Epicurean Vegan

Healthy eating for discriminating palates

Vegan & Soy-Free Ricotta Cheese February 27, 2012

Filed under: Dinners,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 8:28 am
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I am so excited to share this recipe with all of you! Having to give up soy is a little less traumatic now that I’ve come up with a delicious soy-free ricotta cheese. After I made the switch from no wheat and no soy, The Seventh Grader wanted stuffed shells. Of course. And . . . like the power of suggestion, I wanted stuffed shells in the worst way. So I couldn’t use my go-to riotta cheese, nor use regular jumbo shells. Thankfully, I found these “Grand Shells” from Tinkyada.

The ingredients are simple: brown rice, rice bran, and water. They’re a little smaller than the typical flour-based jumbo shells . . .

. . . but it’s not a big deal. They also don’t fold over like regular shells do either. Again, no biggie. Also, cooking these are a bit different. Bring water to a boil, add the shells and cook 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and let the shells sit for 20 minutes. The shells definitely aren’t mushy like some brown rice pasta can be. In fact, they’re pretty al dente—almost too much. If you want them a little softer, I’d leave them for 25-30 minutes. Overall, very impressive! I thought they were delicious.

So onto the ricotta. This recipe makes quite a bit—great for a big pan of lasagna. Feel free to half it for a small portion, otherwise, it makes almost 4 cups.

INGREDIENTS:

1 C blanched almonds

1 C cashews

1 C cold water

1/8 C olive oil

3-4 Tbs lemon juice

1/3 C nutritional yeast

1 C fresh basil

1 Tbs fresh rosemary

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/3 C Daiya cheese,  Mozzarella flavored

DIRECTIONS:

I threw the cashews in a bowl of water while I blanched the almonds. Soaking the nuts are not necessary, unless you have the time and want a really smooth ricotta. Add them to the food processor.

Add the water, oil, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. This may take a few minutes to get it real smooth, especially if you opt not to soak the nuts overnight, which I did not. It just depends on your preference. I happen to like the nutty texture.

Next, add the basil, rosemary, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, pepper. Blend until well combined. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese.

I had some jumbo shells as well as tofu-ricotta in the freezer, so for the guys, I made them regular stuffed shells. Since I don’t have celiac disease and not concerned with cross-contamination, I combined both in the pan.

Layer on some sauce and Daiya cheese and you’re good to go. Bake covered for 25 minutes at 375.

Enjoy!

 

Three-Nut Cheese January 27, 2012

Filed under: Appetizers,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 8:51 am
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I have been both fascinated and mystified by nut cheese. It wasn’t until I went vegan two years ago that I even learned you could make cheese from nuts. No, it doesn’t necessarily taste much like milk cheese, but it’s still delicious and of course, much healthier for you than the moo-ey version. This recipe is also from Big Vegan, and is actually for quesadillas topped with a mango salsa. I plan on giving that a try, but I think this cheese tastes phenomenal on crackers and apples. I melted some on a tortilla and the flavor really comes out. This recipe is a process, so allow a couple of days for it to magically turn into cheese.

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 C macadamia nuts

1/3 C raw cashews

1/3 C almonds, slivered or flaked

1 acidophilus capsule

1 Tbs cold-press corn oil (I didn’t have any, so I used olive oil)

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

Place the nuts in a bowl and cover with cold water; refrigerate overnight. The next day, drain the nuts and puree them in a food processor with 1/2 C water. Add the contents of the acidophilus capsule and puree.

Transfer to a glass bowl and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Leave it at room temperature for 24 hours.

It will then give off a very cottage-cheesy smell. Stir in the lemon juice, oil, and salt. Refrigerate. Enjoy!

 

White Bean Truffle Spread January 9, 2012

Filed under: Appetizers,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 8:43 am
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Many of you know I LOVE truffle oil. When I saw this recipe in Party Vegan, I knew I had to make it.

I brought this spread to a get together and wow—it was gone in seconds and the recipe was requested by several people. The flavor is subtle; not overpowering at all. I highly recommend doubling this recipe—you’ll be glad you did!

INGREDIENTS:

1, 15-oz can white beans, drained and rinsed

2 tsp garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbs lemon juice

1 Tbs + 1 tsp truffle oil

1 Tbs fresh chives, chopped (I used one green onion—mostly green parts)

DIRECTIONS:

Using a food processor, blend the garlic and salt together. Next, add the beans, chives, and lemon juice; blend well. With the processor running, slowly pour 1 Tbs of the truffle oil in. I got a little excited and poured it all in—which was just fine. (The remaining teaspoon is for drizzling on top when you serve it). Chill for at least two hours, then serve with crackers and veggies.

 

Orange-Almond Cheese Log December 12, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 12:57 pm
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I saw a recipe in the December issue of Vegetarian Times for Date-Cheese Ball, but it’s made with goat cheese. I decided to make my own version using the almond cheeze I’ve made before. It has a similar taste and texture to goat cheese and figured it’d be a perfect substitute. It was. Plus, the orange zest gave it such a unique flavor. I brought this to a holiday party and it was gone pretty quick. Keep in mind that this recipe takes up to two days to prepare. You could make it in a day if you blanch and soak the almonds in the morning and serve it in the evening.

INGREDIENTS:

2 C blanched almonds

1/2 C lemon juice

5 Tbs olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp salt

1 C cold water

8-oz Tofutti cream cheese

1-2 Tbs orange zest

2 tsp dried thyme

1 C sliced almonds, toasted

DIRECTIONS:

To the make the almond cheese, soak the blanched almonds for about 24 hours in water. Next, dry them off and transfer to a food processor. Puree them with the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, water and salt. Layer a fine mesh strainer with a thin cotton napkin (works way better than cheesecloth), and place over a bowl. Pour half of the mixture into the lined strainer and wrap up tightly, then squeeze as much of the liquid out as possible. Wrap up and secure with a rubber band. Do the same with the rest of the cheese. Transfer to a plate and chill for 8 hours or over night.

(you’ll end up with twice this much almond cheese)

To make the cheese log, cream the cream cheese the food processor or mixer. I used a food processor; either would work fine—I just find that the cream cheese gets blended much better this way. You can then transfer to a bowl and stir in everything else, or continue using the food processor.  Squeeze out any more liquid from the almond cheese and add them to the cream cheese along with the orange zest and thyme.

Pulse several times to combine. Layout a long piece of plastic wrap and spread the toasted almond slices on it. Scoop out the cheese onto the plastic, then wrap up the sides to create a log. This will take some finessing, so just go with how you feel most comfortable doing it.

Chill for a few hours and serve with crackers. As we were putting the food out for the party, someone had some blackberries and put them around the cheese—brilliant! Fresh fruit is ideal to accompany this cheese log. I know there’s some time involved in making this, but the steps are very easy and worth the effort. Enjoy!

 

Vegan Ranch Dip August 21, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 2:28 pm
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This dip is ideal for chips, veggies, and especially for the Gardein Chipotle-Lime Crispy Fingers. I used Galaxy Foods Vegan Cream Cheese—which was new for me, as I’ve always used Tofutti brand. I thought it was really good.

INGREDIENTS:

8-oz vegan cream cheese

2 Tbs light miso

2 Tbs lemon juice

2 Tbs nutritional yeast

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbs dried chives

DIRECTIONS:

Combine everything in a food processor and chill for a couple of hours. Enjoy!

 

Day 5 of Reboot, Plus More Recipes July 22, 2011

Filed under: Dressings/Condiments,My Vegan Life,Sides — epicureanvegan @ 10:30 am
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It’s the morning of day 5 of my Reboot and I feel great, especially since I’m even down 5 pounds! I definitely don’t feel as weak and tired as the last few days, not as hungry either. Mentally, I feel clearer and less foggy–able to concentrate longer. Last night we went and saw Harry Potter and we usually go for some popcorn . . . I know, terrible (btw, did you know (according to the latest VegNews mag) that a large movie popcorn–without butter–is 1,050 calories?!) Anyway, the boys finished a vat of popcorn before the movie even started, but I wasn’t tempted to eat any. Wow. That never happens! I’m determined to continue this reboot through Sunday and after that, I plan on making a lot of changes, such as no alcohol, little oil, little gluten, and very little processed foods. That’s the goal at least.

Yesterday, I had a class at the NCW and then worked in the studio for the afternoon, so I needed to come prepared. With salty snacks and soda in the fridge just ten feet from me, I had to arm myself with good food. I made a salad, packed some jicama, yellow bell peppers, and mushrooms and dipped them in dressing. The dressing recipes are from the JointheReboot site. Having both dressings changes things up—it’s great so that you don’t get sick of one.

Ginger-Honey (Agave)-Soy Dressing  and  Agave-Mustard Dressing

Ginger-Agave-Soy Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tbsp. Minced Fresh Ginger
2 Tbsp. Minced Fresh Garlic
2 Tbsp. Raw Honey (I used agave)
4 Tbsp. Nama Shoyu or Tamari
4 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Combine all ingredients in a shaker.

Mustard-Agave Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Agave Nectar
1 Tbsp. Honey (I used agave)
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1/4 Tbsp. Sea or Celtic salt
1/8 Tbsp. coarsely Ground Black Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a shaker.

For dinner, I made sweet potato “fries” also from the Reboot site. They were delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut into sticks or crescents

1 tsp olive oil

A couple pinches of sea salt

A couple pinches of black pepper

A couple pinches of cumin

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425. Combine the sweet potatoes with the rest of the ingredients and coat well.

Layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

I also made lettuce wraps:

INGREDIENTS:

1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

5-6 mushrooms, diced

1 avocado, diced

1/2 a large tomato, diced

2 Tbs diced green chilies

3 scallions, sliced

Large lettuce leaves

Ginger-Agave-Soy Dressing

Optional: fresh mint, basil, or cilantro

Combine all the veggies and top the lettuce leaves with a couple of spoonfuls of them. Drizzle with the Ginger dressing. So good!

So this morning . . . I find that fruit smoothies are the easiest way to start the day. I blended up a mango, 1/2 a cup of fresh cherries (I removed the pits first) and about a cup of water. Awesome.

So, I’ll keep going and continue to try different recipes. I’ll keep you posted on my progress—thanks for traveling along with me!

 

White Bean Crock Cheez June 13, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 10:09 am
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This cheeze comes from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook and is similar to the other crock cheez from the same cookbook. The change here is that this recipe uses white beans (I used Great Northern beans) instead of tofu. That makes a difference, especially for those who don’t eat soy (or a lot of it) for various reasons. This is a great alternative. The taste is only slightly different as you can tell it’s made with beans, and the texture is a little bit softer and smoother. I love to have this on pieces of pita bread, on crackers, or spread on toast. You can also use garbanzo beans in place of the white beans.

INGREDIENTS:

2 C cooked white beans or garbanzo beans

3 Tbs nutritional yeast flakes

2 Tbs tahini

2 Tbs lemon juice

1-1/2 Tbs light miso

1-2 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp onion powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dry mustard

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Chill several hours or overnight. Keeps 5-7 days in the fridge. Enjoy!

 

Herbed Almond Cheeze May 31, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 9:07 am
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It’s amazing what you can make with almonds! This recipe is the same as the Almond Cheeze Log, but this time, I added herbs to it. This cheeze is light and fluffy and the herbs are subtle. Feel free to add more than I did, but I think you’ll like this mild version.

INGREDIENTS:

1 C blanched almonds

1/4 C lemon juice

3 Tbs olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled (I used minced)

1-1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbs fresh chives, chopped

1 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp dried dill

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 C cold water

Cheesecloth (a thin cotton napkin works great, too)

DIRECTIONS:

First, to blanch the almonds, add them to a small sauce pan and fill with water, just to cover the almonds. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Pinch the skins between your finger and the skins will slide right off. Dry them off well.

Place almonds in a medium bowl and cover with 3″ of water; soak for 24 hours. Drain and rinse twice with running water. Next, puree the almonds with the chives and parsley.

Then, add the dill, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and water in a food processor until smooth. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and line the strainer with a triple layer of cheesecloth. Spoon mixture into cheesecloth or cloth napkin.

Bring the corners and sides of the cheesecloth together and twist around the cheese, squeezing out any excess moisture. Secure with a rubber band and refrigerate for several hours. Enjoy!

 

 

Edamame Hummus May 29, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 6:40 pm
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My wonderful friend and neighbor brought this over to me. We are both foodies and even though she’s not vegan, she always whips up amazing vegan creations for me to try. This hummus is full of flavor and is great with veggies, chips, crackers, etc. A refreshing summer dip!

INGREDIENTS:

2 C edamame
2-3 garlic cloves
2-3 lemons, juice and zest reserved
1/3 C tahini
5/8 C olive oil
1/2 avocado, peeled and pitted
1-1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/16 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp agave

DIRECTIONS:

Using a food processor, blend edamame, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest and tahini. With motor running, slowly drizzle in oil to emulsify mixture. Add remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Enjoy!

Recipe: Edible Front Range

 

Creamy Tofu-Port Spread May 2, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 12:31 pm
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I love experimenting with making vegan cheeses and spreads and this one is so easy and delicious. It’s ideal as a sandwich or wrap condiment, or a dip for crackers and veggies (particularly, veggie crackers)! I also think it’d be great on a toasted bagel, English muffin, or toast.

INGREDIENTS:

14-oz tofu, drained, pressed, and cubed

2/3 C nutritional yeast flakes

3 Tbs yellow or red miso (I used yellow)

3 Tbs tahini

1 Tbs lemon juice

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 C port wine

Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Add everything into the food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes about 2-1/2 cups. Enjoy!

 

 
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