Feed Them Plants

Category: Recipes

  • Easy Asian Noodle Salad

    Easy Asian Noodle Salad

    Easy Asian Pasta

    Use cooked spaghetti, a bag of shredded veggies, and a drop-dead simple sauce recipe to pull together this 15 minute dinner.
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    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes
    Course dinner
    Cuisine asian

    Ingredients
      

    • lb whole grain pasta, cooked and rinsed with cold water
    • 1 lb shredded "broccoli slaw" or similar
    • 1/3 cup peanut butter
    • 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
    • 1/3 cup maple syrup or brown sugar
    • 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
    • up to 1/3 cup warm water
    • 1 1/2 thumbs fresh or frozen ginger, chopped or grated can use dried
    • 3 cloves garlic, chopped can use dried
    • 1 dash sriracha or other hot sauce

    Instructions
     

    • While your pasta is cooking, whisk together the sauce ingredients and open your bag of shredded veggies.
    • Drain the pasta and run it under cold water.
    • Toss pasta with veggies and sauce. Enjoy!

    Notes

    If you can’t find broccoli slaw, you can use cabbage or carrots.  You could even use chopped romaine, I would I think.  Of course you can also shred or chop your own vegetables, but I turn to this recipe when I need food to be FAST!
    If you like your food more saucy, just scale up the sauce next time and make a note.  Since the proportions are all equal, it’s a cinch to do it. 
    Keyword Easy, vegan
  • Homemade Vegetable Bouillon for the Freezer

    Homemade Vegetable Bouillon for the Freezer

    About every 6 months, I take an hour or so to transform this:

    vegetable bouillon ingredients

    Into a homemade vegetable bouillon I can stick in my freezer.  I pre-chop a bit and then pulse the vegetables in batches in my food processor.  The optimal texture is shown in the front of the picture below.   The veg in the back still needs more pulsing.

    chopped vegetables for vegetable bouillon

    Ultimately, it’s a thick mash that never freezes solid because of the salt content.  I pop it in freezer bags and always have it to make instant vegetable broth.

    homemade vegetable bouillon in freezer bags

    homemade vegetable bouillon in freezer bags

    Homemade Vegetable Bouillon for the Freezer

    A few times a year I make up a batch of vegetable bouillon to stash in my freezer. I never have to buy broth for my cooking, and it's so handy to just scoop out what I need.
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    Prep Time 1 hour
    Servings 128

    Ingredients
      

    • 5 oz leeks, white and light-green parts only (from 3 leeks), roughly chopped
    • 7 oz fennel bulb (from 1-2 bulbs of fennel), roughly chopped
    • 7 oz carrots (from about 4 large carrots), roughly chopped
    • 7 oz celery (from about 2 large ribs of celery), roughly chopped
    • 3.5 oz shallot, peeled (from about 2 large shallots)
    • 3 medium cloves garlic
    • 9 oz kosher salt (about 1 cup)
    • 1.5 oz parsley (about 1 big bunch)
    • 2 oz cilantro (about 1 big bunch)

    Instructions
     

    • Basically you just pulse everything in the food processor! I do mine in batches.
    • Store it in 2 different quart-sized ziploc bags in the freezer.

    Notes

    I do use a kitchen scale, but I’m sure the recipe is forgiving!
    Once it’s made, the high salt content keeps it from freezing solid, so it’s easy to scoop out one round teaspoon with one cup of water to make one cup of vegetable broth.
    I did a blind taste-test between broth made with this homemade bouillon and broth made with the Better Than brand vegetable bouillon and my husband and I both prefer this.  It has a brighter flavor, and I’m happy to have one less processed food with random additives in it.
    TIP: I only pre-chop enough so that I don’t have big pieces that don’t pulse well.  Otherwise, I let the food processor do the work!
    Keyword vegetable bouillon

  • Fast White Bean Stew

    Fast White Bean Stew

    bowl of easy soup with white beans and greens

    Fast White Bean Stew

    With 5 ingredients and hardly any prep, this is great for last-minute dinners. Just pair with a cracker or crusty bread!
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    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes
    Course dinner, Soup
    Cuisine Mediterranean
    Servings 4

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 cloves extra large garlic, chopped or use a heaping TBS of minced garlic
    • 1 28 oz can stewed tomatoes
    • 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
    • 4 15 oz cans cannellini (white) beans, rinsed and drained
    • 1/2 tsp pepper
    • 1 10 oz bag baby spinach, or equivalent of chopped kale 20 cups, loosely packed

    Instructions
     

    • Cook garlic over medium heat, adding splashes of water (or a TBS of olive oil), until golden. 1-2 minutes.
    • Coarsely cut up tomatoes in the can with kitchen shears. Add them with their juice to the oil.
    • Stir in broth, beans, and pepper and bring to a boil.
    • Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
    • Stir in greens and cook until wilted.

    Notes

    I make my own vegetable bouillon a couple of times a year and keep it in the freezer for delicious and easy vegetable broth.
    If I’m planning ahead,  I cook up white beans in my instant pot and use those instead of canned beans.
    Keyword leafy greens, oil-free, soup, vegan, vegetarian
  • Seriously Easy Black Bean Soup

    Seriously Easy Black Bean Soup

    Seriously Easy Black Bean Soup

    Feed Them Plants
    It has just 4 healthy ingredients and I've made it hundreds of times. A true friend gave me this recipe ten years ago, and I've praised her name ever since.
    5 from 1 vote
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    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes
    Course Soup
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 2

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
    • 1 cup salsa
    • 1.5 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 tsp ground cumin

    Optional

    • green onions, sliced put on top
    • fresh cilantro blend some in, or chop and throw on top

    Instructions
     

    • Combine all of the ingredients. Blend in a blender or with an immersion blender.
    • Warm up and serve!

    Notes

    You can use canned black beans or do what I usually do: cook your own big batch of black beans in a pressure cooker or crockpot.
    I make my vegetable broth with water and bouillon I make twice a year and keep in my freezer.
    I use Pace Picante medium salsa, because we love it and Costco sells it for a good price.
    You can jazz this up if you want, by blending in some fresh cilantro or putting some sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, or crumbled up chips on top.
    Pair with some healthy cornbread or baked tortilla chips. Or just with a spoon. This is my easiest and best last-minute recipe.
    Keyword black beans, Easy, Fast

  • Our Very Favorite Vegan Soup Recipes

    Soup is just a good idea, but to make the cut around here it has to be delicious, healthy, and relatively easy to pull together. 

    We’ve been eating plant-based for over a decade, and here are the recipes our family comes back to again and again.

    1. Seriously Simple Black Bean Soup

    No kidding, this yummy soup is 5 pantry ingredients and comes together in less than 10 minutes.  We make it monthly, which is saying a lot!

    2. Creamy Vegan Tomato Bisque

    Everybody loves a creamy oil and dairy-free soup, right?  This one tops the list of several of our kids, freezes well, uses pantry ingredients, and is non fussy because you end up pureeing it at the end! 

    3. Fast White Bean Stew

    This stew comes together in no time.  It’s simple, delicious, and gets plenty of leafy greens into our bellies.

    4. Vegan Split Pea Soup

    The cook time is longer for this soup, but it’s very hands-off and forgiving.  So it’s a great choice to pull together early and have it waiting and warm come dinner time. Mmmm.

    5. Our Favorite Vegan Chili

    6. French Lentil Soup

    Perfect for autumn, this is a unique (but not weird) soup that’s vegan and very satisfying. I bring it to potlucks, and it gets devoured! 

    7. SWEET POTATO, RED LENTIL AND APPLE SOUP

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  • Pasta with Kale, Lentils, and Caramelized Onions

    Pasta with Kale, Lentils, and Caramelized Onions

    Pasta with Lentils, Kale and Caramelized Onions

    This recipe has just five ingredients and it's incredibly delicious. Once you've made it a few times, you won't need a recipe! It'll be in your back pocket for when you need it.
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    Total Time 45 minutes
    Course dinner, pasta
    Servings 4

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb whole grain pasta
    • 1 bunch curly kale
    • 1 to 1 1/2 cups brown lentils, rinsed and drained
    • 3-4 cups vegetable broth
    • 1-2 large onions, chopped
    • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Add the onions with the pepper and a bit of salt, to a medium hot pan. You can use olive oil here, but it's not necessary. A dash of water will do if the onions stick.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until onions are soft and golden, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and increase heat to medium then cook, stirring until onion is golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more.
    • Simmer lentils in broth, covered, adding more broth if necessary for 20 to 25 minutes.  They should be tender but not falling apart. Remove from heat and set aside.
    • Meanwhile, boil a big pot of water. Cut out and discard the stems and center ribs from the kale. Chop the kale coarsely and add it to the boiling water until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes.  Drain into colander *reserving* the water.
    • Combine lentils, kale and onions.
    • Return the water to the pot and bring to a boil.  Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.  Drain and reserve 1 cup of pasta-cooking water.
      Add pasta to lentil mixture and toss, adding in reserved water if necessary to moisten. Add salt and more pepper to taste. 

    Notes

    If you are transitioning to a plant-based diet (and you don’t have heart disease), you may want to cook the onions in a tablespoon of oil.  It will add richness to the dish for sure, but it’s not strictly necessary. 
    None of the ingredient quantities need to be exact.  The caramelized onions are key, though, so don’t skimp on those!
    Keyword vegan, vegetarian
  • Simple Creamy Vegan Tomato Bisque

    Simple Creamy Vegan Tomato Bisque

    Creamy Vegan Tomato Bisque

    No dairy, no oil, no fuss. This is a crowd-pleaser and I'm posting a scaled up recipe because it makes great (and freezable) leftovers. Don't worry about chopping perfect veggies because you puree the whole thing at the end!
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    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Blending Time 5 minutes
    Total Time 55 minutes
    Course dinner, Soup
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 12

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 cups onion, chopped
    • 9 long carrots, sliced
    • 3 TBS minced garlic
    • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
    • 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
    • 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
    • 6 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 TBS salt
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 2 1/2 TBS Italian seasoning blend see instructions
    • 3 TBS maple syrup
    • 3/4 cup cashew butter, or cashews blended up see instructions

    Instructions
     

    • Dump everything in a pot, except for the cashews or cashew butter. Stir and bring to a boil
    • Reduce heat and cover. Cook at a low simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until carrots are plenty soft.
    • Either use an immersion blender to puree the soup, adding the cashew butter. OR add your cashews to a high-powered blender like a vitamix and ladle some hot soup in there to blend that up until creamy. Re-add it to the pot and use an immersion blender to finish (or keep ladling hot soup into the blender if you don't have an immersion blender. Be careful!)

    Notes

    If you don’t have Italian seasoning blend, use 2 tsp basil, 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp rosemary, 2 tsp parsley, 1 tsp thyme.  Make up extra for next time you make the soup! 
    Keyword italian, oil-free, soup, vegan, vegetarian