Vegan Veggie Burrito Bowl

This recipe is 100% a rip off of my favorite dish at a chain restaurant.  Hopefully it's a bit healthier, since it's just 1 cup avocado instead of  a big spoonful of guacamole, put on by someone else.  (Okay I admit, I love the big spoonful of guac, served up by someone else, thereby relieving me of any personal responsibility!) 

1/2 cup onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 cup brown or black rice 

1/2 cup canned or cooked black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup canned or cooked pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbsp. salsa 

1/2 cup ripe avocado, mashed

Saute onions and peppers in cooking spray over medium heat until they are tender.  Add beans, corn, rice and heat through.  Top with salsa and avocado when ready to eat.

**If the veggies and rice are made in advance, then the recipe can be microwaved and the salsa and avocado put on top when ready to serve. 

Vegan Cream of Sweet Potato Soup with Garlic & Kale

Since I last posted a recipe on this blog, I have taken the plunge from "Sort o vegan" to "All the Way Vegan" and so far, so good.   I had to play around a bit with this recipe to get it where I wanted it to be.  And the picture on here is NOT an actual representation of the soup, because the picture has no kale in it. :)
I would not call this a low maintenance soup to "whip up but it is very tasty and hearty on a cold day!

2 large heads of garlic
1 large, white onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil plus more for roasting garlic
2 large sweet potatoes (24 ounces)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. kosher salt plus more to taste
ground, black pepper
2 cups unsweetened, almond milk (I used vanilla)
4 cups water
2 cups frozen, chopped kale

Preheat oven to 375.  Peel the loose outer husk off the heads of garlic, slice off a tiny bit of the tops, place the each of the heads of garlic on a square of foil and drizzle a little olive oil over them.  Fold the foil up and crimp to seal it.  Roast the garlic for about 40 minutes, or until it gives when pressed.  Allow it to cool.
Meanwhile, dice the sweet potatoes (do not peel) ander put in soup pot with 4 cups cold water.  Add the thyme, bay leaf, 1 tsp. kosher salt and pepper.   Bring the water to boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are completely soft.  
While the potatoes are boiling and the garlic is roasting, heat 1 Tblsp. olive oil in skilled and add onion, sauteing until lightly brown.
When the potatoes are done, add the onions to the soup.  When the garlic is ready, squeeze the soft, roasted cloves out of their skin and add as well.  Stir in the milk.  Then puree the soup in a blender or food processor in batches.  Be careful not to overprocess.  It's a good soup when it's a little chunky.
Return the soup to the pot and add kale.  Heat gently, stirring often, until heated through.  Add salt to taste.
(Is very good if it can be made a day ahead of time and then served the following day)

Adapted from Love Soup by Anna Thomas

Vegan Corn Chowder

I don't eat white potatoes and I am moving away from dairy more and more, so a good corn chowder recipe was hard to come by. This is one I invented through trial & error, but I'm really happy with how it turned out.
My great grandfather called removing the kernals from an ear of corn "tipping".  You cut down and remove just the tips of the kernals and then, once they have all been removed, you take your knife and scrape the cob from top to bottom, all over, to get the juicy, creamy insides. 

7 ears of corn (sweet, bi-colored, whatever you prefer), kernals tipped and removed
1 cup unsweetened, vanilla almond milk
1 1/2 cups water,divided
2 Tblsp. Olive Oil
1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes\
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp. kosher salt


Preheat oven to 400.  Prick sweet potatoes with a fork all over and bake on top rack of oven for an hour or until soft. (I put a piece of foil on the bottom rack to catch what will ooze out).  Remove from oven, slice open and allow to cool.  Scoop out insides of potatoes.  (Should have about 1 cup of sweet potato puree)
In a stock pot, heat Olive OIl and add onions.  Stir onions over medium heat until soft and beginning to turn brown.   I occasionally add a splash of water to keep them from getting too done. 
Add corn, almond milk, sweet potato puree, 1 cup of water and kosher salt to pan, bring to boil and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Take 2 cups of soup and put in food processor, along with 1/4 cup water.  Blend until smooth.  Return to pan and stir.  Heat again, adding another 1/4 cup water.  Stir and seaon with salt and pepper to taste.
More water and milk can be added to adjust thickness.  Makes about 4 cups of chowder.

My perfect bowl of vegan oatmeal

When my nutritionist suggested adding more grains into my diet, I was nervous and certainly never considered oatmeal, because I do not consume sugar or artificial sweetner of any kind.  When I think of oatmeal, I think of something you have to dump sugar on to make it edible.  Or I think of the pre-flavored instant packages that I grew up with that have sugar in them.  So through a lot of research, I feel I have perfected oatmeal for me.  I may try other things in it, but for now, every morning, this bowl hits the spot.
My mother is shocked because  my entire life, I would only eat bananas that were the perfect balance between green and yellow without a single brown spot, and now I'm trolling the markets for the ripest bananas I can find for my oatmeal! :)


1/3 cup old fashioned oats
2/3 cup Unsweetened almond coconut milk (or unsweetened almond milk also works)
1/4 cup homemade applesauce
2 tsp. vegan buttery spread (I use Earth Balance)
2 Tblsp. raisins
1/2 ripe chopped banana

Mix all in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 90 seconds.  Stir again and microwave for another 60-90 seconds.
Remove and let sit for a few minutes and enjoy!

Steamed Beets

In the last month or so I've discovered that I LOVE BEETS!!!  I hear people say they don't and for40+ years, I think I just assumed I didn't, but I really do!  This recipe is really delicious, IF you like beets.  If you think you don't, try it anyway! 
One warning, I am really bad at figuring out how much to buy or how much to write in the recipe to buy in order to get the peeled and diced quantity needed.  For example, I don't know how many whole beets equals 3 cups beets, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch wedges.  I bought 2 bunches of golden beets and ended up with a little more than I needed.  I had 1 medium red beet and ended up with 2 cups.  Just experiement until you have what you need.  It is really worth it!  This recipe, made with red beets, is really good but the golden beets are just fantastic! 

3 cups peeled red or golden beets, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 garlic glove, minced or smashed
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Mix oil, vinegar, garlic & salt in a bowl and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Steam beets for 15 minutes and cool.  Pour oil mixture over beats and toss to coat.  Chill and eat.  Can be added to salads to eaten straight with a fork.

Avacado, Tomato & Garlic Salad

Today in the grocery store, a lady gave me a sample of this wonderful dish and it was so simple, that 90 minutes later I was making it.  Made with the regular cheese, the serving size below comes to under 250 calories which is pretty cool.  I'll check and post a comment about the vegan mozzarella calorie count soon

3 oz. ripe avacado - chopped
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes - sliced in 1/2
1 Tblsp. Garlic Expressions classic vinaigrette
2 Tblsp. finely shredded Italian Blend Cheese or 2 Tblsp. Vegan Mozzarella

Gently mix ingredients in a bowl and season with pepper. 

Kitchen Sink Indian Stew

I tend to like A LOT going on in my stews/soups.  So this, a hybrid of two different recipes, invented  by my friend, is right up my alley. 
Delicious.







1 Tblsp. vegetable oil
12 ounce onion, chopped
2 Tblsp. fresh, minced ginger
2 tsp. garam masala seasoning (or 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder plus 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon)
1 garlic  clove, chopped
4 cups water
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups dried lentils
1 pound sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 pound beets
6 cups sliced green cabbage (1 pound)
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 tsp. salt

Peel beets & shred in food processor or on the coarse side of box grater.

In a dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil over medium heat until hot.  Add onion and cook until tender and lightly browned, 8-10 minutes.  Stir in ginger, garam masala and garlic, and cook 1 minutes.  Add all remaining ingredients and heat to boiling over high heat.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer unitl lentils and sweet potatoes are tender, about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.