Easy Bean Soup

Growing up in West Virginia, everything had meat in it.  Green beans for a side:  put ham in for flavor.  Pancakes:  use a little bacon grease to oil up your skillet.  Vegetable soup:  add cubes of beef.  So, it's no wonder that as an adult vegetarian I try recreate these home cooked country style dished without meat.  The easiest has to be bean soup.  Traditionally, bean soup has at least a ham hock or bits of bacon in it.  But I discovered a way to "cheat" and make a bean soup that keeps that same flavor.  It really is a cheat because I use a bean soup mix that happens to have a "ham flavor" packet included that is accidentally vegetarian!  Several companies make this bean soup mix.  I just use whatever is at the store and check the ingredients list.  Throw it in a crockpot with a little salt, pepper and liquid smoke (for that extra ham-y flavor).  EASY!  Here's the low-down:

2 bags bean soup mix (get the ones with ham flavor packets included)
salt and pepper to taste
liquid smoke to taste (I generally use about a teaspoon)

Add bean soup mix, ham flavor packets, salt, pepper and liquid smoke to 5 quart crockpot.  Add water so that beans are covered with at least 3 inches of water (I fill up the crockpot almost to the top, leaving head room for the beans to expand).  Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours.  Using a blender or food processor, puree about 1/3 of the soup and add back to crockpot (this gives it that creamy, thick bean soup texture).  Cook on low for 1 to 2 hours.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Heirloom Tomato Tart

We planted 50 tomato plants in our garden this year.  50!  So needless to say we've been chowing down on tomatoes A LOT lately.  We grew 4 different types of heirloom tomatoes--Cherokee Purple, Peg's Round Orange, Mortgage Lifter and Mountain Princess.  They each have unique and different characteristics and absolutely none of them is anything close to a store bought tomato.  The flavors are amazing.  So I went online to find recipes or recipe ideas to utilize our bounty.  I ended up making tomato jam (which I should probably blog about) and this, Heirloom Tomato Tart.  This tart is like a grown-up pizza.  Here's the recipe:

1 whole wheat pizza crust (here's my recipe)
8 ounces ricotta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup basil leaves, shredded and torn
4 to 6 heirloom tomatoes

Slice the tomatoes.  Salt and place on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels.  Leave sit for a few hours so the water is drawn out of the tomatoes.

Bake crust at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.  Then top with ricotta, mozzarella, basil and tomatoes (in that order).  Bake another 10 minutes.

Lentil Stuffed Pepper Soup

I once mentioned how we do Soup Sundays here at Joy Orchard Farm.  It is so easy to throw a soup together in the crockpot and eat on it for at least 2 meals.  So, here's another staple from Soup Sundays that I am throwing together today to use up some peppers from our garden!  It's such an easy meal:

1 cups dried lentils
1 cup brown rice or quinoa
5 bell peppers, diced
1 onion, diced
1 Tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
2 teaspoon minced garlic
4 cups vegetable broth or water
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Put everything in the crockpot and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Baked Ziti

Sometimes when you combine recipes, it creates a recipe for deliciousness!  I had found several recipes using butternut squash in lasagna and decided to take my own twist on things.  This was dinner tonight, and it was beyond amazing.

4 cups cubed butternut squash, roasted or boiled (you want to mash it)
1 block firm tofu
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 Tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 can spinach, drained
1/2 jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, plus more on top
salt, pepper to taste
12 ounce box pasta (ziti, penne or rottini), cooked (I used veggie penne)

Combine squash, tofu, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, spinach, spaghetti sauce and mozzarella in large bowl.  Stir in cooked pasta and place everything in a 9X13 baking dish.  Top with additional mozzarella.  Cover the dish with foil.  Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Makes 8 servings.

Spinach Salad with Pears

I love making fabulous, good-for-you foods.  I also love being able to cook for family.  So, when I get to create amazing foods to share with family, I always feel so warm and happy.  This weekend Scott's family was up for Forest Festival.  They arrived Friday evening, and because I had the day off, I was blessed with time to create an awesome dinner and delicious dessert for Friday night.  Dinner was homemade pizzas using my 100% Whole Wheat Pizza Crust recipe, this Spinach Salad with Pears and chocolate bread pudding for dessert.  We had 4 different pizzas: a plain cheese pizza (for my 4 year old niece), a tofu-mushroom-ricotta pizza, a roasted broccoli and red onion pizza and a butternut squash-parsnip-leek-feta pizza.  I wanted a simple salad that could stand out next to these pizzas.  We were given pears from a friend down the road who has a beautiful little pear tree that's really producing right now.  So I thought a salad featuring these local pears would be awesome.  I found several different recipes online and pulled ideas from the all.  Here is what I came up with:

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tablespoons gold balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon brown mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 Tablespoons agave
water

Put ingredients in a mason jar.  Shake well.  If dressing tastes oily, add more water.  If you want it more tart, add more vinegar.  If you want it more sweet, add more agave.  It's a very flexible dressing recipe and can be made a day ahead of time.

Salad:
12 ounce bag of baby spinach (you can also use a mix of baby spinach and baby kale)
1 thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecans
3 firm, but ripe pears

Mix all ingredients in large salad bowl.  If making ahead, leave out pecans and pear until right before serving.  I prefer to serve this salad with dressing on the side so everything stays fresh and crisp.

Tomato Basil Soup

If you've had the Tomato Basil Soup that Bob Evans offers, this is a very-close vegetarian version (I'm pretty sure they put chicken broth in theirs).  It's so yummy and easy to fix for a quick weeknight meal.  I "stole" and modified a copycat recipe of the Bob Evans Tomato Basil Soup from here.  Here's my Tomato Basil Soup recipe:

1 onion, diced
1/2 stick butter or non-dairy margarine
1/3 cup flour
2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 can (or 2 cups) vegetable broth
1 small can tomato paste
2 large cans crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar (optional-cuts down the acidity a bit)
croutons (optional garnish)
shredded mozzarella cheese (optional garnish)

In Dutch-oven, cook onion in butter over medium heat until onion is tender.  Then, add flour and stir for about a minute.  Add in rest ingredients, stir well and let lower heat.  Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.  Serve with garnish of croutons and shredded cheese.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Chickpea Quinoa Soup

This soup is reminiscent of that good old chicken noodle (or Rice) soup we all grew up on.  We all had it for lunch on a snow day or our moms fixed it for us when we were feeling sick.  Before I became a vegetarian, I made chicken noodle soup all the time.  Since then, I have used and modified this recipe.  Currently it is sitting in my crockpot cooking up for Soup Sunday!  But the cool thing about this recipe is its versatility.  You can make it on the stovetop.  You can replace the quinoa for some sort of noodles.  You can use whatever veggies you have on hand.  It still turns out delicious.  Here's my Chickpea Quinoa Recipe:

1 onion, diced
1 Tablespoon powdered vegetable broth
4 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chickpeas

If you have time, saute up the onion in a skillet.  If not, oh well!  No biggie :)  Just throw everything in the crockpot and stir.  Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Rainbow Skillet

Next to my Butternut Squash Soup, Rainbow Skillet is my favorite recipe to use some butternut squash from our garden.  It's a very easy and very yummy dish.  I made some modifications to this recipe from Taste of Home (seriously, how awesome are their recipes?!).  Here's my version:

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chunked

1/4 cup melted butter

2 Tablespoons Splenda

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 bell peppers, diced into large chunks

1 medium onion, diced into large chunks

2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes

Place butternut squash chunks in large bowl.  Fill bowl with water and place in microwave.  Microwave squash until it is tender (about 12 minutes).  Meanwhile, saute peppers and onions in Dutch oven.  Add squash when it's finished in microwave.  Combine in small bowl melted butter, chili powder, salt, pepper and cinnamon and add to Dutch oven.  Heat through and add in tomatoes before serving.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.  

Pumpkin Pasta

This recipe was one of those risk-takers.  You know the recipe that sounds sort of strange but maybe has some potential?  I mean, whoever would have thought to combine pumpkin and pasta?  Well, apparently The Vegan Stoner did.  I was intrigued with the idea of using winter squash or pumpkin to create a creamy pasta dish.  From the reviews/comments, it sounded like a healthier alternative to macaroni and cheese.  And I was very surprised!  My version of Pumpkin Pasta is pretty yummy, fairly healthy, quick to make and a great comfort food dish!  It makes a great weeknight supper when you're tired and don't want to put a lot of effort into dinner.  Which pretty much sums up this evening for me :)

1 box whole wheat penne pasta (about 13 ounces)
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
2 Tablespoons vegan margarine (I use Blue Bonnet Light)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt to taste

Cook pasta and drain.  Then, combine pasta and rest of ingredients in large skillet or Dutch oven.  Cook for 10 to 15 minutes.  Makes 4 servings.

Spinach Bean Soup

Every Sunday in our house is "Soup Sunday."  Basically I make a crockpot soup that we will eat for dinner Sunday and again on Monday.  It really helps me out because I'm always exhausted on Monday evenings after a full day of work and grocery shopping after school.  There's no way I feel like cooking.  So I'm always on the lookout for soup recipes to add to the repertoire.  This recipe is loosely based on one out of Taste of Home magazine.  It's a warm, healthy, light soup that surprises you with how flavorful it is.  Try it out for yourself!

1 cup dried pinto or great northern beans
1 can vegetable broth plus 3 cans of water
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes
1 can spinach
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 onion, diced

Combine all ingredients in large crockpot.  Cook on high for 8 hours.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Hilary's Sloppy Joes

Yes, I realize that there's a sloppy joe recipe already on this blog, but this one is just as good, I promise!  I created this recipe one evening when we did not have internet and thus I didn't have access to my recipe for Sloppy Veg Head Joes.  I had some burger-style crumbles on hand and threw them together with some other pantry items, and voila!, yummy vegetarian sloppy joes!  Here's my creation:

1 onion, finely diced
1 bell pepper, finely diced
1 bag vegetarian burger-style crumbles
14 ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
several good splashes of hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Splenda

In a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven, saute onion and pepper for about 5 minutes.  Then add rest of ingredients and cook everything for 15 to 20 minutes.  Makes 6 servings.

"Hamburger" Helper

I developed this recipe a year or so ago.  It's a vegan mock-up of a childhood classic:  Hamburger Helper.  I've made it a few times and every time I am reminded just how tasty it is.  Tonight I measured everything out so I could share it here.  It's a yummy, delectable dish that I really recommend you try!  Now excuse me while I go chow down!

1 box whole wheat penne pasta

1 pack firm tofu

14 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 Tablespoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1 bag vegetarian burger-style crumbles

1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)

1 onion, chopped

Cook the pasta until it is almost done.  Drain and set aside.  In food processor, combine tofu, crushed tomatoes, garlic, chili powder, cumin and hot sauce.  Process until smooth.  In Dutch oven, saute onions, mushrooms and crumbles for 5 minutes.  Add pasta and sauce from food processor.  Combine and let cook over low heat for 20 minutes.  

Revamped Broccoli "Cheese" Casserole

I posted on Facebook a few weeks ago that I am in the process of bulking up my blog.  I'm going back and tweaking recipes and posting pictures.  Tonight I tackled an ancient recipe from my blog.  All the way back in September 2010, I veganized one of my favorite potluck dishes--Broccoli Cheese Casserole.  Traditionally it is a dish made with lots of processed foods like Velveeta and cream of chicken soup.  Definitely not healthy and definitely not vegan!  My original vegan version wasn't bad.  In fact, I blogged about it, and Scott was a big enough fan of it that he took it to a Christmas potluck.  However, I always felt I could do better; that this dish could be made more delicious.   Lately, I've been trying out quinoa, substituting it for brown rice in my dishes.  So I thought this was a great time to rework this recipe replacing the rice for quinoa.  I must tell you that I'm really becoming a fan of this super food!  For those of you unfamiliar with quinoa, it's sort of like a whole grain, but it's more a seed than a grain.  It has a similar texture to couscous.  What makes it a super food is that it's full of amino acids and is a great source of protein!  You can get it at WalMart or Kroger, so I recommend you check it out!  I wanted to keep this dish vegan so I stuck with the original plan of making a "cheese" sauce from tofu.   That means that there are 2 awesome sources of protein in this dish: quinoa and tofu.  And it's FULL of veggies too!  So here you have it folks, a healthy Broccoli "Cheese" Casserole!

"Cheese" Sauce:

1 block firm tofu
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 Tablespoon paprika
1 Tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
plain soy milk

Crumble up tofu in food processor and add seasoning.  Start food processor and pour in soy milk until you created have a nice creamy sauce.


1 onion, chopped
2 cups carrots, chopped
6 cups broccoli, chopped
4 cups mushrooms, sliced
4 cups cooked quinoa


Combine all the veggies in a dutch oven and saute for 10 minutes or until broccoli is mostly cooked.  Then, add in the cooked quinoa and "cheese" sauce.  Mix well.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Italian Spaghetti Squash Bake

My mom has raved forever and a day about how good spaghetti squash is!  And you know what they say, mom knows best!  I tried it out to eat awhile back and really liked the texture and taste of the spaghetti squash.  For those of you unfamiliar with this vegetable, it's a large yellow oval-shaped squash that the insides will shred after cooking and will resemble spaghetti noodles.  I tried this recipe and although it was good, I just wasn't WOWED.  I liked that is was a healthy, no carb meal, but I felt like it needed spaghetti sauce and an Italian bend.  And this brings us to tonight's dinner...  OH.MY.GOODNESS!  You need to try this!  And don't be intimidated and think that spaghetti squash takes forever to cook.  You can microwave that baby!  Here's all you need to know to make one fantastic meal:

1 spaghetti squash
1 large onion, diced
2 green peppers, diced
8 to 12 ounces mushrooms, diced
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/4 cups shredded cheese

Take the spaghetti squash and stab it with a knife all over to make air holes.  Then, put it in the microwave for 15 minutes, turning it over about half-way through.  While squash is cooking in microwave, saute onion, peppers and mushrooms over medium heat.  When squash is done, take it out of the microwave (use oven mitts!) and set aside to cool.  Once it's cool, cut it open lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds and throw them away.  Then, take a fork and scrap the squash clean.  Combine squash, onion, peppers and mushrooms, spaghetti sauce, garlic and 1 cup shredded cheese. Put it all in a large casserole dish and sprinkle remaining shredded cheese on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Easy Burrito Bowl

This is a quick and very delicious dinner.  I came up with the recipe after reading and combining several different recipes for "black beans and rice."  I personally leave out the rice so it's low-carb.  But it's a light, delicious and healthy supper that takes less than 30 minutes from first chop to first bite!

1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup corn (frozen or canned)
3 cups red, black or pinto beans
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
couple of dashes hot sauce (optional)
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 avocados, chopped
salsa (optional)
sour cream (optional)

In Dutch oven or large cast iron skillet, combine everything except the cilantro, avocado, salsa and sour cream.  Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.  You're basically just warming everything.  The onions and peppers will have a bit of a crunch to them still; this adds to to the light, fresh taste of the overall dish.  (If you want the onions and peppers to be softer, cook them for 5 minutes on their own before adding in everything else.)  Serve in bowls with a little cilantro and avocado on top.  Add salsa and sour cream if you'd like.  Makes 6 servings.

Cumin & Lime Roasted Sweet Potato Burritos

The recipe I based tonight's dinner on was an award winner in a Vegetarian Times contest, and I know now why it placed!  SO SO SO GOOD!  I tweaked the recipe and made some amazing burritos.  Check it out:

2 medium to large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large onion
2 cups black beans
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 heaping teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 Tablespoon lime juice
salt to taste
whole-wheat tortillas
cilantro to garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In large bowl, toss sweet potatoes, onions and black beans in oil, cumin, paprika, lime juice and salt.  Place in single layer on baking sheet.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.  Makes 6 servings.

Creamy Avocado Pasta

WOW!  Tonight's dinner was the definition of deliciousness :)  I modified this recipe I found on Pinterest, and it is seriously the best thing I have eaten in quite awhile!  And it was healthy and quick!  SCORE!

2 ripe avocados, seed and skin removed
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
4 Tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2 medium diced tomatoes (garden fresh would be best)
4 servings whole wheat spaghetti or fettuccine

Boil pasta and drain.  In food processor, process avocados, nutritional yeast, garlic and lemon juice until smooth.  Combine pasta, sauce and diced tomatoes in pot and heat over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

This versions has a little chopped cilantro tossed in.  Hence, the very green color!  

Super Fast Chickpeas & Greens

This recipe is not only super fast, it's super YUM-O!  I've made it a few times, and I figure if it's good enough for us, it's good enough for the blog!  Here's the original version (I seriously don't think I could function without VegWeb).  My version is below.

1 onion, chopped
3 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 bag of fresh spinach OR 3 cups of greens of choice (kale, collard greens or Swiss chard)
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon natural peanut butter (or tahini if you have it)
1 Tablespoon coriander
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 can diced tomatoes

In large skillet or pot, saute onion and garlic for a few minutes.  Add chickpeas, greens, lemon juice and peanut butter (tahini).  Let greens cook down a bit, then add rest of ingredients.  Lower heat; simmer 10 minutes.  Makes 4 servings.   

Baked Sweet Potato and Leek Gratin

It's been far too long since I last posted a recipe!  I've been trying out some new recipes lately, intermixed with the tried-and-true standbys.  Some have been good, some have been eh, but tonight's was YUMMY!!!  I started with this recipe from Vegetarian Times.  It was the perfect amount of food for just Scott and I, so be skeptical about the fact that it says serves 8.  It might serve 4 as a side dish, but we had it as dinner for 2 and it was just simply fabulous!  Here's my version of the recipe:

3 medium leeks
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon herbs de provence (Italian seasoning would work just fine)
1/3 cup water 
2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced 
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs 
1/2 cup shredded cheese 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In cast iron skillet, saute leeks and garlic with herbs.  Transfer to a plate.  Spray cast iron skillet* with non-stick oil spray.  Layer half of the sweet potato slices, overlapping them slightly.  Then, top with half of the leek and garlic mixture.  Repeat the layers.  Sprinkle breadcrumbs and cheese on top.  Pour 1/3 cup of water on top.  Place skillet in oven and bake for 35 minutes.  If cheese starts to burn, put foil over the skillet.

Makes 4 entree-size servings.  

*If you don't have a skillet that can go in the oven, you can prepare this in a round casserole dish or 8X8 square pan.  

Divine & Simple Butternut Squash Soup

I've updated this recipe.  I've made it several times now and have perfected the recipe and measurements.  This is an amazing soup!  It will blow you away.  It is rich, buttery...absolute divinity in a bowl!  It's a great meal to make for company in the winter.  Just serve with salad and rolls.  


1 large butternut squash*
1 medium onion
1 Tablespoon minced garlic 
1 to 2 cups plain soy milk
water
1 teaspoon vegetable broth powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger powder (or 2 teaspoons minced)
1/2 teaspoon allspice 
salt to taste


*Your first decision is how you will cook the squash.  You can peel and dice it, then boil it in a large pot on the stove or microwave it.  But my personal preference has become roasting it in the oven.  It takes a little bit longer, but you do not have to peel it because the peel because soft enough to be edible.  Just dice it up, brush on melted butter and sprinkle on a little salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice.  You can also quarter up the onion, brush it with butter and roast it up as well.

For this recipe, your food processor will be your friend.  It may take a few rounds to puree all the squash. Put in food processor cooked or roasted squash, garlic and onion.  Add in about 1/2 cup of soy milk.  Process until smooth and add to soup pot.  Continue until all squash has been pureed.  If you need to thin out the soup a bit more, add more soy milk or water.  Once you have the soup to the consistency you want, mix in the vegetable broth powder, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and salt.  Heat soup for about 10 minutes.  Ladle into bowls and enjoy!  Makes 4 to 6 servings.