Vegan Recipe - Red Beans & Lentils

Red Beans & Lentils

This month's dish is my own creation. It is a hearty stew full of flavor and warmth ... perfect for a cool autumn supper.

Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups red kidney beans
1/2 onion (small), diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 Cup lentils, washed
1 Can tomatoes with juice
1 heaping Tablespoon Taco Seasoning (or to your taste)
1 bay leaf
1 pinch turmeric
Chopped cilantro (optional, to your taste ... I use about 1/4 cup)
Water as needed

Method

• Sort and wash the kidney beans. Cook using a pressure cooker (cooking instructions and times can be found HERE). Allow the pressure cooker to release naturally (quick release methods will break the beans). If you don't want to use a pressure cooker, you can cook the beans using this METHOD (allow an extra 2 1/2 hours). If you prefer to use canned beans, rinse them and set aside.
• While the beans are cooking, sauté' the onions, garlic and green pepper in a little water for about 10 minutes (onions should look translucent).
• Add the lentils and remaining ingredients. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and gently simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add in the red beans and enough water to cover (more if you prefer a more soupy consistency).
• Cook for an additional 15 minutes.
• Adjust seasoning and serve.

Notes

• I prefer to cook beans using a pressure cooker. If you haven't tried it, I encourage you do so. It takes minutes (rather than hours), reducing the amount of energy required.
• Soaking beans improves their nutrition, digestibility and texture. I recommend soaking them for 24 hours but any amount of soaking time will benefit them. If you don't have time to soak them, simply cook them until done.
• While canned beans will work in this recipe, I encourage you to buy dried beans ... the flavor is better and you control the texture and ingredients. If you do use canned beans, be sure to rinse them well to get rid of added sodium and/or preservatives.
• If you don't like lentils, substitute textured soy protein. To prepare the protein for use, "wash" it (cover with water to hydrate, then drain off the water and squeeze out any moisture). Wash three times and then use in place of the lentils.

I hope that you'll give this dish a try!


If you have a vegan recipe which you'd like to share, please contact me HERE. And for all the recipes we've shared so far, be sure to visit our recipe page using the tabs at the top of this blog ... or by clicking HERE.

Images courtesy of Gualberto107 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Also posted at Healthy Vegan Friday and Real Food Fridays

Vegan Recipe - Western Scramble & TVP Preparation

Welcome to the first Friday of the month ... the day we set aside for featuring a delicious vegan recipe. Why does a blog about green living include recipes? Because choosing a meatless meal is one of the easiest ways to live green. Simply put ... plant-based foods are easier on the environment than animal-based foods.

Before becoming vegan, we enjoyed special weekend breakfasts ... omelets, frittatas and scrambled eggs. I looked forward to these treats. Vegan breakfast options are great but ... they just aren't the same. In truth, it's been the hardest meal for me to "switch over" ... I miss those special breakfasts.

My other half, "Art", is not only talented on a canvas (you can see his work HERE), he's an artist in the kitchen as well. We share cooking duties and when he takes control, amazing things happen ... like the recipe he's sharing with us today.

This recipe is beautiful and satisfies my craving for eggs. It's very easy to put together. Try it for a special weekend breakfast or even a lite lunch or supper. I hope that you and your family will enjoy it as much as we do.

Western Scramble

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 block firm or extra-firm organic tofu
Pinch of Turmeric*
Garlic Powder (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Fresh Cilantro - Optional
Paprika for sprinkling on top (Spanish Paprika is delicious)

*Rule of Thumb: You can always add but can never remove. Use enough Turmeric to give color to the mixture but not too much as it will drown the other flavors.

Method

1. Heat the oil in a saute' pan. Cook the onion and pepper until translucent, about 10 minutes.
2. Add half of the tomatoes and continue to saute for about 5 minutes.
3. Now comes the fun part. Rinse the tofu and then squeeze it with your hands, letting the tofu spread through your fingers. Continue squeezing it until the texture resembles scrambled eggs. Be sure to break up any big chunks.
4. To the sauteed vegetables, add the crumbled tofu, turmeric, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated.
5. Taste, taste and taste again, adjusting the seasonings as necessary.
6. When you're satisfied, remove from heat and add the remaining tomato. Mix well.
7. Transfer to a serving dish and top with cilantro and a sprinkle of paprika.
8. Serve with dill pickles, pickled jalapenos or a tomato and onion salad.
9. Buen Provecho!

Variations

• You can add mushrooms to this dish. Use a small amount (about 1/2 cup), chop and add during step 1.
• Add some Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) to make the dish heartier (recipe follows). Add it in right after step 4 and heat through.
• For a slightly different flavor, try adding some capers. Add them in with the tomatoes in step 2.
• Try adding some cooked, diced potatoes for a skillet breakfast. Add them in after step 4 and heat through.

Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry TVP (find it at whole foods markets or Latin grocery stores)
1 tablespoon ketchup or tomato paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce or liquid aminos
1 splash of liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 paprika
1/4 hot pepper flakes (optional)
Water
oil for cooking

Method

1. Cover the TVP with water and soak until completely hydrated. Drain and squeeze out any liquid. Repeat 3 times.
2. Once the TVP has been squeezed, place it in a bowl with all of the remaining ingredients except the oil. Stir well.
3. Add enough water to cover the TVP and soak for at least 15 minutes.
4. Lightly oil a frying pan and add the TVP mixture. Cook until all liquids have evaporated and the TVP begins turn brown.
5. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings as necessary.
6. Transfer the mixture to a lined cookie sheet and bake in the oven, at 400 degree f, until the mixture is crunchy and resembles fried, crumbled hamburger. Be sure to stir occasionally so all sides are toasted. This usually takes about 15-20 minutes.

This mixture is wonderful in the above recipe. It's also good in tacos, salads or any dish which calls for browned hamburger. To maintain it's crunchiness, do not add it to liquid ... it'll rehydrate and become soft. If you're adding it to a dish like stew or spaghetti sauce, add it at the very end or serve it separately to be added at the table. Try adjusting the seasonings adding cumin to make it more Mexican or oregano to make it more Italian. It's a very versatile product, packed with protein.


Thank you, Art, for sharing your recipes with us today!

If you have a vegan recipe which you'd like to share, please contact me HERE. And for all the recipes we've shared so far, be sure to visit our recipe page using the tabs at the top of this blog ... or by clicking HERE.