epicureanvegan, Author at Epicurean Vegan

One Lovely Blog Award

June 26, 2012 by epicureanvegan

I am so honored. Reia of The Cruelty-Free Review and fellow Coloradoan, nominated me for the Lovely Blog Award! It was such a lovely surprise. Since I started Epicurean Vegan 2-1/2 years ago, I have come to know so many wonderful people and their blogs. This is a great opportunity for me to pass on the award and nominate some of my favorite bloggers. Thank you, Reia for the nomination!

So, here’s how this thing works . . .

Link back to the blogger who nominated you
Paste the award image somewhere on your blog
Tell readers 7 things about you
Nominate 15 other bloggers for this award
Contact your nominees and let them know about the award

Well . . . here goes:

1.) I love anything to do with the creative arts: writing, drawing, painting, DIY projects, sewing, you name it. I even owned my own handmade greeting card business for 10 years and sold cards to stores throughout the state. I hope to break into the children’s book market someday soon. My historical nonfiction will be out next spring and I’m toying with the idea of making a novel I wrote, an e-book.

2.) I’ll admit it. I’m a bleeding heart liberal, (which I wear on my sleeve—the heart, not the liberal).

3.) I have lots of fears: flying, water/boating, sometimes biking…and I’m a total worrier (but getting better, including about to board a four-seater plane this Thursday for Jackson Hole—what was I thinking?!)

4.) I love all kinds of music, but my favorite is Pete Yorn. You must check him out if you haven’t already. But my first music crush was Corey Hart, as in “Sunglasses at Night.” Memorized every word to every one of his songs when I young.

5.) I’m an avid reader. One of my favorite books is The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kay.

6.) I would love to open a vegan delicatessen someday (after I win the lottery).

7.) I have a tattoo of a guitar on my right arm, in honor of my father who passed away 5-1/2 years ago.

My nominees are . . . (in no particular order)

1.) Crash Test Vegetarian Such a fun blog! Izzy combines humor and honesty in her posts and cooks up some pretty awesome recipes. Her potato soup is outstanding!

2.) That Was Vegan? Barb is another fellow Coloradoan, but that’s not the only reason I like her! Her recipes are always fun, colorful, and tasty. I love that she’s not afraid to throw in a few vegan “junk foods” every once in while. I’m really anxious to try her Strawberry Jalapeno Salsa!

3.) Anecdotes and Applecores I absolutely adore Monet! And who wouldn’t?! She is so kind and always leaves the sweetest comments on my blog. She’s such a delightful blogger and fellow writer. She’s also a baker extraordinaire. You must see her beautiful creations—she a whiz with flour and frosting! Not all of her recipes are vegan, but are mostly vegetarian, many of which I have bookmarked.

4.) Hooked and Happy Another Coloradoan and dear friend. Carolyn and I met in a novel-writing class back in 2003. If you’re ever looking for a clever tip or trick, Carolyn is the one to ask! As a mother of two young daughters (and totally type A—love ya, Carolyn)! she is full of fantastic ideas to keep kids busy, keep yourself organized, and maintaining your sanity. She crochets some pretty awesome baby/toddler hats, too and plans on opening an etsy shop soon. Can’t wait!

5.) New Age Vegan This blog is packed full of awesome vegan-ness! Aiming to spread vegan awareness, the thoughtful and insightful contributors on NAV hold discussions, interviews, and support the efforts of vegans everywhere. This blog is a great resource for even the veteran vegan!

6.) Please Pass the Tofu Teresa offers unique vegan recipes one pink plate at a time! Teresa always has a kind word to say when commenting about others’ posts, too. Her tater tot casserole is brilliant!

7.) The Gay Vegans I had the pleasure of meeting Mike and Dan at the Sustainability Fair last year (yes, more fellow Coloradans!) They are the nicest, kindest, folks who care so much about their community and making it a better place. They’re never afraid to step up to the plate and rally on behalf of animals and fellow human beings, and fight against injustices. They are such a delightful pair! (And Mike’s Famous Cinnamon Rolls are to die for)!

8.) Suburban Snow White Such a fun blog! SSW is always insightful and creative in her posts, from vegan food to vegan news to vegan awareness. She poses great questions and gets you to think about issues and new perspectives—all with humor and wit.

9.) The Veracious Vegan I had the great opportunity to meet Angela when she visited Boulder last year from Washington D.C. A total adrenalin junkie (car racing, cliff jumping, skydiving), Angela kicked my butt on a hike around the Flatirons before we grabbed lunch and some quick shopping on Pearl Street. She offers restaurant reviews from all over the country (I could see her flying her own plane), vegan product reviews, and recipes.

10.) Vegan Thyme Kelly of VT will entertain you with her fun anecdotes and musings while offering an amazing vegan recipe! And her pictures are always gorgeous—they make me want to visit her for tea and scones. I’ll just listen while she chats and knits something beautiful.

11.) Mile High Healthy Yep, you guessed it. . . another Coloradoan! If you need some inspiration to get healthy, you’ve got to meet Shelley. She’s the epitome of a healthy vegan—and lucky for us, she shares her secrets! From her workouts to what she eats to her amazing hiking adventures, she’ll get you off the couch and signed up for exercise boot camp!

12.) Luminous Vegans LV offers great vegan resources as well as delicious recipes and everything veg. Always with wit and humor, LV’s posts are fun to read—not to mention look at because the pictures are great!

13.) The Vegan Road Patrick and Kristine offer great recipes with beautiful pictures, as well as useful vegan news and advice. It’s also just a nice-looking, easy to navigate website that makes you want to stay a while.

14.) Carrie on Vegan If you like kale, nuts, and smoothies, you’ll love COV! Her recipes always look so good and are most definitely healthy. Carrie also takes readers with her when she travels, giving practical advice and amazing recipes for car food!

15.) Olives for Dinner OFD is such a well-put together blog with beautiful photography and amazing dishes. (The ricotta-stuffed french toast with butterscotch sauce is simply brilliant). Her unique (but very doable) dishes look like something out of a gourmet magazine!

So there you have it! I hope you have a chance to visit these fantastic bloggers and say hello. Thank you again to The Cruelty-Free Review for the lovely nomination!

Artichoke and Lemon Linguine

June 23, 2012 by epicureanvegan

While at the farmer’s market last weekend, I picked up some Artichoke Lemon pasta. You can order it at Pappardelle’s Pasta.

I threw together a dish with a light, creamy roux and some vegetables and it came out delicious—and fast too. Dinner was ready in less than 30 minutes. Keep in mind, you’ll have three different pots/pans going at the same time, but don’t be alarmed, it’s easy to make, especially if you have all of your ingredients chopped, sliced, and ready to go before hand.

INGREDIENTS:
8-oz Artichoke Lemon linguine
1-2 C fresh basil, chopped
4-5 large mushrooms, sliced
14-oz can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbs olive oil
2 Tbs vegan margarine
2 Tbs flour
1/2 C almond milk
Dash of salt, pepper, and nutmeg
1 Tbs lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
In a small skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the artichokes and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 5-7 minutes. I have found that this pasta tends to cook faster than commercial brands, so keep an eye on it. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook another 5 minutes.

While this is happening, get your roux going. Melt the vegan margarine in a small saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. Slowly pour in the almond milk and whisk it until smooth. It will thicken up pretty quickly.

Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and blend well. For the veggie mixture, once the mushrooms are tender, reduce the heat to low and stir in the basil.

Combine the sauce and the veggies with the pasta and blend everything together.

Enjoy!

Artichoke and Lemon Linguine

I threw together a dish with a light, creamy roux and some vegetables and it came out delicious---and fast too. Dinner was ready in less than 30 minutes. Keep in mind, you'll have three different pots/pans going at the same time, but don't be alarmed, it's easy to make, especially if you have all of your ingredients chopped, sliced, and ready to go before hand.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

8-oz Artichoke Lemon linguine
1-2 C fresh basil, chopped
4-5 large mushrooms, sliced
14-oz can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbs olive oil
2 Tbs vegan margarine
2 Tbs flour
½ C almond milk
Dash of salt, pepper, and nutmeg
1 Tbs lemon juice

Directions

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the artichokes and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 5-7 minutes. I have found that this pasta tends to cook faster than commercial brands, so keep an eye on it. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook another 5 minutes.
While this is happening, get your roux going. Melt the vegan margarine in a small saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. Slowly pour in the almond milk and whisk it until smooth. It will thicken up pretty quickly.
Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and blend well. For the veggie mixture, once the mushrooms are tender, reduce the heat to low and stir in the basil.
Combine the sauce and the veggies with the pasta and blend everything together. Enjoy!

Vegan New England Chik’n Corn Chowder

June 22, 2012 by epicureanvegan

This may not be something you’d consider making in the summer, but on a rainy evening (which we could desperately use) this chowder would hit the spot. Even without the rainy weather, this soup is absolutely delicious! The Seventh Grader picked it out, so we worked side-by-side in the kitchen on this one. It comes together rather quickly—certainly under 25 minutes. The original recipe is from LightLife. We made some changes though and actually had to guess on some directions because they weren’t real clear on how some of the ingredients needed to be prepared. I also used Morning Star Chik’n Strips. The recipe makes only 3 servings, which is great for us, but you may want to double the recipe to feed more. (Note: You probably wouldn’t need to double the Chik’n Strips, because I think there’d be plenty for a double batch).

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg Morning Start Meal Starter Chik’n Strips
4 slices LightLife Smart Bacon
3 Tbs vegan margarine
1/2 C onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 to 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 Tbs flour
3 C almond milk
1-1/2 C corn kernels
1 tsp fresh thyme
Salt, pepper, and cayenne, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
If the Chik’n Strips are frozen, defrost a little, then chop up into bite-sized pieces.

In a soup pot, heat the vegan margarine until melted. Over medium/high heat, add the onion, celery, and pepper. (Remember, wear your rubbers when handling hot peppers 😉 )

Cook for about five minutes, stirring often, until the veggies are tender. While this is going on, you may want to get the bacon frying. Cook according to package instructions. Add the flour to the pot and cook about a minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add the almond milk and incorporate it well. Add the corn, Chik’n, thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until it thickens up, about 5 minutes.

Serve with some crumbled veg bacon on top. Enjoy!

Vegan New England Chik'n Corn Chowder

The original recipe is from LightLife. We made some changes though and actually had to guess on some directions because they weren't real clear on how some of the ingredients needed to be prepared. I also used Morning Star Chik'n Strips. The recipe makes only 3 servings, which is great for us, but you may want to double the recipe to feed more. (Note: You probably wouldn't need to double the Chik'n Strips, because I think there'd be plenty for a double batch).

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 pkg Morning Start Meal Starter Chik'n Strips
4 slices LightLife Smart Bacon
3 Tbs vegan margarine
½ C onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
½ to 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 Tbs flour
3 C almond milk
1-1/2 C corn kernels
1 tsp fresh thyme
Salt, pepper, and cayenne, to taste

Directions

If the Chik'n Strips are frozen, defrost a little, then chop up into bite-sized pieces.
In a soup pot, heat the vegan margarine until melted. Over medium/high heat, add the onion, celery, and pepper. (Remember, wear your rubbers when handling hot peppers 😉 )
Cook for about five minutes, stirring often, until the veggies are tender. While this is going on, you may want to get the bacon frying. Cook according to package instructions. Add the flour to the pot and cook about a minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add the almond milk and incorporate it well. Add the corn, Chik'n, thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until it thickens up, about 5 minutes.
Serve with some crumbled veg bacon on top. Enjoy!

Vegan Pigs in a Blanket

June 20, 2012 by epicureanvegan

I can’t say I recall having pigs in a blanket much when I was a kid, although I’m sure many of you grew up on snacking on these. Even vegan, they’re probably not the healthiest, but that’s ok–there’s nothing wrong with some Pillbury Crescent Rolls once in a great while. The Seventh-Grader really wanted to try these, so after a tiny bit of prep, we had a quick snack. I added a little Daiya cheese to one, just to see how it tasted and it was pretty darn good!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg Pillbury Crescent Rolls (8)
4 Smart Dogs (or other veggie dog of your choice), cut in half
Daiya cheese, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Unroll the dough and separate each piece. Roll up one of the dogs, starting at the wide end.

Mine with cheese…

Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

These are great served with ketchup, horseradish, mustard…you name it. Enjoy!

Field Roast-Mole Vegan Tamales

June 18, 2012 by epicureanvegan

I’m so excited to bring you this recipe. I’ve always wanted to try making tamales and The Husband loves them, so Father’s Day was the perfect time to give them a shot. This is certainly made easier with help, so enlist someone to give you a hand. Also, the masa, filling, and mole sauce can all be made in advance. The masa and mole recipes are from Roberto Martin’s cookbook, Vegan Cooking for Carbivores, although I deviated off the mole recipe a little. This is a fantastic cookbook–I’ve made so many dishes from it and can’t wait to make more. But I did find his instructions for filling and wrapping the tamales a bit confusing—it would have been nice if he had step-by-step pictures. So I ended up watching a quick how-to video on YouTube, but I’ve got you covered—below are step-by-step pictures on how to make these delicious tamales.

Some important things to keep in mind:

The husks have to soak in hot water for about an hour
The steaming process is an hour and fifteen minutes
Make sure you have a tall steamer, as the tamales have to be steamed vertically (although we experimented with three leftover tamales in my steamer pot that we placed them laying down and they came out fine–but they also weren’t stacked). I borrowed my friend’s electric steamer which was ideal!
The mole sauce isn’t super chocolate-y, so if you prefer it with more of a chocolate flavor, I recommend using four ounces instead of two.

INGREDIENTS:

Filling:
4 Field Roast sausages, chipotle-flavored
1 C corn kernels
1 tsp olive oil
Masa:
4 C masa harina
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
4 C warm water
16 Tbs (2 sticks) vegan margarine, melted
1/2 C olive oil
Mole sauce:
4 C broth made from Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base (or any veg broth)
3 large jarred roasted red peppers (this is my variation)
1 tsp olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/8 C chile carible (also my addition)
1 tsp oregano
2 Tbs cumin
2-oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
1/2 C slivered almonds
2 tsp salt

The rest:
1 bag corn husks
Guacamole

DIRECTIONS:
Okay, I know this may seem like a big task to some, but these really aren’t that difficult to make. Remember, soak the husks in hot water an hour before assembly. I had The Husband working on the masa while I prepared the mole sauce. To make the masa, it helps to use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Combine the ingredients in the order they are listed. Start out on a low speed, then increase until completely combined. Place the speed on medium for a few minutes in order to fluff it up. You can cover and refrigerate, just make sure you take it out about 30 minutes prior to assembly. It will resemble cookie dough.

When it came to making the mole sauce, I made some adjustments because I had trouble finding the dried chiles for this. (You’ll have to buy this fantastic cookbook for the original recipe). With that said, I think it came out rather delicious. 🙂 I subbed in a few roasted red peppers and used a chile seasoning.

In a skillet over high heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion and saute until tender and translucent. Add the oregano, garlic, and cumin and cook another 2 minutes. remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate.

Give it a few minutes to completely melt. Stir the chile caribe into the broth and along with the almonds, salt, roasted red peppers, and onion mixture, add it the blender. Puree until the sauce is completely smooth.

Now, to make the filling, I ground the Field Roast sausages in the food processor until they were fine. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the Field Roast and corn kernels and cook until heated through, about 7-9 minutes, stirring often.

Add about half of the mole sauce to the skillet and combine it thoroughly with the sausage/corn mixture. Warm the remaining sauce in a sauce pan to use later.

Transfer the filling to a bowl. You’re now ready to start assembling your tamales. Pat dry the corn husk and spread it out on a cutting board, narrow pointed end on the bottom. If you have any small husks, you can overlap two small ones to make one larger one.

Place about a 1/4 cup of the masa on the center of the husk. Using your fingers, press the masa down into a circular/oval-ish shape about an 1/8″ thick.

Next, spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the filling down the center of the masa. (I’d make it less spread out than what the pic shows—you just don’t want the filling to go too close to the edges of the masa.

Fold the husk like a taco and try to get the edges of the masa to touch and sort of bind the edges together a little.

You can tuck of the husk edges inside if you need to. Basically, you need to just fold over the edges of the husk and encase the filling/masa. Lay it flat.

Pinch the edges of masa to seal each end and then fold the top and bottom of the husk underneath. You can flatten out the tamale a little too.

Set the folded tamales, fold-side down and move on. It works best to place all of the tamales in the steamer once they are all finished. Repeat until you’ve run out masa and filling. I got about 28 tamales out this recipe. Like I said, I used a friend’s steamer, which was ideal for these tamales.

Steam for an hour and fifteen minutes, just make sure that after 30 minutes, you check to make sure there is still plenty of water. Check again after an hour. After the steaming, let the tamales sit another fifteen minutes before serving.

Our friends came over and we had a father’s day fiesta complete with margaritas, corn chips, salsa, Spanish rice and guacamole!

Look at how perfect the tamales came out!

Serve them with a ladle or two of the reserved mole sauce and some guacamole.

Enjoy!

Field Roast-Mole Vegan Tamales

I'm so excited to bring you this recipe. I've always wanted to try making tamales and The Husband loves them, so Father's Day was the perfect time to give them a shot. This is certainly made easier with help, so enlist someone to give you a hand. Also, the masa, filling, and mole sauce can all be made in advance. The masa and mole recipes are from Roberto Martin's cookbook, Vegan Cooking for Carbivores, although I deviated off the mole recipe a little. This is a fantastic cookbook--I've made so many dishes from it and can't wait to make more. But I did find his instructions for filling and wrapping the tamales a bit confusing---it would have been nice if he had step-by-step pictures. So I ended up watching a quick how-to video on YouTube, but I've got you covered---below are step-by-step pictures on how to make these delicious tamales.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Filling:
4 Field Roast sausages, chipotle-flavored
1 C corn kernels
1 tsp olive oil
Masa:
4 C masa harina
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
4 C warm water
16 Tbs (2 sticks) vegan margarine, melted
½ C olive oil
Mole sauce:
4 C broth made from Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base (or any veg broth)
3 large jarred roasted red peppers (this is my variation)
1 tsp olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
⅛ C chile carible (also my addition)
1 tsp oregano
2 Tbs cumin
2-oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
½ C slivered almonds
2 tsp salt
The rest:
1 bag corn husks
Guacamole

Directions

Okay, I know this may seem like a big task to some, but these really aren't that difficult to make. Remember, soak the husks in hot water an hour before assembly. I had The Husband working on the masa while I prepared the mole sauce. To make the masa, it helps to use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Combine the ingredients in the order they are listed. Start out on a low speed, then increase until completely combined. Place the speed on medium for a few minutes in order to fluff it up. You can cover and refrigerate, just make sure you take it out about 30 minutes prior to assembly. It will resemble cookie dough.
When it came to making the mole sauce, I made some adjustments because I had trouble finding the dried chiles for this. (You'll have to buy this fantastic cookbook for the original recipe). With that said, I think it came out rather delicious. 🙂 I subbed in a few roasted red peppers and used a chile seasoning.
In a skillet over high heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion and saute until tender and translucent. Add the oregano, garlic, and cumin and cook another 2 minutes. remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate.
Give it a few minutes to completely melt. Stir the chile caribe into the broth and along with the almonds, salt, roasted red peppers, and onion mixture, add it the blender. Puree until the sauce is completely smooth.
Now, to make the filling, I ground the Field Roast sausages in the food processor until they were fine. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the Field Roast and corn kernels and cook until heated through, about 7-9 minutes, stirring often.
Add about half of the mole sauce to the skillet and combine it thoroughly with the sausage/corn mixture. Warm the remaining sauce in a sauce pan to use later.
Transfer the filling to a bowl. You're now ready to start assembling your tamales. Pat dry the corn husk and spread it out on a cutting board, narrow pointed end on the bottom. If you have any small husks, you can overlap two small ones to make one larger one.
Place about a ¼ cup of the masa on the center of the husk. Using your fingers, press the masa down into a circular/oval-ish shape about an ⅛" thick.
Next, spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the filling down the center of the masa. (I'd make it less spread out than what the pic shows---you just don't want the filling to go too close to the edges of the masa.
Fold the husk like a taco and try to get the edges of the masa to touch and sort of bind the edges together a little.
You can tuck of the husk edges inside if you need to. Basically, you need to just fold over the edges of the husk and encase the filling/masa. Lay it flat.
Pinch the edges of masa to seal each end and then fold the top and bottom of the husk underneath. You can flatten out the tamale a little too.
Set the folded tamales, fold-side down and move on. It works best to place all of the tamales in the steamer once they are all finished. Repeat until you've run out masa and filling. I got about 28 tamales out this recipe. Like I said, I used a friend's steamer, which was ideal for these tamales.
Steam for an hour and fifteen minutes, just make sure that after 30 minutes, you check to make sure there is still plenty of water. Check again after an hour. After the steaming, let the tamales sit another fifteen minutes before serving.
Serve them with a ladle or two of the reserved mole sauce and some guacamole. Enjoy!

High Park Fire

June 13, 2012 by epicureanvegan

My poor city is on fire. Well, the foothills surrounding my city are. With all of the smoke settling on us, you’d think the fire was in our backyards. For many, it is. The fire, presumably started by lightening on Saturday has spread to 46,000 acres with 10% containment thanks to dry and windy conditions, as well as the many dead trees from the pine beetle. It has damaged or destroyed around 100 structures and has left people homeless. I took this pic on Sunday from my house. I wish it was just an ordinary sunset, but it’s not.

Myself and my family aren’t in eminent danger, but so many people have lost their homes and even their pets. It’s incredibly sad. I grew up here and this is the first time I’ve experienced a fire so close to home. The fire has destroyed the very places we spend all summer hiking, including Old Flowers Road, Grey Rock, and Lory State Park.

This photo was taken from Horsetooth Reservoir, just a few miles from our house a couple of days ago:

Photo credit

I want to send a thank you to all of those who are working night and day trying to save as many homes and animals from this devastating fire as possible. With no rain in our forecast, we’re looking at a very slow-going containment, so send us your positive vibes, good thoughts, and a little rain dance couldn’t hurt.

(Check out the Coloradoan for updates.)

Pasta & Kale with Lemony Cashew Cream

June 12, 2012 by epicureanvegan

This makes a great summer dish! If you don’t have any kale on hand (why wouldn’t you?!) you could use any leafy green such as chard or spinach. I also think sliced mushrooms, sauteed asparagus, or zucchini would also work well in this. The sauce isn’t overly rich and has just a hint of lemon, plus it’s a breeze to make.

INGREDIENTS:
4 C pasta
2-3 C kale, chopped
Cashew Cream:
2 C raw cashews
Water
The rest:
2 tsp yellow miso
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Soak the cashews in water for a few hours, preferably overnight. Drain and rinse the cashews, then place them in the blender. Add 2-1/2 cups of water and blend until smooth. The results will resemble heavy cream. This makes about 4 cups. You’ll only need 1-1/2 cups for this recipe, so I store the rest in a mason jar in the fridge. It will also keep in the freezer for a couple of months.

While the pasta is cooking, whisk together 1-1/2 cups of the cream sauce, miso, lemon juice, and black pepper in a small sauce pan. The sauce will already be thick, so it’s just a matter of heating it through.

Just when you’re about to drain the pasta, add the chopped kale to the pot and let it cook 1 minute, then drain.

Serve the pasta with the cashew cream drizzled on top. If you’d like, season with a bit of salt. Enjoy!

Pasta & Kale with Lemony Cashew Cream

This makes a great summer dish! If you don't have any kale on hand (why wouldn't you?!) you could use any leafy green such as chard or spinach. I also think sliced mushrooms, sauteed asparagus, or zucchini would also work well in this. The sauce isn't overly rich and has just a hint of lemon, plus it's a breeze to make.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

4 C pasta
2-3 C kale, chopped
Cashew Cream:
2 C raw cashews
Water
The rest:
2 tsp yellow miso
¼ tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
Salt, to taste

Directions

Soak the cashews in water for a few hours, preferably overnight. Drain and rinse the cashews, then place them in the blender. Add 2-1/2 cups of water and blend until smooth. The results will resemble heavy cream. This makes about 4 cups. You'll only need 1-1/2 cups for this recipe, so I store the rest in a mason jar in the fridge. It will also keep in the freezer for a couple of months.
While the pasta is cooking, whisk together 1-1/2 cups of the cream sauce, miso, lemon juice, and black pepper in a small sauce pan. The sauce will already be thick, so it's just a matter of heating it through.
Just when you're about to drain the pasta, add the chopped kale to the pot and let it cook 1 minute, then drain.
Serve the pasta with the cashew cream drizzled on top. If you'd like, season with a bit of salt. Enjoy!

Lime and Veggie Fajitas

June 12, 2012 by epicureanvegan

These colorful fajitas are so quick and easy to make. If you’re like me and tired of the same old fajita seasoning packets, I think you’ll love this change up.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs olive oil (I used chipotle-flavored)
1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
2 C mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1 C fresh cilantro, chopped
Flour tortillas
Seasoning:
1/2 C lime juice
1 ts black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp cumin

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the seasoning ingredients and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook 5-7 minutes, or until slightly tender.

Add the bell peppers and cook another 12-15 minutes, or until they are softened.

Stir in the mushrooms. These will cook fast, about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro and lime juice mixture and combine thoroughly. Cook until the sauce is heated through.

Scoop onto the tortillas and if you’d like, add some Daiya cheese and/or Tofutti sour cream. Enjoy!

Lime and Veggie Fajitas

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 Tbs olive oil (I used chipotle-flavored)
1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
2 C mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1 C fresh cilantro, chopped
Flour tortillas
Seasoning:
½ C lime juice
1 ts black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅛ tsp cumin

Directions

Combine the seasoning ingredients and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook 5-7 minutes, or until slightly tender.
Add the bell peppers and cook another 12-15 minutes, or until they are softened.
Stir in the mushrooms. These will cook fast, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the cilantro and lime juice mixture and combine thoroughly. Cook until the sauce is heated through.
Scoop onto the tortillas and if you'd like, add some Daiya cheese and/or Tofutti sour cream. Enjoy!

Orzo Pilaf with Roasted Red Peppers and Peas

June 5, 2012 by epicureanvegan

This is from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Vegan Table. Orzo is actually a rice-shaped pasta and has a risotto-like texture. It’s perfect for soups or even for Asian dishes such as stir-fry. I loved the flavor of this dish and the fact that it’s super versatile. Next time, I’ll add mushrooms, herbs, and maybe even asparagus.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
12-oz orzo
3 C vegetable broth (I like Better Than Bouillon brand)
1-1/2 C frozen peas, partially thawed
2 large jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep-sided skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the orzo and stir for 2 more minutes.

Add the stock, peas, roasted red peppers, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring every so often for 12-15 minutes, or until the orzo is tender. The liquid will also be absorbed.

I served this with the Baked Truffle Polenta Fries and a green salad.

Orzo Pilaf with Roasted Red Peppers and Peas

This is from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Vegan Table. Orzo is actually a rice-shaped pasta and has a risotto-like texture. It's perfect for soups or even for Asian dishes such as stir-fry. I loved the flavor of this dish and the fact that it's super versatile. Next time, I'll add mushrooms, herbs, and maybe even asparagus.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

2 Tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
12-oz orzo
3 C vegetable broth (I like Better Than Bouillon brand)
1-1/2 C frozen peas, partially thawed
2 large jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep-sided skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the orzo and stir for 2 more minutes.
Add the stock, peas, roasted red peppers, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring every so often for 12-15 minutes, or until the orzo is tender. The liquid will also be absorbed. Enjoy!

Enjoy!

Baked Truffle Polenta Fries

June 5, 2012 by epicureanvegan

This is a first for me. I’ve never eaten polenta at home, but I’ve ordered it in restaurants. I decided to try making polenta fries, but the easy way . . .

Ancient Harvest

This is certainly an ideal way to make fries: crack open a polenta log, slice, season, and bake!

INGREDIENTS:
1 tube of polenta
1/8 C olive oil
2 Tbs truffle oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 450. Combine the two oils in a small dish. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush the foil with some of the oil mixture. Slice the polenta into 1/2″ slices.

Then cut each slice into thirds.

Place the slices on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the oil mixture; season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning once halfway through. Enjoy!

Baked Truffle Polenta Fries

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 tube of polenta
⅛ C olive oil
2 Tbs truffle oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 450. Combine the two oils in a small dish. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush the foil with some of the oil mixture. Slice the polenta into ½" slices.
Then cut each slice into thirds.
Place the slices on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the oil mixture; season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning once halfway through. Enjoy!

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