garlic

Plant Based African Ground Nut Stew (Vegan African Peanut Curry)

November 29, 2017 by Veronica Grace

Peanut Stew is something I’ve been wanting to make for a long time because it’s so delicious and satisfying. I was perusing online for inspiration and came across One Pot African Stew from MakingThymeForHealth and used that as the basis for my version.

Once you try it I think you’ll agree that it’s incredibly delicious and maybe even inspiration to use as a base recipe for other veggies. I can see white potatoes, zucchini, winter squash, bell peppers and carrots going well with this too. It is ready in about an hour over the stove, or you can try using a crockpot and cooking it slowly while you’re away from work.

Another note: Personally I’m not a fan of super spicy food or jalapeños so I omitted them. If you really love jalapeños then please add them as your heart desires. 🙂

Please give this a try and let me know what you think!

Plant Based African Ground Nut Stew

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
3-inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 teaspoons of roasted ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 large yam/sweet potato, peeled and diced into small cubes (1 lb)
3/4 cup of smooth peanut butter (look for low sodium and sugar free)
4 cups of low sodium vegetable broth (plus more for cooking or use water)
1-2 cups of water, depending on desired thickness
1 bunch of kale/collards/spinach*, stems removed and chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2-3/4 tsp Herbamare or Salt (Less if using salted broth or salted peanut butter)
Fresh ground pepper to taste

To Serve:
3 cups cooked brown rice
roasted peanuts, broken into pieces (optional)
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
2 limes, cut into wedges

Directions:

Add water or vegetable broth to a large pot and heat over medium. Add the onions and spices and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste, yam/sweet potato, peanut butter, broth and water until well combined and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium low and cover for about 15 minutes. If using collards, add them now and continue cooking another 15 minutes. If using spinach or kale add them when the yams/sweet potatoes are fork tender (after about 25 minutes) and let cook only a few more minutes.
Using a potato masher or ladle, crush some of the yam/sweet potato up and thicken the broth. Cook for another few minutes until creamy.
Serve over brown rice and garnish with peanuts, fresh cilantro and lime juice.

(I cook my rice in a Zojirushi rice cooker)

I’m not sure how this recipe would turn out for those wondering about using PBFit Peanut Butter Powder. If you do try it let me know how it turned out.

Have you ever made a peanut based curry before? What other veggies do you think would go well with this?

20 Min To The Table: Rainbow Black Beans and Rice with Garlicky Citrus Kale

August 18, 2013 by Veronica Grace 16 Comments

Beans and rice are and eaten throughout the Caribbean and Latin America and it’s easy to see why! Beans are so easy and versatile to use in many dishes and can absorb all kinds of delicious flavors when seasoned with delicious spices and herbs. It’s also an extremely affordable and satisfying dish that pretty much anyone can make!

This Rainbow Black Beans and Rice is my take on an old staple, but it will also work for pinto beans or kidney beans so feel free to get creative and use what you have.

And aren’t you cooking fresh beans weekly by now with your EZ Bean Cooker or Digital Pressure Cooker? Aren’t you? I hope so. With weekly fresh beans you have to put them to use and start incorporating them in new recipes! Hopefully 🙂

Also if you’d prefer to just buy pre cooked brown rice to always have on hand you can check out Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice Pouch or Steamed Brown Rice Bowls and use it for this recipe.

Video below:

For more delicious recipes please check out my cookbook Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World here (and pick up an apron while you’re at it too!) To subscribe to my Youtube channel please click on the video to open it in a new browser and hit the subscribe button beside LowFatVeganChef just under the video. Likes are always appreciated as well! The recipe follows below.

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Vegan Rainbow Black Beans and Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced or pressed
1 tomato, diced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 15 oz can black beans or 3 1/2 cups fresh cooked in a little bean liquid
2 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute or Mrs. Dash (salt free seasoning)
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2-3/4 tsp Herbamare or salt *or to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
handful cilantro, chopped
3 cups pre cooked brown rice (about 1 1/2 bags)
8 Corn tortillas *optional

Garlicky Citrus Kale

Ingredients:

1 large bunch of kale, stems removed
4 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1/4-1/2 lime juiced
Pinch of salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Add the onions, tomatoes and garlic to a pan over medium high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the bell pepper and celery and cook for about 5-7 minutes just until the celery is just tender.

3. Add the beans, a little bean liquid and the seasonings and let cook 2-3 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, gently steam the kale and minced garlic in a little boiling water for 2-3 minutes just until cooked and set aside.

5. Add the cooked brown rice to the beans and veggies. Stir gently and heat for a minute. Taste test and adjust seasonings if desired.

6. Drain the kale and season with lime juice, salt and pepper.

7. Quickly heat the tortillas in a microwave (30 seconds) or in a flat pan just until warm and pliable.

8. Serve and Enjoy!

Have you ever made rice and beans? What are your favorite seasonings to add?

20 Minutes To The Table: Baked Flatbread with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Artichokes and Basil

July 28, 2013 by Veronica Grace 10 Comments

So the other day I was craving something pizza-like, but knew I wanted to put a healthy twist on it. Although you may think I’m apt to put hummus on just about anything (I might! lol) I actually don’t eat hummus all that often. But when I do, I love to make my own from scratch as it’s super simple. In this recipe I wanted to use the creamy hummus to sub for the sauce and cheese of traditional pizza and then top with some delicious veggies. Although you can use store bought hummus, I don’t like that it contains a lot of oil and isn’t as tasty as making your own. In fact there is a world of difference between fresh made roasted red pepper hummus versus the store bought kind.

In this episode of 20 minutes to the Table I’m going to show you how you can make your own roasted red pepper hummus, baked flat bread and a fresh salad with maple dijon dressing all in less than 20 minutes for an easy midweek meal

To subscribe to my Youtube channel please click on the video to open it in a new browser and hit the subscribe button beside LowFatVeganChef just under the video. Likes are always appreciated as well!

Some other toppings for your baked flatbread could be sautéed mushrooms, black olives, pineapple, arugula, tempeh or smoked tofu. Use your imagination! Recipes below:

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Oil-Free Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Recipe

This is half the recipe from my version in Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World

Ingredients:

15 oz. / 425 g can chickpeas (no-salt), drained (reserve a few tbsp of liquid) *OR 1 3/4 cup fresh cooked chickpeas
1 Tbsp. tahini (sesame seed butter)
6 oz. / 170 g (half a jar) roasted red peppers, drained *OR about 1 small fresh roasted red pepper
1/2 large lemon, juiced
2 cloves of garlic
1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/8 tsp. Herbamare or salt, or to taste

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Taste test and adjust seasonings if desired and blend again. Don’t worry if it’s a little thin, when it baked it will become creamy and thick!
3. Enjoy!

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Recipe photo

Vegan Baked Flatbread with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Artichoke Hearts and Basil

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (recipe above)
1 package of thin burger/sandwich buns or other flatbread
1 15 oz. can artichoke hearts in water (not oil) *OR 400g of frozen artichoke hearts
1 small Vidalia (sweet) onion, sliced
1 handful of fresh basil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sauté onion over medium heat for 5-7 minutes in a little bit of water.
2. Slice artichoke hearts and basil into strips.
3. Assemble flatbread by spreading a thick layer of hummus on each piece of bread and topping with cooked onion, artichoke pieces and basil.
4. Bake for 8-10 until crispy and brown on the bottom. (I baked mine for 10 minutes)

Spinach Arugula Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing

Serves 3-4

Salad Ingredients:

1 5 oz package baby spinach & arugula mix
1/2 English cucumber, sliced
1/2 ripe tomato, sliced
1/3 cup chickpeas

Dressing Ingredients:

4 tbsp Dijon mustard
5-6 tbsp maple syrup (or honey if desired)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper

Directions:

1. Assemble salad ingredients into a bowl.
2. Whisk dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Drizzle over salad and store any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge.

Have you ever made a vegan flatbread or pizza? What’s your favorite toppings? Let me know what you think of these recipes by posting below.

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Stir fries can vary widely from delicious and tasty to boring and bland, and as a vegan it isn’t always the most appetizing dish to make (if you’ve eaten it a thousand times before.)

I find the solution is to vary the sauces you use and I like to make different ones. You can also change up the rice you serve them on by using brown rice, white rice, red rice or a combination of any of them.

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You can use this tahini sauce over steamed vegetables or stir fried vegetables in a non stick pan. (You don’t need to use oil in non stick pans, you can cook the vegetables by themselves or in a little water if necessary).

Use your favorite veggies and get creative!

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Asian Vegetable Stir Fry in Tahini Sauce

Serves 2

Tahini Sauce Ingredients:

1/3-1/2 cup water (I use the lower amount, my Vitamix pulverizes everything, only use higher amount for low powered blender)
2 tbsp tahini
2 large medjool dates, pitted (and chopped if necessary for your blender)
1 large clove of garlic
2 tsp of fresh chopped ginger
1 1/2 tbsp low sodium tamari or soy sauce (GF if desired)

Stir Fry:

3-4 cups frozen or fresh mixed vegetables
1 1/2 cups cooked brown or white rice

Directions:

1. Combine sauce ingredients in a Vita-Mix or blender and blend until smooth. If using a basic blender you may need to use the higher amount of water and chop your garlic, ginger and dates to ensure that it blends properly.

2. Saute fresh or frozen vegetables in a wok or non-stick skillet with 1/2 cup water. Cover with a pot lid and steam until tender. Add additional water if necessary.

3. Assemble bowl. Add brown rice to a bowl or plate, top with vegetables and drizzle with tahini sauce.

4. Serve.

Additional Tips:

You can customize this sauce by adding more or less garlic or ginger or dates, or by swapping out the tahini for almond or peanut butter instead for variety.

To make this recipe really quickly you can use frozen stir fry veggies or pre cut fresh veggies from the produce section of the grocery store.

What’s in your favorite stir fry recipe?