Epicurean Vegan

Healthy eating for discriminating palates

Lemon Risotto with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach February 11, 2012

Filed under: Dinners,Sides — epicureanvegan @ 6:43 pm
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Barb at That Was Vegan? posted this recipe, but used Israeli couscous and kale. YUM! I didn’t have any couscous and of course, I had eaten all the kale, but . . . I really wanted to make this dish. I added some mushrooms, too and it was delicious! You could also use wild rice or barley—just keep in mind they both take up to an hour to cook. Otherwise, this is quick and satisfying meal.

INGREDIENTS:

1 C arborio (risotto) rice

1-1/2 C water

1 vegetable bouillon cube

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 to 2 C mushrooms, sliced

1 C fresh spinach, chopped

Salt, pepper, and cumin, to taste

2-3 Tbs lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, or drizzle with olive oil. Add the potatoes. I sprinkled on some salt and pepper, too.

Bake 15-20 minutes until they start to brown—but be sure to turn once. While the potatoes bake, bring the water and bouillon cube to a boil, then add the rice. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 10-15 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, spinach, salt, pepper, cumin, and lemon juice. Cover until the veggies soften and wilt.

Stir in the sweet potatoes and enjoy!

 

Quinoa with Mushrooms and Spinach February 9, 2012

Filed under: Dinners,Lunches — epicureanvegan @ 7:29 pm
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Occasionally, there are nights I don’t cook dinner for the fam. Either we have lots of leftovers, or everyone is doing their own thing, so we fend for ourselves. Tonight was one such night. But when The Husband saw what I made, he kindly asked if I’d share. He said this was one of his favorites dishes—we both loved it. And so easy! Throw this together in 20 minutes and you have a healthy, protein-packed meal.

INGREDIENTS:

1 C quinoa

2 C water

1 vegan vegetable bouillon cube

3 C fresh spinach

3 C fresh mushrooms, sliced

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium saucepan, bring the water with the bouillon cube to a boil. Stir it around so the cube dissolves completely. Stir in the quinoa, reduce heat to low, and cover for about 15 minutes. When the quinoa is almost done—just a tiny bit of water left—add the spinach, mushrooms and seasonings; combine well.

Turn the heat off, cover, and let the spinach and mushrooms steam a bit—5-7 minutes. You may need to drizzle with some water if there isn’t enough moisture left. Once the spinach is wilted and the mushrooms are tender, serve and enjoy!

 

Paella Primavera February 7, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 8:02 am
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Like many of you, I received the latest issue of Vegetarian Times yesterday . . . when I saw this recipe on the cover, I had to make it. I didn’t have all the same ingredients, so I improvised, plus I added some other seasonings. It came out delicious! Next time, I think I’ll try using barley instead of rice and maybe use zucchini instead of broccoli. It helps to have all of your ingredients chopped and ready to go first. Despite some prep work, this dish came together quickly and I liked that I only needed one pan.

Adapted from Vegetarian Times

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbs olive oil

2 C broccoli florets

1 red bell pepper, chopped

6 green onion, sliced

3 C low-sodium vegetable broth

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 C white rice

1 C corn kernels

12 pitted green olives, halved

12 pitted black olives, halved

1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped

Salt, pepper, and cumin, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the broccoli, bell pepper, and green onion. Cook about 5-6 minutes.

Stir in the broth and garlic; bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the corn and olives; cover and cook another 8 minutes.

Season with salt, pepper, and cumin and serve with a pinch or two of fresh parsley. Enjoy!

 

Layered (Deep Dish) Pizza January 24, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 11:13 am
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This brings deep dish pizza to a whole new level; five levels to be exact. Since the Mexican Lasagna turned out so great, I thought I’d make a pizza version. It was delicious! This may be my new favorite way to eat pizza.

INGREDIENTS:

5, 8″ flour tortillas

1 Tbs olive oil

3 Field Roast sausages, Italian Seasoning flavor, crumbled

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 -1/2 C mushrooms, sliced

4-5 C fresh spinach, chopped

1 C fresh basil, chopped

1, 15-oz can Glen Muir pizza sauce

1-1/2 C Daiya cheese, mozzarella flavor

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet heat the olive oil and add the bell pepper; cook until slightly tender. Add the crumbled Field Roast and heat through.

Add the mushrooms, spinach, and basil. Cook just until the spinach wilts a bit. Bake the tortilla shells about 2-3 minutes per side. Spray the bottom of a 9″ cake pan with cooking spray, then pour a small amount on the bottom. Lay one tortilla on the bottom, add some sauce, veggie mixture, then sprinkle some cheese on it.

Repeat, top with last tortilla, rest of sauce and cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

 

Easy Tostadas January 23, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 4:45 pm
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This is one of those no-brainer meals that when you need something quick and easy, these fit the bill. The Seventh Grader, always helpful when it comes to cooking (but not cleaning) makes this even easier to throw together.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bag Boca crumbles

1 can refried beans

1/2 large onion, diced

1 Tbs olive oil

1 pkg taco seasoning

8-12 tostada shells

All the fixins’: Tofutti sour cream, lettuce, tomato, avocado, fresh cilantro, Daiya cheese, and salsa

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Cook the onion and cook 3-5 minutes. Add the Boca crumbles and cook until heated through. Add the can of refries and combine well. In a small cup, prepare the seasoning mix according to the package instructions and stir into the bean/Boca mixture. Place the tostada shells on a baking sheet and warm for 3-5 minutes. Layer on some of the bean mixture along with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

 

Pasta with Kale January 22, 2012

Filed under: Dinners,Lunches — epicureanvegan @ 9:48 am
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I was on my own for dinner the other night, so after staring blankly at the cupboards, then the fridge, I decided to combine some of my favorite ingredients for dinner: tri-color pasta, kale, mushrooms, and miso. For some added crunch (and protein) you could throw in some pine nuts or chopped cashews.

INGREDIENTS:

8-10 oz tri-color rotini

1 bunch kale, chopped

5-6 mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbs Earth Balance margarine

1 Tbs yellow miso

1 tsp garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the pasta until al dente and drain. Meanwhile, steam the kale and mushrooms 3-5 minutes—just until they’re tender. Usually, once the kale turns bright green, it’s ready. Using the same pot you cooked the pasta in, melt the margarine and garlic. Stir in the miso and blend it in. Add the kale and pasta and combine well. Enjoy!

 

Potato and Chard Casserole January 19, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 8:17 pm
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I suppose you could also call this a “gratin” or scalloped potatoes; basically the same thing. You can easily make this a gluten-free dish by using rice flour and using ground up gluten-free crackers instead of bread crumbs. This has a little bit of prep work, so enlisting some help wouldn’t be a bad idea. If you have a 13-year-old lying around, it’s a fine opportunity to teach he/she how to peel and slice potatoes. Speaking of potatoes . . . this is probably a good time to remind folks that these root veggies are on the “Dirty Dozen” list, in fact, all root vegetables (carrots, turnips, etc) are. Because conventionally grown potatoes are sprayed with pesticides up to 5 times throughout the growing season, it is highly encouraged you only eat organic potatoes. The pesticides also seep into the soil where these starchy (and absorbent) veggies grow—another good reason to stick to organic!

INGREDIENTS:

7 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin

1 large bunch of chard, stem and veins removed, then chopped

6 green onion, sliced

3 Tbs vegetable broth

2 Tbs flour

1-1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning

1/4 tsp black pepper

Dash or two of nutmeg

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1-1/2 C almond milk

3/4 C Daiya mozzarella shreds

2 slices of bread

2 Tbs Earth Balance margarine

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350. Puree the two slices of bread and Earth Balance in the food processor; set aside. (This is a great way to use those heels of the loaf that no one seems to like). In a large bowl, combine the potatoes and green onion. Make sure the potato slices are well separated, otherwise they’ll take forever to bake.

Meanwhile, steam the chard for about 5-7 minutes. You don’t want it too soft–just a little tender. Mix it in with potatoes and green onion. 

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Whisk in the flour, seasoning, pepper, nutmeg, and dry mustard. Whisk in the almond milk and bring to a boil. Stir constantly until it begins to thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 C of the cheese.

Pour the sauce over the veggies and mix well. Transfer to a 9″x13″ baking pan.

Top with the remaining cheese and the bread crumbs you made from the bread slices.

Cover and bake for 40-45 minutes. Test the potatoes for doneness with a fork. Bake uncovered another 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

 

Fondue Flop January 9, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 7:20 pm
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Looks good, huh? And actually, it wasn’t too bad, but NOT as a fondue. The recipe is called Blonde Bliss Vegan Fondue from the Jan/Feb issue of Vegetarian Times. (I tried to find the recipe on their site, but couldn’t,  but found it HERE). The stars of the show are potatoes and I figured since the Veg News’ Mac n’ Cheese is made with potatoes and is SO DELICIOUS, then this one has got to be pretty good. It tasted more like a potato chowder, which is good in its own right, but not as a fondue. I wanted to add some Daiya cheese, Tofutti sour cream and some chopped chives. Oh well.

Fondue was invented for cow’s milk cheese—that’s just the way it is, but I think  the Veg News’ sauce , a vegan white sauce, and the creamy cashew sauce would make much better fondues. Next time, I might give that a try. For now, at least I have some leftover chowder for tomorrow’s lunch.

The apples, bread and mushrooms were good though!

 

Tortilla Lasagna January 6, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 7:41 pm
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This was a smash hit with the family. The original recipe is from the Jan/Feb issue of Vegetarian Times, but I made a few changes and added some ingredients, such as green onion, cilantro, and black olives. Personally, if those three ingredients aren’t in a Mexican dish like this, don’t bother. Just saying . . . I really liked using flour tortillas, but feel free to use the corn variety, especially if you’d like to make a gluten-free version.

INGREDIENTS:

6, 8-inch flour tortillas

1 Tbs olive oil

1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)

2 Tbs chili powder (I used 1 Tbs ground cumin)

2 tsp ancho chile powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 C strained tomatoes, divided (I used a can of crushed tomatoes)

1, 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 med chayote, peeled and diced or 2 med zucchinis, diced (I went with the zucchinis)

1/2 C fresh or frozen corn kernels

1-1/2 C Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (I used a mix of Daiya cheeses)

Optional ingredients: (totally worth it)

black olives, green onion, guacamole, Tofutti sour cream, salsa

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the spices and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add 1-1/2 cups of the tomatoes, black beans, zucchini, corn, and 1/2 cup of water.  Season with salt and pepper, if you’d like.

Cover and cook 10 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender. Meanwhile, place the tortillas on a large baking sheet and toast them for 5 minutes, turning once. Then, coat a 2″ deep by 8″ round cake pan with cooking spray and pour 1/4 cup of the tomatoes on the bottom and spread around. Lay one tortilla on the bottom; top with about 3/4 cup of the bean mixture and some cheese.

Repeat four more times, then top with last tortilla.

Spread the remaining tomatoes over the top and sprinkle on the last of cheese. If using, top with green onion and black olives.

Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes, or until it is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

Top with some diced avocados or guacamole, fresh cilantro, and a dollop of Tofutti sour cream. Enjoy!

 

Sweet & Sour Boca Nugget Stir-fry January 3, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 12:36 pm
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Stir-fries are great ways to use up veggies and they’re typically easy to throw together. I didn’t feel like using tempeh or tofu, so I went with Boca nuggets. The sweet and sour sauce came out perfect–a great balance of both elements!

INGREDIENTS:

1 pkg. Boca nuggets

2 C mushrooms, cut into chunks

6-8 green onions, sliced

1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1 C carrots, sliced thin

1 Tbs olive oil

2 tsp garlic, minced

2 C cooked rice

Sauce:

2/3 C rice vinegar

8 Tbs brown sugar

2 Tbs ketchup

2 tsp tamari

4 tsp arrowroot

6 tsp water

DIRECTIONS:

The sauce won’t take long to make, so I suggest combining everything in a small saucepan (except the arrowroot and water) and set aside for now. Bake the nuggets according to the bag’s instructions (12-13 minutes). Then cut each nugget into fourths. (And if using rice, don’t forget to get it started, too)!

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat. Add the water chestnuts and carrots and cook until tender. Add the mushrooms, green onion, and Boca nuggets.

At this point, bring the sauce to a boil. Mix together the water and arrowroot and whisk it into the sauce to thicken it up. This should only take about a minute.

Pour the sauce over the veggies/nuggets and combine well. Serve over hot white rice and enjoy!

 

 
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