Epicurean Vegan

Healthy eating for discriminating palates

Lemon Monkey Bread January 12, 2013

Filed under: Breads,Breakfasts,Desserts — epicureanvegan @ 10:58 am
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I was going to post this recipe tomorrow, but after taking a bite, I think you might want to run out and buy the ingredients for tomorrow’s breakfast. So worthy of veganizing! You may have seen the original recipe on Pinterest . . . it’s definitely making the rounds and now I know why! The original recipe was a bit hard to follow because of the way it’s laid out—lots of really closeup pictures with some directions, then at the bottom of the post is the ingredient list and directions. It also wasn’t clear how long it was going to take to let these puppies rise, but luckily, it was only about 45 minutes. These are little pieces of glaze n’ sugar heaven; like a mini glazed doughnut! And the crunchy sugar topping?! Forgetaboutit! Frickin’ amazing and perfect for a brunch get together (that is, if you want to share)!

INGREDIENTS:

12 Rhodes dinner rolls, thawed, but still cold (I took them out of the freezer and stuck them in the fridge the night before)

Zest from one lemon

1/2 C sugar

3 Tbs Earth Balance, melted + some for greasing the pan

1/2 C powdered sugar

1 Tbs lemon juice

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DIRECTIONS:

Grease (very well) the bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking dish. Cut each roll in half . . .

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. . . and place flat-side down into the pan.

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Drizzle with the melted butter . . .

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In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture on the top of the rolls.

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Cover and let rise for 45 minutes, or until they have doubled in size. (I turned my oven onto the lowest temp: 190. Placed the covered rolls inside and just cracked the oven door. Works beautifully)!

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Preheat oven to 350. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar on top.

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The original recipe says to bake them for 20-25 minutes, but mine were ready in about 16-17 minutes. Check often as all ovens run differently. And let me tell you, these smelled SO incredible as they baked!

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Remove from the pan onto a plate. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle on top. Thoroughly enjoy!!

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UPDATE:

I recently made these with cinnamon and sugar . . . YUM!

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Prepare them the same as above, but use 1/3 C sugar (I reduced the amount from 1/2 C), 1 Tbs cinnamon, and zest from one orange. This is a quick and easy alternative to cinnamon rolls, especially if you’re short on time. Enjoy!

 

Ricotta-Stuffed French Toast May 16, 2012

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 1:35 pm
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Gotta love Mother’s Day brunch…I saw this recipe at Olives for Dinner and knew immediately, I had to give it a try. I was intrigued by the soy-free ricotta. I made a few adjustments like using apple cider vinegar instead of coconut vinegar, and I also made the ricotta the morning of instead of the night before. These turned out delicious! And the salted butterscotch sauce was a fantastic touch!

INGREDIENTS:

1 loaf of French bread

Ricotta cheese:

1 can full-fat coconut milk

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

5 tsp agar flakes

For the batter:

1 C almond milk

1 C canned coconut milk

3 Tbs garbanzo flour (chickpea flour)

2 tsp egg replacer powder

Sauce:

1/2 C brown sugar

2 Tbs almond milk

2 Tbs coconut oil

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp xantham gum

I also toasted some chopped pecans and walnuts for on top

DIRECTIONS:

I was supposed to make the ricotta the night before and let it chill, but I did’t get to it, so I improvised. I threw it in the freezer to let it set up, which it did quite quickly. So…in a saucepan, whisk together all of the ricotta ingredients. Stir over medium heat until the agar flakes dissolve completely, for about 20 minutes. The agar still hadn’t dissolved after 30 minutes, so taking the advice from Olives, I poured the mixture through a fine mesh strainer.

I was really surprised at how much agar was still left. Not sure what happened there . . .anyway, transfer to a covered dish and chill. It set up within 15 minutes in the freezer, so I placed it in the fridge until I was ready to use it. The bread, however, I did leave out overnight after I sliced it into 1″ slices. Doing so will toughen the bread up for battering. Cut each slice about 3/4 of the way down, but not all the way through.

Once the filling has set up, stir it up with a spoon or fork.

Next, combine the batter ingredients in a large shallow dish/bowl.

In a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients and cook over a low to medium heat, whisking often to prevent burning. (I suggest growing an extra set of hands, because you’ll need them, or better yet, enlist some help). It will only take a few minutes for the sauce to thicken. I may have cooked it a bit too long because it was very chutney-like. It was still good nonetheless.

Spray a skillet or flat griddle with cooking spray and heat to medium. Dunk each slice of toast to thoroughly coat it. The original recipe says to let these sit in the batter for 20 minutes, but I was short on time, so it was dunk n’ cook…

Cook about 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown, but check periodically. Serve with some Earth Balance, toasted nuts, and the salted butterscotch sauce. Brunch was complete with some fruit, home potatoes, and mimosas, of course!

 

Zucchini and Kale Breakfast Frittata January 4, 2012

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 8:51 am
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I haven’t made a breakfast frittata/casserole in a while and I was craving one. Plus, I had veggies that needed to get eaten before they went beyond the  point of recognition. Loaded with some of my favorite veggies,  I could have eaten the entire pan.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Field Roast sausage, Italian-style, thawed and crumbled

4 green onions, sliced

3-4 C torn kale (I used a red boar kale)

1 small zucchini, sliced thin

6-8 mushrooms, sliced

1 C crackers

1/3 C Daiya cheddar shreds

1 small tomato, diced

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the Field Roast, zucchini, and green onion. Cook until the zucchini begins to soften, 3-4 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and kale; cook another few minutes, or until the kale begins to wilt. Because kale is a heartier green, it doesn’t cook down as fast as spinach or chard. Crumble the crackers into the bottom of a pie plate and sprinkle half the cheese on top.

Pour the veggie mix into the pie plate . . .

Top with remaining cheese and the diced tomatoes.

Cover with foil and bake for 12-15 minutes. If you want crispier kale, cook uncovered. Enjoy!

 

Give thanks . . . for vegan cinnamon rolls November 24, 2011

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 11:38 am
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Ok, well, there’s so much more I’m thankful for: my family, my health, my friends, my house, and  . . . after this morning’s, brunch . . . our treadmill.

It was just the three of us today and so The Husband made his favorite Hash Brown Casserole and I made vegan cinnamon rolls—recipe from Mike and Dan at The Gay Vegans. What a FABULOUS recipe!! I got a lovely baker’s dozen and they were so simple to make and absolutely delicious. This will be my go-to cinnamon roll recipe for future brunches to come.

I’m so thankful for all of my readers and I wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving!

 

Vegan French Toast October 19, 2011

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 8:25 am
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Recently, I’ve discovered The Vegan Zombie, and as you can imagine it’s been a hit with the Seventh Grader. Where else can you watch a YouTube zombie movie and get a great recipe at the same time? (You can also forgo the movie and jump to the recipe portion). They even have a kid-friendly version of certain zombie videos. So over the weekend, the kid and I made this French Toast courtesy of these zombie fighting vegans.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup soy milk (I used almond milk)

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 tbsp corn starch (I used arrowroot)

2 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 loaf of French bread, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

Using a whisk, combine all the ingredients (except the bread, of course) in a small bowl. Dip the bread slices in the mixture and coat well.

Place in a hot large skillet coated with cooking spray. Brown each side, about 3 minutes per side.

Top with some Earth Balance margarine and syrup. Enjoy (zombie-free, hopefully).

 

Hash Brown and Spinach Frittata June 22, 2011

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 10:20 am
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I  love making breakfast frittatas. They’re so easy to throw together and are perfect for cleaning out of the fridge of on-the-verge veggies. Since this one uses a Chipotle-flavored Field Roast Sausage, it supplies enough flavoring that I don’t add any other spices or seasonings to this dish, but feel free to add some if you’d like. Some fresh cilantro would be a great addition.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp olive oil

2 medium potatoes, shredded

2 C fresh spinach, torn (you can also use kale if you’d like)

1 C green or red cabbage, chopped

5 mushrooms, sliced

4 green onions, sliced

1 Field Roast Chipotle-flavored sausage, crumbled

1/4 C Tofutti sour cream

1 C Daiya cheese (I used a mixture of cheddar and pepper jack flavors)

1-1/2 C crackers, broken up into pieces

1 tomato, diced

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375. Layer the cracker pieces on the bottom of a pie plate; set aside. Sprinkle with about half of the cheese. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the shredded potatoes and over medium heat, cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring them around. Add the cabbage and continue to cook until both the potatoes and cabbage begin to brown. Add the Field Roast, spinach, mushrooms, and green onions and cook until the spinach starts to wilt.

Stir in the sour cream to the spinach mixture and combine thoroughly. Pour the mixture on top of the cracker crust and spread it out evenly.

Top with the remaining cheese and the diced tomatoes. Bake for 15 minutes.

Let it cool for about 5 minutes, then slice into it and enjoy!

 

Angela’s Vegan Quiche April 23, 2011

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 9:04 am
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This wonderful recipe comes from Angela of Vegangela, one of my favorite vegan bloggers. Her recipes all look amazing—I’ve bookmarked so many of them. I had to try this one out—perfect for Easter, by the way. The Sixth Grader remarked, “It’s amazing,” and The Husband, who loved quiche before going vegan, couldn’t get enough  of it. I made only one or two minor changes, otherwise, I followed Angela’s recipe as she posted it. Next time I make it (and believe me, it will be a regular thing at my house) I’ll add mushrooms. Angela also lists sun-dried tomatoes as another addition.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbs olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 bag fresh spinach or 1/2 package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained (I used 3 cups of fresh spinach)

1/2 cup cashews, soaked in water for an hour and drained

1/2 block firm tofu

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

4 Tbs soy milk (I used almond milk)

1/2 tsp tumeric

Salt & pepper

1 package defrosted phyllo dough, or 1 vegan pie crust

1/4 tsp paprika

1-2 tomatoes, sliced (optional)

1 C mushrooms, diced (optional)

1/2 C fresh basil, chopped (I added that to the spinach)

1/3 C Daiya cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375. If using the phyllo pastry sheet, be sure to thaw it according to the package instructions. I thought I was being so clever by placing it in a zip lock and placing it in warm water. Wrong. Since it’s folded in thirds, it will meld together. I’m such a dork. So I ended up shaping it into a ball and rolling it out. No biggie, but really not as easy. I ended up piecing the darn thing together to make it fit into a pie plate and it came out funky, but still worked!

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onion and cook a few minutes—until they start to brown. Add the spinach (and basil, if using), along with some salt and pepper. Cook a few more minutes, or until the spinach starts to wilt; remove from heat.

Meanwhile in a food processor, grind the cashews up until fine. Add the tofu, nutritional yeast, milk, and turmeric. Blend until smooth and creamy. You may need to add a bit more milk.

In a medium bowl, combine the tofu mixture and spinach mixture. You can stir in some cheese if you’d like, too. Line a pie plate with the pastry sheet, just like a pie crust. Pour the tofu/spinach filling into the pie and spread around evenly.


Bake for 20 minutes. I then sprinkled the top with a mixture of Daiya cheddar and mozzarella and baked it another 10 minutes, or until the crust browned and the cheese is melted.

You will love this vegan quiche—a fabulous and easy breakfast. Thanks, Angela for sharing this winning recipe! :)

 

Herb-Scalloped Potatoes April 9, 2011

Filed under: Breakfasts,Sides — epicureanvegan @ 10:41 am
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The Husband LOVES potatoes and several days of week, he makes hash browns from scratch. But in an effort to reduce fried and sauteed food, he decided to make these baked scalloped potatoes from Veganomicon. They turned out fantastic! The only change we recommend is layering the spices, broth, almond milk, and nutritional yeast instead of just topping the potato slices with them.

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs white potatoes (3 average-size) scrubbed, slice into 1/8″ thick disks

3/4 C vegetable broth

1/2 C unsweetened soy milk (he used almond milk)

1 Tbs olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbs nutritional yeast or flour (he used nutritional yeast)

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp basil

1/4 tsp rosemary

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

Several pinches of black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish. Layer the potatoes in the dish, slightly overlapping them. Lay them across the short way first, overlapping a little less than half of each potato slice. In each subsequent row, overlap the potatoes by about 1/4 of each potato slice. (Keep in mind, if you want to layer in the spices, broth, milk, and nutritional yeast, don’t layer all the potato slices at once).

Pour most of the vegetable broth over the potatoes, reserving about 3 tablespoons.

Pour the almond milk and drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes, making sure to coat each one. Scatter the garlic over the top then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast all over the potatoes. Slowly drizzle the remaining vegetable broth on top. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of nutritional yeast, the herbs, and salt.

Loosely cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes and enjoy!

 

Field Roast and Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole April 3, 2011

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 9:12 am
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Yesterday’s nearly 80 degree day turned to a cloudy and soon-to-be rainy day today, so a breakfast casserole seemed quite appropriate for the morning. It didn’t disappoint and has proved to be ideal for a cozy day in. Turn it into a breakfast burrito by wrapping some up in a flour tortilla.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbs olive oil

1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced

3 small russet potatoes, diced

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 C mushrooms, chopped

2 Chipotle-flavored Field Roast sausages

1-1/2 C fresh spinach, chopped

1/2 pkg silken tofu

1/3 C nutritional yeast flakes

8-oz vegan pepper jack, or other favorite vegan cheeze, shredded

1/2 C Tofutti sour cream

3/4 C almond milk

1/4 to 1/3 C panko bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a 13″x9″ baking pan with cooking spray; set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add all of the potatoes. Cook, covered, on medium heat for 15 minutes, or until they just begin to soften (stir them often).

Add the bell pepper and Field Roast; cook another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the tofu, cheeze, sour cream, nutritional yeast, and almond milk. Stir in the spinach.

Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook until they begin to soften, 2-3 minutes.

Then combine the potato mixture to the tofu mixture and stir well to combine. Pour mixture in the pan and top with the panko.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5 minutes. Let sit a few minutes, then dig in and enjoy!

 

Apple Pastries February 2, 2011

Filed under: Breakfasts,Desserts — epicureanvegan @ 10:39 am
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Happy Groundhog Day!

It also happens to be another day off from school due to sub-zero temperatures. We’re looking at a high of -1! I’m beginning to get cabin fever. So it was a good thing our delivery from Green Buffalo Food came on Monday since I haven’t ventured to the store. Thanks to them, I was able to throw together a wonderful stir-fry for dinner last night using the green pepper, shallots, and zucchini they provided. And this morning, I used a couple of apples they sent, too. The Sixth Grader and I are enjoying pastries and watching Groundhog Day, of course.

INGREDIENTS:

For 8 pastries:

10 sheets of phyllo dough

2 apples, peeled and diced

1/4 C walnuts, chopped

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

4 Tbs Earth Balance margarine, melted

4-oz Tofutti cream cheese

1/2 tsp lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375. Combine apples, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Whip the cream cheese and lemon juice in a food processor; transfer to a small bowl.

Take 5 sheets of the phyllo and cut into fourths. (You’ll do the same with the other 5 sheets).

To make the pastries, brush the top layer with the melted Earth Balance, a large spoonful of cream cheese, then some apple mixture.

Roll into a log and transfer to a baking sheet lined with lightly greased foil; brush with margarine.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the pastries are golden brown. Enjoy!

 

 
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