Black bean quinoa salad

This salad is so good. It actually tastes like the inside of a chipotle burrito. The boyfriend was hesitant about trying quinoa, which he imagined tasted "like poop" but after he tried a bite he said, "oh, I'd definitely eat that" and then took all the leftovers. I served mine cold but it would be fine served warm or room temperature as well. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup veggie stock
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup corn kernels
1/4 of a red pepper, diced
1/4 of a green pepper, diced
6 cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 green onion, chopped
1 handful cilantro, leaves torn
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 lime, juiced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 dash crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 an avocado, diced

Directions:

Cook quinoa in veggie stock according to package directions. Set aside and allow to cool. In a medium bowl, combine black beans, corn, red and green bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, green onion, cilantro, and jalapeno and stir to combine. In a separate small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, lime juice, salt, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir sauce until everything is incorporated. When quinoa is cool, add it to the black bean mixture and top with the oil and vinegar sauce. Stir to combine. Serve chilled or at room temperature and top with avocado and cilantro.

Chicken-free "chicken" and dumplings

Chicken and dumplings is one of the greatest comfort foods in my opinion. I have very fond memories of eating this as a child, but once I became vegetarian it became really difficult to find a suitable replacement. My version is completely vegetarian and doesn't use any fake chick'n replacements. I just used white beans to increase the protein and add a little thickness to it. When I made this my boyfriend said, "I know this is going to be good because it looks really wonky", which is totally true.

Ingredients:

1/2 an onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 large clove garlic
1 bay leaf
4-5 cracks black pepper
1 dash cayenne pepper
1 dash crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon crushed sage
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons parmesan
3 cups veggie stock
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon corn starch, mixed with a little cold water
salt, to taste
1 cup flour
1/2 rounded tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
parsely (optional)

Directions:

In a large soup pot, combine onion, carrot, celery, and olive oil and cook over medium-low heat until vegetables have softened a bit (about 4-5 minutes). Add half of the white beans, then crush the remaining half with a fork until a smooth paste forms. Add this to the pot along with the garlic, bay leaf, black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, sage, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. Stir everything all together. Add veggie stock and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Whisk in cream cheese and stir until smooth, then add the corn starch/water mixture. Bring to a simmer for about 3-5 more minutes, then taste and adjust salt and other seasonings. While this is simmering, in a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, buttermilk, and egg and fold all ingredients together gently until just combined. Take spoonfuls of flour mixture (I got 9 out of mine) and drop into simmering soup making sure they don't crowd each other. Place lid on pot and simmer for about 13-14 minutes without lifting the lid. Check dumplings after this time, they should be puffy but firm. Turn off heat and let rest for about 5 minutes, then serve topped with parsley (optional).

Matar Paneer

Matar paneer is an Indian dish with peas and and fresh cheese cubes in a creamy tomato sauce. It is really delicious and relatively easy to make at home. For me, tofu is a perfectly acceptable replacement for the paneer in this dish. The texture is similar and it is much easier to find. When it is covered in the sauce and all the spices it really doesn't taste much different. The ingredient list looks long but most of the ingredients are spices, and most of the spices are pretty commonly used ones (except garam masala but it is pretty easy to find).

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cubed paneer (or extra firm tofu)
1 teaspoon oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more depending on your preferences)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon tomato paste
3/4 cup veggie stock
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/8 teaspoon coriander, crushed
cilantro
salt

Directions:

Toss paneer (or tofu) with 1 teaspoon oil, garlic powder, and ginger powder. Saute or broil until lightly browned on each side. Remove from heat and save for later. In a large soup pot, combine oil and onion and cook over medium-low heat until onions are soft but before they brown. Add cayenne, cumin, garlic, turmeric, and garam masala and cook for about a minute or until things get smelling really good. Add garlic, ginger, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste and stir to combine. Add veggie stock and puree it all with an immersion blender to create a smooth sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer and allow it to cook and reduce for about 10 minutes or until it is starting to thicken. Add the paneer (or tofu) back in and allow things to come back up to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 more minutes, then add the peas and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Turn off the heat and allow things to cool a bit, then add the yogurt and the coriander. Season with salt as necessary and top with cilantro. Serve with rice or naan.

Sweet and sour grapes

I can't stop eating these, seriously. They are so good and they taste like candy, but you don't have to feel too bad about eating them since they are just grapes. You'll need citric acid in order to make these, which really isn't hard to find. I found some at the bulk food store by my house and it was very inexpensive.

Ingredients:

1 handful green grapes
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon citric acid (adjust to control how sour they are)

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine sugar and citric acid. Wash green grapes but don't dry them. Toss a few at a time into the sour sugar and swirl the bowl around to coat. Transfer to serving dish and continue with the rest of the grapes.

Asian noodle salad

This noodle "salad" is so good. It is crunchy, light, and really filling. It is just as good the day you make it as it is left over. And it is equally good room temperature or cold. They have a dish like this at one of my favorite restaurants and it costs something like $12 or $13, which is totally crazy since it is so easy to make.

Ingredients:

8-10 cubes of tofu, pressed and dried
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
1 teaspoon chili oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
2 ounces of dry rice noodles
2-3 inches of cucumber, julienned
5 baby carrots, julienned
2-3 inches of daikon radish, julienned
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 green onions, chopped
1 handful cilantro
1/3 cup shredded napa cabbage or lettuce
1/2 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon honey
1 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
dash of salt

Directions:

In a small bowl, toss tofu with sriracha, chili oil, garlic powder, and ginger powder. Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray it with non-stick spray. Cook tofu, turning occasionally, for 5-8 minutes, or until it crisps up on the sides. Remove from heat. Cook noodles according to package directions, then drain and squeeze out the extra water. In a small bowl, combine carrots, daikon, sugar, vinegar, and salt. Let it sit for a few minutes so the flavors can meld. In another small bowl, combine lime juice, honey, oil, vinegar, ginger, and salt. Toss noodles, cucumber, drained carrots and daikon, green onions, and cilantro in the lime vinaigrette and stir until coated evenly. Then add the tofu and the cabbage or lettuce.

Easy blended salsa

Normally if I choose to make a red salsa I will almost always make a pico de gallo, however, this is not a great option in the middle of winter when tomatoes are sort of a pale red color and have almost no taste. This kind of salsa can be easily and cheaply made using canned tomatoes, which do not have the same problems with mid-winter quality. This salsa is really tasty, much more so than you'd expect from a can of tomatoes.

Ingredients:

1 can of diced tomatoes
1/4 of a sweet onion, chopped
1/2-1 jalapeno, diced (depending on how spicy you want it)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 (rounded) teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 a lime, juiced
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cumin (depending on taste)
1 very large handful cilantro leaves

Directions:

Dump everything into a food processor. Pulse it 4-5 times, wipe down the sides, and then turn on for 10 seconds. Check the consistency as well as the levels of sugar and salt. Season again if necessary and continue to blend until it is the consistency you want. Leave it sit in the fridge for at least an hour for the best flavor.

Broccoli cheese soup

Normally I am not a huge fan of creamy soups. I don't really know why other than I don't like milk. This recipe is great because it makes a really creamy, thick soup without using any milk at all (dairy yes, milk no), which also means that you don't have to be quite as careful about the soup breaking or separating. I like my soup mostly pureed with a good handful of broccoli florets still whole but you could easily leave it chunky or puree the whole thing. If you puree the whole thing yours will be really green instead of yellow-ish though.

Ingredients:

1 large carrot, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 head broccoli, cut into florets (I used a large broccoli crown for this)

1/2 onion, finely diced

3 tablespoons butter

3 rounded tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon mustard

1/3 cup white wine (or beer if you like that flavor better)

3 cups veggie stock, warmed slightly

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1-2 generous dashes cayenne pepper (adjust to your preference)

4-5 cracks black pepper

3 tablespoons cream cheese

1/2 block of extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

salt

pepper

Directions:

Combine carrot, celery, and broccoli in a large soup pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Drain and pull out about half of the broccoli to save for later. Transfer the rest of the boiled veggies to a blender or food processor (or use an immersion blender right in the pot) to blend up the veggies until mostly smooth. Save for later. In the same pot (that you've now emptied) combine onion and butter and cook on medium-low for 1-2 minutes or until the onions are fragrant and starting to soften. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add the mustard and stir, then add the wine and whisk like crazy until it is absorbed and thick. Increase the heat to medium-high and slowly whisk in the warm veggie stock, stirring constantly so that it gets thick and smooth. Once all the clumps are whisked out cook the mixture for 10-20 minutes over medium-high heat until it is the thickness you want. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Once the mixture is thick and bubbly, turn the heat down to low and whisk in the cream cheese, stir until no clumps remain then add garlic, cayenne, and pepper. Add cheddar and parmesan and stir until melted. Once melted, stir in your pureed vegetables as well as your whole florets of broccoli. Keep on low heat for a few minutes to warm everything up again. Season with salt and pepper. 

Dal Nirvana (creamy spiced lentils)

I have always been a little intimidated by trying to make Indian food at home, but it turns out that it is actually really easy and super cheap. This recipe is made almost exclusively with things I keep on hand, which makes it a pretty good meal to throw together even if I haven't been to the grocery store in a while. This dish is surprisingly good. The yogurt at the end really makes it delicious.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup brown lentils (the cheap ones)
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more depending on your preference)
1/2 rounded teaspoon cumin
1/2 rounded teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup veggie stock
1/4 rounded cup plain yogurt
1/8 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
cilantro
salt
pepper

Directions:

Place lentils in a large soup pot and cover with 2-3 inches of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 mintues, then drain water off. Place lentils back on stove and add garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, cumin, and butter. Stir to combine and allow butter to melt. Add tomatoes and veggie stock and cover the pot. Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check the lentils a few times to make sure they aren't getting too dry, if they are then just add a little water back in. Lentils are done when they are tender and thick but not dry. Turn off heat when lentils are tender and stir in yogurt and coriander seeds. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with naan and rice and top with cilantro.

Tofu banh mi

This sandwich is so tasty that I've eaten for the past three nights in a row, and I really dislike leftovers most of the time so that is saying something. It is so flavorful and it has lots of different textures, plus it is packed with veggies. I know most people don't have daikon in their fridge but it really makes this sandwich, so if you can find it then you should definitely use it.

Ingredients:

For the tofu:
1/2 block of tofu
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 dash red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

For the pickled veggies:
1 daikon radish, shredded on a box grater
2-3 large carrots, shredded on a box grater
1/2 a jalapeno, sliced very thin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

For the sriracha mayo:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
sriracha (to taste)

For the rest of the sandwich:
1 sub bun or large piece of baguette per person, lightly toasted
3 inches of a seedless cucumber, sliced thin or in matchsticks
1 large handful cilantro, torn in smaller pieces

Directions:

Slice your tofu into thin strips, I got about 6 slices out of half a block of tofu. Drain and press these slices for about a half hour between two paper towels. Place something heavy on top of the paper towel to press more water out. While this is pressing, combine soy sauce, honey, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil together in a small bowl and set aside. In another mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for pickled veggies together and mix well. Set aside. In a small container, mix together mayo and sriracha until it is the desired spiciness. When the tofu is dry-ish heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and wait for it to get pretty hot. Place slices of tofu on hot cast iron (you should hear a sizzle) and don't move them around. Let them cook for about 5 minutes, then try to flip. If your pan was hot enough you should see a crisp, brown coating on the tofu. Cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let the pan cool down significantly. After the pan has been off the heat for a few minutes add the soy sauce/honey mixture to the tofu, stir to coat and allow it to thicken from the pan's residual heat. Remove from pan quickly. To assemble: Take a bun and top with sriracha mayo, add tofu to the base of the bun, top with pickled veggies, then cucumber, then cilantro.

Roasted sweet potato and black bean tacos

These tacos take a little bit more time but they are definitely worth it. The sweet potatoes are sweet, a little smoky, and a little crispy and when mixed with the black beans it is the perfect filling for a slightly less traditional taco.

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 can black beans, drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
1/2 teaspoon cumin, divided
1/3 cup chopped onion
cilantro
red onion slices
avocado slices
queso fresco
corn tortillas

Directions;

Preheat oven to 425 and grease a cookie sheet. While oven is preheating, toss sweet potato with olive oil, and half of your spices (so 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp cumin). When oven is preheated spread the sweet potatoes on the pan and roast for 30-40 minutes, turning once or twice during that time. While sweet potatoes are cooking, prepare your black beans. Place beans, the remaining half of your spices, and onions in a small sauce pot and top with water. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking until the beans are tender and water has mostly evaporated. When sweet potatoes are tender, remove them from the oven and cool for a minute. To assemble: place one scoop of sweet potato in a corn tortilla, add a scoop of black beans over top, and then load it up with cilantro, red onion, avocado, and queso fresco.

Spicy miso ramen with a poached egg

I am slowly but surely learning to love a runny egg yolk. It was never something I enjoyed on its own, but I've recently discovered that it is absolutely delicious when mixed into a big bowl of something warm. You don't have to put the egg on top of this ramen but if you've never tried it before you have no idea what you're missing. For this recipe I used a package of organic dried ramen noodles from the asian section of the grocery store. You could just as easily use a package of instant ramen and then just throw away the seasoning packet.

Ingredients:

2 stalks bok choy, chopped
3 baby carrots, julienned
5 slices cucumber, cut in strips
2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon (or more) sriracha
1 tablespoon instant miso paste*
1 cup veggie stock
1/2 cup water
1 serving ramen noodles
1 egg
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 green onion, chopped
chili oil

Directions:

In a medium sauce pot, heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil over medium heat. Add bok choy and a splash of water and cook until tender, about two minutes. Remove bok choy from pan, add carrot and cook until a little bit of the crunch has gone away, about another 1-2 mintues. Remove carrots and add cucumber, cook for 30 seconds or so, just to warm it and get it to taste like sesame oil. Remove cucumber from pan. Using the same pan you just cooked your veggies in, add stock, water, soy sauce, miso, sriracha, and the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil. Bring to a simmer then add ramen noodles. Cook noodles according to package directions (mine took 4 mintues). Remove noodles from pot when they are finished cooking and add them to the bowl you'll be serving it in. Top with piles of your cooked veggies. Leave the stock on the stove for now over low heat. In a separate small sauce pot, heat a few cups of water over medium-low heat. Add rice vinegar. Bring this to a very gentle simmer. Gently slide an egg into the pot of water and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from water with a slotted spoon. Place the egg on top of your noodles and veggies. Pour warm broth over the egg and noodles. Add green onions and season with a few drops of chili oil.

*Ok, so miso isn't really vegetarian. It is made with dried and fermented fish flakes. Honestly, I'm not that picky and it doesn't taste like fish to me and I really like it. If you don't want to use it or if you're a stricter vegetarian than I am then just use all stock. You could also use the "oriental" flavor packet of instant ramen instead of making your own broth. If you use the flavor packet then don't use soy sauce, miso, or stock.

Crispy buffalo tofu

Vegetarian bar food is sort of a joke. I mean, nachos are delicious but after a while they start to get a little old. One of the things that always looks and smells good is buffalo chicken. I think it smells so good because you can't smell any meat, you just get the spicy and buttery smell. Anyway, there aren't really any vegetarian options that come close to buffalo chicken, so I decided to try to make my own version. The tofu in this gets really crispy so if you don't like the normal texture this might surprise you.

Ingredients:

1/2 block tofu, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/3 cup hot sauce
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 450 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray the parchment with non-stick spray. While the oven is preheating press your tofu between paper towels to get rid of as much moisture as you can. When your oven is preheated toss your dry-ish tofu in olive oil, garlic powder, and celery salt. Spread the tofu on the parchment paper in one layer. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn your tofu pieces over and bake for another 10-15 minutes, depending on how crispy you want them. While the tofu is baking, combine hot sauce and butter in a small sauce pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low while you wait for tofu to cook. Once tofu is done toss the pieces in the hot sauce and heat together for about a minute or until the sauce has evenly coated the tofu and is the thickness you'd like. Serve with sour cream or blue cheese dressing.

Minestrone soup

Minestrone soup is something that always reminds me of the Olive Garden. It's probably because I've eaten my weight in their all-you-can-eat soup, salad, and bread sticks. My version is nothing like theirs. Mine is thicker, creamier, and a little less heavy on the tomato. If you like a tomato-heavy soup feel free to add a full can of tomatoes and if you don't want it quite as thick just don't smash the beans. This would also be good with chickpeas and zucchini thrown in, I just didn't have them on hand. This soup is great with no-knead bread or buttermilk drop biscuits.

Ingredients:

1 can great northern beans, drained

1/2 an onion, chopped

1 large (or 2 medium) carrots, cut in half moons

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 can diced tomatoes

3 cups veggie stock

2 inch piece of parmesan cheese rind (optional)

5-6 cracks black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 bay leaf

3/4 cup small pasta (like shells)

1 cup fresh spinach, cut in ribbons

parmesan cheese

Directions:

Add beans to a small sauce pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover, simmer for 5-10 minutes to soften beans. Drain and set aside. In a large soup pot, add onion, carrot, celery and olive oil and cook over medium-low heat until veggies are soft, about 5-8 minutes. Add white wine and garlic. Cook until the wine has reduced by about half. Add diced tomatoes, veggie stock, cheese rind (if using), black pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. Add half the beans that you cooked earlier, smash the other half with the back of a spoon and crush until they form a thick paste. Add this to the soup pot and stir. Add the pasta and simmer for the recommended time on the pasta box. When the pasta has about 5-7 minutes left, add the spinach. When pasta is finished, turn heat off and remove the parmesan rind and the bay leaf. Serve topped with parmesan cheese.

Jalapeno honey mustard

My sister Jill shared this recipe with me a few years ago and it is one that I still make regularly. This mustard is less intense than the whole grain beer mustard I posted earlier. I've taken this mustard to a few parties before and it is always a hit. I can't take credit for this recipe since it was shared with me, but I don't know who to credit either. Regardless, it is amazing and was gone in minutes when I brought it to a super bowl party.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mustard powder
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno

Directions:

In a small sauce pot, whisk together mustard powder, flour, and water. Let rest for 10 minutes. Add mustard seeds, vinegar, honey, and salt. Cook over medium heat until it simmers, making sure to stir constantly. Cook until it begins to thicken and remove from heat once desired consistency is reached, about 2 minutes. Stir in chopped jalapeno.

Chilaquiles

These are so much more amazing than they look. This dish is basically just corn tortillas, slightly fried, and then cooked in green salsa until they soften again. The salsa you use is important here since it is really the main flavor you taste so make sure you either make it yourself or buy a kind you really like. You can serve this with scrambled eggs or rice and beans like I did, and definitely don't skimp on the toppings!

Ingredients:

3 corn tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup tomatillo salsa
1/3 cup veggie stock
salt
avocado slices
red onion, diced
tomato slices, chopped
cilantro
queso fresco
hot sauce
sour cream

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. While oil is heating, cut corn tortillas in half and then in strips. Fry strips of tortilla until they are slightly crunchy, turning as necessary to crisp both sides. When tortillas are crisp, reduce heat to low, add salsa and veggie stock and cook for 3-5 minutes or until tortillas begin to soften again and the sauce thickens up a bit. Season with salt and transfer to a plate. Top with avocado, red onion, tomato, cilantro, queso fresco, hot sauce, and sour cream. Serve with scrambled eggs or a side of rice and beans.

Egg drop soup

I really love chinese food. Every time I order it I get egg drop soup. But then, of course, I end up ordering things like fried wontons and fried tofu covered in a syrupy sauce. Which means that unless I want to eat tons of fried food I don't get egg drop soup. Not until I learned how to make it myself anyway. My version doesn't have yellow food coloring in it so it isn't as vibrantly colored as take out, but it is more delicious. Plus you can make it in like 5 minutes.

Ingredients:

2 cups veggie stock
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 dash crushed red pepper flakes
1 slightly rounded tablespoon corn starch
2 tablespoons water
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 green onions, chopped

Directions:

Place cold veggie stock, ginger, garlic (and red pepper flakes, if using) in a medium sauce pot. In a separate small bowl, mix together corn starch and cold water. Add to veggie stock and bring mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring to prevent clumps. While that is heating up, crack eggs into a bowl and whisk to break them up a bit. When stock has come to a full boil, remove from heat, stir it pretty fast so that the liquid is moving in a circle. Slowly add the eggs while stirring. Season with sesame oil and soy sauce. Add a handful of green onions and stir. The eggs should be cooked at this point. Serve in bowls with more green onions on top. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Baked arancini (cheese stuffed risotto balls)

This is the perfect way to use up leftover risotto. When reheated, risotto is usually either soupy or a little slimy. Either way it is much worse than when it is fresh. Arancini uses the risotto to make something that is equally delicious to the original pot of risotto. Normally it is supposed to be fried but I baked these so I didn't have to smell oil in my house for days and days. As long as you use panko bread crumbs you should still be able to get a nice crunch from the oven. Mine turned out crunchy and crispy on the outside but unbelievably light on the inside.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups leftover, cold risotto
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, divided
1 egg, slightly beaten, divided
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cubes mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, combine risotto, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, and approximately half of your beaten egg. Mix well and set aside. In a shallow dish combine 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, and olive oil and mix together. Take 1/4 cup risotto mixture, form it into a ball, push a cube of cheese into the center and fill the gap, roll in egg, then coat evenly in bread crumb mixture. Place ball on foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat until you've used all the risotto. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, turn and bake an extra 10 minutes. The balls will brown where they touch the pan, but if you want them to brown on all sides you could turn on the broiler and turn them in order to broil all sides. Let them cool for a few minutes and serve with tomato sauce.

Migas

It's sort of hard to tell what is going on in this picture, but trust me, what migas lack in presentation they more than make up for in taste. Migas are made a bunch of different ways depending on where you get them, but basically they are corn tortillas, veggies, and eggs all scrambled together. This is such a great brunch food but I also really like it for dinner as well if I have some leftover tortillas to use up. This recipe serves 1 but can very easily be increased to feed as many as you want.

Ingredients:

1 corn tortilla
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3-4 slices of green pepper, diced
2-3 slices red onion, diced
2 slices tomato, diced
2-3 slices jalapeno, chopped
2 teaspoons (or a small pat) butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
salt
pepper
1 small handful cilantro, chopped
3 slices avocado, diced
1 small hunk of queso fresco
1 spoonful sour cream
hot sauce

Directions:

In a cast iron (or other large)skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Fry tortilla until it is slightly crisp on both sides. If your oil is hot when you add the tortilla it should only take about 30 seconds to a minute on each side. Remove from pan and turn the heat down to low. Add green pepper, red onion, tomato, and jalapeno. While these are cooking, cut your tortilla into strips and then cut again so that you have small squares. When the veggies have cooked down but before they brown, add the tortilla pieces and the butter. Add eggs and gently fold everything together. Cook until the eggs are just set (don't brown them) then season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and place on a plate. Top with avocado, cilantro, queso fresco, sour cream, and hot sauce.

Fake Pho

Pho is something that even in a relatively vegetarian-friendly city I've had a hard time finding a vegetarian version out at restaurants. The broth takes a little bit of work but it is worth it for all the flavor you'll get. I like my version pretty heavy on the broth but you could use less for something that is more noodley. This is definitely not even close to being authentic, which is why I called it "fake pho" but I think it is still delicious.

Ingredients:

1 cup veggie stock
1 cup water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon brown sugar
4-5 whole black peppercorns
1/2 a cinnamon stick
1-2 whole cloves
1 big handful flat rice noodles
3 baby carrots, julienned
4-5 bell pepper strips, cut in half
1/4 cup bean sprouts
5-6 florets broccoli
2 green onions, sliced
1 big handful cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan boil together the first 10 ingredients. Reduce to a simmer and allow it to cook for 15ish minutes. Strain out the peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Add rice noodles, carrots, bell pepper, bean sprouts, broccoli and cook until the rice noodles are tender (check your package for how long it will take but it should only be a few minutes). Remove from heat and portion into bowls. Top with green onions, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Spinach and white bean "meatballs"

Ok, so these obviously aren't real meatballs and they certainly don't have the texture of regular meatballs (which for me is a good thing). They were light and flavorful and crispy on the outside. I used them with pasta and marinara sauce but you could also squish them flat and use them as an Italian flavored veggie burger.

Ingredients:

1 can white beans, drained

1 packed cup fresh spinach leaves, cut into pieces

1/2 an onion, minced really small

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

4-5 cracks of black pepper

1 egg

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 tablespoons quick oats

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with foil, then grease the foil. In a food processor, combine beans, spinach, oil, and onion and pulse to combine. Make sure you only pulse it and that you stop when it is still quite chunky. Transfer to a bowl and add garlic powder, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, egg, parmesan, bread crumbs, and oats. Stir to combine. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes so it can set up a bit. Form into balls and roll in panko bread crumbs. Place on the foil lined baking sheet and spray with non-stick spray. Bake for 20 minutes, then broil for 1-3 minutes to brown them and get them nice and crispy.