Epicurean Vegan

Healthy eating for discriminating palates

Lemony Quinoa-Almond Granola January 31, 2012

Filed under: Breakfasts,Snacks — epicureanvegan @ 11:16 am
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Ok, 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 lemonade 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!

 

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!

 

Tofu “Egg” Salad January 25, 2012

Filed under: Lunches — epicureanvegan @ 9:54 am
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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 cider vinegar

2 Tbs Dijon mustard (I used just 2 tsp and I think it came out perfect–depends on how much you like mustard)

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.

 

 
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