epicureanvegan, Author at Epicurean Vegan

Product Review: Amy’s Rice Macaroni with Dairy Free Cheeze

September 13, 2010 by epicureanvegan

When I saw that this product made it as a readers’ fave in the latest issue of Vegetarian Times, I did a tentative happy-vegan-food dance. It sounded promising, especially since it’s made with Daiya cheese. Plus, it’s gluten-free. So I picked one up for $3.69. It was practically burning a hole through my reusable grocery bag on the way home. I couldn’t get it in the microwave fast enough. Then the moment of truth . . .

I did a full-fledged, unadulterated, happy-vegan-food dance like no other. Never in my life would I have thought there’d be a delicious vegan mac and cheese that rivals that of the real deal. Unbelievable. Even The Husband was hovering, hoping that I would share more than just the one tiny bite I had given him. No way.

Oh, man. Good stuff. It took me a few minutes to recover and wipe the cheeze from my face–I was not above licking the cardboard dish clean, nor am I embarrassed to admit that. It was creamy and tasted just like the real thing. You can cook it in the oven for 25-30 minutes (I had no patience for that) or in the microwave for about 4 minutes.

Alas, like everything delicious, it comes with a price. One 8-ounce container brings with it 520 calories (I better go for another run today), but it’s actually comparable to regular mac n’ cheese. Total fat: 22g, 5g of saturated fat and no trans fat Sodium: 740mg, Carbs: 72g, Protein: 8g, but hey, NO cholesterol! 🙂 Overall, with no dairy, no soy and no gluten, it’s an indulgence I can handle every once in a while. (Glad I bought two)!

Pasta with Marinated Mushrooms and Cashew Cheese

September 12, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I have been making this dish for years, usually using vegan Parmesan or mozzarella, but since I have a huge hunk of cashew cheese, I decided to use that (which by the way, shreds beautifully). This dish also makes great leftovers for the next day’s lunch. The amounts of each ingredient isn’t specific, but dependent upon how much you want to make.

INGREDIENTS:
Pasta
mushrooms, sliced
tomatoes, chopped
red wine
minced garlic
olive oil
cashew cheese, shredded
Earth Balance margarine
Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Marinate the mushrooms in some red wine and let sit 15-20 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile heat olive oil and garlic in a small saute pan, then add mushrooms. Saute a few minutes—I don’t like to cook them until they’re shriveled. You may have to drain some leftover marinade.

Drain pasta and add 1-2 tablespoons of Earth Balance to pasta pot and coat the drained pasta. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and combine well. Season with salt. Serve with cashew cheese and enjoy!

Hard Cashew Cheese

September 11, 2010 by epicureanvegan

When I made this block of cheese, I was wondering what in the world am I going to do with that much cheese?! It wasn’t hard to figure that out once I tasted it. Eat it! The recipe is from The Vegan Table and her Creamy Macaroni and Cashew Cheese recipe, but with just one alteration: agar flakes. You can find these flakes in the Asian section of most grocery stores, but be prepared to spend a little. One 1-ounce package (you’ll need 1-1/2 packages) is about $8. But, it does make one big block of cheese. I’m sure halving the recipe would be fine.

I think this recipe is an excellent base for a block of cashew cheese, but we found that it just needed a little extra punch. Next time I will add some vegan Worcestershire sauce and perhaps some minced onion. It needed just a bit more saltiness. It’s a delicious mild cheese and easy to slice and would be fantastic on sandwiches or even on nachos. Really, anything you can think of needing some cheese, melted or not, this would work—even shredded.

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/4 C raw cashews
1/2 C nutritional yeast
2 tsp onion powder
1 to 2 tsp salt, to taste
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp white pepper|
3-1/2 C nondairy milk
1 C agar flakes
1/2 C canola oil
1/4 C light (yellow or white) miso
2 Tbs lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
Place cashews in a large-sized bowl of the food processor and finely grind–just don’t let the cashews turn to a paste. Add nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, and white pepper. Pulse three more times to blend in spices.

In a heavy saucepan, combine milk, agar flakes and oil. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease heat to low-medium, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

With the food processor running, gradually add milk mixture to cashew mixture. Blend for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Next blend in miso and lemon juice. It won’t take long for the sauce to start thickening up. Transfer to a mold. I used a glass bowl, but plastic would be fine, too. In fact, it may work better.

Let it harden in the refrigerator for a few hours—after 3 hours, it still wasn’t quite ready, so I left it over night.

It did not stick to the sides of the mold at all, but there was a tiny bit of liquid on the bottom acting as a suction and the cheese wasn’t budging. I inserted a straw in the middle of the cheese, took it out, creating a hole and then turned it upside down over a cutting board. It came right out. With a plastic mold, you could probably squeeze the sides enough to loosen it enough. Enjoy!

Gooey Chai-Spiced Brownies

September 10, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I can’t remember the last time I made a batch of brownies. I was craving them, however, I didn’t want just any ordinary brownies, so I added some chai spices. With only 5 minutes of prep time and about 25 minutes to cook, they make a quick, go-to dessert for last minute guests.

INGREDIENTS:
1 C flour
1 C granulated sugar
1/4 C cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 C water
1/4 + 1 Tbs C vegetable oil
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1 C dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, cloves, and fennel (basically all the dry ingredients) in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the water, oil, and vanilla and add to the dry mixture. Combine well.

Stir in the chocolate chips and pour into a lightly greased 8″ baking pan. It will have a thick pudding-like consistency.

Bake for 25 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

Vegetable Soft Tacos/Fajitas

September 9, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Between school, tae kwon do practice, errands, and well . . . life, I love meals that make themselves. Ok, well, they don’t exactly make themselves, but pretty close. I had lots of veggies to use up, so fajitas/tacos were perfect. I added lime juice and cilantro for a flavorful combination. I served them with some warmed refried beans topped with vegan cheese for some protein.

INGREDIENTS:
1 small summer squash, cut into 2″ pieces
1 small zucchini, cut into 2″ pieces
1/2 large onion, cut into 2″ pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2″ pieces
1-2 Tbs olive oil
1 avocado, sliced
1-oz pkg fajita seasoning
1/8 C water
1/8 C lime juice
1 C fresh cilantro, chopped
Salsa
Vegan cheddar, shredded
Tofutti sour cream
Flour tortillas, warmed

DIRECTIONS:
In a large skillet heat the olive oil. Add the squash, zucchini, bell pepper, and onion.

Saute covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Combine the fajita mix with the water and lime juice. Add to the vegetable mixture and combine well. Stir in the cilantro.

On a warm tortilla, layer on some sour cream, veggies, avocado, salsa, and cheese. Enjoy!

Field Roast Sausage and Vegetable Hash

September 8, 2010 by epicureanvegan

When I began to make this, just throwing stuff together, I wasn’t planning on posting it, but then I tasted it and damn, I knew I had to share it. Even The Husband called it hands-down the best, most phenomenal breakfast burrito/hash he’s ever had. Wow. Now that my “chef-ego” is inflated, here you go:

INGREDIENTS:
2 Field Roast sausages, Italian flavor
3 small potatoes, peeled and diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1/2 a large onion, diced
1 small zucchini, sliced then quartered
1 C sliced mushrooms
2 Tbs olive oil
vegan cheddar, shredded
Flour tortillas, warmed
Garlic & Wine seasoning, to taste (So this is a blend that we got from The Melting Pot a million years ago and here’s what’s in it: salt, soya flour, garlic, sherry wine flavor, cracked pepper, select imported spices, citric acid, and parsley).

DIRECTIONS:
Saute the potatoes in the olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until they just start to soften. Add the green pepper, onion, and zucchini. Over medium heat, cover and let saute for about another 10 to 15 minutes, or until soft. Season with the garlic blend and then add the sausage (I just tear it apart into small pieces) and the mushrooms. Season again with the garlic blend and cover another 4-5 minutes until the mushrooms are just softening.

Scoop some onto a warmed tortilla and add a little cheese. YUM! Enjoy!

Kale, Chard and Tofu Calzones

September 6, 2010 by epicureanvegan

When I said I was making calzones tonight, The Husband joked, ‘Oh, yeah, those nine pounders?’ Okay, yes, these calzones typically run a little big. I should call them “No Joke Calzones.” They’re a little different than the other calzone recipe I’ve made by adding the same tofu mixture that I use for lasagna and stuffed shells. I had some leftover tofu mixture so I just threw in the freezer—I’ll use add it to a batch of lasagna at some point. This is also a great recipe for sneaking in some extra veggies, especially for the kids—they’ll never know!

INGREDIENTS:
Dough: (from Vegan Planet)
1-1/2 tsp active dry yeast
3/4 C warm water ( I found that I needed another 1/2 cup)
2-1/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
Pinch of sugar or natural sweetener
1 Tbs olive oil, plus more for spreading
The Tofu mixture:
1-14 oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil (I also threw in a tablespoon or two of fresh rosemary)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
The rest:
4 C chard and kale, chopped (you can also add in some spinach)
1-3.8 oz can of sliced black olives
6 mushrooms, sliced
1-1/2 C vegan mozzarella cheese
1 jar marinara sauce

DIRECTIONS:
To make dough: Place yeast in a small bowl. Add 1/4 C of the water and stir to dissolve. Set aside for 5-10 minutes. To make the dough in the food processor (like I did), combine the flour, salt, and sugar, pulsing to blend. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture through the feeding tube, along with the olive oil and as much of the remaining 1/2 water (I needed another 1/3 C in addition to the 1/2 C) as necessary to make the dough hold together. To make the dough by hand, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture, olive oil, and remaining 1/2 C water until well combined. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large oiled bowl. Spread a small amount of oil on top of the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Use immediately or store for up to 8 hours in the refrigerator or for 3-4 weeks in the freezer. Make sure it is tightly wrapped in plastic.

To make tofu mixture: Add tofu, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lemon juice to a food processor and process well until the mixture resembles ricotta cheese.

Preheat oven to 375. Punch the dough down and divide it into fourths. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a 1/4″ thick circle. Divide the filling equally between the dough circles, leaving a 1″ border around the edge. I layered on some tofu mixture, greens mix, olives, mushrooms, and cheese.

Fold over one side and roll up the bottom part and press with a fork to seal the edges.

Place on a baking sheet lined with foil that is slightly greased. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

In the meantime, heat the sauce in a small saucepan. Ladle a scoopful on top of each calzone and add a bit of cheese. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Olive Bread

September 1, 2010 by epicureanvegan

The fresh rosemary in this bread reminds me of Christmas. Love it. I love this bread for many reasons: a.) it was fast and easy to make, b.) no need for yeast, c.) no kneading required and d.) it’s delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
4-1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer
6 Tbs water
1-1/2 C flour
3/4 C whole wheat flour
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 C nondairy milk (I used almond milk)
1/4 C olive oil
1/3 C finely chopped walnuts
1/3 C chopped pitted black olives
1/3 C chopped sundried tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease an 8 or 9-inch loaf pan. In a food processor, whip the egg replacer and water together until thick and creamy. In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, rosemary, basil, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the egg replacer mixture, nondairy milk, and olive oil.

Add the wet mixture to the dry and fold until dry ingredients are moistened. Add the walnuts, sundried tomatoes, and olives; fold in just until the pieces are distributed. The batter will be stiff and sticky.

Scrape batter into the loaf pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5-10 minutes before taking out of the pan, then let cool completely on rack. Enjoy!

Recipe source: The Joy of Vegan Baking

Vegan Concert: Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO

August 31, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Last night we saw Ray LaMontagne and David Gray at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO—just west of Denver. If you’re never been to a show at Red Rocks, you have to make a trip; it’s one of the BEST venues around to see a concert. It just doesn’t get any better. The weather was phenomenal and with a view of the Denver lights, there’s not a bad seat in the place. Then the moon came out. It was like an orange slice in the sky:

We went with another couple, who also happen to vegan, and since you’re allowed to bring outside food in, it was easy to throw together a picnic. Before we left for the 1 to 1-1/2 drive, I made up some hummus wraps:

On a garlic and herb tortilla, I spread on some hummus, added cucumber, tomato, and sprouts. I also brought along some extra hummus and some very delicious multi-grain flax seed crackers.

Our friends brought fruit, cookies, and some amazing banana cake/brownies that were so delicious! (I will definitely get the recipe)! There is nothing like going to Red Rocks and seeing some of your favorite musicians, while enjoying some awesome vegan food! It can be done!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

August 28, 2010 by epicureanvegan

These cookies are delicious—just like Mom’s. The recipe is from The Joy of Vegan Baking and doesn’t disappoint! It called for 1 cup of nuts, but I left them out since we’re kind of opposed to nuts in cookies and brownies, with the exception of macadamia nut cookies. . .anyway. . .these are yummy. The recipe calls for brown sugar and I have found that storing it in the freezer is the way to go–it only takes about 20 minutes to thaw and once it does, it’s always soft. Just remember to pull it out of the freezer to thaw before using it.

INGREDIENTS:
4-1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer
6 Tbs water
1 C Earth Balance margarine
3/4 C granulated sugar
3/4 C firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2-1/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1-2 C nondairy semisweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli is great)
1 C chopped nuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375. In a food processor or blender, whip the egg replacer and water together until its thick and creamy. The recipe recommends this for better consistency that what you’d get by doing it by hand. In a large bowl, cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add the egg replacer mixture to this wet mixture and thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the wet mixture until it begins to form a dough. When it is almost thoroughly combined, stir in the chips and nuts, if using.

Scoop out 1-2 tablespoons of batter onto a nonstick baking sheet (or lined with parchment paper) and bake 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. The recipe says it makes 1 dozen, but they must have been BIG cookies because I got 35. Enjoy!