Easymeals

Really Easy Dinner - Stuffed Mushrooms

This is an easy peasy recipe for a great week-day dinner and fancy enough for company. You can stuff your mushrooms with practically anything, so feel free to change this recipe up! You can sub the potatoes for sweet potatoes or add some of your fav beans and add some Mexican spices.

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Mashed Potato and Kale Stuffed Mushrooms

- 4 large Portabello mushrooms, cleaned (if they are small'ish - use 6 or 8),
   stems removed-save and chop the stems.
- 3 large potatoes
- 1 cup frozen kale (or spinach)
- 1 large leek, diced small (you can sub 1 medium onion)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped small
- 2 Tbsp each of olive oil and vegan butter
- 1-2 tsp each of salt, pepper and thyme

- 1 C vegan cheese shreds
- 1/2 C bread crumbs or crushed croutons

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Directions:
- Heat your oven to 375 F.
- Cut your potatoes into 1/2 thick slices and boil until soft (about 20 minutes).
- Drain potatoes, mash with 1 Tbsp butter, salt and pepper.
- Add 1 Tbsp of oil to a large pan over medium high heat, and add your chopped mushroom stems, leek (or onion), garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper and all the thyme. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until soft. Stir into mashed potatoes.
- Stir cheese shreds and frozen kale into the potato mixture.
- Rub the remaining oil over the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper (don't be shy with the salt). Place on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. 
- Add potato mixture to the mushrooms evenly and top with bread crumbs and a tiny dab of vegan butter.
- Cook for 30 to 35 minutes.

* using leftover mashed potatoes makes this quicker. Also, add any fresh or dried herbs you like.
* Serve with your favorite salad. I served with beet/orange salad!

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Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Thanksgiving is all about family, friends and food. These easy side dishes can make your day a little easier! These recipes are about 4 servings but can easily be doubled or tripled.

SPICY CORN
- 2 cups of frozen organic corn
- 1 tsp each: garlic powder, chili powder, lime juice
-  ½ tsp cayenne
- 1-2 Tbsp of Vegan Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast

DIRECTIONS:
- Mix all spices and add to frozen corn.
- Heat up in microwave or on stove top.
- Sprinkle with cheese or yeast and serve.
 

HONEY CARROTS:
- 5-6 medium carrots, sliced on diagonal
- 1 Tbsp each: Vegan butter and maple syrup
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- Salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS:
- Boil carrots in water for about 15 minutes.
- Drain and stir in maple syrup, butter, rosemar.y, salt and pepper.
 

ROASTED ROOT VEGGIES WITH CURRY
- 4-5 cups of peeled and chopped root veggies: carrots, parsnips, turnip
- 1 large onion, chopped in big chunks
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine 
Salt & pepper
- 2-3 Tbsp Cilantro or parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 425. Toss all ingredients except cilantro together and layer on to two baking sheets. Cook for 15 minutes and turn over (or just stir them around). Cook another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

OPTIONS:
- Replace curry powder with 1 tsp each: rosemary and thyme
 

ASIAN STYLE GREEN BEANS
- 2 cups of frozen or fresh green beans
- 1/4 cup organic soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp each: garlic-minced, brown sugar and sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:
Mix in medium bowl soy, garlic, brown sugar and pepper flakes.
- Toss green beans on mixture.
- Heat up sesame oil over medium heat. Add green beans and cook for 3-5 minutes –keep stirring.

OPTIONS:
- Use broccoli instead of green beans. Add sliced mushrooms or red pepper.
- Change up the spices - use olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper-delete soy, sugar and sesame oil.
 

CREAMED KALE
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 big bunch of kale cut into bite size pieces
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- Salt & pepper
- Grated coconut (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
- Heat oil over medium high heat in a large pan. Add onion and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add kale, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add coconut milk, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Top with coconut flakes if using.
 

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES
- 8 medium potatoes cut in chunks, peel if you prefer
- 3-4 Tbsp of vegan butter
- 5 cloves of roasted garlic (see note)
- salt, pepper and chives

DIRECTIONS
- Put potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Boil for about 30 minutes.
- Drain potatoes and add to a large bowl. Add butter, salt and pepper.
- Mash with a potato masher or use a hand mixer (don't over mix).
- Mash the roasted garlic and stir into potatoes.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

NOTE:
- To roast garlic, wrap cloves in tin foil add a few drops of olive oil and roast in oven at 400 for 30 minutes.

OPTIONS:
- Replace potatoes with sweet potatoes. Replace garlic with a small sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg.
 

BASIC VEGAN STUFFING
- 2 Tbsp of olive oil or vegan butter
- 2 of each, chopped: celery stock, carrot and onion
- 1 cup of mushrooms
- 1 cup each: cooked rice and bread cut into cubes
- 1 cup of vegetable or mushroom stock
- 1 tsp each: sage, thyme, rosemary, salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS
- Heat up oil or butter in a large pan on medium heat, add celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms and spices.
- Cook for about 5-6 minutes.
- Place rice, bread and veggie mixture into a large bowl and add as much stock as you need to make the mixture moist. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Put the mixture into a baking dish that has been greased with oil or butter. Cover with foil and cook at 375 for about 30 minutes. 

OPTIONS
- The sky is the limit with stuffing, add nuts, dried fruit or other vegetables.