Vegetable Stew and Savory muffins

I heavily adapted these from a Vegetarian Times recipe.

Smoky Vegetable Stew

1 onion, chopped
5 sticks celery, chopped
half a bag of baby carrots, chopped
2 medium zucchini, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large can diced tomatoes
4 cups water + 2 veggie bullion (I use Edward and Sons Not Chick/n or Not Beef bouillon- can find at Sprouts for Whole Foods)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 inch ginger, freshly grated
1/3 pre-cooked farro (Trader Joe's)
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion, celery, zucchini and carrots in a pot with some olive oil.  When onions are starting to get soft add minced garlic to bottom of pan with a tsp more olive oil and cook until fragrant. Add water and bullion, tomatoes, farro, beans and paprika. Simmer for 20- 30 min until farro is soft.

Basil Parmesan Sun-dried Tomato Corn muffins

Dry:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup medium grind cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Wet:
1/4 c olive oil
1 cup 2% milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup light sour cream

Add-ins:
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 c sundried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed in garlic press

Course sea salt for garnish
Spray olive oil

Combine the dry ingredients in large bowl. Combine the wet ingredients in separate bowl. Add wet to dry and mix until just combined. Mix in the add-ins until incorporated.  Spray muffin tins with olive oil. Put 1/3 cup batter in each muffin cup.  Spray batter with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt on top.
Bake at 350 degrees approx 20 min, until knife inserted comes out clean.  Turn on broiler for 2-3 minutes until tops are browned.

Camping muffins, granola, cheese sauce

These are sweeter than I usually make so I save them as special treats when we go camping.

Cranberry Walnut muffin

2 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 c sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 c buttermilk
1/2 c oil
2 eggs
orange or lemon zest 1 TB

Combine dry and wet ingredients separately then combine. Stir in a bag of dried cranberries and a cup of chopped walnuts.

Bake 375 10-13 minutes.


Maple Almond granola
(adapted from Cookie and Kate recipe)

4 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped almonds
1/4 cup salted sunflower seeds
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 melted coconut oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
3/4 tsp vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients together.  Mix the oil, syrup and vanilla together and then mix into the dry ingredients. Lay flat on parchment paper and bake for 20 min at 350.  Allow to cool then add:
1 package of TJ's dried blueberries.


Cheese Sauce:
1 package low fat cottage cheese
1 small container part skim ricotta
1/2 cup cream cheese (about half of a block)
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup sugar

Blend together in Vitamix.  Store in air tight container.
Serve 1/2 cup with homemade granola and fresh berries for breakfast.

Mexican sweet potato quinoa mashup

Saute:

Onion, chopped
3 zucchini, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
One bunch of kale, shredded by hand.

In pot boil:
1 cup quinoa
2 1/4 cups water
2 medium sweet potatos, chopped
Simmer on low 20 min

Season veggies with chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper.
Add quinoa and sweet potatoes when cooked.  Add a can of pinto or black beans.
Add package of frozen corn.

Serve with guacamole, lettuce wraps, tortillas, avocado-cilantro sauce.

Oat Bran breakfast muffins

Modified from woman's day recipe.

Dry:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 all purpose flour
1 cup oat bran
2 tsp pumpkin spice
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Wet ingredients:
1 cup soymilk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar (combine and let curdle)
1 large egg
1/4 c molasses
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 TBS sugar
1 TB canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup raisins

Combine dry and wet ingredients. Spray ramekins with coconut oil and fill with 1/4 cup batter.  Bake in toaster oven at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove form oven and slip a pat of butter into the center.  Let cool 10 min. Top with vanilla yogurt if desired. Can keep batter in fridge up to 3 days and make muffins fresh each morning.

Southwest Salad

• Salad:
• 4 heads lettuce, chopped and washed (combo green leaf and romaine)
• 2 bags frozen corn, thawed
• 2 cans black beans, drained
• 3-4 avocados, diced
• Dressing:
• 2 cups cilantro
• 2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic
• juice of 2 limes
• salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 TB apple cider vinegar
• Whirl up in Vitamx and mix with salad
• Pita chips:
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 glugs olive oil
• Toss and bake at 400 for 8 minutes.

Optional shredded cheddar cheese on top.

Roasted Broccoli and Garlic Soup (Vegan)

Seriously. This is so good.

4 medium heads of broccoli
2-3 TBS olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced roughly
10 cups water + 5 Not-Chick'n bouillon cubes
1 onion, diced
4 small potatoes, peeled and chunked
1 package of silken tofu (Mori-Nu is the brand I get, it comes in a box)

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Roughly cut up the broccoli including the inner stalk if desired. Spread out on a silpat on a baking sheet.  Pout a few glugs of olive oil and a few light shakes of salt (don't overdo this or your soup will be salty!) on the broccoli and mix it up with your hands. Roast for 15 min. Then sauté onion in dollop of olive oil in a soup pot, add water, bouillion and potatoes and bring to a boil.  Add minced garlic on top of broccoli and roast an additional 10 min until soft and fragrant. Broccoli tips may get a little charred. Take out broccoli and garlic and transfer to soup pot. Turn off heat, add tofu and blend with immersion blender. Enjoy!!

Cabbage egg rolls

Baked tofu:
Drain two blocks of firm tofu.  Wrap in paper towels and place under a plate with something heavy on top to press the liquid out. Prepare marinade.

1 cup soy sauce
2 TBS grated fresh ginger
2 tsps toasted sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced

After tofu is pressed (30 minutes), slice and place in glass baking dish and cover with marinade. (Reserve 1/4 cup marinade for dipping sauce).  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, turning tofu halfway through.

Filling:

1 large onion, chopped
1 medium sized cabbage, red or green, chopped

Saute onion and cabbage in a few tsps of canola oil. Mix often and add a 1/4 cup water and cover with lid to steam for a bit. Cook until soft.

1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 cup frozen edamane beans

Add these to the cabbage.

Egg Rolls:

Once everything is ready to assemble, add a slice of tofu to the center of a wrapper, top with cabbage mixture, wrap, then sauté in layer of canola oil over medium heat until crispy on both sides. Dilute reserved marinade with rice vinegar and use as dipping sauce.  Can serve with TJs frozen rice packets (only 3 minutes to microwave!).