Epicurean Vegan

Healthy Eating for Discriminating Palates

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Product Review: Tofurky Beer Brats

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Vegan MoFo, Day 13

This doesn’t seem like the time of year to be eating brats, but that’s ok, because I think they actually taste better when prepared on the stove; they tend to get dried out on the grill–even though the package says grilling them is the recommended cooking method. I opted to brown them in some olive oil (briefly) then added a bit of water to the pan and covered them for about 5 minutes. They turned out great and it took less than 10 minutes.

We then layered on some sauerkraut that I heated in a sauce pan, Dijon and ketchup, onto a bun and enjoyed! So these are quite healthy compared to a real brat. When people give you a hard time about not getting protein from a vegan diet, show them labels: Johnsonville Beer Brat has 11 grams of protein, whereas Tofurky’s has 27 grams! The cancer-licious brat has 23 grams of fat and our (non GMO) brat has 13 grams. That alone is a huge difference. When it comes to saturated fat, the real thing loses again (no surprise) with 8 grams, while Tofurky has 1 gram. Wow. Should I go on? YES! Let’s talk cholesterol. The veggie brat has NO CHOLESTEROL and the Johnsonville one has 50 mg. There’s even more iron in the Tofurky brat. You also get 5 grams of fiber with Tofurky and no fiber with the animal-based one.

Why would anyone want to eat a real brat? The taste is virtually the same and even if it is a little different, the health risks are just too high–it makes no sense to me. Overall, we were quite impressed. I also picked up Tofurky’s Kielbasa sausages, so I’m looking forward to trying those.

Feast On This!

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A Veggie A Day Keeps The Colds (and Cancer) Away

It’s that time of year. Cold season. Although we can’t always avoid getting the traveling crud, there are ways to boost your immune and shorten the length of the cold or flu. And guess what? They’re all plant-based. No surprise there. Experts tend to agree that it’s best to avoid supplements and go straight for the real thing. For example, eat an orange rather than popping a supplement since you’ll also get magnesium, potassium, folate, B6 and antioxidants.  Fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants that are also key in fighting many cancers.

Vegetables:

  • Leafy Greens–Spinach, Swiss Chard, Mustard Greens & Kale: are loaded with antioxidants. Steam some kale and spinach and add a little Earth Balance, which has lots of Omega-3.
  • Broccoli, Green Peppers & Cauliflower: High in Vitamin C.
  • Orange Veggies–Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Squash and Pumpkins: are loaded with Beta carotene which turns to Vitamin A, that is rich in antioxidants (which is also cancer-fighting).

Fruits:

  • Apples: contain antioxidants and insoluble and soluble fiber to help the bowels run smooth (always a good thing)
  • Kiwi, Oranges, Grapefruits & Cantelopes: High in Vitamin C and A and oranges and grapefruits are actually cheaper in the winter.
  • Blueberries and Raspberries: Rich in antioxidants and Vitamin B.
  • Strawberries: 8 berries supply 160% of your daily value of Vitamin C, as well as 170 mg of potassium.

Other Good Stuff:

  • Onions, Garlic, Leeks, & Chives: loaded with Vitamin C, potassium, chromium and selenium.
  • Ginger: Strong in antioxidants and helps with digestion and circulation.
  • Whole Grains, Quinoa, Barley & Amaranth: packed with fiber, zinc, and B vitamins.
  • Seeds: Lots of Vitamin E

Tips to Staying Healthy

  • Stick to organic: free of chemicals and contain more nutrients.
  • Avoid processed, canned or frozen food (With the exception of vegetables—steam or microwave them) but even avoid canned soups–they’re not fresh and are full of sodium.
  • Keep away from excess sugar. If you need a sugar fix, eat some strawberries.
  • Make some soup with vegetable broth, ginger, spinach, and green onions.
  • Eat some hot salsa or sprinkle some cayenne on steamed veggies to clear the sinuses.
  • Chew (and swallow) a garlic clove to cure a cough—some people swear by it. Just don’t breath on anyone.

Bottom line, stick with fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, and avoid hard-to-digest and processed foods. Don’t forget to drink tons of water and only 100% juice with a low sugar content. Then boil some fresh ginger, pour it through a strainer into your favorite mug, add a bit of fresh lemon juice and settle in with a good book!

Meat consumption is just as dangerous to public health as tobacco use… It’s time we looked into holding the meat producers and fast-food outlets legally accountable.
-Neal Barnard

Ranch Bread

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Vegan MoFo, Day 11

Happy Veteran’s Day!

It also happens to be the first snow of the season:

Ranch Bread -- Epicurean VeganAnd you thought ranch flavor was just for salads or dips. It’s for bread, too! This recipe is so simple—I used the basic quick bread recipe that I used for the green chili bread. It’s a great basis for quick breads–just add some of your favorite flavors and seasonings.  I served this with the Cheezy Kale and White Bean Soup and it made a great fall meal.

INGREDIENTS:
3 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp chives
1/2 tsp dill
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 C Tofutti sour cream
1 C almond milk
2 Tbs olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9″ loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, parsley, chives, dill, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Add the sour cream, milk, and oil; combine well and transfer to the loaf pan.

Ranch Bread -- Epicurean VeganBake 40-45 minutes. Let cool on a rack, then slice and enjoy!

Cheezy Kale and White Bean Soup

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Vegan MoFo, Day 10

Cheezy Kale and White Bean Soup -- Epicurean VeganKale is my drug. I love it. This soup is great for fall (or even a cool summer evening) and easy to throw together. It’s hearty without being overly filling, not to mention full of immune-boosting ingredients that will help ward off those pesky winter colds.

INGREDIENTS:
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs olive oil
1 large leek, chopped
2-15 oz cans great northern or cannellini beans, drained
8 C vegetable broth (or 6 cups broth, 2 cups of water)
1/2 C white wine
1/2 C fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbs lemon juice
4-5 C fresh kale, torn or chopped
1 C vegan cheddar, shredded
White pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

Cheezy Kale and White Bean Soup -- Epicurean VeganI just filled my 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup of kale to the top–so about 5 cups

DIRECTIONS:
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and leek and saute until slightly browned. Add the beans and parsley and saute 4-5 minutes.

Cheezy Kale and White Bean Soup -- Epicurean VeganAdd the broth, kale, lemon juice, and white wine. Let simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper. 5 minutes before serving, add the cheeze. This is strictly an optional ingredient—you can also just sprinkle a little cheeze on individual servings. Enjoy!

Seitan Enchiladas with Green Chili Sauce (and a Field Roast Sausage Thrown In)

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Vegan MoFo, Day 9

Seitan Enchiladas with Green Chili Sauce -- Epicurean VeganThat’s right, I had to throw in a Field Roast Mexican Chipotle sausage link—I had a lonely one in the fridge, and these are enchiladas, after all. It was the piece de resistance. This recipe is based on one my sister used to make all the time, but with *gasp* chicken and *gasp* again, half-and-half, so I was determined to veganize it. If you’re not big on seitan, try some other filling options: ground meatless crumbles and refries, portobellos and onions, or bell peppers and zucchini. Either way, I think you’re love the creaminess and cheezyness of this classic dish.

INGREDIENTS:
2 pkgs. seitan, beef or chicken style, chopped into 1″ pieces (or other filling of choice)
1 Field Roast sausage link, Mexican Chipotle flavor, crumbled
1-4oz can diced green chilies
1 C Tofutti sour cream
1/8 C almond milk
1 C  fresh cilantro
1 C black olives, sliced
3 green onions, sliced (white and greens parts)
1-1/2 C vegan cheddar and/or vegan Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded, divided
2-16oz jars of 505 Green Chili sauce, choose your level of hotness
11 flour tortillas (I know, I tried to make it an even number, but it just didn’t happen)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, combine seitan, Field Roast, chilies, cilantro, sour cream, almond milk, and 1/2 C of the cheese. Pour 1/2 of on jar of the green chili sauce on the bottom of a 15″ baking pan. Spread evenly. Fill each tortilla with about 3-4 tablespoons of the seitan mixture and fold over to make a burrito.

Seitan Enchiladas with Green Chili Sauce -- Epicurean VeganLay folded side down.

Seitan Enchiladas with Green Chili Sauce -- Epicurean VeganSprinkle a little cheese on the enchiladas, then layer rest of green chili sauce on top–spread evenly. Sprinkle rest of cheese on top, then layer on green onions and olives.

Seitan Enchiladas with Green Chili Sauce -- Epicurean VeganCover and bake for 30 minutes, then enjoy!

Product Review: Lillabee Classic Yellow Cake Mix

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Vegan MoFo, Day 8

I picked up this dairy-free, gluten-free cake mix in Boulder a while back. In fact, Lillabee is a Boulder-based company. In addition to having no dairy or gluten, this cake mix is soy-free and all natural, meaning non-GMO. When I picked up a bag, I didn’t realize that the recipe requires 2 eggs, but thankfully, Ener-G Egg Replacer came to the rescue!

Lillabee’s aim is to provide delicious baked goods you make at home that are allergy-friendly. Other products include: Fudgy Brownies, Anytime Muffins, and Perfect Pancakes/Waffles.

So included in the bag is a sugar mixture (about a cup’s worth), the baking mix and directions:

Required ingredients: 2 eggs (3 tsp egg replacer + 4 Tbs water), 6 Tbs Earth Balance margarine, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3/4 C non dairy milk, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and an 8″ cake pan or muffin pan. It was a breeze to throw together–about 5 minutes using the mixer, then 45 minutes in the oven.

It smelled quite delish as it baked! I let it cool for about an hour and then sliced it up. It was wonderful! Very sponge-y and sugary and quite delightful. You can also add things to the batter before baking it, like blueberries, or other fruit.

So where can you find this decadent vegan dessert? If you live in Boulder (or close by) you can purchase it at Dish Gourmet and Caffe Victoria. But you can also order directly from Lillabee.  I was very impressed and next time we’re in Boulder, I will definitely pick some more up.

Cheddar and Green Chili Bread with Cream Cheeze Spread

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Vegan MoFo, Day 7

Cheddar and Green Chili Bread with Cream Cheeze Spread -- Epicurean VeganI love making bread and sometimes I’m in the mood to put the time and effort into kneading, rising, kneading, rising it, but there are days I just can’t be bothered with that. And today, I had a weird inclination to combine green chilies and cheeze and this quick, simple bread magically appeared in my oven. It was that easy. Great served with veggie chili!

INGREDIENTS:
Bread:
3 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs dried minced onion
4-oz can diced green chilies
2 Tbs olive oil
1-1/4 C almond milk
1-1/2 C vegan cheddar, shredded (or vegan pepper jack cheeze)

Spread:
4-oz Tofutti cream cheese
1 Tbs fresh cilantro, minced
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp lime juice

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9″ loaf pan. In a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, minced onion, and salt. Add the cheese and chilies. While the machine is running, add the almond milk and oil. Combine thoroughly and then transfer to the loaf pan. Use a spatula to even it out.

Cheddar and Green Chili Bread with Cream Cheeze Spread -- Epicurean VeganBake 40 minutes. Insert a toothpick or knife in the center to assure it’s done. It smells wonderful as it bakes!  To make the spread, combine all ingredients well. Spread some of the cream cheeze mixture onto a warm slice of bread—it’ll melt in your mouth!

Cheddar and Green Chili Bread with Cream Cheeze Spread -- Epicurean Vegan

Enjoy!

Easy Flatbread

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Vegan MoFo, Day 6

Easy Flatbread -- Epicurean VeganHow many times have you gone to make a panini or quesadilla and you find there’s no bread? Happens all the time, right? 😉 Well, have no fear, an easy and tasty flatbread is here! The original recipe, from Vegan Planet uses cumin, but I decided to use garlic salt and dried basil. It also called for frying them in a pan, but I opted for baking them.

INGREDIENTS:
2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C water, or as needed (I needed just a smidge less)
Olive oil for brushing
2 Tbs sesame seeds
Garlic salt
Dried basil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. Using a mixer, combine the flour and salt. Add the water little by little until the dough holds together. Knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Wrap in plastic and set aside. Divide the dough into 6 pieces.

Easy Flatbread -- Epicurean VeganShape the dough pieces into balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball to 6″ in diameter. Brush lightly with oil, the sprinkle with sesame seeds, garlic salt, and basil. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes.

Easy Flatbread -- Epicurean VeganThe Sixth Grader made a type of grilled cheese with Tofutti slices:

The Husband made a couple of quesadillas in the oven using Daiya cheese, onions, and salsa:

Easy Flatbread -- Epicurean VeganAnd I went with the panini maker using roasted red pepper, Vegan Rella, and some jarred olive tapenade:

Easy Flatbread -- Epicurean Vegan

Enjoy!

Feast On This!

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Vegan MoFo, Day 5

A Vegan Thanksgiving

I’m coming up on a year of being vegan. I actually went veg after Thanksgiving last year. Not because I wanted to gorge myself one last time on some poor dead bird,  but because I didn’t discover Alicia Silverstone’s book, The Kind Diet, until after T-Day. I felt her book did a fantastic job of explaining the concepts of veganism in all aspects: health of your body, the health of the environment, and the health of animals. I read the book in a day and as they say, the rest is history.

I’ve learned over the course of a year, that converting recipes to a healthier, yummier (vegan) version has been quite easy, so I have no fear when it comes to making a vegan Thanksgiving. In fact, besides the dead bird, most of the traditional dinner is comprised mostly of veggies. Yams, mashed potatoes, stuffing, that green bean casserole, cranberries . . . c’mon, all that can easily be made vegan.

Cloe Coscarelli has a few ideas on how to have a thankful holiday vegan-style with Harvest-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Toasted Hazelnuts, and Chocolate-Pumpkin Bread Pudding.

I’m not sure what I’ll be bringing to the table yet, but those recipes look outstanding.

What’s your vegan Thanksgiving look like?

 

The UNhappy Meal

For many, many reasons, please, please do not feed your kids McDonald’s (or any fast food for that matter). San Francisco (who leads the nation with the Meat Free Mondays campaign) agrees with me and has banned the fat farm fast food joint from putting toys into their Happy Meals. In an effort to combat childhood diabetes and obesity, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors made the bold move on Tuesday and “i’m lovin’ it.”

“This is a challenge to the restaurant industry to think about children’s health first and join the wide range of local restaurants that have already made this commitment.”

Eric Mar, SF Supervisor

By December 1st, Micky D’s has to either make their Happy Meals contain 600 calories or less, include fruits and vegetables, and the beverage without excess fat and sugar, or the toys are history. McDonald’s was pissed.

“We are extremely disappointed with today’s decision. It’s not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for,” McDonald’s spokeswoman Danya Proud said in a statement. “Getting a toy with a kid’s meal is just one part of a fun, family experience at McDonald’s.”

Oh, boo-hoo. Get over it and start thinking about the kids that eat this crap. They need to take this as an opportunity to help feed kids a healthier meal. This reminds me of the segment in Food, Inc., where a family of 4 could only afford to eat off the McDonald’s Value Menu and were slowly becoming diabetic, obese and just plain unhealthy.

I’m anxious to see how this plays out if other cities will follow suit.

Source

“Dear Lord, I’ve been asked, nay commanded, to thank Thee for the Christmas turkey before us… a turkey which was no doubt a lively, intelligent bird… a social being… capable of actual affection… nuzzling its young with almost human-like compassion.  Anyway, it’s dead and we’re gonna eat it.  Please give our respects to its family.”

-Berke Breathed, Bloom County Babylon


Colorful Kale and Potato Casserole

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Colorful Kale and Potato Casserole -- Epicurean VeganOh my gosh, this was delicious!! The flavors of the Field Roast sausage and Vegan Rella, really made this dish. This was the first time I used Vegan Rella’s cheddar flavor and like the mozzarella variety, I was in love at first bite. It is truly the best-tasting vegan cheese out there and it melts like it’s nobody’s biz. Combined with the Field Roast, there’s no need to add any other seasonings, which is always a time and money saver!

INGREDIENTS:
Olive oil
1-1/2 C red potatoes, diced small
1-1/2 C kale, stemmed and chopped
1 Field Roast sausage link, Mexican Chipotle flavor, crumbled
1 C cracker crumbs
1 large tomato, diced
1-1/2 C Vegan Rella, shredded

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375. In a large skillet, heat some olive oil and cook the potatoes until they begin to soften and brown. Add the Field Roast and kale and cook a few minutes more, covered, until the kale starts to wilt. Layer the crackers on the bottom of a pie plate and sprinkle some cheeze on the crackers. (Vegan Rella can be pretty sticky, so don’t knock yourself out trying to spread it too much).

Colorful Kale and Potato Casserole -- Epicurean VeganTransfer the potato mixture to the pie plate and spread evenly.

Colorful Kale and Potato Casserole -- Epicurean VeganSprinkle on the rest of the cheeze and then the diced tomato.

Colorful Kale and Potato Casserole -- Epicurean VeganCover and bake for 10 minutes. Let sit a few minutes before digging into it. Enjoy! (And btw, thanks, Field Roast for the FB shout out–as you know, I LOVE your products and I’m hoping to get my local health food stores to carry more of them)!

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