Category: main dish

main dish, recipe

Spaghetti Squash Recipe

CleanEatingMama

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Friends – have you ever eaten spaghetti squash? I haven’t had this squash in a year or so and I forgot how amazing it is! Super sweet and mild, it’s really good plain with a sprinkle of salt and pepper!

Last night I made turkey patties, fresh green beans and spaghetti squash for dinner. Amazing!

The spaghetti squash was really simple to make: I popped it in the microwave for one minute t get it warm, took it out and cut it in half with a large knife, scooped the seeds out, and placed it in a large bowl with a bit of water in it back into the microwave. I heated it on high for 15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes. Once heated and steamed, all you do is scrape the inside out with a fork and you have instant spaghetti!

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I topped mi spaghetti squash with a crumbled turkey patty, some black beans and salsa. I have also made spaghetti squash as an alternative to pasta and it was fabulous!

I also had green beans and raw carrots. Super simple and very good!

Turkey Patty:

I combined Organic ketchup, Organic mustard, basil flakes, garlic powder, dried oregano, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Mix until well combined. ( I used the leanest grade of turkey so I added a bit of olive oil to a large pan to cook them in. ) Sorry… I really do not measure! I just make sure they are nice and moist and I do not over cook them! They will become very dry if cooked too long.

I only ended up cooking half of the spaghetti squash so I will be cooking the rest in a few days.

Clean Eating does not have to be complicated! In fact, it’s very simple! Remember to eat consciously!

XxOo Tasha

clean eating, dinner, main dish, quinoa, recipe, vegetarian

Quinoa Veggie Patties

CleanEatingMama

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Yesterday I posted my food journal and I had these amazing quinoa patties for dinner! This recipe is simple and these little patties are FULL of protein! I like mine topped with a little hummus and hot sauce. 😉

Quinoa Veggie Patties

1.5 cups raw quinoa
2.5 cups water or vegetable broth
1/2 small yellow onion, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/3 of a can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cloves garlic, minced
Handful of chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper or crushed red pepper flakes, to taste – I used cayenne pepper!
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Place quinoa in a mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for about 2 minutes. Bring quinoa and water or broth to boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the eggs, onion, red bell pepper, parsley, black beans, salt and pepper. Add the cooked quinoa, and then the eggs, stirring until moistened (if your mixture needs to be a little wetter, add about 1 Tbsp. water). Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Heat some of the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat (this depends on how big your patties and pan are, and how many batches you need to do). Add the patties to the hot oil and cook until well browned, about 4 minutes per side. Place on a paper towel-lined plate to remove an excess grease.

XxOo Tasha

dinner, lunch, main dish, recipe, side dish, vegan, vegetarian

Wheat Berry Salad

CleanEatingMama

Several months ago… more like a year… I purchased a small container of wheat berries. Not entirely sure what I was going to do with them, I figured eventually I would come across an amazing recipe to try.

Finally, that day has come.

If you weren’t aware, wheat berries are whole and unprocessed kernels of wheat. They are higher in vitamins and essential nutrients when eaten in their whole form. Plus, they are very tasty and have great texture. Here is a great article on wheat berries.

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While skimming through one of my countless recipe magazine I saw an advertisement for red wine vinegar. It had an amazing looking salad which featured wheat berries. My luck!

This cold salad has so many textures, so many different flavors… they all complement themselves very well. Do I dare say that even a bit of feta would be amazing in this? Yes. Yes it would.

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Wheat berry Salad

  • 5 cups water
  • 1/2 cup dry wheat berries
  • 1/2 cup yellow or red onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup diced cucumber
  • 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 6-8 kalamata olives, quartered
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tablespoons dried cranberries (these are the highlight of this salad!)
  • a few sprigs of fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon EVOO
  • Red Wine Vinegar to taste (I splashed a few drops in, tossed and tasted. I kept doing this until I was satisfied – 2 tablespoons roughly)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Combine the wheat berries, water and a pinch of salt into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium/low until wheat has desired texture – about an hour or longer. Take off heat, strain and put in the fridge to cool.

Once they have cooled, combine all of the ingredients together. Salt and pepper to taste. Place back in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer. Serve.

This salad can be used as a side or eaten as a main meal.

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Pompeian is the only brand of Red Wine Vinegar I have used and I love it!  

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XxOo Tasha

main dish, pizza, recipe, vegan

Simple Homemade Pizza

CleanEatingMama

For the record: I love pizza. I think it should be consumed on a weekly basis.

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I also love the smell of homemade bread and dough. It’s the yeast. It’s fabulous.

Speaking of love, I also love Jenna. She was the first food blogger I started reading a few years back and she has definitely been a staple in my recipes, cooking tips and just an overall fun blog to read.

She posted a pizza dough recipe, claiming it to be her go-to, fail proof recipe. Awesome. I need something that is fail proof in my life.

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The Best Pizza Dough – by Eat, Live, Run

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/3 cup warm water
  • 1 packet yeast
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt

    In a mixing bowl, combine the warm water and yeast.

    Stir in the salt and flour and mix on medium high speed on your KitchenAid for 5 minutes. While the mixer is going, drizzle in the olive oil.

    When the dough is soft and elastic, take out of the bowl, rub with olive oil and then place back in the bowl, cover with a dish towel and let rise for one hour.

    After the dough has doubled in size, cut in half to make two large pizza doughs or make mini doughs. You could also do what I like to do and freeze the dough in a plastic baggie for another time! When you are ready for your pizza, roll out the dough, cover with your toppings and bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes.

    **You could also make this dough without an electric mixer…..just knead by hand for about 8 minutes and then follow above steps! I’ve made it by hand many, many times and it always comes out right.

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    While Jordan was taking a nap this afternoon I thought I would surprise him and have fresh, hot pizza waiting for him when he woke up. This kid has great taste in food. I topped his with red sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese and fresh pineapple.

    I created my pie with red sauce, onions, artichoke hearts, basil leaves, ainkalamata olives and pepper flakes.

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    Thank you Jenna. Thank you pizza.

    tashasig

    lentil, main dish, vegan, vegetarian

    Vegan Meatless Lentil Loaf

    CleanEatingMama

    I have tried a few different loaf recipes but they always seemed to flop. They tasted good, but either were too dry or too sticky. I have finally created a meatless loaf to satisfy both non-meat eats AND meat eaters!

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    Ingredients

    • Ketchup or homemade tomato topping (see below)
    • 1 1/3 cup plain oatmeal
    • 1/2 block firm tofu
    • 1 cup chopped onion
    • 1 cup chopped bell pepper
    • 1 cup chopped mushrooms, button’s are fine
    • 2 tablespoons tomato mixture or ketchup
    • 3 tablespoons corn meal
    • 1 cup cooked lentils
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons dried parsley
    • 1 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes
    • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
    • 1 tablespoon onion powder
    • 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning, or a combination of thyme, oregano and rosemary
    • 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Tomato Sauce Topping

    • 1 6oz can Tomato Paste
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • pinch of salt

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    Cook lentils –  Be sure to rinse and sort lentils as they could have stones or debris in them.  Add 2 cups water to one cup of lentils in a pot and turn burner on high. Once boiling, turn heat to medium low and let simmer for 30 – 45 minutes. The lentils should still be whole yet mushy.

    Make tomato topping while lentils are cooking. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix with a spoon. Taste to see if it may need more salt.

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

    Chop onion, bell pepper and mushrooms. In a large skillet add one tablespoon olive oil and put on medium heat, then add chopped vegetables and a pinch of salt. Stir and cook until onions are soft and transparent – about 5-8 minutes.

    In a food processor, pulse oats for a few seconds until oats are small.

    Drain tofu well and press between a towel or a few paper towels until all moister is gone. Place in a large mixing bowl and break up with a fork. You want to make sure they are in small crumbles.

    In the same mixing bowl, add oats, lentils, vegetables, 2 tablespoons of tomato mixture and the rest of the ingredients. Mix until it is all combined – if it is too dry you can always add small amounts of water. You don’t want it too wet, but it should be able to stick together nicely.

    A note about the spices – I know there are a lot of spices but I just took what I had in my cabinet and threw it in. You really do not need to add ALL of my suggested spices, but since there is no meat flavor you want to try to make is as flavorful as possible. I found that the poultry seasoning tasted great in it! Taste the mixture before you put it in the pan, making sure it tastes good and is seasoned to your liking.

    Spray a loaf pan or small baking dish with non-stick spray. Spoon mixture in dish, then spread the rest of the tomato topping on top evenly. If you are using ketchup, use enough to cover the top evenly.

    Cook for 20 minutes, then cover with foil and cook for another 10 minutes. Let cool, slice and serve.

    This loaf makes a great meal when paired with a green salad or sautéed kale, and a baked sweet potato.

    tashasig

    main dish, vegan, vegetarian, wrap

    Bean Burger Lettuce Wrap

    CleanEatingMama

    sand1

    Bean Burger Lettuce Wrap

    • Black Bean Burger or veggie burger of your choice
    • 1/4 cup avocado, diced
    • tomato
    • red onion
    • hot sauce (optional)
    • 1 tablespoon of hummus
    • salt and pepper
    • large lettuce leaf, I used Romaine

    Spread hummus on half of lettuce leaf.
    Take your bean burger and place it on top of the hummus.
    Top the burger with onion, tomato, avocado salt and pepper.
    Gently wrap and eat.

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    tashasig

    main dish, pizza, vegetarian

    Simply Vegan Pizza

    CleanEatingMama

    DSC05252[4] When I decided to pursue the vegan lifestyle I almost hesitated because my love for pizza goes deep. Very deep.
    Pizza with no cheese?
    I could deal with the no meat part… but that ooey gooey, melty,salty cheese was something that I loved and I couldn’t imagine my pizza without it.
    However, I was wrong. Oh so wrong.
    Cheese-less pizza is fantastic. Each and every topping individually shines and you can taste every flavor element. I always add a lot of fresh basil for that rich, Italian taste.
    Experiment with toppings. Go nuts!
    And for crusts I am a huge fan of Rosemary Clean Cravings pizza crust. They are crunchy but not too thin. And there individual sized crusts are the perfect size for personal pizzas.

    • tomato sauce
    • fresh basil leaves
    • sun dried tomatoes
    • artichoke hearts
    • onion
    • black olives

    Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes, or until crust has browned.

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    tashasig

    beverage, dessert, halloween, main dish, recipe, vegan

    What a spooktacular time!

    CleanEatingMama

    I love Halloween.
    I love the ghosts and goblins, the scary pumpkins, the cool weather, and all of the fantastic sweet treats and goolish food!

    While scanning my favorite blogs and websites, I wanted to share a few festive vegan dishes that will be a hit for your Halloween party or family dinner!

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    Leggy Whoopie Spiders by Wing-It Vegan

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      Stuffed Intestines made with chickpeas, veggies and more!

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    peanutbuttercups

    Peanut Butter Cups by  Vegan Awakening

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    Creamy Dairy-Free Pumpkin Smoothie by Lexie’s Kitchen

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    Vegan Lemon Flavored Candy Corn by Vegspinz

    11-halloween-ghost-tortilla-chips-vegan-gluten-free

    Ghastly Tortilla Chips & Ghoul-camole by Manifest Vegan

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    Scary Cherry Fizz Halloween Punch by Healthy. Happy. Life

    Happy Halloween!

    beans, kale, main dish, quinoa, recipe, vegan

    Garlic Beans and Kale with Quinoa

    CleanEatingMama

    This dish is a super food’s dream come true. Nutty quinoa, kale, beans and garlic. What more do you need?

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    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup cooked quinoa (1/2 cup toasted quinoa + 1 cup water = makes 2 servings)
    • 2 tablespoons EVOO
    • 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
    • 1 heaping tablespoon of minced garlic
    • 3/4 cup pinto beans
    • 5 leaves of kale, washed and torn into large bit sizes pieces
    • a few splashes of shoyu sauce
    • pinch of salt and pepper

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    Directions

    Dump the quinoa in a saucepan and put heat on high. Toast the quinoa for a few minutes, tossing often so the quinoa does not burn. At the same time, start sautéing the oil, onion and garlic in a large skillet on medium heat. Add a pinch of salt to the onion mixture and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn.

    Once the quinoa has started to toast, add water and turn on high.When the quinoa boils, cover and turn to low and cook for 10 minutes or so.

    Add the beans to the onion and garlic and let cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add the washed kale pieces and a few splashes of Shoyu and a pinch of fresh pepper. Turn the heat to medium low and cover. Let steam for 7 minutes.

    Place a scoop of quinoa in a bowl and top with kale and beans. Serve hot.

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    eggplant, main dish, vegan, vegetarian

    Crispy Eggplant with Mushroom Marinara

    CleanEatingMama

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    Eggplant.

    For those that know me knows that I have always been a little scared to eat it. Why? I am not sure. It’s purple, oddly shaped and changes texture and color when cooked. I always thought it was too soggy for my palate. I bought one at the farmer’s market and have been experimenting with it the past week because I am DETERMINED to eat it and DETERMINED to enjoy it.

    Well my friends, I finally enjoyed eggplant. In fact, I inhaled my dinner tonight. Even my husband was impressed.

    This recipe is adapted from Dinosaur Egg’s recipe.

    I love the crispy bread crumbs with the soft eggplant. And the mushroom marinara? Hearty, rich and satisfying!

    I dredged the eggplant slices in wheat flour, soymilk, mustard and homemade bread crumbs. Baked to perfection.

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    While my little eggplant wonders were baking I was creating this hearty marinara. The basics: EVOO, yellow onion, garlic, mushrooms and fresh parsley.

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    After everything was happily mingling in my pan I added some pasta sauce.

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    Simmer, simmer, simmer.

    I heated up some left over whole wheat noodles and assembled what possibly might be one of my new favorite dinner ideas.

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    Recipe:

    Eggplant

    • 1/4 cup whole wheat flower
    • 1/4 cup almond milk, or other non-dairy milk
    • 2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
    • 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs – I crushed my homemade croutons
    • 1 medium eggplant
    • salt and pepper

    Mushroom Marinara

    • 1 tablespoon EVOO
    • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
    • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
    • 1/2 cup yellow onion
    • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
    • salt and pepper
    • your favorite pasta sauce

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 375 F.

    Get 3 bowls ready for your eggplant breading. In one bowl add flour and salt and pepper.

    In one bowl add milk and mustard. Wisk together.

    In one bowl add your bread crumbs.

    Slice eggplant into rounds or half rounds about 1/2 thick. Dredge each piece into the flour, then milk, then bread crumbs.

    Place each round on a backing sheet that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 10-12 minutes on each side.

    While baking, heat EVOO in a large saucepan on medium. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms. Let cook until soft – about 8 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic! Stir, stir, stir! Season with salt.

    Add parsley and let cook for another few minutes.

    Add 3-4 cups of pasta sauce and let simmer for a good 10 minutes. Check to see if salt or pepper need to be added.

    Once the eggplant has been baked, plate 4 pieces then top with marinara sauce. Serves 3-4

    You can add cooked pasta like did, or eat it plain. Either way it will be delish!

    tashasig