Meatless Meals
Tortilla Pizza
This is my go-to recipe for pizza. It is easy, quick, and a great way to use up the leftovers in the fridge! Not only is it delicious, but also it is far healthier for you than the frozen pizza you buy in the grocery store. This is just a general guideline on how to prepare the crust. The toppings for this could be endless - heavy on the veggies of course. Have fun with it!
Ingredients:
Tortilla shells
Extra virgin olive oil or extra virgin coconut oil
Pizza sauce
Pizza toppings (I love to use leftovers)
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
While waiting for the oven to preheat, lay out the tortilla shells on a pizza pan or cookie sheet. Brush oil on top of the tortilla shells evenly.
Place the tortilla shells in the oven for 5 minutes or just until they begin to brown.
Be careful not to overcook the shells.
Remove the shells from the oven and top the pizza accordingly. Be sure not to top with any raw meat. This recipe does not bake long enough to thoroughly cook raw meat.
Put the pizza in the oven and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes. Cook just until the toppings are hot, and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Cooking Time - 20 minutes
Servings - 4
Recipe found on gimmedelicious.com. Click photo for full recipe.
Crispy quesadillas filled with beans, sautéed onions, bell pepper, avocado and lots of cheese. These avocado black bean quesadillas are filling and make a great vegetarian meal too!
Ingredients:
½ Onion, sliced
½ Bell Pepper, sliced
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
½ cup Black Beans, drained
1 Tablespoon Taco Seasoning
4 Medium Soft Flour Tortillas
2 Avocado, peeled, halved, seeded and sliced
¼ cup Cilantro, minced
1 Lime, cut in half
1 cup Light Mexican, Cheddar or Mozzarella Cheese
Oil or Cooking Spray for Grilling
Instructions:
In a medium pan over medium-high heat, sauté onion and bell pepper in 1 Tablespoon oil for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add the black beans and taco seasoning. Cook for another minute. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Rinse and wipe down pan and return to heat. Drizzle with a light layer of oil or cooking spray.
In a small bowl, lightly mash the avocados with a fork. Stir in cilantro and juice of ½ a lime, season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread a quarter of the mashed avocado onto half of a tortilla. Top with bean mixture and ¼ cup of cheese. Fold the tortilla closed over the veggies. Repeat until all the tortillas are filled and all the fillings used.
Cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side or until the outside is crispy and the cheese has fully melted. Serve with your favorite salsa and sour cream.
Cooking Time - 35 minutes
Servings - 5
Recipe found on allrecipes.com. Click photo for full recipe.
I once stumbled upon quinoa black bean burgers when I was in Winnipeg, walking around, trying to waste time before an appointment. There was a small restaurant that advertised having the best grass-fed hamburgers. Feeling hungry, I entered to try it out. After I sat down and began looking at the menu, I noticed they had a quinoa black bean burger. I had never heard of such a thing. Thinking that it sounded pretty good, I ordered it. It was absolutely AMAZING! I have been back to Winnipeg many times before, but I can't remember where this restaurant is! Ask my husband about my sense of direction - it's terrible.
I would call this experience similar to How I Met Your Mother when Marshal was on a walk in New York City and accidentally found a burger joint that had, what he called, the 'best burger in New York'. Afterwards, he rushed to tell Ted about the place but quickly forgot where it was. Since then, Marshall had tried every burger joint he could in an attempt to find the place.
I too have tried many times before to go back to the 'best quinoa black bean burger in Winnipeg'. When all hope was lost, I decided to jump on the internet to make it myself. I have changed a couple ingredients from this recipe, as I am trying to avoid grains when possible. I also eat this without a bun.
Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup Quinoa
½ cup Water
½ cup Ground up Raw Almonds or Almond Flour (grind raw almonds in food processor until bread crumb consistency)
3-4 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseed
¼ cup Yellow Bell Pepper, minced
2 Tablespoons Onion, minced
1 Large Clove Garlic, minced
1-½ teaspoons Ground Cumin
½ teaspoon Salt
1 Egg
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
Instructions:
Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Place the black beans in a food processor and grind until it is in a paste-like consistency. You can also use a fork if you don't have a food processor.
Mix the quinoa, ground up almonds, flaxseed, bell pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, and egg into the black beans using your hands.
Form the black bean mixture into 5 patties. Make sure you make fat burgers so they can remain together while cooking. (I find it easiest to plop down a large spoonful onto a hot skillet and press the mixture down with the spoon until it is the right size.)
Heat the oil in a large skillet.
Cook the patties in hot oil until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Cooking Time - 1 hour
Servings - 6
Recipe found on minimalistbaker.com. Click photo for full recipe.
Amazingly flavorful taco “meat” made with quinoa, smoky seasonings, and salsa! Baked until hot and crispy. A healthy substitute for ground beef (just 9 ingredients)!
Ingredients:
Quinoa
1 cup Tri-Color, White or Red Quinoa
1 cup Vegetable Broth
¾ cup Water
Seasonings
½ cup Salsa (slightly chunky is best)
1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
2 teaspoons Ground Chili Powder
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ teaspoon Sea Salt & Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Olive or Avocado Oil
Instructions:
Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add rinsed quinoa and toast for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add vegetable broth and water and bring back to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce heat to low, cover with a secure lid, and cook for 15-25 minutes, or until liquid is completely absorbed. Fluff with a fork, then crack lid and let rest for 10 minutes off heat.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Add cooked quinoa to a large mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients (salsa, nutritional yeast, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and oil). Toss to combine. Then spread on lightly greased (or parchment-lined) baking sheet.
Bake for 20-35 minutes, stirring/tossing once the halfway point to ensure even baking. The quinoa is done when it’s fragrant and golden brown. Be careful not to burn!
This quinoa taco meat goes extremely well in crispy taco shells, and I also think it would be perfect in nachos, taco salads, tostadas, and in enchiladas.
Store leftovers in refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in microwave, in a 350° oven, or in a skillet on the stovetop.
Cooking Time - 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings - 5
I found this delicious salad on EatingBirdFood.com. Click photo for full recipe.
Ingredients:
1 cup Dry Quinoa
2 cups Water or Veggie Broth
½-pound Broccoli, cut into florets
1 Sweet Potato 130g, chopped into 1/4" - 1/2" chunks
1 can (15 oz.) Chickpeas
1 bunch Kale, roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, as needed
¼ cup Fresh Parsley
3 Tablespoons Feta Cheese
Juice from 1 Lemon
½ Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt and Ground Pepper, to taste
Crushed Red Pepper, to taste (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425°F
Rinse and drain quinoa if needed. Place quinoa and water in medium saucepan and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer, cover and let it cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat after 15 minutes and place quinoa in a large bowl to cool.
Drain and rinse your canned chickpeas. Place the chickpeas on a paper towel or hand towel to dry.
Toss broccoli and sweet potato chunks with a little olive oil and roast at 425° for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, add your kale and chickpeas to the roasting pan. Toss and roast for another 15 minutes. Stir the veggies around at least once during the roasting process.
Once your veggies are nice and roasted, remove from oven, and combine them with the quinoa.
Chop parsley, crumble feta and add to the quinoa and vegetable mixture
In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, vinegar and maple syrup. Gently stir in oil, and add salt/pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to taste. Toss dressing over quinoa/vegetable mixture.
Enjoy and store any leftovers in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Cooking Time - 25 minutes
Servings - 6
I found this delicious salad on ambitiouskitchen.com. Click photo for full recipe.
Ingredients:
¾ cup Uncooked Quinoa
2 cups Shredded Red Cabbage, depending on how much crunch you like
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
¼ cup Diced Red Onion
1 cup Carrots, shredded
½ cup Cilantro, chopped
¼ cup Green Onions, diced
½ cup Cashew Halves or Peanuts
Optional: 1 cup Edamame or Chickpeas
Fresh lime, for a bit of tang
For the dressing:¼ cup All-Natural Peanut Butter
2 teaspoons Fresh Ginger, grated
3 Tablespoon Gluten-Free Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar
2 teaspoon Olive Oil
Water to thin, if necessary
Instructions:
To cook quinoa: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil. Add in quinoa and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all of the water. Remove from heat and fluff quinoa with fork; place in large bowl and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. You should have a little over 2 cups of quinoa.
To make dressing: Add peanut butter and stevia to a medium microwave safe bowl; heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Add in ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, and olive oil and stir until mixture is smooth and creamy. If you want a thinner dressing, simply stir in a teaspoon or two of water or olive oil.
Add as much or as little dressing as you’d like to the quinoa. I always start out with a little bit of dressing and usually add more to suit my taste preferences. Alternatively, you can save the dressing for later and add when you are ready to eat; however, the flavors of the dressing usually soak into the salad so I love adding it to the quinoa first.
Next fold in red pepper, onion, cabbage, carrots, and cilantro into the quinoa. Garnish with cashews and green onions. Serve chilled or at room temperature with lime wedges, if desired.
I found this delicious salad on oliveyouwhole.com. Click photo for full recipe.
Ingredients:
5 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
7 Mini Cucumbers (700g), cut in circular slices
3 Tablespoons Red Onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon Fresh Dill, finely minced
¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions:
Chop all the ingredients per the instruction, then combine! You can enjoy it right away or let marinade a few hours before serving.
Cooking Time - 40 minutes
Servings - 5
Recipe found on richanddelish.com. Click photo for full recipe.
This viral Jennifer Aniston salad is a fresh, crunchy, delicious, and nutritious salad that is packed with plant-based protein.
Ingredients:
1 cup Quinoa, uncooked
2 cups Water
15-ounces Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup Pistachios, chopped
½ cup Parsley, chopped
1 cup Cucumber, chopped
⅓ cup Red Onion, chopped
½ cup Mint, chopped
½ cup Feta Cheese
1 Medium Lemon, juiced
¼ cup Olive oil
Kosher Salt, to taste
Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Start by rinsing the grains thoroughly under cold water to remove any bitter taste. Then, combine quinoa with water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and allow it to cool while you chop and prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Into a large mixing bowl, add the cooled and cooked quinoa, drained chickpeas, chopped pistachios, chopped parsley, chopped mint, chopped red onion, chopped cucumber and crumbled feta cheese.
Then, top it with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper.
Use two wooden spoons to mix the salad, taste it, and add more salt and pepper if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Cooking Time - 50 minutes
Servings - 4
I found this on greenvalleykitchen.com. Click photo for full recipe.
Ingredients:
2 Medium-Sized Sweet Potatoes (260g)
6 cups Baby Spinach, roughly chopped
1 Clove of Garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1½ cups Cooked Quinoa
¼ cup Pecan Pieces
¼ cup Dried Cranberries (Nutrition Template: omit)
1 to 2 ounces Feta Cheese, diced
6 twists of Black Pepper from a pepper mill
A pinch of Salt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°.
Slice the sweet potatoes evenly in half lengthwise. Coat them with a little olive oil and place face down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Roast sweet potatoes for 30 to 40 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender and soft.
I used pre-cooked quinoa that I had on hand. If you are making the quinoa, prepare ½ cup of dry quinoa as per the package instructions. I usually cook the quinoa in vegetable broth or add ½ of a bouillon cube for extra flavor.
While the sweet potatoes are roasting, add olive oil to a large sauté pan and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic and half of the spinach and cook until wilted and then add the rest of the spinach and cook until its wilted - about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in quinoa, pecans, cranberries, pepper and salt into spinach mixture.
Gently toss feta into quinoa mixtures.
When sweet potatoes are ready, remove from oven and let cool slightly. Test for doneness, they should be soft and indent slightly when squeezed. If they are not done, put them back into the oven for an extra 5 or 10 minutes.
Let the sweet potatoes cool slightly so they are easy to handle. With a small spoon, gently press down in the center of the sweet potatoes to make a small indentation that is the length of the sweet potato.
Spoon quinoa and spinach mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes and serve.
Cooking Time - 40 minutes
Servings - 6
Recipe found on wellplated.com. Click photo for full recipe.
This is healthy, filling, and delicious! Perfect make-ahead salad recipe for healthy lunches or to serve as a crowd-pleasing side dish.
Ingredients:
1¼ pounds Sweet Potatoes - scrubbed and peeled (about 3 small/medium), cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 Red Onion, cut into ½-inch chunks
4 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
2 teaspoons Ground Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
1½ cups Cooked Quinoa - from ½ cup dry
Zest and Juice of 2 limes - 3 tablespoons lime juice total
2 teaspoons Pure Maple Syrup (Nutrition Template: 10 drops stevia)
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 can Reduced Sodium Black Beans, (15 ounces), rinsed and drained
1 Large Bell Pepper, cored and diced
¾ cup Freshly Chopped Cilantro
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°. Place the cubed sweet potatoes and red onion on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, then sprinkle with chili powder, paprika, and salt. Toss to coat and spread into a single layer. Bake until the potatoes are just tender, about 25 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove from oven and set aside.
While the potatoes bake, cook the quinoa (if needed). In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the remaining 3 Tablespoons of olive oil, lime juice and zest, maple syrup and garlic (or shake the ingredients together in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid.)
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, black beans, bell pepper, cilantro, roasted sweet potatoes and onions. Pour the dressing over the top, then toss to combine. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Cooking Time - 25 minutes
Servings - 5
Recipe found on thegardengrazer.com. Click photo for full recipe.
I eat this at least once a week. It’s great leftover cold out of the fridge. I cook my quinoa in chicken broth or tomato juice instead of water.
Ingredients:
1 cup Quinoa (dry, uncooked)
2 Medium Avocados
3 oz. Baby Spinach (more if desired)
8 oz. Cherry Tomatoes
3 Green Onions (or Finely Diced Red Onion)
1-2 cloves of Garlic
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
⅛ teaspoon Salt
Instructions:
Rinse and cook quinoa according to the package directions
Meanwhile, roughly chop the spinach. Place in a large bowl.
Mince garlic and add to spinach.
Slice the green onions, halve the cherry tomatoes, and dice the avocado.
When quinoa is done cooking, add to the large bowl with spinach and toss. (The heat from the quinoa will lightly wilt the spinach and mellow the garlic.)
Add the green onions, tomatoes, red wine vinegar, and salt. Stir to combine.
Add the avocado and lightly toss.
Serve immediately or refrigerate to let flavors blend more.
Cooking Time - 60 minutes
Servings - 8
Recipe found on ifoodreal.com. Click photo for full recipe.
She does an awesome job breaking down how to make cauliflower pizza crust. She also covers using frozen riced cauliflower to make the crust. Hands down, that is how I do it. Anything to save time!
Ingredients:
1 Medium Head Cauliflower (6"-7" wide or 2.5-3 pounds) or 5-6 cups Store-Bought Cauliflower Rice
1 Egg, Large
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (dried oregano or basil)
⅛ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
½ cup Parmesan or Mozzarella Cheese, grated or shredded
Cooking spray
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375° and line baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper or silicone mat.
Rinse cauliflower, remove outer leaves, separate florets and chop into smaller pieces. Process in a food processor in 2 batches, until "rice" texture forms (skip if using store bought "rice"). Transfer cauliflower rice on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove cooked cauliflower rice from oven, transfer to a bowl lined with double/triple layered cheesecloth or linen towel and let cool for 5 minutes. Then squeeze the liquid out of the ball (cauliflower inside cheesecloth) as hard as you can. Be patient and do this a few times until barely any liquid comes out, Muscle work.
Increase oven temperature to 450°. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk egg with dried herbs, salt and pepper for 10 seconds. Add cheese and squeezed cauliflower; mix very well with spatula until combined.
Line the same baking sheet with new parchment paper or silicone mat (just make sure to scrape of bits of cauliflower) and spray with cooking spray. Transfer cauliflower pizza dough in the middle and flatten with your hands until thin pizza crust forms. Make it thicker than my video, I made it a bit too thin.
Bake for 20 minutes, carefully flip with a spatula and bake a few more minutes.
Top cauliflower base with your favorite toppings and bake again until cheese on top turns golden brown.
Slice and enjoy!
Cooking Time - 10 minutes
Servings - 1
Recipe found on lexiscleankitchen.com. Click photo for full recipe.
Great way to have a sandwich without the bread! You can use whatever you like to make these.
Ingredients:
1 Head Iceberg Lettuce, cored and outer leaves removed
1 tablespoon Grainy Mustard
4 Slices Organic Turkey
2 Strips Bacon, cooked and cut in half
1 Slice Cheese, cut in half
2 Slices Tomato
1 Thin Slice Red Onion
1 Piece of Parchment Paper, 14" x 14"
Instructions:
Lay large square of parchment down on your work surface.
Layer 5-8 large pieces of lettuce in the middle of the parchment paper. You want your lettuce base to measure out to be about 9" x 10". If your lettuce pieces are breaking, it's okay to layer smaller ones together.
spread mustard in the middle of the lettuce wrap.
Layer turkey, cheese, bacon, tomato and red onion on top of the mustard.
Using parchment paper as a guide, as tightly as you can roll the lettuce up, starting with the end closest to you.
Once you the roll has begun, tuck the ends of the wraps towards the middle.
Continue to roll the lettuce wrap, keeping it as tight as possible and using the parchment paper to guide you.
When it is completely wrapped, roll the remainder of the parchment around the lettuce tightly.
Using a serrated knife, slice through the lettuce wrap almost completely, leaving the bottom piece of the parchment intact. This helps keep it together.
Cooking Time - 15 minutes
Servings - 6
Recipe found on thetoastykitchen.com. Click photo for full recipe.
Avocado black bean salad is an easy, cold lunch or side dish for your next picnic or summer meal. Black beans, avocado, red pepper, and red onion are tossed in a fresh and bright lime vinaigrette.
Ingredients:
1 Lime, zested
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
30 ounces Canned Black Beans, drained and rinsed
2 Avocados, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Red Onion, small and chopped
2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Instructions:
In a small bowl, add the zest and juice from 1 lime along with the olive oil, salt and cayenne pepper. Whisk to combine.
Add beans, avocado, bell pepper, red onion and cilantro, tossing to coat.
Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve.
Cooking Time - 15 minutes
Servings - 6
Recipe found on cookieandkate.com. Click photo for full recipe.
This Mediterranean-style bean salad recipe is delightfully crisp and satisfying. Its fresh flavors include kidney beans, chickpeas, lemon, garlic and leafy herbs. This healthy salad is vegan and gluten free, but mostly just delicious!
Ingredients:
2 cans (15 ounces) Red Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained or 3 cups cooked Kidney Beans
1 can (15 ounces) Chickpeas, rinsed and drained or 1½ cups cooked Chickpeas
1 small Red Onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 stalks Celery, sliced in half or thirds lengthwise and chopped (about ¾ cup)
1 medium Cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
¾ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons Fresh Dill or Mint, chopped
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup Lemon Juice (about 1½ Lemons)
3 cloves Garlic, pressed or minced
¾ teaspoon Fine Salt
Small pinch Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions:
In a serving bowl, combine the prepared kidney beans, chickpeas, onion, celery, cucumber, parsley and dill.
Make the lemon dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper flakes until well blended. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until combined.
Serve immediately for the most flavor, or let marinade in the refrigerator, covered for a couple hours or longer. Leftovers will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days. If necessary, wake up the leftovers with a little sprinkle of salt or drizzle of lemon juice.