Nut Loaf

I love to try new ways with meatloaf. It is amazing what you can use and make something that slices and tastes delicious.

Nut Loaf

4 onions, chopped
5 tomatoes, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
3 slices of whole wheat bread, toasted and crumbled
1/2 c. vegetable juice
1/2 c. hazelnuts, chopped
1/2 c. cashews, chopped

Saute the onions in oil until softened. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the nuts, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the nuts and spread the mixture in a loaf pan. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. Serve alongside your favorite sides for meatloaf. Enjoy!

Jazzy Rice

I love rice. It is so easy to make and there are so many things you can add to it. It never gets boring!

Jazzy Rice

4 c. cooked jasmine rice
1 T. olive oil
1 T. grated fresh ginger
One 15 oz. can mixed vegetables, drained
2 T. tamari
1/2 t. brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped cashew nuts

Cook the ginger in the olive oil until it is fragrant, maybe 30 seconds. Add the vegetables and rice and mix well. Add tamari and sugar and stir fry until everything is mixed well and heated through. Serve with a sprinkling of the cashews on top.

Enjoy!

Spring Dining

I visit my parents every weekend. Since Easter always falls on a Sunday, we decided to go whole hog (no Easter ham pun intended) for the day and made up a number of dishes, much like we've done for Thanksgiving.

Maple Glazed Tofu

1/4 c. maple syrup 
2 T. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 t. garlic salt
1/8 t. ground black pepper
1 package extra firm tofu, drained and sliced

Mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper. Place the tofu in a shallow baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once. Preheat oven to 400.  Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake uncovered 20 minutes.

I added more of the sauce before baking. My son complained it made the tofu too sweet. This was not a problem for me. ;)

Broccoli With Cashews

1 package frozen broccoli spears
1/4 c. coarsely chopped cashews
1 T. vegan butter
2 t. finely shredded lemon rind

Cook broccoli according to package directions; drain. In a small skillet, cook, stirring constantly, the cashews in melted butter for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon rind. Pour over broccoli spears.

Corn, Okra and Tomatoes

1/3 c. vegan butter
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 package frozen corn kernels
2 c. frozen cut okra
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper

In a large skillet, saute the bell pepper, onion and garlic in the butter for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes, or until heated through. Serve immediately.

Roasted Spring Vegetables

1/2 lbs. carrots, cut diagonally in 1/2" pieces
2 lbs. asparagus, ends snapped off and spears cut in half
2 T. olive oil
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Line two baking pans with foil; place carrots in one and the asparagus in the other. Toss each with 1 T. olive oil, 1/4 t. salt and 1/8 t. pepper. Bake carrots in the oven with the tofu. Remove the tofu and bump up the oven temp to 450. Stir the carrots and add the pan of asparagus to the oven next to the carrots. Roast the veggies about 10 minutes until they are lightly browned.

My mom added some cinnamon glazed sweet potatoes and a second dish of regular white potatoes to the mix.

Now dine in style. Break out the nicer dishes and pile on the deliciousness.

Broccoli with Garlic and Cashews

Broccoli - you either hate it or love it, but you don't meet too many people who are indifferent to it. I remember my mother-in-law being absolutely amazed that my kids would eat it raw. Her other grandchildren wouldn't eat a raw vegetable for love or money, but my kids would nosh on raw veggies like nobody's business. They still do. We like our veggies all ways - raw, pickled, fried, baked, boiled, steamed - you name it, we'll probably like it.

Broccoli with Garlic and Cashews

Olive oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
Broccoli - fresh or frozen (I used fresh), chopped
1/2 t. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. raw cashew pieces

Saute the garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add the broccoli and saute until well coated, add the salt and cashews and continue stirring until all are well coated and softened. Remove from heat and add a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Serve over buttered Basmati rice. Enjoy!

Broccoli is a spectacular and unique package of versatile disease fighters and abundant in numerous strong, well-known phytochemicals and antioxidants, including indoles, isothiocyanates, quercetin, glutathione, beta carotene, vitamin C, folate, lutein, glucarate, and glutathione. Broccoli is extremely strong in anticancer activity, particularly against lung, colon, and breast cancers. One of the most well known and extensively studied is the isothiocyanates. These powerful chemicals are thought to stimulate certain enzymes produced by the liver which act to neutralize the effects of cancer causing agents that enter the body. The result is less damage to DNA which can give rise to tumors. These chemicals are so powerful they have even been shown to slow down the progression of existing cancer cells. Like other cruciferous vegetables, it speeds up the removal of estrogen from the body, helping suppress breast cancer. Scientists believe there are other important cancer preventative agents in broccoli that have yet to be identified.

Broccoli is rich in cholesterol-reducing fiber and has antiviral and antiulcer activity. It is a super source of chromium that helps regulate insulin and blood sugar. Broccoli is also a good source of calcium.

However, broccoli is one of the leading intestinal gas producers. To reduce its gas production, eat broccoli with ginger or garlic. Like this dish!

Heavy cooking and processing destroy some of the anti oxidants and phytochemicals such as indoles and glutathione. Eat raw or lightly cooked as in microwave and stir-fry.

Whatever or however, just make sure you make broccoli a frequent visitor to your dinner repertoire!

Vegan Paella

I never made paella before I became a vegan. I would see the recipes and think, ooh, that sounds good! But I never actually got around to making it. I'm glad now, because that's one less dish with meat that ever got made. It still amazes me at the wealth of recipes that can be made vegan. Kind of exciting, really!

Vegan Paella

Four cups uncooked rice, cooked in whatever fashion you prefer
One bag frozen cut green beans
One bag frozen petite green peas
Olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/3 c. raw cashews
One red bell pepper, diced
One green bell pepper, diced
One can diced tomatoes
One container vegan plain yogurt or sour cream
Salt to taste
A dash of: cumin, paprika, cinnamon, cayenne, ground cloves

Saute in the olive oil the onions, bell peppers, cashews and garlic. Add tomatoes and yogurt, stir to mix well. Add green beans and peas and two cups of water. Bring to a boil, add spices, reduce to simmer and cook until everything is well blended, about 20 minutes. Add the cooked rice and mix well. Serve. Enjoy!

Paella is actually a cooking utensil, similar to a flat frying pan with handles on both sides. Peasants of Valencia would use the pot to cook rice, and add in available ingredients. It evolved depending on the cook's inspiration. Rice originated in Asia and, along with pasta, was brought to the Mediterranean by the Moors. When the Moors invaded Spain, they brought both products with them. The Moorish casseroles of rice and fish established the custom of eating rice in Spain. By the 15th century, when Spanish Catholics expelled the Muslims from Spain, rice had become a national staple.

Paella traditionally is made with saffron. Saffron grows wild in Spain, and not only gives a rich and unique flavor to the rice, but a deep yellow color as well.

You will note I did not add saffron to my paella. Feel free to add it if you like. Saffron comes in threads (expensive) or powdered (cheaper). I do very much like saffron rice and may do that the next time I make this dish.

You can use fresh green beans and tomatoes in this dish if you like, but I'm about quick, easy and convenient. I also used spices common in garam masala. You can use that in place of the spices, too, if you'd like. So, play around with it and make it yours!