Zuppa Tuscana – Veganized

My favorite lunchtime treat was always soup, salad and bread sticks at Olive Garden. I could eat endless bowls of Zuppa and basket upon basket full of bread sticks. So after reading through tons of recipes online, I have figured out how to make my favorite soup VEGAN! I promise this dish delivers flavor and will satisfy any hungry soul! Enjoy!!

Zuppa Tuscana!

5-6 potatoes – cut into small squares

4-6 cups vegetable broth (I use 3 cubes of vegetarian broth and water)

1 cup chopped onions

2-3 cloves of garlic chopped

2-3 Cups of chopped greens – Kale or spinach

1 package Italian tempeh (Upton’s Naturals or season your own sausage style tempeh)

1 can coconut milk

1 tsp salt

1 TBSP Italian Seasoning

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Boil potatoes, onions, garlic and spices in vegetable broth until potato is soft. Add tempeh and coconut milk and let simmer ten minutes. Add chopped greens and simmer another ten minutes and wha-la! Delicious and wholesome tasting Italian soup!

Quinoa Fruit Salad

This year for Easter I had a few friends over for dinner.  One of my friends enjoyed the dish below so much she had seconds and thirds and took home a container of leftovers! I love rocking a vegan dish that satisfies a room full of carnivores

Ingredients

1 cup of quiona

1 ½ cup water

2/3 cup slivered almonds

2/3 cup dried cranberries

2 small apples – finely chopped

1 blood orange

2 TBSP sugar or agave nectar

1 tsp cinnamon

1.    To prepare quinoa: 

     Soak grains for 5-10 minutes and rinse well (this helps to remove the small outer rim that can sometimes make quinoa bitter). Heat water to boiling and add quinoa. Cover and turn heat down to low. Steam for about 15 minutes. It will cook up and look similar to rice - the water should be completely evaporated.

2.    Prep other ingredients while the quinoa is cooking.

3.    Once quinoa is ready, add fruit, nuts sugar and cinnamon.Stir ingredients together.

4.    Squeeze the juice from the blood orange – this provides flavor and a bit of color. Stir well to incorporate juice.

5.    Refrigerate and serve cool! Enjoy!

Cheers!