Tag Archives: vegan main dish recipes

Millet Vegetable Pilaf

Millet Vegetable Pilaf

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If you’re looking for something different to fix for a social gathering, or simply to make ahead for a weeknight meal, this should do the trick. It’s not hard to make and is ready in about the time it takes to cook a small pot of millet.

Below is a video demonstration of how to make this dish. The written recipe follows the video.

Enjoy!
Judi

Millet Vegetable Pilaf
Makes 4 to 5 Meal-Size Servings (or About 8 Side Servings)

1 cup millet
2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup vegetable broth, or more as needed
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup diced bell pepper
1 cup diced carrot
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small (4 oz) can or jar of mushroom pieces OR 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1-1/2 cups diced zucchini or yellow squash
1-1/2 cups cooked great northern beans OR 1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, optional
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of one lemon

Place the millet in a fine strainer and rinse it under running water. Allow it to drain over a bowl. In a medium pot with a lid, bring the 2 cups of vegetable broth to a boil. Add the millet. Cover the pot and reduce heat to medium-low so the millet will simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and allow the millet to rest for 5 minutes, with the lid still on the pot.

Meanwhile, cook the vegetables. In a skillet with a lid, heat about 1/3 cup of the vegetable broth. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, carrots, basil, thyme, parsley flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir-steam the vegetables over medium heat until they are almost crisp-tender, keeping the skillet covered when not stirring. Add more broth as needed to keep the mixture from getting dry. When the carrots are almost fork-tender, stir in the mushrooms, zucchini, the cooked beans (if using them), chopped spinach, any remaining broth, and the lemon zest. Continue cooking about another 1 to 2 minute, to allow the spinach to wilt and the zucchini to cook to a crisp-tender. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Total cooking time is roughly 13 minutes. Remove from heat. Gently stir in the cooked millet and serve.

Lentils with Vegetables Over Spaghetti Squash

Lentils with Vegetables Over Spaghetti Squash

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If you’re wanting to give meatless meals a try once in a while, this is a good one to start with. Yes, there are a lot of ingredients, but don’t let that stop you. The lentil vegetable topping cooks in about the time it takes for the squash to roast, so there’s little time wasted in making this dish. It’s a delicious recipe of (oil-free) roasted spaghetti squash topped with a lentil and vegetable mixture. It’s delicious and makes a wholesome and light meatless meal. Below is a video demonstration with the written recipe below that.

Enjoy!
Judi

Lentils with Vegetables Over Spaghetti Squash
Makes about 4 Servings

1 medium spaghetti squash

Lentil vegetable mixture:
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup diced onion
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced carrot
½ cup brown or green lentils, rinsed and drained
1-1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, with juice
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried oregano
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast, optional topping

Cook the spaghetti squash:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper; set aside. Wash the squash and cut it in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds, scraping them off with the tip of a spoon; discard the seeds. Place the prepared squash, cut side down, on the parchment-lined baking tray. Place on middle rack of the preheated oven. Roast about 30 minutes, or until the squash can easily be pierced with a sharp knife or a fork. Remove from oven to cool enough to be handled.

Meanwhile, prepare the lentil vegetable mixture:
In a medium-large saucepan with a lid, add the oil and briefly allow it to warm up. Add the onion and sauté it briefly until it begins to turn translucent. Add the mushrooms and garlic, stir, and sauté briefly until they just begin to cook. Add the remaining ingredients, except the squash and Parmesan cheese.

Stir the mixture and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat to simmer and cover the pot. Stir it occasionally, as it cooks. Adjust flavorings if needed. Simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, until lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, as the lentil mixture is cooking, prepare the squash:
After the squash has cooled down enough to be handled, turn the squash halves over and gently release the strands with a fork. Remove them to a serving bowl.

When everything is ready, place some squash noodles on each serving plate. Top with lentil mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast, if desired. Enjoy!

Note: The lentil mixture would also be delicious served over traditional pasta, rice, quinoa, or mashed potatoes.

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.

Sweet and Savory Lentils

Sweet and Savory Lentils

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If you’ve never tried lentils, this is a great recipe to start with! It’s delicious, easy to make (just dump everything into the pot, stir and cook), versatile, and can be adjusted to your taste preferences (regarding “heat”). Give it a try and let me know how you like it! The recipe is below the video demonstration. Enjoy!

I hope this helps!
Judi

Sweet and Savory Lentils
Makes About 8 Servings

1-1/2 cups dried lentils, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup raisins
4 cups water (or more, if needed)
1/3 cup chopped bell pepper of choice
1 tsp garlic powder (or 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced)
Pinch dried hot red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
½ tsp dried basil
2 tsp blackstrap molasses
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

Place all ingredients in a large saucepan. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium-low and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, and add more water if the mixture becomes too thick before the lentils are tender. It is helpful to lower the heat as the mixture thickens, so it won’t burn and to keep it from splashing on you as it bubbles.

Serving suggestions: This can be topped with shredded cheddar cheese and served over brown rice or used as a taco or burrito filling in place of a meat mixture. It’s also wonderful topped with cheese and served with chips. Some folks even enjoy this over cooked noodles or pasta. Enjoy!

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.