Ginger Broccoli

I love broccoli, cooked or raw. It's great as a side dish.

Ginger Broccoli

One bunch of broccoli, cut into florets
2 T. mirin (you can use sake instead, if you have it)
1 T. tamari
1 T. fresh ginger, minced, or 1 t. ground ginger
1 t. sesame oil

Place everything in a skillet with about 1/4 c. water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer gently for about 4 minutes, or until broccoli is a bright green. Serve. Enjoy!

African "Beef" with Rice

So many African dishes I've encountered contain peanut butter, and this is no exception. Sometimes the peanut butter can overwhelm the dish, but here it is more subtle. Such a simple and quick dish to prepare.

African "Beef" with Rice

One bag of vegan ground beef
One onion, chopped
One large can of diced tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 c. peanut butter
Cooked brown rice

Mix everything but the rice together and cook over medium heat until heated through and well mixed. Serve it over the cooked rice. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Salad with Yogurt and Mint

Cauliflower sometimes gets a bad wrap as being bland, and I won't lie, it does not pass muster as a mashed potato substitute. Not in this house! But I do enjoy it, generally, especially in salads.

Cauliflower Salad with Yogurt and Mint

One head of cauliflower
3 or more garlic cloves, minced
1/2" piece of ginger, minced
2 T. oil
One container plain vegan yogurt
Several mint leaves

Chop the cauliflower into small pieces. Saute the garlic, ginger, and cauliflower in oil, but don't brown. You want to keep the cauliflower crunchy. Add to a bowl with the yogurt and the mint, and mix well. Chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Ramen Cabbage Salad

I'm not a fan of ramen noodles, in general. I associate them with being sick. But uncooked, they add a nice crunch to salads.

Ramen Cabbage Salad

1/2 c. sesame seeds
1/4 c. slivered almonds
One package ramen noodles (you won't be using the seasoning packet)
2 T. butter
1/4 c. oil
3/4 c. white vinegar
2 t. soy sauce
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
One head of Napa cabbage
6 green onions

Toast the sesame seeds, almonds, and ramen noodles in butter in a skillet. Set aside. Combine the oil, vinegar, water, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a bowl and mix well. Chop the cabbage and green onions and place in a large bowl. Pour on the dressing and gently toss. Before serving, top with the nut and ramen mix. Enjoy!

Zoodles with Basil Tomato Sauce

I'm trying to incorporate more raw food into my diet. I have a dehydrator, but haven't braved it yet. But I did get a spiralizer last year and boy, do I love it! So much fun!

Zoodles with Basil Tomato Sauce

Zucchini, probably two per person (I used five; it's what I had at the time)
4 tomatoes
2 T. olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1/4 c. fresh basil
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper

Spiralize your zucchini into noodles. I peeled mine first, but you can do it with peel or no peel. Add the remaining ingredients to a food processor and whirl until chunky. Pour the sauce over the zucchini noodles and mix well. Serve. Enjoy!

Chickpea and Potato Curry

My husband doesn't care for Indian food. Too spicy for him. Admittedly, some of it is too spicy for me, too. This dish, however, is very mildly spiced and simply delicious!

Chickpea and Potato Curry

One onion, diced
3 potatoes, diced
2 sweet potatoes, diced
One can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. curry powder
1/4 t. cayenne
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
One can coconut milk
1/4 c. vegetable broth
1/2 c. frozen green peas

Saute the onion in some oil until softened. Add the potatoes, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, spices, coconut milk, and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are softened. Add the peas and cover, simmer about 5 minutes. Serve. Enjoy!

Kale, Carrot, and White Bean Soup

National Soup Day was the other day, so naturally I had to make a soup dish. Despite the fact that my daughter finds soup particularly boring, I can happily say I had no leftovers! My youngest devoured four bowls!

Kale, Carrot, and White Bean Soup

1 bunch of carrots, cut into bite sized pieces
4 c. vegetable broth (I use low sodium)
One can diced tomatoes
Several handfuls of kale, sliced and stems removed
1 T. basil
One can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

In a Dutch oven, add the carrots, broth, can of tomatoes, basil, and 2 c. of water, and bring to a boil. Add the kale and the beans, cover, and reduce to simmer for 20-30 minutes. The time will vary based on how thin or thick you sliced the carrots. The soup is done when the carrots can be easily pierced with a fork. Serve. Enjoy!

I found this needed no extra seasonings; it was delicious on its own. Experiment with seasonings, if you like. I might try different carrots next time, just for fun, like baby carrots or multicolored carrots. Either way, this is a soup I will make again.