The only way to eat fresh green beans!

I will NEVER eat green beans any other way ever again! My husband even liked them which was a shocker! Use fresh green beans from your garden, the store or farmers market… no canned beans here!

1 lb green beans
1 tbsp vegan butter (or use non-stick cooking spray)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 cup vegan n0-chick’n broth ( I like edwards & sons – or use vegetable broth)
1/2 tsp salt

Wash & snap the stem ends of the green beans. Melt butter in skillet over medium low heat. Add garlic and black pepper and cook for a minute. Stir in green beans and cook for about a minute or until the green beans turn bright green. Add broth,  red pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to low and cover but leave a small crack between lid & pan to allow steam to escape. Cook for about 25 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Beans should be fairly soft, yet still a bit crisp. You can add more broth during the cooking process if needed.

Vegan Mongolian Tofu Stir Fry

I made this Mongolian tofu stirfry with brown rice for the first time the other night and it was a hit! We normally don’t like tofu (except in a breakfast tofu scramble) but we’ve been trying to give it a second, third & fourth chance and I’m so glad that we did! And, it was even better as leftovers the next day when the flavors had time to meditate!

Use your favorite stir fry veggies. I like red & orange bell peppers, broccoli, shredded carrots, bean sprouts, raw cashews & sesame seeds.

Pam non-stick spray
1 teaspoon ginger
1.5 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 cup water
1 n0-beef bouillon cube (I like Edwards & Sons)
1  cup brown sugar
1/4 water + 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 container extra firm tofu
your favorite stir fry veggies
Directions:

Drain water from tofu and slice in half lenghtwise. Slice the tofu into thin 1/4″ slices. Put tofu slices on a plate sandwiched between paper towels, and pat the water out. Set aside.

Spray your  stir fry pan or wok with pam and add the ginger and garlic. Saute on low for about 5 minutes being careful not to brown the garlic.

Add the soy sauce, water, and 1 no-beef bouillon cube and brown sugar. And bring to boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce heat. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup water, making sure there are no lumps. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove sauce from heat. Transfer the tofu and sauce to a boil and let marinate for 30 minutes. Then, removed tofu from the sauce and add to skillet and brown over medium heat.

Add sauce & your favorite sauteed veggies to the tofu. Serve over brown rice.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Quinoa Black Bean Tacos

Coming from a hispanic family, I’ve always LOVED Mexican food but it can be a bit fatty and laden with meats & cheeses. These tacos are the exact opposite and don’t leave you feeling heavy afterwards! A great way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

Ingredients:

Pam Cooking Spray
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

Directions

Spray medium saucepan with cooking spray. Add garlic, and saute on low heat for about a minute. Mix quinoa and vegetable broth into the saucepan and season
with chili powder & cumin. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until quiona is done. Stir in frozen corn and black beans and continue cooking until heated.

Serve in corn tortillas with shredded raw cabbage and avocado!

Variations:

– Add diced tomatoes
– Add zucchini & yellow squash and saute with garlic before adding the quiona. Don’t cook too long or it will become soggy after adding the vegetable broth.
– Add diced red bell pepper