Earth Angel Vegan’s Zucchini Pasta Primavera!  Summer is finally here and so are the fresh zucchini!  I got the first one out of my garden and had to make my favorite pasta topping! It is so simple to make.  You need a nice (not too large) zucchini, a fresh sweet onion and red bell pepper and a can of stewed tomatoes.  I think using a mandolin for cutting the veggies all the same size makes the dish taste better but if you don’t have one use a knife and cut everything as thin as possible.

Start with your best non stick pan… I love my Scan Pan!  Slice veggies thin!

1 medium or 2 small zucchini

1/2 large sweet onion

1/2 red bell pepper

a few splashes of water

1 can of stewed tomatoes (make sure no oil)

2 Tablespoons Wildtree Garlic Galore  (or 2 minced cloves)

3/4 pound of brown rice penne cooked according to package directions.  (put the pasta on right after starting the veggies in the skillet)

In your skillet add the zucchini, then onions, then bell pepper and seasoning.  Over medium heat let the veggies start to release their own water and stir occasionally.  Add some splashes of water when they start to stick to the bottom of the pan.  As soon as some of the zucchini starts to turn translucent add the can of tomatoes.  Turn to low and stir frequently adding a little bit of water at a time as needed to keep the sauce moist and juicy until the veggies are tender.

When pasta is done toss it with the vegetable mixture!

About Wildtree Garlic Galore: Wildtree makes all natural organic and preservative spice blends.  The Garlic Galore is so flavorful that I use it in so many dishes.  The ingredients are: organic garlic, organic onion, sea salt, organic parsley, citric acid, organic basil and organic black pepper.

If you would like to purchase Wildtree Garlic Galore please go to http://www.mywildtree.com/gerri

You can shop and pay on this site and your items will come to your door.  I also recommend the balsamic vinegars and the Absolutely Onion Seasoning Blend.  They also make a Worcestershire sauce that is VEGAN

Enjoy

 

Chelsea and I started our day with YOGA… Lori’s Yoga by Lori Allen.  We had a wonderful work out and a total relaxing experience.  Lori Allen is an amazing yoga teacher.  We started off with stretching and moved into a total body work out and ended with hot stones in our hands and a beautiful inspiring reading.  Thanks Lori for a great start to our day.

 

We then went to More Tranquility in Hermitage.  Chelsea had a full body massage and I had a anti-aging facial.  Kelsey did such a great and relaxing facial with scalp, arm, and hand massage.  I think I was so relaxed that I may have fallen asleep for a few minutes!  The skin on my face looked fresh and hydrated.

Thanks to Lori’s Yoga (West Middlesex) and More Tranquility (Hermitage) for a rejuvenating morning. If you want an amazing Yoga experience or a body service (massage, nails, facial) you have to stop in at Lori’s Yoga and make an appointment at More Tranqility!

For breakfast Chelsea and I started our day off with a cup of green tea and…

Roasted Potatoes, Broccoli, and Onions

I used my air fryer at 370 for 10 minutes but it can be done on a baking pan lined with parchment paper in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes 

Serves 2 

2 large potatoes par boiled or pierced with a knife and microwaved for 6 minutes … then cut into chunks

1 large sweet onion chopped

1 head of broccoli florets 

Place all on parchment paper and season as desired (salt and pepper, lemon pepper, Mrs. Dash no salt seasoning, or you favorite) and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes.  Or place all in a air fryer at 370 for 10 minutes.

ENJOY

Recipes in this blog:

Maple Vinaigrette

Tofu Sour Cream

Hot Banana Peppers and Tomatoes

There are so many local places to spend the day and get some great finds!  Molly and I spent a lovely afternoon in Volant, PA.  I found an antique milk bottle at Cottage House Antiques that I plant to use with my homemade plant milk.  I will try oat milk first… recipe and instructions to come!  We walked the entire little town and got wine-sickles at The Knockin Noggin… Cidery and Winery.  We bought the cutest earrings at the Purple Paisley.  We stopped in Box Car Cigar… to talk to some of Molly’s high school classmates that were working there… Shout out to Ben Marzano and Patrick Wheeler!

Vegan’s… heads up!  There were real fruit smoothies made with almond milk at … Miss Scarlett’s Gift Parlor

We bought some Maple Balsamic Vinegar at Liquid Infusions to take home for our lunch.  Volant Winery was amazing and Rhonda could not have been nicer!  We got some gifts for some upcoming birthdays…. shhhhhhhh!  We can’t say what or who for!

We finished up our afternoon at Apple Castle!  We bought some beautiful locally grown lettuce and tomatoes!  Of course we got some apples too!  We stopped at Combine Brothers for some amazing Italian rolls that are made without oil.  They are not whole grain but they are nice for a treat… once in a while.  We also went to Farrell Golden Dawn to buy some hot hungarian banana peppers!  Lunch was baked potatoes topped with tofu sour cream… Bushes vegetarian baked beans and a huge salad with our fresh locally grown lettuce and tomatoes.  For our appetizer… hot banana pepper tomato stir fry with delicious Italian rolls!

Maple Vinaigrette

3 Tablespoons of GOOD Balsamic Vinegar  

2 Tablespoons of rice wine vinegar

2-3 Tablespoons of dijon mustard (depends on how much you like mustard)

1 Tablespoon of good pure maple syrup 

Put in a blender or shaker… sooooooooo good! 

Toss with fresh greens/salad and top with some Mrs Dash salt free seasonings. 

 

Tofu Sour Cream

You will need a block of firm silken tofu

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons of white vinegar

a pinch of salt

1-2 teaspoons agave or your favorite sweetener 

Blend in a high speed blender… good sour cream substitute! 

 

Hot Banana Peppers and Tomatoes

1 large bell pepper cut into strips

5-6 hot banana peppers tops removed and cut in half (I leave seeds in for hotness… you can remove them)  AND WEAR GLOVES IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE

1 15 oz can of stewed tomatoes

1/2 to 1 cup vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon of salt 

In a dry non stick pan start to saute the peppers … the seeds may pop and crackle and the peppers will start to slightly brown… just stir them around while they are starting to soften. At this time add the tomatoes and a splash of broth…. keep cooking over medium heat and stirring and adding splashes of vegetable broth to keep things moist.  When the peppers are soft and the tomatoes have coated them all with a sauce they are done.  So good with crusty bread!  

 

When visiting Richmond VA…Chef Phil made me a pizza that had cooked quinoa as a topping and it was genius.  The quinoa got crispy on top.  I buy my pizza shells from Sami’s Bakery in Tampa Fl.  I buy them online… several at a time and just pop them in the freezer until ready to use.  They are made of millet and flax and no added oil!  They get so crispy… and  you can add any of your favorite toppings.  In the picture I topped this pizza with:

Roasted tomatoes

Steamed kale

Red bell pepper

Corn

Black beans

Onions

I used taco sauce but marinara would have been great too… and of course I topped it with cooked quinoa!

Baked at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes it was crunchy and delicious!

You can use your favorite pizza dough/shell and your favorite sauce and toppings and try quinoa for that added crunch!  You too will get a thumbs up!

Earth Angel Vegan’s version of this rice dish is oil free!  Warning… It is SPICY! Traditionally it is served in a hot clay pot that has been oiled so that it sizzles and stays warm while you eat it and the rice on the bottom makes a crispy crust with the oil and the hot bowl.  I am oil free so I left it out and do not own clay pot bowls but it was equally delicious and my family loved it!  I made this for the whole family so I made one rice cooker pot of white rice and one of brown rice.  Brown rice is ultimately more healthful but many people prefer white rice.  Then you make your veggies… you can really use any you like.  I did make a seaweed salad from dried seaweed that we all were not sure if we liked… I bought it at whole foods and will leave it out next time.  I might get the pre-made seaweed salad from our local sushi bar even though it has a little sesame oil in it.

Vegetables: Use any veggies you love!   Just steam or saute them in some vegetable broth.

I used my julienne peeler for the cucumber and carrot.  I then sautéed them in some veggie broth until they were crisp/tender.

I steamed some broccoli florets.

I opened a jar of vegan kimchee  (find a oil free vegan brand)

I cubed some cucumbers and made a marinade of 1 tablespoon of Gochujang, 2 tablespoons of seasoned rice wine vinegar some pressed garlic and sesame seeds.  I marinated the cucumber chunks all day.

I rehydrated the packaged seaweed salad in warm water like the package directions said … I will leave this out next time or get the salad ready made at my local sushi bar.  I may just add mushrooms instead next time!

NOW FOR THE SHINING STAR!   GOCHUJANG SAUCE!

You can get this paste at any asian market and I believe even some Walmart’s might carry it.  

4 Tablespoons of Gochujang paste 

1 Tablespoon of sweetener (sugar, agave, maple syrup… you pick)

1 Tablespoon of sesame oil (I left this out and used seasoned rice vinegar in its place)

3 Tablespoons of warm water

This makes a delightful and SPICY sauce for your rice and veggie bowl!  

Enjoy!

Earth Angel Vegan visits Korean Garden in Richmond.  We could not get oil free here but the food was authentic and delicious.  We had a vegetable pancake that was so good that I am going to try to recreate it at home.  The vegetable soup was so tasty and the main dish was called Bibimbap!  Bibimbap is a rice dish that is served sizzling in a hot clay pot with a bunch of savory vegetables on top.  The sauce was what made it all so special and it was called gochujang.  It was a sweet and spicy sauce.  I will be recreating this bowl as best I can and this sauce.  Recipe will be posted tomorrow… stay tuned!