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Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw

July 1, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw -- Epicurean VeganI can’t make anything with cilantro in it and not think of my friend, Kerrie. She often checks out my recipes, but when one of them has cilantro in it, she’s very upfront with me about her dislike for the herb. Even just talking about it with her induces her gag reflex. I on the other hand, love it and so I apologize, Kerrie, that the last 2 recipes I’ve posted have had a cup of *gag* cilantro in them! I guarantee however, you’d like these tacos sans your least favorite herb . . . 🙂 The recipe is from VegNews and I made some minor alterations. For one, I couldn’t find Korean red pepper and I left off the avocados (much to my dismay) because they were priced at $1.99 each! They still turned out delish—especially with that cilantro!

INGREDIENTS:
For the tofu:
6 garlic cloves, crushed (I used minced)
1/4 C soy sauce (or tamari)
2 rounded Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs sesame seeds
1 Tbs peanut oil or vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
2 tsp tomato paste (I froze the rest)
1-1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp Korean red pepper (I used regular red pepper)
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 8 slices

For the Pear Cilantro Slaw:
1 large Asian pear
2-1/2 C finely shredded cabbage
1 C chopped cilantro
1-2 jalapeno peppers, roasted and finely chopped (I used 1 rounded Tbs of canned)
2 green onions, finely chopped|
3 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs agave
1/2 tsp salt
The rest:
8 tortillas
8 leaves of green lettuce
2 avocados, sliced
(Optional): mung, soybean, or radish sprouts, hot sauce. I added a shredded carrot.
I also decided to make a sour cream dressing: 1/2 C Tofutti sour cream mixed with some lime juice, garlic salt, and cumin—to taste.

DIRECTIONS:
For the tofu, whisk together the soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, sesame seeds, peanut oil (or other oil), tomato paste, sesame oil, red pepper powder, and green onions.

Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw -- Epicurean Vegan

I used an 8″x8″ baking dish, poured some marinade in it, placed the tofu on top, then layered on the rest of the marinade. Spread it around evenly.

Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw -- Epicurean Vegan

The recipe says to marinate for 20 minutes, but since I had some time earlier in the afternoon, I made it then and stuck it in the fridge—tightly covered.

To make the slaw, quarter the pear, remove the core and grate it, using the largest holes on a box grater. Squeeze the pear shreds of excess liquid. Place in a large bowl and add the other slaw ingredients; combine well.

Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw -- Epicurean Vegan

Over medium-high heat, heat a cast iron, or other skillet and spray with cooking spray. Cook the tofu for about 3 minutes per side, or until brown along the edges.  The recipe didn’t specify whether or not to keep the marinade, so I just added it with the tofu.

Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw -- Epicurean Vegan

I then sliced each tofu slab into 3 pieces to make it easier to eat in a taco.

Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw -- Epicurean Vegan

Serve in a warmed tortilla with the lettuce leaf, carrot (and any other optional ingredient), slaw, and tofu. I also drizzle on some of my sour cream sauce. So delicious!! Enjoy!

Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw
 
Print
The recipe is from VegNews and I made some minor alterations. For one, I couldn't find Korean red pepper and I left off the avocados (much to my dismay) because they were priced at $1.99 each! They still turned out delish.
Author: Epicurean Vegan
Ingredients
  • For the tofu:
  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed (I used minced)
  • ¼ C soy sauce (or tamari)
  • 2 rounded Tbs brown sugar
  • 1 Tbs sesame seeds
  • 1 Tbs peanut oil or vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
  • 2 tsp tomato paste (I froze the rest)
  • 1-1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • ½ tsp Korean red pepper (I used regular red pepper)
  • 2 green onions, finely chopped
  • 1 14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 8 slices
  • For the Pear Cilantro Slaw:
  • 1 large Asian pear
  • 2-1/2 C finely shredded cabbage
  • 1 C chopped cilantro
  • 1-2 jalapeno peppers, roasted and finely chopped (I used 1 rounded Tbs of canned)
  • 2 green onions, finely chopped|
  • 3 Tbs lime juice
  • 1 Tbs agave
  • ½ tsp salt
  • The rest:
  • 8 tortillas
  • 8 leaves of green lettuce
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • (Optional): mung, soybean, or radish sprouts, hot sauce. I added a shredded carrot.
  • I also decided to make a sour cream dressing: ½ C Tofutti sour cream mixed with some lime juice, garlic salt, and cumin---to taste.
Directions
  1. For the tofu, whisk together the soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, sesame seeds, peanut oil (or other oil), tomato paste, sesame oil, red pepper powder, and green onions.
  2. I used an 8"x8" baking dish, poured some marinade in it, placed the tofu on top, then layered on the rest of the marinade. Spread it around evenly.
  3. The recipe says to marinate for 20 minutes, but since I had some time earlier in the afternoon, I made it then and stuck it in the fridge---tightly covered.
  4. To make the slaw, quarter the pear, remove the core and grate it, using the largest holes on a box grater. Squeeze the pear shreds of excess liquid. Place in a large bowl and add the other slaw ingredients; combine well.
  5. Over medium-high heat, heat a cast iron, or other skillet and spray with cooking spray. Cook the tofu for about 3 minutes per side, or until brown along the edges. The recipe didn't specify whether or not to keep the marinade, so I just added it with the tofu.
  6. I then sliced each tofu slab into 3 pieces to make it easier to eat in a taco.
  7. Serve in a warmed tortilla with the lettuce leaf, carrot (and any other optional ingredient), slaw, and tofu. I also drizzle on some of my sour cream sauce. So delicious!! Enjoy!
3.5.3208

 

Filed Under: Dinners Tagged With: Asian, cilantro, easy, slaw, tacos, tofu, tortillas

Curried Yam, Tofu & Broccoli

June 28, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Curried Yam, Tofu & Broccoli -- Epicurean VeganWe received our box of fruits and vegetables from Green Buffalo today and I was thrilled with the contents. I ended up using several ingredients from today’s delivery: the Napa cabbage, broccoli, one yam, and one of the two bunches of cilantro

I served this over the steamed Napa cabbage, which I recommend trying, or you can serve it over rice.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbs curry powder
2 Tbs fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium yam, diced (about 1-3/4 C)
1 12-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained and pressed and cut into small rectangles
1 can light coconut milk
1-1/2 C vegetable broth
1 head of broccoli florets
1 C fresh cilantro, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1 Napa cabbage, torn
1/2 C peanuts

DIRECTIONS:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, curry powder, ginger, and garlic. Cook a few minutes, or until it forms a paste. Add the yam and cook over low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until the they begin to soften.

Curried Yam, Tofu & Broccoli -- Epicurean Vegan

Add the tofu and saute another 10 minutes.

Curried Yam, Tofu & Broccoli -- Epicurean VeganAdd the broth and coconut milk and bring to a low simmer. If the sauce doesn’t thicken within 10 minutes, combine 2 tablespoons of arrowroot and about 1 tablespoon of water and then stir it into the mixture. It ought to thicken up in minutes. Add the broccoli, reduce the heat to low and cover for 5-10 minutes.

Curried Yam, Tofu & Broccoli -- Epicurean VeganMeanwhile, steam the Napa cabbage for about 5-8 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the green onions and cilantro into the tofu mixture.

Serve over the steamed greens and top with some peanuts. Enjoy!

Curried Yam, Tofu & Broccoli
 
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I served this over the steamed Napa cabbage, which I recommend trying, or you can serve it over rice.
Author: Epicurean Vegan
Ingredients
  • 2 Tbs curry powder
  • 2 Tbs fresh ginger, minced
  • 2 tsp garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yam, diced (about 1-3/4 C)
  • 1 12-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained and pressed and cut into small rectangles
  • 1 can light coconut milk
  • 1-1/2 C vegetable broth
  • 1 head of broccoli florets
  • 1 C fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • 1 Napa cabbage, torn
  • ½ C peanuts
Directions
  1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, curry powder, ginger, and garlic. Cook a few minutes, or until it forms a paste. Add the yam and cook over low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until the they begin to soften.
  2. Add the tofu and saute another 10 minutes.
  3. Add the broth and coconut milk and bring to a low simmer. If the sauce doesn't thicken within 10 minutes, combine 2 tablespoons of arrowroot and about 1 tablespoon of water and then stir it into the mixture. It ought to thicken up in minutes. Add the broccoli, reduce the heat to low and cover for 5-10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, steam the Napa cabbage for about 5-8 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the green onions and cilantro into the tofu mixture.
  5. Serve over the steamed greens and top with some peanuts. Enjoy!
3.5.3208

Filed Under: Dinners Tagged With: broccoli, coconut milk, curry, easy, Green Buffalo Foods, Napa cabbage, tofu

Vegan Vacation: Boulder, CO II

June 27, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Is it Monday already? Geesh, the weekend went fast! It was The Husband’s birthday on Friday so I planned a weekend trip to Boulder for us. After an online search, I found two restaurants that we hadn’t eaten at before and quickly made reservations.

Black Cat

Black Cat is an all-organic, farm-to-table bistro that offers a vegetarian/vegan 5 or 7 course tasting menu. They had me at vegan. I immediately booked the reservation on Open Table and specified that we were interested in the 5-course vegan tasting. Black Cat is located at 1964 13th St., just off of Pearl St.—a great location. We had no idea what to expect, but judging from various online recommendations, it promised to be a great dining experience.

The cozy restaurant also features a bar and you have a full-view of the kitchen as well. Unlike many restaurant kitchens, it didn’t emit loud noises from the chefs yelling at one another, or dishes and pots clanging together—the kitchen staff seemed to have everything down to a science. It was enjoyable to watch. We were then greeted by our server (and fellow-vegan) who (thanks to our vegan-note on Open Table) requested to be our server for the night. Her name is Zina, (Warrior Vegan Princess, as I think of her) and whether you are vegan or not, make sure you request this lovely, engaging and delightful server who showed such a genuine interest in us and our experience in the restaurant.  Of course, the rest of the staff were just as friendly–you can’t go wrong! We learned from Zina that 80% of the food comes from Black Cat’s organic farm in Niwot, CO—just a few miles from Boulder. The owner and chef, Eric Skokan, even offers tours of the farm, something I’d love to take advantage of. He also was a vegetarian/vegan chef for about 6 years prior to opening Black Cat, so we were in good hands. Zina said that everything that comes out of the kitchen is made with such care and tastes as if they made it just for you. She was right. With that in mind, we also had no idea what to expect, as the menu is constantly changing. So as planned, we ordered the 5-course (plus dessert) vegan tasting. The Husband and I figured we’d spend the dinner chatting about life while lovingly staring into one another’s eyes (which we did a couple of times), but instead, we could only talk about the food!

Carrot soup made with coconut milk, spices, and topped with green onion.

I could have eaten this soup the entire night and been happy. It was absolutely delicious; like vegetable velvet. I’ve never made carrot soup before, let alone eaten it before, and I certainly plan on trying my best to replicate this soup.


Arugula-fennel salad with grapefruit, pickled beets and pistachios

This salad literally tasted as if it had just come off the farm truck, washed and arranged on the plate. The freshness of it was unlike any salad I’ve ever had before.

Tempura mushrooms (I believe shiitake) in a kombu broth with green onions

Absolutely outstanding. I’ve never had anything remotely resembling this dish before and was instantly smitten. Full of flavor!

Roasted cauliflower with carrot puree, asparagus puree, and radish flowers

The Husband swooned when he saw this dish; he loves cauliflower. If you’re wondering what a radish flower is, it’s those long green spear things—the shoots of the radish. They have that spicy radish taste and ideal for salads. The purees were the perfect accompaniment to the cauliflower.

Risotto in a tomato-based sauce with arugula, English peas, flowers and fresh herbs

This was one of my favorites. I love risotto and like the previous dishes, this tasted incredibly fresh and full of flavor. I had to refrain from licking the bowl.

The palate cleanser: Passion fruit-pineapple with coconut sorbet

Awesome.

Strawberries and kiwis with a strawberry-rhubarb puree over a lemon sorbet, topped with fresh mint

For the final dish of the night, we received this amazing dessert. Those little tiny strawberries on top came from the farm that day. It was the perfect end to a perfect dinner. In fact, we both agreed that in all honesty, this was the best dining experience we’ve ever had. Between the food, service and atmosphere, it is our favorite restaurant to date. It was hugs all around with Zina with an invite to come visit us for vegan eats up here in Fort Collins. You can visit Zina, a yoga goddess, at Zina Diva Yoga.

Dushanbe Tea House

We always make time to stop at this popular local favorite. It’s usually pretty darn busy, so be prepared to wait, but it’ well-worth it. The Dushanbe Tea House offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, but we have only ever eaten breakfast there. In fact, it’s just a great way to start the morning, particularly because of their vast tea menu. It’s located at 13th and Canyon, just down the street from Black Cat. We ate from the brunch menu which states that not all available ingredients are listed on the menu, so ask your server for specific ingredients, like tofu. There are a few vegan and vegetarian options so I went with the Szechuan Tofu Scramble with red onion, peppers, broccoli, Szechuan sauce served with rice. I forgot to ask for no won-tons, as they most likely contain egg, but I just pushed them to the side.

This was so delicious! The Husband went vegetarian with the Indian Masala Dosa, a cumin and fennel crepe filled with curried potatoes, cauliflower, onions, tomato, peas and dahl with raisin chutney, cucumber yoghurt and an onion fritter.

The tea house is such a visual treat as well with it’s hand-carved and hand-painted ceilings. If anything, drop in for some tea and enjoy the views.

We spent the day walking Pearl Street, browsing the shops and people watching. We didn’t want to fill up too much before dinner, so we stopped at Paradise Bakery and Cafe where we split the Paradise Vegetarian, a sandwich loaded with roasted red peppers, lettuce, tomato, cucumber and guacamole. I took the cheese off my portion. It was quite good and hit the spot.

Leaf

For dinner the next night, I had made a reservation for Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant.

Much of the menu is also vegan. In fact, one night a week (I think it was Tuesday . . . can’t remember) is vegan pizza night. Soooo many of the menu items sounded incredible, including the vegan enchiladas.

The quaint restaurant has a fresh and airy atmosphere—loved it. I had my eye on those vegan enchiladas until our server tempted us with their Summer Solstice Menu. It happened to be the last night they were offering this 3-course menu and it looked to good too pass up. First up, they served us some homemade vegan foccacia bread. It was soft and delicious.

For the first course, I went with the Three Leaf Farm Salad with field greens, radishes, green apples, pecans, and a raspberry vinaigrette.

The Husband went with the other salad choice of grilled white Asparagus and vegetables, served with creme fraiche. He loved the asparagus.

For the main entree, I went with the Pistachio Tempeh with fingerling potatoes, broccolini in a red pepper saffron sauce with crispy apples. Outstanding! The tempeh had a horseradish-mustard flavor that was incredible. Paired with the potatoes, it was the best tempeh dish I’ve ever had.

The Husband went with the vegetarian option again with the Mushroom Strudel: wild mushrooms, risotto, leeks, greens wrapped in filo dough. It came with marinated tomatoes and a truffle garlic oil. Again, he loved it.

For dessert, I went with the grilled fruit served with soy pound cake croutons. I couldn’t have asked for a better dessert!

The Husband had the other dessert option: a vegan Almond Panacotta with almond extract and a basil strawberry coulis–another winner.

From start to finish, this meal was outstanding. I highly recommend Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant. As you can see, the presentation was amazing. The other dishes coming out of the kitchen were nothing short works of art. You could tell  a lot of care and pride went into the meals.

For our final day, we stopped at Whole Foods and spent a small fortune on food for a lakeside picnic. We decided to hit up Boulder Reservoir, a place we’ve never been.

It actually didn’t have a lot of grassy/tree areas for a picnic, but we managed to find a great spot along the shore under a tree. We packed our handy-dandy picnic basket . . .

. . . with lots of vegan goodies: crackers, seaweed crackers, and tortilla chips . . .

. . .and hummus, salsa, fruit, vegan cheddar spread, a wheat berry and quinoa waldorf salad, an edamame-orzo salad, and an edamame succotash.

So good!

Thanks for hanging in there with me for my vegan Boulder vacation!

Filed Under: My Vegan Life Tagged With: Black Cat, Boulder, Dushanbe Tea House, Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant, vegan restaurants, vegan vacation, Zina Diva Yoga

Fruit ‘n’ Phyllo Pie

June 24, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Fruit 'n' Phyllo Pie -- Epicurean VeganOk, it may look a little boring, but there’s nothing boring about the taste!  This is also great with some non-dairy ice cream on top. I took a cue from the Mustard Greens & Filo (Phyllo) Pie recipe and used a mixture of different berries. A great summertime dessert!

INGREDIENTS:
16 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
6 large fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 C fresh raspberries
1/2 C fresh blueberries
4-oz Tofutti cream cheese
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
4 Tbs Earth Balance margarine

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375. Melt the Earth Balance in a small saucepan and keep it warm on the stove. Using a food processor, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and lemon juice. In a medium bowl, combine the mixture with the fruit.

Using a pastry brush, brush the bottom and sides of an 8×8 (I used a 6×9, I think) baking dish. You’ll want to work quickly with the phyllo dough, but at least you don’t have to worry about making it look pretty–it won’t matter. Layer a phyllo sheet on the bottom of the pan and then brush the top with butter. Repeat this step with 7 more phyllo sheets. Pour the fruit mixture on top and spread it out evenly.

Do the same process with the remaining 8 sheets of phyllo dough on top, brushing butter onto each layer as you go.

I forgot to do this, but I recommend slicing this before you bake it—the phyllo doesn’t cut very clean after it’s been baked. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the top is a golden brown.

Enjoy!

By the way . . . I’m off to Boulder for the weekend and will bring you reviews of at least two veg-friendly restaurants—both of which I’ve never been to. Looking forward to it! Have a great weekend!

Beautiful Boulder

Filed Under: Desserts Tagged With: blueberries, Earth Balance, easy, filo, phyllo, raspberries, strawberries

Savory Vegetable Tart

June 23, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Savory Vegetable Tart -- Epicurean VeganLike the Savory Asparagus Tart, this one is to die for. I think that pretty much sums it up.

INGREDIENTS:
1 puff pastry sheet, thawed according to package instructions (allow for about an hour to an hour and a half)
1/2 a bunch of asparagus
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
5 mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 C Daiya mozzarella
2 Tbs olive oil
1-1/2 tsp truffle oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. Cut up the asparagus into bite-sized pieces; steam for 10-12 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry sheet to fit a an 11×7″ baking sheet. Don’t worry about getting it perfect—you can tuck in the sides if they overlap the edges of the pan. Prick the dough in several pieces with a fork and bake for 4-5 minutes. It will puff up:

Layer on the cheese, then the tomato:

Next, layer on the mushrooms and the steamed asparagus:

Savory Vegetable Tart -- Epicurean Vegan

Combine the olive oil and truffle oil in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the veggies with the oil mixture. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool a few minutes, then enjoy!

Savory Vegetable Tart -- Epicurean Vegan

Savory Vegetable Tart
 
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Author: Epicurean Vegan
Ingredients
  • 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed according to package instructions (allow for about an hour to an hour and a half)
  • ½ a bunch of asparagus
  • 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
  • 5 mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 1 C Daiya mozzarella
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1-1/2 tsp truffle oil
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400. Cut up the asparagus into bite-sized pieces; steam for 10-12 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry sheet to fit a an 11x7" baking sheet. Don't worry about getting it perfect---you can tuck in the sides if they overlap the edges of the pan. Prick the dough in several pieces with a fork and bake for 4-5 minutes. It will puff up.
  2. Layer on the cheese, then the tomato.
  3. Next, layer on the mushrooms and the steamed asparagus.
  4. Combine the olive oil and truffle oil in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the veggies with the oil mixture. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool a few minutes, then enjoy!
3.5.3208

 

Filed Under: Appetizers, Dinners Tagged With: asparagus, fast and, mushrooms, puff pastry, tomato, truffle oil, vegetable tart

Linguine in a Lemon Cream Sauce

June 23, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Linguine in a Lemon Cream Sauce -- Epicurean VeganThis recipe is from Vegetarian Times and the only changes I made were using vegan cream cheese and adding a couple dashes of nutmeg to the sauce. It came together quickly and served with a salad, it made an ideal meal.

INGREDIENTS:
8-oz dry linguine
1/2 C Tofutti cream cheese
2 Tbs olive oil
1 lemon, juiced and 1 Tbs zest
1/2 C parsley, chopped
A couple dashes of nutmeg

DIRECTIONS
Cook linguine according to package instructions. In a small saucepan, warm the cream cheese, oil, and 2 Tbs lemon juice (I just juiced the whole thing), over low heat. Add the nutmeg, if using. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta; return it to the pot. Stir in the reserved cooking water into the cream cheese mixture. At first, I thought it was too much water and watered it down too much, but surprisingly, it turned out to be the perfect consistency. If you’re not sure, just add a little at a time and decide how thick you want it.

Stir the sauce into the pasta and add the lemon zest, and parsley; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Enjoy!

Linguine in a Lemon Cream Sauce
 
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This recipe is from Vegetarian Times and the only changes I made were using vegan cream cheese and adding a couple dashes of nutmeg to the sauce. It came together quickly and served with a salad, it made an ideal meal.
Author: Epicurean Vegan
Ingredients
  • 8-oz dry linguine
  • ½ C Tofutti cream cheese
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced and 1 Tbs zest
  • ½ C parsley, chopped
  • A couple dashes of nutmeg
Directions
  1. Cook linguine according to package instructions. In a small saucepan, warm the cream cheese, oil, and 2 Tbs lemon juice (I just juiced the whole thing), over low heat. Add the nutmeg, if using. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta; return it to the pot. Stir in the reserved cooking water into the cream cheese mixture. At first, I thought it was too much water and watered it down too much, but surprisingly, it turned out to be the perfect consistency. If you're not sure, just add a little at a time and decide how thick you want it.
  2. Stir the sauce into the pasta and add the lemon zest, and parsley; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Enjoy!
3.5.3208

 

Filed Under: Dinners Tagged With: cream cheese, fast and easy, lemon cream sauce, linguine, Pasta, tofutti, Vegan

Hash Brown and Spinach Frittata

June 22, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Hash Brown and Spinach Frittata -- Epicurean VeganI  love making breakfast frittatas. They’re so easy to throw together and are perfect for cleaning out of the fridge of on-the-verge veggies. Since this one uses a Chipotle-flavored Field Roast Sausage, it supplies enough flavoring that I don’t add any other spices or seasonings to this dish, but feel free to add some if you’d like. Some fresh cilantro would be a great addition.

INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp olive oil
2 medium potatoes, shredded
2 C fresh spinach, torn (you can also use kale if you’d like)
1 C green or red cabbage, chopped
5 mushrooms, sliced
4 green onions, sliced
1 Field Roast Chipotle-flavored sausage, crumbled
1/4 C Tofutti sour cream
1 C Daiya cheese (I used a mixture of cheddar and pepper jack flavors)
1-1/2 C crackers, broken up into pieces
1 tomato, diced

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375. Layer the cracker pieces on the bottom of a pie plate; set aside. Sprinkle with about half of the cheese. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the shredded potatoes and over medium heat, cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring them around. Add the cabbage and continue to cook until both the potatoes and cabbage begin to brown. Add the Field Roast, spinach, mushrooms, and green onions and cook until the spinach starts to wilt.

Hash Brown and Spinach Frittata -- Epicurean VeganStir in the sour cream to the spinach mixture and combine thoroughly. Pour the mixture on top of the cracker crust and spread it out evenly.

Hash Brown and Spinach Frittata -- Epicurean VeganTop with the remaining cheese and the diced tomatoes. Bake for 15 minutes.

Hash Brown and Spinach Frittata -- Epicurean Vegan

Let it cool for about 5 minutes, then slice into it and enjoy!

Hash Brown and Spinach Frittata
 
Print
I love making breakfast frittatas. They're so easy to throw together and are perfect for cleaning out of the fridge of on-the-verge veggies. Since this one uses a Chipotle-flavored Field Roast Sausage, it supplies enough flavoring that I don't add any other spices or seasonings to this dish, but feel free to add some if you'd like. Some fresh cilantro would be a great addition.
Author: Epicurean Vegan
Ingredients
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 medium potatoes, shredded
  • 2 C fresh spinach, torn (you can also use kale if you'd like)
  • 1 C green or red cabbage, chopped
  • 5 mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • 1 Field Roast Chipotle-flavored sausage, crumbled
  • ¼ C Tofutti sour cream
  • 1 C Daiya cheese (I used a mixture of cheddar and pepper jack flavors)
  • 1-1/2 C crackers, broken up into pieces
  • 1 tomato, diced
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375. Layer the cracker pieces on the bottom of a pie plate; set aside. Sprinkle with about half of the cheese. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the shredded potatoes and over medium heat, cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring them around. Add the cabbage and continue to cook until both the potatoes and cabbage begin to brown. Add the Field Roast, spinach, mushrooms, and green onions and cook until the spinach starts to wilt.
  2. Stir in the sour cream to the spinach mixture and combine thoroughly. Pour the mixture on top of the cracker crust and spread it out evenly.
  3. Top with the remaining cheese and the diced tomatoes. Bake for 15 minutes.
  4. Let it cool for about 5 minutes, then slice into it and enjoy!
3.5.3208

Filed Under: Breakfasts Tagged With: breakfast casserole, brunch, cabbage, dairy-free, fast and easy, Field Roast, frittata, hashbrowns, mushrooms, spinach, Vegan, vegetarian

Product Review: Smart Bacon and a BLTA Comparison

June 16, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Bacon. People love bacon. I have a friend who said that her husband would give her up before he gave up bacon. I swear it ranks up there with the right to bear arms; don’t take away my guns or my bacon.

Believe me, I’ve eaten my share of bacon before I went vegan, so I understand. But I can honestly say that I don’t miss it. Lately, I’ve been making sandwiches with Lightlife’s Smart Bacon and we really love it. The 5-ounce package is about 14 slices and come sealed.

The slices peel very easily. Lightly spray a skillet with cooking spray and cook the slices for 3 to 3-1/2 minutes on each side. Look at that! They’re not swimming in grease! They do, however, smell very similar to real bacon as they cook. They’ll start to get slightly brown on the edges and cook up rather crispy. Obviously, without all the fat and grease, Smart Bacon is dryer and crispier. We all really like the taste of it and agree that on a sandwich, it tastes amazing and incredibly like the real deal. By itself, you’ll notice it’s different, but it’s still extremely tasty in its own right. The other thing is that it’s thick; closer to the thick-cut bacon kind.

Here’s a list of ingredients:

Water, soy protein isolate, wheat gluten, soybean oil, texured soy protein concentrate, textured wheat gluten, less than 2% of: natural smoke flavor, natural flavor (from vegetable sources), grill flavor (from sunflower oil), carrageenan, evaporated cane juice, paprika oleoresin (for flavor and color), potassium chloride, sesame oil, fermented rice flour, tapioca dextrin, citric acid, salt. Contains: soy, wheat, sesame.

Now, let’s look at the nutritional facts: (I compared it with Farmland Thick Cut Bacon)

1 slice of Smart Bacon contains 20 calories, 10 calories from fat, real bacon has about 100 calories and 80 calories from fat. Smart Bacon has 1 gram of fat, no saturated fat, no trans fat, no polyunsaturated fat, and no monounsaturated fat. Real bacon contains 9 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat and doesn’t list totals for the other fats. Smart Bacon has no cholesterol, where real bacon has 15 mg of cholesterol. Smart Bacon has 140 mg of sodium per slice where real bacon contains 320 mg of sodium. Even though there are 2 grams of protein in Smart Bacon and 5 grams in real bacon, I’m willing to grab some extra protein somewhere else—it’s not worth the added fat, sodium, and cholesterol those extra grams of protein come with.

*Keep in mind, there are a number of companies that provide several varieties of bacon. Even the thin-sliced, “all-natural,” uncured bacon still has over twice the calories and 4x the fat of Smart Bacon. By the way, turkey bacon isn’t that much better than real bacon. It still ranks up there with calories, fat, and sodium.

So let’s get to the BLTA (bacon-lettuce-tomato-avocado) sandwich! Put it all together, let’s compare the caloric intake.

I used Rudi’s Sourdough, reduced-fat Vegenaise, 2 slices of Smart Bacon, 1 medium sliced tomato, 3 slices of avocado, and a large iceberg lettuce leaf. It’s important to remember that regular mayo (including Vegenaise) contains 90 calories per tablespoon. The reduced fat is 45—the same for both regular and soy-based ones. Bread makes a big difference, too. That’s actually where the bulk of the calories come from. 1 slice of Rudi’s Sourdough has a whopping 100 calories! (Yes, I will be finding a healthier version).

A regular BLTA:

2 slices of bread: 200 calories, 2 slices of bacon: 200 calories, 1 Tbs reduced-fat mayo: 45 calories, 1 medium tomato slice (1/4″ thick): 4 calories, 1 large leaf of iceberg lettuce: 2 calories, 1/8 of an avocado (3 slices): 70 calories. For a grand total of: 521 calories

Don’t eat me!

A vegan BLTA:

2 slices of Rudi’s Sourdough vegan bread: 200 calories, 2 slices of Smart Bacon: 40 calories, 1 Tbs reduced-fat Vegenaise: 45 calories, 1 medium tomato slice (1/4″ thick): 4 calories, 1 large iceberg lettuce leaf: 2 calories, 1/8 of an avocado (3 slices): 70 calories. For a grand total of: 361 calories.

I definitely recommend trying Lightlife Smart Bacon! Have it on sandwiches or crumble it up in salads. It’s a great tasty, healthy alternative to real bacon. Your colon will thank you! By the way, if anyone knows of a delicious vegan, low-calorie bread, let me know!

Filed Under: Product Reviews Tagged With: Bacon, BLT, BLTA, Lightlife, Smart Bacon, vegan bacon

Mock Chicken Divan Pot Pie

June 15, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Mock Chicken Divan Pot Pie -- Epicurean VeganOkay, so this is pretty much one of the most delicious things I’ve ever made. So incredibly creamy and tasty; even the (soon-to-be) Seventh Grader had 3 helpings. The original recipe is from Vegetarian Times, but I made lots of changes such as using Boca chick patties instead of seitan and adding mushrooms to the mix. You will love this recipe and even non-vegans will be thoroughly impressed!

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups broccoli florets (about 2 medium-sized heads)
2 C mushrooms, diced
1-1/2 C prepared creamy portobello mushroom soup (Imagine brand–see below)
3/4 C light Vegenaise (see below)
1 tsp dry sherry or cooking sherry
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning (or use 1/8 tsp each of sage and thyme. I used Old Bay)
1/3 C nutritional yeast
4-5 Boca Chick patties, slightly thawed and diced
1/2 C Daiya mozzarella
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

With the leftover mushroom soup, I used it to make Near East pilaf, instead of using water. Conveniently, the pilaf takes 20 minutes to cook—same as the cooking time for the pot pie.  It turned out amazing!

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425. Place the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Coat a 11″x7″ baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Steam the broccoli for 10-15 minutes; set aside. Meanwhile, whisk together the portobello soup, Vegenaise, sherry, seasoning and nutritional yeast. Add some salt and pepper, if you’d like.

I thawed the Boca patties in the microwave for about 45 seconds so that they’re a bit easier to cut.

Mock Chicken Divan Pot Pie -- Epicurean Vegan

Add the diced patties,broccoli, and mushrooms to the mayo mixture. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and top with the Daiya cheese. (If making the pilaf to go with this, I’d start heating the soup for it now . . .)

Mock Chicken Divan Pot Pie -- Epicurean Vegan

On a lightly floured surface, I rolled out the pastry sheet a bit more and then cut it into18 squares. I ended up with about 2 leftover squares, but I’m cool with that.

Mock Chicken Divan Pot Pie -- Epicurean Vegan

Place the squares (as evenly as you can–they don’t have to touch) on top of the broccoli mixture.

Bake for 20  minutes. The puff pastry pieces will be a beautiful golden brown. Enjoy!

Mock Chicken Divan Pot Pie -- Epicurean Vegan

Mock Chicken Divan Pot Pie
 
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Okay, so this is pretty much one of the most delicious things I've ever made. So incredibly creamy and tasty; even the (soon-to-be) Seventh Grader had 3 helpings. The original recipe is from Vegetarian Times, but I made lots of changes such as using Boca chick patties instead of seitan and adding mushrooms to the mix. You will love this recipe and even non-vegans will be thoroughly impressed!
Author: Epicurean Vegan
Ingredients
  • 4 cups broccoli florets (about 2 medium-sized heads)
  • 2 C mushrooms, diced
  • 1-1/2 C prepared creamy portobello mushroom soup (Imagine brand--see below)
  • ¾ C light Vegenaise (see below)
  • 1 tsp dry sherry or cooking sherry
  • ¼ tsp poultry seasoning (or use ⅛ tsp each of sage and thyme. I used Old Bay)
  • ⅓ C nutritional yeast
  • 4-5 Boca Chick patties, slightly thawed and diced
  • ½ C Daiya mozzarella
  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
  • With the leftover mushroom soup, I used it to make Near East pilaf, instead of using water. Conveniently, the pilaf takes 20 minutes to cook---same as the cooking time for the pot pie. It turned out amazing!
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 425. Place the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Coat a 11"x7" baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Steam the broccoli for 10-15 minutes; set aside. Meanwhile, whisk together the portobello soup, Vegenaise, sherry, seasoning and nutritional yeast. Add some salt and pepper, if you'd like.
  2. I thawed the Boca patties in the microwave for about 45 seconds so that they're a bit easier to cut.
  3. Add the diced patties,broccoli, and mushrooms to the mayo mixture. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and top with the Daiya cheese. (If making the pilaf to go with this, I'd start heating the soup for it now . . .)
  4. On a lightly floured surface, I rolled out the pastry sheet a bit more and then cut it into18 squares. I ended up with about 2 leftover squares, but I'm cool with that.
  5. Place the squares (as evenly as you can--they don't have to touch) on top of the broccoli mixture.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes. The puff pastry pieces will be a beautiful golden brown. Enjoy!
3.5.3208

Filed Under: Dinners Tagged With: broccoli, fast and easy, Mock chicken, mushrooms, nutritional yeast, portobello soup, pot pie, vegan pot pie, Vegetarian Times

Pumpkin-Peanut Butter Dog Treats

June 14, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Pumpkin-Peanut Butter Dog Treats -- Epicurean VeganThese are similar to the other dog treats I made, but this time I added pureed pumpkin. I meant to add some fresh parsley and mint, but completely forgot—next time, I guess. We’ll just have to continue to deal with Moe’s stinky breath until it’s time to make more treats. Since commercial treats are full of artificial ingredients, preservatives and animal products, we prefer to make his own treats. It’s especially convenient since Moe has been working on his Canine Good Citizen training so that he can be a therapy dog. Lots of training means lots of treats, so I feel better about loading him up with these and not the gross store-bought ones. I also froze the remaining pumpkin puree to use the next time I make treats.

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 C peanut butter
1/4 C canned pumpkin (make sure it’s just the puree and not the pie-filling that contains spices and other stuff)
1 C water
2 Tbs oil (flax, omega, olive, or vegetable)
1-1/2 C flour
1-3/4 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C fresh mint, minced (optional)
1/4 C fresh parsley, minced (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Using an electric mixer, combine the peanut butter, pumpkin, water, and oil. If using, you can throw in the parsley and mint here, too. Combine until smooth. Slowly add the flours and mix until well combined.

Pumpkin-Peanut Butter Dog Treats -- Epicurean VeganDivide the dough in half. You may want to cover the portion you’re not using, as it will start to dry out. Working with half the dough at a time is easier. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4″ thickness. I then used a pizza cutter to make small squares.

Pumpkin-Peanut Butter Dog Treats -- Epicurean VeganPlace the pieces onto a large baking sheet. Yes, this step is time-consuming (a great job for the kids to help with!), and you can cut them into any shape and size  you’d like, but this size works great for training and you don’t have to break them up. If you cut them like I did, you’ll get just over 2-1/2 of the baking sheets of them. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Pumpkin-Peanut Butter Dog Treats -- Epicurean Vegan

They come out pretty crispy, so I pour them into a large metal bowl so I can reuse the pan. Once they’ve cooled, store them in an air-tight container and they will last up to 6 weeks.

They are Moe-Approved!

Filed Under: Snacks Tagged With: all natural, dog treats, healthy, peanut butter, pumpkin, Vegan, vegan dog treats

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The Epicurean Vegan is devoted to those wanting to eat healthy, save animals, and reduce their carbon footprint. My decision to go vegan started out as a quest to get healthier, but the more I learned about veganism, the more I realized how damaging the meat and dairy industries are to the environment and, of course, the animals. And it is for these reasons, that I would never go back to eating or wearing animal products. Ever.
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