epicureanvegan, Author at Epicurean Vegan

Review: Luscious Nectar Juice Lounge

August 14, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Me and my hegans ventured downtown recently and as I was going through a local coupon book, I came a across Luscious Nectar coupon for a free smoothie. We had never been there, so we really had no idea what to expect. Turns out, it’s a bar/nightclub specializing in boozed up smoothies. They also have a list of non-alcoholic concoctions as well—which is what we were after that day. It’s located at 253 Linden Street here in Fort Collins. We went around lunchtime and it was pretty dead except for some people at the bar.

There is some pretty crazy photography/artwork on the walls, much of it very unkid-friendly. We had to find a table where the Seventh Grader didn’t have a clear view of womens’ breasts or horror movie-like images. Anyway, there was only one guy working this afternoon—apparently, an employee didn’t show up, so our order took quite a while.

We started out with three smoothies: The Acai Chill, Amazon Jungle, and Luscious Peach.

Acai Chill: acai berry, strawberry, banana, and apple. Amazon Jungle: Organic Amazon cherry, blueberry, and pineapple. Luscious Peach: Peach, banana, apple, and Madhava agave. We each thought our smoothies were delicious.

Since the wait on the food was going to be a while due to lack of kitchen help, the server/bartender brought us some tortilla chips and salsa to munch on.

The guys ordered vegetarian pizzas and I went with the Garden Spring Rolls with quinoa, carrot, cucumber, purple cabbage, and sprouts wrapped in rice paper with a wasabi-peanut sauce.

Even though it took 45 minutes (plus, we were the only ones eating food in the place) it was well-worth the wait. I was really impressed with them. I enjoyed the quinoa and cabbage—a change from rice noodles. The guys loved their pizzas, too.

And since The Husband forgot to use the coupon when he paid, it’ll be a good excuse to head over there again for a mid-day smoothie the next time we’re downtown.

Marinated and Grilled Field Roast with Baked Fries

August 10, 2011 by epicureanvegan

If you haven’t tried Field Roast products yet, where have you been?! Made of veggies, grains, and seasonings, you can’t go wrong, especially when you’re also getting 31 grams of protein per serving! This loaf has only 0.5 grams of saturated fat—real meat can never boast that. Anyhow, this came out delicious and came together in no time. We agreed that these would be perfect between buns with lettuce, tomato, and maybe even some avocado slices.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Field Roast Stuffed Celebration Roast
Marinade:
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs ume-plum vinegar
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 Tbs minced garlic
1/8 C olive oil
1/4 C water
Salt and pepper, to taste
Potatoes:
3-4 sweet potatoes and/or russet potatoes
olive oil
Salt, pepper, and cumin

DIRECTIONS:
Slice the Field Roast into about 8 slices.

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Carefully place the slices into the bag. The slices may break in half if you’re not gentle when handling them. Lay the bag flat in the refrigerator, trying to lay out as may of the slices as possible. After 30 minutes, flip the bag over and marinate the other side for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 and peel and slice the potatoes into crescents—or however you’d like. Transfer to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil; just enough to coat the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cumin.

Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. Lay the potatoes in a single layer onto the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes. During the final 15 minutes of baking, heat the outdoor grill to a medium-high heat. Place the marinated Field Roast slices on the grill and grill each side for 5-6 minutes.

Serve the slices on their own, or as “hamburgers.” Enjoy!

Marinated and Grilled Field Roast with Baked Fries

If you haven't tried Field Roast products yet, where have you been?! Made of veggies, grains, and seasonings, you can't go wrong, especially when you're also getting 31 grams of protein per serving! This loaf has only 0.5 grams of saturated fat---real meat can never boast that. Anyhow, this came out delicious and came together in no time. We agreed that these would be perfect between buns with lettuce, tomato, and maybe even some avocado slices.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 Field Roast Stuffed Celebration Roast
Marinade:
½ C balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs ume-plum vinegar
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 Tbs minced garlic
⅛ C olive oil
¼ C water
Salt and pepper, to taste
Potatoes:
3-4 sweet potatoes and/or russet potatoes
olive oil
Salt, pepper, and cumin

Directions

Slice the Field Roast into about 8 slices.
Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Carefully place the slices into the bag. The slices may break in half if you're not gentle when handling them. Lay the bag flat in the refrigerator, trying to lay out as may of the slices as possible. After 30 minutes, flip the bag over and marinate the other side for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 and peel and slice the potatoes into crescents---or however you'd like. Transfer to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil; just enough to coat the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cumin.
Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. Lay the potatoes in a single layer onto the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes. During the final 15 minutes of baking, heat the outdoor grill to a medium-high heat. Place the marinated Field Roast slices on the grill and grill each side for 5-6 minutes.
Serve the slices on their own, or as "hamburgers." Enjoy!

Backpacking, Made (Vegan) Easy

August 8, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I have so much vegan amazingness to bring you today! We just returned from a 3-day backpacking trip and I have lots to share, so hang in there with me, ok?

I recently picked up Another Fork in the Trail: Vegetarian & Vegan Recipes for the Backcountry by Laurie Ann March and I was anxious to give some of the recipes a try for the trip. You will need a food dehydrator for most of the recipes (which I don’t have yet) so I went with a few recipes that didn’t require one. I’ll be bringing you 3 recipes from the book:

Blueberry Hazelnut Quinoa (pg. 42)
Roasted Nut and Mango Energy Bars (pg. 137)
Lime and Black Pepper Roasted Chickpeas (pg. 132)

We also picked up organic, vegan freeze-dried meals from MaryJane’s Farm Outpost, so I’m including pictures and reviews of their products as well. The Husband also tried a new Backpacker’s Pantry vegan variety as well . . . the Katmandu Curry.

When we go hiking for the day, when all I have to lug is a bottle of water, I’m off. The Husband complains that I leave him and the Seventh Grader in the dust, but I can’t help it. Once I get going, I let the momentum carry me. The sure-fire way to slow me down is strap a 35-40 lbs pack on me . . . and give me a camera. I took almost 200 pictures. (Don’t worry, I won’t post them all here). But I do have to show you one of my favorite parts of the trail. A mile into the 4 mile hike, the trail meanders through a forest of aspen trees; it’s absolutely gorgeous.

My dad first brought me to this area in 2003. This was his favorite place to backpack, so it has a lot of special meaning to me. He passed away nearly five years ago, but we continue his legacy by returning here once or twice a year. The Seventh Grader got to experience it for the first time.

We arrived at camp around two in the afternoon and got things set up. As we took shelter from a brief rainstorm, we thoroughly enjoyed the (no bake) Roasted Nut and Mango Energy Bars I made the day before.

These were delicious and so easy to make. The recipe makes 10 bars, but I don’t recommend packing all of them–at least not one person packing them in, as they are kind of heavy. Individually, they’re fine.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C raw almonds and peanuts, coarsely chopped1/3 C agave
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C peanut butter or almond butter (I used PB)
2 C strong cereal flakes, crushed (I used Special K with sliced almonds)
1/4 C dried mango, finely chopped
1/4 C carob chips (I used Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet chocolate chips–they’re vegan!)

DIRECTIONS:
Make sure you have all your ingredients chopped and ready to go before starting.

In a small skillet, dry toast the almonds and peanuts until fragrant and browned. Let them cool. In a medium to large saucepan, heat the agave and brown sugar and let simmer for 1 minute–just don’t boil it. Remove from the heat and add the peanut butter; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add the crushed cereal, nuts, mango and chocolate chips; combine well.

Coat the bottom and sides of an 8″ baking dish with vegetable oil. Scoop the mixture into the pan and press down so that it is even.

Place in the freezer for 30 minutes. The recipe then says to transfer the pan contents to a cutting board. Well good luck getting those contents out of the pan right away. I had to let it thaw on the counter for about 20-30 minutes, before loosening the edges with a knife and using a metal spatula on one side to get it out. No big deal, just don’t expect the bars to pop right out.

Cut into 10 bars:

Wrap each one in waxed paper and store in a ziplock bag. They’ll also keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Source: Another Fork in the Trail

Yes, that’s snow. This lake is about 8500 feet in elevation, so there are lots of places where there is snow year round. And you may be wondering why the trees are gray. That’s not a usual Colorado thing. Unfortunately, that’s the result of the pine beetle. They’re killing lodgepole pines throughout the United States and Canada. It’s incredibly sad to see.

But there’s still much beauty to be had:

That’s Mount Ethel. Ain’t she a beaut at nearly 12,000 feet?

MaryJane’s Farm Outpost Organic Freeze-Dried Meals

(note…the Red Pesto Pasta is vegetarian, not vegan)

For the first night, I chose the Ginger Sesame Pasta ($8) The Husband had had this one before on a earlier trip, so he recommended it. Unlike most freeze-dried meals, this one serves one, not two. So, tear off the top of the package . . .

. . . and pour in 1 cup of boiling water. Stir it really, really well. I noticed I didn’t do a very good job because later, there was some unmixed seasonings on the bottom of the bag. Fold down the top and let sit for 8-10 minutes.

It really tasted great. I’m not a huge fan of black beans, but I didn’t mind them at all in this. It was also just the right amount of food for one person. You’d never know this meal was freeze-dried. After a long day of hiking, this was ideal.

Ingredients: Organic Instant Durum Semolina Pasta, Organic Black Bean Flakes, Organic Powdered Soybean Miso, Organic Red Bell Peppers, Organic Sucanat® (dehydrated cane juice), Organic Sesame Seeds, Organic Orange Peel and Organic Herbs & Spices.

For the second night, I had the Wild Forest Mushroom Couscous ($8.75) This was even more delicious than the sesame pasta. LOVED it!!

Add 1-1/2 cups of boiling water, stir really well, then seal it up. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir again.

Ingredients: Organic Couscous, Organic Powdered Soybean Miso, Organic Pine Nuts, Organic Oyster Mushrooms, Shiitake Mushrooms, Organic Garlic and Lovage.

For the first night, the hegans went vegetarian with Mountain House Pasta Primavera ($6.50). Each pouch serves two, but they’re guys and they eat a lot; no need to split one. The second night, The Husband went with Backpacker’s Pantry Katmandu Curry ($6).

This one definitely serves two–he couldn’t finish it all. Plus, it had a bit of kick, so beware if you’re not into spicy food. It also took longer than most–about 20 minutes. It also requires 2-3/4 cups of boiling water. He thought it was very good, but we’ll just have to keep in mind that it easily serves two people.

Ingredients: lentils, precooked parboiled long grain brown rice, potatoes, carrots, peas, sauce (salt, garlic, turmeric, coriander seed, cumin seed, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, cayenne pepper, parsley, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, dill weed, fennel seed).

Enjoying their freeze-dried delicacies

During some hikes the second day, we discovered this amazing waterfall and another small lake at the base of it.

It was so incredible! The day was gorgeous and I spent much of it exploring and carrying around my portable, fold-up seat, a notebook, pencil and a book.

The book that I wanted to bring, The Ledge, is a hardback–not a good choice for backpacking–but an excellent read! One of the authors, Jim Davidson, is a fellow NCW member and his story is amazing. I settled for The Red Tent.

So far, it’s all right. The first 60-some pages are pretty much all about childbirth and it got old. Fortunately, it’s picking up . . .but I plan on finishing The Ledge first. I also have to show off my New Belgium coin purse, made pf recycled bicycle tubes:

It’s perfect for stashing my ID, ipod and of course money. (You never know where a Starbucks will pop up next–could be at mile 3)

For a snack, I made some Lime and Black Pepper Roasted Chickpeas the day before we left.

These were great to snack on and had lots of flavor. I had always wanted to roast chickpeas, but never found the time. I also doubled the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
4 C canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 – 1 tsp black pepper
3 Tbs lime juice
2 tsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 425. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, pepper, lime juice, and cilantro. The recipe says to line the pan with the chickpeas (removing any loose skins from them) and pour the sauce over them. I opted instead to pour the chickpeas into the bowl with the sauce and combine them that way.

I then poured them onto the pan. Bake for 35-50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

They should come out crispy and dried through. Sprinkle with the salt. These were light enough to pack and offer some much-needed carbs after all of the hiking.

Source: Another Fork in the Trail

Breakfast

When I saw this recipe in Another Fork in the Trail, I knew I needed to make it for this trip. It calls for hazelnuts, but the store (a major grocery chain) apparently only carries them during the holidays and I didn’t have time to hit another store, so I went with pecans. No problem. This easy to make, light-weight cereal was one of my favorites meals. Loaded with protein, it kept me going all morning.

INGREDIENTS: (doubled)
1 C quinoa
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C dried blueberries
1/4 C hazelnuts (or pecans)
Brown sugar, to taste
Powdered soy milk (enough to make 1-1/2 cups)

DIRECTIONS:
At home, rinse the quinoa under cold water for at least 3 minutes. Drain and toast in a dry nonstick skillet until the quinoa begins to pop. Let it cool and place it in a large ziplock bag. Add the salt, sugar, cinnamon, and blueberries. Toast the pecans until browned and fragrant. Place the cooled nuts and brown sugar in a snack-sized ziplock bag. Place it into the larger bag and in another small bag, add the powdered soy milk. At camp, I placed about a 1-1/2 cups of the quinoa mixture in the pot with about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often.

In a small cup, I mixed some soy milk powder with water and served with quinoa with the milk, and topped it off with the brown sugar and nuts. Outstanding. I would make this at home, not just when we’re camping. It’s quite good. Source: Another Fork in the Trail

For lunches, I found these heat and serve options that also happen to be vegan:

Bombay Potatoes from Tasty Bite. One bag made 4 small servings. Just pour into a pan and heat. Tasty, indeed! If you’re going for ultra light backpacking, these are a bit on the heavy side, but for a quick lunch at home or camping, they’re ideal.

Again, this heat and serve product is great for camping and backpacking. Eat with a tortilla or by itself—a great protein and carb option while backpacking.

One day, we even went with good old Ramen. Because the spice packets aren’t vegan, we just used the noodles and seasoned them with salt and pepper.

You may be sick of Ramen from your college days, but they’re incredibly lightweight and cheap, making them ideal for backpacking. Besides, everything tastes good when you’re camping.

When we go camping/backpacking we always stock up on Larabars. They’re vegan, gluten-free and have 3-9 ingredients.

Wow . . . am I finally done? Thanks for sticking with me on this journey—I know it was a lot!

Blogger/Boulder Meet Up & Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant

August 8, 2011 by epicureanvegan

A couple of weeks ago, I got the great opportunity to meet Angela, The Veracious Vegan, who happened to be traveling through Boulder from her home in Washington, D.C. Angela and I had gotten to know each other just through the blogger-sphere over the last few months and so when she mentioned she’d be in Boulder, I invited myself on her vacation! 😉

Being near the beautiful Flatirons, we decided to take advantage by going on a hike in the morning. We started at the trail head at Chautauqua, and spent a couple of hours enjoying the cloud cover and conversation. We were ready to nosh after that and drove the short distance to downtown Boulder where we scored a parking spot just outside Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant. As you may recall, The Husband and I were here in June and had their off-the-menu 3-course meal, so I was anxious to see their regular menu.

2010 16th Street, Boulder, CO

First, I went with their minty lemonade that was so refreshing, not too sweet, and just right. After much debating . . . I chose the beer-battered tofu sandwich for $8.50. It’s made with silken tofu, so we weren’t sure just how they were going to do that, but those Leaf folks must have some tricks up their sleeves, because Oh. My. Goodness, was it good! The vegan tartar sauce was outstanding, too. It was comprised of organic green lakes ale, silken tofu, cole slaw, tomatoes, onion, vegan tartar sauce, on bolillo bread.

For $12, Angela went with the Jamaican Jerk Tempeh made with forbidden black rice, sautéed greens, coconut plantain sauce, and fruit salsa. Look at that! It’s a piece of art!

Angela said she had had this dish before and it was so delicious, she went with it again. And look at how perfectly molded it is . . . which led us on a search for rice molds which we found at Peppercorn, a kitchen specialty shop on Pearl Street. We discovered that it is quite possible to mold rice into just about any shape of size you’d like. Have you tried them out yet, Angela? 🙂

It was wonderful getting a chance to meet Angela and talk shop. Be sure to visit her at The Veracious Vegan for great restaurant reviews, product reviews and giveaways!

Vegan Brie

August 2, 2011 by epicureanvegan

This recipe is from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook. I was intrigued. I’ve tried lots of other recipes from this cookbook and many have been outstanding, but there have been a few that just didn’t do it for me. I was nervous about this one. Surprisingly, however, it’s pretty delicious. I wouldn’t say it’s like brie; both with consistency and taste, but it does taste very good. The recipe doesn’t mention this, but I highly recommending briefly warming this cheeze in the oven or microwave. It only takes about 10 seconds in the microwave. It seems to taste better when it’s a bit melty. I also think this would be really tasty with some warm fruit compote over the top, such as warmed raspberries and blueberries. The possibilities are pretty endless!

INGREDIENTS:
1-2 Tbs wheat germ, or 1/3 C toasted sliced almonds
1-1/2 C water
3 Tbs agar flakes, or 1 Tbs agar powder
1/2 C chopped raw cashews
1/2 C silken tofu
1/4 C nutritional yeast
1/4 C lemon juice
2 Tbs tahini
1-1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground dill seed or ground coriander (I used the coriander)

DIRECTIONS:
Lightly oil a 2-1/2 cup round mold. I used a Pyrex bowl, but you can also use a pie plate or cake pan. Dust the bottom of the bowl with either the wheat germ or toasted almond slices. I used the wheat germ; set aside. Combine the water and agar flakes in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring often until dissolved. Transfer to a blender and add the rest of the ingredients; blend until very smooth. Pour it into the prepared mold.

Place it uncovered in the refrigerator until it cools completely. Then cover it with a lid and let it chill for several hours, or overnight. To serve, I used a sharp knife to go around the edge—mostly to just break the suction. Turn it over and it will slide right out of the bowl.

Cut it into wedges and serve with crackers. Like I said before, I recommend serving it warm; I think it taste much better that way. It will keep for 5-7 days. I don’t see why it can’t be wrapped up and frozen, too.

Enjoy!

Vegan Brie

Vegan Brie -- Epicurean VeganThis recipe is from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook. I was intrigued. I've tried lots of other recipes from this cookbook and many have been outstanding, but there have been a few that just didn't do it for me. I was nervous about this one. Surprisingly, however, it's pretty delicious. I wouldn't say it's like brie; both with consistency and taste, but it does taste very good. The recipe doesn't mention this, but I highly recommending briefly warming this cheeze in the oven or microwave. It only takes about 10 seconds in the microwave. It seems to taste better when it's a bit melty. I also think this would be really tasty with some warm fruit compote over the top, such as warmed raspberries and blueberries. The possibilities are pretty endless!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1-2 Tbs wheat germ, or ⅓ C toasted sliced almonds
1-1/2 C water
3 Tbs agar flakes, or 1 Tbs agar powder
½ C chopped raw cashews
½ C silken tofu
¼ C nutritional yeast
¼ C lemon juice
2 Tbs tahini
1-1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
⅛ tsp ground dill seed or ground coriander (I used the coriander)

Directions

Lightly oil a 2-1/2 cup round mold. I used a Pyrex bowl, but you can also use a pie plate or cake pan. Dust the bottom of the bowl with either the wheat germ or toasted almond slices. I used the wheat germ; set aside. Combine the water and agar flakes in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring often until dissolved. Transfer to a blender and add the rest of the ingredients; blend until very smooth. Pour it into the prepared mold.
Place it uncovered in the refrigerator until it cools completely. Then cover it with a lid and let it chill for several hours, or overnight. To serve, I used a sharp knife to go around the edge---mostly to just break the suction. Turn it over and it will slide right out of the bowl.
Cut it into wedges and serve with crackers. Like I said before, I recommend serving it warm; I think it taste much better that way. It will keep for 5-7 days. I don't see why it can't be wrapped up and frozen, too.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Field Roast, Ricotta and Spinach

August 1, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I love stuffed pasta shells, but I don’t always love filling up with carbs and wheat from the pasta. This is a fabulous and healthy alternative, which the family raved about. My hegans agreed that these were the best stuffed peppers I made. You can check out the other recipes here. I used my go-to ricotta recipe, as well as The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook’s Parmezano Sprinkles–both very easy to whip up.

INGREDIENTS:
My go-to ricotta:
1 14-oz pkg extra-firm tofu, press and drained
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil
2 Tbs fresh rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/4 C Daiya mozzarella
Parmezano Sprinkles:
1/2 C blanched almonds
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
1-2 tsp light miso
1/4 tsp salt
The peppers:
4 bell peppers, washed, tops removed and innards cleaned out
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 C onion, diced
2 Field Roast sausages, Italian flavor
2 C mushrooms, diced
4 C fresh spinach, chopped
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
To make the ricotta, crumble the tofu into a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the Daiya) and blend until somewhat smooth. You don’t want it too smooth. Stir in the cheese.

To make the parmezano sprinkles, grind the blanched almonds to a fine consistency. Add the nutritional yeast, miso, and salt. Combine well. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. When you get read to use it, give the container a shake to loosen it all.

Preheat oven to 375. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onions and cook until they just begin to get tender. Using your fingers, crumble up the Field Roast sausages and add to the skillet. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms soften. Stir in the spinach and cook 5 minutes, or until the spinach cooks down a fair bit.

Remove from the heat and let sit for about 10 minutes. Drain any excess tomato juices if you need to. Then, stir in 1 cup of the ricotta mixture.

Stuff each pepper with the mixture, pressing down with every scoop.

Bake for 30 minutes. Top with some of the parmezano sprinkles and bake another 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Field Roast, Ricotta and Spinach

I love stuffed pasta shells, but I don't always love filling up with carbs and wheat from the pasta. This is a fabulous and healthy alternative, which the family raved about. My hegans agreed that these were the best stuffed peppers I made. You can check out the other recipes here. I used my go-to ricotta recipe, as well as The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook's Parmezano Sprinkles--both very easy to whip up.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

My go-to ricotta:
1 14-oz pkg extra-firm tofu, press and drained
⅓ C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil
2 Tbs fresh rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
¼ C Daiya mozzarella
Parmezano Sprinkles:
½ C blanched almonds
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
1-2 tsp light miso
¼ tsp salt
The peppers:
4 bell peppers, washed, tops removed and innards cleaned out
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 C onion, diced
2 Field Roast sausages, Italian flavor
2 C mushrooms, diced
4 C fresh spinach, chopped
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

To make the ricotta, crumble the tofu into a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the Daiya) and blend until somewhat smooth. You don't want it too smooth. Stir in the cheese.
To make the parmezano sprinkles, grind the blanched almonds to a fine consistency. Add the nutritional yeast, miso, and salt. Combine well. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. When you get read to use it, give the container a shake to loosen it all.
Preheat oven to 375. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onions and cook until they just begin to get tender. Using your fingers, crumble up the Field Roast sausages and add to the skillet. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms soften. Stir in the spinach and cook 5 minutes, or until the spinach cooks down a fair bit.
Remove from the heat and let sit for about 10 minutes. Drain any excess tomato juices if you need to. Then, stir in 1 cup of the ricotta mixture.
Stuff each pepper with the mixture, pressing down with every scoop.
Bake for 30 minutes. Top with some of the parmezano sprinkles and bake another 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Fruit Salad with Herbs and Coconut

July 31, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I usually don’t get excited over fruit salads, but this one has some of my favorite fruits and tossed with a tangy dressing that says anything but boring!

INGREDIENTS:
Dressing:
1/8 C lemon juice
1/8 C espresso-flavored balsamic vinegar
1/8 C sunflower oil
A few dashes of nutmeg
3 Tbs fresh basil, chopped
3 Tbs fresh mint, chopped
The rest:
2 C jicama, bite-sized cubed
16-oz container of strawberries, diced
1-1/2 C blueberries
4 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1 C walnuts, chopped and toasted
1 C coconut

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the dressing ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the fruit. Pour the dressing over the fruit and stir well to combine. Stir in the coconut and walnuts. It’s that easy! Enjoy!

Fruit Salad with Herbs and Coconut

I usually don't get excited over fruit salads, but this one has some of my favorite fruits and tossed with a tangy dressing that says anything but boring!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Dressing:
⅛ C lemon juice
⅛ C espresso-flavored balsamic vinegar
⅛ C sunflower oil
A few dashes of nutmeg
3 Tbs fresh basil, chopped
3 Tbs fresh mint, chopped
The rest:
2 C jicama, bite-sized cubed
16-oz container of strawberries, diced
1-1/2 C blueberries
4 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1 C walnuts, chopped and toasted
1 C coconut

Directions

Combine the dressing ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the fruit. Pour the dressing over the fruit and stir well to combine. Stir in the coconut and walnuts. It's that easy! Enjoy!

A Look Back

July 29, 2011 by epicureanvegan

When it’s time to plan meals for the week, I sometimes rely on some old favorites of mine. When looking back on my recipes, I always come across yummy ones I’ve forgotten about. I thought I’d bring these oldies, but goodies to you.

Appetizers

Party Cheese Ball
Stuffed Mushrooms
Mustard Greens and Cheeze Filo Pie
Avocado Bruschetta

Breads

Pesto Potato Bread
Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping
Home-made Pita Bread
Chive-Flecked Spud Muffins

Side Dishes

Israeli Couscous with Pine Nuts & Parsley
Easy, Creamy Pasta Salad
Baked Fries with Sea Salt & Truffle Oil
Easy Cole Slaw

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Desserts

Glazed Chocolate-Avocado Cupcakes
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Fruit and Nut Energy Bars

July 29, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I came across these all natural energy bars on Oh She Glows. I made a couple of alterations like using almonds and sunflower seeds instead of walnuts, and using brown rice flour instead of kamut flour. They are chewy, crunchy, a little bit sweet, and ideal for on-the-go. They’re also great for munching on while you’re hiking. The only thing I found was that they didn’t hold together very well for cutting them up. I think part of it, is that I used too small of a pan even though I went with the size recommended in the original recipe. I suggest using a shallow baking sheet, not a 8″ baking dish.

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 C brown rice flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 C brown sugar
1 C almonds, toasted
1/2 C sunflower seeds, toasted
1/2 C dried cherries or craisins
12 dates (about a cup), pitted and chopped
1 C apricots, chopped
1 flax egg: 1 Tbs flax meal + 3 Tbs warm water
1 Tbs almond milk
1 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9″x13″ baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Toast the almonds and sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often until golden brown. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the nuts and fruit.

Combine the flax mixture with the vanilla and let it sit for 10 minutes. Add the flax meal and almond milk to the dry mix and combine well. Spread the mixture onto the prepared pan. You can press down pretty hard—I would say until the mixture is about a 1/2″ thick.

Bake for 33-35 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool for 10 minutes.

Return it back into the pan and place in the freezer for another 10 minutes. Remove from the freezer, cool for 10 minutes and then cut into squares. I’m not sure what the rationale behind this cooling process is, especially since they still fell apart a little when I cut them, but that’s just what the recipe says to do . . .

No matter how they’re cut, they’re delicious. Enjoy!

Fruit and Nut Energy Bars

I came across these all natural energy bars on Oh She Glows. I made a couple of alterations like using almonds and sunflower seeds instead of walnuts, and using brown rice flour instead of kamut flour. They are chewy, crunchy, a little bit sweet, and ideal for on-the-go. They're also great for munching on while you're hiking. The only thing I found was that they didn't hold together very well for cutting them up. I think part of it, is that I used too small of a pan even though I went with the size recommended in the original recipe. I suggest using a shallow baking sheet, not a 8" baking dish.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

⅓ C brown rice flour
⅛ tsp baking soda
⅛ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
⅓ C brown sugar
1 C almonds, toasted
½ C sunflower seeds, toasted
½ C dried cherries or craisins
12 dates (about a cup), pitted and chopped
1 C apricots, chopped
1 flax egg: 1 Tbs flax meal + 3 Tbs warm water
1 Tbs almond milk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9"x13" baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Toast the almonds and sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often until golden brown. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the nuts and fruit.
Combine the flax mixture with the vanilla and let it sit for 10 minutes. Add the flax meal and almond milk to the dry mix and combine well. Spread the mixture onto the prepared pan. You can press down pretty hard---I would say until the mixture is about a ½" thick.
Bake for 33-35 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool for 10 minutes.
Return it back into the pan and place in the freezer for another 10 minutes. Remove from the freezer, cool for 10 minutes and then cut into squares. I'm not sure what the rationale behind this cooling process is, especially since they still fell apart a little when I cut them, but that's just what the recipe says to do . . .
No matter how they're cut, they're delicious. Enjoy!

The Ultimate Veggie Burger

July 28, 2011 by epicureanvegan

This truly is the ultimate veggie burger! The recipe comes from Oh She Glows and is nutritious, healthy, and all-natural! They’re simple to make and the flavors mesh really well together. I also liked the crunch that the nuts provide; not a mushy burger at all. The original recipe makes 8 burgers, but I halved it, so below are for 4 burgers.

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 C onion, diced (I used red onion)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1-1/4 Tbs flax meal + 1/4 C warm water
1/2 C oats, ground into flour
3/4 C breadcrumbs (I used panko)
1/2 C grated carrot (This, I would grate pretty small-I shredded it and I think next time I’d chop them up more)
1/2 C black beans, mashed (but still a little chunky)
1/8 C fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 C almonds, chopped
1/4 C sunflower seeds
1/2 Tbs olive oil (I used 1/4 tsp)
1/2 Tbs tamari
3/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 hamburger buns

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine the flax meal and warm water. I’m sure you could also use egg-replacer powder if you don’t have any flax meal. Set it aside for 10 minutes. This is a good recipe to have all the ingredients chopped and ready to go before proceeding. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onion and cook until tender. In a large mixing bowl, combine the onion, flax mixture, oat flour, bread crumbs, carrot, black beans, parsley, almonds, sunflower seeds, and tarmari. Stir in the seasonings.

With slightly wet hands, shape the mixture into patties and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 16 minutes, flip them over, then bake another 16 minutes.

The guys had theirs on buns with ketchup, tomato and avocado slices. I had mine sans the hamburger bun.

Enjoy!

The Ultimate Veggie Burger

This truly is the ultimate veggie burger! The recipe comes from Oh She Glows and is nutritious, healthy, and all-natural! They're simple to make and the flavors mesh really well together. I also liked the crunch that the nuts provide; not a mushy burger at all. The original recipe makes 8 burgers, but I halved it, so below are for 4 burgers.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

¼ C onion, diced (I used red onion)
½ tsp minced garlic
1-1/4 Tbs flax meal + ¼ C warm water
½ C oats, ground into flour
¾ C breadcrumbs (I used panko)
½ C grated carrot (This, I would grate pretty small-I shredded it and I think next time I'd chop them up more)
½ C black beans, mashed (but still a little chunky)
⅛ C fresh parsley, chopped
¼ C almonds, chopped
¼ C sunflower seeds
½ Tbs olive oil (I used ¼ tsp)
½ Tbs tamari
¾ tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 hamburger buns

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine the flax meal and warm water. I'm sure you could also use egg-replacer powder if you don't have any flax meal. Set it aside for 10 minutes. This is a good recipe to have all the ingredients chopped and ready to go before proceeding. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onion and cook until tender. In a large mixing bowl, combine the onion, flax mixture, oat flour, bread crumbs, carrot, black beans, parsley, almonds, sunflower seeds, and tarmari. Stir in the seasonings.
With slightly wet hands, shape the mixture into patties and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 16 minutes, flip them over, then bake another 16 minutes.
The guys had theirs on buns with ketchup, tomato and avocado slices. I had mine sans the hamburger bun. Enjoy!

Review: Luscious Nectar Juice Lounge

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Vegan Brie

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Field Roast, Ricotta and Spinach

Fruit Salad with Herbs and Coconut

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