epicureanvegan, Author at Epicurean Vegan

Grilled Vegetable Fajitas

April 20, 2011 by epicureanvegan

It’s that time of year to fire up the grill! For its 2011 inaugural grilling, we went with vegetable fajitas. Since I do most of the cooking, the Husband revels in the opportunity to be King of the Grill. I’ll gladly delegate that method of cooking to him. This is an easy, healthy meal to jump start your spring (as well as your grill)!

INGREDIENTS:
2 bell peppers, sliced
1 large onion, sliced into strips
1 medium zucchini, julienned
2 avocados, diced
1-1/2 C vegan cheese, shredded
Tofutti sour cream
Salsa
Fresh cilantro
6 flour tortillas
Marinade:
1/4 C olive oil
1/8 C red wine vinegar
1/8 C lime juice
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp Ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin

DIRECTIONS:
Using a large Zip-loc bag, or bowl, combine all of the vegetables.

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. Coat the veggies with the marinade and let sit for about an hour. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. We used a grill basket and while stirring often, we (I mean, the grill-master) cooked them for about 20 minutes.

On a warmed tortilla, add some Tofutti, veggie mix, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and salsa. Makes 6. Enjoy!

Grilled Vegetable Fajitas

It's that time of year to fire up the grill! For its 2011 inaugural grilling, we went with vegetable fajitas. Since I do most of the cooking, the Husband revels in the opportunity to be King of the Grill. I'll gladly delegate that method of cooking to him. This is an easy, healthy meal to jump start your spring (as well as your grill)!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

2 bell peppers, sliced
1 large onion, sliced into strips
1 medium zucchini, julienned
2 avocados, diced
1-1/2 C vegan cheese, shredded
Tofutti sour cream
Salsa
Fresh cilantro
6 flour tortillas
Marinade:
¼ C olive oil
⅛ C red wine vinegar
⅛ C lime juice
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp Ancho chili powder
½ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin

Directions

Using a large Zip-loc bag, or bowl, combine all of the vegetables.
In a small bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. Coat the veggies with the marinade and let sit for about an hour. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. We used a grill basket and while stirring often, we (I mean, the grill-master) cooked them for about 20 minutes.
On a warmed tortilla, add some Tofutti, veggie mix, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and salsa. Makes 6. Enjoy!

Barley-Stuffed Bell Peppers

April 17, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Stuffed bell peppers are one of my favorite meals. They’re easy and versatile. This time, I decided to try something different: barley. In addition to being high in fiber, barley is also high in selenium, phosphorus, copper and manganese. And also because of its high B vitamin content, it has also shown to help lower cholesterol. Go barley!

INGREDIENTS:
1 C pearled barley
2-1/2 C water or vegetable broth
3 large peppers, or 4 medium ones
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 C pimentos, diced
6 large mushrooms, diced
1 Field Roast sausage, Apple Sage flavor (excellent source of protein)!
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil
3/4 C vegan cheddar, shredded
1/3 C Tofutti sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Stir in the barley, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375. Cut the tops off the peppers, clean out the innards, wash, and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onion and Field Roast, which I just chopped up.

Add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the barley, pimento, cheese, and sour cream. Combine well.

Stuff the peppers with the barley mixture. Press down with every scoop to maximize the full capacity of the pepper 🙂 Place into a baking dish.

Cover and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Barley-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed bell peppers are one of my favorite meals. They're easy and versatile. This time, I decided to try something different: barley. In addition to being high in fiber, barley is also high in selenium, phosphorus, copper and manganese. And also because of its high B vitamin content, it has also shown to help lower cholesterol. Go barley!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 C pearled barley
2-1/2 C water or vegetable broth
3 large peppers, or 4 medium ones
½ red onion, diced
½ C pimentos, diced
6 large mushrooms, diced
1 Field Roast sausage, Apple Sage flavor (excellent source of protein)!
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil
¾ C vegan cheddar, shredded
⅓ C Tofutti sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Stir in the barley, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375. Cut the tops off the peppers, clean out the innards, wash, and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onion and Field Roast, which I just chopped up.
Add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the barley, pimento, cheese, and sour cream. Combine well.
Stuff the peppers with the barley mixture. Press down with every scoop to maximize the full capacity of the pepper 🙂 Place into a baking dish.
Cover and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Baked Fries with Sea Salt and Truffle Oil

April 16, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Here I go again with the truffle oil . . . guarantee you’ll love these! Truffle oil on French fries just go together like PB&J. I brought these to a get together and they were gone in minutes! You can peel the potatoes if you’d like, but I’m not fond of the peeling process. If they don’t have to be peeled, you can bet I won’t do it. So it’s up to you.

INGREDIENTS:
6-7 small to medium russet potatoes
Truffle oil
Sea salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425. Scrub and/or peel the potatoes. Cut into fries and place in a bowl. Coat with the truffle oil. I didn’t measure it out—I used just enough to coat the fries, a little over a tablespoon. Sprinkle with salt—again, to taste and enough to coat the fries. I set the bowl aside for about an hour to let them marinate for a bit.

Line a large baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. After letting the fries sit for a while, the bowl had a lot of liquid from the potatoes. Use a slotted spoons or your hands to layer the fries on the baking sheet. I drizzled a bit more truffle on top and sprinkled a little more salt on them.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, then turn the fries as best you can. There’s no magic way to do this—just flip and move them around so that they don’t stick to the foil. Bake for another 15-20 minutes. For the last few minutes of baking, I switched to broil and browned them a tiny bit. I think they’re tasty on their own without any sauces, but either way, you’re sure to enjoy this decadent treat!

Baked Fries with Sea Salt and Truffle Oil

Here I go again with the truffle oil . . . guarantee you'll love these! Truffle oil on French fries just go together like PB&J. I brought these to a get together and they were gone in minutes! You can peel the potatoes if you'd like, but I'm not fond of the peeling process. If they don't have to be peeled, you can bet I won't do it. So it's up to you.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

6-7 small to medium russet potatoes
Truffle oil
Sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. Scrub and/or peel the potatoes. Cut into fries and place in a bowl. Coat with the truffle oil. I didn't measure it out---I used just enough to coat the fries, a little over a tablespoon. Sprinkle with salt---again, to taste and enough to coat the fries. I set the bowl aside for about an hour to let them marinate for a bit.
Line a large baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. After letting the fries sit for a while, the bowl had a lot of liquid from the potatoes. Use a slotted spoons or your hands to layer the fries on the baking sheet. I drizzled a bit more truffle on top and sprinkled a little more salt on them.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, then turn the fries as best you can. There's no magic way to do this---just flip and move them around so that they don't stick to the foil. Bake for another 15-20 minutes. For the last few minutes of baking, I switched to broil and browned them a tiny bit. I think they're tasty on their own without any sauces, but either way, you're sure to enjoy this decadent treat!

Vegetable-Barley Chili

April 14, 2011 by epicureanvegan

This morning, I awoke to this:

And this is how it is now . . . (same day, folks):

Living in Colorado my whole life, I should be used to this kind of schizophrenic weather, but it still amazes me when it happens. The good thing about this morning’s freak snow storm is that it kept me sequestered inside and busy writing. I planned on making just spaghetti for dinner, but like the weather, I switched it up and made this chili. I didn’t have all the ingredients I normally use, but I remember a friend telling me recently, that she uses barley in chili. I decided to give it a whirl. The family actually liked it better than my original chili recipe. If you’re not used to that much fiber (between the beans and the barley) I suggest easing up on the beans, perhaps.

INGREDIENTS:
2 14-oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
3/4 C pearled barley
1 Tbs olive oil
5-6 C water and/or vegetable broth
1 pkg chili seasoning or . . .
Homemade chili seasoning:
1 Tbs Ancho chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 Tbs dried minced onion
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbs ground dried chilies

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot; saute the onions and bell pepper until slightly browned. Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, and about 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then add the barley. Combine all the seasoning ingredients; add to the pot. Partially cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water (or broth) if needed in order to reach the consistency you want. Continue simmering for 10-15 minutes. Serve with some shredded vegan cheese and/or a dollop of Tofutti sour cream. Enjoy!

Vegetable-Barley Chili

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

2 14-oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
¾ C pearled barley
1 Tbs olive oil
5-6 C water and/or vegetable broth
1 pkg chili seasoning or . . .
Homemade chili seasoning:
1 Tbs Ancho chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 Tbs dried minced onion
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 Tbs ground dried chilies

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot; saute the onions and bell pepper until slightly browned. Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, and about 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then add the barley. Combine all the seasoning ingredients; add to the pot. Partially cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water (or broth) if needed in order to reach the consistency you want. Continue simmering for 10-15 minutes. Serve with some shredded vegan cheese and/or a dollop of Tofutti sour cream. Enjoy!

Warm Pasta Salad

April 13, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I tend to make cold pasta salads in the spring and summer and I think I’ve been craving them, but I went with making it warm—just seemed like the thing to do. It came out delicious and I’m anxious to try the chilled leftovers!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb bow-tie pasta
2 C fresh spinach, chopped
1 C parsley, chopped
1/2 C fresh basil, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1 bell pepper (any variety), diced
2 tomatoes, chopped
Optional: vegan Parmesan
Dressing:
3 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp truffle oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1/3 C Tofutti sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain. Return to the pan and add the spinach, basil, parsley, green onion, bell pepper, and tomatoes.

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients; add to the pasta mixture and coat well and enjoy!

Warm Pasta Salad

I tend to make cold pasta salads in the spring and summer and I think I've been craving them, but I went with making it warm---just seemed like the thing to do. It came out delicious and I'm anxious to try the chilled leftovers!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 lb bow-tie pasta
2 C fresh spinach, chopped
1 C parsley, chopped
½ C fresh basil, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1 bell pepper (any variety), diced
2 tomatoes, chopped
Optional: vegan Parmesan
Dressing:
3 Tbs balsamic vinegar
½ tsp truffle oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
⅓ C Tofutti sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain. Return to the pan and add the spinach, basil, parsley, green onion, bell pepper, and tomatoes.
In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients; add to the pasta mixture and coat well and enjoy!

Mushroom and Spinach Pizza with Truffle Oil

April 11, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I’ve found my new favorite pizza—and this is it. Truffle oil is ideal for pizzas and this one will leave you wishing you made more!

INGREDIENTS:
Any basic pizza dough recipe. I used a pre-packaged mix.
2 C mushrooms, sliced
1-1/2 C fresh spinach, torn or chopped
1 C fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
3/4 C Daiya mozzarella cheese
Truffle oil, to taste (I recommend about a tablespoon)
Vegan margarine

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425. Combine the mushrooms, spinach, basil, and truffle oil in a medium bowl; set aside. Using about a teaspoon of margarine, I greased a round pizza pan. Press dough onto the pan. Stick several times with a fork.

Bake the crust for 5 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese on top of the crust. Next, add all of the spinach/mushrooms mixture. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edge of the crust browns. Slice and enjoy!

Mushroom and Spinach Pizza with Truffle Oil

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Any basic pizza dough recipe. I used a pre-packaged mix.
2 C mushrooms, sliced
1-1/2 C fresh spinach, torn or chopped
1 C fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
¾ C Daiya mozzarella cheese
Truffle oil, to taste (I recommend about a tablespoon)
Vegan margarine

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. Combine the mushrooms, spinach, basil, and truffle oil in a medium bowl; set aside. Using about a teaspoon of margarine, I greased a round pizza pan. Press dough onto the pan. Stick several times with a fork.
Bake the crust for 5 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese on top of the crust. Next, add all of the spinach/mushrooms mixture. Top with remaining cheese.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edge of the crust browns. Slice and enjoy!

Chickpea Havarti Spread

April 10, 2011 by epicureanvegan

This spread can easily be called a dip as well. It almost has a chowder-like taste to it. From the Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook, this recipe is simple and delicious! This would also make a great condiment for sandwiches or wraps, too.

INGREDIENTS:
1 C water
2 C drained cooked or canned chickpeas (one 15 or 16 oz can)
1/2 C raw cashews
1/3 C nutritional yeast flakes
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground dill seed
1/2 tsp whole celery seed
1/4 C lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring often until very thick, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool a few minutes. Pour into an air tight container and chill for several hours to overnight.

Enjoy on crackers, as a vegetable dip, or as a sandwich condiment. Makes 2 cups.

Chickpea Havarti Spread

This spread can easily be called a dip as well. It almost has a chowder-like taste to it. From the Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook, this recipe is simple and delicious! This would also make a great condiment for sandwiches or wraps, too.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 C water
2 C drained cooked or canned chickpeas (one 15 or 16 oz can)
½ C raw cashews
⅓ C nutritional yeast flakes
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp ground dill seed
½ tsp whole celery seed
¼ C lemon juice

Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring often until very thick, about 15-20 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool a few minutes. Pour into an air tight container and chill for several hours to overnight.
Enjoy on crackers, as a vegetable dip, or as a sandwich condiment. Makes 2 cups.

Herb-Scalloped Potatoes

April 9, 2011 by epicureanvegan

The Husband LOVES potatoes and several days of week, he makes hash browns from scratch. But in an effort to reduce fried and sauteed food, he decided to make these baked scalloped potatoes from Veganomicon. They turned out fantastic! The only change we recommend is layering the spices, broth, almond milk, and nutritional yeast instead of just topping the potato slices with them.

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish. Layer the potatoes in the dish, slightly overlapping them. Lay them across the short way first, overlapping a little less than half of each potato slice. In each subsequent row, overlap the potatoes by about 1/4 of each potato slice. (Keep in mind, if you want to layer in the spices, broth, milk, and nutritional yeast, don’t layer all the potato slices at once.)

Pour most of the vegetable broth over the potatoes, reserving about 3 tablespoons.

Pour the almond milk and drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes, making sure to coat each one. Scatter the garlic over the top then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast all over the potatoes. Slowly drizzle the remaining vegetable broth on top. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of nutritional yeast, the herbs, and salt.

Loosely cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes and enjoy!

Herb-Scalloped Potatoes

The Husband LOVES potatoes and several days of week, he makes hash browns from scratch. But in an effort to reduce fried and sauteed food, he decided to make these baked scalloped potatoes from Veganomicon. They turned out fantastic! The only change we recommend is layering the spices, broth, almond milk, and nutritional yeast instead of just topping the potato slices with them.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

2 lbs white potatoes (3 average-size) scrubbed, slice into ⅛" thick disks
¾ C vegetable broth
½ C unsweetened soy milk (he used almond milk)
1 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbs nutritional yeast or flour (he used nutritional yeast)
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp basil
¼ tsp rosemary
¼ tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
Several pinches of black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a 9x13" baking dish. Layer the potatoes in the dish, slightly overlapping them. Lay them across the short way first, overlapping a little less than half of each potato slice. In each subsequent row, overlap the potatoes by about ¼ of each potato slice. (Keep in mind, if you want to layer in the spices, broth, milk, and nutritional yeast, don't layer all the potato slices at once.)
Pour most of the vegetable broth over the potatoes, reserving about 3 tablespoons.
Pour the almond milk and drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes, making sure to coat each one. Scatter the garlic over the top then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast all over the potatoes. Slowly drizzle the remaining vegetable broth on top. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of nutritional yeast, the herbs, and salt.
Loosely cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes and enjoy!

Baked Mushroom Risotto

April 8, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I love the natural creaminess of risotto and when possible, I use it in recipes that call for regular old white rice. This simple dish is great as a side or even a main meal. The recipe is from Prevention, but I made several changes, including having to veganize it, which proved to be very simple. You can use a dutch oven or like me, good old fashioned aluminum foil and a baking dish. The aroma of this baking in the oven will attract the family to the dinner table!

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 C sliced shiitake and/or oyster mushrooms
1/3 C dry white wine
1-1/2 C arborio rice
3 C low-sodium vegetable broth
1/3 C (+ some for sprinkling) vegan Parmesan cheeze

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onions; cook for 5-7 minutes, or until they soften and brown. Add the mushrooms and cook a few more minutes until they begin to soften. In the meantime, in a small saucepan, warm the broth a little.

Add the wine and cook until it evaporate, just a few minutes. Transfer to an oven-safe dish, stir in the rice, 1/3 C of the cheeze, and warmed up broth.

Cover tightly with foil and bake 30-32 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed. You’ll need to stir it, as the mushrooms and onions migrated to the top. Sprinkle with some Parmesan cheeze and enjoy!

Made it to Huffington Post!

April 7, 2011 by epicureanvegan

America’s Best Sandwiches—Veganized! just made it to Huffington Post today! Woo-hoo! Stop by, leave a comment and be a part of the Vegan Revolution! Get the recipe for my version of the “Crispy Drunken Chicken Sandwich HERE.

Grilled Vegetable Fajitas

Barley-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Baked Fries with Sea Salt and Truffle Oil

Vegetable-Barley Chili

Warm Pasta Salad

Mushroom and Spinach Pizza with Truffle Oil

Chickpea Havarti Spread

Herb-Scalloped Potatoes

Baked Mushroom Risotto

Made it to Huffington Post!

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