Tag Archives: meatless recipes

Vegetable-Bean Medley

Vegetable-Bean Medley

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Here’s an easy recipe for a vegetable mixture that’s really versatile. It would be excellent served over a bed of any starch you choose…rice, quinoa, couscous, millet, or any other grain product, or even mashed potatoes! It would also be delicious served as a simple soup, suitable for those who like a little broth, but not a lot. The mixture has some liquid in it (deliberately) so there’s something to moisten the base, like mashed potatoes.

Below is a video where I demonstrate how to make this dish. The written recipe is below the video. I hope this helps 🙂

Enjoy!
Judi

Vegetable-Bean Medley
Makes 4 to 5 Servings

1-1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup diced onion
1-1/2 cups diced carrots
3/4 cup diced bell pepper
1-1/2 tsp dried thyme
3/4 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried parsley

½ tsp salt, optional (or to taste)*
1 cup diced zucchini or yellow squash
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
2 cups cooked great northern beans
OR 1 (15.8 oz) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained

Cooked starch of choice, like rice, quinoa, couscous, pasta, millet, or even mashed potatoes (optional)

In a medium to large pot with a tight-fitting lid, add the vegetable broth through parsley from the ingredients list. Stir to combine. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, until the carrots start to soften.

Taste the mixture to see if seasonings need adjusting to your taste, and if it needs any added salt. Add any seasoning adjustments plus the squash, spinach, and beans. Stir to combine. Cover the pot and allow the vegetables to simmer another 5 to 7 minutes, or until the squash is lightly cooked, the beans are heated through, and the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and serve over your hot, cooked starch of choice, OR eat it like it is as a soup. Enjoy!

Cook’s Note: At the end of cooking time, there will still be some liquid in the pot with the vegetables. Use this to your advantage to help moisten whatever starch you serve this with. It will only enhance the dish!

* Added salt may or may not be needed in this dish. It depends upon your personal tastes and how much salt was in the vegetable broth.

About Judi
Julia W. Klee (Judi) began her journey enjoying “all things food” in elementary school when she started preparing meals for her family. That love of food blossomed into a quest to learn more and more about health and wellness as related to nutrition. She went on to earn a BS Degree in Food and Nutrition, then an MS Degree in Nutrition. She has taught nutrition and related courses at the college level to pre-nursing and exercise science students. Her hunger to learn didn’t stop upon graduation from college. She continues to research on a regular basis about nutrition as it relates to health. Her hope is to help as many people as possible to enjoy foods that promote health and wellness.

Quinoa with Vegetables Over Tomatoes

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Here’s an easy dish that makes a lovely presentation and is refreshing on a warm day. Because quinoa is a good source of protein, it can be used as a meatless main dish or also an excellent side dish. Either way, it’s yummy! Here’s a video showing how I made this dish. Below the video is the recipe!

Happy eating!!
Judi

Quinoa with Vegetables over Tomatoes
Makes about 4 Main Dish Servings
Makes about 6 Side Servings

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
4 oz button mushrooms (about 6 each)
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 tsp dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups + 2 Tbsp water
1-1/2 to 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2-4 medium fresh tomatoes, sliced into wedges*

Optional garnishes (use one or any combination desired):
Basil, parsley cilantro, sesame seeds, juice of ½ lemon or lime

In a medium-large saucepan (with a lid), heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté briefly. Add the garlic, carrot, and mushrooms, and sauté briefly until the vegetables begin to cook. Stir in the (uncooked) quinoa, parsley, salt and pepper, and allow the quinoa to toast briefly.

Add the water and stir to combine, making sure all the quinoa is in the water. Cover the pot and turn the heat up to bring everything to a boil. Turn the timer on for 15 minutes as soon as the water comes to a boil. Then turn the heat down to medium low and allow everything to simmer until the timer goes off.

Turn the burner off; stir in the spinach. Cover the pan and remove it from the hot burner. Allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes in the covered pan. Fluff with a fork and serve over tomato wedges that were arranged in a pinwheel design on the plate.

*Another option: Rather than serving the quinoa over tomato wedges, you could reserve one whole tomato per person and do the following: Slice off the top and remove the seeded area of the tomato. Spoon the quinoa mixture into the tomato, filling it to the top. Place the top of the tomato back in its place. Place filled tomatoes in a glass baking dish (not greased) and into a preheated 400F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes JUST begin to cook. This would make a lovely side dish with many types of meals. It’s delicious!