Epicurean Vegan

Healthy eating for discriminating palates

Mexican Pasta Casserole January 2, 2013

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 9:03 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

DSC07165

I’ve made a similar casserole, but I didn’t have all of the ingredients. I changed things up given what I had to work with. I love how easy and delicious these kinds of casseroles are—they make for the perfect winter meal.

INGREDIENTS:

Sauce:

1  14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (or a can of Rotel with green chilies), undrained

1/2 C Tofutti sour cream + any extra for serving on top

1/4 C nutritional yeast

1 packet of seasoning mix (taco, burrito or fajita)

1/2 C shredded  Daiya pepper jack cheese

1/4 C almond milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

The rest:

2 C uncooked pasta (any variety—I had a mixture of ziti and elbow mac)

1 Tbs olive oil (I used chipotle-flavored)

2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

1/2 of a bell pepper (any variety—I used orange), chopped

1/2 C onion, chopped

1-1/2 to 2 C mushrooms, chopped or sliced

1  15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

4-5 green onions, sliced

1 C cilantro leaves

Optional ingredients: black olives, diced avocados or guacamole

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375. While cooking the pasta, heat the olive oil and garlic in a large skillet. Over medium heat, saute the bell pepper and onions until they begin to soften, then add the black beans.

DSC07161

 

Cook for another 3-4 minutes, then add the mushrooms.

IMG_1099

Cook until the mushroom cook down a little—just a couple of minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine all of the sauce ingredients and mix well. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet, along with the sauce; blend well. Transfer to a 13×9″ baking dish.

IMG_1100

Cover and bake for 20-25 minutes. Top servings with some green onions and cilantro and any other optional ingredients. Enjoy!

 

Potato and Chard Casserole January 19, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 8:17 pm
Tags: , , , , , , ,

I suppose you could also call this a “gratin” or scalloped potatoes; basically the same thing. You can easily make this a gluten-free dish by using rice flour and using ground up gluten-free crackers instead of bread crumbs. This has a little bit of prep work, so enlisting some help wouldn’t be a bad idea. If you have a 13-year-old lying around, it’s a fine opportunity to teach he/she how to peel and slice potatoes. Speaking of potatoes . . . this is probably a good time to remind folks that these root veggies are on the “Dirty Dozen” list, in fact, all root vegetables (carrots, turnips, etc) are. Because conventionally grown potatoes are sprayed with pesticides up to 5 times throughout the growing season, it is highly encouraged you only eat organic potatoes. The pesticides also seep into the soil where these starchy (and absorbent) veggies grow—another good reason to stick to organic!

INGREDIENTS:

7 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin

1 large bunch of chard, stem and veins removed, then chopped

6 green onion, sliced

3 Tbs vegetable broth

2 Tbs flour

1-1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning

1/4 tsp black pepper

Dash or two of nutmeg

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1-1/2 C almond milk

3/4 C Daiya mozzarella shreds

2 slices of bread

2 Tbs Earth Balance margarine

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350. Puree the two slices of bread and Earth Balance in the food processor; set aside. (This is a great way to use those heels of the loaf that no one seems to like). In a large bowl, combine the potatoes and green onion. Make sure the potato slices are well separated, otherwise they’ll take forever to bake.

Meanwhile, steam the chard for about 5-7 minutes. You don’t want it too soft–just a little tender. Mix it in with potatoes and green onion. 

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Whisk in the flour, seasoning, pepper, nutmeg, and dry mustard. Whisk in the almond milk and bring to a boil. Stir constantly until it begins to thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 C of the cheese.

Pour the sauce over the veggies and mix well. Transfer to a 9″x13″ baking pan.

Top with the remaining cheese and the bread crumbs you made from the bread slices.

Cover and bake for 40-45 minutes. Test the potatoes for doneness with a fork. Bake uncovered another 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

 

Tortilla Lasagna January 6, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 7:41 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

This was a smash hit with the family. The original recipe is from the Jan/Feb issue of Vegetarian Times, but I made a few changes and added some ingredients, such as green onion, cilantro, and black olives. Personally, if those three ingredients aren’t in a Mexican dish like this, don’t bother. Just saying . . . I really liked using flour tortillas, but feel free to use the corn variety, especially if you’d like to make a gluten-free version.

INGREDIENTS:

6, 8-inch flour tortillas

1 Tbs olive oil

1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)

2 Tbs chili powder (I used 1 Tbs ground cumin)

2 tsp ancho chile powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 C strained tomatoes, divided (I used a can of crushed tomatoes)

1, 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 med chayote, peeled and diced or 2 med zucchinis, diced (I went with the zucchinis)

1/2 C fresh or frozen corn kernels

1-1/2 C Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (I used a mix of Daiya cheeses)

Optional ingredients: (totally worth it)

black olives, green onion, guacamole, Tofutti sour cream, salsa

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the spices and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add 1-1/2 cups of the tomatoes, black beans, zucchini, corn, and 1/2 cup of water.  Season with salt and pepper, if you’d like.

Cover and cook 10 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender. Meanwhile, place the tortillas on a large baking sheet and toast them for 5 minutes, turning once. Then, coat a 2″ deep by 8″ round cake pan with cooking spray and pour 1/4 cup of the tomatoes on the bottom and spread around. Lay one tortilla on the bottom; top with about 3/4 cup of the bean mixture and some cheese.

Repeat four more times, then top with last tortilla.

Spread the remaining tomatoes over the top and sprinkle on the last of cheese. If using, top with green onion and black olives.

Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes, or until it is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

Top with some diced avocados or guacamole, fresh cilantro, and a dollop of Tofutti sour cream. Enjoy!

 

Zucchini and Kale Breakfast Frittata January 4, 2012

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 8:51 am
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

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!

 

Tater Tot Casserole May 5, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 5:44 pm
Tags: , , , , , , ,

Please Pass the Tofu posted a tater tot casserole recipe and considering my guys love anything potato (tater tots being the Holy Grail) I knew this would be a hit with them. I made some modifications to the original recipe based on what I already had on hand. As expected, the guys loved it and are even fighting over the leftovers.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp olive oil

2 tsp garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

2 C mushrooms, sliced

2 C fresh spinach, torn or chopped

1 C edamame

1 bag Boca soy crumbles

10-oz mushroom broth

1/2 C almond milk

2 Tbs arrowroot

1/3 C Tofutti sour cream

Dash or two of nutmeg

Salt and pepper, to taste

40-50 frozen tater tots

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the soy crumbles and edamame; cook until heated through. Add the mushrooms and spinach and cook until the spinach begins to wilt and the mushrooms soften.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring the mushroom broth to a boil. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the almond milk and arrowroot; whisk it into the broth. Once it begins to thicken, add in the sour cream and whisk until smooth. Season with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Pour the broth mixture over the crumble/vegetable mixture and combine well. Lightly spray a 9×13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Layer about 20-25 of the tater tots on the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture on top and spread it out evenly. Top it off with the rest of the tater tots.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until the tater tots are crispy. Enjoy!

 

Vegan King Ranch Casserole April 6, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 5:46 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Kelly at Vegan Thyme posted this recipe last week and knowing that the he-gans I live with love casseroles (especially of the Mexican kind), I figured this would be a winner over here. And no surprise, it was. The original recipe calls for Morning Star Vegan Chicken Strips, but I couldn’t find those—at least not the vegan ones. They make vegetarian ones, however. So I opted for Boca Chick Patties instead.

The great thing about this recipe that Kelly pointed out, is that you can use your favorite vegetables and seasonings—there’s no right/wrong way to make this casserole. Next time, I’ll add some guacamole or diced avocados on top, otherwise, it was perfect.

INGREDIENTS:

4 Boca Chicken Patties, slightly thawed and diced

1 large red bell pepper, diced

2 medium zucchini, sliced, then quartered

1 small onion, diced

2 tsp olive oil

12 corn tortillas, sliced into strips

1 C vegan shredded cheese (I used a mixture of pepper jack and cheddar)

1 C fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne

Salt and pepper

4 scallions, sliced

1 C black olives, sliced

3 Tbs Earth Balance

3 Tbs flour

1-1/4 C almond milk

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Optional ingredients: Tofutti sour cream, salsa, avocados/guacamole

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray; set aside. I recommend having all the ingredients chopped, shredded and measured before you get started—it’ll just make things easier on you. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the bell pepper, zucchini, onion, and chick patties; cook 10 minutes. Stir in the cumin, cayenne, and cilantro.

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, melt the margarine. Whisk in a tablespoon of flour to thicken it up. Gradually add the other two while whisking, forming a paste. Whisk in the milk and continue stirring over medium-high heat until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Pour a third of the sauce onto the bottom of the baking pan and spread as evenly as you can. Next, add a layer of tortilla strips. There’s no rhyme or reason to this step—you can layer them down willy-nilly, just as long they evenly cover the bottom.

Pour half of the vegetable mixture on top of the tortilla strips, then another layer of tortilla strips. I then drizzled another third of the sauce on top.

Repeat layers once more and then top with the vegan cheese, scallions, and black olives. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Let it cool 5 minutes before diving into it. Enjoy with sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole on top.

 

Field Roast and Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole April 3, 2011

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 9:12 am
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

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!

 

Vegan Shepards Pie February 22, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 6:13 pm
Tags: , , , , , ,

This is actually easier to make than you would think. You can nuke 2 large potatoes, or use frozen ones (thawed, of course). I used edamame for some added protein, but feel free to use peas if your prefer. Easier, healthier, comfort food.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bag Boca Crumbles

1 small onion, diced

1-1/2 C cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 C edamame, thawed if frozen

1 C vegetable broth

2 C mashed potatoes

1/4 C almond milk

2 tsp dried chives

1 tsp dried parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

1/2 C vegan mozzarella, shredded

Earth Balance margarine

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet heat the vegetable broth and add the onions and Boca crumbles. Cover and let simmer over a low-medium heat, season with salt and pepper; stirring occasionally. After about 10 minutes, add the mushrooms and edamame. Cover again for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the potatoes, milk, mozzarella, chives, parsley, and garlic in a mixer and cream until slightly smooth.

Lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish with a little Earth Balance.  Pour the Boca mixture into the bottom of the pan and spread out evenly. Next, layer on the mashed potato mixture and spread evenly over the top.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

 

Vegan Sausage Breakfast Casserole August 4, 2010

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 9:12 am
Tags: , , ,

It was a beautiful, lazy morning, and I love to cook in the morning, however, it seems I usually don’t have the time. It was also a good opportunity to clean out the fridge of the on-the-verge veggies that I just couldn’t see get thrown away. This casserole was creamy, spicy and a great way to start the day. (And to satisfy my morning-cooking-craving). The 6th Grader even said, “Dad better not eat it all before tomorrow morning.”

INGREDIENTS:

2 Field Roast Sausages, Mexican Chipotle flavor, crumbled

1/4 of a head of cabbage, any variety, shredded

1/2 a large red bell pepper, diced

1 large leek, chopped

6-8 mushrooms, diced

1 small zucchini, diced

2 C crackers, broken into large crumbles (herbed crackers would be nice for added flavor)

1 C Tofutti sour cream

1-3/4 C vegan cheddar, shredded and divided

Dashes of cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper

Olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. Spread cracker crumbles on the bottom of a 9×13″ pan; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add bell pepper, cabbage, leek, and sausage. Saute about 10-12 minutes until vegetables are just beginning to soften and turn brown. Add mushrooms, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper; cook another 3 minutes, or so.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream with about 3/4 cup of the cheddar. Layer on top of the cracker “crust”. You want to avoid dropping big clumps of it because you want it to be evenly spread on top of the crackers. Try and spread it around as best you can.

Layer with sausage mixture and spread it out evenly. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

Let it sit a couple of minutes before slicing it up. Enjoy!

 

Hash Brown Casserole 2 April 2, 2010

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 11:07 am
Tags: , , , , , ,

No one will ever know this is vegan! This is creamier than version 1 and takes a bit more time, but worth it, especially when even your non-vegan friends and family will love it. I think 1-1/2 C of sliced mushrooms would be a great addition and I’ll also add 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast for a dose of B vitamins.

INGREDIENTS:

1 16oz bag frozen hashbrowns

1 C vegan cheddar, shredded

1 C vegan pepper jack cheese, shredded

1/2 pkg Silken tofu, extra firm, crumbled

1-1/2 C fresh spinach, chopped

1/2 a large yellow onion, chopped

6-oz Tofutti sour cream

1/2 C soy milk

1 tsp garlic salt

1/4-1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/4-2/3 C bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly oil a 9×13″ baking pan. In a large bowl, combine both cheeses, tofu, onion, sour cream, soy milk, garlic salt, and pepper. Stir in the hash browns and spinach and spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Cover with foil and bake for 40-45 mins. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake uncovered for another 10-15 mins until slightly browned. Enjoy!

 

 
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 350 other followers

%d bloggers like this: