Vegan Recipes and Plant Based Cooking

When the weather warms up, which it finally did, I'm a big fan of fresh, unadulterated flavors. Simple, natural  ingredients that are allowed to shine really are a pleasure to eat. Light, fresh flavors that are refreshing and nourishing. Minimal cooking for maximum satisfaction. Sweet and spicy peppers, zesty citrus and crunchy apples make up this summery salad that's rounded out with hearty chick peas. This is a fusion of so many cuisines. It's a global blend that borrows from many cultures. Small influences from many places work together in harmony. Food and flavor have and always will be universal. I just recently started whipping up my own salad dresings. The fresh taste is so much more satisfying than store bought. It's easy too. Shockingly easy. That's the one danger of cooking for yourself with fresh ingredients... Convenience foods I once found perfectly adequate now taste bland and salty. It's a fair trade off though, for the brilliant variety...

Classic mushroom risotto, but vegan. I stuck with mostly traditional Italian ingredients. I was really focused on making sure this had the same depth of flavor that is found in typical risotto made with chicken stock and Parmesan cheese. This particular recipe is unique in that it doesn't use vegetable stock. I've always found that creates a very salty end product. Instead I used a some liquid from a can of garbanzos for salinity and depth. Fresh vegetables, tomatoes and flat leaf parsley round out the profile. I don't, however, believe risotto needs to be fussy. It needn't be constantly stirred or tended. Just make sure to stir it often to release those starches. The original concept was without tomatoes, but upon tasting the partially cooked dish, it was obvious that some acid was required. The tomatoes also add a pop of texture. Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe 1 cup arborio rice 1 pint baby bella mushrooms, sliced 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved ...

This is a vegan mushroom curry  that features a dark, rich, thick mushroom gravy. It's mildy hot, but mostly mushroom and ginger forward. It's got an Indian backbone, but a little bit of American muscle. 2 cups button mushrooms, sliced 3 large cloves garlic, sliced 1 inch fresh ginger, grated 1 charred jalapeno, diced * 1/4 can black beans/liquid 1/4 can pinto beans/liquid 1/4 can garbanzo beans/liquid 3 tbls olive oil 1/4 cup water 2 tsps turmeric 2 tsps paprika 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp crushed pepper flakes 1/2 tsp cayenne powder 1/2 tsp celery seed 2 tsps salt 1 tsp black pepper Did you know that you can use the liquid in your canned beans to add both salt and starch to your homemade soups, stews and sauces. This is especially helpful for vegan dishes since we don't want to add butter to thicken our sauces. We could use vegan roux or corn starch slurry, but the brine from the bean can has a nice salinity to add and a good hit ...

A woman I work with is absolutely wild about the Costco three bean salad. She had me try it and see. It was good. Meaty beans swimming in a rich Italian style dressing. Still, I thought, it could have a lot more depth. This is my variation on that classic. Three different kinds of beans, shallots, mushrooms and dill pickles. It's a vegan paradise on a plate. This dish covers the gamut of flavor sensations. Tart, sweet, earthy, meaty, unctuous, hot, herbaceous, smokey and probably some others I've overlooked. It really is a wild ride for your palette. 1 can black beans, rinsed 1 can red beans, rinsed 1 can garbanzo beans, drained, unrinsed, reserve 2 tbls can brine 1/4 cup dill pickles, diced 3 tbls dill pickle liquid 1 tps spicy mustard 1 tbl sriracha 1 tbl hot sauce 1 lime, zest and juice 1/2 ginger, grated 1/4 cup olive oil 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 3 shallots, diced 1/2 pint white mushrooms, sliced Two 1/4 cup portions white wine 1 tbl canola oil ...

A simple pasta treatment that's full of flavor. You can't go wrong with a generous dose of olive oil, garlic and roasted peppers. All that oil holds onto all those other flavors and envelopes the pasta in them. The roasted peppers add a smokey flavor. The secret to this dish is to just barely cook the pasta. That way when you saute it in the veggie flavored oil it's still thirsty enough to absorb all the goodness. 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 jalapeno, minced 1/2 cup white onion, sliced 1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced thinly 1/2 cup olive oil 8 ounces macaroni 2 tsps salt 1 tsp crushed pepper flakes 1 tsp black pepper Roast the bell pepper and the jalapeno over an open flame until the skin blackens. Cook macaroni to just less than al dente. Drain. Set aside. Saute all veg and seasonings in oil until just tender. Abotu 5 minutes. Stir in cooked macaroni. Saute a few more minutes, stirring often,...

This is kind of a spin on salsa verde. Fire roasted poblanos, jalapenos and serrano are the base for a mildly spicy puree. Some fresh basil and garlic are supporting players. It's got a beautiful color and a beautiful taste. A cross between salsa verde and chimichurri that is fresh, easy and delicious. 2 poblano peppers 2 serrano peppers 1 jalapeno pepper 1/2 a dill pickle 1/2 cup fresh basil 5 cloves garlic Roast the peppers over an open flame until the skins blister and darken. Saute garlic and basil in 1/4 cup olive oil until tender. Add all components to a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Puree.Chll a few hours in fridge.

A simple set of ingredients come together to create a complex array of flavors and textures. The idea of combining sweet fruit with a little heat is a tried an true winner. Autumn fruits like apple and pear have an acidic undertone that add another layer of complexity to the classic sweet/heat pairing. Their crunchy texture also adds another dimension. Don't take my word for it. Try it and see. Base 1 pear, peeled and diced 1/2 a medium red onion, diced 1 jalapeno, minced 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 can black beans, thoroughly rinsed 1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced thinly Dressing 1 lime, zest and juice 1/3 cup olive oil 1 tbl hot sauce 1 tbl spicy mustard 2 1/2 tsps salt 1 tsps crushed pepper flakes 1 tsp black pepper Add all dressing ingredients, except the oil to a small mixing bowl. Whisk in oil. Add base components and stir to coat. Let rest a few hours in the fridge. Rinse the black beans in a wire strainer under cool running water. If you don't ge...

You don't typically encounter potatoes in Thai cuisine, but lime and ginger are a winning combination with any beige starch. Baked and then broiled potato chunks dressed with a ginger lime vinaigrette. Served with a spicy ginger broth . The broth is from an older recipe. The combo really works. These potatoes are extra crispy on the outside and pillowy soft in the middle. For a variation on classic potato flavor I decided to create a ginger and lime vinaigrette to dress the cooked potatoes. Cut potatoes into 1 inch chunks. Coat a bowl with olive oil. Pour 2 tbls in the bottom of the bowl and then gently rotate the bowl to coat the sides and bottom with the oil. This ensures that the first few potato chunks you add to the bowl don't soak up all the oil. This way all the potato wedges get a nice even coating of the oil. Add cut raw potatoes to the bowl. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Toss potatoes to coat evenly. Add more seasoning as needed to evenly coat all chunks. Bak...

The idea was to create a sauce using black beans as a base. I've had Chinese black bean sauce before and it's a little too sweet for my taste. This is a variation on that. Less sweet, more heat. It has an asian feel, but it's not strictly asian. A fairly simple stir fry with a quick and tasty sauce. It's super hot and a little bit sweet. 8 ounces frozen stir fry vegetable mix 1 poblano pepper, sliced small 1 jalapeno pepper, diced 1 serrano pepper, diced 1/2 a habernero pepper, minced 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 can black beans, plus the can liquid 2 tbls canola oil 2 tbls low sodium soy sauce 1 tbl hot sauce 1 tbl sriracha 2 tsps onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp celery seed 2 tsps salt 1 tsp black pepper Saute vegetables in oil until the frozen are defrosted. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer until heated through and sauce begins to thicken.