Easy Glass Noodle Stir Fry

This one is a fun one for many reasons—mainly because it’s simple and you’ll likely find most of these items in your kitchen already. But don’t stress if you don’t! This recipe is fully adaptable to what you have. Don’t have spinach? Maybe you have sugar snap peas! In fact, this is the perfect recipe to toss in whatever vegetable you may have, fridge-clean-out style. Whatever your choice may be, you are always guaranteed a delicious, healthy meal that will be sure to become a staple in your weekly routine. It sure has for my family!

RECIPE TYPE:

Lunch/dinner 

DIETARY INFO:

Vegan

 SERVING SIZE:

2
PREP TIME:

5 mins

 COOK TIME:

10 mins 

TOTAL TIME:

15 mins

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pack of gluten-free glass noodles, or any other option you may find 
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped (sweet, red, white, or shallot)
  • 3 large garlic bulbs, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger (can substitute ginger powder)
  • 1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, sliced 
  • 1 1/2 cups packed spinach 
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 cup cashews 
  • 1/3 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 tablespoon chili crisp (sriracha works too!)
  • 4 tablespoons tamari; be sure to check for gluten-free 
  • 1 pinch cilantro or cilantro microgreens  
  • Optional toppings: avocado, fried egg, scrambled eggs, chicken, shrimp 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prep your noodles accordingly. The ones I use only require two minutes in boiling water. I like to use glass noodles, which are either made of mung beans, heirloom rice, or peas. But there are so many options out there. You can also use buckwheat noodles, pad Thai noodles, and even spaghetti. Find what works best for you, or use whatever you have in your pantry. 
2. Drain the noodles and let them sit. 
3. Chop onions and garlic, grate your fresh ginger, slice the shiitake, and remove the stems from your spinach.
4. Warm a non-stick pan over a medium heat. I prefer a cast-iron option, but anything can work! 
5. Add the sesame oil and cashews, stirring for 2 minutes until the cashews are browned. 
6. Add your prepped onions, mushrooms, and carrots and stir for 2 minutes. 
7. Add your chopped garlic, ginger, and chili crisp, and continue to stir for another minute. 
8. Lastly, add your spinach, glass noodles, and tamari. Mix everything together for one more minute. 
9. Plate your noodle dish into shallow bowls, and top it with your microgreens or cilantro or any other topping mentioned above. 
10.  Enjoy … and the leftovers never disappoint!

 

Vegan Caesar Salad

Caes(ar) the day with this easy, quick vegan Caesar salad recipe brought to us by Nikki Elisheva of My Sweet Belly. Traditional Caesar dressing is made with egg whites and anchovies, making it very much not vegan; this recipe mimics the creamy, savory, salty, lemony dressing without using any animal products.

Don’t be intimidated by the made-from-scratch dressing. It’s really as simple as mixing a few ingredients together. And, as we learned from Salad Freak Jess Damuch, making our own dressing is one of the best ways to make a not-sad salad. This salad can be enjoyed as-is as a side dish, but it can also become full-meal-worthy by adding ingredients like chickpeas, avocado, or tempeh. For us aesthetically minded people, Nikki recommends serving the salad in wooden bowls to give it an added earthy touch. Get the recipe below.

DIETARY INFO:

Vegan

 SERVING SIZE:

Varies
PREP TIME:

5 min.

 COOK TIME:

5 min.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 heads of fresh romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup of Vegenaise
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated vegan mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (if not vegan, can use regular)
  • 1 lemon, squeezed
  • 1 teaspoon white miso (if not vegan, you can use anchovy paste for a more traditional flavor)
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Thoroughly rinse and pat dry the lettuce. 
2. Chop or tear the lettuce and place in a large bowl.
3. Mix the remaining ingredients together, and slowly stir them into the lettuce until you have the desired amount of dressing. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lemon Asparagus Pasta

It’s vegetarian but can be easily adapted to fit other eating styles—for instance, sub in gluten-free alternatives for the pasta and breadcrumbs, or make it vegan by using nutritional yeast instead of parmesan.

RECIPE TYPE:

Meal 

 DIETARY INFO:

Vegetarian

 SERVING SIZE:

5-7 servings
PREP TIME:

10 min

 COOK TIME:

15 min

 TOTAL TIME:

25 min

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 bunches of asparagus
  • 1 box of pasta 
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • Pinch of chili flakes
  • 3 cloves garlic minced/grated
  • 1/4 cup olive oil (for pasta sauce)
  • Handful of fresh basil leaves
  • 3 tablespoons of panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
  • Zest of one lemon

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.
2. Wash the asparagus and cut off the thick bottoms.
3. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the zest of one lemon and toss with your hands.
4. Halve the lemon and quarter each half. Place all over the baking sheet.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until soft when poked with a fork.
6. Once the asparagus is placed in the oven, boil salted water for the pasta.
7. Cook the pasta until al dente (according to package directions).
8. While the pasta is cooking, in a small bowl, toss together 1/4 cup olive oil, oregano, grated or minced garlic, and chili flakes.
9. Once the pasta is done, drain it but leave in a small amount of pasta water—not so much that there is water collected on the bottom of the pot, but if you were to strain it, water would still drip out.
10. Pour the olive oil mixture into the pasta and toss.
11. In another small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs and parmesan.  
12. Remove asparagus from the oven and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces. Add to the pasta.
13. Add the breadcrumb and parmesan mixture to the pasta.
14. Add a handful of fresh basil leaves and toss.
15. Devour and enjoy!