Epicurean Vegan

Healthy eating for discriminating palates

Angela’s Vegan Quiche April 23, 2011

Filed under: Breakfasts — epicureanvegan @ 9:04 am
Tags: , , , , , ,

This wonderful recipe comes from Angela of Vegangela, one of my favorite vegan bloggers. Her recipes all look amazing—I’ve bookmarked so many of them. I had to try this one out—perfect for Easter, by the way. The Sixth Grader remarked, “It’s amazing,” and The Husband, who loved quiche before going vegan, couldn’t get enough  of it. I made only one or two minor changes, otherwise, I followed Angela’s recipe as she posted it. Next time I make it (and believe me, it will be a regular thing at my house) I’ll add mushrooms. Angela also lists sun-dried tomatoes as another addition.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbs olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 bag fresh spinach or 1/2 package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained (I used 3 cups of fresh spinach)

1/2 cup cashews, soaked in water for an hour and drained

1/2 block firm tofu

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

4 Tbs soy milk (I used almond milk)

1/2 tsp tumeric

Salt & pepper

1 package defrosted phyllo dough, or 1 vegan pie crust

1/4 tsp paprika

1-2 tomatoes, sliced (optional)

1 C mushrooms, diced (optional)

1/2 C fresh basil, chopped (I added that to the spinach)

1/3 C Daiya cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375. If using the phyllo pastry sheet, be sure to thaw it according to the package instructions. I thought I was being so clever by placing it in a zip lock and placing it in warm water. Wrong. Since it’s folded in thirds, it will meld together. I’m such a dork. So I ended up shaping it into a ball and rolling it out. No biggie, but really not as easy. I ended up piecing the darn thing together to make it fit into a pie plate and it came out funky, but still worked!

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onion and cook a few minutes—until they start to brown. Add the spinach (and basil, if using), along with some salt and pepper. Cook a few more minutes, or until the spinach starts to wilt; remove from heat.

Meanwhile in a food processor, grind the cashews up until fine. Add the tofu, nutritional yeast, milk, and turmeric. Blend until smooth and creamy. You may need to add a bit more milk.

In a medium bowl, combine the tofu mixture and spinach mixture. You can stir in some cheese if you’d like, too. Line a pie plate with the pastry sheet, just like a pie crust. Pour the tofu/spinach filling into the pie and spread around evenly.


Bake for 20 minutes. I then sprinkled the top with a mixture of Daiya cheddar and mozzarella and baked it another 10 minutes, or until the crust browned and the cheese is melted.

You will love this vegan quiche—a fabulous and easy breakfast. Thanks, Angela for sharing this winning recipe! :)

 

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!

 

Peanutty Tofu Roll-Ups April 1, 2011

Filed under: Dinners,Lunches — epicureanvegan @ 6:38 am
Tags: , , , , ,

These wraps are excellent for a fresh and quick meal that you can customize to your liking. The recipe comes from 1000 Vegan Recipes, but I altered it a little, as I thought it was too peanut buttery. You can add your own favorite veggies to make your perfect wrap.

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz firm tofu, drained and patted dry

2/3 C peanut butter (I used just a 1/3 C–and crunchy, too. The food processor smooths it out anyway)

1 Tbs soy sauce (I used tamari)

1 Tbs lime juice

1/2 tsp grated ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 Tbs yellow miso (I added this)

4- 10″ tortillas or lavish bread

Veggies I used: spinach, sliced carrots, sliced cucumber, and sliced orange bell pepper

DIRECTIONS:

In a food processor, combine the tofu, peanut butter, and tamari; process until smooth. Add lime juice, ginger, garlic, and cayenne; continue to process until smooth and well blended. Leave for 30 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to blend.

Assemble the wraps by spreading some tofu mixture on a tortilla, add your favorite veggies, wrap up, and slice in half. Enjoy!

 

Plum Crock Cheez February 1, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 2:41 pm
Tags: , , , , ,

Today’s high is a whopping -4 degrees. School was even canceled. So not only is it a great day to be in the kitchen (later I’ll be baking something delish–stayed tuned), but thanks to the snow day, I’ll be home to watch Oprah and her vegan challenge! Since the crock cheez was such a big success, I decided to make it again, but follow one of the variations listed in the cookbook (The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook).  This one is actually called, “Plum Good Crock Cheez” and uses umeboshi plum paste. It is outstanding! It tastes very similar to the original version, but with a tangier, sweeter punch. I’m not sure which version is my favorite!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 lb (8oz) firm tofu, drained

3 Tbs nutritional yeast

2 Tbs tahini

2 Tbs lemon juice

1-1/2 Tbs umeboshi plum paste

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dry mustard

DIRECTIONS:

Cut tofu into large cubes. Place in a small saucepan and cover with water—just enough to cover the tofu. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain well. I used a fine mesh strainer to ensure any small pieces didn’t fall through. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator until it’s easy to handle. Crumble it up into a food processor and add the other ingredients. Process until smooth, scraping the sides, if necessary. Transfer to an airtight container and chill in the fridge for several hours to overnight. Enjoy!

 

Crock Cheez January 5, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 5:31 pm
Tags: , , , , , ,

When I tell people I’m vegan,  a lot of them will say that they could probably give up meat, but cheese?! Are you kidding? They just can’t give up this coagulated, compressed, salty, melty product of milk. I can understand; back in the day, I was definitely a cheese-whore. But thanks to The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook, I can go back to my cheese-whoring days of yore. If  you don’t already have this cookbook, run, walk, bike, drive (carpool, if you can), ride the bus . . . to the nearest locally-owned and operated (if possible) bookstore and buy it!  Either that, or visit me often, because rest assured, I will be making (and posting) every recipe from this cookbook throughout the coming months. I am amazed at how delicious (and easy!) these recipes are. I know . .  *eye roll* . . .there may be a few cheeze recipes that won’t fool you skeptics out there, but that’s ok, I’m aware that some fake cheese taste, well, fake. It’s gonna happen, but I’m finding that there are enough out there to make up for those few.

This crock cheeze is absolutely amazing! It tastes incredible. The cookbook also list several different variations of this recipe that I will definitely try–watch out for those posts. :)   I made it shortly before dinner and I wanted to eat just that on crackers, but my family would have gone hungry . . . I don’t know that I would have shared.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 lb (8oz) firm regular tofu, drained

3 Tbs nutritional yeast

2 Tbs Tahini or raw cashew butter (I used tahini)

2 Tbs lemon juice

1-1/2 Tbs light miso

1 tsp onion powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dry mustard

I love Denver Tofu (not just because I live in Colorado) but because it really is outstanding.

DIRECTIONS:

Cut tofu into large cubes. Place in a small saucepan and cover with water—just enough to cover the tofu. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and drain well. I used a fine mesh strainer to ensure any small pieces didn’t fall through. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator until it’s easy to handle. Crumble it up into a food processor and add the other ingredients. Process until smooth, scraping the sides, if necessary. Transfer to an airtight container and chill in the fridge for several hours to overnight. This is a pretty important step, like with the Party Cheese Ball and the Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip. The flavors really need a chance to mesh and mingle. That is, if you can wait that long. :)

 

Glazed Chocolate-Avocado Cupcakes December 22, 2010

Filed under: Desserts — epicureanvegan @ 4:44 pm
Tags: , ,

Avocado and chocolate? Absolutely! You can’t taste the avocado, but it takes the place of eggs, as well as some of the oil. These cupcakes are so rich, moist, fluffy and decadent. Even the Husband said, “Oh man, these are dangerous.”

INGREDIENTS:

Cupcakes:

1-1/2 C flour

3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1 avocado, pitted and peeled

1 C pure maple syrup (I used light pancake syrup)

3/4 C plain soy milk (I used almond milk)

1/3 C canola oil

2 tsp vanilla

Glaze:

1/4 block soft silken tofu (from a 14-oz container), drained and patted dry

3 Tbs pure maple syrup (again, I used light pancake syrup)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

4 oz semisweet chocolate chips, melted

DIRECTIONS:

To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Puree the avocado in a food processor until smooth. Add the maple syrup, almond milk, oil, and vanilla; blend until creamy. Whisk into flour mixture.

Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin cups. I wasn’t sure how much to fill them because you never know with muffins, but as long as you evenly divide the batter among the cups, you’ll be fine.

Bake for 25 minutes.

To make the glaze, blend the tofu, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in the food processor. Add the melted chocolate and blend thoroughly.

Transfer to a bowl.

Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the glaze, pulling up straight to form peaks. Enjoy!

Recipe: Vegetarian Times

 

Creamy Veggie Bake (Made possible by Green Buffalo Food Co.) December 13, 2010

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 8:08 pm
Tags: , , , , , , ,

When one door closes, another one opens. In this case, when one CSA ends, another comes! We had our last week of our CSA this last Monday, and luckily, I met another food delivery company in my area, at an event for our Writers Association. Green Buffalo Food Company delivers organic, locally-grown/raised food right to your door. I was very enticed by the fact that they don’t require a contract–just weekly or bi-weekly delivery and we can tell them what we don’t want in our delivery. I have 3 butternut squashes on my counter, so I can wait on getting more. Oh, and fruit! It includes fruit!

We received our first delivery today and let me tell you . . .I get excited over home-delivered organic vegetables! Christmas came early.

Isn’t it a gorgeous box of produce?! (potatoes are in the bag). Organic is of course wonderful, but it  isn’t always the prettiest—or the very large, so I was very impressed with what we got.  And everything is packed so carefully and sweetly (which is fitting because Ali and Ryan, who own GBF, are incredibly lovely people). (sorry, that’s a lot of adverbs). I was giddy with vegan excitement as I perused through the box, wondering what to make for dinner. I had to refrain from using everything—reminding myself that it needed to last the week. I opted for a vegetable bake that didn’t use up everything and certainly didn’t disappoint.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbs olive oil

2 tsp garlic

1 large zucchini, sliced, then quartered

2 C mushrooms, quartered

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1-8oz pkg. tempeh, cubed (small)

2 small broccoli heads, florets only

1/2 C almond milk

1 pkg Silken tofu

1/2 C nutritional yeast

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 C vegan cheddar (I used a combo of cheddar and mozzarella)

1/2 C bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:


Preheat oven to 375. In a large skillet heat olive oil and garlic. Add the zucchini, broccoli, bell pepper, onion, and tempeh. Saute on medium heat until they just barely begin to soften. Add mushroom and saute another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the tofu, nutritional yeast, almond milk, garlic salt, and pepper in a food processor. You can also just whisk it in a bowl; stir in the cheese.

Lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish and layer half of the sauce on bottom. Add the vegetable mixture, then top with the rest of the sauce. Stir around to combine everything.

Cover and bake 40 minutes. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top and bake another 10 minutes.

Let sit for about 5-8 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

 

Tofu in Tahini Sauce November 4, 2010

Filed under: Dinners,Vegan MoFo — epicureanvegan @ 5:00 am
Tags: , , , , ,

Vegan MoFo, Day 4

I know, a very monochromatic meal! The recipe called for mixing half the sauce with the rice, or other accompaniment, but feel free to omit that step, especially for a less beige result. I also recommend adding some steam asparagus and/or mushrooms, or broccoli. This is simple and the sauce is rich and delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

1-14oz pkg firm tofu, drained and pressed

2 Tbs olive or peanut oil

1/3 C chopped peanuts, cashews, or a combination of both

Toasted sesame seeds

Sauce:

1/4 C soy sauce

1 Tbs tamari

1/4 C tahini

2 Tbs rice wine vinegar

2 Tbs brown sugar

1/2 tsp hot pepper sesame oil

1/2 a small white onion, chopped

1/3 C water

Salt, to taste

Accompaniment:

1 C Arborio rice (risotto)

1 Tbs Earth Balance margarine

1-1/2 C water

DIRECTIONS:

I recommend making the sauce first so that you don’t have to pan-fry the tofu at the same time. In a food processor, combine all of the sauce ingredients and puree until smooth. Set aside. In a medium sauce pan, combine the water, margarine, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover tightly with a lid for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil. Slice the tofu into 7-8 steaks, then slice each diagonally in half. Add to the pan and fry each main side until golden brown.

Pour sauce over tofu and coat each piece of tofu.Remove from heat and stir in nuts. If using, add steamed (or roasted) veggies of your choice. Serve over rice, sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds and enjoy!

Recipe: Adapted from Epicurious

 

Savory Tofu and Sauteed Apples September 23, 2010

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 6:20 pm
Tags: , , , ,

This was a very sweet and savory meal—the flavors meshed so beautifully together. I made enough for leftovers, but the recipe can easily be split in half. The original recipe is from Whole Foods, but I deviated off their version a little.

INGREDIENTS:

Marinade:

4 Tbs balsamic vinegar

2 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs agave

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

Salt and pepper, to taste

The rest:

2-14 ounce pkgs extra firm tofu, drained and pressed

1 med onion, sliced thin

5 large mushrooms, cut quartered

1 large carrot, sliced thin

2 Tbs Earth Balance margarine

5 Grannie-Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced

Parsley, garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400. Combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, agave nectar, garlic, oregano, thyme, sea salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.

Cut tofu into 16 equal slices.

Pierce the tofu in several places with a fork to allow the flavor of the marinade to penetrate. Pour balsamic mixture over tofu and marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer tofu to a shallow 15-inch baking pan. Add onion, mushrooms and carrots. Pour balsamic marinade over tofu and vegetables, brushing to coat everything.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the tofu and continue to bake an additional 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare apples. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the margarine. Add the apple slices and sauté until tender and lightly browned but not mushy, about 10 to 15 minutes.

The original recipe says to serve apples alongside the tofu as a side, but I highly recommend eating them together–very, very good! I also served Near East brand pilaf, Mushroom and Herb flavor:

Enjoy!

 

Kale, Chard, and Tofu Calzones September 6, 2010

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 7:20 pm
Tags: , , , , ,

When I said I was making calzones tonight, The Husband joked, ‘Oh, yeah, those nine pounders?’ Ok, yes, these calzones typically run a little big. I should call them “No Joke Calzones.” They’re a little different than the other calzone recipe I’ve made by adding the same tofu mixture that I use for lasagna and stuffed shells. I had some leftover tofu mixture so I just threw in the freezer—I’ll use add it to a batch of lasagna at some point. This is also a great recipe for sneaking in some extra veggies, especially for the kids—they’ll never know!

INGREDIENTS:

Dough: (from Vegan Planet)

1-1/2 tsp active dry yeast

3/4 C warm water ( I found that I needed another 1/2 cup)

2-1/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

Pinch of sugar or natural sweetener

1 Tbs olive oil, plus more for spreading

The Tofu mixture:

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

1/3 C nutritional yeast

1 C fresh basil (I also threw in a tablespoon or two of fresh rosemary)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 Tbs lemon juice

The rest:

4 C chard and kale, chopped (you can also add in some spinach)

1-3.8 oz can of sliced black olives

6 mushrooms, sliced

1-1/2 C vegan mozzarella cheese

1 jar marinara sauce

DIRECTIONS:

To make dough: Place yeast in a small bowl. Add 1/4 C of the water and stir to dissolve. Set aside for 5-10 minutes. To make the dough in the food processor (like I did), combine the flour, salt, and sugar, pulsing to blend. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture through the feeding tube, along with the olive oil and as much of the remaining 1/2 water (I needed another 1/3 C in addition to the 1/2 C) as necessary to make the dough hold together. To make the dough by hand, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture, olive oil, and remaining 1/2 C water until well combined. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large oiled bowl. Spread a small amount of oil on top of the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Use immediately or store for up to 8 hours in the refrigerator or for 3-4 weeks in the freezer. Make sure it is tightly wrapped in plastic.

To make tofu mixture: Add tofu, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lemon juice to a food processor and process well until the mixture resembles ricotta cheese.

Preheat oven to 375. Punch the dough down and divide it into fourths. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a 1/4″ thick circle. Divide the filling equally between the dough circles, leaving a 1″ border around the edge. I layered on some tofu mixture, greens mix, olives, mushrooms, and cheese.

Fold over one side and roll up the bottom part and press with a fork to seal the edges.

Place on a baking sheet lined with foil that is slightly greased. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

In the meantime, heat the sauce in a small saucepan. Ladle a scoopful on top of each calzone and add a bit of cheese. Enjoy!

 

 
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 205 other followers