Dinners Archives - Page 29 of 31

Seitan Meatballs

March 22, 2010 by epicureanvegan

One bite and these “meat”balls were an instant favorite that I’ll be making often. They’re actually quite easy to make and prep time was only about 10 mins at the most. The recipe is from Vegetarian Times and includes a sauce recipe, which I didn’t have time for, so I just used jarred sauce. Already looking forward to the leftovers for lunch tomorrow…

INGREDIENTS:
1-16-oz pkg. seitan (I used 2-8oz pkgs of Westsoy’s beef-style seitan–in the red box)
1/2 C pecans
1/2 C whole wheat breadcrumbs (used regular–couldn’t find whole wheat)
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley
1/4 C chopped fresh basil
1/8 tsp dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs)
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp egg replacer powder
16-oz pasta
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray (I used foil and sprayed that–baked-on cooking spray is a pain to scrub off of baking sheets)! Crumble seitan in food processor . Add pecans; pulse to blend.

Transfer to a bowl. Stir in breadcrumbs, herbs, garlic, 1 Tbs olive oil, and soy sauce. Whisk egg replacer with 1/4 C water until frothy; fold into seitan mixture.

Shape mixture into 18 (I got 20) balls. Place on prepared baking sheet, and brush with remaining 2 Tbs oil.

Bake 20 mins, turning once, or until crusty and lightly browned. I didn’t bother turning them and they turned out great.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and divide among serving bowls. Top with sauce and meatballs. Enjoy!

UPDATE: These made GREAT meatball sandwiches!

Product Review: Boca Meatless Ground Crumbles

March 21, 2010 by epicureanvegan

These have been sitting in my freezer for a couple of weeks and so I finally got around to using them. I decided to make tacos with the crumbles and typically, I would add 1/2 a large onion, chopped to the pan, but I forgot. Oops. (I guess I was too focused on the review)!

The crumbles come out of the bag resembling frozen, cooked ground beef and breaks up easily in the pan. The back of the packages recommends adding to a skillet, sprayed generously with cooking spray. I used a Tbs of olive oil. Within 10-12 minutes, the crumbles were heated through and gave off an almost sweet, cinnamon-y smell. But the crumbles didn’t taste like it–in fact, there wasn’t much taste to them. I certainly recommend using a taco seasoning when making tacos–or any other seasoning when using these crumbles–they’re kinda bland. Fortunately though, they also don’t taste fake, or rubbery like some vegan meat. Overall, I was very impressed.

For around $4 for 12-oz, “ground beef” tacos are back, baby!

The tacos didn’t taste “altered” at all. Packed with Tofutti sour cream, vegan cheddar, diced avocado, lettuce and salsa, these were delicious, satisfying and very meat-like.

And here comes the really good part: These meatless ground crumbles have only 0.5g of unsaturated fat per serving–that’s 90% less fat than ground beef!! Not only that, there are 13 grams of protein per serving! It seems like a no-brainer.

As we were chowing down, we were listing off the different meals we could use these bodacious crumbles in:

Burritos

Lasagna

Enchilades

Tostadas

Chili

Taco salad (the back of the package features a recipe for this)

Really….these crumbles would work for anything requiring ground beef.

Check out Boca’s site for more info and ingredient list.

Hoisin-Glazed Tempeh with Green Beans and Cashews

March 18, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is from Vegetarian Times and if you don’t have a lot of time, it’s a fast and easy meal. I made a few minor changes to the recipe like doubling the tempeh and sauce ingredients, plus I served it over rice that I seasoned with sesame seed oil and ground ginger. (I’ll list the original recipe–decide for yourself if you’d like to double it). If you’re not a big fan of tempeh, tofu would work great. The sauce itself is a great basic stir-fry sauce for any of your favorite stir-fry ingredients. I think mushrooms or bamboo shoots would have been a great addition to this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
4 tsp hoisin sauce
2-1/2 tsp rice vinegar, divided
1 Tbs soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1-1/2 Tbs minced ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp)
1-8oz pkg tempeh, cut into 1/2″ cubes
1-12oz pkg frozen whole baby green beans (I used just 10 ounces of cut green beans)
1/3 C roasted, unsalted cashews (I used 2/3 and roasted them self in a dry pan over the stove–cheaper)!
1-2 C cooked rice seasoned with 3-4 splashes of sesame seed oil and 1/8-1/4 tsp ground ginger (Optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk together hoisin sauce, 2 tsp rice vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch, and 1/2 C water in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat skillet or wok over medium heat. Add oil, then ginger and garlic. Stir-fry 1-2 mins or until garlic turns pale gold. Add tempeh and hoisin sauce mixture to pan. Stir to coat tempeh. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 2 mins, or until sauce begins to thicken. Stir in green beans. Cover, and simmer 4-5 mins, or until beans are hot, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/2 tsp of rice vinegar. Serve topped with cashews.

Enjoy!

Seitan* Tostadas with Avocado Dressing

March 7, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Well…the (*) indicates that seitan may not be the right choice for these tostadas–the original recipe called for chicken so I figured chicken-style seitan would be the ideal substitute. I guess I can’t always be a vegan-recipe-master. Next time, I will try refries with Boca brand “beef” crumbles. But I wanted to share the recipe for the Avocado Dressing that is fantastic! It would go great with tacos, burritos, or as a salsa.

INGREDIENTS:
Avocado Dressing:
6 Tbs vegetable oil
4 Tbs cider vinegar
4 tsp minced pickled jalapeno peppers
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/3 C cilantro, chopped (I added, but optional)
The Rest:
I recommend trying 1 can refried beans with 1 bag Boca Ground Crumbles or possibly using a taco seasoning mix with the seitan.
1 pkg, 10-count tostada shells
Vegan cheddar, shredded
Tofutti sour cream
Lettuce, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
For the dressing: Combine all ingredients, cover and refrigerate until ready to use (top “meat” with it).

Recipe source: Creme de Colorado Cookbook

Honey-Glazed Tofu on Couscous

March 6, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I have a stack of magazines, each with at least ten Post-Its sticking out, marking delicious-looking recipes to try. Facing a hungry family, I looked through this arsenal of dinner options. This one is from Healing Foods Cookbook from Vegetarian Times. Calling for 2 tsp of black pepper, it had a bit of a kick–I definitely loved it, but if you don’t, I’d cut the pepper dose in half. The recipe also called for (2) 10-oz of extra firm tofu, but I used just (1) 14-oz and that was more than enough. I made a couple of other alterations, but I’ll post the original recipe with my changes.

INGREDIENTS:
Honey-Glazed Tofu:
2- 10 oz pkgs. extra-form tofu (I used 1- 14 oz pkg.)
2 tsp cracked black pepper
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/4 C vegetable oil
1/2 C honey
Pumpkin Seed Couscous:
2 C low-sodium vegetable broth
2 medium carrots, chopped–1 cup (I didn’t have any…oops)
1 C frozen edamame, thawed
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 C whole wheat couscous (I used regular)
1/2 C toasted pumpkin seeds (I used toasted sliced almonds)

DIRECTIONS:
To make Honey-Glazed Tofu: Place tofu between two plates and set heavy pot (or cans) on top. Drain 10 mins and pat dry. Cut tofu into 3/8″ thick slices. (I didn’t get a ruler out–just went for it).

Combine pepper, thyme, and salt in a small bowl. Coat tofu slices with pepper mixture and set aside.

To make Pumpkin Seed Couscous: Bring broth, carrots, edamame, olive oil, and salt to a boil in a covered saucepan. Remove from heat, and stir in couscous. Cover 5 mins, then fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil and honey in a large skillet over medium-high heat until bubbling. Place seasoned tofu in pan and cook 3 mins. Turn and cook 3 minutes more, spooning thickening sauce over tofu.

To serve: Stir pumpkin seeds into couscous. (I sprinkled them on top of single servings to keep them from getting soft or soggy, especially for leftovers). Spoon onto plates and top with Honey-Glazed Tofu. It will feed about 6 people. Definitely delicious and I think any leftover tofu would be great for sandwiches, too. Enjoy!

Vegetable Chili

February 18, 2010 by epicureanvegan

A great, hearty vegan meal! And such a cinch to make. I added about 7-oz of Gimme Lean Ground Beef Style, but it’s certainly optional. You can use any meat alternative you’d like, or even add about a 1/2 cup of barley.

INGREDIENTS:
7-oz (half a tube) Gimme Lean ground beef style (optional)
1 small eggplant, cubed
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
2 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1-28oz can diced tomatoes, juice and all
2 to 2-1/2 cans of water (I use an empty kidney bean can)
1 small can tomato paste
1 pkg. chili seasoning
Salt, to taste
Vegan cheddar, shredded
Tofutti sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
Saute the Gimme Lean with the garlic until browned. Basically, combine everything in a large soup pot and simmer for about 30 mins. Serve in individual bowls (about 8 servings) salt to taste, top with cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

Pasta with Asparagus and Lemon Sauce

February 15, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Chances are, you already have the ingredients for this light and easy meal. You can also add your favorite other veggies like broccoli, tomatoes or mushrooms. It’s a pretty versatile meal; just customize to suit your veggie tastes. It’s also a breeze to make, so you’ll have time to throw together a salad and maybe even some garlic toasts.

INGREDIENTS:
1-2 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 C chopped fresh parsley
3/4 C coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/2 C white wine
1/2 C lemon juice
1/4 C soy milk
1 to 1-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bunch asparagus, chopped into 2″ pieces
8-oz spaghetti

DIRECTIONS:
Steam the asparagus–about 15 mins. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet and add the garlic, parsley and red pepper and cook for 3-4 mins. Add the steamed asparagus and saute for another 3 mins . Add the white wine and lemon juice–simmer until about 1/2 of the juices are cooked off. Stir in the soy milk and cook for 1 min. Stir in basil and cook a few minutes more.

Toss with the pasta and if desired, top with vegan Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Tempeh (or Seitan) in Hearty Mushroom-Mustard Sauce

February 9, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is another outstanding recipe from Vegetarian Times, this time, from their Healing Foods Cookbook. I used chicken-style seitan instead of tempeh and served it over mashed potatoes. I doubled it–making about 5 servings. Plus, taking less than 30 mins to make, I will certainly be making this again and again.

INGREDIENTS:
4 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 7-oz pkg tempeh, cut into 1/2″ cubes (I used 2 pkgs Westsoy seitan–blue box)
1 Tbs low sodium soy sauce
10 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced (I didn’t have these so I just used more cremini mushrooms)
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
2-1/2 C lager, such as Samuel Adams Boston Lager (I used Dundee Lager–I don’t think it matters, plus I didn’t completely double this–used about 3-1/4 cups)
2 Tbs Dijon mustard
2 green onions, white and green parts finely sliced

DIRECTIONS:
Heat 2 Tbs oil in 12″ skillet over medium heat. Cook tempeh (if using seitan, keep in mind that seitan cooks faster than tempeh–it’s just a matter of browning it, which doesn’t take more than 5 mins) cubes in oil 7-10 mins, or until browned on all sides, stirring frequently. Add soy sauce and cook 2 mins, or until pan is almost dry. Transfer tempeh to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Add remaining 2 Tbs oil and mushrooms to pan, and sprinkle with salt to taste, if desired. Saute 10 mins or until browned and slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in flour. Cook 1-2 mins or until flour begins to brown, stirring constantly. Increase heat to medium-high, add lager and mustard, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 15 mins, or until the sauce thickens. Stir in tempeh; simmer 5 mins more. Serve sprinkled with green onions.

NOTE: The recipe suggests that for a sweeter take on the sauce, stir in 1 Tbs agave nectar with the mustard and use use just 1-1/2 C of lager plus 1 cup of water.

Enjoy!

Personal Pizzas

February 4, 2010 by epicureanvegan

You can easily make your own dough or use a prepackaged kind, but those typically have egg or milk in them. I have a very basic recipe that I use when I don’t have a lot of time, but if you’re in a pinch and don’t mind a tiny trace of milk, Jiffy makes a good pizza dough mix. When the weather is warm, we love to throw these on the grill.

INGREDIENTS:
Dough:
2 1/2 C flour
1 C hot tap water
2 Tbs quick, dry-active yeast
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried rosemary (optional)
The Rest:
Rice mozzarella cheese
1 onion, sliced
black olives
artichoke hearts, diced
3/4 C walnuts, chopped and toasted
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1-2 Tbs olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375.
Combine all dough ingredients and let rise for about an hour. Punch down and knead for 5 minutes.
Caramelize the onions in olive oil and balsamic vinegar–it will take about 10 mins. In the meantime, toast the walnuts in a dry skillet, about 5-7 mins on medium heat.
Divide dough into 4 small sections, roll out each one to about 6″ in diameter. Butter up a large cookie sheet or pizza pan and place the rolled out pieces on the pan. Stick each piece with a fork several times and bake for 4 mins.
Then layer on the toppings. I start with a tiny bit of rice mozzarella, onions, olives, artichokes, more cheese, then sprinkle with walnuts. Bake 12-15 mins.

I then like to drizzle a little balsamic vinegar on top before devouring! Enjoy!

Marinated Tempeh with Vegetables

February 2, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is just a great basic marinade that would work with seitan, tofu, or even as a stir-fry sauce and takes no time at all to throw together.

INGREDIENTS:
8oz tempeh, sliced into 16 triangles
3 Tbs minced ginger
4 Tbs Tamari
3 tsp brown spicy mustard
3 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbs mirin
1 Tbs Ume plum vinegar
4 Tbs water
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
6-8 mushrooms, quartered
(asparagus would be good, too)!

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together the ginger, tamari, mustard, sesame oil, water, mirin and vinegar in small bowl. In a medium-sized baking dish, combine the tempeh and vegetables and then coat thoroughly with the marinade. Cover with foil and bake for 20 mins. Remove foil, stir the tempeh and veggies and cover again; bake for another 12-15 mins. If you have more time, marinate the tempeh and veggies in the refrigerator for about an hour before baking.