Vegan Recipes and Plant Based Cooking

I find it fascinating that if you cook red wine long enough it becomes a sauce. It just thrills me that this is possible. I believe when you combine red wine with red onion it's a magical pairing. They have compounds in common that enhance eachother. I also know that mushrooms and red wine love each other. Caramelizing mushrooms and red onion as a first step in creating a red wine reduction sauce is a simple, hassle-free way to create a robust and deep sauce to rival any french recipe. Ingredietnts 1 pint sliced white mushrooms 1/2 medium red onion, sliced 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1/3 cup red wine 3 tbls olive oil 1 can pinto beans, plus can liquid 2/3 cup water 1/2 bunch parsley leaves 2 tsps thyme 1 tsp rosemary 2 tsps basil 1 tsp oregano 2 tsps salt 1 tsp black pepper Cook the mushrooms and onions in a large skillet with 1 tbl of the olive oil and salt. Saute over medium-high heat until mushrooms are deeply browned. It'll take 15-20 minut...

I was looking to incorporate some extra omega 3 into my diet. I'm also always trying to think of new and delicious ways to create creamy, cheesy vegan pasta sauces. They're so satisfying. In many ways, they're better than the real thing. Complex and unexpected flavors. Filling and nutritious. But above all else, they have to taste great. They have to make you want to come back for more. This recipe ticks all those boxes. 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 cup ground flax seed 1/2 cup nutritional yeast 3 tbls olive oil 3 cloves garlic 1 tsp salt 3 tsps black pepper 2 tsp crushed pepper flakes 2 tbls hot sauce 1-2 cups pasta water 2 heaping spoonsfuls vegan mayo 2 handfuls parsley, roughly chopped 1/2 box cooked pasta Add walnuts, flax seed, yeast, garlic, salt, pepper, pepper flakes, hot sauce and oil to a food processor. Pulse til the bigger pieces are small, then continue to process to create a paste. As an alternative to using a food processor you could grind ...

Lentils and barley are a match beyond reproach in my opinion. Throw in some tomato and leafy greens and never look back. When I was young my mother would make beef stew. I never cared much for it. Chewy cubes of meat swimming in a soupy mess of mushy carrots and potatoes. This recipe on the other hand, is what stew should be. All the components still have their textural integrity. They are married together in a rich and complex broth. It takes some time to make, but it's worth it. 2 shallots, sliced 1 medium red bell pepper, diced 1 poblano pepper, diced 1 jalapeno, minced 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 cup spinach 1 cup kale 1/2 cup dry lentils 1/3 cup dry pearl barley 1/4 cup white wine 1/4 cup brandy 2 tsps spicy mustard 1 chipotle and 1 tbl adobo sauce 3 tbls olive oil 1 small can low sodium V8 juice 5-6 cups water 1/3 cup nutritional yeast 2 tsps celery seed 2 1/2 tsps paprika 2 tsps thyme 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp cumin seed 1 tsp black pepper 2 tsps s...

Building on the idea of my vegan incarnation of Alton Brown's Cacio e Pepe, I decided to try a pesto style variation. I added basil and spinach as well as a few other touches. It comes together fairly easily. Most things go into the food processor to make the pesto. It's a creamy, rich version of basil pesto that's totally veganized. It's easy too. Just cook the pasta. Buzz up the pesto and combine. 2/3 cup sunflower seeds 5 cloves garlic 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup fresh spinach 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 1/3 cup olive oil 3 tsp fresh cracked black pepper 1 tsp salt 2 tsps crushed pepper flakes 2 tbls vegan mayo 1/3 cup pasta water 1/2 box spaghetti Cook pasta according to Alton's cold water pasta method. Process the pesto ingredients until pasty. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in pasta water to form a loose, soupy sauce. Toss in spaghetti. Use tongs to coat in the sauce. Stir vigorously with a spoon to incorporate mayo.

I wanted a coconut milk free curry. So I went with a tomato base and rounded it out with a little vegan mayo. Slightly creamy, but mostly  lighter. Some pickled granny smith apple to finish. 1 pint sliced white mushrooms 3-4 vine tomatoes, roasted, peeled, crushed 1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1/2 can or 3 tbls Thai red curry paste 1 can red beans, plus brine Liquid from 1 can black beams * 2 poblano peppers, diced 1 serrano pepper, sliced 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced 3 dry shishito peppers 2 chile de arbol 2 tsps vegan mayo 1 tsp dry basil 3 tbls olive oil 2 tps salt 1 tsp black pepper Brush tomatoes in olive oil and roast at 450 F for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Saute mushrooms and onions in olive oil, salt and pepper until nicely darkened. Peel tomatoes. They should be easy to peel by hand. Crush into mushroom/onion mix using hands. They're not pretty, but I like to put the peels and cores into the pot for extra flavor. Simmer until tomatoes gi...

I've been watching 'Good Eats: Reloaded'. I was psyched to learn that Alton was revisiting some classics and also had new episodes in the works. Many TV chefs have inspired me over the years, but Alton was always the one that made me feel like I could do what he was doing. He made it accessible and realistic. The sock puppets and sci fi references only made it that much cooler. So inspired by his Cacio e Pepe recipe, I set out to create a vegan version. I feel like it was a complete success. Creamy, cheesy, peppery and very comforting. For me, that's the big hurdle to veganism. Lack of cheese. Everything else is easy to ditch. Good riddance. But cheese. You miss that stuff. So you come up with ways to trick your taste buds into thinking you're still getting it. Sauce 3/4 cup ground sunflower seeds 1/2 cup nutritional yeast 1 tbl fresh ground black pepper 2 tsp crushed pepper flakes 1/3 cup olive oil 2 tbls vegan mayo 3/4-1 cup pasta water 1/2 box sp...

This is a play on classic three bean salad. I made a Thai flavored dressing and added some tomatoes for that acidic pop. The dressing is rich and lightly spicy. It coats all the fresh ingredients in its mellow deliciousness. It's simple to make. No cooking. Just cutting, whisking and microwaving. Dressing 1 tbl spicy mustard 1/4 cup garbanzo bean can brine 1 tsp Thai red curry paste 2 tbls hot sauce 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tsps salt 1 tsp black pepper Bean Salad 1 can garbanzo beans, drained 1/2 can black beans, rinsed 1/2 cup frozen green peas 3 vine tomatoes, chunked 1 jalapeno, deseeded and diced 1 serrano, deseeded and diced 1/4 medium yellow onion, diced 1 cup steam in the bag frozem broccoli, cooked Whisk together the dressing ingredients, minus the oil, in a medium mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to whisk until you have a nicely emulsified dressing. Add remaining ingredients to the bow with the dressing in the bottom. Toss gently to coat. Allow to rest ...

So I took another crack at my vegan cheddar biscuit recipe. I thought it could be improved and/or tweaked for the better. I add some olive oil to the mix for flavor and fat. I also added some panko breadcrumbs for a different texture. They are moist and tender on the interior, but there's a pleasant crunch on the outside. The textural contrast adds an unexpected dimension beyond just the flavor sensations. Also ditched the sugar and the baking soda. Changed out the water for almond milk. Tweaked the spice mix. Extremely pleased with the results. 2 cups ap flour 3 tbls nutritional yeast 1/4 cup panko 3 tbls olive oil 3 tbls vegan mayo 1 tbl baking powder 2 tsps salt 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp dry basil 1 tsp dry thyme 2 tsps crushed pepper flakes 1-2 cups almond or soy milk as needed Add all ingredients except almond milk to a medium sized mixing bowl. Add 1 cup milk. Gently stir. Add additional milk in 1/4 cup increments until a dense, yet moist dough is formed. Try not to stir to...