Sides Archives - Page 9 of 11

Asian Coleslaw

August 14, 2010 by epicureanvegan

We received another head of cabbage from our CSA this week and I wanted to try making an Asian version of coleslaw.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cone-headed cabbage before. . .anyway, this is would great as a side dish, in a wrap with Asian-spiced seitan, baked tofu strips, or with plum sauce and sauteed tempeh.

INGREDIENTS:
1 head of cabbage, sliced thin/shredded
3 Tbs rice vinegar
3 Tbs vegetable oil
1-1/2 Tbs Shoyu (you can also use tamari or soy sauce)
1-1/2 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs grated ginger root
1 tsp garic, minced
1 large carrot, grated
1 yellow or red bell pepper, sliced thin
1/2 C fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/8 C Vegenaise
3 green onions, sliced thin
1/4 C sunflower seeds
1/4 C slivered almonds

DIRECTIONS:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, vegetable oil, shoyu, brown sugar, ginger root, Vegenaise, and garlic. Add cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, green onions, cilantro, sunflower seeds, and slivered almonds. With a rubber spatula, fold and stir all the ingredients together until well combined. Enjoy!

For this, I layered on some plum sauce, the coleslaw and some teriyaki baked tofu on a tortilla, then warmed it in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Fold in half and enjoy a quick and tasty lunch or dinner!

Quinoa with Shallots and Pine Nuts

August 6, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is one of those easy side dishes that is not only versatile, but hard to screw up. Quinoa is such a great source of protein and inexpensive. I decided to just throw together different ingredients and came up with this uncomplicated accompaniment to any main dish.

INGREDIENTS:
1 C quinoa
2 C vegetable broth
2 shallots, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 C fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp truffle oil
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 C pine nuts

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil, then add the shallots. Saute them a about 5 minutes until they soften. Add the quinoa and toast it for a couple of minutes until they begin to pop and brown. Add broth and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, in a small saute pan, heat the truffle oil. Add the pine nuts and toast them until they begin to brown. Stir in the parsley and pine nuts into the quinoa and serve. Enjoy!

Easy Cole Slaw

August 3, 2010 by epicureanvegan

We received a head of cabbage in our CSA this week, and as I stared at it, wondering what to do with it, I ended up with the obvious: cole slaw. The original recipe is from Bobby Flay and all I had to do was veganize it—pretty simple. I really like the flavors in this slaw—not too tangy, but not bland like some slaws tend to be.

INGREDIENTS:
1 head green cabbage, finely shredded ( I think a combo of red and green would be great)
2 large carrots, finely shredded
3/4 cup Vegenaise
2 tablespoons Tofutti sour cream
2 tablespoons grated Spanish onion
2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons celery salt,
Salt and freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, sugar, vinegar, mustard, celery salt, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.

Add to the cabbage mixture. Mix well to combine and taste for seasoning; add more salt, pepper, or sugar if desired. Enjoy!

Tempeh Bacon

July 2, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I know many people who would consider going vegan, but the thought of giving up bacon brings tears to their eyes. (Think what it does to the piggies!) Tempeh bacon may not cut it for them, but I love this stuff. A little caramelized, it tastes wonderful. You could break it up for salads, sandwiches, tofu scrambles, or just snack on it as it is.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg (80z) tempeh
1/4 C tamari
2 tsp Liquid Smoke
3 Tbs maple syrup (I’m not a huge fan of maple-flavored stuff, so I used brown rice syrup)
1/4 C water
Canola oil, for frying

DIRECTIONS:
Steam the tempeh for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine tamari, Liquid Smoke, syrup, and water. Mix well. Let tempeh cool before slicing it into thin, bacon-like strips.

Place slices in marinade (I used a large ziplock bag–just turn the bag over a few times to thoroughly marinate the slices) and let sit for as long as you like. Less than half and hour works great. After the tempeh has marinated, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the strips and each side until crisp. Sprinkle a little extra tamari and syrup on the tempeh while cooking—the tempeh will turn brown, caramelize, and get crisper and chewier . Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Enjoy!

(BaconLettuceTomatoAvocado)

Recipe source: The Vegan Table

Summertime Vegetable Marinade

June 24, 2010 by epicureanvegan

There is nothing like some grilled veggies during the summer. It’s the Husband’s birthday so he wanted this recipe–which was served with Israeli couscous. You can serve the veggies as they are, or in a pita or tortilla. Skewer them or use a grill basket, like we did.

INGREDIENTS:
Marinade:
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 C vegetable oil
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/4 C Dijon mustard
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
1-2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Veggies:
I used:
3 bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 orange)
1 large yellow onion, cut into large pieces
3 small zucchini, sliced into 1/2″ pieces
15 mushrooms, slice in half

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all marinade ingredients in a gallon-sized zip lock bag. Add veggies, but I recommend marinating the mushrooms in another bag because you’ll probably want to throw those on the grill last since they’ll cook fast. Refrigerate and turn bag halfway through marinating time.

Grill on medium heat (350 degrees) for 20-30 minutes, or until desired tenderness, adding the mushrooms about the last 8-10 minutes of cooking.

After dinner, we enjoyed a perfect night of kayaking–the lake was like glass–the ideal conditions.

Recipe source: Creme de Colorado cookbook

Israeli Couscous with Pine Nuts and Parsley

June 24, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This has so many fantastic flavors that mesh beautifully together. I used a Trader Joe’s brand of Israeli couscous, but any will do. The recipe is actually from the back of the box and really didn’t take much time to prepare. I was never a really big fan of regular couscous and it’s grainy texture, but Israeli couscous is more like a tiny pasta–love it! It’s already a new favorite at the homestead.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Tbs butter, divided (Earth Balance)
1/2 C pine nuts
1/2 C shallots, finely chopped
1-1/2 C Israeli couscous
1/2 large cinnamon stick
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
1-3/4 C vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C parsley, minced (I just chopped it)
zest of 1/2 lemon (I didn’t have so I just used about 1/2 tsp of lemon juice)
1/4 C raisins (optional–and I didn’t use)
Black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Melt 1 tablespoon Earth Balance in a saucepan over medium-low eat. Add the pine nuts and stir until golden brown. Transfer to a small bowl.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of Earth Balance in the same pan over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until golden. Add couscous, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf and stir often until couscous browns slightly. Add broth and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender. (This took less than 10 minutes). Remove from heat (this is where I fished out the bay leaf and cinnamon stick and discarded them) and stir in parsley, pine nuts, and lemon zest. Add the raisins for a savory sweet taste. Season with black pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Creamy, Tangy Potato Salad

June 12, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I’ve always loved potato salads, but never realized how boring they had all been until I tried this recipe. (My mom’s recipe is an exception 🙂 ) Plus, those made with mayo (vegan or not) can be a bit questionable at those July 4th picnics). I made some tweaks to the original recipe which consists of making a French dressing. I used only half of the dressing recipe because it made a lot more than I thought, but that’s okay. I can keep the rest as a dressing for a green salad. I would suggest that, or halving the dressing recipe, or add more potatoes (which I did already, but next time I’ll do even more potatoes).

INGREDIENTS:
5-6 cups organic potatoes (russet or Yukon Gold), peeled and diced
1 small leek, chopped small
1 green bell pepper, chopped small
Salt and pepper, to taste
Dressing:
1 C canola oil
1/4 C white vinegar
1/4 C lemon juice
1/2 pkg silken tofu, soft or firm
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp paprika

DIRECTIONS:
Boil potatoes for about 10-12 minutes. Drain, rinse and chill in the refrigerator. This can take a while, so if you’re in a hurry, run them under cold water for a bit. Add the leeks and bell pepper to the potatoes.

For the dressing, put tofu in a food processor and blend smooth. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, dry mustard, and paprika. Add oil mixture to the tofu and blend well until smooth.

Again, I recommend adding the dressing a little at a time to the potato mixture to reach the desired amount. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dressing into the potato mixture. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Tofu Fries

June 10, 2010 by epicureanvegan

These are inspired by Home on the Range and I just had to try them. You can use any kind of seasoning you choose and Dale, of Home on the Range, lists several different spices you could use. These were super crispy on the outside and chewy, soft on the inside. I served these with some paninis and it made a great meal.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg 14 oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/4 C cornmeal
1/4 C brown rice flour
2 Tbs Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp salt (optional)
Olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425. Cover a baking sheet with foil and brush with oil. Slice tofu into fries and in a ziplock bag, combine flour, cornmeal and seasoning. Add tofu slices (about 5 at a time) to the bag and dredge with the mixture. Place slices on the baking sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. These are great with some vegan ranch dressing. Enjoy!

Chili-Lime Corn on the Cob

June 9, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I love this recipe for corn on the cob—the perfect combo of chili powder and lime zest. The original recipe, from Guy Fieri, calls for leaving the husks on, but I usually just use foil–a lot easier, but I’ll give directions for leaving the husks on, too. Corn on the cob also has it’s health benefits: Corn is full of resistant starch (like fiber) and phenolic compounds, both of which help prevent colon cancer.

INGREDIENTS:
4 Tbs butter, at room temp (I microwaved for 30 secs and let it cool)
1 tsp lime zest
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp granulated garlic (I used garlic powder)
6 ears of corn

DIRECTIONS:
Soak ears of corn in water for 30-60 mins. Combine all ingredients (except corn) into a resealable zip bag. Drain and pat each cob with a paper towel. Place each ear of corn into the the bag, one at a time, and cover each cob thoroughly with marinade. Wrap with foil.

Place on a grill for indirect medium heat (350-450 degrees) for about 15-20 minutes. If leaving the husks on, peel back to soak and cover with marinade and then cover again with husks and grill.

Baked Tofu and Roasted Asparagus Pasta Salad

May 31, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is a flavorful salad that is ideal for those summer get togethers, both served cold or warmed up. Roasting the asparagus only takes 10 minutes and is perfect in this salad.

INGREDIENTS:
16-oz farfalle, cooked, drained and rinsed in cold water
1 pkg Westsoy Garlic and Herb baked tofu, cubed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1″ pieces
2 Tbs fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs olive oil, divided
3-4 Tbs jarred or homemade basil pesto
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 C walnuts, chopped and toasted

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheeting with foil. In a small bowl, mix asparagus pieces with 1 Tbs of olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste. Layer onto baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the pesto, bell pepper, and tofu. Once asparagus has cooled (it won’t take long) add to the pasta mixture. Mix in the thyme and salt and pepper to taste. In a small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and remaining 1 Tbs of olive oil. Pour over pasta mixture and combine well. Refrigerate for a couple hours and when ready to serve, mix in the walnuts. Enjoy!