One-Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta

I saw this non-vegan dish and it sounded so good and seemed fairly simple. So, I made it vegan by using Impossible meat, that was thawed, veggie broth instead of chicken broth, vegan cheese and left out the oil. It was delicious!!! It's not WFPBNO, but you could use crumbled soy curls or crumbled tofu and make your own cheese sauce and it would be WFPBNO. It is definitely a make again and next time I'll try making it whole food. It think either the soy curls or the super firm tofu crumbled would work fine.  Try this for Taco Tuesday this week.

• 1 cup chopped sweet onion
• 1 12-ounce package Impossible Beef Lite, thawed
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1 heaping teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 15-ounce can, black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups of your favorite salsa
• 8 ounces dry elbow macaroni
• 2 1/2 cup veggie broth
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels (not in pic, sorry)
• 2 cups Colby Jack shreds
• Garnish: diced avocado, sour cream, pickled jalapeno slices

Heat a couple of tablespoons water in a Dutch oven. Add onion and cook until it is translucent. Stirring occasionally.

                                        

Add the Impossible beef, taco seasoning and garlic. Cook, breaking up the beef into smaller pieces using a wooden spoon. Cook until no pink remains.

Add the beans, salsa and macaroni. Stir well to combine. Add the broth and cover, bringing the pot to a boil. Uncover, cook, stirring occasionally, the pasta will try to stick to the bottom of the pan. Be sure to scrape the bottom often. Cook until pasta is done, about 12-15 minutes. Again, be sure to stir.

Add the corn and 1-1/2 cups cheese. Stir well.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese on the top and add the lid. Turn the heat off. Leave for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melty.

Add your garnishes, you could also use chopped cilantro, more salsa, hot sauce, crushed tortilla chips.

Enjoy!!!

Instant Pot Taco Pasta (WFPBNO)

I saw this recipe online and it sounded delicious. So, I decided to make it WFPBNO.  Use Brand New Vegan or whoever has your favorite WFPBNO cheese sauce. I didn't have the time to make it and cheated and used Daiya shreds. They are no WFPBNO. I used black beans for my protein and used Dr. McDougall's enchilada sauce. They are all online for free. I'm trying to find more instant pot recipes during these hot days of August. This was super simple; you probably have everything in your pantry or freezer to make it. Dinner in less than 30 minutes!!! Flavors were spot on!

• 1 cup diced sweet onion
• 1 tablespoon cheater garlic (the stuff in a jar in the produce isle)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups enchilada sauce
• 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 3 cups medium pasta shells
• 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 cup canned black beans
• a couple of handfuls of cheese shreds or a WFPBNO cheese sauce
• Garnishes: avocado, salsa, jalapenos, lime juice, cilantro

Set the Instant Pot to sauce and add a couple of tablespoons of water. Once the water is bubbling add the diced onions. Saute until tender.

Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds or so. Turn off.

Add the water, pasta, enchilada sauce, rotel, chili powder and cumin. I also added a few dashes of hot sauce. Stir well. 

Lock the lid and be sure the valve is set to sealed. Set Instant Pot to 3 minutes. Once it beeps, release the pressure by turning the valve to release to let the steam out. Stir well.

Add the corn and black beans and mix well.

Add the cheese or cheese sauce. 

Return the lid to the pot and let it sit for 2-3 minutes. You want the corn and black beans to warm up and the cheese to melt or get warm. 

Plate up with your garnishes and enjoy!!!!

Mexican Stew (WFPBNO)

I've made this recipe several times but this is the first time it's been WFPBNO. I used soy curls, which are compliant instead of a vegan meat substitute. I think it turned delicious and is definitely healthier. It has my favorite black bean and corn combo and the freshly roasted tomatillos give it that Mexican flair. If you can't find fresh one look for canned ones in the ethnic isle. Be sure your fresh tomatillos have a tight fitting husk and are bright green and firm.

• 1-1/2 pounds fresh tomatillos, husks discarded, rinsed and quartered
• 4 ounces soy curls, snapped into bite-sized pieces and rehydrated in water or broth
• 1 large or 2 medium sweet onions, chopped (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 1-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 ginormous jalapeno, halved, seeded and chopped 
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 9 ounces frozen corn
• 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 teaspoons masa harissa

Heat broiler. Arrange tomatillos on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Broil 6 inches from heat until lightly charred, turning occasionally. This should take about 8 minutes.

Squeeze the soy curls to remove some of the liquid and drop them into a Dutch oven over medium heat. Continue until you've added all of the soy curls. Stirring occasionally until they are light brown. Remove to a bowl.

To the same Dutch oven add onion, garlic, jalapeno, oregano and cumin. Add a splash of water if needed to keep things from sticking. Cook about 3 minutes then add tomatillos, corn, broth, 1/2 cup water and the soy curls. Bring to a boil then turn to a simmer. Cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in beans, cilantro and masa. Stir and simmer uncovered until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Serve with avocado, vegan sour cream and chopped onion if desired. Taste first, but I added a few splashes of Frank's hot sauce to my bowl.

This would be good with cornbread or even a warm tortilla.

Enjoy!!!

Enchilada Pasta (WFPBNO)

I'm sorry I didn't have a post for last Saturday. I had Covid and was really not up to cooking. I feel much better this week and have a delicious, quick  pasta dish to share. I used rigatoni for this but in hind site it's really too big. It was delicious but I think it would be easier to eat and more pleasant to look at with a slightly small pasta. Just use what you have in your pantry. The flavors are so much better as leftovers, the seasoning really have time to marry in the leftovers. This made 6-8 servings depending on how hungry you are. Leftovers are delicious and reheated on the stovetop nicely. 

• 1 pound pasta, use a shape that will grab and hold onto the sauce
• 1 sweet onion, cut in half and then sliced think
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into think strips
• 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced thin (remove seeds if you want mild)
• 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 cup prepared lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 package reduced-sodium taco seasoning
• 6 cups vegetable broth

In a Dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons water. Once hot add garlic and onions and cook  until translucent.

Add bell pepper and jalapeno and saute.

Add black beans, lentils and tomatoes. Stir well.

Add broth. Stir well and bring to a boil.

Add pasta, stir and bring back to a boil.

Add taco seasonings. Stir well. Cover pot and reduce heat to a simmer with lid slightly ajar.

Stir frequently so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and cook covered for about 15 minutes.

Stir again and recover. Let sit for 5-8 minutes for pasta to soak up some broth and thicken.

Serve with a garnish of parsely or cilantro it you want. 

Since the broth is a little soupy I served this in a deep bowl. A slice of garlic bread would have been lovely with this.

Enjoy!!!

Macaroni Taco Soup (WFPBNO)

I've made Taco Soups before but I don't think I've added pasta to it. This was a nice change. I cooked the pasta separately and kept it in a separate container so it wouldn't absorb all the broth from the soup. These are every day ingredients that you probably have in you pantry or freezer. As the weather starts to cool off again it's soup season! This is also ready in about 30 minutes making it a fast weeknight dinner.

• 1 sweet onion, diced (about 1 cup to 1 1/2)
• 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic (I buy the stuff in a jar)
• 2 small jalapeno, diced (optional)
• 1 packet Taco Seasoning mix
• 1 cup corn, I used frozen
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 4-ounce can diced green chilies 
• 3 cups vegetable stock (you can use more if you want it soupier)
• 1 lime juiced
• 8 ounces uncooked macaroni
• Garnish: sliced scallions, chopped avocado, chopped cilantro, tortilla chips, lime wedges

Heat about 1/4 cup of water in a Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno and taco seasoning. Cook about 2 minutes stirring well. Add another splash of water if needed. Start your pasta, cook according to package directions.

Add corn, beans, tomatoes, chiles and broth. 

Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 15-20 minutes. Add the lime juice just before serving.

Drain pasta and run cold water over it to keep it from sticking. Set aside.

To serve add some pasta to your bowl. Ladle the hot soup over the pasta and garnish with the things you love. 

Enjoy!!!

Bourbon Mango Black Bean Chili (WFPBNO)

I know this sounds like an odd combination, but trust me. This works. I based this on a recipe I saw online that I wanted to make whole food plant based no oil. I choose to use soy curls. You just break them into bite-sized pieces and soak them in broth or water for about 10 minutes. Then drain and squeeze all the liquid of of them. They remind me of pulled chicken. Anyway, this has a wonderful flavor and serves 4 so there isn't a huge investment involved. Give it a try and let me know in the comments below what you think of the dish. 

• 1 cup soy curls* (see note above about soaking the soy curls)
• 1/2 large sweet onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1 heaping tablespoon pre-minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 heaping cup frozen mango cubes, thawed and cut in half
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1teaspoon coconut sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• cilantro for garnish

Heat a couple of tablespoons water in a Dutch oven. Add onion and jalapeno and cook about 5 minutes until they soften. 

Stir in the garlic and cook another minutes.

Add the drained soy curls to the pot. Stir well.

Add chili powder and smoked paprika and cook another 3-5 mminutes.

Add the diced tomatoes and stir well.

Add black beans and mango to the pot and stir. Cook until warm. Add bourbon and brown sugar. Add the black pepper and cayenne right before serving.

Serve with cilantro and I always add a shot of Frank's hot sauce to my bowl.

Enjoy!!!