Vegan Cooking/Recipes

 

Secretly Vegan Crock Pot Chilli

I brought my vegan crock pot chilli to a Super Bowl party this year, and was pleasantly surprised with the reaction it got! I saw people loading up their burgers and hot dogs with it all day, and coming back for seconds. I am proud of being vegan, but I do recognize that there is a stigma with vegan food being bland, boring….or tasting like dirt. Try this chili and I promise you will change some minds. Let them know after they love it that it’s vegan, and better for their overall health.

2 can diced tomatoes

1 can black beans (drain 1/2 of liquid out of the can)

1 can kidney beans (undrained)

1 chopped green bell pepper

1 choped onion

1/2 chopped sweet onion

1 bag Gardein Crumbles (you really could use any ground meat substitute….but I have tried them all and Gardein has the best texture and ability to absorb flavor)

2 tbs A1 sauce

1 tsp tabasco sauce

8 shakes of paprika

Salt/pepper/red pepper flakes to taste

** I like to pick up a chilli seasoning packet from the grocery store when I am short on time to cook that night, speeds the flavoring process up a bit.

This is another reason this Chilli is awesome…these are the directions….

1.) Put all ingredients into crock pot

2.) Set the crock pot to medium and go do the 187 other things you need to get done that day. At medium it usually takes about 3 hours to cook…at high it takes about 1.

Harmony Valley

It was an absolute pleasure to meet with the people of Harmony Valley at the Natural Products Expo this year in Anaheim. There was always a buzz around the booth and every time I walked by I heard at least one person say something like, “This is vegan?”…and really only a vegan knows how satisfying that statement is. I can’t say enough how easy it is to be vegan once you realize that you don’t miss out on anything.

I won’t mislead you and say that sometimes it doesn’t take a little elbow grease. A lot of what I eat is big vegetable and tofu concoctions that take some prep, but sometimes after working a really long day I need something a little quicker that falls a little more into the comfort food category. Harmony Valley sent me home with a package of the Hamburger Style and Sausage Style dry mix. The perk of the dry mix means no quickly arriving expiration date and if you only want to make half of the bag if you are cooking for one (ahem..) you can split the bag up into portions.

So each of the products instructions start out the same, mix the dry product in with an appropriate amount of water and let sit in your refrigerator for about 15 min so that you end up with a completely moist batch of what really emulates a ground meat substance.

First I’ll share with you my Tofu Scramble success with the Sausage Style product.

After mixing and rehydrating the product I put some into little patties and cooked over medium heat just long enough for each side to brown.

While the patties are cooking I had some drained and crumbled Nasoya Extra Firm tofu cooking over medium heat in another pan. Once I have the tofu at a nice, not too wet texture I throw in some bell peppers, tomatoes, onion and garlic, and spices. Let this all simmer together for a few minutes then crumble the browned ‘sausage’ patties and simmer everything together. Then…you’re done! Such a good Saturday morning breakfast and I get a really good reaction with this dish from both veggies and carnivores alike.

Ingredients for Harmony Valley Tofu Scramble:

* one block drained, extra firm tofu

* half package Harmony Valley Sausage Style Mix

*one green bell pepper, one red bell pepper

* half an onion, chopped

* one clove garlic

*two chopped tomatoes

*spices (I used cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic salt but you really can do this to taste)

Next up is what I did with the Ground Beef Style mix. Remember Manwich as a kid? Or maybe you guys called them sloppy joes…either way I remember them being so good as a kid. Not the nasty mystery meat ones they served at school…but my mom would put these together for us with her own little touches that made them really good and super memorable.

What I did was prepare the Hamburger Style style crumbles with the water…in the fridge (like the sausage mix) then I put a little oil in a skillet and browned it. The mixture doesn’t really change to a dark brown, but after about 10 minutes you can tell that most of the moisture is out. Then I added the onions, tomato paste, seasonings and a little water to let simmer together for about another 10 and you are good to go. Find some hamburger buns that are egg/dairy free, toast them a little and put together your Harmony Valley Sloppy Joe with some pickles and bam, you are in 3rd grade again…but a whole lot healthier. I threw some kale chips on the side for a pretty balanced comfort food dish.

Harmony Valley Sloppy Joe:

* one packet Harmony Valley Hamburger Style mix

* one onion, chopped

*3 tbsp tomatoe paste

* spices (I used bbq sauce, salt, pepper, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and all spice but you can get a packet of ‘sloppy joe’ seasoning at the grocery store to make it easier on ya)

Harmony Valley products are soy based, vegan and kosher certified with a good amount of both fiber and protein so you are not only eating kinder…you are eating healthier. Find more on this awesome company here http://www.harmonyvalleyfoods.com/ and keep an eye out for both the products mentioned here as well as the new humus mix coming out soon.

 

Coconut Bacon Bliss

I can’t quite bring myself to say aloud (or even type) that I might miss the taste of bacon. The horrors that pigs go through on meat farms are horrendous, and despite what some sub par PR may have spread…pigs are incredibly smart animals. They are sweet, intelligent animals with a temperament often compared to a puppy’s.

So for the sake of my vegan pride I will simply say I miss the taste of..liquid smoke. That statement will be proven once you try this faux bacon recipe. I swear you won’t ever be the same. Coconut bacon seems to be all the buzz with vegan chefs, and there are a lot of recipes for it swirling around the internet. Mine is not going to stray to far off the beaten path, but I do have my guarantee that it will be a hit amongst veggies and carnies alike.

Start out with:

- 3 handfuls of unsweetened coconut flakes

- 2 tbsp liquid smoke

- 2 tbsp tamari

- 2 tbsp maple syrup

- 2 tbsp water

Spread the coconut flakes on a cookie sheet, then mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Coat the flakes with the contents of the bowl untill everything is covered and light brown. bake at 300 for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it, a lot of recipes say 20 minutes but they are pretty easy to burn and then you’re screwed. Once they are crispy you are good to go. Pull them out and scoop them onto something else, a plate works just fine. The coconut flakes continue to cook as they cool so you want to get them off of the baking sheet.

Then you’re done, that’s it. They are best served room temp so get creative. I put some veganaise on sourdough, with some lettuce and tomatoes and made the best BLT ever.

My besty (still carnivore) has become my official taste tester and absolutely loved it. It really is odd how the liquid smoke creates such an awesome smokey flavor. I was a total skeptic before I tried it, now I’m all about it. Give it a try!

VEGAN STIR FRY WITH TRADER JOE’S BEEFLESS STRIPS

 I’m moving in a few days, so am trying to go through whats in my pantry and refrigerator, versus buying a bunch of food that I have to transport. Tonight I made a vegan stir fry out of Trader Joe’s brand beefless strips and random veggys I had in my ‘fridge.

BTW I’ve already packed all my silverware…so I ate this with some random chop sticks I found in the back of drawer…ugghh I hate moving.

What you’ll need:

* broccoli

* peas

* carrots

* onion

* mushrooms

* garlic

* green peppers

* beefless strips (I used Trader Joe’s brand)

* low sodium soy sauce

* any kind of stir fry sauce you like

What to do:

* heat a little oil in a skillet and add vegetables

* drip soy sauce and stir fry sauce over the vegetables like you would put salad dressing on lettuce not too much but enough to get some moisture on everything

* saute veggys for a couple minutes on low heat and then add the beef less strips to the skillet and cook over medium heat untill the veggys are soft and the “meat” is a little darker than when it was uncooked.

* you can add more soy and stir fry sauce to taste while the mixture is heating

** I usually put the final stir fry over some brown organic rice <3 <3

VEGAN STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

This recipe is one of my favorite things to make for company. Vegans and meat eaters enjoy this dish alike! This recipe yields about 4 mid sized stuffed peppers, if you find some really big peppers..you may want to add to the recipe to be safe.

What you’ll need:

- 4 green bell peppers

-2 cans of diced tomatoes

-1 chopped white onion

- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

-3 green peppers, chopped

-1 box of spanish rice (I use Mahatma brand or the organic brand Tasty Bite  because there isn’t any chicken fat in them, you can use whatever kind you like…but beware of the ingredients)

-1 bag of Gardein or Boca “meat” crumbles (you can find these in most freezer sections at the grocery store)

-1 packet taco seasoning (I use Lawrys or the organic kind pictured above)

- Daiya cheddar cheese

Directions:

- pour the canned tomatoes into a calender and let them drain

- make the spanish rice according to package

- cut tops off of bell peppers, rinse out seeds, and steam untill light green. I use a ‘flower steamer’ 

- while the peppers are steaming, saute the “meat” crumbles, tomatoes, onions, garlic, green peppers and seasoning untill fully cooked

- once the peppers are soft, fill them with the mixture, top with some grated Daiya cheddar cheese, and bake for 10 minutes at 350

Thats it, once the cheese is melted on top you’re done!

EASY VEGETABLE SOUP

I am all about making easy, healthy vegan food. If you are looking for an easy way to get your daily dose of vegetables, or maybe something you can make and take to work with you the next day…this soup is it!

What you’ll need:

- 3 cans of canned tomatoes

-1 can vegetable broth

-1 1/2 cups carrots (chopped)

-1 potato (ends up being about 1 1/2 cups chopped)

-1 1/2 cups savoy cabbage, ripped into little pieces

-1 cup broccoli tops

-1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms

-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

-3/4 cup chopped onion

-1 1/2 cup chopped celery

- salt and pepper to taste

-you can also add about whatever vegetable you like, or may have sitting around the house. The more veges that simmer in the soup, the better the taste!

1. pour the canned tomatoes, and 1/2 can of vegetable broth in large pot and set heat to simmer. I then add 1 1/2 cups water to the pot to thin out the tomatoes a little bit. That is optional, really depends on your taste.

2 add potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, celery, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, cabbage and any other vege you want. I do it in that order, with a little bit of time in between each, so that the taste has a chance to set in before mixed with everything else. I put the potatoes in first because they need the longest to soften, and then the onion/garlic to set the taste up.

3. add about 5 shakes of sea salt and 4 shakes of pepper. You can always add more later, but the salt helps bring out the flavor of the vegetables.

4. Let the soup simmer for a couple of hours, it tastes better when everything has had some time to blend together.

Thats it! Easiest vege soup ever. Once you eat what you want for the night, put it in the fridge and it keeps really well. Super low cal and low carb.

 

 

 

 

VEGGIE KABOBS

 

Uncooked Veggie Kabobs

Veggie kabobs are perfect to bring to summer BBQ’s, or make and eat while lounging around the house. Gardein makes a good “Beefless Tip” which I’ve used in the kabobs, but I almost prefer to go all veggie. Get wooden skewers (I got them at Cost Plus) and soak them for an hour before putting veggies on to keep everything from sticking together. Then slide on veggies and BBQ or bake untill veggies are soft. I usually go by the tomatoes, they are the first ones to get soft so you don’t want them to fall off. I’ll list here what I used, but you can always mix and match veggies

* cherry tomatoes

* bell peppers (red, green and yellow)

* red onion

* mushrooms (works as a good meat sub)

*season with a little salt/pepper

 

 

 

UPFUL’S EASY BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

I happen to know someone who makes an AMAZING vegan broccoli cheese soup, and he was kind enough to hand it over so I could share with all of you. One of the very few things I missed once becoming vegan was the consistency of a thick, creamy soup. This definitely does the trick. We’ve eaten it alone as a soup, and also topped baked potatoes with it which was realllly good.

UPFUL’S EASY BROCCOLI CHEESY SOUP

What You’ll Need (preferably organic if at all possible)

(As a disclaimer, I never typically measure anything when I cook, I just measured these out as a starting point. Feel free to adjust the volume of ingredients to suit your individual tastes.)

*3 cups frozen broccoli florets (fresh is just as good too, frozen florets are used here for simplicity)

*2 cups vegetable broth

*2 cups plain unsweetened soymilk

*1-1½ cups grated Daiya cheddar

*Sea Salt (I use Himalayan pink rock salt, which is really good in soups, but any sea salt or kosher salt will work)

*Pepper

*Garlic Powder

*Red Pepper Flakes

*Nutritional Yeast (optional, for color and thickening)

*Italian Herbs (optional)

*Cornstarch (optional, for thickening)

Directions

1. Heat soymilk, vegetable broth, a bit of salt, pepper and garlic powder over medium heat until it comes to a very gentle boil

2. Reduce heat to low and start to gradually add grated Daiya cheddar

3. Stir constantly and continue to add grated Daiya cheddar

4. Continue stirring until all the grated Daiya is completely melted

5. Add nutritional yeast to your liking to thicken and add color (optional)

6. Add a pinch or two of cornstarch if desired for thickening and continue to stir (optional)

7. Gradually add frozen broccoli florets, turn heat up to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

8. At this point you should start to see the soup thickening quite a bit. Add red pepper flakes, Italian herbs, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to suit your tastes. Stir in and reduce heat to low again.

9. Allow soup to cook for 5-10 more minutes, tasting and stirring occasionally until flavors and textures are to your liking.

10. Turn off heat and allow soup to sit and thicken for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

11. Serve and enjoy!

*Tastes great served with artisan handmade bread such as Whole Foods’ Organic French loaf.

*Stays good covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Don’t be afraid to make a big batch and re-heat a few times, the longer the ingredients sit together the more the tastes meld together and deliciousness ensues!

 

STEAMED ARTICHOKE

* 1 raw artichoke

* 2 cloves garlic, minced

* sea salt

1. rinse artichoke

2. cut off stem of artichoke to 3/4″, cut off 3/4″ of top, and use scissors to clip off sharp edges of leaves

3. fill pot with about an inch of water, minced garlic, and a few shakes of sea salt

4. place a ‘blossom shape’ vegetable steamer in pot, and artichoke on top, not letting the artichoke touch the water. Cover pot and let sit on low heat for about 40-50 minutes. You will know when the artichoke is done when it is easy to pull off an outer leaf.

5. Once steamed you are ready to eat! I usually put some oil and vinegar mixed in a bowl, to dip leafs in.

Super healthy, and surprisingly filling
 

 

 

 

CABBAGE CASSEROLE, SERVES 6 (GLUTEN FREE)

yummmmmm! I made the Cabbage Casserole recipe from Vegetarian Times’ March issue, but made a couple small changes so that it’s vegan, not just vegetarian and it turned out really well! It’s really filling, low cal and keeps well in the ‘fridge for left overs

Ingredients:

*12 large leaves savoy cabbage
*3 tsp. olive oil, divided
*3 leeks, halved, white and light green parts cut into 1/2 *inch thick pieces (1 cup)
*1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
*3 slices lemon
*2 cloves garlic, minced (2tsp)
*1 15 oz. can chopped tomatoes
*3 tbs. chopped fresh parsley
*2 tbs. tomato paste
*3 tbs. toasted pine nuts (optional)

1. Steam cabbage leaves until soft (about 8 minutes)
pat leaves dry and set aside.
2. Preheat over to 350 F., coat8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

3. Heat 1 1/2 tsp. oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add leeks and broth, season with salt if desired; place lemon slices on top; and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 25 minutes. Drain in colander, remove lemon, pat leeks dry and set aside.

4. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tsp. oil in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, and cook 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in parsley and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper if desired. (I added the tomato paste in leau of the ricotta cheese the original recipe called for, it works as a binding ingredient of similar density)

5. Place 3 to 4 cabbage leaves on bottom of prepared baking dish. Spread 1/4 cup tomato sauce over leaves, top with 1/3 leeks (sprinkle pine nuts if desired). Repeat layering 2 more times, and top with fourth layer of cabbage and sauce.

6. Bake dish for 25-30 min, or until the tops browns a little.

***Tip- try to really pat the veges dry before layering, it will make a difference in how well things stay together when serving***