BBQ Tempeh & SouthWestern Cauliflower "Rice"

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This recipe is fun to get the kids involved in cooking. My kids enjoyed pushing the pulse button on my food processor and watching the cauliflower become "rice". They liked dipping the tempeh in BBQ sauce because it was messy. They liked helping me mix everything together and layering up their plated full of food they created. It was a very quite dinner table tonight, which is rare. My kids cleaned their plates and didn't even stop to speak! My husband was in a "food trance" too, completely quite. ( Which is weird because he usually eats the tempeh, but he doesn't like it). After we were finished eating, everyone asked me to please make this again and post it on the blog! so, here it is, for you all to enjoy in silence! 

Looking for more great Vegan recipes for your family?  Try my Cheezy Butternut Macaroni , Cabbage and Bean Soup, Kale Stuffed Eggplant Parm, "Beefless" Hand Pies, & Mediterranean Hummus Pizza *don't for get desert!! Try Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

Recipe :

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets 
2 Tbsp vegan butter (or veggie broth if you don't use oils)

1 /2 tsp turmeric (optional, but it makes your "rice" a beautiful yellow color & adds nutrition )
1/2 tsp of paprika 
1/2 tsp. Cumin 
1 (15 oz )can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup of corn 
1 fresh jalapeno, diced (optional )
1 medium onion, diced 

1 mediumred pepper, diced
1 bunch of kale, steamed & chopped  (or spinach )

Salt and Pepper to taste
2 (8 oz) packs of tempeh, sliced into 1/4" pieces 
BBQ sauce of your choice 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°

Grease a large baking sheet  

Dip tempeh in BBQ sauce and place on baking sheet. 

Bake 10 - 12 minutes.

Place cauliflower into a food processor. Pulse until cauliflower is rice consistency. 

Cook cauliflower in a deep skillet over medium heat with butter, turmeric, paprika, cumin ,salt and pepper for about 6 minutes (until tender ).

Pour hot rice into a mixing bowl.

You can use the same pan you used for the rice to char your veggies. Just turn your heat to high.

Add jalapeño, red pepper, onion, and corn to your pan. Cook about 4 minutes, until charred slightly.

Add hot veggie mixture and black beans to the mixing bowl with the "rice".  Stir to mix well.

Remove browned tempeh from oven.

Layer tempeh on top of cauliflower "rice" before serving. Top with extra BBQ sauce if needed.

Serves 4-6.

Baked Spinach and Artichoke Pasta

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My son loves spinach and artichoke dip, so he is my inspiration tonight. This was a modified version of the cauliflower alfredo I make for my kids. The idea struck me, while grocery shopping, that I could do better than just plain alfredo for dinner tonight. I wanted to make it hearty. A meal to stand up to this cold weather and make you feel loved. I think I accomplished that with this dish. This is a dish good enough to take to a potluck & have no one notice it's vegan. I served this with broccoli steamed in fresh lemon juice and tossed in a little italian seasoning... it was a perfect meal for the kids tonight. I hope you family will enjoy it on a cold night in the future. 

Looking for more Vegan Pasta Dishes? Try my Vegan 'Meaty" spaghetti, Lemon and Garlic Pasta, Kale Stuffed Eggplant Parm, &Chipotle Mac-N-Cheeze w/ smokey lentils

For the Pasta sauce :

1/3 cup olive oil

5 cloves garlic, crushed 
3 cups Frozen or fresh cauliflower, thawed & chopped into small pieces

2 1/2 cups unsweetened plant milk

Salt and pepper to taste

3 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

1 (12 oz ) jar artichokes, rinsed and drained

1 (16 oz) package of cooked rigatoni

For the breadcrumbs:

4 slices of bread

2 Tbsp vegan butter, melted

1 tsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp. dried parsley

To Assemble:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat oil and garlic over medium low heat until garlic is golden brown and fragrant.

Add milk and allow to come to a boil.

Add cauliflower, salt and pepper to taste. Cook an additional 5-6 minutes.

Remove from heat and add nutritional yeast and lemon juice. Set aside.

Toast bread.

Break toast up into rough pieces and add to a food processor with nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, & dried parsley.

Pulse on high until toast becomes breadcrumbs.

Add cauliflower mixture to a high powdered blender.

Set to "food puree" and blend until smooth.

Pour cauliflower sauce over rigatoni in a deep mixing bowl . Add spinach and artichokes. Stir to combine.

Grease a 2 quart casserole dish.

Pour rigatoni into casserole dish and top with breadcrumbs.

Drizzle melted butter over breadcrumbs.

Place in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until breadcrumbs are golden brown and pasta is bubbly.

Makes 4-6 servings