With an adventurous spirit and inspiration from the pantry, you can take advantage of these recipes that include a variety of ingredients available for a plant-based supper. What makes a plant-based entree different from a side dish? Recipes for these suppers are more complex than side dishes. In addition to containing a plant-based protein of some sort, such as beans, tofu, tempeh, or lentils, these entrees can be served with a cooked whole grain or whole-grain pasta to create a complete meal. At that point, all you may need is a simple, leafy green salad to round out the meal.
Recipes
Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes with Kale Green Onion Pesto
Pan-Roasted Tomato Sauce with Whole-Grain Penne Pasta
Red Bean and Mushroom Jambalaya
Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes with Kale Green Onion Pesto
Serves 4
Serve this dish with hot cooked wvheat berries or brown rice. Oriental Beauty Japanese sweet potatoes have a ruby red skin and sweet, creamy interior, but you can substitute traditional sweet potatoes if Oriental Beauties are not available.
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds Japanese sweet potato, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks
6 cloves garlic, peeled
½ red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kale Green Onion Pesto, page 44 ¼ cup pumpkin seeds ¼ cup dried cranberries
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
In a bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, garlic, onion, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
Pour vegetables onto a rimmed baking sheet.
Cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned. Drizzle with ½ cup of pesto and toss gently to coat the potatoes with the pesto.
Spread the cooked wheat berries or rice on a large plate or small platter. Spoon the pesto-dressed potatoes on top of the cooked grain. Drizzle with more pesto if desired.
Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries before serving.
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are the edible seeds of pumpkin and other varieties of squash. The flat, oval seeds are light green in color. Just like any other seed, they add crunch to a dish. To preserve texture, sprinkle on top of the dish just before serving.
The secret to cooking pasta is a large pot of boiling water. For each pound of pasta, boil about twelve cups (three quarts) of water in a large pot, add about a half teaspoon of salt, cover, and bring to a rolling boil. Add the pasta, stir, and bring back to a boil. Stir again to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Allow to boil for the required time. In general, dry pasta cooks in nine to thirteen minutes, depending on the size and shape of the pasta. After the pasta has cooked, drain it in a large colander.
To proceed with a hot pasta dish, toss the hot pasta directly with the sauce. If the sauce is not applied right away, then rinse the cooked pasta with warm or hot running water. Return the pasta to the pot and toss with a tiny bit of oil if desired. If you don’t rinse, the pasta turns into what I like to call a “pasta rug” and it all sticks together forming a large clump. Rinsing and adding a tiny bit of oil will keep the pasta pieces or strands separated.
For a pasta salad or other cold pasta dishes, rinse the cooked pasta with cold water to remove the starch and cool the pasta. Pour the pasta into a bowl or platter and proceed with recipe as directed.
Serves 4 to 6
For a smooth sauce, it’s essential to soak the cashews. If you plan to make this for supper, soak the cashews in the morning when you make your coffee.
Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews
2 cups water, plus more for soaking cashews
12 ounces fettuccine
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice (from about ½ lemon)
Optional: thinly sliced green onion
Optional: thin sliced fresh basil
Directions:
Place raw cashews in a glass or other heat-proof bowl. Cover with 1 inch hot water. Cover the bowl and soak overnight or at least 8 hours. This softens the cashews to make them easy to blend.
In a large pot of boiling water, cook fettuccine for 9 to 12 minutes until al dente or just tender to the bite. Drain in a colander and rinse with hot water.
Meanwhile, make the cream sauce while the pasta is cooking.
To make the cashew cream, drain the cashew soaking water. Using a blender mix the cashews and 2 cups water on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and process again until smooth and creamy. Add the salt and pepper. Process again to mix well.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook gently to infuse the garlic flavor into the olive oil. Strain the cashew sauce into the skillet, pouring it through a fine mesh strainer. Stir to blend well and heat until steaming. Add the cooked fettuccine a few pinches at a time using a pair of tongs or a large fork. Twist the pasta and coat it with the sauce. Mix in the lemon zest and juice. Top with chopped fresh green onion and basil if desired.
Serves 4 to 6
This simple dish can be served a variety of ways—on rice or another cooked grain such as quinoa, on a toasted regular or gluten-free bun as a sloppy joe sandwich, as a topping for nachos, or as a side dish instead of baked beans.
Ingredients:
1 cup brown lentils
4 cups water
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ medium onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup tomato sauce
Directions:
Rinse lentils to remove any dirt and debris. Place in a large saucepan. Add water and bring lentils to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook about 40 minutes until lentils are tender. Drain.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes to soften and cook the onion. Add the brown sugar, vinegar, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper to form a paste. Stir in the tomato sauce and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and let cook for 5 minutes. Add the cooked lentils and stir gently to combine with the sauce. Let cook over low heat for 5 minutes to combine well.
Buying Chopped Vegetables
Many large supermarkets showcase a large salad bar stocked with fresh, chopped vegetables. It’s not always as economical for large quantities, but for small quantities of chopped vegetables such as broccoli, mushrooms, red cabbage, shredded carrot, and cauliflower, resorting to the salad bar allows you to buy only what you need, save time on prepping vegetables, and reduce waste if you have produce that spoils in your refrigerator. Many produce sections also sell packaged chopped onion, pepper, butternut squash, garlic, ginger, and herbs to save time in cooking.
Serves 4 to 6
Even with many variations of this recipe from Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East, this dish is traditionally made with eggs (see The Essential Pantry, page 130). This plant-based variation substitutes extra-firm tofu for the eggs. You can use either canned green chiles or ½ cup chopped fresh Anaheim pepper. Serve over any cooked grain, or with sliced bread. I like to top this version with chopped avocado and fresh cilantro.
Ingredients:
One 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
One 4-ounce can chopped green chiles or 1 fresh Anaheim or jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon kosher salt
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
½ cup fresh cilantro
1 avocado, peeled and diced
Directions:
First, press the excess moisture out of the tofu. Slice open the tofu package and drain off the water. Place the block of tofu on a plate, and put the tofu box on top of the tofu. Fill the tofu box with heavy items, such as a 15-ounce can of beans or tomato sauce, some lemons, or apples. This places gentle pressure on the tofu and presses out excess moisture. Let the tofu sit and press for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the green chiles, paprika, cumin, and salt. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir well.
Let simmer uncovered while you cut the tofu.
To cut the tofu into cubes, remove the tofu from the plate and place it on a cutting board. Using a paper towel, pat the excess moisture off the surface of the tofu. Slice the tofu in half (or across the middle, like a bun). You now have two rectangular slices of tofu stacked on top of each other. Cut the tofu in half widthwise (down the middle). You now have 4 sections of tofu. Cut each section into 6 cubes.
Place the tofu cubes in the tomato sauce and gently stir. Let cook for 15 minutes to heat the tofu and blend the flavors. Top with fresh cilantro and diced avocado.
Serves 6
The coconut milk makes this curry soupy, and that’s intentional. Serve over hot cooked brown or white basmati rice or any cooked whole grain, such as quinoa. The rice or other grain catches the coconut milk sauce, and the vegetables are beautiful in color and flavor.
Save the chickpea liquid to make a batch of Plant-Based Mayonnaise 1, page 48.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups vegetable broth
One 13 ½ ounce can regular or lite coconut milk
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
½ pound fresh or frozen whole green beans, trimmed of stem end if fresh
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, or 1 ½ cup cooked chickpeas
3 cups cooked basmati rice (from 1 cup uncooked)
Optional: chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
In a large pan heat the olive oil. Add the curry powder, turmeric, salt, and pepper to create a thin paste. Slowly stir in the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer. Add the cauliflower pieces and sweet potato. Bring to a low boil, and cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the green beans, tomatoes, and chickpeas. Cook for about 12 more minutes. Serve hot over cooked basmati rice. Top with fresh cilantro if desired.
Serves 4
This summer-vegetable pasta has an olive-oil based sauce, and the ingredients shine when simply topped with fresh parsley. Reserve half a cup of pasta water before you drain the pasta, as you may need to add pasta water at the end, depending on the juiciness of the tomatoes and how much moisture is released from the squash.
Ingredients:
8 ounces linguine
½ cup olive oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cups shredded yellow or zucchini squash or a combination (about 1 medium squash or 2 small squash)
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice (from about ½ lemon)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or basil
Directions:
In a large pot of boiling water, cook the linguine for 9 to 11 minutes until al dente or just tender to the bite. Set aside ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse with hot water if there is a delay in making the sauce, or if you are cooking the pasta ahead of time. Rinsing the pasta helps prevent the pasta from sticking in a clump like a “pasta rug.”
Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat ¼ cup olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and let cook for 2 minutes to flavor the oil. Increase heat to medium and add the green onion. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the squash and cook just until wilted. Stir in the quartered tomatoes, salt, and lemon juice, and additional ¼ cup olive oil and ¼ cup of pasta water if needed to thin the sauce out. Stir to blend all ingredients together. Top with chopped fresh parsley or basil.
Serves 4
Raw (unroasted) cashews make the “creamy” part of this marinara sauce. Raw cashews aren’t roasted or salted, and raw cashew pieces tend to be less expensive than whole raw cashews. At my supermarket, raw cashews are sold with bulk foods or in the natural food section of the store. Substitute unsalted roasted cashews if you can’t find raw. Serve over cooked rice or a tube-shaped pasta, or gluten-free pasta, of your choice. Save the chickpea liquid to make a batch of Plant-Based Mayonnaise 1, page 48.
Ingredients:
½ cup raw cashews
¾ cup water, plus more for soaking cashews
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
4 cups fresh baby spinach or baby kale leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Optional: chopped fresh basil
Directions:
Place raw cashews in a glass or other heat-proof bowl. Cover with 1 inch hot water. Cover the bowl and soak overnight or at least 8 hours. This softens the cashews to make them easy to blend.
After the cashews have soaked, heat oil in a large skillet with a lid over low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook gently for 1 minute to extract flavor. Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, sugar, and salt. Increase heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered (to avoid splatters from tomato sauce), for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the cashew cream, drain the cashew soaking water. Using a blender mix the cashews and ¾ cup water on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the blender and process again until smooth and creamy.
Strain the cashew cream into the sauce. Add the chickpeas and spinach. Simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot over your choice of cooked rice or pasta.
Cooking Beans versus Canned Beans
Canned beans are very easy to keep on hand in the pantry. For that matter, dried beans are a great pantry item too. For this book, I give options for both canned and cooked beans. In general, one fifteen-ounce can of beans, drained, contains about a cup and a half of beans. To cook dried beans, soak them overnight in water. Drain the beans and add four cups water for every cup of beans. Boil for forty-five to fifty-five minutes, until soft. This yields two to three cups of cooked beans.
Serves 6
For this recipe, use traditional brown lentils that are sold with other dried beans or in the bulk-food section of your supermarket. Serve your Cincinnati Lentil Chili as a three-way with spaghetti, chili, and avocado (where the avocado replaces the traditional cheese), or a four-way with spaghetti, chili, onion, and avocado. Hot sauce is always optional. For a 100 percent plant-based meal, serve the lentils on spaghetti squash. Oyster crackers are always welcome on the side.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
One 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with their juice
One 15-ounce can tomato sauce
5 cups water
¾ cup lentils
One 15-ounce can red beans, drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked red beans
12 ounces spaghetti
Optional toppings:
Frank’s RedHot sauce
chopped avocado
finely diced onion
Directions:
In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for about 6 minutes or until starting to brown. Add the garlic, brown sugar, cumin, smoked paprika, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and salt. Cook for about 1 minute until the garlic is softened and fragrant. Add the tomato, tomato sauce, water, lentils, and red beans. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, over low heat for about 55 minutes or until the lentils are soft and the chili thickened.
Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water. Drain and rinse with hot water.
Serve the chili sauce over hot cooked spaghetti topped with optional ingredients.
Pan-Roasted Tomato Sauce with Whole-Grain Penne Pasta
Serves 6
Grape or cherry tomatoes roasted whole in a hot skillet form the base for this fresh skillet sauce. The secret is to cook the tomatoes without disturbing them to allow the tomatoes to brown and blister. You want to keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Adjust the heat accordingly, but resist the temptation to stir the tomatoes while they initially cook. Set aside one cup of hot pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce as needed at the end of cooking, because the juiciness of tomatoes varies from location to location and season to season. You can use four cups of any chopped vegetables such as spinach, zucchini, or bell peppers in place of the broccoli if desired.
Ingredients:
8 ounces whole-grain penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pint grape tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch red pepper flakes
4 cups chopped broccoli (from about 1 ½ to 2-pound bunch of broccoli)
Optional: ½ cup sliced fresh basil
1 cup pasta water
Directions:
In a large pot of boiling water, cook penne for 10 to 12 minutes until al dente or just tender to the bite. Set aside 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain pasta in a colander and rinse with hot water if there is a delay in making the sauce, or if you are cooking the pasta ahead of time. Rinsing the pasta helps prevent “pasta rug.”
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the grape tomatoes (carefully, the oil may splatter). Cover skillet and let cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are blistered and browned.
When the tomatoes are cooked mash them with a wooden spoon or fork to break them open. Add the garlic, thyme, salt, and red pepper flakes. Let cook for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce.
Stir in the chopped broccoli and cover. Let broccoli cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in ¼ to ½ cup of the pasta water if needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Add the penne pasta and sliced basil, and stir well to coat the pasta in the sauce.
Serves 4 to 6
Serve with hot brown rice, pita bread, and a dollop of creamy plain yogurt. Save chickpea liquid to make a batch of Plant-Based Mayonnaise 1, page 48.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons coriander
1 ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained, or 3 cups cooked chickpeas
One 13 ½ ounce can regular or lite coconut milk
½ cup minced fresh cilantro
Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until golden and softened. Measure out the spices while the onion is cooking and mix together in a small bowl. Add the spices to the skillet and mix well with the onion. Add the chickpeas and coconut milk and stir well. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the fresh cilantro just before serving.
Serves 6
Simple and quick to prepare, this bean dish is best served over cooked rice.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Two 15-ounce cans red beans, drained and rinsed, or 3 cups cooked red beans
One 15-ounce fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup water
3 cups cooked rice (from 1 cup uncooked)
Optional: sliced green onion
Directions:
In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the onion and celery and cook until both are softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper and combine well. Stir in the red beans, tomatoes, and water. Stir and let cook for 15 minutes to thicken the sauce in the beans. Serve over cooked rice and top with sliced green onion.
With a saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid, both white and brown rice can be cooked on the stovetop at a fraction of the cost of instant rice and instant rice mixes. The basic rule of rice is 1, 2, 3—1 cup uncooked rice, plus 2 cups of water, yields 3 cups of cooked rice. Two basic rules are to not lift the lid during cooking and not stir the rice during cooking. If you follow rule one, don’t lift the lid, then rule two, don’t stir, is impossible to break.
To cook rice, combine the uncooked rice and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir, cover, and reduce the heat to low and let cook for fifteen minutes for white rice and about forty-five minutes for long-grain brown rice. Turn off the heat and let, covered, sit for five minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
Peeled Garlic Cloves
Fresh garlic makes all the difference in a recipe. Of course, nothing is as flavorful as fresh cloves from a bulb of garlic. It stores well and you can peel and use what you need when you cook. But, in a pinch, well-stocked supermarkets may sell jars or bags of peeled garlic cloves. This saves the step of peeling garlic, and it allows you to quickly mince or crush the cloves and add fresh garlic to your recipes when needed.
Serves 3
When testing many recipes for veggie burgers, it bothered me if I had to cook an ingredient to make the burger. So, with that in mind, I set out to create a veggie burger that doesn’t require you to cook any grains or vegetables ahead of time, provided that you use canned kidney or red beans. The secret to a good veggie burger is to not have the mixture either too wet or too dry, so drain the beans well. The mixture will be sticky and stick to your hands when shaped but shouldn’t be too wet. Use nice, even pressure when shaping to form a patty. To shape a three-inch burger, I like to use the ring from the top of a quart-sized canning jar. Cook the burgers in a skillet, as described here, or grill them. If you do decide to grill them, be sure that the grill is well seasoned or oiled so that the burgers don’t stick to the grill.
Ingredients:
One 15-ounce can kidney or red beans, drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked kidney or red beans
¼ cup thinly sliced green onion (from about 1 to 2 green onions)
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
¼ cup old-fashioned oats
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil
Directions:
Spray a 3-inch ring from a canning jar or a round biscuit cutter with nonstick spray. Place the ring face up on a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Place the drained kidney beans in a bowl. Add the green onion, walnuts, oats, parsley, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Use your hands, or a mixer with the paddle attachment, to mash the beans and ingredients together until the mixture is well combined. The mixture will form a large ball. It will feel sticky but should hold together well. Divide the mixture into three equal-size portions. Shape each portion into a 3-inch patty.
In a skillet, heat a very thin layer of oil over medium heat. Add the patties and cook for 6 minutes on the first side until nicely browned. Flip the patties and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to cook for about 4 to 5 more minutes until browned on the other side. Keep warm until served. Dress like a burger with lettuce, tomato, and avocado if desired.
Serves 3 to 4
Ingredients:
Tempeh pairs well with sturdy, highly spiced sauces such as this harissa-inspired red pepper and tomato sauce. Harissa is a flavor base used in stews and curries or as a condiment in North Africa. You can substitute cubed tofu, sautéed eggplant cubes, or cooked whole mushrooms for the tempeh if desired.
One 8-ounce package tempeh, cut into thin slices
1 cup vegetable broth
2 cups roasted red pepper strips
6 cloves garlic, minced
One 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ cup golden raisins
Optional: ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
Cooked rice, barley, or wheat berries
Directions:
In a small saucepan, heat the tempeh and vegetable broth over medium heat until simmering. Cover and cook tempeh for 10 minutes. Drain the tempeh. Return the tempeh to the saucepan.
In a food processor or blender, combine the roasted red pepper, garlic, tomatoes, paprika, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pulse to make a smooth paste.
Add the pureed red pepper paste to the tempeh mixture. Let cook for 10 minutes to heat the sauce. Top with chopped parsley, golden raisins, and pumpkin seeds. Serve with cooked rice, barley, or wheat berries to soak up the sauce.
Tempeh
A flat-cake of fermented cooked soybeans, tempeh is sold in the refrigerated section of the natural or “organic” section of a supermarket. Check the sell-by date on the package and use while fresh. When cooked, tempeh holds it shape and absorbs flavors from sauces and seasonings. Uncooked, tempeh can be stored in the refrigerator for up to ten days. Tempeh can also be stored in the freezer for longer storage.
Red Bean and Mushroom Jambalaya
Serves 6
Jambalaya is a traditional rice-based dish, similar to Spanish chicken and rice. This recipe utilizes a dry roux to thicken the jambalaya instead of a roux made with oil and flour. The browned flour, or dry roux, has to be watched and stirred, but that’s easy to do while you prepare the rest of the vegetables. When the flour is close to a peanut butter color, you mix it with vegetable broth and then stir the flour and broth mixture into the jambalaya. It will quickly thicken.
Ingredients:
½ cup brown rice
1 cup water
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 ribs celery, chopped
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
One 15-ounce can red beans, drained
One 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
Hot sauce
Directions:
Combine the uncooked rice and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir, cover, and reduce the heat to low and let cook for 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes before opening the pan. Fluff with a fork.
In a skillet, brown the all-purpose flour over medium-low heat. Stir the flour frequently for about for about 25 minutes to turn the flour a brown color the shade of peanut butter. As soon as the flour has reached this color, remove it from the skillet into a bowl to stop the cooking and prevent burning. The flour is now ready for use in the jambalaya.
Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic. Cook for about 8 minutes until onion and other vegetables are softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 6 minutes until the mushrooms release their juice. Stir in the paprika, thyme, salt, and cayenne pepper to coat all the vegetables. Add the red beans and tomatoes. Stir and heat for about 5 minutes.
Whisk the vegetable broth into the browned flour until it forms a smooth paste. Pour the flour paste into the bean and mushroom mixture. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Add the cooked brown rice and serve with hot sauce.
Serves 4
A nice alternative to an omelet for breakfast, or the perfect entree for a casual supper.
Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 red pepper, cored, seeded and diced
2 medium red or gold potatoes, diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium zucchini, diced (about 2 cups)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup diced extra-firm tofu
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Optional: sriracha or hot sauce
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a heavy skillet or cast-iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, red pepper, potatoes, and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring for about 10 to 12 minutes until the onion and red pepper soften and the vegetables start to brown.
Press down on the vegetables with the back of a spatula to compact them together as much as possible. Evenly scatter the diced tofu over the vegetables. Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the potatoes are tender about 15 to 20 minutes. After baking, sprinkle with green onions and serve with sriracha or hot sauce if desired.
Serves 4
To achieve a chunky mushroom appearance, I like to buy whole button mushrooms and quarter them. Alternatively, and in the interest of saving time, sliced fresh mushrooms can be used. Serve over hot tube-shaped pasta such as penne or rigatoni, cooked rice, or a whole grain such as pearled barley or wheat berries.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
16 ounces whole white button, baby bells, or crimini mushrooms, washed and quartered
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup roasted red pepper strips
One 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 cups baby kale
Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook over low heat until fragrant. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for about 7 minutes until they release their juice. Stir in the paprika, onion powder, thyme, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir to coat the mushrooms. Add the roasted red pepper and tomatoes. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 10 minutes to thicken. Add the kale and use tongs or a large fork to toss the kale with the sauce to wilt.
Serves 4
Planks of pressed tofu, seasoned and pan-fried, pair well with Barbecue Sauce, page 40; Tomato Curry Sauce, page 34; Spicy Marinara Sauce, page 32; or in a Bahn Mi Bowl, page 158.
Ingredients:
One 14-ounce block extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
Directions:
First, press the excess moisture out of the tofu. Slice open the tofu package and drain off the water. Place the block of tofu on a plate and put the tofu box on top of the tofu. Fill the tofu box with heavy items such as a 15-ounce can of beans or tomato sauce, some lemons, or apples. This places gentle pressure on the tofu and presses out excess moisture. Let the tofu sit and press for about 15 minutes.
Remove the box from the top of the tofu and move the tofu to a cutting board. With a paper towel, pat the excess moisture off the surface of the tofu. Slice the tofu in half across the middle. You now have two rectangular pieces of tofu. Turn each piece of tofu and cut across the short side into ½-inch thick slices. You should end up with about 16 “planks” of tofu.
In a shallow dish, mix the flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dredge each tofu slice in the flour to coat both sides. Cook the tofu slices in batches, browning on the first side for 5 minutes. Turn the tofu and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the second side is brown and crispy. Keep warm in a 200°F oven.
Serves 1
A beautiful, fresh combination of pickled vegetables, fried tofu, and sriracha mayonnaise, this recipe recreates the Bahn Mi in a bowl. Have Spicy Refrigerator Pickles, page 18, ready.
Ingredients:
½ cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup water
½ cup Plant-Based Mayonnaise, page 48
1 tablespoon sriracha
3 pieces Pan-Fried Tofu, page 157
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Spicy Refrigerator Pickles
Directions:
To prepare quinoa, place it in a fine mesh strainer. Rinse under cold water for 1 minute to remove bitterness. Place the rinsed quinoa in a small saucepan and add 1 cup water. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered until the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and move to a plate to cool.
Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise with sriracha sauce.
In a bowl, place a layer of quinoa, top with planks of fried tofu. Top tofu with pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro, and drizzle with sriracha mayonnaise. Serve immediately.
How to Press and Drain Tofu
To press the excess moisture out of the tofu, open the tofu package and drain off the water. Place the block of tofu on a plate and put the empty tofu box on top of the tofu. Fill the tofu box with heavy items such as a fifteen-ounce can of beans or tomato sauce, some lemons, or apples. This places gentle pressure on the tofu and presses out excess moisture. Let the tofu sit and drain for about fifteen minutes. Remove the box from the top of the tofu and move the tofu to a cutting board. With a paper towel, pat the excess moisture off the surface of the tofu. Use as described in the recipe.
You can create your own bowls using the following guidelines.
First, layer a base on the bottom of the bowl:
Base ideas include:
Cooked brown rice
Cooked quinoa
Cooked whole-grain or other pasta
Sweet Potato and Onion Hash Browns, page 106
Spiced Rice Pilaf with Golden Raisins and Almonds, page 108
Mac and No Cheese, page 105
Second, add a layer of vegetables:
Refrigerator Pickles, page 18
Pickled red onion
Braised Eggplant and Lemon, page 110
Roasted Cardamom Carrots, page 114
Sesame Honey Brussels Sprouts, page 106
Edamame Succotash, page 117
Chopped fresh romaine
Massaged kale, page 85
Baby arugula
Baby spinach or spring greens
Top with a plant-based protein:
Barbecued Lentils, page 126
Pan-Fried Tofu, page 157
Kidney Bean Burger, page 148
Top with nuts:
Pumpkin seeds
Chopped walnuts
Gild the lily:
Tahini Sauce, page 47
Almond Curry Pesto, page 43
Kale Green Onion Pesto, page 44
Barbecue Sauce, page 40
Fire-Roasted Tomato Salsa, page 37
Plant-Based Mayonnaise, page 48
Jalapeño peppers
Sriracha
Diced avocado
Chopped Kalamata or green olives
Sprinkle of Chili Powder or Curry Powder, page 30
