Upping Your Plant-Based Consumption the Easy Way!
By now we've all heard that for better health, weight control and general well being, a diet emphasizing plant-based products is the way to go. Lowering meat (and other animal-based food) consumption has been correlated with a clear reduction in: heart disease; strokes; obesity; high blood pressure; high cholesterol; Type 2 diabetes; and many cancers.
And it's easier than you may think. While people often worry about not getting enough protein through plant-based meals, plenty of foods including tofu, quinoa, mushrooms, lentils, chickpeas and most beans and legumes have offer substantial levels of protein. In addition vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, corn, potatoes, peppers, spinach, and sweet potatoes all provide high levels of protein. Most restaurants (even fast-food chains) are now offering tasty and creative plant-based offerings that are being received well by consumers.
The greater challenge may be introducing a broader array of plant-based options to your home cooking. This is where we can help! Our solution? Pinwheel's "Fresh Frozens": our frozen produce is picked at the peak of ripeness, cleaned, prepped, flash frozen in individual pieces (no clumping) so it's convenient to use in whatever quantity you need, and stays at peak texture and nutrient levels for up to a year in your freezer. And when you're ready to use it, it's ready for you! No thawing, prepping or advance planning is needed; at moment's notice you can add your favorite veggies to any recipe you're making. Having a stash of these popular and versatile items in your freezer makes it so simple to eat better! And, unlike some of the past-prime vegetables currently sitting in your fridge’s veggie bin, they will not spoil and go to waste!
An additional significant benefit of our Fresh Frozen produce is that it allows us to provide you local produce from small farmers in their off season, instead of having to rely on "fresh" produce that's been harvested and transported from another continent, losing nutrients every step of the way.
It's the ultimate convenience food.
Here are some of the flash-frozen produce currently available at Pinwheel :
- Broccoli Florets - Brussels Sprouts - Mixed Grilled Veggies
- Local Chopped Spinach - Butternut Squash Chunks - Grilled Eggplant Planks
- Local Sweet Corn - Local Sweet Peas - Roasted Root Veggies
- Local Blueberries - Mango Chunks - Cauliflower Florets
And here are general suggestions on how to use them in dishes you already make to incorporate more plant-based products into your diet:
add them to pasta, couscous, or mix into rice
add to omelets or frittatas
boil in some stock & puree with salt pepper & any herbs for a great, satisfying soup
heat in the microwave with a pat of butter, salt, pepper and fresh or dried herbs for an easy side dish
blend with yogurt/milk of your choice for a quick smoothie
stir-fry with our All Natural Chicken Breast, Organic Turkey Filets or Ground Turkey
briefly sauté in olive oil until heated through, season with salt & pepper and combine with non-dairy cheese (or feta, if you prefer), olives, and diced fresh tomato in a veggie wrap
add to mac & cheese to make it a semi-healthy dish!
Below are some easy meat-free recipes that please a wide variety of palates and make you feel great (and we promise that they will make you feel virtuous, but not leave you hungry or unsatisfied!) All are vegan recipes, but you can substitute or add dairy cheese if you prefer.
Spinach Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Chickpeas
A Sicilian-Inspired dish that’s Comforting AND Healthy!
Serves: 4 as a main, 6 as a side Preparation time: approx. 20 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 pound di Martino Fusili Corti di Buco pasta (or other fusili-style pasta)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or 2 tablespoons of the sun dried tomato oil and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil)
1 small onion, cut in half and then chopped into thin half moons
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chilies (optional)
1 10 ounce pouch Your Organics Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (~200 mL / 7 ounce) jar oil-packed julienned sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup grated non-dairy parmesan or parmesan cheese
Freshly ground pepper (about 10-15 turns of the pepper grinder) and sea salt
Instructions
Cook pasta to al dente, according to package directions, and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil or sun dried tomato oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened. Add garlic and chilies (if using) and cook for a minute more or until garlic is fragrant.
Drain sun dried tomatoes of their oil or remove them from oil using a slotted spoon, and then stir sun dried tomatoes, chick peas and frozen spinach into the onion mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until spinach is hot.
Toss pasta with spinach mixture, adding 1 tablespoon of olive oil and enough pasta water to get a consistency you are happy with. (I usually end up using about an eighth to a quarter cup of water.)
Stir in pepper and cheese, and add salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon).
Roasted Broccoli Salad with Lemony Dressing
Even those who are not firm broccoli fans come around with this dish- it has the deep smoky flavor from the roasted broccoli, contrasted by a light, bright dressing.
Serves: 4 as a main, 6 as a side Preparation time: approx. 25 minutes
Ingredients
4 cups of frozen broccoli florets
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup almonds, chopped or slivered
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
4 thin slices of lemon, each cut into small pieces
Lemony Dressing
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
4 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Preheat your toaster oven or standard oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Place the broccoli on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the with the olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Mix it around so that all of the broccoli is coated with oil. Pop it in your oven and let it roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the florets are dark brown. Remove them from the oven and put them in a bowl.
Toast the almonds in the toaster oven for about 1 min., keeping an eye on them so they don’t burn. Add the chopped almonds, dill and lemon slices to the bowl with the broccoli.
In a small bowl whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. Pour it over the broccoli and toss to coat. Serve immediately, or let it stand for up to 20 minutes.
Chickpea & Vegetable Curry
Full of texture & flavor, this curry comes together in just about 30 minutes.
Serves: 4 Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 -10 oz. pouch Your Organics Ready-to-Eat Chickpeas, drained
¾ cup water (or ½ cup water+ ¼ cup plain yogurt for a creamier version)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onion on a medium heat until soft and translucent. Add butternut squash and cauliflower florets. Stir to combine and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
Add the chickpeas, Jyoti Masala Sauce, water (and yogurt, if using; mix yogurt in the water before adding). Bring to a simmer. Cover and leave to simmer, for 10-12 mins or until squash & cauliflower are fork-tender. Add the frozen peas.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice. Enjoy!
Crunchy Cauliflower with Pasta and Herbs
This pasta offers creaminess, herb and lemon flavors, and crunch from the breadcrumb topping and roasted cauliflower.
Serves: 4 Preparation Time: 35 minutes
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss the cauliflower florets with 3 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and salt & pepper. evenly. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway and cooking until well browned.
Mix the breadcrumbs with 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Spread on another another baking sheet and place in the oven with the cauliflower and bake until browned (2-3 minutes); watching carefully that the crumbs don’t burn. Remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl.
While the cauliflower is roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt to the water before adding the pasta. Cook the pasta according to package instructions and drain.
Place the empty pot back on the stove over medium heat. Add the 2 Tbsp olive oil, garlic, a pinch of salt & pepper and the rosemary to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Add the milk, broth and flour. Whisk until smooth and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and add the cheese. Whisk until smooth and allow to cook until slightly thickened. Turn the heat off.
Add the basil, parsley and lemon juice to the sauce and stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss until coated.
Serve pasta with the garlic bread crumbs, cauliflower, additional parsley and red pepper flakes.
Ingredients
1 lb. Pinwheel Cauliflower Florets (frozen)
6 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp + 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
salt & pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
3/4 lb di Martino Paccheri Pasta or rigatoni
2 cloves garlic diced
1 sprig fresh rosemary diced
12 oz non-dairy milk or milk
1 cup veggie broth
2 Tbsp flour
1/3 cup non-dairy parmesan or parmesan
2 tbsp fresh basil diced
2 tbsp fresh parsley diced, plus more for topping
1/2 lemon juiced
red pepper flakes (optional)
Mexican Black Beans & Quinoa Bake
Hearty, Full of Texture, and Packed with Protein!
Serves: 4 Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375° F
Heat oil in an oven-safe pan. Add onion and zucchini and sauté for 3-5 minutes on medium-high until beginning to soften and darken. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and salt and sauté 2-3 minutes longer.
Add beans, quinoa, 2 Tbsp. cilantro, lime juice, salsa, hot sauce (if using) and 1/4 cup cheese and stir to evenly mix in.
Top with remaining cheese and bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melted.
Remove from oven and top with remaining cilantro, avocado, and tomato.
Ingredients
1 tsp. olive oil
1 small onion (diced)
1 zucchini (quartered and sliced)
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cooked quinoa
10 oz. pouch Your Organics Ready to Eat black beans, or one 15 oz. can black beans drained & rinsed
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
juice of one lime
1/2 cup salsa
1 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
3/4 cup grated vegan cheddar or dairy cheddar cheese
Optional Toppings
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 Avocado (diced)
1 tomato (diced)