New Year's Day Foods

For New Year's Day we always have black-eyed peas, greens, cornbread and the rest if up for discussion. So, as my last post of 2022 I'll link to some recipes that I've made for New Year's Day over the years. I look forward to seeing you all online in 2023. With the holidays behind me I will get back on schedule of posting every Saturday to the blog. 

• Black-Eyed Peas & Collard Stew
• Black-Eyed Pea Chili (WFPBNO)
• Cowboy Caviar
• Texas Caviar (WFPBNO)
• Black-Eyed Pea, Veggie & Sausage Soup (Slow-Cooker)
• Southern Collard Greens
• Collard Greens (WFPBNO)
• Southern Greens
• Italian Vegetable Stew
• BBQ Tofu & Collard Wrap

As we transitioned from vegan to Whole Food Plant Based No Oil  you can see some of these recipes are not WFPBNO, but you can easily fix that! Wishing you all a safe and happy new year! 

XOXOXO

Tempeh Tacos (WFPBNO)

This tempeh taco meat is delicious. I used it in a taco and here is the promised picture I had forgotten to take when I made them the first time. This would also be great in a quesadilla or burrito. Use this "taco meat" like you would traditional taco meat and you will be pleased with your meal. We had these again last night for Taco Tuesday and had leftovers for lunch today. Delicious flavor, you seriously need to give these a try. 

• 8 ounces tempeh
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes, including juice
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 red onion, diced (my onion was huge)
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 tablespoons water
• black pepper to taste
• a dash of liquid smoke
• taco shells, tortillas, etc.
• Garnish: jalapenos, avocado slices, guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, cilantro, black olives, lime wedges

Crumble tempeh into a large mixing bowl. 

Add the garlic, Rotel, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and soy sauce.

Mix well until everything is blended.

Once everything is well incorporated add the onion and bell pepper.

Drizzle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time while stirring. Taste to see if you need more black pepper or salt.

Add 2 tablespoons water to a non-stick skillet. Once skillet is hot add the tempeh mixture and liquid smoke.

Toss tempeh a few times so it browns evenly. You may need to add a little bit more water to keep it from sticking, however I didn't need to do that since I used the juice from the Rotel. When the veggies are tender it's ready.

Add this to a tortilla for a taco or burrito. Be sure to garnish with your favorite items. Enjoy!!!

Nachos

These would be whole food plant based if I had made my own tortilla chips. But, I bought these at a local grocery and they were amazing. They were made with organic blue corn and were so light and crispy. These nachos were a nice change from soups and/or an entrée with sides for lunch. Obviously, use the ingredients you have on hand and enjoy. 

• tortilla chips, I used enough for a nice layer on my serving platter
• Queso cheese sauce, use however much you want
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 avocado (guac, steps below)
• Salsa 
• pickled jalapenos, to taste
• 3 tablespoons red onion, diced small

Make the queso if you haven't already. Heat the black beans in a small saucepan with garlic powder, cumin and chili powder. I used about 1 teaspoon of each. I also had a small amount of tempeh taco 'meat' in the frig that I added so I could get rid of it. But it's not necessary. Stir frequently and turn heat to low to keep the beans warm.

Mash your avocado in a small bowl and add the juice from 1/2 a lime, a tablespoon of diced tomato, a tablespoon diced red onion, a sprinkle of salt. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Set aside.

Arrange your chips on a serving platter and cover with bean mixture.

Drizzle with the warm queso.

Top with salsa; if your salsa is thin use a fork to get the salsa and leave the juice behind.

 

Add the amount of guac you would like.

Garnish with pickled jalapenos and diced red onion. I place all the topping by the platter so we could add more if we wanted to. I actually used a large spatula and served the nachos on individual saucers.

This was so good and there will be lots of leftover cheese sauce. You can use that sauce to pour over a baked potato, to make mac 'n cheese, to pour over broccoli and/or cauliflower, etc.

Cornbread (WFPBNO)

I love cornbread with a big pot of soup or greens. Cornbread is also a must for an amazing dish of Cornbread Dressing. I made this cornbread and used it in my dressing for Thanksgiving. It was the most delicious dressing I've ever made! To me the trick to a good cornbread is preheating your cast iron skillet while the oven preheats. You want to pour your batter into that hot skillet and hear it sizzle. You won't regret making this. Just be sure your skillet is well seasoned. I know if you rub the inside with oil using a paper towel you are not really consuming oil. The oil is helping to season your skillet and remember to never wash your cast iron with soap. Let's make some cornbread.

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Bragg's apple cider vinegar (with the mother)
• 1 1/2 cups vegan milk
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour (I use unbleached)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsweet applesauce (a 4 ounce cup)

Preheat oven to 400 and place your cast iron skillet in there while it's preheating. Combine apple cider vinegar and non-dairy milk in a measuring bowl. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes to make buttermilk.

Mix all the dry ingredients into a bowl. Stir with a spatula.

Add wet ingredients (buttermilk and applesauce) to dry and stir until combined. Don't over stir. 

Carefully removed the cast iron skillet from the oven and pour the batter into the pan. 

Return to oven and cook 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting. 

Enjoy!!!

Quinoa & Tofu Burrito Bowl (WFPBNO)

We went through a 'bowl' kick for a little bit. It's so easy to prep a few things that compliment each other and arrange it all in a bowl and top with a dressing. You can add what you like and substitute for the veggies you have in your kitchen. These are a great way to have company for dinner, as each person can build their own bowl. This bowl is made out of simple everyday ingredients. I'll post the recipe for the Chipotle Lime Dressing later in the week. It was really delicious. But you could use your favorite salsa to top this off or instead of cubing your avocado, make some guac to top it off.

• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 14 ounces baked tofu
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 avocado, diced
• Chipotle Lime Dressing
• pickled jalapeno slices, garnish

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add a couple tablespoons water and the onion. Saute until onion is fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and cook another minute or two.

Add quinoa and toast for a couple of minutes. Stirring often.

Add the stock, tomatoes with the liquid and oregano. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook about 15 minutes until liquid has been absorbed by quinoa.

Give it a good stir.

Divide quinoa among four bowls. Top each bowl with lettuce, tomatoes, baked tofu and avocado. Drizzle with dressing and top with pickled jalapenos.

Enjoy!!!!

Thai Noodles (WFPBNO)

These noodles were amazing. I used a frozen stir-fry blend that I picked up from  Aldi's. I know all grocery stores carry these types of blends. But if you have sugar snap peas, cauliflower, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, etc. you could make your own blend. I always say the trick to delicious Asian food is the sauce. This sauce was delicious! If you don't have vegan oyster sauce just use low-sodium soy with a tiny splash of molasses. 

Sauce Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 4 cloves minced garlic (2 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon vegan oyster sauce

Noodles:

• 8 ounces Lo Mein Noodles
• 1 12-ounce package frozen Asian style vegetables
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 3 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet combine all the sauce ingredients with a 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

Stir in the frozen vegetables and cook until crisp tender, about 5 minutes.

Toss well to coat the veggies in that delicious sauce.

Add the cooked noodles and toss to coat. Heat about 2-3 minutes.

Serve with green onions, chopped peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges.

Enjoy!!!

Creamy Pasta Salad (WFPBNO)

Pasta is one of my favorite things to eat. Fix it any way and I'm down. I do love a good pasta salad. This was so good and having it in the frig to add to to a quick lunch or even for an afternoon snack was ideal. of course you can use the veggies you have on hand or add some extras like mushrooms or chopped spinach. 

• 10 ounces whole grain rotini
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (if your tomatoes are small just cut them in half)
• 1 Persian cucumber, quartered and sliced
• 3/4 cup dill pickle relish
• 1/2 cup black olives, sliced or quartered
• mayo

Cook pasta according to package directions. While it cooks prepare all of the veggies in a large bowl.

Once pasta is done, drain and rinse to cool it off. Add pasta to bowl with veggies and give it all a good stir.

Add your homemade, oil free, dairy free mayo. I used about 2/3 a cup. Remember this is a creamy pasta salad so add the amount that you like.

Serve as a side dish to a cookout, next to a sandwich or a bowl of soup. This can be garnished with sunflower seeds or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. 

Simple and delicious!