Epicurean Vegan

Healthy eating for discriminating palates

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!

 

Mushroom and Snow Pea Soup December 19, 2011

Filed under: Dinners,Lunches,Soups — epicureanvegan @ 9:35 am
Tags: , , , , , ,

This soup is perfect if you want a comforting meal in no time. I used lots of my favorite ingredients and like most soups, it will taste even better the next day.

INGREDIENTS:

6 C vegetable broth

1 Tbs olive oil

6 green onion, sliced

3 C Shiitake and white mushrooms (or cremini), sliced

2 C snow peas, cut into pieces (and ends snipped)

1 Tbs fresh ginger, grated

3 tsp garlic, minced

2 Tbs yellow miso

6-oz Angel hair pasta

DIRECTIONS:

In a large soup pot, heat the oil and garlic. Add the green onion, mushrooms, and snow peas. Cook until the veggies are tender.

Add the ginger and miso, and combine well. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil.

Add the pasta and cook another 3-5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

 

Breaded Zucchini with Bok Choy and Couscous November 4, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 7:51 am
Tags: , , , , , ,

This was fab-freakin’-tastic! I had made a similar dish, using lentils and rainbow chard, and it was a bit hit with the family. This time, I decided to change things up again and wow . . . even better than the first version!

INGREDIENTS:

1 large zucchini, sliced

3 baby bok choy (about 8 stalks)

1-1/2 C mushrooms, quartered or sliced

1 box Near East Pearl Couscous

2 C panko

2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 C egg-replacer powder + 1/8 C water

Olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

In a shallow bowl, combine the egg-replacer and water. The amounts I list are approximate–you may need to adjust slightly. In another shallow bowl, combine the panko, thyme, salt, and pepper. Steam the bok choy and mushrooms for 12-15 minutes.

Start the couscous about the same time. It’ll take around 15 minutes. Heat some olive oil in a skillet. Dip each slice of zucchini in the egg-replacer mixture, then cover with the panko mix. Over medium-high heat, fry the zucchini slices until each side is browned.

Zucchini actually cooks up pretty fast, so don’t worry if you have a few thick slices—they soften quickly. Keep the cooked slices warm under some foil until you’ve finished frying all the zucchini. You can also do this in the oven. Spray a foiled baking sheet with olive oil and place the breaded zucchini on it and bake each side for about 5 minutes at 400.

Serve the zucchini slices on top of the couscous and bok choy and enjoy!

 

Potato, White Bean & Kale Soup October 27, 2011

Filed under: Soups — epicureanvegan @ 8:10 am
Tags: , , , , , , ,

 

We received about 10″ of snow yesterday. The day before was up in the ’70s. That’s Colorado for you. And I am not a fan of Old Man Winter, but I do love to make soups, which are a staple during these cold, snowy months. This soup not only warms you up, but it’ll heal what ails you. Kale is a powerful veggie. It’s packed full of antioxidants which are essential in fighting chronic illnesses including heart disease and cancer. It works as an anti-inflammatory, helping those who suffer from joint pain to fibromyalgia. Loaded with calcium, vitamin C, Vitamin B6, folic acid, and potassium, kale is one of the best weapons against a cold. Let’s not forget the power of mushrooms, too, which are rich in potassium, riboflavin, niacin (B3), and selenium. Mushrooms have been shown to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as breast and prostate cancers. They’re your immune system’s best friend. So load this soup up with lots of kale and mushrooms—your body with thank you.

INGREDIENTS:

1-2 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs garlic, minced

2 large leeks, chopped

1 large bunch of kale, stems removed and discarded, leaves chopped

2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced

2 C mushrooms, sliced

1 15-oz can Great Northern Beans

2 carrots, peeled and chopped small

8 C low-sodium vegetable stock

1 sprig rosemary

A dash or two of cayenne

Salt and pepper

We brought the rosemary inside just in time. The basil, however . . .

 . . . has seen better days. My neighbor suggested cutting it down and placing it in our sunroom. Operation Save Basil has commenced.

DIRECTIONS:

I recommend having all of the ingredients chopped and ready to go before you start. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the leek and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes, or until the leeks starts to brown. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, cayenne, and rosemary sprig; cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are softened. Stir in the beans, kale, and mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Let simmer another 5-7 minutes, or until the kale is wilted.

Remove and discard the rosemary sprig and enjoy!

 

 

Zucchini and Field Roast Stuffed Peppers October 5, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 2:03 pm
Tags: , , , ,

I feel a little guilty that I’m not participating in VeganMoFo this year. I was out of town the first couple days of October on a writing retreat and came back to a full plate of projects. October is just going to be a busy month. But a vegan’s gotta eat, so I’ll share new recipes when I can. (And no this isn’t a repeat post—we do love stuffed peppers around here). They’re simple to make and ideal for fall. You can also stuff zucchinis, squashes, and eggplant, too.

INGREDIENTS:

3 large bell peppers, any color

1 Field Roast sausage, Mexican Chipotle flavor, crumbled

1-1/2 C zucchini, diced

1-1/2 C mushrooms, sliced

1/2 a large onion, diced

1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped

1/3 C vegan cheddar, shredded

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375. Cut the tops off the peppers and clean out the innards. Place into a baking dish, preferably with high sides, and sprinkle a little bit of vegan cheddar on the bottom; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the zucchini, onion, and Field Roast. Cook until the zucchini and onion begins to soften, then add the mushrooms. Cook another 3-4 minutes, then stir in the cilantro.

Evenly divide the stuffing amongst the 3 bell peppers. Bake for 22 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake for another 4-5 minutes. Enjoy!

 

Veggie BBQ Tacos September 9, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 7:23 am
Tags: , , , , , , ,

I was inspired by Vegetarian Times for this recipe. I didn’t have some of the ingredients, but thanks to Green Buffalo Foods (our organic veggie service) I was able to whip up my own version. These were incredibly tasty and something I would make on a regular basis. The BBQ sauce was ideal, adding a distinct and unique flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

BBQ Sauce:

1-1/2 Tbs ketchup

1/2 tsp agave

1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp to 1 tsp prepared horseradish (depending on how hot you want it)

Tacos:

1 tsp olive oil

1-1/2 C sliced mushrooms

1/2 C diced mild bullnose peppers (Thanks, GBF)!

1/2 C shredded carrot

3/4 C diced red cabbage

1/2 a pkg of Gimme Lean, Sausage-style, crumbled

6 small corn or flour tortillas (I like the small La Tortilla Factory ones–of course, I didn’t have any)

2 Tbs chopped red onion (Thanks, GBF)!

1/2 C sliced cherry tomatoes (Thanks, GBF)!

1/2 C chopped mixed greens (Kiona Mitsuna, Red Mustard, Arugula—Thanks, GBF)!

Optional: shredded vegan cheddar and pickle relish (highly recommend both)

Mild Bullnose Peppers

La Tortilla Factory Hand Made Style

DIRECTIONS:

To make the sauce, whisk together all of the ingredients; set aside. (The original recipe called for hot sauce, but horseradish was way better). To make the tacos, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the peppers, carrots, cabbage, and mushrooms. Cook them for about 3 minutes, then add the Gimme Lean. If you want more of a ground beef-like texture, I recommend using a food processor for the sausage. It’s gets sticky and mushy when trying to crumble it by hand, but it can be done. Just try chopping them up as they cook. Add the sauce and cook for another 5-6 minutes.

Serve on tortillas (the guys used corn taco shells) and top with cheese, mixed greens, tomatoes, onions, and relish. These particular mixed green gave the tacos a distinct flavor where regular romaine would have tasted bland. Enjoy!

 

Mushroom Chowder with Potatoes and Rosemary September 7, 2011

Filed under: Dinners,Soups — epicureanvegan @ 6:55 am
Tags: , , , , , , ,


Yesterday was a chilly, rainy day where the sun never made an appearance. Dare I say . . . we’ve stumbled into fall? This soup was perfect for a evening like that. This recipe is from Vegetarian Times and the only thing I’d change is add more potatoes and mushrooms or use less broth to make it thicker. Otherwise, this is a super flavorful, delicious stew—loved it.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 oz dried porcini mushrooms

4 Tbs olive oil (I cut this in half)

1-1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes

1-1/2 lb cremini mushrooms,

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs)

1 Tbs plus 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary, divded

1/2 C dry white wine

DIRECTIONS:

Bring 7-1/2 C of water to a boil in a large soup pot. If you want a thicker soup, use less water (or use more potatoes and mushrooms). Add the porcini mushrooms and remove the pot from the heat and let soak for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and dice the potatoes and thickly slice the cremini mushrooms. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbs (or 1 if not using as much) and add the potatoes and salt, if desired. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until they begin to brown.

Strain the porcini mushrooms, reserving the liquid. Return the liquid to the pan. Using cheesecloth (I recommend using a thin cotton napkin), squeeze as much liquid from the porchini mushrooms as possible.

Finely chop the porcini mushrooms and add them to the pot of liquid. Once the potatoes are browned, add them to the pot and throw the cremini mushrooms in the skillet with the remaining olive oil. The recipe says to cook them until they begin to brown, about 15-17 minutes. For me, this happened within 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and 1 Tbs of the rosemary; cook for 20 seconds. Add the wine and simmer 15 seconds. Transfer to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

Puree 2 cups of the soup in a blender and return back into the soup pot. Serve with remaining rosemary sprinkled on top. Enjoy!

 

Vegan Mushroom-Onion Quiche September 2, 2011

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 9:19 am
Tags: , , , , , ,

Yes, you can make a quiche without eggs. Which also means it comes without cholesterol and bird embryos. Ok, I won’t get all crazy-vegan on my non-vegan readers . . . :) But have you seen Forks Over Knives yet? We watched it last night. Please watch it—I guarantee you will come away from it wanting to make positive changes in yours and your kids’ diet.

So onto the quiche . . . I got the recipe from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook. This is so simple to make and tastes rich and creamy. You can also use regular firm tofu for a more scrambly-egg texture–just don’t blend as smooth.  The cookbook offers several variations such as adding spinach, broccoli, or vegetarian bacon bits. I went with the mushroom quiche.

INGREDIENTS:

1 prepared 10″ pie crust

3 C (2 12-oz pkgs) firm silken tofu, mashed

3/4 C plain non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)

1/2 C flour (any kind; I used brown rice flour)

1/4 C nutritional yeast

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/8 tsp white pepper

1 Tbs olive or organic canola or safflower oil (I used olive oil)

1-1/2 C finely chopped onions

2 C sliced mushrooms

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400. Bake the pie crust for 10-12 minutes; let cool. (Mine was done at 8 minutes, so check often). Reduce oven temperature to 350.  In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onions; cook for 3-4 minutes, or until they soften. Add the mushrooms and cook another few minutes.

In the meantime, combine the tofu, milk, flour, nutritional yeast, salt, nutmeg, turmeric, and pepper in a blender. Blend until completely smooth. You’ll probably need to scrapes the sides once or twice and continuing blending.

Pour into a large bowl and stir in the mushrooms and onions. Pour mixture into the prebaked crust. I accidentally picked up a 9″ pie crust, so I poured the extra batter into two ramekins.

Remember, make sure you reduce the heat on the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes. The top will be firm, browned, and slightly puffed up. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

 

Coq Au Vin Fondue & Dipping Sauces August 19, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 7:34 am
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

This is one of those meals that will make you wish you wore your elastic waistbands pants. It’s actually pretty easy to throw together because you can do a lot of the prep work ahead of time. So invite your friends over and don’t be shy, put on some sweatpants or yoga pants and sit down to a long evening of fondue!

INGREDIENTS:

Coq Au Vin Fondue:

3-1/2 C vegetable stock

1/2 C Burgundy wine

1/2 C mushrooms, sliced

1 Tbs garlic, minced

2 green onions, sliced

Cilantro-Yogurt Dip:

1 C soy yogurt

4 green onions, minced

1/4 C cilantro, chopped fine

2 tsp fresh ginger

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sour Cream & Horseradish Dip:

1-1/4 C Tofutti sour cream

5 tsp prepared horseradish

2 Tbs lemon juice

2 Tbs red onion, chopped fine

1/4 tsp cayenne

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sesame-Soy Sauce:

1/2 C tamari

1/4 C rice wine vinegar

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp agave

1 Tbs garlic, minced

1-1/2 tsp fresh ginger

1 green onion, sliced thin

1 Tbs sesame seeds, toasted

2 Tbs fresh chives, chopped

Butter-Mustard Sauce:

1/2 C Earth Balance margarine

3 Tbs Dijon mustard

5 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

The rest:

Whole mushrooms

zucchini/yellow squash

asparagus

potatoes

bell peppers

broccoli


DIRECTIONS:

It’s best to make the dipping sauces ahead of time. The Butter-Mustard Sauce is served warm, so you can do that one last minute. To make the Cilantro-Yogurt Dip, combine all the ingredients and refrigerate. To make the Sour Cream Horseradish Dip, combine all ingredients and refrigerate. To make the Sesame-Soy Dipping Sauce, combine all ingredients and set aside. Refrigerate if not using right away. To make the Butter-Mustard Sauce, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and melt together–takes only a few minutes.

When you’re ready to eat, make the Coq Au Vin Fondue, by combining all the ingredients in a fondue pot and bring to a boil.

Divide the dipping sauces evenly among everyone.


The potatoes will take the longest, so it might be best to zap them in the microwave first, just to soften them a little. Everything else will take 3-5 minutes. Enjoy! (And you’ll know you’re done eating when you pass your fondue forks over to The Husband who will most likely continue to eat for another 45 minutes)!

 

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Field Roast, Ricotta & Spinach August 1, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 6:29 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

I love stuffed pasta shells, but I don’t always love filling up with carbs and wheat from the pasta. This is a fabulous and healthy alternative, which the family raved about. My hegans agreed that these were the best stuffed peppers I made. You can check out the other recipes here.  I used my go-to ricotta recipe, as well as The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook’s Parmezano Sprinkles–both very easy to whip up.

INGREDIENTS:

My go-to ricotta:

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

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

1/4 C Daiya mozzarella

Parmezano Sprinkles:

1/2 C blanched almonds

2 Tbs nutritional yeast

1-2 tsp light miso

1/4 tsp salt

The peppers:

4 bell peppers, washed, tops removed and innards cleaned out

1 tsp olive oil

2 tsp garlic, minced

1 C onion, diced

2 Field Roast sausages, Italian flavor

2 C mushrooms, diced

4 C fresh spinach, chopped

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained

Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

To make the ricotta, crumble the tofu into a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the Daiya) and blend until somewhat smooth. You don’t want it too smooth. Stir in the cheese.

To make the parmezano sprinkles, grind the blanched almonds to a fine consistency. Add the nutritional yeast, miso, and salt. Combine well. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. When you get read to use it, give the container a shake to loosen it all.

Preheat oven to 375. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onions and cook until they just begin to get tender. Using your fingers, crumble up the Field Roast sausages and add to the skillet. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms soften. Stir in the spinach and cook 5 minutes, or until the spinach cooks down a fair bit.

Remove from the heat and let sit for about 10 minutes. Drain any excess tomato juices if you need to. Then, stir in 1 cup of the ricotta mixture.

Stuff each pepper with the mixture, pressing down with every scoop.

Bake for 30 minutes. Top with some of the parmezano sprinkles and bake another 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

 

 
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 205 other followers