Tag Archives: tomato

Asparagus, Tangy Avocado, and Tomato Sandwich

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Everyone in my family loves asparagus which makes me very happy.   Not only is it delicious, it is highly nutritious!

Health Benefits of Asparagus:

So, eat your asparagus!

I usually use asparagus in vegan sushi, stir-fry, or just serve it as a side dish.  But, today I wanted it to be the centerpiece of our meal so I made this sandwich.  In addition to the awesome asparagus, I incorporated some healthy avocados in the mix.  Avocados are considered super fruits.  They help support cardiovascular health, they are anti-inflammatory, and they even help fight off cancer.  To learn more, click here.  So, this sandwich is extremely healthy and filling.  It is refreshing, light, tangy, and crunchy.  Today, I enjoyed it with some grape tomatoes, sweet potato fries, and some jalapenos that I had pickled myself.  It was delicious!

Here is what you will need….

Ingredients:

  • asparagus
  • tomato (sliced)
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon of balsamic vinaigrette
  • celtic salt and pepper
  • whole wheat bread or sprouted grain bread

Tangy Avocado Spread:

  • 2 avocados
  • 3 cloves of garlic (finely minced)
  • 2 tsp liquid aminos (if you don’t have this, use a dash of sea salt)
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast

Directions:

  1. Prepare asparagus: remove the bottom fourth of the asparagus.
  2. Heat oil on a skillet then add your asparagus and balsamic vinaigrette.
  3. Cook asparagus for 5-10 minutes in medium to high heat.  Note: I like asparagus crunchy, so I only cook them for 5 minutes.
  4. Add salt and pepper to asparagus.
  5. Place the avocados, minced garlic, liquid aminos, nutritional yeast, and lime juice in a food processor and blend.  You can also just place it in a bowl and smash the avocados and mix.
  6. Toast your bread, then build your sandwich: put avocado spread on bread, add sliced tomatoes, and asparagus.  I used my old George Forman grill as a panini maker instead of a toaster.
  7. Enjoy!

Tangy Sesame Kale Salad

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I just love kale.  I love it in smoothies, juices, soups, and I also love it as salad.

Kale is packed with fiber and antioxidants.  It also helps fight off cancer cells, helps lower cholesterol, and it also has anti inflammatory properties.

So, eat more kale!

It is a great source of:

  • Manganese
  • Iron
  • Copper
  • Calcium
  • Fiber
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin K
  • Vitamin E

….and more!  Click here to find out: http://whfoods.org/

 

A couple of years ago, I was introduced to a delicious kale salad from Earthfare (health food store).  The kale salad had sun-dried tomatoes, black-eyed peas, kale, and some kind of sesame oil vinaigrette.  It was delicious.  I forgot what the name of that salad was, but my recipe adapted from that salad.  I just used what I had in my fridge but it turned out pretty yummy.

This salad is flavorful, filling, and healthy.

Ingredients:

  • 8 cups of kale (veins removed and chopped)
  • 1 chopped tomato
  • 1 cup of black beans or black-eyed peas
  • 5 tablespoons of sesame seeds

Dressing ingredients:

  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 3 tablespoons of liquid aminos (for salt)
  • 1.5 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • 3.5 tablespoons of toasted sesame seed oil
  • 1 clove of garlic (finely minced)

Directions:

  1. Prepare your kale (wash, remove vein, and chop).
  2. Place your kale, tomatoes, and beans/peas in a large bowl.
  3. Mix dressing ingredients together.
  4. Pour dressing into your bowl of kale.
  5. Mix dressing into the salad.
  6. Place on your salad plate/bowl and then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  7. Serve.

Zucchini Guacamole

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I just love zucchini!  I use it in my smoothies, my salads, my stews, and dips.  I even substitute them for noodles when making “raw spaghetti”.  (Raw Vegan White Spaghetti and Raw Spaghetti).

Today, I incorporated them into my guacamole, and we loved it!  I love flavor and crunch it.  I served it with “Mary’s Gone Crackers” instead of tortilla chips because it is MUCH healthier.  I also made burritos stuffed with chipotle-flavored pinto beans, cooked quinoa, and this delicious guacamole.  So, dinner, once again, was a success! :)

Ingredients:

  • 3 ripe avocados
  • 1 medium sized zucchini (chopped)
  • 1 large tomato (chopped)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (optional)
  • juice of one lime
  • 3 to 4 cloves of garlic
  • a handful of cilantro (note: I could not find organic cilantro today, so I just added 3 tablespoons of organic cilantro paste)
  • Sea salt (add little by little and adjust to your liking)
  • 1 jalapeno (optional)

Directions:

  1. Place avocado, lime juice, nutritional yeast (optional), garlic, jalapeno (optional), and cilantro in the food processor.
  2. Blend for a few seconds and then start adding your sea salt.
    Blurry picture....my bad! :)

  3. After a minute of blending, mix in your tomato and zucchini.
  4. Serve and enjoy!

Vegan Pesto Pizza

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You are probably wondering why I have been posting a lot of “pesto” recipes lately.  Well, it is because I have 2 huge basil bushes in the backyard that screams, “MAKE PESTO OUT OF MEEEE!”.  And, I do what it says!

This is super easy and you won’t feel guilty eating it!

Ingredients:

  • Whole grain pizza dough (all natural/vegan) from the deli (I always get mine from Earthfare).
  • 4 to 8 tablespoons of pesto sauce (depending on how ‘saucy’ you want it.  Click here for pesto recipe.  Note: make half as much for pizza.
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup of DAIYA Vegan mozzarella “cheese”…adjust to how “cheesy” you want it.
  • 1/2 of a tomato sliced
  • 1/4 of a red onion (diced)
  • 1/4 cup of broccoli (sliced).
  • 1 Tofuky Italian “sausage” sliced
  • 3 tablespoons of cornmeal.

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Roll out dough to flatten.
  3. Sprinkle corn meal on your pizza stone or baking sheet (helps your pizza not stick).
  4. Place dough on your pizza stone or baking sheet.
  5. Spread pesto sauce.
  6. Add veggies and Tofurky “sausage”
  7. Place in oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
  8. Broil in high heat for 2 minutes.
  9. Enjoy!

Cucumber Salad

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cucumber (peeled and sliced)
  • t tomato (diced)
  • 1/4 of a small red onion (sliced)
  • 3 tablespoons of sliced green onions
  • 2 tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1.5 tablespoons of toasted sesame seed oil
  • 1 tsp of liquid aminos or tamari (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tsp of raw agave
  • pepper

Directions:

Easy!  Throw everything in a bowl and mix together!

Husband’s Super Duper Hot Guacamole

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This guacamole is not for everyone because it is so hot.  You can just simply remove the jalapenos and habaneros off of the ingredients list.

Ingredients:

  • 2 avocados
  • 1 tomato
  • 1/4 of an onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 3 jalapenos
  • 1 habanero pepper (optional because these peppers are CRAZY hot)
  • juice of one lemon or 2 limes
  • 2/3 cup of a cilantro
  • salt
  • pepper

Directions:

  1. Throw everything in the food processor.
  2. Serve with chips, burritos, tacos, etc.
  3. Enjoy!

Pesto with Quionoa Pasta Noodles

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Ingredients for pesto sauce:

  • 2 qt bag or 1 to 1.5 cups of fresh basil
  • 2 cups of fresh spinach
  • 1.5 cloves of an elephant garlic or 4 to 6 cloves of regular garlic (NOTE: We love lots of garlic in our pasta, if you don’t, then reduce your amount to a few cloves of garlic.
  • 2/3 cup of nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup of pine nuts (Note: I sometimes add a few tablespoons of cashews to make it a bit creamier)
  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • 1 fresh tomato (medium)
  • salt
  • pepper

Directions:

  1. Cook quinoa noodles..
  2. First saute the pine nuts and cashews (cashew optional) in a little bit of olive oil until it is brown and toasted.
  3. After it is toasted, place the nuts in the food processor with oil, tomato, nutritional yeast, and garlic.
  4. Process together until it is smooth.
  5. Add spinach and basil, then process again for a few minutes.
  6. Add salt ant pepper to taste.
  7. Add to quinoa noodles.
  8. Top it off with some more pine nuts (optional).
  9. Enjoy!

Quinoa Pasta Vegan Pesto Salad

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We love basil!  We love pesto!  We love quinoa pasta! :)

Ingredients for pesto sauce:

  • 2 qt bag or 1 to 1.5 cups of fresh basil
  • 2 cups of fresh spinach
  • 1.5 cloves of an elephant garlic or 4 to 6 cloves of regular garlic.  (NOTE: We love lots of garlic in our pasta, if you don’t, then reduce your amount to a few cloves of garlic.
  • 2/3 cup of nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup of pine nuts (Note: I sometimes add a few tablespoons of cashews to make it a bit creamier)
  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • 1 fresh tomato (medium)
  • salt
  • pepper

Veggies to mix in the salad: Today, I just used ONE CUP of steamed peas, but usually I would add lightly steamed broccoli along with it.

Directions:

  1. Cook veggie quinoa pasta (I used the curly pasta).
  2. First saute the pine nuts and cashews (cashew optional) in a little bit of olive oil until it is brown and toasted.
  3. After it is toasted, place the nuts in the food processor with oil, tomato, nutritional yeast, and garlic.
  4. Process together until it is smooth.
  5. Add spinach and basil, then process again for a few minutes.
  6. Add salt ant pepper to taste.
  7. Mix sauce with cooked veggie quinoa pasta.
  8. Serve hot or cold.
  9. Enjoy!

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!

Carne-Asada-Style Tempeh and Garlicky Avocado Sandwich

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I LOVE this sammich! :)   It is packed with all kinds of goodness and awesome flavor.

Ingredients:

  • Avocado
  • 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon of fresh minced garlic
  • Carn-asada-style tempeh
  • Sliced tomatoes
  • Alfalfa sprouts
  • 5 grain Italian Bread
  • Cayenne pepper
  • salt

Directions:

  1. Make Garlicky Avocado Sauce: Avocado, lemon, garlic and a pinch or two of cayenne pepper )mash together)..
  2. Spread on both pieces of bread.
  3. Add tempeh and veggies.
  4. Enjoy!!!