Homemade Lentil Soup

Posted on by Loryn Vegan Lunch & Dinners

Homemade Lentil Soup

Olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2-3 carrot, diced

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 bay leaf

1 14.5 oz crushed tomatoes

2 cups dried lentils, rinsed

8 cups of water (or 4 C water & 4 C veggie broth)

Fresh (or frozen) spinach

Salt & pepper to taste

Elbow pasta (1/2 box)

–          In a large pot, heat olive oil, onions, carrots, celery, garlic oregano and basil – cook until onions begin to soften.

–          Add lentils, bay leaf, water and tomatoes

–          Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer for 1+ hours

–          After 40 mins – boil water and cook pasta

–          Add spinach salt & pepper and cooked pasta to soup.

Pasta and sauteed green beans

Posted on by Loryn Vegan Lunch & Dinners

1 Box Pasta

Fresh Green beans

1 large red pepper

1 medium onion

1 can Chick peas, rinsed & drained

2 cloves garlic

salt, pepper, dried basil, sugar to taste

olive oil

 

– While water is boiling, cut up all veggies and saute over med-low heat in olive oil and seasonings (add chickpeas once veggies are cooked)

– Cook pasta as directed, drain and dress with olive oil and some additional salt & pepper

– Top pasta with veggies

 

 

Eggplant Sauce

Posted on by Loryn Vegan Lunch & Dinners

Eggplant Sauce

*A FAMILY  FAVORITE*

 

1 medium eggplant, cubed

1 onion, chopped

1 red pepper chopped

4-5 cloves garlic

Bunch fresh basil

Salt& pepper to taste

Sugar (1Tb more or less to taste)

Crushed red pepper, a dash

Olive oil

Crushed Tomatoes, 1 large can

–       In a large pot, place eggplant, onion and peppers in seriously coat with olive oil, sprinkle with some salt, pepper and sugar

–       Cook over medium-low until eggplant is soft (about 10 minutes)

–       Add crushed tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, sugar, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste

–       Cook over low heat for another 10-20 minutes.

–       Serve hot over pasta.

VEGAN Home-made Pumpkin Ravioli with Hazelnut Cream Sauce

Posted on by Loryn Vegan Lunch & Dinners

Home-made Pumpkin Ravioli with Hazelnut Cream Sauce

Pasta:

  • 2 Cups Flour
  • 2/3 Cup Water
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 T olive oil

Mix all ingredients together until dough comes together in a ball.  Kneed on floured surface until smooth. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.  Roll out into sheets (or use hand crank pasta machine – Pull off small chuck (about 1/8th of ball) flour well and run through on 1st /largest setting, re-flour, fold into thirds and run through the 2nd setting, repeat until the desired thickness – we use #5 on our machine) if it’s too thin then the fillings seems to seep out.  Once in strip and desired thickness, cut into squares, fill with pumpkin filling and fold, be sure to press together edges well so filling doesn’t escape.  Place on flat floured surface until ready to cook – DO NOT stack on top of each other or they will stick and rip.   Once ready to cook, place 5 or 6 raviolis into boiling water. Wait until raviolis start to float (about 30 secs) and take out of water with slotted spoon.

Filling:

  • 1 large Carrots
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbs vegan margarine or oil
  • 1 16 oz can pureed pumpkin
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 Tbs Maple syrup

In a medium pot, cook carrot, onion, garlic, salt, pepper coriander and allspice  in margarine until soft.  Then, add pumpkin puree and maple syrup.  Cook on low heat for a few minutes or until ready to use.

Sauce:

  • 2 Cups Soy Milk
  • 1 Cup toasted, chopped hazelnuts
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Dash white pepper
  • Dash cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in small pan and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer for 10 mins.  Transfer to food processer or blender and blend until smooth.  Return to pan and keep warm on med-low heat.  If not thick enough bring back to a boil until thickened.

 

Also – These are seriously DELICIOUS!!!!!

Spinach & Cannellini Pasta (Quick & Easy)

Posted on by Loryn Vegan Lunch & Dinners

Spinach & Cannellini  Pasta  (Quick & Easy)

Pasta

Onion

Garlic, chopped

1 can Cannellini beans (white beans)

Spinach

Olive oil

Tomatoes

Spices to taste: salt, pepper, crushed red pepper

 

–       Cook Pasta

–       While pasta is cooking, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil with spices (add spinach if using frozen- wait if it’s fresh)

–       Once onions are soft, add beans and spinach (if fresh)

–       Mix in pasta once cooked… mix well adding some more olive oil and salt & pepper if needed.

–       Mix in fresh tomatoes (optional)

–       ENJOY!

Sesame-ginger stir-fry

Posted on by Loryn Vegan Lunch & Dinners

Sesame-ginger stir-fry

Broccoli

Sugar snap peas

Red peppers

1 Tb vegetable oil

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 Tb sesame oil

3 Tb Braggs or soy sauce (more to taste)

Sesame seeds

Angle hair pasta (or rice noodles) *Use rice noodles for GF

 

–       Sautee vegetables, garlic and ginger in vegetable oil & 1 Tb of Braggs (you can also add a dash of crushed red pepper and sugar if you want)

–       Cook & drain pasta.

–       Mix in sesame oil and rest of braggs.

–       Mix in veggies and top with sesame seeds.

WALNUT SAUCE

Posted on by Loryn Vegan Lunch & Dinners

WALNUT SAUCE

2 Cups Walnuts, toasted *

½  Cup Olive Oil

½  Cup Veg. Broth

Garlic (1-2 cloves if raw – whole head if roasted first)

½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Pepper

1. Blend all ingredients, using food processer or blender until creamy (add more water or broth if needed)

2. Stir with cooked pasta… top with lightly sautéed vegetables… or a fresh tomato salad.

It’s creamy – like a vegan alfredo sauce.. but packed with omega-3 and protein!  This is a long-time family favorite.

* careful not to over-toast.

 

Home-made Tomato Sauce

Posted on by Loryn Vegan Lunch & Dinners


Home-made Tomato Sauce

½ onion, diced

4 cloves Garlic, crushed

Large Can of Crushed tomatoes

Fresh Basil – the more the better!

Olive oil

Sugar to taste (around ¼ Cup)

Italian spices (salt, pepper, oregano, crushed pepper) to taste… I only put a pinch of oregano, since the taste can be overpowering.

–          Sautee onions in olive oil until translucent

–          Add crushed tomatoes and all other ingredients – including additional olive oil

–          Simmer for 20-40 min on low heat

Italian Stuffed Peppers (with pasta & home-made tomato sauce)

Posted on by Loryn Vegan Lunch & Dinners

 

Peppers:

4 Italian peppers

1 onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

4 slices of vegan-friendly bread

Italian spices (basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper) to taste

Olive oil

–          Preheat oven to 400

–          Sauté the red peppers, onion & garlic (with some salt & pepper and a dash of sugar) in olive oil, until soft

–          Toast slices of bread & put in blender or food processer to make bread crumbs

–          Mix sautéed vegetables, bread crumbs and Italian spices in a bowl – add some olive oil to bread mix if it’s not moist looking

–          Cut off tops of Italian peppers, wash and get out seeds

–          Stuff each pepper with bread crumb mix

–          Bake until peppers are soft and starting to brown (30-60mins)

Fried Eggplant

Posted on by Loryn Vegan Lunch & Dinners

Fried Eggplant

Eggplant

Flour

Water

Vegan friendly bread

Italian seasonings (basil, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic)

Olive oil

 

–          Mix flour and water to make a pancake batter consistency

–          Make bread crumbs by toasting 2-4 slices of bread and blend in food processer – mix in Italian seasonings

–          Heat olive oil in frying pan (you may need to add more oil as you cook the eggplant)

–          Slice Eggplant, dip into batter and then bread crumbs, place directly into frying pan

–          Flip eggplant once the bottom side is browned

–          Once both sides are cooked, place on plate with paper towel on it to cool

–          Fried Eggplant can be served with pasta & sauce or in a sandwich with fresh basil, red peppers and greens.