Vegan Archives - Page 12 of 22

Garden Wraps

January 10, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I’m no June Cleaver, but I will go that extra mile to make sure the kid eats a healthy and delicious lunch at school. As I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, it’s important to include kids when making meals, especially when it comes to eating vegan. We’ve been lucky that The Sixth Grader has embraced veganism so willingly and he loves participating in cooking and meal-planning. So he was getting a little bored with St. Ives ham sandwiches, so together, we came up with a new idea: Garden Wraps. Yes, there is work involved—I spent some time Sunday afternoon making them, but golly, Wally, they are so good and worth it!

INGREDIENTS:
Spinach wraps/tortillas
Hummus
Cucumber, diced
Carrots, julliened
Red onion, chopped
Celery, sliced
Tomato, diced
Avocado, sliced
Daiya cheese
Optional: cooked Boca “chicken” nuggets, diced

Layer 2-3 spoonfuls of hummus on a tortilla, then the rest of the ingredients.

Fold in the sides first, then roll from the bottom. Slice in half and wrap with plastic wrap. I made several for both The Sixth Grader and I for lunch this week—it’s a quick and healthy snack/lunch to grab, especially if you don’t have a lot of time. Enjoy!

Ready to grab and go!

Mustard Green and Cheeze Filo Pie

January 9, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I’ve moved onto another obsession. Filo (or phyllo) dough. Oh my gosh . . . the possibilities! I veganized this recipe from Sunset magazine and after one bite, we quickly realized I should have doubled, if not tripled the recipe. My mind is going a mile a minute thinking of different ways to create filo pies, so expect more!

INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs mustard greens, chopped
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 C vegan margarine, melted
6 sheets thawed filo dough, cut in half
1 C Daiya mozzarella

DIRECTIONS:
Steam the greens (may have to do in batches), then transfer to a large bowl of ice water. Drain and squeeze as much water out of the greens as possible. You’ll be left with a ball of damp greens, but just pull and shake apart.

Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl, stir greens with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Butter an 8″ square baking dish and lay one filo square in bottom. You’ll have 2 edges that are a bit longer–that’s ok. Brush lightly with butter—this is where you can brush those extra edges down and basically fold them over. Layer on another 5 pieces of filo, but alternate the directions that you lay them down, so that the excess edges are alternated each time. Butter each layer as you add it on.

Next, spread the greens on evenly, then the cheese.

Layer on the rest of the filo dough, buttering each layer like before. Then cut through all the layers into 9 pieces.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let cool 5-7 minutes before serving. You will love these—guarantee! Enjoy!

VARIATION: I’ve made this a couple of times using frozen spinach. I like Cascadian Farms brand which is boxed, but the spinach inside is kept in a sealed plastic bag—makes it easy to thaw. Drain and squeeze out the liquid and prepare the same way as the mustard greens. I often double it and make a 9×13 dish of it—the uncut phyllo dough sheets are perfect for this sized dish.

Mustard Green and Cheeze Filo Pie

I've moved onto another obsession. Filo (or phyllo) dough. Oh my gosh . . . the possibilities! I veganized this recipe from Sunset magazine and after one bite, we quickly realized I should have doubled, if not tripled the recipe. My mind is going a mile a minute thinking of different ways to create filo pies, so expect more!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

2 lbs mustard greens, chopped
1 Tbs olive oil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ C vegan margarine, melted
6 sheets thawed filo dough, cut in half
1 C Daiya mozzarella

Directions

Steam the greens (may have to do in batches), then transfer to a large bowl of ice water. Drain and squeeze as much water out of the greens as possible. You'll be left with a ball of damp greens, but just pull and shake apart.
Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl, stir greens with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Butter an 8" square baking dish and lay one filo square in bottom. You'll have 2 edges that are a bit longer--that's ok. Brush lightly with butter---this is where you can brush those extra edges down and basically fold them over. Layer on another 5 pieces of filo, but alternate the directions that you lay them down, so that the excess edges are alternated each time. Butter each layer as you add it on.
Next, spread the greens on evenly, then the cheese.
Layer on the rest of the filo dough, buttering each layer like before. Then cut through all the layers into 9 pieces.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let cool 5-7 minutes before serving. You will love these---guarantee! Enjoy!
VARIATION: I've made this a couple of times using frozen spinach. I like Cascadian Farms brand which is boxed, but the spinach inside is kept in a sealed plastic bag---makes it easy to thaw. Drain and squeeze out the liquid and prepare the same way as the mustard greens. I often double it and make a 9x13 dish of it---the uncut phyllo dough sheets are perfect for this sized dish.

Cheddar and Rosemary Crackers

November 22, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Vegan MoFo, Day 22

Monet, at Anecdotes and Apples Cores, made some cheddar and rosemary biscuits that had me salivating! They also reminded me of an old recipe for crackers that I made a million years ago. I will however, try her recipe (and veganize it), but for now, enjoy some amazing crackers!

INGREDIENTS:
1 C vegan cheddar, shredded
3-ox Tofutti cream cheese
1/2 C Earth Balance margarine
1 tsp sweet red chili sauce
1-3/4 C flour
2 Tbs sesame seeds
4 Tbs fresh rosemary, chopped
Salt, optional

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325. In a food processor (with the dough blade) combine the cheeses. Add the butter.

Add the chili sauce, then flour, 1/4 cup at a time. Once combined, add sesame seeds and rosemary.

Divide dough in half and roll out. Now, you can decide how big you want to roll them out. I wanted to make tiny nibblers, but you’re welcome to make larger crackers. Once you made that big decision, wrap in plastic wrap and chill. I stuck mine in the freezer for about 20-25 minutes, but if you have extra time, go ahead and just refrigerate them. Slice them as thick or as thin as you want. I find that somewhere between 1/8″ and 1/4″ is best.

Place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a smidge of salt, if desired.

Bake for about 10 minutes—just don’t let them get too browned. The bottoms will a little, but taken them out before the edges brown. Enjoy! (Thanks for the inspiration, Monet)!

“Cheddar” and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

October 30, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Like the Party Cheese Ball, people will not be able to tell this is vegan! I love this dip and I guarantee, so will your guests (that is, if you don’t eat it all yourself)!

INGREDIENTS:
4 oz Tofutti cream cheese
1/4 C Tofutti sour cream
1/2 C plain soy yogurt
2 C vegan cheddar, shredded (Daiya brand)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions, sliced thin
8 (I recommend 10-12) oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained and minced
Dash of salt

DIRECTIONS:
Stir together cream cheese, sour cream, and yogurt in a medium bowl. Stir in the cheddar, garlic, scallions, tomatoes, and salt. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with crackers, chips and veggies. Enjoy!

Recipe: adapted from Beyond the Moon Cookbook

Fluffy Vegan Pancakes

October 23, 2010 by epicureanvegan

The Sixth Grader helped me make pancakes—he’s actually quite a seasoned pancake-flipper and was very explicit in his instructions. He wanted to make sure I told all of you the importance of not pressing down on the pancake once it is flipped; you lose all fluffiness. These are simple to throw together and if you’re lucky enough to have a Pancake-Flipper pro, breakfast is done in no time!

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C whole wheat flour
3 Tbs baking powder
2 Tbs sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 C vanilla almond milk
4 Tbs vegetable oil
Cooking spray
Earth Balance margarine
Maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:
Combine flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk in milk and oil and combine until smooth.

Spray a skillet or flat griddle and heat on medium heat. Add about 1/3 to 1/2 C of batter to make each pancake. A good rule of thumb when making these is to wait until air holes/bubbles form before flipping. Flip and cook until golden brown (and remember, no pressing down with the spatula)!

I typically keep them warm in the oven until finished, then smother with some Earth Balance and maple syrup and enjoy!

Makes about a dozen pancakes.

*I don’t recommend this batter for waffles. We tried that the next morning and it didn’t work to swell.

Feast On This!

October 1, 2010 by epicureanvegan

It’s October. . .Get Your Halloween On!

I absolutely LOVE Halloween and dressing up. C’mon! You only have a month left! We typically have a little shin-dig at the house with neighbors where we eat, hang out and hand out yummy vegan treats to the kids. I’m still not sure what my costume this year will be, but I always figure it out in time.

<——-Got my dress for about $12 at Goodwill–one of the best places for costumes–all recycled/ reused. Gotta love that.

This was the first and LAST time The Husband allowed me to talk him into dressing as a woman–but doesn’t be make a gorgeous Marilyn? ——->

So, if you have any ideas for us for this year–please let me know!

You might be surprised at how many candies are vegan. Here’s a handy dandy list from VegNews of vegan-friendly candy to give out by the handful: Airheads Taffy, Azure Chocolat Beauty Bark, BoomChocoBoom! Ricemilk Bar,Brachs Fruit Slices,Charms Blow Pops,Charms Pumpkin Pops,Chick-o-Sticks,Chuao Chocolatier Spicy Maya, Clif Kid Organic Twisted Fruit, Crows, Cracker Jack, Cry Baby Candy, Dots Endangered Species dark chocolate, Endangered Species Bug Bites Halloween Treats, Go Max Go candy bars, Hubba Bubba bubblegum, Lets Do This Organic Gummy Bears,Mary Janes, regular and peanut butter kisses, Jolly Ranchers hard candy, Now and Later, NuGo Organic Chocolate Bar,Peanut Chews, Original Dark,Pez, Pure Fun Organic Halloween Pops, Saf-T-Pops, Sjaak’s Organic Chocolates, Sour Patch Kids, Starburst Original Jelly Beans, Super Bubble, Swedish Fish, Tree Huggin’ Treats Crispy Cat candy bars, Tropical Source chocolate bars, Twizzlers, VerMints and YummyEarth lollipops.

I will keep you posted on my quest for that perfect costume and what I finally talk The Husband into dressing up as. . . he was one of those kids who hated Halloween; the one in the photographs as a kid with the scowl on his face, just waiting until he could get the damn costume off. I have made it my mission to change that. (But deep down, I think he really does like Halloween).

Is That A Carrot in Your Pocket, Or. . .

. . .are you just happy to see me? After all, I am talking about former President, Bill Clinton 😉 Joking aside, I’ve always liked Mr. Clinton and now I have another reason: He’s gone vegan. He wanted to lose weight for his daughter’s wedding, but also improve his health. After having a stint placed in an artery, he knew something had to change. So far he’s lost 24 pounds and is feeling better than ever. Check out this brief interview with him and Wolf Blitzer.

So does this mean that Mrs. Rodham Clinton will be following suit? Especially since their daughter, Chelsea, is a vegan, too? What about former Vice President, Al Gore? He acknowledged that going vegan is great for the environment, yet this “environmentalist” admits he still eats meat and dairy. I suppose I’ve always had a “beef” with this issue . . .

I think it’s great when celebs and other public figures share their vegan/vegetarian lifestyle with the rest of the world. They are in a position to bring much needed awareness to this oft-misunderstood way of life. Here’s a list of only a few vegan celebs: Casey Affleck, Drew Barrmore, Emily Deschanel, Tobey Maquire, Olivia Wilde, Chrissie Hynde, Jason Mraz, Mike Tyson, Ellen Degeneres, Carl Lewis, Natalie Portman, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Bob Harper (Biggest Loser trainer). Even Hugh Jackman went veg with the help from Triathlete Brendan Brazie. Have you seen those muscles on Jackman? *swoon*

“Nothing more strongly arouses our disgust than cannibalism, yet we make the same impression on Buddhists and vegetarians, for we feed on babies, though not our own.”

-Robert Louis Stevenson

Pasta with “Meat” Sauce

August 23, 2010 by epicureanvegan

It really doesn’t get much easier than this, especially when you’re short on time to make dinner. It was my night to host writer’s group, so I needed something quick to whip up. I used Boca Crumbles, but Field Roast makes an Italian “sausage” that I think would work nicely as well.

INGREDIENTS:
14-16oz pasta, cooked
1 jar spaghetti or marinara sauce
1 bag Boca Meatless Crumbles (use as much as you want–depending on how “meaty” you want it)
Vegan mozzarella, shredded
Optional: 6-8 mushrooms, sliced

DIRECTIONS:
I added the frozen Boca Crumbles directing into the pan with the sauce, warming them together. I also added some sliced mushrooms and simmered everything for about 10-15 minutes. Top pasta with the sauce and cheese and you’re done! This is a great combination of carbohydrates and protein and perfect for the night before a hike or activity when you need some extra umph. Even for my morning run, I tend to go further, longer. Never a bad thing. Enjoy!

Zucchini-Tofu Scramble with Roasted Red Peppers

August 19, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I love tofu scrambles—as you have probably already gathered, but they’re so easy to change up and are perfect for those times when you need to clean out the produce drawer of on-the-verge-veggies. You can pile it into a wrap or a toasted English muffin, or just eat it as it is. I had half a package of tofu just waiting for me to use it, so it was easy to figure out what to make. A great protein-packed breakfast to start the day.

INGREDIENTS:
12 or 14 oz tofu, extra firm, drained and pressed
1 small zucchini, sliced, then quartered
1 jarred roasted red pepper, diced
1/3 C salsa
3 green onions, sliced
1/3 C fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3-1/2 C Vegan cheese, shredded (any kind you like: cheddar, pepper jack, Monterrey Jack, etc)
1 avocado, diced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
A few dashes cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet. Add zucchini and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the roasted red pepper and saute another 5 minutes. In a small bowl, break up the tofu to resemble scrambled eggs. Add turmeric, cumin, and cayenne; stir to combine. Add tofu and green onions; combine well with the veggies. Saute for about 4 minutes and then stir in the salsa, cilantro, and cheese. Finish off with salt and pepper and then top individual servings with some avocado. Enjoy!

Quinoa Wraps

August 18, 2010 by epicureanvegan

My favorite vegan restaurant, Tasty Harmony, makes the best quinoa wraps and I wanted to duplicate it at home. I think I did a pretty good job, but theirs are just plain awesome and hard to totally copy. You can serve these warm or cold and ordinarily I would use whole wheat wraps, but I didn’t have any. I served these with a spinach salad and it made a quick and healthy meal (especially after all those cupcakes)! They are also ideal to pack for a picnic–don’t forget, quinoa is a great source of protein!

INGREDIENTS:
1 C quinoa
1 avocado, diced
1/2 pkg baked tofu, such as from Westsoy, diced
1 plum tomato, diced
Sandwich wraps
Caesar dressing:
1 Tbs Vegenaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp vegan Worchestershire sauce
1/4 C olive oil
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Add quinoa to 2 cups of boiling water. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to low for 20 minutes. If you want a cold wrap, make this earlier and keep refrigerated. If you’re in a rush, place pan of quinoa in a sink of cold water. To make dressing: Whisk together all ingredients. Pile on the quinoa, avocado, baked tofu, and tomato onto a wrap and drizzle with the dressing. Enjoy!

Lemon Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

August 18, 2010 by epicureanvegan

These are perfect little, squatty, tasty, cute cupcakes. The outside is crispy, slightly sticky with lemon cake goodness on the inside. They are easy to make and once frosted, gone in seconds!

INGREDIENTS:
1 C soft Silken tofu
4 heaping tsp egg replacer powder mixed with 10 Tbs water
3/4 C granulated sugar
2 Tbs lemon juice
Rind of 1 lemon, grated
1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Frosting:
1/2 C vegan margarine
2 C confectioners’ sugar
1 Tbs plain or vanilla soy milk
3/4 tsp pure lemon extract, or vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325. Using a mixer, mix the tofu until smooth. Add sugar, lemon juice, and lemon rind. Mix until thick, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Slowly add to the tofu mixture and mix until smooth and thick.

In the medium bowl with the egg replacer and water, add the cream of tartar and mix for about 5 minutes until it is well combined and a little fluffy. Fold it into the tofu and flour mixture. Grease a muffin tin and fill each one with a 1/4 cup of the mixture. I got 11 cupcakes. . .why not a dozen? I have no idea. Oh well.

Bake for 35-40 minutes–the edges will get a little brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool before removing them from the pan and frosting them.

To make frosting: Let margarine sit out until room temperature. Using a mixer, mix the margarine until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, soy milk and flavoring. Combine thoroughly. You may need to adjust the consistency to how you’d like it by adding more milk or more sugar. Since all I could find was one lonely frosting tip and no pastry bag, I snipped off the corner of a zip lock back as a substitute. It worked lovely. Enjoy!

Garden Wraps

Mustard Green and Cheeze Filo Pie

Cheddar and Rosemary Crackers

“Cheddar” and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Fluffy Vegan Pancakes

Feast On This!

It’s October. . .Get Your Halloween On!

Pasta with “Meat” Sauce

Zucchini-Tofu Scramble with Roasted Red Peppers

Quinoa Wraps

Lemon Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

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