Meatless Monday Inspiration

Here’s what’s in store for this week’s Meatless Monday:

• Breakfast recipe
• Lunch recipe
• Dinner recipe
• Snacks
• Grocery List

Breakfast: Blueberry Banana Pancakes

Serves: 6

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 large ripe banana
• ¾ cup almond milk
• 1½ cup brown rice flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg OR 1 tbsp ground flaxseed and 3 tbsp water
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• Maple syrup or honey to serve

Instructions:

1. Mix all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Heat a large frying pan with a tsp of olive oil (or coconut oil if desired) on medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, pour in the batter to form whichever size of pancake you’d like – large or small for the littles. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown in colour. Make sure heat isn’t set high so pancakes don’t burn. Use a spatula to check colour underneath. Remove and serve and repeat for remainder of batter.
3. Top with more blueberries, cinnamon, and pure maple syrup

Recipe by North South Blonde

Lunch: Butternut squash soup with green bean niçoise salad

Butternut squash is in season! *shimmy* Combine this delicious soup with a loaded salad for a healthy, hearty lunch.

I would recommend you make this the day before. Personally, I would make more than needed for one meal to have an easy lunch for the next few days.

Niçoise Salad:

Serves: 8-12

Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound small new potatoes
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
• 4 large eggs
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped dill, divided
• 1/4 cup drained capers, patted dry
• 1 bunch breakfast radishes (about 3/4 pound), trimmed, quartered
• 1/4 cup Niçoise or Kalamata olives, pitted, halved

Instructions:

1. Place potatoes in a medium pot; add cold water to cover by 1″. Season with salt, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, 12–15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl of ice water and chill until cold, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and pat dry, reserving bowl of ice water.
2. Meanwhile, bring another medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until crisp-tender, 2–4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice water; reserve hot water in pot. Chill beans until cold, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and pat dry, reserving bowl of ice water.
3. Return water in green bean pot to a boil, carefully add eggs, and cook 8 minutes. Transfer eggs to ice water and chill until cold, about 5 minutes. Peel; set aside.
4. Combine shallot, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon, honey, pepper, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in 3 Tbsp. oil in a slow, steady stream, then whisk in 1 Tbsp. dill.
5. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a small saucepan over medium-high. Add capers and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until capers burst and are crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer capers with slotted spoon to paper towels. Let oil cool.
6. Toss green beans in a large bowl with half of the dressing. Arrange on a platter. Transfer potatoes to same bowl and toss with 1 Tbsp. dressing; arrange in a section on top of green beans. Toss radishes with 1 Tbsp. dressing in same bowl; arrange in another section on top of green beans. Cut eggs into quarters and place eggs and olives in sections on top of green beans, letting some beans show through. Just before serving, drizzle salad with remaining dressing, then top with fried capers and remaining 1 Tbsp. dill.

Recipe on epicurious

Butternut Squash Soup: 

Serves: 4 bowls or 6 cups

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 55 minutes

Total time: 1h 5 minutes

The coolest thing about this soup when I made it was the fact that I could heat it up in my Vitamix! If you don’t have this blender, no worries! Just blend everything and heat it up on the stove top.

Ingredients: 

• 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), halved vertically and seeded
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ½ cup chopped shallot (about 1 large shallot bulb)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Up to 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
• 1 to 2 tablespoons butter, to taste (substitute olive oil for dairy free/vegan soup)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the butternut squash on the pan and drizzle each half with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the squash on the inside (about 1 teaspoon each). Rub the oil over the inside of the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
2. Turn the squash face down and roast until it is tender and completely cooked through, about 45 to 50 minutes. Set the squash aside until it’s cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Then use a large spoon to scoop the butternut squash flesh into a bowl and discard the tough skin.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet (or large soup pot, if you’ll be serving soup from that pot), warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chopped shallot and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot has softened and is starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring frequently.
4. If you have a high performance blender like a Vitamix (see notes if you’re using an immersion blender instead), transfer the cooked shallot and garlic to your blender. Add the reserved butternut, maple syrup, nutmeg and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Pour in 3 cups vegetable broth, being careful not to fill the container past the maximum fill line (you can stir in any remaining broth later). Secure the lid and select the soup preset. The blender will stop running once the soup is super creamy and hot.
5. If you would like to thin out your soup a bit more, add the remaining cup of broth (I used the full 4 cups, but if you used a small squash, you might want to leave it as is). Add 1 to 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, to taste, and blend well. Taste and blend in more salt and pepper, if necessary.
6. Serve immediately (I like to top each bowl with a little more black pepper). Let leftover soup cool completely before transferring it to a proper storage container and refrigerating it for up to 4 days (leftovers taste even better the next day!). Or, freeze this soup for up to 3 months.

Notes: 

IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH AN IMMERSION BLENDER, add the reserved squash to the pot, then add the broth, maple syrup, nutmeg and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes so the flavors have a chance to meld. Carefully use your immersion blender to blend the soup completely, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, to taste, and blend again. Taste and blend in more salt and pepper, if necessary.

See full recipe on Cookie and Kate

Dinner: Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Serves: 6 burgers

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 15 ounce can Bush’s Black Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 egg
• ½ cup chopped sweet yellow onion
• ½ cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Sriracha
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 6 hamburger buns
• Additional burger toppings like sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce, etc. as desired.

Instructions:

1. Place rinsed beans in a large bowl and mash well using a potato masher or a fork.
2. Add the egg, onion, bell pepper, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper and Sriracha. Blend, using your hands, until well combined. Shape mixture into six patties.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add patties in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until each side is golden brown and cooked through. (8-10 minutes depending on the size of your patties).
4. Transfer to buns and top with additional toppings as desired. (We topped each burger with extra Sriracha, which was delicious!). Serve hot.

Recommended sides:

• Sautéed broccoli
• Sweet potato fries

See full recipe on Dine and Dish

Snacks

Snack 1: Pear and almond butter* with coconut oil flakes

Ingredients:

• Pear (in season!)
• 2 tbsp Almond butter
• Chipped flakes of coconut oil (put in the fridge for more flakes)
• Cinnamon (optional)

Instructions:

1. Slice the pear.
2. Drizzle pears with almond butter.
3. Using a spoon, carefully chip off some coconut oil. For more “flakes” I like to put mine in the fridge for an hour or two before.
4. Season with cinnamon, as desired.

*You can substitute for your favorite nut butter or peanut butter.

Snack 2: Roasted chickpeas

Ingredients:

• Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas
• Two tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 4 teaspoons spices or finely chopped fresh herbs, like chili powder, curry powder, garam masala, cumin, smoked paprika, rosemary, thyme, or other favorite spices and herbs

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F: Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Rinse and drain the chickpeas: Open the cans of chickpeas and pour the chickpeas into a strainer in the sink. Rinse thoroughly under running water.
3. Dry the chickpeas: Pat the chickpeas very dry with a clean dishtowel or paper towels. They should look matte and feel dry to the touch; if you have time, leave them to air-dry for a few minutes. Remove any chickpea skins that come off while drying, but otherwise don’t worry about them.
4. Toss the chickpeas with olive oil and salt: Spread the chickpeas out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Stir with your hands or a spatula to make sure the chickpeas are evenly coated.
5. Roast the chickpeas in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes: Stir the chickpeas or shake the pan every 10 minutes. A few chickpeas may pop – that’s normal. The chickpeas are done when golden and slightly darkened, dry and crispy on the outside, and soft in the middle.
6. Toss the chickpeas with the spices: Sprinkle the spices over the chickpeas and stir to coat evenly. Serve while the chickpeas are still warm and crispy. They will gradually lose their crispiness as they cool, becoming addictively chewy.

Grocery List

• Blueberries
• Ripe banana
• Almond milk
• Brown rice flour
• Baking powder
• 1 egg OR 1 tbsp ground flaxseed and 3 tbsp water
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Maple syrup
• Small potatoes
• 1 1/2 pounds green beans
• 6 large eggs
• 2 shallots
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• Dijon mustard
• Honey
• Ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• Dill
• Drained capers
• Radishes (about 3/4 pound)
• Niçoise or Kalamata olives, pitted, halved
• 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
• 5 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• Ground nutmeg
• Up to 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
• Butter, to taste (substitute olive oil for dairy free/vegan soup)
• One 15 ounce can Bush’s Black Beans
• Sweet yellow onion
• Yellow bell pepper
• Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• Italian seasoning
• Sriracha
• Vegetable oil
• 6 hamburger buns
• Additional burger toppings like sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce, etc. as desired
• Pear
• Almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
• Coconut oil
• Cinnamon (optional)