Quick quinoa dinner

May 7, 2013 by Jean Coburn

By the time I thought about dinner this evening it was 8 pm. I’d been so busy enjoying the rare Seattle Sun, walking my dog, and hanging out with hubby, that time just got away from me.

I whipped up a couple of bowls of quinoa from a package that included spices. The box recommended letting the quinoa sit covered after it was done absorbing the water I’d boiled it in. Before I set it aside, I chopped up a bunch of cherry tomatoes and added them (and a dollop of olive tapenade) to the pot.

As the quinoa mix was sitting aside, I fried up a few “beefless tips” by Gardein and threw them in the mix. The result was a tasty, easy dinner that was filling, satisfying, and nutritious.

Hubby (a not-yet-vegan) wanted to see Forks Over Knives so we sat down with our plant-based meal and watched the documentary. It was even better than I’d remembered. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.

Burger and fries the healthy way

April 12, 2013 by Jean Coburn

Sometimes I just crave simple, tried and true favorites. Like a burger and fries. I haven’t had a hamburger in 30 years, but with so many vegan patties on the market (not to mention the ones you can make from scratch), what’s to miss (besides cholesterol, fat, and cruelty)?

I made this quick meal using prepackaged ingredients. (I’ve never professed to be a chef!) But this is proof that you can have delicious, healthy premade meals in a snap.

I baked up a batch of sweet potato fries from Trader Joe’s. I love the color they add to the plate. And the flavor is unique too. Sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamins B6, C, D, as well as iron and magnesium.

Then I made masala burgers, also from Trader Joe’s. These don’t look like fake meat. They’re full of veggies and have a nice spicy taste. I added lettuce, tomato and avocado, and sprinkled on vegan parmesan and a bit of black pepper.

The whole thing took 10 minutes–perfect for a quick, healthy meal at the end of a busy week.

I joined up with Veggie Nook for Healthy Vegan Fridays. Have a look at all the other delicious meal ideas!

Roasted veggies and Gardein

March 29, 2013 by Jean Coburn

I’m a bit of a rogue in the kitchen. Here’s another recipe-less meal I recently made: Roasted veggies and chipotle-lime “chicken” strips by Gardein.

First I diced potatoes, a rainbow assortment of carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli. I tossed them into a glass dish with garlic and a bit of soy sauce for flavor and baked it until done. It took about 40 minutes to cook the veggies. The Gardein instructions called for a 10-minute bake so I added them to the oven (on their own rack) 3/4 of the way through.

I based this meal around some fascinating carrots I found at the grocery store. Have you ever seen such wonderfully colorful carrots?

I’ve joined up with Healthy Vegan Fridays at The Veggie Nook. Be sure to check out all the other delicious meals that people have made.

Spinach and lentils with pita

March 15, 2013 by Jean Coburn

Here’s a meal I made on the fly. I didn’t have a recipe in mind when I started but I had a package of Trader Joe’s lentils. They’re ready to serve–hot or cold–and easy to use at mealtime.

I had a package of frozen spinach so I cooked it briefly (blanched?) and sautéed it with the lentils. I added a touch of garlic and served it up with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan. I toasted some whole wheat mini pitas and added a dollop of sundried-tomato hummus on the side.

This meal took less than 15 minutes to prepare, was filling and satisfying, and after serving up two plates, I had enough lentil-spinach mix left for lunch. I’m going add diced tomatoes to the leftovers and use the mix as a filling for a tasty wrap.

Lentils are a legume, and are high in fiber and protein while being low in fat. they have folate and B6 and magnesium. They’re a complex carbohydrate (the good kind!) and supply lots of energy. Spinach is a good source of vitamins A and C as well as iron.

Healthy, nutritious, and cruelty-free!

I’ve linked up to my first ever Healthy Vegan Friday and I’m looking forward to discovering lots of other vegan recipes. You should check it out too!