Dinners Archives - Page 24 of 31

Tofu in Tahini Sauce

November 4, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Vegan MoFo, Day 4

I know, a very monochromatic meal! The recipe called for mixing half the sauce with the rice, or other accompaniment, but feel free to omit that step, especially for a less beige result. I also recommend adding some steam asparagus and/or mushrooms, or broccoli. This is simple and the sauce is rich and delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
1-14oz pkg firm tofu, drained and pressed
2 Tbs olive or peanut oil
1/3 C chopped peanuts, cashews, or a combination of both
Toasted sesame seeds

Sauce:
1/4 C soy sauce
1 Tbs tamari
1/4 C tahini
2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp hot pepper sesame oil
1/2 a small white onion, chopped
1/3 C water
Salt, to taste

Accompaniment:
1 C Arborio rice (risotto)
1 Tbs Earth Balance margarine
1-1/2 C water

DIRECTIONS:
I recommend making the sauce first so that you don’t have to pan-fry the tofu at the same time. In a food processor, combine all of the sauce ingredients and puree until smooth. Set aside. In a medium sauce pan, combine the water, margarine, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover tightly with a lid for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil. Slice the tofu into 7-8 steaks, then slice each diagonally in half. Add to the pan and fry each main side until golden brown.

Pour sauce over tofu and coat each piece of tofu.Remove from heat and stir in nuts. If using, add steamed (or roasted) veggies of your choice. Serve over rice, sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds and enjoy!

Recipe: Adapted from Epicurious

Lasagna Roll-ups

October 25, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is an easy twist on a classic. I’ve seen these done where you place the roll-ups on the side so the cute, frilly side of the noodle faces up, but I could just see things going wrong for me, so if you’re feeling brave, by all means, go for it!

INGREDIENTS:
My go-to tofu ricotta:
1 14-oz firm (or extra firm) tofu, drained and pressed
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 C vegan mozzarella, shredded

The rest:
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbs olive oil
18 lasagna noodles
3-1/2 C fresh spinach, chopped
2 small zucchini, sliced very thin
10 mushrooms, sliced very thin
8-0z vegan mozzarella, shredded
1 jar marinara sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Cook noodles for about 7-8 minutes. Make sure you don’t cook them all the way—it’ll be easier to use them if they’re very al dente. Crumble tofu into a food processor. Add nutritional yeast, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Puree well. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the 1/2 cup of vegan mozzarella.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and garlic. Add the zucchini and cook 3-4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook just another 2-3 minutes.

Put a thin layer of marinara on the bottom of a 15″ baking pan (I forgot to do this, but its no big deal). Use a spoon or rubber spatula to spread about 1-2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture on a lasagna noodle. Next, layer on some spinach, zucchini mixture (only about 8-10 pieces) and a little cheese.

Carefully roll up noodle and place in the pan.

Once all 18 noodles (one of mine was broken, so I have 17) pour the rest of the sauce over the rolls and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 3-5 minutes. Enjoy!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

October 19, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Okay, I wasn’t kidding when I said I was going to make stuffed peppers. We happened to get a TON of green bell peppers from our CSA yesterday:

This is just a third of what we received–the rest went to my 2 other neighbor who share in the CSA with us.

I guarantee you will LOVE these stuffed peppers. I debated on what to put in them, but when it came down to it, I wanted to make them as simple as possible. As the Sixth Grader said,”These are cooked perfectly; they cut like butter!”

INGREDIENTS:
11 small bell peppers, or 6-7 large peppers
1/2 C Arborio rice (risotto)
3/4 C water
1-1/2 tsp Earth Balance margarine
4 C fresh spinach, chopped small
1 large tomato, diced
6 -oz Tofutti cream cheese
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbs dried minced onion
1/2 C Tofutti sour cream
1/4 C fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 Tbs lime juice
1/8 tsp garlic salt

DIRECTIONS:
In a small saucepan combine water, rice, and butter. Bring to a boil, stir, and cover for 15-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375. Wash the peppers and cut the tops off. Clean out the insides of seeds and other innards.

Combine cream cheese with cooked rice (in the same pan) and blend thoroughly. Since the rice is warm, it’ll make it easier to to blend. Stir in cumin and minced onion. Add spinach and tomatoes and combine well.

Fill each pepper with the rice mixture. You can pack in quite a bit of the rice mixture, just press down with a spoon—pretend you’re stuffing a sleeping bag into its stuff sack. Place in a 8″ square pan.

I had about 3/4 C of left over rice mixture, but if using larger peppers, you can probably squeeze it all into those.

Bake covered for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5 minutes. While these are baking, combine sour cream, lime juice, cilantro and garlic salt in a small bowl.

Add a few dollops of the sour cream mixture on top of the pepper servings and enjoy!

Potato-Spinach Bake and Pesto Pizzas

October 17, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I stared at a bag of small red potatoes, wondering what I should make with them before they go bad (and before getting more tomorrow from our CSA). It’s hard not to think of comfort food when making something with potatoes, so I threw together an easy casserole using stuff just sitting around in the fridge and pantry. I was going to make just regular garlic toast with some pesto butter, but the Sixth Grader had the idea to make little pesto pizzas and they were amazing!

INGREDIENTS:
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 C red and/or russet potatoes, diced
5 C fresh spinach, chopped
8-10 mushrooms, quartered
1-1/4 C Tofutti sour cream
1 C vegan cheddar, divided
1/4 C almond milk (or other nondairy milk)
1-1.8 oz pkg. leek soup mix
2 Field Roast Italian Sausage links, diced (optional)
Pesto/tomato pizzas:
2 round flat breads, each cut into fourths
1/4 C pesto
1/3 C Earth Balance margarine
1 /2 large tomato, thinly sliced
3/4 C vegan mozzarella, shredded
Olive oil
Garlic salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Heat olive oil and garlic in a large skillet. Add potatoes and cook until somewhat soft, about 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, combine the sour cream, 1/2 a cup of the cheddar, milk, and the leek soup mix. If using, add the Field Roast to the skillet and cook just a few minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the potato mix, spinach, mushrooms, and sour cream mixture. Pour into a 9×13″ baking dish, cover, and bake for 40 minutes.

Add the rest of the cheese and bake uncovered until cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes.

To make the pesto pizzas, preheat broiler on high. Combine pesto and butter in a small bowl.

Brush flat bread with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Spread about a tablespoon of pesto onto flat bread pieces, then some cheese and a tomato slice.

Place under the broiler about 3 minutes, or until they begin to brown. Enjoy!

Cornmeal-Crusted Tempeh

October 11, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I have been trying for some time now to find a recipe with tempeh that The Husband will like. He’s not big on these fermented soybeans. But I think I’m making progress! The flavor is outstanding, but I will admit, by themselves, the tempeh pieces are a little dry. I recommending serving them in a sauce or with a dipping sauce. The Husband and Sixth Grader had the audacity to dip them in ketchup – – -and like it! This would be so tasty to add to a stir-fry or instead of making small triangles, make tempeh burgers. Then maybe ketchup will be allowed. . .

INGREDIENTS:
2-8 ounce pkgs tempeh
1/2 C olive oil
Marinade:
1/4 C tamari
1/4 C shoyu
3 Tbs brown rice syrup
1 Tbs garlic, minced
1 Tbs fresh ginger root, grated/zested
Crust:
1/2 C cornmeal
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Cut tempeh into thirds, then slice each third lengthwise.You’ll end up with 12 slices. Whisk together marinade ingredients in a small bowl, then pour over tempeh.

Cover and bake for 1 hour.

Let cool, then cut tempeh into triangles. In a shallow dish/bowl, combine the crust ingredients. Heat oil in a large skillet. Meanwhile, dredge each piece of tempeh in the cornmeal mixture and cook in the oil for a minute on each side. I served these with some toasted almond pilaf and steamed kale—delicious! Enjoy!

Spinach Fettuccine with Creamy Pesto Sauce

September 28, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is such an easy meal to whip up when you have very little time. I typically keep prepared pesto in the freezer for such times and of course, I still I have the huge block of cashew cheese that is conveniently stored in the freezer as well. Done in less than 25 minutes!

INGREDIENTS:
12-14 oz spinach fettuccine, cooked
1-1/2 Tbs cornstarch
2/3 C non dairy milk (not rice milk–too thin)
1/3 + 1 tsp vegetable broth
1/3 C prepared basil pesto
2 Tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cashew cheese, shredded (Optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Heat olive oil in a small saucepan. Whisk in cornstarch, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in milk and broth. Add pesto and whisk thoroughly. Return to low to medium heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. I added the 1 teaspoon of broth here to thin out the sauce just a little. Ladle sauce over individual bowls of pasta and top with cashew cheese. Enjoy!

Savory Tofu and Sauteed Apples

September 23, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This was a very sweet and savory meal—the flavors meshed so beautifully together. I made enough for leftovers, but the recipe can easily be split in half. The original recipe is from Whole Foods, but I deviated off their version a little.

INGREDIENTS:
Marinade:
4 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs agave
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
The rest:
2-14 ounce pkgs extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 med onion, sliced thin
5 large mushrooms, cut quartered
1 large carrot, sliced thin
2 Tbs Earth Balance margarine
5 Grannie-Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Parsley, garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. Combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, agave nectar, garlic, oregano, thyme, sea salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.

Cut tofu into 16 equal slices.

Pierce the tofu in several places with a fork to allow the flavor of the marinade to penetrate. Pour balsamic mixture over tofu and marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer tofu to a shallow 15-inch baking pan. Add onion, mushrooms and carrots. Pour balsamic marinade over tofu and vegetables, brushing to coat everything.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the tofu and continue to bake an additional 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare apples. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the margarine. Add the apple slices and sauté until tender and lightly browned but not mushy, about 10 to 15 minutes.

The original recipe says to serve apples alongside the tofu as a side, but I highly recommend eating them together–very, very good! I also served Near East brand pilaf, Mushroom and Herb flavor:

Enjoy!

Pasta with Marinated Mushrooms and Cashew Cheese

September 12, 2010 by epicureanvegan

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

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

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

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

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

Vegetable Soft Tacos/Fajitas

September 9, 2010 by epicureanvegan

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

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

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

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

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

Kale, Chard and Tofu Calzones

September 6, 2010 by epicureanvegan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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