Main Courses
Stuffed Tomatoes
Tomatoes
Cooked brown rice
Corn
Chopped onions and bell peppers
Mushrooms (Portabella mushrooms are a great meat substitute)
Sea Salt & pepper to taste
Chili powder
Cilantro
Extra virgin olive oil
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut off and discard tops of tomatoes and remove seeds. Scoop out the pulp with a spoon. You can save the pulp to make salsa with it.
3. Saute mushrooms, onion and bell peppers and add to the rice. Put in the corn and cilantro and season with chili powder, salt and pepper. You can also add some of the tomato pulp to the mixture.
4. Fill the tomato shells with the rice mixture and sprinkle with some oil. Bake for 20 min.
Serve the stuffed tomatoes with beans and salsa.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
This is one of my favorite recipes because it is so versatile. You can flavor it anyway you want and stuff the peppers with any ingredients of your choice. Make it Mexican or Italian. Add some Garbonzo beans or corn it's up to you.
8 Green or red bell peppers, you can also use poblano chilies
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 tsp Italian seasoning (use any seasoning you want)
1/2 cup carrots, diced
Extra virgin olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Slice tops off of peppers, remove seeds and stems, and dice the remaining part of the top of the pepper.
3. Saute all the veggies until tender for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the cooked rice to the veggies and mix. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
5. Stuff the bell peppers with the rice mixture.
6. Place in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in oven for 40 - 50 minutes.
Veggie Chili
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 jalapenos, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 - 4 oz cans chopped green chili peppers, drained*
2 - 12 oz pkgs. Vegan burger crumbles**
3 - 28 oz cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed*
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 - 15 oz can kidney beans, drained
2 - 15 oz can pinto beans, drained
1 - 15 oz can whole kernel corn
* You Must read the ingredients label for everything you buy in a can. Make sure there is no sugar, artificial flavors or artificial colors added.
**Meat substitutes can be used but you must read the labels for this also. Some tofu and soy meats have eggs and egg whites. It is usually better to buy the vegan meat substitute verses the vegetarian.
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is tender, then mix in the celery, green bell peppers, jalapenos, garlic and green chili peppers. When vegetables are heated through, mix in the Vegan burger crumbles. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 5 minutes.
2. Mix the tomatoes into the pot. Season with chili powder and pepper. Stir in the kidney beans and pinto beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the corn and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.
Snacks
Popcorn
1/4 cup unpopped popping corn
Sea salt for flavor
1 brown lunch bag
Place corn kernels in lunch bag. Fold at end 2-3 times. Place in microwave on High for 2-3 minutes, until kernels stop popping. Enjoy! More of the kernels will pop with repeated refills as the bag gets hotter. Just leave the unpopped kernels in the bag for the next serving.
Guacamole/Avocado Salad
4 Avocados
1 Tomato
1 Onion
1 Serrano pepper (optional)
Lemon juice
Salt for taste
Peel and seed the avocados and mash them with a fork. Chop tomato, onion and peppers to desired size. Mix together and add lemon juice and salt for taste. Remember: You can add other vegetables to this recipe.
