Tag: vegan dinner

Oodles of Zoodles with Avocado Pesto

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Tempeh Bacon Lettuce & Tomato Sammies

Whoa…where have I been, right?! Sheesh. Okay, I will keep it real with you, I’ve been working diligently on my Spring Cleaning Cleanse program which starts on Monday, April 25 (click here if you wanna join in yo).

I’ve been in the kitchen trying every single recipe, making sure it’s super duper simple for those busy peeps and putting together a pretty gorgeous e-guide for my cleansers. Kinda nice of me, right? So I apologize in advance for my absence. I promise once the cleanse is over, I’ll get back to normal (sorta).

I am in the process of shifting to lighter eating (thank you Spring weather and Mother Nature for getting the memo) so all my recipes are focused on this. And to be honest, it gets a little boring. Who the hell wants salads all day every day? NOT ME. That sucks so I give myself the opportunity to change it up a bit, you know, like with this recipe for Zoodles (zucchini noodles, yes, it is a made up word but so what?!).

This recipe is…

Light.

Refreshing.

Full of flavor.

And takes only 10-15 minutes (or less if you quick like that).

Can you dig it?

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Poppin’ Peanut Noodles

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Tempeh Bacon Lettuce & Tomato Sammies (1)

There’s nothing better than a quick and easy dinner on a weeknight. Yesterday was not the busiest of days (which I am truly grateful for) but Matthew and I got quite a bit done around the house. I am so grateful I am marrying a man who doesn’ t mind sweeping and mopping. We’ve done some serious sweating the last few days. We did one round of Insanity by Shaun T (which is 2 months) and now we are starting all over again. And we are going harder this time around. This equals buckets of sweat. So I am really grateful for a clean floor.

After a 40-minute sweat fest, I didn’t want to spend so much time in the kitchen. I really wanted something easy, nourishing and freakin’ delicious. I love throwing a bunch of things together (basically cleaning house in the fridge- this keeps things from going bad) and what better way to do that than stir-frying some veg and tossing some brown rice noodles with peanut sauce. Amazeballs!

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Holla for Chana Masala

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I believe this is my very first Indian recipe on the blog. Gasp. This is a very auspicious moment. I actually loved how this dish turned out so much I am happy to share it with you. The best part? SUPER EASY! Many Indian dishes take FOREVER and this is simply because of the spices, marinating and making sure you get so many layers of flavor in each bite (this takes great expertise-which I am still working on). This chana (chickpea) recipe is fool proof and can be made on the busiest of nights to satisfy the hungriest men in your home (or women- it surely satisfied me). I hope you enjoy this delicious dish as much as I did.

What You Need: 

  • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (or ghee if you’re going the non-vegan route)
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
  • 1 jalapeño chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped ginger (you may also grate it to save time)
  • 1 bag of organic baby spinach
  • 2 15 -ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 24-ounce can of San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • Cilantro, for garnish
  • Himalayan Pink salt (or sea salt) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Cooked Brown rice or Naan, for serving

How You Make It: 

  1. Head olive oil or ghee in a large skillet. Add garlic, ginger, onion to the pan and let cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Add curry powder, chili powder and cumin and cook until fragrant.
  2. Add chickpeas to the spicy onion mixture and stir until completely coated.
  3. Slowly add in tomatoes, breaking tomatoes with a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
  5. Once the sauce is slightly thick, fold in spinach and stir until it wilts (the heat from the skillet will do this pretty quickly).
  6. Remove from heat. Serve immediately with brown rice or naan and garnish with cilantro.

Enjoy this little taste of India at your next meal.

Peace, love and NO beef!

Guramrit

 

Fiesta Tacos with Tempeh

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I looooove tacos. Seriously. I love tacos. I love Mexican food in general. Actually, I think I just love food. If I could just go around tasting food all day I would not only be a big roly poly, I would be a very happy pudgy person. 

It just so happened to be a Tuesday (hello, Taco Tuesday) and I had a craving. I also had a ton of tempeh hiding in my fridge in an attempt to fall madly in love with tempeh (I think it might be working). These tacos were the love child of the ingredients in my fridge, my obnoxious craving for tacos and a lovely spring day. 

It’s okay, you can start salivating now. I promise I won’t judge you. These tacos are THAT good. 

What You Need:

For the Tempeh

1 package of Organic Three Grain Tempeh (check out Lightlife), sliced into thin strips

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 limes, juiced (and zest)

3 tbs extra virgin olive oil

3 tsp chili powder

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt 

For the Slaw

1/2 package of broccoli slaw mix (or coleslaw mix from your grocery store)

1 lime, juiced

2 tbs diced pickled jalapenos (or you can also use fresh)

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For Taco Assembly

Gluten Free Corn Tortillas

Toppings: Avocado, Tomato, Cilantro, Salsa or more lime 

How You Make it: 

  1. Create the marinade for the tempeh by combining the lime, olive oil, garlic, spices in a bowl. Cover the sliced tempeh completely with this marinade and let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour (the longer it marinades, the better tasting your tempeh). 
  2. While the tempeh marinates, make the slaw by combining the slaw mix with the pickled jalapenos, salt, pepper, lime juice and olive oil. Let sit for 20 minutes. 
  3. After your tempeh is fully marinated, warm up a cast iron skillet on high heat. Once hot, lower to medium-high heat and add the strips of tempeh. Cook until golden brown on both sides. 
  4. Assemble your tacos! Grab a couple of corn tortillas (you can warm on the stove, microwave, oven-however you like), add 3 slices of tempeh per tortilla, top with slaw and your favorite toppings. I love avocado, tomato and cilantro. 

There is nothing more satisfying than a delicious taco and a simple meal on a weeknight. 

What are your favorite Taco Tuesday recipes? I’d love to know!

Peace, love and NO beef!

Guramrit 

 

Vegan Peanut-less Pad Thai

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I am going to be honest. I have NEVER ever had Pad Thai. I don’t know what it’s supposed to taste like. I just know that it involves noodles, peanuts, limes and cilantro. Since my recent peanut allergy (literally discovered this last year when I broke out in hives from eating peanut butter- super bummer), I have avoided trying Pad Thai for my own sanity. Then, I came across a WONDERFUL recipe during one of my lunch time adventures in Barnes & Noble. I salivated the moment I read the ingredients and jumped for joy upon the mention of peanuts being optional. I adapted this version of Vegan Pad Thai from a fellow Vegan food blogger and writer of the incredible cookbook, Isa Does It (seriously, check her out- amazing recipes). Not only is this recipe incredibly simple, it will have you craving Pad Thai practically every night of the week. If I could cuddle up with a bowl of this Pad Thai and have it sing me a sweet lullaby, I would be a happy woman.

What You Need: 

  • 8 oz pad thai rice noodles or buckwheat soba noodles (my family loved this version- a little heartier), cooked according to package directions and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 package (or 2 if you’re incredibly hungry) of extra firm organic sprouted tofu, cut into 1.5 inch cubes
  • 4 cups broccoli, sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups green onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups cilantro, chopped
  • 4 oz mung bean sprouts
  • Lime Wedges for serving

For the sauce: 

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 5 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
  • 6 tablespoons brown sugar (I went for dark brown for added sweetness)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons Sriracha
  • 2 tablespoons mellow white miso
  • 1/4 cup water

How You Make It: 

  1. Make the tofu. After removing the tofu from the liquid, dry it off as much as possible and cut into cubes. Heat a cast iron skillet (or any skillet will do) on high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet and add tofu immediately. Stir frequently and cook until tofu is browned and crispy. Remove from the pan, set aside.
  2. In the same pan, add a teaspoon of oil and half the minced garlic. Toss in the broccoli and sauté for 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside with tofu.
  3. In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients for the sauce. Mix until most of the miso has dissolved.
  4. Add remaining oil and garlic to a pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and toss in half of the cilantro and all of the green onion. Stir until slightly wilted. Pour in half of the sauce and heat through.
  5. Add in the noodles and toss to coat. Add back tofu, broccoli, mung bean sprouts and the rest of the sauce.
  6. Serve immediately with lime wedges and the rest of the cilantro.

Is it sad to say that my mouth started to water after writing this?

Grab a fork or some chopsticks and slurp up this sweet and spicy goodness. Your stomach will thank you.

Peace, love and NO beef!

Guramrit