epicureanvegan, Author at Epicurean Vegan

Sunshine Award!

May 8, 2013 by epicureanvegan

I was pleasantly surprised to receive the Sunshine Award from V 8 Mile who has a great vegetarian/vegan blog. Be sure to check it out. This is such a great way to get connected with other bloggers and see what they’re cooking up. V 8 Mile lists some other great blogs and I’m looking forward to checking them out. So thank you, V 8! I appreciate the nomination! Now, onto the Sunshine Award questions . . . (which I may have, kind of, sort of deviated from the normal ones):

1. What is one of your favorite quotes?

I have so many, but I love this one from the late, the great, Dr. Seuss. “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” ~ The Lorax

2. What is your favorite time of day?

Early morning, around 6:30. The sun is beginning to warm everything up and it’s just a new day that can be whatever you want it to be.

3. What is your favorite holiday?

I have to agree with V 8 Mile on this one . . . I love Halloween. There are so many reasons why. For one, I love the fall time and even though we routinely get dumped on with snow—at least it seems that way—there’s just something about it. Costumes, party food, carving pumpkins! You name it!

4. What is your passion in life?

Everyone should know what their passion in life is (ideally, the sooner the better)! You may even have more than one. I love writing, art, music, veganism, creating anything with my hands, and helping those in need (both human and animal). I recently came across this amazing TED Talk from Kathleen Taylor called, “Rethinking the Bucket List.” I love what she had to say. It’s worth the 10 minutes of your time. I also just attended the Northern Colorado Writers Conference and our keynote speaker was Andrew McCarthy—-yes, the cutie from “Pretty in Pink.” He’s also a writer and said that each and every one of us are creative and every time we don’t honor that, and plop ourselves in the front of the TV and veg, our creativity rots. So true.

4. What is your favorite non-alcoholic beverage?

What?! I’ve never heard of such a thing! 😉 Ok, so I sure like my vino, but I also love an almond milk latte . . . or a hot mug of vegan chai . . . while we’re at it, my least favorite is water, but, for the last month, I make sure I drink 64-100 ounces of water a day. My trick? Warm lemon water. First thing in the morning, I heat up some water and fill up the large Nalgene bottle—even before my coffee! Using this method, I’m usually able to knock out 64 ounces before noon. (Your skin will thank you).

5. Where are you on Facebook and Twitter?

I know, not a very deep question, but hey, we’ll get it out of the way. Twitter (I tweet very little, however): @EpicureanVegan and my Facebook page can be found HERE.

6. Where would you like to see yourself in five years?

Well, alive and healthy for one—or is that two? All right, so I hope to be making a living as a writer and illustrator, and/or owning my own vegan store (which by the way, may or may not already be in the works 😉 ) Really, all I can ask for is happiness and good health for my friends and family. And lots of good, cheap wine.

7. Do you have a unique way of eating food that isn’t common?

I don’t know if it’s unique or not (The Husband calls it weird), but I like to slice an avocado in half, sprinkle a little salt on top and eat it out of the rind with a spoon.

8. What are the last four books you’ve read?

Well, that’s easy . . . (Thanks, Goodreads)!

*Just finished Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn

* The Longest Way Home: One Man’s Quest for the Courage to Settle Down, by Andrew McCarthy

* The Dog Stars, by Peter Heller

* Bucking the Sun, by Ivan Doig (My all-time favorite author, by the way . . . in case you wanted to know)

9. How did your blog come about?

In November of 2009, I had picked up Alicia Silverstone’s cookbook, The Kind Diet (who hasn’t?) and began my vegan journey. Then in January 2010, while laid up after having my appendix out and nothing else to do but feel like a bloated whale on the couch, WordPress beckoned to me and Epicurean Vegan was conceived. (That sounded so romantic, huh?)

10.) What are your (vegan) “junk food” weaknesses?

Oh, man, Amy’s Kitchen makes this incredible mac and cheese that is gluten-free, vegan, and soy free that is absolutely to die for. Those darn things have 520 calories and a bit o’ fat and sodium. It’s ridiculous, but so good. I actually had to wean myself off of them and I haven’t had one in probably eight months, but I know how to get them! (At least they’re organic and non GMO, right?)

Now, on to my nominations . . . (Check them out!)

That Was Vegan?

Gypsy Roller’s Veggie Kitchen

The Cruelty-Free Review

JL Goes Vegan

Change for a Year

In Fine Balance

Luminous Vegans

Healthy Girl’s Kitchen

My Good Clean Food

Vegan Circles

Veggie Bowties with Mushrooms and Walnuts

May 7, 2013 by epicureanvegan

This always makes for a great, quick lunch—or even a few lunches. I love veggie pastas and this one, from Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers, is made up of spinach, beets, and red bell pepper. Aside from the wonderful flavor, it doesn’t hurt that there are 8 grams of protein per serving (1/4 C), as well as vitamin C and iron.

INGREDIENTS:
8-oz vegetable bowtie (farfalle) pasta
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 C mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C walnuts, chopped
2 Tbs Earth Balance
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta according to package instructions. In the meantime, melt the Earth Balance over medium heat in a small skillet. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the walnuts and saute them 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the mushrooms and saute until they begin to brown; season with salt and pepper. Combine the mushroom mixture with the pasta and if needed, season with more salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Veggie Bowties with Mushrooms and Walnuts

This always makes for a great, quick lunch---or even a few lunches. I love veggie pastas and this one, from Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers, is made up of spinach, beets, and red bell pepper. Aside from the wonderful flavor, it doesn't hurt that there are 8 grams of protein per serving (1/4 C), as well as vitamin C and iron.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients

8-oz vegetable bowtie (farfalle) pasta
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 C mushrooms, sliced
½ C walnuts, chopped
2 Tbs Earth Balance
Salt and pepper

Directions

Cook pasta according to package instructions.
In the meantime, melt the Earth Balance over medium heat in a small skillet. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the walnuts and saute them 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the mushrooms and saute until they begin to brown; season with salt and pepper.
Combine the mushroom mixture with the pasta and if needed, season with more salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Alfredo Ravioli (and a beautiful white morning)

May 2, 2013 by epicureanvegan

First, I had to snap a few pictures this morning of the snow because by tomorrow, most of it will be gone. This is a photog’s dream and the time I love snow—so beautiful.

So anyway, as you probably know, I go through phases when I discover certain meals. For example, when I discovered stuffed peppers, I made about 10 different versions . . . same with frittatas and tofu scrambles. Now I’m on to my latest obsession: Ravioli. At least I have the process down to a science so preparation goes a lot smoother. I was hankering for some of this Alfredo sauce, but I was also craving ravioli. Typically, I don’t like to pair ravioli with a heavy sauce, but to hell with rules; this was too good not to try. I changed up the dough a little because I didn’t have enough semolina flour and it worked out nicely. These are stuffed with tofu ricotta and fresh spinach—a fabulous combo. For a more in-depth description on using a ravioli plate, check out this version.

INGREDIENTS:
Dough:
1 C semolina flour
2 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 C almond milk, warm
2 Tbs olive oil
Filling:
14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and crumbled
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1/3 C Daiya mozzarella (optional)
2 C chopped spinach
Sauce:
1 C raw cashews
2 Tbs pine nuts
1-1/2 C water
4 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/16 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 C nutritional yeast
1 to 2 C mushrooms, sliced

DIRECTIONS:
Start with making the dough. In a large bowl, combine the flours and salt. Create a well in the middle and slowly pour in the almond milk and oil. Using a spoon, or your hands, combine well. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, cover with plastic, and set aside.
Next, throw together the ricotta. Combine all of the ingredients, except the spinach and cheese, in a food processor and blend well. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the spinach and cheese. Set aside.

Next, roll out the dough. I used my pasta maker, but you may certainly use a rolling pin. Lay one long sheet over the ravioli mold and fill each pocket with just over a teaspoon of filling.

Lay another thin sheet of dough over the top, press down and use a rolling pin to seal the edges. Again, refer to this post on how to use a ravioli plate. Place the raviolis on a baking sheet and repeat the process until you have used up all of the filling. I had just a small amount of dough left, but not much. I had 75 raviolis when it was all said and done. Cover and set aside.

Time to make the sauce. Using a blender, grind the cashews and pine nuts to a fine powder. Add the nutritional yeast, water, lemon juice, garlic, nutmeg, and salt. Blend until completely smooth—about 1 minute. Transfer to a medium saucepan and whisk over medium heat until it begins to boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes; stir in the black pepper. I sauteed the mushrooms first, then stirred them into the sauce.

Keeping the sauce warm on very low heat, bring a large pot of water to a boil. I cooked about 12-15 raviolis at a time for about 4-5 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, place them in a strainer. Serve immediately, or lay them out on a large pan, otherwise, they’ll stick to each other. You can drizzle a little olive oil on them as well, to keep them separated. Ladle on some sauce and enjoy!

Alfredo Ravioli (and a beautiful white morning)

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Dough:
1 C semolina flour
2 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 C almond milk, warm
2 Tbs olive oil
Filling:
14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and crumbled
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
⅓ C nutritional yeast
⅓ C Daiya mozzarella (optional)
2 C chopped spinach
Sauce:
1 C raw cashews
2 Tbs pine nuts
1-1/2 C water
4 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/16 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ C nutritional yeast
1 to 2 C mushrooms, sliced

Directions

Start with making the dough. In a large bowl, combine the flours and salt. Create a well in the middle and slowly pour in the almond milk and oil. Using a spoon, or your hands, combine well. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, cover with plastic, and set aside.
Next, throw together the ricotta. Combine all of the ingredients, except the spinach and cheese, in a food processor and blend well. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the spinach and cheese. Set aside.
Next, roll out the dough. I used my pasta maker, but you may certainly use a rolling pin. Lay one long sheet over the ravioli mold and fill each pocket with just over a teaspoon of filling.
Lay another thin sheet of dough over the top, press down and use a rolling pin to seal the edges. Place the raviolis on a baking sheet and repeat the process until you have used up all of the filling. I had just a small amount of dough left, but not much. I had 75 raviolis when it was all said and done. Cover and set aside.
Time to make the sauce. Using a blender, grind the cashews and pine nuts to a fine powder. Add the nutritional yeast, water, lemon juice, garlic, nutmeg, and salt. Blend until completely smooth—about 1 minute. Transfer to a medium saucepan and whisk over medium heat until it begins to boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes; stir in the black pepper. I sauteed the mushrooms first, then stirred them into the sauce.
Keeping the sauce warm on very low heat, bring a large pot of water to a boil. I cooked about 12-15 raviolis at a time for about 4-5 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, place them in a strainer. Serve immediately, or lay them out on a large pan, otherwise, they'll stick to each other. You can drizzle a little olive oil on them as well, to keep them separated. Ladle on some sauce and enjoy!

Snow Day on May 1st!

May 1, 2013 by epicureanvegan

YESTERDAY

TODAY

So apparently, May 1st is the new News Year’s. Schools were even canceled. There is over 6″ there and it’s still coming down. And our poor trees and shrubs! Heavy, wet snow is never a good thing for them.

Moe threw his brakes on when he came outside and realized what he was in for. “What the . . . again?”

Happy snow day!

Vegan “Buttermilk” Cornbread (And more snow on the way)

April 30, 2013 by epicureanvegan

When I made chili and cornbread last week when it was snowy, I figured it was going to be the last hurrah for cold weather and it’d be a while before I’d be making chili again. Wrongo, Bucko. The forecast is calling for another 3-6 inches! What in the hell is going on with Colorado weather? We had just put away the plastic sheeting and boards we used to cover the veggie boxes, so now we have to drag them out again. Amazingly, my peas have survived the previous onslaughts of snow . . .

As has the spinach and kale . . .

I’m really not happy about this weather, but at least it’s expected to be gone by Friday. It does give me an excuse to whip up some of our new favorite soup for tomorrow night’s dinner. I’m also thrilled it will be gone for the weekend since we are headed to Boulder for a weekend getaway which will include another amazing dinner at The Black Cat. So if you’re experiencing the same discombobulated weather, I think you’ll enjoy this delicious cornbread. The Eighth Grader found this recipe and together, we veganized it, made a few changes, and he threw it all together. Easy to make and delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C Earth Balance
1/3 C sugar (we cut the original amount in half)
3 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer + 4 Tbs warm water
1 C almond milk + 1-1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (to make the “buttermilk”)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 C cornmeal
1 C flour
1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar; combine it well with the butter. Add the egg-replacer, the milk/cider combo, and the baking soda. Combine well, then whisk in the cornmeal, flour, and salt. You’ll have a thick batter.

Pour into a lightly greased, 8″ baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Slice and enjoy!

Vegan "Buttermilk" Cornbread (And more snow on the way)

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 9

Ingredients

½ C Earth Balance
⅓ C sugar (we cut the original amount in half)
3 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer + 4 Tbs warm water
1 C almond milk + 1-1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (to make the "buttermilk")
½ tsp baking soda
1 C cornmeal
1 C flour
½ tsp salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar; combine it well with the butter.
Add the egg-replacer, the milk/cider combo, and the baking soda. Combine well, then whisk in the cornmeal, flour, and salt. You'll have a thick batter.
Pour into a lightly greased, 8" baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Slice and enjoy!

Vegan Baked Jalapeno Poppers

April 22, 2013 by epicureanvegan

The Eighth Grader and I have been wanting to try making these for a while, but we kept forgetting. We were to bring an appetizer to a dinner the other night and finally! I remembered these. Not only that, our friends love jalapenos, so these were ideal. They were literally gone in about 5 minutes. They were so easy to make, too, so I’ll be bringing them to the next get together.

INGREDIENTS:
10 jalapeno peppers
Filling:
6-oz vegan cream cheese
1/2 C Daiya cheese shreds (I used a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2-3 Tbs vegan bacon bits
Coating:
Egg-replacer powder + water
almond milk
Breading:
3/4 C flour (any variety)
4 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 to 1-1/2 C panko

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375. To make the filling, combine all of the ingredients, except the bacon bits, in a mixer. Once well incorporated, fold in the bacon bits; set aside. To prepare the peppers, cut the tops off and slice the peppers in half, length-wise. Clean out the insides, reserving any seeds you may want to keep (for heat).

To prepare the coating, I didn’t measure out the egg-replacer powder and water . . . sorry. But I can tell you, I used about 1/3 C of Ener-G Egg Replacer and created a thick, meringue-like consistency by whisking in some water. I then combined it with about 1/2 to 3/4 C of almond milk. Next, combine the flour and nutritional yeast in a shallow bowl.

In another shallow bowl, pour in the panko. So here’s the process:

Fill the pepper halves with some cream cheese filling, roll it in the milk, then the flour filling, then the panko. Place onto a lightly greased baking sheet.

Repeat with remaining peppers. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops begin to brown. I threw them under the broiler for about 2 minutes. Enjoy!

And guess what . . . it’s snowing! Again! I’m so over it.

Luckily, the veggies we planted in March are doing fine. Of course, we had to cover them again last night, but we should only be getting 3 inches at the most. I suppose the good thing is that this will help with this summer’s fire danger. But still . . . why can’t it just rain?!

Vegan Baked Jalapeno Poppers

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

10 jalapeno peppers
Filling:
6-oz vegan cream cheese
½ C Daiya cheese shreds (I used a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2-3 Tbs vegan bacon bits
Coating:
Egg-replacer powder + water
almond milk
Breading:
¾ C flour (any variety)
4 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 to 1-1/2 C panko

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375.
To make the filling, combine all of the ingredients, except the bacon bits, in a mixer. Once well incorporated, fold in the bacon bits; set aside.
To prepare the peppers, cut the tops off and slice the peppers in half, length-wise. Clean out the insides, reserving any seeds you may want to keep (for heat).
To prepare the coating, I didn't measure out the egg-replacer powder and water . . . sorry. But I can tell you, I used about ⅓ C of Ener-G Egg Replacer and created a thick, meringue-like consistency by whisking in some water. I then combined it with about ½ to ¾ C of almond milk.
Next, combine the flour and nutritional yeast in a shallow bowl.
In another shallow bowl, pour in the panko. So here's the process:
Fill the pepper halves with some cream cheese filling, roll it in the milk, then the flour filling, then the panko. Place onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
Repeat with remaining peppers. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops begin to brown. I threw them under the broiler for about 2 minutes. Enjoy!

Vegan Deep Dish Pizza

April 20, 2013 by epicureanvegan

There are certainly more than one way to make pizza—this one in a 9×13″ baking dish, plus you can use whatever pizza toppings you want. I used Pillsbury’s pizza crust, and yes, I know . . . even though it’s vegan, it’s not the healthiest food, but it’s definitely not a staple at our house and it worked perfect for this meal. Whichever crust you decide to use, you’ll enjoy this deep dish classic!

INGREDIENTS:
1 Pillsbury Pizza Crust
1 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, cut into thin strips, then cut in half
2 small zucchini, sliced thin
2 C mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
28-oz can diced tomatoes, with juices
24 slices of veggie pepperoni
1 Tbs Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
Daiya cheese mozzarella shreds
Optional: 2 Field Roast sausages, Italian flavor, crumbled

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and then add the garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the zucchini and mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes.

Add the can of tomatoes and combine well. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, line the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish with the pizza dough. It doesn’t need to be perfect—as seen by mine . . .

Bake for 6-8 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375. Next, sprinkle a little Daiya cheese on the crust, then spoon the veggie mixture on top of the crust. I left a little bit of an edge all the way around.

Top with some more Daiya cheese and the veggie pepperoni.

Bake for 20 minutes. Cut and enjoy!

Vegan Deep Dish Pizza

There are certainly more than one way to make pizza---this one in a 9x13" baking dish, plus you can use whatever pizza toppings you want. I used Pillsbury's pizza crust, and yes, I know . . . even though it's vegan, it's not the healthiest food, but it's definitely not a staple at our house and it worked perfect for this meal. Whichever crust you decide to use, you'll enjoy this deep dish classic!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 Pillsbury Pizza Crust
1 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, cut into thin strips, then cut in half
2 small zucchini, sliced thin
2 C mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
28-oz can diced tomatoes, with juices
24 slices of veggie pepperoni
1 Tbs Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
Daiya cheese mozzarella shreds
Optional: 2 Field Roast sausages, Italian flavor, crumbled

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and then add the garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the zucchini and mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes.
Add the can of tomatoes and combine well. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, line the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish with the pizza dough. It doesn't need to be perfect.
Bake for 6-8 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375. Next, sprinkle a little Daiya cheese on the crust, then spoon the veggie mixture on top of the crust. I left a little bit of an edge all the way around.
Top with some more Daiya cheese and the veggie pepperoni.
Bake for 20 minutes. Cut and enjoy!

Time for Thawing

April 18, 2013 by epicureanvegan

This was yesterday. Yep. And those three square-ish mounds you see, are my veggie boxes. Two of which contain sprouts of peas, kale, and spinach. Fortunately, we covered them with wood planks and plastic, but it remains to be seen if they survived. This freak snowstorm dumped over 20″ of snow on us over 3 days and now the big melt has commenced. Our indoor seedlings, however, are going strong. It’s nice to see some greenery somewhere . . .

The rosemary seems to be a late bloomer . . .

Due to a cold I picked up this week, I didn’t whip up any soups, or bake any breads—what a missed opportunity! 🙁 Oh well, at least I’m feeling better and things are beginning to melt outside. I wasn’t totally unproductive; I did get some other blogging done . . . I’ll return tomorrow with a brand new recipe!

Creamy Wild Rice Soup

April 11, 2013 by epicureanvegan

Colorado weather has been staying true to form, showing us just how schizophrenic it can be in the springtime. We’ve had 70 degree days and suddenly, we’re hitting the 20s and getting snow. Yesterday was one of those bone-chilling days which always makes me want to put on a pot of soup. I love experimenting with soups because it’s so easy. I have to say, this is probably one of my favorites—rich, creamy, and flavorful. I was already told that I need to make it again soon, and the Eighth Grader actually took leftovers to school today for lunch. He never takes leftovers! After a warm up this weekend, we are expected to get some more rain/snow next week, so I just may have to make this again. Darn. 😉

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
2-3 celery stalks, sliced thin
1 medium onion, diced
7 C vegetable broth
1 C wild rice mix (I used Whole Foods 365 Everyday brand)
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1 carrot, grated
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
4 Tbs Earth Balance
6 Tbs flour (any variety)
2 C almond milk

DIRECTIONS:
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil then add the garlic; cook 1 minute. Add the celery and onions and cook 3 minutes, or until they begin to soften.

Add the broth, rice and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook another 15 minutes, or until they soften, but are still a little firm. Stir in the carrots and nutritional yeast.

Meanwhile, to make the roux, melt the Earth Balance in a medium pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, one tablespoon at a time. You’ll have a thick, batter-like consistency. Slowly add the almond milk—a little at time—and continue to stir until it is all incorporated and thickens. This shouldn’t take more than 8-10 minutes.

Remove and discard the bay leaves, then slowly pour the roux into the soup and combine well. Reduce the heat to low and let it cook 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Creamy Wild Rice Soup

Yesterday was one of those bone-chilling days which always makes me want to put on a pot of soup. I love experimenting with soups because it's so easy. I have to say, this is probably one of my favorites---rich, creamy, and flavorful. I was already told that I need to make it again soon, and the Eighth Grader actually took leftovers to school today for lunch. He never takes leftovers! After a warm up this weekend, we are expected to get some more rain/snow next week, so I just may have to make this again. Darn. 😉

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
2-3 celery stalks, sliced thin
1 medium onion, diced
7 C vegetable broth
1 C wild rice mix (I used Whole Foods 365 Everyday brand)
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1 carrot, grated
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
4 Tbs Earth Balance
6 Tbs flour (any variety)
2 C almond milk

Directions

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil then add the garlic; cook 1 minute. Add the celery and onions and cook 3 minutes, or until they begin to soften.
Add the broth, rice and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook another 15 minutes, or until they soften, but are still a little firm. Stir in the carrots and nutritional yeast.
Meanwhile, to make the roux, melt the Earth Balance in a medium pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, one tablespoon at a time. You'll have a thick, batter-like consistency. Slowly add the almond milk---a little at time---and continue to stir until it is all incorporated and thickens. This shouldn't take more than 8-10 minutes.
Remove and discard the bay leaves, then slowly pour the roux into the soup and combine well. Reduce the heat to low and let it cook 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Mock Tuna Salad

April 10, 2013 by epicureanvegan

I never like to spend a lot of time preparing lunch, which can make it difficult to come up with something. Not only is this easy to throw together, but it makes plenty for a few lunches. The recipe is adapted from 1000 Vegan Recipes. If you’re not a fan of garbanzo beans, I suggest trying white beans instead. I also added chopped cashews, but sunflower seeds, chopped almonds, or pepitas would also be great. Cucumber can be subbed in for the celery as well and a tablespoon of nutritional yeast wouldn’t hurt either. Miss the omegas? Toss in some flax seeds! The recipe calls for 1 tsp of kelp powder and of course, the only amount I could buy was a pound. A pound of kelp powder?! Sure! I put that on . . . and . . .What do you use kelp powder for? (besides mock tuna salads)? Well first of all, it helps to know that kelp powder is loaded with health benefits. According to Livestrong.com it helps lower LDL cholesterol, lowers breast cancer risk, lowers blood sugar, and is a great source of iodine. After some research, I found it’s great to throw it in your smoothie, sprinkle it on your veggie sushi rice, add it to bread dough, and even use it as a seasoning—in place of salt. What do you use kelp powder for?

INGREDIENTS:
2 cans garbanzo or white beans
2 stalks celery or 1/2 C cucumber, chopped small
1/4 C minced onion
1/2 C cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, or pepitas, chopped
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 tsp capers, drained and chopped
1/2 C Vegenaise (or other vegan mayo)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp kelp powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices
8 slices of bread

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, coarsely mash the beans, or chopped them up on a cutting board. Add the celery (or cucumber), onions, nuts, capers, mayo, lemon juice, mustard, nutritional yeast, and kelp powder. Season with salt and pepper if you’d like. Combine thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Serve on bread with the lettuce and tomato and enjoy!

Mock Tuna Salad

The recipe is adapted from 1000 Vegan Recipes. If you're not a fan of garbanzo beans, I suggest trying white beans instead. I also added chopped cashews, but sunflower seeds, chopped almonds, or pepitas would also be great. Cucumber can be subbed in for the celery as well and a tablespoon of nutritional yeast wouldn't hurt either. Miss the omegas? Toss in some flax seeds! The recipe calls for 1 tsp of kelp powder and of course, the only amount I could buy was a pound. A pound of kelp powder?! Sure! I put that on . . . and . . .What do you use kelp powder for? (besides mock tuna salads)? Well first of all, it helps to know that kelp powder is loaded with health benefits. According to Livestrong.com it helps lower LDL cholesterol, lowers breast cancer risk, lowers blood sugar, and is a great source of iodine. After some research, I found it's great to throw it in your smoothie, sprinkle it on your veggie sushi rice, add it to bread dough, and even use it as a seasoning---in place of salt.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 cans garbanzo or white beans
2 stalks celery or ½ C cucumber, chopped small
¼ C minced onion
½ C cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, or pepitas, chopped
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 tsp capers, drained and chopped
½ C Vegenaise (or other vegan mayo)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp kelp powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices
8 slices of bread

Directions

In a medium bowl, coarsely mash the beans, or chopped them up on a cutting board.
Add the celery (or cucumber), onions, nuts, capers, mayo, lemon juice, mustard, nutritional yeast, and kelp powder. Season with salt and pepper if you'd like. Combine thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Serve on bread with the lettuce and tomato and enjoy!

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