Thai Peanut Noodle

When I first started cooking vegan meals, I would cook a vegan meal, cook meat on the side, then add the two together on my husband's plate while leaving mine unaltered. My husband had no qualms about letting me know how butt hurt he was that I'd do such a thing (he originally didn't like my new sans meat lifestyle), nor was he quiet about how his animal carcass wasn't as flavorful when not cooked with the rest of them meal (especially pasta dishes).

Lately, I've been experimenting on my dinners to try and alleviate that issue. With fajitas it's quite easy, as I've always cooked the meat and vegetables separately. But tonight, I made a marvelously delicious meal that was just as amazing for my omnivourous counterpart as it was for me. Don't let this recipe intimidate you! It's incredibly easy. Here it is:

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 cups          low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 tbs            soy sauce
• 1/2 cup         rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp          all natural peaut butter 
• 2 cloves        pressed (or minced) garlic
• 1 tsp             minced/shredded* ginger
• 2 cups          broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup        chopped green onions
• 8 oz              fettucini pasta 
• 1/2 lb            diced chicken breast
• Sesame oil to taste (optional)

Directions:

1: Place fettucini pasta (break in half if you like smaller noodles) in a large pot with water, and boil until al dente.

2: Meanwhile, place first three ingredients (veg broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar) into a separate pot and bring to a boil. Add ginger, garlic, green onions, and peanut butter. Lower heat, and continue simmer.

3: Drizzle a bit of sesame oil into a frying pan (I use about 1/2-1 tsp), add 1 tsp of peanut sauce, and heat. Add broccoli, and cook til soft on the outside, about 3-4 minutes.

4: Drain pasta. Add sauce and broccoli, and toss while in the pot. If you are adding chicken, proceed to step 5. If not, skip right ahead to number 7.

5 (optional): Drizzle a bit more sesame oil (I use about a tbsp for chicken) into the broccoli frying pan. Saute chicken 5-6 minutes, until no longer pink (if you have a Food Thermometer, make sure the internal temp is at least 165°F).

6 (optional): remove pasta from heat, and split into two giant portions. Toss chicken in with one of the portions.

7: Garnish with green onions. Serve piping hot, and enjoy!

*Note: Instead of chopping the ginger/onion, I actually like to use the fine-shred section of my cheese grater. Much faster, and it really brings out the juices!

Ever Versatile Black Bean Mix

This mushroom-black bean mix is amazing. I love this dish because it's delicious, versatile, quick, and easy. The things I use it for are taco stuffing, chip dip, a meat sub for fajitas, and a topping for nachos. Even the mushroom-hating fam enjoys this recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 can      low-sodium or organic black bean mix, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 c      chopped mini bella (or portabella) mushrooms
• 2 cloves  minced garlic
• 1/2 c       vegetable broth
• Olive oil to taste

Directions:

1: In a pot, put in olive oil, and heat. Add mushrooms and garlic (be sure not to burn the garlic, or it will become bitter), and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

2: Add vegetable broth and black beans and bring to a simmer. Simmer 3-4 minutes, or until liquid is mostly absorbed.

3: Serve hot, and enjoy!

Bowtie Chicken Parmigiana

This recipe easily doubles as a vegetarian dish. If you'd like to make it a vegan recipe, I suggest adding a tablespoon of nutritional yeast in place of the parmesan (or, simply use whey/dairy-free cheese).

Serves 4

 Ingredients:

• 8 oz chicken, cut into ½ in. cubes (optional)
• 1 can lower-sodium diced tomatoes
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 fresh basil leaves
• 3 c spinach
• 1 tsp oregano
• ½ white onion
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• ¼ c parmesan

Directions:

1: In a large pot, cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside. 

2: In a food processor, add diced tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic, the basil leaves, oregano, white onion and red wine vinegar. Pulse until desired consistency.

3: Place chicken and about half a cup of water in frying pan. Cook over medium-high heat until cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

4: Rinse pan. Put the spinach and 1 clove of the garlic in the pan, along with about a ¼ c of water. Saute until wilted, 3-4 minutes.

5: Add together the chicken, spinach, and tomato sauce mixture in the pan, and cook over medium heat 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add parmesan, and cook until melted and mixed into the sauce.

6:  If desired, toss mixture with al dente pasta (I like to keep mine separate). Serve immediately.

Fajitas (a meal for both omnivores and vegans)

I like this meal because it's pretty simple, delicious, and I can use it to feed everyone in the family.

Ingredients:

• 1        lb flank steak, cut into thin strips
• 1/2     c cheddar cheese
• 10      fajita sized, whole wheat tortillas
• 1        red pepper
• 1        yellow pepper
• 1/2     white onion
• 1         large garlic clove
• 1         tsp garlic powder
•           Pepper, to taste
• 2        c vegetable broth
• 1        can organic (or lower-sodium) black beans
• Toppings of your choice; I like sauerkraut (sour cream sub) or Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream, guacamole, Chalula, sour cream and cheese for the omnivores

Directions:

1: Chop bell peppers and onion into this strips. Mince or press garlic. Place peppers, garlic, onion, and 1 cup of vegetable broth into frying pan, and bring to a boil.

2: Meanwhile, rinse black beans in a strainer for about 1 minute (this helps remove any sodium; up to 33%). Place black beans and the remaining vegetable broth into a small sauce pan. Simmer.

3: After the pepper/onion mixture has reached it's desired consistency, remove from heat. Take the mixture out of the pan and set aside; reserve a small amount (about 1/4 c) of vegetable broth in the pan.

4: Put beef flank in the pan with the vegetable broth. Sprinkle the garlic powder and pepper over the beef while it cooks, 2 to 3 minutes on each side (or until desired done-ness). Remove from heat.

5: Build your fajitas! For the omnivores, I put cheese in the tortilla, then meat, veggies, and desired toppings, then serve the black beans on the side. For myself, I like to put the beans in the tortilla, then layered by the veggies, chalula, and sauerkraut. I know the sauerkraut sounds odd- but trust me, it's an excellent sour cream alternative!

**Note: If you prefer a 'lean' meat for your fajitas, chicken or fish is an excellent alternative for the beef.

Garlic Butter Pasta

Sometimes simple is best, and this is a very quick and simple dish. This is excellent for a quick lunch/snack, or a side at dinner.

Makes 2-4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2    cups penne pasta
• 4    cups water
• 2    cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2     tsp butter
• 1/3  cup asiago cheese (or more, to taste)
• 2/3  cup frozen lima beans (or canned- but make sure you rinse them!)
• Pepper to taste

Directions:

1: Put water in medium sauce pan and bring to a boil.

2: Add penne, garlic, butter, and pepper. Boil 5-6 minutes, or until al dente.

3: Strain pasta, and immediately sprinkle with asiago cheese. Serve.

**Note:
This recipe courtesy of Tiffany Valentine

Mushroom Risotto

       This dish is delicious! It's a vegan dish, but my entire meatitarian family LOVED it (even the picky parents). Most people I know or I'm related to dislike (or hate) mushrooms, and those same people still love this dish!

       One thing you need to remember with Risotto- it needs some love and attention, and can take awhile to cook. 

       This is a large recipe, serving 6-8. You can half the recipe, and it still comes out marvelous.

Ingredients:

• 2        cups Arborio rice
• 1-2    tbs of olive oil
• 1/2     cup chopped mushrooms (you can use any kind you like- I love mini bella)
• 1/2     cup chopped onion
• 1        large garlic clove (it just isn't the same if you use the powder!)
• 6        cups water (or vegetable broth, if you don't use Better than Boullion)
• 1 1/2  tbs Better than Boullion (leave this out if you use veggie broth) 

Directions:

1: Saute the chopped white onion, diced mushrooms, and a clove of finely minced garlic in a large/deep pan with a liberal dose of olive oil until onion is transparent.

2: Pour in Arborio rice. Here we're using 2 cups of your average store-brand rice(I usually make this in large portions so that I can have leftovers or make suppli). Coat the rice in the olive oil/garlic/onion concoction and stir fairly regularly for between 1 and 3 minutes (this is supposed to help open up the rice kernal to more readily absorb liquid).

3: Add warm water, 1 cup at a time, waiting until ALL the liquid is absorbed before adding the next cup. You will be adding approximately 6 cups in total (3 cups for every 1 cup of rice, but make sure that you check with your rice package and compensate for your altitude) and stirring almost constantly with a wooden spoon. The best risotto gets its texture from this constant attention.

4 (optional): Add  Better Than Bouillion. Only do this if you aren't using vegetable broth in place of water!

5:  Once all the liquid from the 6th cup of water(/broth) has fully absorbed, and the rice has a nice, soft texture, spoon a large portion onto a plate. If you eat cheeses, this dish garnishes well with parmesan cheese and freshly cracked pepper. Enjoy!

*Some notes*

- This recipe is courtesy of Tiffany Valentine

- Better Than Boullion is an excellent base! Like most boullion, it is high in sodium. You can find Better Than Boullion in most health food stores, as well is in Harmon's; or you can order some here.

Grilled Peppercorn Chicken

This recipe is extremely easy, and very quick. For best results, to allow 1-2 hours for the chicken to marinate; if you don't have that long, then cut slits into the chicken and marinate in fridge for at least a half an hour.

This recipe goes very well with the Mushroom Risotto (vegan), and a vegetable side.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken breast
• 2 tbs olive oil or extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs garlic powder (or 2 fresh garlic cloves)
• 1 tbs fresh ground peppercorn
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 ziploc (type) baggie to marinate

Directions:

1: Take olive oil,  garlic powder, salt and peppercorn, put in the ziploc baggie. Shake to mix. Add chicken, and place in fridge. Allow 1 to 2 hours to marinate. (If short on time, cut slits in the chicken, and marinate for 30 minutes).

2: Heat grill (I use a George Foreman Grill, iz AWESOME). Place chicken breasts on grill, and cook 5 - 6 minutes on each side, or juices run clear. (if you have a food thermometer, make sure the internal temp is 165 °F).

3: Serve. This goes well with rice sides, and goes very well diced in salads!