Summer time is picnic and potluck season! Require some thing fast and fabulous you are able to throw together to feed a crowd? If you have currently vetoed pasta salad, attempt 1 of these ideal summer time bean salad recipes. With refreshing herbs along with a homemade dressing or vinaigrette, you are able to effortlessly transform a couple cans of beans and some chopped tomatoes or onions into a flavorful side dish to feed lots of hungry meat-free folk. Bean salads travel nicely and do not require to become kept warm, producing them an clear option for an outdoor meal. You are able to effortlessly double as well as tripe all of these recipes, based on how numerous buddies you’ve!
A basic but delicious vegetarian bean salad recipe. Use any white beans which you like: cannellini as well as butter beans or chickpeas would function nicely in this simple bean salad. Ideal for summer time picnics and vegan potlucks.
Serve warm, as is, or chill before serving.
Have you made an extra huge batch of my super scrumptious Chicken Fried Seitan and now you have a plate of leftovers?
Well, if you want sticky, spicy, hot wings follow this simple recipe and you will be drooling over a plate of lip smacking goodness in no time!
Ingredients
1/3 cup molasses (or maple syrup)
1/3 cup vegan butter
TONS of hot sauce, as much as you can handle!
pinch of salt and pepper
pinch of garlic salt and cumin
- Melt all the ingredients in a pan together
- Take the leftover chicken fried seitan out of the fridge and toss it in the liquid mixture (if you have made seitan patties, you might want to chop them up into chunks)
- Bake the liquid coated seitan in the oven on 300 degrees for 10 minutes (this step not only reheats the cold seitan but also lets the yummy hot sauce mixture soak in!)
- Remove the seitan from the oven and dip it one more time in the liquid mixture and then serve and enjoy!
I serve mine with a side of vegan ranch dressing…or vegan blue cheese dressing…I can’t decide which it tastes more like. (Did you know how versatile and super healthy cashews are? I’ve made so many wonderful things with them over the past week and I am quite impressed.)
Ingredients
1 cup raw cashews
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
several teaspoons of dried dill, to taste
pinch of salt and pepper
- Blend all the ingredients together in a food processor and dip and dunk to your heart’s content!
Tofu alla Grappa, Fennel Risotto
We decided to break out the vacuum-sealer again, after finding a bottle of grappa hiding in the back of the cabinet.
It’s the same technique as the Tofu L’Orange, with the same excellent results.
Tofu alla Grappa
16oz extra-firm tofu
The block of extra-firm tofu was cut into six cutlets and smoked with apple wood for 25 minutes.
marinade
1/4 cup grappa
pinch of salt and pepper
In a small pan, reduce the grappa by half to 2 tbs. and remove from heat.
Place the smoked tofu in a single layer in a vacuum-sealer bag, add the marinade and process. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
Remove from the bag and cut a slit in the side of each tofu cutlet, being careful not to poke through the edges.
Pan-fry the tofu in olive oil over medium-high heat until golden brown (about 4-5 minutes per side). Add a splash of tamari to evenly coat and cook the tofu for an additional minute. Remove and keep warm.
filling/sauce
olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 tbs. tarragon, minced
1 tbs. parsley, minced
1 1/2 cups of grapes, cut in half
In the same pan, add a little more oil and sweat the shallots and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the tarragon and parsley, stir to combine (If you want to throw and additional shot of grappa in the sauce at this point we won’t tell). Add the grapes and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove half of the mixture and gently place inside the slit in the tofu. Puree the other half in a blender or use a immersion blender for a more “rustic” look, check for seasoning, reserve and keep warm.
Place the stuffed tofu on a sheet pan and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes.
Serve hot topped with the sauce over the fennel risotto.
This year, my vegetable garden includes several arugula plants. I’m really excited about this since I love arugula and can’t buy it locally – and even if I could, it would be very expensive. As I’m observing how the plants spike upward it’s easy to guess why arugula is also called “rocket” lettuce.
A few years ago, while visiting Umbria, I enjoyed a fantastic pasta dish topped with arugula, fava beans, and tomatoes. I haven’t been able to find fava beans in my area, so I was nearly ecstatic when I discovered packages of steamed favas in the produce section of Trader Joe’s on my way home from D.C. recently.
With favas and arugula in hand, I was able to recreate the dish I had so much enjoyed in Italy. Although Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains have replaced the Italian Apennines for ambience, this rich and flavorful meal was still delicious. Here’s the recipe:
Pasta with Arugula and Fava Beans
For this recipe, I used fusilli because I had it on hand, but any bite-size pasta shape would be good with this sauce. Instead of using the steamed fava beans from Trader Joe’s, you can prepare your own fava beans or substitute cooked chickpeas or cannellini beans for a tasty alternative. Another variation would be to use spinach, chard, or other dark green in place of the arugula.
8 ounces fusilli or other small pasta shape
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups coarsely chopped arugula, well washed
1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 (12-ounce) package steamed fava beans (from Trader Joes)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water.
While the pasta water is coming to a boil. heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the arugula and cook, stirring, until wilted. Add the tomatoes, fava beans, red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer to blend the flavors and heat through, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it well. To serve, divide the pasta among shallow bowls and top each with the sauce, or transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl, add the sauce, and toss gently to combine before serving.
When I started planning this dish I had been pleased that it was heading to become so wholesome, and that I will be utilizing up elements we currently had in our kitchen, but I in no way imagined I will be blown away by it is absolute delicious taste. I mean, I knew it will be hearty and wholesome (it’s filled with super foods quinoa, nutritional yeast, and spinach) and be fresh and nutritious, but I did not anticipate to become shocked by its sheer cheezy yumminess! Actually, I had been heading to bake it in the oven, I had been envisioning a casserole, but as I had been ladling it into the casserole dish I tasted a little of it and was so pleased I did not wish to danger altering a point. So, it’s an un-casserole!
Ingredients
2 and 1/2 cups of quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to directions on package
1 yellow onion, chopped small
3 bell peppers, chopped small
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach leaves
salt and pepper
pinch of cumpin, paprika, red pepper flake
1 can corn, drained
1 can pinto beans
-Saute in olive oil the onion, bell peppers, and garlic
-After 10 minutes or so add the spices and continue cooking for another 10 minutes until everything is tender
-Turn off the heat and wilt in the spinach
-Combine with the cooked quinoa and corn and beans
Cheeze Sauce
Ingredients
4 cloves garlic, diced
2 Tbsp vegan butter
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp mustard sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
3 cups water
pinch salt and pepper, cumin and turmeric
1 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp pickled jalapenos chopped
2 Tbsp sun dried tomatoes chopped
3 Tbsp cilantro
-In a frying pan saute 4 cloves of garlic in a drizzle of olive oil until crispy
-On very low heat add 2 Tbsp vegan butter, stir slowly until completely melted
-Slowly add in the 3 Tbsp flour, stirring constantly until completely combined into a roux
-VERY SLOWLY drizzle in the 3 cups of water, stirring constantly until the mixture is completely combined and there are no clumps of flour (Seriously, go slow and never stop stirring. Your patience is the key to your cheeze sauce having a nice smooth texture, you don’t want any clumps do you?)
-Add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, lemon juice, and dried spices
- Add in the nutritional yeast and turn off heat, stir completely
- Add the jalapenos, sun dried tomatoes, and cilantro
Pour the cheeze mixture over the quinoa and veggies, stir it up completely, and enjoy!
I invested two many years of my existence residing deep in the heart of South Texas, 90 miles from the Mexican border. Residing on the outskirts of a tiny town of less than 2,000 individuals with 2 traffic lights and far more cows than people, I had close to constant culture shock and never fit in. I did, however, love the expansive, open vistas, the feeling of freedom and the delicious, down home, unpretentious ‘throw in what you got’ Tex-Mex cowboy cooking.
My really favorite cowboy dish was carne guisada, that is usually a chopped meat covered in a quick gravy served with a side of buttered bread. Sounds so much much less impressive than it actually is. I veganized the dish easily and it tastes precisely like what I utilized to eat all individuals years ago in the Lone Star State: peppery, buttery, filling and Great. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Cooked TVP chunks, chopped small, 2 cups worth
1 large onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, diced small
2 Tbsp vegan butter
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups hot water
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper (lots of pepper!)
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (this is not a cheese sauce so go easy on the yeast!)
-In a drizzle of olive oil saute the onion and garlic on medium heat for about 10 minutes
-Add 1 tbsp of butter and allow to melt completely
-Add in the 2 tbsp of flour and stir continually until combined
-Slowly drizzle in the 2 cups of hot water, stirring continually till you reach a thick creamy consistency
-Add the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar
-Add the spices and the nutritional yeast
-Add in the last tbsp of butter, stir completely
-This whole process should take about 5 minutes, still cooking on medium low heat
-Finally, add in the 2 cups of chopped TVP and add a bit more salt and pepper, allow to heat through and serve with 2 pieces of buttered bread. Enjoy!
Raw Food Wednesday 4/22
Red Bell Pepper Empanadas
White Asparagus
Gazpacho Shooter with Baby Cucumbers
Mixed Micro Greens Salad
Strawberry Pie
Utilizing more of the bounty from Farmer Lee Jones…
The red bell pepper empanadas use the tortilla recipe (below), stuffed with greens, cashew cheese, scallions, walnut taco filling and diced tomatoes. The white asparagus was trimmed, peeled, tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and dehydrated for 2 hours @ 105F. They retain some of the crunch, but are very tasty…
Red Pepper Tortillas
(makes approximately 8 tortillas)
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup water
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. nama shoyu
1 jalapeño, diced
1 tsp. Mexican oregano
1 tsp. fresh ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Soak the flax seeds with the water and let sit for 15 minutes. Put the flax seeds and the rest of the ingredients into the Vita-Mix and process on high until smooth — this will tax the machine, but that’s why you bought it in the first place. 
Spread out the mixture into 7″ rounds with an offset spatula and dehydrate around an hour on 105F. Carefully flip the tortillas and dehydrate for an additional 30 minutes or so. Take a peak at this point to make sure they’re not too dry — you want them flexible enough so you can roll them later. You can make these a day in advance and store in the fridge if needed.
The gazpacho shooters (tomato, red bell pepper, cucumber, onion, garlic, nama shoyu, lime juice, olive oil) were brightened by the addition of the colorful baby cucumbers. They were almost too cute to eat. Almost
If the shooters aren’t enough to quench your thirst, we also made a larger bowl, adorned with a cucumber slice and a popcorn shoot. The best way to describe the popcorn shoot is that it tastes mildly like corn for the first 5-7 seconds, and then you’re hit with an almost candy-like sweetness… really unique and fun!
The baby radishes were served as a crudite with a little sea salt to dip them in and then they were eaten whole — the green tops were extremely tender with just a hint of radish bite.
The strawberry pie used a quick almond/cashew/brazil nut/salt/agave crust pressed into a tart mold, layered with sliced strawberries and a little extra raw agave, which was then chilled for a few hours.
What could be better than a creamy bowl of savory soup? Lentils are so delicious when their earthy sweetness is paired with the tart bright tang of lemon and cilantro. It is thick and creamy, but I added more liquid than I would if I was just making a dense dahl because I wanted this to be lighter and more soup like. Every bit of this soup is perfectly balanced in your mouth, which only leads to you eating more and more and more! But go ahead and enjoy because this dish is as healthy as it is tasty.
This soup was the first time I had tried cooking with Kalonji Black Onion Seeds and WOW – these are what has been missing every time I cook Indian food. Yes, your meal can be great without them, but they pack such a subtle, aromatic mouthful of flavor in each tiny bite you should really try to find them. They are what always made me go ‘hmmm…what is that?’ every time I ate Indian food. Just a few days ago we went and ate at my favorite Indian restaurant Anand Bhavan and I closely examined every dish and found these tiny black seeds studded throughout everything! Now I know and they will be an indispensable part of my kitchen from here on out!
Ingredients
1 yellow onion – diced fine
4 cloves garlic – diced fine
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp kalonji black onion seed
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups lentils rinsed
6 and 1/2 cups of water
3 cups of unsweetened soy milk
1 Tbsp vegan butter
2 lemons zest and juice
3/4 cup cilantro chopped
-On medium heat in a large soup pot in a drizzle of olive oil gently saute the onion and garlic for 5 minutes
-After 5 minutes add the lentils and all of the spices and cook and stir for another 3 minutes
-After 5 minutes add the water and the soy milk to the pot and simmer gently for 20 – 30 minutes until the lentils are soft but still have a bite to them. This part of the process is really subjective. I like my lentils still a bit firm, you might want them completely soft. I wanted my soup not too thick and broken down, you might. Just adjust the heat/water amount/cooking time and have fun with it.
-Once the consistency and lentils are to your liking, around 25 minutes, add the butter and stir though.
-Remove the pot from the heat and add the lemon juice and zest and the cilantro and serve with a side of naan, chapati, or paratha bread. Enjoy!
This is the world’s best grilled cheese sandwich ever! Seriously! It isn’t just the best VEGAN grilled cheese sandwich, it is the best grilled cheese sandwich period. I love these things, can you tell?
Crispy, salty on the outside and creamy and spicy and CHEEZY on the inside!
Ingredients (makes 4 sandwiches)
1 yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic diced
2 Tbsp vegan butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup hot water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp miso paste
1 Tbsp spicy mustard
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup pickled jalapenos chopped
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
pinch of salt and pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
8 slices of bread
butter to spread on the bread
-Saute the chopped onions on medium high heat for 8 minutes, until they are soft
-Add the chopped garlic and continue cooking for another 2 minutes
-Lower the heat to low and add the 2 Tbsp of vegan butter and stir until completely melted
-Add the 2 Tbsp of flour and stir for a minute till the flour is completely combined with the butter, garlic and onion
-Slowly add in the 1 cup of hot water, stirring continually until the flour and butter break down and form a thick creamy consistency with the water
* At this point the mixture will look a bit liquidy and not gooey enough to form a good grilled cheese sammy, have no fear! Once you add the nutritional yeast later on it will thicken up into a thick, cheesy consistency.
-Add the salt, pepper, cumin and jalapenos
-Add the lemon juice, miso paste, soy sauce and mustard
-Slowly stir in the 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast and stir and cook for another minute
-Remove cheese sauce from the heat and allow to come to room temperature while you spread butter on the outside of each piece of bread
-Spoon some of the filling onto a piece of bread NOT on the buttered side, then top with another piece of bread
-On medium high heat in a drizzle of olive oil cook the sandwiches buttered side down until they are brown and crispy. Top with a sprinkle of sea salt and enjoy!
I had a bunch of random thoughts concerning dinner final evening. 1 – it is fall, I am craving soup. Two – I wish to arrive house from swimming and have dinner instantly simply because all of us will probably be cold and hungry. 3 – I’ve a 4 lb bag of chana dal in the cupboard. Four – It has to become some thing wholesome simply because I am attempting to shed a couple of pounds to create running simpler. Following scouring the interwebs to discover the ideal recipe, I gave up and morphed a number of the much better types into 1 to fit the elements that I had and the degree of blandness that was needed (following producing 1 rather surprisingly volcanic Tofu Vindaloo this week, I needed to redeem myself). The outcomes had been tasty, really wholesome and created sufficient for the entire street (or to freeze for long term fast Friday evening meals).
Pardon the photo, but I was halfway through my bowl before I realized I might want a pic.
Golden Crockpot Split Chickpea Soup
2 tblsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 lb chana dal (split chickpeas), rinsed
4 cups veggie broth (I used a 1L asceptic package that I bought on sale for $1.99)
4 cups water
2/3 cup Thai red rice (could substitute brown rice)
sea salt and pepper to taste
THE NIGHT BEFORE
Chop the veggies
THE MORNING OF
Saute the onions in olive oil until soft. Add the other veggies and saute for a few minutes. Add to the crockpot along with the dal. Add the veggie broth and water. Turn on low and cook for around four hours.
AT LUNCH/WHENEVER YOU CAN
Add the rice. Cook for another 2-4 hours. Add more water if it looks thick. I ended up adding more 2 cups.
AT DINNER
Stir and serve. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Vege Island