healthy eating

Plant-Based Green Bean Casserole

karenwpullen Recipes, Side Dishes , , , , , ,
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Print Recipe

Plant-ified Green Bean Casserole

Crunchy onions atop creamed green beans makes a great addition to any table.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Vegan
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound green beans rinsed, trimmed and cut in half
  • 1 medium shallot minced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms button or cremini
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • ¾ cup vegetable broth
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 ½ cups crispy fried onions read the ingredients label; French’s is OK
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt well. Add green beans and cook for 5 minutes, then drain and place in an ice water bath to stop cooking. Drain again and set aside.
  • Start preparing sauce. In a large skillet, sauté shallot and garlic with a tablespoon of water, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes more or until lightly browned.
  • Sprinkle in flour and whisk to stir and coat the veggies. Cook for 1 minute, then slowly add in veggie stock, whisking to incorporate.
  • Add almond milk next and whisk to stir again. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low to thicken. Cook for 5 minutes more, or until thick and bubbly.
  • Remove from heat and add 1/3 of the fried onions (half a cup) and all of the cooked green beans. Toss to coat well, and transfer to a baking dish. Top with remaining fried onions. At this point, you can set it aside if you have other dishes to prepare.
  • Bake in a preheated at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or until warmed through and bubbly and slightly browned on top. Serve immediately.

Notes

Leftovers store well in the fridge for up to a few days.

Tofu Nuggets

karenwpullen Main Dishes, Recipes, Snacks, Dips, and Smoothies , , , , ,
crispy tofu nuggets
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
resting time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Print Recipe

Crispy Tofu Nuggets

So easy yet a family-friendly dish. Serve with a toothpick for dipping, or add to stir fry.
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Chinese, Vegan
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound tofu extra firm
  • 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs read the label; Japanese panko crumbs are usually vegan

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Remove tofu from packaging and wrap with paper towels. Put it on a plate, top it with another plate, add a heavy object to press water out of the tofu. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
  • Unwrap the tofu and cut into about 40 cubes. Put into a bowl, add the tamari, and stir to coat. Let sit for 10-20 minutes.
  • Mix breadcrumbs and seasonings. Add to the marinated tofu and stir to coat evenly.
  • Place the tofu cubes on a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Notes

These delicious nuggets deserve a special dipping sauce, like this one: combine 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard, 2 tablespoons vegan mayo, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon soy sauce.

Miso Ramen Soup

karenwpullen Recipes, Soups and Stews , , , , ,
Ramen Noodle Soup
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Print Recipe

Miso Ramen Soup

Miso probiotics are good for your tummy, add ramen noodles for pleasure.
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Chinese, Japanese
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • ½ cup miso white or yellow
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons seaweed nori or wakame, soaked in water for two minutes, drained & rinsed
  • 2 cups chopped greens chard, kale, or spinach
  • 1 cup cubed firm or extra firm tofu about half a 15-oz package
  • 2 cakes of ramen noodles 4 servings, if you are substituting another noodle
  • 1 cup chopped green onion

Instructions

  • Whisk the miso into one cup of the water until it is smooth with no clumps. Set aside.
  • Bring the broth and remaining 3 cups water to a simmer.
  • Add the seaweed, greens, tofu, and ramen, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the miso.
  • Serve in a big bowl with green onion sprinkled generously on top.

Notes

It has two ingredients that might seem unusual: miso and seaweed. Miso is a fermented soybean paste that has a pleasant salty tangy flavor. It has a consistency like peanut butter and keeps in the fridge for a long time, at least a year.
Seaweed is not in everyone’s pantry but it’s a powerhouse food containing vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, omega-3 fats, B12, fiber and certain sugars that help “good” gut bacteria. I keep a packet of dried wakame seaweed in my pantry. Added to water, a spoonful plumps up quickly into a serving, so a little goes a long way.
Other bits of veggies can be simmered in this soup – broccoli florets, chopped carrot, sliced mushrooms.
I use the brown rice & millet noodles from Lotus Foods. Yummy.  https://shop.lotusfoods.com/Rice-Ramen/c/LotusFoods@Ramen  Feel free to substitute soba noodles, pad thai rice noodles, or even angel hair spaghetti.