I’m a huge fan of “cooking out of your pantry”—the concept of making simple, rustic meals out of seasonal, local foods and shelf-stable ingredients that you keep on hand. This is the way people have been cooking for centuries, before the advent of supermarkets and cookbooks. It’s the concept of “making something out of nothing”, yet these are some of the best dishes on the planet. A great way to employ this strategy is with veggie lasagna, like this Swiss Chard Pecan Lasagna. You can take any seasonal vegetable and layer it with noodles, a fragrant tomato herb sauce, nuts, and cheese (plant-based for vegans). So, why don’t you try cooking out of your pantry today? I show-cased a bunch of swiss chard from my garden in this recipe. Swiss chard is one of the easiest things to grow in your garden, and it survives in cooler as well as warmer weather. Use this simple Swiss Chard Pecan Lasagna recipe for inspiration to cook out of your pantry. Based on primarily pantry ingredients, you can enjoy this delicious meal any night of the week. If you don’t have swiss chard, simply swap it out for other leafy greens you have on hand, too—such as spinach, kale, or collards.
Watch this video below on Sharon Palmer’s favorite ways to use this nutrient-rich vegetable in your diet.
Yield: 6 servings
Swiss Chard Pecan Lasagna
Based on pantry staples and fresh chard, this easy, hearty recipe for Swiss Chard Pecan Lasagna is a nutritious recipe that your whole family will love. Plus it’s 100% plant-based (vegan).
Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning blend
Pinch black pepper
Pinch sea salt (optional)
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup water
1 ¼ cups finely chopped pecans, divided
8 sheets lasagna noodles (look for whole grain), dry
1 bunch Swiss chard, sliced
1 cup plant-based cheese, shredded
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan.
Sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic for 8 minutes.
Add Italian seasoning, black pepper, and sea salt (if desired), stirring well.
Add diced tomatoes with liquid, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and 1 cup of the pecans. Stir sauce well and heat for 3 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Layer the following ingredients in a 13 X 9-inch baking dish, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray: 4 sheets of dry lasagna noodles; Half of the chard; Half of the tomato vegetable mixture; Half of the cheese. Repeat the layers so that there are two layers.
Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup pecans, and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.
The Southwestern flavors of this completely plant-based, gluten-free Black Bean Corn Chili make it an easy satisfying meal anytime of the year—you can also cook it up quickly in an Instant Pot.
Yield: 8
Black Bean Corn Chili
Ingredients
1 pound dried black beans
4 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups frozen sweet corn
1 yellow onion, diced
1 – 6 ounce can tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon barbeque sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
Instructions
Soak black beans in a pot filled with water overnight. Discard water.
Place drained, soaked beans in a large pot. Add remaining ingredients.
Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to medium heat. Cook for about 60-70 minutes, until chili is thick and beans are tender.
Notes
Slow Cooker Directions: You may cook this chili in a slow-cooker during steps 2 – 3. Cook on high setting for 4 – 5 hours or on low setting for 8 – 10 hours.
Instant Pot Directions: Place all ingredients in the container of the Instant Pot. Press “Bean/Chili” setting. Cook according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve immediately.
Variations: Substitute red beans or pinto beans for black beans.
Here’s a simple, flavorful soup recipe that you can throw together in minutes! The anti-inflammatory spices and antioxidant-rich veggies can help boost your health—and spirits—on the gloomiest day. Plus this Curried Leek Vegetable Soup is light enough to be a great accompaniment for a meal year round. I love to pair this plant-based (vegan), gluten-free soup with a sandwich, such as my BLTA sandwich, veggie-burger such as this Chipotle Black Bean Quinoa Veggie Burger, or hearty salad, like my Green Goddess Buddha Bowl.
Filled with vegetables, including leeks, carrots, celery, and zucchini, with a flavorful tomato-curry vegetable broth, this 10-ingredient curried leek vegetable soup is based on refrigerator and pantry staples, so it’s easy to make up on a busy night. You can swap out leeks for white, yellow, or red onions, and substitute a different vegetable for zucchini, such as peas, spinach, or broccoli. You can also use frozen vegetables to save time and money when produce is less available.
While the soup is simmering, you can get the rest of your meal ready, and have dinner on the table in about 40 minutes. The leftovers are equally good. Just pack up the soup for lunch the next day, or enjoy it the second day with a different entrée. Soups are a great way to fit more veggies into your day, so I’m a big fan of including these delicious recipes in your diet each week. Studies even show that eating soup before your meals can fill you up and reduce your calorie intake for the meal. So, make sure “soups on” in your house today!
Yield: 6
Curried Leek Vegetable Soup
Here’s a simple, flavorful soup recipe that you can throw together in minutes! This Curried Leek Vegetable Soup has anti-inflammatory spices and antioxidant-rich veggies can help boost your health—and spirits—on the gloomiest day.
Place all ingredients together into a large pot. Stir well, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 40 minutes, until vegetables are tender. May replace water lost in evaporation.
Notes
InstantPot Directions: Place all ingredients in the container of the InstantPot. Press “Soup” setting. Cook according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve immediately.
Slowcooker Directions: Place all ingredients in the container of the Slowcooker. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-12 hours. Cook according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve immediately.
Tomato products provide just the right amount of pizzazz to pasta recipes, such as this hearty, plant-based Lentil Walnut Bolognese with Spaghetti dish. The deep red color of tomatoes is a calling card for lycopene—the plant compound linked with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. In fact, lycopene is more available to the body in its cooked form, as in cooked tomato products, like pasta sauce, canned tomatoes, and tomato paste. Including these healthy plant foods in your diet more often is linked with prostate cancer protection.
Eating more pulses—beans, lentils, dried peas—is a healthy, cancer-fighting strategy too. In this super easy, one-dish meal, you swap out a traditional meat-based sauce for a tomato-forward, lentil and walnut Bolognese sauce, smothered over spaghetti noodles. Savory and delicious, your whole family will love it. Plus, it’s easy on the pocketbook and makes great leftovers the next day!
Check out the video for this delicious, plant-based recipe here.
Yield: 6 servings
Lentil Walnut Bolognese with Spaghetti
Tomato products provide just the right amount of pizzazz to pasta recipes, such as this hearty, plant-based Lentil Walnut Bolognese with Spaghetti dish.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup brown lentils, dried
4 cups water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely shredded
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 28-ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes, with juice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce, reduced sodium
1/3 cup red wine
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
12 ounces spaghetti noodles, uncooked
Garnish: 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
Place a Dutch oven or large saucepan on medium heat and add lentils and water to the pot. Cover with a lid, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove lid and continue to cook lentils for about 2 minutes until almost tender and liquid is absorbed.
Add olive oil, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, finely chopped celery, finely shredded carrot, and finely chopped walnuts, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, soy sauce, red wine, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and salt (optional). Stir well and cover. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil to cook pasta. Add dry spaghetti noodles, and cook until al dente, according to package instructions (about 7 minutes). Drain noodles in colander.
To serve: Divide spaghetti noodles among 6 serving plates or pasta bowls (about 1 ¼ cups each). Top with 1 cup of Bolognese sauce. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped basil. Alternatively, place spaghetti noodles in one large serving bowl, Bolognese sauce in another large serving bowl, and chopped basil in a small dish, allowing guests to serve themselves as desired.
If you’re looking for a rich, easy, creamy dip or spread, try out this flavorful and healthy Tomato Pesto Hummus. Packed with the nutrition and flavor power of tomatoes, you can whip up this 100% plant-based (vegan), gluten-free hummus recipe in seconds—relying mostly on shelf-stable, economical staples, such as canned tomatoes and chickpeas. With only 7 ingredients (not including pantry items and the garnish), this recipe only takes about 5 minutes to prepare. It’s so good, you’ll stop buying store-made hummus! Serve it with your next party vegetable platter, with whole grain pita bread or crackers, in a wrap, on top of a salad, as an accompaniment for veggie balls or falafels, or with toasted whole grain bread. It’s also great packed away in kids’ (or grownups’!) lunchboxes as a dip with fresh veggies. There are so many places this hummus will go! This Tomato Pesto Hummus recipe is a great way to showcase healthy chickpeas (rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals) and disease-fighting tomatoes (packed with lycopene antioxidants).
Packed with the nutrition and flavor power of tomatoes, you can whip up this 100% plant-based (vegan), gluten-free hummus recipe in seconds—relying mostly on shelf-stable, economical staples, such as canned tomatoes and chickpeas.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Ingredients
Hummus
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed, drained well
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained well
¼ cup pine nuts (additional for garnish)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt, as desired (optional)
Pesto Garnish/Topping:
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
To prepare hummus, place drained chickpeas, drained tomatoes, pine nuts, lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, paprika, and red pepper flakes in the container of a food processor or blender.
Process until smooth and creamy, pausing to scrape down sides if necessary. Should make a thick, creamy consistency. Adjust seasonings with salt, if desired.
Pour hummus into a serving dish and garnish with chopped fresh basil, pine nuts, a swirl of balsamic vinegar, and a swirl of olive oil.
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