Meal Prep

How to Make Chorizo Lentils

February 1, 2022 by Shelly Hughes Leave a Comment

Chorizo Lentils

How do you make Chorizo Lentils? Super Simple!!!! This Chorizo Lentils recipe is a veganized version of Chorizo. You may have seen at Chipotle, the restaurant chain, they have created a plant based version of Chorizo using pea protein and spices. I wanted to make a plant based version using lentils and skip the added oil. I also tried using crumbled up tofu and that was delicious too.

Veggie bowls are one of my favorite things to eat and an easy way to add in plant based ingredients. Chorizo lentils make for a delicious bowl with a lot flavor and includes the health benefits of eating lentils.

What is Chorizo?

Chorizo is a spicy sausage that is made in a lot of Spanish and Mexican style dished. In this plant based version I wanted to skip the spicy sausage and make a vegan version.

Chorizo Lentils

In this plant based version I am using lentils as the meat substitute and mixed in some delicious flavors of tomato paste, minced garlic, peppers, and seasoning to make a vegan version that I can use when I wanted to make plant based tacos and bowls. Plus get the health benefits of eating lentils with protein, fiber, and nutrients. This version is also made oil free.

Why Lentils make a great Meat Substitute?

Using lentils can be great source for replacing meat or ground beef in your plant based dishes. Lentils absorb flavors and you don’t have to presoak before cooking. You can also use the canned version as well for this recipe.

One cup of dry green lentils can be a substitute for about 1 pound of cooked ground beef. Lentils will plump up and expand in size when cooked. One cup of dry green lentils will expand to fill 2 1/2 cups when cooked. Lentils are a great source of protein, fiber, and carbohydrates. Also, lentils are high in fiber and low in fat so this will help you stay full and satisfied longer.

In this recipe, I’m creating the idea of the dish, the taste and the texture but not trying duplicate the exact version. Personally I go for the best taste and texture I can find while using plant based ingredients. Normally I figure this out through trial and error as I learn how to create more and more plant based dishes. If you’re like me, you didn’t grow up this way and therefore it takes some guidance and just trying ideas out to see what works.

So lets see how it is made and whether it taste any good!

What are the ingredients?

Green lentils
Tomatoe Paste
Garlic
Tamari (substitute soy sauce)
Apple Cider Vinegar (substitute rice vinegar)
Chorizo Seasoning (see below to make your own)

Chorizo Seasoning Ingredients:

You can buy Chorizo seasoning premade but I like to make my own with seasoning if I already have the ingredients. It’s easy to buy all these spices and only use them once in a while. I usually make my own blend, it’s cheaper and saves me a trip to the store. To make the seasoning only takes about 2 minutes.

1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayan pepper

How do you make Chorizo Lentils!

Step 1: Make the green lentils (skip this step if using canned lentils)

Rinse and drain 1 cup of green lentils and add to a pan with 3 cups of liquid. (You can use water or vegetable broth). Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook for about 40 minutes until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Drain and add additional liquid. Set aside.

You can make the green lentils in advance to speed up the process.

Step 2: Mix together the chorizo seasoning.

The chorizo seasoning can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container. You can double the recipe to use for other dishes. In a bowl add together the spices and mix together.

Step 3: Sauté the garlic and tomato paste with the lentils

To a medium hot pan add in the minced garlic and sauté with a little bit of water (1-2 tbsp) for about 1 minute. Next add in the tomato paste and stir. Add in additional water if it begins to stick. To the pan add the seasoning and stir for about 30 seconds. Add in additional water if it starts to stick. You’ll begin to smell the aroma of the spices.

Add in the lentils, tamari and vinegar and a 1/4 cup of water and mix together. Allow to cook for about 5-7 minutes until all of it is incorporated and the liquid is absorbed (You can stop here and serve the lentils but the next step really add that chorizo smokey flavor).

Ready to serve or refrigerate for about 5 day. You can also freeze the chorizo lentils for about 3 months in an air tight container.

What can you make with Chorizo Lentils?

Chorizo lentils would be great to add to:

veggie bowls
burritos
tacos
You could also make chorizo lentil veggie burgers

Quick tip if short on time….

To speed up the process of making the Chorizo Lentils, make the green lentils in advance as part of your meal prep. Making the lentils in advance will speed up the process of getting the chorizo lentils on the table and will only take about 30 minutes, 10 minutes to sauté and about 20 minuted in the oven.

… Heck you can even meal prep the whole thing in advance if you want and the Chorizo lentils would be ready during the week in about 10 minutes. (just saying:)

Chorizo Lentils

Spicy Chorizo lentils are delicious to add to a veggie bowl, burritos, tacos. Lentils make a simple meat substitute and are healthy and delcious at the same time.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: beans, lentils

Servings:

Author: Shelly Hughes

Ingredients

3 cup Cooked green lentils Can use canned lentils or precook green lentils
2 tbsp tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp tamari substitute with soy sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp apple cider vinegar substitute with rice wine vinegar
1/4-1/2 cup water for oil free saute
1/4 cup Chorizo Seasoning

Chorizo Seasoning

1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp cayanne pepper optional

Instructions

If you are using dry lentils, cook the lentils first. Add one cup of lentils to 3 cups of water in a pan and bring to a boil. Once the lentils are boiling reduce the heat to a low simmer, add the lid and cook for about 30-40 minutes until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Drain the lentils and remove and excess liquid.
Make the lentils in advance, or using canned lentils will reduce the cooking time.
To a hot pan add in the minced garlic with a 1-2 tbsp of water and saute for about 1 minute.
Add in the tomato paste and stir with garlic for about 1 minute. You can add in a small amount of water if it begins to stick.
Add in the chorizo seasoning and stir together for about 20-30 seconds. Add in 1-2 tbsp if it starts to stick. You can start to smell the aroma of the seasoning.
Add in the cooked lentils and the tamari and apple cider vinegar and mix together. Add in 1/4 cup of water. Let cook for about 5-7 minutes. Ready to serve when most of the liquid is absorbed.

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Vegan Unfried Rice

October 27, 2021 by Shelly Hughes Leave a Comment

Vegan Unfried Rice

Are you looking for a simple, cheap, healthy vegan dish that you can make ahead of time and serve during the week? Vegan unfried is perfect. Instead of ordering take-out, you can easily make this vegan unfried rice. I love this oil free version of fried rice. It’s family friendly and my husband and son loved it.

Fried rice is usually loaded with oil and made with egg. In this vegan “Fried” rice version, I made the rice with no oil and substituted the egg with tofu. If you make the rice in advance, this meal can come together in about 10-15 minutes. Simple, cheap and versatile.

To make the dish even simpler, I used a frozen bag of peas and carrots. The only chopping required in this dish is for the onions and garlic glove.

Why cool the rice?

You want the rice to be cooled so it doesn’t become clumpy when you mix in with the vegetables. If you want to make the rice in advance, or use left over rice, that would be perfect for this recipe. If you want to make fresh rice, no problem! Just let the rice cool before using in this recipe, especially if you have the desire to make the dish.

Vegan Unfried Rice Ingredients:

Rice (I like brown rice, you can use your favorite rice)
Firm tofu
Nutritional Yeast
Turmeric
Onion
Frozen bag of carrots and peas
Scallions or green onions
Nut Butter Tamari Sauce
You can also add in extra veggies on hand like broccoli, bell peppers, etc

Nut Butter Tamari Sauce

Peanut Butter (substitute for almond butter, tahini or nut butter of choice)
Maple syrup
Sriracha Sauce (optional)
Garlic Clove

You’re hungry, let’s make the dish:

Start with the rice.

If you make the rice in advance or have left over rice, this is really quick to make. In 10 to 15 minutes you’ll have this on the dinner table. You need about 3 cups of cooked rice.

To be honest, this is what I would do. Make a batch of rice. 1 cup of uncooked rice and rinse the rice under cold water in a mesh strainer. Rinsing the rice removes excess starch and helps the rice from clumping together and removes any debris.

To a medium pot, add in the rice with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once the rice is boiling, turn the heat down to low, stir once and cover. Allow the rice to absorb the water for about 20-30 minutes. It depends on the type of rice you use, cooking time can vary. I love left over rice, I like making extra for quick meals. This yields about 3 cups.

Important Reminder: Let the rice cool slightly before adding to the sautéed vegetables. You don’t want clumpy rice.

Make the Sauce

To make the sauce in a small bowl add in the tamari, peanut butter, minced garlic, maple syrup, sriracha sauce and whisk together. Set aside.

Prep the tofu:

We’re going to be using firm tofu as an egg substitute for this vegan unfried rice. FYI, you don’t have to press the tofu before making this dish.

Remove the excess liquid from the tofu packaging. Crumble the tofu in medium bowl with your hands or you can use a fork. The texture is similar to scrambled eggs, or making tofu scramble. Add in the nutritional yeast, turmeric and salt and mix together.

Assemble the Dish:

Vegan Unfried Rice

To a large pan over medium heat add in the diced onion and a little water (1 to 2 tbsp of water) sauté for about 2-3 minutes.
Next, add in the frozen peas and carrots and stir together for about 2-3 minutes.
Add in the tofu mix and stir together. Next add in the rice and mix together and heat for about 1 to 2 minutes until warm.
Pour in the sauce and mix together and let cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Ready to serve and topped with some fresh green onions.
This dish comes together very quickly especially if you have some the ingredients preprepped like the rice and the sauce. When you are sauting the dish it is done in layers as you are adding in each of the pieces to create the vegan unfried rice.

Vegan Unfried Rice

Can you freeze Vegan Unfried Rice?

Yes, you can! If you want to freeze any leftovers or meal prep this dish in advance, go right ahead.

How to reheat left overs?

This rice is good in the refrigerator for about 4 days. It’s easy to reheat in the microwave for about 1 to 2 minutes. For the stove top, add the rice mixture to a pan over medium heat and 1 to 2 tbsp of water and stir together until warm. You can add extra tamari if needed.

Vegan Unfried Rice

Vegan Unfried Rice is ready in about 15 minutes. This dish is an oil free version made with rice, tofu, frozen peas and carrrots and mixed with Nut Butter Tamari Sauce.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Course: dinner

Servings:

Author: Shelly Hughes

Ingredients

3 cup cooked rice 1 cup uncooked rice if not prepared
16 oz frozen bag of mixed peas and carrots
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup scallions or green onions, chopped
1 14 oz firm tofu
2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1/4 tsp turmeric

Nut Butter Tamari Sauce

3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp peanut butter substitute for almond butter, tahini, or omit
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp sriracha sauce optional
1 garlic clove, minced

Instructions

Making the Rice (can be done in advance)

To a medium pot, add in the rice with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once the rice is boiling, turn the heat down to low, stir once and cover. Allow the rice to absorb the water in about 20-30 minutes. Depends on the type of rice you use, cooking time can vary. Let the rice cool.

Nut Butter Sauce

To make the sauce in a small bowl, add in the tamari, peanut butter, minced garlic, maple syrup and sriracha sauce and whisk together. Set aside.

Prepping the Tofu

Remove and excess liquid from the tofu packaging. Crumble the tofu in medium bowl with your hands or you can use a fork. The texture is similar to scrambled eggs, or making tofu scramble.
Add in the nutritional yeast, turmeric and salt and mix together. Set aside

Assemble the Vegan Unfried Rice

To a pan over medium heat add in the diced onion and a little water (1 to 2 tbsp of water) sauté for about 2-3 minutes.
Next add in the frozen peas and carrots and stir together for about 2-3 minutes.
Add in the tofu mix and stir together. Next, add in the rice and mix together and heat for about 1 to 2 minutes until warm.
Pour in the sauce and mix together and let cook for about 2-3 minutes. Ready to serve and topped with some fresh green onions.

Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!

can be frozen

Vegan Shepard’s Pie

October 13, 2021 by Shelly Hughes Leave a Comment

Vegan Shepard’s Pie is a remake from the traditional Shepard’s Pie that is made with meat, vegetables, and topped with mashed potatoes. I swapped out the meat and made the whole dish oil free including the mashed potatoes. The result… the dish turned out savory and delicious.

If you’re looking for meal prep recipes for the week, this definitely is a winner. You can easily reheat during the week and it is made with vegetables, lentils, and potatoes. This recipe is made in two parts and is assembled together before baking in the oven. You need two pots to make the mashed potatoes and the lentil mixture, as well as a casserole dish.

How do you substitute meat in this dish?

LENTILS! Lentils serve as a great substitute for meat or ground beef. I like using lentils because you don’t have to soak them in advance and they are ready in about 30 minutes.

When veganizing or recreating a dish, I like to create the essence of the dish, not exactly the same thing. You are going for texture and a similar taste. With lentils you can create a dense crumble like texture. Lentils mixed with garlic and onions create a savory flavor.

Ingredients for the Vegan Shepard’s Pie:

Green Lentils
Onion
Garlic
Potatoes
Corn
Peas
Carrots
Tamari
Bay Leaves
Vegetable Broth
Tamari

How to make Vegan Shepard’s Pie?

Vegan Shepard’s pie is made in 3 parts.

Make the lentil and veggies
Mashed potatoes
Assemble everything together.

Start with Green Lentils and Veggies.

Lentils take the longest to make. Let’s start there.

Rinse the lentils in a fine mesh sieve under the faucet. Inspect the lentils and remove any bad lentils or small stones.

In a large sauce pan add in diced onions and a little water (1-2 tbsps) and saute the onions for about 3-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add in green lentils, bay leaves and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover the pot with a lid for about 20 to 30 minutes. The lentils should be tender but not mushy.

Around 20 minutes into cooking the lentils, add in the carrots and cover the pot for about 10 minutes. The carrots take longer to cook than peas and corn. Add in the peas, corn and tamari. Stir together and allow to cook for about 5 minutes uncovered while stirring often. Remove the bay leaves.

Making the Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

Mashed potatoes are typically made with butter and milk. For these potatoes, I have decided to skip the butter and milk to make it vegan. You can use a vegan version of milk and butter but I wanted to try without it. I used garlic and a little tamari and used a potato masher (or a fork) and mashed the potatoes. It turned out delicious without using any vegan butter.

While the lentils are cooking, peel and chop the potatoes into 1-1 1/2 wide pieces and add to a medium sized pot. Cover with at least an inch of cold water. Add a teaspoon of salt (optional). Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender (about 20 minutes or fork tender).

When the potatoes are done cooking (a fork can easily pierce), remove them from the pot and place them in a bowl and minced garlic. Mash with a fork or potato masher, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble the Shepard’s Pie:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread the vegetable lentil mixture in an even layer across a large baking dish (9×13 casserole).

Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the lentils and vegetables. Rough up the surface of the mashed potatoes with a fork so there are peaks that will get well browned. You can even use a fork to make creative designs in the mashed potatoes.

Place in a 400°F oven and cook until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. If necessary, broil for the last few minutes to help the surface of the mashed potatoes brown.

Ready to be served!

P.S. This makes for awesome leftovers. You can refrigerate for about 5 days.

Vegan Shepard's Pie

Vegan Shepards's Pie is made with green lentils, savory vegetables and topped with mash potatoes.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: vegan substitutes

Servings:

Author: Shelly Hughes

Ingredients

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

1½-2 lbs potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-1½ inch wide
2 garlic, cloves minced (2 cloves minced for lentils) (3 cloves minced for the mashed potatoes)

Lentils & Veggies Prep

2 garlic cloves, minced (2 cloves minced for lentils) (3 cloves minced for the mashed potatoes)
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup dry green lentils
3 cup vegetable broth
1 cup carrots
1 cup corn
1 cup peas
1 tbsp tamari substitute soy sauce or vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2-1 tsp salt (optional)
2 bay leaves

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Prepping the lentils and sauting the vegetables

In a large sauce pan add in diced onions and a little water (1-2 tbsp) and saute onions for about 3-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add in green lentils, bay leaves and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover the pot with a lid for about 20 to 30 minutes. The lentils should be tender but not mushy.
Around 20 minutes into cooking the lentils add in the carrots and cover the pot for about 10 minutes. The carrots take longer to cook than peas and corn. Add in the peas, corn and tamari. Stir together and allow to cook for about 5 minutes uncovered stirring often. Remove the bay leaves.

Mashed Potatoes

While the lentils are cooking. Peel and chop the potatoes into 1-1 1/2 wide pieces and add to a medium sized pot. Cover with at least an inch of cold water. Add a teaspoon of salt (optional). Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender (about 20 minutes or fork tender)
When the potatoes are done cooking (a fork can easily pierce), remove them from the pot and place them in a bowl and minced garlic. Mash with a fork or potato masher, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble Vegan Shepards Pie

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread the vegetable lentil mixture in an even layer in a large baking dish (9x13 casserole).
Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the lentils and vegetables. Rough up the surface of the mashed potatoes with a fork so there are peaks that will get well browned. You can even use a fork to make creative designs in the mashed potatoes.
Place in a 400°F oven and cook until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. If necessary, broil for the last few minutes to help the surface of the mashed potatoes brown.

Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!

Jackfruit Tacos!

June 23, 2021 by Shelly Hughes Leave a Comment

Jackfruit Tacos

Jackfruit tacos are really simple to make any night of the week and can come together in about 30 minutes. They are vegan and nonvegan friendly. You can customize them with your favorite topping like you would with any taco.

The Jackfruit Taco has a similar shredded texture to pulled pork or chicken but they are meat free. These are great when you are switching to a plant based diet and want to figure out ways to create filling meals that are healthy, delicious, and simple to make. That is my criteria. This shredded jackfruit does the job. You can load up the taco and it is very filling, especially when you finish it with your favorite topping.

What to top your tacos with:

Try a corn tortilla with lettuce, jackfruit topped with diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

You could also top your tacos with vegan sour cream or avocado lime dressing found in the Oil Free Salad Dressing Guide.

You could also make a jackfruit taco bowl over rice and finish with your favorite topping.

What is Jackfruit?

Jackfruit Tacos

Jackfruit is from the largest fruit-producing tree in the world. It contains fiber and is low in fat like many fruits. It is often used as a meat substitute for pulled pork, shredded chicken or bbq chicken. For more information on jackfruit click here.

Where can you find Jackfruit?

You can find Jackfruit in your local grocery, usually in the International aisle and in a can. You want to get the jackfruit in the brine or water, not syrup. When you buy “young” jackfruit in the can, it is not ripened, that is what helps create the string texture when you are looking to create a meat substitute for say chicken or pulled pork substitute. Ripened jackfruit is sweet in taste and would be used more for desserts. Unripened jack fruit would be used more in savory dishes like bbq jack fruit or tacos.

What are the Ingredients for Jackfruit Tacos?

Young Jackfruit (in a can with water or brine)
Onions
Garlic
Red Bell Pepper
Cumin
Chili Powder
Smoked Paprika
Jalapeno (optional)
Tamari ( substitute soy sauce, coconut aminos )
Salt and Pepper to taste
Water
Corn Tortilla
Limes, cilantro and avocado (optional)

How to make Jackfruit Tacos?

Making jackfruit tacos is about sautéing the veggies with the shredded jackfruit and letting simmer for about 2o minutes. Then adding in the jackfruit taco filling to your favorite taco shells and topping it off with your favorite toppings in about 30 minutes.

Step 1: Prepping the Jackfruit (By hand with a knife or using food processor)

Start by draining and rinsing the jackfruit from the can. You can either shred the jackfruit by hand or pull the jackfruit apart into shredded pieces. You can also use a knife to shred the small pieces.

If you’re using a food processor, drain the can and add one can at a time to the food processor, then pulse 6 to 10 times until shredded. Keep in mind, don’t over blend or the jackfruit will become mushy. Remove the shredded jackfruit and add to a bowl and repeat with the second can of jack fruit. Once shredded, remove from the food processor and add back to the bowl of shredded jackfruit.

Step 2: Sauté the veggies and Jackfruit.

To a medium hot sauté pan add in the diced onions and bell peppers with a couple tablespoons of water and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Next, add in the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add in the spices and the jalapeño (optional) and stir and sauté for about 1 minute. You can add in small amount of water if the ingredients begin to stick.

Jackfruit Tacos

Add in the shredded jackfruit, tamari and 1 cup of water and combine. Cover and stir frequently for about 20 minutes. Taste to see if you need any additional seasoning or additional tamari. Remove from heat and prepare your tacos.

Step 3: Make your tacos

Warm your corn taco shells and add in you shredded jackfruit filling, finished with your favorite toppings.

My favorite way to serve the taco is on warm corn tortilla shells with jackfruit, topped with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, cilantro and a slice of avocado. S0 Good! I’m making my self hungry.

Jackfruit Tacos

Refrigerate any remaining jackfruit taco filling in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. Make this in advance as part of meal prepping. Reheat the jackfruit taco filling in a sauce pan and make tacos or taco bowls with rice during the week for a quick meal.

Jackfruit Tacos

Jackfruit tacos are easy to make and perfect for any night of the week. Made with onions, garlic, spices and shredded jackfruit and topped with you favorite taco toppings.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: tacos

Servings:

Author: Shelly Hughes

Equipment

Food Processor or Knife

Ingredients

2 20 oz Young Jackfruit in water or brine from a can. (not in syrup)
1 cup onion, diced (one onion)
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red bell bepper, small dice 1 bell pepper
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup water
1 jalapeno (optional) optional
1-2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce, coconut aminos) optional

Instructions

Prepping the Jackfruit (By hand with a knife or using food processor)
Start by draining and rinsing the jackfruit from the can. You can either shred the jackfruit by hand and pull the jackfruit apart into shredded pieces. You can also use a knife to shred the small pieces.
If you using a food processor, drain the can and add one can at a time to the food processor and pulse 6 to 10 times until shredded. Don't over blend or the jackfruit will become mushy. Remove the shredded jackfruit and add to a bowl and repeat with the second can of jack fruit. Once shredded remove from the food processor and add back to the bowl of shredded jackfruit.
To a medium hot sauté pan add in the diced onion and bell peppers with couple tables spoons of water and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add in the spices and the jalapeño (optional) and stir and sauté for about 1 minute. Add in small amount of water if the ingredients begin to stick.
Add in the shredded jack fruit, tamari and 1 cup of water and combine. Cover and stir frequently for about 20 minutes. Taste to see if you need any additional seasoning or additional tamari. Remove from heat and prepare your tacos.
Refrigertate leftovers and good for 5-6 days in the refrigerator.
Make your tacos:
Warm your corn taco shells and add in you shredded jackfruit filling and topped with your favorite toppings
My favorite way to serve the taco on warm corn tortilla shells with jackfruit topped with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, cilantro and slice of avocado.
Refrigerate any remaining jackfruit taco filling in the refrigerator 5-6 day. You can also make this in advance as part of meal prepping. You can reheat the jackfruit taco filling in a sauce pan and make tacos or taco bowls with rice during the week for a quick meal.

Notes

Topping for the tacos.

Corn tortillas warmed
Fresh lime juice
Cilanto
Avocado slices

Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!

How to Meal Prep Kale

February 24, 2021 by Shelly Hughes 2 Comments

How to meal prep kale? Kale is a dark leafy green that most people, at first, do not like because it can be too hard to chew. But there’s a trick to kale to make it taste good so you will want to eat it. Not just because it’s healthy, but tastes good too.

If you didn’t know, there is a variety of kale to pick from like lactino kale, red kale and curly kale (found in most grocery stores). I tend to choose what ever looks best at the time. I suggest looking for kale that has the best color and avoid kale that is yellow or has brownish leaves.

Kale is a green that can be prepared in advance because it’s heartier green compared to lettuce, romaine or spinach. Store in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days in a sealed container. Kale can be served raw, steamed, sautéed, and added to veggie bowls or soups.

How to meal prep kale so it tastes good

Rinse the kale and pat dry.
Kale
You want to remove kale leaves from the stalk. You can use a knife or tear it with your hands.
With your hands you can tear the kale along the stalk, then discard the stalk.
Roughly chop the kale.
Next, squeeze some fresh lemon juice.
Kale with lemon
Massage the kale with your hands until the kale begins to soften.

The kale will start to have a shiny color from the lemon juice. Refrigerate in an air tight container for up to 3-5 days.

What can you make with prepped kale?

Make a veggie bowl mixed with rice, tofu, kale, and red peppers
BBQ Tempeh bowl with kale, tomatoes, and sprouts
Roasted Chickpea mixed with kale, and brown rice.

When you have the kale ready to go, it’s easy to add in some extra healthy greens to almost any meal.

For more Kale Recipe Click Below

Winter Kale Salad with Turmeric Almond Butter Dressing

Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Kale Bowl

Kale Salad with Toasted Pine Nuts

Massaged Kale with Fresh Lemon Juice.

Meal prepping kale. Massaged Kale with lemon juice.

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Prep Time: 7 minutes

Keyword: kale salad, meal prepping

Servings:

Author: Shelly Hughes

Ingredients

1 bunch of kale
1-2 tbsp fresh lemon squeezed about half lemon

Instructions

Wash the kale and pat dry
Remove the stem with a knife or tear with your hand. Chop the kale into small pieces or tear with hands
Add the kale to a bowl and add fresh lemon juice. With your hands, massage the kale with the lemon juice. Massage for about 1 minute until kale begins to soften
Refrigerate for 3-5 days.

Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!

Fajita Seasoning

December 1, 2020 by Shelly Hughes Leave a Comment

Fajita Seasoning

Have you always wanted to recreate fajitas from your favorite restaurant? It’s all about the flavor, RIGHT! Making your own fajita seasoning is really simple. It’s quicker than running to the store when you have the spices in the pantry and it will take you less than 5 minutes to make.

Fajita’s come from Mexican origin and refer to thin strips of meat and vegetables. As a plant based person you can easily swap out the meat and use vegetables or tofu to create thin strip to grill or saute and add to tortillas.

What do you do with fajita seasoning?

Sauté bell peppers and onions to create fajita-style vegetables to create fajitas. You can mix in some sliced mushrooms. If you are looking to switch to a plant based diet and want to recreate your favorite fajitas you can sauté your veggies with fajita seasoning and add to a corn tortilla topped with salsa and guacamole. I’m getting hungry thinking about it!

You can mix in the seasoning with rice and add in some beans for a delicious filling meal.

You can season strips of tofu that you sear in a pan to add to your taco shells or veggie bowl.

Fajita Seasoning Ingredients:

Spices and Seasoning for Fajita Seasonings

Chili powder
Paprika
Cumin
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt

One Step Direction:

In a small bowl add in all the ingredients and mix together. Store in a air tight container. Small mason jars or glass containers are great choice for your spices.

Side Note: Health benefits from some of these spices

Fajita Spices

Chili powder is made from spices like ground dried chilies, cayenne, cloves, coriander, onion and garlic powder. Chili powder can help with decreasing inflammation, weight loss and aid in nasal decongestion.

Cumin made from the cumin seed has a smokey earthy flavor and aroma and can go along way. Cumin has lots of healthy benefits like adding in digestion, and is a great source of iron and antioxidants.

Onion powder made from dehydrated onions is essential in any pantry. Onion powder is loaded with antioxidants and can help with high blood sugar, headaches, colds and more.

Garlic powder is made from dried garlic and useful to enhance almost any dish. Garlic powder can help in lowering bad cholesterol and regulating blood glucose.

Paprika is made from ground peppers like red bell peppers and/or hot peppers. Adding paprika to your dish can help with inflammation and lowering cholesterol.

These spices help create delicious meals that are healthy, simple to make, and easy to have on hand.
WIN! WIN! WIN!

If you’re looking for ideas to pair with your fajita seasoning, click below for more recipes:

Walnut Taco Meat

Cashew Sour Cream

P.S. CLICK HERE for the new...FREE Plant Based Oil Free Salad Dressing Guide… which includes 7 Simple and Delicious oil free dressing and shopping list. GET IT NOW! (avocado lime dressing that would go great with fajitas)

Fajita Seasoning

Fajata Seasoning made with spices and great for fajata vegetables or used with tofu or beans

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Prep Time: 2 minutes

Course: dinner, vegan

Cuisine: Mexican, Vegan

Keyword: seasoning, spices

Servings:

Author: Shelly Hughes

Ingredients

2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
1/8 tsp salt

Instructions

To a small bowl add in all of the ingredients and mix together.
Add the fajita seasoning mixture to a container with an air tight lid for future use.

Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

November 18, 2020 by Shelly Hughes Leave a Comment

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Roasted Brussel Sprouts mixed with balsamic vinaigrette dressing is a great side dish for any holiday table or night of the week. This dish comes together in about 35 minutes with about 10 minutes of prep time. You can also add the roasted veggies with your favorite vegetable bowls. You can even eat them as a snack right out the refrigerator!

Quick Note! On why to eat your Brussel Sprouts… they are high in fiber, help decrease inflammation, improve blood sugar control and they’re low in calories (38 calories per cup) and yes, they taste good too!

Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

Brussel Sprouts
Balsamic Dressing
Baking Sheet and Parchment Paper

How to make Roasted Brussel Sprouts oil free!

First Step: Rinse the brussel sprouts, trim the ends and cut them in half.

Brussel Sprouts

Second Step: Balsamic Dressing (this can be made in advance)

Mix together balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup and whisk together. As an option, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes for an extra kick of flavor.

Brussel Sprouts and Balsamic Dressing

Third Step: To a lined baking sheet, add the Brussel sprouts with the balsamic dressing. Roast in preheated 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Using parchment paper or a silicone sheet is a simple way to to roast your veggies with out oil and have them not stick to the pan.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

The Brussel sprouts are ready to be served and you can easily reheat in the oven.

P.S. If you make this recipe, leave a comment below, share your pictures on Instagram and tag me with @plantbasedfoodylife … I’d love to see what you make!!!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with balsamic dressing.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: holidays, Roasted Vegetables

Servings:

Author: Shelly Hughes

Ingredients

2 lbs Brussel Sprouts

Balsamic Dressing

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
salt and pepper to taste optional

Instructions

Balsamic Dressing

Add all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and whisk together. Set aside or refrigerate.

Roasted Balsamic Brussel Sprouts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Rinse the brussel sprouts and trim the ends and cut and half. Added the halved brussel sprouts to a bowl.
Add the prepare balsamic dressing to the brussler sprouts and stir.
To a lined baking sheet add the brussel sprouts evenly across the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper is optional.
Bake in the oven for 2o minutes. Remove from the oven and stir and bake for an additional 10 minutes. The brussel sprouts should be lightly browned.

Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

November 17, 2020 by Shelly Hughes Leave a Comment

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Who knew that one ingredient alone can taste so good? Sweet Potatoes!!!

I made a batch of roasted sweet potatoes and was able to get 4 meals out of them for 4 people. (1 Husband, 2 Teens and Myself!)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

What did we eat with all these sweet potatoes?

As a delicious side dish, I loved how the natural sugars caramelized
Next day, I used them as a spread in a black bean burrito with salsa
Had them for lunch on the 3rd day with a kale salad with chickpeas, red onion and sliced avocado.
Even as a snack eaten cold from the refrigerator.

Who says that plant based eating is expensive?

The cost at my local store was $2.97 for 3 potatoes that were used for 4 meals that fed 4 people… Not bad!

Sweet Potatoes

Why am I telling you this?

First of all because they were so good I wanted to share with you the idea that cooking doesn’t have to be complicated and making delicious food doesn’t have to include a lot of ingredients.

This is another reason that you may love plant based eating as much as I do. The individual ingredients alone taste delicious whether they’re eaten raw, steamed, grilled, boiled etc. (I get that a raw potato would be hard to eat raw… but you get my point).

Beyond the delicious taste of sweet potatoes… here are some other reasons to eat sweet potatoes:

Great source of fiber that can help keep you full and satisfied (Great for weight-loss)
High in the antioxidant known as beta-carotene
Great source for Vitamin A, another antioxidant and a link to anti-aging benefits

Simple Baked Sweet Potatoes Recipe:

Ingredients:

3-4 Sweet Potatoes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 Degrees. Wash the potatoes. Slice the sweet potatoes into 2″ chunks with the skin on. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking a sheet with parchment paper or silicone sheet.

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until fork tender. Pierce with a fork at this time. Allow the natural sugar to caramelize.

Store in the refrigerator.

For other roasted veggie ideas click below:

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: potatoes

Servings:

Author: Shelly Hughes

Ingredients

4 sweet potatoes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets.
Rinse and clean sweet potatoes. With the skins on chop into 2 inch chunks
Add the sweet potatoes to a lined baking sheet
Roast in the oven until fork tender. Bake in the oven 45-50 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve. Refrigerate leftovers

Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash Bowl

October 8, 2020 by Shelly Hughes Leave a Comment

Roasted Brussel sprouts and butternut squash bowl

This dish will make your house smell delicious. This is the perfect dish for any fall evening and for the holidays. It is a mixture of roasted brussel sprouts and butternut squash mixed with a simple 3 ingredient Balsamic Dijon dressing over quinoa.

I love the rustic colors of the vegetables mixed with cranberries and walnuts. The toasted walnuts mixed with sweetness of the cranberries create a delicious flavor. Finishing the bowl with some pumpkin seeds for some added texture and color.

Chopping the veggies and roasting in the oven with a simple dressing. Pretty simple. You can make the quinoa in advance or substitute with rice.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash Bowl Ingredients

Ingredients Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash Bowl:

Brussel Sprouts
Butter Nut Squash (whole or precut is fine)
Quinoa
Walnuts (nuts of choice, pecans, pumpkin seeds, etc)
Cranberries (sweet or unsweetened or raisins, your choice)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Balsamic Dijon Dressing (Only 3 Ingredients)

Balsamic Dijon Dressing

(Three Ingredient) Balsamic Dijon Dressing Recipe

Balsamic Vinegar
Dijon Mustard
Maple Syrup (you can omit if not using sweetener)

Roasting the Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash

Chopped vegetables for the Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash

Prepare the brussel sprouts and the butter nut squash. For the Brussel Sprouts, trim the end and cut in half.

For the Butternut Squash there are 2 options. You can take the short cut (which I do at times) buy the butternut squash already cut in the grocery store. The second option is to purchase a whole butternut squash.

How to cut a Butternut Squash

Chop off each end of the Butternut squash
Peel the out side of the butternut squash
Chop in half
Scoop out the seeds and the center of the Butternut squash
Slice into 1/2 inch slices or chunks.
Ready to use.

If that is too much work, purchase pre-cut at the grocery store.😊

How to cut a butternut squash

Next, mix the vegetables with Balsamic DijonSauce. You want to save 1/3 of the sauce to add to finished bowl. Only pour about 2/3 of the sauce on the vegetables.

Dressing Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash

Mix the vegetables with Balsamic Dijon Sauce.

Dressing Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash

Add to a lined on baking tray.

Roasting Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash

Roast in the oven at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the chopped nuts and dried cranberries and bake in the oven for an additional 5- 7 minutes.

Finished Roasting Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash

How to prepare your bowl?

Add about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of the cooked quinoa to a bowl and topped with the roasted vegetable mixture. You can top your bowl with pumpkin seeds or add any remaining dressing.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash

The roasted vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator with the quinoa. Reheating the dish is simple. In order to reheat the dish, sauté the ingredients in a hot pan with a little water till hot. Meal prepping in advance the roasted vegetable and the quinoa makes for a quick meal.

Roasted Brussel Sprout and Butternut Squash Quinoa Bowl

P.S. If you make this recipe, leave a comment below, share your pictures on Instagram and tag me with @plantbasedfoodylife … I’d love to see what you make!!!

Roast Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash Bowl

Roast Brussel Sprouts and ButterNut Squash Bowl with quinoa. The sauce is Balsamic Dijon Sauc.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Roasted Vegetables, veggies bowls

Servings: people

Author: Shelly Hughes

Ingredients

1 lb Brussel sprouts
1 lb butternut squash
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped substitute peacans or omit nut
1/4 cup cranberries sweetend or unsweetened.
pinch pepper
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
1/4 tsp pepper
salt (optional) season to taste
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds optional

Balsamic MustardSauce

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp Dijon mustard

Instructions

Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parhment paper.
Cook quinoa according to instructions and set aside.
Trim the end of the Brussel sprouts and slice in half
Peel the butter nut squash and remove the seeds. Chop the butter squash 1 inch pieces or cubes
Add the brussel sprouts and the butternut squash to a bowl and toss with balsamic dijon sauce. Add in the salt and pepper and mix.
Add the brussel sprouts and the butternut squash to the lined baking pan. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. The butternut squash should be tender. Remove from the oven and stir the vegetables and add in the chopped walnuts and crainberries and allow to cook for 5-7 more minutes.
Remove from the oven and prepare you bowl.
To prepare an individuall bowl, add in the quinoa and top with Roasted Brussel sprouts and butternut squash mixture and topp with pumpkin seeds(optional)
Option: You could mix together the cooked quinoa and the roasted vegetables together and serve.

Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!

Vegan Broccoli and Rice Casserole

September 24, 2020 by Shelly Hughes Leave a Comment

Vegan Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Do you have any good vegan casseroles? Something that feels comfy and can be made in advance or frozen? I’ve been asked that a lot over the years. This vegan broccoli and rice casserole can serve as a side dish or a complete meal. This reminds me of comfort food. I enjoy taking recipes and turning theme into vegan plant based dishes. Also, this broccoli and rice cheesy dish is oil free and gluten free.

If you meal prep or batch cook this recipe comes together quickly. If you’re short on time during the week this may be for you. You can make a batch of rice and store in the refrigerator or the freezer to make this dish. Also, the cheese sauce can be made in advance. You can also make the whole dish, freeze it and warm it up in the oven when you’re ready.

Broccoli… fresh or frozen?

You can use whatever type you have on hand. From a nutritional stand point, frozen vs. fresh veggies are basically the same. It’s been proven that frozen may contain more vitamins at the time of freezing. Here is an article called. “Frozen Vegetables are Hot”, if you would like more information.

When I’m making a casserole, stir fry, or other dishes involving steamed veggies, I’ll use fresh or frozen depending what I have in the refrigerator and how much time I have. I find it easier some times to just open a bag of frozen vegetables. But I do love fresh broccoli from farm markets. It’s a win either way :).

Fresh Broccoli for the Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole

Quick Recipe Tips:

Tip#1

For this recipe you can use fresh or frozen broccoli. The only difference is with fresh broccoli I suggest adding a little water to the pan to allow the broccoli to soften. The frozen broccoli already has some water from the broccoli being frozen. I suggest adding about 1 tbsp of water if the veggies start to stick. Cover the broccoli for a few minutes and stir often.

Tip #2

Chop the broccoli into bite size pieces if you’re using frozen broccoli and the broccoli slices are large. You can remove the broccoli from the pan and slice the broccoli into smaller pieces and add back to the pan. This is optional.

Tip#3

Short on time? Make the cheese sauce and rice in advance. The casserole can be ready to bake in the oven in under 15 minutes if those ingredients are prepared in advance.

Tip#4

Is the recipe freezer friendly? Yes, if you want to freeze the Broccoli Rice Casserole for a later time. Make the recipe, cover and freeze. Don’t bake the casserole until you are ready to serve.

Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole Ingredients

Ingredients for the Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole

Broccoli (Fresh or Frozen)
Vegan Cheese Sauce
Brown Rice
Onion
Garlic

How to make the Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole?

Ingredients for the Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole

The sauce that is used for the broccoli rice casserole is a cashew based cheese sauce. Here is a link to the Cashew Cheese Sauce. This sauce is very versatile. I use it in my mac n cheese and as a dip with chips.

Make the rice according to the directions. I like to rinse the brown rice before I add it to the water. Removing any dirt.

Next… Saute the onion, garlic and broccoli

Sauté the onion with a little water until soft and translucent. Next add in the garlic and stir for about minute.

No oil sauté

Add the broccoli to the mixture and stir. For frozen broccoli, stir and cover for about 5 minutes until the broccoli is almost fork tender.

For fresh broccoli, add the broccoli to the pan with a little bit of water (2-3 tbsps), stir and cover. Let the broccoli steam and soften. Approximately 3-4 minutes.

Saute vegetables Broccoli Rice Casserole

Next… add in the brown rice and mix.

Saute vegetables Broccoli Rice Casserole

Pour in the cheese sauce.

Adding in the cheese to the Broccoli Rice Casserole

Mix all the ingredients together. Pour the mixture into a casserole pan.

Broccoli Rice Casserole Mixture

Add to a medium casserole dish. I used a 12×9 casserole dish. Cover the pan with foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and let bake an additional 5 minutes for browning.

Ready to bake Broccoli Rice Casserole

Click Here: Cashew Cheese Sauce Recipe

P.S. If you make this recipe, leave a comment below, share your pictures on Instagram and tag me with @plantbasedfoodylife … I’d love to see what you make!!!

Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole

Vegan broccoli and rice casserole mixed with a cashew cheese sauce.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: soup vegan cheese

Servings:

Author: Shelly Hughes

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 10.8 oz bag frozen broccoli or 1 head fresh broccoli about 3 cups broccoli florets
1 onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced about 1 tbsp
2½ cup vegan cheese sauce
1/4 cup water use as needed for the sauting of the vegetables

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Rinse the rice before cooking. Cook the brown rice based on instructions.
In a medium hot pan add the onion and a little water (1-2 tbsp) to pan and stir. Continue stirring for a bout 3-5 minutes until the onions soften. Add in the garlic and stir. Add in the broccoli florets.
If using frozen broccoli, stir in the pan and cover until the broccoli softens. About 5 minutes. Stir every minute or two.
If using fresh broccolli add to the pan stir and a little water. Cover and stir often. Allow to steam for about 3-4 minutes until broccoli start to soften Turn off the heat and add in the rice and the cheese and stir.
Turn off the heat and add in the rice and the cheese sauce and stir.
Pour into a medium 12x9 casserole dish and cover with foil. Place in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and allow to bake for an additional 5 minutes to let brown.
Remove from the oven and serve.

Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!

Easy meals while being at home

March 18, 2020 by Shelly Hughes Leave a Comment

I’m guessing you are home right now with all of this craziness going on and social distancing. I wanted to share with you some easy meals while being at home. I’m at home with my husband and two teenage kids. On the upside, it does give us a chance to slow down and connect with our families. (even for the kids to clean their rooms:)

Batch Cooking Sweet Potatoes & Potatoes:

Bake a bunch of potatoes and sweet potatoes for the week. Easy to create lunch and dinner if these are made in advance.

Bake the potatoes in the oven at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes. You’ll have potatoes ready when you want them. This makes easy meals while being at home simple especially if you are feeling stressed out.

Below is a baked sweet potato with chopped spinach and mushrooms topped with some hummus. This makes for a great lunch or dinner.

Easy meal prep with sweet potatoes and hummus

Simple ideas on using the canned beans for easy meals at home:

Canned beans are great to top a salad for added protein, fiber and to create a full meal. And they taste delicious.
The salad below was made with arugula, mushrooms and chickpeas, and topped with vegan caesar dressing from Follow Your Heart Caesar Dressing
You could also turn this salad into a quick sauté by adding a little water to the pan while stirring greens, beans, and veggies in the pan. Very quickly you could go from a salad to a sauté.
Easy meal ideas with canned chickpeas and greens
Below is a quick sauté of red potatoes that were previously baked sautéed with a little water and mixed with tomatoes. spinach, garlic mushrooms and red kidney beans.
Easy meal ideas with sautéed canned kidney beans and greens

I wanted to share with you some simple plant based meals that use pretty much the same ingredients but prepared differently to create a delicious variety of meals in a short amount of time.

Here is list of must have grocery items that I try to keep handy
- potatoes & sweet potatoes
- canned beans: chickpeas, black beans and kidney beans
- onions & garlic
- greens, spinach or your favorite type
- mushrooms
- tomatoes
- bell peppers
- frozen green beans and frozen broccoli
- rice
- quinoa
- canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste
- oatmeal
- red pepper flakes
- tamari
You can make all different kinds of meal combinations from the ingredients above. Plant based eating does not have to be complicated. You take a few ingredients and create a delicious healthy meal.

P.S. If you make this recipe, leave a comment below, share your pictures on Instagram and tag me with @plantbasedfoodylife … I’d love to see what you make!!!

Vegan Cashew Cheese Sauce

March 2, 2020 by Shelly Hughes Leave a Comment

This vegan cashew cheese sauce is sooooo good! If you were afraid to go vegan because you would miss cheese, this is the sauce for you. It can be prepared within 10 minutes and taste delicious.

I use this basic cheese sauce for all kinds of dishes. Like Vegan Mac N Cheese or Queso Salsa.

Vegan Cheese Sauce

What are the ingredients for the cheese sauce?

Cashews
Nutritional Yeast
Miso Paste
Lemon Juice
Turmeric
Garlic Powder
Red Chili Flakes (optional)
Salt & Pepper (To taste)

Extra Flavor: Add in some salsa or bell pepper to the blender!

Ingredients for the Vegan Cheese Sauce

Here’s a Quick tip… if you want the cheese sauce to be thick and have a gooey texture, you can add some agar to the cheese sauce or corn starch to the Vitamix and pour the sauce in a sauce pan on medium heat, and then continue to stir. The cheese sauce will thicken up and have more of a gooey texture.

How to make the vegan cashew cheese sauce?

Soaking cashews

Soak the cashews in water for 4-6 hours. The longer they soak, the softer the cashews become and easier to blend
Once the cashews are soaked, the cheese sauce comes together in about 5 minutes
Add all the ingredients to your Vitamix or high speed blender. Mix for about 2 minutes. Cheese sauce is then done

You can use this vegan cheese sauce in a variety of ways. To make mac n cheese, queso or to make scallop potatatoes.

P.S. If you make this recipe, leave a comment below, share your pictures on Instagram and tag me with @plantbasedfoodylife … I’d love to see what you make!!!

Cashew Cheese Sauce

Cashew Cheese Sauce used for Mac N Cheese, Queso or a dip. Great Cheese Sauce substitiute.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: vegan cheese

Servings: cups

Author: Shelly Hughes

Equipment

Vitamix or High Speed Blender

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews, soaked soak 4-6 hours
2 tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 cup boiling water
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes optional
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt salt to taste

Extra Tangy Flavor: And in one of the ingredients below

1 bell pepper. top trimed
1 cup salsa of choice

Instructions

Soak raw cashews in water for 4-6 hours. The longer they soak the softer the cashews become.
Drain the cashews and dispose of the water. Add the cashews to the Vitamix or blender.
Add all the ingredients to the blender including the boiling water.
Blend on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.
Cheese is ready!

Notes

This Cheese sauce is great for making Mac N Cheese. Using it as a queso dip and mixed with your favorite salsa.

Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!