Blissful Bites (41 page)

black-eyed pea bbq stew

• Makes 4 to 6 servings

This hearty and filling stew will leave you feeling warm and comforted. The black-eyed peas and root vegetables are full of fiber, so it's a great meal to fill you up without much fat or calories.

1 cup dried black-eyed peas, washed

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cup filtered water

1 cup rutabaga, small cubes

2 celery stalks, diced

1 carrot, diced

Pinch sea salt

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cup barbecue sauce

1 cup frozen peas

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Follow the
basic beans
recipe, on page 202. Meanwhile, in a skillet with lid simmer veggies with a pinch of sea salt and
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cup water until tender.

When beans are done, drain and return to pressure cooker or pot. Add veggie mixture to beans with barbecue sauce and simmer, covered, for five minutes. Add water as necessary if it starts to stick, and stir occasionally. Stir in peas and season with sea salt and pepper as needed.
 

Makes 4 wraps

Tempeh is one of my favorite plant-based proteins, and it's so good for you. This blackened tempeh is great as a side, in a wrap, or on a sandwich, and will turn anyone into a tempeh lover.

1 package (8 ounces) tempeh

Your favorite brand of tortillas

Lettuce

Carrot, matchsticks

Sprouts

Avocado

blackened marinade

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cup tamari

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon paprika

Dash black pepper

Slice tempeh into thin slices. Combine all marinade ingredients inside a glass dish large enough to fit slices of tempeh in one single layer. Coat each piece of tempeh and marinate for one hour, turning once. Drain most of the marinade from the tempeh and save, leaving a little at the bottom of the pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 375 degrees F, turning once halfway through. If it looks dry at the halfway point, add a touch of the marinade to the pan.

Toast tortillas, then pile on your favorite wrap fillings. Top with the
blissed caesar dressing
, on page 102.

blackened tempeh caesar wrap

• Makes 5 to 7 servings

When I went vegan, two things I really missed were frittata and quiche. Thankfully, I created this tofu version that is very reminiscent of the egg-based frittatas I used to have. Feel free to change up the vegetables each season for a slightly different flavor.

3 ears corn, cut off the cob

1 medium zucchini, grated

1 package (14 ounces) extra firm tofu

3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

Pinch sea salt and black pepper

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teaspoon baking powder

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cup nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari

1 teaspoon maple syrup

2 tablespoons umeboshi vinegar or sherry vinegar

Place veggies in a large bowl. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all remaining ingredients in a food processor. Blend until smooth and no tofu chunks are visible. Be sure to scrape the edges of the bowl a few times to incorporate all the ingredients.

Place tofu mixture in bowl with veggies. Fold in the vegetables until well incorporated. Fill a lightly oiled nine-inch round pie pan with mixture and press evenly into pan, smoothing over the top. Bake for 50 minutes uncovered.
 

• Makes 4 to 6 servings

This dish is a mix of different flavors and ethnic styles. The curry powder and turmeric give it excellent anti-inflammatory properties.

4 cups filtered water, divided

1 cup green lentils, rinsed

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 medium carrot, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

Pinch sea salt

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon coriander