Big Vegan Archives - Epicurean Vegan

Wild Rice and Blueberry Salad

August 20, 2012 by epicureanvegan

This recipe comes from Big Vegan cookbook and I thought, what a great combination of ingredients and flavors. The original recipe calls for raspberry vinegar, but after a long search at the grocery store, I found one bottle . . . for $5.99. The fact that I only needed 2 Tbs, and that I rarely come across recipes that call for this fancy vin, I decided to use rice vinegar. Besides, with the maple syrup, I wonder if the raspberry vinegar would make this salad a tad too sweet. Also, may I suggest you buy wild rice in bulk. I went to a regular grocery store (as opposed to Whole Foods, Vitamin Cottage) and they don’t have much in bulk. I picked up a small box of wild rice, but failed to notice (until I got home) that it’s only 4-oz. I needed 6 for this recipe. Who makes 4-oz boxes of rice?! Who needs only 4 ounces?! For 2.69 a box, I find it ridiculous that it’s under a cup of rice per box.

This reminded me of the hilarious scene in Father of the Bride where Steve Martin loses it in the grocery store over hotdogs and hotdog buns. I think the people at the rice factory, got together with the people at the grocery store, and said, let’s make a small box of rice so that customers have to buy two boxes to reach a cup of rice, thus, leaving them with a little bit of rice left . . . Ok, it’s an exaggeration. Just outsmart the rice people and the grocery store people by buying wild rice in bulk.

Anyhow, this is an outstanding salad. I love the combination of flavors and is very simple to make. It’s got a unique sweet and tangy flavor and great for summer.

INGREDIENTS:
6-oz wild rice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 C canola oil
2 Tbs raspberry (or rice) vinegar
2 Tbs maple syrup
1 C fresh raspberries
1 C fresh blueberries
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 large green onions, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the salt and rice. Let it cook anywhere from 25-45 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat, cover and let it sit about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cooled. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, and syrup together. It’ll get slightly thick.

Combine the celery and green onions with the rice.

Fold in the berries, then toss with the dressing. Enjoy!

Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine

April 24, 2012 by epicureanvegan

“To err is human.” I found myself quoting Alexander Pope as I made this dish from Big Vegan. Apparently, I wasn’t very good about reading the ingredient list, or directions when I decided on making this dish this week. I didn’t realize that it calls for dried mushrooms. Didn’t pick those up. It called for fresh parsley. Didn’t get that. It called for a cast iron pan. Still haven’t bought one. But that’s okay! I improvised and this turned out to be an amazing dish, mostly because I did not screw up the sauce. It’s a fantastic sauce that I will be making again and again. It’s full of flavor and isn’t too thick or too thin, and is so easy to make. The Husband called it a vegan stroganoff. The recipe also calls for seitan, but I’m not a fan, so I left it out. Below is my ad libbed version that I promise won’t disappoint! In fact, I got nixed out of the leftovers, but thankfully, there was some sauce left so I made some rice and had a satisfying lunch.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Tbs rice flour
1 Tbs olive oil
2 C shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 C almond milk
1/4 C white cooking wine
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 Tbs white miso
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch cayenne
1 pinch turmeric
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz portobello caps (3 of them), thinly sliced
16 oz dried fettuccine
1/4 C toasted walnuts, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and garlic in a large skillet. Add the shiitakes, green onion, portobellos, and cook until browned. Sprinkle with the flour and stir to combine.

Whisk together the almond milk, wine, miso, tomato paste, yeast flakes, nutmeg, cayenne, and turmeric. Reduce the heat on the mushrooms to low and slowly add the sauce, little by little, stirring as you go to keep it from burning. Season with the salt. It won’t be a real thick sauce; you just want it heated through.

Drain the pasta and serve it with a ladle or two of sauce on top along with the toasted walnuts. You can also mix the sauce with the pasta, but I like to usually keep them separate. Enjoy!

Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine

"To err is human." I found myself quoting Alexander Pope as I made this dish from Big Vegan. Apparently, I wasn't very good about reading the ingredient list, or directions when I decided on making this dish this week. I didn't realize that it calls for dried mushrooms. Didn't pick those up. It called for fresh parsley. Didn't get that. It called for a cast iron pan. Still haven't bought one. But that's okay! I improvised and this turned out to be an amazing dish, mostly because I did not screw up the sauce. It's a fantastic sauce that I will be making again and again. It's full of flavor and isn't too thick or too thin, and is so easy to make. The Husband called it a vegan stroganoff. The recipe also calls for seitan, but I'm not a fan, so I left it out. Below is my ad libbed version that I promise won't disappoint! In fact, I got nixed out of the leftovers, but thankfully, there was some sauce left so I made some rice and had a satisfying lunch.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

3 Tbs rice flour
1 Tbs olive oil
2 C shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 C almond milk
¼ C white cooking wine
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 Tbs white miso
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch cayenne
1 pinch turmeric
6 green onions, thinly sliced
½ tsp salt
8 oz portobello caps (3 of them), thinly sliced
16 oz dried fettuccine
¼ C toasted walnuts, chopped

Directions

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and garlic in a large skillet. Add the shiitakes, green onion, portobellos, and cook until browned. Sprinkle with the flour and stir to combine.
Whisk together the almond milk, wine, miso, tomato paste, yeast flakes, nutmeg, cayenne, and turmeric. Reduce the heat on the mushrooms to low and slowly add the sauce, little by little, stirring as you go to keep it from burning. Season with the salt. It won't be a real thick sauce; you just want it heated through.
Drain the pasta and serve it with a ladle or two of sauce on top along with the toasted walnuts. You can also mix the sauce with the pasta, but I like to usually keep them separate. Enjoy!

Lemony Quinoa-Almond Granola

January 31, 2012 by epicureanvegan

Okay, yes, this is from Big Vegan again. And no, I won’t be posting every single recipe from this fabulous cookbook. I just saw this and had to make it. I’ve been needing to get more creative with breakfast and this recipe jumped out at me. I made it last night so breakfast would be a snap this morning. It has a bit more oil and sugar than my granola recipe so I won’t be replacing it with it, but it’s certainly a nice change! The only thing I might add next time is some chopped coconut flakes, otherwise, it was perfect with some soy yogurt and fruit.

INGREDIENTS:
3 C rolled oats
2 C quinoa flakes (look in the cereal aisle)
1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 C all-fruit lemon concentrate, thawed
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 C almonds, chopped
1 C apricots, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 300. In a large bowl, combine the oats, quinoa flakes, flour, cinnamon, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the lemonade, sugar, oil, and extracts. Pour into the dry ingredients and using your hands, combine thoroughly. Let it sit for 10 minutes to absorb the liquid.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Since I don’t have rimmed baking sheets, I used foil to create small sides on the pan. Spread the granola on the baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, turning it over with a metal spatula every 15 minutes.

I added another 5 minutes to the last 15. Ovens temps vary, so check often.

Let the pan and granola cool on a rack, then stir in the apricots. Stored in a ziplock or airtight container, the granola will last for 2 weeks at room temperature. Enjoy!

Lemony Quinoa-Almond Granola

Okay, yes, this is from Big Vegan again. And no, I won't be posting every single recipe from this fabulous cookbook. I just saw this and had to make it. I've been needing to get more creative with breakfast and this recipe jumped out at me. I made it last night so breakfast would be a snap this morning. It has a bit more oil and sugar than my granola recipe so I won't be replacing it with it, but it's certainly a nice change! The only thing I might add next time is some chopped coconut flakes, otherwise, it was perfect with some soy yogurt and fruit.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

3 C rolled oats
2 C quinoa flakes (look in the cereal aisle)
½ C whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
1-1/2 C all-fruit lemon concentrate, thawed
½ C brown sugar
½ C vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
1 C almonds, chopped
1 C apricots, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 300. In a large bowl, combine the oats, quinoa flakes, flour, cinnamon, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the lemonade, sugar, oil, and extracts. Pour into the dry ingredients and using your hands, combine thoroughly. Let it sit for 10 minutes to absorb the liquid.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Since I don't have rimmed baking sheets, I used foil to create small sides on the pan. Spread the granola on the baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, turning it over with a metal spatula every 15 minutes.
I added another 5 minutes to the last 15. Ovens temps vary, so check often.
Let the pan and granola cool on a rack, then stir in the apricots. Stored in a ziplock or airtight container, the granola will last for 2 weeks at room temperature. Enjoy!

Three-Nut Cheese

January 27, 2012 by epicureanvegan

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-pressed corn oil (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!

Three-Nut Cheese

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.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

⅓ C macadamia nuts
⅓ C raw cashews
⅓ C almonds, slivered or flaked
1 acidophilus capsule
1 Tbs cold-pressed corn oil (I used olive oil)
1 tsp lemon juice
½ 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 ½ 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!

Tofu “Egg” Salad

January 25, 2012 by epicureanvegan

This recipe is from Big Vegan. And it is big. It has over 350 recipes, most of which look and sound fantastic. When it comes to lunch, I seem to struggle finding something besides a mixed greens salad, or leftover pasta. And frankly, I’m not wild about leftovers anyway. So this I can get in to! This “egg” salad (I hate putting things in quotes, but egg salad is what this salad resembles) needs to be prepared ahead of time, so I recommend making it the night before or early in the morning–you’ll need some time. But it’s worth it. I served it on toasted bread with lettuce and avocado. The recipe calls for 12 ounces of firm tofu, but I recommend using 14-16 ounces because the recipe makes quite a bit of sauce—great for a few lunches.

INGREDIENTS:
12-16 oz firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 Tbs olive oil, plus 1/8 to 1/4 C
Salt
1/2 tsp celery seeds
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 C fresh parsley
12-oz silken tofu
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs Dijon
1 tsp dried basil
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 large green onions, chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
1/4 C sunflower seeds, toasted

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400. Crumble the tofu into a bowl and combine with the celery salt, 1/2 tsp salt, and black pepper. Lightly oil a baking sheet (I used foil and oiled that). Layer the tofu on the baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes, then use a spatula to turn the tofu. “Turning” crumbled tofu is about as easy as giving a cat a bath. Just move it around so it doesn’t stick and burn. Bake another 10 minutes.

While the tofu is baking, however, start on the sauce. In a food processor or blender, mince the parsley, then add the silken tofu. Process until smooth, then add the basil, vinegar, mustard, and a pinch of salt; combine well. While the machine is running, add the remaining oil. The recipe calls for a 1/4 cup, but I reduced it to an 1/8 cup.

While the tofu is cooling (which should only take about 10 minutes or so), you can chop up the veggies and toast the sunflower seeds. Combine the sauce, carrots, green onion, celery, and tofu in a large bowl.

Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Enjoy on bread with lettuce, tomato, avocado, or on crackers or toasted baguette slices.

Tofu "Egg" Salad

This recipe is from Big Vegan. And it is big. It has over 350 recipes, most of which look and sound fantastic. When it comes to lunch, I seem to struggle finding something besides a mixed greens salad, or leftover pasta. And frankly, I'm not wild about leftovers anyway. So this I can get in to! This "egg" salad (I hate putting things in quotes, but egg salad is what this salad resembles) needs to be prepared ahead of time, so I recommend making it the night before or early in the morning--you'll need some time. But it's worth it. I served it on toasted bread with lettuce and avocado. The recipe calls for 12 ounces of firm tofu, but I recommend using 14-16 ounces because the recipe makes quite a bit of sauce---great for a few lunches.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

12-16 oz firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 Tbs olive oil, plus ⅛ to ¼ C
Salt
½ tsp celery seeds
½ tsp black pepper
½ C fresh parsley
12-oz silken tofu
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs Dijon
1 tsp dried basil
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 large green onions, chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
¼ C sunflower seeds, toasted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400. Crumble the tofu into a bowl and combine with the celery salt, ½ tsp salt, and black pepper. Lightly oil a baking sheet (I used foil and oiled that). Layer the tofu on the baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes, then use a spatula to turn the tofu. "Turning" crumbled tofu is about as easy as giving a cat a bath. Just move it around so it doesn't stick and burn. Bake another 10 minutes.
While the tofu is baking, however, start on the sauce. In a food processor or blender, mince the parsley, then add the silken tofu. Process until smooth, then add the basil, vinegar, mustard, and a pinch of salt; combine well. While the machine is running, add the remaining oil. The recipe calls for a ¼ cup, but I reduced it to an ⅛ cup.
While the tofu is cooling (which should only take about 10 minutes or so), you can chop up the veggies and toast the sunflower seeds. Combine the sauce, carrots, green onion, celery, and tofu in a large bowl.
Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Enjoy on bread with lettuce, tomato, avocado, or on crackers or toasted baguette slices.

Wild Rice and Blueberry Salad

Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine

Lemony Quinoa-Almond Granola

Three-Nut Cheese

Tofu “Egg” Salad

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