Time For Change Kitchen
Serving Up Whole Foods For Whole Health!
with Danielle Bussone
Beyond Sausage Subs
Still can’t convince your family and friends to try a plant-based lifestyle? Your carnivorous friends will be blown away by the similarity of Beyond Sausage to the real thing. These subs cook up quickly and will satisfy the most meat-entrenched dinner guests. This is not a low-fat meal, however, so it’s a good idea to eat this on only special occasions. It’s a great transition food for those on the fence about going Plant-based. Beyond Beef’s Beyond Sausage can be found in most markets these days and come in Hot Italian, and the milder Brat, and Sweet Italian sausages. Any of these can be used in this recipe.
Tomato Sauce with Sautéed Summer Vegetables
Rustling up a simple pasta sauce is another option for making use of leftover veggies from our Creamy Spicy (or not) Polenta with Summer Vegetables recipe. Whether using canned, frozen, or storebought tomatoes, this recipe is quick, wholesome, and delicious. You may even use a good-quality storebought sauce in a jar if you prefer. Remember that the spices are already incorporated in the sauteed vegetables, so whether or not you want to add a pinch more basil or include a pinch of oregano is a matter of personal taste. By the time your pasta is cooked, the veggie sauce should be ready to spoon on top.
Egg Free Veggie Omelette
Missing eggs? Not anymore with this quick and easy recipe for an egg-free omelet that actually tastes like eggs! This is a great way to use up colorful sauteed vegetables from the day before and easy enough to whip up a quick vegetable sauté just for this dish. Add a little cashew cream cheese for creaminess and just the right balance of flavors. This recipe is visually appealing, and it will become your go-to breakfast dish for special guests or for any time you want to treat yourself to something special.
Creamy, Spicy (or not) Polenta with Sautéed Summer Vegetables
This is one of my favorite dishes in the world. It is fresh, creamy, and spicy, and is absolutely decadent. It comes together in 20 minutes.
I use miso in this recipe rather than salt. Miso is very salty but evidently doesn’t affect the body in a negative way like salt does. It also adds another layer of rich flavor to the dish and gives the polenta a slightly cheesy taste.
Roasted Acorn Squash with Curried Quinoa
Roasted Acorn Squash is a favorite fall and winter dish in our household. Served as wedges for a side dish or stuffed with a savory vegetable filling as a main course, this simple no-fuss recipe is a crowd pleaser. It’s just as easy to cook for a crowd as it is for one or two people. Try this and you’ll find yourself making it again and again
Roasted Peppers
When peppers are plentiful and inexpensive at the farmer’s market, it’s a good idea to buy some in bulk to freeze for cold-weather cooking. In the winter, peppers are very expensive and their flavor is nothing compared to seasonally purchased organic peppers.
Roasting intensifies the flavor as well. From stews, pastas, sauces, and more, you’ll find there is no end to the recipes that can benefit from the addition of roasted red bell peppers.
Hui Kitchen’s Chinese Braised Bok Choy with Shiitake Mushrooms
This is the second dish taught to me by Chef Hui of Hui’s Kitchen in Santiago, Spain. Rich and I were starving for fresh vegetables. We discovered that few restaurants along the Camino de Santiago offer freshly cooked vegetables. Once we discovered Hui’s Kitchen, we dined there every day during our last week in Europe. This delicious recipe of fresh Bok Choy is a perfect accompaniment to Chef Hui’s braised eggplant dish. It cooks up in minutes and is so yummy. Serve with a side of hot rice.
Hui Kitchen’s Chinese Braised Eggplant with Tree Mushrooms
I learned to make this dish from Chef Hui at Hui Kitchen in Santiago, Spain. Rich and I were starving for fresh vegetables, having discovered that few restaurants along the Camino de Santiago offer freshly cooked vegetables. Once we discovered Hui’s Kitchen, we dined there every day during our last week in Europe. We especially loved this spicy eggplant dish and were thrilled when Chef Hui welcomed us into his kitchen to teach us how to prepare this quick and flavorful recipe.
Creamy Ukranian Borscht In Your Instant Pot!
I created this recipe for my dear friend, author Nora Percival, who died on Valentine’s Day a couple of years ago at the age of 102. Having left Russia as a small child, she still yearned for foods she enjoyed as a girl. This recipe for Creamy Ukranian Borscht was a big hit with Nora in her waning years, so I made it for her often. What I never dreamed is that it would become a favorite dish in my family.
Creamy Ukranian Borscht is delicious any time of the year, especially when fresh beets are in season. I prefer to eat this soup when it’s hot, but it is excellent served chilled or at room temperature. Loaded with antioxidants, there is nothing but good food in this recipe, so you may enjoy it with guilt-free abandon!
Ethiopian Misir Wot – Spicy Red Lentils Without Oil
Misir Wot is one of the spiciest of all the vegan Ethiopian dishes. It is served with injera, a sour flat-bread native to Ethiopia. The spiciness of Misir Wot is tempered by the injera, so it doesn’t seem quite so hot when you eat it. I am often disappointed when I go to Ethiopian restaurants to find they’ve reduced the heat level in Misir Wot to cater to milder American palates. I so enjoy the range of flavors and piquancy found in authentic family-style Ethiopian dinners, where a number of stews are served on the same plate. Whatever your level of comfort, you can adjust the beberé in this recipe to suit your tastes.
Spicy Cajun Cornbread – 100% Whole Grain and Dairy-Free!
I love cornbread and the spicier the better! This recipe contains fresh corn, crushed red peppers, is 100% whole grain, and has no animal protein whatsoever! I like to serve this with Cajun Blackeyed Peas as southern comfort food with a kick. If you are not a fan of spicy food, then leave the peppers out and make a milder form of this delicious whole grain recipe. I make a small exception to my no oil policy in this recipe. I use just a teaspoon of olive oil to grease the hot frying pan before adding the batter and moving it to a hot oven. This creates the crispy crust for which southern cornbread is known.
How To Make Fermented Vegetables!
Nothing beats the flavor, color, and texture of homemade Fermented Vegetables.This recipe makes approximately a gallon, which is enough to last me and my husband for a year. I usually make a second batch to give away as gifts. These are fantastic as a condiment or as an ingredient in sandwiches. Make these yourself and you’ll never buy fermented vegetables again!
Danielle’s Rainbow Burger: An Extraordinary Fusion of Textures, Flavors, and Colors In A Bun!
This Rainbow Burger isn’t a burger at all. It is a sandwich layered with soft sweet vegetables (and a fruit) then topped with crunchy sour fermented veggies. The juxtaposition of sweet and sour, crunchy and soft results in an explosion of exciting flavors your taste buds won’t soon forget. I have won over the most vegan-resistant carnivores with this surprisingly delicious sandwich.
Marinated Ginger Beets
Marinated beets are a delicious way to enjoy beets. Let them rest for two or three hours or overnight so they can absorb the flavors of the marinade. Then toss them into salads, or serve as a cold side. My favorite way of eating marinated beets is in my Rainbow Burger, which isn’t a burger at all, it’s a vegetable sandwich that will change the way you think about veggies! I’ve converted many a carnivore with this delicious recipe. While this recipe may take some time before it is ready to eat, it is really easy to make and requires little effort. It will keep about a week in your fridge.
How To Cook Perfect Beets In Your Instant Pot!
Beets are notoriously long-cooking vegetables. While they still can take some time in your Instant Pot, the good news is you can walk away from them while they are cooking rather than having to stand over the stove monitoring their progress. A stovetop pressure cooker may cook the beets faster. In my WMF Pressure Cooker, it only takes 15 minutes and a quick release. However, you cannot leave a stovetop pressure cooker unattended. Cooking whole beets in a saucepan can take an hour of constant monitoring, though you can reduce that time by peeling and cutting the beets into slices or chunks. The Instant Pot makes preparing beets a no-brainer, even if it is a bit longer process.
Cajun Blackeyed Peas In Your Instant Pot!
Cajun Black-eyed Peas is a southern dish I absolutely love. It is sometimes called “Hoppin’ John” though I never heard it called by that name until I reached adulthood even though I grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast close to the Louisiana border. Go figure. Blackeyed peas and collard greens are traditionally served in the south, particularly in Louisiana, on New Year’s Day for good luck, but they are great to enjoy year round!
Many of the best Cajun dishes were born out of the need to feed a lot of people on a small budget. There were thirteen in my family, and this healthy, delicious dish satisfied the appetites of eleven growing children. It continues to be a favorite in my home, even though there are just the two of us.
I’ve made this recipe healthier by removing the ham hocks or sausage that was an integral part of the original recipe. I’ve also added greens at the end to boost its nutritional content. It is typically a spicy dish, but you can certainly control the spice to suit your palate.
Cajun Black-eyed Peas can be served over cornbread, which is my favorite way to enjoy this dish, or over rice. Either way, it is bound to become a family favorite in no time.
New England Clamless Chowder in Your Instant Pot
Whether or not you are a fan of clam chowder, if you are a fan of decadently creamy potatoes and are craving comfort food, this is a dish you will love. It doesn’t have the fishy taste of clams, but the shitake mushrooms provide their color and chewiness and enhance the character of this dish as a hearty clam chowder. I have fooled people from New England with this delightful stew. New England Clamless Chowder is a perfect transition dish if you miss seafood and a substantial, satisfying stew regardless.
Divinely Decadent Vegan Calzones Your Family Will Love!
You don’t have to give up your favorite comfort foods just because you’ve gotten animal protein out of your diet. I have fed these amazingly decadent calzones to numerous of my carnivorous friends and acquaintances, and everyone has loved them. Most recently, I took a couple over to my veterinarian and his nurse to thank them for taking such good care of my geriatric kitty. He texted me effusively, “Thank You!!!! Yum!!!” You’ll receive equal praise when you serve up these satisfying, delicious treats to your friends and loved ones.
Oil-Free Calzone Dipping Sauce
This quick and easy recipe takes only a couple of minutes to put together and only thirty minutes of simmering before it is ready to enjoy. Great as a dipping sauce for calzones, it is also a perfect light sauce for most pasta dishes.
Quick and Easy Vegan Mozzarella Cheese
I wish I could take credit for this recipe. Frankly, I have no idea where it came from. It has been in my recipe files for years, and I do not know who created it. However, it is such an integral part to making so many delicious recipes that I feel the need to share it without the attribution this recipe so richly deserves. Simple to make, this quick and easy recipe will become a favorite in no time!
Guilt-Free Plant-Based Chocolate Ice Cream
LeAnne Campbell, Author of The China Study Cookbook, shared with me a recipe for chocolate ice-cream that has become a favorite in my household. This creamy soft-serve style ice cream is made from frozen bananas and takes only a few minutes to make. If you let the bananas thaw a little (as I did in the video), you don’t even need to add the plant-based milk. The pecans are just a bonus. If you don’t care for them, leave them out or fold in your favorite berries, like fresh strawberries, raspberries, or cherries. YUM!
Dairy-Free (Vegan) Basil Ricotta Cheese
This versatile ricotta cheese recipe takes only five minutes to make and is an incredible substitute for the real thing. With only four ingredients, this vegan cheese whips together in seconds in a Cuisinart food processor. If you don’t have this handy kitchen gadget, no worries. You can merely smash it with a fork to achieve the same results. Use this delightful “cheese” in just about any Italian dish. I particularly like it as a base for layering vegetables in a veggie calzone. However, it is just as satisfying as a stuffing for pasta shells, ravioli, cannelloni and as layers in lasagna. Use it in just about any way you would use traditional ricotta cheese. If you prefer to exchange oregano, thyme or another herb for the basil, go for it. Or use no herbs at all for dishes where you just want the cheese.
Ten Minute Southern Pepper Sauce Gives Greens A Little Kick!
Growing up in the South, my family sprinkled turnip and collard greens with this delightful, vinegary pepper sauce. It brightens green vegetables and adds to them a delightful spicy backdrop. Spice up vegan mayonnaise and other spreads with a condiment that is simple to prepare and lasts for months in your fridge.
Vietnamese/Ethiopian Banh Mi Sandwich – A Flavorful Fusion of Asian and African Traditions
Vietnamese Banh Mi is a hearty, delicious sandwich that combines crispy and soft elements with spicy and fragrant. Vietnam retains some of the culinary influences of the French colonization of the country, which explains why this amazing sandwich is served between layers of a crispy French baguette. Some of the requisites of the dish are that it must contain sliced cucumbers, some kind of meat filling, a layer of sweet and sour pickled daikon and carrots, a layer of jalepeño peppers, and finally topped with fresh cilantro.
Typically, when this recipe is veganized, the meat is replaced with tofu, either fried or soft. In my version, I am fusing the traditional Vietnamese elements with a spicy flavor-packed Ethiopian sautéed mushroom and onion dish called Ingudai Tibs. The combination of the two is fantastic.! You may, of course, tone down the spice if you prefer a milder taste but for you spice lovers out there, this will knock your socks off!
French Bread Mini-Loaves
While, admittedly, this is not a whole food recipe (since all-purpose flour is highly processed), I make this recipe exclusively to use in my Vietnamese-Ethiopian Bahn Mi fusion sandwich. This sandwich is over-filled with nothing but whole food ingredients, which I feel mitigates the use of all-purpose flour in the bread while allowing an authentic Bahn Mi experience. I have discovered since creating this recipe, you can substitute 200 grams of the all-purpose flour with 100% whole wheat pastry flour to get some whole grain into the mix without sacrificing the crunch and airiness of real French bread.
Ana’s Panamanian Hot Sauce
This recipe was taught to me by a new friend, Anayansi Mong from Panama. Of course, I can’t try a recipe without adding my own variations to it, so this is my version. It is nearly the same. I cut the mustard back to one tablespoon from three. Anna uses yellow mustard, and I use dijon whole grain mustard. I also contributed the roasted red pepper and carrot. I threw in a few Medjool dates to cut a little of the tartness of the vinegar. Both versions are good. Use whichever you prefer.
I added the mild red pepper in an effort to tone the recipe down a bit. My first attempt to make it was entirely too spicy. If you want blow-your-head-off heat, leave in the seeds and use a very hot pepper. These are serranos, but you can use any hot pepper you like.
Sweet & Sour Pickled Daikon & Carrots
These deliciously sweet and sour pickles add flavor and crunch to any meal. They are an essential ingredient in the Vietnamese Bahn Mi sandwich and are an excellent condiment for just about any occasion.
Ethiopian Inguday Tibs – Spicy Sautéed Mushrooms
Abiye Bisrat is the owner and executive chef of Enat Ethiopian Restaurant, in Alexandria, Virginia. Enat (meaning “Mother”) is one of our favorite places to find authentic Ethiopian food in the DC area. We never leave DC without being sure to enjoy one of their thoroughly satisfying plant-based meals. Abiye was kind enough to prepare our favorite dish for us, Inguday Tibs, which are delicious sautéed mushrooms.
How To Sauté And Caramelize Onions Without Oil
Learning how to sauté vegetables without oil is a liberating endeavor. It will spare the precious endothelium cells of your arteries from damage and protect your waistline from expanding too! It simply isn’t necessary to use oil when sautéing vegetables. This demonstration applies to sautéing vegetables like bell peppers, garlic, ginger, celery, and the like.
De-Liteful Vegan Whole Grain Banana-Pecan Pancakes
Who says you can’t make a light whole grain pancake? These pancakes are melt-in-your-mouth light and delicious. They also have no additional oil, just the healthy kind found naturally in whole nuts. Whole wheat pastry flour adds fiber and creates a lighter pancake than regular whole wheat flour. Add lots of fruit for antioxidants and more phytonutrients. What’s not to love?
Whole wheat pastry flour is made from white wheat groats, a whole grain with all its nutrients intact. It is a softer variety than hard winter wheat, the grain used in making whole wheat flour. White wheat performs like a mixture of whole wheat and all-purpose flour, but it is more nutritious since all-purpose flour has had most of the nutrients stripped from it.
Whole Grain Rice In Your Instant Pot!
Once you’ve learned to make whole grain rice, you’ll never touch white rice again. Sure, it takes a bit longer to cook but the nutty flavor and high antioxidants make it so worthwhile! Whole grain rice is simple to prepare and even easier in the Instant Pot. Just remember that water doesn’t cook off in the Instant Pot, so add only what you need. It is pretty much a 1:1 ratio, once you’ve rinsed your rice. This recipe calls for red rice, but brown rice cooks exactly the same.
Cranberry Parfait
This elegant little dessert comes together in minutes if you have cranberry chutney and cashew cream cheese on hand. If not, you can make the chutney in a total of thirty-five minutes from start to finish and the cashew cream cheese in about five. They should be chilled before assembling the parfait. It may be easier to make these recipes the night before to allow the time to chill. I like to keep cashew cream cheese in my fridge at all times and some cranberry chutney in the freezer for special occasions.
Instant Pot Cranberry Chutney
This delicious, cranberry chutney is 100% whole – no added oil, no salt, no sugar – just a healthy party in your mouth! It cooks for only 3 minutes in your Instant Pot. With time to come to pressure and to naturally release, it is ready to serve in about 20 minutes plus prep time. You can prepare it on your stovetop in the same amount of time. The difference is you don’t have to babysit it while it is cooking.
Festive Holiday Sugar Pumpkin Stuffed with Cauliflower Masala
The pumpkin season is over so quickly; we should make the most of it while it lasts. This gorgeous recipe is as much a treat for the eye as it is for the palate, and your taste buds will not be disappointed! The sweetness of this little sugar pumpkin, also called a pumpkin pie pumpkin, perfectly compliments the savory flavors of India. Its presentation makes it almost too beautiful to eat, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying every morsel. Make this recipe a centerpiece to delight the guests at your holiday table. It may even tempt them to give this plant-based lifestyle another look!
Aromatic Brown Basmati Rice With Indian Spices
Adding a touch of spice to Basmati rice adds a little something extra to Indian dishes. Most restaurants and indeed most Indian chefs I know serve white rice with their meals. I prefer the health benefits of whole grains, so I go for brown or red rice every time. Preparation of this versatile side dish is simplicity itself.
Indian Cauliflower Masala
The key to preparing Cauliflower Masala is organization. If you like, you can make the tomato sauce, the toasted cashews, and the rice in advance. You can even make the tomato/onion sauce the day before and just toss it with the steamed vegetables a few minutes before serving.
While the number of spices in this recipe may seem overwhelming, this dish comes together rather seamlessly. Read the instructions over before beginning and have your ingredients measured out and organized in advance (mise en place). Preparing this dish will then be a breeze. Most of the spices for this recipe can be found at your local grocery store; others at your Indian market or ordered online. I’ve included them in the margin of this post for your convenience.
Two Types of Super-Easy Cashew Cream Cheese
This recipe for cashew cream cheese is ubiquitous throughout the plant-based community. It is so easy to prepare, and you can use it to create a variety of unrelated dishes. I keep a bowl of this in my fridge at all times. You can thin it with a little water to make a creamy cheese sauce, add different herbs and spices and a little mustard or soy sauce to create fabulous creamy salad dressings and sauces. A tablespoon or two added to a tomato sauce with basil will yield a luscious, creamy red sauce. Add it to mashed potatoes instead of butter and cream, and you have a healthier version of this favorite comfort food. It is an essential ingredient for creating a plant-based béchamel sauce or a hollandaise sauce. Add it to pureed cauliflower for a delicious and guilt-free vegan Fettuccini Alfredo, or use it alone for a more luxurious Alfredo sauce. There seems to be no end to the things you can do with this simple, super-yummy recipe. I love to thin it a little by whisking in a bit of water to create a delightful dip for fresh apple slices, one of my favorite snacks!
Zuppa Toscana – Healthy, Delicious Tuscan Soup
Tuscan Soup, or Zuppa Toscana, is not just a healthy, power-packed bowl of antioxidants, it is beyond delicious! With its bounty of protective phytonutrients, Zuppa Toscana is the very thing to warm you against the impending winter chill and arm you against the lurking flu season. Vibrant with colorful vegetables, most of the ingredients are fresh from the farmers’ market. These veggies are simmered in a rich, flavorful homemade vegetable broth (see Rich, Delicious Vegetable Broth).
Rich, Delicious Vegetable Broth Rivals Beef Broth For Flavor!
If you want to make a delicious soup, you have to start with a soup base or a broth that is so flavorful it will stand on its own. In order to do that we have to concentrate the flavor of vegetables in some way. In this case, we are going to roast them to the point that they are lightly caramelized which intensifies their flavor without destroying the integrity of the vegetables. Then we will extract those flavors by adding water and briefly simmering them until the vegetables are just translucent.
Spicy Orange Soycurl “Beef” & Broccoli
One of the meals I’ve missed in the six-plus years since adopting a whole foods plant-based lifestyle is a Chinese dish called Spicy Orange Beef. I have come spectacularly close to recreating it with this recipe featuring soy curls.
Barbecued Jackfruit (aka Vegan “Pulled Pork”) In Your Instant Pot Or On Your Stovetop
This Barbecue Jackfruit recipe will have your most plant-resistant carnivorous friends amazed they are not actually eating barbecue pulled pork! Simple to make, this recipe comes together in less than twenty minutes.
The Best Barbecue Sauce In The World on Your Stovetop or in Your Instant Pot
A good barbecue sauce makes becoming plant-based an easier endeavor. You can prepare a wide variety of dishes with this sauce that make you forget you aren’t eating meat. Added to veggie burger ingredients, it gives them a sweet and savory flavor with a hint of heat.
Avocado Brioche Burger Buns
For a burger bun, you want bread that is soft and gives when you bite into it. Harder bread squeezes the ingredients of your sandwich out the sides, creating a big, albeit often delicious, mess. This is an excellent bun for veggie burgers, BBQ sandwiches, and more!
Creamy Tomato Sauce with Italian Seasonings
This sauce is delicious served over Penne Pasta with Broccoli, Ravioli Stuffed Pasta Shells, Spaghetti, or any other pasta dish. This is also a delightful dipping sauce for Crostini.
Spicy Szechuan Eggplant
This sweet and spicy dish comes together quickly. Put your rice on to steam thirty minutes before you start preparing your Szechuan Eggplant dish and you’ll have dinner ready in no time.
100% Whole Wheat Pita Bread
These pitas are 100% whole grain, hearty, and delicious. They also freeze very well, so make a bunch so you’ll have them on hand. To defrost, just stick them in your microwave on high for 30 seconds to one minute.
Baked Middle Eastern Falafel – Easy, Inexpensive, Delicious & Whole!
Who can say no to savory baked falafel? Not me, that’s for sure. You can serve them as the main attraction of a meal, as part of a salad, or as the filling for a falafel pita sandwich, which is my favorite use for them.
Danielle’s Perfect Pita Bread
There is no good reason to suffer through chewing tough store-bought pita bread when making it yourself is this good and this easy. Try this recipe and see what you’ve been missing!
Non-Dairy Yogurt in Your Instant Pot!
I thought I’d never have delicious yogurt and fruit smoothies once I gave up animal protein. I just don’t like the store bought stuff. Now yogurt is back on my table! Make smoothies, sauces, and add it to stews; it does anything dairy yogurt does without harming our health, environment and our animal friends. Try it; it will be the easiest dish you’ll ever make!
Hearty Winter Stew
Who needs beef when a stew made from fresh vegetables can be this rich and flavorful? With generous chunks of potatoes, carrots, and portobello mushrooms, this decadent comfort food promises to sustain you through the chilliest of winter nights.
Don't Be Shy!
If I haven’t answered all of your questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I will be back with you in short order.