Baked Potato and (Vegan) Cheese

This is my go-to vegan "cheddar cheese" sauce. I usually use it as a chip dip but after I brought a sample to my friend Rick and he used it on his baked potatoes, I knew I had do the same. Thanks for the great idea Rick!

Serves 6
1 hour+

6 Russet potatoes, sliced Hasselback style

Cheese sauce
2 cups Raw cashews, soaked at least 2 hours
1 cup Vegetable broth
3 Tbsp White miso (yellow will do)
6 Garlic cloves
1/3 cup Nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice your potato into quarter inch slices, slicing only 3/4 the way down the potato. Line cookie sheet with foil, place potatoes on sheet, drizzle with olive oil. Bake for about 1 hour.
2. Throw all your "cheese" ingredients into food processor and process till smooth. Adjust flavors if needed. Prep any other toppings you may be using.
3. Sit and stare at the oven till the potatoes are ready.
4. When potatoes are done, top and serve.

Suggested toppings: vegan butter, broccoli, bac-o bits, chives, vegan chili, jalapenos, this list could go forever.

Original cheese recipe from thePPK

Tart Skillet Apples

God I love skillet apples! I put a lil' twist on these

Serves 4-6
20 minutes

6 Granny smith apples, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp Vegan butter
1 Lime
1/3 cup Sugar
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Arrow root

1. Melt butter in large skillet, add apples and squeeze the content of your lime over the top. Cook 5 minutes, stir occasionally.
2. Mix all your dry ingredients in a separate bowl, add to skillet. Cook another 5 minutes or so, don't let ya apples get mushy.
3. I garnished mine with lime zest. Serve on their own, over quinoa, or vegan ice cream. The possibilities are eeeeendlessssss!

Not Gross Beet Juice

I like beets. They taste like dirt, but I'm okay with that. Beet juice however, has always been a lil' rough for me so I mixed in a bunch of oranges to make it alllllll better.

Serves 2
10 minutes

2 small Beets, peeled and quartered
4 Oranges, peeled and quartered
1-2 inches Ginger, peeled

1. Throw in juicer, enjoy

Ginger Garlic Green Beans

This is so simple and so delicious! I throw it on the side of many-a-Asian dish for some extra veggies.

Serves 4
20 mintues

1 lb Green beans, trimmed
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp Tamari
1 Tbsp Ginger, minced
2 tsp Unseasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp Sunflower oil (or vegetable)
1/2 tsp Sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp Sesame seeds, toasted

1. After your green beans are trimmed, steam** them for about 7-10 minutes, the should still have some crunch to em'
2. Mean while mix the rest of your ingredients in a large bowl. When your beans are done, add them to the bowl, toss, serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. Done!

** Here's a tip I shared in an earlier post about steaming without a steamer

Original recipe from Epicurious

Vegan Cabbage Stew for St. Paddy's

My mom would make Corned Beef and Cabbage Stew every St. Patrick's. Per-usual I switched it vegan style, my Irish ancestors are rolling over in their graves.

Serves 8
45 minutes

Sunflower oil or vegetable oil
1 Yellow onion, diced
4 cups Vegetable broth
Pickling Spices
6 Carrots, diced
3-4 Russet potatoes, cubed
Salt & Black pepper to taste
1 medium head of Cabbage, cubed
2 Navy beans, rinsed and drained

Pickling spices
1/4 tsp of the following
Mustard seed
All spice
Coriander seeds
Cloves
Ground ginger
Red pepper flakes
Cinnamon
Cardamom
1 Bay leaf

1. In large pot add oil and brown diced onion, set aside. Add carrots, spices and broth to pot, heat through, add potatoes heat through.
2. Add plenty of salt, the Irish love their salt, oh yeah and pepper too. Add onions and cabbage and enough hot water to cover all ingredients, once heated add beans, heat through.
3.Served with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Cornbread made vegan style (Ener-G egg replacer) and a nice black lager (not gluten-fee, sorry)

Happy St. Paddy's!

Vegan Baked Beans

I used to make some killer non-vegetarian baked beans, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to come close vegan style but these are damn good. I usually add rice to them so I get, you guessed it, a complete protein.

Serves 6
2 hours

1 cup Brown rice
2 cans Pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 Large red onion, diced
Olive oil
2 Tbsp Chili powder
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Mustard
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Crushed red chili flakes 
4 Garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp Real maple syrup (or molasses)
1/2 tsp Liquid smoke
44oz can Diced tomatoes (aka 1 large can, 1 small can, preferable fire roasted)
S'ton Black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook rice with 1 cup water, you don't want it completely cooked through. In the meantime saute your onions in oil for a few minutes, then add chili powder, cumin, mustard, salt and chili pepper flakes saute a few minutes more. Add garlic, saute a few minutes longer then add vinegar, maple syrup, liquid smoke, tomatoes and black pepper, adjust taste if needed.
2. In large glass bakeware dish add beans, rice and sauce, mix well. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake 10-20 minutes more (depending on how thick you want it) and serve.

Original recipe from The New Moosewood Cookbook

Parsnip and Apple Soup

This one is sweet, savory, simple and perfect for lunch on a chilly day.

Serves 4-6
30 minutes

1/2 cup Apple cider
1/2 cup Almond milk
3 cups Vegetable broth
5 Large parsnips, chopped
2 Shallots, chopped
2 Leeks, white parts only, chopped
3 Fuji (or Gala) peeled, cored, chopped
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
Pinch Cardamom
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
Chives for garnish

1. In a large pot add cider, milk and broth. Bring to boil, add veggies and cook for 15 minutes.
2. Puree soup with spices with hand blender or with a regular blender in batches. Serve with chives on top.

Original recipe from Sunset

Cha Cha Cha Mushrooms

My co-workers and I stopped into Cha Cha Cha a few weeks back, having very few vegan options I stuck to my veggies. Normally I'm not the biggest mushroom fan but if you try and steal one of these mushrooms from me, you'll find a fork in your hand. 

Serves 4
20 minutes

4 Tbsp olive oil
18 to 22 white mushrooms
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp Basil, dried
1/2 tsp Thyme, dried
1/2 tsp Oregano, dried
2 Scallions, finely chopped, white part only
1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes
1/2 cup Dry sherry
4 Tbsp Vegan butter, in pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. If you have large mushrooms, quarter them. Have all your spices ready to go. Heat olive oil on medium-high heat, throw in your mushrooms, cook 2 minutes continuously stirring. Add herbs, garlic, scallions, pepper flakes, cook 2 minutes.
2. Add sherry, cook till reduced to half. Stir in butter one tablespoon at a time. Add salt and pepper as needed and serve immediately.

Original recipe from Up Your Flavor

Spicy Peanut Noodles

This is uber-Americanized pad Thai. So you know; decadent, over the top, quick and easy. When I cook it, I serve it with a heaping side of veggies or two to make up for it.

Serves 4
20 mintues

1lb Quinoa spaghetti 

Sauce
6 Tbsp Old-fashioned peanut butter
Juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp Tamari sauce
1 Tbsp Brown sugar
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
Water as needed

Garnishing
1/2 Cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 Red bell pepper, diced
6 Green onions, white bulbs, thinly sliced
1 Carrot, thinly sliced

1. Slice all vegetables. Bring large pot of water to boil, break spaghetti into pot. Cook for instructed amount of time.
2. In a large (preferably glass) bowl mix sauce ingredients, if the sauce is too thick add water a tablespoon at a time to thin. Spread onto sides of the bowl. When pasta is cooked, drain, add to bowl and toss.
3. Add to bowls and garnish all super pretty like.

You can add a million things to this dish: edamame, broccoli, cilantro, green beans, yada yada

Original recipe from Epicurious

Forbidden Rice, Smashed Beans, Sweet Roux with Brussels Sprouts

The boyfriend and I took a trip to LA last week where we ate at every vegan/gluten-free restaurant we could. Thanks to LA's no walking policy, I didn't burn a bit of it off. Anywho, this recipe was inspired by a meal from Real Food Daily. There is a lot to juggle here, it wouldn't be a bad idea to make your broth a day or two before.

Serves 4
45 minutes

Sweet Roux
8 cups Water
1lb Crimini mushrooms, chopped
1 Red onion, chopped
5-6 Carrots, chopped
4 Garlic cloves, smashed
4 inches Ginger, chopped
8oz Strawberries, chopped
1 Tbsp Oregeno
1 Tbsp Rosemary
2 Tbsp Thyme
1 Tbsp Brown sugar
1 Tbsp Salt
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Vegan butter
1 Tbsp Gluten-free flour

Smashed Beans
2 15oz cans Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp Vegan butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp Salt

8oz Brussels sprouts, quartered
Olive oil
1 cup Forbidden Rice

1. Roux: In a large pot bring water to boil, add all your ingredients EXCEPT flour and butter, reduce to simmer. When liquid is reduced to about 3 cups, strain out vegetables, save broth in a bowl and hang on to your pot. In the mean time....
2. Rice: In a smaller pot bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil and add forbidden rice, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes, strain when rice is cooked. In the mean time....
3. Beans: Throw beans, melted butter and salt in food processor and process till smooth. Transfer to microwave safe bowl.
4. Sprouts: In a saute pan heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil to medium-high heat. Throw in your sprouts to brown edges, reduce heat, salt, pepper and cook through, about 5 minutes.
5. Roux: In the original pot for your roux melt 2 tablespoons of butter, whisk in flour, when mixed whisk in broth. Stir continuously for a few minutes till liquid begins to thicken and remove from heat.
6. Beans: Heat in microwave for 1 minute, stir, heat 1 more minute.
7. Assemble: Beans down first, fling rice on top, a generous amount-o-roux, and a sprinkle of sprouts.

Wild Rice, Butter Bean and Roasted Carrots

Rice and beans are great because they are a complete protein. Rice and beans are less great because they can be boring. This is a delectable recipe that is unstoppably eatable. I say that even after it includes two things I strongly dislike: raw onion and dill.

Serves 6
50 minutes

1/2 cup Wild rice
1/2 cup Brown rice
1 can Butter beans, rinsed & drained
4-5 medium carrots
1/2 small Red onion, sliced paper thin
4 Garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Bundle of fresh dill, diced
Salt & Pepper

Dressing
2 Tbsp Mustard
2 Tbsp Maple syrup
4 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp Olive oil
2 pinches of Salt

1. In a pot add 2 cups water, wild rice and a pinch of salt; bring to boil and reduce to simmer for about 45 minutes. (when the rice is cooked, it'll split open and show you it's naughty bits)
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice carrots into 1/2 inch diagonals. Put in bake dish, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle minced garlic, salt and pepper over the top and toss. Roast in oven for 15 minutes.
3. In another pot put 2 cups water, brown rice and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer until rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.
4. Mix your dressing in a separate bowl.
5. When the time goes off on your carrots, mix in beans and roast another 5 minutes.
6. Drain rice when cooked and mix everything together: Rices, carrots and beans, dill, onion slivers and dressing. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve nice n' warm.

Original recipe from My New Roots

Vegan Pistachio Pudding

If it isn't evident by my last few posts, I am in Winter hibernation mode. All comfort food, all the time. My taste buds say yes, my jeans say no. I'll figure out which one to listen to while I eat my pudding.

Serves 6
20 minutes active + 3 hours to soak nuts & another 2 hours to set

1 cup Pistachio nuts
3 cups Almond milk (or vegan milk of choice)
1/4 cup Baby spinach
1/4 cup Corn starch
3/4 Sugar
1/8 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla extract (the quality stuff, always the quality stuff)

1. Shell nuts if needed, soak in water for three hours, drain and add to food processor (or Vitamix) along with 1 1/2 cup milk and spinach. Blend until very smooth.
2. In saucepan add all your dry ingredients and mix. Mix in your pistachio mixture. Put pan over medium heat and stir in remaining milk. Stir continuously, until pudding coats the back of your spoon. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
3. Split into little cups, bowls, ramekins, whatever your heart desires. Place in fridge for two hours, possibly the longest two hours of your life. Serve!

Original recipe from Your Vegan Mom

Mount Dandy

I had some left over brandy from glogg making this Holiday season so I decided to whip together a cocktail. I know what you're thinking: Even Snookie wouldn't drink brandy from a martini glass! I apologize, I don't have a full assortment of drink-ware.

Serves 4
20 minutes

1/2 cup Brandy
1/3 cup Triple sec
2/3 cup Blackberry simple syrup
1/2 cup Sweetened vanilla almond milk
4 Blackberries for garnish

Blackberry Simple Syrup
1 cup Light brown sugar
1 cup Water
1 cup Blackberries
6 1inch pieces orange peel
1/4 tsp Vanilla extract, high quality

1. Simple syrup: Combine water and sugar in sauce pan over low heat. Meanwhile, process blackberries in food processor till smooth. Once sugar is dissolved add blackberries, orange peels and vanilla. Simmer for 15 minutes, strain and allow to cool.
2. Cocktail: Combine triple sec, brandy and simple syrup; pour into glass. Pour your float by placing spoon face up on the edge of your glass; pour milk, very slowly, into spoon allowing to over flow. Here is a perfect example.
3. I always toast, for there is always something to toast!

Peppered Chocolate Dipped Chips

I wanted a fun, fancy, decadent finger food to go with my cocktails the other night. Now you can see exactly how classy I am: fancy + decadent = chocolate dipped potato chips. After I got this whole thing rolling I decided that pink peppercorns would have been waaaaaaay better but I didn't have any. So I'm telling you: Use pink peppercorns.

Serves 2-4
20 minutes

A bag of your favorite salted potato chips
1 cup Vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup Almond milk
2 Tbsp Powdered sugar (possibly more)
Pink peppercorns (or in my case black)
Parchment paper

1. Heat chocolate in a double pot* Vegan chocolate needs a little help melting sometimes so I add a little bit of almond milk at a time to get it to a nice consistency. Add powdered sugar. You want a balance between the salty and sweet so, if your chips are super salty make your chocolate more sweet.
2. Once your chocolate is smooth and sweet enough, start dipping your chips, shimmy any extra chocolate off and lay on parchment paper.
3. About every 10 chocolate dipped chips grind fresh pink peppercorns over the top. Repeat, allow to set and enjoy!

*When I say double pot I'm referring to a pot inside a pot. If you have a set great! If you don't it's easy to replicate. Take a big pot and fill it half way with water. Set another, smaller, pot inside this pot. If the water flows into the smaller pot dump some water until it doesn't anymore. The smaller, interior pot is where you'll be doing your melting (if that wasn't obvious)

Plenty: Tamara's Ratatouille

We live down the street from this great, local book store. We often wonder in on a lazy evening and spend a little too much time browsing books. I can always be found thumbing through cookbooks. I never make the commitment of purchasing one because I always feel they are a boring index of recipes, half of which we can't use. Every once and a while though l pick one up and want to read it cover to cover like a copy of Game of Thrones. This is actually a book for vegetarians but it was so very exciting (and the vegetarian recipes seem relatively easy to alter) I had to pick it up. Needless to say: Go buy, in the meanwhile, here is a preview of what awesome food you can expect.

Serves 4
1 hour 30 minutes

8 Tbsp Sunflower oil
2 small onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 Green chile
2 Red bell peppers, diced
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 Parsnip, peeled and diced
1 cup Green beans, trimmed
1 Zucchini, diced
1/2 large Eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 Potato, peeled and diced
2 Tomatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp Tomato paste
Salt and Pepper
1 cup Water
Cilantro, chopped for garnish

1. Prep all of your veggies. I've never chopped so many veggies in my life!
2. Heat 2/3 of the oil on medium-high heat in a large pot. Add onions, cook 5 minutes. Add garlic, chile and bell peppers for 5 minutes. Add squash and parsnip for 5 minutes.
3. Remove veggies from pot into a large bowl. Add remaining oil to pot, heat and add green beans, zucchini and eggplant for 5 minutes. Return the rest of the veggies to the pot.
4. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT cilantro. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper as needed.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour veggies into a roasting pan. Cook for 30 minutes.
6. Garnish and serve. So good!

Over cooking the vegetables is exactly the point here - Yotam Ottolenghi

Vegan Caesar Salad

Holy crap, this one is good. The boyfriend told me he would eat this everyday. Which is saying a lot because it's neither chicken, nor cinnamon roll. I'm sure if I cared, I could have made gluten-free croutons, but the idea of buying an entire loaf (or shall I say brick) of gluten-free bread just to make a hand full of croutons is foolish. Walnuts are better, I need not explain why.

Serves 4
10 minutes

Dressing
1 Tbsp Almond butter
1 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp Nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp Tamari
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp Olive oil

Garlic Garnish
1/2 cup Vegetable oil
4 Garlic cloves, sliced
1 Tbsp Nutritional yeast
Pinch of salt

1 bundle Romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
1/2 cup Walnuts, roughly chopped
Black pepper

1. Mix all your dressing ingredients together in your salad bowl. I like my Caesar dressing on the thick side, if you do not, just add water till you get a consistency you like. Now, with the back of a spoon smear the dressing to coat the interior of the bowl, add your lettuce and toss. This will give all your little lettuce bites an even coating of dressing.
2. For the garlic garnish; in a small pot, heat your oil on medium heat.Toss your garlic slices in nutritional yeast and salt. When oil is heated put the garlic in till golden, about 1-2 minutes, it happens quick! Beware! With a slotted spoon remove from oil and place on paper towel.
3. Assemble. Lettuce, fresh ground pepper on top, a sprinkle of walnuts and toasted garlic.

Original dressing recipe from My New Roots

Pink Sunrise

I thought it was about time I started sharing some of the juices I throw together in the mornings. Usually they consist of anything about to go bad. Happy accidents are the most exciting.

Serves 2
10 minutes

2 Oranges, peeled
1 Lemon, peeled
1 Red apple
1 cup Blueberries
2 inches Ginger, peeled

1. Juice, drink, smile.

Alcoholics note: A good gin, add as much as needed.