italian – Page 2 – The Vegan Rhino

September 3, 2018May 14, 2020

Italian Sausage and Peppers

This easy sausage and peppers recipe will be the new house favorite at dinner. This classic meal is hearty and can be made several ways. You can either serve this in a hoagie Italian-style with your tomato sauce or you could place the sausage and peppers over white rice and serve with the sauce on top. Either way, the choice is going to leave your belly full and your mouth smiling.

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

Vegan Sausage:

1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Garbanzo Bean Flour

1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten

4 oz tofu firm, drained but not pressed

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 tsp Simply Organic oregano

2 tsp. Simply Organic fennel seeds, optional

1 Tbsp. fresh basil

1 tsp liquid smoke

1 Tbsp. Vitacost Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

1/2 tsp Spicely Organics ground black pepper

1 cup authentic homemade italian tomato sauce

Peppers and Onions:

1 medium red bell pepper

1 medium green bell pepper

1 large yellow onion

1 garlic cloves

1/2 cup authentic homemade italian tomato sauce

1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp Simply Organic oregano

2 Tbsp. Vitacost Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

pinch Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

pinch of Spicely Organics ground black pepper

Directions

Peppers and Onions:

In a frying pan, drizzle olive oil and place your thick onion slices (do not cube) and sauté for 5 minutes.
Then add the peppers, salt, pepper, and oregano. Allow to slightly brown, 10-15 minutes. Add garlic and cook for additional 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

Vegan Sausage:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a food processor, pulse all ingredients until dough like mixture has formed and is well combined.
Using parchment paper, cut into 4 squares depending on how large or small you want to make the sausage links. Grab some of the mixture and roll it into the shape and wrap it up in the parchment paper (twisting the ends to seal).
Bake sausages for 20-25 minutes.
To crisp up the outside, drizzle of olive oil to coat a pan. Turn on medium-high heat and pan fry sausage for 3-5 minutes.
To assemble, place the peppers and onions in a hoagie with the sausage on top. Drizzle some homemade sauce on top and add some parsley or vegan parmesan cheese.

Chef’s tip: You can rub a clove of garlic on the bread and smear with vegan butter. Top with parmesan cheese and bake at 375 degrees F to get it nice and crispy!

August 17, 2018October 31, 2020

Baked Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Ahoy there, matey! These spaghetti squash boats are a staple dish in my weekly meal prep. The reason being because they are extremely universal in how you can create them. Here, we have a baked lasagna, using my homemade tomato sauce and some other freshly picked veggies from Bedner’s. One of my favorite things about making these dishes is that its always a 2-for-1 deal. You get to make the spaghetti squash boats and then later use the seeds for granola, roasting, or even gardening!

Yields 2 servings

Ingredients

1 large spaghetti squash

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup cooked TruRoots Organic Sprouted Green Lentils

2 cups homemade tomato sauce

4 cups of baby spinach (2 handfuls)

4 oz. baby bella mushrooms

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 tsp Simply Organic Thyme Leaf

1 tsp. fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp Vitacost Himalayan Pink Salt

1 tsp Spicely Organics Ground Black Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Remove and transfer seeds to paper towel or cloth to dry. Scoop out slimy flesh.
Transfer squash halves onto pan—inside facing up. Lightly drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile sauté garlic, mushrooms and onions in pan to make the filling. Mix in spinach to wilt. Add cooked lentils and continue stirring.
When ready, use fork to scrape down the spaghetti squash to create “noodles.” Transfer to separate bowl and set aside.
Pour sauce into the wells of each squash boat followed by the “noodles.” Then layer on lentil mixture. Repeat until boats are filled—ending with a layer of “noodles.” Optional: Sprinkle nutritional yeast and/or vegan mozzarella on top.
Bake for 10 minutes or until top is golden and sauce starts to bubble. Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh basil and parsley. Serve immediately.

Chef’s tip: Top layers with vegan cheese if you would like or you can use nutritional yeast.

August 15, 2018September 15, 2020

Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce

Before I realized how easy it is to make my own mouthwatering pasta sauce, I opted for store-bought varieties. The downside to pre-made sauces is that they’re often tainted with preservatives to maintain longer shelf lives—no thanks! Now, I use homegrown tomatoes from my garden (or local farm when necessary!). With organic, fresh and local ingredients, it’s easier than ever to sneak in some added nutrients (think fresh herbs such as thyme and basil!). Italian lover? This sauce is the perfect addition to pizza, lasagna and beyond!

Ingredients

10 medium tomatoes, cut into quarters

3 cloves of garlic, smashed

1 small white onion, chopped roughly

1 Tbsp. Simply Organic Oregano

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

1 1/2 tsp. Simply Organic Thyme Leaf

1 tsp. Vitacost Himalayan Pink salt

1 tsp Spicely Organics Black Peppercorns Tin

3 quarts water

Directions

In medium saucepan, heat tomatoes, garlic and onion. Fill with water 2-in. below brim of pot.
Add oregano, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to boil on high heat. Boil for 10 minutes until tomatoes and onions soften.
With hand immersion or blender, combine until everything is broken up. Pour back into pot and bring back to a boil.
After boiling, reduce to simmer for 3 hours. Once time has elapsed and you’ve reached desired thickness, remove from heat and let cool. Serve immediately or can sauce for longer shelf life.

Chef’s tip: Great for Pizza, Spaghetti, and lasagna! Fresh and homemade is a much better choice than store bought.

August 14, 2018May 14, 2020

Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil

Savory sun-dried tomatoes are great to have on hand for making homemade sauces, dips and spreads. But in order to have them, you have to buy them. If you’re familiar with my blog, you know by now that I’m not a fan of store-bought, preservative-packed items. That said, I’ve come up with a fool-proof recipe to make them (and store them) at home! Plus, when stored in a pretty jar, the deep-red dried tomatoes you’re left with double as gifts you can share with family and friends for special occasions. I’m a huge fan of canning and after trying this recipe you will be too. This process naturally gives your food a longer shelf life as they marinade in organic spices and seasonings—yum! Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is! Let’s get cooking.

Yields 16 oz

Ingredients

10 plum tomatoes, dehydrated*

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 large sprig rosemary, cut into 4 pieces

10 basil leaves

16 oz. La Tourangelle 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 tsp. Spicely Organics Thyme Whole Tin

1/4 tsp. Simply Organic Basil

1/4 tsp. Simply Organic Oregano

Pinch Vitacost Fine Himalayan Pink Salt

Pinch Spicely Organics Ground Pepper Black

Directions

Wash and slice plum tomatoes into evenly cut 1/4-in. disks and place onto dehydrator tray or baking sheet. Sprinkle tomato slices with salt and oregano (make sure to season each side).
Set dehydrator to 95 degrees F. Insert tomatoes and cook 4-5 hours, depending on how thick you cut the tomatoes. Monitor tomatoes to ensure they do not get too hard–you want them to have a slight bend in them still.
- *To dehydrate in oven, cook tomatoes on baking or roasting pan at lowest temperature for 10-15 minutes, watching closely to ensure they do not brown.
Once tomatoes are finished, stack into a mason jar with garlic, rosemary, thyme and basil. Fill jar with olive oil. Set on counter for up to 4 days or place in refrigerator for up to a week.

Chef’s tip: Smash garlic before you slice it. This will help release more flavor into the sun-dried tomatoes.