The ever-versatile quinoa gets another twist as a ground beef substitute. Take this protein-packed, low-glycemic food and turn it into a healthy meat for tacos or anywhere else you need ground beef.
Cooking Method: Simmering
This creamy, thick, grain-studded stew is so delicious that it deserves the author’s name in the title. Kimberly Ewald, who graciously shared this recipe with me, lives in Minnesota where the wild rice is the state grain and pantry staple. Needless to say, Kim is a wild rice aficionado and this stew is an excellent representation of the black grain.
It’s hard to beat a rich and creamy Alfredo sauce over fresh pasta. It’s also something that you may have ruled out in your vegan journey. Fortunately, the creamy, smooth flavor of Alfredo is a taste that can be replicated without the addition of dairy products. Not only that, it can be whipped together in less than 15 minutes.
Pan-fried tofu is a traditional Korean side dish (or banchan). This recipe enhances the classic flavor by caramelizing the sauce the tofu together. The result? Every flavor—from the maple syrup to the ginger—is enhanced tenfold.
Lentil soup is usually eaten when one is in need or want of something comforting and inexpensive. This variation is much the same, except with the added bonus of being quite exotic in flavor, too. The fragrant Indian spices lighten and brighten the soup’s homey flavor. Red lentils tend to easily break down into a coarse puree during the cooking process so you should expect a creamier texture than typical lentil soups.
You’ll never miss the meat in this bean-protein-packed chili. Spoon dollops of it on top of a steaming baked potato or slab of cornbread, eat it with chips in place of salsa, make a breakfast scramble with crumbled tofu and tortillas, use it as a burrito or taco filling…or simply eat it the way I do: with a spoon and the heel of a baguette. Bursting with flavor and fiber, it’s sure to become a new fave.
Delicious and easy to make, this makes the Top 5 list in the Life and Health office. The lentils and rice on their own are wonderful and full of deep flavor but the addition of caramelized onions lacing the top of the dish turn it into a gourmet, hard-to-forget meal.
One of the pleasures of home cooking is discovering that favorite, longed-for foods are quite simple to prepare. You don’t have to go to a Thai restaurant to enjoy this comforting Asian classic.
This is an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink sort of stew. If you are feeling adventurous, you could also throw in a can of black beans.