Vegan Recipes and Plant Based Cooking

Not sure what inspired me to create a stroganoff like pasta sauce. I guess I just wanted something different from my usual fare. I have a penchant for italian, mexican and thai flavors. But sometimes something totally different is exactly what you're craving. I remember liking beef stroganoff as a kid. Or rather, that hamburger helper version that my mother used to make. Hardly authentic, but it was pretty tasty to my teenage palate. Here, I was going for a creamy, mushroomy sauce with that great depth you would get from beef stock and/or beef, but obviously without actually using anything beef or beef derived. The resultant creation was thick, rich, super tasty and heartily satisfying. 1 pint white mushrooms, sliced 1/2 a medium yellow onion, diced 1 poblano pepper, diced 6 cloves garlic, sliced 1 anaheim peppper, minced 1 jalapeno pepper, minced 1 can coconut milk 1 can black beans/can brine 1/4 cup red wine 1/4 cup dill pickle brine 1 tbl spicy mustard 1 tbl...

I took some time to make some vegan meatballs the other day. Black beans and rolled oats combine to form a very satiating protein. They're cute to look at too. 1 can black beans, drained 1-2 cups Uncooked rolled oats 1 tbl olive oil 1 tbl vegan mayo 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp paprika zest and juice from 1 lime 1 tbl nutritional yeast 2 tsps sriracha 2 tsps spicy mustard 3 cloves garlic 1/2 inch fresh ginger 2 tsps salt 1 tsp black pepper Puree all ingredients in a food processor until a thick mixture is formed. Add oats in small batches until the consistency is right. It should be slightly moist, but mostly firm. Easy to mold into balls. Do not shape right away. Allow to chill in the fridge  for at least 1 hour. Then roll into 3 inch balls. Arrange evenly on a greased baking sheet. Set aside again... this time in the freezer. Preheat oven to 450 F. Bake until crusty on the outside. About 15-20 minutes. They'll still be tender inside...

These are a riff on Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits. It's a pretty simple recipe as I'm not much of  a baker beyond yeast breads. But drawing on my experience with Bisquick biscuits and the like this idea came together pretty easily. 2 cups ap flour 2 1/2 tsps baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsps salt 1 tsp sugar 2 tbls vegan mayo 2 tsps dry dill 1 tsp garlic powder 2 tbls nutritional yeast water, as needed Stir together all ingredients except water. Add 1 cup water and mix. Continue adding water in 1/4 cup increments until a tick, yet sticky dough is formed. Let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Leaving at least 1 inch between each. You should wind up with 5 or 6 biscuits. Preheat oven to 450 F. Let rest again for 30 minutes in the fridge. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Or until lightly golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes.

The interesting thing about this recipe is that you prepare the ingredients in your pot and then you let them just sit for a while before cooking them. This softens the lentils and allows the flavors to gently develop and marry. It saves time tending to on the stove top while still producing that long simmered depth. V8 juice is a convenient substitute for tomato puree and vegetable broth. Not much is needed to create that unctuous minestrone base to support our other fresh ingredients. There are a bunch of hot peppers in this, but it's not very hot. They mellow nicely over the course of the preparation. But if you don't like too much heat, just cut back on the amount of each pepper. I wouldn't recommend not adding them at all. It's the medley of different peppers that creates a certain umami that would be lost otherwise. Just use less according to your personal heat tolerance. 1/2 cup dry lentils 1 small can low sodium V8 juice 3 cups water 1/4 cup white wine 2 tbls...

When you think vegan, you don't typically think of creamy. Nevertheless, there are tricks we use to recreate that texture and sensation because it is a great one. Just because we forgo dairy doesn't mean we should miss out on the pleasures it has to offer. We just have to get creative. Vegan mayo is the secret in this case. I purchased some to see what it's like. I'd never had it before. I was really amazed at the flavor and texture. Spot on in both respects. Normally, you'd add cheese to risotto to finish it and give it that rich, creamy texture. In our case, vegan mayo offers the same results without the dairy. 3/4 cup arborrio rice 1/2 medium red onion, diced 1 pint white mushrooms, sliced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 can black beans and the can brine 1/2 cup white wine 1/4 cup brandy 1 jalapeno pepper, minced 5 cloves garlic, sliced 1/2 a poblano pepper, diced 2 heaping tbls vegan mayo 2 tsps salt 2 tsps black pepper 1 tsp dry basil 1 tsp cru...

I often check the frozen vegetarian section of shoprite for boca vegan burgers. They usually only have the chick'n patties or the very large box of vegan burgers. I wind up buying the chick'n patties because I don't want a box of ten. The chick'n patties are really good, but occasionally I want that more traditional veggie patty feel. Last time I checked, I found the turk'y burgers four pack. I was pleased because they were labelled as vegan. I had no lofty expectations. I've always been satisfied with boca products and assumed they'd be at least satisfactory.. They were actually very good. Better than I expected. Good taste and texture. A very pleasing sandwich. Should they stick around, I'd definitely purchase them again. They're low cal and high protein. The taste is good. The texture is moist, but not mushy. Very good vegan patty.

Creamy, rich, nut-free vegan alfredo sauce is easier than you think. Alfredo Sauce 1 can great northern beans 1/2 block silken tofu, drained 3 tsps salted sunflower seeds 6 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly 1 tsp nutritional yeast 1 tbl vegan mayo 1 tsp salt 1 tsp crushed pepper flakes 2 tsps black pepper pasta water as needed Other Ingredients 1/2 16 ounce box pasta, cooked al dente 1/2 cup cooked broccoli florets Couple handfuls fresh parsley leaves Saute garlic in 3 tbls olive oil until fragrant and slightly darkened. In a food processor puree until smooth all the sauce ingredients, garlic and oil, but not the pasta water. Set aside sauce. Prepare pasta. Reserve pasta water in the pot. Add drained pasta to large bowl. Pour sauce over pasta. Stir in parsley and broccoli. Add pasta water in 3 tbl spoon increments as needed to create a smooth sauce.

This sauce is so simple, but delivers immense flavor. 1 large 24 ounce jar roasted red peppers 3 cloves garlic 1 jalapeno 2 tsps celery seed 2 tbls olive oil 2 tsps salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tbl sriracha Puree all ingredients in a blender. Add back to original roasted pepper jar. Chill at least 2 hours. It's a condiment. It's a sauce. It's a salad dressing. It's anything you need it to be! Quick and easy flavor with just a handful of ingredients. Show with white rice and a mushroom and tomato chutney. This is also very easy and has a big payoff. Chutney 2 white mushrooms, diced 2 vine tomatoes, diced 1/4 sweet onion, diced 1 clove garlic, diced 1/2 cup spinach 1/4 cup white wine 2 tbls olive oil 2 tsps salt In a 10 inch fry pan cook down tomatoes, mushrooms, onion and garlic in the oil and salt. About 5 minutes. Add wine and cook off wine for 3 minutes. Turn off heat. Stir in spinach to wilt.

Made entirely from fresh produce... no canned tomatoes. I used a mortar and pestle to create a paste to season the curry. I had been wanting to try this technique since I saw it used on Masterchef UK. While I love a coconut milk powered curry, I wanted something lighter and with more protein power. Tofu was the answer. Seeds from 10 cardamom pods or 1/12 tsps ground 5 whole cloves 2 tsps coriander seed 2 tsps cumin seed 2 tsps paprika 2 tsps turmeric 2 tsps salt 1 tsp celery seed 1 tsp crushed pepper flakes 3 cloves garlic, chunked 1 inch ginger, grated 2 tsps olive oil Grind all until a fairly smooth paste is formed. Set aside. 1/2 block silken tofu, drained 1/4 cup brine from 1 large jar of roasted red peppers 1 roasted red pepper from the jar 2 tsps sriracha Puree in a blender until smooth. Set aside. 3 medium vine tomatoes, diced 3 large white mushrooms, diced 1/4 sweet onion, diced 1 can chick pea and the brine 1 poblano pepper, diced 1 jalapeno p...

A sweet and spicy vegan stew that's all done in one pot. Set it and forget it. Everything goes into a pot on the stove and you just let it cook down until the flavors are concentrated. 1 red bell pepper 1 poblano pepper 1 jalaepno pepper 1 can garbanzos/brine 5 cloves garlic 1/3 cup red wine 2 tbls olive oil 3 tbls soy sauce 1 tbl sriracha 1 cup water 1 lime, zest and juice 1 inch ginger 3 cloves 5 pieces allspice 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp pepper flakes Toss everything into a large pot and simmer uncovered for at least 20 minutees or up to 35 minutes.

As summer is coming to a close I'm inspired by the lingering heat. Cucumbers have such a hydrating and cooling appeal. Gorgeous multicolored heirloom tomatoes are an ingredient to snatch up while still available. When it's hot it can be hard to get yourself to eat anything hearty. This dish feels light, but packs plenty of nutrients. Just sprinkle in some beans on top and you're good to go. Crisp granny smith apples add crunch and sweetness. The cucumber is refreshing and crunchy. Tomatoes add acid. 1 large cucumber, sliced into quarter circles 2 pints heirloom grape tomatoes, halved 1 granny smith apple, diced 1 jalapeno, quartered, then sliced 3 tbls olive oil 1 tbl white vinegar 2 tbls hot sauce 1/4 cup diet citrus green iced tea 3 tsps dry dill 2 tsps salt 2 tsps black pepper Toss everything in a bowl and gently stir to combine. Let rest an hour or two in the fridge. Done and done.

I decided to try a new ingredient that I've been curious about for a while now. Brandy. It's used in a lot of sauces and french cuisine. I've seen it associated with cream sauces, pepper sauces, mushroom sauces. So I thought I'd give it a go and see. I went with a mushroom and caper based sauce to keep with the french theme. I've made similar sauces in the past, but the brandy definitely added a new level of nuance to the finished product. 1 pint white mushrooms, sliced 1/2 yellow onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, sliced 1 jalapeno, sliced 2 spoonfuls capers/brine 1 can garbanzos/brine 1/3 cup white wine 1 tbl spicy mustard 1 tsp all purpose flour 1/4 cup brandy 2 tbls olive oil 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 2 tsps dry savory or sage - one or the other, not both Saute the mushrooms and onion in the salt and oil until nicely caramelized. This will take some time. At least 15 minutes. Stir it occasionally so they don't get too dark on one side. It's...

I was trying to come up with a way to add faux cheese slices to my lightlife vegan bologna sandwiches. This will probably sound ridiculous to anyone who isn't vegan, but it really does mimic the texture and flavor of an unmelted slice of  american cheese. Waxy red potatoes are essential. Other potatoes would go too soft and crumbly. I've always thought that turmeric not only has the color of cheese, but it also has a similar flavor. I combined that with salt and paprika to create my vegan potato cheese slices. The oil adds that essential fatty element to really seal the deal. 2 red potatoes, sliced thinly olive oil turmeric and paprika 1 tsp salt Slice the potatoes into thin circles. Brush each slice with oil on both sides. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet lubed with cooking spray. Season with salt. Sprinkle lightly with turmeric and paprika. Brush each slice to evenly coat with the spices. Broil on high on the third rack from the top for 10 minutes or...

Nothing quite compares to a pasta dish with a great sauce on it. When creating vegan recipes pasta is an ideal choice. It's full of gluten, which is protein. Runner's love pasta and I love running. Drawing on the flavors I'm familiar with and the combinations that I know work well together, I create this vegan pasta sauce recipe. Pasta really shines when you dress it correctly. It needn't be fancy or extravagant. It just needs to be a thoughtful assemblage of complementary ingredients. It's sweet, it's smokey and it's a little bit spicy. It makes a viscous and unctuous sauce that coats the pasta in its incredibly flavorful embrace. When you want a deep, hearty pasta sauce red wine is always a good choice for a start. Where you take it from there is a wide open with possibilities. 1/2 a medium red onion, sliced 1 poblano, diced 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered 1 pint white mushrooms, sliced 5 cloves garlic, sliced 2 chipotles, 2 spoonfuls of...