Recipes

One thing we love to do is eat. We love trying new recipes, collecting classic recipes we could eat every day, borrowing recipes from friends and family, and trying different substitutes for ingredients. A lot of our recipes are not measured, nor do they have exact ingredients. We normally use whatever veggies, pasta, or rice we have and just wing it. So, here is my explanation of how to wing it written out in recipe form! Enjoy – and let us know if you try any of them out!

Recipes you’ll find here:

Bean Salsa

This is one of Steve’s favorites. When we make it, he normally eats it as at least one meal because it’s just so filling and delicious.

Ingredients:

  • 2 mangoes
  • Dark red kidney beans
  • Light red kidney beans
  • Black beans
  • Shoepeg corn
  • 4 limes squeezed
  • Cilantro
  • Optional: habanero peppers, onions (we like habanero in ours)

For this one, you should add all of the beans to one bowl.  Then chop up the mangoes, cilantro, habanero peppers and/or onions (if desired).  Add that to the same bowl.  Squeeze the limes into the bowl and mix!  Pair with your favorite chips, add to a taco, or sprinkle on top of chili.  Easy and delicious!

Rotel Veggies and Rice

This is another one of Steve’s favorites, but who am I kidding, they’re all his favorites. This is something Steve makes a lot, and it’s SO easy!

Ingredients:

  • Rotel tomatoes
    • If you don’t have this, you could use regular diced tomatoes and chop up a habanero or jalapeno for the heat, or leave it out if you don’t like spicy dishes!
  • Onion
  • Garlic 
  • Veggies (whichever ones you want to use)
    • Bell peppers
    • Mushrooms
    • Tomatoes
    • Habanero (for extra heat)
  • Tofu (optional)

Grab a can of Rotel tomatoes. Add whatever veggies you have in your kitchen, or whichever ones you want, and chop them into bite sized pieces.  Our must haves are normally onion, garlic, and the rotel can.  Then we just add whatever we have.  This could range anywhere from bell peppers, mushrooms, tofu, tomatoes, etc.  In order for all of it to be cooked through, we put about a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, let it heat up and then add the onions first with a little bit of garlic.  We then add whatever will take the longest to cook, so the bell peppers, then the mushrooms, then the tomatoes and the last of the garlic.  Add the Rotel and let cook for a few minutes so the flavor sinks in.  And BOOM!  Your veggies are done!  

If you want to add tofu, we use the extra firm kind, and we normally press it for a bit before cooking it to get rid of a lot of the moisture.  It doesn’t fall apart as easily this way.  Then cook your preferred way (we are not experts at this hah!).

Cook the rice at the same time.  We normally make a cup of rice.  PRO TIP:  Squeeze half of a lemon in the rice when you put it on, and squeeze the other half in once it’s done cooking!  It brings out the flavor of the dish SO well.

You can mix the rice in the dish if you’d like, or serve it with the veggies on top! Tada! You made it!

Spinach Bacon Mac & Cheese

I could make this one every day and eat it ALL!  To be honest, this is what I make for Steve if he’s had a bad day, celebrated his first week of work, birthday, etc.  It’s his all time favorite thing I’ve made, besides oatmeal cream pies – which I will have to add to the list soon since I mentioned them!

This originally comes from this recipe I found : https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/pumpkin-mac-and-cheese/

I made it with this recipe the first time, and after that I’ve kind of used what I had to remake it.  I’ve even cut out the pumpkin at times because I couldn’t find it in the store. So, if you’d like to follow the original recipe, feel free to check out the Ambitious Kitchen version (it’s fantastic!) or follow along with my very loose recipe that kind of just uses what you have.

Ingredients

  • Pack of bacon
  • Bag of Spinach (normally 5-6 oz)
  • Box of pasta (I’ve used all kinds, such as: elbows, shells, cavatappi, bowties)
  • Bag of cheese (We like sharp cheddar in this household (boathold?) so that’s my preference, but something different would still taste great! Also, parmesan on top is always a good idea if you have it.
  • Milk, milk substitute, cream, or water as needed
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Creole seasoning (optional – This is another seasoning we put on literally everything now.)

Cook the bacon.  You can put the pasta on at the same time or beforehand if you have the flexibility.  Once bacon is cooked, put it on a plate with paper towels and dab off the grease.  Cut it into little pieces.  Strain the pasta once it’s cooked, add to a large bowl.  Add bacon to the bowl.  In the pan the bacon was cooked in, discard most of the grease, but leave a little bit in the pan.  Add the spinach and cook on low until all of the spinach is wilted from the bacon grease and heat.  Remove from the pan and add to the bowl.  Add cheese a little at a time, along with water or milk.  Simmer on low and let it thicken.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

PRO TIP:  If you have an oven, throw it all in a greased baking dish, top with a mix of panko and butter (parmesan too if desired), and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until the panko has browned a little.  

Prestin’s Enchilada Pasta

This is one we had in Arizona when we were visiting with Steve’s parents. His sister, Prestin, made us this DELICIOUS pasta dish that we just couldn’t eat enough of. We told her it was blog worthy so she kindly passed us the recipe to share with the Mentally Sailing world. Don’t miss out on this one, it’s easy AND delicious!

Ingredients 

  • 8oz pasta
  • ½ cup – 1 cup refried beans
  • 2 cup veggie broth
  • 1-2 cups black beans
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 3-4oz cheese
  • 2.5 cups red enchilada sauce
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Sour cream

Combine enchilada sauce & refried beans.  Whisk together to mix well.  In a large skillet over high heat add enchilada sauce, tomatoes, broth, and pasta.  Bring to a boil, then add corn and black beans. Season with chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cover and reduce heat to low/simmer, give pasta about 20 mins to cook.  Stir often to prevent sticking.  Add cheese at the end and top with sour cream if preferred!

Buffalo Cauliflower

This has become one of our favorite meals on the boat.  It is SO easy to make, absolutely delicious, and perfect for those “Meatless Mondays”.

The original recipe I used is from PlantYou.  The author comes up with delicious recipes, all vegan, and scrappy ways to reduce your food waste.  Instead of including the recipe myself, I will just link the Buffalo Cauliflower recipe here!

Enjoy!

P.S.  We love these vegan wings on their own, but another favorite is to throw some greens and your favorite sauce or dressing in a tortilla and BOOM, you have a delicious wrap!  

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