Epicurean Vegan

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Sesame Tofu Sandwiches

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Sesame Tofu Sandwiches -- Epicurean VeganI really love marinated tofu sandwiches. They’re easy to make, will last the whole week and it’s so simple to create your own marinades. I first came across this idea from Lauren Ulm of Vegan Yum Yum and her recipe for Smoky Miso Tofu Sandwiches. After making her recipe several times, I decided to changes things up and come up with my own marinade using some of my favorite ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb extra-firm tofu
2-1/2 Tbs red miso
2 Tbs tamari
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbs brown rice syrup
About 1/8 C toasted sesame seeds
Avocado slices
Tomato slices
Spinach
Veganaise
Your favorite sandwich bread (I like to toast it)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. Drain and press tofu. Meanwhile whisk together miso, tamari, sesame oil, garlic, and brown rice syrup. It makes about a cup. For a kick, add 1/8-1/4 tsp of cayenne to the marinade. Or try smoked paprika.

Slice pressed tofu into 13-18 slices. I wanted the tofu to be a little thick, so I got 13 slices out of this one. Line a baking sheet with foil. Brush one side of a tofu slice with the marinade and place it on the pan (marinaded side down) then brush the top. Repeat until all slices are covered. With 13 slices, I could layer it on pretty thick. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and bake for about 15-20 mins, depending on how thick of slices you have. 17 mins worked great for mine.

Sesame Tofu Sandwiches -- Epicurean VeganAdd your favorite sandwich toppings. I toasted the bread, used some Veganaise, avocado slices, tomato slices and spinach. Try roasted red peppers, vegan cheese, sprouts, cucumbers, bell pepper…the list goes on.
Besides great for sandwiches, these baked tofu slices could be diced up for salads (green or pasta), tossed over cooked rice, or steamed vegetables or just to munch on.   Enjoy!

Sesame Tofu Sandwiches -- Epicurean Vegan

Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce and Homemade Pitas

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Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce and Homemade Pitas -- Epicurean VeganDamn, I’m good! (I love when I can say that about a recipe I made)! I decided to make gyros with these fabulous vegan pitas and they were outstanding! Over the years, I had been working on perfecting my tzatziki sauce recipe and for non-dairy, it’s pretty darn good, if I may say so myself. 🙂 Also…use leftover sauce for dipping veggies and/or veggie chips and crackers. (Check out my other version using Field Roast).

INGREDIENTS:
Sauce:
8-oz Tofutti sour cream
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp dill weed
1 Tbs chopped fresh mint
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 large cucumber, peeled and shredded
Gyros:
2-8oz pkgs seitan, stir-fry style (Westsoy-red box)
1/2 large red onion, sliced very thin
1 Tbs canola oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne
The rest:
pitas
tomatoes, sliced thin
mustard greens and kale, chopped into 1″ pieces

DIRECTIONS:
To make the sauce:
Combine all the sauce ingredients, except for the cucumber. Put the shredded cucumber in a fine mesh strainer, cover with plastic wrap and with your hand, press down on the plastic to squeeze the water from the cucumber. Then add to the rest of sauce and combine.

Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce and Homemade Pitas -- Epicurean VeganFor the gyros:
In a large skillet, heat the oil and garlic. Add the onions and saute until tender. Add the seitan and cook for about 3-4 mins, stirring often, until seitan browns.

Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce and Homemade Pitas -- Epicurean VeganCombine the cumin, oregano, nutmeg, cinnamon and cayenne in a small bowl, and then add to the skillet. Stir and coat the seitan onions well and cover. Simmer on low heat for 3 mins. It’s that easy!
Fill the pitas with the seitan, tomatoes, greens and tzatziki sauce. So delicious!

My favorite seitan for this recipe: Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce and Homemade Pitas -- Epicurean Vegan

A Smarter Fettuccine Alfredo

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A Smarter Fettuccine Alfredo -- Epicurean VeganThis comes from my friend over at Tried and Tasted Recipes Even though the original recipe isn’t vegan, it was super easy to veganize–and so delicious! I of course, added 1/3 C of Tofutti sour cream for extra creaminess and mushrooms and green onions and she added peas and carrots (another great variety).

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces fettuccine, uncooked
1 1/4 cups fat-free reduced-sodium vegetable broth
4 teaspoons flour
1/3 cup Tofutti cream cheese
3 tablespoons Rice brand parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 C nutritional yeast (optional)
1/3 C Tofutti sour cream (optional)
5 mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 green onions, sliced (optional)
Handful of frozen peas and carrots (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta according to package instructions. At this time, I sauteed the mushrooms and green onions in a small skillet.
Meanwhile, combine broth and flour in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cream cheese spread, 2 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese, the nutmeg and pepper; cook 2 min., stirring constantly with wire whisk until mixture boils and thickens. I had trouble getting the sauce to thicken, so I added a tiny bit cornstarch/water mixture and presto! It thickened immediately. If using, add nutritional yeast and stir to combine. I then removed it from the heat and stirred in the sour cream.
Drain pasta. Toss with sauce (and veggies, if using) Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and parsley.
I served this with leftover salad from the previous night and some fabulous olive bread!

Serves 4.
Enjoy

Vegan Ranch Dressing

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Vegan Ranch Dressing -- Epicurean VeganThis is a great version of dairy-free ranch dressing. It’s perfect for salads, but if  you want it thicker, such as for a dip, I would add about 1/4 – 1/2 C of Tofutti sour cream and use less soy milk.

INGREDIENTS:
1 C Veganaise
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
6-8 Tbs almond milk
1/2 tsp dried chives
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Transfer to a pourable jar and keep refrigerated up to 4-5 days. Enjoy!

Sunflower Cherry Oatmeal Bars

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Sunflower Cherry Oatmeal Bars -- Epicurean VeganThese are delicious! And simple to make-taking only about 10 mins to prepare. These would be great with a scoop of soy ice cream or a dallop of vanilla soy yogurt on top. These also taste great after being the fridge for a while–they’re a tasty snack that will keep you going when you’re on the run.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup rolled oats, either quick cooking or old fashioned
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed natural brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup expeller pressed canola oil
5 tablespoons orange juice, divided
1/2 cup fruit sweetened black cherry preserves

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine oats, flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, sunflower seeds and cherries in a large bowl. Add oil and 3 tablespoons orange juice, mixing well until all ingredients are fully combined. Reserve a half cup and press the rest into a lightly oiled 8-by-8-inch baking pan.

Sunflower Cherry Oatmeal Bars -- Epicurean VeganMix the remaining 2 tablespoons orange juice with the cherry preserves and spread evenly over the oat mixture in the pan.

Sunflower Cherry Oatmeal Bars -- Epicurean VeganSprinkle reserved oat mixture over the top and press down lightly with fingers.

Sunflower Cherry Oatmeal Bars -- Epicurean VeganBake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Cool in the pan on a wire rack then cut into bars or squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Sunflower Cherry Oatmeal Bars -- Epicurean VeganRecipe source: Whole Foods

Pesto Potato Bread

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Pesto Potato Bread -- Epicurean VeganI can’t tell you how much I LOVE this bread. I’ve made it several times now and it goes great with pasta, soups–pretty much anything, even just for a snack. It smells wonderful, too as it bakes. I’ve never been very good at making yeast breads, but this one always turns out, however, adequate warmth for the bread to rise is crucial. The best place is on the stove top of your oven with your oven on warm. For me, that doesn’t work because my oven is mounted in the wall with the microwave mounted above it. I have found that if my dishwasher happens to be running, the counter top above it gets nice and warm, too. I settled for a sunny spot on the kitchen table.  I also took lots of pictures of the process…and please note, this recipe makes 2 of these beautiful loaves!

INGREDIENTS:
1 C plain soy milk
1 C leftover mashed potatoes
3 Tbs vegan pesto
1 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 pkg active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1/4 C warm water
4 C all-purpose flour (or you can use bread flour), or more if needed

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan, heat the soy milk until hot but not boiling. Stir in potatoes, pesto, oil, salt and sugar, stirring until well mixed.

Pesto Potato Bread -- Epicurean Vegan(Soy milk mixture and yeast mixture)
Transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a small bowl, combine the yeast and water, stirring to dissolve the yeast. Let the mixture stand for 10 mins then stir it into the potato mixture. Add about 1/2 of the flour, stirring to combine. Work in the remaining flour to form a soft dough, then transfer to a lightly floured surface.

Pesto Potato Bread -- Epicurean VeganAdd up to 1/2 C of additional flour, if needed.
Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 8 mins, using additional flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking.

Pesto Potato Bread -- Epicurean VeganPlace the dough in a large (use a pretty large bowl) lightly oiled, turning the dough to coat with oil.

Pesto Potato Bread -- Epicurean VeganCover w/plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Test dough by poking it with your finger. It is ready if the indentation from your finger remains.

Pesto Potato Bread -- Epicurean Vegan(After first rising)
Lightly oil a large baking sheet and set it aside. Punch down the dough and turn it out into a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 5 mins. Divide the dough in half (use a sharp knife), shape into two round loaves and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Pesto Potato Bread -- Epicurean VeganCover again with clean plastic wrap or dish towel and let rise for another 45-60 mins.

Pesto Potato Bread -- Epicurean Vegan(After 2nd rising)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Uncover dough and use a sharp knife to cut 1 diagonal slash in the top of each loaf. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 mins. (I think they came out perfect at about 22-23 mins, but every oven is different). The bread is done if it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. (I didn’t do this–seemed a bit too much to do to a piping hot loaf of bread). Cool on a wire rack for 30 mins before slicing. (I waited about 15-20 mins and it was so yummy warm)!

Pesto Potato Bread -- Epicurean Vegan

Pesto Potato Bread -- Epicurean VeganRecipe source: 1000 Vegan Recipes

Hurry Up Alfredo

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Hurry Up Alfredo -- Epicurean VeganThis comes from Lauren Ulm’s cookbook, Vegan Yum Yum and is by far the best non-dairy “cheese” sauce I’ve tasted yet! The only thing I changed was adding 1/2 C Tofutti sour cream which made this sauce perfectly creamy!

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 C small pasta
Sauce:
1 C soy milk
1/3 rounded raw, unsalted cashews
1/4 C nutritional yeast
3 Tbs tamari (or soy sauce)
2 Tbs Earth Balance (or Smart Balance) margarine
1 Tbs tahini
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch salt
Black pepper, to taste
2-4 garlic cloves
I added 1/2C Tofutti Sour Cream and used SMOKED paprika and WOW! It was so creamy and flavorful!

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add noodles. Cook until tender, but not mushy. Meanwhile, to make sauce, mix all sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. When noodles are finished, drain and return to pot. Add as much sauce as you’d like and heat and stir. (What I did is transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and heat–this is also when I added the Tofutti sour cream. Then I just ladled the sauce on a serving of pasta). Top with Rice Parmesan and enjoy!

Note: for leftovers, I don’t recommend microwaving them. Keep sauce separate from pasta leftovers and reheat sauce in a pan over the stove and nuke the noodles. Sauce gets too dried out otherwise.

Hurry Up Alfredo -- Epicurean Vegan

Recipe source: Vegan Yum Yum

Queso is Back!!

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Queso is Back!! -- Epicurean VeganFinally! I have found a queso I can eat!! You’d never know this is dairy-free! It makes about 4 cups, so it’s perfect for a get together.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 C minced onion (I just chopped them really fine)
1/4 C oat flour or finely ground old fashioned oats ( I ground the oats)
2 Tbs Tahini
1/2 nutritional yeast flakes
1/3 C soy milk
1 tsp maple syrup
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (4oz) can diced green chilies, drained (I diced up half a large Anaheim pepper)
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbs lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the oat flour, tahini, nutritional yeast, soy milk and maple syrup. Stir in the tomatoes and mix well. Lower heat and cook, stirring constantly. When mixture starts to bubble, add the chilies, chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne and salt. Continue to cook, stirring for about 10 mins. Stir in lemon juice. The recipe recommends adding more soy milk if it is too thick, but I added 1/2C Tofutti sour cream, because, well, I just love that stuff and it made it very creamy and delish! I also transferred it to my electric fondue pot to keep warm. Love it! Hope you enjoy it!

Queso is Back!! -- Epicurean VeganRecipe Source: 1000 Vegan Recipes

Party Cheese Ball

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Party Cheese Ball -- Epicurean VeganI can’t tell you how excited I am about this!! You see, my mom has made this incredible cheese ball every Christmas for years now and since I went dairy-free, it is probably one of the foods I miss the most.  I finally made a dairy-free version after a couple of attempts and frankly, it’s so good, it brought a tear to my eye. (Also, this is also one of the most requested recipe and when invited to a shin-dig, I am instructed to not come without this cheese ball.)

UPDATE: After making this cheeseball so many times, I’ve tweaked the amount of some of the ingredients, so I figured it was time to update the recipe. I have found that I use about 10-oz of cream cheese, not 12. I also upped the pimento, green pepper and onion to about 4 Tbs each.

INGREDIENTS:
12-oz Tofutti* cream cheese
2 1/2 C Rice brand, or Daiya brand shredded cheese, cheddar flavor
2 Tbs pimento, chopped
2 Tbs green pepper, chopped
2 Tbs onion, chopped
2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1 C walnuts, chopped

*Kite Hill is also a great option. I think it tastes closest to real cream cheese, however, it’s softer than Tofutti, so the cheese ball won’t form a perfect ball–more like a mound. It’s about presentation, otherwise it still tastes amazing regardless of which “cream cheese” you go with.

DIRECTIONS:
Combine softened cream cheese and cheddar. Like to use my stand mixer for this. A food processor works too, but I recommend using the dough blade. Add remaining ingredients except walnuts and mix well. (I tend to add 1-2 more tablespoons of the pimento, green pepper and onion; it just depends on your own tastes.) Transfer to a bowl and chill for several hours or overnight. Shape into a ball and roll in nuts. Serve with crackers. (Club crackers and Ritz always taste the best with this cheese ball.)

NOTE: Keep in mind that Rice cheese does have traces of casein.

Party Cheese Ball
 
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I can't tell you how excited I am about this!! You see, my mom has made this incredible cheese ball every Christmas for years now and since I went dairy-free, it is probably one of the foods I miss the most. I finally made a dairy-free version after a couple of attempts and frankly, it's so good, it brought a tear to my eye. (Also, this is also one of the most requested recipe and when invited to a shin-dig, I am instructed to not come without this cheese ball.) UPDATE: After making this cheeseball so many times, I've tweaked the amount of some of the ingredients, so I figured it was time to update the recipe. I have found that I use about 10-oz of cream cheese, not 12. I also upped the pimento, green pepper and onion to about 4 Tbs each.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 12-oz Tofutti cream cheese
  • 2½ C Rice brand, or Daiya brand shredded cheese, cheddar flavor
  • 2 Tbs pimento, chopped
  • 2 Tbs green pepper, chopped
  • 2 Tbs onion, chopped
  • 2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 C walnuts, chopped
Directions
  1. Combine softened cream cheese and cheddar. Like to use my stand mixer for this. A food processor works too, but I recommend using the dough blade.
  2. Add remaining ingredients except walnuts and mix well. (I tend to add 1-2 more tablespoons of the pimento, green pepper and onion; it just depends on your own tastes.)
  3. Transfer to a bowl and chill for several hours or overnight.
  4. Shape into a ball and roll in nuts.
  5. Serve with crackers. (Club crackers and Ritz always taste the best with this cheese ball.)
  6. NOTE: Keep in mind that Rice cheese does have traces of casein.

 

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