January 2009

Vegan Rustic Vegetable Soup January 5, 2009 19:34

There's nothing like soup to warm you to your kissers. And if you're in the mood, this Vegan Rustic Vegetable Soup should fit the bill. Filled with huge chunks of potatoes and carrots, along with some healthy whole grains and other goodness, you will surely feel like you're eating soup they might have enjoyed in the Little House on the Prairie.

If you don't have these exact ingredients on hand, then just use what you do have. Soups are very forgiving, and you really can't mess them up.

And soups are such an excellent way to cram lots of healthy foods into one dish.

Here's the simple recipe I came up with tonight.

Enjoy!

Vegan Rustic Vegetable Soup
Serves 6

6 cups veggie broth (my fave is veggie bouillon by Organic Gourmet)
1/3 cup pre-soaked barley
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 cup onion, chopped
4 medium carrots, cut into 1" chunks
4 red potatoes, skins on, cut into 1" chunks
2 cups cooked black beans
Pinch of celery seeds

Step 1: Place veggie broth in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add pre-soaked barley and rinsed quinoa, cover, and bring back to a boil. Lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Add onion, carrots, and potatoes and bring back to a boil, covered. Lower heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until all veggies are tender. Add cooked black beans and celery seeds and heat until warmed through.

You'll notice I didn't add any ingredients to flavor the soup. That's because the flavors of the grains and veggies were shining so brightly, the soup was just perfect as is. An addition of a little squirt of flax oil to each bowl helps to give a further bump in nutrition, and is optional.

I served our soup with toast slathered with cashew butter and agave nectar. Perfection.

Rustic Vegetable Soup

Easy and yummy. And very warming on a cold winter's day.

Happy cooking!

xoxo

Vegan Breakfast Casserole January 17, 2009 12:57

As you may know, I'm a huuuuge fan of a yummy Sunday vegan brunch. So when I was in the mood for something different, I created this Vegan Breakfast Casserole. It was a welcome change from the vegan pancakes, french toast, breakfast grains, hash, and other delectable brunches Jeff and I have always enjoyed on our precious Sunday mornings together.

Now, I've never made a vegan breakfast casserole before. In fact, I don't recall ever having had breakfast casserole in my lifetime, even before going vegan all those years ago. But I came across a recipe recently, and decided to try my hand at veganizing it.

It turned out exactly as I would imagine a breakfast casserole should. It's truly scrumptious, and Jeff and I practically inhaled it.

If you're looking for a change from your normal breakfast routine, give this sensational and very flavorful Vegan Breakfast Casserole a try. I think you're going to like it too.

Vegan Breakfast Casserole

Happy cooking!

xoxo

Vegan Southwestern Quinoa Burro January 23, 2009 16:32

Here's another delicious vegan breakfast for you to consider: Vegan Southwestern Quinoa Burro. Stuffed with quinoa and kidney beans, then wrapped in a tortilla and topped with a flavorful Southwestern sauce that matches perfectly with the flavors of the burro innards. Oh, yum!

I use quinoa a lot in my cooking. It's packed with protein, cooks up quickly, and is always fail-proof. If you've never tried quinoa, give it a go. Most people love it! In fact, if you like couscous, you're going to love quinoa.

Most people think couscous is a grain, but in fact it's pasta. And quinoa is actually a seed, but it counts in your whole grains totals for the day.

Of course, if you eat a vegetarian or vegan diet, it's extremely important for you to eat beans on a daily basis. Beans are packed with protein also, and they're incredibly good for you.

Some people are confused by beans -- what's the best way to enjoy them? Do you just have to eat a big bowl of beans every day, or what?

Well, one the cool thing I have discovered about beans is that they have the ability to sort of disappear into many different dishes. They're actually quite neutral in taste! So add those beans to whole grains, soups/stews/chilis, salads of all kinds -- use your imagination and eat those beans!

As you may know, I'm a huge fan of vegan sauces. They really keep me married to my vegan diet because they add that certain something that makes you feel as though you're eating something sinful, even if the sauce you're enjoying is healthy.

And that's why it's important for you to learn how to make healthy vegan sauces that taste sensational. You can learn to make your own sauces quickly and easily at home with my new sauce-making course Get Sauced With Sass!.

Up until recently, the book was only available in downloadable ebook format, but Get Sauced With Sass! is now available pre-printed in full-color with a lay-flat binding. Yes, I listen to what you want out there, and the pre-printed version is ready for you! whoo-hoo!

Okay, enough blabbering. Onto the recipe...

Vegan Southwestern Quinoa Burro.

Southwestern Quinoa Burro

Happy cooking!

xoxo

p.s. Ideas for flavorings in the Southwestern vegan sauce were inspired by the Kidney Bean "Vegan Flavor Matches" -- they make cooking a breeze!

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