Citrus Beet Salad

I get it… Not everyone likes beets. If you’re one of those odd folks that don’t, well go ahead and skip over to the next recipe. If you are like us though, this is one recipe that you will want to give a try. This salad would be perfect to serve chilled on a hot afternoon or summer day.

My wife and I really loved this recipe. It is quick to make (if using pre-cooked beets) and I could get it all thrown together in minutes while she watched the baby. A quick-and-easy and healthy meal is a win-win in our house. The mint and citrus really help to balance the earthy flavor of beets. The goat cheese added some heartiness to the dish, and really helped to tie all of the flavors together.

Citrus Beet Salad

Print Recipe
Course Dinner, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 serving
Calories 474 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large Beets you can instead buy a container of pre-cooked beets to expedite the making of the salad
  • 5 Tangerines or Clementines separated into sections
  • 1 small Red Onion finely chopped. (optional)
  • 1 bunch Mint chopped
  • 1½ cup Goat cheese crumbled
  • 2 Tbsp Olive oil

Instructions
 

  • (If you purchased pre-cooked beets, skip to the next step.)
    Add the beets to a large pot of boiling water. Simmer until tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool.
  • Peel (if not pre-cooked) and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
  • Add the tangerine segments, onion, mint and olive oil.
  • Gently mix together and serve.

Notes

Original recipe: https://www.food.com/recipe/citrus-beet-salad-375873

Nutrition

Calories: 474kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 21gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 529mgPotassium: 1135mgFiber: 10gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 1761IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 212mgIron: 4mg
Keyword Beets, Citrus, Salad
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Category: Appetizers & Snacks, Healthy & Light, Main Courses, Side Dish, Vegetarian & Vegan | LEAVE A COMMENT

Tofu Tacos

One of my vegetarian co-workers shared this recipe with me. I figure I’d give it a shot, and to be honest… It was really tasty! There is lots of flavor from all the spices and the tofu ends up having an almost meaty texture, similar to crumbled beef. Baking it I feel is what really makes it work, as it helps to dry out the tofu. I could easily eat these any day of the week and not miss the “real” meat.

Tofu Tacos

Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 14 oz extra firm tofu 1 block, drained
  • 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • ¼ cup tomato sauce
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pinch cayenne
  • olive oil for drizzling
  • 4 small corn tortillas

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
  • Use your hands to crumble the tofu into a medium bowl. Add the soy sauce, tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, pepper, and cayenne and stir until well-combined.
  • Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large baking sheet. Transfer the tofu to the baking sheet, using a spatula to spread it out as much as possible.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and slightly crispy.
  • Fill the tortillas with the tofu, lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, and guacamole.

Notes

Original recipe: https://tasty.co/recipe/tofu-tacos
Keyword Vegetarian
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Category: Healthy & Light, Main Courses, Vegetarian & Vegan | LEAVE A COMMENT

Instant Pot Jackfruit Carnitas

After the taste bud nirvana of making the BBQ jackfruit i was up for trying more jackfruit recipes. So, since I love mexican food, i figured that carnitas would be a great idea to try.

I honestly was not disappointed. These tasted so good! The secret though is in finishing them in the oven to get that little bit of crispness in them as pressure cooking alone doesn’t give that.

Instant Pot Jackfruit Carnitas

Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
NPR 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 2 20oz Cans green jackfruit packed in water or brine
  • 1 red onion chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
  • 1 teaspoon sambal oelek

Instructions
 

  • Rinse and drain the jackfruit, then use your fingers to pull the pieces apart so that it looks like shredded pork.
  • Add the shredded jackfruit, along with the rest of the ingredients to the Instant Pot and stir to combine. Secure the lid, close the pressure valve, and cook for 4 minutes at high pressure. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then switch the valve to “venting” to quick release.
  • Give everything another stir and remove and discard the bay leaf. At this point you can serve the jackfruit carnitas or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
  • Recipe Suggestions
  • Some people discard the harder core and seeds of the jackfruit. I do not. I find that if you do your best to tear everything up, it all cooks up nicely and you won’t even notice those parts. Why waste?
  • If you want to crisp up the edges to be even more like carnitas, you can spread the jackfruit on a parchment lined baking sheet and put it under the broiler for 10 minutes, stirring it at the halfway mark. The edges of the jackfruit will start to brown and crisp up.

Notes

Original recipe: https://www.lafujimama.com/instant-pot-jackfruit-carnitas/
Keyword Instant Pot, Vegetarian
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Category: Main Courses, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot, Vegetarian & Vegan | LEAVE A COMMENT

Instant Pot BBQ Jackfruit

Oh man! I was kinda hesitant to try this one at first. Jackfruit just wasn’t a fruit either of grew up around when we lived on the mainland. Since living in Hawaii, it’s definitely been “around” more. That still doesn’t quite directly translate to having experience handling or cooking it. That will be changing though! Bring on the jackfruit!

Jackfruit itself can be a huge pain-in-the-ass to process from it’s fresh fruit state. However, finding it canned and brined has been a game changer that makes cooking with it fast and easy. We’ve been finding it at our local natural foods grocery store, Asian markets, and everyone’s favorite Trader’s Joes.

We’ve also been noticing it pop up more and more either as whole fruit or in dishes or products at farmers markets and farm type events. Which has been a great way to try it prepared different ways. I have been amazed and converted to a true fan by how well jackfruit does as a meat alternative. If someone was to hand me a sandwich using this recipe at a BBQ, I probably won’t notice that it was really meat until I was told. I would most likely fail a blind taste test, and honestly might even lean more towards the jackfruit in a blind taste test.

If you’re vegetarian, vegan, or just want to try something new on a meatless monday – Give this recipe a shot!

Instant Pot BBQ Jackfruit

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
NPR 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients
  

6 hamburger buns (gluten free if needed)

  • 2 20oz. can Jackfruit (in brine or water)
  • 18 oz. Barbecue sauce
  • 6 Hamburger buns
  • coleslaw

Instructions
 

Prepare your jackfruit: Drain and rinse the canned jackfruit.

If desired, chop off the "core" portions and discard, we usually leave them though.

    Add the jackfruit to the Instant Pot along with 1 cup of water. Put on the lid, seal, and set to high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally, or if you are in a hurry you can manually release the pressure (carefully).

      Drain the jackfruit, and then add it back to the Instant Pot. Mash with a potato masher until it resembles pulled meat (see photo above).

        Make the barbecue sauce following these instructions (unless you are using store bought sauce).

          Add the barbecue sauce to the pulled jackfruit, and turn on the saute feature. Cook for 2-5 minutes until warmed through. Serve on buns with shredded cabbage.

            Notes

            Original recipe: https://www.noracooks.com/instant-pot-pulled-bbq-jackfruit/
            Keyword BBQ, Instant Pot, Vegetarian
            Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

            Category: Main Courses, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot, Vegetarian & Vegan | LEAVE A COMMENT

            Chocolate Peanut Butter Quinoa Balls

            So this is one of Traci’s recipes for a healthy snack. I’ll let her tell you more about them later. 

            Chocolate Peanut Butter Quinoa Balls

            Print Recipe
            Course Breakfast, Snack
            Cuisine American
            Servings 0

            Ingredients
              

            • 1/2 cup Peanut Butter
            • 2 tbsp Maple Syrup, pure use the real stuff, not the imitation maple junkl
            • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
            • 1 dash Salt
            • 1 cup Quinoa, cooked slightly warm, not hot
            • 2 tbsp Chocolate chips

            Instructions
             

            • Line a half baking sheet or plate with parchment paper and set aside.
            • In a bowl, add peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until thoroughly combined. Stir in Quinoa and mix until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
            • Take a heaping spoonful size of dough and roll it into a ball. Place onto the prepared parchment paper. Do the same until no dough remains.
            • Place in the refrigerator or freezer to chill for about 30 minutes.
            • Store in an air tight container in the freezer or refrigerator.
            Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
            Category: Appetizers & Snacks, Breakfast & Brunch, Vegetarian & Vegan | LEAVE A COMMENT

            Garlic Roasted Broccoli

            How can anyone hate broccoli? I think it’s really tasty and that fact that it is such healthy vegetable makes it even better. The easiest way to bring out the full flavor of broccoli is to simply roast it in the oven. Tossed with some oil and seasoning and baked, you’ll have a hearty delicious side dish in 20 minutes. 

            Substituting garlic oil for the oil and garlic, is a great way to cut out the actual garlic but keep that flavor. It’s a great way to make this fairly FODMAP safe.

            Garlic Roasted Broccoli

            Print Recipe
            Prep Time 5 minutes
            Cook Time 20 minutes
            Total Time 25 minutes
            Course Side Dish
            Cuisine American
            Servings 3 servings

            Ingredients
              

            • 12 ounces Broccoli florets
            • 2 tablespoons Olive oil
            • 3 teaspoons Garlic powder
            • Kosher salt (2 teaspoons) to taste
            • Black pepper to taste
            • Parmesan cheese to taste

            Instructions
             

            • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
            • Place your broccoli in a gallon size ziptop bag
            • In a small bowl, combine oil, powder, and salt (pepper if using)
            • Pour liquid mixture over the top of the broccoli
            • Shake until broccoli is fully covered
            • Pour broccoli out on to a greased cookie sheet, covered in aluminum foil
            • Bake for 20 minutes
            • Remove from oven. Sprinkle with additional salt, parmesan cheese if desired.
            • Serve immediately
            Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
            Category: Side Dish, Vegetarian & Vegan | LEAVE A COMMENT

            Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili

            This is our favorite hearty chili, that is also healthy and vegetarian friendly. I can’t believe that we haven’t posted it to the site until today.  

            Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili

            Print Recipe
            Course Main Course
            Cuisine American
            Servings 4 servings

            Ingredients
              

            • 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
            • 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
            • 1 Sweet potato, medium-large peeled and diced
            • 1 Red Onion, large dices
            • 2 tbsp Chili powder
            • 1/2 tsp Ground Chipotle powder
            • 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
            • 1/4 tsp Salt
            • 3.5 cups Vegetable stock
            • 1 can Black beans,15 ounce rinsed
            • 1 can Diced Tomatoes, 14.5 ounce
            • 1/2 cup Quinoa, dry
            • 4 tsp Lime juice
            • Suggested garnish include: avocado, cilantro, crema, cheese

            Instructions
             

            • Heat a large heavy bottom pot with 1 tbsp oil over medium heat.
            • Add the sweet potato and onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is softened.
            • Add the garlic, chili powder, chipotle, cumin, and salt. Stir to combine.
            • Cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. 
              Cook for 30-40 minutes until the quinoa is fully cooked and the sweet potatoes are soft and the entire mixture is slightly thick like a chili.
            • Add the lime juice and remove the pot from the heat. Season with salt as needed.
            • Garnish with avocado, cilantro, crema, or cheese before serving. 

            Notes

            Original recipe: https://whatsgabycooking.com/black-bean-sweet-potato-chili/
            Keyword Vegetarian
            Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
            Category: Main Courses, Side Dish, Soup & Stews, Vegetarian & Vegan | LEAVE A COMMENT

            Lemon Garlic Sauteed Bok Choy

            We both like this recipe a lot.  The lemon and garlic really step up the flavor of the bok choy.  It’s a simple recipe that easy to do and it pairs easily with fish, chicken, or pork.

             

            Lemon Garlic Sauteed Bok Choy

            Quick, delicious, satisfying. Lots of flavor!
            Print Recipe
            Prep Time 5 minutes
            Cook Time 5 minutes
            Total Time 10 minutes
            Course Side Dish
            Cuisine Chinese
            Servings 4

            Ingredients
              

            • 1 lb Baby Bok Choy
            • 1.5 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
            • 3 cloves Garlic minced
            • 1 pinch Crushed Red Pepper optional for spicy
            • Sea Salt
            • 1/2 Lemon cut into wedges

            Instructions
             

            • Remove any discolored outer stalks of the bok choy and discard them (or save for stock later). Place the bok choy into a colander and rinse with cool water, rubbing any grit or dirt away from between the leaves.
            • Trim the ends and slice each bok choy in half lengthwise. Or if they are large, cut them into quarters. Pat dry.
            • Add the oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes to a wide room temperature skillet. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the oil begins to bubble around the garlic, but before the garlic starts to turn light brown.
            • Toss in the bok choy and spread into one layer. Sprinkle with about a 1/4 teaspoon of salt then cook, without stirring, until the bottom is starting to turn brown, about 2 minutes.
            • Flip then cook another 2 minutes or until the green leaves have wilted and the white bottoms are beginning to soften, but still have some crunch.
            • Transfer the cooked bok choy to a platter, then squeeze 2 lemon wedges on top. A teaspoon of olive oil is nice too, Serve with more lemon wedges on the side,

            Notes

            Original recipe: https://inspiredtaste.net/34160/lemon-garlic-bok-choy-recipe/
            Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

            Category: Healthy & Light, International Cuisine, Side Dish, Vegetarian & Vegan | LEAVE A COMMENT

            Easy Green Beans

            Exactly like the title states, these are easy green beans. They cook up perfectly – quickly and in one skillet.  Cooking doesn’t have to be difficult.

            Easy Green Beans

            Quick and easy green beans
            Print Recipe
            Prep Time 6 minutes
            Course Side Dish
            Cuisine American
            Servings 4

            Ingredients
              

            • 12 ounce Green Beans trimmed
            • 1/4 cup Water
            • 1 tbsp Butter
            • 1/4 tsp Salt
            • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

            Instructions
             

            • Combine green beans and water in a large skillet.
            • Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it reaches a boil, cover and cook for 3 minutes.
            • Uncover pan and stir in butter. Cook 1 minute or until water evaporates ad beans are crisp tender.
            • Sprinkle beans with salt and pepper.
            Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

            Category: Side Dish, Vegetarian & Vegan | LEAVE A COMMENT