June 29, 2020June 29, 2020 by betsy

Indian Spinach and Chickpeas (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 2 large servings or 3 to 4 with sides

Pantry and fridge staples and about 20 minutes are all you need to put together this creamy, fragrant, addicting, and super healthy dish that is sure to become a “staple.”

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 medium onion, cut into large dice

1 large garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon ground cardamon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1-15.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 small can diced mild green chilies

2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach (about 4 lightly packed cups)

1-15.5 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons vegan half-and-half (e.g. Silk or Ripple brand)

Optional garnish: lightly roasted and salted cashews

Optional accompaniment: cooked basmati rice

In a large cast iron skillet, bring salted water to a simmer. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and spices, and saute, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender. Add tomatoes and chilies, and heat through. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted. Add chickpeas and half-and-half, and simmer for 10 minutes or so until flavors are melded. Serve alone or with basmati rice.

#plantbasedIndianfood #veganbasedindianfood #vegancurry #plantbasedcurry #vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

June 17, 2020June 17, 2020 by betsy

Cajun Andouille and Spinach Cream Sauce (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 4 servings

I created this addicting dish out of what I had in the refrigerator, but feel free to substitute leeks for onions, kale or chard for spinach, bell peppers or mushrooms for carrots, and so forth.

I use an indoor grill pan, but you can just “griddle” sausages and celery over medium to medium-high heat in a skillet sprayed with non-stick spray for a couple of minutes until they develop color on both sides.

1 medium onion, cut into slivers and caramelized (I saute until most of moisture has been absorbed in 1 cup water with 2 tablespoons liquid aminos, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons monk fruit or brown sugar, 1 teaspoon dark molasses, and 1 teaspoon sea salt)
1 to 2 large cloves garlic, mincef
6 cups loosely packed baby spinach
4 vegan Andouille sausages, halved, grilled on both sides, and sliced 3/4-inch thick
3/4 cup roasted baby tri-color carrots (mushrooms or bell pepper would be fine substitute)
2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise, sprinkled with sea salt, grilled on both sides, and sliced on the diagonal about 3/4-inch thick
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup white wine (I use de-alcoholized Chardonnay)
1 cup vegan half-and-half (I like Silk or Ripple brand)
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

In a large skillet, add to caramelized onions All remaining ingredients and simmer over medium to medium high until a thick sauce develops and luxuriously coats all the other ingredients.

Serve over rice or over my easy, no filler, rice cakes.

#veganCajun #plantbasedCajun #vegan #veganrecipes #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

January 13, 2019January 13, 2019 by betsy

Vegan Edamame Buddha Bowl (only 25O calories per huge serving)

Yield: 1 large serving; easily multiplies

Dinner on Friday night was delicious, nutritious, beautiful, and almost more than I could eat…but only 25O calories.

We had considered Chinese takeout, but I didn’t want to get back out after walking the dogs. So with Asian cuisine on my mind, I did a mental scan if what was in the fridge and created this satisfying and beautiful bowl.

Be sure to enjoy it with chopsticks; it is so much more fun that way.

1/2 cup shredded cabbage and carrot slaw mix (12.5 calories)

4 green onions, sliced

1 cup frozen, shelled edamane, thawed (110 calories)

1-8 ounce package Shirataki noodles, rinsed and drained (20 calories)

2 tablespoons vegan Fish Sauce (sold as vegetarian in Asian markets–20 calories)

1 to 2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Blooming Platter Mayo (20 calories)

2 tablespoons Asian Sweet Chili Sauce (60 calories)

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro + 1 spring for garnish

Barely cover the bottom of a large skillet with water. Saute cabbage and green onion, just until slightly tender, but still bright in color. Add edamame and do the same. Add all remaining ingredients in order and heat through, stirring until hot and well-combined. Serve immediately in a bowl garnished with a sprig of cilantro.

November 18, 2018November 19, 2018 by betsy

Cheesy Vegan Low-Fat/Low Calorie Taco “Meat” Filling
Holy (Non) Cow!

Honestly, this filling is a rave and impossibly healthy. Not only is it made with no oil, but no calorie-dense ingredients like nuts. It is made from what virtually everything I make is made from nowadays: riced vegetables, but you would NEVER know it. Rich, thick, and beautifully spiced, this filling can be used in tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and quesadillas or spooned over nachos.

1/2 large yellow onion, diced

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups riced vegetables (I used a hash made of cauliflower, broccoli, and carrot, but any single or combination of these vegetables would work great)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried cilantro (or 1 tablespoon fresh, finely chopped)

1 vegetable bouillon cube (the size to make 8 ounces broth) or 1 teaspoon vegetable broth base

1/2 to 1 teaspoon sauce from a can of Chipotle Chilies in Adobo Sauce (it is very spicy, so you might want to start with the smaller amount)

Sea salt to taste

1/2 cup my Luscious Vegan Low-Fat/Low-Calorie Cauliflower Cheese Sauce

Add water to a large skillet just to cover the bottom. Heat over medium to medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Add riced vegetables and enough water to not quite cover. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender and moisture is mostly evaporated. Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, cilantro, bouillon cube, Adobo Sauce, and sea salt to taste. Stir in cauliflower cheese sauce and heat through. Serve immediately.

Serving note: I love it spooned over a brown rice cake and topped with a dab of vegan sour cream, a spoonful of pico de gallo, and two or three halved cherry tomatoes. A sprig of cilantro would be just right, but I didn’t have any for the photo shoot.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

November 10, 2018November 10, 2018 by betsy

Vegan Stuffed Southwestern Acorn Squash

This was my delicious, lo-cal dinner on a recent autumn evening.

No real recipe, but one big secret: while my acorn squash roasted, I cooked a few french lentils and mixed them with sauteed onions, carrots, and, wait for it… shredded cabbage(!), all seasoned up with cumin, smoked paprika, and sea salt. Yummm!!!!!

Lentils are somewhat high in calories because they are nutrient dense, so I added additional bulk, nutrition, fiber, texture, and flavor with almost no-calorie cabbage.

I topped the beautiful little mound with pico de gallo and a dab of vegan sour cream. What a beautiful meal enjoyed on the deck in this cool weather with a glass of even cooler Prosecco.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

October 28, 2018 by betsy

Vegan Loaded Butternut Squash Fries
Only 250 calories for Entire Recipe

Who is all-in for a 250 calorie dinner that is decadent, delicious, and nutritious? Of course you are!

Yield: 1 ginormous 250 calorie calorie serving

20 ounce crinkle cut butternut squash fries, sprinkled with sea salt, and roasted at 450 degrees for about 20 to 25 minutes (They won’t be crispy, but they will be firm and delicious; roast longer if you can wait!)

3/4 cup raw confetti riced vegetables, e.g. broccoli, carrot, and cauliflower.

1 tablespoon Blooming Platter Mayo (10 calories)

Sea salt to taste

Place roasted fries in a shallow bowl or on a plate, top with confetti vegetables, drizzle with Mayo, and sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Dig in. What satisfying textures! I love to eat them with chopsticks even though there’s nothing Asian about them. It’s just more fun.

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

September 30, 2018September 30, 2018 by betsy

Vegan Broccoli Tacos

Yield: 2 tacos

Eat your broccoli…your Vegan Broccoli Taco that is!

Everything is better as a taco…

Most of our busy lives leave little time for cooking. But I still like to cook, I just find that I gravitate more to an assemblage of minimally cooked and delicious fresh ingredients. So, these days, I am often more of an assembler than a cook. But I am eating delicious food that is healthy and beautiful. Come along for the ride!

1 cup riced broccoli
1 cup diced or slivered onion
Sea salt to taste
2 tablespoons vegan parmesan (I like Follow Your Heart brand)
2 corn, flour, or corn-flour tortillas
2 to 4 tablespoons my Blooming Platter Mayo (at only 10 calories per tablespoon), or vegan sour cream, hummus, etc.
1/4 cup shredded cabbage
4 carrot chips

In a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, dry saute broccoli and slivered onion with sea salt to taste until onion is crisp-tender and develops some nice charred marks. Remove from heat and stir in vegan cheese.

Heat tortillas for 30 seconds in microwave, spread each with half of the Mayo, divide the broccoli-onion mixture between the two, top each with a couple of tablespoons shredded cabbage and a couple carrot chips. Dive in!

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

September 25, 2018 by betsy

Vegan Roasted Butternut Squash Taco

I will put just about anything in a tortilla these days…and each new resulting taco is my “favorite.” This one tastes like autumn with the earthy-sweet butternut squash and sage.
Per serving:

1 corn or corn-flour tortilla
1/3 cup baby kale
2 tablespoons diced roasted butter nut squash (app. 30 minutes at 450 degrees)
2 tablespoons yellow onion slices sauteed with a spritz of non-stick spray and rubbed sage and sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon Blooming Platter Mayo (10 cslories per tablespoon) or vegan sour cream
1 generous tablespoon shredded vegan parmesan
Ootional garnish: roasted and lightly salted pepitas

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn

September 23, 2018September 30, 2018 by betsy

Vegan Edamame Hummus Taco

Such a tasty, satisfying lunch that needs no preamble:

Warm a taco shell (I like corn or a corn-flour combo);
Spread with 2 tablespoons edamame hummus;
Top with shredded cabbage;
Drizzle with vegan mayo (I love my 10-calorie/tablespoon Blooming Platter Mayo) whisked with soy sauce, Thai sweet chile sauce, and sriracha; and
Top with 2 carrot chips and 4 or 5 wasabi roasted almonds (I buy Kroger brand).

#vegan #veganrecipes #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganfoodporn #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfoodshare #plantbasedfoodporn