Irish White Bean and Cabbage Stew

Happy Friday! The weather has been somewhat... miserable. If you live up north and it's wintertime, you more than likely already know you better be stockin' up on a lot of soups and stews!

Before I start talking about stew, I wanted to share how the last four days have been. With it being so cold, below zero temperatures to be exact, the pipes to our kitchen sink froze, and not only that but the pipes were backed up. We called a plumber and with no luck, we spent four days without a functioning kitchen sink. Luckily, my dad has a lot of experience in plumbing and fixed it up for us! It was one of those times where you don't really appreciate what you have until it's no longer functioning...

Back to the soup. I love, love, love soups with cabbage. My grandmother makes the best cabbage soup on planet earth, and that's usually what I stock up throughout the winter. Buuut, this winter, I thought I'd try a little something on my own since I'm not living as close to her as I used to.

This Irish white bean and cabbage stew is so, so delicious. It's packed with flavor and healthy vegetables. Not to mention, it's vegan! You can skip out on the barley or replace it to make the stew gluten free. You can even make it in the crock pot! This stew is perfect for cold winter days.

Irish White Bean and Cabbage Stew

Author: Herbivore Haven, Adapted from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 head cabbage, roughly chopped
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 4 small potatoes, diced
• 1/3 cup pearled barley (I used Quaker quick barley)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cans (15 oz) great northern beans, drained
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• salt (to taste)

Directions:

1. Place the prepared vegetables, seasonings, barley and vegetable broth in a large stockpot.
2. Cover the pot and and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and additional seasonings if needed.
3. Simmer uncovered for at least 15 additional minutes before serving.

Crock pot:

1. Place the vegetables, seasonings and barley into a large crock pot. Add enough vegetable broth to cover the vegetables (start with 6 cups).
2. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 hours.
3. Add the beans, tomatoes, parsley, and salt to taste.
4. Check seasonings and add more if needed.
5. Cover and cook for at least 1 more hour.

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Cheesy Pasta Bake

Happy Friday! Are you ready for another pasta recipe? Good, this is why we get along so well.

This cheesy pasta bake has all of the classic flavors and ingredients of a lasagna dish, but in a quicker and more simple version.

Cheesy Pasta Bake
Author: Herbivore Haven
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 oz.) box uncooked rigatoni*
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 (24 oz) jar pasta sauce, divided
• garlic powder to taste
• black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the pasta per box instructions, to al dente. *Use any kind of tube pasta you have on hand (penne, rigatoni, etc.) Rinse and drain. Transfer back into the pan.
2. Spray a 9 x 13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In the same pan that you cooked the pasta in, toss the cooked pasta with 1/2 of the jar of pasta sauce. Spread cooked rigatoni/pasta sauce along the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle on the top the garlic powder and black pepper to taste. Top with the remaining 1/2 jar of pasta sauce.
3. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the sauce on top is bubbly.
4. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and let sit until cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy!

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Pasta with Mediterranean Veggies

Sometimes there are dishes that you want to make 4 or 5 times because they are that good. And sometimes there are dishes that you double or triple the ingredients because you want to eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next two weeks... That's usually how pasta dishes go for me. There's no such thing as too much pasta. It just... doesn't happen.

Penne pasta has to be my favorite kind of pasta. Toss together a few fresh vegetables, fresh herbs, and olive oil in a skillet, add it to the pasta, and top it with a bit of cheese, and you have yourself a warm, cheesy, healthy vegetable pasta dish in no time!

Pasta with Mediterranean Veggies

Author: Herbivore Haven, Adapted from: Vegetarian: 3 Books in 1
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 8 oz uncooked Penne pasta
• 1 can (15 oz) navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium green bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14 oz) stewed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons basil
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to box directions, to al dente. During the last minute of cooking the pasta, add the navy beans.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray the skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Add the roughly chopped bell pepper and zucchini. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the edges are starting to brown, stirring often. Add the minced garlic; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the stewed tomatoes and basil. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the olive oil.
3. Drain the pasta and navy beans and transfer to a serving platter. Spoon the tomato mixture over the pasta and top with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.

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Quinoa and Roasted Corn Salad

After five days of weather that feels like -40, driving back and forth between our old house and new house, and being on the verge of frost bite, we're finally moved into our new home. Well, moved in to the point of having a somewhat functional kitchen, which means I can fix my cooking and baking withdrawals! And there will be a lot of recipes comin' attcha! The first one is this oh, so wonderful quinoa and roasted corn salad.

This quinoa and roasted corn salad is fresh, delicious, satisfying and full of flavor. The recipe came from a cookbook I had listed in my Top 10 Vegetarian Cookbooks of 2013: Vegetarian: 3 Books in 1. I changed up the ingredients a bit and baddabing baddaboom, quinoa and roasted corn salad!

Quinoa & Roasted Corn Salad
Author: Herbivore Haven, Adapted from: Vegetarian: 3 Books in 1
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked red quinoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup green onions, roughly chopped, divided
• 1 cup cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the red quinoa, with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, according to package directions. Transfer cooked quinoa to a large bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the frozen corn; cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the corn is tender and light brown, stirring often. Stir in 2/3 cup of green onions and coarse salt; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add the corn to the cooked quinoa. Gently stir in the tomatoes and cannelini beans.
3. Combine the lime juice, sugar, cumin, and black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil until combined. Pour over quinoa mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup of green onions. Serve warm, and enjoy!

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Garlic Roasted Carrots

I'll be honest, I haven't been doing so hot when it comes to eating my vegetables. Christmas cookies just always seemed to win the argument of which one sounded better for lunch... But, new year, better choices, right? Cheers to eating healthy again!

Notes: You don't necessarily have to peel the carrots. I did out of force-of-habit, and because the skin of carrots can sometimes be a little bitter. You won't be missing out on any nutrients if you choose to peel the carrots! You don't need to use 2 pounds of carrots, I used what I had on hand, which was only about 7 carrots. Just use less garlic!

Although, I couldn't resist a big slab of butter on top...

Garlic Roasted Carrots
Author: Herbivore Haven
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons olive oil OR butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Thoroughly wash the carrots and peel them. Cut the carrots into about 1 inch thick pieces.
3. In a medium bowl, add the peeled and cut carrots with the garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and olive oil OR butter. Toss the carrots until they are well coated. Place the carrots in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
4. Roast, uncovered, for 45 to 60 minutes or until golden and tender, stirring the carrots about every 15 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!

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Classic Stuffed Shells

Be prepared, today we're going classic. And cheesy. Melty cheese, tomato sauce and a creamy triple cheese filling stuffed inside a cute pasta shell? It's the ultimate comfort food. Simple, delicious and satisfying.

This dish has all of the flavors of a classic lasagna, but even cuter. And maybe even easier.

The cheesy goodness and incredible aroma was so irresistible, the shells almost didn't make it through their photo shoot...

Classic Stuffed Shells
Author: Herbivore Haven
Serves: 5

Ingredients:

• 20 jumbo pasta shells
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce (I used jarred traditional)
• 15 oz skim milk ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus 1/4 cup for topping
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 4 cups packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cook the pasta shells in water with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt, per box instructions, to al dente. Rinse and strain. Set aside.
2. Roughly chop the fresh spinach. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil heats up, add the minced garlic and cook until the garlic starts to brown. Add the fresh spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally. Cook the spinach for about 3 minutes, or until the leaves are wilted, but still green. The spinach should greatly reduce in size. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, spinach, basil, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined.
4. Pour 1/2 cup of the spaghetti sauce into a shallow baking dish. (I used a 13 x 9 glass casserole dish). Spread the sauce evenly over the bottom of the dish. Stuff each cooked pasta shell with a heaping spoonful of the cheese mixture and place into the dish in a single layer. Spoon the remaining 1 cup of spaghetti sauce over the prepared shells.
5. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese over the shells. Enjoy!

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Crispy Quinoa Burgers

Hi! Today I have another vegetarian burger recipe that passes the test of holding up well, and passing the meat-lover's test. Let me start by saying I have never cooked with quinoa, let alone even tried quinoa. I was a little intimated by the thought of it, but these burgers turned out wonderfully. They're pan-fried in a touch of oil, and smushed flat in the pan to get as much surface browning and crust as possible. These burgers are flavorful and hold together really well. I am now in love with quinoa!

Crispy Quinoa Burgers
Author: Herbivore Haven, Adapted from Half Baked Harvest
Makes: 4-5 burgers

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked red quinoa
• 1 cup cannellini beans, mashed
• 1/2- 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa per package instructions. In the meantime, in a large bowl, mash the cannellini beans with a fork. Add to the same bowl the cooked quinoa, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine the ingredients.
2. Wet hands and form the mixture into 4 or 5 equal burger patties.
3. In a skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the quinoa burgers in the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until golden and crisp, about five minutes per side. In the last minute or so of cooking add a bit cheese (any kind you prefer, optional). Cover the pan and cook an extra 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. The burgers should hold up well and be easy to flip.
4. Put the cooked patties on your favorite buns, top with your favorite condiments and enjoy!

Notes: I made my own bread crumbs, like I did with the black bean burgers. This time, I used whole wheat bread that I crumbled with my fingers. I set the oven to 300 degrees to toast the bread crumbs. I put the crumbles of bread onto a baking sheet and set them in the oven for about 5 minutes. It shouldn't take much longer than 5 minutes to toast the bread crumbs.

I also doubled the quinoa burger recipe and chose to freeze the leftover patties, without cooking them, following the same freezing method I used with the black bean burgers. Wrap each patty individually in parchment paper and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place the patties on the baking sheet in the refrigerator, giving them time to set up a bit before you put them in the freezer. After a few hours or so, remove the patties from the refrigerator, and put the patties in single layers in a freezer bag. Freeze some for a quick, easy meal later!

To cook frozen patties: Remove each patty from the parchment paper. Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a splash of olive oil and cook the patties for about 6-8 minutes each side. Put on your favorite bun, top with your favorite condiments and enjoy!

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Tomato Basil Spaghetti

When it comes to food, pasta is my first love. You really can't go wrong with pasta. With just a handful of ingredients I had in my pantry and fridge, I had a delicious pasta dish in less than 30 minutes. What could be better? Warm spaghetti with fresh, juicy tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and fresh basil, I'm drooling...

The ingredients work great with any pasta, mix it up, use whatever pasta you have on hand. Add some olives or fresh mozzarella. Eat it cold, eat it warm. Anything goes with fresh tomatoes and basil! It goes great with garlic bread, too. Mm!

Tomato Basil Spaghetti
Author: Organic Cafe
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 large tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 clove of garlic, OR 1 tablespoon minced garlic*
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 oz. spaghetti (half of a 16 oz box)
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh basil, roughly chopped for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Dice the tomatoes, as big or as small as you prefer. Roughly chop the fresh basil.
2. Cut a clove of garlic in half and rub it on the inside of a large bowl. *I used a tablespoon of minced garlic from a jar, put it inside a paper towel, and rubbed the inside of the bowl. Dispose of the garlic. Add to the bowl the tomatoes, basil, shredded mozzarella cheese, olive oil and salt and pepper (to taste). Combine just until the tomatoes are coated with the liquid. Set aside for about 15 minutes, so the tomatoes soak up the liquid.
3. In the meantime, cook the spaghetti, per box instructions, to al dente. Rinse and strain. (I used half of a 16 oz box for 4 servings)
4. Pour the tomato basil mixture over the spaghetti, toss until just combined, and top with a sprinkle of fresh basil. Enjoy with your favorite garlic bread!

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Black Bean Burgers

Happy Monday! Let's get right to the point. Sometimes it's hard to make a black bean burger that not only holds up well, but passes the test of a meat eater. In my opinion, in vegetarian recipes, it's all about "beefing up" the flavor to make it just as good, (most of the time better!) than recipes with meat. This black bean burger passes that test! They aren't bland at all, and they hold up very well!

The black bean burger recipe I'm sharing today is the basics of a black bean burger. Vegetarian burgers are nice because you can really add just about anything you want. Next time I make this one, I want to try adding grated carrots, BBQ sauce, and a few other herbs. Bean burgers are sometimes a little hard to work with when it comes to shaping them into patties and the patties actually holding up. That's where the bread crumbs and eggs come in. Of course, you can substitute the eggs for a flax egg (flax seed and water mixture) to make them vegan.

This recipe is perfect if you want to freeze the burgers for later on. All you do is wrap each uncooked patty individually in foil and pop them in a freezer bag. And, of course, you can cook them immediately!

Black Bean Burgers
Author: Herbivore Haven
Makes: 8 patties

Ingredients:

• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons fresh green onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs*
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 eggs (or flax eggs)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• oil for cooking

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mash the rinsed and drained black beans with a fork. Add to the bowl the cumin, green onions, garlic, salt, black pepper, salt, tablespoon of oil, eggs, cayenne pepper and cilantro. Mix together all ingredients until the mixture is creamy with just a few small pieces.
2. Stir in the bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky. You may need to add just over 1 1/2 cup to get the sticky consistency. The mixture should stick to the back of the spoon. *For the bread crumbs, I used stale bread crumbles.
3. Wet hands and form patties. You should get about 8 patties out of the mixture.

To freeze: Wrap each patty individually with parchment paper and place on a cookie sheet. Set the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for about an hour. After doing so, place the patties in a freezer bag, and place in the freezer. Leave the cooking instructions close by!

To cook: Place a skillet over medium high heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. If the patties are fresh, fry each patty for 3-4 minutes per side. If the patties are frozen, fry each patty for 6-8 minutes per side. Top with fresh vegetables and mayonnaise and enjoy!

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Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

This macaroni and cheese has been calling my name for about a week now. And it's okay to spoil yourself with creamy, cheesy, buttery, garlicky mac and cheese once in while, right? Right.

I got this recipe from my mother, it's been one of our favorite meals for as long as I can remember. The nice part about this recipe is there is no cheese sauce. Just, well, macaroni and cheese, so prep time is short and easy. It's also a meal in itself, and it's definitely a crowd-pleaser, too!

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Author: Herbivore Haven
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz. box macaroni noodles
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 16 oz. block extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter, cubed
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic, or to taste
• 1/2 cups sliced tomatoes (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook macaroni noodles, per box instructions, to al dente. Rinse and drain. Set aside.
2. Cut the 16 oz. block of extra sharp cheddar cheese into thin slices. In a small bowl, mix the shredded cheddar cheese with the pepper. (You can use any shredded cheese you have on hand, I have used mozzarella, colby jack, etc.)
3. In a large casserole dish, layer the macaroni and slices of extra sharp cheddar cheese. Be sure to start the bottom layer with macaroni, as the bowl can be hard to clean if the cheese is the bottom layer. Make each layer of macaroni about 3 inches thick. Cover the layer of macaroni with about half of the sharp cheddar cheese slices and half of the shredded cheese/pepper mixture. Add another layer of macaroni, about 3 inches thick again. Top with the remaining cheese slices and shredded cheddar cheese/pepper mixture. Place the cubes of butter on the top layer. Top with the minced garlic and an extra dash of black pepper.
4. Add about a cup of milk to the casserole dish. You’ll want to fill the dish half way with milk.
5. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour or until the cheese on top is melted and golden brown. If you’re adding tomatoes to the top layer, do so when there is 20 minutes of cooking time remaining. Place back in the oven for the remaining 20 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

Notes: The amount of cheese you want to use is totally up to you! You don't necessarily need to add as much cheese as stated in the recipe. You can use any type of shredded cheese for the topping, I usually use what I have on hand. Tomatoes are a delicious topping!

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