Maple Butternut Squash & Apple Casserole

I saw this recipe and thought it sounded so easy and amazing for a nice fall dinner. I had all the ingredients on hand from the farm market. I love using fresh ingredients that are in season. This will make your home smell amazing and it tastes like fall on a plate. I mean come on – squash, honeycrisps, maple syrup, cinnamon, pumpkin seeds – mmmmmm.

Maple Butternut Squash & Apple Casserole

1/2 cup basmati rice (or rice of choice)
1 cup water
1 lg honeycrisp apple (or apple of choice), cored and chopped into cubes
1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1/2 butternut squash, washed and chopped into 1” cubes (~3/4 lb)
1 Tbsp Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp Pumpkin Seeds

Directions: Turn your slow cooker onto high and place rice and water into slow cooker. Return cover to slow cooker and chop apple into cubes – let marinate in apple cider vinegar and maple syrup. Chop up the butternut squash into cubes and add squash to the slow cooker. Next melt Earth Balance in microwave and add maple syrup, cinnamon, curry powder, nutmeg, and sea salt. Stir together until combined. Pour over butternut squash and basmati rice. Lastly, add marinated apples and pumpkin seeds on top of rice and squash. Let simmer for 3-4 hours - stirring occasionally (if home). Let the amazing scents of fall fill your home and then enjoy!! Garnish with more curry, cinnamon, and sea salt. Dig in!!

From: Oh She Glows

Tabbouleh

So I have a serious obsession with ethnic food, it is just so flavorful and it's amazing how something can taste so good with so few natural ingredients. Tabbouleh is a traditional Mediterranean dish that can vary from country to country. It is usually made with bulgur (a type of whole wheat small grain like couscous), but I thought it would be fun to try it with quinoa. Quinoa is a complete protein and packs a ridiculous amount of protein, it's just all around really good for you - and gluten free! This is super easy to make and tastes delicious! You may have a sudden urge to gorge on some hummus or baba ghanouj while eating this ;)

Quinoa Tabbouleh

1 cup quinoa, cooked with vegetable broth for about 20 minutes
1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint

5 green onions, finely chopped
2 cups small grape tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded, thinly sliced
Juice of 2 lemons, more to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients together in a large serving bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Baingan Bharta

I've never actually tried this dish at an Indian restaurant, but I've heard that it's really good. So I researched online for a recipe until I found one that sounded pretty good. Well this was MORE than pretty good!! If you like smoky, roasted, spicy food then this is for you!!! Just make sure you let the eggplant roast long enough in the oven so you experience the full effect of this dish.

Baingan Bharta Serves 2

1 large eggplant
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
2 small (or 1 large) onions, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
½ cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Preheat the broiler. Spray some non-stick cooking spray on the outside of the eggplant and set on a pan underneath the broiler. Cook until the outside is slightly charred, sunken in, and the inside is very tender, flipping every 4 minutes, about 8 to 10 minutes total. You essentially are roasting the eggplant. Remove and set aside to cool down.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add 1 tablespoon of the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Toss in the garlic, ginger and jalapeños and cook for a minute, stirring constantly. Next, add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Last, add in the tomatoes and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more.

After the eggplant has cooled, remove the skin and roughly chop. Add the eggplant to the skillet along with the cumin, chili powder, garam masala, and turmeric. Cook for 5 minutes so all the flavors can mingle.

Pasta Salad with Veggies, Pine Nuts, and Fresh Herbs

So this recipe involves a lot of prep-work by chopping up a ton of veggies, but once you do that then you are basically finished! You could serve this room temperature or cold. Both ways taste great!

Pasta Salad with Veggies, Pine Nuts, and Fresh Herbs

Serves 6-10

16 ounces pasta (I used quinoa tri-veggie colored pasta)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

3 bell peppers, seeded and chopped

2 cucumbers, seeded and chopped (cut around the center like how you would core an apple)

3 to 4 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 small-sized red onion, chopped

1 jar or frozen bag (about 16 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1.5 cups frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (toast them in the toaster oven)

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

• Cook pasta according to the directions on the box. Drain and set aside when done cooking.
• In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and vinegars.
• Chop up all the vegetable ingredients while the pasta is cooking.
• Combine the tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, carrots, onion, artichokes, corn, pine nuts, basil, and parsley in a bowl with cooked pasta. Add lemon vinegar mixture and toss to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.

From The Vegan Table

Pasta Primavera with Fresh Veggies and Herbs

So this recipe is from The Vegan Table, but I adapted it so that I could make it in less than 20 minutes because I didn't have much time! I brought this to my grandma's for Easter dinner and everyone loved it!

Pasta Primavera with Fresh Veggies and Herbs

12 oz penne pasta

4 garlic cloves equivalent from pre-chopped garlic jar

2 bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow), cut into strips

10 oz bag of shredded carrots

2 zucchini squash, cut into 1 inch strips

8 stalks asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces

1 - 15 oz can diced tomatoes in juice

1 cup vegetable stock (from the box)

1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish

1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

4.2 oz small can of sliced black olives

pinch of red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

• Cook the pasta according to package directions.
• While pasta is cooking, chop up the peppers, zucchini, asparagus, basil, and parsley.
• In a large pan, spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned.
• Add bell pepper, shredded carrots, zucchini, and asparagus. Sauté for about 10 minutes until veggies are tender but still crispy.
• Reduce heat to low and add tomatoes and vegetable stock. Stir well to combine.
• Once everything is heated through, add the olives, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and add the pasta, tossing well to combine.
• Serve warm or at room temperature. Add extra basil as garnish to your plate and enjoy!!!

Mediterranean Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

So I used the recipe from this website to create a smaller batch of these burgers that come in at only 125 calories a piece. The awesome thing about making your own veggie burgers is that it's fast and cheap. You can easily cook up what you want and then freeze the rest (cooked or uncooked) for another time. I made these 2 weeks ago with a salad when Mike was away and put the remaining 3 uncooked burgers in the freezer for another time. I took them out tonight, popped them in the oven at 400 for 20 minutes. While they were cooking, I prepped veggies for a salad and burger toppings, made some guacamole, and toasted up the buns. We had an easy dinner that was delish and ready in no time!

Mediterranean Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

1/2 Tbsp flax meal mixed with 1.5 Tbsp water (mixed ahead of time, separately)

1 can black beans (1.5 cups)

1/3 cup cooked quinoa (or any grain like brown rice)

2 Tbsp flour

6 sundried tomatoes packed in oil, roughly sliced

salt and pepper to season

1 tsp liquid smoke (optional)

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined but not pureed.
• Form into 4 patties.
• Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes so that they won't fall apart when you try to cook them.

For cooking, either pan fry these on the stove top until slightly brown on both sides or pre-heat oven to 400 and cook for 20-25 minutes, flipping half way through.

Serve on a toasted bun with all the fixin's or on top of a bed of greens as shown below.

Quinoa Loaf with mushrooms and peas

So I saw this recipe on the Whole Foods website and loved the idea of a loaf made from quinoa! This is one of my favorite grains because it is a complete protein! All you need is 1 cup dry with 2 cups liquid and it takes 20 minutes to cook. The combination of flavors in this loaf were so delicious and even better leftover the next day with some sauteed swiss chard.

Quinoa Loaf with mushrooms and peas

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup rolled oats (instant or old fashioned)
2 cups cooked quinoa (so 1 cup dry makes more than you need, save the leftovers for another meal)
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley and/or 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
10 sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
1 cup (about 1 onion) chopped red onion

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch loaf pan with oil; set aside.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put beans, oats and 1/2 cup water into a food processor and pulse until almost smooth.
• In a large bowl, combine mushrooms, bean mixture, quinoa, peas, parsley, tomatoes, onion, salt and pepper.
• Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan, gently pressing down and mounding it in the middle.
• Bake until firm and golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

look at those chunks of veggies in that loaf!! mmmm

Nutrition Per serving (about 6oz/172g-wt.): 170 calories (35 from fat), 4g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 200mg sodium, 28g total carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 8g protein

Vegetarian Paella

So I really wanted to make paella one night and when I went to the store to track down saffron threads I saw that they were anywhere from $12-$18 a bottle!!! My hubbie researched online for a substitute (you can use tumeric) or for a cheaper brand. Well he found that Trader Joe's had a container for $5.99 and I rushed over there to pick some up! This recipe was super easy because I cooked the rice ahead of time and just had to chop up all the veggies. I reduced the amount of rice from the original recipe from 2 cups down to 1 cup because I honestly love all the veggies. It seemed like the perfect ratio to me, but if you want to up the rice then go ahead!

Vegetarian Paella

1 cup rice dry, cooked ahead of time

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, quartered

1 cup sliced yellow squash

1 cup baby squash or sliced zucchini

1 cup sliced carrots

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces

1/2 cup frozen green peas

14-ounce can diced tomatoes

6 to 8 saffron threads

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat non-stick cooking spray in a large paella pan or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes.

Add artichokes, squash, zucchini, carrots, asparagus, peas, tomatoes, saffron, paprika, and bay leaves, bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.

Add rice and broth and cook for 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat, remove bay leaves and stir in parsley. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.

Then proceed to enjoy a frosted healthy chocolate chocolate chip muffin for dessert ;)

Simple Sushi Wraps

So I have a pack of sushi wraps that I keep in the house (yea I know I'm weird). I have them for whenever I'm craving a little sushi but don't feel like going out to get some. Sea vegetables are so good for you so I love having this around for a healthy snack or side dish for dinner.

Simple Sushi Wraps

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

1 sheet of sushi nori

Cut sushi nori into 3 strips that are wide enough to hold all of your veggies.

Wrap up about 4 sticks of each kind of veggie and enjoy!

Feel free to add in avacado, sprouts, faux meat, or anything you want!!

Tempeh Cutlets Provençal

So I saw this recipe on the Vegetarian Times website and thought it sounded so good since tempeh is my favorite vegetarian protein to cook with! The flavors in this were outstanding and I felt like I could have easily ordered this from a high end restaurant in the city. The best part is that this was SO easy to make!! I served this with a side of kale sauteed with onions and garlic, and spaghetti with marinara sauce.

Tempeh Cutlets Provençal - Serves 2

1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cut widthwise into 2 cutlets
1/2 cup white wine
1 Tbs. herbes de Provence
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup smooth tomato sauce
2 Tbs. capers, rinsed and drained
1/8 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish

1. Place tempeh slices in large baking dish. Bring wine, herbes de Provence, oil, garlic, and pepper to a boil in small saucepan. Pour over tempeh, cover, and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Remove tempeh from marinade, and place on baking sheet, reserving marinade. Spray top of cutlets with cooking spray, and bake 15 minutes. Flip tempeh, spray again with cooking spray, and bake 15 minutes more, or until edges are golden.

3. Meanwhile, strain reserved marinade into small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and add bell pepper. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes, or until bell pepper is softened and liquid is nearly absorbed. Add tomato sauce, capers, and sugar, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Simmer 10 minutes over low heat, or until sauce is thick. Stir in basil.

4. Place tempeh on plates, and divide sauce between servings. Garnish with basil sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Per Serving : Calories: 325, Protein: 23g, Total fat: 20g, Saturated fat: 3.5g, Carbs: 20g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 434mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugars: 3g

In A Jiffy Spelt Veggie Burgers

So this was my first time making my own veggie burgers, and it was actually pretty easy!! I love veggie burgers on a bun, crumbled on top of my salad, cut into pieces and put on top of crackers, dipped in hummus, and the list goes on. They are so versatile and I eat them all the time. This recipe was super easy to make and according to OSG, they are only 122 calories each! Yummm

In A Jiffy Spelt Veggie Burgers, makes 8 small patties

• 1 cup cooked chick peas (of beans of your choice)
• 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped into large pieces
• 1 small sweet onion, peeled and chopped up into large pieces
• 1/2 Red pepper, chopped into large pieces
• 1/4 cup spinach, washed
• 1/2 t dried dill
• 1/2 t dried basil
• 1/4 t fine grain sea salt
• tiny dash of cayenne
• 1 clove minced garlic, optional
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (so amazing in this burger!)
• 1 T pumpkin seeds (pepita)
• 1 T chia seeds
• 3/4 cup spelt flour (or flour of your choice)

Directions: Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with tin foil (or spray with oil).

Place all ingredients except the seeds and flour into a food processor. Process until mixture is blended well, stopping to scrape sides if necessary.

Remove mixture and place into a large bowl. Add seeds and stir well. Now add the spelt flour (or flour of your choice) in 1/4 cup increments, stirring well until blended.

Shape patties and bake for 15 mins at 375F, flip and bake for another 10 minutes.

Sweet Potato Falafel Balls

So when I saw this recipe on Oh She Glows, I knew that it would be a winner. I absolutely love Mediterranean food and falafel is one of my favorite dishes. I am also completely obsessed with sweet potatoes. These little falafel balls dipped into hummus is just pure heaven. And they are so simple to make!!

Sweet Potato Falafel Balls

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 1/2 t ground cumin
• 2 small cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 t ground coriander
• 1 heaping cup spinach, chopped
• 1.5 T lemon juice or Juice or half a lemon’s juice
• Just less than 1 cup of chickpea flour
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: Preheat oven to 400F. Pre grease a baking sheet with oil or spray.

Cut a few slits into the sweet potatoes and then microwave on high for 9-11 minutes until tender. Let cool for several minutes and carefully peel away the skin (or peel potatoes before heating).

While the potatoes are microwaving, in a medium sized bowl mix together the cumin, chopped garlic, coriander, and chickpea flour. Stir well. Add chopped spinach and lemon juice and mix well with a fork.

Chop up sweet potatoes into small chunks and then mash with a fork. Add potatoes to the other ingredients. Mix well until all ingredients are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Wet hands and form falafel balls. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until slightly golden.

Yields 18-20 Falafel Balls

Wild Mushroom Socca Stacks

Socca, a flat bread made with chickpea flour, is layered with mushrooms and tomatoes to create a perfect entree for two. I made this as a first course for Valentine's Day with the hubby. It was so filling that I could only eat half of it!!

Slow-Roasted Plum Tomatoes and Sauce

12 plum tomatoes

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano

• Heat oven to 300. Place tomato halves, cut side up, on baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic, thyme, rosemary, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil over tomatoes (optional). Bake for 2 hours.
• Puree 12 tomato halves in food processor until smooth to make sauce. Save remaining tomato halves for Socca Stacks.

Wild Mushroom Socca Stacks

1/2 c chickpea flour

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 medium sweet onions, chopped

2 Tbsp fresh thyme

1/2 lb wild mushroom mix

1/3 cup dry white wine or vermouth

1 recipe slow-roasted plum tomatoes and sauce

• Preheat oven to 450. Coat loaf pan with cooking spray.
• Whisk together chickpea flour, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of lukewarm water, then 1 Tbsp oil. Set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat with non-stick cooking spray. Add onion and thyme; cover, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms, and saute 8 minutes. Stiry in wine, and cook 4 minutes more, or until most of liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper (optional). Cover, and keep warm over low heat.
• Pour chickpea mixture into prepared loaf pan. Bake 7 minutes. The socca should feel firm and the edges set. Cut into 4 rectangles.
• Drizzle plates with half of Slow-Roasted Plum Tomatoes and Sauce. Lay first layer of socca on plates. Spoon half of mushroom mixture over socca, and top with generous helping of Slow-Roasted Plum Tomato halves. Add second socca layer, followed by remaining mushroom mixture. Drizzle with remaining sauce, and garnish with remaining tomatoes.

From: Vegetarian Times, October 2009

Marinated Salad with Roasted Almonds and Greek Side Salad

So marinating and baking tofu in the oven is a great addition to a salad. I love to make the whole block so that I have leftovers the next day for a yummy tofu-veggie wrap with hummus! Almonds are my favorite to put on salads so I just kicked these ones up a notch!! And the greek salad I came up with on a whim to use up some veggies in the fridge. You can't go wrong with this combination!!!

Smokehouse Almonds

(adapted from: Vegetarian Times)

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp dark brown sugar (or agave nectar)

1 tsp sweet smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground chipotle powder

1 cup raw almonds

Preheat oven to 300. Combine all ingredients into a mixing bowl and toss almonds to coat with spice mixture.

Transfer almonds to a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

When finished cooking, let cool and either leave almonds whole or coarsely chop.

Tofu shown here on a salad with grilled eggplant and peas in the background.

Marinated Tofu (adapted from Gliding Calm)

2 Tbsp each - Rice Wine Vinegar (plain, unseasoned), Soy Sauce, and Vegan Worcestershire Sauce

2 tsp each - ginger powder, agave nectar

a few dashes to taste - garlic powder, cayenne, and red pepper flakes

Press all water out of the tofu by placing the block on a plate. Put another plate on top and then something heavy to press out the water. Leave the tofu to sit and drain for about half an hour.

Once tofu has been pressed, slice into 16 slices however you like.

Combine all ingredients for marinade in a tupperware container and then place tofu slices inside. Cover the container and shake around. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 425 and place slices of tofu on a greased baking sheet. Cook tofu slices for 10 minutes, take out of the oven and flip the pieces over and cook for another 10-15 minutes until browned and a little crispy.

Greek Side Salad

1 cup cucumber, sliced and quartered

1 cup tomatoes, sliced

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 can butter beans

1 small eggplant, peeled and roughly chopped

2 Tbsp lemon juice

While tofu is baking in the oven at 425, place peas and eggplant onto greased cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until slightly browned. Stir veggies around every now and then to prevent sticking.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl once eggplant and peas are done cooking.

To make salad:

Chop up half an apple of choice to add to lettuce, add dried fruit of choice (cranberries or cherries are yummy), add about 1/4 cup almonds, and 4 slices of marinated tofu. Use dressing of choice (I used my mock Chipotle-Honey Creamy Dressing from the other night). Serve greek salad on the side and enjoy!

Mexican FAKE OUT

So I was really craving some mexican food from chipotle but come on, we're on a budget here and we're trying to save for a house... so I stalked chipotle's website and found what I wanted to make for dinner tonight based on their menu. I made all low-fat versions of my favorites and you will be just as amazed as I was with how delicious it all tastes!!! Every other bite was MMMM WOWWW SO GOOD... you get the picture.

First things first - Guacamole

This isn't your typical guacamole because it doesn't contain all the fat!!! I know that avacado is good fat, but it still scares me. So this is my modified version which I died over.

Guacamole Fake Out

1 cup thawed peas

1 cup medium salsa

2 tbsp avacado

1 small lime, juiced

cilantro for garnish (optional)

Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor until thoroughly blended

With all the amazing spiciness goin on, I wanted something sweet and tangy for my dressing. Enter the chipotle-honey oil based dressing that chipotle puts on their salads. I found a recipe online and then completely re-vamped it to make it my own. It looks like it's a nice creamy dressing full of lots of dairy.... except it's not!!!

Chipotle-Honey Creamy Dressing Fake Out

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup honey

1 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp chipotle powder (or sub 1/4 tsp cayenne)

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4-1/2 cup of silken firm tofu (add more as you want to thicken it)

Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree!

The tofu adds all the creaminess and thickness to the dressing making this baby fat free! The amount of tart from the vinegar, spice from the cayenne (that's all I had), and sweetness from the honey makes this dressing. to. die. for.

Lastly, a mexican night is not complete without some salsa. I was drooling over their Roasted Chili Corn Salsa on the website and made a similar version based on the ingredients that they listed!

Roasted Chili Corn Salsa (medium spiciness)

3 cups of frozen yellow corn

1 poblano chili, seeded and chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

2 tbsp lime juice

Pre-heat oven to 400 and roast corn until some of it starts to turn golden brown (about 15 minutes). Meanwhile chop up the remaining ingredients and add to a bowl. When the corn is done, add that to the bowl as well. Pour in 2 tbsp of lime juice and stir together!

The last thing that I made to go with all the craziness were stuffed poblano chilis. This was ridiculously easy to make and I got the idea from Cooking Light

Stuffed Poblano Chilis

2 poblano chilis, halved and seeded

1/2 can of fat free refried beans (about 3/4 cup)

1/2 pouch microwavable rice (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup medium salsa

grated vegan cheese or regular cheese (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 400 and place chilis face down onto a greased cooking sheet. Cook for 10 minutes. Meanwhile combine the beans, rice, and salsa together in a bowl. When the chilis are ready, flip them over and fill them up with bean mixture. Pop back into the oven for another 10 minutes. If you are using cheese, sprinkle on top and then turn the broiler on for 2 minutes to melt and brown everything up a little bit more!

Mike's plate with the chili's before he attacked his rice and salad with all the toppings.

My plate with a salad topped with dressing, guac, corn salsa, black beans, and jalapeno peppers.

Chickpea Croquettes with Greek Salad Topping

I can't even begin to explain how good these were. They require a bit of prep from all fresh ingredients that you have to chop, but once you are done with that then they are done in a snap!

Chickpea Croquettes with Greek Salad Topping

Topping

1 cucumber, quartered and sliced (1 cup)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 green onions, chopped

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 Tbs. olive oil

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl.

Croquettes

1 cup chickpea flour

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1.4 tsp, salt

1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

4 green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

Whisk together chickpea flour, cumin, chili powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk in 3/4 cup hot water and then stir in the remaining ingredients.

Heat a skillet to medium heat. Coat the skillet with non-stick spray and scoop about 1/4 cup of chickpea mixture into the skillet and reduce the heat to medium low.

Cook 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

This should yield about 8 croquettes.

Serve each croquette with 1/4 cup of the topping and veggies of choice!! Yummm

Adapted from: "Vegetarian Times" October 2009

Spicy Tomato Pasta

So I got a spiralizer and wanted to test it out tonight - I chose eggplant

which wasn't such a good idea because it was too mushy to create

good results. I spiralized what I could and then chopped up the

remaining eggplant and added it to the sauce.

I then proceeded to sautee the eggplant pasta in a separate pan from the sauce. This was really good and I love eggplant pasta... but there wasn't enough so I should have made some regular pasta as well. Oh well live and learn!

Spicy Tomato Pasta

1 box sliced mushrooms

1/2 large eggplant chopped

1 can sliced black olives

2 cloves garlic, minced

2-14 oz cans diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp. hot red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp. fresh basil for garnish

Sautee garlic, mushrooms, olives, and eggplant until softened and slightly browned

Add the 2 cans of tomatoes with their juice, red pepper flakes, and salt/pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered 15 minutes.

My end result was sauteed eggplant pasta topped with my vegetable and tomato sauce with a side of steamed broccoli and spiralized carrots (aren't they cute??). I loved it but it would def be good with some pasta as well =]

And of course for dessert I had a piece of chocolate tart!!!

You know you want to make the tart!!!