Brown Rice Pea and Spinach Salad
Recipe from Whole Food American Favorites
I often get asked about plant-based protein powders. Many of them contain rice protein, pea protein, and greens. This salad combines all of these foods in their whole-food form. A much better choice in my opinion!
1 cup short-grain brown rice
2 cups fresh or frozen peas (steam fresh peas or use them raw)
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
Sweet Mustard Dressing to taste (click to watch how to make this dressing)
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Boil 2 cups water in a saucepan. Add rice, reduce heat, and simmer on low until tender. Let cool before adding to salad. While rice is cooking, place remaining vegetables in a large salad bowl. When rice is cool, stir into salad, add dressing, and salt and pepper to taste.
Vegetable Rissoto
Recipe from Whole Food American Favorites
3/4 cup short grain brown rice
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped white button mushrooms
3 cups brussels sprouts, cut in half
2 carrots, sliced
1/3 head green cabbage, sliced
1 cup vegetable broth or water
1/4 cup Sesame Parmesan (see below)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 t black pepper
2 cups frozen green peas
2 – 3 T lemon juice
Sea salt
Boil 2 cups water in small saucepan. Add rice, cover, and cook until tender, about 25 – 30 minutes. In a medium saucepan, water sauté onion, garlic, and mushrooms for 3 minutes. Add brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbage, and 1 cup water. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed to keep from sticking. Add peas, Sesame Parmesan, and nutritional yeast. Cook 2 – 3 more minutes. Add lemon juice and pepper. Salt to taste.
Sesame Parmesan
This recipe comes from JoAnn Rachor, author of “Of These Ye May Freely Eat.” Her web site is www.familyhealthpub.com. She has excellent recipes, including cooking videos.
1 cup un-hulled sesame seeds
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 t onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t sea salt
Grind all ingredients in a coffee grinder or high-powered blender until smooth. Best when stored in the freezer.
Spicy Thai Kale and Garbanzo Beans
Recipe from Whole Food American Favorites
1/2 cup short grain brown rice
1 onion, finely chopped
1 T minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup canned or bottled diced green chilies
8 oz. kale, finely chopped (about 1 bunch)
1 cup water
2 cups chopped cremini mushrooms
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
2 t chili powder
1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup natural unsalted peanut butter
Sea salt
Boil 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Add rice, cover, lower heat, and cook until tender, about 25 – 30 minutes. Water sauté onion and ginger for 3 minutes. Add green chilies, chopped kale, and water. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, beans, chili powder, and tomatoes, and continue to cook until kale is tender. Stir in peanut butter. Salt to taste.
Millet Primavera
Recipe from Whole Food American Favorites
1 cup millet, uncooked
1 onion, chopped
1 – 2 cups chopped mushrooms, cremini or white button
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 cups small cauliflower florets
3 cups small broccoli florets
2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen peas
1 T dried basil
1/4 t black pepper
1/3 cup pine nuts, coarsely chopped
2 T lemon juice
Sea salt
Boil 2 cups water in a small saucepan. Add millet, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes until tender. In a large pan over medium- high heat, sauté onion and mushrooms in 1/4 cup water for 2 minutes. Add garlic and remaining raw vegetables, and cook until vegetables are tender. Add more water if needed to keep from sticking. Add tomatoes, peas, basil, and pepper. Cook 5 more minutes. Mix in cooked millet, pine nuts, lemon juice, and salt to taste.
Chic Pea Tortilla Casserole
This Chic Pea Tortilla Casserole reminds me of my Grandma’s Chicken Tortilla Casserole. Chic Peas are a great high-fiber substitute for chicken and have a good amount of protein at 21.6%. However, the brussels sprouts that I include in this recipe have even more protein then chic peas coming in at 28.4%! Skinless chicken has 25% protein. Greens are king when it comes to protein and pretty much everything thing else! Include them whenever you can!
Recipe from Whole Food American Favorites
1 head cauliflower
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup canned or bottle chopped green chilies
3 cups chopped mushrooms, cremini or white button
3 cups brussels sprouts, halved
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 T nutritional yeast
4 T lemon juice
2 1/2 cups cooked chic peas (garbanzo beans)
8 – 10 corn tortillas
Break off cauliflower florets and steam until tender. Set aside. Water sauté onion, garlic, green chilies, and mushrooms over medium high heat until juicy. Add in 1/2 cup water, add brussels sprouts and bring to boil. Lower heat to medium. Cover and cook about 10 minutes until tender. Blend cauliflower with steam water, seeds, Chicken Style Seasoning, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice until smooth. Pour all but 1 1/2 cups of sauce into vegetable mixture .Stir in chic peas. Spread remaining sauce on the bottom of 9 x 13 casserole dish. Arrange one layer of tortillas on top of sauce. Spread 1/2 the vegetable bean mixture over tortillas. Add a second layer of tortillas, and top with remaining vegetable mixture. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, until bubbly.
Shepherds Pie
Recipe from Whole Food American Favorites
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut in chunks
Florets from one head cauliflower
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1/2 t sea salt
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound of cremini mushrooms, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 bunch collard greens, chopped
3 T Kirkland No-Salt Seasoning or other no-salt seasoning
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 cups cooked kidney beans
2 cups frozen corn
1 t paprika
2 T Worcestershire Sauce (Page 101 in Whole Food American Favorites or other)
Sea salt
Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain and set aside. Steam cauliflower until tender, then set aside, reserving steam water. In a large pot, add 1/2 cup water, raw vegetables, and no-salt seasoning. Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender, adding more water if needed to keep from sticking. Add remaining ingredients. Salt to taste. Transfer to a casserole dish. Blend cauliflower with 1/2 cup steam water, seeds, onion powder, garlic powder. Salt to taste. Add more liquid if needed.
Mash blended cauliflower with potatoes. Carefully lay the mashed potato mixture over the cooked vegetables. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Lentil Mushroom Stroganoff
From my cookbook Whole Food American Favorites
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup green lentils
2 1/4 cups water
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds creminin mushrooms, sliced
8 oz. (or more) fresh spinach, chopped
1 t dried tarragon
1 t paprika
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
4 T nutritional yeast
4 T lemon juice
Sea salt
Boil 2 1/4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Add lentils, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, or until tender. Sauté onion, garlic, and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons water until mushrooms are tender and juicy. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Drain liquid from mushrooms into a blender jar. Add sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Pour over mushrooms. Add lentils, paprika, and tarragon. Heat through. Salt to taste. Serve over brown rice.
Thanksgiving Chic Pea Loaf
I should probably change the name of this recipe to “Garbanzo Stuffing” because it reminds me of Stove-Top Stuffing but way better! This recipe is Adapted from fatfreevegan.com.
1 – 2 yams or sweet potato (need 2 cups cooked)
1 medium onion
2 cups chopped mushrooms
2 ribs celery
1 medium carrot
2 cloves garlic
4 cups cooked chic peas (garbanzo beans)
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 T balsamic vinegar or 2 T tamari or soy sauce
2 T tomato paste
1 T spicy brown mustard
1 1/2 t onion powder
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t dried sage
1 1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t dried rosemary, crushed
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 t Real Salt or sea salt, or to taste
1/2 t black pepper
Bake sweet potato in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes or until soft. Set aside to cool.
Sauté vegetable in ¼ cup water until soft. Transfer to large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, including cooked yam, and mash with a pastry cutter until the mixture become sticky and will hold together. Press into a 9 X 13 baking pan and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and continue to bake an additional 25 minutes. Uncover and brown for 10 minutes if desired. Let set for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Roasted Zucchini Mexican Salad
3 medium zucchini
2 ears corn
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained well
1 cup cooked brown rice (optional)
2 cups fresh diced tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (or use canned green chilies)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 avocado, diced
Zest of one lime
Juice of 2 limes
Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise again. Then cut in 1/2 – 3/4 inch chunks. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with Mrs. Dash Chipotle seasoning or other no-salt seasoning of choice. Mix thoroughly with your hands until each piece is lightly coated. Spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper making sure no pieces are over-lapping. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes until they start to brown. Let cool before adding to salad.
Cut corn off ears and place in the bowl you used for the zucchini. Add remaining ingredients. When zucchini has cooled, add to salad. Mix well. Add more lime or lemon juice and salt to taste if desired.
This salad is also delicious using raw zucchini. I only use 2 zucchini and I use the dice blade of the Vidalia Chop Wizard. Cut the whole zucchini in 3 sections then lay each section on the chopper screen and chop. This makes a fun perfect shape for the salad. Mix in all remaining ingredients as above.
Kale Tacos
1 bunch of kale
2 button mushrooms, finely chopped (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno chili, seeded and minced
1 – 2 t chili powder
1 t cumin
1 t coriander
2 cups cooked black beans
1 avocado, mashed
Organic corn tortillas
Add kale, mushrooms, garlic, and chili to a medium sauce pan, along with 3/4 cup water. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium, and cook 3 – 5 minutes. Add spices and cook until kale is tender. Keep an eye on the water so it doesn’t burn. Add a little more water if needed. Add the black beans and heat through.
Take off the burner and stir in mashed avocado. Salt to taste.
Stuff them in a warmed corn tortilla. Makes 8 – 10 tacos.
April’s note: I love this mixture rolled up in a corn tortilla just the way it is, with no toppings, but they are also wonderful with shredded cabbage or lettuce and fresh vine-ripe tomatoes.