Vegan Lunch Hour

Held my first vegan lunch hour and had a blast!  Some really great participants with amazing stories.  Here are the recipes we made.   Amount of ingredients is not as important for some of these. Use your intuition and preferences and make it your own.

The Green Smoothie was to show how easy it is to get some great nutrients quickly.  Lemon juice is great to cut the bitter greens a bit.

Green Smoothie Staple

  • Greens (arugula, spinach, or other)
  • Lemon juice
  • Fruit (Apple, Banana, Blueberries, Strawberries, etc.)
  • Coconut Milk
  • 1t Tumeric (anti-inflammatory)
  • 1 T Maca Root (hormones, energy)

The “hearty” quinoa salad was to show how to make salad hearty.  I don’t know about you but if I order a greens salad in a restaurant, I’m not satisfied.  Many beginning vegans don’t find fruits and veggies filling enough.

Hearty Quinoa Cabbage Salad

  • Quinoa (prep ahead of time, cool)
  • Beans (garbonzo, or other)
  • Green and Purple Cabbage
  • Onion or leeks
  • Carrots
  • Arugula or Spinach or other greens
  • Cilantro or Parsley or Lemon Basil
  • Seeds or nuts (walnuts, pumpkin seeds, almonds, etc)
  • Avocado
  • Tomato

Dressing:

  • Splash Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 part Braggs Amino Acids
  • 3 parts Olive Oil (or grapeseed)
  • 1/2 part Balsamic Vinegar (or other vinegar)

Enjoy these yummy spring rolls with peanut sauce.   Use whatever veggies, rice, etc. you have laying around.  The mint leaves really makes it good.  Of course the peanut sauce is to die for.

Veggie Spring Rolls w/ Peanut Sauce

  • Rice paper (Asian grocery store)
  • Cabbage (purple, green)
  • Carrot slivers
  • Mint Leaves
  • Avocado
  • Brown Rice or quinoa

Dressing:

  • Peanut Butter
  • Braggs Amino’s or soy sauce
  • Sesame Oil
  • Rice Vinegar

Soak rice paper in warm water for 30 seconds or until flimsy.  Put whatever ingredients you want in them(ideas above) and wrap them like a burrito.

Had to introduce eggplant as I had bussels of them coming out of the garden.  This was a favorite from the guests especially those that never cared for eggplant.  Don’t cook too long just enough to soften the eggplant.

Grilled Garlic Eggplant

  • Eggplant peeled and sliced ¼ inch (can substitute portabella)
  • Onion (sauté on stove w/ one clove garlic)
  • 1/3 cup Coconut Oil or grapeseed
  • 2-3 dashes Balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Garlic clove
  • Fresh Basil chopped
  • Rosemary
  • Oregano

Saute onions in pan.  Make paste with oil, vinegar, garlic and spices.  Grill/Fry eggplant slices in pan with saute’d onion.  Spoon paste on eggplant slices.  Med/low heat, let cook for 10min.

bon appitit!

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