The Inspired Vegan

I was thrilled to find The Inspired Vegan – a cookbook that has unique and creative recipes by Bryant Terry. He blends fresh vegetables and new flavors with traditional southern recipes and great stories. This is more than a cookbook – it has great soundtrack and book ideas as well as stories behind what inspired Terry to develop these recipes. Feeling particularly inspired, I modified his version of Roasted Winter Vegetable Jambalaya to make it a quicker dinner. It was really tasty and a quicker version of Terry’s original. Quick Veggie Jambalaya 1 cup diced yellow onion 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne Sea salt 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 box quick cook long grain wild rice (I used a box of Uncle Ben’s and didn’t use the seasoning packet) 2 teaspoons tomato paste 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 1 cup canned roasted tomatoes in juice 1 cup peeled and diced (1/4″) carrots 1 cup peeled and diced (1/4″) sweet potatoes 1 cup peeled and diced (1/4″) yellow potatoes (I used Yukon Golds) 2 teaspoons dried parsley Freshly ground pepper Combine the onion, smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Saute, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the broth and the tomatoes, bring to a boil. Add the chopped vegetables, and stir to incorporate. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and pepper to taste.