Dinners Archives - Page 28 of 31

Sesame Noodles With Tofu Steaks

April 13, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This recipe has so many of my favorite ingredients: tofu, sesame and bok choy. It’s a hands-on meal from start to finish, but it definitely isn’t complicated. The tofu is wonderful and the recipe for it would be perfect for tofu sandwiches.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds firm or extra-firm tofu, cut into 12 equal slices
7 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed, canola or sunflower
3/4 pound udon or soba noodles
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
1 pound baby bok choy, rinsed well but not trimmed
1 scallion, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:
Fill a large pot three-quarters full with water and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, and keep the water at a boil while you prepare the tofu.
Lay the tofu slices on one half of a clean cloth towel. Fold the other half over the tofu and gently press down to extract any excess moisture. ( I pressed the whole block, then sliced it)
Place 6 tablespoons of the soy sauce, the mirin, honey, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Warm a large nonstick skillet over high heat and add the neutral oil. Let it heat for 30 seconds. Add the tofu and fry until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip the pieces over, pour on the soy mixture, and cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened, another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until done. Drain the noodles, and transfer them to a large bowl.

Add the sesame seeds, sesame oil, and remaining soy sauce, tossing the pasta to blend well. Return the pot to high heat and add the bok choy and 1 cup of water. Cover the pot and steam until the bok choy is crisp-tender and bright green, about 2 minutes.

Serve the noodles topped with greens and tofu, sprinkled with scallions. For some crunch, I suggest sprinkling chopped peanuts on top. Enjoy!

Recipe source: Peter Berley

Fill a large pot three-quarters full with water and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, and keep the water at a boil while you prepare the tofu.
Lay the tofu slices on one half of a clean cloth towel. Fold the other half over the tofu and gently press down to extract any excess moisture.
Place 6 tablespoons of the soy sauce, the mirin, honey, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Warm a large nonstick skillet over high heat and add the neutral oil. Let it heat for 30 seconds. Add the tofu and fry until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip the pieces over, pour on the soy mixture, and cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened, another 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until done. Drain the noodles, and transfer them to a large bowl.
Add the sesame seeds, sesame oil, and remaining soy sauce, tossing the pasta to blend well. Return the pot to high heat and add the bok choy and 1 cup of water. Cover the pot and steam until the bok choy is crisp-tender and bright green, about 2 minutes. Serve the noodles topped with greens and tofu, sprinkled with scallions.

Stuffed Shells

April 10, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Ricotta what?! Who needs ricotta? These stuffed shells are outstanding and the tofu mixture can easily be used for lasagna. If you don’t have fresh basil, use 1-1/2 tablespoons of the dried variety. In the past, I’ve also added about 6 large spinach leaves after processing everything else. Great way to get some added calcium and veggies. Also, if you don’t have any French or Italian bread, make garlic toast easily with leftover hamburger or hot dog buns. I had some whole wheat hamburger buns in the freezer, so I thawed them briefly in the microwave, spread them with some Earth Balance and sprinkled them with garlic salt. Pop them in the oven under a high broiler while the shells cool after baking.

INGREDIENTS:
1 12-oz pgk. jumbo pasta shells
1 14-oz pgk. extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 jar marinara sauce (I like Newman’s Own)
1/4-1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
1-1/2 C vegan mozzarella, shredded and divided

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375. Add tofu, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper and lemon juice to a food processor and process well until the mixture resembles ricotta cheese. Stir in 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.

Cook shells according to package instructions, but subtract a couple of minutes–you want the shells very al dente so that they do not split. Pour a layer of sauce on the bottom of a 15″ baking dish. Stuff each shell (about 43 of them) with 2-3 tsp of tofu mixture and place in pan. Top with remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes and enjoy!

Garlic-toasted hamburger buns

Sweet and Sour Seitan

April 9, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is a really quick and easy meal to throw together–less than 30 minutes. Tofu can easily be substituted for the seitan and other vegetables can be added as well. The original recipe calls for frying the seitan in 2″ of oil, but I’m not a fan of deep-frying so I sauteed the seitan instead, which worked out great. This recipe makes quite a bit if you use 2 packages of seitan–it’ll feed 4-6. For a small crowd, I’d do just 1 package and halve the other ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:
2 packages seitan cut into bite-sized chunks
3/4 cup flour
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup water
Peanut oil (I used olive oil)
1 green pepper cut in chunks
1 red pepper cut in chunks
1 onion cut in chunks
1 can pineapple chunks (drain, but reserve 1/4 C of juice)
Jar (11.5 oz) of sweet and sour sauce (I like Kikkoman’s brand)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix together flour, water, cornstarch, salt and baking soda in medium bowl.
Stir seitan into batter until well coated. Heat 2-3 Tbs of olive oil in a large skillet. Add seitan. Because of the batter, the pieces will stick together–use a metal spatula to turn sections of seitan and cut apart later. Cook until golden brown, then remove from heat; keep warm.

Combine green pepper and onion and sauté for 5 min. Add pineapple and reserved juice, and sweet and sour sauce. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Pour over seitan–I recommend not adding the seitan to the pan because the coating may come off. Serve with rice and enjoy!

Recipe source: Vegweb

Cheezy Sauce

April 6, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Yep…here is yet another “cheese” sauce–this one quite impressive from Veganomicon. The ingredient list is relatively small and the flavor is not soy sauce-y like most (’cause there isn’t any in this recipe)! It’s quite simple to make and can be used on nachos, pastas, baked potatoes and as a dip for veggies. I think this sauce tastes closest to real cheese and I’ll certainly try it on other food. Like most “cheese” sauces, I recommend not microwaving any leftovers, but rather reheating it on the stove. Also, it does help to have the ingredients measured out and ready to go before starting…and of course, I went to my go-to ingredient for added creaminess…Tofutti sour cream!

INGREDIENTS:
2 C vegetable broth
1/4 C all-purpose flour
1 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of dried thyme (crumbled in your fingers)
1/4 tsp salt
Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper (I did 4 pinches)
1/8 tsp turmeric
3/4 C nutritional yeast
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
Optional: 1/4 C Tofutti sour cream
Optional: Vegan Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the broth and flour in a measuring cup and whisk until dissolved. Preheat a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Place the oil and garlic in the pan and gently cook for about 2 mins, stirring often and being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook for about 15 seconds. Add the broth, turmeric, and nutritional yeast, and raise the heat to medium. Use a whisk to stir constantly. The mixture should start bubbling and thickening in about 3-5 mins; if it doesn’t, turn the heat a bit higher.

Once the mixture is bubbling and thickening, stir and cook for about 2 more mins. Add the lemon juice and mustard. The mixture should resemble a thick, melty cheese. Taste for salt (you may need more depending on how salty the vegetable broth is), turn off the heat, cover the pan to keep it warm until ready to use. (If using the sour cream, add it now). The top might thicken a bit while it sits, but you can stir it and it will be fine. Serve warm and enjoy!

Roasted Veggies and Baked Tofu with Sesame-Ginger Rice

April 5, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This was one of those “clean-out-the-fridge” meals that despite the different flavors, meshed extremely well together. I had an abundance of fresh vegetables in the crisper (I swear they multiplied in there) and some baked tofu. Add some pilaf and there you go–an easy, satisfying and healthy meal.

INGREDIENTS:
Any veggies you want. I cut up (thickly): asparagus, red onion, green and yellow bell peppers, and mushrooms. If using potatoes, I recommend cooking them a bit first since they take longer to cook. Other ideas: zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, or brussel sprouts. I coated them with some olive oil, salt, pepper, dried thyme and dried rosemary.

2 pkgs Westsoy Baked Tofu, Italian Garlic & Herb flavor
1 C snow peas, cut into 1″ pieces
Near East brand Sesame-Ginger Pilaf

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. Line a large baking sheet with foil and placed prepared vegetables on the pan and bake for about 20-25 mins. Potatoes can take about 40-45 mins. The rice took about 20 mins and in the meantime, I diced up the tofu and added it to a large skillet over medium heat and a tiny bit of olive oil. After a couple of minutes, I added the snow peas. Saute until tofu is golden brown. Enjoy!

Green Tea Rice with Lemon, Snowpeas and Tofu

March 31, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Sushi rice isn’t a requirement, but it does work nicely–giving it a risotto texture. Cooking it in green-tea’d water gives it a welcomed, subtle flavor. This would also make a great lunch as well, serving it with vegetable spring rolls.

INGREDIENTS:
3 C water
4 green tea bags
1-1/2 C white sushi rice
2 Tbs canola or grapeseed oil (I used olive oil)
8 oz extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/4″ dice
3 green onions, minced
2 C snow peas, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1″ pieces
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the tea bags and remove from the heat. Let stand for 7 mins and remove and discard the tea bags. Rinse the rice under running water until the water runs clear (I used a fine-mesh strainer) then add to the brewed tea. Cover and cook over medium heat until tender, about 25 mins (15-20 mins was perfect). Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook until golden brown, 5 mins. Add the green onions and snow peas and cook until softened, 3 mins. Stir in the lemon juice and zest.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice with the tofu and snowpea mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Recipe source: 1000 Vegan Recipes

Potato-and-Artichoke-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

March 29, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Oh man…these are a mashed potato-lover’s dream. And portobellos?! Forget about it…I’m sold.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ dice (about 4 small potatoes)
1 Tbs vegan margarine, like Earth Balance
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
Salt and ground black pepper
1-1/2 C canned or cooked frozen artichoke hearts, finely diced (I used canned)
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 C minced onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh minced thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
4 large Portobello mushroom caps, lightly rinsed, patted dry, gills removed
1/2 tsp sweet paprika

DIRECTIONS:
Steam the potatoes until tender, about 15 mins. Transfer the steamed potatoes to a large bowl. Add the margarine, nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash well, then add the artichokes. Stir to combine.

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil a 9×13″ baking pan and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat 1 Tbs of oil over medium heat (I did this while the potatoes were steaming). Add the onion, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 mins. Add the garlic and cook, uncovered, 1 min longer. Add the thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 mins to blend the flavors. Stir the onion mixture into the potatoes and mix until well blended.

Carefully spoon the stuffing mixture into the mushroom caps, packing them tightly and smoothing the tops. Transfer the stuffed mushrooms to the prepared baking pan and drizzle with the remaining Tbs of olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika, cover tightly with foil, and bake until the mushrooms have softened and the stuffing is hot, about 20 mins. Uncover and cook until the stuffing is lightly browned, about 10 mins longer. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe source: 1000 Vegan Recipes

Taco Salad

March 28, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is a light and easy meal that only takes about 10 mins to pull together. I’m loving these Meatless Ground Crumbles from Boca! They are perfect for this meal. If you don’t have taco seasoning, it’s easy to make your own–below is a recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg (12 oz) Boca Meatless Ground Crumbles, cooked according to package instructions
Lettuce
Vegan cheddar, shredded
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
Salsa
Tortilla chips or strips (found with the salad dressings and croutons)
Tofutti sour cream or vegan ranch dressing
Taco seasoning:
1 Tbs chili powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:
Layer lettuce (I used a combo of spinach and romaine), ground crumbles, cheese, tomato, avocado, salsa, tortilla chips or strips and vegan ranch or Tofutti sour cream and enjoy!

Risotto with Oyster Mushrooms, Leeks and Peas

March 24, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This risotto from The Kind Diet, definitely takes some time to prepare, but is well worth it. I don’t recommend making this for a side dish unless the main meal is fast, easy with little hands-on time. Otherwise, this makes a great main dish served with garlic bread or toast.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Tbs olive oil
3/4 – 1 C oyster mushrooms, or 1 C button mushrooms, sliced
2 pinches of fine sea salt
1/2 C thinly sliced leeks (about 1 large leek)
1/2 C fresh or thawed frozen peas
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4-1 C onion, chopped
1 C arborio rice
1/2 C white wine or mirin (I used 3/4 white wine and 1/4 mirin)

DIRECTIONS:
Bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbs of the oil in a skillet. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and stir until the mushrooms soften. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt and saute for 1 minute, or until the leeks soften. Add some water to the pan, 1 Tbs at a time, if the vegetables become dryer or start to stick to the pan.

If you are using fresh peas, blanch then for 1 minute in a small pot of boiling water, and then add them to the sauteed vegetables. If using thawed frozen peas, just mix them straight into the sauteed vegetables. Remove from the heat and set aside. (I transferred them to a bowl).

Heat the remaining 2 Tbs of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and when the onion begins to sizzle, add a dash of salt. Saute until the onions soften, about 1-2 mins. Stir in the rice and toast the grains until they are opaque, about 2-3 mins. Stir in the wine and cook until it is evaporated. Reduce the heat to medium-low and begin adding the warm water by ladlefuls, stirring it into the risotto, and adding more liquid only when the previous addition has been absorbed.

After the rice has cooked for 20 mins, season to taste with salt. The total cooking time should be 25-30 mins. The risotto will be creamy, but the rice should retain some firmness. Add the sauteed vegetable mixture to the risotto and stir together until hot. Serve warm and enjoy!

Recipe source: The Kind Diet

Hummus and Kalamata Olive Pizza

March 23, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Being a vegan, you can say good-bye to pizza. Well…traditional pizza, that is. But…vegans say hello to healthier pizza. I had a similar pizza while in Estes Park, CO when we got away for Spring Break, so here is my version. The Kalamata olives are wonderful on this pizza and the Husband kept sneaking them while I was making this meal, so if they look sparse, it’s his fault! Add some tofu feta if you’d like. Also, I strongly recommend using chopped fresh spinach–if using large leaves and you take a bite, it could be like pulling a tablecloth out from underneath a set of china and having it go horribly wrong. Chop it up.

INGREDIENTS:
2 C flour
1 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2-1/2 tsp yeast
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1-1/2 C hummus
1 C chopped fresh basil
3 C chopped fresh spinach
3/4 C chopped walnuts, toasted
1-6oz jar Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half
2 roma tomatoes, diced
Balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS:
Dough:
Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, combine flours, yeast, salt and rosemary. Add 1-1/4 C of hot tap water and olive oil. Mix well and shape into a ball. Knead for 5 mins, then let rise in a warm place for 15 mins. Roll out the dough on a floured surface.

Grease a large baking sheet and place dough in it. (I did slice off a small section to make a separate pizza for the 5th Grader, so the one you see on the large pan below is minus that…this makes a good-sized pizza, so making smaller ones would work well). Stick dough several times with a fork and bake for 4 mins.On baked crust, spread hummus first, then layer spinach, basil, olives and tomatoes.

Bake again for 8 mins. Before slicing, add toasted walnuts.

After serving, but before devouring, drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Enjoy!