Beans and Rice

  • 1 cup dry brown rice
  • 1 can drained and rinsed beans, or 2 cups cooked
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Cook the brown rice in a rice steamer.  Heat up the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and fry the onion for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and fry for an additional 5 minutes.  Stir in the beans and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.   Serve with rice.

Indian Beans and Rice

You’ll need chickpeas as the beans in the basic recipe, as well as:

  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • a thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Stir the curry powder and cinnamon into the chickpea and onion mixture.  Fry for a minute, than add the ginger and tomatoes and their juices.  Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes no longer taste raw.  Stir the cilantro into the rice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mediterranean Beans and Rice

You’ll need Great Northern White Beans in the basic recipe, as well as:

  • 2 stalks chopped celery
  • 1 small can (2.25 oz) black olives
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
  • 2 tsp dry dill weed

Add the celery and olives to the bean and onion mixture and fry for a few minutes to soften.  Stir in the lemon juice and parsley and heat through.  Stir the dill into the rice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mexican Beans and Rice

You’ll need Pinto Beans in the basic recipe, as well as:

  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
  • juice of 1/2 a lime
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Stir the cumin and chili powder into the bean and onion mixture and fry for a minute to coat.   Add the can of tomatoes and lime juice.  Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes no longer taste raw.  Stir the cilantro into the rice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Asian Beans and Rice

You’ll need adzuki beans or black beans in the basic recipe, as well as:

  • 4 medium carrots, cut into thin strips
  • thumb size piece fresh ginger, minced
  • 2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • small can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, juice reserved
  • 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice

Fry the carrots and ginger with the bean and onion mixture for a few minutes until the carrots are cooked but still crunchy.  Stir in the soy sauce and 2 tbsp of the reserved mandarin orange juice.  Remove from heat and gently stir in mandarin orange slices.  Mix the Chinese Five Spice with the Rice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Baltimorean Beans and Rice

You’ll need Black-Eyed Peas as the beans in the basic recipe, as well as:

  • 2 cups chopped kale
  • 2 tsp cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 tsp Old Bay, or any Chesapeake-style seafood seasoning

Fry the kale with the bean and onion mixture for a few minutes until wilted.  Add the cider vinegar, worcestershire sauce, and corn, heat through.  Sprinkle rice with the Old Bay seasoning.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Bean and Rice Burrito

  • 2 cups cooked rice (pre-cooked or leftover)
  • 2 limes (juiced)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped)
  • 1/2 onion (diced)
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or olive oil)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans (or pinto beans, drained)
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce (or to taste)
  • Optional: salt to taste

In a large bowl, toss together the fresh chopped cilantro with the leftover
cooked rice and drizzle with a bit of fresh lime juice. Heat in the
microwave or on the stove just until hot, and give it a quick stir.

In a separate large skillet, sauté the onion and garlic in vegetable oil
or olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion is soft.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the black beans or pinto beans
and season with the chili powder, cumin, and hot sauce, stirring to
combine. You can add a bit of salt if you’d like, but you shouldn’t need too
much with all the other seasonings. Allow the beans to cook until heated
through, about 5 minutes.

Spoon the cilantro lime rice and the black beans onto lightly warmed flour
tortillas, and add any additional toppings you want, such as vegan cheese,
salsa, avocado slices or guacamole, black olives or non-dairy sour cream.

Wrap your bean and rice burritos and serve hot.

Italian Rice and Beans

  1. 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs (do not drain)
  2. 1 14.5 oz. can Great Northern beans or cannellini beans (or any kind of white bean), drained and rinsed
  3. 2/3 cup instant rice, uncooked
  4. 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
  5. Sea salt or kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

     

    Place the diced tomatoes and their juice, the Great Northern beans or cannellini beans (drained and rinsed), instant rice (or you can also use leftover pre-cooked rice) uncooked in a medium saucepan, and season lightly with a bit of Italian seasoning and a bit of sea salt or kosher salt and fresh black pepper.

    Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The dish is done once the rice is cooked and the beans and tomatoes are cooked through. There will still be a bit of saucy moisture, some of which will evaporate as the dish cools slightly.

    Taste, and adjust seasonings to taste. Add a bit more sea salt or perhaps even seasoned salt, or top it off with nutritional yeast or another vegan Parmesan cheese substitute

Nut Pulp Flour

  • 1 cup nut or seed pulp, loosely packed
  1. Preheat your oven to its lowest temperature (ours goes to 170° F), and set a rack in the middle.
  2. After squeezing out as much of the liquid as you possibly can in the last steps of your homemade nut/seed milk prep, dump the pulp onto an unlined baking tray, and spread into an even, thin layer with a rubber scraper.
  3. Place the pulp in the oven and prop the door open to release the moisture and speed along the drying process (I use the end of a wooden spoon for this). Bake until the pulp is completely dry, checking in and stirring it around every 30 minutes or so. At 170° F, this process typically takes between 2 and 3 hours.
  4. Using a spice grinder, food processor or blender, process the dried pulp into a fine powder. Transfer your flour to a tightly sealing container, and store in the fridge or the freezer to prevent them from turning rancid.
NOTE
Total baking time will vary depending on how much liquid was squeezed out initially, and on the temperature of your oven. Our oven’s low is 170° F. Yours may go lower, which is great, but keep in mind the drying process will take longer. I definitely wouldn’t go much higher than 170° F, as the goal is not to color or toast the pulp; only to remove the moisture.

You can refrigerate the flour 1 to 2 months, or freeze it for 6 to 8 months. If frozen, remove the amount needed for your recipe and let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes prior to using.

Quick Dinner Rolls

  • 1¼ cups warm water
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. instant yeast
  • ⅓ cup oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 egg
  • 3½ cups flour
  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and sugar in a large bowl. Add in oil, salt, egg and flour until combined. (Add a little extra flour if dough is too sticky.)
  2. Shape immediately into about 15 rolls and place in a greased 9×13″ cake pan. Let raise for about 15-20 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Bake rolls for about 15-20 minutes. Spread butter on the tops of cooked rolls for a finishing touch.

Sheet Pan Gnocchi

  • 1 pound fresh, shelf-stable, or frozen potato gnocchi
  • 2 medium bell peppers, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 1 small red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
  • Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, for serving

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the gnocchi, peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, rosemary, salt, and a few generous grinds of black pepper in a large bowl. Drizzle with the oil and gently toss to combine. Spread the gnocchi mixture out evenly on the prepared baking sheet.

Roast, stirring halfway through, until the gnocchi are plump and the vegetables are tender and caramelized, 18 to 20 minutes total.

To serve, spoon the gnocchi and vegetable mixture into individual bowls and garnish each bowl with the basil and grated cheese.

Coconut Curried Lentils

LENTILS

  • 4 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups golden (yellow) lentils (rinsed and drained // or sub red with similar cook time or green with longer cooking time)

COCONUT CURRY SAUCE

  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil (or water)
  • 1 small shallot (diced // optional)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced // ~2 Tbsp as original recipe is written)
  • 3 Tbsp fresh minced ginger (1-2 Tbsp (2.5 – 4 g // amount as original recipe is written) more for more intense flavor)
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 heaping Tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (for heat – omit if you don’t like spice)
  • 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
  • 1-2 Tbsp coconut sugar or maple syrup (plus more to taste // or sub stevia)
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot or saucepan. Add lentils and bring back to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cook lentils uncovered for 4-5 minutes or until just tender. Then drain and set aside. Be careful not to overcook or they can become mushy (cooking time will vary by variety of lentil – check package for instructions).
  2. In the meantime, heat a large rimmed skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil or water, shallot (optional), garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Then add salt, curry powder, turmeric, and cayenne and cook for 1 minute more. Lower heat to low.
  3. Add coconut milk and coconut sugar (or maple syrup) and stir to combine. Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes to combine the flavors (see photo).
  4. Add the (well) drained, cooked lentils (see photo) to the coconut sauce and stir. They will likely need more seasoning at this point. I added a bit more salt, curry powder, turmeric, cayenne, and coconut sugar because I like big flavor. But season to taste.
  5. Turn off heat, add lemon juice, and stir.

Honey Soy Chicken

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 5 tablespoons honey
  • 4 cloves of garlic; minced (or substitute 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 3 pounds (approximately) chicken thighs (or preferred chicken meat)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Preheat oven to 425-degrees F.
  2. Mix first 6 ingredients together in a large plastic zip-top storage bag. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken to the plastic bag, seal bag and turn chicken to coat each piece, then place in refrigerator to marinate until ready to cook, up to a day ahead.
  3. When ready to cook, add chicken and marinade to a baking dish in a single layer. Bake chicken in a 425-degrees oven for 25 minutes with the skin side up. Flip the chicken and cook skin side down for another 10 minutes. Then turn the chicken again to skin side up and finish cooking for another 10 minutes to crisp up the skin, for a total of 45 minutes. Cook until internal temperature of chicken reads 165-degrees F.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken
  • 1 lb chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 3/4 cup cornstarch
  • oil for frying
  • 3 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp pepper or to taste
Sauce
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 4 tbsp ketchup
  • 1/2 cup vinegar
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.

  2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the chicken and gently toss making sure each piece of chicken is coated in cornstarch.

  3. Dip a few pieces of the chicken into the egg and gently toss the chicken around making sure they are coated completely in egg.

  4. Heat the oil in a large skillet, start with about 1/4 cup. Add a few pieces of chicken at a time and cook just until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. You will have to do this in batches until done. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate and discard excess oil.

  5. To make the sweet and sour sauce whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a large bowl.

  6. Add the chicken pieces to the prepared baking dish and pour about 2/3 to 3/4 of the sauce over the chicken and toss so that each piece is coated in the sauce.

  7. Bake the chicken for 45 minutes, turning it over every 15 minutes.

  8. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Use the remainder of the sauce for dipping.

Sausage, Orzo and Broccoli Skillet

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 ounces fully cooked hot Italian chicken sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
  • 2 bunches broccolini (about 1 pound), coarsely chopped
  • kosher salt
  • Pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup orzo pasta
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Heat the oil in a 10-inch regular or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until evenly browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broccolini, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until vibrant green and almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and orzo and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the pasta is al dente and the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes or according to your orzo’s package instructions. (If the pasta is cooked before the liquid is completely absorbed, uncover the skillet and let it simmer for an extra minute to evaporate it.) Stir in the 1/2 cup of Parmesan and season as needed with salt and pepper. Garnish with additional grated cheese if desired.