Epicurean Vegan

Healthy eating for discriminating palates

More Fun with Ramen March 20, 2012

Filed under: Appetizers — epicureanvegan @ 3:37 pm
Tags: , , , ,

You may remember that The Seventh Grader likes to experiment in the kitchen, particularly using ramen noodles. Recently, he came up with a new creation: Ramen Nests. After cooking the noodles, he sprayed a muffin tin with cooking spray and divided the noodles into four nests. After baking for a few minutes, he then added some chopped spinach, Daiya cheese, and his own array of spices such as garlic salt and pepper. He then baked them a bit more. They were quite delicious! What a cheap appetizer! (4 nests for about $0.20)  Such a culinary genius! ;-)

 

Vegan Scalloped Yams and Zucchini March 10, 2012

Filed under: Dinners,Sides — epicureanvegan @ 2:07 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I found myself with several yams and sometimes, I don’t always know what to do with them. So why not scalloped potatoes? I threw in some zucchini and onions, and topped it with some Daiya and panko. Delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

2 large yams, peeled and sliced thin

1 small onion

1 medium zucchini, sliced, then quartered

1 Tbs olive oil

2 tsp garlic, minced

2-1/2 Tbs arrowroot

1/4 C nutritional yeast

2 C almond milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 Tbs fresh rosemary, minced

1/4 C panko

Daiya cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. Boil the yams in a large soup pot for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onions and cook 3-4 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook until softened. Add the seasonings.

Whisk together the milk, arrowroot, and nutritional yeast. Pour it into the skillet with the onions and zucchini. Stir continuously until the sauce begins to thicken.

Layer half of the yams into an 8″ baking dish. Pour half of the onion mixture on top and spread evenly around. Layer on the rest of the yams, then the mixture. Top with some cheese.

Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with the panko and bake another 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

 

Gluten & Soy-Free Pizza with Caramelized Onions March 6, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 4:52 pm
Tags: , , , , ,

Crash Test Vegetarian posted a pizza recipe with caramelized onions. It took me back because we used to always put caramelized onions on our pizza, along with toasted walnuts and (at the time) Gorgonzola cheese. Oh, how things have changed!  It got me craving our old pizza recipe. I decided to change things up though with other ingredients, but those onions were a must!

INGREDIENTS:

1 pkg Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Pizza Dough Mix (see my earlier review)

1 large onion, sliced into strips

2 Tbs olive oil

1/4 to 1/3 C balsamic vinegar

1 tsp sugar

Toppings: sliced mushrooms, torn spinach, tomato slices, Daiya cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare the crust according to package instructions (it will need to rise for 20 minutes). To caramelize the onions, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook until they tenderize and start to turn brown.

Drizzle balsamic vinegar and sugar on the onions, and combine thoroughly. Cook until brown and shriveled.

Layer your toppings on the prepared pizza crust (Bob’s Red Mill makes (2) 12″ or (1) 16″). Bake for 15-18 minutes. Enjoy!

 

Easy Tostadas January 23, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 4:45 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

This is one of those no-brainer meals that when you need something quick and easy, these fit the bill. The Seventh Grader, always helpful when it comes to cooking (but not cleaning) makes this even easier to throw together.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bag Boca crumbles

1 can refried beans

1/2 large onion, diced

1 Tbs olive oil

1 pkg taco seasoning

8-12 tostada shells

All the fixins’: Tofutti sour cream, lettuce, tomato, avocado, fresh cilantro, Daiya cheese, and salsa

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Cook the onion and cook 3-5 minutes. Add the Boca crumbles and cook until heated through. Add the can of refries and combine well. In a small cup, prepare the seasoning mix according to the package instructions and stir into the bean/Boca mixture. Place the tostada shells on a baking sheet and warm for 3-5 minutes. Layer on some of the bean mixture along with your favorite toppings. 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!

 

Swiss Chard Gratin December 29, 2011

Filed under: Sides — epicureanvegan @ 6:52 pm
Tags: , , , , , ,

Holy moly! Has Christmas come and gone? Where was I?  Well, I certainly wasn’t blogging. I planned to, but to be honest, the dishes I made came out less-than-stellar. I was really disappointed. I was thrilled to use the Whole Foods Recipe App for my ipad, but I think the only thing exciting about the recipes I chose, was how they looked on the app. :-( Oh well, not a big deal. I did, however, receive Vegan Holiday Kitchen from a friend, so next Christmas, I’ll be prepared.

So I wasn’t about to give up on Whole Foods and their fabulous app. It’s quite amazing, actually—check it out. So here’s how it went down tonight . . . I received 2 gorgeous bunches of organic Swiss chard from Green Buffalo Food Company this afternoon and I immediately clicked on the trusty app. There’s a section called “On Hand” where you plug in what ingredient(s) you have it’ll show you what they’ve got. Plus,  you can narrow it down to only show you vegan or vegetarian recipes using that ingredient.

There were so many choose from such as Chard with Sherry Vinegar and Walnuts and Mushroom, Chard and Caramelized Onion Tacos. I decided on the Gratin, which I had to veganize, but that was a breeze. I served it with some pilaf and rolls, making it a night of side dishes. This recipe certainly restored my faith in WF’s recipes. I added mushrooms to this recipe and I’m glad I did–they are ideal for a dish like this. Even using three bunches of chard or some added kale would have been good, too.

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 bunches Swiss chard leaves, chopped

6-8 mushrooms, sliced

1 C water

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs Earth Balance margarine, more for baking dish

1 C almond milk

2 Tbs flour

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/3 C Daiya mozzarella

1 Tbs panko (or vegan breadcrumbs)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. In a large pot, add the water and chard; cook over medium heat. I used tongs to constantly stir the chard. After 3-4 minutes, or the chard is tender, drain (but reserve 1/4 C of the water) and set aside. In the same pan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and stir constantly for a minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and reserved cooking water; whisk until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir in 1/2 of the Daiya cheese, then remove from the heat. Stir in the mushrooms and chard.

Butter an 8″x8″ baking dish and pour the chard mixture in, topping it with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve immediately and enjoy!

 

Gluten-Free & Vegan Mexican Casserole December 15, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 7:44 pm
Tags: , , , , ,

I’m fortunate I don’t have a gluten intolerance (even though seitan bothers me). I can’t imagine eliminating gluten from my diet as well, but I am starting to realize that it’s not that difficult to make something vegan and gluten-free, like this delicious casserole.

INGREDIENTS:

8-oz quinoa pasta, any variety

3 bell peppers, diced (I used one red, one yellow, and one orange)

1 medium red onion, diced

2 C mushrooms, sliced

1 15-oz can diced tomatoes

1 15-oz can black beans, drained

1 6-oz can tomato paste

4-5 green onion, sliced

1-2 Tbs olive oil

Daiya cheese, any flavor

2-1/2 C Corn chips or gluten-free crackers

Optional ingredients: 1-2 C fresh chopped cilantro, 1-2 C black olives, diced avocados, salsa, jalapenos, green chilies, Tofutti sour cream

Taco seasoning packet or make your own: (This is a mild version, so you may want to add more chili powder for a added kick)

1 Tbs chili powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. If making the seasoning, combine the ingredients and set aside. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8-10 minutes—not too long, or it’ll get mushy. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the peppers and onions.

Cook for about 10 minutes, until they are slightly soft. Add the mushrooms and half of the seasonings; cook another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the tomato paste and diced tomatoes until well combined. Stir in the black beans and the rest of the seasonings. Stir the tomato mixture into the pepper mixture and combine well.

Using the same bowl as the tomato mixture, combine the pasta and vegetable mixture and stir well to combine. Line the bottom of a 15″ baking dish with corn chips or gluten free crackers, then spread on a layer of Daiya cheese. Pour the vegetable mixture on the chips.

Top with more Daiya cheese and green onion. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with a dollop of Tofutti sour cream and enjoy!

 

Mushroom & Spinach Manicotti September 22, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 1:05 pm
Tags: , , , , , ,

It’s hard not to please the family with this simple, flavorful dish. Many people think that vegans can’t enjoy Italian food because the cheese factor, but in reality, it’s so simple to veganize. I use my go-to ricotta cheese recipe and Daiya cheese is really delicious, so there’s not reason herbivores can’t indulge in their favorite pasta dishes!

INGREDIENTS:

12-13 manicotti shells

1 jar marinara sauce

1-1/2 C sliced mushrooms

2 C chopped fresh spinach

1 tsp olive oil

2 tsp garlic, minced

1/2 C diced onion

1/2 C Daiya mozzarella

Tofu Ricotta:

1 14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed

1/3 C nutritional yeast

1 C fresh basil

2 Tbs fresh rosemary

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 Tbs lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. Cook the pasta until just al dente—it will cook more in the sauce while in the oven. Meanwhile, combine all of the ricotta ingredients in a food processor and blend well. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic and add the onion. Cook under tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes.

Combine the tofu mixture and the mushroom mixture in a medium bowl. Stir in the spinach.

Pour about a half the sauce on the bottom of a 9×13″ pan; spread evenly. Using your hands or a spoon, stuff each manicotti shell and place in pan. Cover with the rest of the sauce and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5-7 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

 

Savory Asparagus Tart April 28, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers — epicureanvegan @ 6:01 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

When I open my own vegan restaurant, this tart will be a signature item on the menu! And look, I’m sharing my secret recipe with all of you now! The Husband was on a conference call when I took this out of the oven and took a bite. You have no idea how difficult it was to not eat his portion; he would have never known. But of course, I couldn’t do that to him—it’s a recipe you’ll want to share and enjoy with others.

INGREDIENTS:

1 puff pastry dough, thawed

1 C Daiya or other vegan cheeze, shredded

1 bunch asparagus

2 Tbs olive oil

1-1/2 tsp truffle oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400. Roll the pastry sheet out to about 11″x7″. Place onto a baking sheet. Using a fork, puncture the dough all over.

Bake for 5 minutes, or until it begins to brown. You may need to press down on the dough with a spoon if it puffed up in places.

Sprinkle the cheese onto the dough, then line the asparagus—close together—on top. I just cut the stalks in half (after cutting of the thick ends) and placed them like so:

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, truffle oil, salt, and pepper. Brush the mixture onto the asparagus , thoroughly coating the tops. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges of the tart begin to brown. Remove from the pan (I used two spatulas on either end) and transfer to a large cutting board. Cut into squares and enjoy!

 

 
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 349 other followers

%d bloggers like this: