Tag: Meatless Monday recipe

Potato Soup!

I am convinced that sometimes we want things only because we can’t have them! I made this creamy and delicious soup last week for Meatless Monday, and all I could think about was adding bacon. Crispy delicious totally crunchy bacon bits were on my mind. Hearty, creamy, and full of your favorite vegetables, this soup is a meal! Think loaded baked potato and add some fun toppings like chives, shredded cheese, sour cream, even chili. Serve with your favorite crusty bread and Enjoy!

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Potato Soup
makes approx. 2 quarts

Ingredients:
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, chopped
5 celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 cups water
4 cups vegetable stock
4 tbsp. Butter, sliced into tbsp.
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
6 tbsp. Flour
1 cup heavy cream
Salt/pepper to taste
(Optional- 1/2 lb. bacon/pancetta, finely chopped and cooked until crunchy)

Directions:
In a large stock pot, add potatoes, carrots, and celery. Fill 4 cups water or to top of vegetables and heat.
Cook in water until tender.
Remove vegetables and set aside.
Add onion and butter to pot and cook until the onions are translucent, add stock.
Stir in flour and Parmesan cheese.
Add heavy cream, little by little, while stirring.
Bring to a boil to thicken, and add vegetables.
Add more vegetable stock until desired consistency.
Salt/pepper to taste

Top with bacon, shredded cheese, any of your favorite baked potato topping would be delicious!
Enjoy!
Ciao!

Sweet & Spicy Veggie Soba Noodles!

We are totally serious about our Meatless Mondays. Why not have one day during the week where meat is out? I find it is much easier to scrape up a quick last minute dinner when meat is not involved. No worries of defrosting or pre-planning. Monday’s veg dishes are simple and delicious!

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I bought some soba noodles because, like pasta, they are a blank canvas. We love a sweet and spicy sauce so I made a light honey sriracha soy sauce using a ginger infused soy. Oh my is this sauce perfection for a soba noodle dish! Of course I added lots of veggies including shitake mushrooms. Not only are shitake mushrooms a big part of Japanese cuisine, but they add that “meaty” bite that is totally not meat! Ha! This dish can be made in under 20 minutes and is 100% kid approved, just adjust the heat based on preference. A little of the sauce goes a long way especially because the dish is already lightly coated with the oil. Here is the recipe!

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Sweet & Spicy Veggie Soba Noodles
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 green onions, chopped
3 carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, drained
1 pint shitake mushrooms, stems cut and halved/quartered to desired size
1 1/2 lb. package pre-cooked buckwheat soba noodles
3 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. sriracha
1/4 cup ginger infused soy sauce

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a pan.

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Add veggies that take the longest to cook first, then add the rest of veggies and cook until al dente.

In a small saucepan, add soba noodles and 1 tbsp. sauce.

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With your fingers, gently separate noodles until all come unstuck.

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Heat through and add to pan with veggies, mix well and add more sauce until desired amount is reached.

Top with green onions!

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Enjoy!
Ciao!

Summer Zucchini Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette!

Do you have zucchini coming out of your ears? I definitely do! It is that time of year when I have had enough- totally zucchini breads, zucchini boats, and zucchini breakfast-ed out! What else can you make? There is always the chocolate-zucchini craze of hiding the veggie in chocolate cake, muffins, cookies or brownies. Chocolate is always a great idea, but how about a salad sans lettuce and a smooth and summery homemade vinaigrette? Now that sounds perfectly summer!

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Summer Zucchini Salad
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini
2 vine ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
1 lemon
salt/peper to taste

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Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dijon mustard
6 lemons- squeezed for juice approx. 1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp. honey
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grapeseed oil or canola oil

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Directions:
Peel zucchini with a vegetable peeler in long strips and place into serving bowl or platter.(I roll-up some of the strips for easy eating and because it adds to the beauty of the dish.)

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Cut tomatoes into wedges and add to the salad.

Sprinkle with 2-3 tbsp. crumbled goat cheese.

For dressing:
Whisk all ingredients except oils.

 

Add oils, lid, and shake vigorously until well mixed.

Top salads with 2 tbsp. of dressing and squeeze a halved lemon over salads.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

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Enjoy!
Ciao!

Quinoa and BlackEyed Pea Tacos!

Quinoa and BlackEyed Pea Tacos!
Quinoa and BlackEyed Pea Tacos!

Because our Sunday dinners are usually packed with pasta, sausage and meatballs, and desserts, a healthy Meatless Monday is always welcomed by all. Very often it comes in the form of Mexican cuisine.

Beans, vegetables, quinoa or rice, seasoned, cooked, and wrapped in a small tortilla. The tortilla is portion control at its finest. The ingredients are a healthy start to the week ahead.

The Quinoa and BlackEyed pea tacos can be filled with black beans, a rice, or any of your favorite taco veggies. Experiment! Use the recipe as a guide and make a healthy and delicious meal! Enjoy!

Quinoa and BlackEyed Pea Tacos
Makes 10 tacos
Ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked rinsed quinoa
1 cup water
1 tbsp. Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 small onion finely chopped
1 cup corn
1 cup blackeyed peas
2 tbsp. Taco seasoning
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup curly kale, chopped
Salt/ Pepper to taste
Sriracha (optional)
10 tortilla shells

Directions:

Warm oil in a medium deep frying pan.

Add garlic and onions and cook until softened.

Meanwhile add 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook on low until water is absorbed.

Add all ingredients to frying pan except kale and tomato and stir.

Don't you just love all of the colors! Add bell peppers, jalapeƱos, habaneros,  black beans, or any of your favorites!
Don’t you just love all of the colors! Add bell peppers, jalapeƱos, habaneros, black beans, or any of your favorites!

Cook until heated through approximately 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and kale and stir.

Serve in warmed tortilla shells. For a spicy kick add Sriracha!

Enjoy!
Enjoy!

Ciao!