1 spaghetti squash
olive oil
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can cannellini beans, drained
sea salt
black pepper
paprika
thyme
parsley
2 to 3 cups fresh spinach
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Split squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place halves cut-side down in covered baking dish, either oiled or with ½ inch water. Bake for 30 minutes.
2. When the squash is almost done, sauté garlic in olive oil in a small skillet. Add cannellini beans, stirring carefully to keep beans intact. Add sea salt, black pepper, paprika, thyme, and parsley to taste (but don’t be too shy, because the seasonings are what give it a yummy kick).
3. Remove squash from the oven. Heat a large skillet with some olive oil (and more garlic if desired). Scrape the squash into spaghetti strings with a fork and transfer to the skillet. Add spinach and toss. Cover to speed up steaming of the spinach. When spinach is semi-wilted, transfer squash and spinach mixture to plates. Top with the seasoned beans and serve.
Source of recipe: Experimenting in the kitchen. You can experiment with different kinds of beans and greens (ie, perhaps black beans and kale) as well as other herbs and spices, but my fiancé thought this particular combination was very tasty. It’s definitely a nice change from grain-based dishes, and it still leaves your tummy satisfied.
6 to 8 yams
5 to 6 pippen or golden delicious apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup margarine
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Boil yams until barely tender (whole or cut width wise, in big pieces). Peel. Cool. Slice and alternate yams and peeled apple rings in margarined casserole dish. Boil together: 1/2 c. vegan sugar, 1 c. water, 1/4 c. margarine, 1 1/2 T cornstarch and 1/2 t salt, until it begins to thicken. Pour over yams and apples and bake covered at 350 for 1 hr.
Wow, this time of year, I really feel for you vegans because it is all about the turkey or ham, or creamy soups and casserole dishes, all containing animal products!
Maybe you can do a dish with squash or cranberries or potatoes. Sub accordingly for vegan standards in the recipes you find, I have heard that for cream you can use non dairy creamer, and for butter there is margarine. But I think it is kind of ridiculous to make a vegan recipe “taste” like meat. Don’t try to imitate meat, just let your veggie dish shine on its own merit.
Savory Nut Loaf
This nut loaf is a loose recipe because I never make it the same way twice. It depends on what I have on hand. If you are vegan, you do not have to use the eggs or cheese, or you could use soy cheese; add a little more veggie stock to make it moist enough. Leftover slices are great in a sandwich the following day.
Ingredients:
About 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 or 2 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 medium onion, chopped fine
5 or 6 cloves garlic, minced
About 1 cup sliced mushrooms, optional
About 1 cup any leftover chopped vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, squash, etc. (optional)
4 to 5 cups coarsely chopped nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews; use a couple of kinds, perhaps some sunflower or pumpkin seeds, too)
About 2 cups of cooked grains (rice, wheat, bulgur, quinoa, millet)
About 1 cup soft whole-wheat bread crumbs
2 to 3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 to 1/2 cup tomato or V-8 juice
1/2 to 1 cup vegetable broth, divided
2 to 3 teaspoons tamari soy sauce or Braggs’ Aminos
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh minced thyme or marjoram
1/2 cup fresh minced parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
Heat oven to 350°F. Line loaf pan with foil and oil or butter it; set aside.
In medium sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add celery and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Add mushrooms and other vegetables, if you are using them, and sauté for another 2 minutes or so.
In large bowl, combine nuts, grains and bread crumbs. Transfer sautéed vegetables to nut mixture. Add eggs, tomato juice, half the vegetable broth, tamari and herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well to blend. If mixture seems dry, add remaining broth.
Transfer mixture to loaf pan and pat smooth. Bake about 45 minutes, until firm and golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan and place on serving plate. Slice and serve. Yields 1 loaf.
Spicy Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
1 1/2 c ap flour
1/3 c cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cardamom
1 1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 c sugar
1/2 c canola oil
1 c cold coffee
2 t vanilla extract
2 T vinegar
Peanut Butter Frosting:
2 T peanut butter
1 T agave syrup
1/2 c Earth Balance (or other vegan margarine)
2 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together from the flour to the sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the coffee, oil and vanilla. Dump the dry ingredients into the wet ones and mix until combined. Stir in the vinegar until the vinegar combines with everything. You’ll see streaks from the vinegar which means the magic is working. Pour into paper-lined muffin tins and bake for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
In a small saucepan, melt peanut butter and agave syrup over medium heat. Remove to cool slightly. Using a mixer, briskly beat margarine and sugar together until fluffy. Add in peanut butter mixture and vanilla. If necessary, whisk in more sugar to stiffen or some soy milk to thin slightly. Once the consistency is ideal and your cupcakes are completely cool, frost and decorate cupcakes.
Tomato & Cilantro Broth
From Ananda Spa in India
The low-fat, low-calorie, and vegan broth is loaded with disease-fighting herbs and spices, including ginger, which has anti-inflammatory properties and is a digestive aid, cinnamon, which has been shown to help balance blood sugar, and garlic, which has powerful antimicrobial properties. If you are following an Ayurvedic diet, the experts at Ananda recommend this for vata and kapha doshas.
Ingredients:
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves (about 11 cloves)
1/8 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (about 10 peppercorns), lightly crushed
2 fresh bay leaves (or 4 dried)
2 green cardamom pods
6 medium tomatoes, quartered and seeded (about 3 pounds total)
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 (3/4-inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 large bunch fresh cilantro, stems reserved and leaves finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Special equipment: 1 (3-inch) square cheesecloth; kitchen string
Preparation:
Make spice sachet by wrapping together in cheesecloth the cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, and cardamom pods. Tie with kitchen string.
In heavy, large pot over high heat, stir together 4 cups water, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cilantro stems, 1 teaspoon salt, and spice sachet. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until reduced by 1/3, about 30 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into large cle
TOFU MIXTURE:
1 lb block firm tofu (must be frozen solid & then thawed)
1 onion chopped
2 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon coriander
pinch pepper
1/2 cp. walnuts (toasted & chopped)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1-2 tablespoon tamari
MASHED POTATO:
4 potatoes peeled & cubed
3 tablespoon margarine
1/2 cup soy milk
dash of salt to taste
MUSHROOM GRAVY:
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoon tamari or Braggs
pinch of pepper
1 1/2 cps of potato water
2 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water
Directions:
TOFU MIXTURE: Once tofu is defrosted, squeeze out all water like a sponge. Shred into small pieces. Toast walnuts lightly on cookie sheet in oven until lightly browned, then chop.
Fry onion, oil and spices on med heat until translucent. Add tofu, nuts, lemon juice and tamari. Continue to stir while cooking for 5-10 minutes. MASHED POTATOES:
Boil potatoes in large pot until soft. Drain & place back in pot or in a large bowl. add margarine, soy milk & salt to taste. Mash.
MUSHROOM GRAVY: Dissolve cornstarch in water in small bowl. Fry mushrooms with oil on med-low heat in small saucepan for 3-4 minutes. add tamari, pepper & potatoes to water. Bring to simmer for 2 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and stir constantly on low heat until thickened.
Place Tofu mixture in bottom of baking dish. (I use a glass baking bowl about 6-8 inches deep and 10 inches wide) Then add mushroom gravy on top, followed by potatoes. Smooth top of potatoes and add a few pads of margarine on the top.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately! Serves as excellent main dish for Thanksgiving and is well worth the time spent making it. *HINT* Get someone to help you prep and it will cut your time in half! ENJOY!
Serves: 4 as main/ 6-8 as side
Preparation time: awhile
There are some great recipes here for further ideas.
Vege Island
Skillet Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
1 spaghetti squash
olive oil
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can cannellini beans, drained
sea salt
black pepper
paprika
thyme
parsley
2 to 3 cups fresh spinach
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Split squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place halves cut-side down in covered baking dish, either oiled or with ½ inch water. Bake for 30 minutes.
2. When the squash is almost done, sauté garlic in olive oil in a small skillet. Add cannellini beans, stirring carefully to keep beans intact. Add sea salt, black pepper, paprika, thyme, and parsley to taste (but don’t be too shy, because the seasonings are what give it a yummy kick).
3. Remove squash from the oven. Heat a large skillet with some olive oil (and more garlic if desired). Scrape the squash into spaghetti strings with a fork and transfer to the skillet. Add spinach and toss. Cover to speed up steaming of the spinach. When spinach is semi-wilted, transfer squash and spinach mixture to plates. Top with the seasoned beans and serve.
Source of recipe: Experimenting in the kitchen. You can experiment with different kinds of beans and greens (ie, perhaps black beans and kale) as well as other herbs and spices, but my fiancé thought this particular combination was very tasty. It’s definitely a nice change from grain-based dishes, and it still leaves your tummy satisfied.
Makes: 2 servings, Preparation time: 15 minutes , Cooking time: 30 minutes to bake
Yams and Apples
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
6 to 8 yams
5 to 6 pippen or golden delicious apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup margarine
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Boil yams until barely tender (whole or cut width wise, in big pieces). Peel. Cool. Slice and alternate yams and peeled apple rings in margarined casserole dish. Boil together: 1/2 c. vegan sugar, 1 c. water, 1/4 c. margarine, 1 1/2 T cornstarch and 1/2 t salt, until it begins to thicken. Pour over yams and apples and bake covered at 350 for 1 hr.
Source: recipe is from my mom-in-law
Serves: 8-10
Wow, this time of year, I really feel for you vegans because it is all about the turkey or ham, or creamy soups and casserole dishes, all containing animal products!
Maybe you can do a dish with squash or cranberries or potatoes. Sub accordingly for vegan standards in the recipes you find, I have heard that for cream you can use non dairy creamer, and for butter there is margarine. But I think it is kind of ridiculous to make a vegan recipe “taste” like meat. Don’t try to imitate meat, just let your veggie dish shine on its own merit.
Savory Nut Loaf
This nut loaf is a loose recipe because I never make it the same way twice. It depends on what I have on hand. If you are vegan, you do not have to use the eggs or cheese, or you could use soy cheese; add a little more veggie stock to make it moist enough. Leftover slices are great in a sandwich the following day.
Ingredients:
About 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 or 2 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 medium onion, chopped fine
5 or 6 cloves garlic, minced
About 1 cup sliced mushrooms, optional
About 1 cup any leftover chopped vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, squash, etc. (optional)
4 to 5 cups coarsely chopped nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews; use a couple of kinds, perhaps some sunflower or pumpkin seeds, too)
About 2 cups of cooked grains (rice, wheat, bulgur, quinoa, millet)
About 1 cup soft whole-wheat bread crumbs
2 to 3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 to 1/2 cup tomato or V-8 juice
1/2 to 1 cup vegetable broth, divided
2 to 3 teaspoons tamari soy sauce or Braggs’ Aminos
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh minced thyme or marjoram
1/2 cup fresh minced parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
Heat oven to 350°F. Line loaf pan with foil and oil or butter it; set aside.
In medium sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add celery and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Add mushrooms and other vegetables, if you are using them, and sauté for another 2 minutes or so.
In large bowl, combine nuts, grains and bread crumbs. Transfer sautéed vegetables to nut mixture. Add eggs, tomato juice, half the vegetable broth, tamari and herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well to blend. If mixture seems dry, add remaining broth.
Transfer mixture to loaf pan and pat smooth. Bake about 45 minutes, until firm and golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan and place on serving plate. Slice and serve. Yields 1 loaf.
Spicy Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
1 1/2 c ap flour
1/3 c cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cardamom
1 1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 c sugar
1/2 c canola oil
1 c cold coffee
2 t vanilla extract
2 T vinegar
Peanut Butter Frosting:
2 T peanut butter
1 T agave syrup
1/2 c Earth Balance (or other vegan margarine)
2 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together from the flour to the sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the coffee, oil and vanilla. Dump the dry ingredients into the wet ones and mix until combined. Stir in the vinegar until the vinegar combines with everything. You’ll see streaks from the vinegar which means the magic is working. Pour into paper-lined muffin tins and bake for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
In a small saucepan, melt peanut butter and agave syrup over medium heat. Remove to cool slightly. Using a mixer, briskly beat margarine and sugar together until fluffy. Add in peanut butter mixture and vanilla. If necessary, whisk in more sugar to stiffen or some soy milk to thin slightly. Once the consistency is ideal and your cupcakes are completely cool, frost and decorate cupcakes.
Tomato & Cilantro Broth
From Ananda Spa in India
The low-fat, low-calorie, and vegan broth is loaded with disease-fighting herbs and spices, including ginger, which has anti-inflammatory properties and is a digestive aid, cinnamon, which has been shown to help balance blood sugar, and garlic, which has powerful antimicrobial properties. If you are following an Ayurvedic diet, the experts at Ananda recommend this for vata and kapha doshas.
Ingredients:
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves (about 11 cloves)
1/8 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (about 10 peppercorns), lightly crushed
2 fresh bay leaves (or 4 dried)
2 green cardamom pods
6 medium tomatoes, quartered and seeded (about 3 pounds total)
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 (3/4-inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 large bunch fresh cilantro, stems reserved and leaves finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Special equipment: 1 (3-inch) square cheesecloth; kitchen string
Preparation:
Make spice sachet by wrapping together in cheesecloth the cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, and cardamom pods. Tie with kitchen string.
In heavy, large pot over high heat, stir together 4 cups water, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cilantro stems, 1 teaspoon salt, and spice sachet. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until reduced by 1/3, about 30 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into large cle
Lisa’s Famous Shepard’s Pie
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
TOFU MIXTURE:
1 lb block firm tofu (must be frozen solid & then thawed)
1 onion chopped
2 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon coriander
pinch pepper
1/2 cp. walnuts (toasted & chopped)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1-2 tablespoon tamari
MASHED POTATO:
4 potatoes peeled & cubed
3 tablespoon margarine
1/2 cup soy milk
dash of salt to taste
MUSHROOM GRAVY:
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoon tamari or Braggs
pinch of pepper
1 1/2 cps of potato water
2 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water
Directions:
TOFU MIXTURE: Once tofu is defrosted, squeeze out all water like a sponge. Shred into small pieces. Toast walnuts lightly on cookie sheet in oven until lightly browned, then chop.
Fry onion, oil and spices on med heat until translucent. Add tofu, nuts, lemon juice and tamari. Continue to stir while cooking for 5-10 minutes. MASHED POTATOES:
Boil potatoes in large pot until soft. Drain & place back in pot or in a large bowl. add margarine, soy milk & salt to taste. Mash.
MUSHROOM GRAVY: Dissolve cornstarch in water in small bowl. Fry mushrooms with oil on med-low heat in small saucepan for 3-4 minutes. add tamari, pepper & potatoes to water. Bring to simmer for 2 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and stir constantly on low heat until thickened.
Place Tofu mixture in bottom of baking dish. (I use a glass baking bowl about 6-8 inches deep and 10 inches wide) Then add mushroom gravy on top, followed by potatoes. Smooth top of potatoes and add a few pads of margarine on the top.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately! Serves as excellent main dish for Thanksgiving and is well worth the time spent making it. *HINT* Get someone to help you prep and it will cut your time in half! ENJOY!
Serves: 4 as main/ 6-8 as side
Preparation time: awhile
There are some great recipes here for further ideas.