Tag Archives: bell pepper

Rainy-Day 13 Bean and Quinoa Soup

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The rain poured quite heavily in our little town today.  It was also a bit chilly which was a perfect opportunity to have “rainy day” soup.  This soup is hearty and super healthy.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Ingredients:

(seves 4-6)

  • 3 cups of cooked quinoa
  • 3 and a half quarts of water *note: add more water toward the end if you like it more “soupy”
  • 1 can of organic coconut milk
  • 1/3 lb of Bob’s Red Mill Soup Mix, 13 Bean Soup Mix *I soaked the beans overnight with a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice *
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 7 cloves of garlic (minced)
  • 2 inches of ginger (peeled)
  • Herbamare Original (500g=1.1LB) Brand: Vogel *note: you can buy pre-made herbamare from this link or the health food store, or you can save some money by googling “herbamare recipes” and making it yourself.   You will find many different recipes out there.  I made mine myself, but I didn’t measure (sorry…next time I will :) ), I just go by taste and it usually tastes similar to other herbamare recipes.

Directions:

  1. Cook your quinoa and set aside.
  2. Wash your soaked beans.
  3. In a large pot, boil 3 and a half quarts of water with your soaked beans, chopped onions, and minced garlic.
  4. Let it boil for about 1 hour or until the beans are cooked (stir occasionally).
  5. Blend coconut milk with your red bell pepper and ginger in a blender until smooth.  And, you will have a red gingery, coconutty, bell pepper soup.
  6. After the beans have cooked, add your coconut-bellpepper-ginger blend.
  7. Boil this together for another 20 minutes.
  8. Then add your cooked quinoa and herbamare (add herbamare a little bit at a time until you are satisfied with the taste).
  9. Simmer for 15 minutes or so.
  10. Pour in your favorite soup bowl and enjoy!

Quinoa Veggies and Tofu Burrito

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Lunch today was pretty delicious and very filling.  We had a super healthy burrito stuffed with quinoa, veggies, tofu, and avocado packed with protein, and all kinds of vitamins and minerals.

It was pretty much a shorter version of my Tofu, Mushroom, Beans and Spanish-rice-style Quinoa Burrito recipe.  I cut some corners, because I just didn’t want to spend too much time on cooking today,  but it still turned out really good.

Ingredients:

  • Cooked quinoa
  • Spinach wrap/tortilla (I used my favorite, which are Maria and Ricardo’s Tortillas)
  • 1 package of cubed firm tofu (drained)
  • 1 package of sliced organic mushrooms (8 oz.)
  • 1 green bell pepper sliced
  • 1 red onion sliced (medium to large)
  • 1/4 cup of cilantro (chopped)
  • 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon of oil (I use grape seed, olive, or coconut oil)
  • 1 tablespoon of oregano
  • 1.5 tablespoons of vegan bouillon (Better Than Bouillon, No Chicken Base, Vegetarian)
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1.5 teaspoons of ground cumin
  • 2/3 teaspoon of chili powder
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
  • Sliced avocados (2-3 avocados)

Directions:

  1. Heat oil and then add minced garlic.
  2. After about a minute, add the tofu.
  3. Cook the garlic tofu for 5 minutes, then add sliced onions.
  4. Cook for another 5 minutes and then add vegan bouillon, chili powder, oregano, cumin,  sliced mushrooms, and sliced bell pepper.
  5. Cook for another 5 minutes, then add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Heat tortilla.
  7. Spoon quinoa into the tortilla.
  8. Add sautéed veggies/tofu into the tortilla.
  9. Top it off with some slices of avocado and then roll into a burrito.
  10. Serve with salsa, hot sauce, or both.
  11. Enjoy!

Collard Greens and Bell Pepper Pesto with Quinoa Veggie Noodles

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Notice the baby spoon! My daughter loved this dish!

My daughter consumes about 6 to 8 servings of fruits and veggies a day.  She loves them!  Her breakfast smoothies contain a variety of fruits and veggies.  She likes to snack on them throughout the day.  And, then she has even more veggies for dinner.  But, there are some veggies that are still a little difficult for her to chew thoroughly, so she ends up taking forever to eat them.   For example, yesterday she ate a bowl of broccoli and it took her a half an hour!  So, what I did today, to cut down the “dining time” I decided to just blend the veggies in the processor.

Reasons to love collard greens:

  1. calcium
  2. Vitamin A
  3. Vitamin C
  4. B vitamins
  5. Folate
  6. Lutein
  7. Antioxidants
  8. Magnesium
  9. And more!

Here is an idea to get MORE veggies in your kids meal.

Ingredients:

  • 1 box of organic quinoa veggie curly noodles
  • 1 cup of pesto (click here for recipe)
  • 2 bell peppers (today I used one large green bell pepper and one large red bell pepper)
  • 6 large leaves of collard greens (veins removed)

Note: you could even add a half cup of broccoli.  I just didn’t today because she already had a bunch of broccoli for lunch.

Click here for more info on these noodles.

 Directions:

  1. Make the pesto.
  2. Cook the pasta.
  3. Add collard greens and bell peppers into the pesto sauce.
  4. Blend together for a couple of minutes.
  5. Warm the sauce (don’t cook it) and add the cooked pesto.
  6. Mix together.
  7. Serve and enjoy!

Here is another idea for you!  You can try adding finely shredded carrots and fresh fruit to your child’s yogurt.

My daughter loves carrots, but again, it takes her a very long time to finish 1 small carrot.  I also add carrots in her smoothies and in pasta sauce.

Vegan yogurt with finely shredded carrots, blueberries, pistachios and chia seeds. Carrots are naturally sweet, so kids love them. Sometimes, my daughter asks for peas to add in her yogurt. LOL

My daughter posing in front of some Halloween decorations.

Peanutty Lo Mein with Kale, Carrots, Bell Pepper, and Asparagus

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Addictive! Yum!

This is what we had for lunch today!  I seriously can’t stop eating it.  It is delicious, full of flavor, and pretty darn healthy!

Ingredients:

      • 1 package (8 oz.) Wide Lo Mein Noodles (vegan).  Note: You can also use whole wheat udon noodles, quinoa noodles, or brown rice noodles to make it even healthier.
      • 2 cups of carrots (shredded) Note: I just used my potato peeler to shred the carrots
      • 2 cups of kale (chopped)
      • 1 cup of water
      • 1 bell pepper (chopped)
      • 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
      • 2 tablespoons of liquid aminos
      • 1 tablespoon of vegetable boillon Vegetable Base (See all Broth)
      • 1/4 cup of ALL NATURAL peanut butter
      • 1 teaspoon of garlic hot sauce Huy Fong Vietnamese Chili Garlic Sauce, 8 Oz. (See all Hot Sauces)
      • 3 teaspoons of freshly ground ginger
      • 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
      • 1.5 tablespoons of sesame oil
      • Green onions for topping
      • Sesame seeds (optional for topping)

Directions:

  1. Boil water.
  2. Prepare vegetables.
  3. Add noodles to boiling water.
  4. Heat sesame oil and add garlic.  Cook this for about half a minute.
  5. Then add water, peanut butter, ginger, liquid aminos, garlic hot sauce, bouillon, and rice vinegar.
  6. Cook the sauce for another half a minute, then add veggies except for kale.
  7. When the asparagus is a little bit soft (not too soft), add kale.
  8. By this time, your noodles should be done.
  9. Remove the noodles from the boiling water and add to the veggies and peanut sauce.
  10. Cook it all together for a couple of minutes.
  11. Plate it.
  12. Add sesame seeds and chopped green onions.
  13. Enjoy!

*Note: If you want this dish to be a bit spicy, add more garlic hot sauce!…my husband likes it spicy! ;)

Crunchy and Healthy Stuffed Bell Peppers

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This is a similar post to the jalapeno poppers post.  I just used bell pepper instead for those who absolutely can not handle the heat of the jalapenos.  This has more of a sweetness to it but it goes so well together (crunch, hummus, and pepper).

Ingredients:

  • Fire Roasted Tomato Hummus
  • 3 to 4 bell peppers
  • 2/3 cup of unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/5 cups of Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 to 1.5 cups of whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp of salt

Directions:

  1. Make hummus.
  2. Preheat oven to 385 degrees.
  3. Slice the bell pepper lengthwise in four ways.
  4. Spoon hummus into the bell pepper.
  5. Dip the bell pepper in the unsweetened nut milk (almond milk).
  6. Then, roll the it into the whole wheat flour.
  7. Dip it into the nut milk again.
  8. Then, roll into the panko bread crumbs.
  9. Place onto a slightly greased cookie sheet.
  10. Spray a little bit of olive oil onto the breaded bell peppers (just a little bit!).
  11. Bake for 25 minutes.
  12. Enjoy!

Delicious and Healthy Avocado Hummus and Bell Pepper

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This snack can also be a meal.  It is very healthy and very filling!  I can eat this all day and every day!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 a pound of uncooked garbanzo beans (soaked over night)
  • 4 to 5 cloves of garlic
  • 2 avocados
  • juice of one lemon
  • 4 tablespoons of cumin
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil (cold pressed)
  • 4 tablespoons of tahini (sesame seed butter)
  • 1 tsp of paprika
  • more or less a teaspoon of all natural sea salt
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • a few pinches of turmeric
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • Veggies of your choice:  Today, I chose sweet bell peppers

Directions:

  1. Cook garbanzo beans in medium heat for 3.5 hours.
  2. Drain garbanzo beans, but save the water it was cooked in.
  3. After the garbanzo beans are cooked, place in the food processor with garlic, tahini, cumin, salt, pepper, turmeric, paprika, lemon juice, olive oil and 1/3 cup of the water it was cooked in.
  4. Blend together in the food processor for a few minutes.  Note: adjust the amount of water, oil, cumin, salt or pepper amount to your preference….just stop and taste.  Remember, you can always add more, but you can’t take away….
  5. After it has blended, add 2 avocados, and blend together for another minute.
  6. Now you are ready to enjoy!  I love eating this with veggies such as bell pepper, carrots, and celery.
  7. You can also use this to put in wraps, sandwiches, and just dip for chips.

Top it with a bit of paprika.

Raw Vegan White “Spaghetti”

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I love this beautiful and oh so tasty dish.  It is healthy, light, and flavorful.  I hope you like it!

Noodles:

  • Zucchini (1 to 2 depending on the size)

Directions for noodles: put it through a spiralizer or use the shredder in your food processor.
(this is the one I used)….SUPER EASY!

 

White Sauce:

  • 1.5 cups of cashews (soaked over night and drained)
  • 2 to 3 cloves of garlic (I like a lot of garlic, so I used 3)
  • juice of one lemon
  • 3 tablespoons of cold pressed olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 of a small sized red bell pepper (about 4 tablespoons worth if it is diced)
  • 1/3 cup of filtered water
  • 1 tsp of Italian seasoning
  • 3 to 4 pinches of parsley
  • Celtic sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions for Sauce:

  1. Place in food processor for a few minutes until it is nice and creamy.

Then, mix sauce in with the zucchini noodles.

top off with more veggies!...tomatoes...bell pepper...

Curried Tofu and Coconut Ginger Green Beans

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Looking for a yummy, quick, easy, and inexpensive meal for 4?….well, here it is….

*Curried Tofu*

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of firm tofu (cubed)
  • 2 tablespoons of Thai Red Curry Paste
  • 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, grape seed oil or olive oil.
  • sea salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in skillet.
  2. Add tofu.
  3. Cook tofu for 10 minutes.
  4. Add Thai Red Curry Paste.
  5. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes.

*Coconut Ginger Green Beans*

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb of frozen green beans
  • 1 can of coconut milk
  • 1 “Not-Beef” Bouillon cube
  • 1 large tomato (diced)
  • 1 large bell pepper (diced)
  • 4 cloves of garlic (diced)
  • 2 tablespoons of freshly ground ginger
  • 1/2 diced onion (optional)
  • Liquid aminos (for salt) and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, grape seed or olive oil

Directions:

  1. Heat oil, add garlic, tomato, and onion.  Cook until onion is a bit transparent.
  2. Add coconut milk, bouillon, and ginger.
  3. Cook together for 15 to 20 minutes.
  4. Add liquid aminos (for salt) and pepper.
  5. Serve with brown rice and the curried tofu.
  6. Enjoy!

Curried Chickpeas and Vegetables

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Ingredients:

    • 1 cup of cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans
    • 2 potatoes (cubed)
    • 4 cups of water
    • 3 cubes of “NOT BEEF or NOT CHICKEN” bouillon.Edward & Sons Not-Beef Bouillon Cubes, 3.1-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12)
    • 1/2 medium onion (diced)
    • 2 cloves of garlic
    • 6 oz can of diced tomatoes or pureed tomatoes
    • 1 cups of veggies of your choice (zucchini, carrots, bell pepper, green beans, etc.)  Today, I used whatever was in my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) order:  Green beans, bell pepper, peas, and a few jalapenos.  Note: I didn’t slice the jalapenos, because I didn’t want it ridiculously hot/spicy.
    • 1 cup of fresh cilantro
    • 1.5 tablespoons of fresh ground ginger
    • 1 tsp of cumin
    • 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of curry powder
    • 1 tsp of garam masala
    • Pepper and liquid aminos (for salt) to taste
    • 1 tablespoon of oil (preferably grape seed oil or olive oil)

Directions:

  1. Saute garlic and onions in the oil.
  2. After you sweat the onions, add spices (cumin, curry, and garam masala).
  3. Add water, bouillon cubes, ginger, garbanzo beans/chickpeas, potatoes, and veggies.
  4. Boil and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until all of the veggies are cooked.
  5. Add fresh cilantro and cook for about 10 minutes more.
  6. Serve with pita, vegan na’an, basamati rice, brown rice, or quinoa.  Note:  I didn’t have time to make home-made vegan na’an, so I just purchased a multi-grain pizza dough from the deli.  Directions: 1 small tennis ball sized dough, flatten, cover with flour, and season with olive oil, garlic powder, and a bit of salt.
  7. Enjoy!

curried chickpeas, veggies, quinoa and flat bread.

Garlic Ginger Teriyaki Stir Fry with Tofu and Veggies

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This post is dedicated to my “manang” (older sister), who is trying out vegetarianism/veganism for a month, in which I am very proud of.  She is doing her best to try get healthy and start making healthier dishes for her family.  And, I am trying to help her with some recipes and some vegan dish ideas.

This dish is super easy!  If you have tofu, veggies, and sauce, you are set!

Note: You can use any veggies you would like: zucchini, squash, spinach, peas, mung bean sprouts, carrots, green beans, broccoli, sugar snap peas, edamame, etc.

Today, this is what I made using the local produce I got from the CSA (community supported agriculture).

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of firm tofu (squared/sliced)
  • 4 carrots (sliced)
  • 1 bell pepper (sliced)
  • 1 large onion (sliced)
  • 1.5 cups of broccoli
  • 1.5 cups of green beans (I used “gold rush”, which is why it looks a bit yellow)
  • 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
  • 1 cup of vegetable broth
  • 8 to 10 tablespoons of any organic teriyaki sauce
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh ground ginger
  • 1.5 tablespoon of corn starch (this is to thicken your sauce)
  • liquid aminos to taste (instead of salt)
  • ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seed oil (optional).  Add this after you are finished cooking the stir fry.
  • Sriracha Sauce (for spice)…this is optional.  Just add little by little.  You can also add any type of Asian hot sauce.
  • 3 tablespoons of grape seed oil

Directions:

  1. Saute garlic, ginger and onions in 1 tablespoon of grape seed oil for a minute or two, right before the onions are transparent.
  2. Add the rest of your veggies.
  3. Mix vegetable broth with the corn starch, then add to the cooking veggies.
  4. Add teriyaki sauce.
  5. In another pan, cook sliced up tofu in grape seed oil.  After 5 minutes of cooking the tofu, add a bit of liquid aminos to it.  Then, cook for another 5 minutes.
  6. Add the tofu to the veggie pot.
  7. Stir and cook together for about 10 to 15 minutes.
  8. Serve over quinoa or brown rice.
  9. Enjoy!

Tofu cooking.

Veggies in sauce cooking.

Note: supporting your local organic farmers is better for the environment and for yourself.  You get the produce fresh off of the plants/trees, without traveling thousands of miles (burning fuel), and without pesticides/chemicals that could be dangerous to your health and to the earth.