Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowls (WFPBNO)

We love having bowls for dinner and I'm not sure why I don't do it more often. All the delicious components in one bowl with a yummy dressing. I had lots of fall vegetables in the frig and decided to throw these in the oven to bake, while the quinoa cooked and made a quick lemon tahini dressing. So delicious. You should take a look in your frig and see what you have lurking in there that needs to be used. You can use whatever veggies you have on hand. If you don't have quinoa use rice, millet, farro or whatever grain is in the pantry.

For the vegetables:

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 1/2 red onion, chunked
• 2 tablespoons aquafaba
• 2-3 cups fresh spinach

Prepare all the vegetables while the oven preheats to 400F.

For the Lemon Tahini Dressing:

• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/3 cup warm water
• salt and pepper to taste

Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small blender and blend until totally combined. Refrigerate until bowls are ready.

Cook quinoa, according to the package directions, while veggies roast. Cover baking sheets in parchment paper. Toss chopped veggies with aquafaba and sprinkle with seasoning of your choice. I used a spice blend with a little heat to it.

Cook vegetables about 35 minutes until tender. 

To assemble the bowls, add quinoa, then some of each of the roasted vegetables and fresh spinach. Drizzle with the dressing.

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!!!!

Quinoa Fiesta Enchilada Bake

 So last week for Taco Tuesday, I made this Enchilada Bake using Quinoa instead of tortillas. It was so tasty and it the spot for Mexican night. I also made Chick'n Taquitos using soy curls instead of the strips this recipe uses. Oh my gosh what a delicious meal. I need to make this enchilada bake on a regular rotation. It is so easy and comes together so fast. Also, you could sub out the black beans for pintos, or use half beans and half corn kernels. Use what you have on hand. But, make these asap! This made four healthy servings.

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3/4 cup tri-color quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 cup no chicken broth (I use Better Than Bouillon)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle adobo sauce
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
• 3/4 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3/4 Daiya cheddar shreds
• 1 medium avocado, diced for garnish
• 1 scallion, sliced for garnish

In a medium saucepan cook the quinoa with 1 1/3 cup broth according to package directions. When done, fluff and set aside.

In a small saucepan add 2 tablespoons water and sauce the garlic about 2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, cumin, chipotle adobe sauce. If it's too thick add 2 tablespoons water to thin it out. Bring to aboil and then turn down heat and simmer 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, green chiles, black beans and 1/2 the cilantro. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese and mix well. 

Place in a 8x8 baking dish and spread out evenly.

Top with enchilada sauce and spread it out.

Top with the remainder of the cheese.

Cover with parchment paper and then foil. Bake in oven 20-25 minutes until it's hot and the cheese has melted. 

To serve, top with chopped avocado, scallions and cilantro. I also made the above mentioned taquitos to go with the dish. 

Enjoy! If you make this be sure to leave me a comment!!

Black-Eyed Pea Chili (WFPBNO)

This cold snap has had us eating soup every day! I'm not complaining because I LOVE soup! I had some frozen peas in the freezer that needed to be eaten and after looking around on the web for ideas this is what I came up with. If you don't have quinoa or like it use whatever grain you have. I've been stocking up on quinoa, farro, barley, wheat groats and rice. This will serve 4-6 depending on how much you eat.

• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 3 small red/orange bell peppers, chopped (I didn't have a regular sized one)
• 1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups frozen black-eyed peas
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with the juice
• 3/4 cup frozen corn
• Garnish: lime juice, avocado (I didn't have any), cilantro

To a large non-stick Dutch oven add 3 tablespoons water. Sweat the onions until they are soft 4-5 minutes. You can add additional water if needed.

Add the bell peppers and cook another 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the black-eyed peas, broth and the rest of the ingredients up to and including the tomatoes.

Bring to a boil and cook about 5 minutes.

Then reduce  heat to low, cover and simmer until the peas are tender. I had to cook mine about an hour.

Stir occasionally and if needed add more broth. I didn't need to add more. When the peas are tender taste the broth and see if you need to add more of the spices. Add corn and quinoa and cook 20 minutes more.

Garnish as desired and enjoy! 

Butternut Squash Quinoa Chili (WFPBNO)

It's been a little chilly in Florida the past week and I had a butternut squash on the counter that was in dire need of being used before it went bad. I search the web for ideas of how to use the squash and make a big pot of chili. By combining several promising recipes this is what I ended up with. This is delicious and filling. Makes about 6 servings. 

• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 1 large jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (I buy minced garlic in a jar)
• 4 cups butternut squash, diced into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 cans fire-roasted tomatoes
• 4 teaspoons tomato paste
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 can light red kidney beans, lightly drained
• 1 can black beans, lightly drained
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar

Put 1/4 cup water in a Dutch oven and heat. Add onion and jalapeno; saute 3-4 minutes stirring often.

Add garlic and sauté for another 3 minutes, until onion and pepper are soft and golden.

Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and stir. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste and broth. Stir and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat.

When boiling add the quinoa and reduce heat to medium-low. You want some bubbles but not boiling. Cover and cook 13-15 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the quinoa from sticking.

Add squash, both beans, black pepper, coconut sugar and stir well.  Simmer on a medium low heat, covered until squash is done. About 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Garnish with avocado and some Frank's hot sauce. 

Enjoy!!

Black Bean Enchilada Quinoa (WFPBNO)

 This recipe is based on one I saw online somewhere. I gave it a whole foods plant based no oil spin and it was quite tasty. It made enough for about 6 servings. So leftovers are definitely in our future. I love leftovers! I hope you'll give it a try and let me know what you think. 

• 1 cup diced sweet onion (I used about 1/2 of that large one in the pic)
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup uncooked tri-color quinoa
• 1 can no salt added black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with the juice
• 1 can (15 oz) enchilada sauce **
• Garnishes: tortilla chips, cheese sauce, sliced avocado, salsa, pickled jalapenos

In a large skillet saute onion, bell pepper, garlic and cumin in a couple of tablespoons water. Cook until onion is soft, 3-5 minutes.

Add the quinoa, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and enchilada sauce to the skillet. Stir well; bring mixture to a simmer. Cover with lid and cook for about 20 minutes or until the quinoa is soft. Be sure to stir every 5 minutes or so to keep the quinoa from sticking to the bottom. Most of the liquid should be gone when the quinoa is ready.

Taste and season with more cumin if needed.

Garnish as desired. I served tortilla chips on the side but topped with cheese sauce, sliced avocado, topped with a little salsa and a few pickled jalapenos.

** I made Dr. McDougall's Enchilada Sauce from his Starch Solution Cookbook.

The cheese sauce is from Brand New Vegan's website.