of the misc crap we stored away in their basement) back from CT. Oddly, I didn't have a single bottle of merlot, but had a little bottle of blackberry liquor! I guess it was a stocking stuffer from last Christmas. Pretty random, but it totally worked out. I looooved this drink! It has a strong rosemary flavor, with the merlot perked up by blackberries. It'd make a great party drink, but will just be my drink du jour for the week.

Adapted from:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/berry-punch

Pan Roasted Vegetables & Beans

3 Tbs olive oil
20oz baby bella mushrooms, quartered
salt and black pepper
2 zucchini, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15.5oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1) Heat 1 Tbs of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the mushrooms and 1/4 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until some liquid is released, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms and liquid to a medium bowl; reserve the skillet.
2) Add 1 Tbs of the remaining oil to the skillet. Add the zucchini and 1/4 tsp salt and cook, tossing once, until brown and crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms; reserve the skillet.
3) Add the remaining Tbs of oil to the skillet. Add the onion, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
4) Add the beans, crushed red pepper, mushrooms, zucchini, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 black pepper to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the beans are warm, 1 to 2 minutes.

Review: This was tasty, but not very filling. I have a lot of food, but am still hungry. Argh. This is a great side dish - not a main dish.

Adapted from:
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/roasted-vegetables-beans