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Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce and Homemade Pitas

February 1, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Damn, I’m good! (I love when I can say that about a recipe I made)! I decided to make gyros with these fabulous vegan pitas and they were outstanding! Over the years, I had been working on perfecting my tzatziki sauce recipe and for non-dairy, it’s pretty darn good, if I may say so myself. 🙂 Also…use leftover sauce for dipping veggies and/or veggie chips and crackers. (Check out my other version using Field Roast).

INGREDIENTS:
Sauce:
8-oz Tofutti sour cream
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp dill weed
1 Tbs chopped fresh mint
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 large cucumber, peeled and shredded
Gyros:
2-8oz pkgs seitan, stir-fry style (Westsoy-red box)
1/2 large red onion, sliced very thin
1 Tbs canola oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne
The rest:
pitas
tomatoes, sliced thin
mustard greens and kale, chopped into 1″ pieces

DIRECTIONS:
To make the sauce:
Combine all the sauce ingredients, except for the cucumber. Put the shredded cucumber in a fine mesh strainer, cover with plastic wrap and with your hand, press down on the plastic to squeeze the water from the cucumber. Then add to the rest of sauce and combine.

For the gyros:
In a large skillet, heat the oil and garlic. Add the onions and saute until tender. Add the seitan and cook for about 3-4 mins, stirring often, until seitan browns.

Combine the cumin, oregano, nutmeg, cinnamon and cayenne in a small bowl, and then add to the skillet. Stir and coat the seitan onions well and cover. Simmer on low heat for 3 mins. It’s that easy!
Fill the pitas with the seitan, tomatoes, greens and tzatziki sauce. So delicious!

My favorite seitan for this recipe:

Seitan Piccata with White Wine and Capers

January 30, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I LOVE this recipe! It is so full of flavor, easy to make and absolutely delicious. My husband has already claimed the leftovers for his breakfast tomorrow!

(Update: I made this with a sliced Field Roast and it was wonderful!)

INGREDIENTS:
6 large pieces plain seitan (about a pound–I used Westsoy in the blue box and just broke it up into small pieces)
Whole wheat flour for dredging (about 3/4 C)
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 C diced shallots
1/2 C diced onion
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 C drained capers
1 C dry white wine
1/4 C lemon juice
1 C vegetable broth
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
4 Tbs soy margarine (Earth Balance)
1 C chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Dredge the seitan in the whole wheat flour, shaking off the excess. Heat 2 Tbs olive oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add the seitan and saute until crisp and tender, about 30 seconds per side.

Transfer seitan to a plate. Heat the remaining 2 Tbs oil in the same skillet. Add the scallions, onions, garlic, and capers and saute, stirring frequently, until softened, 1-2 mins. Add the wine, and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced by half. Whisk in the lemon juice, and cook until sauce has reduced a bit more, 1-2 mins. Whisk in broth and the all-purpose flour and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 min to thicken. Whisk in the margarine, parsley, salt and pepper.

Pour over seitan and serve immediately. (I added the seitan to the pan and coated it with the sauce). This sauce was so rich and lemony…enjoy!

Recipe source: The Kind Diet

Fresh and Healthy Soft Tacos/Burritos

January 29, 2010 by epicureanvegan

When I don’t have a lot of time but I want my family and I to have a satisfying, healthy dinner, this is one of my go-to meals. I typically have the ingredients all the time and with so many different ingredient options, it’s easy to make the whole crew happy! Packed with protein and veggies, it’s a great option for lunch or dinner.

INGREDIENTS:
1 C cooked rice
1 can refried beans
1/4-1/2 C salsa
vegan cheese, shredded
diced avocado
sliced green onion
cilantro, chopped
Small flour tortillas
Tofutti sour cream
Other tasty options: diced or shredded cucumber, sprouts, lettuce

DIRECTIONS:
Combine cooked rice (I use Minute Rice), refries and salsa in a medium pan, heat on low-medium heat. Stir until heated through.

Separate other ingredients into small bowls and I like to start with the sour cream, then layer the beans/rice mixture, then top with cheese, avocado slices, etc. on a warmed tortilla.

Voila! You’re ready to eat! Served with a salad, this is a quick, delicious and healthy meal. Enjoy!

A Smarter Fettuccine Alfredo

January 27, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This comes from my friend over at Tried and Tasted Recipes Even though the original recipe isn’t vegan, it was super easy to veganize–and so delicious! I of course, added 1/3 C of Tofutti sour cream for extra creaminess and mushrooms and green onions and she added peas and carrots (another great variety).

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces fettuccine, uncooked
1 1/4 cups fat-free reduced-sodium vegetable broth
4 teaspoons flour
1/3 cup Tofutti cream cheese
3 tablespoons Rice brand parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 C nutritional yeast (optional)
1/3 C Tofutti sour cream (optional)
5 mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 green onions, sliced (optional)
Handful of frozen peas and carrots (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta according to package instructions. At this time, I sauteed the mushrooms and green onions in a small skillet.
Meanwhile, combine broth and flour in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cream cheese spread, 2 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese, the nutmeg and pepper; cook 2 min., stirring constantly with wire whisk until mixture boils and thickens. I had trouble getting the sauce to thicken, so I added a tiny bit cornstarch/water mixture and presto! It thickened immediately. If using, add nutritional yeast and stir to combine. I then removed it from the heat and stirred in the sour cream.
Drain pasta. Toss with sauce (and veggies, if using) Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and parsley.
I served this with leftover salad from the previous night and some fabulous olive bread!

Serves 4.
Enjoy

Seitan Marsala

January 26, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is my husband’s specialty, but of course he had always made it with chicken. Well…not anymore! I finally convinced him to use seitan and even he loved it. Turned out absolutely delicious, which means he’ll be cooking more often. I served it over pilaf and also with my kale and mustard green salad and red wine vinaigrette and it made a complete, satisfying and healthy meal.

INGREDIENTS:
2 pkgs seitan (chicken style), broken up into pieces
1/4 C all purpose flour
1/4 tsp dried marjoram, crushed
1/8 tsp salt, pepper
1 C sliced mushrooms
2 Tbs sliced green onion
3 Tbs Earth Balance margarine
1/4 C vegetable broth
1/4 C Marsala or dry sherry

DIRECTIONS:
Stir together flour, marjoram, salt and pepper. Lightly press seitan pieces into flour mixture and cover all sides, gently shake off the excess. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the seitan in 1 Tbs of the margarine. Saute until brown on all sides. Seitan is already cooked–its just a matter of heating it through, about 5 mins.

Add the mushrooms, green onions, vegetable broth, Marsala or sherry and remaining 2 Tbs of margarine. Cook uncovered for about 2-3 mins, until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.

Serve over rice or pilaf and enjoy!

By the way, here’s my favorite seitan for this dish:

Tempeh Burgers

January 25, 2010 by epicureanvegan

It didn’t take much to throw these together–which was good, because I didn’t have a lot of time–and with leftovers, the next day’s lunch is a breeze. Tempeh is an excellent source of protein, manganese and B12, not to mention low in fat, calories and devoid of cholesterol. No wonder it’s the perfect alternative to a beef burger!

INGREDIENTS:
1 (8-ounce) package tempeh
1/4 cup low-sodium tamari
2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp Liquid Smoke

DIRECTIONS:
Cut the tempeh in half, then slice each half into thinner slices. Steam the tempeh for 10-15 mins. In a small bowl, combine tamari, mirin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and Liquid Smoke. Place half of the marinade in a shallow bowl or dish, then add steamed tempeh. Pour the rest of the marinade and be sure to coat the pieces thoroughly. Marinate in the refrigerator 30-60 mins.

When ready to prepare, heat a large nonstick skillet with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Cook the tempeh–3-4 mins on both sides.

Serve on buns, or open face. Here are suggestions of toppings:
Guacamole or avocado slices
Tomato
Vegan cheese
Lettuce
Mustard
Ketchup
Sliced jalapeno peppers
Onions
Pickles
I liked mine with Veganaise, vegan cheese and tomato. The hubby and son liked guacamole, cheddar cheese and ranch dressing (I’ve only been able to convince them to be part-time vegans). Load up on your favorite ingredients and enjoy!

Pineapple-Cashew-Quinoa Stir-Fry

January 24, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This recipe from Veganomicon is so flavorful and delicious!
It helps to have all the ingredients ready and chopped up before your start and the recipe calls for chilling the quinoa once it’s done, but I didn’t have time for that, so I filled the sink with cold water and placed the pan of quinoa in the sink–it worked beautifully. I also made some other changes to the recipe, but I’ll list the original and my alterations.

INGREDIENTS:
Quinoa:
1 C quinoa, well rinsed and drained (I like Ancient Harvest brand–already rinsed)
1 C pineapple juice (I used a cup from the canned pineapple you’ll need for the stir-fry)
1 C cold water
1/4 tsp soy sauce
Stir-fry:
4 oz cashews, raw and unsalted
3 Tbs peanut oil (I used olive oil)
2 scallions, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 hot red chile, sliced into very thin rounds (When I started this, I realized I didn’t have one…oops)
1/2″ piece ginger, peeled and minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced (I also added one diced yellow bell pepper)
1 C frozen green peas or cooked edamame (I used the edamame)
1/2 C fresh basil leaves, rolled and sliced thin shreds
2 Tbs chopped fresh mint
10-oz fresh pineapple, cut into bite sized pieces (about 2 C–I used canned)
3 Tbs soy sauce
3 Tbs vegetable stock
1 Tbs mirin
Lime wedges for garnish (I drizzled jarred lime juice on top)

DIRECTIONS:
Prepare the quinoa first: Combine the quinoa, juice, water and soy sauce in a medium-sized pot. Cover, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Stir a few times, lower heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 12-14 mins until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa appears plump and slightly translucent. Uncover, fluff and let cool. For best results, place the quinoa in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight, or chill for 1 hour. Like I said, I cooled it in a sink of cold water.

To prepare the stir-fry: Use a very large skillet–at least 11 inches. Place the cashews in the dry pan and heat over medium heat, stirring them, until lightly toasted, 4-5 mins. Remove the cashews from the pan, raise the heat to medium and add the oil, scallions, and garlic. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the sliced chile pepper and ginger. Stir-fry for about 2 mins then add the bell pepper(s) and peas (or edamame).

(Such a colorful dish)!
Stir-fry for another 3-4 mins, until the bell pepper is softened. Add the basil and mint and stir for another minute before adding the pineapple and quinoa.
In a measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, vegetable stock and mirin. Pour over the quinoa mixture. Stir to incorporate completely and coat the quinoa. Continue to stir-fry 10-14 mins, until the quinoa is very hot.

(I see why the recipe called for a very large skillet)

The recipe didn’t say anything else about the cashews, so I added them the last 5 mins of stir-frying. Serve with lime wedges and additional soy sauce to season individual servings to taste. Serves 5-6. Enjoy!

Recipe source: Veganomicon

Hurry Up Alfredo

January 21, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This comes from Lauren Ulm’s cookbook, Vegan Yum Yum and is by far the best non-dairy “cheese” sauce I’ve tasted yet! The only thing I changed was adding 1/2 C Tofutti sour cream which made this sauce perfectly creamy!

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 C small pasta
Sauce:
1 C soy milk
1/3 rounded raw, unsalted cashews
1/4 C nutritional yeast
3 Tbs tamari (or soy sauce)
2 Tbs Earth Balance (or Smart Balance) margarine
1 Tbs tahini
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch salt
Black pepper, to taste
2-4 garlic cloves
I added 1/2C Tofutti Sour Cream and used SMOKED paprika and WOW! It was so creamy and flavorful!

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add noodles. Cook until tender, but not mushy. Meanwhile, to make sauce, mix all sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. When noodles are finished, drain and return to pot. Add as much sauce as you’d like and heat and stir. (What I did is transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and heat–this is also when I added the Tofutti sour cream. Then I just ladled the sauce on a serving of pasta). Top with Rice Parmesan and enjoy!

Note: for leftovers, I don’t recommend microwaving them. Keep sauce separate from pasta leftovers and reheat sauce in a pan over the stove and nuke the noodles. Sauce gets too dried out otherwise.

Recipe source: Vegan Yum Yum

Grilled Portobellos with Rosemary-Roasted Vegetables

January 21, 2010 by epicureanvegan

The great thing about portobello mushrooms (besides their great flavor) is that they’re so versatile and can be grilled, baked, sauteed–you name it. I added balsamic vinegar and burgundy wine to this recipe, but you can certainly leave them out–I just find that both of those go beautifully with mushrooms.

INGREDIENTS:
1 large red onion, chopped
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped (a little more would have been good)
1/3 C olive oil (I used a 1/4 cup + 1-2 Tbs)
2 Tbs coarsely chopped fresh rosemary or other herb leaves (I would increased this to at least 3 Tbs)
Salt and pepper, ground
1 large tomato, chopped
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
1/4C balsamic vinegar (optional)
1/8-1/4C Burgundy wine (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425 and heat your grill (if using). In a large bowl, combine the onion, bell pepper, zucchini, 1/4 C of olive oil, the rosemary and salt and pepper to taste. (I added the balsamic vinegar here).Toss to coat the veggies with oil, then spread them in a single layer in a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender and lightly browned, about 25 mins. (18-20 mins was perfect). Reduce oven temperature to 275. Add the tomatoes to the roasted vegetables, stirring to combine and return to the oven to keep warm. (I just turned the oven off and it stayed plenty warm in the oven for the tomatoes). Brush the mushrooms with the remaining olive oil and grill until tender and lightly charred on the outside, about 5 mins per side. (At this point, seeing as it’s in the single digits here in Colorado, I decided not to brave the snow-piled deck to do some bakyard grilling. I opted to lightly saute the ‘shrooms in the Burgundy wine). To serve, arrange the portobello caps gill side down and top with the roasted veggies. (I served them gill side up and filled them with the veggies). They were delicious! I’m sure grilling would add a whole new flavor, so that it why I chose the wine to give it a bit more jazz.I served these with the Tarragon Pasta Salad and together, they make a great meal, especially for the coming spring and summer. But beware, if you’re not used to eating that amount of veggies in one sitting (namely, my husband) don’t go to a 2 1/2 hour movie afterwards…poor guy. Luckily, veggie gas tends to be less offensive. Otherwise, eat up and enjoy!

Recipe source: Vegan Planet

Thai Peanut-Burger Wraps with Spicy Peanut Sauce

January 21, 2010 by epicureanvegan

These require a little bit of (easy) prep work and they’re well worth it! I also think they’d taste great as the next day’s cold lunch.

INGREDIENTS:
Burgers:
1/2 C chopped red onion
1/2 seeded and chopped green bell pepper
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
1/2 C unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
8 oz extra-firm tofu, drained and mashed (I recommend squeezing all the water out, too)
3 Tbs smooth peanut butter
2 Tbs chopped fresh Thai basil or cilantro leaves
2 Tbs tamari or dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp Asian chili paste
Salt
1/2 C dry bread crumbs (I had to use about a cup)
flour tortillas or pita bread
Shredded romaine lettuce
Spicy Peanut Sauce:
1/2 C smooth natural peanut butter
1 Tbs minced garlic
1/4 C tamari or other soy sauce
1/4 C water, or more as needed
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp Asian chili paste
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor, combine the onion, bell pepper, garlic, ginger and peanuts. Pulse to blend, leaving some texture. Add the tofu, peanut butter, Thai basil or cilantro, tamari, chili paste and salt to taste and pulse until mixture is well combined. Shape the the mixture into 4 large or 8 small patties (I advise going for the smaller patties–they are much easier to handle because they will fall apart if too big) and coat evenly with the bread crumbs. (Here, I recommend shaping the patty with hands and leave in your hand and thoroughly sprinkle with bread crumbs, then flip to other hand and sprinkle the other side with bread crumbs). Arrange on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake turning once, until browned on both sides, 25-30 mins. (15 mins on each side was just about right. This is where you’ll be glad you did small patties because they’re hard to keep together if they’re too big). While these are baking, make the peanut sauce: In a small bowl or food processor, combine peanut butter, garlic, tamari, water, vinegar, chili paste, and sugar until well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add more water if the sauce is too thick. (Use at once or refrigerate until ready to use). Stir in the cilantro just before using. Will keep for 4-5 days. It makes 1 cup, but I doubled it since I’ll use it on baked tofu, tempe, steamed veggies and even sandwiches.

Okay…to assemble cut the burgers in halves or thirds, if necessary, so that they roll up easily. Place them end to end on the lower third of the tortillas. Top with the lettuce and drizzle with the peanut sauce (it goes a long way, so you don’t need a ton) and roll up. Serves 4. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe source: Vegan Planet

Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce and Homemade Pitas

Seitan Piccata with White Wine and Capers

Fresh and Healthy Soft Tacos/Burritos

A Smarter Fettuccine Alfredo

Seitan Marsala

Tempeh Burgers

Pineapple-Cashew-Quinoa Stir-Fry

Hurry Up Alfredo

Grilled Portobellos with Rosemary-Roasted Vegetables

Thai Peanut-Burger Wraps with Spicy Peanut Sauce

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