Epicurean Vegan

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Vegan Scalloped Yams and Zucchini

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Vegan Scalloped Yams and Zucchini -- Epicurean VeganI 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 med 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 black pepper
1 Tbs rosemary
1/4 C panko
Vegan cheddar shreds

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

Vegan Scalloped Yams and Zucchini -- Epicurean Vegan

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.

Vegan Scalloped Yams and Zucchini -- Epicurean Vegan

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.

Vegan Scalloped Yams and Zucchini -- Epicurean Vegan

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.

Vegan Scalloped Yams and Zucchini -- Epicurean Vegan

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

Vegan Scalloped Yams and Zucchini -- Epicurean Vegan

Vegan Scalloped Yams and Zucchini
 
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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!
Author:
Ingredients
  • 2 large yams, peeled and sliced thin
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 med zucchini, sliced, then quartered
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 2 tsp garlic, minced
  • 2-1/2 Tbs arrowroot
  • ¼ C nutritional yeast
  • 2 C almond milk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbs rosemary
  • ¼ C panko
  • Vegan cheddar shreds
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Boil the yams in a large soup pot for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with the panko and bake another 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

 

Vegan & Soy-Free Ricotta Cheese

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Vegan and Soy-Free Ricotta Cheese -- Epicurean VeganI 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 vegan mozzarella cheese shreds

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.

Vegan and Soy-Free Ricotta Cheese -- Epicurean Vegan

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.

Vegan and Soy-Free Ricotta Cheese -- Epicurean Vegan

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

Vegan and Soy-Free Ricotta Cheese -- Epicurean Vegan

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.

Vegan and Soy-Free Ricotta Cheese -- Epicurean Vegan

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

Vegan and Soy-Free Ricotta Cheese -- Epicurean Vegan

Enjoy!

Vegan & Soy-Free Ricotta Cheese
 
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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.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 C blanched almonds
  • 1 C cashews
  • 1 C cold water
  • ⅛ C olive oil
  • 3-4 Tbs lemon juice
  • ⅓ C nutritional yeast
  • 1 C fresh basil
  • 1 Tbs fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ⅓ C vegan mozzarella cheese shreds
Directions
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Next, add the basil, rosemary, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, pepper. Blend until well combined. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese.
  4. 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.
  5. Layer on some sauce and Daiya cheese and you're good to go. Bake covered for 25 minutes at 375. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Granola Bars

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Gluten-Free Granola Bars -- Epicurean VeganThese are packed with nutty love! They’re also simple to make and grab while you’re on the go. You can sub in your favorite nuts, dried fruit, or even some chopped coconut. Go wild!

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 C quick oats
2 Tbs brown rice flour
2 Tbs quinoa flakes
1/2 C nuts, chopped (I used peanuts and pecans)
1/4 C sunflower seeds
1/4 Cchia seeds
2 Tbs flaxseeds
1/2 C dried fruit, chopped (I used Craisins)
1/2 C dark chocolate chips
3 Tbs almond butter
1 small avocado, peeled and pitted
2 Tbs brown rice syrup
3 Tbs almond milk
1 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, quinoa flakes, nuts, seeds, fruit, and chocolate chips.

Gluten-Free Granola Bars -- Epicurean Vegan

Using a fork, mash up the avocado. Add the almond butter, almond milk, syrup, and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients and thoroughly combine. Lightly oil an 8″ baking pan and press the mixture evenly in the dish.

Gluten-Free Granola Bars -- Epicurean Vegan

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.

Gluten-Free Granola Bars -- Epicurean Vegan

Cool the pan on a rack, then cut into squares. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Granola Bars
 
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These are packed with nutty love! They're also simple to make and grab while you're on the go. You can sub in your favorite nuts, dried fruit, or even some chopped coconut. Go wild!
Author:
Ingredients
  • ¾ C quick oats
  • 2 Tbs brown rice flour
  • 2 Tbs quinoa flakes
  • ½ C nuts, chopped (I used peanuts and pecans)
  • ¼ C sunflower seeds
  • ¼ Cchia seeds
  • 2 Tbs flaxseeds
  • ½ C dried fruit, chopped (I used Craisins)
  • ½ C dark chocolate chips
  • 3 Tbs almond butter
  • 1 small avocado, peeled and pitted
  • 2 Tbs brown rice syrup
  • 3 Tbs almond milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, quinoa flakes, nuts, seeds, fruit, and chocolate chips.
  2. Using a fork, mash up the avocado. Add the almond butter, almond milk, syrup, and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients and thoroughly combine. Lightly oil an 8" baking pan and press the mixture evenly in the dish.
  3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.
  4. Cool the pan on a rack, then cut into squares. Enjoy!

Carrot & Roasted Bell Pepper Soup

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Carrot and Roasted Bell Pepper Soup -- Epicurean VeganI don’t go out of my way to eat carrots. Typically, I only buy them for recipes or for juicing (when added to other juiced veggies). I decided to go out on limb and try this soup from Color Me Vegan. I actually was hooked when I had a similar soup at Black Cat in Boulder. And this recipe is fantastic; very simple to make, too. It’s full of flavor—the thyme is perfect in this dish. The recipe calls for 2 cups of nondairy milk, so next time I think I’ll sub in one cup of coconut milk to change it up and add a different element to it.

INGREDIENTS:
3 carrots (I used two large ones), peeled and chopped
2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped
1 yellow potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C dry sherry or white wine (I used cooking sherry)
1/4 tsp salt (or more for taste)
2 jarred roasted bell peppers, coarsely chopped
2 tsp dried thyme
3 C vegetable stock
1/3 C yellow miso
2 C almond milk
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:
In a large soup pot, combine the carrots, onions, potato, garlic, salt, and sherry. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid evaporates.

Carrot and Roasted Bell Pepper Soup -- Epicurean Vegan

Add the roasted red peppers, thyme, and stock. Cover it and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender.

Carrot and Roasted Bell Pepper Soup -- Epicurean Vegan

Transfer to a blender along with the miso and 1 cup of the milk. Blend until completely smooth. Return the soup to the pot and slowly stir in the remaining 1 cup of milk.

Carrot and Roasted Bell Pepper Soup -- Epicurean Vegan

Reheat and add the cayenne and possibly more salt. Serve with salad and bread. Enjoy!

Carrot & Roasted Bell Pepper Soup
 
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I don't go out of my way to eat carrots. Typically, I only buy them for recipes or for juicing (when added to other juiced veggies). I decided to go out on limb and try this soup from Color Me Vegan. I actually was hooked when I had a similar soup at Black Cat in Boulder. And this recipe is fantastic; very simple to make, too. It's full of flavor---the thyme is perfect in this dish. The recipe calls for 2 cups of nondairy milk, so next time I think I'll sub in one cup of coconut milk to change it up and add a different element to it.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 3 carrots (I used two large ones), peeled and chopped
  • 2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped
  • 1 yellow potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ C dry sherry or white wine (I used cooking sherry)
  • ¼ tsp salt (or more for taste)
  • 2 jarred roasted bell peppers, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 3 C vegetable stock
  • ⅓ C yellow miso
  • 2 C almond milk
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Directions
  1. In a large soup pot, combine the carrots, onions, potato, garlic, salt, and sherry. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid evaporates.
  2. Add the roasted red peppers, thyme, and stock. Cover it and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender.
  3. Transfer to a blender along with the miso and 1 cup of the milk. Blend until completely smooth. Return the soup to the pot and slowly stir in the remaining 1 cup of milk.
  4. Reheat and add the cayenne and possibly more salt. Serve with salad and bread. Enjoy!

Mushroom Barley Soup

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Mushroom Barley Soup -- Epicurean VeganThis recipe is from Color Me Vegan, a cookbook I bought over the summer, but I’m just now getting around to using it. I had marked so many of the recipes as ones to try, and I have a couple more this week that I plan to make. I really love this cookbook!

The flavor was really outstanding and of course, the truffle oil is the piece de resistance. It’s subtle, yet still distinguishable. I would certainly make this again, but I would probably use more barley and use kale instead of carrots—it all depends on what you like. It’s a satisfying, tasty soup that’s sure to become a staple around here.

INGREDIENTS:
4 C water
3/4 C uncooked pearl barley
2 medium onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 Tbs olive oil
1-1/2 lbs sliced fresh mushrooms (I used a combo of white and cremini)
2 C carrots, chopped
6 C mushroom or veggie broth–or half of each. (I used 2 C portobello mushroom soup and 4 C vegetable broth)
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs truffle oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 Tbs fresh parsley, minced

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium sauce pan, bring the water and barley to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes—you only want to partially cook it. Use a fine mesh strainer to drain it. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and cook the onions and celery for about 7 minutes.

Mushroom Barley Soup -- Epicurean Vegan

Add the mushrooms.

Mushroom Barley Soup -- Epicurean Vegan

That may seem like a lot, but remember, mushrooms always cook down quite a bit. Stirring often, cook the mushrooms for about 5-10 minutes.

Mushroom Barley Soup -- Epicurean Vegan

Stir in the carrots, tomato paste, broth, and partially cooked barley.

Mushroom Barley Soup -- Epicurean Vegan

Bring to a boil, them reduce heat, and cover. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the truffle oil, salt, and pepper.

Mushroom Barley Soup -- Epicurean Vegan

Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Enjoy!

Mushroom Barley Soup
 
Print
This recipe is from Color Me Vegan, a cookbook I bought over the summer, but I'm just now getting around to using it. I had marked so many of the recipes as ones to try, and I have a couple more this week that I plan to make. I really love this cookbook! The flavor was really outstanding and of course, the truffle oil is the piece de resistance. It's subtle, yet still distinguishable. I would certainly make this again, but I would probably use more barley and use kale instead of carrots---it all depends on what you like. It's a satisfying, tasty soup that's sure to become a staple around here.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 4 C water
  • ¾ C uncooked pearl barley
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 1-1/2 lbs sliced fresh mushrooms (I used a combo of white and cremini)
  • 2 C carrots, chopped
  • 6 C mushroom or veggie broth--or half of each. (I used 2 C portobello mushroom soup and 4 C vegetable broth)
  • 1 Tbs tomato paste
  • 1 Tbs truffle oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 3 Tbs fresh parsley, minced
Directions
  1. In a medium sauce pan, bring the water and barley to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes---you only want to partially cook it. Use a fine mesh strainer to drain it. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and cook the onions and celery for about 7 minutes.
  2. Add the mushrooms. That may seem like a lot, but remember, mushrooms always cook down quite a bit. Stirring often, cook the mushrooms for about 5-10 minutes.
  3. Stir in the carrots, tomato paste, broth, and partially cooked barley.
  4. Bring to a boil, them reduce heat, and cover. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the truffle oil, salt, and pepper.
  5. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Enjoy!

Avocado Cupcakes

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Avocado Cupcakes -- Epicurean VeganYes, that’s right. Avocado Cupcakes. I love incorporating avocado into recipes when I can, especially when I can use it to replace the oil in baked goods. The Glazed Chocolate-Avocado Cupcakes proved that avocados belong in cupcakes, so I decided to try making them without the cocoa and made some other minor adjustments. They came out perfect! Soft, moist and green! It’s good to be green.

INGREDIENTS:
Cupcakes:
1-1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 avocado, pitted and peeled
1/2 C Florida Crystals sugar
3/4 C almond milk
1/3 C vanilla soy yogurt
2 tsp vanilla
Frosting:
1/2 C vegan margarine
2-3 C confectioner’s sugar
Almond milk

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 and line a 12-cup muffin with liners. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the food processor, puree the avocado. Add the almond milk, yogurt, sugar, and vanilla; blend until smooth and creamy.

Avocado Cupcakes -- Epicurean Vegan

Combine the avocado mixture with the flour mixture by using a whisk.

Avocado Cupcakes -- Epicurean Vegan

Evenly fill the 12 muffin cups.

Avocado Cupcakes -- Epicurean Vegan

Bake for 25 minutes.

Avocado Cupcakes -- Epicurean Vegan

Let them cool completely before frosting them. To make the frosting, cream the margarine and add some almond milk, then some sugar. I didn’t measure these out, I just added a little at a time to reach a thick consistency. Using a pastry bag, I frosted the tops. You can also spread it on with a knife. I got fancy; as fancy as I can get in the time I had. 🙂

Avocado Cupcakes -- Epicurean Vegan

Avocado Cupcakes
 
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Yes, that's right. Avocado Cupcakes. I love incorporating avocado into recipes when I can, especially when I can use it to replace the oil in baked goods. The Glazed Chocolate-Avocado Cupcakes proved that avocados belong in cupcakes, so I decided to try making them without the cocoa and made some other minor adjustments. They came out perfect! Soft, moist and green! It's good to be green.
Author:
Ingredients
  • Cupcakes:
  • 1-1/2 C flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¾ tsp baking soda
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 1 avocado, pitted and peeled
  • ½ C Florida Crystals sugar
  • ¾ C almond milk
  • ⅓ C vanilla soy yogurt
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • Frosting:
  • ½ C vegan margarine
  • 2-3 C confectioner's sugar
  • Almond milk
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a 12-cup muffin with liners. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the food processor, puree the avocado. Add the almond milk, yogurt, sugar, and vanilla; blend until smooth and creamy.
  2. Combine the avocado mixture with the flour mixture by using a whisk.
  3. Evenly fill the 12 muffin cups.
  4. Bake for 25 minutes.
  5. Let them cool completely before frosting them. To make the frosting, cream the margarine and add some almond milk, then some sugar. I didn't measure these out, I just added a little at a time to reach a thick consistency. Using a pastry bag, I frosted the tops. You can also spread it on with a knife. I got fancy; as fancy as I can get in the time I had. 🙂

Vegan Calzones

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Vegan Calzones -- Epicurean VeganThe Seventh Grader wanted calzones for his birthday dinner and it’s so easy to let guests make their own with their choice of ingredients. I made some tofu ricotta cheese, had mushrooms, spinach, black olives, and green bell pepper to fill up the calzones. Bake, then top with warm marinara and you’re ready to eat!

INGREDIENTS:
Dough:
I packet (2-1/4 tsp) yeast
1 C warm water
2 Tbs agave
1/4 C olive oil
3-1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
Calzones:
Veggies of your choice, such as: spinach, mushrooms, tofu ricotta, bell pepper, roasted red pepper, Daiya Mozzarella, etc.
1 jar marinara sauce (This was enough for 5 calzones)

DIRECTIONS:
Using a mixer, combine the water, yeast, and agave and blend well. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to get foamy. In medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. With the mixer running, add the oil, then gradually, the flour.

Vegan Calzones -- Epicurean Vegan

Squeeze the dough together tightly and knead it a little to get a smooth ball. Place it in a large, oiled bowl.

Vegan Calzones -- Epicurean Vegan

Cover with a dish towel and place it in a warm place for about an hour. It ought to nearly triple in size.

Vegan Calzones -- Epicurean Vegan

Punch it down and transfer to a floured surface. Knead the dough for 3-5  minutes, or until you no longer hear “dough-farts.” I divided the dough into 5 parts or five calzones, but you can easily get 6-7 calzones from this recipe. I rolled them out ahead of time and layered them in between sheets of waxed paper.

Vegan Calzones -- Epicurean Vegan

If you do this, I recommend lightly greasing the waxed paper sheets. I then placed the stack in a large ziplock and stored them in the fridge until we were ready to assemble them.

Preheat oven to 350. Fill up the calzones with whatever veggies you’d like. You can also ladle some marinara sauce inside, too. I’ve never been good about making things like this look pretty, so we ended up with a motley crew of calzones.

Vegan Calzones -- Epicurean Vegan

Bake for 12-15 minutes–not too long, or the tops will get hard and crunchy.

Vegan Calzones -- Epicurean Vegan

Top with some marinara sauce and enjoy!

Vegan Calzones
 
Print
The Seventh Grader wanted calzones for his birthday dinner and it's so easy to let guests make their own with their choice of ingredients. I made some tofu ricotta cheese, had mushrooms, spinach, black olives, and green bell pepper to fill up the calzones. Bake, then top with warm marinara and you're ready to eat!
Author:
Ingredients
  • Dough:
  • I packet (2-1/4 tsp) yeast
  • 1 C warm water
  • 2 Tbs agave
  • ¼ C olive oil
  • 3-1/2 C flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Calzones:
  • Veggies of your choice, such as: spinach, mushrooms, tofu ricotta, bell pepper, roasted red pepper, Daiya Mozzarella, etc.
  • 1 jar marinara sauce (This was enough for 5 calzones)
Directions
  1. Using a mixer, combine the water, yeast, and agave and blend well. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to get foamy. In medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. With the mixer running, add the oil, then gradually, the flour.
  2. Squeeze the dough together tightly and knead it a little to get a smooth ball. Place it in a large, oiled bowl.
  3. Cover with a dish towel and place it in a warm place for about an hour. It ought to nearly triple in size.
  4. Punch it down and transfer to a floured surface. Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes, or until you no longer hear "dough-farts." I divided the dough into 5 parts or five calzones, but you can easily get 6-7 calzones from this recipe. I rolled them out ahead of time and layered them in between sheets of waxed paper.
  5. If you do this, I recommend lightly greasing the waxed paper sheets. I then placed the stack in a large ziplock and stored them in the fridge until we were ready to assemble them.
  6. Preheat oven to 350. Fill up the calzones with whatever veggies you'd like. You can also ladle some marinara sauce inside, too. I've never been good about making things like this look pretty, so we ended up with a motley crew of calzones.
  7. Bake for 12-15 minutes--not too long, or the tops will get hard and crunchy.
  8. Top with some marinara sauce and enjoy!

Halloween Shenanigans

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I’m a little slow in getting this post up—I’ve been swamped, but here it is. I LOVE Halloween—behind Christmas, it’s my favorite holiday. It’s The Husband’s least favorite holiday, but he puts up with it for me. (Thanks, hon). He’ll even don a costume . . .

The Husband, on the left, after getting fed up with the (cheaply made) Headless Man costume and our good friend, and neighbor, Chris.

I decided to go as a witch . . .

(No, I’m not drunk, just hamming it up for the camera)

I’ll make this quick . . . I threw together some appetizer favorites along with a pot of Vegetable-Barley Chili. On the menu were Stuff Phyllo Cups, Mushroom/Spinach Truffle Oil Tart, Hummus, and my mom’s famous Party Cheese Ball.

For dips, I used Tofutti sour cream with vegan veggie mixes, had some olive out, as well as cider and punch. For something sweet, I decided to make Cinnamon-Sugar Pita Chips:

So easy! Preheat oven to 425. Cut each pita in half, then each half into 3 pieces, then pull each piece apart; place on a baking sheet.  Heat about 4 Tbs of Earth Balance in a saucepan and combine 2 Tbs sugar and 1 tsp of cinnamon in a bowl. Brush each pita triangle with Earth Balance, then sprinkle with the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake for about 4-5 minutes. Once they cool completely, whip up some icing by combining about 2 cups of powdered sugar with 2-3 Tbs of almond milk; drizzle on the chip. Enjoy!

Can you guess what my friend, Jessie is?

 

Plum and Pear Cobbler

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Plum n' Pear Cobbler -- Epicurean VeganAdmittedly, I’m not  great about eating fruit. Very rarely, I’ll bite into an apple, but give me a luscious bunch of kale and I’m all over it. So I always feel bad when I have to toss squishy apples and pears away because no one has eaten them. But baked fruit, I can do. I’ll take apple pie or a fruit tart over chocolate cake any day, and add some nondairy ice cream and I’m a happy camper. I wasn’t about to let these pears and plums whither away on my counter, so the Seventh Grader and I made this wonderful cobbler!

Plum n' Pear Cobbler -- Epicurean Vegan

INGREDIENTS:
4 pears, sliced (leave the skins on)
4-5 plums, slice (with skins)
1/2 C brown sugar
2 Tbs flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C vegan margarine, cut into chunks
1 C oats
1/4 C almond milk (or other nondairy milk)
Nondairy ice cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375. Combine the fruit in a baking dish–an 8×8 would be fine.

Plum n' Pear Cobbler -- Epicurean Vegan

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, margarine, oats, and milk. Use a fork or pastry blender to combine everything; making sure the butter turns to small pea-sized pieces. It will be a wet mixture. Top the fruit with the oat mixture.

Plum n' Pear Cobbler -- Epicurean Vegan

Bake covered for 20-25 minutes. (It will smell sooooo good baking . . . 🙂 ) Top with some nondairy ice cream and thoroughly enjoy!

Plum n' Pear Cobbler -- Epicurean Vegan

Plum and Pear Cobbler
 
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Admittedly, I'm not great about eating fruit. Very rarely, I'll bite into an apple, but give me a luscious bunch of kale and I'm all over it. So I always feel bad when I have to toss squishy apples and pears away because no one has eaten them. But baked fruit, I can do. I'll take apple pie or a fruit tart over chocolate cake any day, and add some nondairy ice cream and I'm a happy camper. I wasn't about to let these pears and plums whither away on my counter, so the Seventh Grader and I made this wonderful cobbler!
Author:
Ingredients
  • 4 pears, sliced (leave the skins on)
  • 4-5 plums, slice (with skins)
  • ½ C brown sugar
  • 2 Tbs flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ C vegan margarine, cut into chunks
  • 1 C oats
  • ¼ C almond milk (or other nondairy milk)
  • Nondairy ice cream (optional)
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 375. Combine the fruit in a baking dish--an 8x8 would be fine.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, margarine, oats, and milk. Use a fork or pastry blender to combine everything; making sure the butter turns to small pea-sized pieces. It will be a wet mixture. Top the fruit with the oat mixture.
  3. Bake covered for 20-25 minutes. (It will smell sooooo good baking . . . 🙂 ) Top with some nondairy ice cream and thoroughly enjoy!

Mushroom and Spinach Manicotti

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Mushroom and Spinach Manicotti -- Epicurean VeganIt’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.

Mushroom and Spinach Manicotti -- Epicurean Vegan

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

Mushroom and Spinach Manicotti -- Epicurean Vegan

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.

Mushroom and Spinach Manicotti -- Epicurean Vegan

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

Mushroom and Spinach Manicotti
 
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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!
Author:
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
  • ½ C diced onion
  • ½ C Daiya mozzarella
  • Tofu Ricotta:
  • 1 14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
  • ⅓ C nutritional yeast
  • 1 C fresh basil
  • 2 Tbs fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 2 Tbs lemon juice
Directions
  1. 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.
  2. Combine the tofu mixture and the mushroom mixture in a medium bowl. Stir in the spinach.
  3. Pour about a half the sauce on the bottom of a 9x13" 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.
  4. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5-7 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

 

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