Vegan Kielbasa and Peppers

My mom used to make kielbasa and peppers when we were kids. Years ago I saw that Tofurky made vegan kielbasa and her simple recipe immediately came to mind. I like this dish because it’s easy to remember and the ingredients keep for quite some time so it’s a quick go-to when you want something fast and fresh. By no means is it culinary genius but it tastes great and is done in a flash.

How to:

  • Ingredients for Vegan Kielbasa and PeppersChop up two peppers – I usually go for red and yellow or orange. Sadly the red pepper I have in this photo was moldy when I cut in to it so I luckily had a green pepper on hand.
  • Chop up 1/2 to 3/4 of a sweet onion
  • Slice two kielbasa – for just the two of us we only need two but the package has four.

Before I start slicing and sautéing I cook a side of rice. I could do a lot better than the Rice-A-Roni brand and try to find a box mix that’s healthier but I just love the cheesy flavor of their Parm & Romano style. (Also, if you’re looking to make a side dish of rice that’s vegan then you’d use something else).

Cooking Vegan Kielbasa and PeppersFirst sauté the kielbasa in some olive oil until they start to brown. Set kielbasa aside. Then add the peppers and onion to the pan with more olive oil and sauté until they are soft and maybe a little brown on the edges. I put a lid on my pan to speed up the process. When the veggies are ready, add your kielbasa back to the mix. I like to throw in a dash of caraway seeds for a little more flavor.

Serve the kielbasa and peppers with your side of rice and enjoy!

Vegan Alfredo Sauce

Skip the lactose and fat but keep the flavor.

I found this alfredo(-ish) recipe from one of my go-to cookbooks: Quick Fix Vegetarian. It’s pretty easy to remember and it tastes great. I’m a cheese-hound and I like that this alfredo recipe gives you the impression of thick, satisfying cheese sauce but doesn’t pack on the pounds.

Vegan Alfredo SauceHere’s the mix:

  • 1 can of white beans – rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup Pesto – homemade or store-prepared (if you buy it from the store it could have parmesan cheese which is not vegan)
  • 1/2 cup of vegetable broth

Use a food processor to blend the beans, olive oil, and pesto. After mixed together, add the broth to give it the creamy consistency. Add more broth if it’s too thick. I end up using the full container of the store-prepped pesto because I love me some pesto flavor.

For tonight’s meal I boiled some whole wheat shell pasta, steamed organic broccoli, sautéed baby bella pre-sliced mushrooms, and mixed in a can of sliced black olives. Stupid-simple and super-yum. I had leftovers (score!) which will heat up easy for tomorrow’s lunch.