Corn and Potato Chowder

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This chowder is always a huge win. I made it several times last fall and was so excited to make it again now that the weather is cooler. In fact... I ended up making it twice in one week because my husband and I ate it so fast the first time and were still craving more! It's an easy, delicious meal - especially on chilly autumn and winter days.

Ingredients

3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, diced
8-10 small red potatoes (about 4-5 cups diced)
4 cups corn (I use a 1 lb. frozen bag)
4 cups vegetable broth + 2 cups water
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Salt/pepper
Green onions for garnish

Directions
In a large stockpot, saute onion over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Add garlic, saute 1 minute more.
Meanwhile, scrub and dice potatoes.
Add potatoes, salt/pepper to stockpot. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often.
Add broth and 2 cups water. Increase heat to med-high and bring to a light boil.
Reduce heat to med-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Mash some potatoes to achieve a thicker broth. (Or remove some soup, puree in a blender, and return to pot.)
Add corn and cheese. Cook 5 minutes.
Salt/pepper to taste, and garnish with sliced green onions.

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Black Bean Nacho Pizza

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We love BBQ and pesto pizzas, so one with a black bean spread sounded intriguing. Football Sunday was the perfect time to give it a go. The original recipe from Eating Well has a recipe for homemade whole-wheat pizza dough, but to save time I used the premade dough from Trader Joe's. It also called for olives and pickled jalapenos, which we left out but I would recommend adding. And I meant to add corn but forgot!

Recipe adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients
{For the bean spread}
1 1/2 cups black beans (or a 15 oz. can rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp salt

{For the pizza}
3 roma tomatoes
4 green onions
Shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, 3 cheese blend, or other)
Whole wheat pizza dough
Cornmeal, for sprinkling
Optional: black olives, pickled jalapenos, corn, guacamole

Directions
Prepare the bean spread: rinse and drain black beans, chop red pepper. Place all five ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.
Preheat oven to 475.
Dice tomatoes and green onion.
Roll out pizza dough. Sprinkle cornmeal on pan (we use cast iron) and place pizza dough.
Evenly distribute the bean spread around the dough. Top with cheese, tomatoes, and green onion.
Bake for about 15 minutes, more or less depending on oven.

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Cookie Dough Bites

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Glancing at the ingredients, you could say I was pretty skeptical these would taste anything like cookie dough. But they really do!! The cinnamon-vanilla flavoring combined with the sweetness of the honey really compliments the nut/oat mixture which somehow... amazingly... translates to that yummy cookie dough taste we all know and love! Now we finally have another healthy ball to snack on besides these Chocolate Oat Balls. YUM!

Adapted from A Dash of Compassion

Ingredients
2/3 cup raw almonds
2/3 cup raw walnuts
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions
In a food processor, add the almonds, walnuts, oats, cinnamon, and salt. Process until it's a fine meal.
Add the honey and vanilla, process again.
Transfer to a small bowl and add the chocolate chips, folding to combine.
Roll into balls, wetting your hands if they're too sticky.
Freeze uncovered for an hour, then store in a tightly covered container in the freezer.

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Tempeh & Mushroom Pasta

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This is a hearty, vegan, "meaty" pasta... without the meat! Tempeh, made from soybeans, is a great healthy substitute for ground turkey/beef. It's loaded with protein and fiber, along with many other nutrients. (Check out the World's Healthiest Foods page for more info.) I really love how quick and easy this meal comes together thanks to the help of jarred pasta sauce, but feel free to use your own homemade sauce. You could easily add tempeh and mushrooms to this homemade marinara if you'd like. The tempeh/mushroom combo gives the sauce such great texture and leaves us feeling satisfied. If you've never cooked with tempeh before... this is the recipe to try! We love it.

Ingredients
8 oz. tempeh (I use organic 3 grain from Trader Joe's)
10 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 lb. jar pasta sauce
14 oz. pasta
Optional add-ins: onion, garlic, bell pepper, fresh herbs

Directions
Steam tempeh for 10 minutes (this helps remove the "bitter" taste). Let cool enough to touch, then crumble.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
In a large pan over medium heat, saute the crumbled tempeh and mushrooms about 8 minutes or until mushrooms soften.
Reduce heat to med-low and pour in pasta sauce.
Stir occasionally until sauce is heated through, about 10 minutes.
Spoon mixture over cooked pasta.

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The Meatless Recipe Hall of Fame!

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The best of the best! Here are our absolute favorite meatless/vegetarian recipes I've made countless times and keep going back to. Perfect for everyone... including families and college kids. They're healthy, easy, and extreeemely delicious. 

Eat your plants! :)

ENTREES

Bean Enchiladas

Bean Tostadas

Black Bean Mushroom Burgers

* Black Bean Spinach Enchiladas *
Bulgur Vegetable Chili

Caesar Salad Wrap with Egg
Corn and Black Bean Fajitas

French Bread Pizza

Green Enchiladas

Grilled Cheese with Pesto

Hawaiian BBQ Pita Pizzas

Lentil Spinach Burritos

Loaded Veggie & Black Bean Quesadillas

Mac 'n Cheese with Broccoli
Marinara Sauce

Pesto Cavatappi

Quinoa Fajita Burritos

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Quinoa Veggie Stir Fry
Rainbow Roasted Veggies with Quinoa
Roasted Vegetable Panini with Pesto
Spinach Artichoke Feta Quesadillas
Tempeh & Mushroom Pasta

Vegetable Panini

SALADS

Garlic-Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette

Mexican Quinoa Salad
Orzo Salad with Spinach, Tomato, Feta
Quinoa Vegetable Salad with Lemon-Basil Dressing
Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Dressing

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette

* Ultimate Greek Salad *

SIDES

Broccoli Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Broccoli with Asian Garlic Sauce
Garlic Bread
Restaurant-Style Salsa

Roasted Mushrooms with Peas, Tomato, Onion

Roasted Vegetable Medley

Salsa Fresca
Touchdown Bean Dip

SOUP

17 Bean Soup

Chickpea Noodle Soup
Corn and Potato Chowder

Egg Drop Soup

Lentil Orzo Soup
Vegetable Barley Soup

OTHER

* Chocolate Oat Balls *

Fruit Smoothies

Maple-Vanilla Candied Nuts
Pizza Sauce

Strawberry Lemonade Slush

What's in your meatless meal hall of fame??

Loaded Veggie & Black Bean Quesadillas

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Oh yes, football season is BACK!!! To celebrate, I wanted to share these awesome quesadillas that are definitely worthy of joining you on the couch for the big game..... or games if you watch all Sunday long like we do ;) They are big, delicious, and will give you all the energy you need to cheer on your favorite team. (Go Bears!)

Ingredients
*Makes 2 large quesadillas
15 oz. can black beans
Tomato
Corn, about 1/2 cup (I used frozen and thawed it)
2 cloves garlic
2-3 green onions
Cooked brown rice
Shredded cheese
Cumin
4 large tortillas

Directions
Rinse and drain black beans. Chop tomatoes and green onion. Mince garlic.
Place a tortilla on a skillet. (I leave the stove turned off until assembly is complete.)
Add a layer of cheese, followed by the beans, veggies, and rice.
Add another layer of cheese to "glue" both sides together.
Sprinkle on a bit of cumin and then place the other tortilla on top.
Heat over medium for a few minutes on each side or until heated through.

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Chocolate Banana Cookies

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This is the second recipe in my experimentation with soft, vegan banana cookies. Even though these had slightly different ingredients, my husband and I couldn't tell much of a taste difference between these and the Chocolate Chip Banana Oat Cookies I made last week. The banana flavor really takes center stage and overpowers most of the other flavors. So even though I was expecting these to be a lot more chocolatey with the cocoa powder, it didn't turn out like that. I'd say both of these recipes are pretty interchangeable if you're looking for a soft, healthy banana cookie!

Slightly adapted from Earthgiven Kitchen

Ingredients
3 ripe bananas
2 cups oats
1/4 cup canola oil (or other flavorless oil)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mash bananas in a bowl. Add oil, cocoa powder, peanut butter, syrup, vanilla extract, and applesauce. Stir to combine.
Add the oats and salt, stir well. Add the chocolate chips and combine.
Drop the cookies on a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 12-15 minutes (more or less depending on oven and size of cookies.)
Let cool completely before storing in airtight container.

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