Tag Archives: veggie

13

Dec. ’14

Sweet and Sour Veggie Quesadillas

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I used to make quesadillas using barbecue sauce, but then one day I read the ingredient list and I was not impressed 😒. It’s hard to find a good barbecue sauce without added caramel coloring or other unwanted additives so I decided to try making my own.

My attempt at making barbecue sauce failed but I ended up with a great sweet and sour sauce instead. As luck would have it, sweet and sour sauce tastes great in quesadillas so here is my new quesadillas recipe:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (equivalent to 1/2 cup dry or 1-15 ounce can)
3 zucchinis
6 bell peppers, assorted colors
1 large onion
1/2 tsp sea salt
8-10 whole-grain tortillas
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (optional)

Sauce:
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 tbsp sea salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Dice all of the vegetables and sauté in a little oil until tender. Add 1/2 tsp salt as well as the cooked black beans and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a saucepan and simmer, stirring often, until the sauce thickens to a very dense syrup-like texture (about 20 mins). Add to cooked veggie and bean mixture and stir until coated (you may not need all of the sauce so add it gradually while stirring).

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3. Spread the mixture evenly across half of each tortilla, sprinkle a handful of grated cheese on top (optional) and fold the tortilla in half.

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4. Place the quesadillas on a baking sheet and bake them at 375*F for about 10-15 mins (until lightly browned underneath), then broil the tops until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Cut in halves (or thirds) and serve with sour cream.

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Makes 8-10 quesadillas (depending on how much stuffing you put in each quesadilla).

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29

Nov. ’14

Veggie Taco Salad

I love hard tacos but I hate the mess created when eating them. I am a messy eater as it is, and having my food fall apart on me halfway through my meal doesn’t help matters.

That’s why taco salad is great. It’s basically a sloppy, broken-up hard taco that you eat with a spoon. My vegetarian version uses beans in place of the meat (meat eaters can substitute chicken or beef), and some extra greens. Because you can never eat too many greens!

Ingredients:
2 cups dry pinto beans
1 onion, diced
2 cups kale or spinach, chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup salsa
3 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 bag whole grain tortilla chips
Taco sauce

Taco seasoning:
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chili powder

Directions:
1. Rinse the beans and boil them in a pot of water until soft. Once cooked, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the rest. Mash the beans with a potato masher and mix in the taco seasoning as well as reserved water.
Note: if you prefer a spicier taste, you can add red pepper flakes to the seasoning as well.

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2. Sauté the onion in a little oil for about 5 mins until tender. Add the kale (or spinach) and cook until soft. Add the tomato and cook a few mins more.

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3. Add the mashed beans and salsa to the cooked vegetables, and stir until combined.

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4. Scoop about a cup of the bean mixture into a bowl and add a handful of shredded lettuce, grated cheese and drizzle a little taco sauce on top. Add the chips and crush them into the mixture.

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23

Nov. ’14

Easy Veggie Moussaka Recipe (gluten free!)

I love moussaka but finding a good vegetarian recipe is not easy, especially one that is gluten free.

My recipe is a combination of Jamie Oliver’s veggie moussaka and Martha Stewarts’s meat moussaka with my own variations thrown in. I pre-bake the veggies in the oven instead of pan frying them to save prep time, and the typical bechamel sauce is replaced with a feta and ricotta cheese mixture to make this moussaka gluten free.

Although this recipe is quicker than others, making moussaka is time consuming so save this for a day that you have a little extra time to put dinner together. It is worth the effort though, and even meat eaters find this veggie moussaka to be delicious.

Ingredients:

1 LARGE eggplant
2 medium zucchini
4 small red potatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
12 tbsp Coconut oil  (or Vegetable oil)
1/2 cup Sprouted green lentils (regular lentils will work too but take longer to cook)
1 red onion
1 jar (25 oz) of Pasta Sauce
1 cup Feta cheese
1 cup Ricotta cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400*F.
2. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-1inch slices. Combine the salt and pepper with 6 tbsp olive oil on a baking sheet and toss with the eggplant. Place the eggplant slices in a single layer on the baking sheet (you may need more than one). Place the baking sheet(s) in the oven and bake for 20-30 mins until soft and fully cooked (the eggplant slices will shrivel and shrink a bit).

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3. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch slices as well, and toss both the potato and zucchini slices with the remaining 6 tbsp in oil. Spread the slices into a single layer onto baking sheets and bake in the oven for 20-30 mins until soft and slightly golden.

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4. Cook the lentils according to package directions (sprouted lentils cook in 5 mins, regular lentils will take much longer). Drain any excess water and set aside.
5. Dice the onion and sauté in a little bit of oil for 4-5 mins in a saucepan. Add the lentils and tomato sauce. Stir until combined then set aside.

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6. Layer half of the eggplant slices in the bottom of a 3-quart casserole dish. Layer half of the potato and zucchini slices on top of the eggplant.

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7. Pour half the sauce mixture over the layered vegetables. Then layer the rest of the eggplant, potato and zucchini slices over the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce on top.
8. Combine the ricotta and feta cheese in a large bowl and then spread evenly over casserole.
9. Broil in oven until cheese is spotted brown (about 10 mins).

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10. Cut into squares and serve.

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