Arugula and Beans (vegan)

This is a new recipe I found on the Internet and tweaked it somewhat. This recipe was supposed to have mustard greens in it, but I couldn't find any so I subbed in arugula. It turned out so good.  I know this doesn't look like much, but you have to trust me on this one.

You will need:

• Olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. vinegar
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 3/4 tsp. dry mustard powder
• 1 package of arugula, washed
• 1 can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• Salt and pepper

Heat oil and saute onion, garlic and chili flakes. Stir in arugula.  Dissolve sugar in water in a separate bowl.  Add vinegar and mustard powder. Stir in the arugula. Add white kidney beans and let simmer with the lid off.  The starch from the beans will make a gravy with the spices.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Steamed Brussell Sprouts

Okay, I've finally come over the brussell sprout side. They aren't bad if done right.  Here is another variation.

You will need:

• 1/2 a pound of brussell sprouts, washed
• 1/3 cup of garlic butter
• Salt & pepper

 Cut an "X" about an 1/8 inch deep in the brussell sprouts.  Put in microwave steamer and add water. Microwave for 5 minutes on high.  Drain.

Add garlic butter and salt and pepper to taste.  Microwave for another 2 minutes.  Stir.

This soup is not PG13!

This one is one of Rach's experiments.  She says it's okay, but can be improved upon.  I passed on this one due to my egg allergy, so I can't comment. We'll see what the taste testers say.

You will need:

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 package of tofu, cut in cubes
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 to 2 cups of sliced nappa cabbage
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 1 tbsp of Red Rooster chili sauce (Rach calls it red cock sauce - okay, we're done being inappropriate now)
• small piece of ginger, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/3 of package of thin rice noodles (the really skinny ones)
• 1 egg, beaten
• Vegetable oil

Saute onion, garlic, chili flakes and chili sauce in vegetable oil.  Add in nappa cabbage, tofu cubes and soy sauce.

Add vegetable stock and ginger.  Bring to a boil and stir in egg.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Turn off heat.  Add noodles and cover for 5 minutes.

Baby Bokchoy (vegan)

If it is possible for vegetables to be as addictive as candy - this is it.  These tiny bokchoy are so tender and tasty.  This recipe is super easy, but I can guarantee you'll make it again and again.

You will need:

• 1 package of baby bokchoy, washed
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

 Heat a generous amount of oil in a large pan with garlic and chili flakes. Add in bokchoy and mix well.  I added a little water and let these steam.  I left these for 10 or 15 minutes, stirring often.  At the end, add salt and pepper to taste.

Parisian Potatoes (vegan)

Rach and I love the Parisian potatoes at Sobey`s, but they are so expensive for a tiny amount. We figured we could do a good job making them on their own.  We made these a little more spicier than Sobey`s....okay, a lot more.

You will need:

• One bag of Parisian potatoes (watch the the date on these - they do expire), washed
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. chipotle spice
• 1/2 tsp. Jamaican spice
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• Olive oil

Blanch potatoes for 10 minutes.  Drain.  Mix in olive oil until potatoes are coated - don't be shy here.  Stir in spices until all potatoes are coated.  Place in a glass baking dish (in a single layer) and bake for 45 minutes in a 400F oven. 

Tomato Chickpea Soup (vegan)

 

This started as one of my experiments and turned out really good. You can use whatever vegetables on hand and make up your own spices. I'll put down what I did, but the sky is the limit with this one.  I made mine spicy - of course!

You will need:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red or yellow pepper, chopped
• 6 or 8 mushrooms, sliced
• 6 baby bok choy, cut up
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
•  1 tbsp. southwestern seasoning
• 1 tsp. chipolte seasoning
• 1 can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
•  1 can tomato sauce
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• Vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper

In vegetable oil saute onion, garlic, chili flakes, jalapeno and red or yellow pepper.   Add in spices until mixture become fragrant. Add stock, tomato sauce, chick peas, mushrooms and bok choy.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Season with salt an pepper to taste. 

Confetti Rice Pilaf (vegan)

This is a nice (and easy to make) rice.  I paired this with our Cheesy Bean Quesadillas tonight for dinner.

You will need:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 1 cup rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 Knorr vegetable cube
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• Salt and pepper
• Vegetable oil

Boil water and dissolve Knorr vegetable cube.

In vegetable oil saute onion, chili flakes, garlic and red pepper.  Mix in with raw rice.  Add in peas and corn.  Add in vegetable cube mixture.

I use my microwave rice cooker.  I microwaved on high for 3 minutes.  Stir.  Microwave on Power 6 for 10 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste,.

Cheesy Bean Quesadillas

This was an experiment, but it turned out really good. After you bake the quesadillas, you need to let them rest for 20 minutes before trying to remove them out of the pan.

You will need:

• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp. chili flakes, divided
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and divided
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup taco sauce
• 2 cups salsa
• 2 to 3 cups of grated cheddar
• 2 cups of yogurt
• 1 package of gluten-free tortillas
• Vegetable oil
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Salt and pepper

Drain and rinse kidney beans.  Put aside in a bowl and mash a few of the beans.  Stir in olive oil, cumin, chili powder, 1/2 tsp. chili flakes and 1 clove garlic.  Let stand for 20 or 30 minutes.

In vegetable oil, saute onion, jalapeno, 1/2 tsp. chili flakes, 1 clove of garlic and red pepper.  When softened add it bean mixture.  When spices become fragrant, stir in taco sauce and let simmer for 10 or 15 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spread yogurt with a knife or spreader on each tortilla. Add filling and roll the tortilla.  Place them seam side down in a rectangular casserole dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Cover quesadillas with salad and cheddar.  Bake in a 350F over covered for 15 minutes and uncovered for another 15 minutes.

You can serve with additional yogurt if desired.

Vegetable Black Bean Soup

This recipe is a new one I tried tonight.  It wasn't one of my favs, but wasn't bad either. 

You will need:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
• 1 can pureed tomatoes
• Vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• Salt and pepper

Saute onion, garlic, jalapeno and chili flakes in oil.  Once softened add cumin and chili powder.  Add in carrots.  When spices are fragrant, add vegetable stock, black beans, corn, sugar and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes.  You will need to add lots of salt and pepper to make it come together.

Great Gluten-free Find

I can't believe I actually found these: cinnamon buns!  I haven't had one of these in over a decade. These are buy a company called Udi's Gluten Free Foods.  There is a lot of great stuff on their site. It's worth checking out.

Dutch Apple Pie

 

This is one of my dad's recipes. It's easy and the best part is you don't have to worry about putting a top crust on it.  

You will need:

• Half a recipe of Pie Pastry
• 5 to 6 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/4 Gluten-free Flour Mixture
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Press the pie pastry dough into a glass pie dish.  Add in sliced apples. Mix brown sugar, margarine, cinnamon and g/f flour mixture in a separate bowl.  Sprinkle over top of apples.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 30 to 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Black Bean Soup

I found this recipe online, and, of course, tweaked it a bit.  It was one of my best ones yet. It was stupid easy - a great work night meal. 

You will need:

• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Vegetable oil
• sour cream and cheddar for garnish

 Saute onion, jalapeno, garlic and chili flakes. Once softened add cumin. Add beans, vegetable stock and salsa.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 or 30 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar. 

Seasoned Nacho Chips (vegan)

This recipe came from my friend Ruth and her daughter Rebekah Joy.  These are super easy to make and really good.

I want to take a moment to give a shout out to Rebekah Joy.  Hi, Rebekah!  Thanks so much for sharing this GREAT recipe with me and all my friends.  You are the best!

Okay, here we go.

You will need:

• 1 bag of plain tortilla chips (I used Tostitos, but Ruth says broken taco shells works nicely too)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice, lime juice or a combination of the two
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

I used lemon juice.  Rebekah Joy prefers lime juice.  If you use Tostitos I would cut the salt in half.  The original recipe did not have pepper in it, but I tried it and it's quite nice. 

Mix everything except chips in a bowl. Spread chips over a foil lined cookie sheet.  I used my stoneware on it's own and it worked great as well.

Sprinkle mixture over chips and bake for 5 to 8 minutes in a 350F oven.  Be careful not to let chips burn.

Spicy Tortilla Bake

Taste testers get your forks ready!  This spicy tortilla bake is a like a Mexican lasagna.  It is a spicy mixture of veggies, black beans with a creamy layer of cream cheese and sour cream.  It makes a ton, so you have enough for a large crowd or to share. This freezes well too.

This takes some time to make, but totally worth it.

You will need:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. oregano
• 2 cans black beans
• 1 can corn
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tub of light cream cheese (I use light, because it's easier to spread)
• 3/4 cup. sour cream
• 2 cups of salsa, divided
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar
• vegetable oil
• salt and pepper
• non-stick cooking spray
• gluten-free tortillas

Make the bean layer:
Drain and wash the beans.  Put in a large bowl and mash some of the beans.  Add in chili powder, olive oil and chili flakes.  Set aside.


Make the cheese layer:
Mix cream cheese and sour cream.  Set aside.

Make the vegetable layer:
Saute onion, jalapeno and garlic in olive oil. Add in green peppers.  When soft add oregano, cumin and salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 can of corn and 1 1/2 cups of salsa.

Do the assembly:
In a large casserole dish (sprayed well with non-stick cooking spray) start with 2 tortillas.  Spread half of the bean mixture.  Then half of the veggie mixture, and finally, half of the cheese mixture.  Top with 2 more tortillas.  Spread the remaining beans, veggie and cheese mixture in the same order.  End with 2 more tortillas.  Spread 1/2 cup of salsa on top (a bit more if you need it) and shredded cheddar.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350F with lid on for 30 minutes and with the lid off for another 30 minutes.

Cool for about 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

Brussel Sprouts

Well, brussel sprouts have never been my fav...in fact I've despised them.  I've come to the conclusion that Rach may be the only person in the world that actually loves them.  Tonight we tried them and I have to admit, they weren't too bad.

You will need:

• 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. of brussel sprouts
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 tbsp. margarine, melted
• 4 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
• 4 tbsp. gluten-free bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

You can get gluten-free bread crumbs at most places.

Wash brussel sprouts and cut an "x" in the bottom of the sprout at the stem about a 1/8 of inch deep.  This helps them cook more quickly and thoroughly. Put in a medium size pan and cover with water and 1 tsp. of salt.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 or 6 minutes.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl holding back 2 tbsp of melted margarine.  Stir those 2 tbsp in with brussel sprouts in a casserole dish.  Spread the other ingredients on top.  Bake at 425F oven for 10 or 15 minutes (the crust will be golden brown).

I actually ate 2 brussel sprouts tonight.  I might become a fan yet.

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Asparagus was sale this week, so Rach and I decided we had to try something.  This turned out so good. 

You will need:

• A bunch of asparagus
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp. of Parmesan cheese (use the real stuff, not the powdered stuff from the grocery store)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice

Wash and trim off tough ends of asparagus. They will snap easily just as the stalk gets tough.

Toss asparagus spears with remaining ingredients.  Bake in 425F oven for 15 minutes.

I had no idea asparagus could be so good.

Great Gluten Free Find from a Great Gluten Free Friend

Some of you know I've been ill the last few days with an aggressive drug reaction (and, yes, I mean prescription drugs).  What started with a minor ear thing, ended up with 4 days off work and me feeling pretty sick. Just so you all know, Medic Alert has some beautiful bracelets (they've come a long way), one of which I will be sporting very soon. 

My friend, Karen, came over tonight to hang with me and keep my miserable self company.  She brought me these yogurt covered pretzels from Glutino.  These are a perfect pair to the chocolate covered ones I bought a few weeks ago.  I just realized I took a picture of the French side.  I'm still a little out of it - but you get the idea.

I'm off to bed. I need a lot of rest to get myself back to normal get back to work on Monday.  I've been home so long, the dog thinks were married!

Thanks, Karen, for the company and cheering me up with this yummy snack.