Charred Okra and Tomato Saute Over Grits

Serves: 4

Beans

3/4 cup chickpeas (DO NOT use 1 cup)

Overnight soak chickpeas in water.

1/2 tsp salt
3 cups water

Cook chickpeas in Instant pot, manual mode in High pressure for 20 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.

Grits

1 and 1/4 cup cornmeal, fine ground
1 cup water

Mix cornmeal with 1 cup of water and set aside.

2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
3 cups water
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 and 1/4 tsp salt

In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk, water, coconut oil, turmeric powder, salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and slowly whisk in the cornmeal paste. Simmer stirring frequently, until the mixture is smooth, tender and creamy, about 20 minutes.

Vegetables

1 tbsp coconut oil
1.75 pounds okra

Wash okra and dry them completely with paper towel and cut okra into 1/2" pieces.

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped (it came to 2 cups)

1 cup corn
1/4 cup water

1 cup tomato, chopped
1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced (2 green onions, I got 1/4 cup white parts and 1/4 cup green parts)
1 and 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
1 and 1/2 tsp salt

Heat oil in a pan, WHEN THE PAN IS HOT, add okra and cook for 6 minutes in high flame or 10 minutes in medium or high flame (I did 10 minutes in medium flame once and 10 minutes in high flame 2nd time, loved 10 minutes in high flame version, but its hard to wash the dish and the house became very smoky even with fan running), shake the pan every 2 minutes to let the okra brown evenly. Remove okra from the pan and set aside.

*** Okra is cooked at high heat to prevent it from getting slimy. Make sure your pan is hot!

Using the same pan add oil, turn the heat to medium, add onion, garlic, bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes.

Add corn, water, mix, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, green onion and red chili flakes, salt, cooked chickpeas, cook until tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes in medium flame.

Add okra back to the pan and mix well cook for 2 minutes and turn off the stove.

Yields: 7 cups charred okra and tomato saute

Serve over grits.

Source: dorastable
Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME

Overnight Buckwheat Groats

Serves: 1

1/2 ripe banana, mashed (1/3 cup mashed)
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup plant based milk

Mash banana, add pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla extract and milk, mix well.

2 tbsp raw buckwheat groats
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

Add buckwheat groats, chia seeds, ground cinnamon and salt, to the mashed banana and mix well.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Toppings:

1/2 tbsp raisins / serving
1/2 tbsp cacao nibs / serving
1 tbsp nuts, chopped / serving (I used 10 almonds / serving)
berries ( I used 10 blackberries)

Add desired topping and enjoy.

Source: fountainavenuekitchen
Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME, but very heavy, I reduced chia seeds to 1 tbsp, I used 2 tbsp. Also I reduced buckwheat groats from 1/4 cup to 2 tbsp. So next time, it shouldn't be that heavy.

Green Curry Noodle Soup

Serves: 4 

Green Curry Paste

4 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp fennel or cumin seeds

Dry roast coriander and fennel seeds for 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant.

2" fresh turmeric root, peeled or user 1 tsp ground turmeric
2" fresh ginger, peeled
1 jalapeno pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 cup chopped lemongrass (1 large stalk or 2 small stalks)
1 tbsp garlic cloves
4 tbsp raw cashews, soaked for 15 minutes
1/2 cup cilantro
1 tbsp lime juice

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp water

Add the rest of the ingredients to a blender and blend until pasty. Add water and blend if needed.

Yields: 1 cup paste

Soup

1 tbsp sesame oil
green curry paste from above

8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 spring curry leaves

16 x-small okra
1/4 cup cauliflower pieces
1/4 cup beans, chopped (8 beans)
1/4 cup sliced carrots
2 cups eggplant (1 slim chinese eggplant)
1 bunch swiss chard stems, chopped

4 cups water
3 cups coconut milk
2 tsp salt
cayenne (based on spiciness of jalapeño, you might have to add some cayenne, I didn't have to)

16 ounce rice noodles, COOK noodle for 7 minutes, drain and rinse with COLD water.

1 bunch chopped swiss chard

12 ounces tofu (3 ounces / serving)

cilantro (optional)

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add all of the curry paste and fry for 3 minutes in low flame.

Add mushroom, curry leaves and cook for 2 minutes in low and 5 minutes in medium flame.

Add vegetables, mix well, add water, coconut milk, salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium medium and let the vegetables cook for 10 minutes.

Add swiss chard and let the mixture simmer in low for 5 minutes, turn off the stove.

Add cooked noodles and tofu to the serving bowls, add soup on top of noodles and tofu to serving bowls and garnish with cilantro and serve.

Source: veganricha
Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME.

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Serves: 4 (Check the notes before making it next time)

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2 Pound Potatoes
1 Tsp Salt

Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with water and salt. Bring to a light boil over medium heat and cook for 25 minutes or until tender.

Once tender, drain the potatoes and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Mash the potatoes using potato masher until fluffy.

1 Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Garlic, Chopped

Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and saute for 3 minutes in low flame.

3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Black Pepper Powder

Add roasted garlic, olive oil, salt and black pepper powder and stir to combine.

1 Bunch Chives, Chopped

Top with chives.

Yields: 4 and 1/4 cups

Filling

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 tbsp garlic cloves, chopped

2 and 1/2 cups vegetables (I used 1/2 cup each: carrots, beans, mushroom, frozen peas and frozen corn) - 12.5 ounces
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme

1 and 1/2 cup brown lentil, uncooked, rinsed and drained (may 1 cup is enough)

4 and 1/2 cups water

Heat olive oil in a large pan, saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes in medium heat.

Add vegetables, salt, ground black pepper, dried thyme, mix well. Add lentils, water and mix well.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 40 minutes. If adding any frozen vegetables, add it in the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Yields : 5 cups

Bake

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease 9x13 pan.

Transfer the cooked lentil and vegetables to the prepared oven-safe baking dish and carefully top with mashed potatoes. Smooth down with a spoon and make fork marks after leaveling.

Place on a baking sheet to catch any overflow and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the mashers are lightly browned on top.

Let cool briefly before serving. The longer it sits, the more it will thicken. Let cool completely before covering.

Source: minimalistbaker
Taste Note: Tastes GREAT. The filling needs more flavoring.

Note: Next time, I am thinking of doing something like this

1. Make any poriyal: http://kdsrecipecollections.blogspot.com/search/label/Poriyal%20Recipes?updated-max=2015-08-31T22:55:00-07:00&max-results=20&start=13&by-date=false

2. Make lentil with 1 cup lentil: http://kdsrecipecollections.blogspot.com/search/label/Lentil%20Recipes

3. MakeMashed Potato with 2 pounds Potato: http://kdsrecipecollections.blogspot.com/2017/09/olive-oil-mashed-potatoes.html

4. Mix dal with poriyal.

5. Assemble everything and Bake

Creamy Chocolate Breakfast Shake

Serves: 2

1 cup frozen ripe banana, chopped prior to freezing (about 1 large banana)
1 cup frozen strawberry or blueberry (about 12 strawberries)
3 tbsp cacao powder
2 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp flax seed meal
2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 handful of spinach

place all the ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Source: minimalistbaker
Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME

Chia Seed Porridge with Blueberries

Serves: 1

1 cup nut milk
1 tea bag (zhena's gypsy tea - Fire Light Chai - Herbal Red Tea)

Pour 1 cup of nut milk in a cereal bowl, add  1 tea bag to the milk. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze the tea bag, remove and throw the tea bag.

3 tbsp chia seeds

Mix chia seeds to herbal chai blend infused nut milk. Let the mixture sit refrigerated overnight.

1/3 cup blueberries (4.4 ounces blueberry box, divide that in 2 serving bowls)
1 tsp maple syrup

The next morning, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and if the chia has clumped, break up the clumps with a fork or spoon. Add blueberries and maple syrup and enjoy.

I had lot of berries, so I added all berries

Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME

Mujadara

Serves: 4 (Next time, use the measurements in brackets to make this)

1 and 1/2 cups brown lentil (whole masoor or sabut masoor), I used green lentil
4 cups water

Place lentils in a large pot, add water. Place the pot on the stove and when the water boils, cook the lentils for 7 minutes, drain immediately and set aside.

1/4 cup olive oil
2 leeks, cleaned throughly. Trim the roots and slice the white and light green parts into thin ribbons
(or) 4 red onions, chopped into lengthwise pieces
1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil
1 and 1/2 tbsp garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 bunch greens stems (if using swiss chard), chopped

2 tsp ground cumin
1 and 1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 and 1/8 tsp ground cayenne

1 cup and 2 tbsp hand pound rice, rinsed

1" stick cinnamon
1 and 3/4 tsp salt
6 cups water

1 bunch greens (swiss chard or spinach), chopped

Be sure leeks are dry before frying.

Fried Leeks

Preheat the pan.

Pour oil, wait until it begins to shimmer, put few slivers of leek in. If they immediately begins to sizzle, add the rest.

If your oil is not hot enough you are going to soak it up with the leeks / onions, creating greasy mess.

If the leeks begins to brown too quickly, lower the heat.

Be  sure to turn frequently to distribute the leeks evenly, cook until golden brown and crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes (I cooked leeks in medium for 18 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes - for onions, i cooked for 25 minutes in medium). Turn off the stove.

Add salt and mix well (MUST add the salt when the fried item is hot), remove 1 cup leeks to a bowl and set aside.

 

To the pot with the remaining leeks, add garlic, bay leaves, swiss chard stems and saute for 30 seconds.

Add ground cumin, allspice and cayenne, stir for 30 seconds.

Add rice saute for 2 minutes.

Add drained lentils, cinnamon, salt, mix well.

Add water, bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to low, place a tight-fitting lid on the pot and let it steam away for 15 minutes.

Open the pot, arrange the greens on top in an even layer, cover and cook for 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat.

Let the mujadara stand for at least 10 minutes before opening the pot. Mix well and serve.

1 cup tomatoes (grape or regular), chopped (optional)
1 cup cucumber, chopped (optional)

Garnish with reserved 1/4 cup of leeks, add 1/4 cup of chopped tomatoes and 1/4 cup of cucumber.

Source: cookingdotnytimesdotcom

Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME
Yields: 9 Cups

Savory Polenta

1/2 cup cornmeal, fine ground
1/2 cup water

Mix cornmeal with water to make it like a paste, without any lumps.

1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp black urad dal
1 tsp channa dal

1/2 tsp mustard seeds
asafetida

2 tbsp cashew nuts, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 serrano pepper, finely chopped

curry leaves

1 tsp ginger, grated

1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped ( 1 large or 2 small )
1/2 cup beans, finely chopped (13 beans)
1/2 cup cauliflower, chopped
1/4 cup peas
1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 cup potato, chopped (1 extra small potato)
1/2 cup tomato, chopped

1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper, if its not spicy enough

2 cup water

1 cup plain unsweetened coconut milk

3 ounces spinach, chopped (optional)

2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped

Heat oil in a pan, add urad dal, channa dal, toast it till it becomes light brown, add mustard seeds, when it starts to splutter, add asafetida, cashew nuts, onion, serrano peppers, curry leaves, ginger, saute for 3 minutes in medium flame.

Add carrot, beans, cauliflower, peas, turmeric powder fry for 2 more minutes.

Add potato, tomato, salt, water, coconut milk and allow it to boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium, cook for 5 minutes and  then simmer in low.

Add cornmeal paste and cook for 20 minutes in low. Add spinach in last 3 minutes, increase the heat to medium. Stir often.

Switch off the pan, after 20 minutes, garnish with cilantro leaves.

Tastes Note: Tastes AWESOME
Yields : 4 and 1/2 cups

Coconut Yogurt Berry and Hemp Heart Parfait

Serves: 1

1/3 cup strawberries
1/3 blackberries
1/3 raspberries
1/3 cup blueberries

1 cup unsweetened plain coconut yogurt

2 tbsp shelled hemp seeds (113 calories)

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Take a tall glass, add blueberries to the bottom of the glass, add 1/3 yogurt on top of blueberries, add strawberries, add 1/3 cup of yogurt, add blackberries, add 1/3 cup of yogurt, add raspberries.

Add hemp hearts on top of the finished parfait.

Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg.

Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME

Mexican Chopped Salad with Spicy Avocado Dressing

Serves: 4

Beans

1 cup dry black beans

Overnight soak black beans in water.

1/2 tsp salt
4 cups water

Cook black beans with salt and water in instant pot, manual mode in high pressure for 30 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.

Yields: 2 and 1/2 cups

Spicy Avocado Dressing

1 small ripe avocado
1 tsp garlic
1 jalapeno

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/8 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup water

Add all the dressing ingredients to blender, blend until smooth.

Yields: 8 Tbsp

Salad

2 hearts of romaine, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped into 2
2 green onion, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup frozen / fresh corn
cooked black beans
1 Jalapeno

Mix all the salad ingredients, divide into 4 serving bowl, add dressing and enjoy!

Source: happyhealthymama
Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME

Instant Pot Spanish Rice

Serves: 4

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
3/4 cup yellow or green bell pepper, chopped (I added 1 small yellow bell pepper)

1 cup uncooked hand pounded rice, washed

1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt* (if the salsa was made with NO SALT tomatoes, add 1/4 tsp more salt here)

1/2 cup salsa
1 and 1/2 cup water

Press Saute on Instant Pot.

Let the pot get hot for 2 minutes. Add oil, spread using spatula.

Add onion, carrot, bell peppers, cook stirring occasionally until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.

Add washed, uncooked rice, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, stir and cook stirring frequently, until rice becomes opaque, about 2 minutes.

Add salsa and water. Mix well.

Close the lid, put the knob on sealing.

Cook on Manual for 8 minutes at High Pressure.

When the beep sounds wait for 5 minutes and then use a quick pressure release to release pressure.

Fluff rice with a fork and serve immediately.

* If you are adding store bought salsa, you have to limit the salt in this recipe, the store bought salsa has lot of salt in it, you might not need extra salt in this recipe.
Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME.
Yields: 4 and 3/4 cups

Gluten Free Vegan Pancakes

Serves: 3 to 4
Yields: 10 small pancakes
Note: To make pancake for just 2, make 1/2 of this measurement, that are in the brackets

2 and 1/4 cup coconut milk (1 cup + 2 tbsp)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (1/2 tsp)

In a medium bowl, combine coconut milk, apple cider vinegar. Set aside for 5 minutes.

2 tbsp maple syrup (1 tbsp)
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (MUST MELT IT) (2 tbsp)
2 tsp vanilla extract (1 tsp)

In the coconut milk / vinegar bowl, add maple syrup, melted coconut oil and vanilla extract and mix well.

1 cup white rice flour / sorghum flour (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup tapioca flour (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup coconut flour (2 tbsp)
1 tbsp flax seed meal (1/2 tbsp)
1/8 tsp salt (1/8 tsp)
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder (3/4 tsp)
2 tbsp coconut palm sugar (1 tbsp)

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.

Heat cast iron griddle on medium high heat, add coconut oil to the griddle.

Scoop pancake batter into 1/4 cup circles, cook until a fair amount of bubbles appear on the surface, flip and then cook for 2 to 4 minutes.

Source: thefitchen
Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME