Vegan Recipes and Plant Based Cooking

I made some potato pancakes. Oh, they are an effort. All that potato shredding is rough on the biceps and shoulders. I used a v slicer with a julienne attachment and it was still a lot of work. I forgot how much work or I probably wouldn't have done it.  They sure do taste great though.  I don't peel my potatoes. So that saves some work. It also helps retain a lot of nutrients.  I like to put jalapeno in my potato pancakes. It just adds that little kick.  Rather than make individual cakes, I fill a frying pan with a large one and use a cutter to get little rounds.  Keeping them vegan is pretty easy. A little flour, a little baking powder, a little vinegar. They hold together very well. There are no structural issues.  The vinegar sounds weird, but is essential to keep the potatoes from turning gray.  You'll need to grate or shred about 4 medium russet potatoes and mince one jalapeno.  Add 2 tbls flour. 1 tbl white vinegar. 1 tsp baking powder. 1 1...

 I started taking a lysine supplement to prevent cold sores and accidentally discovered that it's something really important for a vegan diet.  While plants are a source of lysine and some even have a lot, on a strict vegan diet you may end up not getting enough, like I did. Especially if you're very physically active.  There were no overt symptoms. Just general tiredness and fatigue.  A lysine supplement really made a difference in my overall alertness and physical ability. I stopped sleeping so long and stopped waking up tired.  If you're sure your vegan diet is healthy and well rounded and don't understand what's missing, lysine may be the answer.  It's an essential amino acid found in many animal products. So taking a supplement isn't generally dangerous. You can take in a lot without any negative impact. So it's definitely worth a shot if you're experiencing unexplained fatigue. 

  It's a little spicy. It's a lot garlicky. It's a little cheezy. It's totally delicious.  Very easy to make. One pot does it all.  1/2 box small shells pasta 1 shallot, thinly sliced 5 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 inch ginger, minced 1 jalapeno, minced 2 tbls nutritional yeast 2 tbls olive oil 1/2 an 8 ounce bag of spinach 1 tsp crushed pepper flakes 1 tsp dry basil 2 tsps black pepper 1 tbl salt Cook the pasta in water seasoned with the 1 tbl salt.  I use Alton Brown's cold water pasta method. Add pasta to medium large pot. Cover with water an inch over the pasta. Add salt. Bring to  boil and then simmer until al dente.  When pasta is al dente, remove it from the water into a heat safe storage container. Retain approximately 2/3 cup of the pasta water in the pot and discard the rest.  Return pot with pasta water to stove. Medium high heat. Add olive oil, garlic, shallot, jalapeno, ginger, yeast, crushed pepper flakes, basil, spinach and black pepper....

Fancy dried mushrooms combine with baby bellas and marinated artichokes to produce an earthy and tangy risotto more than capable of standing up to any traditional version.  1 pint baby bella mushrooms, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeno, minced 1/3 cup fancy dried mushrooms, diced (such as chanterelles and morels) 1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts 1 cup frozen peas 1/2 cup arborio rice 2 shallots, diced 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup dry white wine 2 1/2 tbls salt 2 tsps black pepper 2 tsps dry thyme I got a large bag of 'chef's blend' fancy dried mushrooms on amazon. It's great for adding umami depth to broths and sauces.  A mushroom risotto is awesome with just humble mushrooms, but add some more exotic ones as well, and you've really got something.  Normally I'll use tomato for acid in a risotto, but this time I went with artichokes. I love artichokes. They offer a unique flavor and texture that creates an entirely different risotto experience.  I know ...

  Colorful and satisfying. Sweet and savory thanks to the celery, peppers and corn.  Brimming with textures, freshness, crunch and meatiness.  Simple, yet complex.  100% vegan and 100% delicious.  No cooking required. Just open, chop, sprinkle and stir.  Ingredients 2 cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed 5 stalks celery, sliced on the bias 1 long hot pepper, minced 1 green bell pepper, dnced 1 poblano pepper, diced 1 jalapeno, minced 1 shallot, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup frozen corn 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tbls hot sauce 2 tsps celery seed 2 tsps dry basil 2 tsps black pepper 1 tbl salt Mix it all together. Park in the fridge overnight so the corn can thaw. 

Who doesn't love spaghetti and meatballs? I've had store bought vegan meatballs and they're pretty tasty, but my vegan meatballs are orders of magnitude better.  They're easy to make. Pretty fun actually.  They have a  texture very much like classic meatballs.  The flavor is not meat like (which is a good thing), but it is very rich and unctuous. These are craveable. I have a hard time not just devouring them all in one sitting.  1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 3/4 cup old fashioned oats 1 jalapeno 1 serrano 1 tbl garlic powder 2 tbls nutritional yeast 1/3 cup olive oil 2 tsps paprika 1 tbl salt 1 tsp black pepper Bizz it all up in your food processor. It should be a thickish paste.  Moist, yet easily moldable. Let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Use a a spoon and your hands to roll into equal balls. Approximately 2 inches in diameter. You should wind up with about 15 balls.  Place them on a baking sheet either lined with a silpat or greas...

There are plenty of vegan rice pudding recipes already out there. Ones that start from scratch and many more that use leftover rice.  Rice pudding is one of my favorite desserts. I've always loved it.  What sets this one apart is the ras el hanout.  I had lots of almond milk and lots of leftover rice, but I didn't have any  cinnamon or nutmeg on hand, so ras el hanout seemed like a really interesting substitute.  I used leftover chinese takeout rice. I had a pint and I added it to a medium sauce pan. I added enough almond milk to cover the rice.  Let that simmer for a bit until it begins to thicken some.  Then, I added 1/4 cup truvia sweetener, 1/2 cup quaker brown sugar oatmeal squares cereal buzzed to dust in a spice grinder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ras el hanout and 1/2 cup more almond milk.  I used original flavor almond milk.  Vanilla flavor would also work.  Continue to simmer over low heat. Stirring often. It's done when the rice is cre...

  I was trying to come up with a new sauce. Sauces really bring it all together.  Sauces that don't require cooking are my favorite kind. Whisk together a few odds and ends and suddenly you're a real cook who knows how to make real sauces. Not adding heat is also an insurance policy. No heat sauces don't tend to break or split.  I was going for something dark and creamy and rich and I believe that's what I got. You can be the judge.  2 tbls spicy mustard 2 tbls soy sauce 1 tbl hot sauce 2 tsps olive oil Whisk together first three. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking. That's it. Easy, sexy and tasty.  It's simple, but the various complexities and depths inherent in the pre-made sauces combine to create something greater than the sum of the parts.