Vegan Recipes and Plant Based Cooking

 Tofu is the perfect vegan base for a variety of creamy sauces and aioili. When you find yourself craving something rich, thick and creamy look no further than a block of tofu.  In this case, I made a vegan garlic aioli which I had been jonesing after for quite a while.  It's light and fluffy like a typical mayo. It's also creamy and rich too. It's replete with delectable garlicky goodness.  It just takes a handful of ingredients and about 15 minutes of your time.  Ingredients 1/2 block firm tofu, drained 2 small heads of garlic, plus oil 1/4 cup canola oil 1 tbl white vinegar 1 1/2 tbls salt 2 tsps black pepper Instructions Peel the garlic cloves and place them into a 1 cup microwave safe container. Just barely cover the cloves with oil and microwave for 1 minute.  Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree until fluffy and smooth.  Enjoy as a salad dressing, sandwich dressing or mix it with your favorite beans to create a tuna/c...

 This is a simple sauce for anyone who loves saffron. Saffron is expensive, but it can be purchased through a certain online retailer for not that much. Saffron has a unique flavor that simply can't be replicated. If you love its taste, it's worth spending a few dollars. The thing to keep in mind, is that a little bit goes a very long way. So, even when you buy a small amount, it lasts a very long time.  This sauce only contains a few ingredients. When you're working with saffron, it's best to keep things simple and let the saffron shine. Ingredients 2 pinches saffron 1 small head of garlic, cloves halved 1 1/4 cups water 2 tbls canola oil 1 tbl salt 1 tsp black pepper 1/16 tsp xanthan gum I first experienced the taste of saffron when I tried a pre-seasoned rice packet which contained it. From that point on, I was hooked.  But over time, the taste of the pre-made stuff changed in not a good way, but I still craved that unique floral saffron flavor. So, I went ahead and ...

 It's time for a new sauce. Because the sauce is what brings it all together.  This sauce is fairly simple, but full of carries a lot of depth. The rosemary provides a smokey back note. The roasted garlic is smooth and earthy. The chiles add that necessary heat.  When creating vegan sauces you have to make full use of the power of the vegetables that you choose. Drawing out all of their potential in order to extract every last drop of flavor. It's the difference between an okay sauce and a really good one.  Ingredients 2 Jalapenos, deseeded and chunked 2 Serranos, deseeded and chunked 1 Habanero, deseeded and chunked 1 Small Head of Garlic, cloves halved 1 cup water 1 tsp rosemary 2 Tbls canola oil 1 Tbl salt 1 tsp black pepper 1/16 tsp xanthan gum I originally purchased xanthan gum to make soy based vegan ice cream at home. It worked perfectly in that application.  What I later discovered from experimenting is that it's also a very convenient way to ...

 If you've tried making my vegan ice cream recipe , then you'll want to try this idea as well. It's a vegan chocolate fudge saue to accompany it. You can pour it on top, mix it in or just slurp it straight up.  It's very easy to do. It just takes a few simple ingredients and a few minutes of your time.  Ingredients 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder 1/4 cup original almond milk 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup sucralose 1/8 tsp xanthan gum * Instructions Add all the ingredients to a small sauce pot and whisk together. Warm over medium low heat and keep whisking until all the lumps are gone and it begins to thicken. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes.  Be certain to scrape in the corners of the pot to make sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated.  The xanathan gum sounds like a scary ingredient, but it isn't. It can be purchased qutie cheaply at that famous internet retailer we all use. A little bit goes a long way.  * You can do this sauce without the xan...

 It's been a while since I last added something new. This is something I've never done before. I've made a few curry sauces over the years, but never one quite like this. The base is red peppers and tofu.  It's a pretty americanized curry. Simple in the spice department compared to a traditional indian or asian curry, but it has a lot of nuance to it still the same.  Ingredients 1/2 a large red bell pepper, diced 7 small cloves garlic, halved 1 red habanero, deseeded/chunked 1/2 block silken tofu 1 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp allepo pepper flakes 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp sumac 1/4 tsp cayenne 1/4 tsp oregano 1 tbl salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 cup water 1 tbl canola oil The oregano may seem out of left field, but I like a little earthy, herby note in my curries. Try it, see if you agree.  Most of these spices are readily available at a standard supermarket, walmart, target, etc. The sumac and allepo, I get on Amazon. It's a little more expensive than typ...

I've been trying for a little while to come up with a good vegan version of ice cream. After a few okay attempts to create sugar-free and dairy-free homemade vegan ice cream, I have finally hit upon the perfect way to do it, thanks to a little research on reddit. It's actually fairly simple, but it does require two special ingredients. More on that later.  The most important step is to get an ice cream machine. The first one I tried was pretty cheap and did not work out well at all. I won't name names. However, having learned from that experience I was more careful with my next purchase. I went for a reliable brand and a smaller unit. The pint size unit not only lowered the cost, but also meant there were no leftovers. Homemade ice cream does not save well. You can save leftovers, but they would need to be completely thawed in the fridge and then rechurned. So I reccommend making only as much as you want to eat in one sitting.  A better method for making multiple servings w...

Making bean based 'meatballs' can be tricky. They're often to soft and too wet. Other times they're too dry.  Vegan 'meatballs' are not something you can just throw together. You need a plan if you want them to turn out right.  Flavor isn't that hard, but getting the texture correct is especially important. When your mind thinks of meatballs you expect a certain mouthfeel.  These vegan 'meatballs' have a really nice chew in addition to their exceptional taste. The secret is using partially cooked rice so that it just barely finishes cooking as the balls are baking.  Ingredients 1 can black beans, rinsed and thoroughly drained 1 jalapeno, chunked 1 serrano, chunked 3 cloves garlic 1/4 cup rolled oats 3 tbls par cooked rice 2 tbls soy protein isolate 2 tbls nutritional yeast 2 tbls canola oil 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder 1 tsp paprika 2 tsps italian seasoning 1/4 tsp cayenne 2 tbls salt 2 tsp black pepper Instructions For the par cooked rice. Fill a 14 o...