Showing posts tagged nutritional yeast
Green Breakfast This is a delicious breakfast dish inspired by an item called “Green Eggs And…” on the menu at Green Bean Restaurant in Northampton, MA. If you’re ever in town, you MUST order their tempeh bacon. It is smokey and maple-y and just the right texture and makes me want to hop on the next plane to Bradley Airport right now. Ah, but I digress. Here’s the recipe: You’ll Need: Tofu, cubed Kale, chopped Garlic, minced Rice Vinegar Tamari Nutritional Yeast Cheesy product, grated To Make: Sauté tofu with a splash of vinegar and a dash of Tamari until crispy. Add a spoonful of nutritional yeast at the end. In the meantime, cook garlic for 30 seconds in a separate pan. Add kale, splash of vinegar and Tamari, and cover with a lid. Cook until soft. Add tofu to kale, top with grated cheese and let sit until cheese melts. For all you New Englanders: http://www.greenbeannorthampton.com/ -E View high resolution

Green Breakfast

This is a delicious breakfast dish inspired by an item called “Green Eggs And…” on the menu at Green Bean Restaurant in Northampton, MA. If you’re ever in town, you MUST order their tempeh bacon. It is smokey and maple-y and just the right texture and makes me want to hop on the next plane to Bradley Airport right now. Ah, but I digress. Here’s the recipe:

You’ll Need:

  • Tofu, cubed
  • Kale, chopped
  • Garlic, minced
  • Rice Vinegar
  • Tamari
  • Nutritional Yeast
  • Cheesy product, grated

To Make:

  • Sauté tofu with a splash of vinegar and a dash of Tamari until crispy. Add a spoonful of nutritional yeast at the end.
  • In the meantime, cook garlic for 30 seconds in a separate pan. Add kale, splash of vinegar and Tamari, and cover with a lid. Cook until soft.
  • Add tofu to kale, top with grated cheese and let sit until cheese melts.

For all you New Englanders: http://www.greenbeannorthampton.com/

-E

Open-Faced Vegan Quesadilla Once I transitioned from vegetarian to vegan, I realized that my burrito obsession revolved mainly around sour cream and cheese. I can make my own vegan Mexican food that’s (almost) as delicious as taqueria-bought. My latest food craze is Daiya mozzarella-style shreds. They really do melt and stretch like it says on the bag! Anyhow I used Trader Joes olive oil wraps (good for mexican food as well as lentil veggie wraps etc), Daiya, organic produce and Trader Joes salsa and black beans. It was SO good and filling and satisfying. I covered it in lemon juice and nutritional yeast for extra zest. I then attempted to fold it in half, somewhat successfully. This is incredibly yummy and incredibly messy. Happy eating.  Ingredients: 1 wrap or tortilla A few tablespoons Daiya Half a can black beans Chopped romaine lettuce A few tablespoons salsa 1/4 avocado Optional: Lemon juice & nutritional yeast Directions: Put your wrap/tortilla in a pan and spread Daiya evenly, turn on medium heat. Watch it carefully because the Daiya takes a little while to melt but make sure you don’t let the tortilla burn Meanwhile, heat up the black beans and chop the lettuce When the Daiya has melted, put your quesadilla on a plate and cover with beans, lettuce, avocado, then salsa and optional toppings Enjoy :) -N View high resolution

Open-Faced Vegan Quesadilla

Once I transitioned from vegetarian to vegan, I realized that my burrito obsession revolved mainly around sour cream and cheese. I can make my own vegan Mexican food that’s (almost) as delicious as taqueria-bought. My latest food craze is Daiya mozzarella-style shreds. They really do melt and stretch like it says on the bag! Anyhow I used Trader Joes olive oil wraps (good for mexican food as well as lentil veggie wraps etc), Daiya, organic produce and Trader Joes salsa and black beans. It was SO good and filling and satisfying. I covered it in lemon juice and nutritional yeast for extra zest. I then attempted to fold it in half, somewhat successfully. This is incredibly yummy and incredibly messy. Happy eating. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 wrap or tortilla
  • A few tablespoons Daiya
  • Half a can black beans
  • Chopped romaine lettuce
  • A few tablespoons salsa
  • 1/4 avocado
  • Optional: Lemon juice & nutritional yeast

Directions:

  1. Put your wrap/tortilla in a pan and spread Daiya evenly, turn on medium heat. Watch it carefully because the Daiya takes a little while to melt but make sure you don’t let the tortilla burn
  2. Meanwhile, heat up the black beans and chop the lettuce
  3. When the Daiya has melted, put your quesadilla on a plate and cover with beans, lettuce, avocado, then salsa and optional toppings
  4. Enjoy :)

-N

Lunch On the Go: Whole Wheat Penne with Kale and Bean Salad

I often have to leave my house and go to school for 12 hours at a time. I imagine I am not the only one who isn’t able to have a leisurely freshly-made lunch every day. However, I refuse to sacrifice eating healthy, tasty food. Food is often the highlight of my day, and let’s be honest, a stressful day gets a whole lot better when you whip out a zesty, satisfying meal, even if it’s amidst piles of books or computers or wherever your workweek takes you. 

Anyhow, this is a great meal to make while you’re running around getting ready for the day. Pasta is simple, steaming the kale is quick, and opening cans and stirring some beans together is easy. I used Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Penne (whole wheat is much more nutritious than white, and it also tastes just as good), organic kale, canned corn and black beans, and frozen peas. Both of these dishes save well, just throw them in a container and you are ready to go!

Ingredients:

  • Whole wheat pasta
  • Kale
  • Canned corn (or fresh if you are awesome)
  • Frozen peas
  • Canned black beans 
  • Olive oil & balsamic vinegar
  • Nutritional Yeast, salt, pepper 
  • Lemon

Directions:

  1. Boil a pot of water and cook the pasta
  2. Put chopped kale in a pan with a little water and olive oil, cover 
  3. Steam kale until cooked, remove lid and add lemon juice, salt and pepper
  4. Mix black beans, peas and corn together in a container and squeeze on lemon juice
  5. Toss your cooked pasta with olive oil, vinegar and nutritional yeast in a container
  6. Add your kale to the pasta or put in a separate container
  7. Put a lemon slice in with your food for a little extra flavor if needed
  8. Leave for the day happy and excited for lunch :)

-N

Farmer’s Market Stir Fry This is a yummy “everything but the kitchen sink” stir fry inspired by a basket full of fresh veggies from the farmer’s market. I kept the flavors simple to highlight the veggies’ sweetness and crunch, then topped the dish off with potstickers and tofu so I would actually get full. Modify using whatever ingredients you have lying around.  You’ll need: Oil (olive, coconut, etc.) Green (or traditional) garlic, chopped Delicious fresh veggies- I used red cabbage, yellow onion, carrots, swiss chard, and (frozen) peas Tamari or soy sauce Rice vinegar Nutritional yeast Trader Joe’s Soyaki sauce Plant protein of choice (I used tofu cubes) Frozen potstickers (TJ’s makes some tasty veggie ones that aren’t too full of junk) To make: Sauté onion until translucent. Add green garlic, cook one minute or until fragrant. Add slow cooking veggies (i.e. carrots and cabbage), cook until crunchy-tender.* Add quick cooking vegetables (chard, peas). Add a dash of Tamari, a splash of vinegar, and a little water. Cover with a lid for a minute or two until veggies soften. Remove lid and stir frequently until veggies are just under-cooked. They will continue to soften in the hot pan. In the meantime, fry up cubes of plant protein in a separate pan. When they get crispy and golden brown on the outside, add a little Soyaki and nutritional yeast. Cook until liquid evaporates. Cook frozen potstickers. Add potstickers and plant protein to veggies. Add more Tamari, vinegar and nutritonal yeast to taste. Serve with your favorite hot sauce. *What the hell does that mean? Well, kinda what it sounds like. You want your veggies to be soft enough that you no longer sound like a dinosaur crushing bones beneath its teeth when you bite down and your little sister screams at you that you’re a “mean old chew-loud”, but not so soft that they get mushy while you cook the rest of your vegetables. So… ya know… crunchy-tender. -E View high resolution

Farmer’s Market Stir Fry

This is a yummy “everything but the kitchen sink” stir fry inspired by a basket full of fresh veggies from the farmer’s market. I kept the flavors simple to highlight the veggies’ sweetness and crunch, then topped the dish off with potstickers and tofu so I would actually get full. Modify using whatever ingredients you have lying around. 

You’ll need:

  • Oil (olive, coconut, etc.)
  • Green (or traditional) garlic, chopped
  • Delicious fresh veggies- I used red cabbage, yellow onion, carrots, swiss chard, and (frozen) peas
  • Tamari or soy sauce
  • Rice vinegar
  • Nutritional yeast
  • Trader Joe’s Soyaki sauce
  • Plant protein of choice (I used tofu cubes)
  • Frozen potstickers (TJ’s makes some tasty veggie ones that aren’t too full of junk)

To make:

  • Sauté onion until translucent.
  • Add green garlic, cook one minute or until fragrant.
  • Add slow cooking veggies (i.e. carrots and cabbage), cook until crunchy-tender.*
  • Add quick cooking vegetables (chard, peas).
  • Add a dash of Tamari, a splash of vinegar, and a little water.
  • Cover with a lid for a minute or two until veggies soften. Remove lid and stir frequently until veggies are just under-cooked. They will continue to soften in the hot pan.
  • In the meantime, fry up cubes of plant protein in a separate pan. When they get crispy and golden brown on the outside, add a little Soyaki and nutritional yeast. Cook until liquid evaporates.
  • Cook frozen potstickers.
  • Add potstickers and plant protein to veggies. Add more Tamari, vinegar and nutritonal yeast to taste. Serve with your favorite hot sauce.

*What the hell does that mean? Well, kinda what it sounds like. You want your veggies to be soft enough that you no longer sound like a dinosaur crushing bones beneath its teeth when you bite down and your little sister screams at you that you’re a “mean old chew-loud”, but not so soft that they get mushy while you cook the rest of your vegetables. So… ya know… crunchy-tender.

-E

N’s Famous Veggie Soup This is my best, tastiest, most widely known recipe. My family started making a version of this soup in high school, and since we made it every morning it became known as ‘morning soup’. When I went off to college I began making my own improved versions. It varies every time I make it depending on what I have in the house, but there are a few staple ingredients. It’s pretty light (which means I can eat about 6 bowls in one sitting). I use Better Than Bouillon Veggie Broth, which comes in a jar at natural food stores or Whole Foods. It’s a great base for any soup, and I like it better than veggie broth cubes. My veggies really vary, but this version has red onion, frozen peas, kale, carrots, and purple cabbage. I often use frozen edamame (soybeans), broccoli, cauliflower or brussel sprouts.  I usually add a grain, either cooked brown rice at the end or soba or udon noodles when its close to being done. I also often add Trader Joes Thai Gyoza, which are frozen potstickers that taste like wontons when they are in soup. When you’re making the soup, just keep tasting veggies to see when they seem cooked; since there is a lot of freedom on what you add, it’s hard to give specific cooking times.  Ingredients: 1 or more spoonfuls of Better than Bouillon Veggie Broth  Onion of your choice Soy Sauce Rice Vinegar Lemon juice Sriracha or other Hot Sauce Fresh or Powdered Garlic Veggies of your choice, cut into small pieces Tofu, cut into small pieces Grain of your choice Optional Potstickers Optional Nutritional Yeast Directions: Boil water in a medium or large pot While you wait for the water to boil, chop your veggies and tofu into similar sized pieces and mince the garlic Add a spoonful of Better Than Bouillon and mix it into water Add garlic and onions to the pot and let them cook for a few minutes Add veggies depending on their cooking times (so I added carrots, then cabbage, the frozen items, then kale, with a minute or two in between each one) When there is about 6 minutes left, add noodles if desired Add tofu If you’re using cooked rice, put it in when the soup is almost done Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, lemon juice and hot sauce to taste, and more veggie broth if needed Turn off heat and serve, sprinkle nutritional yeast on top Happy Souping! -N View high resolution

N’s Famous Veggie Soup

This is my best, tastiest, most widely known recipe. My family started making a version of this soup in high school, and since we made it every morning it became known as ‘morning soup’. When I went off to college I began making my own improved versions. It varies every time I make it depending on what I have in the house, but there are a few staple ingredients. It’s pretty light (which means I can eat about 6 bowls in one sitting). I use Better Than Bouillon Veggie Broth, which comes in a jar at natural food stores or Whole Foods. It’s a great base for any soup, and I like it better than veggie broth cubes. My veggies really vary, but this version has red onion, frozen peas, kale, carrots, and purple cabbage. I often use frozen edamame (soybeans), broccoli, cauliflower or brussel sprouts. 

I usually add a grain, either cooked brown rice at the end or soba or udon noodles when its close to being done. I also often add Trader Joes Thai Gyoza, which are frozen potstickers that taste like wontons when they are in soup. When you’re making the soup, just keep tasting veggies to see when they seem cooked; since there is a lot of freedom on what you add, it’s hard to give specific cooking times. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 or more spoonfuls of Better than Bouillon Veggie Broth 
  • Onion of your choice
  • Soy Sauce
  • Rice Vinegar
  • Lemon juice
  • Sriracha or other Hot Sauce
  • Fresh or Powdered Garlic
  • Veggies of your choice, cut into small pieces
  • Tofu, cut into small pieces
  • Grain of your choice
  • Optional Potstickers
  • Optional Nutritional Yeast

Directions:

  1. Boil water in a medium or large pot
  2. While you wait for the water to boil, chop your veggies and tofu into similar sized pieces and mince the garlic
  3. Add a spoonful of Better Than Bouillon and mix it into water
  4. Add garlic and onions to the pot and let them cook for a few minutes
  5. Add veggies depending on their cooking times (so I added carrots, then cabbage, the frozen items, then kale, with a minute or two in between each one)
  6. When there is about 6 minutes left, add noodles if desired
  7. Add tofu
  8. If you’re using cooked rice, put it in when the soup is almost done
  9. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, lemon juice and hot sauce to taste, and more veggie broth if needed
  10. Turn off heat and serve, sprinkle nutritional yeast on top

Happy Souping!

-N

Quick and Easy Tofu and Kale This is a great meal if you don’t have a lot of time to cook, or even if you do, because its delicious and healthy. Leafy greens are really important in a vegan diet, they are high in fiber, iron and calcium (fun fact-broccoli has more calcium than milk! Don’t believe milk companies that tell you its the only way to get your calcium), among other nutrients.  I use nutritional yeast on the tofu, and on most things I eat. If you are a new vegan you will soon learn that nutritional yeast, known as ‘hippie-crack’ is useful, healthy and yummy, often used in place of cheese. Its high in B-12, a vitamin you need to make sure you get as a vegan or vegetarian. It also has a fair amount of protein in it. Just try not to eat more than about 2 tablespoons a day, since too much can stop your body from absorbing calcium. You can find it in the bulk section of most natural food stores, its flaky/powdery and yellow. Anyhow.  To make the Tofu: Cut tofu into cubes of desired choice and put in pan with some oil Sprinkle soy sauce over tofu, then nutritional yeast as well as any other flavors you want (garlic, salt, pepper, etc) Let it cook for a few minutes, stir some, take off heat when it looks good To Make the Kale: Wash kale and cut into fairly small pieces, you can use the stem and leaves Put in pan with some rice vinegar (asian style vinegar, you can find it at most grocery stores) Put on a lid and let it steam some until its mostly cooked Take off the lid, squeeze on some lemon juice, add salt and pepper to taste Stir a bit, take off heat, and serve with tofu Note: I flavor pretty much everything I cook with some combination of lemon, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and nutritional yeast. I love savory, sour flavors, but I know not everyone does as much as me. There are plenty of other ways to cook these types of foods. Happy eating! View high resolution

Quick and Easy Tofu and Kale

This is a great meal if you don’t have a lot of time to cook, or even if you do, because its delicious and healthy. Leafy greens are really important in a vegan diet, they are high in fiber, iron and calcium (fun fact-broccoli has more calcium than milk! Don’t believe milk companies that tell you its the only way to get your calcium), among other nutrients. 

I use nutritional yeast on the tofu, and on most things I eat. If you are a new vegan you will soon learn that nutritional yeast, known as ‘hippie-crack’ is useful, healthy and yummy, often used in place of cheese. Its high in B-12, a vitamin you need to make sure you get as a vegan or vegetarian. It also has a fair amount of protein in it. Just try not to eat more than about 2 tablespoons a day, since too much can stop your body from absorbing calcium. You can find it in the bulk section of most natural food stores, its flaky/powdery and yellow. Anyhow. 

To make the Tofu:

  • Cut tofu into cubes of desired choice and put in pan with some oil
  • Sprinkle soy sauce over tofu, then nutritional yeast as well as any other flavors you want (garlic, salt, pepper, etc)
  • Let it cook for a few minutes, stir some, take off heat when it looks good

To Make the Kale:

  • Wash kale and cut into fairly small pieces, you can use the stem and leaves
  • Put in pan with some rice vinegar (asian style vinegar, you can find it at most grocery stores)
  • Put on a lid and let it steam some until its mostly cooked
  • Take off the lid, squeeze on some lemon juice, add salt and pepper to taste
  • Stir a bit, take off heat, and serve with tofu

Note: I flavor pretty much everything I cook with some combination of lemon, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and nutritional yeast. I love savory, sour flavors, but I know not everyone does as much as me. There are plenty of other ways to cook these types of foods. Happy eating!