Two Vegan, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free Recipes

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced (about 2 cups)
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ to ¾ teaspoon fine sea
• salt, to taste, plus a pinch
• 16 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried basil, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 14 ounces (400 g) fusilli pasta (about 6½ cups uncooked pasta)
• 3 cups Fail-Proof Marinara Sauce or store-bought chunky marinara sauce
• 1 (14-ounce) can lentils, drained and rinsed, or 1½ cups cooked lentils
• ¾ cup jarred roasted red pepper, drained and chopped
• 2 tablespoons “runny” tahini 
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, but recommended)
         

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
       
2. In a large Dutch oven or saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt and stir. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, until the onion is softened.
       
3. Stir in the mushrooms, oregano, basil, and thyme and cook for 7-8 minutes over medium-high heat, until most of the water cooks off.
       
4. When the water for the pasta boils, add the pasta and cook until al dente, following package directions.
       
5. Into the pot with the mushrooms, stir in the marinara sauce, lentils, roasted red pepper, and tahini until combined. Make sure you stir well to fully incorporate the tahini. Simmer over medium heat, uncovered, for a few more minutes.
        
6. Drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water to halt the cooking process. Stir the pasta into the lentil-veggie mixture until thoroughly combined. Taste and season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Heat for a couple of minutes, or until heated throughout. Serve and enjoy. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The leftovers are even delicious chilled, straight from the fridge! You can also freeze the cooled pasta in an airtight container or a freezer-safe zip-top bag with the air pressed out for 2-3 weeks. After thawing, add a splash of marinara and seasonings to the pasta while reheating to freshen it up.

• I recommend using a “runny” tahini so it easily mixes into the pasta. Avoid using the firm and dry tahini you often find at the bottom of a jar.
      
• To save on prep time, you can buy presliced mushrooms.

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium/large sweet onion, diced (2 to 3 cups)
• 5 or 6 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons), to taste
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste, plus a pinch
• 2 (28-ounce) cans or jars no-salt-added crushed, puréed, or diced tomatoes, with juices
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
       

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Sauté over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the onion is softened.
       
2. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, bay leaves, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer for at least 30 minutes, until the sauce thickens. It should reduce in volume by one-third to one-half. Discard the bay leaves.
       
3. At this point, if you prefer a smooth sauce, you can purée it in a blender or directly in the pot using an immersion blender. Otherwise, simply leave the sauce chunky. (I usually leave it chunky because I like the texture.)
       
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, if desired. Store the cooled sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or container for 1-2 months.

• ½ cup raw cashews, or ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow or sweet onion, diced, or 2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced (2 tablespoons)
• 1-1½ teaspoons fine sea salt, to taste, plus a couple pinches
• 2 medium carrots, diced (1 heaping cup)
• 2 stalks celery, diced (¾ cup)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 (14-ounce) can of diced tomatoes, with juices
• ¾ cup uncooked French green lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 3 cups stemmed and chopped Swiss chard or kale leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1-2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, to taste
       

1. Put the cashews in a bowl and cover with a couple of inches of water. Soak for 1-2 hours or overnight. (For a quick-soak method, cover with boiling water and soak for 30-60 minutes.) Drain and rinse. Transfer the cashews to a high-speed blender along with ½ cup of the water. Blend on high until super smooth and creamy in texture. Set the cashew cream aside.
       
2. In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, and a couple pinches of salt, and sauté until the onion is softened, 4-6 minutes.
       
3. Stir in the carrots and celery, and cook for another few minutes or so. Stir in the cumin, thyme, and turmeric until combined.
       
4. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, lentils, broth, and remaining water. Increase the heat to high and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
        
5. Stir in the cashew cream and chard. Add salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste. (The vinegar’s role is to add a little bit of brightness to the soup; add a bit at a time and keep tasting, as it can quickly overwhelm.) Cook for a couple of minutes over low-medium heat, until the chard is wilted, and then serve. This stew will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or you can freeze it for 1-2 months (always let it cool completely before storing). The stew will thicken after sitting in the fridge; you can thin it out with a bit of broth when you reheat it, if desired, or simply serve it thick with some crusty bread.

• When the cashew (or sunflower seed) cream is mixed into the soup, the broth can take on a speckled appearance due to it reacting with the vinegar. This is totally normal and does not affect the delicious flavor of the soup!

Reprinted from Oh She Glows Every Day by arrangement with Avery, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2016, Angela Liddon. Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.