Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon

I love broccoli. I eat it cooked or raw. It's delicious in just about every way.

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon

One pound fresh broccoli florets, or one bag frozen broccoli florets
Olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. oregano
Salt and pepper
2 T. lemon juice

Place everything in a large bowl and stir to coat well. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake at 400 for about 15 minutes. Stir at least once in the middle of the cooking time. Serve. Enjoy!

Meatballs in Onion Sauce

I absolutely love Gardein's Meatless Meatballs. Seriously, they are my favorite. I tend to keep a bag in the freezer often, and use either in spaghetti or meatball sandwiches. But I wanted something different. This was the result.

Meatballs in Onion Sauce

One package Gardein Meatless Meatballs
Olive oil
One onion, chopped
1 T. all purpose flour
2 c. vegetable broth

Saute the onion in the olive oil until softened. Add the flour and stir to mix well, then add the vegetable broth, stirring constantly until thickened. You may need to sprinkle in a little more flour. Add the meatballs to the gravy, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over wide noodles. Enjoy!

German Sauerkraut Soup

Growing up, I didn't like sauerkraut. Then one day I sauteed some sausage and threw in some onions and green peppers. On a whim, I added a can of sauerkraut. I've kind of liked it ever since. Now my youngest has become quite fond of the stuff, so when I told him I was going to make a soup with it, he got pretty excited.

German Sauerkraut Soup

2 onions, diced
3 carrots, sliced
3 celery ribs, sliced
4 c. vegetable broth
2 c. sliced mushrooms
About 5 potatoes, cubed (I don't peel, but feel free to if you prefer)
One can of vegan cream of mushroom soup (or homemade, if you have a favorite recipe)
One can sauerkraut
2 t. dill
Salt and pepper to taste

Add everything to a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to simmer and cook until potatoes are soft. Serve. Enjoy!

Green Bean and Tomato Salad

This is a really refreshing and light simple salad.

Green Bean and Tomato Salad

2 c. green beans, either fresh and cut into 2 inch pieces, or frozen
One tomato, sliced into 12 wedges
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. olive oil
1 t. soy sauce

Steam the beans until tender, or cook according to package directions. Add the beans and tomato to a large bowl. Mix the vinegar, olive oil, and soy sauce together, and pour over the vegetables, Stir gently to coat well. Marinate at room temperature for about an hour. Serve. Enjoy!

Five Spice Tofu

I've said several times before how much my family loves to grill, and how I often try to get them to expand their grilling repertoire. This is one of those times, and the results were delicious!

Five Spice Tofu

3 T. tamari
2 T. lime juice
2 T. mirin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. sriracha (check ingredients, some brands aren't vegan)
1-1/2 t. dark brown sugar
1 t. five spice powder
One package extra firm tofu, frozen, thawed in boiling water, pressed, and sliced

Add all the ingredients to a gallon sized ziploc baggie and wiggle around the coat the tofu well. Refrigerate overnight. Grill on a lightly oiled grill, cooking about 5 minutes per side.

Make an extra batch of the marinade to brush over the tofu as it grills.

Serve. Enjoy!

Garlicky Kale and Mushrooms

Kale gets a lot of hate, I've noticed, but my family loves the stuff. I like it cooked, or raw in salads.

Garlicky Kale and Mushrooms

Olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t. salt
One small package of sliced mushrooms
One pound of kale, coarse stems removed
Coarsely ground black pepper

Saute the garlic in oil until softened. Add the mushrooms and salt and saute until lightly browned. Add the kale and black pepper, stirring often to make sure the kale cooks and doesn't burn. When it is cooked down, it's ready. Serve. Enjoy!

Chick'n in Champagne

Two things lately I've been kind of on a kick about - reading about life in France and trying different wines. I've become a little obsessed now with finding recipes that cook with wine, and combine two of my interests. This is the result!

Chick'n in Champagne

Vegan chick'n breasts (I used Gardein Chick'n Scallopini)
Herbs, such as chervil, tarragon, or thyme
One shallot, chopped
1 c. champagne (I had some Brut on hand, so that's what I used)

Place the chick'n in a shallow baking pan. Salt and pepper, then pour the champagne over them. Sprinkle on the shallot, trying to get it as even as possible. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Serve with brown rice. Enjoy!

Shepherd's Pie

There are soooo many recipes out there for Shepherd's Pie. I've tried a few. I knew this one would be a hit when my husband walked through the door and asked what smelled so good? He had two servings. He's kind of a picky eater, so this was truly a testament to how good it is.

Shepherd's Pie

2 zucchini, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thin slices
Mashed potatoes
Vegan grounds (I used a combination of Gardein and Beyond Meat)
One onion, cut into bite sized pieces
3 or more garlic cloves, minced fine
1 T. fennel seeds
1 t. thyme
1 t. savory
1 t. sage
1 heaping t. paprika
3 T. soy sauce
1# spinach, stems removed

Lay the zucchini out on a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Flip them over and repeat. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

While the zucchini is baking, saute the spinach until wilted. In another pan, saute the onion until softened. Add the vegan grounds, the seasonings, the soy sauce, and the garlic. Heat through.

Lay the zucchini side by side in a casserole dish. Spread the cooked spinach on top. Now spread the vegan grounds mixture on top of the spinach. Lastly, spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the grounds. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

It may not look pretty, but oh my was this delicious! I barely had enough left over for my lunch the next day! Definitely a keeper!