One-Pot Pasta for the Instant Pot

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 to 3/4  lbs. pasta of your choice (I used a red lentil pasta)

1 to 1½ cups chickpeas, already cooked (or 1 can)
2½ to 2-3/4 cups vegetable broth (still trying to figure out the optimum amount)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion - sliced thin
1-2 bell peppers - sliced thinly (or however many you want)
½ teaspoon miso or salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½  teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes –more if you like it spicer
4 big leaves fresh basil (torn into pieces)
3 garlic cloves – minced (I’m using more next time)
2 lemon Slices

You can add any vegetables of your choice.

Put everything in the Instant Pot and stir.

Cook for 8 min in the pressure cooker.  I let pressure come down for 15 minutes and released the rest.

I threw in a few handfuls of spinach when it was done cooking, stirred, and just let the heat wilt it.

Served with homemade vegan parm.  (See below)  Can also serve with some fresh basil on top and even add some hot sauce if you like.

 

Vegan parm:

 

2 cups walnuts
2 cups nutritional yeast.
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp miso

 

Mix together in a food processor. 

You can add any other spices you want to the parm.

 

 

 

Inspired by:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0MiecCcvbI

Confetti Rice

Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper (seeded and chopped)
• 1 bunch green onions (sliced)
• 1 cup corn kernels (frozen corn that has been thawed out)
• 1 cup peas (frozen peas that have been thawed out)
• 15oz can red kidney beans (drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cup cooked beans))
• 2 cups brown rice (cooked)
• 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1-2 clove garlic (minced)
• black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Directions

Combine the vegetables, beans, and rice in large bowl.

For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and minced garlic in a small bowl. Add dressing to the salad and mix. Season with pepper, to taste.

This dish can be served warm or cold. Recipe from:   http://www.vsutah.org/side-dishes/confetti-rice/

BBQ Lentil Loaf Muffins

BBQ Lentil Loaf Muffins

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup greenish/brown lentils* – (you can use the already cooked ones from Trader Joe’s - see below for amount)
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds mixed with 1/4 cup water
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 cup gluten free oats
• 1 cup tomato sauce – no salt added
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon Benson’s Table Tasty Salt Substitute or other no salt seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup BBQ Sauce – no sugar or salt added – *see recipe below
• 2 tablespoons ketchup – no sugar or salt added – There is a recipe for salt free ketchup on Straight Up Food Blog. (I didn't mix with ketchup...just used the BBQ sauce)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the ground flaxseeds with 1/4 cup water and set aside. The ground flax seeds will absorb the water and become gelatinous and they act as a binder for the loaf.

Rinse and drain the lentils. In a medium size sauce pan bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add the lentils, turn the heat down and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the lentils are soft and the water is absorbed. The cooking time will vary depending on what type of lentil you use so check them at the 25 minute mark and keep an eye on them. Drain off any remaining liquid.

While the lentils are cooking – add a tablespoon of water or vegetable broth to a skillet along with the diced onion, saute for about 5 minutes, add minced garlic and saute another minute or two adding more water or broth if needed to keep the mixture from sticking to the pan. Turn off the heat, add the flax mixture, tomato sauce, seasonings, oats and lentils. Mix well – taste it and adjust seasonings if needed. Remember that a lot of the flavor is coming from the topping.

Prepare a non stick muffin pan by spraying it liberally with non stick spray or use a silicone muffin pan. Fill ten of the muffin cups with lentil loaf mixture – pressing it down gently in the cup so it will stick together.

Mix together the BBQ sauce and ketchup and spread it evenly over the top of each lentil muffin.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Use a plastic or bamboo knife and gently slide it around the edges of each lentil muffin to loosen them from the pan.

* If you want to use precooked lentils like the ones from the refrigeration section at Trader Joe’s you will need about 2 1/4 cups.
Tami’s Notes: Next time add 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard to the loaf mixture, double the recipe for extras to freeze.
Yield: 10 lentil loaf  loaf muffins
Serving Size: 1 lentil muffin
Nutritional Information 
Per Serving; 132.7 Calories, 1.1 g Fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 81.1 mg Sodium, 24.5 gCarbohydrates, 7.6 g Fiber 6.6 g Protein
BBQ Lentil Loaf Muffins Recipe adapted from a Lentil Loaf from In Sonnets Kitchen

BBQ Sauce

Recipe by Shayda Soleymani

1 six-ounce can of tomato paste
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup date paste (page 65 in Unprocessed) (I didn't make date paste but just used about 5 dates...will work if you have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp stone ground mustard (salt-free)
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 to 2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chilpolte power
1/2 tsp “smoked” papraika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
A little liquid smoke (optional)
Preperation
Blend everything in a high-speed blender.
Recipe shared with Shayda’s permission.

Original recipe from:  http://nutmegnotebook.com/2013/12/bbq-lentil-loaf-muffins/

 

BBQ Soy Curls

Prepare the soy curls:

1 (8-ounce) package Soy Curls (break them up into pieces)
4 cups water
2 tablespoons Hickory liquid smoke
2 tablespoons tamari (soy sauce)

Soak for 15 minutes.

 

SAUCE

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 cups organic ketchup (I use whatever ketchup has the least amount of sugar and I use a little less than the full 2 cups)
2 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon Hickory liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard powder
1 teaspoon salt (optional – there is really no need to add salt…the ketchup adds enough salt)

Saute onions.  Add rest of ingredients.

Drain soy curls (no need to squeeze water out of them).  Combine with sauce.

I slow cook for a couple hours on the normal setting in the instant pot. (original recipe says to cook on high for 1 hour, but I found the normal setting works best for me).

 

I order the soy curls from here:  http://www.butlerfoods.com/products/soycurls.html

 

This recipe is from Simple Daily Recipes.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJzegx5c5GE

Broccoli Bisque

(from Dr. McDougall’s newsletter)

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

4 cups broccoli florets

3 cups vegetable broth
2 cups frozen chopped hash brown potatoes (or use fresh potatoes peeled and cut into chunks)
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
2½ cups non-dairy milk (almond, soy, etc.)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste (I leave salt out)

Place broccoli, broth, potatoes, onion, and dill weed in a medium pot.  Bring to boil, cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes until broccoli and potatoes are tender.  Use an immersion blender to blend.  Add non-dairy milk, mustard, and pepper.  Heat through and serve. 

If you don’t have an immersion blender (which I highly recommend…so easy!), you can blend the soup in a regular blender or Vitamix and then return back to pot to add milk, mustard, and pepper. 

 

 

Brussels Sprouts, Rice, And Corn Soup

This is a simple, tasty soup.  I doubled the recipe, but next time might triple it.  I left the red pepper flakes at 1/8 teaspoon as I don’t like spicy and everyone else could add it to their own bowl to satisfy their spice level.

Ingredients

•1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

•1 large shallot or very small onion, cut into thin slices
•1 clove garlic, cut into thin slices
•3 ounces Brussels sprouts (4 to 6 sprouts), trimmed and cut into thin slices (I bought a bag of shredded Brussels sprouts at Trader Joe’s)
•1 1/2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth, or more as needed (I definitely used a lot more than this).
•3 tablespoons (uncooked) long-grain white rice (I used a brown rice)
•1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
•Sea salt (optional)

Directions

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add a bit of water, sprinkle in the crushed red pepper flakes, letting them sizzle for a few seconds. Add the shallot or onion, and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until the shallot or onion starts to soften, 2 or 3 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring, just until they brighten in color, another minute or two.

Carefully add the water or broth and the rice; let the mixture come to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low or low so the liquid is barely bubbling around the edges. Cover and cook until the rice has plumped and become tender, about 35 minutes, stirring and adding liquid as needed.

Uncover; stir in the corn and cook until it has heated through, 3 or 4 minutes. Season with salt to taste (optional).

Note:  If doubling or tripling this recipe, be careful about increasing the red pepper flakes as their heat increases exponentially.

 

Recipe from:  A potluck dish made by Rayna Schroeder.  Thanks!!

Lentil meatballs (vegan of course!)

Ingredients:

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
3 cups cooked lentils
4 tablespoons flour buckwheat, garbanzo (whatever you have)
 
Directions:

Mix everything except for flour in a mixing bowl.  Use an immersion blender to blend about ½ the mixture.  Add in the flour to thicken to a cookie-dough consistency.

Roll into balls or use a 1-inch scoop.

 

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes and then go in 5 minute increments until crispy (mine cooked for about 20 minutes)

 

Recipe from:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-tTbk8os9k