Category Archives: Vegan Recipes

Vegan

What’s for Lunch? Sesame Tofu and Broccoli (GF) (V)

Posted in Fast and Simple, Gluten Free, Vegan Recipes, vegetarian, Vegetarian Dinner Recipes by

sesame tofuSesame Tofu and Broccoli (GF) (V)

It’s true… Chinese food is the ultimate leftover lunch!

The ingredients:

  • 14 ounces extra firm tofu
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch, for dusting
  • canola oil (for frying)
  • 1/2 cup sesame seed, lightly toasted
  • 1 bunch scallion, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Sauce

  • 1/3 cup agave
  • 3 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons finely minced gingerroot
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 2 finely minced garlic cloves
  • 1 -2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes

The method:

  1. Wrap tofu with paper towels and place on a cutting board.
  2. Put a heavy plate on top to press out liquid for approximately 20 minutes.
  3. Stir sauce ingredients together in a saucepan.
  4. Simmer sauce while you cook the tofu.
  5. Dry drained tofu with paper towels and cube. Dust very lightly with cornstarch.
  6. Heat 1″ oil in deep frying pan.
  7. Fry tofu in 350 degree F oil until golden brown.
  8. Place fried tofu in a large bowl and toss with 2/3 cup sauce, sprinkle liberally with sesame seeds and scallions.
  9. Toss gently.
  10. Serve over rice with remaining sauce for dipping or drizzled over vegetables.

Orange Tofu and Broccoli (V) (GF)

Posted in Clean Eating, Fast and Simple, Food for the Soul, Gluten Free, Health, Meat-Eater Approved, Meat-eaters and Vegetarians Unite! recipes, Vegan Recipes, vegetarian, Vegetarian Dinner Recipes by

orange chickenOrange Tofu and Broccoli (V) (GF)

The ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon warm water
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
  • 1/4 cup gluten-free soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons agave nectar
  • 1 teaspoon hot chili sauce or sriracha
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 pound firm tofu, weighted, drained, and cubed
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound broccoli florets
  • Bean sprouts to garnish

The method:

  1. In a bowl, whisk cornstarch and warm water. Add orange juice and zest, soy sauce, rice vinegar and hot chili sauce. Reserve.
  2. Steam broccoli for 2-3 minutes until broccoli turns bright green but is still very firm.
  3. Heat oil in a very large nonstick pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add tofu to pan and cook, browning on all sides, about 6-8 minutes total. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add broccoli and orange sauce and stir to combine. Cook until sauce begins to bubble and reduces slightly, an additional 2-3 minutes. Plate the entree, top with bean sprouts and serve with rice.

Brussels Sprouts and Radicchio Salad (V) (GF)

Posted in Clean Eating, Fast and Simple, Gluten Free, Health, Health & Lifestyle, Side Dishes, Vegan Recipes, vegetarian, Vegetarian Dinner Recipes by

kale and radicchio saladTo be honest, this recipe was supposed to be a slaw – but my clumsy self broke the shredder attachment on my food processor (BIG surprise – not). So, in a panic and in desperate need to use up my 2 lb bag of brussels sprouts and the head of radicchio sitting in my crisper, I decided to turn this slaw into a salad.

This slaw or salad is a great addition to any bbq or pasta dish. Here is my recipe:

The ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 tsp. plus 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 2 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed and fibrous stems removed
  • 1 small head radicchio, quartered and cored
  • 2 Tbs. cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbs. whole-grain mustard
  • 3 Tbs. maple syrup
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

The method:

  1. Shred the brussels sprouts and radicchio. Transfer to a large bowl and stir to combine.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and maple syrup. Slowly whisk in the 1/4 cup olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
  3. Add half of the dressing to the brussels sprout-radicchio mixture and toss well to combine, adding more dressing as needed. Let stand for 15 minutes to slightly wilt the brussels sprouts. Top with the pecans and serve immediately.

Dan Dan Noodles …errrr Rice (GF) (V)

Posted in Clean Eating, Fast and Simple, Food for the Soul, Gluten Free, Health, Health & Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Meat-Eater Approved, Meat-eaters and Vegetarians Unite! recipes, Vegan Recipes, vegetarian, Vegetarian Dinner Recipes by

Dan Dan RiceI didn’t feel like noodles last night, so this recipe is my take on Dan Dan Noodles – but with rice instead.

Dan Dan Rice

The ingredients:

Sauce Ingredients

Main Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 ounce minced green onion
  • 1/2 block drained, plain tofu (for veggies) or 4 ounces cooked ground chicken (for meat-eaters)
  • 14 ounces cooked egg noodles
  • cornstarch

Garnish

  • bean sprouts
  • julienne cucumber

The method:

  1. Combine all sauce ingredients and set aside.
  2. Cook rice according to package or internet directions. I like to cheat and use the frozen rice is venting bags from Trader Joe’s and Sprouts. All you need is 3 minutes in the microwave to perfectly cooked rice.
  3. Heat 2 woks. Add one teaspoons of oil to each. Sear chili paste, garlic, and minced green onion for 5 seconds to release flavors.
  4. Add tofu to one pan and cooked ground chicken to other and sear, stirring and tossing for 5 to 10 seconds.
  5. Add sauce mixture and simmer for 20 seconds.
  6. Thicken proteins  and sauce with a mixture of corn starch and water (equal parts). Consistency should be a very thick sauce to stand on top of the noodles. Pour over center of rice.
  7. Garnish with bean sprouts and julienne cucumbers.

Simple Tempeh Tacos (GF) (V)

Posted in Gluten Free, Health, Health & Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Meat-Eater Approved, Meat-eaters and Vegetarians Unite! recipes, Vegan Recipes, vegetarian, Vegetarian Dinner Recipes by

tempeh tacos I love Mexican food – and I LOVE simple recipes. This dish took all of 15 minutes to make – mine was made with tempeh and Nick’s was made with chicken.

 

Enjoy!

Tempeh Tacos

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 package tempeh, sliced into 1/2 inch cubes or 2 chicken breast, diced for meat-eaters
  • 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • other taco fillings such as lettuce, tomatoes, lime juice
  • corn tortillas or taco shells

The method:

Sautee the onion in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is soft.

Add tempeh/chicken, gf soy sauce and cumin. Allow to cook for about five more minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.

Fill your taco shells or tortillas with the protein mixture mixture and top with lime juice, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa or if desired.

Tempeh with Broccoli

Posted in Fast and Simple, Food for the Soul, Gluten Free, Health, Health & Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Meat-Eater Approved, Meat-eaters and Vegetarians Unite! recipes, Vegan Recipes, vegetarian, Vegetarian Dinner Recipes by

beef with broccoliConfession: I’m kinda obsessed with Pioneer Woman.

I realize she doesn’t necessarily cook the healthiest of meals (she uses butter almost as much as Paula Deen), but damn, those dishes look goooooood. While I was exploring the recipes on her blog, I came across a pretty simple and yummy-looking Beef and Broccoli recipe.

Considering the fact that Nick and I order Chinese take-out all the time, I figured this would be an excellent meal to try – and if it turned out awful, we could always order in. J

I used marinated skirt steak for Nick’s and marinated tempeh for my dish – luckily, both of our versions turned out phenomenally. I thought I had way more broccoli on hand than I actually did, so I compensated by adding some mushrooms and asparagus. Now, the original recipe calls for Oyster Sauce – but I can’t eat that so I made my own version that is vegetarian and shellfish-free.

Tempeh with Broccoli/Beef with Broccoli

  • 1/2 lb skirt steak, thinly sliced into 1/8-in (3-mm)-thick strips
  • 1 lb broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
  • handful of sliced mushrooms
  • 6 asparagus spear sliced into 3-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic

Marinade:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons gluten-free soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon cooking oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper to season the beef

Stir-fry Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons “oyster sauce” (recipe follows)
  • 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
  • 2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)

“Oyster Sauce”

  • 3 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch (just mix)
  1.  In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the Beef Marinade. Add the beef and let marinade for 10 minutes at room temperature.
  2.  In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for “oyster sauce” in one bowl and the stir-fry sauce in another bowl.
  3.  In a wok or large sauté pan, add 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water and bring to a boil. Add the asparagus for 3 minutes. Then add broccoli and cover to steam for 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green, crisp tender and you should be able to pierce the stem with a fork. Drain.
  4. Discard the water in the pan and dry the pan well. Set the pan over high heat and when hot, add the high-heat cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and fry for 15 to 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and tempeh/steak strips, keeping them in one layer and fry 30 seconds. Flip the strips and fry the other side.
  5. Pour in the Stir-fry Sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 seconds. Add the cooked broccoli back into the pan and toss to coat well.
  6. Serve over a bed of brown rice.

Make your own Chipotle Burrito Bowls at home! (GF)

Posted in Fast and Simple, Food for the Soul, Gluten Free, Grilling, Health, Health & Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Meat-Eater Approved, Meat-eaters and Vegetarians Unite! recipes, Vegan Recipes, vegetarian, Vegetarian Dinner Recipes by

Ever since I found out I had a gluten intolerance, I’ve made it a priority to radically change my eating habits. Since I’m already a vegetarian friends, co-workers and my family have been asking what things I can still actually eat. Luckily for me, both of my dietary restrictions are widely catered to in the US. For instance, most pizza places have a gluten-free crust option available for a slight upcharge – I can hardly even taste the difference. Even Nick couldn’t tell that the crust was made sans gluten.

Chipotle Burrito BowlAnother one of my favorite places is Chipotle. It’s vegetarian friendly and always has gluten-free options available. They have corn tortillas that can accompany any taco or burrito bowl dish, not to mention that their salad is a very simple way to eat gluten-free.

The only bone I have to pick with Chipotle is the price. I’m not saying that this place is wildly expensive, but you can save a ton of money by making these items at home. If I ever picked up dinner for Nick (he likes every meat option available there) and myself, the bill would never come to less than $18.

I know, I know. $18 doesn’t seem like a lot of money – especially since there is no cooking involved and no clean up other than throwing the to-go boxes into the trash. However, when I made my own version of their burrito bowls (I made mine with tempeh and Nick’s with chicken), each serving ended up only being $2.50 – and we had enough leftovers to make lunch the next day! This even included buying every single item that is listed in the following recipes.

Chipotle’s Adobo Marinated Chicken/Tempeh:

The ingredients:

  • 1 package tempeh (for vegetarians) and/or 1 1/2 – 2 lbs. boneless chicken breast (for the meat-eaters)
  • 1-2 tsp adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 3 Tbs. lime juice
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp. chili powder

The method:

  1. Place all ingredients in plastic zip top bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour or up to 24 hours.
  2. If you’re making chicken, grill on outdoor grill or cut in bite sized pieces and cook in skillet with 1-2 Tbs. oil.  If you’re making tempeh, just cook it in the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently till done.

Chipotle’s Vegetarian Black Beans:

The ingredients:

  • 2 cans black beans, 1 drained and 1 undrained
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/8 tsp. allspice
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. sugar

The method:

  1. Pour the beans into a small saucepan.
  2. Stir in the other ingredients.
  3. Heat over medium heat until hot. Allow to simmer until the rest of the meal is ready.

Chipotle’s Corn Salsa:

The ingredients:

  • 16 oz frozen corn, thawed and drained
  • 1/4 cup red onion, diced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and diced
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp. salt

The method:

  1. Stir all the ingredients together. Top your burrito bowls with it!

Chipotle’s Guacamole:

The ingredients:

  • 3 Ripe Avocados
  • 1/2 Cup of Chopped Red Onions
  • 1/2 Cup of Chopped Cilantro
  • 1/3 Cup Chopped Jalapeno
  • 1/8 Cup of Lemon and Lime Juice – 80/20 ratio
  • Pinch of Salt

The method:

  1. Place Avocados in a bowl and mash with a fork – You will want to leave it a little chunky.
  2. Add all the other ingredients and mix.
  3. Tope your bowls with this yummy addition!

Chipotle’s Cilantro-Lime Rice:

The ingredients:

  • 8 cups water
  • 2 cups Basmati rice (I used brown rice)
  • 2 Tbs. lime juice
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 tsp. salt

The method:

  1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pan.
  2. Stir in the rice. Cook uncovered at a medium boil for 12 minutes.
  3. Drain the rice in a colander.
  4. Put rice back in cooking pot. Stir in cilantro, lime juice and salt.

To make the burrito bowls, assemble the ingredients to your liking and enjoy! We also added some Pico de Gallo to the dish and sautéed bell peppers. Yum!

Sage Gravy (GF) (V)

Posted in Fast and Simple, Food for the Soul, Gluten Free, Health, Health & Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Meat-Eater Approved, Meat-eaters and Vegetarians Unite! recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan Recipes, vegetarian, Vegetarian Dinner Recipes by

sage gravyI love mashed potatoes. In fact, I could eat mashed potatoes with every meal for the rest of my life and be totally happy.  As a kid I would make mashed potatoes volcanoes with my mom’s delicious gravy as the piping hot lava that would explode from my garlicky mashed potato mound. Yes, I still do that today at the age of 25. ;)

Gravy is a perfect example of the luxuries you don’t think about when deciding to become of a vegetarian. I’m not saying that I haven’t had gravy for the last 5 years, but I just recently stumbled upon a recipe that even a meat-eater would like.  What is usually a concoction of drippings and brown bits from the bottom of your roasting pan, fat, flour and water has now been transformed into a vegetarian-friendly emulsion of herbs, spices and veggie broth.

This recipe is great for all those vegetarians, vegans, gluten- and lactose-intolerant foodies out there. Just because people think we only eat rabbit food doesn’t mean we can’t indulge in a little decadence every now and then!

This recipe would be PERFECT for any holiday dinner (especially Thanksgiving) or just to make some of our guilty pleasures like Biscuits & Gravy or just a big ole bowl of taters.  And it’s a very simple and quick recipe for any vegetarian to make in case you need to bring your own gravy to a family gathering.

Sage Gravy

The ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup nondairy milk (I used soy)
  • 1 tbsp rubbed sage
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (check nutritional facts to make sure it’s gluten-free. I used one by Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 2 tbsp flour (I used a gluten-free kind by Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder (granulated)
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder (granulated)
  • 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
  • dash paprika
  • 1 lemon wedge (juice of)
  • pinch salt
  • black or white pepper

The method:

Whisk all ingredients together in a medium pot. Squeeze the juice out of your lemon wedge completely, and discard the rind. Bring gravy to near boil over high heat but just before it boils, immediately turn off the heat and remove the pot to a non-hot burner, stirring it. Taste, adding black or white pepper and salt as desired.

My Favorite Pre-Workout and Post-Workout Smoothies

Posted in Fast and Simple, Health, Health & Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Vegan Recipes by

smoothiePre-Workout Smoothies:

Smoothie #1

  • 1 cup fat free plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1 handful of blueberries
  • 1 banana
  • 3 tsp chia seeds
  • 5 strawberries
  • Orange Juice

Directions:
Mix all together in a blender and serve!

Smoothie #2

  • 6 oz. Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • ½ cup non-fat milk, almond milk, soy milk
  • ½ cup ice cubes

Directions:
Mix all together in a blender and serve!

Smoothie #3

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 banana
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 scoop why protein powder
  • 1 tsp chia seeds

Directions:
Mix all together in a blender and serve!

Post-Workout Smoothies:

Smoothie #1

  • 1/2 Banana
  • 1 tablespoon Raw organic peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup frozen berries
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 kale leaves
  • 1 scoop protein powder

Directions:
Mix all together in a blender and serve!

Smoothie #2

  • ¼  cup Frozen Strawberries
  • ¼ cup Frozen Blueberries
  • ¼ cup Frozen Cherries
  • ¼ cup Frozen raspberries
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon chia seed
  • 1 tablespoon agave nectar

Directions:
Mix all together in a blender and serve!

Smoothie #3

  • 1 banana
  • 1/2 cup berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, etc)
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1 1/2 cups almond milk

Directions:
Mix all together in a blender and serve!

Spaghetti & Beanballs: A Vegetarian Take on an Old Classic

Posted in Meat-eaters and Vegetarians Unite! recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Dinner Recipes by

A love for cooking definitely runs in my family. Growing up, my mom and aunt always prepared the most delicious meals; it served as a true inspiration to my culinary adventures. They had “go-to” recipes but still weren’t afraid to experiment – sometimes for the good and sometimes for the bad. Either way, you still have fun mixing it up in the kitchen, right?

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am the only vegetarian in my family – so reconstructing those family favorites was quite a task. If there was one dish my mom is known for, it would definitely be her meatballs. I can’t remember a family event when she wasn’t asked to bring a batch. Considering that I’m not “afraid” of meat (I just don’t eat it) and that my boyfriend is a die-hard meat fan, I decided to make a batch for him.

I was then inspired to not just create a vegetarian version, but a VEGAN one! I’m not a vegan, but some of my favorite dishes I’ve made happened to be vegan. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give it a shot – besides, the “meatball” is simply an accessory to a spaghetti dish, right?

Well, it turned out that not only were the vegetarian meatballs easy to make, they were DELICIOUS! Even Nick liked them!  I pulled the recipe from my handy dandy Veganomicon – whether you’re a vegan, vegetarian or meat-eater, I highly recommend this book. It is chock full of hearty and satisfying recipes. I actually made two recipes from this book, Spaghetti and Beanballs (p. 189) and Homemade Marinara Sauce (p. 205).

Ingredients:

For Homemade Marinara Sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 t thyme
1/4 t oregano
1/2 t salt
couple grinds of black pepper

 

For Beanballs:

20 oz. can of cooked kidney beans
1/4 c. vital wheat gluten
1/2 c. bread crumbs
2 T. olive oil
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. steak sauce or tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated
1/4 t. lemon zest
1/2 t. oregano
1/4 t. thyme

The Method:

For sauce:

  1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan on medium-low.  Add the garlic and cook about a minute.  Don’t let it burn.
  2. Add the rest, cover, bring to simmer over medium heat, then turn it down to low and simmer 15 minutes.

For Beanballs:

  1. Preheat oven to 375* and spray rimmed baking sheet with oil.
  2. Mash kidney beans using potato masher or food processor. I used my food processor and it worked well. Some beans were left whole and that was OK with me. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix together. Knead with your hands for about a minute once combined.
  3. Roll into balls – I got about 20 out of this using 3 cups of beans – and place on baking sheet. Spray beanballs with a little more oil. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake again for 10 minutes.
  4. The book says to cover them in the sauce and baked them again for 5 minutes. I decided to just let them simmer in the sauce for a couple of hours since that’s what my mom’s recipe called for. It turned out fantastic – less clean-up and a more flavorful ball!
  5. Now the only cooking left to do is cook that pasta according the directions on the package.
  6. I topped my plate off with some vegan Parmesan by Rice Dream – it actually tastes a lot like Kraft grated parmesan.
  7. Now, pour a glass of wine. Sip. Eat. Enjoy.