Vegan Seafood

Level of Difficulty: easy
Pots/Pans Used: one

Ingredients

Sohpie's Kitchen Vegan Squid Rings
Worthington Vegetable Skallops
Ener G Egg Replaser
soy milk
panko bread crumbs
olive oil
s&p



I used to LOVE fried calamari. I mean, it seriously might be my most missed non-vegan dish. Needless to say, I was really excited to see they sold Sophie's Kitchen Vegan Squid Rings in the frozen section of my Whole Foods. In my opinion, they tasted a lot like calamari... which really just means that they were super chewy. Another new discovery was Worthington's canned Skallops (which I had to get at a health food store). I wouldn't say I was a huge fan of scallops before, but these didn't really taste much like scallops to me anyways. That being said, they were delicious. Not at all fishy or too chewy... just all around good.

My friend came up with a pretty simple method of frying them. First, dredge them in a bowl with combined Ener G Egg Replacer, a bit of soymilk (about 2 TBL), and a pinch of salt and pepper. Then dip them in a bowl of panko and fry em' up in a frying pan with hot oil until golden. Let the oil drain by placing them on a paper towel. Serve with marinara sauce and a lemon wedge, over pasta, or even with a homemade tartar sauce. Yum!

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Dinner and a Movie!

This isn't technically a "recipe" per se... but instead it's more like a cute dinner idea. Anyways, a couple weeks ago, my mom and I had a marathon of the new HBO mini series, Mildred Pierce. The series has five parts and is about Mildred Pierce (played by Kate Winslet), a single mother who takes a job as a waitress during the depression to take care of her two daughters. Her love of cooking develops into her own restaurant where she features only two dinner options: chicken & waffles or chicken & vegetables. As my mom and I sat there getting hungrier and hungrier, I realized I had everything to whip up a vegan version of what we were seeing on screen!



I baked Gardein's Chiptole Lime Crispy Fingers until crispy and sauteed with some BBQ sauce. I threw some frozen vegan waffles in the toaster and then I steamed some corn, broccoli, carrots and mushrooms in a pan. I added some Earth Balance, s&p and nutritional yeast to the veggies, topped the waffles with maple syrup and voila!

I had to share because it seemed like such a cute movie night or date night idea. Not to mention, the food and series were excellent! :)

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Vegan Finds at Non-Vegan Restaurants

Gardein is in the (Yard) House!
I heard a while back that Yard House restaurants added Gardein options to their menus. Being that Yard House has quite a few locations, I thought it would be a great place to do a review. So Eva and I headed over there for happy hour after a relaxing day at the beach (being on summer break is really hard).




I will extend a slight warning though - Just because there's Gardein on the menu, doesn't mean it's all vegan. So, when you see "jack cheese" and "ranch dressing" being thrown around, try not to get too excited... and double check with your server to be certain you know what you're getting.

We started out with the Veggie Boneless Wings which you can order as Buffalo, Firecracker, or Jerk. We went with Jerk. They were definitely good, and the portion was generous, but I'd be interested in trying the other flavors to see how they compare.



I feasted on this INSANE BBQ Chicken Salad.



Lemme start by saying that I almost never order a salad as my entree. But I think these photos serve as proof that this salad was EXTREME. It was mixed up with grilled "chicken" strips, avocado, pasilla peppers, corn, tortilla strips, tomato, pinto beans, a side of citrus BBQ sauce, cilantro and topped with a heaping portion of fried onions. It also came with jack cheese and a chipotle ranch dressing that I asked them to take off. I substituted with a Thai Peanut Dressing that paired surprisingly well with everything else. I could eat this pretty much everyday.



Eva ordered the Lettuce Wraps Appetizer complete with stir fried, smoked tofu, pine nuts and green onions with three dipping sauces and shiitake & portabella mushrooms. Again, really delicious!




It may not be the cheapest vegan meal I've ever had, but I think being able to go to a "regular" restaurant and have good vegan options makes it worth it. Lemme know if any of you have tried their other dishes!


My second restaurant experience was in Clearwater, FL at the Island Way Grille. The reason I tried this restaurant out was because my Aunt Nancy was visiting on business and invited me out to dinner. I don't think I've mentioned yet that a significant portion of my family works in the cheese business. So, ironically enough, I found myself ordering vegan food at a table of about ten cheese makers and salesman from all over the world. The company was great and surprisingly enough, I didn't get too hard a time about my "special" diet from anyone. I can't say that the Island Way Grille had a ton of veg options, but they did have a very helpful staff that was willing to work with me and (my favorite) a sushi menu!



I started out with an Avocado Roll with tempura crunch on top. SO GOOD! I also tried a really delicious radish roll that my uncle ordered.



Then, I tried the Pasta with Tofu and Vegetables with garlic bread. They were nice enough to substitute olive oil instead of butter. Truthfully, I added some leftover soy sauce from my sushi to it to give it some extra flavor. It also came with a really nice salad (specify no cheese!)



If the past few weeks have been any indication of how my summer dining is going to go, I'd say I'm pretty excited!

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Italian Wedding Soup

Level of Difficulty: soupa easy!
Pots/Pans Used: 2

Ingredients

2-3 TBL Olive Oil
8 cups Vegetable Stock
12 (more or less) Vegan Meatballs
3/4 cup Celery, chopped
3/4 cup Carrots, chopped
2 cups Fresh Spinach
1 medium Onion, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
14.5 oz. can of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, strained
1 TBL Ground Italian Seasoning Herbs
1 & 1/2 cup Orzo
2 TBL Lemon Juice
Salt to taste
Nutritional Yeast to garnish

Thanks everyone for the great ideas!!! I've got plenty to keep me busy for a while, but feel free to keep posting any ideas that come to you. A lot of you seemed interested in a new soup recipe so I thought I would oblige. This specific soup idea actually came from Melina... Thanks Melina! Seriously, it turned out so great! It's got a nice amount of heat to it too, which I personally like. Another thing I like about this recipe is that you can totally make it gluten-free if you want. I used gluten-free vegan meatballs and you can substitute a gluten-free pasta for the orzo if you wish.

Now about the meatballs... I used a new brand that I had never tried before. They're gluten and soy free I believe. They're called Bahama Vegan Rice-Meatballs and I found them in the freezer section. I think they were actually pretty good in this soup HOWEVER they're not particularly flavorful by themselves. They had a good texture, but didn't taste "meaty" at all... which some of you might prefer. But if you already have a favorite vegan meatball brand, feel free to just use that :)



Heat olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic a few minutes until translucent. Add the carrots, celery, and Italian seasonings. Saute 5-10 minutes or until soft. Add the veggie stock, tomatoes, and orzo. In about five minutes, add the meatballs. The soup should be simmering, not boiling. In a separate saute pan, saute the spinach with a little olive oil. Add spinach and lemon juice to the soup. Add salt to taste and let it simmer for a few minutes so that the flavors can combine. Serve in a large bowl with some nutritional yeast sprinkled over top. Finally, enjoy and go back for second helpings.

*NOTE: When I came back a little later, I found that the orzo had soaked up all the broth. When I reheated it the next day, I just added more broth to it and it was fine. However, if you'd like to avoid this, I suggest cooking the orzo separately and then adding it to each serving. But if anyone has any tips on how to avoid this, leave a comment below!

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BBQ Chick'n Pizza

Level of Difficulty: Some assembly required!
Pots/Pans Used: one!

Ingredients

pizza dough
BBQ sauce
2 cutlets of Gardein Chick'n Scallopini
1 TBL Bacon Bits
handful of Kale, ripped into bite-sized pieces
1/4 green apple, sliced

White Sauce:
1/4 cup Earth Balance
2 TBL nutritional yeast
3 TBL Flour
1 cup Unsweetened almond milk
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt

I saw a version of this recipe on the Food Network and thought it looked very... "veganizable". At first, I was going to leave the apples out all together. However, I decided to give it a try. This recipe would be good either way... but if you're feeling adventurous, try the apples! They're not nearly as invasive as you would expect. In fact, they add a nice and subtle sweet note.



Preheat oven to 425. Roll out pizza dough and lay out on a pizza crisper (If you don't have a pizza crisper, you can use a greased baking sheet. However, you may need to pre-bake the dough longer in order to get it nice and crisp). Pre-bake dough for about 5 minutes and then take it out. Meanwhile, saute your chik'n cutlets in a saute pan with a little bit of olive oil over medium heat. Brush the cutlets with some BBQ sauce. Set cutlets aside. Using the same pan, you can start on the white sauce. Melt Earth Balance in the pan and then whisk the flour in gradually. Continue to whisk as you add the milk. Once it has reached a thick/cheezey/saucy texture, it's done. Add the onion powder, salt, and nutritional yeast.



Now you can start assembling the pizza. Spread about 3 TBL of BBQ sauce on the dough for the base. Then spread out the cheezey white sauce. Top with the BBQ chik'n (cut into bite-sized pieces), apple slices, kale, and bacon bits. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes.

Yet another Oliver-approved recipe!

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Breakfast of (Indecisive) Champions!

Level of Difficulty: easy
Pots/Pans Used: two!

Ingredients

Pancake mix (I used Aunt Jemima's Original Mix. However, you can always make yours from scratch)
Egg Replacement
Gimme Lean Sausage
Maple Syrup
1 pkg Extra Firm Tofu, drained
1/2 Onion, chopped
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
1 tsp Curry Powder
Turmeric
1 TBL Earth Balance
1 tsp Soy Sauce
Cheddar Daiya Cheese (optional)
s&p to taste

This little gem came to be while watching an episode of Man V. Food. We've all been there.... do you want pancakes for breakfast or eggs with sausage/bacon? Sweet or savory? Well, a restaurant came up with a dish to satisfy everyone's taste buds. That's right, the sausage is cooked INTO the pancakes and then topped with scramble. It's a fun way to jazz up a classic meal. Now, the non-vegan version is basically a heart attack waiting to happen. The vegan version is just as filling but relatively guilt-free. Hope you guys have fun with this one...



I started out by making the tofu scramble (This makes an entire package of scramble so you can keep some for leftovers). In a skillet, melt Earth Balance over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions. Once they're translucent and fragrant, add the mushrooms and let them get nicely seared on either side. Add soy sauce and mix well. Crumble the Tofu into the pan and mix it all up. If you want to, add some Daiya cheese at this point and let it melt into the scramble. If you feel the scramble is too dry, feel free to add a TBL of water. Add the curry powder, sprinkle some turmeric for color, nutritional yeast and s&p. Meanwhile, brown a few sausage patties. When you're making the pancakes, just let it cook for a few seconds and bubble. Next, place the sausages into the batter and after a few more seconds, flip the pancake like you normally would. To assemble, top the sausage pancake with some maple syrup and a generous serving of tofu scramble. Feel free to sprinkle with some Daiya. Ta Da!

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Biscuits in Sausage Gravy

oh yes, I went there...


Level of Difficulty: Easiest of easy
Pots/Pans Used: ONE


Ingredients

2 1/2 cup unsweetened plain soy milk
1 package Publix buttermilk biscuits (totally vegan! I think the kind I bought was "hearty layers" or something. Just double check the ingredients to make sure you're getting the right one!)
1 package Gimme Lean Sausage (you don't have to use the whole package if you don't want to)
1/4 cup flour
Earth Balance
s&p to taste

Finally! At long last, my cooking mojo is back in full swing. I'm back in Tampa now, and pretty much obligated to start cooking for myself again. Regardless, I've missed it quite a bit. I am spending tomorrow planning recipes and grocery shopping so be prepared for regular postings again!



This specific recipe is so incredibly easy. In fact, I don't think I've showcased a recipe on here that was more deserving of the "Quick N' Easy" tag. However, I can't take much credit for it. It came from this neat little cookbook my friend got as a gift, Hot Damn & Hell Yeah/ The Dirty South Cookbook. This is the only recipe I've tried from it so far, but the cookbook seems to be jam packed with cute illustrations and yummy down home meals. I decided to make it because on the last day of my holiday break, I had a very small "Goodbye Brunch" with a few friends. We had mimosas, fruit salad, curry tofu scramble, and hash browns. However, these were definitely the star of the show. Seriously, MAKE THESE! THEY'RE SO GOOD! You'll actually want to expand your stomach capacity just to make room for more. They're THAT good.



All you do is heat some Earth Balance in a skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, you can follow the biscuit instructions and bake them in the oven. In the end, everything should be ready at about the same time. Break up the sausage into little pieces and brown it in the pan. Then add the flour. Let it coat the sausage and then add a little more butter to help it stick to the sausage and brown more. Then gradually add in the soy milk a little at a time while stirring constantly. I had serious doubts when I read the recipe that it would thicken up enough, but it TOTALLY does. I was kind of amazed. Keep adding milk until it's the perfect gravy texture. For me, this ended up being about 2 1/2 cups of milk. You may need more or less. Finally, season with salt & pepper and pour over the biscuits. Serve immediatley!

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Pan-Seared Tofu with Kale

Level of Difficulty: Real simple
Pots/Pans Used: just 1!

Ingredients

1 pkg extra firm tofu
head of kale, ripped into bite-size pieces
olive oil
sesame oil
soy sauce
drizzle maple syrup
sesame seeds
red pepper flakes
s&p

Tofu Sauce:
1/4 cup water
2 tsp soy sauce
TBL maple syrup
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1 TBL olive oil
1 tsp buffalo wing sauce (or you can use regular hot sauce... just don't use as much)
1 tsp white wine vinegar
pinch of ginger

Look! Even Oliver can hardly help himself!



It's the end of the semester and that means I am unbelievably busy with final exams and printmaking projects. It seems that the more time I spend at school, the more my diet suffers. I end up eating quick and convenient meals and now that the craziness is dying down, I have to turn to one of my favorite meals to make when my body needs some nourishment and TLC. While this may not sound like THE most exciting meal, it's surprisingly delicious and has weaseled its way into becoming one of my go-to dinners. It's mainly a great meal when you feel your diet has been lacking in the protein/veggie department. Plus, you get your fill of calcium from the kale!



It's pretty simple, and to be honest, I never really measure so it turns out a little different every time. That being said, feel free to just trust your instincts here... if you want to change up the measurements on these seasonings and marinades, by all means be my guest! It's certainly not set in stone. Anyways, you want to start by coating your non-stick pan with olive oil and turning the heat to high. Take a block of tofu, drain it, and slice into small squares. Once the pan is hot enough, add the tofu to the pan. You want it to rapidly sizzle and sear nicely on both sides. In the meantime, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl or cup. Once all the tofu is nicely seared on both sides, add the sauce to the pan. Once it has thickened and is completely absorbed by the tofu, the tofu is done. Set it aside and add the kale to the same pan. Saute the kale with some soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper, drizzle of maple syrup, and sesame seeds. Sorry, I didn't measure this part, just kind of seasoned to my liking. Take artistic license and go crazy!

I also wanted to mention that I was contacted by Melissa Dion, owner of the new eco fashion site, ecolissa, and she was nice enough to offer a 20% off discount to all VP readers. So for any of you looking to treat yourself or get some holiday shopping in, just use the code "vegan20" at checkout! Thanks Melissa :)

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White Pizza

Level of Difficulty: reaaaalll simple
Pots/Pans Used: 1!

Ingredients

NUTRITIONAL YEAST***
3/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup Earth Balance
2 TBL flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
pizza dough
Daiya mozzarella cheese
Gardein seven grain crispy tenders, chopped

***I'm sorry to anyone who already made this, I made this pizza today and realized I forgot to say to add nutritional yeast. Add it after the milk. I would say to start out with a couple tabelspoons at a time until it reaches the desired texture. If it gets too thick, no worries! Just add some more milk!

The fact that I can't even look at the pictures I took of this pizza without letting out little shrieks and groans of longing speaks volumes to how GOOD THIS IS! Before I was vegan, I loved white pizza with white sauce. Until my friend, Tess, made me the pizza the other night it had never even crossed my mind to veganize it. Considering there are like... no vegetables on this pizza you might wanna make a super veggie-heavy side dish because the last thing you wanna feel while eating this is guilty. Seriously, it's just too good to not enjoy to the fullest extent. But by all means, pile the veggies on. It's entirely your call!



Preheat oven to 425. In a saucepan on low-medium heat melt the Earth Balance. Then while whisking, gradually add the flour. The flour will soak up the butter and begin to clump up. Then add the almond milk gradually and then the nutritional yeast until it becomes the consistency of a thick cheesy sauce. Roll out your dough so that it is the desired size and then spread the white sauce on as if it were tomato sauce. Top with mozzarella and the chopped crispy tenders. (I microwaved the tenders for a minute and then chopped them). I baked mine on a pizza crisper and it took about 15 minutes or so. I don't think the time would be affected that much if you're using a baking sheet but just keep an eye on it and REMEMBER to oil the pan first otherwise the pizza will be impossible to get off. I am speaking from experience. And the last thing you want is deliciously smelling ooey gooey pizza that you can't eat because it has conjoined with a large metal rectangle. And if you can believe it, I think it actually tastes even better the second day.

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Recipes that Make My Life Easier

I've been compiling a few of my favorite, quickest recipes after getting a considerable amount of emails from people just getting into the vegan lifestyle that were a little intimidated by cooking. The truth is, cooking vegan food isn't harder than cooking any other type of food. Of course, some vegan cookbooks can be overly complicated and require a lot of specialty ingredients. It's no wonder you feel like you're entering into a whole new world and you don't speak the language. In all honesty, the only specialty ingredients that I think I ever have in my kitchen are nutritional yeast, agave nectar, Earth Balance and Daiya vegan cheese. Not everyone may find that they use those ingredients enough for them to become your constants, but you just have to search around a bit to find the ingredients that become staples for you when embarking into vegan cooking.

Unfortunately, the truth is that unless you live in a major city, eating out as a vegan isn't always convenient. So, it really is beneficial for you to learn to cook for yourself if you haven't already started. I know I really didn't start getting into cooking until about 2 years ago when I went vegan... I didn't even cook this much when I was a vegetarian. But the reality is, not everyone loves cooking or is particularly skilled at it. Here are some recipes that are really simple, can help to segue into vegan cooking, and can easily become staple meals for every week... I know they already are for me!

But wanna know the best news of all? They ALL only require one pot or pan!


Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal


Pots/Pans Used: maybe one

Sad but true, I rarely ever get two minutes for breakfast. Usually I just pop Vans maple infused frozen waffles (vegan AND gluten free!!!) into the toaster and drizzle some agave nectar on top, throw a Luna bar in my bag on the way out the door, or just go without. I know, I need to work on that. Anyways, one morning when I had ten whole minutes for breakfast, I decided to make this jazzed up oatmeal. One of my besties, Lindsey Mills of Soul Food, specializes in what she calls "Fancy Oatmeal". She's mixing up oatmeal on a regular basis. I've had her carrot cake oatmeal and lemme just say, it was delicious. I decided to take a stab at it and came up with this super easy and quick breakfast, Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal.

All you need is oatmeal and.... Dark Chocolate Dreams (peanut butter blended with rich dark chocolate) You can find it in most health food sections at Publix.



Prepare oatmeal according to instructions and then add 1-2 TBL of the chocolate peanut butter spread and mix up. That's all. If you're looking for other ways to use this spread, it's great on a slice of toast or for dipping strawberries in.

Pizza


Pots/Pans Used: maybe one

Pizza is one of the easiest things to make for dinner. Plus, it's fun to make with your significant other on a cozy night in. Or if you have kids, let them pile the toppings on so they feel involved. The nice thing about making pizza is that you can really work with what you've got. All you really need is pizza dough which you can pick up in the bakery section of most grocery stores (Pillsbury brand of pizza dough is vegan too), a jar of tomato sauce and various veggies.

For this pizza, I first rolled out the dough, and pre-baked in a 450 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, you can saute whatever veggies you want to use. In this case, I sauteed some mushrooms with soy sauce and garlic, added some artichokes and topped with kale (which gets crispy as it bakes!). Take the dough out of the oven, spread out tomato sauce, sprinkle some Daiya mozzarella cheese on top (optional!), and pile high with veggies. Bake in the oven until the cheese melts or the crust seems thoroughly cooked. By the way, I HIGHLY recommend getting a pizza crisper. I got one as a Christmas gift and it really gives you a crispy crust that just can't compare with a regular baking sheet. But by all means, if you're just testing the waters, use the baking sheet!

Spanish-Inspired Grits


Pots/Pans Used: one

When I REALLY don't feel like cooking or am short on time, I make grits. Usually I just season with a little butter, nutritional yeast and s&p. Then I serve vegetarian baked beans and sauteed kale on the side. And if I'm really lucky, I have some veggie bacon in my fridge to toss in the mix. But let's get real, I'm never that lucky. The other night, I didn't have baked beans, but I did have black beans... so I decided to make Spanish-Inspired Grits. This certainly isn't the prettiest dish I've ever posted, but that's no indication of how it tastes. I was actually surprised by how yummy it was!

You'll need:
grits
3 TBL veganaise
3 TBL Earth Balance
4 tsp taco seasoning
2 TBL nutritional yeast
1 can black beans, drained
s&p to taste

All you have to do is cook the grits according to their instructions, then add the butter and veganaise and mix well. This will get it nice and creamy. Then mix in the taco seasoning and nutritional yeast. Finally, add the drained black beans and season with salt and pepper. Done and done!

Sushi

Pots/Pans Used: one!

Making sushi is so much easier than you think! It seems like a really intimidating endeavor but seriously... it's actually kind of a no-brainer type recipe. I'm kind of a Japanese food freak and I could easily eat sushi every day of the week. My favorite roll? just a simple avocado roll. Seriously, you can't go wrong. However, the nice thing about sushi is you really can get creative and fill it with your favorite ingredients. All you have to actually cook is the sushi rice and the rest is assembly. I swear it's easy! Here is a previous sushi post that provides an instructional video on how to roll your own sushi.

You'll need:
nori sheets
sushi rice
sesame seeds
bamboo mat
saran wrap
veggie filling


Onion Dog

Pots/Pans Used: one

You'll Need:
Smart Sausages (Italian Style)
bun
onion
mustard
condiments

This is a great, quick lunch if you're craving something filling but want to put forth minimum effort. Dice up some onion and saute it with olive oil over medium heat until they begin to caramelize. Add some Dijon mustard and coat the onions in it (optional if you don't like mustard). While the onions are being taken care of, you can toast the hot dog bun. Set aside the onions and saute the sausages in the same pan. Just top the sausages with the onions and whatever condiments you like!

Quesadillas


Pots/Pans Used: one

This is absolutely the easiest of my recipes and the one I make most often. Sometimes I just crave that melty cheesey goodness that you rarely get on a vegan diet. This is when I turn to my trusty quesadillas. I can't deny it's been my favorite midnight snack on more than one occasion. All you do is place a tortilla in a pan, pile high with Daiya cheddar cheese, shake some hot sauce and garlic powder on top then sandwich with another tortilla. Let it get crispy on both sides and let the cheese melt completely. That's it!

Hope that was helpful! Even if none of these recipes suit your fancy, most of the recipes on this blog are just as easy. Good luck cooking vegan :)

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VBLT

Now, I'm not going to insult your intelligence by telling you how to make a BLT. It's just that, I went to a restaurant recently and ordered a Vegan BLT for the first time since I have been vegan, vegetarian even. In fact, I'm still not sure that I have actually EVER had a BLT before this experience. Regardless, If you are like me and haven't realized this is available, slap yourself. You might as well do it now, because THAT'S how dumb I felt when I had a VBLT and realized how unbelievably good they can be. I couldn't believe I hadn't been making them on a regular basis. If you're curious, I WILL say that I recommend smart bacon and veganaise. Surprise yourself and just do it.

P.S. More recipes to come soon, just gotta bite the bullet and go grocery shopping... :/

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Jamaican Jerk-Spiced Tempeh with Fried Plantians

Level of Difficulty: pretty easy
Pots/Pans Used: 2!

Ingredients

1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp agave nectar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 8 oz pkg of tempeh
olive oil
plantains (opt)
cinnamon (opt)

I got the vegan cookbook, Fire & Spice, over the holidays and finally decided to make something from it. This recipe is inspired by the Jamaican Jerk-Spiced Tempeh Nuggets recipe, but I changed it up slightly to make it more "lazy cook-friendly". Pair it with some yellow rice and fried plantains and it was THE perfect dish. It's really filling AND takes less effort than you would think. I just about doubled the spice measurements from the cookbooks but if you aren't keen on spice, you could always tone it down or experiment with similar flavors that are less spicy.

First, you might want to start preparing your rice if you're having it. Next, heat some olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Crumble the tempeh into the pan and let it brown on both sides. Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients from garlic powder thru thyme in a bowl. Spinkle the spice mixture over the browned tempeh and let it get thoroughly coated. Continue to mix it up for about a minute and it's done. Set it aside and heat more oil in the pan on medium-high heat so that you can fry up for plantains. I cut my plantains into slices then press or smash them down with a fork. Once the oil is really hot, add your plantains to the pan. Be careful that they don't burn. Once they're nicely browned and crispy on either side, place them on a paper towel so that the oil can drain. Sprinkle some cinnamon over top. Serve your rice, tempeh and plantains all mixed up together on one huge plate and eat your heart out!

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Argentine Milanesa

Level of Difficulty: easy
Pots/Pans Used: 1


Ingredients

1 pkg of 4 Gardein chick'n filets
3 TBL water
1/4 cup lemon juice ( plus a lemon for garnish)
1/4 tsp oregano
whole wheat bread crumbs
flour
3 TBL oilve oil
pinch of salt

My mom grew up in Argentina, so when we went back to visit when I was seven, all I remember eating was milanesa with a side of papas fritas and a fanta. I ate that probably three times a day and I now find myself missing it occasionally. It only seemed right to try and veganize it. Basically, milanesa is a very thin cut of usually beef (but sometimes chicken or veal), battered and shallow-fried in oil. Lemon and oregano are popular ways of seasoning the meat. Now, my version is very loosely based on milanesa (you'll know what I mean if you google image search it) but I assure you, the flavors and yumminess still remain.

In a bowl, combine the lemon juice, water and oregano. Take each chicken breast and dredge it in flour, then the lemon juice mixture and then coat it in bread crumbs. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry each chick'n breast a couple minutes on either side until golden brown. Place the breast on a paper towel to let the oil drain. Sprinkle the chick'n with a pinch of salt. Serve with your favorite veggies and slices of lemon.

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Bean Burgers

Level of Difficulty: So easy, you can do it in rollerskates!
Pots/Pans Used: 1/2

Yes it's true, this recipe was so simple I made most of it while wearing roller skates. I just bought a pair and am using every opportunity to get used to them. I was lucky enough to have my bestie 4 life visiting me over the weekend, Ms. Tess Bath, so I wanted to cook us up something delicious without losing out on any qutality time. I'm so glad I found this recipe! My only real adjustment was that I only used sage leaves for my herbs of choice, but go crazy. This easy recipe can be found here. Forget the whole wheat bun and avocado, the burgers were good enough to eat by themselves! However, I must say it was damn good with some rosemary wedge french fries.

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Curried Chick'n Salad

Level of Difficulty: SIMPLE
Pots/Pans Used: two!

Ingredients

1 pkg Morningstar chic'n strips (or aother chicken substitute you prefer)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup red grapes, cut in halves
3 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 cup vegan mayo
1/2 tsp agave nectar
1/4 cup sliced almonds


Unfortunately, this meal is soooooo not being done justice by this photo. I couldn't wait to take a picture so I ate most of it and pretty much photographed the left overs. I first had a vegan version of curried chick'n salad at "The Cafe" in Key West, FL. It was so ridiculously good I decided I had to try and recreate it as soon as I got home. Surprisingly enough, I somehow managed to create what I think is almost an exact replica. Seriously, the flavors are right on and it is amazing on a sandwich with some lettuce, tomato and avocado. Please TRY!

First, satue your chick'n strips in a pan with a little oil on medium heat until heated throughout. Refrigerate them for about 30 minutes or until nice and chilled. Take the chick'n and chop it into bite size pieces. In a large bowl add the chick'n, mayo, spices, agave nectar and mix well. Then add the grapes, almonds and celery. When mixed together well, refrigerate until ready to eat. I like it best on a sandwich with some really hearty slices of bread. Yummmm

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Soy Ginger Gardien with Quick Fried Rice

Level Of Difficulty: easy
Pots/Pans Used: dos!

Ingredients

Soy Ginger Glaze
(You will need Gardein's chick'n scallpoini)
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 TBL soy sauce
1/2 TBL maple syrup
shake of hot sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 minced clove of garlic
sesame seeds (optional)

Fried Rice
1 TBL olive oil
soy sauce, to taste
1 bag mixed frozen vegetables
1 bag of boil-in-a-bag brown rice

I made this one night when I reeeeeeaaally didn't feel like cooking but still wanted a fulfilling meal. I loved the asian glaze which I came up with based on the ingredients I had in my kitchen. It's a really great go-to meal. I was actually very impressed with how good the fried rice was! Seriously, if you haven't been able to find a fried rice without egg, it's time you started making your own. And how could you not when its this easy?
Prepare the brown rice as directed on the box. In a medium-sized saute pan over medium- high heat, heat olive oil. Add the frozen vegetables and saute for 10-15 minutes, until heated throughout. Add a few shakes of soy sauce and mix up with the vegetables. Add the brown rice and mix with the vegetables. Again, add a little more soy sauce and saute the mixture for about five more minutes. Transport the fried rice to another dish to free-up the pan. Saute the gardein cutlets with a little olive oil until slightly browned. Lay these cutlets on a paper towel temporarily. Then, add the ingredients for the glaze to the pan. Turn up the heat so that the glaze boils and then reduce heat to a simmer. Once it has thickened, add the cutlets and coat well for a couple minutes. Plate the cutlets with the fried rice and sprinkle some sesame seeds over top!

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Holiday Dinner

Level of Difficulty: Moderate... Hardest part is time management
Pots/Pans Used: just.... a lot...ish

Ingredients

Gravy
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3-6 cloves of garlic, squashed and minced very well
2-3 slices of yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose white flour
4 teaspoons nutritional yeast
4 tablespoons low- or reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 or 6 white mushrooms, sliced (optional
extra flour or cornstarch (optional)

Lentil Loaf

2 cups lentils
3 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cups pre-cooked rice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup ketchup or barbecue sauce
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

Mashed Potatoes
1 bag frozen microwavable poatatoes
Earth Balance
warm soy milk
garlic
chives, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

Butternut Squash
1 butternut squash, diced
maple syrup
1 orange, juiced
sage leaves
salt & pepper
cinnamon

Well, I first made this dinner as a mini pre-Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the post up in time for tofurkey day, so I decided to wait and post around Christmas. Of course, you can make this dinner for any holiday or special occasion. It's very satisfying and full of all the traditional flavors you're used to on the holidays.
Gravy:

Measure the vegetable oil into a small saucepan. Cook the garlic and onion in it for about two minutes on medium or medium-low heat, until the onion is a bit tender and translucent.

Add the flour, yeast, and soy sauce to make a paste. Add the water gradually, stirring constantly. Bring the gravy to a boil on medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly -- the gravy has to boil for it to thicken. (Grandma always told me to cook gravy for a full five minutes at a boil to make sure you kill the bugs in the flour, but I don't always bother.) Add pepper. Stir in the sliced mushrooms, if desired. Add salt, if desired.

Lentil Loaf:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.


In a large soup or stock pot, simmer the lentils in water or vegetable broth until cooked, about 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly then mash the lentils until they are half mashed.

Sautee the onions and garlic in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft.

Combine the onions, garlic and olive oil with the mashed lentils and add the rice, salt, ketchup or barbecue sauce, sage, and Italian seasoning.

Gently press the mixture into a lightly greased loaf pan. Drizzle a bit of extra ketchup on top if desired.

Bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool slightly before serving, as this will help the lentil loaf to firm up.

Mashed Potatoes:

follow the instructions on how to prepare the potatoes. Then add earth balance to your liking, and warm milk until the potatoes are the consistency you like. Then salt and pepper to taste and top with the chives.

Butternut Squash:

It's been awhile since I made this recipe so Im going to do my best to remember the measurements....

First, Mix the butternut squash with orange juice, a few leaves of chopped sage, 3 TBL maple syrup and a dash of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Transfer the squash to a baking sheet and spread out evenly. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Bake for about 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees or until it begins to turn golden.

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Beer Brats

Level of Difficulty: Easy
Pots/Pans Used: 2!

Ingredients
1 pkg Tofurkey Beer Brats
1/2 onion, diced
1 bottle beer (brand of your choice)
water
buns

Sorry, I know it's been kind of a while since my last post, but with the holidays, final exams and lack of groceries I haven't had the time. But I'm back!
I was recently at a friend's house when they decided to make traditional wisconsin beer brats. It seemed like a pretty simple recipe to veganize so when I got home I made my own version. It's a really great hardy meal that doesn't take much time to whip up.
In a large stock pot, place the brats inside and pour the entire bottle of beer on top of them on medium-high heat. Then add water until they are covered completely and drop in the onion. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Let it simmer until you feel the brats are heated through and the onions begin to caramelize. This may take about 15 minutes. Next, either on a grill or grill pan (I used a grill pan), grill the brats on all sides. Keep the sauce simmering, so that it begins to thicken. Once the brats are grilled, place them back in the pot to coat with the sauce. Let them sit in the sauce for a few minutes. Finally, just pop them in a toasted bun and top with the caramelized onions and your favorite condiments!

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