plant based recipes Archives - Living La Vida Holoka

Butternut Squash and Quinoa Chili

October 22, 2020 by Jessica 1 Comment

This vegan Butternut Squash and Quinoa Chili is a nourishing and satisfying meal made with veggies, quinoa, beans, and chili spices!

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When Hungryroot started offering butternut squash cubes, I got a container to try and ended up using them in my Roasted Fall Vegetable Medley recipe. Since then, I’ve been adding them to every single delivery! Butternut squash has quickly become one of my favorite winter squashes. It’s perfect for roasting, delicious in soups, and makes a fantastic vegan chili ingredient!

I’m getting so excited for soup and chili season! You can tell by the containers starting to stack up in my freezer. I’ve been making veggie and bean soups, homemade broth, and now, hearty chilis to keep me satisfied and warm on cold days. This chili recipe is no exception! It’s full of veggies, beans, butternut squash cubes, and quinoa. It’s nutritional and filling!

Butternut Squash and Quinoa Chili

I’ve been trying to make better food choices and eat more veggie loaded meals. This chili was exactly the type of meal I was looking for! It has that familiar chili flavor without feeling so heavy. Instead, I was left satisfied and pleasantly full after eating this colorful vegan chili.

To start this chili, you want to pour some olive oil down into your pot and heat it over medium. Add your onion and garlic, cooking for about 2-3 minutes so it gets nice and fragrant. The onion should be soft and translucent and the garlic should smell amazing at this point.

Toss in the butternut squash, lower the heat, and cook covered for about 10 minutes. Stir everything occasionally to keep it from burning.

After the squash starts to soften, add in the pepper and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Then, pour in the broth.

It’s not chili without chili seasoning, so add chili powder and ground cumin to the broth. Ah! Now it’s starting to smell like chili!

Now, toss in those beautiful beans! Chili with or without beans is totally a preference thing, but I like that they add a plant-based protein to this recipe.

Add in the can of diced tomatoes. I like to use diced tomatoes with green chiles. It adds just the right amount of spice so I don’t have to add any jalapeño to the chili. I also added in a little tomato puree for more flavor and rich, red color.

The last thing I added was the quinoa. I used cooked quinoa cups from my Hungryroot box. If you’re using dry quinoa, just keep in mind that 1 cup of dry quinoa = 3 cups cooked quinoa. Stir that all up and let it simmer.

The longer the chili cooks, the less soupy it’ll get. But like chili with or without beans, the consistency of your chili is totally a preference thing. I wanted mine somewhere in-between. If if gets too thick for you, you can always add a splash of veggie broth to it to thin it out.

Yum

Butternut Squash and Quinoa Chili

Ingredients

2 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
16 oz. butternut squash cubes
1-2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
32 oz. vegetable broth
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
15 oz. black beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz. red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1/2 cup tomato puree
2 cups quinoa, cooked
Salt and pepper, to taste
Topping suggestions: jalapeño slices, pumpkin seeds, lime wedges, hot sauce, fresh cilantro

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cooking until the onion is soft and translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
Add the cubed butternut squash. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes.
Add the bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Then, pour in the vegetable broth.
Bring the mixture to a boil. Then, lower the heat to a simmer.
Stir in the seasonings, beans, diced tomatoes, and tomato puree.
Add the quinoa, season with salt and pepper, and cook for at least 30 minutes.
Serve with your favorite chili toppings!

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A Satisfying Vegan Chili!

I had a big bowl of this chili topped with jalapeño slices, roasted pumpkin seeds, and a Hungryroot mini cornbread muffin on the side. It was a perfect fall lunch! And now, I have two big containers in the freezer to warm up when I’m craving a comforting, veggie loaded meal!

Did you make this Butternut Squash and Quinoa Chili recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Roasted Fall Vegetable Medley

September 24, 2020 by Jessica 1 Comment

This Roasted Fall Vegetable Medley is a simple side dish made with a rainbow of fall veggies like potatoes, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, mushrooms, and more!

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After my last trip to the farmer’s market, I had a bunch of vegetables that needed to be used. I also had a full container of butternut squash from my Hungryroot box. It’s obvious, with my latest veggie picks, that I am saying good-bye to summer produce and welcoming in all of fall’s beautiful fruits and veggies! Who knew that I had a rainbow just sitting in my fridge!

Roasted Fall Vegetable Medley

This roasted vegetable medley recipe gives me all the fall vibes! It’s full of colorful and delicious seasonal veggies. It’s a simple side dish, but sometimes the simplest dishes are the ones that end up being the most satisfying. This roasted veggie medley is warm, comforting, and goes well with just about any of your favorite fall dishes!

After chopping all of my veggies and herbs, I added them to a large mixing bowl and drizzled them with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. I used just enough olive oil to coat my veggies so they would they would brown up nicely and get a crisp, golden edge.

I prepared a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the veggies evenly onto it. Then, they went into the oven, at 400 degrees, to roast to golden perfection!

Give the veggies a flip halfway through cooking so they’ll roast evenly. Cooking time may vary depending on how golden and crispy you like your veggies. I cooked my veggie medley for 50-60 minutes because I like those super dark bits. If you like your veggies a little lighter, bake for 40 minutes.

Plate the roasted veggies and garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary, if desired, and you have an easy fall side dish that’s colorful and delicious!

Yum

Roasted Fall Vegetable Medley

Ingredients

2 medium-large red potatoes, chopped
3 cups Brussels sprouts, halved
2 cups baby bella mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
2 cups butternut squash, cubed
1 small red onion, sliced into half moons
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh thyme
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add the chopped veggies and herbs to a large bowl.
Add the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
Spread the veggies evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake veggies for 40-50 minutes, turning halfway, until tender and golden brown around the edges.
Garnish with fresh rosemary, if desired, and serve.

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If you really want to up your veggie medley game, give this a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Or you could really go crazy and add some crumbled bacon!

I know that it might seem a little too early to talk about Thanksgiving, but this would make a killer Thanksgiving side dish! Easy, too! And it will add a beautiful rainbow of colors to your holiday spread!

Every single one of these veggies is in season right now, so take advantage! Hit the farmer’s market and enjoy this simple fall side dish!

Did you make this Roasted Fall Vegetable Medley recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad

August 13, 2020 by Jessica Leave a Comment

This Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad is a light and healthy, veggie loaded side dish or a protein packed, plant based lunch!

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I will 100 percent admit that I’m pretty much done with summer. With everything going on this year, I tried my best to enjoy the summer months, but I just can’t handle the heat and humidity anymore – and the mosquitoes, the crazy weather, and the constant fireworks that seem to go off around the neighborhood and drive Hunter (and me) crazy. So I’m done.

Well, almost done.

As much as I’m craving crisp mornings and warm sweaters, I am still craving fresh veggies, light dishes, and being able to pick tomatoes, eggplant, onions, and peppers straight from our garden. So while I’m hot and miserable (actually, not-so-miserable thanks to the constant blasting of our air conditioning), I still get to enjoy what’s left of our garden and make veggie loaded salads made with ingredients picked straight from our backyard!

I’ve been meaning to make this salad for a while. I had two baggies of green lentils just sitting our freezer. But since our tomatoes have taken over our kitchen windowsill, we’ve seen a lot of Caprese salads cross our dining room table. Tomato salads only go so far, so I wanted to make a salad that would hold up throughout the week, would make a cool and quick side dish, and be easy to pack for my husband’s lunch.

My once picky husband is fairly new to lentils. So I wasn’t sure what to expect when I put this salad on the dinner table. I watched him gobble up the portion that he spooned onto his plate and ask for some for lunch the next day. When I asked him if he liked it, he said, “It’s a good salad for hot summer days!” And he’s been working a lot of them since he works outdoors. I love a husband approved dish!

Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad

If you’ve never cooked lentils before, the cooking process is kind of like cooking rice. Like rice, I cooked the lentils in vegetable broth to infuse a little more flavor. The broth comes to a boil before adding the lentils in. Then, it’s dropped down to a simmer for about 20 minutes. The lentils will absorb some of the liquid, but you will have to drain them. To make a cold salad, like this one, cool them under cold water and set aside.

Remember those summer veggies I was talking about? Well, we had picked a bunch of cherry tomatoes and some onions from our garden. Plus, I had some ingredients to use up in the fridge. So I chopped everything up, combined it with the lentils, and made a simple dressing from lemon, balsamic vinegar, salt and vinegar, a pinch of crushed red pepper, and some fresh oregano that was growing in our herb box.

The result is a protein packed salad made with fresh ingredients, that just so happens to be vegan, too. And although the salad is light, it’s still completely filling and will leave you satisfied.

Yum

Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Ingredients

For the dressing:

1 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: crushed red pepper flakes

For the lentil salad:

1 1/2 cups dry green lentils, rinsed and drained
3 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 cups zucchini, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

Instructions

For the dressing:

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, balsamic, oregano, salt and pepper, and crushed red pepper. Set aside.

For the lentil salad:

Bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Then, add the lentils.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until softened.
Drain lentils and rinse with cool water. Set aside.
Add the onion, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, and olives to a large bowl. Stir in the lentils.
Pour dressing over the salad and stir to combine.
Serve salad immediately or chill in the fridge.

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It always amazes me how simple ingredients can end up being a really delicious dish. And this salad is no exception! It’s a flavorful and refreshing salad that really is perfect for hot summer days!

Did you make this Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Jackfruit Rice Bowl with Black Bean Mango Salsa

July 23, 2020 by Jessica Leave a Comment

This plant based Jackfruit Rice Bowl is taco seasoned and topped with a slightly spicy and super flavorful Black Bean Mango Salsa!

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What’s the weirdest thing you’ve purchased during this pandemic? My three weirdest purchases have been a four pack of assorted live succulents that came with a rose quartz crystal, a hefty 25 pound bag of wild birdseed (that my husband and I extensively researched before purchasing), and about 10 cans of unripened jackfruit.

I bought the succulents while we were planting our backyard garden, so I guess it wasn’t that weird. The crystal was a bonus that’s now hanging out in a terrarium. The birdseed is obviously for our flock of backyard friends that have kind of turned into our extended pets and an easy source of entertainment. And the jackfruit was to keep my cravings for this meatless wonder satisfied while avoiding the grocery store!

Jackfruit Rice Bowl with Black Bean Mango Salsa

The other day, I was craving something a little different for lunch. So I cracked open a can of jackfruit and made myself a rice bowl. I could have topped the rice bowl with jarred salsa and called it a day. But I also had a can of black beans, a mango, and a whole bunch of cherry tomatoes from our garden to use. So I made a simple black bean and mango salsa to add to my bowl.

I cooked the jackfruit in some olive oil until it started to soften and shred apart. Then, I added taco seasoning and lime juice to it. While that was cooking, I made some brown rice. I like to cook my rice in half water and half vegetable broth to give it a little flavor.

Once everything was done cooking, I put it all together in a bowl, and sprinkled some more fresh cilantro on top. It honestly didn’t need anything else! There’s a lot of flavor packed into this bowl from the taco seasoned jackfruit to the slightly spicy salsa!

If you want to lay off the spice, you can use half of a jalapeño in the salsa. I used pickled jalapeños since they’re not as spicy as fresh peppers. If you really want more flavor than spiciness, remove the white pith, rib, and seeds since that’s where the heat is.

Yum

Jackfruit Rice Bowl with Black Bean Mango Salsa

Ingredients

For the black bean mango salsa:

15 oz. black beans, rinsed and drained
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 pickled jalapeño, chopped
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 lime, juiced
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp. ancho chile pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the jackfruit rice bowl:

1-2 tbsp. olive oil
20 oz. can green jackfruit in brine, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
1 lime, juiced
1 cup brown rice, cooked in 1 cup water + 1 cup vegetable broth
Optional: fresh cilantro, to garnish

Instructions

For the black bean mango salsa:

In a large bowl, combine the black beans, garlic, onion, jalapeño, mango, and tomato.
Stir in the lime juice, fresh cilantro, and ancho chile pepper.
Season with salt and pepper and serve.

For the jackfruit rice bowl:

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add the jackfruit and cook about 10-15 minutes, covered, or until the jackfruit softens and can break apart easily.
Then, add the taco seasoning, water, and lime juice.
Cook until the sauce begins to thicken and soaked up by the jackfruit, about 2-3 minutes.
Remove the jackfruit from heat and assemble the rice bowls.
Add the rice to the bowl first. Then, top with jackfruit and black bean mango salsa.
Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.

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You’ll get about two or three rice bowls out of this recipe and end up with extra black bean mango salsa. Use it with homemade tortilla chips, or to top a taco salad. It’s so good that you could honestly eat it on its own like a bean salad. However you use the leftovers, you’ll be happy you had extra!

Did you make this Jackfruit Rice Bowl with Black Bean Mango Salsa recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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