Firecracker Curry Noodles

This is a great meal in the summer or in the winter or any season. When do you light off your firecrackers?

Ingredients:
12-oz dry noodles (e.g. bow-tie firecrackers)
16-oz frozen stir-fry vegetables
1 cup lite coconut milk
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2-3 tbsp red curry paste
1-2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to package instruction, adding stir-fry vegetables 2-4 minutes before the noodles are done to cook briefly. 
2. Drain and rinse under cool water then return to pot. 
3. While the noodles and veggies cook, in a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients starting with 2 tbsp curry paste and 1 tbsp soy sauce. 
4. Pour over cooked noodles and vegetables, stirring to combine. 
5. Heat over low until thoroughly warm. 
6. Taste, adding more curry paste, soy sauce, and/or Sriracha as desired.

Notes:

• Serves 4
• Per serving: 428 calories, 8.2g fat, 75.1g carbs, 10.8g fiber, 6.8g sugars, 13.5g protein 

Simple Lentil Chili

There's nothing like a bowl of soup or chili in the cold, wintry months. This simple lentil chili cooks the lentils while simmering the chili. An easy dish for the upcoming weeks between snacks and time-intensive meals.

Ingredients: 

1 onion, diced 

3-4 garlic cloves, minced 

1 bell pepper, seeded and diced 

1 qt vegetable broth 

2-3 tsp chili powder 

1/4 tsp smoked paprika 

1 1/4 cup dry lentils 

1 can (14-oz) diced tomatoes 

crackers 

Directions 

1. Sauté onion, garlic and bell peppers until onion is translucent. 
2. Stir in chili powder and smoked paprika to coat. 
3. Add lentils and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. 
4. Add tomatoes (with juices) and broth. 
5. Cover and bring to a boil. 
6. Reduce heat to low and simmer until lentils are tender. 
7. Salt and pepper to taste, plus more chili powder or smoked paprika if desired. 
8. Serve with crackers or crusty bread.

Notes:

• Serves 4 
• Takes ~40 minutes after prep
• Nutritional Analysis per serving (sans crackers): protein 16.3g, sugars 6.8g, fiber 17.7g, carbs 40.5g ,fat 1.1g , calories 235

Vegetable Rice Casserole

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked brown rice 

2 zucchinis, diced 

10-oz cherry tomatoes, halved 

2 bell peppers, seeded and diced 

1 onion, diced 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 cup frozen corn, thawed 

½ cup fresh basil, chopped
½ cup vegetable broth 

2 Tbsp flour 

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

2 tbsp nutritional yeast 

¼ cup breadcrumbs 

Directions: 

1. Cook rice if not pre-cooked. 
2. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
3. Place zucchini on baking sheet in a single layer. 
4. Sprinkle cherry tomatoes and bell peppers over zucchini. 
5. Bake 20-25 minutes or until zucchini is roasted and tomatoes are shriveled. 
6. While the vegetables bake, sauté onions and garlic until translucent. 
7. Turn off heat and add flour, stirring to evenly coat onions and garlic. 
8. Stir in cold milk and broth. Stirring until there are no lumps. 
9. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. 
10. Once it starts to thicken, turn off heat and stir in nutritional yeast, plus salt and pepper. Set aside. 
11. In a glass casserole dish, mix together cooked rice, roasted veggies, and corn. 
12. Add sauce and mix again. 
13. Sprinkle with basil and breadcrumbs. 
14. Bake 25 minutes or until sauce bubbles and the top is toasty. 

Notes:

• Total Time: 50 min  Active Time: 10 min
• Per serving: 404 calories, 5.6g fat, 78.2g carbs, 11.3g fiber, 10.4g sugars, 15.3g protein
• I do not suggest making this in the summer. This is too warm of a dish for that.

Pumpkin Sloppy Joe

Sticking with the theme of lentils, and the seasonal pumpkin goodness, and warm sloppy joe sandwiches are a great winter meal.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked lentils 

1 onion, diced 

4-6 garlic cloves, minced 

2 tbsp chili powder 

2 tsp ground cumin 

1 cup vegetable broth 

1 cup canned pumpkin 

¼ cup tomato paste  

pure maple syrup 

8 slices bread 

Directions:

1. Cook lentils if not using pre-cooked. 
2. In a separate skillet, sauté onions and garlic until translucent. 
3. Stir in chili powder and cumin to coat. 
4. Add broth, pumpkin, and tomato paste, stirring to combine. 
5. Taste, adding maple syrup for a sweeter dish. 
6. Stir in cooked lentils. 
7. Heat over low until warm. 
8. Taste, adjusting spices as desired. 
9. Combine to make sandwiches and serve. 

Notes

• Makes 4 sandwiches
  
• Per serving: 390 calories, 4.2g fat, 67.2g carbs, 23.2g fiber, 9.8g sugars, 23.8g protein

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I screenshot this recipe off of no less than three Instagram accounts that I follow. Obviously, I was super excited to make it. The original recipe is from @sixvegansisters. The original recipe called for mini chocolate chips, but I couldn't find any. I've seen it with chocolate chunks in a post by sixvegansisters and I wish I'd gotten the chocolate chunks I like and used those.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 cup vegan margarine (from a tub, not sticks)
1/4 cup nondairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (vegan)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour through cornstarch.)
4. Using an electric mixer in a large bowl, cream together the margarine, milk, sugars, and vanilla.
5. Using a rubber spatula attachment, add half the flour mixture to the wet mixture and combine.
6. Add the rest and mix until combined.
7. Fold in the chocolate chips.
8. Drop round balls of the size of your choice of the dough onto the parchment lined baking sheets.
9. Bake for 9-11 minutes for small balls, 11-13 minutes for medium balls, and 13-15 minutes for large balls. Continually check to be sure they are baked to your liking.

Notes:
Supposedly makes 1 dozen cookies, but my very large balls made more like 21 cookies.

Pasta with Red Lentils

Resuming posting recipes, starting with this pasta and lentil dish. It's one of my favorites, takes about 20 minutes, and is perfect comfort food.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil 

1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
8-oz dry macaroni or shells
1 quart vegetable broth
¼ cup tomato paste 

1 cup dry red lentils 

Directions:

1. Cook macaroni according to package instructions. Drain and rinse. (While boiling, proceed to steps 2-8.)
2. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet.
3. Saute onion, garlic, and bell pepper until onion is translucent.
4. Stir in tomato paste to coat.
5. Add broth and lentils.
6. Cover and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to low and simmer until lentils are soft, about 20 minutes.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Stir together with cooked macaroni and serve.

Notes:

• Serves 4
• Per serving: 434 calories, 2.8g fat, 78.7g carbs, 20.7g fiber, 4.9g sugar, 26.6g protein