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Vegan Sloppy Joes

5/15/2020

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I have a fond memory of going to my Great Aunt Rosemary and Uncle Mickey’s house in Arizona when I was a kid. They had a large pool in their backyard and we would swim and have lunch with them each time we visited Arizona. My Aunt always served good food, and I especially remember loving her sloppy joes!  My sister and I would add chips to our sandwich for an extra crunch and scoop up the extra filling on our plates with more chips. There is something special about a sloppy joe sandwich that makes me think of those sunny days by their pool in AZ.  Today this Vegan version is dedicated to my Great Aunt and Uncle who have since passed away. I hope you enjoy this flavorful sandwich and that it is accompanied by sunny days and happy moments. 

Ingredients

½ cup diced yellow onion
1 small green pepper diced
1T olive oil
16oz tempeh 
¾ cup of tomato sauce
½ cup ketchup 
1T yellow mustard
1T apple cider vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
1tsp smoked paprika 
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Directions
  1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat
  2. Add the diced onions and saute for 2 minutes or until fragrant
  3. Add the diced green peppers and saute for 1 minute
  4. Crumble the tempeh with your hands, it should resemble the texture of ground meat, and add it to the onion and peppers saute for 2 minutes
  5. Reduce heat to low and add the remaining ingredients, stir to incorporate.
  6. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes on low or until the tempeh is tender. 
  7. Serve on toasted whole wheat buns with a side of potato chips! 
  8. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to one week.
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Red wine Marinara Sauce

4/18/2020

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For those of you who don’t know, I come from an amazing and rather large extended Italian family. My great grandma, Nana, and grandma, whom we call Mima, along with my mom and all of her five brothers are amazing cooks! When I was growing up we used to gather at Mima and Papa’s house for weekly Sunday dinners where we almost always had pasta. I loved Spaghetti dinners so much and these dinners have always been some of my favorite childhood memories.  Before I left for college many years ago, I asked my Mima to show me how to make her marinara sauce. She told me that fennel was the KEY to the tanginess, and that red wine really added depth of flavor. I hope you enjoy this simple Red Wine Marinara sauce that is even BETTER the next day and therefore perfect for your Make Ahead of Monday needs! Bon Appetit!
Ingredients

½ yellow onion chopped 
2 cloves of garlic minced
1T olive oil
4 - 16oz cans of organic tomato sauce
2 tsp crushed fennel seed (or more for taste)
2 - 3 T of dry red wine
2 tsp dried basil or 4 tsp chopped fresh basil
Dash of salt

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Directions

  1. Heat medium saucepan on medium high heat
  2. Add olive oil, onion and garlic and saute until fragrant and translucent making sure not to brown or burn
  3. Slightly reduce heat and add cans of tomato sauce, crushed fennel, red wine, basil and a dash of salt.
  4. Stir to incorporate, cover and simmer for 20 minutes on low. 
  5. Adjust seasoning as needed. 
  6. Use right away or let sauce cool and add to a freezer safe container. Sauce can be refrigerated to use later in the week or can be frozen for up to 5 months. ​
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Roasted rosemary vegetables

4/11/2020

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Growing up I used to dislike vegetable sides at dinner. I think during most of the 90’s people were eating vegetables out of a can and they lacked flavor, crunch and pazazz. Fast forward to Easter a few years ago when I was asked to bring a veggie side dish. Ugh.  So I decided to try something new. I knew that I liked roasted vegetables such as potatoes and carrots and onions, but I wanted them to have more warmth and flavor so I decided to open the spice cabinet and smell all of the spices until I decided on rosemary. This was one of the first recipes I created and I loved how it turned out. Since then I have eaten it as a side, or have even made it my main with the addition of pesto and a cut up veggie sausage.  These roasted veggies are perfect for a healthy side dish with lunch or dinner, they last a week in the fridge and can be enjoyed throughout the week! 

Ingredients

5 red potatoes peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
4 large carrots peeled and diced into coins
½ red onion sliced into ½ inch slices
Olive oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2T chopped fresh rosemary or use 1T of chopped dried rosemary 
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Directions 3-4 servings

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
  2. Add the veggies to a roasting pan or cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil and add salt, pepper and rosemary. Toss to coat
  3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until veggies are fork tender. Toss halfway through.
  4. Let veggies cool before storing in an airtight glass container for all of your make ahead needs! ​
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Thai Curry Pizza

3/8/2020

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My first memory of cooking, with my now husband, is of him making his Thai Curry pizza creation for me. He showed such pride in this dish and the results were incredibly yummy and unique. Think, stir fry + crispy crust pizza!! The key to achieve the crispiest crust is to slide the parchment lined pizza off of the pan (but keep it on the parchment) and directly onto the oven rack. This creates the crispiest crust EVER and perfectly stands up to the heavy toppings on this pizza. We make our own crust from a recipe in a cookbook Bill has had since college, but you can easily get fresh store bought dough from Trader Joes or Whole foods with the same results! We hope you enjoy this crispy, Make ahead of Monday creation by my favorite Chef Bill! 

Ingredients

Fresh raw Pizza dough enough for two pizzas 
1 block of extra firm tofu chopped into small cubes
1 T sesame oil 
Salt & pepper to taste
1 T avocado oil 
2 cloves of chopped garlic
2 T of chopped fresh ginger
I head of broccoli chopped into medium sized pieces
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 LB baby bella mushrooms sliced
1 bottle of Thai Red Curry sauce (We used Trader Joe’s brand)
3 green onions chopped
Toasted sesame seeds 

Suggested Toppings 
Hoisin Sauce
Sriracha 
Directions 
  1. Toss the cubed tofu with sesame oil, salt and pepper and saute on medium-high heat until caramelized and slightly crispy. Remove from the fry pan and set aside. Tofu will get even more crispy in the oven as the pizza cooks.
  2. Heat avocado oil in the same fry pan and add garlic and ginger and saute for 30 seconds.
  3. Add the broccoli, red pepper and mushrooms and saute for 4-6 minutes until veggies begin to become tender. 
  4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees 
  5. Line your counter with parchment paper. 
  6. Using a rolling pin, roll each of the two balls of dough as thin as you can in the shape of your pan.
  7. Slide a 10 - 12 inch round pizza pan under each. 
  8. Spread half of the red curry sauce on each pizza and evenly top with sauteed veggies and tofu.
  9. Top each pizza with green onion and toasted sesame seeds
  10. Carefully slide each pizza off of the pan (not off of the parchment paper) and into the oven for the crispiest crust! 
  11. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is nice and crispy on the bottom. 
  12. Remove from the oven and top with a swirl of hoisin sauce and sriracha (optional) 
  13. Let cool for 5 minutes, slice and ENJOY!
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Vegan Chickpea tacos

2/29/2020

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A couple of years ago my husband and I tried a Vegan diet. It was supposed to be a two week experiment, inspired by our trip to Veggie Fest, however, we decided to give it a go for six months!  It was fun, it was challenging, but mostly, it was a great opportunity to experiment with new foods. These tacos became our favorite for our weekly Taco Tuesday dinners, so much so, that my nickname became, “chickpea.”  This taco filling takes less than 15 minutes to prepare, lasts for a week in the fridge, and is perfect for making taco salads and burrito bowls too! I hope you enjoy as much as we did!
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​Ingredients

½ chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic minced 
2 Tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil
1 can of chickpeas (drained, not rinsed) 
1.5 Tablespoons of taco seasoning (we recommend Costco brand)
2 T of chopped cilantro 

6 hard taco shells warmed in the oven
Directions

  1. Heat a medium sized saucepan on medium heat
  2. Add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan 
  3. Add the garlic and onion and saute until translucent and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes
  4. Reduce the heat to low, and add the chickpeas and the taco seasoning. 
  5. Mash with a potato masher until most of the chickpeas have been mashed. (If your mixture is too dry you can add a tablespoon of water.)
  6. Remove from heat and add chopped cilantro 
  7. Place filling into taco shells OR store filling in the fridge in a  reusable container for up to a week. 
  8. Add your favorite taco toppings! 
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Very Veggie Enchiladas

1/17/2020

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I think winter is really starting to get to me. I’ve been craving things I usually make in the summer like these Very Veggie Enchiladas. I always make these on our family summer vacations to the lake. We all take turns making dinner for our group of 14, and I pretty much always make this. I love how tangy the enchilada sauce is and the veggie filling is perfection! It’s a perfect Make Ahead solution for lunches or dinners for the week. Just simply reheat and you can have a Mexican fiesta any night of the week!

Ingredients
2.5 cups of tomato sauce*
1 T chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp oregano 
2 T olive oil
16 ounce of sliced mushrooms
1 green bell pepper diced
1 yellow onion sliced
3 T taco seasoning*
3-4 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 flour tortillas
Chopped cilantro for topping
Directions (makes 10 enchiladas)
  1. Combine the tomato sauce, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano in a small saucepan and heat covered until it starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and set aside. 
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan until shimmering. Add the mushrooms, peppers and onions. Cook until they soften.
  3. Add the taco seasoning and stir to incorporate. Remove from heat and set aside.  
  4. Preheat oven to 350
  5. Evenly spread a couple of spoonfuls of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 oven safe dish
  6. Add a couple of spoonfuls of taco filling along with a sprinkle of cheese to your tortilla. Roll and add to the oven safe dish. Repeat this 10 times.
  7. Add the remaining sauce and cheese to the top of the assembled enchiladas and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. 
  8. Top with chopped fresh cilantro and ENJOY!
Notes*
  1. I like to use a basic pasta sauce as a base for this enchilada sauce. 
  2. Our favorite taco seasoning can be found at Costco
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Vegan jackfruit "chicken" noodle soup

1/5/2020

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I first discovered jackfruit on our vacation to Tucson this fall. I had the very best jackfruit tacos at this incredibly popular vegan Mexican restaurant called Tumerico. If you are in the Tucson area, you should check it out! I couldn’t believe how authentic the jackfruit taco tasted and how filling it was. Since then I have made a few jackfruit recipes and have been experimenting with it in various ways (more to come!). My first creation turned out great and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to use this unripe canned jackfruit!  If you do not wish to venture into jackfruit, I have an equally yummy option to add chickpeas instead, which can be found in the “notes” section. Chicken noodle soup was always my favorite when I was a meat-eater and this is the closest I have come to replicating those flavors. The best part about soup, is that it’s make-ahead friendly and also can be frozen for a quick meal in the future. I hope you enjoy this Vegan Jackfruit “chicken” Noodle soup!


Vegan Jackfruit “chicken”Noodle Soup
Makes 8 servings 

2 - 20oz cans of Jackfruit (in brine or water, not in syrup!)**
2 tsp poultry seasoning 
2 tablespoons of olive oil plus more for sauteing jackfruit 
5 cloves of garlic chopped 
4 large carrots peeled and chopped
4 large celery stalks chopped 
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 cup of chopped fresh curly parsley leaves 
1 tablespoon of dried basil 
8 cups of veggie broth 
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooked noodles - preferably Rotini 

Directions 

  1. Drain, rinse** and thoroughly dry the jackfruit, then cut off the “core” of the jackfruit and discard. You want to keep the part that shreds easily. 
  2. Heat a large skillet on medium and add some oil to to bottom of the pan.  Add the jackfruit and the poultry seasonings and stir to combine. Cook and stir occasionally for about 5-8 minutes until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. 
  3. In a large soup pot heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the garlic. Cook until fragrant 1-2 minutes, making sure not to brown.
  4. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until onions are soft. 5-7 minutes, making sure to stir occasionally and not to let the vegetables brown. Season with a dash of salt and pepper. 
  5. Add the prepared jackfruit and stir to combine.
  6. Add the veggie broth along with the parsley leaves and dried basil. 
  7. Bring to a boil, then cover a simmer on low for 25-35 minutes until carrots are tender. 
  8. Season with salt and pepper to taste
  9. Serve with cooked noodles of your choice! 
  10. Soup lasts 1 week in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer. Do not combine the noodles with the soup when storing for a make-ahead meal as they will soak up too much liquid.


Notes **
  1. It’s very important to rinse the jackfruit thoroughly so that you get rid of the overwhelming brine taste.
  2. Canned Jackfruit can be found at Trader Joes or Whole Foods. If you prefer not to use Jackfruit, canned chickpeas are an amazing substitute.  Just eliminate the poultry seasoning and make sure you rinse your chickpeas. Add them at the end with the noodles. 


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THe bEST Vegetarian Chili

10/5/2019

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This vegetarian chili is filled with healthy veggies and two varieties of beans and it's sure to warm you on a cool day. 

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil
1 onion chopped fine
1 red pepper chopped fine
7 cloves of garlic minced
3 tablespoons of Chili Powder
1 tablespoon of Cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 ½ cups of water
½ cup of light beer
2 - 16oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 can of Kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can of chickpeas or black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 cup of frozen corn
1 ½ teaspoons of salt
½ cup of cilantro
Juice from one lime

Directions:
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil In a large soup pot over medium heat
  2. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes
  3. Add the red pepper and cook until both are soft
  4. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute 
  5. Add the 3T of Chili powder, 1T of Cumin and ¼ t of cayenne pepper and stir together until fragrant.
  6. Add 1 ½  cups of water along with the ½ cup of beer and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes to thicken
  7. Add 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 1 t of oregano and 1T of brown sugar to the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes. 
  8. Add the beans & chickpeas, corn, salt, cilantro, and lime juice.  Adjust seasonings as needed. I sometimes add a bit more beer. 
  9. Cook until the corn is heated through. Serve with sharp cheddar cheese, whole wheat noodles and diced green onion! 


Recipe adapted from http://www.thecurvycarrot.com/

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    Author

    I am a music teacher, professional musician and a vegetarian. I created this site with the mission to share recipes that make life a little more organized, and enjoyable!  ​

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