Vegan - Ultimate Sausage and Orzo Casserole

I haven't been posting much lately.  We've been in the habit of making some of our favorite recipes so there hasn't been any new ones made or new pictures taken until recently.

The following recipe reminds me of a loaded Italian sausage pizza, but with pasta instead of a crust.  I haven't tried it with rice or quinoa, but I am sure you could substitute it if you are looking for gluten free - but the sausage would still have gluten.  We rarely eat pasta, but it is a nice treat every once in a while in moderation.

I adapted this recipe from a Costco recipe I photocopied from somewhere a while ago.  Might have been their monthly magazine, might have been the Thanksgiving cookbook, I can't really remember.  Either way I have changed it to suit our tastes and, of course, veganized it.

ULTIMATE SAUSAGE AND ORZO CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg Gimme Lean Italian Sausage or Field Roast Italian Sausage links (4 pk) ** see note below
1 Onion, peeled and diced
1 Green Pepper, diced
8-10 Brown Crimini Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Water with 1/2 tsp No Chicken Bouillon mixed in
2 tsp minced Garlic
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds
6 oz bag Baby Spinach
10 oz Orzo Pasta
       Handful of Grape Tomatoes - optional
**  Almond Parmesan - recipe HERE

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Cook orzo according to package directions.

2.  In the meantime depending on whether you are using Gimme Lean or Field Roast do one of the following:  If using Gimme Lean - crumble as best you can and cook over medium heat in large frying pan, breaking into smaller pieces as you cook.  Set aside. - OR - If you are using Field Roast links (which is what I did) simply take them out of the plastic casings, quarter the links lengthwise and dice into small pieces and set aside.  They are pre-cooked.

3.  In a large frying pan saute the onion, green pepper, and mushrooms with 1/4 cup of the no-chicken stock on medium-high heat until softened a bit and juices are released from the mushrooms.  Add in garlic, cayenne, and fennel seeds and cook another 2-3 minutes.

4.  Add the remaining 1/4 cup no-chicken stock and the bag of spinach and saute until spinach has barely wilted.  Add Field Roast or cooked Gimme Lean sausages pieces to the frying pan.  Stir and heat until sausages are warm and incorporated.

5.  By now your orzo should be cooked.  Drain, rinse and add to the pan with the rest of the ingredients. Stir, then add in grape tomatoes if you desire and serve sprinkled with the almond parmesan and a little fresh ground pepper.  

NOTE - Field Roast sausages are now available at Costco.

- Bon Appetit

" Those who forget the pasta are doomed to reheat it." - Author Unknown
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Simple Kale Salad with Peanut Vinaigrette - Vegan & Gluten Free

I am sure we could all use a little more leafy green veggies in our diet.  Lately I have been trying to work more raw foods into our diet and have been playing with kale salads.

I think I've come up with a nice combination of kale and dressing.  I served this salad a few times with steamed tempeh on the side for a complete meal at dinnertime.  I just drizzled a little leftover dressing over the tempeh when serving.   I have also made it with a few different veggie add-ins such as brown mushrooms.  It makes a great lunch on its own too, just put the dressing in a separate container until ready to eat, then mix.

SIMPLE KALE SALAD WITH PEANUT VINAIGRETTE

INGREDIENTS:

1 large Carrot, julienned or cut in thin rounds
1/2 cup Red Onion, slivered or diced
1 bunch Kale
1/4 cup Olive Oil
3 Tbsp all natural Peanut Butter
1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Lime or Lemon Juice
3 Tbsp pure Maple Syrup
1-1/2 tsp minced Garlic
5 - 1/8inch slices fresh Ginger Root
        Sprinkle of Black Pepper and Sesame Seeds to garnish

DIRECTION:

1.  Cut kale into bite size pieces as you remove the leaves from the woody stems.  Wash and spin dry kale pieces and place in large mixing bowl.  Gently, and with both hands, massage the kale for a few seconds to soften the leaves.  You may notice it becomes a slightly brighter green color.

2.  Add carrots, red onion and whatever other veggies you may want.

3.  In food processor or high speed blender (I used a Vitamix), process the olive oil, peanut butter, vinegar, lemon or lime juice, maple syrup, garlic and fresh ginger until smooth and creamy.

4.  Drizzle part of the dressing over the salad.  Start with about half of the dressing since whether you use the entire batch will depend on how big your bunch of kale was, what other veggies you may have added, and how much dressing you like.  Stir with salad tongs or a large spoon or fork.  Add more dressing if desired.    I was making two dinner portions and used just over 2/3 of the dressing.

5.  Plate salad and sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and sesame seeds if desired.

On a side note, I purchased a counter top dehydrator yesterday.  I have my first batch of kale chips in there now. I will let you know if they turn out.

- Bon Appetit

"There are two types of people; those who eat kale and those who should." - Bo Muller-Moore
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Cauliflower Tabbouleh - Vegan & Gluten Free

Tabbouleh or Tabouli is an Arab salad usually consisting of bulgur wheat, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, mint, onion, and garlic then seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.

I believe this raw take on it using grated cauliflower is a healthier version than the traditional.

While there are a lot of versions of cauliflower tabbouleh on the internet, I found the original version of this recipe last July and did some slight adjustments to it to make it more suitable for hubby and I.  I am not a huge fan of parsley so I reduced the amount by half.  I also upped the amount of green onions. The original recipe is called Detox Tabbouleh, by Angela Liddon of Oh She Glows and can be found here:  LINK.  Check it out - her pictures are way better than mine.  

I like to make the recipe using a large head of cauliflower so that we have enough for dinner portions and lunch the next day.  While you can scoop it onto crackers, we prefer to eat it straight from the bowl as a meal.  I also try and use all organic produce for the recipe.  I have also used both Italian parsley and flat-leafed and I don't think it makes a difference which one you use.

CAULIFLOWER TABBOULEH

INGREDIENTS:

1 large head Cauliflower, rinsed and cut into large florets
1 pint (1.5 cups) Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup chopped Parsley
3/4 cup chopped Cilantro
1-1/2 cups chopped Celery
6 Green Onions, chopped
2 tbsp hulled Hemp Seeds, if available
1/3 cup Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tbsp Flax Seed Oil - or use Olive Oil if flax not available
1 tsp pure Maple Syrup
Sprinkle of Sea Salt & Black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Grate cauliflower into large bowl.  The stems don't grate well, but the florets grate really nice, just work your way around the head of the floret.  Feel free to nibble on the stalks that won't grate.  NOTE - I attempted to use a food processor and found the mixture too wet.  Grating by hand seemed to work best.

2.  To the cauliflower add tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, celery, and green onions and mix to combine.

3.  In small bowl whisk together vinegar, oil, and maple syrup.

4.  Pour vinegar mixture onto cauliflower mixture and stir to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve. If you are using hemp seeds sprinkle on top just before serving.

- Bon Appetit

" Cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education." - Mark Twain
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Mexican Inspired Couscous - Vegan

Some nights I just don't want to cook something for dinner that takes too long and a one-dish meals are my go to recipes.

I don't make this one too often, but I enjoy the flavors and it is quick and easy for a weeknight after work.   It is very adaptable.  Sometimes I add corn, sometimes okra.  For a gluten free alternative using quinoa instead of couscous, see notes after recipe. 

MEXICAN INSPIRED COUSCOUS

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Water
1 tsp No Chicken Bouillon
1 medium Onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Chili Powder or Hot Sauce
1 Cup frozen Peas
1-1/2 Cups diced fresh Tomatoes
3/4 Cup Couscous
1/4 Cup Cilantro, chopped and for garnish
1 Avocado, peeled and diced
**  1/2 cup frozen cut Okra and/or Corn (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In medium saucepan combine water and bouillon.  Add onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes.  Add cumin and chili powder and cook for another minute.

2.  Add peas, tomatoes, cilantro, and if you are using corn and/or okra add it now too.    Bring to a boil.

3.  Add couscous, stir to combine.  Remove from heat and cover.  Let stand 5 minutes.

4.  Fluff with a fork and stir in avocado.  Serve and top with extra cilantro for garnish.  We like to eat it out of a bowl topped with Trader Joes Jalapeno Sauce.  One could also use it as a burrito stuffing and add a little vegan sour cream and salsa.

This makes two very large bowls/dinner portions or three lunch portions.

** To make it gluten free by substituting quinoa:  Cook the quinoa using a ratio of 1 cup quinoa to 1.5 cups water adding a little no chicken bouillon in the water.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes then remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes.  While quinoa is cooking, saute onion and garlic in a little olive oil.  Add cumin and chili powder and saute another minute.  Add tomatoes, peas, and corn/okra.  Cook until peas are thawed.  If mixture seems a little dry add a little water.  Fluff quinoa and combine the two mixtures.  Stir in avocado.    In the alternative you can thaw your veggies while the quinoa is cooking and combine the raw veggies and tomatoes with the fluffed quinoa for a cool salad rather than one-dish casserole type meal.

(With couscous, but without okra or corn)

- Bon Appetit

"  You can do a lot for your diet by eliminating foods that have mascots." - Ted Spiker
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Peanut Thai Quinoa Salad - Vegan

This salad has become one of our favorites.  SpartanBabe provided me with the recipe from laaloosh.com in the comment section of my Raw Pad Thai post last August, but I modified it and changed quantities in about 10 different ways to suit our tastes.  The recipe she provided was also modified from another from Ambitious Kitchen, so I have not included the original since this is a modified of a modified, etc and I don't know how well it even resembles the original.

A few of the ways I've modified it are as follows:  changed out the 'low fat peanut butter' to fresh ground peanut butter, I've upped the veggie counts and of course spiced it up a bit.  I also found the recipe to be too salty so I've reduced the amount of soy sauce.

*  To make this gluten free, use a gluten free tamari in place of the soy sauce. 

** If you are looking for a colorful salad use red cabbage and a red pepper.  I use whatever happens to be cheaper so it is usually green cabbage and a green pepper.

Although I find this recipe is just as good warm, I traditionally make the quinoa up in the morning and refrigerate it until putting the salad together for dinner. As a meal this makes two large dinner portions and two large lunch portions.  As a side salad with grilled tofu or tempeh it will of course serve more.

PEANUT THAI QUINOA SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Quinoa
1-1/2 cups Water
1 tsp No Chicken Bouillon
1 Bell Pepper, chopped (red or green)
2 cups Cabbage, shredded (red or green)
1-1/2 cups Shelled Edamame
2 Carrots, sliced in thin rounds
1 can Baby Corn, drained, rinsed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (Optional)
1 cup sliced Green Onions, green and white parts
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup Peanut Butter, fresh ground tastes best
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
3 Tbsp Soy Sauce or Tamari
2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
1-2 Tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce
2 Tbsp minced Garlic
3 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Szechuan Sauce
1 Tbsp pure Maple Syrup
1-2 tsps fresh grated or minced Ginger

Sesame Seeds and fresh Ground Black Pepper for sprinkling on top when serving

**  I have also used 1 can of drained and rinsed chick peas instead of baby corn with good results - picture at end of post.

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat water, quinoa and No Chicken Bouillon to a boil in small saucepan.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed.  Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes more.  Fluff with fork, put in large mixing bowl and refrigerate until assembling salad.

2.  Remove quinoa from refrigerator and add bell pepper, cabbage, edamame, carrots, baby corn and/or chick peas, and green onions.  Stir to combine.

3.  In small bowl whisk together peanut butter and sesame oil.  Add in one at a time the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili sauce, garlic, lime juice, szechuan sauce, maple syrup, and ginger whisking between each addition.  If you add all the liquid to the peanut butter and try and whisk at the end it isn't as easy and has a tendency to splash and make a mess. 

4.  Pour half of peanut dressing over quinoa veggie mixture and stir to incorporate.  Pour the remaining dressing over the salad and stir again.  Stir in cilantro.

5.  Serve in bowls or on plates.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and ground pepper and enjoy.

(Green pepper, green cabbage, and baby corn)

Here is a picture of a batch with red pepper, red cabbage and chick peas instead of baby corn.

(Red pepper, red cabbage, and chick peas)

- Bon Appetit

" He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skills of his doctors." - Chinese Proverb

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Thick n Easy Blueberry Smoothie - Vegan

One of our favorite things to prepare for breakfast on the weekend is a thick blueberry smoothie.  It is filling enough that it has even been dinner on a weeknight when we don't feel like cooking or don't want a large meal.

Since we own a Vitamix, I have not tried this recipe in a regular blender. Due to the density of the ingredients and thickness of the resulting smoothie I suggest a high speed blender such as a Vitamix or Blendtec, otherwise you may want to half it and make it in two batches.

This recipe makes approximately 5 cups - two large meal-sized portions.

THICK N EASY BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS:
2 fresh ripe Bananas
1-1/2 cups frozen Blueberries
2 cups crushed Ice
1/2 block Silken Tofu
1 cup Soy Milk or other dairy free milk
2-3 Tbsp pure Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In high speed blender add all ingredients and blend until smooth.  I use the smoothie setting on the Vitamix and let it run its course.  Use the tamper to make sure everything is blending.  Add a little more soy milk if it seems too thick.

Pour and enjoy.  

*  I have also made a smoothie substituting frozen raspberries, but prefer the blueberry flavor. 

**Adding a small cored apple will also increase the nutrient value and add a little sweetness.

- Bon Appetit

"Blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries are true super foods. Naturally sweet and juicy, berries are low in sugar and high in nutrients - they are among the best foods you can eat." - Joel Fuhrman

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