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Holiday

Roasted Oil Free Vegetables for the Holiday! (or any time)

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Roasted oil free vegetables are a great addition to your holiday table.

Here we have roasted beets, brussel sprouts and carrots when all together create a delicious beautiful dish for your holiday table.  These roasted veggies are not just for the holidays, I make these roasted oil free vegetables all year long. I try to limit my use of oil and so I wanted to create a dish that is oil free, simple to make, and tastes delicious.

Roasted carrots, brussel sprouts and beets

Vegetables to roast

Slice the veggies and baked in the oven with a pinch of just salt and pepper. One of the benefits of cooking without oil is you really get to taste the delicious flavor of the vegetables.

“The carrots taste like sweet potato fries”... This was a quote from my teenage daughter, Zoey.

Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Beets, Brussel Sprouts and Carrots

Tips on Roasting Oil Free Vegetables?

  • Less fat in your diet. Oil is calorie dense. One tablespoon of oil is 14 grams of fat.
  • Use parchment paper or silicone sheets so the vegetables don’t stick to your baking sheet
  • Taste the flavor of the food naturally
  • As an alternative to oil, you can also use water or vegetable broth as a substitute
  • For each starchy vegetable you can steam until fork tender before roasting is an option
  • Easy clean up

You can serve these vegetables individually or mix in a bowl.

Simple Steps to create your roasted vegetables:

  • Wash and peel the veggies
  • Cut the vegetables
  • Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone liner
  • Add the veggies to the baking sheet
  • Add spices
  • Roast in the oven and turn half way
Prepping vegetables

Prepping vegetables for the oven

Tip on cutting  carrots:

The carrots are peeled and sliced on angle.  The carrots are sliced about an inch and half long. It makes it nice for dipping or adding to a salad or bowl.

Slicing carrots

Slices carrots

You can top the roasted vegetables with a lemon tahini dressing. This dressing can be used with vegetables and makes for a great dip!  In addition, you can also toss all the roasted vegetables in a bowl and mix in some dressing as an alternative.

Roasted Vegetables

Roasted oil free vegetables

Roasted oil free vegetables for holidays and or anytime
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Course: dinner
Cuisine: Vegan
Keyword: Oil Free, Roasted Vegetables
Author: Shelly Hughes

Ingredients

Roasted Beets, Brussel Sprouts and Carrots

  • 2 lbs carrots
  • 2 beets
  • 1 lbs brussel sprouts
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt optional

Lemon Tahini Dressing

  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • 1/2-1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1/8 tsp salt optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven 375 degrees
  • Peel and slice beets into 1/4 in slices. Triangular slices. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place the beets on the baking sheet.
  • Peel and slice the carrots on angle into 1 1/2 long slices. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place the carrots on the baking sheet.
  • Cut the bottom off the brussel sprouts and cut in half. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place the brussels sprouts on the baking sheet.
  • Sprinkle the vegetables with sait and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes and turn half way. Fork tender and serve.

Lemon Tahini Dressing

  • Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend about 1-2 minutes.
  • Drizzle on top of you vegetables or use as a dipping sauce.
Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!

Quinoa Cranberry Kale Salad

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Quinoa Cranberry Kale Salad tossed with crushed walnuts, white beans, red cabbage, pumpkin seeds, and dressed with Balsamic Orange Vinaigrette.

This is a great dish for Thanksgiving or for any of the holidays. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare when you have the quinoa already cooked.

This salad is a meal in itself ! The vibrant colors in the salad give it that holiday appeal and is packed with the nutritional power houses, full of nutrients, fiber and protein.

  • Kale (Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, C, K)
  • Quinoa (Fiber, Protein, Iron, Copper)
  • Red Cabbage (Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, C, K, Potassium and Magnesium)
  • Navy Beans (Fiber, Protein, helps Blood Sugar & Cholesterol)
  • Walnuts (Omega-3 essential fatty acids, Protein, Fiber)
  • Pumpkin Seeds (Vitamin A, Lutein, Protein, Fiber)
  • Cranberries (Fiber, Antioxidants)

Eating a high fiber packed dish which is delicious will fill you up and make it easier to stay on track and not eat food that can make you feel miserable.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups chopped kale
  • 2 cup quinoa
  • 1 cup shredded red cabbage
  • 2 cup navy beans
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 cup Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette

Directions:

  • ​​​​​​​Add chopped kale to bowl. Add 2 tbsp of the Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette and massage the kale with your hands until the kale begins to soften. (1 minute or so)
  • Add in the quinoa, red cabbage, beans, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, walnuts and toss together. Add the rest of the dressing and mix together. Store in refrigerator.

All the best,

Shelly

Quinoa Cranberry Kale Salad

Quinoa Cranberry Kale Salad tossed with crushed walnuts, white beans, red cabbage, pumpkin seeds, and dressed with Balsamic Orange Vinaigrette recipe.
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Course: Salad
Author: Shelly Hughes

Ingredients

  • 3 cup kale, chopped
  • 2 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 cup shredded red cabbage
  • 2 cup cooked navy beans
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • ¼ cup Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette

Instructions

  • Add chopped kale to bowl. Add 2 tbsp of the Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette and massage the kale with your hands until the kale begins to soften. (1 minute or so)
  • Add in the quinoa, red cabbage, beans, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, walnuts and toss together. Add the rest of the dressing and mix together. Store in refrigerator.
Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!

Spinach and Zucchini Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta

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One of my favorites meals as a kid was lasgana. I loved any form of pasta and cheese from stuffed shells, macaroni and cheese to lasagna. Why am I telling you this? I discovered this recipe that I want to share with you. IT IS SO GOOD!

I made spinach and zucchini lasagna with tofu ricotta cheese this past weekend for a family event I received lots of compliments from the meat eaters and some didn’t even know that it was vegan.

I thought I would share the recipe with you. You can make it for a party or family event or just have for dinner during the week. This makes for great left overs. Your house will smell so good!!!

I discovered this recipe for the Tofu Ricotta when I was studying at Rouxbe cooking school and I tweaked it a little bit. This ricotta you can use in lasagna, pizza, or what ever you want. It can last in the refrigerator for a couple of days and you can make it in advance.

Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta Recipe ( Don’t let the recipe intimidate you)

Tofu Ricotta Ingredients:

  • 1 Block of Firm Tofu
  • 2 tbsp Tahini
  • 3 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/8 tsp salt (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 3 cups of fresh spinach

Directions:

Drain the Tofu, Remove the tofu from package an wrap with paper towel and apply pressure to remove excess liquid.

Crumble the tofu in to a bowl. Add tahini, shallots and nutritional yeast and combine. Then add garlic, lemon juice, and nutmeg. Mix together and add salt and pepper.

Fold in the steamed spinach. Break up the spinach as you fold the spinach in. The mixture should not be too wet. If it is too wet the tofu or the spinach was not drained well enough.

The is Tofu Ricotta can be used for lasagna, pizza, manicotti or whatever you would use ricotta for.

Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta Recipe

Ingredients:

  • (2) 8oz boxes of No Boil Lasagne (I like Explore Cuisine, Vegan Organic Green Lentil Lasagne but you choose what you like)
  • Favorite Tomatoes Sauce (2 32 oz Jars or homemade)
  • 2 Cups of Steamed Spinach
  • 1 Zucchini, thinly sliced, 1cup
  • Tofu Ricotta

Directions:

Baking pan and pour sauce on the bottom. Next layer the the pan with the lasagna sheets, add a layer sauce, sprinke the tofu ricotta on top of the sheets of lasagna, Add some spinach and slices of the zucchuni, add some sauce. Repeat, add layer of the lasagna sheets, ricotta, spinach and zucchini, sauce and then top with the lasagna sheet. Add some sauce. You can create as many layers as you want. Top the last layer of lasagna noodles with sauce and the rest of the ricotta.

Make sure you have enough sauce to cover the lasagna noodles. Cover with parchment paper and foil. ​​​​​​​

Put in the oven 375 for 60 minutes or until fully cooked and bubbling.

You can also make the lasagna the day before and refrigerate and not bake. Bake it the next day. The flavors will soak and taste delicious.

Make sure you have enough sauce to cover the lasagna noodles. Cover with parchment paper and then cover with foil. ​​​​​​​

Put in the oven 375 for 60 minutes or until fully cooked and bubbling.

You can also make the lasagna the day before and refrigerate and not bake. Bake it the next day. The flavors will soak and taste delicious.

 

Spinach And Zucchini Lasagna With Tofu Ricotta

Spinach And Zucchini Lasagna With Tofu Ricotta

Spinach And Zucchini Lasagna With Tofu Ricotta
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Course: dinner
Keyword: lasagna, vegan recipes
Author: Shelly Hughes

Ingredients

Tofu Ricotta Ingredients:

  • 1 block firm tofu
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
  • 3 cups fresh spinach
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/8 tsp salt optional

Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta Ingredients

  • 2 8oz boxes of No Boil Lasagne I like Explore Cuisine, Vegan Organic Green Lentil Lasagne but you choose what you like
  • 2 32 oz Tomato Sauce Homemade or store bought
  • 2 cups spinach, steamed 1
  • 1 zucchini, sliced thin
  • 1 tofu ricatta

Instructions

Tofu Ricotta

  • Remove the tofu from package and drain the tofu. Wrap with paper towel and place on a plate or bowl apply pressure to remove excess liquid.
  • Steam the the spinach until the spinach is wilted.
  • While the spinach is steaming. Crumble the tofu into a bowl. Add tahini, shallots and nutritional yeast and combine. Then add garlic, lemon juice, and nutmeg. Mix together and add salt and pepper.
  • Once the spinach is steamed, use a stainer to remove any excess liquid. Press the spinach with a fork into the strainer to remove excess liquid.
  • Fold in the steamed spinach to the tofu mixture. Break up the spinach as you fold the spinach in. The mixture should not be too wet. If it is too wet the tofu or the spinach was not drained well enough.
    The Tofu Ricotta can be used for lasagna, pizza, manicotti or whatever you would use ricotta for.

Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta Directions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • In a Baking dish and pour sauce on the bottom. Next layer the the pan with the lasagna sheets, add a layer sauce, sprinke the tofu ricotta on top of the sheets of lasagna, Add some spinach and slices of the zucchuni, add some sauce. Repeat, add layer of the lasagna sheets, ricotta, spinach and zucchini, sauce and then top with the lasagna sheet. Add some sauce. You can create as many layers as you want. Top the last layer of lasagna noodles with sauce and the rest of the ricotta.
  • Make sure you have enough sauce to cover the lasagna noodles. Cover with parchment paper and foil. ​​​​​​​
    Bake in the oven 60 minutes or until fully cooked and bubbling.
    You can also make the lasagna the day before and refrigerate and not bake. Bake it the next day. The flavors will soak and taste delicious.
Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!

Reply to this post and let me know what you think. Are these the type of recipes you like?

P.S. Here’s a tip for going plant based, make a list of the food you like, then see how you can plantify it, or make it plant-based or vegan… how ever you want to say it.