Pizza Bites

These can be eaten as a side or as a main entree. 

Ingredients:
1½ cups cooked green or brown lentils 
2 tubes prepared polenta, cut into ½” rounds 
1 bunch kale, stem and chop
¾ cup marinara sauce
¼ cup vegan parmesan 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Bake polenta rounds   for 8-10 mins, until golden and crisp (no need to flip). 
3. Steam kale. 
4. Toss lentils with marinara sauce. 
5. Top polenta rounds with steamed kale and marinara lentils. 
6. Garnish with vegan parmesan.

Notes:

• Serves  4
• Total Time: 10 min  
• Active Time: 10 min 

Ratatouille Rice

I'll admit it doesn't look great in the image, but it tastes fantastic and is amazingly filling.

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked brown rice 
1 sweet onion, diced 
3-4 garlic cloves, minced 
2 zucchinis, sliced 
2 yellow squash, sliced 
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced 
½ cup fresh basil, chopped 
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth 
Italian seasoning 
1 cup marinara sauce 

Directions:

1. Sauté onions and garlic until translucent. 
2. Sprinkle generously with Italian seasoning, stirring   to coat. 
3. Add zucchini, squash, red peppers, and marinara sauce.
4. Cover and bring to a boil. 
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer until vegetables are fork-tender. 
6. Stir in cooked rice and beans, plus broth to help moisten and combine everything. 
7. Continue to cook and stir until vegetables reach desired tenderness. 
8. Turn off heat. Add salt and pepper to taste, plus more Italian seasoning if desired. 
9. Stir in fresh basil, reserving a little for garnish.

Notes:

• Serves 4    
• Total Time: 20 min  
• Active Time: 15 min 
• Per serving: 415 calories, 6.6g fat, 64.7g carbs, 16.1g fiber, 11.6g sugars, 26.2g protein 

Winter Skillet Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, 3 cups cubed 
1 onion, diced 
3-4 minced garlic cloves 
Italian seasoning 
4 dry lasagna noodles 
14-oz (1½ cups) marinara sauce

Tofu Ricotta 
15-oz extra-firm tofu, drained 
¼ cup nutritional yeast 
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning 
1 tsp fresh lemon juice 
¼ tsp garlic powder 
¼ tsp onion powder


Directions:
Tofu Ricotta: 

1. Press tofu for 20 minutes. 
2. Crumble tofu with your hands. 
3. Mix in remaining ingredients, plus salt & pepper to taste.

Winter Skillet Lasagna

1. Sauté onions and garlic until translucent. 
2. Add butternut squash and several shakes of Italian seasoning, plus salt and pepper. 
3. Cover and simmer until butternut is just fork-tender, adding water as needed. 
4. Once butternut squash is tender, break lasagna noodles into thirds and lay on top OR crumble noodles and sprinkle over top. 
5. Add marinara sauce on top, then cover and bring to a boil. 
6. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer until noodles are fully cooked, about 10 minutes. (If noodles starts to dry out, add water. If you crumbled the pasta, stir occasionally as the noodles cook). 
7. Divide equally among 4 bowls and top with Tofu Ricotta.

Notes:

• Serves 4
• Per serving: 402 calories, 11.5g fat, 57.2g carbs, 11g fiber, 14.2g sugars, 22.7g protein

Open Faced Sloppy Lentils

These are really great sandwiches. They weren't originally supposed to be open-faced, but I couldn't eat them in a traditional way. The other suggestion I have would be to serve the filling on hoagies.

Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups fresh spinach
2 tomatoes, diced
3/4 cups green or brown lentils
1 diced green bell pepper
1½ cups marinara sauce

8 slices of whole grain bread (or 4 hoagies)

Directions:

1. Add lentils to a saucepan of water. Bring to boil, then reduce to low to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Drain and rinse when cooked.
2.  Sauté garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, until fragrant. 
3. Add spinach and tomatoes, continuing to cook until spinach turns dark green and tomatoes soften. 
4. Stir in cooked lentils, and marinara sauce until combined. 
5. Spoon onto bread (or hoagies) and serve.

Notes:
Serves 4 sandwiches
Per serving: 403 calories, 8.2g fat, 67.7g carbs, 20.6g fiber, 13g sugars, 18.5g protein

ISP

Lentils, polenta, and yummy spices, what more could you ask for? The weather is not as cold as in the dead of winter, but this is a great meal for those chilly days that linger. 

Ingredients:
1 cup dry polenta 
½ cup (4-oz) almond milk 
1 diced onion 
4 minced garlic cloves 
1 seeded and diced green bell pepper 
2 tsp chili powder 
1 tsp Italian seasoning 
3/4 cups lentils 
2 cups marinara sauce

Directions:

1. Cook lentils by covering with 3 cups of water and bringing to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.
2. Bring 2 cups water to a boil. 
3. Reduce to low. 
4. Slowly whisk in 1 cup polenta. 
5. Keep stirring to break down clumps. 
6. Add milk (about ½-cup) to thin out. 
7. Add salt to taste. Set aside. 
8. In a skillet sauté onion, garlic, and bell peppers until onion is translucent and bell peppers have softened. 
9. Stir in spices to coat and cook 1 minute. 
10. Add cooked lentils and marinara sauce, stirring to combine. 
11. Continue to cook over low, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly warm and reduced slightly. 
12. Spoon lentil mixture into 4 bowls. Top with prepared polenta. Or, put the polenta in first and top with lentil mixture.

Notes:

• Serves 4
• Per serving: 412 calories, 5.2g fat, 75.7g carbs, 17.1g fiber, 14.8g sugars, 15.5g protein

Spaghetti and "Meatballs"

The "meatballs" here are perfect! Having a low calorie, homemade meatball that I can use for anything, like a meatball sandwich or pasta, is wonderful. Typically, if I wanted meatballs, I'd buy Gardein's, which I like a lot. This gives me a homemade meatball to use. Putting it on spaghetti squash is probably the healthiest option of spaghetti squash, pasta, or hoagie bun. It's your pick. I got the original recipe from the Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor. 

Ingredients:
oil 
¼ small onion, diced 
1 garlic clove, minced 
¾ cup cooked brown rice 
¾ cup prepared white beans 
2 tbsp tomato paste 
1 tbsp Panko 
¼ tsp dried oregano 
1 cup marinara sauce
1 spaghetti squash (or pasta or bun if that is your meal)

Directions:

1. Sauté onion and garlic until translucent. 
2. Remove from heat and transfer to a food processor along with rice, beans, tomato paste, Panko, and oregano. 
3. Process for 10-15 seconds total, stopping every 3-5 seconds to scrape sides. (Mixture should be slightly chunky.) 
4. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 
5. Cook spaghetti Squash (see below)
6. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
7. Form mixture into meatballs and bake for 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch. 
8. Serve meatballs with spaghetti squash and warm marinara sauce. 

Spaghetti Squash Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Slice lengthwise, place in an oven-safe dish face down with 1/2-inch water. 
3. Bake for 30-45 mins at 400F. 
4. Remove seedy matter and use a fork to pull away the spaghetti strands. 

Notes:

• Serves 2
• 370 calories, 6.2g fat, 69.7g carbs, 9.2g fiber, 13g sugars, 11.7g protein
• You can also microwave the spaghetti squash: Poke holes in it with a fork, microwave for 10-15 minutes until fork tender. Then slice lengthwise, remove the seedy matter, and pull spaghetti strands away from sides.
• Serve with parm. 

Sloppy Lentil Joes

I'll admit that my family was a little skeptical of these. The kids turned them down outright because of the green bell pepper. However, they were super easy and quick to make and will be a go-to for me. I got the original recipe from Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor. 

Ingredients:
oil
1 onion, diced 
4 garlic cloves, minced 
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced 
2 tsp chili powder 
1-2 tsp Italian seasoning 
2 cups cooked lentils 
1 cup salsa 
1 cup marinara sauce 
4 buns or tortillas

Directions:

1. Sauté onion, garlic, and bell pepper until onion is translucent and bell peppers have softened. 
2. Stir in spices to coat well. 
3. Add cooked lentils, salsa and marinara sauce, stirring to combine. 
4. Continue to cook over low, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly warm and reduced slightly. 
5. Spoon onto buns and serve. 

Notes:

• Serves 4
• Per serving: 410 calories, 4.6g fat, 70.9g carbs, 23g fiber, 14.2g sugars, 22.7g protein
• For a serving for two (pictured one of two servings) use: ½ small onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced; 1 tsp chili powder; ½ tsp dried oregano; 1 cup cooked lentils; ½ cup salsa; ½ cup marinara sauce; 4 slices bread
• Omnivores could throw in a ground meat of their choice as well.

Baked Lasagna Wraps

When I saw this recipe, I was very excited to give it a try. It sounded so good; and it was! I wanted to half the recipe because it makes 4, and I didn't want a ton of leftovers because I have lots of fresh meals to make, but now I'm kind of happy I didn't. I got the recipe from Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor, but I altered it to fit my tastebuds.

Ingredients:
10-oz frozen spinach
15-oz extra firm tofu, drained
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt
pepper
2 cups marinara sauce
vegan parmesan
4 flour tortillas (burrito size)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Cook spinach according to package directions, squeezing out excess liquid.
3. In a large mixing bowl, crumble tofu.
4. Mix in lemon, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder until well combined.
5. Fold in spinach and 1 cup marinara.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more Italian seasoning or garlic if desired.
7. Spread mixture onto tortillas and roll up.
8. Place crease side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
9. Bake 15-20 minutes.
10. Warm remaining cup of marinara and drizzle over wraps.
11. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.

Notes:

• Serves 4.
• Per serving: 424 calories, 13.7g fat, 51.8g carbs, 12.0g fiber, 12.6g sugars, 28.0g protein
• For just cooked wraps, heat the filling (or serve cold), and do not bake. Serve with warmed marinara.

Old World Manicotti

This is a great basic recipe for manicotti. The great thing about this recipe is that you can fancy up any portion of it. We've done stuffing with chicken and cheese, we've done alfredo sauce, a half-and-half red/white sauce, and we've done it just as is.

Ingredients:

12 large manicotti shells

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided into 1 & 3

2 cups ricotta cheese

6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 tablespoons dried basil

1 (26-ounce) jar prepared spaghetti sauce, divided

½ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cool water. Let pasta dry on wax paper and pat with paper towels.
3. For filling, in medium bowl, stir together 3 cups mozzarella with the ricotta and fresh basil. Using a teaspoon (hands are better) carefully stuff pasta shells with prepared cheese mixture.
4. Spoon 2 cups spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed pasta over sauce. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over top of pasta. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
5. Bake manicotti for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan; bake for 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

Notes:

• Prep time: 20 minutes                
• Cook time: 25 minutes   
• Serves 6

Entree: Cheesy Spinach Noodle Bake

This is a good, vegan noodle bake that takes a little less effort than putting together a lasagna. I didn't like the original recipe from This Can't Be Vegan as written, so I've modified it.

Ingredients

8 ounces elbow macaroni or shells 12 ounces grounds  4 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 26-ounce jar marinara sauce (use a flavored one) 2-4 tablespoons spinach, chopped 2 cups vegan shredded mozzarella cheese, divided  1 cup nondairy sour cream  1/4 - 1/2 cup nutritional yeast 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º. 
2. Cook noodles until al dente; drain and set aside. 
3. In a large nonstick skillet, add grounds, garlic, salt, and pepper, stirring frequently until heated through and slightly crisp, about 10 minutes. Add marinara sauce and spinach, stirring until spinach is wilted and everything is well combined. Remove from heat. 
4. In a large bowl, combine cooked noodles, 1 cup shredded cheese, sour cream, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and fresh parsley. Stir until ingredients are evenly distributed and noodles are well coated. 
5. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Top evenly with marinara mixture and remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. Let stand for 15 mins before serving. 

Other Notes:

• Serves 8.
• Nutrition based on 8 servings

Polenta Bars

These are a great appetizer, side dish or entree. The photo is only was left after the first use. This is another recipe by Colleen Patrick Goudreau in The 30-Day Vegan Challenge.

Ingredients:
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups coarse cornmeal or polenta
1/4 cup nondairy milk (soy, rice, almond, hazelnut, hemp, oat)
1 teaspoon salt (may need more, add gradually)
2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Add the water to a 4-quart saucepan, and heat to boiling.
2. When the water has boiled, slowly add the cornmeal, whisking frequently as you pour it in. If you don't whisk, it will clump up. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue stirring for about 5 minutes to allow the polenta to absorb the water and thicken up. Slowly add the nondairy milk, salt, and nutritional yeast, and stir until the liquid is absorbed and the polenta thickens, about 5-10 minutes.
3. Add the basil and parsley, stir for 1 more minute, and remove from heat.
4. Taste, and add additional salt, if necessary.
5. At this point, the polenta will be thick (and getting thicker.) Once you remove it from the heat, you serve it immediately, or, to form it into shapes, you will shapes using a cookie cutter, and set aside.
6. To let it set, pour it into a 9-by-13-inch glass or nonstick pan, and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight. When ready to serve, cut into squares or punch out other shapes using a cookie cutter, and set aside.
7. Heat the olive oil in the skillet on medium heat. Sear the polenta squares until golden on both sides and heated throughout. Serve with hot marinara sauce.

Other Notes:

• Variation: Instead of pan-frying the polenta, as long as it is nice and firm, it can also be grilled. Brush the squares first with olive oil, and grill until seared on both sides and heated throughout.