Dinners Archives - Page 14 of 31

Vegan New England Chik’n Corn Chowder

June 22, 2012 by epicureanvegan

This may not be something you’d consider making in the summer, but on a rainy evening (which we could desperately use) this chowder would hit the spot. Even without the rainy weather, this soup is absolutely delicious! The Seventh Grader picked it out, so we worked side-by-side in the kitchen on this one. It comes together rather quickly—certainly under 25 minutes. The original recipe is from LightLife. We made some changes though and actually had to guess on some directions because they weren’t real clear on how some of the ingredients needed to be prepared. I also used Morning Star Chik’n Strips. The recipe makes only 3 servings, which is great for us, but you may want to double the recipe to feed more. (Note: You probably wouldn’t need to double the Chik’n Strips, because I think there’d be plenty for a double batch).

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg Morning Start Meal Starter Chik’n Strips
4 slices LightLife Smart Bacon
3 Tbs vegan margarine
1/2 C onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 to 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 Tbs flour
3 C almond milk
1-1/2 C corn kernels
1 tsp fresh thyme
Salt, pepper, and cayenne, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
If the Chik’n Strips are frozen, defrost a little, then chop up into bite-sized pieces.

In a soup pot, heat the vegan margarine until melted. Over medium/high heat, add the onion, celery, and pepper. (Remember, wear your rubbers when handling hot peppers 😉 )

Cook for about five minutes, stirring often, until the veggies are tender. While this is going on, you may want to get the bacon frying. Cook according to package instructions. Add the flour to the pot and cook about a minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add the almond milk and incorporate it well. Add the corn, Chik’n, thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until it thickens up, about 5 minutes.

Serve with some crumbled veg bacon on top. Enjoy!

Vegan New England Chik'n Corn Chowder

The original recipe is from LightLife. We made some changes though and actually had to guess on some directions because they weren't real clear on how some of the ingredients needed to be prepared. I also used Morning Star Chik'n Strips. The recipe makes only 3 servings, which is great for us, but you may want to double the recipe to feed more. (Note: You probably wouldn't need to double the Chik'n Strips, because I think there'd be plenty for a double batch).

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 pkg Morning Start Meal Starter Chik'n Strips
4 slices LightLife Smart Bacon
3 Tbs vegan margarine
½ C onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
½ to 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 Tbs flour
3 C almond milk
1-1/2 C corn kernels
1 tsp fresh thyme
Salt, pepper, and cayenne, to taste

Directions

If the Chik'n Strips are frozen, defrost a little, then chop up into bite-sized pieces.
In a soup pot, heat the vegan margarine until melted. Over medium/high heat, add the onion, celery, and pepper. (Remember, wear your rubbers when handling hot peppers 😉 )
Cook for about five minutes, stirring often, until the veggies are tender. While this is going on, you may want to get the bacon frying. Cook according to package instructions. Add the flour to the pot and cook about a minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add the almond milk and incorporate it well. Add the corn, Chik'n, thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until it thickens up, about 5 minutes.
Serve with some crumbled veg bacon on top. Enjoy!

Field Roast-Mole Vegan Tamales

June 18, 2012 by epicureanvegan

I’m so excited to bring you this recipe. I’ve always wanted to try making tamales and The Husband loves them, so Father’s Day was the perfect time to give them a shot. This is certainly made easier with help, so enlist someone to give you a hand. Also, the masa, filling, and mole sauce can all be made in advance. The masa and mole recipes are from Roberto Martin’s cookbook, Vegan Cooking for Carbivores, although I deviated off the mole recipe a little. This is a fantastic cookbook–I’ve made so many dishes from it and can’t wait to make more. But I did find his instructions for filling and wrapping the tamales a bit confusing—it would have been nice if he had step-by-step pictures. So I ended up watching a quick how-to video on YouTube, but I’ve got you covered—below are step-by-step pictures on how to make these delicious tamales.

Some important things to keep in mind:

The husks have to soak in hot water for about an hour
The steaming process is an hour and fifteen minutes
Make sure you have a tall steamer, as the tamales have to be steamed vertically (although we experimented with three leftover tamales in my steamer pot that we placed them laying down and they came out fine–but they also weren’t stacked). I borrowed my friend’s electric steamer which was ideal!
The mole sauce isn’t super chocolate-y, so if you prefer it with more of a chocolate flavor, I recommend using four ounces instead of two.

INGREDIENTS:

Filling:
4 Field Roast sausages, chipotle-flavored
1 C corn kernels
1 tsp olive oil
Masa:
4 C masa harina
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
4 C warm water
16 Tbs (2 sticks) vegan margarine, melted
1/2 C olive oil
Mole sauce:
4 C broth made from Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base (or any veg broth)
3 large jarred roasted red peppers (this is my variation)
1 tsp olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/8 C chile carible (also my addition)
1 tsp oregano
2 Tbs cumin
2-oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
1/2 C slivered almonds
2 tsp salt

The rest:
1 bag corn husks
Guacamole

DIRECTIONS:
Okay, I know this may seem like a big task to some, but these really aren’t that difficult to make. Remember, soak the husks in hot water an hour before assembly. I had The Husband working on the masa while I prepared the mole sauce. To make the masa, it helps to use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Combine the ingredients in the order they are listed. Start out on a low speed, then increase until completely combined. Place the speed on medium for a few minutes in order to fluff it up. You can cover and refrigerate, just make sure you take it out about 30 minutes prior to assembly. It will resemble cookie dough.

When it came to making the mole sauce, I made some adjustments because I had trouble finding the dried chiles for this. (You’ll have to buy this fantastic cookbook for the original recipe). With that said, I think it came out rather delicious. 🙂 I subbed in a few roasted red peppers and used a chile seasoning.

In a skillet over high heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion and saute until tender and translucent. Add the oregano, garlic, and cumin and cook another 2 minutes. remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate.

Give it a few minutes to completely melt. Stir the chile caribe into the broth and along with the almonds, salt, roasted red peppers, and onion mixture, add it the blender. Puree until the sauce is completely smooth.

Now, to make the filling, I ground the Field Roast sausages in the food processor until they were fine. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the Field Roast and corn kernels and cook until heated through, about 7-9 minutes, stirring often.

Add about half of the mole sauce to the skillet and combine it thoroughly with the sausage/corn mixture. Warm the remaining sauce in a sauce pan to use later.

Transfer the filling to a bowl. You’re now ready to start assembling your tamales. Pat dry the corn husk and spread it out on a cutting board, narrow pointed end on the bottom. If you have any small husks, you can overlap two small ones to make one larger one.

Place about a 1/4 cup of the masa on the center of the husk. Using your fingers, press the masa down into a circular/oval-ish shape about an 1/8″ thick.

Next, spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the filling down the center of the masa. (I’d make it less spread out than what the pic shows—you just don’t want the filling to go too close to the edges of the masa.

Fold the husk like a taco and try to get the edges of the masa to touch and sort of bind the edges together a little.

You can tuck of the husk edges inside if you need to. Basically, you need to just fold over the edges of the husk and encase the filling/masa. Lay it flat.

Pinch the edges of masa to seal each end and then fold the top and bottom of the husk underneath. You can flatten out the tamale a little too.

Set the folded tamales, fold-side down and move on. It works best to place all of the tamales in the steamer once they are all finished. Repeat until you’ve run out masa and filling. I got about 28 tamales out this recipe. Like I said, I used a friend’s steamer, which was ideal for these tamales.

Steam for an hour and fifteen minutes, just make sure that after 30 minutes, you check to make sure there is still plenty of water. Check again after an hour. After the steaming, let the tamales sit another fifteen minutes before serving.

Our friends came over and we had a father’s day fiesta complete with margaritas, corn chips, salsa, Spanish rice and guacamole!

Look at how perfect the tamales came out!

Serve them with a ladle or two of the reserved mole sauce and some guacamole.

Enjoy!

Field Roast-Mole Vegan Tamales

I'm so excited to bring you this recipe. I've always wanted to try making tamales and The Husband loves them, so Father's Day was the perfect time to give them a shot. This is certainly made easier with help, so enlist someone to give you a hand. Also, the masa, filling, and mole sauce can all be made in advance. The masa and mole recipes are from Roberto Martin's cookbook, Vegan Cooking for Carbivores, although I deviated off the mole recipe a little. This is a fantastic cookbook--I've made so many dishes from it and can't wait to make more. But I did find his instructions for filling and wrapping the tamales a bit confusing---it would have been nice if he had step-by-step pictures. So I ended up watching a quick how-to video on YouTube, but I've got you covered---below are step-by-step pictures on how to make these delicious tamales.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Filling:
4 Field Roast sausages, chipotle-flavored
1 C corn kernels
1 tsp olive oil
Masa:
4 C masa harina
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
4 C warm water
16 Tbs (2 sticks) vegan margarine, melted
½ C olive oil
Mole sauce:
4 C broth made from Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base (or any veg broth)
3 large jarred roasted red peppers (this is my variation)
1 tsp olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
⅛ C chile carible (also my addition)
1 tsp oregano
2 Tbs cumin
2-oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
½ C slivered almonds
2 tsp salt
The rest:
1 bag corn husks
Guacamole

Directions

Okay, I know this may seem like a big task to some, but these really aren't that difficult to make. Remember, soak the husks in hot water an hour before assembly. I had The Husband working on the masa while I prepared the mole sauce. To make the masa, it helps to use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Combine the ingredients in the order they are listed. Start out on a low speed, then increase until completely combined. Place the speed on medium for a few minutes in order to fluff it up. You can cover and refrigerate, just make sure you take it out about 30 minutes prior to assembly. It will resemble cookie dough.
When it came to making the mole sauce, I made some adjustments because I had trouble finding the dried chiles for this. (You'll have to buy this fantastic cookbook for the original recipe). With that said, I think it came out rather delicious. 🙂 I subbed in a few roasted red peppers and used a chile seasoning.
In a skillet over high heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion and saute until tender and translucent. Add the oregano, garlic, and cumin and cook another 2 minutes. remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate.
Give it a few minutes to completely melt. Stir the chile caribe into the broth and along with the almonds, salt, roasted red peppers, and onion mixture, add it the blender. Puree until the sauce is completely smooth.
Now, to make the filling, I ground the Field Roast sausages in the food processor until they were fine. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the Field Roast and corn kernels and cook until heated through, about 7-9 minutes, stirring often.
Add about half of the mole sauce to the skillet and combine it thoroughly with the sausage/corn mixture. Warm the remaining sauce in a sauce pan to use later.
Transfer the filling to a bowl. You're now ready to start assembling your tamales. Pat dry the corn husk and spread it out on a cutting board, narrow pointed end on the bottom. If you have any small husks, you can overlap two small ones to make one larger one.
Place about a ¼ cup of the masa on the center of the husk. Using your fingers, press the masa down into a circular/oval-ish shape about an ⅛" thick.
Next, spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the filling down the center of the masa. (I'd make it less spread out than what the pic shows---you just don't want the filling to go too close to the edges of the masa.
Fold the husk like a taco and try to get the edges of the masa to touch and sort of bind the edges together a little.
You can tuck of the husk edges inside if you need to. Basically, you need to just fold over the edges of the husk and encase the filling/masa. Lay it flat.
Pinch the edges of masa to seal each end and then fold the top and bottom of the husk underneath. You can flatten out the tamale a little too.
Set the folded tamales, fold-side down and move on. It works best to place all of the tamales in the steamer once they are all finished. Repeat until you've run out masa and filling. I got about 28 tamales out this recipe. Like I said, I used a friend's steamer, which was ideal for these tamales.
Steam for an hour and fifteen minutes, just make sure that after 30 minutes, you check to make sure there is still plenty of water. Check again after an hour. After the steaming, let the tamales sit another fifteen minutes before serving.
Serve them with a ladle or two of the reserved mole sauce and some guacamole. Enjoy!

Pasta & Kale with Lemony Cashew Cream

June 12, 2012 by epicureanvegan

This makes a great summer dish! If you don’t have any kale on hand (why wouldn’t you?!) you could use any leafy green such as chard or spinach. I also think sliced mushrooms, sauteed asparagus, or zucchini would also work well in this. The sauce isn’t overly rich and has just a hint of lemon, plus it’s a breeze to make.

INGREDIENTS:
4 C pasta
2-3 C kale, chopped
Cashew Cream:
2 C raw cashews
Water
The rest:
2 tsp yellow miso
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Soak the cashews in water for a few hours, preferably overnight. Drain and rinse the cashews, then place them in the blender. Add 2-1/2 cups of water and blend until smooth. The results will resemble heavy cream. This makes about 4 cups. You’ll only need 1-1/2 cups for this recipe, so I store the rest in a mason jar in the fridge. It will also keep in the freezer for a couple of months.

While the pasta is cooking, whisk together 1-1/2 cups of the cream sauce, miso, lemon juice, and black pepper in a small sauce pan. The sauce will already be thick, so it’s just a matter of heating it through.

Just when you’re about to drain the pasta, add the chopped kale to the pot and let it cook 1 minute, then drain.

Serve the pasta with the cashew cream drizzled on top. If you’d like, season with a bit of salt. Enjoy!

Pasta & Kale with Lemony Cashew Cream

This makes a great summer dish! If you don't have any kale on hand (why wouldn't you?!) you could use any leafy green such as chard or spinach. I also think sliced mushrooms, sauteed asparagus, or zucchini would also work well in this. The sauce isn't overly rich and has just a hint of lemon, plus it's a breeze to make.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

4 C pasta
2-3 C kale, chopped
Cashew Cream:
2 C raw cashews
Water
The rest:
2 tsp yellow miso
¼ tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
Salt, to taste

Directions

Soak the cashews in water for a few hours, preferably overnight. Drain and rinse the cashews, then place them in the blender. Add 2-1/2 cups of water and blend until smooth. The results will resemble heavy cream. This makes about 4 cups. You'll only need 1-1/2 cups for this recipe, so I store the rest in a mason jar in the fridge. It will also keep in the freezer for a couple of months.
While the pasta is cooking, whisk together 1-1/2 cups of the cream sauce, miso, lemon juice, and black pepper in a small sauce pan. The sauce will already be thick, so it's just a matter of heating it through.
Just when you're about to drain the pasta, add the chopped kale to the pot and let it cook 1 minute, then drain.
Serve the pasta with the cashew cream drizzled on top. If you'd like, season with a bit of salt. Enjoy!

Lime and Veggie Fajitas

June 12, 2012 by epicureanvegan

These colorful fajitas are so quick and easy to make. If you’re like me and tired of the same old fajita seasoning packets, I think you’ll love this change up.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs olive oil (I used chipotle-flavored)
1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
2 C mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1 C fresh cilantro, chopped
Flour tortillas
Seasoning:
1/2 C lime juice
1 ts black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp cumin

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the seasoning ingredients and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook 5-7 minutes, or until slightly tender.

Add the bell peppers and cook another 12-15 minutes, or until they are softened.

Stir in the mushrooms. These will cook fast, about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro and lime juice mixture and combine thoroughly. Cook until the sauce is heated through.

Scoop onto the tortillas and if you’d like, add some Daiya cheese and/or Tofutti sour cream. Enjoy!

Lime and Veggie Fajitas

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 Tbs olive oil (I used chipotle-flavored)
1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
2 C mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1 C fresh cilantro, chopped
Flour tortillas
Seasoning:
½ C lime juice
1 ts black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅛ tsp cumin

Directions

Combine the seasoning ingredients and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook 5-7 minutes, or until slightly tender.
Add the bell peppers and cook another 12-15 minutes, or until they are softened.
Stir in the mushrooms. These will cook fast, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the cilantro and lime juice mixture and combine thoroughly. Cook until the sauce is heated through.
Scoop onto the tortillas and if you'd like, add some Daiya cheese and/or Tofutti sour cream. Enjoy!

Mexican Pasta Bake

May 23, 2012 by epicureanvegan

As you may recall, a few months ago, I had decided to give up wheat and soy . . . yeah, uh, the soy part has been surprisingly easy. It’s the wheat part. I don’t know how you gluten-free folks do it! Especially if you’re vegan and gluten-free! I’ve certainly laid off of it, but there’s just no way I could swear off of it for good. As for soy, I’ll have the occasional miso or Tofutti sour cream. Otherwise, it’s a no-soy zone for me. For this meal, I broke all my rules by using regular pasta, Boca crumbles, and Tofutti sour cream. *GASP* Yes, I fudged and it was damn good. This creamy, spicy casserole was delicious and I’m thrilled with the results.

INGREDIENTS:
13.25 oz pkg penne pasta
1 Tbs olive oil (I used chipotle-flavored)
1 bag Boca crumbles, or other ground “meat” (Half a bag would probably be plenty)
2 C mushrooms, sliced
1 med zucchini, sliced, then quartered
2-3 C kale, chopped
Sauce:
1 10-oz can Rotel Original with diced tomatoes & green chilies
Seasoning packet (either for tacos, burritos, or fajitas)
1/2 C vegan sour cream
1/4 C nutritional yeast
1/4 C almond milk
1/2 C + some for sprinkling on the top vegan cheddar
The rest: (optional toppings)
Guacamole, or diced avocados, black olives, sliced green onion, fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the Boca crumbles; cook for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and zucchini and cook 7-10 minutes, or until the veggies are tender. Stir in the kale and cook until it softens and wilts.

Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl.

Return the drained pasta to the pot (or you can use a large mixing bowl) and combine it with both the sauce and the veggie/Boca mixture. Pour it into a 9×13 baking dish and sprinkle some Daiya cheese on top.

Cover and bake for 20 minutes. I made some guacamole, so I added a dollop on top with some green onion. Enjoy!

Mexican Pasta Bake

As you may recall, a few months ago, I had decided to give up wheat and soy . . . yeah, uh, the soy part has been surprisingly easy. It's the wheat part. I don't know how you gluten-free folks do it! Especially if you're vegan and gluten-free! I've certainly laid off of it, but there's just no way I could swear off of it for good. As for soy, I'll have the occasional miso or Tofutti sour cream. Otherwise, it's a no-soy zone for me. For this meal, I broke all my rules by using regular pasta, Boca crumbles, and Tofutti sour cream. *GASP* Yes, I fudged and it was damn good. This creamy, spicy casserole was delicious and I'm thrilled with the results.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

13.25 oz pkg penne pasta
1 Tbs olive oil (I used chipotle-flavored)
1 bag Boca crumbles, or other ground "meat" (Half a bag would probably be plenty)
2 C mushrooms, sliced
1 med zucchini, sliced, then quartered
2-3 C kale, chopped
Sauce:
1 10-oz can Rotel Original with diced tomatoes & green chilies
Seasoning packet (either for tacos, burritos, or fajitas)
½ C vegan sour cream
¼ C nutritional yeast
¼ C almond milk
½ C + some for sprinkling on the top vegan cheddar
The rest: (optional toppings)
Guacamole, or diced avocados, black olives, sliced green onion, fresh cilantro

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the Boca crumbles; cook for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and zucchini and cook 7-10 minutes, or until the veggies are tender. Stir in the kale and cook until it softens and wilts.
Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl.
Return the drained pasta to the pot (or you can use a large mixing bowl) and combine it with both the sauce and the veggie/Boca mixture. Pour it into a 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle some Daiya cheese on top.
Cover and bake for 20 minutes. I made some guacamole, so I added a dollop on top with some green onion. Enjoy!

Field Roast and Veggie Tacos

May 18, 2012 by epicureanvegan

I’ve used Field Roast in breakfast burritos, so why not tacos? ( As you can see, I had a taco fiesta foul with one of the shells, but it worked out ok. 🙂 ) Somehow, zucchini reproduced in my fridge so I had to use some of them up—they’re ideal for tacos. I also had some chipotle-flavored olive oil from Rocky Mountain Olive Oil Company—the perfect opportunity to use it.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
4 Field Roast Chipotle-flavored veggie sausages, thawed and crumbled
4 med zucchinis, cut into sticks
2 red bell peppers, sliced
Corn taco shells
All the other fixings: vegan cheddar shreds, vegan sour cream, avocado slices, fresh cilantro, and salsa

DIRECTIONS:
In a skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onions, and cook 4-5 minutes.

Next, add the zucchini, peppers, and Field Roast. You don’t necessarily have to add the sausages at this point since it’s only a matter of heating them through, but I like to get the flavors incorporated with the veggies early on.

Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about 20 minutes, or until tender. I like to cover and let the steam help cook the veggies. Serve with your favorite taco fixings and enjoy!

Field Roast and Veggie Tacos

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
4 Field Roast Chipotle-flavored veggie sausages, thawed and crumbled
4 med zucchinis, cut into sticks
2 red bell peppers, sliced
Corn taco shells
All the other fixings: vegan cheddar shreds, vegan sour cream, avocado slices, fresh cilantro, and salsa

Directions

In a skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onions, and cook 4-5 minutes.
Next, add the zucchini, peppers, and Field Roast. You don't necessarily have to add the sausages at this point since it's only a matter of heating them through, but I like to get the flavors incorporated with the veggies early on.
Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about 20 minutes, or until tender. I like to cover and let the steam help cook the veggies. Serve with your favorite taco fixings and enjoy!

Quinoa-Mandarin Stuffed Peppers

April 28, 2012 by epicureanvegan

The Seventh-Grader was nice enough to share his cold with me. I can’t remember the last time I was out of commission with a cold, and I don’t plan to let this one win. So far, I’ve kept it somewhat at bay with lots of juiced veggies and kale. Never under estimate the healing powers of vegetables. That may be why I was drawn to making these. Bell peppers, particularly orange and yellow ones, are packed with vitamins C, A, and B6 (although the heating process will deplete them a bit). But I’m certain they still retain many of their healthy benefits. These also have mushrooms which are a great source of B vitamins, selenium, vitamin D, and potassium. Now on to the zucchini…these guys have tons of vitamin C and A which are actually anti-inflammatory agents. Zucchinis are also high in fiber—an added bonus! And let’s not forget that quinoa is an ideal source of protein, too! Let the healing begin!

Oh, and remember Operation Save Basil from October?

I’m happy to report that it has bounced back beautifully. It looks like there’s room to add another basil plant, but for now, I’m thrilled the basil’s back, baby!

INGREDIENTS:
3 large bell peppers (preferably orange, red, or yellow) sliced in half and innards cleaned out
1 C quinoa
1-15oz can mandarin oranges (look for no sugar added), juice reserved
1 C water
1 tsp tamari
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 C slivered almonds
1 C mushrooms, sliced
1 small zucchini, sliced then quartered
1/2 C fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sauce:
1 C almond milk
2 Tbs arrowroot
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
2 Tbs yellow miso
dash of nutmeg
dash of garlic salt

DIRECTIONS:
Begin with the quinoa: Combine the quinoa, reserved Mandarin orange juice, water, and tamari in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Let simmer for 12-15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375. While the quinoa is cooking, heat the olive oil and garlic in a skillet. Add the slivered almonds and cook them for 5-7 minutes, stirring often.

Add the zucchini, mushrooms, salt, and pepper; cook another 6-8 minutes on medium heat.

Once the veggies are tender, remove from the heat and stir in the oranges and basil.

Stir in the cooked quinoa and evenly fill the pepper halves.

Sometimes I pour about 2 cups of water in the bottom of the pan before covering with foil. This will help soften the peppers without overcooking the filling. I think this is especially important when using cheese or fake meats in the filling. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan, whisk together the sauce ingredients over high heat, stirring constantly. After a few minutes, reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer. Stir frequently so it doesn’t burn. Don’t worry about getting the sauce thickened; it’s meant to seep and ooze into the filling. 🙂

Ladle the sauce over the peppers and enjoy!

Quinoa-Mandarin Stuffed Peppers

Bell peppers, particularly orange and yellow ones, are packed with vitamins C, A, and B6 (although the heating process will deplete them a bit). But I'm certain they still retain many of their healthy benefits. These also have mushrooms which are a great source of B vitamins, selenium, vitamin D, and potassium. Now on to the zucchini...these guys have tons of vitamin C and A which are actually anti-inflammatory agents. Zucchinis are also high in fiber---an added bonus! And let's not forget that quinoa is an ideal source of protein, too!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

3 large bell peppers (preferably orange, red, or yellow) sliced in half and innards cleaned out
1 C quinoa
1-15oz can mandarin oranges (look for no sugar added), juice reserved
1 C water
1 tsp tamari
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
½ C slivered almonds
1 C mushrooms, sliced
1 small zucchini, sliced then quartered
½ C fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sauce:
1 C almond milk
2 Tbs arrowroot
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
2 Tbs yellow miso
dash of nutmeg
dash of garlic salt

Directions

Begin with the quinoa: Combine the quinoa, reserved Mandarin orange juice, water, and tamari in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Let simmer for 12-15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375. While the quinoa is cooking, heat the olive oil and garlic in a skillet. Add the slivered almonds and cook them for 5-7 minutes, stirring often.
Add the zucchini, mushrooms, salt, and pepper; cook another 6-8 minutes on medium heat.
Once the veggies are tender, remove from the heat and stir in the oranges and basil.
Stir in the cooked quinoa and evenly fill the pepper halves.
Sometimes I pour about 2 cups of water in the bottom of the pan before covering with foil. This will help soften the peppers without overcooking the filling. I think this is especially important when using cheese or fake meats in the filling. Bake 20-25 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan, whisk together the sauce ingredients over high heat, stirring constantly. After a few minutes, reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer. Stir frequently so it doesn't burn. Don't worry about getting the sauce thickened; it's meant to seep and ooze into the filling.
Ladle the sauce over the peppers and enjoy!

Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine

April 24, 2012 by epicureanvegan

“To err is human.” I found myself quoting Alexander Pope as I made this dish from Big Vegan. Apparently, I wasn’t very good about reading the ingredient list, or directions when I decided on making this dish this week. I didn’t realize that it calls for dried mushrooms. Didn’t pick those up. It called for fresh parsley. Didn’t get that. It called for a cast iron pan. Still haven’t bought one. But that’s okay! I improvised and this turned out to be an amazing dish, mostly because I did not screw up the sauce. It’s a fantastic sauce that I will be making again and again. It’s full of flavor and isn’t too thick or too thin, and is so easy to make. The Husband called it a vegan stroganoff. The recipe also calls for seitan, but I’m not a fan, so I left it out. Below is my ad libbed version that I promise won’t disappoint! In fact, I got nixed out of the leftovers, but thankfully, there was some sauce left so I made some rice and had a satisfying lunch.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Tbs rice flour
1 Tbs olive oil
2 C shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 C almond milk
1/4 C white cooking wine
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 Tbs white miso
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch cayenne
1 pinch turmeric
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz portobello caps (3 of them), thinly sliced
16 oz dried fettuccine
1/4 C toasted walnuts, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and garlic in a large skillet. Add the shiitakes, green onion, portobellos, and cook until browned. Sprinkle with the flour and stir to combine.

Whisk together the almond milk, wine, miso, tomato paste, yeast flakes, nutmeg, cayenne, and turmeric. Reduce the heat on the mushrooms to low and slowly add the sauce, little by little, stirring as you go to keep it from burning. Season with the salt. It won’t be a real thick sauce; you just want it heated through.

Drain the pasta and serve it with a ladle or two of sauce on top along with the toasted walnuts. You can also mix the sauce with the pasta, but I like to usually keep them separate. Enjoy!

Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine

"To err is human." I found myself quoting Alexander Pope as I made this dish from Big Vegan. Apparently, I wasn't very good about reading the ingredient list, or directions when I decided on making this dish this week. I didn't realize that it calls for dried mushrooms. Didn't pick those up. It called for fresh parsley. Didn't get that. It called for a cast iron pan. Still haven't bought one. But that's okay! I improvised and this turned out to be an amazing dish, mostly because I did not screw up the sauce. It's a fantastic sauce that I will be making again and again. It's full of flavor and isn't too thick or too thin, and is so easy to make. The Husband called it a vegan stroganoff. The recipe also calls for seitan, but I'm not a fan, so I left it out. Below is my ad libbed version that I promise won't disappoint! In fact, I got nixed out of the leftovers, but thankfully, there was some sauce left so I made some rice and had a satisfying lunch.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

3 Tbs rice flour
1 Tbs olive oil
2 C shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 C almond milk
¼ C white cooking wine
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 Tbs white miso
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch cayenne
1 pinch turmeric
6 green onions, thinly sliced
½ tsp salt
8 oz portobello caps (3 of them), thinly sliced
16 oz dried fettuccine
¼ C toasted walnuts, chopped

Directions

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and garlic in a large skillet. Add the shiitakes, green onion, portobellos, and cook until browned. Sprinkle with the flour and stir to combine.
Whisk together the almond milk, wine, miso, tomato paste, yeast flakes, nutmeg, cayenne, and turmeric. Reduce the heat on the mushrooms to low and slowly add the sauce, little by little, stirring as you go to keep it from burning. Season with the salt. It won't be a real thick sauce; you just want it heated through.
Drain the pasta and serve it with a ladle or two of sauce on top along with the toasted walnuts. You can also mix the sauce with the pasta, but I like to usually keep them separate. Enjoy!

Avocado and Pinto Bean Enchiladas

April 18, 2012 by epicureanvegan

These are probably some of the tastiest enchiladas I’ve had. The original recipe is from eat, drink & be vegan. I made a couple of minor changes because I couldn’t find one of the ingredients, added some green chilies, but also made a bigger batch (inadvertently). Her recipe yielded 10-12 enchiladas, but I ended up with 17—if my pan was bigger, I would have got 18. I’m glad that I bought extra enchilada sauce because of this. I’m not sure if I just didn’t fill the tortillas up enough, but I definitely had lots of filling left over after the first dozen tortillas. In any case, they were delicious. I was really intrigued with the 1/2 cup of cashew pieces the recipe requires and I have to tell you, they’re fabulous—they add just a little crunch. I highly recommend using them. Below is how I made these, but click on the above link for the original recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
16-18 corn tortillas
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 C onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp Ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2-1/2 C mushrooms, sliced
1 can pinto beans, drained
1/2 C cashews, chopped
2 Tbs lime juice
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
1-1/4 tsp salt
2 19 oz cans enchilada sauce
1 small can diced green chilies, mild or hot
Optional ingredients: Daiya cheese, cilantro, and vegan sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onions, chili powder, cumin, allspice, the 1/4 tsp of salt, and the pepper. Saute for about 3 minutes.

Add the mushrooms, beans, and cashews and cook another 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes.

Meanwhile, mash the avocado with the 1-1/4 tsp of salt in a bowl, or use the food processor. The avocados I had weren’t completely ripe so I used the food processor. I probably got them a little too mashed, but it turned out just fine.

Stir in half a can of one of the enchilada sauces and the green chilies, into the avocado mixture.

Blend the avocado mixture with the onion/mushroom mixture. At this point, I heated some water in my steam pot to steam the tortilla shells. Place a tortilla one at a time in the pot–it’ll only take about 15-20 seconds per side to steam the tortilla. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce from the first can on the bottom of a 15″ baking dish (you can also use some from the other can. I also started out with a 9×13 and realized it wasn’t going to be big enough, so I added an 8×8″ baking dish). Fill each tortilla with about 4-5 tablespoons of filling, roll up, and place fold-side down in the pan. Repeat. Pour the remaining sauce on top.

Cover and bake 16-18 minutes. Remove the foil and top with cheese (if using) and bake another 10-12 minutes.

Top with cilantro and sour cream. Enjoy!

Avocado and Pinto Bean Enchiladas

These are probably some of the tastiest enchiladas I've had. The original recipe is from eat, drink & be vegan. I made a couple of minor changes because I couldn't find one of the ingredients, added some green chilies, but also made a bigger batch (inadvertently). Her recipe yielded 10-12 enchiladas, but I ended up with 17---if my pan was bigger, I would have got 18. I'm glad that I bought extra enchilada sauce because of this. I'm not sure if I just didn't fill the tortillas up enough, but I definitely had lots of filling left over after the first dozen tortillas. In any case, they were delicious. I was really intrigued with the ½ cup of cashew pieces the recipe requires and I have to tell you, they're fabulous---they add just a little crunch. I highly recommend using them. Below is how I made these, but click on the above link for the original recipe.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

16-18 corn tortillas
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 C onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp Ancho chili powder
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp allspice
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
2-1/2 C mushrooms, sliced
1 can pinto beans, drained
½ C cashews, chopped
2 Tbs lime juice
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
1-1/4 tsp salt
2 19 oz cans enchilada sauce
1 small can diced green chilies, mild or hot
Optional ingredients: Daiya cheese, cilantro, and vegan sour cream
Top with cilantro and sour cream. Enjoy!

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onions, chili powder, cumin, allspice, the ¼ tsp of salt, and the pepper. Saute for about 3 minutes.
Add the mushrooms, beans, and cashews and cook another 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes.
Meanwhile, mash the avocado with the 1-1/4 tsp of salt in a bowl, or use the food processor. The avocados I had weren't completely ripe so I used the food processor. I probably got them a little too mashed, but it turned out just fine.
Stir in half a can of one of the enchilada sauces and the green chilies, into the avocado mixture.
Blend the avocado mixture with the onion/mushroom mixture. At this point, I heated some water in my steam pot to steam the tortilla shells. Place a tortilla one at a time in the pot--it'll only take about 15-20 seconds per side to steam the tortilla. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce from the first can on the bottom of a 15" baking dish (you can also use some from the other can. I also started out with a 9x13 and realized it wasn't going to be big enough, so I added an 8x8" baking dish). Fill each tortilla with about 4-5 tablespoons of filling, roll up, and place fold-side down in the pan. Repeat. Pour the remaining sauce on top.
Cover and bake 16-18 minutes. Remove the foil and top with cheese (if using) and bake another 10-12 minutes.

Cabbage and Portobello Tacos

April 5, 2012 by epicureanvegan

Sorry for the absence! I’m back and ready to cook! These veggie tacos were certainly well-received last night by the family. Maybe it’s because I haven’t had much time to cook for them lately, but whatever the reason, they made this vegan trio happy.

INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbs olive oil
3 large portobello caps, sliced
1 med onion, sliced
2 med zucchinis, cut into matchsticks
3 C red/purple cabbage, sliced
Corn taco shells
Seasonings: (mild)
1 Tbs chili powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
The rest (optional): fresh cilantro, sliced green onion, salsa, or avocado slices

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the garlic and olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onions, zucchini, and cabbage; cook 10-12 minutes, or until they begin to soften and brown. Combine the seasoning ingredients and add to the pan along with the portobellos.

Thoroughly combine everything. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook the mushrooms until they soften and reduce in size, 7-9 minutes. You may want to cover the pan and let them cook.

Serve in warmed corn taco shells and top with any of the optional ingredients. This is a fabulous (and quick) gluten & soy-free meal! Enjoy!

Cabbage and Portobello Tacos

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

2 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbs olive oil
3 large portobello caps, sliced
1 med onion, sliced
2 med zucchinis, cut into matchsticks
3 C red/purple cabbage, sliced
Corn taco shells
Seasonings: (mild)
1 Tbs chili powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
The rest (optional): fresh cilantro, sliced green onion, salsa, or avocado slices

Directions

Heat the garlic and olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onions, zucchini, and cabbage; cook 10-12 minutes, or until they begin to soften and brown. Combine the seasoning ingredients and add to the pan along with the portobellos.
Thoroughly combine everything. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook the mushrooms until they soften and reduce in size, 7-9 minutes. You may want to cover the pan and let them cook.
Serve in warmed corn taco shells and top with any of the optional ingredients. This is a fabulous (and quick) gluten & soy-free meal! Enjoy!

Vegan New England Chik’n Corn Chowder

Field Roast-Mole Vegan Tamales

Pasta & Kale with Lemony Cashew Cream

Lime and Veggie Fajitas

Mexican Pasta Bake

Field Roast and Veggie Tacos

Quinoa-Mandarin Stuffed Peppers

Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine

Avocado and Pinto Bean Enchiladas

Cabbage and Portobello Tacos

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