Lunches Archives - Page 3 of 10

Raw Walnut Tacos {The 22-Day Revolution}

May 18, 2015 by Epicurean Vegan

Earlier this month, I brought you my review of The 22-Day Revolution, a new plant-based cookbook by Marco Borges. I promised to post the Raw Walnut Tacos recipe, so here it is. Everyone here loved these; great flavor and ready in 10 minutes. The only thing I added was some cilantro. This makes a fabulous lunch option, or a light dinner.

INGREDIENTS:
Taco meat:
2 C walnuts
1-1/2 Tbs cumin
1 Tbs coriander
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs coconut aminos
dash paprika
dash garlic powder
dash black pepper
Garnish:
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 Tbs parsley flakes
pinch of black pepper
pinch sea salt
1 lime
The rest:
2 heads of romaine lettuce

DIRECTIONS:
Separate and wash the romaine leaves and set aside. Combine all of the taco meat ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times, careful not to grind them too small.
Spread the walnut meat on the romaine leaves and garnish with cilantro (if using), avocado slices, tomato, parsley, pepper, salt, and lime juice.

Enjoy!

Raw Walnut Tacos {22-Day Revolution}

Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Taco meat:
2 C walnuts
1-1/2 Tbs cumin
1 Tbs coriander
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs coconut aminos
dash paprika
dash garlic powder
dash black pepper
Garnish:
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced
½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved
½ Tbs parsley flakes
pinch of black pepper
pinch sea salt
1 lime
The rest:
2 heads of romaine lettuce

Directions

Separate and wash the romaine leaves and set aside.
Combine all of the taco meat ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times, careful not to grind them too small.
Spread the walnut meat on the romaine leaves and garnish with cilantro (if using), avocado slices, tomato, parsley, pepper, salt, and lime juice.
Enjoy!

Tofu-Veggie Noodle Bowls with Peanut Sauce

January 3, 2015 by Epicurean Vegan

Even in the wintertime, a fresh and tasty noodle bowl can really hit the spot. I sure love my soups when the weather gets chilly, but these bowls with lightly sauteed tofu, fresh greens and steamed veggies, also fit the bill quite nicely. They’re also pretty simple to throw together, so you won’t be slaving away in the kitchen. Also, feel free to make anything ahead of time so that all you have to do is boil the noodles.

INGREDIENTS:
16-oz pkg. thick cut rice noodles
1 head of broccoli florets
1-1/2 C red cabbage, chopped
1 small zucchini, sliced thin
1-1/2 C mushrooms, sliced
14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 C chopped kale and spinach
2 carrots, grated
1 C green onion, sliced
Sesame seeds
Peanut Sauce
1 garlic clove
1/2 C smooth peanut butter
1/3 C water
1 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs tamari or soy sauce
1 Tbs almond milk
1 tsp sesame oil
Pinch of salt
1 to 2 tsp chia seeds

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the noodles according to package instructions. The kind I used, however, recommended soaking them in hot water for 30 minutes. I had used these particular noodles before and found that they work better to boil. They’ll cook fast, only 5 minutes or so. Drain and rinse with cold water. You can do this step last if you’d like. Slice the tofu into 1/2″ slices and season with salt and pepper. In a dry skillet, lightly brown the tofu over low-medium heat for about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the heat, let cool, then cut into cubes.

Meanwhile, steam the broccoli, cabbage, and zucchini until softened, about 10 minutes.

Add the mushrooms last and steam for a few minutes more.
To make the peanut sauce, combine all of the ingredients (except the chia seeds) in a food processor. It may not be very thick, so add the chia seeds, about 1 teaspoon to begin with and wait 5-7 minutes for the sauce to thicken up. Add more chia seeds if necessary. To assemble the bowls, start with some noodles, add some chopped greens, steamed veggies, tofu, grated carrot, green onion, and peanut sauce. Top with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Tofu-Veggie Noodle Bowls with Peanut Sauce

Prep time

30 mins

Total time

30 mins

Even in the wintertime, a fresh and tasty noodle bowl can really hit the spot. I sure love my soups when the weather gets chilly, but these bowls with lightly sauteed tofu, fresh greens and steamed veggies, also fit the bill quite nicely. They're also pretty simple to throw together, so you won't be slaving away in the kitchen. Also, feel free to make anything ahead of time so that all you have to do is boil the noodles.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6

Ingredients

16-oz pkg. thick cut rice noodles
1 head of broccoli florets
1-1/2 C red cabbage, chopped
1 small zucchini, sliced thin
1-1/2 C mushrooms, sliced
14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 C chopped kale and spinach
2 carrots, grated
1 C green onion, sliced
Sesame seeds
.
Peanut Sauce
.
1 garlic clove
½ C smooth peanut butter
⅓ C water
1 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs tamari or soy sauce
1 Tbs almond milk
1 tsp sesame oil
Pinch of salt
1 to 2 tsp chia seeds

Directions

Cook the noodles according to package instructions. The kind I used, however, recommended soaking them in hot water for 30 minutes. I had used these particular noodles before and found that they work better to boil. They'll cook fast, only 5 minutes or so. Drain and rinse with cold water. You can do this step last if you'd like.
Slice the tofu into ½" slices and season with salt and pepper. In a dry skillet, lightly brown the tofu over low-medium heat for about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the heat, let cool, then cut into cubes.
Meanwhile, steam the broccoli, cabbage, and zucchini until softened, about 10 minutes.
Add the mushrooms last and steam for a few minutes more.
To make the peanut sauce, combine all of the ingredients, except the chia seeds, in a food processor. It may not be very thick, so add the chia seeds, about 1 teaspoon to begin with and wait 5-7 minutes for the sauce to thicken up. Add more chia seeds if necessary.
To assemble the bowls, start with some noodles, add some chopped greens, steamed veggies, tofu, grated carrot, green onion, and peanut sauce. Top with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Vegetable & Baked Tofu Salad

October 13, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

Lunches are sometimes a struggle for me to come up with. I’m usually not one for leftovers (unless it’s the cashew mac) but I do like to throw together sandwiches. However, those can get boring, so I came up with this veggie-cashew-tofu salad that is fabulous on bread, crackers or in a wrap. I love the combination of the soft tofu and crunchy cashews; to me, that makes an ideal salad. With a little bit of prep, you’ll have a tasty, protein-filled lunch option for the whole week.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C vegan mayo (I recently discovered Just Mayo. It’s fantastic)
2 tsp Dijon
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp kelp powder
4 green onion, sliced
1 carrot, grated
2 celery stalks, sliced or chopped
1/2 small cucumber, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 C parsley, chopped
1/2 C cashews or almonds, coarsely chopped
8-oz pkg. baked tofu, Italian seasoning flavor, diced
The rest
Bread slices, wraps or crackers
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, combine everything (but the tofu) and thoroughly blend. Fold in the diced tofu. Serve on large flax crackers for a snack, or pile onto some bread or a wrap for a healthy lunch. Enjoy!

Vegetable & Baked Tofu Salad

Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

I came up with this veggie-cashew-tofu salad that is fabulous on bread, crackers or in a wrap. I love the combination of the soft tofu and crunchy cashews; to me, that makes an ideal salad. With a little bit of prep, you'll have a tasty, protein-filled lunch option for the whole week.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6

Ingredients

½ C vegan mayo (I recently discovered Just Mayo. It's fantastic)
2 tsp Dijon
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 Tbs lemon juice
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp kelp powder
4 green onion, sliced
1 carrot, grated
2 celery stalks, sliced or chopped
½ small cucumber, diced (about ½ cup)
½ C parsley, chopped
½ C cashews or almonds, coarsely chopped
8-oz pkg. baked tofu, Italian seasoning flavor, diced
.
The rest
.
Bread slices, wraps or crackers
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine everything (but the tofu) and thoroughly blend. Fold in the diced tofu. Serve on large flax crackers for a snack, or pile onto some bread or a wrap for a healthy lunch. Enjoy!

Vegan & Gluten-Free Falafel with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce

October 6, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

You may be surprised how easy falafel is to make at home. Plus, you can play with the spices and ingredients to suit your fancy. One thing I noticed, is that they are typically sauteed in a skillet with lots of oil, which is something I try to avoid doing too often. They’re also not typically gluten-free, so I decided to go all out and create gluten-free, baked falafel. Oh, and make them tasty. I think I accomplished all of that. The yogurt-tahini sauce couldn’t be easier to make, using only a few ingredients and a food processor. Usually, falafel sandwiches will have tabbouleh, but I opted for a quick and easy meal with lettuce, tomato and red onion instead. The falafel are also delicious on their own as a protein-packed snack dipped in sauce. Either way, I think you’ll enjoy this Greek classic.

INGREDIENTS:
1 small carrot, cut into 3-4 pieces
3-4 garlic cloves
1 small white onion, chopped
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 C fresh cilantro
3/4 C fresh parsley
1-1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 C rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
Yogurt-Tahini Sauce
12-oz plain nondairy yogurt
1/3 C tahini
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
The rest
Lettuce
Tomato
Red onion
Cucumber slices would be great, too.

DIRECTIONS:
Toss the carrot pieces into the food processor and pulse just a couple of times until coarsely chopped. Add the garlic cloves and onion and pulse 2-3 more times.

Next, add the garbanzo beans, cilantro, parsley, cumin, salt, and pepper. Blend 10-20 seconds until smooth-ish . . . you just don’t want a major chunks. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the baking powder and rice flour.
Cover and refrigerate for about 20-30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat oven to 350 and then make the sauce. In your newly cleaned-out food processor bowl, combine all of the sauce ingredients and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside, along with your prepared veggies:
To make the falafel, line a large baking sheet with foil and spray it with a little cooking spray. Using your hands, scoop out about a 1/4 cup of the batter and create a mini patty; place onto the baking sheet. I ended up with 15:
Bake for 15-20 minutes, then turn them over and cook another 15-20 minutes. Fill a pita with some lettuce, sauce, tomato slices, red onion slices, 2-3 falafel and top them off with a bit more sauce. Enjoy!

Vegan & Gluten-Free Falafel with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce

Prep time

45 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour 25 mins

You may be surprised how easy falafel is to make at home. Plus, you can play with the spices and ingredients to suit your fancy. One thing I noticed, is that they are typically sauteed in a skillet with lots of oil, which is something I try to avoid doing too often. They're also not typically gluten-free, so I decided to go all out and create gluten-free, baked falafel. Oh, and make them tasty. I think I accomplished all of that. The yogurt-tahini sauce couldn't be easier to make, using only a few ingredients and a food processor. Usually, falafel sandwiches will have tabbouleh, but I opted for a quick and easy meal with lettuce, tomato and red onion instead. The falafel are also delicious on their own as a protein-packed snack dipped in sauce. Either way, I think you'll enjoy this Greek classic.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 small carrot, cut into 3-4 pieces
3-4 garlic cloves
1 small white onion, chopped
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
¾ C fresh cilantro
¾ C fresh parsley
1-1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¾ C rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
.
Yogurt-Tahini Sauce
.
12-oz plain nondairy yogurt
⅓ C tahini
2 Tbs lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
.
The rest
.
Lettuce
Tomato
Red onion
Cucumber slices would be great, too.

Directions

Toss the carrot pieces into the food processor and pulse just a couple of times until coarsely chopped. Add the garlic cloves and onion and pulse 2-3 more times.
Next, add the garbanzo beans, cilantro, parsley, cumin, salt, and pepper. Blend 10-20 seconds until smooth-ish . . . you just don't want a major chunks. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the baking powder and rice flour. Cover and refrigerate for about 20-30 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat oven to 350 and then make the sauce. In your newly cleaned-out food processor bowl, combine all of the sauce ingredients and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside, along with your prepared veggies.
To make the falafel, line a large baking sheet with foil and spray it with a little cooking spray. Using your hands, scoop out about a ¼ cup of the batter and create a mini patty; place onto the baking sheet. I ended up with 15.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, then turn them over and cook another 15-20 minutes. Fill a pita with some lettuce, sauce, tomato slices, red onion slices, 2-3 falafel and top them off with a bit more sauce. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Mexican Quinoa & Black Beans

October 4, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

This has been a favorite at our house for some time now. I found the original recipe on Pinterest, but have just tweaked it a little here and there. I also double the recipe because it makes great leftovers. I like to serve this with some tortilla chips, cilantro, avocado and vegan sour cream, but we’ve also been known to scoop it into a warm flour or corn tortilla with all fixins’ like tomato, cilantro, avocado, etc. It’s so easy to make; just toss in a slow cooker and it’s ready in about 3 hours. (And it’s gluten-free!) You can sub in any other kind of bean, such as kidney or chili beans, but I also think some lentils would be perfect too. And why not throw in a diced red bell pepper? The possibilities are endless!

INGREDIENTS:
2 15-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3 C vegetable broth
1-1/2 C tri-color quinoa
1 C salsa
2 bay leaves
3 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp garlic powder
Black pepper, to taste
Zest and juice from 1 lime
1-2 avocados, peeled, pitted and cubed
1 C fresh cilantro, chopped
Vegan sour cream
Corn tortilla chips
Optional: flour tortillas or corn taco shells

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the beans, broth, quinoa, salsa, bay leaves, cumin, salt, and garlic powder in a slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 3 to 3-1/2 hours. If you can, stir it around once or twice. Once done, stir in the lime zest and juice. Season individual servings with pepper and top with avocado, cilantro and sour cream. Enjoy with tortilla chips.

Slow Cooker Mexican Quinoa & Black Beans

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

3 hours 30 mins

Total time

3 hours 35 mins

This has been a favorite at our house for some time now. I found the original recipe on Pinterest, but have just tweaked it a little here and there. I also double the recipe because it makes great leftovers. I like to serve this with some tortilla chips, cilantro, avocado and vegan sour cream, but we've also been known to scoop it into a warm flour or corn tortilla with all fixins' like tomato, cilantro, avocado, etc. It's so easy to make; just toss in a slow cooker and it's ready in about 3 hours. (And it's gluten-free!) You can sub in any other kind of bean, such as kidney or chili beans, but I also think some lentils would be perfect too. And why not throw in a diced red bell pepper? The possibilities are endless!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 15-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3 C vegetable broth
1-1/2 C tri-color quinoa
1 C salsa
2 bay leaves
3 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp garlic powder
Black pepper, to taste
Zest and juice from 1 lime
1-2 avocados, peeled, pitted and cubed
1 C fresh cilantro, chopped
Vegan sour cream
Corn tortilla chips
Optional: flour tortillas or corn taco shells

Directions

Combine the beans, broth, quinoa, salsa, bay leaves, cumin, salt, and garlic powder in a slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 3 to 3-1/2 hours. If you can, stir it around once or twice.
Once done, stir in the lime zest and juice.
Season individual servings with pepper and top with avocado, cilantro and sour cream. Enjoy with tortilla chips.

Black Rice & Lentil Thai Bowls with Cashew-Coconut Curry Sauce

September 29, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

You’re going to need a big bowl to fit in all this goodness. It’s easy to go overboard with different veggies and toppings, but I think I found a great combination for these Thai bowls. Not only are they vegan, but they’re gluten-free too. The flavors of the sauce mingle beautifully with the steamed cauliflower, tofu and kale. The pepitas also add a nice extra crunch as well. Served warm or cold, these bowls are great to take to work for a filling, protein-packed lunch.

INGREDIENTS:
2-1/2 C vegetable broth
1 C black rice
1 C green lentils
1 head cauliflower
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 carrots, grated
3 C kale, chopped
1 C green onion, sliced
1/2 C pepitas
Cashew-Coconut Curry Sauce:
1 C cashews, soaked in hot water for about an hour
2 cloves garlic
1 can coconut milk
1 Tbs fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbs peanut butter
Juice from one lime
1 Tbs curry powder
1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:
To begin, combine the rice, lentils and vegetable broth in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Stir, reduce heat, and cover; cook for 40-45 minutes. This will give you plenty of time to get everything else prepared: chop the veggies, saute the tofu and steam the cauliflower. For the tofu, I just sauteed the cubes in a dry skillet until slightly browned. Steam the cauliflower florets for about 8-10 minutes—not too much though because you want to avoid making the cauliflower too mushy (unless you like that sort of thing). I prefer them to have a little bit of crunch. To make the sauce, toss the garlic cloves in a food processor and mince. Next, add all of the other sauce ingredients and puree for several minutes until completely smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until it thickens just a little—only a couple of minutes.

Once the rice and lentils are done, fluff with a spoon. To serve, start with some rice-lentil mixture, then add the kale, tofu, cauliflower, carrots, green onions, sauce and top with the pepitas. Absolutely delicious! Enjoy!

Black Rice & Lentil Thai Bowls with Cashew-Coconut Curry Sauce

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

55 mins

You're going to need a big bowl to fit in all this goodness. It's easy to go overboard with different veggies and toppings, but I think I found a great combination for these Thai bowls. Not only are they vegan, but they're gluten-free too. The flavors of the sauce mingle beautifully with the steamed cauliflower, tofu and kale. The pepitas also add a nice extra crunch as well. Served warm or cold, these bowls are great to take to work for a filling, protein-packed lunch.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2-1/2 C vegetable broth
1 C black rice
1 C green lentils
1 head cauliflower
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 carrots, grated
3 C kale, chopped
1 C green onion, sliced
½ C pepitas
.
Cashew-Coconut Curry Sauce:
.
1 C cashews, soaked in hot water for about an hour
2 cloves garlic
1 can coconut milk
1 Tbs fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbs peanut butter
Juice from one lime
1 Tbs curry powder
1 tsp salt

Directions

To begin, combine the rice, lentils and vegetable broth in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Stir, reduce heat, and cover; cook for 40-45 minutes.
This will give you plenty of time to get everything else prepared: chop the veggies, saute the tofu and steam the cauliflower.
For the tofu, I just sauteed the cubes in a dry skillet until slightly browned.
Steam the cauliflower florets for about 8-10 minutes---not too much though because you want to avoid making the cauliflower too mushy (unless you like that sort of thing). I prefer them to have a little bit of crunch.
To make the sauce, toss the garlic cloves in a food processor and mince. Next, add all of the other sauce ingredients and puree for several minutes until completely smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until it thickens just a little---only a couple of minutes.
Once the rice and lentils are done, fluff with a spoon.
To serve, start with some rice-lentil mixture, then add the kale, tofu, cauliflower, carrots, green onions, sauce and top with the pepitas. Absolutely delicious! Enjoy!

Pearl Couscous with Kale, Mushrooms and Cashew Pesto

September 2, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

I wanted a fast and healthy lunch, but we were gone over the weekend and the fridge was looking pretty bare, except for some on-the-verge kale and mushrooms and some parsley and cilantro. I was surprised they were still good, and frankly, pretty glad. Thankfully, the farmer’s market is open tomorrow so I can restock. This delicious lunch came together rather fast and would also make a great light dinner. You can use the pearl couscous like I did, but feel free to use any rice or grain that you like. The pesto recipe makes just over a cup and you may have leftovers—great to mix with some cooked pasta for another tasty lunch.

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 C vegetable broth
1 C pearl couscous
10 baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
2 bunches of kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp olive oil
½ C pepitas
Cashew Pesto
¾ C cashews
2 garlic cloves
1 bunch Italian parsley
1 bunch cilantro
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 C water
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a small saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Stir in the couscous, reduce heat to low and cover; cook for 10-12 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. In the meantime, to prepare the pesto, puree the cashews and garlic until finely ground. Add the parsley, cilantro and the rest of the pesto ingredients.
Blend until smooth and scraping the bowl if necessary halfway through.
You can either steam the mushrooms and kale, or what I decided, was to lightly saute them. In a large skillet, add the mushrooms and kale; drizzle with the olive oil. Saute over medium heat for just 2-3 minutes, or until the veggies soften. I added a drizzle of water too in order to steam the kale a bit. In fact, if you don’t want to use oil, you can certainly just use water. It’s all about presentation 😉 so I served the kale-mushroom mixture and couscous side-by-side and put a scoop of the pesto in the center. I then sprinkled some pepitas on top. Feel free to mix it all together, then serve. Enjoy!

Pearl Couscous with Kale, Mushrooms and Cashew Pesto

Prep time

20 mins

Total time

20 mins

This delicious lunch came together rather fast and would also make a great light dinner. You can use the pearl couscous like I did, but feel free to use any rice or grain that you like. The pesto recipe makes just over a cup and you may have leftovers---great to mix with some cooked pasta for another tasty lunch.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

1-1/2 C vegetable broth
1 C pearl couscous
10 baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
2 bunches of kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp olive oil
½ C pepitas
.
Cashew Pesto
.
¾ C cashews
2 garlic cloves
1 bunch Italian parsley
1 bunch cilantro
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
½ tsp apple cider vinegar
⅓ C water
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

In a small saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Stir in the couscous, reduce heat to low and cover; cook for 10-12 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.
In the meantime, to prepare the pesto, puree the cashews and garlic until finely ground. Add the parsley, cilantro and the rest of the pesto ingredients. Blend until smooth and scraping the bowl if necessary halfway through.
You can either steam the mushrooms and kale, or what I decided, was to lightly saute them. In a large skillet, add the mushrooms and kale; drizzle with the olive oil. Saute over medium heat for just a 2-3 minutes, or until the veggie soften. I added a drizzle of water too in order to steam the kale a bit. In fact, if you don't want to use oil, you can certainly just use water.
It's all about presentation 😉 so I served the kale-mushroom mixture and couscous side-by-side and put a scoop of the pesto in the center. I then sprinkled some pepitas on top. Feel free to mix it all together, then serve. Enjoy!

Tempeh-Avocado Reuben Sandwich

August 27, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

This sandwich certainly isn’t for the dainty. Grab some napkins and don’t be afraid to let things get messy, but you probably won’t care, because the flavor is amazing. Sauerkraut, avocado and tempeh is a delicious combination, especially with the tangy dressing and toasted rye bread. This is also a quick meal; perfect when you don’t have a lot of time.

INGREDIENTS:
1 8-oz pkg. tempeh, cut into slices
1/2 C tamari
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Dressing
1/2 C vegan mayo
1/4 C ketchup
2 Tbs relish
1/8 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbs nutritional yeast (I like to sneak this into sauces & dressings for some added B vitamins)
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
The rest
1 avocado
2-3 C jarred or canned sauerkraut
8 rye bread slices, toasted

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the tamari, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium zip bag. Add the tempeh, coat well and marinate for 1-3 hours in the refrigerator. To make the sauce, whisk together the mayo, ketchup, relish, Dijon, nutritional yeast, onion powder and garlic powder.

In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, add the marinade and tempeh. The marinade will burn if you cook it over too high of heat, so try to keep it between medium-low and cook the tempeh, turning once or twice, until the sides are crispy.
To assemble the sandwiches, I spread some dressing on one bread slice, placed a few pieces of tempeh on top, then some sauerkraut, avocado slices and some more dressing.
Cut in half and enjoy!

Tempeh-Avocado Reuben Sandwich

This sandwich certainly isn't for the dainty. Grab some napkins and don't be afraid to let things get messy, but you probably won't care, because the flavor is amazing. Sauerkraut, avocado and tempeh is a delicious combination, especially with the tangy dressing and toasted rye bread. This is also a quick meal; perfect when you don't have a lot of time.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 8-oz pkg. tempeh, cut into slices
½ C tamari
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
Dressing
½ C vegan mayo
¼ C ketchup
2 Tbs relish
⅛ tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbs nutritional yeast (I like to sneak this into sauces & dressings for some added B vitamins)
¾ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
The rest
1 avocado
2-3 C jarred or canned sauerkraut
8 rye bread slices, toasted

Directions

Combine the tamari, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium zip bag. Add the tempeh, coat well and marinate for 1-3 hours in the refrigerator. To make the sauce, whisk together the mayo, ketchup, relish, Dijon, nutritional yeast, onion powder and garlic powder.
In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, add the marinade and tempeh. The marinade will burn if you cook it over too high of heat, so try to keep it between medium-low and cook the tempeh, turning once or twice, until the sides are crispy.
To assemble the sandwiches, I spread some dressing on one bread slice, placed a few pieces of tempeh on top, then some sauerkraut, avocado slices and some more dressing.
Cut in half and enjoy!

Open-Faced Chick’n Sandwich

August 24, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

Yummm . . . this open-faced sandwich is crazy good. It’s also super versatile. I used Lightlife Chick’n strips, but other good options would be garbanzo beans, Great Northern beans, tempeh or tofu. The creamy sauce and crunchy texture of the water chestnuts, are a wonderful combination. So much flavor in one bite. Because I used a fat loaf of French bread, I ended up with 3 sandwiches, but if you use a thinner loaf, you’ll easily get 4. This is also a very quick meal, so great when you don’t have a lot of time on your hands.

INGREDIENTS:
1 loaf of French bread, cut in half, then each half cut lengthwise
3/4 C vegan mayonnaise
1 8-oz can water chestnuts, chopped
1/2 C green onion, sliced
1-1/2 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 C vegan mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 6-oz pkg. LightLife Chick’n Strips, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 C black olives, sliced or chopped

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, combine the mayo, water chestnuts, green onion, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt nutritional yeast and vegan cheese. Fold in the chick’n strips and tomato.
For the bread, hollow out the middle a little bit, otherwise, the filling won’t stay put.
Fill the bread with the filling and place on a baking sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the bread begins to brown and the filling is hot. Top with black olives, slice and enjoy!

Open-Faced Chick'n Sandwich

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

Yummm . . . this open-faced sandwich is crazy good. It's also super versatile. I used Lightlife Chick'n strips, but other good options would be garbanzo beans, Great Northern beans, tempeh or tofu. The creamy sauce and crunchy texture of the water chestnuts, are a wonderful combination. So much flavor in one bite. Because I used a fat loaf of French bread, I ended up with 3 sandwiches, but if you use a thinner loaf, you'll easily get 4. This is also a very quick meal, so great when you don't have a lot of time on your hands.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

1 loaf of French bread, cut in half, then each half cut lengthwise
¾ C vegan mayonnaise
1 8-oz can water chestnuts, chopped
½ C green onion, sliced
1-1/2 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
½ C vegan mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 6-oz pkg. LightLife Chick'n Strips, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 C black olives, sliced or chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.
In a medium bowl, combine the mayo, water chestnuts, green onion, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt nutritional yeast and vegan cheese. Fold in the chick'n strips and tomato.
For the bread, hollow out the middle a little bit, otherwise, the filling won't stay put.
Fill the bread with the filling and place on a baking sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the bread begins to brown and the filling is hot. Top with black olives, slice and enjoy!

Pasta with Cashew Cream & Cheese

July 30, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

(Unfortunately) most of us probably grew up on the boxed mac and cheese stuff, and likely, so have our kids. And kids like their mac and cheese. Instead of giving them that nasty, chemical-filled boxed junk, try making this kid-pleasing version using grated vegan cheese and cashew cream. Not only is it creamy, but it actually tastes cheesy and pretty darn delicious. While this may not top the list of the most healthiest vegan dishes, it’s miles from the fat-laden dairy version. Cashews are loaded with heart-protective monosaturated fats, antioxidants, calcium and protein. You can use your favorite vegan cheddar such as Daiya, Follow Your Heart or even make your own. This is also an easy recipe that your kiddos can help out with too!

INGREDIENTS:
16-oz uncooked pasta, such as elbows, shells or spirals
1 to 1-1/4 C vegetable broth (it just depends on how thick you want it)
4-oz vegan cheddar, shredded (I used Follow Your Heart brand)
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C cashews, soaked for at least an hour in hot water (if you can; no biggie if you can’t soak them)
1/2 C water
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
2 dashes of nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional ingredients: sneak in those veggies by adding peas, carrots or broccoli. Or spice it up with green chilies or salsa.

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the pasta according to package instruction, or until al dente. Meanwhile, make the cashew cream. If you soaked the cashews, drain them and transfer to a food processor. Puree until finely ground, scraping the sides of processor bowl if necessary. Add the water, apple cider vinegar and salt. Puree 2 minutes, or until smooth. Drain the pasta, then return it to the pot. Over medium-low heat, fold in the grated cheese, cashew cream, broth and nutritional yeast. Combine well and continue to stir until the cheese is completely melted. Season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. If using, add the optional ingredients and stir until heated through. Enjoy!

Pasta with Cashew Cream & Cheese

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

(Unfortunately) most of us probably grew up on the boxed mac and cheese stuff, and likely, so have our kids. And kids like their mac and cheese. Instead of giving them that nasty, chemical-filled boxed junk, try making this kid-pleasing version using grated vegan cheese and cashew cream. Not only is it creamy, but it actually tastes cheesy and pretty darn delicious. While this may not top the list of the most healthiest vegan dishes, it's miles from the fat-laden dairy version. Cashews are loaded with heart-protective monosaturated fats, antioxidants, calcium and protein. You can use your favorite vegan cheddar such as Daiya, Follow Your Heart or even make your own. This is also an easy recipe that your kiddos can help out with too!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

16-oz uncooked pasta, such as elbows, shells or spirals
1 to 1-1/4 C vegetable broth (it just depends on how thick you want it)
4-oz vegan cheddar, shredded (I used Follow Your Heart brand)
⅓ C nutritional yeast
1 C cashews, soaked for at least an hour in hot water (if you can; no biggie if you can't soak them)
½ C water
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp salt
2 dashes of nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional ingredients: sneak in those veggies by adding peas, carrots or broccoli. Or spice it up with green chilies or salsa.

Directions

Cook the pasta according to package instruction, or until al dente. Meanwhile, make the cashew cream. If you soaked the cashews, drain them and transfer to a food processor. Puree until finely ground, scraping the sides of processor bowl if necessary. Add the water, apple cider vinegar and salt. Puree 2 minutes, or until smooth.
Drain the pasta, then return it to the pot. Over medium-low heat, fold in the grated cheese, cashew cream, broth and nutritional yeast. Combine well and continue to stir until the cheese is completely melted.
Season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. If using, add the optional ingredients and stir until heated through. Enjoy!

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