Alfredo Tomato Orzo

Lately I'm all about quick and easy.  I've been extremely tired lately since I've been working my new job visiting restaurants as a corporate field rep ( I love it and love meeting all the business owners) but driving around in traffic all day can be exhausting. So I get home and want to eat quick so that I can relax with the hub, the kids and furry kids before I head to bed. This is a first in my life since I'm a cook all day kind of gal and never dreamed I'd want to go to sleep before midnight. Crazy right?  Well, thanks to my friends at Edward & Son's Trading Company, I can buy great items to make my meal planning much easier, quicker and semi-homemade. And better yet, I can buy online for about .49c cheaper than I can get it in my local stores.  And this Orzo dish is another delicious and flavorful pasta that I know my children will be making in the future for their families someday too.

 

 

Alfredo Tomato Orzo recipe~

 

6 cups water

1 Tbs Better than Chicken or Vegetable Bouillon

1 Tbs Rosemary

2 3/4 cups Orzo

1 Can Diced Tomatoes (about 15 oz)

2 packets (1.1 oz ea) Alfredo Style Sauce  (Click to order~ Alfredo packet )

1 cup milk

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and vegan Parmesan to taste



 

Boil water and add bouillon and rosemary. Stir.  Add Orzo and cook about 7 -9 minutes until al dente. Drain and rinse and set aside. In the same pan, add milk and sauce mix and whisk until it starts to thicken. Add Orzo and drained can of tomatoes back to the pan and stir. Add in Oil and stir until combined.  Add salt and parmesan to taste and Enjoy...

Lasagna Italiano

I'm Italian and proud of it. I was raised standing in the kitchen next to my mother, watching her cook for the family. All of our recipes were passed down from our relatives by watching.  One of the recipes I always loved was our family lasagna.  Well many years later, I still love lasagna however I needed to create a meat-less version of our family meal. To my pleasure, my mother's pleasure and to the complete joy of my family...this Lasagna recipe rocked!  So here I am, sharing this delicious recipe in hopes that you and I can both create a new tradition with our kiddos standing by our sides, learning to create delicious vegan meals to pass on down the line.  Mangia! And Enjoy!

Lasagna Italiano

20 cooked  gluten free or regular vegan lasagna noodles (cook a few more for breakage)
2 Large Zucchinis, sliced and grilled (I found Zucchini at the farmers market that were big like pumpkins)
25 ounces prepared vegan tomato spaghetti sauce
Veggie Italian Sausage (I used helen's kitchen brand organic and non-GMO)
1/2 cup black olives diced
1/2 cup Grilled onions
1 Tbs Basil
1 Tbs Oregano
1 Tbs Garlic
9 oz vegan Ricotta Style Cheese
1 large handful of Spinach leaves
3 Roma tomatoes sliced
10 ounces Mozzarella style cheese
Serve with extra sauce if you like it really saucy like me.

Layer 1~ In a rectangle baking dish, spread about 1/4 cup prepared sauce on the bottom.  Layer with 5 noodles (touching or just overlapping), then half of the grilled zucchinis, 3 ounces of ricotta, the basil and a few spoonfuls of a little sauce.

 Layer 1

 

 

For Layer 2~ 5 noodles, Italian Sausage, black olives, 3 ounces ricotta, oregano, grilled onions, a little sauce, and spinach leaves.

 Layer 2

 Layer 2

 

 

Layer 3~ Not pictured, 5 noodles, the rest of the zucchini, 3 ounces ricotta, garlic and more sauce.

 

Layer 4~ 5 noodles, the remainder of sauce, the sliced tomatoes.

 

 Layer 4

 

Cover with Tin Foil and bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for 60 minutes. Add sliced Vegan Mozzarella cheese and broil just a few minutes until melted.

Serve, Eat...Enjoy.

 

Look at those delicious noodles.  I love the end cut! How about you?

 

Worried about having too much lasagna at one time?  I love to freeze some for future quick grab meals or I love to bless friends with a little lasagna to go also.

Polenta Bar

Having a Party or Holiday Celebration?  Want an easy food recipe that'll help feed a crowd in a creative way?   Try having a Polenta Bar.  It's easy, fun and inexpensive plus your family and friends will be happy to create their "own" tasty masterpieces.  I love the beautifully creamy consistency of Polenta and the hearty meal it makes. My family thoroughly enjoyed our Polenta Bar and I can't wait to make it again!

 

 

Easy Polenta Recipe(This feeds up to 14 people as a side. It'll make about Eight 1/2 cup portions for a larger portion) 

7 cups water

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups Polenta or yellow cornmeal

3 tablespoons vegan margarine

 

Boil water in a large pan or polenta pan on high heat. Add salt.  Whisk in cornmeal. Reduce heat to low and cook about 15 minutes, making sure to stir it every couple of minutes (this is where having kids can come in handy).

Turn off heat, add the vegan margarine, and stir until Polenta is nice and creamy.

I love to serve mine on a nice piece of wood or wooden cutting board.

 

 Here are some mix in ideas.  Have fun and create your own too.

Mix ins~

 

Grilled Mushrooms,

Grilled Red Onion,

Grilled White Onion,

Tomato Sauce,

Vegan Parmesan or Vegan Shredded Cheese,

Vegan Sour Cream,

Fresh Herbs like Rosemary, Oregano or Basil,

Grilled Vegetables like zucchini, broccoli or cauliflower,

Salsa,

Black Beans,

and the list could go on and on and on.

 

Enjoy!

 

Need a quick meal to go? I packed up these left overs and took it to my parent's house since my daddy just had surgery.  They heated in the oven when they were ready to eat.

 

Strawberry, Swiss and Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich

 

I've been buying daiya cheese for about four years now.  When I first went vegan because of my thyroid cancer diagnosis (I'm completely cancer free now yes!) and I had missed cheese like nobodies business,  and I was told I could shop a couple stores with dairy free cheeses, yogurts, etc.  Ever since, I've been a vegan cheese-aholic and love creating exciting, flavorful and fun food recipes. And there was love at first sight when I found these slices of Swiss, Cheddar, Mozzarella Style melting slices. Since then, it's been heavenly creations ever since!

Last month I noticed daiya was having a grilled cheese sandwich contest and I decided to enter it. Here is my entry below.  It's easy and delicious.  Enjoy!

 

 

 



Strawberry, Swiss and Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich

 

2 slices Swiss Style Slices

2 large sliced strawberries

1 sprig fresh marjoram

2 vegan tortillas

1 tbsp chopped pecan

1 oz sliced onion

 

In a pan or on a griddle sprayed with non-dairy cooking spray, add tortilla and top with all ingredients except Swiss Style Slices.

Break up Swiss Style Slices into small pieces and sprinkle on top.

Place second tortilla on top and press to cook.

 

Let cool for 1-2 minutes. Eat flat or slice and roll for a cute presentation.

 

Check out more great recipes from daiya's site easily by clicking here~ This recipe and more great recipes

 

 

And here are more delicious, tried and true recipes from My Delicious Vegan Diary using the Mozzarella Style and Cheddar Style ~Daiya recipes from My Delicious Vegan Diary

Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich

Chorizo Rice Stuffed Peppers

 

 

Garlic Panko Pasta

 How about something delightfully delicious, nutritious and super simple and easy to make in under 10 minutes?  This Garlic Pasta is one of my all time quick and easy favorite pastas and everyone always enjoys it when I make it. Normally I would broil and food process bread to make the crumbs but I just recieved my package from Edward & Sons Trading post and this organic and crispy Panko was in my box.  I knew instantly what I'd use it for.  And not only did this Panko make this recipe even quicker but I love the consistency and the way it stays crispy even longer.  Try it...you are going to love it!

 

Garlic Panko Pasta

5 Tbs Olive Oil

zucchini or squash (2 small)

3 cloves garlic

1 box spaghetti noodles

2 cups Edward & Sons Organic Panko crumbs Buy here

1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper (more to taste)

 

 

 

Broil Panko crumbs a few minutes in the oven until lightly brown.  Set aside.

 

 

Boil noodles according to directions. Drain noodles reserving 1/8 cup pasta water. In 1 Tbs olive oil, grill zucchini, squash and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes on medium/ high heat.  Add salt, pepper, cooked noodles, 4 Tbs olive oil and pasta water and stir on medium heat for two minutes. Turn off heat, add panko crumbs, stir to mix in and eat immediately while panko crumbs are still crispy.





 

Did I mention you must enjoy this? It's a must, and trust me...You will.



Chorizo Rice Stuffed Peppers

Hungry yet?  Well our dear friend Mike, the meat and potato cowboy is having a somewhat hard time with going vegan throughout the day.  He said he is feeling like he is missing a meal if he hasn't had meat or cheese.  So I decided to make Chorizo Rice Stuffed Peppers since it's a nice hearty meal.  Well, these babies passed the Cowboy test and he felt satisfied.  Not only was he satisfied, but these peppers are delightfully delicious. My whole family was in heaven.  The meaty rice mixture is nice and thick and very filling for a meat and potato kind of guy!

 

If you try this, you'll love it. Trust me.

This meal serves 8-10 and you'll have enough mixture left over to top a salad too. Fiesta salad? Sounds festive!

Sweet yellow, orange or green bell peppers 8-10

3 cloves garlic
2 small onions
8 oz green ortega chilies
1 cup black olives
1 cup green olives with pimentos
2 Tbs cilantro

2 cups rice
2 Tbs oil

4 cups Vegetable broth
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup mashed potatoes (thick) or 1 cup instant potato flakes
10 oz vegan chorizo

8-10 slices vegan cheddar cheese

Additional~ lime wedges and avocado

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut off tops of yellow peppers, clean out insides and set in baking dish so they're ready to fill.

 In a food processor, chop garlic, onions, chilies, olives and cilantro. Set aside.
Fry rice until golden brown, about 8 minutes on medium heat.
  Add food processed mixture to fry pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring every few minutes.  Add vegetable broth, tomato sauce, stir and cook covered for 25 min. Turn off  heat, add vegan chorizo and mashed potatoes, stir.
Fill peppers with mixture, cover with foil and bake for 60 minutes until peppers are tender.

  Add a slice of cheese on top of each pepper and broil until melted, about 2 minutes.

Serve with a drizzle of lime and avocado

Artichoke Zucchini Alfredo Pasta

 

A dear friend of ours has decided to go vegan.  We've been supporting him through the "What can I eat where?" and "that's vegan?" along with many other questions. I'm always surprised when someone thinks starvation is part of veganism. But to most people's surprise, and my dear friend's shock, one can't believe that most food is vegan and then we mess it up with other junk.  

 

Yesterday we had Mexican mushroom fajitas.  Today I thought an Italian meal (especially since I am Italian) would be good for him and I've been wanting to try to make a yummy creamy Alfredo sauce sans commercial products. My friend mentioned that he needed something filling with protein. (I honestly chuckled with the protein comment since we hear it all the time right?) So I knew this dish would be hearty and flavorful with bursts of fresh flavors too.

 

 

 

Sauce~
1 whole cauliflower
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic
4 Tbs vegan butter
1 C unsweetened vegan milk (I used flax milk)
1 tsp each of
Rosemary
Pepper
Oregano
Basil
Salt

Boil Cauliflower until soft, about 20 min on medium. Remove Cauliflower, reserving hot water and put in Food Processor with all additional items. Puree until smooth and set aside for a few minutes.

 

1 box linguine noodles
3 small zucchini sliced
1/2  yellow onion diced
1 1/2 c mushrooms sliced
1 1/2 c marinated artichokes
1 can black olives

Boil linguine noodles with a little bit of olive oil, the remainder of the cauliflower water and added hot water to cover the noodles. Cook as directed. While pasta is cooking, add a bit of oil to a fry pan. Heat over high heat, add zucchini, onions and mushrooms. Saute for about 7 minutes and once veggies are starting to cook down, add the artichokes and black olives. Add the Alfredo sauce and cook an additional 3 minutes on medium heat. Drain pasta and toss with Hot Artichoke Zucchini Alfredo Sauce. Top with a little Vegan Parmesan cheese and Eat...

 

This was not only delightful, creamy and flavor fully delicious but my friend and my son's girlfriend repeatedly asked "This is vegan?"   I was tickled when at 10 pm I noticed my son's girlfriend heating up another bowl for seconds.  Everyone loved it, I loved it and it made enough for a family of six.  Paired with a nice glass of wine and a piece of rosemary sourdough bread, the meal was fit for a king or queen or whomever...

Southwestern Okra Soup

Today I received a package from Edward & Sons Trading Post.  I love packages.  Better yet, I love packages filled with delicious, nutritious vegan food! This beautiful bountiful box included new items from Edward & Sons too. One of the items in my gift box was canned Okra.  This "ain't" your grandma's canned food! Nope. And this nicely packed okra was not only the best from the Native Forest brand but it's certified organic and whole pods too.

Order here New products.

 

 Many days in my home can be kind of chaotic.  It's pretty much due to the fact that I love company.  And of course, I really love to cook for company.  But since this week had been pretty busy and I was pretty tired, I decided to make a one pot wonder.  (A meal that essentially cooks itself!)

So I got my large cooking pot.  I grabbed a few vegetables from my pantry and I opened my can of Native Forest  Organic OKRA and began...

 

And then I ate, and my company ate, and we were all content and happy. And it only took 25 minutes to cook.

 

Southwestern Okra Soup Recipe

8 C water
2 tsp Vegetable bouillon
1 onion diced
1/2 red bell pepper diced
3 celery sticks diced
3 carrots sliced (I used rainbow carrots)
1 zucchini sliced
2 potatoes cubed     
1 ear of corn (slice off all corn)
1 kale leaf cut into small pieces
10 oz vegan chorizo
1 can NATIVE FOREST Organic OKRA, quickly rinse and slice the okra
salt and pepper to taste

Additional topping:
Vegan Parmesan cheese

 

 

 

 

Add first 8 ingredients to a large stock pot and start to boil. Once boiling, add the ear of corn with the kernels removed to the pot and cook covered on medium heat for 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes, remove corn cob and add corn kernels, kale, and vegan chorizo. Cook covered for another 5 minutes, then add okra and stir gently.  Serve. Serve meaning eat...and eat...and oh snap...I'm getting carried away now. 

 

This Southwestern Okra Soup was delicious, nutritious and so contently filling.

 

 

Here I sprinkled on a bit of Vegan Parmesan Cheese...

 

...and boy oh boy was it delightful!

 

For more info and more products from Edward & Sons and to have organic, gluten free and vegan foods delivered right to your door...Click  Here