Minestrone with Farro & Chia Pesto

This delicious and hearty soup is loaded with protein-rich farro, chickpeas, carrots, celery, and kale. So much good stuff in one bowl! This soup is from Julie Morris's book, Superfood Soups, in which each soup is loaded with superfoods. This one in particular uses miso, kelp, goji berries, and a pesto made with chia seeds. As funky as that all sounds, it ultimately results in a fantastic soup and the chia pesto is worth the time to make--trust me. Enjoy!

Minestrone with Farro & Chia Pesto
Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup dried goji berries
• 1 tsp kelp granules
• 8 cups Miso Broth
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 2 carrots, cut into thin half moons
• 2 stalks celery, chopped small
• 3/4 cup farro
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped small
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1.5-cups cooked garbanzo beans (1 15-ounce can, drained)
• 1/2 lb broccoli florets, chopped small (about 3 cups)
• 3 big leaves kale, ribbed and chopped small
• Sea salt
• 1 batch Chia Pesto

Instructions

In a blender, combine the tomato, goji berries, and kelp granules with 1/2 cup of broth. Blend until smooth.

Warm the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and farro, and cook, stirring often, for 6-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Add the zucchini, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf, and cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Stir in the blended tomato mixture, the remaining 7.5-cups of broth, the canned tomatoes with their juice, and the black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then partially cover, leaving the lid a little ajar, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Turn up the heat to medium, stir in the garbanzo beans and broccoli, and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat, and mix in the kale. Let the soup stand for 5-10 minutes to let the kale fully wilt. Remove the bay leaf, taste, add salt as desired. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and swirl in a tablespoon or two of chia pesto on top.

Chia Pesto

Chia in pesto? I was so skeptical! But, Julie Morris in her new book, Superfood Soups, showed me the light! This pesto is used in a minestrone I'll be posting in a few days and it is outrageously good! The chia seed gel serves to thicken the pesto and is a fabulous way to shave off calories and up the nutrient density in pesto compared to the classic recipe.

Chia Pesto
Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp chia seeds
• 6 Tbsp water or vegetable broth
• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 3 Tbsp pine nuts
• 1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mix together the chia seeds and water or broth. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the chia seeds to swell, stirring once or twice to break up any clumps.

In a food processor, combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast, and salt. Blend until smooth. Scrape the pesto into the bowl with the chia seeds, and mix well to incorporate. Cover, and refrigerate until use. Chia pesto will last up to 1 week, refrigerated.

Miso Broth

A simple, yet nutritious broth. It'll take you just a couple of minutes to make this and it punches up the flavor of everything it is added to. This miso broth is one of Julie Morris' from Superfood Soups, a fantastic cookbook. She recommends using yellow miso, but I used the lighter white miso and it turned out great. Use this as a base for any soup!

Miso Broth
Makes 8 cups

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp yellow miso paste
• 1 tsp kelp granules
• 2 quarts (8 cups) water

Instructions

Blend all the ingredients together in a blender until the miso is fully dissolved. Use in soups as directed, or warm over low heat to enjoy as a sipping broth.

The broth may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or kept in the freezer for several months.

Kitchari

Kitchari is a famous mixture used in Ayurvedic medicine, which usually includes a starch, in the form of grains, and a protein, in the form of legumes. The recipe is used to balance the body in myriad ways--to detoxify, ease digestion, balance weight, and support recovery from illness or physical hardship. I found this recipe in a fantastic cookbook--Superfood Soups by Julie Morris. This soup will take some time to make, but the result is rewarding. Split peas and brown rice make up the base as the carrots, cauliflower, and Swiss chard give it its heartiness and the super healthy aromatic spices give it its flavor. This soup should be made to be shared!

Kitchari
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 cup long grain brown rice
• 1/2 cup yellow split peas (I used green)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 6 cups water
• 1 2x4 inch strip kombu
• 1 Tbsp chaga powder (optional)
• Sea salt
• 1 cup finely chopped carrots
• 2 cups finely chopped cauliflower
• 4 medium Swiss chard leaves, finely chopped, stems and leaves chopped separately for about 2 cups total yield
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Warm the coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and black mustard seeds. Cook, stirring, until the mustard seeds begin to pop and the spices are fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the brown rice, yellow peas, coriander, turmeric, and ginger and cook for 1 minute longer, stirring constantly so as not to burn the spices. Pour in 6 cups of water and add the kombu strip, chaga powder, and 1 1/4 tsp sea salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 30 minutes.

Stir in the carrots, cauliflower, and chopped Swiss chard stems, adding more water as needed. Cover the pot again, and cook for 30 minutes longer, or until vegetables, rice, and peas are very soft. Stir in the chard leaves and adjust seasonings if needed, adding more water if a soupy consistency is desired. Remove the soup from the heat and let rest until the chard is tender. Serve the soup warm with a little chopped cilantro.

Note: Kitchari is immensely flexible in its ingredients and structure. You can use anywhere from 2 to 6 cups of any vegetable you enjoy in this recipe, such as zucchini and green beans. You can even swap out the rice for another starch and the peas for another legume.

Hasselback Zucchini

A different take on hasselback potatoes, Hannah Kaminsky does it again with Hasselback Zuchini out of her new book, Real Food, Really Fast. After cooking these, I inhaled them like there was no tomorrow. The mixture of garlic, thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and salt smeared over zucchini with olive oil makes a fantastic side or main dish after just a few minutes of cooking. I will, however, add that even though the recipe below states to cook for 2 minutes without foil, I felt I needed to cook them for 12 minutes more to really cook them through. Just keep checking them. Also, the recipe calls for dried thyme and rosemary, but fresh is even better. Enjoy!

Hasselback Zucchini
Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds of zucchini
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions
Preheat your oven to 500-degrees Fahrenheit.

Properly prepping the zucchini is essential for success here, so be careful when cutting. You don't want to go all the way through the vegetables, but just about 3/4 of the way, at regularly spaced intervals of just a few millimeters. Exact measurements aren't critical as long as you're consistent. For those less confident with their knife skills, try placing thin skewers or dowels on either side of the zucchini to prevent the blade from going all the way down to the cutting board.

Place the zucchini on a lightly greased baking sheet and drizzle liberally with oil. Combine garlic, thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and salt together and smear this mixture all over, pushing it in between the cut layers and all over the sides. cover loosely with foil and slide the pan into the hot oven.

Lift the foil after about 6 minutes to check on their progress. The zucchini should be just about fork-tender. Bake for an additional 2 minutes or so, uncovered, until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Instant Kimchi Noodle Soup

There are few recipes that I walk away from saying, "man, was that good?!" But, this was one of them. Straight out of Hannah Kaminsky's Real Food, Really Fast, this kimchi soup is pretty unique. It's fairly easy to make, but has so much flavor, it'll taste like something you'd get in a fancy restaurant. Layers of kimchi, soba noodles, cremini mushrooms, zucchini, scallions, and wakame all hit your mouth at the same time and the result is happiness. Share this with a friend or keep it all to yourself. This isn't your mother's noodle soup.

Instant Kimchi Noodle Soup
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 4 ounces dry soba noodles
• 2 cups drained vegan kimchi plus 1/2 cup brine
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp wakame flakes
• 1/2 cup sliced cremini or button mushrooms
• 1 small zucchini, halved and thinly sliced
• 3/4 pound firm tofu, diced
• 6 cups mushroom or vegetable broth

Instructions
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the soba noodles and cook until just tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water to prevent them from getting mushy. Set aside.

Meanwhile, pile the kimchi, all the vegetables, soy sauce, wakame flakes, and tofu into a large pot along with the broth. Cover and set over high heat on the stove. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to keep the liquid at a lively simmer, and cook just until the vegetables are tender, and the tofu has been absorbed by the flavorful stock.

Divide the noodles evenly between 4 to 6 bowls. Ladle the soup on top and serve right away. The soup itself can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for up to three days as long as the noodles are kept separate. Buckwheat isn't as resilient as plain wheat and will become gummy as it sits in the broth.

Jamaican Jerk Chili

I feel like I deserve chili on a cold winter night. After having suffered through a long, cold day, there's nothing like coming home to a warm, steaming bowl of chili. And this recipe for Jamaican Jerk Chili couldn't be any easier or more flavorful. Straight out of Hannah Kaminsky's Real Food, Really Fast, you will have this entire dinner prepared in less than 15 minutes. With browned tempeh to give it a meaty texture, black-eyed peas filled with protein, and fire-roasted tomatoes, indulge in as much of this good-for-you dinner as you'd like. Serve with bread and/or fresh avocados.

Jamaican Jerk Chili
Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 ounces tempeh, crumbled
• 1 habanero pepper, seeded and finely minced
• 2 14-ounce cans black-eyed peas
• 1 14-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp molasses
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp dehydrated onion flakes
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp hot paprika
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2-3/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Set a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the oil and crumbled tempeh. Saute for a minute or two, until lightly browned, before adding in the minced habanero. Cook for a minute longer to release the volatile oils of the pepper that contain all its fiery flavor.

Simply incorporate all the remaining ingredients, starting with 1/2 tsp of the salt, and stir thoroughly to combine. Cover and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 3-6 minutes, stirring periodically, until slightly thickened and hot all the way through. Add the remaining salt to taste, if needed.

Soba and Veggie Miso Bowl

Yum!! This Soba and Veggie Miso Bowl out of Pure & Beautiful Vegan Cooking by Kathleen Henry is scrumptious. Warm broth envelopes soba noodles, broccolini, carrots, peas, and shiitake mushrooms while the red miso adds the flavor to this dish. It is a meal unto itself.

Soba and Veggie Miso Bowl
Serves 3

Ingredients

• 4 ounces soba noodles, dry
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 3 cups water
• 1 medium carrot, sliced on a bias
• 1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms (or 1/2 cup fresh), chopped
• 5 cups raw broccolini (baby broccoli, ends trimmed)
• 1 cup snap peas, halved diagonally
• 1 Tbsp miso paste
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce

Instructions

Bring a small pot of water to boil for the noodles. Once boiling, add the noodles and cook for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

While the water boils for the noodles, add the vegetable broth and water to a medium saucepan. Turn the heat to high and bring to a gentle boil. Add the carrots and chopped dried mushrooms.

Halve the broccolini so that the floret ends are bite size. The stems can either be left intact or sliced on the diagonal for easier consumption. Add the broccolini florets and stems to the saucepan with the broth and water. Allow them to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender. When there are about 2 minutes left, add the peas.

Once the carrots, mushrooms, and broccolini are all tender, remove the soup from the heat. Dip out about 1/2 cup of the soup broth and whisk in the miso paste until smooth. Stir the miso broth back into the soup along with the soy sauce.

To serve, divide the cooked noodles evenly among three large bowls. Then, evenly distribute the broth and veggies on top of the noodles. Serve hot!

Creamy Rosemary Chickpea Pasta

It's really cold in DC and I was searching for a hearty pasta meal to make at home. My tolerance for hours in the kitchen is waning, so it also needed to be quick and easy. I found all of those things in the Creamy Rosemary Chickpea Pasta recipe in the Pure & Beautiful Vegan Cooking by Kathleen Henry. This is a hearty and tasty pasta dish made with chickpeas, vegan sausage, and fresh rosemary. By using the chickpea liquid, which some now call aquafaba, it helped thicken the sauce and bring heartiness to this pasta dish. Also, the addition of vegan sausages gave it some extra flavor that complemented the nutritional yeast cheesiness and fresh rosemary. This dish is best consumed fresh.

Creamy Rosemary Chickpea Pasta
Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans of chickpeas, liquid saved from draining
• 1 lb pasta shells, dry
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage vegan sausages or equivalent, chopped
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 
• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 Tbsp large flake nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley

Instructions

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, reserving the liquid. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta shells. Once boiling, add pasta and cook according to package for al dente pasta, about 10 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low. Add the garlic and saute about 3 minutes, until fragrant. Add the sausage and fry until it becomes golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage and garlic to a bowl and set aside.

Add the chickpea liquid, about 1 1/3 cups, to the saucepan. If you don't have that much liquid, add water or vegetable broth to make up the difference. Add 2 cups chickpeas to the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Transfer to a blender.

Add the soy sauce, black pepper, rosemary, and nutritional yeast to the blender or food processor. Blend on high for about 1 minute, until smooth. Return to saucepan and add the remaining whole chickpeas. Smooth them slightly with the back of a wooden spoon.

When the pasta is done cooking, drain but reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Set aside the liquid and return the pasta to the pot. Add the sauce to the pasta along with the parsley, garlic, and sausage. Stir to coat and allow to sit about 3 to 5 minutes while the pasta soaks up the sauce. At this time, if the pasta needs additional creaminess, add the reserved pasta water and stir well. Serve hot.

Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup

This soup is pretty amazing. With just some cashew cream, mushrooms, onions, thyme, and a few other ingredients, you can whip up a sensational Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup and I'll tell you how. I found this recipe in the cookbook called Homestyle Vegan by Amber St. Peter.  The only flaw in this recipe was too much salt, which I corrected below. This would be a fantastic soup to serve friends and family--loaded with umami and love.

Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 lb assorted mushrooms (any kind)
• 1/4 cup cooking sherry
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 Tbsp plus 1/8 tsp salt, divided (original recipe called for 1 Tbsp, but that is way too much)
• 1 tsp ground pepper

Instructions
In a medium-size bowl, soak the cashews in the warm water. Set them aside to soften.

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic, onion, and mushrooms until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Pour in the sherry and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sherry liquid reduces by about half. Pour in the vegetable broth, fresh thyme, 1/2 tablespoon of salt, and pepper and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

While the soup simmers, make the cashew cream by blending the soaked cashews, the water they're soaking in, and the remaining 1/8 tsp salt to create a thick cream. Pour into the simmering soup, and remove the soup from the heat. Using an immersion or high-speed blender, carefully blend the soup in batches or all at once. Garnish with fresh thyme. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated and reheat as needed for up to 1 week.

Corned Bean Hash

I found a recipe for Corned Bean Hash, a play on Corned Beef Hash, listed in the breakfast section of Homestyle Vegan by Amber St. Peter, and I thought it would make a great dinner.  After mixing simple ingredients together like red potatoes, kidney beans, tahini, and onion, I had a great tasting dish. The fantastic flavor could be attributed to the mix of tahini and cayenne pepper. It is a very filling and satisfying dish. Feel free to double the recipe if you want more.

There was something missing from this recipe--what to do with the beans. So, I'll just write it the way I made it.

Corned Bean Hash
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked kidney beans
• 1 Tbsp coconut or olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup finely diced white onion
• 1 cup chopped red potatoes
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne (I added 1/4 tsp)
• Chives, chopped, for garnish

Instructions
In a small bowl, mash about three-fourths of the kidney beans with a fork and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onions for 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Toss in the potatoes, beans, tahini, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and cayenne, stirring to combine.

Cover and continue to cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. If things start getting stuck to the pan before the potatoes are ready, you can add 1 Tbsp of water as needed to loosen things up.  Once the mixture is becoming browned and crispy, remove from the heat. Garnish with fresh chives and serve!

Full Disclosure: Although the book was provided to me for free to review, that in no way influenced my veracious opinion.

Chana Masala

This classic Indian dish, Chana Masala, is packed with spice! Be sure that whomever you are serving this to is a lover of Indian spice and, if so, they'll love this. And you'll love it too because the rice takes longer to make than the dish itself. In just a few minutes, you'll have a dish fit for a dinner party. Yet another great recipe from Easy Vegan Breakfasts & Lunches by Maya Sozer.

Chana Masala
Serves 2-3

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp garam masala
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp fine-grain sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

To serve

• Cooked basmati rice
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion starts changing color, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree and garlic and stir a few times. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the bay leaf and chickpeas. Continue to cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Enjoy while hot. Serve with rice and garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Cast Iron Black Bean Loaf

It was a chilly evening, so I rooted through my newest cookbook to see what kind of hearty dish I could find when I stumbled across the Cast-Iron Black Bean Loaf. This ridiculously filling dish comes to us from Easy Vegan Breakfasts & Lunches by Maya Sozer.  Loaded with quinoa, black beans, veggies, and topped with a ketchup sauce, it's like the meatloaf your mother didn't know how to make. Makes a great main dish with a side of roasted broccolini.

Cast-Iron Black Bean Loaf
Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 2 Tbsp tamari
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Ingredients for Sauce

• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup or agave nectar

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Heat the oil in a cast-iron pan over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add all the rest of the ingredients, except the sauce ingredients, and cook, stirring, for another minute. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and spread over the black bean loaf. Bake for another 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Southwest Tofu Scramble

I've been cooking less this year as I've been focusing more on BASE jumping. I still enjoy cooking, but I don't want to do it for hours and hours on end right now. So when I saw the recipe for Southwest Tofu Scramble in The Six Weeks to Sexy Abs Meal Plan by Ella Magers, I knew it would be a winner. Crumbled tofu sauteed with spinach, black beans, cremini mushrooms, onions, and peppers -- yes, please! And, yeah, I ate this for dinner and not for brunch because -- who cares?! You'll love it.

Southwest Tofu Scramble
Serves 2

Ingredients for Spice Mix

• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• Splash of water

All other Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 lb extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
• 2 cups sliced white or cremini mushrooms
• 3/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
• Jalapeno, diced (optional)
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 2 cups baby spinach, chopped or whole
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• Black pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro, optional
• Hot sauce and/or salsa to taste (optional)

Instructions
In a small bowl, combine the spice mix ingredients, adding the splash of water to make it into a sauce. Set aside.

In a large skillet set to medium-high with grapeseed oil, saute the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes. Crumble the tofu with your hands as you add it to the pan. Next, add the mushrooms to the mixture and continue to saute another 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and optional jalapeno and continue to saute for another couple minutes.

Last, add the black beans, spinach, spice mix, nutritional yeast, and black pepper and mix throughly until combined and hot.

Top with cilantro, salsa, and/or hot sauce.

Eggplant Mushroom Casserole with White Bean Sauce

Easy, vegetable-based, and high in protein -- this meal seemed right up my alley! The Epic Eggplant Mushroom Casserole with White Bean Sauce from The Six Weeks to Sexy Abs Meal Plan by Ella Magers combined roasted eggplant with mushrooms, spinach and bean sauce, and tomato sauce to make a satisfying meal. The instructions did not specify how long to roast the eggplant -- I found it took about 15 minutes. I also increased the amount of garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Please adjust to fit your preferences. Serve this with a light salad or veggie on the side.

Eggplant Mushroom Casserole with White Bean Sauce
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 1/2 cups organic red pasta sauce
• 2 1/2 cups sliced white mushrooms (1 package)

Ingredients for White Bean Sauce

• 1 15-ounce can Great Northern Beans
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 cup spinach, firmly packed
• 1 tsp dried chives
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400-degrees Fahrenheit.

Peel the eggplant and slice it into 1/4-inch slices. Place the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle the slices with salt. Place the eggplant in the oven and bake until the slices are partially dehydrated and slightly browned for about 15 minutes. When done, remove from the oven and then turn the oven to 425-degrees.

Meanwhile, make the bean sauce by putting the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until fully blended.

Grease a casserole dish with oil and pour a thin, even layer of red pasta sauce into the dish. Place half of the eggplant slices in a single layer on the sauce. Next, spread half of the bean sauce over the eggplant slices. Place half of the mushroom slices on top of the bean sauce.

Add another thin layer of red sauce, followed by the rest of the eggplant slices, bean sauce, and mushrooms and top with a final layer of red sauce.

Bake uncovered at 425-degrees until fully cooked, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Chana Masala

This is a quick and easy recipe from Emily von Euw's new cookbook, The Rawsome Vegan Cookbook. It won't blow your socks off, but you'll be amazed at how much flavor a little ginger and garlic can add to a very simple recipe. We're talking chickpeas in a tomato sauce with ginger and garlic in no time. Mmmm.

Chana Masala
Serves 2

Ingredients

• 3 peeled garlic cloves
• 1 Tbsp chunk peeled ginger
• 1/3 cup water, or more as needed
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
•  2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped

Instructions
Finely chop the garlic and ginger. In a frying or saute pan over medium-high heat, add 1/4 cup of the water and all of the lemon juice and heat until it begins to steam and lightly bubble. Add the chopped garlic and ginger and saute for 3 minutes, adding more water in 1 tablespoon amounts as needed for moisture if the pan starts getting dry. Throw on the garam masala powder and add more water if needed, stirring everything together. Next add the chickpeas and the tomato sauce and stir gently for 10 to 15 minutes on medium-low heat until the mixture has thickened up.

Serve with rice and garnish with basil.

Fully Loaded Yams

Holy easy to make, but deliciously good recipe!  From Emily von Euw's new cookbook, The Rawsome Vegan Cookbook, comes Fully Loaded Yams. All you do is cook the yams for an hour, then top them with black beans, green onions, and purple cabbage, then drizzle on tahini miso gravy. They are loaded with delicious flavor and very filling. I think this will become one of my go-to meals.

Fully Loaded Yams
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 large yams
• 2 cups cooked black beans
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1/3 cup chopped purple cabbage

Tahini Miso Gravy

• 1/3 cup water
• 3 Tbsp tahini
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 heaping Tbsp miso paste (I used brown rice miso)
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 peeled garlic clove
• 1 tsp chunk peeled ginger

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Wash and scrub the yams, then slice them in half lengthwise and bake with the cut-side down for 45 to 60 minutes, or until they are bubbling and tender all the way through (test with a fork). Mash a little space into each of them so you have a place to put the toppings.

To make the gravy, blend all the ingredients until smooth. If it's too thin, add more tahini. If it's too thick, add more water or apple cider vinegar.

Top off yams with the beans, green onions, and cabbage, then drizzle with gravy. 

Raw Garden Burritos

In Emily von Euw's new cookbook, The Rawsome Vegan Cookbook, I found a delicious recipe for raw garden burritos made with spicy mushroom nut meat, guacamole, and broccolini all wrapped up in collard leaves. It is surprisingly filling and tasty. Just be sure your collard leaves are fresh! You'll love the marinated broccolini the most.

Garden Burritos

Ingredients
Spicy Mushroom Nut Meat

• 1 cup almonds, soaked for 8 hours
• 1 1/2 cups mushrooms
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Guacamole

• 2 avocados
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Fillings

• 3 cups broccolini
• 1 Tbsp tamari
• 4 huge collard leaves
• 1 cup cilantro
• 1 cup shredded purple cabbage

Instructions
To make the nut meat: put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until it forms a chunky paste. Adjust according to taste, adding more spice or salt, if desired.

To make the guacamole, mash the avocado meat with the lime juice and salt until it reaches the desired consistency.

Toss the broccolini with the tamari and let it sit in the oven at 200-degrees Farenheit for 10-15 minutes to soften, or use a dehydrator at 115-degrees for 40 minutes. If your oven doesn't go that low, just use the lowest temperature and keep an eye on the food as you may need to take it out a few minutes early.

Spread your mushroom nut meat onto the collard leaves, and add the guac, cilantro, cabbage, and broccolini. Wrap up and enjoy!

Black Bean and Chipotle Tofu Quesadillas

The Superbowl is next Sunday!  Whether you are into football or not, it's likely you'll be watching the game for something -- sweaty men fighting over a ball, fantastic over-the-top halftime performances, and/or wacky commercials.  It's traditional to have lots of appetizers at hand while watching the game so I've developed a tasty, healthy appetizer using Chipotle TofuBaked with all you fans in mind.

Nasoya recently launched this new baked tofu seasoned with chipotle powder. They contacted me and asked if I would use it for a recipe challenge they were hosting this week and I gladly accepted.  As soon as the package arrived, I cut open the plastic and was amazed at how good it was! Nasoya has always been one of my favorite tofu brands and this baked version has just the right consistency with loads of chipotle flavor, which is spicy and smoky at the same time. I could seriously just eat it out of the package. I also love that it is a great source of protein and low in calories too. Nasoya does a really nice job with its products by keeping the ingredients all natural and organic, which has always been important to me.

The recipe I developed is for Black Bean and Chipotle Tofu Quesadillas and it's not only loaded with delicious flavor, it's a snack that is good for you too! I took sprouted whole grain tortillas and spread black bean dip and sliced chipotle tofu on them, grilled them, then topped them with guacamole and a mix of red peppers, scallions and corn in lime juice. It turned out fantastic. I invite you to make these for your party and see if they don't absolutely love it. Game time!

Black Bean and Chipotle Tofu Quesadillas
Serves 8

Ingredients for Black Bean Spread

• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 tsp crushed chipotle peppers (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves
• Water as needed 
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Ingredients for Red Pepper and Corn Topping

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 cup corn (frozen or fresh)
• 1/2 avocado, chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 lime, squeezed

Other

• 2 packages of Chipotle TofuBaked: slice tofu
• 8 tortillas (whole wheat or sprouted grain are best)
• Cooking spray 
• Guacamole
• Cilantro for garnish

Instructions
First, make the black bean spread by putting black beans, chipotle peppers in sauce, crushed chipotle peppers, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until smooth. You may need to add a bit of water to soften the consistency. Add salt to taste. Remove from processor and fold in the red bell pepper and cilantro.

Next, make the red pepper and corn topping by mixing all ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Heat up a cast iron skillet or grill to medium. Spray one side of tortilla with cooking spray, then place on a plate. Spread black bean spread on half of tortilla. Top the same half with slices of tofu and fold tortilla over. Grill for 4 minutes or until browned on each side. Repeat with other tortillas. Once cooked, slice each quesadilla into four triangles. Arrange on a plate and top with guacamole and the red pepper and corn topping. Garnish with cilantro if desired. Should be a crowd pleaser!

Full Disclosure: Although the tofu was provided to me for free to review, that in no way influenced my veracious opinion.