Asian Hot Sauce Marinated Tofu

This is adapted from the Hot-Sauce-Glazed Tempeh recipe from Veganomicon.  It comes together incredibly quickly and tastes divine.  I whipped some together at breakfast this morning and it was ready to eat at lunch.

1/2 cup pear sake
2 Tbsp Sriracha
1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
2 Tbsp honey ginger balsamic vinegar*
1/2 tsp Beijing rub*
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/2 pound tofu, sliced

Whisk marinade ingredients together. Add the tofu slices. Shake and let sit for an hour or more.  Top with kim chee and eat cold, or fry and glaze with leftover marinade.

* Available at AllSpice.

Cookie Dough Cheesecake

These are not even remotely vegan, though I have veganized this recipe in the past.  This lasted maybe all of an hour at our not-Super-Bowl party.

1 graham cracker crust
1 8-oz container light whipped cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
frozen cookie dough

Mix the cream cheese, egg, sugar and vanilla together.  Spread in the graham cracker crust.  Cut the cookie dough into tiny chunks (I used about 4 cookies' worth of Trader Joe's frozen chocolate chunk cookie dough) and sprinkle it over the cream cheese mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350.  Let cool.  Nom.

Homemade Cottage Cheese

I've been eating a lot of Kalona Organics cottage cheese lately, so I decided to take a stab at making my own. Much like making your own yogurt, it's disgustingly easy.

1 half gallon milk (I used Picket Fence Creamery 2%)
5 drops liquid vegetable rennet (purchased at Gateway Market)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Heat the milk over low heat until it reaches 88 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from heat, add rennet, stir. Cover and leave out for 4 hours, or until set and jiggly. Slice through the jiggly milk, cutting into cube-like shapes. Add the salt and lemon juice and heat over low heat until the curds separate from the whey. Strain, discarding the whey (or save it for later use), drain in the fridge for another hour, then eat and/or store.

Chai Steel-Cut Oatmeal

1 cup steel cut oats
4 cups water (you can replace up to 2 cups of the water with non-dairy milk and/or whey)
a hefty pinch of sea salt
1 roobios chai tea bag
1 tsp cinnamon
vanilla stevia/sweetener to taste
slivered/sliced almonds for serving

Put the water/milk mixture and chai tea bag in a large pot and bring to a boil.  Add the oats, salt and cinnamon, remove tea bag, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes.

Serve sweetened with slivered/sliced almonds mixed in.

Note:  You can also make this in the crock pot, using this method.  Alternately, you can bring the water to a boil, stir in oats, salt and cinnamon, turn the heat off and leave covered at room temperature overnight.  I like to divide the oatmeal up into pint-size jars after it's done cooking, so I have handy portion-sized jars ready for grabbing in the morning.

Also, this is even better after having sat in the fridge overnight.  The texture becomes chewy and awesome.

Green Smoothie

Adapted from the recipe here.

2 cups baby spinach
1 banana, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup almond milk (or leftover whey)
1 6 oz. container plain Greek yogurt
6 drops vanilla stevia or 1 Tbsp agave nectar
2 tsp fresh ginger
1 Tbsp peanut butter

Blend until creamy and green.  This keeps well in the fridge overnight.

Mocha Chia Pudding

Last night was my first attempt at chia seed pudding.  And OMG.  I may be obsessed.  This could not be simpler or tastier.

3 Tbsp chia seeds
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp instant coffee powder
10 drops vanilla liquid stevia

Combine in jar.  Shake vigorously.  Let sit in the fridge overnight.  Makes2 servings, but I dare you not to eat it all at once.

Slow-Carbed Vegan Hot Wing/Mac and Beans Casserole

This is a twist on an old favorite.  The substitution of white beans for pasta not only lowers the carb content, it also makes it absurdly easy.  I used a fire-roasted ketchup sweetened with stevia in this recipe, but you could easily sub tomato paste instead.  This is all kinds of decadent.  Creamy vegan comfort food with no sacrifices.

Hot Wings
1 package Trader Joe's chicken-less strips
3 Tbsp melted Earth Balance margarine OR olive oil (I bet AllSpice's butter-flavored olive oil would be awesome here)
4 Tbsp stevia-sweetened ketchup OR tomato paste
2-1/2 Tbsp Siracha

Whisk the melted margarine, ketchup and Siracha together.  Put the "chicken" strips in the bottom of a casserole dish and pour the sauce over them.

Mac and Beans
2 cans white beans (cannelini or butter beans), drained and rinsed

1/3 cup raw cashews
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk)
2 Tbsp white miso
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp tahini
1/2 Tbsp roasted garlic powder
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Layer the beans on top of the hot wings.

Blend everything else in a blender for 3-5 minutes, or until completely smooth.  Pour the cheese sauce over the beans.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Pesto Broccoli and Chickpeas

1 bag frozen broccoli florets
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup pesto
1 head garlic, chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp slivered almonds, optional

Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes.

Black Bean Brownies

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 eggs
3 Tbsp coconut or canola oil
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp instant coffee
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup SweetLeaf sugar/stevia blend (or 3/4 cup sugar)
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a baking dish. Blend all ingredients and pour into dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Makes 15 brownies.

Seitan Roast Stuffed with Mushrooms and Leeks

This is basically this recipe from the PPK, but with a few substitutions/additions:

• I had cooked cannellini beans, so I used those instead of pinto beans
• I subbed mashed beans and almond meal for the breadcrumbs in the filling
• I used mushroom broth and mushroom-flavored olive oil to boost the mushroomy-ness
• I served it with this gravy

I got rave reviews from everyone who's tried it, and it's packed full of tasty protein.

Savory Vegan Gravy

This is based off a recipe my friend Kelli once served us on stuffed peppers.

1 cup veggie broth (I used mushroom broth)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika


1/3 cup white beans

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, blend with a stick blender and heat until bubbling.  Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until it thickens.

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, broken up into florets
olive oil spray
smoked salt
chipotle powder

Preheat the oven to 375.  Scatter the cauliflower florets on a cookie sheet.  Spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and chipotle powder.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Baba Ghanoush

1 medium-large eggplant
1 head garlic
olive oil
1/4 tsp smoked sea salt
1/3 cup Trader Joe's tahini sauce
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1 dash liquid smoke (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Poke the eggplant all over with a knife or fork, spray  or rub with olive oil, and bake for 1 hour, or until collapsing.

Meanwhile, rub the extra skin off a head of garlic, cut the top off and spray/rub with oil.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cloves are soft.

Let the eggplant cool for a bit, then peel off the skin.  Remove as many of the seeds as you can get (don't stress about it, though).  Peel the roasted garlic cloves.  Add the garlic, salt, tahini, chipotle and cumin to the eggplant flesh.  Mash thoroughly or blend with a stick blender.  Taste, and if you like it a bit smokier, add a dash of liquid smoke.

Chipotle Devilled Eggs

6 eggs
1/4 cup mayo (I used reduced fat mayo from Trader Joe's)
1 tsp stone-ground mustard
1 tsp vinegar (I used the dark chocolate balsamic vinegar from Allspice)
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
smoked paprika for dusting

Put the eggs in a pan with just enough water to cover them.  Bring to a roiling boil, then lower to a simmer and cover.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Immediately remove from the heat and pour in cold/ice water to cool them down.  Peel and halve the eggs, scooping the yolks out.

Mash the yolks with the mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt and chipotle powder.  Spoon the filling back into the egg whites and dust with paprika.  Serve chilled.

Roasted Broccoli, Balsamic Mushrooms & Hot Sauce Glazed Tempeh

Hot Sauce Glazed Tempeh (from Veganomicon)

***

Roasted Broccoli

This couldn't be easier.

1 head broccoli, cut into florets
olive oil spray
sea salt (smoked or regular)

Preheat your oven to 400.  Scatter the broccoli florets on a cookie sheet.  Spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Stick in the oven for 25 minutes.

***

Balsamic Mushrooms


1 Tbsp olive oil (I used the Wild Mushroom & Sage olive oil from AllSpice)
8 oz crimini mushrooms, halved
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and salt and stir until the mushrooms have darkened.  Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and cook for 1-2 more minutes.

Adventures in Slow-Carb Vegetarian Dining in Des Moines

I've been attempting a few-week trial of the Slow-Carb Diet outlined in Tim Ferris' The Four Hour Body lately.  I'm having absolutely no troubles cooking at home following his guidelines, but eating out can get tricky, particularly as a vegetarian.  I thought I'd start this post as a list of options I've found so far in Des Moines:

Mexican

• huevos rancheros (hold the rice)
• guacamole
• refried/black beans
• vegetable fajitas (minus the sour cream and tortillas, get guacamole and beans)
• Many of the build-your-own-burrito places have burrito bowls where you can get the goods minus the tortillas.  Load up on beans, vegetables, guacamole and salsa.  
• Places to try:
• Chipotle
• Pancheros
• Dos Rios: tableside guacamole and the vegetable molcajete
• Bandit Burrito (has vegan chorizo) 
• Fighting Burrito  (has vegan chorizo)  
• Cuatro Burrito Bar (has vegan chorizo)

Thai

• tofu/vegetable stir-frys and curries (hold the rice)
• papaya salad
• tom kha soup with tofu
• Places to try:
• Taste of Thai: offers gluten/wheat-meat as an alternative to tofu, which is higher in protein
• Lemon Grass
• Rolling Wok
• Cool Basil
• Thai Flavors

Japanese

• agedashi tofu
• edamame
• miso soup
• seaweed/avocado salad
• Places to try:
• Appare

Indian

• any of the dals or curries (without potatoes or paneer), hold the rice and naan
• baingan bartha (eggplant and peas)
• chana masala (chickpeas)
• mushroom mattar (mushrooms and peas)
• dal (lentils)
• bindhi masala (okra and onions)
• Places to try:
• India Star
• Namaste

Breakfast

• omelettes or scrambles with vegetables, hold the cheese
• Places to try:
• La Mie: tofu scramble or vegetable scramble
• Gateway Market: tofu scramble, huevos motelenos (hold the ham)

American

• veggie burgers without the bun
• vegetable sides 
• hummus with vegetables (carrots, celery) to dip
• salads
• soups 
• Places to try:
• Big City Burgers and Greens: try the Metro Veggie Burger with a lettuce wrap and edamame as your side
• Gateway Market 
• Django
• Drake Diner
• Centro
• Zombie Burger: try the burger that uses mushrooms as the bun with a veggie patty and fried brussel sprouts
• The Contintental: get the chickpea salad as a side and try the truffled mushrooms as a starter

Mediterranean

• baba ghanoush
• hummus
• falafel
• lentil soup
• Places to try:
• Open Sesame: try the falafel salad with a side of baba ghanoush and the lentil soup
• Proof: get the falafel (minus the flatbread) with a salad

Scrambled Eggs with Soyrizo and Salsa

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tube soyrizo, crumbled
4-5 eggs
1/4 cup cheddar or gouda, shredded

Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and soyrizo and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.  Add the garlic, spices and salt and cook for 1 more minute.  Add the salsa and simmer for 2-3 more minutes.  Add the eggs and cook until no longer liquidy, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle on the cheese and serve immediately.

Pumpkin-Ricotta-Spinach Casserole

1 small pumpkin (or spaghetti squash), roasted
1 bag frozen spinach
1 container fat-free ricotta
1 egg
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp roasted garlic powder

1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
nutritional yeast
pine nuts


Shred the squash/pumpkin flesh.  Mix with the frozen spinach, ricotta, beaten egg, nutmeg, salt, white pepper and roasted garlic powder.  Dust with nutritional yeast and sprinkle on some pine nuts.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Refried Beans (a la Kelli)

My friend Kelli taught me how to make beans this way, and I haven't looked back since.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chipotle powder (optional but awesome)
2 cloves garlic

3 cups cooked pinto beans, black beans or black-eyed peas
salt to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and spices and heat for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.  Add the beans and salt and mash the beans until creamy.  Cook until the desired consistency.

Mexican Tofu Scramble

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp salt (can use up to half black salt if an 'eggy' flavor is desired)
1/4 cup salsa
1 pound firm tofu, mashed
1/2 tube soyrizo
hot sauce to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until translucent.  Add the spices, salt and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.  Add the tofu, salsa and soyrizo and cook for 5 more minutes, or until heated through.

Mediterranean Casserole

This was thrown together from things in my pantry.  I actually have yet to sample the finished product.  It was pretty easy to make, though.

6 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 can white kidney beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 can whole black olives, drained and smooshed
1/4 cup eggplant/garlic dip from Trader Joe's (I might leave this out next time)
1/3 cup hummus
3 Tbsp chopped basil
1/4 cup dry red wine

Mix together.  Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Broccoli Gardein Divan (Vegan Option)

Thaw by microwaving, steaming, or pouring boiling water briefly over them in a colander.

• 2 Gardein chick'n scallopini breasts
• 1 bag frozen broccoli florets

Chop the Gardein into bite-sized pieces. Blend up the sauce (you could also use Hurry-Up Vegan Alfredo):

• 1 cup nonfat Greek plain yogurt (or plain soy yogurt)
• 1/2 cup reduced fat mayo (Trader Joe's brand is accidentally vegan)
• 1/4 cup hummus

Mix into the sauce:

• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp celery flakes

Put a layer of Gardein bits in the bottom of a casserole dish.  Top with broccoli. Top with sauce.
Top that with:

• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/3 cup toasted almond slivers

Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees.

Cauliflower Butternut Red Lentil Curry (Vegan)

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
2/3 cup red lentils
1 jar Trader Joe's Masala curry simmer sauce
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 cups veggie broth

Put all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Bread

This recipe was originally from PPK, back in the day.  I think it's no longer available online, but you really can't go wrong with this pumpkin bread.  It's all kinds of moist and delicious.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with canola oil.

Mix together:
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp allspice (I used garam masala)
1/8 tsp cloves

In a separate bowl, combine:
1 cup pumpkin or squash puree
1 cup light coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
2 Tbsp maple syrup (I used sorghum molasses)
1-1/2 tsp powdered egg replacer OR 1 Tbsp soy yogurt

Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Pour the batter into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  (Mine didn't exactly get to the clean/knife stage, but that's fine by me. And since the batter's vegan, it's safe if undercooked.)

This photo is all that remains after taking this to a gathering of friends.

Mini Portable Breakfast Things

These are awesome and easy to make. If you're vegan, you can sub the eggs with this tofu mini quiche recipe.

A dozen eggs OR one batch tofu mini quiche mixture
12 slices smoked tomato Field Roast OR vegetarian bacon
1/2 cup finely chopped spinach OR kale (optional)
Smoked salt
Tobasco (optional)

Spray twelve muffin tins with oil. Line each tin with a slice of Field Roast or vegetarian bacon. Top with 1 tsp spinach or kale. Crack 1 egg on top of each one (or spoon in a few tablespoons of vegan quiche mixture). Top each cup with a pinch of salt and a dash of hot sauce. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes (30 if using the vegan option).

Each cup is about 100 calories of protein-y goodness.

Kale and Hearts of Palm Greek Yogurt Quiche (with vegan options)

2 bunches kale, trimmed and chopped
1/2 zucchini, shredded*
4 cloves garlic
1.5 cups hearts of palm, chopped finely
1 leek, chopped finely*
1 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 cups plain Greek yogurt OR soy yogurt
2 Tbsp capers*
3 eggs OR 1/3 cup hummus
1 Tbsp fresh oregano
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast*
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp smoked paprika*
1 Tbsp pine nuts*

* optional ingredients

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, leek, zucchini and kale and stir for a few minutes. Add some water, cover and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the kale is dark green.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs/hummus and yogurt together. Mix in the salt, pepper, paprika and nutritional yeast. Spray a casserole dish well.

Mix the kale mixture with oregano,  pine nuts, hearts of palm and capers. Pour the yogurt mixture over the vegetables, and stir well. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serves 8.

Vegan Tempeh Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

1 package baby bella mushrooms, cleaned
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 smallish shallots
3 slices tempeh bacon
1/2 cup cooked pinto beans
1 head roasted garlic (optional)
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp Better than Bouillon vegetable base or miso
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce

Twist the stems gently out of the mushrooms. Mince them along with the shallots and tempeh bacon. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushroom stems, shallots and tempeh and cook for 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar and brush the mushroom caps with the mixture.

Mash the pinto beans and roasted garlic. Add the sage, bouillon/miso and nutritional yeast and mix well. Add the shallot/tempeh mixture to the beans and stir to combine.

Spoon a heaping spoonful into each mushroom cap. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cheezy Broccoli Tempeh Divan

1 batch Vegan Alfredo (recipe follows)
1 tsp curry powder
8 oz. frozen broccoli, thawed
2 cups baked winter squash cubes (optional)
1 block (8 oz.) tempeh, steamed and mashed
1/2 cup french fried onions OR slivered almonds

Combine broccoli, tempeh, vegan alfredo and curry powder in a casserole dish. Top with onions and/or almonds. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Vegan Alfredo
1/3 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked for an hour or so (if not, just blend longer)
2/3 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp white miso
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp stone ground mustard
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp hummus

Combine in a blender and blend for 3 minutes, or until completely smooth.

Stuffed Delicata Squash w/ Apples, Onions, "Sausage" and Beets

Ingredients: Makes 6 servings

3 delicata or acorn squash, halved, seeds scooped out1 Tbsp. olive oil1 apple, diced1 medium onion, diced2 Morningstar Farms veggie sausage patties,s diced1 beet, roasted2 tsp. pomegranate molasses1 tsp. sage1/4 tsp. turmeric1/4 tsp. garam masala1/2 tsp. smoked salt

2 Tbsp hummus

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash halves cut side down in a baking dish with a little water in it and let cook while the rest of your ingredients are being prepared.

Dice the roasted beet and toss with pomegranate molasses.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion, apple and sausage chunks and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the spices and stir for another few minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the hummus and beets.

Remove the squash halves from the oven. Drain off the water. Spoon the apple mixture into the squash halves and bake for 20 minutes.

Vegan Mexican "Eggs"

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 black bean burger, minced*
1/3 cup salsa
1 cup corn

1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
A pinch cumin
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp black salt
1/2 tsp smoked salt

1 pound firm tofu, drained
1 cup pepper jack Daiya shreds
tortilla chips

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes. Add the burger crumbles and cook for 3 minutes. Add the corn, salsa, spices and salt. Cook until no longer soupy. Crumble the tofu in and stir for another 3 minutes or so. Add the Daiya and cook until melty.

Serve by spooning onto tortilla chips.

* I really like the MorningStar Farms black bean chipotle burgers, but they're not strictly vegan.