a few of my favorite things

this page is a work in progress.  i've had quite a few people ask for tips about making the transition  to a plant based diet, so i thought i'd share a few products that have helped me out with the process. i plan to update often as things come to mind and i experiment with new products and ingredients, so check back every once in a while. 

stock bases

edward and sons natural bullion cubes  (GF)

superior touch vegetarian bases (GF)

seasonings

bragg's liquid aminos (GF)

liquid smoke (GF)

nutritional yeast (GF)

protien/ meat substitutes

marinated, baked tofu 

(these are not GF, but it's very easy to marinate and bake your own with amazing results)

sprouted tofu (GF)

seitan 

tvp (texturized vegetable protein)  (GF)

gardein products (most not GF)

beans, beans, beloved beans.....(can also be the meat in many dishes)

I LOVE ALL BEANS!!! dried, canned...cooked and dehydrated even.

 roots sprouted bean trio (GF)

dairy/cream substitutes

mimic creme (GF)

so delicious products (GF)

amande yogurt (GF)

nuts/seeds/meals

raw cashews (GF)

(great for making cheeses and adding a creamy substance to dished that require it)

hemp seed/meal (GF)

(great source of protein...add to smoothies and cereals)

chia seeds (GF)

(great source of omega 3 fatty acids and fiber)

tofu veggie tacos with peanut sauce

ok...so these aren't really tacos...

 

 

ingredients:

 

whole grain flat bread

 

thai or teryaki baked tofu, cubed

 

 chopped kale

 

shredded red cabbage

 

shredded carrots

 

diced cucumbers

 

fresh cilantro

 

sesame seeds

 

peanut viniagarette

 

how to:

 

mix all ingredients except flat bread, go light on the dressing at first.

 

lightly toast the flatbread in a med-hot skillet

 

this is where it gets kinda taco-ish....just put some of the vegetable mixture into the warmed flatbread and top with more peanut dressing if desired.  eat like a soft taco. :)

 



grilled veggie sandwich with cilantro pesto and peanut sauce

long title, i know...but i just couldn't leave out any of the important parts.....

tried to duplicate a sandwich i had at Cafe Solstice (with a few alterations, of course) that kinda sorta rocked my world.....

ingredients:

2 slices of bread of choice

oil free cilantro pesto

mixed salad greens

shredded red cabbage

thinly sliced cucumbers

thinly sliced mushrooms

shredded carrots

prepared peanut sauce or dressing (i used Trader Joe's Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette)

how to:

spread a generous layer of cilantro pesto on one slice of bread

top with vegetables 

drizzle generously with peanut sauce (do not go light on this, but make sure you put it on the vegetables and not the bread or your bread will get too soggy and stick during grilling.)

top with remaining slice of bread and grill in a med-hot skillet, pressing down with a spatula as you grille each side (no need for butter or oil, believe it or not)

oil free cilantro pesto

adapted from THIS recipe from Oh She Glows

use as a spread on sandwiches, wraps, burritos or pizza.  yum!

ingredients:

1 cup packed cilantro

1 clove of garlic

1 15 oz. can of navy/cannellini beans

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

how to:

whiz it up in your blender and spread it wherever you like....well...not wherever.

veggie soup

1 package of Boca Crumbles

1 can diced tomatoes and juice

2-3 carrots, sliced

2-3 potatoes, peeled and chopped in 1 inch chunks

1 med onion, chopped

3 stalks celery and leaves, chopped

1/4-1/2 head cabbage, chopped

frozen or canned vegetables of choice (i prefer frozen)

suggestions:  corn, green beans, peas, okra, lima beans, greens....get creative

vegetable broth to cover (or water and Not Beef seasoning)

salt and pepper to taste

how to:

sooooo easy... throw it all in a pot and simmer until raw veggies are tender. 

build your own veggie wrap

pretty, huh? and one of my better ideas, if i do say so myself.

   pretty much whatever you wanna throw out there.

in case you can't see, here's what we used....

whole spelt and spinach tortillas

red and green leaf lettuce

cucumbers

carrots

baked, marinated tofu

red cabbage

asparagus

micro greens

tomatoes

avocado

red onions

and the following condiment options:

balsamic dressing

goddess dressing

honey mustard dressing

hummus

guacamole

olive tepanade

tabbouli

dill pickles

bean burritos with cashew ricotta

ingredients:

12 flour tortillas (i used Rudi's Spelt)

1 1/2 cup leftover black beans (or one can, drained)

1 1/2 cup leftover pinto beans (or one can, drained)

1 cup corn (fresh, frozen or canned)

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 recipe of mexican cashew ricotta

1/2 cup salsa

vegan cheddar (optional)

desired toppings (i served ours with sauteed mushrooms, onions and red peppers and guacamole)

how to:

in a large mixing bowl, mix beans, corn, spinach and rice.

on each flour tortilla, spread a layer of ricotta cheese beside a scoop (approximately 1/2 cup) of bean mixture.

wrap burrito style and place in a baking dish

i had about 1/3 cup of ricotta leftover and mixed it with 1/2 cup of salsa to make a sauce for some of the burritos.

spread sauce over burritos, cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.  uncover and top with shredded vegan cheese, if desired, and cook a little longer until bubbly and heated through.

cashew ricotta

if you're new to veganville, like me....you're going to want to get familiar with cashew ricotta.  it's the bomb, really. 

i've grown sort of fond of  THIS VERSION and just adapt it depending on the flavor of the recipe.  i've used this, as is, for lasagna (except i do prefer fresh basil). 

 we've used it as a spread for grilled sandwiches...get this...your favorite bread and your favorite veggies with this slathered on it and grilled without butter or butter sub.  seriously, try it.  it's heavenly.

was thinking that dollops of it on a margarita pizza would be nice, and for tonight's dinner i'm going to switch up the spices a bit for some bean, rice and sauteed veggie burritos. 

mexican style cashew ricotta ingredients:

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 package of firm tofu, drained and crumbled

1 garlic clove

1/2  jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1 1/2  tsp. salt

how to:

blend it all up in a processor or blender

also, i haven't tried it yet, but you can leave out all the savory spices and sweeten it up for desserts or a cream cheese sub. remember those fruit pizzas you used to have at every potluck? yeah, i'm thinking this would work. 

this is some seriously versatile stuff...and the best part, unlike other vegan cheeses, you can make it on a whim without days of culturing stuff.   i will no doubt be using a lot of it and i'll share the successes with you as i go.

peace, all.

note to self:

these were delicious but a tad dry.  try to sauce it up more next time.  

broccoli slaw with sesame citrus dressing

a very light, refreshing side.  we're already thinking leftovers would be great in a wrap with some marinated/baked tofu cubes. 

salad ingredients:

1 bag of broccoli slaw

2 clementines, peeled and sectioned

3 - 5 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1/4- 1/2 cup sliced almonds

1-2 cups shelled, cooked edamame 

dressing ingredients:

the juice of one orange

the juice of  one lime

a splash of sesame oil

2 tsp soy or tamari sauce

1 tablespoon of rice vinegar

1 tablespoon agave nectar

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon tahini

how to:

combine salad ingredients

whisk or blend together all dressing ingredients

toss salad with dressing and flavors to combine for at least an hour before serving

easy lima beans

lima beans don't need a lot of seasoning.  these are the perfect complement to  sauteed greens and horseradish red skin potatoes or can stand alone as an entree.  simple, delicious and nutritious.

ingredients:

2 bags of dry lima beans; soaked

about 12 cups of water 

4 not chicken bullion cubes

3 dried bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

how to:

soak beans overnight or follow quick soak instructions on back of bean bag

put beans, water, bullion and bay leaves in a large stock pot.

simmer several hours until tender.  add salt and pepper (i like lots of pepper) to taste.

remove bay leaves.

horseradish red skin potatoes

a little kicky twist to traditional mashed potatoes

ingredients:

3 lb bag of baby red skin potatoes; skin on and cubed

3 garlic cloves; minced

2-3 tsps. no chicken base

water to cover potatoes

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish 

1/4 cup cashew cream

1/2 cup plain, unsweetened non dairy milk

salt and pepper to taste

how to:

place potatoes, garlic and no chicken base in a pot and cover with water.  boil until potatoes are tender.

drain; add remaining ingredients and mash with a hand masher.

gone vegan

when i first started my blog back in january, i was just beginning to play around with the idea of a vegan diet.  i was content to go mostly vegetarian and strive for vegan as long as it was convenient.  a little cheese here, an egg there, maybe a bit of fish from time to time wasn't going to make the world stop turning.  i don't really like to be legalistic about anything and this was no exception. you may remember from my intro post that my reasons for leaning towards a plant based diet were strictly health reasons.  as of now, i'm officially coming out as vegan....and here's why.

you can't visit too many vegan sites before you're exposed to another side of veganism.
just as i site Forks Over Knives as the catalyst for my dietary changes, many other vegans site the documentary, Earthlings, as theirs. i avoided watching it for a while because i thought i knew what it was going to show me, and what i thought i knew, i thought i could live with.  i couldn't have been more wrong. as well as highlighting the extreme suffering of animals in the pet, entertainment, fashion and research industries, the film exposes the gross, inhumane mistreatment of animals on factory farms from birth on, and their cruel, often prolonged deaths in slaughterhouses. it also brought to light the pathetic existence of dairy cows and laying hens who are bred to produce the majority of eggs and and dairy products on the market.

 this wasn't my grandma's farm they were talking about, where the chickens ran around all day until grandma caught one and quickly  wrung its neck for dinner...or the farm across the street from hers where  i used to watch the little pigs run and jump and play in the mud when i was a little girl. no doubt they ended up on someone's dinner table, but to me, that just seems like a natural life process, and call me a bad vegan, but i'm okay with that.  i also don't have any moral qualms about hunting or fishing for food, provided the animals lived a normal life and died a quick death...or gathering eggs from hens who get to run around and spread their wings...what i witnessed in this movie was anything but natural, compassionate or humane.  it was vile and literally made me nauseous for days. i honestly can't even smell meat cooking right now without imagining what i saw and having my stomach begin to churn. when god gave man dominion over the animals and sanctioned the eating of meat, i'm pretty sure that this isn't what he had in mind at all. as a matter of fact, i think it probably breaks his heart.

so, maybe there's no way you're going to watch this movie after my description and maybe it wouldn't even take you to the same place it has me, and that's ok.  this is my decision that i have no intention of projecting on anyone else (except the people who have to eat what i prepare).  but let me challenge you here.  if you aren't motivated to cut back on your meat intake for health reasons, maybe at least rethink the source of your meat and dairy and try to purchase from a source where the animals are treated with compassion. this takes research and often costs more (which will likely cause you to eat less of it), but once you know the truth, i think you'll agree it's worth it.

as for me, the compelling health benefits and the beyond inhumane treatment of animals where the bulk of our meat and dairy is from, makes me want to just avoid it altogether.

and now you know the rest of my story....i'm off to whip up something yummy for dinner.

butternut cream pasta

this is a little bit labor intensive, but oh so worth it.  one of the few things i miss on a vegan diet is a good cream sauce....this totally hit the spot and has lots of potential, with just a few adjustments, for queso dip and macaroni and cheese.

ingredients:

1 pound of pasta of choice

for the sauce:

1 cup raw cashews; soaked for a couple of hours*

3 cups vegetable broth

3 cups cubed butternut squash

 4 tablespoons mellow white miso

4 tablespoons nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 lg onion; sliced thinly

6 cloves garlic; minced

1 1/2 cup dry white wine

fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

 add ins:

1 package of italian field roast vegan sausage

 8-12 oz. sliced mushrooms

6-8 asparagus spears, chopped in inch pieces

4 cups fresh spinach

2 diced roma tomatoes

how to:

  wrap squash in foil and roast for about 45 mins or until very tender on 450; set aside*

remove casing on sausage, crumble and brown in a skillet (no oil necessary); set aside

lightly saute asparagus and mushrooms (about 5-7 mins) in water with a dash of salt and pepper; set aside

blend cashews and vegetable broth in high powered blender

add roasted squash, miso, nutritional yeast and lemon juice.  blend away.

meanwhile:  saute onions in water for about 7-8 mins., add garlic and sautee briefly before adding wine and a dash of salt.  simmer for a few minutes on med-high.

  cook pasta according to package directions, drain; set aside

turn heat down to med-low and add butternut cream mixture; heat through for about 5 minutes

add vegan sausage, spinach, asparagus and mushrooms to the sauce, combine until heated through.

serve over pasta and top with  diced roma tomatoes.

*notes:

if you prefer, you can roast the squash in the shell and then just scoop out the filling.  slice it in half, longways and scoop out the seeds.  place flesh side down on a baking sheet and roast for 45 mins on 450.

you can omit the soaking of the cashews if you are using a high powered blender such as a vita mix.

portobellas with grains and greens

this is going to be a meal suggestion with lots of options. in an earlier post, i referred to myself as the vegetarian version of sandra lee, of semi-homemade fame.  sometimes i like to take short cuts...tonight's recipe made use of this wonderful wheat pilaf from a box and i'm not too proud to admit it. 

ingredients:

large portobella mushrooms (as many as you need to feed your peeps)

balsamic dressing or marinade of choice (or any marinade that suits your fancy for that matter)

any grain pilaf of choice....rice, bulgar, quinoa. homemade or boxed.  (read your labels)

1 can drained chickpeas

greens of choice sauteed in vegetable broth or use frozen

1 red onion sliced

a little more veggie broth

bragg's liquid aminos

a little goat or feta cheese if you're not a strict vegan

how to:

marinate mushrooms in dressing for a couple of hours.  boil greens in vegetable broth until nice and tender.  cook your grains according to package directions or your own recipe. add chickpeas to boiling water, along with your grain. saute onions in vegetable broth and bragg's to taste, until caramelized. bake mushrooms in 350 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes, flipping them about halfway through....or better yet, grill them.  it's still too cold for grilling in my neck of the woods.

top your mushroom with cheese (if using), grain pilaf, greens and caramelized onions.  return to oven for a few minutes.

enjoy....i served mine with citrus caramelized butternut squash...

citrus caramelized butternut squash

ingredients:

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

2 cups of orange juice

2 cups of water

1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar

cinnamon and nutmeg to taste

how to:

put all ingredients in a deep skillet. simmer until squash is tender and caramelized and most of the liquid has cooked off. 

my notes:

so, spleen (my husband) liked this, but thought it was too citrusy. so, if you're not a big fan of the citrus, cut back or eliminate the orange juice and use all water. 

carrot ginger juice

this one is so refreshing and nutrient rich....no picture of this one though, because...well...it looks like sewer water. but, if you're a regular juicer, then you don't care about such nonsense.  

press all ingredients through a juicer:

6 carrots

1 head of romaine

1 english cucumber

5 stalks of celery

a handful of parsley

a hefty, 1-1 1/2" of ginger

2 red grapefruit, peeled

8 small apples

strain and serve over ice

this made about 2 quarts

seitan/veggie pot pie

my first attempt at cooking with seitan

ingredients:

1 package cubed seitan, chopped into smaller pieces

1 shallot, chopped

8 cups of water

4 "not chick'n" natural bullion cubes

4 carrots, sliced 

2 stalks celery, sliced

5 small potatoes (i used a combination of white, red and purple), diced (peel if you like)

8 oz. frozen peas

8 oz. frozen corn

small handful of fresh, chopped parsley

1-2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot for thickening

1 cup cold water

salt and black pepper to taste

4 pie crusts of choice...if using pre-made crust, read ingredients closely to make sure there are only a few ingredients and not a lot of added junk. THIS looks like a nice one, if you're inclined to make your own.

how to:

in a stock pot, saute seitan and shallot for a few minutes.  add ingredients through parsley and cook until vegetables begin to get tender.  mix starch and cold water and add to pot, stirring and continuing to simmer until thickened.  season with salt and pepper to taste.  press crusts into two pie plates. i used one deep dish and one regular.  fill each crust with vegetable mixture and top with a second crust.  pinch and flute edges.  bake at 350 until crust is golden brown...approximately 45 minutes.  begin checking at about 30 minutes to see if edges of crust are browning too quickly.  cover with foil if necessary. 

my notes:

if you're running short on time and don't have a pre-made pie crust, just pour the veggie mixture into a casserole dish and top with drop biscuits made from your favorite baking mix.  THIS is mine. 

kale slaw with peanut dressing

kale isn't just for smoothies or sauteing. this salad is raw, vegan, beautiful and divine.

ingredients:

4 cups chopped kale (i used a combination of green and purple)

1 cup cabbage (any variety will do)

4 green onions, whites and greens, chopped

1 carrot, shredded (or a handful of julienne carrots)

lots of fresh chopped cilantro

1 navel orange, peeled, sectioned and chopped into bite sized pieces

a handful of dried cranberries 

a hearty handful of sesame seed and slivered almonds

peanut dressing, store bought or homemade. (as always, read your ingredients if you choose store bought).

how to:

a couple of hours before serving, mix all ingredients except almonds and sesame seeds, including dressing.  immediately before serving add nuts and seed and toss well.

leftover breakfast scramble

there's not much more satisfying to me in the kitchen than whipping up something delicious and healthy with leftovers. 

my leftovers:

caramelized onions

sauteed red and yellow bell peppers

sauteed kale

sauteed mushrooms

black beans

additional ingredients:

crumbled tofu

frozen shredded potatoes

sliced olives

salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste

how to:

saute potatoes and tofu in water (you can use oil if you like) until potatoes are tender

add everything else and saute until heated through and season to taste

this literally took all of 5 minutes...

vegan planet's tofu vindaloo

this is a spicy little number i got from Vegan Planet, my new favorite recipe book.

ingredients:

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

3 tablespoons olive oil

16 oz extra firm tofu, drained and diced

salt and pepper

1 large onion, chopped

1 carrot chopped

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 cup or more of water

how to:

in a blender or processor, combine first 9 ingredients and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. process until smooth and set aside.

heat 1 tablespoon  of olive oil in large skillet over med-high heat.  add tofu and cook until golden brown on all sides. season with salt and pepper.  transfer to a bowl and set aside.

heat remaining tablespoon  of olive oil in skillet, add onion and carrot and saute for about 5 minutes.  add bell pepper and cook additional 5 minutes. add the spice paste, cook and stir for 1 minute. stir in tomatoes, peas and water, bring to a boil.  reduce heat to low and season with salt and pepper to taste. cover and simmer until vegetables are tender.  add tofu and cook for about 10 more minutes.

my recipe notes:

you can substitute chickpeas for the tofu, just omit the second step and add them at the end.   i doubled the recipe and used both.

serve over rice of choice with flat bread....i LOVE jasmine rice.

with so many recipe books out there to choose from, it can be a bit daunting knowing which ones are worth the investment.  i whole heartedly recommend  Vegan Planet as well as Robin Robertson's website.

simple green anytime smoothie

green smoothies are so versatile...they may all look the same, but there's a world of variety as far as flavor is concerned. this is a simple one, with lots of light flavors and chocked full of nutrition....another good one for the kids or skeptics. 

blend all ingredients:

2 frozen bananas

a handful of frozen pineapple

2 peeled oranges

a tsp of vanilla

a handful of raw pumpkin seeds

large handful of spinach leaves

1 cup or more of unsweetened almond milk.

veggies and dumplings over garlic potato/cauliflower mash

total comfort food.....

garlic potato cauliflower mash ingredients:

a head of cauliflower 

any combination of potatoes (roughly equal to the amount of cauliflower)

(you can see in the photo below that i used a handful of white potatoes and i got a little bag of tiny multi colored potatoes that i just threw in whole)  i left the skin on all of them. 

2-4 cloves of garlic

vegetable broth

how to:

boil vegetables in broth until tender.  drain off most of the liquid, reserving some for mashing.  mash by hand or briefly with an electric  hand mixer. add salt and pepper to taste.  add more of the reserved liquid or a little unsweetened almond milk if you need more liquid during mashing. 

dumpling ingredients:

1/4 cup oil (i used olive and grapeseed)

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

how to:

combine all to form a dough. set aside for use in vegetables below.  

vegetables in savory broth ingredients:

 12-16 cups of vegetable broth 

(i used a combination of Better Than Bullion mushroom base and no chicken base....4-5 tablespoons to 12 cups of water)

vegetables of choice

carrots, celery, broccoli, peas, corn, green beans, lima beans, okra, squash, greens...frozen, canned, fresh.  as always, whatever appeals to you or what you have handy....as much as you like, just make sure you have enough broth to accommodate the dumplings)

a couple of dried bay leaves and black pepper to taste

how to:

bring broth to a boil in a large pot.  add vegetables, making sure to give the ones that require longer cooking time a head start. add bay leaves and pepper. once vegetables are nearly cooked and broth is rapidly boiling, begin dropping dumpling dough into pot by small spoonfuls.  place lid on and reduce heat slightly, maintaining a soft boil.  leave lid on and allow steam to do its magic on the dumpling for about 15-20 minute.  it's important to make sure you have plenty of liquid in your pot for this.  if you need to add more, do it before you start putting the dumplings in and make sure it is back up to a rolling boil.

ladle this yummy goodness over a bowl of the cauliflower mash . 

a couple of notes:

i doubled the dumpling recipe for my family of 6 and used most of the dough.  the amount of vegetable broth listed was enough to accomodate that amount of dumplings and still leave plenty of sauce.

rise and shine green juice

i tend to get in a juice rut and always start with carrots....today, i decided to go green.  what a nice refreshing change this was.  my daughter said she could actually smell the vegetables upstairs as i was juicing and came running.  she used to come running for bacon...now it's veggies....progress!

 

 

 

ingredients:

 

1/2 head of green cabbage

 

1 english cucumber

 

4 green pears

 

1 head of romaine

 

1 inch of fresh ginger

 

how to:

 

press all ingredients into your juicer, strain, serve on the rocks :)

 

CHEERS!

 



blueberry cabbage smoothie

another winner with the kids

 

 

blend the following until smooth and desired consistency:

 

2 frozen bananas

 

large handful of frozen blueberries

 

a chunk of green cabbage, coarsely chopped

 

1/3 of an english cucumber

 

2 pitted dates

 

1-2 cups unsweetened almond milk

 

splash of vanilla

meatless tacos/taco salad

YUM! another dinner idea with lots of flexibility to suit your taste.

ingredients:

taco shells, taco salad bowls or tortillas of choice

cooked beans of choice. lentils would work nicely.  i used my TruRoots Sprouted Bean Trio from Costco again. 

taco seasoning.  this can be homemade (such as this or this) or a healthy, low sodium packet.  i took the easy way out this time and used Nueva Cocina Taco Fresco Mix, found at Whole Foods Market.

tomato sauce

water

cooked brown rice

how to:

  cook your beans in water until they are soft.

drain well,  put in sauce pan with tomato sauce, water and taco seasoning.  heat till bubbly and most of the liquid has cooked off.

serve with rice in taco shells, taco salad bowls or tortillas with your favorite toppings.

topping suggestions:

lettuce, tomatoes, onions, corn, any variety of peppers, olives, avocado, guacamole, mango, salsa, cilantro, shredded cheese and sour cream (if you're not shooting for vegan)


these were totally sam and bethany  (my very picky 13 and 16 year old) approved tacos. sam actually thought there was meat in his taco.  SCORE!

kid approved green smoothie

help your kids start the day off right....

blend all ingredients in a blender:

1 -2 frozen bananas

large handful of frozen strawberries

large handful of frozen peaches

2 large handfuls of spinach

a splash of vanilla

a couple tablespoons of flax meal

1 can lite coconut milk

a splash of orange juice

veggie stir fry with brown sauce

this is going to be one of THOSE recipes...you know the ones.  no real measurements and lots of options. it's stir fry....no need to be precise.  the vegetables listed are what we used this time and just a guide.  use what you have on hand.  the key is the sauce.  

Forks Over Knives chinese brown sauce ingredients:

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup vegetable stock

1/4 cup brown rice syrup

2 tsp grated ginger

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 tsp arrowroot powder (you could probably use cornstarch)

combine all in a med. saucepan over med. heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. 

set aside....

stir fry ingredients:

(remember, these are merely suggestions)

tofu, cubed

citrus ginger spice rub (found this in the seafood dept. at Whole Foods Market)

coconut oil

sesame oil

shredded napa cabbage

shredded red cabbage

shredded carrots

snow peas

sliced mushrooms

sliced water chestnuts

bean sprouts

yellow pepper

onion

how to:

dredge tofu cubes in spice rub.  melt coconut oil in skillet and brown tofu.  set aside. (you could also marinate the tofu for a few minutes in a a little soy sauce or forgo it altogether)

add sesame oil to large skillet or wok.  add vegetables and stir fry on med-high until they are just beginning to soften, but are still bright and a little crisp.  add tofu and combine with vegetables.  add sauce a little at a time and combine with vegetables.  the sauce should enhance the taste of the vegetables, not overwhelm them.

serve over rice or noodles of choice.

the sky's the limit veggie burger

what i'm about to share with you is one of the greatest things i've stumbled across in my search for easy vegan recipes, which is not really a recipe at all, but more of a guide with endless possibilities. and you all know that's how i roll.

check it out for yourself....

The Simple Guide to Plant Strong Burgers 
by the Engine 2 Team

 in a nutshell, you pick your bean, pick your starch, pick your vegetable(s),  pick your spices, pick your liquid, add a flax meal and water mixture as a binder and you're ready to make patties.

for our first attempt, we chose:

 TruRoots Sprouted Bean Trio as our bean (cooked with a bayleaf and mushroom base)

brown rice (since i had some leftover) as our starch

a combination of onion, celery, garlic and carrots as our vegetables

crushed red pepper,  braggs liquid aminos, nutritional yeast, black pepper and a little basil as our seasoning

liquid from cooking the beans

topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, sprouts and sprinkle of feta cheese

the recommended cooking method is baking.  i was tempted to put them in a skillet with some coconut oil to get a nice crispy outside, but since i'm trying to cut back on oil, i tried it their way. they turned out great, but one of these days, i think i'll try it my way.

let me know what combinations you try.

slow cooker african vegetable stew

i was overjoyed at the success of this recipe.  you see, african chicken has long been one of my family's favorite meals.  i realized that the key to this recipe isn't really the chicken at all....it's the sauce and the red palm oil, which is what makes it uniquely african.  so, my daughter and i pow-wowed about what vegetables would work best in this sauce and this is what we came up with. 

ingredients:

12 cups of water

4 tablespoons "no chicken" base or comparable amount of "not chick'n cubes"  

1 cup of natural peanut butter

1 can of tomato paste

1 medium onion

3 tablespoons of red palm oil

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

1/2 or more of a family sized bag of frozen baby carrots

1/2 or more of a family sized bag of frozen broccoli

1 can of chickpeas, drained

8 oz. extra firm tofu, diced

1 tablespoon coconut oil

cayenne pepper to taste

how to:

in slow cooker, on high:  add water, "no chicken" base, peanut butter and tomato paste.  heat until all ingredients are blended, whisking occasionally. 

in a small skillet:  saute onion in red palm oil until translucent.  add onions and oil to slow cooker.  

add diced sweet potato, baby carrots and chickpeas to the slow cooker.

in a small skillet:  brown cubed tofu in coconut oil, add to slow cooker.

reduce slow cooker to low

no more than an hour before serving, add broccoli.  

season with cayenne.  a little goes a long way, so just put a little in the pot and allow others to add more to their liking. 

  

serve over brown rice with whole grain pita bread and hummus.  

a couple of notes:

if you can't find the substitute chicken bases and do not care if this is a strictly vegetarian/vegan meal, then use chicken broth.  i don't recommend vegetable broth in this. 

i have made this without the red palm oil before and it's fine, but this is truly the most important ingredient that gives it that unique african flavor.  hunt this down or order some if you can. 

this has the potential to be very versatile depending on your vegetable choices.  get creative and let me know if you come up with a good combination.  cauliflower and squash would also be good in this and i was thinking that black beans and sweet potatoes would be a nice combination.  just pay attention to the cooking times of your vegetables and add them to your pot accordingly.  

portabella mushrooms....three recipes in one

sauteed portabella mushrooms

ingredients:

4 large portabella mushrooms

vegetable broth

Bragg's Liquid Aminos

how to:

my preferred method would be to marinate the mushrooms and then grill them, however, this florida girl is freezing her bootie off in utah right now and i'd rather be warm and cozy...inside.

slice mushrooms about 1/4" thick

pour broth into large skillet to cover bottom and add liquid aminos to taste.  

place sliced mushrooms in a single layer in skillet and sear on med-high heat until golden brown on both sides, adding more broth as it cooks off.   

now...what to do with these delicious morsels....

easy pasta sauce

ingredients:

vegetable broth for sauteeing

1/2 of a medium zucchini, diced

a handful of white or mini portabella mushrooms, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

lots of fresh basil

crushed red pepper to taste

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 jar of prepared pasta sauce (read ingredients closely, some have a ridiculous amount of added sugar and salt)  

4-6 slices of the portabella mushrooms 

how to:

saute zucchini, white mushrooms, garlic basil and red pepper in broth for a few minutes

add tomatoes and sauce, heat through

scoop out a cup or so of the sauce and put in blender with the portabellas.  blend away and add back to the sauce in the pan.  

combine, heat for a while on low to allow the flavors to blend.

serve over your favorite pasta

the blended portabellas really make this sauce happy.

portabella salad

ingredients:

greens of choice

sliced red onion

chickpeas

sauteed portabellas

feta or goat cheese

balsamic dressing of choice

how to:

you know what to do. :)

i have to confess that i didn't have a red onion....which i really wanted on this salad, so i threw on a handful of dried onions.  not my first choice, but it worked.  go with the red if you have one.