Marinated Bean Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound haricots verts
• 1 15-ounce can gigantes beans or large lima beans
• 16 Castelvetrano olives or green olives, sliced in half
• 2 tablespoons green onions, whites sliced
• 2 tablespoons shallot, peeled and minced
• ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
• 2 tablespoons plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• Salt to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Add about an inch of water to a medium-size pot. Place over medium-high or high heat and bring to a boil. Add haricots verts and steam, with lid on, until tender-crisp — about 5 minutes. Drain water and set aside.

Open and drain the can of gigantes beans. Place gigantes beans and steamed haricots verts in a salad bowl. Add olive halves, green onion and shallots to the bowl with beans.

To make dressing, in a small bowl or glass measuring cup, add yogurt, vinegar, olive oil, mustard, garlic paste and salt and pepper while continuously stirring with small whisk or fork. You may also add salad dressing ingredients to a pint-size glass jar with lid and shake vigorously to combine well.

Pour dressing over salad and use tongs or clean hands to thoroughly coat. Finally, add dill on top. Serve chilled.

Quinoa & Veggie Stuffed Portabellas

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 6 portabella mushrooms
• ½ cup quinoa, dry
• 1 small sweet potato, diced
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• ½ red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 small zucchini, finely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ground
• ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• ¾ cup cheese, shredded (mozzarella, cheddar, Jack, etc.)

Instructions

Cook quinoa in a rice cooker or on the stove top, according to package directions. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

To prepare mushrooms, gently wipe the surface of each mushroom with a wet cloth. Use a spoon to remove the gills and a small sharp knife to remove the stalk from each mushroom. Rub each cap lightly with olive oil. Place caps on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, stalk side up. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. (When mushrooms have baked for 25 minutes, carefully remove from oven and use tongs to gently pour off any water that has pooled inside the mushroom caps. Set aside.)

While mushrooms are baking, place a large sauté pan over medium and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Once heated, add sweet potato and onion to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to stir frequently. Cook for about 6 to 7 minutes, until softened.

Add bell pepper and zucchini to the pan and cook for another 6 to 7 minutes. Add cayenne pepper, balsamic vinegar and garlic powder to the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove veggies from heat. Then, add cooked quinoa to the veggies and stir well to combine.

Using a spoon, stuff each mushroom cap with a heaping portion of quinoa and veggies. Top each with shredded cheese. Return the pan of stuffed mushrooms to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese and tomato sauce or pesto, as desired.

Mushroom, Kale and White Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 10 oz mushrooms, assorted, sliced
• 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can tomatoes, diced, no added salt (including liquid)
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 cups kale, chopped
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 4 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium

Instructions:

Add olive oil to large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add onion to the pot. Season with a pinch of salt. Sauté onion until softened and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Then add garlic, carrot, mushrooms and thyme and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add white wine to the vegetables to deglaze. Stir well. Next, add balsamic vinegar, tomatoes, beans and broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.

Next, remove the remaining thyme stems from the soup and discard. Then, add kale to the pot, stir to incorporate, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve soup hot with grated pecorino cheese or your favorite vegan cheese on top.