High Protein Vegetarian Dinner
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Healthier veggie carbonara
Enjoy this healthier veggie carbonara with mushrooms and courgettes for an easy family meal. It takes just 30 minutes, so is ideal on busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- 4 medium courgettes (use a mix of yellow and green if you can get them)
- 300g spaghetti
- 3 large egg yolks
- 160g vegetarian parmesan-style cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- small bunch fresh lemon thyme or thyme, leaves picked
- 200g chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
- ½ lemon, zested and juiced
Method
- STEP 1
- STEP 2
To make the creamy carbonara sauce, put the egg yolks in a bowl, add half of the grated cheese, and mix with a fork. Add up to 3 tbsp water to make the sauce less thick. Season and set aside.
- STEP 3
Heat a large frying pan on a medium to high heat and pour in a little olive oil. Fry the courgette slices and thyme leaves with a good grinding of black pepper for a minute or two until the courgette starts to soften, then add the mushrooms. Fry for 2-3 mins until golden and slightly softened. For the last minute of the cooking, add the garlic.
- STEP 4
Working quickly, drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. Toss the pasta in the pan with the courgettes and mushrooms, then remove from the heat and add a ladleful of the reserved cooking water and the egg and cheese sauce. Add the fresh parsley, if using, and the lemon zest and juice, then sprinkle over most of the remaining cheese. Stir everything together quickly to coat the pasta. The egg will cook if the pasta is still hot. If you’re worried about it, put back on the heat for 1 min.
- STEP 5
Pour in a little more of the cooking water, if needed. You should have a silky and shiny sauce. Season to taste, then sprinkle with a little more cheese to serve. Eat straight away, as the sauce can become thick and stodgy if left for too long.
VEGAN CHICKPEA + QUINOA ‘MEATBALLS’ + POLENTA
These Vegan Chickpea Meatballs made with quinoa, pecans and bbq sauce are delicious with creamy dairy-free polenta for a healthy weeknight dinner.
INGREDIENTS
CREAMY POLENTA:
- 3 cups organic vegetable stock (You can also use water instead)
- 1 cup organic polenta corn grits
- 1 tsp finely-ground sea salt
- 2 Tbsps vegan butter
- 1 cup Dairy-free mozzarella style shreds (I love using So Delicious Dairy-Free)
HOMEMADE VEGAN MEATBALLS:
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained + rinsed
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (Cook according to packaging!)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup vegan bread crumbs (See Notes for Homemade!)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp dried parsley
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp sea salt + black pepper
- 1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking + 1 Tbsp!
- 2 cups BBQ sauce, vegan-friendly (See Notes!)
TOPPING (OPTIONAL):
- Dried or fresh parsley leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
HOMEMADE VEGAN MEATBALLS:
-
Preheat the oven to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Start by adding onions and garlic cloves to a heated skillet (with 1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil) and sautéing them until they are fragrant and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside skillet for later.
-
Add the cooked quinoa, pecans, and sautéed onions and garlic to a food processor and pulse for 1 minute or so. Add the chickpeas, nutritional yeast, olive oil, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, dried parsley, black pepper, sea salt, and bread crumbs, processing everything until it grounds into a thick mixture.
-
Using an ice cream scoop (or spoon), shape mixture into individual balls (further rounding them with your hands). Repeat until all meatballs are created.
-
Reheat previous skillet over medium-high heat (with all the bits left in it) and add additional olive oil if needed. Add meatballs to pan and sear until nicely golden on all sides. Remove each meatball and add them directly unto the baking sheet, spooning a generous amount of BBQ sauce atop each meatball. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until tender and BBQ sauce has been cooked unto meatballs. Remove from oven once done.
CREAMY POLENTA:
-
Bring 3 cups veggie stock and salt to a low boil in a large-size pot. Whisk in the polenta and cook 15-20 minutes until thickened. Stir in the butter and dairy-free mozzarella shreds until melted.
-
In serving bowls, spread the polenta into the bottoms of the bowls and top with meatballs and BBQ ‘gravy’ if desired. Sprinkle dried parsley (optional) atop meatballs and polenta and serve immediately.
Chickpea Quinoa Soup Recipe
Going meatless several times a week is a great way to reduce saturated fats and hormones from meat in your diet. The chickpeas and quinoa in this hearty and satisfying soup supply eight grams of protein to satisfy your hunger and boost your metabolism by building muscle. This recipe makes six servings, enough to freeze and save for a quick lunch another day.
YOU’LL NEED
- 1 tablespoon canola oil.
- 1 cup sliced halved carrots
- 1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 32-ounce carton unsalted vegetable stock or reduced-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added
petite diced or diced tomatoes, undrained - 1 8-ounce can of no-salt-added tomato sauce
- 1 15-ounce can no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
- 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced (1 1/3 cups)
- Light sour cream, shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, and/or chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
HOW TO MAKE IT
- In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high. Add carrots, bell pepper, onion, and garlic; cook and stir 4 minutes.
- Carefully add the next 11 ingredients (through black pepper). Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until carrots are just tender.
- Add zucchini; cook 5 to 7 minutes more or until crisp-tender. If desired, top each serving with sour cream, cheese, and/or cilantro.
Grilled Vegetable Wrap With Balsamic Mayo Recipe
Can it be? A truly healthy wrap? We’ve been watching on the sidelines in shock and dismay as one person after the next is tricked into believing that a wrap is some sort of magical weight loss bullet. Unfortunately, sandwich shops and sit-down spots alike take advantage of the reputation to cram Frisbee-size tortillas with cheese, bacon, ranch, and any other high-calorie ingredients they can find.
Even with a dusting of goat cheese and a spread of balsamic mayo, this wrap earns its healthy stripes by virtue of its low calorie counts and generous vegetable filling.
YOU’LL NEED
12 asparagus spears, woody ends removed
2 portobello mushroom caps
1 red bell pepper, halved, seeds and stem removed
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil mayonnaise
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
4 large spinach or whole-wheat tortillas or wraps
2 cups arugula, baby spinach, or mixed baby greens
3⁄4 cup crumbled goat or feta cheese
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Preheat a grill.
- Toss the asparagus, mushrooms, and bell pepper with the olive oil, plus a few pinches of salt and pepper.
- Place on the hottest part of the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and tender.
- The asparagus should take the least amount of time (about 5 minutes) and the peppers the most (about 10 minutes).
- Alternatively, you can roast the vegetables in a 450°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Slice the mushroom caps into thin strips. If possible, peel off the charred skin of the pepper and then slice.
- Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, and garlic, and stir to combine thoroughly.
- Heat the tortillas on the grill or in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Spread the balsamic mayo down the middle of each tortilla, then top with the greens and cheese. Divide the grilled vegetables among the tortillas, then roll up tightly and slice each wrap in half.
Asparagus & new potato frittata
A simple, low-calorie spring main that uses the season’s finest ingredients and is ready in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 200g new potatoes, quartered
- 100g asparagus tips
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 6 eggs, beaten
- 40g cheddar, grated
- rocket or mixed leaves, to serve
Method
- STEP 1
Heat the grill to high. Put the potatoes in a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, cook for 4-5 mins until nearly tender, then add the asparagus for a final 1 min. Drain.
- STEP 2
Meanwhile, heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan and add the onion. Cook for about 8 mins until softened.
- STEP 3
Mix the eggs with half the cheese in a jug and season well. Pour over the onion in the pan, then scatter over the asparagus and potatoes. Top with the remaining cheese and put under the grill for 5 mins or until golden and cooked through. Cut into wedges and serve from the pan with salad.
