A Plant-Based Thanksgiving

 I get a lot of questions about what we serve for Thanksgiving since we don't have turkey gracing our table.  I thought I would just share the recipes we use to just to give an idea of what it could be.  Our dinner is simple but delicious, and while not "traditional", each dish has the traditional version in mind. 

I didn't know I would be making this post when we ate, so I don't have pictures of each dish.  BUT...I did happen to take a picture of my plate.  The only dish not pictured: the cranberry sauce

While the following recipes are tweaked variations of someone else's, I can't remember whose, and since the tweaks have been many and are years old, it would be hard for me to go back and give credit where credit is truly due, and for that, I apologize.  I'm so thankful for the many food-bloggers out there who have been my inspiration and provided such wonderful recipes!

Thanksgiving Lentil Loaf

• 1 1/2 cups dry lentils
• 3 cups broth
• 2 cups (packed) finely chopped or grated sweet onion (1 large)
• 1 1/2 TBLS minced garlic
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrot
• 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, chopped fine
• 1 TBLS fresh thyme, plus 1 1/2 tsp dry
• 1 1/2 tsp dried: thyme, oregano, and sage
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup flaxmeal
• 3/4 cup oatflour
• 3/4 cup cornmeal (coarse is best)

• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 TBLS unsweet applesauce
• 2 TBLS balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp brown sugar (opt)

--Cook lentils in broth until tender.  Remove 1 cup and mash the remaining.  Add whole lentils back into bowl and recombine.

--Steam/saute onion and garlic until soft.  Add celery, carrot and mushroom.  Cook for 3-5 minutes, until the mushroom start to release their juices and carrots soften. 

-- Add the herbs and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes.  Add salt.

--Stir the flaxmeal, oatflour and cornmeal into the lentil mixture.  Add the veggie mixture and stir until mixed well.  If it's dry, add a 1-2 TBLS of water.

--Press firmly into a 9x5 oiled loaf pan (trick: put some parchment paper down in order to lift it out easily!).  **You can chill it at this point up to 2 days ahead.

--Make the glaze by mixing the ketchep, applesauce and vinegar.  Spread on top of loaf.

--Bake uncovered @350 for 1 hour.  Let it cool for 20 minutes and then lift it out and continue to let it cool for another 20-30 minutes before slicing.  Serve with gravy (recipe below)

Gravy

Yield: 2 cups (more than enough for the loaf -- I always have tons of extra, but it makes a great salad dressing of sorts!)

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 cups broth
• 2 TBLS nutritional yeast
• 2 TBLS soy sauce
• 1 TBLS Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 tsp dried: rosemary, thyme, and sage
• 3 TBLS cornstarch + 1-2 TBLS water at the end

-- Steam/saute onion and garlic 5-7 minutes until soft

-- Add remaining (minus cornstarch and water)

-- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes

-- Carefully puree

-- Mix the cornstarch and water together and then add to the gravy, stirring constantly

-- Heat 3-5 minutes until thick

**You can prep this up to 2 days ahead

Harvest Grain "Stuffing" 

Yield: 6 cups

(I just have to say that while I love the flavor of stuffing, I never liked the soggy bread texture, so I created this version, easily made GF by using rice)

• 1/2 package Trader Joes Harvest Grain Blend, or 1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous, or other grain
• 3 cups broth
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped carrot
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• 1 TBLS minced garlic
• 3/4 tsp dried: rosemary, thyme, and sage
• 1/2-3/4 cup extra broth
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
• 1/4 tsp pepper, to taste

-- Cook grain according to directions

-- Steam/sauté carrot, celery and onion until soft, 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic, 2-3 minutes.  Add herbs and cook til fragrant, 2-3 minutes.

-- Add cooked grain with a little extra broth, stirring to gain a thick creamy texture.  Add more to your liking.

-- Add raisins and s&p to taste. (The raisins add a natural sweetness that I love, but if the stuff you love is raisin-free, feel free to leave it out!)

**You can prep this up to 2 days ahead, just leave out the raisins until you're ready to reheat and serve.

Slightly Spiced Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Yield: 4-5 cups (I usually double this as it's the crowd favorite!)

• 8 cups cubed sweet potatoes (washed well, skins on)
• 1/3 cup sugar-free apple sauce
• 2-3TBLS brown sugar (opt)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

-- Combine all in a crockpot and set to high for 4 hours (Alternatively, you can cook the potatoes however you wish and then add everything to them and mash them)

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower Potatoes

Yield: 4-5 cups

(While I've made this with only cauliflower before, it ends up being too "runny" and I found that using half cauliflower and half potatoes not only added the starch needed to make them creamy, but the little flecks or red and purple add some visual texture)

• 1 large head of cauliflower, stem and core removed
• 1 1/2 lb multi-colored baby potetoes
• 2 heads roasted garlic (or 3 TBLS minced garlic in a pinch)
• s&p to taste

-- Make sure cauliflower florets aren't too large, and half any potatoes that are larger than an inch

-- In an InstantPot with a silicone colander in place and a cup of water in the bottom, put the potatoes in first, topping with the cauliflower

-- Set on High Pressure for 3 minutes, quick release when done

--Carefully transfer to food processor along with the garlic and puree until creamy

--If you don't have access to an instant pot, you can steam the potatoes and cauliflower and you can also just simply mash them my hand for a more rustic look

Maple-Balsamic Roasted Green Beans with Rainbow Carrots

• 1 lb fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
• 1 lb rainbow carrots, skinned, halved and sliced lengthwise
• 1 small red onion, sliced thin (opt)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 TBLS Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary & thyme
• s&p to taste

-- Mix vinegar, maple syrup and mustard in a small bowl with the herbs

-- Combine the bean, carrots and onion in a large bowl, or a ziplock bag.  Add the dressing mixture and stir until well coated

-- Roast @ 400 for 45 minutes, shaking/stirring once mid way through

Cranberry Sauce with Apple and Orange

• 2 12oz bags fresh cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar 
• 3 cups chopped granny smith apples
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• zest from 1 large orange (use the orange for some of the juice!)

-- Combine cranberries, liquids and sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium until berries begin to pop

-- When most berries are burst, add the apples, cinnamon and zest and cook over medium another 5-10 minutes until thickened

-- Remove from heat and cool, and then chill.

Oher items we always have:

• Corn
• Rolls/Bread
• Baby gherkins
• Dessert 

Amazing Carrot Tomato Soup

My family loves this soup.  It's so easy and full of flavor.  I personally love the versatility of it depending on what I have on hand at the moment.  This is one of those recipes I go to when I have a bunch of carrots that have lost their crisp. This is great as a side soup, or if you want to sneak some beans in, there's a "with protein" option, too!

Amazing Carrot Tomato Soup
Serves 6-8

• 1 lg onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 TBLS minced garlic
• 1 can tomato paste
• 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes
• 3-4 cups chopped carrots
• 3-4 cups cubed squash OR 1 can pure pumpkin OR 2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
• 6 cups broth
• 1 TBLS basil
• S&P to taste

-- Simmer all on stovetop for 45 minutes OR crockpot on high for 4-6 hours.  Puree

Veggie & Lentil Salads

Just because it's a salad doesn't mean this is a summer-time meal!  In fact, these warm lentil salads are the perfect weeknight meal paired with a chunk of hearty bread and a salad or a pureed vegetable soup.  With two variations, you can't go wrong on these simple staples.  (Our personal favorite it #1)

Pictured: Option #1 with zucchini instead of brussel sprouts

Veggie & Lentil Salads
serves 6

1 1/2 cups lentils + 3 cups broth + 1/2 tsp garlic powder -- cook

#1

• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
• 1 lb Brussel sprouts, fresh or frozen
• 1 lb carrots or parsnips, chopped
• 3 TBLS Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 TBLS balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 TBLS white balsamic vinegar
• 1 TBLS honey or agave
• 1 tsp each: sage, oregano, basil

#2

• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 2 cups carrots, chopped
• 3 cups zucchini, chopped
• 1 large bell pepper, red preferable, chopped
• 2 TBLS Dijon mustard
• 1 TBLS white balsamic vinegar

-- With either variation, cook lentils first. 

-- Saute or roast veggies until tender. 

-- Mix dressing together and combine everything in a large bowl.

-- Serve warm or room temp.

Curried Ginger Lentil Spread or Salad

This meal is originally supposed to be a spread used in pitas, with crackers, or vegetables -- kind of like a thick lentil-based hummus.  We love it so much I that I often make it as a salad so we can eat it year round!  The spread-version is more of a simple summer side, but the salad can be eaten warm in pitas or tortillas, or with a simple pureed vegetable soup!

Curried Ginger Lentil Spread or Salad
serves 4-6

• 1 1/2 cup dry lentils (brown) + 3 cups water or brother
• 1 TBLS curry powder (Indian)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 2 tsp raw minced
• 3 TBLS brown sugar or maple syrup
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 TBLS lemon juice (more if needed to thin)
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 TBLS apple cider vinegar
• rounded 1/8 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/8 tsp salt

-- Spread: Cook lentils.  Put everything in a food processor and puree until smooth. 

-- Salad: Do not puree.  OMIT: water and sugar.  Reduce lemon juice to 1 TBLS.  Everything else the same.  ADD: 2 cups each: corn kernels, fine dice carrots, fine chopped kale (opt)

White Bean Rosemary Soup

I'm always leery of soups that have so few, and simple, ingredients.  This soup, though, shines with its simplicity and is bursting with the lovely notes of fresh rosemary.  It's light, yet flavorful and very filling.  This is a perfect compliment to a hearty green salad and some good crusty bread.  Or, serve this with a main dish that is a little lacking when it comes to a protein component.

I got the recipe here and like most of Dreena Burton's recipes, tweaked it only slightly.

White Bean Rosemary Soup
serves 6-8

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
• 1 TBLS minced garlic
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 4 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups broth + 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 - 2 TBLS lemon juice, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste

--Saute onion and celery in stock pot until soft

-- Add garlic and mustard and saute another 2 minutes

-- Add three cans of beans, liquid, and rosemary.  Simmer 10 minutes and puree until very smooth

-- Add the last can of beans and lemon juice and heat through.

-- Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cumin Rice with Eggplant & Peas

Sometimes, on these chilly almost-spring days, I crave a good one-pot dish that is full of flavor and easy -- light and filling.  Add some Indian flavors combined with one of my all-time favorite cooked veggies and I'm set.  I found the original recipe here and tweaked it a tad.

Easy and delicious...and when done like I did it, quick, too!!  I served this with a salad topped with some white beans and called it good.

Leftovers fit really well in a tortilla for a quick lunch.  Just saying.

Cumin Rice with Eggplant & Peas
serves 6

• 1 1/2 cups dry brown rice + 3 cups water for cooking
• 4 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 ts powdered ginger
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 lb eggplant, 1 inch cubes
• 1 lg onion, chopped
• 1 lg yellow/orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes, with juice
• 2 cups frozen peas

-- Cook rice in the water with the spices until done (in a rice cooker or on the stove is fine)

-- In a large skillet, saute the eggplant, onion, and bell pepper until soft

-- Add tomatoes and peas to skillet and heat through

-- When rice is done, mix into the skillet with veggies, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve

**If you have 3 cups of brown rice already cooked, add the spices in with the veggies and just mix it all together. 

Red Lentil Quinoa Cutlets with easy Mushroom Soup

What are you all fixing for Valentine's Day?  I think this duo may make it to our table.  I haven't decided yet.

I made this dish back in December and I'm just now getting around to posting it -- sorry, but life is...well...life.  It keeps going at its very busy pace and I'm left trying to catch up.

Anyway.  Both these dishes are easy and simple, and they taste amazing.  They taste spectacular together.  I made the soup (next time I'll double it!) and used it as a stand-in gravy.  It worked really well, but we loved the combination so much, that we took the leftovers and made a "stack" out of it.  Cutlet with a generous portion of the soup on top, with another cutlet and more soup on top of that.  Can I say ahhhh-maaa---zing!  Wow.

You may think this is an adult-only meal, but my boys both asked for seconds.  They especially loved the soup, which, I will admit, is potentially one of my new favorite soups.  It's simple and easy and would be perfect to dress up a dinner, or as a lunch with a piece of toasted hearty bread.  Yum.

Anyway, I think if I make this in two weeks for Valentine's Day, I'll serve it with roasted balsamic green beans or asparagus.

Original cutlet recipe can be found here.  And the original mushroom soup recipe is here.

Since I followed the cutlet recipe to the letter, I'll let you get the recipe over there instead of re-writing it. The soup, on the other hand, I tweaked a little, and so I'll give you my version here.

Mushroom Soup

serves 4 (double it!!)

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 8oz pk of mushrooms, baby bellas work well
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp dry sage
• 2-3 cups vegetable broth 
• 1 15oz can black beans, rinse and drain

-- Saute onion and mushroom 7-9 minutes, until soft and mushrooms have released their liquid

-- Add garlic and sage.  Saute 1 minute

-- Add broth and beans and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.  Puree and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Autumn Quinoa

This is one of my favorite fall quinoa dishes.  It's simple.  It's slightly sweet.  It's perfect paired with the cauliflower soup I posted a few weeks ago.  It makes a bit, so you can either serve it to a ton of people as a side dish, in a bowl as a main dish, or, you can bake some acorn squash and stuff this inside!  (And I've done it and love it that way!)  There's just something killer about the combination of pumpkin, orange, and cinnamon that I love.

This does not take very long to make.  For me, it's trickier than most of my quinoa dishes because I don't use the rice cooker for it and actually have to pull a pot out to cook it on the stove top, but as long as you stir it occasionally, it will come out perfectly.  Creamy and full of flavor!

Autumn Quinoa
serves 6 main

• 1 cup diced red onion
• 1 cup pure pumpkin pure (canned)
• 1 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 cups broth/water
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp powdered ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cup dry quinoa, rinsed well
• 1 cup craisins or raisins

--  Saute onion until soft and translucent

-- Add liquid and pumpkin and stir until combined

-- Add spices and quinoa.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes until quinoa is done and liquid is absorbed. (Stir occasionally!!)

-- Stir in raisins and season with s&p to taste

Cran-Apple Crisp & Cran-Orange Relish

This crisp will be gracing our Thanksgiving dessert table this year.  Oh wow.  It's perfect for any gathering, or plain old day, this Harvest season!  I have played around with the combinations of the crisp -- using only apples is the best way to go, followed by a mix of pears and apples (lessen sugar to 1/3 cup if you use pears!), and all pears coming in last.  Still good, but not fabulous like the apple versions.

We enjoy this  a la mode, but feel free to drop a scoop of pure vanilla ice cream on top!

Cran-Apple Harvest Crisp

Serves 8

What you'll need:

• 6 cup peeled and chopped Granny Smith apples (sometimes I sub a cup or two of honeycrisp or pears)
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• ¼ c white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 TBLS cinnamon

Crumble Crust

• ¼ cup flour
• ¼ cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 3 TBLS chilled butter OR coconut oil

What you'll do:

• Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly spray a 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray
• Place the apple chunks, craisins, sugars, and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir until the apples are well coated.  Pour into the baking dish.
• In a smaller bowl, combine the flour and oats.  With a pastry cutter or fork, cut in chilled butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.  
• Pour the crumble crust mixture on top of the apples, spreading evenly.
• Bake uncovered for 1 hour.
• Let stand for 5-10 minutes

And now for one of my all-time favorite additions to any holiday table. This cranberry orange relish is simple and delicious and comes together in a snap with the help of a food processor!

Cranberry Orange Relish

(makes 3 cups)

What you'll need:

• 1/2 cup pecan halves (opt)
• 12 oz bag of whole cranberries, rinsed
• 1 orange OR 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup sugar

What you'll do:

• If using the pecans, place those in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped.  Empty into a medium-sized serving bowl.
• Dump the cranberries into the food processor and pulse until finely chopped (be sure to leave some texture - the goal is not to puree).  Empty into the serving bowl.
• If using orange juice, pour it into the serving bowl now & skip the next two steps.
• Use a fine grater on the orange peel until you have 1/2 tsp of zest (the goal is to scrape off just the orange part as you grate--the white pith has a bitter flavor).  Empty zest into the serving bowl.
• Discard remainder of orange peel & any seeds, then place segments of fruit in food processor and puree.  Empty the puree into the serving bowl.
• Pour sugar in serving bowl and stir until dissolved.
• Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Note:  Cranberries freeze exceptionally well, so I buy an extra bag while they are in season and freeze for later use.

Time Tip:

• Make this a whole day ahead

Mashed Potatoes Two Ways

With Thanksgiving just a week away, our thoughts wander to the festive table we'll sit down to.  And the mashed potatoes we'll likely pile on our plate.  Personally, I was never one for mashed spuds -- I'm more of a stuffing girl -- but that all changed when I started using different types of potatoes (and adding in squash) to make the mashed potatoes a little more interesting.  I'm still a stuffing girl, but these piles of mashed goodness give stuffing a run for its money!


First up, mashed potatoes meets butternut squash!

This twist on simple mashed potatoes gives the side dish more nutritional heartiness.  It's also a no-think recipe with the use of the crock-pot!  We love the added hint of garlic and could easily eat these once a week!  For budget reasons - please wait until you find a good deal on the butternut squash if you can, and if you can't find one small enough, just cook and freeze the rest for another recipe! (You can also find already peeled and cubed butternut squash in the freezer section of most supermarkets.)

Butternut Mashed Potatoes

Serves 8-10 (5 cups total)

Active time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hrs

Total time: 3 hrs 20 minutes

Serving Suggestions:  Along side lentil loaf with a green salad or roasted asparagus.

What you'll need:

• 4 cups diced (1 in) red or new potatoes, washed, skin on
• 4 cups diced (1 in) butternut squash, peeled
• 5 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 3 TBLS olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp crushed dried rosemary

What you'll do:

• Place everything in a crockpot, cover, and cook on high for 3 hours. Stir occasionally.
• Mash until almost everything is creamy.
  
  
  
  

Next up, sweet potatoes fit for your Thanksgiving table, or a Wednesday night supper!

Usually people think mashed sweet potatoes go hand-in-hand with the holidays.  These, though, are so subtly spiced you can serve these any time of the year (but especially during the holidays)!  Feel free to half the recipe to accommodate for a simple supper.

Simply Spiced Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Serves 12

Active time: 15 minutes

Cook Time:  15 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Serving Suggestions: Eat this lovely side dish with a dinner like lentil-loaf along with some green beans.

What you'll need:

• 8 cups peeled and chopped sweet potatoes OR unpeeled for a more rustic and nutritious texture
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

What you'll do:

• Cook your sweet potatoes either in the microwave, in the oven, or in a pot of boiling water, until they are soft and tender.
• Transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients.
• Mash until smooth and ingredients are all incorporated.
• Add a little water if they are too dry.

Slightly Glazed Carrots & Seasoned Red Potatoes

Thanksgiving is 10 days from today, people!  Do you know what you're having?  Here are two suggestions if you're looking for easy and healthy sides to fill the table out.

So incredibly simple and oil free!  A lot of times, glazed carrots and gooey and sticky, and I just don't like that.  These babies and just ever so slightly glazed.  The glaze gives them just a little oomph for a special dinner if needed, or, if you have kids (or a husband) who isn't fond of carrots, maybe this will be the turning point without compromising on health.

I got the idea over here, but tweaked it pretty well.

Slightly Cider Glazed Carrots
serves 4-6 sides

• 1 lb baby carrots (3-4 cups)
• 2 TBLS packed brown sugar
• 1 TBLS apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp paprika 

-- Cook or roast carrots.  Drain if needed.

-- Mix remaining ingredients together until sugar dissolves.  Simply pour over carrots and stir to coat well.  You can also heat it all together in a small sauce pan (preferred if there is time). 

----

These red potatoes are such that you could eat them in the summer next to a burger, or next week alongside your turkey (or stuffed acorn squash).  My boys love these, and since I buy white potatoes so rarely, this is my preferred way to eat them when I do buy them for another recipe (read: soup) and have leftovers. Like most dishes involving balsamic vinegar, they're even better after a few days.  I've even eaten these cold, and they're fabulous!

Seasoned Red Potatoes

Serves: 6 (1 cup portions)

Active time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total time: 13 minutes

Serving Suggestions:  With pretty much any main dish that you would serve potatoes with.  Grilled chicken, green beans, and/or a small bowl of soup.  

What you'll need:

• 6 cups small cubed red potatoes
• 1 TBLS olive oil
• 3 TBLS balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp crushed spices: thyme, basil, and oregano are our favorite OR Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

What you'll do:

• Boil, roast, or microwave potatoes until “fork tender”.  
• Meanwhile, combine all other ingredients in a small bowl.
• Once potatoes are done, drain if necessary, and place in serving bowl.  Pour "sauce" over the potatoes and stir to coat.

Alternative: Add 3 cups chopped and cooked green beans (12 oz frozen bag).  Increase Balsamic Vinegar to ¼ cup and herbs to 1 TBLS.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Green Beans with Mushrooms

The next few posts are all going to be good solid sides in preparation for Thanksgiving!  I figure everyone is either going to be eating Turkey or Stuffed Acorn Squash or delicious Lentil Loaf and just need some sides to fill in the gaps between the rolls and dessert!

These green beans are very simple and easy to put together, but for whatever reason, the addition of mushroom and thinly sliced sauteed onions all sauteed with some very dry sherry or white wine just makes them seem so much more elegant.   If I want them to be extra fancy, I will use the fancy "thinner" green beans (not French!).  Everyone loves these and I love their simplicity. And really, they are so much better for you than the creamy green bean casserole!

Green Beans with Mushrooms
serves 6-8

• 1 large sweet onion, cut in half and sliced thin
• 1 lb fancy green beans -- either frozen or fresh
• 8 pk sliced mushrooms, either white or baby bellas
• 1/4 cup very dry sherry or white wine

-- Start by satuing the onion for 3-4 minutes.

-- Add in the remaining ingredients and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until green beans are cooked through and mushrooms are soft and onions starting to turn brown, about 15 minutes 

Mac N Cheese

My boys love mac n cheese.  Heck -- I love mac n cheese.  Ask the husband, even though I have no taste for cheese anymore, there are nights all I want is the comfort of the gooey noodles, the sharp white cheddar taste, and bits of artichoke and spinach in every bite.

Are you drooling yet?

Thankfully, when the boys request mac n cheese, they're thinking of the orangey-yellow variety they sometimes get at Grammy's house.

I had this recipe, and this one, too, and we liked them both ok. They're perfectly fine substitutes when you're making it from scratch.  The Healthy Mac recipe didn't look right -- it was very tasty, but didn't taste at all like what the boys craved.  The Sweet Potato Mac was also just ok -- but in reality, if I want mashed sweet potatoes I don't want noodles in there messing it up.

So one day the boys wanted mac n cheese for lunch.  I started to whip up the cheese sauce and saw that I had a good sized sweet potato on the counter...hmmm...I don't need the whole sauce to be sweet potato, but just a little color and sweetness would be nice.  So here's what I came up with and I threw the other recipes out.  This is the only way the boys want to eat mac n cheese from now on -- and it even looks "cheesy" with all it's orange-yellow-ness!

Mac N Cheese
serves 4-6

• 12-14 oz whole wheat macaroni
• 1 cup almond milk -- unsweetened
• 6 TBLS nutritional yeast
• 1 1/2 TBLS flour
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potato
• salt and pepper to taste

--  Start by cooking your pasta according to the directions

-- Meanwhile, cook the sweet potato in the microwave for 5-8 minutes until soft

-- Meanwhile (again), whisk all other ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat over medium 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally and watching it thicken (although not too much, and don't let it boil!)

-- Once the sweet potato is done, carefully put the sweet potato chunks in with the milk and mash a little.  With a hand blender, puree until smooth. (If you don't have a hand blender, you can puree the sweet potatoes in a food processor with a little of the milk liquid and then transfer everything back to the pot).

-- When pasta is done, drain and mix with the creamy sauce until it coats each and every noodle.  Season with salt and pepper as desired!