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Mushroom and Asparagus Pasta

March 22, 2022 by Tiffany King 2 Comments

This dish is a light, healthy. and super flavorful meal.

It’s also quick to put together, for those evenings where time is an issue, but you want to have a healthy dinner.

Feel free to vary the vegetables to fit what you have on hand.

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5 from 1 vote

Mushroom and Asparagus Pasta

Hands-on time15

Ingredients

16 oz whole wheat bowtie pasta
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion diced
3 cloves garlic crushed
8 oz baby bella mushrooms sliced
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 bunch asparagus cut in 2" pieces
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved
salt & pepper to taste
1 handful fresh basil chopped (about 1 Tbsp.)

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
While that boils, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and cook the onion and garlic until the onion is soft.
Add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes.
Add the bell pepper, asparagus and tomatoes to the skillet and cook until the asparagus is tender crisp.
Drain the pasta and combine with the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and top with fresh basil.

Notes

Note: The Whole Food Plant-Based plan typically avoids oils, but the addition of some oil with this pasta keeps the dish from being too dry. You can skip the oil if you prefer though.

Quick Plant-Based Pizzas

July 20, 2021 by Tiffany King Leave a Comment

If you are someone who hasn’t always followed a plant-based diet, you may find yourself wanting some comfort foods that don’t seem as available now that you’re eating plant-based. One of those foods may be pizza.

I think these quick plant-based pizzas may be the answer for you. And you can get creative with the veggie combinations on the pizzas, too, so if all of your family doesn’t like the same thing, you can go the pita route and offer some variety.

I will say that the main reason I miss the cheese on these is not for the taste. It’s because the cheese will hold things together.

These pizzas are a bit messier to eat, but they’re so good and so easy too!

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5 from 1 vote

Quick Plant-Based Pizzas

Cook Time20

Hands-on Time15

Servings: pizzas (or 8 personal pizzas)

Ingredients

2 red onions chopped
3 cloves garlic crushed
2 bell peppers, any color chopped
16 oz baby bella mushrooms sliced
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp fennel
4 oz can sliced black olives
2 15 oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
2 whole wheat pizza crusts or 8 whole wheat pita bread rounds
mild banana pepper rings if desired
8 cups chopped greens - kale, spinach, chard, romaine etc.

Instructions

In a large skillet, cook the onion and garlic until the onion is soft. Add a bit of water if it begins to stick.
Add the bell peppers, mushrooms, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, thyme, fennel and black olives.
Cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
In a medium-sized bowl, stir the crushed tomatoes, vinegar, basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper together.
Spread some sauce on each crust.
Top with cooked vegetables.
Add mild banana peppers if you like.
Cook on a baking sheet at 400° for about 10 minutes.
Top cooked pizzas with chopped greens.

Smoked Sausage with Garden Vegetables Sheet Pan Dinner

June 22, 2021 by Tiffany King Leave a Comment

Sheet-pan dinners are pretty quick. Chop up some veggies, add some meat, place on sheet pan and cook. If you want to add a side, you can make rice or a simple noodle dish or you can just eat whatever was on the pan by itself.

The beauty of a sheet pan dinner is that you can extend it a bit if you need to. Feel free to add other veggies if your household isn’t a fan of yellow squash, for instance.

Any vegetable you have in your fridge or garden is a candidate for this meal. Think broccoli, brussels sprouts, green beans, carrots, potatoes…the possibilities are endless.

If you do add a vegetable that needs a longer cooking time, such as potatoes, just pop those in the oven for a few minutes and then pull the sheet pan out and add the remaining ingredients and continue cooking.

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5 from 1 vote

Smoked Sausage with Garden Vegetables Sheet Pan Dinner

Cook Time20

Hands-on Time15

Servings: servings

Ingredients

2 12 oz. packages of smoked sausage coin-sliced
2 zucchini coin-sliced
2 yellow squash coin-sliced
2 tomatoes sliced
2-4 Tbs. olive oil
2-3 Tbs. rosemary
2-3 Tbs. garlic powder

Instructions

Brush one large or two small-rimmed baking sheets with olive oil.
Toss smoked sausage, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, and onion with a drizzle of olive oil.
Season with garlic and rosemary and spread evenly over pan(s).
Place in a 400° oven for 20 minutes until meat is cooked through.

Tofu Teriyaki Bowls

March 24, 2021 by Tiffany King Leave a Comment

This is a super-tasty restaurant-type teriyaki tofu bowl.

Even if you think you don’t like tofu, give it a try! Tofu doesn’t have much flavor on it’s own. It’s all about what you add to it, and this recipe adds lots of fantastic flavors.

Admittedly, there are a few steps to making this recipe, but the end result is well worth it. And it all comes together very quickly.

Using the Instant Pot to make some rice does save some time, and it makes the perfect dinner or a tasty lunch.

Using the extra-firm tofu helps your cubes stay cubes, so be sure to read the package when you’re buying the tofu. (Not that crumbled tofu wouldn’t be tasty, it’s just a prettier dish with the cubes – and they’re easier to eat with chopsticks).

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5 from 3 votes

Tofu Teriyaki Bowls

Hands-on Time15

Ingredients

2 14 oz block extra-firm tofu
3 Tbs sesame seeds
1/2 cup tamari
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tbs tomato paste or ketchup without high-fructose corn syrup
1 Tbs minced fresh ginger
4-5 cups steamed broccoli use fresh or frozen
5-6 green onions chopped

Instructions

For the tofu bowls:

Cut the tofu into ½" cubes.
Stir the sesame seeds, tamari, maple syrup, tomato paste or ketchup and ginger together in a large bowl.
Add tofu cubes and toss to coat.
Remove tofu cubes from the sauce, reserving the sauce, and place tofu on a parchment lined sheet and bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes.
Stir the extra sauce into the hot, steamed broccoli.
To serve, put cooked rice in each bowl and top with tofu, broccoli and chopped green onions.

For Instant Pot brown rice:

1 cup brown rice
1¼ cups water or vegetable broth
Place brown rice and water in the instant pot. Close the lid and seal. Cook the rice for 17 minutes on high pressure. Do a quick pressure release.
OR follow package directions for stovetop brown rice

Peanut Noodle Bowls

March 16, 2021 by Tiffany King 1 Comment

Easy, versatile and delicious!

This simple and quick meal has become a regular on our table lately. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples.

While the recipe calls for broccoli and bell pepper, you could potentially add other veggies based on what you like and what you have on hand. Julienned carrot or maybe some snow peas would go great with these noodles. Don’t worry about the sriacha making the noodles too spicy. The peanut butter really helps to mellow it, but you can always use less (or more, if you like it spicy).

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5 from 2 votes

Peanut Noodle Bowls

Cook Time15

Hands-on Time15

Servings: servings

Ingredients

16 oz brown rice noodles or whole-grain spaghetti
4 cups broccoli florets
2 Tbs fresh grated ginger
6 cloves garlic crushed
1 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup rice vinegar or white vinegar
1/4 cup tamari
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tsp sriacha
1 red bell pepper cut in thin strips
1 bunch green onions diced
2 Tbs sesame seeds toasted, optional

Instructions

Cook the noodles according to the package directions
. Steam the broccoli until tender.
Stir together the ginger, garlic, peanut butter, vinegar, tamari, maple syrup and sriracha in a saucepan. Warm over medium heat until hot through.
To serve, toss drained noodles with broccoli, red bell pepper and peanut sauce. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.