Vegan Recipes and Plant Based Cooking

I decided to try a new idea. For extra protein I buzzed up in a blender some silken firm tofu with the liquid from a can of chick peas. I then added that to a sauce I was creating in a large saute pan. It's an easy way to bump up your protein intake, even if you don't care for the texture of tofu. We're turning it into a liquid element in our pasta sauce. What it's going to do is combine with the starch of the pasta and beans to create a creamy mouth feel that mimics the addition of cheese and milk. It's incredibly satisfying to get that rich texture on a vegan pasta dish. You do have to be careful when using tofu in this way. Because like water, it has no flavor of its own, It can actually dilute the flavors when you mix it with other ingredients. The trick is to use strong accompanying ingredients and a generous amount of fat and salt to make sure that the tofu adds viscosity without detracting from the other elements. This is just a skill you gain as you lear...

This is what I refer to as a one pot wonder. Basically you throw everything into the pot and let it go. After a little while you have a something that tastes like you worked really hard on it. This is a method that's ideal for lentils and barley because they both will absorb all the wonderful flavors that are sharing the pot with them. Cooking lentils and barley together in one pot is also easy because of their near identical cooking times. About 20-25  minutes. So they also take long enough to cook that the flavors of the supporting ingredients have a chance to develop and marry.  There's very little herbs/seasoning in this dish. It relies on and really focuses on the flavors that can be obtained from a generous variety of fresh vegetables and produce. This one really takes the let the ingredients  shine approach to new heights. If you're not a fan of lentils. If you think they're bland... this recipe will change your mind. If you already love lentils, this will on...

I've done cucumber salsa recipes before. This new version takes a cleaner,  more refined approach. By now it's no secret that I love spicy cuisines like Mexican, Indian and Thai. For me the complex heat and spice profiles they provide are the perfect way to make vegan food really pop. This version of cucumber salsa is simpler,  but actually packs a bigger flavor punch into a less fussy recipe. This definitely takes a less is more approach. Bright acid from the lime, a little heat from the peppers and fresh diced summer tomato and cucumber dance on the palate. 1 large cucumber, diced 1 large tomato, diced 1/2 medium red onion, diced 1 poblano, diced 1 jalapeno, minced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 1/2 tbls olive oil 1 1/2 tbls hot sauce 1 lime, zest and juice 2 1/2 tsps salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp crushed pepper flakes Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Toss gently to mix well.  Allow to chill for a few hours in the fridge. After their stay in the frid...

I wanted to make a bread that didn't require baking in the oven and also didn't need an hour to rise. Flat bread can be yeast leavened or not. I googgled some flat bread recipes. I kind of took a few hints from several and worked the rest out on my own. Dough is intuitive. You can't blindly follow the recipe. You have to feel it out along the way. It's not complicated though. A little salt, a little fat and suss out the right proportion of flour to liquid. 2 cups flour, plus more for dusting 1/4 cup beer 1/2 cup seltzer, maybe more 1 tsp salt 1 tsps dry parsley 2 cloves garlic, grated 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp crushed pepper flakes 2 tbls olive oil Add dry ingredients, including garlic, to a mixing bowl. Add oil, beer and 1/2 cup seltzer. Stir to combine. Add more seltzer as needed until all the dry is incorporated into the dough.  Cover and let dough rest for 30 minutes in fridge. Turn onto a floured surface. Knead, incorporating more flour as need...

This is a riff on pico de gallo, but not a straight up version. It uses basil rather than cilantro. It also has the addition of corn, which creates a really pleasing textural component. It's not a salsa though. It's crisper and and less runny than your typical salsa would be. It borrows from mexican, french and italian influences. But for the most part, it's simply a celebration of the great flavors summer fruits and vegetables have to offer 1-2 ears fire roasted corn, 1 1/2 cups 1 shallot, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 red bell pepper, diced 1 vine tomato, diced 1 poblano pepper, diced 1 jalapeno, minced 3 tbls hot sauce 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tsps salt 1 tsp black pepper 10 basil leaves, sliced thinly Cook the corn dehusked over the flame of your gas burner on your stovetop until gently charred. Use tongs to turn it and get an even char. If you don't have a gas stovetop, you can cook it on an outdoor grill. Cut the cooked corn off the cobs. Com...

This one pot wonder yields tender beans and vegetables in a rich, dark sauce. It's spicy, sweet and unctous. The combination of oregano and paprika has an earthy smokiness that's unique and delicious. It's very easy. You just chuck everything into an extra large skillet and let it go until the veg is tender and the sauce is thickened. 1/2 yellow onion, sliced 1 lime, zest and juice 1/4 cup scallions, sliced on the bias 1 jalapeno, sliced on the bias into rings 1 serrano, diced 1 habernero, diced 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 can black beans and the liquid 1 can chick peas and the liquid 2 tbls olive oil 1/4 cup water 1 tbl soy sauce 2 tbls sriracha 1 tbl spicy mustard 2 1/2 tsps oregano 1 1/2 tsps paprika 1 tsp black pepper

I grilled some potatoes over charcoal the other day. I love potatoes. Grilled potatoes get that delicious crispy, smoky skin. It's almost magical. I was slicing the potatoes and it occurred to me that it looked very similar to the way chefs serve sliced beef. So I decided to plate it in a likewise fashion. The grilled potatoes are accompanied by a vegetable and bean medley and a tomato and wine based sauce. 5 plum tomatoes diced 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 orange bell pepper, sliced 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced 1/2 a large yellow onion, sliced 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced 1 jalapeno thinly sliced 1 serrano thinly sliced 1 can chickpeas, plus liquid 1/2 cup white wine 2 tbls olive oil 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 2 tsps dill The potatoes are simply grilled whole over charcoal. All the other components are added to a large frying pan and cooked down until the peppers are barely tender.

I was in the mood for biscuits. I've always been a fan. KFC biscuits first turned me on to the them as a child. Pilsbury fueled the fire. The first time I had those Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuits, I was practically dumbfounded. None of those, sadly, are vegan. A quick google search for vegan biscuits will yield a plethora of contenders. I decided to go with the " southern vegan's buttermilk biscuits ". That recipe just felt the simplest and most authentic. I did modify it though. Rather than go out and get vegan margarine, I used vegetable shortening, which I already had. I also added fresh cracked black pepper, crushed pepper flakes, minced jalapeno and minced garlic. I used about a 1/2 cup shortening to 2 cups flour. In retrospect, a little more fat would've been ideal. I'd say a few tablespoons of olive oil would work nicely in the mix. I also think a little more salt would've been nice. The original recipe calls for only 1/2 a teaspoon. 1 ful...

I adore the flavors in Thai food. They're unique and addictive. They're also not that easy to reproduce when your local food stores don't sell lemongrass or kaffir lime or galangal. Lucky for me, there's a product called Thai green curry paste. It contains all the fundamental elements that make Thai green curry what it is. It's a little pricey, but it definitely delivers that authentic flavor. I have used a few non-traditional elements, but the this dish is 100% spicy vegan Thai curry all the way. I did my best to keep it simple and let the elements of the green curry paste shine. I only added fresh ingredients I felt would enhance the existing flavors of the green curry paste. 1 can black beans, plus liquid 1 can coconut milk 1/4 cup white wine 1 tbl olive oil 2 tbls Thai green curry paste 3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced * 1 pint sliced white mushrooms 1 poblano, diced 1 jalapeno, diced 1 serrano, diced 1/2 bunch cilantro l...