Epicurean Vegan

Healthy eating for discriminating palates

Quinoa-Mandarin Stuffed Peppers April 28, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 6:04 pm
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The Seventh-Grader was nice enough to share his cold with me. I can’t remember the last time I was out of commission with a cold, and I don’t plan to let this one win. So far, I’ve kept it somewhat at bay with lots of juiced veggies and kale. Never under estimate the healing powers of vegetables. That may be why I was drawn to making these. Bell peppers, particularly orange and yellow ones, are packed with vitamins C, A, and B6. (Although the heating process will deplete them a bit). But I’m certain they still retain many of their healthy benefits. These also have mushrooms which are a great source of B vitamins, selenium, vitamin D, and potassium. Now on to the zucchini…these guys have tons of vitamin C and A which are actually anti-inflammatory agents. Zucchinis are also high in fiber—an added bonus! And let’s not forget that quinoa is an ideal source of protein, too! Let the healing begin!

Oh, and remember Operation Save Basil from October?

I’m happy to report that it has bounced back beautifully. It looks like there’s room to add another basil plant, but for now, I’m thrilled the basil’s back, baby!

INGREDIENTS:

3 large bell peppers (preferably orange, red, or yellow) sliced in half and innards cleaned out

1 C quinoa

1-15oz can mandarin oranges (look for no sugar added), juice reserved

1 C water

1 tsp tamari

1 Tbs olive oil

2 tsp garlic, minced

1/2 C slivered almonds

1 C mushrooms, sliced

1 small zucchini, sliced then quartered

1/2 C fresh basil, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sauce:

1 C almond milk

2 Tbs arrowroot

2 Tbs nutritional yeast

2 Tbs yellow miso

dash of nutmeg

dash of garlic salt

DIRECTIONS:

Begin with the quinoa: Combine the quinoa, reserved Mandarin orange juice, water, and tamari in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Let simmer for 12-15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375. While the quinoa is cooking, heat the olive oil and garlic in a skillet. Add the slivered almonds and cook them for 5-7 minutes, stirring often.

Add the zucchini, mushrooms, salt, and pepper; cook another 6-8 minutes on medium heat.

Once the veggies are tender, remove from the heat and stir in the oranges and basil.

Stir in the cooked quinoa and evenly fill the pepper halves.

Sometimes I pour about 2 cups of water in the bottom of the pan before covering with foil. This will help soften the peppers without overcooking the filling. I think this is especially important when using cheese or fake meats in the filling. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan, whisk together the sauce ingredients over high heat, stirring constantly. After a few minutes, reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer. Stir frequently so it doesn’t burn. Don’t worry about getting the sauce thickened; it’s meant to seep and ooze into the filling. :-)

Ladle the sauce over the peppers and enjoy!

 

Avocado and Pinto Bean Enchiladas April 18, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 1:54 pm
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These are probably some of the tastiest enchiladas I’ve had. The original recipe is from eat, drink & be vegan. I made a couple of minor changes because I couldn’t find one of the ingredients, added some green chilies, but also made a bigger batch (inadvertently). Her recipe yielded 10-12 enchiladas, but I ended up with 17—if my pan was bigger, I would have got 18. I’m glad that I bought extra enchilada sauce because of this. I’m not sure if I just didn’t fill the tortillas up enough, but I definitely had lots of filling left over after the first dozen tortillas. In any case, they were delicious. I was really intrigued with the 1/2 cup of cashew pieces the recipe requires and I have to tell you, they’re fabulous—they add just a little crunch. I highly recommend using them. Below is how I made these, but click on the above link for the original recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

16-18 corn tortillas

1 Tbs olive oil

2 tsp garlic, minced

1 C onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp Ancho chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

2-1/2 C mushrooms, sliced

1 can pinto beans, drained

1/2 C cashews, chopped

2 Tbs lime juice

2 avocados, peeled and pitted

1-1/4 tsp salt

2 19 oz cans enchilada sauce

1 small can diced green chilies, mild or hot

Optional ingredients: Daiya cheese, cilantro, and vegan sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onions, chili powder, cumin, allspice, the 1/4 tsp of salt, and the pepper. Saute for about 3 minutes.

Add the mushrooms, beans, and cashews and cook another 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes.

Meanwhile, mash the avocado with the 1-1/4 tsp of salt in a bowl, or use the food processor. The avocados I had weren’t completely ripe so I used the food processor. I probably got them a little too mashed, but it turned out just fine.

Stir in half a can of one of the enchilada sauces and the green chilies, into the avocado mixture.

Blend the avocado mixture with the onion/mushroom mixture. At this point, I heated some water in my steam pot to steam the tortilla shells. Place a tortilla one at a time in the pot–it’ll only take about 15-20 seconds per side to steam the tortilla. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce from the first can on the bottom of a 15″ baking dish (you can also use some from the other can. I also started out with a 9×13 and realized it wasn’t going to be big enough, so I added an 8×8″ baking dish). Fill each tortilla with about 4-5 tablespoons of filling, roll up, and place fold-side down in the pan. Repeat. Pour the remaining sauce on top.

Cover and bake 16-18 minutes. Remove the foil and top with cheese (if using) and bake another 10-12 minutes.

Top with cilantro and sour cream. Enjoy!

 

 

Vegan Scalloped Yams and Zucchini March 10, 2012

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

 

Chili Stew March 2, 2012

Filed under: Soups — epicureanvegan @ 12:18 pm
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The weather has been a bit cold and windy these days, and last night was no exception. On nights like that, a hearty soup or stew hits the spot. I threw in tons of different things in this chili and I think this one is my favorite version so far. It’s also great to scoop onto tortilla chips. I had three avocados I planned on dicing up to top the chili, but each one was bad! Total bummer. Crash Test Vegetarian used olives and roasted red peppers in her chili recipe, so I owe her a big thanks for the idea!

INGREDIENTS:

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs olive oil

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (1/2 C of barley is a good substitute)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, drained

4 C low-sodium vegetable broth

2 C water

1 6-oz can black olives, sliced

1 small can tomato paste

3 jarred roasted red peppers, diced

1/8 C lime juice

2-3 Tbs Ancho chili powder

1-1/2 Tbs cumin

1 tsp oregano

Salt and pepper, to taste

4-5 green onions, sliced

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Optional: Daiya cheese, diced avocado, Tofutti sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the olive oil and garlic in a large soup pot. Add the onion and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until tender. Add the broth, water, potatoes, tomatoes, black beans, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are slightly tender, about 20 minutes. Add the seasonings, roasted red peppers, olives, and lime juice. Simmer another 15-20 minutes and stir in the lime juice. Sprinkle servings with green onion, cilantro, cheese, and sour cream, if desired. Enjoy!

 

Vegan & Soy-Free Ricotta Cheese February 27, 2012

Filed under: Dinners,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 8:28 am
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I am so excited to share this recipe with all of you! Having to give up soy is a little less traumatic now that I’ve come up with a delicious soy-free ricotta cheese. After I made the switch from no wheat and no soy, The Seventh Grader wanted stuffed shells. Of course. And . . . like the power of suggestion, I wanted stuffed shells in the worst way. So I couldn’t use my go-to riotta cheese, nor use regular jumbo shells. Thankfully, I found these “Grand Shells” from Tinkyada.

The ingredients are simple: brown rice, rice bran, and water. They’re a little smaller than the typical flour-based jumbo shells . . .

. . . but it’s not a big deal. They also don’t fold over like regular shells do either. Again, no biggie. Also, cooking these are a bit different. Bring water to a boil, add the shells and cook 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and let the shells sit for 20 minutes. The shells definitely aren’t mushy like some brown rice pasta can be. In fact, they’re pretty al dente—almost too much. If you want them a little softer, I’d leave them for 25-30 minutes. Overall, very impressive! I thought they were delicious.

So onto the ricotta. This recipe makes quite a bit—great for a big pan of lasagna. Feel free to half it for a small portion, otherwise, it makes almost 4 cups.

INGREDIENTS:

1 C blanched almonds

1 C cashews

1 C cold water

1/8 C olive oil

3-4 Tbs lemon juice

1/3 C nutritional yeast

1 C fresh basil

1 Tbs fresh rosemary

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/3 C Daiya cheese,  Mozzarella flavored

DIRECTIONS:

I threw the cashews in a bowl of water while I blanched the almonds. Soaking the nuts are not necessary, unless you have the time and want a really smooth ricotta. Add them to the food processor.

Add the water, oil, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. This may take a few minutes to get it real smooth, especially if you opt not to soak the nuts overnight, which I did not. It just depends on your preference. I happen to like the nutty texture.

Next, add the basil, rosemary, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, pepper. Blend until well combined. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese.

I had some jumbo shells as well as tofu-ricotta in the freezer, so for the guys, I made them regular stuffed shells. Since I don’t have celiac disease and not concerned with cross-contamination, I combined both in the pan.

Layer on some sauce and Daiya cheese and you’re good to go. Bake covered for 25 minutes at 375.

Enjoy!

 

Stuffed Portobellos and Steamed Bok Choy February 25, 2012

Filed under: Dinners,Sides — epicureanvegan @ 3:34 pm
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Portobellos are such a versatile fungi.

They make great burgers, a main stir-fry ingredient, and of course, an ideal vessel for other veggies. I wanted to make something wheat and soy-free, which is tough as a vegan, but these really fit the bill. But what to have with them? Before, I would have served bread, but since I that’s out, I decided to steam some bok choy. By the way, you’ll be seeing more wheat and soy-free recipes (although I may use miso from time to time) on my blog, as I am working on eliminating these from my diet. Why? Well . . . you see, I have endometriosis, something I’ve had to deal with for the last seven years, and I’ve now opted to treat it with diet, herbs and acupuncture. Endo is an inflammatory disease, so processed flour aggravates it. It’s also said that estrogen feeds the disease, so there goes soy with its natural estrogen!

TMI? Sorry. I won’t go on about it, but I wanted to explain my reasoning for my decision and to also let other women know that it’s possible to live with endo and not rely on drugs and/or  surgery (at least, that’s my plan). Otherwise, I want to make clear that I have nothing against soy. In fact, it’s worth pointing out that Dr. Neal Barnard has determined that soy consumption is not only safe, but highly encouraged. Oh, and I want to make clear, I’m steering clear of wheat, not necessarily gluten. There’s a difference between the two, so fortunately, whole grains aren’t out of the picture for me, just processed wheat.

So, on to the recipes!

INGREDIENTS:

4 portobello caps, washed and stems and gills removed

1 box Near East Long Grain & Wild Rice mix

1 small red onion, diced

1 small zucchini, diced

1/2 C fresh parsley, chopped

2 tsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

Daiya cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare the rice mix according to the package instructions. This will need to cook for 30 minutes. When the rice has about 6 minutes of cooking time left, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the red onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Then add the zucchini and cook another 3 minutes or so.

Stir in the cooked rice and parsley; season with salt and pepper.

Place the portobellos upside down in a large baking dish. Sprinkle some Daiya cheese on the bottom and fill each mushroom cap evenly with the rice mixture, piling it high.

Pour a little water into the bottom of the pan. This will help steam the mushroom caps. Bake for about 15 minutes, then top with a little Daiya cheese and bake another couple of minutes.

While these are baking, I got started on the bok choy.

I think this veggie is so underrated. Low in calories, this lightly sweet and crispy veggie is loaded with vitamins C and A as well as calcium. I cut up some mushrooms and together, steamed the veggies with some (soy-free) Earth Balance for about 7-9 minutes.

Enjoy!

 

Ciabatta Bread February 16, 2012

Filed under: Breads — epicureanvegan @ 4:30 pm
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It all started with a Pampered Chef party I went to through Fort Vegan, my local vegetarian/vegan group. The hostess and rep prepared all-vegan samples, including this amazing bread—made of course, in their covered baking dish. Yes, I ended up buying it, but not just for the bread! It’s great for vegetable stews, casseroles, and even cake. Yes, cake. (Oh and in the microwave). Sounds bizarre, but really delicious! (and it was a gluten-free cake). Anyway . . . my bread didn’t puff up and fill the entire baker like the one at the party, so I’m going to have to try again and see what happens. The recipe calls for only 1/4 tsp of yeast and I wonder if that was a typo since my version was denser. Dense or not, however, it was incredible! I’m guessing you can make this bread without the covered baker, so if you do, let me know how it turns out. Oh and did I mention the dough has to rise for at least 12 hours? Then another 2? Believe me, it’s worth it.

INGREDIENTS:

3 C flour

1/4 tsp instant yeast

1-1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 C tap water

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Stir in the water until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 12-18 hours. When it’s ready, it will have bubbles on the top. The recipe then has you flour a Pampered Chef Pastry Mat and cover the dough with it for another two hours. This, I didn’t have, so I improvised, using a cutting board and dish towel.

1-1/2 hours into this second round of rising, preheat the oven to 450. Place the empty baker in the oven for 30 minutes to get it good and hot. Sounds crazy, but I did as I was told. Then dump the dough into the baker . . .

. . . cover and bake for 30 minutes. The recipe says to uncover and bake another 8-15 minutes, but my bread came out gorgeous after the 30 minutes.

It may not have been light and fluffy like the original, but it was mighty delicious just the same. If you give it a try, let me know how you made it and if you tweaked anything—I’d love to hear from you! Enjoy!

 

 

 

Chard and Field Roast Skillet February 15, 2012

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 9:06 am
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I really love a warm breakfast of veggies. I used two Chipotle-flavored Field Roast sausages, but I think just one would have been enough. You can also choose one of their other varieties. I like that spicy kick of the chipotle ones. This can be enjoyed on it’s own, or wrapped in a tortilla.

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium potato, peeled and diced small

4 large Swiss chard leaves, stem removed and chopped

1 C mushrooms, diced

1-2 Field Roast sausages, crumbled

3 green onions, sliced

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

In about 2 tsp of olive oil, saute the potatoes over medium heat for about 10-12 minutes, or until they begin to brown and are tender.

Add the Field Roast and cook another 5 minutes.

Stir in the chard, mushrooms, and green onions. Slowly stir to let the chard cook down, about 3-4 minutes.

Enjoy!

 

The Epicurean Vegan Gets Crafty February 14, 2012

Filed under: My Vegan Life — epicureanvegan @ 4:55 pm
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Well, I’ve always liked to do crafty stuff—it’s that domineering right side of my brain. Somehow, I found the time to get a couple things done this weekend. So first, I’ll share with you a card I (sort of) made for fellow writer and jewelry-maker extraordinaire, Michelle Mach of Beads and Books. Michelle makes incredible and unique jewelry, much of it related to readers, writers and writing, like these fabulous mini book pendants.

Michelle also does beautiful embossed cards and sent them out to lucky readers of her blog—with a challenge. Decorate them, send her a photo of it, and enter to win an Amazon gift card! I got my card in too late for the drawing (because I procrastinate really well), but be sure to check out the amazing cards other readers made.

I really liked the simplicity of the alphabet card, so I just added some cut out hearts from some handmade paper.

To see more of Michelle’s wonderful jewelry, stop by her Etsy shop and have a look!

My second crafty endeavor of the weekend was a DIY bulletin board. I really needed one for my office because I kept losing my Post-It notes among all the other junk on my desk. I have to send props out to my mom who gave me this idea.

Materials:

An artist canvas (found in craft stores)

Fabric

Staple gun

Basically, wrap the fabric around the canvas, pulling tight on the edges, as you staple it to back of the wooden frame of the canvas.

It really is that simple.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to fabrics and there are a so many different sizes of canvases that you’re bound to find one that will fit your needs.

:)

 

Potato-Celery Soup January 30, 2012

Filed under: Soups — epicureanvegan @ 6:37 pm
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This FANTASTIC soup comes from Izzy over at Crash Test Vegetarian. We LOVED this soup–so easy to make and absolutely delicious. The only thing I changed was use almond milk instead of soy and added 1 tablespoon on chopped fresh rosemary. Get the recipe and visit Izzy–she has a great blog with lots of yummy recipes! Thanks, Izzy!

 

 
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