Vegan "No Huevos" Rancheros and a Simple Salad

Vegan "No Huevos" Rancheros

This is one of my favorite quick as can be dinners.

Ingredients:
Polenta, prepared (I buy one of the pre-cooked polenta rolls when I'm feeling lazy.)
GOYA Rancheros beans
Olives (I usually use black olives)
Fresh chopped tomatoes
Avocado chunks
Vegan sour cream (if you like) - I like Tofutti brand.
Salsa

Preparation:
Layer polenta slices at bottom of microwaveable bowl, then a layer of the beans. Cover and heat until warm (about 1 min 30 seconds).
Layer some salsa, fresh tomatoes, olives, avocado, and sour cream on top.
Enjoy!

 

Simple Beet Salad

 

Including here because I am trying to overcome my need to sprinkle cheese in every salad. This one was satisfying without the cheese.

 

Ingredients:

Roasted Beets

Avocado

Mesclun Lettuce

Cucumber slices

Shallot

Hemp Seeds

 

Wolffie's Balsamic Vinegar Dressing (from La Dolce Vegan p.95): (my fave!)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup oil (such as flax, hemp, or grapeseed)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

 

Preparation:

Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl. Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Sprinkle some dressing on salad. Yum.

 

I think I'll have some soy whip and chocolate pudding for dessert. ;) Yum!

Quick Black-Eyed Pea Slaw and Polenta Fries (vegan)

Quick Black-Eyed Pea Slaw

Ingredients:

1 (15oz) can black-eyed peas
1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
3/4 of a 10oz bag thinly sliced red cabbage
1/3 cup prepared salsa verde (I like La Costena brand.)
2 tablespoons vegan sour cream
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon gomasio or 1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Method:

Whisk together the sour cream, salsa verde, vinegar, and olive oil in a large bowl. Throw in the black-eyed peas, cabbage, parsley, and grated carrot and mix well. Season with gomasio (or salt) and pepper. Yum! (My husband really liked this slaw! It's going to become a regular.)

Easy and Inexpensive Grilled Polenta Fries



Ingredients:

About 3 cups prepared polenta, cooled so that it's firm. (I used some leftover polenta from the other night's dinner.)
Olive oil
Garlic powder
Old Bay seasoning

Cut cooled polenta into rectangular sticks. Sprinkle with garlic powder and Old Bay Seasoning. Heat some olive oil on a grill pan. Grill polenta on two sides until warmed. Delish!

My recipe how to make polenta is here: http://sundaegirl108.blogspot.com/2010/05/polenta-with-roasted-tomatoes-vegan.html

Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Tempeh Over Soft Polenta

Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Tempeh Over Soft Polenta
(recipe adapted from the one in The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life by Melisser Elliott - buy this book!)

Ingredients and Method:
Crispy Tempeh:
8oz tempeh, sliced very thin (at least 24 pieces)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed (I minced mine)
1 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a shallow pan, covering each side of the tempeh, and then allow to marinate while you chop the brussels sprouts and onion. Preheat a deep skillet over medium heat and spray it with a coating of cooking oil. Add the tempeh strips, reserving the marinade, and cook until crispy - about 5-7 minutes each side. Remove the tempeh and set aside.

Brussels Sprouts: 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, sliced thin
1 pound brussels sprouts, cut in half
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
leftover tempeh seasoning
1/2 cup water

Reheat the skillet over medium heat, add the oil, and sauté the onion until it begins to soften (3-5 mins). Add the brussels sprouts and sauté until slighty browned. Add salt and pepper. Add tempeh seasoning and 1/2 cup water. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and allow to simmer for about 7 minutes (until the sprouts are tender). Remove lid and simmer for a few more minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.

Polenta:I just add one cup polenta to 4 cups already boiling salted water and stir continuously until the mixture thickens.

Spoon polenta onto plates and cover with tempeh, sprouts, and sauce. Mmmmmm...

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Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes (vegan)

To Roast Tomatoes:
Cut tomatoes of your choice in half, spray cookie sheet with cooking oil, put tomatoes cut side up on sheet, spray with cooking oil, sprinkle tomatoes with pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder ... put in a 425 degree fahrenheit oven for about 25-35 minutes.

To make Polenta:
I buy Bob's Red Mill brand "Organic Polenta Corn Grits" ... Boil 6 cups water with about 1 teaspoon salt. Gradually stir in 2 cups of the polenta ... Reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring frequently, until mixture begins to get thick. I like to throw in some Italian spices ... red pepper flake, basil ... etc. Once mixture has thickened (about 15 minutes) shut off heat and pour into bowl to allow to cool.
(While the polenta is cooling, I like to carmelize some onions in a little olive oil and saute some black olives and garlic to mix into the polenta when serving it.)

Throw roasted tomatoes on top of polenta with some fresh chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley.
Enjoy!

Polenta with Sautéed Cherry Tomatoes

Last night I felt like having some polenta. I never really cooked polenta before except to microwave it and throw some spaghetti sauce on it. *ick* ... I know ...

I really need to get better at taking pictures of the yummy things I make. We ate it before any pictures were snapped, but it was so simple to make and delicious that I had to share. Maybe I'll make it again tonight and take a picture this time. *laugh*

It looked very much like this though...


Ingredients for Polenta with Sautéed Cherry Tomatoes:
♥ 1 tube polenta (I used non-flavored, fat free, plain)
♥ 1 box fresh cherry tomatoes
♥ 1 red onion
♥ bunch fresh parsley (finely chopped)
dried oregano
dried basil
salt and pepper
olive oil

Method:
♥ Cut cherry tomatoes in half, cut polenta up into small cubes, and thinly slice onion.
♥ Put some olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.
♥ Throw cut cherry tomatoes, onion, and polenta in a sauté pan.
♥ Heat through for a few minutes and then add oregano, basil, salt, and pepper to taste.
♥ Sauté ingredients for about 10 minutes and then fold in chopped parsley.
♥ Sauté for another few minutes and eat! Yummmmmm.

Image of tube of polenta in case you're curious...