Tag Archives: Vegan Meal Prep

Dry Beans, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Meal Prep, Pressure Cooker, Rice, Rotation, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner

Red Beans and Rice

November 24, 2023 Sam

This is a delicious version of red beans and rice, and while it takes a little bit to make it, it makes so much and it saves so well that it’s a valuable recipe to put into rotation.

Print Recipe

Red Beans and Rice

Delicious variation on a classic, which I've modified to use brown rice and to match my preferred ways to cook beans and rice.

Prep Time1 30

Cook Time30

Soaking Time6

Total Time8

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: California, Southern, Vegan

Keyword: Dry Beans, Rice, Vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 477kcal

Ingredients

Beans

3 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow or white onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
2 tsp Creole seasoning salt-free preferred
1 tsp Spanish smoked paprika aka pimenton
1 lb dried red beans Domingo Rojo, Hidatsa Red, or Kidney
3.5 cups vegetable broth low sodium
1 bay leaf
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp Cholula or other hot sauce

Rice

1 tbsp neutral vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion diced
2 tbsp unsalted vegan butter or dairy butter if not aiming for vegan
1 bay leaf
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups brown jasmine rice
3.5 cups vegetable broth low sodium
1 cup chives thinly sliced for serving

Instructions

Rice

Pour the 1 tbsp neutral vegetable oil into a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the 1 large yellow onion, 2 tbsp unsalted vegan butter, 1 bay leaf, and 1 tsp kosher salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the 2 cups brown jasmine rice and stir to coat.
Add the mixture to the rice cooker. Stir in the 3.5 cups vegetable broth. Set the rice cooker to cook brown rice and leave until beans are complete.

Beans

Soak the 1 lb dried red beans for 6-10 hours in a 1.5% salinity solution. Drain and rinse.
Pour the 3 tbsp olive oil into the Instant Pot and heat on saute. Add the 1 yellow or white onion, 1 green bell pepper, and 1 celery stalk. Saute until softened and fragrant. Add the 2 tsp Creole seasoning and 1 tsp Spanish smoked paprika.
Add the soaked beans, 3.5 cups vegetable broth, and 1 bay leaf. Turn Instant Pot to pressurize and go to high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then release the rest of the way.
Check the beans. If very well cooked (you want them fully soft), you can then move to the next step. If not, continue to cook either by bringing back to pressure for 1-5 minutes, or just by boiling on saute.
Str in the 2 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp Cholula or other hot sauce, and any salt if necessary.

Serving

Serve the beans in bowls with a scoop of rice in the center and sprinkle the 1 cup chives on top. Pass more hot sauce at the table.

Notes

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Red Beans and Rice

Amount Per Serving

Calories 477 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 8mg3%

Sodium 1210mg53%

Potassium 970mg28%

Carbohydrates 77g26%

Fiber 11g46%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 1011IU20%

Vitamin C 20mg24%

Calcium 73mg7%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Fall, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner, Winter

Baked Royal Corona Beans

January 23, 2022 Sam

This delicious preparation of Royal Corona beans is fantastic. The huge beans are well-flavored and taste great in the rich tomato sauce. Serve with bread, pasta, vegetables, rice, farro, etc. It pairs exceptionally well with a full-flavor feta.

Print Recipe

Baked Royal Corona Beans

Prep Time30

Cook Time2 30

Total Time3

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans, Inspired by Rancho Gordo

Servings: servings

Calories: 389kcal

Ingredients

Beans

1 lb Royal Corona beans
1 onion peeled and cut in half
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp peppercorn

Tomato Sauce

3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp oregano
28 oz crushed tomatoes
½ tbsp honey
2 tsp salt

Instructions

Beans

Soak beans overnight in a huge bowl, covered, with 3 liters of water and 45 grams of salt.
1 lb Royal Corona beans
Drain the beans. Place soaked beans in a large pot and cover with water by 3 inches. Add the halved onion directly to the pot; add the other bean spices to a small spice bag or a steeper. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to a bare simmer and cook until tender but holding their shape, which could be 30 minutes (highly unlikely) to 3 hours (also unlikely); probably around 2 hours total. Beans will be super creamy in texture when done. Add salt to taste just before the beans are finished cooking. When done, do not drain; set aside.
1 onion, 2 bay leaves, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp peppercorn

Tomato Sauce

When the beans are done or nearly done, add the olive oil to a very large all-in-one pan or Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook until soft and browning; the trick is to let the onion sit for a bit once heated, so it develops some brown spots.
3 tbsp olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion
Add the garlic, tomato paste and oregano. Mix well until aromatic.
2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tsp oregano, 4 cloves garlic
Add the tomatoes, sugar and salt and stir well. Let it simmer down some, but it should remain quite saucy. Taste for flavors here and add anything additional, like salt, pepper, more oregano, etc.
28 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 tsp salt, ½ tbsp honey
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Drain the beans but reserve the liquid and discard the onion halves and other spices. Gently mix in the beans. If the mix is looking a little dry, add some of the bean water. You want the beans to be fully submerged and the sauce to be fairly liquid, as it will cook down in the oven further.
Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot, at room temperature or cold.

Notes

Serves 6

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Baked Royal Corona Beans

Amount Per Serving

Calories 389 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 1007mg44%

Potassium 1884mg54%

Carbohydrates 63g21%

Fiber 15g63%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 384IU8%

Vitamin C 17mg21%

Calcium 257mg26%

Iron 10mg56%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Great Leftovers, Lunch, Meal Prep, Pressure Cooker

Lunch: Mayocoba, Cilantro Brown Rice and Cilantro Hemp Paste

January 8, 2022 Sam

Print Recipe

Lunch: Mayocoba, Brown Rice and Cilantro Hemp Paste

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans, Rice

Servings: servings

Calories: 579kcal

Equipment

1 Pressure cooker
1 Large food processor

Ingredients

Beans

1 lb Mayocoba beans
bean spices

Cilantro Brown Rice

4 cups water
½ tbsp olive oil
2 large limes zested and juiced, saving half of juice for paste
1 bay leaf
2 cups brown rice medium or short-grain
½ bunch cilantro leaves chopped
½ tsp salt

Cilantro Hemp Paste

1 bunch cilantro leaves and stems toughest stems removed
1 cup hemp hearts
1 large jalapeño destemmed
2 cloves garlic trimmed
1 large lime juiced
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil

Sides

4 large bell peppers

Instructions

Dry Beans

Soak the beans in 1% salted water for 6-8 hours, ideally. (Or skip this step and just rinse the beans and increase cooking time substantially.)
1 lb Mayocoba beans
Add the soaked beans and ~2 quarts of water. Add bean spices in a spice bag or other container. (If unsoaked, add more water; if soaked long enough, you may be able to use less water.) If fully soaked, cook under high pressure for 5-8 minutes; if unsoaked, cook under high pressure for 20-30 minutes. Allow pressure to release for 25 minutes. Drain beans, salt lightly, and set aside.
bean spices

Brown Rice

Boil at least 1 quart of water in the kettle.
4 cups water
Heat olive oil over medium heat in large sauce pot. Add the lime zest, bay leaf and rinsed rice. Stir well.
½ tbsp olive oil, 2 large limes, 1 bay leaf, 2 cups brown rice
After the rice starts to crackle and smell aromatic, add 4 cups boiling water. Give everything a good stir and bring it to a boil again (if not already) before turning to just above low. Cover and let the rice cook completely undisturbed and covered for 30-35 minutes.
4 cups water
Turn off the heat and discard the bay leaf and fluff well. Add the cilantro, half of the lime juice, and a pinch or two of salt and stir well to combine. Taste and add ½ tsp salt at most, but keep it under-salted.
2 large limes, ½ bunch cilantro leaves, ½ tsp salt

Cilantro Hemp Pesto

To the bowl of a full-size food processor, add everything except the oil, including half of the lime juice from the cilantro brown rice. Process until everything is finely chopped; pause to scrape down the bowl as necessary. Add about ½ tsp salt, more if your salt isn't very salty.
1 bunch cilantro leaves and stems, 1 cup hemp hearts, 1 large jalapeño, 2 cloves garlic, 1 large lime, 1 tsp salt
Slowly add the olive oil while still mixing, continuing until it is all well-combined and creamy. Taste and add salt if needed.
2 tbsp olive oil

Assembly

Add the rice and beans to the containers. Top with the cilantro paste. Add the bell peppers on top.
4 large bell peppers

Notes

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Lunch: Mayocoba, Brown Rice and Cilantro Hemp Paste

Amount Per Serving

Calories 579 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 458mg20%

Potassium 1359mg39%

Carbohydrates 80g27%

Fiber 14g58%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 27g54%

Vitamin A 2830IU57%

Vitamin C 115mg139%

Calcium 207mg21%

Iron 11mg61%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Great Leftovers, Lunch, Meal Prep, Pressure Cooker

Lunch: Garbanzos, Quinoa, and Sikil Paak

January 8, 2022 Sam

Print Recipe

Lunch: Garbanzos, Quinoa, Sikil Pak

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans, Quinoa, Vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 501kcal

Equipment

1 Pressure cooker
1 Large food processor

Ingredients

Beans

1 lb garbanzo beans
bean spices

Quinoa

2 cups quinoa
4 cups vegetable broth

Sikil Pak

1 cup pepitas
1 serrano pepper
4 cloves garlic trimmed
1 small cilantro toughest stems chopped off
1 large lime zested and juiced
½ cup fire-roasted tomatoes

Sides

4 large bell peppers sliced
½ cup sesame seeds

Instructions

Beans

Soak the garbanzo beans in 1% salted water for 8 hours, ideally. (Or skip this step and just rinse the beans and increase cooking time substantially.)
1 lb garbanzo beans
Add the soaked beans and ~2 quarts of water. Add bean spices in a spice bag or other container. (If unsoaked, add more water; if soaked long enough, you may be able to use less water.) If fully soaked, cook under high pressure for 8-12 minutes; if unsoaked, cook under high pressure for 30-40 minutes. Allow pressure to release for 25 minutes. Drain beans, salt lightly, and set aside.
bean spices

Quinoa

Rinse the quinoa and drain well. Add to a large sauce pot.
2 cups quinoa
Add the 2 cups vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and cook for 15-30 minutes, depending on the kind of quinoa. Cook until done and all liquid has been absorbed.
4 cups vegetable broth

Sikil Pak

Add the sikil pak ingredients to a food processor. Mix until everything is combined. Lightly salt, if desired.
1 cup pepitas, 1 serrano pepper, 4 cloves garlic, 1 small cilantro, 1 large lime, ½ cup fire-roasted tomatoes

Assembly

Once all ingredients are ready, add to small containers in roughly equal proportions, starting with qunioa and beans, then the sikil pak then the sesame seeds and bell pepper slices.
½ cup sesame seeds, 4 large bell peppers

Notes

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Lunch: Garbanzos, Quinoa, Sikil Pak

Amount Per Serving

Calories 501 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 1g

Sodium 516mg22%

Potassium 1035mg30%

Carbohydrates 73g24%

Fiber 17g71%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 22g44%

Vitamin A 2957IU59%

Vitamin C 111mg135%

Calcium 191mg19%

Iron 8mg44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Great Leftovers, Low Calorie, Lunch, Meal Prep, Pressure Cooker

Lunch: Black Beans, Farro, Tofu and Cilantro

December 11, 2021 Sam

Print Recipe

Lunch: Black Beans, Farro, Tofu and Cilantro

A simple meal for meal-prepped lunch

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans, Farro, Leftovers

Servings: servings

Calories: 608kcal

Equipment

8 large (~6 cup) containers

Ingredients

Beans

1 lb black beans
1 small red onion
3 oz chipotle in adobo
½ tsp salt

Farro

1½ cups pearled farro
4½ cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp olive oil

Walnut-Cilantro Paste

2 cups walnuts
1 small serrano pepper
¼ cup olive oil
½ bunch cilantro
½ tsp salt

Chipotle Tofu

20 oz firm tofu Hodo Soy preferred
3 oz chipotle in adobo cubed
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small lime juiced
1 tsp oregano

Sides

3 large green bell peppers

Instructions

Chipotle Tofu

Mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the cubed tofu. Set aside for a few hours, if possible.
20 oz firm tofu, 3 oz chipotle in adobo, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 small lime, 1 tsp oregano

Beans

Soak the black beans in 1% salted water for about 6-8 hours, ideally. (Or skip this step and just rinse the beans and increase cooking time.)
1 lb black beans
In a pressure cooker (electric or stovetop), turn on the heat (turn on saute) and add the chopped red onion, the chipotle in adobo and a few pinches of salt. Cook until it has softened and developed some color and aroma.
1 small red onion, 3 oz chipotle in adobo, ½ tsp salt
Add the soaked (or just rinsed) beans and ~2 quarts of water. If unsoaked, add more water; if soaked long enough, you may be able to use less water. If fully soaked, cook under high pressure for 4-6 minutes; if unsoaked, cook under high pressure for 24-28 minutes. Allow pressure to release for 25 minutes. Drain beans, salt lightly, and set aside.

Chipotle Tofu

Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Place the marinated tofu in a ceramic baking dish. Once oven is pre-heated, bake tofu for 40 minutes.

Farro

Rinse the farro and drain well. Add to a large saucepot and turn to medium-high heat. Allow farro to burn off the water and start to toast in the pot.
1½ cups pearled farro
Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer for about 25 minutes, until cooked.
4½ cups vegetable broth
Drain and add back to the pot, mixing with 2 tbsp olive oil.
2 tbsp olive oil

Walnut-Cilantro Paste

Toast the walnuts (optional). Add the walnuts, serrano pepper, olive oil, cilantro and salt to a small food processor. Blend until you get a paste.
2 cups walnuts, 1 small serrano pepper, ¼ cup olive oil, ½ bunch cilantro, ½ tsp salt

Assembly

Once all ingredients are ready, add to the small containers in roughly equal proportions, starting with farro and beans, then the cilantro paste, then the olives and bell pepper slices.
3 large green bell peppers

Notes

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Lunch: Black Beans, Farro, Tofu and Cilantro

Amount Per Serving

Calories 608 Calories from Fat 315

% Daily Value*

Fat 35g54%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Sodium 1100mg48%

Potassium 589mg17%

Carbohydrates 59g20%

Fiber 17g71%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 20g40%

Vitamin A 1646IU33%

Vitamin C 54mg65%

Calcium 165mg17%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.