Soups/Main Dishes

Black Bean Tacos

Have you ever had Meatless Mondays? Or Taco Tuesdays? This recipe can cover both days. With the extra green peppers and tomatoes from my garden and not much time to prepare for dinner, Black Bean Tacos it is! This couldn’t be simpler and more delicious. And we’ve enjoyed them a variety of ways. I’ve served them in tortillas shells, scooped over a tossed salad, and even served them over tortilla chips. We like them any day and any time, even on a Wednesday!

2 cans of black beans, rinsed
1 cup of sliced green peppers
1 large onion, diced
2 Tbsp Taco seasoning (see below for recipe)

Directions:

Add 1 Tablespoon of Avocado oil and heat, then add green peppers and onions and sauté until soft.
Add taco seasoning with about ¼ cup water and black beans. Heat through – about 3-5 minutes.
Remove from stove and serve over your choice of salad, in a taco shell, or on tortilla chips.
Don’t forget to add chopped tomatoes, avocados, and cilantro

Taco Seasoning

-8 Tbsp chili powder -4 tsp sea salt -4 tsp garlic powder

-4 Tbsp ground cumin -4 tsp black pepper -1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

-6 tsp paprika -2 tsp dried oregano -4 tsp onion powder

Baked Rice Casserole

This was a perfect side dish for Easter ham and turkey! The mushrooms were a great addition to the rice. This recipe is quite forgiving as you can add other herbs and spices or vegetables to it as well. The thing I loved most was that you mix everything together, and then bake it in the dish, ready to serve. It was so easy, as I didn’t have to tend to a pot on the stove! I have reheated leftovers and it’s just as delicious! Definitely a keeper for me!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup brown rice
3 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1-2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp sea salt
¼ cup chopped parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Rinse rice under cold water until the water runs clear. (Helps with starchiness and stickiness)
In 9x13 pan, combine all ingredients and gently stir.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
Place covered dish in oven and bake for about 45 minutes. Check to see if rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid.
Remove from oven, allow 5 minutes to cool.
Add more salt if needed.
Serve. Stores well in refrigerator for several days.

Crispy Chicken Salad
With Peanut Sauce

Whoa! This was amazing. We had friends over for dinner and I served this. Within 45min we feasted on a delicious-tasting, hearty salad. The Peanut sauce gives this an Asian flair. And we all had second helpings. Can you say, “Yum!”?

Chicken:

1-2 pounds of chicken tenders
1 cup almond flour
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt

Rinse chicken and pat dry. In separate bowl, combine almond flour, garlic, salt and coat each chicken piece on both sides. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, making sure to not overcook. While chicken is baking, make salad and dressing.

Salad base:

6 cups of romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
2 cups of cabbage, thinly sliced (red or green)
1 large red bell pepper, diced
4-5 carrots, grated
4 green onions, sliced
½ cup cilantro, diced
½ cup peanuts

Dressing:

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup raw honey
¼ cup sesame oil (or olive oil)
2 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed (about 1-2 lemons)
1 tsp ginger, ground
2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:

In a large bowl, add all the salad ingredients together. For dressing, using a separate bowl or a blender, add all of the ingredients and blend well. An immersion blender works well too. Pour dressing on salad and gently toss together. Then add chicken strips before serving.

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

This has to be one of my favorite soups. I’ve always loved my mom’s homemade stuffed cabbage growing up and this is so simple to make. When using the whole cabbage, it will make a large pot, so be prepared to share. Or you can use half of a cabbage head, and it will make a much smaller batch. This is so healthy and is a perfect comfort food. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

1 cup Quinoa or brown rice, cooked according to package's directions (reserve for later)
2 quarts organic chicken broth
½ pound or 1 pound organic ground beef, browned
2 tsp paprika
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 sm/med-sized head of cabbage, thinly sliced (I like smaller pieces in my soup)
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 small can of Tomato Paste

Directions

Brown meat with onion in a large pan, and then add garlic the last 3 minutes of browning.
Then add cabbage and wilt down, only takes a few minutes
Add tomato ingredients and paprika.
Add broth and cover pot.
Simmer about 10 minutes or until cabbage is cooked to your liking.
Add Quinoa (or rice) and salt & pepper to taste.
Leftovers store well in the refrigerator.

Southwest Stuffed Peppers

It’s the end of the summer season and I am joyfully still picking tomatoes and peppers and green beans from my garden. We’ve had a warm September and Early October so far, but I do know that the coldness is coming very soon. So, in the meantime, I am soaking up the warmth of the sun and the pickings of my garden remains. With the plethora of tomatoes and peppers, I decided to make Stuffed Peppers and we really enjoyed these. I also decided to use very little meat, but you could make it with a pound of ground meat if you’d like. These had great texture, were filling and tasty! We had leftovers for a few days, which extra meals are always welcomed. Enjoy~

3 – 4 bell peppers, halved & seeded
½ lb. organic ground turkey or beef, cooked and drained
1 cup quinoa, cooked
3 large potatoes, cubed, steamed & slightly smashed
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
1 large onion, diced
1 Tbsp avocado oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup water
Optional Garnishes: Tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place peppers in 9 x 13 inch pan, inside faced up. Bake for 15 minutes.
In large pan, sauté onion with oil until translucent. Add garlic and sauté another 1 -2 minutes longer.
Add in ground meat, potatoes, quinoa, water and taco seasoning. Stir and sauté for about 3-5 minutes, gently stirring all together. Add more water, 1 Tbsp at a time if too dry.
Once peppers are cooked, scoop mixture into pepper halves. Top with cheese, optional, and then bake under broiler for 3-5 minutes until cheese is browned.
Add tomatoes and lettuce for garnish. (Picture shows a few topped with cheese, while the others do not.)

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Summer Garden Pasta Salad

The Big Question of the Summer….How do I use all those amazingly fresh garden veggies? Summer garden abundance brings me so much joy, I just can’t get enough. So to answer my question……. I began chopping up tomatoes, cucumbers, basil and decided to add a little bit of pasta to the mix. Many pasta salad recipes call for at least 8 ounces of pasta, but I did the opposite this time. I used double the amount of vegetables and halved the amount of the pasta in this dish, so I could take full advantage of my beautiful fruits! Not only was it gorgeous, but it was delicious as well.

4 oz pasta, cooked according to directions (I use gluten free noodles, typically organic brown rice noodles)
2 pints of grape tomatoes, cut in half (if using a larger-type tomato, then dice it)
2 large cucumbers, diced
1/3 cup basil, chopped
¼ c grated parmesan cheese (omit if dairy free)

DRESSING: Whisk together in separate bowl:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 Tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ Tbsp raw honey
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp oregano, dried (I used about 1 Tbsp fresh oregano from my garden)
- ½ tsp garlic powder

Pour dressing over pasta and vegetables and gently toss until well coated.

Serve immediately or store in refrigerator.

Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper
Soup with pasta

I made this two times in three weeks, that’s how good it is! It is simple, delicious and fresh. Like all of my recipes, you can find these ingredients easily in your local grocery store. The tomato soup can stand alone for sure, but we enjoyed it so much more with the Chickpea noodles. I don’t eat cheese anymore, but I am sure this would be great with a grilled cheese sandwich!

2 pints of grape tomatoes or 4 large Roma tomatoes, cut in large chunks
1 onion, cut in chunks
2 large red peppers, cut in chunks
2 stalks of celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tsp thyme
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 ½ - 2 cups water or vegetable broth
8 oz of chickpea pasta, cooked according to package (can use brown rice pasta too, keeping it gluten free)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place Tomatoes, Onion, Red peppers, Celery, Thyme, Red pepper flakes, and Garlic on sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Remove from oven, and place ½ of the water/broth in blender along with ½ of the vegetables, then blend until smooth. Pour soup in stockpot on stove to continue cooking time.
Continue with the second half of the vegetables and water/broth in blender, blend til smooth, and then add to the stockpot. Warm soup together, adding noodles. Add salt to taste. (recipe inspired by Medical Medium Cleanse to Heal)

Sheperd's Pie - Done in 1 hour!

It took only 15 minutes to prepare this meal and then it baked in the oven for the remaining hour--- QUICK and VERY EASY!

At the end of June last week, it was a bit chilly outside and a “casserole” sounded like the perfect dish to have for dinner. We absolutely loved this recipe! I read a few and came up with this….. It is excellent! Mike and I enjoyed a few days of leftovers too! We used green beans and thyme from my garden--- ahhh one of my favorite past-times… my garden!

This is a Vegan dish – meaning it does not contain meat or animal products. Don’t be turned off by that because it really is excellent. We didn’t miss the meat at all, and you won’t either. I promise! (recipe can be halved, using a smaller baking dish of 8x8)

Ingredients - Topping:

3 pounds of yellow potatoes, cut in large cubes
4 Tbsp of butter (I used butter flavored coconut oil to keep recipe Vegan)
Sea salt

Filling:
1 onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tbsp tomato paste
About ½ tsp sea salt
1 ½ cups green or brown lentils, rinsed & drained
4 cups (1 quart) of vegetable stock
2 tsp fresh thyme, minced (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
1 – 10 oz bag of frozen mixed veggies (or 1/3 cup each: carrots, green beans, peas, corn)

Directions:

Steam potatoes (approx. 20 min or until soft when pierced with a fork).

IN MEANTIME while potatoes are steaming, in a large saucepan, sauté onions & garlic in oil, until caramelized (approx. 5 min). add tomato paste then add lentils, vegetable stock, and thyme and stir. Bring to a low boil on stovetop. Cover lentil mixture and simmer for 30 minutes. At 30 minute-mark, add the vegetables into lentil mixture and simmer another 10 minutes. (Make sure that lentils are tender when pierced with fork). Back to POTATOES: Once potatoes are steamed, drain. Transfer to mixing bowl, add butter and mash until smooth. (Electric beaters work well). Season with salt until taste is desired. Set mashed potatoes aside, keeping them separated from lentil mixture.

2. PREHEAT OVEN to 425 degrees. In a 9x13 glass pan, pour and spread-out lentil mixture as the ‘base’ of pie. Then spread mashed potatoes as top layer. Use back of spoon to smooth potato layer.

3. Place pan on cookie sheet to catch any drippings. Bake for 15 minutes (or longer if you like mashed potatoes to brown) in oven.

4. Cool for a few minutes before serving. Shepherd’s pie firms as it cools. Stores well in refrigerator and keeps for several days and reheats well.

Quinoa Salad
Mediterranean Style

I brought this salad to a women’s business meeting and everyone loved it. It was described as “light, healthy and tasty.” It is a great lunch meal or as a side dish. You may ask, “Why Quinoa?” (sounds like: KEEN – Wha)

Quinoa is lumped in with grains, but it is actually an ancient seed and it’s loaded with many important nutrients, including fiber, protein, folate, and magnesium. AND it is Gluten-Free! I use it instead of noodles and often in my soups.

It is versatile and easy to cook, as it cooks like pasta. I hope you enjoy the many uses of it too!

1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions
1 large cucumber, sliced and halved
about 2-3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 red onion, diced
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 lemon, juiced (or 2 limes)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Directions:

Rinse cooked quinoa with cold water and place in large bowl.
Add all other ingredients and gently stir to incorporate all flavors.
Feel free to add a bit more oil if you feel it is too dry.
Add salt to your liking, I seem to like about ½ tsp or so.

Store in refrigerator. This is great for a lunch or dinner dish! It keeps for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Pasta Fagioli – Vegan style

Do you eat meat every day? I am not judging if you do, but I thought I’d share a few ideas…..Meat is harder to digest and can often ‘rot’ in the gut as it takes a while to digest. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy meat, but I certainly have cut back quite a bit the last few years. I like to get my protein from plants as much as possible, as it is much easier to digest. Plus, it makes me focus on getting more vegetables in at every meal, as the veggies are my main focus. More antioxidants? Yes, please!

This recipe is so easy and it was so delicious and hearty that you won’t even miss the meat. Mike and I ate from this recipe for several days and as the days went on, it kept getting more flavorful.

1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks of celery, chopped
2 cans of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 quart of chicken or vegetable stock (May need more depending on how thick you want your soup)
3 tsp oregano
5 tsp parsley
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 – 20oz jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 cup of quinoa, cooked according to package – SAVE FOR LATER
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Pour all into a stockpot on stove and cover

Once soup begins to boil, turn down so soup is simmering.

Cook until carrots and celery are soft when pierced with a fork. This usually will be about 30-45min.

Once soup is complete, then add cooked quinoa to the soup.

Wild Rice Mushroom Soup

This has such a rich flavor and is quite filling. It was a perfect meal for a Friday night during Lent. I actually brought it over to a friend’s house and both husband and wife thoroughly enjoyed it. Even the husband said that he swore there was meat in it. I think it was the robust flavor and the meaty mushrooms that really added to the dish. You have to add the coconut milk at the end, as it gives it a rich and savory touch.

The left overs have been amazing as the flavors became a bit more intense. I loved it too!

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
3 medium-large carrots, peeled & sliced
3 stalks of celery, sliced
8 oz of mushrooms, sliced
1 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
1 medium-large onion, diced
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

Add when cooking is completed:

1 can of coconut milk
1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

INSTAPOT Directions:

Using an Instapot, put all ingredients in the pot and gently stir.

Cook on HIGH for 20 minutes on MANUAL cooking

At the end of 20 minutes of cooking/pressure, allow to keep hot for 10 more minutes. Then let residual pressure out with quick release method.

Add coconut milk and spinach and salt & pepper as last step. Spinach will wilt from heat.

Gently stir and serve.

STOVETOP Directions:

In a large stock pot, sautee the onion with a tablespoon of water until translucent, adding a little salt and pepper.

Add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring occasionally.

Add the broth, rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, potato, and seasonings. Mix to combine.

Continue cooking until the soup comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30-40minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender.

Add the coconut milk and the spinach to the soup and stir gently to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste if necessary.

Avocado & Chickpea Sandwhich

I had a taste for a sandwich, and I remember reading how chickpeas and avocadoes go well together somewhere along the line. Well, today I discovered that they do complement each other! I love the texture this healthy filling provides. It’s hearty, tasty, and definitely healthy. I will definitely be making this again and can’t wait to share it with you and my niece who happens to be vegan. Even if you are not vegan, you will definitely enjoy this recipe…. Sooooo good!

1 – 15oz can of chickpeas, rinsed
1 large avocado, or 2 small ones
½ tsp of garlic powder
¼ tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin
1 lime, juiced
¼ cup red onion (or onion of your choice)
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Gluten-free wrap, or bread
A handful of greens of your choice (I used spring mix)

Directions:

Pour chickpeas in bowl and mash with potato masher until relatively smooth. (Mine had a few lumps still and it was perfect).
Then add avocado and mash together with chickpeas.
Add garlic, salt, cumin, lime juice, onion, cilantro, red pepper flakes, celery to chickpea mixture. Using a rubber spoon/spatula and incorporate all together.
On tortilla wrap or bread, layer lettuce and then top with chickpea mixture. Fold tortilla and enjoy.
This makes at least 2 sandwiches/wraps.
Can store in refrigerator up to a week.

OTHER TOPPING IDEAS:

Sprouts
Radish
Cucumbers
Can serve with your favorite chips too!

Vegan Pizza

As of late, my food choices have been quite restrictive of meats and fats.... probably quite different than the 'keto-kraze' that's out there.... which is quite difficult on your liver.... so if you are going to do keto, please do it for only a short period of time. It is quite extreme, which means it is extreme on your body as well.

Any hoot..... This is an absolutely delicious meal for someone like me who is going more vegan these days and I think you will enjoy it too--- even if it means no dairy, meat, nor gluten! You won't have to give up the taste!

portabella mushrooom is your 'base' (crust)
pizza sauce - we seem to like the one at Trader Joes, but any marinara sauce will do
almond, Vegan, mozzarella cheese (great texture and taste, can be found at Trader Joes or Whole Foods)
peppers, onions, sauteed

All you do is...

All I did was sautee the veggies of peppers and onions ahead time, and seasoned with garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder

In the meantime, I cut out stem of mushroom, and sauteed the whole mushroom alongside the peppers and onions.

When everything was done, I layered the sauce, veggies and then cheese on top of mushroom.

Then I baked it in oven (or grill) for about 12 minutes - until cheese was melted and heated through.

Oven temperature was 425 degrees.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Greek-like salad—yes, please! The freshness of this salad is a wonderful Lunch or Dinner and it is great to bring to a guest's house. Everyone loves it, not just me, I mean it! The kalamata olives with the fresh cucumbers and tomatoes = delish. This is a great way to enjoy your garden-fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.

1 lb., gluten free pasta, cooked according to package
Pint of tomatoes, cut in half
1 large cucumber, chopped
1 can of chickpeas, rinsed
1 red onion, chopped
½ cup kalamata olives, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 juiced lemon
1 tsp salt

Whisk oil, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, lemon juice until mixed.

In large bowl, pour pasta, peas, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, olives and gently toss in large bowl.

Then drizzle dressing over salad and coat pasta.

Chicken Soup
For Days

Here is a safe and detox-friendly recipe ---- AND I LOVE IT! It is my usual Chicken Soup in the crockpot, with a couple more ingredients than I usually put in and it turned out awesome! With the added coconut milk, it gives it a buttery, rich flavor. And of course with the chilly days, soup is always a tasty way to warm up!

1 or 1-1/2 pounds of organic chicken thighs, boneless
1 head of cauliflower, grated
3-4 carrots, sliced
1 large onion, diced
3-4 stalks of celery, sliced
1 can of coconut milk (Thai is my favorite, can be found in Asian section)
1 Tbsp of oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp paprika
1/2 lemon - juice squeezed
about 4 cups of chicken broth or more to cover vegetables

Layer everything in crockpot and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

Before serving, spoon out chicken and use 2 forks to shred chicken. Then put back into soup.

ENJOY~

15-Min Crock Pot Minestrone Soup Vegan

Only 15-minutes? Yes! This is the very reason I love the crockpot so much. Chop up the vegetables, throw them in your crockpot and set on ‘low’ and you are good to go! You can add some cooked ground beef or turkey to the soup and voila! You come home from work and you’re ready to eat.

1 can of red kidney beans, rinsed
1 can of great northern beans, rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 zucchini, sliced in ‘moon-shaped’
2 carrots, sliced
2-3 stalks of celery, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup of green beans, cut in ½ inch pieces
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp of dried oregano
1 tsp of dried basil
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
3 bay leaves
1 quart of vegan, organic vegetable broth (add a little more water to cover veggies if needed)

Place all ingredients in crockpot and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until vegetables are tender.

NOTE: cook 1 cup of quinoa or gluten free noodles, separately, and then add at the end.

Also, add 1 cup chopped spinach or kale before serving. It will wilt slightly with the heat.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Remove bay leaves.

'Spice' Up Your Salad
Ranch Dressing

I love this dressing so much! It makes an ordinary tossed salad come to life. I even used this dressing to dip vegetables in and it’s excellent. No one will know that it does not contain dairy. And all of these ingredients are healthy! Love this!

½ cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 15-20 minutes then drain
¼ cup salsa
1 Tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice (approximately ½ to 1 full lemon or lime)
1 garlic clove, peeled
¼ tsp dried dill
¼ tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ cup water

In a high-speed blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.

I usually double this recipe to make sure there are left-overs and to make sure there is enough for everyone.

Vegan Pesto Sauce

I love the taste of basil and I love pesto sauce. Most pesto sauces have parmesan cheese in them, and dairy is something I avoid. This is a great way to enjoy a dairy free pesto sauce without sacrificing taste. In the event you do not want to use nutritional yeast, I would suggest using ½ cup ground up salted cashews in place of nutritional yeast. In this picture, I used chickpea noodles. I often use organic brown rice noodles too.

2 cups of fresh basil
1 cup raw cashews
2 garlic cloves
1 lemon, squeezed
½ cup water
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast

Place all ingredients listed in a high-speed blender or food processor. Add water, a little at a time, if thinner consistency desired.

Pour over lentil noodles (cooked according to package directions) or gluten free noodles of your choice.