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!!!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Dog Treats

This is a little late in being posted. But your fur babies or in my case fur grandbabies will always appreciate a good, healthy snack/treat. I made these for my grand fur babies for Christmas. They loved them. They are super easy and I made some Christmas cut out treats, but they are kind of small and these fur babies are on the bigger size. So the square/rectangle ones are probably more to their liking. What ever size your 4-legged bestie is make these - Valentine's is coming up!

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky - the ingredients in mine are peanuts!)
• 3/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used plain, unsweet almond milk)
• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (I buy organic)
• 1/4 cup broth or water
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix peanut butter, milk, maple syrup and broth in a large bowl. Once combined add all the dry ingredients (flour, oatmeal and baking powder). Stir into well combined. Roll or press out onto a clean, floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick.

If desired use cookie cutters to make shapes.

Or just slice into square, rectangles or whatever. They can be close together as they rise. I used parchment paper on my cookie sheets. Cook for about 25 minutes. Be sure to totally cool before serving and keep them in the frig as they will mold.

Have fun treating your favorite fur babies!!!

Tom Yum Soup (WFPBNO)

I loved this soup!! I made baked tofu to add to my bowl and cook the noodles that are shown in the package according to the package directions. I added the noodles to my bowl, filled it with soup and then added 11 cubes of baked tofu. It was delicious. After the noodles are cooked use your kitchen scissors and cut them into smaller lengths. The flavors of this soup were spot on. If you don't like heat reduce the amount of dried chiles you use. This is about 4 huge servings. 

• 2 tablespoons water or broth for sauteing
• 3-4 drops lemongrass essential oil
• 1/2 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 2 Thai dry red chilies, broken in half to pour out the seeds
• 1 1/2 cups button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 heaping tablespoons cheater garlic (already minced in a jar)
• 1/2 jar red curry paste, I love Thai Kitchen
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup lime juice, plus 4-5 slices of peel
• 1 15-ounce can no salt, diced tomatoes, drained
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• brown rice noodles, I used Thai Kitchen, but whatever you have on hand is fine
• 1 batch Baked Ginger Garlic Tofu
• fresh cilantro, for garnish, minced

Heat water in a Dutch oven and add the lemongrass oil and onions. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add ginger,  mushrooms, and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add curry paste and chili's; sauté another 4-5 minutes.

Add vegetable broth, coconut milk, lime peel, tomatoes, soy sauce and coconut sugar. Stir well; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook 10-15 minutes.

Add the lime juice and stir. Simmer for a few minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.

While the soup was cooking I had the tofu and noodles cooking. Add noodles to your bowl. Fill with soup and top with tofu cubes. Garnish with cilantro.

So delicious!!!

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!!!