Vegetarian Booyah

This is a traditional Belgian dish that I have taken a couple of  liberties with.  First, I made it vegetarian when it calls for both beef and chicken.  Second, I've made it in a single portion when it is usually made in two to three large kettles meant to serve an entire community!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cubed potato

1/4 cup corn

1/4 cup sliced carrot

1/2 cup green beans

1/4 cup diced tomato 

1/4 cup sliced celery

1/4 cup kale

3/4 cup veggie broth

1/4 tsp basil

1/4 tsp oregano 

1/4 tsp celery salt

Salt

Pepper 

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in the baby crock.  Cook on low until the potatoes are tender, 4-6 hours.

Eggplant Philly Sandwich

Eggplant can absorb the flavor of just about anything and this easy sandwich is super yummy!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sliced eggplant

1/2 cup sliced mushroom

1/2 cup sliced zucchini

1/2 cup sliced tomato

1 ounce firm tofu

Black pepper

Salt 

Cheese

Pita, hoagie roll, thin pancake, tortilla

Directions:

Sautée the vegetables, tofu, and spices until the veggies are tender.  Spoon onto the bread vehicle of choice.  Top with the cheese.  Eat!

Beet Bruschetta with Tofu and Basil

This was incredibly easy to make, beautiful to look at, and tasty to eat!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup diced beets

1 ounce firm tofu, cubed

2 basil leaves 

Toasted bread of choice 

Directions:

Boil the beets before dicing until just soft and rub the skins off.   

Mix the tofu and beets.  Spoon the mix onto the bread.  Top with basil leaves.  Serve!

Zucchini Eggplant Bake

The eggplant "made" this dish.  In the future, I may use more basil.

Ingredients:

1 cup cubed and peeled eggplant

1/2 cup sliced tomato

1/2 cup sliced zucchini

1 ounce firm tofu

1/4 tsp oregano

3 leaves of basil

Salt to taste

Cheese of choice

Directions:

Sautée the eggplant with s bit of oil and oregano. Put in a baking dish and top with the cheese.  Top this with alternating layers of tomato and zucchini. Last layer is the sliced tofu.  Three leaves of basil to finish up. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.

Corn, Tomato, Black Bean Quinoa Mixer

You could do this with rice, barley, or any similar grain/seed.  

Ingredients:

1/2 cup corn

1/2 cup black beans

1/2 cup diced tomato

1/4 cup quinoa

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp paprika 

Salt

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and heat about a minute and thirty seconds.  Serve!

Zucchini Strata

You could also microwave this.  I used two glass bowls and I cooked one in the oven for 20 minutes.  The other cooked in the microwave in about 4 minutes.  However, the oven baked one had a nice crusty texture on top that the microwaved one did not.

Ingredients:

1 cup diced or cubed zucchini

1 slice polenta

1 egg

Directions:

Combine the zucchini and egg and mix well.  Salt to taste.  Pour In a  small baking dish ( I use two glass bowls) and drop in the polenta.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Black Bean Butternut Squash Flauta

 The filling can be used in more than one tortilla, or you can do what I did and spread it around the one tortilla in the baking dish.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1/2 cup cooked butternut squash (or sweet potato or pumpkin)
1/4 cup corn
1/4 cup tomato
Salt to taste
Tortilla

Directions:
Mix the ingredients.  Spray a non-stick spray (or lightly brush with melted butter) one side of the tortilla.  Flip it over and fill it with the mix.  Roll it up and place it seam side down in a baking dish.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

Tomato Zucchini Galette

Fresh zucchini and fresh tomato....so good!

Ingredients:
Crust dough
1/2 cup diced tomato
1/2 cup diced zucchini
Salt to taste

Directions:
Roll or press the dough out into a circle.  Mix the zucchini and tomato and put them in the center of the dough.  Press the edges up around the mix.  Make sure your creation is on a lightly greased baking sheet or on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.

Corn Chowder #2

 This version of corn chowder uses fresh sweet corn and includes the cob during cooking. 

Ingredients:

1 medium ear of corn, cooked

1/4 cup chopped carrot

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup diced potato

1/4 cup chopped banana pepper

1/2 cup water or veggie broth

Salt

Pepper

1/4 tsp thyme

1 bay leaf

Directions:

Cut the corn off the cob.  Place all ingredients, including the cob, in the baby crock on low for 4-6 hours.  Remove the cob and bay leaf before eating.

Summer Vegetable Skillet Enchilada

 The arugula adds a special flavor to this, but if you don't have it, try leaf spinach or kale.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup diced zucchini

1/2 cup corn 

1/2 cup diced tomato

1/4 cup diced summer squash

1/4 cup arugula

1/2 cup cooked beans

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp paprika

Salt

1/4 cup water or veggie broth 

Directions:

Put all ingredients except beans and arugula into a skillet and simmer until tender.  Add the beans and arugula and heat until the arugula is wilted.  Top with tortilla strips and serve.

Zucchini Noodles and Fried Egg

Have a busy day and want an easy meal?  This is it!  I use my carrot peeler for zucchini noodles!

Ingredients:

1 cup zucchini noodles

1 egg

1 ounce firm tofu

Directions:

Fry the egg to your preference.  Mix the zucchini noodles and tofu, heat in the microwave until warmed.  Top with the egg and serve. 

Note:  This can be made with spaghetti squash as well.

Tuscan Skillet Seitan

 This was very, very good!  I might cut the seitan up smaller when I cook it again.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup seitan cut in rounds

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup diced tomato

1/4 cup tomato sauce 

1/2 cup cooked white beans

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp thyme

4 leaves of basil

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a skillet and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until the tomato sauce has mostly been absorbed.

Taco Boat

A handy vegetable shell, to be sure!

Ingredients:

1/2 medium zucchini sliced lengthwise 

1/4 cup taco seitan

1/4 cup diced tomato

1 ounce firm tofu, cubed

Cheese

1/4 tsp cumin 

1/4 tsp paprika

Salt

Directions:

Scoop the seedy middle out of the zucchini.  Mix the seitan, tomato, and spices.  Fill the zucchini boat and top with your cheese of choice.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.   Top with 1/4 shredded lettuce and serve!

Sweet Corn Pizza

Fresh sweet corn is abundant this time of year and I suggest it and fresh tomatoes for this pizza.  However, I imagine any corn would be good!  

Ingredients:

Crust dough

1 cup corn

3 leaves fresh basil

1 ounce firm tofu, cubed

1/4 cup diced tomato

Directions:

Roll or press the dough into a circle.  Mix the basil, corn, tomato, and tofu.   Spread the mixture over the crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Tomato, Beet, Tofu Salad

 Not only is this delicious, it's very pretty!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sliced tomato

1/2 cup sliced beets

1 ounce firm tofu, sliced

1 Tbsp fresh basil, shredded 

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, shredded

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and serve!

Spinach Mushroom Quesadilla

Extremely easy to throw together.  Tasty with button mushrooms, but I used baby bellas (on sale at the grocery) and WOW!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cooked spinach

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms 

Tortilla 

Directions: 

Sautée the spinach and mushrooms I'm a skillet with a bit of oil until heated through.  Put the mixture on half the tortilla.  Top with the other half.  Cook in the skillet until lightly browned on each side.

Black Bean and Quinoa

The spice in this is HOT.  I suggest testing as you add.  The smoky flavor, though, really "makes" this dish!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cooked black beans

1/4 cup chopped red pepper

1/4 cup cooked quinoa 

1/8 tsp chipotle chile spice 

Salt 

Pepper

Directions:

Mix the ingredients and heat in the microwave until warm. Serve!

Seitan Hash

Ingredients: 

1 egg

1/4 cup seitan cut in small pieces

1/4 cup chopped sweet potato

1/4 cup chopped potato

Directions:

Sautée the potatoes and seitan in a bit of oil, salt, and pepper.   Crack the egg in the center of the hash and cook to desired consistency.  

Nacho Pizza

Can't go wrong with this one!

Ingredients:

Tortilla

1/2 cup refried beans

1/4 cup diced tomato 

1/4 diced red pepper

1/4 cup taco spiced seitan

1/4 cup shredded lettuce

Directions:

Bake the tortilla until it is crisp.  I do this in a skillet. Heat the refried beans and the taco seitan.  Spread the beans on the tortilla.  Add the seitan, then the tomato, pepper, and top with the lettuce.  Serve!

Zucchini Caulifredo

I do not have a spiralizer.  However, fettucini noodles are wider so I thought a carrot peeler would work.  It works wonderfully well!  I actually froze the rest of this zucchini to make vegetable broth on another day.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cooked white beans 

1/2 cup cooked cauliflower

1 cup zucchini noodles

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

Use a carrot peeler to make broad zucchini "noodles."

Put the beans and cauliflower and a 1/2 tsp of your oil of choice in a food processor or blender and whir smooth.  Mix with the noodles and use salt and pepper to taste.   Heat in the microwave until warmed through.  Serve!

Charred Corn and Tofu Toast

 I suggest making this with fresh sweet corn!  It is SO GOOD!  Also, a nice meal for a summer evening, simple with little to warm up the kitchen.

Ingredients:

Bread

1 cup corn 

1/4 cup avocado

1 tsp lemon juice

Salt

1 ounce firm tofu, sliced

Directions:

Toast the bread.  Lightly char/blacken the corn in a skillet.  Purée the avocado with lemon juice and salt to taste.  

Spread the avocado on the toast. Place the tofu on next.  Then, spoon the corn on top of that.   Serve!

Zucchini Egg Boat

These zucchini boats are my new favorite thing!

Ingredients:

1/2 medium zucchini sliced lengthwise

1 egg

1 ounce firm tofu cubed

1/2 cup diced tomato 

1/2 cup diced mushroom

Directions:

Scoop out the middle of the zucchini, leaving a good portion of flesh. Mix the zucchini insides, egg, tofu, tomato, and mushroom.  Pour the mixture in the boat.  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes or until the egg is cooked through.

Tailgate Three Bean Italiano

So much fresh vegetable goodness in this dish.  Earlier I introduced you to Tailgate Three Bean.  This adds some ingredients and takes away some others to make it "Italiano."

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cooked black beans

1/4 cup cooked white beans

1/2 cup green beans

1/4 cup corn

1/4 cup sliced celery

1/4 tomato sauce

1/4 tsp oregano 

3 basil leaves

Salt

Pepper

1tsp Nutritional Yeast (optional)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a skillet and sautée until the green beans are tender, about ten minutes.

Kale and Artichoke Quesadilla

What a tasty combination!  Wilted kale is really yummy!

Ingredients:

1 cup kale 

1/2 cup artichoke hearts 

1/4 cup diced mushroom

Tortilla 

Directions:

Sautée the kale, mushroom, and artichoke together in a bit of oil until the kale is wilted.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Put the mixture on half the tortilla and top with the other half.  Pan sear until lightly browned on both sides.

Zucchini Pizza

 I had an evening where it cooled down rapidly and I had all this zucchini...so I used the oven to create pizza!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butternut squash purée

1/2 cup sliced zucchini

1/4 cup sliced mushroom

1 ounce sliced firm tofu

Dash oregano

Salt 

Pepper 

Crust dough

Directions:

Roll dough out into a circle on parchment paper on a baking sheet.  Spread the purée on the crust.  Add the oregano.   Top with zucchini, mushrooms, and tofu. Salt and pepper to taste.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Pizza Boat

Zucchini is growing like mad in the garden.  I was given a recipe for zucchini boats and I have done my thing and altered it!  You will have "stuffing" left over.  I just ate mine on the side!

Ingredients:

1/2 a medium zucchini cut lengthwise

1/4 cup chopped seitan

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup chopped mushroom

1/4 cup chopped spinach

1 ounce firm tofu, cubed

Salt

Pepper

1/4 tsp parsley 

Dash oregano

Dash thyme

Directions:

Scrape out the seeds from the zucchini, leaving the flesh.  Chop this up and put it in your pizza mix.   Sautée the seitan in a bit of oil,  salt, parsley, and pepper until crisp. 

Mix the sauce, seitan, tofu, mushrooms, and spinach with the oregano and thyme in a bowl. Spoon it into the boat.  Put the boat on a baking sheet and bake at 425 for 10 to 15 minutes.