1-2-3 Teriyaki Tofu and Broccoli

Say it with me, it's as easy as 1, 2, 3.

While I do enjoy the complex and complicated meals, every mum needs an easy night of stress free, easy cooking. I also realize that when you're changing over to a vegetarian or vegan diet, the overwhelming amount of recipes out there are complicated, or have a ton of mystery ingredients. So here's a super simple favorite of ours that is ready in 3 easy steps and about 40 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli, chopped
1 block of tofu, cubed
1 cup of brown rice
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce


Step 1: Cook rice according to directions. Do NOT stir the rice (this makes it gummy) simply add in the water, cover and simmer for about 40 minutes.

Step 2:  Saute the tofu in a few tablespoons of oil until browned on all sides.

Step 3: Add in a few tablespoons of water, broccoli and teriyaki sauce, cover and simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes, until broccoli is bright green, but still crunchy.

Now, wasn't that easy?

Curried Pumpkin Stew

I love, love, love fall. Pumpkins, squash, orange leaves, halloween costumes...is there anything better?? Capture the taste of autumn with this savory pumkin stew.

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 tbsp. garam masala

1 tbsp. curry powder

2 whole pods of star anise

1 whole stick of cinnamon

3 cloves of garlic, minced

6 cups of veggie broth

2 russett potatoes, scrubbed and chopped

1 sugar pumpkin, peeled, cleaned and cubed

1 small bag of frozen corn

1 tbsp salt

1 cup of cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Saute the onion, celery, spices and garlic until soft and aromatic, about 3-5 minutes. Add in broth, potatoes and pumpkin and simmer until soft. Puree 1/3 of the soup in a food processor until smooth and stir back in. Add in corn and heat through. Stir in salt. Ladle into bowls and top with cilantro.

Green Goddess Edamame Chili

Treat yourself to a big bowl of green goodness! I was a little worried this recipe would be too spicy for my littles, but it came out quite mild.

Ingredients:

1 jar salsa verde (we were lucky to have some homemade in the freezer)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 pasilla peppers, chopped
1 tbsp. of fresh minced ginger
5 stalks of celery, chopped
2 bags of shelled edamame
3 cups of vegetable broth
salt to taste
2 large handfuls of fresh spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
avocado and lime, for garnish

Saute the green onion, garlic, celery, ginger and peppers until soft, about 3 minutes.  Add in broth and salsa verde and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in spinach and cilantro until wilted. Spoon chili over cooked brown rice. Top with avocado and a squeeze of lime.

Veggie Tostadas and Homemade Salsa

I love Mexican food. It's all good, whether wrapped up or laid out. Mmm. We make it all kinds of ways, but this is as straightforward as it gets.

My son recently brought home this recipe for salsa, and it is pretty darn tasty!

Salsa Ingredients:
1 can stewed tomatoes (or 3 fresh, chopped)
1 small white onion
3 green onions
1 clove garlic
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
3-4 sprigs of cilantro
1 roasted green chile (or 1 small can of chiles)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients in the food processor and enjoy!


Tostada Ingredients:

2 cups cooked refried or whole beans (try black or pinto)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped spinach
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup each green onion and cilantro, chopped
salsa
guacamole
shredded cheese (optional)
pre-cooked tostada shells

Spread a thin layer of beans on each tostada shell and top with herbs, spinach, salsa, guacamole. Ole!

Stuffed Marinated Mushrooms

A little ingenuity and some left over brown rice = sublime happiness!

Ingredients:

8 baby bella mushrooms, stems removed
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1-2 cups cooked, cold brown rice
a handful of spinach, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup shaved parmesan

Place mushrooms in a bowl and marinate in teriyaki for a few hours (make sure to get some marinade in the gills of the mushroom for maximum flavor).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

When ready, place your drained mushrooms into a baking dish.

In a bowl, mix rice, spinach, garlic, oil, salt and pepper and parmesan. Spoon into mushrooms and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

Vegan Black Bean Soup

Hearty and delicious, the perfect end of summer soup. I had a bit of taco tofu left over from the night before, and added that in. But I left it out of this recipe. You can add in soy crumbles or tofu, if you like.

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked blackbeans, divided, (reserve 1 cup for blender)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 pinch black pepper
4 cups vegetable broth
1 ear fresh corn, kernels sliced off (or one cup frozen or canned corn)
4 sprigs of cilantro
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes





1.Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots and garlic for until soft. Season with chili powder, cumin, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in vegetable broth, 2 cups of beans, and corn. Bring to a boil.


2.Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, process remaining  beans, cilantro and tomatoes until smooth. Stir into boiling soup mixture, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips or rice.