mini vegan frittatas

i was inspired to make these today from a dish i tried a couple of weeks ago in palm springs.  when i was having brunch with my friends, i ordered a cheese frittata. i tried to eat the dish but since i have not eaten eggs in forever, my stomach could not hold the food down.

frittatas are a spanish/italian dish that is made with egg and is similar to quiche and omelletes.  they are usually filled with cheeses, meats and vegatables.

today for brunch, i decided to whip up my take on a vegan frittata.  although i wanted to make a light and healthy meal, this dish ended up to be extremely rich and fulfilling.  i thought a great way to serve this was making individual portions so i baked them in muffin pans. 

ingredients:
1 potato, cut into small cubes
5-6 slices of vegan bacon, cut into ity bitty bacon bits
1/2 cup of chopped green, yellow and red bell peppers
1 bunch of spinach, chopped
1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms
1/4 onion, chopped
2-3 tbs olive oil
your favorite all purpose seasoning
salt, pepper and red pepper to taste
2 tbs lemon juice
firm tofu, blended (you may need to add 2-3 tbs of soy milk to get a creamy texture)
1/4-1/2 cup of panko breading
vegan shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese **for topping**
non-stick spray
muffing pan
large pan

directions:
1) preheat oven to 350 and coat muffin pans with non-stick spray.
2) mix all the ingredients together except for the cheese, panko breading, tofu and the non-stick spray of course! and let ingredients sit and marinate for about 10mins.
3)  heat a large pan on medium heat.  saute mixture and cook for about 5-7 minutes.
4)  transfer cooked mixture into a large bowl.  add tofu mixture and mix until everything is covered.  then add panko breading.  the panko breading is just used to bind the mixture together.
5) spoon in mixture into muffin pans and top with shredded cheese.
6) bake for 25-30 minutes.
7) top with louisana hot sauce and enjoy!

bon apetit!

tomato basil vegetable quinoa

one of my favorite thai dishes that i order at a local restaurant is a thai basil vegetable dish.  rather than eating this with rice i decided to toss in some quinoa instead.  i'm a big fan of this nutirent filled grain!  here's my vegan take on one of my favorite thai dishes.

ingredients
1 tomato, sliced
1/4 cup of yellow onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped basil
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup of broccoli
1 cup of shredded cabbage
1/2 cup of sliced carrots
1/2 cup snow peas
1/4- 1/2 cup cashews
1/2-1 cup of bean sprouts
1-2 tbs sweet chili sauce
1-2 tbs vegetarian stir fry sauce
peanut oil
serrano pepper chopped (optional)
2-3 tbs of water
1-2 cups of cooked quinoa

directions:
1)  on medium heat peanut oil in a large pan.
2) saute onions and garlic for 1-2 minutes.
3) add cashew and cook for 2 minutes.
4)  add mushrooms, peas, broccoli, carrots and cabbage.  add water and stir fry for 2 minutes.
5)  add tomatoes, basil, pepper, chili sauce and vegetarian stir fry and cook for 1-2 minutes.
6)  turn stove off and toss in cooked quinoa.
7) serve dish with a side of bean sprouts.  mix bean sprouts together while piping hot on your own plate.  enjoy!

vegan sinigang (filipino soup)

sinigang is a soup dish from the philippines that is sour in taste because it is flavored with tamarind, calamansi, or gauva.  this soup usually made with beef, pork, milk fish and shrimp and stewed with onions, tomatoes and veges.  here's my take on vegan sinigang, which is really easy to make.  just don't add meat! ha.

                                        

penne pesto pasta with green beans and potatoes

ingredients:
2 cups of penne whole wheat pasta, cook as directed
french green beans, halved and steamed
1 potato, boil in water then cubed when fully cooked
red pepper, salt and pepper to taste
*toss all of these ingredients together and chill in fridge while preparing sauce.**

pesto sauce:
1-2cups of basil
3 large cloves garlic
6 tbsp raw pine nuts
3/4 – 1 tsp salt, or to taste
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
vegan parmesan cheese 1/4-1/2 cup

directions:
1)  blend all pesto sauce ingredients together.
2) mix sauce with potatoes, green beans and pasta.
3) enjoy!

rasberry banana soy protein shake

one of my favorite shakes after a run.  and yes, i do use the magic bullet!  i made this shake with soy protein powder, soy milk, one banana and a couple of rasberries.  quick and easy!  great for breakfast too!

cuban black beans with chard greens

a couple of weeks ago i tried chard greens for the first time at a restaurant in the city.   it was sauteed and tasted similar to spinach.  i loved it!  here's my take on that dish along with an easy black bean and rice dish.

ingredients for chard greens:
12 oz sliced chard greens
5 cloves of minced garlic
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp of vegan butter
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
1)  heat olive oil and butter in pan on medium heat.
2)  when butter is melted, add minced garlic.  constantly mix to avoid burning. cook for about 3-4 minutes to flavor the oil.
3)  add chard greens and saute until greens have welted.

ingredients for black beans:
15 oz of canned black beans
1/2 cup of chopped green peppers
1/2 cup of  cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 of a red onion, chopped
1 tbs of red wine vinegar
5 cloves of minced garlic
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp oregano
2-3 tbs olive oil

directions:
1)  on medium heat, saute onions and garlic.
2)  add tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes.
3)  add beans along with liquid.  once liquid comes to a slight boil, add seasoning and constantly stir.  simmer on low for about 20-30 minutes.
4) lastly add red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

vegan bacon!

yes sirrrr!!! vegan bacon!  fixed myself a tofu and vegan chees whole wheat muffin with morning star's vegan bacon for breakfast today.  y'll need to try it!  tastes like the real thing!