“One-Stop Shop” Vegan Pizza

“One-Stop Shop” Vegan Pizza

I love one-stop shop recipes since, just like you, I don’t have time to fly all over the place looking for ingredients. This recipe is super simple and very cheap! Where do you go to get everything? Why…my favorite grocery store of course – Trader Joe’s! $1.19 for the dough, $3.65 for a big bag of vegan cheese…can you beat that?! This pizza has an awesome fresh taste and no feeling of post-pizza guilt!

Vegan

Preparation Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

• Whole Wheat Ready To Bake Pizza Dough
• 1/3 Cup Pizza Sauce
• 1/2 Cup Vegan Mozzarella Shreds
• 8 Large Black Olives
• 1/3 Green Bell Pepper
• 1/3 cup White Onion
• 1 Roma Tomato
• 8 Medium White Mushrooms

Instructions:

Take dough out of refrigerator and allow it to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. In the meantime, you can start cutting your veggies. I like a more rustic finish to my pizza so I make my cuts larger. Once the dough has rested long enough, go ahead and start preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Using a 12-inch sprayed pizza pan work dough to fit the pan. A trick I use is to hold the dough up with both hands to allow it to stretch – each time the dough stretches adjust your hold so that the dough stretches evenly on all sides. Once the dough is stretched enough, you can press it out on the pan the rest of the way.

Once your dough is set up on the pizza pan, add your sauce and spread evenly leaving about an inch of room on the outer circumference for the crust. Add your chopped veggies, then spread your mozzarella shreds out to cover the veggies.

Once your oven is preheated to 350 degrees, set the pizza on the lowest rack and time for 12-15 minutes – a longer bake time will give a crispier crust.

Once finished, allow your pizza to cool for 5 minutes, then cut to desired size and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (Based off of one slice):

Tofu Scramble

Tofu Scramble

With only two ingredients, tofu and seasoning, tofu scramble is super easy to make. Who needs eggs for breakfast?!

I like to eat my tofu scramble with hashbrowns (from Trader Joe’s) and Kashi’s 7 Grain waffles, which are vegan, topped with some fresh berries. It is always a great start to my day and fuels me well for my weekly 25-mile cycling trips through Richardson, TX!

Vegan

Preparation Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:

• Firm Tofu (Single Serving Size), for the recipe I used 365 Firm Tofu
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Goya Adobo Seasoning

Instructions:

In a small bowl add tofu and adobo seasoning, mash the tofu with a fork to the consistency of scrambled eggs, and mix with the seasoning until the seasoning is well distributed.

Add tofu scramble to a sprayed small pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 3-5 minutes, or until you can start to see a bit of browning on the tofu.

Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (Single Serving):

Curry Basil Thai Noodles with Vegan Chicken

Curry Basil Thai Noodles with Vegan Chicken

It’s meal prepping time again! I’ve prepared another recipe to meet the “ain’t nobody got time for that” meal prepping standards: meal prepping should be quick, painless, and most of all – tasty! This fragrant curry basil Thai recipe is a delightful, filling meal with none of the guilt. At 208 calories per serving (makes approximately 9-10 servings) and 9 grams of protein, you can feel great about eating this dish for lunch Monday through Friday.

Vegan

Preparation Time: 15-20 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 Packages of Thai Kitchen Brown Rice Noodles
• 1/2 Cup of Finely Chopped Basil
• 1 Can of Diced Baby Corn
• 2 Cups of Unsweetened Coconut Milk
• 4 Tablespoons of Madras Curry Powder
• 1 Bag of Mixed Bell Peppers & Onions
• 1 Bag of Frozen Asparagus
• 1 Bag of Morningstar Chicken Strips (vegan)

Instructions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, adding a touch of salt as desired. Once the water is boiling, remove from heat and add all of your noodles. Let noodles soak in water for 5 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally to separate noodles.

In a strainer, empty the contents of your bags of frozen vegetables, can of baby corn, and vegan chicken strips. This is done to save time, since pouring the hot water from the noodles over the veggies and vegan chicken strips will thaw them down – if you’re using this for meal prep you’re just going to end up microwaving each serving before you eat it anyway.

Once the noodles are tender enough, or 5 minutes is up, strain them over the veggies and vegan chicken strips in the strainer. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes. Once strained, add all contents of the strainer (veggies, noodles, and vegan chicken strips) back to your large pot.

In a mixing bowl, combine your 2 cups of unsweetened coconut milk, 4 tablespoons of madras curry powder, and 1/2 cup of finely chopped basil. Stir until the mixture is well blended.

Slowly pour your coconut/curry/basil sauce over your noodles, veggies, and vegan chicken. Mix together well.

Package as desired and toss in the fridge! This recipe can make up to 10 servings, although note that the nutrition facts posted below represent 9 servings because it never fails, my husband succumbs to eating out somewhere for lunch at some point each week.

Nutrition Facts (Based on a single serving):

Indian Chickenless Korma

Chickenless Korma

I think I once lived on almost nothing but homemade Indian food for a year straight – so beware the addictive nature of the comforting qualities of good Indian home cooking. You have been warned! In addition to the delicious meal you will create, you will also gain the benefits of a home that carries the wonderful, fragrant smell of curry. This meal is prepared for a single serving, so just double, triple, or quadruple the recipe as needed. It can be a wonderful at-home date night meal or at-home dinner night with friends.

Vegan

Preparation Time: 25-30 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup frozen Bell Peppers & Onions (or fresh if preferred)
• 2 Tablespoons Madras Curry Powder (Sunbrand is my personal favorite)
• 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cashew Milk
• 1/3 Package of Trader Joe’s Chickenless Strips (or any other seitan product)
• 1/4 Cup (uncooked) of Basmati or Jasmine rice (basmati preferred) *Note that the amount of water you add to your rice is always double the measurement of your rice. I.E. 1/4 cup rice = 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup rice = 1 cup water, etc.

Additional Side Ingredients (*Note – Addition of raita can make the dish vegetarian and not vegan if Greek yogurt is used):

• 1/4 Piece of Naan bread (55 calories for 1/4 of naan)
  • Trader Joe’s makes a great tandoori naan which is vegan and can be found in the bread aisle – no egg or other dairy ingredients are used.
• 1/3 Cup of  Non-Dairy Yogurt, such as Amande Plain Cultured Almond Milk Yogurt (Raita recipe approx 40 calories per serving).
• 1/4 Cup of Diced Cucumber
• 1/4 Cup of Diced Tomato
• 1/4 Tablespoon of White Pepper
• 1/4 Tablespoon of Black Pepper

Instructions:

Using a medium pot with a lid, set the pot on the stove on high heat until a drop water evaporates quickly. Once hot, add a touch of olive oil or cooking spray for simmering your rice. Add 1/4 cup rice and allow to simmer for just a few seconds – you do not want it to burn! Add 1/2 cup of water and place the lid on the pot. Once rice and water has come to a boil, lower heat to 3 with the lid kept on. The rice must gently boil/simmer in the water as it cooks. You should check rice every couple minutes, but do not stir it – allow it to absorb the water. Rice should be done cooking based on the package instructions; cook time can vary based on the brand. You know your rice is done when it looks fluffy on the top, and taking a fork through the middle you can pull the rice back without seeing any excess water at the bottom of the pot. Once it is finished, pull it off the heat and set it aside with the lid on to keep hot.

When the rice looks like it is close to having all of the water absorbed, put your chickenless strips, bell peppers, and onions in a sprayed pan over medium heat. Add madras curry powder and cashew milk. Stir until all ingredients are mixed together. Continue to heat until hot, and bell peppers and onions have become slightly tender but still maintain crispness. Pull off heat.

Add your rice in the dish first, then serve your chickenless korma over the top. Below are the instructions for the additional side ingredients – naan and fresh raita.

Naan Instructions:

Cut naan to desired size; 1/4 portion of Trader Joe’s tandoori naan is approximately 55 calories. You can brush olive oil over the top if desired. Heat in the oven at 350 for 10 – 15 minutes. Remove from the oven once toasted and crisp. Serve on the side.

Raita Instructions:

Dice 1/4 cup or tomatoes and 1/4 cup of cucumbers fine. Add to 1/3 cup of non-dairy plain yogurt. Add 1/4 tablespoon of white pepper and 1/4 tablespoon of black pepper. Stir all ingredients together until blended well. Serve on side. Raita is approximately 40 calories per serving.

Nutrition Facts (based on single serving without sides):

Black Bean Soft Tacos

Black Bean Soft Tacos

I’m convinced that tacos are the world’s most brilliant delivery vehicle for food. What can you not do with a taco? There are dessert tacos, breakfast tacos, lunch tacos, dinner tacos, and more! This recipe is one of my personal lunch favorites. It’s fresh, high in protein, satisfying – but not over filling.

Vegan

Preparation Time: 15 – 20 Minutes

Ingredients (For preparation of 3 tacos):

• Three corn tortillas – Buy local if you can, we have these amazing 3 ingredient tortillas available here in Texas.
• 1/2 of a Small Avocado, Slices
• 1/4 Cup of Diced Tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon of Fire Roasted Hatch Green Chilis
• 1/8 Cup of TVP (dry measurement)
• 1/4 Cup of Black Beans
• 1 Tablespoon of Follow Your Heart Vegan Ranch Dressing (I said I’m down south, right?)
• 1/4 Cup of Daiya Pepperjack Style Shreds
• 1/3 Cup of Shredded Iceburg Lettuce

Instructions:

Prepare your veggies by shredding your 1/3 cup of iceburg lettuce, dicing your 1/4 cup of tomatoes, and slicing your 1/2 avocado. Set aside to use as toppings.

In a bowl or a glass measuring cup, pour 1/9 cup of hot water over your dry TVP. Stir and allow to sit for a couple of minutes until it appears that the TVP has absorbed all of the water. Once your TVP is ready, add it to a sprayed pan over medium heat, along with your 1/4 cup of black beans and your 1 tablespoon of hatch green chilis. You can season this mixture with anything you like – a touch of salt and pepper, or my personal favorite, adobo seasoning. *Please note, you should have another small pan sitting empty over medium heat – it is what you will use to warm and soften your corn tortillas.

Your TVP, black bean, and hatch green chili mixture should not take long to heat up, somewhere between 3-5 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally. After about 1-2 minutes of cooking, spray your additional pan and flash cook your tortillas on both sides for about 30 seconds each, or until soft – then immediately remove and place on your serving plate.

Once your TVP, black beans, and hatch green chilis are cooked through, add the mixture to your tortillas evenly. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of pepperjack style shreds over each taco. Evenly distribute your tomatoes, avocado slices, shredded lettuce, and 1 tablespoon of vegan ranch dressing.

You’re ready to eat!

Nutrition Facts (Based off of 3 tacos):

 

Cheese Steak-less Fajitas

Cheese Steak-less Fajitas

Some of these ingredients may look familiar if you’ve seen earlier posts, and this brings up an important point. I make a very conscious effort to waste 0 food. This means that you will notice a lot of common ingredients used in different ways throughout my recipes. First, who has all the money to buy 5+ separate ingredients to be used in just one recipe? Second, purchasing items that will not be completely used prior to their expiration date is not mindful consumption. With so much deprivation throughout the world, I believe that it is imperative that we refrain from needless waste by only purchasing what we will consume in entirety. That being said, I will seek to always provide you with recipes that display various uses for common ingredients.

For more on the gravity of food waste in the United States follow this link to a Washington Post article outlining the issue.

Vegan | High Protein

Preparation Time: 10-15 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Package of Sweet Earth Chipotle Style Seitan Strips
• 1/2 Cup of Trader Joe’s Fire Roasted Bell Peppers & Onions
• 3 Large Sliced White Mushrooms
• 1/4 Cup of Daiya Pepperjack Style Shreds
• 2 Whole Wheat Fajita Size Tortillas

Instructions:

Add seitan, mushrooms, bell pepper and onions into a sprayed pan over medium heat. Stirring the contents of the pan occasionally, cook for about 5 minutes, or until all ingredients are hot.

For your tortillas, you can either soften them up by putting them in the microwave for 30 seconds, or you can flash cook them in an additional sprayed pan (over medium heat) for 20-30 seconds on each side.

Add seitan, mushroom, bell pepper and onions evenly over each tortilla – then sprinkle your pepperjack style shreds over the top. This recipe will serve two, or it will make a very hearty meal for one hungry person!

Nutrition Facts (Based off of one fajita):