epicureanvegan, Author at Epicurean Vegan

Quinoa-Couscous Cereal with Dried Fruit

January 27, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This may take a bit longer to make than regular old oatmeal, but it is so worth it! Not only is it good for you, but is quite filling; the protein is perfect to keep you going all morning.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 C unsweetened apple juice
1 C water
1/2 C quinoa
2 Tbs dried cranberries
2 Tbs dried apricots, chopped
2 Tbs dried blueberries
2 Tbs raisins (I like the golden variety)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 C couscous
1/2 cup soy, rice or almond milk

DIRECTIONS
n a medium saucepan, combine apple juice and water. Bring to a boil and in the meantime, rinse and drain quinoa (or use an already rinse kind) and put into a small saute pan and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until grains begin to pop, about 2-3 mins. Add the quinoa, dried fruit and spices to the liquid in the sauce pan, stirring occasionally for about 12 minutes. Stir in couscous. Remove pan from heat and cover with a lid. Let stand for 5 mins until liquid has been absorbed. Stir and serve with soy milk. Enjoy!

Serves 6

Recipe source: Shape Magazine, 2006

Seitan Marsala

January 26, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is my husband’s specialty, but of course he had always made it with chicken. Well…not anymore! I finally convinced him to use seitan and even he loved it. Turned out absolutely delicious, which means he’ll be cooking more often. I served it over pilaf and also with my kale and mustard green salad and red wine vinaigrette and it made a complete, satisfying and healthy meal.

INGREDIENTS:
2 pkgs seitan (chicken style), broken up into pieces
1/4 C all purpose flour
1/4 tsp dried marjoram, crushed
1/8 tsp salt, pepper
1 C sliced mushrooms
2 Tbs sliced green onion
3 Tbs Earth Balance margarine
1/4 C vegetable broth
1/4 C Marsala or dry sherry

DIRECTIONS:
Stir together flour, marjoram, salt and pepper. Lightly press seitan pieces into flour mixture and cover all sides, gently shake off the excess. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the seitan in 1 Tbs of the margarine. Saute until brown on all sides. Seitan is already cooked–its just a matter of heating it through, about 5 mins.

Add the mushrooms, green onions, vegetable broth, Marsala or sherry and remaining 2 Tbs of margarine. Cook uncovered for about 2-3 mins, until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.

Serve over rice or pilaf and enjoy!

By the way, here’s my favorite seitan for this dish:

Red Wine Vinaigrette and Salad with a Kick

January 26, 2010 by epicureanvegan

So long to boring salads! Between the mustard greens and the Dijon and shallots in the dressing, this salad is anything but tame.

INGREDIENTS:
Vinaigrette:
4 Tbs red wine vinegar
2 Tbs shallots, chopped fine
3 tsp Dijon mustard
4 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Salad:
2 large leaves mustard greens, chopped into 1″ pieces
2 large leaves of kale, chopped into 1″ pieces
2 big handfuls of spinach, chopped into bite sized pieces
8 mushrooms, sliced
2 small tomatoes, diced
1/2 cucumber, diced (not tiny diced–bite sized)
1 big handful sunflower seeds
2 big handfuls craisins
croutons

DIRECTIONS:
Dressing
Whisk together all ingredients, serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate. Makes about a 1 cup
Salad
Combine and toss–I’ll bet you know how to make a salad!
Enjoy!

Tempeh Burgers

January 25, 2010 by epicureanvegan

It didn’t take much to throw these together–which was good, because I didn’t have a lot of time–and with leftovers, the next day’s lunch is a breeze. Tempeh is an excellent source of protein, manganese and B12, not to mention low in fat, calories and devoid of cholesterol. No wonder it’s the perfect alternative to a beef burger!

INGREDIENTS:
1 (8-ounce) package tempeh
1/4 cup low-sodium tamari
2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp Liquid Smoke

DIRECTIONS:
Cut the tempeh in half, then slice each half into thinner slices. Steam the tempeh for 10-15 mins. In a small bowl, combine tamari, mirin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and Liquid Smoke. Place half of the marinade in a shallow bowl or dish, then add steamed tempeh. Pour the rest of the marinade and be sure to coat the pieces thoroughly. Marinate in the refrigerator 30-60 mins.

When ready to prepare, heat a large nonstick skillet with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Cook the tempeh–3-4 mins on both sides.

Serve on buns, or open face. Here are suggestions of toppings:
Guacamole or avocado slices
Tomato
Vegan cheese
Lettuce
Mustard
Ketchup
Sliced jalapeno peppers
Onions
Pickles
I liked mine with Veganaise, vegan cheese and tomato. The hubby and son liked guacamole, cheddar cheese and ranch dressing (I’ve only been able to convince them to be part-time vegans). Load up on your favorite ingredients and enjoy!

Pineapple-Cashew-Quinoa Stir-Fry

January 24, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This recipe from Veganomicon is so flavorful and delicious!
It helps to have all the ingredients ready and chopped up before your start and the recipe calls for chilling the quinoa once it’s done, but I didn’t have time for that, so I filled the sink with cold water and placed the pan of quinoa in the sink–it worked beautifully. I also made some other changes to the recipe, but I’ll list the original and my alterations.

INGREDIENTS:
Quinoa:
1 C quinoa, well rinsed and drained (I like Ancient Harvest brand–already rinsed)
1 C pineapple juice (I used a cup from the canned pineapple you’ll need for the stir-fry)
1 C cold water
1/4 tsp soy sauce
Stir-fry:
4 oz cashews, raw and unsalted
3 Tbs peanut oil (I used olive oil)
2 scallions, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 hot red chile, sliced into very thin rounds (When I started this, I realized I didn’t have one…oops)
1/2″ piece ginger, peeled and minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced (I also added one diced yellow bell pepper)
1 C frozen green peas or cooked edamame (I used the edamame)
1/2 C fresh basil leaves, rolled and sliced thin shreds
2 Tbs chopped fresh mint
10-oz fresh pineapple, cut into bite sized pieces (about 2 C–I used canned)
3 Tbs soy sauce
3 Tbs vegetable stock
1 Tbs mirin
Lime wedges for garnish (I drizzled jarred lime juice on top)

DIRECTIONS:
Prepare the quinoa first: Combine the quinoa, juice, water and soy sauce in a medium-sized pot. Cover, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Stir a few times, lower heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 12-14 mins until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa appears plump and slightly translucent. Uncover, fluff and let cool. For best results, place the quinoa in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight, or chill for 1 hour. Like I said, I cooled it in a sink of cold water.

To prepare the stir-fry: Use a very large skillet–at least 11 inches. Place the cashews in the dry pan and heat over medium heat, stirring them, until lightly toasted, 4-5 mins. Remove the cashews from the pan, raise the heat to medium and add the oil, scallions, and garlic. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the sliced chile pepper and ginger. Stir-fry for about 2 mins then add the bell pepper(s) and peas (or edamame).

(Such a colorful dish)!
Stir-fry for another 3-4 mins, until the bell pepper is softened. Add the basil and mint and stir for another minute before adding the pineapple and quinoa.
In a measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, vegetable stock and mirin. Pour over the quinoa mixture. Stir to incorporate completely and coat the quinoa. Continue to stir-fry 10-14 mins, until the quinoa is very hot.

(I see why the recipe called for a very large skillet)

The recipe didn’t say anything else about the cashews, so I added them the last 5 mins of stir-frying. Serve with lime wedges and additional soy sauce to season individual servings to taste. Serves 5-6. Enjoy!

Recipe source: Veganomicon

Breakfast Sandwiches

January 23, 2010 by epicureanvegan

These were delicious, but I made it harder on myself than I needed to…I thought I could get away by using soft, Silken tofu, not firm, like the recipe says…won’t make that mistake again. Despite the detours I had to make these sandwiches were very yummy and served with some tempeh bacon, it was a satisfying breakfast.
The recipe includes homemade biscuits, but I used toasted English muffins instead–I didn’t have ALL morning…!

INGREDIENTS:
Tofu eggs:
1 12-oz pkg Firm Aseptic Silken Tofu
5 Tbs soy milk
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 Tbs olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs tahini
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbs plus 1 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp baking powder
Vegetable oil for heating in pan
Maple Soy Tofu:
1 14oz block of water-packed tofu, pressed
3 Tbs soy sauce
3 Tbs maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:
To make the tofu egg, mix all the ingredients, except vegetable oil in a blender or food processor. Blend well. Heat a nonstick skillet with a few teaspoons of vegetable oil. Pour 1/3c of batter into the hot pan, using a rubber spatula to gently spread the batter into a thin pancake. When beginning to brown, flip gently and cook on the other side. Continue to cook the tofu egg “pancakes”; stack and set aside. (Ok…this was not as easy as it sounds–perhaps it was the tofu issue, after the first “pancake” fizzled and disintegrated into the oil, I said screw it–I’ll make scrambled eggs. That didn’t work. BUT…after 5 mins, it made a thicker batter, so I poured it back into a bowl and was able to make the egg pancakes).

They weren’t real pretty, but that’s okay…they tasted great.
To make the maple tofu:
(And I recommend doing this while the egg pancakes are cooking–save on time–if you don’t mind having 2 pans going)
After tofu is drained and pressed, slice it into 10 thick slices. Cook in an ungreased, nonstick skillet until brown on both sides, cooking in batches if necessary. Place all of the cooked tofu into the pan. Add the soy sauce and maple syrup (I whisked together both in a bowl first–made more sense) until the sauce bubbles up and thickens into a glaze, being careful not to burn it. Set aside. Place the tofu eggs and maple tofu on the toasted english muffins and serve. I had a third pan going with the tempeh bacon–and then added a slice to the sandwich. Hmmm….despite all the work and my “egg” mishap, it was well worth it! The tofu eggs really tasted very much real like egg–impressed. I think a good variation would be to use a Tofutti cheese slice in the place of the tofu egg, the maple tofu and tempeh bacon.

Recipe source: Vegan Yum Yum

Crispy Tofu Slices with Orange Dipping Sauce

January 23, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Holy…mackerel, I have never seen 8oz of tofu disappear so fast. This is was outstanding–I just wish I had made more! The recipe is from The Kind Diet and are so easy to make. The slightly sweet orange dipping sauce gives these a dessert, or even a breakfast quality. They practically melt in your mouth.

INGREDIENTS:
1-8oz pkg savory-flavored baked tofu (I used Westsoy Sesame Peanut flavored and the picture only shows about 1/4 of that)
1/2 C corn flour
1/2 C brown rice flour
Safflower oil
2/3 C orange juice
1/3 C maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:
Cut the baked tofu into slices about 1/4″ thick. Mix the flours together in a shallow bowl. Pour enough oil into a large skillet to cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer and heat over medium heat. Dip each of the tofu strips into the flour mixture, coating well on all sides. Place the tofu strips in the skillet, and cook until lightly browned on both sides, about 3 mins per side. Transfer the fried tofu strips to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Stir together the orange juice and syrup in a small bowl. Serve the tofu strips with the dipping sauce along side.
So delicious!
There was quite a bit of leftover flour, so I saved it for another batch, but I would recommend using 2 packages of tofu because there was also quite a bit of sauce left, too. With the orange juice and maple syrup dipping sauce, it would be delish for breakfast. Or try a tamari and brown sugar combo, or teriyaki sauce…the possibilities are really endless and I can’t wait to make more!

Recipe source: The Kind Diet

Sunflower Cherry Oatmeal Bars

January 22, 2010 by epicureanvegan

These are delicious! And simple to make-taking only about 10 mins to prepare. These would be great with a scoop of soy ice cream or a dallop of vanilla soy yogurt on top. These also taste great after being the fridge for a while–they’re a tasty snack that will keep you going when you’re on the run.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup rolled oats, either quick cooking or old fashioned
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed natural brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup expeller pressed canola oil
5 tablespoons orange juice, divided
1/2 cup fruit sweetened black cherry preserves

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine oats, flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, sunflower seeds and cherries in a large bowl. Add oil and 3 tablespoons orange juice, mixing well until all ingredients are fully combined. Reserve a half cup and press the rest into a lightly oiled 8-by-8-inch baking pan.

Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons orange juice with the cherry preserves and spread evenly over the oat mixture in the pan.

Sprinkle reserved oat mixture over the top and press down lightly with fingers.

Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Cool in the pan on a wire rack then cut into bars or squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Recipe source: Whole Foods

Pesto Potato Bread

January 21, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I can’t tell you how much I LOVE this bread. I’ve made it several times now and it goes great with pasta, soups–pretty much anything, even just for a snack. It smells wonderful, too as it bakes. I’ve never been very good at making yeast breads, but this one always turns out, however, adequate warmth for the bread to rise is crucial. The best place is on the stove top of your oven with your oven on warm. For me, that doesn’t work because my oven is mounted in the wall with the microwave mounted above it. I have found that if my dishwasher happens to be running, the counter top above it gets nice and warm, too. I settled for a sunny spot on the kitchen table. I also took lots of pictures of the process…and please note, this recipe makes 2 of these beautiful loaves!

INGREDIENTS:
1 C plain soy milk
1 C leftover mashed potatoes
3 Tbs vegan pesto
1 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 pkg active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1/4 C warm water
4 C all-purpose flour (or you can use bread flour), or more if needed

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan, heat the soy milk until hot but not boiling. Stir in potatoes, pesto, oil, salt and sugar, stirring until well mixed.

(Soy milk mixture and yeast mixture)
Transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a small bowl, combine the yeast and water, stirring to dissolve the yeast. Let the mixture stand for 10 mins then stir it into the potato mixture. Add about 1/2 of the flour, stirring to combine. Work in the remaining flour to form a soft dough, then transfer to a lightly floured surface.

Add up to 1/2 C of additional flour, if needed.
Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 8 mins, using additional flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking.

Place the dough in a large (use a pretty large bowl) lightly oiled, turning the dough to coat with oil.

Cover w/plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Test dough by poking it with your finger. It is ready if the indentation from your finger remains.

(After first rising)
Lightly oil a large baking sheet and set it aside. Punch down the dough and turn it out into a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 5 mins. Divide the dough in half (use a sharp knife), shape into two round loaves and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Cover again with clean plastic wrap or dish towel and let rise for another 45-60 mins.

(After 2nd rising)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Uncover dough and use a sharp knife to cut 1 diagonal slash in the top of each loaf. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 mins. (I think they came out perfect at about 22-23 mins, but every oven is different). The bread is done if it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. (I didn’t do this–seemed a bit too much to do to a piping hot loaf of bread). Cool on a wire rack for 30 mins before slicing. (I waited about 15-20 mins and it was so yummy warm)!

Recipe source: 1000 Vegan Recipes

Three-Bean Dip

January 21, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is a great dip, but at first, I thought it was a little bland, so I added about a cup of diced (food processed) black olives and it was just what this dip needed! I think a diced up roasted red pepper or two would be yummy too. Great for crackers, sour dough squares or even on celery and other veggies.

INGREDIENTS:
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 Tbs chopped green onion
1 C canned Great Northern or other white beans, drained and rinsed
1 C canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 C cooked shelled edamame (I steamed them for a few minutes)
1 Tbs lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1 C finely diced black olives

DIRECTIONS:
In a food processor, process the garlic and green onions until minced. Add the beans, chickpeas, edamame, lemon juice , olives (if using) and salt and black pepper to taste and process until smooth.
Transfer to a medium bowl and serve right away or cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Will keep for 3 days if stored properly. Enjoy!